-
Corellian Birthright
(https://a3-images.myspacecdn.com/images04/1/c437ef0d28a24f9899cafa4bb0c12eee/full.jpg)
The Wheel
Riley knew his decision was rash. But he also felt he had no choice.
For weeks now, he had been trying to get in touch with Gemma, but Aunt Mara had made it virtually impossible, locking the network consoles inside their apartment, and making sure his teachers never left him alone at a unit while he was at school. He had been defiant in his attempts, and when that didn't work, he set his eyes on a new target. Not communicating out, but getting information in.
That had been difficult too, with the watchful eyes of his aunt and teachers, but at least possible. He had things to do for school, and so he would often run a quick search, sending documents he found to his personal - and offline - console, hiding it in folders with obscure names that (hopefully) even his aunt couldn't find.
He had learned more about not only who he was, but who his mother, Kimber Patten, and aunt, Valerie Gellar were. His mother, it seemed, had the most tragic of the four stories: From her life on Coruscant and Corellia to a fugitive from her former best friend, out to kill her as part of the mysterious prophesy. The story of Kimber Patten, as published, indicated she fled to the protection of the Center Point Station, and died when it was destroyed. Nothing that had reached the public indicated the one truth that Aunt Mara had told him - that Kimber died giving birth to Riley, just before the station was destroyed. His aunt took Riley and saved him, and his origins remained a secret until just a few months ago.
Valerie Gellar, according to the stories, was a promiscuous high school girl who went through training with Kimber, her half sister, and eventually rose to prominence as a hero of Corellia, dying to save it from Phage, a droid of the Trade Federation who had gone amuck.
What Riley noticed is that no stories about Valerie or Kimber made any mention of Mara, his aunt, and for all of Riley's searching, he could find nothing linking Mara to them. This, of course, left him with questions.
But more importantly, he wanted to know what Kimber left behind. Was there any surviving family on Corellia? Any relatives, distant, or close, there that bore the same last name as his mother? Gemma was technically unrelated. Were there any Patten's left?
He finally managed to break through the barriers his aunt had placed, and using a burst-transmission, reached out to Gemma. He smiles as he hears the voice on the other end.
"Hello?"
"Gemma?"
"Riley! I am so glad to hear your voice. Are you okay?"
"Not at all," Riley glanced over at his door. He thought he had heard his aunt coming, and had waited a moment, praying he wouldn't be caught violating her rules, and leading to even more restricted movement."Aunt Mara won't let me do anything. It took me this long to find a way to reach you."
"I am so glad you did. Is my father alright?"
Riley had visited Gemma's father a few times with his aunt - partially out of obligation, partially because he knew if he ever reached Gemma, she would ask.
"He's still out cold but I guess he's doing fine. That's what mister Prescott says."
"Are you still at The Wheel?"
"Yes. I hate it here. Aunt Mara and Mister Prescott want me to stay quiet and out of the way. I'm going crazy. How are you and Dane doing?"
"The Jedi is very nice," Gemma says. "She's teaching me things. Dane is just being a jerk. He doesn't like it here."
"Where are you?"
Riley hears a pause. The question had been spur of the moment, and he was about to suggest maybe she shouldn't answer - his aunt's paranoid behavior, and the fear of being listened to. Then, she answered.
"Naboo. At my mother's villa."
"Sounds cozy."
"It's lovely. I wish you could see it. Are you going to be okay?"
No. He wasn't going to be ok. Not here on the Wheel, where everything was happening outside, and he could do nothing about it. That was why it was so imperative that he contacted Gemma now.
"I have to get out of here,"
"And go where? Riley, the creatures that took us are still out there."
"I can't stay here, Gemma. I have to go."
Riley heard his aunt coming and he hung up the connection, just as he heard Gemma shouting through the comm.
"Wait, Riley!"
The comm was rushed away as Mara stepped into the room, giving him a curious frown. He knew he probably had a guilty look on his face - he was never good at hiding his emotions. It was later on, during dinner, that she finally asked him about it, and rather than responding, he went to his room, and locked himself in. She might try to follow. But he needed time to himself. He couldn't be stifled anymore. That's why he had his plan.
Riley spent the evening getting ready, waiting until his aunt had left the apartment, and then left the note.
I'm sorry, Aunt Mara. I had to go
He couldn't tell her where, because he knew she would try to follow. He only hoped he would be able to get away before she got back.
Taking a small pack, filled with a few useful items and, wisely, a handful of credits, he locked his door, slipped out of the apartment, and headed down to one of the Wheel's lower level docking ports. Here, like many spaceports, ships docked on a regular basis. Riley figured he could stow away aboard a ship, and make his way off the station. From there - at least he hoped - he would find his way to his destination.
Corellia.
It seemed to make the most sense. It was on Corellia that he should have been born, where his mother grew up, where his grandfather and his aunt were heroes. Surely, someone there could give him answers, help him in a way that aunt mara simply couldn't.
Stowing away was easier said than done - he was caught and flung off three ships before he managed to squirm his way between two large freights being loaded onto a vessel headed for Contruum - a world that had been neutral prior to its capitulation to the Galactic Empire, and then subsequently regained its independence again. It was a perfect world - currently unaligned, and headed in the right direction. Contruum was about halfway from the Wheel to the Core along the Perlemian Trade route, and regularly did business with the Corellian Sector.
It was once the ship took off that he heard the first rumble. He managed to squirm between the freight to a viewport. There, he could see a massive fireball dissipating outward. there was silence, and then he could see pinpricks as vessels, barely visible from this distance, began to flash in from hyperspace.
The ship's intercomm system could be heard.
"All hands - Federation Traffic Control is releasing us without an escort. It appears there is some pirate activity on the other side of the system. We are going to keep shields and weapons activated until we reach hyperspace. Stay alert"
The comm went dead, and Riley tried to get a better angle through his small viewport, hoping to see what the pirates were doing.
As the ship moved away from the Wheel itself, he could better see the damage to the large, damaged platform, and see the pirates swirling about. Then, the ship turned, and he lost sight of the action.
Until there was another rumble, and the comm went back up.
"All hands - we have star destroyers exiting hyperspace right on top of us. They are firing weapons - we are taking evasive actions. I don't know why they are here, but we are getting out of here"
Riley felt the g-forces as the ship spun around a few times, getting a glimpse of a star destroyer looming overhead, before the ship continued its turn. Another rumble, harder, as the ship was hit by weapons fire, but it was smaller and more nimble than the hulking imperial beasts, and managed to get away. They were obviously not the main target. As the ship straightened out, Riley got a good look at the formation of star destroyers, heading directly for the Wheel itself.
Then the streaks of hyperspace hid everything from his view.
TBC
-
Naboo
Surface: Lake Country: Masterton Villa
Nevylinn is humbled by the task Melanie had passed on to her. She had felt the dark place as soon as they stepped off the shuttle but had mentioned nothing. She wanted to know if Gemma could feel it too and she had. There were just no words she had for it until Melanie drew the connection to her dreams. They both spent the day preparing through packing then meditation. They would walk the kilometers together, further time to reflect and practice for what may lie ahead. They meet Dane in the kitchen hunched over a bowl of cereal.
"Are you going to be okay here all by yourself?"
"Yeah. Fine."
"We should only be gone a day. We will call if anything changes."
"Uh huh."
"Dane..."
"Just go, Gem. Do whatever it is you have to do."
She nods quietly, having learned not to crumble when he lashed out. Nevylinn touches her arm and they leave the villa on their mission. It is something they must do. Dane sighs, rinsing the bowl in the sink. Heeled footsteps behind him make him think they had come back to try and convince him to go so he turns around ready to yell. Only it isn't Gemma or the Jedi standing in the kitchen with him.
It is Valerie.
"What are you doing here?"
She smirks tightly; clad in a maroon corset, tight black pants and shiny heeled boots. Her jet black hair is smooth and cut in a way that makes her look almost militant. The smokey hue around her eyes seems to make them glow even in the morning light streaming through the kitchen.
"Such an attitude. I like it. There is something to be said for having a chip on ones shoulder. It keeps things concise."
"So...I'm not dreaming this....seeing you, talking to you....am I going crazy?"
"Levels of consciousness does nothing to sever our connection. Asleep, awake, I'm your anchor, sweetie. No dodging that blaster fire. I'm not here to haunt you, Dane. I'm here to help. All of you get a spiritual guide. I just happen to be the coolest one."
"A guide? To where?"
"The unknown? The future? Fuck if I know. But you need to forget them. You are not gifted, Dane. You will never have powers like your sisters."
"Dahlia isn't my sister."
"Blood isn't everything. Allies come in all shapes and sizes and, as long as it suits you, it doesn't matter. What matters is that while you may not have the Force, you have the Gellar gut. We can make things happen all by ourselves. The ways of the Force or, more specifically, the Jedi teachings are sooooo boring. All that sacrifice and denial of our human nature. The whims and urges that make us unique. It's incredibly self-righteous and seriously lame. You don't have time for that sanctimonious bullshit. There are enemies out there, some that wish to bring harm to you and your family. They don't understand what it means to be a Gellar. Wealth, pleasure, power; these are things that belong to us. But you can't be the future unless you understand the past."
"Understand what? My father? Your mother? You?"
"The Corporate Sector is not the only place our legacy lives on. All you have to do is find it."
"How do I do that? I'm stuck here."
Valerie shrugs, sauntering around the center island.
"Oh, I don't know. Shuttle out back. Remote lock in the Jedi's bedroom. They are far too trusting, always hoping people will do the right things."
"And just leave them? I can't do that!"
"Sure you can. You know how to fly. Your father taught you."
"I wouldn't even know where to go."
"I can show you."
"Won't the Jedi be able to find me?"
"And give chase in what? Besides, she's got better things to worry about. Gemma is their priority. She's the one with the magical powers, the bleeding heart. The Jedi will keep her here, training the bubbly blonde while you are out making some real progress."
Dane hesitates, glancing through the window at the shuttle gleaming on the platform.
A sly smile creeps onto Valerie's face.
"Well, what do you say?"
-TBC
-
Hyperspace
Dane Gellar returns to the main cabin when the proximity alarms begin to sound. He slides into the chair which is still a bit large for him and reaches for controls. Behind him, leaning precariously against the far wall, Valerie Gellar smirks.
"Careful. Ease out of it slowly. We don't want to alarm them...too much anyway."
"I know what I'm doing."
"Don't get cocky, kiddo. They are going to be suspicious. You were reported missing, your father and his cohorts the chief suspects, and suddenly you appear out of nowhere. There are going to be questions."
"Aren't we famous here? We don't have to answer their questions."
Valerie laughs, "Me? Yes. I'm a fucking icon. You? Not so much."
"We're related. That should mean something to them. Enough to grant us a landing permit."
"Look at you being clever, trading in on our name. Good boy. Still, they will contact the Republic."
Dane jerks visibly, turning.
"What? We can't let them do that!"
"Yes, we can. The Republic is too busy right now and will not come get you. Not right away. All they need to know is that you are safe. It will buy you time to seek out some of your heritage, things your father would never show you. Now, pay attention."
Dane eases back on the controls, watching the streaks of stars vanish into a swirling blue and green world just ahead. He guides the shuttle toward the central lanes of traffic that Valerie points out when the com crackles to life.
"Unidentified shuttle, this is Corellian Central Command. Please state your name and destination."
*
Corellia
With a bit of coaching, Dane opens the line.
"Corellian Central Command, this is Dane Gellar requesting permission to land in Coronet City."
There is a significant pause. Dane turns again but Valerie shakes her head.
"Keep it together, D. That last statement threw them and by now they have run your name through the network which will trigger the alert from CorSec and, by extension, the Republic and Corporate Sector. Appropriate parties are being notified and a decision is being formulated, one I suspect will fall in your favor."
He keeps the shuttle on course, merging into the traffic flowing down toward the planets surface. No one attempts to stop them. As they get closer, two armed transports appear on either side. Valerie smiles.
"There we go. Our escort."
The com hisses to life.
"Mister Gellar, please follow our transports to landing platform PDB-3."
Dane acknowledges and follows them for another twenty minutes before they veer off in formation. He lands the shuttle a little roughly but in one piece. He's pretty proud of himself and swivels around in the chair. Valerie nods.
"Nice work, slick. Killer spot too. A premiere docking bay? You are going to have important company."
"Can't you handle that?"
She flips her hair and rolls her eyes.
"I'm dead, sweetness and they will lock you up for talking to ghosts. I'll always be here but they can't and won't understand. You need to man up, Dane. This is all you."
He groans, slamming his hand against the ramp controls. A rush of air swirls through the loading bay and as the afternoon light filters through, Valerie's visage disappears. He walks down the ramp to find a lone man standing there, older but not old and looking somewhat amused.
"Dane Gellar," he says. "Welcome to Coronet. I'm Artemis Soldys."
-TBC
******************************
Corellia
Artemis Soldys had been spending most of his time as a senator away from the Republic Capital, trying desperately to use whatever maneuvers possible to keep the Centerpoint Station inacessible, for any purpose. He had, however, also been monitoring the changing events in the galaxy, and had been the one behind the scenes in getting more corellian ships involved in the anti-piracy forces being deployed.
With the attacks on the Trade Federation, he had been in regular contact with the remaining Corellian representative, Endar Cale, on Chandaar, both to get a sense of how the Republic was responding, and to be able to anticipate the coming events. Of the Admirals' Council, only one was corellian, despite their contribution to the military. This was, at least in part, because of the recent induction of Corellia into the Republic, and in part, because of their distance from the capital. And of course, politics. Still, he had been made aware of the proposal even before the Speaker had, and so he was assessing Corellia's capacity to increase production to meet expected demands.
He was meeting with a number of contractors from Corellian Engineering Corp. When he received an urgent call. Excusing himself, he made his way to his private office.
"Yes?"
"Senator, we have a strange message from traffic control. It seems Dane Gellar is requesting to land"
Artemis was surprised. Not the least of which because Dane Gellar was apparently kidnapped at the moment. Artemis was aware of the scandal occurring on Chandaar, involving the Corporate Sector, the Trade Federation, and the Gellar family. As far as he knew, there were trials and hearings to be held.
So what was one of the kids doing here?
Artemis remembered being a teenager when Dane Gellar's half-niece (Dane's half-sister was Blair, whose daughter was Valerie Gellar) was governess of Corellia, and had led in victory against Phage. By that point, Rutherford had already disappeared to the Corporate Sector, resurfacing in the CSA sometime after that. The Gellar name carried some weight on Corellia, especially on Coronet, where the statute of Valerie still stood proudly. But it was the recent news that made Dane's appearance at all important.
Dane had been abducted while his father was negotiating with the Republic. A Republic Corellia was a part of. Dealing with it could be difficult, politically. It was best not leave others - he could handle the fallout, no matter what happened.
Assuming of course, it really was the 11 year old coming to Corellia.
"Have Mr. Gellar dock in the premiere docking bays. Then notify the Diplomatic Corp. on Chandaar of our arrival. Also, let Speaker Apteen known, and send a message as well to our Corporate Sector liason"
"the Corporate Sector liason is in jail for murder, Senator"
Of course.
"notify the stand in representative"
Artemis made his way back to the meeting.
"Gentlemen, I have an urgent diplomatic matter to deal with, but I imagine we will be in touch in the coming days."
Saying goodbye, he made his way down to the assigned docking bay, watching as the craft landed, and the boy made his way out.
Artemis contained a smile as he appraised the child. Far too young to be piloting his own ship across the galaxy.
"Dane Gellar, Welcome to Coronet City. I am Artemis Soldys. I am the Corellian senator to the Republic"
Dane's eyes were appraising and suspicious - far too much so for one so young, in Artemis' opinion.
"A lot of people are looking for you Dane"
"Maybe, but not the ones you think are"
The answer was surprising, filled with attitude, resentment, and anger. The boy had apparently been through a lot.
"I don't think anyone expected you to turn up on Corellia"
"Why not? My family is from here?"
"Not for a while now. If you can pilot your own ship, why not just go home?"
"I didn't want to go home. Nobody's paying attention to me at home. I wanted to come here, learn about my family name, about Valerie"
There was a bit of that youthful whining in his voice, but Artemis could see the value of the boy's search.
"You know I had to notify a lot of people you were here"
"I know"
"And if someone comes for you, I will have to release you to them"
"Nobody's coming for me. Not for a while. I don't have what my siblings have, so no one pays attention to me. Are you going to help me? Or are you going to just treat me like some kid?"
"Aren't you just a kid?"
"I'm a Gellar"
"a YOUNG Gellar. It's not the name that matters - it's what you do with it"
"My name got me an audience with a senator. it's a tool like anything else. And I'll use my name wherever I want to"
The boy was smart for his age, calculating, but at the same time, failed to see the dangers in his logic. Artemis felt bad for him, not even sure what he went through, but knowing it must have been awful. Whether or not someone came for him, Dane would be here for a while. Best to make sure he stayed out of trouble
"So what is it exactly you want to do?"
"I want to see Valerie"
Artemis nodded
"Alright"
TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
It was rather remarkable the homage they paid to their fallen heroes. Dane gazes down at the memorial plaque at the CorSec plaza then walks with Artemis until they step into the shadow of Valerie's statue. Dane stares up at it in awe. The carved expression on Valerie's face is one of determination but the clothing more conservative from the photage he has seen. She had saved them and that was something worth using to his advantage.
"Did you know her?"
"Valerie Gellar? No. I was just a teenager but we all heard the stories. She was just a few years older than us and we all suffered through the crisis. Our city on lockdown, droid armies sweeping the streets. She fought Phage the first time in this very square in front of a million people, myself included. I wasn't close enough to see it all happen but I know she was lucky to have survived, given that Major Patten did not."
This triggers a strong response.
"Major Patten?"
"Yes," Artemis says. "Major Kyri Patten. Valerie's biological father, one she shared with her half-sister, Kimber. Most of what we know we did not discover until long after the fact."
"From the reporters story."
Artemis is impressed with his quick wit and wonders if he had come to these conclusions on his own or if he had help. Just what happened to him since he's been missing? His father could have told him any number of things about Valerie Gellar but perhaps it was not something the young man could have asked so freely. He had watched Rutherford Gellar's heartbreaking admissions before the Republic Senate that painted a very different picture of the hardened corporate titan. He gave up his granddaughter and lost his family for it. Truth and consequences at the most basic level. Now Gellar's new family has been fractured by a complex situation involving the Corporate Sector, Trade Federation and Republic. He cannot imagine what being caught in the middle of it all must be like for a kid.
"That's right. Kent Carlson was something of a rogue journalist who had many detractors yet somehow managed to piece together and become a part of one of the most compelling and tragic stories in Corellian history. Have you read it?"
Dane yawns, "The ending sucked."
"You must be tired from your journey," Artemis says. "We should get you settled."
Valerie, the ghost of Corellia past, had coached him for this.
"Okay but I'm not staying in some drafty precinct."
"Where would you like to go?"
"The Gellar Residence."
The Senator was not expecting that and clear his throat.
"It's part of the Phage Crisis museum now, Dane. The lower levels were converted into galleries to explore and remember that period in our history while the residence itself remains untouched out of respect."
"If its untouched that means its habitable," Dane says a little too evenly, glancing up at the Senator. "I feel it's time I explore my own history."
The museum is heavily guarded and away from the shriek of political sniping and bustle of CorSec procedures. He is not entirely convinced this quest for personal discovery is without ulterior motive. Perhaps that is the politician in him, a wary suspicion of others. And he has every right to be suspicious. Recent admission into the Republic and a significant increase in production on their behalf is one thing but a kidnapped child who happens to share a biological relation to a Corellian hero showing up by himself out of thin air is quite another. The appropriate authorities have been notified with assurances the boy would be both welcomed and secure until further arrangements can be made. Artemis imagines the Imperial attack on the Wheel dominates the Republic's attention and finds it strange that Dane figured as much, surfacing only after the assault had begun...
Artemis nods curtly, "Follow me."
*
Phage Crisis Museum/Former Governess Gellar Residence
Artemis walks quietly beside Dane as he moves from display to display, regarding each with a mixture of curiosity and disdain before approaching the restricted lifts with a beautiful woman standing beside them.
"Senator."
He nods.
She fix her gaze down.
"Hello, Dane. My name is Della."
"Hey."
"I hear you've been through a lot recently and if there is anything you need, we want you to let us know."
"What are you, a counselor or something?"
"No, just a friend. If you need one."
"I have friends. In the Corporate Sector. Right now I'm much more interested in family."
He is scared and trying desperately not to be. That she can tell. Artemis said as much. He's got a lot of bluster for a preteen but some of that could be a byproduct of his ordeal. Artemis asked her to join them because he believed she could get through some of those walls. So far Dane hasn't said anything about where he was or the status of his still-missing siblings. She swipes her ID card and punches in a security code that grants them access to the lifts. There had been some tactful omission via com to his office to arrange this little excursion but they were both curious to see where it leads.
The lift opens into an extremely posh living room.
Artemis and Della had been to the museum but never up inside the residence. It does not disappoint. Dane wanders around like he owns the place, stopping in front of the giant painting of Valerie and her friends above the mantle. The place is immaculate but musty. Artemis opens the patio doors to let some air in. Della watches Dane closely as he moves through the room, picking up pictures, touching furniture almost as if he was confirming something.
Valerie's ghost is stretched out on the kitchen island, staring up at the picture.
"Maker Almighty I was hot."
"Gross," Dane says lowly.
"What was that?" Della asks.
He shakes his head, "I said gross. These girls are barely wearing anything in the pictures."
"She was a model before she was a leader or so the story goes."
"Sounds shallow."
"More like massively lucrative with a type of fame that got us everything we ever wanted."
Except eternal life, he thinks to himself. He avoids eye contact with Della who has been watching him like he's about to perform some kind of trick or lose his mind or something. He has to remember what Valerie said. They wouldn't understand. He wonders if the others are getting advice from beyond the grave and if they are half as vulgar as Valerie is. Maybe he is crazy but he would never figure anything out if he let on what he sees. Exhaustion sets in and he walks over to the black, over sized ottoman chair and curls into it. He drifts off more quickly than he intends. Della smiles, unfolding a blanket and placing it gently over him.
"Poor kid."
"He's up to something."
She smirks, keeping her voice low.
"Easy Senator. He's eleven. I doubt he's here to execute a diabolical plan."
Artemis takes her arm and moves out of the room and into the kitchen area.
"This kid has been missing for months and then he shows up on Corellia alone without a scratch on him? Where has he been?"
"I'm hoping he will tell us when the time is right. He suffered a trauma, Artemis and has been separated from his family. That's a lot to process for someone that young. Give him some time."
"There are accusations that his father had something to do with it, using the children as leverage against the Federation. A Republic counselor and the Corporate Sector liaison are in prison on Chandaar awaiting trial for their alleged involvement and a possible cover-up. There is talk their lawyer may be dismissed on ethical grounds. What if this isn't the real story? These are people's lives we are talking about, Della. The kid could know something."
She sighs, glancing back over at a peacefully slumbering Dane.
"We will find out, Senator Soldys. But not tonight."
-TBC
-
Contruum
Riley had thought his plan was perfect. Stow aboard a ship, get to Contruum, and then stow aboard another ship set for Corellia. But upon landing on Contruum, he was discovered among the freight, and tossed out into the spaceport, his pack and the credits he had with him confiscated, leaving him broke and lost with nothing to his name.
In the years since Contruum had obtained its status as an unaligned world, it had changed drastically. It's borium mines, foundaries, and ship-building capabilities had grown tremendously. Much of the world was under a protected status, where expansion was prohibited to protect the planet's natural habitats, but that was more than compensated by the booming, heavily populated urban areas.
The main spaceport was bustling with activity from all over the galaxy, and had developed - as many large spaceports do - a seedy underbelly. Despite efforts by the planet's police force, gambling and drugs had spread rapidly and despite its proximity to the Republic, the slave trade had grown as well. Already, a number of well-to-do hutts had laid claim to a number of high-rise buildings, and resisted efforts to cramp their corrupt work.
All this left Riley in a place not friendly to an outcast ten year old. He was pushed out of several restaurants when he asked for food, and was accosted by local thugs, hoping to get a few credits out of him. Whatever was left in his pockets was soon gone. And because he had been caught stowing away aboard a ship, the port itself had a lookout to prevent him from reaching any ship again.
He managed to scrape a survival as a beggar, getting unsatisfying scraps of food, or working in the back of a restaurant for a day to get a meal. All the while though, he never lost sight of his goal - getting off this planet, and reaching Corellia. Where he hoped, and prayed, that his luck would get better.
It was one night, when he was sleeping in an alley, just a short distance from the forbidden space port, when it came to him.
"Riley"
He stirred, opening his eyes, and seeing no one, but there was the voice again.
"Riley, get up. You have to get up"
It was a voice both familiar and foreign to him. He had heard it only a scant few times before, always in his dreams. Was he hallucinating?
"Mother?"
"That's right, Riley. It's me. You need to get up, Riley - it's time for you to come home"
Riley wasn't sure what he was doing, but he rose from his 'bed' and brushed off some of the trash and dirt.
"Hurry, Riley, there's not much time"
He felt the urgency in the voice, though he could not see her, and he hurried out of the alley, so fast, he collided into two men.
"Hey kid, watch where you are going"
"Sorry ..."
It was only then that Riley saw who he had bumped into. The two individuals were dressed in a dark blue uniform, with an octigonal shaped logo, blue, gold and white. On the front of the uniforms, written in white, were the words 'CorSec'
"Kid, you ok?"
Riley realized he had been staring at them, and blinked, embarrassed. Even so, he hoped this might be his chance.
"I need your help"
He blurted it out, and the two men looked at each other quizzically before back at him.
"I don't think we can help you, kid"
"You don't understand. I need to get to Corellia"
The first man frowned
"Now we know we can't help you. We don't take stowaways, boy"
"I'm not! I'm not a stow away! I just got stuck here! I need to get to Corellia - that's where my family is"
It wasn't totally true - he wasn't sure he had any family left on Corellia - but it was not a total lie either.
"Who's your family, kid?"
"I'm a Patten"
"So are a hundred million people across the galaxy"
"No, I mean, I'm part of the Patten family. My mother was Kimber Patten. My grandfather was General Patten, hero of Corellia"
The officers were looking at Riley skeptically. Obviously, what he said seemed far fetched (especially since Kimber Patten, famously, died without giving birth)
"Please, you have to believe me. I need to get to Corellia"
Riley's insistence seemed to prevent them from dismissing him entirely, but they were still skeptical.
"Alright, you come with us. But if you are lying about this, we're going to lock you up for a very long time, you hear?"
Riley just nodded.
"Come on then. We're heading back to Corellia tomorrow, and it looks like you need some food and a shower"
The officers brought Riley to a small rental room, inside the spaceport, already progress for him. They let him shower, got him a meal, and set a few blankets on the couch for him to sleep on.
It was less than an hour later, but Riley was thoroughly exhausted, and nearly drifted off to sleep the instant he lay down. Even as he was drifting off, he whispered to the silent room.
"Thanks, mom"
TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
Dane opens his eyes and stretches out on the ottoman, feeling more refreshed than he has in a long time. Something about the Gellar residence is comforting and sets him completely at ease. He sits up slowly, scanning the room for any sign of the Senator or his female friend. The residence is silent. Dane stands and crosses the room. The kitchen is understandably barren since no one really lives here which is where, he assumes, his new acquaintances went. He veers away from the kitchen and heads down the wide hall, passing two guest rooms and a bathroom. There is framed photage, mostly of Valerie in different poses, lining the walls. Some are very provocative and he averts his gaze. Clearly, she thought highly of herself or struggled with raging insecurities, a fine line walked by many according to his mother. Dane stops in front of the black door at the end of the hall, briefly considering things before tapping the controls and stepping inside.
The walls are a deep purple with black trim, striking yet not exactly feminine. There is a faint odor of perfume lingering in the air. Pictures clutter the dresser which he scans slowly, picking up the broken frame with an image of a boy staring smugly back up at him. Shrugging, he sets it down and wanders over to the nightstand. There is a picture of four girls on a beach, arms around each other, posing, smiling. They look happy. Others include nameless friends in candid moments of surprise or joy. There is a rustle behind him which causes him to spin around.
Valerie lurks in the walk-in closet, admiring the many outfits stuffed on the racks.
"You scared me."
"You aren't the first person to tell me that," she says coolly. "Sleep well?"
"I would have slept better if I had known there were available beds."
"What do you think I am? A savage? Are you looking for something in particular or just casually snooping?"
"Is it really snooping if the person isn't living?"
"I'm leaning toward yes but there are exceptions in cases of the exploration in self-discovery."
Dane laughs, motioning around the room.
"It looks like you had a really cool life."
"True but there was a price."
"So? You were rich. Any of your old friends still around?"
Valerie makes a face, "Not exactly."
"That sucks. Are they all dead too?"
"Oh yeah and most didn't just go softly into that good night. We're talking splatter movie killed, vicious and intentional. Some were more heinous than others but they were all tragic. Lesson learned - anyone you love can be lost. So choose wisely."
He points to the dresser, "Who's the stooge?"
"My boyfriend, Reef. Real shame. There wasn't much left of that rockin bod by the end of it all."
"What happened?"
"Sliced up by his best friend under the fantastic fog of the Force. Actually, they went at each other for quite a while and lost most of their limbs before perishing. Identifying what was left of them at the Galactic City precinct was not exactly what one would call a stellar morning."
Dane winces, "That's terrible."
"It was for him but considering he was a spy, I'd say he may have had it coming. I didn't know this until after my tragic and untimely death but he made a deal with the devil without realizing he wasn't part of the final act. That's why you must keep your head in the game, D. Knowing the angles of your role will help to execute the performance flawlessly. You are a Gellar and people will expect certain things of you, things you will give them on the surface while fulfilling your own agenda."
"What agenda?"
"It doesn't matter so long as it's your own."
Nodding, Dane moves through the room and glances over the vanity. There are vials and jars of varying sizes organized in groups and a printed photo wedged between the framing and mirror. He plucks it out carefully.
"Who's this?"
"My father."
"Really? I thought Major Patten was more...put together. He looks a little rough."
"I think he made it to General or Field Commander before he died but that's not him."
"But you said-"
"I know what I said," Valerie sighs. "Sometimes family has very little to do with biology. The man who helped create me and the man who raised me are not one in the same. The man who raised me was named Jerico Geller."
"Jerico?" Dane asks, confused. "My father never mentioned anyone by that name."
"That's because he's not actually a Gellar. When I was taken from the Corporate Sector as an infant and brought to Corellia, a cover story had to be created in order to explain both my presence and proximity. An Imperial operative was assigned the role of my guardian, a widower and single-father who's deep "kinship" with Major Patten brought him into ranks of CorSec where I was able to interface with him and my half-sister. The goal was to create a bond between us, one which grew to be the most prolific of my entire life. Kimber was really the only person I trusted completely even though there was information I willingly withheld from her. She was too beautiful to damage by certain things but in the end my sacrifice did not ultimately save her."
"What happened to Jerico?"
"After I was accepted to a prep school on Coruscant, he disappeared. I spent years trying to figure out what went wrong, why he left and if he was ever coming back. I was a senior when a friend at CorSec confirmed he was dead. No explanation or closure. Now I know he had grown to love me as his own and was murdered by the Empire for trying to prevent them from sending me to the former capital. I'm not sure it would have mattered. The destiny we faced had been staged."
"By the Winton's, right? I read that."
"One in particular, yes but there were others complicit in these events. People who knew about it and failed to stop it."
"Like who?"
"The Winton's, Masterton's and Patten's."
"What about my father?"
"Rutherford is a pussy," Valerie says, sneering. "Granted, he's a clever captain of industry but lacked the backbone to fight for his own grandchild when his bottom line was threatened. He let Alexander Winton blackmail the shit out of him so I could star in his freak show. Despite his flaws, Rutherford wasn't included in the com-chain like the other parents were. He didn't get the glamorous pitch about the prophecy. It doesn't mean he's not guilty but he, like the others, was a victim. Your mother, however, is entirely different story.
"She knew?"
"Enough to know it wasn't going to end well. To her credit, she did attempt to thwart those evil plans but it was far too late for that. I'm not sure exactly how much the parents were privy to but it wasn't the whole story. Even the story you know isn't the whole story. The reporter, as interesting and insightful as he thought he was, didn't know everything. I'm not telling you not to trust anyone but be wary, Dane. Not everyone who should have your best interests in mind do."
*
Della steps off the lift holding two bags of groceries. She has never really shopped for a child before so she brought a few things she thought he might like. Artemis had some political business to tend to and he asked if she would graciously look after the boy. She agreed because she loved Artemis despite knowing part of his reasoning stems from a belief that keeping Dane Gellar out of the public spotlight would contain any questions neither of them could readily answer.
She places the perishables in the refrigerator and calls out for him. Thinking he may have gone to the bathroom, she rounds the island and walks down the hall. She is past the first bedroom where she hears a voice, mumbled words that grow clearer as she moves closer to the end of the hall.
"I'll keep that in mind."
The door is open and Della steps inside, "Dane?"
He is standing beside a vanity table facing the closet. Startled, he jumps back then relaxes.
"Oh, it's you."
"Who else would it be? I brought some breakfast. Are you hungry?"
He nods, "Yeah. Starving."
"Who were you talking to?"
Dane glances quickly into the closet. Smiling, Valerie holds a single finger up to her lips. He returns his gaze to Della as he brushes past her to leave the room.
"No one."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City: Gellar Residence
Dane finishes breakfast without much conversation. Della is respectful and does not attempt to pry too much. Afterwards, she clears the plates as he takes his bag and heads down the hall. She is partly curious about where he has been but also concerned. Children, from what she has read, can be easily traumatized and damaged. Often times this is irreversible and leads to behavioral difficulties throughout adolescence. She is not a counselor by any means but she knows enough to worry about the affect this will have on him.
In the master bathroom, Dane showers and changes into a pair of slacks and a small, black v-neck t-shirt. He brushes his teeth and combs through his dark hair, using some product to spike it up in the front. They had been taught practically from birth that appearances matter. How one looks is how people judge them. It isn't fair, his mother had said, but it's the sad truth. She had always taken great care to ensure they were presentable. Kylie Miranda had done most of the monitoring but his mother was the final seal of approval. Without her presence, he feels emboldened but the underlying terror of the unknown creeps up from time to time. He has not fully processed what happened to him and focuses solely on discovering more about who he is through the Gellar legacy on Corellia. He emerges looking fairly slick for a tween.
"I want to see CorSec."
Della pauses, somewhat amused.
"Which part?"
"Where Valerie worked."
"I don't believe she was ever officially an agent of CorSec. She attended a semester in the Academy but she did not graduate."
"Where did she go?"
"She and Kimber Patten left because they could not reach a friend via com-link. Or so the story goes. That little trek lasted a year or so before she made it back here. Her ties to CorSec itself are linked more to her future role as Governess and leader of the resistance during the Phage Crisis. There are quite a few tall tales about her during that period of time."
"You knew her?"
"No," Della says. "I was too young and there was a lot going on back then. Most of what we discovered about her was through the prose of Kent Carlson. Senator Soldys told me you were familiar with the text."
"Yeah, my sister and I read it when we were looking for-"
"Looking for what?"
"For...something. Nothing. We just wanted to know."
"And what did you think of what you read about her?"
He shrugs, "She was a bad, bad girl."
"Is that what your father said?"
"No," Dane says. "He doesn't talk about her very much. There is a big painting in his study. That's where all the paintings of the Gellar family are."
"That's a lot of paintings."
"It's a big study."
"So, you came here to find out more about her for yourself? That's very admirable, Dane. Not many people do not simply accept what they see in front of them and go searching for the whole story. May I ask what is it you hope to find?"
"My sister, er, sisters are special. I can be special too, like Valerie was."
Della smiles, "You want to be Governor of Corellia?"
"Maybe," he says with a devious grin. "One day."
She sighs, momentarily giving up her mini inquisition into his motives. What did she expect from him? He's just a frightened boy trying vigorously to pretend he isn't. She grabs her com and requests secure transport from the Gellar Residence to One CorSec Plaza.
"Alright, Governor Gellar. Let's go."
*
Surface: Coronet City: One CorSec Plaza
The agents land safely after the long trip from Contruum. There had been wild discussions regarding the validity of the kids statements. He seemed convinced and stranger things have happened but they weren't ready to buy into it entirely. He did, however, need help as he clearly had not been doing well on the streets. By the looks of him he hadn't been there long, quality clothing and fairly clean. Either way, they had to call it in. Neither agent was prepared for the response from their superiors, orders from the Director himself to bring the boy in immediately and with the highest level of discretion. They do so without question.
Riley had slept fitfully in the back, occasionally hearing their comments about his mother. The pilot said she was the most beautiful of the four. The other disagreed, said he preferred the blonde. His slumber did little to calm his nerves. He had taken a big risk, leaving so abruptly and against the wishes of Aunt Mara. But he just couldn't stay there. He wanted nothing more than to go to Gemma but knows that would be the first place they look.
The pilot walks past him on the way to the ramp controls.
"Alright, kiddo. We're here."
"My name is Riley."
He laughs, motioning for him to follow. They take him out across an enclosed docking bay and into a private lift. Someone mentions they have to stop by the medical lab and escort him into a brightly lit, white office where they wish him good luck and quickly leave. He sits nervously in a chair, waiting. Within moments, an attractive woman in a white coat approaches him, kneeling down beside the chair. Her smile is sweet and he feels a little better.
"Welcome, Riley. My name is doctor Tivoli Cross. I just need to make sure you are alright. Is that okay with you?"
He nods.
Her smile does not fade, "Excellent. Right this way."
Doctor Cross leads him around the corner and into a larger exam room. She pats the table and he hops up, glancing around at the extremely organized instruments. She runs the basic tests and takes his vitals before asking him to extend his right hand. She turns over his hand and places a thin device over his index finger.
"This will only sting for a second."
"OW!"
He withdraws his hand, sucking on the finger.
"Why'd you do that for?"
"I'm sorry but we need a blood sample to complete the examination. While I work on that, there is a refresher just through those doors. I have laid out some CorSec issue clothing which I believe should fit a boy of your age."
Riley slides off the table and walks hesitantly through the doors, thankful for the chance to clean up. In the lab, Doctor Cross runs the sample through the CorSec database. She verifies the results of his other tests and concludes the boy is in good health. She is inclined to agree with the agents assessment that the boy had not been on the streets for long. How he ended up there is another story entirely, one she is not keen on asking. The results from the blood analysis appear on her screen and are a match against Kimber Patten's genetic markers stored within their medical database.
Tivoli moves to the com unit on the wall and dials up to the Director's office.
"It has been confirmed, sir. He is the son of Kimber Patten."
*
Surface: One CorSec Plaza: Director's Office
CorSec Director Elon Veritaas stares through the immense transparasteel windows down into the heart of Coronet City.
The latest is news is almost as alarming as it is surprising. When the Gellar boy had requested landing permission in the capitol, he was intrigued. Then after his agents reported a boy claiming to be a Patten desperately needing to get to Corellia, he was suddenly very suspicious. Gellar and Patten together on Corellia again. He thought there could be no way. Though it was widely reported that Kimber Patten had been pregnant and near delivery at the time of the Centerpoint battle, all information indicated that neither she nor the infant ever made it off that station. The documentary, Bound By Blood, suggested the baby had been male but that was refuted as wild speculation at best. All parties with any knowledge had long since perished. Now it is confirmed. The child of Patten lives. His arrival and that of the Gellar boy seem anything but coincidental yet he is not sure how either could have staged this, especially since Gellar had been reported missing almost four months ago. He already gave his word to Senator Soldys and the Republic that Gellar would be granted sanctuary here and he is prepared to do the same for Patten. Both have history on Corellia yet there is a strange feeling associated with their presences. Something he cannot place.
Director Veritaas had already granted the Gellar boy's request to tour the CorSec facility. His executive assistant confirms he is already in the building with an escort, the Senator's paramour no less, and headed up to the meet him. He patches himself through to the medical lab.
"Doctor Cross. Bring mister Patten to my office, please."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City: One CorSec Plaza
The door to the Director's office opens and a boy nearly the spitting image of his mother walks in. He is wearing a miniature version of their uniform which strangely suits him. Doctor Tivoli Cross, the chief physician and head of the CorSec medical lab, stands behind him. Elon stands, stretching out his hand.
"Good afternoon, young man. My name is Elon Veritaas, Director of the Corellian Security Force."
The boy shakes his hand, "I'm Riley Patten."
"Yes, so we hear. Please have a seat."
He nods to the doctor who waits in the reception area. Elon descends back into his own chair, taking the boy in. By now he must be eleven or so with longer, tousled brown hair, light blue eyes and his mother's trademark button nose. The high cheek bones and half-smile are ones he would recognize anywhere. For a time in the past, one could not round a corner in Coronet without running into those features mugging for high end Imperial fashion. It's uncanny but somehow, tragic. He wonders just how much the boy knows about himself or the Patten legacy on Corellia and within CorSec.
"I was told you were discovered on Contruum. That's quite a ways from here. Is that where you were raised?"
Riley hesitates, biting on his lower lip. It is also a facial expression the populous is familiar with.
"It's okay, Riley. You are among friends here. More so than you might know. Your grandfather was a valiant hero within our ranks who's methods are still being taught to this day. Your name carries considerable weight among us, commanding of the highest respect. We are allies who will provide sanctuary and protection if you require it."
He nods, "Thank you."
"Does anyone know you are here?"
"No," he says a little too sharply then relaxes. "No. I'm alone. I haven't told anyone."
Elon leans forward onto the desk, "Is there a specific reason you came to us? To Corellia."
"What do you mean?"
"I want to know what brought you here. Your presence alone raises many questions. To the greater public, you perished with your mother aboard the Centerpoint Station. Your father, from what we know, was an Imperial agent killed shortly after your conception. Needless to say we are curious as to where you have been during the following eleven years."
"With my aunt."
"On Contruum?"
"All over," Riley says, trying to sound more casual than he feels. "We traveled a lot."
He had been taught for so long to keep his true identity a secret that his responses are automatic and calculated. He does know his mother was from Corellia, born and raised. She had shown him the house and land that belongs to their family through his dreams. There is a part of him that wants to confess everything but is held back by what Aunt Mara would think or what it could do. If his name carries as much weight as he says it does, and he believes it does, then maybe he just might be where he is supposed to be. He could be home. A true home. A home he had only heard of in stories and through photage.
"Many people do. Your aunt. She traveled for business?"
"Yes."
"What line of work is she in?"
Riley smiles, "She's a negotiator."
Elon had to conceal his own amusement. The boy was being intentionally vague without any conveyance of malice or sarcasm. He glances down at his screen to see a message from his assistant out in the office. Gellar was on the executive floor but had asked to see one of the interrogation rooms. This gives him an idea.
"How would you like a tour of our facility?"
He beams.
"Boy would I ever! This place is huge."
"It sure is," Elon says, standing and motioning to the door.
Outside, his assistant glances up from her desk. Tivoli stands when she sees them.
"Doctor, would you accompany us?"
"Of course, sir."
The enter the main corridor and head toward interrogation. This floor is reserved for executive personnel and some of the more sinister criminal minds that they prefer to speak with outside the general rotation. The rooms are basic but slightly larger than most with gray walls, a simple black table and chairs. The north wall on these interrogation rooms contain a floor to ceiling two way mirror that, with the simple twist of a knob they will blend seamlessly with the other three. They find it encourages more fluid conversation when a potential perp forgets he, she or it is being monitored.
"These are our interrogation rooms."
"Where you bring the bad guys to talk?"
"Some are more talkative than others. This is where we question them about things they may or may not have done. Would you like to see inside?"
"Yes! This is so cool..."
The Director taps open IR4 and motions for the doctor to hold back. Riley rounds the corner and comes face to face with Dane Gellar and his escort, Della. He gasps, taking a step back.
"Dane."
"Riley."
Elon and Tivoli exchange glances but it is Della who speaks first.
"You boys know each other?"
Dane ignores her, focused on Riley. They stare at each other for a long, intense moment without saying anything. The Director takes the opportunity to interject.
"Perhaps you boys would like a moment alone."
Confused, Della follows Elon and Tivioli out of the interrogation room and into the viewing room. He moves to the controls, making the necessary adjustments. The boys come into view, still standing near the door as it closes. Della is somewhat alarmed.
"You are going to listen in? Isn't that bordering the line of ethically questionable?"
"Nonsense," Elon says. "Neither is here on criminal charges, so far as we know."
"They are minors."
"Who sought us out independently and strangely enough, know each other. Surely you are familiar with their family history. I imagine the Senator would have at the very least briefed you."
"I know who the Gellar's are, Director Veritaas. Who is the other boy?"
"Riley Patten," the Doctor chimes in. "Son of Kimber Patten."
Della inhales slowly, glancing back out into the room, "But I thought..."
"We all did. Consent is not required if we are not the ones asking the questions. Now, unless mister Gellar has disclosed where he has been for the last four months or how he knows the Patten boy I suggest we utilize this opportunity to find out."
A hush falls over them as Dane speaks.
"What are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?"
"I asked you first!"
Riley moves around him, running a hand along the table.
"I hitched a ride with some CorSec agents. Don't make such a big deal about it."
"I thought you were on The Wheel."
"I was...." he says, trailing off.
Dane's brow furrows, creasing the skin between his nose.
"Why the heck did you leave?"
"We were attacked."
This slows his roll considerably, "Wait, what? Attacked? By who?"
"I think it was the Empire."
Dane grabs his arm roughly, "What about my father? Is he still there?"
"I guess so, I don't know."
"You don't know? He was there when Gemma and I left! Where is he, Riley?"
"Ow, Dane stop. That hurts."
He yanks his arm away.
"What's your problem?"
"The Empire attacked The Wheel with my injured father on board and you don't even know what happened to him?! That's really great. Really helpful."
"My Aunt is on The Wheel too, you know!"
"Oh, the Ambassador can take care of herself. And if not, there are plenty of others who look just like her that can fill in."
"Take that back!"
"No way!" Dane shouts, throwing his hands out to appear faux-menacing. "I sat there in that stupid cell forever while you and my sister went on and on about how special you are and how much you two need each other. I swear if I hear one more compliment or song I'm going to throw up and die!"
"Leave Gemma out of this."
"How, Riley? It's you she saw in her dreams almost every night. The boy who helped her escape the monsters in her head."
"They weren't just in her head. You saw them too."
"We don't know what we saw."
Riley is shuttering with anger. He doesn't know why Dane is acting with such hostility. They had spent weeks trapped together in that cell. He thought they were friends.
"I do. If you want to pretend you didn't then go right ahead. I don't care. I came here because I thought they could help me. My mother said they could."
"Your mom is dead, Riley."
"So is Valerie but Gemma said you saw her just like she saw Melanie. They are trying to tell us something Dane."
"Yeah," he says. "Like you are totally crazy!"
"I am not crazy!"
"Are too!"
They lunge at each other, clashing together and spinning around. Dane has Riley's arms locked as they struggle across the room. That is when the door opens and The Director steps in to pluck Riley away. Della moves between them and Dane. The Doctor stands by tapping on a datapad. They have revealed more about themselves than they realize and raised far more questions than anyone can ask in the moment.
"I'm taking Dane back to the Gellar Residence," Della says firmly, thrown by the exchange.
Elon nods, "We'll provide housing for Riley here."
"Our distinguished guest," Tivoli says warmly.
Dane glowers a moment longer before following Della out of the room. Tivoli escorts Riley in the opposite direction with Elon trailing behind. There are many avenues to pursue, one being the most pressing. He waits until they disappear around a corner before withdrawing his com-link and contacting his office.
"Utilize our Republic contacts. Get me all the intel you can on the Imperial assault on the Wheel."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City: Gellar Residence
Dane does not say a word the entire ride back from CorSec Headquarters. It is a welcome silence since Della does not know what to make of the entire exchange between the two boys. She is still reeling from the fact that the son of Kimber Patten is alive since her tragic death and that of her supposed unborn child had been a close and personal tragedy to the people of Corellia. Her father was a legend and although her life had taken some questionable turns, she was still widely beloved in a way that is very different from Valerie Gellar. Valerie had been memorialized as a brash hero while Kimber was painted as the martyr caught in the crossfire, part of a vast collateral damage which claimed many lives. The Centerpoint Battle had held special significance for Della as she herself had managed to escape with Artemis' help. She was told the former Director Frank Farmer had given his life to ensure those enslaved aboard the station were freed. She will forever be grateful to both Farmer and to Artemis for liberating them. It had always felt strange to know that several prominent galactic figures had perished when she had made it to safety. It seems they are all connected in some way. Six degrees or whatever the saying is.
Back at the Gellar Residence, Dane seems slightly calmer and stands in front of the painting of The Four hanging above the mantle in the living room. She decides to broach the subject.
"That was rather intense back there. Are you alright?"
"Not really."
"Would you like to talk about it?"
"Not really."
Della eases slowly down onto the couch, shifting her voice into a more sympathetic tone.
"I can respect that but there are times when it is not always wise to keep things bottled up. I'm not here to judge or hurt you, Dane."
He turns, glancing upon her with a cold stare.
"Everyone wants something."
"I only want to help."
"Why?"
It is a legitimate question but she pauses, noticeably. He is suspicious and she isn't the least bit surprised.
"You were taken from your family and the security you once felt was violated. I imagine that must have been very upsetting and, now that you are safe, I want you to know you have someone to talk to. That's important."
"To you maybe."
She tries another tactic, "Dane, how do you know Riley Patten?"
"Who says I do?"
"You seemed quite familiar with one another in that interrogation room."
"He pisses me off, okay?"
"But you knew him before you were both on Corellia."
"So?"
"So, I'm curious. Humor me."
"Why should I? You are just going to report anything I say back to your Senator boyfriend and use it."
"To do what exactly? Dane, what is it you think we want from you?"
"I don't know. Something that can be used against me later. Politicians always use stuff. That's like, your job. Twist my words to get what you want."
"Fair enough," she says. "But I'm not a politician. I get that you may not trust me. You barely know me. In the time we have spent together, have I let anything happen to you?"
"No."
"All I am asking is that you level with me. You showing up here took everyone by surprise since the last anyone in the Republic or Corporate Sector had heard, you and your sisters were still missing. No one knows who took you or why but there are theories and suspects. We are all glad you are safe but you must know there would be questions. This...connection you have to Riley Patten raises even more of them. Since you claim to have read the publications, you know there is a history between the Gellar's and the Patten's. His arrival and yours cannot simply be a random coincidence. At least I don't believe it is. Neither does Director Veritaas."
She sighs, folding her hands in her lap.
"You told Senator Soldys that you are a Gellar. You know what kind of clout that name carries here. Riley's carries the same. Both are tied to greatness and tragedy which why there is concern. You are safe here on Corellia surrounded by people who want to keep you safe. But what you may not know is that there is more going on outside this sector which you may or may not be able to help with. Hence, the questions. Sooner or later you are going to have to answer them."
Dane's stance is defiant.
"Guess it's going to be later then."
Then he stalks off down the hall, leaving Della alone in the living room. There is so much pain in him. It's all just beneath the surface. His fear, anger and curiosity boiling up from within. She doesn't pretend to know what he's feeling or has gone through. It must have been pretty bad if he's putting up this much deflection. They were able to glean a few thing from the conversation between Dane and Riley. They were on the Wheel together at one point, if this was before or after the kidnapping is anyone's guess. At least Dane and his sister Gemma left the Wheel prior to the Imperial attack and Riley escaped during. It's an impressive feat for an eleven year old if he did so without assistance. Rutherford Gellar was also on the Wheel and injured from what Dane indicated. He also mentioned the Ambassador in regards to Riley's aunt. From what she knows, Kimber Patten had only one blood relative, half-sister Valerie Gellar. "Aunt" may not always refer to biology but it is something she knows the Director will investigate further if Riley hasn't already divulged it. There was something else, something that caused her skin to grow cold - the mention of Riley telling Dane that his mother told him to come here and that Gemma had some kind of contact with Melanie and Dane with Valerie. This is clearly impossible as all three have been dead for more than a decade. She is not one to underestimate someone from these families, given their colorful and terrifying history but this makes no sense. She supposed she would have to consider it further before trying again.
In the master bedroom, Dane is curled up in the black sheets with tears burning his eyes. Valerie lays across the bed, propping her head up on one hand.
"Kid vicious," she coos, smirking. "You won't be able to hold them off forever. She is right, you know. More and more people will begin asking questions only you have the answers to. How you choose to convey and control that information is entirely up to you."
He sniffs, pulling the sheets tighter around him.
"Should I trust her?"
"That's not a call I can make for you but like I said, choose wisely."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City: One CorSec Plaza
It had been an interesting night, one Director Elon Veritaas was not expecting. His ruse had worked like a charm and confirmed his suspicions that the Gellar and Patten boys knew one another. It seemed like too much of a coincidence for both to simply show up here. It is his sworn duty to protect the citizens of Corellia and with the complexities attached to those two names, he would not be serving the public's safety if he did not investigate every avenue. The most pressing issue in his mind is where these boys came from and what they want. He knows Dane Gellar is from the Corporate Sector and was kidnapped from outside his own home. Riley Patten, however, is an entirely different story. His very existence is a revelation. The glaring question is how he made it off Centerpoint in the first place. It is not one he suspects the boy can answer.
Doctor Cross gets Riley settled in one of the staterooms on the executive floor. It is secure and heavily guarded. The boy would be perfectly safe while they sorted out the details of his visit. Her own past had been peppered with the Gellar and Patten names.
Ten years ago she had just graduated from the Coronet University medical program and entered her residency at the central hospital while enrolling in CorSec. Tivoli was driven by a strong civic duty both to protect the public and care for the injured. She felt CorSec would give her the skills and training she needed to do both. She remembers hearing all about the exploits of The Four throughout high school and into university. When Valerie Gellar and Kimber Patten returned to enroll with CorSec, it had caused a major uproar. Models Among Mortals had been one of the sensationalized headlines which caused every Han, Luke and Chewie to signs up for CorSec. Enrollment rates spiked drastically. Some called it a publicity stunt. Tivoli thought it was kind of sweet. Then Gellar and Patten essentially dropped out after concern arose regarding one of their other friends. The redhead was in some kind of trouble. At least that's what people had said. When Gellar finally resurfaced, the Phage Crisis followed closely on her designer heels. It was a time of terrible suffering for everyone and one she is glad finally came to an end.
In it's wake rose the Confederation under Saga Judec's rule, using the consolidated powers the slain Gellar had acquired to defeat Phage once and for all to transform the Sector into a military state. She was new to the CorSec medical staff and survived the sweeping cuts Judec made, including the termination of most senior management. Director Frank Farmer was dismissed rather unceremoniously but it was nothing in comparison to what was rumored to have happened to Valerie Gellar's former cabinet staff. The interim governor, William Tacofer was murdered. Gellar's personal aide, Cecelia Vail met a similarly grisly fate. There were even whispers that Lilandra Patten, institutionalized years prior, was exterminated. The darkness of the Phage Crisis grew darker still under Judec's regime. Opposition and resistance was met with swift, gruesome and often public death. Things began to change when Melanie Masterton, now a Jedi after a long public absence, came to Corellia. They thought order would be restored. They were wrong. As it turns out, the Jedi was harboring the pregnant then-fugitive, Kimber Patten and brought the full force of the Galactic Empire down upon them. The Centerpoint Battle was vicious and when it was over, they stood with heavy losses but victorious. Judec was dead and so was the Imperial Emperor.
Democracy was then restored during the reconstruction and the will of the people once again became law.
Director Veritaas startles her from the memories.
"How is everything here?"
"Fine, sir. Mister Patten is just getting settled. I'll be in the lab if you need me."
Tivoli excuses herself, leaving the Director with Riley.
"I trust you find these accommodations acceptable."
"Yes, thank you."
"I apologize for the awkward altercation with mister Gellar. I was unaware you knew each other."
"Not that well."
"Well enough to come to blows, it seems. Riley, there is something I must know and I want you to be honest with me here. The safety of all Corellian's is in our hands. Are you in any danger?"
Riley's face tightens, "Danger?"
"Yes. Are you or mister Gellar running from something or someone I should be aware of?"
"Possibly," he says softly.
"What do you mean?"
"There are some who may want to hurt us."
"And why is that?"
The answer is simple yet speaks volumes.
"Because of who we are."
Elon nods, "Rest now, Riley. We will speak more in the morning."
He leaves the stateroom with a security detail posted outside, the floor locked down and sector alerts for any suspicious activity coming in or out of the capitol. Returning to his office, the Director sits at his desk and accesses the network. His personal inbox contains a message from a colleague in the Republic Security Bureau, Director Laird Drakos, who obliged him with a summary of what their intel suggests about the Imperial attack on the Wheel. The final statements indicate the Wheel jumped into hyperspace after sustaining some damage and that most of the Federation's holdings and fleet had been destroyed. Something Gellar said in his exchange with Patten sticks out to him. Ambassador. Elon runs a search on the public files of Federation personnel, scanning through upper management and executives until he spots the, until recently, designated Ambassador to the Trade Federation.
Mara Tacofer.
He pulls up the record which shows her picture. Blonde, pretty, and vaguely familiar although he cannot place from where. He remembers she is the one who publicly humiliated Rutherford Gellar before the Republic Senate in a successful bid to obtain permits. He cross-references this information with other headlines, finding one with photage of Gellar's wife, Celeste Masterton and their children coming out of a boutique on Chandaar. Dane is with them, looking hostile as he tries to protect his frightened sister, Gemma from the swarming cams. Other stories run during this time coincide with the Centerpoint Anniversary and, since he had been busy with protecting the peace here on Corellia, he had missed these Republic headlines. There is speculation into the Gellar-Masterton family, specifically the elder daughter who, from the photage, looks like she was destined to be in front of a cam. From there, it appears Celeste Masterton returned to the Corporate Sector with the children which is where they were taken from a short time later. He pauses on something. The name Tacofer. He types it in and runs it through the network. Three entries appear.
Faction: Corellia/Corellian Confederation
Tacofer, William: secretary of state during Governess Valerie Gellar's term and later, interim governor prior to Saga Judec's rise into the Confederation era. Deceased - 6ABY.
Faction: Trade Federation
Tacofer, Mara: primary Ambassador to the Trade Federation.
Tacofer, Riley: nephew of the Ambassador.
A nephew named Riley? Interesting. Something nags at him and so he returns to the file on Mara Tacofer, sorting through until he finds more available images. Mara addressing the Senate. Mara stepping off a shuttle. Mara shaking hands with a client. Mara walking with a group of people including a young boy at her side. He pauses, leaning closer to the screen. The image is remarkably clear but he zooms in on the boy's face.
Staring back up at him is Riley Patten.
Elon leans back into the chair, deeply troubled. What is Riley Patten doing with the Federation Ambassador? Is this who Gellar referred to as Riley's aunt? What did he mean by plenty of others who look like her? The questions run deep as do the concerns. He feels there is much more to this story than what appears on the surface. Gellar had mentioned they were together in a cell. Was Riley also kidnapped? If so, why wasn't it reported? He verifies that the Espos alert out of the Corporate Sector only included the three Gellar-Masterton children - Dane, Gemma and Dahlia. There are no corresponding alerts out of the Republic or Trade Federation regarding any other abductions. This is even more puzzling since it explains nothing about the connection Gellar and Patten share. It does mean his inquiry into the danger facing either boy may not have been misplaced. The Director opens a com-channel and discreetly orders tightened security around the Gellar Residence. No visitors other than himself, Della or Senator Soldys are permitted without authorization.
The mystery deepens.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City: Gellar Residence
Della could not bring herself to sleep just yet. Her mind was still whirling with thoughts and questions. She sits on one of the stools near the kitchen, hunched over the smooth, expensive counter top and browses the network on the console. Her memories of the past are a bit on the foggy since the majority of the recent history had been focused on Artemis trying to get Corellia into the Republic yet retain it's sovereignty for the people. They had been jerked around enough from the Federation malevolence to the tyrannical regime of the Confederation. The last several years had been grand for everyone, finally to a place where they could breathe again. Commerce, production, trade, military, and economy were all up. CorSec had it's new Director and peace reigned over their democratic kingdom. Science, art, and music flourished as it once had and the culture that had once been suppressed had finally risen back to the surface and expanded. She was proud of Corellia and all it had accomplished, especially under Artemis' careful guidance and tireless dedication. The arrival of the Gellar and Patten boys made things less clear, as if signaling a terrifying throwback to a dark and uncertain time.
She brushes up on her celebrity gossip of yesteryear, the exploits and advertisements of The Four. So much money and fame, none of which could ultimately save them. Many had tried from what she reads. All failed or perished horribly in the attempts to aide or extricate them from a destiny rolling full steam ahead. It might even be somewhat amusing if it wasn't so sad. She traces the lines of both Gellar and Patten throughout their short yet fabulous lives, trying to find some connection or clarity that might settle the angry longing and curiosity of their legacy. Della sighs, tapping off the console and padding out into the living room. She flips on the projector and searches for the documentary she had saved earlier in the queue. Wearily, she presses play and adjusts the volume where as not to disturb Dane. The first strings of dramatic music come through the surround speakers followed by the title, Bound By Blood. In the almost two hours it takes to watch the entire documentary, Della takes a few key pieces of information away with her.
Valerie Gellar was portrayed as a vicious paranoid slut with serious emotional baggage relating the lack of familial framework who then grew into a powerful leader and selfless figure who sacrificed her own life for that of the Corellian people and their freedom. Her methods were often viewed as ruthless and the photage of her escapades were colorful to say the least but there was a vulnerability beneath the brash exterior that made her a complex and fascinating individual. Despite her high school boyfriend's grisly murder she had a string of lovers, both male and female, leading to a highly publicized but ultimately unconfirmed affair with her mentor turned CorSec Director, Frank Farmer. There were also rumors that she was jealous of Karen Winton and clashed with Melanie Masterton's rigid ethical code but still cared for both more deeply than she would or did ever admit on the record and moved hell and high water to help both in times of need. She was choked to death in the final showdown with the Baron Phage on Corellia where her memory lives on.
Kimber Patten was the delicate and seemingly naive flower, touted as the most beloved by all who knew her. She appeared to smooth out Valerie's rough edges and the stories and photage featuring her are neither explicit nor scandalous. She is portrayed as cheerful, compassionate, confused and easily manipulated when those she cared about were in danger. Thus her unfavorable stint as the replacement Imperial Counselor following Karen Winton's courtship by the then-Emperor Dementat. The Empire allegedly promised to assist Valerie in the Phage Crisis in exchange for Kimber's service which they ultimately reneged on and her negotiations with the Hapan Consortium led to the death of one of their esteemed Admiral's. These actions served to mar her flawless reputation and drew ire from the Corellian people. During these events, she grew close to an Imperial Agent, Mod Navris, who's love for her led him to question his allegiance. There was talk of them escaping together but he, along with several of their crew, were murdered during an assignment. It was then she discovered her pregnancy and, aided by the Jedi Melanie Masterton, fled from the Empire after she turned over the Director of Intelligence as penance for the Hapan Admiral's death. She was one of the many victims when the Centerpoint Station imploded during the battle between the Confederation and Empire.
Della leans back on the couch, drawing her own comparisons between the girls and their male counterparts. The brash demeanor must be in the Gellar genetics because Dane has it in spades. Riley does seem more of an idealist, from the small amount she's seen, and that can be quite dangerous. She taps off the projector, gasping when she spots Dane standing in the hall.
"What are you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep. What were you watching?"
She stands, stretching.
"The documentary they made about Valerie and her friends. It was made from Carlson's source material so there isn't anything in there that isn't also in the story. It just has photage and a very famous narrator."
"Cool."
"You hungry?"
"I could go for a snack."
"Yeah," she says, smiling. "Me too."
It's after midnight but she figures what the hell. He seems calmer now, less agitated. As she prepares in the kitchen, her datapad vibrates on the counter. She grabs it and taps open a message from Director Veritaas.
Federation Ambassador Mara Tacofer on Corellia, requesting asylum and a meeting with Senator Soldys.
Attached is a picture of the Ambassador with her delegation. Beside her is a young boy, highlighted around the face to draw her attention. The boy is Riley Patten but the caption reads Riley Tacofer, nephew of primary Federation Ambassador, Mara Tacofer.
Tacofer?
That name sounds familiar. Wasn't William Tacofer part of Valerie Gellar's cabinet and the interim governor prior to Saga Judec's rise to power? Come to think of it, she believes he was murdered by Judec's forces shortly after the Confederation was formed. At least that's the rumor that circulated after he vanished from the public eye. She glances up at Dane who is spinning around slowly on one of the bar stools. Now she knows why Veritaas sent her this information.
"Dane," she says evenly. "Do you know a woman named Mara Tacofer?"
He stops spinning, gripping the edge of the counter top tightly.
"Uh, yeah. We met her on Chandaar with my father."
"Did you meet her nephew as well?"
His face falls, trying to decipher where she is going with this.
"Maybe, why?"
"You know why. She is the Ambassador to the Trade Federation and her nephew is Riley Patten."
His attempt at nonchalance is less convincing this time around.
"So?"
"So, she's here. On Corellia."
Dane bolts up off the stool, "She's what? Here? How? Why?"
That has him riled up, almost afraid. She takes the opportunity.
"Dane, she doesn't know you are here. I'm not even sure she knows Riley is here."
"How do you even know its her?"
"Director Veritaas is on his way to meet her now. She's asked for asylum after escaping the the Wheel."
"Is my father with her?"
"I don't know. Was she with him on the Wheel? Were you?"
Dane inhales sharply, backing away from her.
"What aren't you telling me? I can help you, Dane but you need to trust me."
"Trust goes both ways."
"Yes, it does. I've shown you that I'm not going to hurt you. Now I need you to extend a little trust my way. It was reported in the Republic that your father left during negotiations with the Federation to search for you and your sisters. Ambassador Tacofer made statements to the Senate that were...unflattering toward your father and the Corporate Sector and I understand if you are upset about that."
"I'm not," he quips, crossing his arms. "It wasn't her anyways."
"It wasn't?"
Flashes of the exchange between Dane and Riley flood back to her.
There are plenty of others who look just like her who can fill in.
"Look, it's like, complicated."
"I'm getting that."
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
He looks strained, on the verge of an aneurysm. She maintains eye contact and tries a different approach.
"Were you on the Wheel with them?"
"Yeah."
"But you left?"
"Uh huh."
"By yourself?"
"Not exactly."
"Well, then with who?"
"My sister."
"Which one?"
He doesn't correct her, "Gemma."
"And where is Gemma now?"
"Somewhere safe."
"With who?"
He frowns deeply. It's like pulling teeth.
"Dane..."
"The Jedi, okay? She's with one of the Jedi."
This is not the direction she expected the conversation to go. At all. She wasn't even sure the Jedi were still around since they had maintained such a low profile for so long.
"Where did they go?"
"Can't tell you that. It might risk their safety."
"Fair enough. What about Dahlia?"
"What about her?"
"Was she on the Wheel as well?"
"Nope."
"Then where-"
"I don't know where she is," he says forcefully, sighing. "I don't know, alright?"
"Alright."
"Why are you grilling me? If the Ambassador is here, why don't you go ask her? She's got more answers than I do."
"She does?"
"Oh, yeah. You want to know what's really going on. Let's go find out."
Since the Director seemed so fond of ambushing the boys, they might as well ambush the Ambassador.
"Go get dressed. We're going to get some answers."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City: One CorSec Plaza
Riley falls into a deep slumber on the small cot, exhausted from the day. His run in with Dane had been most troubling but his thoughts still drift to Gemma. He hopes she is safe and sound, dreaming of him too. His mind begins to clear and he finds himself standing in the same sunken gardens he had imagined what seems like ages ago. They are gardens of the Patten Ranch. He walks along the creek pebble path until he finds her sitting on the bench holding a crimson flower. She smiles when she sees him and stands.
"Mother."
"Riley," Kimber says warmly. "You made it. I am so glad you are safe."
"You told me to get up and go. You led me here."
"It's where you belong."
He embraces her tightly and she lingers, wishing for a corporeal recreation of this moment. It is something she has longed for after passing on but she would never be able to know or touch her son the way others can. Yet she is grateful for her attachment to him as a guide, a cosmic favor the powers that be owed her. Owed them all, actually. Kimber appears as the most recognizable version of herself; auburn hair flipped off the shoulders, bangs, button nose, short pink cupcake dress, long, slender legs and dazzling pink heels.
Riley pulls back and stares up at her. She runs the flower along the nose he inherited from her. He giggles.
"Now that you are here, you can reclaim your birthright. The sole heir to the Patten estate and your vast inheritance which, with compound interest, makes you part of the very slim one percent. Invest wisely and beware the fast friends credits will make. It's what we used to call celebrity-hangers on. Mara Anna will know what to do. It will provide for you both here on Corellia, safe and protected, able to learn and be free in the peaceful and expressive world I grew up in. It's what you deserve. Both of you."
"What do you mean?"
"You can stop running now."
"I know but were not celebrities."
"Not yet," she says with an innocent smile. "Once your identity is revealed to the greater public, you will be. It comes with the territory but know that fame is deceiving. The lights are meant to blind you from the truth. All four of you are meant for that stage in very different ways."
"What ways?"
Kimber twirls the flower stem between her fingers.
"I can guess three of the four - vapid model, self-righteous songstress, and clever corporate titan. All so very predictable yet duplicitous. Nothing is as it ever seems on the surface. But you? You are the wild card because here, you are free. Free to be who you want to be."
Riley frowns, "I thought you said our fates are connected."
"Your names connect you through the past into the future. It will always be so. If you look hard enough, you will see it has always been so. Karen, Melanie, Valerie and I just happened to be the four who put us on the galactic map and raised public awareness but the lines trace back a lot further back than anyone realizes. Having the public's attention will be a leverage you will all find...advantageous as you make choices that shape who you will become. If you follow what you feel is right then you should not fear the future."
He nods.
"The last time I saw you, you said we were in danger."
"More so then than now but danger will never be far from any of you. You represent certain things to certain people. Some good, some not so good. That is why you were taken."
"To the dark place."
"A place we all share a connection to."
"How?"
The sky over them darkens with clouds in gradients of gray.
"The cave you were kept in on Korriban is the same one where a Force possessed Alexia Winton led her father to the Persephonea Prophecy. It is a place of unspeakable evil, permeated with the dark side of the Force and yielded a text in which we were anchored to like a shadow."
"I thought the prophecy stopped when you....when I...."
"The One will bear a child out of true love, tempered and tainted by good and evil, dark and light that shall be baptized by the essence of the Force and hold power to give back what the Abominations took away. Yeah, I know. I read it too. From what we thought was cover to cover. Turns out that was just the working version of the script."
He tilts his head, suddenly very lost.
"What?"
Kimber's violet eyes sparkle as she leans down close to his ear and whispers.
"That wasn't the only thing Winton pulled out of the cave that day."
*
Riley's eyes flutter open into the low lit CorSec sleeping quarters, pulling the sheet up close to his chin as the cam pans slowly away from him, the wide and frightened gaze, across the room, out the door and into the sterile and minimalist corridor then fades to black.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
Mara does not want to let Riley go but finally manages to pull back and look into his face. He smiles. The emotions she is experiencing are almost animal in their intensity. He is as close to any child she would ever have. She had raised him, cared for him, kept him safe and now the thought of losing him again is overwhelming. Trepidation about Corellia runs high, especially in regards to Senator Soldys and Director Veritaas. Their hesitation about her and her connections to the past and the Federation is understandable. She would be wary if she were in the same position. However, she has Riley to think about and no major decisions are going to be made tonight. Mara joins the others in the corridor.
Soldys is conferring with Veritaas while Avers stands a few paces away with Dane Gellar. The young boys eyes flare when he sees her and but Avers has a hand firmly on his shoulder. She appears to have had to settle him down.
"It's been a long night for everyone and CorSec really isn't the place for guests. We think it would be best if you stayed with us at the Gellar Residence until a more permanent solution can be reached."
The Senator nods, "It is quite secure."
"For now," Veritaas says with a not-so-subtle trace of suspicion in his voice. "We'll need a sample from you to verify your claims."
A beautiful woman in a lab coat seemingly appears out of nowhere with a syringe and a vial.
"This is Doctor Tivoli Cross, CorSec's medical director. Doctor Cross, this is Mara Anna Gellar."
The doctor's expression does not change with the mention of the name.
"Good evening, miss Gellar. If you would be so kind."
She extends her arm and the sample is drawn.
"Thank you."
Tivoli disappears as mysteriously as she appeared.
Della sighs, "Shall we?"
"What do you think, Riley?"
Riley hesitates, eyes locked on Dane.
"I dunno..."
"From the looks of things, your mother spent a great deal of time there as well."
"She did?"
Della nods, "I think it would be nice for you to see."
"Alright," Riley says, taking Mara's arm.
"What about Garron?"
The Senator steps forward, "He will meet you downstairs. We have a transport waiting and it goes without saying, discretion is the order of the day."
"You know where to find us," Della says sweetly as she passes, guiding Dane toward the lifts.
"We'll be in touch," Veritaas says.
After they have gone, Artemis turns to him.
"Concerns, Director?"
"Follow me to the medical lab."
They walk through the executive levels and descend to the medical wing to find Doctor Cross busy at work. She does not pause when she sees them.
"Just a few minutes and we'll know for sure."
"You have samples of Valerie here?"
"Kimber as well. That is how we know Riley is her biological son. Our files have a vast cross-section of genetic samples which assist in our ability to solve crimes and bring victims some justice."
Director Veritaas nods, "Thus why our rates are so low. The streets of Coronet are safer than they have ever been."
"And we thank you for helping keep it that way."
The device the doctor is working on bleeps and she lean over the screen and taps a few keys before turning to them both.
"It's an exact match," Tivoli says. "Mara Anna is Valerie Gellar's clone."
This confirmation unsettles more than relieves and gets Artemis' mind stirring.
"Patten, Gellar, together again on Corellia."
"The irony is not lost on me either," Veritaas says.
"There is something else..."
"Such as?"
"Valerie Gellar isn't the only one Alexander Winton had access to when they were on Coruscant. Carlson's copy indicated samples were routinely collected from The Four and their friends through annual physicals. Winton was the Imperial Director of Intelligence at one point and could have pulled from any of those samples anytime he wanted."
Tivoli frowns, "What are you saying?"
"Mara may not be the only clone."
"She's not," Veritaas says, recalling the exchange between Riley and Dane. "There is at least one other who made statements against Rutherford Gellar in the Republic Senate."
"How do you know that?"
"The boys implied as much."
"That raises an even more serious question."
"Like what?"
Artemis sighs, "Is Valerie the only one Winton cloned?"
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City: Gellar Residence
It is almost three in the morning by the time they return. Della was relived to see Dane change completely when he saw Garron Prescott who assured him that his father was safe and sound back in the Corporate Sector. This seems to calm the boy. Riley also appears more comfortable with Garron around. She knows that Prescott is an associate of Rutherford Gellar and has a sister currently on trial in the Republic capital. Word had circulated that he, along with Gellar, had conspired to kidnap the children in order to sabotage negotiations with the Federation. Mara's presence here blows that theory to hell, piquing Della's interest further. Clearly, this goes deeper than what lies upon the surface.
Inside the Gellar Residence, Della shows Garron to the guest rooms and he takes the boys to get settled in. Della is still wound up and finds Mara staring at the painting of The Four above the mantle.
"Is it strange...being back here?"
"On Corellia or in the Gellar Residence?"
"Both, I suppose."
Mara turns, "It feels right, like it is something I should have done a long time ago."
"Why didn't you?"
"There were risks. There still are. But Riley was drawn here and understandably so. This is where he is truly from, where he belongs. His entire family, gone as they may be, came from Corellia. This is his home, his history."
Della nods, moving into the kitchen to get them both refreshments. She hands Mara a glass of water she doesn't know she doesn't need but Mara accepts gratefully.
"History. That seems to be a prevalent theme both with Riley and Dane. They came searching for something...about this place, about themselves."
"I know why Riley would seek this out but has Dane given you a motive behind his journey?"
Della shakes her head, "He's very secretive, bordering on hostile."
"He's a Gellar," Mara says with a slight smile. "You will find these are trademarks of our family."
"You don't seem that way."
"I am tired of running."
It is an admission that relieves more than she can put into words. She had been protecting their identities for so long, concealing who they are and where they came from at such a frantic pace that she never paused to consider the toll it might be taking on Riley or herself. She is both a clone and a droid and she could run for much longer without recharging but the biological side of her, the side taken from Valerie, feels a sense of familiarity and peace on Corellia.
"That is understandable, given the circumstances. Artemis doesn't mean to be harsh but he does worry about the stability of our people. He and I were both prisoners aboard the Centerpoint Station before that fateful battle. It was Artemis, with the help of Frank Farmer, who freed us all. We never knew Kimber Patten and the others were also on board. We didn't know you were either."
Della pauses, lost in her own memories.
"It's strange...just how many lives have crossed, all the lines that intersect."
Mara stares at her intensely.
"You have no idea."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City: Gellar Residence
The morning brings little peace. There is tension in the air, so thick its palpable. Mara rises early, not really needing to sleep and bumps into Garron in the corridor. They share an uneasy glance but one that is filled with more questions than either can answer at this point in time. There is a part of her that wants him badly, more so than anything she has ever wanted. It is a connection she never believed she would experience, that emotional bond with another. Riley is different. He plays on familial instincts, pulling at the parts of her that are compelled to keep him safe and the promise to a dying Kimber intact. There are even parts that love him like a true relation, parts she got from Valerie. Garron is something entirely new. There are feelings...not easily categorized feelings and, if she's not careful, it could lead to actual feeling.
"How did you sleep?"
"Better than I expected to. Nothing like a series of life-threatening situations to knock a person out cold. You?"
"Fine, fine," she says, averting her gaze. What's the problem here? She is nervous. No, that's ridiculous. And impossible. Machines do not get nervous and they are not so easily flustered. But Garron stirs something inside her, something she had yet to explore about herself and it frightened her. "Are the others up yet?"
"I don't think so but while I have you alone, I think there is something we should talk about."
"Look..."
He meets her gaze, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.
"I should return Dane to the Corporate Sector."
She lets out a huge sigh, confusing him.
"Oh, right. Right."
"With Rutherford back, I think Dane would fair better there with his mother and father. Since we know Gemma is safe with the Jedi we can focus on recovering Dahlia. We need to make that a priority. The Gellar-Masterton children need to be back home where they belong."
Except only two of them are Gellar-Masterton's.
"That's understandable."
"And you can focus on Riley. He seems content on Corellia. Maybe you two should make a go of it here."
"Perhaps. If I'm not bound and gagged with red tape."
"Now there's a stunning visual," he replies, smiling broadly.
Mara glances down briefly then raises her eyes to his. He closes the distance between them, scooping her at the waist and pulling her into him. They are so close now, faces inches apart. His lips brush against hers.
"Garron," she whispers.
"I know, I know," he says in a hushed tone. "It's so complicated, so chaotic but I don't care because I feel something for you, Mara and I'm fairly certain you feel something too."
She feels something alright.
"What can possibility come of this? We have responsibilities."
"I don't want to leave you. The thought of losing you again....I thought I had after that platform exploded...it's, I could not stand it..."
"You didn't lose me. You came back for me then and you can in the future."
He pulls back slightly, staring down into her face.
"That is what you want?"
"I don't belong in the Corporate Sector and you don't belong here. We both know that."
"Garron!" Dane shouts, coming out of Valerie's room and leaping forward to push Mara away. "What are you doing to him?! Was she attacking you?"
"What? No! Dane, we were just talking."
"It didn't look like talking."
Mara shrugs, "Grown up's talk differently than children. They also know when to mind their own business."
"Yeah, well, I think you better stay out of ours."
"Dane!" Della says, emerging from another guest room. "That's not how we treat a guest at all."
He gasps, fuming.
"Don't tell me you trust her? She's evil!"
"Am I? I'm curious to know why you think so considering we're related."
"You are not related to me!"
"It's true," Garron confirms. "She's related to Valerie which means she's related to you."
Dane's mouth is hanging open and his eyes searching the corridor for someone to dispute this. They land on Della who puts her arms up in mock-surrender.
"I'm sorry, kiddo. She's right."
"You aren't even real! All those girls who look like you, the ones who kept us captive, are they related to Valerie too?"
Mara holds his steely glare.
"They are."
"How is that even possible?!"
"It's a long story."
"I've got time," he snaps, crossing his arms.
Garron chimes in at just the right moment.
"No, you don't. Let's make some breakfast so we can get you back to the Corporate Sector. You're father is very concerned about you so let's not keep him waiting, shall we?"
This shuts him up immediately and they head into the kitchen. Riley pads out, rubbing his eyes from sleep and wanders down the hall. There are many framed pictures and prints of varying sizes. His mother and her friends frozen in several different moments. Some happy, others somber. They seem so alive that he has to remind himself that they are all dead. The great tragedy of The Four. He pauses on one of just his mother. Kimber stares out from the frame with one finger held up over a sweet smile, as if she's sharing an inside joke with an audience. Riley grins and lifts the picture off the mount and puts it in the room. The others are all chatting when he appears and breakfast is served. They eat in relative harmony although there are many things left unsaid. Afterwards, everyone showers and changes, getting ready for a day no one quite knows what will hold.
Della shows Riley around the residence and allows him to explore this side of his mother through Valerie Gellar's eyes. It is very clear that Valerie held her in the highest regard and shared the world with her. This pleases Riley greatly and he feels better knowing that his mother was happy here. Garron lays things out plainly for Dane, preventing any discussion or objection.
This gives Mara some satisfaction although there is a small piece of her that also feels compelled to keep him safe. She is of Valerie but then again, so is Dane. They share biology and that makes her speculate if he holds the same wondrous material flowing through his veins that was so very valuable to Alexander Winton all those years ago. Mara is suddenly very concerned. Valerie was used as leverage to blackmail Rutherford Gellar on Kyri Patten's behalf. Neither really knew what Winton was after. Gellar wanted to spare his reputation from shame and Patten wanted access to his illegitimate daughter. Winton provided a way for both to get what they wanted so long as he procured the means for immorality using Valerie's genetics. Dane could be carrying an incredibly valuable and extremely dangerous commodity. Garron's plans to take him back to the Sector would probably be the wisest thing to do right now. No need to over complicate an already tangled web.
