"What is this place?" Lana asked, looking around. They'd been traveling only a few short minutes, but there had been plenty of force lightning and debris to dodge. Now, they stood in a room with what looked like power conduits and carvings.
"This is the Emperor's Vault. Inside, Valkorion stored artifacts even he feared were too powerful and dangerous to use." Jarak stood directly in front of the door for a few moments before going to a hidden panel and keying in a code. The heavy doors rumbled open, and they peered inside.
"I cannot protect you from what lies inside." Valkorion's voice sounded weak, but Miriah knew he was having trouble with the force void here. She merely gave a small nod and they entered the vault.
Devin hung back, and shook his head. He could now hear Vaylin's screams of agony through the influx of her force power, and as much as he hated anyone in pain, he couldn't dredge up any sympathy for the woman. He saw his mother advance into the area and moved closer to her. He'd felt Valkorion's presence, but not what the former emperor had said to her. Still, she seems okay with it, he thought, and decided to stay close to her.
Arcann had not left his mother's side since Miriah and the others had left. He was meditating, lost in the force, when Senya arced up from the bed. "Mother!" he exlcaimed, but she was disoriented, searching blindly with her eyes. Only when her hands felt his arms supporting her did she quiet.
"Oh, my daughter! What have you done?" she said softly, and Arcann gathered her to him, wanting to calm and reassure her. Senya fell into his embrace, and he murmured softly to her that he was with her, there was nothing to fear. She turned worried eyes to his, and could only say her daughter's name.
Devin felt the huge force wave, the energy of a magnitude he'd only felt from himself. The explosion rocked the building, the rumble of the structure's demise filling the closed vault. Everyone look around with some trepidation, but Devin saw his mother only glance at the dust falling around them. "Vaylin's free," was all she said and Devin nodded at her.
"The power surge overloaded the circuits," Jarak said, trying and failing to get the one terminal to accept his codes. "We're trapped." Miriah sighed and put her hands on her hips, staring at the strange being.
"There has to be some sort of backup system to restore power," she said, and felt Corso behind her. "Can you slice it, sugar?"
"I can try," he told her, squeezing her hand before joining Jarak at the terminal.
"No! There's another way," Jarak explained. "You must reactivate the power generator, but do be careful," he warned. "Valkorion sealed deadly guardians in here to protect his treasures. After centuries of hibernation, I expect they will be hungry." Lana hefted her lightsaber in her hand.
"Nothing's ever easy, is it?" Lana said, and looked at Miriah when she laughed.
"Nope, never is," she responded, and the group seemed to relax a little.
The group started off, Devin and Lana dispatching guardians easily. In the enclosed area, it was risky to use cannons or blasters, but the lightsabers produced no ricochet. Once the beasts were downed, Miriah put a blaster shot in their heads, just to be sure.
As they advanced, they saw what appeared to be a holocron, floating in the middle of a stand. Miriah approached it, drawn to it. "Mir, no!" Corso shouted, but it was too late. Miriah took the glowing holocron in both hands, and immediately there was a red light that spilled forth. The light coalesced into a being, a Sith, who began to address her.
"Have you come to torment me again?" he demanded. "No, I sense his presence, but it is faint. Distant. You are not Tenebrae."
"No, I am not. Are you a spirit?" Miriah stepped back and saw the group on the edges of the bowl-shaped area, all had weapons drawn.
"I exist between life and death, imprisoned in this holocron by the one who lives within you," the spirit replied. "I knew him as Tenebrae, but my low born son has worn many masks. Vitate, Emperor of the Sith, Valkorion. His name does not matter." He paused for a moment. "I am Lord Dramath. I ruled this planet a thousand years ago, when it was a vibrant world named Medriaas."
"You're… Valkorion's father. I never thought of him having parents," Miriah said, her voice holding a note of disbelief.
"One of many offspring I sired," the spirit responded. "He was the least of my children, his mother, a nameless peasant. But he murdered me, imprisoned my spirit, and turned Medriaas into… this."
"You said this was once a lush and vibrant planet. What happened?" Miriah was being drawn into the story now.
"He lured many Sith lords here before consuming them in a dark ritual that wiped out all life on the planet."
"He did something similar on Ziost," Lana commented, moving a step closer to the image.
The spirit nodded. "His hunger for immortality must constantly be fed."
"Why didn't he consume your spirit?" Miriah asked.
"For a thousand years, he has taunted and tortured me. Now, salvation is at hand. This holocron has the power to destroy what remains of my essence. Grant me the release of oblivion."
Miriah once again looked at her group. Corso was shaking his head no, as was Aric. Devin was remaining neutral. Maura and Lana, however, were in favor of releasing this spirit. She sighed before speaking. "I don't trust Valkorion. But I don't trust you, either."
"I can help you defeat Tenebrae. I know his weakness. This holocron is not just my prison, it can destroy him once and for all."
