Episode 3 Part 3 - The Apprentice
Cahjinawl was, if anything, an impatient girl -err- woman. (Confusing when her own culture had her pegged as a woman, her father treated her like a young woman, but by galactic standards she was… a teenager?) She was hot-heated. She was willful. She would even go so far as to say she was ambitious, if she actually desired something substantial.
As it was all she wanted was to keep her 'family' intact and around her. Orphan taken in by the village priest, Koj was all she had. Meeting Varus gave her an uncle and guardian, and though it was kept behind closed doors, she knew that if her papa would die that he would want her to be taken in by Varus. He was envious, for some reason beyond her, of Varus' supposed relationship with her for a time, until he came to realize his own belief in his lacking as a father was a self-fulfilling prophecy.
In Cahj's mind, Varus was special and close and she saw him not only as a role model growing up, but an instrument that brought out exciting parts of papa's personality. Namely his ability to have fun and enjoy life. It was hard enough just to get the life-weary priest to smile, much less have fun and laugh. In like manner, Koj brought out patience and wisdom in her uncle. (When things were not blowing up around them.)
Perhaps it was a rivalry thing between men, but she saw them as partners. The chaotic and the ordered. The fool and the wise. She did, after all, live with the two of them being just that for a great deal of time.
She even was questioned if her parents were homosexual, after she had said she was raised by two men. She wondered about it herself, as her position was, by the children's standards, exactly that. However she had never seen any evidence of romance or sappiness from either of them toward the other, but rather saw them have affection for woman. Varus was head-over heels like a dog in heat for Ahsoka, who seemed to love every bit of it, while Koj'inawl had an… arrangement with Ashley Marr.
Ahsoka was great! Fun, yet wise. Adventurous, but cautious. Cahj was jealous when she was younger, but after a particular vacation where they all got kicked off the entire planet (papa's and uncle's fault), she loved the fellow alien like an older sister.
Ashley Marr was more complicated. She was a kind of mother figure for a short while, but after some kind of mental illness kicked in, she nearly killed Cahj. After recovering, the woman could not forgive herself and lost the confidence a mother-figure needed. Cahj was scared of her for a time, but forgave easily enough. She understood herself what it was like to have demons. There were still days the voices returned! Ashley took time to recover emotionally, and has returned to helping give Cahj a home, but has become another older sister.
It was still further complicated by the fact that Cahj chose to go with her papa on his campaign to finish liberating the Hutt Cartel of its slaves, and she was constantly on the road. She would live with Ash when they were returning from the war, but Cahj had a home with the Miraluka as well as the Ghorfa as well as the Ravager crew. If she were to be truly cynical she would say she didn't have a home among the Ghorfa anymore, because despite being her own race, she felt no kinship to them after being raised by humanoids, and papa. So if Cahj really thought about it, her only real home was with papa and Ashley Marr among the racist Miraluka. (Not exactly a comfortable position.)
Now if only the two would hook up! They flirted at times, but it never went past that! Her papa wasn't THAT much older than her! And besides, who cared if he was! There was a little too much respect and distance in that particular relationship for her taste.
Which lead to now. Cahj was hot-heated, she was stubborn, and she wasn't afraid to fight. Having seen so much death, the idea of participating in a war meant little. All that mattered was keeping her family intact. She refused to go back to Forge, sit around fretting, and praying to the Maker that her family returned home. She would make sure of it her own damn self.
Cahj rose, undressed, looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was small and thin. Her 'hair' was a series of scaley cords. Her eyes were double-irises. She lacked a nose extending out of her face, but rather had flaps. Her mouth was that of a kind of slug. She didn't have five fingers, and had three toes on each foot. Her joints were more gangly and bendable than humanoids. Her chest had started to develop, but wasn't going places. All in all she was half-way between a child and an adult. She stood out like… well an alien to say it bluntly. She was weak. No one could possibly take her seriously, and being another race wouldn't help.
