The last time Maarani had been in a room with a view had been over a month ago, and she didn't particularly want to think back on what followed. That and she was still uncertain about how her financial security would pan out, so a much cheaper room towards the middle of the towering building seemed to be her best option.

It was only for the night after all, ideally. By that time the next, the ship would be in much better condition, and even if she wasn't going to leave just yet, it would be worth getting used to living on it as soon as she could.

This was possibly the last night she would spend on something that wasn't a bunk with a thin mattress in a long while, and she was going to enjoy it.

"May I be of service?"

She jumped in fright as the service droid shuffled up to her. After calming herself, she politely shook her head. "I'll manage. Just come wake me when the Jedi call or whatever, I tend to sleep in late."

"As you wish. Please enjoy your stay." It shuffled past to the open door, turning in the hallway to close it after exiting.

Maarani shook her head before taking off her jacket, glad to be free of it at last. It still had an unpleasant feeling from the dockyards, as did the rest of her clothing. All day she had resisted the urge to scratch around her lekku on the chance that she inadvertently damaged her skin.

By then, she had wandered into the bathroom, where she slowly pulled her shirt off at last. Her gaze became lost on the mirror, glancing over the lingering bruises that dotted around her arms, shoulders and neck. Amongst them were minor scars, the results from occasional accidents over her years of service.

Her attention drifted back up to her left lekku after further glances. There was a small circle of discoloured skin, consistent with scar tissue. And yet she didn't recall being injured there before.

Or did she?

As her hand drifted up to the reflection, her jaw dropped a little. Somehow, it had completely slipped her mind that she had been pinned to the seat of her fighter by a shard of wood. There was a very distinct memory of how she freed herself, and feeling the White Terror threatening torture with it. But nothing that explained why it had magically vanished from her lekku, leaving only a minor sign of its presence.

Koor hadn't once commented on it, and she was the first person to see her aside from the Sith. And she distinctly recalled her mother mentioning that the dark side could never truly heal wounds.

She touched the mark directly. There was not even a hint of pain from contact, even when she lightly pressed against it.

Eventually she gave up on poking it, seeing as there was nothing else to be learned. The only thing she could do was stare back at her reflection, momentarily imaging it as someone else. "You're going mad. Can't decide if you're up, down, sideways or whatever. Didn't even try sneaking out to look for a date to bring back for a one night fling." A halted laugh came before she resumed undressing. It was followed up by relief as she finally entered the shower.

There was simply no comparing it to the sterile experience of sonic showers. Actual, physical water, however much it had been filtered, felt real. An actual sensation of being cleansed, rather than having the outermost layer of her skin disintegrated by the vibrations of the air. This was the closest she could feel to being back on Ryloth, without actually going home.

A shudder went down her neck as she carefully grasped around the base of her left lekku, easing her hands around to clear away the traces of the dockyard air. It was a barely noticeable difference, but her skin definitely felt better for it.

There's plenty of neutral places to leave you off at.

She turned her head abruptly. The voice was faint, and had apparently come from the wall on her right.

I lost my face to a Jedi, a very arrogant, self-fulfilled man.

This time it came from the opposite direction. It was different from her experience in the clearing. For one, the statements weren't directed at her personally, though she now recognized it as Kiarna's.

What those people said about me, about being touched by a presence…

That caused a strong shiver, though she had no idea why. The shower was quite warm.

The dark Miraluka, touched by the Lady of Balance, and the Lord of Hunger...

Maarani shook her head at last. Somehow that made the voice go away. While quite the haunting experience, she wasn't going to let it interrupt her only water shower in months. "I really am going mad. Imagining more voices, thinking someone's watching." She couldn't help glancing at the door with that. Nothing looked back at her. "Not like there's a shortage of Twi'lek wearing next to nothing in the galaxy anyway."

It was a while before she finally emerged, taking the time to dry herself before leaving the warmed room. With no further disturbance, or other strange happenings in the meantime, she slowly made her way over to the waiting bed. Again, she couldn't help feeling disappointed at how empty it currently was.

The disappointment faded as she slipped under the covers and such to the warmth waiting beneath. Comfort was comfort, even if experienced alone.

It wasn't comfortable for her lekku of all things. The pillows here were rather more puffy than what she usually got, and didn't really mould to the unique shape of her head like those thinner ones did.

