Kyradia dawdled into Zash's chambers as Zash sat at the desk expectantly, she'd called her in earlier and Kyradia wasn't sure wether to be flattered or frightened of the opportunity she imagined every acolyte went through this and it was just her turn still she could take advantage. Still she had to admit Zash kinda intimidated her in a strangely unique way, she didn't get easily intimidated Harkun had called her slave every second he could and she didn't care at all. But Zash she had this presence that Kyradia couldn't quite place she imagined with training that feeling would pass but for that she had to be chosen and that was the hard part.

Kyradia sat down in the chair opposite her not making eye contact, Zash turned to her "Kyradia is it?" Zash had a weirdly friendly smile on her face as she asked the question

Kyradia nodded "uh yes my lord" she tried her best to replicate Zash's accent after all she had to fit in with the empire. She could feel Zash's imposing form bearing down on her she hoped she'd hit her growth spurt soon being so small did not help her case.

Zash leant forward lifting Kyradia's head up to reach her vision "do you have a last name Kyradia?" Kyradia hesitated before shaking her head

Zash grinned "good right answer" Kyradia noticed looking around the chamber powerful sith objects she felt rather overwhelmed with all the energy in the room "now Kyradia I mentioned last time when we met I sensed an immense amount of power within you" Kyradia tensed up did she know? how could she know? "do you remember that Kyradia?"

Kyradia shuffled awkwardly "um yes my lord I'm flattered" may as well add a bit of praise in there stroking a siths ego had proved useful before

Zash cocked her head "but well it's uniquely different Kyradia isn't it, I sensed your potential and then there's" she paused "somehow more, like your power has been concentrated" Kyradia frowned she only understood about half the words Zash said she really had to work on her basic but she understood the gist. "do you happen to know how that happened Kyradia my dear how you became this way?" Kyradia felt like she knew what it was but she couldn't talk about it and it could not be it, it may be completely unrelated.

Kyradia hesitated "uh no my lord I have always been this way" hopefully it'd come off as young naivety and not

Zash's expression dropped "but that was a lie wasn't it Kyradia" Kyradia's eyes widened what how could she tell this wasn't how this went. "when you told me that back then and every other time since it was a lie, correct Kyradia?" Zash stood up and leant over bearing down on Kyradia. Kyradia was too paralysed with fear and surprise to do anything "I think you do know and you've hidden it from me all these years" Kyradia felt her breath quicken as she began to hyperventilate "you can't hide from it forever I will find it especially now I'm in here Kyradia" Kyradia felt sick as everything went white

Kyradia jolted awake suddenly and was met with a sharp pain from her stomach she held her hand to the healed scar on her stomach. She took a few deep breaths it was all just a dream brought on by everything, she felt someone holding her hand.

She turned to see Lana looking at her with a worried expression "Kyradia are you alright" Kyradia refocussed she had been healing in a bacta tank she must be back on Odessen

Kyradia cleared her throat "uh yeah just shaken" Lana frowned obviously doubting Kyradia's claim

she raised her eyebrow "are you sure I could see you shaking before you woke up" Kyradia sighed fine

Kyradia sat up holding her knees "uh yeah just a bad dream sorry" Kyradia noticed Lana smiling which seemed a little off for her at least recently "um are you aware of what happened?" Kyradia sighed remembering she still had to deal with Zash

Lana nodded "yeah Ashara caught me up don't worry" Kyradia grimaced, she promised herself she'd tell Ashara the truth once she was back on Odessen and unfortunatley that was now. "sorry I sent you on it I thought it'd be good to get you doing something I didn't realise your old master would be around" Lana looked away as she spoke

Kyradia chuckled "don't worry I don't think anyone could've predicted that, and to be honest it was good for me ya know until the Zash thing" Lana chuckled back Kyradia hoped the alliance had done ok without her

Lana smiled "well unfortunately this isn't just a friendly visit I have a few things I need you to sign for the alliance" there it is Kyradia didn't mind because she should be handling it but she never did.

