Jac never thought that Rishi, a planet far away from the core worlds and Jedi sphere of influence, a world dominated by ravaging pirates and uncaring natives, would hold so many memories for him. Yet, as Jac's ship landed at Raider's Cove, he immediately felt a surge of memories flowing through him.

He remembered how much he hated this world at first, considering how many apathetic money-grabbers it housed. Utterly selfish individuals who cared for nothing but their personal gain, the kind to have no ideals besides whatever gained them more credit. A place in which Jac felt like some alien, especially with the ploy Lana and Theron pulled by setting up both him and Cassian as rivaling leaders of two fabricated gangs, Spears of the Rim and the Howling Tempest. At first, this puzzle seemed like a nuisance, yet eventually, it led the two warriors to their new allies.

This became a place Shadow of Revan chose for its diversion, a plan which ended up with Republic and Empire fleets clashing above the planet. Then, this lawless place of discord became a cradle of the Eternal Alliance, planted seeds that would blossom much later. When Grandmaster Shan agreed to work together with Darth Marr, Jac could barely contain his shock, but it was nothing compared to what would follow. In the end, he looked upon his time on Rishi with warmth and nostalgia. Those feelings arose once again as Jac, Kira, and Scourge marched through the bustling town of pirates and rascals.

"This place hasn't changed one bit," Kira said with a smile as she looked around the Cove. "Almost makes you wonder if they know about recent galactic wars."

"They do, but they don't care." Scourge scoffed. "Pirates live their lowly lives and never change."

"Hey, I like that at least something in this galaxy is stable!" Kira chuckled. "You think they still remember you, Jac? Maybe it's time to remind them about the merciless captain of the Spears of the Rim…"

"Please, Kira, we're on a serious mission here."

"We were then, too. And I'm pretty sure Theron hoped you'd play along."

"I'm not a pirate or a gangster, and I don't want to play pretend."

"You can be so dramatic sometimes… Should've let me play the part, always wanted to know how it feels like to be a pirate terror." She sighed before Scourge interjected.

"We need to focus. Did you give them the coordinates?" The Sith Lord looked at Jac.

"Yes, the same place we found Lana and Theron at.

"Then, let's not waste any time."

The trio continued their way towards the warehouse until, eventually, they moved away from the public. The loud-mouthed corsairs and squeaking monkey lizards were left behind, but the trio didn't stay alone for long. Only moments later, another silhouette emerged, someone dressed in rough pirate clothing with a grey mask covering his face.

"Well met, mater Elias." He said in a distorted voice, making the three turn around and look at him with caution.

"And you are…" Kira raised an eyebrow.

"I'm the Seeker, the man you met on Tyhton. Apologies for the attire change, a necessary measure to blend in with the crowd."

"Is the Sith Lord here?" Scourge said.

"He is waiting inside. Follow me."

Jac nodded and followed the Seeker along with Kira and Scourge, he was anticipating the coming meeting, hoping that everything they were told about Jadus had truth to it and wasn't a simple trick or manipulation. It was time to enter the warehouse and see whether their gamble truly paid off.

When they were within the walls of the warehouse, they witnessed a dark-robed figure. Black armor and mask, along with a dark red cape, all of which masked his face. Jac could feel the aura of the dark side pulsing from him.

"Here they are." The Seeker said.

"Thank you." The Sith said in a calm voice and looked at his guests. "My friend has done a spectacular job by bringing you here."

"Hm…I don't recognize you." Scourge said with distrust. "Are you one of the Dark Council's new additions?"

"And you are the former Wrath? To think that a vengeful spirit whose shadow loomed over all Sith for so long is now nothing but a simple man…"

"Answer his question." Kira nudged. "We've spent a lot of time pursuing the lead your friend gave us… Can't win us over with more cryptic blabber."

"Very well." The Sith nodded. "My name is Darth Xarion. The head of Diplomatic Sphere of Influence and Sith Intelligence." He introduced himself."

"Jacques Elias, general of the eternal Alliance…" Jac paused. "But you knew all of this already."

"Correct. Truth be told, I'm both honored and intrigued by the opportunity to meet such a famed individual. Back in the day, you were the man who put fear in the hearts of many Sith Lords. Now, we aren't on the opposing side anymore."

"I didn't do it for the Empire."

"Your motives don't matter, just the outcome…I appreciate your honesty and willingness to meet me. You could've easily taken it as a trap."

"You trusted me to choose the place, so the feeling is mutual."

"Then we're on the same page, good. But now, let's focus on our primary goal. Freeing Odessen from conspirators and destroying Darth Jadus once and for all."

