Chapter Twelve
Kycina, Maul and Savage had arrived at the place where the concentration of Dark Side power was at its greatest. It was inside a cave that looked like it had not been accessed for a thousand years, never mind explored for just as long. "This is it, I can feel the dark power ebbing from it. Even after a thousand years, it is still so strong," Kycina said.
"I sense it too," Maul replied. Savage only nodded his confirmation that he also sensed it. "You two will need to stand far back, even I cannot reach it unless I use my staff to unlock the souls of the dead themselves," Kycina advised. Maul and Savage did as she said and when at Maul's signals, she began the incantations necessary to complete the ritual that would resurrect the vengeful Sith souls. A green orb that equaled the thought bomb orb in size was conjured from her staff and was allowed to float towards it before she positioned it to act as her means of communication between herself and the trapped souls.
"Skere Kaan, ancient leader of the notorious Brotherhood of Darkness, I summon you and the souls trapped there with you to exact your revenge upon the Jedi. Arise from your entombment and destroy the descendants of those who defeated you! Rise and reassert yourselves as the rightful rulers of the galaxy itself!" she commanded to the bright-white orb. Then the green orb fused itself to the white one and at first, it seemed as though they created a whirlpool of magic and Force power that would be destroyed if anything went wrong.
After that brief time that seemed to last eternity, the mixture began to take the shape of a door and open a black hole equally big. Souls began to walk through this door and it came as no surprise to anyone that Kaan was in the lead of them all. What did surprise them was that the soul of a woman followed him then the souls of several Sith Lords they could not identify from their knowledge of Sith history. Plus it seemed as the effects of their resurrection brought back two more Sith Lords that had originally been killed before the thought bomb was activated.
Their names were Qordis and Kopecz, both of them seeming angry almost right after being risen back from the dead. "Ouch my neck still hurts from when that cursed Bane broke it with his Force choke. That boy was more powerful than I imagined when I tried to persuade him to join Kaan again," Qordis said. "Shut up Qordis and come meet the trio that has somehow resurrected us in this dimension," Kopecz ordered.
"Yes, I would like to know who they are also," the woman said, her tone cool and calculating. "Allow me to introduce myself and my sons: I am the ex-Nightsister Kycina, this is my oldest son Maul and my youngest son Savage. We only wish you to help us in destroying two powerful enemies that seek our heads. One is called the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS for short) and the other is the Republic you once fought," Kycina explained.
"Our forces are large enough to fight both of them even if they unite unless they are bigger than Empire had once been. It was strong enough to rule over half the galaxy before the Jedi drove us here to Ruusan," Kaan said. "You united more than half that strength here before we were defeated, a good omen for these fugitives here," Kopecz said. "It is indeed a good sign for them and us to take our revenge against the Jedi scum and this CIS this trio speaks of," the woman agreed.
"By the way, could we get an introduction from you?" Savage asked. "Savage, how rude of you to speak to a woman like that!" Kycina hissed. "No, it is fine Kycina and I should have introduced myself after I came through the gate anyhow. I am Githany, former love life of Darth Bane himself," the woman told them.
"Now I remember you, you tried to kill him on Kaan's orders and failed when he found Caleb the healer. Then you tried to escape when the thought bomb was about to go off and failed at that as well," Maul said. "That is all in the past and do not bother telling us what year it is, we already have an idea since the thought bomb orb allowed us to sense the passing time as a means of knowing and embracing our pain," Githany explained. "Most impressive and do you know the history of your galaxy since that time when you were first imprisoned in the orb?" Savage inquired.
"Most of it but we do not know what happened to the Sith after we were defeated by the Jedi," Kaan answered. "You soon will," Maul warned them. "Enough talk then, time for some serious action!" Kopecz said. Maul, Savage, Kycina, Githany, and Kaan couldn't agree with him more on that matter.
"Yes Maul, now you have found the Brotherhood of Darkness and revived them. Their vengeance will fuel the tower with power it can use to create a gateway to KaiSu Lak'Ton. From there, we can bring in the real army that will crush the Republic, Dooku and his Separatists, and everyone else who dares to oppose us," Talzin declared. "Finally, I was getting bored waiting for them to find the army on Ruusan and hearing you promise that they were close," Ventress said, her tone very exasperated.
"Now for the act of lust that will bring the planet into this dimension. We will wait for Savage to return with the fleet to this part of the galaxy then I will bring him here," Talzin replied. "Oh what? I'm not getting laid with that creature if my life depended on it," Ventress promised Talzin.
"Your life may very well depend on you 'getting laid' with Savage. You may think you have the ability to ignore the mating call that all Nightsisters feel after selecting a partner. Do not pretend you haven't had those lustful tendencies that are even worse in Savage than in you," Talzin commanded. "I have no desire to help you in this part but I am compelled to agree by your powerful spell over my mind," Ventress admitted grimly.
