Chapter 2: The General

"So you're the person Carth told me about? I'll admit when he said a special agent for the Republic, I was expecting a commando, not a Jedi" Lieutenant Grenn had to be in his 60's, with grey hair and wrinkles plaguing his face not helping cover his age. His eyes, despite his age, were a vibrant blue and full of life.

"Correct" I reply to him. He'd met me at the hangar with two Telos Security Force, TSF, guards armed with blaster rifles. I suspect it was more part of policy more than he didn't trust me, after all, Carth lived on Telos and I'm certain he knew Grenn before the Jedi Civil War. "I presume Carth informed you the purpose behind why I'm here?"

"Of course" his voice is not as deep as I'd expect, but almost sounds like he has gravel in his voice. "However, I hate to inform you there has already been an assassination attempt on her life" I feel a surge of emotion through my chest. Who would already know Meetra is here and be that quick to organise an assassination attempt? Mission had mentioned that some smugglers had claimed to destroy Peragus, and now an assassination attempt. Maybe these smugglers are trying to step it up in the criminal world?

"Take me to her please Lieutenant, and explain to me this assassination attempt. I'm sure I don't need to remind you how important she is" I inform him, getting a nod from Grenn. He starts to walk towards the blast door air locks, and I join him in his walk. Part of this was me wanting to hear about this assassination, but the other part is also Handmaiden. She claimed that all she'd need to acquire the Hawk is a clear hangar, so I assume dragging the Lieutenant with me out of the hangar will be enough. We walk through the airlock in silence, and pass several civilians who I am assume are waiting for some kind of shuttle, and enter an elevator which begins its decent.

"The assassination attempt Lieutenant" I say, getting his blue eyes onto me "Who was it?"

"As in who tried to kill them, or who organised it? I'll admit we're not sure in both regards" His eyes tell the story, he's frustrated that he doesn't know. Given how important Meetra is, it's critical to know who is trying to kill them. I'm sure he's investigating it, but given he's probably also busy with the Peragus Mining incident plus whatever happens on Citadel Station, I wouldn't be holding my breath. "From what we know, the assassin arrived from hanger 3 and disguised himself as Batu Rem, one of my guards who was meant to be on leave. Outside of that, we don't know much else. We'd investigate more, but the Peragus Mining Incident takes precedence"

The elevator door opens, revealing a large hallways which we step out into it. Looking around, it's rather colourful with metical silver walls, orange pillars and even vegetation growing in the middle of the housing corridor. The hallway itself isn't that impressive if I'm honest, although I'm surprised to see a small tree growing in what is seen by many of the galaxy as the hub of civilisation. Grenn begins walking, and I quickly trail him as he heads towards one of the smaller pentagon shaped doors with the white number '2' written above it.

"I'll have to inform her of your arrival. After the attempt on her life, I promised that all visitors would be approved by myself and only shown in she agrees" Grenn informs me, and he must have seen the look on my face "She was nearly killed while in a power cell in the TSF headquarter, and I do not want to risk having a repeat incident"

As much as I want to force him to give me access, given I am not a threat to Meetras' life, I doubt Grenn would react well to me trying to force anything. So instead, I turned to face the room that, I presume, Meetra is in, given it's the room with two armed guards. Behind me, I can hear Lieutenant Grenn talking in his ear piece, presumably to Meetra.

I wonder what Meetra has been doing these past 5 years. She so heavily involved in the Mandalorian Wars, hell she was there at Malachor V when the Shadow Generators were used, at the biggest massacre of the entire war. But after the Mandalorians were defeated, she returned to the Jedi council to receive 'judgement', and the Jedi files reported she was 'Exiled'. And the Jedi felt no reason to even try and track those they've exiled for whatever reason.

"She's agreed to speak to you" Grenn's voice invades my thoughts "I do hope you remember that you're a guest here and not ask your questions then leave. She's under considerable stress already so, just try to keep that under consideration" he informs me before offering me towards the door with an open palm, where the two armed guards now step away from the door. I slide my hands onto the back of my cloak, raising my hood over my face to hide my eyes and hair, from what I know, my most memorable traits. I walk up to it and slide my hand over the lock, the door makes a loud hissing noise as it slides into the ground and I enter the room.

The first thing that catches my eyes is how plain Meetra Surik looks when wearing civilian clothing, and how I remember her, a Jedi who lived on the line each day. Her hair was the same as I remember it, a gentle white, practically silver which would shimmer in the sunlight, and her eyes were a hard blue. They could have been beautiful, if not for all they'd been witness to. Her skin wasn't pale, but neither was it tanned, a darkish pink with sharp cheekbones and a black lining under her eyes. I drag my eyes off her onto the other two people in her room, the individuals Atris hadn't been able to identify. They were both Human, one male and the other female. The male looked to be in his late twenties, with a brown leather jacket and cargo pants, he reminds me of a smuggler with the way he stands, one foot in front of the other, half prepared to fight, half prepared to flee. I raise my eyebrow at his footing, it's too intended, he has to know he's doing it. Hell it's almost Echini looking, except I doubt a smuggler has had proper Echini training.

