Finally, Cassian made progress.
Until now, Vaylin was resistant to any proposal to talk or discuss their past, understandably so. She had no reason to trust Cassian. No one would expect him to show this unexpected concern for her, ally or enemy. But now she talked with him…Perhaps she only did it out of curiosity, but it was good enough for now. Cassian was willing to take his time with her. He even forgot about the original purpose of those talks; the interrogation seemed to fade away at the prospect of…He wasn't sure.
There was something about her that he couldn't let go of.
Every time Cassian looked into her eyes and felt the void of her broken soul, the Sith Lord witnessed a grim reflection of his own past. What could've been if his chains were tighter if he was never able to escape. He could've become like her, a broken, tormented soul, sheltered and hateful, not leaving place for anything but vengeance in his heart. He was like this in the past, to an extent, but he was able to form connections and find people who were willing to reach out. First, his mentor, Jorad Narok, then his crew. Those connections saved him when he was at his lowest point, and Cassian believed that Vaylin needed it too…He still wasn't sure why he wanted it himself, but the fact remained. For the first time since vanquishing Valkorion, Cassian was eager to act. Yes, he would find a way, would have Vaylin open up to him, would show her that he genuinely wants to help, would…
"My lord?" He didn't even notice Quinn's approach, making the Sith Lord swiftly turn around with some caution, which quickly turned to confidence. "I hope I'm not interrupting."
"No, carry on."
"Just wanted to convey a report about our negotiations with the Chiss Ascendancy…Unfortunately, they're hardly bright." The man spoke.
"I didn't expect them to go any other way," Cassian said confidently.
"Aristocra Saganu shows disappointment at the disrespect that you have shown to Dezuno; now most of his colleagues consider negotiating with the Alliance a waste of their time."
"They're right." Cassian shrugged. "I always do,d both Saganu and Raina that their hopes are futile. I don't care how useful of an ally the Ascendancy can prove; I know them better than most here. It's not worth it…" At least, this was the excuse Cassian gave to himself every time his sentiment and pragmatism clashed. "Whoever's idea it was to send my father clearly had a sick sense of humor. That or he is an idiot who thought our 'ties' would boost the Alliance. Either way, I want nothing to do with Dezuno nor with anyone else of the Ascendancy." The Sith Lord gave his order with confidence
"As you wish, my Lord, I understand. I simply wanted to update you on the current situation."
"Thank you. Let's hope that nothing else arises with…"
Before Cassian could finish, he heard a few familiar voices. Two women made their way into the room as they were caught in the middle of a heated argument.
"It's all under control. I've been there with my master, and I'm sure he knows what he's doing." Jaesa reassured.
"I know that it's under control for now, but it won't stay this way! And I understand that you trust Cas, I want to trust him too, but…You weren't here when we fought Vaylin! She is crazy powerful and…Just crazy. It took Cas, Jac, Lana, and Theron to take her down!" Vette protested.
"Something wrong, ladies?" Cassian said demonstratively to attract their attention. The two immediately turned around at him, and the Sith immediately noticed Vette's awkward gaze.
"Oh, you were here…Sorry, I didn't notice." She said. "I take it you heard us…"
"I heard enough," Cassian said calmly. "It's a discussion you should probably have with me, not Jaesa."
"Thank you, master." The apprentice breathed in relief. "Vette has been very passionate about this subject, and I think you could quell her worries."
"Yeah, about that…" Vette took a deep breath and looked at Cassian. The Sith sensed her unease.
"Easy, Vette, you shouldn't worry. We've been through it many times." The Sith Lord reassured her.
"True, but others said you can get touchy around this subject."
"They're wrong, everything's perfectly fine."
"Alright then, so…Vaylin," Vette said. "Have you made any progress on her? You wanted to interrogate her for that conspirator stuff, right?"
"Not yet, but I'm moving along with it."
"Eh…And how long will it take?" Vette persisted.
"I can't tell you for certain. Vaylin isn't always easy to talk with, but I'll get through to her."
"Uh-huh…Listen, I have to be honest; I'm not comfortable with her being on our base." Vette admitted. "I could barely sleep last night…You know, just closing my eyes, then thinking of her potentially breaking free and…Twitching." Vette said as she shuddered slightly.
"She is in the most well-guarded chamber of this entire base."
