Hello everyone! We're coming up on the end of the second act!

Secrets of The Outer Rim.

Act II.

The Heart of Darkness.

Chapter XXI.

Machinations of The Master.


I shouldn't have had an emotional reaction to this.

I've seen Phanza sparring on the observation deck of Castle Attam countless times. The only difference this time was that, rather than testing herself against Ruumshi and Avoine, as per usual, Phanza was testing Schweva in combat. The Chiss girl had taken a modified version of the Sorcerer training path - evidently, from the Sith Empire, the Grand Duchy of Taaszon has inherited a specific path-based training regiment, where acolytes would choose one of a number of set paths and train accordingly - but it was still the Sorcerer path, and apparently that meant that Schweva would need to work on her close-range fighting. Phanza, who has also trained as a Sorcerer, explained that the path specialized towards use of the Force, often lightning, and often at range. Phanza had explained that, while that was all well and good, reality often meant that Sith would be forced to fight at close range and with melee weapons, so, they needed to be prepared for that possibility. Presumably, based on our recent missions, Phanza would also train Schweva to fight with blasters. I didn't think I'd like that either.

There were some things I liked about this though. I liked seeing Phanza sink into her Makashi stance, her left hand pointed in front of her, as if she was using her fingertips to aim, and her lightsaber in her right hand, positioned up along her head. It may seem like a risky position, had stuck out like that, but I knew all of this was purposeful, it was setting herself up for a precise lunge forward as soon as the fight began. I like Phanza's take on the Makashi form, it truly seemed like the lightsaber was an extension of herself, in that she turned herself into a weapon, she moved so fluidly, so gracefully, it almost seemed like a dance, but a dance that was as deadly as it was beautiful. It appeared beautiful even now, as Phanza was dressed in a heavy set of purple and black robes, designed to cope with the elements. The heavy, warm fabric and the purple fur rounding her collar seemed to do nothing to restrict her movement or slow her down. I looked down at myself, dressed in my similar burgundy and black winter robe, and I didn't feel nearly as unrestricted.

Then, on the other end of the observation platform, there was the matter of Schweva. The Chiss was dressed similarly to us, with Schwevaa'aphere'enda wearing a dark blue robe with grayish-white fur around the hood. Her stance was grounded, but simple, much less impressive than Phanza's stance. There was also the fact that, out of the two hilts that Schweva held in her hand, neither was ignited. That seemed like a dangerous move to me, it was allowing Phanza the first move, and I thought that was an arrogant and foolish decision. She was fresh out of the Academy in her first sparring match against her master, and she had decided to go onto the defensive. I didn't like that either. I knew that Phanza didn't order her to fight like this, so it seemed like this was Schweva's idea. I'm not sure what bothered me more, the idea that Phanza had taken on an apprentice stupid enough to try this, or the possibility that Phanza had chosen an apprentice capable enough to actually do this. The first one was merely an annoyance, but the latter seemed like a threat.

I wasn't about to call myself a Sith or anything, but I liked the relationship Phanza and I had, I liked our bond, and I liked that we traveled together. Schweva upset that, Schweva became something else for Phanza to focus on, and Schweva was now Phanza's apprentice, that meant that the Chiss girl became Phanza's responsibility, not me. I know that Phanza insisted that things were different between Sith, that it wasn't quite like the relationship between Padawan and Jedi Master, but I knew that it was going to be a close bond regardless. It bothered me that Phanza was going to form a bond with Schweva, and, I had to admit, it bothered me more that this was a young, attractive, and seeming confident and capable woman. It seemed childish and trivial to let this bother me, but it did, and I would especially be bothered if it turned out that Schweva really did have the potential she seemed to possess.

"Begin." Avoine declared, the human woman acted as somewhat of an official to this, likely observing and recording Schweva's actions for her master. Ruumshi was also in attendance, the orange-skinned Twi'lek sitting relatively close to me. None of that seemed to matter though, because the duel started in front of us. Phanza let out a war cry before beginning her lunge, wanting to cross their dueling circle and attack Schweva, but the Chiss finally ignited one of her weapons. I was surprised for two reasons, one, I was surprised to see that Schweva's weapon was a lightwhip of all things, a rare and exotic variant of the lightsaber that behaved like a long and deadly whip. The other thing that surprised me was that Schweva's crystal was blue with a black core. The same style as Phanza's red lightsaber and the same style as my new crystal, and that bothered me too. It seemed like the Chiss was establishing herself as part of our set, and I didn't want her to fit in here, I didn't want her to make herself as part of our unit. I wanted it to just remain about Phanza and I.

The long blue and black whip impacted the ground in front of Phanza twice, stopping her. I didn't want to do this, but I did see how Schweva was using the Force to manipulate the movements of the whip, turning what could be an unruly and dangerous weapon, and turning it into a guided and precise weapon...I had to admit that was a novel and impressive use of that weapon, if nothing else. It was somewhat effective too, in that it halted Phanza's advance. At this point, I'm sure that either one of them could have launched a flurry of force lightning at the other, but, that wasn't the point of this sparring match, this was about their weapons. Phanza recovered well from being halted and leapt high in the air, Schweva responded with a flick of her whip, but Lady Attam was over it. The Nautolan landed on her feet now much closer to Schweva, and she effortlessly sunk back into a combat stance. I thought for sure that Schweva would have to switch weapons at this point, the whip would leave her massively disadvantaged at close range, but, annoyingly enough, the Chiss insisted on proving me wrong.

Manipulating her weapon with the Force, the blue and black whip curved behind Phanza, forcing her to block it backwards with her lightsaber over her head, however, the other end of the whip was still coming around Phanza. I thought that Phanza was going to have to leap away and have to contend with Schweva at range, though, fortunately for me anyway, Phanza was better than that. The Sith Lord, seeing her situation, decided to drop to the ground, letting the whip pass above her harmlessly. Then, before Schweva could recover, Phanza lunged from her prone position to a standing position, lightsaber pointed right at Schweva. The apprentice, seeing that her whip truly was useless at this range, deactivated it and switched to the weapon in her left hand. The Sorceress activated a traditional lightsaber with a matching blue and black blade, taking a two handed grip, and battled Phanza's well practiced Form II style with a formidable defense in Form V - Shien. It was a defensive form, but an aggressive take on a defensive form, and somewhat impatient compared to the more classical Soresu. That being said, with her experience and her dueling focused form, Phanza wasn't exactly leaving Schweva many opportunities.

