Chapter 9: Exposed
"We can't see the true characters of those who lurk in the shade until they are exposed to the light…"
~ Nanette L. Avery
Sith Academy, Korriban: 3640 BBY (13 ATC)
"You are depleted, Baras. You hover a breath away from destruction." Medria mocked. Her former master snarled at her and she felt the force gathering in his hands as he started to gather force lighting, but the harder he tried, the weaker it got before it abandoned him entirely.
"No. My powers abandon me." He looked shocked. Medria sighed and un-ignited her sabers, clipping them to her belt. Now that he no longer donned his mask, she could see his weakness clearly on his face.
"Admit your deceit, Baras. Confess that you are not the Voice of the Emperor." She growled, her eyes still burning gold and red. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Tremel with his hand on her husband's shoulder keeping him in place. While she taught him some shielding, his anxiety was clear in the force. With a quick subtle hand movement he calmed, and she focused her attention back on Baras, whose own fear was growing in the force.
"Grah!" He shouted and rushed into the center of the room. "I call upon the Dark Council to kill this fool! NOW! The Emperor commands it!" He shouted. Medria simply shook her head and started a wide circle around him. When she was a child, her father told her of a type of fish that ate flesh, but they also circled their prey before eating them. She thought it interesting at the time, but now she couldn't help but wonder if they gained some enjoyment in the anxiety of their prey. If this is what they felt, she was sure they did.
"Darth Marr, strike on the emperor's behalf! Or suffer his disfavor!" Baras turned to one of the council members. To her growing amusement, the council member simply sat back and raised his hands in a dismissive gesture.
"I believe I'll take my chances." Darth Marr said.
"Ravage, has your sense left you as well? Defend me! Defend the Voice!" Baras barked the order at the human council member with cybernetic enhancement implants. Darth Ravage's eyes turned to Medria, before looking away.
"I will not stand in the path of the Emperor's Wrath."
Medria walked up behind her former master, her presence forcing him to turn and face her.
"You think you've won? You think you can silence the Emperor's true Voice? Deliver the death blow, then. From beyond darkness, I shall strike at you! Someday, vengeance will be mine!" He threatened and Medria's lip curled in a smile. Every time the fool opened his mouth he just proved all the more that he wasn't the Voice.
"No one dares stand in my way. Let this be a message to all." Medria's lips curled in a snarl. Baras took a step back, his eyes wide.
"I cannot be destroyed-" He started but stopped as her saber sliced through his chest, just low enough to keep him alive for a few more seconds.
"This was a fun game Baras, but it's time for it to end." She whispered so that only he could hear. "You should have kept your greedy paws away from my husband." She jerked her saber up, slicing through where his heart was. She withdrew her saber and let his mound of a body crumple to the floor.
"Message heard loud and clear, my friend." Vowrawn's voice interrupted her silent victory. She looked up to the ceiling and took a deep breath. "You have proven that you are truly touched by the Emperor. The Dark Council knows that the Emperor's Wrath has free reign."
Medria turned to face Vowrawn, with a straight face. She lifted her chin and raised her eyebrow. While she knew she was the wrath simply because that was what the Hands told her, she didn't think it would be so easy for the Dark Council.
"You are acknowledged, Wrath. Your actions will not be challenged as long as they do not contradict our own." Darth Marr spoke as if he were the official spokesman of the Council.
"You are answerable only to our ultimate master," Vowrawn said, which caught her interest. She had thought that she would have to deal with both interchangeably. The Dark Council kept the empire moving toward victory on an everyday basis.
"I look forward to aiding the Dark Council in its most critical matters." She tipped her chin down in a shallow bow. Working together with the council was the smart decision, it would only strengthen the empire and limit internal strife.
"Then our power has heightened." Vowrawn sounded pleased as he stood. "Let the enemies of the Empire tremble! The Empire's Wrath shall consume them all!"
Medria turned to face one side of the council chambers and the members on that side stood and bowed to her, when she turned the other direction the same happened. It was… uncomfortable, but she concealed it well. She bowed shallowly to the council before making her way to the door. Both Overseer Tremel and Lord Rathari bowed deeply to her as she approached and she paused.
