The sheer amount of fighting both on the ground and in the air above had triggered an early tropical storm. Rain was already pouring down, and thunder loomed in the distance. While the actual battles had finally stopped following the Sith withdrawal, the all-clear signal was yet to activate.
Maarani couldn't go on any further. Knelt down in the mud, with no idea of where she was going, and a gnawing hopelessness that was finally winning out.
First with her blaster pistol, locked away in her quarters. Then hurtling towards the ground in a dead fighter. Staring right at the lightsaber blade that should have gone through her head. Three failed attempts. Out in the middle of nowhere, with no sign of another sentient being nearby however…
Do it. You can't kill others despite how much you try to. Get one notch on your belt, and die knowing you're not a coward.
"Masaka…" She twisted her head around violently, looking for the looming figure of a Sith Lord coming to watch her die. Nothing stirred in the downpour.
And to think I was going to train you in the ways of a Jedi. You're an emotional wreck, a liar and a bloodthirsty maniac. This goes beyond disappointment.
Elira's voice, also echoing around the tight clearing. She had almost forgotten her after all the battles she had been through, in the seat of her fighter and in the privacy of her room.
You are an anomaly. A paradox. Everything the Jedi and Sith know about the Force says you should not exist. And yet, you are flesh and blood like us all.
"Is this your way of tormenting me, Lasidia?" Maarani nearly stood up, ready to take shots at any shadow that moved. Someone was definitely messing with her thoughts. And yet, she couldn't tell if they were goading her to suicide, or just berating her out of it.
What have you done to my mind? I am renowned as one of the Sith's most terrifying killers, a literal bringer of destruction. Why did I let you go?
In a moment of rage, she grabbed her blaster and sprayed fire in every direction. Everything was falling apart inside, no doubt due to whomever was creating the voices she heard. All of the barriers Koor helped her construct had faded away. The pain was back in full force.
Smoke was still drifting from the barrel as she pressed it up into her chin. After being drenched in cold rain, the hot metal was searing against her skin. In a few moments, it wouldn't even matter.
"Go away Lasidia! Or Masaka! Or whoever you were! I'm done with you all!"
The blaster was yanked out of her hand before she could fire. It tugged her in the direction it was being pulled towards, allowing her to see it land right in Koor's hand.
"Maarani, what did she do to you?" Koor crossed the clearing before the Twi'lek could do anything else, taking her in a tight embrace. "When I heard the White Terror was roaming the jungle in search of crashed pilots…" She looked down at Maarani as she felt the young woman sobbing into her robes. "I shouldn't have let you fly today. I shouldn't have put any member of Blue squadron out there."
"Over here! The General found her!"
As the troops hurried over, the torchlight flooding the clearing illuminated scorch marks everywhere. Koor was quick to deduce it was from the blaster fire they heard. What she was shooting at was another matter. "Maarani, is there still a Sith around here?"
"General, we confirmed White Terror left the surface. There weren't any other Sith down here."
Koor turned to glare at the commander who had spoken. Even now her gaze still carried intimidation. "I asked Maarani." When she looked back, the Twi'lek had relaxed her grip enough to look up at her, bleary eyed and clearly exhausted.
"I don't know. There were voices in my head…"
It was all Koor needed to hear. So long as they weren't in direct physical danger, she could defend them. "Sleep then." She passed her hand over Maarani's face before quickly diving it under her legs. Without another word, she passed out right into the Zabrak's arms. "Commander, let's get her back to base before the storm hits this area full on."
"Understood. Form up and prepare to move out!"
As the other soldiers rallied back to the clearing, both leaders took one last look around before beginning the run back.
The mess hall was almost empty when Maarani finally entered in search of a meal. She had no idea how long she had been asleep, given the amount of time spent in the jungle alone. It had worked to calm her frantic mind at the very least, for however long that would last.
Somehow, she knew that Koor of all people would be waiting for her in the room. It was a typical Jedi thing; being in the right place at the right time. What little bemusement her presence offered was still a welcome change from her dreary state of mind. "Got dinner ready for me as well? I suppose surprise meals don't ever happen for Jedi."