"Hold on a minute," Kira said before looking at the Seeker. "Is this guy going to introduce himself? Formally, I mean."

Xarion looked at his ally and nodded in silence. The Seeker took his mask off and unveiled his face. An older human man with pale skin, a head almost entirely bald apart from a few spots of grey hair, and distinct blue eyes.

"I suppose if we are to work together, we have to be more open with each other." The man said in a calm voice that for the first time sounded human. "It feels…Surreal."

"Should I recognize you?" Jac wondered.

"No, I've done my job well enough that you wouldn't. Still, I could never imagine that the I would ever reveal my past to Jedi, but with how radically the times have changed, I shouldn't be surprised. I was the former Keeper and Minister of Imperial Intelligence during first and the beginning of second galactic wars, as well as throughout the years of treaty of Coruscant and until Intelligence eventually disbanded."

"A keeper of old Intelligence…" Scourge spoke up. "This means you served Darth Jadus back when he was still on the council."

"I have. We did not always agree on our tactics, but I was not in a position to challenge him, even after the scheme that he orchestrated. I have spent many resources chasing ghosts that he created to keep Intelligence distracted while he prepared the Eradicators. When Jadus reclaimed his place, I had no choice but to bow. All due to a betrayal from a talented recruit who I put much hope into, but I miscalculated and overestimated her loyalty."

"Atiel, I take it." Jac said.

"Correct. And no need to recount your shared history; Xarion told me enough. Seems like you suffered the sting of her betrayal, too…But I believe that if we work together, we can put an end to her and Jadus's plans."

"Wait a moment…" Kira spoke up. "You two don't seem like the types to do anything out of selflessness or nobility, certainly not liberating Odessen. What's in this for you?"

"Simple," Xarion responded. "I have studied Jadus back when he still held his seat in the Council, the one that is now passed down to me. You do not ascend to any sphere of the Council without carefully studying your predecessors and learning both their strengths and weaknesses. The first traces of Jadus's activity emerged shortly after Empress Acina and Commander Cassian made an alliance. I decided to investigate. He is a wildcard, and even if he pretends that he has no interest in returning to the Empire, lying is part of his nature. He has proven as elusive as before…And we can expect everything from him. And when it comes to eliminating rivals, he will no doubt look to me."

"So this is it?" Jac wondered. "You fear for your position?"

"No, I am merely being realistic and preparing for the worst. You've seen where inaction can lead…People of Odessen now bear the brunt. I, on the other hand, made progress, and my ally played a considerable part."

"Does the ally have a name?" Kira wondered. "'Keeper' and 'Seeker' aside."

"I had multiple, but they are of no import." The man interjected. "You can stick with Seeker."

"Not too different from the Emperor's lackeys…" Scourge scoffed, likely thinking of nameless servants. He thought for years.

"Why don't you tell them about what you've learned?" Xarion said, causing the Seeker to continue.

"After the Intelligence disbanded and Jadus disappeared, I was forcefully retired. I was content with disappearing and forging a new identity for myself after parting with Atiel in this same world. But there was still an unresolved thread. The Black Codex that held information about the Star Cabal and their members all around the galaxy was now in Jadus's hands after Atiel gave it away…But instead of using this information to wipe out their remnant, he allowed them to lay low for one reason or another. The Eternal Empire rampaged through the galaxy, leaving countless dead and many worlds devastated, but this was never my concern. The Star Cabal was…I couldn't let go of them, knowing that Jadus allowed the remnants to escape justice and demise. Eventually, I discovered a new activity from the Cabal, a gathering of their leaders. I needed to learn more…Even though no obligations held me, I still saw it as a part of my duty that I never finished. I infiltrated their ranks using my old knowledge and information and began to learn more. This was when my research met with Xarion's."

"When I discovered Seeker's identity, I secured a meeting," Xarion explained. "There, we shared all we know about the threat and began working together."

"Alright…" Jac said with caution. "So what is it that you know, exactly?"

"Jadus is at the helm of an extensive chain of contacts that works together across the entire galaxy, a major portion of which includes the Star Cabal. He uses the Black Codex as leverage over them. He can easily leak all information about them in case of a fallout. Seeker also managed to gain a list of nine people Jadus considered most important. The key figures in his plan."

"And who are they?" Scourge demanded.

"It wasn't a list of names…But titles that they use to mask their true identities in communication. First Archon, Second Voice, Third Creator, Fourth Manipulator, Fifth Forger, Sixth Inquisitor, Seventh Paragon, Eight Lord, and the Ninth Siren."