"Welcome back to the Empire, Overseer Tremel." She said loudly for the council to hear. Relief flooded the force through their fledgling bond and he smiled gratefully. She could feel Quinn moving next to her, which she briefly ignored and she spoke with Tremel. She gestured to the door, politely indicating that they should all leave and let the council finish their meeting. When she turned he jabbed her arm with kolto. A flair of pain jolted up her arm from the needle.
"Ow." She hissed batting at his hand and pouted. Her husband leveled a gaze on her as he lifted his scanner.
"Your captain is certainly very protective, isn't he, Lord Wrath." Vowrawn's voice chirped from over her shoulder and she jumped slightly and she certainly didn't flush as she realized the Dark Council was observing. Vowrawn was standing uncomfortably close, leaning down so his face was near hers. " Tave kudik tostas ne tezn vi orus sso zo amzi kais sis " (the baby's health is just as important at a time like this).
She thinned her lips and took a deep breath, summoning all of her patience, before throwing her elbow back. Vowrawn sucked in a wheezing breath as her sharp elbow connected with his sternum. Smiling a smile of all teeth she turned to the intrusive councilmember.
"Darth Vowrawn. Kindly piss off and keep your nose out of my business." She said as sweetly as she could before turning to the rest of the council. To her surprise, a few members had a hand over their faces in a poor attempt to conceal a smile and a few others were shaking in silent laughter. Touching the force she realized, they all found the interaction very amusing. "If the council requires my intervention, please contact me. I hope our future dealings are fruitful." She nodded her head down and turned to leave, ushering her husband out even as he was handing her different supplements.
"My lords if I may-" One of the council members spoke up, addressing the council as the door closed behind her.
As they walked to the main doors of the Dark Council chambers three sith were blocking off a fourth and their companion. Medria raised her eyebrow.
"My lord-" Quinn said softly but Medria shushed him.
"This could be entertaining, I want to watch, just for a little." She said back, leaning against the wall. The three men with her shook their heads and took up a casual position against the walls as well. Quinn pulled out his scanner again and continued to check her over with his field scanner. She reached into one of his belt pouches and pulled out some dried fruit and started munching on them.
"Stop right there, surrender your weapons." the one who seemed to be the spokesman said.
"I have an ancient sith duel to complete. I will do no such thing!" the fourth said, leaning towards the first one.
"Thanaton is making his statement before the Dark Council. You will not interfere. Or I and my apprentices will have something to say about it."
"That's precisely what I intend to do. Thanaton has tried to kill me for the last time."
Medria smiled widely. Apparently, the Dark Council was going to have a busy day filled with corpses.
"Just because he has failed, doesn't mean I will. There is a whole stratum of politics you have no exposure to. Did you think Thanaton was alone in his beliefs? Gentlemen if you would, kill them." He gestured to the fourth sith and their companion. Medria continued to watch entertained, crunching on dried fruit as Quinn administered a much gentler shot of kolto. The sith made quick work of the three that tried to block them. When the masked sith turned to Medria she smiled and clapped.
"Well done. I would stay behind and watch you take down who I will assume is your former master, but I think the council has already had enough of my interference. Best of luck to you." Medria chirped happily, pushing off the wall. She could feel the sith's bewilderment in the force.
"You don't mean to stop me?" They asked.
"Goodness no. I just killed my former master in there myself. Once again, good luck." Medria said and started walking off.
Malavai handed her another few supplements for her to have and she started popping them in between pieces of crunchy dried fruit. She had popped the last supplement in her mouth as they arrived at the lift, where a young light-skinned Zabrak was pacing. Medria chose to ignore him, instead listening to her old overseer drone on about the academy to Lord Rathari and Quinn.
"Excuse me, Lord Wrath?" The Zabrak spoke up as they neared. He had stopped pacing and from her quick eye, saw the datapad in his arms had an image of her on it.
"What is it?"