The women on the other hand, it a lot more, interesting. She's wearing clothes of the old Jedi Order with a long brown robe with its hood covering her head. Oddly enough, there is an, aura, emulating from her. It isn't a default emotion, like fear which easy to feel, but it's floating through the force. Almost a mixture of darkness and light, but more complicated than that. But most unnerving than that is her eyes, or almost lack thereof. Her eyes are hidden under her hood, but it's clear that she isn't using them like I would. Although how else someone can see if beyond me.

"You aren't some Republic envoy are you?" Meetra says almost instantly as the door behind me hisses and rises shut "Whoever you are, you've got influence in the Republic, but you're not one of them"

"I suppose it would be too much to have hoped the General of Dxun would lose her touch" I say in return, although the reaction I got from her wasn't what I expected. Anger flushed through her, perhaps she feels regret at the deaths?

"Who are you to know about Dxun?" Her voice has a tension to it, a worry, I'd almost say a fear. On the brightside, Meetra didn't seem to recognise me. That might be in part due to the hood covering my face doing its job, that and despite our interactions throughout the war, I was just a soldier, she a General.

"I am someone who has been keeping a track of the Jedi for many years now" I say, a coolness in my voice which fills me with relief. I need to remain composed, in charge of this situation. "You're aware that over the past 5 years, Jedi have been slowly vanishing, hiding from attack from something. I suspect that whatever threatened to wipe the Jedi out also tried to kill you and destroyed the Peragus Mining Facility"

"You expect me to tell you everything?" She raises her right eyebrow at me "What makes you so sure I will tell you the truth? Or that I even know what attacked me?"

"I suspect you don't know what it is, I've been investigating it for nearly a year and I haven't seen it. You have, meaning you've got a better idea of what it is than I do" I say, mentally being relieved my voice refuses to hesitate "Also if you were a Jedi, you'd want to learn. But you're not a Jedi anymore Meetra. But you're still a person, and anyone would, I suspect, want a chance of revenge. It tried to kill you, twice if I can assume the assassination attempt was from them. We both know that this ends one way, either them or you, dead"

It is risky this approach, I mean I'm basically trying to bully Meetra into telling me what I want to know. But at the end of the day, I need to know what it is she knows. If she can give me something to work on, I can start my investigation into what killed Katarina and the entirety of my Order.

"It was…The Sith" she says, with a sliver of fear leaking through her voice "They're tracking down the Last of the Jedi, which they think is me. They aren't Malek's Sith, I know that much. They're different, the one I encountered at Peragus was wrong. His skin looked like he was, killed, but he was walking…I can't describe it properly, it's something wrong about him"

The information wasn't what I was hoping for, in some regard. I had suspected for a long while that whatever was wiping out the Jedi had some connection to the force. Not only is killing a Jedi difficult in its own right, but then the death of Katarr was the largest hint. Traditional weaponry wouldn't have worked, not only did I had a fleet protecting the planet, but Telos had been ravaged by cannon fire, but the sense of the world was injured, not dead. Katarr had the life sucked out of it, like a parasite drained its host blood. But the knowledge that the Sith she encountered looked like he was dead, is a start.

"And it's safe to assume that whatever he was, he pursued you and either destroyed the facility, or you were put in a position where you were forced to destroy it in order to escape?" I ask, getting only silence as my answer. Silence meant the truth was that they destroyed the facility, not out of lust, but to survive. While its destruction will have a large impact on Telos, this information is more than worth it. The unknown shadow that has hunted for so long finally has a face, and if it has a face, it can be killed.

"Yes" Interrupts an aggressive male voice, the would-be smuggler from across the room walks up towards me, but wisely kept his distance, a good two steps away from me "We were attacked by a psychopathic Sith and his cronies who had hijacked a Republic Cruiser who wanted her because she's a Jedi" his tone was laced with aggression, and I have to wonder why. It's not jealousy, but, I can't put my finger on it "Now who are you? You said yourself you're not some Republic member, even I can tell that with those robes…What are you, some sorta Jedi outcast?"

I slowly turn my eyes onto the man, a soft anger growing through me. I didn't have time to deal with these type of questions from someone who little importance "And I might return the question to you" I reply, calmness and coldness in my voice despite the anger within at him "Someone of little important at the current moment in time. I have business with Meetra, not you, unless you claim to be of importance in this"

"Now you listen here buddy" he snaps back, his anger prevalent on his face "I ain't some nobody alright? The name is Atton Rand, now why don't you give one back and take that hood off, let us see your face?"