A flurry of light strikes constantly hit Schweva's lightsaber, keeping her off-balance, keeping her from settling into a firm stance, not leaving any weaknesses for the young apprentice to abuse. When they did finally meet blades, it came on Phanza's terms, with the Nautolan's red blade pushing down on Schweva's blue one, again, granting the advantage to the master. Phanza usually relied on grace, agility, or the Force in combat, but, here, I got to see her use strength as well. Perhaps strength amplified by the Force, yes, but it still looked impressive as Phanza really started bearing down on Schweva, even walking forward, just to increase the weight pushing down on the young Chiss. Schweva knew that she couldn't keep up like this, so she changed tactics. I watched as she deactivated her lightsaber and rolled out of the way of Phanza's blade. Lady Attam was perhaps expecting this, because she didn't let her momentum force her into a stumble, rather, she relaxed herself, bringing her lightsaber out and down into a ready stance. She was going to let Schweva attack this time.

Schweva made a two-handed swing for Phanza's head, but Lady Attam simply rose her hand in one motion, the blade coming straight up, and the attack stopped in its tracks. Phanza smirked as Schweva made a disappointed expression and disengaged, her master stopped her attack with one hand, in one motion no less. Phanza's seemingly loose, one-handed grip was unmovable, even to a furious, strong swing like Schweva had attempted. Phanza stood exactly like that as Schweva tried another onslaught, this one more educated, more strategic. A quick series of light blows tested Phanza's iron grip, but then, a low thrust towards Phanza's legs forced to Nautolan to abandon her stance and catch the blade. Having gotten what she wanted, the Chiss then swung up again, though this time, it wasn't an iron grip of a lightsaber that stopped her, it was Phanza's free hand catching her wrist. Phanza twisted her wrist and Schweva's lightsaber clattered to the ground, deactivated. Phanza then squeezed and pulled, bring Schweva down a kneel, defeated. I couldn't help but cringe, I had expected this, and I didn't particularly like the Chiss woman, but that was a harsh way to end the fight. That being said, what Phanza did next was gentle.

"You did well, my apprentice." Phanza assessed before offering her hand, helping Schweva up, confusing the Chiss.

"What do you mean mistress? I failed." Schweva replied. I didn't like the way she called Phanza mistress, something about that bothered me more than if she simply called her master. I understood that mistress was correct in this case, it simply acknowledged Phanza's gender, and I didn't want to be crass, but even I knew that the term mistress came with certain connotations, and I didn't like those connotations. That being said, I couldn't really see those connotations right now, rather, I saw Schweva still kneeling, confused at the offered hand in front of her, not understanding why she was getting positive reinforcement. I had to remind myself, despite Overseer Nesorin's insistence that failed acolytes weren't outright killed anymore, these were still Sith Academies. Schweva was trained in the Sith tradition, she was trained in a tradition that favored the strong and marginalized the weak. The fact that the second-best acolyte wasn't killed was considered remarkable progress for these Academies, and that is the world that the Chiss just came from. I may not like Schweva or her permanent presence alongside us, but I wasn't heartless towards her either, I definitely had sympathy towards her.

"Of course you failed. I'm a master, a Sith Lord. I trained under Grand Duchess herself and became the latest heir of the Line of Kallig, you're a few days removed from still being an acolyte. You were never going to win this duel, you probably won't win one for months of training, and you shouldn't expect to. These duels aren't about seeing if you can win, they're about honing your skills, finding your talents, and compensating for your weaknesses. In that regard, you did fine. You demonstrated proficiency with the lightwhip - a very rare weapon and one difficult to master - and you demonstrated good judgement with when you switched to your lightsaber. Your use of Shien was also commendable. You were able to break my defensive stance and showed ability to adapt. This is an excellent foundation Schwevaa'aphere'enda, believe me." Phanza replied, encouraging and even praising the Chiss apprentice. I liked hearing that tone in Phanza's voice, I liked her being the gentle master, firm when she needs to be, but encouraging as well. I only wish that side of Phanza was directed at me, not at this Chiss girl who just appeared out of nowhere. I wish that, at least, Phanza had talked to me before she made this decision, not after.

"I - yes my mistress, I understand." Schweva seemed like she was going to object but bowed her head and accepted it, now standing. The two of them stood there, with their matching winter robes, the only differences being the color schemes and the fact that Phanza had those little warmers on her head tails, and they looked like a matching set. Perhaps it was only my imagination, but they seemed to linger in that position for just a moment, as if they wanted to burn it into my head that they were a close pair now, a master and apprentice bond that I had no part in. Whether or not that lingering moment actually happened, the relative peace of the post-duel observation deck was broken by the sound of a holocommunicator. I was brought out of my own head and Schweva quickly moved over Ruumshi and I while Phanza picked up the call. I wasn't sure if Schweva was being oblivious or malicious when she sat down next to me, but I didn't think about that for long, because I wanted to listen in on the call, and it seems that the Chiss woman wanted to too.

"Grandmistress Tamat, are you available?" a male voice asked, using the alias that Phanza used on Nar Shaddaa. The title was also from there, as Zapnha Tamat was not only the owner of the Star Cluster casino, but the Grandmistress of the Neo-Revanites. So, Phanza was being contacted by an order of fanatics who worship a long dead Sith Lord - who was also a Jedi before and, surprisingly enough, after being a Sith - and I couldn't help but wonder why. On Nar Shaddaa she made it clear that she sees them as a means to an end, but what did they see her as? I wasn't sure, nor did I know what these cultists wanted to her. Phanza seemed pretty confident that she had this New Order of Revan under her thumb, but what if she's wrong? I couldn't help but worry.

"Yes, I am free. I'm not alone, but I am among friends. You may speak freely Teeroshkin." Phanza replied, glancing at us when she said friends. I noticed that, so far, she hadn't mentioned anything about being a Sith or having apprentices. Perhaps she was hiding that fact from the Neo-Revanites, or perhaps she simply took care not to disclose that over communication channels. The hooded human male on the other end, was revealed to be named Teeroshkin, and the way that Phanza talked to him made it clear that he was a subordinate. A loyal member of the Neo-Revanites, perhaps? I wasn't sure, not yet anyway, but I was going to try and figure out as much as I can from listening in. Anything after that, I can ask Phanza herself about.

