The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 125
The Crone of the Coven
Cody kept his hands folded behind his back as he stood on the bridge of the now christened Thoron. A name that still puzzled him, but it obviously held some meaning to the Star Destoyer's commanding officer, Lady Ragana. It hovered over the planet of Naboo, an ever watchful presence along with a trio of other Star Destroyers assigned to the planet.
Moff Panaka was still consolidating power for the Empire on the surface. It would take time to root out any remaining rebels and royal loyalists in the jungle and swamp covered world. Part of the Clone Commander wanted to be a part of the mop up. Going from door to door, street to street, city to city and town to town, engaging what remained of the Naboo rebellion. Operations like that reminded him of the glory days. Of the days where he was a soldier, fighting what he believed to be the good fight.
Then the Jedi betrayed us. He thought bitterly, Betrayed the Republic. Betrayed the Chancellor.
Maybe the Separatists were correct, in a way? Maybe Dooku, even though he was a murderer responsible for the untold number of deaths in the war, had a point about the Jedi when he left their order?
Does it matter now? He thought, looking out the Bridge's main viewscreen down onto Naboo's green surface, Neither exist anymore.
The Empire swallowed both whole, the Confederacy and the Republic. Chancellor Palpatine assumed the mantle of Emperor, and moved to shape the galaxy in his image. An image of peace and prosperity, something he had been fighting for since his first days in the high office during the last days of the Republic. Cody had no doubt the Chancellor could accomplish those goals. He was the one who defeated the Separatists. He was the one who destroyed the Jedi Order. Cody's loyalty was to him, and to those who served him. The Emperor's word was law. His orders were absolute. Cody was bound to follow them. After all-
Good soldiers follow orders.
Even if those orders involved staying away from the front lines when rebels wanted to end the peace that everyone craved at the end of the Clone Wars, Cody followed them. Like a good soldier.
He took a deep breath, wondering what their next orders were going to be. Ragana and Starkiller returned not long ago with a prisoner from the surface. A Dathomirian woman, missing a hand due to obvious contact with a lightsaber. Ragana immediately ordered her to be locked away in the brig, then she went to her room to freshen up. Cody was unsure of what she was up to now.
Starkiller, meanwhile, went down to engineering. The young man liked to fill his time with tinkering. Nothing Cody objected to. In his experience, force sensitives liked to tinker. Knowledge that led him to ask the question: what in the world did Ragana do in her spare time?
He knew Ragana was an avid reader. Whenever he dropped by her quarters, her nose was in that archaic book of hers, studying some strange part of the text. He could hardly understand the scribblings within it whenever he caught a peak at the yellowed pages. He also knew she would study that thing she kept on a pedestal in her room, the holocron. He knew when she was busy studying that, because her chambers would be locked down tight. No visitors, no messages, nothing was allowed to disturb her unless it was absolutely urgent. He had seen her when angered, which made him feel inclined to follow that command.
But beyond constant study, what did she do? Cody liked to know his commanding officers. It helped him better work with them. During the War, he was close friends with his Jedi General, Obi Wan Kenobi. They trusted each other, and had each other's backs. They knew how the other thought in any given situation. That knowledge allowed both of them to form one of the most effective clone legions in the entire war; taking fewer casualties than almost any other unit while achieving tremendous victories under difficult odds.
He could feel that kind of relationship beginning to form with Ragana, but at the same time, there was something distinctly different about it. He knew Ragana was extremely intelligent. But there was a childishness to her. A distinct lack of maturity that gave him pause. She almost treated running the ship, the crew on it, and missions, like a game. A fun event for her to test out her powers. It made Cody feel like she did not take her responsibilities seriously, something he never questioned Obi Wan Kenobi of doing.
Then again, Ragana is a child. He thought as his mind drifted back to when he was first informed that she would be his commanding officer. He expected someone a little taller, obviously. He did not expect a teenage girl with hardly a memory in her head. She's learning about the universe while being put in command in the process. A dangerous combination.
He witnessed that combination once before, albeit in a person with a couple more years on Ragana. Anakin Skywalker possessed that same childlike wonder, recklessness, and immaturity when Cody first met him at the start of the Clone Wars. Thankfully, General Skywalker also had Obi Wan Kenobi as a guiding force for him. He blossomed into an incredible battlefield commander and leader of men. Unfortunately, Ragana did not have that steady, firm mentor to guide her. She had the Emperor, who while great, was often distant.
And she has me. Cody took a deep breath, When did I become a parent?
"Lieutenant." He barked over at a young human officer near the helmsman, "The bridge is yours for now. Inform me of anything important. I'm going to go speak with Ragana."
"Yes, sir."
Cody turned and strode out of the bridge. As he made his way to the turbolift, he passed by several stormtroopers who saluted him as he passed by. He saluted back, feeling his chest puff out a little bit at the feeling of being respected like that again. When the Clone Wars ended, he had been relegated to training and educating the new Stormtrooper corps. A job he loathed. He was a soldier, not a teacher. He was bred to fight, not train incompetant fools who thought they were superior to him just because they had unique genetics.
Then the Naboo Insurrection happened, and he led them all to victory. Well, Ragana had a massive hand in that, but she dealt with the Jedi insurgents. She left him to take the city of Theed. Trusted him and his strategy to prevail. Trust that Cody appreciated and rewarded with a resounding victory that the Emperor himself applauded him for. Ever since, each soldier aboard the Thoron looked at him with admiration and respect.
Just like the old days.
He entered the lift and pressed the button to ascend up to Ragana's quarters. Within a few short seconds, the lift doors opened again and he stepped out. As he approached Ragana's door, he hesitated. Normally, the air on this level of the ship was always freezing. But right now, it was not. It felt like the rest of the ship. A peculiar development. Cody figured Ragana liked to have her space colder, she always wore that strange coat after all.
I wonder where she got it from?
He raised a hand to tap on her door. Before he could knock, it hissed open.
Not locked?
He poked his head inside. Her quarters were empty. The bed was neatly made. Everything seemed in its proper place except for two things. Her holocron and her book were missing.
Cody furrowed his brow and stepped away from her door.
Where did she go?
He returned to the lift and pressed the button to take him down to engineering. If there was one person on this ship who might know where she ran off to, it would be Starkiller. He and Ragana had a strange relationship. They were both hostile towards each other, but they also understood that they had to work together, per the Emperor's instructions. Starkiller blatantly antagonized Ragana at every turn, even referring to her by her old name instead of the one she preferred. A mistake few made more than once. Ragana even tried to punish Starkiller for that, and for disliking her choice of name for the Star Destroyer. Unlike everyone else, Starkiller held his own.
She still does not like him. Cody mused to himself as the lift slowly came to a stop, But she had him help her on her latest mission. So at the very least, she respects him.
The lift doors opened. Cody entered the engineering section of the ship. The engineers in their light gray uniforms and open faced helmets milled around the massive space, performing their various duties. Monitoring the ship's engines and vital systems. Making any necessary calibrations and recalibrations. A bunch of complex stuff that a simple soldier like Cody did not want to try and understand.
