Jac had his limits.
He grew content with housing a ruthless murderer on Odessen due to necessity, but the newfound discovery reignited Jac's hatred for Vaylin. To think that she resorted to murder and mayhem almost immediately after her resurrection sickened the Jedi. It was monstrous and cruel, something Vaylin would do. She always took pleasure in murdering and suffering of others. This must have been the reason for her return. To destroy even more lives than she already did and delight in the agony and suffering of others. Jac wouldn't stand for it.
"Vaylin!" The Jedi shouted the moment he stepped into the cell. She was in a dreamy state as she sat on her chair, but Jac's angry voice made her look up with intrigue. Good, he got her attention.
"Hello there, grandmaster of preachiness." She said in a playful, mocking tone. Finally found it in yourself to kill me?"
"Syl. Do you know this name?"
"Eh…I'm not good with names."
"Don't play games with me." Jac undercut her. "One of Satele's padawans who died during our final battle against Vitiate and then just woke up…Is that you?"
"Oh, that one!" Vaylin chuckled. "Yes, that's me. She just lay there, no spirit left, ripe for the taking…Can't blame me for taking the opportunity? Sure, I changed the face a little, but there's no one else in this body to object."
"You disgusting, cruel wretch…"
"That's a bit rude."
"I know what you did."
"Too bad I can't read minds, you know?" She continued to deny the gravity of the situation. Jac couldn't avoid the point any longer.
"There was a family living there not far away from the Temple and spaceport on their estate…Aloys. A married couple with a young daughter."
"I know them!" Vaylin said after a chuckle. "Wouldn't expect you to, but life's full of surprises…They're the ones I robbed to get me some credits for the shuttle. Nothing personal."
"You did more than rob them."
"I…Guess I destroyed their droids. Gotta fend for themselves from now on." Was she deliberately playing a fool or genuinely didn't understand it? Jac despised such callousness, but he couldn't allow anger to consume him. There is no emotion, there is peace…
"No, you did worse…Far worse. Satele told me of the state others discovered their estate. It was completely ruined and burned to the ground. All residents were dead. It was a gruesome massacre…" Jac explained, seeing Vaylin immediately become silent and open her mouth in clear shock. "Do you have no shame at all? You got a chance to live again after all the pain you caused, and this is the first thing you do? Destroy a happy, innocent family?"
"I…I didn't do it." Vaylin's tone changed, growing quiet and shameful as if fighting her own disbelief. This revelation surprised Jac. She never shied away or denied her crimes. She always spoke of them with shameless pride; this wasn't like her at all.
"You expect me to believe it?" Jac crossed his arms. "You even admitted that you were there, and now you're saying that you didn't kill them?" This was getting ridiculous. She evaded admitting the obvious. "You murdered a little girl, Vaylin…At least have the decency to admit it."
"I didn't do it!" Vaylin shouted with anger and fury in her shaking voice. "You…You don't know me!" She was getting extremely nervous. Jac knew she had a fragile, touchy psyche, but he didn't care for coddling a mass murderer.
"I know you, Vaylin. Just enough to say that this is exactly what you'd do…"
"No! I didn't hurt them, I didn't…I didn't do it!" She became louder and angrier with every word.
"Jac!" Cassian's stern voice rang from behind as the Sith Lord entered the hall. "What are you doing?" He interrupted the interrogation, much to the Jedi's annoyance.
"I'm getting the truth out of her!" Jac responded proudly. "You aren't going to stop me after what she did, will you? She murdered innocents, killed a child!"
"We don't know it."
"Who else could it be? Tython is a secure world; very few, if any, invaders at all can get there! She had the body of a padawan; no one would suspect her, and she could do whatever she pleased! Do you think she wouldn't use that opportunity?"
"I won't stand for baseless accusations until we get irrefutable proof she is blameless." Jac could barely believe it. The truth was right in front of their eyes, but Cassian continued to ignore it just because of his sympathy? When did he become so soft for a Sith Lord?
"Should I remind you that she is our prisoner here, not a guest? Because you sure seem to treat her like one, I wonder who else she needs to kill to…"
"I DIDN'T KILL THEM!" Vaylin screamed before becoming quieter. "I…I don't kill children! Not directly…"
"How so?"
"Because…Because it hurts." Jac wondered if this was an intentional attempt to play off his pity, but he wouldn't have any of it.
"I don't believe you. Your past hasn't stopped you from blaming worlds and torturing others, you…"
"Enough!" Cassian stood between them. "Is this an investigation or your attempts to get under her skin?" He said with anger. "I want to discover the truth just as you, Jac, you know that! Tell me, do you feel any lies or deception coming from her? Any at all?"
"It doesn't matter. She's strong in force and might…"
"Do you?" Cassian persisted.