"Very well, I trust your judgement, Grandmistress. First, I bring good news. One of our operatives from Coruscant has managed to return, moving slowly and subtly through the galaxy. I have her here at the Manaan enclave for now, where should I direct her?" I noticed a few things here, first is that Teeroshkin has a somewhat more formal and distinct speech pattern. I grew up in the Jedi Order, so I already had a formal speech pattern myself, but I still found Teeroshkin's speech to be distinctive, distinctive enough to note, anyway. The second thing I realized here was that Teeroshkin helped handle some of Phanza's spies, with the woman in question here being one of the spies compromised on Coruscant. As Phanza mentioned when Vader first appeared, many were killed outright, others disappeared into the underworld, this, evidently, being one of the latter group. The final thing I was able to gleam from this was that this Neo-Revanite enclave was on Manaan, a sea world in the Mid-rim. The Selkath homeworld was one famous as the sole exporter of the healing substance known as Kolto, but, with the widespread emergence of Bacta, Kolto is nowhere near as prolific as it once was.

"Usual procedure. Scan her for spy equipment, give her a mental examination, and have any information she possesses on her person processed and then wiped. If all is well, reequip her and send her to a safehouse off-world to await further instruction." Phanza replied, her commandments were eye-opening. I knew that Phanza ran a vast spy network and thus she was adept at espionage, but the procedures she has in place really spells out the professionalism and the extent of her operation. First of all, returning operatives are vigorously examined to make sure they have not been turned into double-agents. Second of all, they are reequipped for every mission, meaning that they never use the same equipment twice. This puts any potential double-agents at a disadvantage, and it also makes attempts at counterespionage against Phanza difficult. Finally, with her being sent off-world, it is clear that Phanza keeps her spies in one place for as little time as possible. If there is a distant trail behind this returning spy, she will spend as little time on Manaan as possible, making it seem like just another stop in her attempts to shake her pursuers. There is also the implication of widespread safehouses and numerous operatives in this spy network.

"Yes, of course, my Grandmistress. I possess more news though. The enclave has received word that Operator Rahlkann has left Cipher-9, we believe the he is heading for Manaan. You requested to be alerted as soon as we received news." Teeroshkin added, revealing that Operator Rahlkann was finally making his move for that ancient cybernetics factory. Phanza was forced tor reveal this to him on Cipher-9, before the Loukhamii business, and it seems that he is now acting on it. I'm not surprised, at all, that Phanza had her spies on Manaan look into this situation. She clearly seemed upset at giving up this information and, while I'm sure that part of it is wanting to keep leverage over Rahlkann, I think the cybernetics factory is important to her as well. I was, however, a bit concerned. I mean, there was already the fact that Palpatine took over the Republic from right under our noses, but the size of Phanza's operations were becoming rather alarming.

A casino on Nar Shaddaa, a cult with an enclave on Manaan and seemingly much more, this undersea cybernetics factory, spies on Coruscant and throughout the Republic, and a whole Sith state in the Unknown Regions. Phanza and the Sith managed to hide all of that from the Jedi. We thought that we destroyed the Sith, but seeing the effectiveness of Palpatine and his faction, seeing the sheer scale of Taaszon's shadowy operations, and seeing how easily the Jedi were swept away, I couldn't help but imagine what else we've missed. With both of these Sith factions far stronger and healthier than the Jedi could have possibly imagined, who is to say that there aren't more Sith factions hiding in plain sight? I must say that it is concerning - I mean, that is somewhat of an understatement, considering that the entire Jedi Order has been massacred and wiped out - we had completely lost sight of everything around us. The Jedi Council kept saying that their visions of the future where clouded in darkness, and no wonder it was clouded, there were Sith all around us and we didn't even realize it.

"Hmm, right, thank you for telling me Teeroshkin. I will be on route to Manaan shortly. Make sure my hangar is prepped." Phanza replied, ending the call with clear orders for her subordinate. Phanza evidently trusted the Neo-Revanite human as well, as she simply barked out the orders with the expectation that they would be followed through without question. Phanza thought for a moment before turning to us "Right, Avoine, you and I are going to meet quickly and discuss Schweva's performance. Ruumshi, I need you to prep the Chancellery for us. Finally, Zaliza, I need you to help find a disguise for Schweva. Find a way to make her fit in with Zapnha Tamat and Vyvienne Alzicia. I want all of you to work as quickly as possible too, it seems that Rahlkann already has a head start on us."

"...Right, understood." I reluctantly accepted. I wanted to say no, to suggest that someone else should do this part, but I didn't, for two reasons. The first reason was that, with Operator Rahlkann already on the move, it was clear that Phanza was in rush, and the Nautolan was in no mood to argue over this. That would only waste time and give Rahlkann more of a chance of getting to Manaan before us and, potentially, even finding the undersea facility. Rahlkann did have the coordinates after all, it wasn't going to taken him forever to find it. The second reason was that, as much as I didn't want to do this for Schweva, I was the one who actually traveled with Phanza on Nar Shaddaa, I knew how Zapnha Tamat dressed. I knew how I dressed when I disguised as her bodyguard, therefore, I was the best placed to find a disguise for her, second only to Phanza herself. Fortunately for me, Schweva followed without remark, at least until we reached the elevator heading down to the speeders. I was going to take her down to the capital city to find a disguise for her.

"Fill me in on the situation. Why are we going to Manaan in disguises and what is the problem with Rahlkann? Phanza said he was an Operator, doesn't that mean that he's part of the Intelligentsia?" Schweva asked once we got on the elevator, revealing that the apprentice didn't fully understand the mission. Now, part of me wanted to be petty and ignore her, especially because her tone made it sound like she was entitled to an answer. Then again, as Phanza's apprentice and as part of this mission, she was entitled to an answer, and her questions were relevant. She wanted to know why she had to wear a disguise and she wanted to know why Operator Rahlkann was an enemy, and, as much as I didn't like her presence here, those were valid questions.

