Alys meditated in her quarters, tuning out the noises on her ship. Her room kept most noise out other than the humming of the engines and the occasional fight. Quinn always found something to be nitpicky about, usually with Pierce or Vette. Alys kept out of it as she knew that either Quinn would have to loosen up or let them be. Otherwise, he was going to give himself a coronary. Today, her crew was getting along, and she only had to block out the engines. The Force flowed through her, and she felt her emotions renewed.

Once she was satisfied with her time, she activated her sabers to focus on their hum. Sith didn't meditate, and she knew full well why. Meditation calmed emotions, but Alys found that it helped her reset. If her crew could hear the hum of her lightsabers at least for a moment, she could say that she was practicing her combat moves. Jaesa was the only one that knew her true self. Vette got glimpses as she referred to Alys as the sweetest Sith alive. She shuddered at the thought of the other three knowing her true self. Quinn would remain at her side to prove his loyalty, but he wouldn't look at her the same.

Alys didn't dabble in the light side of the Force, but she showed mercy and helped people when she could. Quinn had been on the receiving end of that mercy, but he never believed that he deserved it. Alys questioned herself as well after the betrayal, but Quinn had made himself indispensable ever since. She didn't regret sparing his life or keeping his betrayal a secret from the rest of her crew. Another mercy from her. She didn't want to deal with the drama anyway.

After a few minutes, she powered her sabers down and left her room. She went to the cockpit where her captain was scanning his datapad. Without a word, she entered and sat in the navigator's chair by the window. They had entered hyperspace to return home to Dromund Kaas, but Alys had a funny feeling that they would be redirected again. She had been running errands around the galaxy for the Dark Council and for the Hand.

"My lord!" Quinn exclaimed when he realized that she was in the same room.

"Quinn," Alys replied with a nod towards him. He stood at attention, the datapad now at his feet. She glanced at the forgotten pad before raising an eyebrow. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"I didn't hear you come in."

"You can relax, Quinn," she sighed. Reluctantly, he eased up and retrieved the device. Alys watched the blue swirl outside the ship before Quinn cleared his throat. "Yes?"

"My lord," he began before she turned her chair towards him. He faltered a moment. "I was curious about our next assignment."

"We don't have a next assignment yet."

"That is my point. Since I have worked under your command, we have had our work cut out for us. There had always been something for us, for you, to accomplish."

"Yes, we have been quite busy," Alys agreed as she crossed her legs in front of her. "I would say that we have earned a little vacation."

"Vacation?" Quinn nearly scoffed. Alys had to fight a smile.

"You've never taken a vacation."

"There was never any need to."

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised," she groaned, everything making perfect sense. Quinn pressed his lips together in an effort not to say something he would later regret. Alys crossed her arms and gazed at him for a moment. "I think a vacation would do us some good."

"My lord, I don't believe it's wise that we take so much time off," he protested before listing off all the reasons why it was a bad idea. "There would be a mountain of security risks if you were to relax in the open. And not to mention the extra time it would take when we were summoned again. I know we don't have another assignment, but that doesn't mean that we should throw caution to the wind, my lord. The war is in its infancy, and it may escalate far quicker than we think."

"Quinn-"

"We would have to find the ideal place where you wouldn't be in danger of opportunistic attacks. With your new title as Wrath, there will be plenty of Sith hoping to gain your title through any means necessary. And you are a potential target for the Republic. They are relentless and will stop at nothing unless they are stopped."

"Malavai," Alys tried again as she slowly stood.

"There is too much going on right now, we can't just simply-" the captain continued before Alys placed her hands on his shoulders, staring at him. He stared at her with widened eyes, and she could sense panic and worry in him. He closed his eyes and tilted his head down. "My apologies, my lord. I don't know what got into me."

"It's okay. Does vacation really worry you this much?" she mused, encouraging him to look at her again. He sighed instead.

"I don't want you to be caught off guard again," he informed quietly. Quinn was referring to his own betrayal.

Quinn was someone that Alys had put most if not all her trust in when he had joined their crew. He made sure that he had the most precise battle plans, and he always had pointers to help her perfect her form. He had proven himself to her time after time, showing that she could rely on him. She shared her secrets of going against her former master when she was cast aside. She had assumed that he had her back as always before he betrayed her.

When Quinn begged for forgiveness, she had granted it against her better judgement. She had backed off and watched him carefully. He had been more attentive towards her after Corellia and Baras. However, they both knew that the bond of trust that they had cultivated was gone now, and they both would have to start over. Quinn had to show her that she could trust him again, and it was slow going.

With a kind smile, she patted his shoulders. He looked up to see her and laughed under his breath. They still had a long way to go before she could fully trust him again, but he finally started to relax with her.

"You've seen when I'm caught off guard, Quinn," Alys reminded with a chuckle. "I seem to do alright."

