What You Leave Behind

[Karmack]

Oh, somehow I think they're about to get a clue....   ;-)

[Karmack]

Chapter 16: Bearing Bad News
Part One


- Vyth -

Consciousness slowly returned, and Karmack opened his eyes to find himself wedged under rock fall from the partially collapsed ceiling of the main chamber.  Fortunately some of the rocks had formed a void near the wall, and that had protected him from taking to much damage - or being crushed.  Still, his robes were in tatters and covered with a lot of blood...

Karmack deepened the healing flow he had initiated from the Ancient One before passing out and took stock of his physical condition.  His body was physically whole, though he could still see numerous bright pink splashes on his skin where that had not recently been true, and every fiber of his being ached, as if he'd been rolled down a mountain in a barrel.  He was able to move, and with some effort he managed to wiggle out from under the rocks.  Once free he sat, absorbing the healing energy of the force while he took stock of his surroundings.

The chamber had partially collapsed, with a generous pile of dark blue granite now sitting between himself and the place where Mendax had stood.  He probed cautiously, looking for signs of Mendax or her followers in the force.  There was nothing.  No ripples, no song, nothing at all.  Even the deep background dirge, the Song of Vyth which had radiated from the remaining crystal shards was gone, washed away by the quicksilver tide of the thought bomb. 

Getting out was going to be a problem.  The way he'd come was now blocked off.  There were side tunnels and back routes, but they were a never-ending maze of passages and the maps of the site had long been lost.  Karmack leaned back against the cool rock and tried not to groan again.  How am I going to find my way out...

A low tweet from one of the side tunnels startled him.  Karmack looked over just in time for an intense white light to stab into his eyes, blinding him and spiking his head with a massive jolt of pain as the background headache he'd barely been aware of rushed back to the fore.  "Two?"

Two answered with a series of beeps and trills, a combination of excitement at finding him and chastisement for his lack of caution.  "Yes, I'm glad to see you, too."

More tweets and beeps.  "No, actually, I don't know how long you've been looking for me." Karmack answered, then nearly gasped when the droid answered. "You're joking..."

Two replied with an emphatic negative.  Four days?  I was out for FOUR DAYS?!?

Two rumbled over, using his lightsaber to slash boulders out of his way and form a workable pathway.  "Rock machete.  Nice..."

Two's response managed to override the language filters Karmack had installed.  "Alright, alright, I take it back.  And yes, I'm glad for the help." Karmack took the handle the droid extended and used the sturdy machine as a brace to hoist himself up off the ground.  His head exploded with more pain and every muscle he moved burned with acidic fire, but he was upright and moving under his own power.  "Now, I hope you remembered to keep track of the twists and turns on your way down here..."

Two's string of blue tweets in response were undermined by the droid's own happy rocking.  Karmack could only chuckle with his friend. 

"Language, Two...  Language..."



- Canto Bite -

Chillum fretted about her, pushing all over her with the force.  She barely remembered the auctions events, only the last eddies of the hurricane of emotions.  Talia sat across from the bed looking as confused as Arnor felt.

Somewhere in the distance the door chimed, Talia hopped up to answer it followed by mubled voices before a tall woman with greying hair approached.  “Mrs. Teft? I’m Doctor Ylesa of the Casino Medical Centre, Director Cha indicated you might require medical assistance, or at least a quick check?”

Sensing no threat Chillum stepped aside as Arnor relented.  “hmm…”  The light of an optical scanner hit her eyes as warm hands touched her throat checking her pulse.  “A little over stimulated I think I would suggest simply rest, but I’ll leave some relaxation meds just in case you wish to avail yourself…” she swiftly packed her gear  “oh yes Director Cha mentioned to tell you he apologizes for not checking on you himself, and by way of apology has comped your stay and expenses while on the planet in full.”

That grated enough to drag Arnor out of her stupor.   “That…that…” she stopped before saying something she would’ve sent Ken to the "naughty corner" for.

As the doctor left Chillum sat beside her.  “You all right darling? Why not lie down?”

“No…I’m fine…just…”

“Love…these people…” he shook his head…”I’ve never seen anything like that woman outside of ancient tales, the way she uses the force…”

“Sophi? Sophi can’t use the force!” Talia protested.  “Cha is behind this…he’s manipulating the girls and their parents – using their money to get Force artifacts.”

Chillum shook his head.  “I know they’re your friends lass, but these folk ... I’m not even sure their girls.”

Talia blushed a little recalling from her visit to the hotel how free Vesi and her family could be with clothing – they were definitely girls.  “They are…this is all Cha trying to trick us.  He’s a user, I know that type,” she said indignantly recalling how she had come to be with the Mak’Tor – Palpatine had used her as a mouth piece once before just as Cha was trying to use her friends now. “I have to tell them, they’ll listen to me and we can help them get rid of Cha...”

This time Arnor spoke up. “Talia, this is much more complex than that. I don’t think they attacked me directly, but they did something to the force ... they ...”  as a she concentrated she realized more what had happened it wasn’t a direct assault so much as a ... loosening of the bonds of time and memory in the force. They didn’t need to plant images of Namman Cha assaulting her in her mind – it was already there - they just smoothed the path for her unconscious connection between the Cha brothers to come to the fore. It was a parasitic, twisted ... ingenious ... move.  They didn’t need to attack, they let their opponents destroy themselves.  “…They are dangerous. We need help with this.  I need to talk to Telow'na, maybe even Kage Lo...”

Chillum nodded, “We need to tell them about the Holocron, a man like Cha shouldn’t be allowed to hold something with that much power.”

“Well…” Talia stood up, “I’m going to talk to Vesi.”

Arnor was about to protest, to assert her authority as the leader of the mission ... but perhaps this was something Talia needed to learn for herself - the hard way. So instead she nodded assent.  “Alright.  See if you can convince her.”
 


- Vyth -

It took several hours for them to re-trace Two's pathway through the labyrinth of tunnels.  About half of that time was spent on  Karmack's frequent stops as his battered body simply gave way and he had to rest.  Finally they reached a small portal, open to the rocky valley and the half-hidded clearing where his runabout lay waiting.

The ship wasn't as big or as fast as the Wayfarer but it was big enough for one man and could be handled by Two alone when he was asleep.  Nor was it entirely toothless, equipped with excellent shielding and a strong enough armament to beat of most pirates and privateers.  Most importantly, however, it had a fully capable communications system ... and a well stocked medical bay.

For two more days Karmack did nothing but eat, sleep, and heal.  Two kept watch during that time while Karmack simply let his body recover.  Now, almost a week after his near-death in the thought bomb he sat before his communications console.  His head still ached, a lingering side-effect of the bomb, but his attention was on the conversation he was about to have.  How do I break this...

The communications console suddenly lit and an image appeared.  "Office of the Secretary of Defense."

Karmack smiled.  "Do'Nal, its Karmack.  Is Silman available?" Karmack kept his tone light and informal.  Its just a personal call...  No reason to be alarmed...

Do'Nal echoed his smile but his eyes remained guarded.  "Meanowan Mack...  He was preparing to leave for the day but I believe he is still in.  Hold on while I check..." A hold pattern appeared with the inevitable bumper music, something pleasant and utterly generic.  Karmack leaned back and ignored it, his mind busy while he waited.

Do'Nal returned in less than a minute.  "Master Mack?  The Kage is available and will take your call.  Please hold while I transfer you."

Karmack sat up a bit straighter as the image blinked and Kage Silman Lo appeared in the imager.  "Karm!  How is your research coming along?"

Karmack grinned back.  "I've had some ... interesting developments.  Are you secure?"

A wary look flickered over Kage Lo's face as he turned and depressed some keys.  "Going secure..."