"Okay. Phanza obviously can't operate openly out in the galaxy, especially not after meeting Palpatine face to face before the separatist invasion. This means that she conducts a lot of her operations in the wider galaxy under an alias. Her primary one is Zapnha Tamat, who is, amongst other things, the Grandmistress of the Neo-Revanites. I posed as her mercenary bodyguard during a previous mission on Nar Shaddaa, now we need to find a disguise for you." I explained "As for Rahlkann, he and Phanza seem to have some sort of rivalry going on. Between cybernetics, drones, and his own abilities, Rahlkann fancies himself a Jedi killer, and Phanza is having none of it. This hadn't really been a problem before, but, recently, Phanza had to trade the coordinates to a cybernetics factory on Manaan to Rahlkann, in exchange for mission critical information. Now, I think Phanza wants to stop him from getting to that ancient facility."

"I see. Thank you." Schweva responded with upmost professionalism, having received all the information and context she needed. I didn't respond to that, instead, I simply waited for this elevator ride to finish.


"Chiss are rare in the wider galaxy. If we had more time, we could see about forging you some contacts and maybe some face paint, have you pose as a Pantoran or a Wroonian, a species more common in the Mid-rim, but we don't really have that opportunity. Any ideas?" I asked Schweva as we walked through the capital city, thinking of ways to disguise her. Species was the main hurdle, Chiss were a rarity and we needed to be able to explain away her species. In future missions, with more preparation, we could disguise her as a member of another species, but I doubted we had enough time for such an endeavor right now. I needed to come up with something plausible, but I also needed to find something quickly enough to meet her time table.

"Well, maybe we're overthinking this. Zapnha Tamat is a rich galactic businesswoman with her claws spread around the galaxy, no? Is it really that far-fetched that she could be having meetings with business contacts from the Chiss Ascendancy? I could disguise myself as a low-level Chiss attache traveling with Lady Tamat for a time." Schweva proposed, giving what was definitely the easiest path, though one we would need to iron out with Phanza on the way to Manaan. We had to account for the worst possibilities, such as being pulled aside by Selkath authorities or even the unexpected arrival of the Empire, therefore, all three of us needed to have a definite understanding of our cover stories. That way, they could interrogate us all separately and end up with the same story, making sure that everything checks out. Phanza could help us find a reason that Zapnha would travel with a Chiss attache, all we needed to do was disguise her as one. Fortunately, Schweva seemed to have that covered "This way, there is a store in the Chiss Quarter that imports items right from the Ascendancy."

"Good, lead the way." I responded and decided to trust the Chiss on this one. I'm sure that, while it also broke down to a question of time and numbers, this was also Phanza's attempt to get us two to cooperate. The Nautolan knew that I was troubled by her taking on another apprentice, and I wouldn't be surprised if Schweva also saw me as a rival of sorts, but Phanza was trying to get us to talk and work together. The message was clear, Lady Attam wanted us to at least be able to form a functional relationship, if not outright befriend each other. Phanza had little use for our envy and hidden glares. In any case, Schweva led me to a relatively high end Chiss store and set about disguising herself as an attache from the Chiss Ascendancy. The Chiss woman ended up picking a white, silver, and blue gown, an elegant matching blaster pistol that almost blended in to the fabric of her dress, and tied her hair up into a bun to appear like the essence of a youthful but energetic agent of the Chiss Ascendancy. Exactly the type of person who would be looking to break the Ascendancy's typical isolationism, Schweva reasoned. I wasn't sure about that, but I did admit that this look was very different from the Sith apprentice in a coat look of this morning.

"How do I look?" she asked, it was a mocking question, but I think I heard a sliver of legitimate questioning in that tone. As if she believed that this look would work, but still wanted confirmation from someone involved. I wasn't sure what the Sith Academy's training protocols were like, but knowing that the programs she trained under were the Sorcerer and Marauder programs, I don't think Schweva has ever worked with a disguise before. Neither marauding warriors no lightning-casting sorcerers seem particularly stealthy to me. She did look fine, but this was somewhat of a concerning matter, in my opinion. I understood the want for anther lightsaber on the battlefield, and I also understood that having a new face could help reduce suspicion directed at us - suddenly it's not just a Nautolan and a Zeltron appearing wherever the Empire is hit, it's a trio, or a Nautolan and a Chiss, or a Chiss and a Zeltron, or only one of us - but I was also worried about her inexperience. I can't help but think that an apprentice straight out of the Academy could be a liability at times.

"You look fine." I answered, diplomatically, trying to hide what I was just thinking about her. My own concerns aside, there was something else we needed to figure out while we returned to Castle Attam "What is your alias going to be? I'm guessing it's going to be a Chiss name, but try to put some effort into it. I'm worried enough with Phanza's name being an anagram, but at least she has the excuse of that alias being an established one.

"Zaranu'utthona'aphillii." Schweva responded almost immediately. I was curious as to how she came up with a name that quickly, a name so different from hers, and a name that seemed to be a real Chiss name. I glanced at her, looking for elaboration, but Schweva either didn't notice my glance or chose not to share any more. I didn't know, though I had to wonder what the link was between her actual name of Schwevaa'aphere'enda and this new alias of Zaranu'utthona'aphillii. The name seemed too complex and real to just come off the top of her head. In any case, we headed back up to Castle Attam. I still had to change into my Vyvienne Alzicia disguise, then, we would head to the Chancellery's hangar, ready for Phanza's mission to Manaan.


A red leather jacket on my torso, two blaster pistols at my hips, and my hair tied back into a functional ponytail. I wasn't quite sure if I looked like a mercenary bodyguard, but I definitely didn't look like a Jedi right now. The tight-fitting black pants tucked into my boots didn't help either, clinging to my skin in a way that my Jedi robes never did, but I couldn't let that bother me. A hardened, professional mercenary doesn't care about modesty - well, perhaps some do, but that is a distinctive personality quirk, and the last thing I want in a disguise is anything distinctive - I would rather remain an anonymous associate of Zapnha Tamat, out of focus and out of mind. It doesn't help that, the last time I was in focus, when Thonna recognized me on Nar Shaddaa, it almost led to Darth Vader figuring us out. An unremarkable mercenary, that was my goal, and, thankfully for me, my two colleagues are much more distinctive.