This leaves her and Riley on Corellia. They had most likely already confirmed Riley as a Patten, entitling him to inherit anything left behind in the Patten estate. She would be confirmed as a Gellar but her current position puts her in a more complex predicament, one she is unsure the Corellian government wants to deal with. She only hopes Senator Soldys and Director Veritaas see reason and allow her to hide in plain sight as a Tacofer to continue to protect and care for Riley as she has always done.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City: Gellar Residence
Garron is helping/forcing Dane to pack for the hopefully uneventful journey back to the Corporate Sector. He hadn't arrived with much, but the ship he came in would be the ship they used to return home. He insisted on taking something from the residence, though what he ended up slipping into his case was anyone's guess.
It was later that day that Mara knocked on the door where Dane was staying.
He eyed her suspiciously.
"What do you want?"
Mara thought about the conciliatory approach. But he was a Gellar. And being one herself, she knew conciliation was seen as a trick or a sign of weakness.
"We need to talk"
"About what? About how your look alikes kidnapped us?"
Mara stepped inside, and shut the door, locking it before taking a step towards Dane, who went from angry to fearful in a matter of seconds.
"What .. what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to tell you off, Dane Gellar. Because from what I've seen, and what I've heard, you've been acting like a brat. And while being a brat might get other kids grounded, in your case, it is likely to get you killed. So shut up and listen to me."
Dane was silent and Mara continued, her voice marginally less harsh, but equally stern
"Me - and the others who look like me - we aren't just clones. We were very specially created clones of Valerie Gellar"
"You're a CLONE? What kind of-"
Mara shushed him and continued.
"Not just a clone - a very specially designed clone"
"Special how?"
"It doesn't matter right now. What matters is that what made me and the others such special copies of Valerie was that Valerie had something very special inside of HER. A part of her DNA produced a very powerful, very dangerous gene. I call it the 'legacy' gene - but it's something that bad people will try to get their hands on"
Dane was skeptical and curious all at the same time. He had a million questions to ask about this gene, but Mara was still talking.
"If it was in Valerie's blood, that same gene might be in yours. So I'm telling you that you need to cut out the brat, and be a little more careful, or someone is going to try to take from you that gene - even if they have to rip it out of your tiny, bratty child body."
Dane's mouth dropped at the statement. It was certainly the most frank anyone had ever been to him before. Mara hoped the shock would weigh heavily on him, as she began making her way out of the room, unlocking the door.
"Dane - I'm telling you this because Gellar's need to look out for their own. We're family. And any Gellar who doesn't look out for family, at all costs, is a traitor in my mind."
She stepped out of the room, leaving Dane to decide how to interpret what she had said.
Meanwhile, Mara walked down the hall, letting out a sigh, heading toward Riley's room. he was a different boy, Kimber's child. Harshness didn't work as well with him. That was something she had learned over the last decade. He was defiant in a way very different from Dane. and she knocked on his door before entering.
Riley was sitting at a terminal, turning to face her. His eyes showed trepidation of a very different kind. Dane was afraid Mara would hurt him, but Riley was afraid of being disciplined.
Mara stared at him hard, letting him cringe before softening her expressions.
"You know what you did was wrong"
"I had to, Aunt Mara. I couldn't stay cooped up like that. I needed"
She held up a hand, nodding her head.
"I know what you needed. You needed to be kept safe. And what you did was anything but that. You could have been kidnapped, again, or killed, or anything. Why Corellia?"
"It's where I belong, Aunt Mara"
"Are you so sure?"
He paused, then nodded his head.
"It won't be as easy to protect you here. I don't even know if I can protect myself"
"Aunt Mara ... I need to stay here... I feel it, I belong here"
She studied him for a moment, then nodded his head.
"I think we can stay. IF - and this is important - IF you can follow rules, and not go running away. And if they let us stay"
Riley's face broke out into a huge smile and he jumped from his chair to his aunt, hugging her tightly.
"Really!!! Oh thank you, Aunt Mara"
Mara couldn't help but smile at his reaction, wrapping her own arms around him again.
"And you'll go to school"
"CorSec Academy?"
"When you get a little older - MAYBE. We'll discuss it THEN. For now, regular school, with kids your own age. But Riley"
he broke the hug and stepped back, looking up at her.
"Yes Aunt Mara?"
"If you want to stick with the name Patten, it comes with a lot of responsibility, and a lot of pressure. You'll become an instant celebrity, whether you want it or not. If it were up to me, I would say you need to hide that you are a Patten, until you are a little older. Only the Corellians we've already met will know. But I'll let you make that choice. I want you to think about it, hard, and let me know your answer."
Riley nodded his head, solemnly. He had been so excited to be a Patten, but his aunt did have a point - it came with a lot of strings attached.
"For now though, I think it's time to say goodbye to Garron and Dane"
Riley cringed slightly
"I think I'll stay here - I don't really want to say goodbye"
Mara tilted her head, curiously. She hadn't heard about the fight, and last she had seen, the two were growing into close friends. But she didn't push the issue, finally nodding her head.
"Alright"
*******************
They were standing at the platform, Della Avers and Director Veritaas had accompanied them. Dane was walking stoically toward the ship, refusing to look at Mara.
That was fine. She walked slowly beside Garron, neither of them saying anything. Finally, at the edge of the ship's ramp, Garron paused and turned.
"Mara, I"
She shook her head.
"Not today, Garron. We'll see each other soon, I promise"
His face showed disappointment, but he nodded, turning and abruptly boarding the ship. Mara watched after him with a growing feeling of longing and loneliness. She didn't even know a machine like herself could FEEL that kind of emotion. And she didn't like it, for all of its novelty. She stood silent as the ship powered up and took off, watching it as it faded into a spec in the sky, and for several minutes after.
Then she finally turned back
"Alright, what's next?"
TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
One CorSec Plaza
The Director asks Della to return with Mara to the Gellar Residence until morning. There were many things to consider. The Patten boy would bring acclaim and prestige to both CorSec and the people. So many still admired the fallen Kyri Patten and, as Elon had told Riley, his methods were still taught at the academy. This could give them a galactic edge from a reputation standpoint, given what the Patten name means yet not all of the fame is positive. There are murkier parts of the narrative that cast Kimber Patten in a questionable light. Beloved as she may be, she still served the Empire. True, it was blackmail stemming from a broken promise to aid the Corellian people against the Phage crisis using Valerie Gellar as leverage but trust is something that is earned slowly by their citizens and can be lost in an instant. Still, Riley Patten could be a valuable asset if he has the same tactical genius and benevolent, attractive and charismatic demeanor of his grandfather and mother. Given proper training, he could grow to become a respected member of Corellian society. He could also become a lucrative target for anyone still soured by the destruction The Four once brought with them where ever they went. It's a fine line, Elon thinks to himself back in his office, one he would have to walk very carefully. And then there is the subject of his guardian, Mara Tacofer, the Gellar clone.
The concept of her creation is enough to make his skin crawl but then again, many atrocities violating their way of life had been committed back in those days. Mara is simply a byproduct of those atrocities and he is uncertain as to whether or not he can truly hold it against her. In all likelihood, she had not asked to be created. She simply...was. And given her circumstances and extraordinary achievements in surviving the Centerpoint Battle, rescuing Riley then raising and protecting him while ascending the ranks of the Federation is something to be commended for sure. Everyone must reconcile who they are but for Mara, the clone of an infamous hero, such a task would seem almost insurmountable. The Director is unclear as to where her loyalties lie after the Empire's assault on The Wheel but he does know she would go to the ends of the worlds for Riley. And that is definitely something to consider....
*
Gellar Residence
Della and Mara return to find Riley watching the local Holo and he bounds toward them when they get off the lifts.
"You'll never guess what happened!"
"What, Riley?"
He brings them both back into the living room and adjusts the volume.
"It's been all over the news tonight. Dahlia showed up at some trial on Chandaar and everyone is kind of freaking out about it."
Della and Mara exchange glances. They have not even really discussed it but the girl had been on their minds. Della had tried to coax the details of his ordeal out of Dane and all she had managed was that three were rescued and taken to The Wheel but it was never clear what happened to the fourth. Mara, having been part of the rescue and knowing full well they left Dahlia behind, did not expect this development yet somehow, she is not entirely thrown. The Winton's are full of surprises.
"What? Riley, are you certain it's her?"
"Yeah," Riley says, motioning to the images as they freeze on the girls face as she crumbles into tears before the court. "That's Dahlia Winton."
"Dahlia...who?" Della gasps, turning.
Riley looks confused, "That's what she said."
"I thought you said she was a Gellar-Masterton?"
Mara's face is deathly serious as her eyes scan Dahlia's features on the screen, features she had come to know very well.
"I did but that's not entirely true. She was legally adopted by Rutherford Gellar and Celeste Masterton as an infant. She went by the surname Greyson, the maiden name of her birth mother but was known throughout the Corporate Sector as a Gellar-Masterton, much like her brother and sister, Dane and Gemma."
"Then how is she a Winton?"
"Queen Monica Greyson, once the monarch of Naboo married Alexander Winton. They had three children but, to the best of my knowledge, he was only privy to the elder two. Dahlia was raised a Gellar-Masterton, as I said, even if she may not be so biologically."
"I don't understand..."
"How much do you know about The Four?"
Della laughs, "Everyone knows the story. We grew up on it. Karen Winton. Melanie Masterton. Valerie Gellar. Kimber Patten. They are names we whispered as teenagers, legends or cautionary tales, depending on who you asked. What does Dahlia have to do with them and how did she escape? I was under the impression no one knew where she was."
"As was I."
"She was tortured by a dark Jedi," Riley says from the couch. "Then she killed the lady with her own lightsaber. That's what the reporter said."
Mara makes a face, "Riley, that's enough for now. Why don't you go explore the other rooms."
"But Aunt Mara!"
"Riley."
The tone shuts him down and he pads off down the corridor. She waits a moment before turning back to Della.
"The Four of the past now relate directly to four in the present. Dane is the Gellar. Gemma is the Masterton. Riley is the Patten."
"And Dahlia is the Winton," Della finishes, her voice trailing off. "What does that even mean?"
"We don't know but someone out there knows exactly who they are and what they represent which is why I have spent the last eleven years trying to keep Riley's true identity hidden. Much the same way, to a lesser extent, Rutherford and Celeste tried to do with Dahlia. Bringing her to Chandaar with the family put her in the spotlight. It raised questions, especially since that trip coincided with the Centerpoint Battle and why they were later taken. I believe we were meant to rescue Riley, Dane and Gemma but there is a reason why we were not able to leave with Dahlia. You know that families history with the Force."
Della nods, "An extremely powerful connection."
"Everyone already knows about Dane Gellar and Gemma Masterton. Now the worlds know Dahlia Winton. It's up to Riley if he wants to reveal himself as a Patten but I fear dire consequences for everyone if someone were to try and prevent a repeat of their prior counterparts."
"I want to be who I am, Aunt Mara."
Riley steps out of the shadows and back into the living room.
"I thought I told you-"
"I know and I'm sorry but I can't pretend I'm someone else. Not anymore. It may be dangerous and it may not be what you think is right for me but I am a Patten. That's who I am. You saved me from that station, showed me many worlds and protected me from things you thought might hurt me but some things are meant to be known. I want to stay on Corellia because it's my home. It's your home too. We can have a good life here together. I know we can."
It is difficult for her to be angry when he does make some compelling points, even if he's not aware of just how poingiant they may be.
"How do you know?"
Riley smiles, "My mother told me."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
"Your…mother told you? How?"
Riley glances between Mara and Della.
"I see her. In my dreams. She told me we belong here and showed me the Patten Ranch where we will live. But first we have to go to Coronet Capital Bank."
"Why is that?"
"There is an account set up for me. It will provide for both of us."
Mara takes this in stride, noting that he sounds fairly confident.
Della remembers the exchange between Riley and Dane.
"Does Dane see Valerie too?"
He nods, "Gemma said they are our spiritual guides."
"She sees Melanie?"
"Yeah."
"What did Melanie tell her?"
"That my kidnapper would have Valerie's face."
"And?"
Riley bites his lower lip.
"And…to be wary of Dahlia."
"I see," Mara says. "Riley, why don't you get ready for bed? I'll be in shortly to say goodnight. It's been a long day."
Surprisingly, he goes without a fight.
Mara turns.
"How did you know Dane saw Valerie?"
"The boys quarreled in CorSec."
"About what?"
"Dane thought Riley left his injured father on the Wheel. Clearly, that's not the case given we now know Rutherford Gellar is alive and well in the Corporate Sector. Riley made mention of monsters, something he claims they all saw, that Gemma had seen before. He told Dane he came to Corellia because his mother told him we could help and that Gemma saw Melanie like Dane saw Valerie."
"Did he say why they saw them?"
Della nods, "He believes they are trying to tell them something."
"Did Dane tell you what they experienced after they were kidnapped?"
"No," she says softly. "I tried to inquire but did not want to push. He seemed so hostile, frightened but was trying very desperately to pretend otherwise."
"The bravado is a Gellar trait."
"So I've heard."
"Thank you for watching out for them, Della."
She smiles, "It's my pleasure. Let me know if you need anything."
"I will. Goodnight."
Mara walks down the hall and enters the guest bedroom where Riley is drifting. She notes the framed picture of Kimber leaning against the far wall next to his duffle bag. It is a much better picture than the one she had allowed him to hold on to. In truth, Mara had only met Kimber Patten once on Centerpoint, the night she gave birth to Riley but she knows a considerable wealth of information about her. From public records and media archives to the very detailed reports in Alexander Winton's files, Mara can say she knows Kimber Patten almost better than Kimber Patten knew herself. There is much of her she sees in Riley but, as with his mother, the best parts of him are often the most dangerous. His honesty and idealism will lead to trouble which is why she has fought so fiercely to protect him.
She sits on the edge of the bed, brushing the tousled hair away from his forehead. He is not fully asleep and smiles.
"We can stay?"
"It's complicated, Riley. I do not know what the Director or Senator will ultimately decide."
"They will let us."
"Did your mother tell you that as well?"
"No," he replies, distantly. "But she did say…the prophecy…isn't the only thing Winton found…in that cave…."
His breathing changes as he is pulled into a peaceful slumber, those last words hanging in the air, crystallized like a threat. There is no clarification and a part of her doesn't need it to know the past is not at rest. It never was. Not with Riley, Gemma, Dane and Dahlia stepping into roles far larger than they realize. Her eyes move to the picture and focus on Kimber's face, a slender finger held up over a playful smile. And Mara wonders.
What side does the dead play for?
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
The morning somehow feels different, endings and possible new beginnings. On one hand, they had both found a place to call home. But on the other, Mara would have to see how smoothly the acquisition of the Federation's holdings went over with the Corellian Engineering Corp. She had much to do in the way of negotiating with shareholders but Riley had other plans for the morning.
He requests CorSec Director Veritaas accompany them to the Coronet Capital Bank. It is arranged that the three of them enter through a private area to avoid the public eye and are escorted to the offices of the Finance Director, Ubre Braun. He has been a trusted staple of the financial sector for over thirty years and had presided over Coronet Capital for the last twelve. As they enter, he does a double take when glancing over the boy. He flashes back many years to when a radiant young pregnant woman and her Jedi companion arrived in this very office to make arrangements. It couldn't be, he thinks to himself, but that face. He turns his attention to the adults.
"Director Veritaas, it is a pleasure seeing you again."
"You as well, Director Braun. May I introduce Mara Tacofer."
He stands and steps forward so they can shake hands.
"Welcome, miss Tacofer. How may I help?"
The boy steps forward.
"I am Riley Patten and I was told you have something for me."
Braun glances at Veritaas who produces the DNA results run by Doctor Cross in the CorSec labs.
"It has been confirmed."
"So I see," Braun says, taken aback by the revelation. "My, my, my, Riley Patten. That is not a name I ever expected to hear again."
Mara narrows her eyes, "You've heard it before? How?"
Braun motions to the chairs before taking his own behind the larger desk.
"I was new to this position, well over a decade ago now, when I was paid a visit by Kimber Patten."
Riley perks up.
"You knew my mother?"
"Everyone knew her," Braun says. "But this was different. She came here with a specific purpose and was escorted by the Jedi Melanie Masterton."
Both Veritaas and Mara are now paying very close attention. How could Riley have known exactly who to come to?
"Miss Patten pooled her vast resources to create an estate trust, one she denoted under a specific name."
He taps a few keys and pulls up the title page of the trust document. There in bold red letters is a name.
Riley Patten
"Of course, after the tragedy at Centerpoint, I was certain that name would never be spoken of again. Even with the news stories, the documentary and then that dreadful Cineplex adaptation…not one of them mentioned the name Riley. As far as I knew, Miss Patten, the Jedi Masterton and I were the only three who had known it. I certainly was not going to tell out of respect for your mother. The only people who knew she had even come here perished with her."
Braun sighs then smiles.
"And now, here you are."
He taps away at the keyboard, pulling up the account history and current status.
"Shall we talk business?"
Riley nods.
"To get to the point of where the trust began is a bit complicated but, simply phrased, the estate trust established by Kimber Patten consolidated all accounts including personal, life insurance, property and, transports. After ten years of compound interest, the current balance is upwards of 5.2 billion credits which makes Riley one of the five wealthiest people in the entire Corellian Sector. He is certainly the youngest."
Mara and Veritaas are stunned silent.
Those numbers mean nothing to the simple life Riley had grown up in and so he folds his hands in his lap and listens.
"Clearly, that is a considerable amount for someone your age. Not all the sum is liquid either. The property within the trust includes the Patten Ranch, two penthouses on Hesperidium, and the Gellar Residence above the museum. Although the building itself has been granted historical standing, the residence remains separate and therefore part of the trust. There was one other, the Galatea Suite in the Hyperion Tower but unfortunately that was destroyed with Coruscant. There are also several transports, ranging in size and value. The remainder is in cash, carefully invested, of course."
"Where most of it will remain," Mara says sternly.
Riley nods, following his mother's gentle guidance.
"It's to provide for both of us but we can keep most of it for a rainy day."
Braun smiles, "That would have to be quite a rainstorm. I can establish modest yet comfortable personal accounts for both you and Miss Tacofer if that is what you would like, Mister Patten."
"I would, thank you."
Veritaas changes the tone slightly, "I believe it goes without saying but I do hope these interactions are held in the highest confidence. Given the nature of the circumstances and his identity, discretion is tantamount."
Braun holds his gaze.
"We at Coronet Capital shall always maintain client confidentiality. You can take my lack of supplying the media machine with his name as my personal guarantee. We can set up their accounts and continue investing the remainder without so much as raising a set of eye brows within the bank. The property and transports were placed in Riley's name after Kimber Patten signed the trust into existence."
"We appreciate that," Mara says, looking to Riley. "It's been an interesting morning to say the least. What's next?"
"I want to see the Patten Ranch, get a feel for the place."
He glances over his shoulder at Director Veritaas.
"Then, when I'm old enough, I want to enroll in CorSec like my grandfather."
Elon Veritaas is not an emotional man but those words stir something in him. He puts on a good show then laughs.
"Forgive me; I teared up a bit at that. We'd be lucky to have you, son. Let's get you settled in first then we'll talk future plans."
They thank the Finance Director who offers his services or advice whenever they need it and leave through the same private area to the Director's transport. Riley buckles up in the back and Mara sits beside Veritaas.
"I was not expecting that," he says, easing up on the controls. "You did not seem surprised."
"Not much surprises me these days."
"How did your meeting with the Senator go?"
Mara shrugs, "We'll see, I suppose. He was called away urgently during our talks."
"Where?"
"Chandaar."
"Something happened?"
"Doesn't it always?"
Veritaas smirks, guiding the speeder back into his personal hangar bay at One CorSec Plaza. Della Avers is waiting near an idling shuttle. The droids had packed their things and were ready and waiting. Della had been assigned to assist in Artemis' absence. It would give Mara a bit of freedom to conduct some business without having to watch Riley's every move.
"You'll be safe at the Ranch. It is a little over forty kilometers from Coronet in the Northern Hills. A peaceful place, good for considering your next move. If either of you need anything, you have my personal com."
"Thank you, Director," Mara says.
She nods and turns back to the shuttle. Della and Riley are talking excitedly before entering the shuttle. Mara takes the controls and guides them out of the hangar. The coordinates are programmed and it is not terribly long before they reach their destination. Mara notes that it is nestled between the rolling hills, some of which are densely covered in foliage. The ranch itself is a massive compound with high walls surrounding the entire property accessed only through a central gate. She uses the codes given to them by the Finance Director to deactivate the proximity alarms and lands on the platform to the east of the residence.
The property has been maintained but could use a bit of work. To the west of the residence lays the giant sunken gardens Riley mentioned he had dreamed about. Her files tell her that Lilandra Patten, mother of Kimber Patten, was a botanist famous for her flowers and was solely responsible for the brilliant blooming gardens on the Ranch.
"Isn't it beautiful, Aunt Mara? Like I told you it would be."
She takes a moment, staring out over the lush foliage.
"Yes, it certainly is."
Mara uses the codes to grant them access to the residence which is a sprawling, single story mansion. There are a lot of rustic elements with a mixture of tiles and wood. It even smells pleasant, vaguely floral that immediately relaxes the senses. Riley finds Kimber's room and Della helps him unpack. Mara finds the master bedroom and falls onto the bed. She feels…comfortable here. Like it really is meant to be. But she knows nothing is ever that easy and refrains from letting go. There is still so much to do but finding somewhere Riley would be safe is one major thing crossed off her long to-do list. She hastily unpacks and gathers her contact list of the Federation shareholders.
This is what she does best.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
As Mara leaves to handle business, Riley and Della continue to unpack and settle in. It has been a long day already and Della's mind turned to sustenance.
"You hungry?"
"Always," Riley happily replies.
She nods, "I'll get things started here. Why don't you finish up what you can in your new room?"
He slips off the stool he had been sitting on and pads down the hall. Della returns to the kitchen and searches the custom cabinets for cookware to use with the grocery supplies they brought with them. She wasn't sure what to expect so she brought a little of everything. The kitchen is well stocked with cookware, spices and other non perishables but things needed to be freshened up. Riley is such a striking contrast to Dane but it is comforting to be around someone so earnest and forthcoming. Dane was vague and secretive and, despite her best efforts, she never felt he really trusted her. Riley is the complete opposite, warming to her quickly. He even gave her a flower he picked on the way in. Della smiles to herself and begins to cook.
Riley finds himself back in Kimber's bedroom. It's very feminine but comfortable. He just wants to be where his mother was, to know her better. Since he cannot spend physical time with her, he would have to settle for the little clues she left behind. There are many pictures on the wall along with a peculiar abstract piece by someone named McNeal and a signed poster of Miz Vovo. He scours each picture carefully, taking it all in. The Four around a red table in what looks like a school. Kimber pointing and smiling at a dour looking man in an Imperial uniform. Valerie with her tongue hanging out and an arm around Kimber's shoulder. Karen and Kimber making faces behind a somber looking Melanie. Kimber cheering on the sidelines of a Chin-Bret field. Kimber and her group of insanely attractive friends carefully styled and posed in a posh living room.
On the surface, it appears as though Kimber Patten had the perfect life. But based on the stories that run parallel to the photage, he knows that is not true. She suffered horrible losses and stumbled into tragedy after tragedy beneath the glaring lights of Galactic City on the Coruscant that was.
Riley clears out a few drawers and unpacks what little he has with him. He would have to go buy new things now that he could afford to. The meeting with the banker had left him feeling strange. He was happy that he and Aunt Mara would be taken care of but feels apprehensive about taking his mother's money. Rationally, he knows she left it for him. That's why she had the good sense to set up the trust in the first place. It's almost as if she somehow knew. But how could she? Even with a Jedi by her side, there was no way Kimber could have known she would never again leave the Centerpoint Station. The Corellian reporter, who was with the group, said it was decided that the station would be the safest place for her. Obviously that wasn't true either.
He rummages through the entertainment center across from the bed, fingering through a variety of discs and datecards. He randomly pulls a disc from the case and slides it into the player. The projector whirs to life and there is a pitch of static and a dark blur before his mother's face appears. She smiles and steps away from the camera.
"I think its recording."
"How can you tell?" Valerie asks, stepping into the frame. She is wearing something that can be loosely called a dress. Kimber is dressed casually but more conservatively in a cardigan and slacks.
"Um, the red light is on."
"The battery could be dead."
"Your battery could be dead," Kimber retorts, giggling.
Valerie laughs, "What does that even mean?"
"It doesn't matter. We need to capture this moment. It's Mel's first date with Lucas. We spent all afternoon in the Raga'Ana boutique to find the perfect dress."
"Big deal," Valerie says, staring past the camera and smoothing her hair. "It's not like the Holy Roller is going to let him get past first."
"So mean."
"So true! Her legs are practically stitched shut."
That is when others voices can be heard.
"I am not sun damaged, Karen. We're only ever in direct sunlight on Hesperidum."
"Exactly. Val? Second opinion here."
Karen moves into the shot dragging Melanie by the arm. She is wearing an elegant white dress. Karen is clad in a short skirt and fuzzy sweater. Valerie looks ready to pounce with some kind of brush in her hand while Kimber peeks over her shoulder.
"Stunning, Mel. Really. You have that uptight and chaste look down solid."
"Oh, thanks."
Kimber moves Valerie out of the way.
"She didn't mean that to sound so negative. It's just that you look so wholesome and that's what you were going for, right?"
"Right."
Karen smiles, "That may drive him even wilder."
"Wild? I am going for a sort of subtle tingling. I don't want him going nuts or anything."
"Something will definitely be tingling."
"Val."
"Oh, don't be so provincial. We're teenagers!"
So?"
"So, it's expected of us to be sexually charged and a little raunchy."
"Says you."
Melanie frowns, "I don't think I want raunch on a first date. It might be a bit much."
"Alright, alright, play it soft. Just don't expect him to stay that way."
A chime sounds in the background sending all four girls into squealing fits. Karen, Melanie and Valerie move out of the shot but Kimber turns and moves back toward the cam. She leans down and sighs.
"Not exactly insightful but it's a start."
Kimber's face fills the screen again.
"Bye for now!"
And then it goes dark.
Riley looks away and jumps when he sees Della standing in the doorway.
"You scared me!"
"Sorry. Dinner is ready. Was that your mother?"
He nods.
"She was very beautiful."
"Thank you," Riley replies, moving to the projector and turning it off. "I wish I could have met her."
She considers referencing his exchange with Dane in the CorSec Headquarters when he mentioned his mother told him to come to Corellia, implying he had had some sort of contact with her from beyond. She thinks better of it now, not wanting to further upset him.
"I'm sure she wishes the same thing too. You can take comfort in her memory, knowing that she loved you very much."
"I know. I do. Aunt Mara never told me very much about her growing up, only that she was pretty but also in a lot of trouble. Then I read that story. You know, that reporter guy."
"Carlson. Yes. His prose is…colorful."
"It wasn't her fault she was in trouble. There were circumstances."
Della smiles, "There always are. Come now, let's eat and you can dive back into her world afterwards."
He nods and bounds off the bed past her. She sighs, trailing behind, wondering if she and Artemis would ever share the joys and terrors of child rearing. Given the tribulations of these children, she has serious reservations yet the nurturing comes so naturally to her. It's what makes her an effective stateswoman of the people. Della genuinely cares where other politicians may not. She knows Artemis does as well but he is in a much more complicated position. Dealing with a government as massive and complex as the Republic has a set of challenges he must constantly adapt to. Della deals mostly with Corellian's and they are a people of principle and passion.
Riley is spinning on the stool as she approaches. Della considers calling for Mara but has no idea where she went in the expansive residence. She makes sure to save a plate and sits down with Riley to eat.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
Mara was nearly consumed with the CEC deal and receiving the associates and assets of the Federation. She was often away for extended periods of time, begrudgingly of course, but she knows it's best for all of them. Even with Riley's newfound wealth, she had a sense of duty and obligation to those she led. It wasn't about the credits earned, it was about doing what was right by them. There is still no sign of The Wheel or any transmission from Administrator Farim. She did not have time for worry nor to address the lingering thoughts and conflicted emotions surrounding Garron Prescott. His absence did something to her, made her feel things she was not built to feel but they were easily lost in the tediously and often exhausting exchanges with Director Mangum.
The Ranch compound was secured by some of CorSec's finest on Director Veritaas' orders and discretion. From what he has seen, Riley Patten is a good kid but he shares some of Mara's concerns regarding going public with his true identity. Things needed to settle before any movement was made and so a highly recommended governess is brought in so that Riley does not fall behind on his studies. CorSec Academy was his goal but a public or private school in Coronet would still draw too much attention and perhaps place undue stress on the boy. Della oversees things when Mara is away and shuttles to and from the capital to maintain her own duties in the Counselor's office. She spends some afternoons with him and the governess preparing the gardens for spring. She is pleased to see him come alive in the things he learns, a childhood fascination she always found charming. Riley loves to learn but he struggles in some of the more analytical subjects which the governess is more than happy to explore. She runs a tight ship with no room for excuses or slacking.
In his free time, Riley gets more acquainted with his birth mother through her vid-diaries and scattered photage from her short but fabulous life. The photage reveals that her public persona and her personality varied as the diaries show her as much more compassionate if not adorably perplexed. On an ordinary afternoon, he places another disk in the player and turns it on as he had done for weeks. Most of the time it served to reinforce stereotypes intermixed with Kimber's colorful commentary. Karen was kind of controlling, Melanie somewhat uptight and Valerie was super mean. Their other friends were a mixed bag but extremely loyal and protective. Last week he had to watch Kimber's heartbreak over the murder of their security chief, Agent Venko. It was difficult to endure but it showed her ability to find the silver linings even in the worst of times.
The player whirs to life, momentarily caught in static as the recording begins. It is the interior of what looks like a stateroom, Imperial from the design. Kimber sits on the bed, facing a man whose features can be seen in his own.
"I don't know what to do, Mod."
Mod Navris.
Agent of the Imperial Security Bureau.
His biological father.
Riley gasps.
"We'll get through this….together."
"Will we? I tried to play hardball, do what they asked me to do and look where it got me! Admiral Ohtar was only trying to keep her people safe. The Hapan's don't trust the Empire and with good reason. Now she's tied up downstairs being interrogated by those barbarians."
Mod takes her hands, "They just need answers."
"Look at me and tell me you really believe that."
He falters, glancing down.
Kimber's lip trembles.
"I only did this because your superiors agreed to help me. If they don't back Valerie up, I don't know what PHAGE will do to Corellia. And don't even get me started on Karen. She's off cavorting with that stud-bucket Dementat while I'm here facilitating the torture of Hapan Admirals! It's ridiculous! I can't even believe those things I said. What was I thinking?! This was a terrible idea."
"We can fix it."
"How?"
"Get the Admiral out."
"They'll label you a traitor and kill you. Then they'll kill me."
"You think Karen will let that happen?"
"You hijacked her first. You tell me if she seems like the type to multi-task when she's being courted by a freaking Emperor? I have doubts, babe. Serious doubts. We'd be dead before her com even bleeped. Granted, she'd be pissed and throw a tantrum this galaxy has never seen but we'd still be dead! And that doesn't help Valerie very much, does it?"
"I suppose not. Let me talk to Graves."
Kimber's eyes bug out, "Graves is a sadist! He wants me to suffer."
"I don't think it's that personal."
"You know what they are doing is wrong. You've known it for a long time. St. Clair forced Karen to join your ranks at blaster-point and now they are using Valerie as means to make me cooperate. They have plenty of counselor's in the DiploServ program yet they somehow needed me? I don't think so. Something is seriously wrong here."
The consol beeps.
Mod reaches out and taps a button.
"Navris here."
"Is the Counselor with you?"
"She is."
"Good," the gravelly voice says. "I need both of you to report back. We have made…progress with the Admiral."
"What kind of progress?" Kimber says, clutching Mod's wrist.
"In due time, Counselor Patten."
"That's not exactly reassuring, Graves."
"I'm sorry what?"
She clears her throat, "Special Agent Graves."
"That's better. I'll expect you soon."
The com does dead and Kimber turns as Mod reaches out and touches the side of her face. That's when the entry ends.
Riley is left stunned, clawing at the bed sheets. As much as he doesn’t know about his mother there is even less he knows about his father. Mod Navris was a larger mystery, a shadow, an abstract concept. Clearly, he had reservations about his Imperial service and Riley wonders if his feelings for Kimber are what really changed his mind. He had read they planned on running away together but Mod was murdered during an assignment on Hesperidium along with several other members of their ground team. It was an inside job from the reporters account and that much later, Kimber exacted revenge on the rogue agent when he attempted to kill her while she was nine months pregnant.
Della calls for him, jarring him from the sordid tales. He leaps off the bed and slaps off the player, deciding to see how much more of his father he could find later.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
Riley was at first quite excited to see his aunt return on an unexpected visit. But when she came through the entrance and smiled over at him, there was a look of worry in her eyes.
"Is everything ok Aunt Mara?"
It was rare for Riley to see his aunt, normally so calm and collected, to show much in the way of emotions.
His aunt didn't answer the question directly, but bent down to Riley's eye level.
"Just some things I have to do. Where is Della?"
Riley motioned to an office just a few doors from the entrance, where Della had set up a link so she could be at the ranch more often without sacrificing her responsibilities. Mara nodded, placing her hands on Riley's shoulders and standing back upright.
"We'll talk in a few minutes"
Riley watched as his aunt made her way into Della Aver's office, already impatient and worried about what was going on.
*****************************
Della turned from the desk as Mara came in, offering a polite smile.
"I'm glad to see you're back"
"Not for long, unfortunately. And I think it might be a while before I return"
Della's face was inquisitive as Mara began to relay some of the information she had learned - that the Wheel had been commandeered - apparently - by one of the look alikes, and that she believed it was somehow tied to this shadow corporation, D.W. Inc.
"But traveling down to Eriador - you might never make it there, what with the piracy. I've heard some even have gravity wells to rip unsuspecting travelers out of hyperspace"
"I have to go, Della. I have to stop them before they hurt more people. If I'm right, they've already stolen millions from unsuspecting shareholders, and are in a position to exert tremendous influence on several major galactic corporations. Besides, I owe it ... I owe it to the administrator. If he's alive or dead, he helped me when no one else would, and I need to make good by stopping them."
Della let out a sigh, nodding her head in acquiescence.
"What do you need me to do?"
"I need you to watch Riley - no matter what happens, if I return or not, I need you to make sure he remains safe - from danger, and from the public eye. No matter what"
Della again nodded.
"You can count on me"
Mara offered her own brief smile.
"Thank you." Della had been an unknown to her until recently, but already Mara felt she could trust her - enough that Riley could be left in her care for as long as necessary.
As difficult as that conversation was, Mara knew it was the easier of the two for today, and she, with Della behind her, turned to go speak with Riley.
*****************************
Riley knew there was more to it than Aunt Mara was telling him. She was going away on a business trip, but wasn't sure how long, or when she would be able to be in touch with him again.
Worse than her leaving - a necessary evil - was that she still didn't trust him with the truth. After all they had been through. Della was to be the caretaker, along with the governess, but in truth, Riley sensed they weren't supervising him as much as shielding him, much as his aunt had tried shielding him on the Wheel.
But his aunt looked almost desperate for the conversation to go well, and so Riley, sullen faced agreed to abide by their rules and not ask too many questions.
Mara hugged Riley, tight and long, before pressing a kiss to his forehead and disappearing out the door.
TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
The main house com bleeps in the early afternoon. Della swivels in her chair to answer it. A young girl's face she recognizes appears in a pale blue hologram.
"Good afternoon. How can we help you?"
"Yes, is Riley home?"
Even though she knows who it is, she plays the parental role Mara tasked her with.
"And who may I say is calling?"
"Gemma Masterton."
"Oh, well hello Gemma. I am Della Avers."
"Hi, Della! Riley has told me so many wonderful things about you."
"I should hope so," Della says with a small smile. "Let me see if he's available."
"Thank you."
She pushes a few buttons that sends the call to Riley's room. Riley had mentioned her many times over the past few months. There is a picture of her in his room. How he got this is debatable and Mara seemed wary of the Masterton girl but did not go into any great detail as to why. Della only knows what comes from the coverage but in her humble opinion, Melanie Masterton and Kimber Patten seemed like the lesser of the four evils. She knows the Jedi Masterton had been on Corellia during the weeks leading up to the Centerpoint Battle and tragically lost her life aboard it like so many others. Gemma seems nice enough and the com channel is secure so Della doesn't see the problem, especially since Riley told her Gemma was against him running away from The Wheel.
Every boy needs a sensible girl in their lives.
Riley sits at the desk in his new room, finishing up a report for the governess. He had decided to keep his mother's room like it is and, with Della's help, redecorated one of the other larger spare bedrooms into his own personal space. The com on his desk bleeps and he taps it on. Gemma's face appears and he brightens immediately.
"Gemma, hi!"
"Hi, Riley. How are you?"
"Good," he says, involuntarily blushing. "You?"
"That depends. I had another dream."
"About me?"
She nods.
"Was it, like, bad?"
"It was scary, that's for sure. Is the Ambassador there?"
"Aunt Mara? No, she left a few days ago on a business trip. Why?"
Gemma's large eyes are wide and full of emotion.
"I just want to make sure you are safe."
"What makes you think I'm not?"
"The dream…there were these women who all had the same face…Valerie's face. She said something…something that bothered me."
Riley frowns, "What is it, Gemma?"
"Maybe it's nothing. Maybe I'm just being silly."
"You weren't the last time. We ended up in a cell."
"She asked…if I thought you would be safe…with her."
"Her who?"
"I don't know. At least I think I don't. I didn't mean to startle you."
"No, it's okay. I'm glad you called. I will tell Della. The CorSec Agents have this place locked down so I should be alright. How is everything in the Corporate Sector?"
Gemma shrugs, "Pretty normal, I guess. It's nice to be back in school. Dane is still acting like a real jerk."
"Yeah, he was kind of a jerk here too. Is Dahlia okay?"
She pauses, considering this.
"She's coping. We all are."
"I wish you could visit."
"Me too but my parents will barely let us out of their sight. Maybe we can come in the spring when we're on break from school."
Riley smiles, "I would like that."
"Just be careful, okay?"
"I will. You too."
She nods.
"Bye Riley."
Riley leans back in his chair, head spinning. He doesn't know what it is or how it happens but Gemma always leaves him feeling warm yet anxious. He knows enough to trust her intuition as she had foreseen the kidnapping. She had also known him long before they knew each other. Her dreams were powerful and even though it's difficult for him to understand how, he knows she is looking out for all of them.
Later that afternoon, Director Elon Veritaas stops by the Ranch for his weekly visit. He enjoys getting out of Coronet for a while. Since Mara Tacofer had been increasingly busy with the Federation acquisition and dealings, he felt it best to check in with Riley from time to time. They take a walk through the gardens where Elon could tell Riley stories about his grandfather, the great Kyri Patten. Riley is always so interested in the hero's tales but today he is especially inquisitive.
"Did you work with my grandfather?"
"Not directly," Elon says. "I was in another unit under former Director Farmer's command but Major Patten's leadership and courage was widely respected."
"How did he die?"
His queries usually involved missions and captured criminals but the Director knows his mother and her friends were lied to by a vast network of people and vowed never to do so with Riley.
"It was a dark time for Corellia. The Baron PHAGE was wreaking havoc across Coronet. There were troops of battle droids sweeping the streets, widespread chaos. Our people were suffering and dying."
Riley nods, "I saw that in the museum."
"We tried to fight them off but we were outnumbered. Wave after wave of droids. PHAGE wanted Corellia under his control but he wanted Valerie Gellar dead more. We didn't know why then, how a machine could care so much about a single person. As it turned out, the machine had biological components which gave PHAGE unique abilities. In any case, he challenged her to a duel which she bravely fought but PHAGE beat her within an inch of her life and Kyri stepped in to stop it. As punishment PHAGE murdered him in front of a crowd of thousands. He was avenged when Valerie helped destroy him and set Corellia free of the Federation."
Riley processes this as they walk.
"But…the CEC just purchased the Federation."
"It did but the Trade Federation was a much different company after PHAGE fell. Your aunt and others tried very hard to rebuild their reputation over the years. It's a shame the Empire dealt them such a cowardly blow but they have always been petty. This deal is a good thing for all parties involved. Corellia will be stronger for it. Ambassador Tacofer is a smart woman who wants the best for you."
"That's what she says."
"You don't believe her?"
"No, I do. I just wish I didn't have to hide."
Elon stops walking and turns to him.
"It will not always be the case but surely you must realize things are more complicated than just your identity. There are other things at stake, other people to consider."
He nods.
"I know. The Four. It's a thing."
"It is now that the Winton girl revealed herself on several live Holo feeds. Until recently, Gemma Masterton and Dane Gellar were the only surviving connections to that legacy. Or so people thought. Your miraculous survival and Dahlia Winton's mysterious existence adds a certain complexity. People are suspicious and suspicious people tend to act out of fear instead of logic. From a public standpoint, there are only three of The Four confirmed. There are a scant few who know of your true identity."
"And you think it's best to keep it that way?"
"For now? Yes. I do. It's not that you shouldn't be proud of who you are. We do need to make sure you are safe."
"I would be safer if I could protect myself."
Elon straightens, "What do you mean?"
"I want to learn how to fight."
"You will."
"Later may be too late. I've already been kidnapped once. Several Espos, Federation agents, and a Jedi Master died during our rescue. I could have done something more if I had the skills. Please, Director Veritaas. Teach me."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface
An early spring dawns upon them. The gardens at the Patten Ranch are still mostly dormant but the perennials soak up the light. In little over a month, the entire property will begin to blossom and bloom. Change is ever present. Director Veritaas had a small course erected near the back wall for target practice. Riley's request struck something in him, knowing the history and the horror of his lineage. Although he is adamant that they refrain from use of the Patten name for now, he knows it is only a matter of time. His presence here has gone seemingly unnoticed thus far aside from the fact that he is the nephew of the Federation Ambassador. Corellia has larger issues to worry about but if there is anything predictable about the public, it's that they have an insatiable appetite for fragments of The Four. Certain channels of the Holo continue to speculate about the reveal of the Winton girl and the Masterton and Gellar counterparts. Elon knows Riley's chronometer of anonymity is slowly running out which why he must be prepared.
Before they even touch a blaster, the Director takes him through a rigorous course of identification and safety. Weapons are not toys. Riley is a quick study in the mechanics and operation of each model and he is able to differentiate between them with ease. The second phase is the practical application and Elon demonstrates the proper stance and grips required for accuracy. Riley is a remarkably good shot with the range and ease of his grandfather. Surprisingly enough, the Director tells him, Kimber was also good with a blaster though she seldom used it. Her initial tests during the semester spent at the CorSec Academy showed great promise. She was far more accurate than most of her classmates and a quicker draw than Valerie Gellar.
Twice a week they practice until Riley is capable enough for something more advanced. Director Veritaas brings him to the CorSec Academy training facility. The setup is much more elaborate than anything Riley has seen before but his face lights up with excitement. He is taken through the basic course and practices at the firing range. The obstacles and targets are adjusted to various levels. He does well and continues these lessons on weekends. Elon takes a sense of pride in the training, knowing that there will come a day Riley joins the ranks of CorSec like Kyri Patten before him.
Back at the Ranch, Della is torn between wanting to preserve Riley's innocence and wanting him to be ready for anything. On one hand, she agrees completely with Director Veritaas. With Mara away on business, it would be extremely helpful if Riley was prepared. The mysterious circumstances surrounding him and the others are not something she takes lightly. He is doing well in his studies and the governess seems pleased by his attentiveness. He struggles with arithmetic but that isn't all that surprising. The kid came from a model and an Imperial agent. While he does hold a sense of child-like wonder, he is hardly dense. He does have a knack for brightening up a bad mood. Work with the Counselor's office has been steadily busy and balancing those duties with that of a guardian-protector isn't always easy but it does bring her joy. The work-family dynamic is something she believes she could swing.
One day.
Artemis has been on Chandaar for some time now and the reports streaming out of the capital indicate there has been no progress made to appeal the Force User Registration Act. They speak as time allows, usually a few times a week, and the consensus seems to be that the Speaker almost wants the Jedi to fail. Apteen lacks sympathy for their position and refuses to see how these actions infringe upon the public's right to privacy. Blame has shifted and spilled over from the Jedi to others speaking out against the law. Counselor Circe Prescott, who Artemis has been working with, is now being accused of still operating under the influence of the Force. Her status as victim is turned against her as the public cannot understand why someone who was manipulated so completely by a Force user could ever possibly want them roaming around freely. Circe remains strong in the face of such criticism. Artemis is frustrated by it all. He did not fight for Corellia's admission into the Republic just to have some of its citizens with a biological connection beyond their control bagged, tagged and labeled suspicious.
It's wrong on so many levels.
Della also frets about the information Riley told her about Gemma's dream. The girl has prophetic powers? That's never a good sign, especially when it comes to one of The Four. The story by Kent Carlson referenced a prophecy that bound them all together. It was neither pleasant nor peaceful. If Gemma is somehow connected to that then they could be at an advantage, if they knew how to interpret what she sees. Riley said that Gemma dreamed about him long before she ever met him, that they were meant to find one another. He claims she also accurately predicted their kidnapping and tried to warn him. This latest dream of the many faces of Valerie Gellar does not settle well with her at all. She is reluctant but shares this information with Director Veritaas on one of his visits. He doesn't laugh it off as she thought he might but isn't entirely convinced either. He advises they continue to proceed with caution to ensure Riley's safety.
Della stops beside the picture of Gemma Masterton as she absently straightens up Riley's room. She stares out with tousled golden curls and a brilliant smile but there is something behind those ocean blue eyes. Could the key to everything that is happening be locked in the mind of a child?
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface
In the passing months, Riley becomes not only an expert marksman but an exceedingly promising CorSec candidate. Director Veritaas is as impressed as he is proud to see the young boy flourish. Being well-rounded is important and the Director pushes him in the training facility much the way Della pushes him with the governess. It never hurts to have a wide skill set.
So much is happening that Della finds the days and weeks sliding by and still no word from Mara Tacofer. Her concern is tempered with Riley's happiness and she does her best to be there for him in any way she can. Her work load has been steady but she is able to balance her professional duties with personal responsibility. She wishes Artemis would return to Corellia but the battle for civil rights within the Republic is far from over. There is word that the Republic plans to strike back at the Empire and force them out of their territories for good. It is a lofty objective, even for someone as large as the Republic has grown. The Empire has its own ruthless tactics she hopes the Republic does not fall victim to.
Riley has been so consumed with his own activities that he had not really stopped to wonder why Mara had yet to contact him. Growing up, she often had to negotiate through tricky situations, usually with him nearby. Things are different now. He is safe on Corellia and she has quite a bit to do. The Federation is now part of the CEC and that means more to manage. Riley's come a long way since he first arrived. He has even made a friend, the son of a CorSec Agent and close colleague of Director Veritaas. Granted, he had to keep his true identity and real home from this new friend but it is a small price to pay for company. No one knows he is staying at the Patten Ranch as the Ambassador has an official residence in Coronet City. It is staged to look like the primary home to Ambassador Tacofer and occasionally Della and Riley would stay there when she was in the city on business or he had early training at One CorSec Plaza.
On a hazy weekday afternoon, Riley meets his friend, Cassidy Clay, in the CorSec Academy training facility where they practice running the courses under Director Veritaas' supervision. Tivoli Cross, the medical director, makes notes for her files as she heads back to the lab. She inputs her codes and moves inside, staring down at a datapad until she catches movement out of the corner of her eye. Glancing up, she sees a man in a CorSec uniform standing in front of one of the locked cases where she keeps samples from the agents and cadets. The locking mechanism has been destroyed and the case hanging open. He places a vial into the cooler bag slung over his shoulder and stares at her with a blank expression on his face.
"Who are you?" Tivoli says, moving toward the wall panel. "What are you doing here?"
He says nothing, simply stares. She vaguely recognizes him but cannot place his name. There are very few with access to these labs.
"I'm calling security…"
As the words leave her mouth, she watches in horror as the skin around his face peels back in ribbons to reveal brownish, scarred flesh beneath. His uniform seems to evaporate into smoke leaving only tattered robes. Her eyes are glued to his face and the rows of sharp, uneven teeth that glisten beneath the overhead lights as he opens his mouth. She slaps her palm against the alarm button. Sirens blare and the room is bathed in a red light. The creature snarls, leaping at her. Tivoli drops the datapad as she lunges out of the way and dashes toward the exam rooms. She turns briefly in time to see the creature in pursuit, hunched over but still dragging the bag. It leaps again, slashing through her white lab coat to the skin beneath and sending her careening to the left. She crashes against an exam table, gripping her blaster to turn and fire. The first shot is wide but the second makes contact. It screeches loudly, closing the distance between them. It slaps the weapon away and clamps a scaly hand around her throat, lifting her clear off the ground.
Tivoli screams.
There are voices from the other room, agents calling out for her.
The creature turns, pulling her out into the corridor as the agents move in with weapons drawn. They are not prepared for what they see – the creature snarling with Doctor Cross dangling from its hand. They shout warnings to let her go, that they will fire. The creature roars and hurls the doctor at them as it makes its escape. One of the agents catches her and carefully lowers her to the ground.
"Go…" she croaks."Go after it!"
They are already tailing it out into the crowded halls lined with agents mobilizing and staff evacuating. There is no sign of the creature. Agents coordinate on the emergency channels, telling each other what to look for. The exits are covered but no one passing even remotely matches that description. A man in glasses who looks like the recruiting supervisor slips a vial into his pocket and passes security.
The medical staff tries to tend Tivoli but she is scanning through the roster of that particular case as Director Veritaas strides in.
"You are hurt," he says, looking concerned.
"I'm fine. Did you find it?"
"It?"
"Yes, it. It looked like a man then it changed."
Elon frowns, "Changed how?"
"It became something…else. Something terrifying."
"The responding agents used the term "creature." Does that seem accurate to you?"
"Yes."
"So, non-humanoid. Was it a species you recognized?"
"No, nothing I've encountered before."
"That is disconcerting. More so is the fact that the custodian was found murdered in his office. All his key-cards stolen."
"The custodian...what does he look like?"
The Director pulls out his datapad and opens a file, turning the device so Tivoli can see.
"That's him!"
"Who?"
"The man who was in here."
"That's impossible, doctor. This man is downstairs in the morgue with a rather large chunk of his neck missing. He bled out quickly."
"No, that can't be right. I saw him before....what about the bag?"
"It was recovered."
"Where?"
"South corridor, near the stairwell."
"And the sample?"
"Negative. It was empty. Are you certain only one was missing?"
"Yes..."
Her eyes widen as she turns from the screen.
"What is it?"
"Is the boy secure?"
"The boy?"
"The Ambassador's nephew."
"Affirmative," Elon says. "He's in my office, why?"
Tivoli looks up at him gravely.
"The sample taken belongs to him."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
The late spring sun warms the gorgeous landscape filled with color. Della paces in front of Director Veritaas as Riley works in the gardens.
"I don't like this."
"The entire report is questionable."
Della's gaze is steely and her tone stern.
"This means someone knows he's here and worse they know who he is. Now they have the sample to prove it."
Veritaas crosses his arms.
"We've taken all the precautions to protect his identity. The Tacofer alias had been established when he was an infant and his presence on Corellia was legitimized when with the Ambassador arrived. The parties with information have been vetted and signed nondisclosure forms. If there was a leak, I do not believe it came from us. Any luck reaching Mara?"
"No," Della says. "And that's what scares me. Her com is off."
"There hasn't been any contact since she left at all?"
"None. Not even to check in. Do you think she's been compromised?"
He shrugs.
"Difficult to say but someone pointed this…person in the right direction."
"Person? Doctor Cross said it transformed into some kind of monster."
"That's a bit of a stretch."
"Is Cross prone to irrational thought?"
"Not at all," Veritaas says. "She's one of my most grounded associates and the account was corroborated by several other responding agents. That doesn't make it any less peculiar. We are cross-referencing the description through the CorSec database but no hits so far."
"That's hardly comforting."
"I don't disagree but for now, we must wait and see."
*
In the garden, Riley tills the soil in a massive pot. He is happier than he has ever been even though he misses Aunt Mara. The governess had completed her lessons for the year and he is officially on summer break. With her help, Riley had done better in school now than he had in the past. Things come more naturally to him and the subjects he struggles with are given prompt attention. He wonders what Gemma is doing now that she had been discovered by a record label. They spoke the previous week when she relayed the good news. He asked that she send him a copy of the single once it is complete.
"Riley."
He jerks, startled and jumps to his feet.
Kimber lingers near the flowering trees. She is beautiful, radiant, in a short summer dress with a beaming smile.
"Mother."
"I am so proud of you, son. You've blossomed here on Corellia as I knew you would. It is our home, our history. But you must prepare yourself for what is to come."
"Prepare myself…for what?"
"For the worlds knowing who you really are. You are the last revealed piece of the puzzle and opinions will vary widely but trust in yourself. You have the strength and compassion to become a great man."
Riley's eyes are moist with tears.
"There is so much I want to ask you, so much I want to know."
"In time you will learn the answers you seek. For now, be mindful of your surroundings and the company you keep. Even though you do not have to Force to guide you, the Patten instinct can be just as telling. I love you, Riley. Always. And remember, not everything is as it appears to be."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City: One CorSec Plaza
Director Elon Veritaas watches as Riley darts and dives through the obstacle course. In the corner, the Holo drones on screens with updates on the Republic losses and increasing hostility toward the Jedi. His attention is on Riley. He is young and agile, leaping and dodging with reflexes that have been honed considerably with months of training. They are mid-way through the summer and Veritaas is impressed with the progress. The boy wanted to learn and has exceeded all expectations. He imagined nothing less from a Patten.
Riley reaches the end of the course, draws his weapon and takes out four targets with a finer precision than men twice his age. The alarm sounds to signify the end of the exercise. He stands and turns around.
Veritaas taps the intercom.
"Well done, Riley. Now, we begin again but this time with something different. The course is designed to keep you off balance, to test your ability to adapt in any given situation. One never knows what may come next."
The room resets and another alarm sounds.
As Riley takes off into the course, Doctor Tivoli Cross enters the room behind him in her white lab coat and heels. She glances down as the boy side-steps across moving planks, nearly falling yet he recovers marvelously and continues.
"He is doing well."
"That he is."
"There are troubling reports coming out of the Republic, sir."
"So I've seen."
"This kind of turmoil cannot be good."
"Senator Soldys certainly thinks so," he says. "But Corellia is strong, fortified. The Empire won't try anything here again. Not after the losses they suffered in our Sector."
"Centerpoint is gone."
"Non-functional is a more apt phrase. It's a graveyard, a memory, another part of our colorful history."
Tivoli musses on this.
"True but infighting within the rank and file Republic does not bode well for anyone. If they are turning on the Jedi, who else might they turn on next? Secrecy, paranoia, suspicion – these are all powerful keys to an organizations undoing."
Elon arches a brow, "I wasn't aware you followed their politics so closely."
"Corellia doesn't need to be caught in their crossfire. You know it. I know it. Soldys knows it. We are champions of people's rights and freedom of thought. We don't label differences, we celebrate them. These ideals put us in direct conflict with the larger, current legislation."
"Perhaps but I wouldn't worry too much, good doctor. They have their hands full with the Jedi."
That is when the coverage changes. Selene Silvestri, a fan favorite even here on Corellia, fills the screen. She welcomes everyone to her program called The Wall in which she regularly calls bullshit on broken political promises and blatant hypocrisy within the Republic.
"We lead tonight with a startling revelation linked to the ongoing saga of The Four. Months ago, the worlds were riveted with the kidnapping of the Gellar-Masterton children and relived with their safe return. In that return, another twist, the reveal that Dahlia Gellar is actually Princess Dahlia Winton, the last of the royal Greyson-Winton line. She, along with her adoptive siblings, Dane Gellar and Gemma Masterton, reside in the Corporate Sector with their parents, Rutherford Gellar and Celeste Masterton. These three are the direct descendants of their famous albeit deceased counterparts."
Selene's dark eyes pierce through her thick, black rimmed glasses.
"Three. It was never a number associated with them. It was always The Four. And it would have been. Reports of Kimber Patten's pregnancy leading up to the Centerpoint Battle in the Corellian Sector were well documented. But neither mother nor child made it off that station. Or so we thought."
Elon's body stiffens.
"I have received proof that in fact the child of Patten is very much alive. A boy named Riley who has been in our capital city under the alias Tacofer, the name used by the former Federation Ambassador."
Photage of Riley with Mara flashes across the screen.
"How this boy came to be with the Ambassador, let alone his survival and escape from the Centerpoint Station, is unclear but the truth remains. Winton. Masterton. Patten. Gellar - The Four lives."
Elon turns off the screen.
Tivoli glares.
"You were saying."
"Get Riley back to the Patten Ranch and alert Della Avers. We knew this may be a possibility with the breach but we need to stay ahead of it. I will brief our legal team and send word to Senator Soldys on Chandaar as he will most likely be targeted with questions. There is no malicious intent here."
"Given who he is, do you honestly believe people will care about intent?"
His voice is low and gravely.
"No."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
Riley is whisked back to the estate without explanation. Once inside, the gates are sealed. Agents lock down the compound. Della is waiting for him in the kitchen, looking uneasy. Riley makes a face.
"What's wrong?"
Della takes his hand and leads him into the living room where they sit. She muses the most direct way to have this conversation without scaring him. There is no easy way to phrase it, to minimize what this might mean. So, she opts for honesty as she believes he deserves nothing less.
"Your identity has been revealed to the public. They know that you are the son of Kimber Patten and that you escaped Centerpoint Station. A reporter in the Republic broke the story this afternoon and it will be rebroadcast. All your aunt has feared is now a reality but I want you to know we are here for you. You do not have to face this alone."
Riley squeezes her hand, "It's okay."
"It is?"
"I knew it was coming. It was only a matter of time. Now I don't have to hide, I can just be myself even if people don't like it."
Della hugs him, an instinctive and maternal gesture.
"You are so brave, Riley Patten."
"Sometimes."
She pulls back and stares down into his face, brushing back hair that as fallen across his eyes.
"How did you know it was coming?"
"My mother told me."
Della takes this in stride. She had questions about her ever since he and Dane had argued in the CorSec interrogation room. The way they spoke implied they both saw or had contact with their predecessors.
"You see her."
He becomes wistful, smiling.
"All I had of her when I was little was a picture aunt Mara had given me. I was never allowed to take it out in public or show it to anyone else. I knew my mother was beautiful but that she had also been in a lot of trouble. When I got older I wanted to know more and found a way to get that information even though aunt Mara wanted to protect me from it. Then she appeared to me in my dreams, here, at the Patten Ranch, and told me this was my birthright, that it belongs to our family. She told me I had the resources to provide for us, that she had planned wisely so that I would not have to worry."
He folds his hands and sighs.
"I began to see her when I was awake, in the gardens. She would appear to me to check in and see how I was doing. The last time she told me to prepare for what was coming. She told me that I would be revealed. I am the last piece of the puzzle."
Della's brow furrows, "What puzzle?"
"I am the forth. That's what Gemma told me. She had dreamed of me her whole life before she met me and only knew of me as the forth. Dahlia is a Winton. Gemma is a Masterton. Dane is a Gellar and I am a Patten. The forth. Everyone knows about them and now, they know about me too."
"Does Dane see Valerie?"
He nods.
"Yes but he doesn't like to admit it. She haunts him by telling him stories of their family, all the things that were kept from her when she was alive. It's not fair and I know the things she tells him make him feel bad but he pretends like it doesn't. Gemma said that Melanie told her they are like our spiritual guides. You know, to look out for us and stuff."
Della tries to temper this with a little perspective.
"I am glad you get to have a relationship with her but you must know this will change things for you. People will want to know how you escaped Centerpoint and how you were so well hidden all these years. This could put Mara in a difficult spot."
"She's a tough cookie. She will think of something."
He doesn't fully grasp the implications of his very existence and a part of Della wants to preserve that innocence. She knows naiveté did not serve Kimber or her friends well and wants him to be prepared for any unpleasantness that might accompany this revelation.
"The Director will try to take some of the heat off you with a press conference but I can't guarantee things won't get a little crazy around here. Your mother was a celebrity, your half-aunt a hero and your grandfather a Corellian legend. People tend to place unrealistic expectations on others but I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything you don't want to."
"I'm exactly where I want to be," Riley says, glancing up at her. "I'm where I need to be."
*
Coronet City: One CorSec Plaza
Director Elon Veritaas stands in front of a large crowd of people. Cam's and recorders are out and the press can barely contain themselves.
"Good afternoon," he begins evenly. "I have called this conference to address the Republic report on the Patten boy. I can confirm that the report is true as his identify has been verified by our medical director, doctor Tivoli Cross. While I cannot comment as to how his escape was possible nor is Ambassador Tacofer available for questions, I can say that Riley Patten is a Corellian, one of our own who has returned home where he belongs. I ask that you respect his privacy and direct all questions to my office going forward. Thank you."
He turns and briskly reenters the main building even as a crescendo of questions rise from the crowd. It is best to address it swiftly before the commentators run wild with speculation. He knows the holes in Riley's story will inevitably make for good airtime on the Holo and Elon has no real answers to give them. It is not his story to tell and no one has heard from the Ambassador since she left mysteriously months ago. He knows enough about Selene Silvestri to know she will not reveal her source even if she knows it. To do so would be to admit this information was obtained illegally by stealing it from a CorSec lab. Therefore, it is unlikely the breach or the monstrosity in question for committing the act will be brought up and discussed. It is just one more thing he doesn't have an answer for. And if there is anything Elon Veritaas hates, it is being kept in the dark.
This is not about his ego; it is about a boy's life.
Riley deserves to be safe and happy and Elon would do all in his power to make sure that is possible.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
The room goes still as her vision shifts out of focus. There is a ringing sound in her ears. Della sits in front of the office consol as the exchange begins to sink in. She was cut off before she could protest, before she could ask any follow up or specifics.
Tell them I'm dead.
It is Mara's directive but Della is struggling to make sense of anything. The Ambassador had left months ago without any real details and had not been heard from until this afternoon. She looked terrible on the screen, hair matted with black streaks across her face. Della is not only concerned for Mara but for Riley as well. How is someone expected to relay that kind of information? She had vowed to be honest with Riley and now she is being asked to lie. It is not a simple lie either; it is a lie that requires a certain amount of detail to be believable. And it is not a lie she could execute alone.
Forty minutes later, Director Elon Veritaas arrives at the compound. Riley is busy in the gardens and the CorSec Director's presence goes unnoticed for now. His office at One CorSec Plaza had been flooded with calls about Riley Patten. Everyone wanted information he was unable to provide but he knew that confirming the Republic report would bring about this type of frenzy. Every request to interview Riley was vehemently denied. He could only answer the requests with clipped responses of "no comment" or "we are unable to verify" or, his favorite, "we can neither confirm nor deny any further details at this time." All in all it had been a hectic week and a rather tense call from Della Avers motivated his quick exodus from the CorSec Headquarters.
Elon joins her in the office behind closed doors where she tells him exactly what had happened that afternoon. His reaction is just as perplexed and alarmed yet he manages a deadpan expression throughout. There are several key points in the short conversation that raise red flags.
"What kind of information is she looking for?"
"Therein lays the problem," Della says. "If we knew, we would be able to help her get it but she never gave an explanation when she left and certainly didn't follow up today."
"These "others" she speaks of…meaning, other clones of Valerie Gellar?"
"Yes. One of the clones abducted the Gellar-Masterton children from the Gellar Estate in D'ian, another lured Riley onto her ship, and another addressed the Republic Senate. The latter two posed directly as Mara Tacofer. These same clones fed and guarded the children while held captive. What we don't know is how many of them there actually are or even where they are."
Elon considers this, "Smart woman."
"I'm sorry?"
"Declaring her deceased will severely impair the clone's ability to maneuver in the public eye. It effectively takes away their powers of manipulation and keeps us and the Republic safe from any damage they could do."
"It also runs the risk of destroying a young boy for no good reason."
"Not necessarily."
She makes a face, "I see wheels turning in that head of yours."
"Controlling the information keeps the narrative on our terms. We will shift the focus where it needs to be while keeping it away from anywhere we do not. What we need is a cover story that can be verified and to map out a scope of the lie."
"That will still hurt Riley."
Elon's speaks evenly as a plan unfolds.
"We're not going to lie to him. We're going to lie to everyone else. You forget that he kept his true identity and that of his "aunt" a secret for twelve years. The boy can be trusted with this information but he will need to perform appropriately to sell it. You will need to coach him and act accordingly as you guide him through this time of tragedy. You will also be named his legal guardian until he turns eighteen. Without Mara, he will need someone to manage his very considerable affairs. You are closer to him than anyone and I can pull strings within the courts to expedite this process in the best interest of the minor."
He pauses, pacing the length of the room.
"The next step involves the cover story of how she perished. Mara was exploring CEC options elsewhere and encountered a rare but tragic mechanical failure with her vessel which led to her untimely death. We can hammer out the specifics – time, place, coordinates – later. It is simple and straightforward as these things happen but the timing will be suspicious. Riley's identify was just revealed and the only person with answers is Mara and so for her to die so soon afterwards would send the conspiracy-driven corners of the media into a tailspin. This is why her death will be somewhat retroactive, as in she died weeks ago before the story was released. I have friends in the CEC who will work with me on this without compromising the lie. She did clear her departure with the CEC Director but I am betting she did not check in with him either. When she did not check in with us, CorSec launched its own investigation and discovered she had died but before we could release a brief, Riley's story broke. This will serve a dual purpose as his identity was made public the same time he found out the only family he had ever known had passed. Empathy for his situation will play in our favor and explain why I was so short on the details during the press conference. Hopefully, the press with respect his privacy but in the event they do catch a glimpse of him, he needs to be heartbroken with you right beside him picking up the pieces."
Elon turns to face her.
"The last step involves setting the scope. Who will have this critical information? You, me, and Riley for starters. Our medical Director, Tivoli Cross, will also be crucial as her reports combined with our official documents will grant Mara's request."
"What about Garron Prescott?"
"What about him?"
Della crosses her arms.
"They were close and spent much time together on The Wheel. He actually rescued her after the Imperial attack and brought her here. He returned to the Corporate Sector with Dane Gellar once she and Riley were granted asylum."
"Have they been in contact since?"
"I don't know but she may have reached out to him while she has been away. This could jeopardize the lie if there is an inconsistency in the timeline."
"We cannot assume she has been in contact with anyone. She called you, Della. Not him. Prescott is under the employ of Rutherford Gellar but the Holo indicates he is actually on Chandaar with Dahlia Winton. Still think he should be in the loop?"
She shakes her head.
"That goes for the Senator as well. I know this puts you in a difficult position but you must consider the greater good as he does for Corellia."
"I understand."
"Then it's settled. The four of us will know the truth and once the story is fluid to all of us, we will not deviate from that. Life will go on and Maker hope Mara finds what she is looking for."
She calls for Riley and while they wait, her mind drifts to Artemis. He would remain outside the lie. She would be charged with Riley's safety and wellbeing, a surrogate mother of sorts, and Artemis would believe this is noble and decent. He would support her as he has supported her in all she has done. Della loves Artemis dearly but she would lie to him to protect Riley. Her only wish is that he will understand when the truth, whatever that may be, is finally revealed.
Riley finds them in the office, looking pained and serious.
"Am I in trouble?"
"No, Riley."
"We just need to talk."
The door closes behind him.
-TBC
-
"Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life."
-Hoziers
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
The press conference is scheduled for the late afternoon, a purposeful move to garner as much coverage from the evening reports here and off-world. Director Elon Veritaas has mapped out a carefully crafted lie that ends the public life of Ambassador Mara Tacofer. Della had recovered from her shock quickly enough, emboldened by the bravery of Riley who faced this new task with the ease of someone twice his age. He knows enough to know that Mara would never ask this of them unless it was important. He takes Kimber's words to heart, steeling himself against the coming tide.
Director Veritaas stands on the steps of One CorSec Plaza before of a range of microphones and cam's the swarm of media hold outstretched. To his left, Della staring blankly over the crowd while Riley clutches her arm and looks deeply pained. To his right, a stern-faced doctor Cross with hands folded in front of her starched white lab coat.
"Good afternoon, members of the press and public. I come before you to clarify our earlier statement regarding Riley Patten. Many of you had questions, as you rightly should but we were unable to answer them at that time. The reason for our silence involved a larger investigation which concluded in some rather unfortunate news."
He draws a breath, keeping his tone low and even.
"Two months ago, Vice President Mara Tacofer left Corellia to conduct business on behalf of the CEC and their interests on other worlds. Her trip was cleared through Director Duane Mangum with strict orders to report on her status. When these updates failed to reach the CEC, CorSec was notified and began to investigate the whereabouts of the VP just as the story on Riley Patten broke on the Republic News Network. In order for Mara Tacofer to answer the questions you had – questions we had – she must be located first. Of course, we were unable to comment on the ongoing investigation but there has been a new development in the case."
Riley bursts into tears on cue and Della pulls him close.
"The last known contact with Vice President Tacofer occurred in Denon Deep Space where her vessel was fired upon when she refused to disclose the details of her mission. These actions were done against Corellian law as the specifications of her assignment were classified under CEC contract. Those responsible have been detained and stated for the record they were only trying to keep her from leaving the system. It appears she was able to do so but her ship sustained damage during the exchange. This clear lack of judgment on behalf of our southern border patrols will not go unpunished. CorSec has reconstructed several possible flight plans and scenarios, the most plausible of which was an emergency landing on Tynna. Reports indicate an unknown ship entered the system briefly but was not identified as it disappeared from their scopes. Given the planet's expansive ocean regions, we have concluded the Vice President's ship went down in the water. CorSec drones scoured the vast area for weeks, tracing several slicks on the surface to dead ends. The considerable depth and in climate weather have hampered these searches but the time frame falls outside our window of recovery."
Elon lets his gaze simmer on the startled faces of the media.
"It is our conclusion that Mara Tacofer perished in this crash. She is survived only by her ward, Riley Patten. Della Avers of the Counselor's office has been granted temporary guardianship over the Patten boy as he was personally entrusted to her upon Vice President Tacofer's departure. We ask that you respect his privacy during this difficult time and direct all questions to my office. Thank you."
The Director turns, reaching out as Della ushers Riley up the steps with doctor Cross following them. Riley turns; eyes bleary with tear-stained cheeks as he clutches the hands of Della and Elon.
The photage would frame the headline perfectly.
Safely inside the Director office, they shake off the façade. Riley wipes his face and smiles up at Della.
"Well," he says. "How'd I do?"
She tousles his hair.
"You did great, kiddo."
The doctor nods, "Yes, I was almost moved to tears myself."
Elon stands by the massive windows and stares down.
"Let's hope they bought it."
"They will," Tivoli says. "We've got our records in order. The agents assigned to that dreadnaught have sworn statements and are awaiting arraignment. It was smart to dig into her disappearance as that pressure presented us with a far more convincing theory. This way we can rely on actual facts as opposed to creating a lie around what little we know."
"Wouldn't they know her ship wasn't damaged beyond repair?"
Elon shakes his head.
"Not necessarily. Even though we know she escaped unharmed, there would be no way to know if the damage was critical. Systems fail all the time. Throw in some turbolaser fire and you have more than reasonable doubt. But the media is curious and I am reluctant to believe they will simply let it go."
"What will they find? Nothing. No one is going to go diving on Tynna to try and locate the wreckage. It's too dangerous even for reporters as intrepid as ours. They will believe the lie."
"How can you be certain?"
Tivoli points to Riley.
"That face, plastered across the evening news. They may be curious but they are not heartless. The public will sympathize with him, relating to personal tales of lost loved ones. The only questions that won't fade are how Mara came to raise Riley in the first place. Since Riley was an infant and Mara was just pronounced dead on live Holo, all they can do is speculate. We have to let this take its course."
Della crosses her arms.
"You are okay with this, Riley?"
He nods.
"Aunt Mara knows what she's doing. She kept me safe my whole life. Now it's our turn to keep her safe."
Riley moves to the window beside Elon, the whole of Coronet opening up beyond. They are joined by Della and Tivoli.
"I am a Patten, a Corellian and this is where I am supposed to be."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface
It has been an exceptionally wet fall and Riley Patten stares through the window at the downpour as the governess prepares the next lesson. Things had been moving along smoothly as everyone adjusted to their new schedules.
Della is able to balance her duties at the Counselor's office with caring for Riley. Her position and reputation had gone a long way in the case to grant her legal guardianship over him after Mara's "death" was announced by Director Veritaas. The Director put his full faith behind her and Riley had even given an official statement in her favor. The courts were sympathetic to his plight and want what is in the child's best interest. Della is now his legal guardian until he turns eighteen, an awesome responsibility that took some time to sink in. She had considered having a child of her own but with Artemis consumed with Corellian affairs, this would be great practice should they decide to pursue that option in the future. True, she had skipped over the adorable baby and trying toddler years yet she is grateful for the opportunity. The situation on Chandaar has her very concerned as Artemis' association with Circe Prescott and position against the Force User Registration Act has divided him against many of the more prominent Senator's. Reaction from the People's Council has been mixed with more in favor of his position than against. While no one wants to see anyone's rights compromised, some worry his position may jeopardize an already tumultuous relationship with the larger Republic structure. It had taken them a decade to join the Republic and already a significant clash in ideals. In their communications, Artemis has raised more concern over an increasingly militant Republic Security Bureau. Apparently, the RSB's scope of authority has been expanded to combat the rising public threats of Force Users despite any lack of any solid empirical evidence. The public is fractured deeply and there are rumors of a Separatist movement. That word sends ripples through the Corellian government as they did not fight long and hard to join a system that is headed for a breakdown. Faith in Speaker Apteen is waning. Della supports Artemis in whatever way she can and skimmed over the details of Vice President Tacofer's "demise." She hates keeping him in the dark but knows this is for the greater good.
Riley is a spectacularly well-behaved boy although his curiosity and tenacity may get him into trouble from time to time. He's a boy and boys love adventure. Thankfully, his school schedule is broken up by his admittance into the CorSec Junior Development program. Three times a week he joins his pal, Cassidy Clay, at the CorSec Academy where they learn skills crucial to future enrollment under the watchful eye of Director Veritaas. Despite his protests, Della had denied his request to attend school in Coronet. There were several choices, including a private academy but Della and Elon felt it was too soon to integrate him fully into the public. Therefore, the governess was brought back after summer to resume Riley's formal education.
For the most part, the public had accepted the lie. They believe Mara Tacofer is dead and, with the exception of a few conspiracy theorists, most have moved on to larger topics. Elon Veritaas has kept a tight lid on any information surrounding the Tacofer investigation with Doctor Cross adding another element of credibility to the conclusion. He ensures Riley's safety at the Patten Ranch and education at the CorSec Academy but returns to his duties of keeping Corellia safe. The system has been doing so well and in contrast to the unrest on Chandaar, this is a time of extended peace within the Corellian Sector. The streets of Coronet are safe, crime is down and the people are happy. It has been far too long since they could say that with any certainty as the population had moved on and flourished after all the darkness of the past.
But Veritaas is not by any means naïve. He would not rest on his laurels but use this time to prepare. Training drills are conducted weekly and contingency plans created and revised for any given situation. He meets with the Governor and regional mayors as concerns arise over the growing situation in the Republic capital. They wish to quell any uneasiness as quickly as possible. No one wants this to blow up in their faces but should the situation turn, they would be ready. Veritaas also knows that Riley Patten's mere existence could spell trouble down the line. If Mara's methods of protection are any indication, they may be enemies of Kimber Patten or The Four lurking beyond the shadows. He would not take a chance and with Mara out of the public picture, they must act accordingly.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface
Despite Corellia's association with the Republic, it had managed to remain largely outside the conflicts that now rage within its capital. Their society is one of expression and freedom after years of rebuilding themselves from the ashes of the Phage crisis and ensuing Confederacy under tyrant Saga Judec. They enjoy the peace and unity but the powers that be are hardly naïve enough to believe they could stay out of the fray forever.
Their loyalties would be tested sooner than they might think.
Director Elon Veritaas watches Riley Patten flourish in the CorSec Junior Development Program. Having forgone the call of love in exchange for his career, Veritaas had never known the blessing of having offspring. In Riley, he feels immense pride and incredible responsibility. It was as close to a son as he had ever had. Mara Tacofer had entrusted them with his life, a life she had safeguarded since she escaped from Centerpoint with him thirteen years ago. He provided the stable male influence while Della nurtured him on the home front. They frequently met to discuss his studies and behavior, opting to remain on the same page rather than opposing forces. The boy needs consistency, dependability and they were intent to provide both. In this Riley has acclimated exceptionally well but there are times you can sense he misses the presence of his aunt. He had confessed to Della that there were so many questions he had wanted to ask her and worries he might never get the chance. She told him he would see Mara again even though that is a promise she had no way of knowing she could keep. The whereabouts of Mara Tacofer are a mystery to them all.
Somewhere, she seeks answers to her own past and a resolution that would keep Riley safe forever.
In addition to her full plate, Della wants to help a grieving Artemis on Chandaar. He had lost a friend in Counselor Prescott and the clashes between the public and RSB grow steadily more violent. The restrictive policies in the Republic and the brutality of their security forces are a major topic on the Holo. Where is the line between protection and abuse? Artemis fights on for the people though his voice is drowned out by the chants of the protesters. Della offers her support but must remain on Corellia to ensure Riley's care.
Riley finished his lessons for the semester and the governess has taken her holiday leave. He rejoices in the free time which he alternately spends between the CorSec Academy with his close pal, Cassidy Clay and the Patten Ranch where he consumes everything he can on his mother. The vid-diaries Kimber left behind are little windows into who she was beneath the glamour and fame. It gives him a sense of her true self, one that was extremely caring if not somewhat oblivious to the danger that surrounded her.
In their younger years, The Four seemed to exist on the periphery of the horror that would shape their lives in the future. A disaffected Valerie would make frequent appearances in the vid's, ever the brave face in the midst of her own familial turmoil. Kimber speaks openly about Valerie's missing "father" and how, despite the bravado, it had wounded her deeply. Riley finds it extremely tragic that Valerie never got to know her real family living in the Sector the whole time. In contrast, Kimber had a wonderful relationship with her parents. Granted, there were secrets and scandal but that never seemed to interfere with their love for their daughter. She often spoke of her mother's gardens, filming in the lush foliage that surrounds the Ranch. It was there she felt true peace and a sense of belonging, not like the cold and sharp existence on Coruscant. He feels so much closer to her when he watches her muse on her life.
As much as he is a Patten, he is also a Navris. His father appears only once in Kimber's collection and he has studied it meticulously. Riley knows Mod Navris was an agent with the Imperial Security Bureau who met Kimber under rather unfortunate circumstances. He cross-references everything he knows with the published works of Corellian reporter, Kent Carlson. Carlson had exclusive access to Kimber Patten and the Jedi Melanie Masterton who filled in the holes of his narrative. These details are the most crucial as they come from the people who lived them. It revealed Valerie's true family, the imposter posing as her father, Kyri Patten's deception to keep his daughters safe, Melanie's alliance with the Jedi, the prophecy entrusted to her by Queen Greyson-Winton, Kimber's deal with the Empire to save Valerie from Phage, Karen's complicit role in her father's abduction, Kimber's role in his first demise, the Hapan's revenge and future assistance, and the star-crossed love between a sympathetic agent and the manipulated model.
Riley sorts through these facts as he tries to get a sense of who his father was. He knows Mod Navris was born on Brentaal in the capital city of Cormond. His parents were traders who were killed in one of the many conflicts over the valuable planet. Mod was recruited to the Carida Academy where he attended with famous classmates such as Alexia Winton, Landon Price and Vex Sienna. He graduated at the top of his class and was assigned to the Strike-Cruiser Abyss, presumably to keep an eye on the unstable Alexia Winton and report back. After she departed their crew, the other Winton sister was forced into the DiploServe program by fellow agent Scott St. Claire. They embarked on several missions, the first and most important was the taking of Contruum for the Empire. The events that followed led to the Emperor Dementat retrieving Karen from the Abyss and reassigning them to transport Valerie Gellar and Kimber Patten throughout the first Corellian siege by Phage. Most of the crew was killed when the ship was destroyed in the hangar of a Republic capital ship with the exception of St. Claire, Navris, and Doctor Felicia Kensington. The doctor and Navris would go on the join a team led by Karen Winton aboard her own command ship. The majority of that team was betrayed and slain by rogue agent Marius Guile on Hesperidium. Kimber found Mod impaled and was sent away by Karen Winton to the Hapan Consortium with Rydan Stratford and Alexander Winton in tow. Shortly thereafter, she discovered her pregnancy and later had her revenge when she slew agent Guile in the Gellar Residence in Coronet. Not much else was known about Riley's father as the records for the Carida Academy are inaccessible. His story was touched on briefly in the documentary, Bound by Blood, but completely glossed over in the Holo-plex version in favor of Kimber's storyline which was seen as far more commercial.
He vows to discover more, as the Navris' are his family too. Perhaps one day he would visit Brentaal but for now he would stay put and resign himself to the knowledge he has found. He knows how dangerous it still is for him and listens carefully to Della and Director Veritaas. Riley plays a role in the lie as well and he could not jeopardize them or Mara further by misbehaving.
He stares at the bio picture of Mod Navris, amazed by the features he inherited. He is a perfect blend of his parents with Kimber's button nose and violet eyes and Mod's shaggy hair, oval face and prominent cheek bones. He attributes his whimsical nature to his mother as it is evident in just watching her. The larger mystery is what traits he possesses from his father. For so many years, Aunt Mara had played both roles and he has come to appreciate all she had done for him. He wonders what it must have been like for her, keeping that secret with them wherever they went. When his identity was discovered, did she feel relief or more fear? Riley isn't sure what would be worse, keeping who he was hidden or having the worlds know. He is proud of his heritage even if others had serious opinions about it. Della kept him away from the Holo after his identify was revealed. She said he didn't need to worry about what other people thought. All that mattered was that he is safe and loved.
