The Rebel Faction

Ben listened to Marek speak and reach into his robe pocket, pulling out the small piece of torn cloth he could find. His fingers ran over it slowly, feeling the soft fabric against his skin. Having experienced what the older Jedi was talking about, Ben finally realize what it was that had allowed him to follow Mira, as well as what he had seen before in the speeder.

He took a breath and quickly went out what he had seen before, the one number that had flashed to him. There must be more to it than that or that had to be for them to locate Mira. Ben knew he had to try again and attempt to see more if he could.

After a glance at both Marek and Max, he finally spoke. "I know what you are saying Marek and it makes perfect sense. Mira is also darker and I believe her presence in the force has more disturbance, at least it is me."

Ben paused and move back a little, still holding the cloth in his hand, before extending his hand out and handing it to Marek. "I've learned over the past few days that the force could be used to track people and narrow down their location. That is how I found Mira on Telos and Coruscant. Maybe this cloth will do the same this time. When I was in the speeder, heading to the spaceport, I focused on the cloth. It is very dark and has Mira's presence. I also saw something...a number. I don't know what it means though. Perhaps there is more to it."

As he finished, Ben slowly moved to get some water from a nearby dispenser and looked back at the two Jedi, wondering what they were thinking.

Skygge glanced around the storeroom, taking in the provisions they had packed. It would take some time to prepare herself for the trek on the surface of Korriban. Rummaging through the equipment, she found what she was looking for. The weapons locker.

A cursory glance told her that many of the weapons were in need of repair. It would take more time than they had, unless...

She quickly rose and silently strode to the cockpit. The shuttle was slow, but even still it was going a bit too fast for her purposes. Subtly, she slowed the ship, hearing the strain on the engines lessen as the ship settled into a more comfortable pace.

Moving to the navcomputer, Skygge quickly calculated the time it would take to get to Korriban. It would be close, but she thought she had enough time now, if only barely. With a smile of satisfaction, she locked the computer so Ithron couldn't get in to change their course or speed, then stood and headed back to the storeroom. She had work to do.

Opening the weapons locker, she pulled out a twin barreled weapon of interesting design. It was short, as short as a carbine, but the barrels were much larger. She smiled. This was commonly known as a street howitzer, so named because it could literally clear a street with two shots. When fired, it worked somewhat like a flechette launcher, except it used a type of ammunition called buckshot instead of flechette. It was very effective at close range, as she knew well; she had used one before on Dathomir.

The next weapon she pulled out was a slugthrower of an older design. Both weapons needed to be cleaned, but they seemed to be in working order. A vibroknife came out next, then a second, smaller slugthrower. Skygge intended to carry all these herself; whatever she met on the surface, she would be able to face it.

Skygge debated whether to pull out slugthrowers for Ithron as well. The other apprentice would probably laugh at her for relying on anything other than the Force and her lightsaber, but Skygge knew better. She had been on the surface of Korriban before, and there were things there that were not affected by a lightsaber and were too strong for either apprentice to handle with the Force.

So, despite her misgivings about him, Skygge began to pull equipment for Ithron as well. A slugthrower carbine, a vibroknife, and a 9mm slugthrower were added to the pile. Then she came across the treasure of the locker. A spare lightsaber.

This was definitely going to need some work. But it could be quite useful if things got sticky with Ithron, so she began to work on it first. The wires were old and would need to be replaced. That wouldn't be so hard. The hilt was dirty and could use a cleaning, but that wasn't absolutely necessary. The focusing crystals needed to be adjusted, and the magnetic stabalizers were a bit off. She fixed those first.

The crystals were a bit harder to adjust, especially since she was working only with tools on-hand. However, apparently a Sith had used this shuttle often, and it didn't take her long to find a spare toolkit buried under some foodstuffs. She got to work. It took a few hours, but with the guidance of the Force she finally got it right.

Next came the wires. She managed to replace those with some from the toolkit as well as some from some spare ship parts she found nearby. It probably wouldn't hold for more than a few fights, but once all this was done she could fix it properly. And it was only a spare, anyway.

