CC: Refuge

[Medivh]

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"

*****************
Naboo

It was a few days later when the chime signalled their departure from hyperspace.  Mara moved to the controls and eased the motivator offline, revealing in the distance the world of Naboo.

Naboo was always a beautiful world, filled with pastures and swamps, massive lakes and waterfalls, and beautiful cities.  Yet its view from orbit was slightly tainted.  In orbit around Naboo were dozens of small and medium warships on patrol.

"Is it a blockade?"
"It's hard to say - I don't see any reason to believe the planet is under seige, but it has been a long time since anyone from the Republic has been down here. That we know of"
"Whose ships are those?"
"Not Nubian"

There were certainly none of the graceful, elegant ships that had typically made up Naboo's small space fleet.  Most of the vessels had the clunky, mass produced look.

"Eriadu.  Look - that logo."
Mara was pointing to a circular logo on a ship that was starting to approach their location.  circular, with a star in the middle. Nothing fancy, to be sure.
"I recognize it from when I visited Eriadu last year. When I was captured by Adubell.  The Eriadu Pact has become a strong force down here, trying to consolidate power.  Naboo must be ... under their protection.  We need to be careful"

"And deal with that ship"

Even as she spoke, their comm crackled.

"unidentified vessel, identify yourselves"

Mara glanced over at Nevylinn then pressed down on the comm.

"We are scientists from Corellia, seeking to do some research here on Naboo.  Naboo, has a rich history that-"
Mara was cut off
"Do you have a permit?"
"I wasn't aware that I needed one.  I know that-"
"If you don't have a permit, you will be detained and your ship will be confiscated. Power down and prepare to be boarded"

Several other ships began approaching.

"They are charging weapons."
"Let's hope their presence on the planet is not as strong as it is in orbit.  Hang on"

Mara grabbed the joystick and  plunged it forward, their ship diving down past the first ship, then with a jerk to the right, past a second ship.  lasers fizzled by as they were fired upon, Mara trying to make her way closer to the planet even while evading fire.  The ship shook  as shields were struck, then again, harder.

"We won't hold much longer"
"She'll hold together"

Mara did another jerking evasive dive"
"but i don't suppose the Force could help us out"

Nevylinn let out a sigh, grasping the armrests and closing her eyes.  She began to sweat profusely, but suddenly, the ship that was closest to them, a small fighter craft, did a spin backwards, halting within the flight path of two other fighters, and causing a collision.

Nevylinn's eyes opened and she was breathing heavy.

"I hope that bought us some time"
"Maybe even enough time."

They had reached the outer atmosphere and were starting to make their descent, as quickly as the ship would allow.

"Shields are failing"

A half dozen fighters were catching up on their position now, and with only one direction to go - down - maneuverability was limited.

"Don't suppose you can try that trick again?"
The ship shook

"No, I don't think so."
"alright.  Let's try this ..."
"Try what"

Mara suddenly banked the freighter back up slightly, the hull groaning in protest, but a minute later, her goal was clear - thick cloud cover up ahead.

Laser bolts struck their rear as Mara made her way inside, going as straight as she could for another dozen seconds, before making a hard right.

The sound of enemy fighters began to trail behind them as Mara made her way, checking sensors to ensure they weren't about to run into mountains of any kind, then continuing her descent of the ship.

It was 20 minutes later when they broke from cloud cover, the sound of rain pelting on their hull.

"We need to land, as soon as possible- they won't be fooled much longer, and sensors will pick us up."

Mara descended the vessel to the tops of the Nubian swamplands, before reaching an open plain and coming to a soft landing on the ground.  The ship was close enough to the trees to help hide its appearance, but clear enough that an escape could be made.

"We need to find out what's going on here - and find what Winton left behind."
"Winton, and Grayson"

They worked together to cover the ship in camouflage netting, then set off to find the answers to their mysteries.

TBC

[Medivh]

Naboo
Surface: City of Opella

The rain was pouring down as Mara and Nevylinn trudged along the edge of the tree line. Ever since their ship went below the cloud-cover, they had been in the rain, and having purposefully landed far from the city, they were making the rest of their way on foot, boots sticking in the mud and lifting with a sickening slup sound.  Overhead, they could hear the wine of patrol vehicles, searching for them, thus far apparently without any success. Hopefully their luck would hold out longer.

For hours they walked in silence, Each thinking to themselves about what they hoped to find.  Nevylinn had traded in the heavier jedi robe for a lighter version, a camouflage rain poncho over it, carrying a backpack with provisions and her own lightsaber clipped to her belt.  Mara too was dressed in fatigues, a blaster holstered on her right side, and her brand-new lightsaber clipped to her left.  She had trained to fight with it, but still preferred the range of the blaster over the quick technique required to yield a saber.  Even machines have preferential skill sets, afterall.

The rain continued as the gray day began to fade to darkness, Mara and Nevylinn moving away from the trees to get a little more light and to avoid landing in one of Naboo's numerous swamps.  Far in the distance, they could see the lights of the nearby city.   It was not Theed, the capital, that was their destination, but a smaller city to the south, named Opella.  According to records, the Greyson family had an estate here, large by Nubian standards.  Monica Greyson had gone to school in Opella before moving to Theed, and Mara and Nevylinn were hoping that answers lay somewhere in the Greyson home - hoping that at the very least, it was still there.

Through the early part of the night, they continued walking, finally hearing something other than rain as the sound of generators grew closer.  Now, unfortunately, they would have to be more cautious.  With the background hum of generators, they heard more vehicles overhead, no doubt the Eriadu patrol forces expecting them to aim for a city.  When they finally reached the outskirts, they found that there was a metal fence, cutting off traffic to Opella except on one road in each direction.  From where they approached, they could see the entrance was guarded with a checkpoint including two armored vehicles and a dozen guards.

"DO you think this is all for us?"

Mara shook her head.

"This fence - it's been up for some time.  I think the checkpoint is always there. A way to control the populace."
"You think the Nubians aren't fans of their new 'protectors'?"

"We can't be sure.  I bet there are a few here who would sell us out if they could.  We also don't want to fight our way in. We need to keep it quiet.  Let's try to make a break through the fence, hopefully sneak past the guards to get inside"

Nevylinn nodded and the two drew closer to the fence.  Mara pulled out her lightsaber and it ignited with  whoosh, the blue light glowing in the darkness.  With a swift double stroke, she cut a hole in the fence, disengaging the saber and stepping inside.  Mara followed, and for a moment, it seemed they had made it inside, successfully.  But a second later, they heard the loud roar of an alarm.\

" So much for sneaking inside"

TBC

[Medivh]

Naboo
Surface: City of Opella

The sound of the alarms, soldiers shouting, hovering S.T.A.P.s  all seemed muffled by the rain, closer and further away, but never quite a threat. Mara and Nevylinn had managed to skirt passed two patrols that responded to where they cut through the fence, aiming for the city, yet doubling back and forth to help hide their trail.  The muddy ground would leave footprints, so at one point, they waded through a shallow brook, only adding to the misery of this leg of their journey.  They finally found a cave where they could hide until the rain abated, and there they sat, waiting, listening as the soldiers outside looked for them.

The rain finally cleared as the sun was coming up, a hot Nubian summer day.  When the sounds of the patrols were gone completely, Mara and Nevylinn trudged out of the cave the get a lay of the land.

They had successfully managed to make it onto the outskirts of Opella, the cave was at the end of a rich estate belonging to one of Naboo's wealthy families.  Mindful of the threats against their freedom, they darted from tree to tree until they reached an old shed.

"Do you have any idea where we are?"

Mara pulled out a datapad, ensuring it was still dry before bringing it to life.

"There is a fairly comprehensive database of nubian residents and their property.  I've managed to hack into the records office and transposed that information on a map of the city"

After a few minutes of typing and scrolling, Mara nodded her head.