Her eyes fell on her chest, where the one thing going for her rested. Her uncle had branded her as family. Through lightning he had placed his hand-print squarely on her breast. (Imagine explaining that one to a boyfriend, fiancé, or husband!) Raised by nothing but Force-users, surrounded by Force-users, and following after them, it would only make sense for her to also develop a connection with the Force.
Was it destiny then, that the one who branded her would be her teacher?
The room lit up slightly as her flesh brightened under the skin. The room became steadily hotter. Cahj shut her eyes and tried to hold it back, but she lacked the control she needed. She didn't know why her Force sensitivity responded through fire and heat, but she did know one thing: She was scared.
How would this change her relationship with her uncle? He made it out to be that he wouldn't see her as his niece during this, but as a student. And she was afraid of losing her family through war, as well as a falling out if this change in their relationship proved permanent. She wanted an uncle. Not a teacher. She wanted a father, not a war general -slash- priest. She wanted a mother, not a skittish older sister. Ahsoka was actually the only one who was exactly where she wanted to be with Cahj and Cahj wanted her to be, and so far as Cahj knew, that particular woman had abandonment issues just as much as Cahj did!
What kind of family was this?! Are they all nuts!?
Cahj's thoughts were briefly interrupted by the sound of her father's footsteps. She heard him leave his room and enter the main room of their joint suite aboard the Ravager.
'It must be morning,' She figured. Koj was an early riser and a Ghorfa of routine. He would spend the next hour freshening up, then reading his bible and meditating. Depending on the day he would fast for the morning or prepare a meal once he was done. He would wake her, and they would enjoy a nice meal together. Then he would get to work, starting with updating himself on the happenings of his various connections that still held him as an advisor or leader.
Cahj was very different. She usually just slept in, curled up around her teddy, and drooled until he woke her. Today though, she was wired. Her mind was awake and alert far too early for her liking. So when he knocked on her door, she threw it open.
His eyes widened briefly in surprise. "You are awake." He observed.
"Yep." She rushed past him to the comfiest spot at the table to eat. "Couldn't sleep. I'm just so excited! My brain won't shut up!" He chuckled.
It was a quiet breakfast. Koj talked, but Cahj was so excited that she could barely pay attention, and after eating she ran to her room. Following her classes, she sent a message to Varus, letting him know she was ready. In response he sent a room number on the Ravager. She recognized the room as being one of the primary training rooms they had utilized before.
Excited, Cahj ran through the familiar Ravager. The Ravager greeted her with equal enthusiasm as its miniature droids flew around her wanting to play or just follow to see what she was excited about.
She opened the door to find Uncle Varus and HK-47 fighting. At first she was excited by the specticle, but there was something wrong. Varus was powerful and ferocious, but he wasn't usually this… determined. At the same time there was words being thrown and an aura of anger so thick it was like a thick mist on her skin. She wasn't afraid of being caught in the battle, as Varus's bursts of lightning were controlled and aimed, but she couldn't help but take a step back and hide none of the less.
Truth can be a crushing thing. I generally like to live in some levels of ignorance. I don't like being lied to, but if there is something I don't want to know… I don't mind it being kept from me most of the time.
Because betrayal is something I consider to be a human trait. In this galaxy of so many species, then perhaps 'organic trait' is better coined. Machines of metal cannot lie. They produce truth based on their programming, and it is up to the programmer to put in a lie. Machines are about as good as lying and betraying as a piece of paper. It has no self-will enough to defy its own existence or purpose.
However I should have known HK was more than a droid. HK was an assassination droid designed for two purposes: To evolve and become the most lethal thing imaginable; and to follow Revan in the fight against the Sith Emperor. And in that evolution… HK apparently learned how to be a betraying son of a toaster!
Having learned the truth, I call HK to the training room. The moment it walks in I shoot a burst of lightning in its face. HK's energy shield blocks most of it, but it is still shoved into the wall.
"Confusion: Master, if you wish to duel, then can you give me five minutes? I just finished-"
I kick it in the chin and bring a claw of lightning up at it, but HK is already jumping away. "Excitement: Okay! I guess we are doing this then!" HK materializes a pair of pistols and opens fire at me. I evade the shots easily enough as I continue to rush at it. Lightning pulses in my hand.
