Last time: Sasha started hearing a voice that sounded like Oppie reaching out to her.

Now: She finds out the truth.

Chapter 5- Still Alive

Back in the darkness again, Sasha looked around yet again to find herself alone. Clearing her throat, she called out to Oppie.

"Oppie! I'm here to talk! Please respond!"

There was nothing. No response again like as if there was a major delay in the call or something. Sasha knew she had to be patient and knew that he would hear her call out to him. So Sasha waited before trying again.

"Op, please answer!" Sasha called out again.

"Hey, Sash," his voice rang in much clearer than before.

Turning around, Sasha felt her lips quiver. Standing there before her was Oppie still dressed in the same garb from before he died. Or, well, disappeared. He still looked disheveled, like the battle just happened, and he was favoring his left arm. His face still had traces of blood wiped across it, and the dirt and grime of battle as if he hadn't had a chance to clean off. Before she could only hear his voice, but now she could physically see him. Every ounce of her body wanted to throw herself at him to hug him. To know he is really there. But she restrained herself for now. She could hug him once they got him back.

"Did they believe you?" Oppie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh yeah. Viran turned red when I told them," Sasha said with a giggle. "I'm curious to know what he said back then.

"I'm sure you'll find out." Op said, turning a little red himself. "What is this place? Is this supposed to be my head?" He asked, looking around at the inky, endless blackness. "Should I be worried it's so… empty?"

"I thought the same the first time I was here," Sasha explained. "Besides, I think this is mine."

"Oh." Oppie said simply. "I don't know how long we have, we seem to have trouble getting through a conversation. I'm glad you guys are safe."

"Yeah. I'm just glad to know you're alive," Sasha said before frowning. "Let's just say it's been hard without you. But are you okay?"

"I'm alright. I kind of wish I knew where I was exactly," Oppie said as he looked around.

"That's the main reason I am reaching out to you," Sasha started. "Op, what happened at the temple? You know after you sent us to the ship? And how did you do that?"

"The Holocron was made by a Master Stynrose, I don't know what era she is from. She discovered a powerful Force technique. The fragment I had, I think it was the section that allows it to interact, I was able to learn the basics of the technique from her. It's Force folding, being able to fold two sections of space together so they're physically next to each other. I used that to get you and Viran to the ship, and then I tried to use it to send Dracul away but," he paused, "he resisted, I had to push him through. When I woke up, I was here. Wherever it is." He said. "I just opened a fold to somewhere, hoping it was as far away as possible to send him away so he would never trouble us again. I guess I succeeded." He finished wearily.

"Succeeded? Oppie you completely disappeared from the force. That's why we thought you were dead," Sasha said with a hint of pain in her voice.

"I'm sorry Sash, this must have been a tough couple of days for you guys." He said, with pain in his own voice. "Wherever I am doesn't even have days, I don't know how long I've been here." He said with exasperation. He sat down tiredly on the nonexistent floor, a grimace of pain catching him as he worked his broken collarbone accidentally, and his otherwise battered body expressed its argument against the movements.

Sasha frowned as she moved as close as she could. She then knelt down in front of him.

"Has it really felt like days have gone by for you?" Sasha asked in a soft voice.

"Yeah. I'd have guessed maybe a day, but you guys had to have enough time to get back and meet Kyr on Artemis, so it must be longer than I thought." He said in a tired voice. "I'm not tired or hungry yet." He continued in almost a mindless, rambling tone. "I'm not even thirsty." He paused as if considering. "By the Force Sash, what if I really am dead?" His eyes widened as the possibility hit him.

"No, you wouldn't feel the pain from your injuries if you were dead," Sasha said with a shake of her head. "But I think time flows differently for you than it does here."

"What?" He asked, looking at her incredulously.

"To you it has felt like maybe a day or two at the most has gone by," Sasha said with an uneasy pit forming in her stomach. "But Op… you've been gone a month."

He just stared at Sasha for a moment and his face fell. "Oh Sash, where am I?" He said. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Sasha felt tears brim as she wanted to reach for him, to comfort him.

"Please don't beat yourself up," Sasha said in a comforting tone. "Please. It's true that it has been really hard these past few weeks. We both miss you like crazy. And we will get you back from wherever the hell you are." She then felt a small smile appear. "But just getting these chances to talk with you and see you again… It gives me hope."

Oppie was silent for a moment and started speaking slowly. "Where I am, it doesn't feel right. The Force is here, stronger than it's ever felt, but it's different." He paused. "Hard to reach, it's like trying to catch smoke in a burning building; it's everywhere but you can't grasp it and use it." He rambled, exhausted. "It's surrounded by stars, like I'm floating in space. There are an endless number of gateways, each surrounded with symbols and different designs. I think they're gateways, at least. Connected by walkways that look kind of like glass. I don't think I'm supposed to be here, I wasn't invited here. I can't activate any of the gates, if that's what they are, and I think that's why."

