The Galactic Exodus Chronicles Part 2 :The Galactic Civil War

by Lord Exar Kun

Now with the rebels dealt a mighty blow, and the renegade Moffs about to strike, the galaxy finds itself moving closer and closer to full blown war! The Galactic Civil War is about to be unleashed upon an unsuspecting galaxy, and this is not the war you remember in the least. Follow Exar Kun, Darth Vader, Leia, the Emperor, and everyone else through this next chapter of the GEC.

52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

(Hutt Space, Nar Shaddaa, Red Light Sector, A few Days Prior)

Standing on the relatively clean walkways of the red light sector of Nar Shaddaa, Minko Rallos felt a bit...out of his element to say the least. Hutt cartel security forces, a mockery of regular officers of the law across the galaxy in their dull brownish and black armor, enforcing the 'laws' of the Hutts and of the criminal syndicates, made him frown in disdain and silent contempt. An officer of the Empire and in his twenty-third standard year of service, before turning to the Moffs and their rebellion against the Emperor, after witnessing atrocities in the Outer-Rim, Rallos now was in the service of a man he found worth a modicum of respect. However, general Coldor Morlin deserved and received more than just some respect from Rallos.

Even as scores fell upon Neona, and worlds crumbled under the Imperial boots of reconquest. Even as millions died, and as families were ripped to shreds, sometimes literally, Morlin presented himself as a true military officer. Doing what was necessary when it was necessary and expressing respect where do and giving it in return, but withholding when it should be withheld and showing the same to the enemy in kind.

Looking up towards the skylines of Nar Shaddaa, the smuggler's moon, Rallos pulled the coat he had brought with him from Procopia tighter around himself and sniffed the air as it reeked of scents meant he assumed to be enticing, and a mingled mess of the spice dealers offerings, and that of the madams of the night flaunting their bodies about the walkways and brothels. He had landed not but two days ago, and still he found walking on this scum laden world one of the most ghastly missions he had ever been tasked with undertaking, but the general needed his services and he would not let general Morlin down.

"There needs to be something brought about from this moon, for his and all our sake, or I just wasted a vacation leave to this blasted moon." He mumbled as he finally moved away from a local air-bus he had taken from another sector of Nar Shaddaa.

For night fell upon this moon, and the many stars beyond lit the sky above, but so did the endless sea of lights from across the city covered moon.

As an officer of the Moff Alliance, and as an officer, and gentleman in general, being on this unsavory and lecherous moon made Rallos beg for a front line operation, but he also made plans to write a report to the Grand Moff council on the future necessity of 'eradicating the Hutt filth,' and it could not come sooner.

However, he had a job needing done, and made his way across the walkway towards a cantina he had been made aware of by a Spice addict in need of a fix. Supplying the Twi'lek with a few credits to meet her needs, she told him the person he was looking for was within. Possibly halfway to being drunk, but that would hopefully make him more agreeable.

Along the walkway toward the bar were the destitute of galactic society, laying, or standing, or kinda just dangling on the side of a building, among the street. Those whom prostituted their bodies for credits, for drugs, for whatever made him sick, especially when he was approached, and just to get them away as soon as possible, and get their soulless stares away from his person he fed their needs and threw some credits to the street as a gift. Though some were pitiless enough and most inhumane to one another that they fought among each other.

"How disgraceful." He mumbled again with a shaking head, as his hand reached to and gripped his blaster hidden along its holster within his coat. The guards of the Hutt interests and eager to maintain the facade of a clean and relatively safe place for tourists broke the squabbling up. A little slap and slamming of a blaster to the head followed but everyone walked away with their lives.

The cantina was before him now. It was lit brightly in pink and green in an odd mixture of color that lit the street below, where some Weequay, and Trandoshans were speaking to one another. A few open shops filled with odd smelling fruits and other; likely fake, goods lined the square in front of the cantina, but beside a few feeble attempts to capture his attention again, Rallos stepped into the cantina and had his senses assaulted by the chatter of those within and the sound of music. Alien and unusual to himself, Rallos paid it no mind and made for the bar. Finding an open seat, on his left a Duros speaking to another alien...he believed Neimoidian, and to his right another open seat, and the next seat over had a rather depressing sight of a Shistavanen staring numbly into a glass filled with orange liquid.

Once more shaking his head in disgust Minko awaited the notice of the barkeeper, who was serving others down the bar. Seemed to be a rather large human male. Gruff, tall, and stocky in build. A fine human specimen among a sea of aliens, but Minko was no racist, or 'specist,' as some would label those humans who took violent dislike to aliens not of human stock or at least human looking stock. Minko just understood that on Nar Shaddaa, one could spend enough time here and learn to hate non-humans.

"What's your poison?" Rallos snapped form his musings and found the large barkeeper, with a healthy amount of facial hair staring down at him, but with a seemingly coolness about him. Rallos smiled.

"Oh I shall have an ice heavy glass of Retsa."

"Ice heavy eh? Where's the fun in over diluting a drink in a bar?"

"Oh well I may be here for a drink, but I may also be here looking for a captain. I need to hire him for a job." The man laughed as he reached for a glass, and the desired Retsa.

"Boy, I don't know if you're aware, but you're in a bar on Nar Shaddaa, in the red light district. There are hundreds of pilots around, but most are too busy getting themselves a cheap hour of R and R, or drowning their pain and sorrows in a glass and keeping me and the business afloat." Rallos smiled and nodded as he was given his heavily ice filled Retsa. Taking a sip off the glass and watching the barkeeper cock a brow Rallos wiped his mouth of any extra liquid.

"I appreciate your insight my friend, but I'm looking for a specific pilot out of the sea of them. You see, he kinda has been requested for a special task by my boss."
"I don't like trouble in my bar." Rallos nodded.

"Understandable, but you assume I am some sort of moronic bounty hunter?"

"Nah, you're no bounty hunter, you're likely an Imp right? You're way to proper and; for lack of a better term, nice."
"Too obvious?" Rallos frowned as the keeper laughed and nodded.

"Well I'm not Imperial, but I'd rather not announce to the galaxy that I am...closely associated. I just need to find a pilot, he was part of the navy for a time before he was more or less dishonorably discharged, but let's just say we want him for this job because of that." The keeper shrugged.

"It makes no difference to me really. I just don't want no shouting, no shooting, and no spooking. Gotta make a livin' ya'know? People don't like a bar that sees dead people and loud fools ruining their good time, or silent wallowing in their self pity."

"Not going to be an issue at all. I was directed here by a less than reputable Twi'lek." Again the keeper laughed.

"Plenty of them anywhere you go my friend."

"No doubt." Rallos laughed, and sipped his drink again, and appreciated the taste some more.

"Nonetheless. I'm looking for a Corellian. A bit loud and obnoxious according to those who knew him."
"Too many of those come through here my friend." Rallos released an annoyed breath but nodded understandingly. He thought more, and then a thought came.

"Okay well Corellian, brown hair, annoying, obnoxious, a decent pilot, and bragger. Uh Solo ring a bell?"
"Solo? Han Solo?" Th keeper asked with an air of knowing know about him and Rallos nodded enthusiastically, and hoped his search on this dreaded moon was over.

"Yeah I know him. The man apparently never can pay for anything. He has a tab here as of a week ago, and he keeps coming back and opening up more tabs. Guess he never expects me to make him pay up."
"He here?" The keeper nodded and pointed towards a wall where the back of a mans head was all he saw and a rather large Wookiee of all creatures...or beings depending on what you thought of the walking carpets.

"That's him and the Wookiee seems to be his 'partner.' Starting to make me think the guy is into some freaky stuff, ya'know?" Rallos laughed and nodded again, and took a rather large gulp of his Retsa.

"Well I assure you, I won't cause you any trouble, but if you'll excuse me," he pulled a set of credits from his coat and placed them down, "I have to speak with the captain. Keep everything leftover."
"Many thanks. While you're at it, tell him he's cut off, and to pay up too." Rallos bowed his head and wrapped his coat around himself tightly once more and made his way passed many patrons of many races and species to reach Solo.

Coming to the seating area, a cushioned seat in a half circle around a central table Rallos looked at and tilted his head as Solo hung his face over a large glass of...something half empty. The Wookiee grumbled something at Rallos.

"Uh...I don't speak Wookiee."

"It's called Shyriiwook, Wookiee speak, or something kid. And he just asked if you needed something" The tired and indeed half drunk voice from the man came as he made no move to move himself from the glass.

"Ah yes, forgive me, but I do not speak Shyriiwook, but no I don't need anything I was-"
"Then whaddaya want?" Rallos cocked a brow at the immediate retaliatory retort.

"Well...is this seat taken?" Rallos pointed to a portion of the cushion, nearer to the Wookiee that was free, and Solo finally looked up. Eyes slightly glazed, and gruff hair covering his face and chin from lack of a shave, and messy hair atop his head, he sniffed, looked at the seat then up to Rallos with a cocky smirk.

"Does it gotta name on it kid?"
"No."
"Then nobody owns it." He mock presented Minko with the seat and the Moff agent bowed in thanks and took a seat and nodded respectfully to the Wookiee, who was also nursing a drink. The Wookiee seemed pleasant enough and mumbled something in Rallos' direction who sent a polite smile back before facing the Corellian again.

"To start things off captain Solo, I'm no kid. We are in the same decade years of our lives."

"How'd you know my name...kid?" The man asked with a huff and another swirling gulp of his drink.

"Well it's clear to me you are far more abrasive than your file let on. Captain Han Solo of Corellia. I know your name, and world of origin because I am an officer of the Moff Alliance, and we were not so stupid as to not keep records on those who served in the Imperial armed services before we seceded."

"How's that war working out for you guys huh?" The Corellian asked, an air of apathy laced with annoyance in his voice, and Rallos scoffed.

"A mutual acquaintance sent me here to find you and ask for your services in his hour of need. He is looking for men with specific skills, but also morals, but frankly I think he has seen something in you that doesn't exist."
"Yeah well join the club kid. I got plenty of people who hate me. Now if ya don't mind I'm drinking here."

"That is a shame, but no matter. I will tell general Morlin that you turned him down without putting any real thought into the matter. Captain." Rallos rose to stand and bowed to the Wookiee, but he noted with a feeling of victory that a momentary clarity came over the man and he stopped himself from drinking another gulp of his drink.

"Wait..." Rallos stopped from walking away too quickly, and Solo turned to look at him in the seat.

"You mean Coldor Morlin? That old relic still playing war games?"

"For a man who thinks it funny to send jabs at our situation in Tapani, I would think you know the public face of our defense there. Yes Morlin is in command and he specifically asked for your services. Hence why I'm on this cesspit of a moon." The captain turned back in his seat and with his left hand rubbed his forehead. Out of annoyance, or from dizziness Minko didn't know, but the Wookiee asked Solo something in his language and the captain waved him off.

"Well don't just stand there take a seat." Rallos smirked to himself and returned to the seat an air of victory about him.

'His file did state he has a sense of morality and service, even if it may be warped. As it seems to be with Corellians.' Minko thought in humor.

Han slapped his own forehead as if to slap the buzz he no doubt had away and shook his head before clearing his throat and leaned into his seat some, as the Wookiee grumbled and shoo its head at the ridiculousness of his human companion. Rallos folded his hands into his lap atop his coat and awaited the captain to make the first move into conversation. Civil conversation that is, or as much as was possible with a Corellian...drunk. Until he proved himself otherwise of course.

"Okay, so..." the captain once more rubbed his eyes. "let me get this straight here. The old man from Kashyyyk told ya to come out here to the back end of the galaxy into Hutt space to come get me for a job? You're kidding me right?"
"I wish I were captain, as you have made a horrendous first impression." Rallos replied with no air of anger about him, indeed he bore a smile, but Solo sneered, but said nothing in retort.

"So...what's the job? I mean hell I ain't making much credits in this line of work. I suppose I could get in on something a little more...Coreward."

"Tell me captain what IS your line of work?" Solo chuckled, and stretched some before leaning in.

"It let's say involves a little of this, a little of that. Transporting this box to that world, and a box there and back, and keeping it out of sight of more legal eyesight."

"Smuggling? Who knew an ace of the naval academy could fall to so low a level as piracy."

"Hey! It ain't piracy if I ain't stealing nothin' ya'know. I just do a little transportation work for some Hutts here and there. The pay ain't that bad, so if you feel like talking to me like an idiot I can just as well stay here, and you can tell the old man that you were the one to mess the deal up." Rallos cocked a brow in reply to that, but shoved a sarcastic bite down, and leaned forward himself into the table.

"I..." Rallos tuned to his right and Solo to his left as the Wookiee had also leaned in, and Rallos nudged toward the Wookiee.

"Who is this Wookiee?"
"Name is Chewbacca, or at the least I haven't been corrected on that front. Ain't that right Chewie?" The Wookiee growled and mumbled in agreement and sipped whatever it was drinking.

"He's been with me since the whole...Kashyyyk thing. Says he owes me uh...uh...oh right life debt." Again the Wookiee nodded happily and Han shrugged.

"I can't get rid of him no matter what I do, so I guess I'm stuck with the big fur ball." The Wookiee grumbled and began to go into what seemed to be a tangent.

"Hey, hey! Keep calm big guy it was a joke." Han settled and the Wookiee seemed to brush the human off, and Rallos cocked a brow. Half humored, and half confused.

"Look, Wookiee's aside, and my uh...what would you call it?...Oh my current state of soberness aside, what's the deal with the old man? Figure I at least owe him a listen for getting me off Kashyyyk with Chewie here with our skin literally still intact." Chewbacca let out a small whining grumble, and it sounded sad to Rallos, and Han gave him a sad look.

"Ah yes, the actions that were taken upon Kashyyyk were highly regrettable...lord Vader is known for his brutality." Rallos mused, and Han had a sour look fall over his face as Chewbacca grumbled.

"Nonetheless, general Morlin requested that a task force be assembled. The war is bad on all fronts. We got that psychotic in the Outer-Rim, Nelrain pressing on all our fronts with those blasted battle droids from the Clone Wars, which I might add should have all been smelted after the war, but what's done is done. The URM is a menace in the Outer-Rim, and one that will need to be taken care of soon, but for now we got a bigger problem, and this is the main reason for the formation of the task force." Rallos looked around the bar in paranoia before leaning in further and continuing.