"The old Greyson property - if it's still standing - is just a half kilometer from here.  There is a large wooded area between here and there which should mask our approach. Once we get there though, I think we are going to have to reveal ourselves"

The two of them continued their journey, both thankful that the summer heat was drying off their packs and clothing.  When they finally reached the Greyson estate, they found a large mansion, clearly still in use, but in disrepair.  Vines snaked up the sides of the home, and several windows appeared to be boarded up. By contrast, a newish hovercraft was out front.

Mara and Nevylinn approached the house, peering in through one of the windows.

"What do you think?"
Mara shrugged and they made their way around to the front of the home, glancing behind them to make sure they were alone, and then knocked.

It was several minutes later when they heard the soft sound of feet approaching, Mara's hand cautiously moving closer to her blaster, when the door opened.

In front of them was a woman that looked extremely familiar, middle-aged, but otherwise still beautiful.



"Can I help you?"

Her voice was timid, her eyes darting between Nevylinn and Mara, almost frantic.

Nevylinn looked to Mara and turned back to face the woman.

"We had some questions you may be able to answer ... about Queen Monica Greyson"

The woman's eyes went a bit wide, and she clearly grew more nervous.

"Who ... who are you?  What do you want to know about Monica?"

"We want to know about her prophesies.  We are friends"

"Monica's friends are all dead. So is most of her family"

"Most of  her family?"

The woman's eyes narrowed as she looked over them, suspicious.

"You don't know who I am, do you?"

Nevylinn and Mara glanced at each other, then back at the woman.

"No ... we assumed you were related, possibly. A cousin.  You look like her, and this was the Greyson home"

"I'm not just related.  I'm her sister"

TBC

[Medivh]

50 years ago ...
A young Monica Greyson was studying for finals beneath a lamp in an otherwise dark room.  For a moment, she glanced over to the empty bed next to her own and let out a sigh.  Her sister was out of bed as well, but not studying.  In fact, Monica had no idea where her sister, Elle, might be.  Just a few days ago, Elle had been scolded by their parents for dressing too provactively for 15 year old, and going places where minors should not.  Elle had waved them off, ignoring the warnings by them and by Monica.

It was after dinner that Monica had seen Elle pulling off her school uniform and putting on a low-cut tank top, tight black pants, and high heels.  She was putting makeup on, already looking well older than her actual age, when Monica put down her book and turned to face her.

"You're being reckless, and you are going to get hurt"
"I can take care of myself, sis.  I just need you to not rat me out."
"I should - I should tell mom and dad you plan on sneaking out again.  It would be for your own good"

Elle turned away from the mirror toward Monica

"Don't you dare!  You may have bought into their high-society, Naboo royalty whatever.  But even if you one day are the queen, heaven knows I won't be.  Let them have you, their perfect daughter, and I'll do what I want.  Don't worry about me sis, and let me do my own thing"

Before Monica could reply, Elle had slipped out the window into the night.  Hours later, she still had not returned,and Monica wondered if she should have told her parents.

==================================
Present Day ...
Naboo
Surface: City of Opella

The house was dreary to an extreme - windows were shuttered , doors were closed, walls had old tapestries, faded, or perhaps, upon closer look, scrawled over. The woman led Mara and Nevylinn through the narrow hallway to a dining room, before taking a seat.  She said nothing to them, only glancing down at the table and softly mumbling to herself.  Mara glanced over at Nevylinn and both looked back at the woman, alarmed, cautious, curious.  There was no other sound but the mumbling, a good five minutes before she looked up.

"You - who are you?  No, wait.  You've told me already.  No!  You haven't! You are looking for Monica ..."

Mara interjected at this point "we are looking for information about Monica"

The woman let out a tilted smirk, cocking her head at Mara. "of course.  You wouldn't be looking FOR Monica.  She was killed by HIM  years ago"

"You know about her death?"

"Of course - it was by the abomination"

Mara and Nevylinn knew full well who had been responsible for the death of Monica Greyson - Alexander Winton - and that he had been referred to as an abomination, at least according to one interpretation of the Persephonea Prophesy.  But this woman, calling him that - maybe it was a clue they were looking for.

"You called him the abomination"
"Yes - abomination.  WINTON"  She screamed out the last word, then glanced down at the table, mumbling again, her hand tracing along a line in the wood.

Nevylinn tried interceding, reaching out to touch the woman's hand, but upon contact, the woman cringed back.

"Who are you?  What do you want?  Go away!"

She had a look of terror on her face, glancing frantically between Mara and Nevylinn.

"Maybe we can help you"

"Help me?  No... no one can help me ... Nothing can stop it. Repeat, repeat, repeat.  Always in my head. Always, always.  Alone but never alone."

"In your head - you mean you see visions?  You see the prophesy"

"Curses. Curses.  Always four.  Repeat repeat eternal fight.  No!!  Don't bring it here!"

The woman rose from her seat, knocking over the chair and dashing out of the room.  Nevylinn was about to follow when Mara grabbed her arm.
"No, wait - we need .. we need a better plan to reach out to her.  I think she might be the key we've been looking for - but if we go about this the wrong way ... she might crack"
"If she hasn't already"

TBC

[Medivh]

((Changes made based on recalculating the timeline.  Incident was 46 years ago, and closer to Episode II than to Episode I))

46 years ago ...
The bass is pumping a strong beat as Elle Greyson approaches the club.  Shining colored lights briefly escape past the entranceway along with the music before rotating back inward.  Beside Elle are two of her best clubbing friends, and though officially too young for entrance - 15 is really too young for ANYTHING, Elle could hear her parents saying - they had learned that with just the right amount of makeup, the right amount of flirty smiles, and the right hint of suggestive clothing, even the no-nonsense bouncers at the entrance wouldn't look too closely at the IDs they had managed to procure (and wasn't that an adventure!)

Elle slipped out her ID, offering a shy grin to the man who glanced at it, then back at her, then back at the ID. He handed her back the card and waved her in.

"Thanks"

Inside, the music was even louder - Elle could actually feel the bass reverberating through her body.  Those around her and her friends were bouncing up and down, grinding together and apart.  Elle's green eyes scanned the room slowly, carefully.

Her friend grabbed her shoulder.

"You looking for him  again, Elle?"

Elle turned to her friend.

"So what if I am"

"I'm not sure if he's right for you.Plus, he's just a mechanic"

Elle rolled her eyes, "first of all, quit sounding like my sister - really, quite the buzz kill.  And second of all, he's not just a mechanic.  He's a genius engineer working for the galaxy-wide Trade Federation."

Now it was her friend's turn to roll her eyes, "whatever, Ells.  He's older than you, and he's only on Naboo for the short contract, and then poof, he's gone.  No room for romance, just to get what he needs outa you and bam, that's it."

"Now you are definitely sounding like my sister.  You two - you have fun. I'm gonna see if I can find him"

The friends sighed as Elle weaved her way through the throngs of dancing couples, away from them.

Elle loved her friends - they did almost everything together - but there was something so exciting about ditching even them, about spending time with an off-worlder.

After the Trade Federation seige of Naboo, nearly 10 years ago, the organization had been effectively banned from Naboo, an edict strongly enforced by then Queen Amidala.  When Amidala became senator, there were entreaties to allow Federation surrogates to begin trading with Nubians once again, and the new queen hesitantly and cautiously began allowing visitors.  Notwithstanding Senator Amidala's misgivings, many on the planet appreciated the new business ventures and were actively pursuing even more Federation presence on the planet.

Most importantly to Elle, it meant off-worlders were constantly visiting the city.  And one had caught her eye.  She smiled as she saw him, sitting in the back corner of the club.  She drew closer to his table, and he turned his head toward her, immediately returning her smile.  He was young and handsome, short, jet black hair, deep-sea-blue eyes, chiseled features.  He wore a fairly standard black jumpsuit, but on one arm, a handful of gadgets were sewn into the garment.  She finally was close enough that she could hear him, despite the loud music.