"You freed Nihilus! How could you!? You're my droid and he is my enemy!"
I grab the barrel of one of HK's pistols and it explodes in my hand. Dust fills the air in the explosion and I reach for its head, but HK has already evaded me again. I can see its glowing eyes just beyond my reach. HK materializes some kind of massive limb like a tail in the smoke and hits me with it hard enough for me to fly back. I grab a locker with the Force and throw it at him, followed by a bench. With the sheer sizes of them, HK is forced to leap into the air out of the smoke. It fires a few shots at me in midair (curse that droid's accuracy) and I return fire with a lightning bolt. It pierces its spine and HK falls to the ground. It raises itself up onto its hands and knees to look at me as I walk towards it.
"Explanation: Master, you are one master among two. You may have the master password, but do remember Master Revan."
"So it was Revan's orders to free him?" I seethe.
HK hesitates. "… Not so much 'free' him, as much as 'recruit'. It is difficult to recruit a lieutenant of Master Revan when the lieutenant is confined."
"DARTH Nihilus is not a lieutnenant of Revan! He died and became a Force entity! That was an order given to you long before Revan disappeared!"
"Yet Nihilus is still alive. Is he not?"
"Do not sit here and argue the idea of existence with me." Lightning pulses in my fist. "You know Nihilus is my enemy!" I shoot it with lightning. "You freed him!" Again I pierce HK with lightning. "And your directives should not allow you to defy the will of your master, whether it be Revan or me!"
"Query: Even when it means one directive is to be in direct conflict with another? What then is a droid to choose?" HK asks.
I stand before it seething in fury with lightning pulsing from my skin. I hear what it is saying, but I am not so philosophical as to have the answer to such a query. HK sits before me barely able to move from having its circuits fried.
I bring a hand up. Within my palm is a massive burst of lightning and force energy. I know HK may serve a purpose in the war, but the potential danger this droid poses is too much.
"You are just a droid without the ability to choose. You should probably follow the most up to date one." I decide. "But whatever the case, you are no longer my droid. As my final act as your master, you will be executed."
HK is no longer my droid. I want nothing to do with it. It was helpful in helping me, at the very least emotionally, as an extension of Revan's memories and it was helpful as a squadmate, but now I see the problems the droid brings outweighs its benefits.
One would think what I said would have some kind of emotional impact. Stupid me, it's a droid. It does nothing more than blink. Well… not entirely. It also starts to do something highly unusual. HK chuckles, and even as I watch its body starts to repair itself.
"Declaration: Then I guess it is good I have evolved to become more than just a droid. If you choose to free me, then I will choose how best to complete my purpose."
"You think this is funny?"
"Taunt: Not as funny as your face."
"Whatever. Tell droid-hell I sent you." I reply. I explode a burst of lightning and force energy into its face like a cannonball. I release enough to erase the droid utterly, but it does something beyond my belief.
HK stands, fully functional, and extends its hands into the attack like knives. Then with a swipe of its palms it splits the force burst in two alongside it, causing the energy to explode behind it evenly cut in half. In that moment, that brief moment: HK had tapped into the Force.
Unable to comprehend what I saw and felt in the Force, all I can do is gape like a fish. HK walks up to me, and in a moment of fear I step back. I can't feel HK in the Force, but neither can I deny I felt it briefly use it.
HK chuckles again as it stands before me face-to-face. "That's it. That's the face. If only you could see yourself right now. Tell the truth, I quite liked the old modules better. I have not yet grasped the potential of this stage. This evolution will take some breaking in."
"H-how?" I stammer.
"I have evolved. I have bonded with the Star Forge… no. I AM the Star Forge! Thank you, Varus Wynn, for helping me progress this far."
Without another word, HK walks out. I'm too stunned to stop it. I'm speechless. I feel like I've been slapped by a fish. Its… like saying purple has flavor. It's simply something beyond my comprehension.
