The journey through the swamps got all the more exciting with every hour.

After having a thorough talk with Cassian's old 'friends,' Vaylin finally remembered him. Koth Vortena, the captain of the Gravestone and a feisty nuisance to both her and the Outlander. The last time she saw him was when this naive fool fell for a trap set by her and SCORPIO, nearly getting all of his crew killed. She didn't expect him to survive this encounter, but for some reason, the Outlander gave him another chance. At first, Vaylin didn't understand it, but the more time they spent by Koth's side, the clearer it became.

He was funny.

Well, not him, per se; he was aggressively dull, but it was amusing, in a way. During her days as an Empress, Vaylin grew to be irritated by everyone and everything around her, forgetting how lovely it felt to simply laugh at the expense of those who deserved nothing else. This was her favorite pastime during the journey; thankfully for her, Koth was quite helpful in that regard.

"So…" Their guide spoke, breaking the silence. "I was wondering about something."

"Me too," Cassian responded. "How long is it until the checkpoint?"

"Don't worry, we're almost there. It shouldn't be more than the minutes, but anyway…" Koth turned towards Vaylin; his eyes still showed signs of fear and doubt. "I wanted to clarify that whole resurrection schtick. So, you…Just came back?"

"Were you even dead at any point?"

"Sadly, yes…Thank that pompous bastard, Jac."

"I will if we ever meet again. He's probably not happy about you coming back…I guess that's what you did. Just returned?"

"Yeah." Vaylin shrugged and said calmly. "What's so surprising? Got a new body, changed the face, and here you have it."

"People don't usually come back from the dead."

"Are you forgetting who I was? The eternal, the immortal Empress!" Vaylin spoke up with annoyance.

"Valkorion was immortal…Never assumed his children were, though I guess it shouldn't be a surprise."

"Should've thought better, then. You might have realized the obvious." Vaylin said mockingly. "I can do everything my father can…And more! I'm better than him in every way."

"I wouldn't say that."

"Koth, don't start it," Cassian interjected.

"Oh, no, let him!" Vaylin smiled. "This will be good…Do you still believe that my father cared for any of you any more than I did? He just hid his true nature better, not that I can't do it, I just didn't need to!"

"I talked about it to Lana, and I'm not going to pretend like he's some hero. I can't grasp the full extent of what he did to Cassian's people. I just know it was horrible. But at least he did some good things, too, like making Zakuul into what it is. What good have you and your brother ever done?" Koth let out, making Vaylin ignite her lightsaber, forcing a grimace of fear on the man's face.

"You don't know what he did. What he did to us…To me. You are just a pathetic, sheltered imbecile who doesn't understand anything! If you ever try to talk to me about him again…" As Vaylin's rage stirred, Koth began to rise from the ground and cling to his neck once again. Vaylin wanted to jump at him and Pierce his heart, dismember him, limb by limb, dance to his screams, and then feed his remains to iknayids. She would've done so already, but…Cassian would disapprove, and whether she liked it or not, she cared.

"Vaylin, please." The Sith said calmly. "Imbecile or not, we need his help. Those swamps already got sickening…I imagine it's the same for you, too."

"Fine." Vaylin let Koth go, as she knew she would. Something in her changed when Cassian said his words back on Odessen; they were the ones Vaylin had never expected to hear from anyone, much less from her enemy.

"T-thank you," Koth said with relief as he looked at Cassian.

"Don't thank me; thank the one who decided not to snap your neck."

"I…Yes, alright. Thanks, Vaylin."

"That's better, now, let's just forget it and move on."

Eventually, the group reached the checkpoint. It was identical to the one they'd been to before, but this time, it was controlled by other forces. Men and women dressed in Zakuul military uniforms patrolled the place. Cassian and Vaylin put their capes on to cover their faces as much as possible. It wasn't perfect, but no one would expect to see them here; they probably wouldn't suspect it.

"Koth?" One of the men asked as he stepped forward. "We were getting worried, wha…Damn, you look rough."

"Had a run-in with the Exchange. It wasn't my brightest day, I admit." Koth said with shame. "But at least I got lucky. These two mercs saved my life."

"Don't see a lot of mercs that aren't with the Exchange those days."

"I met a couple recently; it's not that surprising. Anyway, I promised to do something for them. Can I have access to the listening post? "

"Eh, yeah, of course!"

"Great."

They came to an agreement, allowing the man to lead them to the outpost before leaving the three to their own devices.

"Okay, let's get to it," Koth said. "I can help you reach out to almost anyone in the galaxy if you give me the contact."

"That's not a good idea." Cassian shook his head. "With how much of a network Jadus built, he probably listens to most holo-frequencies; he'd trace the call."

