Star Wars CLOSED Turning Point - The Betrayal of Darth Revan

Yula made her Force signature seem weaker than it was. She wanted to appear nonthreatening, biding her time until the opportunity presented itself to be proactive again.

 

IC: Shysa Cadera
Found

Shysa was startled awake as she felt the escape pod being hooked up to a larger ship. At least that's what she hoped it was. She tilted her head up, but didn't feel as if sge had much energy to move.

"Hello?" Shysa gently asked, almost a whisper. She was sure this was a dream on her way to the inevitable eternity.

The man didn't expect to find a young woman, and Cassus Fett hesitated. "Who are you, and why shouldn't I just space you right now?" He eyed her robes. They were a mess, but he was sure under it all... his alarm flooded the Force and his certainty to fire began to emerge as he pointed his blaster -

"I'm Shysa Cadera." Shysa looked up at the man and seemed more alert. So this isn't a dream? "I wouldn't space me just yet. The Sith already tried to do that and it didn't work out too well for them."

She glanced at his blaster, and frowned. "I don't have any weapons. You're a Mandalorian, aren't you?"

"The Sith?" He hesitated.

"I'm Cassus Fett," he said with some certainty - as if she should know that name.

The right-hand man of the most powerful warlord in the galaxy surely warranted some acknowledgement.

Shysa nodded and leaned her head back. "Yes. They took us right out of hyperspace." She felt like a coward still, but didn't tell Fett that.

"I think so? You're s famous Mandalorian." Shysa told him. "A great warrior."

"Well that's one way of putting it. The majority of the galaxy thinks I'm a mass-murderer, so thanks for the compliment, kid." He returned his blaster to its holster. "So you ran into the Sith? Bad times. Even the Unknowns aren't safe anymore."

He hesitated. Now what in blast was he going to do with her?

"Cadera, eh? Any relation to Clan Cadera?"

Shysa smiled wearily. "No problem." She frowned a little at his next comment. "Yes. My father is Fridolf Cadera. At least...that's what I was told."

She gave him an uncertain look. "I was supposed to be on my way to Courscant...but if I could detour on the way. I mean, do you know him at all? My father?"

Cassus nodded. “I’ve met him. He was opposed to the Wars, one of the few clans who was… he didn’t like what was happening to the warrior traditions.”

“Coruscant isn’t a good idea at the moment. Malak has declared his intention to invade the Core Worlds, and Sith fleets just left Corellia.” This was true; he’d caught as much when he last checked the HoloNet. “There is only that Bastila woman who people reckon can stop him. The one whose battle meditation let the Jedi kill Revan.”

"Bastila is a good Jedi. One of the best."Shysa praised. She frowned a little, thankful that her father opposed the war. "Do you know where he might be now?"

And then she added, "And If I can't go to Courscant, could you take me with you?"

Cassus hesitated. "I'm not exactly flavour of the month since Malachor V, kid, but sure, I can get you as far as Concord Dawn, where the Cadera's are usually holed up." He sounded annoyed that he was being put upon. "But don't be surprised if my dropping you off doesn't earn you brownie points."

"You do know some of the things I did in the Wars, right?"

"Thank you." Shysa replied. She paused at his next question. "No. But what would that matter to them? You saved their daughters life." She pointed out.

Cassus shook his head. "Never let it be said that I was as naive as you are right now. But if I want to rebuild the clans, I'll have to start somewhere." With a sigh, he turned to the cockpit. "Come on, kid. Let's take you home."

He glanced over his shoulder. "Galley is that way." He pointed, as he headed on.

"I could convince them I bet." Shysa answered definitely. "It would be a good start." She paused. "And I might be a little naive, but that's not a bad thing. Maybe that will win them over."

She followed Cassus onto his ship and looked towards the galley after her pointed it out to her. "Thank you." She felt the rumble of hyperspace and made her way to get food.

I can convince them.

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Shysa Cadera
Concord Dawn, Mandalore Sector

Shysa felt nervous, the closer they got to Concord Dawn. Watched Cassus Fett without, she hoped him knowing. He was the first real Mandalorian she had met really. She wondered if all Mandalorians were like him.

She could sense he was angry, although she didn't know how deep in ran or why. Instead Shysa fixed herself up; tried to look presentable. She watched as they passed broken ships in the atmosphere, and was surprised to see the surface of Concord Dawn was farmland. I guess even Mandalorians need farmers.

Shysa kept close to Cassus Fett as the ramp was lowered, and smoothed out her clothing. She looked up at him at his question, and frowned. "I don't know. I feel strange, like I can't quite believe this is happening." She reached out with the force and could tell there was family here, although she had no idea if it was both her parents. Shysa swallowed hard. "Should we..." She motioned her hand towards the farmstead. "...or do you need a minute? You seem angry."

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

Approved by GM.



Name: Ciara (Pronounced Keer-a)
Age: 17
Bio: Ciara was adopted by Fridolf and Astrid shortly after Shysa was sent to the Jedi Order. She had wandered away, gotten lost from her first family; although Astrid and Fridolf suspected she was actually an off-world slave that had been brought to Mandalore; they took to her at once. The child being bright, and picking up Mando'a rather quickly due to her young age. As she grew Ciara would often ask about the girl named Shysa that her parents talked about in whispers. When she was old enough, they told her about her 'little' sister, and how they had to protect both the clan and Shysa from the growing war.

As the oldest, Ciara is expected to be a warrior worthy of respect, and she takes the Resol'nare seriously. She doesn't want to disappoint her parents.



Name: Reeve
Age: 11
Bio: Reeve was the next child that was adopted by Fridolf and Astrid. He was the son of close friends in their Clan, but after his parents got sick, and unfortunately passed away; Reeve has been in the care of his new guardians. He is a mischievous child that is always up to something, but is also loyal to his family. Reeve also loves to bug his older sister Ciara to no end, whether it be about suitors or the way she trains. He is closer to Astrid then he is Fridolf, who has a habit of letting him get away with a bit more sometimes, so long as it's harmless.