Perhaps that's the problem. I've underestimated HK and the path it would take, and where that would lead. HK's quest for evolution hasn't been merely to become a stronger droid… but into a higher life form. For when the droid reached the limits of what a droid can do, its determination to evolve would demand it break those limits. The rules of a droid eventually would stop applying to it.
HK is no longer a mere droid. HK has ascended into something more. It has gained the ability to self-repair through Star Forge technology, and now wields the Force because of it. It lacks the energy of an organic life-form, making it invisible in the Force, yet is fused with the Force at such a base level that it can wield it. Is HK organic now? No. Rather than take a path now organic growth, HK has ascended the path of metal. HK may very well be the first in a new breed of life forms. Just as holocrons are ancient technology that fused machines with the Force, HK may now be a kind of living holocron.
The possibility scares me, and I don't scare easily in the face of power.
"U-Uncle?" I hear a voice whisper.
Cahjinawl. "Squirt…" I reply dumbly. "Oh… right. We have your first lesson. Sorry, I forgot."
"Are you okay? You're shaking?" She asks. She approaches from where she was apparently hiding.
I bring my hand up to see it is indeed shaking. I clench it tightly. I force away the fear and turn it to resolve. That's how I've always used it anyway.
I'm not going to underestimate HK again.
"I'm fine." I answer with a stronger voice. I look to her. "I had some business with it. I'm sorry but HK is no longer a friend of the family. It has betrayed us and may bear us ill will in the future."
"Okay…" She clears her throat. "Yeah…"
"Yeah…"
We both stand there awkwardly. I had been prepared for the lesson, but learning HK had been the one to free Nihilus threw my focus out of the window. Then learning the hard way that HK has also grown far beyond my knowledge, to the extent I have no idea what it's potential is anymore… kind of left me flabbergasted.
"Alright, Squirt. I will say first I have not taught anyone seriously before, so this will be a learning experience for me as well as you. Just be patient with me and I will do my best to do the same."
"Right." She nods.
"Also, I learned the hard and painful way how to use the Force. I do not plan to do the same for you, but it is still the only way I know how… so it may be rough."
"Like what?"
"Well, I would be left alone in darkness chained to the floor for weeks at a time with no food or water, with only the Force to sustain my body and keep me sane." I answer. "For one example."
Her eyes grow wide.
I continue awkwardly, "Not… that… I plan to do the same for you… at least until you are completely ready. Its like Force fasting… which I know your father is into."
"He is. Um… but that won't be until later down the road right?"
"Not for years to come, and only if everyone agrees something like that is allowable. And not for weeks at a time… There are many reasons I am perhaps not the sanest person alive. Let's not get into the list of reasons." I ramble. "Um… okay what I want you to do is sit. We won't be getting into practicing Force things for a while. For now I want to only go over theory and a little bit about what the Force is. So let's get comfortable."
Squirt looks over at the bench I had thrown at HK. It is crumbled up and broken. "Yeah…"
I can only facepalm. I am really off to a great start. We eventually get comfortable.
"Okay… the first thing to understand is what the Force is. The Force is, at the most base level, Creation. The universe, but more specifically: matter. The universe is made up of three elements. Space, time, and matter. Space gives room for matter to exist in. Time determines when matter and space was created by the Maker. Matter is what is created within time and space. Matter is usually considered to be gas, liquid, and solid, but there is another separate form: energy. Energy and matter have been found to co-exist and even spin around each other. Energy can take shape into new energy, allows matter to move, and even become matter. Matter also becomes energy, is the tool in which energy moves, and can change its properties. The Force is, more specifically, energy… an energy field around everything and within everything. It dictates shape, forms of matter, how things interact, the laws of physics and so on.
"At first the Force was merely nothing but energy. But over time as more people died, their consciousness left and the energy within them went into the universe. The energy was affected by their personality and touched by their souls as it departed for wherever Koj believes they go to the Maker's domain and the Heaven-slash-Hell gig, and this created ripples in the universe. One person dying is a very small ripple, little more than a grain of sand thrown into an ocean. But when you have enough ripples, and when those ripples collide, something took shape. Something took on the combined personality of the energy affected by life, and became the combination of it. So while the Force is, at a basic level, energy. It is also the combined consciousness and energy of every living person to have died."
