Dezuno and his party left Odessen without getting what they wanted, and Cassian preferred it this way. His father played his part well, toeing the line between arrogance and becoming apologetic. He could switch masks on the fly, a skill any good politician had, and his father was no exception. Cassian knew him too well to believe that his desire to make up was genuine. In fact, he hoped it wasn't. To think that the man who cast him out and shamed him for his natural abilities would believe that Cassian would have any interest in just making up after all this…It made his blood boil. He needed a reprieve from this, and so Cassian went to a place almost no one else would dare to bother him.

Vaylin's cell. It was the time for them to continue their conversation, and this time, Cassian braced himself to speak plainly and hold nothing back.

However, much to his surprise, there was someone else standing at its doorstep. Sana-Rae, a Voss mystic in charge of the Force Enclave on Odessen, is one of Alliance's most loyal specialists.

"Sana-Rae?"

"Commander…" She turned around and spoke meekly. "I did not expect to see you here. Are you on your way to visit Vaylin?"

"I was, yes. And you? I don't think having you two meet would do any good after what she did to Voss…"

"Oh, I don't want to talk to her, just…Understand my visions." She said, making Cassian far more intrigued.

"Visions, you say? Anything new?"

"Yes." Sana nodded. "I saw one after you defeated Tenebrae, and it was…Troubling."

"What did you see?"

"Uncertainty and chaos. Difficult times are coming for the Alliance, and they will be devastating."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Cassian said grimly, though he knew that Voss visions were far more reliable than many gave them credit for. "Did you see how to prevent them?"

"No…I tried, but there was nothing. I only found a void. A giant, all-consuming void of death and chaos rising above the entire galaxy."

"Vitiate?"

"No, something else…Though I could feel his trace, too." Sana tried her best to explain, yet as always, visions only hinted at the truth rather than revealing all of it. "And the last time I saw this vision, there was a woman standing before this void…Vaylin." This was getting all the more interesting. "I tried to establish a connection through the force, tried to understand, but… I'm sorry, I still don't know."

"Don't apologize. We've made it this far without relying on visions, and whatever comes, it won't be any different."

"I only know that Vaylin is the key to this. I don't know how, but she is…Be careful with her, commander."

"I will." He reassured her. "But I also need some privacy. You should return to the Enclave."

"Of course, commander."

After Sana left, Cassian walked through the door. He sent the guards away, as well, allowing the Sith Lord to stand before his ward.

"Back so soon?" Vaylin said in an unimpressed, dismissive tone.

"Glad to see you're better." The Chiss responded sarcastically, making Vaylin hesitate for a moment. "Are the new guards treating you better?"

"They just ignore me…" Vaylin pouted. "That's no fun. At least they spread some interesting gossip. Something about a Chiss noble coming here to whine or secure alliances and blah blah blah…I wasn't very interested until one of them said that that guy is your father." Vaylin chuckled, making Cassian pause for a moment. So the gossip spread that quickly; it's good to know. A part of him hoped that he would be able to keep this tumultuous reunion a secret, but it clearly wasn't possible. "How did it go?" She said with playful curiosity. Cassian wasn't sure whether it was genuine.

"A waste of my time."

"I know a thing or two about family reunions… They're always gross." Vaylin sighed. "I take it you don't like him?"

"More like hate him. Could do without ever seeing that sleazy freak's face again!" Cassian didn't even try to hold his spite for his father back, not here. Most others would see Dezuno as nothing but a potential political partner, an ambassador. But Vaylin knew how he felt better than anyone.

"Oh, now you're angry… You're so much more fun when you're angry. You should've been like this when we fought here." Vaylin said with a slight taunt.

"Too bad, I don't nearly feel as much hatred for you as I do for him."

"Ah, parents…Always fucking it up. I think I'm used to it by this point. Anyway, why did you actually come here? Let me guess, should I ask something else about that family on Tython? I haven't killed them, and I don't like repeating myself!"

"No, not for that. That's on, Jac. He left to continue his investigation on Tython."

"Then why?"