Finished with the saber, which was now at least in working condition, Skygge focused on the slugthrowers and the street howitzer. All they really needed was to be cleaned; still, she took a half-hour on each one, making sure they were in perfect condition.

Finally, she turned back to the saber, shining its hilt and cleaning it as best she could. She hit the activation switch, and a ruby blade emerged. She swung it a few times, taking care not to hit anything. It seemed to work well, but she wouldn't know for sure until it was tested.

So she decided to find out. Slipping into a spare room - it seemed to be an extra cargo hold - she activated the saber and activated a training remote she had found in the storeroom. It oriented itself and began moving and firing. Mira moved the blade to block the shots, sending each one in precisely the direction she wanted. After a minute, she increased the difficulty. Still no problems. Satisfied, she shut down the blade and deactivated the remote, returning it to its place.

Hiding the saber under her cloak, Mira grabbed the rest of the weapons and headed for Ithron's quarters. Then she thought better of interrupting him and continued past to her own. She would do well to get some sleep before they came out of hyperspace. Locking the door, she stacked the weapons neatly, then flopped down on her bed. She was asleep within a minute.

Sith Temple Hangar Bay, Coruscant.



Lupercus fixed his gaze upon each of the women in turn, judging them immediately. Each had a specific skill set that would see them through to the successful completion of their goal, but one radiated something different.

Something bestial crowed from deep within her soul, something the Sith Lord had not felt since he had last been with Master Draclau.

"Thessalia, take your sisters and lead them this day. Allow that hunger within you to rise to the fore and you shall do well."

He flooded her thoughts momentarily with a devastating cascade of destruction and power, but just as it had arrived, it disappeared.

Waving his hand he dismissed them, watching them board the shuttle and take off. He stood there for a while, time sped around him as he remained, stoicly watching the skies outside the hangar bay doors.

Something was bothering him.



Diktators Personal Quarters, Sith Temple, Coruscant.



Having returned from his 'space out' in the hangar bay, Lupercus immediately set himself down to meditate. Something had been bothering him ever since the night before when Ishara had made her not so subtle attempt at bedding the Sith Lord, and it wasn't the fact that he hadn't taken her up on the offer.

Closing his eyes he retraced his mental steps over the last forty eight hours, the sticking point coming at his 'corruption' of Ithron. Lupercus spent hours pouring over everything that had happened but could not place the feeling he was having.

Suddenly out of nowhere, deep within his minds eye as he watched the 'talk' from another angle, something just clicked...

Above where his vision focused at himself and Ithron talking, a strange visiage appeared. It spoke, but the words were a murmour and image itself constantly blurred and frayed at the edges. Replaying the image again a dozen times in his mind made him realise that it had nothing, at least specifically, to do with his discussion with the apprentice. Dispelling that from his thoughts he could now see what lay before him, watching him.

It was the face of Vance Jas, and it radiated a hatred and despicable lust for power that drew Lupercus inwards. Suddenly, the voice was audible.

"Your intentions do not go unseen, Master Lupercus; be wary of the company you keep, and of those whom you offer so many promises..."

Even despite his meditative trance, Lupercus couldn't help but laugh at the jealousy of the Sith. But the hatred emanating from the words and the image could not hide something else about the vision the Lupercus was familiar with. Something he had encounted long ago, during the conquest of Almania.

The Aii-Ting.

There he had capture an Aii-Ting Master, who with cloning and quite a lot of torture on Lupercus' part, had become one of the founding members of the JediCorps. But the information he had gleaned for his own private use from the tortures allowed him to focus in on the presence behind the 'message' and suddenly, Lupercus found himself out of control for the first time in his life...


Despite all his attempts at the contrary, Lupercus found himself sitting above the shoulders of Vance and a small creature, obviously an Aii-Ting monk from his appearance. He tried constantly to break the trance he was in, but found himself forced to watch himself being watched.

