:: Chapter Twenty ::
"Well then, that didn't take long," a snippy comment came from Jenna when Eliza and Theron walked into the war room the next morning holding hands.
They stopped at the bottom of the elevator and exchanged some longing looks, playful kisses, and several whispers before joining those who'd called them over in the first place.
"Really?" Lord Cytharat challenged with a smirk and he winked at his cousin, "I'd say it's taken them quite long enough."
A gentle chuckle and grateful smile came from Eliza and she circled the holo-terminal. "What's up guys?"
"Two things—first, I sent out Doc's information like you asked and we found someone who's seen him," Lord Cytharat began explaining.
"Havoc Squad's Commander, Kendra, circulated his holograph among the refugees holed up in the Swamp and one of the younger teens said she saw him on Zakuul in the company of someone named Firebrand."
Theron frowned. "Firebrand?"
"An alias of sorts I'm sure." A holo-drawing of a Rattataki woman appeared above the terminal. "The refugee made this sketch."
Charlie instantly shot forward and narrowed her eyes at the composite picture.
"Oh hell, not her," she groaned out and shook her head, "fucking Kaliyo Djannis."
"You know her?" Jonas asked.
"Yeah, she worked with me for a while back when I first started out but she tried to pull a fast one on me and we parted ways…"
"Amicably?"
"Pff, no. Our relation is such we'd make Hoth feel like a tropical paradise."
Eliza laughed and inspected the image up close. "I know her too… We hung out once while Doc was off curing some Hutt. She and Doc have history, makes sense he'd be laying low with an old pal."
"I'm not so sure about laying low," Lord Cytharat disagreed and pulled up what little information he'd found on Firebrand, "She's somewhat of a celebrity among the locals on Zakuul. An anarchist with a reasonable following."
"Lovely," Charlie muttered.
"So they're making waves…" Eliza pondered the situation, "Well, I guess we should pay them a visit, bring Doc home and—"
"Put a blaster hole in Kaliyo? Count me in."
Jonas quirked a brow at his wife and grinned, he'd rarely seen her react this hostile towards anyone. "Wow, you really don't like her."
Charlie shrugged, half wishing if she'd punch the holo-drawing her former partner in crime would feel it. "Nope."
"We could use you though, you do know her best," Theron pointed out.
"I'll come, just don't ask me to play nice."
"Hold off on making plans for just one second." Lord Cytharat made a calming gesture with his hands. "There's another, more serious, issue that requires our attention."
The information on Kaliyo disappeared and he pulled up live footage they'd received.
"A few hours after we'd left, Asylum came under attack. Lead by Vaylin, the majority of those who'd remained behind on the shadowport were put under arrest and interrogated.
"I'm not sure what they were looking for but I'd assume the obvious—us, or rather our location."
A recording played showing half the shadowport covered in smoke while lines of refugees were brought before Vaylin and her escort of Knights. The deranged blonde stood cackling at her victims, pouring volleys of her power into their nervous system to force a satisfying answer from their tongues but she received none and sent a randomly picked man hurtling from the platform to this death.
Eliza's eyes widened and she slammed her fist down on the terminal. "Damn! Is this still going on?"
"No. Vaylin left with her Knights but at least two dozen Skytroopers remained behind, effectively taking control of Asylum."
Sickened by what they witnessed, Theron turned the recording off and sighed in frustration. "How did they even know we were there? Are we sure they were looking for us?"
"This is my fault…" Senya's voice came unexpectedly and her aging lines crinkled into a frown.
She approached and the very second she did, Eliza felt a chill run down her spine, a sense of being watched and while she observed Senya she was hit with a notion of familiarity—she'd seen that rueful expression before in someone else.
All eyes turned to her and Jenna confronted with an air of hostility, "You sold us out?!"
The older woman looked down, her shoulders slumped in defeat. "No, but they might have been looking for me."
"Why? I mean no offense lady but they have thousands just like you, why would they care?"
Senya swallowed hard and knew she had to come clean—if she was the target then everyone in the alliance could be in danger and they deserved to know why.
"Commander," Senya turned to Eliza and prepared her confession, "there's something you need to know. Valkorion was my husband and Arcann and Vaylin, they're my children."
Exuberant, deep laughter echoed through Eliza's mind suddenly making it clear why she'd felt watched, where the familiarity came from.
"Hah, she told you… how delightful…" Valkorion appeared, only briefly before he was gone again.
They all stood baffled by the most unexpected piece of information they'd gotten out of Senya yet and as the true implications dawned, Eliza couldn't help but snort and giggle earning herself various frowns.
