Chapter 23

Mission's Tale

"You…bastard…," a fuming Queen Talia seethed with rage at the arrogant blonde vice-admiral who, apparently unfazed by her scathing anger, stared with a calm expression on his face out one of the arch-shaped gaps along the wall of the palace audience chamber. His hands gathered behind his back, he looked upon the once vibrant metropolis of Onderon, still licking its wounds and slowly rebuilding after the devastation wreaked by the Mandalorian invaders from years ago. Damaged homes would be rebuilt, crops in the countryside resown, and the formerly tarnished grand halls of the palace refurbished, but the pride of Onderon was something which would never return for several generations.

Finally, after having had enough of looking at the planet in its depressing state, Krieg turned his attention back upon the 22 year-old sovereign of Onderon, renowned for her beauty which was only matched by her silver tongue in negotiations. However, her usual cool demeanor seemed to be lost to her as her piercing green eyes glared at him like a cat's, while her rosy lips were slightly ajar, revealing pristine and snarling teeth. Her golden headdress, usually shining under the radiant sunlight of her world, was now dull and pale, the sun having been blocked off by murky clouds as well as the wreckage of Republic capital ships which still orbited the planet after being decimated by the Sith fleet.

"You should be grateful, your Majesty," Krieg spoke as politely as he could, although his arrogance was hard to mask. "Considering the traitorous ways you have been acting behind our backs over the past few months by trading with and supplying the Republic with minerals, metals, arms and soldiers, this is an act of mercy on the part of our Empire."

"Our people needed food, medicine and other supplies; just what did you expect me to do?" Queen Talia fumed. "You turned your backs to us, instead focusing all your attention on your murderous rampage throughout Republic space! How could I neglect my own people's safety?"

"If I may point out a slight contradiction, milady, it was your own doing," Krieg puffed condescendingly. "After our fleets returned to Republic space to finish Lord Revan's crusade, we actively sought to re-establish communication and trade ties with you. However, by that time, you had surrounded yourself with the Republic's fleets and agents. You should be grateful that Lord Revan was merciful unlike our new master. But now that the tables have turned…"

Talia swallowed nervously, a bead of sweat trickling down the back of her neck which was concealed by her regal headdress. Her eyes visibly trembled as she stared hatefully at Krieg who looked at her attentively, paying close heed to every tiny shift in expression.

"Spit it out, worm," Talia growled. "I am not afraid to die, as is the same with my people. We know what happened to Taris, to Telos and many other worlds. Even so, we'd rather die than face eternity in servitude."

The Vice-Admiral couldn't help but chuckle and stare down at the marble floor as he shook his head at her zeal. Seconds later, he raised his head to meet her gaze. "My dear lady, you completely misunderstand. Do you mistake us for those Mandalorian dogs who pillaged your world, killed your father and brothers, and took your mother and sister away never to be seen again? As weak and indecisive Lord Revan was compared to Lord Malak, many of us still hold our former master's diplomatic tactics in high regard."

Talia's eyes somewhat softened. "What are you saying?"

"It doesn't take a fool to see that Lord Malak's method of gaining loyalty from worlds through blackmail, threats and destruction will ultimately implode upon itself if left unchecked. As a wise man once said, the greatest victory is one which requires no battle. Lord Revan knew this, and so he gained the trust and genuine loyalty of hundreds of worlds and people not through force or the use of fear, but mutual trust and co-operation in aiming to achieve a higher goal. Our ultimate goal is not to simply conquer and oppress as the propagandists of the Republic media and military would like you to believe, but rather to unleash the Republic full potential which has been shackled and restrained by its corrupt politicians and bureaucrats."

Talia scoffed. "If Malak is as reckless and shortsighted as you say, then why would people such as yourself continue to serve him?"

Krieg grinned. "Lord Malak is a means to an end, not the end in itself. We follow him for now, as he is the most powerful among the Sith. But one day, a new leader will rise to take his place. Whether it is his apprentice, Darth Bandon, or someone else, we don't know. But when the new Sith Lord rises, he or she will have foresight far greater than Malak. And with the forces at our command, it is only a matter of time before the whole galaxy will be awakened to its true destiny."