Phanza - Zapnha Tamat rather - was dressed in a purple and black gown, an odd asymmetrical design with only one sleeve, her other arm was bare. A sparkling purple cape with a black edge and a golden border sat over the clothed arm, interestingly not the bare one. I'm sure that was a deliberate choice, though I can't say why - I'm not exactly one educated on fashion - her blaster pistol was also sitting concealed beneath the cape. On the opposite side, her lightsaber sat in the sheathe, the weapon openly on display, as if it was a challenge to anyone who would dare question her, and, knowing Phanza, it probably was. Finally, I saw that Phanza didn't waste any time, her head-tails were already covered in red makeup, masking her tattoos, and, not only that, all of them were arranged down her back, in contrast to her typical style. It was a small thing, but it was another thing to make Zapnha Tamat distinct from Phanza Attam. Obviously Phanza can't hide the fact that she's a red-skinned Nautolan woman, but she can change her more distinctive choices, hence the tattoos are covered up, hence the styles of dress are different, and hence the different way of wearing her head tails. It was a small thing, but it could make a difference.

We tried to cover our tracks well on Loukhamii, eliminating the witnesses on the space station and on the surface, and I believe that Thonna shared as little with her superiors as possible, but we couldn't be too careful. It was certainly possible that, one way or another, the Empire has acquired a very recent image of Phanza, an image they have on file, thus, it is important that Zapnha doesn't resemble that. There is, fortunately, a certain benefit for her, in that the elites of the galaxy typically pay less attention to aliens. In the heart of the Republic, on Coruscant, humans were the majority, the elite class, with aliens largely limited to the crime-ridden lower levels, or the odd alien here and there that has managed to succeed despite these circumstances. Alien Senators were another exception to the humans being the elites rule, but even they were up against a human plurality in the Senate. Therefore, if the Empire does have Phanza on file, then doing things like hiding the tattoos and wearing her head tails differently, could be enough to slip under their radar.

"Good, you're both here. Schweva, I believe your disguise will work, good work to you and to Zaliza. Get onboard and we'll talk more." Phanza ordered, swiftly addressing us before telling us to get a move on. Phanza was remaining measured and in control for our benefit, but I can tell that she's antsy, I can tell that she wants to get a move on already. Now, this was a cybernetics factory, an ancient Sith one apparently, so I could understand why that would be important to Phanza, even if she, personally, had little use for cybernetics. Quite frankly, it is a strategic resource and she knows about it, she can access it and tap into the technology there for her soldiers, if need be, or she could simply continue using it for leverage over Operator Rahlkann. Though we seem to be beyond the latter.

I wasn't sure what was going to happen once we got to Manaan and confronted the cyborg, but I didn't think that this was going to end well for Rahlkann. I know that the peace with the Intelligentsia was important with Taaszon, but was Rahlkann really going to back down this close to the factory he's been seeking, evidently for awhile? I didn't think so. I knew that Phanza wasn't going to back down, she was already stressed out and humiliated that she had to give this information to the Operator to begin with, she certainly wasn't going to let him use it now. I wasn't sure what the terms were between the Grand Duchy and the Intelligentsia, so maybe it would all be fine, maybe Phanza will be able to tell the truth - that she was defending a cybernetics factory she claimed as her own - and get away with it. On the other hand, Rahlkann was an Operator and that seemed to mean he was a high-ranking Intelligentsia member. Perhaps it didn't matter how good Phanza's reason was, perhaps the Intelligentsia wouldn't accept any retaliation against Rahlkann. It all remains to be seen.


"Grandmistress! Herald and representative of Revan - the Great One, the Prodigal Knight, and the Master of the Star Maps - welcome to Manaan!" Teeroshkin greeted once we landed in Zapnha Tamat's personal hangar on Manaan. We stood in a silver compound in Ahto City, still the main surface settlement on the ocean world, a title it has held for thousands of years. The city may not be the trade center it once was, but, thanks to centuries of lucrative Kolto trade, industries of tourism, service, and alternate types of commerce have developed instead. Likewise, the city still bears the riches of all the Kolto it has sold, a shining silver paradise on the sea, ruled by the Selkath, but open to species from all across the galaxy. The Galactic Republic - now the Empire - still maintained its age old embassy here on Manaan and, according to what Phanza said on the flight here, there was once a Sith Embassy just as grand and important here. Literally right here, as this hangar was built on the site of part of the Sith Embassy, the other part was now the Neo-Revanite Enclave.

"Hello Teeroshkin. This is my bodyguard, Vyvienne Alzicia, and a business partner, Zaranu'utthona'aphillii, a representative of the Chiss Ascendancy. Is Rahlkann here yet?" Zapnha spoke in the same slightly high class but otherwise unremarkable Republic accent that she used on Nar Shaddaa, in contrast to her usual posh Taaszon - supposedly Sith - accent. Lady Tamat introduced Schweva and I for just long enough to say that she was being polite, then she got down to business, questioning Teeroshkin. The human male was standing opposite of us with four bodyguards behind him, individuals wearing similar hooded robes to their master, and equipped with long beskar pikes. That was a distinct bit of Mandalorian imagery, but these hooded men did not wear Mandalorian helmets, not even masks, but then, I remembered who we were dealing with. An order devoted to Revan, to the rogue Jedi who fought in the Mandalorian Wars, and famously appropriated their symbols by turning the reigning Mandalore's helmet into a mask. So I suppose it makes sense a Revan cult would, likewise, be armed with Mandalorian weapons. It was good that neither Ceyla or Yevenna were here though, that could turn rather controversial.

"He is on world, my Grandmistress, but we have made arrangements for this. We have arranged for him to encounter great difficulties with the Selkath authorities at the spaceport. Our agents in the area report that he is still there, working to disentangle himself from our manipulations. He does have a valid entry visa and a clean ship though, so you must hurry, There is only so long that the Selkath port officers we control can stall." Teeroshkin responded, revealing that they slowed Rahlkann down with bribes to the alien bureaucracy. The Selkath were strictly independent and had a very, very harsh law code, so Rahlkann couldn't just try and threaten his way out of that situation, he needed to follow the law. The Selkath affiliated with the Neo-Revanites know to take as long as possible, but there is only so much that they can do, thus, the three of us headed out immediately. Teeroshkin and two of his bodyguards stepped aside to allow us through, with the other two joining us as we rushed from this private landing pad to the public spaceport.