"I am sorry to interrupt you. My name is Devas, my master sent me to ask if you have time to spare for him. He wishes to speak with you in private." Devas said, keeping his eyes slightly down. Quinn moved to step forward, but Medria held out her hand to stop him.
"Who is your master?"
"Darth Marr, my Lord Wrath."
Medria was certain it wasn't only her brows that raised in surprise. She wasn't even fully aware of him except for a name that was linked to the dark council before coming today, and even now it was just the mask that she now had to associate with. The being before her didn't seem nervous, or stressed, more tired than anything. She measured a gaze trying to figure out if this was some sort of trap, before sighing.
"Captain, do I have any pressing business?" She glanced at her husband, who immediately pulled out his datapad, looking at their calendar.
"No, my lord. Kaitas, sau tariam kais kia isar zo gausus kontrole tolyn, Foxa. " (I would like to do a full check-up, wife) Quinn switched to sith, giving her a look she was far too used to.
" Saum sveln, valdyto. Anas gal saut. " (I'm fine, husband. That can wait.) she sighed before turning to Devas. "I can meet with your master."
Devas smiled brightly and gestured to the lift which had just arrived.
"Please follow me, I'll bring you to his office. Unfortunately, something just came up so he will be later than he wanted to be. However, he asked that I provide you with anything you would like in the meantime."
"Ah, yes, I believe I encountered the delay on my way out of the council chambers. I don't think it'll take too long." Medria nodded. The lift stopped briefly at the main level so Tremel and Rathari could go about their business. Duras swiped a pass at the terminal and the lift lowered. It went down another two levels she had never known about before it stopped. "If Darth Marr believes he'll be some time, perhaps some tea?"
"Naturally. Do you have a preference, Lord Wrath?" Duras asked, stepping off the lift and leading her down a long hallway to a large door.
"Nothing caffeinated," Quinn spoke up. Duras briefly looked curious but had chosen not to comment on it nodding. He opened the door to a large office space that was decorated comfortably. There was a small sitting area with red plush seats and a coffee table. Medria walked over and took a seat.
"I'll be right back with some tea for you," Duras said disappearing behind a door that sat in the corner of the room. Quinn sat next to her, his hand rubbing against her leg in a familiar comfort.
"While we wait, I'll check over our reports and emails," Quinn said, pulling out his pad and pulling some documents up. She smiled and rubbed his leg as she looked around. Shelves lined either wall filled with holos and holocrons, as well as a few artifacts. His desk was against the wall opposite of the main entrance so that its owner wouldn't be caught off guard by any guests. The desk itself was organized with only two frames sitting on the desk facing the chair. She was very curious about it, but chose to remain seated. Everyone deserved their privacy, even strange Dark Council members. Seconds later Duras came back out the door holding a tray with a steaming teapot and two teacups. Duras set the tray on the coffee table and bowed.
"If you need anything further, I will be just through that door." He bowed again and left. Quinn moved to set his pad down so he could get the pot.
"I've got it" She stopped him, leaning forward to grab the pot. As she poured she paused, her head tipping. She recognized the smell, sinsticks and fruit. It was one of her favorites. Smiling she poured his cup first adding some sugar and handed it to him. After pouring hers and sipping at it she leaned back.
"Quinn, are we good to return home? I'd like to spend some time at the manor. I also need to focus more on Jaesa's training. Oh, and we need to get a nursery ready."
"Returning to Nathem manor should be no issue. I have a few ideas for making sure the manor is safe for the baby. I also have been coming up with a daily schedule to optimize your time." Quinn pulled up his schedule and started going through it. Medria simply smiled, leaning against him and running her fingers along the short hairs at the nape of his neck. She had stopped paying attention to what he was saying and simply enjoying the peaceful moment.
"Malavai." She interrupted. "I think we should also have a party, nothing too big, just a celebration of Baras' demise."
"Anyone besides the crew?" He nodded and quickly started adjusting their schedule to make sure the whole crew could be there.
"Hmm… as much as I am loath to say it perhaps Vowrawn, he did prove to be an asset. Overseer Tremel… maybe Rathari."