There was a flicker as the signal scrambled and Karmack's system took a moment to sync up.  When the Kage re-appeared his face was all business.  "OK, Karm.  What's going on?"

Karmack sat back and sighed.  "Its a mixed bag, Kage.  I made contact with the force ghost of Kage Odjina in the main cavern and spent some time with him.  His insights have been invaluable, and I have a far better understanding of the Ancient One now..."

Silman's face hardened.  "I hear a 'but' coming."

Karmack nodded.  "...but as my time with Odjina ended I ... had a visitor.  Mendax."

"Mendax?" Silman's image sat up straighter in surprise.  "I don't understand.  Darth Mendax is dead.  She was killed on Geonosis!"

"So we thought." Karmack replied.  "I don't understand it either.  Zearic and D'Aylanna both confirmed her death.  There was no trace of her in force or song when we left.  And beyond that..." Karmack paused, hesitant to continue.  "Beyond that, she's been ... augmented."

"Augmented?" Silman asked.  "How do you mean?"

"When we fought her on Geonosis she was maimed and scarred.  Those wounds are gone.  She's physically whole and she felt stronger in both force and song."

"So you fought her?" Silman asked.  "You defeated her?"

"No." Karmack took a deep breath, plunging ahead.  "I had her on the ropes ... until her followers detonated a thought bomb."

Silman sat perfectly still for nearly a minute before finally speaking.  "A ... thought bomb?"

"Yes."

"And you survived?"

"Barely." Karmack was lost for a moment in the memory of silver acid washing over him.  "She had me, Silman.  I was deep in the force and the bomb..."  Karmack shuddered involuntarily.  "The ... entities ... in the Ancient One managed to funnel out some of the energy and dissipate it into the force.  Their buffers diminished the energy enough that the crystal itself could handle the bulk of the rest.  I still took a very heavy hit but in the end I was able to survive.

"And Mendax?" Silman asked next, his eyes boring out of the holograph.  "Did she die in the blast?"

"No.  She sacrificed a group of force-sensitive thralls to detonate the bomb but she had some kind of collar, a device that created a null field around her, immunizing her from the effects of the bomb.  She walked away.  Two has her out-bound track recorded, but the runabout's sensors lost her once she left atmosphere."

Silman slumped back in his chair.  "What is it about Macks finding trouble?  First Arnor, now you..." 

Karmack sat up straighter.  "What about Arnor?"

- End of Part One -

[Karmack]

Chapter 16: Bearing Bad News
Part Two
 

- Canto Bite -

“Talia!” Vesi leapt out from the room and threw her arms around Talia’s neck.  “So glad you came, Please come in!,” she half pulled Talia into the Penthouse.  It was different from Cha’s ... indeed, from any other room she had seen in the Casino, with Hapan styles mingled with what looked like Imperial austerity of design. Then, utterly out of place, in the corner there was a small pile of stones sectioning off several overlaid shaggy orange-brown rugs beneath a hearth piece with three naked women carved above the fire place.

Vesi continued unabated as Talia tried to come to grips with the discontinuity of the room.  “Is Arnor alright? I’m so sorry if we spoilt something ... were you calling yourself ‘Teft’ because of a special mission!?” she seemed genuinely apologetic as she led her to the white couch.

“She’s fine…” Talia turned to her intently, “I need to talk to you though about Cha. He’s…” How to say this? Be direct. Chillum would probably say.  She took a deep breath and plunged ahead.  “He’s a darksider…like a Sith…and I think he’s manipulating your parents to buy force artifacts.”

Vesi stared at her opened mouthed for a moment ... then burst out laughing.  “Ha…ahahaha…Manipulate…oh…if you met my parents…Cha try to manipulate them…oh…sorry…sorry you’re being serious…hmmm…no Cha works for us like I said…he can buy his trinkets himself he has enough credits.”

“Vesi, you need to understand ... he’s dangerous. You might think he’s a friend, but that’s just him manipulating you...”

“Talia its fine really!” Vesi took her hands in her own. “Cha is a useful employee but he knows his place. Trust me he’s not even in the same league as my family in wheeling and dealing. If this is about Arnor losing the Auction ... I can talk to Cha, see if he’ll let you borrow the holocron. If it has significance to the Mak’tor I might be even able to get him to donate it to your Temple’s Museum – he’s a bit of a cad I’ll admit, but he’s alright once you get to know him.”

Talia wasn’t sure if Vesi was so mind controlled she was justifying Cha’s actions or if she was telling the truth. One last try...

“Vesi listen... you know how I showed you the ancient Mak’Tor Knights who use the force?  Well they are still around and Arnor is one of them.  She’s ... like a Jedi ... she can sense things about Cha you can’t...  Please I wouldn’t tell you this if I didn’t trust and worry about you and your family.”

“Talia, you’re such a good friend! I understand but its alright. we know he was an Inquisitor. Its part of why we hired him! He knows his stuff on how to deal with – unusual people – and truly don’t worry about us, we know how to keep him in check! Now, is there anything else we can get you? Dinner, a better room, I know! Why don’t we all go to one of the Cabarets, or the outreach center! I know you Mak’Tor love charity! We distribute excess food to the poor every day!”

And just like that it was as if Talia hadn’t said anything ... and in a way she needn’t have.  She could feel Vesi was telling the truth in the thin Aura she presented.



- Vyth -

Silman's face twitched.  "Intelligence tracked Cha to Canto Bite.  Telow'na sent Arnor after him with Talia and Master Chillum. They were tasked with basic surveillance and information gathering.  They very nearly blew their cover but they managed to recover and keep it intact.  However, while the girls were doing their jobs Du'An ran across a holocron that claims to be that of a Jedi Master Soryu."

"Soryu?  Odjina mentioned a Master Soryu.  He knew him personally, wanted me to warn him about Kimar." Karmack stroked his chin in thought.  "Any chance they can acquire it?"

"They will be making an attempt soon.  I gave her access to one of the larger black funds on Scipio, it should be more than enough, and Telow'na has dispatched some additional assets.  I cringe to thing what General Cliff will say ..." he stopped.  "No matter.  They will succeed."

"Good.  Silman, that holocron may be vitally important."

"Du'An said the same." the Zabrek frowned.  "I was under the impression that Master Soryu was a ... a composite character?  A collection of the thoughts and experiences of several people, not one individual."

Karmack nodded.  "So did I.  That's what we were all taught, but Odjina was very clear: Soryu was a real person, a member of the Jedi Council and one of his close, personal friends.  His knowledge and insights of the time of the Schism and Purge would be invaluable for historical reasons alone, but the Legends also tell us that Soryu was a very powerful Jedi.  He could teach us much.  Please, tell Arnor they must do all they can to secure that holocron."

"I will pass that along at our next contact." Silman replied, then sighed.  "So ... a thought bomb.  In the hands of a Sith, Darth Mendax.  This is very troubling in light of your vision."

"Indeed..."  Karmack felt the throbbing in his head increase, and rubbed his temples.  "That is why I called and didn't wait until I got back to tell you.  Silman, Mendax left here six days ago.  It took me that long to regain lucidity and drag myself back to the ship.  You need to put the Order on alert, and probably the Men-At-Arms and planetary militia as well."

"Yes, and that's the rub." Silman gave Karmack a very level look.  "Cliff is not very happy with me as it is, you know.  And he likes you even less.  It is bad enough that Arnor's operation is spending a mint to acquire another "trinket" for the Order: this news is going to make him go absolutely ballistic."

"Better ballistic than dead." Karmack replied.  "Listen, I'll be headed back shortly.  Do what you must.  Throw me under the speeder if you need to.  Just get those defenses online!  Maybe those killer droids will be worth having after all."