It was a truly strange experiance. But the experiance asside, it was the fact he could not stop it that truly confounded the Sith Lord.


[font=arial]‘Then you seek the past, Master Vance of Sith… prepare yourself, and be mindful of your physical self in this time; for we now leave for another.’

The void suddenly shifted, changing in a blinding motion of movement and light; what was darkness was now day, and what had been nothingness was now a temple where the two beings in question stood. They spoke, both Ithron and Lupercus’ words fading in and out, as too much seemed to pass through what Vance could perceive with his senses.

‘Why can’t I understand them, save for a few words?’ Vance demanded, turning his angry eyes toward Phenrik.

The other seemed calm, apparently listening with great interest and clarity. ‘You have not honed the control you require for this stage in our lessons, and as such you cannot limit the amount of information filtering through to you from the past… as it remains, your mind is receiving too much to allow you to focus on what you wish. In order to gain control, you must limit your mind to what it believes is the here and now… but you must also be wary of falling into a frame of thought that believes this truly is the here and now. Do you understand?’

Vance understood, in a simplistic sense. Phenrik spoke of how he witnessed too broadly of the past, instead of limiting his senses to simply the passageway the two spoke in; which would explain the layering of images that flashed past unwelcome, of other beings and events - each happening at the same time in the past, if Vance’s theory was correct. He even saw a brief image of himself, standing with the few Apprentices who remained, training them in lightsaber art… and that had been around the time the Sith Master had sensed the subtle change in Ithron’s presence toward him; how it had seemingly retreated, pulling back on the bond, so to speak.

Focusing his mind, Vance narrowed his senses to his target: Lupercus. Though it was slow, eventually the other images began to lessen, and the two Sith began to come clear; while at the same time, so too did their conversation…

"Watching and waiting? Decadence and impotence? Foolish child, your falacies disgust me. But your lack of vision is only indicative of what you have been taught... Nothing!"

Lupercus’ words caused Vance to narrow his focus even more so, to feel the emotion that came from the two beings. Ithron devoted himself to Lupercus not long after, the scene playing itself out like a holoprojection. All the while reminding Vance that his efforts up until now had been for naught, that his attempts at bringing a sense of brotherhood to the Sith, where he had often felt it didn’t belong, had been rightfully just. It seemed that the power of the Dark Side did nothing but corrupt, and loyalty remained to those that could offer the most in return for service…

‘You truly disappoint me, Ithron… you truly do.’ Vance said, muttering the words as though he had once believed the other had been a worthy Apprentice. Now, it appeared, Vance would be pressed to rethink how to approach the Sith Order, and how to weed out such disloyalty… perhaps a purge was in question, perhaps Vance’s beliefs that he had long hidden, yet which Lupercus promoted boldly, were past time to come to fore. Always two, it was said. Vance had believed this, but had insisted on allowing Apprentices a chance to learn the Dark Side with the potential of forming an army of Sith; it had seemed the most logical, and had served the best end, in regard to welcoming the many who sought out the Sith on Xa Fel…

‘Do you wish to return, Master Vance of Sith? I fear even my power begins to lack by staying so long in this time…’ Phenrik offered, his small form beside Vance’s, as the two followed the passage of Lupercus and Ithron.

‘Yes… but first, I have a message for Lupercus, and I wish to imprint it for him to witness in my present.’ And smiling, Vance began to listen as the Aing-Tii started to explain that specific use of the Flow-Walking power…[/font]


As the power of the Aii-Ting monk and the Sith faded, Lupercus regained control of his mind. He shuddered, his hands brushing his brow to reveal a heady coat of sweat, before rising to drink some water.

Something very wrong, but very powerful had just happened to him, and after some rest he would investigate further.

Yes, after some rest...

Ben instantly felt the force gathering inside the cabin as Marek used it to study the torn cloth. He said nothing, but watched with great interest as the older Jedi tried to read what was contained within. It would not be easy if Marek was doing this for the first time. Ben remembered how difficult it had been for him when he tried to locate Mira with the force.

