Back on Ryloth, she would often listen to the stories her brothers had about Coruscant. Part of their training had been to assist where they could in the lower levels, which on its own provided no shortage of interesting tales. Often they would venture out into the galaxy itself, sometimes back home, but always with a specific mission to accomplish.

The Sith were still lurking in the shadows at that point. Everyone now knew in hindsight that they were readying for another war, this time with a very specific goal in mind. Obtaining any information that would lead them to more and more weapons of the ancients.

"You've never been to Coruscant, have you?"

Maarani hadn't even noticed she was staring out the window as they approached the city-planet. Lantillies looked quiet in comparison. The sheer amount of traffic that whizzed by as they approached the temple was astounding. Such a contrast to the serene rainforests that existed on the surface above her village.

Part of her also expected blaster fire to start up at any moment. The rush wasn't unlike a space fight at all. "I didn't get to leave Ryloth until the massacre. The Jedi didn't actually bother to bring me to the funeral, so I tried to get here myself." A sigh came as she pulled herself away from the window to look at Koor again. There was no blame to be assigned anymore, not from her. "Somewhere along the way, I crashed on that one planet and lost my Force powers. And you know the story from there."

"I'd say they had their reasons, but since you'll be able to ask them for yourself…" Koor took a breath as the moment arrived. A lot of debate had passed between herself and the Council about Maarani. "I really have to implore that you try to remain calm and tactful. Do keep in mind that the Jedi were still trying to rebuild after the latest purge when the massacre occurred. There are so many regrets they still continue to face from that. Don't provoke them."

By now, Maarani knew better than to roll her eyes. A lot had changed in eight years, certainly. Her sister going from a hopeful padawan to a Sith Lord stuck out most. Beyond that, the invasion of several worlds along the Sith border, some of those battles she had flown in herself. Watching as the Jedi moved into action against them swiftly, having learned from the mistakes made not so long ago.

If only they could have been swift in helping her mourn for her family. "If they're not going to be apologetic, I'm not going to be forgiving." Yet again her attention settled on the lightsaber. The question would arise eventually as to how it came to be. A mess of non-functional parts that she managed to scrounge up on Ryloth, and her journey leading to the crash. "What happens if they don't just abandon me once they've learned all they can about my encounter with Kiarna? Do I build a new weapon during that potential training?"

"I honestly don't know. Considering the state this one is in however, I think they would recommend you work on a new one, when that time comes. War with the Sith in mind." Koor turned her own attention to the temple as they approached the landing zone. There were surprisingly few Jedi waiting there, including the guards. It seemed almost necessary that a vessel coming from the front lines would be more readily prepared for, in case of infiltration.

The significance was lost on the Twi'lek, who was preoccupied with looking at the temple itself. It certainly stood out amongst buildings nearby, in age and style more than anything. High and mighty. "I'm still not sold on this. You did have to convince them that I'm worth talking to in person for one, and I'm probably the only non-Jedi in the Republic who's had contact with the Sith Lords."

She tore her eyes away from the view to look at Koor again. "I get that they're probably busy trying to rebuild the Order while the Sith are breathing down their necks. But I'm directly related to one of the enemy leaders. Wasn't that the whole point of Elira bringing me on that mission?"

"That brings the issue full circle though. The massacre was even more devastating because so many family members of initiates and knights were there at the time. Since then they've been incredibly reluctant to involve relatives of Jedi in any capacity. Including you." The shuttle came in for landing before Koor could continue. A reprieve from trying to answer questions when for the most part, she had to guess or assume.

More Jedi had shown up by the time they exited the shuttle, led by Master Utan. His attention was on Maarani as she emerged. "You seem well for someone who…" He stopped as she began to make her exasperation known. "Something you need not be reminded of then, young one."