"Of all the things…" With a sigh, she twisted onto her side, eventually sliding her arm under her head as well to balance it out. Hardly her preferred position, but it did finally allow her to slip into a much needed sleep.

Barely a moment passed before she began experiencing an odd sensation, as if she was suddenly leaving the confines of her body and perceiving everything around herself at once.

It wasn't the hotel room she was now seeing however. Instead, she saw a control room of sorts, covered in technology that she didn't recognize at all. Stranger still, they seemed to be devoid of colour or reflectiveness. A moment of panic struck as she suddenly noticed a figure in that room.

Kiarna.

An abrupt flash of light drove that still image away, drawing to one of herself instead. Long robes were draped around her, and her lekku were wrapped in leather straps, something she found odd. Stranger yet was the five lightsabers hovering around her, the only things she could clearly see the colours of. Two blue, two green, and one a blood-orange of sorts. Most disturbing of all was her expression of raw malice, clearly directed at someone in particular.

Three distinct markings had been painted around her face. Black, white, and grey...

She tried calling out in shock as she found herself suddenly staring into the face of a bloodthirsty Togruta. They had locked lightsabers in mid-duel, and while the expression before her was terrifying, there was something more behind it.

"Come on Teegs! Snap out of it!"

Maarani sat up abruptly, blinking for a moment before clutching at her eyes. Somehow she had been moved to a very bright room, and was now surrounded by several of the Jedi she had spoken with just hours ago. All of them looked deeply worried.

"What's going on?" Once her eyes adjusted, she glanced down at herself. Someone had put her in a white gown while she was sleeping, which was even more disturbing.

Dana took hold of her arm to gain her attention. "You didn't respond at all when the droid came to wake you, so he called us over for help. It's been a bit over fourteen hours from what we've gathered."

The Twi'lek shook her head after a moment. "That's impossible. Felt like I was asleep for just a minute at most." She looked at Dana again. "Fourteen hours?"

Koor took her turn to speak, taking hold of her other arm. "I sensed a great disturbance around you when we brought you here. Do you remember anything you might have seen or heard while unconscious?"

Maarani tightened her lip as she tried to think. Just moments ago, the images had been raw in her mind, though she had little idea about what they meant. Now she couldn't even picture them again. "No, they're gone now. Whatever it was terrified me, apparently. But I can't even recall a hint of what it was I did or didn't see."

Another look around brought her attention to Carmen and CC-13 at the end of her bed. It was hard to tell which of them she suddenly felt more uncomfortable about being around in the gown. After slowly sliding her arms up around her chest, she made her best effort to regain some of her composure. "So you got her fixed up, huh?"

"We were both worried when we heard about your condition, Mistress Maarani."

Carmen lightly elbowed the droid to remind her of the previous day's conversation. "She's pretty much ready to go. Got those maintenance protocols installed as well."

From that distance, she did look to be in a better state. There was less synthflesh dangling off the seams, and almost all of the grime had been cleaned away. Far from a nice looking droid, but certainly not an awful looking one.

It did remind Maarani of what she had expected from the coming day. "Will this change anything? To be honest, I'd at least like to take the Distant Star out on a test run sometime soon." When met with looks of confusion, she bit down on her lip. "Didn't I mention that I wanted to call it Distant Star?"

"No, though seeing as I'm supposed to be the co-pilot among other things…" She had to step back as Maarani edged herself off the bed. "What are you doing?"

"Searching for pants. Anyway, what are all of you doing here when there's droids and such wreaking havoc right next to my homeworld?" There was a case positioned underneath the bed, containing new clothing that reasonably met her taste. "I can understand CC coming, she doesn't have anywhere else to be right now."

Dana crouched down beside her, touching the shoulder to get her attention. "There are others already on their way to protect Ryloth and the other worlds. Right now, you're the Twi'lek we're worried about."

Maarani paused with a dark shirt clenched in her hands. It didn't take long for her to look at Dana again, now wanting to apologize. "This is how it's gonna be for the next however many months. I say something stupid, and you reason it all out with that smile of yours."

She noticed one of the others was tapping her foot, which prompted her to peek back up over the edge of the bed. Koor looked back at her with a slight eyebrow raise, while Carmen was doing her best to cover her giggling. CC-13 stared on in confusion.

"Can I have a few minutes to get dressed? Please?"