"I know, I know, but still…Look, I'm not asking you to kill her, but maybe arrange something with our Imperial allies?" She suggested as Cassian's face got sterner. He knew why Vette wanted this, but giving Vaylin away to the dark council would be unacceptable. Cassian already saw what Acina did with Malgus, and he was far less psychologically vulnerable. "If she is to have an outburst and break free, I'd rather it happen far, far away…" She said, making Jaesa interject.
"How can you say this? There are even more people there than on Odessen; it will be catastrophic! Would you really just doom them all?"
"I don't want to doom anyone! It's just…You know, I don't want to die either. Surely you can't blame me for that?"
"That's not an excuse to be so selfish." Jaesa shook her head before Cassian spoke up.
"No need to argue. I won't change my decision, even if I understand your concern, Vette." Cassian announced. "Vaylin will stay here, in our care. Sending her anywhere else is bound to end up being catastrophic."
"Cas, can you just explain it to me? Please?" Vette asked. "Jac and Lana told me a bit about that dead planet. Nathema, I think. I know what those bastards did there and…It's horrible. And she said that it affected you…I don't know how to say, just…"
"I'm sorry, Vette, but there are things I won't discuss. Not with you, not with anyone else." He said in a harsh tone, which made Vette recoil.
"But don't you feel that it would be easier for you if you had someone to talk to? I just want to help."
"That's not always the right choice. Yes, I have seen a lot on Nathema, and yes, I won't deny that it affects my decisions, but I will approach it with care and responsibility." He explained, giving his final word.
"It feels like you're trying to help her…And I just don't think it will end well. And I have to admit, I…I'm afraid. I saw what she did before; I remember how we ran away from her on the Gilded Star; she could crush us at any moment!"
"Vette, listen to me," Cassian spoke in a kinder, more reassuring tone. "I understand why you fear. I truly do. And I can promise you this…Whatever happens, I will always be here. I will always protect you and others; I'll give my life if it's necessary. Be it Vaylin or anyone else, I won't let them harm you. Not after all we've been through.
"I…Thank you." Vette took a deep breath. "With all that's going on around here, I think I really needed this."
"All I ask is for more time. Can you give me this?"
"I…I suppose…" Vette said quietly and descended into silence, but it was quickly broken by Jaesa.
"And what do you think, Malavai?" She looked at the Major.
"Me? I am here to support any decision my Lord makes, of course. Though, if I may suggest something, I think having some time to unwind would be good for all of us."
"You? Unwind?" Jaesa chuckled. "Am I hearing you right?"
"No need to laugh, recent years taught me to be more…Adaptive."
"A fine idea," Cassian spoke up. He barely had any time to relax after his last battle with Tenebrae, and he needed it. "How about a few hours at the cantina?"
"I wouldn't mind a drink." Vette supported the idea, making Jaesa smile with approval.
"Wonderful!" The apprentice said. "I will call the others and…"
"Oh, please, no." Vette shook her head. "Broonmark will make it weird with his murder talk."
"Yes, I'm sure Broonmark will find something else to do…" Malavai said quietly with some fear in his voice. Ever since the bloodthirsty Talz witnessed his betrayal and kept it secret, Quinn always felt uneasy under his watchful eyes. "Not sure if inviting Pierce is a good idea, as well…He's known to cause trouble."
"I can't believe you two." Jaesa shook her head. "I thought we were all friends here. Not at first, but after our journey?"
"Well…" Vette paused for a moment.
"Let's settle there and then see who else is available. Deal?" Cassian suggested.
"Fine by me." The twi'lek shrugged. "As long as we keep it between us. The Alliance is nice and all, but I just miss the old days sometimes."
"I do, too." Cassian sighed. How ironic that he would consider serving under Baras more freeing than the position he maintained now. "But they're long left behind…Still, doesn't mean we can't give them a good tribute. Vette, Malavai, Jaesa, come along, let's share a drink or two."
…
This couldn't be possible; it made no sense, yet Jac couldn't deny what was right before his eyes.
A man in Jedi robes attacked the Aloys and slaughtered them without mercy as he laid waste to their estate. The assailant barely spoke, only mentioning Aloys defiling the world of the Jedi and paying the price. He had no compassion in his voice, no hesitation in his body, only cold-blooded apathy. Kira sent those recordings to Satele the moment they found them; all they needed was for her to respond. Meanwhile, Jac and the others stood outside the estate, all pondering on what they found.
"Who would've thought…" Theron said quietly.