Koor tapped the tray opposite her, watching the Twi'lek as she made her way over. "I think it's time for another one of our talks." As expected, there was hesitation on Maarani's face upon hearing that. "Up to you what we discuss. The fact that your fighter has burned out twice in the space of a month. What you had for breakfast yesterday. That mechanic back on the ship you consider to be cute."
"You really want to hear me talk about girls?" She finally sat down, glancing between Koor and the tray now in front of her. "Well, to be honest, cute is really all I have to say about her. She works on Red squadron fighters, lives in a completely different part of the ship…" A sigh followed as she began to stir some sort of mashed vegetable around the tray. "I don't think she's into Twi'leks, or girls, or both." Her gaze moved back up as she grew tired of dragging her fork through the mash. "Jedi aren't even supposed to have relationships, so no offence, but I don't think this was ever going to become a discussion."
A shrug was the only response Koor made.
"Very helpful." Maarani finally scooped some of the paste onto her fork and brought it to her lips. There was no smell to speak of. Tasting it was an unfortunately similar experience. "Let me guess, nutrient supplement."
"Sarkan nutrient supplement. They've been wanting to thank you and the other pilots for helping to drive away the Sith."
"But I didn't even-"
Koor lifted her hand for silence, slowly leaning forward. "Seeing as you don't have an appetite, I will tell you now that you are the only surviving member of your squadron. Out of those who encountered the White Terror, who goes by Kiarna underneath the mask."
It was only partially true that Maarani had lost her appetite after tasting the paste. The rest of it vanished as the news was delivered. After all that had happened however, she was less than shocked by that. "She said the other pilots were free to go. Typical of a Sith to lie as another way of spreading torment."
"They survived long enough for us to find them. I'll spare the details from there. Needless to say, we were all terrified when we didn't find you before the Sith left." Koor reached her hand out, taking hold of the Twi'lek's across the table. "We all know how horrific the past month has been for you. I've made it clear to the admirals that you'll only be debriefed when you feel you are ready."
Maarani took another look at the nutrient paste. Devoid of anything remotely nice, like herself. "What happens after that? They're not going to let me fly a fighter now everyone knows I'm still unstable, which means I'm not going back to any military service. And I can't go back to Ryloth, or to one of the core worlds without any way of supporting myself."
"There are other options." Koor tightened her hold momentarily to encourage Maarani to look up again. "I think it is in your best interest that we tell the Council about your disconnection from the Force. Just hear me out on this."
Despite previously objecting to the idea, Maarani chose to listen this time, nodding for her to begin.
"You've always been an emotionally driven woman, which is why the Council has been reserved about taking you into Jedi care. After your encounter today however, I believe they will have to listen." She lifted her hand away from Maarani's briefly, reaching down into one of her pockets. "There are groups of Force users that the Jedi are on good terms with. Groups that are willing to train emotional adults."
Maarani was quick to point out the obvious flaw in her plan. "I'm still deafened to the Force. Kiarna couldn't actually see me until I was right in front of her because of it. I don't see how training is going to magically make it return."
"And yet, you still keep this on your person wherever you go." Koor watched the Twi'lek's face intently as she placed the unfinished lightsaber on the table. To her surprise, there was very little reaction to it. "It needs special care, the help of someone who knows lightsaber construction unlike any other. The same applies to your connection to the Force."
"My lack of one, you mean." Growing tired of looking at the lightsaber, Maarani finally picked her fork up and shovelled a lump of the paste into her mouth. To her surprise, it quickly dissolved down, allowing her to swallow with ease. It didn't change the fact that it was still tasteless filler. "This isn't what the Sarkans eat normally, is it?"
She dropped the fork again and slouched back into her chair, arms crossed as she sighed. "I really do appreciate how much you've done to try and help me through this. But you're still only one Jedi Master who's known me for a month. I can't help being skeptical after all that's happened."
Koor shrugged again as she too leaned back into her chair. "Here I was, thinking my Zabrakian nature was starting to rub off on you." She grinned at that before rising to her feet. "There is no harm in asking them to consider this, Maarani. At the very least, we will be able to get you professional treatment for the trauma you have been through."