"The general barely got approved to do such, and he wants men he explicitly says he can trust, and your name as that forces leader came to him. Again I don't see what he sees but maybe this isn't the best place to make an impression." Rallos offered and Solo nodded.

"Besides captain, Don't you want to help save the galaxy from the tyranny of the Emp-"
"Save the speech kid. I've heard it all before, and frankly your Moffs make being part of the Empire look a little tame. Plus you got the 'official' rebels under the URM banner and they seem to be winning every battle they enter, while you guys and the Imps bleed each other for the fun of it, and tear one sector of hundreds to bits." Once more Rallos looked around the bar, and leaned in as close as comfortable possible.

"Listen to me captain, and listen good because I am not going to repeat this...ever."
"Lay it on me kid." Solo retorted, obviously not giving much care to Minko and his serious tone.

"It's no secret that the Moffs are a rabble of mini-emperors all playing whose got the bigger stick. Both bigger stick in regards to firepower, and their pants, but I digress." Solo got a chuckle from that, but listened on.

"We in the military understand, at least the officer corps that signed on to this secession, that the Moffs will have to go as well, but for now they are the leadership, and have too much control over resources for any sufficient...replacements to take place."
"A coup?"

"Coup is such a dirty weird, but yes captain. A coup. One that is already being planned after we first win this bloody war. General Morlin is not aware of this. Many in the group I speak of do not yet know if military puritans like he can be trusted with such knowledge. He's a good man. Of this I have no doubt, but when he makes his loyalties they are not easily broken unless those he allied with betray him first." Han shrugged understanding what the officer said.

"Well...for what it's worth the guy did save quite a few Wookiee's and my backside on Kashyyyk when it looked like I'd be tortured, skinned, and have sticks shoved under my fingernails. He's got some credit...I think." Rallos nodded.

"Agreed. However, that's not the point. The point is; the Moffs are by no means going to create their new Empire after this war. The Moff Alliance, and the Empire must die and something new, something better has to rise from its ashes. Not the Republic, that is still too much of a bad word in the inner circles of many in the galaxy, but there has to be something better than the Empire and its offshoot dictatorship, the Moff Alliance. Needless to say the URM is no better than if we had let the CIS win the last was, so that is so far out of the question I cannot even dare to fathom a victory under that woman who scares the Moff hierarchy more than lord Vader I dare say."

"Quite the scary enigma them women are eh?" Solo retorted and Rallos for a moment stared at him, but then cracked a small smile.

"I would say so, but I wouldn't know. The war takes full precedence over women captain. I can assure you no man of this war can even think of women right now. Neona for instance is making the poor general more gray haired by the hour last I gave him a look over. Not to mention he's going to blow once he finds out what's been going on there."
"That being?"

"Oh..." Rallos sighed, and huffed. "Civilian mobilization, suicide bombings, human waves, and lack of any respect in regards to POW's. However, this is all pointless small talk captain. The point of my being here, and the hope of the general Morlin, is that you will return with me to Procopia, and meet with him, and join up to lead and create the task force he has in mind." Solo leaned back into his seat and looked to his companion who mumbled...as if to say not to bring him in on any decisions made by the Corellian.

Rallos then had a final afterthought, and mentally had to admit he would sigh if possible.

"There is going to be good officers pay, and a chance to not only help liberate a galaxy, but a bit of glory will be earned, and the chances for higher up work, or a healthy military retirement fund couldn't hurt eh?"
Solo laughed, and clapped his hands together.

"Trying to sweeten the deal kid? I like that. Lets me know you got a little bit of smuggler in ya!" Rallos rolled his eyes but nodded.

"Can I take that as a yes to the invitation? No obligations are yet made. Those will be made before Morlin."

The Corellian sighed.

"Ah...what the heck?! I was gonna go to the Outer-Rim, maybe explore some, deliver a little extra spice for the Hutts outside of Hutt space itself, or something like that. But! If the old man wants to see me, I suppose it's the absolute least we can do eh Chewie?" The captain turned and the Wookiee whined, but in a manner that showed the harry being war annoyed by the captain...in a friendly sort of way, and Rallos smiled, and thanked whatever greater power there was he could get off this sphere of debauchery.

"Great!" Rallos responded and got from his seat.

"The faster we get off this moon and back to Procopia the better. Where's your ship?"

"Oh uh...well you see..."
"You don't have one do you?" Rallos winced and placed a hand to his forehead. The Wookiee began laughing at the Corellian.

"It's not my fault! Okay after that Lannik run that can we called a ship was good for scrap!"

"Do tell then captain Solo what were you planning on flying, and how did you plan to get offworld?"

"Well...I was gonna see a guy about a thing, and maybe ask ya for a lift."

"You planned on that after I sat down didn't you?"
"...maybe..." The Wookiee laughed aloud and caught the attention of some patrons but they ignored him after a few moments and Rallos sighed. Deeply, and with obvious agitation.

"Very well then. I suppose I can purchase a cheap shuttle...the wonders of mission necessary credits I suppose."
"Good, yeah, good uh great, but uh, lets just get booking." The Corellian suggested and Rallos frowned as well as looked to him.

"Why the sudden rush?"
"Well you see I'm kinda...broke, and I owe this barkeeper a load of credits, and he's kinda busy now, so if we hightail it, I think I can get out of this debt."
"By the...what has Morlin gotten me into?" Rallos huffed but motioned for the Corellian and the Wookiee to follow him, and the three discretely left the cantina.

A few hours later they found and purchased a run down but usable freighter and were on their way to Procopia. The Wookiee made for interesting copilot company whilst the Corellian slept his buzz away, and Rallos was just happy to be off Nar Shaddaa, and never wanted to return.

(Procopia, Day Ten of Battle of Neona)

"I want the names of those put in charge of the Neona defense Kerr. I want their names, and frankly if you can I want them shot by a firing squad before Neona is lost to us and when that world falls I will thank the Force. I tire of reading the reports from that world, and I'm itching to sound a retreat, but I am a coward Kerr."

"A coward sir?" The adjutant repeated as the general stood, hands clasped behind his back staring out a viewport to the admittedly peaceful and serene fall of the local star as night came.

"I am. For a man who is not a coward would sound a general retreat or order his men to surrender, and what am I doing? I am doing none of those, and appealing to the status-quo of that blood drunk Kath hound Kaine. We will lose many hundreds of thousands of men on that planet and we will, I will, be forever stained in the blood of children with bombs strapped to their bodies, and civilian mass charges. I will be remembered for being the bastard of Neona who didn't let the bleeding and wounded get the kriff out of the hell, and fight another day." The general ran his right hand across his face, and turned to face his adjutant who looked over a datapad and frowned.

"It would appear, general sir, that the leading commanding officer of our divisions on Neona was a Moff."
"A Moff?! Would the council allow one of their own to go to that hell and die?!"
"He's a lower Moff, a planetary Moff, with some war background, but it's negligible." Kerr handed the datapad to Morlin and he scanned for the name.

"Moff Yanell Korith. How in the name of the Force did he get planetside without my knowing?" The general asked even as he continued to scan and the adjutant awaited, and finally, with frustration taking hold of the general he gave the datapad back to Kerr.

"Here it is, sir. He was transferred from the Bogden attack...Moff Kaine had him moved due to failure to defend the Bogden positions. He apparently removed acting lieutenant-general Voli and made him secondary commander to Moff Korith. Korith...if it is any consolation general, was killed in the second wave assault reportedly under command of Lord Kun not but a few hours ago."

"And Voli?"

"He...died as well, in a TIE bombing run over the secondary command center. Leadership has fallen to major-general Ulo, but communications have been down for three hours, and we have been ordered by Moff Kaine to assume the Neona front is a loss, and begin preparations for a full counterattack, and reconquest." Morlin visibly shook with anger that Kerr had never seen before in the man, and only after a few moments of the general taking in long and deep breaths did he seem to calm, and silence reigned for several moments as the general went to the viewport and stared out towards Procopia. His hands remained clasped around his back, and his jaw was set as he contained his rage, and anger. Never once speaking a word about Kaine, even though Kerr knew that the Moff made Morlin feel more enraged than anyone else. Even the commanders fighting him on the side of the Empire garnered respect and reverence from the general, but allied Moffs filled him with an unspeakable rage.

"Moff Kaine wants a counterattack does he? Well then let's not disappoint him Kerr." The lower ranking officer looked immediately surprised and his mouth slightly fell open but he shook the feeling away.

"I don't understand general."
"Understand what Kerr? We've been ordered by Moff Kaine, our acting Supreme Commander to launch a counterattack on an enemy position. What is there to not understand?"
"The fact that such a counterattack would be suicidal on principle! Forgive me sir but may I speak frankly?"
"You may." Morlin motioned and retook his seat behind his desk, and folded his hands together on his desk as he looked expectant for Kerr to speak. Kerr on his part could not understand the sudden change of tone and manner from his general, but he intended to speak his mind on it.

"Moff Kaine is ordering an attack that will drain our little resources even more thinly if we launch such a move. We have almost lost the entirety of the Freeworlds region and the Cadriaan region is most certainly going to fall to the Empire in the next few days. We have been pushed further and further back, and the Moffs seem to think we have the capacity to launch attacks endlessly as the Empire still does, and as the URM seems to have. The fact of the matter is we lack sufficient ability to launch any attacks! You have made it clear defense and immediate counterattack are our only options in this situation. If you launch such an attack, it will by default cede both regions of the sector to the Imperials, and we may as well evacuate Tapani to the Empire!"

Morlin nodded after the tirade against the plan.

"My thoughts exactly Kerr. For these reasons we will conduct a counterattack of our own designs and preference."
"I don't quite follow, sir." Morlin nodded again.

"Of course. I shall elaborate then. The Freeworlds still are in alliance with us, and their allied fleets are still under our command. They will be placed under command of an admiral from our ranks and aid us in counterattacking, and we mass these naval assets at both Allandor, and Reyna. Will will launch a two pronged attack toward Neona. One fleet made up of our slim ranks. I want every ship given a skeleton crew, and all positions that ca be replaced with droids shall be replaced with droids." Kerr nodded but still seemed confused.

"The other fleet will be of the Freeworlds, they too will maintain skeleton crews. Our main objective of this assault will be nothing more than to bloody the forces of the Empire orbiting Neona. If we suffer a great defeat above the world and lose thousands more men then already lost, it will send a message to the Moff council of Kaine's madness."
"So we sacrifice men to send a message?" Kerr would have been horrified if an officer had spoken to a superior officer like he was now doing, but in this moment he could not believe he was speaking to the same Morlin of last week let alone yesterday.

"No Kerr, we attack the Empire above Neona, and when we have lost enough ships...filled with enough supplies and droids to make the ship seem fully operational, and claim to have lost too many men, we will have no other option then to order a 'tactical withdrawal,' which might I add is nothing like retreating. This will force the Moff council to prioritize our needs perhaps a bit more seriously than they have in the past, and allow us and myself to effectively use what tactics I deem fit for our front." It was now made clear to Kerr, that what his general planned to do was fool their leaders, the Moffs into believing the front was crumbling, and get what they wanted as an after affect, and allow Morlin to conduct war as he saw fit. It put a smile upon the mans face.

"Ah...I see general sir. I think this plan has great merit myself." Morlin nodded.

"Now that, that has been made clear Kerr, I would like you to form these two fleets for immediate use at once. I have much planning to do for our other fronts. The two admirals Kun brought with him, especially Yinti are giving me a headache, and that woman attacking New Shella has all but wiped out our forces there with her forces. New defensive measures must be taken, and if we are to maintain the status-quo until our situation reverses against the Empire." Kerr bowed and stiffly made to leave with a renewed and empowered belief and loyalty for his general.

He didn't see that the general felt a distinct numbness, or that the general knew this war was not going to end well, and he felt firmly, that he would die before this wars end, and likely, by one he helped make stronger in war. General Morlin, would fade into the abyss of time, as most generals did, and frankly he awaited deaths sweet release from this galaxy of death and destruction.

(Imperial-II Class Stardestroyer, Magnificence, Orbiting above Neona)

Forcing eyes open and being blinded by light, Viathan immediately shut them and a low growl escaped his lips, as he sneered.

"This is a far too familiar situation." He groaned out, and forced his damnable eyes open once again, and allowed them to adjust to the whiteness of the room, and the unnecessary brightness. After several moments of that, and blinking enough times to feel comfortable enough eh allowed his eyes to roam the ceiling he was staring at.

"A ship?" he asked to no one, aloud, and confused as the images of Neona flashed before his minds eye. The bodies flying, burning, stinking of death and rot that covered the entirety of the world. Or so it seemed to him.

He had been sleeping, and he knew that. Dreaming too. Dreams filled with the explosions, and bright lights that made his body shake. He couldn't move or control himself within that dream and it was lie watching a movie. A bad and far too visceral movie of war. The war he fought it, and had far too much more of it to fight. He remembered that Juggernaut, massive and ramming into the main square of the city, dread and an unspoken fear racked his body in that moment. It fired and blew both the AT-ST that Hoy was within, and the AT-AT that general Veers was in command of down and away, and he didn't know for sure but he assumed them dead, but hoped not.

There was an inexplicable desire within him to allow unshed tears flow from his eyes, and he didn't know why and once more he hated himself and grit his teeth in unbridled rage to make the feeling go away into the abyss and never surface again.

'Damnable child! Stop your crying! You have seen and will see far worse, this is assured. Men will die before your eyes and worlds will burn all around you in the coming years, days even, maybe hours. So, why do you cry?' Viathan hated himself, and after so many years of torment, physically and mentally under his master...his ex-master the Emperor, why do these scenes of war make something within him hurt? Not physically, but wholly emotionally.

"I'm a pathetic child still... Some things never change." he sighed aloud and closed his eyes and began his attempt to sit up in his cot. A sudden shock of pain ripped through him, and a sharp intake and release of breath followed as he immediately fell back and stifled a scream of mixed anger, rage and pain. While another seething grunt escaped him and pain shocked his body, he heard the door slide open beyond his immediate field of vision and two pairs of footfalls.