He grunted at the Twi'lek and turned around to return inside the temple, at his own pace. "I see the resemblance. Lekku patterning and eyes from your parents, Masadar and Rilana. Forehead matching Kadano's. Cheekbones and chin matching Tilasa. Anger, and emotion in general like Masaka." Another grumble came from the very short Jedi. "Your parents must have liked that name pattern."

"I don't." Maarani crossed her arms as she moved closer, staring down at the back of Utan's wrinkly head. "Is my 'anger' going to get me kicked out of this temple before I even actually get inside? Because there's really not a whole lot I can do against twelve Jedi masters, is there?" A guilty feeling quickly settled as Utan turned back to her. Something she hadn't expected to feel.

"This meeting is not made or broken by your turbulent state of mind. The entire Republic is facing a threat from the Sith. That must be our priority. Save our personal differences for after you have informed us about what Darth Lasidia's apprentice told you." Utan proceeded on without further word, save for a grunt at some onlookers they passed by.

Koor was quick to catch up and lightly grab Maarani's arm. "Calm and tactful is not what that was at all."

"I'm not the one who decided to rattle on about dead relatives." She noticed Utan's ear twitch back at her. A few months ago, she might have stuck her tongue out at him in response. Something appropriately immature to stick it to a Jedi Master. If only Koor actually knew the full extent how much she had changed in that time.

A far more settled follow-up finally came. "I am actually going to get answers about why I was left in the dark, then. No hurrying me out once I've said enough; a proper chance to get those grievances out in the open."

Utan nodded slowly, though didn't look back at her this time. They had a long walk ahead for that. "There is a reason why we have avoided contact until a month ago. You may not like the answer, but it should bring some closure to you."


The table shook a little as her lightsaber came to rest on it. It wasn't from the force with which she placed it down, or an accidental nudge against the table leg as she stepped away.

"I swear, I did not mean to cheat you at all."

"Oh yes you did. You saw a blind woman with a weird mask, trying to find her way into the bar, and saw an opportunity to steal some credits. Only you didn't realize she was the White Terror."

Kiarna stretched her hand out from the dark corner she had occupied, gesturing to her lightsaber. The blade flared into life just in front of the Rodian's fingers. They were shaking rather violently as he struggled to pull them out of her influence. Fear was very real for him.

"Here's the deal. You tell me what you know about a Twi'lek who goes by Maarani, and you're free to go. Every time I don't like the answer, you lose a finger." She lifted one on his left hand, dragging it a little closer to the humming blade. It remained perfectly still, despite how much the rest of him was shaking. "Am I understood?"

All he could do was nod hastily, hoping he would make it through the ordeal without any actual injury. "I think I know who you mean. Eight years ago, she came here from Ryloth, wanting to trade spacecraft. I never ask questions about why, where or how." He braced himself in case the answer hadn't met with her approval. For the moment at least, his finger remained steady.

"Not so hard, was it?" Kiarna rose from her seat, slowly pacing around the table at which he was sitting. "I'm going to tell you about myself, while you ponder this next question. Be sure to listen carefully, or I might take a finger for inattentiveness." She took hold of the table and leaned down, bringing her mask into full light of the lamp just above their heads. "Why did you make a trade with a sixteen year old girl?"

That left him confused, his hand starting to tremble again. "I… I don't know."

Kiarna leaned back up and resumed her pacing, bringing his finger just a little closer to the blade. "I said you will think about it while listening to my story." With a small gesture, she made the lamp swing around the table in a circle. "Miraluka have traditionally become Jedi. They're considered valueable for their strong affinity with the Force, and their ability to see into the future when collected together. That led to a massacre unlike anything the galaxy had seen before."

Her hand traced along the table edge as she continued to pace, watching the Rodian before her continue to struggle for release. "That was over thirty years ago now. Every Miraluka felt it in their minds, and it actually affected some of them on a physical level. In ways that were subsequently passed onto their offspring. Like me."

Abruptly, she turned and smacked the lamp away from her face, looking right at the Rodian to ensure he was focused on her. "Who was responsible for the destruction of Katarr? The Jedi or the Sith?"