Maarani merely tightened her lip. Koor was determined to see it through, and there would be no persuading her otherwise. "Right after Elira offered to train me, it all went downhill. Who's to say that won't happen again?"
There was a brief silence between them, broken after Koor moved around the table to the Twi'lek's side. "There are no Sith Lords on this planet. After Master Torbut returns to take over the operation, and you've attended the Sarkan celebration, we will be free to depart when you are ready. This is still on your terms."
"Shadow Hand, the final preparations have been made."
Kiarna nodded to the flight deck captain as he hurried up to her side. Even now, her maintenance crew were quickly disembarking the Vastes. Those they passed on the way shared a feeling of fear in her presence. Earlier it had been because of her rage at the Twi'lek. A rage that had since settled in her meditations with Lasidia.
At the boarding ramp, she finally stopped and turned to the captain, resting a hand on her hip. "Why has every crew member of this ship come to fear me? I issued a word of warning to some insolent soldiers, nothing more." Her suspicions went right to General Morgak. Undermining the respect she had earned from her personal crews was exactly the sort of thing he would do. To anyone whom he felt didn't deserve respect anyway.
"The preparations took far longer than we expected. They've been working around the clock to ensure that your mission would not be delayed."
A snarl formed beneath her mask. "I came here because I was informed the ship was ready. After sending word that I would be in meditation until such time. There was no critical deadline on my departure." Given the captain's confusion, it was rather obvious that message hadn't gotten through. Again, something Morgak could arrange easily.
The ship was ready in any case, and she could continue her meditation while in transit. "No matter. Tell the maintenance crew I am very pleased with their diligence, and that in future, they will not work to any deadline I haven't set in person."
She turned back to the ship and stepped up inside. It had been a while since she had last set foot in the vessel. Slivers of crystal left over from Jedi lightsabers had been lined into the bulkheads, allowing her to know exactly where she was on the vessel at a glance by their distinctive colours. Her perception of metal walls was somewhat poor after all.
"On your order, Shadow Hand."
The voice drew her to the front of the vessel, where a new pilot was situated. A normal man no less. "I did not expect a pilot who lacks Sith foresight. Is this Morgak's doing as well?"
A laugh came in response as the pilot twisted his seat around to her. "I don't need invisible tricks to get you out of scrapes." He outstretched his left hand to her, a grin forming as he stared up at her mask. "Carudan, of Eshan."
Kiarna did not take the hand offered. By then, she had noticed the stump below his left shoulder where the organic arm ended. "An Echani with a cybernetic arm. Not the sort Morgak would try to leave me with, so the question stands as to why you are here in my ship." She turned away from him and approached one of the consoles in front of her.
It was a simple test to see who she was dealing with, and if he knew who he was dealing with. Where his eyes ended up focusing told enough. "Look at any part of me that isn't the mask again, and I will take your eyes for trophies."
"Typical Sith threat, physical threats that can be resolved with the power of bionics." His grin grew as she snapped back around, reaching for her lightsaber. "Ooh, snappy aren't we? I suppose I would be too if I had been deceived by a young Twi'lek woman." He leaned the chair back and crossed his arms, brimming with confidence. "I wonder if it's just leering in general that bothers you, or just from a particular supposed gender."
Kiarna couldn't keep herself from drawing the weapon any longer. It was at Carudan's throat within a second. "Either you are a Republic spy who has been spoken to by that Twi'lek, or you have been inside my mind. An impossible task for someone who isn't in tune with the Force."
Carudan lifted his left hand towards the blade, motioning for it to be moved away from his face. Once that was done, he stood back up and looked directly into her mask. "You don't scare me, Kiarna. I said I came from the planet of Eshan. Not that I was Echani." He could feel her rage growing inside. She hated not being in control of the situation. More than that, not knowing what she was dealing with terrified her, something she concealed with anger.
