Chapter 27 - The Things We Let Them See (The Sith)
Dubrillion
Royal Palace

Two cyborgs were on their knees before me, bound and mildly beat up. General Pierce stood behind them, glaring at them. I rose from my chair as Vanceto brought Mako into the room. I ignored her for the moment and kept my focus on the Watchers as they liked to call themselves. "Do you report to Xerrin or Mekethia?" I asked the one on the right.

Silence. I gave them another moment to change their minds, or reveal in their bravery. Either way it would not change what I did next.

I backhanded one viciously. I grabbed the other by the throat with one hand, and ripped the implant in his jaw out with my other. He screamed in agony and for once blood poured. Blasters and Lightsabers cauterized wounds fast enough there was rarely any blood. No mess. This would be agony for them. The throbbing pain, their blood leaking. Both men were screaming now, shouting things.

I smirked, dropping the brother whose face I'd just made a mess of and grabbed the other. I shoved my hand around his jaw pulling him to me. "Say something useful or there will be more pain."

"I'm not tellin you a frakkin thing. Sith," he all but snarled at me.

"That wasn't useful." I shot my hand out to his brother, and used the force to rip out the implant over his cheek. More blood, and screaming, and sparks this time. "I was hoping that one was attached to his brain."

"Mekethia!" The one I was torturing shouted, hunched over, clutching at his badly bleeding face. "We work for Mekethia!"

I suspected as much. Xerrin would not have let Elliah go unchecked if she'd know just how close he and I were. Which meant Mekethia planned to use him against me.

"When is your next check in with Commander Jinobie?" I asked him.

"Shut up Jix!"

"Frak you! She's not ripping your face apart!"

"Don't make me ask it again." I dropped the "brave" brother and glanced over at Mako. She looked utterly horrified. Good. I wanted this woman who had power over my son to fear me. I wanted her to know what I was capable of in my darkest moments before she saw anything else of me.

"Two days. We're spose to check in, in two days," Jix said. "I need a med droid! I'll frakking bleed to death!"

"Excellent. General Pierce, take him to medical. Then take both down to the detention center and send C9 in to clean this mess up."

"Yes my lord."

I turned away from the mess and stepped over to Vanceto and Mako. I embraced my son, but kept my gaze on the slicer.

"You should send them back to her in pieces," Vanceto said watching the two distastefully.

I smiled faintly. "I have other uses for them." Two former SIS Agents were the perfect scapegoats for the murder of Lord Madine. "Go with the General, Vanceto, just in case."

"Yes ma'am." Vanceto followed Pierce out.

"Walk with me," I said to Mako, and without waiting for her to fall in step, I walked out of the room, heading in the opposite direction.

Mako didn't hesitate regardless of what she'd just seen and kept pace beside me.

"I apologize you had to witness that, but my time is short," I said to her.

"Since I don't think this is that social call you mentioned, how can I help?"

"I need a holorecording sent to a Jedi Master. It must be untraceable. And I need information on two former SIS Agents altered."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Mako said. "What else?"

"For now that will do." I stopped my walk and turned to face her fully. "Do you love my son?" I asked her point blank.

Mako looked at the floor. I could feel it then, the strength of her affection. "I can't admit to you something I haven't said to him yet," she answered quietly.

Smart girl. Giving me an answer without giving me an answer. "And what of his abandoning you to the whims of his family? How does that make you feel?"

"A little angry," Mako admitted meeting my gaze once again. "But I understand."

"Do you?"

Mako nodded. "He didn't want me to have to be there while he… handles it."

"Partially," I said. Turning I continued walking.

"Partially?" Mako looked at my side profile curiously.

"You're a weakness Mako. One Darth Tormen could use against him."

I glanced over at her and watched Mako's hand move to her throat. So Darth Tormen already had. Good. I was glad Lancoro had been put in that situation, gladder still of the choice he'd made.

"So many things just make sense now," Mako said.

"I'm sure a great many things will become clearer to you should you remain with my son," I said stopping in front of a closed door. Once more I met the young slicers gaze directly. "The mission he is on now will possibly culminate in something of extreme value to me, and this family. Support him or don't, but don't distract him."

Mako's mouth twisted wryly. "I don't think he's going to call me, Lord Jinobie."

"He may. He will also return to you Mako, that I am positive. What happens after that, will be up to you." Leaving her with that, I pushed open the door to the room.

Risha and Jaesa stood in front of a computer terminal. Jaesa smiled briefly at me, then looked with predatory intent at Mako. It amused me greatly, leaving this little slicer near Jaesa.

"Your highness." I paused and bowed to Risha as was her due.

Risha waved her hand at me. "I wish you'd stop doing that. Not everyone else, I like it from my subjects. But not you."

Amusement briefly crossed my gaze. "This is Mako, the slicer I spoke of. Are we ready to proceed?"

"Everything is in place, Master," Jaesa said.

I nodded. "Mako, work your magic."

Leaving them I walked out of the room closing the door behind me. My holocom beeped. When I answered it, Elliah's face appeared.

"She thinks it's you," he said.

"Not surprising. Though I'm flattered she believes the dark side of the force surrounds me that strongly." I began walking again, while holding the holocom in front of me.

"She doesn't know you're no longer the Emperors Wrath does she?"

"Why would she? That is the last thing she saw me as."

Elliah rubbed his fingers across his forehead. "Laresa-"

"Nothing will change her mind right now, we both know that. It's better she thinks this way. She'll be prepared."

"Not for what's really coming."

"I am. It will be enough."

"Very well, wife. I need Vanceto sent to me."

"Of course. What is your need for our son?"

"I found someone who may know his identity."

My steps paused. My amusement sharpened. "Torture isn't so bad."

"You're cute when you're trying to turn me to the dark side." Elliah chuckled. "Be proud I'm calling upon him to test his Sith strength."

"This does not surprise me, Elliah. I married you because you get it."

"Is that the only reason?" A playful smile came to his mouth.

"Careful. Your Nadia's jealousy may overwhelm her." I picked up my pace again, stepping to one of the all glass elevators. "By the way, our other son has begun his journey," I said.

"Has he?" Elliah smiled quietly. "I wonder what he will choose."

"As do I, though I suspect I know. His slicer is here."

"Mako?" Elliah chuckled. "Be kind to her, Laresa."

"Absolutely not." A feral grin slide over my face.

Elliah laughed. "May the force be with you"

"Good hunting, Elliah." I ended the connection. Placing the holocom back on my belt I stepped off the elevator. My destination was the research compound, where the neural chipset my children had recovered from Hoth was being duplicated.

My thoughts however had turned towards my sister. I frowned lightly, recalling what had led to her discovery that I'd gone completely to the darkside, and liked it so much there I did not plan to return…