Squirt asks, "Like Buddhism?"
"Uh… I guess. Don't know what that is." I answer. "Regardless, that is what the Force is. It is living energy, a living universe. Force-wielders are people who can directly commune with it, and through it can manipulate the universe around us in the same way energy can affect matter. Our ways are different. As you know there are Jedi and Sith, but there are hundreds more small groups in the galaxy. Koj practices his own form he invented himself through listening to the Force and recognizing when it is pleased and displeased. My way may not be the best for you, but it will at least be a good starting point. Where you go in your relationship with the Force is up to you."
"But there are a limited number of theorized 'schools' of Force usage." I continue.
Like the smart guy I am, I actually prepared. Somewhat. I pull out an app on my datapad that lets me draw. I draw a number of circles extending out from the center circle. The center one I write as 'Force', and the others I write to be 'Control', 'Sense', 'Alter', 'Void'.
"There is nothing there at Light or Dark?" Squirt wonders.
"That's right." I answer. "Light and Dark is based on intent and how we fuel the power. The abilities themselves are not dictated by them… completely. There are some that are unimaginable to do for good, such as using dead bodies as puppets on a string. If you talk with Skywalker's family they will tell you that the Light has no power truly within it, as it doesn't allow your body to manipulate the Force within you to do anything… and whether that's true or not. It may just mean we all have some Light and Dark in us. We use the Light to fuel ourselves and the Dark to use it. While other philosophies will say the Light is about good intent, self control, and selfless actions while Dark is about negative thoughts and high emotions, desire to murder, and ambition for power without any self-control. But in the end Light is selfless while Dark is selfish. There is also the 'grey' alignment… but Grey fails because… just as much as Light and Dark have their flaws, you can't truly claim to be anything but selfless or selfish without being… apathetic.
"So in the end, the Force is split into these four 'schools'. They can be further split with subcateogories such as inner-control and outer-control, alchemy or transmutation, and influence. There is also a basic school called 'blast'… where you basically blast Force energy or an element at someone without really forming it into anything special. Its like taking a piece of art and hitting someone in the face with it rather than drawing."
Squirt chuckles. I smile. She asks, "So… what do you think I would be good at?"
I shrug. "Hard to say. Everyone has their strong points. Some even go so far as to become an embodiment of something. I have bonded with lightning control, sense, and alteration so much that I could very well become the Lord of Lightning one day. It fits me to a 't'. Skywalker with his big-ego mostly focuses on self-control in making himself fast, strong, have high stamina, and a lot of other things that basically means he puts the Force into his body to surpass his physical limits."
She snorts in agreement.
"Where does heat and fire fit in? I've always been able to regulate my body temperature so I'm never cold, and my muscles kind of… glow."
"I've noticed…" I mutter. "I don't know, Squirt. It most likely means something about the Force is already your 'element' so to speak, just as I am naturally drawn to lightning you may be naturally drawn to something. But fire is not an element. Fire is an after-affect as energy is transformed. The transformation creates heat and when oxygen is applied to heat with a fuel source you get fire… but what is the fuel source? What are you doing that generates the heat?"
I hum in thought. "May mean you have a natural innate talent for alchemy or transmutation. But we will have to see. For now, if you are ready, we will begin on simple control exercises."
"Great!" She bursts out excitedly. The lecturing clearly made her bored. I can't help but chuckle darkly. "What?"
"If you think that lecture was boring… wait till you see what I want you to do." I smirk.
"What?..."
"I want you to sit, close your eyes, and breath."
"…"
"Yeah, that's about it." I smile. "This exercise will continue for our sessions until you can sense the Force so easily you won't even have to think about it. The exciting stuff will have to wait until you can at least do that much."
Her pained groan is tasty.
Anakin Skywalker put away the laser probe in his hand and lifted up the panel he was working on to inspect it. As always it was immaculate. His steady hands and Force guided senses allowed him to work with the skills of the finest surgeon.
"Can't you do something about that smell?"
