Chapter 8:
Mathes awoke, his eyes fluttered open as he observed the environment that surrounded him. From what he could tell, he was in a secluded room. It was dark in here, extremely dark, the only illumination within the room was recieved from a small red light coming from outside the door through a small window opening. He moaned as he tried to sit up from his blaster wound, apparently someone had patched him up, as he felt his mid-region finding a bandage wrapped around his back and stomach. "Well, I'll have to thank whoever helped me out...," he said as he sat up on the table. Examining the room further, Mathes couldn't help but feel dread and sorrow for the loss of his companion and friend.
"Vaner...wherever you are, watch over us, be one with the force my friend..."
Just as he was about to get off the table to walk around the door slid open, to reveal a tall Sith in a black robe. Mathes could assume from the fight earlier that this was the same Sith who had fought both him and Vaner and was also the one responsible for Vaner's death..."You!," he yelled. The Sith made no reaction, but instead walked to a corner of the room and and crossed his arms. He stood there silently for a few minutes observing the enraged Jedi before saying, "I know doubt believe you are distasteful of me right now for killing your friend, but what if i told you his death would not be in vain..."
Mathes reaction changed and he looked at the Sith curiously, "What do you mean?"
The Sith moved off the wall slightly his voice lower then before, "What I mean Jedi, is that I did not kill your friend because I felt like it. I did it because it was the only option left, the only option to ensure one of you lived..."
"Why would you wan to ensure one of us would live?"
"That is a good question Jedi...and I have an answer for you. You sayed before that you were all migrants on a pilgrimage, I think we both know that to a complete lie. Your actions in the hanger bay also show that you are a weilder of the force and from our records as well as my own experiences, you come from the Republic. I tell you now Jedi, I know why you are here and I also tell you...I am here to help you in completing your mission."
The Jedi, was in mild shock of all the Sith had just told him, but in a way it wasn't too much of a surprise. After all, the mere fact he had used a lightsaber back in the hanger showed he was a Jedi and he also had to know these people would find some dirt to find out where they had come from. Mathes knew all too well about Sith and their dark, mysterious ways, however, there was something about this Sith that made him sound...genuine in nature.
"And just how are you planning to help us? Do you really know what we have come here for Sith...or do you just presume to win me over with false pretences?," Mathes said with disdain.
The Sith let out a mild chuckle, "Haha...Jedi you are smarter then most and I respect that. But, you would be wrong to assume I am attempting to misguide you, cause you see I have met your Revan once before. I have fought alongside him and the woman named Meetra, they came here before all of you."
Mathes no longer tried to hide his emotions, the Sith had literally just said the names of the two Jedi they had come in search for. "You have seen these two...who have actually met them? Where are they? Why did they come here?! Anwser me Sith!"
"Calm yourself Jedi...I will anwser all your questions, but not here. We will go to my chamber where we are more able to speak freely without fear of eavesdroppers nearby. Come, we will go now and stay close to me," with that the Sith walked across the room and toward the door. The doors slid open and he walked through turning and awaiting the Jedi to follow.
"How do I know I can trust you?," Mathes asked.
Smirking the Sith replied, "Do you really have much of a choice Jedi.."
Smiling in response, Mathes followed the Sith, not knowing where they were going or what would happen along the way. As the Sith had said, there wasn't much of a choice in the matter. He could have chosen to stay in the room, but there was no guarantee the Sith would have done nothing. Also staying in the room did nothing for him to find a way to escape this place, best thing was to play along and scope out the ship and hopefully he could manage away to get back to the Republic fleet. His mind paused as Mathes thought about the fleet, had they been destroyed...? Was his wife and everyone aboard the Defiant dead...? He couldn't bare to think about his wife being dead, the mere thought of it was to great a pain to bare. Perhaps, when they reached the Sith's chamber he could ask him about the fleet.
They walked into a larger room that seemed to be connected to eight other rooms similar to the one Mathes was enclosed in. The room was far more lighted then the hanger or the small room he had come from. In the center were crates and along the walls were terminal, which could be only be believed to be for monitoring purposes. The Sith stopped by the crates and pointed to the one to the far left, "That one has your belongings, I suggest you hurry I ordered the staff to leave while I interrogated you. No doubt the Commander will send someone to investigate, we need to be out of here before then."
Without a second thought Mathes opened the crate and collected his gear, "Where is this chamber of yours? Won't they go there also when they find I am no longer in here?"
"Absolutely, which is why we must hurry. I will tell you everything I can in the short amount of time we have but we aren't staying on this ship for long. In fact I'll be going with you back to your ship."