"How would I know? I was only youngling then-" Pain shot up through his arm at that moment, tearing his frightened gaze away from her mask. The tip of his finger had already been plunged into the blade, and more was following. Feeling his flesh being vaporized was unlike anything he had imagined, or even wanted to.

"Excuses are not answers! The answer is that both sides were responsible! The Jedi for their consistent arrogance, and the Sith Lord at that time for not controlling his venture into the dark side." She looked down at the dark circle where a finger had been on the Rodian's hand. For the moment, she allowed him to pull away. "Now, if you want to avoid repeating that, you'll answer my other question."

He clutched at his hand, still in momentary disbelief about his loss. Something he definitely didn't want a repeat of at all. "Word got here about massacre at Jedi training facility. Lots of Twi'lek families came through here right after. She was Twi'lek, upset, I assumed she wanted to get there fast. Her ship good for cargo, not speed, it seemed fair trade."

Kiarna backed off a little more, returning to her pacing. "Hers was stolen, I assume. She struck me as the sort who doesn't care all too much about the spacecraft she flies." She flexed her fingers, taking control of his hand again. "Next question to consider while I continue my story. Of the different groups, merchants and smugglers on this world, she went to you for a ship trade. Why an independent Rodian, with a poor stomach for mutilation?"

The lamp began to spin again, circling around the finger now approaching the lightsaber. On cue, the shaking and whimpering picked up from her subject once more.

"Some time into my development, the cells that now form my brain were altered slightly. At this point, the Miraluka had seceded from the Republic in the wake of the massacre, so medical technology to detect such abnormalities wasn't readily available anymore. A few slipped through the cracks, as it were." A grin flashed beneath her mask as she could hear the Rodian muttering to himself more. Questions to himself about whether the finger loss or history lesson was worse. "Should I just take another finger now to answer those questions for you?"

He shook his head desperately.

"Good, I'll continue then." This time, she let her hand trail onto his shoulder and around his neck as she passed around him. She could feel his tension rising further still. "While my parents didn't know it, I was born with a brain that made me experience joy, happiness and laughter whenever I saw others suffering. Whether it be from pain, loss, or betrayal, I was ecstatic to see it happen."

By then, she had returned to his side once more, taking up her usual questioning position. "Am I a murderer, when my brain says to feel joy when inflicting pain? Or am I just an unfortunate case of biology gone wrong? Which means my only crime is not seeking medical treatment."

This time, there was a pause as the Rodian gave it genuine consideration. His hand had returned to a more stable state, and there was no more whimpering. Not long after, he turned his gaze back to her. "You are Sith, because Sith allow murder, Jedi do not. You treat your abnormal brain as advantage, not disability. No guilt means no regret. Perfect assassin mentality."

That answer surprised Kiarna, who released his hand from her mental grasp again. This time, the smile that formed was from her impressed mood. "There's hope for you yet. Most of my subjects insist on answering the question directly." She was about to switch off the lightsaber when something occurred to her, enough to give her pause. "You've thought about that question before. You've done something you should feel guilty about, but didn't. Something to do with Maarani…"

His brief hesitation was enough for her to act. The lightsaber was tossed aside, shutting off in the process. She needed the room to climb onto the table and place her hand right next to his head, ready to reach deep into his mind. "Did you sabotage the vessel she took? Inform someone of her whereabouts? She came to you for a reason, even if she didn't know it. Who did you sell her out to? Why is she so important?"

"I don't know!" The Rodian looked back at her mask again after calming himself. "Man in brown hood came, paid well for ship to crash on his planet. Maybe Jedi, maybe Sith. Maybe neither." He braced himself as her hand moved closer to his head. More answers were wanted. "No location. He used beacon, activate device when she enter orbit for air resupply. I never asked questions, he never came back."