"Big promises of glorious futures and prosperity for all," Talia dismissed once again. "It's been a fairytale for many – a utopian fairytale which has led to disaster every time it has been pursued."

"Be grateful that it is me who you are negotiating with, and not Lord Malak," Krieg said, stepping towards her. After stopping at a distance which allowed him to speak to her face to face, he continued. "I guarantee you, he would have turned your planet into ashes immediately after crushing the Republic fleet, as punishment for what you have done. But unlike him, I am merciful, not just because the sovereign of Onderon is a woman of immaculate beauty, but also because I see in her a potentially great ally. One who may not only follow, but follow loyally."

"What…," Talia stammered. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you forget who your ancestor is, Queen Talia?" Krieg looked at her dead in the eyes. "The blood of Freedon Nadd runs in you. His power may have run dry in your bloodline over the centuries, but you are nevertheless his descendent. Does it not irk you that you are ruling over a backwater world, when you so rightfully deserve so much more? Does it not infuriate you that one of Freedon Nadd's lineage has to put up with such humiliation every single day? Do you not ever dream for more?"

"I…I am not that kind of person," Talia vehemently insisted, shaking her head. "I cannot trade away my people's freedom for the sake of personal ambition. I…I love them."

"Hmph. Quaint," Krieg sighed and looked out the arch gaps in the walls once more, towards the cityscape below. "Well, then again it was good to see this place again. Before it's reduced to rubble, I mean." He then started to walk past the stone-faced queen who became petrified with fear. "I bid you good day, Queen Talia. The bombardment will begin as soon as I return to my command ship."

Frozen with anxiety, Talia began to shake with nervousness as the trickles of sweat on the back of her neck grew into a steady stream. Whereas she was able to use her charm and beauty which she was well and truly conscious of in diplomatic situations to her and Onderon's advantage, there was no such easy way around the wily cunning of the Vice-Admiral. No matter what kind of deal and trade she proposed, he would always return to the point of her allowing Republic ships and military personnel in and through Onderon. She tried to put on an act of delicacy and charm at first, then quickly turned to stoic firmness when that didn't pay dividends, but to no avail. Krieg would have none of it: he would only have what he wanted and nothing less.

"Stop. Please," she sighed, her shoulders and head slumping as a sign of her final surrender. "I…I yield. I will obey. I will cease all activities – trade, military and otherwise – with the Republic. Onderon is yours to command…"

As he stood right next to and faced the opposite direction of the queen, a dark smile stretched across Krieg's face. With the loyalty of Onderon sealed, he turned to face Talia who couldn't even summon up the will to look back at him, instead shedding a tear which fell upon the marble floor.

"You are as wise as you are beautiful, milady," Krieg said softly and walked closer to her until he was virtually standing a thumb's distance apart from her. He looked down at the queen, once proud and noble but now defeated and full of shame. "I shall call off the bombardment, then. Instead, I will see to it that your obedience is rewarded with food supplies. And," he continued, his confidence so high that he touched her fair cheek and turned her face so that she looked at him with her tear-stained green eyes, "you should be grateful. I could have asked for more." In one last insulting act, he leaned in and whispered ever so softly into her ear before he departed. "So much more…"

Talia quickly turned her head and swatted away Krieg's hand, disgusted by his insinuations. Then, with a devilish smile, he bid her farewell with a formal bow and walked through the heavy golden doors which were opened outwards for him by the queen's servants. His Sith escorts outside dutifully led him back to his shuttle, all the while earning the scornful glares of the Onderon imperial guardsmen.

And inside the chamber, Queen Talia seethed in fury, her ancestors' hatred simmering fresh within her veins and her knuckles going deathly white as she clenched her fist vengefully.