"Oh I'm sorry, I know this shouldn't be a laughing matter but… wow, of all things. I guess that explains why he appeared so focused on you when we met."
"He…?" Senya didn't quite follow.
"Heh, my turn to confess I suppose…" She chuckled. "Your husband, he kind of lives on inside my head."
Senya's eyes widened. "Valkorion lives on…?"
"If you can call it living."
"Wait, hang on," Jonas came between and tried hard to wrap his head around Senya's admission while the mental images left him disturbed, "you had actual children with the Sith Emperor? A big, old, creepy and immortal guy who enjoys sucking the life out of living things…?"
"He was never this Sith Emperor you speak of with me." Senya smiled in a wistful manner. "He was Valkorion and such a—"
"Yeah, I'm not ready to hear the details." Theron threw his hands up to ward off any further unwanted explanations.
"Let's take a few steps back and focus on what happened on Asylum," he suggested instead.
"Yes, please," Lord Cytharat agreed.
Jenna nodded. "Well, can we be certain they were there for us, or her?" she indicated at Senya, "What if it's just a coincidence?"
"It doesn't matter, they need our help. Those people fled Zakuul to get away from Arcann's tyranny and now they're subject to it all over again… Doc will have to wait," Eliza made the decision.
She paced the area before the holo-terminal and mentally went over anyone who might be available to assist.
"Inform Praven, Darius, my uncle and Meg of the situation and have them prepare. Senya, will you join us? We could use the help."
"Absolutely, I have to make this right."
"Okay, then let's get moving and meet up in the transport bay in an hour."
Eliza rushed off with Theron following behind and once they got to her room, he roped her in and wrapped his arms around her to steal a split second of affection.
"Never a dull day," he tried lightheartedly and nipped at her lips.
"Mm, you've got that right. I guess Arcann's figured out we're—"
The sudden chiming of her comm-device interrupted them both and Eliza groaned while she answered, "What is it?"
"Now now, is that any way of speaking to me, beautiful?" Vowrawn chided playfully at her annoyance.
"Oh, hi." Her tone changed quickly and she smiled. "To what do I owe this honor?"
"Nothing good I'm afraid." His jubilant demeanor took a turn.
"I received unsettling news—word came from Arcann, he's seeking to identify a particular red-haired woman caught breaking into the Spire. It's accompanied by a still of you."
Theron and Eliza exchanged a quick glance and the latter sighed. "That was to be expected…"
"Yes, now, I was the one they contacted and naturally I've withheld all information. However, we discovered through Intelligence that the Republic received the same request and it turns out the Supreme Commander did hand over a full and detailed report on everything they know about you."
Theron's eyes widened. "What? The Supreme Commander, are you sure?"
"Positive. We've been monitoring their communications for some time now."
"Damn!" he cursed, unable to believe his father would sell her out and he frowned, "I'm sorry Eliza."
"Don't be, it's okay," she reassured him, "I'm an enemy of the Republic, of course they'd share everything especially if it'll gain them Arcann's favor. In his shoes, I might have done the same." She kissed him softly.
It did put them in a precarious situation however and Eliza turned her attention back to Vowrawn.
"You can't go back to Zakuul. We have to assume Arcann knows everything including my association with you and the Empire. The fact you've failed to provide him with intel, he won't be pleased and neither will Acina."
"No, they won't, but don't you worry about me beautiful, I've outrun and survived worse but you, you need to watch yourself now there's a target on your back."
"We knew the risk when we went to free Kira, though this might explain why Vaylin attacked Asylum, if they've got eyes on us…"
She gave a pained grimace. "Do you have a copy of the exact information transmitted?"
"Sending it your way now."
"Thank you, for everything, as always."
"It's my absolute pleasure, be well m'dear."
Eliza ended the call and let out another exasperated sigh. "Stars, is it always going to be like this? The second one thing goes right, everything else turns into shit?"
"That does seem to be the way," Theron sympathized while he retrieved her rucksack, "Vowrawn is right though, you need to watch your step now."
He opened up the drawer of her nightstand to get her datapad when his eye caught the comm device he'd confiscated from Ravage following his arrest.
"Yeah… I suppose a confrontation lies in the near future," Eliza muttered and disappeared behind the dressing screen in her room to change into something better suited for battle.
While she was distracted, Theron took the comm device and slipped it into the pocket of his jeans. He hadn't forgotten what he'd overheard Ravage say in the cantina days ago nor had he been able to silence the nagging of his instincts when Eliza had mentioned creating a replica of Lord Scourge's wedding band.