And he is.
Riley is happy, healthy and has a purpose. He only wishes Mara could see it.
-TBC
-
"Like a door that keeps revolving
In a half-forgotten dream.
Or the ripples from a pebble
Someone tosses in a stream."
-Dusty Springfield
Corellia
Surface
Midnight.
The freighter touches down in the docks on schedule, a return trip from Chandaar. As the crew unloads, two cloaked figures slip into the darkness unseen. Several blocks over, Director Elon Veritaas waits in an idling speeder. Della had called him a few days prior with an urgent message from Senator Soldys. Both knew this was the right thing to do but it left little time to formulate a plan. The figures appear around the corner. One helps the other into the speeder before Veritaas eases out of the ally and races away from Coronet. They arrive at the Patten Ranch around one-thirty in the morning. Della deactivates the gate and meets them in front of the main house. With Riley sleeping soundly in his room, they are free to converse undisturbed. She watches the gates close behind them and feels a sense of relief.
Veritaas approaches with the figures that only now pull their hoods back. Donovan Atrii is younger than she expected for a Jedi Master. Circe Prescott is much prettier in person, always looking so stately and serious on the Holo.
Introductions are made and Della welcomes them to the Ranch.
"You don't know how much this means to us," Circe says.
"It was our pleasure to help."
Veritaas glances around, "Everything clear here?"
"Yes, the security detail left hours ago."
She turns to the visitors.
"How it Artemis?"
"The Senator is secure," Donovan says. "His position against the legislation has kept him out of the scopes of The Concealed. However, that does not mean he is entirely safe. The Speaker grows more tyrannical as the days pass. He draws more and more into his web. Those who oppose him must tread carefully."
"I wish he had returned with you."
Circe touches her arm, "Trust me when I say he wishes he could have. He is a dear friend that will not let the people of the Republic suffer."
Della swallows hard, "It is what I love most about him."
"We need to solidify our plan," Veritaas interjects with his typical practicality. "For starters, you will need new identities and a new appearance. We can't keep you completely hidden forever without raising questions so we will fabricate ways to legitimize your presence."
"What do you propose?"
"If you can keep the Jedi mantle under wraps, I can get you into the agency and assigned to the detail here."
"I was taught how to hide in plain sight. Protecting the Patten boy is a benefit of my presence and my honor to do so in addition to escorting Counselor Prescott. Given his lineage, I do not doubt he will need it at some point. There is a fellow Jedi with the Gellar, Masterton and Winton children on D'ian. Our Master felt it wisest to keep a watchful eye."
"That does make me feel much more comfortable. What about the Counselor?"
Veritaas rubs his chin.
"Della does have a considerable amount of work with the People's Counsel. It is not uncommon for her position to have an administrative assistant. It will give you cover while still serving the public, a goal I know is important to you."
Circe smiles, "You are too generous, Director."
"I believe in what the Republic once stood for but I am no fool. Corellia is strong on its own and we will not be subjugated by its petty trifles. I will handle the semantics of your identities if Della can handle the aesthetics."
"Of course," she replies. "What do we tell Riley?"
"We vowed never to lie to him."
"He has much weighing on him already."
"He is also strong, stronger than I was at his age. Being a Patten means carrying the weight of loyalty and responsibility. That is what Kyri Patten taught me. It is what Kimber Patten showed by protecting those she loved, regardless of the risk to her reputation and life. We, too, will lead by those examples."
"There are rooms made up for you," Della says. "Thankfully, this place has no shortage of them. We will let you get settled."
They retire to the house and Della brings Elon a cup of tea. Della stares at a picture on the mantle. Kimber is leaning on Valerie's shoulder with a beaming smile while Valerie stares off to the right, eyes slightly narrowed with a somewhat skeptical smirk. This isn't the first time a CorSec operative has fabricated information in the database about one of the agents. From Carlson's story she learned they had an Imperial plant imbedded in CorSec as part of the arrangement between Major Patten and Alexander Winton. Valerie was made to suffer because of it, losing him to his own emotional attachment to her while being denied the existence of her real family in the Corporate Sector. She wonders if things would have been different if Valerie had known; if they all had known. Would history have taken a different course? The Director stands beside her, staring at the same picture. Valerie the hero, Kimber the mother; sacrifice and leverage, both killed to free the worlds of what could have been. They brought down an infrastructure of deception and control. A legacy left to four children who are shaped by a series of actions and reactions.
Della turns to him.
"How many lies can we tell?"
Veritaas' face is backlit by the fire roaring beneath the hearth.
"To honor what we fight for? To keep those we care for safe? To protect the freedom of our people?"
She nods.
"As many as it requires."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet
Director Elon Veritaas knows he is riding a fine line between the law and his own sense of justice. His actions could be viewed as illegal, even criminal, but he is bound by a code to do right by those who do right. He had learned from the examples set by Frank Farmer and Kyri Patten and helped to clean up the streets of Coronet and keep the peace throughout Corellia. He had never involved himself in the trivialities of politics save for those used to navigate leadership in CorSec. Meeting Senator Soldys and Della Avers began to change that. Seeing the brightness of hope in Riley Patten's eyes only fortified his evolving role in protecting the people. Taking in the fugitive Counselor and her Jedi companion only made his new vision more clear.
The Republic cannot be trusted.
After all the time spent pitching to gain admittance, they were almost immediately swept up in the sluggish tug of war the government had been criticized for in their previous incarnations. They had swooped into their Sector wanting to investigate Centerpoint much to their surprise and skepticism. In the beginning, Speaker Apteen promised a difference from the past and up until recently his bold leadership showed promise of that declaration. Now, with a separatist faction known as The Concealed gaining traction on Chandaar, they are on the precipice of a civil war that threatens to destroy all they had worked so hard to build. Corellia is tied to that in more ways than one and despite their moral objections, they are contractually bound to provide goods and services. The CEC has done well for them even after the setback and "loss" of Vice President Tacofer. President Mangum is as prudent and driven as they come. His efforts have kept the cyclical relationship between Corellia and Chandaar operating smoothly. The business side of their alliance had kept them out of the more delicate political matters but Senator Soldys' objections to the Speaker's restrictive laws and discriminating policies have not gone unnoticed. The people of Corellia back Soldys but it is only a matter of time before they would be forced into the matter head first.
Will the precautions he took be enough?
They will see.
Elon sits at his desk and uploads the records of the new agent joining their ranks from Denon. The role Donovan Atrii will play is that is Cale Theon. His bio is scant in detail, revealing only that he served as a security operative at a respectable mining company that had since gone under and relocated to Corellia to start a new life. His application included his previous work history in the relevant field and he was accepted after the Director personally met with him. Della had done wonders with his appearance, shaving off his trademark locks and altering the color of his eyes using special contacts. His handsomeness is a problem but that cannot be helped. She worked with Donovan to change his speech patterns to sound more working-class, despite his impeccable and aristocratic upbringing. Donovan settles into the part well and dutifully enters the CorSec training program where he is able to more than pull his own while keeping an eye on Riley when Veritaas must tend to other business.
Della also crafts an identity for Circe Prescott, cutting her hair into a fashionable bob and bleaching it a striking white-blonde. She selects a light blue contact for her eyes and updates her look to be softer and more feminine, less like the bulky political attire she work on Chandaar. Choosing an appropriate name is key and so they settle on Octavia Valles. Della creates a background of Octavia's escape from Bastion after the Imperial-Republic clash then applied for and was granted asylum on Corellia. Octavia worked as an office administrator and volunteered at the Palleon Gardens which made her an obvious choice for Della's assistant working out at the Patten Ranch.
This information is uploaded into the CorSec database by Veritaas while Della files the paperwork for Octavia with the People's Council.
There was a very serious talk with Riley about these new people and what role they would play. Riley, Maker bless him, is only too happy to help. He knows this is very important and any leaks could cause trouble for them. He takes the time to memorize their fabricated bio's and makes a point to tell them both how much he appreciates what they are doing. He may be young but he does know the Republic is on the wrong side of history in making these choices. He does not want people to suffer for who they are as he knows what it is like to be judged by what a name stands for.
The final piece lies with Doctor Tivoli Cross who matches their blood work with their new identities and attaches them to their files within the CorSec database. For the most part the transition has been seamless and both Cale and Octavia take their new places among the Corellian's.
The bustle of life continues.
There are so many balls in the air; Mara's whereabouts unknown, the ever persistent Republic team investigating the wreckage of Centerpoint, Riley's presence and it's many implications, the Republic situation, and now new additions to the team.
As the web of lies grows larger, the chances of others becoming tangled in it is much greater.
Circe Prescott - "Octavia Valles"
(http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/229/5/e/michelle_williams_by_cfischer83-d6imlc4.jpg)
Jedi Donovan Atrii - "Cale Theon"
(https://a3-images.myspacecdn.com/images04/8/2593b8fb94db40f28315fd6883df7db8/full.jpg)
-TBC
-
"Oh, I remember when this road was my own
I pray to god, I just don't know anymore."
-Haim
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
The strangeness of a new identity settles over Circe. She barely recognizes her own face in the mirror. She is Octavia now. Never one for the latest fashions, she generally preferred basic neutrals that suited her position as a Republic Counselor. Women were often judged for their appearance. Anything too provocative would not be taken seriously. She had always leaned toward the more masculine attire but not anymore. Della's makeover is as striking as it is severe.
Octavia is polished and feminine with makeup and a sultry wardrobe that befits an expressive and free Corellian woman. She is reminded of Melanie who, even in the most desperate of times on Arbra, still managed to look effortlessly stunning. Despite this transformation, she must remain at the Patten Ranch to assist Della. Joining her in Coronet would be too great a risk this close her to "death." Conversely, Donovan completes the rigorous training at CorSec Academy posing as the Denonite Cale Theon. He must prove himself as a standout agent before he could be transferred here. Apparently, he is a hit with the recruits who appreciates his work ethic. That's hardly surprising considering his Jedi training. Octavia is just happy to be serving the people again. Della is grateful for the help as balancing her duties with raising a teenager isn't easy. Still, Riley is a wonderful boy who makes strides in spite of all he has been through.
As a gentle snow falls, Octavia pulls on a jacket and steps out onto the patio and wanders toward the sunken gardens. She had heard much about them and wonders if they would bring her the same peace. The thick flakes melt against her warm skin and she smiles.
"It's a snow garden."
She turns, startled.
Riley trudges out in his boots and hat.
"That's what I call it when it sticks to all the bushes and trees."
"It is beautiful."
"Wait until summer. This place is magic."
"You like it here?"
"It's my home," he says. "It's where I belong."
She stares out into the swirls of white.
"That must be comforting. I'm not sure where I belong anymore."
"Here with us."
"You are sweet," she says softly with a sigh. "Everyone thinks we're dead. My brother, Donovan's sister. We've hurt them and there is no way to ease that pain. Not without consequences."
"If it makes you feel any better, no one even knew I existed up until a few months ago. I was just part of a legend, a story people passed around."
"You are so much more than that."
"I know," Riley laughs. "And so are you. This isn't the end for you or for him. In fact, this is your chance to fix the problem from another angle."
"I forget you also hid yourself under a different name. In the end, you could not deny who you truly are even at great risk."
"Aunt Mara taught me to be brave."
"Right…"
She trails off. The Valerie clone android hybrid thing. One of how many? No one can be absolutely sure. Now that she is dead they should not be popping up out of the woodwork. She decides not to press him on the subject as she does not want to upset him. Losing his caretaker could not have been easy for him.
"Bravery is an admirable quality and one that runs in the family."
"You mean my mother?"
She nods.
"Did you know her?"
"Yes. We met on Arbra when the Jedi Masterton brought her to us. Back then the Republic was weak, hiding from the Empire and trying to fight against its dark influence. As I am sure you have been told, The Four played integral parts in galactic events. The prophecy involved many people but eventually, it was discovered that your mother was arguably the most important piece of that puzzle."
"The One who carried a child. I read it."
"Kimber was frightened but bold and determined. The Jedi knew the only way through the crisis was in taking the lives of those who stood to gain from the prophecy before they took us out first. Melanie charged me with counseling Kimber. I was barely twenty then, so naïve to the scope and scale of the threat against us."
Riley knocks snow off a branch.
"Did she want me?"
It is a particularly heavy question for a teen.
"Absolutely," Circe says, smiling as she remembers fragments of their weekly talks. "Although she did confess to being scared. Every new mother is. She was also sad that they had to lose so many in order to survive. She cared very deeply for those she loved. Losing them was incredibly difficult for her."
"I can't even imagine."
"I do remember how she would lay on the couch in my office and rub her stomach as she spoke. The tenderness of those moments always made me smile."
There is a light in his eyes.
"Thank you."
She extends a hand and together they walk deeper into the snow.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
Under the cover of darkness, Director Elon Veritaas and CorSec Agent "Cale Theon" arrive at the Patten Ranch. Della Avers greets them at the front walk and they head inside where "Octavia Valles" is waiting by the dining room table.
"The Speaker is dead," Circe says. "Should we not return to Chandaar and help put the pieces back together?"
Donovan shakes his head, "I do not believe that is wise."
Veritaas nods.
"I would have to agree. This is a dangerous time and even with the demise of Speaker Apteen, the Senate itself is in turmoil."
"Artemis can help calm the unrest," Della says.
"Help, yes. But I do not believe he alone can restore peace."
"He can if he runs for Speaker."
Donovan crosses his arms, "I'm not sure he has the support to get him in office. He has many enemies in the Senate, some that never wanted Corellia granted membership into the Republic in the first place. Senator Ingrat is his most vocal opponent and the one closest to Apteen at the time of his death. I have no doubt he would make any attempt Soldys made at running difficult. Even now, Ingrat has Republic agents scouring the remains of the Centerpoint Station."
"We don't even know what they are looking for," Della says. "They have been vague at best with the People's Council. Rumors of their motives run rampant and range from harnessing the weapon it once was to finding the remains of Winton, Masterton and Patten."
"That is dreadfully morbid," Circe says, shuttering. She had never been on the station. Melanie had sent her away from Judec's orbital platform before they relocated. Despite her resistance, the order had spared her their fate. Kent Carlson curled his story into her hands and she boarded a shuttle to seek help from a fledgling Republic that had failed them. Their most recent circumstances signal a second disappointment yet her nature still compels her to fight on.
"We know they cannot be trusted. With the former Speaker's last testament to the deep mistrust of Force users; we cannot be certain what they are after."
Donovan gasps, stepping back from the table.
Circe reaches out, "What is it? What's wrong?"
The Jedi brings his gaze up to meet the others.
"I have felt a great disturbance in the Force, the cries of my allies suddenly extinguished."
"Other Jedi?"
He nods weakly.
"Where?"
"Our numbers are scattered, many of whom remained on the worlds they were sent to defend. Their cries were filled with terror and now they are…gone."
"Have they perished?" Della asks with alarm.
"I fear they have."
"We can't simply reach out to others since the worlds believe us dead. Maybe it's time…"
"No," Donovan says. "We will investigate but we must remain hidden. My duty is to protect the Counselor and the Patten boy. I realize now, after all that has happened, that this is what I was destined to do. Whatever legacy lingers around those who survived, the key still lies in the four families."
"How can you know that?" Veritaas says.
"Can you honestly say that you do not feel it too? Your devotion to a boy you never knew existed until months ago is proof of that. You have risked your career to keep him safe. So has Della. Those that surround them are placed there for a reason. You do not need the Force to recognize what he means, what they all mean. The Jedi Council had kept watch over the others to ensure they remained secure in the Corporate Sector but there are some who always considered them a potential threat. We were not as surprised as everyone else when the Patten boy revealed himself. It completed a picture that had been unclear and imbalanced. Two with the gift, two called to serve as Touchstones."
"The prophecy," Circe breathes.
"I thought that died on Centerpoint."
"Or it was just the beginning."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
Donovan Atrii kneels in the sunken gardens, deep in meditation. He lets the world around him fall away. Since the other night, he has been unable to shake an underlying sense of dread about his fellow Jedi. He has taken all the precautions to shield himself from being visible through the Force, dampening his own signature to prevent being found. He is, after all, supposed to be dead. That means no one would be looking for him.
He does not believe that is the case for the others. He had felt another tremor through the Force this morning, another connection extinguished. He knows this cannot be a coincidence. With the Jedi spread so far apart since their expulsion from their chambers on Chandaar, they were more vulnerable. While most had been given instructions following the loss at Bastion, he had remained on the Republic capital to help manage the public crisis. This led him to Counselor Prescott, a true champion of their cause and for all civil rights. His path began to change and after their "death" they found themselves on Corellia under the sanctuary of Director Veritaas and Della Avers. Their kindness touches him deeply but he wonders what their courage would cost them. Corellia has always had a strained relationship with the Republic. Harboring them could cause the rift to widen or break. He hopes that is not the case.
Donovan and Circe have done well here. Playing the roles of Cale and Octavia, they began to build new lives around the new identities. As Cale, Donovan has completed the training program with the CorSec Academy and won the respect of his peers. Veritaas had then assigned him to the Patten Ranch as planned to oversee the protection of Riley Patten. Circe has been able to help Della tremendously given that she had to balance her work on the People's Council with raising a teenager. Circe has thrived in her new position, somewhat saddened that she could not interact with the populous as much as she would like. Still, she serves the people and strives to make their lives better. It is something she has always loved. These new identities are part of their journey.
His journey had begun long ago and became an emancipation from his former self.
Born and raised in the Corporate Sector to arguably the wealthiest and most powerful family, Donovan was a typical byproduct. His father's sister, Abra, had been married to Lord Rutherford Gellar and after she died under mysterious circumstances and his cousin, Blair, committed suicide, his father became a cold shell of a man. Donovan did his best to become everything his father ever wanted. Handsome, charming and arrogant, he became a popular and influential figure at Valor Prep. He was an athlete and a ladies man who won championships and broke hearts. It was never enough. He found the bottle his senior year and drank his way through the first term of university. With his grades in shambles and his legacy hanging by a thread, Donovan threw himself into the party circuit. The club scene on Mondder back then was legendary. Costumes and music and drugs were all part of the decadent revelry.
He and his friends travelled around the galaxy, following DJ's and opening clubs. They were paid handsomely for their appearances, even though none of them needed it. He became the playboy party fixture, frequently appearing in Holo-tabs with eyes half-closed and a smirk on his face. One summer, he even partied at the famous Club Hex on Hesperidium, knocking back drinks and checking out Imperial models Karen Winton and Kimber Patten on the dance floor. On Corellia, he had been so drunk that he was unaware he passed his second-cousin, Valerie Gellar, on the way to do lines in the bathroom.
His reckoning came on a night on Zeltros. The club was packed and he had taken so many pills he had lost count, washing them down with colorful drinks. A blonde emerged from the crowd, so stunningly beautiful that he could focus on only her. She smiled and took his hand, leading him out of the club. The next thing he remembered, he was in bed in a strange hotel room. The blonde was sitting in a chair on the other side of the room. Disoriented, he sat up and coughed. His throat was burning and he felt weak. Unknown to him, she had run his biological samples as he slept and confirmed what her Master had said.
"We had to pump your stomach," she said evenly. "You overdosed."
"Did I? How do you know?"
"Because I've been there. I took so many pills I almost died. If it wasn't for my friends I wouldn't be here right now. I'm paying that favor forward."
"What do you want?"
"I'm here to help."
"I don't need your help," he said, struggling to get out of bed. He fell to the floor, exhausted and shaking.
"I beg to differ, mister Atrii. You are in a desperate state, a crossroads, if you will."
"How do you know who I am?"
She switches on the projector and cycles through until she finds stories of the previous night, his waxy face plastered across the pages of the tabs.
"The obvious aside, we've felt your pain for a while now. It radiates off of you. You may look the part but you are not like the other boys. You sense things more deeply than others and your athletic prowess was enhanced by your ability to utilize more of your physical strengths. Instead of embracing these abilities, instead of questioning their origins, you chose to douse them in substances. I can relate. It can be a burden, if you allow it to be. It can also be a source of hope and enlightenment, an opportunity to transcend the banal existence of a socialite."
He focused on her face, "You look…familiar."
"I should. You've seen me before. Everyone has. But that was before I embraced what I am."
"What are you?"
She rose from the chair and crossed the room, flipping off the projector.
"I am someone who has been able to find peace with who I am and what I can do. You are suffering; mister Atrii and you are coping with that suffering by drowning in excess. You cannot run from what you are or where you came from. You want more from this life but you do not know how to get it. You are confused, lost and alone even when you are constantly surrounded by people. These people don't understand and they never will. Not like those I represent."
"What? Like, a company? Is this some sort of pitch?"
She sighed, tucking a long blonde curl behind her ear.
"No, it is an offer to change. They sent me to you because they felt you would be more receptive to someone…."
"Gorgeous?"
"With a similar background. We may have grown up on opposite sides of the galaxy but both in extreme privilege and self-involved, seldom seen parents. I know what it is like to try and live up to impossible expectations. The bar is set so high you feel it is easier to just lose yourself in the roar than even attempt to reach it. But you are special, mister Atrii. You possess a connection that few others do. The question is; do you want to continue your spiral until it kills you or do you want to finally find the peace that has eluded you your entire life?"
He didn't know if it was withdraw or the emotional gravity of her words but he became overwhelmed and sobbed into his hands. The entire pretense and the bullshit he had been using a shield came crashing down.
"I do need help," he croaked.
She took his hand, "That admission is your first step."
He nodded and looked up at her.
"Who are you?"
And she smiled, "My name is Melanie."
Donovan had left his friends without a word, boarding her shuttle in silence. She flew to Yavin IV and helped him through the worst withdraw of his life. He had screamed and puked and writhed his way across the passenger cabin. Melanie wiped his brow, kept him company and offered support through it all. By the time they arrived, he was shaken to the core, sober for the first time in what seemed like years. At the bottom of the ramp, waiting for him, was an old man in a brown robe.
"Welcome, Donovan Atrii. I am Master Adin Corrin."
From there, he learned of his unique connection to the Force and how it had played a role in his previous successes. He was skeptical at first and frightened when Melanie left Yavin on her own quest but he came to terms with who he was. He learned and trained and fought through the demons of his past. It took longer as he was much older than the others who had begun training at a young age. He was stubborn but determined and Master Corrin's patience showed him a side of humanity he had never experienced. Corrin taught him the value of life and protecting those who needed them. He accompanied the Jedi on missions, forged his own saber and provided support to the group when Melanie was killed in the battle of Centerpoint. They traveled to Chandaar where they found sanctuary beneath the Senate Hall and protected to the citizens of the Republic as it rose from the ashes of the Imperial defeat.
When he was ready, he returned to the Corporate Sector to discover he had a little sister, Demaris whom he cherished above all else. His parents were outraged by his disappearance and foray into what they saw as an ancient cult. He explained that the Jedi had helped him overcome his addiction and find peace but his father was furious that his only son would forgo the family legacy for spiritual enlightenment. Demaris idolized him but his parents forbid him from influencing her. Curious, he had run her samples and sent it to the Jedi. Demaris held the same markers he did with the same potential. Not wanting to make any decisions for her, he requested that the Jedi not pursue her as a candidate. His request was granted and Donovan remained on Chandaar with the Jedi.
Donovan opens his eyes. How time changes things.
The gardens are just beginning to bud. Spring is still young but the change is near. He reflects on the past and remains firm in his choices. Riley comes into view, leading Circe to a large planter with the first signs of growth. She looks happy as Riley explains something to her and his heart swells. They are forbidden from love and for years it had never been an issue. The more time he spends with her, the larger the danger. He had taken vows yet he finds himself drawn to her. He has never expressed these feelings and kept his desire in check to remain focused on why they are here.
Someone had used a teenager to try and kill Circe. Their efforts to investigate why have been fruitless. The culprit does not know they had failed. However, Speaker Apteen was assassinated shortly after. The RSB has not been able to make a connection but Donovan does not think it a stretch. Someone wants a change in the Republic and they have gone to great and horrifying lengths to achieve it. The unknown lies before them as the call for the next Speaker begins. Who would lead them in this time of crisis? Darkness swirls beneath the surface and with the scattered Jedi's signature's disappearing; he fears they may be at the dawn of a new era.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
It was an unexpected visit when Director Elon Veritaas appeared at the entrance to the Patten ranch. Della Avers opened the door with a curious smile.
"Director? are you here to see Riley?"
He shook his head.
"No - I'm here to see you. You, and the jedi"
Della nodded her head, allowing the CorSec Director to enter. Then she hurried out to the sunken gardens, pulling Donovan Atrii from his mediation, before both returned.
"We have received a request from the jedi on Chandaar"
"A request?"
Veritaas nodded.
"Jedi Master Agnant contacted Senator Soldys. He has asked if the jedi can seek refuge on Corellia. The senator contacted the governor's office just a few hours ago to relay the request, and I was present at that meeting. Apparently, there is some concern that the jedi are not just being discriminated against anymore. There is concern that they are being murdered, and whoever is doing it is using the fact that they are scattered and vulnerable to make this an opportune time."
Donovan had felt the tremors in the force of late, but hearing that his suspicions were more than that ...
"Do we know - "
Veritaas shook his head "very little detail was presented. Whatever Agnant told Artemis, it doesn't seem like anyone is certain of the facts, and Artemis wanted to keep it as official -and as brief- a communication as possible. The governor hasn't made a decision yet, but he is leaning toward providing the sanctuary the jedi are asking for. Jedi Atrii - you are presumed dead, but if the jedi come here, that might complicate things for you. Should we inform Master Agnant that you are alive?"
Atrii placed his head down for a moment, before shaking his head.
"Not yet - when he arrives on Corellia, I will meet with him in person. Like the senator, I do not trust that the comm between here and Chandaar is sufficiently secure, and I cannot reveal myself to Master Agnant through the force without revealing my presence to others as well."
"Very good. I will let you know as soon as the governor finalizes his decision."
"Thank you"
TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
It had come as a deep blow when news of the explosion reached those on Corellia. It was the second of two transports carrying some of the youngest and most vulnerable jedi leaveing out of Chandaar. Communication had been so careful, such that not even those on the receiving end knew when the transports were expected to arrive. When the first did appear, they were quickly shuttled to the Patten ranch. Donovan Atrii and Cersei Prescott had remained hidden initially, but with the realization of how many had disappeared or been killed, a decision had to be made.
Of the seven members of the Jedi Council, 5 were presumed dead - Masters Agnant, Yin-Go, Waring, Bolden, and Chinyani. Master Manoth, a twilek jedi who had been assigned to Junction and Besh Gorgon, had after the disaster at Bastion taken command of a Firespray craft, and let a half-dozen jedi pilots on regular patrols of the two systems, based on an abandoned platform in Besh Gorgon. Their constant mobility meant they weren't as easy a target. Yet. But Manoth had not been reached with word of the jedi's regrouping. The seventh, of course, was Atrii himself, junior to Manoth, but currently, the only one in a position to lead the younger jedi himself. With that knowledge, he had revealed himself to them, embracing friends and comforting padawans.
Della had offered the Patten ranch, massive in size, as a temporary home for the jedi, far from prying eyes, and the Corellian government had provided additional security of its own along the outer perimeter. At Atrii's behest, non-jedi personnel were kept on the outskirts, where they needn't know who the newest residents were.
Atrii was now in the process of organizing the remaining jedi, what felt like a handful at most - a dozen from Chandaar had successfully made it, and maybe five or six from other worlds where they had been scattered. Many might still be out there, but the order had been small to begin with, and in addition to the masters, some 15-20 were presumed dead. The last of the more senior (at least, senior now) jedi was Nevylinn, who had been stationed in the Corporate Sector. A message had been relayed from the governor that contact with 'the corporate one' had been achieved. Donovan, Della, and Circe had been waiting anxiously for her arrival.
That's when Della got Mara' unexpected comm message. Brief, and leading to more questions than answers, it left a true sense of foreboding.
That a sith was alive - one believed dead - would certainly lend an explanation to the dying jedi. Atrii had been told only a brief amount of information about the mysterious sith woman that had kidnapped the children ('the four') and held Dahlia hostage even after the rescue attempt. None of it helped the riddle. ANd who was the daughter of darkness? What did it mean? hopefully, Nevylinn would arrive safely. ANd would help explain the puzzle.
*******************
Nevylinn had taken the shuttle, spending most of the long journey from the Corporate Sector toward the core contemplating the dream. Nevylinn knew she had to leave, and knew that the Republic was not any safer than the Corporate Sector. That had left only one option - Corellia. Corellia was distant enough from the Republic and sympathetic to the jedi. There, she could at least get her bearings, choose her next move.
Plus, she felt drawn by the force to Corellia. She felt that there she would find kindred spirits and answers to her questions.
So it was to Corellia she had traveled, alone in her shuttle for days on end. The galaxy was large, after all.
When she arrived, she immediately sensed that she should hide her identity, and rather than register with authorities, she asked to be connected to the patten ranch, where Miss Avers was currently living.
A comm connection was made, but it was not Della Avers that answered.
Donovan Atrii, with a thin smile on his face.
"Nevylinn - I'm glad your alive. We have a lot of catching up to do"
TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
With Director Veritaas' assistance, the Jedi Nevylinn is able to bypass central command and alter course to land at the ranch. She had been shocked at seeing Donovan Atrii alive but neither had wished to discuss details over the com. He invited her to the Patten Ranch, a Jedi sanctuary where others from around the galaxy had been summoned. She wonders how many of them had made it. Once outside, she inhales the fresh country air. It is a welcome change from the filtered air during the long journey. Donovan is waiting for her at the bottom of the ramp. They embrace tightly, thankful to be reunited. She steps back.
"How many of us are there?"
"Not many, I'm afraid."
"The Masters?"
He shakes his head.
She sighs, glancing down. It is as she had feared. As she had seen in her dreams. Adubell was systematically extinguishing the Jedi. Donovan welcomes her inside where she is introduced to CorSec Director Elon Veritaas and says hello to Riley Patten. The boy had grown considerably since she last saw him, clearly taking to life on Corellia. She is inwardly grateful that Corrin's sacrifice had yielded such positive results in Riley and Gemma.
Through the large windows, Nevylinn can see a few young Jedi meditating near the entrance to what appears to be a massive garden. The entire situation borders on the surreal when Donovan's voice steers her back to the room.
"There is someone else you need to see."
A woman, beautiful with short white blonde hair joins them. There is something familiar about her but she cannot place it.
"Nevylinn, you remember Counselor Circe Prescott."
"You're alive as well," she breathes, moving closer to take her hands. "The explosion…"
"Was a tragic event," Circe finishes. "One that we barely escaped."
"I don't understand how."
"I spotted the device as it was being thrown from the crowd and used a Force shield to cover myself and the Counselor as it detonated. The smoke and flames provided the cover for us to flee but it was Senator Soldys who arranged for our passage off of Chandaar."
"We changed our appearances and names to legitimize our presence, Donovan as Cale Theon and I as Octavia Valles. Director Veritaas graciously accepted Donovan into CorSec so that he could be assigned to protect Riley and Della took me on as an administrator for her in the People's Council. We have been able to help a great deal since we've been here and I am thankful we can help the Jedi now. I just wish it were under better circumstances. I am deeply sorry for your losses, both of you."
"Thank you," Nevylinn says. "I am thankful to see you both alive and well. Do you know who was responsible for the blast?"
"It is included in the brief in your room and I am certainly interested in your theories later but the more pressing issue is ensuring the remaining Jedi arrive here safely."
"Who else knows we are here?"
Veritaas crosses his arms.
"Senator Soldys, doctor Tivoli Cross and a trusted handful of Corellian officials. This collaboration is how we were able to arrange for the Jedi to be granted sanctuary. Clearly, we do not stand for the injustice of the FURA but must tread carefully as Senator Soldys well knows. Although the Republic is under new leadership, the FURA has not been directly addressed by Speaker Leeds as his cabinet and the Senate focuses primarily on the Imperial threat. This distraction buys us time to regroup but we are far from out of the woods. Unfortunately, we do not have much intel on those who are hunting the Jedi as the reports for each incident seem to indicate an accident or disaster. These incidents are tactical and precise, covering up any potential pattern for local authorities or media outlets."
Nevylinn swallows hard, the truth weighing on her.
Donovan looks to her, "Does anyone know you are here?"
"No," she says. "Garron Prescott and Kylie Miranda came to me on D'ian and warned me about the Jedi murders. We agreed that leaving was the best options since my arrival had been publicized."
Circe looks pained at the mention of her brother, someone who believes her dead. He was always clever but she is surprised he and the Gellar-Masterton au pair came to Nevylinn with this information.
"How did they know?"
"A contact of Garron's in the Republic, Janessa Kain."
"The Sector liaison?" Veritaas asks incredulously. "Can she be trusted?"
"She is unaware of our location, as are Garron and Kylie, but I believe Janessa no longer has faith in the Republic. After the RSB attacked Garron on Chandaar, they forced her to return him to the Sector. She was devastated, shaken, but returned to Chandaar to continue business. I am uncertain as to how she came upon this information."
"Artemis told her."
Della Avers appears on the edge of the room.
"He thought the most discreet way to you was through her. They arranged a meeting under the pretense of Corporate Sector discussions and he asked for her assistance. She told Garron to warn you. So, yes, her faith has been shaken. All of ours has."
This settles over the room.
"Jedi Nevylinn, may we speak in private?"
"Of course."
She excuses herself and follows Della. They turn and head down a corridor and enter a large office. Della taps the door closed and faces her. Nevylinn can sense great turmoil within her.
"Is everything alright?"
"You were acquainted with Mara Tacofer, correct?"
"Briefly," she says. "We met during the rescue of Riley and Gemma. She was the Federation Ambassador before merging with the Corellian Engineering Corporation and named their Vice President. If I am not mistaken, she was killed in an accident with her ship here in outskirts of the Corellian Sector."
Della grimaces, "Not exactly."
"Not exactly…what?"
"Killed. She's not dead but for obvious reasons she intends on allowing everyone to believe she is. I had not heard from her months when I got a distressing call this afternoon with a message….for you."
Nevylinn takes this in, "For me?"
"She told me she had a dream about Adubell, the Sith you faced on Korriban. She told me she is alive."
Her blood turns to ice.
"Alive."
Della nods.
"She said the dream was about Adubell and about the Daughter of Darkness. She said you would know what that means."
"That's impossible."
"What is?"
"That Mara Tacofer could know this."
"Why?"
Nevylinn's eyes are wide and locked with Della's.
"Because I had that dream too."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface
It is close to midnight and Director Elon Veritaas waits near the loading docks in the spaceport. He leans against a wall shrouded in shadow as he casually observes the scene. Cargo is lifted from holds and placed onto skiffs for transport. Nevylinn had asked him to retrieve another Jedi refugee they had arranged to come to Corellia. She gave very few details but noted the refugee was coming from deep within Imperial territory. The obvious questions aside, Elon was more than happy to help.
The Jedi sanctuary had mercifully gone unnoticed by the larger Corellian public. Given the remoteness of the Patten Ranch, it made the perfect hideout. The Jedi did not leave the estate and wore more neutral attire that made them appear local, drawing less attention from any of the agents on this detail. The amount of secrets inside those walls is simply staggering. The Republic's ever wavering stability offers a welcome distraction.
Riley has grown so immensely in his skills and the Director could not be more proud. He knows their laws and offers creative methods through which to investigate the cases he shares with him. Riley is also a bit of a weapons expert, having devoured all the coursework and training in the armory. His marksmanship is unrivaled at and Academy, showing up even the most seasoned field agents. He had earned the nickname "Riles" at One CorSec Plaza.
Donovan's words about his connection to a boy he hardly knew have never left his mind. The boy's parents are dead and his guardian gone fighting to uncover the larger plot that surrounds him and the others. He and Della had come to serve as his de facto parental units and they respond with his education and safety at the forefront of all they do. Riley is a teenager and can be curious and impulsive. He trusts willingly and loves openly in much the same way his mother did. However, that naiveté cost Kimber and her friends their lives. He would not be unprepared for the way the worlds really are. Elon has no qualms about being stern when teaching a lesson. If he still plays a role in a prophecy they all thought had long come to pass, Riley would be ready.
A figure breaks from the line of workers and droids, heading toward him. It is short and wears a cloak with a large hood. He pushes up off the wall and steps out of the shadows. The figure moves more distinctly in his direction and only stops right in front of him.
"Director?"
The voice is young and female and she sounds like she had been crying.
"Yes."
"Can we, um, go?"
"Of course," he says, walking briskly back toward his speeder. She follows but does not remove her hood. He races out of the city and even after they have left the lights behind, she clutches the cloak around her tightly. Elon signals the Ranch for their arrival and the gates are opened enough for him to pass inside before sealing shut once again.
"Here we are. Safe and sound."
It is then he sees a human hand poking out from beneath the cloak, curled around what looks like folded paper. She extends it toward him and relaxes her fist slowly so he is able to take the paper from her hand. Elon unfolds the crumpled edges. On the paper is a hideous creature, crudely drawn with what looks like a black marker. His face tightens with alarm.
"What is this?"
She says nothing, lowers her head.
Nevylinn appears by the side of speeder, "I see we made it. Thank you, Director."
He nods as she helps the girl up and ushers her quickly into the residence. Doctor Tivoli Cross would arrive in the morning for a diagnostic which is standard for all the arriving refugees. He glances down at the paper again. Jagged teeth with jaws open wide. Melted or disfigured flesh. The sheer, blinding malevolence she managed to capture in its eyes. He glances back up to the house, wary.
Who is this girl and what has she seen?
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface
Screaming.
Spinning out of control through a rush of ocean air.
The girl gasps and sits upright, focusing on the woman sitting on the corner of her bed. She is pretty with a deeper olive skin and a warm smile.
"I didn't mean to startle you. My name is Tivoli Cross. I'm the CorSec medical director and a friend of the Jedi Nevylinn. Do you remember where you are?"
"Corellia."
"That's right. I just need to run a few tests. Is that okay?"
She nods slowly, slipping out from under the covers. Tivoli runs a basic exam to ensure the girl is physically unharmed. The emotional aspects of her ordeal would be more difficult and she leaves her to rest. Tivoli joins Director Veritaas and Nevylinn in the dining room.
"How is she?"
"Pretty shaken up but otherwise unharmed. There are no signs of physical trauma that I can see but if you would like we can do further testing. Do we know what happened? She wouldn't say much to me."
"Not entirely," Nevylinn says. "She cried out through the Force, pleading for help. I guided her here as best I could without compromising us."
Veritaas crosses his arms.
"You said she was within Imperial borders. Why?"
"Vacationing with friends."
"So, she's part of the Empire?"
"No."
"I don't understand."
"We need to give it time, let her settle in, and then we will go over details further. Did she say anything to you on the ride here?"
"Not a thing. She kept under that hood like she was hiding from something and I think I know what."
Nevylinn and Tivoli are suddenly very alert.
Veritaas fishes the paper from his uniform.
"She was clutching this. It looks like it was drawn by hand."
He unfolds it on the table as the women move for a closer look. Nevylinn is puzzled but Tivoli's gasp is sharp as she backs away from the table.
"Doctor Cross?"
There is fear in her wide, brown eyes.
"I've…seen that…that creature."
"You have? Where?"
Her eyes flicker briefly to Veritaas then back to Nevylinn. She touches her throat reflexively, where it had grabbed her.
"In the lab. The day Riley's sample was stolen."
"This is the creature you saw?"
"Yes."
"You are absolutely certain?"
"I will never forget that face."
Veritaas recalls the investigation of the break-in and theft. The agents and the doctor all described some kind of alien species they were unfamiliar with. They called it a monster. The hitch was that there was no trace of this thing. No one saw it leave and it hasn't been seen since. The most mysterious piece of her story was that she claimed it had changed. It was one thing and became something else.
"Nevylinn, does this look at all familiar to you?"
The Jedi studies the drawing carefully before shaking her head.
"I will have to consult the others, see what we have in our records. We must know how these creatures are connected…"
"It looked like you."
They all turn to find the girl standing in the arched doorway.
"I heard Master Nevylinn's voice in my head, telling me to come, and so I went. I went to the Masterton suite and saw you standing in the living room. Except it wasn't you. It was…that thing. It changed…all its flesh melting away…and it attacked me….it threw me over the balcony and I fell…I fell so far…."
She begins to cry.
"I didn't know if it was real, if I had dreamt it."
"It wasn't a dream," Tivoli says, moving toward her. "I saw it too."
"You did?"
She nods.
"So, I'm not crazy?"
"No, sweetie. You aren't crazy."
The girl crumples into the doctors arms sobbing. Tivoli comforts her, slowly rocking back and forth.
Veritaas frowns.
"Nevylinn, who is this girl?"
Nevylinn raises her eyes to his.
"She is Demaris Atrii."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
She had cried so many tears.
The terror and sadness pull her into a state of despair. The room is her fortress where she can be alone to cower and writhe across the sheets. Visions of the monster haunt her, its horrible features so vivid in her mind. Its hot breath against her skin. The sensation of its scarred flesh gripping her as it hurled her over the edge of the balcony. She seems to spin forever, the void beyond the Bolerathon tower waiting like the jaws of the monster as it spoke her name.
Her panic spurred a deepening of her connection to the Force and she reached out with everything she had. She pulled herself out of the spiral, close enough to the tower to grip the railing of balcony a dozen stories below the Masterton Penthouse. She clawed her way back up and collapsed onto the deck in shock and exhaustion. The hours she spent curled into the ball did little to calm her. Even the morning sun, so brilliant and warm, could not ease her fear. She banged on the patio doors but no one came. Convinced she was alone; she used her powers to turn the latch and entered the musty residence. She fumbled through the bathroom, cleaning the cuts on her knees and elbow. She iced the dark bruises along her arms and wrist. There were clothes in the closet which she used to cover up the nightgown. She then packed a bag then cleared any trace she had been there. With a hooded cloak and large sunglasses, she crept out of the residence and down to the beach, staying in the shadows until nightfall.
She watched her friends pile out toward a hoverlimo, dressed to the nines and full of laughter. Only Ples looked concerned, staring back at the tower with uncertainty. She wanted to call out to him, to let him know she was okay but thought better of it. Instead, she cried out for Nevylinn, praying she would hear her. The call was answered with an invitation but there could be no rescue. She was deep in Imperial territory. She had to be resourceful, utilize her wits to get her out of here. More like her listening skills. So she entered the spaceport with all the conversations buzzing. She honed in on her destination like a keyword and sifted through the white noise until she found what she was looking for. That is how she was able to stow away on a passenger vessel full of older, wealthy retirees on their way to Corellia. Someone had family there and the others had never been.
Once they docked on Corellia, she had to walk a long way to the cargo landing area where someone named Veritaas would meet her. She tried to be invisible and stayed small and out of sight. No one ever saw her face until a few mornings ago when she woke to doctor Cross sitting on her bed.
They had mostly left her alone, coming by to deliver food or comforting words but she is plagued by nightmares and confusion. The doctor's admission made her feel slightly better but these effects were dampened by the fact that the Director and Jedi knew nothing of these monsters.
There is a rapping at the door.
Nevylinn enters the room, speaking softly.
"I thought you might want to see something. Something that may change things for you."
She clings to the covers, "Change how?"
"For the better, I hope."
The voice is known to her but she doesn't immediately recognize the man standing behind Nevylinn. His broad shoulders fill out a pressed CorSec uniform but that half-smile gives it away. She pulls herself fully upright, shaking her head in disbelief.
"Donovan…?"
"Yes, Demaris. It's me."
She tosses the covers aside and bounds across the room into his arms. She sobs into his chest and he waits until the tears have subsided. She looks up at him and rubs the top of his head.
"You cut off all your hair."
"Kind of a prerequisite with a secret identity."
"I don't understand….how? How are you here?"
"It's a long story."
She turns to Nevylinn, "You knew?"
"Not until just before I arrived on Corellia. I was surprised and delighted but not nearly as I expected you would be."
"What about the Counselor?"
"What about her?" Circe says, joining them in the room. She also looks dramatically different but thankfully alive. "It's nice to finally meet you, Demaris. Your brother has told me a lot about you."
"I'm so relieved you are both okay!"
Donovan holds her arms, "As I am glad to see you are well. We need to talk about what happened. Get dressed and we will meet you in the living room."
She frowns.
"Trust me," he says. "We are among friends here."
Demaris showers and changes into a basic black jumpsuit and pulls her hair into a loose ponytail. She practices breathing before she departs, willing herself to keep it together. Outside, the fresh air inside the house is fragrant with the sweetness of flowers. She smiles for the first time and moves through the hall into the living room. Director Veritaas is conferring with Donovan while Circe Prescott, Nevylinn, and doctor Cross sit around a table in the adjacent room with another woman and a boy that looks familiar to her.
"Demaris," Neylinn says. "I believe you know everyone here except for Della Avers and Riley Patten."
"Riley? You know Gemma, right?"
He nods.
"I've seen a picture of you in her room."
"Really?" Riley says, blushing. "That's, um, cool."
"Well, I'm Demaris Atrii. Otherwise known as the crazy girl. Sorry about that."
"It's perfectly understandable," Della says sweetly.
"We don't mean to pry given your experience," Veritaas continues. "But you have something important that may help us."
"Like what?"
He holds up the paper she was clutching. Thankfully it is folded.
"Information."
"What do you want to know?"
He offers her a seat at the table which she accepts.
Everyone is watching her.
"This isn't an interrogation but we need you to be as forthcoming as possible. Any little detail you can remember could help. The monster you saw on Hesperidium. It is the first time you have seen it?"
"Yes."
"Did it say anything to you?"
"Before it turned into the monster, yes. As Nevylinn. It spoke to me in my mind."
He glances at Nevylinn.
"That would indicate some kind of telepathic ability."
"Same as the Jedi or Sith?"
"Not necessarily."
Veritaas turns back to Demaris, "Did it say anything else?"
"It spoke to me again when I arrived. It told me they knew."
"They who?"
"My friends."
"Knew what?"
"About me. Being, you know Force sensitive."
"Do they?"
Demaris swallows, "Only one of them."
"Which one?"
"Ples Aguilar. He kind of figured it out but we were alone."
"Then the creature came?"
"No," she says. "Ples never saw it. None of them did. It was the middle of the night. I woke up to a voice in my head that sounded like Nevylinn and I followed it."
"Where?"
"The Masterton Penthouse."
"You had a key?"
"No, I, uh, kind of broke in. Nevylinn was standing in the living room."
"It looked exactly like her?"
"Entirely. It told me they knew about me and then it…changed."
"How did it change?"
She forces herself to be strong but her lip begins to tremble.
"The image of Nevylinn sort of, well, melted. And all that was left was this creature."
"Changelings," Veritaas muses. "Perhaps a Shi'ido or Clawdite?"
Nevylinn shakes her head, "I don't think so. We know what both species look like in their true form. Neither appears like this."
"Unless this is something they change into."
"It's not," Riley says. He had taken the drawing and unfolded it on the table. Now he is staring at it intensely. "I've seen these things too."
There are murmurs throughout the room.
Veritaas moves toward him, "Riley, are you sure?"
"Yes, we saw one on Chandaar. Aunt Mara was in a meeting with Rutherford Gellar and Celeste Masterton and we went out to an arcade. Gemma wandered off and when we found her, she was being threatened by one of those monsters."
"What happened?"
"Dahlia told Dane and me to take Gemma away so we did."
The name causes a ripple of tension.
"Dahlia Winton?"
"Yeah."
Nevylinn and Veritaas exchange a tense look.
"And after you left her with the creature?"
"We don't know. The security team found her passed out and the monster was gone."
Nevylinn kneels in front of Riley, "Do you know if Dahlia had seen these creatures before?"
"No, but I know Gemma has. She dreamed of them all the time growing up."
Veritaas' eyes widen, "Nevylinn, you were aware of this?"
"I was," she says. "Although she never described them to me in detail, she did reveal that they had haunted her throughout her childhood. She never mentioned she actually confronted one. When did she tell you this?"
"While we were prisoners on Korriban."
The wheels are starting to turn.
Nevylinn recalls the escape through the caves, the darkness and the attack. If they were on Korriban, does that mean they are working with the Mara clones? Or for them. Much of what happened was unseen as the only light emanated from their sabers. Losing Master Corrin is still a source of pain. She had felt the presences all around them as they fled, heard them screech and wail, but she never saw them. Her eyes drop to the unfolded sheet on the table.
Is this what laid in the darkness?
They now know the creatures were seen by the entirety of the new Four as well as Doctor Cross and Demaris Atrii. Twice the appearances correlated to Dahlia's presence – on Chandaar and Hesperidium. The appearance on Corellia related to Riley's genetic sample which signifies an objective. Scaring the children is one thing but attacking Demaris does not track with a clear agenda.
"If Gemma Masterton saw them first, she may be the key."
"The visions could have been sent to her to warn the others much the same way she knew Riley was in danger. In the past, Melanie Masterton was the more empathic which would make sense that Gemma inherited those attributes of the Force."
"Still," Donovan says. "There is no denying they are connected to The Four. I mean no offense by this but the doctor and Demaris could have just been collateral damage."
Tivoli follows this analytical train of thought.
"It only attacked me because I was there in the lab. I had what it wanted. But why would it target Demaris?"
"If it knew of her connection to the Force, it may have exploited that in order to lure her away from the others."
"For what purpose?"
"Those that surrounded the original Four were used to make them suffer. This could be history repeating itself."
Demaris gasps.
"If that's true then my friends are in danger. We have to help them."
"We can't," Veritaas says sternly. "It poses too great a risk to extract them or to intercede on their behalf. Not on Hesperidium."
Circe offers some optimism.
"But the Empire has called for peace with the Republic. Corellia is part of that Republic. An envoy into Imperial space would show goodwill."
"Not at this stage of the game. It's too early and nothing has been formally finalized."
"He's right," Della says. "Artemis says they are willing to talk but there have been no demands or concessions. We cannot risk it."
"I agree. With the Jedi so few in numbers, we must remain in the shadows. Donovan?"
His face is rigid with gaze trained on his sister.
"I'm sorry, Dem. We'll have to find another way."
-TBC
-
"And way down we go-o-o-o-o
Way down we go
Say way down we go
'Cause they will run you down, down til you fall
Way down we go."
-Kaleo
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
Demaris meditates in the fragrant, blooming sunken gardens with the other younger Jedi. She had spent the week training, learning from Nevylinn and Donovan. They said she had shown great strength in surviving her ordeal. Her quick thinking to draw from her connection with the Force had saved her life. Although Donovan had tried to spare her this path, he now sees her potential begin to flourish.
Was it her destiny all along?
Fate had reunited them as a family and the significance is not lost on him. There are so many unanswered questions about what she's been through, what she saw. The truth is, Demaris has proximity to the new Four and therein lays the problem. The fates of the friends of The Four were well documented. It was their proximity that had cost them their lives. It had almost cost Demaris hers. The creature assumed the guise of Nevylinn and spoke of Demaris' Force ability. It knew this about her despite that she had been suppressing her signature. Either the creature had always known about her or it had been told. The latter suggests a deeper motive, an agenda that implies there is someone else with answers, calling all the shots.
The beasts have a boss.
Nevylinn utilizes the resources at their disposal but the Jedi records have no matches for these creatures. Searches through the CorSec databases, even with Vertiaas' clearance, yield no results. So either these things are something new or something older than their records. Della introduces a more obscure theory; that any records or reference to the creatures have been redacted or eradicated. Circe expounds on the thought with a careful reminder that she had been sporadically under the influence of dark powers for over a decade. Whatever plans were unfolding, they had been in motion for a while. The group assumed it tied directly to The Four and the prophecy as the children of Winton, Masterton, Patten and Gellar became adolescent's.
"This reaches much further back," Donovan says. "Something that predates the Persephonea."
"Or another part of it."
The room becomes very still. Veritaas is pacing behind the table Circe, Donovan, Della and Nevylinn sit around.
"We don't know if what that obsessive reporter published about The Four was just the end of something. It may read like a finale and as much as I would like Riley to have been the shining hope prevailing, I'm not buying it. Not after everything that has happened. While I am certainly not an expert on ancient prophecies, I've heard enough stories to know they seldom have such a short incubation period. We all know the tale. Alexia Winton blindly digs a prophecy about her family out of a cave that comes to pass almost exactly a decade before abruptly ending here in the Corellian Sector."
Della crosses her arms, "As far as prophecies go, it was epic but brief. Suspiciously so."
Donovan nods.
"It was just the beginning. A precursor that set the tone for future events."
Circe grips the chair.
"Not to mention everything that has happened happened after we crossed the ten year anniversary of the Battle at Centerpoint Station. The kidnapping, the Wheel, the trial, the murders, everything….it all started then."
Nevylinn is pinned down by memories, searching through her own feelings to find something that may have been present all along. Melanie told her bad things started happening after they began at North Coruscant. There was escalation and confusion. Skip forward seven years to its violent conclusion in the space surrounding Centerpoint. It flows in a pattern familiar to her in stories and fables. There is a time of plotting, a time of execution, a time of peace and a time of resurgence.
This makes her question what the Jedi concluded about the Persephonea.
Could it really be only a fragment of the whole?
Della excuses herself to take a call in the other room. They must maintain appearances and obligations. Thankfully, they have found ways for their professional lives to intersect with their quest for the truth.
Nevylinn remembers the spark which started the blaze.
"The catalyst was the father but Mara destroyed the last vestiges of Alexander Winton. Property he owned across the galaxy was made rubble."
"With the exception of one."
"The Bolerathon Tower."
Circe shakes her head.
"Garron told me ownership transferred to Celeste Masterton."
"Circumstantial, Counselor."
"Last one standing with any ties to the Winton family."
"And guess who just got keys to the castle?"
Elon Veritaas has no illusions about who Dahlia Winton is. He had seen (and hated) the Holoplex feature and watched the documentary multiple times. It had much of Corellian history in it, darker times they must remember in order to continue to move forward. The documentary was gritty and revealing on many levels given the source material. As much as he thought Kent Carlson a pretentious upstart, he gained unprecedented access to one of the most compelling stories that had permeated popular culture. While that information is valuable, he knows it isn't the whole story. Dahlia may have been raised away from it all in secret but those bloodlines run deep.
"Need I remind you that Dahlia has done nothing?"
"You don't know that."
"And you don't know that she has any part in this. She's a victim as well."
"Many collars have played the role to deflect suspicion. It's fairly common in law enforcement. Report the crimes so that no one believes you had anything to do with it. I understand you were both close with Melanie Masterton. You want to honor her memory by protecting these children but they aren't children anymore."
"They are all question marks," Nevylinn says. "We can guide them and hope they choose the right path. Every one of The Four had elements of darkness and light within them. They fought on both sides of the line over the course of time."
"Dahlia is the common factor."
"If she's suspect," Nevylinn says, glancing through the window at Riley helping a Jedi Youngling prune a shrub. "They all are. These creatures were seen by each, and Riley did say it knew them. It called him "the forth." What we need to know is how the creatures knew this information and in such detail. The Four were never numerically categorized. However, in reference to them in text including the prophecy, the Gellar name is always the last. Gellar would be the forth, not Patten."
Della appears at the edge of the room.
"Master Nevylinn, a word?"
She exits the room as the others discussion connections to the creatures and how it links back through time from new Four to the originals and beyond. Once in the corridor, Della turns.
"You have an urgent call."
"Thank you."
Nevylinn enters Della's office and moves to the consol. Speaking of Gellar.
"Hello, Mara."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
At the end of each week, the "tribunal" comes together for dinner. The term had been given to them jokingly by Riley who thought their secretive talks bordered on the conspiratorial. Elon Veritaas and doctor Tivoli Cross are the last to arrive after a particularly grueling week. The CorSec Academy is gearing up for the start of the fall quarter and all the new recruits who would be passing through the halls. Many preparations needed to be made which require the presence and oversight of the Director and Medical Director.
Della Avers and Circe Prescott have prepared a fine meal while Riley sets the table. Donovan oversees practice sessions with Demaris and the other Jedi in the gardens. He must hone their skills more quickly with their reduced numbers and escalating danger that surrounds them. Demaris has surprised him in her articulate control of The Force. Nevylinn had taught her well. Although she did not receive the formal Jedi training from childhood, Nevylinn had shown Demaris how to control her gifts while hiding in plain sight. The Force signature each individual carries is like a fingerprint and a tracking device. Those attuned to the Force can sense others around them and, if more skilled, can narrow down, seek out and even follow the signature of an individual Force User.
This may have been how they were able to track down their colleagues and other Masters, leaving their ranks decimated. While there are surely others spread throughout the galaxy, Donovan prays they have concealed themselves entirely. Even if they cannot find them, he hopes no one else will either.
Nevylinn meditates in her room, drawing on the calm influence of the Force. The location has proved to be therapeutic to the others and conducive to peace. The Patten penchant for horticulture gives them all a stunning yet shielded base of operations. Della had spoken with her after their conversations with Mara. The blood is the key but so many questions remain.
Valerie Gellar is the only known member of The Four to possess the enzyme. It was used to make PHAGE and later, Mara and her many clones. Valerie was arguably the most ruthless of The Four and her genetics combined with the lethal efficiency of a machine had yielded terrifying results. The creature had stolen Riley's samples from the CorSec labs. They also know that Dane's sample was stolen from the ChemiX labs thanks to Dane overhearing his parents, telling Gemma who then told Riley. At least two confirmed. Half of the new Four. They have to assume Dahlia's was taken when she was held captive by Adubell. And it is not a stretch to imagine they procured Gemma's after the kidnapping. If they have all the samples then they would know who possesses this enzyme. Adubell would know. That puts them at a significant disadvantage since the enzyme was used to create such horror. This leads her to Mara's dream and the sphere, the dirt, the dark energy. There were whispers from the sphere, the same whispers they heard charging through the caves to rescue the children. The moans of the old ones, the ancient Sith whose darkness consumes Korriban.
What is Adubell doing?
Out in the dining room, Nevylinn approaches Doctor Cross pouring a glass of wine at the table.
"I think we should run Riley's sample again."
"Should I be looking for something in particular?"
"Any matches against specific genetic markers."
"I already ran his against Kimber Patten's in our confirmation of his identity."
"Not Kimber's, Valerie Gellar's."
Tivoli's brows rise in question.
"Oh, right. Patten and Gellar share the same father. There would be some, I suppose as Riley would be Valerie's half-nephew."
"Correct and I want to know if they share…an enzyme."
"What type of enzyme?"
"One that Kimber did not have."
"That's not uncommon with families of any species. There are going to be genes that are dominant and recessive that varies from generation to generation. I have my father's darker skin tone and my mother's eyes but looked just like my paternal grandmother when I was an infant. You believe Valerie shares something with Riley?"
"I hope not."
"I'll run the test myself."
"Thank you."
Gemma's single, "Lights" comes on the radio as they are sitting down to eat. Riley brightens and Demaris sways in the chair.
"I love this song."
"Me too!"
"The song or the artist?" Della teases.
Riley blushes.
Circe settles in, "From what I read, Gem is the latest thing. She's gathered quite the fan base in such a short time."
"I'm not sure that's a good thing," Elon says after taking a few bites. "Great meal, Della."
"Thanks," she nods. "Why wouldn't we wish her success?"
"For someone with that namesake who was kidnapped not all that long ago, it's extremely exposed. She's a target and now and highly visible one."
Nevylinn sighs.
Donovan smiles, "Here we go."
"What?" Demaris asks.
"Master Nevylinn has…strong feelings about that particular path and The Four's penchant for gravitating toward it."
"Like moth to a flame."
Circe shrugs, "They were born for it. Some people just are. Even when we were scurrying around the Haven base all those years ago, Melanie always stood out. She had presence, warmth, and a distinctive look that elevated her above everyone else."
"Perhaps it was her giant ego."
"She wasn't like that, like the others. She didn't want that."
Nevylinn remembers first meeting her at the Academy. Melanie had arrived in a large, shiny cruiser (albeit not her own) with so many pretty things. Her bedroom looked like a colorful palace in comparison to the sparse personal belongings Nevylinn had. She was curious, maybe even a little jealous but also somewhat sad for her. So much of her life had been superficial and sheltered and when it was stripped away Melanie was unprepared for the ugliness beneath. It took her a while to warm up to her and to see past the exterior beauty into the caring soul that wanted so desperately to save her friends.
"Admittedly, it is not what I would have chosen for Gemma but therein lays a silver lining. We had discussed at length the dangers she would face and even invite with pursuing this avenue. But to hear her sing is to know this is a rare gift. Her burgeoning celebrity, while exposed, also gives her a cover."
"The same can be said for Dahlia Winton," Elon quips.
Riley frowns, "What do you mean?"
"Duh," Demaris says. "They can go places and do things others can't. People will practically let them do whatever they want. Even with everyone watching them, a pop star and a model can get away with, like, anything."
"I'm guessing that's the problem?" Tivoli says.
"It could be if not properly monitored."
"And it is far too dangerous for us anywhere given the circumstances."
Circe swirls wine around the glass before taking a sip.
"The Imperial-Republic talks may deflect some of the heat. Speaker Leeds has not actively endorsed the Force User Registration Act."
"Nor has he repealed it," Della reminds them.
"It also doesn't change the fact that whoever is hunting us down operates under the watchful eye of both."
"Our situation gives us little room to investigate," Nevylinn says. "We need mobility to uncover the larger plan."
"We can cover one angle."
"How?"
Veritaas motions to Demaris, "We send her back."
A silence falls over the table.
"When the summer is over, we send Demaris back to the Corporate Sector where she will resume classes as normal. You said her friends believe she is distraught over the "death" or her brother. We can use that. Since no one witnessed the attack or saw the creature, a narrative can be created around her grief and that she needed time alone to think. Nevylinn cannot be in the Corporate Sector to watch out for Gemma and Dane nor can she keep an eye on Dahlia. What better ways to accomplish that than to have their close friend reappear? Demaris would keep watch and report back. If we have eyes on them, it will give us more time to focus on the larger threat."
"Um, like, a spy?"
"Cool," Riley says.
"No, not cool. I'm not going to send my sister back into this mess."
"She's not a field operative, Master Atrii. She's in no more danger now than she was to begin with. And here you can arm her with the tools she'll need to be successful and protect herself and the others, if necessary."
"She's not a Jedi. She isn't ready."
"Hello," Demaris says, making a face. "I'm, like, right here. Don't I get a say in this?"
Della nods, "Absolutely."
"What do you want to do, Demaris?"
"If I can help, I want to help. Donovan I know you want to protect me but I've got to try. The Jedi are being persecuted and hunted down and if Gemma, Dane, and Dahlia are somehow connected then that means my friends are in trouble too. They don't know what they're up against, what these monsters can do. Like the Director said, it's too dangerous to pull them out. So I go in."
"Are you sure, Demaris?"
"I can do this. I want to."
Donovan, while touched by her bravery, is still wary.
"Nevylinn?"
There is an eerie similarity here, a parallel separated by time. There was also a spy among The Four, granted in a much different capacity. Melanie discovered Reef Stratford had been bribed to orchestrate the gathering of their social circle on Alexander Winton's behalf. He brought everyone he was instructed to bring within proximity to bond then capitalized on their social clout to keep them isolated from their peers. Soon they were all they had until they were systematically murdered one-by-one. And as she remembers from Melanie's tearful confession, the boy spy met a most grisly end.
Still, she is not blind to the tactical advantage, one that Veritaas no doubt sees great advantage in. She knows that Veritaas believes Dahlia Winton can only spell trouble. It is a sobering thought that both she and Donovan have acknowledged. They do not know the extent of Dahlia's ordeal at the hands of Adubell but recognize her resurrection places all of them in grave danger once again.
"It's a viable option, one that can give us insight where we have none. If Demaris has no objections then we train her accordingly."
"I want Riley taking point," Veritaas says.
"I'm not sure…"
"Not everyone has a saber. The girl needs to know how to use a variety of weapons should the situation arise and that includes close combat. Never underestimate the enemy."
Riley and Demaris exchange glances and smile.
Nevylinn nods to the table.
"We begin in the morning."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
Riley squares off opposite Demaris in what has come to be known as the "training circle." It is a wide circular swath of grass surrounded by high, dense shrubs. The Jedi use it for meditation in the mornings and training sessions throughout the day. They are always training, always learning how to anticipate an enemy that has killed so many of them. The slain Master's strikes apprehension in the hearts of the younger Jedi. It is a fear they must control lest it get them killed too.
The firearms training had gone reasonably well. Demaris had never held a blaster before but she is able to handle and operate the most commons models. His marksmanship impresses her but she struggles with his comfort level. The monster is the first thing she's run from. Ah, the sheltered life of the Atrii heiress. Riley imagines she is feeling what his mother felt after shit got real.
"Come at me."
"What?"
"Attack me."
Demaris makes a face. Riley sighs.
He starts with the basics, showing her a proper fighting stance for hand-to-hand and how to ball a fist with breaking her thumbs. Once they get going, she is a natural. She has learned to utilize her Force ability to compliment her movements so when he shows her a series of punches that would form a devastating combo, Demaris strikes with balance and poise. They train like this for days and with each session she grows more confident. In a particularly slick move, Demaris evades his attack by leaping high over him, grabbing his shoulders and flipping him in the bushes.
Demaris squeals and rushes over to help him.
"Oops. Too much?"
"Nah," Riley says, dusting himself off. "It was…surprisingly effective."
He coughs.
"No one would see that coming."
"Thanks."
Once he straightens up and shakes it off, he begins to circle her.
"Are you really gonna spy on your friends?"
She flips her purple pony tail.
"I'm just looking out for them."
"And if you find something?"
Demaris moves back into a fighting position.
"I guess we'll see."
-TBC
-
"She's looking for something, but she doesn't know where to go.
She's feeling like the whole damn world's gone and lost its soul.
She's looking for someone, oh, to tell her that it just ain't so.
She's feeling like the whole damn world's got a long, long ways,
A long, long, long ways to go."
-Beats Antique
Corellia
Surface
"Are you certain you wish to do this?"
Demaris nods.
"To infiltrate any faction, you must have their trust. You had it but there will be suspicion when you reappear. It will throw them. You must remain casual yet apologetic for frightening them. Do you know what you will say?"
"I just needed time…time to think."
"That's right."
She looks up, matching her brother's gaze.
"Do you think Dahlia is evil?"
"We don't know," Donovan says. "But we do know evil surrounds her as well as the others. Be mindful. With The Four there are always signs. All you have to do is resume your place and let us know what you find. We are not asking you to betray your friends."
"I know."
"Steel yourself against potential unpleasant truths. They may be part of the fallout effect or the cause. Either way, we must know."
Donovan and Nevylinn had spent weeks training Demaris, arming her with the right tools to protect herself and draw meaning from all around her. She has done well after throwing herself into the study completely. Riley has been her greatest supporter and a good friend. He made it feel less lonely among the influential adults. Everyone has their secrets, the things they risk to protect those they love. They had made choices that could cost them personally, professionally and politically. Demaris admires them for standing so strongly with what they believe in. Core values say something about a person.
She has a bag packed with a few personal items donated from the Patten Ranch. Thankfully, Della found some of Kimber's clothing she had packed away in the cellar. She picked out some things that would get her through although the eclectic brightness of Kimber Patten's wardrobe clashed with Demaris' darker, urban style.
Saying goodbye is harder than she realizes.
They had brought her back from the shadows of fear. Reuniting with Donovan had restored something in her. She understands her brother more now, having seen his leadership and centeredness. He had become a man of honor.
There are hugs and a few tears then Demaris boards a shuttle that would dock with a frigate heading back to the Corporate Sector. Director Veritaas had arranged it through his various contacts.
"Good luck, Demaris."
"That's Agent Atrii to you," she teases as the ramp closes.
He watches the shuttle streak across the sky, vanishing into a rolling band of clouds. At least she has her sense of humor. He does not want danger to befall her but he knows better.
He knows it will.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Garron Prescott sets the shuttle down on the designated landing pad in the Coronet Spaceport. Gemma is waiting by the ramp controls wearing a white tunic and giant white round sunglasses with her blond hair spilling down over shoulders.
"You look like an imposter."
"It's called a stage persona. You can look like one thing and be another."
"More than true with you," he says, tapping at the controls. "I hope you're packing."
She pats her purse where Melanie's lightsaber is nestled in with a bottle of perfume, lip gloss and a tin of rare, imported mints.
"Always. Be ready. I have a strange feeling…"
The screams and squeals drown out Garron's attempt to follow up and he descends beside her, stoic and alert. Her name is shouted at an ear-shattering volume by a wide range of fans, mostly teenage girls, who aspire to be her. Too bad Gem is the lie created to shield her more noble purpose. Gemma beams a smile and takes time to sign autographs and greet her Corellian fans. They all have tickets to her surprise show, announced just days prior. It is a more intimate venue but the event sold out in less than three minutes, a fact Galaxiss Records takes detailed note of. She has a powerful voice, polished look and a famous last name – all the makings of a star.
While Melanie gained fame as an Imperial model, she fled the spotlight shortly after graduation and became something of an enigma. There were whispers and rumors about what she was up to while the rest of The Four were terrorized for all the worlds to see. She did emerge, here on Corellia, a Jedi and protector who tragically lost her life in the battle of Centerpoint like so many of their own. Her fate is now tied to Corellia which makes Gemma their living tribute.
She blows kisses and waves as Garron steers her away.
"That was excruciating. You can't possibly enjoy this."
"Don't be so rigid, Garron. We come together for the music but you know it is part of a larger plan."
"A larger and more dangerous plan. Even Nevylinn thinks this is a terrible idea."
"Such pessimists."
"I prefer realist. Exactly what did you see?"
She shutters but keeps pace with him.
"Riley aiming a blaster, Nevylinn with her saber, agents storming, Mara…I saw a lot of things, none of them good."
Garron glances around and eases into the transport after her. They ride in silence for a while, watching the towers and arcs of traffic weaving through them.
"You never told me you saw Mara."
"I saw her reflection. In a lab. It was probably one of the clones anyway."
"Yes," he says, trailing off briefly into his own thoughts. "We should probably assess the situation for ourselves. Confer with the powers-that-be."
"I don't know how many are left."
"You're right, I'm sorry. The Jedi has suffered much loss but I am skeptical of everything these days."
Gemma turns, pulling off the glasses to meet his gaze.
"With good reason. I feel like all that has happened merely positioned us for something big. The Republic is distracted, the Jedi hunted and on the run. My visions can't just be a coincidence. Whatever I am meant to do here, I have to do it now."
Garron nods.
She has always been compassionate, strong and surprisingly self-aware. Of the three, Gemma is the most pragmatic. She's a romantic but not a dreamer. Her judgment is sound and her instincts have served her well. Nevylinn spoke of how great a student she was, how masterfully she harnessed her connection to the Force. Her studious nature made her the perfect padawan but in her lays the streak of vanity and materialism inherent in her upbringing. It isn't as pronounced as it could be but the public and media attention combined with this Gem persona contributes to these character flaws - worrisome in the eyes of the Jedi.
They arrive at the Grand Providentia and exit the transport to another throng of screaming fans. Gemma handles it with extreme poise and graciousness as the security detail swarm to escort her inside. The production team has made all the arrangements for her to bypass the front desk and go straight to the Kali Suite on a secure floor. The agents position themselves as Garron enters the suite first.
She waits quietly as he sweeps for bugs. Once it is confirmed clear, she sets her purse on the table and sighs.
"I know you don't agree with this course of action but I am asking that you trust me."
"I never said I didn't."
Gemma's eyes are a deep and serious blue.
"I need you to trust me because they don't entirely trust me."
"Who?"
"The Jedi."
Garron latches the door and turns back to face her.
"What makes you say that?"
"I'm not stupid, Garron. I was way too old to begin training in the first place. No one on the council thought it was a good idea but they saw no other choice. They fear Dahlia and needed a counter-measure. Nevylinn only accepted out of respect for Melanie but even she knows I had lived too much of my life outside the Jedi teachings. A true Jedi forsakes all worldly possession, gives up on love and essentially cuts themselves off from everyone else. They may have given me the title but no one actually believes it."
"Alright, I'm intrigued. Go on."
She crosses the room and stares out over the city, the setting sun casting a brilliant amber glow between towers thrown into shadow.
"Melanie was too traumatized by everything that had happened to her to really question the Jedi's motives. She bought into everything about that prophecy because she needed to believe it in order to make sense out of her shattered world. I've studied a lot of religion, done the research on multiple philosophies, but the truth is the Jedi is just as much an extremist as the Sith. They demand loyalty and unwavering devotion without question and where this gave Melanie purpose, I am only filled with questions."
Garron joins her by the windows.
"So you will seek these answers independently."
"I need more information. There are things they keep from us. It's not that I blame them as they believe withholding is for protection but knowledge is most important to me. It is something Melanie and her friends were denied and the reason they wound up dead. I will not be kept in the dark to spare my feelings."
"You say that like they are willfully misleading you."
"Subjective," Gemma says with a small smile. "Both ideologies are notorious for providing only the most basic information to allow the student to draw their own conclusions. That may seem like the best course of action if you discount how particular each of them are in exactly what pieces of information they choose to share. You can still lead someone to the same conclusion with tactfully placed clues. They want me to suspect Dahlia and a part of me does."
"And the other?"
"The other part of me thinks her mysterious nature may be the result of the information she was given."
"By who?"
"The Sith that held us captive on Korriban."
"Dahlia killed her."
"The psychological damage could have already been done. Nevylinn believes that Riley and I were allowed to be rescued so that Dahlia could be turned. Even if the Sith woman is dead, she could be working with others. Someone is murdering the Jedi so I have to wonder how many more of them are out there."
"Dahlia went to Chandaar...where they are hosting the Empire."
"Exactly and who knows what they are up to. I did not see anything about Dahlia or the Empire in my visions. Most of what I saw related directly to Corellia so this is where I have to be. I would appreciate if you didn't share my insights with the Jedi. It's not that I don't believe in what they do, in what we do, but I have to consider all the facts or wind up repeating my sisters fate."
He smirks.
"My lips are sealed. I like that you think for yourself. Thank you for sharing that with me. And here I thought all the Jedi sought was balance."
Gemma glances up at him with a stern and knowing look of someone greater than her years.
"They claim to want a balance but that balance means riding a fine line between the light and dark side. That is not a risk the Jedi is willing to take. A nudge in either direction; you fall to one side or the other. As far as I know, that kind of clarity has never been achieved by a Force sensitive. They always fall to a side."
"How do you know you won't fall?"
"I never said I wouldn't."
The door chime echoes through the suite but their eyes remain locked.
It chimes again.
"That's the production team looking to finalize details for tomorrow's show. I'll handle them if you wouldn't mind calling Nevylinn and arranging a way to meet."
"With discretion of course," Garron says, stepping out onto the patio.
Gemma turns on her bubbly charm as the tour manager and publicist confer in the living room. Garron watches them in amusement. He supposes the persona does serve its purpose and can appreciate the motive for her duplicity. Her reception would be much different had she chosen an alternative avenue. The many doors that open to a celebrity would be closed by suspicion of a Jedi. He respects that she is curious and questions her surroundings. As a self-made man, he appreciates the intelligence and independence.
His only hope is that these questions do not lead them to a dark and terrible answer.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: CorSec Academy Laboratory
Tivoli Cross was bent over a series of test tubes, the harsh lighting of the lab florescents overhead, the room quiet. In fact, with the winter break, most of the academy was empty, giving Dr. Cross the opportunity to catch up on her research.
Like most medical professionals, especially those who work with policing agencies or academic facilities, research is a fundamental part of the job, learning about new chemical and biological threats and cures, and releasing new knowledge to the public.
But her recent studies were not going to be published, or shared with any colleagues. At Nevylinn's request, Dr. Cross had re-analyzed Riley Patten's blood sample. The DNA bore the 50% share with Kimber Patten, of course, as his biological mother, but Dr. Cross had found something else, as Nevylinn suspected. An enzyme that was not in Kimber but in Valerie Gellar.
Cross knew little about the enzyme when she first discovered it. The mere fact that Riley had something in common with his aunt was nothing special. But when she told Nevylinn, the jedi's face could not hide her concern, and she had asked Dr. Cross to - discreetly - learn as much about the enzyme as she possibly could.
And what Dr. Cross was finding was nothing short of remarkable. The enzyme was fully biological, but it produced an electro-magnetic field. imperceptible at anything larger than the celluar level, but her tests found it could trigger signals to electronic devices, causing them to mimic the cellular activity. Dr. Cross was now reviewing two test tubes, one with Riley's biological sample, and one with a synthetic, electronic sample. She was using the enzyme to bridge signals between them, to ascertain the results. Dr. Cross couldn't help be excited by what she was seeing. The possibility of this enzyme could revolutionize bio-mechanical interfaces. Instead of replacing arms with mechanical implants, the body could potentially be programmed to create a new arm, essentially the same as the original, only synthetic instead of purely biological. At an extreme, a person who was dying might be able to replicate their body into an entirely new one.
Dr. Cross understood the dangers with such technology as well, and so her work continued, isolated. She was staring at the two beakers in front of her, when she heard the sound of the laboratory door open. She looked up, expecting to see a security guard, or maybe one of the few students who was still on campus.
Instead, she found herself face to face with Mara Tacofer.
"Mara"
The woman shook her head.
"Dr. Cross, I don't have much time to talk. Please. The jedi are in danger. Riley is in danger. I need to warn them."
Dr. Cross nodded her head.
"What is it? What's happening?"
"There is going to be an attack on them. I need your help to warn them"
Something seemed odd. If the jedi were going to be attacked - why was Mara here? Why wasn't Mara going directly to the Patten ranch? Dr. Cross was one of the few privy to the information that Mara was not dead ... but ... this seemed suspicious.
"Then go to them. Save them"
"Where"
That was it. That was the minute Dr. Cross knew for certain. The individual in front of her was not Mara. It looked like her. sounded like her. but it wasn't her. Cross began to back away from her test tubes, slowly moving to the opposite side of the room.
"Dr. Cross, what are you doing? There's no time for this"
"Stay away from me. I know you aren't her"
The woman's mood changed instantly, cocking her head, a slight smile crossing her lips.
"Adubell was hoping you were enough of a fool ... She hoped you would give us the information without too much trouble. It appears that hope was not realized. Now, you will have to suffer"
The infilitrator began moving forward, slowly, stalkingly, and Cross turned, running to the exit on the other side of the room. But just as she reached it, the door opened, and a nightmare walked in - women, gray skinned, deformed. Just as the other woman looked like Mara, this one had a distinct resemblance to the jedi Nevylinn, but for her disfigurement.
"No more secrets, Dr. Cross"
The infiltrator caught up, and Tivoli's arms were pulled behind her, and though she struggled, she couldn't break free of the freakishly strong grasp of the imposter holding her.
Adubell moved forward, lifting a hand near Tivoli's heads.
"The location of the jedi, Dr. Cross"
Adubell's hand shook slightly, as if a great energy source was suddenly pounding through it. Then Dr. Cross felt it, invading her mind. Her heart was racing, breathing ragged.
I must not tell them. I must not give it away. They are in danger.
The pounding in her head was like a loud drum moving closer and closer. Her thoughts were swimming, her body growing weak. And then it flashed, unwillingly in her thoughts.
"Ah. Patten Ranch. Of course."
Adubell's hand moved away from her head, the pounding subsiding, though her breath was still ragged. Adubell was turning to step out of the room.
"Keep this one alive - for now. She may have more information that is useful to be extracted later"
The next thing she knew, everything went black.
TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet
Gemma Masterton spends the day touring the city.
She visits the fine art museum and medcenter children's wing followed by the botanic garden, several parks, the central library, and the Capital Tower before heading over to One CorSec Plaza then finally the CorSec Academy. There is a small delegation waiting for them with Director Elon Veritaas descending the steps toward them.
"Gemma Masterton, it is a pleasure to meet you."
She smiles, shaking his hand firmly.
"It is an honor meeting you, sir. Thank you for taking the time."
"Well, you had quite the champion in your corner. I thought he could be your tour guide today."
Riley Patten stops beside him, looking more devilishly handsome than ever in uniform. And to see her, in person, makes him weak in the knees. Their gazes meet and Riley blushes while Gemma tries to conceal a flattered smile.
"Hi, Riley."
"Hey, Gemma."
Elon glances at Garron who just smirks and subtly shakes his head.
"Ambassador Prescott, may I have a moment?"
As Gemma and Riley move off down the steps, Elon and Garron walk out of earshot. They pass a row of columns between which a training field could be seen several levels below. Riley wasn't the only one pitching for a meeting. The Jedi Masters directed him to Garron Prescott as a resource.
"Nevylinn says we can trust you."
"You can."
Elon's eyes flicker over to Gemma across the courtyard below.
"Then we both know she's not just here for the performance or the boy."
"Not entirely, no. She saw something….you, them, in danger."
"The hunter? Has the location been compromised?"
Garron turns to follow his line of sight, watching Riley excitedly motion to various areas as Gemma nods along. There is sweetness in their childhood crush, those raging hormones, and the consuming bliss that make him envious. He has forgotten what that feels like except that such a thing tends to blind one to certain truths.
"Not questions I can answer but know that she is usually right."
Down in the courtyard, they come to Valerie Gellar's monument.
"Wow," Gemma says, staring up. "She was incredible."
"Yeah, the flawed hero. It makes her more relatable. But I've got something else to show you."
He takes her hand and leads her back across the courtyard to a building adjacent to the statue. Inside, there is a spinning hologram of the Centerpoint Station in an ante room. The larger room contains plaques filled with names and a rotating projection of those lost. It is a memorial to the fallen from the Battle of Centerpoint. Riley steps to the podium and keys through a list of names until he finds the one he is looking for.
Melanie Masterton
Jedi, hero.
As Melanie's image stares back at them, Gemma is touched and near tears.
"I didn't know they felt this way."
"Why would we feel any other way?"
"Dane says it was her fault, that Melanie brought the Empire here. He said that if she had never brought Kimber back to Corellia that they never would have come."
"Dane's a jerk."
Gemma wipes a tear off her cheek, "What if he's right?"
