Again, special thanks to LSG for large contributions to this chapter
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Chapter 23: Cause and Effect, part IThe old Galtean spaceport wasn’t exactly dilapidated although it was clearly in disrepair: a thick coating of dust, dirt, and grime was ever-present and even some of the machinery had seized up. Still, the Galtean engineers had made it to last: even despite those problems, Anson’s forces had been able to get the majority of the spaceport operational in record time. The first transports had been prepped to make the Galtea-to-Lus’phor transit, the latest already rising through the lower troposphere, backlit by the flowing green auroras.
And while the spaceport was a hive of activity, no one took notice as it was located in the Underworks of Vhal’Ulhadv. Or rather, that had been Anson’s hope. Even as Jedi patrols scrutinized every nook, cranny, and shadow around the spaceport, they failed to notice one particular shadow amongst the darkness, the figure not even disturbing the dust. And as the latest patrol disappeared down the industrial hall, pipes obscured by clouds of vapor, their voices were soon drown out by the droning hum of reactivated machinery. As the figures retreated, shaded purple eyes witnessed their departure with deliberate intent. Silently, a lithe form entirely in black materialized among the pipes, speedily making its way deeper into the spaceport.
Landing silently atop one of the freight elevators, Saani began to scale the cable leading to the Control Room. She’d seen enough to know that Kazic would need further intel as to how many of Anson’s forces were heading to Lus’phor. She knew that Valens had been pushing them, pushing them hard…but the “why” still eluded her. And all Kazic had been willing to share was that it had “something to do with Ari.” Almost unconsciously, Saani clasped the small, hard black orb she wore around her neck closer to her breast, momentary thoughts of her daughter drawing a small smile upon her lips. But all too fleeting; while Kazic’s words hadn’t exactly put her off, something in his tone had. Of course, that could be as a result of numerous things, many of which still sat uneasily in the back of her head.
She’d seen some of the tactics that Valens had used. Saani was practical enough to know that terrible things happened in war. That didn’t mean that she had to like it though. Through the ‘feeds, she’d seen Valens’ strategies to terrorize and their results: brutal traps that, when sprung, became a melee free-for-all that often times devolved into the enemy attacking their own Jedi. Or feints that seemingly served no purpose only to lead entire battalions to nonsense locations, causing them to retreat…right into a killbox where Kazic’s forces had every centimeter pre-sighted. But that wasn’t the worst.
At one point, Anson’s forces broke when the severed heads and limbs of their comrades were catapulted back at them. Many fled in horror and disgust while many attacked immediately, all rational thought gone. She was still surprised at the vivid reminder of just how much blood could come from a single body…
Mentally shaking her head, Saani focused upon the mission at hand. Reaching the top of the shaft, Saani sent her Force-senses outward past the closed doors. Again, there were the regular patrols consisting of four Vhal’Dan Jedi but she doubted that any posed a threat to her. Timing it just perfectly, she exited the lift shaft, quietly closing the doors as she silently made her way down the hallway leading to the Control Room, using the exposed ductwork to help further obfuscate her presence. Having already felt the three beings within, she prepared herself. Strike hard, strike fast. Even among the Jedi Shadows, Saani was a legend. And amongst the Vhal’Dan, she was the best Blademaster within the Order.
Subtly flooding the Control Room with Force Suppression, Saani still maintained her Buried Presence in the Force as she attacked. This time, she had the luxury of mercy: within seconds all three of Anson’s Jedi were soon unconscious. Keeping her senses open and flowing outward, Saani approached the computer bank and perused the datanode as she accessed the database.
…Excellent…this is precisely what Kazic needs… She thought as she scanned over the information. However he’d come to his conclusions, Kazic had been right: all of Anson’s forces were transferring to Lus’phor. Out of the corner of her eye, Saani noticed that one of the datafiles stubbornly refused to open. Determinedly, she began to write an exploit that would allow her to access the file. Finishing quickly, she distractedly keyed the “Enable” option.
She stiffened as an industrial needle slid into her back, injecting a potent compound into her spinal nerve. And while the effects were almost immediate, she called her lightsaber to her hand…only to have it fall to the floor through numb fingers.
The final thought that went through her head was just how anyone could have known that she was coming…
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Kazic was almost certain now: Valens was driving Anson to Lus’phor. It made sense: without a foothold in Vhal’Ulhadv, Anson would be at a grave disadvantage given the planet’s lack of industrial complex, at least compared to Galtea’s. Yes, the crystal processing manufactories were spread throughout the small planet but the small mined shafts mitigated Anson’s dwindling numerical superiority.