It was a while before Marek spoke, but just looking at his face, Ben could tell he had seen something. He could see the surprise and slight amusement just before Marek explained what he had seen.

They both followed the man to the cabin and watched as he entered the numbers. Ben realized the first number matched the one he had seen himself, knowing now that he had been on the right path. He felt a sense of pride at discovering this force power within him without having been taught earlier. While it was easier to be taught by others, Ben had always felt better when learning through himself. It was the challenge of it all.

To all their surprise, the coordinates were excepted into the computer, but it did not know that something was there. It could be that nothing was, though. It was all to possible that Mira would be meeting someone else there, perhaps another ship. It could also be that there was nothing there and Mira would never be seen there as well. They had to take the chance, however.

"I say we go for it. We have nothing else to go on and I have learned to trust the force and its guidance." Ben stated as he moved into the other seat and powered up the hyperdrive.

He glanced back towards Max and then at Marek, before wishing them all luck internally. Ben took a deep breath and pushed the lever down just as he turned towards the viewport, in time to see the ship jump into space and the stars become white streaks. They were on their way into the unknown, none of them knowing they would face. One thing, however, was clear. They would have to rely on each other.

Skygge stared after Ithron as the door closed behind him. She had held her tongue through his rebuke, scathing though it was. Patience may have been a Jedi virtue, but it was also a necessity for a Sith assassin.

That was an interesting thought. It was the first time she had thought of herself in that role, though now that it occurred to her she realized that that was the path she had been following since leaving the Jedi Temple. Her training in the wilderness without the Force, her style of lightsaber fighting, her willingness to wait for the perfect opportunity to strike, her working behind the scenes - it all fit. But there was no time to think about it now.

She shook her head as the door slammed shut. Poor boy. He had no idea what he was getting into.


Six Months Previous


Mira brought her shuttle out of hyperspace just above the planet's surface. She had done her research on the way here, but not much was known about the ancient Sith planet - at least, not much recent history. Little had been added to the galactic databases for decades. At least not that she could find.

It was a desolate world, barren and rocky. The remains of a settlement were down there, as well as the half-destroyed Sith Academy. It was the latter in which she was interested. According to her queries, it seemed that the best place to land would be in the Valley of the Dark Lords. It lay immediately next to the Academy. And she shouldn't have too much trouble in there - she hoped.

Still, she strapped her lightsaber, a blaster, and a vibroblade to her belt and grabbed up her street howitzer. The shotgun, as it was sometimes called, was the weapon she figured she'd need the most, as she hadn't accessed the Force in some time and she didn't trust herself with a lightsaber. Besides, the spread of the howitzer was pretty good; it wasn't likely she'd miss.


Present


Skygge shook herself from the reverie. That wasn't something she wanted to revisit. She'd nearly lost her life there in more than one instance. She'd been trapped in the academy for a full week before she escaped up into the ruins of the settlement. Another week was spent there, scrounging for food, before she managed to find a way around the academy and back into the valley. She'd barely made it alive, and as she closed the hatch something large had attacked. She made it off the planet, but her ship was in bad condition, and she was weaponless but for her lightsaber, which somehow had remained attached to her belt. From there she had gone to Xa Fel. Now, six months later, she was coming back. She doubted the planet had improved any.

She heard the door lock. Silly Ithron. If she wanted to get out, all she had to do was hit the override hidden under her bed. She'd set that up as soon as she could. Or she could use her lightsaber on it. Still, no reason to leave yet. Either he could be trusted or he still needed her - else she'd be dead. So, without a second thought, she turned and lay back on the bed, asleep before her head fell.

After several hours of rest, Skygge awoke refreshed to a beeping sound. She hit the override button, opening the door, and strode to the cockpit. They were only minutes from coming out of hyperspace. She figured Ithron would join her in a moment - she needed him to bring the shuttle in for a proper landing, if only to cast the blame on him when something went wrong.