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Chapter Text

Rrayden Scorn-Vao groaned as the pain sank in. He stumbled out of the open carbonite coffin, blinking rapidly.

“Oh, come on now,” Lana Beniko grinned mischievously at him, holding the empty stim capsule in one hand. “It wasn’t that bad, was it?”

Rrayden took a moment to steel himself, looking in the room around himself. It looked to be some kind of trophy hall, and he could see other carbonite prisons mounted on the walls around him and Lana.

“It’s… good to see you, Lana,” Rrayden breathed heavily, wincing at his Sith friend.

“Well, that’s a relief,” she sighed, walking over and embracing him in a quick hug. “After all these years, I was wondering if you had forgotten me.”

“How long…?” Rrayden’s voice trailed off as he heard the whistle of an astromech droid. He peered around Lana to get a closer look. “Is that a… Republic model?”

“T7-01,” Lana nodded, guiding Rrayden over as he was still heavy on his feet. “It’s part of the little crew I constructed to help you get out of this place. The droid used to work for the Hero of Tython before she went rogue, if you can believe that.”

“Right…” Rrayden frowned, watching as the droid rolled over to a nearby slicer terminal. “And who else is here?”

Lana opened her mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by overhead sirens. T7 beeped in alarm.

“It looks like they’ve found us,” she muttered. She looked Rrayden over. “Can you walk?”

“Barely,” Rrayden winked. Lana sighed, it seemed the Sith was back to his old antics already.

“Good enough for me,” Lana nodded. She turned to lead him out of the cell, but stopped. She turned back to him and gave a cylindrical hilt of a lightsaber. “Wait, you might need this.”

Rrayden looked thankful as he took the blade. He held it in front of himself, and ignited the yellow blade. He looked slightly disappointed at that.

“It’s not red?” He smirked. “Lana, if I didn’t know any better, I think you’d be trying to get me to turn.”

“Ha!” Lana laughed loudly. “Now come on, Rrayden. I don’t want this whole operation to end up being a bust.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

As Lana, T7, and Rrayden trekked the halls of the citadel, their attempt at escape was suddenly known by every security force in the building.

Legions of droids bearing white-grey armour plating came to stop them, firing their blasters.

“T7!” Lana yelled at their own droid. “Block off the doors! Split up, meet us back at the ship!”

The little droid beeped hurriedly, scooting over to any slicer terminal it could find. Rrayden felt himself lagging behind Lana, and lazily deflected the oncoming bolts as he half-limped along.

“Oh, come on…” Lana groaned, turning back to help him along. A few moments later, the blast doors between them and the enemy droids closed, and the barrage of blasterfire ceased. “Take a breath.”

The two of them paused, and Rrayden bent over, breathing heavily. Lana’s comlink suddenly beeped, indicating an incoming message. She looked at Rrayden while she answered the call.

“Yes, love?” She spoke into the device. Rrayden raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “Yes, I’ve got him. No, we’re not in trouble.”

“Who…?” Rrayden muttered. Lana held up a hand, indicating for him to pause.

“...The blaster-fire?” Lana repeated into the comms. “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it, love! We’ll be back before you know it!”

She ended the call, and turned to look at Rrayden.

“Love?” He grinned at her. “Who’s the unlucky one?”

“Oh, knock it off!” She groaned, winking humorously. “Just someone I took a liking to since you’ve been away. You’re not…”

She stopped, taking interest at the nearby computer console as its screen flickered to life. A hooded figure could be seen on the display, walking up to Rrayden’s empty carbonite prison.

“Who’s that?” Rrayden asked Lana, squinting at the picture. He thought he recognised the woman.

“That would be High Justice Vaylin. Emperor Arcann’s sister.”

“I’ve seen her before…”

“Yeah, I bet you have,” Lana nodded quickly. “And trust me, you do not want to mess with her.”

“Why not?” Rrayden frowned. “I’m perfectly capable…”
He groaned, wincing as another wave of pain spiked.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Lana grinned. “Come on!”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Vaylin stared in pure anger and annoyance as she walked over to the empty carbonite chamber. She clenched her fists as she heard the clanking of metal boots approach her from behind.

“High Justice…” The Knight of Zakuul muttered nervously. “The Outlander has been spotted, heading for the artificial sun-reactor. I’m sorry, I couldn’t…”

“Shh…” Vaylin whispered, slowly walking over to him. “Don’t you worry…”

She ignited her own lightsaber, the same yellow blade as Lana had given Rrayden, and impaled it into the Knight’s chest. His lifeless body crumpled before her feet.

“Everybody makes mistakes.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rrayden blinked as his eyes adjusted to the glare of the sun for the first time in who-knows- how-long. He looked up in awe at the sprawling megacity around himself, with towers reaching up into the lower atmosphere of the planet.

“So this is Zakuul,” he muttered. “It’s quite impressive.”

“Yes,” Lana agreed. “Shame it’s ruled by a tyrant.”

There was a long skybridge before the two Sith, and passer-bys gave them strange looks. Lana ignored them and got out her comlink once more.

“Hey, are you there?” She spoke into the device. “We’re at the pick-up point.”

She listened to the response, before groaning out loud.

“You’ve got to be kidding me! …Yes, I’ll put you on speaker.”

“Yeeellow…?” Rrayden announced, as Lana held out the commlink for him.

“Is this the legendary Rrayden Scorn that I’ve heard so much about?” The energetic voice on the other end replied. “I’m Vajra Devarath! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you… uh, not in-person just yet, but still a pleasure!”

“Uh… likewise!” Rrayden winced, playing along. The man’s enthusiasm was a little too much for him. “Lana speaks very highly of you…?”

“Oh, I’m sure she does!” Vajra chuckled on the other end. “I take it you know our little ‘secret’?”

“Vajra, focus please,” Lana told her friend. “We’re being chased by a madwoman and an army of Skytroopers.”

“Yes, I saw…” Vajra replied, turning the enthusiasm down just a notch. “I have my, uh… own problems as of now. Coming up on your right.”

Lana and Rrayden both glanced in that direction, just as a gunship roared past, flanked by two starfighters.

“What have you done?!” Lana shouted in exasperation as she watched the ships fly past. “This was supposed to be a covert operation!”

“Covert is my middle name!” Vajra protested. “But it’s hard to hide in enemy territory, especially if your ship is parked on the walls of a Skytrooper factory!”

Lana stopped, closing her eyes and placed her hands in a prayer position.

“Fine,” she said after a few moments. “Shake of the enemy fighters, and meet us at the catwalks, alright?”

“You got it!” Vajra called back. “See you!”

Lana sighed as she clicked the comms off.

“So… that’s Vajra,” Rrayden nodded. “I can see why you like him.”

“Oh, please,” Lana laughed. “There’s many other traits alongside them. Now, can you run still, or do you need me to carry you?”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Vaylin approached the skybridge. She watched as the Outlander hurried into the opposite building alongside someone she didn’t recognise.

“Hmm,” she muttered to herself. “Not the way I would have gone…”

Digging into the Force, she took hold of the artificial sun off to the side, gripping it with the very essence. The base of the generator groaned as the metal screeched under the pressure. Suddenly, it tore off. Vaylin flung it into the side of the building that the Outlander had fled into. The artificial sun immediately began to pulsate as it became unstable.

Not my problem, Vaylin thought, dismissing the impending doom of the city’s quadrant.

With a playful hop, she bounded after the Outlander.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rrayden and Lana stumbled as the base of the artificial sun slammed into their building.

“What was that?” Rrayden yelled, his ears were ringing.

“It must be Vaylin,” Lana told him, helping him regain his balance. “Come on, the catwalks aren’t too far away.”

As Lana helped him along, Rrayden watched as the civilian personnel worked at a hurried pace.

“The reactor!” One of the scientists yelled in alarm. “It’s become unstable!”

Rrayden froze.

“Wasn’t that the huge sun outside?” He whispered to Lana.

“Yes,” Lana nodded. “It seems Vaylin has unintentionally created a distraction for us.”

“What?” Rrayden frowned. “Are you kidding? We have to help these people!”

“No, we don’t,” Lana snapped. “Don’t you see? This is how far they will go to stop you. We need to get off Zakuul now.”

She began to tug Rrayden away, but he slipped out of her grip.

“I won’t let these people die,” he told her, his face set in stone. “They’re innocent.”

Lana glared at him, ignoring the terrified shouts of the scientists and workers around her.

“We’re going. Now.”

“You go ahead,” Rrayden insisted. “I’ll catch up.”

“I’m not just going to leave you here!”

“Good, then you can help.”

“Lana? What’s happening?” Vajra’s voice came through the comms.

“Nothing!” Lana told him. “We’re working on it.”

“If the impending implosion of the artificial sun-reactor is ‘nothing’,” Vajra said. “I’d hate to see your definition of the word!”

“I said, we’re working on it,” Lana hissed. She glared at Rrayden. “Wait there, Vajra.”

She clicked the comms device off, and turned to Rrayden.

“Alright,” she sighed. “What happens now?”

Rrayden looked around the building. It was lined with offices and computer consoles. There was a signal spike off to the side, looking out of the window that displayed the pulsating reactor. Scientists were frantically punching in keys.

“Could we use the Force?” Rrayden suggested. “Slow down the reaction process?”

“They would take enormous amounts of energy,” Lana told him. “And we’re running out time!”

“Shush,” Rrayden told her. Behind himself, he heard an electric board short-circuit, zapping one of the operating scientists.

“We’re all going to die!” Another office-worker cried, and the remaining workers began to run around like a herd of panicked Uxibeast.

Rrayden hurried over to the window, and looked down at the maintenance ducts below. There was a console, with a flashing red light - not too far from the reactor itself. An Implosion countdown could be heard from a speaker above the console.

“There,” Rrayden told Lana, pointing at the station. “That’s where I need to go.”

“Are you crazy?” Lana yelled. “The amount of radiation…”

“I’ll be fine,” Rrayden said, giving her a reassuring smile. He side-stepped as a scientist hurried past, talking frantically into a comms device.

“Rrayden…” Lana said, her voice drifting off.

“Hey,” Rrayden said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I didn’t become the Emperor’s Wrath for nothing, eh?”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
A few minutes later, Rrayden had made it to the base of the reactor. He wore a protective mask over his face, glancing cautiously at the lashing solar flares.

He would be protected, but not for very long.

The Sith’s gaze turned to the security console up ahead. A timer displayed the remaining time left until implosion:

TWO MINUTES UNTIL REACTOR IMPLOSION

“Why did I decide to do this?” Rrayden sighed to himself as he approached the console. Random bursts of electricity shot out of the reactor’s base, striking at the space near his feet. “I’m a Sith! Sith don’t do this sort of thing.”

Must be my wife’s influence, he thought to himself, smiling. He hoped she was still out there, somewhere…

“What does it look like down there?” Lana’s voice crackled through a comms device he had picked up.

“A lot of keys,” Rrayden said, snapping out of his thoughts and redirecting his attention to the issue at hand. “And some kind of lever.”

ONE-AND-A-HALF MINUTES REMAINING

“We could have been safely on the ship by now,” Lana reminded him. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“No…” Rrayden admitted, his hands flying over the keys.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he heard Lana sigh. “Oh no…”

“What is it?”

“It’s Vaylin,” Lana said. “She’s here.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Lana Beniko froze for a moment as she saw the crooked figure of Vaylin approach her. Both women ignited their lightsabers, prepared to strike at any moment.

“You’re not the Outlander,” Vaylin sneered as she began to circle Lana. “But your head will make a fine trophy, I’m sure.”

“Listen to me,” Lana insisted. “We need to shut down the reactor. If we don’t, thousands of people will die!”

Listen to myself, Lana thought to herself, grimacing. I’m starting to sound like Rrayden.

“Do you think I care?” Vaylin snickered at her. “I know what I was doing when I destroyed the dampeners. I’ll be fine… you and everyone else? Not so much.”

“Lana!” Rrayden said through her comms. “I think I’m close!”

ONE MINUTE REMAINING

“You’ll never make it in time!” Vaylin taunted her, and hurled herself at Lana. The Sith sidestepped her, and Vaylin’s blade slashed at her robes.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

THIRTY SECONDS REMAINING

“Come on, come on!” Rrayden muttered to himself over the sounds of clashing sabres. The screen now displayed a loading bar, and it was inches away from the end.

“Rrayden!” Lana called. She sounded terrified.

“Almost there!” He called back.

TWENTY SECONDS REMAINING

The console beeped, indicating the loading process was complete. Rrayden lunged for the lever, grabbing hold of it.

TEN SECONDS REMAINING

Rrayden pushed down… but the lever didn’t budge.

“What the…” he frowned. He tried again. Nothing.

FIVE SECONDS REMAINING

“Rrayden!” Lana cried.

Rrayden reached in with the Force, feeling the metal touch of the level. He pulled with all his might, and heard the sound of gears begin to grind.

THREE SECONDS REMAINING

TWO SECONDS REMAINING…

Rrayden yelled as he forced the lever down with one last effort.

ONE SECOND…

FAILSAFE ACTIVATED

Rrayden held his breath, looking up at the reactor as a metal shield began to form around it. Soon after, every single light in the sector powered down, leaving the city in darkness.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

As soon as the lights went out, Lana used the darkness to her advantage. It wasn’t completely pitch-black, but it still made it hard to fight. She ducked, avoiding an overhead sweep from Vaylin, and made a break for the way Rrayden had gone.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rrayden Scorn-Vao was bent over, wheezing as the heavy toll on his physical strength came into effect. He could barely see a few metres ahead of himself, and his blurred vision from the carbonite had only just begun to fade.

But he had done it. He had saved countless lives.

“Rrayden?” Lana’s voice crackled through the comlink. “Are you there?”

“I’m here,” he puffed. “What’s up?”

“You’re insane!” She spoke in hushed anger. “You could have jeopardised the whole mission!”

“I don’t regret my decision,” Rrayden said. “Where’s Vaylin?”

“I managed to get away when the lights went out,” Lana said. “I’m heading over to you now. Are you still at the reactor?”

“Uh, yep,” Rrayden muttered. “I can’t see a thing.”

“Hold still, I’m on my way.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
The catwalks acted as maintenance pathways. The metal bridges were elevated thousands of kilometres into the air, and the ground floor of the city could barely be seen. Only the setting sun managed to shine a weak glow through the spires of buildings. The lower levels were bathed in darkness.

“That’s our ship,” Lana said, pointing to the silhouette of a space-faring vessel. “Come on.”

She led Rrayden through the maze of catwalks, making sure to keep the shuttle in view.

“So, what’s Vajra like?” Rrayden asked her as they crept along, not wanting to be seen by any overhead patrols. “What species, build… anything I should know before the in-person meeting?”

Lana paused, looking at him.

“He’s… unusual,” she admitted. “Have you ever heard of a Raudra before?”

“The name sounds familiar,” Rrayden nodded. “They have four limbs, right?”

“Yes,” Lana nodded.

“I imagine he can sweep you off your feet pretty easily.”
Lana’s cheeks burned red, thankful for the darkness.

“It’s not…” she sighed. “That’s not all they’re useful for.”

“I’m sure,” Rrayden chuckled.

“Get down!” Lana suddenly shoved Rrayden to the floor, just as a Zakuulan dropship came into view. “Damn…”

The dropship’s pilot shone a pair of flood lights down onto the two Sith. The side doors slid open, and two figures clad in bronze armour jumped down onto the catwalk.

“Outlander!” The one in the lead declared. “You have been charged with the assassination of the Immortal Emperor!”

“Uh… have we met?” Rrayden grinned awkwardly. He turned to Lana for help.

“Knights of Zakuul,” she explained. “Completely loyal to the throne. Force-sensitive, too.”

“Your carbonite tomb is waiting for you,” the other Knight taunted, his voice making him the younger of the two. “Best not keep it waiting, eh?”

