The Mynock landed on a landing pad, and soon a woman with pink skin and blue hair walked off the ship with a frown on her face. She saw Cade approaching and snapped at him. "You ran off again!" She frowned at him.
Cade raised his hands for her to calm down. "Relax, Blue. Unexpected problems required me to head to the Jedi Temple to report." He explained.
Cade's words didn't seem to deter her. "You could have at least told me." She said as she looked him over.
Cade sighed. "Sorry bout that, pateesa, but this was an emergency." He assured Deliah.
She sighed then before looking around. "What of that person, the one you thought was sent after us?"
Cade looked over his shoulder and pointed at Zhalia standing over by the door into the Senate Building. "She wasn't a member of the One Sith. She's Zhalia Shan, an old rogue Sith from the Old Republic days."
Blue looked towards Zhalia's direction, but noted it was apparent that Zhalia was looking some things over as if giving the two a moment. Either that or what Zhalia was reading was interesting. "She doesn't seem like a Sith at first glance. Though I wish I could get my hands on her ship. That model hasn't been around in years and a part of me wants to know how it works."
Zhalia chuckled then, "I can still hear you, and when it returns from being retrofitted you can have at."
Cade chuckled and looked over to Zhalia. "Don't give her ideas." He told her with a smirk.
Zhalia did not look up, "Who says I need to give her ideas? Merely giving her permission to look it over." Zhalia said as she finally looked up and replaced the datapad she was looking over back at her side. "Can't leave here for a couple hours anyways until my ship is back. I'm sure the old thing is giving them loads of trouble with what needs to be replaced and what likely needs fixed up. That's also not mentioning the paint job she's been in desperate need of."
Cade chuckled briefly, but then felt a disturbance in the Force. His vision darkened as he heard Krayt's voice once more. "You believe this scheme of your Sith friend will prove your salvation? Foolishness. Even now, my servants are looking for you. Accept your sad fate. I am already beyond you…" Krayt taunted as Cade fell onto a knee.
Zhalia approached Cade and placed a hand on his shoulder and closed her eyes, "Begone." She said as she used the Force to shield Cade from Krayt.
Blue looked between the two worriedly. "What…?"
Cade's eyes closed as his body became limp and he fell onto the floor, unconscious.
Zhalia caught Cade and carefully lowered him to the ground. "That was the spirit of Krayt." Zhalia spoke. "He has, rather unfortunately, chosen to try and take over Cade's body and mind. I have shielded Cade for the moment but it will not last forever. That is why we have come here. I have a plan to aid Cade, but it is a dangerous one, not just for him but all who will be partaking in it." Zhalia said as she looked towards Blue.
Blue was unsure of what to say for a moment before turning to Zhalia. "How can I help?" She asked as Zhalia looked at her.
"For now, stay near to him. His bond with you is strong, almost stronger than the one I once shared with my long since deceased husband Theron Shan, and our bond was strong." Zhalia frowned. "This bond you two share will be helpful towards the end goal of what I have in mind. But your bond, my aid and the plan can only go so far. I would need to reach into the force to find any help from the spiritual end for him and that is difficult in and of itself as I share no bond to the Skywalker line."
Blue nodded, "I will try my best to be at his side. So long as he doesn't go running off again."
Zhalia chuckled. "Men are good at that." Both smiled at each other as Blue went to help Zhalia get Cade into the Mynock.
Shortly thereafter, Zhalia felt a presence behind her. Outside the ship.
Zhalia sighed as she headed outside the ship but didn't move too far so the shielding wouldn't grow weak and soon looked towards the source of the presence.
The Force Ghost of a Jedi appeared before her. "Greetings, ancient one. I am Luke Skywalker, former Grand Master of the New Jedi Order." Luke told her.
Zhalia sighed, "Why does everyone feel the need to remind me that I am old?" She shook her head. "Though I will admit this isn't the first time I'm speaking with a Force Ghost. I'm guessing your visit has to do with me aiding the young Cade?"
