4. May 2016: chapter updated
A/N: somehow, chapter three is still a mess. I rambled a bit on Revan and it got a bit long, so I've moved that to the bottom
"Twice transmuted and reborn to the Mother." – Veijel believes the array refers to Darth Nox. A credible assumption, considering circumstances on Balmorra, with the Sith spirits, and Belsavis. Coordinates attached. Common sense says it isn't wise to investigate, but curiosity says otherwise.
Nox – since I know you'll be eager to seek out such a curious source of potential power, I highly suggest not going alone. I have no doubts that you'll understand the dangers that are likely going to be involved.
With a groan, Rei let her datapad clatter to the table, rubbing tiredly at her eyes as she tried to wrap her mind around the notes Talos had left on his report. Most of he'd gathered from Veijel was, as Rei had expected, completely useless. Talos had, however, highlighted a few sections with notes of his own, a collection of thoughts on Veijel's various projects and summaries of the more important reports.
Instead of forcing herself through the entire lengthy document, Rei had been able to simply skip to the important sections. Now, however, she was beginning to wonder if it would be better to actually read the entire thing.
It wasn't making sense.
"Everything okay over there?"
Rei glanced up at Theron, having forgotten that she wasn't alone in the safehouse. With another long sigh, she propped her chin in her hands. "My lieutenant and I are taking over the galaxy with comm arrays and the ghosts in my head — or something like that, apparently. And on the Empire's credits, too."
He stared back at her for a moment as if waiting for clarification, brow raised in skepticism. "Okay then."
"You don't believe me," she accused.
"I never said that."
Turning back to the datapad, Rei scrolled through a bit further only to find that the report on the comm arrays continued on for several pages. "I don't really believe it either, but stranger things have happened." She felt her face scrunch in concentration as she considered ignoring Talos' advice and going alone. It wasn't the pirates he was worried about, she was sure, but that wasn't enough to sway her. She set the datapad down again, and noticed Theron eyeing her warily.
She didn't frighten him — she'd known that since Manaan. But Rei knew she made him uneasy, unnerved him in a way Lana didn't. Some part of her knew rationally that it was likely because he and Lana had been working together for several months at that point, where she herself had only shown up a few days before. Still — fear was good, cynical resignation that she'd zap lightning at someone at some point was mildly annoying.
Besides, Rei hadn't been given any reason to zap lightning at anyone, least of all Theron. For her, it was enough that Zaara trusted him — trust, of course, being relative with the agent; Zaara knew she could count on Theron within the mission itself, but even Rei had noticed the increased security measures she'd been taking.
As for Rei herself, she had no reason not to trust Theron. As far as she was concerned, the only one who posed any threat to her while she was on Rishi was Lana, and she claimed to be outside of Sith power plays.
"You don't have to look at me like that, you know," Rei pointed out lightly, not bothering to hide her amusement at Theron's discomfort. "Like I'm going to turn on you at any moment."
"Right," he scoffed. "Forgive me if I don't exactly take your word for it."
"Trust me," she grinned, standing and tucking the datapad under one arm, "I have my own subordinates to betray. They're far more annoying and far less good looking." Flashing the most innocent smile she could muster, Rei didn't wait for a response, instead heading outside the safehouse to look for Talos.
Lana waited until she was absolutely certain that Nox had left before she made her way downstairs from the stuffy room she'd claimed as a bedroom.
It wasn't that she didn't like Nox — she hardly knew the woman well enough to judge, really — but she was familiar with her type, and if her relatively brief history with the Dark Council was anything to go by, Nox would more than live up to Lana's expectations. Despite Nox's relatively cheery attitude, Sith like her were ruthless; every move was deliberate, every act a carefully coordinated power play.
Even worse — Nox was reckless. Which, really, was the exact opposite of what they needed at the moment.
However, Nox had been civil so far, even if she'd left as they'd tried to fill her and Zaara in on the situation with the Revanites. And if she was as powerful as her reputation suggested and as eager as Zaara claimed, that was enough for Lana.
"You can go over the data as many times as you like," Lana teased as she rounded the corner into the safehouse's main room, "it's not going to change." She wasn't surprised to find Theron already up, especially today; they weren't planning on making a move on the Nova Blades until Cori arrived, but they did need to be prepared to act soon.
"Actually," Theron countered, "I was checking on your Jedi. Unless we want her wondering around the cove, someone should probably get ready to meet her when she lands. You have remarkable timing, you know," he added after a moment. "You just missed Darth Nox."
"Oh?"
"I'm sure that wasn't at all completely intentional."
"Not at all," Lana agreed lightly, offering an innocent smile. "There's nothing wrong with Nox," she defended after a moment. "She's rash, of course, and has a reputation for dealing with problems rather… swiftly. And violently. But I do believe Agent Ven was right to say that Nox will be a huge asset against the Revanites."
"If she even bothers to help." Theron looked like he had more to say, but something on the console screen caught his attention. "If I'm right — and I should be — Master Cori just landed. I was going to send Zaara, but she headed out earlier with Jakarro to scout the area. I can send one of her team, or..?"