"Ah, our most important patient has awoken." A males voice spoke first. Viathan released a succession of struggled breaths, they were shaky from the pain and he pulled the dark side around himself and allowed the pain, as always to feed it and give him power.

"Awake I indeed am, doctor, now I would appreciate being aided in sitting up to look you in the eye. Lest lord Kun be told of your unhelpful nature." Viathan knew the threat to be unnecessary, but right now he didn't karking care about this random doctors feelings or pinion of himself.

"Of course commander." He spoke formally, a voice similar to his and thickly Coruscanti. Viathan felt the bed push up, and realized it was mechanical. Soon enough he was pushed into a more or less sitting position with his legs still fully extended down the length of the cot, and he could look his doctor in the eyes. An elder gentleman, at least forty or so, in human years, brown eyes, graying dark hair, and a simplistic white garb upon his person. Beside him a woman, a younger assistant, perhaps a doctor in training herself, who carried a datapad with her. She was blond-haired, had a brilliantly bright set of green eyes; they reminded him of his fathers, and looked about...twenty or so? It did not matter really. Just another observation.

"Your aid is appreciated. Where is lord Kun?" Viathan made sure to check his words before they were spoken. Calling Kun his master would no doubt reach the Emperor, and that would not go too well for him. A new scar would no doubt be put across his body at the least, and frankly Viathan didn't need...nor want another one where he could prevent it.

"Lord Kun requested that I inform you that he is on world, and preoccupied with taking care of the token resistance left of the Moff forces there. He also wished me to inform you that your efforts mostly were what broke the back of the enemy, and that he merely gave them the 'final plunge of the dagger.' Quite extraordinary work you have accomplished commander, if you do not mind my saying. I have been most intrigued with you and your story since the HoloNet began broadcasting it." The doctor almost gushed and Viathan nodded, and relaxed some of his tension sensing the man to be harmless.

"Very well. What are my injuries from the last battle?"

"A great many it would seem. You were in critical condition for a few hours but stabilized in record time for myself."
"I heal fast doctor, and no I am not speaking in bravado. My ancestral people have strong and fast healing rates."
"I see, well it is an extraordinary ability. Too bad more people did not have such excellent healing abilities, but I digress." The man came closer and looked Viathan in the face and Viathan allowed him to.

"Forgive my rudeness commander, but I have not told you my name yet. I am doctor Wor, and this is my assistant and apprentice Sieda Noorsh." Viathan looked to her, eyed her up and down as she bowed some in a seemingly friendly greeting, and smiled at him, and Viathan merely nodded his acknowledgment of her presence, and returned his full attention to doctor Wor, as his name was.

"Now, as for your injuries, to list them off in a manner of speaking, you took several blaster shots to your legs and abdomen, and had some burns in varying degrees where they met your body, but some cream specifically meant for burns, and bacta, along with your healing abilities they seem to be healing wonderfully." The doctor pointed toward where Viathan knew several wounds to already be, and nodded his understanding once more.

"You had a few broken ribs on both sides of your body, at least one I could tell was broken and re-broken during your last battle. It has sustained massive trauma, and we had to set the bone to heal with a metal splint surgically inserted into your body. Don't worry though it can be easily removed under surgical care as well, and in a few weeks times it should be removed without issue."

"It's not enough that my hand is gone. More and more metal will riddle my body in time I see." Viathan lamented aloud and the doctor eyed the teen as he managed to lift and toy with his left and mechanical hand, the extendable claws removed of course.

"Ah yes, well...this is not permanent as I said commander. I am sure it will be easily removed once the bones have had sufficient time to heal."
"I though such wounds could be easily healed?"
"Well, bone-mending is not the easiest of tasks, especially with limited supply and facilities aboard these ships made for war, and no medical designed and minded ships are with us. By now it would be-"
"Impractical." Viathan finished and nodded, and the doctor cleared his throat before going on. A slight nervousness entering into the man.

"Beyond those wounds, you had scratches, bruises, and scars if you don't mind me saying, riddled across your body. We could not heal those, as they seem quite old...forgive me, it's not my place but how did you come by those scars?"
"You're correct it is not your place doctor, but they come from failure to accomplish ones task in an adequate manner and time. Leave it as that and never speak of it again doctor"

"Yes of course commander." The doctor responded, his voice shaky with a slight amount of anxiety.

"Other than that commander you are in top shape. Well as much as anyone could be in your situation. Lord Kun orders that you remain in bed and res-"
"No." The doctor stiffened as Viathan threw his sheet off his body, which the boy noted with sudden rage that he had been placed in other clothes than his own, and someone had to have seen him without his clothes, and despite the pain that rocked through him he flung his legs over the left side of the bed, and made to get up.

"Commander! I cannot allow you to get up! Not only because of lord Kun's orders but on principle alone you need your rest!" Wor claimed and rushed to the other side of the bed and Viathan stopped him cold with a stare as his eyes, which the doctor had only seen brown, were now an unnatural shade of deeply crimson red. The teens face was set and dark as he continued to get up despite the pain, that did nothing but feed his power, in an endless cycle of pain and power feeding each other.

"You have no say in this matter, and lord Kun is not here to command me himself. I need to return to the front and aid in killing as many Moffs as possible." He seethed and placed his feet upon the cold and hard metallic floor below, and came off the bed as pain rocked up his spine, and he stiffly and with a release of a sharp breath came to a full stand.

He was wearing a set of simple white short-sleeved shirt and had loosely fitted white sweat pants on, and he thought he looked like a damnable mental patient.

"Um, commander Viathan..." Viathan looked to his left and noted the voice was that of the women, young Noorsh.

"I would hope that you would please sit back, and then lay back down and allow your body some measure of rest and more time to heal. Overtaxing it now could delay your chances greatly of returning to any battlefield. Just because you outwardly are healing, does not mean your body was not racked by the battle below. Not to mention you were reported to have not slept all too well save for one time loosing too much blood, which is not treatment to recommend for those lacking consistent sleep." She spoke with an air of intelligence and sincerity in her soft voice, but Viathan grunted and made a first tentative step forward.

"I need neither a lecture nor any commands made by you ma'am, and you as well doctor. I am commander of men, and answer only directly to lord Kun, and the Emperor. If I decide I shall stand, I shall stand, and if it kills me then so be it. I shall die." They both stepped aside as he made to walk between them. He was still shorter than the doctor, but already as tall as Noorsh as he stepped closer toward the door, and he stood still after coming to a more open area of the room and he entered into the Force.

It screamed of death and destruction and the hell going on down on the planet. The dark side ran strong here with death, and would take many years to fully heal. However it whispered its dark beckoning to him, as the dark side festered and flowed around him as he allowed the pain to make him powerful once more.

Allowing the dark side to enter his very being he lifted both arms and flexed his hands and rolled his shoulders. Every move was pain inducing, but every sharp pain sent more power coursing through him. He stretched his body, legs, arms, and moved his neck about and eventually he forced the stiffness to numb into small throbs of pain and discomfort and he settled and turned to the two.

"I am healed enough doctor. I would like very much to return to the world."

"I was ordered by lord Kun to order you to stay in bed commander, but he ordered his captain to not let you down to the planet. I am afraid he also said if you did you would directly disobeying him, and that he would not tolerate it." Wor, shaken by the boys stubbornness and darkness informed Viathan, who seethed but nodded with a half sneer across his face.

"Fine. If I am to be punished for my failure to conquer Neona with inaction then so be it. I had a room aboard this ship once, do I still have it?"
"Well...yes lord Kun declared that if you were healthy enough to inform you, your room was where it was before, and that he ordered your things moved there from your last ship."
"That will do then. I have some things I shall do in my free time aboard this vessel, and make myself ready for my next battle. I shall leave you now doctor, and madam Noorsh, but I will not under any circumstance be made to stay here, and forgive my frankness, if you tried to stop me, you wouldn't have a real chance." The teen in monotone declared and the two looked stunned, but Wor cleared his throat once more and nodded.

"I see there is indeed n stopping you commander, but I would at least ask you don't overtax your body in any of your...activities you may partake in." Viathan nodded but said no more as he made to leave, and quickly exited the room, leaving the two to let out breaths of relief, and the only other thing the doctor thing was send a silent and defeated shrug to his assistant as they soon went to work helping other, hopefully more compliant patients.

---

Within a few hours, Viathan had returned to his room aboard the Magnificence and had showered and placed upon himself clothes identical to the last pair he had worn. Dark shirt based on his masters, leggings, and a cloak stitched into the shirt with hood and cape, and he found his things placed onto a table within his room, which was far more spacious than likely anyone else aboard the ship but for his master.

He dug through the sack they had been brought over with as a sudden anxiety about him as if someone had taken his things, but when he laid hands across the holocron of Darth Ruin and the datapad from the world called Lehon he sighed and laced both his valuable possessions onto the table and also found his lightsabers were atop a counter in his room, another dear possession being the saber of Ruin which appeared to be in good condition still.

After being 'forced' to stay aboard this ship by his master Viathan drove into his own head the need to become more powerful, stronger and more capable of winning his battles, of pleasing his master who now so cruelly forced him away from his men, the war, and field of battle. It was something he found himself itching to get back to, and put these endless images from Neona, from all the battles before in the back of his mind with fresh images of hell, in another endless cycle of switching horrid image with horrid image.

However, unlike the last several free moments he had before Viathan did not meet with his philosophical teacher, the dark lord Ruin and the small piece of him that remained with his holocron, he would do so another time. For this time he wanted to finally look into the dark secrets hidden within the datapad, and those of the Rakata.

Taking the datapad in hands and sitting down on the floor as he was accustomed to, Viathan activated it and was greeted with the massive amounts of data and sections that machine on Lehon had uploaded into the simple device. Traveling once more to the sections speaking on their 'powers' where he had learned to search out with the Force worlds rich in the dark side, he scanned through them once more. However, he began to note a very distasteful fact about a great many of these beings' so called powers.

Many of them, indeed a majority of them that were not abilities most Jedi and Sith had discovered themselves required blood, and blood rituals of the Rakata in which ones words and ones actions gave the blood meaning and power channeled through the Force. It was not exactly similar, but nonetheless close to Sith alchemy, only alchemy of the Rakata, and it sounded at times quite gruesome.

"The flame of power, controlled and released by your actions, will bring death and destruction and glory to the Infinite Empire, and its infinite power. For the flame they say, the weak, and the slave, cannot be harnessed and controlled, we say and make it so." Viathan read aloud and thanked the Force that machine and the Rakata had at one point made it capable of translation, even if at times it seemed like placements and words were either wrong or too grandiose or wrong, but he could understand it all with a few re-reads.

Reading through the powers written by these aliens in time long past, Viathan was more and more intrigued. The powers and abilities spoken of sounded utterly dark and diabolical at times. The searing of the flesh and spillage of blood, the archaic symbols, and trances, along with speeches and ramblings and one could make the stars themselves bend to ones will. It was here among the writings and of the old powers of the Rakata that Viathan realized that he could, and shall impress his master, and the whole karking galaxy. For he would learn these powers, the ancient strengths of the Rakata, and he would become a powerful Sith, as was his desire since the first moment he could comprehend what the Emperor, his elder master, and what his new and far greater master spoke to him.

Looking for simple powers and practices to begin with, Viathan laid his eyes across one in particular that caught his attention. This power, a simple one by most standards, only required a little blood of his own, and Viathan saw no harm in letting a little more blood spill from his body. Blood was nothing in the grand scheme of things, and more could be made by the body, and one cannot gain power and knowledge without a little sacrifice.

This power, which the writer of these ancient texts described as, 'hearing the voices of those who have fallen,' required only a small some of blood spilled to the ground, a set of symbols provided in the text, and entrance into a deep meditative state, and focus put onto your spilled blood, and accordingly, one should 'listen.'

Not knowing exactly what awaited him, Viathan quickly went to the kitchen provided in this far too luxurious room of his, and found a simple knife in a drawer. It was long and had a sleek and smooth look to it, but looked able to cut through Bantha hide with ease.

Once back by the datapad, and the numb, throbbing pain in his body still radiating, he brought his left hand up, and for a moment merely stared at it with the blade in his right hand and remembered the metallic nature of his left hand, and the vision of that Jedi woman came to his mind and boiling rage ran along his spine, and a rush of adrenaline pounded into him, as he seethed and silently placed the blade into his left hand, and readied the palm of his right for this ritual, and hoped that it worked and he didn't slice his hand open for nothing.

Bringing the tip of the blade to the point between his thumb and index finger and readying himself with a breath, Viathan gently rand the blade across his palm and grit his teeth as more pain radiated from his hand, and within seconds hot blood came rising from the wound and began to fall from his hand to the metal floor beneath. Quickly ending the self-mutilation and for a moment watching the dark, almost black looking blood pool and fall from his hand, Viathan looked to the datapad and found the symbols that these ancient beings used, and decided it best to merely copy and harness their techniques rather than play around with his own, at least for now.

There were three, all of them needed to be made with the blood of the one initiating the ritual. The first was a crescent, it had two lines going through the center, with the bottom one curved, similar to a cycle back into the crescent. The second was placed above the first in a triangle like manner, it was an oval, a line descending down from the center, and curved into two lines down from the end of that tip into an open and incomplete circle. The third and final one was to be level with the first and below the second, once more in triangular pattern. Squeezing his hand harder, for ever more blood to spill, he began drawing the symbol in his own blood using his robotic hand, the hand of a monster. The third symbol was a jagged line, similar to a lightning bolt symbol going from left to right, both ends would be curved at the end, the left curved up, and the right curved down, with a line drawn once more down the center, and a second line made into a cross along the first line. The finishing touch to these symbols was nothing but an upside down V running under all three, once more in his own blood, and Viathan followed the symbols exactly and when finished he took a cloth in his quarters and wrapped it around his hand, and made sure to go find one of the medical staff later and make them patch it for him in a more sophisticated manner, but for now, he would let it be.