"Hm…What about encrypted messages? It's a bit tricky, but we can do it. Basically, I'll send a short message into multiple frequencies at the same time and cover it without encryption. It will be much harder to detect and impossible to trace, but the contents could be decrypted."

"Good idea." Cassian nodded. "We'll do that and let the galaxy know the truth. As soon as someone receives it, the news will spread like wildfire."

"All settled, then. What do you want the message to be? Probably better to keep it short so it's harder to intercept."

"Hm, let me think…"

While Cassian and Koth discussed what to put in the message, Vaylin wandered off, still overtaken by her endless pondering about her choices. Every time Cassian advised or told her to do something, she went along. She could've crushed him many times during this stupid journey yet still chose not to. Why? What was the point of it all? Was it really just because she felt somehow touched by his words? That she even wanted to hear more, perhaps? She should hate the mere fact that she's back home, back to the world that rejected her while generating her monstrous father, but she was content. Was this because of him, too?

Eventually, Vaylin felt Cassian approaching from behind. He seemed upbeat as well.

"I'll spend hours cleaning mud off my shoes after this lovely walk…" He said with a tone of playful annoyance. "First the masters of Iokath, then Vitiate, of all the worlds in the galaxy they had to choose a blasted swamp."

"Father has a shit taste, that's not news." Vaylin rolled her eyes. "And I guess the Iokath people were just stupid. That's why they're dead. And the message? Did you send it?"

"Yes, Koth is working on it," Cassian said as the two of them walked away from the tower so as to not attract much attention. "This should inform the galaxy about Jadus's return and how he took Odessen. Then, he promised to get us to the Paragon. He could be an ally when we strike back."

"So we have a little more than nothing; that's progress." Vaylin sighed.

"A necessary first step. It would've been much easier if not for the Voidcaller, but we have no choice as it is. Still…I daresay we made quite a good team out here." Cassian chuckled.

"Oh, going to pat yourself on the back?" The woman said condescendingly. "We just killed a few thugs. Well, mostly me, you were just a bit of a supporter."

"I devised a plan that could get us into the city…And would've, if not for Koth's timely genius."

"You didn't forget that I'm just here to have fun, right? And frying them all was definitely more fun than the plan." Vaylin smiled, remembering all the carnage she caused.

"Fun can be very fleeting," Cassian noted. "If you do too much of something, it will inevitably become a bore…Yes, even killing people."

"Hasn't bored me yet."

"Then you could've just stayed with Jadus," Cassian said. "I'm sure whatever his plan is, it would bring a lot of casualties." He wasn't wrong…From what little Vaylin knew of Jadus, he seemed like a ruthless terrorist, not to mention what he promised her in Exchange for aid and servitude. Complete destruction and annihilation. "You two could get along, so why not?"

"And why do you care?" Vaylin scoffed, but Cassian didn't look away.

"I'm curious."

"About me?"

"About your actions. Most people would just say you're insane, and there's no logic to what you're doing, but I don't believe it." He said calmly.

"Oh, so you like playing with fire, I get it. Or…Are you afraid I'm going to turn on you?"

"No, I'm not." He said with impressive confidence.

"Then tell me, what makes you different from 'most' people? Maybe you're 'insane' as well?"

"No, it's just…" Cassian paused for a moment. "I understood what you wanted. Freedom and revenge. Isn't that right?"

"I did, yes…Too bad you stole the kill." Vaylin said quietly, trying not to hiss at him.

"I hope I made up for that when I freed you."

"A little, maybe…"

"You still didn't answer my question about Jadus." Cassian brought them back before they could stray too far off-topic.

"There was something about him that annoyed me, made me feel…Wrong. Not sure what." Vaylin thought about the conspirator. His cold look, emotionless tone, and unwavering dedication to his deluded cause all aligned. "Maybe he reminded me of father a little too much. Brainwashed some of his own men, said it was for their own good, and tried to make me think it was a mutually beneficial alliance or something. He seemed like a liar and manipulator, it's… It's hard to explain."

"That's what Sith do, lie and manipulate for our own gain."

"Not you, though." Vaylin suddenly felt the urge to speak up, unexpected even for herself. "Well, at least I didn't feel it from you when you came to me on Odessen." His kind, understanding eyes as he looked at her…She still thought of them. He was sincere in his compassion. She couldn't deny it any longer. When people looked at her for too long, Vaylin usually became uncomfortable and annoyed, but not with him. It felt soothing and relaxing, almost like…

Vaylin remembered Senya's smile.

How she laughed when they played in the woods.