"Good but since you insist that you cannot sleep with him, I will see to it that he fights for the right. It may charge him more than is healthy for his kind but that doesn't matter to me so long as it is done and KaiSu Lak'Ton is brought to its rightful place once more," Talzin promised. "Shit, I'm in for it now," Ventress said. Talzin slapped her and told her to watch her language in the presence of a Mother as well as the people in the city.
After that, she focused some of her magic then electrocuted Ventress with it in order to strengthen her possession over Ventress' mind as it attempted to resist her. When she was finished, Ventress was back in her fold once more and she could be sure Ventress would obey her when Savage returned. "You are not working with me in this matter Ventress, you are working for me," Talzin reminded her. "I understand, my Mother," Ventress replied and with that, Talzin was satisfied for now.
"Forgive me for saying so my lord but the Saleucami system demands my attention again. I feared this and that's why I decided to teach you Battle Meditation just in case," Sora told his Master. "Very well my apprentice, you have done me an honor in teaching me this rare art. I only hope to employ it effectively against Lord Kaan's ability to use it," Dooku replied.
Sora bowed then ordered a shuttle prepared for his return to Saleucami while Dooku and Grievous dealt with Kenobi and Maul on Dathomir. Though Dooku had to admit it was somewhat disrespectful that Sora would urge to leave for Saleucami, perhaps it was for the better. Three days had come and gone since Dooku had sent Kenobi his request to come to Dathomir and he had to admit that he was beginning to agree with the Jedi in wondering whether or not Maul had a fleet coming to fight them. It was at that moment when ships never seen before jumped out of hyperspace and started firing at random cruisers while their starfighters exited their hulls as CIS and Republic fighters alike raced to intercept them.
"Perhaps Maul has shown up with that army after all. If we survive, my spies will be handsomely rewarded for their tracking skills. It wouldn't have worked without their ability to patiently sniff out the trail of my enemies and tell me what they were doing," Dooku said shortly after the attacks on them had begun. Grievous was barking orders in the background and was beginning to employ the strategy they would have used against the Republic fleet if the rumors about Maul's had been confirmed as a false alarm.
"Grievous, as soon as you give the final orders I want you to take eight squads of commando droids and four MagnaGuards and head for their main cruiser. It appears to be that massive one that every other ship is converging to protect. I will engage Battle Meditation and hopefully get you up to that cruiser once you signal me that your shuttle has left the hangar on our ship," Dooku commanded. Grievous nodded and prepared four lightsabers to take with him and handpicked each of the droids he would take with him behind enemy lines.
Savage, on my signal it will soon be time to betray your brother and undo everything you, your brother and your mother have created together. Soon as you complete this task, or at least have Maul and Kycina defeated, call to me through the Force and I will bring you to the ancient city on Dathomir where Ventress and I are presently located Talzin whispered through the Force. I will be waiting for your signal, Mother. I am tired of my brother's weakness around my mother and his strength around these other Sith Lords that surround us Savage replied, his intent bright and clear for the future.
Maul talked with Kaan about something and it seemed like something important considering the grave look on Kaan's face shortly after they finished their little discussion. Savage could now very easily see Ventress being his reward for his defection to his ultimate loyalty: Talzin. It was easy to imagine that Talzin had broken her mind and made her a puppet of the Nightsisters again considering how Talzin had said that Ventress suddenly allied with them likely by no will of her own. He knew that bitch well enough to know that she would never again side with him unless there was absolutely no choice left besides him.
After pondering this little bit about Ventress, he inquired as to what Kaan had spoken to Maul about. "Kaan will once again engage in Battle Meditation to make our fleet even more powerful than it already is," Githany said. "If all goes well, we may only need to use it once as one of the so-called Sith Lords is on board the CIS Dreadnaught now," Savage replied. "I hope for all our sakes that you are right about that," Githany admitted.
"All fighters take off from the hangars when ready! We have a more massive fleet on our hands then even Dooku had anticipated and I don't want any sitting ducks!" Kenobi shouted at the top of his strong lungs. "Sir, isn't that dangerous? On most of our cruisers, sending out the starfighters would mean barely escaping a serious case of understaffed ships," Admiral Yularen asked his Jedi.
"I'm aware of that but that's a risk we have to take if we're to prevent Maul's fighters from reaching us while Count Dooku engages in Battle Meditation against Kaan," Obi-Wan answered. "Sir, I've heard of Battle Meditation before: if the legends of its power are to be believed, his forces may destroy us no matter how hard we try to stop it if Kaan is strong enough," Yularen warned. "Then let us hope he isn't that strong with it," Kenobi replied. Yularen nodded and continued to do his part in helping the Republic fight this battle alongside their Separatist enemies, a change not everyone was accustomed to.
Kenobi kept his lightsaber at his belt and made sure it was ready for any infiltration from his arch nemesis. If Yularen's fears were confirmed, he was going to need it sooner than he would like. He even grasped its light hilt tightly to affirm how much he desired not to use it now.
