Arkous had been correct in knowing how easy it was to sneak onto the Kashyyyk world, and Alys wondered if the Republic was just completely incompetent. Quinn landed their ship on a small cliff close to the location they had been given. Once they had settled and there was no enemy fire, Alys called her crew into the main area and detailed their plan.
"Pierce and Broonmark will stay with the ship and make sure the Wookies are unaware of our presence. The rest of you will join me on the ground expedition to find the missing archeologists and mercenaries. Everyone, be on your guard. This is a jungle, after all," Alys instructed before she dismissed them to prepare.
She opened the hatch and lowered the ramp with her sabers at the ready. She waited to disembark in case of any curious predator lurking around. Once it seemed that their landing was completely unnoticed, Alys stepped onto the planet and waited, guarding her ship while her crewmates readied themselves. It wasn't long before they left, Quinn leading the group with his datapad.
Alys brought up the rear, making sure that there weren't any surprise attacks from behind. She kept one saber always lit, unwilling to fall victim to another ambush. Vette and Jaesa walked between them, both with their weapons drawn as well. They followed the captain deeper into the forest along a hidden trail, only known to Quinn and his datapad.
It wasn't long before Alys saw a small red dot appear in front of Vette. Alys jumped in front of her friend and held her lightsaber up in defense. The others readied their weapons, searching for the threat. A soft laugh entered Alys's ear as she realized that her comms had been hacked.
"State your name and business," the voice demanded as the red dot moved to Alys's forehead. These must have been the mercenaries that Arkous had mentioned.
"Lord Renata, Emperor's Wrath. I am here to investigate some missing scientists," she informed plainly. The red dot disappeared as a sigh of relief came across the come.
"Ori'vor'e," the voice replied as the red dot disappeared. Alys and her crew stood stationary before a human woman came from the tree line. Alys was surprised to find that the mercenaries were Mandolorian. "We weren't sure what to do. Our communications went out a few days ago."
"You found the archeologists?" Alys asked, lowering her weapons.
"What was left of them. The Shadowlands aren't for the faint of heart," the mando explained as she placed her weapon on her back. "I assume Darth Arkous sent you?"
"That's correct," Alys replied as the woman nodded.
"I figured. My name is Amilyn Wessell," the woman introduced. "I'm sure you have more questions but let me bring you back to camp and we can talk."
"Alright. Lead the way," Alys replied, gesturing towards the mando. Amilyn smiled as she turned to walk back into the forest. Quinn shared a worried look with his sith before they followed the mercenary deeper into the forest.
Alys could see why the Wookies called this are the Shadowlands. The further they went, the darker it got. The sunlight was nearly completely blocked out. Not only that, as Alys could feel a swell of the dark side of the Force emanate from the ground beneath her. She almost wondered if she had found herself back in the tombs of Korriban. She glanced over at her companions, once again taking the rear, and noted that Vette and Jaesa looked uncomfortable. Alys did her best to shield them from the darkness, but it was difficult to filter something so dense.
Quinn didn't look nervous, but Alys could sense that the darkness was affecting him as well. She wondered if accepting this mission was wise as they continued to trek through the woods. Amilyn hardly seemed fazed, and Alys wondered if the Mandalorian had simply adapted to the energy around her.
"Here we are," Amilyn announced as they found a small camp. There were a few ragged tents and a small campfire in the middle. Alys saw a few more mandos and a handful of imperial uniforms. "Unfortunately, the Shadowlands have taken many of your scientists, but I managed to save a few. We were going to trek out of here tomorrow and call for help."
"That won't be necessary," Alys reassured. Amilyn turned to her, ready for a fight, before she saw Alys's face.
"Understood," the mercenary answered.
"What about the artifact?" Alys asked.
"They found something in the forest a few days before I arrived. They were able to bring it to their old camp, but creatures overran us there. We had to leave it there," Amilyn explained. Alys nodded, realizing that she had to retrieve it.
"Then I will have to go get it. Where was the camp?"
"You want to go deeper into the Shadowlands? I mean, be my guest, but my team and I will not go in after you. We will do a lot for some credits, but this has already proven to be too much for us.
"I understand. I will leave Captain Quinn with you along with my apprentice Jaesa. Both should be able to heal the people who have been injured," Alys explained before Amilyn nodded, handing her the datapad with the previous camp's location on it. Once the mando left to talk with her people, Alys turned to her.
"I don't think that is the best course of action," Quinn informed.
"For once, I agree with Quinn. I don't want to go deeper in there," Vette agreed.
"I would be willing to go in there with you, Master," Jaesa piped up. Alys pressed her lips together before she held up a hand.