"To apologize," Cassian said after taking a deep breath, making Vaylin open her eyes in surprise.

"For wha…Ah, don't tell me, another manipulation game? Trying to get something out of me by playing nice! Come on, that's becoming tiring…You can bring me dozens of vorfruits and glasses of water, I'm not telling you." As Cassian expected, Vaylin's initial reaction was distrust; he couldn't blame her for it, yet he hoped that there still was a chance.

"I can't prove that I'm genuine, so I'll leave that for you to judge. But I'd like you to hear me out. Surely that's more fun than sitting here in silence for another day?"

"Hm, that's true…Alright, spit it out."

"It's about the day of your party, the one I infiltrated and all that followed." He said, making Vaylin frown, immediately annihilating all the playfulness in her voice.

"The day when you humiliated me in front of the entire galaxy and tried to kill me? Yes, of course, that's totally the day I want to think about, so 'fun'…" She said bitterly.

"I'm sorry, Vaylin. I did not see the full picture back then, but that's no justification for letting the feeling of power cloud my mind. I hurt you in a very cruel and gross way, made you look weak in front of the whole galaxy, and used your trauma as a weapon. I understand if you don't want to forgive, but you deserve to hear it." Cassian spoke in a softer, compassionate tone that he rarely took on while Vaylin listened with curiosity.

"Pray that you never know how it feels…" She clenched her teeth. "It hurts to have your own limbs not obeying your mind and all their laughs and fun… It's like being naked in front of them." Her lips quivered as Cassian noticed genuine fear and disgust in her voice,

"If I could undo it, I would." The Sith Lord said with regret. "But I can still apologize and help you make it a bit more bearable. And I mean it, anything you need."

"So kind and considerate…Disgusting." Vaylin shook her head. "Is it because of Nathema? You saw them do…All of this got me sick with pity, right? I don't need it." She denied it in a melancholy tone. "I'm not some poor girl that needs coddling!"

"It's not about pity, though I admit that seeing those recordings…I will never forget it, and I wish I could." All the pain, all the suffering one could endure in their life, all of this was for a greater purpose. To become stronger, more hateful, to break chains and ascend. This was his first reaction to seeing Vaylin's pain, too. Try to find a purpose for it, some explanation or reason, but it was too much. Cruelty like this could not be justified, and imagining many of his former Sith allies approving was sickening. Vaylin was silent, too, looking down at the floor while being overtaken by her thoughts.

"'Enjoy' this knowledge, then…" She finally spoke quietly. "And feel lucky that you only saw it on recordings."

"I'm sorry that you had to go through this, Vaylin. It's horrible, and you didn't deserve any of it."

"Father would disagree." She said spitefully. "Kinda funny, thinking that he did it all because he was afraid of me…Even when I was a little girl. I should've tried to kill before he chained me up. If only I wasn't a stupid little girl who believed her parents' every word." She said with quiet shame in her voice.

"Even if you tried, there was nothing you could've done at that age."

"I should've tried at least…Not just go along with it."

"You were just a child, Vaylin. It's not your fault." For the first time, she didn't push him away, and Cassian felt like they could open up to each other. He wouldn't waste the opportunity.

"Yes, I…I guess that's true." Vaylin took a deep breath as if it were something hard for her to admit.

"It's natural for a child to trust their parents…I trusted mine, too, when I was young. They told me they were doing it for my own good, and I believed it at first."

"Yeah, it's… It's not my fault. It was father's…And mother's. And Jarak's and of all those ugly freaks on Nathema." Vaylin said as her anger grew more potent. "I wish I could kill all of them again…And not just by bombing, I want to cut every single one of those mad scientists and zealots into little pieces…Especially Jarak. He probably died because some boulder fell on him, and he deserved so much worse! Unfair…" Vaylin ranted with annoyance, making another memory spring up in Cassian's mind.

He remembered how he walked across the halls of Nathema sanitarium, delving deeper into the realms of insanity that Valkorion had built. After all he saw, all he felt, Cassian could sense his emotions stripped away from him by the grotesque, dead aura of this nightmarish place. That was until he finally found a living soul.

