Chapter Ten: A Successful Operation
"On the whole, a successful operation."
"Sir?" Cipher Nine looked quizzically over at Keeper.
They were in his office. He had motioned her to wait while he ran a full security sweep. He had spoken only once the sweep was concluded.
"I fail to see how it's a success," she complained. "The Revanites suspected Darth Baras's apprentice instantly, as we knew they would. The Grathan cell may be neutralized, but the rest of the cult will go deep underground. When they next come out of hiding, they'll be more careful – and more dangerous."
"Of course," Keeper agreed. "But the Revanites were not the point of this operation, at least not from our perspective."
Cipher frowned. "Then why…?" Then she realized. "Lord Grathan?"
"I told you once that we obey the Sith, but we don't do so blindly. We bide our time, and we pick our moments to influence them. This was such a moment. Lord Grathan is a schemer, this is well-known, and there have been reports of activities surrounding his estate in the past few weeks that have been… disturbing."
"But he's also an influential Sith Lord," Cipher observed. "The Dark Council would never sanction anything beyond basic surveillance. So you needed to give them a push."
Keeper smiled, in the way of a professor to a favored pupil.
"It was clear enough that Grathan was involved with the Revanites. Not as a member of their cult." He chuckled at the thought. "No, men like that rarely believe in anything greater than themselves. Still, the cult could be a useful tool, with numbers and influence at their disposal. If he was preparing something, then his plans would certainly have involved them."
"But not anymore," Cipher realized. "They'll have gone to ground. So you weakened Lord Grathan. Enough to stop whatever he intends?"
"I doubt it," Keeper said. "But without the Revanites, he'll have to rely on his own forces. More importantly, Darth Baras now knows that something is imminent, and he fully believes that he figured that out by himself. It's not enough for even Baras to get the Dark Council to authorize action – but he'll be watching now. Baras is no fool. When Grathan prepares to act, it will be detected."
"I see. And if the Revanites had killed Lord Krell?"
Keeper shrugged. "Had that happened, it would have demanded a response from Darth Baras. He would have wiped them out, and he would likely have established a base of his own at their encampment. Either way, he would be in a position to detect Grathan's next move."
Cipher had to admit, she was impressed. Keeper had carefully arranged the situation so that Lord Grathan would come under Sith scrutiny regardless of the outcome.
"I expect you're a formidable opponent at Dejarik, sir," she said.
He made no reply, his eyes taking in the constant flicker of the holographic readouts constantly running.
"So what happens now?" she asked.
"Now? We do what we always do. We watch, we wait, and we remain ready to respond to whatever comes next."
"How is Canlyn?"
As soon as the Warden had emerged from hyperspace, Caecinius had received a transmission. One with a Jedi signal. It was Master Kiwiks, who quickly filled him in on recent events: The surrender of Justicar Lars Baddeg; the capture of the unnamed Sith; and the ritual Canlyn had used to save Master Yuon.
"She is resting comfortably," Bela told him. "She's weak but fully conscious, and she has given us information about the Sith. He isn't talking to us, but he taunted her with references to his 'Master.' Which means…"
"Which means that he's just the apprentice," Caecinius finished. "The Master is still out there. I'm surprised that he was captured alive. He's under guard?"
"Of course. But this confirms our worst fears. The Sith are not coming to Coruscant. They're already here."
A whistle from a bridge panel informed Caecinius that he was receiving landing clearance.
"I've arranged expedited clearance for you," Bella said. "My padawan and I will be waiting at the Spaceport."
"Good. It sounds like we have much to do."
Bela bowed. "May the Force be with you." Her image flickered, then vanished.
Caecinius thought again of the attack on the Temple. The bodies of his teachers and classmates. The death of his Master. The fate of Bengel Morr, transformed from a gentle young man into a crazed killer.
"Not this time. I won't let it happen." He was no longer a young padawan. He was a veteran, and he had used the intervening years to make himself strong. This time, he would be ready.
He keyed in confirmation of the landing approach. Then waited impatiently, watching through the viewscreen as the Warden descended into the atmosphere of the Republic capital.
NEXT: Racing the Devil