Star Wars CLOSED Interlude Etched in an Epitaph

OOC: The following is a combo with Lady_B and Sinrebirth – thank you so much!!

IC: Braata, Sistros, Ben Skywalker, Lumiya, and the Darkness
Nouane

One moment Braata and Sistros were inside of Lumiya’s mind, and then in a blink, they were out of her mind.

Images quickly flashed through her mind of people and places, most had to be set aside for the moment. There were pressing matters to deal with first.

She lurched a step forward and clutched her stomach feeling Ike’s injury. They should’ve stayed together, they were stronger together.

Ike’s condition was a priority, but she couldn’t leave yet. The Darkness seemed to want Ben and Lumiya. She quickly asked the Tho Yor to go to Ike and be sure he gets care for his wounds.

There was much more to do.

Braata couldn't take her eyes off the Darkness, but Lumiya waking and getting involved would only complicate things more. The hilt of her lightsaber felt heavy in her hand, it would serve her purpose. Braata crouched beside Lumiya and was tempted to end her wretched life now. Lumiya had been a thorn in everyone’s side, but she was no fool. That would cause an even bigger change.

"We don’t need her to wake up, yet," she said to Joren and smacked Lumiya in the temple. She placed her hand on the woman’s forehead and looked for the memories of the last few minutes, those needed to be altered and everything was put back to the way it was. Going into her mind was an unpleasant task, but it was necessary.

"One day I hope you’ll explain to me what Aryan ever saw in that cow," she shook her head and stood up.

A wolfish grin spread over Sistros’ features, though it quickly faded as the severity of the moment pressed on his conscience. He wasn’t in the mood for levity, particularly when they had seemingly severed the fragile threads that maintained the balance of their existence. One Change had the potential to destroy entire timelines and disrupt reality. That was the predicament they now faced with the Darkness vying for possession of both Lumiya and Ben; Ike’s meddling in the affairs of this world; and Arek’s abduction by some elusive presence. There was more, but he didn’t have time to delve into specifics.

To further compound issues, a strange void occupied the space where the Master and Yanjon had been in the Force; they were gone. Aden Kya was more fickle than most, so his absence was probably by design. It wouldn’t be unusual if the man had purposely shrouded himself to maintain a low profile.

But the Master?

Something was wrong.

Sistros pursed his lips and stepped back, idly watching Braata as she attempted to restore Lumiya’s memories. He felt a compelling urge to pursue the Master and ensure the man was safe, but he couldn’t ignore his primary task; to protect against existential threats and assist Braata. He would not abandon her nor repeat the mistakes of his past by chasing selfish interests. His duty must come first.

To reinforce those sentiments, Sistros stood tall and angled his chin toward the horizon, closing his eyes to summon his Tho Yor. While Braata had already directed hers to track Ike, he instructed his own to follow Arek and his kidnapper through the ether. It would provide them with more options once they subdued the Darkness.

For now, he opened his eyes and returned his attention to Braata, Lumiya, Ben, and the Darkness.

"Any luck?" he asked Braata as he knelt beside Ben Skywalker to attend to his needs. The boy hung in a semi-conscious state, existing solely in an interim. He was likely safer this way—at least, for the time being. Unfortunately, he would need him awake to help combat the Darkness when the time came to engage.

Come on, kid, Sistros conveyed through the Force, laying his hand upon Skywalker’s forehead. I need you to come back to me. The fight’s not over yet; the Darkness remains.

There was such an immense sadness in Ben’s heart. He had lost so much without even realising. It was that despair that the Darkness was latched upon. Lumiya was deeply unconscious now, so that was that.

The Darkness regarded them for a long moment. Why resist? You cannot police Changes for eternity. The Darknesses will come again. We are already Six. Soon we will be Seven… and then One once more. A new First Darkness to rule over you all… yield. We can sense everything our fellow Darknesses do. We know Aden Kya is dead; we know the Master of Masters is dead. You will all die.

Braata sneered at the Darkness, "You’re a liar." She knew in her heart that Aden and the Master were alive, and she’d have to find them soon.