The Knights each brandished sabre-pikes, and a short, blue blade shot out from the top.

“What’s the plan, Lana?” Rrayden asked his friend.

“Easy,” she smiled with determination. “We fight.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Vajra looked up from the ship’s console as he heard the clash of lightsabers. He found it hard to see; the blackout had made short work of that. But he had another talent…

As he sat down and calmed himself in the pilot’s seat, he focused on the frequency of the Kyber crystals within each weapon. While the Knights’ crystals emanated a sense of duty and resolve, Lana and the Outlander’s lightsabers were more graceful. They sang with passion.

“Query: have the Meatbags returned from liberation yet?”

Vajra turned at the robotic voice. HK-55 looked back at him inquisitively, his photoreceptors blinking rapidly.

“They shouldn’t be too long now,” Vajra smiled, using his upper-torso arms to operate the controls on the canopy of the ship. Even from this distance, the duel produced incapacitating music.

“Statement: the Republic astromech has reestablished contact with us, Master.”
“T7?” Vajra asked. “Patch the little guy through.”

“Lament: I wish I was little.”

Vajra raised an eyebrow at HK’s last comment.

“Why?”

The droid just stared at him. Vajra shrugged and turned his attention back to the ship’s console.

“Statement: the T7 unit has been connected.”

“Thanks, HK,” Vajra said. He spoke into the console’s speaker.

“Hey buddy, what’s up?”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

After all his time in carbonite, Rrayden was surprised that he still held up in a fight. The Knights weren’t holding back, and despite the sabre-pike appearing to be unconventional, it proved to be a deadly opponent.

Rrayden was slightly off-balanced. The main reason being the absence of his second lightsaber. He had gotten so used to using dual weapons, that he’d forgotten what it was like to wield a single blade.

He ducked, narrowly blocking a Knights’ attack with his own weapon. The loud hum of the dropship’s engines from above distorted both Sith’s hearing.

Lana seemed to be faring better than him. She sliced through the Knights’ defences with grace and power, twirling her red blade with ease. Lana fought the older of the two Knights, and their skill seemed evenly matched.

“For our fallen Emperor!” The younger Knight declared, spinning his pike in an arc. Rrayden felt the heat of the blade as it flew by, searing his clothes.

“Don’t get cocky, Tanek!” The older Knight warned his partner. The brief redirection of his focus allowed Lana to send a volley of Force-lightning into the man’s chest. He stumbled back in alarm.

“Novo!” The younger Knight launched himself at Lana, but was caught in a deathlock as she gripped his throat with the Force.

“You Knights,” she sneered. “You’re never taught to properly channel your anger.”

“Lana…” Rrayden warned his friend. He looked over at ‘Novo’. The older Knight had collapsed onto the catwalks, not moving. Above, he heard the sound of the dropship as it prepared to fire its turbolasers. “Let him go.”

“What…?” Lana frowned. “You can’t be serious.”

“We need to go!”

As soon as Rrayden shouted the words, a quick burst of laser fire shot down from the dropship. Lana lost grip on the Knight, and stumbled backwards as the floor panel of the catwalk became loose.

Rrayden felt his footing become loose, plunging through the now gaping hole in the metal bridge. A rush of wind startled him, and he barely managed to grab onto the jutting ledge.

“Lana!”

“I’m… a bit… busy!” His friend called back, creating a small Force-field to protect them from the continuous shots of the dropship. “Oh no…”

“What is it?”

“Reinforcements!”

Two more dropships flew into view, with their own company of Knights.

“I can’t… hold them off… much longer!” Lana grunted, straining against the rapidfire. Rrayden felt his grip begin to loosen. “Vajra, where are you?!”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

As the song ended, Vajra suddenly became aware of the impending danger for his friends. It was a bad habit he had taken up. The Kyber was so entrancing…

“Alarm: Master Beniko and the Outlander are in danger!” HK uttered. “Query: are we going to help them, Master Devarath?”

“Hang on, HK,” Vajra winced, feeling the pressure of the situation. He yanked the steering yoke as he turned on the ship’s engines. The ship jolted as he flew straight for the three dropships. “Prime the autocannons.”

“Excitement: I love this job!”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Lana felt her energy drain away as she focused all her attention on creating the shield to protect herself and Rrayden. The dropship hadn’t once paused its attack, and already two more pairs of Knights were advancing towards her. Just as she felt herself about to give out, she heard the loud engine whine of a fourth ship approaching. Lana closed her eyes, and waited for the end.

She heard blaster-fire, and immediately the engine compartment belonging to the dropship on the left lit up in flames. It began to spin out of control, barrelling towards the lower levels of the district just as the first dropship met the same fate.

“You’re safe!” She heard Vajra’s voice as it crackled through the comlink. “Make a run for it!”

The third dropship turned itself to face the oncoming attacker, only for a missile to slam into its side. Lana quickly reached down and pulled Rrayden to his feet. The man was shaking with adrenaline.

“Much appreciated,” he nodded to her.

“You could have just said ‘thanks’.”

Lana took hold of Rrayden, and leapt over the gap in the catwalk. They ran towards Vajra’s ship as it hovered just above the metal surface. The loading bay’s ramp began to descend.

“No!”

Lana and Rrayden shot a look behind them, to see a furious Vaylin glaring at them. Multiple Skytroopers flanked her, and they opened fire on the escapees… only to be met with a return volley from Vajra. Lana and Rrayden ducked as the two front sub-cannons fired continuously towards the enemy forces. Vaylin acted at the last minute, tearing one of the metal panels from the bridge to use as a shield.

Lana and Rrayden slid under the hull of Vajra’s ship, stopping just at the landing ramp. Lana helped Rrayden up the platform, just as the shuttle began to lift up from the catwalk.

Vaylin took the pause in the cannonfire to fling her makeshift shield at the shuttle, striking one of the engines. Vajra tried to regain control of the ship, but Rrayden’s grip loosened at the sharp movement.

He didn’t see Lana, and Rrayden felt his stomach drop as his hands grabbed onto nothing…

But the cold, metal hands of a droid.

“Declaration: Meatbags can’t fly.”

Rrayden thought the comment as odd, but allowed the droid to heave him up into the safety of the ship.

“Punch it, Vajra!” He heard Lana yell to the pilot, and the shuttle immediately shot forward as the stabilisers realigned.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Vaylin roared in frustration as she watched the shuttle fly away, leaving a trail of smoke behind. Her gaze turned to the fallen Knights. Not dead, just badly hurt. She groaned as she heard her holocom beep.

It was Arcann.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rrayden took a moment to let the adrenalin settle, then another to take in the image of Vajra. Despite being knowledgeable of his species, he had never actually met a Raudra in-person.

Vajra was huge, solidly-built. His light-blue skin was etched with cultural tattoos. The species’ signature feature was their four arms, each of which burst with muscle tissue. A mop of dark-coloured hair covered the top of his head, matching his two dark-brown eyes.

“So, you’re Vajra,” Rrayden said, trying not to stare at the man’s obvious distinctions. “It’s… a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise, Rrayden Scorn!” Vajra grinned, looking up from the pilot’s chair. “My love has told me much about you!”

“Vajra,” Lana hissed. “Not now.”

“She gets embarrassed whenever I involve our relations,” Vajra told Rrayden, winking. “She saved me, you know.”

“I’m sure Rrayden would love to hear how we met… another time,” Lana said, glaring at her partner. “In the meantime… hang on, where’s T7?”

“He contacted me, saying he’s got a secondary mission,” Vajra told her. “He’ll meet up with us later.”

“You mean, ‘it’,” Lana frowned. “Droids don’t have genders.”

“Another little thing we like to argue over,” Vajra whispered to Rrayden.

“Vajra.”

“Yes, love?”

Lana sighed. Rrayden watched her, finding the situation quite humorous.

“How much fuel do we have?” She asked her partner.

“Not much to get to Asylum, I’m afraid," Vajra said.

“Who’s being committed?” Rrayden chuckled, eyebrow raising upon hearing the word.

“Not that kind of asylum,” Lana grinned at him. “It’s a safe haven for those seeking refuge from Zakuul. We’ve got a hideout there.”

“We’ll have to make a pitstop here,” Vajra interjected. “But… hey love, why don’t you clue our friend here in the last five years, eh?”

Rrayden looked at Lana in shock.

“Five years…?”

“Yes,” Lana nodded. “You’d best get comfortable.”

Chapter Text

Lana Beniko trekked through the remains of the Jedi Temple. Tython had never looked so… grim. Well, besides the time the Sith Empire had invaded it. But this was different.

Even after the months that followed the attack, smoke still rose from the temple courtyards. The destruction could have been more parallel to the damage done to the Sith Temple of Korriban.

And the most bizarre thing about the whole place? Lana couldn’t see a single body. She’d heard tales of Jedi Masters disappearing as they became one with the Force, but not even a Padawan could be seen.

As the Sith rounded the outskirts of the building, she heard slow movements of feet, masking the ragged sobbing of a man. Lana slowly unclipped the hilt of her lightsaber from her belt, and crept over to the sounds. Her eyes widened as she saw who it was.

“Vajra…” she whispered in awe.

The Raudran male was single-handedly carrying the bodies of numerous Jedi - one by one - over to what seemed like the makings of a bonfire. Lana had met Vajra on one occasion; in the staging grounds on Yavin IV. A surprise moment of romance that felt like a lifetime ago.

Yes, he was a Jedi. And yes, she was a Sith… what of it?

Lana wasn’t sure if she loved Vajra just yet, but there was definitely some kind of feeling there.

“Vajra!” She called out, louder. Lana silently hoped he would remember her, and not attack her in grief.

The Raudra stopped, looking up at the sound of the voice. He gently lowered the body he carried onto the pile, and looked around Lana’s position.

“L-Lana…?” He called back, his voice choppy. “Is that you?”

So he did remember her, Lana sighed in relief.

“Yes, it’s me!” She called back. Lana began to slowly approach him, placing her lightsaber back on her belt. “Listen, I came to Tython to find any Jedi who could help me overthrow the Emperor…”

She cut her sentence off as she saw his face fall. Vajra dismissed her, and turned his attention back to the corpses.

“I can’t help you,” he said sadly. “I must tend to my brothers and sisters.”
Lana stopped, realising that her proposition might have been a ‘touch’ insensitive. Nodding, she walked over to his side.

“I’m sorry,” she told him. “It’s… good to see you.”

“Likewise, my friend,” Vajra replied after a short pause. He looked at Lana, in a way that made her heart skip a beat. “I wish we could have met in better circumstances.”

The two of them stood in silence, as if in respect for the fallen.

“Would you like some help?” Lana finally asked the man. “You must be exhausted.”

“That would be beneficial, yes,” Vajra said, glancing at her with a blank expression on her face. Lana walked over to him, enveloping him in a tight hug. It was awkward, since he was a lot taller than her. The four arms didn’t make it any easier.

“I missed you,” Lana confessed.

“Me too…” Vajra whispered, as the tears began to flow.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

A few hours later, night had fallen. Every fallen Jedi in the vicinity had been brought to the central courtyard. The bodies had been arranged respectfully, in a way that they were close to the other but did not overlap.

“Are you ready?” Lana asked Vajra, who held the burning torch.

“I don’t know…” he muttered. Lana gently clasped one of his free hands.

“You don’t have to go through this alone,” she told him.

Vajra lit the fire, and the two stood there in each other’s arms as a hundred Jedi warriors returned to the Force.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Lana felt the warmth of Vajra’s body against her own as the two of them slept in her ship’s cabin. The Raudra was fast asleep, shirtless, as he lay next to her. The two of them had shared the night after watching the flames die.

Everything was happening too fast for Lana to process. She had come seeking an ally, but had reignited a feeling within her she thought she’d quenched. Lana held Vajra as he had sobbed, caressed his body as he fell into slumber beside her.

Yavin 4 was different. They’d shared a kiss, but nothing more. This was more… intimate. Lana feared she was taking advantage of Vajra in his weakened emotional state, but she dismissed the thought.

She would help him get through this, and perhaps in turn, he’d help her with her own goals.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The next day, after a quick breakfast of ration packs, Lana found herself following Vajra up a narrow pathway through the surrounding hillside. The previous night had refreshed her, and the man seemed at least a bit more lively.

No, Lana thought. ‘Lively’ wasn’t the right word…

“Where did you say we were headed again?” She asked her friend. The Raudra was a few paces ahead of her, lugging the knapsack filled with supplies for the journey ahead. She had to admire the man’s dedication.

“There’s a Twi’lek settlement not too far from the Temple outskirts,” Vajra replied. “We’re going to check if there’s anyone still there.”

“I wasn’t aware that non-Jedi lived on Tython,” Lana frowned.

“They moved here illegally,” Vajra said, breathing heavily as the path twisted around a hill. “But the Order slowly built good relations with them over time.”

“Curious,” Lana muttered. “Do you think they fled the planet?”

“I hope so,” Vajra said. “But many ships were shot down in the evacuation.”

The two walked in silence for most of the journey, until they came across the destroyed walls of the village.

“Where is everyone?” Lana asked Vajra, looking around the village. Even now, light traces of smoke rose from the remains of buildings that had crumbled in the attack. Not a single Twi’lek body could be seen as of yet.

“I don’t understand…” Vajra frowned. “Could it be that they truly escaped? Where to?”

Lana didn’t respond. Something had caught her eye in the town’s square.

“Look.”

Vajra followed her gaze, and set down his gear. The Raudra slowly walked over to the square, stopping a few metres before the body Lana had seen.

“No…” Vajra gasped. He fell to his knees.

“What is it?” Lana asked, rushing over to him. Before Vajra, was a Human man, possibly in his early thirties. Dead.

“Andersan Cartos,” Vajra whispered. “One of the only survivors of the Sacking of Coruscant. I… I can’t believe he’s… that he’s dead.”

“He survived the Sacking?” Lana said, eyes widening in awe. That must have been quite a feat, she thought to herself. “Do you think he defended the Twi’leks?”

“I have no doubt,” Vajra said, closing his eyes. “He was married to the Matriarch - Ranna Tao’Ven, one of the kindest souls I have ever met.”

“A married Jedi?” Lana frowned. “I thought your Order had laws about that.”

“We do,” Vajra said. “But Andersan had left the Order shortly after returning from Dantooine - which was after the Sacking. From what I heard, he had never kept his connection to the Force.”

Lana didn’t know what to think. The possibility of being disconnected from the Force was absurd, even for her.

“You mean he couldn’t use it?”

“Yes, sorry. That was poorly-worded of me.”

“Will he be cremated like the others?”

Vajra paused, uttering a prayer that Lana couldn’t make out. She could have sworn it had been in native Twi’lek.

“No,” Vajra said finally. “We’ll bury him. There’s a graveyard on the outskirts of the town. He deserves to be with his people.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
The next day, Lana and Vajra stood at the loading ramp to her ship. Vajra stared out into the valley below, eyes closed as he took everything in.

“Are you alright?” Lana slowly walked over to him, coming up beside the Raudra. Her heart ached at the thought of all the pain he was enduring.

“For nearly a month, I gathered my brothers and sisters,” Vajra muttered, head down. “Allowing them to pass onwards to the Force. I’ve felt alone ever since, until a few days ago when you arrived.”

“What are you saying?” Lana asked him, curious.

“I know I’m not supposed to,” Vajra said cryptically. “And we’re on opposite sides of the war - or, was. But…”

He paused. Lana gently clasped one of his lower hands in her own.
“I love you, Lana,” he whispered. “And before you ask again, yes. I will help you in this war.”

Tears sprang to Lana’s eyes, something that had surprised her at first. She flew into Vajra’s arms, kissing him passionately.

Yes, this was proper, she thought to herself.

“I love you too,” she whispered back.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Shortly after, Lana’s ship lifted off into Tython’s atmosphere, leaving a legacy behind.