Name: Mehri Fett
Age: 16
Bio: Mehri Fett is a prisoner of the Cadera Clan in all but name. Since the war ended she has been kept on Concord Dawn, unsure what her next days will look like. Although she is gracious, diplomatic and happy to be alive, do not mistake this for a passive personality. She was raised to do what she must to survive and is a capable warrior when she needs to be.

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

Yula was not surprised at the group of armed toughs that surrounded them. She figured they were going to be taken to some high-ranking officiate. The feeling of darkness that permeated the entire environment was like an oppressive fog. She fought to keep it at bay. She must keep vigilant.

 

Combo with our GM @Sinrebirth

IC: Shysa Cadera
Concord Dawn

Shysa was startled, not only because Cassus Fett had started a fight with the man but because she didn't know if this was normal.

"Stop it! Stop fighting!" Shysa shouted, running up to them. "You're both crazy!" She grabbed the back of the other Mandalorian and tried to pull him off Cassus, but he was too heavy.

Instead Shysa stood back and frowned. She didn't want to use the force, but there was no one else around. She flicked her hand at them, trying to literally force them to separate to opposite ends-

Cassus tumbled back, and looked at Shysa with an expression of anger that carried through his helmeted face. “Jedi?”

He drew his blaster even as her father used the distraction to kick the blaster out of his hand and round another kick at his helmet -

Cassus went down, and there was a blaster click -

Her mother was pointing weapon at her; her expression was one of a frown. Of a mysterious recognition.

Shysa scrambled back, she had just been trying to stop the fight and didn't think of the consequences. She watched as Fridolf kicked the blaster out of Cassus's hand and then dropped him with a kick-

Before Shysa heard another blaster and felt it aimed at her before she saw it. She raised her hands, unsure and nervous. "Don't shoot! I'm not you're enemy. I'm Shysa!"

The two of Renn stopped, and Cassus sat up, taking off his helmet to check his face. “Ow.”

“Shysa?” Her mother put the blaster to her side.

“Mom?” A trio of different faces turned leaned around the doorway. Shysa would have to face the very real fact that they’d had more children.

Shysa kicked the dirt. "Um...hello?" She replied shyly. She looked at the woman and realised that she was probably her mother. Hopefully. "Are you Astrid? Because I was told you amd Fridolf were my parents..."

She glanced at the faces around the doorway and her heart lurched as her face fell. They had more children?

Cassus looked at one of the girls, devastated. “You survived?”

His eyes looked at Fridolf. “You kept my daughter from me?

It was becoming very messy, but Astrid stepped over, her hands on two of the children’s as she stepped forward. “Yes,” her words tumbled from her mouth. “I’m your mother. And these are your siblings.”

The children looked concerned, worried even; there was a clear resemblance. Mandalorians were not concerned by blood relatives, but any child would instantly worry about that connection.

Shysa glanced at Cassus and Fridolf, curious. Did they take his daughter? She looked back at her mother; looked at the two siblings. One was younger, a boy and the other, a girl; looked older.

"It's nice to meet you." Shysa greeted, and she almost bowed. "I'm sorry for intruding. It's a long story..." She looked at Cassus again. "But you should know he saved my life."

The family softened slightly; Cassus replied coldly. “Well you should know this family in particular ruined my life after Malachor V. I could have united the clans under me with their support.”

Shysa frowned. "So why did you bring me back here then? You knew who I was, minus the force sensitivity." She shrugged. "You could have killed me. But the reality is you didn't." She paused. "Why did you do it?"

Cassus twisted his lips. "Maybe I wanted to shoot you in front of your parents."

Shysa gave him an odd look. "No. I don't think you're that kind of person." She told him. "And I'm not going to use the force to figure it out. What's the real reason?"

“Because I wanted my daughter back and I was going to trade.” Cassus said it stoically.

Shysa turned to her parents. "Is this a Mamdalorian thing?" She sounded confused. Did they kidnap her?

"They lost the Mandalorian War, so we get to be Mheri's caretakers until otherwise." The boy, with messy hair and a mischievous glint in his eyes looked at Shysa. Her brother. "I'm Reeve." He says, grinning. "I can't believe I have another sister to bug."

"It's a sub-treaty thing. The Jedi wanted to keep track of me, the great war criminal," Cassus said, but Reeve interrupted.

"So they handed over my daughter and my ancestral home." Cassus glared at Fridolf and Astrid.

Fridolf sighed. "Let's sit down and eat. We're all family, basically, and it's been years now. Mheri deserves to know both of her fathers."

Shysa frowned a little because it sounded like slavery. But her stomach rumbled at the mention of food, and she made a mental note to ask her parents about this treaty thing.

She jumped a bit when Reeve grabbed her hand and all but started to pull her inside the house. "What-"

"Come on. You can sit with me." Reeve insisted and Shysa tried not to pull away, because she wasn't used to this....affection. Instead, she glanced back at her parents; not knowing if this was okay-

Cassus growled. “Fine.” His gaze didn’t soften for Mehri. He wanted her back, but was it the principle, or about what was best for her?

He glanced at Shysa, and at the Reeve. Narrowed his eyes. “Give her space, you.”

Fridolf chuckled slightly as Astrid rolled her eyes a little. “Let them sit together, there’s no harm to it.”

Mehri looked at her blood father, both terrified and in awe of him… and also kept sliding glances at Shysa. “Can I sit between Shysa and Cassus?”

Cassus’s face flinched. He was just Cassus. Not father or dad - but how could he be. He couldn’t blame her.

His gaze focused on Fridolf.

He could only blame him.

Shysa sneaked a glance at Mheri as she listened. Saw Cassus flinch as she didn't acknowledge Cassus as her father. He's hurt. Cassus really wants her to remember her.

