Rejoining the Republic was a hard decision to make, even rejoining the order wasn't an easy decision to make. He had enjoyed the freedom from the bureaucracy of the Republic and not having to worry about the Council finding out about his secret marriage to Kira. Oh Kira, how he missed her. It had been almost a decade since he last saw her. As he ordered her to fly the ship away from the Eternal Fleet as he and Mar tried to sacrifice themselves to stop the Eternal Fleet.
Theron and Lana had been supportive of his decision to rejoin the Republic and had lightened his burden by doing so. The jokes helped as well. After everything he has been through some good Corellian whiskey all on some General's tab was as good a reward as he could think of that didn't involve Kira.
He sensed Tau and Arn approaching, and he turned to greet them. Under the jovial light hearted banter, he sensed more complex emotions. In Arn was admiration and vindication in all the tales Arn must have heard about the legendary Jedi hero who saved Tython twice, liberated dozens of worlds, defeated hundreds of Sith, turned to the light half a dozen powerful force users, and has saved the galaxy from the Sith Emperor & his line on multiple occasions. Tau was more reflective on the events and how Malgus was just as dangerous as the stories have said.
He complimented them on their teamwork and suggested that they continue to work together. After everything that has happened it was good to have a team he trusted. He trusted Lana, Theron, and Koth; but he just didn't have the same bond as he did with his original crew. Teeseven was always a faithful companion. Rusk was a good loyal soldier and friend, but Rusk's duties training and ensuring discipline among the ranks often kept them from working together like old times. Doc said he would be more than happy to rejoin him after he helped get the refugees from Ossus settled. That still left Scourge and Kira. Scourge was a good friend and he had enjoyed their philosophical debates over the Force and what it truly meant to be a Jedi or Sith. But he missed Kira. The woman he loved more than life itself.
A pause drew him back out his mind and he looked to Tau as she spoke, "Before we go, I have something we need to talk about. When Arn and I were buried underneath all that wreckage, we didn't dig ourselves out. We had help".
Orguso asked, "From who"?
A voice he thought he would hear again said from behind him, "From someone who loves you".
His eyes flashed wide and he turned and said, "Kira"!
He embraced her so tightly as if even losing his grip by a millimeter would cause him to lose her forever. He let the Force flow through him and he touched Kira's mind, and she touched his mind through the Force back. It was really her. Their embrace loosened just enough for Kira to kiss him.
Oh how he missed her. Her strong yet slender body that had been always by his side in battle or in the darkness of his quarters. Her fiery red hair that for years had been the last thing he saw as he went to sleep and the first thing he saw when he awoke. The shining blue eyes that were always filled with mischief. The scar on her cheek that he ran his thumb along as they kissed. Even the tiny touches on his mind through the Force that told him that she was thinking of him.
When they finally broke their kiss and embrace, the hyper focus of both his physical senses and those of the Force cleared enough for Orguso to see who she was with. Scourge.
Scourge with an uncharacteristically cheeky smile said, "We meet again, at last".
Orguso now drawn out of the euphoria of his reunion, sensed the change in Scourge's signature in the Force and how it was the same as the Force user who attacked him on Mek-Sha.
Orguso said, "Wait.. you were the one who attacked me on Mek-sha. You have been following me, watching me. Why"?
Scourge replied, "A necessary test".
Kira smirked and said, "And you passed".
That left him more confused as he asked, "What are you talking about"?
Scourge said, "The Emperor, Tenebrae, Vitiate, Valkorian; whatever his name. He was a part of you. We all felt his destruction, but has always been a master of deceit. We had to be sure that he wasn't lingering in your mind. Hidden. Waiting to come out only in the most dire of circumstances. Now we are sure".
Orguso took that in but it still left him with questions, "Why didn't you come back sooner"?
Kira's voice began to break as she spoke, "I've wanted to… so badly You'll understand. There are things we need to talk about… alone".
Orguso sensed the turmoil in her mind but he couldn't pierce it. Their bond had been rekindled but it had to be built back up to where it had been all those years ago.
Before he could respond, Scourge cut him off and said, " We can't risk saying more here. Let's travel to your base on Odessan. It should be safe for us to talk there".
Orguso asked, "Safe to talk about what"?
Scourge replied, "The final gruesome weapon of Tenebrae".