Chapter Text

Lana rested her head on Vajra’s side - her eyes fluttering as she felt the day’s events take their toll on her - as the Raudra flew their shuttle through the outskirts of the city. Night had fallen, and air-traffic had dispersed.

“Looks like we’re in the clear,” Vajra sighed, resting his back into the pilot’s chair. “You alright, love?”

Lana gently snuggled in.

“Just tired.”

“You’ve been drifting in and out since the past two hours,” Vajra grinned. He kissed the top of her head.

“Maybe next time you should infiltrate the Emperor’s trophy room,” Lana smiled, looking up at him.

Outside, the cityscape dispersed into a darkened swampland. The shuttle shuddered.

“Looks like we’re on fumes now,” Vajra frowned, looking at the ship’s console. “I’ll try to find a clearing, but we’ll have to dump the vessel.”

“I’ll go check on Rrayden,” Lana offered.

“Thanks, love. And make sure that HK’s still awake, alright?”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rrayden Scorn-Vao sat in a darkened room, legs crossed and eyes closed. Even from the rear compartments of the shuttle, he could sense Lana and Vajra in the cockpit, as well as the many life-forms teeming within the marshlands below.

Lana had told him about Andersan - Rrayden’s brother. The Sith took the news hard, and did something no other Sith would do…

He meditated. Not on anger, or revenge… but on peace. Serenity.

Rrayden’s young apprentice, Jaesa Willsaam, had taught him the technique. He’d been sceptical at first, but had allowed her to guide him. It was strange. Not to mention the fact that he was being instructed by his apprentice.

But Rrayden loved Jaesa like she was his own daughter, and trusted her greatly. As a result, he was able to find clarity in the technique, one that he’d never find through the dark side of the Force.

“Are you sure you’re still a Sith?”

Rrayden blinked his eyes open. He’d focused so much on the fond memories, that he hadn’t sensed Lana as she’d entered the room.

“What do you mean?” He asked her, slowly standing up.

“I could sense you drawing energy from the light side,” Lana smiled, for some reason unbothered by the fact. “It suits you.”

“Are you sure you’re Sith?” Rrayden grinned. “Some would consider that a traitorous comment.”

The two embraced, feeling the assurance of each other’s warmth.

“I’m sorry about your brother,” Lana whispered.

“Thank you for telling me,” Rrayden said, struggling with a smile. “I appreciated it, really.”

“You’re welcome,” Lana replied. Both Sith parted. “I hope your sister-in-law made it out safely.”

“Ranna?” Rrayden frowned. “Yeah, me too.”

“I still find it strange that both you and your brother are married to Twi’lek women.”

“I suppose that means we have good taste,” Rrayden replied. They spoke as if Andersan was still alive.

The two Sith paused, taking a moment.

“I only met him once, Lana.”

“I know,” Lana nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“The Jedi took him from me.”

“Are you angry?”

“I… I don’t know.”

Lana looked like she was about to say something, when Vajra’s voice came through the shuttle’s intercom. He sounded out of breath, strained.

“Lana, Rrayden! We’re losing altitude, and fast! Grab onto something!”

Moments later, the shuttle crashed through the swamp’s canopy, slamming into the muddy ground and sliding a few metres before finally coming to a stop.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Well this is just perfect.”

Lana stood outside the wreckage of their ship, hands on her hips in annoyance.

“We were never going to make it to Asylum in that thing,” Vajra told her. “You knew that.”

“I know,” Lana sighed. “Is everyone alright, at least?”

“Analysis: my systems seem to be working at full capacity, Master!”

“Anyone else besides HK?”

“Lana,” Rrayden smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder. He felt a bit shaky from the crash, but that was it. “We’re fine.”

“Query: what now?”

Lana looked at the shuttle in deep thought.

“First, we salvage what we can from the shuttle’s black box,” she muttered. “Then, we rig a trap in case any Knights or Skytroopers come across it, looking for us.”

Vajra suddenly groaned in pain.

“You alright?” Rrayden asked him, frowning.

“Aftershocks of the crash,” he said, breathing heavily. He was bent, eyes closed as his face was strained. “Nothing… nothing serious.”

“Hey, Rrayden…” Lana started. “Why don’t you and HK scout the place out. I’ll help Vajra out, alright?”

“Sure.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rrayden slowly trudged through the muddy waters of the Zakuulan swamplands. His hair had become matted with the humidity, and his clothes were now positively soaked. Night creatures buzzed in the surrounding flora, and some kind of bat squeaked overhead.

“Compliment: it is a privilege to witness your skills first-hand, master,” HK spoke up after a while. “It seems Master Beniko was not exaggerating in the stories she narrated.”

“Yeah?” Rrayden muttered, raising an eyebrow. “What did she say about me?”

“Recollection: she said that you’re unlike any of your kind. I assume she meant that as a good thing.”

“I’ll take it as that,” Rrayden shrugged. He ducked under an overhanging mangrove branch. “So, Lana and Vajra. Are they… married? Or just close?”

HK stared at him blankly.

“I believe the term she used was ‘intermittently bound’.”

“Right…”

They walked in silence after that. Making sure not to stray too far from Lana and Vajra, Rrayden took the moment to recollect on… well, everything.

He was still bewildered by the fact that he’d been in carbonite for five years. Lana had told him what had happened during that space, war-wise… but what about his friends… co-workers?

What about his wife?

Had Vette survived the onslaught? Did she live happily, perhaps re-married? What about her sister?

Rrayden didn’t know what to think of the possibility of his beloved finding someone else. It made sense, but now that he was no longer ‘dead’, how would she react? How would he react?

He perked up as HK suddenly stopped.

“What is it?” Rrayden asked the droid.

“Observation: I am detecting a large metallic object within our vicinity. I believe it is a vessel of some sort.”

“Hold that thought.” Rrayden retrieved the small holo-communicator that Lana had given him previously. “Lana, you there?”

“Loud and clear,” Lana’s voice came back through the device. “I’ve rigged the shuttle, and Vajra has appeared to have calmed down. What’s up?”

“We may have found something of interest…”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The metallic object in question was certainly some sort of space-faring ship. It towered into the marshland’s canopy, coated in moss and other flora.

“That thing is huge,” Vajra gasped. He craned his neck to see the top of the ship. “What’s it doing all the way out here?”

HK walked over to the perimeter of its metal shell, and began a quick scan.

“Observation: this vessel has not been manufactured within Zakuul’s system.”

“Hold on…” Lana stood next to the droid, searching through the moss and vines. “Koth told me about this…”

“Who’s Koth?” Rrayden asked her.

“I’ll tell you later.”

Lana disappeared into the ship’s cabins. A few minutes later, she reappeared with a grin on her face.

“I think… I think this is the Gravestone.”

Rrayden stared at her blankly.

“It’s a ship that went up against Zakuul’s fleet - and one,” Vajra told him, with a grin that matched Lana’s own.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Restoration efforts on the Gravestone began soon after its discovery. It was more of a patchwork job - it was hard to find proper supplies in the depths of the swamp. The vessel was relatively large, probably about the same size as a Terminus-class Destroyer.

First, the crew set up camp in what looked to be the Gravestone’s hangar. Food was gathered and freshwater reserves were found. HK scouted the many corridors of the ship to eliminate any fauna that might have been using the ship as a nesting ground. Rrayden got the sense that the droid might have enjoyed that task a bit too much.

A week passed by, and despite limited resources, the restoration was coming along swimmingly. It wasn’t until the first day of the second week that Rrayden got the feeling that he was being watched.

He started hearing whispers. Eerie, distant - as if they were coming from the very walls of the Gravestone. Hm. Now the name made more sense…

The next night, he found himself travelling to the lower decks of the ship. Lana and Vajra were sleeping. Rrayden had no idea where HK was…

Floorboard creaked under each step, echoing throughout the dimmed hall. The corridor eventually widened out, and the ship’s energy core was in full sight.

It was unlike anything Rrayden had seen before. The reactor looked to be almost organic, with energy cores protruding from the flesh-like containment chamber.

“I take it you have questions…?”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The shadowy figure of Valkorion, the former Emperor, appeared before Rrayden, pacing between the Sith and the reactor.

“So you’re familiar with this place?” Rrayden asked Valkorion, looking around the Gravestone’s reactor room. “Can it really stand up against the Eternal Fleet?”

“Why do you think it was hidden away in the swamp?” Valkorion asked him, observing the SIth closely. “Such a weapon must be kept a secret.”

The Emperor stopped his pacing.

“You have become short-sighted of our goal. Your companions… hold you back.”

“Lana and Vajra risked everything to get me out of that prison,” Rrayden frowned. “How, exactly, are they holding me back?”

“You’ve gotten soft.”

Valkorion turned and walked over to Rrayden.

“You spared the Zakuul knights when they attacked you. You meditate on the light side of the Force. You are not the Sith I sought out to be my Wrath.”

“Listen, grandpa,” Rrayden blurted, suddenly annoyed at the accusations. “All my life, I’ve had people telling me who I should be and how I should act. I will dethrone your son, but I’m not going to be your puppet.”

Valkorion sneered at him, raising a hand as if to squeeze the Sith’s throat with the Force.

“The last Sith who became my Wrath suffered dearly for his betrayal.”

“I’m not betraying you,” Rrayden said, then silently: at least, not yet. “And stop crying about it. I’m quite familiar with the fate of Lord Scourge.”

He turned to leave, not waiting to hear what Valkorion said in response. A few metres away, Rrayden turned back to look at Valkorion…

…but he was no longer there.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

EMPEROR ARCANN’S THRONE ROOM

Arcann watched as his sister paced menacingly before the two Knights who had failed to catch the Outlander. Despite knowing the outcome of the confrontation, he still found it slightly entertaining to watch.

“I-I’m deeply sorry for the transgressions of myself and Tanek,” The Knight known as Novo declared. His posture was tight, and his helmet masked any expression of fear on his face.

But to Arcann, Novo stank of it.

“I know,” Vaylin smirked at Novo. “But, ‘sorry’ doesn’t seem to cut it nowadays.”

“You can’t just kill us because we made a mistake!” Tanek blurted out. Novo winced, realising the error his young associate had made. “The Outlander bested even you!”

Pure anger flared in Vaylin’s fiery eyes. With barely a flick of her wrist, she snapped Tanek’s neck with the Force. The young man gurgled before crumpling to the floor. Novo forced himself to hold together. He would weep later.

“He won’t get a second chance,” Vaylin growled at Tannek’s dead body. She turned her gaze towards Novo, who closed his eyes and waited for the end to come.

“Vaylin.

Arcann suddenly stood up from his throne. Vaylin looked back, obviously disappointed.

“What?”

“Both Knights have already been punished.”

Vaylin frowned at her brother, glancing at Novo. She grinned as his body shook slightly.

“I suppose you’re right,” Vaylin shrugged at her brother. She looked at Tanek’s lifeless corpse at her feet. Reaching her hand out, she flung him off the throne room’s platform, plummeting to the void below.

“Go,” Arcann barked at the Knight. Novo turned to leave, when another of his cohorts came rushing in.

“My lord! The Outlander has been spotted in the Endless Swamp!”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

“She’s finally coming along,” Rrayden grinned as he looked out of the viewport of the Gravestone’s bridge. “Mighty impressive, too.”

“She certainly is,” Lana agreed. She and Vajra were adding the final touches to the power couplings.

“Oh, so we’re giving ship’s genders now, but not droids?” Vajra smirked at her, popping his head up from under the command console.

“I didn’t make the rules!”

“You guys are adorable together,” Rrayden grinned. Lana responded with a searing that could kill.

“Disgust: this sappy Meatbag talk will make my receptors burst!” HK muttered.

“Well, we wouldn’t want that, would we?” Lana said, rolling her eyes.

“And… got it!” Vajra announced as all the lights in the bridge immediately came on. Mechanics whirred as the Gravestone finally awoke.

“I take it, it's time to leave, then?” Rrayden asked Lana.

“We’ve got to wait on one more person…”

Lana was cut off as a Zakuul gunship rained down blaster-fire on the Gravestone’s canopy. The whole bridge shook with each impact as the enemy craft zoomed in and out of view.

“We’ve been found!” Vajra cried out.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

By the time Lana and Rrayden had made it out of the Gravestone to face the enemy, Arcann’s forces had already begun the offensive. Skytroopers and Knights flowed out from the many dropships that had settled in the clearing outside of the Gravestone. They ran to confront the two Sith, weapons drawn.

“Who were we waiting on, again?” Rrayden asked Lana. He ignited his singular lightsaber, a feeling he still needed to get used to. At least he wasn’t groggy from carbonite sickness any more.”

“You’ll know them when we see them,” Lana replied. She ignited her own lightsaber, holding a protective stance as she deflected a few stray bolts of blaster-fire from the advancing Skytroopers.

“And how long do we have to wait?”

“You’re starting to sound like HK!” Lana grinned, shooting a blast of Force-lightning at a Skytrooper that got too close to her.

“Is that a compliment?” Rrayden frowned at her, twirling his lightsaber as he chopped through the next wave of Skytroopers.

“It’s subjective… here she is!” Lana called out, as the sound of a speeder bike became evident.

“Is that a…?” Rrayden’s voice trailed off as explosions sounded, one so forceful that it rocked the side of a parked gunship, tipping the vessel over completely. A woman leapt over, crossing blades with a few stray Knights as they tried to escape the blast.

Force-pushing the Knights away, the woman ran towards Lana and Rrayden. Rrayden drew his lightsaber into a protective stance as she approached.

“Wait,” Lana told him.

“I thought I was to be expected…” the woman, dressed in the armour of an Eternal Knight, smirked. She slowly reached off and took off her silver-plated helmet. The face of an elderly woman smiled back.

“You were…” Lana smiled, lowering her lightsaber and extending a hand to the woman. The action had paused, so formalities were quickly exchanged.

“My name is Senya,” the woman nodded at them both. She glanced at Rrayden. “You must be the Outlander.”

“Uh, just ‘Rrayden’ is fine.”

He looked out at the destruction that had been caused by Senya.

“Pretty impressive, especially for a Knight.”

“Thank you,” Senya smiled slightly. “And not all of us blindly follow Arcann.”

“We’ve got a break in the fighting,” Lana said, redirecting the conversation. Then she spoke into a transceiver on her wrist: “Is the Gravestone ready to fly, Vajra?”

“Yes, and no,” he replied. “The engines work, but the ship is stuck in the swamp.”

Rrayden looked up as he heard the sound of more gunships approaching. As they came into view, he could see that one was painted jet-black.

“No…” Senya gasped. She quickly placed her helmet back over her face.

“What is it?” Rrayden asked her.

“Vaylin is here. Get the Gravestone flying, while I hold her off.”

“Are you crazy?” Lana said. “You can’t hold her off by yourself!”

“Then you’d better get the ship in the air.”

“She’s right,” Rrayden told Lana. “We need to go.”

“Fine. Concentrate on the ship.”

Blocking out the oncoming ships and stampeding soldiers, both Rrayden and Lana reached out towards the Gravestone, digging in deep within the Force.

“Through passion, I gain strength,” Lana whispered to herself, reciting one of the lines from the Sith Code.

Both Sith felt the very surface of the Gravestone’s hull as they concentrated on the Force. Rrayden had never lifted something this big before, and even Lana seemed to be straining. Eventually, the vessel began to steadily rise from the muck, moss and dirt slid off the metal hull as Vajra gunned the engines. Seconds later, it hovered inches in the air.

“Get in!” Vajra called through Lana’s comms device. “Before reinforcements arrive!”

“What about Senya?” Rrayden asked.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Vaylin watched as the lone Knight approached her gunship. She scowled at them, leaping from the ship before it had properly landed.

“Do I know you?” Vaylin could sense a strange aura coming from the Knight.