"I am Jarak, a humble servant of the Eternal Throne who merely does as he's told!"

He was the anomid from the holos, the one who was bragging about slowly breaking Vaylin's psyche, getting a twisted sense of pleasure as he saw a little girl scream and cry. 'A hideous, high-pitched cackle, the glorious sound of her spirit breaking.'" Now, he spoke with fear in his voice, ready to grovel like the pathetic worm he is.

"What's going on? Where are you going?" Lana asked.

He told them everything while Cassian simply listened in silence. He thought that they could help each other, that this 'mutual survival' would make two powerful Sith Lords rely on this scum to get through this. It was rare to see someone who could grovel yet be arrogant at the same time.

"There is a vault deeper in the caverns, the one where Valkorion stored artifacts even he feared were too powerful and dangerous to use. If we hide there, we can survive Vaylin's outburst! Her power drove the beasts and keepers mad, but if you protect me, I can lead you to shelter!"

"Deeper in the cavern, you said?" Cassian spoke for the first time in Jarak's presence, something that startled him.

"Y-yes, as I said, it's not far, just…"

Before he could finish, Cassian raised his hand, forcing Jarak into the air. The amid choked as he grabbed his neck, screaming and gasping for air.

"Cassian, what are you doing?!" Lana spoke up. "We need him to lead us to that vault!"

"Don't delude yourself. We don't need him for anything. That worm will tell us whatever it takes for him to survive." Cassian said before turning to his victim.

"P-please, I…I will help you, I…"

"How does it feel, Jarak? To feel a fraction of the pain you inflicted on your test subjects…On a child? A shame I can't stay and make your death slow and agonizing, but I will enjoy it nonetheless."

Cassian ripped Jarak's vocoder off along with the lower half of his jaw, causing his blood to spill on the floor. He then crushed the anomid's lungs, causing him to cough even more blood as his eyes grew even paler and became lifeless. It lasted only a few seconds, but he suffered. Cassian wished he could say that it felt good, but it was no different than killing yet another pest. When Jarak died, Cassian tossed his tarnished corpse to the side.

They would find their own way.

"Speaking of Nathema's freaks…" Cassian spoke up, re-capturing Vaylin's attention. "I met Jarak at the Sanitaruim."

"What?!"

"He ran off after some failed experiment with your conditioning and ran into Lana and me." He noticed Vaylin clench her fist the moment he mentioned Jarak, as her eyes brimmed with primal disgust.

"And?"

"He tried to get us to protect him and promised to guide us to Valkorion's vault…"

"And?!"

"I killed him on the spot," Cassian said with pride, watching Vaylin release all her tension and stare at the Sith in shock. "I didn't have time to give him as much as he deserved, but I made it as painful as possible. I saw what this degenerate did to you, Vaylin. He didn't deserve as much as to breathe in my presence."

"And the vault? He could've helped, but you…"

"Yes, I decided to take our chances. We found our way just fine, and no words can describe just…How good it felt choking his life out of him. I would've given him to you if there was a chance, but I hope hearing this brings you some…Joy." Cassian said and saw Vaylin giggle nervously. For a moment, it seemed like she genuinely had fun, but there was still a spark of distrust in her eyes.

"You know… It's almost sweet." She said playfully. "Would've been if you weren't feigning your empathy to get the truth out of me."

"That's not…"

"Yes, yes, continue to deny it; I don't even mind. You're fun, Outlander…More fun than I thought. Especially with all you're willing to do just for me to give you a few names."

Cassian sighed and shook his head. It will take time, but he was dedicated.

"I understand why you wouldn't trust me. But I want you to keep this in mind…If you allow me to help you, I promise I will."

"I'd rather we play this game for a little longer." Vaylin shook her head. "Next time, bring something sweet, more than you usually do. Who knows, I might even tell you something fun."

So be it, then, the 'game' was on.

…

"Have a minute, Theron?"

"Well, now that our shuttle is in the middle of hyperspace, I do. Anything you wanted?"