"Yes..." Silman suppressed a shudder.  "Get back here as quick as you can, Karm.  I have a feeling we'll need you close before long.  Silman out."

Karmack sat back with a long sigh as the connection died.  "Two, make preparations to lift off."

Two twitted a query back a query.  "M'Tzigon.  We're going home, just as soon as I make another call..."
 


- Canto Bite -

“So it’s a go?” Chillum asked as Arnor re-entered the suite's common space.

“It’s a go. Julwynn and Balnard are on their way to provide back up. I have an idea on how to...” just then the door opened and Talia came back in.  Arnor shifted gears smoothly, back on balance.  “How’d it go?”

“Fine...” Talia sat down with a bounce, her voice and mood both far lighter than when she left.  “I don’t think Cha is using them ... he’s just a slimy, womanizing salesman who cheats at cards and is childish enough to use the force to get the toys he wants at auction.” she paused, reflective.  “He’s not a sith, just a scumbag.  We can’t really go after him for that, can we?”

“A scumbag with a powerful holocron, infinite credits and an army of battle droids...” Arnor noted.  “Whether he is using Vesi’s family or not, we need that holocron and we have orders from Kage Lo himself to obtain it.”

Talia perked up sensing Arnors intent.  “What ... as in ... steal it?!”

“He’s not going to give up a 21 million credit holocron willingly lass.” Chillum noted walking over to place a hand on her shoulder.  “I know it’s not a nice thing to do to your friends Casino, but I'm sure you can understand the importance of this...”

“No I can’t” Talia exclaimed, brushing his hand off.  “We could just ask him for it! Vesi even offered to help us, said he might even donate it to the temple if we'd just ask!”

“Talia you can’t trust what Vesi says,...”

“Why not? She’s not the one asking me to steal.” Talia said, her voice flat.  Arnor felt a stab of guilt.  Cha was clever indeed ... he lavished with generosity to lull you into a sense of obligation ... but was stealing it the right thing to do? 

Arnor shook off her doubt, steeling her resolve.  “This isn’t up for debate, this is a direct order, a sanctioned mission, and we need you to make it work.  Understood?”

Slowly, arms folded and jaw set, Talia sighed and slowly nodded ascent.



- M'Tzigon -

“Golden boys done it again…” Cliff shook his head it utter disgust.  The great and mighty Karmack has kicked over another rock and found the flea bitten Darth Mendax on a nowhere world called Vyth.

“You’ve got absolutely no control over him have you, absolutely none.” he jabbed his finger across the desk at Silman who had come to personally brief him on the discovery,  “And we’re all in danger because he can’t keep his frelling lightsabre out of others peoples business!”

Silman said nothing ... to respond to the tirade could only inflame it.  He waited for Cliffs anger to burn out instead.  The tirade didn't bother him much.  IN all honestly he was more discomforted by the 1:16 scale DT-IV miniature sitting on Cliffs desk.

Cliff continued, “What was he even doing on Vyth! Do you even know?”

Silman did, but somehow telling the General that his 'Golden Boy' was on Vyth to learn how to access a powerful crystal from a six-hundred year old force ghost didn't seem like a good idea.  He would have responded he trusted Karmacks judgement – but again this would only inflame Cliff.  So he stayed silent, the break against which the tides of Cliff's fury crashed.

Cliff rose now, leaning on his desk with both hands.  “What benefit, what strategic benefit, tactical advantage was there, WHAT,”
his fist slammed onto the desk,
“WAS”
SLAM number 2
“THE”
“PLAN”
Slams 3 and 4 were as cluttered as his words.

Cliff hunched over on his elbows shaking his head.  For a long moment his eyes fixed on the Dark Trooper Miniature Cha had gifted him.  At least droids don’t wander off on mystical mystery tour...   His anger finally subsiding to a cold burn he flopped back into his chair, pausing for a few long moments,  “We survived the purge by staying low, keeping out of the Empires way, a few healing centers to pass information back…  That strategy WORKED, and kept our planet safe and off the Empires radar…”

Cliff stared at the ceiling.  “I don’t know whether to recall our forces or evacuate the damn planet!  I know my history, I've read the Chronicle of the New Sith Wars. I know what a Thought Bomb can do to M’Tzigon if that bitch gets here...”   He paused considering what he would need.

“We need to go to yellow alert,” his eyes flicked to the Zabrack for the first time since he had finished explaining what Karmack had seen.  “You’ll need to sign off on access to emergency funding so we can pay the overtime, call up the reserves and cover the additional fuel and materiel costs until this tralk is dead."

"Of course, General." Silman didn’t appreciate the coarse language, but this was not the time nor place.  He simply nodded and stood, leaving Cliff to cool down.

Ta’Re paused at the door as Silman exited, giving a curt salute.  The news was already filtering down through the ranks: the ‘Master of Song’ had really done it this time.  Smoothly entering the generals office she saw him leaning back in his chair, facing the wall rather than the entrance. she stood, hands clasped, feet shoulder width apart awaiting instructions.

Cliff's eyes were opaque and unseeing as he seethed inside.  Sith and Singers…blasting each other…not just each other, every time this happened, every time Force users fought it was the regular people who suffered in the cross fire.  ‘Kage killer…’ he recalled Cha’s software upgrade suggestion for the DTIVs…let’s see Mendax take on half a dozen of those things.  To be truly honest he was sorely tempted to send the full twenty to blast that damn Master of Song into a thin paste.

Finally he noticed Ta Re at attention.

“Open access to our emergency funds, then get Cha on the line….”



- Canto Bite -

Cha had just finished a sani-steam when the comm chimed.  “Ah General Cliff! Everything is going well I trust?”

The general looked a little flushed as Cha had no shirt on.  “Ah ... did I catch you at a bad time Mr. Cha?”

“no no, not for a business partner as valued as you,” Cha grabbed a robe and threw it on.  “Now how can I assist you, General?”

“I’ll get straight to the point.” the oddly hovering portrait said with the firm military tones of a drill sergeant.  “I need more droids, as many and as quick as you can manage.”

Cha suppressed a smile.  “Well, let me think... These are quite costly to produce, and they take time, but we have a batch of 40 available just off the line. They are sequestered for another buyer following finalisation of negotiations - we don’t keep a large stock to reduce overheads...” he paused for effect, letting the tension build.  “We could ... lease you 20 of these for a few months, but it might be costly to cover the extra shipping and inconvenience...”

“Credits aren’t a problem. Send me the estimate – I trust all of them will have the new 'Kage Killer' Protocols loaded in?”

This time Cha let the smile crease his eyes.  “Absolutely! It is part of the standard package now.  I will draft a contract and have it through legal within, say ... two hours?”

Cliff nodded “That ... that would be excellent. Thank you Mr. Cha for helping us out so quickly.”

“My pleasure, General.  As I told you when we first met we want partners not just customers.”

The General nodded once more before signing off.

Cha leaned back his arms taunt with muscles he reveled in the unnatural strength of.  He idly wondered what it must be like for his employers.  Did they marvel at their own prowess?  Or was it so common in their ‘family’ that they didn’t know any different?  How insignificant other beings must look to them – how benevolent not to impose their will directly – how ingenious to let “Outsiders be Outsiders”...

A shame Nemi was off filming ... and Mrs. And Ms. "Teft" were actually Mak’Tor spies – he laughed to himself.  Their spies chasing him while their general kow-towed!  This needed a celebratory tryst.  Using his employee discount he ordered a few girls up...


- Zearic -

Dualism's Soul had only parted with the Unchained a few jumps before, and though the farewell and thanks for the assistance were warm, neither Jaim nor Zearic had been able to tease out the true nature of the Sons of Kessel operation there – the obvious reasons- freeing hundreds of political prisoners, dozens with years of military and administrative experiences, and taking billions worth of the Blackstone ore were plain to see, yet looking at Zearic – his freshly regrown limbs coated in a bacta salve to toughen the raw skin – he knew there was much more to it.