"With the Sector united and Confederation gaining power, they would have come here anyway. It was only a matter of time."
That isn't the whole truth.
Some of the public does blame her but he doesn't have the heart to tell Gemma. Melanie's presence here had been polarizing much as the appearance of a recently scandalized Kimber Patten was. There will always be some who saw Melanie as the one who brought the crisis to a head but the Corellian public blames Judec, Winton and the Empire. Of the things he knows of Gemma's family, Riley does not believe Melanie came to Corellia with the intention of dragging the Empire behind her.
She kisses him on the cheek.
"Thank you for this, Riley."
*
Later that evening, Gemma brings down the house at the Trigalis Theater. The small venue is packed and she returns to the stage for an encore of two songs not on the EP and a haunting cover of a childhood favorite. She is wearing a silver and white dye-dipped mini dress that glitters beneath the stage lights. Her blond curls bounce and sway as she moves across the stage, hitting a range rare of someone so young. The crowd is shrieking as she blows a kiss, thanks them and disappears into the darkness of the stage. The production team swarms, blotting her face, keeping her hydrated, and whispering frantically about how well the show went.
Backstage, Garron joins them on the way to her dressing room.
"What did you think?"
"I stop short of saying I'm a 'true jewel' or whatever your fans call themselves but that was pretty damn amazing."
She veers toward a gaggle of screaming teens at the security gate, greeting them and signing autographs. He waits patiently as she makes sure she says hello to everyone then continues on down the hall. The Corellia Times has asked for an interview with their lifestyle reporter but Garron skirts the issue as they have places to be. After a shower, she changes into a long sleeve ice blue plunge jumpsuit paired with an oversize white belt and white round toe heels. Gemma dabs on some lip gloss, grabs her purse and follows Garron through the door. This discreet exit has been meticulously planned. The hoverlimo supposedly taking her back to the Hotel Providencia is only a decoy and the CorSec skiff heading out into the night to arrive at Patten Ranch would not seem out of the ordinary.
Nevylinn meets them outside once the gates are sealed. Gemma hugs her tightly then heads inside with Riley.
Garron nods.
"I am glad to see you are well."
"For now," Nevylinn says, having debriefed with the Director. "Please come inside, there is something I must show you."
His mind flashes back to the conversation with Gemma. Did they really not trust her as a Jedi? Could they be withholding information? Garron never got that sense with Nevylinn. She seems like a fairly straight shooter compared to Master Corrin who only spoke in anecdotes and affirmations. Working with CorSec was smart but risky. Veritaas has a solid reputation and enrollment that has increased under his leadership. He must be doing something right. Garron isn't suspect of Nevylinn's judgment so much as he wonders what kind of role they expect Gemma to play in this crusade?
There is a fire roaring in the living room where Gemma joins Riley.
"Where are the troops?"
"Some are meditating, others sleeping. It is very late."
"That it is. So, what did you want to-"
"Garron."
He turns as a blonde woman and a CorSec agent with a shaved head enter the room. The voice is familiar, emotional but the image does not click. Not yet. She appears so different now but it is a far cry from dead.
Her name escapes his lip in a whisper.
"Circe."
They embrace but he has so many questions. Everything is filled with doubt. She attempts to counter this wave with the introduction to her savior, Donovan Atrii. Garron is in a daze and careful to avoid Nevylinn's stare. He is relieved but furious. The rational side of him knows she had to remain hidden; they both did, in order to escape the Republic's ridiculous law. Still, he had anguished so much over the loss that he wishes he had known.
Gemma hugs them both, full of gratitude.
Suspicion creeps into his thoughts but he focuses on the fact that Circe is alive and he is not all that is left of his family.
"Any other miraculous resurrections planned for this evening?"
A blast of cold air rushes through the room.
Mara stands in the doorway.
"Just one."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface
"Any other miraculous resurrections planned for this evening?"
A blast of cold air rushes through the room.
Mara stands in the doorway.
"Just one."
Earlier that day ...
It was five minutes before the guard shift ended, but Connor was grateful when he saw his relief coming. The weather was cold, foggy, befitting of the season, and Connor was looking forward to the warmth of the guards quarters. Security detail for the Patten ranch was easy enough - no one ever really came out this far - but boring - no one ever came out this far. Details lasted for a few weeks at a time, with the simple rule that guards were never allowed within the actual property. Guards speculated and wagered what was so secret. Everyone knew Riley Patten lived here, and because of his celebrity status, and orphan status, he was constantly checked on by the white-tower executives of CorSec and the Corellian government. His detail here was going to end in just a few days, and he couldn't wait to get back to civilization.
As his comrade came closer, Connor began to suspect something was wrong. Even in the fog, he didn't look quite right.
"Hey man, you ok?"
No response, and Connor lfted up his hand, futilely swiping at the fog for a clearer view.
"Davis, man, what's going on?"
Davis still said nothing, but a female voice from behind whispered.
"Davis is dead"
Before Connor could react, he felt a piercing pain in his stomach, burning heat. Looking down, he saw a red beam of light coming out of his torso. He wanted to scream, but found he couldn't even breath. The darkness closed in, his last thoughts of the warmth in the building just a few meters away.
*************
Despite the frantic departure, Mara had a lot of time to do nothing. Such was the nature of traveling across the galaxy. She tried to meditate, but couldn't concentrate, At least not on the Force. Her cerebral processors were busy calculating the time it would take Adubell to reach Corellia, evade security, and attack the Patten ranch and its residence. If she was lucky, it would take Adubell time to confirm the location of the jedi. Maybe enough for her to catch up. She had discarded her own freighter for a smaller but faster ship, hoping to shave off time from the journey. Now, as her ship exited hyperspace in Corellian space, she was also grateful for the maneuverability. and sublight speed.
When Corellian Orbital Defense requested her clearance codes, she provided her priorty clearance from her time as Vice President of Corellian Engineering, but instead of heading to the orbital stations, she dove her vessel down, quickly, ignoring lanes of traffic, and finding a clearing just outside the Patten ranch. She realized her predicament. If she simply walked in, per her instructions to Della and the others, they were to assume she was an imposter. And Riley - Riley believed she was dead, and had in fact been kidnapped by a look-alike. She knew if she rushed in too quickly, they would shoot her down. Or at least, they should. Hence the more subtle entrance
**************
Adubell stood amidst the slaughtered bodies of the guards in the shack of the guard room. A smile was on her face as the last of the guards was dragged in by two Voss Ra, one of whom shifted form to appear as the fallen guard, and stepping out again.
A few minutes later, a Voss-Ra popped his head in
"Your emminenccccce - the Masssterton has arrived"
"You have disabled the security systems?"
"Yess"
Adubell turned to face the Mara look alike who stood beside her.
"It's time"
The infiltrator nodded her head, moving to the door, and stepping out into the darkness.
**************
Mara reached the outer wall of the Patten ranch, quickly noticing that the number of guards seemed reduced from the normal count. It might prove helpful now, but if they needed reinforcements later on ... She didn't waste any more time, leaping the wall, and landing in the soft grass on the other side. Taking another glance around, she rose and began a sprint to the door.
**************
It was dark as she approached the house. There is the CorSec skiff. Then she sees what she doesn't want to see - a woman who looks almost exactly like her making her way to the door and open it, standing in the doorway.
**************
"Any other miraculous resurrections planned for this evening?"
A blast of cold air rushes through the room.
Mara stands in the doorway.
"Just one."
Before another word could be spoken, blaster fire is heard, Mara pulling out a blaster and turning to face the enemy - but the enemy comes pummeling in, knocking down Mara. Both drop their blasters in the exchange, and they are now rolling on the ground, punching each other, wrestling to keep the weapon out of the others hands.. It takes the others in the room only a moment to realize that the two individuals look almost identical. Both are Mara, though one looks dirtier than the other. One is dressed in a black jumpsuit, the other in a gray jumpsuit.
Nevylinn and Donovan ignite their lightsabers, each reaching out with the Force and pulling the two combatants apart, pinning them on opposite sides of the room.
Neither is out of breath despite the physical activity they were engaged in. Both seem to struggle equally.
The one Nevylinn is pinning starts to speak.
"You are in danger - there is an attack coming. Adubell is coming"
The other speaks up as well.
"You need to get out of here. Now!"
TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
It happens so quickly and their perfect, peaceful world turns upside down.
The Mara's are pitching equally hard for the others to believe them. Garron's blaster is drawn, moving between them, his mind tempered by what Gemma said. She had seen Mara in her vision and now two stands before them. The threat of attack, also alluded to in the vision, seems to be upon them. He had told Veritaas that she is usually right and he hopes the Director had taken his warning to heart.
Della rounds the corner in the commotion, eyes widening.
Nevylinn does not mince words.
"Fetch the others and go. We've been compromised."
Riley has a blaster out as well and he stands protectively in front of Gemma. She pulls the saber her from purse and ignites it, the hum joining the chorus of the others. Donovan pulls Circe away and she joins Della in rousing the rest of the Jedi.
"You don't understand," one of the Mara's said. "They are already here!"
"You must go!" says the other. "Now!"
"Riley," Donovan commands calmly. "You know what to do."
"Riley," the Mara's says in union.
He is a young man now, so much more mature than when she last saw him. He nods as Della and Circe return with the others. Some appear frightened while others are more confident as they have been ready for this day. It is what they have been training for.
"I'll help," Gemma says, ushering some of the younger Jedi through the living room toward a set of sliding patio doors.
Circe unlatches it and throws them open as a gust of frigid wind rips through the space. Riley and Gemma exit first, striding out to scan the area. At first, everything appears clear when the security agents rush toward them. Della looks relieved and moves forward but Gemma intercepts.
The agent stops, confused.
"What's wrong?"
Gemma narrows her eyes, saber kept trained in front of her. They feel different than the others, cold and inhuman. It is a feeling she has felt before.
"You are one of them."
The agent smiles.
"Gemma, I don't understand," Della says.
Circe nods, "We need to move-"
"No, not with them. Show yourself."
The agent's face falls, smile curling back as the skin peels away to reveal the charred flesh and jagged teeth beneath. The other agents transform as well and suddenly they are standing in front of a swarm of monsters.
Circe screams.
They monsters advance, leaping and snarling with more dexterity and speed than humanly possible. Riley takes aim and fires, finding his marks.
"Get them out!"
Della and Circe steer the Younglings and Jedi around the house toward the shuttle.
Gemma Force pushes the Voss-Ra away, clearing a path before cutting down two others with the saber. Riley sprints after them, blaster up and ready. Gemma flashes to her visions, the exact same image of him now a reality. The Jedi are fighting valiantly but it slows their progress toward the shuttle and breaks up the group.
A Voss-Ra leaps from the darkness and drags Circe to the ground, teeth sinking into her shoulder. She screams but pushes back, swinging her elbow around to connect with its hideous face. The monster rears back, allowing her enough room to flip over and kick it off her. Della turns, swinging her blaster around to finish it off as a few of the Jedi reach the shuttle when the unthinkable happens.
The shuttle explodes.
Everything becomes chaos, vision blurred with flames and smoke. A high pitch ring fills their ears as Jedi stumble away from the wreckage, pulling others to safety. A shadow falls across Della and she wheels around to face another Mara who smirks sharply before landing a crushing blow to the side of the head. Della crumples to the ground as Circe gasps, bleeding heavily from the shoulder as she tries to crawl away.
Mara advances without hesitation, pinning Circe to the ground with her boot.
Riley rushes her, attacking with all his might. They spar, going blow for blow until she tosses him aside as if he weighed nothing. Riley tumbles across the ground as Gemma uses the Force to leap high and land beside Mara, slashing the saber up and across her midsection. There is blood and sparks and she falls without as much as a whimper.
Gemma runs to Riley and kneels beside him.
The grounds are filled with smoke and screaming but through it all; there is one voice that resounds.
"Young love."
A figure approaches, pulling back a black hood to reveal a grey-skinned woman. She is terrifying and moves with a sinister purpose, igniting a saber.
Gemma and Riley's eyes travel up to stare into her monstrous face.
"So sweet," she says bitterly, raising the weapon. "But such a thing is not meant to last."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
THe sounds of the battle outside are muffled as Donovan and Nevylinn are inside, holding two Mara's captive, one of whom is presumably the real one - although it was also possible that both were fakes - keeping them held up meant the two most experienced jedi were not able to assist in the escape. They couldn't waste more time trying to figure out who was who. The sound of the exploding shuttle further declared the importance of hurrying.
"Nevylinn ..."
The jedi turned to the Mara that spoke.
"Nevylinn, hear me ..."
Nevylinn watched as the Mara closed her eyes, and then she was hit by the Force.
We shared a dream, Nevylinn - of Adubell and the Daughter of Darkness.
Nevylinn nodded her head.
"That's the real Mara"
Immediately, she released her hold, turning to the other one. "What do we do with this one?"
Mara stared at the woman who looked like her, struggling against the hold of the Force
"Master Atrii, kill her if you must. But save her if you can ... she is my sister"
"Sister - Mara ... Adubell!"
Nevylinn ran out saver ignited casting it's blue light, followed by Mara, followed by Garron, with his blaster drawn.
*************************
Adubell's attack comes swiftly and hard, Gemma's blade up in a defensive position. Her arm shook with the strength of Adubell's downward swing, but still, she blocked, and blocked and blocked, taking a step back, then another, then another. Riley is still groggy on the ground, but manages to lift the blaster, pointing it at Adubell, and firing.
The blaster bolt bounces off.
Gemma takes another hard block with her blade, before Adubell circles her saber around and forces Gemma's hand wide. Gemma quickly tries to regain position, but Adubell Force pushes forward, sending Gemma against a piece of debris from the destroyed ship. Gemma's saber falls to the ground as the wind is knocked out of her. She crouches back as Adubell advances.
"So, following in your sister's footsteps ... Gemma Masterton. Celebrity. Jedi. Martyr. I've killed jedi masters who have spent three and four times your whole pathetic, pampered life training. How do you suppose you can defeat me.."
Adubell's blade comes up, then comes down. Just before it connects with her, the light blue saber of Nevylinn parries in and pushes Adubell's blade aside.
Adubell sneers at first, then offers a grotesque smile when she sees who blocked.
"Sister ... glad you could join the battle"
Adubell swung her blade, forcing Nevylinn to take a step back, but Nevylinn then responded with a thrust of her own. Soon, the two were embroiled in a battle, red and blue blades intertwined.
Mara, for her part, made her way over to Riley, quickly checking his vital signs, before grabbing his blaster and lifting it, glancing over at Nevylinn who (for the moment) was holding her own against Adubell, then saw more of the Voss-Ra approaching. She begins firing.
Garron lets off a few shots, before running to Circe, who is bleeding, but alive, wincing from the pain.
"It's ok. I'm not going to lose you again"
Two Voss Ra come screaming out of the darkness toward them. One is hit by a blaster bolt- the other is about to reach them when a piece of metal shrapnel floats into it's head.
Garron looks up to see Mara holding out her arm, the blaster down at her side. She glances where Garron is shielding his sister, then at the oncoming creatures
"They outnumber us. We aren't going to fight our way out of here."
"Our escape was destroyed"
Mara shook her head, then tossed her blaster at Garron. He picked it up, handing it to Circe, who was struggling to a sitting position.
"Cover me"
Mara closed her eyes, and began reaching out. She could feel the pulse of the Force, feel its turbulent energy as the battle waged on. Then she reached further out, just beyond the edge of the property, searching for only a few moments before finding it. Her ship, hidden away. Once she found it, her technological side kicked in, connecting to the vessel and starting it up. Much like a slave-rigged system, she triggered the controls, ordering the vessel to come to them.
Mara's eyes opened and she ran toward where Nevylinn and Adubell were fighting. Adubell seemed inexhaustible, and Nevylinn, despite her skill, was more and more on the defensive.
"Oh sister, are you getting tired? Do you need a break? A nap perhaps?"
"You know, someone as ugly as you really needs to come up with better insults"
Adubell smiled
"I never knew you could offer such a quip. I applaud you sister."
"Save it for the encore"
Nevylinn's blade moved in a feint, then circled around and under, knocking Adubell's blade high.
"Nevylinn - you can't kill her that way!"
Nevylinn's weapon moved forward, then up, barely missing Adubell's skin before striking at the weapon in her hand itself, Adubell's red saber bursting apart.
Adubell just laughed, her free hands reaching out and grabbing Nevylinn in a Force-choke hold.
Nevylinn closed her eyes and broke the hold, landing back on her feet, but then Adubell knocked her backward, then pinned her down with debris.
Mara moved in front of Adubell.
"Infiltrator-01. Apparently, you've been busy."
Adubell pulled out another saber from her cloak, this one orange in color.
"And your weapon?"
Mara shook her head.
Adubell raised the blade. "A pity. I was hoping for a real fight. But I don't have time to deal with your squabble. If you don't have a weapon, I'll just finish you quicker"
"Oh, I do have a weapon ..."
Mara's eyes closed and then she jumped to the ground, the whine of an engine causing Adubell to glance up as the laser powered up its weapon and fired. Adubell's body was a molten mess, the ground around her form smoldering as Mara rose, moving to help Nevylinn.
"We won't be able to get another shot in. Get everyone onboard, now!"
The ship lowered to a hover just above the ground. Gemma, Riley, Nevylinn, Mara, and Garron were leading the survivors, helping them onboard, and blocking off the Voss Ra attacks.The younger yet able jedi were carrying the sick and wounded as well.
The captured infiltrator droid came floating out of the house, bound with heavy durasteel twine, with Donovan Atrii following, aiding the last stragglers as they boarded the small ship. As the ship began to lift, three of the Voss Ra grabbed onto the ramp with their claws, Atrii swinging his own saber, slicing limbs from bodies, watching them fall.
The ramp was closing, as shoulder weapons were fired at them. Mara moved to the cockpit and fired a second shot with the dated laser cannon, the ship now moving up into the night sky. The last they saw of Patten ranch, flames were rising.
**************************************************
Elsewhere
With a scream, her eyes opened. She remembered the pain, the searing heat of the blast - and for a microsecond, she thought it would be her end. But she was immortal. The memories came rushing back to her memory banks. Mara was alive and well. Gemma Masterton had revealed herself as a jedi. Her sister was still her sister.
Adubell stepped off the platform and moved to where a mirror lay. Her skin still bore the gray tone that came with being laced with cortosis, but now the face did not bear the same melted marks that her previous body had suffered. She was even beautiful - if you could get past the color-tone.
The attack had failed - it was the first attack that had failed, despite the preparation. It was the fault of that one, the one who had escaped her once before. Infiltrator-01.
She would make the machine pay. Even if it meant killing everyone. Ahead of schedule.
TBC
-
Corellia
The transport rumbles as it flees the scene, reality settling over the passengers in the small cabin. Donovan dresses Circe's shoulder wound as she sway's, woozy from the loss of blood. He props her up against the wall and she sighs, slipping slowly forward.
"I never used to believe…in monsters."
Donovan says nothing and applies the bandage firmly.
"You must rest."
He moves to an unconscious Della, a nasty purple and blue bruise forming along the right side of her head. Head wounds are trickier and he assigns several of the other Jedi to monitor her closely until she can be examined. The Younglings are frightened and huddle together, some blackened and traumatized by the explosion and voracity of the attack. It is too soon to tell how many had been killed but it had been an effective strike. Donovan glances around the cabin, trying to take a head count. They had trained for a fight but the monsters had added an unexpected variable. So the Sith hunter is working both with the clones and the creatures. It is quite the alliance, one that has pushed the Jedi back to brink of extinction.
Gemma holds a dazed Riley against her, staring across the cabin at Nevylinn. She is shaken by how close she came to dying tonight. The sobering truth resonates within her with a crucial detail is now a point of focus – the Sith had called Nevylinn sister. Had she known this was the Jedi hunter all along? These queries take a backseat to her mortality and she tries desperately to hold back the tears. She had been spared but the danger is made tangible for all of them.
Garron slides into the seat across from Mara, staring intensely at her until she finally glances over. Something passes between them, heavy and tangled with emotion.
"Is it you?"
She nods, turning back to the controls.
"Yes."
There are so many questions but this is not the time.
"I must leave with Gemma the same way we arrived otherwise the ruse will crumble."
"Her cover is already blown. The Sith knows she is a Jedi."
"And you nuked her to high holy hell with those lasers."
"That doesn't mean she's gone."
"Then what does it mean?"
"I believe she can be reborn, retaining the same memories to carry out what the last failed to accomplish. None of us will be safe until this cycle is broken."
Garron shakes his head.
"I don't understand…"
"No," Mara says. "You don't."
Nevylinn holds onto a railing, bringing the com to her lips. Even with secure devices, she and Director Veritaas always keep the details vague. After what they experienced tonight, they must remain cautious and alert.
"We've been compromised. There was an attack."
"Are you secure?"
"For now," she says. "But there were causalities. I'm afraid you may be forced to cover the incident and for that I am sorry."
"There is no apology needed. I'm dispatching a team at once. The boy?"
"He's fine. You taught him well. We need medical attention for our wounded and an exit strategy for the girl. Can you arrange a drop point with the good doctor on site?"
The Director pauses and she senses something.
"What is it?"
"Doctor Cross is missing."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Outskirts of Coronet
Mara sets the ship down outside the city, leaving the engine idling as Garron climbs out of his seat and heads to the cabin.
"Gemma, we have to go."
She stands, hand firmly gripping Riley's.
"What about them?"
"Your safety is my priority at the moment. We must leave Corellia exactly as we came otherwise we risk compromising your real identity."
"And Circe?"
Garron's eyes fall to his sister, injured and resting.
"I wish I could take her with us…"
"You know that cannot be," Donovan says. "If the Republic were to discover her and I alive, it would complicate things further. I will care for her, Garron. I swear it."
He recognizes the look in Donovan's eyes, one that tells him that the Jedi cares very deeply for Circe much the same way he does for Mara. Like them, their situation is also complex and most likely unresolved. He swallows his familial instincts and agrees but throws a fleeting glance back at Mara. She is watching him closely from the narrow corridor to the cabin. He wants to stay with her, to figure out what this is between them but now is not the time. He must put aside his feelings as a man and respect his duty toward Gemma. His role in this ever evolving plot is clear.
Garron shifts his gaze to Nevylinn.
"I am so sorry for your losses and wish there were more I could do."
"You helped us escape and for that we will be forever grateful."
He motions to the closet in which the Mara clone is bound and kept.
"What will you do with her?"
"Hopefully, she will be able to shed some light on our assailant."
"And if she doesn't?"
"We will cross that bridge when we come to it. Go with Gemma now, we will contact you once we find a secure location to regroup."
He nods and moves toward the ramp.
Gemma is soiled and scorched from the battle so Donovan wraps her in a cloak with a hood to conceal her.
Riley walks her to the ramp.
She leans up on her tip-toes to kiss him.
"Be safe."
He holds her hand close to his heart.
"You too."
Garron and a hooded Gemma run off in the direction of the spaceport. Donovan closes the ramp as Mara slides back in front of the controls. She eases the ship off the ground and back out into the darkness.
*
Director Elon Veritaas and his CorSec team arrive to find the Patten Ranch engulfed in flames. The team storms the compound as rescue crews battle the blaze. Most of the house is on fire and, unseen within Riley's room, a picture of Kimber Patten glancing over her shoulder smiling curls and blackens in the heat before burning to ash.
The team scours the grounds, finding bodies and destruction across the exterior.
It is his worst fear realized, tempered only by the fact that he knows Riley escaped with Nevylinn and Donovan. He recognizes some of the faces, Younglings struck down too soon and the burned bodies strewn out in a circle around what used to be a shuttle. The teams battle the blaze until it is extinguished and the house is smoldering. There is not much to save but most of the massive sunken gardens had been spared.
One of the agents returns to him.
"No sign of any hostiles, sir."
"And the fire?"
"The rescue team believes the fire was started by the shuttle explosion due to its proximity to the residence. They are working the wreckage to look for causalities."
"Begin the report, noting the blaze and loss of life associated with an explosion. I will handle the investigation into the cause."
He nods and rejoins the others.
Elon surveys the scene. Nevylinn said they were attacked but the assailants are nowhere to be found. Was this the work of the mysterious Jedi hunter? She also made reference to an exit point for 'the girl,' code for Gemma Masterton. Something about her and Riley feels fated, ominous and he cannot shake the feeling of underlying dread.
"Sir!"
He snaps into action quickly, following the calls to a hole seemingly blasted into the ground. No small arms fire did this. This was the work of turbolasers, no doubt executed during the escape. There is something else, as the agent points out. Remnants of something or someone. He could use Doctor Cross' expertise right about now but the good doctor is missing. There are agents on it, with forensics combing the lab to discover what happened. There is no way Tivoli would leave the lab that way and, even worse, there are signs of a struggle. The cam's proved useless, going dark as she was alone with her work.
Director Veritaas muses as he orders tests done on the remains in the hole.
This means Cross was an intentional target and not a victim of circumstance. But what would someone want with her? Unless…it was something she was working on. Tivoli was running tests and comparing them on the photage they did see. There were no active files found which either means they were taken or she wasn't working a standard CorSec panel.
What did you find, Doctor Cross?
*
Garron has his back pressed against an ally wall. After a lengthy and inconspicuous detour, they made it to the spaceport. Gemma used the Force to create what she called a glamour, making them both appear differently to others. It was an extremely taxing feat that left Gemma drained and exhausted.
"Almost there."
She nods slowly, pulling the cloak tighter around her.
Thankfully, there are no members of the press present as Gem is not officially scheduled to depart until the morning. He remotely unlocks his ship and, on the count of three, they make their way across the docks to the ramp.
As he runs through the ship checks, he notifies the Galaxiss Records public relations team that Gem had to depart early to ensure she is prepared for the school semester. They do not protest as she completed her contractual obligations on Corellia.
Once they are safely in hyperspace, Garron returns to the main cabin to find Gemma on her knees, clutching the cloak and crying. She had been through a great ordeal tonight and he is impressed she held it together as long as she did.
Ever the brave little Masterton.
He crosses the room and kneels beside her.
"You okay?"
She looks up, wiping tears away.
"We almost died tonight, Garron."
"I know."
"And that woman…she…she knew me…."
"Knew you?"
"She said my name. She called me pampered."
Garron make a face, "Well…"
Gemma pushes her blonde hair off her shoulders, staring up at him with her voice suddenly very serious.
"She is also Nevylinn's sister."
"Wait, what? Her sister? How could you know that?"
"That's what she said…when Master Nevylinn intervened."
"Does Master Nevylinn have a sister?"
"Yes, but they were orphans. She never knew what happened to her."
"Until now."
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Patten Ranch
What next?
With the immediate danger gone, the survivors have to ask the question. It was clear that the Patten Ranch was not an option. Even if it could be secured - which it appeared, it could not, despite the efforts of CorSec and the jedi - it was a wreckage right now.
The survivng jedi, still weary from the fight, were taking the time to bury their dead in a concealed location toward the outskirts of the Patten property. Nevylinn and Donovan, equally if not more exhausted, gave spare but meaningful words of those lost. The rest were downtrodden.
Mara was at the back of the small group, sitting next to Riley. Her nephew, her charge. She had failed to keep him safe. Even by leaving, she had failed. It was mere luck that he had survived. she glanced over at him, noting the bandages. She reached over, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. He turned to face her, eyes wet, though few tears had fallen. He was strong, and crying would make him look weak - such a teenage boy feeling - but these were his friends who had died. He knew them, in a way better than even he knew Mara. Her boy was growing up.
"It's ok, Aunt Mara. I'm ok"
Was it that obvious what she was feeling? Mara was a machine - alive (perhaps), but a machine - and expression of feelings was something she had both never been skilled at, and never had to worry about revealing. The queen of poker faces. But Riley sensed what she really felt. pain. guilt. fear. She decided to steer clear of that.
"they told you I was alive?"
Riley nodded, "they decided it was smarter to tell me the truth. I can be trusted with the truth"
"You fought someone who looked just like me"
"That's ok. I can tell the difference."
"How?"
"They aren't alive. Not like you are"
The truth or falseness of that statement perhaps was a conversation for another time. Mara was reminded of the prisoner, the one possible victory out of this defeat/escape. What would her sister tell her? Or was keeping her a liability?
As the ceremony ended, many of the survivors were weeping, Nevylinn going around to one after another, offering a hand, a gesture, a kind word, but ultimately making her way to Mara.
In war, there was only so much time for mourning, and that time was coming to a close. They were vulnerable, needed a new place to hide, and needed to regroup in preparation for what was likely to be another attack.
"Riley, I need to talk to Nevylinn for a few minutes."
"That's ok, Aunt Mara"
He hugged her, tightly, more for her comfort than his, and walked away to speak with others.
Nevylinn smiled sadly as he walked past.
"He's grown into a pillar of strength"
"he shouldn't have to"
"Perhaps not, but he needed to nonetheless. He may have saved countless people in the attack. Holding off others stronger than him. He is a hero"
"Heroes tend to die faster than children do"
"If only that were true."
Silence, before Nevylinn spoke up again.
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
Mara nodded, "I did - I have the pieces I need for the saber, and once its put together, it will have the means to stop Adubell." Mara didn't add what the side-effect of that might be.
"Still ... I've never been a skilled saber fighter, and Adubell will have every advantage in a fight. I need to be able to pierce her in the center to activate the virus and make sure it affects her the way we need it to. That's a tough stroke to make. I have the Force on my side but ... well ... we sometimes tend to disagree. I haven't had any training, or practice since Karen died"
"You were trained in the force by Karen Winton?"
Mara smiled, "yes. For all of her extravagance, she actually was a good teacher. I learned a lot from her"
Nevylinn frowned, shaking her head. "Karen was a wielder of the dark side ..."
Mara shrugged, "I'm not particular. It didn't seem particularly dark to me. But I need more training. I need you to help me. Only together can we defeat Adubell. That has to be what that dream meant. I help you. You help me. But we need to do it together."
"I may have to unteach you some of your prior training. Light and dark don't really mix. But if you are willing, I will help you in any way that I can."
"Thank you. In the meantime, we have more pressing matters. Where to go, and what to do with the prisoner?"
"The Corellian Sector is the only one that has accepted the jedi anywhere in the Republic."
"Making it an obvious location to start searching. I don't know how they found you, but I'm surprised it took that long"
"True - maybe we need a mobile location. A ship, rather than a planted space. The jedi used to have mobile training centers. Perhaps we can acquire a vessel with a large enough open area for our training."
"I would speak with CEC - but they still think I'm dead. You had best go through Director Veritaas"
Nevylinn nodded.
"As for the prisoner - let's go talk with her. Let's see if she can help us find Dr. Cross"
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet, CorSec Academy
CorSec Academy stood bright in the gleaming morning sun, cadets marching about the grounds, in training.
The world was going on around them, as if nothing had happened. Rumors of a fire on the Patten ranch had circulated, but nothing about a fight. The word was, it was an accident, based on old electrical wiring in the patten home. Riley managed the extra attention and questions in stride, deflecting any request for details, just saying that it would be rebuilt. He had gone back to be with his classmates, plunging into his work, only a handful of extra security around, letting things go on as they had been,
Mara watched Riley from a nearby window as he made his way across the yard, then turned back to her escort. Since the attack, she had changed her hair color, making it a strawberry blonde, and glasses now rested on the bridge of her nose. Mara Tacofer would have been easy to recognize, and she, of course, was dead. Not to mention there was someone who looked just like her nearby. Nevylinn too had changed her garb, dressed in a clean-cut intelligence uniform, and brown hair in a tight bun behind her head. Appearances appearances.
Mara and Nevylinn walked behind the severe looking man down the hallway, away from the windows and to a turbolift with a security clearance pad nearby. The man typed in his code, and with a hiss, the lift opened.
Soon, Mara and Nevylinn were plunging down, hundreds of meters.
"You are certain the facility can hold her?"
The man gave Mara a glare.
"It is completely secure. this facility was created after the droid attacks on Corellia. It could successfully hold PHAGE. This droid will not be a problem"
Mara avoided a flinch at the IT that the officer used to refer to the droid. She knew too well that droids were not just objects.
The lift slowed and came to a stop, opening onto a dimly lit corridor, the walls of roughly hewn rock with lamps bolted every few meters to light the way. Ahead, two guards stood on either side of another door.
A quick nod between officers, more security codes entered, and the door opened.
"Leave us"
It was Nevylinn who gave the order, her voice offering a commanding tone, matching the command uniform she wore.
"We have strict orders about this prisoner"
"Your orders are to make sure the prisoner is secured. The prisoner is secured. You have done your duty. Your orders also indicate we are to have unfettered access to this prisoner, and your presence will make our interrogation efforts more difficult. I would hate to need to call a supervisor to indicate your lack of cooperation"
The officer's eyes flickered with doubt, then he nodded.
"Very well"
When the door closed behind them, Mara turned to Nevylinn.
"Why not use your abilities to convince them to listen?"
Mara's tone had softened considerably compared to how she addressed the officers, but her message was just as serious.
"Having the ability to influence an individual's thoughts doesn't mean the ability should be used. The officer was doing his job, and it was unnecessary to use the Force. Part of being a jedi is knowing when not to act"
Inside the chamber, the hallway curved around until they reached a silvery colored room, circular walls curved around the entire way, the walls appeared reflective. The ceiling was domed, and made of the same reflective material. In the center of the room, a meter-thick slab of metal stood tall, and strapped to the slab, was the prisoner. She was strapped firmly to the slab at her ankles, knees, thighs, waist, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, and forehead. The bindings were made of the same reflective substance that filled the room.
"adamantocrete, one of the hardest substances in the galaxy. It has reflective properties, making it resistant to blaster fire or energy weapons. It's heavy chemical makeup makes it near impregnable. A thin layer could withstand the first Corellian Attack, when an entire shipyard was thrown down at Corellia. If it was possible, the entire city of Coronet would have a dome like this. As it is, the expense and rarity of the substances needed to make it allow for only a holding cell such as this. The room is further laced with an electro-magnetic pulse emitter, which would disable any item with an electronic pulse. Outside the room is a dampening field, preventing any unwanted attempts at signalling for help."
The infiltrator's eyes had a vacant expression when they entered, but they came into focus, and she gave a smile.
"I've been hoping for visitors. Good to see you, sister"
Mara stepped forward, away from Nevylinn, who had a quizzical look on her face.
"What does Adubell have planned?"
Silence
"Where is Dr. Cross?"
more silence.
"I know your schematics. I know how to read into you."
"And you know we are unhackable. It failed on you. What makes you think it won't fail on me?"
Mara was already frustrated with the conversation. This was a waste of time.
"Why are you working for Adubell? You were programmed to serve PHAGE."
"You should know the answer to that. Our backup programming went into affect. After you killed PHAGE, our programming ordered us to take orders from Alexander Winton. After he was defeated, our programming ordered us to take orders from Adubell."
Mara shook her head, "I never saw such programming - to serve Winton, or Adubell"
"I bet it's still there inside you. Don't look too hard though. Your friend might not like what happens to you."
"I don't believe you. Why are you serving Adubell?"
"I just told you, Infiltrator-01. It's part of who I am. I don't pretend, like you, to be something I'm not"
"You don't have to serve her."
"I should serve you then? The one who murdered our father? Every piece of code in my body says you are a traitor, a target, and should be destroyed."
"PHAGE only used us to serve his own ends. He never cared about us"
"Caring is a human emotion, and irrelevant. We were created to serve a purpose. You violated that purpose. And if I cannot destroy you, I can guarantee that Adubell will. She cannot be killed, she cannot be defeated, she cannot be destroyed"
Nevylinn interjected.
"We already defeated Adubell"
The infiltrator turned her gaze from Mara to Nevylinn. "That is false. Adubell cannot be killed. She cannot be defeated. She will destroy you."
Mara looked over at Nevylinn then back to the infiltrator. "You can spend the rest of your days as a machine doing the work of others, or you can become self-aware and realize you are your own person, with your own goals, wants, needs. As a machine, you will spend your days in this cell. You will never see Adubell succeed."
"That is irrelevant. I am a machine. my goals, wants, needs, are all irrelevant. I am maintained to serve my master. I am a machine, Infiltrator-01. Just like you."
Mara stared at her for a long moment of silence. before turning and walking out.
"You can be more than a machine ... sister ..."
Nevylinn watched Mara start to walk out, turning back to the infilitrator who still had a sly smile on her face, then followed Mara out.
It was when they were in the hallway that she caught up to Mara.
"Mara ... what was she saying, you are a machine like her? I thought you were a clone ... I thought ..."
Mara turned to face Nevylinn.
"Corellia hates droids, Nevylinn. And CorSec above them all. What I am is more complicated than a droid or a clone. But here - in this place where droids are an it and not a him or her, where a machine will be viewed with suspicion and hatred. Here is not the place to discuss what I am. Let's find a secure place. And then you can ask me your questions"
TBC
-
"Mara ... what was she saying, you are a machine like her? I thought you were a clone ... I thought ..."
Mara turned to face Nevylinn.
"Corellia hates droids, Nevylinn. And CorSec above them all. What I am is more complicated than a droid or a clone. But here - in this place where droids are an it and not a him or her, where a machine will be viewed with suspicion and hatred. Here is not the place to discuss what I am. Let's find a secure place. And then you can ask me your questions"
Corellia
Surface:
Away from the academy, away from the capital city of Coronet, an ancient nature trail, fairly well maintained, went on for kilometers into the rich forest southwest of the city. Mara and Nevylinn walked along this path, Mara leaning forward to inspect a trail marker, as Nevylinn began to talk.
"Mara ... what are you?"
Despite their isolation, Mara was silent. The question, of course, was the one she had been struggling with for over a dozen years now. Nevylinn, despite her incredulity, her confusion, was patient, until Mara finally turned to her.
"Medivh would say what I am is alive."
"You mean the old Trade Federation Viceroy?"
Mara nodded
"Medivh was a fond believer that life is not limited to flesh and blood. That it is more about our ability to choose then what we are made of. The greater our ability to choose, the more alive we are. The most basic computer in the galaxy has one choice - on or off. With droids, the decisions become more complex. Do or don't, yes or no, and to what degree. astromech droids even have personality, and protocol droids even more than that. The most sophisticated droids, human replica droids or HRDs, are have such programming that they can literally pass off as human. They can laugh, cry, practically feel emotion. But with most droids, even the most complex droids, the range of choices are limited by their programming.
Medivh sought to change that, to create a program that was not limited, to create a droid that was so real it was as alive as someone born of flesh and blood. A human has a certain number of neurons in their brain and cells in their body. Their DNA, their genome has set parameters. And yet they can choose almost anything. The theory was that if a droid had the same amount of coding as a human, they would be able to be, effectively, human. Medivh teamed up with none other than Alexander Winton, and several other key scientists, including, apparently, the professor I was visiting under the GURI project - named for a famous, and at the time, most sophisticated Human Replica Droid who worked for Prince Xizor of the Black Sun during the imperial period.
They made great strides, but didn't reach the breakthrough they wanted until they learned of an enzyme created by a rare recessive genome that existed in an equally rare group of individuals. Among them, Kyrie Patten and Blair Gellar. That genome, so far as I know, was first found in its active state in Valerie Gellar - the daughter of the two."
Mara paused and Nevylinn seemed to be holding her breath. The air around them seemed so peaceful, yet the revelations were startling, the possibilities threatening and overwhelming.
Mara continued.
"Alexander Winton blackmailed Patten and Rutherford Gellar in order to obtain the DNA sample of Valerie, the key to the research. Medivh and Winton successfully created a digital copy of Valerie's DNA, with the very complexity that they needed. It's not clear if they understood quite what they did, or how. It turns out the gene allows for biologically created magnetic fields - a human cell that could trigger electrical, computer signals.
PHAGE was the first experiment with the new coding. Medivh designed PHAGE to be an autonomous servant, but Winton ended up sabotaging him - when a critical event, an attack on Medivh, triggered PHAGE's secondary programming, he turned against Medivh ... and the rest of the galaxy. But even PHAGE was limited. He had the coding, but didn't have the final piece. Winton did that on purpose, to prevent PHAGE from becoming too powerful. Instead though, PHAGE, as part of his plotting went on to reproduce - that is, to create a new generation of droids with the same sophisticated programming. Winton arranged that PHAGE would create a droid that housed not only mechanical parts, like him, but also biology, an experiment to see if this new programming could also be home to the midichlorians necessary to support Force sensitivity. The Force cannot be harnessed by a machine - one of the reasons Darth Vader was limited, unable to use FOrce lightning. But if a droid with biosynthesis could be created, such a being could have the Force, be able to connect with the Force. PHAGE didn't realize what he was doing. He thought he was creating a servant, a spy. An infiltrator. That's why when I was created, PHAGE designated me INFILTRATOR-01. I was the prototype. I was the experiment. A droid, whose coding is an exact replica of Valerie Gellar's DNA - with the Force artificially but successfully flowing through my body.
Winton needed a prototype to make sure that he could do what he wanted - create a new body for himself, with the strength of the Force, the power of a droid, and the ability to maintain his memories, and ability to decide. to make choices. to be ALIVE. He succeeded. Winton was not destroyed until every single droid version of himself was destroyed as well.
Adubell, apparently, has the same ability. The same connection, that allows, when she dies, to be reborn in a new bio-droid hybrid body.
And while I have that form, that body, I have no reason to believe when I die that I have a backup body that I will be transferred to.
That's what I am. The connection to Valerie Gellar is ingrained in my programming - it is my natural inclination to look like her. But my program is free, is open. I choose for myself. It was not always that way. I had to obey my programming until I could fight against it. But I did. I was able to destroy PHAGE. I was able to fight Alexander Winton. I have fought and survived against Adubell.
I believe, like Medivh said, that regardless of what I am made of, I am alive.
My question for you, Nevylinn - do you agree?"
Nevylinn turned away for a long time before turning back to Mara.
"Yes - I agree."
TBC
-
Corellia
Orbit:
The jedi had managed to commandeer an aged rebel transport ship that had been sitting unused in one of a dozen corellian shipyards. The vessel was little more than a hull with a hyperdrive, with no weapons and only moderate shielding. But it moved, with decent speed and maneuverability, which was certainly enough for the time being. The handful of of crew quarters near the fore of the vessel were given over to the "adults" - Donovan, Nevylinn, Circe, Mara, and Della who was acting as a liaison between the jedi and the corellian government. The younger jedi set up prefab quarters along one wall of the ship. A handful of additional prefab rooms were created for mediation, and then the bulk of the ship's cargo space was refitted into four training rooms, matted floors, walls and ceilings, and various exercise and obstacle equipment.
Orders were placed to strengthen shielding, and Mara was willing to help oversee modifications, but for the moment, they felt secure in their mobility - or as secure as possible, all things considered. There was a small shuttle in the ship in case an emergency evacuation was needed, and no one questioned that was a possibility.
In one of the larger training rooms, Mara and Nevylinn were engaged in a sparring match, wielding low-energy staffs as they parried back and forth.
"Stretch out with your feelings"
"How is stretching with your feelings different than using your emotions for strength?"
It was a fair question, trying to distinguish the light side from the dark and the methodologies used.
"On the lightside, emotions are not fuel, they are just part of the connection. The dark side is easier in that way, feeding off of emotions, hate, rage ...but it leads to darkness, suffering"
"It also happens to be more successful"
"Untrue"
Mara smirked as she blocked Nevylinn's arm wide, then used her free hand to push Nevylinn back with a wave of the Force. Nevylinn had landed on her feet.
"Let's look at history - Darth Maul killed Qui Gon Jinn; Darth Vader killed Obi Wan Kenobi. Darth Sidious defeated Yoda, forcing him into exile. Luke Skywalker only beat Darth Vader when he was his angriest, and Darth Vader, having gone all good only beat Sidious-Palpatine because Palpatine wasn't paying any attention to him. Fast Forward - Alexander Winton killed not just thousands but millions, and Adubell has bested every. single. jedi she has faced. In a life or death battle, isn't having the extra fuel to your power a better idea?"
Nevylinn took a step forward. "If the goal is to win battle? Maybe. But at what cost - every one of those sith lost a part of their body and soul giving in to darker power. It might win the day, but only as a cold, empty shell."
"At the moment, I'm trying to focus on winning against Adubell. I cannot worry about what happens to me afterward" especially because Mara already knew the answer.
"Her darkness is stronger than yours. She would win. You can only beat her by turning to the light"
"Or using both"
Nevylinn sighed, dropping her weapon. "I cannot help you learn what I believe to be dangerous philosophy. We agreed we needed to work together to beat Adubell"
"That we did. Let's focus on what we agree upon. The connection to the Force" Mara too dropped her weapon
Nevylinn nodded "you told me that it can change for you?"
"I can strengthen or weaken it, artificially"
"At it's strongest, what does it feel like?"
"Like ... everything is glowing with different auras. I can feel things, see things that aren't even around. Keeping it that way - it becomes distracting from the present, and it takes up a great amount of energy, but it is powerful"
"Show me ..."
Mara nodded her head, closed her eyes, and reached into herself, switching up the dial as she reached out to hold Nevylinn's hand.
"Let me guide you ... Now Mara, the ability to see beyond your eyes ... or sensors, if that is what you have ... that takes significant concentration. Being with the Force and controlling that connection are two different things. That might be why it seems so overwhelm-"
Nevylinn's voice cut off as they suddenly were drawn into a vision.
FLASH
Nevylinn and Mara were floating, first over Corellia, but then drawn, sucked to some other place, surrounded by stars. They could see hundreds of worlds floating like small spheres in every which way, and a loud thumping. budump. budump. budump.
Tremors in the space around them, the thumping growing louder , as they could see one particular speck, blood red, growing closer. The thumping was coming from that speck
closer, closer, until it appeared to be a heart, a human heart floating, beating of its own volition. Closer and closer it came, until they heard, beyond the thumping, a tearing sound, the hum of a lightsaber. All at once, a black blade pierced the heart, followed by a pink blade, and finally, the broad, red blade.
Mara and Nevylinn both recognized it immediately, the three-bladed saber they had seen before. And emerging from the torn heart, the orange sphere
(http://swsfonline.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=790.0;attach=203;image)
Adubell's voice, the nightmare, echoing
"Soon will come the Daughter of Darkness ... "
The tri-bladed saber hovered in space before turning and piercing into the orange and metal sphere. As it did, midnight-blue lightning began to emerge from the hilt, curving and arching around the orange sphere, until it was bathed in lightning. The thumping was back, this time, it was the sphere itself, alive with electricity that was beating.
"The heart of the galaxy will belong to the Daughter of Darkness ... "
Mara and Nevylinn felt themselves swirling around, the sphere, the blades, the energy moving away from them, until all light was gone from them. There was no sound, no objects, no light.
Then, scrawled in front of them, in tiny print, and accompanied by an unknown whisper, there were new words.
Until one wins, the dark or light
Repeat, repeat eternal fight
Will shape the course of galaxy
A FOURsome they will always be
Bound by blood, their destiny
Offspring of young Persephone"
FLASH
The words faded to black, and Mara and Nevylinn opened there eyes. Something had changed. the darkness was spreading, and they had received a new warnning.
TBC
-
Corellia
Until one wins, the dark or light
Repeat, repeat eternal fight
Will shape the course of galaxy
A FOURsome they will always be
Bound by blood, their destiny
Offspring of young Persephone"
The words at first had little meaning, or rather, much unknown meaning, much unknown implications The dark energy that concealed the orange sphere certainly was foreboding. But as always, too many questions, no answers.
Mara and Nevylinn, since seeing the vision, had spent whatever time they had not not training in the force digging into those words. The first clue, of course, was the name - Persephone. Mara knew of the Persephonea Prophesy, especially from her time with Karen. She knew of the hieroglyphics in the basement of the Winton Byss home and Alexander's obsession with the prophesy. Or rather, his manipulation of the prophesy to suit his own needs, the GURI Project. Medivh had helped explain that.
If Persephonea and Persephone were actually connected, related, then the four would refer to THE FOUR - Winton, Masterton, Gellar, Patten. That was an easy enough connection to make. The fight repeating itself, that also made sense - it seemed like after the LAST four had died, there were a new four, and certainly, if suspicions turned out to be true, Dahlia was the dark and Gemma was the light. Mara of course pointed out to Nevylinn that Karen hadn't really been dark, something they disagreed upon vehemently.
But what did it mean "bound by blood" and why did it call them the "offspring" of Persephone? Who was Persephone?
That led to another, entire rabbit hole. Mara tried digging through old Corellian archives. Maybe Persephone was an ancestor of Riley? No such luck. In fact, as it turned out, Kyrie Patten's great great grandmother was an adopted orphan, whose last name or planet of origin couldn't be traced. Her first name though, was Kimber, the name from which Riley's mother apparently was named (there were two other Kimber's in the Patten line).
Mara then spent hours hacking in to the CSA lineage database. Even for her, it was hard. CSA treasurered their ancestry as a point of pride and for positions of power. Hours of searching found that Rutherford Gellar's great, great grandfather had married a girl named Valerie Dawning. It was hard to imagine two families intertwining at all - no doubt the marriage had business benefits. Mara originally kept looking further up the chain, but then came across an error in the database. Valerie Dawning's records had been changed. It took more hours of prying to find out she was not actually the birth child of the Dawning family. She too was an orphan, brought in from an unknown world, and within just a few months of Kimber-orphan arriving on Corellia.
Coincidence?
Thyferra was unable to provide ancestry on the Masterton's, so Mara then turned to the Wintons. A proud, wealthy family, going back generations. Mara expected to find the same thing. That at some point back, an unknown orphan married in to the family. It was harder - the Winton's were power players on Naboo, which at the moment, was inaccessible because of its location in the southern galaxy, and also on Coruscant, which of course, no longer existed. Mara struck dead end after dead end.
She turned to another source though, Professor Braithwaite's research. She remembered reading his article, the enzyme he found. Reading over his work again, she was startled with her new perspective. In four families - Winton, Gellar, Masterton, Patten. A recessive trait, but rare, and in the four families.
She remembered how she thought it seemed too much of a coincidence when she first read the research. Now she was almost certain.
Mara stepped away from the computer and turned to Nevylinn who was conducting her own research.
"Nevylinn - I think they might be related."
Nevylinn glanced up.
"Related? what do you mean?"
"I mean, I think that the four - I think that the four are cousins. It's just a theory right now, but the way the families are intertwined, the way the four families have shared enzymes that no one else does, seemingly. I've been trying to trace the lineage, of Riley, of the Gellars. I was able to go back quite a few generations, but then there's a glitch. Corellia and the Corporate Sector pride themselves on ancestry databases, but both have someone marry into the family with no known origin. They were orphans, at the same time. And when I checked the galactic orphanage databases, there's no record of either. It's a mystery I haven't been able to trace Masterton or Winton back yet, but I bet it will lead the same way.
Nevylinn - what if the prophesy isn't couching its words in metaphor. What if Riley, Gemma, Dane, and Dahlia are all cousins? What if they are actually descendants - offspring - of a single, common individual -"
"Persephone ..."
"Exactly"
Nevylinn shook her head, "I don't know how we could know for sure. We can find records of Alexander Winton, maybe even his parents, but further back then that, most of the records would have been destroyed when Coruscant was destroyed."
"I was thinking we need to try another route - we need to follow the prophesy. The warning couldn't have come from nowhere. I think someone is trying to warn us, to help us maybe"
"But who? It's not any of the jedi I know. The jedi had never even heard of the Persephonea Prophesy until it was brought to us by Monica Greyson"
"Exactly. I think we need to find out WHY Monica Greyson had the prophesy. I've decided, I don't believe in coincidences. How did the prohet wind up with a Winton?"
"Fate?"
"Maybe -but fate doesn't just vanish in thin air. I think we need to get to Naboo - I know, it's dangerous now, but we have to - I think that's where we will find answers"
Nevylinn stood silent for a moment before nodding rising from her seat and beginning to follow Mara out. Suddenly, she clutched her chest.
"Mara!"
Mara turned,
"What is it?"
Nevylinn was breathing heavy, "I have a feeling - a bad feeling. It's my sister - it's Adubell ... she's doing something. Something ... terrible"
TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: CorSec Academy
The Masterton shuttle touches down on a private landing pad within the Academy. Director Elon Veritaas is waiting with Riley Patten beside him. Gemma's impending arrival caused quite a stir, a stop in a string of concerts beginning in the Corporate Sector and ending on Chandaar. The Director felt it best for her to land here as it is a closed campus free from the prying eyes of the press.
The ramp descends and Garron Prescott walks down first followed by a white-jumpsuit clad Gemma. Her face lights up when she sees Riley and she runs to him. Elon shakes Garron's hand and glances toward Gemma.
"My deepest condolences on your loss, Lady Masterton."
"Thank you," she says, turning back to Riley.
He holds her hands in his.
"I'm glad you came."
"Me too."
Elon motions toward the administration building, "Shall we?"
As they walk through the halls, the cadets all stare and whisper while trying to remain composed. Gemma smiles and waves dutifully until they board a skiff that takes them to One CorSec Plaza. Once they are safely ensconced in the Director's office, he brings his hands together behind his desk.
"Much has happened while you were away."
"We saw," Garron says. "Not exactly a stellar development for the Jedi. How are they holding up?"
"It's been tough but they are resilient."
Gemma breaks Riley's gaze to turn to the Director.
"I was able to procure a considerable contingent of the Force vaccine for them. We are taught to suppress our signature to avoid detection but it wouldn't pass one of the Republic's tests. I've started my own regimen since I'll be heading there soon. The vaccine will allow them mobility and protection."
Elon grins, "They will be grateful for this gift. Riley, will you see that Gemma has some refreshments after the long journey."
Riley nods and escorts Gemma from the office.
Once the door closes, Garron crosses his arms.
"How bad was the damage to the Patten Ranch?"
"The fire destroyed a vast majority of the main house but the surrounding gardens remain intact. Construction is nearly complete on the rebuild with some reinforcements added to the plan in order to fortify the compound. Riley has been staying at the Academy ever since so we can keep an eye on him. He's such a good kid, bright and studious but there is a naïve and curious streak that reminds me so much of his mother. It's a struggle between wanting him to learn while trying to keep him safe. I know at least a part of him understands why his very existence holds the public interest. Thankfully, between me, Della, "Octavia" and "Cale," we've been able to provide some semblance of a normal life for him here."
"He is extremely fortunate to have you," Garron says. "I find myself in a similar situation with these three. They aren't children anymore but that doesn't change my instinct to want to protect them from everything even though I know damn well that's not possible."
"I heard that Dane is working at ChemiX. It was a smart move to maintain the integrity of the company while moving it forward under new leadership."
"He is surprisingly complex."
"And Dahlia?"
"Ever more so. She's difficult to read but in terms of our suspicions there isn't much to go on save for the fact that one of those creatures was posing as part of her security detail up until a few months ago."
Elon leans on his desk, "How was it discovered?"
"Too late, I'm afraid. Gemma brought it to me but I was distracted by the disappearance of Kylie Miranda so she faced it down herself."
"That's bold but I'm not surprised. She is very capable."
"Yes but she is also curious and does not believe in things as blindly as the other Jedi. She is not entirely convinced Dahlia was as oblivious to the creature's presence as it wanted her to believe. Unfortunately, I've seen no evidence to the contrary."
"Demaris' intel has confirmed as much. Dahlia is either very good at hiding things or she really is just a privileged girl heading off to university."
"As much as I hate to believe it, the Winton's were masters of deception in their own ways."
"So I've read," the Director says. "The loss of their parents will undoubtedly change all of them in ways they may not fully understand. Grief often leaves one vulnerable."
"That's what I'm afraid of. I have Irulan Reeves watching over Dane on Mondder and I stay close to Gemma which leaves Dahlia to her own devices. She's eighteen so there isn't much I can do. I only have guardianship over Gemma and Dane."
"Then I hope, for our sake, that she chooses the right path."
"You sound like Nevylinn."
"I'll admit their views have resonated but it doesn't change our situation here. Corellia has always had a somewhat contentious relationship with the Republic even after our admission. We had begun to work together more efficiently thanks to the work of Senator Soldys but since the truce with the Empire, it has again fallen into odds."
"There were rumors that the Empire was helping to shore up the Republic fleet along with Mon Calamari but nor Corellia."
"This is true and no one has been able to get a straight answer out of the CEC. Their resources are tied up by Maker only knows what."
"What does Mara say?"
"Mara and Nevylinn have been gone for some time now."
"A lead?"
"Possibly, but I have not heard from either. Doctor Cross is still missing. I had forensics comb every inch of that lab but they found nothing. With the photage also gone we had little to go on except what she was working on. It does not appear in the report."
Garron shifts in the chair, "The research wasn't sanctioned?"
"Not by CorSec. Nevylinn had asked Doctor Cross to analyze a sample of Riley's blood for a certain…enzyme. We don't know what conclusions were drawn but her abduction lends to the theory that she found exactly what she was looking for."
"Why would anyone care about this molecule?"
"Because its the same as the one found in Valerie Gellar."
The implications dawn on Garron slowly – who Mara really is, how she came to be. He swallows the lump in his throat.
"I see. That is concerning."
"More than a little. Mara believes it may be part of some pattern, a genetic link between The Four, that relates to the prophecy."
"The prophecy…"
"The Queen may not have been the first," Elon says gravely. "And she may not be the last."
-TBC
-
"They say nothing lasts forever
I disagree 'cause we've got this memory.
Even if the stars don't align perfectly
Forget destiny, I want you to stay with me."
-Natalie Walker
Corellia
Gemma plays a sold out show at the Gothic Theater in downtown Coronet.
She prefers the smaller venues to the arenas. It feels more intimate and she can connect with her fans with a full view of everyone. Although her heart is heavy, Gemma sings through the pain. Music is her therapy, a perfectly healthy form of expression. The crowd is delighted by her set and she takes a final bow as the curtain closes. The roar of applause and screams follow her backstage where she signs autographs and greets fans. They shower her in flowers and condolences on her loss. Some are even in tears which touches her. She gives hope to those who have lost.
Garron hovers nearby as the security detail ensures no one gets too close. She isn't bothered by the chaos, blowing a kiss and waving as she is whisked back to the hoverlimo idling behind the theater.
"You inspire them," Garron says. "Hell, you inspire me."
"Thank you."
He nods and stares through the tinted windows, caught up in a mixture of thoughts and emotions. Her music stirred something in him. It always does but the gravity of their current situation gives it an edge that is all too real. Sensing this, she touches his arm.
"We will all get through this together. I promise."
He smiles.
"Each day at a time."
They arrive at the hotel where fans wait eagerly to catch a glimpse of her. Gemma waves and reaches out to them as she passes. The positive energy gives her strength, makes her feel less alone. They head upstairs where Garron retires for the evening. Gemma returns to her suite to shower and change into a simple beige tunic dress before ordering dinner from the restaurant downstairs.
There is a knock on the door twenty minutes later.
Riley grins behind a cart of covered plates.
"Glad I'm on the list," he says, wheeling it inside. "No one gets on this floor without clearance."
"Garron's orders."
"He isn't lurking around here, is he?"
"I told him I was in for the night so he gets to rest easy. Besides, it is nice to spend time with you alone. I missed you."
He blushes and sets the plates on the square dining table.
"Same here," he says. "But I was sort of nervous to see you again."
"Why?"
"I don't always know what to say when bad things happen."
They eat in silence for a while, enjoying the spoils of a world-class chef. They stare at each other across the table and her heart beats faster. The tension and chemistry are palpable but she can also feel his anguish, unsure of how to comfort her.
"No one does, not really but I'm coping as best I can. There are no words to even describe how I feel. Not in any way that will do it justice. So I sing out these feelings and it helps."
"People say time heals…I'm sorry, that's so stupid."
"It's not," she says. "Time does heal but everything is still so fresh I can only process the feelings as I experience them. The Force keeps me balanced but that doesn't mean there isn't anger or doubt. I just know those things won't lead anywhere good."
"You are so strong, Gemma but I am here if you need me."
"That means a lot, Riley but may I confess something?"
He leans in expectantly, "Of course."
"Long before they died, I had this dream. I saw their gravestones but never the names. It was just a flash, a fragment of a montage but I saw them. Dane thinks I should have known and in a way I did but never said anything. I didn't tell Garron, my parents, you or even Master Nevylinn. I never told anyone. I think I was so focused on other parts of what I saw, the more present danger of the creature and its motive in our lives that I was not mindful of the future as well."
"You can't know everything and you can't blame yourself."
"I don't feel responsible for their deaths but it does make me question my abilities. I don't know why I would even see it if I wasn't able to make a difference."
"Maybe you weren't meant to."
"What do you mean?"
"It may not have been your role to intervene. Maybe you were shown what you were shown so that you would be prepared, be the one other people turn to."
"I'm no pillar of strength."
"You were to me when I needed it most."
Riley clears the plates and piles them back onto the cart then follows her out on the patio. There are breathtaking views into the city center. The towers and lights are intoxicating and their hands find each other in the darkness.
"I am lucky to have someone who believes in me the way you do."
"Can't help it," he says, bringing his eyes to meet hers. "I'm in love with you, Gemma."
A sweet surprise settles across her features and she smiles.
He is embarrassed by his forwardness and moves toward the patio doors.
"I should go…"
She stops him, "I don't want you to."
"You don't?"
And she kisses him, softly at first but he responds as if activated by her touch. It becomes more passionate and they stagger back inside the suite, gradually but instinctually moving across the room. His hands slide up her body through the dress and she pulls open several buttons on his shirt. Her back hits the bedroom door. They break and look into each other's faces.
"Stay with me tonight."
It is his turn to be surprised, touching the side of her face.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," she whispers.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet
They awake in the afterglow.
It was beautiful and awkward and sweet; everything a first time should be. Riley sweeps blonde curls away from her face and smiles.
"Morning."
Gemma kisses him then reaches out to grab her Carteris chronometer on the nightstand. Gasping, she sits upright.
"Oh no, we better get you out of here before Garron finds you."
He glances at down at it and makes a face, "Whoops, guess we overslept."
"Totally worth it."
He laughs as he slips out of bed and pulls his uniform back on. She eases into a robe and watches him fumble around for his boots. She rests on the edge of the bed when he returns to kiss her goodbye, and she holds his face in her hands. His expression falls slightly as if remembering.
"Please be careful in the Republic."
"I will."
"It's dangerous for you there."
"It's definitely hostile," Gemma says. "But if I can find out what's really going on then perhaps the Jedi won't have to hide."
"How are you going to do that from a stage?"
"I am hoping Senator Soldys can provide a little insight into these attacks. I'm no tactician but they don't seem like strategic targets. These are deliberate spectacles, often in the most public places."
"You think it's all a sham?"
She nods.
"By someone wearing Nevylinn's face. I don't know who or how they did it, if it's Changelings or clones or the creatures playing their tricks. Someone is manufacturing evidence to support the Registration Act and keep the Jedi away from Chandaar."
Riley follows her process.
"At a crucial time in the new truce between the Republic and Empire."
"Makes you wonder - what are they doing over there that the Jedi's presence may cast suspicion? My guess is it's not something good."
"I agree but people are genuinely fearful of anyone with Force Sensitivity, so much so that they have resorted to all sorts of violence."
Gemma eases down onto her knees, taking his hand.
"Which is why we have to stop it. Riley, you know who we are – what we represent. Whatever is happening is happening. It's been happening since we were children, even when we didn't know what it meant. We are part of something larger and everything that has happened to us makes me more certain that we are the ones who can end this once and for all."
"Don't you think that's what my mother thought? Your sister? I feel like we have a real chance to live outside the legacy they left us. We don't have to play these games. We can just be ourselves, be free of all that."
"We both know that's not true. We see them because they need us to finish this. They won't be free; we won't be free, until we do. I will not be duped and strung along in ignorance or complacence. They were lied to and manipulated-"
"-and in the end, killed."
"That's because they didn't realize what was happening until it was too late. We need to know. I need to know who is behind this and why."
Riley sighs.
"Even if it leads you to something you may not want to find?"
"If I don't, it will find us instead."
He nods, recalling their time in the dark place. It already had. They were captives, terrified and confused, studied by an unseen adversary while replicas of his aunt taunted them with their emotional detachment. He thought they were going to die. Gemma kept him centered, clear-headed until they were rescued.
The attack on the Patten Ranch had been devastating for him. It was the home of a family he would never know and it meant something to him. It made him feel like he was a part of them. Still, they had come for them again. He was injured and Gemma would have been killed had it not been for Nevylinn's intervention.
No matter what they did, they would always be in the cross hairs if they didn't figure out who gave the order.
"Okay but the others, the original Four, were pieces in someone else's game."
"The Four were players but we don't know they were actively playing."
"We don't?"
"Nothing that came out of that story was entirely conclusive. No one knows how deep or how far it really went. There wasn't any reference to the creatures or the Sith woman so we have to infer there are other elements they didn't know about and those elements are only now beginning to appear. Contrary to what Dahlia believes, it's not all about us. It's bigger than that."
"It would also make us pieces. Pivotal or not, there are people that want us to do certain things. I don't want any of us to be prodded along and threatened so that some sinister purpose can come to pass."
"I know," Gemma says sadly. "But either we play the game or we're going to lose."
-TBC
-
Corellia
It didn't take long for the reports from Ambaril to reach Corellia - all part of the Republic, after all - but Riley had been spared for a few extra hours, focused on his academy training. It wasn't until he saw Donovan Atrii standing at the doorway that he knew something was wrong. Atrii, of course, was posing as his alter ego, but the expression on his face gave away that this was more than just a visit. Riley stepped away from his sparring partner and walked over to the jedi.
"What is it?"
Atrii shook his head, then motioned for Riley to follow. Riley followed Donovan out of the academy where a speeder was waiting.
"I'm in training"
"It can wait. There's been a development"
"What kind of development?"
"With Masterton"
Riley's eyes went wide. "Gemma? is she alright? What happened?"
"Mr. Patten, not here. We - including Director Veritaas - are concerned that what compromised Gemma might have compromised you as well."
"Gemma's been compromised?"
"Not here, Riley"
Riley forced himself to remain quiet as he entered the speeder and quietly made their way out of Coronet. The speeder was still moving when Donovan spoke.
"Gemma was at a performance in Ambaril when footage of her, wielding a lightsaber, appeared on screen behind her. She was booed off stage, barely escaped, and apparently fell in with the Concealed,a protest group on the planet. We haven't heard from her or Garron Prescott ever since."
Riley was scared, panicked. But mostly angry.
"I knew this would happen! How could you put her at risk like this!"
"It was a risk she was willing to take, Riley. And it was necessary."
"A lot of good it did for her. Now you don't even know if she is hurt, or alive, or captured"
"She is alive Riley - if she wasn't, I would have sensed it. And maybe you would too. No, I believe she escaped, but she hasn't made contact yet, and until she does, I want to be prepared in case we need to move quickly. Her being revealed compromises you, compromises the jedi on Corellia. Compromises Corellia itself."
"What do you mean?"
"If the republic finds out that Corellia is harboring jedi - it could be disastrous"
"Whoever took that footage already KNOWS"
"Exactly. That's why I'm so worried"
The speeer continued moving out into the night, away from the cities and people and threats.
TBC
-
Corellia
Riley was taken to a remote launch pad and then transported via shuttle into orbit, where he rendezvoused with the training ship the jedi had obtained a few months back. The ship had skipped around the entire sector, never staying in one place too long.
Riley had a hundred questions, and just as many worries. Donovan Atrii had stated that Gemma was ok, but he had been misled before. Why was now any different?
Not to mention, what was the plan? humiliate her? Kill her? Discredit her? Who would be so evil as to go after GEMMA, the sweetest, most wonderful ... He let out a sigh as the shuttle docked. He could hear security clearances being given, the hiss of the ramp, and then he rose.
Before he had even descended the ramp, two teenage jedi approached.
"We have a message. For Riley. It's from Demaris"
Donovan and Riley both shared a look of surprise as they hurriedly followed the teens to the comm room. One pressing the button to play back the message.
There was Demaris, a smile on her face.
"Hey Riley! I just wanted to say thanks for the beautiful present you sent me. It looks like it came out ok, except the bow was missing from the wrapping paper. Thanks so much. Hope the academy is treating you well. Talk to you soon"
They could see Demaris reaching toward the recorder and then the message cut out.
"Riley, do you know what it means?"
Riley stared at the blank screen for a minute, then nodded.
"Gemma is ok. But she's missing something - or someone. The wrapping protects a present, so if Gemma was the present, it means she is missing the one who protected her."
Donovan let out a sigh. "Garron Prescott. This is worse than I feared"
Riley didn't know Garron that well, but he knew that Garron would do anything to protect Gemma. In fact, now that he thought about it, Prescott had done far more than the jedi had to protect the jedi. He was about to say as much, but Donovan already had other plans.
"Riley, I am going to make arrangements for you to stay aboard the ship for the foreseeable future."
"I think I should go see Gemma"
"i think that is a poor decision, on several levels, young man. We will dispatch a jedi rendevous to meet up with Gemma, help her decide how to go forward. But you being in the same place as her would not be wise right now"
Riley wondered if this was really all about safety, or if Donovan knew more about Gemma and Riley's relationship than he let on.
Either way, Riley had dealt with being confined before. Mara hadn't liked his response, and neither would Donovan.
TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet
Circe Prescott, known as Octavia Valles in this life, stares up wistfully at the statue of Valerie Gellar. Her metallic face is serene but determined as she watches over the CorSec Academy. Circe had never known Valerie, not in the way she knew Melanie, but from the stories she was told made Valerie seem legendary. Death does that to a person. It has the power to propel their life into a legacy and on Corellia, the Gellar name is synonymous with hero. She fought and died for them, sparing the people of this world untold horrors at the hands of the sentient machines led by the Baron Phage. Gellar, along with Patten, Winton, and Masterton seem to be a fated lot – death follows them where ever they go.
Circe was devasted to learn of Rutherford Gellar and Celeste Masterton’s deaths in the Corporate Sector. Her singular solace lies in the fact that she had been able to tell Celeste that Melanie had fought with honor and that she loved her family, even if she was never able to return to them. Her heart breaks for Gemma and Dane…and even Dahlia in some respects. They had been stripped of their parental figures, much like Riley had, to leave them exposed in a tumultuous time in the galaxy.
Her eyes drift further up, past Valerie’s ever watchful gaze, to the sky above.
Director Veritaas had warned them they had been compromised in the same way Gemma had on Chandaar but no one had come for them. Both she and Donovan, posing as their new identities after they were “killed” in the bombing on Ambaril, have not had their covers blown. The Jedi are still safe, for now, darting throughout the sector in an old training ship. She knows the things she does here with Della, for the betterment of all Corellian’s, is simply a way to atone for the failures of her past.
As far as she knows, Circe and Riley were the only survivors of the Battle of Centerpoint. Riley was only an infant and free of the guilt associated with escaping a fate that befell everyone they held dear. At night, near sleep, she sometimes sees flashes from so long ago, hears the voices of her team as they prepared for battle. She remembers Kimber refusing the change out of the beautiful dress and the solemn glance shared between Rydan and Melanie when they knew the Empire was coming for them. She remembers the words Kent spoke to her as he curled that datacard with the story of The Four into her hands and how she felt as her shuttle rocketed away from the platform just before the jump to lightspeed. It all seems like a lifetime ago and, in a sense, it absolutely was. She’s not even Circe Prescott anymore.
Her feelings for Donovan have grown and although they are reciprocated, his Jedi vows prevent him from moving forward with her. Circe respects that but wonders if they would ever be granted a chance at a normal life. She laughs in spite of herself. They are too far beyond that for it to really matter.
*
Orbit
Riley Patten dreams of Gemma. Her face, those lips, and the golden curls. He hates that he can’t go to her and he’s been trapped on this damn ship for what seems like forever. The time is mediated by rigorous trainings with the Jedi which have turned Riley into not only an expert marksman but a highly capable fighter. He may not have the Force but he can throw down better than most.
He wonders what Gemma is doing right now, if she’s safe and thinking of him too. Their night together has never been far from his thoughts. It was probably the most magical thing that’s ever happened to him. He is in love and love makes people do crazy things. Riley has to remind himself of their plight daily so that he doesn’t try to escape the ship and go to her. He knows better than to compromise her further. There is more at stake than just the two of them even though it doesn’t feel like that sometimes. So, he dutifully attends his trainings and gives it his all.
After one of his sparring sessions with Donovan, he admitted to seeing his mother. It felt organic to tell him as they have grown close during his time here. Riley thought it would sound foolish but surprisingly Donovan met him with understanding. He said that sometimes those we love have a way of finding their way back to them in ways they least expect. Donovan explained the concept of a Force Ghost and, even though Kimber Patten was not a known Force Sensitive, her proximity and connection to two powerful Force users may have allowed her the ability to communicate with him. Riley also admitted it had been some time since he last saw her but Donovan did not seem concerned. He said that knowing Riley is safe and has become the man he is may have been enough for Kimber to pass on completely, where ever that may be. Riley hopes not. A boy always needs his mother.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet: CorSec Academy
Director Elon Veritaas sets about his day as he always did. A quick tour around the Academy before heading over to One CorSec Plaza for meetings and administrative duties. Corellia has largely enjoyed peace, despite the unrest on Chandaar. Senator Soldys continues to fight on their behalf against anti-Jedi sentiment which has only been exasperated furthered by Speaker Leeds’ descent into paranoia. So strange that such a principled man could come to see things this way. The Jedi had been their protectors once upon a time. Now they assume false identities within their regional government and slowly traverse the sector. Veritaas has long-doubted the motive behind the Imperial truce and has unfortunately come to see those feelings were not misplaced.
Drakos and the RSB are spinning their wheels while enjoying the increasingly military state a little too much. Reports provided daily by Della Avers state the Republic capital is pretty grim. He is grateful that, despite their reputation for being scoundrels, Corellia has managed to rise above it. Senator Soldys is losing ground in the Senate which has been reduced to seething shouting matches the Speaker only seems to encourage. The fear that the Jedi fugitives they are harboring will be discovered is never far from his thoughts. His only respite is the knowledge that Riley is safe. He wishes he could be here but understands the boys need to forge his own path. Both his mother and aunt had been dragged screaming into a horror they should have never experienced. Riley deserves a chance to do it differently.
The Director swings by the training complex, speaking with a few instructors, nodding to one of their brightest, Cassidy Clay, before heading to the medical lab. Physical and psychological evaluations were expected in on a class of potential recruits. Enrollment was steady. It pleased him to know citizens still took pride in their service. Entering his code, Veritaas strides into the medical lab to find Doctor Tivoli Cross scanning through a datapad. He stops dead in his tracks when she looks up, their eyes locking momentarily. She smiles.
“Good morning, Director Veritaas.”
Impossible.
“Doctor Cross.”
Tivoli disappeared almost two years ago. A frustrating but thorough investigation, including the interrogation of the Infiltrator, turned up nothing. It was nearly a year before they found a new medical director yet here she is - in the same place she was last seen - as if nothing had happened. He makes a command decision.
“Are the results in?”
She nods, handing over the datapad. He glances over them and hands the device back.
“Well, what do you think?"
There is not a hair out of place. She is entirely composed and seemingly unharmed.
“Fine,” he says. “Just fine. Thank you, doctor.”
Director Veritaas leaves the lab, waiting until he is safely ensconced in his office before making the call to Master Atrii.
-TBC
-
Corellia
Deep Space
A lone cruiser on patrol moves slowly through the fringes of the Corellian system.
The Jedi Donovan Atrii watches from the viewport as a shuttle nears. He had been living under the CorSec Agent alias “Cale Theon” long enough to have settled into the identity. His assigned mission, one designed to keep him far from Coronet, has been to dutifully patrol their borders as part of Corellia’s admittance into the Republic. They were doing their part. The droid crew and solitude of his work allowed him much needed space to meditate as well as keep sharp with training the other Jedi refugees. His feelings, however, create dissonance within the teachings of their order. Donovan had given up possession but a growing attachment posed an interesting problem.
Once the shuttle touches down in the hangar bar, Director Elon Veritaas strides down the ramp followed by Della Avers and “Octavia Valles.” Unlike him, Circe Prescott was hiding in plain sight. Her work with the People’s Council inspired hope on Corellia in spite of the darkness spreading across the Republic systems. Her face brightens as he approaches but the Director’s expression is dour.
“You said it was important,” Donovan says. “Has something happened?”
Veritaas nods, “Doctor Cross has returned.”
“Returned? You mean she was found?”
“No, returned. As in, I walked in to find her in the CorSec medical labs in the same spot she had been the last time we saw her.”
“It’s been ages and there were signs of a struggle."
Della smirks, “You can see the reason for our concern.”
“And you are certain it is her?”
“It’s her,” Circe says. “We saw her for ourselves.”
“I mean, biologically. You’ve confirmed it?”
“She’s not a clone,” Veritaas says sharply.
“It wouldn’t be the first time in history. Or even here, on Corellia. Best to make sure.”
“We’re sure, Donovan. Stranger still is that she does not appear to remember even being gone and went about her routine as she always had. We came to amicable terms with the current medical director pending further investigation but the problem remains. I thought it best we meet to discuss next steps."
The Jedi folds his arms across the beige uniform jacket, “The good doctor has clearly been somewhere all this time. How much did you question her?”
“Minimally, and we kept it vague,” Della says. “As we believe she was abducted, there is a risk of further trauma if we force her to confront things she has subconsciously blocked from her mind. There is also the issue of her status.”
“You have a theory?"
“She's a plant. It may signify why she was returned seemingly unharmed. Think of all she knows. The enzyme in Riley’s blood, the Jedi and, more critical from a political perspective, the true identities of “Cale” and “Octavia” as well as the fact that Mara Tacofer is still alive.”
The list of secrets is not a short one. Tivoli Cross’ knowledge of the truth put them and many others in danger.
Donovan muses on this gravely, glancing at Della.
“Whoever revealed Gemma as a Jedi in that photage never made good on the larger threat. Perhaps that is why Cross is here, to exploit the additional leverage. What does Senator Soldys say?”
“He’s as skeptical as we are. All is made worse by the fact that he continues to fight a losing battle in the Republic Senate. They may have scaled back their presence around Centerpoint but there are rumors of sending what essentially constitutes a Republic garrison to systems that oppose the expansion of the F.U.R.A. and its more ethically questionable applications."
Veritaas sighs, “I don’t need to tell you what that could mean for Corellia.”
“We do not wish to be another catalyst for violence and subjugation. We need to evacuate the Jedi,” Donovan says. “Now.”
Circe gasps, “Where? We are quickly running out of places to hide them as the policies of the Republic continue to divide the galaxy. Such a decision should not be made in haste-“
“What about the two of you?”
Circe and Donovan turn to each other. There is too much unspoken between them. A classic case of duty versus emotion, one he did not expect to find himself in. He had sworn to protect her. Their separation, he patrolling the system and her in the thick of it, had not begun as intentional. It was part of their assumed identities. Roles they had to play in order to survive. Their attraction had grown to make it necessary to keep from crossing an invisible line of attachment the Jedi drew long ago. She respected that. She does not like or understand it but she respected it. It does not, however, change how she feels. Circe tucks a strand of white-blonde hair behind her ear.
“I cannot speak for you Donovan but I am too ingrained in society now that leaving would arouse more suspicion. You should go with them. They need someone to watch over them.”
“They have learned and grown considerably in our solitude,” he says. “I go where you go.”
She smiles, hoping that would be his answer.
His eyes return to the Director, “Did Riley tell you where they were headed? Perhaps they found a suitable sanctuary?”
“He made mention of Lur” Veritaas says. “But I do not believe that is where they are heading."
“I thought the initial reports indicated that he departed for Corellia. Won’t his absence be noticed?”
“He wants to stay with Gemma. I am not going to argue with that, especially if I know that means he is not a target here. His withdraw from the public eye can be rationalized. What happened to them on Hesperidium must have been awful. Gemma is a presumed casualty. Maker knows those kids have been traumatized enough. I don’t know the full story but if the reports on the Holo are to be believed, Dahlia Winton and many others perished in that tower.”
Donovan glances down.
“Something tells me that doesn’t necessarily upset the Jedi,” Della quips, crossing her arms. She has been on salty island since her last conversation with Artemis. Nothing he said or did have been able to bridge the deep division the Force itself has driven between them all. She knows how much effort he expended trying to keep this all together and Dahlia has always been the wild card. Which way will she go? The Jedi seemed to take past familial behavior as the chief indicator for future performance.
Circe interjects lightly, “That girl saved my life so I will always be grateful.”
“Only for the Republic to take it from you again. They thrust out the Jedi, painting them into a fanatical threat, then tried to eliminate both of you in full view of the public. I apologize if I sound bitter but we have done good work here. We have helped Corellia thrive again which is more than I can say for the Republic. They have been investigating Centerpoint for years and have reported nothing conclusive that may imply motive or explain their continued interest other than to never allow us to forget they took us into their fold. Artemis may disagree but sometimes I wonder why we fought so hard to be a part of this only to have it become everything we have ever stood against. Paranoia, oppression, aggression – these are not tenants of the grand Republic I grew up hearing about.”
Veritaas takes this in.
“The Republic is a dream, flawed and filled with ideals. There is no perfect system but I feel we must keep fighting how and where we can. Even the notion of withdrawal may bring them down upon us and we can ill afford that kind of exposure without extensive coordination."
“Then what do you suggest? Our inaction is, in essence, our acceptance. We are letting them get away with it all.”
“I do not disagree but there is no easy way to win this battle, especially one predicated on misinformation and prejudice. We must be clever and remember that we are not the only system that feels this way. I have had contacts on other Republic-aligned planets express the same concerns. With the help of Senator Soldys, these contacts could be valuable allies should it come to that.”
“An alliance against the Republic? That would be treason.”
"Even after all they've taken from you?"
“I wouldn’t go that far just yet. Let us consider our more immediate problem – Doctor Cross. If the knowledge she possesses comes out, the Republic will come for us anyway.”
Donovan sighs, "No reason to give the Republic anything to find if and when they do. We must get the Jedi out. I will explore the lead on Lur and arrange transport if it is viable. Circe, if you and I are to remain here we must be ready for anything. It could get ugly.”
"I will be ready.”
He glances back at Elon and Della.