"Just wanted to see if you're feeling alright."

"I…It could've been worse. But it's not easy, either."

"It's difficult for me, too. Coming back to Tyhton after so much has changed is enough in itself, but considering what we've done…"

"Yeah, that. I know we followed our friends, followed Cassian, who we swore allegiance to, but…It still doesn't feel right. At least you didn't have to fight the Republic yourself; I was a part of the Meridian complex operation. A lot of innocents died there…And Cassian approved of it. I already talked with Rusk and Jorgan about it. They're on the brink of leaving the Alliance, and I'm sure there will be others. Sometimes, I wonder if choosing to put our trust into one man instead of our old home and people."

"I should've been there to stop Cassian from making this mistake."

"Hey, don't blame yourself. Your mission with Kira and Scourge turned out to be just as important."

"Either way, I looked the other way, and innocents suffered for it. You know I gave this promise ever since Alliance was born…To watch Cassian and guide him away from falling into the darkness. As a Sith, he has a lot of capacity for evil in him, but I believe that he is the man who can reshape the galaxy. Under his leadership, we broke the shackles of our old allegiances and managed to create a place of peace where all would fight against the common enemy. His methods can be ruthless at times, but in some cases, necessary. I wanted to be there to make sure he doesn't cross the line."

"Are you sure he cares about this galaxy of peace, though? To me, it seems like he lost all interest after he got his revenge on Valkorion. He's an unmatched warrior and a great leader when he has to be…But even now, he's more focused on Vaylin of all people than solving the Alliance's issues."

"He will come around."

"Are you sure?"

"I trust him. He taught me a lot at the time when I least expected it."

"I hope you're right, Jac…I hope you're right."

Jacques and Theron had much to discuss on their way to Tython, discussions that once again reminded them that they were amidst a very turbulent period for the Alliance. Their final battle against Vitiate might have united them once more, but now the grim reality was back upon them. A reality of war and separation, inevitable galactic conflict that was destined to continue to no end. It was more important than ever to keep friends close.

Jac contacted Kira to get an update on their mission shortly before landing on Tython. It turned out that she and Scourge didn't arrive at Tython much earlier than Jac and Theron; all they had time for was receiving key information from Satele. Thus, they decided to rendezvous directly at the estate's coordinates.

And then, he was finally home…

Jac remembered his first days of training when Master Orgus took him in. They were much more eventful than most other Jedi as if preparing Jac for his great deeds in the coming years. He missed those days, back when he was still a young, wide-eyed idealist who dreamed of becoming a Jedi and helping countless people of the galaxy. But those days were long past him. Master Orgus perished, as did Jac's idealism, and the planet lost its magical, almost ephemeral feeling. After siding with a Sith, perhaps he had no right to be here at all, but the Jedi tried not to think about it.

Instead, he made his way towards the estate.

If the ephemeral bliss Tython brought Jac fainted, when the Jedi saw what remained of Aloys' home, it was downright annihilated.

"Fuck…" Theron said quietly; the moment they laid their eyes on the place, Jac felt his heart skip a beat.

What was before them could hardly be called a building, much less an estate. It was a scorched scaffolding with all its windows and doors annihilated and dripped in ash. He could see ripped droid parts scattered around and the smoke still rising from within what remained of this rubble. Its walls, once decorated with ornaments, were now broken and full of cracks; it was a miracle this place could still retain some semblance of form.

"Not the best place to meet up, I admit." He heard a familiar voice coming from behind, finally pulling Jac away from his trance. His two old friends were right behind them, and even though they were just as distressed as the Jedi was, seeing them still allowed Jac to take a relieved breath.

"Kira, Scourge… I'm glad to see you, even though circumstances are far from happy." He told them.

"And you're not alone, I see." Scourge said before side-eyeing Theron.

"And here I thought you'd be appreciative of help…" The spy sighed. "Or did you want your reunion of old friends?"

"No, but it is a matter best kept between as few as possible."