There was little time for any investigation though.

"Greetings my friend. I'm afraid I have some bad news: Mendax survived somehow.  She's alive ... and on the loose."  Karmack's 20cm tall form repeated for the fifth time – it had taken at least three viewings of the short encrypted holographic transmission for them to actually believe it.

“I still think we should return to Sekot…” Jaim said for the third time, “Get you looked over…”  Whatever had happened in those mines Zearic was unwilling to discuss it – he only hoped his friend had found the answers he was looking for.

“She's alive ... and on the loose."

The words echoed in Zearic's head as he placed his new slowly callousing hand upon the Nocte which trembled slightly with the overflow of his violent intent – soaking in all the anger before it could seep out to be noticed by Jaim.  “She Left You Behind for a Reason” the engraving read.

Zearic intended to show Mendax what that reason was.


- Vyth -

An indifferent thought lifted away the rubble the curiously armed droid hadn’t cut away. Beneath the chunks of rock lay the central dais, still more or less intact,the ferro-crete of it's construction made of sterner stuff than usual...

Lifting the top she removed the Recorder Orb hidden within.  A brush with her mind showed the captured aetheric imprint was marred by static from the Thought Bomb – they would need to run a filter over it a few times, but should be able to reach 85-87% fidelity of whatever Karmack was doing beforehand, only 64-65% fidelity for the fight with Mendax - which was disappointing.   

"It is what it is..." With a shrug she pocketed the orb and wandered back out to her waiting siblings.


- End of Chapter 16 -

[TheDutchman]

Absolutely SUPERlative Karm!!

"Bad news?!?"  That is a MAJOR understatement!  From a Mak'Tor schism between Cliff and Lo and Talia's seeming "drinking the Kool Aid" and the revelation from Karm to Zearic and Mendax is back (and badder than ever!), our good guys CERTAINLY have their hands full! 

And that's part of the problem: too much going on that Karm, Zearic, etc. canNOT see that IS going to affect them, and probably adversely...

Outstanding writing!  I'm really worried about what's going to happen to M'Tzigon--to say nothing of our collective heroes--after this...but I can't WAIT to find out!

Karm, LSG, you guys are, simply put, AWESOME!

[Lord_S_Gray]

Absolutely SUPERlative Karm!!

"Bad news?!?"  That is a MAJOR understatement!  From a Mak'Tor schism between Cliff and Lo and Talia's seeming "drinking the Kool Aid" and the revelation from Karm to Zearic and Mendax is back (and badder than ever!), our good guys CERTAINLY have their hands full! 

Agreed one of the things i like about the series the most is the Tensions between Cliff and Silman, the conflict between the General and the Mystic in a way, both are in a sense correct in their position - Cliff is right Karmack is attracting a lot of attention they don't need, but Silman believes the game is bigger than Cliffs concerns - ultimately its the people in between who are going to lose out I fear which we've already seen in Zealots and also Jokers to an extent, you can't be so active in te galaxy and not get people riled up, yet to sit back and do nothing would conflict with the Mak'tor morality - if they see a threat or injustice their Oaths mean they need to act - but at what price to M'Tzigon?

[Karmack]

Agreed one of the things i like about the series the most is the Tensions between Cliff and Silman, the conflict between the General and the Mystic in a way, both are in a sense correct in their position - Cliff is right Karmack is attracting a lot of attention they don't need, but Silman believes the game is bigger than Cliffs concerns - ultimately its the people in between who are going to lose out I fear which we've already seen in Zealots and also Jokers to an extent, you can't be so active in te galaxy and not get people riled up, yet to sit back and do nothing would conflict with the Mak'tor morality - if they see a threat or injustice their Oaths mean they need to act - but at what price to M'Tzigon?

Yeah.  It reminds me of a line in Captain America: Civil War - right after Steve and Sam bring in Bucky (and get caught themselves) - Tony tries to get Cap to sign the Accords.  Cap basically tells Tony that he can't see something that is wrong and not try to fix it, make it right.

The Mak'Tor Knights are much the same.  They have great personal power in the force, and they take the responsibility that comes with  it very seriously.  But over the centuries the non-Mak'Tor civilians of M'Tzigon have forgotten that when they accepted the Mak'Tor into the fold, as it were, they accepted a great risk.  Cliff has a very deep, personal wound that reminds him of that risk daily, and he rightly is not happy with the Mak'Tor for doing anything that might get 'his' people killed.  Though I do find it interesting that he tends to forget that Karmack also lost HIS father that day...

But yeah, there are several pieces moving that neither Zearic nor Karmack see yet.  Or Cliff or Silman for that matter.   Things that will....

Ah, but first, we return to Chiss....  ;-)

[Taegin Roan]

Finally caught up and wow. My mind was blow away (pun intended). Those were just a series of incredible chapters, from Zearic's return to Karmack's Revival and everything in between. Wonderfully done guys, and exceptionally executed. Looking forward to more.

[Lord_S_Gray]

Chapter 17: Parties Over

The ride back home was tense as it was silent. The Black Menace had just stood there as Ken was ushered away from it beneath the red glare of Chiss disapproval.

Forced into a small hallway the Admirals had made stringent apologies to their guest for his ‘uncouth behaviour’ he’s only a ‘homo-sapien after all’

“…Fortunately,” M’ylak continued the dressing down as though he were an ensign caught smuggling XXX rated vids on board a Carrier – he wasn’t a real criminal in her eyes just a petulant little child with no taste or grooming.

“They accepted our apology most gracefully, they know how to respect Chiss customs.”

Ry sat a world away beside him, as physically far as she could as though trying to distance herself from his shameful disease.

The Admiral himself seemed less perturbed by the incident
 
“I think that’s enough M’ylak, I’m sure Ry will broadside him once we get home…” he stared oddly at Ken as though he saw something familiar in his eyes.

“He insulted our guests!  That took you months to arrange, the prestige our House could’ve lost is unthinkable!” she snapped back.

“Enough Yim’Lyakenn’tla, leave the boy alone.”

Ken didn’t hear the defensiveness in the Admirals tone…only the implication of ‘boy’

Boy…just a little boy…a toddler running about getting into trouble.

Kriff this.

As the rail car slowed along the mag line for a turn he slammed the door open.

“KEN!”

He leapt.

<<<<>>>>

“I told you he was uncouth…I told….” Her mother stopped under a bitter gaze from her grandfather.

“We should go looking for him before he ruins something else…” her mother went on quietly

“He has some kind of PTSD doesn’t he?” her grandfather asked Ry directly

“Uh…yeah possibly” she knew the force made it more complicated than that but didn’t want to say more.
“I’ve seen it a hundred times…” he paused by the small desk by the door was as they headed inside
“Been there myself…” he sighed out.

“He can’t get into much trouble here…let him be a while, calm down a bit,” This was the side of her Grandfather she wished Ken had seen more of, commanding but compassionate. He placed his hand on her shoulders.
“He’ll soon show up…he knows he needs you,”

<<<<>>>>

Ken wasn’t sure where he was, the grey blue lit streets all looked the same…eventually through the over clean labyrinth he found a route toward the space port…

Where else was there for him to go – he had just bailed on Ry literally, left her behind along with their relationship – all because he…

He wasn’t even sure why, it was an inexplicable mix of anger, frustration, pain…

There was only a small trickle of Chiss about the place, a few automated cargo haulers.  A somewhat gaudy green sign that stood out for being in Basic “Feetlers Food for Visitors.” Reminded Ken he hadn’t eaten anything in hours. 

Why not he figured.