"Hey, Elle. It's good to see you again"
Elle blushed.

"It's good to see you too, Medivh"

==================================
Present Day ...
Naboo
Surface: City of Opella

They had given the woman time to calm down and return, but when she didn't reappear, Mara and Nevylinn grew concerned.  Together, they moved quietly through the house and up the stairs to the second floor.  There, they could hear mumbling, only louder than before, and as they drew closer to the bedroom door, the words became clearer

"repeat, repeat eternal fight ..."
"the two have joined as one in light ..."
"abomination killed again ..."
"murder, cold blood, one once called friend ..."

Mara's left hand reached down to touch her blaster as her right hand opened the door before them.

Inside, Mara and Nevylinn saw a disturbing sight - The walls, originally a light-colored plaster, had painted symbols all over them.

"hieroglyphics"  nevylinn whispered

There was one wall that was still not covered, and there they found the woman with a black pen, scribbling new hieroglyphs on the wall. The woman's eyes were not the green it was when they first saw her - they were deep, dark pools of black, a darkness both Mara and Nevylinn had seen before.

But this woman was not a sith, far from it ...

"Can we help you, please"

The woman didn't hear them , kept drawing her drawings.

Mara finally dared to approach, placing a hand on the woman's shoulders.

"aaahhh!!"   The woman screamed toward Mara, then collapsed on the ground.  Her eyes closed, and she was sobbing.

"Please, let us help you ..."

The woman shook her head, briefly opening her now once again green eyes before closing them again.

"No one can help me. No one can help anyone .... it's too late. The curse has returned.  Repeat repeat ... that's the line. 
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 and Nevylinn stared at each other  "you've heard those words ...  what you just said"

"I never stop hearing them.  It's my curse.  It's your curse.  You know those words too.  Of course you do  - jedi, or whatever you are. But you cannot stop it.  Even while you were here, the curse began to repeat"

"Repeat - what do you mean"

"The lights ... they have joined ... they have ... joined"

"The lights ..."

The woman didn't wait for them to analyze "and the dark one ... the daughter ... she killed ... she killed an innocent.  The final piece, she doesn't even see it yet, how that one act, that one thing sealed her fate.  Sealed the fate of the galaxy.  The fight will continue, repeat, repeat"

"When you say the dark one... she killed ... you mean .."

The woman looked up at them incredulously. "you know who the four are - anyone who has heard the prophesy, anyone who has seen it in action - knows who the four are.  Who the light is. Who the dark is.  The light - Patten, Masterton.  The dark - Gellar, Winton.  There is only one of the four who is the daughter of the darkness. Who else could I mean, but my own niece, my own flesh and blood, and third child of the abomination - Dahlia Winton"

TBC

[Medivh]

46 years ago ...

She was enthralled by him, this mysterious offworlder.  The two of them sat in the back corner, and to Elle, the rest of the club, loud as it was, faded away.  She couldn't help but staring at him, and every time he smiled at her, she melted all over again.
Their conversation covered everything - his interest in biotech, her studies (which she kept as vague as possible, hiding her age from him), Nubian politics, galactic politics.  He had ordered two of some drink that she was sipping, making her head swim, all the while, wondering if he felt as infatuated with her as she did with him.

It was after they both shared their second drink that he leaned forward, placing his hand on top of hers.  Goosebumps.

"I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of this place - you want to head out?"

Of course she nodded.

It was getting late, but as long as she made it home by sunrise, her parents would never know.  Her sister would never tell.  And she would be fine.  She felt safe with him, though she had no good reason to.

He grabbed her hand in his and led her out the back door, where the noise became quieter.  They were distinctly alone as they began walking down a side street, and she felt giddy with her hand in his warm one.  She leaned her head on his shoulder and he chuckled.

"You know, I think you might have had too much to drink"

It might have been the first patronizing thing he'd ever said to her, but that feeling of bliss was suddenly replaced by anger, and she pulled away from him.

"Excuse me?  who do you think you are, telling me I've had too much.  I'm old enough that I can make my own choices, I don't need you or anyone protecting me.  I can decide for myself what I want to do."

And in that moment, with the alcohol still hot in her veins, staring at him, she knew exactly what she wanted to do.  She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressed her lips hard against his own.

She hadn't told him how old she was - that might make him reject her - but in that moment, she knew that tonight, they were a perfect fit, destined to be together.

==================================
Present Day ...
Naboo
Surface: City of Opella

They did not for one moment question it - Elle Greyson was insane.

And at the same moment, they also did not question that everything she was saying was true.  She had never met Dahlia, had never had a chance to meet her, and as far as they knew, Dahlia never met her.  And yet she knew her, knew who she was, what she was, a confirmation of everything they suspected.

"Do you know who she killed?" It might not have been the most delicate question, or the one most appropriate for the moment, fragile as Ella was.  But curiosity, or perhaps fear, motivated it out of Mara's mouth.

Elle Greyson was shaking again, though not crying, which perhaps made the spectacle more unsettling.  Her hand looked like it was itching for the pen, ready to scribble more hieroglyphs on the wall.  At the question, she settled a moment, looking up at them.

"A friend - a close friend, a confidant.  One she had already hidden her secret from, but most importantly - it was someone Dahlia loved, held dear to her heart."

The shakes returned, and Nevylinn pulled Mara from the room.

"If it's true ... Mara, the sith.  The sith believe that in order to obtain their power, they must commit a sacrifice, a true, personal sacrifice, destroying something important, treasured, to their former self.  The ability to detach that emotional connection is said to trigger the final phase into the darkness"

"So your saying Dahlia is now an evil sith, forever?"
"I don't know that for sure - but if she was able to do this, we can be sure that she would have no qualms killing her enemies.  Even if those enemies are family"

Mara nodded, glancing away for a moment, as her thoughts turned to another piece of the puzzle.

"What is it?"

"She said the lights have joined ..."
"The prophesy always said there were two dark and two light.  The dark, Winton, Gellar"

Mara nodded, finishing the thought, "and the light, Patten and Masterton.  Riley and Gemma.  She said Riley and Gemma were joined ..."

Nevylinn offered a sympathetic smile.
"I wouldn't think about it too much"
"He's too young"
"He's seventeen, Mara.  And from what I saw of them, they are clearly in love"
"I thought the jedi disapproved of relationships"

Nevylinn nodded again, "we do - but we also aren't exactly in a position to stop them, are we?  Gemma is important - more important than I think any of us realize.  We need her as much as she needs us, and we cannot afford to alienate anyone else with old rules of attachment."

Mara sighed, choosing to let Riley's relationship - or at least, the prophetic mention of it - be put in the back of her thought processes.  Dahlia was the important one.
"So what now?"
"We still don't know enough about the prophesy.  And if Dahlia is as powerful, as dangerous as the vision shows, we need to be able to stop her"

Nevylinn walked back into the room to speak with Greyson, while Mara stared at the door.  Dahlia might be dangerous.  But wasn't Karen?  Hadn't Mara been able to reach Karen, save her from the darkness?

Wasn't the enemy really the one who pushed Dahlia that way.  Adubell.
Shouldn't they focus on her instead?

Or perhaps that was one demon even Nevylinn wasn't ready to face.

TBC

[Medivh]

46 years ago ...

Sweaty skin.  Tangled sheets.

She barely registered the layout of the apartment.  Her focus was solely on him.

He was not her first, but in that moment, it felt like an entirely new experience.  She lay next to him, still feeling the heat radiating off of him - off of both of them, eyes fluttering closed.  She knew she had to be back home before her parents found her missing, but it was still early (enough), and more importantly, she felt like she never wanted to break this connection, drifting off to sleep with a sigh of contentment.

Persephone ...

Her body stirred, but she did not wake, her face creasing as a feeling of unease filled her dreams, some hidden secret unlocked

Elle she was running through what appeared to be a tunnel.