Grimly, Kazic couldn’t fault Anson’s choice to retreat to Lus’phor. Given everything that had befallen his armies, Anson was probably counting on the same fact that the tunnels would help negate Valens’ strategies of misdirection, trap, and terrorization.
And against any other opponent, Anson would be right. But, as Kazic had finally concluded, Anson was being baited, lead to Lus’phor for a reason. And—again as Kazic had finally deduced—the Anzat Kage finally knew the “why.” Not for any strategy (although Valens had shown plenty of that, their numerous victories testament to such), but rather for a…
baser reason.
He could see Valens and his kind now…
truly see them…
Valens was going to punish Anson.
They were animals, so controlled by their instincts they were almost beneath the threshold of true sentience. Oh they appeared sentient outwardly, but so could many an animal if you anthropomorphized their behaviors, attributed conscious agency where there was in reality only primal reaction to stimuli.
Kazic understood now, Anson trying to arrest Ari had
never been forgotten by Valens; Anson had threatened one of the females under Valens’ protection, he had to be punished. It was not optional, it was a subconscious need that Ari’s people were incapable of suppressing with higher cortical functions. The higher functions they did possess in abundance were always in service of such base motives, they were not neurologically able to override them as other sentients might.
That Valens had shown restraint before was simply because a united Vhal’Dan was a “pack” too large for him to risk antagonizing…a primordial fear response overriding the vengeance need.
Even so, sooner or later he would’ve returned to punish everyone who threatened or offended Ari the innocent cub. A knife in the black of night then parading Anson’s head as a warning—and death effigy—to all others who would dare contemplate even the slightest insult to another of Valens’ pride.
But Kazic had provided Valens with far greater opportunity: to punish Anson by depriving him of what he held most dear, namely the safety and unity of the Vhal’Dan. Kazic had been so caught up in the war, so twisted by his grief for the split with the man he once called brother he had ignored the most logical and efficient way to end the war. Anson was well guarded and a very capable warrior, but against a surprise strike by Valens, Jarys and Kiraea together…even Anson could not win that fight—indeed, the whole Collegium would barely survive—the Civil War could’ve ended in a matter of hours instead of decimating the Vhal’Dan over these last weeks if they chose.
Kazic pinched the bridge of his nose, eyelids firmly closed. If
he had chosen…had really taken the time to
think. Instead now…? The ramifications of what
he’d unleashed ran through his head, an indictment of his own failings.
They were proving their dominance on a galactic scale, Valens’ thinking primal but even more dangerous for it. They had beaten down the Jedi on Coruscant, with Odjina gone and Vyth destroyed the Mak’Tor had hidden away, now Valens was smashing the Vhal’Dan, the only faction currently large and knowledgeable enough to threaten his Pride, honing their weapons and tactics…ensuring they came out the untouchable apex predator in the known galaxy. It was as shocking as it was simplistic…and to Kazic’s everlasting shame he had not seen it sooner.
There was a similarity he now saw to the Anzat who turned feral after tasting the soup, for a time all their cognitive and physical grace was dedicated to getting more and more, and for centuries they could succeed as cautious hunters…but in the end the hunger was too great and in their impatience they became haggard, desperate to feed. Kazic’s own biology was a constant threat to his morality and sentience, and he had struggled at times,
Maker knew how he’d labored under such strictures! But Valens and his kind did not struggle; if Ari had suppressed her innate drives while she lived with them on Galtea it was because of her obedience to Saani as the materfamilias, an instinct that overrode the others.
And that was why he could not condemn them as weak or deficient for “giving in” to such impulses. He had felt such ravenous hungers in himself too many times, they did only what was natural. The difference with Anzat were they were incapable—in Kazic’s opinion—of anything greater.
Kazic had been played for an utter fool, not by Valens who was merely an opportunistic predator—outside of any moral condemnation of his actions—but by himself. He had lost sight of so much in his efforts to
win the war, to prove to those like Kasah that he was
right, to
show Anson…his followers…the galaxy…that his
was the best way… Unconsciously, his flared nostrils exhaled, the crushing realization that for all his excuses…he was
wrong.