<<<<>>>>

The motion activated light shook her out of a half sleep
“Still nothing…”

“Still nothing…” she replied as her grandfather sat beside her a concerned look on his face

“He has some history with our allies doesn’t he…”

That brought Ry fully awake

“Allies…The Ascendancy doesn’t have allies Pa – who are they – what are they?”

“Ry…”
“Operational matters?” it frustrated her she couldn’t speak freely with her own family…no wonder Ken had bailed.
He ran his hand through greying black hair
“Wait here a moment.”
She stretched out a bit as he headed out, checking the door and House Comm again in case there was a text message…still nothing.

“Here…” he said on his return with a pile of framed picts, old style printed on flimsi
“This was my grandmother’s graduation class…your great-great grandmother…”
The pict showed 100 or so cadets in what were now outdated CEDF uniforms…at the far end of one of the rows four humans, pinkish faces contrasting with the hues of blue.
“This is my fathers…and mine…your parents…and yours…”
In all of them were five, six, three, four and in her own…five humans.

“What…I never…I would’ve noticed humans in my own…
”
“At the time you might’ve but not once they leave the room…they have that effect, they leave nothing behind…most of our family won’t even remember them being there tonight except for the most important members…they are the Ascendancies open secret…allies we rely on more and more….”

This was…crazy, the Ascendancy didn’t treat with anyone let alone some human allies like this…not over such a long period of time.

“Who…”

“It’s a long story…six hundred or so years ago a Jedi defector made the Ascendancy an offer – help him rebuild his world and he’d help our long term goals…at the time we were eyeing off territory claimed by a Kilik Hive, but had no way to counter their telepathic co-ordination…he provided devices that killed it – shut it off like a light switch, they went feral killing each other – a day later the Hive Queen was dead…a war that would have taken decades, cost thousands of lives  was won by one man in three days”

He looked over his own graduation pict

“Since then…they help us deal with force sensitive threats, we gave them resources, expertise, infrastructure…but soon they were self-sufficient, now they have far better technology than we do…they send their people to study at our Academies, placed in the CEDF for 8 or 9 year tours – smarter than Givin, tougher than Wookies but utterly paranoid.”

“But why…keep it so secret, why invite them to the party…I don’t…”

“The point was our Houses prestige, the other Houses know they came, know I’m on good terms with them outside of official channels, they very rarely step out of their embassy except to attend the Academy, that they did on my invitation shows the great houses just how influential our House is becoming.”

That was where the Sons were getting Charric weapons from…on selling from the Ascendancy Ry realised.

“And that’s it, they’re our anti-force user allies?”

“More than that…they are the edge we need, our doctrine and technology only gets us so far, combined with a few dozen of them placed within the CEDF as flight leaders, marines, tacticians, black -ops our moderate advantages become overwhelming…the history books will say our discipline and efficiency win us wars – and they do – but these allies help us win quickly.”

“And everybody knows…but everyone forgets except the top brass…keeping the Ascendancy propaganda about our unique superiority intact…I don’t remember them because the Ascendancy doesn’t want me to know we rely on them.”

“That’s the truth of if…” he smiled “This is why it was so hard for me when you left…so clever and intuitive…I could see your potential as a Captain…Admiral even, you’ve got the experience with aliens now, you could easily get re-commissioned as a lieutenant – with a  reference from their agents in the Sons…”
Her heart stopped and thoughts turned back to Ken
“You know about their involvement with the Sons?”
His expression became cautious
“I couldn’t tell you directly…but I asked their agents to keep an eye on you as a personal favour…”

Her body started trembling…he knew…this whole time…they were watching her…wait ’agents’? She’d only ever seen one - Black Armour…how many others were there?

Was this his plan all along, let her have her wild rebellious phase then bring her back into the CEDF when she’d grown out of it?  Managing her like a recalcitrant officer.

“oh…Maker…is this…” her head fell into her hands

“This is all…would you even have told me if Ken hadn’t….” stupid question she thought it was a need to know matter – only now did she need to know.

“Ry-ry…” he placed his arm around her shoulder using he childhood nick name – Ry-ry and Pa-pa they’d call each other.

“If you love this boy fine, we can find a place for him here, but don’t throw your heritage, your House away for him – this is your home, your People – don’t leave all that behind.”

<<<<>>>>

Feetlers Food for Visitors had a menu of Exotic cuisines from the ‘Republic’, Nerf Burgers, Clone Cocktails, Jedi Juices, the décor was about as old as the Clone Wars – his nerf burger and hubba chips smelt like plastic and he suspected the word NERF branded on the patty was as close as the meat had come to a real one…but it was something

The only other person in the restaurant was a bored Chiss teen server and cook, flicking through his comm.  Once again Ac’Siel was showing its tourism potential Ken mused.

“Hey Feetler Junior, here to pick up my shipment,” A voice called from behind. The teenager shrugged and headed out the back.

“Plus the usual!” he called after Feetler Junior.

Ken glanced up as he took the stool at the bar next to him, shorter than Ken about 180cm, he had handsome smooth features under short cut auburn hair and solid build.

“Food here’s not that bad…” he said looking at Ken, “Feetler does his best, hard to get anything through customs…let me guess trouble with the girl, or boy, or hermaphro friend?”

“Something like that…” Ken pushed around a hubba chip with his fork.
“You cheat on them, or they cheat on you?”
Ken almost laughed
“Not that bad…not that good…” he almost wished it were that simple…
“Sucks friend…a local?”
“Yeah she is…” by local he must mean Chiss
“Friend that is quite the glacier to climb…” he paused looking Ken over, he was still in his ceremonial robes from the party, Ken realised he must look like a fop.

“…Still, you’re here though she must be worth it…”

Yeah she is Ken would’ve said any other time

Feetler came back with a box marked ‘Sachhen Cakes X20’ and a plate piled with four burgers that smelt far better than what Ken had gotten.

“Special reserve,” his ‘friend’ smiled “Take one if you like…a burger that is, not the cakes, my wife would have my head…”

“She a local girl?” Ken mirrored slightly more interested

“Chiss…no, she’s one of my kind of course, I’m not that adventurous!”

Suddenly Ken recalled Silmans request…information about Chiss tech in the droids…he wouldn’t get a batter more genial person to question.

“You both work here?”

“Well…here and there with the CEDF…here today the Bridge tomorrow…”

“You’re in the CEDF” now Ken was interested, he put aside his cutlery and all thoughts of Ry – he needed to focus on the mission now – he actually looked at what he was wearing – a captains uniform

“A Captain…”

“That’s right…have my own fighter squadron, nearly two years now, wife’s a Colonel in the Marines,”
“How did you meet the entrance requirements? They must be colossal…”

He shrugged, “You could say it’s in the blood…but you know…it’s one thing to get into the game of ranks…but getting into the bedroom with one…now that’s hard…I mean it’s difficult enough understanding women of my own People, let alone Chiss women!”

He took a single bite and an entire burger vanished.

“Let alone them trying to understand you…looks like you and your girl need some understanding…I don’t know…it’s hard sometimes – you know what you mean but it’s not what you say, she asks you how you feel and you just don’t know how to tell her – words get in the way.”

Ken felt his stomach drop, and not from the half-hearted Republic cuisine – everything the Captain said seemed written for him.

"Sometimes I wish I could just push inside her head you know...see what she’s thinking...make them her feel what I do, see the situation from my point of view…"

Ken did too…and…he could…with the force he could make Ry feel what he felt, the isolation, ostracism, the disconnection from himself…make her understand, make her forgive him…make her…do whatever he wanted her to do whenever he wanted it…it was all so easy…I have the power why not use it?

His heart pumped with excitement for the first time in days - the thrill of transgression, dark pleasure at twisting things to your will, breaking the rules.  And what rules…how many times had his father, mother and grandfather used the force to smooth their path, confuse or convince people – was this so different?