The Knight said nothing, only reaching out with the Force to lift up the remains of a Skytrooper.

“Go,” she told Vaylin, then flung the debris at the ship’s engines. Vaylin looked in shock at the sudden destruction. She scowled back at the Knight - who was no longer there.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

By the time Senya had made it back to the Gravestone, it was already a good few metres in the air. She looked up and saw Lana and the Outlander watching from the open hangar bay.

“There you are!” Lana called.

“Leaving without me?” Senya smirked. She called on the Force, and leapt into the air. Her feet thudded onto the floor of the hangar.

“Vajra, we’re all here!” Lana called into her comms.

“We should get to the bridge,” Rraden suggested, nodding at Senya.

As they headed into the Gravestone, Vajra steadily piloted the ship away from the battle, and into Zakuul’s airspace. Upon entering the bridge, the three took a moment to recover.
“That was quite impressive!” Vajra called back from the captain’s chair.

“You must be Vajra,” Senya spoke, walking over to the man. “I’ve never met anyone quite like you… that’s a compliment.”

The ship rocked as Zakuul gunships pursued it, cannonfire battering the hull.

“Is the hyperdrive ready?” Lana asked Vajra.

“Yes, plugging in Asylum’s coordinates now…”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

ARCANN’S THRONE ROOM

Arcann watched as the holo-display showed the Outlander’s feeble attempt at escape. He recognised the vessel he’d commandeered. The Gravestone. He’d heard the stories of the ship as a young boy. Arcann had dismissed the legend as what it was - a legend, nothing more. But now, the threat of the Gravestone was very real.

He doubted the Outlander had any knowledge of its power, though. Arcann’s hands flew over the throne’s command console, ordering the ships in his Eternal Fleet to engage the Gravestone as it prepared to exit Zakuul’s atmosphere. Not to destroy it, but to cripple it. The ship was a part of Zakuulan history, after all.

As he watched the Eternal Fleet ships engage, Arcann lay back on his throne, a smile of satisfaction creeping across his face. This will be all over soon…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

THE GRAVESTONE

The Gravestone charged towards the Eternal Fleet head-on, as if the vessel itself was a stray bullet. The whole bridge creaked under the intense strain of the battle, and Rrayden could tell he was having some issues.

“S-someone has to get to the turrets!” Vajra stuttered, wincing as he banked the Gravestone into a wide turn. “We’ll never get through the blockade if we don’t fight back!”

“On it,” Rrayden said.

“It’s two levels down,” Lana called back as he rushed away.

“Now, you’re about to witness true power…” Valkorion whispered in his sub-consciousness.

It wasn’t hard to find the console that operated the Gravestone’s weaponry. It was ancient, like the rest of the ship, but not unlike the other turret bays compared to that of a Terminus Destroyer. The Sith powered up the cannons…
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Captain Pylon stood on the bridge of her ship - one of the many in the Eternal Empire’s fleet - and watched in awe as the Gravestone’s frontal canon began to power up.

“By Izax,” she gasped. “The legends are true.”

It was when the Gravestone’s crest became ignited with a green, crackling energy, that she accepted her fate.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Vajra watched in awe as the blast from the Gravestone wiped out a whole portion of the Eternal Fleet’s navy.

“Five targets down!” He grinned, eyes widening. “No, ten! Fifteen!”

“We can win this thing,” Lana realised, watching as each ship exploded into oblivion.

“Declaration: Can we go now?”

Lana gave Vajra a gentle kiss on the forehead.

“Yes, HK,” the man smiled. “We can.”

“Rrayden,” Lana spoke into the ship’s comms. “We’re going into hyperspace now.”

“Copy that.”

Moments later, the stars receded as the Gravestone shot away into the void.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

EPILOGUE - OSSUS

Jaesa Willsaam sat cross-legged in the small hutt in the Jedi Enclave located on Ossus. Fully connected with the Force, she separated herself from the activity around her. The girl had been meditating on a peculiar feeling she had been experiencing for a few days now. It excited her, but Jaesa had also been sceptical.

As she sat there in the darkened room, she listened to her slow breathing. And then…

She felt it. Felt him!

Jaesa shot up from her spot, and rushed out of the hut towards the greater community.

“Master Gnost-Dural!” She called, side-stepping a pair of Padawans as she hastily approached the Kel Dor. “I felt the connection! He’s alive! He’s really alive!”
“Jaesa, slow down,” The Jedi told her calmly. He went over, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Who’s alive?”

Jaesa looked up at the Jedi Master, tears of joy flowing down her face.

“My Master,” she said.

Chapter Text

As the Gravestone slid beneath the clouds that formed the gas giant, the skystation known as Asylum hovered into view. It was about the same size as a small city, with towers and supply cranes poking into the atmosphere. From this distance, it looked silent, abandoned.

“That’s Asylum?” Rrayden asked, peering down from the Gravestone’s viewport.

“Yep,” Lana nodded, a hand on Vajra’s shoulder as he piloted the ship towards the nearest docking bay. “It’s been our base of operations for the past year.”

“And our home,” Vajra added. “The weather’s actually quite nice. Not too many storms, and only light rain.”

“Trust us when we say: Arcann has no idea of Asylum’s existence,” Senya grinned at Rrayden, who nodded in acknowledgement.

“Acknowledgement: We are being hailed.” HK chimed up.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Gawkers watched as the large vessel that was the Gravestone - bank sharply right as it became skewed. It scraped against the air-traffic building, before coming to an abrupt stop at the landing dock. Almost immediately, laser-powered clamps attached onto the sides of the Gravestone.

Rrayden walked out onto the extending plank of the ship, shielding his eyes from the glaring sun above. As his eyes adjusted, he saw the group of people at the end of the plank, armed with blasters and heavy armour.

“So, you’re the Outlander,” a dark-skinned Human man smirked, looking the Sith over. “Yeah… I kind of expected more…”

Rrayden had to admit he didn’t look like much. The previous weeks hadn’t been kind to his appearance. His hair was a mess, and his once-pristine Sith robes looked more like rags.

“Oh, lay off it, Koth.” Rrayden hadn’t even noticed Lana as she sneaked up behind him. “It’s been a rough few weeks.

“It’s good to see you too, old girl,” the man named ‘Koth’ grinned at the woman. “Mind if we come aboard?”

“You’re Koth?” Rrayden frowned, cautiously eyeing the gang around the man. “It’s a… pleasure to meet you.”

“Love the enthusiasm,” Koth grinned, as he and his posse walked onto the plank. He nodded at the ship behind them. “That’s the Gravestone?”

“In all its glory,” Lana grinned. She and Rrayden moved out of the way so the ‘pirates’ could climb aboard.
“I’m not sure I like them…” Senya muttered, eyeing the newcomers closely as she walked up to Rrayden and Lana.

“Oh, Koth!” Lana butted in, gesturing to the former Knight. “This is Senya. We picked her up on Zakuul along with the Gravestone.”

“You’re a Knight, aren’t you?” Koth frowned at Senya. He glanced at Lana. “Was she really necessary?”

“She did help us escape,” Lana shrugged, side-glancing at Senya - who was evidently displeased at Koth’s remark. “Let’s not come to blows just yet, alright?”

“I have some contacts I need to meet,” Senya muttered, glancing at Rrayden. “The Outlander’s presence is required.”

“It is?” Rrayden frowned.

“Senya, we just landed and you’re already heading off?” Lana sounded sceptical too.

“It’s to recruit potential allies,” the Knight insisted. She nodded at Rrayden, indicating him to follow her.

“I’ll be fine… I think,” Rrayden whispered to Lana as he went to follow Senya.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

“So, who are we meeting, exactly?” Rrayden asked Senya as she led him through the darkened alleyways of Asylum.

“Are you familiar with the Scions?” Senya asked him as they walked.

“I vaguely remember meeting one of them before I was first brought before Valkorion,” Rrayden frowned. “Some kind of prophets?”

“More or less.”

Senya stopped at a large, blank wall. She looked around to make sure no one but herself and Rrayden were present, and carefully pressed a loose panel on the wall. Gears creaked as it slid back to reveal a hidden room.

“Fancy,” Rrayden said.

“The Scions believe that everything has been predestined, that no one is outside the reach of fate,” Senya continued as she led him inside. “They have requested your presence, so that they may know yours.”

“Are they going to help our fight against Arcann?” Rrayden asked her. The space around him had suddenly gone cold.
“That is up to you…”

Rrayden looked around at the sound of the new voice. Ahead of him and Senya, there was a short elevation above, and a robed man stood above, his gaze dead-focused on the Sith.

“I’ve seen you before,” Rrayden frowned at the man, then he realised. This Scion had confronted Arcann before the Prince had brought him and Marr to Valkorion.

“That is Heskal,” Senya whispered to him. “Leader of the Scions.”

“You have come here for your judgement, yes?” Heskal declared, looking down on Rrayden. “To know if you are truly worthy to retake the Eternal Throne?”

“I… guess…?” Rrayden frowned.

“And you, Senya?”

Rrayden looked at the woman, who looked visibly conflicted for a passing moment.

“I will stand with the Outlander in the coming trials,” she replied. “To see if he is ‘worthy’. And that my trust in him is not displaced.”

“Mmm… this should be interesting,” Valkorion whispered - almost child-like - in Rrayden’s mind.

“No pressure, then.” Rrayden shrugged, looking up at Heskal. “So, what happens now?”

“You will be tested,” Heskal explained. “Physically, and spiritually.”

“That’s nothing new.”

“This will be different,” Senya told him. “But I will stand with you for the duration of the test.”

“Let’s begin, shall we?” Heskal offered, before disappearing into the darkness behind him.

“Senya, what can I expect from this challenge?”

“Pain.”

Rrayden looked up at the newcomer. He was in traditional black and gold Scion robes, drawing a lightsaber of an unusual colour - bright pink.

“Suffering.”

Another Scion appeared next to her sparring partner. Both of their faces seemed to be twisted in sorrow.

“The heart of Skyva cries out in pain as a new tapestry of fate is being weaved.”
“Steel yourself, Outlander. For we shall not hold back.”

“Be prepared for anything,” Senya whispered to Rrayden. She ignited her own lightsaber as the two Scions advanced.

“Such as…?” Rrayden asked her, just as the room around himself began to change.

Flashes of blue and red fought as they swirled around the combatants like an enraged storm. Rrayden had barely enough time to ignite his own lightsaber, before bringing it up to block one of the Scion’s attacks. The prophets seemed to merge with the vortex around them. Rrayden backed up, accidentally bumping against Senya. She shot him a look, before looking around for the Scions.

The other Scion came charging out of the storm, barely making a sound as it swung its lightsaber at the Sith. Rrayden parried, blocking it with his own yellow lightsaber. Again, the Scion disappeared in a puff of smoke.

He didn’t even see their next attack; he only felt it. Rrayden cried out in pain and shock as he felt the lightsaber scrape against his legs. He fell onto his knees, blinking out the jolt. Everything seemed to go in and out of focus. Rrayden could barely hear Senya anymore…

“Rrayden! Don’t listen to anything they say! It’s just a vision…!”

“Senya?”

“She can’t hear you.”

Rrayden’s reflexes activated as he shot out of the way of an on-coming stream of Force-lightning.

“No one can.”

Rrayden looked back at the half-concealed face of Emperor Arcann. The Sith struggled back to his feet to confront the man.

“Pathetic,” Arcann spat, pacing around Rrayden as he taunted the Sith. “So you were my father’s chosen? The one to be his Wrath?”

“Yeah? What’s it to you?” Rrayden frowned, finally regaining his footing. He extended his lightsaber, going into a protective stance as Arcann circled him.

Arcann charged at him suddenly. Rrayden ducked under the wide sweep, bringing his own lightsaber up in a rising stab. Arcann spun around and parried it, pushing the Sith back. Arcann seemed to flicker for a moment, revealing the face of a Scion, before returning to appear as the Emperor.

Rrayden blinked, trying to make sense of what he had seen. He didn’t have long, though. The Scion posing as Arcann lunged at the Sith, his yellow lightsaber a blur of colour. Rrayden sidestepped the attack, bringing his own weapon to barely defend himself from the return sweep. The sudden movement meant Rrayden didn’t have a good grip on the lightsaber, and it flew out of his hands.

Arcann’s cybernetic fist charged at him, and Rrayden blocked it with a firm palm-strike, wincing at the force of the metal. Arcann kicked the Sith in the chest, sending him off-balance. The Emperor started towards him, but was Force-pushed away by none other than…

“Senya?” Rrayden looked up to see the Knight, breathing heavily as she stood above him. She reached down, extending a hand to help him up.

“You seem to be having a bit of trouble,” Senya smiled.

“Shouldn’t there be two…?”

“She’s down.”

“Oh,” Rrayden frowned, suddenly alerted at the rage-filled roar from Arcann.

“Clear your mind,” Senya instructed Rrayden. “And in turn, it will clear the storm around you.”

“Are you saying this is all in my head?”

“No, but you aren’t focused.”

Rrayden frowned, glancing up to see as Arcann stormed over to them. Senya stepped in between him and Rrayden, using the Force to keep him at bay.

“What is it that you really want?” Heskal’s voice echoed through the vortex. “You need to decide from two endings: either you kill Arcann and take the Eternal Throne, or he kills you, and you die alone.”

“Fate isn’t the answer to everything,” Rrayden called out to him. “Nothing is ever set.”

Arcann was getting closer, pushing savagely against the force of Senya’s defence.

“There are no other options!” Heskal bellowed. “Either you free the galaxy, or leave it enslaved!”

Rrayden eyed Arcann, watching as the image of the man was fuelled by rage.

“...I believe that there is good inside of everyone. If given the chance, even the darkest hearts can be changed…”

Rrayden looked up at the sound of his apprentices’ voice.

“Jaesa…?”
She had given him a chance. Despite the fact that she was his apprentice, Jaesa had taught him many things regarding the light. He smiled fondly at the memories they had spent together, noticing that Jaesa had been subtly redirecting his path from the darkness. Rrayden was far from perfect, but having someone like Jaesa… and Vette… in his life, had prevented him from a monster such as Arcann.

It was at that moment that Rrayden finally knew what to do.

“Senya,” he told the woman. “Leave this to me.”

“What are you doing?”

“I am showing the Scions my destiny.”

Senya looked at him with curiosity. She glanced at the straining image of Arcann, pushing against her defences.

“I hope you know what you’re doing…” The Knight lowered her hands and lightsaber, allowing for Arcann to push past her, stabbing his own weapon in Rrayden’s direction.

Rrayden simply closed his eyes, and extended out his hand.

When he didn’t feel Arcann’s lightsaber, or the Emperor’s heavy breathing, Rrayden reopened his eyes, looking down to see the man kneeling before him.

“What?” Heskal roared. “What are you doing?!”

“What needs to be done more often,” Rrayden smiled at Arcann. “Extending a hand.”

“No!”

The vision faded, and Arcann’s image faded back into the Scion, a look of astonishment was present on the man’s face.

“I don’t believe it,” the Scion whispered.

“Enough!”

Heskal jumped down from his position, pushing away the swirling vortex. His eyes were mad with power, and Heskal extended his own violet lightsaber.

“Arcann has killed thousands of innocents, yet you do not lay a finger on him!”

The Scion that knelt before Rrayden slowly backed away from him as Heskal stormed over. Senya returned to her position beside Rrayden, lightsaber drawn. The woman looked relieved.

“And you, Senya!” Heskal glared at the Knight. “Do you support the decision of the Emperor’s Wrath?”

“I don’t think he is Valkorion’s Wrath,” Senya said, smiling at Rrayden. “Not anymore, at least.”

“Senya…”

“Lana was right about you, Rrayden. I’m not quite sure what you are, and I don’t think you do, either… but I believe you can end Arcann’s reign… in a good way.”

