Reunion - Part 1
Arriving at Coruscant was rather eye-opening. Like Mandalore it was densely populated, so many buildings reached high into the sky, and deep into the station. She wasn't sure how she would be able to find him. She would have to rely on the amulet.
The ship docked and Hondo seemed a little misty-eyed as he bid her goodbye. Some of his men also seemed a little downcast. They urged her to learn some more songs and come back to show them. With a smile, she agreed, turning away and covering her head with a hood. She had to find him. The sooner the better, and with the experience she had now, it would be far easier to blend in, and her knowledge was far more extensive than it had been. She would be able to blend in far easier now.
Her first stop led her to the lower levels, she felt… something there. She was sure it was familiar. Just a whisper, a shadow of something she used to know. Was it really him? She had to be careful, she had to avoid Sidious for now. Not until she could get to him. She chose to dress down, keeping the simple black cloak, tunic and pants, a bustier across her chest. She pulled up her hood, wanting to avoid the gaze of others as much as possible.
The amulet hummed slightly as it lay upon her chest, the beats in time with her own hearts. He was somewhere in this city. She was sure of it.
The last few years had been so dark. So vacant of anything other than rage and pain. He trained everyday under the guidance of his master. At first he had been so afraid. So weak. He had been aching for a place that was no longer his home. There was something… something he had been so unwilling to lose. He could not recall it now. The torture had stolen anything in his mind that was not his anger or the darkness. Long ago there was something he'd had… but it had become so unimportant now.
He now had focus, his master had shown him the devastation the Jedi had brought forth against the Sith on Malachor. He had seen the destruction, the lies of the Jedi. They claimed to be so righteous, so right and were famous for their lies and hypocrisy. He had seen the ashes of the Sith, seen the power of the darkside. He realised that there was a chance to avenge the fallen Sith, snuffed out by those pretenders. They would not know the power he held. They would be unable to stop it. He would destroy these Jedi. He just had to wait until his Master allowed it. His master had a great plan, one that would bring the galaxy to its knees, and he would be the one to stand at the side of the most powerful being in the entire Galaxy. He did not know every aspect of the plan, his master had not yet explained all of it, but he knew enough.
The problem of course was now that he was restless. All this rage, all this drive to kill… and yet. He had to wait. He had to hesitate. This was not the way of the Sith! The Sith were passion! They gained their power from their emotions.
Far above, far below,
We don't know where we'll fall,
Far above, far below,
What once was great is rendered small.
The Jedi could gloat in their lie of peace. In their fallacy of their power. They would fall. They would be destroyed.
The frustration built in him, there was only so much of his anger he could channel with the exertion of training. He found himself wandering the lower levels of Coruscant, cloaked in black his lip curled as creatures parted like a sea around him. In truth he wasn't sure what had drawn him here, there was something within the Force, a ripple of something he had felt before. But… What was it?
It had been years since he had felt something like this. It was darkside. It was something that lingered on the edge of his memory. His mind urged to find it, as much as he wanted to know, part of his mind fought it. Telling him he must not look. It was strange, he could not recall this type of indecision before. This… conflict. What was the source of this weakness? He had to destroy it.
He had to get rid of any weaknesses in his mind. He was powerful, he was strong and he could not allow anything to jeopardize it. He found his pace increasing, the frustration building within him as he used the force to find the source.
As he walked, he felt the pulse at his chest. The pendant he still held was reacting to something. He had almost forgotten it was there, though he wore it often, he didn't really think of it anymore, so the sudden life in the object startled him somewhat. He reached into his robes, pulling out the little golden thing that stirred after so many years dormant. Then again, he could not recall it ever being alive before. Not like this. He had to find out why.
Zaiya held the amulet tightly under her cloak. There had to be something… some sign of- then she felt it… a pulse, stronger than the others. There was something in the air around them. She followed the strange signal, leading up a level. Then across a platform, away from the main hub of bars and businesses and loud music. The amulet pulsed more strongly, as she kept going. There was something ahead. Was it him? It was somewhat familiar but also… dark. Far darker than she had expected. What was this presence?
Graceful steps down the stair before her travelling to a slightly lower platform, leather boots tapping on the metal pathways. The feeling grew stronger… then stronger. There was so much darkness and heat… then suddenly. She could feel the presence there… at the other end of the dark alley. Right in front of her.
The frustration rose, his pace quickened, his hand instinctively reached for his belt, to his saber but stopped. No, he could not use it out here. He could not be seen. Though the strange feeling was making him itch to see the strange anomaly, and crush it. But also this curiosity was maddening, the amulet hidden in his robes fluttered still. It was a distraction, it was different, he had to know.
