"How long?" were the first words out of her mouth when she awoke in their bed, mouth dry and bladder full.
"Hello to you too, and ten hours," answered Corso, moving from the desk chair to sit at her side.
"Stars, ten hours. How could you let me sleep so long?" She shoved the covers down and bumped his backside with her knees until he stood up so she could roll out of bed.
"You were exhausted, that's how," he chided. "It's not as if anything's going on."
"Still," she huffed and closed the 'fresher door.
Corso leaned against the desk, out of her way while she scurried around the room getting dressed. Quite a show she was, pale and naked in the dim light, displaying a subtle grace despite the frenetic movement. He wanted nothing more than to tumble her into the pillows and...
The comm chimed as it had every hour on the hour since they'd jumped into hyperspace. Scourge's knight trying to get through on his encrypted channel again.
"Let me guess," said Ky twisting her hair unto the band that held it out of her face in a loose ponytail. "Sayonar, right?"
"Yeah. She's been consistently calling for a while now."
"Might as well get this over with," said Ky. "Bad news don't get good by putting it off."
The Jedi's holographic image flickered above the unit in the conference room; erect and proud, dressed in battle armor with a long dark braid lying across one shoulder.
Sayonar inclined her head. "It's good to see you Ky but where is Scourge?"
No point beating around the bush. "I'm afraid he didn't make it," answered Ky, her gut twisting with the too recent memory of abandoning the Sith to his fate.
She kept her eyes keenly focused on the knight's face, expecting a reaction. No tears, no display of emotion cracked the stony visage, impressive even for one of the Order given how much the Jedi loved the Sith Lord.
She believes he's still alive.
"I don't—" Sayonar started to say.
"Not over an open channel," Ky intervened. "Even an encrypted one may not be secure. Do you understand?"
"I do," said the knight. "Where would you like to meet?"
"You know of Scourge's sanctuary?"
The Jedi nodded.
"Good. We'll meet there in..." Ky glanced at Corso for a timeframe. "Eight days." She relayed the number of fingers he held up.
"That's a long time to wait," sighed the Jedi.
"It always is," said Ky. "And Sayonar, no fleet. Come alone or bring one other. I'll be watching."
"You don't trust me." The Jedi frowned.
"I don't trust the Jedi Order and you by extension," replied Ky and disconnected.
"That didn't go too badly. Considering," said Ky, digging her fingers into her temples, scrubbing in tight circles.
"Sounded like she thinks Scourge is still alive."
"Maybe he is." Ky dropped her hands to her sides and headed toward the door. "I'd always thought Jedi and Sith hoodoo was one step too far into Crazyville, but given recent events—who am I to say? It'd ease my conscience a whole lot, that's for damn sure."
The aroma of freshly brewed caf drew her toward the galley where TooVee placed a steaming mug on the counter in front of her as soon as she sat down.
"If you had a dick and a tongue, TooVee, I swear I'd be in love," she joked and took a careful sip of the hot brew. "Ahhh," she sighed and licked her lips.
"Yes, Mistress," the droid responded with droll incomprehension that made her chuckle and give Corso a sideways glance.
"Why the long face?"
"I'm just worried about you, I guess. What Scourge said changes everything." He stared at his hands clasped on the counter, thumbs twiddling nervously.
"It changes nothing." She set the mug down and topped his hands with her own. "I'm still the same, the only difference is now I know."
"Yeah, and who else knows?" He jerked his hands away and turned to face her. "Kriffing hell, the Republic and Empire alike would try to duplicate what you can do. Weaponize you, somehow. They'd never stop hunting you."
"Only you and Scourge know, and I doubt either of you are going to say anything."
"And what about the other times you've used this so-called gift?"
"Dromund Kaas and Lumsten III were cake walks. Any pilot with mad skills could have pulled those off as well as the forays into The Maw. There was nothing about those to raise any flags. Even Scourge thought it was just some inherent skill or instinct. Hell, even I didn't fully understand what I could do until the Nulastine."
"And that's the problem, you still don't fully understand any of it." He combed his fingers through his hair and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Dammit. I know you. You take risks, always have. I'm scared to death that you'll be more reckless than you already are." His eyes searched hers, hoping for some sign that he was wrong, a sign that never came.