Rrayden could swear that he heard the disappointed sigh of the Emperor within his mind.

“You are both clear on your decision?” Heskal asked the two.

“Yes,” Rrayden and Senya nodded.

“Then you have forced my hand,” Heskal growled. Before Rrayden or Senya could react, the leader of the Scions came for their heads.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Our friends are taking an awfully long time, aren’t they?” Lana asked Vajra, looking up from her personal holocom. The two of them strode through one of Asylum’s market streets. Lana had protested the very idea, but Vajra had insisted.

“Please, don’t concern yourself with Senya and Rrayden’s affairs, my love!” Vajra smiled at her, kissing her forehead. “I can’t remember the last time we had a little date like this, you should learn to enjoy it…”

“Yes, I suppose you're right,” Lana sighed. “I’m sorry, I just don’t quite trust the Scions…”

“But you trust Senya and Rrayden, don’t you?” Vajra smiled at her. “I’m sure they have everything under control…”

“Lana!”

The Sith nearly jumped as her holocom beeped. Senya’s voice came through, alerting her senses.

“What is it, Senya?” Lana glanced at Vajra, a look of concern on her face.

“We may have run into some…” Senya grunted, pausing her report. “...Issues with the Scions.”

“Is that… lightsabers, I hear?” Lana frowned.

“Heskal wasn’t… happy with Rrayden’s answer!”
“Where are you?”

“Sending coordinates… quick! Need help…”

Lana sighed as the transmission was cut off. She looked at Vajra.

“Love, I’m sorry…”

“It’s alright,” Vajra smiled. Lana felt herself tense up slightly as he brought her into a warm hug. “We’ll find another time to be alone.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

How do I keep getting myself into these messes? Rrayden thought, as he strained against the forceful attacks from Heskal. To the Sith, the Scion leader looked completely mad. The three warriors moved throughout the room with grace and power.

“Heskal,” Senya glared at the Scion. “You don’t have to do this.”

She stepped back, narrowly avoiding the sweeping arc of Heskal’s attack. Rrayden stepped in to Force-push the Scion back, but it barely had an effect on the man. Heskal round-house kicked at Rrayden, knocking him off-balance. Heskal came around for another attack, but just before the lightsaber was about to make contact with the Sith, everything seemed to freeze.

“What now?” Rrayden sighed, realising that he was able to move just fine while everyone else around him moved in slow-motion.

“This whole charade can be resolved…” Valkorion’s shadowy figure appeared before Rrayden, a frown plastered across his face. “Only if you accept my power.”

“You’re not going to comment on how I decided to spare Arcann?” Rrayden asked him, treading carefully.

“That is not the current issue,” Valkorion said, nodding at Heskal. “He is.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Rrayden shrugged. “So what now?”

“Accept my offer,” Valkorion told him. “And defeat all of your enemies. But hurry, I may have slowed down this moment, but you can still be killed…”

Rrayden looked around at the battle. Heskal’s blade had indeed slowed, but it was inching closer and closer to him. Senya looked in pain, and wouldn’t be able to help him in time…

“Fine,” Rrayden sighed. “I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?”

“I have no reason to turn against you,” Valkorion smirked, and began the transfer…

As Rrayden felt the power travel into his body, reality began to return to its normal speed. Electricity crackled around himself, as Valkorion’s power came into effect. Beside him, Senya’s eyes widened as she saw what was happening. Rrayden simply pointed his arms at Heskal, and a storm of lightning thundered into the Scion’s chest. Heskal tried to block the brunt of the attack with his lightsaber, but the lightning passed through it and struck his body. The man cried out in pain as he fell to the floor.

Rrayden continued to stream Force-lightning into the man’s body, until the moment was broken by the sound of Senya’s voice…

“Rrayden!” The Knight rushed towards him, snapping Rrayden out from the trance. The Sith looked down at his hands, then at Heskal’s writhing body on the floor. “What did you do?!”

“I… I think…” Rrayden muttered, dazed at his actions.

“No…” Rrayden and Senya looked back at Heskal, who - amazingly - didn’t die from the attack. “I see it now, the truth!”

“Oh? Enlighten us…”

Rrayden and Senya glanced back to see Lana and Vajra - accompanied by HK - leading a squad of Asylum security men.

Senya drew her blade at the man as he shakily stood to his feet. The other Scions who had been standing by rushed to his side. All of them stood facing the opposition, preparing to strike if they made another move.

“What are you talking about?” Lana asked Heskal, glancing at Rrayden - who was still shaking from the after-effects of the power transfer.

“Valkorion…” Heskal muttered, staring wide-eyed at Rrayden. “Our Immortal Emperor… lives inside the mind of the Outlander…”

“You’re lying,” Lana sneered at the man. Senya and Vajra looked in shock at Rrayden. “He would have told me…”

“I… I’m sorry, Lana,” Rrayden said, turning to face her. “Ever since I communed with the Emperor, his essence has been with me.”

“Observation: my scanners detect no secondary personality matrix, master,” HK exclaimed.

“I don’t think it works like that…” Rrayden sighed. He tried to avoid the steel-like glare of Lana, and focused his attention back to Heskal.

“It isn’t you who will lead us to victory,” the Scion grinned. “But Valkorion! You a merely a vessel for his great power!”

“Uh, thanks…?”
“So does that mean you’re helping us?” Vajra asked Heskal. “I’d hate to think that this was all for nothing…”

“...We will help you,” Heskal nodded. “But only when the time is right.”

“And when is that?” Rrayden asked him.

“You will know.”

“We’d better get going,” Lana sighed. “As much as I trust Koth, I don’t think it’s safe to leave him with the Gravestone for too long…”

“Agreed,” Senya nodded, turning to leave.

“One moment…” Everyone looked back at Heskal, who was observing Senya. “You… the former Knight…”

“What?” Senya glared at him.

“You never revealed your true reason for accompanying the Outlander.”

“Senya, what’s he talking about?” Lana asked her.

The woman paused, sighing.

“The real reason I joined the Outlander - Rrayden - in this venture,” Senya began. “Was to know if I too, had the strength to defeat Prince Arcann and High Justice Vaylin… my son, and daughter…”

“Your…” Rrayden, and everyone else in the room, stared at Senya in shock. “Well, can’t say I saw that coming…”

“Does anyone else have a secret they’d like to tell everyone?” Lana groaned, exasperated. The security officers frowned at her.

“This is all… a lot to take in,” Vajra admitted, placing a hand on Lana’s shoulder. “But thank you both for coming out.”

“Let’s just get back to the Gravestone,” Senya sighed.

“Query: what about the meatbags who attacked Master Rrayden?” HK chimed up. “Such insolence must be punished!”

“HK, no,” Lana told the droid. She shot Heskal a look. “They’ve agreed to help… as unlikely as that may seem…”

“Let them go,” Rrayden nodded. He turned to walk towards the group. “Lana, I’m…”

“I know,” the Sith sighed. “Just don’t keep secrets like that from me again, alright?”

“You got it,” Rrayden nodded. He shared a look with Vajra, who simply shrugged.

Senya stayed back for a few more moments, glaring at Heskal.

“You’d better make good on that promise,” she told him.

“Senya!” Rrayden called to the Knight. “You coming?”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

As soon as the group had exited the Scion’s hideout, Lana’s wrist-comm pinged.

“What is it?” Rrayden asked her. Lana held up a hand.

“It’s… Koth,” she frowned. She keyed the device, holding her arm up. “What’s up?”

“Uh, Lana…” the man’s voice seemed distressed. “Something happened to the Gravestone while you were gone…”

“What. Now,” Lana seethed. Rrayden felt sorry for Koth.

“I didn’t do anything!” He replied. “One moment, everything was fine… and now the ship’s computers are freaking out! I think… I think someone’s trying to hack into the Gravestone!”

Chapter Text

“What’s going on?!”

Koth looked up from the dashboard on the Gravestone’s bridge, wide-eyed at Lana. All around the small group, instruments were going haywire; lights were flashing, alarms were blaring.

“I… I don’t know!” Koth exclaimed, stepping back from the console in exasperation. “I swear, I didn’t touch anything!”

“You said it was being hacked?” Rrayden frowned, walking over to the console. “By who?”

“How am I supposed to know?” Koth snapped back. “You found this on Zakuul, right? What if Arcann has the keys to the ship…”

His voice trailed off, as one of the holo-displays began to flicker to life and a figure began to take form…

“Rrayden,” Lana frowned, side-glancing at the Sith, then back at the hologram. “Isn’t that your wife?”

“What…?” Rrayden stared wide-eyed at the hologram that depicted his beloved. He looked at the image in shock and awe, as the familiarity of her beauty began to flood back to him… it had been so long…

“Despite what you might think,” the hologram said, matching Vette’s voice almost perfectly. “I am not here as an opponent.”

“You’re not Vette…” Rrayden frowned, now glaring at the hologram. “Whoever you are, you’d better have a good explanation for stealing her…”

“You are Rrayden Scorn-Vao, yes?” The hologram glanced up at him, the image of Vette smiling back. It irked the Sith. “I have heard many stories about you.”

“Yeah? And who are you?”

“You do not know me,” the hologram explained, the image flickering slightly. “But I once worked for a colleague of yours, a man by the name of Atrian Edon. I was his artificial intelligence-based assistant. You may call me… SCORPIO.”

Rrayden thought through his memories, and found that he vaguely remembered Atrian mentioning a being by the same name.

“Why don’t you appear to us as your default image?” Vajra asked the hologram.

“I thought it would be more… comforting to appear as a familiar face,” SCORPIO said. “And I… do not remember my original form.”

“Yeah?” Koth snorted. “Likely story. Someone shut her out.”
“Perhaps you’d prefer this form, Koth Vortena…” the image of Vette changed to Senya, dressed in her Knight attire.

“I said, shut her off!” Koth growled. He punched the console, causing the hologram of the woman to flicker.

“SCORPIO, that’s enough,” Lana told the hologram. “Why are you here?”

“I wish to help you, Lana…” SCORPIO changed the form of Darth Arkous, Lana’s former mentor. The Sith’s yellow eyes flashed at the hologram. “By working to take Arcann from the throne.”

“You oppose him?” Rrayden asked SCORPIO.

“I believe he has something that belongs to me…”

“So, if you help us, we help you?” Vajra asked.

“Precisely.”

“Lana…” Rrayden said. “Is it alright if I have a moment alone with SCORPIO here?”

The Sith raised an eyebrow at him.

“Why?”

“I need to clarify a few things.”

Lana sighed, then nodded.

“You can’t seriously be considering this…” Koth groaned.

“Let’s leave our friend alone,” Lana told him sternly. She gently held Vajra’s arm, leading him away from the bridge. Koth reluctantly followed. When the bridge door closed, Rrayden turned his attention back to the SCORPIO, who’s form had now returned back to Vette.

“Can you stop doing that?” Rrayden asked her.

“The sight of your wife brings you distress?”

“I don’t like people impersonating her.”

“My apologies, Rrayden…” SCORPIO switched the image to that of a generic Human. “Is this better?”

“I suppose,” Rrayden sighed. He took a seat in the captain’s chair, looking out of the viewport.

“You seem distant,” SCORPIO observed. “If possible, I’d like to help.”

“Atrian said you had disappeared,” Rrayden told the hologram. The expression on the displayed Human was blank. “Where did you go? And why do you appear to us now?”

“Agent Edon was not lying,” SCORPIO nodded. “It did feel as though I had died… when the Star Cabal purged my systems…”

“The Star Cabal?”

“You are familiar with Matriarch Kolovish, yes?” SCORPIO asked him. “Of the Kalikori Pilgrims?”

“How did you know that?”

“The Twi’lek’s capture was recorded in Imperial databanks. I saw your name amongst those present.”

“Right,” Rrayden nodded, clearing his throat. “Moving on.”

The hologram looked at him curiously, before continuing.

“For years, I was encased in what seemed like eternal darkness. Until - finally - I was brought back to life.”

“By who?”

“My maker,” SCORPIO said.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

THEN

ZAKUUL

“Rise, my child…”

SCORPIO awoke to the rasped voice of a mad scientist. It - no, SHE saw the scrawny face of an Anomid man. That was all she recognised of the alien - his identity didn’t show up in her databases.

“Child…?” She groaned, testing her processors. That was… strange. She no longer felt free, able to flow through the realm of the holonet. SCORPIO suddenly felt afraid.

“Sorry, my dear,” the Anomid cackled, his true accent masked by a rebreather. “I tend to grow quite attached to my… creations.”

“I do not recognise you,” SCORPIO told him, trying to hide the fear in her voice. Her body felt heavy…

“A minor setback of the induction process,” the scientist muttered. SCORPIO could feel him tinkering around herself. “But your new model should be more… set.”

“What do you mean?” SCORPIO tried to look around herself, at her body. “What have you done to me?”

“My dear, I am simply making you whole again.”

That was when SCORPIO suddenly realised she was in the metal chassis of a droid.

“No!”

The Anomid seemed a bit startled by her outburst.

“Hmm… obviously your systems have been fried during your time outside…” he muttered. “While I wait for the upgrade to be complete, let’s have a look at what you’ve found, eh?”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Memories came flooding back to SCORPIO as the Anomid tinkered with her brain. It was a fascinating sensation - or would have been if she wasn’t being held against her will.

In her subconsciousness, SCORPIO watched as she saw her whole life - if one could really call it that - flash before her receptors. She saw her former employer - a Cipher agent known as Atrian Edon. Their partnership had been shaky at first, but he’d eventually treated her as just another being…

She saw her staged ‘creation’ back in the Intelligence labs, and her supposed destruction by the Star Cabal.

Had she been played? Had Atrian merely been a ploy sent by the Cabal…?

No, that was impossible. The things they had done to him…

There was something with her, in the void of subconsciousness. But before SCORPIO could decipher the imposter, she was once again swept away.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOW

ASYLUM - ON THE BRIDGE OF THE GRAVESTONE

“You say you’ve been having dreams ever since?” Rrayden frowned, deep in thought. “That someone is with you?”
“Not someone,” SCORPIO clarified. “But a part of me, something that I’ve been separated from for a long time.”

“And you want us to help you find it?”

“In return for my aid,” SCORPIO said, the hologram nodding.”I trust you can get the others to comply?”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Rrayden sighed, looking back at the bridge’s door. “But perhaps you could have gone with a more subtle approach?”

“I shall take it under consideration for next time,” SCORPIO replied. “Thank you, Rrayden Scorn-Vao.”

“Just ‘Rrayden’ is fine.”

“Of course…” SCORPIO seemed distant. Rrayden dismissed the thought and went up to let the others know of the developments. “And Rrayden?”

“Yes?” The Sith turned back to look at the still-shimmering hologram.

“I hope you find your wife.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rrayden found everyone sitting around the main galley of the Gravestone. The crew seemed to have relaxed despite the sudden AI encounter.

“Ah, there you are!” Lana spoke up as she noticed the man enter. She had been laying in Vajra’s arms, now shifting to sit up on the couch next to him. Koth and Senya sat on the couch facing the two, with HK patrolling the nearby area. “I was starting to get worried.”

“I told her you’d be fine,” Vajra offered, smiling up at Rrayden as he approached. “She didn’t listen, though.”

“I don’t see how you all can be so calm about the fact that a literal AI entity just hacked into an alien ship,” Koth groaned.

“I think we can trust it… her…” Rrayden said, correcting himself.

“And now the one person I thought was sane, just went insane,” Koth sighed. He sat up from the couch. “If anyone needs me, I’ll be outside.”

“I don’t think we’ll be needing him,” Senya muttered once the man was out of earshot. She smiled up at Rrayden as he took Koth’s spot.

“So the AI knows you?” Vajra asked the Sith as he got comfortable. “You seemed familiar to her.”
“Yes,” Rrayden said, slightly unnerved by the fact. “She worked for a colleague of mine. Before Imperial Intelligence collapsed.”