She glanced at him as Mhrri asked to sit between her and him and felt a little warm. "I'm okay with that." She replied quietly, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her own ear.

She slid next to Shysa, blushing crimson, and Cassus sat next to her, interpreting her embarrassment as about him. Who wouldn’t?

As Astrid settled with the others on the opposite end of the table - which would seat four on either side - Cassus cleared his throat. “Do you remember me, Mehri? It’s been four years, I know.”

Shysa shifted in her seat and glanced at Mheri, not sure what to say. She didn't usually talk to people her age. At least, back on Dantooine. Were Mandalorians different?

She seems nice. But I kind of feel bad for her father. Mheri doesn't really know him, does she?

And then she glanced at her parents. Wondered what they were really like.

“Let’s focus on food for now,” Fridolf offered, as Mehri looked uncomfortable. Cassus was crestfallen, but nodded and accepted a bowl of food. In short order the table was full of glasses and plates and Astrid called out. “Can you help me with this, Shysa?”

Cassus was focused on his food and listening to Fridolf recount the farms issues and ask for advice. Cassus was softening, and he simply nodded to Shysa - if she even asked for permission, that is.

Shysa relaced a little as Fridolf redirected the conversation to food, and perked up. Everything smells so good a.d different. She glanced up as Astrid asked for her help, and was already starting to stand with an "excuse me" when Cassus nodded to her.

She didn't really need his permission, but Shysa wondered if he was warming up just a bit; to the family around them. She walked over to her mother, and looked at her.

"What can I do to help?" Shysa asked, and realized maybe she should have ended that with mom or the Mandalorian equivalent, but she felt awkward doing so.

“Buir is the word you’re looking for,” he said gently, assuming she didn’t know the vernacular. “If you could carry these out,” she indicated a pair of bowls with salad within.

“But I just wanted to check in on you, without Cassus right there.” She hesitated. “Are you okay? I heard the war is going badly, I hope you managed to avoid most of it.”

"Buir." Shysa repeated carefully, and then she smiled at her mother. She grabbed the bowls her mother indicated and balanced them carefully as she asked her about the war.

"No...not really." Shysa admitted. "I've fought in the war. I was part of the strike team that went after Revan. The order was ready to expel us when we came back." Shysa told her mother. She should know the truth. In case the Jedi come looking for me.

Astrid’s eyebrows raised a little. “You helped kill Revan? Hate to tell you this, but Malak is worse. He just burned down Taris to get to one Jedi Knight. The Republic’s reeling and preparing for a Core invasion. Even Manaan is letting the Sith maintain forces there. Even stalwart Republic allies are playing both sides against each other just to survive - and we all know Corellia and Duro joined up after Revan saved them from, well, us.”

Indeed he did.

Revan’s first major victory was saving Duro from the Mandalorians, stopping them escaping with a supply of war materiel and blunting the very tip of the clans invasion of the Core. From there he drove them back - at immense cost - at Dxun, at Taris, at Althir, until the Battle of Malachor V.

He was a hero of the Republic - which is why so many officers, warships and star systems had committed to him when Coruscant and the Senate and even the Jedi Council had bungled their defence. The reclaimed territories of the Republic - the revanchist worlds - had swiftly sided with Revan and Malak even though they returned from the Unknowns as Dark Lords of the Sith.

Of course, the Republic had been told by the Jedi that Revan was dead - the galaxy knew nothing of the erasure of his mind and had hoped the death of Revan would divide the Sith Council. It hadn’t happened; and Malak was more brutal a Sith than Revan, who at least was tactical in his approaches to war - Malak just burned it all down.

Shysa frowned, and had a sinking feeling in her stomach. "What are you talking about?" She whispered. "What do you mean Taris burned down?" She gave her mother a confused look at what she said next. Did she and father fight in the wars too?

"Did you fight in the wars too Buir?" Shysa asked, "Against the Jedi?"

“Malak just bombed it from orbit, millions are dead. The surface has been devastated.” Astrid said. “And no, I didn’t fight. We refused. The clans aren’t supposed to be galactic conquerors. We’re warriors; we have honour, we aren’t monsters.”

Her tone was tight as if she wanted to provide examples. But Cassus had masterminded several atrocities and she didn’t want to colour Shysa’s view of him.

Shysa nodded, and swallowed hard. "That's horrible." She looked at her mother, conflicted. "I'm glad you didn't fight the Jedi. But um...why did you give me to them?"

What she was really asking was, do you still care about me?

"Because of the hatred for Force users here... if they knew about you, you would have been given to Demagol, or the Mandalorian Knights... neither were what we wanted for you." Astrid's gaze went far off, as if experiencing a terrible memory. Her eyes watered. "It was an awful day."

Shysa felt her mother's fear in the force and didn't reply for a few moments. She didn't want to pry too much, although from the sound of Astrid's voice it wasn't a pleasant memory. Instead, she placed the salad bowls down, and carefully approached her mother.

Should i....should I hug her?

Shysa wasn't sure, because hugging wasn't something Jedi do. But she could try to give it a shot. She encircled her arms around her mother, feeling awkward; and hugged her.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Astrid said, toughening up. "I can't imagine it was easy being brought up by the Jedi. Especially not with their new no attachments spiel. I remember when the Jedi Grandmaster had a boyfriend. She suddenly grows up and bans love?"

A snort.

Shysa stepped away, embarrassed. She had only been trying to comfort her mother. Steels herself because it wasn't easy growing up with the Jedi.

"I'm just sorry you lost me. I could sense how upset you were, about what happened even if I don't know very much."

She looked at her mother. "I kept to myself mostly. Jedi Padawan's aren't taught a lot about things outside of the Jedi Order. They do it to protect us from things that could turn us to the dark side like love and family. I don't know what having a family is like, and the Jedi tried to expel me already so-"

Shysa hesitated. "The Jedi Council was sending me to Courscant for re-training along with other Jedi when we were attacked by a Sith Lord. He let me go, and I was floating around in an escape pod when Cassus found me and brought me here."