Taking his sat once more on the floor with his legs under him Viathan came to face the upside down V and the three symbols ascended directly before him, he stretched and once more called the Force around him, and allowed the aches and shooting pain in his body to feed into his natural ability in the Force, and the dark side whispered and called to him in his mind once more. Closing his eyes and once more allowing his mind to wander into the abyss and into the calls from the dark side, he soon began to focus on those symbols and those symbols alone. He gave power to his own spilled blood and the symbols, he gave power to those long dead and gone, and he gave power to himself through the darkness.

There was nothing. No sound, no whispers, and no expansion of his mind, there was nothing, but deathly cold, and dreadful silence. His anger began to spike once more at the blatant nothingness, the 'deafening' silence of his mind in this moment, not even the voice of his madness mocking him, but then he sensed something. It was on the edge of his consciousness, but it was there. There was a voice, and not one he had heard before but it was mumbling and rambling

Viathan stretched his senses out further and further attempting to reach the voice, and soon enough it grew louder, and louder, but the voice was not one, but many all laced together, and rambling without end. He couldn't make out what they said at first but he strained himself trying to listen, and all he came to hear was separate but suddenly loud cries, and screams, noises of death and dying, screaming, and howling that had him grimacing more and more, but he refused to open his eyes, and he continued to listen to the mass of voices.

"A wanderer here into the abyss? It is not wise to come where there is nothing but pain, anguish and the cries of the fallen." A voice spoke to him, it was booming, deep and growling but spoke of no sinister intent, but raw power...it intrigued Viathan, but he did not know if he should respond.

"You may not speak, but your thoughts are not shielded here in the domain of the dead boy. I see every death marked upon your soul, etched into you like a fabric, a blanket wrapped around your body, and I see more will soon drown you in death and destruction. Your destiny is not your own, and you do not fear this. That is good, for none can escape the will of the Force. For many have tried, and many have died as a consequence."

"If you are all knowing then who are you?" Viathan responded within his own mind, but no aloud, and the voice was alone now, and all others were silent, and Viathan was cold and alone once more with this presence he knew not to be...normal in any manner of the word.

"You have spoken to those similar to I before have you not? The lords who have died, but refuse to fade from memory? The Darth's and lords of old, the living carcasses, and walking monsters of seared flesh renewed? I can see your life played before me boy, a scared child wrapping thyself in a sheet of power, attempting to erase what you were, who you are by forsaking the name of your ancestors, a family rich in devious hatred, rage, death, and drenched in the blood of millions of innocents. It is a glorious thing, son of a Zalliste."

"I know not of whom you are but yet you know everything about me. That is certainly rude at the least is it not?" Viathan retorted, though he was frowning at the blatant and seemingly all knowing nature of this beast within the abyss of this ritual he was almost beginning to regret.

"Who and what I am is a matter of debate, but I have been, am still and always shall be that which lies in the darkest shadows of the hearts f ever sentient beings. Their greatest desires, their hatred, and irrational fears. Those who hate based on blood, and those who kill for power, I am always awaiting another to join the fold, and I welcome all into my domain, the abyss awaits all of but embrace it and my boy you are quickly on your way, along the great path to joining your forefathers in this place of endless cries and screams from the abyss, as is your master, as is your old master, and as are those who wage this little war you fight in. A war whose instigation is driven by but a few who desire power, but waged by those who believe in it. A twisted thing it is, war, for it makes simple men, great killers, and they become my domain, and enter the abyss. I await all boy, and to those who attempt to escape me, as your master does, always, in the end, return to me." Viathan felt a chill run through his body, but would not back down from this oppressive voice. He had dealt with monsters before. Living and dead. This one was no different...whatever this thing was.

"I have come seeking power."
"As all do! You think that others do not? You came here based upon the rituals of the ancients, and seek the same that they did. You come for power, but you come for wisdom first and foremost. For I believe you find knowledge without wisdom useless do you not?" The words of Darth Ruin and his creed were thrown back at him, but Viathan did not waver.

"Indeed. Wisdom and knowledge are two different aspects of life. Wisdom to use knowledge attained is the true path to greatness, for without it our brains have nothing but useless words taking up space within. But you know this do you not, all knowing one?" It laughed, or Viathan sensed what was humor, and retorted with booming coolness once again.

"Indeed I know this. I know everything about you boy, and I await the sweet moments of your life that will utterly stun you. Your father that is an interesting line. Descended from the ranks of the Jedi and following one of their many civil wars you greatest forefather, Zalliste, lived from the battlefields and survived the massacre that took place upon the soil of the world you call Columus. A self imposed exile, to escape the sight of the Jedi, and a dictator is born. For the people you now belong to were barbarians, and fools. You know the most of the rest of your story, and that which you do not now will be made apparent to you in time, and I shall never deprive one of being disturbed by those whom they relate to. As such the mentioning of your mother, will never escape me, for that is something I myself cannot await to see unfold in the great streams of time."

"Enough!" Viathan yelled. "I want to know the power of the Rakata! I will become stronger and I will finally impress upon my master my worthiness of being his apprentice! That has and always shall be my one goal. For my life is nothing without a master, and battles to fight. Now, shall you aid me in gaining the wisdom I seek or simply ramble on my familial ties?!" Once more the thing laughed within his mind, but in a very slow and deep manner that betrayed humor, for superiority in Viathan's mind.

"Very well, Viathan, or Valek Zalliste, by whichever name you choose I care not. You seek to learn the powers of the ancients and become as powerful as they in service to a man that sees himself as the coming of a new Golden Age of the Sith. This ideal is folly, but has potential, for I see in you a perfect specimen to mold for something grand. I see worlds burning, peoples dying, and ideals twisted. I see what was once planned falling apart and I see the one person whose destiny I may not see unfold, the so called Chosen One, I prophecy much change coming into his destiny, and perhaps for my betterment, but time will tell. There are few whose destiny is not laid forth before me like an open book, and most of them are dead and gone, but he and his progeny are all that remain. However, I shall have my own chosen ones, and for now I choose three men of my own. Three men in all the galaxy who will be my emissaries."
"You still speak in riddles being f the abyss. I shall not remain to listen to your drivel much longer." Viathan awaited a retort that did not come.

"Forgive an elder being such as myself...it has been far too long since I had a captivated audience, and do not lie young one, you are intrigued by my 'drivel,' the fact you know not what I am makes me all the more interesting to your small mind. However, do not take offense, all beings have small minds compared to my own. No matter, you have used ancient and deeply archaic practices, and this shows you have potential, and I shall reward you for your attempt at attaining that which others dared not to in ages. So allow me to show you your ideological forefathers. Those who you call Sith lords in the manner you see them. Let us start at the beginning, shall we?"

Within his mind Viathan could see everything as if in a vivid and visceral dream, as a light cascaded over his vision, and not for the first time he found himself wondering where the kriffing hells his life was leading toward with more visions, and flashes. It was becoming something he was growing unwillingly used to.

"Behold, the scorching sands of Korriban." Viathan could see it as if he were there, and from ancient ships indeed were descending men and women cloaked in black robes. They commanded a race of red beings, Viathan knew them to be the original Sith, to bow and do as ordered.

"That one there leading is Ajunta Pall, the first of your kind, and one of the greatest." The man that was made clear to him was a simply robed figure, but he had an air of power about him that Viathan could not deny.

"See now all the greatest since him leading to you and your masters." For every name spoken an image of a being, all of them different and seeming of anger, and power flashed before Viathan, and it was indeed glorious that one so young and simple as he laid eyes upon images of men he had only heard stories of...women too.

"Marka Ragnos, the great Emperor of the Sith Empire, and the one who ordained your lord to take on the mantle of dark lord even in death. Another who haunts his tombs rather than return to the abyss." Robed tall, and powerful, the hybrid of human and Sith looked to be a colossus of power and intelligence as he stood before a mass of subjects with massive horns upon his helm and made him seem like a dark and barbaric warlord of a bygone era. But wasn't he, and so much more?

"Look then to the face of his successor, Naga Sadow. The one who brought the Sith once and for all into the vocabulary of those who lived within the centers of the galaxy, and back to light to the Jedi. Who waged a massive but short campaign across the stars and utterly wasted away thousands of years of an Empire in a one off and daring bid to gain ultimate victory and dominion over all in the galaxy. This lord was twice defeated by another of the living and cast into the abyss, and there he shall remain in eternal suffering recounting and reliving the failures at Coruscant, and Koros Major. He would be followed by Freedon Nadd, the one to ensure that the Sith remain an active part of the galaxy while a malignant sore festered in the unknown sectors of the fallen Sith empire and awaited his moment to strike."

Viathan saw Nadd and noted the man looked decrepit and old in a set of ancient armor. Visions of him striking down another Jedi in a younger and better state ran across his eyes.

"Yes, as always the Sith shall thrive and be reborn among the ranks of Jedi seeking to be more, greater and stronger than their fellow Jedi. For within us all is a kernel of desire for power that for some cannot be so easily suppressed. Nadd killed his own master for merely declaring him unfit to be knighted were his arrogance made him know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was to be a master. Killing her horrified but empowered him, and this one time excelling Jedi became a King to the planet of Onderon, and ruled with an iron fist, after traveling to Yavin IV and learning from, and subduing the spirit of Naga Sadow. Ever monarch since him upon that world has his blood within them, whether they know or desire it, it is a fact that shall not and never will be escaped from. Such as you will never escape whom your father, and your mother are, Zalliste."

Viathan sneered but remained silent as the images warped once again to an all too familiar face upon the grassy plains of Dantooine in Jedi garbs of old.

"One of the precursors to the great tragedy. Behold Exar Kun. Your master as he was nearly four-thousand years from your current time, and as counted by you in the realm of the living. For the fall of the Chosen One, into darkness and despair, and the death of the Jedi was not the very first time in all history such a move was made. Exar Kun was one of the brightest attempts to commit the great victory upon the Jedi. He was one of them, but arrogance and pride made him assured of his power, but more stupidly of his well to conquer the dark side of the Force as you call it. He would along with another Jedi turned to darkness, but this time by corruption, and poison, Ulic Qel-Droma, would wage war across the galaxy in attempt to kill the Jedi and obliterate the Republic, and from here we can begin what I see as the beginning of what will lead to the death of the Republic and Jedi of your galaxy, and begin the ascent of the one you dread, but must serve. Darth Sidious, your Emperor Palpatine."

The images of his master Kun, and the one called Qel-Droma, the traitor as Exar called him, flashed before Viathan. Both of them imposing and broad men who waged a grand war that lasted longer, and did more damage than that of Sadow, and it was a glorious sight to behold, that was until the scenes of Jedi and the traitor flashed before him and his master destroyed himself and his countless Massassi followers in a desperate attempt to save himself to fight on, and he was, and he will. It brought a faint smile to the boys face.

"Your master seeks to hide from death and escape the abyss, but it shall not last forever, and in time, one day he shall find himself within darkness, forever, and inescapable in its entirety. However, let us look upon his successors, the ones called Revan and Malak, two more precursors to the great fall. These two, one far more a Sith than the other were two of the most interesting of the Sith two be born of the Jedi ranks. One is far more a war leader than Sith, whilst the other is far more a Sith and brutal dictator. They were however, not Sith of their own right. A pity they did not fall of their own real volition. Rather, it was the dark lord of the shadows, Vitiate, that turned them into instruments of his future war, but they broke away, forged a new Empire, and began building for a great war with their old master, but in the end a Revan of the Jedi order, and not that of the Sith brought the whole thing crashing down. In the next many years to come Revan would return to fight the lord Vitiate, but he was not to ever be successful and in the end be defeated by one who shall pass into the abyss of history with little remembrance, and the name Revan shall forever be remembered as a monster to some, and hero to those, until finally it will, as do all names, pass into nothingness."

The two dark lords of the Jedi Civil War passed before him. The skill and power of Revan displayed and even felt by Viathan humbled the boy. Be him a Jedi or Sith, the man was filled with power few could ever claim to have, and skill most envied. Malak was a true Sith. A power hungry tyrant who grew to enjoy death, torment, and the suffering of ally and foe alike. Certainly not a Sith lord to be forgotten, but not one Viathan wished to ever meet in one manner or another, as he was self assured of the distasteful manner of Darth Malak.

"What follows these two is chaos, and death and it is wondrous. The Sith Triumvirate of the lords of pain, hunger, and betrayal. Sion, Nihilus, and Traya, are sights to behold, one could destroy whole worlds with his voice, and with power that few in today's era can understand. The lord of hunger was far more a beast than a man. The lord of pain nearly defeated death, but living purely on pain grows tiring beyond one's ability to prolong for much longer, while the lord of betrayal nearly brought all that was Sith and Jedi crashing down and thrust into oblivion, but was ended only by the actions of one who shall like Revan always remain an enigma."

Viathan found the idea of killing and entire planet with but your voice an interesting idea, but the vision of Nihilus honestly had the teen recoiling some. Something deeply unnatural surrounded that, thing, and it more closely felt like whatever Viathan was speaking to this very moment. The other beast, Sion was more sickening than frightening, but he was frightening as well, a walking and living corpse, and the old woman? The one called Traya had an air of intelligence, scheming and power around her, and her blackened eyes, gave one the impression that she saw nothing but in darkness, but that in darkness she held total power.

"From here we descend once more into the realm of the ancient Sith, the lord Vitiate and his Empire filled with thousands perhaps even millions of Sith, and those who desired to be Sith but never would be powerful enough. A lord who thought himself immortal, but in the end was dragged kicking and screaming to the abyss same as them all, Vitiate was the closest to achieving the goal, but not close enough. Those who served him were instruments of his will, his desire to slaughter all life, to feed his power and allow him to move on to new galaxies and commit the same atrocity time and again, which made him...utterly boring. A being whose only purpose is to repeat his actions, his grandiose plans over and over has nothing to give me. Nothing that interests me. The death of one galaxy followed by another, then another, and another, in endless replay all for the power of one man is truly a waste of potential.

