Twenty-Three
The Citadel, Dromund Kaas
14 ATC
Nox leaned back into the luxurious cushions of her sofa, watching the small, armored woman in front of her closely. A'tro was pacing back and forth, her cape swirling around her with each turn.
"Baras," she said with unconcealed venom. "Two years dead, and he's still causing me problems."
Nox shrugged. "I don't see why this has to be your problem. Just ignore it. I was going to."
"This Necrosion you met with said that Baras learned some of the Emperor's secrets, and knowing him, that's highly plausible." A'tro stopped pacing. "As the Wrath, it's my duty to investigate this further."
"And how are you planning on doing that? Everyone involved is dead."
"Now that I know where to start, that doesn't matter." A'tro turned on her heel and started making her way towards the exit to Nox's chambers. "Come with me. Or don't. I really don't care."
That was an invitation if Nox had ever heard one. She extricated herself from the sofa and followed.
A'tro marched through the Citadel, navigating the maze of corridors with confidence.
"Where are we going?" Nox asked after a while.
A'tro waited for a nearby group of Sith to bow deferentially and pass out of earshot before responding. "Baras' chambers. I had hoped to never lay eyes on that place again, but…"
"Desperate times call for desperate measures?" Nox suggested delicately.
"Not desperation. Necessity."
"Ah. Of course."
Several minutes later, they reached their destination: a door on one of the lower levels of the Citadel. Nox watched with interest as A'tro entered a code into a keypad. The door slid open a moment later, the mechanisms creaking in protest after their long disuse.
A'tro paused on the threshold for a moment, then shook her head and advanced forward, Nox in tow. The door ground shut behind them.
As far as Nox could tell, the place looked much like any other set of Sith chambers. There was a considerable layer of dust—apparently A'tro had sealed the place off even from the cleaning droids—but apart from that it all appeared quite benign. Still, Nox understood A'tro's reluctance to enter. Memory could be a dangerous thing.
"I remember coming here when I was just an apprentice," A'tro murmured, almost to herself, as she led Nox through a series of rooms. "It feels like an eternity ago."
"To think, we were apprentices at the same time," Nox said. "It's a wonder we never ran into each other. Then again, I suppose we moved in different circles."
"That's true. I heard about what happened with your master and Darth Skotia, though."
"I think everyone heard about that," Nox grumbled. "I was the one who killed him, you know, even if Zash took the credit."
"I don't doubt it. Even then, you must have been very powerful." A'tro stopped in front of what looked like a blank wall. "Here."
Nox raised an eyebrow. "Secret door?"
"Yes." A'tro held up one hand. Nox felt her gather the Force, and a moment later, a portion of the wall shifted and retracted, revealing an entrance.
"Very nice," Nox said. "Very neat. I'm afraid I have to give Baras some credit."
A'tro shrugged. "Give him all the credit you like. He's past flattery now." She stepped inside the room.
Nox followed. The entrance was small enough that she had to stoop to avoid hitting her head. "Do you not worry about Force ghosts?"
The room was filled with an assortment of computers and databanks that would not have looked out of place in Intelligence HQ. The tech was all a few years old, now, but at the height of Baras' power it would have been the most advanced equipment available. Nox decided that she needed such a room for herself, and she needed it yesterday.
A'tro immediately went to a terminal and started it up. "Ghosts? No, those don't particularly concern me. Also, please don't touch anything. I had all the security keyed to me after Baras' death, and it would be very unfortunate if you set it off."
"Fine with me." Nox leaned artfully against the nearest wall. "You know, I don't think most people worry about ghosts. It's an unfortunate mindset. They're more prevalent than one might think."
"I suspect you've thinned the local population a bit, though."
"To an extent. At least the Council agreed to re-seal the Dark Temple; that should help matters considerably."
A'tro frowned at the terminal. "I've been in there. I can't disagree that it's dangerous."
"It would have been fine if the survey teams had been a little more subtle," Nox sighed. "But no, they had to go and disturb Kallig, and now he refuses to go back to sleep." She chuckled. "He likes to keep an eye on me. It's sweet."
"I can't imagine meeting one of my ancestors."
"Given that your ancestors were ridiculously violent, possibly cannibalistic Korribani warlords, I'm not sure I'd want to."