Kiarna finally withdrew her hand, climbing back off the table. As far as she could tell, without tearing into his mind anyway, that was the end of his involvement with her. "Not many make it through a session missing just a finger. Consider yourself wise for co-operating so readily."

"This isn't over though, Shadow Hand."

She barely had time to turn before she heard a blaster shot rush by her right ear. It had come from outside the room itself. A set-up. Not a very good one at that. "On second thought…" Her hand flicked out to her lightsaber as she ducked down, another shot flying over her head. In a swift motion, she took hold of her weapon and swung it in the direction of the table. By then, the Rodian had fled the room. Apparently far more resilient than she had believed.

By then, she was close to the ground. A quick tilt of her head caused the lamp to explode, plunging the room into darkness, save for her lightsaber of course. It was a brief chance to consider her next move before the whole place was riddled with blaster fire.

"Speculation: The Sith agent believes that we need standard spectrum light to see her cowering on the floor."

The next shot fired was directly at her head. This time she was ready for it, swinging her lightsaber up to reflect it back. It was followed up by the sound of a minor explosion from the doorway, and a lot of clanking metal as the droid collapsed. Her heart began to race as she realized that the set-up was less sloppy than she had assumed.


The guards accompanying them remained behind at the lift up to the Council chamber. It only made Maarani slightly less uncomfortable, her eyes constantly glancing at Utan with the expectation of seeing him staring back. Ready to remark on the fact that she wasn't quite doing well enough in keeping her 'emotionally charged' mind in check.

That issue went away as they reached the Council floor itself. Her sarcastic mindset was fading away, along with her bitterness over the past. Either the Jedi masters were projecting a calming sensation, or something in the tower itself was. She didn't like being manipulated in such a way, but there was little choice for her in the matter now.

When the doors opened at last, she took a quick look around the room. All eleven of them were watching her as she moved into the room, emotionless in their gaze, save for one.

"Take your seat, Master Utan." The Grand Master turned her head towards Maarani as the Jedi Master walked past to his seat. "Step forward, Tegama'Arani."

Maarani hadn't heard her proper name used in over a decade. To have it spoken now by the woman across from her was an uncomfortable surprise, one that prompted her to obey. Even more intimidating was the veil worn by the Grand Master, concealing the upper half of her face.

That fear did not go unnoticed. "You have nothing to fear from us. This is not an interrogation."

Seeing that hadn't helped, she decided to lighten the mood with introductions. The first gesture was to herself. "Sereti Pala, Grand Master and seer." Her hand moved around the room, starting from her far right. "Merena'Likta, Kiisad, Jarred Idras, Kade Vulen, Carla Sarren, Okta Dalfira and Zeren Gadu. You've already met Koor, Torbut and Utan."

Maarani glanced back at Koor briefly, surprised to learn that about her at last. In thought, it wasn't all that surprising though. Her head slowly turned back towards Sereti, still facing the ground for the most part. "I'm just not comfortable around Miraluka lately." When she finally lifted her gaze upward, she saw mild surprise on the Grand Master's lips. "Kiarna said she couldn't see me through the Force, Miraluka seemed like the most likely explanation."

"You imply that she made you feel uncomfortable around Miraluka, yet use her actual name with such a casual tone." Sereti tightened her lips momentarily, turning her head to Kade on her right.

He nodded in response before taking his turn to speak. "We have concerns that she may have tampered with your memory in some way. Nothing that cannot be easily undone of course." Noting her growing discomfort, he sat up and leaned towards her just slightly. "Just recount what you can from after she discovered you in the clearing."

Again, Maarani felt the eyes fixated on her, a prickling sensation along her lekku starting to flare up. So much for it not becoming an interrogation. "She started tormenting me about my anger, at everything." Her gaze moved sideways to Utan. Brief as it was, she noticed him frown in response. "I struck back by telling her I was Rilana's daughter, and she got very upset."