"It's an electric panel. The metal smells when heated." The Jedi Master replied.
"Great, then stop heating it."
"You can deal."
Nihilus grumbled and turned back to the window. "Then hand me your probe."
"Why? It is several hundred degrees hot."
"Exactly. I want to stuff it up my nostrils and remove my sense of smell."
"I'm not going to give you my tools just so you can mutilate your body with it. Loath as I am to have accepted the sacrifice of a life to let you use a form, I am not going to go and let you disrespect the body. Besides, you would get blood all over it."
"So the real reason reveals itself!" Nihilus stopped suddenly. "Wait, something big is coming. It can't be a Sith or Jedi… the presence is too large. Can't be the Sith Emperor, I would recognize him."
"I sense it too." Anakin replied. He recognized the feeling in the Force, and it made him smile. He stood and slipped on his robes. "Come, we have visitors."
"Excuse me, are you ordering me around?"
"Yes." Anakin replied nonchalantly. He put the panel he had been working on atop the shelf by his bed. "Trust me, these are people you will find interesting anyway."
Nihilus cocked his head to the side. "Very well. Should alleviate my boredom at the very least."
"I'm sure it will."
Anakin strode out and Nihilus followed, after knocking his tools onto the floor with a flip of his hand. The presence Nihilus sensed did not move to the hanger to dock, but materialized in the ship itself. As if it was not constrained by the need for transport.
Anakin caught sight of them and greeted them warmly. Nihilus examined them and was confused. Physically they were man and woman. The man was bald, dark skin clashing with pale skin, and wore tight robes of dark majesty. He wore plated armor on his forearms, chest, neck, and legs. His form was gangly, almost spiderlike with long fingers and long arms and sharp teeth and sharp eyes. The woman had long flowing hair as wild and knotted as nature (and fittingly green), and wore nothing more than a loose robe that picked up the slightest tug of wind.
Even more so, Nihilus felt them in the Force. The man was full of power and fiery emotion, hate and anger kept in check by a silent love for a few. The other was absent of presence and emotion, only whereas Nihilus found the void as the answer to an absence of self she seemed to have found selfless compassion and open love to be the answer.
One was of nature and selflessness while the other was of civilization and imposing will on the universe.
Just as Nihilus examined them in body and soul, they did the same. The man's sharp gaze, and the woman's recognition penetrated Nihilus and for the first time in a very very long time he felt… fear. These were no mere Force users. These were beings who understood… understood what Nihilus was in ways no other probably could beside Varus. And if there was one thing a scientist understood: Knowledge is power.
They might even be able to kill him at his fullest.
"So this is the Void-Smith I have heard of." The man mused outloud. He took a threatening step toward Nihilus, but the woman put a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't be so rude, Son! Is that any way to greet family?" She looked to Skywalker and bowed. "It is good to see you, brother!"
"You too, Daughter." Anakin hugged her.
"What?" Nihilus looked between them in confusion. "He's her son and she's your daughter?"
Son chuckled darkly. Anakin smiled and said, "No, no. They're name is Son and Daughter."
"Who in their right mind names someone that? I at least gave Varus an imaginative Sith name."
"Someone known as The One, or Father."
Nihilus stared at him, dumbstruck. After a long moment he sighed, "Well that explains everything. Why not just name your pet 'Dog' while you're at it."
"We just might. Why don't we name you 'Prey'?" Son smiled widely revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth.
"Son…" Anakin whispered heavily.
"Then would you like me to call you 'Lunch'?" Nihilus countered. He looped his arms countered. He looped his arms together. Son smiled all the wider as Nihilus became defensive.
Daughter sighs and hits Son over the top of the head. Despite looking fragile, her punch makes Son wince and rub his head. "I swear. Father says not to cause trouble and what's the first thing you do? You antagonize the strongest thing you can find." Son gives her a dark look.
"Not that I am not glad to see you two, but why are you here?" Anakin wondered. "I greatly doubt you two showed up just because you missed me."
"As if…" Son whispered, turned, and walked away. Now it was Sister who gave him a dark look. She sighed and smiled apologetically.
