Chapter Eighteen

Escaping Imperial Center and landing on nearby Bandomeer, Arden was quick to make her way to the nearest spaceport after securing that her crash wouldn't be discovered. Despite her love for Paris and her appreciation of his father, there was only one thing that was on her mind now. That one thing was protecting the unborn child she bore in her womb from Paris' seed and nothing else. Luckily for her, she knew just the place to go for her protection and the protection of her child: Dromund Kaas.

After all, Kadann had foreseen them meeting again for one time in the near future though he didn't say this would last a long time or if it would be brief. She had to see if she could obtain sanctuary with the Prophets of the Dark Side even if they still served the Empire. Or at least, she had to try and see if their loyalty was loose enough to allow her entrance as a person in need of sanctuary. However, she suspected that she would need to go elsewhere before going to them just in case.

She knew a good place to go, one where she could then conceal her presence in the Force and literally disappear for quite some time: Tython, original homeworld of the Jedi. Because the Jedi Temple there had likely been attacked during the Emperor's purge of the Jedi Order, it was ideal for hiding. Her plan was to come out during the wee hours of the night and watch the News to keep updated. But during the day, she would retreat in the Temple and camouflage her presence from the Sith Lords.

While night-hunting, she would make sure to get food for herself at Kalikori Village as well as other resources that she would need for her daytime concealment in the Temple ruins. All the while, she would let her baby grow and grow big until she was certain that the Prophets would welcome her. She didn't want to walk blindly into a trap with an unborn baby five or six months into development, after all. We'll meet again Kadann, as your vision foretold us doing in the future she vowed to herself silently.

Finding the Temple, she immediately made her way into it and into its lower levels in the knowledge that the darkness would protect her. Xendor had taught her as much when the Schism began all those years ago and she had remained in darkness for twenty-five thousand years after that. Rubbing her belly to assure her unborn child that everything was alright, she made sleeping quarters out of stone. Then she slept a genuine sleep for the first time since she had awoken from her first great hibernation twenty-three years before.

After returning a repaired Majestic to the Emperor, Inquisitor Tremayne was asked to resume his hunt of Arden Lyn. Not only was he pleased with this but he was excited to a bloodthirsty extent especially now that she had treasonously rebelled against the Emperor with Zaarin's help. "Tell me Admiral Thrawn," Tremayne said when he bumped into the Chiss officer who had aided in the battle. "Would you say that the fuel trails of any escape pods would still be fresh right about now?" he asked.

"I would say they would be but I don't see how you're going to be able to use them," the Chiss answered. Tremayne pointed to his mechanical eye and told him that it could see in the spectrum needed to follow a trail of burned fuel. Upon being taken up to the space above Imperial Center in a shuttle, Tremayne immediately pinpointed the oldest fuel trail of the escape pods and followed its path. From the look of it, it appeared as though whoever had been occupying the pod was headed not back to Research but to Tython or some other nearby planet.

Now only one person would desire to go to Tython or even know about it amongst the insurrections, that person being Arden. But why in the universe would she want to go there? There's barely anything there that can help her sustain herself for any longer than a couple months he asked himself silently. Only reason he could think of was because she was hiding something, something that needed protecting if Zaarin was to survive.

He would have to find out what it was when he arrived to Tython and found her but in the meantime, he would just have to speculate and debate what it could be. But perhaps, in the massive scheme of things, it was for the better that Arden Lyn had left to Tython. Soon after the coup at Imperial Center and the commencement of Operation Strategic Warfare began, Research became a target. However, he doubted that she had left solely because of this for one reason: the insurrection would be desperate to inhabit worlds at which they could make a stand against the Empire.

They would try their best to colonize worlds closest to Imperial Center in case they could make another attempt on the Emperor's life. Perhaps Arden was the start of that inward expansion and more insurrectionists would follow soon after her arrival there. If that was the case, then he needed to reach her before insurrectionist forces arrived and took over Tython beneath the Emperor's nose. He had to settle his score with Arden Lyn and effectively save the Empire from her future vengeance yet to be had.

