I sit in my cabin and meditate. It's a Jedi thing. While a good way in any universe to pause and take stock of things, in this one you can also get special insights about what the bloody hell is going on. For example, what is it about our new pilot Atton Rand and my fellow Isekai in arms Meetra Surik? Because after three weeks of being in a small space with those two and all the unresolved sexual tension that for once, has nothing to do with me it's fairly obvious that those two have a history. Or will have. Not that not having yet happened slows anything here down either.

Before I can enquire further there is a spike of warning from the Force. Quickly, I am up and moving towards it.

"Stop that!" comes Surik's voice from the galley.

"Stop what?" returns Atton.

"Bumping into me like that,"

"Well sorry, this place is rather cramped you know."

"And you just happen to show up when I'm hungry?"

"Well sorry for getting hungry as well."

"Huh. Likely. Now back up."

"You back up, or pass me the spice mass.".

"Now you're being ridiculous."

"What do you mean? Pass the spice mass please."

There is a pause, presumably as the happy couple take some time to glare at one another. As I make my way down the corridor Tamman sticks her head out of her cabin.

"What's going, oh, it's them," she says.

I nod as I pass. Quickly arriving at the galley I catch Surik and Atton in the act of staring each other down.

"Pilot Rand, I have been looking for you. I wish to discuss our hyperspace route. See me in nav in five." I say.

All blatent rubbish but it has the effect of distracting them from each other and on to me. I then head to Navigation and wait. Quickly Atton arrives.

"Good. Now anywhere we can make a brief rest stop? Get out. Stretch our legs, talk to some other people." I say.

"What? Oh yeah right. Good idea." says Atton and he looks at the various screens and plots depicting our progress in hyperspace. "Well, we're due to come out at KBT57 in six hours, just a transit point. From there we can take a small detour to Corosadan. Fairly nice place, good, um, it's a nice place. Only a ten hour jump.

"Excellent, chart us a course for Corosadan." I say.

Sixteen hours and the addition of ten more days in the pain amplifier to my sentence from the ever thankful Kalan we are setting down in a starport on Corosadan. After getting Alana to see to the docking fees and such I turn to my latest charge. "And do you wish for some space and fresh air Kalan?"I ask.

"What I wish is for your head to be severed and preserved so that you experience the pain of being set on a pike." she retorts.

"And is that Sith for yes, or no?" I ask mildly.

Kalan snorts, but rises and heads towards the airlock and boarding ramp. "I shall survey this pitiful world," she replies haughtily.

"Yes, it is," I say and follow.

The walk through the city is an experience. Kalan walks about sneering at almost everything. People, of course, are staring back. Kalan after all is from a species almost universally associated with being the embodiment of all evil.

"So, nice planet huh?" I say making conversation.

"The people are slovenly, their tastes barbaric and obscene. They also lack discipline and are fit only to be ground under our boot," she replies.

"I see that you like it then," I say.

Kalan rounds on me, "You will be boiled alive and kept as decoration in my audience chamber."

"Will that be before or after the dismemberment and beheading? I'm guessing before." I say.

Kalan glares back, "Before of course,"

"Okay, just be warned, you are running out of tortures and frankly, the only real torture would be stuck with you forever," I say.

Kalan just glares at me, "Take me back to the ship." she demands.

Glad to not be walking the petulant princess around I happily comply.

The others seem to have brightened somewhat by the excursion. One of the little features of space travel that no one mentions. Soon we are back underway to Nicht Ka. Another three weeks sees us transit there. The black hole is, beautiful. You may think that black, is black is black, but there is something about the darkness within the event horizon. It is simply, not there. A tear in reality itself, a gap in the very universe. All about this gap is wreathed in fire. You could lose yourself in that vista of fire and absolutely nothing.

Then there is looking at it through the eyes of the Force. The gravitational call is nothing compared to the dark side. The crazy technology can counter the gravity but nothing stops that siren call from the darkness.

'You don't know the power of the Dark Side.' Vader's line comes back to haunt me. I stare raptly. Such power! I had no idea.

"I have often argued that the Jedi should bring their apprentices to such sites. They are afraid, superstitious. The Jedi believe too many would fall. I would argue that then we would know of such failures in advance and do something about it. Would they have trained Exar Kun or Qel Droma had they been revealed so?"

Kae's words snap me out of the trance. My mentor continues.

"Yes, it is indeed impressive. Observe, however," says Kae.

I stop and concentrate and think, What am I missing? Then it hits me. "It is stuck here, within its area it is powerful but it drops off quickly."

"Just so apprentice, just so. Now how about we see about returning that petulant child," says Kae.

I go and check on the others. Alek, Surik and Jalen seem fine, no big deal. Tamman however. I find her looking out at the singularity, hand pressed against the viewing port.

"You okay?" I say.

Tamman blinks and looks at me, "Yes Revan. I am fine. I was searching it for an insight into its call. So I can help you." she says.

"Not getting sucked in yourself?" I ask.

"Thank you, but no. It's just the Dark Side. I know that isn't everything. There is the rest of the universe, every other aspect of the Force. It has no hold on me," she says with a smile. "Come, look with me,"

Together we look at the Nicht Ka. It is powerful, alluring, but then guided by my friend I look beyond to the rest of the universe. Open to the patterns and whorls of the Force I notice that, strong and terrible that it is the black hole is still just a mote of darkness in the wider universe. It is strong and terrible but just a part of a greater whole. Hands clasped, I feel yes, I've got this. The Dark Side has no hold on me.

Atton interrupts the spell with the ship's PA.

"All right coming up on the creepy Sith planet. They're asking what we're doing here. Got an answer boss?"

I look at Tamman.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

A few enquiries, challenges and explanations and we are directed to a starport. The world is a strange riot of browns and purples from the giant fungi forests the cities are nestled within. As we descend I wonder how it's possible for a life-bearing world to be here and then remember, pulp setting. Nothing really makes sense here. The sleek ship descends and lands beside vessels that look were made by whoever they get for Chaos art at GW. Make them scary, make them spikey. Weirdoes. I walk to Kalan's cabin and knock.

"Princess, we're here," I announce.

The door opens and Kalan is there, she is dressed up a bit. Oh well, she is a royal here. Obviously, there are standards. Her expression is fixed, set.

"Shall we be going? Just a bit longer and this ordeal will be over." I say.

Kalan gives me her trademark glare. says nothing and walks past me haughtily. We follow her down out the ship, across the starport, along the streets and to the Palace. Everywhere the Sith watch us warily. There are muffled whispers as we pass.

"They don't seem happy to see us," observes Alana.

"We Jedi are their hereditary enemies. We just rescued their Princess, a bit of culture shock is expected," I say.

"All I know is that this is what we call a target-rich environment," says Manx.

"All I know is that the Princess is acting like this is a funeral," says Alek.

We continue the strange procession up the steps of a Palace, down a hall decorated with the statues of past Sith warriors and into a hall filled with Sith in all their finery, their attendant slaves and at the focal point a throne.
We approach the throne and the being sitting there. The crazy costume and silly hat complete the hint that this is the King. Kalan's father. We come to a stop. The King rises.

"Welcome back daughter. May we know the identity of your rescuer?" he says.

Since that's my queue I step forwards, "I, Jedi Revan. We are happy to reunite your daughter with her family and people." I say and add in a bow.

The King smiles, "And we welcome you Jedi Revan to our family. Approach Revan and accept your reward, Princess Kalan."

Say what! I look up and catch Kalan's glare, clearly trying to kill me with her brain.

Behind me, I hear Surik's mutter, "Typical crazy NEET incel scrub."