A heavy silence fell in the room. She turned her head slowly to each of the Council members, who were glancing at each other. They knew why it had angered Kiarna so much, and they weren't about to tell her just yet. For the moment, she had to let it slide.

"After that, I told her about my brief experience with the Force, and how I lost it. She began to soften up and claimed Lasidia could restore it, and when I refused…" The pause was longer this time, as she began to really think about what had happened.

Kneeling down with the lightsaber aimed at her head, ready to make one last attempt at escape. Then, actually running away. Nothing about how she had actually escaped.

Those around her had caught on by then. Sereti returned to speaking. "As Master Vulen said, memory blocks as shallow as that can be undone with relative ease." Her attention moved past the Twi'lek to Koor, who had an expression of concern by that point. "Did you wish to add something, Master Koor?"

The Zabrak advanced towards the middle of the room at that."I found evidence that Maarani was being tracked by someone with a stealth field. It cannot be coincidental that the White Terror let her go while someone was following in secret."

"Can't it?" This time, it was Carla on Maarani's right who spoke with a very skeptical tone. "This may sound paranoid, but with the galaxy in such turbulence, spies for rogue factions are going to be abundant. What leads you to assume that this was the work of a Sith agent?"

"Whoever it was made me hear voices. Doesn't take a powerful Sith to do that, right?" Maarani began to shrink back as the attention returned to her again. It was all beyond her, and she was beginning to grow anxious about the other reason for her presence there. "They're after me for whatever reason, maybe because of my sister. Now I want that explanation about why I've been kept in the dark for eight years."

The moment of tension was far shorter than she expected. Perhaps they had just been waiting for her to ask, so they could get it out in the open.

"Your sister wasn't corrupted by the dark side after being taken by Lasidia. She summoned them to the training grounds, so she could join them."

By all rights, she should have been experiencing a torrent of emotions, starting and ending with utter betrayal. She could only experience an odd sense of emptiness. It was actually almost fitting.

There was another pause before Sereti continued. "One of the instructors who survived, Yuthura Ban, discovered her with a transmitter shortly before the attack, the device conveniently destroyed by the Sith. We believe that the struggle during Masaka's capture was staged to hide her intentions."

That made Maarani quite suspicious. "She was eleven at the time, and with the Jedi for pretty much all of her life. I'm not buying that it was all on her."

A shudder came as Sereti's attention settled on her. All the talk about her sister had brought back the terrible memory. And now she was being scrutinized over it.

"Yuthura always maintained that none of the former Sith were involved, especially your mother. Whatever turned her may very well have been beyond the ability of anyone there to prevent." A sigh parted her lips as the other issue came to mind. This was something they didn't have eight years to prepare for. "There is the matter of your connection to the Force that we must now discuss. I assume you brought your lightsaber with you."

Maarani pulled it out of her pocket, holding it by the end of the handle. "It barely qualifies as one. I didn't have access to many parts. Those that felt right to use anyway." She could see Utan leaning forward, which prompted her to approach and carefully place the lightsaber in his grasp.

He turned it around in his hands a few times, humming as he examined it closely. "Did you witness the construction of one for yourself at some point?" When the Twi'lek shook her head, he nodded in acknowledgement and returned to his examination. The handle twisted off with ease, exposing the empty crystal chamber. "The incident that severed your connection occurred before you obtained a crystal, I take it?"

Maarani nodded slowly, her eyes fixated on the empty space. "Wouldn't have gotten to Ilum without any Jedi finding out anyway." She took the lightsaber as it was handed back, moving towards the middle of the room again. "I was planning to come forward about it. Didn't think it would take eight years."

"Hesitating to tell your family may very well have saved your life." Sereti watched Maarani's reaction intently. There was definitely regret, and curiously a degree of complacency. Odd to see given her supposed suicidal tendencies. "By now, Master Koor has likely explained the situation we now face. Do not take this as an offence, but your emotional nature means training you alongside others would almost certainly have a negative impact on them. As you are right now."