"Don't listen to the big guy." Kira chimed in. "He'll always find something to brood about. I'll take any help we can get. Though I can't blame him for being jumpy, we all thought we'd at least get some kind of break after Vitiate croaked, and now we have conspirators, unprovoked murders, and a guest of honor on Odessen."

"I take it. Do you know the details?"

"Yeah. Read your report a few days ago and then got a rather rant message from Rusk yesterday. Talked a lot about how Cassian is too protective of her. Never saw Vaylin in person, but…She isn't exactly a nice gal from what I know of her."

"And what do you think, Scourge?" Jac turned towards the quiet Sith.

"About Vaylin? She isn't our primary concern…All Tenebrae's spawns were deluded by their own power. They thought themselves untouchable, yet they were nothing compared to their father. If Vaylin dares to challenge those who killed her once already, I'll gladly drive a lightsaber through her chest myself." He said coldly, making Kira chuckle.

"Who'd knew I'd get so used to your bluntness…"

"Do you think Vaylin could've done it?" Jac asked as he looked at the estate. "Satele mentioned one of her dead padawans dying and then getting resurrected and escaping from Tython, and it was a body Vaylin took. She was here not so long ago."

"Hm…It does look like her destructive handiwork, but I'm not so sure about the choice of a target." Kira explained. "I'd imagine she would want to strike against the Jedi or maybe places with more civilians. This is a bit random."

"I doubt there's much logic to her actions."

"Ahem." Theron interrupted. "I would love nothing more than to talk about Vaylin all day long, but we should probably check the place for clues."

"Yes, you're right." Jac nodded. "Let's go if we're quick enough. Perhaps we can chase the murderer before they are out of reach."

After this, the party finally walked into the estate and began their search. Jac tried not to think about how this home looked before this rampage. He got information on the family that lived here. Fabian, Gaela, and their daughter Lia. Tython was an unexpected place for settling, and that's why they chose to build their estate here in an attempt to run from the galactic turmoil and Zakuul's conquest. No doubt, the parents wanted their daughter to have a childhood as happy as possible and free from all the trauma that defined the galaxy of that time. Alas, this attempt ended in yet another horrific tragedy.

The group scoured through the ruins of the place, trudging through the rubble. All they discovered was ruined furniture, broken plates, and lights, holes in walls and room, remains of a burning turf…Whoever did their job made sure not to leave anything but ruin behind. But even this was far from the worst.

As Jac dug through the rubble, he discovered three bodies. A man and a woman covered in dry blood, both shielding their daughter from danger. Parts of their bodies were outright charred, allowing Jac to witness the skeletal parts of their hands. Their daughter lay underneath them, crumbling in a fetal position and covering her face with her small, bleeding hands. All bodies were cold; they died together amidst a desperate attempt of parents to save their child…Jac felt the sick come up. No words could describe the disgust and spite he felt for the murderer, and despite him not knowing their identity, the image in Jedi's mind was as clear as before.

If Vaylin did this…It will be the final nail in her coffin. This is final proof that she deserves no mercy and needs to be put down like a rabid dog, like the monster that she became. And even though it was not the Jedi way to become an executioner, he was ready to take on this burden to save the galaxy from her threat.

"You might want to see this…" He heard Theron's voice echoing from behind, making Jac, Kira, and Scourge turn around.

"What is it?" The Sith asked.

"I found a camera that wasn't entirely devastated; there's even a working chip inside. I wasn't sure it would work, but once I checked the correct time for a few days ago…Well, you'd better see it for yourself."

He called upon his allies, showing the recording he copied to his holo. What Jac witnessed there shocked Jedi to his very core.

"Please…We will do anything, just… Don't harm Lia!"

He saw a mother begging for her daughter's life as an assailant approached her in silence without flinching and faltering. "What do you want? What did we do? I…I don't understand!"

The one who attacked her did not at all look like Syl. It was a male twi'lek with a lightsaber in his hand and dressed in Jedi robes…Yet despite this, his eyes were cold and utterly merciless.

"Your kind defiled the world of the Jedi for long enough. Now you pay the price."