"There he is!" Zapnha spotted Rahlkann leaving the spaceport just as we arrived. The Operator had cleared Selkath security and was dressed in a disguise himself, trying to pass himself off as a typical cyborg smuggler and trader, but Phanza knew better than that. The five of us, three Sith and two Revanite guards, surrounded the cyborg, forming a ring around him and trying to cut off his escape. Around us, civilians and other people around the port were watching, trying to figure out what was going on, but, fortunately, there was no police presence among them. Teeroshkin must have also arranged for the Selkath authorities to disappear, allowing us to confront Rahlkann. That being said, with so many witnesses around, I didn't think that we could just kill the Operator here and now, the Selkath would receive countless reports and they would have to respond. Teeroshkin could use bribes and influence individual Selkath to stay away, but there wasn't much he could do if our party was involved in a brazen murder like this. I'm sure Phanza knew that, but I made it clear through our mental link nonetheless, we needed to have some sense here. We were acting on a planet with a strict legal system and a history of damming sentences for criminals.

"What is this about? I'm just trying to get to the cantina and have a drink." Rahlkann responded, making his voice gruff, sounding like an experienced pirate and scoundrel. I noticed that he had a blaster pistol on his hip and a scattergun strapped to his back, making a rather capable arsenal, should he need it, but he was also surrounded, so it was questionable how much good it could do him.

"Right, you and I both know we have business. Let us avoid trouble and have a civilized discussion behind closed doors, shall we?" Zapnha countered, framing this event as some sort of criminal underworld business, and also openly stating that she didn't want any trouble. That did help ease some of the bystanders watching us, as did the fact that Phanza wanted to take this discussion inside, away from this innocent bystanders. That did not seem to ease Rahlkann however, as inside likely meant some place where Phanza was in control - he might not know this, but I knew that the Neo-Revanite compound was definitely a place where Phanza could act with impunity - and therefore, a place where he was at risk. Rahlkann still wanted to get out of this situation with him getting the cybernetics factory, so he wasn't just going to let Phanza lure him into a trap and kill him, but he also wasn't going to be the one to start a fight and get himself arrested.

"Fine then. I want to go to the cantina and you want to meet behind closed doors. We'll go there and meet in a private room. It will be completely neutral ground, a place where neither of us have been yet. Deal?" Rahlkann proposed, finding a way to honor Phanza's arrangement without being lead into a trap, finding a setting that was private enough to talk openly but public enough that we couldn't risk a struggle.

"Deal, leas the way." Phanza accepted, deescalating the situation. The people of Ahto City seemed to breath a sigh of relief as we broke the circle and made our way to the cantina. I noticed that, through that whole tense situation, neither Phanza nor Rahlkann used names. They didn't know each other's aliases and made it work despite that. It really showed that these two were experienced spies and knew how to work in these situations, and it also showed that, despite being so close to starting a shootout in the streets, there was a certain honor among thieves here. Both Phanza and Rahlkann were ultimately from the Grand Duchy of Taaszon, Phanza directly and Rahlkann from the autonomous vassal state that is the Intelligentsia, and, even in the worst of times, they didn't want to reveal each other. The implication was that the security of Taaszon was more important than individual goals. I had to admit I could respect that about Rahlkann, at least his greed was not to the point where he was going to endanger his own state.

The dynamic between Phanza and Rahlkann was an interesting one. The first encounter on Cipher-9, out on the landing pad, seemed like friendly rivalry, two people who were competitive with each other, and they were willing to exchange information on the elevator. That was in sharp contrast to anything involving this cybernetics factory, as it is evidently something that Rahlkann was wanted for a long time, and it is something that Phanza has been determined to keep from him. It's an odd thought that, so quickly, they've come from seeing if Rahlkann could get the drop on Phanza to a situation where the Operator would, most likely, die. I wasn't sure if that was revealing of the Sith or of human nature in general, that something as simple and primal as greed could destroy a professional relationship, perhaps even a friendship. In any case, that previous relation is probably why Phanza was willing to sit-down and speak with Rahlkann on his terms. I kept my opinions to myself, Phanza knew her dynamic with Rahlkann better than I, and I trusted she would do the right thing.

"Here, follow me to my private booth." Rahlkann led us into the cantina, leaving a stack of credits on the bar with a single fluid motion and heading straight to the booth. An interesting bit of slight-of-hand from the spy and a confident maneuver too, he didn't even need to ask for the booth, he just paid money for it and he took the booth for us. A circular booth around a table, where the human cyborg instantly took a seat. Phanza positioned herself opposite of Rahlkann, with me in the middle, and Schweva sat on the outside, the two of us boxing the Operator in. The two Neo-Revanite guards took their position outside as a scree slid out, closing the circle of the booth and providing us with privacy. Rahlkann dropped both his guns on the table and gestured for us to do the same. I glanced over at Phanza, seeing the Nautolan nod, then all of us put our weapons on the table, even Phanza's lightsaber. It was a barely hidden bit of symbolism, all of us putting our cards on the table. Rahlkann eyed our impressive arsenal before speaking "I gave you your information, it was good. What is the problem Phanza?"

"You asked for the location of the cybernetics factory. Letting you actually reach it was never part of the deal." Phanza countered, returning to her usual accent. The booth was built in a soundproofed way, ensuring that everything said in here will remain in here. The Nautolan explained just how bad the situation was for him "The cybernetics in that factory are old technology. You could get newer, lighter, cheaper bacta-injecting units made for yourself, made for your allies, for a lower price than it would take to render that facility useful. I'm not even conducting any research there, I have to focus my resources elsewhere, it's not worth it Rahlkann. I'm telling you this now because I don't want to cross a line between us: leave it alone."

"This isn't about me or my allies, this is about power. You are a Sith Lord, you have all of Taaszon's resources at our disposal, hell, you have me flanked by two of your apprentices right now, and you don't even use cybernetics for yourself. This is a matter of the balance of power. The Intelligentsia sees you hoarding all of this knowledge and all of these resources, and my superiors believe that we need to correct this imbalance. Taking control of this cybernetics factory will remove an ounce of power from your powerbase, and it will add it to the Intelligentsia, bringing us two steps closer to your level." Rahlkann explained, revealing what the real game was here. Phanza and I both thought this was about his own use, improving his cybernetics, but it never was, for six years, this has been about the Intelligentsia trying to grow stronger and improve its standing.