Starkiller sat off to the side, at a table filled with scraps of junk and pulled apart wires. The teen's focus centered entirely on a droid that lay across the table. A strange thing that Cody had never seen before. It was thin and lanky, lacking armor and mostly assembled with cords and thick wires. Cody arched an eyebrow as he approached Starkiller and watched him work.
"I call him Proxy." Starkiller breathed, sensing Cody behind him, "He's nowhere near done yet. But when he's done, he will be my training droid."
Cody sniffed, "Can't the Inquisitors provide you with a training droid?"
Starkiller glanced back at Cody, "Yeah. But I beat them all already, so why would I use those?"
Cody nodded, "Now it makes more sense. But won't you know how this droid will fight you?"
"Not once I program him." Starkiller murmured as he placed the parts he was working on by the droid's side, "I plan on making him the perfect training tool. But… that's going to take some time."
Cody snorted and shook his head, "You force users, always tinkering."
Starkiller frowned back at Cody. But when the Clone did not flinch, the young teen simply shrugged.
"It keeps me focused."
Cody hummed in understanding.
"What do you want?" Starkiller finally asked, spinning around in his stool to face the Clone, "I doubt you came down here for idle chit chat."
Cody smiled wryly, "Not wrong there. Where's Ragana?"
"Who?" Starkiller replied, spinning back around in his chair in order to return to his work.
Cody uttered a weary sigh.
"Everyone on this ship needs to understand that her name is Morgan. Until the Emperor says otherwise, that is how I'm going to refer to her." Starkiller clarified.
"She'll probably kill you for that stance."
Starkiller snorted, "She's already tried. And did she?" He shook his head, "I'll take my chances."
"You just live to antagonize her, don't you?"
"And you live to serve her, instead of the Emperor." Cody narrowed his eyes as the boy kept his back turned to him, "Don't say otherwise. We both know you would be lying. Your devotion to her is apparent since it was her that gave you the life you love back."
Cody clenched his jaw tight, "Bold words for you."
"Maybe? But am I wrong?" Starkiller wondered out loud, "If you really want to know where she is, check the brig. She has a prisoner there after all."
Cody drew back. Why did he not think of that? He tapped the side of his head and sighed.
"Have a good day, Commander." Starkiller muttered, knowing he was about to leave.
Cody shook his head as he strode out of engineering. His annoyance partly due to his own error in forgetting there was a prisoner on board, and partly due to Starkiller's attitude. Regardless of personalities, beliefs, origins, even species, the crew on this ship had to function as one unit to succeed. Neither Starkiller nor Ragana seemed to understand that since they liked to be at each other's throats.
When did I become a parent to two teenagers? He thought wearily as he entered the lift and hit the button to take him to the brig.
As soon as the doors opened on the lift, once he hit the brig level of the ship, a wave of intense cold slammed into Cody. He felt goosebumps form on his skin as he stepped off the lift and into the ship's small prison. The lone officer leading this guard shift nodded at him, his face pale with fear. Cody furrowed his brow.
"Ragana?" He asked.
The officer swallowed hard and jabbed a thumb down the short corridor, "Last cell on the right. I-I have no idea what she is doing but-" He shivered, "It wasn't this cold earlier."
Cody nodded, "She likes a chill in the air, that much I have noticed."
But this is much colder than normal.
In fact, the chill in the air made him feel uneasy. He clenched and unclenched his hands as he moved down the hall, doing his best to maintain the facade of a hardened soldier. This was not the first time he had faced down a feeling like this in his life. Whenever General Kenobi and General Skywalker faced off against Count Dooku, he felt this same intense cold. It never perturbed them, so it should not disturb him.
In his gut though, he knew this cold had to be coming from Ragana. So in the end, it did give him some pause. A young girl like her should not be able to generate power that rivaled Count Dooku.
His throat bobbed as he reached the final cell on the right. He hesitated a split second as he reached out to open the cell door. The cold slashed into his hand like a sharp knife, making his fingers go numb. He grit his teeth, shaking off his mild trepidation, and opened the door.
It was pitch black inside the cell. His eyes narrowed as he tried to make out any sliver of light within. His breath misted in front of his face as the cold started to rival the many ice worlds he had been to in his life. But he had never been in this kind of inky darkness before. It was as if something was making the shadows deeper, the darkness more complete.
Finally, a red glow filled his vision as he heard small bits of metal sliding against each other. In that red glow, he saw Ragana, kneeling at the center of the cell, facing away from him. Her head was bowed in the darkness. Her form silhouetted by the crimson glow generated by the holocron floating in front of her face. The corners of the holocron twisted away, allowing the sides to unfold like a small puzzle.
As it unfolded, a voice entered Cody's mind. A quiet, small whisper in the back of his thoughts. So soft that he hardly even noticed it was there until he really focused on it. He could not understand what it was saying as it whispered to him in a harsh, hissing language that made his skin crawl. The cold within the cell intensified as the holocron unfolded entirely and floated up to
Ragana's eye level. She lifted her head, eyes closed as she soaked in the power exuded by the artifact.
As she raised her gaze, Cody did as well. His heart jumped to his throat as he saw the Dathomrian woman pinned to the far wall by an invisible force. The woman was completely rigid, eyes wide, lungs heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. A low, pained groan emanated from the pale woman as she struggled to free herself from her invisible chains. All of her efforts futile as the Force tightened its grip on her.
Ragana took a deep breath, a smile crossing her lips as she cracked her eyes open.
"Now then… you will talk." She told the Dathomirian, commanding the woman to obey.
Cody remained completely silent as the woman whimpered against the wall. Her legs kicked ever so slightly in the air, only to pinned down hard against the durasteel cell once more. Cody heard bones snap as her legs twisted funny.
"Did I say you could move?" Ragana asked, still kneeling on the floor. She lowered her gaze at the woman, yellow eyes blazing in the darkness. Illuminated by the red glow of the holocron, "Move again, and I will break more bones. The worst part for you, is that I am in your head. I will not let you lose consciousness."
"Please…" The Dathomirian pleaded, her terrified eyes glued to Ragana.
"Please?" Ragana clicked her tongue, "You should have known this would happen as soon as you decided to be uncooperative. I mean…" She rose to her feet, holocron rising with her and remaining at eye level, "You spat in my face." Cody cringed, "Why would I reward such rudeness by being merciful?"
"I-I'll tell you anything!" The Dathomirian screamed, eyes wide and fear filled. Like a wounded animal knowing that it was within the grasp of an apex predator, "Just make it stop! The voices, the pain- enough!"
Ragana swept up to her, getting close to her ear. A smirk rested on her lips.
"I'll say when it is enough." She whispered before backing away, a light chuckle jumping from her lungs.