"Well, Atton, like I said before, I'm in a bit of a hurry so I don't have time for your antics. I came here to discover why Meetra, someone who was exiled by the Jedi Council 5 years ago and was off the radar the entire time, suddenly pops back up with a bang the size of a mining facility" I shake my head over at him, fools always thought themselves the most important "Now I've gotten my answer, and must begin preparing myself for what comes next" With my explanation to the fool down, I turn my back and begin to leave the room.

"Wait" Meetra's voice was almost a plea, causing me to stop and glance over my shoulder at her. Part of me wonders what I look like to her, dressed in my black robes, my hood partly hiding my face except of my mouth. A dark wraith, as Katarina had designed them, to use confusion as a weapon. Honestly I wasn't a fan of the look, but I learnt that your appearance is in itself a weapon "What comes next? You said it yourself, the Jedi are gone. There is no one left to stop him"

"I am left…" I say, as a wave of coldness slivers over my chest, remembering that I am left, because everyone is dead "The Jedi failed in their job, so it comes down to me to do it for them"

"As what, some Jedi survivor?"

"No Meetra…Not as a Jedi…" I wave my hand in front of the door and open it, exiting the room. While it may be rude, to leave when they're still asking questions. But I'm not too thrilled at telling a former Jedi that I'm a Sith right after two attempts on her life. I walk past the TSF guards and back into the main hallway, heading straight for the hangar where my ship is parked. I wonder what Handmaiden has been up to, and if she has been successful in acquiring the Hawk from under the noise of the TSF.

I enter the elevator, which starts its ascension towards the hangar as I'm left alone to mull over what I've learnt. The Sith are back, not mine or Malek's, but another faction of Sith, a darker Sith. These Sith are a new, if what Meetra told me is to be trusted. A Sith who was dead but not? I've heard only rumours of such a power existing, but that's all I thought they were, rumours. Tales told by aspiring Sith to lure in others, quests for power to avoid that which comes for all of us. I never believed in it myself, death is universal regardless of how you want to look at it. But I doubt Meetra would lie about what she had encountered, the fear in her voice echoed the truth of what she was telling me. Whatever it was she encounter, it was Sith and evil. And that being the case, it falls to me to kill it as there is no one left.

The elevator door opens, and I march swiftly towards hangar 1, where the Phantom awaits for me. The airlocks don't take long to open and soon I'm sitting in the cockpit on my ship, powering her up as my private communication device starts blinking. I frown, it isn't the private communications that I had been using to talk to Carth and Mission, so who is trying to talk to me? I accept the communication, and an all-too-familiar female voice echoes in my ear.

"You never answered my question…" Meetras' voice was a voice I hadn't expected. How had she gotten access to my private com-link? I hadn't given away, so however this was done, it's annoyingly impressive "If you're not a Jedi survivor, who or what are you?"

I could just hang up…Never answer her and continue on my way. Just ignore her question…Unable to stop myself, I grin. If she was going to pester me, I'd be just as annoying back to her. I activate my com, raising it to my mouth "I am that which lies between the light and the dark, between Jedi and Sith. When the Jedi are unable to act, I do. When the Sith have collapsed, I remain constant"

"What the hell is that suppose…" her voice was cut off as I close our channel, and turn my comlink off. Meetra had indeed answered my questions, and perhaps it would only be fair to return her answers with answers of my own. But I had no the time for a Jedi who would not act to protect the Galaxy, as I had sensed it around her. The force, but not that I would normally feel. It felt, different, twisted almost. Until I know for certain what she is and her motives, it would be safer to not involve her at all.

I raise my boarding ramp and pull my ship out of the hangar, and entering the air traffic of the Citadel. As I fly, I open my communicator and on the hologram projector, which sat between my seat and the empty co-pilot seat, and the Handmaiden materialised. While it may be slightly excessive having two holographic communicators in the cockpit of my ship, one of them was for standard, and the other was a top secret Republic system that only a few people in the galaxy existed, and I didn't want to risk anyone learning about it.

"Handmaiden, I presume given you're answering the call that the Ebon Hawk is secured?" I ask as I move my ship out of the traditional lane and start flying towards the polar caps, towards Atris' hidden base.

"Correct, she is currently parked in the main hangar…However there is room for your ship on the left side" She informs me "Additionally, I have located two items worth of interest that you may be interested in"

"Which are….?" I ask as I push my engines to maximum power, streaming through the sky and breaking down through the atmosphere into Telos.