Quinn nodded and started adding a few other names as well. As they went through the potential list, which was thankfully much smaller than their wedding, the main door opened. Darth Marr stepped in cautiously and Quinn stood quickly, bowing to him. Marr waved him down and moved to sit opposite of Medria.
"Thank you for coming, Wrath."
"Of course, Darth Marr. What is it you wish to speak about?" Medria straightened and placed her now empty cup down. A wave of discomfort and anxiety flashed through the force before it was quickly smothered.
"I wanted to ask how you are. Facing your former master could not have been easy for you." He said.
"He was a threat to the empire, not only was it my duty to execute him, it was also my pleasure to do so. He had crossed me one too many times." Medria said casually, relaxing slightly. She glanced over to her husband who had continued to look through their incoming mail.
"Is your health well? I noticed your man giving you treatments while you were leaving." Medria stiffened slightly. It was clear that Malavai had started tending to her, but most normal people wouldn't comment on it. She saw Malavai's hand move subtly that only she would know. He was apologizing. She touched his mind gently in assurance.
"My captain can be overly cautious when it comes to my health. He was just taking some extra precautions." She cautiously answered.
"Do you regret becoming the Emperor's Wrath?" Marr asked.
"It is an honor to be selected by the emperor to serve. My service to him is mutually beneficial. Of course, I've only been his wrath for a few months, he hasn't given me any reason to regret it yet."
Marr nodded and reached forward pouring more tea into her cup.
"How is your personal life? I heard you married. Are you happy?"Marr continued. He was being overly cautious in his vague questions about her well-being. Medria frowned.
"Is there a point to these questions, Darth Marr? It seems to me you are quite informed on my life, personal and professional."
Marr seemed to sigh and he stood walking to his desk. Quinn turned to her and using their hand signals, asked her what was going on. Medria shrugged her shoulders and very obviously signaled that she thought he was crazy. Marr pressed the intercom button on his desk and Duras' voice answered.
"Yes, my lord."
"Hold off my schedule for the time being, and remain in your office until I send for you. I am not to be interrupted." Marr ordered.
"As you wish, my lord," Duras answered and the intercom unit went silent. Marr grabbed a frame from his desk and walked back to the seat across from Medria, handing it to her. She took it curiously and looked at it Malavai peering at it as well. Several emotions flashed through her at once, but the prominent one was anger. She recognized the three people in the frame intimately. Far'sha stood on the right, his usual blank expression on his aged face. Nikholas stood on the left, a proud smile on his face. Then there in the middle sitting in a hover chair, was her, much younger, in her early teens evidence of her early medical treatments still showed on her face and the hand that was holding the certificate of completion. This picture was taken when she was around 13 in celebration of her early graduation from the preparatory academy on Dromund Kaas. She looked up, eyes narrow, Marr lowered his helmet, revealing the all too familiar face.
"So… This is personal," Medria said cooly. "How about we start with the real question? Why did you disappear on me?"
Zakuul: 3636 BBY (17ATC)
Dead.
Nikholas was dead. Darth Marr, lord of the Sith, Dark Council member, was one with the Force.
Medria's eyes shut as she pulled at the pain of his death, separating it into two categories. Pain that can be used and pain that needed to be buried deep. Nikholas was dead, but she was still alive.
"Clear the room. Everyone out!" the woman ordered. All the guards followed suit, clearing the room in an orderly fashion. Medria turned on her heel and started to stride toward Valkorion.
"Why send your new followers away? Something you don't want them to hear?" She bit out as a snarl grew on her lips. " Jaarvek ." (father).
He watched her, seemingly unimpressed with the fury and wrath that permeated from her. Instead, a small smile grew on his lips as he stepped slowly down from the throne.
"They are not like us." He said as he reached out, hands cupping her face. His eyes weren't like they were when she was young, gone were the cool blue like the Kaasian ocean, and in their place was the burning lava of the dark side. Though at that moment she was sure even now, her eyes reflected his. His smile grew as he looked at her.
"Look at how you have grown, to see you again with my own fresh eyes-" He said gently, reminiscently, but stopped as she slapped his hands away.