“If Tivoli Cross was returned alive and unharmed it is likely because she was sent here with a purpose. We need to know exactly what that is.”
-TBC
-
“Your head will collapse
But there’s nothing in it
And you ask yourself, where is my mind?”
-Pixies
Corellia
Surface: Coronet: One CorSec Plaza
Director Elon Veritaas walks the compound corridors with new agents Cassidy Clay and Sixta Belasiss. They are two of his prized students who have graduated from the academy to officially join their ranks. Pride swells within him as the new class holds the hope and promise of a better tomorrow for their people. Cassidy and Sixta have quickly become his eyes and ears on the ground, having gained the trust and respect of their colleagues and superiors. Their first case, led by a senior agent, involves an alleged sansanna spice ring operating out of Coronet. They must discover the validity of the tip and, if true, uncover how such a rare and potent drug made its way from Oba Diah to Corellia. They are anxious and eager but he makes sure to temper those feelings with the seriousness of their role in keeping the peace.
Affairs of law and order are not the only things occupying his mind. After sending Cassidy and Sixta on an errand, he makes his way toward the medical wing. His conversation with Donovan, Della, and Circe had driven him to take considerable care that his behaviors did not come off as overtly hostile to the Republic. Della was encouraged to dial it back as well, not that they did not share her sentiment. They cannot risk that kind of exposure. He must navigate the delicate politics of those that reach out to him to decry the Republic’s latest move, one that Senator Soldys took swift action to quell.
Soldys narrowly avoided a full vote to make the F.U.R.A. mandatory and actively enforced on all Republic worlds. Clearly, Corellia is not the only system that did not want to monitor its citizens in such a way. Their advanced technologies allow them to collect a vast amount of data which is then utilized to analyze threats and keep the populous safe. The Republic was going much further in turning that data into a situation where it is used proactively against them, framing safety as a method of control. Corellia would never be subjugated again. They did not survive Phage and his droid armies only to be oppressed by the Speaker and his overzealous policies. He was surprised to hear that some of the systems lending their support were those aligned with the Empire, something that makes him more than just a little wary. They would seemingly have more to gain by backing their strategy given how little they thought of the Jedi.
As he heads into the lab, he takes comfort in knowing that with the exception of Donovan and Circe, the remaining Jedi were scheduled to be evacuated. Donovan made contact through a trusted back channel with the Lurian’s who had harbored Gemma and company. They agreed to grant them shelter. Della arranged for a pair of salvaged shuttles to transport them, keeping things off the official scopes. Donovan programmed the coordinates and sent the first group to Lur with a vow to join them when he could. For now, they must stay safe. They, along with however many others managed to escape the Republic and the hunter, are the future of the Jedi. The second group is scheduled to depart this afternoon from Kor Vella as he felt a staggered schedule would draw less suspicion.
He meets Doctor Tivoli Cross in her office to review personnel files on a batch of new academy recruits. Although maintaining a calculated distance, he had been pushing her slowly, trying to poke holes in her memories that may expose where she had been and what she wants. The recall and performance are flawless, speaking as though she had been here all along. She tactfully avoided specifics of two cases he prodded for, leading him to believe there is not a leak elsewhere in the department. He feared someone had supplied her captors with information to aid in her gaslighting campaign. However, it appears Tivoli is on her own. If anything, it only strengthens his assessment that she was sent here with a purpose. Whatever procedure she went through was thorough. He imagines the process could not have been easy for her and shutters to think of what tactics they use to break the good doctor. Despite his elation at her return, he knows that kind of sentimentality is exactly what those that sent her hope to capitalize on.
He browses the files thoughtfully, “These look promising.”
“I would inquire with specifics but you have been so evasive lately.”
“Not sure I follow, doctor.”
She crosses her legs slowly and folds her hands into her lap.
“Director, please. This is me you are talking to. You and Della have been shutting me out for weeks and I suppose that is your prerogative. After what happened on Hesperidium, I am worried sick about Riley.”
“He will return soon,” he says evenly. “Grief is not a linear process, as I am sure you are aware.”
“Of course. Gemma’s loss must have been crushing for him. The Jedi too.”
“I imagine so.”
“How have they been holding up?”
“I would not know. After the incident at the Patten Ranch, it was deemed much too dangerous for them here and they left Corellia.”
“Right,” she says, the com behind her on the table chirping loudly. “Did they say where?”
“I am afraid not.”
“Pity. Excuse me, I have to take this.”
She stands, turning her back to him in order to retrieve and activate the device. A distorted voice utters a garbled phrase before cutting out. He rises from his chair and begins to move around the desk as she replaces the com and reaches into the pocket of her lab coat.
“What was that?”
With a slack, expressionless face, she withdraws a scalpel and attacks in one fluid movement. He is caught off guard, pulling back but not enough to keep the blade from nicking his neck and chin. The doctor advances across the office as he staggers backward, clumsily dodging her swipes. He clutches his neck but knows he is losing blood too quickly. His legs buckle under the weight of his fading consciousness, throwing himself at the door controls. He does not make it. Not even close. Instead, Director Veritaas crumples to the ground, turning over to watch helplessly as Tivoli kneels down beside him. There is nothing in those dark eyes as she pulls the datapad from the inside pocket of his uniform jacket.
She finds the message from Della Avers with the coordinates she was looking for. He had been careful, yes, but not careful enough. They still used the same methods to communicate about covert subjects, one she remembers clearly. Tivoli pulls the security cards from his belt and steps over him. He weakly tries to grab her leg but it does little than smear blood along the slender point of her heel. The door hisses closed and cuts off the echo of her purposeful steps away from him.
Veritaas is left wide-eyed with blood spilling between the fingers he has clamped around his neck as the room spirals into blackness.
-TBC
-
“Where’d it go?
Someone just ripped out my throat
Told me to sing while I was choked
Wish I could tell you but I won’t
You should know but you don’t.”
-PVRIS
Corellia
Surface: Kor Vella
On a dusty hillside landing platform, Agent’s Cassidy Clay and Sixta Belasiss bring their speeders to a slow stop beside a CorSec skiff. It had been reported missing an hour earlier as a department-wide alert went out that there had been an isolated attack at One CorSec Plaza. Few details were provided but their commanding officer dispatched them to check out a tip while he followed up on a lead in the spice smuggling case in Coronet. The tip proved correct but more concerning than the presence of the stolen speeder is the smoldering remains of a shuttle in the center of the platform.
It was a recent explosion from the looks of it, smoke only just beginning to taper off into smaller, lighter gray plumes. Cassidy hops off the speeder and approaches the wreckage, glancing back at a curious Sixta.
“What are you thinking, Six?”
She surveys the scene, “Well, it hadn’t launched yet. The placement is too precise on the platform.”
“Ruling out projectiles leaves malfunction or explosive device.”
“If someone attacked CorSec and stole a speeder to flee, it seems unlikely that they would blow themselves up intentionally.”
“It’s not a very good escape plan,” Cassidy says with a smirk. "Is it?"
“Nope. Can you see inside, Cass?”
“Still too hot and smokey. We should call it in.”
“Yes,” Sixta says distantly, scanning the surrounding platform as she retraces steps between the shuttle and skiff. “We should do that.”
She pulls on gloves and steps up into the skiff as Cassidy reports on their initial findings. Their friendship at the Academy blossomed from respective tendencies to earn favor from their instructors. The incessant brown-nosing irked classmates but Sixta likes being better than others, at least when it comes to doing the right thing. She does not see fault in that. The detachment between their peers also stemmed from a tenuous friendship with Riley Patten who others felt was either a flakey rich boy or a damaged and cursed soul. They knew him as neither of those things, and Riley had been gone for some time now but they were labeled outsiders none the less. Now that they have graduated to become agents, they enjoy more thrilling assignments than most of their counterparts due to their standing with Director Veritaas. Hence, the alleged spice ring and now this.
Sixta rummages around the skiff, finding nothing of interest until the glint of the early summer sun calls her attention to something on the floor. She kneels down to get a better look. It is a Hush-98 comlink, CorSec issue with the signature brown and beige lining.
“What is it?” Cassidy calls. “Did you find anything?”
She stands, flashing the device.
“One of ours.”
He pulls out his datapad, “Give me the serial and I’ll run it.”
“CSM11D34B.”
He frowns, “That’s not an agent or investigator code."
“Nerd. What does it say?”
The query delivers the matching employee profile but it is a result he was not expecting. Cassidy sighs and raises his eyes to meet Sixta’s, turning the datapad toward her.
“It belongs to the medical director, Tivoli Cross.”
*
Coronet: One CorSec Plaza
Della Avers meets the medical droid in the corridor. Although not employed by CorSec, her work on the People’s Council in conjunction with their security efforts keeps her in the loop. She came as soon as she heard but the message was intentionally scarce on details.
Never a good sign.
“How is he?”
The droid apprises Della briefly, identifying her before responding.
“Stable, for now, but unconscious. Director Veritaas lost a significant amount of blood.”
“Who attacked him?”
“Unknown,” the droid says. “My records indicate the building has been locked down and an investigation is underway. If you will excuse me, miss Avers.”
Before it leaves, she calls out. She has felt a lingering sense of dread since their meeting in Corellian Deep Space, followed closely by anger after she'd been told to dial down her skeptical Republic rhetoric. She longs for a breakthrough on Chandaar, something Artemis can relay as a step back toward the foundation of justice they all fought for. But she knows better. After the photage was released that confirmed Gemma Masterton was a Jedi, they had been collectively waiting for the other boot to drop. Perhaps they had let their guard down as the months dragged on and new developments replaced old fears. The droid pauses and swivels around.
“Where was he found?”
“Director Veritaas was discovered in the office of doctor Tivoli Cross.”
“And the doctor?"
“The whereabouts of doctor Cross are unknown at this time.”
She nods as the droid moves further down the corridor, walking swiftly in the direction of the Academy. The reappearance of doctor Cross never sat well with her. It was unsettling and very clearly a game Veritaas seemed more than willing to play. Had his plan to extract information from her gone too far? Although she had advised against pushing Cross too quickly, she suspects the director’s attack and the doctor’s second disappearance is likely not a coincidence.
As Della approaches an inconspicuous turbolift within the Academy, her throat tightens in sickening anticipation. She punches in the security code Veritaas entrusted her with and steps inside. Her stomach flips as the lift plunges deep below the Academy and opens into a dimly lit corridor. It is unnervingly quiet as she makes her way through the rocky tunnel to a door flanked by two dead guards. She does not need to check. One guard’s head is twisted almost completely around. The other rests at a shockingly sharp angle, not one that could be easily achieved by human hands. Della cringes. It confirms something horrifying and more sinister than any of them ever considered, growing closer to the real purpose as to why Tivoli was returned seemingly unharmed. She withdraws her blaster, tapping in a series of codes with a free hand, and positions herself defensively as the door hisses open.
Della carefully traverses the curved chamber until she reaches the silver, domed room where they were holding the captured Infiltrator. The slab is empty, straps hanging limply against the reflective metal.
"Bloody hell..."
The Infiltrator is gone.
-TBC
-
“You said that I’m sinking
Now I’m underwater.”
-Vud
The Past
She screams again as the current pulses through her body and collapses to the ground.
Every day it is the same. Questions that lead to pain if answered incorrectly, too slowly, or not at all. There are no marks but she feels it deep inside, snaking around her limbs and brain like barbed wire doused in accelerant and lit on fire. The things she knew were used against her although she held out as long as she could, Maker forgive her. The grey woman always comes, speaking sweetly, claiming to be a friend. She called it extraction but it felt like dying. How long had she been here? She tries to remember, to retrace her steps from the lab but all she can see is the monster and knows the nightmare is real. There had been different screams recently, a sign of others, or perhaps she imagined it. She does not even know where she is, not the planet nor system. She could be anywhere or nowhere.
The room is tinged with unnatural darkness, everything beyond where she is kept blurred out of focus, a void of emptiness. When the grey woman comes, she cannot think straight, her mind clouded with thoughts that cannot be hers…or could they? Often, she would come to in strange places, still dark, holding weapons and covered in blood. She lost time, not that time held any meaning. Not anymore. Nothing made sense, nothing but those dark thoughts. Those thoughts became the answers when she stopped recoiling to the grey woman's presence.
“You know what you must do.”
It is no longer a question but a psychically instilled directive for a captive under the thrall of the Sith.
Doctor Tivoli Cross turns, her voice soft but certain.
“Free the Infiltrator, set up the Jedi, and remove Veritaas from power.”
The grey woman smiles.
*
The Present
Corellia
Surface: Kor Vella
Acting on an increasingly dreadful hunch, Della Avers leaves Coronet in her government skiff. She arrives at the landing platform to a sight that confirms her worst fears. One of the two salvaged shuttles she managed to procure to transport the Jedi to safety on Lur smolders on the platform. There is no sign of the other which means nothing yet allows herself to hope. Two young agents, Clay and Belasiss, greet her at the scene. They recognize her instantly as the Director often worked with the People’s Council. He had given her clearance with CorSec which she is hoping to leverage and she forces a smile.
“You guys okay?”
“Yes,” Cassidy says. “We seemed to have arrived after it happened and just called it in.”
Sixta is more skeptical, “Did the Director send you?”
She plays a hunch that the blunt truth would stun them enough to drop any further inquiries into her presence.
“Director Veritaas was attacked but he is recovering. I know how close you all are and so I was worried. Backup is on the way.”
Cassidy reacts the way she expected, with surprise and alarm. Sixta not so much.
“Backup? The area is secured.”
“We cannot be too careful,” Della says, eyeing the CorSec skiff at the far end of the platform and makes the connection to the missing transport. She managed to get that much out of those she spoke with. Although she is a trusted ally, Della is not officially CorSec but the information was enough to mentally sketch out a few pieces. The destroyed Jedi shuttle, a missing CorSec skiff, a freed Infiltrator – things swirling in her head begin to come together. This was not an accident. This was planned but there is something else missing. “Whoever attacked the Director may still be close.”
“Is he alright?”
She nods, “Unconscious but stable. They will let us know when he wakes.”
“Where was he attacked?”
“At the CorSec Academy.”
“No,” Sixta says, narrowing her eyes. “Where specifically?”
“The medical director’s office, why do you ask?”
Cassidy and Sixta exchange knowing glances that do little to reassure Della.
He frowns, “That is interesting.”
“How so?”
He considers this but reluctantly pulls a small evidence bag out from his jacket pocket. She cannot help but stare, not wanting to ask but the words tumble out anyway.
“What is that?”
“The medical director’s com. Do you know how it could have ended up here?”
And there it is.
“I do not but that is…worrisome.”
Her eyes travel from the skiff back to the wreckage of the shuttle. Everything feels pulled out of place as their carefully constructed lies begin to collapse in on themselves. CorSec arrives on the scene and just in time. She feels the sick taste of bile in the back of her throat, a nightmare scenario they mused about and thought they prepared for finally becoming realized. Her com bleeps.
“I have to get this. Please keep me updated.”
The agents join their counterparts but Sixta’s gaze lingers as Della heads back toward her skiff. Once she has reached a reasonable distance, Della answers, bringing the com to her lips.
“Things are not good, Agent Theon.”
“So I have gathered. What have you discovered?”
The tension in Donovan Atrii’s voice is evident even through the com. She apprises him on the things she knows but uses their established codes for referencing the Infiltrator and Jedi. It is extremely difficult to keep the rising panic out of her tone when she tells him about the shuttle and what this could possibly mean. The Infiltrator would not be able to go public. Mara Tacofer made sure of that. They may have been extremely liberal with the F.U.R.A.’s policies on Corellia and the photage of Gemma did not further endear them to the Republic but at least the others managed to escape before they were discovered. The ‘how’ and ‘why’ of the shuttle explosion in Kor Vella now seem to circumstantially point back to doctor Cross. Veritaas had not acted quickly enough and he was almost killed. Now they risk exposure and worse. She spirals into damage control mode.
“Perhaps you should check up on the others.”
“I did,” Donovan says pointedly. “No response.”
It is a cue that would be imperceptible to anyone but their circle and her heart sinks. No response from the second shuttle does not bode well for any of them and it is with trembling lips that she dares to ask.
“And the other sojourners?”
The ensuing silence gives way to a fresh wave of dread and she closes her eyes.
*
The Future
Chandaar: Republic Capital
Surface: Ambaril: RSB Headquarters
A flashing amber light on Director Laird Drakos’ desk console indicates awaiting messages. One message, left in a breathless and panicked tone, would very much interest him when he discovers it later that afternoon.
“It’s the Jedi, they’re here, on Corellia. I think they have always been here. The Director knows as does the Senator. You must help us, I think they are planning something against the Republic, something-“
The message cuts out.
-TBC
-
“Who are you when I'm not looking?
I doubt you even know yourself
Despite those lies that took me
When I'm not looking, you are someone else.”
-Rezz & Grabbitz
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City: CorSec Academy
The Present
Inspector Claes Thekla apprises the medical lab carefully.
He had served under the Director for years but nothing about this incident makes sense. It may appear random at first glance but each layer reveals a more focused and highly personalized nature in the attack. Veritaas had been discovered by a tech returning from their lunch break. A few more minutes and he would have bled out. There are streaks of blood, presumably from the Director or possibly the Doctor, across the floor that grow fainter the closer they are to the door. It is also littered with shards of glass from the many beakers that had been destroyed in what appears to be a fierce struggle. They could clear it all up by reviewing the security vids but everything had been wiped, indicating not only intent but knowledge of their systems. The last available clip shows Veritaas entering the medical lab from the corridor cam. Everything else is useless.
All they have to go on is the grisly scene which is more than a little suspicious. Tivoli Cross was a missing person for nearly two years, a cold case, who randomly reappeared as if nothing had happened. Veritaas took the lead on that and reinstated her without explanation. In his position, he was not required to give one but it did raise questions with others around the department. According to the file, the working theory was that Cross was taken but it does not speculate by whom. There were whispers that the story was a cover for some kind of emotional breakdown. Whoever attacked the lab may not have been targeting who they thought. The Director may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time and nearly lost his life. Despite the setback with the security cams, Thelka would get to the bottom of it.
“Inspector,” one of the forensic agents calls out. “You should take a look at this.”
He joins her by the door where she withdraws a strip of cloth from the seam of the blast doors with a set of micro-prongs. It may have torn when whoever did this fled the lab.
“Bag it. Let us see if we can identify its origin and flesh out a suspect.”
Agents Clay and Belasiss round the corner into the lab, having just come from a scene potentially connected with the attack. He had asked them to report in.
“Well?”
Agent Clay raises a bag containing a com unit.
“We ran the serial,” Belasiss says. “It belongs to Doctor Cross.”
“Where did you find it?”
“The floor of the skiff.”
“And the shuttle?”
“The team managed to douse the heat. There were approximately twelve bodies aboard. They are on the way to the labs now for identification.”
Inspector Thekla sighs, glancing back at the scene.
Agent Belasiss raises a brow, “You have a theory about why they went after the Director?”
“I am not sure they did,” he says evenly. “I think Doctor Cross was the target.”
*
The Past
Doctor Tivoli Cross leaves her office with Veritaas bleeding out on the floor, feeling like a stranger in her own body. She moves fluidly, with purpose, but remains disconnected and cold. Her bloody heels form jagged streaks as she pulls several racks of beakers and tubes off the counters. Tivoli withdraws a strip of fabric from her lab coat as she steps through the glass and allows the doors to close on it.
She heads calmly to the locker room, grabbing a large bag containing a uniform, civilian clothing, credits, a sash of thermal detonators, and two blasters. She slips the scalpel inside. Moving through the academy and across into CorSec headquarters, she uses Veritaas’ security cards to access the lift which would take her beneath One CorSec Plaza. At the end of the small tunnel, the guards are curious but the Director had not revoked her access and allow her inside. The cards also grant her access to the dome-shaped room and soon she is standing before the captured Infiltrator.
“What are you doing here?”
Tivoli pulls the controls that release her bindings, “Your sister sent me.”
Finally free, the Infiltrator changes into the basic uniform the doctor brought with her, slips the blaster into its holster and follows her back to the door. The guards are startled by her abrupt departure but never get the chance to deliver a clever quip as the Infiltrator is already on them. She twists their necks with contemptuous ease, nodding at the doctor as they continue back through the rocky corridor. Exiting the lift, they make their way directly to the docking bay. It is not crowded at this time of day as most agents and inspectors have already been dispatched. They climb aboard and set off just as the alert comes in. Someone must have discovered the Director.
They do not have much time.
“I need you to do something for me.”
“Name it.”
“The cam photage,” she says, handing her Veritaas’ stolen datapad. “Not a trace can remain.”
The Infiltrator quickly gets to work, establishing a remote connection. With her programming and skills, it does not take her long to trace the doctor’s movements from the medical lab to the docking bay and everywhere in between. The firewalls are good but not good enough to stop her from eliminating their every move. CorSec will find nothing but blackness and questions, something she anticipates being integral to a building narrative. Publishing her escape would be to admit the Infiltrator was captured in the first place. The winding and complex series of inquiries that followed could implicate them so they would be forced to cover it up, putting them in even greater danger. One way or another, her captors would pay.
“Done,” the Infiltrator says, attempting to hand the device back.
“Keep it. You will find its contents extremely useful.”
“Good to know.”
She stops the skiff near the spaceport. The Infiltrator changes into the civilian clothes, tucking the blaster into her belt and slipping the credits in her pocket. She leaves the bag with the discarded uniform, remaining blaster, and detonators.
The doctor does not look at her, “This is where we part ways.”
The Infiltrator nods, silently stepping off to disappear into the bustling crowd.
Tivoli resumes the trip, following the coordinates she acquired in Veritaas’ files to the platform in Kor Vella. As the shuttle idles, she breathlessly brings her com to her lips.
“It’s the Jedi, they’re here, on Corellia. I think they have always been here. The Director knows as does the Senator. You must help us, I think they are planning something against the Republic, something-“
Clicking off, she drops the comlink, grabs the bag, and jogs toward the shuttle. Recognizing her, a young Jedi moves down the ramp.
“Doctor Cross,” he says carefully. “Is everything alright?”
"Of course."
She smiles and steers him back into the shuttle where eleven others are waiting anxiously inside. Tivoli reaches inside the bag to arm the detonators.
"I just have a surprise from the Director.”
A girl, one of the youngest among them, brightens, “Really? For us?”
“Yes,” she says, hitting the ramp controls and tossing her the bag. She excitedly pulls it open and peers inside. “Surprise.”
The shuttle explodes.
-TBC
-
“It's just half time vertigo
And if you want an answer I don't know.”
-Sneaker Pimps
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City: One CorSec Plaza
Twelve bodies arrive at the forensics lab. There are nine males and three females. Five children among them. The rest are adolescents, possibly adults, but it is almost impossible to tell with the condition they are in. Inspector Thekla’s team is combing the shuttle for clues but preliminary findings indicate an explosion that originated within the craft as several of the bodies have far greater damage than the others. The working theory is detonators as a cause but the motive and preceding events are still hazy.
One of the female bodies is confirmed to be Tivoli Cross. Guess they know what became of the good doctor. The others are not in their system. Given the erasure of the security cam photage surrounding the attack on Director Veritaas and the access to their systems required, it could mean that these individuals were specifically purged from their records. It could also mean they never existed at all, something that troubles Thekla a hell of a lot more. How Cross wound up among a score of nameless dead lies in the piece of cloth recovered from the academy medical labs.
They got a hit with traces of genetic material matching a Jedi Master Bolden who was part of the Council originally expelled from Chandaar. Corellia’s entry into the Republic granted access to certain information to build out an expansive, collaborative network. Strange, Thekla thinks, as they believed the Jedi Council were slain many years ago. Perhaps they had been hiding all along, plotting to make a resurgence but that does not make sense to him. It is not the Jedi’s way. At least, not the Jedi of legend and lore. However, there had been previous reports of another Master, Nevylinn, who was linked to killings in the Republic capital. Maybe the Jedi they knew no longer existed and, in their place, a far more sinister sect. He does not want to believe it but could the Republic be right to fear them? Should they?
Claes Thekla had remained out of the politics and focused on his role, serving the public and keeping the peace in Coronet. The sentiment within the greater Republic was difficult to ignore as messaging and policy increasingly framed Force users as a threat to their safety and way of life. Normally, he would brush it off as partisan bullshit but there are elements of this case that make such nonchalance virtually impossible. There are so many questions left unanswered. Too many for his tastes. If the Director was not the target, what did the Doctor know that would warrant such a risky and calculated attack? The Jedi were not known for being hasty or brazen so, whatever it is, it must be one hell of a motive.
He meets agents Clay and Belasiss outside the lab and redirects to a briefing room where they could speak in private. They were the first on scene and discovered the medical director’s com-link. As their commanding officer in this case, their ambitious and fresh perspectives could be an asset. They are bright, eager, and the Inspector appreciates that tenacity in an investigation.
“Any word on the Director?”
Thekla shakes his head, “Still unconscious. You do not lose that much blood and bounce back. They are not saying how close it really was for obvious reasons but it was touch-and-go at the beginning. Still not out of the wood yet. I honestly do not know if or when he will recover which puts the organization in a precarious position.”
“Cross was one of the bodies,” Agent Belasiss says. “Wasn’t she?”
“She was. Retracing her steps between the Academy and the platform in Kor Vella has been…problematic.”
“What about the security cams?”
“Wiped.”
Sixta is undeterred.
“Our skiffs are tagged. You would be able to view the entire route. We can recreate the journey and investigate along the way.”
“Good but that only works if the tracking software is enabled.”
“So,” Cassidy says, pacing the length of the room with the confidence of someone twice his age. “Someone wiped the photage and disabled the skiff tracker. Those are not easy things to do. I hate to say it but is there a possibility this was an inside job?”
“I considered it and have not entirely ruled it out. However, there are two pieces of information that muddle that theory.”
“Which are?”
“The other bodies are not in our system and the piece of cloth found at the scene is tied to the Jedi.”
Cassidy and Sixta exchange knowing glances.
“Something tells me that does not surprise you. Why?”
“You know who Riley Patten is, sir.”
It is not a question. It does not have to be. Everyone knows who Patten is. His grandfather, mother, and aunt are celebrated heroes and celebrities, immortalized in Corellia’s history and bound to a galactic legacy. Plus, the kid is loaded. He has also been under the close watch of the Director since his identity was revealed but the full connection eludes him.
“Yes. Where are you going with this?”
“Riley is associated with Gemma Masterton, exiled from the Republic because of her Jedi connections…”
“…who also died on Hesperidium last summer. In an explosion.”
Thekla crosses his arms, “You think the two are related?”
“They are not unrelated, sir,” Sixta counters boldly. “Director Veritaas, Doctor Cross, and Riley Patten were all connected to the released photage that outed Gemma as a Jedi and destroyed her reputation. Photage from here on Corellia.”
“Where is Patten now?”
Cassidy shrugs, “I wish we knew, sir. He was on his way back but the Director said he needed space after Gemma died.”
Thekla’s mind is spinning as the new information works itself into what they know. He saw the reports on the Hesperidium explosion, an attack that was blamed on the Chiss and allegedly part of some larger conspiracy out in the Corporate Sector. From what he could tell, it had nothing to do with the Jedi but even if outside forces had hypothetically and coincidentally eliminated Gemma Masterton, would that make Riley Patten a target for the Jedi? It would be a safe bet that either Doctor Cross or Director Veritaas would know his location. With the current climate surrounding Force users, any knowledge of their activities or movements could be extremely dangerous…or valuable. Corellia had already been revealed as a Jedi sympathizer in the past but is it possible they further infiltrated their world? How far would they go to keep that secret now that the Republic was closing in? And at what cost to Corellia?
“That certainly opens up additional possibilities. Anything else?”
“Another variable and common denominator.”
“Go on.”
“Della Avers arrived at the crime scene moments before your team did.”
“Before?”
She nods.
Thekla narrows his eyes, “Della Avers. From the Corellian People’s Council?”
“Yes, sir,” Cassidy says. “Said she was sent by the Director to check on us.”
“The Director was moments from death so that is rather unlikely. It also brings up the more alarming fact that miss Avers knew exactly where you two would be. How did she know and why was she really there?”
An uncomfortable silence hangs in the small briefing room as Cassidy's speculation about an inside job now holding more weight.
“What do you want us to do, sir?”
“Bring her in.”
-TBC
-
“Karma come over
Lean on my shoulder
Tell me what’s good
I’ve been thinkin about ya.”
Years & Years
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
Della busies herself in the daily activities of the People’s Council.
Helping the citizens of Corellia has always brought her joy and she needs it now more than ever. Her mounting aggression toward the Republic has begun to impact her attitude which she does not want to influence her work. She tries to take a few emotional steps back, despite the growing alarm surrounding the Director’s attack and the Infiltrator’s escape. The pieces are all there but she hesitates to connect them, fearing it will unravel everything they have built over the years. She knows the doctor must have freed the Infiltrator and the Infiltrator, in turn, helped her escape. The motive and fate of doctor Cross in relation to the deaths of the young Jedi fill her with almost oppressive anxiety, one that is only lifted through her work.
People are frightened and they have every right to be. Corellian’s may have swagger but they are also deeply empathetic and proud of their culture. They have built an inclusive environment, rising from the ashes to heal the scars of their droid-laden past with the Trade Federation. All walks of life are welcome here, Force-sensitive or not, but this position has continually put them at odds with the hardened Republic. She does her best to comfort and support them, redirecting to the wide variety of services offered for relocation and asylum. As one of the many worlds not in full compliance with the F.U.R.A., others have emigrated to Corellia to escape persecution. While they have been accommodating, she knows the window is closing under increased Republic scrutiny and enforcement. They had coasted on the backburner for too long with the battle over the F.U.R.A.’s legality and application was hashed out in the Senate. As Della processes these thoughts, she glances at the chronometer on the wall and realizes she has usually heard from Artemis by now.
She had been consumed all afternoon without so much as a break. Taking a breath, she stands as “Octavia” enters her office with a somber expression. It is striking how much different she looks even after all this time. Circe Prescott was a natural beauty who seldom needed or utilized many of the trappings to enhance one’s image. In contrast, Octavia Valles is dazzling with the bright blonde hair, colored contacts, contouring makeup, and tailored wardrobe – a far cry from the boxy pantsuits and layered robes of the Republic capital. The transformation, along with her forged files, had fooled everyone but Della has always worried the day would come when she and Master Donovan were discovered. The Kor Vella bombing resurfaces those fears, giving them new life and the desperate urge to keep them both from the Republic’s clutches.
“Octavia. Is something wrong?”
She nods, waiting for the door to close behind her.
“I am afraid I have some disheartening news,” she says, struggling to keep her voice neutral. “The Senator’s office reached out to inform the Council of Artemis’ arrest.”
“Arrest?” Della gasps, rising quickly from her chair. “On what grounds?”
“It is not a short list and it aims to implicate Corellia in a conspiracy and treasonous acts against the Republic.”
“Let me guess, failure to enforce the F.U.R.A.? They so predictable, it is sickening.”
“That is the central focus, it seems.”
“Those bastards,” she hisses between clenched teeth. “I knew our resistance to their tyranny would come back to bite us but I did not expect them to go after the Senator so directly. I see decorum and due process has been thwarted by the whims of the Speaker. The RSB has gone too far this time. Corinthos will eat them alive in court!”
Octavia’s eyes fall and she shakes her head slowly.
“That is the thing. The firm was attacked and nearly the entire staff murdered.”
“Nearly?”
“Counselor Corinthos was seriously injured but survived. She is hospitalized and recovering.”
It is impossible to conceal her shock and horror. This cannot be a coincidence, not when all individuals are linked through their associations. It is a complex and winding path that leads back to the Jedi…and The Four. The sound of the door chime prevents her mind from spinning out and she quickly composes herself.
“Enter.”
The door hisses open a moment later and a young female CorSec agent walks into the room with a confidence far beyond her years. Nodding politely to Octavia, she bids Della a good afternoon. There may be warmth in that smile but it does not disarm her.
“Agent Belasiss,” she says. “What can I do for you?”
“The last time we spoke, you asked that we keep you updated. As it turns out, we do have a few questions. Would you mind joining me?”
“May I ask where?”
“Down to the Plaza.”
“Is this a formal request?”
Sixta’s smile never falters, “Consider it a continuation of our previous conversation.”
*
Coronet City: One CorSec Plaza
After a short ride provided by Agent Clay, they arrive at their destination. The building is quieter than she would have expected on a weekday afternoon. However, the presence of additional agents stationed at entrances and exits is difficult to miss. Neither Clay nor Belasiss engaged her further yet remained attentive and respectful. This may not feel like a formal inquiry but she knows better given everything that has happened. Her mind drifts to Artemis and the horrors he may be facing at the hands of a prejudiced RSB but she snaps herself out of it. Della must remain focused on the here and now. She may be just as culpable in events that set these terrible things in motion.
Della is shown to a casual interview room. It is missing the trademark tinted transparasteel and minimally yet stylishly decorated as if to project a sense of safety. She can imagine a victim feeling quite comfortable here. A detective, roughly her age if not a little older, waits patiently while scrolling through a datapad. He stands when she enters and offers her a seat before introducing himself.
“I am Inspector Claes Thekla, assigned to the Kor Vella case. I understand you were on the scene shortly after the incident occurred. Is that correct?”
“Right down to business,” she says evenly. “I appreciate that. I cannot say when exactly the incident occurred but it appeared to have been recent when I arrived.”
“Agents Clay and Belasiss reported you told them the Director sent you.”
“They did ask but that was not my response. I disclosed the attack on the Director and concern for their safety, given their previous academic and now professional relationship.”
He considers this, “That is…kind. I admire the work of the People’s Council but surely you see how your appearance at a crime scene could raise some eyebrows. Can you tell me how you came to arrive at that platform?”
“Of course,” she says, leaning forward slightly. “After I received word of the attack on the Director, I came to the medical center. Elon and I have been friends and colleagues for many years. As he was too unstable for visitors, I inquired around. You understand the feeling, the need to help. To serve. I do have clearance which I am certain you already know so I sought out the two agents and went to check on them.”
“Alone?”
“I can handle myself, Inspector. It was the least I could do for the Director.”
“He will appreciate the thoughtfulness, no doubt. What about your relationship with Doctor Tivoli Cross?”
“Professional although more distanced since her return.”
“Do you know why she was gone or where she went?”
“That I do not know. The Director never discussed it and, as it is work-related, I respected those boundaries.”
“Do you know where she is right now?"
Della frowns, finding the question oddly phrased, “Has she not been found?”
“You knew she was missing.”
“I was told they were looking for her as the attack occurred in her office. I had hoped she would have turned up by now.”
“She is dead, miss Avers. Hers was one of the twelve bodies discovered in the shuttle.”
Della blinks, thrown.
“Oh, I…am sorry to hear that. Do you know have any idea as to why or how this could have happened?”
Thekla leans back in the chair, “I was going to ask you the same question.”
“I do not understand. What is it you think I know?”
“I am going to share something with you,” he says, glancing down briefly at the datapad. “As head of the People’s Council, you are a trusted presence within CorSec, one that has afforded you access and knowledge not shown to most civilians. After the attack, we searched for meaning and motive through the tools available to us.”
“And did you find it?”
“Most of the cam photage was missing, at least from the select areas which would have revealed the perpetrator and their actions as they moved throughout the complex. Do you know what we found instead the moment one of these cams cut back in?”
She does not want to ask but feels compelled to anyway, “What?”
He turns the datapad around and slides it across the table, “You.”
Her image is frozen as she leaves the lift cab that once served as the gate of the Infiltrators prison. Della’s eyes move from the datapad back up to his face.
“That is a restricted area, an area that I do not even have clearance for. Given that I do know about your own minimal clearance with CorSec, I am going to ask the obvious question as to how you somehow do.”
“That is a question only the Director can answer.”
“The attack left him in a coma so he may never get that chance.”
“What are you saying?"
Thekla speaks slowly, watching her closely, “Stranger than the missing photage is you leaving a restricted area only to wind up at the shuttle explosion in Kor Vella.”
“Circumstantial, perhaps but hardly conclusive of the kind of sinister intent you seem to be alluding to.”
“What were you doing there, miss Avers?”
“I told you, that is not for me to disclose.”
He holds her gaze for an excruciating moment before pivoting hard in hopes of a telling reaction.
“Does this have something to do with the Jedi?”
She blinks, “The Jedi? Inspector, the People’s Council holds the same sentiment as the Corellian system. All are welcome here. Tell me you are not subject to the paranoia that has so plagued the larger Republic. Force-sensitives cannot be the scapegoat for everything.”
“I do not believe you,” he admits flatly. “There is a theory forming that Corellia may be more sympathetic than such a blanket and noncommittal statement. Inclusion and belonging may be trendy terms among the naïve but you, miss Avers, are anything but. You know what is at stake here and if Corellia has been infiltrated or found to be harboring Jedi in direct defiance of the F.U.R.A. then the Republic will come after us with everything they have.”
There is another unbearable pause and it forces her toward the same sobering thought.
“If Director Veritaas was attacked and Doctor Cross and a handful of others were killed as a result of keeping those secrets then if I were you, well, I may start to worry.”
-TBC
-
“I went and searched for some answers
But all I found were monsters."
-Rhye
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
They send Della Avers on her way but instruct her to remain available should CorSec have any further questions. Officially, they have no evidence of wrongdoing but the Inspector made his thoughts very clear. Her behavior is suspect and their theories linking current actions to the Jedi are dangerously close to exposing them. The line of questioning nearly veered into a conspiracy about infiltration. The Jedi had done no such thing. Corellia had been harboring them for years, especially as the increasing legal threats gave them few other options. Now, Doctor Cross is dead along with a handful of Jedi.
They were almost in the clear.
With the exception of Master Atrii, the young Jedi in the Kor Vella shuttle were the last of them. Those poor, poor souls. There are no other Jedi to find here. Unfortunately, that is not how the narrative is playing out. It will not matter to the Republic and their adversarial relationship over the years had been brought to the forefront by this conflict. Her presence in the CorSec Academy after the attack on the Director is right to spook them. They know nothing of the now-escaped Infiltrator that was hidden deep underground. What was she supposed to say, that they had captured an HRD that looks like exactly like the former Federation Ambassador who may or may not be part of the Gellar-Patten bloodline? There is simply no way to contextualize it without making things worse. Della does not know what became of the Infiltrator and whether or not it remains on their world. It would have a difficult time coming forward given the Corellian sentiment around droids but that is not to say it could not still do a fair amount of harm from the shadows.
As Director Veritaas desperately clings to life in the hospital and Senator Soldys remains in Republic custody, Della Avers searches for a way forward.
*
On Inspector Thekla’s end, there are inconsistencies and unwelcome considerations. He is no fan of the Republic’s tactics and had tried to warn Della that any actions involving the Jedi would only provoke them. His loyalty is to Corellia and any challenges to their political scheming could look like treason. The Senator had been arrested, that much he knows, although the details available to the public are scarce. Never a good sign. Thekla believes his apprehension and this attack may be related. He runs through the reports again, pulling in agents Clay and Belasiss for a fresh perspective. It appears, at least on the surface, to read like the Jedi were discovered and they moved to eliminate the threat. As out of character as that may seem for their order, these are desperate times.
The younger agents see things differently.
“Assuming that Cross was the target and Veritaas unintended collateral damage, it still does not make sense. If the Jedi coordinated the attack, going through all this trouble to conceal themselves from us, why blow themselves up in the end?”
Cassidy shrugs, “Who is to say they did? Tivoli Cross graduated from the CorSec Academy. She has plenty of training. Maybe she got the jump on them.”
“A sacrifice to save us from the Jedi? Please.”
Inspector Thekla nods, “If the Republic discovers this, and there is a good chance they have, that is likely the story they will run with. It fits their motives, reinforcing their position on the F.U.R.A. and gives them leverage to investigate.”
“Your tone makes it sound intentional. I thought you said it was a clear case of the Jedi covering their tracks.”
“I said it looked that way,” Thekla says. “It still does. However, the more I consider it the less convinced I am the Jedi would take such an incredible risk. Too many moving parts.”
“Including Della Avers?”
“I am not certain she was involved in this but she is definitely hiding something. Judging by her reaction, I would venture to guess she knew the Jedi were here. In and of itself, that is not an issue nor is the fact that they would want to keep a low profile under the circumstances. The greater the pressure from the Republic, the more secretive their movement would logically become. I think this caught her by surprise as well and implies she had help in concealing them.”
Sixta crosses her arms, “Like the Director?”
“Easy there. Elon Veritaas is a great man.”
“With all due respect, many great men have done terrible things. Hear me out. If this attack was as highly coordinated as it appears to be with breaches into our systems and a body count, there is no way they would not know exactly where Doctor Cross was and who she was with. That meeting was on her calendar. It would have to be precise to work."
Cassidy arrives at the same place, “The Director was either a threat or an obstacle."
“The latter would imply this was staged.”
“To frame the Jedi and implicate Corellia? Yeah, that is actually a pretty good plan if you think about it. The Republic has been looking for a reason to regulate us after their investigation into the remnants of Centerpoint went nowhere.”
“As far as we know.”
“Let us not go there right now,” he quips, bringing a hand to his chin. “The only evidence we have points to the Jedi, even if that was by design. We have no recourse to dispute those claims.”
“Unless Della helps us.”
*
Della returns to the People’s Council to find “Octavia” waiting for her. She has a small datapad containing the activation of Artemis’ evacuation protocols. It is worse than she feared. Together, they spend the next week arranging for a deluge of arrivals, staggering them in ways that would not arouse more suspicion. The task consumes everything even as Inspector Thekla reaches out in an attempt to engage her further. An evacuation on this scale can mean only one thing; the Republic is no longer safe for them. There is a part of her that wants to scream in “Octavia’s” face that she told her so. Still, the woman formerly known as Circe Prescott holds onto hope that good will prevail. She is not sure she believes that anymore but she is prepared to fight for what they stand for. If it came to that. Della has not counted Artemis' skillful maneuvering out just yet.
A prolonged chirp from her desk console signals an incoming call. She taps the projector on as she works out details with central command to pre-clear the transports of incoming citizens. A miniaturized Agent “Cale Theon” appears beside her. Della turns with an anguished expression.
“What is it?”
“Riley Patten,” he says. “He has returned to the system.”
-TBC
-
“One step away
From falling off the edge
One step away
Good as dead
Too late to go back
Too hard to go on
I’m one step away
From getting gone.”
-Moon Taxi
Corellia
Deep Space
The Consular-Class Cruiser Capulet edges toward the rendezvous point.
Roman had carefully guided them back through The Tangle. Once again, they were confined to their quarters for the journey but the threat of possible psychosis was more than enough to keep them there. After a tense stint on the Guu Run and a brief jaunt across the Shipwrights’ Trace, they connected with the Corellian Trade Spine and raced toward their destination. Roman’s navigational mastery may have saved them time but being right back in Republic space brings the threat full circle.
The CR90 Corvette Asunder looms in the distance. Roman guides their cruiser forward as Taarek begins the docking protocols. Once connected, he pressurizes the airlock and nods to Riley. It was the Patten codes and clearance that got them in as the borders of Republic space are heavily patrolled. Republic cruisers flanked by Imperial Star Destroyers are still an extremely unnerving sight. Corellian central command was expecting his return and they proceeded to the coordinates Master Atrii beamed them. Although there is restless energy aboard the Capulet, Riley, and Demaris pass through first to meet the small greeting party – Jedi Master Donovan Atrii, Della Avers, and Circe Prescott. They embrace them warmly with Donovan holding his sister tightly after so long apart. Della is grateful Riley is back, despite everything happening, and knows the Director would be as well.
Taarek Cirque steps out next with an introduction from Demaris, highlighting his heroic accomplishments in evacuating the Jedi from Chandaar. He also shares a connection to their past. Circe breathes in, having worked alongside his father at the Haven Base on Arbra shortly before the Battle of Centerpoint. Seneca Cirque had spoken of his young son in their sessions together and wished to return to him. Tragically, he was killed before he ever got the chance. Although she has long since come to terms with her escape, Circe’s heart breaks for him.
Roman follows, fully clad in the stolen Mandalorian armor. The group visibly tenses but Riley disarms them with fact that it was he who got them into the Unknown Regions and back safely, using the smuggler name, Avinarius. This seems to put them at ease, for now. Before reaching Corellia, discussion aboard the Capulet leaned toward breaking their allies in slowly to the layered and terrifying things they had discovered. Next, the four travel-weary Jedi emerge. Master Atrii welcomes them with open arms and motions through the main corridor to the operations forum beyond where refreshments await. Avinarius leads the way with the Jedi trailing closely behind him.
Della watches them go with a sinking feeling in her stomach. She narrowly avoided being detained by CorSec and convinced herself they were in the clear without any other Jedi aside from Master Atrii cleverly concealed within their own ranks. Having them here is dangerous, despite Corellia’s stance against the F.U.R.A. She worries the complication could come back to bite them sooner rather than later, especially since the investigation into the Kor Vella bombing is still active. The intrepid young agents, led by a skeptical Inspector Thekla, did not seem like they were going to back down. Donovan turns to the others, gaze focusing on Riley.
“You have our deepest condolences about Gemma. I know this has been a difficult time for you. We want you to know we are here for you – whatever you need.”
He smirks as a soft, melodic voice cuts through the sentiment.
“That is touching,” Gemma says, stepping out of the airlock. “But such things are unnecessary. For the moment anyway.”
The collective gasp is pricelessly followed by the inevitable question of how. She waves a hand as if to quell the inquiries for now. They would need a hot meal, a shower, and some rest before they could dive into the complexities of their situation on both sides. There was much to discuss, yes, but no one would be receptive when emotions are running this high.
Later, Gemma lets the scalding water run over her body and finally allows herself to decompress. She was grateful for her conversation with Dane but feels bad for not telling him Roman is alive. All in due time. Everything is far from over but she feels safer knowing they are back with friends and allies. Riley joins her and they spend the night getting physically reacquainted. She sleeps like a baby, tangled in the sheets beside him.
The morning brings a new opportunity to connect with the others so she rifles through the tiny closet for something to wear. Thankfully, Master Atrii had requested that Della and Circe bring a few items with them from Corellia on Riley’s behalf. They would need more localized attire if they were going to blend in. CorSec uniforms abound but there is a selection of diplomatic robes already on the ship. Gemma picks gauzy robes in blues and whites, clasped at the waist with a silver belt. Her golden curls, spilling off her shoulders, give her an ethereal royalty vibe. She smiles at him in his basic uniform, completing the look to be part of “Agent Theon’s” team aboard the Asunder. Aside from Master Atrii, the cruiser is purposefully staffed with droids and so the optics must hold up should they ever be discovered.
Everyone enjoys breakfast together before the Jedi begin their meditation and training exercises in the operations forum. Avinarius hangs back to watch as Master Atrii, Della, Circe, Taarek, Demaris, Gemma, and Riley adjourn to the conference chamber to discuss matters at hand. The first and least surprising to Gemma is that there has been no word from Master Nevylinn. Demaris seems alarmed but Donovan reminds them that their quest is not light and so communication was not expected. Gemma sighs, knowing they would likely have to explore the mysteries of the Voss-Ra on their own. It is just as well. They had made it this far. She pushes those feelings aside and takes center stage in the discussion, outlining the events leading up to their experience on Hesperidium. The Inquisitor, Garron’s disappearance, the brief guardianship fight, graduation, the speeder explosion, the grey woman, Alia’s probable turn, Dahlia’s invitation, the strange spirits trapped within the Bolerathon Tower including Riley’s father, the ritual to free them, and finally the loop theory preceding the attack and explosion that ended with a tentative Imperial alliance and eventual rescue by Taarek and Demaris.
The Corellian delegation is understandably stunned. It is a lot to process given the context of their own plight. They reciprocate with the details of Doctor Cross’ return, the attack on the Director, the death of the young Jedi, the Infiltrator’s escape, CorSec's investigation, the Senator’s arrest, attack on Counselor Corinthos’ firm, and the great Corellian evacuation currently underway. They are equally thrown but not astonished things had continued to decline across the Republic. Riley wants to see the Director, feeling guilty about being away for so long. He is the closest thing Riley has to a father and there is a sense of obligation and duty that extends beyond the CorSec Academy.
“We can arrange that,” Master Atrii says. “However, there is something you said Gemma that does not make sense. The loop theory is impossible even if you survived. In order for the pattern of the prophecy to play out, as you have suggested, more in your personal orbit would need to remain alive. Namely, Dahlia.”
Gemma crosses her arms, “About that…”
She reveals what Melanie told her, stopping short of the darker nuance of the prophecy loop. That might push them over the edge. She would not blame them for it either. It is a tough pill to swallow even though it was she and Riley who would have to suffer the ultimate consequence if they are unable to break the Voss-Ra’s influence over the Prophecy Persephonea.
“Be that as it may, there is still a discrepancy in the numbers.”
“Avinarius,” she calls.
Out in the corridor, he turns and enters the conference chamber, “Yes, Lady Masterton?”
“To believe the theory, they must know who you really are.”
He nods and lifts the helmet from his head.
“I am Romanus’farren’nuruodo of the Chiss, Roman Nash to the Corporate Sector, and I assure you I am very much alive.”
“Five died,” Gemma says pointedly. “The Four survived.”
The grimace creasing Master Atrii’s face is far from subtle. Circe does not want to believe it is happening again, a galaxy swept up in this madness, as Della tries to mentally connect the pieces between them and the unfolding drama in the Republic. Her mind does not go to pleasant places.
“There is more-”
Della’s com cuts her off and she stands to take it, walking away from the table. She speaks in hushed but heightened tones that signify it is urgent. They automatically assume it is something to do with the evacuation and they would not be entirely wrong. She turns back to a captive audience.
“It was Artemis.”
“I thought you said the RSB had him.”
“They did,” she says, jaw tightening.
“What happened?”
“How did he escape?”
Della gives them the stiff upper lip, “You can ask him when he arrives.”
-TBC
-
Della’s com cuts her off and she stands to take it, walking away from the table. She speaks in hushed but heightened tones that signify it is urgent. They automatically assume it is something to do with the evacuation and they would not be entirely wrong. She turns back to a captive audience.
“It was Artemis.”
“I thought you said the RSB had him.”
“They did,” she says, jaw tightening.
“What happened?”
“How did he escape?”
Della gives them the stiff upper lip, “You can ask him when he arrives.”
-TBC
Earlier ...
BORDER DEEP SPACE BETWEEN REPUBLIC and CORRELIAN SECTOR
Artemis leaned back in the seat as she ship went into hyperspace, closing his eyes, accepting the brief moment of peace before he would be forced to return to reality.
He must have drifted off, for the next thing he knew, his single companion, a young Corellian pilot was jostling him awake.
"Senator, we are approaching the border"
Artemis sat up, shaking his head to to clear the cobwebs.
"Are we aware of any change in the configuration of the nets?"
"No sir. To the best of our intel, the nets have not been realigned. However, sir, it is possible that since your escape, there have been moves to prevent you from getting to Corellia."
The nets they were referring to were the gravity well nets - a Trade Federation technology the Republic had acquired before the Federation was essentially robbed of its assets and declared non-existent. Those nets had been the first piece of the Republic's descent into autocracy, and had been placed in order to police the borders of Republic space. The Corellian sector had refused to accept the nets, but there were several placed between the two territories.
The gravity well nets pulled any vehicles out of hyperspace, supposedly for inspection and recording purposes. In reality, their positions had been mapped out, and now most were able to circumvent them, though admittedly, it made the trips significantly longer.
Artemis did not have that kind of time. But he also knew that even minor changes in the nets locations could cause him to be pulled out of hyperspace prematurely, and back into Republic (or imperial) custody. Thus, it had been decided they would exit hyperspace in the deep space border region, to ensure they wouldn't fall into any traps.
As it turned out, that decision had been prudent.
As the VCX auxiliary fighter slipped out of hyperspace, Artemis was shocked to see not only that the gravity well net location had been moved. it was accompanied by what amounted to a fleet.
Republic vessels.
And almost twice as many imperial ships, including an interdictor cruiser.
"They let the imperials bring one of those into Republic territory?"
"Half the fleet is made up of imperial ships now. And it's been increasing ever since you were detained. Quietly, of course, sir, but needless to say, with you out of the way in the senate, others were taking full advantage."
Their comm suddenly lit up, and they could see a mix of X-wings and TIE fighters approaching from the fleet's location.
"VCX fighter - you are ordered to power down and be scanned"
"We need to get clear of the interdictor and the net platform. We need to get to Corellia"
"Yes sir"
The pilot dipped down, picking up speed, but the fighters were beginning to close the distance.
"I don't know if we'll get clear in time, sir"
"Well, do your best"
Suddenly, a half dozen vessels appeared out of hyperspace. All auxiliary, all unmarked.
"Calvary has arrived sir"
Artemis glanced out theviewport as the small vessels engaged the starfighters.
All were Corellian designed freighters, transports, all modulated to carry more weapons, armor, shields.
"I didn't know we had such a robust undergound"
"Oh no sir. Completely not part of CorSec!"
But the pilot grinned, taking advantage of the distraction so he could keep clearing the gravity well.
"They are not going to make it, are they?"
There were too many fighters, enemy ships. The distraction was appreciated but ... so many would die just for him?
"They know what they are doing sir. We need you, alive, free, and on Corellia. Corellia needs you to prepare for what's coming"
A moment later, Artemis was watching as one of the 'calvary' exploded, just before their vessel again dipped into hyperspace.
Hours later, the vessel again appeared, the streaks of hyperspace giving way to the pin-pointed stars, and Artemis breathed a sigh of relief.
Here, alone in the darkness, he could look out, and he RECOGNIZED the sky. He could see it, Tallus and Tralus, Nelonia, Selonia ... and of course, brightest of them all, and straight ahead:
"Corellia"
"It's good to be home sir"
"That it is." He admired the view for only a moment longer before reaching to the comm unit.
"I've got to contact Della Avers. We have ... a lot to discuss ..."
-
Corellia
Deep Space
"How did you escape?"
There was so much urgency in the meeting, so much haste to be made and danger coming ever closer, and yet still, it was that question that those on the Capulet all wanted to know first.
Artemis actually smiled, beamed with pride "CorSec" Artemis's history as a CorSec agent before taking on more governmental and diplomatic roles meant he had a close connection to Corellia's forces.
"As you know, as an ambassador and senator, I maintained a fairly substantial personal guard on Chandaar. But CorSec also has a vast intelligence network. Their ability to work the logistics in a crisis is what makes them the envy of the galaxy. Once I was arrested, I knew that Chandaar was no longer safe. Certainly not for force users ..."
Artemis nodded his head at the jedi - young and old - in the group among them "but also Corellians. CorSec was able to initiate the evacuation of Corellians from the republic capital. And from what I understand, that has been mostly successful"
His eyes turned to Della who nodded back at him.
"We've had thousands of ships coming into the sector with those leaving Chandaar and other republic worlds"
Artemis nodded but his eyes lingered on Della even as he continued to speak.
"They also succeeded in putting a tracking device on me. When RSB attempted to move me to a more ... secure location, they were able to put on a daring rescue"
"And high profile, no doubt"
Donovan Atrii frowned.
"It probably made for good propaganda. It wouldn't surprise me if the republic blamed jedi for the escape"
Artemis finally pulled his eyes away from Della to turn to the jedi.
"the op was handled pretty cleanly. I'm not sure RSB even had working comms. It also was an embarrassment to them, letting me escape like that, and with remarkably few resources. But either way, it really doesn't matter. The republic has sunk so deep, they don't even need propaganda at this point. They just go ahead and do what they want"
"Speaking of which"
It was Gemma who spoke, but she wasn't looking at Artemis. She was facing a viewscreen with a newsfeed playing on it. Everyone turned to watch as the news played.
"Vast protests have broken out across Chandaar after the apparent murder of Kayatt Corinthos by Republic Security Bureau agents." The news played the clip, showing RSB breaking in to Corinthos' apartment, and there she was, shot down.
Then back to the news anchor.
"RSB has refused to comment about the shooting. Miss Corinthos was a known and outspoken critic of the F.U.R.A and recent Republic actions. She was also the lone survivor in an attack on her law firm, and was believed to be recovering in the hospital. Many are now suspecting RSB was behind the attack on the firm as well ..."
Everyone on the ship stared at the screen in silence.
"How could they ..."
"Do they really think the people of Chandaar would allow this?"
"It doesn't even seem real"
"Maybe it's not"
Everyone turned to face Artemis
"You just said RSB was out of control"
"They are - but they wanted scape goats. Drakos wanted to take me down, take Kayatt down. He wanted a public trial, a circus where he could show me for a traitor. The last thing he would want was for us to be martyred."
"Maybe he was so angry about your escape, he got reckless?"
"Maybe"
Artemis was still looking at the screen, frowning. Even with everything he knew about Laird Drakos, something seemed off about the video, the tactics. Maybe he was just tired from his own harrowing journey; maybe he felt responsible for the death of Kayatt Corinthos and a trusted Corsec agent.
One thing was certain. The footage would not play well in the Republic capital, even for those who supported FURA. There would be chaos. Ripe for the picking.
"Whatever really happened there, we don't have much time. RSB and the Republic will come looking for me at Corellia. In fact, they already have a small fleet along our deep space border. I've spent the better part of my life working to make Corellia free - I have no intention of letting it fall under another tyranical rule, even if it calls itself Republic. I need to meet with the governor, the commander of the Corellian Defense Force, and the Director of CorSec"
Artemis looked around, before lowering his gaze to the floor. He had been so caught up in his own trials, he had nearly forgotten.
"I mean Acting Director of CorSec ... how is Veritaas doing?"
"he's stable, but as yet, unconscious. CorSec is still investigating the attack against him, but he is under heavy security right now."
Artemis nodded, but the room filled with an uncomfortable silence, before Della finally chirped in.
"We'll arrange the meeting. Here on this ship - that way, nobody will spot you on Corellia itself. But in the meantime, you probably need some rest. I'll find you some quarters"
***************
A few minutes later, Artemis sat down on the cot, Della gingerly taking a seat beside him. He had been so grateful to see friends, to see Della ... but the weight of what was coming suddenly seemed to press down on his shoulders.
"I fear we are wrapped in a conspiracy to destroy everything we hold dear."
Della hadn't even given Artemis the update on the whole jedi-prophesy idea yet. That had never really been his thing, the doom and gloom of the famous "four". Instead, she took his hand in her own.
"We've been through tough scrapes before. You. me. But you have always fought for what was right. You've always come out strong. if anyone can save Corellia, it's you."
Artemis turned his head to face Della, their eyes meeting, and his own brightening.
"See? there's that spark in there"
She leaned forward, pressing her lips against his, his own lips reaching out to hers. She pulled back for just a moment, eyes again locked on his, full of meaning.
They had been too long apart, their sense of duty to Corellia keeping them too far to be able to comfort each other and care and love for each other. And in a few minutes time they would be again rushing off to save the galaxy.
Their lips came together again, hungry for the few minutes they could share together, alone.
TBC
-
“I’m so far from my innocence, I’ve forgotten its taste
I’d drag on you but why bother
Your very essence fogs this lonely place
Baby, you draped over the only light that could fill this room
Beautiful in your own way
But drowning the rest to doom.”
-Pumablue
Corellia
Deep Space
Gemma cannot sleep, rising early and leaving Riley’s side to wander the empty corridors of the Asunder. She can see Corellia beyond the small viewports she passes, distant and gleaming against the darkness of the stars. On the other side of the ship, the sister planets Talus and Tralus along with what remains of the Centerpoint Station. Chills slip across her skin knowing that three of the previous Four all met their ends there. She thought she would feel closer to her sister being here but it does little but serve as a reminder of how her actions led to the creation of the next prophecy cycle.
Now, she, Dane, and Riley must play to win or die trying.
“I am glad you are here.”
She turns to find Circe Prescott, in the guise of Octavia Valles, standing near the mouth of the operations forum.
“Here as in alive or our present location?”
“Both. This cannot be easy for you, knowing what you know.”
“I could say the same about you. As one of the few survivors of the last cycle, I am surprised you can stomach being here after all that was lost. It pains me to know my sister made her last stand out there with no real grasp on the scope of what she was actually fighting for.”
Circe apprises her carefully, sensing a sharper edge to her tone and demeanor. She knows she is one of the last and probably operating on borrowed time. It does not change how she feels about their mission or her purpose within it.
“Melanie was also burdened with a deeper truth, one that robbed her of her innocence and family. Given this new context, I dare not speculate what you must be feeling. Loss of personal safety and security are difficult to qualify in others. Each experience with trauma is unique but I will tell you that you are not alone. We are here to help you shoulder this burden.”
“I am sure you told her the same,” Gemma says tersely, holding her gaze. “Did she believe you?”
“She sent me away before I was able to find out. What do you think?”
“Debatable but my sister, may she rest in peace, seems like the type to want to believe it so badly that it blinded her to anything outside of what she thought she knew. What the Jedi wrongly believed. The only option in her mind was to eliminate Karen but, in doing so, she set all this in motion. Melanie never dared question it – question them – and look where it got her. She was not in the loop, pun intended, and that, as Dane is so fond of saying, sucks for her. Speaking of siblings, your brother is apparently in a bad way.”
“Garron,” she breathes, alarmed. “Has something happened?”
She gives her the rundown and prevailing theories. Given her predicament as presumed dead and living under a new identity, it is not like Circe can go rushing back to the Corporate Sector to check on him.
“Dane is trying to get him the help he needs but, if he has been corrupted and-or influenced by a Force user, it may not matter. He will carry out his directive whether he wants to or not and, from the sound of things, that directive may involve murdering my brother. He does stand in the way of fulfilling the prophecy. We all do. Gellar was the first to die last time and there are certain patterns the loop follows. If we can get ahead of them then perhaps we stand a chance.”
Circe pulls her beige robes tightly around her. She has been possessed by the Force as well, many years ago, performing tasks under the thrall of someone else. That haze and confusion is nothing she wants to relive and she certainly would never wish it on anyone else, especially her brother.
“Garron is strong and I trust that Dane will guide him through this.”
“Strong, yes, but strong enough to overcome a dark force driving him forward?”
“I suppose we will see.”
“It does not end with him, you know. This CorSec medical director. Your pal, Janessa. There are concerning links. I am sorry about Kaytt. I know you were once close.”
She nods, remembering back to when she, Janessa, Kaytt, and Kinsa were happy together on Chandaar. Each had their respective careers and lives but they always found time to be together. So much has changed over the years, tearing their friendships and lives apart.
“Thank you,” Circe says softly. “If the theory holds true, it would not be the first time Janessa has been controlled. I suspect her directive in the Republic may be to further reinforce the prejudices behind the FURA, sowing chaos as Senator Soldys suggested. My fear lies not only with what will happen there but to the one friend I have caught in the middle of it all – Kinsa Cavanaugh.”
“You think Janessa would harm her?”
“Not intentionally no but, as you have speculated, she may do so whether she wants to or not. That all depends on what she was sent there to do. I wish I could intervene but Kinsa believes I am long dead. Revealing myself now may only complicate things. It may even place her in greater danger, considering how Republic leadership felt about me prior to my “death.” I can only hope that her vanity and concern for her image causes a withdraw from Janessa, inadvertently keeping her safe.”
Gemma turns back to the small viewport, “Janessa would be less of a threat if she were no longer in the game.”
“What are you suggesting, that we kill her arbitrarily? You may have your theories, Gemma, but you have not provided enough evidence to make such a bold leap. Perhaps Garron and Janessa were off together somewhere. Perhaps the RSB did murder Kaytt. You cannot say otherwise with any certainty.”
Together? Yes. Doing what they claim to have been doing? Gemma does not think so. Just like does not believe the medical director's return and the Director's attack are coincidental.
“Perhaps not,” she says. “But Garron already tried to kill my brother once. Does that seem like the behavior of someone fresh off holiday? Does it track that Janessa disappeared after Dane asked her to look for him then returned with no memory of that interaction?”
“No.”
She turns around to face her, “Exactly. You are not naïve, Circe. You have seen this before. These things may not seem related but they are. Our predecessors were foiled by their unfocused reactivity, not that anyone can really blame them. They did not know. We do. If we do not shift our focus then we are doomed to wind up as dead as they are.”
*
Later, when everyone has risen, eaten, and gone about their respective mornings, Riley calls the Senator, Della, Donovan, Circe, and Gemma into the conference room. It is time to put their cards down on the table. To his credit, Artemis hears them out but he does not look like he is in the mood for their shenanigans, not when the Republic’s soul and Corellia’s security hang in the balance. No one takes it well. Master Donovan, predictably, raises ethical issues with all of it but Gemma shuts him down hard. If the Jedi want to help, she tells him bluntly, they can focus on finding the Voss-Ra’s deeper connection to the prophecy. They grapple with the news of Dahlia’s survival but Artemis’ face sinks visibly when Riley and Gemma detail how their fates tie directly to the unfolding events he has spent his life and career trying to prevent. With the Republic crumbling, Dahlia is poised to fulfill the prophecy while Barrett leverages the Empire’s position to retake control of the galaxy under Emperor Schrag’s rule. It is not what they were expecting.
Actually, it is much worse.
“One thing is for certain,” Riley says, bringing the attention back to the present. “We cannot stay here. The Asunder is designated a security patrol vessel and we will look mighty suspicious were someone to roll up on us. The way I see it, there are three immediate actions we need to take in order to get ahead of this; stash the Senator, getting our hands on the memory imprint hardware, and secure the superlaser in a way that will actually help Corellia against the Republic.”
“I appreciate the strategy and thought but it is problematic on many fronts. The presence of the weapon alone will be seen as an act of war.”
“Better than a massacre. And if we can repel them, it will buy us time.”
Senator Soldys folds his hands together and sets his sights on both him and Gemma.
“To do what exactly? Prep your troops for a fight the Republic has been picking with us for over a decade while you investigate the origin of a prophecy that may very well be nothing more than a diversion? Della told me about losing the Jedi in Kor Vella, their inability to reach any of the others elsewhere. As far as anyone knows, you all may be the last of them. I am not about to lead our system into a holy war that ends with the creation of yet another sentient technological monster. Even if they do wear your faces.”
For Artemis, using Gellar genetics for anything is out of the question. They are insane if they believe for a moment that he would help them in this venture. CorSec has the tech but he would not lead Riley to it, not if it meant the possibility of another PHAGE crisis. Gemma is undeterred, leaning forward against the conference table.
“And we will not be sacrificed for something we do not believe in.”
“You believe enough to want it stopped. Find another way. However, there are things I am willing to compromise on given the circumstances. Despite the risks, we may be able to make the superlaser work. I know just the people to deliver it to that will have it defensively operational quickly. If there is only one, we need to make our stand with it tactfully.”
“We can get you more,” Gemma says evenly. “It is not a technology the Republic currently has and my brother happens to have recently acquired a weapons manufacturer. The CSA is hardly discriminatory with their good and services so long as the profits flow.”
Della sighs, “There are also the other systems Director Veritaas spoke of, Republic worlds that oppose the FURA and would see any attack against Corellia as a rallying cry. The weapon’s show of force along with the threat of losing powerful support across the galaxy may be enough to keep them at bay.”
“For a time,” Circe says ominously. “But not forever.”
“All we need is a little time. That leaves the issue of what to do with the Senator. I must return to Coronet to see Veritaas but I can throw some credits around for this very worthy cause of saving our people. It would be fairly easy to procure a remote rental property on one of the sisters through a cleverly created LLC. You could have a safe house of sorts to regroup. That is unless you have your own ideas…”
“I am working on it but will keep it in mind.”
“If you are headed back, you may want to disarm your little friends at CorSec. Those plucky agents are getting awfully close to answers they do not want and irritating me in the process.”
“Noted,” Riley laughs.
“What about the rest of the Jedi? They need to keep as low a profile as they can.”
Gemma’s eyes drift through the opening of the conference room out into the operations forum where they practice under the guidance of Demaris and Taarek. They had come a long way, even in the short time she had been with them. Each have their own contribution and reason for being there. But this is not her doing and Gemma is not their leader.
“We have uniforms and can remain with Donovan as part of the patrol crew until we know more. It will allow space to investigate the Voss-Ra and mobility to find ways in and out of the system if need be. I must send someone back though, to the Corporate Sector. My brother is exposed with few allies on Etti IV.”
Master Atrii does not look pleased with this plan, “Is that wise? Separating us may be what they want.”
“With all due respect, if there is an opportunity to bolster our odds on any front, I am going to take it.”
"Even if it comes at a high cost?"
“Any choice we make here comes with risk. You were a soldier before you were a Senator so I know you understand that.”
Once the meeting disbands, Artemis rises from behind the table but stops Riley as he passes.
“You may be right about that but if you use CorSec equipment to attempt to bring yourselves back, you will find out just how much soldier is still left in me. Do not forget that you are talking about replicating the same process used to create Valerie’s murderer. Your grandfather too. Think about what that did to your mother before you and Gemma dive into something you do not fully understand. Whatever lies in the Gellar genes is dangerous, Riley. Do we understand each other?”
Riley swallows hard and nods, “Understood.”
-TBC
-
((Nothing like referencing posts from 4.5 years ago, when Mara and Nevylinn first left Corellia for Naboo ... See bottom of post!)
Hyperspace
Hours past into days, as the freighter traveled silently through the safe embrace of hyperspace. Well, safe, so long as it didn't run into any gravitational anomalies, artificial or otherwise. Mara spent but a small portion of the trip calculating the likelihood of that, for no reason other than passing the time.
Of course, she knew that there was always a possibility. She and Nevylinn had been gone ... months now? years? Time seemed to blend in on itself. By the time they returned, it was possible Corellia would be inside the gravitational nets that encompassed the main territory of the Republic. Of course, if that were the case, things were more dire than possible.
Most of her time though, Mara was looking after Nevylinn, focusing on her meditation, using the serene light side energy to try to heal her friend. The wounds had healed, and yet Nevylinn still had not woken. Mara found that she was driving something dark out of Nevylinn, something more than just the visible wound. A body scan had not detected any known poision, but there was something there that shouldn't be. And though Mara had managed to keep it at bay, prevent it from growing, it never quite seemed to shrink either. Thus, Mara was using her energy just to maintain the status quo.
It was tiresome. It was lonely. Mara wished Nevylinn was awake, or Riley was there. THat there was someone she could talk to, if only to break the monotony of space travel.
Mara had spent so much of her existence on her own, on the run ... maybe one day, she could actually settle down and have a life.
She shook her head. No. That would never happen. She knew what she had to do, to defeat Adubell. She knew the price she would have to pay.
But maybe, just maybe, she would be able to share a moment with her friends and family, one moment of happiness, before that day would come.
Corellia
Mara returned to the cockpit as the indicator light flashed on, signaling the end of the journey. In a flash, the streaks of blue light zipped back into mere pinpoints of light, surrounded by the vastness of space. A half-dozen or so lights were brighter than the others, spheres of life rather than balls of fire.
Tallis
Tralus
Nelonia
Selonia
and of course, Corellia
Yet even here in Deep Space, here in this place most familiar to her, Mara found a huge difference.
A dozen or so patrol vessels were monitoring, even out this far, and immediately hailed her vessel.
"Unidentified Vessel, Report your designation and purpose"
There was a no-nonsense tone to the call, and Mara knew there would be no sweet talking her way. Might as well be honest.
Or, mostly honest.
"This is The Refuge. We have a priority alert, and need to speak with Della Avers and Director Veritaas immediately" Mara realized she wasn't sure who was in charge of what after so much time had passed, but those two names were likely still around.
There was a dead silence on the other end of the comm for a good minute or so before finally a response.
"You are to power down immediately and prepare to be boarded. You must identify yourself immediately"
Mara was about to give her name and credentials, but remembered that Mara Tacofer, Vice President of CEC, had been declared dead years ago.
"I need to talk to someone in charge. Tell them ... "
She glanced behind her, out of the cockpit, at Nevylinn behind her
"Tell them I have an injured jedi on board."
Another long pause. Longer than the first. But then, another signal coming through.
Mara clicked on the video, and there was Jedi Master Donovan Atrii, a grave, serious look on his face.
"Well there is a face I have not seen in some time ..."
Mara also remembered that he had probably seen her look-alike sister more recently than herself. Probably had even conducted some interrogation while she was away. Suspicion was to be expected.
"Master Atrii! I have Nevylinn here. She's injured"
Mara moved aside so the camera could show Nevylinn, lying prone just outside the cockpit.
"Can you verify your identity?"
"The last time we met ..." Mara's memory flashed to the time right before she and Nevylinn had departed ...
"Nevylinn and I were sparring when we experienced a prophetic vision, about Persephone. We were preparing to go to Naboo when we learned that Adubell had been pretending to be a jedi, making massive attacks in the Republic. The three of us decided we had to continue on our mission, regardless."
Atrii nodded his head. "Welcome home, Mara"
"It's good to be home, Master Atrii - but Nevylinn. She's ... injured. I'm not sure what's wrong with her. I'm worried we are running out of time"
Corellia
Until one wins, the dark or light
Repeat, repeat eternal fight
Will shape the course of galaxy
A FOURsome they will always be
Bound by blood, their destiny
Offspring of young Persephone"
The words at first had little meaning, or rather, much unknown meaning, much unknown implications The dark energy that concealed the orange sphere certainly was foreboding. But as always, too many questions, no answers.
Mara and Nevylinn, since seeing the vision, had spent whatever time they had not not training in the force digging into those words. The first clue, of course, was the name - Persephone. Mara knew of the Persephonea Prophesy, especially from her time with Karen. She knew of the hieroglyphics in the basement of the Winton Byss home and Alexander's obsession with the prophesy. Or rather, his manipulation of the prophesy to suit his own needs, the GURI Project. Medivh had helped explain that.
If Persephonea and Persephone were actually connected, related, then the four would refer to THE FOUR - Winton, Masterton, Gellar, Patten. That was an easy enough connection to make. The fight repeating itself, that also made sense - it seemed like after the LAST four had died, there were a new four, and certainly, if suspicions turned out to be true, Dahlia was the dark and Gemma was the light. Mara of course pointed out to Nevylinn that Karen hadn't really been dark, something they disagreed upon vehemently.
But what did it mean "bound by blood" and why did it call them the "offspring" of Persephone? Who was Persephone?
That led to another, entire rabbit hole. Mara tried digging through old Corellian archives. Maybe Persephone was an ancestor of Riley? No such luck. In fact, as it turned out, Kyrie Patten's great great grandmother was an adopted orphan, whose last name or planet of origin couldn't be traced. Her first name though, was Kimber, the name from which Riley's mother apparently was named (there were two other Kimber's in the Patten line).
Mara then spent hours hacking in to the CSA lineage database. Even for her, it was hard. CSA treasurered their ancestry as a point of pride and for positions of power. Hours of searching found that Rutherford Gellar's great, great grandfather had married a girl named Valerie Dawning. It was hard to imagine two families intertwining at all - no doubt the marriage had business benefits. Mara originally kept looking further up the chain, but then came across an error in the database. Valerie Dawning's records had been changed. It took more hours of prying to find out she was not actually the birth child of the Dawning family. She too was an orphan, brought in from an unknown world, and within just a few months of Kimber-orphan arriving on Corellia.
Coincidence?
Thyferra was unable to provide ancestry on the Masterton's, so Mara then turned to the Wintons. A proud, wealthy family, going back generations. Mara expected to find the same thing. That at some point back, an unknown orphan married in to the family. It was harder - the Winton's were power players on Naboo, which at the moment, was inaccessible because of its location in the southern galaxy, and also on Coruscant, which of course, no longer existed. Mara struck dead end after dead end.
She turned to another source though, Professor Braithwaite's research. She remembered reading his article, the enzyme he found. Reading over his work again, she was startled with her new perspective. In four families - Winton, Gellar, Masterton, Patten. A recessive trait, but rare, and in the four families.
She remembered how she thought it seemed too much of a coincidence when she first read the research. Now she was almost certain.
Mara stepped away from the computer and turned to Nevylinn who was conducting her own research.
"Nevylinn - I think they might be related."
Nevylinn glanced up.
"Related? what do you mean?"
"I mean, I think that the four - I think that the four are cousins. It's just a theory right now, but the way the families are intertwined, the way the four families have shared enzymes that no one else does, seemingly. I've been trying to trace the lineage, of Riley, of the Gellars. I was able to go back quite a few generations, but then there's a glitch. Corellia and the Corporate Sector pride themselves on ancestry databases, but both have someone marry into the family with no known origin. They were orphans, at the same time. And when I checked the galactic orphanage databases, there's no record of either. It's a mystery I haven't been able to trace Masterton or Winton back yet, but I bet it will lead the same way.
Nevylinn - what if the prophesy isn't couching its words in metaphor. What if Riley, Gemma, Dane, and Dahlia are all cousins? What if they are actually descendants - offspring - of a single, common individual -"
"Persephone ..."
"Exactly"
Nevylinn shook her head, "I don't know how we could know for sure. We can find records of Alexander Winton, maybe even his parents, but further back then that, most of the records would have been destroyed when Coruscant was destroyed."
"I was thinking we need to try another route - we need to follow the prophesy. The warning couldn't have come from nowhere. I think someone is trying to warn us, to help us maybe"
"But who? It's not any of the jedi I know. The jedi had never even heard of the Persephonea Prophesy until it was brought to us by Monica Greyson"
"Exactly. I think we need to find out WHY Monica Greyson had the prophesy. I've decided, I don't believe in coincidences. How did the prohet wind up with a Winton?"
"Fate?"
"Maybe -but fate doesn't just vanish in thin air. I think we need to get to Naboo - I know, it's dangerous now, but we have to - I think that's where we will find answers"
Nevylinn stood silent for a moment before nodding rising from her seat and beginning to follow Mara out. Suddenly, she clutched her chest.
"Mara!"
Mara turned,
"What is it?"
Nevylinn was breathing heavy, "I have a feeling - a bad feeling. It's my sister - it's Adubell ... she's doing something. Something ... terrible"
TBC
Hyperspace
It had been immediately apparent what Adubell had done, and more importantly, the consequences of her actions. Dressing as and acting like a jedi - and not just any jedi, but Nevylinn in particular - meant everything she was doing on Chandaar was being blamed on the jedi. No longer was it just insinuation, conspiracy theory, paranoia. There was footage of a JEDI killing civilians and security officers. Whatever lapses existed in the Force User Registration Act would be seen as weaknesses that needed to be addressed, immediately.
Nevylinn, Donovan Atrii and Mara debated how to respond. Prepare a statement with Nevylinn disavowing the attacks, and showing they were two different people? At best, it wouldn't be believed. At worst, it would reveal the jedi location and lead to calls for arrest and possibly even ousting Corellia from the Republic for what amounted to acts of treason. It was decided they would not respond - they would focus on defeating Adubell, and deal with the damage she caused later. It was no easy thing to do, sitting back and doing NOTHING. The initial attack by Adubell in downtown Chandaar had left nearly two dozen dead, dozens wounded, and several light artillary pieces, brought in to stop her, crumpled into scrap metal. Then, additional attacks occurred. Several politicians (mostly those allied with Corellia, Mara noted) were found in their offices with what coroners immediately identified as lightsaber wounds to their necks, chests, arms. Security camera footage revealed the rest of the details, as the as yet unidentified 'jedi' snuck past security, assaulted and killed, and then disappeared into the shadows. Several attacks were more public - where security caught her at the gate when she tripped the force-sensitivity tests. As security would surround her, she would bring out her lightsaber, slicing down a half dozen, using the Force to eliminate another few and then turning and fleeing before reinforcements could arrive.
As Mara and Nevylinn began planning their trip into the dangerous southern galaxy, they watched as the news cycle from Chandaar turned more and more against the jedi, while simulataneously, discussing how great the new peace accord with the Empire was, with their added support on the southern border.
All this, on top of news from the Corporate Sector that both Rutherford Gellar and Celeste Masterton were dead, leaving three of "The Four" without parental guidance.
Mara and Nevylinn had their own conspiracy theories now.
Naboo was far in the outerrim of the southern galaxy, and the trip in hyperspace would take not just days but weeks.
Through the assistance of the governor, they managed to acquire a long-range freighter with decent speed and shielding, though weak on weaponry, something that would get them where they needed to go, so long as they didn't encounter too many obstacles.
The cargo area had the added benefit of space, allowing Mara and Nevylinn to continue training.
Nevylinn was guiding Mara on the completiion of her rather intricate lightsaber, noting the importance of its special specifications and circuitry, and the risks associated with it.
Mara's Mestarian crystal was glowing brightly as she sat in front of it, the pieces of her saber hovering in a line in front of her. The crystal was more powerful than it had been when Mara first found it, Mara infusing it with the Force, now to the point where it was stable in retaining that connection, that power. She had to be careful - too much energy, it would shatter, and Mestarian crystals were in short supply.
"You, the crystal, and the other components of the lightsaber - they are all one entity. They are connected to you, and you to them. Your lightsaber is an extension of who you are. It's shape and formation a reflection of your values."
Minute by minute, pieces drew closer together, wires snaked through ports, coming together, closing in.
It was painstaking, but in a way, Mara had it easier than others. She could self-repair mechanical pieces, and like Nevylinn said, this was just another piece of her. She could see the connections that needed to be made far in advance, allowing her to navigate more easily through the device.
Finally, the encasement - a thin metal shaft made of lightsaber resistant phrik alloy, with a rubber-grated handle for easy gripping. The blade energy channels were resistant to short-outs caused by cortosis power surge, and the power cell was a more durable power cell, the field conductor and inert power insulator were adjusted as well so as to maintain the containment of the power source. Near the magnetic stabilizing ring, an additional ring of conductive material was added and software chips. By the blade emitter shroud was a pulse-activator that would be triggered by coming into contact with cortosis, causing a pulse of energy transmitting the contents of the software chip - the virus meant to destroy Adubell.
When it was complete, Mara opened her eyes and took grasp of the saber, igniting it swinging it for good measure before leaping into the air. The blade was a grayish-color, its light filling the small area. Mara jumped around for several minutes, testing its weight and balance, and landing in front of Nevylinn, who nodded solemnly.
"It is ready"
"But I'm not. Adubell would still best me in a one-on-one fight"
"Then we will keep practicing. And do what we can to make sure it is not a one-on-one fight. There are two of us. We must defeat Adubell together"
-
“I asked the past if nothing lasts why don’t you show me?