Phanza's a young rising star among the Sith, the heiress of the Line of Kallig, and Taaszon's main agent out in the galaxy. She represents a threat to the Intelligentsia and its autonomy, therefore, the organization as a whole wants to grow strong in comparison to her, and Rahlkann thinks the best way to do this is to bring Phanza down a peg, in favor of the Intelligentsia. The idea wasn't for Rahlkann to modify himself and his clique, it was for the Intelligentsia to possess this technology and the ability to develop it, it was about denying this possibility to Phanza, and I think that part of it was simply meant to be psychological. The Intelligentsia wanted to prove that they can be a threat to Phanza and, thus, to the highest levels of Taaszon. They were asserting their autonomy and making it clear that they couldn't just be subjugated and absorbed into the typical authority of Taaszon, and I could almost sympathize with that goal, even agree with it. The reason why I say almost though, is because Rahlkann is doing this at a time where the Empire is going after Taaszon.

The Intelligentsia may be trying to assert their autonomy, but, when it comes to a fight against the Empire, the Grand Duchy and the Intelligentsia would be fighting side by side. Now is not the time for infighting or trying to change internal balances of power, because, right now, any resource contested between Taaszon and the Intelligentsia risks being lost to both of all, falling into the hands of the Empire. I can understand Rahlkann and what he is doing, I can even say that, in many ways, it is commendable, but I cannot understand why he is doing it now and endangering all of us. Palpatine and Vader are too dangerous a threat to allow us to bicker amongst ourselves. These are the men that engineered the destruction of the Jedi Order and turned the Republic, which had been strong and stable for a thousand years under the Ruusan Constitution, into an autocratic Empire to the applause of the Senate. Palpatine made people cry out in joy and applaud as their rights were being taken away, we stand no chance against him if we cannot stand together.

"I see." Phanza replied to what Rahlkann said, herself taken aback. I glanced at her, seeing the Nautolan think about her reply, trying to figure out a way to present her arguments knowing Rahlkann's new motivation, but we never got to figure out what that was, as our meeting was interrupted by our Neo-Revanite guards beating on the side of the booth to get our attention, trying to overcome the soundproofing. We finally heard them and opened the booth, only two see two very panicked guards standing there in their robes, their pikes at the ready. They addressed Lady Tamat.

"Grandmistress! We need to leave! The Empire has arrived!" the guards warned. We all were pretty much in sync as we shot to our feet, gathering our weapons and preparing to make a swift exit. The cybernetics factory was located well underwater and hidden under a coral reef, it would still be there if we all left right now and left this matter to be solved at a different time. A more peaceful time, hopefully. I didn't want to be too optimistic and say that, pretty soon, the Empire will be toppled and we will be free to conduct business in the galaxy without looking over our shoulders, but there will be safer times in the future. Right now, Palpatine knows us and has made it clear we are his next target, once he solidifies his hold over the formerly separatist parts of the galaxy.

"The Empire?" Rahlkann asked, revealing that he was clearly not expecting this development. I didn't imagine that it was easy to fool a man who was both one of the Intelligentsia's top operatives and one of their spy coordinates, but he clearly didn't expect the Empire to arrive here. That made me feel worse than just the Empire showing up, because, once again, I felt like the Empire was always one step ahead of us, always knowing more than we did, and always capable of catching up with us. We weren't even attacking the Empire right now, we've barely even been on Nar Shaddaa for long, and the one public appearance we had only just happened, there is no way that this could be a response to that. I looked over to Phanza, hoping that the Nautolan had an answer.

"The spy Teeroshkin mentioned! She must have led the Empire here!" Phanza realized, picking up on a thread I hadn't even considered. That was the only thing that fit the timing correctly, after all, the spy had arrived on Manaan before Teeroshkin contacted us on Taaszon, giving the Empire more than enough time to organize a response. We cleared out of the booth as Phanza came up with a plan "Right, Zaliza, you and Schweva head to the hangar, remain undetected, but prep the Chancellery for takeoff. Guards, we're going to the compound to make sure Teeroshkin disappears and no evidence is left behind of our presence. Rahlkann - " Phanza rattled off our respective roles before realizing that, at some point between us leaving the booth and her announcing the plan, the human cyborg disappeared. I watched as she grimaced "Nevermind, guards, take care of the compound yourselves, I'm going tot track down Rahlkann."

"Understood, mistress. Come on, Vyvienne." Schweva accepted the plan before pulling me by the wrist, falling back into our code names for the mission. I managed to pull my hand out of Zaranu'utthona'aphillii's grip, but I did follow her, after all, Phanza wanted us to get the ship running and ready for a quick escape. For a moment, I wondered what Phanza was going to say to Rahlkann, as she had instructions for him as well, but I didn't have much time to wonder, because, as soon as we exited the cantina, by mind was rendered silent. In the skies over Ahto City were three Venator-class star destroyers. Gunships and fighters filled the skies as well, some simply establishing aerial superiority, others ferrying troops to the surface. All around us, the people of Manaan, both foreigners visiting the city and the Selkath locals, were fleeing into their homes and hiding, having no idea what was happening, only being scared of being caught in the crossfire of it all.

Vader executing all of those spies on Coruscant with stunning precision should have served as a warning for this, but we didn't consider it properly, now, we were up against the overwhelming force of the Empire. The message in all of this was clear: those who spy on the Empire, those who try and stand against the power of Coruscant, and those who resist Palpatine's will shall all be eradicated.

"Vyvienne, come on, we need to get to the ship!" Schweva rushed me, pulling me along and bring me back down to earth. The oppressive numbers of the Empire and their strength was a frightening matter, but it would do us more good to get away from it than to simply gawk at it and wait to be destroyed. Thus, the Chiss woman and I made our way through the streets of Ahto City, our little rivalry forgotten in the name of mutual survival and a common goal. We had almost made it to the hangar when, all of a sudden, we nearly walked into two columns of clone troopers on patrol I had nearly rounded the corner before seeing them, and, out of either fear or because of seeing that familiar visor yet again, I froze up. I was sure I was about to be spotted when Schweva grabbed me and pulled me back around the corner. Hitting my head on the building the Chiss woman practically threw me against, I decided this wasn't my proudest moment. We were outnumbered and getting outmaneuvered, it was okay to be frightened, but I needed to focus on all this.