Operation Strategic Warfare had not gone exactly to plan: ZA-13 was destroyed but it had taken two battles to conquer Omar and RS-32 was still safe. Paris Zaarin knew it would only be a matter of time before the Empire made their next move and he doubted it'd be against his father. "Hoar, order our shuttle ready in case of emergency," he said as he deliberated this. "What emergency, might I ask?" Hoar replied.

"We attacked the Empire at its capital, we tried to assassinate the Emperor and take out Lord Vader as well. It's only a matter of time before they decide to attack our insurrection's equivalent of a capital world a.k.a. Research," Paris explained. "I see, you want to be prepared to go into full retreat upon their attack," Hoar said. "Yeah, for all the skill of our facility's forces, they don't have what it takes to do anymore than prolong the inevitable in a retaliatory attack from the Empire," Paris admitted.

"What about that fleet that's on standby to defend the Research if it is attacked?" Hoar suggested. "Due to poor communication equipment in their area, I'd have to go to them in person. By the time I get back with them, Research would surely have fallen to the Empire," Paris explained. "Could your father send another fleet to help you if that's the scenario?" Hoar asked.

"Probably but they also wouldn't arrive until Research had already been taken. In fact, they're farther off from the Parmel System than the other fleet I mentioned," Paris answered. "Okay, I put in the order to have your shuttle ready: it should be fueled up for travel within the hour," Hoar stated. Suddenly, Imperial ships jumped out of lightspeed just as the Tusken Raider and Paris had to admit that he wished he hadn't spoken about them.

"All forces in Research, engage the Imperial fleet not even one parsec away from the facility. Repeat, engage the Imperial fleet, this is Vice Admiral Paris Zaarin commanding you to!" Paris exclaimed into a comm. The forces on standby were quick to obey Zaarin's orders and Paris immediately asked Hoar to come with him to the shuttle. "I live to serve the son of Demetrius Zaarin," Hoar replied.

The two of them ran down to the shuttle and requested that only the very best two pilots in the facility take them to the fleet on the other side of the Parmel system. Luckily for them, the forces defendingResearch kept the Imperials too busy to notice Paris' retreat. It was good thing for him too for had Colonel Stele, the commander of the Imperials, noticed him then it would have been over. The lightspeed trip to the extra fleet was very short but it was even shorter battle for the forces at Research.

By the time Paris brought up those reinforcements and requested another fleet to be on standby, the First Battle of Research was an Imperial victory. Paris tried to take it back with the fleet he provided on the other side of the Parmel system but they were soon wiped out. Doing what he could to stall the Imperials with his remnants, Paris waited until the last fleet arrived with his father as their leader. Victory was the Zaarin's after the third battle but the Research had taken too much damage in the meantime to be used anymore. Demetrius ordered it destroyed at that time and refused to be swayed away from that path, deciding that there were other frontiers that were more vital than Research was.

In all that time though, Paris would see more defeats than victories and his faith in his father slowly began to drain out of his being. He had gone into the insurrection in the hopes of a quick victory against the Emperor and an equally swift initiation into a new era of the galaxy. But now, he was slowly beginning to wonder if he had made a mistake by joining his father and meeting Arden. He was beginning to wonder if he had put himself in danger needlessly for his father's own vision.

True that he wanted to get to know his father better since he was the only family he had left with the death of his mother but he started to wonder if it was worth that. Would he have been better off searching for Arden with which Hoar was sure to help him? Could it be possible that he should have chosen to stay with her and their unborn child? He didn't know and for some strange reason, he didn't want to know either.

Inquisitor Tremayne arrived to Tython and immediately began pinning a trail for Arden Lyn's footprints. He knew the type of boots she wore thanks to Palpatine having made mention of such things to help him track her with his infrared sensors in his mechanical eye. Finding the tracks, he immediately began to assert that she was heading for the ruins of the ancient Temple though he didn't know why. Approaching the Temple, he had to admit that he was impressed that she would choose this, of all places, to hide from the wrath of the Empire.

Nonetheless, he was pleased that she had also made it a challenge for him to find her in the ruins though this was more likely her attempt at learning where all the corridors were than anything else. It was when he found her via the scan of his infrared sighting that he smiled and even laughed. "Arden Lyn, we meet again at last. I must admit that I am impressed with your choice of places to hide but now that I have found you, I will have my revenge for your injuries against me at Irkalla," Tremayne vowed.