"This makes no sense…" Jac shook his head. "A Jedi would not murder the innocents, especially not this cruelly. Only those who fell to the darkness would, and they would kill for their own gain, not some kind of Jedi cause!"
"And why are you so certain?" Scourge crossed his arms. "You might have been spared the details of Jedi's crimes, but those who grew in the Empire knew their full extent. We were told what blind fanaticism does to them, how it makes them deluded and deranged…They killed many in the name of their cause."
"Not on Tython…Perhaps this is another spirit that took the body of a Jedi? If Vaylin could return, so could her brothers." Jac desperately tried to find reasons, yet none of them held up to scrutiny so far. The Jedi noticed Kira shake her head quietly.
"I don't think Emperor's children would care for 'defiling the world of the Jedi'…Whatever that lunatic meant." She said with some sadness. It must have been painful for her, too, to see one of their own commit such a horrific act of violence…There must have been more to it; Jac felt it.
Soon, they received a holocall, and Satele Shan's hologram emerged before the group.
"Master Satele." Kira greeted her. The woman stood with a pained expression and sorrow in her eyes.
"I saw the recordings you sent me…" She spoke quietly and through shame. "It is disturbing that such acts of cruelty happen in our world, and we do nothing to stop them."
"Don't blame yourself." Kira was quick to reassure her. "You needed a rest after fighting the biggest threat to the entire galaxy."
"I am not blaming myself; I simply wish I could've done something different…And it's not just about inaction. I know the man who did this."
"What?" Theron said in shock.
"Who, then?" Scourge pushed for an answer.
"He was one of my loyal students, Juazo. He returned to Tyhton with me, along with all those who you saw on the ship."
"Why would he do something like this?" Jac wondered.
"He wouldn't. Not the man I know." Satele shook her head. "He would never resort to violence unless absolutely necessary, nor did he have anything against new settlers on Tython." This was a rather furious development. Jac trusted Satele's word and judgment more than most others, and she couldn't have made a mistake. But why would a noble adept of the order make such a drastic turn?
"So perhaps I was right…" Jac pondered, trying not to give too much away. "Maybe there is outside control or something that's possessing him, like…"
"Like Vaylin?" Satele said, making Jac recoil in shock.
"You…You know?"
"Rumors spread faster than you think. I know that the Alliance is holding her as a prisoner and that she took Syl's body…It's something I should've known myself." Satele sighed. "It would explain much of my unease. I suppose a part of me just wanted to see my student be alive once again…But what's done is done." She said, allowing Kira to speak next.
"Do you have any theories on what happened to Juazo?"
"I can only tell you what I know. He was supposed to take part in our research and battle against Tenebrae's last weapon, but something distracted him shortly before. He believed he found a lead, something about malcontents operating on Tython and other republic systems, trying to sabotage us from within. I would've helped him with this investigation, but Tenebrae took priority over everything…One day, Juazo left for a scouting mission and did not return. I sent my agents to search for him immediately and was ready to join the search myself after I'd recovered, but…He showed himself. You know the rest."
"Something horrible must have happened while he was away." Theron theorized. "Torture, brainwashing? That would all depend on who exactly got their hands on him, do we know?"
"He only discovered one name," Satele said grimly. "I have my agents searching for her, too."
"Who?"
"Ki Sazen." This name sounded familiar, yet Jac couldn't wrap it around his head just yet. Kira did so first.
"Wasn't she a Jedi?" She asked. "Last I heard, she was disgraced and left the order…To Taris, I think? That was ages ago, though. What would she have to do with this?"
"I don't know yet. Perhaps she fell victim to the same threat Juazo did."
"A threat we still know nothing about." Scourge said with an undertone of rage. "The most disgusting kind of fiend, the one that never allows you to know where to strike."
"We must continue our research, I can share…" Satele began, but a sudden intermission on the holo-comm interrupted them. "An urgent call from the spaceport, no less…" Satele said with caution and allowed a hologram of a human man Jac remembered seeing among the new spaceport workers in a message that was sent to the Jedi Master.
"Master Satele, we need your help…The spaceport is under attack! They just…They appeared out of nowhere and started killing everyone in their way! There are two…Jedi, Sith? I have no idea! One is a twi'lek with a green saber, and the other has red…And wears a mask. We can't fight them on our own. We need help, hurry!"
Perhaps Scourge would get his targets after all.