A micro expression crossed the Captains face…a sneer so swift Ken wasn’t sure he’d even seen it…maybe a trick of the light as he chewed his second burger.

It brought him back –it wasn’t right…it was tempting – he was Gray – he didn’t’ disavow such feelings – he was Mak’Tor - he confronted them.

He wouldn’t use Ry like that – couldn’t.

“Yeah…but…I don’t know…we can’t just change people’s minds…”

But where did that leave him? He’d just burnt his bridges, behaved like the tantrum throwing toddler the Admirals thought he was…he needed to get over this…push past it, those Black Warriors…he needed to be more like them, stony, mechanical, they wouldn’t let themselves get so upset and emotional.

“We need to just be better, stronger so other people don’t have to deal with our problems” Ken finished his reply.

The Captain finished off his fourth burger.

"You can be the strong man Ken, push through, toughen up, burn out your emotions...or you can be a real man and feel them, admit you can't handle them on your own – maybe you can’t show her every part of your mind – but you can at least try.”

That struck Ken hard.  He had been white knuckling it this whole time, bottling up…hoping time would heal all wounds - it didn’t, couldn’t –actions healed time would fester.

He could only hang his head ashamed.

“You’re right…I’ve been…”

“Hey…” the captain clapped a hand on his shoulder it felt unusually heavy and extremely toned and hard even through his robes.

“We all make mistakes…too often with the people we love the most…you get out of here and go talk to your girl….I’d give you some cakes…but you know…”

“huh…yeah I Know…thanks for the perspective Captain?”

"My pleasure...” he replied not answering the implied question as Ken stood up

“I hope you don't think me a coward anymore.

"A what?" Ken had never said anything like that

"At the party...you said ‘You’re a coward, take that mask off and show me your face’ well here it is."

The party…the Black Armoured Figure…it was…HIM…how…

It didn’t matter…Ken had to get to Ry and pick up the pieces he left behind.

<<<<>>>>

Betrayed…used…she wasn’t sure what to feel.  For now she just felt alone.  Her Grandfather, Pa-pa, trying to pull her back in, Ken pushing her away…

She didn’t seem to fit into either of these scenarios – didn’t have a voice – things were happening to and around her, she wasn’t making anything happen except by her inaction.  She should’ve stood up for Ken more, recognised the signs he was struggling better, should’ve seen that no matter what her Grandfather said he would always push for her to come back to the Ascendancy.

Ry needed to take back some control.  She started packing.  Perhaps it was a mistake coming here, perhaps it was exactly what was needed to get things out in the open – either way she couldn’t stay any longer – whether she left with Ken or not…didn’t bother her in that moment.

<<<<>>>

He pounded along the streets, humming a memory motif to help him recall the way – with his ceremonial robes fluttering he got gawks by the bucket full – a crazed alien running around a respectable neighborhood.

Finally, sweaty and hot he came to the house built into the cliff face and pressed the buzzer.

After a few moments in which he caught his breath with a steady force calming flow Admiral Tla appeared.  “Ah there you are…didn’t get into any trouble I hope.”  The Admiral had an ambivalent feel…while never overtly welcoming he had been polite – but something had changed.

“I’m fine…I…need to talk to Ry.”

The Admiral smoothly took his arm. “Ken…look…I know you have feelings for each other…but you need to be honest, this can’t really work, you tried your best, but the cultural divide is just too great, it’s no one’s fault – Ry is young this is just a rebellious phase, a few months, maybe a year and she’ll grow tired of rebelling…”

Ken tried to keep his already swirling emotions from turning to rage at the implication their relationship was a mere young-adult fling – he wouldn’t be here now if it was.

The Admiral continued, “This is her home, her People, her culture…where she belongs, you should make your goodbyes and head back to your Mak’tor get some help, some counselling for your traumas, with some clarity you’ll see this is for the best.”

“I think…” Ken did his best not to seethe his words, “It should be up to Ry and I to decide where we belong and what is best.”

The Admiral shook his head, about to berate the young fools when Ry called from behind him, “Enough Grandfather, let him in,”

<<<<>>>>

There was so much to say they were silent.

Ken could see the half packed cases on the floor. Something had happened while he was gone…something that showed up something Ry didn’t like and didn’t want to be part of anymore.

In the end there was only one thing to say.   “I’m sorry…I tried to be…”

Those words were enough for her, she was sick of the fighting, the stress, and fell straight onto him slightly uncomfortably till they shifted into an embrace.
There was so much to be done – but at least now they had started.

He was so tired…tired of fighting, tired of hiding, and most of all tired of being alone through it – he had tried to push on through things not deal with them, and left Ry behind in the process, the one he should’ve turned to the most.  He understood that now…but how to communicate it…

As ambivalent and he now viewed the ‘Captain’ he had been right, words just didn’t flow sometimes…and on another point the Force could provide a way to bridge the gap between them, but not in a controlling way as he intoned.

Ken gathered the force to him, building it up mixing it into his emotions, creating a diluted but recognizable set of feelings…then he let it flow out gently to Ry’s presence, washing his contrition and struggles over her – hopes but also fears, worries but also certainties…at the same time he opened himself to the response – actually trying to feel her as he should’ve all along.  He felt the concern, the anxieties, but also the love, and determination. 

In the ocean of their connection, amidst the beating waves of the confluence – he began to sing.

<<<<>>>>

[Karmack]

In the ocean of their connection, amidst the beating waves of the confluence – he began to sing.


Perfect!  :-) 

LSG, I love this chapter.  The ending is perfect and poinant.  Ken and Ry have a long way to go, but you see them turning a corner here ... and all because of a heart-to-heart with one of the dreaded Aethans!  I don't know all of the man's motives, but there's a small part of me that always reads this as a sort of apology for the damage done by Black Armor, and I come away hoping that Ken will be able, now that he can put a face on them, to deal with the situation more effectively as well.

But beyond that ... he's finally leaning on Ry, and opening himself to her.  Those two will need each other to get through this, I am sure.  :-)

Awesome, my friend!  Simply awesome!

[TheDutchman]

"In the ocean of their connection, amidst the beating waves of the confluence – he began to sing."

That was...beautiful LSG.  I like the shift in tone with this chapter; not a "breather" chapter by any means but rather a more intimate installment given what WYLB has been lately 

These two young people are a pleasure to read more about (and were to write in "Gray&Unchained").  To often I've read books (not just SW) that focus on the over-arching adversity within the narrative, losing the characters within the midst of the story.  Not so here; instead Ken and Ry's relationship problems ARE the conflict that draws one in while simultaneously giving wonderful depth to each and every scene.  THAT'S good writing and GOOD characterization.  My hats off to you both, LSG & Karm, for injecting life into Ken and Ry 

Oh, and on a technical note: I LOVE that Ken would rely upon his Singing to help (and succeed) where his words had before failed him.  Karm said it best:
Awesome, my friend!  Simply awesome!

[Taegin Roan]

In the ocean of their connection, amidst the beating waves of the confluence – he began to sing.

This was such great chapter, and this phrase was probably the highlight, although I also liked when the man told Ken he hoped he didn't still think him a coward. But everything is really starting to tie together and it is amazing.

Karmack and TD said it perfectly:

Awesome, my friend! Simply awesome!

(sorry, everyone else did it, I just had to follow suit )

[Karmack]

Chapter 18: Queen's Gambit
Part One


 - Mendax -

One down two to go.  An iron tang as she bit into Ruugs muscular shoulder added to the pleasure of knowing she had destroyed Karmack.  For now his body was entertaining but she was quickly becoming bored – she had come straight back to her ship and summoned him over, pacing back and forth, the blood rush from the fight still hadn’t fully worn off over a week later, she could only sleep in fits and starts.