The times when she told her stories of the stars beyond their own.

Her sorrowful eyes as Valkorion took Vaylin away.

She was sincere back then, too, yet it didn't save her. Not for a moment.

Then, Vaylin felt it all again. They Heard Jarak's maniacal chuckling, breathed in the disgusting stench of a vivisection body and its organs before her, and heard the distant echo of her own animalistic screech. Sensing a dozen needles piercing her skull, saw nothing beyond the stain of her tears…

"Are you alright?" Cassian wondered.

"I…"

Vaylin couldn't speak; the words were on the tip of her tongue, but something prevented them from slipping. Her hands itched as Vaylin began breathing heavily, barely able to control herself. Her legs were frozen on the ground. She felt like an immovable statue, overtaken by her own horror. She didn't feel her limbs; it felt as if someone forcefully severed her from them, making her feel weak and puny.

Kneel before the dragon of Zakuul.

Every sound, every step made her fear. She was open to a strike. Cassian could impale her here and now if he wanted. Rocks around her rose from the ground, caught up in the grip of her unyielding force. It was wrong, all of it was wrong…Nothing was happening; she shouldn't have been scared; it was nothing, nothing, nothing…But the pain in her chest only got worse, and breathing became almost impossible.

"Hey…" Cassian slowly reached out, holding one of her hands. Vaylin shivered reflexively but soon forced herself to calm down. It was just a gentle touch. He meant no harm. He took her second hand and looked into her eyes. "Take a deep breath. It's alright…I think I know what it is, and it will be better in a minute."

Eventually, Vaylin was able to breathe and slowly began to feel her limbs again. The warmth he exuded and the shame she would feel if she screamed here and now kept her quiet. It was alright…Just a deep breath. And another.

"Oh, here you are!" Koth's loud voice made Vaylin shiver and recoil, forcing her to lose balance. The young woman fell on her back, drenching herself in the mud. "I sent the message, and the shuttle is…Oh," Koth said awkwardly.

"For fuck…" Cassian responded, trying to hold back his anger. "Just wait at the tower; we'll join you soon."

"Okay…Anyway, the ship's ready. We can get to the city." He said before walking away. Cassian rushed to Vaylin and extended his hand.

"Come on, let me…"

"I'm…Fine!" She could finally talk, regaining control of her shaking hands and helping herself get up without Cassian's help. "I'm fine…" Her voice grew even more bitter. She felt a little better, even if still a bit startled, and much of it was because he was here with her…She hated admitting it, absolutely hated.

"I just want to help." He reassured her, sounding far more concerned than he usually did.

"Just…Just go! We need to get on with our things."

"Alright… Let's go, Koth's waiting."

…

Even for Vette, some changes were too drastic to handle.

The fiery twi'lek went through far more pain and loss than anyone deserved; her life was a cataclysmic whirlwind of events and changes that rarely allowed her to feel any peace. Despite this, Vette still formed attachments to people closest to her, and those always came back to haunt her. The moment she grew close to someone and felt at home, this blissful existence would be ripped away by forces beyond her control.

It was the same now. One day, the base on Odessen, a beacon of hope for the galaxy, fell into the hands of a monster. Vette foolishly believed she knew everything about Sith Lords, that there wasn't anything they could scare her with, but even standing close to this 'Jadus' was enough to make her feel uneasy and fearful. But it wasn't her own comfort that Vette was most worried about. At least as long as she didn't step out of line, she was safe. A twi'lek technician was the last person Jadus would take interest in.

But of course, there was Cassian, one of her closest friends. Lana told Vette about what happened and how Vaylin saved him, allowing the two of them to escape…But if anything, the thought of Cassian staying that screeching tu'kata of a woman was worse! She must have saved him to kill him herself in a remote place just to savor the pleasure. That's how she dealt with Torian, brutal and merciless. But even this fear couldn't compare to seeing what Jadus did to Jaesa. A broken corpse that they simply tossed into a pile of bodies. There was no burial, no rites, just incineration. Vette took a liking to Jaesa ever since she joined Cassian. She might have been a bit too stiff and by-the-book at times, but her kindness and loyalty were always something to look up to. She didn't deserve this, no one did…And if anyone tried to fight back or defy their new masters, they would become a part of the same pile. Vette made sure no one else saw her tears as she thought of the months she spent aboard the Fury together with Cassian and Jaesa…Every warm smile, every brooding rant, every awkward moment, all of it counted.