'I should see if I can get a transmission log from this thing…' he mused and quickly excused himself to Eliza, "I'm just going to grab a few things from my room."
Right now he wouldn't have enough time to fully investigate but at the very least he could get his decryption programs running and hope for a result by the time they'd return from Asylum.
He also felt he couldn't tell Eliza, at least not before verifying his own suspicious, unwilling to cause her potentially unnecessary upset though he loathed keeping anything from her. The only comfort he found was in knowing that for now, Ravage was safely locked away and whatever the man had been up to, he'd have no way of furthering his schemes at this point.
"Do we have a plan?" Praven asked once everyone met back up.
"Clear Asylum of any remaining Skytroopers and try to convince everyone to come back with us," Eliza offered, "We can't protect that place or spare the manpower to keep guard."
"Is it wise to bring them here though? The fact they've fled Zakuul doesn't automatically put them on our side."
She shrugged. "We'll take it on a case-by-case basis, anyone who wishes to remain behind is free to but we won't be coming to their rescue every single time, we can't afford to."
Senya tapped her on the shoulder and frowned, having followed the conversation. "Does uh, Valkorion have any suggestions? These are his people too."
Her question caused Eliza to snort and shake her head. "It doesn't quite work that way. He comes and goes as he pleases and has this annoying habit of failing to answer or even acknowledge any of my questions unless it serves his own agenda."
'Though I could use a little chat with you Vitiate…' she dared to think and waited but the man who'd been gloating earlier remained silent, 'Figures…'
As much as she hated his presence within her mind, at times she wished she could simply reach out to him and force him to satisfy her endless curiosities—she still hadn't figured out how he'd ever managed to live a double life, how it was she'd defeated him at the Dark Temple on Dromund Kaas while he'd clearly lived on as Emperor of Zakuul.
There was also the fact that his presence had somehow prevented her from entering the Force-realm she'd visited in the past, to speak with her grandfather and she desperately wanted to know just how much of her current life, her thoughts, Vitiate had access to.
It was moments like these where she desperately wished for Lord Scourge's council, his vast knowledge of the Emperor and she turned to Lord Cytharat while they boarded her ship.
"Hey… I know it's probably a stupid question but, do you know of any methods to uhm…" she paused and imagined herself to sound so ridiculous right now but she had to ask, "contact those who've passed on to the Force Astrum?"
He gave her an inquisitive look and accompanied her to the galley of the ship for privacy. "Uhm… I don't, I'm not sure, why? Is this because of Theron? Do you want to contact Scourge?"
"No, well yes, I want to contact him, but no, not because of Theron. It's… look, Scourge knows the Emperor better than anyone and I need answers. He might be the only one who could give them to me."
"I don't really know of anyone who's ever…" Lord Cytharat twisted one of his tendril rings while he sunk into deep thought.
"Although," he mused minutes later while the Vanora took off, "there is one thing, an ancient Pureblood tradition, but no one's performed it in decades…"
"The Rite of Eroaga," Praven said, having quietly followed them, "or in basic, The Rite of Unity, performed in the old days as part of matrimonial ceremonies."
Lord Cytharat nodded. "A young couple would enter the ritual to seek the wisdom of their ancestors and their spirit Elders would either reject or sanction the union between the two bloodlines.
"But as I said, it hasn't been performed in decades—I wouldn't know how to."
Eliza bit her lip and frowned. "I'm probably not Pureblood enough anyway, nor am I marrying one."
Praven and Lord Cytharat exchanged a quick but meaningful glance, debating the matter with each other through a simple look into each other's eyes and Praven put a hand on Eliza's shoulder.
"I can consult my books when we return," he offered kindly, "but you must bear in mind the odds of success are minimal. There is no evidence the ritual has ever worked, only stories of legend."
"And it would be complicated," Lord Cytharat pointed out, "to establish a connection to the Force Astrum at all, let alone find one specific soul and that is assuming Scourge passed through the veil."
"Why wouldn't he have?" She frowned.
"Not all do. Some linger in Ora, the realm between our world and Astrum, for years either because of unresolved problems or to watch over and guide their loved ones."
"Oh…"
"If he's there, he cannot be reached."
"But we can try, right?" She held a pleading look in her eyes. "I mean, he might be the only one with the answers we need."
Half reluctant but knowing there'd be no dissuading her now, Lord Cytharat nodded and hugged her to him. "We can try, yes."