"Accept the fact that I am your pilot for the time being, Kiarna. I will take you to places where you will learn about this…" He paused for a moment, staring deeper into the mask briefly. "Maarani person, and you will share those answers with me."
The gaze remained on her as he sat back down and turned to the console once more. "I'll treat you nice if you also share any answers your master digs up from the libraries she's planning to visit. I wonder how she'll get into the holocron archives on Coruscant."
It was obvious to Kiarna that she had little choice in the matter. Whatever Carudan was, he could get into her mind without her even noticing. That made him very dangerous, without even factoring in his offensive power. "If you try to enter my mind again, or come near me while I am meditating, this deal is off."
"Whatever you say. Humanoids aren't the sort I'd mate with in any case." Carudan powered the ship up and prepared for their departure. As the clearance signal went through, he reached to his throat and coughed.
"Vastes preparing for departure."
Kiarna yanked her head back towards him at that moment. It was the voice of her previous pilot he had just spoken with. Suddenly her disappearance was far more suspicious. "What did you do to her?"
"Floating in space I'd expect. Don't bother looking for a body, search for bile instead." Carudan coughed again, returning his normal voice. As he did so, he looked back at Kiarna with his ever present grin. "I assume you now fully understand where I stand in this arrangement."
Given they were already heading out into open space, Kiarna could only nod silently. Like Masaka, this was beyond her capability to handle. For the time being.
A thick mist had settled throughout the jungle in the storm's wake. The trees themselves had survived the onslaught, rooted deep into the planet. Many leaves and branches had been torn away however, blanketing over the muddy slop that had once been a firm soil surface.
It made Maarani's attempts to meditate in the clearing slightly less unpleasant. Every loud squelch as her balance shifted even slightly was a distraction. That, and the echoes of what she heard the night before were already returning to haunt her.
She wanted to believe that killing herself was an impulse from whatever caused the voices. She had to believe that.
Koor chose not to speak up until she noticed the Twi'lek was ready to abandon her attempt. "There's a reason why I find living on a starship desirable. I find the consistent hum of the reactor is an ideal focus for concentration." She stepped into the clearing with a level of care about where she stepped exactly. "While some would say being surrounded by nature instead of metal is more effective, there are drawbacks to it as you've discovered."
Maarani sighed as she tried to settle herself back into posture. Just knowing Koor was there made her feel like there was an expectation to continue trying. "The troops snore, you know. I hear it through the walls. That and the blasted droids' beeps and whistles as they move past every hour."
"Try focusing on your lightsaber then." She nodded to where it had been placed, resting above the ground on some assembled sticks. "You can say I've been driving that point too much all you like. I will continue to believe it will help resolve the underlying issue you face." As her eyes looked over the clearing again, she spotted what looked like a stable spot for herself.
More squelches followed as she tediously stepped over to the spot picked out. Sitting down was the next challenge she faced. "I take it you were trying to learn where the voices came from." She noted the slight nod from Maarani. "I haven't been able to draw a conclusion. Even Darth Lasidia isn't powerful enough to cause such trickery between stars."
"Masaka might be though…"
That made Koor pause mid thought. Eventually she closed her mouth and eyes, settling herself into her usual poise. "Try not to think of who you assume is responsible. Your mind must be open to any possibility, if you are to discover the true answer." Her own mind was focusing into the Force, peering back through it at the clearing surrounding them. If there had been a Sith presence, there was always the slight possibility that a trace would be left behind.
Maarani's mind had focused itself inward, delving back to the memory of the voices. Like Koor had instructed, she remained open to any possibility, including that Elira had been the one behind it somehow. "Koor, is it in any way possible for someone strong with the Force to communicate from beyond death, without having become one with the Force or however it goes?"
"Not that I'm aware of, though I know for a fact Elira would not torment you like that anyway."
She sighed at that, removing the thought from her mind altogether. "Lasidia was pretty insistent on keeping me alive, so even if she did have the ability I don't think it was her. And Masaka didn't even care about me when she left." Of the actual voices, that left Kiarna. Reports had claimed that she had left the planet, but no-one had actually confirmed it as of yet.