"On the other hand, it could be enlightening…here." A'tro moved away from the terminal as a nearby holoprojector started up. "I think this is what we're looking for."
It took a few moments for the holoprojector to warm up. Then the image of a masked Sith whom Nox recognized as Darth Baras appeared.
"A'tro, my old apprentice," the image said.
A'tro tensed visibly.
"Yes," the image continued, "I suspect if anyone is ever to see this, it will be you. Though I do not believe I have underestimated you, if you are seeing this: congratulations."
Nox raised an eyebrow. "This seems rather personal. Would you like me to leave?"
A'tro shook her head. "Don't bother. Baras is dead and gone; his words mean nothing to me."
"How long have you rested on your laurels before perusing my records, I wonder?" Baras mused. "Do you still feel the sting of your injuries—for I would not perish quietly—or have you waited years, decades, drawn here now only by sheer desperation?"
"Necessity," A'tro snapped.
And his words mean nothing to you, Nox thought. Definitely nothing.
"If you are here seeking answers, I have them." Even in holo form, Baras radiated smugness. "You may find your victory is not so sweet after you have heard what I have to say."
"Get on with it, you melodramatic—" A'tro stopped short, seeing Nox regarding her with a knowing expression.
"Your master, the Emperor, used you to destroy me," Baras said softly. "Did you know that? Did you know why? You were never one to question your orders, old friend. I doubt you could ever have imagined just what is being hidden from you."
"I hate to say it," Nox murmured, "But that does corroborate with what Necrosion said."
A'tro remained silent and expressionless, but her hands clenched into fists at her sides.
The image of Baras continued. "I have heard whispers over the years, found fragments of a greater truth that encompasses centuries and the entirety of the galaxy. With time and care, I pieced it all together. I learned the truth about our Emperor."
Nox leaned forward, intrigued in spite of herself. It seemed Baras' reputation for being an eloquent and theatrical speaker had not been exaggerated.
"The Emperor's great power, his immortality, comes at a high price. Concealed and forgotten by history, entire worlds float dead and empty in the void—their living Force consumed to feed him. A being such as this has no care for political ideology. In time, Republic and Empire alike will fall before him."
"That's a lie," A'tro hissed, her eyes fixed intently on the holo. "Another wild conspiracy theory—where's your evidence?"
"I learned this truth, and I tried to stop it," Baras said grimly. "Under my rule, the Empire would have quietly prepared for the inevitable war against its own icon. But if you are seeing this, I have failed. The Emperor is cunning, and his eyes are everywhere. He will not tolerate opposition."
Nox kept her face blank, but her mind was racing. If this were true, if even a fraction of it were true…
She suddenly realized that she had a great deal to do.
"So, what do you think of that, Lord A'tro?" Baras chuckled. "The Emperor's Wrath—Quinn tells me you take such pride in the title."
"I should have killed you slower," A'tro whispered.
Nox's brain burned with curiosity, but she had a feeling that A'tro was in no mood to answer inquiries, no matter how diplomatic.
"How does it make you feel, knowing that it's all a sham?" Baras gloated. "You, with all your power, possess no more freedom than you did when you served me. The Emperor will use you to destroy all who oppose him, and then you too shall fall."
"How dare you?" A'tro spat. "How dare you?"
"I hope it burns you," Baras purred. "I hope it rankles in your chest to know that all you have fought and bled for is a lie. I may lose this conflict of ours, but I take pleasure knowing that even from beyond the grave, I can still strike one final blow. Goodbye, apprentice. You will find proof of all this in my archives. Do with it as you will."
The recording ended.
Nox eyed A'tro for a moment, then took a subtle step away from her. She looked calm enough, but in the Force, she felt ready to explode.
"Perhaps," Nox said after several more moments of silence, "I should leave you to your thoughts."
A'tro gave no acknowledgment that she had heard. Nox decided it would be prudent to put as much distance between herself and the seething Wrath as possible, and did so with Force-enhanced speed.
Back in her chambers, she gathered together all of the reports her followers had sent her about Force ghosts and artifacts. Faced with the possibility of a malevolent entity that could destroy entire planets, even her power was not nearly enough.