Luke nodded as he walked towards her. "I'm concerned for Cade. I guided him in his time of darkness, but now that he is a Jedi, his struggle is even worse as Krayt holds his spirit hostage." He looked down. "Had I destroyed Krayt when I still could have, perhaps Cade wouldn't be in this predicament."
Zhalia sighed. "You could not have known that Krayt would be so desperate." She told him, "For me, this very situation is very much similar to what I went through with Vitiate and, like Vitiate, Krayt will fall." She said as she took a moment to look back towards the ship. "I cannot promise that my plan in the making will work, but I know it won't work at all without help." She shook her head before looking back towards Luke. "Cade is young, and powerful, but we all were at one time. I could never have defeated Vitiate without help and I can say that what I experienced and what Cade is going through is not easy for him."
Luke looked back up at her. "Cade was once much closer to the Dark Side than he is now. Even so he always managed to avoid fully giving into it while tapping into its power." Luke turned his gaze to Blue tending to Cade. "I can sense it now, Krayt is tormenting him as he sleeps."
Zhalia sighed. "I do not know if I can aid him more than what I am with my shielding. I cannot enter his mind unless he is willing to let me in, but even if he does, my presence there could leave a lasting impact that could lead to me having to reformulate my current plan." She then looked towards Luke. She shook her head. "I've killed one so-called dragon, never thought I would have to fight another if it came down to it."
Luke looked back at Zhalia. "You must nevertheless help him. Cade's in a dark place, and my powers in the physical world are very limited." He told her.
"I will continue to help him so long as he wants me to help him. Other than that, I can do nothing more." Zhalia told him as she looked towards the direction of Blue and the seemingly sleeping Cade. "Maybe this is the reason I still live, or maybe everyone was right when they said I was just too stubborn to die." She closed her eyes before looking towards Luke. "But again, I can't promise that my plan to free him will work."
Luke smiled. He looked past the fact she was a Sith. "Finish his training. You have my blessing to train him. But be warned, Cade can be very stubborn." He warned her.
Zhalia chuckled. "It's not the first time I trained a stubborn apprentice." Zhalia told him. "My former apprentice, Jaesa, could be stubborn at times as well. I was also a stubborn apprentice myself in my time." She smiled, "But I will do my best to try and get something through that thick skull of Cade's."
Luke sighed. "Hurry, he cannot hold any longer." He told Zhalia, disappearing as Cade began convulsing.
Zhalia went over to Cade, "Hold him still." She ordered Blue who did her best to try and hold Cade still. "Sorry I have to practically invade your headspace, pup." She said to Cade before she entered his mind.
In Cade's mind, Zhalia stood in a dark void. The floor was an ashened field as she felt Cade's spirit away in the void. The voice of Krayt chuckled and taunted her. "Your meddling is fruitless, Dragon of Zakuul. You face a far more powerful beast than the Sith Emperor you have slain before."
Zhalia said nothing, merely hyper focused on Cade until she had locked onto his spirit before speaking. "You have no idea how powerful I truly am, A'Sharad." She called out as she began walking towards Cade. "Unlike you, a pitiful excuse for a former Tusken Warlord, I respect Cade's wishes for me to be careful within his mind and I do not care to use my true power here."
Krayt laughed as the shadows gave form to a Krayt Dragon that shrank to Krayt's form. "You have learned of my past, but it is meaningless to me. My past merely defines my ascension to a being infinitely your greater." He told Zhalia.
Zhalia stopped and looked towards Krayt, her face betrayed no emotion. "You invaded a mind that is not yours, you are a spirit who has no true power here. You can only merely taunt and threaten." She told him. "You claim the title of the Dragons of our desert mother, yet what I see before me is sad." She told him blankly. "You are no dragon, but a pretender." She had not yet drawn her own lightsaber but soon a smirk crossed her face. "If you believe yourself to be truly a fearsome beast then try me, for I am the Dragon of Zakuul and I have fought more fearsome creatures then a Krayt Dragon."