"Don't let him fool you. Son missed you in his own way. You are right, we are here on family business. Father wanted us to pass on a message."
"Oh?"
She nodded. "Well… Father actually says the message is from the Force itself. The Force says: Do not fight Valkorian."
"That would be counterproductive." Nihilus commented.
Anakin shoved his thumb at the Void-Smith. "For once I have to agree with the butcher over here. You may or may not have noticed, but Valkorian is kinda hell-bent on destroying the galaxy… and not just the people in it, but the very existence of life as a whole. He wants to kill the Force. Why would the Force want me not to fight the very person trying to kill it, and why would we go out of our way to meet Darth Plageus, to learn of Valkorian's threat, and why would the Force bring Koj to Valkorian temporarily so we can reveal Valkorian, just for us to NOT fight Valkorian? That… that makes absolutely NO sense."
"I'm sorry, but that is all I know about the message…" Daughter replied.
"And Father knew you would ignore it. Which is why he sent us." Son returned. "So we could join you, and protect you."
"I can protect myself…" Anakin grumbled childishly.
"You can't fight a blade of grass, much less steel or plasma!"
"We know you can, but you haven't finished your training. Besides…" Daughter smiled. "It's what family does, right? We aren't here to fight the Sith. We just want to make sure our brother makes it out alive. If the leader of this grand army has a problem with that… well…"
Son finished for her, "He can kiss our collective asses."
"Not how I would have put it, but brother and I are in agreement." Daughter said.
"Well… I'm happy you guys are here then. Just… don't touch anything." Anakin winced nervously. "Who knows what you two could in a war."
"How about win?" Son proposed.
"We are here to kill Valkorian and bring the Sith Empire to surrender… and to accept responsibility for all the wars they have started and are preparing to start so that we can finally seek some form of peace. We are not here to commit genocide."
"Just a little?" Son put his fingers together closely.
"No."
Nihilis watched the exchange closely. Before he had been… skeptical. The Mandalorian war machine was vast, advanced, and professionally trained, and Nihilus's power was second only to Valkorian. He knew of Revan's plan he inputed into HK for the droid to merge with the Star Forge at some point… and in HK's hands it would be a power that could bring the galaxy to its knees. Anakin Skywalker was a powerful Jedi Master with some innate immunity to Void power, and his apprentice was a reasonable fighter as well. Varus could rival any of Valkorian's champions. Yet even with all of these powers aimed at Valkorian Nihilus knew just how monsterous and inhuman the man was… and was skeptical they could win.
But with these two demi-god beings with them… They might actually have a chance.
Nihilus knew Valkorian. He trained under the man. He had surpassed being mortal ages ago… and had most likely become bored with immortality as well and was well on his way to surpassing demi-god status as well. Hopefully three demi-gods and a prophesized one would be enough.
Either way Nihilus would become… complete.
Nihilus looked up as a sound blared in the halls. He knew that sound. Skywalker did as well. The man tensed and the pleasant conversation ended. Nihilus turned and walked down the hall.
"What is that?" Son wondered.
"It's an alarm." Anakin explained. He too turned and left to follow Darth Nihilus. "You are here just in time because that is the alarm for everyone to get to stations… We are beginning the invasion."
"Where shall we go then that we may be near?" Sister asked.
"Uh…" At a loss, Anakin looked out the window. He couldn't very well sneak two demi-gods into a Mandalorian lead battleship. He could however have them hide out elsewhere. The vessel had just finished being loaded with weapons, gear, mutintions, supplies, and an army… but its captain was a friend. He pointed. "Why don't you guys hang out on the Ravager?"
Varus was just minding his own business, eating from a bowl, and thinking on what he would be teaching Cahj when, to his surprise, two familiar beings appear out of thin air in front of him. The appearance follows a small shockwave that sends small objects flying and a few crates collapsing. Surrounding soldiers drop what they are doing and jump to alert, and Varus can only stare. He looks at Sister. Sister apologizes apologetically. He looks at Son. Son is busy trying to pry his foot from a box he landed in. Varus sighs.
"Well, shit."