Ironically, she was still feeling very little emotion at that moment. No sarcastic remarks or mean-spirited comments were forming as her way of defending against unwanted criticism. Something was definitely not right. "She said there are other groups that, while not strictly Jedi, would be willing to help."

"It is a matter that requires a case-by-case discussion, but it would seem to be the best option you have. The Sith are just as eager to recruit force-sensitives into their ranks as we are. Ideally, they will help you settle your thoughts before you return here for formal training." Taking a breath at last, Sereti looked to each of the Council members in turn, all giving a slight nod. "We will inform you when a decision has been reached, though it will take days at the very least to organize things. You are quite welcome to look around Coruscant in the meantime, or stay here in the Temple itself."

"I'll tell whoever I'm going to be followed around by when I decide, then."

There was a lingering silence as the Council watched her return to the lift. Koor was noticeably hesitant, looking to see if there was anything further to be said before following right behind her.

Once the lift was back on the descent, the Grand Master finally rose from her seat, approaching the middle of the room herself. "Shut it off."

Every one of them clutched at their heads in that following moment. The discomfort varied between each, with Master Likta often being the worst off in the month since testing began. This time Sereti had been the one to take it hardest.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded hastily as the dull pain began to subside, taking hold of Carla's shoulder as she approached. "I will be very happy to arrive on the day we perfect that inhibitor." When it passed, she straightened back up and returned her attention to the Council. "It's worse than we thought. I could see she was aware of the suppression from her reactions to everything said. And we can barely tolerate the strength of the inhibitor field already."

"Then we will have to stall for more time. We are close, it is just a matter of focusing the effects on one individual." Utan brought out the holo-projector he had been concealing in the meantime, lifting it up when active for all to see. It displayed an image of Maarani's lightsaber in great detail. "She lied about not obtaining a crystal. There were tiny shards of one that had shattered inside. Clearly, she has found a new source we are not aware of, or unable to guard."

Kade approached the gathering once Likta had recovered. "She did tell us that the White Terror is Miraluka, which confirms your theory Sereti."

"It's not confirmation, not yet at least. The only way to be certain that Kiarna is one of the corrupted generation would be to scan her brain." Another sigh passed through Sereti's lips. There were so many things that had to be organized and put into action, none of which even included the situation surrounding Maarani. "It is the closest we've come to identifying her however. We will need Watchmen redirected to every Miraluka colony to begin tracking down anyone she may be related to. If she hasn't already killed them by now."

Iksor nodded at that, readying a data pad to begin planning out assignments. "Given the likelihood that she was one of the few who went undetected, I would like to start with the smaller colonies."

"Agreed. Though, you might also want to have someone go to Katarr." Just saying the name brought back chilling memories, which she needed a few moments to overcome. "There may be a few historians in the area who could help."

"I can handle that. Been far too long since I've gone into the field." Kade gave a slight smile at her approval before moving to Iksor's side, assisting with her own planning.

The last remaining matter was arguably the hardest to face yet. "That leaves the rescue of our captured pilot. Darth Lasidia may very well have gone to ground for the time being, but that should not keep us from searching." Sereti turned her attention back to Utan at that. "Carla and I are the most capable in dealing with Sith Lords, but we will need more support from the Republic if we locate their main forces. Can you negotiate in our absence?"

Utan pondered on it for several moments, already weighing up the arguments he would potentially face. "I will certainly try, though with the attack on Lantillies, they may be hesitant to commit to a full scale engagement."

Sereti nodded sagely, resting a hand on his shoulder. "If we are fortunate, it will not come to that. But we cannot rely on hope alone." She turned back to the others again, now faced with the greatest issue. "For the time being, I believe it best that we continue to allow Maarani to believe she has lost her connection to the force. Finding whoever unsuccessfully tried to sever it in the first place can wait. So long as she continues to believe it was an accident, she will be distracted by trying to reestablish it."