Her yellow eyes noticed Cody for the first time, and her smirk widened into a grin. She did not mind him being here at all. In fact, she was relishing in his own fear and uncertainty. She spun back around to face the Dathomirian.
"Do you know who I am, Nenjashe?" She asked, "I mean, our minds are a bit linked right now and you are force sensitive. If you are half as capable as you should be, then you should be able to take a very good educated guess."
Ragged breaths rushed from the Dathomirian.
"You're a Sith." She rasped, "You work for him."
Ragana smiled as the Dathomirian's voice turned venomous.
"There it is." Ragana wagged a finger, "Anger, hatred even. Oh you really do have a connection to the force. Your mind rippled as soon as you thought of my Master. But… I doubt he had any contact with you. You're far too low on the food chain for him to care about."
"He wiped out my sisters." She snarled back, regaining some courage as Ragana allowed her grip on the woman's mind to ease ever so slightly.
"Sisters? So this is revenge for your family?" Ragana frowned, "An odd way to go about it. Most people would just hire an assassin."
"You of all people…" The Dathomirian winced in pain as she writhed against the wall, Ragana's grip on her mind tightening once more, "Should know that won't work."
Ragana snorted, "Well, I haven't tried to kill my Master, if that is what you are implying. That's a stupid thing to do at the moment. I wouldn't last a second against him. So what makes you think you could take him down? Hm? What in that oh so stupid mind of yours made you think that challenging the Emperor of the galaxy in any way, shape, or form, was a smart idea?"
Nenjashe croaked out a pain filled noise, "Mother told me- argh!"
"Yes?" Ragana smiled, tightening her grip and diving into the woman's thoughts full force, "Go on? Just say what you need to say, and the pain will go away." Ragana blinked, "Oh that rhymes!"
Nenjashe uttered a shrill scream as her head snapped back against the wall.
"Ragana, maybe you should-"
"Hush, Cody." Ragana cut him off, "I know what I am doing."
Cody grimaced as he heard the woman utter another pain riddled screech.
"Oh, don't be so dramatic!" Ragana complained, slamming the woman harder against the durasteel wall, "You're acting like I'm peeling your skin off. And to be honest… gross."
This time Ragana jumped when she screamed again.
"That's an impressive set of lungs."
"Ease up a little bit, Ragana. Otherwise, she won't be able to say anything."
Ragana rolled her eyes at Cody, "I don't need her to say anything, just think it."
"Well she currently can't think of anything other than pain." Cody pointed out harshly, "You want information," He nodded at the Dathomirian, "She needs to be coherent enough to give it."
Ragana pressed her lips into a thin line as she folded her arms over her chest. Her fingers danced along her forearms as she pondered Cody's advice for a moment. A begrudging sound left her lips as the holocron hovered down to the floor. With a snap of her fingers, the Dathomirian fell unceremoniously to the floor.
Air heaved in and out of the woman's lungs as she crawled a few steps away from the wall. Harsh coughs wracked her throat, making Ragana frown.
"Geez, for a force adept, you're weak. I was barely putting any pressure on you at all." She crouched down in front of Nenjashe, yellow eyes gleaming, "You can thank Cody once you give me what I want." Nenjashe looked at Ragana, some defiance still in her eyes. Ragana tsked, "Just so you know, defy me, and it's back up against the wall for you." Her eyes narrowed, "Only this time, my compassionate commander won't stop me."
Nenjashe paled even further, eyes widening in fear.
"If I say anything, I'll be dead. Either by your hand, or by mother's."
Ragana frowned, "I thought mothers were supposed to care for their children."
Nenjashe uttered an amused laugh that sounded more like a pain filled wheeze. Her gaze shakily rose up to meet Ragana's.
"You know nothing about us… that will be your undoing, Morgan." She snarled.
Cody sighed and closed his eyes as cold fangs grabbed everything and everyone in the cell. He could see the red glow of the holocron through his closed eyes. With a final sigh, he turned and stepped out of the cell. Content with not seeing what was going to happen next.
As soon as the cell door shut behind him, he heard the Dathomirian shriek so loudly her voice turned hoarse. The hairs on his arms stood on end as static filled the air. Cody gulped as he knew what that meant. Ragana was done playing with her food.
The scent of burnt flesh hit his nose, making him grimace. The pungent odor grew worse when he heard the cell door hiss open once more.
Ragana marched out, fury in her eyes.
"I really wish she wouldn't have done that." She muttered, turning down the corridor so she could leave the brig. Cody did not dare look back into the cell. The smell alone was enough for him to know the Dathomirian's fate.
"Did you get anything?" Cody asked.
Ragana snarled lowly, "She was shockingly resistant, hence the pain she was in." She snapped her fingers at the two stormtroopers and officer guarding the brig, "Clean up the cell, please. You might want to wear gloves."
The officer blanched, but knew better than to say anything. He swallowed hard, nodded, then motioned for the Stormtroopers to check it out while Ragana tapped the button to call the lift. When the lift arrived, she and Cody stepped on.
Cody breathed a sigh of relief as the lift zipped up towards Ragana's quarters, leaving the smell of cooked flesh behind. That was an odor, even after years of war, that he would never get used to. Something about it made his stomach flip every time.
"So…" Ragana started, nodding her head as the lift ascended swiftly away from the brig, "What did you make of her?"
Cody arched an eyebrow.
"How force sensitive are Dahtomirians, in your experience?" Ragana clarified as the lift slowly came to a stop.
"They are all force sensitive." Cody replied as they both stepped off the lift once the doors opened.
Ragana froze in front of her door, jaw falling open at Cody's revelation.
"You're kidding me?"
Cody shook his head, "Not at all," He opened Ragana's door for her, allowing the stunned girl to enter her room first, "A regular foe of General Kenobi's was a Dathomirian as well by the name of Ventress."
Ragana narrowed her eyes, "Ventress… Ventress… oh her!"
Cody drew back as the door closed, "You mean you-"
Ragana nodded, "She and I teamed up briefly while you weren't looking. A bit of a grouch in my opinion. Kinda glad she just skipped off on us when we failed to catch the Millennium Falcon." Ragana scowled, "That still ruffles my feathers. We had that ship dead to rights." She shook her head as she walked across the room and gingerly returned the holocron to its pedestal near the viewport, "So, by sisters, did she mean her entire species?"
"Not likely." Cody replied, "The Dathomirians divided their planet among different clans, so to speak. Each clan was known as Nightsisters. The most prominent during the last days of the Republic was led by a woman named Mother Talzin."
"Oh… that explains that weird mother bit." Ragana nodded, shrugging off her coat for the first time ever around Cody. She tossed it onto her bed and rolled her shoulders, "So, this Mother Talzin-"
"Is dead." Cody replied, "Been dead for some time now."
Ragana blinked, "Hm…" She sat down on her cot, arms folded as she furrowed her brow, "So who's the new mommy?"
Cody raised his brow, "New mommy?"