"I…No, I don't." Jac admitted.
"Then perhaps you should focus on exploring other leads and opportunities before making judgments."
"You shouldn't defend her like this. Not after everything she did." Jac said with an echo of scorn.
"I'm not defending anyone, simply remaining objective. Now, how about we both do something useful? You're dismissed." It has been a long time since Cassian spoke to him as a superior rather than an equal, yet Jac decided not to challenge it. He nodded in silence and walked towards the elevator, hearing the echoes of Cassian's words towards Vaylin.
"Are you alright? Do you want me to bring anything?"
"J-just a glass of water…"
"I'll get it to you soon," Cassian reassured her and followed Jac as Vaylin continued to watch, speaking once again.
"T…Thank you."
…
Cassian knew Jac wouldn't hesitate to get this investigation underway. He didn't even try to mask his obsessive desire to blame Vaylin for everything without examining other opportunities. For him, every opportunity to execute her was a viable one. Cassian wondered whether he acted out of a pure desire to protect the people of the Alliance or if his vengeful nature finally showed? Having a Jedi and a Sith fighting side by side for months had unforeseen consequences on them, taking on traits of their opposite…But Cassian didn't care for reasons.
All that mattered was that Jac wanted to end Vaylin and that his attempts to attack her would sabotage Cassian's efforts to reach out. And that's not even considering the various tasks Cassian had to undertake. There were various envoys from the Empire after their recent dealings, and even the Chiss Ascendancy sent one of their own to discuss the ongoing Copero investigation. Cassian had to deal with all of those while still trying to communicate with Vaylin, which was far from a simple task in itself.
Luckily, a partial solution presented itself. After receiving no answer from Vaylin, Jac decided to set out to Tython and join Kira and Scourge on the path of their investigation. A perfect outcome for both of them: Cassian would have some space to continue what he started, and Jac would have a better outlet for his yearning for justice. They both had a lot to think about.
"Ready to go?" Cassian said as he approached Jac's shuttle. The Jedi packed all his things, ready to set out on a mission.
"Almost. Just waiting for Theron, and then we'll be ready to set out." Lana informed Cassian that Theron volunteered to go, as well. With such a skilled team, whoever was behind the ravage had no chance of getting away.
"Be careful out there. You might be Satele's friends, but others won't be happy to see a Jedi who allied with the Empire." Cassian forewarned him.
"My duty is to help them discover the truth, not ponder about our past deeds…If they hate me for my choice, I won't blame them."
"Still a Jedi to the end?" Cassian chuckled.
"Probably a good strategy for visiting Tyhton, won't you agree?"
"I suppose so…Send my regards to Scourge. I hope he's getting better now that monstrosity is gone."
"He's made a lot of progress, just needs some time to get hold of emotions other than anger…" Jac smiled, making Cassian remember the room Scourge decimated due to a surge of stress. "Also, about Vaylin…Sorry, I shouldn't have been so rash. You're right, it's too early to judge, it's just when Satele told me about what happened to that family, I…I couldn't hold back my anger."
"I understand." Cassian sighed. "And you are right, I am not just holding Vaylin here for information…I want to try and help her."
"That's not possible." Jac shook his head dismissively. "She is a broken monster who is long beyond redemption."
"Every monster has a vulnerable side; they just don't allow it to be seen."
"Even Vitiate?" Jac said, making Cassian pause. The Sith Lord remembered the time when Valkorion's spirit was still in his mind, allowing him to see his nemesis in a different light. Not as a planet-eating abomination, but as a man with dreams and aspirations, in Senya's case, perhaps even love.
"Yes…Even Vitiate."
"Just…Remember that the lives of our people are more important than hers. You are their leader, and they're looking up to you." Jacques said in a tone of quiet plead, but before Cassian could respond, both of them saw Theron approaching.
"Here you are!" Jac welcomed him.
"Locked, loaded, and ready for another cat-and-mouse game…At least we're on the same side this time."
"Why did you volunteer?" Cassian wondered. He had his theories but wanted to hear them straight from Theron.
"I was on the edge about it, but Jac convinced me to join," Theron explained. "Mostly because it's a rare opportunity for both of us. Finding the enemy is one thing, but I can't see us getting an open invitation to Tython any time soon again. I have to…Catch up."
"You want to see Satele."
"Yeah…I'm not sure how it'll go, but it's an opportunity for us to talk about all the crazy stuff that happened on the ship. That and…We never had a chance to talk about father, too." Theron looked down with pained eyes. Cassian knew that he didn't blame him for Jace Malcolm's death, but it still hurt. Perhaps they weren't close, but it was impossible to lose a parent and not feel any pain at all.
"I had a talk with Satele after Tenebrae was no more…She wishes to spend more time with you, Theron. She might not show, but she does."
