The Sanctuary of Regret
Chapter Fifty-Three
Smoke and dust dimmed what might have been Rishi's sun. Jonas struggled to keep his eyes open—struggled to keep his focus on the milky pearl of light above him. The smoke stung his eyes and stripped his throat. He winced. The mask of dust made it feel like his skin was cracking. His body ached everywhere—but at least the ground had stopped shaking.
He lay still waiting for a blast that didn't come. It appeared three was the magic number and the damage of those three strikes was enough to level Raider's Cove.
When he drew breath, it whistled through his throat, the passage swollen and raw. The resulting rasp demanded he draw another, but the pain begged him not to.
The smoke thickened. A cloaked figure wearing a respirator blotted out the light and stooped to grab Jonas by the wrists.
He gasped when his arms rose up over his head and when the stranger dragged him through the lumpy debris. Flames licked up on either side of him, but he couldn't decide how close they were.
He tried to call out, but a gravelly cough cut his voice short.
"Don't try to speak, Agent," the commanding voice above him said.
A fading Imperial accent—familiar—he knew it—but for all the credits on Nar Shaddaa, he was damned if he could put a name to it right now.
'A name…no name, he has no name,' he puzzled before blacking out.
The next time he regained consciousness, he was being dragged again—this time off the flatbed of a rusted lorry. The flames were replaced by lush green palms and a flaky mulch path. Jonas strained to take in the setting and gagged on the humid air.
"I haven't another oxygen mask to spare. The others need them more."
"Others?" Jonas croaked. "How many?"
"Four."
After a quick mental inventory, he sighed. "Thank the maker." He beamed up at his rescuer, his teeth a dazzling contrast to the soot that blackened his skin. "They're ok."
Keeper released Jonas's arms and propped him up against a tree. "That remains to be seen."
"Lana?"
"She and Kira Carsen sustained severe injuries. I suspect they attempted to shield your hideout from the brunt of the attack."
"Where's Lana…gotta see her."
"She's inside. My med droid is tending to them as we speak. The doctor, however, is the priority. His expertise will be required to treat the others."
"I know you…" Jonas rasped.
The man pulled off his respirator and threw back his hood. "It's been some time, Agent Balkar."
"Keeper—well I'll be damned."
"I had hoped never to lay eyes on you again," he said, injecting a Kolto-Stim blend into Jonas's shoulder. "But it seems the galaxy has different plans."
"Yeah. Likewise," Jonas grunted and rolled his shoulder as the warming effect of the remedy took effect.
"Now—why are you here, Agent?"
Jonas struggled to stand. "Wasn't by choice exactly. Jadus attacked our base on Odessen. How did you know we were here?"
Keeper thrust his hand out. "It appears you've sustained a blow to head as well."
Jonas accepted the offer of help and clasped Keeper's forearm to pull himself up. "Funny. Never figured you Imperial stiffs had a sense of humor."
"Surely you recognize the absurdity of your question, Agent Balkar. Nothing happens on this island that I don't know about."
"You're retired for kark's sakes. Shouldn't you be building birdhouses or a better dejarik table?"
"It appears old habits are difficult to abandon. I've been monitoring Darth Jadus's actions since the attacks on Dromund Kaas and Coruscant."
"Yeah—the bastard—framed us—blamed the Alliance," Jonas managed before coughing again.
"I suspected as much. Give me a hand with this, Agent." Keeper dragged one end of the Ghillie blanket over the vehicle. "Come now, if you talk you can work."
After covering the vehicle, they descended the ramp leading into the subterranean base. The camouflaged overhead door groaned to a close, casting a dark shadow over them.
"How long was I out?" Jonas asked.
"Nearly an hour."
"So we're quite a ways out."
"Of course. Did the SIS not teach you a base is more secure away from the populace? And far less likely to sustain an attack such as the one you just survived?"
"Yeah—it's in there somewhere," Jonas grumbled. "But hey, sometimes you gotta work with what you've got. Not all of us have a vault full of credits stashed away."
Keeper's icy gaze bored into him. "Only a fool remains at a stepping stone. Only a fool won't prepare for every outcome. You've gotten lazy, Agent."
"A'right. Point taken. You gonna show me where they are or do I find 'em myself?"
"This way."