A dark tunnel, with no end.
Around her, words, images, symbols flew back and forth, making no sense.
She could hear a woman, crying out loud, the sounds of labor, new babies crying - but no sign of its source
Ahead, she saw beams of light, red, blue,green, clashing against each other, and as she drew closer, they were seen to be lightsabers, but before she could see who held them, they vanished.
And then, amidst the chaos of the dream, that whispered word again

Persephone

Elle woke with a start, sweat pouring  - like earlier, but this time, it didn't have any resemblance to the blissful exhaustion of earlier.  She was breathing heavy too. Beside her, Medivh was still sleeping, bare chest rising and falling rhythmically, undisturbed by her waking.

She shook her head.  Silly Elle.  It was just a dream.  She laughed at herself for getting so worked up so easily, Then glanced out the window, where she could see the dark of night was starting to fade into morning.

Damn.

She rushed out of the bed, stumbling around to pick up discarded articles of clothing, writing a hastily scribbled note to Medivh "I had to go. Call me"  before running, hoping to beat the sun - and her parents - to her bedroom, halfway across town.

==================================
Present Day ...
Naboo
Surface: City of Opella

"Miss Greyson"
"Please, call me Elle"

Mara looked over at Nevylinn, then back at Ele

"Ok.  Elle. These drawings. These heiroglyphs.  We've seen something like them before"

She nodded in response.

"My sister.  She probaby drew them. Or created them.  But there were others. Others who saw the prophesies, or worshipped those who had. Surprising legions of humans and non-humans alike.  Monica never even knew how much she was worshipped.  Well, maybe she knew, but not like that"

"Worshipped?"

"I've seen them - the creatures - they call themselves the Voss-Ra.  Frightening, utterly monsterous, barbaric.  They worshipped Alexander Winton, and now they worship Dahlia.  But that was because Alex was able to manipulate them.  What they truly worshipped.  It was the prohesy.  It was an entire religion to them.  And others.  Alex used it to become powerful.  Him and Med ..."

Elle began to shake again

"Elle ..."

Her tremors grew worse as she continued to speak
"Med ... I remember. .. so vividly ...it was magic ... I was .... I couldn't..ttt... get enough ... I felt..ttttt.... a connection ...  that's how it started ... thats how it all st ... stt... stttt.....ar ...ttt...ed"

The fit grew worse, Elle's shaky hand grabbing the pen, as she shook her head from side to side, beginning to scribble more images.

"nevv...err..... endssss..."
TBC

[Medivh]

46 years ago ...

Elle could hardly pay attention in class, her pen doodling idly around the handful of notes about mathematics, blah, blah blah.  She was busy thinking about Medivh.

It was several days after their first encounter, and they had already spent several nights together.  No longer any pretense of spending time at the club.  Nights at his apartment, alcohol on their breaths.  Longing kisses, roving hands, ecstacy.  She kept having the same dream, kept trying to see who was holding the lightsabers, waking up, frightened, and then trying to put it aside.  She would have to, if she wanted to keep seeing him, and she DEFINITELY wanted to keep seeing him.

"Elle!  pay attention!"  The sound of the teacher woke her from her reverie, and she looked up.

"Yes, Ms. Leighton?"

"Unless you want to end up a useless bum, I suggest you stop daydreaming and stop scribbling.  What are you drawing anyways?"

Before she could respond, the teacher stomped over to her, grabbed her paper and lifted it up.

"What is this nonsense?"

She tossed the paper down in front of Elle, who looked down at it, embarrassed at first, "it's. .."
Then she felt her breath catch.  She wasn't doodling hearts, or her name next to Medivh, the type of thing she thought she had been scribbling.  There on the page were some of the very same symbols she had seen in her dream, odd hieroglyphs.

"I ... really don't know ..."

==================================
Present Day ...
Naboo
Surface: City of Opella

It was hours before Elle's most recent fit had ended, the wall the most obvious casualty, marked with fresh ink, fresh images.

"Elle, can you tell us what they mean"

She was still whimpering, tears in her eyes, but she nodded her head.

"Some"

"Can you translate them for us?  In English?"

"Please don't make me"

"We need you to, Elle.  We need to find a way to end it all"

A long pause, then she took her pen, a shaky hand grabbing paper and beginning to write, a symbol and then a word, a symbol and then a word.  For as long as she could until she broke down again.

TBC

[Medivh]

46 years ago ...

All good things come to an end.  With relations between the Trade Federation separatist faction and the Nubian led loyalists, the Federation representatives on Naboo were given orders to leave

Elle clung to Medivh after their last night together.  She didn't care about school, or what her parents thought.  She wanted to leave with him.  She felt so connected to him.  It had been almost six months together, and she couldn't imagine it ending.  Their being together was destiny.

In the last few nights, she had divulged to him about the strange dreams she had been having, and Medivh, for his part, was comforting.

Now, in this last moment, she was begging him.

"Please, can I go with you"

Medivh sighed, running a finger along Elle's cheek.

"i wish you could - but the Federation isn't taking too kindly to Nubians right now.  You could get hurt.  And I don't know where they are sending me."
"Wherever it is, you'll make a name for yourself.  You'll be great, powerful.  You can set your own rules.  You can take me with you"

"Someday ... someday, I may even rule the Trade Federation.  I'd certainly do better than those idiot Neimodians.  But until then, if they knew you were with me.  You'd be a hostage, a liability. I can't"

The next morning, she had walked with him to his shuttle, holding him tight until he boarded the ramp.  She stared at the vessel as it grew smaller and smaller, farther and farther away.  She felt sick.  Utterly sick, like her soul was being pulled from her.  She collapsed to the ground, wretching over the ground where the shuttle had stood.  Weak, tired, heartbroken.

Security had to help her leave, she felt so weak, and when she got home, Monica was there, ever stern and disapproving, but with a look of concern.

"Elle ... you ... you don't look too good.  I think maybe you should go to the doctor"

"I'll be fine.  I just need some water"

Elle made her way to the kitchen, then steadied herself against the table. 

"Maybe you're right"

==================================
Present Day ...
Naboo
Surface: City of Opella

While Elle Greyson was busy translating between fits of madness, Mara and Nevylinn activated the holo news, only to find that the Republic was, literally, falling apart.  With reports that Gemma Masterton was now a terrorist, on the run from the law.  And Garron was with her.  There was an increased sense of urgency, increased sense of foreboding.

What was happening to the galaxy?

And would Elle be able to help them fix it before everything was swallowed in darkness?

TBC

[Medivh]

46 years ago ...

The doctor gave a stern, disapproving look at Elle throughout the examination, doing all the normal checkup things- shining light in her eyes, ears, mouth, asking where it hurts, checking reflexes, taking a urine sample, checking blood pressure.

Monica had gone with her, making sure she got there safely, especially with all of the vomitting, Elle had been weak and probably dehydrated.  The doctor disappeared to test the urine sample, leaving Elle and Monica alone.

"I don't think the doctor is going to find anything.  Monica, I think I'm just heartsick.  I never thought I would feel so connected to"
"To a fling?  The federation guy probably wasn't looking for anything serious, Elle"

A few tears escaped from Elle's eyes.  She wiped them away.
"I wasn't either, Mon.  At least, not at first.  But when we were ... when we were together, there was just this feeling, this connection"
"They say women get emotionally attached during sex.  I warned you about being careful"
"No, it wasn't like that.  It was ... it felt like destiny"
"There's no such thing as destiny, Elle.  Everyone just makes their own choices, and they suffer the consequences of their actions."

Just then, the doctor returned, his disapproving look possibly more so than before.

"Well, Miss Greyson, I think I've figured out what the problem is"

Elle and Monica turned to the doctor, Elle lifting her head hopefully.
"So what's wrong with me?"