"Yeah. A vacuum, especially a power vacuum, needs to be filled at some point, right? Talzin's dead, so someone had to move in and gather up all the little stragglers left in the wake of her death, Nenjashe being one of them." She rubbed her chin, "I'm thinking it's time we paid a trip to Dathomir. Tell me, how's the weather this time of year?"
Cody snorted out a laugh.
"You'll love it."
"Really?"
Cody nodded, "There are plenty of lightning storms."
Ragana's eyes lit up and a giddy squee slipped from her lips, making Cody rolled his eyes.
"Please never do that around anyone else."
Ragana uttered a haughty laugh.
"I do what I want!"
The Thoron burst out of hyperspace, but Ragana hardly felt her magnificent ship lurch in the slightest as she stood on the bridge, facing the viewports. As soon as the streaks of light that engulfed the Star Destroyer in hyperspace disappeared, a planet boomed into existence. An enormous ruby gem suspended in the stars. It's scarlet glow a result of the red star the planet orbited. Ragana noticed thick mists swirling through the atmosphere, disguising most of the planetary surface in a red fog where occasional bursts of lightning lit up the skies. All of this intrigued her, but what caught her full attention was the aura around this planet.
The Dark Side of the Force was strong here. Powerful, far more than most other planets. Ragana closed her eyes and inhaled deep. She dipped a toe into the still waters of the force. As soon as she touched it, ice shot through her veins. The Dark Side was not a furious beast here. It was controlled, tamed, and deadly. Barely controlled, but still reined in.
A curious feeling for her. It was a stark contrast to the feeling she had when she visited the only other planet she could compare Dathomir to, Moraband. The ancient birthplace of the Sith felt like a dark shadow, swirling with untapped energy. One brush with the force there, and the Dark Side ran wild, as if it had been slumbering only to be shaken awake and, in its fury, it lashed out. Instead of lashing out at Ragana, Dathomir seemed to carefully observe her. It let her brush through the force's waters, but it also kept its true secrets well hidden.
I need to get down there. She thought, slowly opening her eyes.
She spun on her heel and quickly made her way to the lift. Once she was on the lift, she hit the button for the main hangar. She rocked back and forth on her heels, waiting impatiently for the lift to take her to the belly of the Thoron.
"Child…"
Ragana stopped rocking on her tippy toes. Her burning eyes flicked back and forth inside of the lift. She then glanced up at the ceiling, then down at the comm link wrapped around her wrist. She tapped it with two of her fingers, eyes narrowing as she waited to hear static from another comm.
Nothing.
Strange.
"Come…"
She twirled around as the lift came to a slow stop. The doors hissed open behind her as she looked at the empty space behind her.
"You know the door opens the other way, right?"
Ragana's lips dropped into a long scowl.
Stupid voices. She thought, spinning on her heel and marching out of the lift, nearly bumping shoulders against Starkiller as she walked.
"Grumpy much?" He asked, turning around and walking side by side with her.
"Only because you're here." She snarled back as she marched towards a Lambda shuttle, where a platoon of Stormtroopers, Deathy One, and Commander Cody waited for her.
Starkiller rolled his eyes, "Whether we like it or not, the Emperor wants us to work together."
Ragana stopped marching and turned to face Starkiller, "Alright, fine. We have to work together. So here's what you are going to do. I'm going down to Dathomir."
"And I'm going with you."
"No, you are staying here." Ragana said sharply.
Starkiller frowned in reply. Ragana's own scowl deepened.
"Before you question why I want you staying up here, remember that I am still your commanding officer. My way is the only way on this ship, clear?" Starkiller's brow furrowed at that, "Secondly, that planet is full of force sensitives. All of them might have a vendetta against the Empire and now an Imperial ship is hovering over them." She glanced around the hanger, "I'd feel a lot better knowing someone like you was here to keep an eye on things. Stormtroopers can only handle so much on their own."
She marched past Starkiller.
"When did you stop acting so childish!?" He taunted as she strode away from him.
"When I started hearing voices." She shot back, not bothering to look at the current bane of her existence.
They worry me. She thought as she approached the shuttle. As she drew near, Cody stepped forward.
"I'm guessing you want me to stay here as well?" He muttered, keeping his voice low so Starkiller would not hear.
Ragana nodded, "He's an inquisitor, not a member of my crew." She did not turn to look at Starkiller. Instead, she reached into her coat and withdrew her spellbook, "I don't trust inquisitors."
Cody nodded, "Understood. I'll make sure to keep an eye on him."
"Be careful about it. He's strong."
Cody blinked in surprise as Ragana stepped by him and boarded the shuttle. Deathy One and the platoon of Stormtroopers followed her in. The shuttle's engines roared to life as the ramp closed. Cody folded his hands behind his back as it lifted off out of the hangar then descended down to Dathomir.
Be careful, Ragana. He thought glancing down at the mist covered world, This planet is treacherous.
They had yet to find a landing spot, not for lack of space or clear areas, but for lack of any lifeforms. Ragana did not want to land at any random spot. She wanted to land where she knew she would find the Nightsisters. So, the shuttle zipped over the planet's surface, scanners active as they searched for the elusive clans dotting the misty surface.
Ragana grit her teeth, her impatience growing. Her fingers tapped against her arms as she kept them folded over her chest. Her burning eyes looked out the main viewscreen of the shuttle, focusing on the red mists blotting out her vision. The pilots flew with the instruments in conditions like this, not with their eyes. The instruments should have picked up something by now. The scanners should have been tipped off.
What is going on?
"Anything?" She asked the co-pilot, allowing the lead pilot to focus on guiding the shuttle through the atmosphere. Behind her, the platoon of stormtroopers religiously checked their loadouts. Deathy One remained rigid in her seat, confident in her equipment.
The co-pilot shook his head, "Nothing, ma'am."
"Why?"
He swallowed hard, "The um… the instruments seem to be acting funny. We're trying to recalibrate them but…" He took a deep breath, "We think the mist and storms are interfering."
Ragana frowned, but said nothing in reply.
If we can't see with our eyes, or with our instruments, then I shall see with the Force.
She recalled the lesson her Master gave her on the Force's ability to see through anything. The eyes can deceive, never trust them. Instruments and technology can fail, do not rely on them. The Dark Side is the only reliable tool at her disposal. It was time she used it.
She closed her eyes and allowed the Dark Side's cold waters to wash over her. Just like before, Dathomir's intense connection to the dark side surprised her. She thought only worlds steeped in the ancient ways of the Sith could feel this way. Once again, the Dark Side did not snarl when she dove into it. It welcomed here. Beckoned her further into its depths, as if it desired to show her something. Very strange for such a dangerous part of the Force.
"You are here."
Ragana took a sharp breath as the voice returned. It was quiet, shrill; a snakelike hiss that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. It did not need to be loud and powerful to grab her attention.
"Come to me, child."
An image of a cave invaded her mind. A massive cave, with a cavernous mouth that opened wide and descended down into the depths of the planet. Red soil, rocks, and mist surrounded the cave along with dense jungle foliage.