-o-

Stirred by the sound of the creaking front door of her family's run-down apartment flat, four year-old Mission opened up her heavy eyelids and rolled onto her side on her bed. A pair of shoes flopped onto the shoe rack just beside the entrance, and then soft panting could be heard as a woman walked across the corridors of the residence, her fingertips quietly brushing against the walls. Pretending to be asleep, Mission kept herself still on her bed, although she left her eyes slightly ajar. She spotted the figure of her mother, returning home late into the night as usual. The blue Twi'lek of thirty years of age had over her shoulders a light brown cloak, one of the only ones she could afford in their state of dire poverty. She looked with her gloomy and sullen grey eyes at her dear daughter, stopping by her room for a fleeting moment before trudging further towards her own bedroom.

Silently, as she occasionally did when she saw her mother return from her work, Mission shed tears into her tattered pillow. How no-one would help her poor mother she would never understand. Her mother was to her quite possibly the most beautiful, caring and loving person in the world. She still wondered just what kind of work her mother had to put up with, that it meant that she had to carry on late into the night.

Every time she asked her mother about it, she would always get the same answers.

"It's not important, sweetheart."

"Maybe…maybe I'll tell you another time?"

"I'm tired right now, Mission. I'm sorry, honey."

After weeks and weeks of asking, Mission finally gave up. She was four years old, but she was not stupid. Her mother would never tell her, and she came to accept that fact. But then again, she couldn't help but worry about her mother deeply. It was obvious that she was growing sick…frail…weak. Sometimes she would go into the bathroom and keep the door firmly locked, and from inside could be heard vomiting and deep panting. And every morning she would wake with reddened and sore eyes, busily making her children breakfast even though she was on the verge of fainting.

Months had passed since her husband's death from alcohol overdose after he lost the family's entire fortune and drowned them in debt in a drunken game of pazaak. Desperate to escape from the looming threat posed by her husband's creditors, she sold the family's former residence and all their assets, the sum of which was just enough to secure them a ticket to quite possibly one of the worst places a person could live – Nar Shadaa. Just how in the world her mother managed to secure a job in such a corrupt society Mission could never know.

Minutes after she heard her mother collapsing with fatigue onto her bed, Mission silently crept into her bedroom. Her mother had almost instantaneously fallen asleep, like she often did on nights she virtually worked herself to death. She was lying on her side, facing towards Mission, but her light snores told Mission that she would not wake anytime soon. Her curiosity pecking away at her, Mission slid her hands into her mother's purse which lay on the floor, and she made contact with a small wad of cash. Slightly pulling it out, she saw by the color of the bills reflected against the moonlight that it amounted to approximately 50 credits – just enough to keep their bellies a week from grumbling…too much. She put back the money in the purse, and her hand them loomed over what felt like a small plastic carton. She took it out and tried to read the surface of it, but it was too dark to do so. After opening up the carton as silently as she could, she reached inside and pulled out one of the contents. She held it up against the light of the moon, and saw that it was a transparent, small, thin and square object, and furthermore inside was a circular, ring-shaped thing.

She tore up the outside surface quietly and pulled out the ring which piqued her interest. It was soft, and somewhat gooey upon touching it. She poked at it and it extended inwards, just like a balloon. She wished to examine it further, but knew that her mother would stir awake if she lingered. Knowing that replacing the object back into the purse in its unwrapped state would raise her mother's suspicions, she took both it and its wrapping in hand. But then, peering at her mother's face, she froze in shock as she saw those two grey eyes looking back at her, trembling as they did so.

"M…Mission?" her mother gasped, her heart beginning to pound and her breaths erratic. "Mission, you…you…"

Mission dared not speak. She could already tell that her mother was on the verge of a breakdown.

And so she did.

"Nooooo!" her mother screamed, viciously grabbing at her ragged bedsheets and throwing it over herself in shame. Frightened, Mission ran out of the room as fast as she could and back to her own bedroom. She buried her face against her pillow and squeezed the sides of it against her ears. Still, she could hear the muffled sounds of her mother wailing and crying in anguish like she never did before.