"We know the identities of some." Seeker continued. Starting with the most obvious ones, the First Archon is Jadus himself, as this is the title he took upon instead of 'lord'. Ninth Siren is Atiel…No doubt it's a homage to her code name, Cipher Nine. I also managed to discover the identity of the second voice whilst scouring through Cabal's files. It's Cantor Bhaali himself, Jadus's most powerful ally, who possesses a fleet and loyalty of all remaining conspirators."

"I learned the identities of two more," Xarion said. "Fourth Manipulator is Liorel Merr, an Imperial politician in contact with the dark Council, acting as Jadus's eyes and ears. Taking him out would mean exposing my knowledge to Jadus and diverting his attention, which is why I allow him to continue his service while never allowing him or his agents to realize my plans. The sixth Inquisitor is one of the leaders of Jadus's military along with Atiel. A rogue Jedi turned Sith that attacked Tython and helped brainwash young Jedi and Sith."

"Ki Sazen."

"Indeed." Xarion nodded. "This leaves the identities of Third Creator, Fifth Forger, Seventh Paragon and Eight Lord a mystery, but even you can see the extent of Jadus's influence."

"And what about the big question?" Kira wondered. "What is Jadus's goal, and where does the anti-force poison come into this."

"We are working on that and hoped that you might help," Xarion said. "The Voidcaller, as they're calling it, can temporarily strip a force-sensitive being of its powers. Something that the Star Cabal would no doubt want for themselves, considering their original goals, but Jadus's intentions remain a mystery to us. I do not believe he would care for their goal of eradicating the force-sensitives. He has his own plans…Be it the elimination of his rivals or something else entirely. We wish to find that out and, in doing so, uncover Jadus's plans, releasing all your friends and allies on our way. Do we have your support?"

"It seems there isn't much choice left." Jac sighed. "We didn't come this far for nothing. We'll help."

"Any ally is worth it." Kira sighed.

"Fighting side by side with Sith again…So be it." Scourge nodded.

"Welcome to the fold. It's past time we made contact."

…

"Come on, we're almost there! "

After escaping a bunch of skytroopers and guards, Kaia's cheery disposition seemed almost surreal, at least to Cassian. This girl was incredibly lucky to stumble upon them twice in a row; otherwise, she would've been subjected to gruesome torment if not outright killed. They had to make a decision in the spur of the moment, but it seemed like it paid off. Kaia was eager to bring them over to her current home, where Cassian and Vaylin could rest while making plans for their next move.

However, the way Vaylin was so protective of this shield did not escape Cassian either. Both times, when Vaylin saw the girl endangered, she reacted with rage and vengefulness. She usually dealt with her opponents as quickly and effectively as possible, but not when they threatened Kaia. Seeing a child threatened made Vaylin unleash the beast within. It must have hit too close to home. It was the same for Cassian, too; he thought he had learned to repress those feelings. The scum who hurt children deserved to be punished, but acting like an emotional wreck would only make him weak.

"Can you do that again? That explosion, I mean? It was so cool!" Kaia spoke to Vaylin as her eyes brimmed with joy.

"Of course, I can, though Cassian would whine about attracting attention or something like that." Vaylin giggled. She was having fun, too.

"Can you take on more skytroopers? How many can you break at the same time?"

"A couple hundred? Maybe a bit more."

"I wish I had powers like yours."

"Sometimes I wish I didn't…" Vaylin let out before looking away and pausing, clearly regretting what he had just said.

"Really? Why? With your powers, no one can hurt you. No one would be able to hurt me if I had them, too…"

"It's harder to contain them than you think, but other than that…I don't know how to explain."

"How close are we?" Cassian interjected before this conversation could become too tense.

"We're right here!" Kaia said as they reached a small, semi-destroyed tower which sunk beneath the shadows of grander ones. "My apartment is on the lower level. I have to warn you, it has seen better days…Much better days, but I hope it will suit you."

"As long as we don't get rushed by another horde of skytroopers, that's good enough for me," Cassian said.

"It never happened so far, and I don't think they know we're here so…Should be fine." Kaia reassured the duo as she guided them through the corridors towards her apartment. When they got inside, Cassian saw an image that wasn't unlike Kaliyo's apartment, albeit much more shabby and messy. Whatever colors it had has since waned away. The place was full of datapads, some mechanical junk, and a barely working television. Cassian could already feel the smell of rust, though it wasn't anything out of the ordinary for him. There were a couple of old Holo projectors and tools as well, all of which created a certain atmosphere of coziness despite its simplicity, something Cassian would welcome for the coming night.