However, Vette couldn't stay in this limbo for long. She was called. She wasn't too surprised, not after knowing that Atiel, Jadus's favorite pet, had begun to call others in for 'questioning' with some abundantly clear patterns. First, it was Broonmark, then Pierce, and there was only one reason the 'Ninth Siren' would care to question someone as unremarkable as those two, their connection to Cassian. Of course, Vette was on her list. When two Jadus's soldiers approached the twi'lek, she took a deep breath and prepared to face it with dignity. She never liked Atiel, but at least Vette knew her better than she knew Jadus or their psychotic zabrak underling. They escorted her to Atiel's 'office' that she claimed and made her wait at the door and then just waited. After some time, Vette grew increasingly uncomfortable.

"Guys, you know you don't have to watch me like that? Go on on your merry way and bully someone else."

"We're to keep an eye on you, Atiel's orders."

"What am I going to do? Run into the wilds?"

"That's not up for discussion."

"Ugh…"

There was someone inside, and Vette could hear the faint echoes from the room.

"During my years of service, I have never seen a man more loyal and dedicated to the Empire's prosperity." Vette heard Malavai's voice. "But he is also an expert in laying low. Even if you tried searching Imperial space, you would never find him and only end up exposing your operation."

"Even if that was the case at the time, I know that by the time I left, he hardly cared for the Empire at all," Atiel responded. "His revenge drove him, and I want to know what drives him now that Vitiate is gone."

"Alas, that is all I can give you," Quinn responded in a cold, professional manner. "You should look no further than the battle of Meridian complex; only a man with nothing but loyalty and admiration for the Empire would lead their troops into such a battle. Or perhaps I should remind you of Iokath?"

Quinn knew what he was doing. Both he and Vette were close enough to Cassian to be aware that he felt inadequate after Valkorion's death, unsure what his next goal in life could be. All he did for the Empire was out of necessity and attempts to distract himself from the void in his heart, not devotion. However, the best Malavai could do in this situation was to attempt to misdirect them.

"Fair enough, we will investigate all the leads. I take it I shouldn't waste any more time…"

"A very astute observation."

"Very well, off you go. Next!"

Quinn left the chamber, throwing a sorrowful glance at Vette as he passed beside her.

"Good luck."

She will need it.

Immediately after, the soldiers escorted her into Atiel's office. There was a desk at which the Chiss agent sat, and there was one empty chair on the opposite side.

"Welcome," Atiel said coldly as she gestured for the soldiers to wait outside. Vette hoped that this would end up as nothing more than an annoying waste of time, and most of all, she wished she could lie as confidently as Quinn. "I have a few questions to ask. I think you can surmise the topic."

"Is this some Chiss secret police thing?" Vette sighed. "Surely you know that I've got no idea where Cassian disappeared to. Should ask Vaylin for that…"

"I'm making a list of potential people and places he might go to. Sith Academy is already under surveillance, as is the Imperial fleet."

"You really have eyes everywhere…"

"Sit down; let's not make this any harder for either of us."

"Okay…Do whatever." Vette tried to speak with indifference as she sat on the chair, though it was hard to keep her cool.

"Ce'na, right?" Atiel asked.

"If you want to be the second person in the entire galaxy who still calls me that, sure."

"I didn't learn your real name until recently, though it wasn't that hard, a matter of looking into some of your old contacts and connecting the dots." She almost sounded proud of herself, making Vette's blood boil. She could barely hold densely together, not because of fear but because of the disgust she felt as she stared into Atiel's red eyes. There was no remorse, no hesitation, no doubt…She fought side by side with Cassian and other people in the Alliance, and now she was killing and tormenting them without a second thought, including her own crew. "We can still go by Vette. That was your name when you met Cassian."

"Do you…Just not care at all?"

"Excuse me?"

"I just don't get it. You were one of those who helped free Cassian in the first place, and now you want to hunt him down? He trusted you!"

"He knew my true loyalties never lied with him; it was a temporary Alliance."

"You worked with Lana to get into Zakuul; she helped you out so many times, and you put a collar on her…Just like that?!"

"It's necessary to keep her in line. Otherwise, she would try to resist and get herself killed. I doubt you'd want that."

"And Kaliyo? She was with you for years! I saw how you killed her, you didn't…You didn't even hesitate, just…Just shot her and moved on like it was nothing!"

"It was nothing. Kaliyo was always a nuisance who, despite this, still had her use. Not anymore."

"Is that what people are to you? Just tools to use?" Vette clenched her fist.

"You sound surprised. I'd thought you would be used to it after spending so much time with Cassian Narok, of all people."

"What are you…What do you mean?"

"He isn't any different. Most others are just pawns in whatever 'greater cause' he pursues. A quest for power, for revenge, even simple entertainment…Those are his concerns, not those who help him get there." Atiel said carelessly as if she was reading out some detached analysis of her friend.