"It seems, Miss Greyson, that you are pregnant"

==================================
Present Day ...
Naboo
Surface: City of Opella

Elle Greyson was sitting, crying in her room when Mara and Nevylinn went to check on her.  Her hands were stained in ink, and the paper was covered in scribbles.  Mara gently plucked the paper away as Nevylinn offered her a comforting shoulder pat.

Mara was looking over the words and images, carefully.
"it's a prophesy"

Nevylinn glanced up "the persephonea prophesy?"
"No ... well, maybe?  it's ... I think its older ...

It was clear some words were missing or unclear, but the gist of the prophesy was apparent:

"Bound by blood, their destiny
Offspring of young Persephone
Found has been a power old
Never 'fore the secret told
__________________________
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
_________________________
Daughter one will heal and save
_________________________
Daughter two ________________
be strong and fierce with power lust
Daughter three, idealist dear
_________________________
These FOUR will span the galaxy
Till brought again to destiny
________________________
The FOUR will be their tightest bound
Two of light and two of dark
the contrasts forever stark
________________________
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
___________________________
___________________________
And darkness will consume the light
Defeat the enemies of night
Body's weakness, mortality
__________________________
The light can end in triumph too
By breaking up the darkest two
____________________________
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"

Beneath those words, a hastily drawn chart, that looked like it too needed deciphering, but showing that all four families - Winton, Masterton, Patten, Gellar - had at one point or another been connected withdescendants of one woman.

Persephone.

TBC

[Medivh]

46 years ago ...

"Little Whore!"

"Good for nothing slut!"

"Federation trash!"

Some of the language that Monica and Elle's father used to describe her.  Monica had insisted that Elle tell their parents, that there was simply no way to get through this without their support.  But the Greyson's were an upstanding family, held in high regard in Nubian society.  Royalty, not withstanding the democratic world they lived on.  and their father was not a forgiving soul, especially if scandal would smear the family name.

Their mother was less colorful in her language, perhaps more willing to listen, but silent in the face of their father's rage.  Elle ran to her room in tears, only to run back to the bathroom to vomit yet again.

She could hear the voices downstairs, the screaming and yelling, mostly from her father.

"Monica, how could you let her go off with that federation scum?"
"I've been focusing on my studies - just like YOU wanted me to.  I'm trying to make sure I end up right where I'm supposed to. I don't have time to chase down my little sister"

Their mother piped in.

"And this at the same time the school has been calling - they say her grades have been dropping, that she's not paying attention in class, doodling nonsense instead of ..."

Elle was trying to listen, but the room felt like it was spinning, more so than ever, and what she saw, instead of the walls of the refresher, were stone covered walls, lit with torches, hieroglyphs circling around her.

"No ... make it stop. ... make it stop ..."

***

It was sometime later they found her passed out on the floor of the refresher, mumbling under her breath.

"per ... per ... persephone .... offspring ... four ..."

She was sweating, delirious, and her sister, mother and father looked down on her, a mix of concern and cold contempt.

It was their mother who spoke, watching her.

"What do we do now?"

"We take her out of school - make some excuse, keep her home so no one finds out."  Their father had made the decision. "Between the pregnancy and these ... fits ... no, no one can see her.  We'll have the doctor make house calls for her.  When that thing she is carrying comes out, then we will decide what to do with this ... whore."

That ended the conversation, their father walking away to his business, their mother following soon after, Monica with a frown on her face, grabbing a wash cloth and dabbing some water on Elle's forehead as she tossed and turned in her fit.

"What have you gotten yourself into, sis?"

3 months later ...

Elle was in her room.
Alone.
Like every other day.

Her father had bolted the windows shut and now even kept her door locked when they weren't home.  She knew that at first, her friends had called or stopped by, trying to find out what happened to her, but the family stone walled, and those attempts became fewer and fewer.  Elle no longer had access to the comm either.

She had once attempted to connect with Medivh, off-world, on some unknown task.  But her father had cut the line before she could tell him that he would be a father.  That led to a smack to her face, one that left a bruise on her cheek.

The doctor came to visit once a week, making sure she and the baby were healthy.  Or rather, healthy enough.

The isolation was getting to her.  She tried visiting the holonet, but her father had cut that off as well, making sure she could not connect to the outside world.  She tried reading, but there was only so much one could read.  She began talking to her stuffed animals, steady, silent companions from her childhood.  But the silence was deafening.

And the dreams were becoming worse.  More vivid, more closely together.  Coming as often by day as by night now.  She would wake and not remember where she had been or what she was doing before it started.

Parts of her wall began having those images on it, the ones she dreamed of, and her hands would have black ink on them.


Her father came in one day seeing the marks and in a rage, had the entire room repainted a bland beige color to cover it up.

All the while, her stomach grew.  There had been no word on what would happen when the baby was born - what would her family do with her, with the baby.  She feared, more and more, for its life.

Monica, for her part, was no help.  She too began to withdraw from Elle, focusing on her own responsibilities, making sure not to incur the wrath of their father.

Elle was in her room.
Alone.
Crying.
Like every other day.

==================================
Present Day ...
Naboo
Surface: City of Opella

Using some of the sketches that Elle had prepared, Mara and Nevylinn had managed to put together a brief tree that included key characters they knew, and how they fit in with some that they didn't.  There were still many, many gaps, but it was helpful to lay it all out:

[Medivh]

((Made some adjustments to the post))
Almost 30 years ago ...
A series of huge monitors were lit up against the far wall.  On one, data was streaming, scrolling downward at a rapid pace.  On the one next to it, a three-dimension image of a DNA strand,  floated in a spiraling formation, tiny yellow dots appearing and disappearing along its helixes, corresponding to the data on the opposite monitor.
Along the side walls of the room, a variety of laboratory and computer equipment.  Of note, a beaker encased with a specimen of blood was housed in a cylindrical scanning device, a small probe dipping down into the beaker and letting out small flashes of LED-like lighting displays.
Sitting quietly, watching the monitors, were two men.  One with dark hair, one with red.  Both young, full of life, and above all things, ambitious.
The dark haired man spoke first, "You did well with acquiring the sample, Alexander.  It has exactly what we were looking for"
"It has the enzyme?"
"Oh, absolutely.  And, in abundance.  I have seen traces before, but nothing like the Gellar child possesses.  And it is more complex as well"
The darker haired man rose moving over to the monitors and pointing.
"The enzyme, by itself, is able to do the work for us - it's communicating with every part of the DNA strand, and allows the matching respondent in the GURI program.  I've already begun developing the prototype droid, and will begin testing the program on it soon."
"I'm sure you already have a name for this creation ..."
"That I do.  Phage"
"It has a nice ring to it"
"Of course - and I'm sure it will stand for something, eventually"
"What kind of droid are you going to base it on?  A protocol?"
The dark-haired man shook his head
"It's a myth that protocols are the smartest droids, with the highest capacity.  Clone-Wars technology developed a far superior droid, and one that has the capacity to perform a variety of functions in a way a 3P0 unit or other protocol would not be able to.  I've already moved to acquire MagnaCorp from it's surviving ownership.  The IG-100 will be perfect"
Alexander stood now, smirking
"A bit risky, don't you think so, Medivh?  I believe they developed a droid that eventually turned on its creators, slaughtered them, and became an assassin droid?"
Medivh turned to face Alexander
"The greater the risk, the greater the reward.  When this works, we will be immortal.  Indestructible"
"Just remember I provided you with the key, Medivh"
"Just remember that I'm building the door, Alexander"

TBC

36 years ago ...

"Why is it that you care so much about immortality?"

Alexander looked up from the computer screen, over to Medivh.

"who wouldn't want to live forever?  It's an absurd question, Medivh.  YOU want it - YOU know why you want to live forever."

Medivh shrugged, "If I die, I won't have a legacy. Better that my legacy be my own self preservation"

"I guess you don't believe in that whole nonsense that our children are our legacy, are what makes us immortal"  Alexander laughed contemptously.