"Antinnis Tremayne, it figures that the Emperor would send someone with a personal grudge against me. How long have you been hunting me?" she demanded. "Since you made your statement of defection at Bunduki, six months ago," he answered maliciously. "Your vengeance has carried you very far indeed but it ends now," she warned as she ignited her remaining orange lightsaber.

"I couldn't agree more," Tremayne replied as he ignited his own light-purple lightsaber. The duel began with Tremayne using Makashi and later Shien. However, Arden began battering him down with an unexpected mastery of Ataru and Shii-Cho as well as Soresu when necessary to defend herself. Tremayne then turned to his abilities in Niman and initially had her a little off guard though this was not for very long when she began using Vaapad, Jedi Master Mace Windu's form.

Such was her proficiency in the use of it that Tremayne had to turn to his knowledge of all seven of the classic lightsaber styles in order to even hold his ground. But she managed to push through with her use of Vaapad, which indicated much practice in the style as well as mastery of its basic principle. He could tell that Arden had an uncanny ability to skirt between in the line between Light and Dark as per the principle of Vaapad which demanded withdrawing Dark Side power to serve the Light. "How in the universe did you learn to use Vaapad so proficiently, who trained you?" Tremayne demanded.

"If I told you, you would probably not believe me. However, I can tell you that she was once a Padawan of Master Windu the inventor of the style," she replied calmly. Tremayne figured it out for himself soon enough the moment she called the trainer a "she". Only one woman was ever trained in Vaapad as far as he knew and that woman was none other than Depa Billaba herself.

As he tried his best to defend against the ferocity of her usage of Vaapad, his skill in the seven lightsaber forms slowly began to not only fall before her but to exhaust him as well. His cybernetics, light as they were, also would get exhausting after a while and he understood what it was like for Vader. "Give in Tremayne, there is no way you can beat me. I already defeated the Emperor and I will defeat you if I have to," Arden warned.

"Silence, you didn't kill the Emperor and I know that you will not kill me!" Tremayne shouted. Then he used a combination of Juyo, Shii-Cho, and Ataru in his vain attempt to defeat his enemy. However, her skill in Vaapad eventually forced him into an area where he knew that she would have the advantage. How is this possible, how can she be so skilled as to fight me even after a fight with the Emperor not too long ago? he demanded to himself quietly.

But then she stopped using Vaapad and turned to Ataru as well as Shii-Cho and Soresu. Even with these styles that he knew and could counter, she was too skilled for him to defeat. "Stop this and surrender, Arden Lyn! You know that the Emperor will have his vengeance against you, one day even if you defeat me today!" Tremayne shouted.

"Inquisitor Tremayne, you don't understand. I can't stop what I do now for any reason, I have to go on and do what I can to defeat the Emperor in the future," Arden replied. Tremayne took a moment to breathe since she had relented to make her speech but when he heard that, he grew angry. "No!" he said before launching himself into the air and swinging his saber overhead to fight once more.

However, she intercepted this blow and arched herself so far back that she was literally able to kick him over her and send him sliding down towards a massive, pitch-black tunnel. The last Arden Lyn would see of Inquisitor Tremayne, was to see him try to grasp the slippery stone and fail. She also heard as he screamed in rage just before falling over the diagonal edge and down into the abyss below. The screams echoed across the room that they fought in and faded just as quickly as Tremayne had done.

What Tremayne and Arden would never know was that the shaft was so large and had so many turns that he would end up in Tython's one remaining river which would send him back to Kalikori. Of course, he had to deal with bumping into the walls of tunnel first as well as sharp rocks at their bottoms. But not for a single moment did the thought of revenge against Arden Lyn fail to be in the presence of his mind, it was all he desired now. Unfortunately though, when he returned to for healing, the Emperor deemed him a failure and decided that he would pursue Arden himself when he could.

Five months later...

Kadann received the summons to meet the Emperor at Imperial Center in time to see him off to Endor, he knew immediately what the Emperor wanted. He wanted a vision confirming that the Empire would emerge victorious at Endor, the last frontier that the Rebel Alliance could hope to beat him on. The saddest part, however, was that in the last five months since Admiral Zaarin's coup against the Emperor he had been receiving a vision of the Emperor perishing at Endor. This was where relying on the most likely course for the future could be a handicap: Palpatine only wanted the best news.