"I've been waiting for this for a long time, but I have heard this said before. What do I do?"
"There will come a moment when Tenebrae is vulnerable. That is when you must strike! Until then, release me from my prison, keep the holocron close, and bide your time."
Lana had started pacing and stopped now in front of the spirit. "You know things about Valkorion that could be useful. Maybe we should keep you around for awhile."
"I have given you the key to my son's existence. There is no purpose in keeping me alive."
Miriah stood perfectly still, searching her mind. Her heart was telling her to let him go, and when she attempted to reach out to the force, she felt the bud of hope in the planet, the slightest positive energy. "Okay," she said. "But when the time comes..."
"I will be there," the spirit replied, and bowed to her. "Thank you." The red light surrounding him grew brighter until it burst forth, and Miriah was sent backwards, slamming into the ground hard. When she'd cleared her vision, the others were helping her up, Devin running his hands over her limbs and Corso using a scanner on her.
"Think you're okay, darlin'. Can you stand?" he asked gently, supporting her as she rose. Maura held a bottle of water to her lips, and she drank.
Lana paced around them. "That explains Valkorion's behavior. He didn't want you snooping around in his vault."
Miriah held the holocron out to Lana, who gingerly took it. "Hold onto this for now. Valkorion can't know we have it."
"Hey!" Aric shouted. "Here's the backup generator!" As he reset the unit, lights came on and the thrum of the power being restored filled the cavernous room. Above it all, they heard beasts roaring and felt force fluctuations again.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Corso said, and charged Torchy. A group of native animals flooded the room, and the group set about dispatching them. Without the cannons, it was much harder to clear the animals, but in time the carcasses littered the floor. It was then that Lana saw the edge of Jakar's robe under one of the beasts.
"Jakar didn't make it. Pity." Her voice was neutral, but Miriah could feel the contempt Lana had for the one who had brainwashed a young girl. They pulled his lifeless body to the side, and in doing so, triggered another door. "At least he was right about our escape route," she said, as light filtered into the space. They made their way out and looked around at the planet. Miriah thought she could see the potential in it, but before she could voice that thought, they heard Theron on the relay.
"You need to haul jets, Commander! Power readings spiking, the whole place is about to blow! I'll pick you up outside!" They'd barely digested his words when they saw the shuttle hovering above them. Once aboard, Theron pointed the nose to the sky and they shot upward, the vibrations of the explosions below them buffeting them as they flew.
Caly heard the shuttle calling the ship, and rushed to the bridge. "I've got the bay open and ready," she told them, and Miriah smiled. Caly let out a held breath, she'd been on edge since they'd left. At least I can contribute, even if it's only a little, she thought. Once they were aboard, and in the hyperlane, they were all able to relax. Caly sat with her parents, and had a new respect for their work, their lives, and how they tried to spend time with all their children. She saw her mother lay her head on her dad's leg, and knew they were right. She should have stayed put, but now, she was glad she could at least help them out some.
Devin felt her emotions, naturally, and moved to sit with them. "Caly, this is..."
"I know," the young girl said. "I should have stayed on Odessen. I wanted to see what this was all about." She sighed, and felt her mother take her hand.
"Was it all you imagined?" Miriah asked, her eyebrow lifting with a sardonic tilt. Caly laughed.
"I've at least learned that no matter how much you think you know, you really don't," she answered, and they all laughed.
"What's next?" Aric asked.
"Let's get home first, and see what we..." They dropped out of hyperspace for a moment, and Miriah guided the ship to the next lane. Before she could engage the engines, they heard the priority klaxon of the holo start, and ran to the main holo viewer to see Bey'wan Ago.
"Commander! Do you read? Odessen is under attack!" His image flickered, and Miriah caught her breath.
"Find Colonel Dinn, tell her to launch plan Delta-six. We're on the way!" She had only gotten the words out when she felt the hyperdrive engage, and sent a grateful look to Corso. She moved to the bridge, willing the ship to go faster. Corso hugged her against him, feeling her tremble. "This has to end," she whispered to him, and he murmured his agreement, never letting her go.
Calypso covered her face with her hands. Odessen, under attack! And Nana, and oh, force! The new baby! She shot a look at her mother and understood, then, why she was supposed to stay behind. She should have been there to help the defense effort. She wiped the tears that fell, and hung her head.
Arcann had helped Senya eat and she was resting when he realized that the planet was under attack. He pressed a quick kiss to her sleeping cheek and rushed to the elevator, only to realize there was little he could do. He watched as the tall Cathar in charge sent ships to defend, and the small matriarch of the Chantalle clan gather the Jedi who would provide a shield and couldn't decide where to jump in. Sarai saw his indecision, and motioned him to the Jedi group. He linked with them and added his considerable force power, and felt the inevitable battle to come.