"I need to send a message, too. Gotta let Theron know we survived. He's gotta be wondering."
Keeper scowled. "How did I know—where one of you goes the other is sure to follow. Where is Technoplague now?"
"Don't you get tired sayin' that? It's a mouthful," Jonas snorted. "Anyway, we planted a tracker on Ilia. She's on the Invidia now. Theron's following at a safe distance. When Jadus stops for refuel, Theron's gonna get on board and work his magic."
"And by what means will they escape, after he's done so?"
"That's where Vector comes in. He's bringin' the cavalry—the Killik fleet. They'll retrieve the escape pod and keep Jadus busy—help take him down for good."
"And now, she's alone with Jadus," Keeper muttered. "A foolish risk. Whose idea was this? Yours?"
"No…Theron's."
"I should've guessed. If Jadus kills her, there will be no place Shan can hide. Do you understand?"
"Yeah," Jonas tossed his head. "I understand. She's important to you."
"She's important to the Empire," Keeper corrected.
"Whatever you say," Jonas scoffed. "Not like I haven't noticed the swing of her hips myself."
"In here," Keeper snapped and paused by the entrance to the infirmary. Jonas pushed past him and gaped at the line of medical beds. The med droid approached them.
"Report, H3-AL," Keeper demanded.
"The child and the human male have been stabilized. Both females sustained severe concussions, broken ribs, internal bleeding and damaged vertebrae. The blonde female has a broken arm. I have begun synthesizing their blood types in preparation for transfusion."
"Excellent work. Revive the human male as soon as it is safe to do so. He's a doctor and will be able to assist you with the others."
"Yes, sir."
Jonas nodded and drifted toward Lana. He set his hand over hers and leaned in to kiss her forehead. "You'll be a'right, Frosty. You better be."
Lana mumbled incoherently but didn't wake.
"It appears things are proceeding well," Keeper said.
"Yeah," Jonas ran his hand over his jaw. "Dammit—almost forgot. The commander and Lord Scourge are on their way here."
"We'll know as soon as they've entered orbit. I'll send a droid to retrieve them once they've arrived."
"Yeah, yeah, that's all well and good, but I still need to talk to Theron. He needs to know we're alive."
"You'll find a com unit across the hall."
"Is there a secured channel?"
"They're all secured," Keeper muttered, his icy grey glare following Jonas into the communications room.
The durasteel plate floor vibrated under Ilia's feet and the telltale pitch of weapon fire resonated throughout the Invidia. She winced and closed her eyes. Three strikes in all—more than enough to kill Theron in his shuttle or to destroy a surface target.
'No,' she thought. 'Those sounded like turbolasers—they're mounted on the front of the ship. He fired on the planet, not Theron. Jonas, Lana and the others—might be dead.'
The small voice in her mind interrupted her silent anguish to add another casualty to the list. Ilia shook her head. 'Not him. Not Garet.'
Her face pinched miserably but with the approach of heavy footsteps on the other side of the door, she wiped her expression to a blank but alert slate. The ship lurched and began to move.
Jadus strode into his quarters, robes billowing. He said nothing and stood with his back to her to watch the stars blur. Or maybe he watched the reflection. She wasn't certain.
"You fired on Raider's Cove," Ilia said, trying for an absence of emotion in her voice.
"Yes, Agent. I concluded your business there permanently. Neither of us can afford the distraction in the days ahead."
"Killing them wasn't necessary—but it's done now—and grieving solves nothing. I see we're going into hyperspeed. Where are we going, my lord?"
"Korriban."
"Why?"
"My reasons are my own, Agent."
"If I'm to serve you, you need to trust me. You set the terms for my service and I intend to follow them. So long as Vector and his people are safe, I'll do whatever you ask."
"Trust is not a commodity in which the Sith traffic, Agent. Trust is the final act of the foolish. It invites the unseen knife."
"Then believe in my efficacy. You yourself said I've served you well in the past. That hasn't changed. I'm motivated to do what I must. Surely the sincerity of your threat should be enough to guarantee my service, if not my devotion."
"You've grown slippery, Ilia. Experience has taught you to play the game and play it well."
With a flick of his gloved hand, the cuffs holding her to the interrogation table fell aside. She stepped away from the device and soothed her wrists. "Thank you, my lord."