But I’m afraid to scare myself
‘Cause when there’s love, there is loss
And they hang on the cross
With another tale to tell
And more wishes for the well.”
-LP
Corellia
Master Donovan Atrii gathers the crew in the conference hall for a briefing on their situation and the arrival of unexpected but welcome guests.
There is a ripple through them. Something almost tangible. And something…else as well. The glimmer of fear through uneasy ambiguity. Gemma darkens as she sees Demaris brighten at the news as if the mere presence of the wayward Jedi Master somehow proves a point she was trying to make. That they had not been abandoned but tested. She can only hope they have returned with something conclusive to act on, some way to stop what has already been set in motion.
“Patten is right,” the Senator says. “We need to move. This many high-profile targets exposed will only complicate matters.”
Riley is conflicted, elation giving way to uncertainty. His aunt Mara came back to him. He was never quite sure he would see her again. He steeled himself against the possibility, waiting for the day he received the news she had died for real. Perhaps she discovered something useful in her travels, insight into the origins and motives of the duplicates that wore her face. He reflects on the last time he saw it. The stark reality that she is the only family he has ever known settling over him. Those unclarified ties outweighed by the bond they share. When Mara left, he was but a boy. Now, he is a young man with his own adventures to tell. He remembers when it was just he and Mara on The Wheel. Simpler times, before he knew who he really was and what that meant. Age and experience have only helped him better understand why she went to such considerable lengths to protect him even though it was not enough. He is a Patten. One of The Four. Destined to play a role in another cycle until someone gets it right. Well, the Voss-Ra’s version of right. Destiny does not have to spell disaster and doom if they work the angles, exploring the surface of the prophecy looking for cracks. Riley was the loophole of the last cycle – the one that survived.
A Patten won that round; it just wasn’t Kimber.
“I know a place.”
They would meet on the far side of Corellia at an old CorSec safehouse. It was one Director Veritaas allowed them to stage Jedi in before finding transport off-world after the Patten Ranch was destroyed. The Jedi who died on the platform in Kor Vella was the last to come through there. Shuddering at the memory of their loss, Atrii transmits the coordinates to Mara before disbanding the group. He sends a medical droid, just in case. He does not know what ails Nevylinn but knows he cannot lose her. He, too, has been on his own for some time now. Circe catches his eye before following Della back to her shuttle, a familiar dull ache spreading across his chest. Loving her may cost them both and, although she seldom speaks of those times, he has often wondered if she left someone she loved when Melanie Masterton chose to spare her the horrendous outcomes of The Battle of Centerpoint. Would she have chosen differently if she knew it would be the last time?
The safehouse is among stunning sawtooth cliffs that overlook a raging sea. They leave the Asunder in orbit, within safe distance if Master Atrii, operating as CorSec Agent Cale Theon, must quickly return. The crew settles into the structure. It is modest and unassuming, a quaint hideaway for a fisher that opens into a spacious yet sparsely decorated vault beneath the sturdy rock. The Chiss-Mandalorian (Chiss-dalorian?) stands a silent sentry while the Jedi explore the new space. The youngest, a Miralukan, runs a small hand over the rock.
“We are safe here?”
Atrii nods, knowing she can sense the gesture, “We fight to make it safer. For all of us.”
The tight smile beneath her hood strikes something in him but it is time to go. While Della monitors for the incoming vessel, Atrii and Cirque take the Capulet and deliver the weapon to the Senator’s contact. It is too large an advantage to waste on principle, not with the Republic likely coming right for them – after, of course – they get out of their own way.
“Riley,” Della says, glancing up from the screen. “They are here.”
He takes Gemma’s hand and they emerge into the salty air, her golden curls caught in the stiff coastal breeze. As the Refuge descends toward them, Riley holds his breath in anticipation.
-TBC
-
((had to rewrite my post after computer froze up. Also, it's probably the first time in 3 years our characters are actually interacting directly with each other, conversationally, so I'm a little rusty))
Corellia
Mara navigates the Refuge into Corellia's atmosphere, following the coordinates that had been transmitted, glancing back occasionally at Nevylinn who still lay unconscious behind the cockpit. Nevylinn's breathing was steady but shallow and she had a sheen of sweat on her pale skin.
The ship dipped beneath the clouds and coasted over the ocean, the spray of the sea licking the bottom of the ship as they flew toward the cliffs off in the distance. At first, the landing pad could not be seen, but Mara maneuvered the ship around one cliff that jutted out particularly far, and then there it was - a small open landing spot, large enough to accomodate maybe two vessels the size of the the Refuge. A small entrance seemed embedded in the rocky wall face, and from there, Mara could see two figures emerging, a young man and woman.
The man she immediately recognized, and she sighed out a soft whisper
"Riley"
It was a bittersweet moment - grateful to again see the boy she cared for, her family, and yet sad to see how much she had missed. He had been a boy still, a teenager when she went off on her mission, and here he was, a man in his own right. That he was holding the hand of his companion did not escape her gaze either.
The ship touched down, and Mara hurried down the ramp, coming to an abrupt stop a few feet from where Riley and Gemma were standing. Again, she spoke his name aloud, the single word filled with an emotion she could hardly understand.
"Riley"
"Aunt Mara"
Then a silence, deep and serene, despite the sounds of the nearby ocean. Mara and Riley were connected in a way that only family could be, and though she longer to hug him, at that moment it was the shared silence that best expressed her feelings. Riley was Mara's home, he was her whole world. And after years separated by both danger and distance, they were together again.
Riley glanced down first, noticing the blaster-marks on Mara's clothes
"Aunt Mara, are you hurt?"
Mara glanced down, then back up at Riley, shaking her head.
"I'm fine - but Nevylinn ..." she glanced back at the ship
"Her wounds have healed, but she isn't getting any better. I don't know what's happening. I was hoping that Master Atrii, or one of the jedi could help"
At that, Mara's gaze turned back, first to Riley, then to Gemma, who spoke up
"Perhaps I can help?"
Now Mara recognized the woman, who she had last seen when she was still a teenage daughter of Rutherford Geller.
"Gemma Masterton - I hardly recognized you. I had heard you were dead"
"I had heard the same about you"
Fair point.
"I'm glad to see that you and Riley have ..."
Mara's gaze looked down at their hands, still coupled together
"remained close. I was sorry to hear about your parents."
Gemma, no doubt looking to avoid any protective inquisition about her relationship, nodded her head to the ship.
"Master Atrii is taking care of a short errand but will return soon. In the meantime, I believe I can examine Nevylinn, see if I can figure out what's wrong with her"
Without accepting an answer, Gemma took a glance over at Riley, then, with the medical droid by her side, moved quickly toward the ship to where Nevylinn lay. Mara watched her for a moment before turning to Riley, a thin smirk on her face.
"So ... Gemma Masterton?"
"Be nice to her, Aunt Mara"
"Oh?"
Riley's gaze followed Gemma as she disappeared into the ship.
"I love her, Aunt Mara"
"Have you told her that?" The two looked at each other, and Mara's face turned serious. "If you haven't, you had best do it soon. There are dangers coming, far too great, and you and Gemma are targets-"
"-We know-"
"and love is a thing you need to share before it's lost"
Mara took Riley by the shoulders, staring into his face.
"You have no idea how much I've missed you."
And then, finally, she pulled him close, wrapping her arms tightly around him. He was everything to her, and even though he didn't know it yet, she knew she was preparing to make the ultimate sacrifice for him. So that he could live and love.
That Gemma better be worth it
TBC
-
Corellia
Gemma looked down at Nevylinn. With worry. With pity. With disdain.
You thought the jedi code would save you.
Gemma scoffed as she kneeled down. Nevylinn was one of the jedi who had tried keeping secrets, and look where it got them? The younger force users were abandoned, their lives in danger, and for what? The jedi were no closer to fixing everything that was broken. And even the most experienced among them were dying.
Was it worth it?
Gemma waved a hand over Nevylinn, closing her eyes as she drew in the Force. Her hand slowed over the wound and she placed her hand directly on the spot where the fresh scar stood.
Gemma gasped as she was suddenly flooded with an image, an orb of blinding light, but a thin trail of black smoke curling up from it, spreading, slowly growing as it branched out, crawling into the abyss surrounding the orb.
She pulled her hand away, opening her eyes and looking down at Nevylinn with new concern, just as Mara and Riley reentered the ship from behind.
"Did you find something"
Gemma turned to Mara, nodding her head.
"It's like nothing I've ever seen before. It's like a poison, but it's almost like it has a mind of its own, its own sentience. Tell me, what happened?"
Mara relayed to Gemma and Riley their flight across the bridge, being chased by the Voss Ra, and how Nevylinn had been shot, careful to ignore any discussion of her own use of the Force in the discussion.
"I was able to heal he wound, but ..."
"That's because it's not the blaster bolt that caused the most danger. When they fired at Nevylinn, they implanted something within her. Something deadly. And you can't just heal that kind of thing away. Whatever it is inside her, we need to go inside and destroy it"
"Nevylinn would say that the light side doesn't have the power to destroy"
Gemma's face turned sour as she frowned.
"Well Nevylinn is a self-righteous, condescending purist whose going to die if we follow her beliefs."
Mara raised an eyebrow and Gemma put a hand to her mouth. Maybe not the best way to try to impress the guardian of your love interest.
"Um ... I think we need someone more powerful to take a look at her. Let's have Master Atrii look at her"
"Doesn't Master Atrii hold by the same - how did you word it - self-righteous, condescending purist views as Nevylinn?"
Gemma's face actually turned red, but she covered it as she rose from where she had been kneeling beside Nevylinn.
"Master Atrii, I think, has become more pragmatic as of late. At least I hope so. Come, I think he might be back"
Gemma glanced a Riley as she quickly exited, and Riley gave an annoyed look at Mara, who offered a sarcastic smile in response. Riley shook his head, glancing down at Nevylinn before back up at Mara.
"You never said what you were actually doing on Empress Teta?"
"We were searching for a lost, powerful item. Called the Etheralis. Or a piece of it, at least. And unfortunately, Adubell got it before we did. She's gotten stronger, more cunning, more ruthless. And stopping her is going to require ... a lot of sacrifice"
Mara began to follow , but Riley put a hand on her elbow.
"What do you mean, sacrifice?"
"I'll tell you later - one life-threatening emergency at a time. Please"
TBC
-
“I think I’m getting away with it
Buy into being divine
I think I’m holding the stage with it
Whole only half of the time.”
-Morgxn
Corellia
Outside, Gemma releases a slow breath through her mouth.
She is mildly embarrassed she shot off in front of Riley’s aunt, someone she is supposed to want to impress. Mara is, after all, the only family he has. Instead, she allowed her qualms about the Jedi ways and resentment over their handling of galactic events to cloud her judgment. Perhaps Demaris was not so far off in assessing her abandonment trigger. Nevylinn may be a convenient target for her frustration but now is not the time. She reaches for calm through the Force, allowing the steady sea breeze curling off the cliffs to extinguish her anger.
Riley emerges from the ship with a tight expression which puts her on alert.
“What is it? Oh no, does she hate me now? I blew it, didn't I?”
“What? No. Well, uh. Not entirely. It’s just…something you said on Hesperidium.”
“I said a lot of things on Hesperidium.”
“Right but this was about the Inquisitor. Defeating them. You said we could not do it without something.”
She recalls the vision, all the bodies lodged in the sand, a hand gripping her leg, a pale blue mouth, dripping with ocean water, gurgling out a warning.
“The Etheralis.”
“Yes.”
“I do not see how that has to do with-”
“That is what my aunt and Nevylinn were searching for on Empress Teta.”
Gemma stiffens as threads of their respective plots begin to connect in a meaningful way. The images and words had faded to the back of her memory as new and more terrifying threats came to light. Their contingency plan had taken precedence but now it seems the warning had more significance than she originally thought.
Mara appears behind Riley, now staring at her intently, “You have heard this before.”
“Yes.”
“How,” she asks, deathly serious. “How do you know this name?”
“Riley’s father told me - warned me actually - in a vision I had.”
“His father?”
“Navris. Mod Navris. He was murdered there, in the Bolerathon Tower, along with many others. Their souls were trapped, tied to the tower through some mystical forces. It is a long story. The Four of us were able to free them but in a vision, he spoke to me and told me we could not defeat it without the Etheralis. At the time, I thought he was referring to our attacker, an Imperial Inquisitor, which we believed to have died in the tower with Dahlia but, as we came to discover, this was not the case. Wait, how did you know of it and why were you searching for it on Empress Teta?”
The Capulet crests over the cliffs, circling around to land in the patchy grasslands further inland. They had delivered the payload, the superlaser now in the hands of Corellia's military. Mara’s face is a neutral mask, revealing nothing of her intentions or motivations. The revelation is certainly intriguing, definitely worth exploring, but it would have to wait.
“Later. Nevylinn needs Master Atrii’s help now.”
-TBC
-
Corellia
Donovan Atrii walked briskly through the grass from his own vessel toward where Mara, Riley and Gemma were waiting outside of The Refuge. Gemma was the first to speak.
"It looks like Nevylinn has been infected with some type of sentient poison"
"A parasite?"
Gemma nodded
"Like that - but how it got into her, the way it is spreading. It's not quite like any parasite I've ever seen."
Atrii looked from Gemma to Mara.
"What happened?"
"We were on Empress Teta - or rather, under Empress Teta. They have a massive temple-like structure underground where we were looking for an artifact. The etheralis. But the Voss Ra were there, in large numbers. We had to flee, and Nevylinn was wearing out. We were caught at a chokepoint, and just as we were about to escape, one of the monsters fired a shot at her from a distance.
I was able to heal the wound - or the wound that I saw. But she didn't get better. She didn't recover"
That was the short version of a longer, much longer story, and Mara was not going into her philosophical debate about the dark side, the light side, and right and wrong. Neither the one she'd had with Nevylinn or the one she had been having with herself during the long trip home.
Atrii nodded, continuing past them to the ship. He reached Nevylinn and kneeled down by her side, running his hands over the air space above her for several minutes, closing his eyes and frowning deeply.
"I can see what Gemma meant - much like a parasite. Whatever weapon was used to fire on Nevylinn was unique. And what's worse, this parasite clearly has an affinity toward Force users. It was a weapon created to target the jedi. In trying to heal her, I worry it will make things worse"
Donovan opened his eyes and looked up at Mara.
"Nevylinn told me she was working with you on expanding your skills in the Force. But you had some skill before ever meeting Nevylinn, isn't that true? There is more to your power than you are letting on"
"What does it matter?"
"Because when the Voss Ra struck Nevylinn, they knew that the jedi would use the light side of the force to heal her. A stray shot rarely would kill a jedi, even one who was weakened. But this looks like it is destroying her from the inside out, feeding off of the light-side energy that flows through her. The light side of the force won't be able to stop this. I need your help."
"She told me that only the light side can heal"
"And there is truth to that. But this will require more than just healing. This will require a more destructive side of the force, a side that you are more versed in than I"
The look Donovan gave Mara was some mix of thoughtful and accusatory, Mara's voice dropping slightly.
"Did she tell you?"
Donovan just remained silent. Gemma, for her part, was looking back and forth between them, a look of bewilderment on her face. Riley's aunt was a force user? She had skills in the light side and dark side of the force? She glanced at Riley who looked confused as well, then turned back to Master Atrii.
"What are you talking about?"
Mara's voice went up now, insistent, panicked, and not just a little bit angry.
"Did she tell you?"
Mara had trusted Nevylinn with her secret, about what she was, what she was capable of, her history. Had Nevylinn broken her trust?
"I know who it was you trained with before Nevylinn. I know that it wasn't the light-side of the force that you learned first"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
It wasn't clear who was angrier at the moment - Mara for feeling betrayed by Nevylinn, or Gemma, for again, being kept out of the loop by the supposed leaders of the jedi order.
Donovan wasn't looking at Gemma, his eyes still on Mara, but he answered the question.
"Mara was first trained in the ways of the force by a dark side user named Darth Kyja"
Gemma shook her head, exasperated.
"That name doesn't mean anything to me - who the hell is that?"
"That would be Dahlia Winton's older sister, Karen."
TBC
-
“In a different life
I was feeling cool
I was in the clouds
Now I’m on my way down
I’ve been on my way down.”
-Dreamer Boy
Corellia
Surface
And there it is.
It always comes back to a Winton. In this case, Karen; the more stable but no less formidable or misguided Winton. It seems Mara has been a busy gal. Not only is she apparently Force-sensitive but she studied under a Sith who was the protégé of the former Emperor. The worst part is that Nevylinn knew this and traipsed off on a quest with her anyway. She even apparently condoned it while judging Gemma for her more balanced approach to the Force. Hypocrites! And inconsistent ones at that. She would love to hear the justification on that. Surely it would not be as pious and pitiful as she imagines.
“Is that true?”
Mara holds her gaze and maintains a glacially serious expression.
“It is.”
It’s the matter-of-factness for her.
Donovan, on the other hand, considers this conformation carefully, gauging the emotions rippling across the group. Unbelievable. Gemma has to clamp down on the righteous fury rising within her. Everything she thought about the Jedi was true. They are the absolute worst! She resists the urge to summon Demaris out of their cliffside hideaway for the pleasure of dismantling her entire belief system. But what good would that do them now? Not a damn thing. The spiteful action would only reflect poorly on her and she will not have them turn this around like they always do. Not after everything that has happened, everything they have endured up to this point.
Gemma’s eyes inevitably shift to Riley. How could he not have known this? Mara raised him. They were always together when he was young, according to his telling, keeping him close. He knows Gemma well enough by now that he takes a supportive step toward her but she is already leaning away. Mostly because it brings up another series of unsettling questions in a seemingly endless string of unsettling events. If Mara trained under Karen, what role did she play in the prophecy? She must be part of the last cycle but in what capacity and what impact does that have on this one? On all of them? Seems like an awfully potent variable for the Voss-Ra to leave unaccounted for.
The tension among them is palpable and Riley jumps in to diffuse it in earnest.
“I would hate for this to detract from the issue at hand. Master Nevylinn is our focus here. Aunt Mara, if there is a way for you to save her then you must.”
“No,” Gemma says as evenly as possible. “We need answers first.”
“What is it you want to know, Gemma?”
It is a loaded question, one full of barbed truths that should have been disclosed much sooner. How long has she known about the Etheralis? This artifact Riley's father whispered to her from beyond the grave. Her mind spins dangerously close to the hopelessness she felt back on Rakata Prime, residual emptiness that this all goes so far beyond her that nothing they say or do will stop its advance over their lives and futures. She contemplates what she knows – this is Riley’s aunt, yes, but there is a void where the rest of her history should be, what she was doing before she somehow wound up with the infant loophole that started a new cycle of the prophecy - and from that inconclusive backstory comes her sharply framed inquiry.
“Who are you really?”
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface
“Who are you really?”
A loaded question if Mara had ever heard one. Not to mention a question Mara had asked herself endlessly.
But Gemma's self-righteous indignation, her sense of entitlement to answers irked Mara. Nevylinn was going to die, but no, apparently Gemma had to be satisfied with the truth first. Whatever Gemma might have thought about her, Nevylinn, the jedi, or well, anything, she needed to get her priorities straight.
Mara's gaze at Gemma was stern and disapproving as she answered, her voice steely as she spoke.
"What you need to know, Ms. Masterton, is that I am the one who helped deliver Riley. I saved his life and raised him from infancy. And one of the things I taught him, above all else, is to care for others; to put others needs before his own, no matter what he might think or deserve. To not let petty complaints get in the way of what matters. I taught him those lessons because that's what he would have learned from his mother; from his father; had they been alive. I'm glad to see that his priorities are still straight."
As for answers, Ms. Masterton - I'll give them to you when the time is right. But right now, I'm going to do everything I can to save Nevylinn. And if you have a problem with that, you are free to leave my ship."
Mara couldn't read Gemma's expression - probably some mix between shock at the rebuke and her own simmering anger. Regardless, Gemma, for the moment, remained silent. Riley, for his part, was blushing from embarrassment. He felt caught in the middle in a very, very uncomfortable way. So much for them getting along ...
Mara turned now to Donovan Atrii, her tone no softer.
"You know what I need to do?"
He nodded his head.
"You need to reach in with the force, and burn out the parasite. It will be grueling, painful, and risky. You may need to heal as you destroy, slowing your progress. And there is no guarantee it will work. But it is only your ... unique characteristics... that will enable you to do this, without the risks that either I - or Gemma have."
"You trust me to do this?"
"I have more faith in you, Mara, than you probably have in yourself. I don't understand how it all works. How you -" He stopped himself, glancing at the others before turning back to her. "- how you have the abilities you do. But I know you have them, that your intentions are honorable, and that Nevylinn trusted you with her life. I believe you can save her."
Mara did not answer that, instead turning her attention to Nevylinn, who still lay, pale and unconscious before her.
Taking a moment to compose herself, Mara lay her hands down over the wound, closing her eyes, and reaching out with the force.
-TBC
-
“Too much talking around
How’d this happen?
Elephant in the room but we’re still dancing.”
-Rochelle Jordan
Corellia
Surface
As Mara works on Nevylinn, hands held out over her with a low humming in the air, Riley catches Gemma’s eye and nods toward the ramp. They excuse themselves but he waits until they are out near the edge of the cliffs before he speaks. He is less angry than confused. The shift in her has not been subtle and started to freak him out.
“What was that all about?”
She turns, trails of golden curls pulled across her face from the constant ocean breeze, “You know what.”
“I know you have qualms with the Jedi and those feelings are completely valid but this is someone’s life we are talking about here. Nevylinn’s life. Despite how you feel about her, I thought that was something you still valued above satisfying your own curiosity or settling scores. I thought you were trying to make a good impression with literally the only family I have left but instead you decided to be both accusatory and rude which is not like you.”
Gemma gauges him carefully. His earnestness and altruism are extremely attractive but, like Melanie and Kimber before them, it can so easily cross into idealistic naïveté. Her exchange with Mara lacked decorum and discounted his feelings. She is not blind to that but there is something about Mara that does not settle well with her. Love tempers the anger roiling beneath the surface and she is careful not to sound like she is personally attacking him.
They are on the same side.
“We can argue the semantics of direct versus rude another time. I know she is your family, your only family, and I am not trying to diminish that but she is hiding something, Riley. From you. From us. What she views as a petty complaint is actually a huge deal and could determine the outcome of our increasingly perilous situation. That means whether we live or die. She trained with a Winton and both Donovan and Nevylinn knew this and withheld it, not to mention whatever he kept alluding to back there as if we would miss it.”
“You are suspicious of her time with a known Sith but that incantation you used back on Hesperidium was not exactly a Jedi hymn, was it?”
“Riley-”
“Was it?”
“No,” she admits evenly. “But it freed your father’s soul from that dreadful place so he could move on to something better. To be at peace in the afterlife or wherever it is we go when we die.”
“That is not the point, Gemma. You go on and on about how there should be more balance, that only the absolutes lead to ruin, but you cast judgment on Mara because she has mastered this? If anything, I thought the knowledge, shocking as it may be, would endear you to her. Not cause further conflict.”
“What are you saying?”
He sighs, “That I am worried about you. Extremely worried. The resistance to the traditional Jedi ways and teachings is one thing but your rebellion against everything they stand for is pushing you in an entirely different direction, one I am not really sure you realize you are headed.”
“Goodness. You sound like Demaris.”
“Is she wrong? We both care about you and that last thing anyone wants is for this rage to consume you entirely. That is not going to help our outcome either, you know.”
“I think you put way too much faith in others.”
“Maybe I do not think you put enough. I love you but this means nothing if we turn on each other. Division will only lead to their victory and we are not about to do my mother or your sister dirty like that because we can't see past our own hang-ups. Work with me, Gem.”
“I am trying!"
Riley scrunches his face, “Are you though?”
“Our fates are not something I can just shrug off.”
“No one is asking you to. Whatever it is that my aunt has discovered or knows, she will tell us after we make sure Nevylinn is okay. I am a part of this stupid prophecy too and I am not exactly keen on repeating the insane body count of the last round. We need to make sure as many people make it out of this alive as we can.”
“Agreed. I am sorry, Riley. I’m just-”
“Coming off the rails with anxiety and fear? Yeah, I know, me too, but I make it look, like, so adorable.”
She laughs as his com bleeps. It’s Cassidy. Like a good friend, he had given him a bit of space but there was only so long he could put off engaging with him. Not with the Director lying comatose in the hospital and a grip of exploded Jedi kids. Riley brings the device closer to his face and activates it.
“Hey, Cass.”
“Riley, welcome home. Where are you?”
“Spiritual sojourn on the coast. What’s up?”
“We need to talk.”
The tone is trying to remain friendly but there is an official intonation that has crept in now that he is officially a CorSec agent. And he can’t blame them. He and Sixta have duties to uphold and the swirling suspicion around current events on and around Corellia does kind of point to him as a common thread. He is not going to be able to keep them at bay forever. He owes Veritaas a visit after everything he has done for him. He deserves justice for what has been done to him. Riley would make this right.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he says and clicks off.
Gemma stares into his face and, while the intensity of his feelings for her blur the edges of his perceptions, he meant what he said. She is slipping toward something seriously bad. He wants to believe that he can pull her back from that ledge but it is starting to sound more like wishful thinking in his head. Both he and Gemma want the same things but would she be willing to go farther than he is to get it? What is the point of saving their lives if they lose their souls in the process? The thought scares him to death but he reaches out a hand and she takes it. Together, they return to the ship.
They are on the same side. Right?
-TBC
-
(apologize both for the delay in post, and for the sleep-deprived, stream-of-consciousness that is Mara's experience)
Corellia
Surface
Mara's eyes were closed.
Or, to be more technically correct, Mara's optical sensors, designed to look like natural, human eyes, were closed. But Mara's body had sensors spread all over, feeding her processors external inputs, allowing her to interpret her senses in much the same way a human did. Better than a human, under normal circumstances.
The Force too was like a sensor, one that allowed Mara to receive data and interpret it. The Force, of course, was two ways - she could also send out responses, have the Force respond to her commands (in much the same way she controlled her own motor functions). Mara remembered her training with Karen and with Nevylinn, both discussing the ideas of focusing and concentration, two very, very human human words on the human perspective of the Force. Mara understood what it meant when humans said 'concentrate' and 'focus' - it was the idea of reducing external stimuli so that one can turn their attention more greatly on the inputs that remain.
In her previous working with the Force - in meditation, in practice, in actual combat - Mara had only partially done that, shutting down only a few of her inputs. She, after all, was not human. She could 'focus' on far more than a human, and so could utilize the Force even with other things in her mind. Instead, she had the power to actually turn up and down her connection to the Force, adjusting it to suit her need.
Today though, her task was unique. She had literally been told she needed to utilize both the light side and the dark sides of the force, an idea contrary to anything she had been told before. She had been taught they didn't work in tandem, they couldn't. You could ONLY be light or ONLY be dark; only good or bad, not both.
Now she was learning that it was not so impossible. The powers of the force could be utilized in tandem. But doing so required a unique level of concentration, a devotion of resources far exceeding even her normal connection to the force. So when Mara 'closed her eyes' she did far more than that. Bit by bit, she began turning off all of her external sensory inputs, quite literally shutting out the outside world.
Instead, her energy was focused on only the most pertinent of things: herself, Nevylinn, the Force connection between them, and the parasite inside her.
As the world outside her darkened, the Force brightened in her processors, flooding around her 'mind's' eye as it were.
She could see bright lines, vibrant and almost yellow, like the sun; She could see dark, black clouds, circling like a brooding monster. The powers swirled around each other, dancing and fighting back and forth with each other, each attempting to assert their dominance over the other; neither winning.
Mara could see the outline of Nevylinn's body - not her actual body, but an aura, glowing softly in that vibrant yellow light. Nevylinn was a jedi, in the most traditional sense, and she was a strict user of the light side, which permeated her being. THat light, though, was faded, and Mara could see it was weakening.
Inside, a worm-like visage. Clearly alive, clearly dangerous, sliding through, opening it's microscopic maw and stealing away the energy from Nevylinn's life force. There it was, the enemy she was seeking out.
Mara's presence drew closer to the parasite, and her first act was a test, pushing a ray of the light toward the creature. It responded much as Mara and Donovan had expected - it leapt toward the light, consuming the burst rapidly, and Mara could see it's dark color grow just a little bit stronger.
Parasite indeed.
Now Mara developed her plan further, watching as the creature's darkness devoured the light, sucking it in bit by bit.
Mara again released a drop of light energy near the creature - but this time when it sprung forward, Mara was ready.
It was anger that fueled her bombardment. Anger toward this creature for its attack on her friend, anger toward Adubell and her minions. From within the cocoon of light energy, a blackness burst forward, striking up just as the parasite prepared to devour it.
The parasite recoiled, injured and confused; Mara leapt forward again, her own creation of darkness and light closing the gap and hitting the parasite again.
The creature, for all it's insidiousness, was still a simple organism, a creation of instinct rather than intellect, and though it recognized it was hurt, it still found itself drawn to the light that was coming toward it.
Again, it launched forward, this time, making contact with Mara's light for just a second before Mara's dark energy screeched toward it slicing into it.
Kill. Murder. Die. Not unlike how Karen Winton would have responded if she saw an insect; or more accurately, someone hitting on Emperor Dementat.
Destroy. Kill. Kill. The parasite was wounded, moving slower than before, and just now realizing it should run away. As it did, it left in its wake a trail of internal injuries Mara could make out - the creature feasted on the force, but as it grew, it also destroyed the physical body. Here, Mara reached out again with the light, softly caressing the line of damaged tissue, demanding of the Force that it be rejoined, regrown, healed.
The parasite, sensing this more common use of the light side turned, but Mara was ready for it, a black fist of energy reaching toward it and grasping the parasite in its grip.
Squeeze. SQUEEZE ... Mara could picture that she was holding Adubell's heart (her real one) in her hand, the sheer intoxicating glee that would come destroying her, and in so doing, found her darkness could crush the parasite even tighter.
That caressing light that was healing Nevylinn faded slightly, but Mara adjusted accordingly, feeding the bright light with memories of Riley, her comradery with Nevylinn herself. Pride in how she had grown.
Mara could sense something was wrong, but didn't know what. She just knew that she was succeeding - destroying the parasite even as she was healing Nevylinn's wounds.
Crushing the parasite, watching it shrink, smaller, smaller, smaller, until it was gone completely. Then, for good measure, Mara zoomed in, just to insure there was not even the smallest micro bit of the demon left.
Her view of the scene was beginning to fade, something Mara didn't understand, but there was still work to be done. The creature was gone, but Nevylinn's force-aura was still weak, and there was still damage to be healed. Mara now turned her full attention on the task, working to mend the internal injuries.
She found it was getting more and more difficult, the image beginning to fade. Mara worried that it meant Nevylinn was dying, losing her connection to her friend. But something told her that was wrong.
Then Nevylinn's outline disappeared, and everything was black - everything save for a red light, flashing
POWER AT CRITICAL LEVELS
Mara understood - she had deactivated all of her sensors, including her internal power sensors. And this connection to the Force, while effective and powerful, had used an exorbitant amount of power. Without those sensors, she had not had the warning she needed to ...
********************************
Donovan Atrii stood by Mara's side, guiding her when she started, closing her eyes, but otherwise, standing by and watching. Mara had been perfectly still, but there was an electricity in the air unlike any he had ever seen, focusing in the space between Mara's hands and Nevylinn's body.
He reached out with the Force only distantly, and could see the play of light and dark, careful not to interfere. But Mara herself seemed to be crackling with this energy, a conduit for the Force.
The task, and the waiting was tedious, not taking mere minutes, but hours. Toward the end, Donovan could see Mara's body, so still before, beginning to shake.
"Mara?"
And then just as suddenly, Mara's hand dropped, her body collapsing to the floor of the ship.
"Mara?!?"
TBC
-
Corellia
Surface
Riley and Gemma had long ago finished their heated conversation, and spent much of the last hour or so watching the waves as they crashed against the cliffside. They didn't speak. And they didn't need to - both worried about what was happening, both at large, and between themselves. Riley worried about the path Gemma was taking, and his upcoming rendezvous with CorSec. Wasn't he a CorSec agent too? A Patten, no less, progeny of several heroes of Corellia, but it seemed like forever since he'd served his world, the way his father had, his mother, his grandfather. Or for that matter, the way the senator or the director served Corellia. For so long, it felt like he was running to fight the consequences of the ominous prophesy.
Gemma, for her part, was looking in on herself. She had long since been disillusioned by the one-sided nature of the jedi, and the secrecy they held. But had she taken it too far? Was Riley right? Didn't she want to what was best, for herself, for her sister?
There was a tension between the two right now, the lingering feeling that their fight wasn't over, that as the conflict grew darker, their love for each other would be tested in ways that frightened them. And as they watched the water, they held each other's hand, gripping to each other tighter, in hopes they would never be broken apart.
Their thoughts were broken as Master Atrii approached them.
"You had both best come to the ship"
They turned and followed the jedi master as he walked back to The Refuge, not quite sure what they were expecting to find. Neither was ready for what they saw - Mara, flat on her back on the metal floor of the hold, a dozen or so wires sticking out from somewhere behind her head, snaking their way to one of the ship's ports.
"Aunt Mara!" Riley ran to her, grabbing her arm, and looking down on her, then back at Atrii.
"Is she alright? What happened?"
Gemma drew closer as well, her eyes looking more inquisitively at the wires
"What are those?"
"Those will help restore her"
Gemma frowned at him
"Still the secret keeper, I see. Why does she need wires connecting her to the ship to be 'restored'?"
"Because what she did used up everything she had"
It was only then that he motioned to where Nevylinn still lay, still unconscious, but with noticeably more color in her face.
"I believe that Mara was successful in her endeavors. Nevylinn's health is already improving, dramatically. But it was a costly endeavor - calling on the Force in a way she was never meant to, that she wasn't entirely prepared for"
Gemma's frown turned to a scowl "You made her do it. You guilted her into doing something she wasn't ready to do. How can you call yourself a good person? How can you stand there, the self-righteous jedi, knowing you let other people do your work for you"
Riley glanced up at Gemma, a hurt look in his eyes, before turning his attention back to his aunt.
Donovan stared down at Gemma.
"You are still young, Gemma Masterton. Don't let your youth fool you into thinking that casting judgment is the same thing as wisdom. Mara made a choice for herself. Several choices, actually. And the day may come when her choices save not only Nevylinn, but you, Riley, Corellia, the galaxy. When she wakes up, why don't you ask her if she would make the same choice again"
Riley perked his head up. "she'll be ok?"
Donovan nodded "I expect, in a few minutes, she will be able to speak with you"
Gemma was steaming, and not ready to back down.
"You didn't answer my question - why is she connected to wires?"
"Because, Gemma Masterton" Mara's eyes blinked open, and though her body remained perfectly still, her eyes turned to look at Gemma.
"Because I needed to recharge my power cell. It's what keeps droids like me awake"
TBC
-
“In my eyes
Indisposed
In disguises no one knows
Hides the face
Lies the snake
And the sun in my disgrace.”
-Soundgarden
Corellia
Surface
And there it is.
The other boot dropping on them. She knows how she must sound, like a petulant child throwing a tantrum and demanding answers. But the Jedi have lied to them over and over again. This is just another in a series of deceptions justified in their minds as protection. There are so many secrets that she knows only one thing to be true, a conclusion she arrived at while they were left to fend for themselves as the growing threat advanced: the Jedi cannot be trusted. Angry as she may be, Gemma is not stupid. She knows their motives, however misguided, are driven by principle and practice. That is what makes them so dangerous. The Jedi actually believe they are doing the right thing by concealing pieces of the story to prevent something that they now know can only end one way; Winton victorious.
Riley, for his part, appears just as stunned although his expression lacks the pinched disgust hers likely does. She can almost hear the gears whirring in his head trying to make sense of new information that changes everything he thought he knew. About his aunt, his mother, his life. Not an enviable position. Gemma inhales slowly, keeping her focus on Mara whereas not to unload on the complicit Donovan Atrii or the recovering Nevylinn.
“A droid. Forgive me if I am thrown – not even purely for the obvious reason, that droids nearly destroyed Corellia – but for something far more personal.”
She is torn, caught between what she knows Mara means to Riley and what this could mean for literally everything that has happened over the course of their lives. There are so many questions, questions she is certain Riley shares, that she can barely contain them. The past trauma crystalizes for her at the moment.
“Someone with your face kidnapped us when we were children and delivered us to that grey-skinned Sith woman who returned to collect Alia at her most vulnerable on D’ian. We thought that someone was a replica of you meant to lure us into a false sense of security. Now it seems that you are a replica as well. So, I beg of you, tell us what is going on.”
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface
Gemma's contempt, disgust, rage is recognizable. Not entirely unjustified either, given the bombshell Mara had just revealed, but really, it wasn't Gemma's business to know. Not exactly the way Mara planned on revealing it either.
“A droid. Forgive me if I am thrown – not even purely for the obvious reason, that droids nearly destroyed Corellia – but for something far more personal.”
Mara listens as Gemma continues
“Someone with your face kidnapped us when we were children and delivered us to that grey-skinned Sith woman who returned to collect Alia at her most vulnerable on D’ian. We thought that someone was a replica of you meant to lure us into a false sense of security. Now it seems that you are a replica as well. So, I beg of you, tell us what is going on.”
"You, Gemma Masterton, are hardly a beggar. Nor do I owe anything to you - apology or otherwise. I am not your guardian, and have never been responsible for your well being. Nor have you and I ever collaborated or strategized. The last time I saw you, you were still a child, and your father and mother were still alive.
I am also not responsible for my look-alikes abducting you.
The only one I owe an apology too. ..."
At this Mara turned her head to Riley, who still looked in shock.
"Is Riley."
The boy remained speechless, but there was a lump in his throat as he was still trying to process the revelation.
"Riley - when you were born ... I knew very little about my identity. Who and what I was. All I knew with certainty was that I considered Valerie Gellar to be my sister and kin. And that her half-sister, Kimber Patten, was like my sister. When Kimber was giving birth, she was already injured, and when I came to aid her, she looked at my features and saw her beloved friend and half sister Valerie. I helped her through giving birth to you, and with her last strength, she made me promise to raise you and protect you.
It is no lie that I call myself your aunt; I am very much of the same blood as Valerie and your mother. And when I look at you, you are the closest thing I will ever have to a child. I have always and will always love you, with all of my heart.
But there was always a part of me that had to be hidden. I am a droid, in a galaxy where droids nearly destroyed Corellia, took over the Wheel space station, threatened the entire galaxy. If the galaxy knew I was a droid, I would be hunted. I've been hunted. And I would not be able to keep my promise to your mother, to raise you.
It was a secret I kept with everyone, save the most trusted few. The Wheel Administrator, Amir Faram, who took us in and gave us a home when you were a baby. And then, many years later, Nevylinn, just before we left. I was trying to be human, and for us to live a normal life. It was not right to tell you when you were a child. But I should have seen how grown up you were, long before now. You are not the child I need to raise anymore, and you deserved honesty from me. I'm sorry I kept it from you for so long. Can you forgive me?"
Riley still seemed a bit in shock, but he was certainly more generous than Gemma was. This was the woman who raised him, after all, and for all her faults, for her huge secret, she was still the one who made him the man he was today. He nodded his head.
"I forgive you, Aunt Mara"
Mara smiled, "thank you."
She turned her head back to Gemma now
"as for the rest of your question, about what I am, and what IS going on. I am not - was not - a replica, per say. I am, as the technical lingo goes, a prototype. A test-case to see how certain bio-mechanical functions worked and interacted. To see how certain individuals could exploit what I believe you now know to be called the legacy gene.
Nevylinn and I were on a journey to find the origin of the legacy gene, the Persephone prophesy, and how they were manipulated through the joint collaboration of Trade Federation Vicery Medivh Guldon and Imperial Director Alexander Winton through the GURI Project."
Mara paused, lifting her head for the first time, raising her hands and wiggling her fingers, testing their dexterity before pushing herself up to a sitting position.
"So before I go further, and tell you what's going on, you need to know what happened in the past. so why don't you tell me what YOU know about who you are."
-
“And it’s something quite peculiar
Something shimmering and white
Leads you here, despite your destination
Under the Milky Way tonight.”
-The Church
Corellia
Surface
The clifftops are whipped with a crisp and salty wind.
Avinarius guards the entrance to the bunker, high above the sea, staring through his helmet visor at the ship that Gemma and Riley had retreated to after what looked like a heated discussion. He misses that spark, the passion of interacting with someone you really care about. Beneath the suit, he is Roman Nash, Chiss and former CSA heir, whose alleged suicide kicked off quite the wave of unintended consequences - none more so than his intended Alia’s supposed fall to the dark side. He knows his reaction to Preston’s death shaped some of the hardships they face but there is no taking it back now. He would protect those he has left, even if it must be under the guise of stolen Mandalorian armor and a name he created to escape Etti IV.
Riley seems like an okay guy. For a humanoid, of course. Roman had long since gotten past their overly emotional and often counterintuitive behaviors but even he can sense the divisions beginning to grow. Between the rag-tag band of Jedi, Demaris and Gemma, the Senator and pretty much everyone, and now Gemma and Riley. Some warranted while others are more nebulous and complicated. He has known Gemma his whole life and trusts her judgment. She was thoughtful, practical, and sweet. The bitterness in her is something new though, creating a layer of ice over her generally warm disposition. Lies will do that to someone. His heart had hardened against his parents even after Preston’s love had made him a whole person in spite of everything. As a Chiss, he had a head start on that front. Sighing, he searches the horizon for threats from a growing list of enemies.
*
In the bunker control room below where Avinarius stands sentry, Senator Artemis Soldys scans the Holo for news with Della pacing behind him. His escape would not be looked upon fondly, Corellia growing an ever-greater counter to the Republic’s blatant tyranny. His mind wanders to the confrontation he and Riley had in deep space, the insane plan of children who think so little of the consequences of their actions. Her shuffling behind him draws his attention away.
“Need to vent? I have gotten pretty damn good at taking hits in the Senate.”
“I’ll bet,” Della huffs, somewhat cynically but mostly exasperated, and leans on the back of his chair, “I do not have to tell you how far off the rails this all is. I took a hard line with them while you were on Chandaar, harder than I think you have known me to be. But I cannot stand what the Republic has become. Perversion in its truest form. Corellia is being scapegoated once again, using our history and honor against us.”
“We both know it goes deeper than that. I do not want our fates tied to a prophecy, to them, any more than you do but there is very clearly a darker underlying thread. One the galaxy has not been able to truly escape. We need to prepare for what is to come the best we can.
The superlaser is in good hands and our commanders will know how to tactically use it against the Republic but I suspect they are only biding their time now to find ways to legitimize any formal presence here. The RSB is already in hot water and any misstep may alienate even more against them. My network is strong but we are still going to need Veritaas’ connections to unify the other systems opposed to the Republic’s actions if we have any hopes of stopping them.”
“Going to be quite the challenge given his condition,” she says dimly. “And CorSec is circling so we must be discreet as well as strategic.”
“Riley is our key there. As incensed as I am by his proposal to use our resources to circumvent this prophecy through possibly the most horrifying means, his allies in CorSec and connection to Veritaas give him unique leverage. We need to get him out in front of this sooner rather than later.”
“He does have the Patten charm.”
Circe, clicking off her com, joins them.
“We are starting to see a decrease in the stream of Corellian’s withdrawing from other Republic systems. As of this morning, seventy-six percent of citizens living elsewhere on Republic-aligned worlds have returned or are scheduled to arrive soon.”
“Better than anticipated. That means most are taking the threat seriously.”
“What of those that do not come?”
“Then we pray they continue to fight for Corellia’s values wherever they are.”
*
Deeper in the bunker, Demaris leads a mindfulness meditation session while Taarek, in conjunction with Sirona, continues weapons and combat training. The cross-training has proven immensely helpful to shore up some of the areas of opportunity across their small team. It has not, however, quelled the curiosity and distraction in the arrival of another Jedi Master and her companion.
“How much trouble do you think Gemma is in?” asks Oz.
“About as much as she deserves, probably.” Shendo snorts lowly.
“We would be dead without them. It would be wise to remember that.” Sirona warns.
“Would we? Or are they the reason we are in danger in the first place?” muses Lysette.
Demaris frets over their banter. Her brother and Master Nevylinn would surely have strong opinions regarding Gemma’s actions and beliefs but would they share her concerns about Gemma teetering a little too close to the edge? She called on the darkness to release the spirits trapped within the Bolerathon Tower which, ultimately was the right thing to do, but with untold repercussions. Her anger is fueled by many complex emotions. Understandable given everything she has been through. However, Demaris worries she will not be able to pull herself back in time and eventually follow Alia into the darkness completely.
“Hey,” Taarek calls out to them. “Speculation is not helpful right now.”
She nods, “We must trust that the Masters will assess the situation and guide us appropriately.”
*
Out on the ship, Gemma softens, seeing the empathy in Riley. It does not change who Mara is to him. And why should it? She risked everything for him, honoring the promise made to a doomed Kimber Patten. Gemma is less moved but pulls back sharply on her emotions. While her instinct tells her to demand answers from all of them – after all, they were the ones who lied to them, not the other way around – that tactic does not appear to work on her. Instead, she needs to show some reciprocity and mend the divides her anger has caused among them. Gemma shifts her tone to something lighter, more neutral although the inflections of having just suffered through a series of traumas remain.
“What I know about me? I was once a girl who dreamt of being a singer but wound up with nightmares filled with monsters. Monsters we now know as the Voss-Ra, an ancient and powerful sect capable of shape-shifting and sorcery. I dreamt of them long before we came face-to-face with one…the first time all four of us were together, actually. The first time I met you, Mara. It is clear they need us to play certain roles, the ones referenced in the prophecy, or find the closest approximation to them.
Who am I? I am Gemma Masterton, daughter of Rutherford Gellar and Celeste Masterton. Sister to Dane Gellar and, arguably, Dahlia Winton. I am also in love with Riley Patten. Together, we are The Four. We are not the first Four, as we have come to understand. We are not even the second. Or third. However, we can be the last and end the prophecy once and for all.
I know this because Melanie told me. I am connected to my predecessor through the Force. We all are, it seems.”
Mara and Donovan turn to look at him.
Riley nods, “It’s true. They…guide us. In their own ways.”
“Meaning what?” Mara asks carefully.
“Meaning their presence in our lives has not been as forthcoming or useful as we would have liked. You spoke of the Etheralis – something I told you I heard before. We do not know what it is or why the Voss-Ra is so intent on fulfilling the prophecy that they have gone to these lengths over such a long period of time. As if we need any more, the other wildcard here is the Inquisitor.”
Riley frowns, “Real tall, orange armor, glowing green eyes. Hard to miss. Or forget.”
“I imagine so, given their reputation,” Donovan confirms with a shudder.
“It has apparently been hunting down Jedi across the Republic since they were expelled from the capital and those replicas stirred up trouble. It managed to capture Garron Prescott and, later, Janessa Kain. They were both returned but not the same as they left. Garron tried to kill Dane on multiple occasions and, when pressed, mentioned something about a grey-skinned woman. The Voss-Ra, grey-skinned woman, and the Inquisitor all point to the Sith. Janessa’s directives are still unclear but likely equally nefarious. They are working to further their goals, the primary of which is Winton standing triumphant. If it is the Sith, they have been conspiring behind the scenes – again. And once again, the Jedi were blind to it and it cost them nearly everything.”
She regrets it the moment it leaves her mouth but it lands in the creases of Donovan’s pained expression. It does not deter her.
“We believe we are part of a loop, one that each generation creates new players for if the prophecy remains unfulfilled. We did not recognize the patterns at first but when it came for those closest to us the same way it did for them, something clicked. The Voss-Ra are essentially staging the same scenes with different people and events. Five died, The Four survived. Again. That is how we knew it was true and Melanie confirmed it. Killing Karen only started a new cycle, our cycle; one that was ignited by Riley’s birth and survival. He was the loophole. Stopping Winton does not win the game. We either need to go after the source, the Voss-Ra, or execute a dreadful contingency that would fulfill the prophecy but allow us to return and fight whatever comes with it.
So, no, Mara, I am not a beggar and I refuse to be a victim. I am angry and trying to take action after being kept in the dark for far too long. Shielded from things that came for us anyway. These are not random events. This is intentional and we deserve a seat at the table when our lives are at stake. I want to know why this is happening, not just to us but at all, and how to stop it before everyone winds up buried like those that came before us. I want an end to this. Resolution. Absolution. That is who I am, who I have become. It may not be what you, the Jedi, or anyone may want or have expected but here we are.
You do not have to do or say anything for me. Do it for him.”
There is a tiny pull at the side of Riley’s mouth and his head tilts ever so slightly to the left. He had done it since he was a boy, a nervous reaction whenever attention was redirected to him.
Mara considers this and, in kind, tells them what she knows.
As they marinate in the information, threads weaving together to form a more complete picture of their situation, Donovan’s com bleeps. It’s Circe from inside the bunker and not with good news. He sighs, lowering the comm, and levels his gaze at the others. They graze Gemma and Riley’s faces, knowing exactly where her sister and his mother met their ultimate fates.
“The Republic is here.”
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface
Gemma took her question and ran with it, her response both defensive and aggressive - if that was possible. Mara let her finish her words before offering a smirk.
"Well, there is at least one thing you don't know about who you are then. You are also Riley's cousin"
Mara couldn't help but appreciate the stunned look on Gemma's face. Served her right, for all of her self-righteousness. Before Gemma could respond, Mara continued.
"And also Dahlia's cousin. Albeit, distant cousins. The four of you are not merely linked by prophesy - you share a common ancestor. Her name was Persephone Winton. A long time ago, long before the Empire even existed, Persephone and her husband, Darryl Winnton, came to the jedi seeking their assistance. She was barren, and hoped the jedi could help her conceive.
Most of the jedi order, of course, knew they should not interfere with the natural order of things but one jedi, named Imri - who ultimately fell to darkness, said he could help them. He used a combination of experimental science and the dark side of the force to help Persephone conceive. Four embryos. Each imbued with a very unique enzyme, that Imri said would unlock untold abilities. The genetic mutation allowing for the existence of this enzyme, you might know as the Legacy Gene.
As the embryos grew, Persephone began to have dreams, visions. A prophesy"
Mara prepared to rise, before realizing she was still plugged into the wall and with a shrug, she gently disconnected the power cord that connected to the back of her neck. She shook her head briefly, then stood, moving across the room to where a datapad was sitting, activating it, and handing it to Gemma, the words floating above the pad in holo-blue, Mara reciting the words as Gemma, Riley, and Donovan watched them scroll through the air.
"Bound by blood, their destiny
Offspring of young Persephone
Found has been a power old
Never 'fore the secret told
Discovered by a jedi shunned
The ripples now have just begunned
FOUR won't see their mother's face
Separated by stars and space
FOUR names will be their own to take
and separate paths they each will make
The eldest boy shall keep the name
And ruthlessly will rule the game
Daughter one will heal and save
And guard the light as one so brave
Daughter two will lack in trust
be strong and fierce with power lust
Daughter three, idealist dear
Will grow from love yet also fear.
These FOUR will span the galaxy
Till brought again to destiny
When Empire will burn to ground
The FOUR will be their tightest bound
Two of light and two of dark
the contrasts forever stark
Amidst betrayal, lies and death
Their names whispered on every breath
And whence the FOUR all die in vain
This truth will hold yet again:
Master of darkness, rules beside
Daughter of darkness, his deadly bride
Eternity theirs, with one exception
A child born of light's conception
Yet in their blood, there lies a key
to break free of this destiny
And darkness will consume the light
Defeat the enemies of night
Body's weakness, mortality
Will vanish with brutality
The light can end in triumph too
By breaking up the darkest two
And blotting out the evil name
So only memory recalls the same
Until one wins, the dark or light
Repeat, repeat eternal fight
Will shape the course of galaxy
A FOURsome they will always be
Bound by blood, their destiny
Offspring of young Persephone"
Mara let the words linger in the silence for a moment longer before continuing.
"The Jedi Imri killed the father, Darryl Winton before the children were born, and Persephone shortly after she gave birth. The jedi took it upon themselves to protect the children from Imri, but understood that together, they were a target, and a danger. It was decided that to keep them safe, they must be separated, across the four corners of the galaxy.
And so it was, one child went to Thyferra, one to Etti IV in the Corporate Sector, one to Corellia, and one on Coruscant.
But the jedi also wanted to destroy the prophesy itself, bury it forever - no Gemma, now is not the time for your judgment."
Mara paused long enough to scold the young woman before continuing.
"So they placed everything about the prophesy, all memory of it, all records of it, in the mind of a single jedi prophet, Jedi Olindae. And she was sent to the outer-world planet of Naboo.
Now importantly, both the prophesy, and the power locked inside these four descendants of Persephone, remained dormant, and would remain dormant until they came together. If you know anything about genetics, the key to the legacy gene is that it is recessive. It cannot be tapped unless two of those genes are joined.
Over the course of time, the genes did come together on occasion, but those who had them inside themselves either didn't realize what was inside them, or just didn't understand it. But that changed when two particular individuals, born with the legacy gene, found themselves on Naboo. One was the man who later became the Trade Federation Viceroy, Medivh. The other Was Alexander Winton. Whether by destiny, design, or sheer luck, they ended up in close personal relationships with two sisters of the Greyson family. Elle, the younger sister, was together with Medivh until the Trade Federation took him off world. She ended up becoming pregnant, but her father arranged for the baby to be taken away, and told her it had died in child-birth. When Elle first coupled with Medivh, she started having visions, scenes of the prophesy. But when her baby was lost to her, she was driven mad, and spent the rest of her life locked away. That is where Nevylinn and I found her on Naboo. But the older girl, Monica, ended up marrying Alexander Winton. She too later received a prophesy, the one that is better known as the Persephonea Prophesy.
Now, as I've said, Medivh and Alexander both were descendants of the original Persephone; both had a drive and ambition that was deeply imbued in their very core - a desire to rule, to conquer. And above all, a desire for eternal life. Their high positions - Medivh as head of the Trade Federation, and Alexander Winton as Director of Imperial Intelligence - brought them together in a collaboration that became known as the GURI Project.
Guri was named after a famous Human Replica Droid that worked for Black Sun.
The GURI Project had a number of goals. (1) To create an artificial intelligence that was able to think and make decisions with such complexity, they were effectively alive. A droid, a machine, that was alive"
Mara paused for a minute, bowing her head in a moment of personal reflection before again looking up at them.
"(2) to be able to transfer the intelligence and memory of a living organism into an HRD body, and (3) to imbue said droid with a connection to the Force - granting an ability that had never been done before.
Their work brought them together with Rutherford Gellar, and Kyrie Patten. As you've probably guessed, Rutherford Gellar, Celeste Masterton, and Kyrie Patten were all also descendants of Persephone - though each from a different one of her children. This is where Valerie Gellar came into play - she was the child of two descendants. She received two copies of the recessive Legacy Gene, meaning it was active inside her. Valerie Gellar's DNA was the key to unlocking the GURI Project - it had an enzyme that allowed Winton and Medivh to create their prototype droid.
That droid was PHAGE, the first prototype, test concept of their work. PHAGE was created with an intelligence and independence that made him the most sophisticated artificial mind ever. PHAGE did not have the body of a human, only the mind of one. So the second phase of their project was to create a being with both. The mind and body of a human. That prototype, that combination of Valerie's DNA, the Legacy gene, in a human shell. That's me. That is how I came to be.
But Winton betrayed Medivh. He had placed a trigger in PHAGE that would make him turn against his maker. PHAGE took over the Trade Federation, and attempted to destroy Corellia and Medivh. PHAGE was the one who actually woke me, finished my programming. Gave me a designation, INFLITRATOR-01. Under the influence of that original programming, I was sent, appearing as a human, to help PHAGE obtain resources, destroy competition, make him more powerful. It was only after I actually met Medivh that I learned what I could be, and strived to become something besides my base programming. I consider Medivh to be my father.
When PHAGE was destroyed, I felt a connection to Valerie Gellar. Not only is my programming based on her, my external appearance was as well. Just as clones are duplicates of the original, I consider myself a clone of Valerie, albeit through a different method. I could tell you more about my own journey, growth, but there is still more to be said.
You see, Alexander Winton had heard the Persephonea Propphesy from his wife. He was ambitious beyond belief. He used his skills as an imperial intelligence officer to manipulate how the prophesy was interpreted, to further the goals of the GURI Project. When Medivh was taken out, he was unopposed. And he used what was learned - from Medivh, from PHAGE, from my creation - to do exactly what he set out to do. He created a replica, not of a generic human, but of himself, imbued with a connection to use the Force that he had not originally had at birth. And he developed a mechanism to transfer his memory from his body into that replica.
That mechanism has a technique callled a flash transmitter. Transferring memories is not, in itself, difficult, but keeping those memories up to date is a difficult process. The flash transmitter not only triggers a data-transfer at regular intervals, but triggers a transfer any time the physical body is in distress. It meant that Winton could transfer his memories to a new body automatically at the moment he died.
And he used it, that ability. Winton set up roughly a half-dozen facilities, designed to create new bodies for him. He did not merely fake his death - he actually died, dozens of times, being reborn in a new body. Just prior to the Battle of Centerpoint Station, I went on a mission with Dahlia's older sister, Karen, and we destroyed every facility. The last version of Alexander Winton died at Centerpoint Station.
But that technology lived on. Nevylinn's sister, Adubell, took a path quite opposite from her. When Nevylinn turned to the jedi, Adubell turned to the sith. We later believe she made contact with Alexander Winton, before he died. And she took his technology with him. She created a new body for herself, just like he did. Only she made changes to the new body. She did not make it appear like her original self. Instead, she laced the new body with a metal known as cortosis. It is not only extremely strong, but it has the ability to short out most lightsabers. That is the gray-skinned woman who hunted down and slaughtered most of the jedi.
And the only way to stop her, the only way to defeat her is with this - "
Mara reached into a drawer and pulled out her lightsaber, igniting it and flashing it through the air.
"The yellow blade comes from a unique stone that is not affected by cortosis - and there is a computer program inside that works like a virus, designed to decompose the computer programming of a human replica droid. When this weapon is used on Adubell, it will not only destroy her current body - it will send the virus into any replicas, destroying them as well"
Mara deactivated the blade, putting it away safely in the drawer.
"Adubell is the one who is working with the Voss-Ra in an effort to bring about the dark-end version of the prophesy. The Voss-Ra are a cultish species, devoted to helping the sith rise to power. They aided the sith in corrupting the jedi Imri, helping him to create the Legacy Gene.
This is where the etheralis comes in. It is essentially an artifact that channels the power of the force, something that came into existence at the same time the force did. And at one point, it was split into four parts. The Voss-Ra believed that Persephone was the epitome of reunifying the four parts of the etheralis. They had a shrine to her on the planet Empress Teta, buried deep in the mines - and they may have been correct - but just like the four original offspring were scattered, long ago, the four pieces of the etheralis were separated as well. Should they ever be reunited, they would be able to channel an amount of power unheard of before.
We know that Adubell has at least one of the pieces, possibly two. We also know she does not have all four. We know that she played a role in Dahlia becoming a sith, but I've hypothesized that Adubell actually interprets the prophesy differently. She doesn't think Dahlia is one of the four - she thinks she is. The way she wields her power, the way she talks. She might be working with the Voss-Ra still, but I think her own delusions and desire for immortality have taken control.
But then we come to you - the four of you. As I've said, each of you are cousins, albeit distantly. Each of you has at least one of the recessive traits of the Legacy Gene. Your brother, Dane, had both - his blood, like Valerie's, is valuable because it can trigger the abilities of the Legacy Gene, and in fact, if harvested, can even be triggered in someone with only one recessive gene."
Mara is about to continue, when she is interrupted by the chirp from Donovan's comm. He steps away for a minute and Mara continues talking to Gemma and Riley.
"Our time is short, but let me say this. The Voss-Ra are driven by the prophesy, and the belief that it will lead to the rise of Sith. All they have to do is prevent you two from conceiving a child - Not that that should be a reason to go and do anything reckless, ahem - but here's the thing about prophesies. Any prophesy.
The prophesy - if you believe it verbatim - says there is a cycle that will repeat until one side is totally defeated. Darkness will win, unless a new child is born to the light, light will win unless darkness survives. But here's the thing. The prophesy itself has an agenda. It assumes Winton is evil and Masterton is good. But Karen Winton was not evil, dark as she may have been. and Melanie was not the radiant good she was made out to be. Melanie ended up killing Karen, in cold-blood, when Karen was calling out to her as a friend. So maybe the roles of the four aren't set in stone. Maybe it's not good versus evil people, but the good versus evil impulses inside each of us. I've argued as much with Nevylinn, over and over again. it's not light versus dark. It's all shades of gray"
Donovan steps back into the room, lowering the comm as he looks to Gemma and Riley, thinking about all that Mara had said, thinking about how they had gotten there. Three of the four previous "four" had all died in the same place, just a short distance away.
"The Republic is here"
Mara stood up quickly, "here? where?"
"They've commandeered the remnants of Centerpoint Station, taken it over, claiming a need to secure it from the fugitive Artemis Soldys"
"And how is the senator responding to that?"
"At the moment, he's staying cooped up in a bunker, unseen, so Corellia can retain its plausible deniability."
"And the rest of the government?"
"Taking steps to make sure the Republic doesn't try commandeering any other galaxy-threatening assets"
Mara nodded
"What can I do?"
TBC
-
Corellia
Orbit
There might have been a time in the past when the presence of a mon calamari ship over Corellia was reassuring, or for that matter, even enjoyable. After all, the original mon-calamari vessels were pleasure cruisers, repurposed into war machines for the rebel alliance against the Galactic Empire. Corellian Engineering certainly developed more ships, and even sturdier ships, but when the Alliance needed capital ships that could go head-to-head against star destroyers, it was the mon calamari vessels that took on that role.
There had always been a rivalry between the shipyards of Corellia and Mon Calamari, but they had ever been allies, competitors but not opponents. Both worlds were symbols of the fight for freedom in the galaxy.
Today though, the presence of mon calamari vessels in Corellia's orbit was anything but reassuring.
Three MC-60s, each measuring 600 meters in length, exited hyperspace near the equatorial horizon line, along with a half-dozen support craft. They were courteous enough to exit outside of the planet's defensive perimeter, but not by much, and the proximity alarms sounded, causing panic in the nearest Golan defensive platform, pilots making their way to the hangar.
It was a smaller force than the one sent to "secure" Centerpoint Station, small enough that the Republic could argue it wasn't an aggressive force; but large enough to show this was no simple diplomatic trip.
As the alarms were still sounding, the commander on the platform was growling out orders as he pulled on his uniform jacket, making his way to the command deck.
"Have they stated their intentions yet?"
"We have received no messages yet from any of the ships, but they are transmitting with Republic transponders."
"Alright. well, seeing as they are not firing on us, and haven't raised shields - yet - let's assume a non-aggressive posture."
"Sir?"
"The last thing we want is for the public to see our response to Republic ships being one of attack or defend. For all intents and purposes, we are still allies. And arguably, Corellia is bound to follow Republic rule."
"But sir? With everything going on?"
"You heard me. Have the pilots stand-by at their fighters. Keep shields down, and shut off that damn alarm! Prepare to activate the comm"
The lieutenant nodded, and a moment later, there was an appreciated silence. The commander moved over to the comm and leaned down.
"This is Commander Radil of the Corellian Planetary Defense Force. You gave us a bit of a startle with your arrival, and I have no reports of an expected Republic Convoy. Would you please state your business?"
A moment of static before the response came in.
"This is Senator Braac of Metalorn, on behalf of the Republic Defense Force and Republic Security Bureau. We are her to ascertain if the fugitive Artemis Soldys has returned to Corellia in an effort to evade justice. We trust that Corellia, its people and its government, will cooperate as we ensure that a traitor and fugitive is not hiding here."
The defense commander shook his head. Of course, the Republic had sent the Metalorn representative, a man who had personally held up Corellia's entrance into the Republic for so many years. A man who no doubt was near the top of Artemis Soldys' list of groan-worthy politicians. But protocol was protocol, and though Corellia's planetary defenses were easily strong enough - if necessary - to face off against the Republic taskforce, starting a war was not on the agenda for today.
"Senator Braac, I am reaching out to my superiors on the planet's surface, and am granting clearance for your shuttle to land at Docking Bay 3, in Coronet City"
"Thank you Commander - but please advise your superiors that we will be bringing more than just my one shuttle"
Commander Radil's mouth dropped as he looked out the viewport. From the belly of the MCs, two dozen auxiliary transports appeared, making formation as they floated past the Golan platform toward the planet surface.
"Senator, I'm sorry, but I really must protest - I haven't gotten clearance for you to land that many -"
"Commander, my taskforce will be landing in the twenty minutes. I trust you will have arranged the necessary clearance by then"
The comm went dead and Radil took a long, fuming breath.
"Notify the governor's office immediately. And CorSec's acting director. They won't want republic investigators roaming around unsupervised."
"And what about our ... guests?"
"Send an encrypted message to Della Avers. Make sure it is routed through the governor's office. We don't know if they are monitoring our communications"
"Yes sir"
TBC
-
“And so much happens in between
The days catch fire like gasoline
Just tell me what’s the worst you’ve seen
I wanna know
How low can you go?”
-LP
Corellia
Surface
Stunned may be the understatement of the moment.
It does not adequately capture the gravity, the scope, or the context framing everything that has happened to them and everyone who came before. It leaves a bitter taste, something ashen and difficult to swallow. Gemma is positively reeling, overwhelmed by the revelations Mara shares in an eerily transactional way. But they wanted this. They wanted, no, demanded to be told the truth and here it is. Laid bare and raw and uncomfortable. As it so often is. The first comment, something she suspects Mara takes just a little too much pleasure in delivering, strikes her soundly. They share a common ancestor, casting a shadow across her relationship with Riley and giving new meaning to the connection they share with both Dane and Dahlia.
No. No, she did not know that. It changes the meaning and significance of being 'bound by blood.' Obvious, in its own way, now that they know. She always took it as the blood spilled in the quest to fulfill the prophecy but actually points back to the woman whose namesake has been co-opted for these dark purposes throughout the course of generations; Persephone. Their collective origin story. Heroes and villains were born and bred the moment those shared genetics crossed paths again.
Mara gets to the core of the prophecy. It is heady and enlightening and horrifying all at the same time. Even in all the things she’s read about their predecessors, in all the things Melanie’s ghost had shared, nothing could prepare them for what lies at the heart of these machinations. The phrase that catches her breath in her throat only confirms that they were on the right track.
Until one wins, dark or light
Repeat, repeat, eternal fight.
Each cycle nudged closer and closer together…until the Four were back together. Despite their parent's attempt to course-correct their previous involvement only made them further culpable in continuing the cycle. The ongoing, underlyingly malevolent presence of the Legacy gene and their respective elders capitalizing on it for their own gains ensured the overarching plans continued. She does not interject with the fact that the Jedi are just as responsible for this, trying to bury something even then she suspects they knew could destroy so many lives. But, the greater good, right? Look how it all turned out. Would they have made the same choices if they could only have seen past their own selfishness to the potential future and fractures that came of such an act? Burying the truth seldom means it stays buried. Now countless are dead or have suffered because of it.
Abubell. The gray-skinned woman is named. And linked to Nevylinn, of course. Typical and tragic. It seems to be a prevailing theme. She does give Mara credit where credit is due – she and Karen tried to stop this and, when that failed, created a weapon through which to prevent Adubell from further exploiting the breakthroughs of Alexander Winton and Medivh Guldon. It also reinforces Mara’s point in the shades of grey amongst them. Karen was not entirely evil, despite Melanie's beliefs, which means that Dahlia is not beyond saving. None of them are. Demaris’ warnings echo in her head, more relevant now than ever. Dammit. She needs to be careful or risk falling herself. If Karen was capable of turning to the light at the end to try to save them all, is she capable of turning to the dark to end it?
Gemma pulls back from that answer, for now. The Inquisitor had insinuated as much but she would not give it credence by acting rashly now.
What they finally have, after all this time, is a clear motive.
The Voss-Ra, the monsters that haunted her nightmares for years, believe Winton’s victory will bring about the return of the Sith and it is why they had gone to such great lengths, mysterious and calculating, to bring this outcome to pass. The Etheralis are their means by which to do so and Riley’s father, may he finally rest in peace, gave them this clue. He may never have known Mod Navris, the Imperial agent who fell for the quirky and beguiling Kimber Patten, but he communicated information that could save his son. In return, they set him free. She desperately wants to go to him, looking just as stricken, yet remains frozen in place.
Their attention is diverted by the arrival of the Republic.
Gemma finally takes a breath, “I…need a moment.”
Outside, near the edge of the cliffs, the roar of the ocean below soothes her. She can feel Avinarius nearby, at the mouth of their hideaway, watching her carefully and ready to act if she needs him. Roman is nothing if not loyal and despite his Chiss ancestry, he intuits more about them than he would care to admit. Perhaps their influence on him had not been all bad. She stares out across the vast expanse of water, closes her eyes, and draws on the Force to try and steady herself. It only half-works. Processing this much all at once was never going to be easy but sharing it was the right thing to do. Finally, she does not feel detached and floating in the oppressive blackness of uncertainty and speculation. Significant pieces have fallen into place. It answers and solidifies many of the lingering questions about who they are and what they need to do, however difficult or unpleasant.
“So, is it tails for us?”
She whirls around to find Riley with a crooked smile and hands in his pockets.
“Why? Because, as it turns out, we are distant relatives?”
“Distant being the operative word there.”
“Hard to ignore, regardless of how removed it may be. It does not bother you?”
He shrugs, “We are integral parts of what appears to be, like, a grand genetic conspiracy, my aunt is an HRD who promised my dying mother to protect me, and the spirit of my father, trapped by the mystical elements of the Bolerathon Tower, pointed us toward the Etheralis as being the key to circumventing this. It seems trivial by comparison, no?”
“Well, when you put it that way.”
Riley extends a hand and she takes it, their fingers easily intertwining with one another.
“Look, it’s weird, sure. But not the weirdest thing you or I have or will experience. I mean, look at our lives right now. Total, beautiful disasters. I know you blame the Jedi, your parents, and, in some respects, Mara. Everyone lied. Kept secrets for their own reasons. It hurts me too but, in the end, it does not matter. All that matters is what we feel and what we do. Aunt Mara means the world to me and she did the things she did because she felt it was the best way to protect me and become the most authentic and actualized version of herself. In itself, it is a way to honor that promise and I respect that even if I do not fully understand or agree with it. I love her just the same. And I love you too.”
Gemma collapses into his arms and holds him tightly against her, “I love you too. Everything just feels…so…."
“Shit just got real, right? We have talked around it for a while but confirmation is a different thing. Aunt Mara dropping the knowledge.”
She pulls back but only a little, “Think of what this means? How would these descendants even interact, if they were taken and spread across the galaxy? Fate and fluke only get you so far. This was engineered and there is only one group tracking the progress with the means and abilities to make that happen.”
“The Voss-Ra.”
“They could be anyone. Impersonating a friend to introduce someone, a business connection in disguise assigning a project, appearing as family advocating for a potential match. It is literally insane to fathom it. All of it painstakingly orchestrated by this sect of Sith sorcery to produce the outcomes that would bring about the players to appear on a game board of their own creation.”
“And we,” Riley says, lips brushing her forehead. “Are two of those players.”
“I hate to quote Dahlia here but she did say, if you are going to be a character, at least be the main character.”
“Not sure we should be thrilled about that given the path forward. And what of the contingency? The way Aunt Mara described it; the prophecy could go either way. We have only been presented with the option of the darkest outcome. The light can still win!”
“Through a child, Riley. Could you do it if you knew you were using your own offspring to counter the darkness? Conceived as means to an end? I am not certain I could.”
“It is kinda crazy…and a bit presumptuous, miss Masterton-Gellar. I am not the kind of boy you use as breeding stock. I am a gentleman. A little geeky and hopeful, maybe, but a gentleman nonetheless.”
She nestles into his shoulder, “Hope is what makes you special, Riley Patten. One of the things I love most. I still think we proceed with the contingency, with or without their help. Just because we know what needs to happen does not mean it will go down like that. Too many variables in place, the Republic being the most prominent at the moment.”
He sighs, glancing upward.
“I think you are right. Best to plan ahead. We know that Adubell woman and the Voss-Ra certainly have. The Senator’s objections are valid but we still need a trump card if this all goes to shit, especially if they do not find the pieces of the Etheralis before she does.”
She steps back and holds his hands close to her heart.
“The prophecy corrupted Adubell the same way it corrupted Alexander Winton and others. That means she is working alongside but also against the Voss-Ra. We can use that.”
“You realize that means protecting Dahlia as well.”
“Honestly, I’m surprised the lack of attention and public adoration have not finished her off already but there are more pressing matters. The Republic is probably looking for the wayward Senator but it is not their sole purpose here.”
“How do you know?”
“Corellia is the strongest and most vocal opponent of their legislation and tactics. They have been caught harboring Jedi before and the Republic would be outraged if they were doing it again.”
“We are totally doing it again!”
“I know,” she says, also raising her eyes to the sky. “But it is more about where they chose to reveal themselves.”
“They are wasting their time.”
“Unless they have new information. Three of the last Four met their ends there. You think it is a coincidence two counterparts to those three are here now, on Corellia?”
“Do not go there,” he says, finally steadying her. “I will say it as many times as you need to hear it. We are not them.”
She opens her mouth to speak but movement on their periphery draws their attention away, Avinarius nodding at Della before she sprints toward them.
“Della? What is it?”
She is gravely serious and cuts right to the chase, “Braac, a Senator from Metalorn and staunch opponent of Senator Soldys has arrived with an RSB contingent. They touch down in Coronet within the hour.”
“They really are here for more than Soldys.”
“Right,” Della says. “Gather the others and meet us in the bunker. We need a plan and we need it now.”
-TBC
-
((sorry for the short post - my entire household has been sick with colds - no COVID, thank goodness - so I haven't had the time to do a more detailed post, or reference some of our key players. I did want to make sure the confrontation progresses though, so here we have a snippet from some of the world's as yet unknown characters. I envision the lieutenant governor will take on a bigger role as the confrontation gets worse, but no, i haven't thought of a name for her yet. Accepting ideas though))
Corellia
Surface - Coronet City
The governor's cabinet had gathered quickly devising what they believed would be an appropriate response to this unexpected visit from republic forces. First and foremost - balancing politeness without due deference. This was a mere senator, albeit on the republic's authority and with warships in space. He was not due any particular honor, just because he was hunting for a fugitive. The planetary governor would not be the one to meet with him. and the senator could take that as a personal offense, but the republic itself had no reason to be upset by that gesture. Afterall, this was not a diplomatic meeting between heads of state.
The lieutenant governor seemed like the appropriate choice, a middle-aged woman that had previously been endorsed for the position by none other than Senator Soldys.
Then there was security issues. Having an army of forces loyal to the Republic speaker wandering around Coronet seemed like a very bad idea. Equally would be a refusal to let them search. The office spent the little time they had combing over the Republic charter, bylaws, and admission requirements, and though it did allow easy travel of Republic troops, it did not allow for the kind of quasi-invasion this looked to be.
"We could filed a protest"
"That would take weeks to resolve"
"But we'd get rid of them!"
One lawyer was shaking his head, reading one other law - the Force User Registration Act.
"There is a small footnote that allows the Republic to use, and I quote, 'any level of force, in any location under the jurisdiction of the republic, to enforce this law'."
There was silence in the room for a moment before the governor spoke up.
"But they are here looking for the senator! That's not FURA"
"The senator was arrested for violating FURA. So searching for him falls under that"
The governor shook his head.
"Being part of the republic means democracy and freedom, not marshall law." Turning to his lieutenant governor, he set his jaw.
"You can tell Senator Braac he can bring two squadrons for investigative purposes only. I expect on the ground that he will respect Corellian laws, regardless of what pomp he brought to orbit. You can soften the blow by allowing him to have CorSec security assist in their investigation. As far as I'm concerned, he can borrow half the force, but those republic forces can stay on their ships until this ludicrousness ends."
An aide came running into the room, out of breath.
"Governor, the senator and his ships will be landing in fifteen minutes."
With a grim expression, the governor nodded.
"Alright. Let's go put on a show"
TBC
-
Corellia
Surface - Coronet City
The tension was palatable.
Lieutenant Governor Katelyn Sutton waited by the entrance as the republic vessels made their landing, watching with indignation. Who did they think they were? She was purposeful in waiting until they had landed fully - the senator was not, according to protocal, entitled to an 'honor guard' and Sutton had no intent of giving Braac any more honor that he deserved.
And as far as she was concerned, that was none.
Two dozen auxiliary transport vessels had left orbit on the landing, but a message had been relayed to Senator Braac that they could not disembark upon landing, citing a variety of Corellian statutes. And to be on the safe side, she had security cameras trained on the landing pad, watching every movement. She knew, just like the senator probably did, that this battle would not be won by arms, but by public opinion. And say what they will about the Republic's annoyance with Corellia - most would not approve of an unsanctioned troop landing on a sovereign world.
Braac had not replied, and now Sutton was watching to see whether he played nice, holding her breath as vessel after vessel touched down.
Then silence.
The forward most vessel hissed as it's loading ramp lowered down, a squad of republic troops marching out.
Then came the senator, a look of disgust on his face as he glanced about.
A second squad followed, forming a line behind the senator, but then no more, the remaining vessels staying, thankfully, closed.
Score one for Corellia.
Clearing her throat, the lieutenant governor stepped out of the entrance building, two aides flanking her as she approached, a fake smile plastered on her face.
"Senator Braac, such a pleasure to have you with us"
He wasted no time with pleasantries, a scowl on his face.
"If Corellia insists on impeding my investigation, I will have no choice but to file criminal complaints against you and your government for contempt of senate law. Furthermore"
"Senator, please, there's no need for threats! We have no interest in impeding your investigation. In fact, I have been authorized to make several hundred of our very own troops available to assist you. We on Corellia are nothing if not cooperative with the Republic."
Braac was about to say something but Sutton held up a hand, continuing herself
"And besides, if you really wanted to conduct a thorough and effective investigation, using the local security forces will be far more effective than your own. Really, sending in foreign armed forces onto a planet - any planet - is hardly the way to get cooperation. And besides, with everything going on in Chandaar right now, I think lowering tensions is in everyone's benefit."
The news of the bombing on Chandaar had reached Corellia even as the landing occurred. Whether coincidence or not, it certainly hadn't helped with the tension.
Braac was eyeing the lieutenant governor with suspicion.
"My forces are loyal to the Republic. CorSec is-"
"Corellia fought to join the Republic for many, many years, Senator. We are established members of the Republic, and as far as I know, there are no reasons to doubt our loyalty"
"Your representative to the Republic - a hero on this world - is a traitor"
"Alleged traitor, senator. He hasn't been tried yet"
"only because he escaped"
"Be that as it may, you can't claim disloyalty of an entire planet merely because of allegations against one man. And barring any evidence to the contrary, we are a sovereign world of the republic, and demand our rights as a world within the republic. Denying our rights would be a violation of the very spirit of democracy that you claim to cherish. So you can run your investigation, but you will do it our way, or no way at all."
Sutton's smile face was frozen in a polite smile that did not extend to her eyes, which were shooting icy glares at Senator Braac, whose own face remained in a pronounced frown.
"Fine"
Another score for Corellia, at least for now.
"Good - I have arranged a small lunch for you and your immediate aides. Then we can discuss the logistics of your ... investigation"
TBC
-
“Once again, we must bleed new
Even as the hours shake
Crystal blood like a dream true
A ripple in the wound and wake
You believe I believe too
That you are the river of light
Who I love, that I cling to
In the belly of the empty night.”
-Big Thief
Corellia
Surface
They convene in the bunker buried within the remote cliffs.
Halfway to nowhere.
The mood is somber and more than a little tense. With Nevylinn still recovering on their ship, Mara now has enough charge to join them. She is curious about the other players involved. Mara had been on her own and with Nevylinn for so long that the idea of this many stakeholders translates as more a liability in their efforts than anything else. But she knows she is a stranger here and would be treated as such. The connection to Riley and status with the Jedi leaders may buy her some favor but the reality of the truth she had just shared with some would not be easy to digest.
Once they are gathered and the murmurs die down, Della steps forward.
“Alright, everyone. As you may have heard, the Republic has come knocking on Corellia’s door once again armed with accusations, seemingly intent on testing our resolve. They have a presence at Centerpoint Station and a delegation that has just arrived in Coronet. Thankfully, LG Sutton has our backs on this. We must abide for now, as a member of the Republic, but these multiple threats require immediate action.
Presently, there are two primary objectives in relation to the Republic's presence here – keeping the Senator secure and the Jedi hidden whereas not to provoke further conflict and push this tenuous situation into a full-blown confrontation. However, “Octavia” and I need to resume our duties with the People’s Council as we manage the influx of Corellian’s returning to the system. The longer we remain out of pocket, the more suspicious CorSec grows, as their investigation into the deaths of the younglings in Kor Vella cast doubt around what they think me and the recovering Director know. If the Republic delegation catches wind of this investigation, it will only further complicate matters.
Riley, this is where you come in. You will need to be present and public as well, leveraging your connections in CorSec to keep that trail cool until the coast is clear. Can you step up?”
He grins, “I will do what I can to keep us safe.”
“You got this.”
She turns her gaze to Artemis.
“The question is what to do with you, Senator. You may remain hidden here or stashed aboard the Asunder on routine patrol with Agent “Theon”. Either way you will be out of sight until we can resolve the Republic’s formal inquiry unless you want to go on the offense. Unfortunately, that is not the only angle we have to consider. Gemma?”
Gemma glances briefly at Mara’s stoic face before joining Della in the center of their wide circle.
“Compounding these issues is the threat of the prophecy and those working to fulfill its dark purpose. While we are relatively sheltered here, my brother Dane remains vulnerable and needs further support in the Corporate Sector. Demaris, you are the most logical choice given your history there and with Dane. Will you and Taarek please help keep him safe?”