She put her hand on Joren’s shoulder and answered him without taking her eyes off the Darkness. "Yeah, I think her memory is sufficiently altered… but I guess now we have to wake her up?"

She sighed wearily and kicked Lumiya in the ribs, not enough to fracture one, but enough to rouse the damned woman.

Closing his eyes, Sistros banished all distractions from his mind, including Braata’s summation of Lumiya’s condition—but more specifically, the Darkness’ lengthy diatribe. They were empty words, and he could not afford to dwell on them. He needed to look inward and focus his thoughts to free Ben from the Darkness. Everything hinged on severing the tenuous connection between them.

Sistros lowered his chin and reached for Ben’s arm, his fingers embracing the boy’s cold flesh. He immediately felt the despair as it radiated outward, responding to the sudden intrusion upon Ben’s consciousness. It had wound itself tightly around the younger man’s essence, straining his soul and making it difficult to break free.

That’s where he concentrated his efforts.

The Force flowed from Sistros to Ben, shrouding the boy’s body in warmth to mitigate the effects of the Darkness. That allowed him to dive deep and isolate the despair from causing any further harm. He latched onto it and reached out from the shadows, physically lifting Ben so that he levitated above the ground.

‘Focus on the connection to the Darkness,’ Sistros conveyed to Braata through their bond. ‘Sever it!’

"We need your help, Ben," he continued aloud to the boy, augmenting his voice through the Force. As if on cue, Sistros extracted a mass of black energy from Ben’s chest, the strain evident on his features. "This is your trauma… your pain… your despair…"

It danced lightly within his palm before he closed his fist and extinguished it.

"I set you free."

TAG: @Lady_Belligerent; @Sinrebirth; @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC: Lumiya
Suddenly

The Darkness howled, pushed free, and seized upon its only surviving tether.

Lumiya.

Her eyes burst open, blazing golden yellow and then black-of-black.

She abruptly vanished, snapped away.

They had other issues too - the Tho Yor reported that Ike was unconscious, bleeding out, and called for Braata to assist -

Help!

The Tho Yor that Sistros had sent had rushed into hyperspace, and was suddenly set upon, projecting an image of a creature, no creatures larger than capital ships with eyes and tentacles flaying upon its hull -



Help!

But laying before them was a young teenage boy, his eyes closed.

Ben.

Ben Solo, formerly Ben Skywalker, son of the fallen Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade of their timeline, was there.

And free of Darkness.

They could not sense Nom Anor, of course not, but they could sense Ben.

And Ben's eyes fluttered open, and he drew back in fear.

"Aryan Graul? The Eternal Emperor?"

He thrust out his hands, pushing hard -

TAG: @HanSolo29, @Lady_Belligerent (combo)

 

OOC: The following is a combo with Lady_B and Sinrebirth – thank you so much!!

IC: Sistros, Braata, and Ben Skywalker
Nouane

Even omnipotence could not counteract the negligence of a distracted mind. The Darkness seemed to scream into the Force as it dispersed, piercing Sistros’s ears with an ethereal sound that elicited physical pain. He winced and closed his eyes against the onslaught, but not before witnessing a negative convergence; the Darkness had found a new vessel in Lumiya. The two merged, the Dark Lady’s eyes flashing a sickly yellow before both entities vanished into the ether.

More powerful.

Dangerous.

Sistros opened his eyes and swore.

Energy crackled around his presence, the Force bristling as he prepared to pursue the Darkness across the wide expanse of the metaverse. However, his Thor Yor hindered those efforts when it suddenly unleashed a desperate cry for assistance, projecting a disturbing image into his mind’s eye. Several large creatures, each the size of a capital ship, had engulfed the sentient ship’s hull in a mass of writhing tentacles and tendrils. It was impossible to identify the species from this vantage point, but it was clear they had every intention of consuming the much smaller craft.

All of this culminated in a single moment; a moment in which Ben Skywalker awakened from his trance and took advantage of Sistros’s preoccupied state.

"Aryan Graul? The Eternal Emperor?"