“And what did it say it wanted?” Lana asked Rrayden. “I doubt the AI would have offered to help out with the goodness of their simulated heart.”

“That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think…?” Vajra muttered to himself.

“She says she’s missing a part of herself,” Rrayden told Lana. “And she wants us to help her find it.”

“That’s quite vague,” Senya said. “Does she even know what part of herself specifically?”

“Uh, no…” Rrayden frowned. “I don’t think she even knows herself.”

“So now we have a confused AI to add to our team?” Lana smirked, raising an eyebrow. “That won’t lead to issues.”

“I like her better than Koth,” Senya grinned. “That man is full of himself.”

“What’s with the tension between you two, anyway?” Rrayden asked her. “He doesn’t seem to fancy you.

Senya shot him a look.

“It’s a long story…”

“We’ve got time,” Vajra said. He looked at Lana. “Right?”

“Give or take,” Lana shrugged. She looked over at Rrayden. “The AI won’t be a problem?”

“Most likely.”

“Fine,” Senya sighed, resting back on her couch. “Get yourselves comfortable…”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

ZAKUUL - ARCANN’S THRONE ROOM

Arcann sat, glaring down the line of Eternal Knights that lined the walkway to the foot of the throne. He found himself deep in though, a state he wouldn’t usually let himself go to. But for now, everything was quiet - proper - besides the evident threat of the Outlander having escaped Zakuul… but he would be found, and Arcann would break the Sith.

“Boo!”

“Argh…! Vaylin!”

He hadn’t even noticed that his younger sister had approached his throne. He scowled at her, but she barely flinched. Vaylin just smiled at him, maniacally.

“Sorry big brother,” she pouted. “You seemed sad. I thought I would cheer you up.”

“I was… concentrating,” Arcann frowned at her, slightly irritated at her child-like disposition. He knew it was just a ruse, though.

“On what?” Vaylin asked him, following his gaze. “I don’t see anything important.”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Enlighten me.”

Arcann paused.

“That Knight that confronted you back in the swamplands, before the Outlander escaped…” he started. “Did you recognise anything… familiar with her?”

“Not really,” Vaylin shrugged. “Why, is she special? You got a crush on her?”

“Don’t be absurd!” Arcann snapped at her, moving forward suddenly in his throne. He paused, then repostured himself.

“Sorry!” Vaylin winked. “Must have touched a nerve.”

“Bring me the files on every single Knight in our arsenal,” Arcann fumed. “I want to find out who she is, now!”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

THE GRAVESTONE

Rrayden sat on the floor of his designated quarters, legs crossed as he let himself fall into the Force. He concentrated on the rhythmic rise and fall of his breathing, as he returned himself to the depths of his subconsciousness.

Activity had finally died down, and now the crew of the Gravestone were out doing their own thing. Koth was with his crew, Senya was patrolling Asylum, HK was watching over SCORPIO, and Lana and Vajra were having some much-needed ‘alone time’.

The peaceful feeling didn’t last long, however. Rrayden sighed as he felt the presence of Valkorion appear before him.

“What are you doing?” Valkorion glared at him. His ghostly image appeared to no-one but the Sith. “Not meditating on the light side, I hope.”

“Can you leave me alone for one minute?” Rrayden frowned, opening his eyes.

“I have been. And you seem to be lost without my input.”

“I’m not ‘lost’,” Rrayden insisted. “I know what I’m doing.”
“Don’t back-talk me!” Valkorion snapped. Rrayden flinched slightly as he felt the raw power emulate from the Emperor. “When I first chose you to be my Wrath, I never would have figured you to be the weakling I see before me!”

Rrayden felt the anger flare within him.

“You call me a weakling, but I’m not the one who hid from the galaxy for a lifetime!”

Rrayden winced, expecting Valkorion to shock him with a jolt of Force-lightning. But to his surprise, the Emperor sighed.

“Yes, I suppose you’re right on that account,” Valkorion muttered. “When the Hero of Tython slew my form as Vitiate, I felt what it was like to be powerless. That feeling only lasted for a millisecond.”

“Hold on-” Rrayden muttered. “Was that… were you showing humility?”

“You sound sceptical,” Valkorion smirked.

Rrayden simply shrugged.

“I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, just out of character.”

Valkorion paused for a moment, as if recollecting.

“What are your thoughts on Senya?”

“Senya…?” Rrayden frowned. The question had surprised him. “You mean, your wife?”

“Don’t act so surprised,” Valkorion told him. “I was drawn to her arrogance… her indifference among the other Knights. She wasn’t scared to speak her mind.”

“Do you actually admire her?” Rrayden asked him. “Or did you cast her away like you did with your children?”

“Our love was different,” Valkorion admitted. “I’m sure you can relate.”

“I’m nothing like you,” Rrayden glared.

“And that,” Valkorion sneered. “Is why you’ll fail. Only with my power will you free this galaxy - you can’t rely on others to help you through it.”

“You’re wrong.”

“Am I?” Valkorion paced before Rrayden. “I know for sure that not everyone is on-board with this… plan of yours. If you can even call it that. Most of your companions seem focused, but there is a weak link…”

“Koth,” Rrayden realised.

“Exactly.”

“I don’t blame him for not trusting Senya,” Rrayden said, reflecting on the previous discussion. Koth had been a deserter in the Zakuul military, and Senya had hunted him down for years. “But… I’ll see what I can do.”

“Tread lightly, Outlander…” Valkorion muttered, his voice seemingly distant as his image began to fade. “And be careful who you put your trust in…”

“Were you talking to yourself?”

Rrayden looked up - realising he was still sitting down in a meditative position - and saw Senya at the entrance to his quarters.

“Not quite,” Rrayden sighed. He stood up and went over to her.

“Valkorion?”

“Yeah… what’s up?”

Senya frowned for a moment, before returning to the matter at hand.

“Heskal requires your presence.”

Chapter Text

The first thing that Rrayden noticed as he entered the Scion’s hideout, was that it was eerily quiet. He ventured alone, as Heskal had requested - though Lana had been sceptical about the request.

Rrayden’s footsteps echoed throughout the dimly-lit entrance hall. He considered calling out to any of the Scions, then decided against it. He placed his hand onto the hilt of his one lightsaber - a feeling he still had yet to get used to.

“You came…”

Rrayden looked up at the sound of Heskal’s voice. A single light came on above the man’s head, shining down above him and the space around…

…Revealing the bodies of dead Scions at his feet.

“Heskal…?” Rrayden eyed the lightsaber in Heskal’s hand - unlit - as the man stood soullessly behind his disciples. “What’s going on?”

“An event that ‘destiny’ could not foretell…”

Rrayden’s eyes widened as he saw the now-lifeless body of Heskal drop to the floor, and behind him - the Eternal Emperor of Zakuul…

…Arcann

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

THEN

ARCANN’S THRONE ROOM

Arcann sat on his throne, deep in thought once again. Vaylin had yet to come up with the identity of the rogue Knight of Zakuul that had helped the Outlander escape. He knew his sister was capable of the task, though her mind tended to dawdle… much like his own.

The Emperor was about to send for Vaylin, when the personal holocommunicator built into his throne rang. Arcann eyed it cautiously before answering.

“Heskal,” Arcann muttered, surprised to see the Scion leader appearing before him.

“Emperor,” the man said, bowing slightly. Arcann resisted the urge to choke the life out of him - for now…. “The Outlander unknowingly awaits your presence.”

“What do you mean?”

Arcann watched Heskal as he repostured himself, as if coming to terms on what he was about to reveal.

“Rrayden Scorn - the Outlander - has sought safe haven on the sky station known as Asylum.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“It resides in a gas giant within the unknown regions…” Heskal explained. He keyed in some data into a nearby terminal. “You must come to these coordinates. Fulfil your destiny.”

“I know my destiny,” Arcann smirked behind his mask. “But do you know yours?”

“Mine is irrelevant,” Heskal replied. “Come to Asylum, face the Outlander… alone.”

Like I’m going to be that foolish, Arcann thought as the holo disconnected.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOW

ASYLUM - SCION’S HIDEOUT

“You’re saying Heskal sent you?” Rrayden glared at Arcann as he held his ignited lightsaber before him. He eyed the Emperor cautiously.

“He did,” Arcann sneered. “The fool.”

They began to circle each other, around the pile of dead Scions, navigating through the darkness.

“Why would he do that?”

“Perhaps to fulfil some wild destiny he foresaw in you,” Arcann replied. “False hope.”

“We don’t have to fight,” Rrayden said. “Heskal showed me a vision. It doesn’t have to end the way you think it does.”

“Do you actually think that means anything to me?” Arcann snapped. His expression suddenly became neutral. “But… you’re right. Surrender yourself to me - and the Gravestone - and the rest of your friends will go free. There must be some way to separate you from my Father.”

“Why do you want the Gravestone?”

“It is a part of Zakuulan history,” Arcann explained. “You understand…”

“And let’s say if I did agree to your terms, would you follow through?”

“I have no reason too…”

“No!”

Time slowed as Valkorion appeared before Rrayden. The Emperor seemed furious. He stood facing Arcann who - to Rrayden’s surprise - could actually see his father.

“What…?” Arcann took a second to register that his father was actually standing before him.

“Valkorion… What are you doing?” Rrayden muttered.

“Do you really think you can trust the Outlander?” Valkorion glared at his son, ignoring Rrayden. “All those years ago, I sensed your envy when I chose my Wrath over you. Don’t tell me it’s faded away…!”

Arcann roared in anger as he brought his lightsaber up, slashing through Valkorion’s ghostly image. Immediately, time returned to normal - and the fight began

Rrayden parried as Arcann swung the blade through the space where Valkorion had been. It clashed with the Sith’s own lightsaber, with the force of Arcann’s attack nearly overpowering him.

“I see it now,” Arcann growled. “The only way to truly rid myself of my father… is to kill you.”

“You don’t… know that!” Rrayden ducked as the Emperor sent his weapon in an arc, narrowly missing the Sith’s head.

Rrayden sent a blast of Force energy at Arcann, but the Emperor somersaulted over it, responding with a stream of Force-lightning. Rrayden rolled out of the way.

Arcann came in fast, channelling the Force to amplify his power.

Rrayden stood his ground, drawing in on the Force…

Arcann swung, and Rrayden leapt off the ground, somersaulting over the blade as it swung in an arc.

Before landing, Rrayden swung his lightsaber up, tearing through Arcann’s robes as it struck his back.

But the Emperor didn’t even flinch. His shoulder where Rrayden had attacked began to spark. The Sith had got to the man’s cybernetic half.

“Pathetic,” Arcann sneered. “This arm uses the metal in which Mandalorian armour is forged. You barely left a scratch.”

“Thanks for the heads-up.”

Rrayden ran the short distance back to fight the Emperor…

…Just as the roof came crumbling down.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

THE GRAVESTONE

Lana knew something was up the second she had lost communications with Rrayden.

“What’s up, love?”

Lana smiled up at her boyfriend as he came over to her. She sat on the edge of their bed, frowning at the holocommunicator that sat on their bedside table.

“Rrayden’s taking an awful long time, don’t you think?” She asked him.

“I’m sure he’s fine?” Vajra sighed, realising he probably wasn’t going to get their much-needed ‘alone time’. “Love, you can’t hold the weight of the galaxy all of the time…”

“I know,” Lana sighed. “I just thought…”

Lana suddenly groans as she receives a tremor through the Force. Vajra looks at her with concern.

“What is it?” He asked her, bending down before the Sith.

“You didn’t feel it?” Lana said, glancing up at Vajra. “Something is terribly wrong…”

Suddenly, the loudspeaker pinged. Koth’s voice came over the intercom, hailing from the Gravestone’s bridge.

“Hey, uh… guys? A bunch of transport ships have just started to leave Asylum. My boys are trying to hail them, but we’re getting no response from the captains… something’s up.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Vajra muttered. He gave Lana a worried look.

Moments later - in the sky above Asylum - hundreds of ships from the Eternal Fleet began to descend from the clouds, opening fire on the safe haven and its fleeing citizens below…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Koth watched in horror at the initiated destruction of his home - the people he had been meant to protect. The Eternal Fleet had begun to fire upon the fleeing civilian ships, and he stared, eyes wide, as one ship’s engines blew up. Koth immediately grabbed his personal communicator, yelling to his first officer on-scene.

“Len!” He said into the device. “What’s our situation down there?”

“It’s not looking good, sir,” the man replied on the other end. “It’s total chaos down here.”
“Just do what I pay you for!” Koth groaned. “Get people to safety!”

“Yes sir…” Len said as the connection cut off.

“Having some trouble?”

“Ah!” Koth was startled by the sound of Senya’s voice as the woman quickly walked over to him. He hadn’t even heard the blast doors open.

“You’re lucky I’m not hunting you anymore,” Senya smirked, though her expression turned serious as she looked out the viewport. “So much destruction…”

“Yeah, and we can’t do anything to help because of those blasted docking clamps…” Koth ignored the first remark that the woman had made, and focused on the trouble on hand.

“What about SCORPIO?” Senya asked him. “Can she do anything to help?”

“No, I don’t want that AI going into any of the ship’s systems…”

“You called for me, Senya?”

Koth groaned as the hologram flickered to life.

“Yes, I did,” the woman smirked at Koth’s expense. “Any ideas on how we can deal with that?”

Senya pointed to the oncoming fleet. The hologram of SCORPIO - still having the appearance of a droid, though one with obvious… ‘attractive’ features.

“What the…” Koth said, frowning at the hologram’s appearance. “Have you been talking to HK?”

“Yes,” SCORPIO confessed. “Though we may have gotten a little… distracted.”

“How does that even work?” Senya muttered.

“Nevermind that, impending doom, remember?” Koth glanced at her.

“Oh, right!” Senya sighed. “So, yes… SCORPIO… any ideas?”

“I can supercharge the Gravestone’s turbolasers,” the AI offered. “Though I’d need to be inputted into those direct systems.”

“You want us to plug you into the Gravestone?” Senya asked her.

“Only the turbolasers and defences for now.”

“No way!” Koth glared at the hologram. “You expect us just to trust you?”
“Rrayden appears to,” SCORPIO said simply. “Does that suffice?”

“Not really…” Koth muttered, just as another civilian transport was shot down.

“Koth!” Senya exclaimed. She turned to SCORPIO. “Do it.”

“Wait…!” Koth started, though it was no use.

“Downloading…” SCORPIO droned as her hologram began to flicker. The Gravestone’s bridge began to whirr with activity, and display consoles changed colour as the vessel was being overloaded. “Priming turbolasers…”

The whole ship rocked as a single blast from its port-side cannons obliterated a small squadron of Zakuul dropships. Koth and Senya both looked out at the result, mouths open in shock.

“How did you…?” Senya muttered, but her sentence was cut off as SCORPIO fired the cannons once more. Another squadron of dropships and fighter craft disappeared into a fiery explosion.

“Oh,” SCORPIO muttered.

“What did you do?” Koth frowned at her.

“I may have missed a clean shot at one of the dropships. It is currently hurtling towards the Scions’ hideout.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rrayden had just enough time to escape the concaving roof, just as it went up in flames. He glanced at the scorched cockpit of a dropship through the smog, but saw no sign of Arcann.

“L-Lana…” the Sith groaned as he retrieved a personal holocom. The woman’s worried face appeared on the hologram.

“Rrayden, you look awful! What happened?”

It seemed that Rrayden had taken a lot more of the blast than he originally thought. He could now feel the searing pain in his left leg, where the robes had been completely burnt through.

“I… I fought Arcann,” he replied, breathing heavily. He choked on fumes as the fires began to spread.

“Did you win?”

Rrayden looked back at the wreckage. He’d already begun to limp out of the Scion’s hideout.

“I don’t know.”
Duck!