"I wish it made matters any easier, but…Thank you for letting me know."
"Good luck to you both."
Cassian watched as their shuttle set off, leaving Odessen for a while. He could only hope that this time would prove beneficial for both of them. As for him, it was time to retire back to his duties…
"My lord." He heard the voice of a loyal following behind him. Malavai Quinn is another one of his old friends. "May I take a moment of your time?" He never got out of his formalities…It was nice to see that some things never changed.
"Anything important?"
"The Chiss Ascendancy ambassador from Copero has just arrived and requests a meeting with you. Unfortunately, Aristocra Saganu couldn't come due to an 'unscheduled disturbance.'"
"Who is it, then?"
"A nobleman by the name of Dezuno." His saying this name made Cassian freeze for a moment, unable to utter a word. "My lord, is…Is everything alright?"
"Dezuno, you say?" Cassian said as he reflexively clenched his fist. "Bring me to him."
Casd'ezun'oattashu, Dezuno for most, leader one of Copero's most influential families, the so-called 'weapon master'…And Cassian's father.
…
It felt wrong. It all felt so wrong.
Vaylin felt as if she was getting close to her breaking point. This cage became unbearable and restricting. Even being inside turned into torture, not so much because of her chains but because of endless intrusive thoughts, forcing Vaylin to hyperventilate as she desperately tried to catch her breath.
When Jac came in, she didn't expect much from him. Just another round of angry barking and spiteful hatred directed at her, all mentions of the crimes she committed, but speaking about that family she robbed on Tyhton and insinuating that she murdered them…It made her blood boil.
He didn't believe her, but Vaylin spoke the truth. She never hurt children directly and even took extraordinary pleasure in punishing those who did. Even thinking about hurting that little girl as she begged to spare her and her parents sickened Vaylin. She left them alone and didn't even hurt them. She…Did she? Vaylin wasn't even sure anymore about how clouded her judgment had become and how often her visions had slipped into reality. No, she didn't do it. Someone else must have, it was a coincidence, or perhaps someone tried to frame her…But she would not do it of her own volition, won't feel joy from killing a child.
Even though he wanted her to.
"Come here, Vaylin, don't be shy…I have another wonder to show you."
"P-please…I don't want to, I…I'm tired…l"
"No need to be scared, little princess. It won't be anything you haven't seen before. All I want is for you to try and maintain composure…If you need some encouragement, your brother was kind enough to send you a book to read. If you do well today, I'll give it to you."
Vaylin shook as she remembered Jarak forcing her to walk into a chamber with a young boy, just a few years older than her, who was chained to a torture machine, crying and unable to move. He often did this to her. Forced to watch others suffer…Her mother always taught her to stand up and protect those weaker than her. She thought her mother was a hero, though she just had to hold on for a little while until she helped her, that all of this could be undone…She remembered that boy screaming as blood poured out from his skin and eyes, just like many, many others.
"Oh no…You were doing so well, Vaylin, what went wrong? I can see the tears in your eyes…Why would you have them?"
"P-please, it's not what you think it is…I don't…"
"You've tried hard, but we need your brain to be soft and malleable. If we are to proceed to the next stage, we must learn to obey. And yet you still break, still refuse to face grim realities of life…I will have to schedule another procedure today; it's taking too much time. We will have to speed it up."
At first, she tried to help.
Then she begged for it to stop.
Then cried.
Then, she stayed silent.
Then she looked.
And in the end, she learned to laugh.
…
Cassian could barely believe it. His father, the famed Dezuno, was now here on Odessen, wanting to speak to his son in Saganu's stead. The Sith didn't know what was harder to believe in: the arrogant insolence of a man who dared to show up here uninvited or the fact that his father would want to talk to him at all? This felt like a fever dream, yet Cassian knew that it was real. There was only one way to discover the truth, and that was to meet his father.
Dezuno rested in the waiting room, sitting comfortably on one of the chairs and sinking his teeth into an apple. The moment Cassian entered the room, the man looked up, allowing their eyes to cross. A Chiss with dark blue skin and dark hair, only a little longer than Cassian's. The moment he saw the commander, a wide smile emerged on his face as he opened his arms.
"It's been so long…You've grown, my boy."
As Cassian heard his voice, he felt the world around him stopping. The Sith closed his eyes and imagined his home. A lavish estate of the noble Chiss family, among the most glorious buildings on Copero. A happy family at the heart of it, a father, a mother, and a son, all smiling with joy and pride. And beneath the warmth of this home and family…An underground. The burial chamber, as father used to call it.
"Is everything alright, my lord?" Quinn's concern snapped Cassian out of this trance.
"Quite…Leave us, Quinn."
"At once," Major said before leaving the room, leaving two Chiss alone.