"We tracked the vessel as soon as it arrived. It is headed directly for us. What should we do?"

A hand was raised for silence, the white-clad woman watching the screen that displayed the arrival of the ship. Few knew about the academy, and Master Dana wasn't due for another day at least. There was only one who would come unannounced.

"Make no attempt to stop whoever it is, at all. I mean it."

The eldest of the handmaidens nodded before returning down the long walkway to the others. "The visitor is to be given free passage. We will attend to our duties, and avoid any form of contact with them. Understood?"

Each of the other four nodded in turn before filing off to their assigned rooms, leaving Shamara to watch the entrance to the landing bay.

Shortly after the ship landed, a black figure emerged, tall in stature, and refined in movement. Obviously Sith, but as per the instructions of Atris, she made no attempt to interfere with the approach of the stranger.

At the head of the ramp, Lasidia pulled her hood back and looked directly at Shamara with her usual face of calm. "You haven't changed."

"And if you have, we will strike you down before you even lay a glance on our master."

"That will not be necessary. I have not come as a Sith Lord. Just as someone with a question." Lasidia's attention was fully on the handmaiden as she walked past, making her way through to the main chamber as she had done years ago. Back then, she had a great many questions to ask, pertaining to the Sith, and more specifically her predecessors. There was only one concern now.

"Darth Lasidia, it's been nine years. Come to prepare yourself for another massacre of adolescents?"

There was a period of silence as Lasidia approached, noting Atris' condition. Those nine years had not been kind to her aging body. "You know why I had to kill them. You could have pressured Visas into not being so liberal with the guidelines of the Jedi. Though, she might still be leading the Council if things didn't transpire as they did."

Atris turned in a sharp circle, slamming her cane against the floor as she lifted her finger to the Togruta's chin. "Damn you! I allow you to view the holocrons because you showed a genuine desire to keep the Sith in line. And then you unleash your savage pet on those children!"

"Children of the Jedi. I would remind you that I did infact bring order to the Sith, and kept them well away from the Republic, until your kind decided to change the rules."

"A Sith of all things complaining about cheating. You are an absolute piece of work, Lasidia."

Lasidia broke the intense stare that had formed to pace around the room, letting the anger that had begun to build drain away. "I did not come here to argue about the past. I have lost all contact with my apprentice, and signs point to it being due to her contact with a Twi'lek named Maarani. I have strong suspicions about what she is, but I need an answer."

The name meant nothing to Atris, who shook her head in disbelief at how casually Lasidia was stating her intentions. "What in the name of everything good makes you think I will help you track down and murder yet another person?" What started out as a scoff at her arrogance devolved into a coughing fit, forcing her to sit briefly and recover. "You are also assuming that the holocrons are still here."

"You wouldn't just admit to the Jedi Council that you had been lying for twenty two years, letting them believe they had the real ones locked away in the vault. There was already too much shame for what you did to Surik, again and again." She could hear Atris draw a raspy breath at that. Apparently her shame had only grown since then, perhaps adding to the degradation of her body in some way. "I need to consult them about a legend. Find a pattern to these fragments. For the sake of the galaxy, I truly hope that my suspicions are in fact wrong."

"You will excuse me if I'm not eager to help you heal that attack dog you call an apprentice." Atris gripped the cane again while forcing herself to stand back up. While not really necessary, it did make getting to her feet less gruelling. "This time I watch. There is little I have not already learned from them."

Lasidia tightened her lip as she followed the older woman through to the holocron room. They hissed at her as soon as she entered, every one of them flaring to life from her presence. "Age has not dulled their sharp tongues either, it would seem." She moved to the centre of the room, where she could gaze at all of them with ease.

"I have come seeking knowledge of anything related to a Force user that can destroy the Sith. Specifically anything that will allow me to stop her first."

A chorus of screams went around the holocrons. None of them liked the implication that such a being could possibly exist.

"She has begun to corrupt my apprentice. Whether it is to the light side or something worse I do not know. I need guidance."

The screams died down significantly as the holocrons settled into whispers amongst themselves. After some time, one of them finally began dictating to Lasidia. Just behind her, Atris' frown continued to grow deeper.

When it was done, Lasidia herself looked to the floor in disappointment. "The closest they can fathom is a Je'daii prophecy. It would seem I have no choice other than to kill this woman, before she destroys the mind of every Sith in the galaxy. I would have liked a better solution, Atris."