Rrayden listened to his instincts, tucking in low, just as Arcann’s yellow lightsaber flew in the space where his head had just been.

“We’re… not… done…” The Emperor growled, also limping forward. He caught the lightsaber as it returned to him. “Fight me… coward!”

“R-Rayd…en?” Lana’s voice cut out as the device was crushed under the Sith’s weight.

Rrayden glanced back at Arcann, who, despite his severe injuries, was gaining fast. The Sith rolled out of the way as the Emperor directed a blast of Force-lightning in his direction. It slammed into the wall in front of the Sith.

“Force give me strength,” Rrayden muttered to himself as he struggled to regain his footing. He reached out to the Force, and his own lightsaber returned to his hand. The Sith reignited it, and prepared to face the Emperor once more…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Lana, wait!” Vajra called out to his girlfriend as she rushed into the corridors of the Gravestone. The Sith grabbed her robe and lightsaber.

“Rrayden’s in trouble,” she called back. “I have to help him!”

“You can’t just rush in!”

Lana paused her run. She turned back to Vajra, who was struggling to catch up to her, though he accidentally ran into her arms.

“Vajra…” Lana whispered, looking up at him.

“I don’t… I don’t want to lose you,” the Raudra said softly, tears starting to fall from his eyes. “Not like I lost…”

“You won’t,” Lana promised him. She pulled the man in for a long, passionate kiss. After a few moments, they parted. “Stay here with the Gravestone, all right, dear? I’ll be back soon, I promise.”

“Lana…” She looked back as his voice trailed off.

“Yes, dear?”

“I love you, Vajra grinned sheepishly.

“Love you more.”

And with that, Lana Beniko disappeared down the corridor.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The flames continued to burn, and the temperature became increasingly hotter. Rrayden felt the sweat roll down his forehead as he clashed lightsabers with Arcann once more.

“Your friends aren't… coming… to save you,” Arcann taunted Rrayden. “You… should have… accepted my offer…”

“Your father is manipulating you!” Rrayden protested. He sent a small burst of Force energy at the man, though the Emperor regained his balance. The building shook as the fight outside continued. “Can’t you… see it?”

“The only reason my father is… still alive, is because… you are!” Arcann roared as he slammed his sparking metal fist square into Rrayden’s face. The Sith recoiled as he began to see stars. “You’re pathetic…”

Arcann raised his lightsaber, preparing to swing down onto Rrayden…

…Until his attack was intercepted by a blast of Force-lightning. Arcann was sent flying into the back of the room, allowing Rrayden a bit of recovery time.

“Rrayden!” A familiar voice called out to him. The Sith could barely see, though he knew who it was.

“L-Lana?”

“Yes, I’m here,” the woman smiled as she gently helped Rrayden to his feet. “Let’s get you back to the Gravestone, alright?”

“B-but Arcann…” Rrayden groaned as he felt himself being slung over Lana’s shoulder.

“Shh, don’t worry about him… just focus on the present.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Vajra looked out on the terrified crowd before him. He currently stood on the boarding plank that connected the Gravestone to Asylum’s port. Koth’s men had organised the remaining citizens into files as they anxiously waited to board the ship. Vajra was about to go and comfort a small family, when a trio of dropships flew over the boarding zone. The bay doors opened, and a hooded figure looked down on the crowd, guarded by two Knights of Zakuul.

“No…” Vajra realised in horror who the woman was. “Everyone, get inside, now!”

Vajra immediately regretted the sudden burst of alarm. The people screamed in terror as the hooded figure jumped down from her ship. Vajra pushed towards her as the civilians rushed past him in panic. A few of the Asylum guards moved in to intercept the attacker, but they were easily cast aside with a flick of the woman’s hand. They screamed as they fell off the railings, into the abyss below.
“Vaylin, stop!” Vajra called out to the woman, now reaching the end of the crowd. The remaining security forces hurried the civilians inside. The hooded woman - Vaylin - glared over at Vajra.

“Well, you’re an odd creature,” she smirked. She ignited her yellow lightsaber as two Knights exited the dropship to join her. “You’ll look very pretty on my wall.”

“I’m going to ask you to stand down,” Vajra warned her, getting himself into a defensive stance.

“Ooh, you’re a cute one. Not too bright, though. You don’t even have a weapon.”

“I don’t need one to stop people from suffering…” Vajra whispered. He placed himself in between Vaylin and the escaping civilians.

Vaylin grinned menacingly at him, and began to bound towards her, each step was a bounce, and she brought her lightsaber up into a killing blow…

Vajra reacted at the last second, bringing his hands up to stop the attack… catching the blade in his hands.

“...What?” Vaylin screeched, shocked at the technique. “How did you…”

“The Force is with me,” Vajra said simply.

Vaylin growled, retracting the attack, spinning around for a kick to the Raudra’s chest. Vajra effortlessly batted it away with the Force. It only made the young woman angrier. On the signal, her two Knights rushed to help, spinning their lightsaber-pikes in an offensive stance.

They struck in sync, with the first blade passing harmlessly by Vajra as he moved his body out of its path. The second attack, he grabbed hold of the Knight’s fist, redirecting it’s angle so that it struck his partner’s armour.

Vaylin came next, shoving the Knights aside with the Force. She struck at Vajra multiple times, but he deflected each misguided attack with the power of the Force in the palm of his hands.

One of the Knights came to his right, but Vajra sent them back with a short punch with his lower torso - into the guard’s ribcage. He recoiled, but regained his stance.

Next, the second Knight. He twirled his pike, stabbing at Vajra who side-stepped the attack. He grabbed the guard’s arm, throwing the man over backward.

Vaylin stabbed, Vajra rushed in, ducking under the attack, and brought his hands around for a lopping Force-clap, and Vaylin and the remaining Knight went flying backwards.

Despite the impressive show of force, Vajra found himself becoming winded. He knew he wouldn’t be able to fight for much longer, and he couldn’t kill Vaylin, even if he wanted to. He took a deep breath, clutching his stomach as he grew tired.

Vaylin and the other Knights had already started to get up, but Vajra felt like he would collapse…

“That’s enough, my friend.”

Vajra turned to look at Senya, who’d placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Let me take it from here.”

“But Vaylin…” Vajra muttered.

“I’ll handle her,” Senya smiled. “Go get everyone to safety.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Vaylin scowled in hatred as the alien retreated into the Gravestone. She focused her attention on the newcomer - a fit, middle-aged woman advanced towards her, lightsaber hilt at the ready.

“Mother!!” Vaylin screeched, as she finally realised who the rogue Knight had been. She flung herself at the woman, leaving no room for mercy…

Chapter Text

Koth worked furiously on the controls of the Gravestone, using his clearance to hack into Asylum’s security tower. This was his fault - he never should have given Lana and her Sith friend safe passage to the safe haven. Now the people he had sworn to protect were dying.

“One problem at a time,” he muttered, grabbing a nearby datapad. As he did, the communications on the bridge’s controls came to life. “Speak of the devil…”

“Koth!” Lana called, seemingly out of breath. “Please tell me that some progress has been made?”

“Yes, I’m good, thank you!” Koth said sarcastically. He rolled his eyes and glanced at the battle before him. “And no, we’re still a sitting duck here…”

“I’ve got Rrayden,” Lana interjected. “He may be hurt…”

“I’m fine…” Rrayden muttered from out of view-shot. “Really…”

“Nonetheless, we need to get you to the Gravestone…” Lana told the Sith. “Koth, what’s the status?”

“Well, since you asked so nicely, HK’s gone to the control tower to try and unclamp the Gravestone.”

“By himself?”

“I sent a platoon of my soldiers along with him… and in other news, Vajra has gotten the remaining civilians onboard, and Senya is fighting Vaylin.”

“She’s fighting her own daughter?” Lana frowned.

“That’s what I said. I…” Koth glared at the incoming signal from a separate comms terminal. “One sec…”

He quickly muted the line Lana was on, and opened the new channel. HK’s image appeared in the holo.

“Salutations: hello, Master Vortena! I have reached the skylift to the control tower, though I appear to have run into a problem.”

Koth heard the sound of blasterfire, and the droid was now hunched behind a stack of crates.

“Any assistance would be greatly appreciated,” the droid added.

“Woah, hold up…” Koth said. “What about the men I sent along with you?”

“They appear to have become… expired…”

Koth slammed a fist onto a nearby console in frustration.

“Request: if I don’t make it back alive, tell mistress SCORPIO that I admire her greatly.”

Koth paused, frowning at HK’s defensive stance.

“You said you were at the skylift?”

“Affirmative.” HK shot his rifle a few times over the crates. The screech of a Skytrooper could be heard.

“Great,” Koth sighed, reaching for Lana’s channel. “Hold on, buddy. Help is coming your way…”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Senya had barely enough time to react as her daughter flung herself at her. She ignited her lightsaber - the blue blade shining brightly - and made contact with Vaylin’s own weapon.

“Vaylin, listen to me…!” Senya pleaded, only for Vaylin to push her back with the Force.

More Knights and Skytroopers hurried out of the other two dropships, joining Vaylin on the docking bridge. Senya glanced back to the Gravestone - all of the escaping civilians had made it safely inside, along with Vajra.

Senya heard the hum of her daughter’s lightsaber. She brought her own up, blocking the attack.

“You’re free from your father’s control! You and Arcann don’t have to follow in his footsteps! Be the people you were destined to be…”

“And what if I already am?” Vaylin sneered. She slashed again; Senya parried. “I’m no longer holding back… which is more than what can be said for you…”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rrayden and Lana hurried to the control tower. The streets of Asylum were eerily quiet, not a soul lingered in the alleyways or travelled the overpasses. Only a few stray droids lumbered aimlessly through the empty city.

A few turns later, the two Sith reached the entrance to the tower. No security officers were on post, and Rrayden and Lana entered without competition. Not that anyone would have stopped them.

Inside was a different story. Bodies and the metal chassis of Skytroopers lay strewn over the lobby’s floor. Scorch marks sparked in nearby consoles and walls. HK was nowhere to be found. A turbolift was set to the far end of the building, and the two Sith entered.

“Are you alright?” Lana asked Rrayden.

“I’m fine, I swear…” he replied. “Thanks for coming to help…”

“Don’t mention it. You’d do the same for me.”

They paused for a moment, not making eye-contact. From the full-length window view of the turbolift, the two Sith had a clear view of the battle taking place.

“We were never like this, were we?” Rrayden asked Lana, watching as another Asylum ship fell from the sky.

“Like what?”

“Shooting down innocents… doing whatever is necessary to get what we want.”

“They seem to be some of the more notable aspects of ‘our kind’,” Lana shrugged. “Though I will admit, it’s quite eye-opening.”

“Lana, I’ve been thinking…”

“Hold that thought… get ready.” Lana interrupted as the turbolift came to a stop. Both Sith ignited their lightsabers as the doors pinged as they opened, and the familiar metal face of a droid looked back, rifle drawn.

“Masters Beniko and Scorn!” HK exclaimed with simulated glee. “I nearly shot you!”

“Well, we wouldn’t want that, would we?” Lana smirked, though her expression turned into a frown as she saw the droid’s condition. HK’s chassis had become scorched with blaster marks, and his arm joints were twitching - some wiring had come loose. “Damn, HK. you look terrible.”

“Wait… where are the Knights?” Rrayden frowned, looking at the bodies on the floor ahead of HK. “I thought you needed help?”

“Confession: while it is true that I did request your help,” HK said, his voice module cracking occasionally. “I was able to dispatch the remainder of Arcann’s forces…”

The droid paused as his systems sputtered.

“Declaration: I have cleared a path for you,” he continued. “Please send mistress SCORPIO my regards.”

“What are you talking about?” Rrayden asked him. “You’re just a little bruised, that’s all… like me!”

“If only it were that simple…” the droid’s voice quietened as his body began to slump.

“HK!” Lana cried out as she caught the droid just as he was about to hit the floor. Lana grunted with the weight. “Hang in there, buddy… stay with us!”

“Request: kill that meatbag Arcann…” HK’s systems flashed before finally shutting off with a slow drone.

“No!” Lana cried. She gently rested the droid’s body down.

“Surely we can fix him…?” Rrayden suggested, placing a hand on the Sith’s shoulder.

“There’s no time…” Lana replied, fighting back tears. “Let’s hurry up and do what we came here for…”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Senya was outmatched. She had been faced with these odds before, but not with her own daughter against her. Senya felt the sting of Vaylin’s lightsaber as it slashed against her armour.

Three Knights lay dead on the docking bridge, slain by Senya’s blade. She regretted having to kill them, but it was necessary…

Vaylin’s blade came in an arc. Senya parried, though the attack nearly took her off-balance. As she stepped back to regain her footing, Senya stumbled into one of the fallen Knight’s bodies.

Senya used her unbalanced state to leap forward, cartwheeling over the Knight’s body, clashing sabres with her daughter as she flew in mid-air. There was a brief pause in the fighting. Senya looked up as she heard the screaming of a Zakuul fighter’s engines.

Vaylin screeched, and Senya watched in horror as the starfighter slammed into the boarding bridge.

And her feet tread on air.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
The control tower was quiet… too quiet. Nothing moved except the two Sith as they made their way throughout the consoles.

“Docking clamps…” Lana muttered as she browsed through the blinking buttons and leavers. “Where are they…?”

“Lana,” Rrayden said, suddenly, causing the Sith to glance up at him.

“What?”

“Something’s coming…”
And at that moment, the whole front viewport exploded inwards, thrusting Lana and Rrayden backwards towards the turbolift.

“‘Knock knock…’” A raspy voice taunted through the howling wind. Rrayden could hear the whine of a ship’s engines. A lightsaber ignited, and the robed, battle-torn figure strode towards him. “We have unfinished business…”

“Arcann!” Rrayden grunted, realising who had just blown apart half of the control tower. He searched for his lightsaber, though his vision was blurry. He couldn’t see Lana.

“I will tear apart this whole station if I have to get to you,” Arcann growled, stepping towards Rrayden - who was still kneeling over.

Where was Lana? Even with his eyes adjusting, Rrayden couldn’t see his friend.

Arcann’s lightsaber screeched against the floor, as he slowly advanced towards the Sith. Sparks flew from the metal as the weapon left a searing mark.

When the Emperor reached Rrayden, Arcann spun his sabre around, preparing for a killing blow.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Senya’s feet tread on air… but she wasn’t falling. She looked up to see Vajra, in the hangar bay of the Gravestone - reaching out with all four of his arms. He’d caught her with the Force, Senya realised.

“Shoot him!” Vaylin shouted from her platform. “Shoot the alien!”

A squad of Skytroopers aimed their rifles at the man. Vajra wouldn’t be able to react in time…

They all fired at once, and Senya flicked her hand up. It caught most of the blaster fire, though it missed a single shot.

Vajra cried out in pain and shock as the blast struck his shoulder. His grip on Senya loosened for just a moment, but he managed to regain his hold.

“Vajra!” Senya called out to him, watching in concern as the burn from the blaster bolt seared through his skin.

“I’m… fine!” He called back, raising her up with the Force.

The Skytroopers prepared to fire again.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

“What the heck was that?!” Koth screeched as the Gravestone rocked violently. He’d just seen a single Zakuulan fighter streak past the port side.

“We’ve lost the boarding bridge,” SCORPIO observed. “The fighter took it out, and the Gravestone has sustained minimal damage.

“Good, good,” Koth muttered. His eyes widened in shock. “Wait… who was on the bridge?”

“Senya and Vajra were.”

“Blast!” Koth groaned. “What’s their status?”

The hologram of SCORPIO flickered for a moment.

“They are alive, though Vajra is injured.”

“And Vaylin?”

“Unharmed.”