"I'll refrain from telling your wife you suggested that.

Medivh shook his head, glancing away, out toward the viewport of the orbital laboratory they were on.

"Truth be told, I never really thought about having children"
"Never found the love of your life?"
"Well, I wouldn't say that"

Alexander perked up.
"Wow, a side of the viceroy I've never seen before - love - ha!  Well who was it?"

"i'm surprised you don't know"
Alexander shook his head
"How would I know about your love life, Medivh?"

Medivh turned back to Alexander with a strange expression, then blinked, with a shrug of his own.
"I suppose I assumed an intelligence guru such as yourself knew everything about me.  But it doesn't matter.  We were separated because of the war.  And when I went back to find her, I was told she was dead.  She had died in childbirth.  Along with my child."

==============================================

10 years earlier (46 years ago ...)
The contractions had been unpleasant to begin with, but they were growing stronger, harsher.  Elle's breathing was labored.  sweat was pouring down, her head was swimming.  She couldn't explain how she knew, but somehow, she knew that the visions she was having were somehow tied to the baby. Well, to the baby, and to Medivh.  The flashes had started when she had first slept with him, and grown stronger with the pregnancy.

Would they end when she gave birth?  Was the child the fulfillment of some prophesy?

She didn't have enough chance to think about it.  Thinking had been so hard throughout this terrible, isolated, sickening pregancy, the isolation and the constant flashes into darkness.  Her room constantly smelled like fresh paint, which made her gag, but were the result of her father constantly covering up the markings she drew on the wall.

Labor was WORSE and finally she collapsed onto the ground amidst cries for help, before blacking out ...

...

Elle woke to the harsh light of the hospital.  Still groggy, feeling sore.  Feeling empty.  She tried lifting her hands to her belly, only to find her arms had been strapped down.
"We had to tie you down, Ms. Greyson.  You were thrashing during the procedure"

Her voice was slurred slightly as she responded.

"Procedure?"

"The emergency c-section.  You were already hemorrhaging blood, and had lost consciousness."

"c-section ..."

She was still processing the doctor's words slowly, before something clicked, and her eyes went wide.

"the baby?"

The doctor looked away from her for a moment at something or someone unseen. His face looked nervous and he took a deep breath.

"Where is my baby?"

The doctor looked down at her.

"I'm sorry Ms. Greyson.  We did everything we could.  The baby didn't make it"

Elle could feel her whole world collapsing.  She had endured all of that ... and the child, her child, didn't make it.  She felt herself hyperventilating, the room beginning to swirl again around her as blackness returned.

THe doctor shook his head, moving to the monitor at Elle's side.

"I told you this could happen.  Lying to a patient"
Elle's father shook his head
"It's for the best.  She needs to return to her life"
"I'm not sure if you see your daughter - she isn't returning.  In fact, I think believing her son dead will make her spiral even further."
"The bastard was not coming into my house."

The doctor looked angry but defeated as he continued checking Elle's vital signs.
All of a sudden, they heard her speak, but her voice sounded deeper, almost gutteral.

"Bound by blood, their destiny
offspring of Persephone
Connections you may try to hide
But destiny makes their souls collide
The time will come when machinations
Bring about abominations
Exile bastard, for your name
But children never be the same
You cannot stop the destiny
of offspring of Persephone"

Her father and the doctor looked down on Elle, whose body had been rigid as she spoke, now as she sunk into a deep slumber.

==============================================
Present Day ...

The family tree they had drawn confirmed their suspicions that the four were all related by a common ancestor, a woman named Persephone.  What was startling however was the Greyson family.  Monica had married Alexander, and Elle had apparently had child from Medivh.  Alexander was obviously a Winton, but Medivh's ancestry had been hidden until Elle's prophesies and hieroglyphs had shown that he too was a descendant.  And both ended up with Greyson's?

"Elle - who was Lord Allec Greyson?"

She smiled sadly, though everyone was relieved her shakes had subsided, for now.

"I never used to care about family lineage - but now it seems like the only thing I can handle.  Ever since my son died in childbirth ... Medivh's son, died in childbirth ... I ... I became obsessed with it.  I shattered.  I tried to understand what had happened to me, how I became so messed up.  So I delved into our family history.  Maybe I was somehow related to Medivh, and it was some weird side-effect of marrying a cousin I didn't know about.

Apparently not - but I did learn that Lord Allec Greyson fell in love and married a jedi who was sent here.  She apparently was originally some type of archivist or librarian with the jedi, but was sent away from them.

I've taken some comfort in learning that she actually had blackouts of her own, though not as severe as mine.  I think she carried the prophesy.  The original prophesy.  And she passed it on to her children, and their children.

I think when I became pregnant with Medivh's baby ... I think it set the prophesies in motion somehow.  That's why I became... the way I am.  And the funny thing is I still miss him.  Even knowing what happened to me ... I don't think I could ever resist being with him.  I felt complete with him. Drawn to him.  I really do believe it was fate that brought us together."

Mara nodded her head, and Nevylinn offered a pat on Elle's shoulder.

"I think you might be right.  It was fate - but now, the only question is - what was it about these four families - or, specifically, about Persephone and her four children, that was so special that it changed the course of the galaxy's destiny?"

TBC

[Syren]

“Give me all the things
That we’re afraid to talk about. 
I’ve been waiting for my heart to break
I’ve got this blood on my hands
I’ve got this blood on my hands.” 

-August 08

(40 years ago)

Naboo

Surface: Opella

Although the intent was for Elle to resume her life, the visions ensured that life would be nowhere near normal. After her outburst in the hospital, babbling things they thought were nonsense, she was deemed a liability. This was especially true for her sister as Monica Greyson had been put forward as a potential Monarch of Naboo. Her father acted swiftly, fabricating the information that would allow for Monica’s ascent. So, Elle was locked away in the house in Opella, and Monica became Queen of Naboo. The family told everyone Elle was dead. In a way, she felt she died the night her child did and so her father made it real. As real as the records in a system can be. 

Elle was in that house. 

Alone.

Like every other day. 

The visions tormented her, bending time into a meaningless construct but Medivh and their dead son were never far from her thoughts. Grief collapsed into rage and resentment as she felt she had been punished for loving him. Yet there was nothing she could do. The visions made her weak and she spent the days drawing, weeping, and mourning. Outside the house, the years passed, and, after her rule had ended, the former Queen discovered her. Elle was furious but Monica swore she believed her sister had died. Elle knew that even if that had been true, it was her selfishness that blinded her from ever questioning it. She accepted Elle’s death and moved on. 

Monica pleaded to let her make it right and reveal their parents for the villains they were but Elle refused. Alexander Winton was already courting her sister, someone their parents believed would make an excellent partner for their daughter. Who was she to dispute that when Monica cared so little for her and saw no reason to doubt the motives of their wicked parents? 

Why fight a fate she deserved? 

Elle demanded that she leave and never return. Monica beseeched her to reconsider but Elle grabbed her arm. When her fingers came to rest along the delicate skin of her wrist, Monica’s eyes darkened into pools of blackness as she is shown a flood of images among searing, jagged flashes: 

a girl leaping from a tower, a glowing planet fractured in a silent pulse, flesh pulled tightly over the metal frame of an arm, a capital ship plunging into a station, the fringes of a pink dress stained dark with blood, rows of bodies in liquid chambers, a crown placed upon crimson hair

Gasping violently, Monica reels back against the wall sputtering. 

“What…what was that?”

Elle smiles, “You will see.”  

*

Present Day (1.3 years ago from the current story and characters) 

The tremors return and Elle closes her eyes. 

“Poor, poor Persephone.”


“Who was she, Elle?”

“More than she appeared to be. She was not the daughter of Coruscanti merchants but adopted by them. At first, I could not understand why I saw the great palace and tried to match my drawings to galactic databases with no result. However, that was because it no longer existed, as the Iron Citadel is now found only in the legends of Empress Teta which is where Persephone was born."
 