She folded her arms across her chest. "I've always done exactly what was needed to keep the ship flying. This is just another weapon in my arsenal, so, why would any of this surprise you?"
"That's not all though, is it?" His eyes were unrelenting, trying to crack her unbreachable shell. "What about the headaches, the nosebleeds, the strain it puts on your system until you pass out? Stars, Ky, it could kill you."
"A lot of things could kill me. These past few weeks haven't exactly been the norm. I've been forced to do what I needed to survive and use all my tricks to pull our asses out of the fire, more than once." She raised her chin in defiance. "I refuse to be ruled by fear. Not mine and not yours."
"Kriff! I don't even know how to help you. You'd rather open up to some crazy Sith Lord than me." He sounded like a petulant child and couldn't help himself.
"So that's it," she said flatly.
"No, that's not it, or at least not all of it." He dropped his gaze to her chin, unable to decipher the emotions flickering in her eyes. "Aw hell. I knew I'd screw this up. I get so tongue-tied all the words come out wrong, and everything gets all twisted around."
"Go on. Out with it," she prompted.
He took a deep breath as if steeling himself for a gut punch. "Look," he started, "I know I've always loved you more than you love me and I can live with that, but what hurts is that you feel safe sharing your life with someone else but not with me."
She tilted his face upward with the edge of a knuckle, needing to gauge his expressions. "It wasn't a case of feeling safe. Scourge had no skin in the game and knew a great deal about me already. After all that Voidhound nonsense, the Jedi, the SIS, hell, even Sith Intelligence probably knew how many times a day I took a piss."
No trace of humor touched the mahogany depths of his eyes. She continued. "We all leave traceable footprints from birth to death, and nothing stays hidden forever. Somebody always knows something it's just a matter of ferreting it out. And, I might add, you've hardly been a fount of information."
She placed her thumb against his lips to stop the rebuttal before it began. "If I wanted to dig into your past, I'm sure there's plenty of information to be found, but, I realize now that none of it matters." She brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead. "I almost lost you. That's what changed everything, and all the secrets just aren't that important. Keep them if it brings you comfort, I won't ask again."
He pulled her from the stool and wedged her between his thighs, arms loosely encircling her hips. "Fair enough, but promise me one thing. You won't use this gift of yours again."
She slowly shook her head. "I can't do that. I've already told you I'll do whatever it takes to keep the ship flying and you and the crew safe."
A mirthless smile touched his lips. "I reckon there's no point in arguing, but tell me one thing, if you can."
"Shoot."
"You said you were in the arena for three years, how did you get out?"
Old memories flooded her mind, painful depictions of innocence taken and the sacrifice of a friend. "Let's just say I was a consolation prize in a lost bet."
She placed a kiss on the tip of his nose and broke free of his embrace. "I'm going to take a shower and then get something to eat and a hot cup of caf."
"One more thing," she said over her shoulder. "You have no idea how much I love you, but someday you will."
Confessions of being an idiot and an apology entered the shower with Corso, and amidst the steam and cascading water, all was cleansed and absolved. Surrounded by the scent of herb and spice, hips locked to his and spine against cool tile, she took the length and breadth of him. He rocked her gently, gripping her thighs and she hid her face in the rivulets that ran down his neck. Release came like a zephyr blowing ripples across restless waters, leaving tranquility in its wake.
New and fresh again, old wounds, concerns, and guilt trickled down the drain, swallowed for a little while. Recycled, they would rise again, but today, she would take the squeaky clean and worry about the dirt tomorrow.
The Segomo began transmitting its transponder code as soon as they entered the solar system and the answering signal directed them to the fourth planet. Untuar IV proved to be little more than an abandoned mining colony in the Mieru'kar sector. Too far from the class F star to benefit from the warmth, the surface was doomed to a frozen wasteland much like Hoth.
Bunker entrances peppered the landscape offering ingress to subterranean landing bays, but the beacon they followed led to the base of a mountain range where blast doors opened wide for Scourge's ship.
Bags in hand, Ky and Corso disembarked down the ramp toward the greeting party of six; her three crew members plus Kira, Sayonar and Seph Okarr.