"I'll go." The words nearly came out too quickly, and Lana frowned; Theron was already hung up on the idea that there was some sort of mutual attraction between her and Cori — there was no need to reinforce the notion. Clearing her throat and hoping to draw the attention away from herself, she asked, "Why don't you think Nox is willing to help?"
"Maybe because she's spent half her time so far dealing with something else?" Theron suggested with a shrug, sarcasm coloring his voice. "Whatever she's on Rishi for, it's not to deal with the Revanites."
Lana pursed her lips; Nox had seemed distracted by something else ever since arriving, but there had been no doubts that she was fully committed to helping. "She seemed focused enough on taking down pirates yesterday."
"Yeah, well, Nox said a lot yesterday."
It took a considerable amount of effort for her to hold back a wry grin. Nox's flirtations hadn't gone unnoticed by anyone, and it amused Lana that Theron seemed so perturbed by the attention when earlier he'd so easily brushed it off. As Lana slipped on her hood — not the best as far as disguises went, but suitable considering the short amount of time she'd be gone — she remarked, "Not fond of having a dark lord as an admirer?"
"Admirer is one way to put it." He frowned for a moment before sighing. "Don't you have a Jedi to rescue?"
"Yes, yes, I'm going." Lana adjusted the loose mask so that only her eyes were left uncovered. "Wherever Zaara and Nox have gone off to, I suggest you get them back here soon. Now that everyone's arrived, we really should act as quickly as possible."
Theron gave another sigh, dismissing Lana with a wave. "Don't worry, I'll have everything ready by the time you get back."
Lana made her way down through the safehouse and out into the alleyway, not terribly concerned that it would be difficult to find Cori; reaching out with the Force, she could easily sense the Jedi amongst the crowds. She was more concerned that she would be recognized, and kept her head down as she walked.
Even without the Force, Lana would've been able to spot Cori from the opposite side of the cove; unlike the grimy, suspicious pirates that made up most of the crowds, Cori walked with purpose, her pale armor spotless. A droid followed alongside her dutifully.
Maneuvering around one of the market stalls, Lana slipped behind Cori. "Stay quiet, and follow me." She placed a hand on Cori's arm, leading her back towards the safehouse.
"Lana?"
"Apologies for the deception. Theron and I have been taking every precaution lately."
Cori pressed closer to Lana — a fact she tried to ignore — as they squeezed through the crowded street. "Is it that bad?" Before Lana had a chance to answer, Cori suddenly perked up, glancing over her shoulder. "Oh! You remember Teeseven?"
The little droid let out a series of beeps. T7 + Jedi = ready to help / Revanites = don't stand a chance
"Of course." Lana had only met T7 briefly while Cori was on Manaan, but it was hard to forget; the droid had an unusual amount of fire for a T7 unit. "What about the rest of your crew?"
The Jedi's lips twisted into a dissatisfied frown. "I'll have to let them know what's going on. I had visions, but... we couldn't be certain it was you and Theron leading us here." She paused, her steps slowing. "What is going on, Lana?"
Lana didn't answer until they were a safe distance down the alleyway the safehouse was hidden within. "A lot," she admitted, tugging the hood and mask off. "We've tracked the Revanites here and located their allies, and we're now prepared to finally move against them. Our original plan was to gather the team from Rakata Prime, but…" She sighed. "There have been a few complications."
"Complications?"
"Major Sohms and Darth Evris have elected not to join us. Agent Ven arrived yesterday, but—"
"Zaara's already here?" Cori interrupted, before promptly apologizing.
Lana nodded. "You remember Darth Nox? From Manaan? She came with Zaara, and I believe that the three of you will be more than enough to take on the Revanites. Or, the Nova Blades," she corrected, "their allies here on Rishi."
Cori was silent for several moments, lips pursed in thought. "I guess we should get started then," she finally decided. She glanced up towards the safehouse, then at T7, then back at Lana. "I know there's more important things," Cori admitted with a smile, "but it is good to see you again."
"Likewise." Lana returned the smile, ignoring just how pleased she was to be working with Cori again.
"Well, Agent, fill me in." Andronikos crossed his arms, expression neutral as he waited for the togruta to explain. When Zash had told him Rei was headed to Rishi, he'd expected to find her knee-deep in trouble, dragging a protesting Ashara along with her.
Not… this.
The coordinates Rei had sent him had led to a veritable menagerie of Sith and Jedi and spies, and no one seemed quite certain as to Rei's whereabouts. Ashara, at least, was protesting the trip as Andronikos had expected.
Zaara buried her head in her hands, groaning. The Jedi sitting across from her gave a short sigh. "The galaxy is ending and, as usual, we're here to stop it."
From the couch she was seated at, Ashara frowned. "Nox said we were going to take a short trip to help out Zaara with something, and instead we're stuck here for Force knows how long while she and Talos and Zash do… something."