"Since you will not get the chance to try, I am glad to hear it. Now you have everything you will get from these holocrons, now leave." She gripped the lightsaber hidden behind her back with her free hand, slowly drawing it out on the chance that the Sith resisted.

With her slight smile, Lasidia nodded and left the room without issue, though did slow her pace to allow Atris time to close the distance formed. "I gave her strict orders to avoid Maarani, and I will not act until I have learned everything there is to know about this legend. If now is the time that you give up thirty five years of secrets, just to stop me, go right ahead."

There was a faint sense of smugness behind her intentions, but nothing more. The silence from Atris was satisfaction enough anyway. For the moment, she had the advantage, but was levering it just enough to get exactly what she needed, nothing more. And such restraint from a Sith was frustrating the old Jedi.

It wasn't until she reached the hatch to her vessel that the silence was finally broken.

"I'm not sure what Traya would think if she saw you now. But I know exactly what I see before me. A twisted woman who thinks she can control something that knows no limits, just because she knows so much about it." As the Sith walked up into her ship, Atris gripped her cane again. "I have been down this exact path, Lasidia. It very nearly led to the destruction of the Force. I will not let shame stop me if it happens again."

By then, Lasidia was apparently out of earshot, as the ship began blaring into life. Immediately she began back towards the observation room.

Shamara came to her aid along the way, hastening her retreat before the Sith vessel departed. The pain Atris seemed to be experiencing faded as the shuttle did. "Did she hurt you in any way? I warned her that such action would not be tolerated."

"No… It is my own guilt that is wearing me down now." The next breath she drew was far easier, no longer being stifled by such a dark presence. "I fear I am reaching the end of my usefulness here. I do not mind the idea of tending to the archives on Coruscant, but I do not want to leave you five here, alone. The Jedi would not allow you to come with me however."

"We all understand, master. It is our hope that the new overseer of the Academy will be just as wise as you have always been."

A softer chuckle followed from Atris as she held onto Shamara's arm. "I think it would be better, if you all ventured away from Telos. I have taught you all everything I possibly can. And this place…" She took another look around at the pristine white walls. Leaving them behind would be a very difficult matter to face. "I have kept it to myself for long enough. When my time comes, you must take the holocrons to the place I marked out. The Sith will not find them there. And they cannot be allowed to tempt the Jedi from within the vault."

Shamara nodded with all earnest. About to continue, her attention was taken instead by an incoming holomessage, which she acknowledged immediately.

The hologram that displayed in front of them was of Master Pala. "Atris, I've called to inform you that Master Dana will be arriving with a young woman and a droid. I cannot divulge too much more, but we would ask kindly that you show her your full hospitality."

Atris rubbed at her brow, staring back at the hologram as she thought about what was being implied. "What's special about her? You would not send someone to me for training without a very good reason."

Pala was obviously hesitant, only relenting after Atris began tapping her finger impatiently. "She's lost her way with the Force. Now I know you don't have the best history with this sort of thing…"

"If this is a new generation Surik, I want nothing to do with it. I don't think my heart can take a whole lot more at this point." She glanced at Shamara briefly, who had already folded her arms up in concern.

"Atris, there are a great many things occurring across the galaxy. I don't like that things seem to be revolving around her, but that appears to be the case. Just keep her occupied until we can send her to the next phase of her training."

"I am not a babysitter."

"She's twenty four. But her droid is a childcare model."

The humour was so poor that Atris couldn't help rolling her eyes at it. But it seemed that she was going to have little choice in the matter anyway. "I do not want to say I am growing too old for this, Pala, so I will not. Though I must ask why she is only now being trained."

Sereti turned her head to either side, presumably taking the counsel of her peers before speaking. "She is one of the children of the Jedi. Master Dana will explain everything on arrival, I assure you."

The holocom shut down at that, leaving the old Jedi to continue rubbing at her forehead until it grew sore. "I cannot believe I am saying this, but I do wish Brianna was here now." She gripped the cane and stood up with much more ease this time. "I must rest. See that the holocron room is locked down, and prepare the guest quarters for another."

"Of course master."

This time when she made the usual journey to her quarters, her steps were accompanied by the whispers of the holocrons. Berating her for not striking Lasidia down when she had every opportunity to do so, then and now.

One warned that the worst had yet to arrive.