"That doesn't exactly put me at ease, my lord," Quinn whispered as her hands returned to her side. She found that she hated it when he referred to her title instead of her name. He had never once said her true name to her. He would refer to her as Lord Renata, or now Darth Renata, to the others, but never to her. Even Vette and Jaesa had started to use her first name around the ship or in private. Pierce stopped using the title as well, but he still used her last name as a sign of respect.

"I suppose not," she exhaled. "But I still think that you should take a vacation at the very least. I think you would find the personal time very rewarding."

"I wouldn't even know what to do," he chuckled.

"Well, let's try this," Alys replied as she turned to the computer. She changed the coordinates to Vaiken Station and smiled. "Let's start at the station and browse around the shops. Maybe we can find a hobby for you or something."

"A hobby?" he repeated skeptically.

"Exactly. You need something to do when you aren't on the clock," she answered. "No more working after hours, Captain Quinn. I want you to put in your time while you're here, but I need you to relax as well. The others find personal time."

"My lord-" Quinn started to argue before she shook her head.

"No, this isn't a request, Quinn. And don't think that I'm encouraging you to slack off because I am not. I am just saying that you deserve some time to yourself as well," Alys interjected, pointing her finger at him. His jaw clenched, but he nodded firmly. She blinked at him before sighing again. "What's wrong?"

"Permission to speak freely?" he asked as he placed his hands behind his back. Alys did not expect this much resistance to the idea of him relaxing.

"You can always speak freely, Malavai," Alys reminded. He paused for a second, caught off guard by his own name.

"Thank you," he began before he straightened. "I don't feel that it's in my best interest to take a vacation right now. I feel that I haven't proved myself enough yet."

"You are not my slave, and you deciding not to rest every once in a while has stressed you out. It's stressing the crew out, as well," Alys pointed out. Quinn opened his mouth to argue before he shut his mouth with a click. "Look, we may not have gotten back to the point to where we were after Voss, but we have come a long way. You are always looking out for my best interest, and I appreciate your efforts. I just need to make sure that you aren't exhausting yourself."

"Alright" was all he said with a sigh. Alys grinned up at him as he nodded. "I suppose I have been rather short tempered lately. It doesn't help with the company you keep."

"You'll manage. Or you can be reassigned-" Alys teased before he shook his head.

"That won't be necessary."

"Good to hear. Now, let's talk hobbies," she insisted before she sat in the captain's chair. She encouraged Quinn to sit in the navigator's chair, which he reluctantly obliged.

After prying for what seemed like hours, Alys finally had him talking about something else other than the Empire, her, or the ship. He mentioned that he used to make model ships before his time at the military academy, and he used to be rather good. Quinn also used to read a lot while stationed on Balmorra, and he suggested that he could find a new novel. Alys encouraged both ideas, glad that he had opened to her. They chatted until they dropped out of hyperspace, sending Quinn to his feet. Alys relinquished the chair so he could safely land in the hangar. She sent a message the rest of her crew, stating that they would be making a detour to Vaiken Station before Dromund Kaas. No one objected.

Alys's crew dispersed as they landed, each off to get what they needed from the vendors. Quinn and Alys were the last to leave, per the captain's request. He wanted to make sure that the dock workers knew what they were doing before they tuned up the ship. Alys waited in the lobby as she watched the workers mill about. Soon enough, Quinn came into view, and they went to the elevator that connected the rest of the station.

Alys had dressed down for the occasion. She wore her old armor, leaving behind her cape and massive shoulder pauldrons. The less attention she could attract, the better. There weren't many ancient sith that traveled through the station as many felt that they were above interacting with everyday people. If they did have to go to the station, they didn't leave their ship and sent their crew to gather supplies. Alys enjoyed walking around the vendors and cantinas, seeing how people acted without all the pomp and circumstance.

It wasn't long before Quinn found something that caught his attention. Alys smiled as she walked into the store with him. It wasn't a model ship or a book, but rather a blaster store, but she couldn't fault him. He took incredible care in cleaning and upkeeping his weapons, so they always were at peak efficiency. As he started to chat with the vendor, Alys wandered outside and leaned against the wall to wait.

She was watching some imperial citizens worry about their flight before her holocommunicator started to buzz. She assumed that it was either Vette or Jaesa asking for a rendezvous at the cantina. She clicked the button to see an ancient sith man with a saber at his hip. Apparently, Quinn had been right, and another assignment was coming.

"Lord Wrath," the man bowed with his voice dripping with respect. Alys glowered at him and nodded. "It is a pleasure to speak with you. I had felt your presence, and I have a favor to ask of you."

"Then speak," she demanded, her façade falling into place. Although, she didn't have to fake her irritation. She had spent so long convincing Quinn to relax, and she wasn't prepared to go on another mission.

"I would rather talk without so many listening ears. I am on the lower deck near the public hangars," the man explained carefully. She glared at him further as he set directions to how to get to his office. "I hope to see you soon."