-o-

"Mother," Mission sharply exhaled as her eyes shot open. A few short hours had passed since her strenuous melee training session with Audrey and Juhani, and her exhaustion still took a toll on the joints of her arms. She laid upon one of the beds of the starboard dorm, and she could also feel a soft, soothing touch on her left shoulder.

"Technically not, but I love you none the less, my dear," Audrey, seated on the side of Mission's bed, chuckled softly as she caressed her ward's brow. "I'm sorry. Judging from what you've just said, I must have stirred you from a pleasant dream."

"No," Mission shook her head, then reached for and squeezed Audrey's hand. "Far from it, to be honest."

"That's one more thing we have in common, then," the voice of Carth came from nearby. Turning her head sideways, Mission could see Carth's feet on the floor while the pilot was seated in the middle of the bed just next to hers.

"You have nightmares too?" Mission asked, recalling Carth's recount of his wife's death and his son's disappearance.

"Yeah," he shrugged. "Still, it's infinitely better now that I have the two of you to talk to about it, at least."

"That's what family's for, darling," Audrey smiled warmly at Carth who returned her love with a smile of his own. "But that reminds me," she said, looking back down at Mission. "We never really got to hear what happened to your family. I mean, the whole story. You told us little snippets here and there about your brother and your father, but…whatever happened to your mother?"

"I…uhh…," Mission sighed, clearly pained by the memories.

Seeing Mission in her distressed state, Carth spoke. "You don't have to talk about your mother to us right now, Mission. There's a time and place for everything, and we'll be more than willing to understand if you don't feel comfortable talking about it."

As much as she was uncomfortable with speaking about her mother, Mission couldn't help but feel a strange sense of obligation to do so, especially after Carth and Audrey had both shared their families' past to the group. Finally, with a deep sigh, she told her story.

"Like I said before, my dad died of alcohol poisoning after falling into a deep state of depression. He lost our family's entire fortune and got us deep into debt in a game of pazaak. Soon enough, creditors kept on knocking on our door, and my mom just couldn't take it. She took me and my brother Griff offworld after selling our remaining assets and buying a ticket to Nar Shadaa, of all places, since it was the only place we could afford to go to. She struggled to support us in a slum apartment by working in a relatively low-paying job. One night, she came back from work really late. I was just so darn curious as to what kind of work she did, that I rummaged through her bag. I've regretted it ever since."

Audrey gently squeezed her hand. "What was in it?"

Mission held her hand against her forehead and exhaled. "Condoms, as I came to realize years later. She turned to prostitution, knowing that us twi'leks were in high demand. She was thirty years old at the time, so she thought she could keep it up for a few more years, I guess. She screamed and lost her mind when she saw that I found out. By next morning, when I woke up, she was gone. Ashamed of what she revealed herself to be. I never saw her again, my mother. Griff and I briefly turned to crime as pickpockets, and then smuggled ourselves into a spices crate due for Taris after bribing a customs official."

"And shortly after that I started to care for you from a distance in the Bek base," Audrey realized. "I still remember Zaerdra being glad that she could take Griff off her mind."

"He's a damn troublemaker, but he's my brother," Mission grunted. "I have to find him. I have to know why he did what he did."

"Well, dear, luckily for you and Bastila, the two of you at least have a lead," Audrey smiled sombrely. "As for Carth and myself, we're not so fortunate." Her eyebrows momentarily twitched when she recalled the conversation she had with Carth on Dantooine while Mission was unconscious. "Listen, Mish, there's something you should know about."

"What's the matter?" Mission sat up slightly and faced her.

"Carth and I talked while you were unconscious after our fight with Juhani's kath hounds on Dantooine. I mean, when you were really unconscious," Audrey said, earning a subtle chuckle from Mission. "We were discussing our future after this war ends – if it ends in our favor, which is still a longshot. Carth and I both want to set out to find our families after all this business with Malak is concluded. It'll be a dangerous road which will often lead to conflict with no less than the Exchange itself."

Mission sighed and slumped her shoulders. "What are you implying? That you're just gonna leave me?"