"Don't touch me. Enough of your reminiscing. You've been out of my life for the past 17 years. You chose to not be in my life." Medria growled taking a step back from him and turning her eyes to Prince Arcann. "I can see you had more important family matters to keep your attention."
"In all my centuries, you alone have merited my full attention." He started a slow circle around her, inspecting her. "You leave your mark upon the galaxy wherever you act, just as I do."
"Your full attention?" She barked an indignant laugh. "You faked your death and left me an orphan. How could you have any amount of focus on me?"
"As I'm sure you are aware, I have my ways to keep an eye on you." He said cryptically. Her eyes narrowed. Of course, Vitiate had many ways to keep an eye on his wrath.
"So what was it then? Did you have those creepy droids watching me since Druckenwell? It certainly wasn't your voice seeing that it was trapped on Voss. Darth Marr wasn't present enough to keep you fully invested. What other tools did you have to-" She stopped, how could she have been so stupid? "Your hand… Far'sha was a hand."
"I know everything, child." He smiled at her before dropping his gaze to her stomach. Her breath stuck in her lungs for a moment. Everything. Everything she had been through. Everything she did. Ever since she was a child his eyes and will had been over her.
"I told you, life is more interesting with you in it." His hand gripped her chin again, forcing her to look him in the eyes. He smiled again before stepping back.
"Look around you. Zakuul is poised to become the greatest civilization in the history of the galaxy. I have forged this empire to surmount all of my previous works. To span eternity." He had the same look, the same wave of his hand that he used to show off that he did when she was little. "The Eternal Throne commands a fleet more vast than any ever built. It has the power to reshape the galaxy into any image that I choose… that we choose."
He stepped close to her again and held his hand out.
"I will share all of this with you… if you will only kneel." He offered, his burning gaze ripping through her.
She could feel the mental bond she once shared with him reforge and spark to life. This was real. This thing before her was really her father. Then, without her acceptance, images flashed through the bond. Then there was the quiet family room. Jaesa, Vette, and Pierce were sprawled out together watching some cheesy holo-drama, that surprisingly had all three in tears. Far-Sha was seated in his usual seat, eyes closed appearing to be asleep. Tenebrae was on the ground playing with Broonmark, who was surprisingly gentle for a homicidal Talz. He let the toddler crawl all over him, pulling his fur as they goofed around. Next to her was a bassinet, holding her baby girl who was peacefully, and blessedly asleep. There she was amidst this strange family, her legs resting on her husband's lap as they both read, and he absentmindedly rubbed her leg. Her hair was down, hanging over the sofa, as long as it was now. Everything shifted and she was standing back in the orbital station overlooking Ziost, watching as the wave of death consume the planet. Then she was thrust back to the present. She was going to be sick. She stared at him with unveiled horror. There was no escape. She was always tied to him… will always be tied to him.
"I've seen what you can do first hand. If my choice is death or a part of your power…" She lowered herself to her knees and bowed her head. "You know what my answer is."
He bent down holding his hand out for her. He used to do this too when she was much smaller. When she would fall over, playing, running around, he would stand like this. Tall, unyielding, he would stare down at her until she gathered herself, only then he would offer a hand to help her to her feet. She stared at it for a moment before taking it. Her hand still looked small in his, but now hers was different, calloused, scarred by experience. When she was upright he stayed just out of her reach. He held his hands in front of him and she could feel the force build around him. Her eyes slipped closed feeling the force alive around and moving around her and through her. Their bond was alive, and the force, his power, was moving through her.
"You are fortunate, Outlander. I struggleld for years, sacrificed everything- even the life of my brother- trying to win such an invitation." She could hear Arcann speaking like it was through water. Her head felt light, euphoric. "You have done what I could not. In exchange… I will do what you could not. You have made your last mistake… Father ."
There was the sound of a lightsaber and suddenly pain erupted in the force, in their bond, and in her chest. Her eyes flared open in shock as she grabbed at her chest. It took a moment for her to register that the pain wasn't hers. Before her, her father stood, a gaping lightsaber hole in his chest, the force condensed like purple energy around him, and Arcann behind him.