A smile tugged at the edge of Andronikos' lips. Maybe Rei was knee-deep in trouble — whenever she and Zash went traipsing around remote planets, it never tended to end well. "She didn't say what?"
"She left this morning to check out some coordinates right outside the cove," Theron supplied.
"And we can't afford to be preoccupied with Darth Nox's absence," Lana interjected, lips pursed in concentration as she surveyed the group. "We're more than ready to begin, if we're through with interruptions."
"New plan?" Zaara suggested, lifting her head just enough to peer up at the Sith.
"Is it necessary?"
The agent pulled herself up so she was sitting straight, massaging at her temples for a moment before explaining. "Our best bet is still to split into two groups — one for sabotage, one to thin their numbers. I just think we should reconsider who's doing what. Andronikos would be valuable help."
"So, what? We send in your team and Andronikos with Cori?" Theron asked dryly, raising an eyebrow.
"No." She rolled her eyes. "Andronikos, Kira, and I will take care of the Nova Blades. Cori, Temple, and T7 can take care of the rest. Don't worry, we'll play fair."
Andronikos watched the exchange with amusement; he still didn't have a firm grasp on why exactly such a group was gathered in a crowded safehouse on Rishi, but somehow it didn't surprise him that Rei had gotten herself tied up with them.
Ashara sat slouched forward onto the table, her cheek resting on her folded arms. She toyed absentmindedly with a discarded cup, sliding it across the table with her free hand. The safehouse was empty, save for her, Lana, and Theron; the latter two were busy monitoring the mission progress, leaving Ashara with little to do.
"What does the Empire teach about Revan?" she asked suddenly, propping her head up on one hand. She'd asked Rei about it months before, after Manaan, but she hadn't known. Unsurprising, considering Rei had spent as much time in Imperial schools as Ashara. Which was to say, none.
She'd learned about Revan as a Jedi, as a cautionary tale of the dark side and the power of redemption. Not the tale told to Sith, she expected.
Lana was silent for a moment, hesitating before turning to face Ashara. "Revan was a powerful leader as a Sith lord. A brilliant tactician. She was betrayed by the Jedi and eventually turned her back on the order entirely before she disappeared. There's… a lot of gaps in her history."
Ashara gave a quiet hmph before turning her gaze back to the empty cup, poking and prodding at it.
"Not quite what the Jedi teach?"
She glanced up at Lana, finding the Sith expectant—curious, even. She stifled a sigh. "The Jedi like to focus on the part where she turned from the dark side and devoted herself to the order." Ashara had learned the whole story, of course — about Revan as a Jedi, then corrupted as a Sith, only to have her identity stripped from her by the Jedi council, replaced by Layla Karris, the woman who walked the path of the light side but remained independent from the Jedi. "If they could just forget the part where she left, I think they would."
"And, I would assume, her marriage to Bastila Shan?"
"Their marriage was never official. They just lived together until Revan disappeared, and raised a bunch of kids together." The cup tipped over, rolling across the tabletop. Ashara reached out with the Force to keep it from clattering to the ground, then rested her head back in her hands. Where Layla had completely turned from the Jedi Aorder, Bastila had at least attempted to remain on good terms.
"As absolutely riveting as this conversation is," Theron interrupted, "we'll have to cut it short." The safehouse holoterminal sprang to life, revealing Zaara and Temple. "If the Nova Blades' comm chatter is anything to go by, you've been fairly successful?"
"Fairly successful? How insulting." Zaara grinned. "But, yes, we've accomplished what we came here to do. We've done enough terrorizing here to send a very clear message. And Kira and Andronikos have gotten on incredibly well. It's unnerving."
"We also believe we've found a suitable new target," the Ensign chimed in. "Thanks to the lieutenant you pointed us to earlier, we've received the location of the Nova Blades' slave camps. An attack there would cripple their operations considerably."
Lana gave a short bob of her head in agreement. "Theron and I had discussed the possibility. It does seem to be the logical next step."
Ashara had perked up at the mention of slave camps; there was little that put Nox in a better mood than taking out slavers. Between that and Andronikos' return, she might actually be in a good mood when she got back. Either way, it wasn't a chance Ashara was going to pass up. "Take Nox with you," she piped up.
Zaara cocked her head. "What was that?"
"Ashara says to take Nox with you," Theron relayed. "Which is up to you, but…" He shrugged.
"No, she's right, it's a good idea. Cori can stay here to cover us, I'll coordinate with Jakarro for transport, and Nox and I can get to work liberating slaves. We'll call it a day and be back before dinner. Everyone's happy."
A/N:
1. revan - I was originally going to use the "canon" revan bc it's not a huge deal as far as this fic goes, but I'm a bit attached to my revan and I'm not even a fan of "canon" revan anyway. like I said, not a big deal, and won't even come up again until somewhere like chapter 20 or so
2. that said, I'm fond of the idea of the empire and republic using revan's story in different ways and utilizing different aspects to their advantage. I wanted to try and touch on that without going too in depth bc it's not the focus