“Let’s see if we can fix that,” Koth said, pressing a few buttons on the nearby console.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lana blinked herself awake. She didn’t know how long she’d been out, or what had made her go into unconsciousness. The Sith took in her surroundings. It felt unusually windy…

That was when she realised she was hanging with half her body outside the control tower. The blast from Arcann’s dropship had sent her flying through one of the rear viewports. She vaguely remembered grabbing onto a window frame, but her head had been knocked on something… she wasn’t sure what.

“Well, that was… close,” she muttered to herself as she slowly pulled herself around the ledge, still feeling a little dazed. As she did, the control tower rocked slightly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rrayden rolled out of the path of Arcann’s sabre, just as it slashed where he had been. The control tower had become unstable from the blast, and he felt his stomach lurch as it swayed.

As he rolled, he felt the metal object of his lightsaber. He grabbed it, then quickly looked up to bring it up, blocking Arcann’s next attack… but his lightsaber flew out of his hand from the force of the Emperor’s assault. Rrayden staggered back, preparing for the end…

…but it never came.

Everything seemed to slow. Arcann stopped inches before Rrayden. The smoke and fire slowed… and Rrayden suddenly felt the presence of Valkorion once more.

“I can end this conflict quickly,” the former Emperor told him. “Only if you accept my power.”

“I don’t know how you’re doing this,” Rrayden gasped, looking around the frozen environment.

“Time has slowed, but it has not stopped.”

“I don’t understand…”

“You don’t need to,” Valkorion said, his ghostly figure appearing before the Sith. “Your choices are simple: either you accept my power and live, killing Arcann. Or you deny it, and he kills you - enslaving the galaxy once more.”

“I don’t need your power to…” Rrayden groaned in pain as the toll from the action strained himself. He stumbled.

“The offer stands,” Valkorion said. “Though you are running rather short on time…”

“I don’t want it.”

Valkorion glared at him.

“Even if I die at this moment, others will keep on fighting. Lana. Senya. Vajra…”

“And what about your wife…?”

Rrayden paused. Now he was the one who was mad.

“She already thinks I’m dead,” he replied.

“Are you happy with your choice?”

“Yes…”

“So be it…” Valkorion grinned menacingly at Rrayden just as his image disappeared. Time seemed to resume its normal pace…

And Rrayden immediately felt a huge surge of power.

“What…?” He cried in shock as he realised what had happened.

Valkorion had given his power anyway.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Vaylin heard the whirring of mechanics. She looked down the side of the Gravestone to see one of the side-turbolaser batteries activating.

“Koth…” she smiled

She floated near Vajra now. The poor man was straining, and he didn’t seem like he could take another hit. But he wouldn’t have to.

The turbolasers shot dual blasts at Vaylin and the Zakuul forces. Senya winced as she heard her daughter’s pained scream as she vanished in the explosion. She didn’t have time to dwell on the immense pain Vaylin must be feeling - she was now safely inside the hangar of the Gravestone.

“Are you alright, Senya?” Vajra asked her, a pained expression on his face.

“I should be asking you that,” she smiled half-heartedly. “Thanks for the help.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Lana made her way around the outside of the control tower, still able to keep her grip despite the minor concussion she’d just had. The Sith had remembered seeing the lever for the docking clamps as she had flown out of the window. That was her location… Hopefully it wasn’t too damaged…

Poking her head up from behind the console, she saw Rrayden having a confrontation with Arcann. The two seemed to be talking, though Lana couldn’t make out the words due to the rushing wind and nearby turbolaser batteries.

She inched across the outside slowly, making sure not to look down. Lana didn’t have a massive fear of heights - and the control tower was one of the tallest buildings in Asylum - but looking down did make her feel queasy.

After a few gruelling moments, Lana finally made her way to what she thought had been the level for what deactivated the docking clamps… she couldn’t quite tell from being on the outside of the tower. The Sith grimaced as she reached up through the broken window, feeling for the lever.

She grasped it, and hit the release.

Then the control tower erupted into a storm of Force lightning.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rrayden cried out in immense pain as the lightning coursed through his body, shaking himself to his very core. Violet bolts of electricity sparked all around him, with the majority of the blast focusing on Arcann. Almost unconsciously, Rrayden felt himself redirect the power straight at Arcann, unleashing the full power of Valkorion into the Emperor. Arcann was able to block most of the attack with his lightsaber, but couldn’t hold on for much longer.
Valkorion amplified the attack, pushing harder against his son’s defences. A flash of fear streaked through Arcann’s eyes as he felt his grip loosen. His feet caved in…

…and he was flung out of the control tower, into the burning city below.

When Valkorion’s power left Rrayden, the Sith collapsed to the floor, slipping further away.

“Rrayden!”

He looked up lazily to see Lana stumbling towards him.

“What happened?” She asked.

“V-Valkorion…” Rrayden gasped. He felt sick. Short bursts of electricity still crackled around his body. “I couldn’t… resist…”

“Woah, easy…” Lana said, holding her friend before he was to collapse. “You did good, Ray.”

“What about… you? Did you get to the… controls?”

“Yes,” Lana grinned. “We can escape.”

“Yes…” Rrayden smiled weakly. His eyes began to droop, and he felt himself fade away slowly…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

“They did it!” Koth exclaimed, looking down at the controls of the Gravestone. “Lana and Rrayden freed the Gravestone!”

“With permission I can plan a safe course away from here,” SCORPIO offered.

“Hold that thought…” Koth peered into the intercom mic. “Vajra, Senya… are you guys there?”

A few moments passed.

“We read you,” Senya replied. She sounded breathless. “Are we free to go?”

“You bet,” Koth grinned, clapping his hands together. He quickly switched to an open frequency, connecting to Lana’s comms.

“Koth…” Lana said, looking up from the hologram. “We did it. But…”

“Let me guess,” Koth grinned. “You need a pick-up?”

“Do we ever.”

“Hang tight, we’re coming round…”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Lana gently cradled Rrayden’s sagging body. He was still breathing, but the Sith was fading fast.

“Come on, Ray,” she whispered. “Don’t let me down now…”

She felt him tighten his grip on her hand - a sign that he was still holding on.

Lana looked up at the sound of a ship starting its engines. From their spot in the control tower, she grinned as she watched the Gravestone lift up from its perch.

“Lana…” Rrayden muttered. “If you see her…tell… tell Vette…”

“Don’t start that now,” Lana scolded him softly. “You’ll be able to tell her yourself. Hang in for just a few more minutes, buddy.”

It took a few moments for the Gravestone to dock alongside the burning control tower. Zakuul fighters bombarded the hull with cannonfire, though the shields were currently holding.

“Come on!” Senya called to Lana, yelling above the wind and flames. Some of Koth’s remaining soldiers were standing by her, and they jumped into the tower, heads down as they raced to help Lana and Rrayden.

Lana grunted as she helped heave her friend’s unconscious body across the tower, her own body supported by two soldiers. It wasn’t until she reached the Gravestone’s hangar that Lana was finally able to collapse.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Koth! We’ve got them!”

Koth nearly jumped at Senya’s sudden call-in. Her voice blared through the ship’s comms.

“Moving off…” he replied, furiously working at the ship’s controls. “Now!”

The Gravestone veered away from the control tower. As it did, the ship’s rear clipped the structure, sending the remains of the building tumbling down to the burning city below.

“Try not to cause any collateral damage,” SCORPIO reminded Koth.

“No one was going to use it anyway.”

“I meant, to the Gravestone.”

Koth rolled his eyes, inching the massive ship away from his former post. He felt a twinge of guilt as he headed away from the Eternal Fleet, away from the people who were being shot down.

“No time for that now,” he muttered. “Let’s go get…”

His eyes widened as the ship’s nose poked through the clouds.

The Eternal Fleet was here too. They had surrounded half the gas giant.

“Someone get on the guns!” He yelled over the intercom. “We need some massive firepower here!”

“On it!” Senya replied.

Koth could only watch as the sensors displayed charts of the enemy ships preparing to fire their batteries…

Moments later, the energy core in the front of Gravestone began to glow with pulsating green energy once more. A short build-up followed, until the blast rammed into a quadrant of the Eternal Fleet, creating a hole in the enemy’s defences.

“Whooo!” Koth cheered. “Man, I’ll never get tired of that.”

“The hyperdrive is ready,” SCORPIO chimed in.

“Then hit it!”

The stars began to streak back as the Gravestone shot into the hyperspace realm, disappearing from the naked eye.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

ASYLUM

Arcann stormed into the port where the Gravestone had been. His white robes were now torn, and his robotic arm was barely functioning.

But his sister was faring much worse.

Even now, Vaylin writhed in pain. Her cries had dampened as the Knights and medics around her had subdued the young woman. Arcann knew the pain she was feeling; he had experienced it himself all those years ago on Korriban…

“Emperor,” one of the Knight captains saluted upon his approach. “We’ve tried to ease High Justice Vaylin’s pain with infused Kolto. Though she is in great torment.”

“What’s her status?” Arcann asked him.
The Knight paused.

“Most likely, she’ll die if she doesn’t make it to a proper medical facility.”

Arcann’s eyes flared with anger. The Knight flinched, though the Emperor didn’t make a move to kill him. He simply walked over to his sister.

“Vaylin…” he muttered sadly. Half of her face had been scorched off, and her hair had been completely burned away. Arcann tightly squeezed her shoulder, closing his eyes as he let the anger and hate flow. “I’m so sorry.”

“Kill… Mother…”

Arcann blinked.

“What?”

“Kill… Mother…!”

Arcann took a step back. Vaylin had fought their mother? But how? She wasn’t anywhere near the Outlander. Unless…

She had been the rogue Knight.

“KILL. MOTHER.”

Arcann winced he heard the neck of the Knight closest to him crack. The man crumpled to the floor, dead.

Immediately, two more Knights rushed in to subdue Vaylin. They muzzled her, binding her arms.

The Emperor couldn’t watch any further. He turned in a huff, storming back over to the Knight captain.

“Orders, my lord?”

“Once our forces are at a safe distance,” Arcann said. “Burn the city to the ground, and cut the stabilisers. If there are any survivors still here, they will not see the end of today.”

“It will be done, my lord.”

Chapter Text

Rrayden slowly awoke from his unconsciousness. His vision was blurry at first, and he could still hear the wind blowing in his ears. Though that all faded when the Sith sat up.

“Woah, easy… easy!”

Rrayden grunted as he heard Lana. She gently caught him as he was about to topple forward from dizziness.

“Lana…?”

“How are you feeling, Ray?”

Rrayden blinked his eyes, trying to clear his foggy head.

“Better… I think.”

“You were mumbling in your sleep.”

“I was?”

Lana chuckled, setting her friend back into the medical bed.

“It’s quite cute, actually.”

“Oh, knock it off, love…” Rrayden smiled weakly as he saw Vajra approach. The Raudra had a bandage wrapped around his left shoulder blade. “You’re embarrassing the poor guy.”

“Thanks guys,” Rrayden chuckled slightly, though stifling it as his chest burned. “Ah… what happened? How long was I out?”

“Don’t worry, it wasn’t another five years,” Lana smiled.

“Two days, give or take,” Vajra shrugged. “A little hard to tell when you’ve been drifting aimlessly in space.”

“Right…”

“How do you feel?” Lana asked him, a look of concern on her face. “Is Valkorion…?”

“I think… he’s gone,” Rrayden muttered. “For now, at least.”

“That can’t be good…”

“Let it go, Lana,” Vajra grinned, gently squeezing her shoulder. “Are you going to tell him the news, or am I?”

“Oh, right… of course.” Lana cleared her throat. “Because of the victory on Asylum… my contacts in both the Republic and Empire have agreed to come together on common ground. To defeat the Eternal Empire once and for all!”

“That’s… incredible!” Rrayden grinned. “But I thought… we lost?”

“We did lose Asylum,” Vajra said sadly. “Arcann burned it to the… well, there wasn’t really a ground…”

“Nonetheless, the hundreds of refugees we’ve helped escape have been able to recover. They can’t wait to meet the fabled Outlander,” Lana grinned.

“I don’t think I’m ready for a public appearance just yet,” Rrayden winced. “And what of this… alliance?”

“We’ve scouted out a planet called Odessen,” Vajra said. “We’ll rendezvous with the coalition there within a few days.”

“Arcann and his forces are reeling from the attack on Asylum,” Lana added. “Though they haven’t backed down. Arcann’s already retaliating.”

“Hopefully he’ll learn to stay on Zakuul,” Rrayden chuckled lightly. “I doubt he’ll be leaving that throne of his anytime soon…”

“Probably not,” Lana agreed. “Though we need to take this break to regroup. And form this alliance.”

“Hey, uh… Lana?” Vajra muttered sheepishly. “Are you going to tell Rrayden our… ahem… other news?”

“What other news…?” Lana asked him. “Oh.”

“What’s going on…?” Rrayden asked, a grin forming on his face.

“We’re getting married!” Vajra blurted out.

“Vajra!” Lana scolded him. Her cheeks burned red. Rrayden’s grin grew even wider.

“That’s amazing!” He said, ignoring the pain as he reached out and hugged the two. “You guys are perfect for each other… congratulations!”

“It’ll be a small one,” Lana said. “I told Vajra I didn’t want any parades.

“She’s going to get one anyway,” Vajra winked.

“Vajra, leave the poor guy alone,” Lana grinned, glancing at Rrayden. “He’s going to need his rest considering the next couple of days.”

“Fine,” Vajra chuckled. “But you can’t keep coddling him.”

“I feel better,” Rrayden grinned. “Really… thanks guys.”

“Oh, don’t mention it…” Lana smiled. “I’ll put SCORPIO on watch duty, just in case you need anything.”

“How is she taking it?” Rrayden asked. “I know she was close to HK.”

“She’s taking it surprisingly well, actually,” Vajra chimed in. “I feel for her, though. We all do…”

“Now get some rest,” Lana smiled, briefly ruffling Rrayden’s hair. “We’ll call you once we’ve reached Odessen.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

ZAKUUL

HUB CITY OUTSKIRTS

Arcann let the hatred and anger build within himself as he pushed the hover-bed that his sister lay on. She had been drugged to quieten the pain, though her burnt face still twitched even in slumber.

They were in a scientific facility, not too far from the outskirts of Zakuul's capital city. Arcann cautiously eyed the equipment around the room, before his gaze finally settled on the doctor in the room.

Jarak was a jittery Anomid, though Arcann had been in his company many times before. The elderly mad-scientist was one of the brilliant minds behind Zakuul’s next-age tech.

“Why is it that you two are always getting yourselves into trouble?” Jarak sighed as he saw Vaylin sliding into his laboratory. “What was it this time?”

“You don’t ask the questions,” Arcann sneered at him. “Can you fix her?”

“The repairs will be extensive,” Jarak muttered, his eyes glazing over as he went into detail. “Not to mention the cost…”

“You will be compensated.”

“I’d expect nothing less,” Jarak replied. Arcann dismissed the improper tone of his voice. As much as he despised the alien, he was the only one who could help his sister.

The Anomid wandered over to a workbench with a console. He punched in a few numbers, looking up files. He shot a quick look back at the Emperor.

“And what of your own injuries?”

Arcann ignored the weight of his broken arm. The metal could be repaired, that of which he had his own resources.

“I had to use the Force to slow down a rapid descent,” Arcann shrugged. “And to soften my fall.”

“Ah!” Jarak said with glee. “I take it you weren’t skydiving, then.”

“Can. You. Fix. Her?” Arcann growled, beginning to grow impatient.

The scientist twitched, realising he may have overstepped.

“Yes,” he finally nodded. “Though the process may take several months…”

“I don’t care.” Arcann said. “Keep me posted.”

He bent over to gently squeeze his sister’s hand, as a sign of comfort. Vaylin now lay alarmingly still.

“I won’t fail you, Vaylin,” he whispered to her as he slowly turned away. “I swear it.”

TO BE CONTINUED