"Listen here…" Vette took a deep breath, knowing that she was about to regret her next words. "You might have worked with Cassian, but you don't know him like I do! He'd do everything for his friends, not because of some gain but just because he cares! I guess it's hard for someone like you to understand…"

"Perhaps, or perhaps he just fooled you."

"I'm not… I'm not that much of an idiot!" Vette grew agitated. At this point, she felt emboldened and forgot the situation she was in. Perhaps Lana was willing to compromise, but Vette wouldn't just sit there and listen to this arrogant bitch disparage her friend.

"Fine, then, let's do it your way. Why do you think he ever cared for you beyond you just being his servant?"

"W-what?! Are you serious?"

"Answer the question." Atiel persisted.

"He…I was given to him as a slave. My previous keeper was a jerk who'd shock me every time I stepped out of line." Vette said, thinking of all the pain the Academy's jailer caused her. "Cassian never shocked me, not once! He was guarded at first, yeah…But later, he even removed my collar!"

"So, he decided to test your usefulness, and when he got his demonstration, he decided you would be more useful without changing. Many would do the same."

"He treated me well while I wore it, too!"

"Not everyone around you is a sadist, Vette. I think he didn't consider you a credible enough threat to break."

"N-No!" Vette said in protest. She shouldn't fall for that manipulation; of course, she knew Cassian better than Atiel, and of course, she knew that he always cared for his friends. "He saved me more than once; he even helped me meet my family and friends!"

"Did it take long?"

"Well…No, not really; I mostly gave him the leads; he helped me seek them."

"Platitudes to keep you in check and raise your confidence, then. He must have thought this would make you into a loyal follower, and he was right." Atiel outlined.

"I was just a slave. He wouldn't waste time for someone like me…"

"It's useful to keep every asset. Not to mention you're a skillful technician, far from being a waste of space."

"I was his slave. He could do everything he wanted with me! But he was always respectful even though he didn't have to, even when I…" Vette said before biting her tongue, but Atiel caught it.

"When you what?"

"Even when I told him that…" Her voice quivered.

"You were in love," Atiel said calmly, making Vette recoil.

"How did you…"

"With how much admiration you speak of him, how quickly you rush to his defense…His absence distresses you, and you get very agitated when someone speaks ill of him. That could be just because you're close friends, but it's not a fact that you're hiding from anyone. You're still fidgeting and trying to control what you say. I simply made a reasonable assumption."

"You…Fine." Vette admitted her defeat. "Yes, I had feelings for him and even asked him out, as stupid as it was…And he didn't reciprocate. It wasn't easy to take, but I am over him." Vette spilled it all out, hoping that she wouldn't have to cling to this topic. "That's it. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"I didn't ask anything about your love; I simply made an assumption." Atiel brushed it off. She was just playing her all this time. There was no purpose to it; all she wanted was to irritate Vette.

"He turned me down, but he still cared about me as a friend…Me and everyone on the Fury."

"Are you sure you are not just telling yourself that as a coping mechanism?"

"Fuck y…He was willing to do everything for us! He joined all the wars that the Empire started and stained himself in all the Sith political intrigue, all to secure a place for himself and for us in a better galaxy! He…" She couldn't hold herself back, Vette was about to go on a furious rant, consequences be damned. However, Atiel didn't allow her.

"For you? Not the Empire's glory?"

"Of course not! I mean, he was grateful that the Sith gave them an opportunity to explore the force like no Chiss ever did, but all he wanted was the best for himself and for us!"

"Interesting," Atiel responded coldly. "Major Quinn tried to portray a very different picture." She noted, making Vette's heart skip a beat. Of course, now it made perfect sense…Emotional manipulations, cheap provocations, and arguments, all those obvious techniques that Vette, nevertheless, bought. "He was very confident with his narrative, but it seems like yours is a far more accurate one." The Chiss smiled.

"I…"

"Don't try to take your words back. I needed a confirmation for my theories, and I got them. Cassian doesn't strike me as someone who forms attachments easily, but I was never in a position to get close to him. You are a very different story, however. You were his only close friend at the time, and he genuinely cared for you, even if it wasn't romantic. You are right, Vette…He would do much and more for you. A shame that this means that he may for another bond."

"What are you talking about?"

"That's not your concern, Vette, we're done here."

"But…" Vette's lips quivered.

"You're free to leave, wasn't I clear?" Atiel stood up. "You've done your part well, right when I was beginning to wonder if those questionings are a waste of my time. Thank you." She spoke those cold, mocking words as she left, leaving Vette on a lone chair in utter silence.

She couldn't do anything right.