"The first is what appears to be a heavily damaged and disabled humanoid service droid. I'm not an expert in droids, but it appears to be missing several internal components" I feel a shiver race through me at this information. A humanoid service droid on the Hawk?! It has to be…

"What else did you locate?" I ask, keeping my opinions hidden. Handmaiden is the only person I could trust, but even then I've got to be careful as while she has been kind of keep things hidden from Atris, such as my private communications with Mission and Carth, I'd rather not find out how far I can push her loyalty.

"The navigation computer seems to be fully intact, however it appears to have some kind of lock on it. If you could take a look at trying to access it, then it may be possible to learn where this ship has gone. I've tried but I don't understand the security system that is keeping it locked"

I nod my head to her. While I'm near certain that I will be unable to break it, knowing Revan and his ability with technology. Knowing he locked it is proof that whatever he found, he doesn't want to be followed. But this knowledge almost proves that Revan was the one who locked it.

"Thank you for the update" I inform her as I start to see ice out of my cockpit, the polar caps stretching out endless before me, and already in my sight, the irrigation centre that was buried in the snow. "If you could open the hangar doors for me, which would be great. I'm a minute away…"

"Of course" is the reply as the hologram cuts off and Handmaiden vanishes. In front of me on the large facility, and at the front, the hangar door opens slowly, revealing the Ebon Hawk as I land next to it. Powering down the Phantom, I quickly exit out of it, running down the ramp and looking at the Hawk.

She looks just like I remember her, all be it slightly beat up. The paint job remains the same, all be it making the bird look like she'd been through hell and back. I smile as I look upon her, I had many memories because of that ship, some good, others bad. But to see her again after all these years, it's an odd feeling of calmness that flows over me. Taking a deep breath, I start to walk back into the facility and find Handmaiden waiting for me.

"Atris went through the ship personally, and…-" starts Handmaiden, but I raise my hand, open-palmed, to silence her.

"And wants me to open it for her, I'm aware" I say, remembering her communication during my flight over here "So the only items of importance on the Hawk was the broken down droid and the locked computer, nothing else?" I ask, in hope of any news of the other droid, T3. I had never been a fan of the droid, mostly due to me not being able to understand the noise it made, but over the past years, I've practised and learnt how to understand most droids. If HK came back, then surely T3 would be there also, and with him, an answer to what happened.

"I have told you all that Mistress Atris has informed me about. Although she has expressed her personal desire, as well as the high likely hood of your own personal desire to access the information" she informs me. It appears subtly isn't one of her strengths, since I doubt she was meant to tell me what Atris knows I have a personal stake in this situation.

"Wonderful…This will take some time. I presume the service droid is still in the Hawk?" Handmaiden simply nods her head at me "This will take me some time, at least a few days to try and sort everything out. Once this is all sorted, I'll work on trying to fix your shield generator problem. But for now, I need to focus"

"Of course" she replies, giving me a small bow "I shall inform Atris that you are beginning your work" she informs me as she turns her back and walks away, leaving me alone. I quickly double back on myself, re-entering the hangar and heading into the Phantom, quickly grabbing two large bags, both of which contain various droid parts I had acquired over the past year, and quickly making my way up the Ebon Hawks boarding ramp.

What hits me, as I reach the top of the ramp, is just how familiar it all is. Despite nearly 5 years having passed since I boarded the Hawk, it seems nothing inside the bird had changed. The colour, even the feelings inside, almost as if nothing had changed from the old days. I enter the main hold, and spot him, or at least, what remains of him. HK-47, the insane protocol droid looked destroyed, heavily damaged at the least. His outer chassis appears to be mostly intact, although it could use a fix-up. I can't tell what level of internal damage he's been the victim of, but he's been through hell and back at the very least. I won't need several days, there is no such point. Revan would have locked the Navigation Computer with a code word, one he would have hinted at when he left. Given he never mentioned it to me, I can guess the only way to unlock the computer would be with HK.

The consolation is that I've given myself just under a week to figure something out, figure out what I'm planning to do with Meetra and the other Jedi. There is a possibility, however slight, that Meetra takes a proactive approach from my meeting and tries to hunt me down. If she's as good as she used to be, then I have little doubt she will locate the shield power drain, trace its source to this facility then arrive here via some form of shuttle. Meetra was, back during the Mandalorian War, one of the most persistent Jedi there was. She would take teams and personally track down Mandalorian Kill Squads on conquered planets, hunting them to extermination. Most Jedi would order several squads to hunt them down, or order a cruiser to strafe the area where the Mandalorians were last seen and presume their elimination. But not Meetra Surik, the Jedi General who was always on the front line with her soldiers, the general who conquered Dxun through blood and attrition.

I place my bags on the ground, and unzip them. I might as well start with HK-47, because I'm near certain that I can, at the very least, get HK fixed. That is, assuming he isn't missing any critical parts.