The name prickled at the edge of his awareness, sending a shockwave through his system. It conjured memories of a past stained in crimson. He knew it symbolized his descent into madness, serving as a graphical representation of the darkness that fueled his unbridled rage—but Sistros also equated it to the blood of his victims. Millions had died by his hand during his reign as the Eternal Emperor, a terrifying truth that would forever haunt him.

And now, Ben roused his guilt anew.

Sistros managed to turn his head and gape at the boy, but it was already too late—

The air reverberated with a powerful Force wave that slammed into him with enough intensity to send him tumbling. He grunted as his backside hit the ground before coming to rest against a rock formation.

And yet, Sistros did not retaliate. He merely angled his chin to stare at the young man, accepting the blow with an apologetic smile. "The Eternal Emperor is no more," he stated softly, "but that doesn’t mean I didn’t deserve that. I understand your frustration and pain; it will take an eternity to atone for the sins I have committed, but I like to believe I’m on the right path."

He glanced sideways at Braata for support before refocusing his efforts on Ben. "We prevented the Darkness from consuming your soul… it saved your life. Do you remember?"

Braata met his gaze and gave a slight nod of encouragement.

She’d felt when Sistros’s guilt had begun to build and was already concerned. Those actions of the past were just that, the past. He had to let that guilt go. Ben was using it as a weapon and that was something she couldn’t ignore.

In fact, Braata had been quite tempted to take the boy aside to give him a stern lecture for his attack on her lover. She knew that Sistros wouldn’t want her to inflict any pain on the child… even though he deserved it.

Instead, she had rushed to Sistros and protectively placed her hand on his shoulder while glaring at Ben. Another attack on her man would not be tolerated, an oath that she shared through their bond.

They had much to see to, and she wouldn’t stand back and allow some spoiled brat to waste their valuable time.

Ben blew out a breath, looked at Braata, and then back to Sistros. "I... I remember. I came from... another time? Another place?" A slight moan as he held his head. "My parents were... Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade... I was adopted by... Han Solo... was that me?"

"No, wait, I am Ben Skywalker, aren't I?"

He looked confused, from one to the other. He clearly couldn't be left to his own devices, but they had people to save. Ike, for one, from Nom Anor... Lumiya had vanished, too... and what about Aryan and Sybelle, the Twilight Sybelle? Or their Tho Yor, attacked by tentacled creatures near... Exegol, the Throneworld of the Sith?!

The images inundated his mind with renewed urgency, forcing Sistros to close his eyes. He needed to clear his thoughts and prioritize; they could not handle every crisis simultaneously. That’s how they ended up in this situation in the first place. Their lack of coordination had resulted in the Darkness first seducing Ben, then Lumiya. In that sense, it was easy to give the dark entity precedence…

And yet…

He knew they couldn’t leave Ben behind. Sistros had brought him here; he was his responsibility. But even that had become a source of tension. He could feel Braata’s contempt for the boy through their bond, her emotions reaching an apex when he lashed out at him through the Force. It was so intense that he briefly considered returning Ben to his own timeline to appease her—but that would be unnecessarily cruel. The boy would not survive, even if he wiped his mind for a second time. He would feel a sense of longing he could never satisfy.

And so, he would need to deal with this directly—to calm the boy’s mind and encourage him to follow his destiny. He could still contribute if he accepted the truth of this new reality.

"You’re Ben Skywalker, yes," Sistros confirmed gently, rising back to his feet. "In theory, you’re a steward to your timeline, sealing the void left behind by your adopted father… and myself. You restored harmony… and prevented a catastrophic Change. You are an integral piece to the Epitaph—that’s why the Darkness took such an interest in your abilities."

He exhaled softly and spread his hands, a warm smile touching his features. "But you endured, resisting his influence and coming through the other side. It was your first trial. Imagine what you can accomplish now that you’ve become mindful of your purpose. We’re here to assist you."

While Joren was attempting to calm the child, Braata stepped back and turned to walk a short distance away from them. Her jaws were clenched in frustration, she and Joren had different ways of dealing with a situation at times, but they didn’t have time to coddle this boy. He needed to be told what to do and they needed a place to park him while more important issues could be faced.