"They tried to expel you? For what?" Astrid was professionally and personally infuriated. Her daughter - expelled?!

"Well...for fighting Revan." Shysa admitted. "I fought back so that made them think I was my Jedi material. But I wasn't going to lay down and die."

“Spoonbending at their finest. They throw their weight against the Sith now they’re here, refuse to against us, until Revan.” Astrid finished with her bowl. “‘These aren’t the Sith. They don’t get it; these are just Jedi who fell. Sooner they get that into their heads the sooner we’ll stop having wars like this.”

“I know the Jedi call it the Second Sith War, but the rest of us call it the Jedi Civil War. There’s no morality left in the Council.” A sniff.

“Honey, are you getting angry at the Jedi again? I told you they’re about to lose the war and we’ll be done with it,” called Fridolf.

“I reckon there aren’t even five hundred Jedi left now,” opined Cassus.

“Weren’t there like tens of thousands fifty years ago?” Fridolf replied.

It did make one wonder how Shysa would feel with all this anti-Jedi sentiment. But that was when Cassus’ daughter tugged at Shysa’s sleeve as she left the room. Boundaries had broken down now - Cassus and Fridolf and even Astrid were complaining about the Jedi and Republic like old friends.

Shysa didn't really have much to say as they debated the Jedi and Sith, she wondered if what they said was really true. But their really aren't too many left. We certainly didn't have much at the enclave on Datooine.

Shysa sighed and turned to Mehri when she left room and she got up quickly to follow. I don't need to be around for this.

Mehri wanted to speak to the girl who had been swapped for her. She often wondered if Shysa had a better life than hers, on rustic Concord Dawn. She was certainly prettier than her.

The young Mandalorian hesitated on that thought and segued into a topic before she blushed. “So did Cassus adopt you?”

"No. He didn't do anything like that. Just saved my life." Shysa admitted with a shrug. She looked at Mheri. "Jedi aren't allowed to have families." Shysa explained.

"Are you worried Cassus doesn't care about his own daughter?" Shysa gave her a curious look. "Because he seemed pretty upset you were still here."

Mehri looked down. "Blood isn't everything, especially for Mandalorians. It means you get adopted pretty quickly, but it also means whoever birthed you isn't that important. It kinda cuts both ways, y'know?"

"So why can't Jedi have families? Can't you get married, either?"

She sounded pensive. "You know what marriage is, right?"

Shysa frowned a little and shook her head, feeling stupid. She had never heard of marriage before. "No. Is that some kind of Mandalorian thing too?"

She quickly added, "Jedi aren't supposed to form attachments to anyone."

Mehri nodded, a little eager. “Marriage is like a legal contract and commitment to one person. It’s basically declaring to the world that you love that person and they love you back. On some worlds they celebrate a marriage for days with a party!”

“It sounds amazing to be honest, to love someone so much!”

Shysa felt her heart skip a beat. "That does sound pretty nice." She admitted. She tilted her head and looked at Mheri. "So you want to get married?"

“Definitely! I want to have someone who has my back like that - wouldn’t you?” Mehri said, smiling, before thinking. “But then I hear that Jedi have an incredible bond with their Master. What was yours like?”

As befitted a young mind, it leapt to a new topic as it occurred to them.

Shysa blushed. "Sure maybe. I've never thought about it before." She admitted, and then paused at her question. "Actually I didn't know her that well. I only just became a Padawan before they tried to expel me." She shrugged. "Now I have to do re-training."

"Oh wow," Mehri said, eyes dazzled. "You must have done something super bad to get expelled! My buir is always saying I'll be kicked out of school if I kept at my beha-viour." She elongated the word, mocking her mother. "What was it like, being a Jedi? Did you do anything amazing?" Her eyes widened even more. "Can you show me?"

Shysa felt offended. "No. I didn't!" She told her quickly. "It wasn't my fault." Shysa stopped and looked at Mheri. Sighed. "I guess I could show you something." Shysa admitted. "I could make you float-"

But then Shysa hesitated, because she wasn't sure if Mheri would be okay with something like that.

Mehri clapped. "Please! I want to float!"

Shysa let out a slow breath. "Alright." She lifted her hand focused, drawing on the force to make Mehri levitated a few feet off the floor-

"SHYSA!" Cassus thundered from the kitchen doorway.

Shysa startled and dropped Mehri as Cassus shouted at her. She moved forward once she realised once she had done and threw her arms out to catch Mehri, praying to the force she was fast enough-

She was, but Cassus was still annoyed.

"Jetii powers are not for showing off, and if you intend to stay in Mandalorian Space, you can't afford to be casually using them. It has to stay a secret, Shysa."

Fridolf nodded, coming to join at the sight of the commotion. "Cassus is right. The Jedi are hated here, Shysa. Not just a little, but a lot. It will take years for people to realise that we needed to lose to find our warrior roots again."

"Our honour," Cassus said, drily. "Didn't win us the war when Exar Kun led us."

"Let's not," came Fridolf's wife ."Let's just return to the table, eat, and forget auretiise politics."

Shysa let out a sigh of relief, and helped Mehri to stand before she turned at looked at Cassus. Felt her face grow warm because she was embarrassed.

But he was right wasn't he? The Mandalorian's hated Jedi.

"I'm sorry." Shysa apologised and ducked her head. "It won't happen again."

Cassus blew out a breath and stepped to her, hands on her shoulders. He dropped to her level, eyes meeting. "You wanna stay, I take it, then?"

Mehri tried not to look happy about that.

Shysa looked unsure. "I do. But I don't know if I can abandon the way I was raised. I can't stop being a Jedi." She paused, frowned. "And the Jedi Order will come looking eventually." She looked at her parents. "I don't need yo put my parents through that again."