"Here we are."

"That looks…Messy." Vaylin said.

"I wish I had more time to clean it up, but with constant odd jobs here and there, there just isn't any at all. You can stay in my parents' room… It's empty now anyway."

"Thank you," Cassian said with relief. "You might have just saved our hides for a night."

"Lives? Come on, you're so powerful that no one can hurt you anyway."

"It may not seem like it, but… Doesn't matter, we all need some rest."

"Be my guest," Kaia said kindly. "I don't mind you staying, really, not after you saved me, and this place feels lonely without my parents."

"What happened to your parents, by the way? "Vaylin asked in a blunt manner natural to her, making the girl pause for a moment.

"Don't have to if you don't want to," Cassian interjected. "We're not here to interrogate you."

"No, no, that's fine…" Kaia sighed. "My father, Zeke, was the best slicer in the area; it was a hobby and a talent for him; there was no system he couldn't hack!" Kaia said with excitement and joy. "He didn't do it for money or anyone else, just something he wanted to get really good at…And taught me, too. I wasn't as good as him, but I remember a lot. After Mother died, though, he had to work twice as much to get enough credits for us though…He first worked for the Zakuulan military while the war was still going on, but after all that had happened, he had to find someone else."

"Did he join the Exchange?" Vaylin wondered.

"Oh? No, not at all, he joined the Paragon's men, helped them fight against the thugs and break into their systems…He…" Kaia's voice broke for a moment. "He told me to lay low and don't leave the house until he says it's safe, said that there will be a lot of fights outside…I just sat here and listened to the news until I heard that the place father worked in got bombed by Exchange…He died, along with many others. I…"

"I'm sorry," Cassian said, thinking of Kaia's tale. A child who grieved her father, a father who genuinely loved and cared for her, willing to do anything to ensure her safety and happiness, something Cassian never experienced, and neither did Vaylin.

"Those freaks." Vaylin clenched her fist. "We should've killed them even slower!"

"They forced me to work for them as they thought I had some of my father's skills and knowledge. I did, but…It wasn't good enough, I wasn't good enough." Kaia looked down in shame. "They tried to scare me into it, said that I don't comply I will suffer much more than father ever did."

"I enjoy killing a lot of people…" Vaylin smiled. "But those who hurt children are almost the most fun to deal with. At least some of them suffered for taking your dad away!"

"And what happened to your mother? "Cassian wondered. "How did she die?"

"Honestly, we never really found out…But I imagine, in battle." Kaia sighed; her tone grew calmer when she spoke of a far, more distant loss. "She was the best. She was one of the knights of Zakuul who served you, Vaylin!" Kaia said, making the woman raise an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I heard a lot of stories from her about you. She said you had quite a temper but were a really strong warrior many knights looked up to."

"With good reason."

"Do you…Know her? They called her Captain Yelena, she said."

"Hm… I'm not good with names." Vaylin shrugged. "Plus, all knights wear the same metal buckets on their faces anyway, it's hard to see the difference."

"But mother was important!" Kaia spoke up. "She was an overseer of an entire planet!"

"Which one?"

"Eh…It had a long name. Dra-va…"

"Darvannis?" Cassian suggested.

"Yeah, that's it!" Kaia spoke up. "She had an entire battalion there, and she was working on a very important mission there, defending something super valuable from the Alliance."

"I…" Vaylin paused as she desperately began to avoid contact which Cassian quickly picked up on. The usual confidence she displayed in her body language was completely gone and her eyes were frozen, her skin getting so pale that it almost looked like her old body. "I don't think I remember."

"Really? Maybe she died during the battle, but…I don't know."

Something was off here, but Cassian couldn't wrap his head around it quite yet. Before he could try to piece the puzzle, he heard a sudden knock on the door. It managed to startle Kaia and Vaylin as both turned towards it.

"Did you expect any guests?" The woman said.

"N-No. The Exchange wouldn't come here that soon."

"If it's Exchange, we'll deal with them easily." Cassian reassured her. As long those weren't Doran's men with Voidcaller on their hands, there was little to no threat. "Vaylin, stay with Kaia, I'll check who's outside."

"There's a vision on the door; you can see through there." Kaia hinted. The Chiss walked towards the door, trying not to make any sounds, and then finally peeked outside.

"Of all the people to come up with the idea to follow us…" He sighed, seeing a lone man with dark skin and some basic gear.

"Who's there? "Vaylin asked with anticipation,

"It's Koth."

"Oh." She immediately lost all interest. "You had me think it was someone important for a moment."