Only, she had no idea where they’d find a sitter to watch over Ben. Sighing, she looked back over at them. Finally, she loudly cleared her throat and then said, "We need to go."

Ben was so close to calm, that Braata’s assertion made him jump. But he nonetheless nodded. "I dreamed of you, both of you."

"I’m ready to do what you need of me." His eyes turned certain. "The Change… Jacen spoke of it, once. Darth Caedus did. He killed Jaina… and he shouldn’t have… and in the timeline I ended up in… Palpatine died earlier than he should have. It’s all possible - and impossible."

Ben stood; he was a tall young man, now, taller than them both. "I’m ready to do my part."

The Force rippled with Braata’s impatience, which earned a cautionary glance from Sistros. However, he wasn’t about to criticize her for harboring those emotions. She wasn’t wrong; time was critical at this stage. The intervention with Ben was already taking longer than anticipated, and it wasn’t clear whether it was too late to help those in danger. Nevertheless, it must remain a priority.

But as Sistros pivoted back to the young man, he hesitated. Ben was intuitive, but something about his assessment bothered him—and perhaps even intrigued him. He had only assumed that the boy originated from the One Timeline, yet his reference to Jaina Solo dying by her brother’s hand contradicted that theory.

And then he mentioned the dreams…

Curious.

"You’re familiar with the Epitaph and the consequences of Change," Sistros stated evenly, his brow furrowed. "And you’ve learned how to resist a Darkness, should they tempt you again. We could use another pair of eyes out there… almost like a special agent."

He narrowed his eyes, brushing a finger across his lip in thought.

"Darth Caedus has killed Jaina Solo in your reality, correct?" There was a perceptive nod; it seemed to make sense. "It’s what we refer to as the Maelstrom. I felt a recent disturbance there. For your first assignment, perhaps you can go home to investigate the source."

Braata’s hooded eyes shifted from studying Sistros to looking at Ben. This was a situation where she had to allow her partner to handle this his way. So she stood in silence.

Once Sistros finally "landed the ship", she actually felt a moment of amusement.

This was going to be a case of kriff around and find out because she didn’t trust Ben not to land himself right back into some massive dilemma.

Ben's eyes nodded. "I've got it. I'll head back to my timeline, figure out what's happening... report back? Or intervene?" He hesitated. "Kill Caedus?" There was a palpable rhythm to his heartbeat then - a palpitation. Fear? Anger? Glee?

"He did kill my mother, too," he said, in a smaller voice.

Sistros nodded and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder, appreciating his honesty in wanting to avenge his mother’s death. However, he knew that extreme intervention could also have devastating consequences on the timeline. He glanced at Braata, frowning slightly, knowing their options were limited...

And yet—

Was that still a concern if Ben originated from the Maelstrom timeline? Perhaps there was nothing to fear.

Nevertheless, Sistros opted to remain cautious.

"If you ever need assistance, especially when it comes to executing… complex strategies," he paused with a knowing smile, referring to the boy’s veiled remark about killing Darth Caedus, "I advise you to seek out our counterparts. Aryan Graul and Sybelle. They are extensions of ourselves, allowing us to interact in various timelines throughout the multiverse without penalty. In approaching them, you will be approaching us. We are One."

Her mouth opened to interrupt, but she quickly closed it instead.

Sistros had divulged a great deal more information than she would’ve to the young man… or to anyone for that matter. Her eyes narrowed while she considered options, her partner was well aware that they had pressing matters, but they had not even been able to decide if they rushed to Ike or went to find Aiden.

Sighing heavily, Braata crossed her arms and waited in silence.

Ben nodded, and, abruptly, drew Sistros into a hug. "Thank you."

He smiled at Braata too. "I'm ready to be sent where you need me to go."

They would instantly know that it was within their power to send Ben Skywalker back to the Maelstrom Timeline, and also that in that reality, Darth Sidious had made his move and destroyed Coruscant with the Starkiller weapon. Hope was in the hands of their counterparts rallying a new Galactic Alliance, and a Jedi-Imperial Knight effort to locate Luke Skywalker.

But between Aden's disappearance and Ike's concerns, let alone the issues with Lumiya here, they could only fight so many fires at once.