"Audrey's got a point, Mission," Carth said with his arms crossed. "Look what happened with those kath hounds."

"B-but that was an ambush! And they were animals!" Mission insisted with a jittery voice. "The Exchange is different! They're—"

"Far more dangerous and more organized than any mere kath hound pack, that's for sure," Audrey puffed. "Hell, I'd be surprised if any of us make it through all of the hell we're about to face with this war against the Sith, considering that virtually all of the vital Outer Rim sections have been taken by them."

Audrey was right. After being summoned to the main hold by her and Carth, the entire group could see for themselves just what kind of dire straits the Republic had been thrown into over the course of just over a month. Huge pockets of the Mid Rim – even Kashyyyk, of all places – had also been taken by the Sith in that short time, and even Manaan was being further encroached upon by the Sith with every passing day. Due to the subjugated state of many of the worlds around it, Manaan with its declared state of neutrality served as little more than an unofficial rejuvenating hub for the Sith fleet, allowing it to replenish its supplies before launching fresh drives into Republic space, spearheading the effort to join their small pockets of forces which had even succeeded in taking Corellia.

Furthermore, the Republic was dealing with no ordinary foe, but one which neglected and outrightly dismissed all notions of decency, and even the fundamental rules of war. From threatening and even bombarding planets such as Taris, to subtle and poisonous tactics such as utilizing sleeper agents, double agents and counterfeit currency producers, no crime was too heinous or despicable for the Sith not to resort to and abuse. And considering the Sith Empire's unholy alliance with the likes of Czerka and the Exchange, visible threats were the least of their worries.

"Listen to her, Mission," Carth insisted. "Growing up in the Lower City of Taris is one thing, but this is war we're talking about. Full-blown war. You might feel confident because you can sneak up on a group of Vulkars or Gamorreans, but they're at the bottom of the food chain when it comes to the foes we're gonna face."

"I don't care," Mission touted and shook her head. "I'm not leaving either of you. I know it's only been about a month since we first met, but in that short period of time, I…I've grown attached to the both of you. More than you can ever imagine."

Audrey sighed, no longer able to hold back what was truly in her heart. "But you'll die."

"Then so be it," Mission coolly said, much to Carth and Audrey's displeasure. "You and Carth are everything I've been missing for the past nine years. I'd be damned before I lose either of you. Look, I know what I am, and what I look like. A kid, I know. But trust me when I say that I want to look out for the two of you just as much as you look out for me. I'll toughen up and prove myself to you one day – you'll see."

"And I'm sure you will," a soft voice came from the doorway of the dorm, capturing the three's attention. It was Bastila, who stepped inside with a calm expression on her face despite knowing that she would eventually be called upon by the Republic Navy to once again showcase her prized ability when the time came to strike at Kashyyyk.

Carth's expression slightly darkened when he saw the Jedi Knight come into the dorm. Still, he elected not to let his feelings be known as he spoke to her. "Everything alright? No navigation problems?"

"We'll finally be arriving on Tatooine very soon – ETA three hours at best, and it'll be dusk when we arrive there," she informed them, and then looked at Mission. "I see you've been resting. That's good – you'll need it considering the trials which will undoubtedly come our way in the future."

"If we know which way to even follow, that is," Audrey said. "We're acting almost purely on Kael's words alone here. We make our way to Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Manaan and Korriban one by one, and then what? We don't even know where exactly to go to!"

"You're right about that, Audrey," Bastila admitted with a sigh, crossing her arms as she leaned against the side wall of the circular entrance. "As much as it frustrates me also that we have to follow Kael's visions instead of a clear map, we have no choice in the matter."

"It just…frustrates me, that's all I'm saying," Audrey shrugged. "It killed me on the inside to see Mission wounded by those kath hounds. I just don't want to see her get hurt again."

"Don't worry, Audrey, you're in good hands," Bastila managed a smile of assurance after seeing Mission return Audrey's concerns with an appreciative squeeze of her hand. "We'll do everything in our power to protect you."