"Time will tell" Her father chuckled before the force went erratic around him. She stumbled forward, reaching out to him.
" Jaarvek !" She cried out before the force exploded. She could feel herself in the air, and then nothing.
Geonosis: 22 BBY (3631 ATC)
When Medria became aware, it was in a world of pain. Her head felt like it was pounding with each heartbeat, getting slammed over and over with a heavy object. She groaned and blinked her eyes open. Everything was hazy and blurry. Nausea swept over her as what light was in the room felt like she was staring straight at a sun. To her shock surprise, there was what seemed to be a crane hovering above her. She pushed off with the force, moving her body quickly away from possible collision. She slid away a few feet, and once she was clear, it slowly lowered to the ground. Groaning she rolled to her side to look around the room. There was a small green creature, hands out and eyes closed in concentration, facing the crane, and a ship, speeding out of the room they were in.
She blinked again. ' Where am I?' she wondered, looking around the room. This wasn't where she just was.
"Alright, are you?" the creature asked as it opened its eyes. She raised an eyebrow and stared at it for a moment before taking a deep breath. This thing obviously was some sort of Jedi, if the light coming from it, and the small saber was any indication.
"I've been worse," she admitted, as she rolled to stand up, doing her best to ignore the pain in her arm and leg. "I take it Grandmaster Shan sent back up? I appreciate the assistance, but I'll need to talk to her, things have become much more complicated than any of us expected."
Medria stood, and realized her body was not very steady. Hobbling to the nearby wall she leaned against it and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Help, you still need. Injured, you are." It said, lifting a cane to poke in her direction. Medria looked down and heaved a heavy sigh. She realized the pain was some very deep saber cuts that would most assuredly make her husband freak out and put her out of commission for, well most likely until the end of her term. The sound of running footsteps caught her attention and she looked up to see a young human man and woman come running in. The young man was obviously a Jedi apprentice, based on the robes and stupid haircut. His eyes widened when they saw her and panic took over his presence in the force.
"Master" he shouted, running towards her.
"Look, kid, you're cute and all but I've only got one apprentice and you're certainly not her." Medria pulled a face and scoffed. The young man stopped in his tracks and looked to the little Jedi with confusion and growing fear. The green one held up a hand and waddled closer to her.
"So, Grandmaster Shan, can you get in contact with her, or do I have to go through Theron?" She asked, turning her attention to the little green one.
"Theron?" It asked.
"Agent Shan, SIS." Medria clarified and rolled her eyes when the creature simply tilted its head confused. "Come now, I know the Jedi like to hide their dirty little secrets but pretending that Grandmaster Shan's son doesn't exist is a bit much. Force, it's a mystery anyone allows you lot to raise children."
"Master, are you okay?" The young man asked, and Medria found herself growing annoyed.
"Kid, unless you're talking to little green here, stop calling me master. I've never appreciated the term and if you're talking to me there's a number of other titles you should be using." She snapped. She raised her wrist for her com and paused. Her wristband was gone, and she only now realized that these were not the clothes she was wearing when she faced her Jaarvek . Her eyes narrowed and her wrist lowered.
"I'm sorry. We are a little confused with the current situation, perhaps we should introduce ourselves." The young woman spoke up, stepping to stand next to the young man. "My name's Padme Amidala, but my friends call me Padme. I'm a senator. How can I address you?"
Medria stared at the girl, she seemed… young. Most of the senators she'd seen were aged, too aged to be efficient in what they did, and certainly not carrying a blaster or looking like they themselves were in the middle of battle. There was a chance she could like this one.
"I don't care what you call me, so long as it's not master," Medria started, glancing at the young man before.
"Okay, Ma'am, who is it you need to speak to? What happened?" Padme asked.
Medria narrowed her eyes and looked among the group. They were all looking at her like she was some startled animal. Anger and frustration grew. "Look, I don't know how you lot managed to get here past the fleet we encountered, but I need to speak with Grand-Master Shan immediately. Actually, no, I need to speak with Agent Shan, SIS is our best option right now."