Kyradia took the holopad "no worries let me just give them a quick skim" Kyradia had a look through seemed pretty normal trade delegations, promises for the war effort, hiring some new staff. Kyradia signed them she usually assumed if Lana had read them they'd be in her best interests.

Lana smiled "thanks I've been a little swamped at the moment what with well you know" Kyradia grimaced

"yeah I know I'll try to be more on the ball after I'm healed and uh Zash is dealt with" Lana nodded Kyradia didn't know if she meant it but only because every time one crisis seemed to end another one arrived

Lana smiled "alright well I'll leave you to your other guests and I imagine they won't make you sign anything" Kyradia laughed as Lana exited the room. She was alone in the room for about five minutes, she took a long deep breath and took stock of the situation. Yeah things were bad but she could deal with this it's only Zash and her friends were helping her, things certainly weren't great but they were also not the worst thing possible. After about five minutes the familiar orange form of Ashara rushed through the door

Ashara smiled "oh thank the force you're finally awake" she scurried over and sat down

Kyradia frowned "finally? how long was I out?" she'd assume a couple days at least

Ashara looked away "um about a week" Kyradia's eyes widened "the wound was real deep so it took a while" Kyradia nodded that was fair she remembered how much it'd hurt at the time.

Kyradia noticed Ashara's montrals looked back to normal "hey you got your montrals fixed" Ashara smiled twirling the end of her montral

"uh yeah i got them reattached they don't work anymore though they're just for symmetry" Kyradia chuckled to herself, Ashara smiled too she was glad she'd got them sorted out "uh so how are you feeling?" that was a loaded question

Kyradia hesitated "well uh to be honest I feel like shit but ya know I'll get healed up and then I can deal with that feeling" Ashara nodded "and by that feeling I mean Zash" Ashara continued nodding chuckling "and by I can deal with I mean kick her teeth in" Ashara raised her eyebrow

"i got it Kyradia don't worry I'm sure we'll bring her to justice" Kyradia chuckled for a second before falling silent she had to tell her she should never have kept it form her

Kyradia sighed "Ashara I need to tell you something" Ashara's expression dropped becoming very serious "I told you a while ago I made a bad call and that's why Kavaraa is uh gone"

Ashara nodded "yeah I remember don't worry it's ok" Kyradia looked away yeah but it wouldn't be ok when she knew

Kyradia continued 'I still want to tell you just so I'm not hiding anything" Ashara nodded "when I was told to chose between the empire and republic in the coming war I chose the empire but to secure our loyalties I had to help out" Ashara frowned "on Ossus" Ashara's eyes widened

Ashara stuttered "n-no K-kyradia p-please" Kyradia felt the put in her stomach but she had to tell her otherwise she hadn't changed

Kyradia took a long sigh "I helped Darth Malgus remove the jedi presence from the planet" Kyradia looked at Ashara she could see tears begin to well up in her eyes oh no she'd lost her again she'd done it again.

Ashara was silent for a while "why didn't you tell me" her face was cold and serious

Kyradia stammered "I-I-I was scared of what you'd think of me" that was true she meant it she knew she did

Ashara stood up "I-I'm sorry I uh I need to go" Kyradia could see the tears in her eyes as Ashara turned around.

Kyradia reached out "Ashara wait please?" but she was already leaving the room, no she hadn't had time to explain her regrets or anything this wasn't how this was supposed to go.

She got up to try and follow Ashara shuffling out of the medbay to see Ashara picking up pace seemingly distraught. Kyradia tried to follow but was met with a sharp pain from her stomach, damn it she wasn't healed yet how was she supposed to explain herself she didn't even know if she could but if she could she had to be with Ashara she was leaving now she was leaving and then it'd be over she'd be alone and have to face Zash alone and then what she'd ruined every friendship she had how could she solve this she had to find her. Kyradia felt the thoughts fill her head she couldn't think she couldn't move she was hyperventilating as she stumbled to the balcony and felt herself throw up, but the thoughts didn't stop after that she felt herself become woozy as her stomach wrung out in pain then she felt her vision go dark passing out…