Ragana's eyes flicked open. She leaned over the co-pilot and tapped the navigational map they were using, inputing a specific set of coordinates.
"There." She ordered.
The co-pilot arched an eyebrow, "That area is not very well mapped."
"For good reason." Ragana replied, "Get us there."
She drew back as the shuttle rocketed towards the coordinates she requested. After taking one last glance out the main viewscreen, she spun around and entered the shuttle's holding area, where the stormtroopers and Deathy One waited.
"Ready to go?" She asked her loyal Deathtrooper.
Deathy One nodded her head.
"Good."
The Shuttle shuddered as it descended through the mists. Ragana heard the landing gear deploy beneath her feet before the shuttle came to a stop. Every stormtrooper rose to their feet, priming their blasters as they waited for the shuttle ramp to lower.
"Stay sharp." Ragana told them all as she felt the Dark Side of the Force seep into the shuttle. The cabin depressurized as the ramp lowered with a loud hiss, "This is not friendly territory."
The ramp touched down, the first four stormtroopers marched off of the shuttle, blasters trained on the misty area surrounding them. The next four exited, fanning out to provide cover for Ragana and her Deathtrooper to exit. The final four stormtroopers waited on the shuttle, acting as guards.
I'll be damned if my only way off this planet is destroyed.
Ragana paused at the base of the ramp, her eyes scanning the deep mists surrounding her. There was stillness in the air here. A quiet that did not feel natural. She did her research on Dathomir before the Thoron arrived. Dathomir had plenty of native species, some which were very loud, like Rancors. This place should be crawling with life right now. Teeming with the sounds of predators and prey. Insects should be buzzing nearby at the very least.
Instead, there was only an eerie silence.
Deathy One warbled, and the stormtroopers marched forward, guiding Ragana through the thick mist. Her boots sank into the soft soil beneath her feet. As they delved deeper into the jungle and mist, she sank further into the force. Trying her best to navigate the indecipherable waters and discover what exactly was calling her.
As they entered a clearing in the brush, the mist evaporated away. Ragana furrowed her brow. Her hand reached for her spellbook inside of her coat
"Contact!" One of the stormtroopers shouted.
A sharp whine, then a harsh pulse, followed by the stormtrooper dropping dead with a smoking hole through his white helmet. A green flash, and another sharp whine. A second soldier fell dead.
Ragana flicked her eyes through the mists as more green flashes rushed around her. One by one, her stormtroopers fell. Deathy One trained her blaster into the mist and fired a quick three round burst.
Her lips curled into a smile as Ragana felt a life join the Force. Deathy One already knew what was going on.
She drew her spellbook, force lightning already crackling on her fingertips. As soon as the pages opened, she channeled a thunder spell, condensing both the yellow and blue lightning into a tight ball of electrical energy. She waited a moment, heard the sharp whine followed by a green flash, then fired in that direction.
A woman's scream pierced the clear air, and the mist suddenly returned. Ragana narrowed her eyes, standing still as she looked around her. All of her stormtroopers lay dead with smoking holes in their armor. Deathy One still stood, blaster to her shoulder, carefully scanning the mist around them.
The force ebbed through the mist, setting Ragana on edge. The tension she felt grew as she heard several sets of footsteps approaching her. Half a dozen force signatures came to life all around her, surrounding her and Deathy One. Deathy One noticed, swiveling where she stood as a group of lithe women in form fitting red attire, masks, and hoods emerged from the mists, weapons in hand.
Their weapons looked archaic. Nothing but swords, pikes, and bows. But judging by the destruction of Ragana's platoon, they were anything but simple stone age equipment. Ragana felt some panic form inside of her deathtrooper as her loyal soldier spun around, keeping her blaster trained on the women emerging from the mist.
One stepped forward, icy eyes staring directly at Ragana. Ragana stared back, an amused smirk on her lips.
"Not bad." Ragana said, nodding at the woman, "I take it you and your friends are the Nightsisters I've heard so much about?"
The Nightsister's eyes narrowed dangerously at Ragana. The smirk on the young Sith's lips grew as she sensed the malice and hatred directed at her from the women surrounding her.
"Oh, yup. I'm right, again." Ragana smiled over her shoulder at Deathy One, "I was right."
Deathy One warbled at her, making Ragana sigh.
"Relax, if they wanted us dead, they would've already tried to kill us." She tapped Deathy One's black shoulder pauldron, "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you." She stepped towards the lead Nightsister, "I take it you want me coming alone? Well, sorry, but Deathy One is coming too. If you have a problem with that well…" Ragana shot a thunder spell at one Nightsister to her right without warning. The Nightsister screamed as the thunder spell slammed into her, burning a hole through her chest, "I trust we understand each other." She finished, lowering her hand as the unfortunate Nightsister slumped to the ground, dead.
The lead Nighsister inclined her chin, regarded Ragana carefully for a moment, then motioned for her and Deathy One to follow.
Ragana smiled, "See, Deathy." Her deathtrooper carefully lowered her blaster rifle, "I told you I was right."
Ragana did not hesitate. She confidently marched forward, slipping her spellbook back into her coat as she walked. Deathy One hesitated a moment, then followed, blaster held low, finger hovering over the trigger.
Eventually, through the mist, Ragana could see a dark shadow looming ahead of them. The mist cleared as she got closer, until she could see the yawning mouth of a massive cave opening wide in front of her. None of the light of Dathomir's red sun seemed to penetrate the inky blackness within the cave. The Nightsisters entered the cave first, with their leader lingering near the entry, watching Ragana as she paused.
"Deep, dank, dark cave… why am I not surprised?" Ragana huffed, glancing left then right, "You should know I can see your invisible guards. Well, not physically. But I know they are there." She smirked at the lead Nightsister as the woman's eyes widened, "I'm not your typical visitor."
The Nightsister glowered at Ragana, "Mother waits."
That elicited a small laugh, "You hear that Deathy?" She glanced over at Deathy One, "Mommy is waiting."
She sauntered into the cave, not caring at all that she could be walking right into the jaws of an elaborate trap. Frankly, Ragana hoped it might be a trap. If nothing else, the Nightsisters would give her a challenging opponent for once. The only person who gave her a proper challenge in training had been Starkiller. Even then, they only fought each other one time. Her heart still hammered in her chest as she recalled how exhilarating it felt to be put on the ropes and have to resort to using her full abilities. Letting the dam that held the Dark Side back break free was an intoxicating experience that she relished in and craved.
The more I'm challenged, the stronger I'll become. She thought as the shadows within the cave consumed everything around her except for the faint lights on Deathy One's armor, The stronger I become, the more likely I am to get what I want.
A green mist rose up from the ground. It lingered around Ragana's ankles like heavy smoke. The mist grew denser the further into the cave she delved, and with the increased density came a green glow that hung in the cave like a haze. Power radiated in the air. Dark power that made Ragana shiver. The air grew cold as the Dark Side grew denser by the second. Whoever dwelled in this cave was someone with power that boggled her young mind. Doubt crept in with the mist as Ragana slowly came to a startling realization: whoever lived in this cave dwarfed her in power.