"I appreciate your point of view, but there are people here who are injured. Quinn and Jaesa, you are their best chance. Neither Vette nor I have any medical or healing experience," Alys reminded before turning to Vette. "It's only a few klicks away, we'll be back in no time. We just have to get the artifact and leave."
"Alright, fine," Vette groaned. Quinn said nothing and only nodded.
"Be careful," Jaesa whispered before Alys touched her shoulder reassuringly.
"We'll be back before you know it," Alys promised before turning towards the direction of the coordinates. Vette exhaled but followed. She knew that there wouldn't be any consequences if she decided to stay in camp, but she also knew that Alys wouldn't be able to watch her back as well when following written directions.
The forest gradually grew dimmer as they continued through the brush. Alys held her saber up as a light as she glanced at the map before her. It felt like they were walking in circles, but Alys could feel that they were on the right track. The Shadowlands were trying to make her doubt, but she knew better. It wasn't too long before they found the remains of the tattered camp.
"Wow," Vette breathed as they walked closer. Alys put the datapad away as she walked over broken tents and crates. The creature that had torn through the camp must have been ginormous judging by the damage.
"Alright, let's be quick about this," Alys whispered as she started to look through boxes that had been torn open. Vette agreed, pulling up tent linings to see what was buried inside.
Alys found small trinkets and imperial items, but nothing matching the description of the artifact that Arkous had given. Starting to give up hope, she heard Vette call her over to find a small slab of stone underneath a blanket in a tent. Alys examined the area, realizing that the scientists had been working on translating it before the camp was torn apart. She grabbed the notes and the slab before placing it in a nearby bag.
"So, that's it?" Vette wondered, confused.
"Unless you want to stick around to dig through the rest of the stuff," Alys shrugged. Vette quickly shook her head.
"No, I'm good. Let's get out of here before something finds us," she urged. The sith smiled and held up her saber again, lighting the way.
Vette followed close behind her, her panic swelling. Every noise made her on edge, making Alys worry. She wondered if some of the scientists went mad before retreating. She calmed Vette for a moment before they continued, but it seemed to have little effect. Vette still clung very close, almost like she was a child afraid of the dark. Alys picked up the pace, now regretting bringing the Twi'lek with her.
Soon, the camp came back into view and Vette practically ran to the safety of the campfire. She warmed her hands as she kneeled before the flames, her anxiety fading with the light. Alys gave the bag to Jaesa for safe keeping as Quinn bandaged up the last scientist. She glanced up at the sky and found fewer sun rays than earlier. Amilyn approached, also staring up at the trees.
"It's almost sundown," the mando explained with a sigh. "It'll be dangerous to trek during the night. I suggest you grab a tent for you and yours, and we'll leave in the morning."
"I'm not sure how much my crew will sleep, but I will take you up on that offer," Alys answered with a slight bow of the head.
"Good," Amilyn smiled before she went back towards the fire. Alys glanced back at Quinn, who stood in front of her.
"The sooner we leave, the better," he sighed as he looked down at the sleeping archeologist. "Some of the men went crazy before running into the forest. They weren't able to find them again."
"That's not very comforting," Alys murmured with a sigh. "Vette started to get anxious on our way back. I think we should leave first thing tomorrow."
"Agreed. Although it will take some time to get these people out of here. Some of them can't stand or walk," he explained as they walked toward the campfire as well.
"We'll get them out of here. I'll also let Arkous know not to send any more expeditions down here without sith supervision," Alys informed.
Once the forest was pitch black around them save for the fire, they retired with some of the mandos taking watch. Alys and her crew crawled into a tent and tried their best to find sleep. The sith worried for her friends as she fell unconscious.
A dream had turned into a vision.
She stood in the Oasis of Tatooine, where she had encountered her darker side. Alys waited for the apparition of her clone to appear, but it didn't. Instead, a Twi'lek woman emerged from the water, but it wasn't Vette. This woman had a paler blue complexion with dark stripes lining her lekku. Alys noted her eyes were an icy blue, similar to her skin tone. The last thing she noticed was that she carried two sabers at her hips.
Alys reached for her own weapons, now recognizing the woman to be a jedi, and the woman stopped in her tracks. She watched the jedi as she stood knee deep in the water, but no water dripped from her form. Alys called out to the woman, asking what she wanted, but the jedi only smiled. It was a friendly smile full of compassion and elation. Alys had never seen a jedi so full of emotion before and she froze.
A loud crash sounded behind her and Alys turned to see her companions unconscious on the ground. Strangers, also comatose, surrounded them as the Twi'lek jedi now stood across from them. Panic filled Alys as she realized that her companions and the strangers stood between her and the jedi, but the jedi turned away from them. She ignited her two sabers, both burning a brilliant blue, as soldiers both in white and black armor came blasting out of the cave's entrance.