A more logical part of her mind told her she should have her blood analyzed further – this was not natural – they had done something to her, but she suspected it wasn’t intentional, more a result of false assumptions about Ferroan biology.  Pushing up off him she stretched her arms out taking in the pleasure of her fulfilled vengeance.

“ummph…” Ruug made a sound…

She immediately slapped him leaving a deep red print on his cheek. “No speaking!”

“Not even to say I love you?”

Mendax sprung up, sabre straight to her hand and once again the blade sliced through Cha’s illusion as Ruug squeaked painfully under her sudden movement.  “You pervert! Get out meat sack,” she ordered Ruug who couldn’t move fast enough, even forgetting his clothes.

She turned back to the spectre. “What do you want this time Cha, you disgusting bag of dren?”

“Did you enjoy Vyth?  You look a little anxious…” he leered as she stepped closer – the perve had already seen everything no point trying to cover herself now.  “Perhaps you should consider a Baran-Do meditative trance to calm you nerves ... but really you should sit down for this news.”

Mendax growled. “Speak or be gone!”

“Very well, it seems your celebrations are premature.  Karmack is quite alive.”

“You Lie – he was deep in the force, no one could survive that!”

“On their own no ... but with his magical Crystal...”

  ******

“She frelling nuts…” Ruug knelt before Orfa.  “We were right in the middle of it and she jumps up grabs her sabre and started talking to the empty air.  I only overheard a little Mistress, someone named Cha...”

Orfa considered that, she would need to research but the name sounded familiar...

  << RED >>

Ruug jumped up with a howl and Orfa doubled over with a sharp gasp as blinding red pain filled her vision and screeched in her ears.  "They’re all kriffing mad!”  Across the ship everyone who had been even briefly touched by Mendax' Qixoni control now felt her rage – an injection of pain straight into their minds as her frustration poured from her body to the crystal to those connected to it.

  ******

In her room a pitcher of water shattered, the small desk buckled and twisted, compression drilled screws popped from the internal walls as her fists clenched drawing her own hormone filled blood.  “No…I will not fail…I am Sith SITH!”

Keep telling yourself that... Cha mused happy he was very far from her.

“SITH DO NOT FAIL!”  failure was death ... death ... she would not could not ...

“Ha..ahahahahaha” Mendax cried grasping her hair back painfully.  “All of them... I’ll get all of them at once...”  The only objects unaffected by her rage in the room were the two black collars that flew to her hands as she dropped her sabre.  “I’ll draw them all in ... all to M’Tzigon ... then ... like Lord Kaan ... I’ll show them. SITH DO NOT FAIL!”

  ******

Misrum and Orfa struggled to their feet as the call came to their minds – Mendax was summoning them….despite their trepidation they dare not refuse.


 - M'Tzigon Orbital Space -

Lieutenant De'Ana'Crin of the patrol ship "Maker's Melody" nearly jumped out of her skin as a ship emerged less than four klicks from them.  "Helm, evasive!!!!"

The patrol ship was of local design, a cut-down version of the old Republic Light Attack Cruiser with a single engine, no hyper drive, and a crew of five or six.  "Customs Patrol Craft" was the official description, but in reality they were search-and-rescue craft and picket craft, with fighter-range speed and cruiser-range sensors - and not much else.

As they arced away from the ship that streaked past, blue energy blazing away from the track of its pseudo-motion emergence, those sensors were already cataloging.  "Sir!  Emergence close aboard ... Identified as a YV-939 type freighter...  Detecting atmospheric and radiation leaks!"

"Mayday ... mayday ... mayday ... this is the Lazy Suzan declaring an emergency...  We have damage, losing atmosphere.  Systems are off-line, drive is failing.  Assistance required, there are twenty-seven souls on board..."

Lt. Crin turned to her communications section as the Mayday call played on the bridge speakers.  "That sounds aweful weak.  Signal strength?"

"Low, ma'am.  I doubt they can hear it in-system."

"Relay to Central." She punched up her board, studying the radiation leakage.  "Advise them that the ship is hot and we need to get transports out here to take the crew off..."

As her ship looped around the freighter continued to coast in-system, moving ahead now on thrusters.  "Mayday ... Mayday ... Mayday ..."

"Put me on with them." Crin said next, composing herself.  Her screen blanked, then filled with the image of the man making the call.  His face was streaked with soot, a trickle of blood showing on his cheek and more blood on his uniform.  "Lazy Suzan, this is the Maker's Melody.  We are moving to assist you.  What are your specific needs?"

"Thank the One!" the man said, visibly relaxing to near collapse.  "Where are we?  We made a blind jump, the pirates were all over us..." he started hyperventilating, giggling with hysterical relief.

"Sir, you need to calm down.  Deep, regular breaths...  You're in the M'Tzigon system.  My craft is to small to take your crew off but relief ships are on the way.  You said you were attacked by pirates?"

"Yes, ma'am." The other ship's captain made a visible effort to calm himself.  "Yes ... we jumped away, but they may have been tracking us...."

Lt. Crin looked at her comm officer and made a quick slashing motion across her throat.  Once the sound was cut she turned to tactical.  "Jon, get Central on the line again.  Inform them of the pirate attack and ask for back-up.  We may have a pirate cruiser coming through any minute."

She turned back to the screen, where the nearly hysterical civilian captain continued to babble on, spilling words without meaning in his relief...

  ******

 - Karmack -

   * Historical Reference: http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=36209.msg622384#msg622384 *
   * Also note: Shadow Etude CH14 / Wind Chimes CH16 *

Space erupted around the runabout as it emerged from hyperspace, and Karmack felt a chill run through him at the sight of the dry planet before him.  Geonosis...

A trill from Two confirmed that they had emerged safely and were on course for the planet.  The argument with the droid had been ... epic.  Not because Two wasn't in favor of returning here to confirm that the Ferroan he'd fought on Vyth was in fact Menxax, but because he didn't feel Karmack was fully recovered or in any shape to undertake what he saw as another dangerous solo mission without proper support.

Which is just another way of saying that he wants to mount a DCC and go in guns blazing...  Karmack glanced at his friend and smiled.  The song was placid, without a hint of conflict.  Unlike the last time he'd been here.

Karmack shuddered again as he remembered...  Ken dying ... regenerating ...  He shook it off.  "Never again."

The runabout settled, close to the place where they'd confronted Mendax.  The rubble from the collapsed hive-spire was there, spread around the room ... and oddly disturbed.  A pit had been excavated, as if someone had come and opened up Mendax' grave...

Karmack came to the place where he'd fallen, crouched and touched the spot where the Ancient One had rested.  He could still sense a residual glow from the crystal, even now.  He hummed a perception motif to enhance his vision and more details sprang into view, more energy traces. 

Including some that flowed from a nearby position to the place where Mendax had fallen.

Karmack rose and walked out into the room again, noting the energy lines.  It was unlike anything he'd seen before.  It reminded him of Shatterpoint theory, but these weren't shatterpoint faults.  They were more fluid than that.  More like a web of force energy, a residual trace of where power had been expended.  As a test he used the force to call a small stone to his hand ... and a golden energy trace appeared in his perception, bright and strong.  He looked around again, noting the different traces.  A sunburst of gold where he'd fallen and nearly died pouring uncontrolled energy into Ken and the others.  Smaller golden traces where he'd fought.  Magenta traces and angry red where D'Aylanna and Mendax had clashed.  Cool blue where Zearic had stood against Jennira's hot white flame...

And two other traces.  Faint, nearly invisible.  These two didn't radiate any light at all.  They were voids...