A large chamber opened up at the end of the long tunnel. Massive stalactites hung from the rocky ceiling, silhouetted in a ghostly green glow. The mist swirled throughout the room, sweeping up from the floor to a great round dais at the center of the chamber, resting right below an oculus in the roof. The oculus seemed to be the only place on the planet with unimpeded light as the pale blue light of a moon shone through it.
Sitting on a jagged, stone throne, hunched over like a decrepit corpse, sat an elderly woman with sickly, grey skin that hung loose on her bones. She wore heavy crimson robes accented with harsh metals that appeared to hang heavily over her frail body. Her eyes were clouded, yet Ragana knew the old Crone was looking directly down at her from her throne upon the dais.
The Nightsister that led Ragana and Deathy One into the chamber moved to the side, allowing Ragana to step forward, right to the edge of the dais, where two Nightsister guards crossed pikes, preventing her from moving any closer.
Ragana smirked, "If you two think those toothpicks will-"
"They will not stop you." The crone atop the throne said, her voice shrill and sharp. A commanding presence lingered in her tone, not unlike Ragana's own Master, "Your own curiosity will stay your recklessness tonight."
Ragana worked her jaw back and forth, "Recklessness?" She glanced over at Deathy One, who gave her an honest shrug, "Alright, fair enough."
The Crone uttered an amused snort, "If anyone else within this coven insulted you so, you would have killed them. Yet, you accept my criticism of you." The Crone motioned with a knobbly hand, right at Ragana despite her apparent blindness, "Care to explain why?"
Ragana shrugged, "I don't know, you tell me."
The corner of the Crone's mouth curled slightly, "Still petulant, despite the knowledge that you are outclassed. You are a risk taker, and I can appreciate that, Morgan."
Ragana felt anger swell in her as the Crone called her by that name.
"Oh… does that upset you?" The Crone hummed, leaning back in her seat. Her milky eyes lingered over Ragana's form, studying her, "I wonder why? You act as if you hate that name, but it is that name you seek more than anything else in this life."
"I have left that name behind." Ragana snarled, "Ragana, that is my name. It was given to me by someone who deemed me worthy, and I shall not deny it. Now, since we are doing introductions, care to tell me your name?"
She bit back the temptation to refer to the woman as a Crone. Through the force Ragana could feel the power emanating in the air. The Dark Side was suffocating within the chamber. All of it swirled to the Crone, obeying her every wish and command. It reminded her far too much of her Master and how he could will the Dark Side to do his bidding. She knew she was nowhere near such mastery of the force. If she provoked this old woman, regardless of how frail she appeared to be, Ragana knew she would die. After all, Emperor Palpatine appeared to be a frail old man, just as the Crone appeared to be a frail old woman. But Darth Sidious could destroy anyone with a single wave of his hand. Ragana held no doubts that this Crone was capable of doing the same.
The Crone's lips flickered into an amused grin, "You are a bold one, Morgan." Long fingernails tapped against the stone arms of her throne, "Call me Gethzerion, Mother of this Coven."
Ragana smirked, "I had a feeling you were Mommy." She glanced around as a group of twenty Nightsisters with their faces hidden behind red masks surrounded her and Deathy One, "I'm guessing you didn't have many hobbies when you were younger?"
One Nightsister hissed at her for the disrespectful comment, but Ragana just smirked back at that one.
"Don't like it? Too bad. I don't believe I'm wrong." Ragana's gaze snapped back to Gethzerion as the old Crone chuckled lightly.
"Those days are long gone. None of the ones you see here are biologically mine, not anymore. Many who were mine are long dead, and these are their descendants."
"So it'd be more accurate to call you Grandmommy." Ragana nodded, "Well, I'm all for respecting elders and hearing about life stories, but I'm curious as to why you called me here."
Gethzerion furrowed her heavy brow, "Impatient… bold… reckless… powerful, naive, and childish. The marks of a girl playing with power, rather than someone actually realizing what power really is." Ragana bristled as Gethzerion spoke, "The marks of someone who has never been challenged, never been defeated… at least as far as she can recall."
Ragana's anger faded, "Recall?"
Gethzerion leaned forward, "Yes, recall." With great difficulty, the old Crone rose from her throne. She held out a hand, and a gnarled cane of black stone rushed to her fingertips, gently nestling into her grip. She stepped down from the dais and stood before Ragana, glowering down at her with her clouded eyes, "I may be blind, but I see all. I saw your arrival, both long before it occurred, and when it finally happened… Child of the Daughter and the Son."
Ragana furrowed her brow as she looked up at the tall, old woman, "Now you're speaking riddles. Not the fun kind either." Gethzerion sniffed and turned to return to her throne, "What do you mean you saw me before and during my arrival?"
"You came through a portal, did you not?" A lump formed in Ragana's throat. Gethzerion set her cane to the side and sank back down into her seat, exhausted from the exertion of rising and moving a few steps, "You arrived in this time, in this life, and yet you cannot recall the life previous, can you? A life that you both run from, and seek to find."
"Riddles, and more riddles. Speak straight, damn it!" Ragana snarled, making the Nightsisters around her snarl, "I love puzzles, but when it comes to my life I prefer things to be said plainly."
"You seek answers, that is what you mean." Gethzerion held out her hands, "I can provide them."
Ragana furrowed her brow and took a step up onto the dais. As soon as her foot touched the stone, the pikes crossed, barring her from moving forward. Ragana hissed and glared at the two Nightsisters. The Dark Side sparked to life within her and gripped the two Nightsisters by their throats, causing them to gasp and drop their weapons as they clawed at their throats.
"Out of my way." Ragana snarled, stepped by them onto the dais's second step.
With one, powerful pulse, the Nightsisters were flung to the sides of the chamber, and Ragana loosened her grip. Gethzerion did not react, but the other Nightsisters readied their weapons. Deathy One primed her blaster and took aim, making Ragana pause on the step and give an anxious glance back at her loyal guard.
A single, gray, frail hand rose from the throne, freezing the other Nightsisters around the dais.
"You seek your past life. You seek Morgan." Gethzerion said, lowered her gaze.
"You're saying you can give me that." Ragana replied, voice hushed as she carefully observed the Crone in front of her, "How?"
Gethzerion's gray lips curled into a smile, one that seemed pleased by Ragana's curiosity.
"There are more mysteries to the Force than mere duality of light and dark, Morgan." Gethzerion explained, "More than the simple little combative techniques you know. More than even the mind games you used to crush poor Nenjashe."
Ragana's eyes widened a little bit at the mention of the Nightsister that dared to disrespect her.
"Oh yes, I know of that." Gethzerion droned, "I know of your trek across the stars on the whims of a powerful Master that gives even me pause. Does he know you are here, I wonder? And would he approve? I feel not."