Bowdaar strode forward boisterously to embrace Ky in wooly arms, lifting her from her feet with woofs and grunts until she scratched under his chin and demanded he put her down. Gus shuffled his feet and gave a cursory 'welcome back, Captain' while Akaavi remained silent, eyes narrowed and arms crossed.
Sayonar stepped forward, her eyes lingering on the empty ramp before turning to Ky. "I am grateful for your safe return. If you're not too tired, we should speak. Scourge may not have much time."
"Master?" said Kira, dropping her hand to her lightsaber hilt.
"Yes, I feel it too," answered the knight. "Stay your hand, Kira."
"We can find someplace more comfortable," offered Seph.
"I'm fine here, and I want to get this over with as soon as possible." Ky set the rucksack at the Jedi's feet. "He said to give this to you. Said for you to keep it safe and he would return to you if he could."
"There is much of the dark side emanating from that bag," stated Sayonar with a shiver. "Seldom have I felt such power."
Ky shrugged. "Scourge called it The Spear of Division. It has something to do with his curse, and that's all I want to know."
"He is alive," stated Sayonar with conviction. "I can sense his presence although distant and faint. Please, you must help me find him."
Ky crossed her arms, her gaze steadily fixed on the knight. "No, I don't. I've had enough of the Force, the Emperor, the Sith and, quite frankly, enough of the Jedi."
"I would think you'd want to assist. The Jedi Council is prepared—" Sayonar started to say.
"Prepared to what?" Ky interrupted, raising her hand in dismissal. "Use me again and then cast me aside like so much trash? Where the hell were they when I needed help standing up to Saresh and her cronies to get my contracts reinstated? Oh, that's right, they couldn't get involved in politics. A bunch of tight-assed, mealy-mouthed, gutless..." Ky took a deep breath to calm herself. "You and the Sith both boil down to just three little words. I am Jedi. I am Sith. No difference. It's all just an excuse for bad behavior."
Sayonar's demeanor turned frigid haloed with a hint of sadness. "I'm sorry you feel that way. However, I must find him, so please tell me where to begin my search."
"I agreed to meet to honor Scourge's last request, not to bring up old grievances about the Jedi or argue with you. Guess you touched a nerve, so best to keep the Council out of this," said Ky, easing back at the Jedi's nod of agreement. "I want you to know that I tried to save him, but he Force shoved Corso and me out the door and closed it behind us. There was no time to go back. I left him at the center of the Nulastine Drift. There was an explosion, and what became of him after, I couldn't begin to guess."
Dismay crept like a shadow across Sayonar's face. "Force help me. Tell me everything."
Ky recounted all of it; the lab, the emperor's children in stasis, Tajno and how Scourge stayed behind so that she and Corso could escape. She omitted the details of her talent out of necessity and a strong sense of self-preservation.
Kira paled at the mention of the children and Sayonar's brows wrinkled into a scowl.
"So, you're telling me that Cirris Tajno was a child of the emperor? How could we have missed it for all those years?" The knight sharpened her stare. "Did he survive?"
"How the hell should I know?" snarled Ky. "And get out of my head. Use your Force mojo if you have to, just not on me."
"My apologies, old habits. After all, you know, and after Scourge sacrificed himself, you still won't help?" Sayonar frowned.
"Don't try to guilt me into this," countered Ky. "Scourge will understand my reasons. I helped him achieve his goal, destroy the book and the lab, and find the key to his cure. He wouldn't expect any more from me and neither should you."
Sayonar picked up the rucksack. "If that's your final word, then so be it. I will waste no more time trying to change your mind."
"Take his ship," said Ky. "The engines are faster, it has better shields, armaments, and maneuverability. All you need to do is replace the warped transpacitor casing and restock. For what it's worth, I wish you luck."
"Luck has nothing to do with it. I have the Force," stated Sayonar coldly.
"Yeah," remarked Ky, picking up her bag and turning to Seph. "Want to show me to my ship? I'd like to get off this rock."
"Where we going?" asked Gus. "Please say it's someplace warm."
She reached for Corso's hand. "We're going to chase a rainstorm."