He would do anything to ensure his own vanity and pride could survive the will of the Force and with good reason. Arden Lyn had defeated him in single combat during the battle of Imperial Center that Admiral Zaarin had started. So denting was the blow to his pride with that act that he would have to make sure that defeat was no eminent for him again. The people of the Empire, of course, became less content after seeing what had happened five months before.

In Kadann's mind, rightly so too for Admiral Zaarin and his son Paris still lived and were still causing trouble though the future foretold them not doing it for much longer. However, there was the additional problem of Arden Lyn still on the loose despite his vision that they would meet again. To solve this problem, the easiest of all as it would turn out, he reached out to her telepathically. He told her of his intention to move from Dromund Kaas to Bosthirda should she decide to meet with him again.

She immediately responded, after he confirmed who he was, that she might just do that in the not too distant future. Perfect, everything is proceeding as I have foreseen rather than as Sidious has foreseenKadann thought with a smile. "Old friend, it is so good to see you again and in better condition than I had been in before," Palpatine stated, reminiscing on his injuries. For four months after the encounter with Arden Lyn, he had to rely on a hoverchair to get around due to pelvic paralysis.

In addition, he had to wear a cast for his broken left arm for three weeks in simultaneity to using the hoverchair when he needed to get around. "Indeed my friend, how goes the construction of the new Death Star?" Kadann asked. "It goes as I have foreseen though with some delay, Vader will be remedying that however as will my personal arrival there," Palpatine answered. That was when Kadann sensed that the Emperor would ask him about his visions and he did though not before sharing his.

"Soon, the station will be armed and fully operational which would ensure the death of the Alliance and the end of this insignificant rebellion as I have foreseen! Tell me Prophet, do you concur with me on what I have seen?" Palpatine asked at last. Kadann knew he was going to have to reveal what he had seen but he knew better than to wait longer than a few seconds to answer. Before doing so, he determined that the best way to answer him was honestly and directly, wasting no more time.

"While you have seen victory, the future is always in motion. There are many outcomes, and I have been shown the one most likely to occur. I have seen the end of the Empire, and the death of the Emperor," he answered. This surprised Palpatine and at first, Kadann thought that he would be incinerated for certain though Palpatine knew this would provoke Jedgar into full-fledged assault on him. However, his answer confirmed that he wanted to but he was not about to risk life and limb to ensure the fulfillment of his visions anymore than he would need to.

"Do you not think I have seen such an event? Of course I have seen that vision, but I refuse to allow it to happen," Palpatine replied. "One meets his destiny most frequently on the path he takes to avoid it. The more you fight what I have foreseen the more likely it is to occur: you will fail," Kadann warned.

Palpatine had no immediate reply to this except to order troops to escort the tiny human prophet back to his ship. Kadann did not begrudge the request although he did deny it, confident that he could walk himself back to his own shuttle. You have taught me very well Arden Lyn, indeed it is essential to keep some focus on the present even if one's skill lies in seeing the future. I look forward to meeting you again when you finally arrive to our home once more Kadann thought.

Jedgar, who had been left to guard the shuttle, looked surprised that Kadann would be back so soon from his talk with the Sith Lord. But he told him of the conversation and Jedgar immediately accepted the reality of what had to be done without any begrudging toward his master. "Do you really think it will be wise to leave the current champion of the Dark Side even if he is wrong?" he asked.

"Better to serve the Dark Side from a distance than be close to the explosion to come. Besides, we have better things to do with our time than continue satisfying the ego of the Emperor," Kadann said. Jedgar nodded his agreement and asked Kadann where he would like to go next, now that his self-imposed exile was all but assured. "Take me to Bosthirda and order all the prophets to join us there, it will no longer be safe at Dromund Kaas even after the Empire falls," Kadann answered rapidly.

"And what do you propose to do once we're there?" Jedgar inquired. "For the moment, we will let events transpire and act as no more than witnesses from a safe distance. Then, when the time is right to reappear, we will strike again," Kadann explained. That was a good enough answer for Jedgar.