They hesitated. "Now, now," Cassus said, parenting. "You've just got here, and I can't see the Jedi getting their act together for years, even if they win."

"They always win," Fridolf said, somewhat glumly. "They've won for the last twenty millennia as the guardians of the Republic."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Cassus grumbled.

Mehri looked positively alarmed by the idea of Shysa leaving.

"Let's eat," her mother stressed. "Sit down, relax, and have a break. We can figure this out in the morning."

Shysa felt reassured, and tried to sme at Cassus. "I guess so." She paused and looked at Mehri, noting her alarm. "It's like my buir says; we can figure it out in the morning."

She tried not to worry about the uncertainty that the future held. No point worrying yet. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Zeseem Dha'tra
Arriving Somewhere New

When the time finally came, it appeared a group very fond of the color red came loudly to where they were being kept. When they stepped into the hold and deactivated the prison cells. Atin-Kot said something about welcome to the true Sith Empire. Perfect, what was wrong with the one he already knew?

A stern looking man addressed Atin-Kot, Zeseem and Yula. "Come with us." was all he said.

Zeseem made no fuss except to gesture, "My cane?" he asked softly, meekly, as he affected a limp. Actually he didn't have to affect much of his stance as he was stiff at finally standing.

Then the guards turned, revealing several dozen more behind them, leading all the way to the shuttle.

When the hangar bay opened to show them where they were, Zeseem was impressed. This was not only dark, it was impressively so. Although he could not tell what it was. Was this a sith teaching place? Like Koriban? Those symbols did not match that of the Empire they had fought to capture Darth Revan, perhaps they were this worlds teaching schools symbol?

He could only imagine that was what it was, for where else could be so grand and have such an oppressive, horrific darkness present. Only he heard the whisper from the one telling them to play along. Emperor? Wasn't that what Revan was? Had been?

TAG: @Sinrebirth , @darthbernael, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

IC: Shysa Cadera
Concord Dawn

As Cassus stood up Shysa followed suite almost as quickly, hands to her side. It had been customary for the Jedi Padawan's to stand up whenever a Knight or Master entered or left the room.

Reeve turned to look at his sister and started laughing. "What are you doing?" He abruptly stood up and saluted Cassus, "Reporting for Duty General!" He said, still laughing.

Shysa looked like she wanted to hit him.

"Would you sit down you little idiot." Ciara snapped at Reeve, "It's probably a Jedi thing. A sign of respect." She looked at Cassus. "Excuse my brother, he doesn't have much common sense."

"I have more than you." Reeve argued back, sticking out his tongue.

Shysa looked at Cassus, ignoring Ciara and Reeve's arguing. "I might take you up on going to the unknown regions one day." She wasn't so sure things would work out, but she was willing to try for his sake. "Good luck." Shysa said, and nodded at him.

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

Yula felt tugged and smothered all at once by a maelstrom of darkness. She had never thought to encounter such a thing... didn't know if she could erect barriers of stillness and calm and steel. She tried to send one final thought to Bastila: We have met our match.

 

IC: Zeseem Dha'tra
Arriving into Darkness

The Imperial Guard regaled the prisoners with the tale of their Emperor as they progressed into the Citadel. Zeseem had no choice but to follow along with the others. The pressure of the dark side growing stronger with every step, and the light was a memory he could not find.

Not even could he see his companions, only by sight and smell with the odd sound every now and then could he tell they were there. "The Sith Emperor was once Lord Vitiate, a Sith who had ruled his homeworld for a century - from the age of fourteen. Recognised and anointed a Darth by Marka Ragnos, our Lord stepped in to lead the Sith species and human slave refugees from Korriban as the Jedi and Republic performed their genocide. It was he who foresaw a world hidden in our very own space, lost to us millennia ago, as a refuge within the old Empire."

The guard indicated out one of the massive windows they passed to this world.

"Drommund Kaas is where our new Empire came to fruition in the aftermath of the so-called Great Hyperspace War," he named an event a thousand years past, when the Sith were thought destroyed. The red-armoured man continued on into the Citadel, a troop of similarly imposing guards behind and before them - six each. "In the shadows of your Republic, who barely managed to explore half of the worlds of the old Empire, we built anew, and sent ships into the so-called Unknown Regions."

"We built our shadow empire for a thousand years, and allowed it to be usurped by your Darth Revan, and the Mandalorians before him. It was the Emperor who directed them to invade your precious Republic. A secret kept from the Empire, the twelve Dark Lords - that we would return to 'Known Space' and enact our long revenge, after his majestic millennium of rule."

It was a nice history lesson, but without a datapad Zeseem doubted he could ever properly reproduce the knowledge to add to the temples archives. Let alone warn anyone. Already this felt like the darkest depths of the ocean trenches where light was a lost memory and the air was so thin, and the water was so cold. So cold.

Shivering he felt a glimmer of understanding. Before he was the Sith Emperor. Before he was Vitiate. He was a young Sith boy; red-skinned - a bastard, fathered by a Sith Lord in an affair with a low-born woman.

Potent, yes, but moreso when the child's eyes turned Black. When he was possessed. The Darkness that took the boy acquired it's own name. Tenebrae.

They knew the truth; that a great and impossible Darkness; one of the original Six Darknesses, it had acquired form and shape and a name.

And power unrivalled.

"Welcome, Jedi."

It was an old legend that was never to supposed to have been more than a warning story, a historical account of evil. Yet here it was, or so imposed itself to be upon them. Only Zeseem could not shake from his mind that this was, in fact, not a lie.

The Imperial Guard had left. Somewhen during all this.

"You know that this Empire is not the one you have faced."

He spoke with a hundred voices, all angry, all brittle, all looming.

It was as if daggers were being driven into their minds.

Jagged nails across their skin.

"You know that I am more terrible than any nightmare you have faced."