Whom was far more interesting was those whom served under him. Marr, Malgus, Baras, Thanaton, Jadus, Mortis and so on. Yet even all of them would join with me into the abyss, and be followed by the Sith of the newer breed, but old ideas. Darth Ruin, the Dark Underlord, and Belia Darzu, lord Kaan and the brotherhood of darkness, then...one of the most interesting of all the Sith stock. Darth Bane, and the breed of Sith that now rule the galaxy. Moreover, came the lords, Tenebrous, Plagueis and of course Sidious, but the sweetest of all victories was the coming and formation of lord Vader."

All these Sith passed him in his vision and they all had power about them, and the majesty of seeing all these older lords in their struggles and with their power was thrilling for the teen aspiring to one day ascend to the rank of Darth himself and proudly display that moniker as his own. Vitiate was a dark bastion of power, his philosophical teacher Ruin the one to save the Sith from extinction following the passing of Vitiate and the powers that were Marr, Jadus, and the others. Kaan, whilst too much a fool, had a certain charm to him, and was at least at one point a lord worth fearing, in his ability to fool the Jedi for a long time and gather all the fractured clans into his Dark Side Dictatorship, state lead by the Brotherhood of Darkness in a twisted mockery of the Jedi order.

The Muun though...his ex-masters master, Plagueis was something else and Viathan was sure in that moment that there were beings out there that could match his master in power and intelligence, but in his cunning and scheming? Perhaps not, but then again, he had grown complaisant in his domination of the galaxy.

"Your showing me this long history lesson is appreciated for my own sake, but what exactly was the point?" Viathan asked at last and the being once more laughed.

"To show to you that you certainly are not the first to desire, crave, and need power, and you will not be the last, and you too will die, and I sense a death that certainly will certainly gain me some laughter, but we shall see. I wanted you to see that those more powerful than you have come and died, and that you will meet your end, but if you so desire the power of the ancients I shall deliver. Just know like all before and after you, your time is fleeting."

"I don't need to be moralized by you, or told lessons I know. My life is meaningless without service to a master. I seek no throne, nor any greater position, unless my lord imposes it upon me. Now I want what my purpose was. I want to see what the Rakata saw."

"Foolish boy, the Rakata saw, and heard me. As I see and hear all. I am but the one who opens the door into this path you enter. The rituals and alchemy those barbarians playing Empire is a dangerous path to power that even some Sith would grimace at. From now on your path into the deeper mysteries of the Rakata into the deeper darkness of the abyss is opened to you and your little mind. All you need now do is awaken from the slumber you have placed yourself into."
"What are you-"

Viathan's eyes flew open and he found himself on the floor of his quarters. He was laying on his side and had obviously fallen over where he had been sitting. He made to move back up and pushed himself off the floor, and noted that the pain in his body was not gone but oddly less noticeable. Looking at his right hand, he was more confused and furrowed his brow at the thin line across it as if the wound was already in an advanced stage of healing, and for a moment he didn't know if that was because of his heritage or if that...thing did something to him. He placed his metallic hand to his head and grunted out a sigh, and looked to what was his own blood upon the floor, and once more with furrowed brow he found that it was gone. The blade with dried blood upon it was still on the floor but the marks left upon the floor for his meditation was gone, and there was nothing left. He ran a hand over the area he knew it to have been.

"The kriff am I even doing anymore?" He asked aloud and rose to a full stand and stretched out his tensed muscles from laying on the floor...looking to the chrono and expecting a few minutes to have passed Viathan's eyes went wide and he felt a frown form across his features as the chrono indicated that he had been in his trance for at least seven hours.

"The kriff did I even do? What did I even accomplish but a damn history lesson?" He growled openly and threw the datapad onto his bed, and made for the entrance to his quarters and exited to the hallway, which was luckily barren for the time being. Viathan did accomplish one thing, and was ever so slightly enthused by it. He did apparently complete the ritual and speak to whatever riffing hells that voice was, and he did get to see the old lords in their glory...even if it did make him feel weak and small by comparison.

Beginning to walk with mild stiffness toward the bridge of the ship; a long trek that would be indeed, Viathan heard an unmistakable and familiar bout of beeps and buzzes from behind and turned to see his little shadow, Zeetee, as the droid flew right past him, and U-turned back to greet him with 'joyful' beeps and whistles, and Viathan gave a small smirk.

"I always think you are destroyed and lost somewhere my little droid, but you always manage to come back from the abyss." Viathan commented, but the word 'abyss' suddenly brought that booming and dark voice into his mind once more. The droid beeped and whistled, and forced Viathan to listen hard to try and decipher the droid-binary.

"The more you go off, and 'get pictures,' you are one day going to find yourself as scrap for a Moff refinery in the Outer-Rim, Zeetee. Wouldn't want that would we?" The droid beeped worriedly and Viathan gave another smirk and waved the 'worries' of the droid away.

"Needn't worry right now my little ally. You are here and safely put together. Your master is here well?" Viathan resumed his walk and the droid circled around him and followed; beeping away its answer to Viathan.

"That is good to hear. Though the fact he's in the infirmary is nasty business. Would still be there myself were I not given authority only superseded by the Emperor or lords Kun and Vader themselves, and what lord Kun does not yet know shall not hurt him my little friend." The droid beeped worriedly over the possible 'repairs' Viathan may need and the teen merely waved him off again and kept walking, tat was until he felt a presence behind him, and turned with a sneer across his darker features, and came to stand directly across from non-other that the redheaded nightmare of his childhood. His archival of old, Mara Jade. She had a nauseating smirk across her face and her arms were folded across a tight leather getup she wore as was customary of her style, and Viathan waved his cloak behind himself with his right hand, and visually placed his left hand onto Ruin's saber; clasped once more to his belt.

"What lord Kun doesn't know does not hurt him, but your treason will be brought to light. Going against your lords will, such a naughty boy you are. As I have always known you to be, Zalliste."

"Jade. I had thought I smelt your stench, but frankly distinguishing between a garbage-compactor and you is too difficult and not worth my time." She sneered and stalked forward slightly and Viathan brought his saber hilt forward and held his thumb over the activation switch with an itch to activate it here, now and skew the foul wench here and now. It...almost made him; sickeningly, wish he were dealing with Offee right now.

"What? You gonna' kill me, and anger our master Valek?"

"Do not dare call me by that name Jade. You are no one to speak it, and I am Viathan now. You are no servant to Exar Kun either, witch."
"You didn't see me on the karking battlefield? Were you hit in the head or something? I was right there at his side!"
"You are a spy, a liar, and a parasite I would gladly see impaled along a pike and hung for all to see were you not under the protection of the Emperor." She cocked a brow at that and recoiled at the image, and quickly fell into another sneer.

"Were you always so paranoid?"

"The two of you, end your squabbling now! Force save me from the youth of the galaxy and their karking angst and hormonal induced mood swings!" Viathan turned to see his master, in his dark gear and clothing standing with arms crossed watching the two of them bicker, and he immediately turned full around and bowed to his waist.

"My lord Kun."

"Save it my apprentice, she knows, and yes she is on our side." Viathan looked into the eyes of his master and back to Jade who smirked, and he sent her another sneer, but quickly fell to a kneel before Kun and bowed his head low in prostration and reverence to his master and lord.

"Then I kneel to you master. I wish to know my punishment for my failure to conquer Neona before needing relief from further Imperial forces." Kun scoffed and came forward, motioning Viathan to rise with a lifting of his hand.

"Your continued self-deprecation when you have not failed in the manner at which you speak grows tiresome apprentice. The situation upon the surface of the world has been rectified. All Moff resistance is melting away under our endless assaults and I have been informed all leadership has been decapitated. My job in this battle was easy. You had softened up the enemy enough for their last counterattack which left you incapacitated, their last effective attack against us. They could not stop my fresh troops, and Massassi hordes from ending all effective resistance, and all civilians under Moff command have officially surrendered. It was a magnificent defense and conquest you committed apprentice." Viathan kept his face looking toward the metal floor beneath as he felt rage spike through him, and at himself as his hands shook into balled fists.

"I failed in fully taking Neona and for that I must apologize, if not be punished my master." Exar sighed slightly and nodded. While Jade seemed to not quite understand why Viathan felt as he did, but said nothing.

"Very well Viathan. However, let us not focus on failures, and past battles. We have much work still needing done, and obsessing over the past helps nothing."
"Obsession leads one to greater wisdom master." Kun cocked another brow and re-folded his arms across his chest. Ready to hear this one from his apprentice, as was Jade.

"Go on."

"Obsession leads one to think tirelessly on an objective master. I may have told you this before. Obsessing to fix and never repeat mistakes will lead one to stubbornly never surrender to the same failures ever again. I shall always keep my failings upon Neona within my head, and the screams, the blasts, the howls, and darkness that swirled within my head, and never allow myself to forget my failings, and should I repeat them again, those memories shall also be added to my mind never to be forgotten until all past mistakes are never again repeated." Exar gave a single nod, and seemed thoughtful before waving his hands out in surrender.

"Very well my apprentice. If this is how you learn then who am I to deny you that?" Viathan bowed in thanks.

"Now. We have secured Neona, and we are receiving reports of possible counterattack through Imperial intelligence, however, we have bigger things to deal with. The Emperor has recalled myself and lord Vader to Coruscant for an in person war meeting. A new situation has developed in the Mid-Rim, concerning the Moffs."

"Involving Grand Admiral Zaarin, master?" Kun shook no, and motioned for his apprentices to follow him, and then eyed the droid.

"Is it wise to speak around this little droid?"
"He is loyal master, and I have possibly, maybe, sort of tinkered with him to make sure any unauthorized recordings are not made." Zeetee whined and Viathan gave the little droid a shrug, and it merely returned to silently following as Kun nodded and brought his two apprentices; who stood on either side of him, with him along his walk toward the bridge of the Magnificence.

"While Zaarin makes brilliant war across the Roche sector there is a slight, and perhaps bigger problem."
"Big enough for the Emperor to call you and lord Vader back, so big deal indeed." Mara added and Viathan rolled his eyes, in silent contempt.

"Indeed. Apparently Moff Kaine is reported to be acting Supreme Commander of the Moff Alliance military. He is not that bad a tactician, and so I would caution against underestimation you two, but that time will come. No, what the real issue is, is that we have for weeks now known of Moff movements toward the Chommell Sector. Which as both of you know, contains the Emperor's stated home planet of Naboo." Viathan nodded, having been once or twice...neither time liking the world for its association with his master, and the Gungans...those 'people,' he didn't find as tolerable as some could.

"It's a little world, average, a little rebellious, but that issue was taken care of a few years back." Mara added and once more sent Viathan's eyes into a reflex action of rolling.

"Be that as it may, the Moffs have launched an entire invasion of the sector. Despite our actions here in Tapani, and despite the moves of the URM in the Outer-Rim, with droids attacking their backsides and all, the Moffs have massed an entire battle-group and have taken several dozen border systems within the sector, in an obvious push toward Naboo. What they hope to accomplish is; no doubt, nothing less than a psychological victory against the Emperor and Empire." The dark lord stopped and made sure to stop his two apprentices' as well. Seeing they were still within an empty hall the Sith lord spoke only once both teens turned and looked at him questioningly as to why he stopped.

"The fact is, this attack has thrown off the general push plan made by the Emperor into the Expansion Region meant to take place soon after we secured Tapani, but we may no longer be able to maintain that strategy. A task force is already being prepared to defend Chommell and all ships making up this fleet are from the reserves meant for the general assault. As such our push in Tapani has been put on 'temporary,' hold."

Stopping to look at Viathan, Exar found the boy had pursed lips, a deeply furrowed brow filled with many emotions, anger, contempt, and unspoken rage no doubt at having his front halted by a man Kun had turned into nothing less than the focal point of this teens hatred, the Emperor, and Mara seemed too indifferent, but Kun knew her to be more disinterested on the matter herself.

'The boy puts far too much emotion into every aspect of his life... Then again, it does make him a good Sith indeed.' Kun mused.

"So that all being said, and it is rather tedious. We will return to Coruscant. All three of us, and my ship with a portion of the fleet we have orbiting Neona. I will be meeting with the Emperor, the admirals, and lord Vader should be on his way now, and if not soon enough nonetheless." A snicker escaped the dark lord. "Can't imagine how well it will go over should our dear friend lord Vader decide to test his masters command any further. The whole...Tatooine debacle caused quite a shock I have heard among the generals and admirals. Such the blatant disregard for the Emperors will must have been interesting." The Sith mused as his two charges watched on. One, that being Viathan, far more interested in his masters every word. The other, Jade, a bit bored looking herself.

"Well, anyways I found it an interesting thought." Kun straightened himself.

"Now both of you will not kill one another, and if necessary stay out of each others ways and keep things peaceful on this ship. You both are now in the same boat and will act accordingly or not serve me at all. It is your choice." Viathan bowed, and Jade shrugged, but both seemed to get the picture.

"Good." Exar remarked following his apprentices acknowledgments.

"We make for Coruscant within a few moments. I have but a few things to discuss with the captain about the situation on the planet below. For now I suggest the both of you commit yourselves to one of two activities. Either learn to get along, or go your separate ways, and return to me when I summon you both." Mara rolled her emerald eyes.

"Not likely to happen. Zalliste here is not one for doing anything he doesn't like. Not that I'm complaining." Viathan did not make any movements or retorts, and left Kun expecting a remark that never came.

"Very well then..." The Sith lord broke the silence and crossed his arms.

"Then both of you do as you wish until I summon you. We will be off in a matter of moments nonetheless. Make good use of your time." Mara nodded, and bowed making her retreat, but Viathan remained and seemed displeased. A scowl across his features, and the dark side brimming about him, and Kun cocked an intrigued and expectant brow as the teen remained silent and standing before him in this random hall.

"Something on your ever thoughtful mind, my apprentice?" The boy's red eyes, so filled with natural anger and rage brimming under the surface seemed to go darker for a second before he spoke. A simple nod following this look of anger.

"I protest master. I vehemently protest to, two developments." Again Kun cocked an intrigued brow beckoning the teen to go further.