Sasha considered him for a moment. "Sounds... mystical. It sounds like it is someplace that might have been mentioned in the Jedi Temple as a youngling or something as like a bedtime story. However, if it's a strong point in the force, maybe we can go somewhere where we can learn of a way to get there without folding space. It's just where do we start looking…" She trailed off as she scratched at her chin.

"I have no idea. Maybe back at that temple? Dracul wanted to use the Holocron there, So maybe it's related." He said tiredly.

"I guess it's better than nothing," Sasha said looking down at her hands.

"Sasha, I -" Suddenly he faded out of the scene, cut off as abruptly as all the other times. "Oppie, what's going on? Oppie! OP!" Sasha cried out as she jumped to her feet.

Coming out of the Force with a gasp, Sasha leaned over her legs with her head in her hands, covered in sweat. After taking a moment to regain herself, Sasha staggered to her feet and rushed out of the bunk room. She looked around for Viran and Kyr. She hurried back into the lounge to find the two of them playing a game on the holotable. Viran was deep in thought about his next move while Kyr was leaning back with arms folded, waiting. Tac watching from the edge of the table.

"Are you going to make a move or sit there all day?" Kyr asked.

"Don't rush me," Viran barked back.

He then sat up and made a move on the board. Kyr smirked and made his move which ultimately ended the game. Viran groaned and leaned back in his seat.

"Nice try, Sport," Kyr said with a chuckle.

Sasha cleared her throat to get their attention. Viran perked up and looked over to her.

"Well, how did it go?" Viran asked.

"I saw him," Sasha started. "I actually saw Oppie. He explained to me what happened back at that Temple. He is still alive. He is just trapped in some strange… void or space or… It's hard to describe. Apparently, he used a Force technique that allowed him to fold space. That is how we ended up on the ship. He used it to send him and Dracul into that void just as the explosion went off. But the place is strong in the Force and Op said that if we are starting to look for a way to save him, we should check back at that temple."

Kyr nodded. "Makes sense, return to the scene of the crime, as it were."

"Do you think it's safe?" Viran questioned. "I mean do you think Dracul's forces are gone?"

"It's been a month, Vir," Sasha stated. "And we don't really have many options."

"Was there anything that would keep them there for a month?" Kyr asked.

"Unless they were digging through that temple, no I don't think so," Sasha commented as she folded her arms.

"My ship's a little hard to pick up on sensors, if we approach cautiously we should be able to see if there's any presence there." Kyr suggested.

Viran sighed. "We might need to ditch our ship as that wouldn't make us very stealthy. Just leave it in orbit and take only this ship down if they are still present there." He looked up at Sasha. "Are you sure you want to go back?"

Sasha nodded. "After seeing him, Vir and knowing he is alive, I am."

"We're two hours out from Artemis, we can land your ship there, it'll be safe, then we can head back out to.. Umm.. where is this place again?" Kyr asked, realizing he never found out the planet.

"The shuttle still has the location logged in its flight records," Viran pointed out. "We can get the coordinates from there."

"Okay that works." Kyr replied. "Sport, want to go grab them and meet me up in the cockpit? We can put the course in the navicomputer and be ready to go."

Viran nodded and stood from his seat at the game table. "Yeah, I'll go grab those now. Be right back."

He walked past Sasha on his way to the connection to their shuttle. As he passed by, Viran patted her shoulder. Sasha watched him go before turning her attention back to Kyr and Tac. The two made their way into the cockpit. Sasha followed after them as they waited for Viran. After a moment, Viran returned and met them in the cockpit.

"Alright, I've got the coordinates," Viran said as he approached.

"Great, want to input them? Console to the back left." Kyr said, surveying the swirl of hyperspace outside.

Viran nodded and reached over to the console. He imputed the coordinates for the planet.

"That should do it," Viran said as he moved away from the console.

"Okay - do we have enough time to stop at the lodge for a pint before we head back out?" Kyr asked innocently to no one in particular.

Sasha and Viran both stared at him with a raised eyebrow, unconvinced.

"We will buy you a pint after this," Sasha said as she sat in one of the seats. "I promise."

A heavy sigh escaped Kyr as he settled in for the rest of the long, dry flight. Viran and Sasha shared a smirk as they continued to Artemis before their journey to the temple.

She awoke. The world outside cast in blue from the liquid she was suspended in, and the bubbles that floated up from around her disoriented her. Her hair floated about her like medusa's tendrils, and she recovered her bearings. Cien, Sith Lord of the Bloodstorm, heir to Dracul's plans, awoke. Outside medical technicians oversaw the last of her bacta treatments to recover from the grievous injuries she sustained in the battle at Chikara. The harness she was suspended on pulled her upward, into the upper medical bay. As soon as she left the liquid, she pulled the rebreather off her mouth, and angrily threw it aside. The medics went about their work, keeping their heads down. She hit a comm panel to call her senior commander.

"Contact Moff Jiardon, I wish an audience with him." She growled.

"At once my lady." He said crisply over the comm line. It was time to begin moving forward with the plans her former master had lain, with herself as the new empress.

End of Part 1.

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