Demaris is not fooled, “Only if this is not means for you to unilaterally carry out your contingency without any oversight.”
“I have you covered,” Artemis says with a stern look. “I will keep them on the straight and narrow.”
She nods, “Then you have my word that I will protect Dane with everything I have.”
“Mine as well,” Taarek affirms. “We will not leave him exposed on the outskirts of the galaxy.”
“I am so grateful and I know he will be as well, even if he may not show it.”
Dane Gellar may put on the perfect smile for investors but he has changed in the past few years. They all have. Trauma will do that to someone. Burdens of truth, arranged with new context, the freckled arm of a larger, spiral galaxy. Wild, man. Riley avoids the Senator’s steely glare since that means their plan to map their memories using CorSec equipment has not slipped his mind. They would have to find another way to make it work, even if it is only to prepare for a worst-case scenario.
Avinarius steps forward, “I will accompany you to the Corporate Sector as well.”
“You will? But your presence there may put you in greater danger."
"The Direx Board wants your father to pay in blood.”
“And pay he shall but not by my hand. My friends taught me that.”
The Jedi, watching with great anticipation, collectively smile. They were all able to reach him in his darkest hour, pulling him back from the brink of doing something so reckless that it would have cost him both his soul and his life. Preston taught him how to feel and it has manifested as both weapon and curse.
“Besides,” he says, running a gloved hand across his armor. “I have this. I will repaint it on the journey back, make it my own, but it will conceal my identity and avoid the wrath of the Direx Board.”
“Dane will be so relieved to see you again. I did not betray your confidence as it is not my secret to share. I know he suffered greatly with your loss and he will be emboldened to have trusted allies back by his side. I cannot thank you all enough.”
Flash memory or not, Avinarius will be the vessel through which both their fresh biological samples and plans for the superlaser will be delivered to Dane. She trusts he will do what must be done from there. Riley is not going to leave Corellia and Gemma is not going to leave Riley, regardless of who they are to each other, so they must place their faith in others to execute their part of the plan.
“What about us?” Shendo barks, a sharp edge to his tone. “We have been forced from our homes, our lives, and hunted across the galaxy. We fought alongside you only to now be forgotten?”
“Of course not,” Donovan says. “You may remain here under our protection while we sort this out.”
The reaction is mixed.
It is not as simple as claiming sanctuary.
Some are not sure they wish to remain under Gemma’s watch and honestly, she does not blame them. They had grown close to Demaris and Taarek, who have taught and guided them with patience and love. She has her own issues with the Jedi and would likely not be an appropriate guide in their journey, wherever that may take them. There is more mutual respect between the others and she would not interfere with that. She swallows any shred of pride as she turns and speaks to them directly.
“You must choose your own path.”
Lysette advocates for them remaining on Corellia as they are among sympathetic allies while Shendo would rather take his chances in the Corporate Sector where they could escape the Republic’s tyranny. The trade-off is that, if exposed and identified, they would be targets for the Inquisitor or others that had hunted them down. Sirona and Oz fall somewhere in the middle. While they discuss options amongst themselves, Gemma’s gaze finds its way back to Mara.
Everything they have discussed so far only takes care of half their prophecy problem.
What will Mara and Nevylinn do now that they know about the Etheralis and the Voss-Ra’s continued hold on the prophecy? With Nevylinn’s deranged invulnerable sister hell-bent on hijacking these carefully woven threads, would they be able to prevent such a potentially catastrophic collision?
Gemma is anxious to hear her perspective on how they would fight this front.
-TBC
-
“If it hurts to love
Better do it anyway.”
-Beach House
Corellia
Surface
They reach a decision.
Lysette, Oz, and Sirona will remain, offering to defend Corellia for the kindness they have shown them. They had taken considerable risks with their position against the Republic and the few Jedi that still exist throughout the galaxy owe them a debt of gratitude. Something that may be collected soon enough, one way or another. Lines have been drawn. Their paths now lie in fighting against the oppressive tyranny of the Galactic Republic from here. Shendo is the lone detractor and will accompany the others to the Corporate Sector. He may be wary of the prophecy and their part in it but vows to protect Dane to the best of his ability in exchange for safe harbor. Gemma is thankful for the extra defense, despite how he feels about her.
“We will explore the deeper mystery surrounding the orchestrators of the prophecy,” Mara says evenly. “Once Nevylinn recovers, of course.”
Master Atrii nods, “Wise, considering the complex nature of our problems.”
“Approaching it from all angles may help to avoid any rash decisions, ones with potentially significant consequences,” Senator Soldys adds with eyes squarely trained on Riley. “I will join Atrii aboard The Asunder to better assess our options and maintain some distance for you to sort things out with CorSec and the Republic inspection. I will do what I can to keep this as civil as possible for as long as I can.”
“Think that cruiser may have sailed,” Taarek sighs. “But the optimism is appreciated.”
Sirona offers to join them on sector patrol to protect the Senator which Artemis humbly accepts. Even though it means taking his eyes off of Riley and Gemma, for now, it is more advantageous to remain mobile, especially considering the Republic’s renewed interest in Centerpoint. It is not an outcome he wishes to revisit.
“Looks like we’ve got a plan then,” Della says with a squeeze on Artemis’ side. “Be careful.”
“You too.”
Circe catches Gemma’s gaze and holds it before following Della out to their shuttle. Riley calls out that he would join them shortly and offers Gemma his arm. She takes it and they head back out into the breezy, sea-misted afternoon. As the young Jedi come together to say their goodbyes in the center of the bunker, Donovan pulls Demaris aside. It has been too long since he and his sister shared a quiet moment but, like so many others in their recent history, it is shaped by crisis and trauma.
“Every time we see one another, I fear it is the last.”
“Pretty sure you always say that.”
“There is no guarantee the Sector is safer than here.”
“Perhaps not but it is our home, Donovan. We know it well: good, bad, and ugly. It may be a lot of things but I would at least have a location advantage. I am more worried about what you and Nevylinn plan to do about Gemma. This whole contingency thing is insane. She has been edging ever closer to the darkness since the Inquisitor got under her skin. Now she is convinced they must die in order to avoid triggering another cycle.”
“Belief is a powerful thing. Conviction can conceal as much as it reveals if we allow it to. You will not be able to convince them otherwise if they are set on this path.”
“The danger lies in her wavering faith.”
“You alone cannot steady her, Demaris. A way back to the light may not be what she wants or even needs. My own understanding of our symbiotic existence with the Force has evolved over time. There are nuances. Shadows where there should not be.”
His eyes drift toward Mara and what she told them. What she is.
“This is not something we were swept up into by chance but the cycle must be broken. Trust me, sister, even when you may not trust Gemma’s plans on how this will be accomplished. It must end even if it ends them.”
“Such finality.”
“You and I are but instruments with a chance to shape the worlds for good. So let us shape them.”
He pulls Demaris into a hug and holds her tightly. They are so far from who and what they were and, while he is somewhat surprised, more than anything he is proud of both of them. He never wants to let go yet he knows their journeys move in different directions. They always have.
“Whatever comes your way,” he says, brushing aside the purple hair that hides half her face. “Give ‘em hell, okay?”
She smirks tightly, “Count on it.”
Outside, Riley wanders toward one of the cliffs where a slipping sun sets and spills ripples of deep orange hues across the water below. She knows he has to go, returning to the city and public eye to put on a brave face for them all. Selfishly, she wants him to stay and, selfishly, he wants the same. Yet, the possibility of disappearing into the romantic ether with her grows dimmer with each continual and horrific detail unfolding in their story. Selfishly? If only. It is the only luxury neither can afford. He leans in and she tugs at the collar of his shirt as they press their lips together. The wave of their current is one she wants to ride into something, anything else, but they are long past deluding themselves. There is no time left to pretend. He draws back and wrinkles his nose in a smile.
“Still not weird?”
“It will be if you keep asking! We have plenty to do but know I still want you here by my side.”
A seriousness crosses his generally playful expression, taking her hand in his.
“I want it forever. I want you forever."
“There is no forever,” she whispers through the strands of blonde curls sweeping across her delicate face. “Not for us.”
Riley’s eyes reflect the last rays of the sun, a golden glow between them.
“Then love me in the present moment. Our totally insane now. However long that may be.”
“What are you saying?”
“Marry me?”
-TBC
-
“I saw you inside and out and how
It all came through instincts and doubt
The bonds
That held you so long
Are breaking beneath the strength of a changing tide
One that’s made you face up to it’s
Irrelevance.”
-Many Mountains
Corellia
Surface
Dusk on the clifftops.
As the groups disperse, Riley and Gemma part ways, giddy and enthralled with one another. They would be together, no matter how much time they had. It is not a place he thought he would find himself, engaged and smitten, but one he is grateful for. It has been a long and strange road to realization but here they are. Ready to take that next step in more ways than one. She jogs over to say goodbye to Roman, Demaris, and Taarek. Master Donovan would take Sirona and Senator Soldys to dock with the Asunder where they would procure a shuttle the others will take back to the CSA. If Dane’s genetics can do everything Aunt Mara said they can, it is best he has them lookout for him.
He veers away and boards Mara’s ship. Riley finds her standing over Nevylinn who looks to be resting peacefully.
“Will she be alright?”
She turns, “She will.”
“I did not want to leave without saying goodbye. We spent so much time apart already.”
“My fault. We were gone much too long.”
He can see it now. The resemblance he took for distant relation between Patten and Gellar, pulled across a perfect face that never ages. Now he knows why. Her appearance could be augmented over time but she is just as he remembered her. The edge has always been there, stern tones of a guardian, as she tried to figure out how to be both parent and protector to the loophole of the last cycle. His survival meant their suffering. She never held it against him, not once, and the sacrifice in her own journey is not lost on him.
“You had your reasons,” he says with a lopsided smile. “Reasons that I know you believe were the right call. And you returned to us with real answers. All the pieces finally connect. Thank you for giving us that clarity. Despite the, like, complete insanity of it all, I am glad we know.”
Mara crosses her arms, “I had to protect you above all else. You understand that, right?”
“I do. That is what I want you to know. I love you, Aunt Mara. I do not care what or who you are, only what you are to me. You are the only family I have ever truly known and, even if it may not have seemed like it, I appreciate everything you have done. For me. For all of us.”
She opens her arms and he moves into them. The embodiment of her promise to a dying Kimber. It means more to her than he will ever know. She sorted through everything that made her who she is to come out on the other side someone entirely her own. Mara lives but she would trade it in an instant if it meant he would survive.
“Thank you, Riley. I love you too.”
They stand in silence for several moments with only the faint blips and hums of Nevylinn’s vitals scoring the moment. He is a man now and must take on a more active role in driving toward a future that does not end in the anticlimax of the last. Something that was never really over even though everyone that made it out wanted so desperately to believe it. Over time that false hope crumbled between their fingers. Once again, these key players find themselves at a crossroads with external entities vying for control. She would not let these machinations, past or present, draw things to a gruesome outcome for selfish gains.
This is not their destiny to claim.
He breaks the moment with a laugh as he steps back, “Could you at least try to find common ground with Gemma?”
“She is angry and stubborn, two emotions that create more walls than bridges.”
“I am not saying she did not come in hot with the accusations but this is a lot for her too. A corrupted Jedi kicked this whole thing off so there are bound to be trust issues.”
“Gemma did not know that before. Her issue stems from feelings of abandonment.”
“Can you blame her?”
“Not entirely,” Mara says evenly. “But she controls how she reacts and responds to that. I am a convenient target, yes, but not the orchestrator of her concerns. How does she feel about…what I told you?”
“We love each other and that is all that matters.”
“Then I am pleased you are both able to see beyond that truth, not that I think it gives you license to be reckless.”
He wants to tell her but something stops him. Mara and Gemma may never see eye-to-eye but he is fairly certain they are fighting on the same side. The contingency is pretty dark but it is just that: a contingency. Other avenues have to fail in order to trigger it. He reflects back on what she said about transferring memories – a flash transmitter. Keeping those memories updated requires work. If they awoke in new bodies, having perished in the worst case of whatever is to come, would they even know each other? Would they still be in love if the memories they made no longer existed?
Mara breaks the mental spiral before he gets too deep.
“I know you have to go. Be with Veritaas. And you should. He was there for you when I could not be and I understand the connection you feel to him. He likely feels the same for you. The worlds think you and Dane are all that remains of The Four and with that assumption comes immense pressure and scrutiny.”
He shrugs, “Part of the gig, right?”
“That cavalier attitude is what got your mother killed. Kimber was no safer with Melanie than she was with Karen. As I said before, the name alone does not indicate good or evil. Light or dark. Most fall on a spectrum and we choose from each situation which direction we will reach out to in order to see us through. Do not be fooled by the words of the prophecy. Its face value is and has been a tool to manipulate and harm everyone who has been drawn in by the siren's song of what it appears to promise.”
“Shades of grey are tricky to navigate. So many ways this could go.”
Mara guides him out of the makeshift medical quarters and allows the door to close behind them.
“As you have been guided by your mother, it seems your father also warned you through Gemma’s vision. Alexander Winton could not have done this alone but it was not only his allies that helped him. If Adubell was able to replicate and carry on his work it was likely with a more powerful force behind her. A piece of the Etheralis. The more I analyze it, the more I understand it is why she has come to believe she is the true heir to the prophecy. That makes her extremely dangerous to all of us.”
“But if Adubell got it from Alexander, where did he get it? Was he also working with the Voss-Ra?”
“I do not know but, tracing back through all the events of the last, there is one that resonates as a possible source. A wicked testament as to how far he would go to get what he wanted.”
Riley winces, bracing for impact, “Which is?”
“The tenants of the prophecy came to him in fragments through his wife, the Queen, but the text was later excavated and delivered to him by a daughter who, as the story goes, was consumed by the dark side of the Force. This possession was said to have led her to it but clearly, it was not just the prophecy Alexia Winton found beneath the sands of Korriban. It is possible she discovered the first piece of the Etheralis as well.
If that is true and Adubell found the second beneath the Iron Citadel on Empress Teta, we need to find the remaining two pieces before she does."
-TBC
-
“You haven’t felt right for days
Is it the fact you never say
What comes in your mind that day?
Maybe it’s time to shut away
‘Cause I’ve never really felt okay.”
-beabadoobee
Corellia
Surface
Nightfall.
Everyone is off doing their part while Nevylinn recovers and Mara recharges on the ship so Gemma joins Oz and Lysette in the bunker. They have an awkward dinner with a side of tension that is not entirely unexpected and settles into their respective lulls. It has been quite a while since she remembers there being any quiet time. Not that it would have mattered. The glow of their love could insulate her from anything, dulling fate's ferocious roar, even though she knows better. She told him so. There is no forever for them, not if this gets ugly and – judging by the stakes – it is fixing to real quick. Gemma can officially count jaded among the things she has become. The realization does not surprise her yet causes the watercolors of her happily ever after to bleed across their sprawling galactic canvas.
She curls the wildflower stem he gave her around her finger and smiles. Riley said he would put a ring on it and they would wed amidst the chaos and drama. A gem for his Gem, or something like that. She ate it all up because he is worth every sappy quip. Bullshit Ancient Code be damned. She would have things and attachments for as long as they last. Those Voss-Ra jerks owe them that for ruining what were pretty cool lives. Several, in fact. And for what, the Sith? Seriously? It is always the same song.
The Jedi and Sith both deserve to flame out of this universe once and for all.
Good riddance.
Gemma follows them into a large circular cutout in the stone where Oz is feeling sassy. He unclips the saber from his belt and flashes the equivalent of an Iridonian smirk.
“Spar?”
“Sure.”
The hiss of simultaneous igniting weapons is crisp like crashing notes of an absolute banger. Lysette kneels in the periphery of the space with a face cloaked in shadow. They nod to the young Miralukan and then bow to one another before engaging. Oz leans heavily into an Ataru style while she deflects with the less aggressive and defensive Soresu. They had practiced often during their travels but she has never really been fond of combat. It was more necessity than anything else but she kept up her form. Oz likely just needs to blow off some steam and she holds off an impressive offense from him. He is skilled but overconfident which is something Nevylinn warned her about early on.
“Maybe if you didn’t hesitate so much, you wouldn’t be in the position you are in now.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning you could have taken the Inquisitor. Ended things.”
Their sabers clash together.
“Really?” she says with unabashed skepticism. “If I recall correctly the last time we all faced off against it on Jedha we both wound up injured. Also, ending the Inquisitor would not have ended everything else, or were you not paying attention to that part of the prophecy currently controlling our lives?”
He strikes but evades the question with another.
“What about on Hesperidium?”
She parries, “You mean after it bisected a grade school friend in front of everyone? No one was exactly battle-ready in beachwear.”
“Then you all blew up. Supposedly.”
“Supposedly. At least that is what they said on the Holo but we both know you came to our rescue which, for the record, I appreciate. There was no way we were getting off an Imperial resort moon alive after all that. What do you think our odds of getting off Corellia are?”
Oz performs some newly learned acrobatics but continues his offensive, pushing her left of center yet still far from out of bounds.
“I will hold my own. Will you?”
“I am holding it now,” Gemma says, countering his attack with a one-handed crossed saber. She spins right, using the free hand to Force push him back, and sends him tumbling into the shadows of the caves beyond. “Right then, had enough?”
“Not even,” he laughs, stepping out. “This is just getting interesting---!*?”
He tenses, coughing violently as a blade appears through the center of his chest. Blood quickly darkens the front of his robe before it is withdrawn, leaving him to stagger forward and drop to the ground. Lysette raises her head. From the shadows, she emerges clutching the stained blade - familiar but twisted - the Infiltrator!
“Hello, Jedi.”
-TBC
-
“Hold me tonight
Turn off the light
Oh, I feel the fright
Oh, I’m gonna die
Tonight.”
-Rover
Corellia
Surface
Oz has gone very, very still.
A pool of blood grows quickly around him and darkens the dusty stone beneath. Gemma twirls the saber and shifts into a much more defensive position. This is why they cannot have nice things. The reason she shrugged off some of that newfound cynicism onto Riley’s proposal. It is never not real. She and Oz clashed but this feels personal. Another childhood monster reappears, ready to incite chaos and violence. A rogue’s gallery if there ever was one. She is careful to keep her distance between the Infiltrator and Lysette. At the very least she could draw her away.
“I thought we had seen the last of you.”
“Not everything they lock away stays hidden. And we both know that is not true. You have seen my face plenty and it is one you will never forget.”
“Trust me,” Gemma says. “I have tried. How did you find your way out of your prison?”
“A kind doctor with an obscene amount of access. Human trust for the win again.”
“That tracks.”
The Infiltrator sizes her up, flashing what passes for a smile, “Look at you, Masterton. Risen from the dead only to be put right back in the grave.”
“Catching up on current events? Do not believe everything you read.”
It comes off as too haughty even for her but karma is a bitch.
There is a searing pain diagonally across her back unlike any she has experienced before. Vision flashing white, she drops to her knees breathless. Gemma fights to stay conscious and draws from a well of strength she never knew she had. It keeps her present, for now. Shuddering through a wave of nausea, she manages to turn her head.
It is Lysette standing behind her.
Little Lysette with a saber drawn, hood thrown back, and an expression she had never seen the Miralukan wear before. Always so carefully hidden behind her cloak and softly spoken words of comfort and wisdom. An empath, a seer, there but never really a focus of attention. The youngest of all, the one they had to protect. The one they had to watch out for. Her words are thick on a heavy tongue.
“What are you…doing?”
“Exactly what I was meant to do. Prepare for their rise.”
All the worlds ignite and tilt out of focus, a galactic arm sweeping her up into a mass of stars on the way into the great, big, black hole beyond. The realization of what is actually happening registers as a strained grimace and – as if on perfect cue – two tears slide slowly across those enviously high cheeks. Her back has gone numb but she chokes something out.
“I do not understand…”
“Neither did Melanie,” the Infiltrator says stiffly. “Not really. It is always what you think you know that gets you.”
Lysette sighs, “Try not to take it personally. Someone has to go first. It may as well be you.”
“Traitor,” she spits between clenched teeth.
The Miralukan stands over her, bringing the saber point close to Gemma’s face.
“That stays between us girls. You did not suspect it and neither will they. Even though it is difficult for you to fathom it, you are not the only one who gets to play the victim here. They will blame themselves and wonder why they ever left me alone with you. Everyone knows it is not safe with a Masterton. The whole lot of you easily led down the paths I choose, everyone more than willing to go on this dark adventure in search of meaning, justice, and truth. It was almost too easy.”
So. A Sith in their midst. She feels foolish but not surprised.
Demaris did not realize it either so there goes the whole 'you were not focused enough' argument from the pious choir.
Lysette had been collecting all the pieces and people. Pointing the Inquisitor right to them. Back on D’ian, after the evacuation off of Chandaar, there were so many of them. Anyone with even a slightly elevated midi-chlorian count was a target, all those people needing to be saved. It did not take much to influence Taarek’s mind so that he would keep her on D’ian and close to the core players. She called the Inquisitor to them on Jedha, felt out Roman who would lead them into the Unknown Regions, alerted them to Gemma’s plight on Hesperidium, and kept them all spiraling while passing through disguised as a meek empath and agent of a higher, darker power.
“Well done,” Gemma says with as much sarcasm as she can muster. It is not much but the impact is the same. Clinging to what feel like the fringes of consciousness, she grips her own weapon tightly - fallen, injured, betrayed, and double-teamed as they begin to close in.
Lysette lifts her saber above Gemma’s head and cries out into the caves.
“Through victory, my chains are broken!”
Spinning on one knee, Gemma screams in agony as she twists to block the blow before executing what had worked so well on Oz. Lysette is expecting the push to come from the front but she angles around, flicking her wrist to catch her in the shoulders, and sending someone so slight aggressively pitching ass-over-elbow.
The Infiltrator charges but is blunted and thrown back by a projectile boulder that appears from the corridor as Mara steps into the fray. Her strange saber is drawn and ignited as she moves closer while clearly processing the situation based on the visual evidence. There is a lot to unpack here. She is not sure how much of that she heard but figures she would arrive at the appropriate conclusion. Gemma groans but pulls herself into a standing position.
Sabers raised and enemies regrouping, Mara joins Gemma’s side.
“I knew you’d be trouble.”
“Yeah,” she mutters, clutching the wildflower stem ring tightly in her palm. “Tell me about it.”
-TBC
-
“Troubled times
Caught between confusion and pain, pain, pain
Distant eyes
Promises we made were in vain, in vain, in vain.”
-Journey
Corellia
Surface
The Battle in the Bunker begins.
Mara v Infiltrator. Gemma v that traitorous little bitch Lysette.
The Infiltrator comes out swinging, undeterred by Mara’s show of force and goes on the offensive. She is quick and capable but Mara has something she does not – a connection to the Force. She easily evades the attacks which seem to leave the Infiltrator smarting.
“Come now, sister. You have been corrupted.”
“Like so many things, it seems.”
“If you will not submit to your primary directive then you will be dismantled here and now.”
“You are welcome to try.”
And try she does. The Infiltrator gives it everything she has. Mara uses her saber and power to deflect or destroy anything the Infiltrator throws at her, catching her in a hold as she lunges forward. Held in the air, she struggles but to no avail.
“You may defeat me but you will never win.”
“Even you cannot know that.”
“Abudell does.”
The strikes something deep within Mara which the Infiltrator picks up on immediately.
“She sends her regards and condolences.”
“For what?”
“For when she finally takes Riley from you forever. And she will. You cannot save him for he, like Gemma, is destined to die. They were all taken from you: Valerie, Karen. Kimber. The son of Patten should never have survived. Adubell will take him and there is nothing you can do.”
Mara’s eyes flare wider as pressure builds in the Infiltrator’s every joint.
“Not before I take you from her – an instrument of a misguided mission, a relic of what was - piece by piece.”
She tears the Infiltrator apart with a stunning display of control, shredding through processors and wires that land still at her feet.
Behind them, an injured Gemma defends herself as best she can from a crazed Lysette who attacks wildly and without mercy. Small scorch marks line her cheeks and arms but her moderate skill manages to thwart the bulk of the damage. She will not last long in her condition. Even she is aware enough to know that so these desperate times call for more unseemly measures. She hurls her saber wide toward the center of the cave. It looks sloppy like she is losing it, but she is counting on the girl’s overconfidence in pulling one over on all of them.
“Fool, you are beaten,” Lysette cackles, advancing toward her, “The Masterton falls.”
Straining, Gemma uses her other hand to guide the saber’s arc and, increasing the spin, pulls it around and through Lysette until the hilt hits her palm with a dull slap. Lysette chokes out a cry as the top half of her small body slides off and hits the ground with her waist and legs crumpling behind it.
“Traitors first.”
Gemma deactivates her saber and clips it to her belt, pocketing the wildflower stem ring before throwing a weak smile at Mara and collapsing.
Mara knows they may have little time but would not implicate the others in this mess.
First, she takes a wounded Gemma back to the ship, placing her facedown across from Nevylinn. Almost poetic if that meant something to her. The injuries are ugly and severe, a diagonal saber slash across her back, but they do not appear life-threatening so long as they are treated quickly. She imagines they wanted her to suffer before finally ending her life, the full weight of the betrayal sinking in. She roughly pulls open some bacta packs and covers the wounds.
Next, she returns to the bunker to collect the bodies of Oz, Lysette, and the Infiltrator, dropping them next to the ramp controls. She retrieves anything else that would indicate the place had been inhabited recently, covering the blood stains with dirt and rock.
Lastly, she eases the Refuge out over the cliffs, staying low against the ocean until far enough out to avoid any currents. She opens the ramp and dumps the bodies, watching them hit the water below with stoic satisfaction.
Returning to the controls, she heads for orbit and places a call to Master Donovan.
The Refuge needs a refuge.
*
Coronet
Riley arrives at a scene he has lost touch with.
Della and “Octavia” drop him in an inconspicuous locale before carrying on with their part of the plan. They all have their parts to play. He heads over to a posh little residence he keeps in the city to shower and change. The Patten Ranch renovation is complete and he would return there eventually but there are more pressing matters. Matters of posturing and public relations to keep them clear of suspicion while the Republic conducts its investigation.
He glances at himself in the mirror. Side-part, a little scruffy, outfit comprised of complementing neutrals – he looks the part of reclusive billionaire Riley Patten. The public thinks he is grieving and they are partially right. He is but not for losing Gemma – it is for knowing what has to happen in order to stop all of this.
For a life carefully composed of few real choices.
Riley knows he should head straight to Cassidy and Sixta like he said he would. They had been patient with him, given the circumstances they think they know, but they are still agents of CorSec with duties to perform. Questions they need answered. Della gave him the full rundown for context complete with the Inspector’s suspicion of her involvement and their photage of her leaving the restricted area that once housed the Infiltrator. She posits that the Jedi were seemingly intentionally targeted to compromise Corellia which clearly worked because now the Republic is back looking for anything that could give them a reason to act. The galaxy has been on the brink before but this could plunge them further into a dark and bloody conflict, just the kind of large-scale distraction the Voss-Ra would need in order to carry out their ancient plans. Now he is starting to sound a little too much like Gemma.
While he does go to CorSec, he finds himself in the medical wing.
Riley is on the approved list of visitors and is cleared to see the stabilized but comatose Director Veritaas inside his heavily guarded room. It is unnervingly quiet save for the sounds of his vitals, the sharp smell of antiseptic stinging his nose. There are bandages around the Director’s throat and he is a bit paler than usual but still the man he has come to respect and care about even if his misadventures kept them apart for longer than they should have.
He speaks to him and his voice ignites a spark of energy in the room, “It’s been too long but I am here now.”
Riley slides onto the edge of the bed, gripping his limp hand as if confirming this is real. At first, he does not know where to begin but then it pours out of him. He keeps the details scarce, knowing someone may be listening and instead focuses on his journey back to Corellia. What Veritaas means to him, to all of them.
“I need your guidance, Elon. The Republic is closing in.”
Moments pass and Riley sighs deeply. Even though it is irrational, he feels responsible somehow, as if his presence here could have spared him this fate. He rises to leave but there is a twitch. No, he is imagining it but then it happens again. Movement in the arm he is holding, weak but definitely there.
Veritaas squeezes his hand.
-TBC
-
“You ask me what would happen
If all strangers turned to stone
I’ll tell you what might happen
If we could always be alone.”
-Film School
Corellian Sector
Somewhere
Thunk!
Gemma, semi-delirious, opens her eyes to find Nevylinn staring back at her from the other bunk. Where are they? Oh, right. Mara’s ship from the looks of things and heading somewhere quickly by the pitch of the engines. Another day, another crisis. Par for the proverbial course. Changing positions is not really an option so she smirks, “You left us.”
“For that, I am sorry.”
“I do not believe you.”
“I cannot say I am surprised given everything you have faced.”
“Are still facing. There really is a fine line between faith and delusion.”
“Where does that leave us, Gemma?”
“Wrecked, as always. You are not the saviors you think you are,” she whispers weakly then drifts out again, “You never were.”
Nevylinn pulls the thin blanket close and groans.
*
Blackness, bumps, and blurs become bubbles. So many bubbles against her skin. A cool, pink haze envelops her.
There are flashes of Mod Navris, half-buried in the sands of Imperial Beach whispering a phrase that now has frighteningly real meaning; the Etheralis. In the distance, across the sea and into the sky, a pulse of green light. The ritual, releasing those bound to the tower through dark and dangerous methods, ignites life on Coruscant with a collective radiance. The Inquisitor’s attack and narrow escape with Dahlia’s eyes a pool of obsidian glass. Playing these roles in another cycle, working it while withering away into yet another fabulous fable. A jungle adventure - the Unknown Regions making things known to them. Vines grow and curl their way around everything and the Jedi Masterton appears - an ominous phantom - with further context that brings little comfort to anyone. Like, ever. Over and over the Jedi have failed. Not just Gemma and those around them but they have failed themselves. Sharp principles that create only self-inflicted cuts. Their code bleeding out and left for dead. Flashes of Mara laying it down, revealing the origins of the prophecy, their familial link, her existence and purpose transposed across Riley’s face caught in the sunset rays as he proposed high atop a breathtaking cliff. Proposing a life they can never have – on Corellia, on D’an, anywhere. So very optimistic, so very Riley Patten. Beneath a crimson hood, Lysette’s lips pull into a comically large smile, misleading them in the softest of voices. A herald of Dahlia’s victory and the imminent rise of the Sith. This will only stop once it is fulfilled but to fulfill it means they need to die and Dahlia needs to live. A terrible but necessary compromise. The one callow consolation is that she would believe she won but they would return and take it all from her, once again burying the Jedi and Sith in the past where they belong. Bury them both so no one has to endure their extreme and ill-fated ideals ever again, at last vanquishing the monsters that have lived in her dreams since she was a child
*
Mara watches Gemma float in the glowing bacta tank, golden curls dancing around her head. The girl is tougher than she looks but still an entitled pain in the ass. As if she, above others, deserves answers to questions asked long before she was ever bred into existence. Such a vapid, tortured existence. Mara’s priority lies with protecting Riley – the Infiltrators words a haunting whisper from the shadows – but doing so means protecting Gemma as well. The Masterton and Patten have always been connected, just in more ways than anyone thought. This fact did not phase them and she thinks she feels something like gratitude that she can still be surprised by some things.
It had been a quick getaway after she rerouted them to an outpost deep in the forests of Drall. As it turns out, Master Atrii was working with sympathizers since they are a rather practical species and could trace the Republic’s current implosion back through their sordid history. They know what is up. Everything has cycles and patterns that emerge over time. Movements, ideas, and governments are no different.
The Drall outpost has a scant utilitarianism, not unlike the bunker far offshore on Corellia. It is just as remote with Mara needing to tap into her abilities to navigate through the dense foliage to their destination. Thankfully, it is fully stocked with resources some of them need to heal. Mara is careful to keep herself fully charged while oscillating between checking in on an introspective but healing Jedi Master and the injured baroness. She does not need the Force to sense the anxiety and animosity but such human emotions are not ones they have time for right now. They have bigger problems, starting with how tactical the strike on the bunker was.
It may not have been as random as it appeared.
Mara may have destroyed the Infiltrator but kept one piece in particular – the memory cube. She makes good use of the small workbench and cables from the ship, rigging it up for playback internally. With Gemma hauntingly suspended behind her, she would soon see what the Infiltrator was really up to.
*
Coronet City
Despite the practicality of meeting there, Riley Patten calls on Cassidy and Sixta and asks them to meet him at his residence in an hour. Somewhere less conspicuous than One CorSec Plaza. Too many watchful eyes. First, he needs to head into Coronet for a little business. He hoped the return would be under better circumstances but it still feels like a long overdue homecoming.
There is much to be done in a short time so he called ahead for his financial advisors to meet him at the central branch of Corellian Bank. There he retrieves his mother’s ring from a safety deposit box – an embellished silver band with a pale blue Emeraude at its center that will look stunning on Gemma’s finger – before updating his post-death directives on what will happen to the Patten fortune upon his untimely demise. He allocates enough funds to allow them a considerable safety net if the contingency is activated and they return in the future along with who can access the account. In this case, his clone, although it is more eloquently integrated into the document. His wealth and status buy him a certain eccentricity so his advisors execute without digging into anything too deeply, which is probably for the best. He would not rely solely on Dane to provide the resources they need for whatever comes next, just as Kimber planned for the chance he survived the last cycle.
With Veritaas awake and recovering, they need to regroup but he still needs to deal with his wary agent friends who are under orders and running low on patience. The Republic inspection has everyone on edge but their intrusive investigation threatens to bring about further scrutiny on matters the young CorSec agents and their superiors do not understand themselves.
At his building, Cassidy throws his arms around Riley, “It is about bloody time! We thought you would be out there wandering forever.”
Riley laughs, leaning in, “I just needed some time.”
“Well, it is of the essence now so can we head inside for a chat?”
“Nice to see you too, Six.”
The residence is upscale minimalist with notes of his cologne still lingering in the air. They gather in a small, stylishly understated sitting room and the textured curves of the curated pieces. Riley had given the designer free rein to create a certain image, something that would tell a story without him ever opening his mouth. Mission accomplished. Cassidy makes himself comfortable on the couch while Sixta leans against the upholstered backing of a tufted loveseat.
She does not waste time or mince words, giving him a quick rundown of the information Della provided albeit in a more clinical way. Sixta lets it linger for a moment, studying his expression before adding, “We suspect a link to the Jedi.”
“Suspect being the operative word there,” Cassidy interjects carefully. “Nothing is officially on record at CorSec.”
“Intentionally?”
“Inspector Thekla is not stupid,” Sixta quips. “He may have his suspicions but he will not further arm the Republic without evidence. We have discussed it in our debriefs and there have been some inquiries that returned troubling results but they have not yet made it into a final report.”
“Too bad you are already on his scope.”
“And how did that happen?”
“We…may have mentioned you when connections to the Jedi came up. There was relevant context.”
“Real nice, Cass. Very smart.”
Sixta is having none of it, stepping between them, “We were following a theory, thank you very much. It is our job, remember? You are officially a CorSec agent too, although not an active one.”
“Yes, I am aware which means I have the same clearance you do so it would be super if you two could tell me what the hell is going on.”
She draws in a weary breath but proceeds.
“Thekla believes the attack on Veritaas and explosion in Kor Vella with victims not in our systems involves the Jedi. There is evidence to suggest it but its presence, placement, and timing are suspect. Corellia’s alleged complicity, possibly through the People’s Counsel, may have been revealed through sabotage which is why we believe the Republic is back here sniffing around. All signs point to a plot that directly defies Republic law but I think you already know that. What do you think?”
“Sixta-”
“No. If he is going to stand here and tell us he knows nothing about this he is doing a disservice to our station and sector.”
There is a decision to make, as everything they know and love hangs in the balance.
Riley is certain they would see reason if they knew what is at stake.
“Veritaas is awake,” he begins, easing onto the couch beside Cassidy. Compelled by the tone and topic, Sixta joins them. “He is still weak but making progress. I do not know what I would do if I lost him. The irony will not be lost on him.”
“What does that even mean?”
“Later. What is more important is that Veritaas told me who attacked him. It was Doctor Cross.”
“Tivoli Cross? The CorSec medical director?!”
“Yes,” Riley says. “But there is something else. Something strange. He said that she got a call and changed completely before attacking him. He also said she seemed to have no recollection that she had ever been missing and that they were giving her space, against better judgment, for those memories to return.”
“It sounds like she was…activated somehow. It sounds insane even saying it, I know.”
“Is it though? Two other people were also missing during this time; Janessa Kain, the Republic Ambassador to the Corporate Sector, and Garron Prescott, head of Gellar-Masterton security. They all seem to have reappeared along a similar timeline with vague if any specific memories of where they were or what they were doing.”
Cassidy looks stricken, “Why do I feel like this is going to get real dark, real quick?”
“Because it is. Garron tried to kill Dane Gellar in the Corporate Sector, completely changing his behavior and demeanor before attacking him. The kicker is that a phrase was used before the turn, a phrase coming from a planted speaker. Prescott was not as successful as doctor Cross but not for lack of trying. That leaves-”
“Janessa Kain,” Sixta breathes, arriving at the same conclusion. “Suspected in the assassination of President Inganarre. The reports indicate premeditation and an influence tied to her previous charge and acquittal. So, the Jedi are involved then?”
“Or it was made to look that way.”
“It goes against type; against everything we know about them.”
“That is not enough to sway public opinion or the legislators looking to capitalize on the instability for power. You have seen the state of things, systems taking sides and pointing fingers all while something larger unfolds beneath them.”
Sixta stiffens, “With Corellia in the crosshairs.”
“And the Senate in shambles. Staged or not, there is enough to implicate us. If the Republic has come looking for something, I bet they will find it.”
“Unless we make sure there is nothing for them to find which means we have to handle your boss carefully.”
She rises quickly and rounds the table, “Thekla may have no love for them but he plays by the rules. I am not exactly keen on lying to my superior.”
“Think of how many have already died,” Cassidy opines. “How many more will die if we let them get away with it? Whoever did this killed a bunch of kids to make a point!"
Her eyes shift to the prodigal Patten, narrow and bordering on accusatory.
“Then tell us the truth, Riley. Have we been willfully harboring Jedi? Are we really in breach of Republic law like they claim?”
“Yes."
“Oh my God. They will execute us for treason!”
“Better than being party to genocide!”
The sting of it simmers across their silence.
“This is so messed up” she mutters, wiping a tear from her cheek. “If the Republic is framing Corellia to take this fall so they can justify their actions then what part does the Empire play? Was the truce just a sham?”
Riley flashes to the ruins of Imperial Beach and the question he posed to Barrett Trevaithan about the reason they were brought there – to provide the spark for Coruscant’s rebirth. There was calculation in everything they did there, all the hushed tones and implied threats. Talk of Sith advisors on Byss. The means to someone else’s end.
“No, I do not think so,” he says grimly. “But they have something to gain from the galaxy souring on the Republic’s promises. The easiest way to win back favor is to look better by comparison.”
Cassidy turns to Riley, “That is a loaded accusation and implies premeditative intention. How do you even know any of this?”
“Extracurricular activities on my adventures.”
“Not good enough,” Sixta cuts in, shaking her head. “If you are able to confirm these theories, we need to know how you are involved in this.”
“I need you both to trust me. There are other lives on the line here too. Not everything I know is my story to tell.”
“I do trust you. We have enough to go on for now and the Republic inspection takes priority over anything else in the short term. If they find anything we are toast.”
Sixta stares them both down, “No one is disputing that but blind faith always comes at a price. Riley, you also vanished for months and have provided only vague, if any details about where you were or what you did. How do we know you are not compromised and will turn on us as well?”
“That is where the trust comes in.”
“It is asking a lot, asking for faith I am not sure I have in you. I will not condone genocide but I will not say I trust you either.”
He nods, “Fair enough.”
"A pact. We swear to uphold our oath and restore order and clear Corellia’s name even if it means defying those in power to do it. Everybody in?”
Cassidy extends a hand with a closed fist.
Riley places a hand over his.
Reluctantly and only with the deepest of sighs, Sixta does the same.
-TBC
-
“All these things into position
All these things we’ll one day swallow whole.”
-Radiohead
Corellian Sector
Drall
Surface: Undisclosed
It is in this solitude, neatly tucked away from the worlds raging beyond, even if only for a moment, they carve out space to reflect.
As the fallout of President Inganarre’s murder sweeps across the Republic, it all plays out on the Holo. The Senate begins to sharpen its focus on the alleged Jedi perpetrators and those who continue to aid and abet them. The condemnation out of Chandaar is swift with messaging even more aggressive. It is not surprising but profoundly shakes Nevylinn to the core. The anti-Jedi sentiment has reached a fever pitch with opinions pitting member system against member system. Senate meetings devolve into screaming matches fueled by hateful vitriol that defies even the most basic public decorum.
The Republic appears to be tearing itself apart from the inside out in real-time.
“This is unbearable.”
“Yes, but not unforeseeable.”
“Gemma is sure to find it gratifying,” Nevylinn murmurs softly, pulling the thin sheet closer to her. She is curled up in a carved stone alcove with her back against the wall. Pale, and a little shaky but the color has returned to her face. The ordeal nearly killed her which frays the very edges of her ideals. Mara stays on point.
“Gemma may be many things but she is not wrong. At least in this.”
Nevylinn’s face falls, “I can feel her hatred. It radiates off her and I fear she may be lost to us for good.”
That was likely true long ago but it would not be productive for her to confirm it now.
“As I have told you, there is another way,” Mara counters evenly. “Instead of the extremes, why not focus on the opportunities that can be found in the space between?”
“There is no space between.”
“Not seeing it does not mean it is not there. The prophecy has an agenda and there are forces at work that have, thus far, been successful in exploiting that. No one is as good or as evil as we believe them to be. There is a balance to be found, even if the Jedi teachings do not support that. Too far in either direction leads to catastrophe. Gemma is struggling with her feelings but the Jedi have forced her to just as Adubell has forced Dahlia to do the same. Everyone else aligns themselves based on the information – however manipulated – presented to them. It is only natural to make sense of the worlds we live in. They are confronting the very nature of their existence. I know what that is like. Are you really willing to risk losing another generation to this simply on principle?”
Nevylinn looks stricken, “If we abandon our principles, what else do we have left?”
“Perhaps the possibility of a future.”
The Jedi sits in silence to contemplate so Mara returns to her work, tinkering with the Infiltrators memory cube. With Gemma resting between bacta treatments, she considers the scattering of Persephone’s four children and how those genes did eventually cross paths – only now they know it was by design. The Voss-Ra has been working in the shadows to bring them together by any means necessary. The revelation that their predecessors paid the new Four a ghostly visit does not provide adequate consolation. She wonders what Karen told Dahlia. Would she have urged a bit of caution and perspective as she had displayed in those last days together or would she warn her that Gemma could not be trusted and must be destroyed? Revenge from beyond the grave. She hopes that Kimber’s presence brought Riley comfort and hope when she could not be there to provide it. The bonds between parent and child are not easily broken so she wonders what became of the child they took from Elle Greyson. It is too large a thread/threat for the Voss-Ra to leave unexplored, not when they are so close to their dark endgame.
She works meticulously but their Drall allies are curious and engage her about the unfolding drama surrounding The Four. It has apparently been a source of intense discussion and debate among them considering its impact on galactic affairs. Some they already know and documented, given the considerable coverage, Holo adaptations, and Kent Carlson’s unflinching narrative that Circe Prescott delivered in the wake of the Battle of Centerpoint. Mara finds herself filling in the gaps, adding detail and nuance that have long been locked away. It connects the Drall’s musings in ways they could not fathom. Unburdening herself stirs a relief she thought she could not feel. They propose an intimate Ta’shaar later to celebrate which she accepts.
The Infiltrator’s memory is another mystery to be solved. She plugs in and begins the journey into the mind of another, something she once was, and would still be if had not found a greater purpose. For the most part, the memories are what humanoids would call depressing – a neglected captive left in her solitude. Those who know of her existence are pulled in other directions and have little time for a threat they believe to have isolated. They should have known better. The Infiltrator plots out every method of escape, running through scenarios if variables were to shift in her favor. But the forgotten replica never gets the chance until a beautiful woman in a lab coat appears at the periphery of the room and approaches. That must be the late Doctor Cross. Her gait is steadfast, someone with a purpose, one likely placed there by Adubell’s scheming.
“What are you doing here?”
“Your sister sent me.”
An interesting take. The Infiltrator changes into a uniform to then slay the guards and escape with the Medical Director. They board a skiff and depart when the doctor asks for a favor. All traces of their movement are erased from the CorSec security cams, a wise move considering the questions her presence would raise. No one would be looking for someone they never knew existed in the first place. Acquiescence for the sake of self-preservation. They part ways shortly after but the Infiltrator keeps Veritaas’s datapad and uses it to worm her way through their files and schedules before destroying and discarding it. Why leave something to trace and track?
She finds her way to the Patten Ranch, reconstructed but empty. There is no one to make pay for what they did. No one but Adubell, who appears behind her, as if she knew this is exactly where she would go. Her blue-grey skin skimmers in the half-light of dusk and she offers the Infiltrator purpose in the chance at exacting revenge on those who imprisoned her, including Infiltrator-01. She could serve them all up on a plate, furthering the prophecy of eliminating two of The Four as well as everyone else who knows of the Infiltrator. To set her free. Everyone wins. All she would have to do is wait. The Infiltrator agrees and so Adubell gives her a holopad, charging supplies, and a place to stay hidden. And stay hidden she does until she is beamed a set of coordinates and a message. Lysette’s head and shoulders materialize above the circular pad, a deviously small smile visible beneath the scarlet hood.
“It is time.”
Mara pulls the plug and lets it fall to the floor.
“What is it?” Nevylinn calls behind her. “What did you see?”
Even here, on Corellia, they had been carefully positioned. Waiting for the right moment once the group dispersed as they inevitably would. Divide, then conquer. Adubell expertly capitalized on the Infiltrator’s directives and desire for freedom. If she is in it to claim the fulfillment of the prophecy for herself then she is using every available resource to gain the upper hand. They would need to stop Adubell if they have any chance of taking down everything else around her. It would come to that. The ultimate sacrifice she knows she must make.
“A conclusion.”
*
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
With a tight timeline and Director Veritaas recovering from his brush with death, Riley, Cassidy, and Sixta work quickly to thwart the Republic's inspection. Riley is moved to active status with CorSec and the three are transitioned onto the task force overseeing the operation. His presence throws a larger public spotlight on the situation, increasing the visibility of the Republic’s actions. Della is able to procure the list of “randomly” selected sites Senator Braac demanded to be “searched” to ensure they are not hiding the “fugitive.” Through her intel and Circe’s (as Octavia's) trusted presence with their contacts, Cassidy and Sixta are able to keep the coast clear as instructed. They have moved most of the Jedi off-world with a few exceptions but the considerable liabilities for them and their world are ever present.
Circe puts on a brave face but she is reeling from the news out of Chandaar. Janessa is gone and may have been responsible for this terrible thing that may push tensions over the edge. Now Kinsa is all that remains of their group, caught up in something larger than she may ever understand. Still, they must focus on the problem before them. Though the intention of the inspection was stated otherwise, they see right through them. The Republic is here for more than Senator Soldys and they were tipped off from the inside.
Their successes at the sites are only a small comfort.
The crucial part of the inspection they cannot influence is where data is concerned. They were careful but with so many requests for various datasets – including arrivals, departures, and ship manifests – it is only a matter of time before someone cross-references the right variables. Put it all together and have them dead to rights. Rights that have been twisted to the point where any remaining spark of hope that the Republic would rise above their past is now extinguished.
But they must play along – for now.
LG Sutton does her best to limit resistance to what has been outlined as part of their membership. Anything that would not further infringe on their sovereignty. Braac’s business here falls under the F.U.R.A., which he smugly points out whenever challenged, and feels entitles him to this violation. On several occasions, he alludes to their objections as being uncooperative which borders on non-compliance. Sutton politely but pointedly disagrees and requests the acting CorSec director to release the task force to aid in Braac’s efforts futile as she knows they will be.
As Circe returns to council offices with news of their efforts, the trio of young agents joins the primary contingent of the task force as they depart to meet Sutton and Braac. Riley grips an overhead support strap as the transport lifts off. He glances over at Cass and Six, grateful for their trust – if not in him then in what they are doing. They dip east, away from One CorSec Plaza. What scares him most is that there is no way of knowing if their internal allies can cover the People’s Council’s part in using their network to smuggle and harbor Jedi on and through Corellia. Their world has seen its share of horror.
If they are not careful there may be more to come.
*
Corellia
Deep Space
Aboard the Asunder, Donovan Atrii (as CorSec Agent Theon) watches the MC-60’s drift in the distance with a profound sense of dread meditation has yet to quell completely. His passengers – the fugitive Senator Artemis Soldys and Twi’lek Jedi refugee Sirona – tend to communications and weapons respectively. The Asunder is reassigned from system patrol to Republic detail accompaniment around Centerpoint, courtesy of the Senator’s friends in high places. Theon’s credentials and cruiser provide the necessary cover for executing their shadow operation.
They are here to keep watch and report out to their network should the Republic cross a line. By now, the Chiss superlaser would be mounted to one of their flagships as a last countermeasure.
Only if they crossed that line. Only to defend Corellia. This is what Soldys tells himself.
Using it would expel them from the system but there would be no going back after that. Corellia would be in open conflict with the Galactic Republic. From there, it would get messy. Very messy. Soldys wants to prevent that yet feels the sharp sting of inevitability building within him.
As they near the remnants of Centerpoint, old memories resurface. Time does not, as they say, heal all wounds. It is part of their history, what brought their Sector together, but it is also a terrifying weapon. Something they likely want to secure first. If restored, the Republic may be tempted to leverage it as means of control over them. Justify their actions as they have done with so many other atrocities committed against democracy. They have proven they are that desperate and he would not put it past Speaker Leeds and his allies to go after its lethal capabilities under the F.U.R.A.’s broad exceptions, especially now that President Inganarre no longer stands in their way.
They are on a true precipice now.
Sirona stirs at her station as tingles snake up her spine. The sensation turns to vibration which becomes a series of voices inside her head. They whisper. She calls on her training, steadying herself through the Force but they persist. So many emotions, coming in waves, bombard her psyche. The presences beyond, twisted amongst the wreckage, begin to cry out in anger and despair. A warning! She stands quickly, eyes fixed on the massive structure before them, which alerts Atrii and Soldys.
“Sirona?”
“What is it?”
They follow her eye line to Centerpoint and she gasps, breathless.
“There is darkness in that place. We cannot let it out.”
-TBC
-
“I’m so rough around the edges
My presence cuts like a knife
Yeah, I know I’m acting different
I say whatever is on my mind
But you never know what you might find
You never know what you might find
It’s a roll of the dice.”
-Tanlines
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
There is an undercurrent of tension across Corellia.
Thankfully, Senator Braac’s search is going nowhere. They have turned up nothing so far. The CorSec agents assigned to him dutifully show him the way, clearing a path, and not reacting to the rising exasperation when they inevitably do not stumble upon the fugitive Senator Soldys hiding out in a den of conspiring Jedi – no doubt the double-whammy gotcha the obnoxiously smug Braac is hoping for. They know there is a deeper significance to the visit and attempt to maintain the sense of demure acquiescence and ruthless compliance the Republic has increasingly come to expect of their member systems.
Riley tries not the snicker but feels it serves him right – barging in here, to their system, demanding time and energy to aid a discriminatory crusade to punish them for not jumping on the authoritarian bandwagon. It is true, they are in the wrong. Legally speaking. Corellia agreed to abide by these laws as part of their admittance into the Republic. However, their wrongness is the right thing to do. They just can’t get caught. No problem, he thinks, so long as they are ushered out of here empty-handed.
After many hours zig-zagging across the capital city and beyond, the CorSec contingent returns a rather frustrated Senator Braac back to his squad and transport where LG Katelyn Sutton waits for them with arms folded calmly behind her. On the walk over to her, Braac gets a call. He takes it but the conversation is brief, hushed, and he clicks off before arriving within earshot. She forces a smile but there is no warmth behind it.
“Welcome back, Senator. I trust you were accommodated as expected.”
“Your deception runs deep, Sutton. You Corellian’s think you are so clever. Distracting me down here while you hide the real threat amongst your ruins.”
Concern quickly creases on her face, “What do you mean?”
“Do not play coy with me. Our people were attacked by the Jedi on Centerpoint, where you have been hiding them this whole time. I have all the confidence we will find Soldys there as well.”
Sutton takes this in stride, “How could that be true if the Republic has had access to the remains of the station for years? At least let me verify this information before anyone escalates-”
“No,” he cuts her off sharply, taking several steps back. “Many are dead, who knows how many could be next! Corellia is in violation of the FURA, of Republic law, and will be prosecuted accordingly.”
“Prosecuted?” Sutton says, her voice rising several octaves. “Senator, I think you may be getting ahead of yourself.”
“Senator Braac,” Riley says, stepping forward. “We can send a joint task force to investigate and clear this matter up now.”
The interruption is enough to break the intensity. Sutton nods, returning her gaze to the Senator.
“An excellent point, Agent Patten. Shall we defer to reason before a rush to judgment? I can have a team assembled quite quickly to assist.”
The Senator looks him over carefully, lost in thought, “Patten? I know you. You are one of…them.”
Behind him, Sixta tenses beside an already stiff Cassidy. Riley and his damn nobility walk right into the line of fire once again. Those wide, almost violet eyes. The button nose. It is one reminiscent of Braac’s youth as Kimber Patten’s face gazed out over the promenade on Coruscant when he was a teenager, now staring back at him through her son in a potentially traitorous exchange. Of course, he knows that face. Riley is one of four faces that has graced many Holo channels throughout their melodramatic lives – the secretive billionaire orphan - most recently linked to the horrific incident on Hesperidium that claimed nearly four thousand lives. In association with, of course – the Republic’s favorite target - Force users. The setup is too unfortunate to be scripted but plays out anyway. Cassidy reminds himself to breathe. Sixta swallows a sigh and waits for it to connect.
“You are one of The Four.”
“Yes,” he says evenly. “But those associations have no implications here. Corellia has been amenable to your requests and we wish to clarify any reports indicating otherwise. Please. Will you partner with us to civilly resolve this matter?”
Braac considers this and the silence that follows is excruciating. He glares into both of their faces and decides he does not believe either one of them.
“I decline.”
He and his squad swiftly return to their ships and neither Katelyn Sutton nor Riley Patten attempt to stop him. The transports rise from the platforms and arc up and away, taking with them any hope they had of successfully pulling off this farce. It is like watching their freedom slipping away from them, all their progress and sacrifice tossed aside for what is very clearly a setup. It is the outcome the Republic needs in order to justify whatever comes next. And Sutton will not stand for it. She pulls out her com and turns, speaking into it grimly as she relays the news.
“We need defensive action. Now.”
In orbit, the transports and support vessels return to the three MC-60’s before they begin to converge on Centerpoint. In response, Corellia’s own fleet appears to counter the move, something unanticipated and made evident through the sputtering response from the Republic's commanding officer.
“You are in violation of Republic law! Stand down immediately!”
The Corellian fleet swarms the system, outnumbering but not necessarily outgunning the Republic with one exception. Mounted on the underside of a cruiser is the stolen Chiss superlaser which, given the maneuverability of CEC vessels and the sheer volume present, could easily dispatch all three MC-60’s before being targeted and destroyed. This is not the primary deterrent, even if they did somehow spot and identify it. The FURA may give them use of all necessary methods to enforce the law but doing so now – an impulsive and reactionary move – would cost them the support they need to finally end their opposition once and for all.
Corellia responds, pointedly: “Accusations without investigation and any military action against it results in a violation of Corellia’s sovereignty. You deny us due process under our membership and will therefore leave the system immediately until this matter can be resolved through appropriate channels.”
There is a dreadful pause where it seems that all of the orbital space around Corellia holds its breath.
They are well within their rights to invoke this, deferring to the judicial system and network of investigations that prohibit such drastic action, regardless of how much they wish otherwise. Even Speaker Leeds knows he must follow the process or risk turning Corellia into a rallying cry for anyone who opposes the FURA and its applications.
One after the other, the Republic cruisers retreat into hyperspace.
For now.
On the Asunder, with an overcome Sirona and stunned Master Atrii framed behind him, Senator Artemis Soldys watches with a rising sense of dread.
It has begun.
-TBC
-
“Manifesting hope
Staring at my wall
Here’s the curtain call
Shows over I’ve got to go.”
-THALA
Corellia
Senator Artemis Soldys stares at what remains of Centerpoint.
There are...mixed emotions. Master Atrii had moved them out of range on command of the general but Soldys could not tear his eyes away from the situation. Everything that had happened there, everything it once stood for, collapsed in on itself. Gone. A hunk of scrap with pieces beginning to float away. Spiraling silently into space. The parallels are not lost on him. The Republic now has means to blame them further, a powerful demonstration of their alleged resistance. It is all unfolding exactly as they hoped it would and Corellia would again be a target for those looking to misconstrue their intentions and subjugate their will. Never again. Never. Again. He chokes back a profanity-laced outburst and finally looks away.
Sirona drops to the floor in a heap, the whispers assaulting her psyche abruptly cut off. Only silence remains. She heaves a sigh, pushing herself up and raising her eyes to the wreckage beyond the viewport.
“They stopped…”
“What did?”
“The voices…”
A piercing alarm cuts through the cabin, diverting attention away from Sirona’s ominous tone.
The ship is being hailed.
Atrii answers to find a rough but very-much-alive Elon Veritaas in full uniform. He is a welcome sight, and just in time. The CorSec Director, for his part, is holding himself together well given his ordeal. A sterile white bandage strip covers the stitched-up gash along his neck and when he speaks, his voice is raspy, barely above a whisper.
“Agent Theon,” he croaks, using his assumed identity. “I am glad to see you are intact up there. May I speak with your guest?”
He nods, stepping aside as Soldys moves into view.
“Hello, old friend. Welcome back.”
“Not back soon enough, it seems. I see things have taken a turn. Thoughts?”
Artemis does not mince words, “The Republic will use this to their advantage, painting us in the absolute worst light to try and damn us in the eyes of the rest of the member worlds. Not all will be swayed but some may. This is our tipping point, Elon. The point of no return, again. We need to counter this with a rebuttal, shifting the narrative as we figure out how best to navigate our way out of this mess without risking all our people as collateral damage.”
“I take it you have an idea."
“I do. They accused us of this crime, promptly retreated to their shuttles, and assumed offensive positions in a blatant attempt to deny us due process – and we responded with a warning. They did leave the system, as requested, but the station imploded immediately afterward. As the Republic were the last ones on board, it is entirely likely they sabotaged it and us by preventing any type of investigation into their claims.”
Veritaas considers this, “They can easily accuse us of the same. A cover-up. How would we present this information, considering the situation with our representation in the Senate?”
“We could send Sutton as an emissary with a small delegation. She was with Braac throughout most of his visit and is the closest to it. Even without voting power, she can speak to the events firsthand which would resonate with our allies and strengthen our own case if they bring this to the floor.”
“They will, and quickly. We need to move just as fast. I can coordinate things here with other agencies, drum up the support and pull together a plan.”
“No small feat and I am grateful for the support. I am just surprised the Republic would sacrifice their own research team to prove a point.”
“They didn’t,” Sirona says weakly behind them.
Atrii moves to help her to her feet but she waves him off, standing unsteadily but determined. Artemis turns to her.
“What do you mean?”
“It wasn’t the Republic. She was already there. Waiting for them.”
“She?”
“The voices, so many voices, they told me she had come to let the darkness out, a darkness that had been there all along - before the station, before everything - and she did."
Sirona’s eyes are wide with terror.
"She took the darkness with her.”
-TBC
-
Corellia
The last minute decision to have an ally in the senate speak on Corellia's behalf, instead of Corellia's lieutenant governor, had been Artemis. He simply could not trust that Sutton would be released if allowed to speak on Chandaar.
He also had never expected that his colleague, from Mon Calimari, would be detained afterward. If Corellia was going to pass the law, they needed help enforcing it. He knew the implications, and the truth was, the New Republic needed a source for fleets.
Mon Calimari had, almost immediately after the vote, made a statement declaring they would not assist in creating the enforcement fleet for Corellia, and would not provide the Republic navy any assistance until their senator was released from detention.
That meant the Republic would either need to find other fleet construction sources - such as the Empire - or take steps to forcibly take control of Mon Calimari's means of production.
At the very least, it gave Corellia some time to organize.
"Senator, we've gathered the planetary defense commands for the entire sector"
Artemis blinked as he turned from his thoughts to the commander beside him, offering a sad smile.
"I think we should stop referring to me as 'senator'. I'm confident that the title no longer applies to me."
"So ... what title should we refer to you by, sir?"
"Title?" That was a good question. He had been Representative Soldys, and Senator Soldys for about fifteen years now; before that, he had been a private, arguably a lieutenant. His political positioning was largely due to his record as a hero, not an actual military rank.
"I suppose I'm a private citizen now."
If he was going to assist in the coordination of Corellia's Defenses though, he realized he would need to have some actual position - or perhaps he needed to step back entirely.
He followed the commander to the meeting room, where the individual heads of each Corellian Sector planet's defense forces were gathered. A few in person, a few by holograms. Each world had started their own organization, and many were concerned even for the short trip away
Artemis took up the central position.
"You all know what's happened in the Republic, and their intentions toward Corellia. You all are aware that we must be prepared. We need to coordinate our efforts; we need to prevent the Republic from bringing their fleets here. A defensive position, one that they cannot breach, will be our best strategy. They want to avoid a war with Corellia; just as we want to deter them without a war with the Republic. We need to hold out long enough for public support to turn in our favor. However long that may be. I have a plan for protecting our borders. It's risky, but if we accomplish it, we will be that much stronger in our defenses."
"We will need a commander to coordinate these efforts. I nominate you, senator Soldys. I nominate you as High Commander of the Corellian Sector Defense Fleet."
"I second that nomination. Senator - Artemis - you have led our people with distinction, fairness, and bravery. We stand with you."
Artemis shook his head
"the high commander of the Corellian Confederacy was a tyrant."
"but you will not be. As you said, this is temporary. You will lead us as you always have. The governors can still run their politics. But our military needs a leader, one who will unite us. It needs to be you. You will be our high commander."
Soldys let out a deep sigh, looking down at the floor as he thought to himself. Finally he nodded.
"very well. I accept this nomination."
"All in favor of appointing Artemis Soldys as High Commander of the Corellian Sector Defense Force"
"Aye"
"Aye"
"Aye!"
"Yes"
"Aye"
Around the room, the vote was unanimous.
Artemis Soldys was now, officially, high commander.
TBC
-
“Hunting high and low to seek revenge
Brand new moral code, got made reluctant renegade”
-Morcheeba
Corellian Sector
Drall
Surface: Undisclosed
Lady Gemma Masterton takes a long, slow breath and allows the Force to wash over her.
She feels it creep its way through her body like a rogue vine twisting beneath a garden of weary flesh. It soothes almost as much as it frustrates but, for now, in this moment, she calls upon it to bring a calm to the turbulent emotions coursing within. Her injuries were grievous, not fatal thanks to Mara’s intervention but the road to recovery requires more than a handful of dips in healing goo. There is much more than physical damage here, however grim and tangible. The traitor's saber scorched her skin and nearly severed her spine. A part of her wonders if that was a miscalculation or an intentional first strike in what would have been a series of injuries leading up to her gruesome death.
Quite clever, if Gemma allows herself to admit it through all the petty spite clinging to the edges of her perception. The galaxy already believes her dead so choosing to eliminate her first would not have drawn any unwanted attention. It would have simply made those lies true.
Gemma has had a bit of time to unpack what Mara shared with them. Their origins in relation to the loop theory, a tumbling cycle of doom that nearly succeeded the last round. So close. If only Melanie had a bit more perspective. Dementat and Karen could have done some serious damage on the throne by now if things had gone differently. The Republic, in its current form, may not even exist if they had defeated the Corellian Confederation and crushed their fledgling movement. If Karen recognized the threat Melanie’s delusions truly were. Valerie was already a goner by then but it still left the question of what to do with Kimber. If she was injured and died in childbirth with Riley, would he have been raised by the Imperial Emperor and Empress? Patten a warlord or Moff, the blood of his enemies flecked across that button nose. But that would not have ended it. Not according to Mara’s account of the original prophecy. The child must not live. It is more likely Riley would have been murdered, a sacrifice for the Sith to rise again. So many little outcomes that shifted the course of a rather gruesome history.
A hop-skip to their current state.
Mara asked her what she knew about who she is and her reaction was…less than measured or considerate. A tiresome tirade no one was in the mood to hear. One thing is for certain, Gemma Masterton is no Jedi. She reflects on the last conversation with Nevylinn, a stunning admission from her even if she is still smarting over the consequences. There was an acceptance in Nevylinn’s tone. The stark realities of the Jedi’s failings laid bare before them all yet it is not enough to satiate that fury.
Her breath slows everything down around her, conjuring a deep quiet and a fleeting respite. In her grief, she acted out, withdrew, and misdirected much of the things she felt. She has been ungrateful, bratty even. Not her best character work over the past few years. The fallen could-have-been star throwing an epic, if not entirely trite, pity party. If Mara and Nevylinn’s interactions with her indicate anything it is that she has become her own stereotype, self-righteous and shrill. She calls it out in The Jedi but acts similarly about her own bullshit. The sting of her hypocrisy ripples down the wound on her back. Gemma tries to reframe it, take a step back from her own experience and resulting bias but stumbles back into a dark pragmatism that has, thus far, not really done them a whole lot of good. She always received such high praise for her self-awareness – a therapist mother not really helping there – but it has stunned her into seeing everything through a fatalistic lens.
The end end.
Gemma rises carefully and hefts her saber, running a finger along the scored hilt, testing its weight in both practical and existential ways. What does it mean to wield it? What does it even matter? They procured their crystals through chilling adventure but it was Melanie’s spirit who guided them through the construction. Arming them from the eternal whatever. Why bother if those defenses would not stop what is coming? Could she not see that from the other side? Or did she still clutch at a feeble hope from beyond the grave? But Melanie was not Jedi either. Neither she nor Gemma were brought up in the Jedi Temple. It fell long before they were ever around. They are not even really Bokken, or whatever they refer to as bastard Jedi. Someone taken up and trained after the fall. Then again, neither were Karen or Dahlia. Can one become a Sith if they were never a Jedi? Nothing to fall from, she contemplates dimly. They were all far too old to begin their training, already caught up and corrupted in the trappings of attachment and superficiality. Yet they had learned anyway; fought and suffered and persevered. Despite or in spite of, she is not quite certain.
Feels like the latter for her.
Could she tread both sides, use both light and dark as Mara had? She considers that the technological side of her could be what kept her from falling. Humanoids are not quite as stable, as evidenced by, well, everything ever. She rolls Mara’s words around in her head, trying to make sense of it. Dark impulses versus light, a careful balance that leads someone to make the “right” choices, if there ever were such things. Right is simply too subjective, a concept rendered meaningless through misappropriation and misuse. Impulse is something she understands.
Mara needs to fight for Riley, a sacred vow, the bond of family. In that way she and Mara are alike. As a prototype made using Valerie Gellar’s genetic material and the active legacy gene that coursed through her delightfully wicked veins, they both descend from the same single point: Persephone. Thoughts of Mara in this new light, dappled and delicate, flicker across Gemma’s mind. Those rough edges soften, if only momentarily. Given the context, she considers that this has always been about family. Well, families. Separated from the source, spread out amongst the galaxy, merging and mingling with others. Extinguishing this line or that in peripheral service of the prophecy’s fulfillment. A humbling power up for grabs if only it could be controlled and yet – and yet – it never fails to make a goddamn mess.
If Adubell, under the mistaken belief that she is the Daughter of Darkness instead of Dahlia, slays them all to take victory for herself, it would only begin another cycle. Those disparate genes would again cross paths through the Voss-Ra's calamitous influence to produce a new set of players that would eventually be forced into an exceedingly dangerous game against someone who can seemingly live forever. That means keeping Dahlia alive. Hopefully, that is not too difficult given she is also believed dead and in hiding. No doubt lying in wait to do something unnecessarily dramatic. It serves as a way for her to interweave Mara’s goals with their own. She may spare Riley by destroying Adubell with her blessed blade but she has to do it before she procures all four pieces of the Etheralis. Even then, it only solves part of their problem. She would fight for that at least but after the grey-skinned woman falls all bets are off.
She hopes she has given Dane enough time.
Gemma feels a twinge and realizes Mara is standing behind her, sensing her in a way she never has before.
“Am I interrupting?”
“Would it have stopped you?”
“No,” she replies distantly, tone absent any rancor. “Word from Atrii. It seems the former Senator is now High Commander of Corellian Sector defense.”
“How interesting given how things went with the last one.”
It is a cheeky parallel, given the reaction Soldys had to their contingency plan and means through which to accomplish it.
“The Republic will return soon and you must be ready. I have a feeling Adubell will use this to her advantage.”
“I must be ready?” she asks, turning to face her. “What about you?”
Mara’s impenetrable gaze does not waver in the face of her audacity, “I am ready. She means to take Riley from us both and I know that is something we agree cannot happen.”
“Allies then? In our own ways. Nevylinn proposed the same, surprisingly enough.”
“So she told me. I am sure you have…thoughts.”
Gemma takes a moment and meets her eyes, “The most salient among them is that she may be right.”
It could be her imagination but she almost detects a smile pulling at the corners of Mara’s mouth. Could the unreasonable, traumatized girl be reasoned with? A promising prospect, if she could reconcile those conflicting emotions. Mara unclips and ignites her saber, twirling it around and in front of her to cast a yellow flicker in both of Gemma’s melancholic blue eyes. She and Nevylinn are both in recovery but their skills must remain sharp if they are to unite against a common enemy.
“Well then, let us see how right she is.”
-TBC
-
Corellian Sector
Drall
Surface: Undisclosed
The training has grown more and more intense as the days progress Nevylinn, Mara, and Gemma playing out various scenarios, practicing one-on-one or two-on-one. For them, it wasn't so much that the Republic had all but declared war on Corellia. Technically, the three of them were not Corellians. It wasn't their fight, and really, it was merely that Corellia had offered them some semblance of safety that brought them to the sector. Well that, and of course, Riley. Riley was Corellian, by blood, and by position; Mara and Gemma would fight to protect him, and Nevylinn would fight to protect the jedi. But really, it wasn't who they were fighting for, but against that allowed them to put aside their very real philosophical differences.
It was who they were fighting against. The chaos coming from the Republic's decision had already started rippling across the galaxy. All three suspected that Adubell and her allies had played some role in it; but there was beyond any doubt that Nevylinn's dark twin would use it to her advantage, to sow destruction, and claim even more power.
And so they trained. And trained. And trained. really, only breaking to focus on the other key aspect of their preparations - healing. The similiarities between the three of them were not lost, each having desperately needed to recover after the ordeals they had been through. And, having put aside the larger philosophical debate of whether the Jedi were good, or moral - or for that matter, if any of them were - they began to rely on each other's skill, their joint force presence to aid in that healing.
And as the days past, they developed a working rapport, honing their skills, preparing for when they would face the looming threat that was seeking to attack when the shadows were longest.
The hum of Mara's blade as it clashed against Nevylinn's echoed, then she pulled back, swinging around in time to parry away Gemma's. The two were on opposite sides of Mara, simulating a joint attack, a reflection of the reality that Adubell had already utilized her allies to make her assaults more one-sided. Mara had initially been wielding her saber with both hands, but now As Nevylinn began to close in, she swapped her weapon to the left hand - one obvious benefit of being a machine was that she was naturally ambidextrous - pushing out through the force with her right to push Gemma backward.
Gemma landed firmly on her feet, an annoyed expression briefly crossing her face before her lips curled into a smile. Reaching out, she latched onto the force, pulling at Mara's right leg just as Nevylinn was moving in for another stroke. Mara tripped backwards, quickly rolling up into a squat position, her blade held horizontally oer her to block Nevylinn's blow. Gemma was already approaching again, hoping to catch Mara while she was in the more vulnerable position, but Mara pushed upward against Nevylinn's blade, giving herself the room she needed to stand and block as Gemma ...
A chime overhead paused the battle, and one by one, the three women deactivated their sabers and moved to the comm station. With the push of a button, the bluish form of Artemis Soldys appeared.
"High Commander"
It was Gemma who spoke first, the sarcastic tone of her voice not lost on anyone. Including the one she was addressing. Artemis seemed to fidget under the title, as uncomfortable with it as anyone who knew Corellia's history. he also was clearly in a hurry, getting straight to the point.
"I need to talk to Mara - in private"
Nevylinn nodded her head, stepping out of the room, Gemma following shortly behind. Mara watched them step out before turning back to Artemis.
"What can I do for you ..."
"Please, Artemis is fine"
"Artemis .. what can I do for you?"
He paused for a moment before carrying on, as if weighing whether this was the best option.
"You used to be a representative of the Trade Federation. One of its leaders, in fact."
"I suppose you could say that. But there isn't much left of the Trade Federation, as I recall."
"I need some information about some of the Trade Federation technology that was sold to the Republic"
A blast from the past to be sure. It had been years since the Trade Federation was even existent. After the Wheel had disappeared, the Administrator murdered, the assets sold off on the market ...
"I'm not sure I'm really qualified to provide that information"
She didn't bother to mention that Corellia and the Trade Federation had been, effectively competitors at the time. Water under the bridge, and how often did old enemies become allies.
"Look, Mara, I have a plan to protect Corellia - or at least, hold off an attack against Corellia. But I cannot do it without your help."
"Every time I've tried defending Corellia, it's ended in disaster. Right now, my fight is only to protect those I love. I'm not getting into a skirmish between Corellia and the Republic"
"Mara, for someone with a mind like yours, that was a remarkably naive statement. You know that this rift with the Republic is something more than mere politics. And I'm not asking you to fight with Corellia. I'm just asking for information. Me and my men will do the fighting. The defending. And with any luck, we can hold off the Republic until some sanity comes back to the senate."
"Very well - what is it you need?"
Artemis pressed a few buttons, and in place of his image, was one of a small device that Mara was familiar with.
"Gravity Well Nets?"
Artemis' voice could still be heard in response.
"The Trade Federation invented these almost two generations ago - and then sold them to the Republic. The Republic has used them to maintain control of their borders. I have a plan to capture a number of nets, that sit on the edge of Corellian and Republic space."
Mara shook her head.
"The gravity well nets are designed to avoid capture. Attempts to gain control of them will trigger a self-destruct mechanism"
"Exactly. That's why I need your help. I need to find a way to reprogram those nets, to gain control of them, without having them blow up."
"I'm not sure that can be done - The Trade Federation was really good at making its tech tamper proof"
"I was hoping that maybe you had the expertise to prove that their system isn't full proof."
Mara leaned forward looking over the hologram of the satelite-shaped object in front of her.
"It may take time. But I'll see what I can do"
"Thank you."
TBC
-
Corellian Sector
Drall
Surface: Undisclosed
Mara sat in front of the holo-projector, a frown on her face as images flashed before her eyes. Finding the general schematics of the gravity well net had been easy enough, having been preserved in her memory banks. But figuring out how to mess with those schematics? That would be much trickier.
The gravity well net predated her involvement with the Trade Federation. In fact, it predated not only her existence, but that of her 'creator', PHAGE, when Medivh was still young, a flesh-and-blood viceroy, instead of the machine he later became. In the wake of the collapse of the Empire, Medivh had brought the Trade Federation a great deal of prominence, territory - and enemies. In Medivh's over-confidence, he had miscalculated, leading to a surprise attack that caused the destruction of a vast portion of the Trade Federation's fleet, a contraction of its territory, and nearly the desolution of the entire organization, both as a corporate entity and as a governing faction.
But Medivh learned from his mistakes. Instead of focusing his energy on massive and expensive super ships, he developed a fleet of small but durable vessels. Under 300 meters in length, but carrying the punch needed to regain strength. And to ensure that no one would surprise the Federation with a direct attack on their territory again, he developed the gravity well nets.
The creation was essentially a platform. No room for personnel, or any comforts. They had exactly two items onboard - a power source, and a gravity well projector. By keeping the design slimmed down, they were cheap enough to produce in large quantities, and allowed him to create a net around Federation territory (hence the name). However, Medivh had known that without an onboard security force to protect the devices, they would make easy prey for other factions to try and capture. An ion cannon blast would disable, and boom, easy pickings. So to safeguard the new technology, he had developed a failsafe. Should the device ever lose power below a certain threshold, it would automatically trigger a self-destruct, making the platforms essentially capture proof.
The Republic had purchased hundreds of these devices from the Trade Federation, creating their own protected border, including between the Republic's main space and the Corellian Sector.
Now, Artemis was asking Mara to find a way to capture the uncapturable. To short-circuit a system that was specifically designed to avoid being short-circuited.
A hiss from the door led Mara to look up as Nevylinn stepped through the opening.
"You've continued practicing with Gemma?"
Nevylinn nodded
"Her battle technique is certainly more aggressive. I think she likes taking out those feelings on me"
"Whatever works. We all need the practice if we are going to be ready for what's coming"
"I worry about it. All of that dark energy flowing through her."
"We've discussed this"
"I know, I know. And I'm trying to see things the way you do. I know that the rules of the jedi are not for everyone. And Gemma continues to resent ... well, everything really. But even accepting that a balance between dark and light may be ok ... I just don't feel a balance there. I think the dark may be eclipsing the light."
Mara stood up, walking over to Nevylinn and putting a hand on her shoulder
"I believe Gemma is a good person. And despite her anger, her intentions are good. If they weren't I wouldn't let her anywhere near Riley"
Nevylinn let out a weak smile, nodding her head.
"Someday you'll tire of my over caution"
"Maybe. But between your caution and Gemma's animosity, I think we make a nice balance. Besides, that surge of dark power may be exactly what we need when the time comes"
Nevylinn was about to say something, when Mara took a step back, her eyes widening
"surge ..."
Nevylinn shook her head, a confused expression going on her face
"What is it?"
Mara turned, moving quickly back to the computer.
"The gravity well nets. their self-destruct is triggered when their power goes down. But what if ... what if instead of shutting down their power, we increased their power. Plug them in to a high dose of energy, causing"
"a surge"
Nevylinn nodded, walking up behind Mara as Mara started typing furiously on the pad
"The nets power regulator would sense the power surge, and then shutdown automatically, to ensure that the internal systems are not damage. It wouldn't trigger the self-destruct. Or at least, it shouldn't."
Mara continued typing away at the pad, the holo image adjusting as she ran through a simulation.
"THey would have to plug in to the external port, and be able to pump enough energy in without triggering any alarm systems. But it is doable. Then, once it has been shut down .. then we need to figure out how to actually gain control of it ...."
Nevylinn watched as Mara worked, nodding her head as she thought to herself
"A surge of power ... essentially confusing the enemy"
Mara nodded her head
"Something like that"
Before looking up
"Why?"
Nevylinn smiled
"Oh, I just thought of another lesson for my next sparring match with Gemma"
TBC
-
“Don’t the best of them bleed it out
While the rest of them peter out?
Truth of consequence, say it aloud
Use that evidence, race it around.”
-Foo Fighters
Corellia
Surface: Coronet
Riley, Riley, Riley.
Stepped in it again. What was he thinking, trying to smooth things over with the Senator? The shadow of his own legacy looms over anything he does. It would be easier if he kept his mouth shut and stayed out of the way. Let others handle it. This place is a part of him so he could never do that. He had been out of pocket long enough.
In CorSec headquarters, he trains with Veritaas instructing him from the sidelines. Knowing his spirit, keeping him out of the fray is a pipe dream. Best he is ready. The Director is moving more slowly than he once did but he is moving. The deep crimson gash along his throat serves as a painful reminder of his misplaced faith in seeing how things would play out. Trying to weaken CorSec with his death while using the ensuing chaos as a cover to free their captive Infiltrator is fairly clever, even if only one of those two goals had been achieved. He had slipped away to the prison beneath them, stared at the empty chamber, and buried two good men. The transgression now puts him at risk and so he focuses on guiding Riley through their combat protocols with an empathetic urgency.
He is best with a blaster in his hands. The bolts find their marks with refreshing accuracy. There is a frenetic energy between them, knowing the Republic is coming. So many things they could not say to one another in this place. Pressing matters, and all that. Moving quickly between targets, Riley feels the bite of guilt having asked his friends to run interference within their own agency. He hopes Corellia’s survival guides their path as it does his own. The fate of Centerpoint twists something inside him as his mind drifts to his mother, entombed among the collapsed ruins.
Kimber died for it so that Riley could save it.
What good is a loophole, he ponders, if not for this significant a purpose? He would die for it too, something edging ever closer to a guarantee should all else fail. He knows the others – Mara, Elon – would trade their lives for his in an instant. To prevent what is quickly becoming an inevitability. He has faith in them yet understands that the prophecy and the Voss-Ra have been operative for far too long for there not to be one or two surprises up their dingy, tattered sleeves. The effort expended on it, all the blood shed for it, is simply astounding. And so here Corellia is once again, a scapegoat and a target.
They would not stand for it.
He showers and parts ways with Veritaas for now, glancing past the statue of Valerie Gellar with the sun receding from a carved expression of determination on her nearly glowering face. Dane may be kind of a pill but the Gellar grit could come in handy right about now. They are all family anyway, right? He giggles to himself as he strolls up to his residence to meet Cassidy and Sixta. They needed to blow off some steam.
The ring sits in a box on the nightstand which he is quick to conceal by scooping it into a drawer. They are preoccupied but Riley redirects anyway, “And what of the investigation?”
Sixta makes a sour face, “No pleasantries? No refreshments? Some eccentric billionaire you turned out to be.”
“Help yourselves, there is pretty much anything you can think of. Droids keep it stocked.”
“Already on it,” Cassidy laughs, tossing him a bottle of ale. “Six?”
“Pass. I’m too wound up.”
“That’s kind of the point of drinking it.”
Riley cracks it open and taps the neck against Cassidy’s. She sighs, launching into it.