A dull grin.

"You know that you are mine."

They would have a flash of him.

Him as he was now.

Him as he would become.

Eons of devastation planned and intended and inevitable.

They were all the Sith Emperor.

His many guises, here, now, and in the future.

He was Eternal.

He was Immortal.

In none of these visions did they see them surviving this terrible encounter. Zeseem took small comfort in that. "Yes." he softly whispered, in a strained voice that did not believe in itself to even speak.

TAG: @darthbernael, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha, @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Shysa Cadera
Concord Dawn, Six Years Later

Shysa liked to think she had grown into a capable warrior, a capable Mandalorian that knew her creed; the Resol'nare by heart. She had gotten to know her siblings, Ciara and Reeve rather well during the six years she had remained on Concord Dawn. Sometimes and and Reeve went hunting together. Fighting those who the clan deemed unworthy (sometimes fighting other member's of the for fun). They called it hunting because of Ciara, who had told her younger siblings that they looked like hunters when the first time they wore war paint and armour together.



Shysa had also managed to hide her force sensitivity to the point that most people thought she could be a little odd, but understood the land and the stars the way some people only dreamed of it.

As she waited for Cassus Fett to arrive, she wondered how much the Mandalorian had changed in the last six years. She had liked him well enough owed him her life and admired how he took her under his wing, if only briefly. Had brought her back to her parents.

She also thought briefly of Mheri Fett. Shysa considered her one of her closest friends, and she was far more of a warrior then Shysa was. She figured she took after Cassus that way, her biological father. She shifted on her feet and glanced over at Mheri standing a few feet away.



"You're very obvious you know." Reeve spoke up from beside her. He glanced at his sister and grinned.



"I don't know what your talking about."Shysa responded calmly. She's nice to look at though.

"Huh. Okay." Reeve looked skeptical. "Well, I imagine Cassus would rather have you as a daughter in law anyway." He told Shysa quietly. "Especially since you gave up your past life." He was referring to her training as a Jedi of course.

Shysa felt a pang of guilt. She hadn't thought about Master Vash or even Bastila lately. Although she knew Master Vash had died and Bastila was trying to start a Jedi Order again.

Cassus settled his ship down - the same beat-up former troop transport he’d had all these years ago. He stepped out, a long cape flowing, his armour now black.

He had something in his hand, a case, clearly made of beskar. He looked around for Shysa. “Hey, kid.”

He waved lazily. “The Dark Wars are over, thought I’d let you know. Sith Empire has collapsed for good; Supreme Chancellor Cressa is taking back the Outer Rim; the Jedi Council is setting up again on Coruscant.”

Shysa grinned when Cassus stepped off his ship. "Hey Cassus!" She greeted him back happily. He looked different. But she figured six years probably did that to a person and wondered what Mheri thought of her father now. He only seems to want to greet me though.

I've probably changed a lot since then too.

Shysa paused and then shrugged nonchalantly at Cassus comment about the Chancellor and about the Jedi Order. "Why should I be worried about the Jedi?" She lied. "They don't come out here and just because they are trying to build an order doesn't mean they are going to come after me." Shysa added with a little more confidence.

"The key word you're looking for is yet sister." Ciara said from behind her.

"They probably think I'm dead." Shysa countered.

“I could probably have one of my friends alter the digital copy of the Roll. The survivors don’t know every Jedi after all, though I hear Bastila Shan is a pretty big figure in the Order now. Revan and the Exile, they’ve headed off into the Unknowns. No-one knows why.”

Cassus had just lied.

She would know that with the Force.

“I just wanted to bring you this, is all.” He held out a cube of a Holocron. “It’s blank, I may or may not have snuck it out of the Jedi Temple while it was unoccupied. Something special in there for you, too.”

Shysa stared hard at Cassus, but didn't voice the fact that she knew he had lied. Instead she took the holocron from him, staring at it curiously. "Thank you. It's a nice gift." She smiled at him. "I appreciate it."

Shysa looked thoughtful. She wondered what the special thing was. "What do you mean?" She asked.

He indicated. "Open it up."

The others were watching intently now, because, well, Cassus Fett was Cassus Fett.

Inside the Holocron was a fresh Kyber crystal, completely clear.

It reached for Shysa, and wanted to know her.

Shysa opened it and her body jerked in suprise. A kyber crystal. She looked up at him in shock. "But why..." Shysa found it hard to speak. "Why would you give me something like this? I'm supposed to be Mandalorian remember? This is dangerous."

Cassus shrugged as he removed his helmet. "You may not know this, but Mandalore had wanted Force users too. He reckoned it was the only way we could effect real change. The Mandalorian Knights."

"So, Mandalore the Preserver, he reckons we should keep an eye on that too. Not like, open, public policy and all, because spoonbenders are all fine and dandy for peacekeepers but we're warriors, and even the Preserver knows dabbling with Force Orders is likely to get him a gaggle of Sith, but he wants us to think about it."

Cassus's eyes went distant. "We need to get ready for whatever comes next, after all." He refocused and spoke quickly, more generally, "there always will be something, after all."

"And you need to be ready if the Jedi do come for you."

Shysa looked conflicted but nodded along anyway. She wondered what her parents thought of all this. "I guess. But I still don't feel comfortable with this." She paused. "The last thing I want to do is put anyone in danger by my actions."

She also felt uneasy about the Jedi coming after her. "The Jedi...will not stop pursuing me if they know I'm alive. They'll try to force me to rejoin the Jedi Order." She hesitated. "I'm not sure I'm Jedi material anymore."

"Then don't be," Cassus said, shrugging. "Be Mandalorian material. Maybe we should march up to that Jedi Temple and tell them what for. Why live worrying about it?" He hesitated slightly. "Preserver worked with 'em to take out the Sith, I bet he can put in a good word for you, get you an audience."