Mara glances at Nevylinn, “Does this place have meaning to you?”

“Only in the context of the Great Sith War which I am sensing is not a coincidence. Elle, how did you come to discover this?”

She coughs violently, wiping at the corner of her mouth with a cloth flecked with crimson. Elle closes it into her fist, swallows weakly, and continues. 

“I have nothing but time, money, and this strange affliction. The least I could do is follow the path to the beginning. What you must understand is this has always been about the Sith as their machinations are tangled in both actions and outcomes with how the prophecy played out. Probabilities, even in fate, can be skewed. Winton knew this as the Sith did before him.”

Elle pauses, conjuring the strength to finally expel these thoughts from the prison of her being.
 
“The Tetan legacy was rebuilt after the Holy Crusades of the Great Sith War. While the Keto’s restored the system to its unified glory, fragments of the Krath society remained and infiltrated various segments of the population to sow discord and influence with those in power.”

“How are they linked to Persephone?”

“Princess Persephone, actually. She would have been the third and youngest daughter of Empress of Teta, Cysandria Keto, through an affair with the Director of the Mining Guild, Tenallus Aron Grey. Scandal and illegitimacy would have complicated matters as the crown and guild vied for increased power over the sector. Empress Cysandria intended to pass the child off as a legitimate heir but a jealous Grey instead decided to blackmail her to increase the guild’s authority. 

After the Krath were pushed underground, the cult was contacted by a member of the remnants of the Brotherhood of the Sith, a mystic disciple of a sect known as the Voss-Ra who had seen a future that the child would bring to pass – the return of the Sith. It was a threat to Cysandria’s rule as well as the guild’s power. Krath loyalists on her court filled her head with these notions which she shared with Grey. They both chose power over revenge and liability and, though neither could bring themselves to kill her, decided to send the child away.”

The Voss-Ra. 

This group is not unfamiliar to them and now it seems they play a larger role than first believed. According to Gemma, they had been there all along in her dreams and masquerading in plain sight. Now it clicks. It had begun with them and Winton, Medivh, and countless others in the past had leveraged pieces of their prophecy to further their own goals, no matter who they hurt in the process. 

The time will come when machinations
Bring about abominations 

“What happened to her?”

“When Persephone was born, doctors under the thrall of the Sith declared it stillborn and the kingdom mourned. Before the infant was sent to Coruscant, the Voss-Ra offered to perform a procedure, mystic sterilization of sorts to prevent the vision from coming to pass. She was to be raised barren in obscurity to protect the throne and guild. Persephone grew and married a Winton and the Empress never knew that sending her away is what sealed her fate.” 

“If she was sterilized, how could she have been the mother of The Four?”

Elle reaches out. Mara and Nevylinn carefully laid her trembling body on the bed. She convulses suddenly and they have to hold her down. Minutes pass before it subsides. Mara notices the streak of blood coming from Elle’s left ear. She had been left here to endure this for years and the burden of the madness, it seems, had been killing her. She was doomed to see a future she could not prevent all because she had fallen in love with someone that held the capability to trigger forward motion on a long-dormant prophecy that never came to pass. Had the Voss-Ra interfered here as well? Perhaps Elle was the failsafe for Monica, given that a descendant had impregnated both. When Monica’s first two children – Alexia and Karen – proved viable, was Elle abandoned to this hell? Why was her suffering not ended when Monica assumed the visions? 

When her eyes flutter open, Elle manages a smile. 

“You should rest.”

“Not just yet,” she says hoarsely. “You need to know. Persephone’s condition was kindling for others to take advantage of. She could have no children, no one knew why, but the Sith whispered to a Jedi and turned him – a Jedi who fused biology and technology together in a way that could make the miracle of life within Persephone possible.”

Nevylinn gently dabs the sweat from Elle’s brow, locking eyes with her companion. 

Mara ruminates grimly on the context. The conception of Persephone’s children laid the groundwork for Medivh’s research and Winton’s quest for immortality. Using the legacy gene to ignite the prophecy cost an untold amount of lives, more than any of them can possibly fathom. It also led to her very creation. There are so many seemingly unintentional outcomes that she begins to wonder how much the Tetan’s knew about this. They were never mentioned in any of the reports, stories, or iterations in the saga of The Four. Did anyone outside the Voss-Ra know or was it intentionally concealed? Empress Teta is a prestigious and wealthy Deep Core system which would have been both attractive and accessible to Alexander Winton during his days at the Imperial Security Bureau. It is also still under Imperial control. Winton could have hidden something there as he did in tactfully spreading his resurrection chambers throughout the galaxy. Something else comes to her. 

“Did your sister know about this?” 

Elle reflects on their last encounter all those years ago and winces. The bitterness she felt then gave way to pity and sorrow as time has worn on. So much time. Alone. 

“Monica never knew how much like Cysandria she really was or how many others were almost in the same position if they had chosen…differently. Even with a hand on the controls, not every outcome can be guaranteed. It is the nature of fate, I suppose. That is why it took this long. It was not the first but it has the potential to be the last. Both, raised by another; it began with one born to royalty…and one born to royalty holds the power to end it.” 

The light can end in triumph too
By breaking up the darkest two

“Dahlia and Dane must be kept apart." 

“It is not that simple,” Elle sputters softly, the color draining further from her face. “Gellar is only…an instrument but if Winton ascends…the Sith will rise and the prophecy…fulfilled…”

She begins convulsing and writhes across the bed. Mara and Nevylinn do what they can but it is too late. When she finally comes to rest, blood leaks from her nose and ears, streaking down her cheeks in deep scarlet tears. Mara closes Elle’s eyes and Nevylinn lowers her head. Her body had given out and she was finally free. 

They bury her in what was once a grand courtyard, surrounded by the lush native foliage come to reclaim the space. The storm had cleared to reveal a brilliant blue sky darkened only by Elle’s truth. 

“You know what we must do.”

“I am not certain she cannot be redeemed. Karen was.” 

“Karen Winton was not the third daughter born to a royal and raised by someone else.”

“Dahlia is not Persephone, Nevylinn.” 

“If there is another way then I am willing to explore it but know this; the Sith cannot rise, Mara. There will be nothing left if they do.” 

“Then we go to the source. The place where Elle said this all began.”

She nods and they collect their things before heading out to the hovercraft. The pristine condition clashes with the disarray of the estate but they are focused and leave the city far behind. Mercifully, their ship had not been discovered and they make work on a hasty escape with a course set for Empress Teta. 






-TBC

[Medivh]

11 months ago ...
Hyperspace

Naboo had given Nevylinn and Mara many, many answers  - and perhaps even more questions.  They had traced the story of the four, the heritage and legacy and prophesy to Persephone, the very woman the better known prophesy was named after.

They KNEW so much, and yet, like most sith issues, the history went back further.  The rise of the Galactic Empire and Palpatine were enough to tell anyone that sith had a knack for patience, despite their reputation for aggression.

Mara and Nevylinn were seeking answers, solutions.  A way to stop the prophesy before it either came true - with the rise of darkness - or started a new cycle, requiring a new galactic fight between the forces of good and evil.

And so after leaving Elle Greyson, briefly the paramour of Medivh, finally at peace in death on Naboo, Mara and Nevylinn set off on the next step of their journey, to Empress Teta, in the deep core region of the galaxy.

The hyperspace journey was largely spent in a philosophical battle.

"The sith are evil. They must be stopped.  Destroyed."

Mara was annoyed with Nevylinn's overly simplistic dogma.  Mara herself had studied the force under the tutelage of a supposed sith - Dahlia Winton - and also with a jedi, Nevylinn herself.  Karen, for her part, had a glamorous steel exterior when they first met.  But in the end, Karen had sacrificed herself for the greater good. and it was Melanie who proved to be the more aggresive.  Karen may have had a darkness inside her, but she had been redeemed.