He had done this, he had set the animals loose from their cage, dazzled by their prowess, he was willfully blind to their horrifically childish, amoral behaviors…and he had set them loose on those he once called brother and friend.
The only thing
worse than what he had done already…was to allow it to continue for another minute. Squaring his shoulders, Kazic simultaneously felt better and worse: he knew what he needed to do. He’d been wrong about so many things—maybe not in opposing Anson’s totalitarianism, but certainly in the way that he’d reacted without compromise—and that was where he should’ve steered the Vhal’Dan. Even though his gray face was impassive, Kazic’s eyes watered. That was where he should’ve directed his energies: to conciliate
with his brother Anson, instead of being intractable.
Instead of…
this.
Slowly inhaling, Kazic felt and heard Corvus enter the Command Room before he saw him. The Devaronian Speaker looked worse for the wear, proof of his presence at the front line. Saluting casually, Corvus face looked grim. “Kage…Anson’s forces ‘r on th’ run. They’ve all pulled b’ck.”
Kazic nodded. “I know. Moreover, I know where they’re headed.” His deep voice was quiet, deliberate. “Corvus…I…I have to fix this…mess…all of it…”
Corvus laid a red hand upon the taller Anzat’s shoulder. “Kage…Kazic…I dinna ken what y’r sayin. Are y’ OK?” The two men paused in the dark corridor, Corvus intent on his Kage’s face.
Kazic sighed, crossing his arms. “Sorry my friend. I’ve…just been thinking. I need—”
The only warning that Kazic had was seeing Corvus’ eyes widen, the Devaronian Speaker violently pulling the Anzat to the side with enough force that the floor came rushing up the meet him. At the last moment, Kazic tried to tuck and roll himself into a defensive posture, his blue lightsaber at the ready. Unfortunately, even in doing that, he’d struck his head a glancing blow on the floor, disorienting him. He
had to focus!
Not two meters from him, Corvus lay prostrate upon the ground, unmoving. Above him stood a shadow all in black.
…No… Kazic thought
…Not “a shadow” but a Jedi Shadow… Even as surprising as Corvus’ throw had been, the realization of what the presence of the Shadow entailed hit Kazic like a physical blow.
…Assassin… Kazic realized. Even now the Anzat had a hard time accepting that Anson would have sent one.
…Focus, dammit…! Even looking upon the figure, he had a difficult time seeing the Shadow.
…Must be a Buried Presence technique… But even as the thought occurred to Kazic, the Shadow moved.
Igniting a shoto, the teal light of the blade cast shadows across the figure’s body, legs, and arms. Kazic finally saw that within the Shadow’s other hand was a wicked-looking vibroblade which, even now he saw, dripped with liquid which covered the blade. Only moving his eyes, Kazic could see the spreading pool of blood coming from beneath Corvus. If the Davronian hadn’t reacted as quickly as he had…
The Shadow’s sudden, ferocious attack interrupted Kazic’s ruminations, his own blue blade working furiously as he attempted to keep the assassin’s blades at bay. He worked his lightsaber in an attempt to create an opening; he had to end this quickly. Along with his head injury, the Shadow was a better swordsman than he. Even as he parried, a stray thought went through his mind.
…Where is everyone…? There were no Sentinels, no technicians, no civilians even. No one. Had Kazic been so preoccupied with deducing Valens’ plans that he’d become so oblivious? As he retreated further down the corridor under the Shadow’s onslaught, he got his answer.
Tripping over an arm that had been hidden in the shadows, Kazic landed hard upon his back, knocking the breath from him. From the corner of his vision, he saw a…collection of bodies that had been surreptitiously deposited in one of the innocuous nooks in the hallway…almost as if it had been done deliberately…
Before he could act, something hard clobbered Kazic across his temple, further disorienting him. The sudden pressure of cables wrapped around his wrists and ankles, pinning him to the floor, kept him somewhat lucid.
…How…? But even more importantly, Kazic fought to clear his vision as well as his head, knowing whatever he did was ultimately futile.
Slowly walking towards him, the Shadow closed down his shoto, deliberately hefting the vibroblade. Even as he fought to use the Force for something—
anything—Kazic was still too stunned by the repeated blows to his head. Fighting off waves of nausea, Kazic focused on the Shadow as best he could.
Standing above the Anzat, the Shadow finally spoke. “Anson sends his regards.”
The Shadow leaned in, the blade centimeters from Kazic’s heart…
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