Mehri made a noise of concern. Reeve thought it was radical, the idea of telling the Jedi Council to frak off.

Shysa perked up, because it did seem like a fun idea. She closed her hand over the kyber crystal. "I don't think marching on the Jedi Temple is a good idea. The Republic might try to intervene." She looked thoughtful. "I'd like to meet with Mand'alor." Shysa told Cassus.

She looked at Mheri. "Can Mheri come with me?" She asked, knowing she felt concerned. She looked at Reeve, wondering if he was enjoying the idea of telling the Jedi to get lost and trying to figure out if he would go too.

Mehri perked up. "Can I come, please?"

Cassus glowered at her. "Aren't you an adult now? Tell me you want to come."

A laugh escaped Mehri. An overly-put-upon gruff voice followed. "Where Shysa goes, I go."

"Oh do you?" Cassus's eyes flitted back to Shysa, a quip on his tongue.

Shysa turned to her a grinned. I'm glad Mheri is coming. She exchanged a look with Reeve, who had a knowing smile on his face before turning her attention back to Cassus.

"And where Mheri goes, I go." Shysa answered back, trying not to break her with Cassus. Can he tell how much I like her?

Cassus kept staring at his daughter; looked at Mheri, and then back at Shysa.

"And you?" He said it to Reeve, who didn't realise until Cassus turned to look at him. "Well?"

Reeve hesitated. "I mean, it's Mand'alor. Of course I want to meet him. He's rebuilt the clans since the Ani'la Akaan, restored our honour."

"You're not gonna earn yourself a place on my ship by quoting the Preserver's Fan Club, kit." Cassus inclined his head to Shysa. "He coming?"

Shysa nodded back at Cassus. "If he's coming. He's my brother. We fight together all the time. Hunting." She stressed. She shrugged. "Reeve knows how to take care of himself. He won't be a nuisance."

Cassus shrugged back. "Alright then."

He turned to go, replacing his helmet, and then glanced over his shoulder. "Do you need to let the Cadera's know? Or you're good to go? We're on a schedule and all that."

Ciara looked at Shysa. "I'll let them know. It's not like you've never gone on a mission before."

Shysa nodded at her sister. "Tell them I'll call them later." She looked at Cassus. "I'm good to go." She assured him. She started to move forward, to follow him-

"Shysa, you're helmet." Ciara threw the helmet at her, which was a brilliant blue and white. Shysa turned and caught it without even thinking about it and grinned ruefully.

"Right. I almost forgot." Shysa laughed nervously and Reeve shook his head, looking at Mheri.

"At least you have a better memory Mheri. Shysa would lose her head if it wasn't attached to her body."

Tag: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Zeseem Dha'tra
Emperor's Inner Sanctum

The Sith Emperor simply took them all, ignored their words, and crushed the three who stood before him. Atin-Kot, Zeseem, Yula.

They were taken away.

He had said that the Sith Emperor was too powerful for them, that they could not and would not resist their capture by him. Only what was resistance? They were overwhelmed, reduced to unconsciousness. Comatose if you will. Comatose if you don't will.

Yet it was to be so in more ways than one.

The Darkness wanted to know everything about the Jedi Order it intended to crush.

About the Revan that he had sent to conquer the Republic and had broken from his control.

About the Balance that the Taung had once been tied to.

About the Temple that Zeseem had trained at.

About the Padawan rites and entry points into the lowest levels of the Order.

The Sith Emperor wanted it all.

And Zeseem was sure despite his prior words that they could not resist, they did so. And so… the Sith Emperor kept them around.

He extended their lives to an impossible extent with his monstrous machines.

He filled their bodies with unimaginable pain in exchange for their longevity.

It was a torture of the nerves of an unending rebirthing fire. Without resisting that fire taken and allowed deep into him was a cleansing one. It made the mind numb and clean and clear.

He severed them the Force, and then returned it to them, only to take it away.

That was a horror. It was a blinding only to have new eyes put in again, just to have them ripped out once more. Was this what the Masters had done to Atin-Kot? To others? How had he ever not seen his Master's as monstrous? As for the Sith Emperor how could he not? They were kept in a secret place in the Unknowns.

Awake.

Conscious.

Aware.

And they stayed in that dark, dark place.

For years.

The bright points being the odd visitation, the torture.

Embracing the pain he eventually couldn't remember much else. He knew his fellow cell-mates. He knew he knew things, but he couldn't remember them. He ached for water, to swim. Only that was a silly notion brought on by delirium, childhood a fever dream of such impossible things!

There was nothing but the stories he imagined, of things like sky. Ocean. Plant.

He imagined many things, but knew they were not right. They were not real.

So he never shared them in his torments, his blessed torments.

The Sith Emperor didn't want the fake stories in his mind. He wanted histories and facts. Zeseem knew facts. He knew histories.

He just couldn't remember.

So he waited, and despite needing tortures to end would also desire them not to. They were the most real things, the only real things he knew.

TAG: @Sinrebirth , @darthbernael, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

 

Yula felt squashed and twisted. She had no sense of the passage of time; it felt like an instant and it felt like eons. She made herself small in the Force, not yielding anything up to the tormenter. She couldn't form coherent thoughts at any rate.

 

IC: Shysa Cadera
Dxun

To say she was nervous was an understatement. Shysa tried to appear calm, but she was scared to meet the leader of the Mandalorian's. She fidgeted in her seat until they reached Dxun, and stayed close to Cassus as Mand'alor appeared at the bottom of the ship's ramp.

Before Cassus greeted Mand'alor and pushed her towards him.

Shysa stumbled a bit as she was pushed forward towards Mand'alor before she managed to steady herself. She stared up at the man, more intimidating in person then in holo-vids and found herself a little tongue tied.

"I'm Shysa Cadera Mand'alor. I've come to ask for you're help."

"Help?" He almost guffawed, and took a step forward, slapping her on the shoulder.