Ragana gulped, "That may not be incorrect. I… have gone a bit further than what he ordered me to do, due to my own curiosity on the matter."
"You have a voracious appetite for knowledge. This is good." Gethzerion smirked, "It makes you an excellent student, even if you are willful and arrogant. But, to hear my musings on your thirst for knowledge is not why you are here. You seek to know what I know. You seek to understand the Force, as I understand it. As a conduit to see things that any normal being cannot see."
Ragana frowned, "You still have not told me how."
Gethzerion's long fingernails tapped against the stone chair, "The light… the dark… are but two sides of a vast spectrum. There is the middle, where we reside. Where those with an understanding of the force, greater than that of Sith or Jedi, dwell. Where there are powers beyond imagining. Strength beyond reckoning." She smirked down at Ragana, "Magic, beyond comprehension."
Ragana felt the heavy weight of her spellbook within her coat. One of her hands absently brushed against the old, weathered tome. The cracked leather scratched against her fingertips like the comforting touch of an old friend. Power tingled within the palm of her hand as the magic within the spellbook seemed amplified in the presence of Gethzerion.
"Tell me already." Ragana snarled.
"I do not give knowledge for free." Gethzerion hissed, eyes narrowing at Ragana, "As with everything that has to do with power, there is a cost."
Ragana eyed Gethzerion for a moment as her words rang through the air. Then she laughed. Softly at first, then it crescendoed louder, drawing puzzled glances from the Nightsisters.
"Oh," Ragana took a step down the dais as she wiped a tear from her eye, "You have no idea who you are dealing with, do you?" She gestured to herself, "I am a Sith. I take power, and I give nothing in return. Such is the nature of the relationship between the strong," She motioned at Gethzerion, "and the weak."
The Nightsisters hissed and snarled around her. Gethzerion's eyes narrowed dangerously at Ragana, any amusement long gone from the old woman's lips.
"You judge me by my face. By my wrinkled hands, and sunken skin. By my frail bones and whispering voice." Gethzerion's clouded eyes seemed to blaze in that moment with a clarity that startled Ragana, "The Force overcomes all… even death. Even… amnesia, and the loss of a life once lived." Gethzerions leaned forward in her seat, resting her elbows on the armrests of her throne, "You claim to take power and give nothing in return. But there is a price you are paying. For every step you take on the path to power, you lose more of the life you once had. You lose who you are. You lose your mind."
"Are you calling me insane?" Ragana snarled.
"No, an insane being would have backed up their words against me." Gethzerion growled, voice lowering to a threatening tone, "But you may be on that bleak path." Her eyes closed as she drew in a breath, "Yes… even for a Sith, there is always a cost to power. There is always a price for knowledge. And this is mine." She flicked her eyes open, the clouded vision gone, replaced by burning red irises surrounded by black sclera, "A life for a life."
Ragana furrowed her brow.
"I'm not surrendering my life to you."
"I did not expect you to." Gethzerion replied as the Dark Side of the Force simmered within the room, ready to explode to a boil as the Crone gathered more power to her. The green mists swirled in thick wisps around her throne, shrouding the floor in its ghostly emerald glow, "You claim to be Sith. Which means you are selfish like one." She smirked down at Ragana, "Once before, a young Sith ventured to this world seeking knowledge. I refused him, but Talzin, she welcomed him… gave him one of her sons to train. The exchange was for safety, for Talzin knew in the end she could not match that Sith. But as with all Sith, such a bargain was not honored. She and her entire coven died anyways. I shall not make the same mistake. Not with you. I do not seek a relationship with you, nor an alliance. I seek a life." Her yellow eyes flicked away from Ragana over to Deathy One, "Give me one, and I shall provide you the sight you desire."
Ragana's heart stopped beating in her chest. Through the Force she felt Deathy One's sudden uncertainty. Her jaw clenched tight as she glared up at Gethzerion.
"You want me… to give her life?" She asked, gesturing to Deathy One, "And I will have my memories returned to me?"
Gethzerion nodded, "A life for a life. The ritual will be painful, for you and her. But you will have the knowledge you seek, and more. The yoke of the Sith will be removed from you." Her wrinkled lips curled, "And maybe you will desire to stay and learn even more."
Ragana furrowed her brow, "All of that, for her life?"
Gethzerion nodded silently.
Ragana took a deep breath. It was such a small price to pay. When she heard there was a price to pay for knowledge, Ragana expected something extreme. She expected the Crone to demand servitude, or for her to pledge her life to the coven. Instead, she received what on the surface seemed to be an extremely favorable deal.
Far too favorable. She glanced at Deathy One again, the lone soldier that has been by her side since she first arrived in this galaxy. One of her Deathtroopers that was with her when she first began training, when she led her first mission on Naboo. Who fought with her against the Jedi on Naboo, despite the fact that she was hopelessly overpowered by the enemy. She had no doubt the Deathtrooper would throw herself in front of enemy blaster fire for her. No doubt that Deathy One would willingly die so that she could live. That was her purpose. Her mission and her assignment.
But not like this. Ragana thought, I will not be her executioner.
Gethzerion's smile faded as Ragana looked back up at her with defiance.
"She's my friend." Ragana replied, "I do not betray my friends."
"Then the life you seek will be lost to you." The black scleras faded, replaced by the clouded eyes Gethzerion possessed when Ragana first came before her, "The path you have chosen is not clear. There is no light at the end, nor shadow. But there is suffering, there is pain… and there is power. And all power comes at a cost, let that be the lone lesson you receive from me, Morgan… of Ylisse."
Something pulled on her heart at the mention of the word 'Ylisse'. A strange sense of nostalgia filled her. At that moment, she smelled fields of flowers. Heard a gentle brook of water passing over smooth stones. Felt the soft touch of someone's hand against her cheek. A final temptation from the Witch upon the throne.
Ragana snarled, stepping off of the dais.
"There is nothing further for us to discuss then. But be warned, Gethzerion the Crone," Ragana growled, reaching for her spellbook as she noticed more Nightsisters filled the chamber, "Cross my Master again, provoke him once more, and it will not be me paying you a visit."
"No, you will never visit me again." Gethzerion scowled, raising a hand, "Of that, I am certain."
Deathy One warbled nervously at her as more Nightsisters encroached. Ragana clenched her teeth.
"On that, we can agree."
Ragana drew her spellbook. The pages whirred in front of her eyes, landing on a lightning spell she had been studying for months. A spell that graced the hull of her Ship. Thoron crackled in her hand. Blue force lighting arced around it, supercharging the spell until the energy became too much to contain. With a roar, Ragana slammed her hand into the ground right as Deathy One jumped into the air.
The spell ripped through the stone beneath her feet. Bolts of blue and yellow lightning jumped from her open palm, into the rock, then surged into the bodies of the closest Nightsisters. Green mist prevented the spell from chaining up the dais, but Ragana did not need the spell to strike Gethzerion. She only needed to create an opening.