His boot falls stomping heavily on the steel plates. His anger caused a heat wave from him as he walked. He turned down a darkened street, then an alley. And stopped. There. Ahead was a figure, small, weak, cloaked and he could sense the trepidation from this being.
A weakness.
He approached, taking measures to ready himself to fight. The figure did not cower nor tremble. Interesting. He could see nothing of the mind under the black fabric.
"You." He hissed, his voice low. "What are you?"
"I could ask you the same. If you are the one I have been looking for, then you have been changed." The voice of a woman, a young one at that. His brow furrowed in confusion. It made no sense. Looking for him? Why would anyone look for him? No one knew of him other than his master! His hand reached for his blade. If she knew of the Sith then she must die! It was not yet time!
"What are you talking about?" An edge to his voice.
"I knew someone once, someone close to me… tell me, have you seen this before?" she reached into her robe and he tensed, awaiting an attack… but she held out an amulet. Broken, golden and intricately designed. The sith apprentice froze, his yellowed eyes widened. It was the same.
"How do you have this?!" He growled. He knew this design, he had one that looked just like it… though, he had the missing half. "Where did you get it?!" He grabbed her by the collar, shoving her against the wall in a rage. She let out a grunt and gripped the amulet tightly, seemingly seeing the energy from him.
"It is mine." She replied, her voice shaking slightly, he could feel both hearts pounding in her chest. She was Zabrak then? Was she afraid? No… she seemed... excited? Nervous? It made no sense. "I gave the other half to the one I am searching for."
"Why do you search for them?" He didn't usually ask so many questions, but the nagging in his mind was too much. He had to know. Who was she?! Yet he did not ask these questions yet. If the answer came too soon… then it would be over.
"He… he was taken. From his home. From me, and I swore to bring him home."
"Touching." He sneered. "and what's stopping me from killing you now?"
"I believe in the oath that was taken. The promise sworn on my amulet. It seems… I am still a step behind you… my friend." He let go and stepped back defensively, leaving her coughing and on her knees to catch her breath.
"You don't know me." He growled.
"No… but I did once." The sith apprentice staggered back, stunned by this revelation. She knew him? How?
"Who… are you…?" He hissed. She looked up, and the hood slipped back. A flash of her blue eyes shot through him. The familiarity. He knew those eyes. How did he know those eyes?! The endless blue that haunted his dreams, the scream of anguish and those eyes widened in horror and pain. A pale hand reached for him -NO! What was this?! What had she done? How could she have the pendant? How did he know these sapphire eyes?
His hearts ached, he could feel the strange familiarity in his mind. How was this possible? He couldn't remember how he knew her, and yet… he felt it. This was… wrong. This was weak. He mustn't be weak! His breath came heavier, rage came easy, replacing nearly every other emotion. His teeth grit as he stepped back again, she hurriedly tied the bandana back in place. He had to kill her… he had to destroy her. He had to… but he couldn't. Something inside him stayed his hand.
"They call me Siren…" she stated cautiously. Was she afraid? Good. She should be. "You, however, called me Zaiya." He froze. That name. He knew that name. How was this possible? How did he know her? How did… how had he forgotten her?! His mind reeled. No. This was too much. He felt like he was splitting in half. Without thinking, his feet moved on his own, retreating from her swiftly. He should kill her… why couldn't he?!
Something akin to panic rose in his chest and he was nearly mad with the conflicting images in his mind. How had she been in his dreams? Was this a message from the Force? Was this some test from his Master? His master had not seemed to notice or care for the pendant before. Not seemed to deem it worth anything so why would he make a test of it? He had never spoken of the nightmares, he had never spoken of any of it, preferring to ignore it until it finally faded away. He had thought himself rid of such pathetic weakness until this day.
Zaiya.
Why did that name sound familiar? Why did he know it? He hadn't recognised her face, but when she had spoken her name it was as though it could not have been anything else. As though that name was written somewhere on the inner walls of his mind in a corner he had neglected. It was as though there was a door in his head, one he had never noticed, never seen and suddenly… something on the other side was knocking. None of this made sense!
What had she said? He had been taken? Nonsense, he was abandoned and alone before his Master found him.
Why then did she know who to look for? Ridiculous. He snarled to himself under his hood as he returned to quarters. His master had found him, taken him in and taught him the power of the Force and the Dark Side. His master had saved him! … And his master could not know of this. He didn't know why but there was an urgency within that told him not to breathe a word of it out loud, to ensure his master never discovered this.