The pain in her head flared and she groaned. She absentmindedly rubbed at her head as she tried to use the pain to feed adrenaline, but instead, it was making her feel quite unwell, and it was getting harder to think.
"Get healed first, you should." the green one spoke up, moving closer to her.
"No thank you," Medria said immediately, standing straight and glaring down at the small Jedi. "I know what the Jedi are capable of doing. I've seen what it was you did to Revan. Once my crew gets here I'll have my captain check me out and patch me up. He's familiar not only with my medical history but also with my biology. I don't want to become yet another experiment of the Jedi."
She looked down at herself again and tilted her head. The strange clothes she was wearing were steadily getting dark with her blood. She touched her shoulder, where it seemed to be coming from, and confirmed it was blood, but not from her shoulder. It tickled a little, down her neck, and she realized that it was blood running down her neck from her head. A concussion, perhaps a laceration as well, she recognized. It all made sense, her confusion, the ringing and pounding in her head.
None of the beings seemed to be willing to hand her their com unit so she breathed deep. At the moment the alliance with the Jedi was useful to hunt down Vitiate, but if this new empire was as dangerous as it seemed, then the alliance would need to continue. But force damn it all if the Jedi didn't like pushing her every last button. Sparing a glance at the entrance where the young man and Padme came through she saw white plastoid armor. Troopers. Gathering what energy she had she pushed herself upright and made toward the troopers. If she was right, one of them would have a com she would be able to use to contact Theron. She took a few steps forward and realized very quickly, something wasn't right. The world was tilted and spinning. Her limbs didn't seem to move with their usual ease, even while injured. She started to tip over, only to have the Jedi apprentice rush to her side.
Anakin rushed into the hangar, ignoring the ship that was taking off in favor of rushing to his master. Something was very wrong, he could tell before they even landed. The bond he shared with his master was hazy, and filled with pain. When he entered the hanger bay, he looked for his master and nearly gasped in horror. She was leaning against the wall, staring down at Master Yoda with what could only be described as contempt. He could still see the subtle smoke rising from saber wounds on her leg and arm, which she looked like she was trying to keep weight off of. But what was the scariest thing was her head. Anakin rarely saw his master bleed, he still remembered the first time he thought that she had been tinkering on a ship and got covered in black oil, later he learned that it was just her blood. Dark to the point of almost looking black, and right now it was covering the side of her head, staining her hair, and dripping down her neck. Under all the blood he could see where the skin was lacerated and slightly caved in considerably. He remembered her telling him once that head wounds bled really bled, but this, this was a different kind of bleeding. There was so much that it was a wonder she was still standing.
"Master!" He shouted and started to run to her but her cold gray eyes turned to him and her contempt turned to disgust.
"Look, kid, you're cute and all but I've only got one apprentice and you're certainly not her." Her voice was different, more lilted and accentuated than normal, though he had heard it before. Her accent without trying to sound Coruscanti. Anakin froze. What was she talking about? Didn't she recognize him? Anakin turned his gaze to Master Yoda, practically begging for an explanation. He didn't understand why she didn't recognize him. He was her only padawan, her first and only. Master Yoda raised a hand, letting him know to wait, as he hobbled forward.
"So, Grand-Master Shan, can you get in contact with her, or do I have to go through Theron?" She asked, turning her attention back to Master Yoda. Anakin had never heard of Grand-Master Shan or Theron. In fact, the only grandmaster of the order for the past century, at least, was Master Yoda.
"Theron?" Master Yoda asked, glancing at Anakin to see if he had heard the name. Anakin shook his head subtly.
"Agent Shan, SIS." Obi-Wan snapped. Anakin didn't even know what an SIS was, and by the confused look Master Yoda gave her, neither did he. In response, she rolled her eyes and huffed at him. "Come now, I know the Jedi like to hide their dirty little secrets but pretending that Grand-Master Shan's son doesn't exist is a bit much."
If Anakin could choke on air, he would have. Did she think a Grandmaster would have a kid? Attachment was forbidden, why would she think any Grandmaster would have a kid? He stepped forward slowly.