"The first, being the addition of Mara jade to your inner circle. Arden Lyn was bad enough. The woman should not be so easily trusted, but I kept my mouth shut out of my respect to you master, but Jade? She is a wild card, and from what I can see, either she is faking this sudden change in loyalties, or, and this may be worse even still, she is easily breakable. Thus a weak cog in the machine that is your servants has been added into an already shaky foundation. I admit I cannot stand her. Her attitude is appalling and her twisted sense of superiority is nauseating as are her 'manners,' but worse even still is how she seems to believe herself so skilled and ready for anything the galaxy can throw at her. She has little if any field experience as far as I am aware to top it off."

He was entirely and coolly proper in tone and stiffness. His accent coming in thick as if laying it on harder for the dark lord.

"Your worries are noted apprentice. What is the second objection?"
"I would much rather not join you on our return to Coruscant. I want and request formally an immediate request to return to the front lines of the war." The teen clasped his hands behind his back, waving his cloak as he motioned about and stood properly and stiff before his master, but Kun could only return to his apprentice a sigh and mild look of annoyance.

"I have made myself clear on this matter have I not apprentice?"

"You have master. However, I believe that my place is at the fronts of this war. A war that no matter what your role may have been, and I am not as naïve as you may think me in that regards, I shall win this war. I shall win it and lay before you a mighty victory. I cannot do that while stifled and kept at the heart of the Empire far too pampered and removed from the reality of war that they may as well be watching an in depth holo-film."

The dark lord smirked.

"Indeed? Well, while the notion is tempting, apprentice, I have made my commands known, and the battle below is mere cleaning of house duties. Neona is all but secured in its entirety. The rest of Tapani can wait, and will be here when we go and likely when we return. You will come with me to Coruscant and from there if need be you shall commit yourself to any duties regarding your father or the Emperor for me when on the Imperial capitol." Viathan sighed, very subtly and silently, and averted his crimson colored eyes away from looking up and directly at his masters gaze, and accepted his fate.

"Besides, lord Vader shall be returning as well, as I said. The Alderaanian princess should be there. Your...friend I suppose you call her." Viathan snapped his head back to his master, and his gaze flashed anger, and sudden sourness covered his features, before the boy shoved them aside, and huffed a very silent sigh once more, causing Kun a mild degree of confusion, before a thought hit him.

"Oh! So that is why you do not look forward to returning to the capitol hmm? The Tatooine incident still burns inside you greatly I see. The anger of being left behind by those claiming and whom you thought to be your friends has left an impression upon you at last on what 'friendship,' correlate to in real life then?"

The scowl upon Viathan's face was quite notable, and his nostrils flared in unspoken rage, but all he did was roll his shoulders and visibly Exar watched the teen shove and repress his emotions. Becoming in a second a stone faced Sith acolyte once more.

"I shall do, as ever, whatever you may command of me, master. I shall return to my quarters then, and return to my studies. I have much to catch up on, both in matters of the Force and keeping my body in shape with the saber." Kun, nodding and leased at his easy victory over Viathan, smirked brighter.

"Very good then, Viathan. I look forward to seeing the fruits of your studies. Oh! Before I forget, I shall send for you in a few hours, and we shall begin some more in depth training of our own. I notice and admit to being lax in your training as of late, but the war calls I'm sorry to say."

"As you say master." Viathan bowed respectfully.

"Very well...you are dismissed." Viathan nodded, and turned on a heel to leave.

"One last thing, apprentice." Viathan turned at his masters call. Kun suddenly having a somewhat more serious face upon his features.

"Do keep me up to date on your physical situation. That, and keep me updated on how often both the doctor and his assistant counsel you on your current health situation."

Viathan creased his brow in deep confusion but no less bowed his head in acknowledgment and returned to walking back down the hall he and his master had come from.

Leaving the dark lord to his schemes and ideas running through his mind, as he made his way to the bridge of the ship, and soon for Coruscant through hyperspace.

(Stardestroyer Exactor)

The return ride to the dark lords Stardestroyer looming in orbit above Bogden was a silent and tense affair. Both twins sat idly staring down at their legs. Dirty, sweaty, and tired both of them. Luke tense and emotionally taxed, with Leia feeling distant and tired above anything else. However, both felt excruciatingly tense and….afraid.

After their actions in the Moff base back on the planet, Vader had come before them. His anger brimming in the Force and sending shock waves across the entirety of the world it felt like. Electric almost in its intensity. He stood before them, silent and with arms at his sides, almost a comical pose of a father looking over his disobedient children, but it was no laughing matter as his rage prevented him from verbally scolding them. The hiss of his mask the only sound mingled with distant echoes of blaster fire and explosions.

The blank gaze of his mask unnerved them both, but still he did not speak. Finally he merely ordered them in a low grumble; common of his mask, to get aboard a transport he had apparently ordered for them as it landed near to them, and to await his return aboard the Exactor. The only other guests were the Noghri whom the dark lord refrained from speaking to as well, and made Leia feel ill at the possibility he would punish her at times naïve guards in their simple quest to do her bidding.

They landed within the ship, meandered their way to their room, cleaned up and dressed into clean clothing after hours of being soaked in bog water and sweat. It was then they found themselves willing to even utter a peep from their mouths. It felt like hours since a word had even been spoken.

"Do you think he'll...punish us like he does one of the officers?"

"How does he do that exactly?" Leia responded still looking to the carpeted floor beneath as she sat on a deathly black sofa within their shared rooming.

"Well...I guess from stories I've heard, y'know here and there, is that he...chokes them...sometimes to death." Leia sighed as Luke looked at her from across the room where he sat at the edge of a bed, his blue eyes filled with fear, and worry. Both for himself and for Shira no doubt. Leia too worried for the safety of the at times seemingly overly aggressive red-head they've grown to know.

"I doubt that Luke. Now will he punish us in some manner? I have no doubt about it. Just gotta wait to see how Darth Vader treats kids who breaks the rules. Force knows he's never done anything stupid in his life." She spat sarcastically aloud, and Luke frowned from where he sat but said nothing.

"Leia..." The girl looked to her brother, that look still upon him.

"What Luke?"

"I'm worried.." Leia nodded.

"About Shira?"

"Yeah." She continued to nod, knowing this already. The pangs of sadness and fear coming off her twin were clear as night and day through the Force as his emotions seemed so open to her.

"I think she'll be okay Luke. She...well, okay it was a bolt from a blaster, but I can't imagine one bolt would kill someone as her. She did seem rather resilient and she's a fighter after all. Trained by Vader himself. If that doesn't put her rates a little higher on the survivor scale for taking a bolt to the body then I don't know what does." She forced a soothing smile to form across her face directed to her brother, and sent assuring waves through the Force to him, and he reciprocated the smile. Though it waned within moments.

Silence once more fell over them, and the white noise of the room was all that reached their ears. The rumble of the ship sometimes, and every little clink that sometimes reverberated around them sent shocks of terror at the possibility that the Sith lord, their father, was coming and approaching their room. Though, they would know when his approach came, as they did when it actually happened. For through the Force they felt his anger, and his rage. As he neared it grew stronger, and more clear. A final look was shared between the twins, the siblings, and strength was sent between one another and reassuring waves of calm as they hardened themselves for what was to come. Then the door opened, revealing the dark lord. Blackened armor, cloak, the rasping intake and release of air, and all that made him Darth Vader.

The looming Goliath that was the Sith lord entered deeper into the room. His footsteps being loud and booming even though blotted by the carpet below him. His gloved hands clasped to his belt and his cloak, still dirty at the bottom along the whole length, with smudges across his armor sets. He came to the center of the room, the door closing, and between the two young teens, and remained once again deathly silent. It grew to remain like this for five or more minutes and soon both children nearly wanted to scream for him to say something, anything to just get the dreaded coming berating over with. Then he spoke.

"I have taken some time to think over what you two have done. In other circumstance I would be impressed, perhaps even congratulate you for your actions. However, that is not the case, not it at all." He opened with, and felt oddly even terrifyingly cool and collected for one who professed displeasure. The twins shared a look, their vision of one another obscured by his massive figure some.

"What the two of you have done eludes me as to your combined reasoning behind such a monstrously idiotic set of actions!" Finally he rumbled and his vocabulator sent chills down Leia's spine, while Luke recoiled.

"To defy my express wishes to remain aboard this ship where you both as well as Shira, whom now lies in critical condition, were safe is a baffling lapse in logic to me! You, above your brother, a girl raised in the pampered surroundings of Aldera palace should have known the folly of teenagers being upon the battlefield of war!" He pointed an accusatory gloved finger at Leia who recoiled now as her brother did, and refused to retort, though she felt her anger rise at such blame being put upon her.

"And you!" He turned around facing Luke. "I find it incomprehensible that a child raised on a moisture farm in the seas of sand upon Tatooine would think himself capable, and foolish enough to thrust themselves onto a field of battle!" Luke's head fell to look once more at his knees, his feet, the carpet it didn't matter. He just didn't want to look his father in the face, or mask, it mattered not.

"It will be a frozen tundra across that barren twin-sun world, before either of you have even an inkling of what is required of you in war, in battle! The sacrifices demanded, and the tolls wrought upon your mind and your bodies. The battle below, may in your eyes have been won by your 'daring' actions, but I assure you the battle would have been won either way. More losses of the common soldier greets my mind better than the loss of either one of you! I shall not soon forget this trespass of my demands, my orders and desires from the both of you." The dark lord boomed, his power in the dark side reverberating the room. The Force whined at his rage, but this time the princess, his daughter turned her glare up to the hulking lord. Her own presence a dark rumble that mingled among his in the Force. Luke sitting where he did watching her with fear and horror at her defiance.

"You would rather lose a thousand men over losing your two children?" the dark lord whipped his helmeted head back upon his daughter.

"What?!" He boomed, his voice a sharp barking retort of a question.

"You just said you would 'more losses of the common soldier greets my mind better than the loss of either one of you' you admitted just now you care about us more than a common soldier." She spoke matter-of-factly, her brown eyes burning with anger, and the dark lord cocked his head to the side, confused some.

"Besides your attention to detail, Leia, I find your retort of insignificant value." He responded his arms folding across his chest defiantly.

"No you wouldn't find anything I say useful would you, almighty Darth Vader." She seethed and Luke seemingly recoiled, trying to make himself the smallest living creature ever.

"You, who has never raised a child! You who were never around for my or Luke's life, and you who thinks they know better than anyone else!" The dark lord remained silent, even as Leia rose from her seat and pointed her own stubborn finger at the lord now.

"You just now claim to care about us over the lives of thousands of men who would gladly die for you and your cause! Yet when we try to help you, you berate us and decry us! Where were you when we were sick?! When we were scared, and alone?! Nowhere!"

She screamed and the Force sent wild, pure rage fluctuating through the Force throughout the room.

"This conversation has no purpose nor any point-"
"No I will speak my peace, father!" She howled and Vader recoiled his helmeted head, and found himself speechless at the bravado of his daughter. Flashes of himself, and his late wife forming in his mind at the sight of her face, and her defiant stance.

"I was the one who broached the idea that me Luke and Shira go down to the surface to help you and those men, you so easily cast aside! I did it because, even though I haven't seen battle, don't know war, and have little skills even through fighting I gave a single modicum of care for you, father! I cared about you, and I don't know why! I hated you, and in a way I still hate you for what you are, what you do! Did I intend for Shira to get hurt, no, but it happened and I'm sorry, and I'm sorry for every single man who lost their life down on the surface due to a war I find moronically formed based on the greed of Imperials and bloated Moffs with egos the size of stars about to go nova!" She was visibly shaking, and Vader allowed her to go on, remaining deathly silent. Luke looking to his twin in horror, his eyes begging her to shut up.

"Punish me all you want, but leave Luke out of it, and Shira, unless you wanna punish an injured girl like the monster everyone thinks you are. Just never claim you give a damn, I give a damn, you don't have to!"

"What are you even talking about?" Vader demanded. His voice calmer than before, and tears now rolled down her cheeks, though he was not sure if she even knew it herself.

"You contradict yourself Leia. I..." He found himself feeling very uncomfortable, and a bit jittery as he mustered the strength to respond to his daughter. Indeed it felt harder to do than talking to his master...

"I have just stated I do not...desire that you or Luke be injured. You are of my and your mothers blood. You were both taken from me, and you know this already." She angrily wiped tears from her face, and Luke felt his chest pang with emotion and clench.

"You both know nothing of what I felt when...your mother was taken from me, nor the feelings that went through my very being when I knew that not just a daughter but a son of mine yet lived." Vader declared, the sound of this statement sounding odd coming from the scariest man in he known galaxy.

"Look..." Again the dark lord struggled for words and seemed to be fumbling whatever it was he desired to say. Somehow finding himself in an emotional roller coaster with his two only family members in the entire galaxy, his two twin children.

"I...it is..." He grunted and it sounded odd through his vocabulator. Behind his mask, growing hot and tired from the suit and day, Vader found himself at the end of his rope for arguing with his children, and his daughter more so than his son. He had come to the room expecting to berate and pound them verbally into submission, but now he found himself in a line of thought and conversation he hadn't expected nor wanted to tread into.

Sighing once more the dark lord decided he would much rather get this whole familial debacle out of the way at last, and past this awkwardness.

Using both gloved hands he began to manually unhook his helmet. The top piece first was disconnected the hiss sounding through the room, as both teens went wide eyed at the sight, Leia even taking an involuntary step back. The possible horrors of what lay beneath coming through the collective minds. Luke rose from the bed, almost as if seeming to want to stop his father from removing what he assumed to be a necessary piece for his survival.

The helm removed, leaving the mask in place, the robotic pieces outlining the thing gave him a fearful design, even more than when his helm was in place. It made him more cyborg, more machine than a man, but then he too grasped this piece with both hands, allowing the helm to drop to the floor below. With a slight bit of resistance the dark lord of the Sith removed the final constraint across his head, and revealed not the face of a monster but that of a human being.

Two pairs of eyes went wider than before. For the man, tall and mighty before them, donning his blackened armor and similar cloak, bore blonde hair. Somewhat curly and dark blonde indeed, but it was human. His face wasn't scarred horrifically and made to look like some monster stood before them. It was rough in expression, and his eyes glowed that yellow Leia had seen before. However he looked human, and with hair wet and matted to his face from sweat the man let loose a sigh and brought gloved hand up to his face.