"They're coming this way, what are we going to do?" Schweva asked me, hoping that I had a plan for this. I should have a plan, I'm the more experienced one, the one that has traveled with Phanza for longer, and the one with her own experience from the Clone Wars, I should be doing better than this. Instead I'm scared of the Empire and I'm getting shown up by Phanza's new apprentice who practically just showed up out of nowhere. I have to be doing better than this. I need a plan. Alright, so, the streets of mostly grid based on wide, which isn't ideal, however, the grid design does mean that we can use parallel streets to outmaneuver these clones and find an alternate route to Phanza's private hangar, at which point... "Oh screw this, you're taking too long."

The last thing I had been expecting was for Schweva to wrap her arms around my neck and kiss me. My eyes widened and my arms moved to push her away, however, a swift but subtle kick to my leg told me to play along. Realizing that this was a ploy to let the clones pass us undetected, I played along. I don't think I looked very convincing with my eyes falsely shut to watch the clones as they marched past us and my hands dumbly floating over Schweva's hips to produce the illusion of intimacy, but, either due to Schweva's acting or clone ignorance, they walked past us without further investigation, continuing their sweep through the city. As soon as we were clear, Schweva released me, acted as if nothing happened, and continued heading towards the hanger. I followed the Chiss woman in her dress towards the Neo-Revanite hangar, but I wasn't quite able to let this go as easily.

"What was the meaning of that?" I whisper-yelled at Schweva, not much appreciating the fact that Schweva kissed me without my permission. This may also seem petty, and it's not supposed to have much meaning to a Jedi, but it also doesn't help that this was only my second kiss. The only person who kissed me before was Master Avdune and, based on our conversation in the cave, there was real meaning and feelings there, feelings between two young women in proximity to each other, sharing a bond, and having compatible sexualities. Now, Schweva, someone who I barely knew, took my second kiss and she did it in such a way that almost robbed the meaning of the first kiss. This one was meaningless and literally built on lies, done solely so we could get past some clones searching for a spy network. Perhaps it was petty and perhaps this wasn't the time for this conversation, but I was pushing it.

"I don't know!' Schweva whisper-yelled in reply, stress clear in her voice, and her explanation was equally brisk "I asked you about a plan and you weren't coming up with anything, so I panicked. I figured that these were all male clones, growing with an accelerated aging pattern at twice the speed, and forced to live under military discipline. I figured that, in that case, they would be uncomfortable with female sexuality, particularly between two women. Luckily for me, it worked out. My apologies if this made you uncomfortable, but I figured that gettign interrogated by clones and potentially shot at was worse."

"Okay, okay, sorry." I let it go as Schweva and I slipped into the hangar, recognizing that this so wasn't the time for this conversation. I was glad to avoid a fight here: I didn't want to kill clones, Schweva and I were armed with blaster and neither of us were dressed for combat - I was at least dressed practically, if not in the robes I prefer, but Schweva is dressed in an elegant Chiss dress that has no business in a fight - and, even if we were able to fight off this group of clones, they would only send in more clones. There were three star destroyers flying just over the city and, at least right now, they weren't actively coming down on us, that was pretty much the only thing that we could hope for right now. I scanned the hangar and made sure it was clear as Schweva hurried onto the Chancellery and readied the ship. I joined her once I felt we were safe and the hangar was clear.

I entered the luxury craft to see that Schweva had just closed the door to her quarters, likely going to change into a more practical outfit for the flight back home. I couldn't blame her, at this point, we could consider our mission here over. Phanza's spy network suffered a setback, but the Neo-Revanites would reappear somewhere else and rebuild, we weren't able to secure the underwater facility, but it seems that Rahlkann hasn't been able to reach it either, and, while the Empire did arrive, Schweva and I seem to have been able to escape to the safety of our ship. Phanza will no doubt join us shortly. I sat down in the bridge, looking out the primary viewport window of Zapnha Tamat's personal yacht.

I noticed a few things in the next few moments. To the right, in the alcove of the hangar bordering the Neo-Revanite compound, I could see a number of their operatives and guards slipping out of the compound, some holding objects which could be damming pieces of evidence if caught, others just content to disappear. I watched as they disappeared into a secret doorway in the corner of the compound, likely leading to some sort of safehouse or just a place away from here where they could further split up and escape. Teeroshkin was the last one out of the Neo_Revanite compound, the hooded figure making sure everything and everyone was come before setting one final charge and grabbing a detonator. The door to the compound closed as Teeroshkin detonated a firebomb and disappeared into a tunnel. Anything that remained in the compound would be burned away before the Imperials arrived, while the outside would show no signs of damage. All the Empire would find was a burnt out building and a deserted hangar. Potentially they would see this was owned by Zapnha Tamat, but I think the Neo_Revanites hid their tracks better, there were likely a few false names, dead ends, and fall guys between this property and Zapnha herself.

The other thing I noticed was a modified LAAT gunship flying towards the public spaceport, this one an open variant, the kind used for taking AT-TE walkers into battle as such, but it was empty. I thought that was strange, but, before I could question too much, I saw that Schweva returned. I turned to see the Chiss woman now dressed in a black set of robes with blue trim, in the open waist, bare arms style that Phanza often wore. Schweva's hood was down, showing her black hair, a slight bluish tint to the otherwise midnight colored hair. It bothered me for two reasons: once again, in her dress, she was once again modeling herself off of Phanza, and, secondly: the Chiss woman was showing off how attractive she was. I didn't want Phanza to notice that, especially not when I didn't feel comfortable dressing in the same way.

"There's Phanza." she pointed out as the Nautolan finally slipped into the hangar, physically fine, but a worried expression on her face. Rahlkann was nowhere to be found. I turned back to the window and waited for her to come aboard as I saw the crane gunship emerge again, this time carrying a ship out of the spaceport. I noticed that the design looked rather Taaszon like as Phanza entered the cockpit.

"We need to get back to Taaszon as soon as possible. Rahlkann was compromised and killed before I could get to him. Now, the Empire has his ship and his wayfinder." Phanza revealed, the implication in her voice was clear. The Empire now had the means to get to Taaszon and the proof to justify it. They tracked a spy to Manaan and they found Rahlkann on the same world, the fact that those two events are coincidental doesn't matter to the Empire. It points a finger at Taaszon and gives Palpatine a justification of war to the Senate, not that he really needs one. The man was always going to attack Taaszon one he had the chance to, he would soon, and now, he has a way to the capital world as well as the outlying systems.


Ciao!