Dahlia also had that darkness, instilled in her by none other than Nevylinn's twin Adubell.  But Mara believed she could be redeemed as well.

"If we save Dahlia from falling, we can stop the cycle! We can save literally millions of lives!"
"Look at Dahlia!  She's already taking the wrong path!  And she won't care about the same things that saved Karen."
"She has three siblings"
"You mean adopted siblings.  Their connection is artificial, temporary.  Dahlia is dating the imperial liasion!"
"It's not black and white"
"Some things ARE black and white.  Some things are yes or no, not maybe.  The jedi code relies on being able to make those distinctions"
"Maybe that's the reason everyone hates the jedi and they are failing as an organization!"

Nevylinn blinked, stunned, and Mara immediately felt bad for the rebuke.

"Nevylinn, I'm -"

Nevylinn shook her head
"I'm going to go check the holo"

"Nev, wait"

But Nevylinn quickly exited the chamber toward the cockpit, leaving Mara to her thoughts.  Mara glanced down to the saber attached to her side - a yellow blade, designed to cut through cortosis armor. It was unique, like her position. Connected to the force by the power of science, trained by both light and dark.  She had been programmed as an infiltrator and a killer - but she had transformed herself into something more, something alive.
Mara was the definition of ambiguity.  Of gray.  She believed gray represented most of the galaxy.  Quite contrary to the stark black vs white, dark vs light of the jedi.

Mara sighed.  She hadn't meant to ridicule so harshly, but Nevylinn took the jedi too seriously, and it got in the way of creative thinking.

Mara sat down, crossing her legs and closing her eyes, letting herself drift toward her connection with the force.

Flash
She saw a battle, sabers clashing against each other, back and forth.  One heavy handed grip on a green blade, one a dark blue, and one pink.  The image of the sabers suddenly disappeared in a ball of black energy that exploded outward.
Then a voice: "D'CERA ..."

Loud screams before Mara heard her name called

"MARA!"

Mara opened her eyes to see Nevylinn with a frantic expression on her face.

"The holos ... they're saying ..."

Mara rose
"Saying what?"

"They're saying there was an explosion. On Hesperidium.  At Boletheron Tower.  They're saying Dahlia Winton died in the explosion"

TBC

[Medivh]

10 months ago ...
Empress Teta

When Nevylinn and Mara had left for Empress Teta, they had envisioned continuing their journey for answers and information, seeking to defeat Adubell, save the jedi, stabilize the galaxy.  Their goals for young Dahlia Winton had differed, but they knew she was a key element of solving the puzzle, or at least, throwing out the puzzle.

By the time they arrived though, it seemed like everything had changed.  Dahlia Winton was declared dead.
At first, neither of them truly believed it, skeptical that the reports were just a rumor. So they reviewed source after source after source.  Mara hacked into official reports from Hesperidium, the Republic, and the Empire.  All confirming that Dahlia had died in an explosion at Boletheron Tower.  They were in disbelief.

That shock turned to worry as Mara scanned reports for another name ... Riley ...
His name did appear in some reports, but everything was speculative 'rumored', 'missing' 'unknown'.  It provided Mara little comfort.

"We have to go back, we have to find them"
"There's nothing we can do for them. If they are alive... if they are dead.  We aren't ready"

Mara turned to Nevylinn, eyes burning

"I'm ready enough.  This was Adubell.  She's trying to kill the four.  Trying to kill Riley"

Nevylinn shook her head
"I don't believe that's what this was.  My sister ... her plan is never so straight forward.  She'd strike in the back with a knife, and be gone before the victim realized they were dying.  This was too blunt an attack"

Mara was seething but looked down at the reports in front of them.

"The explosion is unexplained.  This wasn't any accident"

"I don't believe it was either.  But I think the witnesses might be hiding something - look"

The names of who witnesses the explosion were none surprising.  All members of the four's inner circle of friends and associates.  Dane Gellar among them.

"You think there was something they didn't tell the authorities?"
"I assume there was a lot they didn't tell the authorities."

"So Dahlia could be alive?"

"She was confirmed to be in the tower when it happened - but no body was found.  Anything is possible.  Plus, a sith can be a master of deception ..."

The doubts and confirmations circled in their conversations, as were their reliefs and disappointments.
Mara wanted Dahlia alive but believed her dead.
Nevylinn wanted Dahlia dead but believed her alive.

Conversations between the two often ended in a trailed off silence, a sign of the tension between the two colleagues. And so, they would go back to their work, not sure what else needed to be done.

Comm silence remained between them and the world they knew, out of necessity, but Mara was now checking the news reports on a regular basis, looking to see what new developments occurred in the galaxy.  She wished she could reach out to Riley, let him know she was ok; make sure that HE was ok.

But she couldn't. Not yet.  Not till the work was done.

Empress Teta was a world like Coruscant, almost entirely covered in a city-scape.  A long time past, it had rivaled Coruscant as the central world of the galaxy, relying on its mining of carbonite and other minerals to create vast wealth.  It had been home to a cult of sith-followers known as the Krath, who had, at one point, threatened the jedi and made war on the galaxy, before falling into defeat.

When Mara and Nevylinn arrived on Empress Teta, the world was a sort of anomaly - loosely affiliated with the galactic empire, but with enough political capital and independence that it was effectively run by the local mining guild. Emperor Schrag's flag was raised in the capital, but the planet itself had virtually no imperial presence.  Mining Guild security, however, was heavy, and traffic into the system was monitored closely.    Mara and Nevylinn claimed to be cargo-haulers, looking for work, and were allowed to land in an outlying district, but could not enter the capital city's main regions.

The layout reminded them both of Coruscant as it had been before it was destroyed, some three decades ago.
That, of course, had been another little bit of news for them.  That Coruscant was somehow BACK.  Astronomers around the galaxy were trying to explain what happened, but Nevylinn had her own theory.
"It was the sith ... they did it. Somehow.  As a way to expand their influence"
Mara sighed.
"If it were up to you, every fault in the galaxy would be the sith's."
"The sith are evil"
"the sith are not the ONLY evil, Nevylinn.  There are other dark powers in the galaxy.  Greed and ambition predates the sith"
Nevylinn frowned but did not respond, another conversation ended in silence.

For the last month, Mara and Nevylinn had been spending much of their time trying to figure out where on the planet to go and HOW to get there.  It had taken a fair bit of reconnaissance work, but they learned that the mining guild had, in the last decade, been taken over by a small group of secretive individuals.  Individuals who were never seen by the public.  The public, for their part, barely noticed, prospering with additional wealth.
Their searches found that about five years ago (((if my timing is correct))), the planet had been infused with huge sums of cash.  Further digging found out the money entered the economy through one of the shell companies associated with - 
"Dahlia Winton"

Mara was staring at the screen, matching up number by number.
"This was Trade Federation money.  Remember when the Wheel was stolen, and Trade Federation assets seemed to disappear ... the money was split into hundreds of shell corporations.  It looks like some of it was used to boost the economy, bolster the power of the new leadership."

Mara kept digging, "and it looks like they used those credits to buy a special mining project. It's been going on for about 5 years now."

Nevylinn came up behind Mara, glancing at the screen.
"Anything unusual about the project?"
"other than the timing?  The location.  The mining project was digging below the foundation of the capital palace.  Digging in the city itself has been banned for over a millenia - mining was relegated to the far side of the planet, so as not to interfere with the lifestyle of the locals.  Also, anyone who joins the mining team is forbidden from leaving the palace grounds.  Ever"

"That does seem odd"
"And the project is still going on.  How deep do you think they can dig, under an existing structure?  There's something to that project that tells me its more."

"Then that's where we have to go. Into the capital palace.  UNDER the capital palace.  And hope it's not too late to find answers"

TBC