"This, is who I am. I have no doubt the both of you expected some unsightly monster to greet your eyes, and were it some months ago you would be correct. This is the face of your father. Vader, and that of...Anakin Skywalker." He spoke in a seethe at his own mentioning of his old name.

"I am not as much of a monster in the flesh as you might have though, Leia. Now what does this, this flesh, and hair, these eyes. What do they prove?" He asked, and both teens watched him, not knowing what to say.

"It proves that I am human. It proves that you share features with me, and a some point in my life, whether you'd like to think so or not, you were both born of me and your mother. It was no act of hatred, anger, and of random lust. I cared for your mother and she along with both of you were stolen from me. So yes, forgive me Leia if I don't want to see either of you harmed, physically or mentally before I believe either of your truly ready to take part in and witness the horrors, to endure the sacrifices demanded of war and battle." Vader found himself no less uncomfortable, but found his strength, his standing position and argument firmly reattained. A sigh escaping him nonetheless as he ran a gloved hand across his hair.

"So, yes. I do not wish for either of you to be injured or otherwise hurt. I have no doubt you will be involved in this conflict at some point. Future ones as well. I hold no delusions that you both will never face harm and horror, but if I can lessen it while I can then I shall. I am your father, the both of you. This is who I am. This is what I am, and this is a fact I shall not...mostly because I am not good at it, repeat often. I care deeply for the both of you, and would see the galaxy burn to see you both safe, and to uphold the memory of your mother, and so one day we will take this galaxy and model it in the manner we desire. For the better I firmly believe." His voice was as calm and collected as ever and he eyed down both his children, Luke to his right and Leia before him, her face still wet from tear streaks.

"I think it is at last time, we settle this whole...mess I suppose one could call it." Vader broached and found himself allowing the dark facade he had built and forged for so long fall, and thus his presence in the Force lessened in darkness. He fell to his knee, lowering himself to a closer height with his children, though he more angled a tad lower, but his immense height compensated.

"This is me, Leia." Vader intoned, looking to his daughter, looking into her face, and her eyes he saw both his wife, and his mother even. It brought a pang into his chest a swelling feeling he had not felt until recently. It felt...good. Though he shoved the thought aside, and brought his right gloved hand up, removed it and showed his hand.

He held it up before her, and she took note, as did he once again, that it bore flesh, beneath it blood and bone. He extended it and laid it gently, with trepidation upon her face, and for the first time, felt the skin, the flesh of his flesh. He laid his hand upon his daughters face, upon her left cheek, and once more in an instant tears flowed from her eyes.

"Had I known you, and your brother were out there, hold no doubt within your mind that I would have come. I hold no doubt that you, the both of you feel...by nature ties to those whom raised you, but I cannot, nor ever will let both of you go so long as it is in my power to do so." He looked to Luke, and the boy, while still nervous found a smile forming across his face. Vader did not catch it, but a smile formed across his face, and his yellow glowing eyes faded faster than ever before, and his blue eyes shone through. He touched his sons head, allowing his hand to run through the blonde hair, so much like his own, and then fell to his sons face as well, and the boy too had small tears form in his eyes. Unlike Leia, the boy came closer and with not a thought against it forming in his mind, Vader allowed the boy to embrace him.

His arms enveloped the boy and his son finally wept, and Vader allowed him too, the Sith ideals of weakness and the dark side be damned in this moment as he held his son tight, and for the first time since the loss of Padmé felt contented. That was, he still was missing something. Still embracing his son, he looked back to his daughter who silently followed Luke, and allowed tears to freely stream down her face.

"I understand why you would feel, and why you feel as you do about me. Understand however, how I can be so protective of the both of you. This is the least I shall ask, besides following my commands. For as I shall say once more, I am your father, and I am Darth Vader." He declared looking his blue eyes to her brown. Finally, she nodded her own understanding, and with a hiccup, a release of her pain and her sadness she too came forward and Vader embraced her in his left arm. So there were three of the Skywalker bloodline. The father held his two children near and damned all notions of the Sith out of his mind for this moment when he only thought of them and memories of possibilities flashed by. How different things could have been for better or worse, and now he had with him his children, and he at last held them as he knew deep down how a father should.

"Let us end this foolish game of pretending we understand one another. We don't. We are strangers held together by blood." Vader positioned himself to look them in the eyes, the both of them, and once more allowed a small smile to form across his features.

"From now on, I think we should begin trying to truly understand one another, and for the best we can muster, become a family. Otherwise we shall forever remain strangers living among one another." Luke nodded vehemently, and through a sniffle smiled back to his father, and Leia followed with a small, cautious, but honest nod and small smile.

Vader nodded as well. "Good." He allowed them both to recede from his heavy and strong embrace and he released a large breath as he rose to a stand once more.

"Now...do not think I will not punish the both of you for disobeying me." Their faces did not wane per say into dread or anger, but they did become crestfallen at their fathers words. Vader however, found a chuckle tempting him, though he suppressed it.

"However, I think the three of us are tired, and I wouldn't mind getting out of this suit for some normal rest. Before either of you ask, I will tell you both how and why I am within this suit and why I'm still in it while seemingly healed. As I said, Shira is in critical. Her vitals while stable show her body took the shot as quite a shock." Luke frowned at that, but nodded while averting his eyes in thought, and Leia cast him a concerned look.

"Your guards will be reprimanded for so naively trusting your judgments versus my own, but they shall remain your guards." Leia nodded, but obvious relief flooded through her.

"Lastly, before I forget. The Emperor has called us back to Coruscant. With Bogden secured our purpose here is done. However, more is going on then just being recalled with a mission completed. I don't have the time to speak on these matters, but needless to say they are concerning for me, and apparently the Emperor as well."

"About the war?" Leia finally spoke again, her voice slightly still rough, but Vader only nodded to her in reply.

"Yes. Let us leave it at that however. The Emperor has recalled both I and lord Kun as well as his apprentice. Apparently the field commander is due to be paraded about for his military successes." Vader spat, more in disgust at the notion of a teen commander being used for propaganda, though Leia did take interest.

"Viathan?"

"Indeed." Vader intoned. His daughter perking up at the notion of seeing her 'friend,' annoyed Vader in ways unusual to him.

"As such, we will make for Coruscant and should be there within a few hours at the most, upon launch for hyperspace of course. I recommend you get some rest. I will send for you when we arrive." Vader made to leave, picking up his helmet and making to hastily put it back on, sending a final smile to his children.

"Goodnight, both of you."

"Goodnight." "Night!" Leia and then Luke responded as their father left. Their emotional roller-coaster at last over, both twins found themselves rather speechless. The only thing sent between them were waves of comfort and love through the Force, as they fell into their beds, and within moments were asleep. All the while the Exactor made for Coruscant, and the dark lord, not feeling so dark, fell into a restful sleep all his own. Knowing his children were safe and near to him allowing for a nightmare sleep to wash over his mind.

(Stardestroyer, Magnificence, In Hyperspace)

Some hours pass by, and time blurred into a mess of memory flash points. Small instances that capture your attention apart from the normalcy that lulls one into contentedness. Of course Viathan rarely found himself content in this thing he called and was forced to refer to as his life. Though he cared little for the fallacy known as free will and self determination. The more he pondered on it the more he began to understand that the universe at large held a plan. One it may not be able to carry out always, but one it seeks to impose. Viathan nonetheless resigned himself to allowing fate to run its course. Be it in or out of his favor. His decisions were his own, and his life was his, but what would happen to him is by n means entirely at random.

Of course, if he had known the universe would throw the dreaded redheaded she-devil, Mara jade square into the very heart of his current life then perhaps he would have tried to force himself and this life down a different course. As it was, Viathan found himself sitting in his masters training chamber aboard the Magnificence, reading from the Rakatan knowledge bank, and listening to the sounds of dull training happening beyond him. His master and Jade were enjoying some power tests. Well Jade was not so much enjoying these 'tests,' as much as having to prove to Exar Kun that she could unleash the Force when needed, and not rely on pure combat skill. An idea Viathan found ironic, but necessary nonetheless. It didn't matter anyways. He was beginning preparations to test his next new power based on the old dark arts of this race of beings as his master and...fellow apprentice practiced in their own ways.

"Come now girl!" Exar goaded as he watched, arms folded across his chest as Mara concentrated with all her might; eyes narrowed, expression a scowl and lips sneered in frustration as she attempted to lift a room full of objects once again.

"We've practiced this before, and you seemed to do just fine. What is the major difference now?"

"Your constant yelling isn't helping!" She protested and Viathan rolled his eyes from a distance, as Kun sighed.

"My yelling is the least one such as yourself should worry about! You could after all be under the training of another Sith lord, whom may or may not have an appetite for some more painful training exercises." Mara rolled her own emerald eyes, but then threw her concentration behind her activity once again. Groaning in frustration as she extended both hands outward toward a set of objects, blasters, training vibroswords, and a few seats, and sent all her energy into the Force. Demanding mentally that the inanimate objects rose from the floor.

The objects began to ever so slightly jitter on the floor. Very minor vibrations, and began pulling toward the girl, some barely lifting off the ground. Kun watched the whole event. His gray eyes showing his confusion at her seeming amateur level of ability to command the Force. A far cry from days prior where she could run and levitate objects, and dodge his blasts at the same time.

A surge of energy spit forth from Mara and the objects went hurdling toward the opposite wall as she screamed in rage and a shudder went through her body. Her breaths were heavy and her body slumped as if through a great ordeal of stress and usage. Once more causing the Sith lord to look perplexed toward his newest charge.

"There is no doubt that something is affecting your abilities today." Exar spoke aloud, thinking for reasons as the girl eyed him, obviously seeming angry at his statement, as if a verbal assault against her personally. Viathan paid some mind, but very little as he read over the arcane nature of what the Rakata considered a sacred aspect of life. The life giving properties and sacredness behind blood. The power they felt belonged within the flesh and bone of a living being. The power it can and did give to their ancient practices and the ability to manipulate these life properties in kind. Viathan found such knowledge on the power and use of blood...oddly exhilarating.

Engrossed into his readings as he was he failed to hear his masters call.

"Viathan!" The teen snapped to attention at Kun's call and rose to an immediate and prompt stand. As if on reflex as well. His eyes, a continued dull crimson shade, as he ever fought to remain in the dark side, fell upon his master who eyed him with an annoyed frown, and crossed arms.

"Yes master?"
"I was calling to you. Whatever is within that datapad of yours can wait my apprentice. Right now I require your services to see if young Jade can act a little more potently under the right conditions." Viathan nodded and approached, but Mara sent Kun a dirty glare of indignation.

"I don't need him to help me with anything! I am strong enough on my own. You are just...bothering me is all!"

"Hush!" Kun retorted. "You will do as I ask and you will not question my methods." Exar rebuked further and Mara humphed but made no further retorts of her own.

Viathan came before the red headed rival of his and gave her no look of emotion save for a common subtle frown they shared with one another, and have since they were younger and began to understand the nature of the rivalry. She cast hers back in reply but held an air of superiority all to common of the girl that infuriated Viathan to no end.

"Now, I will have no saber dueling today between you two. No that will be for another day perhaps, another session. Right now, all I want from you, Viathan, is to display for young Jade here your abilities in the Force Lightning, blasts, waves simple telekinetic and environmental manipulations. At least to begin with." Viathan bowed at his waist in reply, and Kun turned o Mara.

"You will react Mara. When Viathan sends an attack your way. Do what comes natural, what feels natural. Use your most basic instincts of survival to survive! Of course Viathan won't kill you." Kun added with a small hint of humor, to which Mara eyed him, but nodded, and sighed rather loudly, and Viathan cast her a rare and momentarily startling sideways smirk her way.

"Good. Now you may begin." Kun hipped around and stepped back several feet, his cloak whipping around him, and his arms still crossed, as Viathan stretched his hands outward, and Mara fell into a defensive stance.

"Come Viathan. Show me you're not that pathetic little Gizka I know you to be."
"Trust me Jade," Viathan replied coolly. "I will reeducate you in my abilities from our last encounter." Viathan threw his hands outward both palms, flesh and metal stretched forth and an unseen wave went bursting forth to which Mara, momentarily surprised flipping aside and missed being throw back, but the room no less shook.

Viathan sent his left hand flying her way again and a new bast went toward her, to which she rolled back where she had stood. Then he cast right hand forth and lightning streams flew toward her, and she flipped aside once again. An audible grunt of annoyance escaping her as she landed on bended knee.

Viathan gave no seconds rest to the girl and within another moment, he tapped into his reserves of anger and rage and using his masters knowledge bestowed upon him, let loose a dark side heavy Force blast that sent the room into a quake. Mara dived away but she was too slow. Carried by momentum of unseen forces the left half of her body went sprawling around and twisted her as she dived and caused her to land hands first to the floor.

Her hair covered her face as she steadied herself on the floor. She whipped it aside, and allowed both her new master and rival to see her snarling face filled with anger as she rose to a steady stand once again, and took defensive posture.

"Excellent you two!" Kun clapped. "Now, once again, and this time Viathan, faster." He commanded and Viathan nodded, all too willing to comply with such a command of him. The boy thus sent a massive bout of blue lightning crackling from his right and natural hand. The bolts flew to Mara but she all but howled like a wild beast and ran toward the lightning. At the last moment rolling aside before it struck her and dived toward Viathan who sent left hand up and a wave out. Mara stumbled back but brought her arms up in a blocking manner and the brunt of the wave dissipated across her as she ran at Viathan once again.

She ran like a wild beast, her power in the Force suddenly broadcast loud and plentifully throughout the room. Viathan snarled and brought both hands up and caught hers. They entered into a sudden physical struggle. Her hands balled into clawed daggers seeking out his flesh to puncture and draw blood from. His hands caught and intertwined with hers as he used brute force to hold her back and push her off of him. Kun all the while took in the sight with a mixture of enjoyment and fascination.