Cassus tensed, but this was how the Preserver was; a soldier, friend to all, firm in his views of right and wrong.

"What can I do for you, Shysa Cadera?"

Shysa startled a bit, because at first she thought she was in trouble, before she relaxed and smiled at him. "The Jedi are after me. I want to speak with them to get them to leave me alone."

"The Jedi, eh? Are you a spoonbender too, then?" He lowered his face slightly to peer at her.

"I was. But I left that life. I ass born Mandalorian. I'll be Mandalorian before a spoon bender." Shysa looked at Mand'alor. "I want them to leave me alone."

"Do you now," he said, amused. "Spoonbenders used to do whatever they wanted, on account of there being so many of 'em. Now, they're a more humble bunch."

"Says you," jibed Cassus. "I hear Bastila is still as blunt as ever."

"Falling to the dark and coming back again will do that to ya," the Preserver said. "But she owes me, and I need to make pretty clear that Dxun is left alone. We Mandalorians, we'll move on if we want, but only if. I'm not being petitioned by the Onderonians to give back their moon." His tone grew grim. "We died for this place, and we fought for it."

He was sermonising, and stopped himself. "Is that what you want, Mandalorian?" He looked at her, pointedly. "For me to walk with you up to the new Jedi Council and tell 'em that you're well 'ard?"

Shysa watched him carefully, realizing he had as much to figure out with the Jedi as she did. Although, Mand'alor had more to consider. She looked at Cassus as he mentioned Bastila, and frowned a little; nervous.

"You know Bastila?" Shysa asked curiously. "I fought Revan with her. Years ago." She paused. "I want to tell the Jedi Council that I have no interest in returning to the Jedi Order. If you have things to speak with them about Mand'alor, then I won't get in you're way. But it would be nice to not have to face them alone."

Mandalore canted his head slightly. "So you fought Revan with her."

He shrugged. "Well, I was going anyway."

He looked to Cassus. "You gonna come? I'd rather you didn't, being a war criminal and all."

Cassus bristled, but said nothing. Of course, there was Shysa's friend too, and the Preserver noticed them at last...

Shysa nodded. "Yes Mand'alor." She looked at Cassus. "I agree. You don't need to get arrested." She looked back at her brother Reeve.

"You should stay with Cassus so the Jedi don't get their claws in you too."

Reeve bristled. “I should be with you. What if Mandalore isn’t enough?”

Cassus clipped him over the back of the head. “Smart thing to say.”

From the floor, Reeve turned. “We did lose the Great War, y’know. Mandalore was killed by Revan.”

“Yeah but I was friends with Revan,” Mandalore sank to his knees to Reeve’s level. “You think the new Jedi Council will just get rid of me?”

He looked at Shysa. “Who is this bum and is he coming with us to Coruscant?”

"Reeve!" Shysa snapped at him. "I don't want you to get hurt. That's why I want you to stay back. It's not that I don't think you're capable of handling a Jedi." She paused. "But you need to understand that this is dangerous."

She sighed sharply and looked at Mheri. Because even if it was dangerous she still wanted her to come-

-and then then look back at Mand'alor to answer his question. "He's my brother. Reeve gets pretty protective sometimes. I'm sorry if he offended you, but we do everything together when it comes to fighting. Along with Mheri of course-" She added, twisting a hand behind herself.

Mheri stepped forward. “Reeve is all helmet, no head, sometimes,” she said, quoting the old Mandalorian proverb in Basic instead of the mother tongue.

Mandalore guffawed as Reeve stiffened. “I like that.” He stood, yanking Reeve up. “But loose lips are gonna upset the Jedi. Especially Mical. So keep your mouth shut, or I’ll regret bringing you; got it?”

Reeve nodded, quietly. Cassus shook his head. Mandalore looked to Mehri. “You can come too, sure. Cassus’ daughter won’t earn the eye of the Council.”

Cassus stiffened that time. “I pay attention, Vhett,” Mandalore said coolly. “But the Sith used you before, I don’t want the Jedi doing it to me.” He made a noise of aggression, a grumble in the back of his throat. “We’re not spoons.”

He nodded to Shysa. “Which is why I’m all for making sure the New Jedi Order knows where we stand, now, not later. I may have been friends with Revan and Bastila, and Meetra too,” he said, naming a Jedi exiled after the Battle of Malachor V who was known to be the woman who killed Darth Traya, “but I’m not a friend of the Order. They’ll have to earn that.”

“And I doubt they will,” he said. “They’ll cozy up to the Republic, and the Senate will turn them back into their spoons.” Mandalore turned to his ship, that self-same Basilisk fighter which had escorted them in, which had seats for three within it. “So we go in, say our piece, and go back to mostly ignoring each other. That’s what I want, and that’s what we’re gonna get.”

He looked the three younger Mandalorians. “Got it?”

"Yes Mand'lor." Shysa snapped to attention. "I don't want to stay there for any longer then necessary anyway." She glanced a Reeve, glad he was coming and hoping he really would keep his mouth shut for once. And then at Mheri. Hoping the Jedi wouldn't think twice about her and try to use her to unsteady Shysa when they spoke to her. They would definitely sense her feelings for her. Shysa knew that.

She paused, "Mand'alor?" She asked curiously, nervously. "Will we uh...be permitted to bring weapons to defend ourselves?" In case they try to force me to stay?

"Of course," the Preserver said with a guffaw. "The Jedi will be more suspicious if we turn up without weapons, trust me."

He guffawed.

"No weapons."

He looked to Cassus.

"What did you teach this girl?"

The Fett was silent on that.

Not much.

Mandalore headed up the ramp, still laughing.

Shysa blushed from embarrassment. She looked at Cassus, and hoped she knew he hadn't meant to embarrass him.

"Sorry." Shysa said quickly as Mand'alor left.

I just don't want to start another war.

Tag: @Sinrebirth