Part of her wanted to attack the old Crone, but another part of her heard Deathy One's blaster rifle firing rapidly. If she attacked, she would die. Deathy One would die as well. Her denial of Gethzerion's knowledge would be for nothing if that happened. Ragana would be damned if she gave the Crone that amount of satisfaction.
She spun on her heel and raced towards the cave's exit, blasting away a pair of Nightsisters with a powerful force push. The Dark Side screamed around her, and the welcoming aura of Dathomir turned violent. Pain lanced through Ragana's head, making her stumble and brace herself against the wall as she entered the tunnel out of the cave. A gloved hand hooked her arm and yanked her forward.
"Hurry, milady." Deathy One warbled in basic, blasting away at Nightsisters that got too close.
Ragana snarled and attempted to use the force once more, only for the Dark Side to hiss at her and deny her its power. It followed the call of only one on Dathomir, and it was not the call of the young Sith.
"Hurry!" She hissed to Deathy One, wincing in pain as her attempts at using the Force backfired.
She abandoned the force at that moment, choosing to draw her lightsaber. A green bolt of energy arced at her. Ragana yanked Deathy One behind her and used her lightsaber to deflect the bolt back at its shooter. A Nightsister screamed in the darkness.
"To the shuttle!" She shouted at Deathy One.
They both broke into a sprint, not worrying about killing any of the Nightsisters, only about survival. The mist flooded the ground beneath them, making Ragana feel like she was wading through smoke instead of sprinting on solid ground. Each step felt more difficult than the last. It felt like the very energy in her body was being sapped from her.
She gasped as she neared the cave entrance, legs giving out from under her as a spell of weakness consumed her body. Harsh coughs wracked her lungs. Ragana covered her mouth with her hand, removed it, and saw dark splotches of blood in her pale palm.
"Deathy…" She croaked, hand trembling. Her lightsaber hissed off and she quickly slipped it up her sleeve in order to avoid losing it.
Her Deathtrooper hooked her right shoulder and hauled her to her feet. Ragana's vision started to cloud over and grow hazy.
The mist… that damn witch! She coughed hard again.
"A life for a life…" A voice in her mind chuckled, "The cost of power. I have lived long for a reason."
Ragana's eyes widened.
"Get… me off of this… planet." She gasped, struggling to catch her breath.
As Deathy One hauled her to the shuttle, blasting into the mist as more Nightsisters pursued, Ragana tapped the comm link on her wrist.
"Cody!" She croaked, voice hoarse and short of breath.
"Ragana!? What-"
Ragana coughed sharply, more blood bubbling up from her throat. It felt like knives were carving into her neck as she struggled to breath. The edges of her vision darkened as she fought to stay awake. The Force abandoned her, leaving her unable to call on it for aid.
"Ragana! Ragana!"
Through her bleary vision, she saw the Lambda shuttle. Only two of her stormtroopers still stood, using the shuttle as meager cover against an assault of Nighsisters. One pilot lay dead at the base of the ramp, the other was still in his seat, frantically starting up the Lambda's engines as he saw Deathy One and Ragana approach.
More green bolts shot past Ragana. One grazed her right leg. Ragana hissed, and reached down, feeling hot blood pooling in her right hand. Deathy One snarled as a blaster bolt scraped against her helmet, melting away part of it.
Her connection to the Force flickered as Ragana, with her last bits of strength, demanded it obey her. Reluctantly, it gifted her with one glimpse of the world around her.
Hundreds of Nightsisters were descending upon the shuttle. Swarming over her and her soldiers, ready to tear them limb for limb. Ragana's eyes widened as more blood trickled from her lips.
"Ragana!" Cody shouted through her comm again, "Get Starkiller down there now!"
"No…" Ragana croaked as she collapsed in a heap on the ramp, spitting up blood with every harsh cough. Deathy One grabbed her by the hood of her cloak and dragged her into the shuttle as her last two stormtroopers were cut down, "Delta… zero…"
Silence.
"Ragana…"
"Execute Base Delta Zero!" Ragana screamed, before blood bubbled up her throat and spilled out of her mouth onto the shuttle's metal floor.
"Close the shuttle and take off!" Deathy One barked at their lone pilot, "HURRY!" Deathy One tossed off her ruined helmet and knelt down beside Ragana, turning the ailing Sith onto her side as blood pooled in her mouth. Ragana stared wide eyed into Deathy One's dark brown eyes, "Stay with me, milady! Make sure a trauma team is-"
An enormous boom rang through the air, followed by a massive shockwave that nearly picked the shuttle up off of the ground. Ragana looked back down the ramp as it slowly closed. The shuttle's engines roared to life. Deathy One fired a few more shots out, taking down two more Nightsisters before another boom slammed into the planet.
Gigantic blasts of green hammered the mist covered land around the shuttle. Dirt shot up into the air in gigantic blasts of fire and dust. Nightsister bodies flew through the air as more blasts careened down from the sky. An orbital bombardment.
You were right… Crone.
Ragana's eyes blazed with hatred as the mist cleared and she caught a glimpse of the nearby cave. Several cannon blasts crashed down onto the cave, smothering it in fire and smoke. Rock and dirt flew through the air, and the scent of charred flesh followed it. When the explosions died, the cave was gone. Ragana's eyes fluttered as she let her head fall to the ground, her body too weak to move as her lungs felt like they had been set on fire.
Blood trickled from her mouth. Despite the intense pain, as the shuttle lifted off the ground and the ramp closed, immense satisfaction filled Ragana as she saw the cave obliterated.
The ramp closed. The shuttle blasted off towards the Thoron at top speed. Ragana's vision started to fade as her breathing grew weak. Deathy One shook her shoulder, then raced for a medical kit within the ship. Ragana's eyes rolled into the back of her head. She heard a screech in the force. The Dark Side roared furiously, and she felt a massive presence explode like a violent supernova before disappearing just as quickly.
I will never visit you again.
And chapter! This was a big little story for Morgan. It did a lot to show her character as well as what she thinks of those around her. It gave her her first truly devastating defeat with no one there to rescue her, unlike when Mace beat the tar out of her on Naboo. She was still victorious in the end on Naboo, thanks to Sidious making sure she lived of course. Here, she lost. And she will take some important lessons away from it.
As for the character Gethzerion, she is a legends character that was very intriguing to research. There is not much about her, but anyone that puts as much nervousness into Sidious as she does is someone I wanted to write about, even if it is only a little bit. Basically, Sidious did try to kill her at one point, but his minions failed. So he decided killing her was not worth the risk and just made sure she could never leave Dathomir. It's really interesting to look into actually and I thought it would be fun to have a character like her in this story interacting with Morgan.
We'll go see a few different characters in this story before returning to Morgan at a later date. These interlude chapters are a lot of fun, and I'm excited to show more to all of you!
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!
Come join the Treehouse! Discord code is: 9XG3U7a