"Master, are you okay?" Anakin asked, looking back at her head wound. Perhaps she hit her head way too hard. He felt annoyance flair through their bond and she scoffed.
"Kid, unless you're talking to little green here, stop calling me master. I've never appreciated the term and if you're talking to me there's a number of other titles you should be using." Anakin never thought his master could be so disrespectful.
'This isn't my master' was all he could think. It looked like her, it sometimes sounded like her but it wasn't her in there. It was like she was possessed.
The not Obi-Wan raised her wrist for her com and stopped. She appeared lost in thought for several minutes, her expression darkening before lowering her arm. Padme, ever the angel, stepped up next to Anakin and seemed to assess the situation quicker than either Jedi.
"I'm sorry. We are a little confused with the current situation, perhaps we should introduce ourselves. My name's Padme Amidala, but my friends call me Padme. I'm a senator. How can I address you?"
It was with that Anakin realized. This really wasn't his master. Whatever happened to her head did more than scramble her thoughts. He didn't know what dark powers Dooku was capable of, but he had to have done something to her.
"I don't care what you call me, so long as it's not master," not Obi-Wan said, glaring at Anakin.
"Okay, Ma'am, who is it you need to speak to? What happened?" Padme asked.
"Look, I don't know how you lot managed to get here past the fleet we encountered, but I need to speak with Grand-Master Shan immediately. Actually, no, I need to speak with Agent Shan, SIS is our best option right now." Not Obi-Wan snapped. She bent over, her hand reaching to her head and he watched as she rubbed into her head, her fingers getting coated in blood. Anakin was sure he was going to throw up. She was rubbing into the caved in area, and her fingers dipped into the lacerations. It wasn't caved in, it seemed to be nearly open. Her fingers were dipping into her head. Blood started to ooze down her hand and arm.
"Get healed first, you should," Yoda suggested, moving closer to her. Her hand dropped quickly to her saber as she glared at Master Yoda, her gaze turning colder than he thought was possible.
"No thank you, I know what the Jedi are capable of doing. I've seen what it was you did to Revan." After that he only grew more concerned as she spoke. Her words became so slurred and mumbled that he couldn't even understand what she was saying. She eventually seemed to realize she was bleeding and stared at her tunic before gently touching her head. He felt confusion through their open bond, followed by wariness. She looked past Anakin to the door and started walking to it. Her steps weren't even or thought out as she stumbled towards the exit, and then she started tilting over, about to collapse. Anakin rushed to her, his arms grabbing around her. Obi-Wan's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she collapsed into his arms.
"Master, Master!" Anakin cried out, holding her tighter. She didn't respond but he could feel her in their bond. Fear, worry, panic, anger, hatred, acceptance, and then fear again.
"Master Yoda, what do I?" Anakin asked, his eyes wide and confused. Yoda simply stared on, watching. Not a second later her eyes flared open in panic.
"Arcann!" She screamed, pulling out of Anakin's grip and jumping to her feet. She didn't seem to register any pain as she stumbled towards the exit. "Arcann! Arcann!" She continued to cry out, her panic was palpable. Anakin jumped to his feet and rushed after her.
"Master, wait" he tried to stop her but she didn't seem to notice anyone around her.
"Arcann where are you? Arcann! Answer me!" She screamed over and over again, her wild gray eyes looking around for an unknown person.
Anakin ran up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against him.
"What did you do to him?" She screamed, writhing against him to break free. "Arcann! I'm coming! Where are you? Arcann!" She screamed a few more times before going completely limp, and all consciousness left her. Yoda slowly waddled out, and Anakin realized that Padme had been watching with wide dark eyes from the door.
"What happened?" Anakin asked, and Yoda seemed to contemplate the question quite seriously before answering.
"Injured in her fight with Dooku, she was." Yoda said carefully, reaching his hand out as he tried to use the force to stabilize her wounds.
"But why is she-" Anakin started
"Know, I do not. Questions, later we will ask." Master Yoda stopped him.