Would they send Ben, so they could focus on other matters?

Sistros had not anticipated the hug, causing him to stumble back a few paces when the boy embraced him. Nevertheless, he returned the gesture and relished the moment, pulling on Ben’s emotions as a compass. His gratitude was genuine, particularly when coupled with his desire to help. But despite his enthusiasm, Sistros still detected some apprehension around the unknown. With Aden, Lumiya, and Ike still unaccounted for, that was certainly something he could relate to. Perhaps it was even contributing to Ben’s mood.

Was he projecting his thoughts onto the boy?

With a sharp intake of breath, Sistros clamped down on his wayward emotions and stood back to rest a hand on Ben’s shoulder. "You’ll do fine," he reaffirmed with a crooked grin. "Trust your instincts... and remember, if you need help, seek out our counterparts."

His blue eyes lifted to meet Braata’s gaze, offering a short nod before pushing forth to send Ben on his way.

She observed the awkward hug shared by Sistros and Ben, Braata found the entire exercise irritating. These two had bloody well taken their time, so she jumped on the opportunity to press Sistros the moment he looked at her.

"We need to find Aden and Ike," she said, "Ike was nearby, so it makes sense that we retrieve him and then the three of us find Aden."

Glancing over at Ben she fluttered her hand, "Shoo, back to where you’ve come from."

Braata's addition sent Ben on his way.

As he faded out, he crooked a familiar Solo-esque smile. "Thanks for the assist. I'll be sure to fix my timeline. Good luck with yours."

Ike's pain sang in the Force, and a trailing absence.

TAG: @Lady_Belligerent; @Sinrebirth; @Mitth_Fisto (for reference)

 

IC: 11-4D

"Who?"

He hesitated, and his tone was unmistakably sad.

"I can't, unfortunately say, but you can ask him yourself, of course."

Hyperspace turned jagged, red, even, as they seemed to pass through a disturbance. Nebulas usually caused such an effect, and at these velocities the stellar matter was irrelevant. The ship began to shift, and invert, as if travelling through a web and cage of black fingers, threatening destruction at these speeds, but the ship seemed to know the way...

11-4D mag-clamped himself to the deck as everyone aboard who wasn't strapped in was upended. The Force would not serve Sybelle here, because it just wasn't doing as it was told. It was warped, like hyperspace was, like they themselves were. It would seem dark, cloying, and that pressure, even if Aryan wasn't tossed from the bed, would awaken him.

The droid did continue, conversationally.

"Red Space, otherwise known as the Nihil Retreat, the Ship Eater, the Perann Nebula, the Blood Net, the Dark Worlds, the Red Honeycomb Zone. It conceals within its embrace a dozen star systems, including Rhand, Perann, Rennek, and others, but no more prominent than the system we now arrive at."

They burst from hyperspace.



"Exegol."

TAG: @HanSolo29, @Lady_Belligerent (combo from June pending)
—
IC: Ike
Nouane alleyway

They would find their Ike bloodied, stabbed through, on the edge of death. He had been poisoned, too, and struggled to breath.

The powers of Braata and Sistros could easily restore him, but missing was Nom Anor. Ike gasped as he dragged in air. “He’s gone,” Ike said, struggling against the poison still - it was Yuuzhan Vong in origin, after all, and not so easily burned free with the Force.

“He was asking about the Epitaph, about the Change - I think, I think Nom Anor wants to do one…”

Ike hesitated. “He got the drop on me because I felt - I felt Aden go. Away. I don’t know if he’s dead or just unconscious - but someone got him.”

The two of them would also sense that Sybelle - from the original Twilight timeline - and Aryan, the one from this timeline - were arriving at Exegol…

… and Yanjon, back at the Keep at the End of Time, had succeeded in his mission but the Master was missing. No, wait, he was elsewhere… with Iudex? On Coruscant, a few years away… but it wasn’t their Master, no, it was… a later version? Or earlier?

The Master defied their senses, he was an anomaly himself, behind that Black Coat.

TAG: @HanSolo29, @Lady_Belligerent (combo or singles your choice)