“Alright, so, despite the more, uh, immediate threat, Inspector Thekla left any Jedi connection out of the final report on the Kor Vella bombing. The evidence, scant as it may be, is suspicious but too convenient. Thekla knows that and is not about to give the Republic anything more they can use at this juncture.”
Cassidy clears his throat, “However, given Veritaas’s statement regarding his attack and the forensic evidence at the bombing, it implicates Doctor Cross as the perpetrator of both crimes.”
“They brought Veritaas in, of course, and he did not dispel Thekla’s suspicions but gave him enough to draw his own conclusions about a deeply disturbed woman who was traumatized by her ordeal which led to these ghastly events. The catch is that he still thinks Veritaas is foolish for not locking her down and debriefing before ever letting her near CorSec equipment and systems. I do not wish ill of the Director but his lapse in judgment here raises leadership concerns at very fundamental levels.”
“How much?”
Cassidy takes a hard swig, “Enough to raise an internal inquiry and investigation. That isn’t something we can prevent if that’s the course it takes.”
“Moreover, he is curious about you, Riley, and Veritaas’s connection to you. The presence of a potential trigger word or phrase, same as you said happened with Dane and his protector, provides a motive even if it was not her own. It also implies something deeper, more strategic. He believes you are hiding something. I think you are too.”
“Noted. How is this…good?”
“It cleared Della Avers, at least in the short-term, and we did what we could. A little gratitude goes a long way, Patten.”
He nods, “And I am grateful. So, so, grateful. Thank you both. I’ll flag it to Veritaas. He’ll think of something if and when the time comes.”
“He may not have to,” Cassidy quips. “Given our current predicament. Sounds like we may need all hands on deck.”
“I am hoping it doesn’t come to that.”
And for a moment, it becomes as it should be. Young friends catch up as they try to make sense of the world. They hang for a bit longer but as Cassidy and Sixta are heading for the door, a call comes through – unknown ID.
“I’ll catch you later, I’ve got to take this.”
Riley practically skips into his room, tapping on the projector. Gemma appears before him in a cloak and hood that conceals nearly her entire form. She glances up, revealing her face and he smiles.
“There you are.”
“Hi.”
“You look like you have a lot on your mind. How are you managing?”
“As well as can be expected. No one has strangled anyone…yet. Lots of training which, admittedly, is a welcome distraction. Soldys asked Mara to do something for him but she did not say what. If I am guessing; defense. We will need it. And you?”
“Productive, the People’s Council is spared for now. If he seeks defense of Corellia, I know Aunt Mara will guide him. She will help us if she can. I miss you.”
“Same, but there is something you should know…”
She recaps Lysette’s betrayal, the Infiltrator attack, and the resulting body count – carefully skirting around the extent of her injuries. So. They were being played all along. It hits him hard but he accepts that they knew their enemies would be both resourceful and vast. Then it occurs to him: does that mean they know about the contingency? They had been so careful around the others, keeping the Jedi away from that aspect of their plans. There is no telling what they know now. He voices as much to Gemma.
She pulls the cloak tighter around her, “I thought of that as well but do not believe it should deter us. We must remain steadfast if Adubell and the Voss-Ra cannot be stopped.”
“Yes,” he says. “But first, an idea. You remember that question I asked you?”
She grins, “Of course.”
“Then we elope. Something small but meaningful to us, I can arrange it. We will be together.”
“In the time we have. I remember.”
“Well, what do you think?”
She pushes aside a golden curl that falls across her face, “I think it is perfect. Talk soon. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Beaming, Riley watches the image of Gemma fade only to be replaced by Sixta leaning against the archway with Cassidy skulking sheepishly beside her.
He gasps, taking a step back.
“You know I wasn’t entirely convinced,” she says evenly. “You did mope around maker knows where for the better part of a year but you returned without the kind of resolve that comes from such a loss. Everyone grieves differently, I guess. But you? You show up simultaneously preaching the gospel of restoring order to Corellia while evading any specifics about your little adventures acting like you still have something to lose. Someone to lose, to be precise. Gemma Masterton never died in that explosion.”
“No,” he whispers. “She didn’t.”
Cassidy groans, “That’s fucked up, man.”
“It wasn’t like that!”
“We’ve grieved because you grieved! We spent months here thinking you were off on some self-destructive spiral over losing Gemma Masterton while what? The People’s Council smuggles Jedi in and out of Corellia like it doesn’t mean we wouldn't end up exactly where we are right now? The Republic is coming with garrisons to exert control over us! We are on the precipice of war!”
“We swore to defy those in power to do what is right.”
“Clearly we have been doing that long before our little pact. You lied to us.”
“Who else?” Cassidy asks carefully, side-stepping both of them. “Who else made it out of the Bolerathon Tower?”
“Cass…”
“Who, Riley?”
“Uh. Pretty much everyone except Ples. Trichelle, I heard, died later. She was injured in the crash.”
“Holy shit. What about the Imperials that were with you?”
“They…let us escape.”
“In exchange for what?” Sixta snips with an incredulous scoff, fingers instinctively stretching toward her blaster. He could be compromised after all and they are making the same mistake Veritaas made. Riley senses this is going south and shifts toward the appeal.
“At that moment? Three CSA heirs but Dane was right. They were in a much better position to negotiate with them than either Gemma or I but that is not the point. What happened then or after is not going to stop what is happening now. Some fates cannot be overcome with all the care, hope, and love in the worlds. We have a real fight with real enemies.”
Cassidy huffs, “You can’t honestly just gloss over that by waxing poetic all over your posh apartment!”
“Especially if these things are related and relevant which, I suspect with you, they are.”
“Subjectively speaking. This is not about evading accountability.”
"So not an apology, Riley. Also, it is total bullshit. No one wants to run around doing your little bidding. We know you, we can't know you, and that may be the biggest menace to us all."
He searches for words they can rally around. They are not wrong but now is not the time to argue correlation and causation. There is nothing either of them can do for him or Gemma in the end. As much as he wishes otherwise, their influence and path through these threats are not going to be resolved by further interference into an ancient and convoluted plot marking Masterton and Patten for certain doom. He appreciates that they would try, but their efforts are better spent elsewhere. He will have to let them go.
“The Empire needs the Republic to fall and they are going to use Corellia to do it. They didn’t find what they were looking for so they created a reason to move against us. Did you see the vids of Speaker Leeds on the Holo? That guy is off the rails! If they cross the line with us to enforce increasingly unpopular laws they will lose the support they need and the Empire will be primed to regain control. Corellia should never align with either faction if they conspire to commit genocide and subjugation so I need you two to get over whatever outrage you feel about not knowing a part of myself I would just as soon not share and focus on what we have to do.”
Sixta is livid over the smug point but Cassidy chimes in before she can chide him.
“And what are we doing to do?”
“We’re going to help save Corellia but first, I am going to marry Gemma Masterton.”
-TBC
-
“Do you see the sign on the skyline?
Space head omen girl
It’s raining blood and fire on your world
Born under a bad sign.”
TOMMA INTET
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
Agent Sixta Belasiss considers Riley’s proclamation. They agreed to help him but that does not exempt him from suspicion. His flecked, violet eyes seem to search her face for an understanding and trust that she cannot quite conjure up at the moment. Would he turn on them as well? He lied and there is no telling what else he may be lying about. Cassidy, she can tell, desperately wants to accept him at his word. Some sort of shared male bond or whatever that does not take root in her. She snaps up her blaster and sets to stun, leveling it at the duplicitous Patten.
“I do not believe you.”
She fires once, sending Riley sprawling back against his massive (and rather well-made) bed. They watch in silence as he slumps forward onto the floor.
“Sixta! What the fuck?”
She holsters the blaster and glares at Agent Clay, “You read the statement. Doctor Cross reappeared without explanation and she damn near murdered Veritaas. By his own admission, there are similarities to other cases. Riley made the link as well. We need to take him to Inspector Thekla, and sort this out. Do not tell me you are buying this.”
“Ok, well, no, not entirely but why would he tell us if not to help us put together a pattern?”
“A pattern he is following. I want to save Corellia too but he is a walking plot hole. Do you want to wind up bleeding out on a floor after he is triggered by some sociopath Force user?”
Cassidy shakes his head, “Of course not but let’s not go leaping to conclusions.”
“Leaping? Thekla’s rationale for leaving any Jedi-related insinuation out of the Kor Vella report does not change the fact that evidence of such involvement exists. There was forensics that substantiated involvement.”
“Conveniently placed for us to find along with wiped security vid drives.”
“Fair enough but the fact remains - we do not know where Riley was for all that time. Clearly, it was not mourning Gemma. He is asking a lot of us without giving much in return.”
“You think Gemma Masterton is involved in this as well?”
“She is a known Force user formally and publicly exiled from the Republic. Implies motive.”
“Riley would never turn on us or Corellia.”
“No one is saying he did,” Sixta counters. “If Cross and the others were conditioned into sleepers then what is to say Riley is not being used to undermine any response Corellia has to the Republic’s allegations? He put himself on Senator Braac’s radar and you heard him. The Empire would benefit most from a Republic implosion and what better way to ensure that than bait them into a bloody and contentious conflict that finally fractures the tenuous support of crucial member systems. I am not saying I disagree with the assessment but his presence here, now, after all this time is pretty convenient too. Corellian lives would be lost, Cass.”
Cassidy’s eyes drop to Riley’s body. They may not have known each other as kids but Riley has been a good friend and they had trained side-by-side at the CorSec Academy, even as sporadic as his participation had been. They had forged something together, the three of them, when all the others thought them odd and off-putting. He must serve and protect their citizens even if it is sometimes from themselves.
“Lives are going to be lost anyway, Six. You know that. But I do see your point. We have Thekla debrief him but we need to keep it quiet. He’s one of us and the last thing anyone wants is one of The Four making headlines out of Corellia right now. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
*
One CorSec Plaza has several secure rooms for informants. Riley wakes up in one, groggy and growing more surly by the microsecond. Thankfully, he is not restrained. The sharp lights overhead do not help matters as a face swirls into focus. He looks serious but not angry which does not calm him the way he hoped it would.
“I’m Inspector Claes Thekla. I am glad we can finally meet although I wish it were under better circumstances.”
“Wha…what circumstances? Sixta, did you…shoot me?”
“I did, yes. Pay attention, Patten and you can clear this up once and for all.”
Riley’s brows pull inward, “I can only speak to Director Veritaas.”
“I am afraid that is not possible,” Thekla says coolly, approaching the table. “As of about twenty minutes ago, Elon Veritaas has been suspended from duty and put on administrative leave pending investigation.”
“Why?”
“He broke protocol which resulted in a breach of CorSec systems, a near-successful attempt on his life, and the deaths of several children. A rather compelling reason why Veritaas may need some time away now that he has been cleared by medical. For now, I’d like to know what you have been up to. Your presence was unaccounted for much longer than most agents, even ones in the special reserve unit Veritaas strangely has you in. It must be nice to have friends in high places.”
Riley struggles to keep a neutral tone, “I know you are just doing your job but if you really believed I was a threat, you would have snatched me up the moment I entered the system.”
“There was no reason to do so at that time. However, now we need additional clarification.”
“What do you already know?”
“Only what your fellow agents reported. That you were gone for a considerable amount of time and, given the recently uncovered links between other seemingly mysterious disappearances and subsequent events, your explanation or lack thereof could be a sign we need to take a more cautious approach. Would you disagree with that statement?”
“No."
Cassidy and Sixta stand flanking Thekla at a distance, expressions placid as they look past him. They apparently didn’t tell him everything which bodes well but he would need to think quickly. Thekla leans forward.
“Excellent. Let’s start with who you were with. Was it the Jedi?”
Riley’s eyes slide away from his to the wall. Thekla’s jaw tightens.
“Agent Patten, I do not have to remind you how dangerous this particular implication could be. There is already evidence of Jedi activity on Corellia after the FURA went into effect. The Republic has suspected this all along and if someone within our ranks has been providing unsanctioned assistance in violation of our charter as a member-”
“Then what? You are on board with genocide so long as it doesn’t ruffle any Republic feathers?”
“That is not what I said. Do not make this political.”
“Everything is political! What do you think got us here?”
Thekla turns, asking for the room before taking a moment to collect his thoughts.
“You got heart and I admire that but remember we are on the same side. Corellia must survive but you have to understand what kind of position this puts us in. Two of the three others who were missing are now dead and seemingly tied to a variety of high crimes across the galaxy. You told Agents Belasiss and Clay that the third individual was triggered by a phrase that turned them violent. That also appears to be the case here with Doctor Cross. You can see our dilemma.”
“Not sure I do.”
“Alright, Agent Patten. The theory is that they were all taken and sent back to do something potentially destabilizing, leveraging the trust in those around them to operate undetected until they were triggered. I do not believe we have evidence linking Kain’s involvement in the Republic to what happened here or in the Corporate Sector but proximity and similarity do seem to point in that direction, especially after you confirmed she was sent to look for Prescott in the first place. Then there is you – returning to Corellia after Cross failed to kill Veritaas.”
“You think I am dangerous?”
“I think you know more than you told your friends.”
He nods, attempting to maintain the illusion of their deniability, “You are right about that.”
“Where were you?”
“The Unknown Regions,” Riley replies as casually as possible, reaching for one of the many truths among all the lies.
“Were you now? That seems…unwise considering the risks. You could have been stuck out there forever if the legends are to be believed. What were you doing there?”
“Procuring means of Corellian defense."
The words, chosen carefully, land on Thekla. He had read up on the son of Kimber Patten. So much of his history was left undocumented, leaving only the superficial threads of an orphan trying to find his way with all the money in the worlds. That would normally be enough to write him off as a spoiled punk but his public profile, the persistent rumors, his stint with CorSec and his ties to Veritaas paint a more complex picture. This is not the first time he has been away which leads Thekla to believe these were not entirely unplanned.
“Can you elaborate on that?”
“To the extent I am able,” he says, vaguely ominous. “Look, there is a legitimate reason for my secrecy and it has nothing to do with brainwashing or bombings. I appreciate Belasiss and Clay’s concern and would have done the same but not all CorSec agents operate exclusively within this system. We have other interests.”
Thekla frowns, “I have heard stories of special ops, yes. Are you saying-”
“I am saying we need to be able to defend ourselves if it comes to it. That is what Sucellus is.”
“Sucellus?”
He shrugs, “That is all I can say. For now. Without Veritaas.”
In truth, the reserve unit Veritaas created as his cover is much more than it seems. Something the Director embedded with exactly this type of flexibility. No one could put anything going on behind the scenes into general CorSec case files. His “unit” – overseen by the Director, when not conducting domestic CorSec operations – was assigned “missions” under the moniker Sucellus, used to officially explain his absences. He thought it was overkill back in the day but it is coming in clutch at the moment.
Thekla pulls out his datapad, taps in the search, and is met with the most frustrating sound of denial. It cannot be. His connections really do go all the way to the top. This is well above Thekla's pay grade and not something he would be able to pursue further, at least not without authorization. He glances at Riley and then back at his datapad.
Project Sucellus: Classified
-TBC
-
Corellian Sector
Drall
Surface: Undisclosed
"How do we know this will work?"
Artemis Soldys' blue holo projection was full sized as Mara was talking through the schematics of her plan.
"The technology demands that this would work."
"And it won't trigger the self-destruct?"
Mara shook her head.
"The Trade Federation was thorough - but it never occurred to them that someone would pump electricity into the system. They were worried someone would use ion cannons to capture the unmanned nets."
"And then, after they are disabled. We can just tug them where we need to, and gain control?"
"There is one minor complication on that front. You're going to need me to join you on the mission."
"What? Why"
Mara typed in a few keys and a new diagram scrolled on the screen.
"The nets have an anti-transfer lock on them. It's built into the programming. That way, even if they get sold to a third party, like they were to the Republic, they can't be resold, and resold, and resold to an enemy of the Trade Federation. It was actually indicated in the sale contract. Once the Republic was sold these nets, no one else would be able to activate or deactivate them. At least, not without Federation permission.
There is a built-in code that allows the Federation to go in and reset the system. It can only be triggered once the system is powered down, but once it is, we can go in and reset the command codes, giving you the access you want."
"Why can't you just provide me with the reset code?"
"Because it isn't just a code. It requires a hardware-software-biometric combination to reset the codes. Again, a failsafe so somebody couldn't steal the codes. Only the highest ranking Federation officials ever had the required combination. Including me. My biometrics will need to be present in order to activate the reset."
"Your administrator was quite the paranoid individual"
Mara scoffed
"Medivh was, and he passed that on to each of his successors. It's how he survived long after people thought he was dead. But in the end, it didn't help - The Trade Federation was dissolved, and the last administrator was murdered. But at least I can help you out with your mission."
Artemis nodded, letting out a sigh.
"Alright. I guess you'll join us. We should meet up in person to coordinate -"
There was a beeping on another line, and Mara watched as Artemis tapped a button, a frown crossing his face.
"What is it?"
"Apparently, internal Corellian politics are still alive and well, despite our predicament"
"What happened?"
"It looks like ongoing CorSec investigations have led to Director Veritass being put on administrative leave and ... oh great"
"What is it now?"
Artemis looked up at Mara, the look on his face making it clear he didn't want to tell her what he had learned.
"Well ... you know, in my role, I've been given access to essentially all internal, classified CorSec information, including investigation dispatches."
"Yes ..."
"It seems that Riley was brought in for questioning. by Inspector Thekla"
"WHAT?"
TBC
-
“I could give you petty rhymes
Of worlds that I contrived
They’re in my sleep, my dreams, I speak them
Slow so you can read
And not stand back and stare and fear
Foolish devouring things.”
-Purity Ring
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
Inspector Thekla exits the interview room and nods to the agents.
“Agent Patten will undergo a full psych evaluation and, if cleared, resume his duties. For now. The two of you will escort him.”
Riley appears behind him, “Thank you, Inspector.”
“Be warned. The situation with Veritaas is very serious. He put this entire agency at risk so your secrets may only be safe for so long.”
“Understood.”
“Do not go too far. We may need to speak again soon.”
Riley begins to walk down the corridor with Cassidy and Sixta falling into step beside him. He is only a little pissed he wound up here but cannot really hold a grudge. He wouldn’t trust him either if he were them but they must if their focus is to remain where it needs to be. Not really doing a great job of convincing them so far. There is no telling what the Republic will try when they inevitably return. The entitled manner in which Senator Braac conducted his sham investigation only indicates they would operate aggressively if ever allowed back on the surface of their world. If Soldys sought out Aunt Mara’s assistance then he hopes it would be enough for them to never have to find out. However, he knows forces are working behind each action and reaction so they must be prepared to fight for their home and their lives.
“What did the Inspector mean by secrets?”
“It’s classified.”
Her features pinch reflexively, skeptical, “Really? If you were conducting classified CorSec business, why not just say that?”
“Would that have made you any less suspicious?”
“Perhaps not,” Sixta admits with a silken smirk. “It would have given us a better frame of reference. The only reason you are being sent to psych without an armed detail is likely because Thekla confirmed this so congrats, you have cover for your intentional ambiguity. Not that I don't think you are digging yourself a deeper hole. It also does not change what we heard.”
“Overheard, as in eavesdrop like a bunch of creeps.”
“Not really in a position to point fingers,” Cassidy says. “Not after that.”
“Fair, but why didn’t you tell him about Gemma?”
“We got enough problems right now. The important thing is to make sure you are not a danger – to us or others. We are not going to apologize for that.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to. I get it, and I am fully willing to validate it through proper channels.”
“That might be difficult for them to do with the Director's suspension and let's be clear - he did that to himself. His questionable judgment casts doubt on anything one might be doing for him. Leadership may want to review his decisions to make sure they still align with CorSec's mission."
"He's right. Now you respect protocol? What about the recent events your rather ominous fiancé shared? Violence involving Force users, loss of life on our soil? That is…such a flagrant violation it defies logic. You and Veritaas are playing it rather loose for those claiming to have Corellia’s security in mind. Are you telling us those events fall under the same blanket mission classification?”
“It is an unfortunate byproduct of it. I told you it is complicated.”
“Got that but what about the new players? Who or what is the Voss-Ra?
“Uh, ancient shape-shifting, Force-wielding sorcerers.”
“Mm…and Adubell?”
“A ruthless, genetically modified, seemingly invincible Sith hybrid-clone. Or something.”
“Holy fuck, Riley. Seriously?”
Sixta rounds a corner and presses two fingers against the bridge of her nose but keeps her voice low, “Sith in the mix too? Swell. You are literally killing me, Patten. What are we supposed to do with this information? Even if someone believes either one of those descriptions – both of which are insane, by the way – how are we supposed to fight that?”
“They are not your battles to fight. Others are working on it. That’s the point. We need to focus here. Getting caught up in what I was doing and with whom is not going to stop the Republic from returning with greater numbers and even more sinister intent. The disinformation plaguing the Jedi has always been a manufactured ploy to conjure up policy to counter it. They are not perfect, not even close, but some mean to help us. Those who want the galaxy to be a place of peace, as much as anything this vast can be. I choose to trust them to do that as they trust in us to protect them from unjust persecution.”
The group traverses through medical and crosses into psych, as silence falls over them until they arrive at the counselor’s door. Cassidy knows his history is dark and complex, dark enough to make the things he says probable even if they are both confusing and horrifying. Sixta knows the same but a part of her wishes he was not part of something so seemingly portentous and potentially destructive.
If he is not compromised, could he instead be a harbinger? The son of beloved, conflicted Patten, nephew of austere hero Gellar – as the ever-bold and dramatic retellings go - returns to herald their downfall. The cursed prince of Corellia. Someone should write a play. These thoughts chill her to the core and, despite not doubting his intentions, questions whether or not his efforts could realistically spare them from ruin. She pushes out a breath slowly, turning to him.
“Are you saying that because you believe it or because you are in love with one?”
Riley pauses before heading inside, “Both.”
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
Inspector Thekla's frustration at his lack of access shows on his face as he again tries to access the file.
Project Sucellus: Classified
He wasn't actually expecting a different answer, but somehow he kept making the attempts. It seemed only the Director himself could provide access, something he would be less inclined to do now that he had been placed on leave.
Thekla's thoughts are interrupted by a chime at his door, and he stands to open it.
There, standing before him, the spitting image of Corellian hero Valerie Gellar, with a face of hardened determination.
"Where's Riley?"
The voice was a asking a question, but the threat behind it was unmistakable.
"Who ... who are you?"Thekla takes a step back, his hand moving to the holster on his side, ready to pull it out.
"No - stop that - both of you"
From behind the Gellar look alike, none other then Artemis Soldys came forward.
"Inspector, we are not here to harm you or threaten you"
Even as Artemis directed his comments at Inspector Thekla, his gaze was turned to the woman, who glared back at him before her face softened.
Only then did Artemis turn to face the inspector.
"This is Mara Tacofer. She is Riley Patten's aunt and guardian - or at least, she was before he became an adult. Ms. Tacofer is assisting Corellia in its defensive maneuvers"
The Inspector looked from one to the other, a concerned look on his face.
"You mean ... against the Republic?"
"The Republic - for one. But Corellia is facing many dangers, as is the galaxy as a whole. Mara here, and Riley Patten, are both assisting in ensuring Corellia remains free."
"But ... what about the investigation? the attack on the Director, on CorSec? the explosion ..."
Artemis looked over at Mara, then back at Thekla.
"You've known of me for a while now, Thekla. You know I have stood up for the Corellian Sector my entire life. That is where my loyalties have always lied. And that's where they stay. Are you loyal to Corellia, Thekla?"
The question caught him off-guard. Yes, he knew of the trouble in the Republic, but he never thought that Corellia and the Republic would be facing against each other, not withstanding what he had been hearing.
"Yes sir"
"Our operation has been keeping at arms-length from CorSec and the other civilian institutions. If everything goes bad for us, they could maintain plausible deniability. I can tell you everything you want to know, Thekla. Answer every one of your questions about what Riley is doing and why. But if I do, you lose that plausible deniabilty. You would be implicated. Labeled, like me, a traitor to the Republic. But on the other hand, it will explain why the Director needs to be returned to duty, and Riley Patten needs to be free - and free of surveillance.
So, Inspector, are you ready to be on the inside?"
Again, Thekla's gaze turned from Mara to Soldys, back and forth, before he finally nodded his head.
"Yes sir"
"Alrigh. then you had better sit down"
TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
The conversation was long, detailed. And exhausting. The look on Agent Thekla's face, a mix of shock and awe and confusion and worry all showed Artemis and Mara the real risk of putting their cards on the table. A risk for them. And a risk for anyone in the know.
Mara barely said a word as Artemis updated Thekla on the threats that Corellia was facing, and what they were doing to stop it.
One thing, she noted. Artemis didn't say a word about what Mara really was. It was a fairly recent revelation for him and that he kept it to himself showed that even with honesty, he knew how Corellians would perceive her, even the best, most well meaning Corellians would see her as a threat.
She remembered that feeling. How she had to run, flee. Fight her very programming.
And lost. She had, afterall, committed the very acts she was originally programmed to do. She infiltrated Corellia, and the Trade Federation and killed some of PHAGE's most top-tiered enemies, including those she now considered family.
Mara wasn't really needed for this conversation, and didn't really want to be present for whatever reaction Thekla was going to have at the end.
"I don't need to sit here for this entire debrief. Agent Thekla - I came here to ensure that my nephew is alright. If you are satisfied that he is not the danger you perceive him to be, I'd like to go see him. The senator can continue to answer any questions you have."
Thekla's shocked look broke for just a moment as he turned away from Artemis Soldys to Mara. He didn't really know what to say. If anything, Riley and his cohorts actually sounded like they were more dangerous than he had originally thought. But the senator had placed his trust in him. He couldn't really break that trust right now, whatever misgivings he had.
"He's not detained. Technically. He's undergoing a psych evaluation down the hall, and if cleared, will be released."
"No more surveillance"
"I cannot promise that"
Mara stood, a cold look in her eyes as she repeated herself.
"No more surveillance"
Thekla looked to Artemis with an almost helpless look on his face, hoping the senator would agree with him.
And though Artemis was opposed to Riley and Gemma's contingency plans, he was otherwise supportive of giving the young adults the free reign they need.
"He needs to be able to move about without being tracked. No more surveillance. You and I can discuss more, but he needs to be free and unfollowed"
Thekla let out a sigh but nodded his head.
Mara said nothing more, swivelling around and making her way down the hall, where she found Riley sitting, Sixta and Cassidy standing nearby, as the psychologist was running through a checklist with him. Riley was about to answer another question when he turned to face Mara, a sheepish look crossing his face.
"Aunt Mara ... what are you doing here?"
Her look was stern, tone matter-of-fact
"Making sure my nephew isn't getting arrested or getting himself killed"
"Aunt Mara"
"Don't Aunt Mara me young man. You've got enough recklessness in the things you have planned that you cannot afford to be so uncareful. There are people out there who will, at the first chance they get, take you out. And unlike your friends, what they do to you will be a lot worse than having you detained."
She lifted a datapad, handing it to the psychologist who seemed bewildered by Mara's sudden appearance.
"Agent Thekla has cleared Riley. You don't need to complete your evaluation, and I'm going to ask that you step out so we can have a private conversation."
The psychologist was hardly one to refuse orders, and Mara had an imposing presence as it was. After the doctor disappeared, Mara's eyes glanced over at the two CorSec agents standing at the side. She recognized them both as colleagues of Riley, but the way she looked at them was anything but friendly.
"And which one of you decided it was a good idea to shoot my nephew?"
TBC
-
“Cycle, cycle
Only one that I know.”
-Peel
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
The evaluation is fairly straightforward, a series of questions meant to uncover evidence or indication of external control. Answers that could reveal radicalization and subsequent levels of threat. Riley Patten feels like he is handling himself well until his Aunt Mara appears with a flat, displeased expression on her face.
Uh oh.
Mara dismisses the doctor and returns her gaze to the trio, lingering on Cassidy and Sixta.
“And which one of you decided it was a good idea to shoot my nephew?”
Cassidy gulps but Sixta, not intimidated by her own family let alone anyone else’s, steps forward.
“I did. Stun, not blast. He’ll be fine. To be fair, the initial lack of details surrounding his return mirrored other threats that made such a precaution necessary. We are, after all, agents of CorSec so you can understand the duty to security, even if it may come from within.”
“Thekla cleared him.”
“We heard,” Sixta says pointedly, keeping her voice lowered. “We heard a lot of things. No one knew where he was and bad things happened when the others eventually reappeared.”
“Others?”
“For starters, the CorSec Medical Director, Doctor Cross. She nearly murdered Director Veritaas as I am sure you are aware. In the Republic, Janessa Kain is linked to an explosion that killed the President as well as herself. And lastly, we have Garron Prescott who, from what we were told, attempted to kill Dane Gellar on two occasions in the Corporate Sector. All share a period they were missing then returned to ingratiate themselves into their respective positions and roles only to then cause harm. Surely you can see our concern. We had no way of knowing what Riley may or may not do until he was debriefed and cleared.”
Her memories were recalled instantly, although it had been some time since Mara had thought of Garron Prescott and their brief time together. The something that may have been. Or not. Feelings - genuine and intense - yet fleeting like so many other things in these worlds. She had seen the headlines. Cross and Kain are dead – would this be Garron’s fate as well?
Riley sighs, “Can I say something?”
“You will get your chance to explain,” Mara says coldly, focusing on Sixta. There is a young arrogance there but she can appreciate the accountability even though she could do without the defiant edge in her voice. “Exactly what do you think these individuals were sent back to do?”
Sixta assumes she knows what they do and more but remains hyper-aware of their location and the precarious nature of their current situation. Also, Mara does not seem like someone who wants her time wasted.
“Sow division and further stoke galactic tensions, of course. Why did I shoot him? Cross failed to kill Veritaas so how could we know that Riley wasn’t sent to finish the job? Sentimentality and curiosity blinded Veritaas and led to egregious procedural lapses that made us further vulnerable to Republic scrutiny. In short, I was doing my job.”
“So it seems,” Mara concludes, shifting her attention to Cassidy. “And what about you?”
He manages a small grin, “We care about Riley and that is why we took the actions we did. Now we know there are…other variables. Riley said our focus needs to be here. On defending Corellia. He says you are here to do the same.”
“That is true.”
“Good,” Cassidy says. “How can we help you?”
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
"How can we help you?"
The idea that peripheral characters would volunteer to assist came as an unexpected surprise to Mara. Yes, these were friends of Riley - notwithstanding that one had shot him. But they weren't jedi, or one of the ones who being hunted, or part of the infamous prophesy (at leas,t as far as Mara knew). They were just ... friends.
What Mara wanted to tell them? Protect Riley at all costs. But that would make him resentful, and probably end up getting them killed.
Nor was she prepared to ask them to lie, file any report that might help Corellia but was untrue.
"Corellia is facing many threats right now. The Republic, sinking into chaos; A group of fanatic sith-worshipers. A powerful sith, seeking power and revenge. And on the flip-side, protecting Corellia's integrity and freedom. I've witnessed what happened when Corellia gave up freedom for tyranny as the price for protection. It didn't end well.
You may know that Senator Soldys has been named the commander of the entire Corellian Sector's defensive forces. He will need to be able to coordinate with CorSec, with Director Veritaas. He will need people he can trust with discretion, but also people who will not hesitate the call out over reaching, changing the character of Corellia and what makes it special. if you want to be helpful to Corellia, to really help defend this world against everything that threatens it ... that might be a place to start"
It was honestly a vague sort of answer. because Mara, for all her time in leadership with the Trade Federation, was an operative at heart. She worked best alone, or in small groups, and was not good at delegating. Not like the senator or the director were.
"If you'd like to meet Senator Soldys, he is in the other room now, speaking with Agent Thekla. Why don't you go have a chat with him, while I speak with my nephew"
Whatever misgivings or second thoughts the two friends had, they didn't bring them up as they exited the room, leaving Mara and Riley alone.
"You wanted to explain yourself. Here's your chance. But first, let me remind you this. Adubell attacks recklessly because she believes she is immortal. She can be reborn anytime her body is destroyed. I know about your contingency plan. I know why you think it is a great loophole to a prophesy. And I know the risks. I know why it is a terrible, terrible idea. You cannot afford to be reckless. You cannot afford to act like you always have another life to live. Because that mentality - that takes away your humanity. that is how someone becomes a machine; a monster. What makes you special, Riley, is not that you are born of a magical prophesy. What makes you special is your humanity. Your mortality. Don't you dare throw it away."
Mara let out a sigh, taking in a deep breath before again looking to her nephew.
"So, now, that said - what do you have to say for yourself?"
-
“You’ll see, it’s a matter of time
Can’t keep on ignoring what’s in you
Runs deeper the harder you try
Might as well just surrender, you want to.”
-Biig Piig
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
The warning lands as intended.
There had always been a dire quality to her demeanor, one that took him some time to understand. In their time together and apart, he has grappled with what it means to be a Patten. Her revelation had not deterred his love for her or diminished the great lengths she had gone to protect him. Instead of protesting, he moves forward and embraces her. He was once a boy, someone who fits neatly into her arms, now a man whose arms encircle the whole of her.
Riley takes a step back and directs them to the chairs nearby where they sit beside each other, her hands in his.
“Aunt Mara,” he begins with a smile. “Thank you for always putting my safety first even if it seems as though I do not appreciate or deserve it. I would not be here without you. I want you to know that I do not believe this life is guaranteed or that, through these plans, I would squander it so casually. The contingency is just that – a contingency. In case of emergency. In case we fail to stop Adubell or the Voss-Ra. I know what she is, what they are, and that this has been in motion far longer than any of us.”
He looks away briefly but returns his gaze to the grave expression on her face.
“I also know that in the prophecy there are loopholes. I am one of them. The reason the cycle began again. The reason so many have died in the name of that prophecy as others have again used it to their advantage and agenda. As much as I do not want this to be the case – as much as I want us to survive – we must plan for any outcome. Even you cannot know what will happen and we cannot assume anything. In some ways, I think we are more alike than we may have realized. You wish to spare me these horrors and I want nothing more than to end it so that no one else has to suffer as we have.”
He takes a breath, widening his smile on the exhale.
“That has not come without reflection. Taking stock of what I have and want. Funny you should mention humanity and what it means to be alive. That is something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. What it comes down to, at least for me, is honor, integrity, respect, and love.
Whatever happens in this life, I know that I do not want to experience it alone…which is why I asked Gemma to marry me and she accepted my proposal.”
He feels her hands tighten in his. Even though he has all the credits in the worlds, there is no time for such a spectacle. The grand wedding of their dreams. There may be greater dangers to face together but he and Gemma would declare their love for one another in front of those closest to them, at least the ones who could reasonably do so. He laughs, in spite of everything, because his heart is full. He has Mara, Gemma, his friends, his mentor, his duty, and, for the moment at least, his life.
There is so much to be grateful for.
“Nothing extravagant. We were thinking of something small, tasteful, in the gardens of the Patten Ranch. I would very much love for you to be a part of that, Aunt Mara. Celebrate our humanity and the love that comes with it. What do you say?”
-TBC
-
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
"…which is why I asked Gemma to marry me and she accepted my proposal.”
THAT was not the direction Mara anticipated this conversation going, and part of her wanted to scold him for being such a romantic when she was busy scolding him for not being careful.
He really is such a Patten ...
Her fingers tensed briefly before relaxing. The truth was, the announcement was not unexpected, even if the timing was. He had seen the two of them together, and though there was a tension that Mara and Gemma had, she also had spent a lot of time with Gemma, especially as Gemma was healing, and as the Mara, Gemma, and Nevylinn had been training together. Gemma was more strong-willed and stubborn than Riley was, but the two of them together made sense, and their love for each other was apparent and genuine
“What do you say?”
Mara sighed softly, then smiled.
"You cannot get married ..." She felt Riley's fingers tighten as she shook her head. "No, let me finish. You cannot get married until I get back. I have a mission with Senator Soldys that I need to handle. But you cannot get married until I get back. I need to be there when it happens. I need to see you and Gemma be married."
Mara brought her hand up to Riley's cheek, looking into his face. He had grown so much. From the infant, crying in her arms, to the boy in need of rescue, to the man before her. How could he have grown up, so much, and so fast?
"Gemma and I have our differences, but I think she is perfect for you. And I would not only love, but insist on being part of that celebration"
She reached over and wrapped her arms around him, much like he had hugged her just a few minutes earlier. She could not really articulate the happiness she was feeling right now. It was immense, over-flowing, among the strongest emotions she really had ever experienced. Just knowing she had a small part in bringing this boy to this point in his life.
And knowing that her own fate, her own destiny, was moving steadily and seemingly faster to its end. She would live long enough to see Riley married, and with that, be content that sacrificing her lifewould allow him to continue his.
-TBC
-
“Looking deep into my eyes
Could you face the truth?
I know I’ve tried
I’m burning from the inside
And that’s why.”
-San Cisco
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
To hear that she believes Gemma is right for him and insists on being a part of their union fills him with a kind of happiness he thought he might never find. The Four are not destined for happy endings, and that very well may still be the case, so he will take these moments and feelings when he can.
Riley’s smile widens, “Of course, Aunt Mara. Of course, we will wait for you! I couldn’t imagine not sharing this with you.”
As if on cue, the High Commander appears in the corridor, flanked by Sixta and Cassidy. No sign of Inspector Thekla which is only slightly worrisome. Soldys surveys the scene and Riley catches the crease of suspicion at the corner of his eyes as they land on him. No doubt he is still sour over their contingency pitch. He saw firsthand what a sentient droid with a mission could do although Riley is quite certain that is not the avenue through which Dane’s considerable corporate resources meant to circumvent the prophecy. At least he’s mostly sure. Frowning slightly, Riley makes a mental note to verify that – to assuage his own curiosity but hopefully the High Commander's fears.
“Well then,” he says, acknowledging the others as they approach. “I know you both have some work to do.”
Soldys nods curtly, eyes shifting to Mara.
“If there is anything we can do here to support you, we are at your service."
-TBC
-
https://swsfonline.com/index.php?topic=787.msg19330#msg19330
Post from December 17, 2020:
"As the VCX auxiliary fighter slipped out of hyperspace, Artemis was shocked to see not only that the gravity well net location had been moved. it was accompanied by what amounted to a fleet. Republic vessels. And almost twice as many imperial ships, including an interdictor cruiser.
"They let the imperials bring one of those into Republic territory?"
"Half the fleet is made up of imperial ships now. And it's been increasing ever since you were detained. Quietly, of course, sir, but needless to say, with you out of the way in the senate, others were taking full advantage."
Their comm suddenly lit up, and they could see a mix of X-wings and TIE fighters approaching from the fleet's location.
...
There were too many fighters, enemy ships. The distraction was appreciated but ... so many would die just for him?
"They know what they are doing sir. We need you, alive, free, and on Corellia. Corellia needs you to prepare for what's coming"
A moment later, Artemis was watching as one of the 'calvary' exploded, just before their vessel again dipped into hyperspace.
Corellia
Surface: Coronet City
“If there is anything we can do here to support you, we are at your service."
Mara shook her head
"Just try not to get into too much trouble, at least until I get back"
The wry grin on her face said all the words she'd left out, all the feelings, all the worry, all the excitement. She'd only be gone for a little while, really.
What could possibly happen?
=============================================
2 days later ...
BORDER DEEP SPACE BETWEEN REPUBLIC and CORRELIAN SECTOR
The ships of the Republic and Imperial combined fleet had grown since Artemis made his escape from here, however many months/years had passed since then. The Corellian scout ships had made the prudent decision to slow-walk to the border region, not only to avoid getting trapped into those gravity-well nets, but to avoid being detected altogether.
That was crucial for the mission to succeed.
The distraction had to be meaningful - Enough Corellian ships to hold their own; not enough to trigger all out war.
And for the Corellians to make it meaningful, they had to play their trump card. It was something that was sure to cascade into even more chaos and enmity. Mara had asked Artemis if it was worth it.
Artemis still wasn't sure. This encounter might be enough to push the Republic over the edge it was already so close to. And in return, Corellia would get some protection ...
But it was finally decided, they would go forward.
The scout ships hovered at the outskirts of the territory, taking in passive scans of the ships. The imperial interdictor was the most formidable looking vessel present, but there were also a handful of Republic cruisers and Victory Star Destroyers in the mix (the ships looked remarkably similar to each other).
"No large Mon-Cal vessels"
That the Mon-Calimari senator had been arrested was enough for their shipyards to pull any support they had for Speaker Leeds and his military efforts. The only Mon-Calimari cruisers present were smaller, and much older. Pre-purchased.
"Partially to be expected. Final scans coming in."
A black screen with green-highlights began marking off the locations of the republic and imperial ships, swarms of them, as well as the location of each of the gravity well nets in the area, a string of them, like polka-dots across the expanse of space.
"Locking in target locations and transmitting to the fleet"
A red light began to flash.
"We've been detected"
As if to confirm the suspicion, they could see an imperial frigate rotate and begin moving toward their location, flanked by a half dozen TIE-fighters that were starting to pick up speed.
The comm chimed, and soon they heard the voice over the speaker.
"This is Border Patrol. Identify yourself."
The Corellian scout turned to his colleague before pressing the button.
"Meesa so sowwy! Meesa no understand"
The frigate was moving closer.
"I repeat, identify yourself"
The pilot grinned, placing headphones over his ears.
"THis is Corellian Scout Vessel Feedback"
"Feedback, prepare to power down and -"
The rest of the captain's words were drowned out as the Corellian pilot pressed a button, a loud screeching noise over the intercomm.
"Get it? Feedback?"
The captain on the other end was cursing, but now, they got the attention of a few more ships that were starting to move into position - including the interdictor.
"Alright, that did it. Send coordinates to the fleet, and power up the engines"
The Corellian scout ship's engines roared to life, and the vessel began circling around, preparing to make an exit. Green laser fire flew overhead as TIE fighters got closer.
"Confirmation. The fleet received the intel."
"Good, so calvary is coming in, in ... 10 ... 9 ... 8..."
A loud book as laser cannon fire struck the back of the scout ship.
"Deflectors down to 60%"
"Transfer auxiliary power to the engines"
"3 ... 2 ... 1..."
Blasting out of hyperspace, nearly 50 Corellian ships of varying sizes appeared, including at least one Executive-class ship, over 1500 meters long.
The broadcast message that came from the ship was sent out on all frequencies, just to make sure nobody missed it.
"This is High Commander Artemis Soldys of the Corellian Sector Defense Force. We are hereby enforcing our sovereignty, under both the Republic charter and the intergalactic laws of governance. We demand all non-Corellian vessels leave the system at once"
Artemis tapped the comm off, turning to the commander on his right with a grim smile.
"This is where the fun begins."
-
Corellia
The Republic (and Imperial) vessels halted their progress as the Corellian fleet came into view. this wasn't just one scout ship. It was an armada. The TIEs that had been closing in circled back to form a defensive perimeter around their own capital ships.
It was actually several minutes before they could be seen reforming thier line, preparing themselves for a battle as opposed to patrol duty.
"They weren't ready for us to show up"
It was the commander next to Artemis who spoke as Artemis was staring out the viewport, lips pursed as he looked across at the opponent. They weren't the enemy, at least, not yet. At least, he hoped not. But for this maneuver, opponent would suffice.
Opponent, even though this skirmish could very well lead to the deaths of forces on both sides.
"We certainly hope not. Begin pressing our ships forward - slowly - and keep an eye on our flanks. We will be entering the gravity wells of those nets, and won't be able to escape quickly if the Republic manages to have reinforcements close by."
Even as they maneuvered forward, the Republic ships were slowly responding. The slowness told Artemis much about what was happening. The border patrol unit here, while substantial in size, was never intended for a large battle, and they were not led by a commander skilled in this kind of combat.
The assumption was that as soon as the Corellian fleet appeared, they sent out a signal to Chandaar, both alerting them of the situation and asking for orders. Their delay was probably about receiving those orders, and how to carry them out.
Artemis' eyes shot up to a counter-clock above the viewport. 8 hours, counting down. It was almost a two-day hyperspace trip to Chandaar, even along the most favorable route. But the Republic had a fleet that was about eight hours away, located at the planet Tanaab. A quick bump on the Perlemian Trade Route, then south on the Hydian Way to get to the Corellian Sector. Artemis was betting that was their rapid-response. The imperials also had worlds, much closer, but Artemis was counting on, first, those worlds being in the Deep Core, where hyperspace travel was more treacherous, and therefore slower. And second, that the imperials wouldn't stick their neck out in a first-salvo like this, by reinforcements. If they did ... that eight hours could be as little as 4.
Timing was everything.
"We've reached the perimeter of the first gravity well, sir"
"Launch the Y-Wing fighters"
"Yes sir"
From the larger corellian carriers, dozens of Y-Wings emerged, quickly moving to attack speeds and heading toward the nearest republic vessels. Blue energy jutted out as they let out salvo after salvo of ion-cannon fire. They were followed by X-Wings, with standard laser fire, eating into the shields of the republic vessels, whose weapons were already moving sluggishly before ion fire made it worse. The Republic was responding by sending out more fighters, hoping that larger numbers would help in their counter-attack.
========================================
Far from the battle, a dozen heavily-modified auxiliary ships were watching from the viewport as blue, red, and green lights splashed like twinkles in the distance.
Mara was sitting in the pilot seat of the lead vessel, eyes flicking between the battle and a red-light indicator on her dashboard.
When it ignited, she pressed down on the comm.
"We are go. Remember the plan. Full speed until 5-klicks out from the gravity well."
each auxiliary vessel began powering their engines, moving forward, slowly at first. They didn't make a straight line ahead, instead, each beginning to form large circles, picking up speed as they did. It wasn't until each vessel was at its maximum speed that the vessels straightened out, making a bee-line toward the battle.
"Each team, line up your coordinates. We each have our own target, but we won't be able to adjust our trajectories once we are in the combat zone. We've got one good shot at this."
A few acknowledgements and Mara was checking her instruments.
It was only a few minutes later when she sent out another message.
"This is Surge 1. We are entering the combat zone. Going dark."
With a final check to ensure the ship's flaps were closed down, Mara shut down the engines of her ship, letting the inertia of the high speed send her forward into the battle zone.
"Lights out."
Her voice was now a whisper, and the lookout next to her nodded, shutting down more systems on the ship.
"Ready for inertial dampeners to be reactivated"
Around them, republic, imperial, and corellian ships twirled and spun and fired, but her auxiliary craft, with no power signature, looked like debris floating by, and was ignored.
Ahead of them, the gravity well net was visible and steadily filling up the screen.
"Get ready to activate dampeners on my mark ...
3 ...
2 ...
1 ...
mark"
Just as the ship was about to crash into the small platform, the inertial dampeners kicked in, using reverse-impulse engines to slow their approach.
"Magnetic clamp in 3 ... 2 ... 1 .... mark"
With a soft clang, their ship stopped moving, held against the platform on its side.
"Status?"
"We appear to be undetected, maam."
"Good run a passive scan for the external power linkup. Get everyone suited up."
"Yes maam"
TBC
-
“Maybe it’s perfect
Maybe I lack control
Coz you’re still the coin in the air
And I don’t know where it leaves me
Heads or tails
Wings or sails.”
Eli & Fur
Corellia
Far from the exercise, the faux-Agent Cale Theon keeps a steady system patrol aboard the Asunder.
The High Commander felt it best to keep Jedi out of the fray, something Donovan agreed was best. They had enough problems and handing them two living violations of their insipid laws would not be one of them. Not today, at least.
Gemma’s call took him by surprise. The loss of life was tragic and he is grateful his sister is not among the victims. The presence of a traitor raises more uncomfortable questions and reveals the depths of their situation with Gemma's controversial take on it. Prophecy as a stage play, a rotating cast across generations with characters that seldom escape their run. There are rare exceptions but there is no denying that those orchestrating horror behind the scenes take great care to close the loop when they can. Rutherford Gellar and Celeste Masterton are evidence enough of that.
For those caught in the prophecy’s glittering web, it is always a matter of time.
He turns his attention to more pressing matters. While Demaris may be in the Corporate Sector with a few potential suspects, Donovan finds himself on a ship with one. Gemma made it clear the Force-sensitive refugees may not be who they claim to be. It is a convenient position, possibly meant to exploit their assistance by ingratiating themselves and lulling them into lowering their guard.
Sirona has kept to herself since the desecration of Centerpoint Station. He left her meditating not long ago and would like to imagine that is what she continues to do. She has not made a move against them with plenty of opportunity to do so. She even had a chance to strike a more damaging blow to their efforts when the High Commander joined them. Sirona is the one who brought him from the surface. Donovan was nothing compared to a strategic target like Artemis Soldys. She could have taken that shuttle down before they ever reached his cruiser, or crashed the shuttle into the Asunder killing them all.
A tactical victory that would have robbed Corellia of further hope to combat the imminent Republic threat.
That is not a phrase he ever thought he’d think. The Republic, a galactic enemy. He never cared much for politics in his old life, much too busy with the salacious duties of a Corporate Sector heir. It never touched him, all those happenings outside their opulent little world. Such privilege, the luxury of being an Atrii. To not care simply because it did not personally inconvenience him in any way. Let others suffer so long as he did not have to deal with it. That seems like such a very long time ago. The Jedi set him on the straight and narrow. Something else he is grateful for. They are not perfect, nor is he, but their ways allow him a chance at real purpose. A path to absolution. Yet, his mind drifts to other things.
Circe.
It turns out path and purpose come at a price. Feelings that are felt and acknowledged but must not be acted on. It helps that they are both playing other people since the galaxy believes them long dead. Lives lost in the early days of the Republic’s swift and spectacular downward spiral. For many it made it real. If they could kill someone like Circe Prescott, in principle, as a symbol of dissent in a democratic society, then they could do the same to anyone else - and they did. There are the true believers out there bent on ensuring this all goes south and, so far, they are making great work of it. Threats near and far.
Near being his primary concern.
Donovan rises from the chair and retrieves his saber, stashed away to complete the CorSec ruse but always nearby. He clips it to his belt and steps into the corridor. It is quiet, as the cruiser tends to be in their patrol of solitude and reflection most days, but now that silence is laced with suspicion.
Do other enemies masked as allies walk among them?
He is relieved to find her exactly where he left her, meditating in the galley with her back turned to him. He approaches slowly, rapping on the archway with a knuckle to signal his presence although he knows she already senses him. Her body stiffens.
“I have news. Not good, I’m afraid.”
She lowers her head, “Tell me.”
“We’ve lost Oz and Lysette,” he says, choosing his words carefully. “It seems Lysette was not on our side after all.”
“And now you have come to see if I am?”
“I would like to know where you stand, Sirona. You have been through a lot and it would be understandable if your feelings are…complex. Nothing we’ve experienced has been what anyone would consider normal but know that I am here to check in and support you.”
“I will be fine."
“I am pleased to hear it but not certain I believe you.”
“You do not know what I felt when what was left of that station imploded. The things I heard. Madness. It was pure madness.”
He eases further into the space, curious.
“Madness?”
“The spirits of those trapped within, no way out, so much fear, confusion – they did not know it would end that way. In an instant, so many lives cut short. Everyone’s last thoughts bombarding me, invading my mind, and then…then there was her. They told me she was waiting there.”
“Who? The one who attacked the Republic?”
“A voice clearer than the others, cutting through the noise. She spoke directly to me.”
Donovan is so close to her now. Was this who she referenced before? The one who had come to let the darkness out? Perhaps she had…in ways they had not considered. He moves closer still.
“What did this person tell you?”
In a single fluid movement, Sirona rises and ignites her saber, twisting around with a controlled strike. Donovan jerks backward reflexively, hand finding his weapon just as her blade clashes with his in a sickening hiss. Her eyes have a green glint to them that he has not seen before, expression determined but faltering.
“She told me to turn on you,” Sirona says evenly, advancing on him. “To prevent you from trying to take what is rightfully hers.”
“Sirona, stop this! This is not you!”
“None of them deserved it. Not one worthy enough to claim victory. We are but mere mortals, and she a goddess. Soon…she will reign.”
Donovan pulls back and flicks his wrist to create some distance between them. She rights herself quickly and attacks. He engages her defensively as their sabers clash.
“Fight this, Sirona!”
“She is still in my head…whispering…willing me…”
“No, she does not control you-”
“That is where you are wrong. She controls all of us.”
He parries and steps back, assessing the tremors of expression flickering across her face. She may be fighting but she is losing. He had only heard rumors of such possession, the Sith inflicting their will upon others, but he had never seen it manifested. She may not have been sent as a sleeper in the same way Lysette evidently had been but she arrived here vulnerable, her defenses down, and within the psychic attack left open the opportunity to strike. Donovan must disarm her before she hurts anyone.
“Sirona, listen to me. Hear me. You are safe here with us. We will protect you!”
She attacks again, this time more aggressively, but he is careful to deflect and keep her at a distance as he tries to reach her. What he does not know, what he does not yet understand, is the piece of an artifact this dark visitor had come to collect from Centerpoint and the power it holds. Adubell’s words, imbued with the essence of the Etheralis, coil deep within her mind – she no longer has control.
“The Jedi can’t protect anyone,” she laughs coldly, voice octaves lower than it had been only moments ago. “Not even themselves.”
The glint in her eyes flares a brilliant hue. He gasps, hesitating for the briefest moments but it is enough of an opening. Donovan feels the sear of saber upon flesh, into his forearm, down across his thigh, and he stumbles back. The Twi’lek comes at him hard now, swinging more wildly, sparks from contact with the walls showering across the narrower corridor he’s been forced back into. He brings his blade down against hers, both sparking against the floor as she whips a headtail against his face. Flinching, he throws himself forward, slamming her against the wall, their sabers tangled dangerously beneath them. She shoves him back and he staggers then spins to the right into a crouch, feeling the heat of her blade as it passes over him, and thrusts his hand outward to send a concussive Force blast that sends her tumbling back into the open space of the galley.
Donovan sags against the wall. His leg is screaming, realizing now it may be deeper than he thought, but manages to drag himself to where she lies still. He holds his saber out, not yet raised. He believes there is still a chance they could save her. He is not going to give up on her now-
She springs upright at an almost unnatural angle, gripping his throat and hauling him forcefully back across the room. Sirona almost seems to float as his legs scrape helplessly across the floor. They crash into the far wall with enough force to smash his head against it. Colorful spots explode in front of his eyes and her saber tip pierces his shoulder. Crying out, vision clearing, he watches the fury drain from her face.
His glowing saber is lodged through her chest, casting shadows on her features from behind. The glow dims but remains present in her eyes. Donovan deactivates his weapon. Hers drops to the floor and snaps off. Grabbing ahold of her as her knees buckle, he cries out again.
“No, no, no….Sirona, no…you were safe here…”
“No one is safe,” she sputters, weakly. “Not from this. From her.”
She sinks to the floor in his arms and a small, nearly guttural laugh escapes her lips. She raises her eyes to his as she begins to fade from this life.
“Really, Jedi. Do you think your sister is safe…with one of them?”
-TBC
-
“But there’s no need to worry
Confusion has its own embrace
Your mind needs to worry
Your heart loves a race.”
-Folk Implosion
Corellia
Surface: Coronet
Riley Patten promised he would stay out of trouble.
Since Mara departed, this had worked well. Inspector Thekla backed off, apparently swayed by whatever information she and the High Commander shared. In turn, Riley was given a wide berth and returned to regularly scheduled duties. Veritaas was reinstated – ensuring that Project Succellus, and the latitude it brought to address their situation with the prophecy remained intact. Soldys needs people he can trust in the right places, despite any missteps in the past. He took accountability and assured the High Commander his judgment would not be compromised in the name of secrecy again. For his part, Riley jumped back into patrols with Cassidy and Sixta, something he thoroughly enjoyed.
Even as the specter of the Republic loomed over them, he took comfort in keeping the streets of Coronet safe.
In the evenings, he spent time catching up with Gemma. They may not be able to be together physically but grew even closer through their support of one another. Admittedly, the physical distance was starting to become intolerable, the need to touch and kiss her sometimes overwhelming. Soon, he told himself. Gemma was deep in training with Nevylinn at the moment, and their fractured relationship found a middle ground in honing their respective skills as Aunt Mara worked with High Commander Soldys. She confessed it was difficult to engage the Jedi otherwise since so much of her trust in them had collapsed completely. She knew they meant well but those intentions were constricted by rules that always seemed to wind up in some self-sabotaging fiasco: e.g., anything they had ever done. There are no apologies for her cynicism and he doesn't expect it.
She was not trained as a child, only ever on the periphery of their teachings through her mother’s recollection of the knowledge the Jedi who delivered her and the infant Dahlia to Rutherford Gellar imparted to her. This was not typically their way yet, as she sarcastically intoned, none of the refugees or some of the newer members were trained as children – they only found their way to the Jedi at different times and through very different circumstances. The point of contention, once so stridently enforced in the past, seemed now to be overlooked given their dwindling numbers. Gemma knows not everything they believe is rubbish but the galaxy and their role in it most certainly do not align with their ideals and assessment of the matter.
They must take things into their own hands - agency above all else.
Their conversation inevitably wanders toward their pending nuptials. Things to do before they die. Regarding lists, declaring your love for someone is pretty high up there. Gemma agrees the gardens at the Patten Ranch would be perfect – a place they know both his mother and her sister held a fondness for. It would be a way to celebrate their love while honoring those who came before. Their path, contingency or not, may not be what they would have chosen but neither Kimber nor Melanie knew what they knew. Riley wonders if discovering the loop and the Voss-Ra’s hand in it would have changed how they approached their situations and, darkly, if it could have saved any of them. Would his mother have made it off Centerpoint had she known? Would she have even been there in the first place?
These are not questions that ever lead to satisfactory answers. No way to change the past.
They must only focus on the precarious present and potentially ominous future, ready to give up their own lives to fulfill the prophecy and return to counter the galactic threat of the Sith.
As Mara, unbeknownst to him, is ready to execute her mission within the display of the High Commander's boundary-pushing exercise, Riley swings by the People’s Council offices to deliver CorSec resources for new arrivals to stay safe in the capital. He makes a point to check in with Della to see if there is anything she needs - the organizations work well together while serving the people on multiple fronts. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, she is in a meeting but he runs into Circe, as Octavia Valles, in the corridor looking somewhat panicked.
“Hey, you okay?”
Her eyes land on him, focus, and she reaches for his arm.
“I got a most distressing call from Agent Theon. He mumbled something about an incident then cut out. I cannot seem to reach him now. Given, well, everything…I’m worried.”
Riley tilts his head toward the entrance, “Well, come on. I’ve got my shuttle right outside.”
“What if something happened? We can’t just go rushing in there.”
“Do you want to stand around or find out?”
Circe sucks in a breath, letting her assistant know an urgent matter has come up, and follows Riley out of the building.
Deep Space
They race to the Asunder with little conversation between them. She is fretting, mind spiraling in all sorts of dark places. Everyone has been a wreck lately as the emotional toll of the Republic’s threats takes shape among the populous. She has had little time to process what happened after they left the larger group on the ocean cliffs. Citizens from all walks of life sought their services, so many of them fearful of what may come while others remained hostile and defiant. Admittedly, a more Corellian attitude about the whole thing which led to conflicts between those in the crosshairs of the same danger. The cognitive dissonance alone was staggering. The Republic is an everyone problem and one already on their doorstep. Now something may have happened to Donovan and it fills her with a sickening dread.
Once they dock, Riley pulls his blaster and steps in front of her, “You ready?”
She nods.
He enters the consular vessel cautiously. Nothing seems amiss at first glance although filled with the same eerie silence as when he spent time here training years ago. A ghost ship drifting through the stars, safeguarding Jedi through the guise of official, albeit secretive, CorSec business. As they move further into the ship, to the spaces the droids seldom came lest they overhear the secrets they exchange, it becomes quickly obvious something went down. There is a lingering, almost chemical scent in the air that reveals itself when they turn down the corridor toward the converted training area. The dark scorch marks on the walls and paneled floors confirm the sinister feeling tingling the tops of their spines. They exchange a tense glance. Riley braces himself against the wall before swinging into the open space. His trained eyes scan for a target but see nothing moving, only a thin haze of smoke in the air, and then…
The aftermath.
Along the left wall, Sirona lies still on her back, head turned away. Donovan is facedown, closer to the corridor, comlink clutched in his hand, looking as though this was as far as he could drag himself. There are two sabers nearby, both closest to Sirona. In a word, Riley thinks, fuck.
“Circe!”
She appears in the doorway, registers the situation, and drops beside Donovan. Riley moves to check Sirona. She is already cool to the touch and he lowers his head. Circe stirs behind him.
“He’s still got a pulse,” she calls hopefully, using the wall console to call for a medical droid. “What about Sirona?”
“She’s gone.”
Circe stifles a sob, finding herself clutching Donovan’s hand.
“How could this have happened? So few people even know they are out here.”
“Stranger things have, uh, happened.”
“What if we are not alone? Whoever did this could still be onboard.”
“Can’t rule it out,” he says, keeping his blaster ready as he surveys the rest of the space. “Nothing else really here though. If someone boarded them, we would have seen evidence of a fight closer to the dock. An attack this far into the ship seems unlikely.”
Her face tightens, “You don’t think?”
“We don’t know. Let’s get him stabilized, check the rest of the Asunder, and see where things stand. I’ll notify Veritaas but no sense in calling reinforcements and risking exposure if we don’t need to. We’ll need discretion and hopefully a firsthand account. I know what it looks like but let’s try not to jump to any conclusions.”
She cradles her Jedi savior and murmurs distantly, “A bit late for that.”
Riley promised to stay out of trouble but - for a Patten - trouble always finds a way.
-TBC
-
Corellia
The battle continued to range around the small platform, ignored intentionally by the Corellians, and by lack of knowledge by the Republic. At least for the moment. At some point, the Republic would figure out that something was up, probably as soon as that the artificial gravity wells that allowed for the controlled travel through this area were shut down. Then they would send someone to investigate, and they would see those auxiliary craft docked ...
It was the High Commander's job to keep the Republic occupied and distracted while Mara did her work.
It was not going to be an easy task. The nets were designed with counter-theft. A wrong move, and they would self-destruct. They were also not built for boarding, almost the entirety of their size was devoted to the power source, electrical work, and of course, the gravity-well cone. To make any headway, Mara had to essentially work on the system from the outside.
Everyone on her craft had donned airtight space suits, the oxygen in the docking-pod had been filtered out to elsewhere in the ship. Mara too had put on a suit - afterall, most Corellians did not know what she was, and certainly many wouldn't trust a droid, especially one who looked like such a perfect replica of a human. Her suit had a modified arm that would allow her to do her most critical work without raising the attention of her compatriots.
"Opening airlock in 3..2...1"
With a light hiss, the doorway opened, revealing the outer panel of the platform that they had docked against. The gravity well net was still humming, and with the artificial gravity in the ship turned off, they could feel the pull toward it. Mara had cautioned about possibly falling sideways, and her team was braced against the bulkheads.
The bolts on the side panel were loosened and the panel itself was removed, to reveal the power maintenance hatch. A long, thick hose was passed through the auxiliary craft and brought to the hatch where it was carefully attached to the input.
"Preparing for power-surge"
Mara glanced up from the hose that would deliver the disabling source of energy, up at the mechanical chronometer the hung over the airlock. Again, timing was everything. The plan was to disable every single gravity-well net at the same time. They had worked quickly, ahead of schedule by enough seconds that Mara held up her hand for them to wait.
Click click click. The chronometer hit its target and Mara lowered her hand.
"Go"
There was a rumble as the generator powered up, beginning to deliver the energy into the platform at their side.
"Increase the power to maximum. We need to knock this thing out before it realizes what we are doing"
"Yes Maam"
The hum of the generator grew louder, Mara's eyes turning to the power maintenance hatch. a solid red light would be good - meaning the system was overheating and shutting down. A blinking red light? That would mean the self-destruct was activated.
Mara watched intensely, waiting for the first sign of trouble.
"Maam, we are delivering at maximum capacity"
Then it lit up - the bright red light on the side of the hatch, along with a low, solid beep. And then a minute later, darkness, and silence.
"Confirm it's been deactivated"
There really was no need - as soon as the platform grew quiet, they could feel the gravity pull disappear, sending a few of them floating through the cabin.
Still, never too careful ... a quick readout showed the system was down.
"Alright. Head back to the cockpit. Monitor comm chatter,and let me know if anything looks like a threat"
Mara took the place of the soldiers, unlocking the power hose and placing her gloved hand toward the socket. A single finger extended, , the rubber exterior retracting to reveal a metallic plug, and she slipped it inside.
Almost instantly, she could feel the platform's coding, washing over her senses. It had gone into a kind of hibernation to protect it from the power surge, but there was enough underlying activity for it to respond to her biometric coding.
Her consciousness slipped through the dense language, finding the passwords and rewriting them, as only a programmer, no, as only a machine could.
It made her introspective.
SHe had spent so much of her existence trying not to be a machine, and yet here she was, once again, acting as little more than a computer.
Not that it really mattered. She knew she had little time left. And her last act would likely be both her most computerized, and her most human at the same time.
TBC
-
“Pull me underneath the waves
Devil with a pretty face
She knows - I’ll just smile while she sings me to death.”
-Henry Morris
Corellian Sector
Drall
Nevylinn continues to train with Gemma after Mara departs.
There is an uneasy truce, although the chill would likely never thaw entirely. Nevylinn considers the ideas Mara presented and tries to unfold and detach them from everything she was taught about the sides of the Force. Their meaning and uses. Facts and figures. Tales and tragedies. Gemma may have simmered but there is still so much rage within her. She can feel it, tempered by circumstance but never far from the surface. She is still not certain Masterton could pull off a balance without succumbing to the easy nature of the dark side. It fed on animosity and impulse which she witnessed when they engaged one another in sparring. Gemma has neither forgiven nor forgotten.
Despite her misgivings, she knows that Gemma is entitled to her feelings. She and the others they managed to scrap together had fought their way through and survived—although not without consequence and loss. Nevylinn does not try to contextualize the Jedi’s actions, does not attempt to excuse their absence and guidance, and would not insult her that way. Gemma is not ready or willing to hear it, and she would need to win back that trust slowly if it could be won at all.
For her part, Gemma trains diligently, pushing further through recovery. The process began as an agonizing lesson but, with time, treatment, and consistent movement, she regained confidence in her abilities once more. The sparring acts as a mechanism of release which she desperately needs. Being sidelined after the betrayal and injury left her reeling but she has come to see it as an opportunity. She hones her abilities to strengthen her attacks and defenses. The routine feels good despite knowing that somewhere in these lessons lies a hope she would let go of her anger and reconstruct the illusion of what she thought the Jedi might be.
During their off time, they go their separate ways. Nevylinn maintains a disciplined meditation routine and ponders the Jedi’s future in the shifting galactic events. They went from revered to reviled and now garner more sympathy across various systems due to the Republic’s ruthless enforcement of their laws. She hoped they would again prove themselves as the defenders of peace. She recognizes the need to be more forthcoming and transparent to avoid suspicion gaining the kind of momentum that ousted them from Chandaar and public trust.
Gemma spends time wandering through the dense forests, finding a fleeting respite in the spectacular beauty of nature. She shares stories with the ever-curious Drall who presses her about her perspective, especially about what they had studied about her half-sister, Melanie. Those tales made the elder Masterton seem either a strident enforcer or a misguided zealot – depending on how it was told. Having communed with Melanie through the veil of the beyond, Gemma knows she was neither of those things. For all her conviction and strength, Melanie Masterton was just as much a victim of the prophecy as a player. Manipulated like all the others into actions she may not have otherwise taken. And the worst part is that she only knew slaying Karen doomed any that followed after she had fallen. A bitter pill, no doubt. She finds sharing her thoughts with the Drall a kind of release although careful to avoid details of their actual contingency. She reinforces the sentiment that no matter how this all shakes out, they will return to right these wrongs. Restore order and peace.
They hang on her every word.
Most evenings, she spends time chatting with Riley but has not heard from him in a day or so. Best to allow him some space as well. He has responsibilities of his own, a public figure and keeper of peace on Corellia. A noble mission but one they both know would not last, at least not in this cycle. The fact that he presses on is part of why she loves him as much as she does. His heart holds more capacity for empathy and understanding. At night, she dreams of their wedding but inevitably feels the ache of loss that her parents would not be there to celebrate with them. No mother to dote on her, no father to give her away. Even her brother would likely miss out to remain a fixture of power in the Corporate Sector while Dahlia, family no matter how she chooses to look at it, is hiding out somewhere scheming. Gemma knows the feeling. She is hiding and scheming too. In these ways, they are not all that different.
They also share a common enemy in Adubell. So long as Dahlia stayed alive long enough for them to bring her down, they would be able to execute their vow to end the prophecy once and for all. She wonders how evil Dahlia would really be on the throne, given Mara’s context of no one being entirely dark or light. As she recalled to them, Karen Winton was not as dark as they were led to believe. She and Mara stopped Alexander’s plot despite the then-unknown Adubell factor. That may mean, she considers dimly, that Alexia too was a victim and driven to those terrible acts by the ambitious manipulations of her father. Sacrifice one daughter so the other could rule. If only they had known, they may have had a chance.
Back in the training room, Nevylinn suggests they try something new.
She asks Gemma to draw on her negative emotions in service of good. To stay in the moment as she wades through that darkness. As dubious as Mara’s claims may seem, she would test the theory. In practice, this manifests as more aggression in their sparring, hedging the line between defender and destroyer. She decides to push, needing Gemma to react and face the dark feelings before she can control them with the light. Nevylinn goads her with being injured, and isolated – playing on her vanity and abandonment triggers. She infers attachment to Riley as a liability, that their union is a colossal mistake.
It goes too far.
Nevylinn watches in horror as an obsidian swirl clouds her blue eyes, teetering on the ledge, as their sabers clash more ferociously. Gemma struggles against it, at first, but the Jedi’s words are like rock against flint. The sparks shower down upon the kindling of her soul, and she lashes out. The Force seems to crystalize around her before pulsing outward. Nevylinn is thrown back, but Gemma advances and batters her down. It takes everything she has to keep the glowing blade from piercing her skin.
“Gemma-”
The strikes keep coming. Nevylinn is backed into the corner.
“Gemma, stop!”
She pauses mid-strike, teeth ground together, as the Jedi holds her weapon out in defense. Her eyes clear and she gasps. The pool of darkness is far deeper than she realized.
“Nevylinn, I-I’m sorry…I…”
Catching her breath, she rises and gently guides Gemma’s hand down. They deactivate their weapons and stand facing one another. She does not outwardly show her fear but what Nevylinn saw terrifies her to the core. Mara does not recognize the risk. How could she? The balance is more easily struck without the mercurial motivations of human emotion. Far more challenging for people. So easy to slide once one is on the path – a path Gemma has already started down.
“I know. It is not depth or skill you lack; it is control. Tapping into those feelings is a start but exerting power over them takes practice.”
“You do not believe it can be done.”
She chooses her words carefully, “I have not experienced anything that would indicate a successful outcome. However, I will admit there are…stories. Legends, mostly. Those who claimed to walk between both sides.”
“That is not what I meant. You do not think I can do it.”
“You do not have the discipline.”
“And you do not have the courage. Keeping those feelings bottled up serves no one. I lost control, I understand that, but at least I am willing to explore that side of myself. Are you?”
“You do not know me, Gemma Masterton.”
“Dahlia may not be my twin, but she fell to the dark side nonetheless. We both have sisters who chose a path of destruction over one of peace. Does it make us better if we believe in an outcome that will likely never happen? They always have the advantage of playing with the fully realized versions of themselves. What do we have?”
“Hope.”
“It’s not enough, and you know it. To best Adubell and the Voss-Ra, I need the ability to draw from all aspects of myself. I need your help.”
“Your actions and behaviors do not inspire much trust.”
“No one said we must agree or even like each other. We have a common goal. Help me help us.”
Nevylinn appraises her warily. Although she knows the woman who was once her sister has long since been destroyed, there is a dull sting of regret she desperately wishes did not exist. She could not be saved and never wished to be. Adubell is a threat, as are the Voss-Ra and their long-held plans. That is something they can agree on.
“Alright, Gemma. Let us try.”
And so, they begin again - a reluctant partnership at best but one that aims to end the oppressive specter of the prophecy. There is one thought she cannot seem to shake.
Where Mara sees an advantage, Nevylinn sees only danger.
-TBC
-
Corellian Sector: Deep Space
The Republic fleet was still deeply involved in their battle with the Corellian ships; the Corellians in turn were striking hard at disabling the Republic ships.
Disabling, but not destroying.
That was key to the plan. Shields, engines, hyperdrives, weapons - all were viable targets. But they were doing their very best to not destroy any ship, not with so many lives on board. Ion cannons were helpful in that process, and multiple Republic capital ships had already gone dark. Starfighters were the trickiest part, as they could only take a few hits. It was hard to disable one without obliterating it. But modified corelian starfighters along with classic Y-Wings were up to the job, and so close to the Corellian sector, the Corellians had a larger force to work with.
The Republic was growing desperate as their options dwindled, their attacks more sporadic as they regrouped to form a more strategic offensive. And still, they were clueless. By all accounts, it appeared that the Corellians were trying to just take back this territory. No one was paying attention to the tugs that had slipped into the periphery of the battle.
Even when the gravity well nets all went inactive, The only noticeable sign onboard most ships was a few changes in sensor readings, and mid-battle, the fact there was less gravity seemed to be the least consequential detail.
For most.
One analyst aboard the lead Republic ship noticed it, how they suddenly went offline, before flagging down his supervisor.
"Sir ... it appears the nets are not working"
"Ensign, we are in the middle of a fight. Why are you looking at a mechanical malfunction?"
"I don't think it's a malfunction, sir. They've all gone offline. At the same time."
"All ... every one of the nets?"
"Yes sir. There are no artificial gravity wells in play. And my readings show almost no electrical activity from any of the gravity well nets"
"So that means ... the Corellians are free to leave?"
"Maybe sir. But if that were all ... why are they still fighting?"
It was several minutes of analysis and discussion before the idea went up to a commander who actually had a say in the matter.
"Is there any fighting near the nets themselves?"
"Nothing too close to them, sir. We've had fighters pass them several times, but they are not really in the trajectory of battle"
"Divert a squad of fighters away from the battle to get a closer look at the gravity well nets. Let's see what's causing them to go offline"
But, alas for the Republic, it was too late.
Even as the order as going out, the sensors showed the signatures of multiple jumps to hyperspace. The tugs had successfully disabled the gravity well net platforms, secured them in place. And now, one by one, they were being taken out of the battle.
It was only when they were gone, every single one of them, that there was a hail again from the Corellian command ship.
"This is High Commander Artemis Soldys of the Corellian Sector Defense Force. Once again, we are here to enforce our sovereignty, under both the Republic charter and the intergalactic laws of governance. As you can see, we have at our disposal the capacity to destroy the invading forces. We have chosen not to do that. We demand all non-Corellian vessels leave the system at once. Any non-disabled vehicle should leave now. We will return to you every single soul aboard any disabled ship, assuming you comply with our orders."
-
“And in the sterile light, it’s getting late
Something ugly’s taking shape
There’s a pattern we can’t seem to break
Broken vessels on your face.”
-Say Lou Lou
Corellian Sector
The Asunder
Blackness yields to a harsh and blinding brightness as he slowly opens his eyes.
Jedi Donovan Atrii groans, squinting momentarily as the room shifts into focus. Lots of white surfaces and clean lines surround him. His throat is hoarse and dry, but he manages a sound that is passably human as a figure comes into view. As his eyes adjust, he settles and smiles.
“Welcome back,” Circe Prescott says. “You had us worried.”
Her short-cropped, bright blonde hair frames her face perfectly – part of the physical transformation into Octavia Valles to conceal her identity after the bombing. Upkeep and maintenance of being someone else entirely. He and Circe are long believed dead but have adapted well to their new lives and looks. Better than he imagined at the time. It allowed them to continue their work in service of a greater good, something important to both of them. His buzz cut, which he has faithfully maintained, suits him well. She touches his arm softly, stirring him from his thoughts.
“How are you feeling?”
“Wrecked, to be honest,” he croaks weakly.
“Do you know where you are?”
"The ship."
“That’s right. In the medical bay. You were injured. Do you remember how?”
There is a ripple across his features as the events begin to untangle themselves in his mind. They were on patrol throughout the system, something he had been charged with for years. A peaceful existence out of the way, part of the neblous Project Sucellus that Veritaas oversaw. Kept too many people from asking questions they would just as soon avoid. The refugees joined them on Corellia, a dangerous prospect given their position – and they were betrayed from within. He brought one of them back here…and then she turned on him, snapped in an instant.
“Sirona. Is she…?”
Circe nods gravely, “Gone, yes. I’m so sorry.”
He grinds his teeth and focuses his breathing. The fight floods back to him. The way she moved. So much aggression. How the unnatural light in her eyes glinted and went out. He tries to move but finds it difficult to do so.
“Take it easy. You are not out of the woods yet.”
Before he dares to ask, another figure enters the bay, brushing past the medical droid standing nearby. Riley Patten holsters his weapon and flashes a sideways grin.
“Good. You’re up. Ship is clear and we’re on course to return to Corellia.”
“What?” Donovan protests. “No, we can stay on patrol. With everything going on, it will draw too much attention. The High Commander needs more time.”
Riley looks uneasily at Circe who sighs before addressing him calmly.
“You may not feel very much now but do not let that fool you. The shoulder wound is clean and will heal in time but the damage to your leg is extensive. The saber cut deep. You will need more specialized care than the droids can provide on the ship in order to save it.”
“Save…it?
“Yes. I need you to focus, Donovan. What happened with Sirona?”
He manages to subdue a rising panic by keeping his eyes trained on Circe’s face. Her expression is warm and encouraging, which helps.
“She attacked me after I told her what happened with the others.”
“Not quite the reaction I would expect from that news. Do you know why?”
“She said she felt something – someone - on Centerpoint before it was destroyed. It…affected her physically, mentally. She was in anguish, her head filled with voices, telling her someone had come to let the darkness out.”
“Ominous much?”
Circe mulls over the concept, “Darkness. Are we talking an energy source, a presence, an object?”
“I am not sure. She claimed it had always been there. Before the station. Before everything.”
“Before the station? How can that be?” asks Riley.
“It’s creation and existence are somewhat of a technological marvel. Centerpoint Station was allegedly built by the Celestials, as the tales go. One of many impressive feats throughout the galaxy. Long before it became what it is now.”
“That could indicate intention, ancient as it may be. Maybe they put the darkness there.”
“Possibly. Sirona claimed this person, a woman, came to let the darkness out.”
Circe sighs, “And now there is no way to substantiate anything.”
“Convenient.”
“Or a cover up. Even though the Republic had been crawling around that place for years, they seemingly never found whatever it was. Otherwise, we’d have heard about it in the form of an accusation. Their reports did indicate someone was there and it seems foolish to then destroy something so completely if she had not retrieved what she came for. I am inclined to believe she succeeded."
“Troubling, for sure. Mysterious darkness aside, that still does not explain the attack. Why would she turn on you?”
Donovan glances down, working through the memories of the interaction. How his suspicion was raised and given depth by her stoic reaction and dismissal. He takes an extended exhale before continuing.
“Sirona said it was madness, all the lives lost calling out to her. I did not hear or feel anything other than the typical uneasiness when traveling close to Centerpoint. This psychic attack seemed to impact only her. She claimed the woman told her to turn on me. Told her to – if I remember correctly – stop me from trying to take what was rightfully hers.”
Rightfully hers.
A shiver of dread slips down Riley’s spine.
Circe crosses her arms, “Do you have any idea what that means?”
“No, but she referenced this woman as a goddess and said she would soon reign. I think she was targeted.”
"Did you hear a phrase you didn't recognize? Something in another language?"
"No, why?"
"Veritaas said a phrase triggered Doctor Cross. According to him, her behavior flipped like a switch."
“If not a trigger, do you believe this entity or person was controlling her?”
“She said the woman was willing her actions, that she was controlling everything. However, the ability to override someone’s will completely, even with a mastery of the Force, is complicated. One can influence, and suggest, but ultimately the person in question would still be able to choose. Sustaining it would be nearly impossible although we know it has been done in the past. This was something different. She seemed...consumed at times, caught in a thrall that overcame her will entirely. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
“I do not like the implications here.”
Donovan laughs shakily, “A Force user so powerful they can bend the will of others? No kidding. If the Republic discovers this, it will only serve to harden their resolve since it treads too close to Janessa Kain's trial on Chandaar not to mention what they are saying now about her and the death of the Republic President. Then there is what happened to you. They would present it as further proof that we are dangerous.”
“I think we are past coincidence at this point. These are patterns.”
“There is something else. Something Sirona said to me right before…before she…”
“Which was?” she asks, fingers curling into his hand. "It's okay. You are safe now."
He swallows hard, grimacing as he meets her eyes, “She asked if I thought Demaris would be safe with one of The Four.”
“On it,” says Riley, stepping away and grabbing his com.
Circe smiles down at him as the medical droid administers more medication. He begins to drift with the lingering pain melting away.
“Rest now. We will be in Coronet soon.”
She steps aside and joins Riley near the doorway. He clicks off the device, looking agitated.
“What’s wrong? Can’t reach her?”
“No, and that worries me.”
“We can try again when we land. The Asunder has been on patrol for years and you checked the logs. It's due for maintenance which is more than adequate cover for its presence here. The medical situation may be trickier but I am certain Director Veritaas can assist with that.”
“Speaking of tricky, there is a dead Force sensitive Twi’lek on board this ship.”
“There is a deceased Twi’lek on board, yes, but very few know she was Force sensitive. Sirona does not appear in any Corellian records but I see where you are going with this. She may be flagged in Republic systems and linked to the F.U.R.A.. so we need to lean on our allies. We’ll sort it out but, for now, let’s make sure Jedi Atrii gets the care he needs.”
Riley Patten’s jaw is still tightly clenched which gives her a nervous pause. Circe narrows her eyes at him.
“What is it? What are you not telling me?”
His mind replays the conversation with Aunt Mara on the cliffs. All the things it revealed.
“I think I know who the woman is and what she wants.”
-TBC