Mathes paused from putting on his robe, "Your taking me back to my ship? The fleet is still in tact?"
The Sith nodded, "Yes, your fleet is in tact for now...but the commander will eventually take things into his own hands, there is tension between Sith and Impirials you see. Orders are not often followed with the highest calibur...perhaps that is why we were always meant to fall."
He didn't know what to say to that but he could feel disgust in the Sith's words. As he finished putting on his boots and clipping his lightsaber he nodded for the Sith to continue to lead. They walked through a passageway before coming into a large corridor, the walls were garnished in red banners and paintings. The Sith made no pause in his long stride as they walked its entire length. Turning a corner they found a lift, as they walked up to it the doors slid open. As they walked in, the Sith pushed a button for a floor that was higher up.
As the lift headed it, it was ackwardly quite, the only thing that could be heard was the beeping of the lift as it passed floor after floor. Finally, it stopped and again the doors opened to reveal a much nicer deck of the ship, if you could call it that. The Sith stepped out quickly and extended his hand to stop his Jedi companion from stepping out.
"Hold on, let me see if it is clear to proceed," he said as he walked ahead to check corridors and the rooms ahead. "Alright come on"
Mathes felt very strange about all this, he just couldn't gather how this Sith knew of Revan and Meetra. He was even more confused about how the Sith said he had fought alongside them, how could be have fought alongside them? There were so many questions spinning in his head and he hoped the Sith was right about being able to answer them. They walked down two corridors and made two turns before arriving at to massive black doors. The Sith stepped toward them and placed his hand at the center of what appeared to be a ceal, the doors responded and slid backward.
"We are here," the Sith exclaimed as he gestured for the Jedi to enter.
XXXX
Back on the Defiant, everyone on the bridge awaited anxiously for some kind of a reply as to what had happened or what was taking so long. Carth stared out the viewing window, his eyes had not left the ship that the Republic shuttle had boarded the entire time. His entire focus was on that ship and the companions it now housed. The captain and other crew on the deck were continually scanning and making readings as to what may be going on or what surprises would soon happen. Cassis and Bai were seated by a few empty consoles both of them staring blankly at the floor. Looking up to see a disheartened Bai, Cassis said, "I can not tell you not to worry bai...but I can say not to loose hope, I am sure they are both fine. We know them better then any, it would take alot to kill those two, they are both too damn stubborn."
Bai let out a mild laugh and smiled at Cassis, "Thank you Cassis...I know and I am glad you are here to help."
"I wouldn't be anywhere else Bai, I am honored to be here at their side and yours. You are my friends and friends stick together, no matter what," Cassis said with a smile.
Getting up, Bai sat next to Cassis and hugged him, a tear falling down her cheek. She couldn't help but worry about Vaner and Mathes, all kinds of negative thoughts of what be fell them. Bai worried most about her husband, he was strong and greatly skilled, but not no one was immortal. She held tighter to Cassis and sobbed softly, when the comm went off above them. The captain had begun to alert the ship, they turned to look out the viewing window. The armada had begun to move toward them again and fighters had been deployed, they could feel the ship manuevering for combat. Cassis let go of Bai and looked at her, "Stay here, I am going to man a fighter. Do not do anything reckless Bai, please..."
He turned and left the bridge, Bai looked about, Carth had already taken over the pilot seat and began using his own manuevers to dodge the oncoming fire from the enemy ships. "Man this is a big bitch! I can only do so much with her, you guys mind and shoot at something! This is a warship!," Carth yelled sarcastically.
Without a second though, Bai took over a console and began operating a turret, firing at the enemy fighters. "Carth! stop moving so radically, this isn't the Ebon Hawk!"
"Damn shame too! That ship would come in handy right now. I'll ease up a bit, you take out those fighter sweetheart!," he winked toward Bai as his hands flew at the controls to stable the ship.
On the comm the captain could be heard, "All hands to battle stations! All hands to battle stations! Begin operation SABER, I say again, begin operation SABER!"
"Bai! This is Cassis. I raised on my personal comm channel, we will keep in contact through here. I'm already leading a squadren out here, we passing the bridge now."
Fighters spead past the bridge starboard viewing window, they broke formation as an enemy squadren engaged them head on. Meanwhile, the fleet began to fire on the armada ahead. Heavy cannons opened fire and impacts ensued through the battle, halls were breached and explosions could be seen as fleets clashed head to head. Bai fired at another fighter through the console, it exploded with the first shot, "Mathes...where are you? What has happened...?"