"'We'? Who do you mean by 'we'?" Carth's eyes narrowed cynically.

Taken slightly aback by his sudden stinging expression, Bastila stuttered. "I—what…what are you saying?"

Carth explained. "If you're insinuating that you, Elena and Juhani will play a greater role in protecting Mission, let alone seeing that this quest of ours goes smoothly, then I certainly can't take that in a purely positive light. The rest of us non-Jedi have quite frankly been left out in the dark on a whole lot of things, and it sure is making me uneasy."

Recovering her composure, Bastila replied rather coldly. "It was the will of the Council that they discussed Kael's training and future in private. It was not up to us."

"Now that's just freaking bullshit," Carth muttered. "I know there's something big at work here; I just know there is. You can babble on about your damned 'will of the Force', but that's not gonna help. Why is it that Kael of all people, who by all reason and logic should be totally clueless about Revan and Malak, keeps on getting visions of the two of them as if he knew them all his life? And even if it is the will of the Force, why is it that it's Kael who's been tagging along with us and receiving visions instead of some other Jedi who personally knew Revan?"

Bastila's heart begin to pound, and she found it increasingly difficult to prevent herself from breathing more rapidly and deeply. Her cheeks, often so pale and composed, began to go pink with pressure, and her eyes vibrated and wobbled. Sooner or later, she knew that the secret was bound to be exposed.

Upon seeing that his words deeply troubled and agitated Bastila, Carth offered an apology. "Look…Don't think that I hate or dislike you, Bastila. I'm just on edge when it comes to these kinds of things, especially after my experiences with Saul. I'm not suggesting that you're a traitor, either. I just want the road ahead to be clear, with no nasty surprises. For Mission and Audrey's sake."

Bastila looked for a moment at the three of them, the most unlikely family possibly imaginable. Three individuals brought together by a chain of the most unfortunate and horrific events imaginable, and yet so determined and never losing hope because of the mutual support they gave each other. It reminded her of the days in her past when she was still a family with Elena and Revan. Days which she missed ever since the terrible fires of war brought them back into the line of duty for the Republic.

"I understand, Carth," Bastila said softly. "I'm a Jedi Knight, but that doesn't mean I'm an emotionless being. My tears after hearing about the loss of my father are ample evidence of that. I know what it means to be part of a family, and I can tell that I'm looking at one right now," she smiled at them, receiving from Carth an appreciative nod while Audrey simply blushed and looked down at Mission. "We'll all do our best to protect one another; I assure you of that."

"Not so sure about Canderous on that one, to be honest," Audrey chuckled. "But thank you, Bastila. It means a lot to us."

"You love her…don't you?" Bastila virtually whispered, reminiscing of her beloved father when she saw that Audrey was giving Mission as much love and attention as he once gave her.

"With every fiber of my being, yes," Audrey smiled as she looked down once more at Mission who began to giggle with embarrassment. Then, remembering one of the reasons they were going to Tatooine, she turned her head and spoke again, this time more glumly. "I'm so sorry about your father, Bastila. As slim a chance as it may be, I really do hope that he's still alive and that we find him."

Bastila opened her mouth to speak, but no words would come out. Her heavy heart would not allow it. It pained her to even think of her father, let alone her mother whom her enmity for was growing with each passing second. She could only bring herself to say one more thing before she turned around and walked back to join Kael and Elena at the cockpit, tears welling in her eyes.

"Thank you…"

A/N: I was going to put in another section with Krieg aboard his command ship following his conversation with Queen Talia, but I will shift that to the next chapter because this one would have become bloated in size. There will be several AU elements for Tatooine, so I need to brush up and finalize my plans for it. I got a sudden urge to introduce Jolee on Tatooine instead of Kashyyyk so as to mirror Ben Kenobi, but figured it'd be best to keep him on Kashyyyk in order to deal with the Chuundar vs Freyyr issue.

Happy New Year to all, and thanks for all the support you guys have shown over the past several months. Can't believe we're barely short of 200 reviews!