"Did Zhorrid ever speak to you about her singing?"
Ilia nodded and joined him at the viewport. "Yes, as a matter of fact, she did."
"Her voice was exquisite—many thought it was good enough to make the hardest of hearts weep."
"And did it?" She asked meaningfully and turned to face him.
"A voice is a fragile thing and easily broken."
"Such a weapon couldn't be allowed to exist," Ilia mused. "Is that why you've imprisoned the child in the next room? Did his voice reach you too?"
"Your empathy invites trickery. Don't be fooled by the being in that room. He is not what he seems."
"He's the reason we're going to Korriban, isn't he? Who is it, Jadus? Who's in that room?"
"Did he tell you this?"
"No. He only asked for help. Who is it Jadus? Tell me," she urged her voice barely a whisper.
He towered over her and stood too close. The cold came off his body in swathes, enough to incite shivering and goose pimples. Her heart shuddered, the beats suddenly uneven. Unseen tendrils crept inside her to choke the unyielding light within.
"An Imperial agent, with such a persistent light. How was it not extinguished years ago?"
"You left—you deceived me into thinking you were dead. I grieved for you, Jadus. Had you stayed or taken me with you…"
"Doing so would have been to the detriment of my plans."
"Then you thought about it."
"I considered the part you would play and determined your role would be to distract Imperial Intelligence from the truth."
"Ultimately, leaving me behind had the same effect."
"You prevented me from achieving my vision, yes."
"Only because you didn't include me in it. I felt the full brunt of your exclusion. I was your Hand. I wanted more."
"You believed yourself worthy to stand at my side as more than an extension of my will?"
"Once, maybe. I was young…naïve. I lost myself in your power, but no more. Vector helped me to find the good in myself again. I'm here to do a job."
"Destroy the voice that makes you weep, Ilia. Steel yourself and revel in the hatred you'll feel."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because it's your voice, Jadus. I did all I could. I hid from you—and you took that from me by having me brought back here."
"Just as you deterred my plans, I have deterred yours."
"And so you have. What do you want, Jadus? Who's in that room and what do you need done? Just know I won't harm a child, you'll have to kill me."
"I need you to kill the Commander of the Eternal Alliance."
"But how does the child in the room figure into that?"
"I told you. He's no child, but he is the means to achieve my ends. She will come to us."
"So, he's bait," Ilia murmured. "But how will you control him, if he's so powerful?"
"Leave that to me, Agent."
The intercom chimed. "Lord Jadus, I thought you should know we require refuel and resupply prior to entering our airspace. Recommendations?"
Reluctantly Jadus pivoted to face the unit. "Quesh."
"I'll inform them to expect us at once, my lord," Admiral Ethos announced.
Ilia turned back to the viewport and stared out at the passing stars. 'Maker help me,' she thought.
Theron stared miserably into the whorl of streaking stars, wrapped in ribbons of electric blue in the wake of an Imperial star destroyer. His hand curled into a fist and came down hard on the console. "Why did I listen to you? I should've turned back. Damn you, Jonas—and now you're gone."
He buried his forehead in his palm. The com unit chimed and Theron looked up slowly to answer it.
The blue holo matrix emerged from the device and after the static cleared, it assumed Jonas's form. "Hey! You there buddy?"
"You're alive?" Theron roared. "What happened?"
"We were hit, but as sure as hell is blue, you won't believe who rescued us."
"You're all ok?"
"Yeah, girls got the worst of it, but I think we'll be okay."
"So who was it?"
"None other than the former Minister of Imperial Intelligence himself."
Theron laughed and slapped the console he'd just punched. "Thought you were pushin' up daisies for sure."
"So what's happening up there? You still hot on his trail?"
"Yeah. Against my better judgment, but yeah. Looks like he's heading for Imperial space—wait a sec, sensors indicate he's changing direction. He's heading for Quesh."
"Probably for that resupply you were hoping for."
"Fingers crossed."
Jonas's image shifted its weight. "Oh, and just a heads up, Liatrix and Scourge are on their way here."
"Good to know. I'll check in before I board. You haven't said anything have you?"
"No. Lana said she'll have to discuss that with you."
"Good. Ok. Gotta go silent for a bit. Glad you all made it out in one piece. I'll check in before boarding. Theron out."
((to be continued…))