Alys found herself frozen as she watched this jedi protect her and her crew until the last of the soldiers fell. The jedi turned back to the sith and bowed in typical jedi fashion. The sith watched before the jedi walked towards her and spoke two words before Alys woke in a cold sweat.
Save them.
Alys looked around her to find Jaesa also awake and staring at her. She took a deep breath and ran her hand through her dark hair, trying to slow her breathing. Her jaw clenched as she remembered the vision. It was strange, she had never seen a jedi protect imperials before. Jedi usually remained neutral when imperials were in danger, neither killing them nor saving them.
Jaesa reached out to her and grabbed her hand as she nodded. She was all right, and she smiled at her to convey the message. Jaesa turned back to sleep as Alys sat up fully. She wanted to know more about the Twi'lek jedi and who she was if she was real at all. More questions filled her mind as the sun started to filter through the leaves again. She left the tent and paced a few feet away from camp.
Alys decided that she would ask Arkous for a favor when they got back and investigate who this jedi was. Maybe she could even use the Sith Intelligence system. She was the Emperor's Wrath, after all. She should have access to those files and information. Besides, after this mission, he owed it to her at the very least.
Soon, the camp was awake and starting to pack up, and she joined them by making sure her own crew was awake and ready to leave. Alys found Jaesa waking Vette up and Quinn was already checking on the archeologists. He made sure that they had everything they needed for the last trek to their ship.
"Our ship is on the other side of the forest," Amilyn informed as she approached Alys. "Would you be able to take the archeologists back to Vaiken? I know it's asking a lot, but there is only a dozen of them."
"That's fine. I will inform Darth Arkous of everything and ensure that you are paid," Alys replied as Amilyn waved her off.
"No need, he paid in advance," Amilyn answered as the sith nodded. "It was great working with you, Wrath. I hope to see you around sometime soon."
"Likewise. Travel safe," Alys replied with a bow. Amilyn returned the gesture before rounding up her crew of mandos and disappeared into the forest. Alys watched as they left before she informed Pierce that they were bringing back the scientists and that the med bay should be prepped as best he could.
Quinn helped a few scientists onto makeshift stretchers before her crew and the scientists left for the ship. Alys had her captain lead the way again as she made sure that they weren't followed. It took a couple of hours before they made it back to the ship and Pierce helped bring the injured into the med bay. Broonmark stayed on the bridge, monitoring enemy activity.
Alys went to her quarters while the others worked to get the archeologists settled before they took flight. She wanted to help, but she couldn't risk it affecting her reputation. Instead, she hid from the imperials and knelt on the floor. The vision stuck with her, and she found that every thought led back to the strange jedi touched with emotion. She remembered the woman's face and her words. Save them. Save who? Save her companions? The strangers? Growing restless, she reached for her datapad and sat on the edge of her bed instead. She logged onto the holonet to see if there was any mention of the jedi. She searched for only a moment before the jedi in her visions was shown on her screen.
The Hero of Tython had entered her visions, and she had entered as a friend. Alys clenched her jaw, wondering what she had to do with the Republic's war hero. This jedi was the enemy of the empire. This Iris Vao was constantly at the Empire's heels, keeping them from a complete victory. Alys was always undoing the damage that Vao had done, or vice versa. So why was the Force so adamant that this jedi was trustworthy?
Alys threw the datapad behind her as it bounced on the mattress. She wondered what she had hoped for when she searched at first. She definitely didn't think that this jedi was her sworn enemy. Alys laughed at herself, thinking that she was naïve to think that the Force would bring her a padawan or a tainted jedi. It had to be the Republic's greatest hero.
However, none of her first questions had been answered. Who was she supposed to save? Why was she supposed to save them? What did this jedi know that she didn't? Did she have a similar vision? Would the jedi even have the answers she was looking for?
She groaned and, for the first time, wished that there were someone she could go to for advice. Vowrawn came to mind, but she knew better. While he was a trusted ally and a valuable resource, asking advice about seeking out a jedi would not be wise. Her entire loyalty could be questioned, or worse. Then again, Jaesa was a part of the order not too long ago. She could know more about Vao and wouldn't be startled when she spoke of her vision.
Without any more to go on, Alys listened for the engines and found them humming louder and louder. They were about to take off, meaning that the passengers had been taken care of. She opened her door and walked towards Jaesa's bunk. Alys wasn't sure her apprentice would be there, but it was a start.
Just as she started down the hallway, Quinn ran into the main area, his boots squealing as he slid. Alys turned to see concealed panic on his face and his datapad outstretched in his hand. She calmly took it from him as he stood straighter.
"This report just came in, my lord," he informed before she could see it. She read the datapad and stared, bewildered, before turning to her captain. She found herself without any words. "The Republic has just sacked Korriban."