"Your temper will get the better of you Jade. You should learn to harness that directionless anger of yours and not let it waste away in this petty struggle." Viathan spat her way in a cool sneer of a voice, while Mara huffed some heavy rage filled breaths, and laughed quickly thereafter.

"I'll show you harnessed anger!" She threw her hands upwards and a wild shock of Force energy, raw and crackling in the air erupted from her toward Viathan. The impact struck Viathan and he spun around but slammed his booted foot back down hard upon the ground and reoriented himself facing the redheaded witch. Sending a renewed Force blast her way he found her blocking again and this time, creating a natural barrier around herself with the Force. His blast merely flew around her unseen shield and gave her a slight push back but she hardened her stance and refused to fall.

She retaliated with a wave of energy all her own and sent it hurdling unseen but rumbling toward Viathan who dove aside. Knowing this was going beyond his masters parameters, but not caring any longer, Viathan released a dark side, and rage fueled blast at the girl. The beam of energy, unseen, but terrible in its raw power shook the entirety of the room and Mara for a split moment became wide eyed and threw her hands up. The blast slammed against her body like a ramming ship falling to a planet. As if gravity itself sought to pull her down to the ground and back.

Her palms were held outstretched facing Viathan, and she recoiled her head to the side as if a great gust of wind slapped her, and she blocked its torrent. She felt her body being shoved while still firmly holding herself to the ground. Every muscle fought the unseen force and she used her own anger and pain to fuel herself to fight back through the Force, throwing up her own far weaker but raw shield. When the attack ceased she had but a seconds respite, before she caught the sight of him approaching her. He was walking briskly, a sneer etched onto his face, and his eyes turned from the pale crimson of before to a burning red, glowing in his rage.

Another extended pal from him, his metal one, and another blast came crackling forth, and slammed into her sending her reeling around, but standing on shaky footing. His right hand came up and another burst of streaming lightning that buzzed through the air, and slammed against her body, and with a cry the girl was sent tossed through and up into the air, until she slammed against the back wall behind her with a thud as streams of bolts came flooding from him.

He added his metallic hand into the mix, the metal receiving odd and random snaps of lightning that shocked and hurt Viathan but he didn't care and let the lightning flow. Mara screamed from across the room as her whole body was engulfed in lightning and Viathan watched her writhe for a time.

"Enough!" Exar demanded and with a mighty grapple of his hand across Viathan's wrist the boy ceased his assault upon Jade. Viathan refused to look his master in the eyes, and merely let his gaze fall to the floor, and away from both his master and his rival as his rage was forced slowly back down into the darkened places of his mind to be reused again at some point he was sure.

His master eyed the boy as he sensed his rage, sudden and great as it was, fade away and Viathan averted eye contact, and Kun slowly retreated toward Jade, who seemed to be feeling the after effects of being electrocuted. Her body was shaking and convulsing in bouts as parts of her clothing, tight and leather as she liked it smelled of the beginning of burning. Thin smoke trails even rose up from her body, as her flesh seemed reddened and seared in paces already as well. The dark lord almost wanted to congratulate Viathan on successfully utilizing his lightning in such a way, but as he took in the dismal sight of young Jade, who was holding herself tightly to try and stop the seizing he decided it better to remain silent on that front. Lest he not only anger the fiery redhead, but also to not so easily encourage his apprentice to fly off the handle.

"Calm your breathing Jade, and try to relax your body."

She let out a weak but venom filled laugh as she huddled herself tighter from the pain coursing through her whole body. Annoyance flowed through the Sith lord at the prospect of having to intern his other apprentice for medical reasons as he lowered himself to inspect her closer. The girl was on the verge of screaming, as she held her mouth tightly closed, contorted in pain along with the rest of her facial expressions. Perhaps, the dark lord thought, the girl could learn o utilize this pain to her benefit, but as he looked at her endlessly convulse in spasms he knew her to be too badly hurt by Viathan's attack.

His master was still looking the girl over, and Viathan had finally allowed his anger, hatred and desires to see his rival flail fall by the wayside, and found himself feeling slightly disoriented from what he had done. Sure he allowed his anger to feed his power time and time before, but when it came to this scenario he realized he had flown off the handle with jade. Despite how much he rather found it hilarious how the bold and abrasive redhead barely contained a howl of pain from escaping past her lips.

Viathan felt more regret for his master in this scenario. His master seemed genuinely annoyed, perhaps at him, but more so the situation as the Force sung of the dark lords souring mood. He watched the man he knew as his master kneel before and tend to the girl verbally as he inspected her person for the damage Viathan had committed upon her without touching her even.

An inaudible sigh escaped Viathan as he walked back toward his datapad and snatched it up. He found a bold thought forming in his mind as he shook off the dark power still whispering to him for release. He returned his eyes to reading over the Rakatan texts and the rituals they knew, used and held to be sacred. The bold practices of blood sacrifice and mutual acceptance of loss for mutual gain was a sacred ideal held by whomever wrote this text, but likely portrayed a cultural consensus. He found what he sought. A ritual for the healing of flesh and bone of another! A smirk crossed his face as he read it and allowed the idea to embolden in his mind. He would impress his master twice this day, and he knew know how to do just that!

The descriptions and representations were simple enough. The ritual however spoke of a warning. That one who did not already open themselves to the initial ritual; that mess he had already gone through hours earlier, would face fatal affects due to lack of what the text called, 'inability to conceptualize darkness and the gifts it gives onto its servants.' Viathan had spoken to that...whatever it was already and knew darkness, and if anyone told him otherwise then he was sure to tell that person they were high on something potent indeed.

It was simple indeed. The sacrifice of the sacred liquid. His blood, and the acceptance of taking onto yourself the pain of the one you choose to sacrifice for. For pain could not simply fade into the void, but had to be placed and felt for it existed. There was no way to make something not exist to undo something as terrible as death...at least this text made it seem as such. For in the flash of a second one would feel all the pain their charge has and would have felt, and then take the injury onto themselves to live through their pain doubly as such at the gain of the other. The ritual also warned that if the ritual was continued endlessly that in time the amounted and built up pain would kill one who took on the 'two-hells,' as it termed the event.

Nonetheless, Viathan knew this was a power he could and would commit himself to, and not only make up to his master for the pain he has caused upon Jade, but prove he was the stronger! Literally taking into himself the pain of the girl he hated to make himself more powerful! Viathan in that moment readied himself whilst his master tended to Mara, back facing Viathan, and the girl allowed several squeals of pain, whimpers, to escape as the shocks grew stronger.

"If I may, my master." Viathan approached from the back, datapad still in his hand.

"You may have done enough indulging today, Viathan." Kun retorted a hint of annoyance and terseness upon his voice. The teen continued unaffected by his masters mood, and came to stand beside his master, quickly kneeling to his masters level near to Jade. She had her eyes closed tightly as pain consumed her and she tried in futility to keep the screams at bay.

"I have a solution to her pain my master, and if you would but allow me to commit this...ritual I present I shall show you the fruit of my thirst for knowledge, and I assure you any ill desired affects will fall onto me." Viathan showed him the datapad, and Kun eyed the boy before allowing his eyes to skim across the text. It was then that Mara released a shrill and ear piercing scream as her body was racked with seemingly endless aftershocks, and it even gave Viathan a moments pause to take in the pain his lightning caused. Then again, he had done it to himself back on Tatooine when that Jedi witch redirected his lightning and he had been out of his prime for days afterwords.

"I assure you master. I can do this, and I will make you proud." His eyes turning serious in expression the teen assured his master, and Kun found himself not particularly looking forward to whatever this ritual was, but...he had to admit, his apprentice seemed quite certain in his abilities.

"You do this and fail apprentice, if you irreparably damage and harm young jade, be it by choice or mistake and I shall show you just how furious I can be, and how dangerous that is for one such as yourself."
"Understood, my master." Viathan bowed his head, and a hidden twinkle of delight danced within his eye. Mara was still howling intermingled with further futile attempts to silence herself as her body thrashed and slammed back and forth across the floor beneath. Viathan put the datapad down, and if he knew Mara as well as he thought he did, he would find a blade on hr hidden somewhere. Holding her down for a moment and feeling her body shake beneath him he searched around and finally came to her boots, and found a blade.

'Far too predictable Jade.' Viathan thought as he released her. Blade now in his left metallic hand. Unfolding his right hand and noting the scar formed from his earlier dabble into Rakatan arts, he brought the blade to his flesh and ran the tip across the old scar once again allowing hot blood to come streaming forth from his body as the pulsating sting of the cut spread through his hand.

"I would appreciate it if you forced her to remain still master." Exar watched the blood flow from his apprentice's hand, but quickly used his power within the Force to freeze Jade where she lay even as she panted from the pain that seemed to be unending as her body would not stop as if the lightning was still coursing through her.

Viathan squeezed his hand and spilled his blood down onto Mara and set it once again into a symbol significant to the Rakatan arts. A half circle with a misshapen line going down the broken off center with a second line jaggedly cutting through the line and circle. Viathan appreciated the symbol and spill of his own life blood for a moment before leaning back from where he kneeled near to jade.

"Pain begotten by one I accept as my own. By sacrifice of blood, and its sacred property I transfer forth what sensations afflict you and take them onto myself. By contract f blood, by commandment, I seal our covenant!" Viathan laid his bleeding hand down upon the symbol smearing the blood together, and suddenly a flash erupted, a sparking similar to lightning and a searing, burning hot and unimaginable pain shot forth into him as Mara went stiff as a board where she lay on the ground, and Kun recoiled as the Force exploded throughout the room with power and darkness.

Viathan felt the pain as if it was literally shooting through his very soul and he flew backwards as he felt every small sensation, every prickle every pin and needle as pain became the one sensation every muscle nerve and thought of his knew. His breath seemed to leave him and he struggled for a breath as it hurt to breath! He fell onto his hands as the sensation did not end, and it felt as if his head was being ripped apart as he felt every visceral sensation and swore he heard himself scream without screaming, and at the edge of his consciousness he could of swore he heard Jade's screams from afar. He withheld his screams now. His muscles within his neck feeling as though they would snap from the pressure he built within himself refusing to release his cry of sheer pain and horror.

Little did Viathan know, but Kun recoiled as well once again, and felt dizziness fall over his mind as the pain of his first apprentice flood over to him and he heard the unreleased shrieks of his two charges. There was a pervasive darkness on the edge of thought and it howled in the shadows of his perceived senses. That mattered little as Kun snapped a hand to his head and found the room to be spinning and soon he fell to his knee once again to orient himself in anyway possible as Viathan was on all fours panting and cursing into his own mind as the pain shot through him like molten magma.

Then in a flash it ended, and Viathan loudly sucked in a breath and his lungs felt like they now burned as well. He fell forward to the ground and groaned into the metallic floor beneath as he felt his muscles contract and spasm within his person as he realized he had done it. He had taken Jade's pain, and made it his own, and so too did he take her wounds, those he set upon her, and made them his own as well. As ever before, and common to the young Sith he sent every terrible burning and crippling painful sensation into the Force and fed his own power as such. He shakily and weakly rose back to a kneeling position that mimicked his masters. Mara was passed out upon the floor now. Seemingly content but drenched in the sweat of pain from her ordeal and her breathing seemed heavier than before even as her body and mind rested.

"By the Force! What arcane nonsense have you been dabbling into my apprentice?" Kun demanded as he shook his dizziness away and looked toward his apprentice. Viathan felt his strength and connection with the dark side grow incredibly strong in this instant as he savored every painful shooting sensation within and focused on the ritual he took part in just now. Once more taking dull note that his blood letting hand was returned to a scarred state.

"It...is ancient rituals, alchemy of the Rakata race. Those aliens whose fallen civilization I stumbled upon after Tatooine." Viathan opened with staring at his healed hand, and realizing the blood too was gone from sight.

"I have just begun to look into their dark arts master. Every Sith must make trips into the dark corners of the Force and find their niches. For me, I will discover and command the sacred blood within us all, and its essence. I will use blood to make myself powerful, as I use Niman my saber style to make me powerful in your image and in your honor...my master." Viathan with shaky speech and hoarse voice informed and Kun nodded.

"Be sure you watch what you do in the future then apprentice. That was rather...unpleasant." Kun stood and looked to Mara as Viathan joined him forcing every painful rejection of movement by his body aside.

"Well, the results prove your decision has merit apprentice. I have only seen a few healing techniques with the Force work, and while yours is unorthodox I find the results fascinating." Viathan nodded numbly in agreement. Though every action sent shooting pain radiating through his entire body and he visibly squinted his eyes as the only true sign he felt any pain.

"I...suspect you desire to rest now that you have 'taken her pain onto yourself' correct?" Viathan nodded and found the pain beginning to grow more powerful the longer he stood. Making him truly wonder how much power he sent toward jade when he electrocuted her if he was feeling this much pain so long after the attack itself.

"Very well then Viathan. Return to your quarters, or if you must the medical bay for treatment. I shall see to young Jade's return to her quarters."

"Thank you...my master." Viathan bowed to him low and swept up his datapad, and made a hasty retreat to his room. Leaving the Sith lord to let out a heavy breath and take in the events that had just unfolded before him as their ship continued its silent journey closer to Coruscant.

For his part Viathan returned to his room in time to drop his datapad onto the sofa within, and collapse onto his bed and let blackness take him. As both dark lords and their charges made their ways through hyperspace on towards Coruscant. Both houses having gone through their own debacles, and indeed resting before they inevitably met up with one another and began what was likely to be even more tiring endeavors.

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Authors Note: I'll admit this one may seemed rushed in places but it's because it's late I'm tired, and I really wanted to post a chapter for this story again. There will be editing done later on to fix issues including grammar ones, and the next chapter will build on this one heavily since this one was so long I chopped it into two, with the second going off in what was the third chapter after. Nonetheless as always please either ignore or point out any and all LIKELY grammar issues, including sentence structure, as I said I will fix any later when I'm not tired and rushing. Reviews are always nice and to the coupe of new people I saw follow this story welcome! I'd love to hear from you guys whenever! :D

PS: This message is for a very certain reader of this story, and she knows who she is. YES there will be more Kun-Viathan stuff in the NEXT chapter! I apologize for making you wait my friend! :P :D