"You're absolutely sure that Kiarna left? If she is a master of torture, she might have tried giving it another go once Lasidia was gone."
"I would have sensed a powerful Sith like her if she had remained on the planet. Expand the possibilities beyond those four."
There was a sigh from Maarani as she began to focus on the memory again. Every voice had been right in her head. If projected from a nearby device, they would have been distorted by the heavy rainfall. It had to be from a telepathic source.
Or, she was actually having a moment of insanity.
Koor rested her hand on the Twi'lek's shoulder, once again bestowing her sense of calmness on the young woman. "The answer will present itself at some point. You will be ready for it, regardless." She stood back up, looking around the clearing one last time for herself.
The blaster marks were now more visible with what limited sunlight they had through the fog. Another sign of just how distressed Maarani was, however calm she appeared on the surface. "I am pleased to see you pursuing meditation of your own accord in any case. More, that you chose to face something you feared, seeking an answer to a problem."
She took another look at the blaster marks, stepping back towards the middle of the clearing where Maarani had been standing. "Whatever you may think, courage is something you have just the right amount of. Enough to know when to fight, and when to sit down and think things through." Outstretching her arm, she began gesturing to the burn marks, turning in a slow circle as she moved to each one.
By then, Maarani noticed what the Jedi was doing. "I was frantic, nearly emptied all the charges on that. Surprised I didn't hit anyone."
"Or did you…" Koor's lips tightened, her arm pointing towards a noticeable gap between two of the burns. A spot that had a very good view of the clearing itself. "Did your blaster misfire at some point?" Her approach towards the gap was taken with every care, eyes scanning the ground before she took the next step.
Debris from the storm had likely covered over any prints or blood left on the ground. It was something else entirely she was checking for. "Judging by your erratic fire, if someone had been here, you would've hit them anywhere from the thigh to the chest. And if they were using a stealth-net to hide themselves…" She crouched down and pulled one of the leaves away. Lying half buried in the mud was part of a power cell, partially melted by a blaster shot.
By then, Maarani had moved up beside her. Now that she had seen evidence of another for herself, her previous doubts were weakening. "My fighter caught fire twice. Masaka left me alone when she could have finished me off. All those panic attacks I went through." She knelt down and reached for the ruined power cell, very carefully picking it up in her fingertips. "Why would anyone want to torment me like that? I'm nothing."
"The Sith seem to disagree with that notion, if this was an agent of theirs. You survived contact with two Lords and a Shadow Hand, and a non-Sith agent of theirs. They obviously see something in you that the Jedi haven't." Koor turned to the Twi'lek at that, taking hold of both shoulders as she looked directly into her eyes. "Your power did not manifest until much later in life, something that shouldn't happen. And then it was cut off not long after. There is something large at work here, and we must discover what that is."
"Answer me this, creature."
Carudan sighed in the most blatantly exasperated manner he could while moving to face Kiarna. He kept expecting to see eyes magically pop out of her mask whenever he looked at it. At the very least, it would ease the tedium he felt whenever she spoke. "Ask the question and I will answer it. No guarantees about how accurate, truthful or meaningful the answer itself will be."
Kiarna tightened the grip on her lightsaber again. Irritation was a mutual feeling between them. "If you're able to look into my mind with ease, why do we not just go right for Maarani? My master was clearly not aware of your presence when she told me to stay away."
"That is still the case for us, unfortunately." He turned back and placed his right hand over the navigation computer. After a few moments, it began to scan through co-ordinates in the nearby sectors. "I am accompanying you on this search because I do not know what she is. And considering how much I know from the centuries past, that should terrify you." He lifted his hand away as a location was locked in. The hyperdrive began to power up
Far from terrified, Kiarna snarled at him as she made her way into the rear compartment. "You're afraid to look into the mind of a young Twi'lek woman."
"When you opened your mind up to look into hers, something looked back, changed you. I'm not going to risk that." They entered hyperspace, allowing Carudan to lean back into his chair. Soon enough, the chance to test Kiarna's capability, and mentality would present itself. "Good thing you like to wear white. This first stop is quite warm I'm told."