"Did he follow us here? He might bring his findings back…Guess there's only one way out of it." Cassian sighed and opened the door, immediately staring at Koth's startled eyes. "Hello there."

"Wow, wow, easy there!" Koth took a few steps backward, which made Cassian chuckle.

"Why so jumpy? Don't pretend you didn't follow us here."

"I did, but…I thought you'd try to hide, and the girl would be the one opening doors. I'm not looking for a fight, I promise."

"Then what are you looking for?"

"To understand what happened!" Koth spoke up. "You had an agreement with Doran and everything went according to the plan, and then I wake up and hear that you two ran off and killed some of Doran's guards and that you're the enemy now!"

"And you decided to take us out…Alone?"

"What, no! I'm not taking anyone out; if anything, it feels like I'm missing out on something." Koth sighed. "And I was hoping you'd explain. That's why I came alone; there were no tricks or ambushes, and I just wanted to understand. I know you two well enough to know that you genuinely want to get off from Zakuul. You wouldn't do all this for the ship, so just go back on it!"

"Hm… You'd be right." Cassian admitted.

"Then what really happened?"

"You're lucky, Koth; if it were anyone else, I would've killed them and disposed of the body immediately. But I know you, too, and you aren't the one to lie."

"I guess that's reassuring…"

"Come in."

Koth followed Cassian into the apartment, noticing Kaia and Vaylin, with the latter giving him a playful look.

"Did you accidentally wander so far away from home, or maybe you just want to die?"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard those threats already."

"Who is that?" Kaia wondered.

"An annoying idiot."

"I'll deal with him," Cassian said sternly before turning towards Koth.

"So, what was it?" Koth crossed his arm. "I don't like being left in the dark. Did you give Doran any reason to distrust you? Was there some kind of misunderstanding?"

"No, we did everything exactly as we agreed with Doran."

"Then why?"

"Because he tried to capture us and deliver to his friend Jadus," Cassian said sternly, making Koth recoil.

"W-what? Isn't that the Sith who attacked Odessen…No, this is nonsense! Why would Doran work with a bastard like him?!" He shouted in disbelief.

"You think I know the answer? Maybe he's stupid enough to believe that Jadus cares about Zakuul's liberation or whatever else he promised."

"How do you know that they are in league?"

"His guards tried to use Voidcaller to capture us, Jadus's invention that he used during the Odessen onslaught, and your captors mentioned some ally."

"There…There was a new material that they brought to our base, a violet chemical."

"That's the Voidcaller, and I take it he didn't explain to you what it is."

"Not really, no, just said it's not my concern."

"And here you have it. He doesn't trust you all that much, which is a good thing. He must know that you wouldn't aid his conspiracies."

"Wait, this is insane! "Koth shook his head. "Doran is a noble, selfless man, I served by his side for a long time, and he never gave me any reason to doubt him!"

"He simply had his true plans and played you. Wouldn't be the first time."

"No, that can't be right. I would've realized it sooner…"

"Stop and think with your head for a second!" Cassian said with emerging fury. "Even after what you've been through you refuse to change. You thought Valkorion was some kind of hero during your life and even after all proof that he wasn't you still continued to believe it…"

"Look, we talked over it, I know Valkorion is a monster…"

"Yes, you only accepted it once others forced you to. And now it's Doran."

"It's different."

"It's exactly the same. You're susceptible to charismatic figures who allow you to fight for a cause, and then you realize that they are nothing like you imagined them to be. It was the same with me; it just happened quicker because I never hid my nature. You said it yourself, we have no reason to turn against Doran. It's self-defense!"

"I…" Koth took a deep breath. "So, another person who swore himself to Zakuul and promised us freedom and prosperity was a turncoat? Some conspirator working with the Sith?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying, and you know I'm right."

"But…"

"Just go and see for yourself. If you look into it, you'll realize that Doran must have hidden a lot from you. Maybe he really wants to free Zakuul and thinks Jadus can help him…But he can't be trusted. Jadus only ever cared for his own agenda, and I doubt it includes helping the people of Zakuul."

"Fine… I'll look into it, I promise," Koth said. "If I find out he lied to me, I won't try to convince myself otherwise this time."

"Good. Then be on your way…And if you dare to reveal our location, you'll exhaust your last chance. I will hunt you down and kill you, understand?"

"I'm not as stupid as to provoke you any further," Koth admitted. "Good luck."

Perhaps he will finally see the truth this time, though Cassian didn't hope for much. If luck ended up on their side, however…Perhaps he could help them in striking back.