"Come here, Delaoso, we have much to discuss," Dezuno called him over.
"I don't go by that name anymore."
"Ah, yes, of course…You took on a human one. Cassian?"
"Commander Narok to you," Cassian said coldly before taking a seat. "What's the point of it all?"
"Of what?"
"Of you coming right at my doorstep and then acting like you are my friend." The Sith Lord said with spite.
"I simply came here on behalf of the Chiss Ascendancy to discuss our further course of action regarding hunting down the conspirators," Dezuno spoke calmly and rationally, yet that couldn't be the extent of it. This couldn't be a coincidence.
"And our past feuds? Do you expect me to believe that you don't think of the past at all? That after all those years…You simply came here to discuss politics?"
"I don't hold on to pointless grudges," Dezuno said.
"Your soldiers certainly do. Or are you going to pretend you haven't heard about that little spat your underlings began on Copero?"
"I…Was informed of it. It's a shame that this incident happened, and you have my sincerest apologies." He said in a silver tone that Cassian didn't buy at all. "And speaking of the past…I will not apologize for what I've done. But we both changed since then and perhaps we can coexist in peace?" No words could describe the anger Cassian had to hold back. He wanted to shout at the man in front of him, perhaps even pierce him with a lightsaber. Even when dealing with the Emperor himself, he couldn't think of facing such a level of depraved insolence and arrogance. All those words were left unsaid.
"How is mother?" Cassian asked quietly.
"Quite well, a picture of health, I dare say…But misses you dearly." Dezuno said with a pained smile. "She has been asking a lot about your exploits…The Empire's Wrath, commander of the Alliance, the bane of the Eternal family. You have become a hero of the entire galaxy, son!"
"And?"
"And I am proud. We all are." Dezuno reassured him. "Can't I show it?"
"You sure can…But we'd better get to something useful. Anything you found on conspirators?"
"Yes, the Ascendancy acquired some tremendous success on this front. I'm sure you will be pleased to hear it."
"Go on."
"We investigated the leads you left us, specifically anyone with ties to the three spies you described. We found a number of malcontents, right as they planned to assassinate Aristocra Saganu, believe it or not."
"What did you do with them?" This sounded intriguing, though Cassian still wasn't certain about trusting him at all.
"Apprehended for interrogation, of course," Dezuno said with pride. "They revealed to us the names of their fellow conspirators. It turns out the ones behind it wished to undermine the Chiss Ascendancy and turn other factions against us. Alliance included. That's why they sent spies that pretended to serve the Ascendancy; they wished to undermine our authority. After they had nothing more to tell…They were executed for all of Copero to see. I can share the holorecords with you if you wish."
"Something doesn't add up…What about the violet anti-force chemical? Raina told me about meeting Atiel and listening to her spiel about freeing the galaxy from force-sensitives…What was the meaning of this?"
"I don't know that, I'm afraid…Atiel is still hiding from us, but I doubt she would pose a threat. She might be a talented spy, yes, but she's not a leader or an ideologue. She would simply crumble without guidance."
"And who's to say that she doesn't have any?"
"We rooted out everyone we possibly could, so I'd hope that's enough, but…We will continue searching for any remaining traces, of course. Perhaps if we join forces with the Alliance?"
"What?" This was getting out of hand. Even when Saganu proposed it, Cassian didn't even think about agreeing, much less his 'beloved' father.
"We could help each other. You don't have to forgive what I've done, and I can't blame you for this…It's not easy for me to forgive you, either, and still, both of us need to move past that." Dezuno pushed on, bringing Cassian to his breaking point. "I know you refused Saganu's offer, but perhaps our ties will be able to…"
"No!" Cassian spoke up and clenched his fist, looking right into his father's eyes, so swift and sharp that even Dezuno reflexively recoiled. "Enough of this. I'm not entertaining it anymore!" He grew even more spiteful. "After all this time…After how many times you said that I am a stain on our bloodline, you just come here and pretend like all this is in the past? Do you even remember what you did to me?!"
"I…I have been a bit too harsh, I admit, but look at you! Those challenges allowed you to grow stronger in the end. Is that not a part of the Sith code? To break one's chains by whatever means necessary?"
"You didn't make me stronger!" Cassian reeled. "Everything you did…It was to hold me back. To abandon my natural talents and fall in line! Everything I achieved…I only achieved it in spite of your meddling! You never cared about 'mending' our relationship when I was a fucking stowaway, a bloody gangster on the edge of Imperial space. You only started caring now…But I won't fall for it." The Sith stood up and made his way towards the exit.
"Dela…Cassian, wait!"
"Thank you for bringing me the news about conspirators. I appreciate it…But now I want you to leave. There is nothing more to discuss with Ascendancy, and especially not with you, that is final. Have a good day…Dezuno."