Krayt drew upon the Dark Side and fired a torrent of Force Lightning that was immensely strong, the sparks of lightning crackling at Zhalia.
Zhalia raised a hand and blocked the Lightning with her smirk remaining. "Try to do better." She pulled at some of the Light Side then and it suddenly became brighter where she stood as the light pierced through the darkness, not only brightening the area but also giving Cade some clarity as needed. Soon her Smirk disappeared, "You claim yourself a dragon, then show me a dragon! Not this excuse!" She snarled.
Krayt frowned as he saw Cade appear from the fading shadows and was blasted by a Force push, dissolving and disappearing for the time being. Cade was panting, catching his breath.
"Easy child," Zhalia approached Cade and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Take a moment to regain yourself."
Cade looked at her as the vision ended.
Cade opened his eyes to see Blue and Zhalia leaning next to him.
Zhalia soon stood and watched as Blue quickly went to curl up to Cade before looking at Cade with a seemingly unemotional expression. "Sorry for invading your head, but I think it was a necessary evil." Zhalia told Cade. "Keep in mind everything you heard, pup. Krayt has no power in your mind, he can only taunt and threaten. Come find me when you are rested." She soon turned and went to sit down outside of the ship to give Cade and Blue a moment.
Cade hugged Blue as he sighed in relief. "I'll be okay, pateesa." He told her with a smile.
"I was so worried for you." Blue said with tears in her eyes. "What is going on Cade?"
Cade looked up. "Trouble, as always." He uttered.
Blue rested her head on his chest as she cuddled him, "With you Cade, what is going on with you. First the Sith come after you and now you need the help of a strange woman."
Cade looked at her in the eyes. He paused, before saying "Krayt's Spirit still haunts me." He then sat up. "He's trying to take me over."
Blue looked at Cade as she sat up alongside him. "Cade…" She frowned.
Cade placed a hand on her shoulder and said "We take what is given."
Meanwhile, Zhalia's comm link beeped.
Zhalia sighed once more before chuckling. "Is this what it feels like to be old? Only thing missing is telling pups to get off my lawn." She asked herself as she answered the comm. "HK what's the update on the ship?" She inquired as HK spoke.
"Statement: The Ship is in the process of being upgraded. The Hyperdrive needs replacement as well as several other things." HK began as Zhalia listened.
"That is good. What of its exterior? She was in pretty bad shape after the escape." Zhalia inquired as HK spoke again.
"Answer: They are in the process of repairing that as well as giving her an updated paint job. I believe the new look will please you, Master." HK informed her before looking her over. "Query: Why do you look tired Master? Am I needed to exterminate some organic?"
Zhalia chuckled. "No HK, I was helping that young Skywalker with an issue that has arisen." She sighed. "Stay with the ship and bring her back once everything is done. If I need you before then I will let you know."
"Statement: I will do as you say, Master. I will bring the ship back once everything is fully upgraded and done." HK told her before the communication ended leaving Zhalia to shake her head as she went to stand.
Zhalia felt a great disturbance in the Force. As if life on an entire planet was snuffed out in moments.
Zhalia stopped for a moment and was unable to move. "That…" She looked skyward. "I haven't felt something like that since Vitiate first haunted me…" She scrambled through her mind to figure out what could cause such a disturbance and it took several moments for her to figure it out. "How did they get a hold of…"
On the planet Talravin, once a vibrant planet of casinos and cities where the Shan family had started through Bastilla Shan, was now desolate. Life had been snuffed out by a Dark Side entity. A dark robed, masked man walked amongst the corpses of civilians, Stormtroopers and Alliance Troopers. Even a few dead Jedi dotted the floor. And the Sith Lords that accompanied him were dead too.
All drained of their lifeforce.
The slender figure of Darth Nihilus stood in the darkened, ash lands that was once the ruined city. His hunger was never ending. His resurrection was complete.
But he needed more. Always more.