Alys nearly threw her holocommunicator on the ground before she roughly shoved it into her pockets. She crossed her arms and leaned back on the wall, her aura radiating fury and frustration. Quinn nearly stumbled when he came out to see his boss seething. He paused a moment as his brain wondered if it was his fault. She turned to him, and her expression softened, easing his concern.

"My lord?" he whispered before she groaned.

"It seems that you were right, Quinn," she whispered as she explained the strange man on her holo.

"Are we sure that we can trust this man?"

"We're about to find out. It seemed urgent, whatever it was. He was a sith though, for whatever worth that is."

"It's not exactly reassuring," he reminded as she hummed in agreement. "Did he at least give you his name?"

"He certainly did not," Alys hissed, adding more irritation. Quinn nodded before she stormed towards the elevator indicated, parting the people around her easily. The captain could hear the whispers of the Wrath of the Emperor, and he wondered if it was the sort of attention she wanted.

Quinn joined her in the elevator as she slammed the button. His quick look in her direction reminded her to calm it down a bit. After that, Quinn led the way, intending to announce the Wrath before she went in shouting. Alys gestured toward the direction of a door, and he knocked twice. It slid open to reveal two people inside. One was the sith that Alys talked to, and the other was a human woman with short blonde hair. Quinn walked inside with the Wrath before she stood in the middle of the room. Before Quinn could speak, the ancient sith bowed before her.

"Lord Wrath, thank you so much for coming so quickly," he greeted before standing at attention. The woman bowed her head but said nothing. "I am Darth Arkous, a member of the Dark Council. This is my associate, Lana Beniko."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Wrath," she informed before she bowed properly. Alys sized her up, surprised by her presence in the Force. Before she could remark on it, Arkous started to speak again.

"I don't want to take up much of your time, so I will be brief," he explained before we returned to the holotable behind him. Alys stood her ground as Quinn went to stand slightly behind her. Her irritation grew, but she did her best to quell her aura. "I would like to reiterate that I do not believe that you are in service to the Dark Council, but I would implore you to listen to what I have to say."

"Go on," Alys replied.

"There is a small archeological expedition in the forest floors of Kashyyyk. They were uncovering something of priceless value, but now they have gone missing. I have already sent a band of mercenaries, but I fear that they have been taken out," Arkous explained, showing the locations on the table. Alys clenched her jaw and stared at him. "I want you to see if you can discover their fates."

"Why me?"

"You are the only one who can pull it off. If we can recover the artifact, then we might be able to change the tide in the war. We were uncovering a piece of an ancient weapon before the team went dark. I'm not asking you to save these people, as I am sure they have already met their maker. I'm only asking for you to see what happened and if the artifact is still there," Arkous explained cautiously. Alys bit the inside of her cheek in thought.

"Isn't Kashyyyk a Republic world?" Alys asked.

"It is, but the forests are so dense that it's nearly impossible to get good scanning equipment to function properly. You should be able to slip in and out without the Republic ever knowing that you were there."

Alys glanced between Arkous and Lana, weighing her options. There were innocent people in the mix, which didn't help in deciding. Her heart told her that she should go help those people while she wanted nothing more than to turn Arkous down. She had hoped for some relaxation before she was thrust into the war once again. She inhaled quietly before she nodded, surprising her captain.

"Alright, send me the coordinates and I will see what I can do. If I don't find any trace of them in a span of twenty-four hours, my crew and I will pull out. I still have my duties to perform," Alys informed sternly. Arkous grinned and clapped his hands together.

"Marvelous!"

"I will see that the coordinates are downloaded onto your navicomputer, Wrath," Lana informed with a head bow. Alys nodded before she left. Quinn thanked them for their time before following the sith out the door.

Alys relaxed and exhaled once the door was shut. Quinn stood at her side and pulled out his datapad, making sure that they coordinates were entered. Alys leaned against the wall and waited for the elevator door to open.

"I'm surprised you agreed to this, my lord," Quinn remarked before he put the device away. Alys turned to him and shrugged. "What was your reasoning, if I may ask?"

Alys paused for a moment, wondering what to say. She could be honest and talk about how the archeologists didn't deserve to be left and forgotten like tissues. Trying to save the archeologists and the mercenaries that were lost was the right thing to do, but she couldn't just out right say that. She was beginning to trust Quinn again, but she didn't trust him with this honesty.

"If what Arkous said was true, then this expedition could change the tide of war in our favor," Alys answered, staring at the doors when she said it. Quinn hummed a response, and Alys wondered if he knew she was lying.

Once they were back in the main area of the station, Alys had Quinn recall the crew back to the ship. She gave them time to wrap up what they were doing, but she insisted that they hurry. The faster she could find the scientists, the sooner she could relax in her penthouse on Dromund Kaas. Quinn followed her quick steps back to the hangar and onto the ship.