What happened here?  Karmack ran over what he'd learned on Vyth, considered the motifs.  Time....  There's a time element...  Before he composed the new song Karmack paused.  It was never a good idea to meddle with time.  It would be easy to convince himself that he would be an observer only, unable to touch what was happening around him.  But deep down he knew that wasn't how it worked.   He remembered the visions in the Spire.  There was a real risk here.  The force would not just allow the past to be changed, no more than it just allowed the future to be known.  Even being seen could change his own past - and his own present.  And yet...

I need to know, no doubt or ambiguity.  But he needed to be very, very cautious.

His mind made up, Karmack stood and composed the modified motif.  The time element made the song wild and beautiful - and a challenge to sing.  He felt a deep satisfaction as he mastered it and the motif took hold.  The very air seemed to change, filled with a golden hue, and he concentrated not on the energies he knew, but on the ones he did not.  As he concentrated, he felt time ripple around him, and he was there: two days after the fight. 

Two figures emerged, cloaked in black armor.  The larger one - a male - held a small oblivion sphere in his hand.  Karmack felt his eyes widen slighlty as the energies in the room - brighter, in the past - were absorbed by the sphere.  Its a recording device!  He saw the battle again, saw himself lying on the ground.  Saw Zearic fall.  Saw their interest in the dagger.  Iphosies ... from Dathomere...  He listened to them discuss the Ancient One, and cringed slightly at the reason the male voiced for not pursuing it.  He knows my Clan?  How?  Why?  Yet his assessment was accurate.  The exploits of its members, from Ha'Ona and her misguided uncle Jo'Set to Cage Li'i and the famous healers Jin'Set and Ja'Mat.  Mack's might be stopped, but they never quit.

Never.

The next snippet of conversation caught his attention.  The two had found Mendax, still clinging to a spark of life in the force after two days, and they directed healing energy into her essence.  Enough to keep her alive while a stasis pod was brought down.  They watched the pod be activated and extracted by more armored figures before the two paused and turned again to his healing song, using their own devices to manipulate the time flow as easily as watching a recording on holocube.  Karmack, in turn, watched them.

“I don’t think this Karmack or Zearic will appreciate our charity toward this particular individual…” the female noted, her attenuated voice still transmitting the ghost of a smile.

“We can’t be held responsible for what she does after we heal her.  Still we do need to keep a closer eye on both of them...”  The massive armored figure turned and looked down at Karmack's form, unconcious on the ground at his feet.  “I’ve seen a true Master Singer…” he noted mostly to himself as she draped herself behind him supportively,  “And you are not a true Master Ka’A’Mack ... not yet”

Karmack watched as the woman gave her companion a final squeeze before stepping away to oversee the final loading of the stasis pod - also made of the same black 'oblivion' material and far more compact than any he'd ever seen before - into their equally black, angular ship.  The figure stood a moment longer ... and then Karmack nearly jumped as he looked up and fixed Karmack with his gaze.  "Did you find what you sought Ka’A’Mack?”

His heart almost stopped, the connection to the past a millimeter from dropping from the shock. He sees me!  Knows I am watching!  But how? Looking this precisely into the past was requiring a substantial flow of force energy...  But he sensed no similar output from him...  You can't sense their use of the force?  This surprises you?

The armored figure turned and faced him.  “I was right to say you were not a master yet ... but it seems that has changed,” the black helmet stared straight at him.  “You have gained power ... if not wisdom.”

Swallowing hard Karmack forced his mind to work again. “Why?” he finally got out.  “Why Mendax?”

The figure shrugged. His speech was mechanical, gender-less, obviously designed to obfuscate the true voice beneath.  “Does not your Book of the Way tell you to help those in need?  Is it not an act of charity to heal a woman broken and abandoned?”

Counter-arguments sprang to his mind, but Karm brushed them aside.  He would not make the same mistakes he had made talking with Andisdottir – arguing with them was pointless.  They made their own rules, held every card and played expertly.  He would not take the bait.  “You are using her, knowing what she is, what she will do. Why?  Who are you?”

“Always in motion is the future.  I can’t predict what Mendax will do, nor are We responsible.  Her choices are her own.”  He answered no questions, avoided all responsibility for his actions ... and worse Karmack could not fault parts of his logic – a doctor who healed a criminal was not responsible for their future crimes.

Karmack tried again.  “What do you want with the Mak’Tor?”

The figure stared silently for a moment.  “Perhaps we haven’t told you that by your time..." He pointed at Karmack's saber.  "That crystal and its abilities – just a copy, that’s all.”

The same as Andisdottir...  Karmack nodded.  “To protect yourselves, I’ve heard this before…”

“And you refused.  Like I said; much power, little wisdom ... but perhaps we erred in our offer.  I will propose a new one just between the two of us – I will leave my compatriots ignorant to avoid a time paradox…”

Paradox ... the implications of this conversation suddenly became apparent to Karmack. For the figure, Karmack was in the future. That meant…he knew Karmack would be on Geonosis in the future.  If you knew exactly where and when your enemy would be somewhere...   He couldn’t stop his face from falling, his body tensing.  This man had months – MONTHS – to prepare for Karmack's arrival on Geonosis!  Months to devise a trap...  He swallowed, his mouth dry.  “What is your offer?”

“Mendax is a problem for you. I can make it go away.  Obviously I can’t undo what you have seen her do already, the Force would balk at such a paradox...”

That made Karmack think. just how much experience did this being have with altering time?  If Karmack had felt intimidated by them before he felt a spike of abject terror now – how can you fight an enemy who knows how to toy with time itself?

“...but when you return to your ship you might find a message celebrating Mendax' disappearance from your colleagues…”

His head was spinning, making deals across time and the potential paradoxes ... but ... all things had a price.  “And all I have to do is hand over the crystal for you to copy and tell you how to use it?”

“Fair trade.”

Karmack forced himself to consider it.  Trade a copy of the crystal and what he'd learned and Mendax would simply ... disappear?  No, the same arguments that had applied before with Andisdottir applied now.  Even if it meant death, that was better than giving a creature with such power the kind of amplifying tool the Ancient One had proven to be.  "As tempting as the offer is, I fear I must still decline."

The armored head cocked slightly to one side, the first really human gesture Karmack could attribute to him.  “You realize if you refuse this offer, whatever Mendax does next will cause you great regret.”

Karmack nodded, felt the quick stab of guilt in his gut, but it was hollow.  "Perhaps.  Though I can't help but remember that it wasn't I who resurrected Mendax.  Or gave her a ship and a crew."  An intuition suddenly blossomed in his thoughts.  "Or provided her with a thought bomb - and the means to survive it."

The armored figure didn't move, didn't try to defend the double standard he'd set.  He simply turned and walked away, fading as Karmack left his song and returned to his own present.  Only the echo of guilt remained.  Karmack forced himself to face it.  Sure, it was a double standard but Karmack did care about what Mendax did.  However impervious to guilt or regret these people were, whatever the cost, Karmack had been given a chance to remove Mendax from the equation, and he'd not taken it.

In that light, the rest of what he'd said took on an ominous overtone.  What is she up to?

Karmack turned and strode back to the runabout.  He'd already warned Silman about the Sith Lord.  The rest was in the Maker's hands...

[Karmack]

Chapter 18: Queen's Gambit
Part 2


 - M'Tzigon -

De'Ana watched as the Enterprise docked with the crippled freighter.  The calls from the ship's crew had gotten frantic over the two hours it took for the carrier to intercept their position as the stricken ship slowly lost atmosphere and the radiation leak from her engines continued.  THe leak itself did not appear to be dangerous - yet - but the loss of air was becoming critical by the time the carrier arrived.

The Enterprise was a converted Correlian CR-90 cruiser, one of several in the M'Tzigon navy, but the only one in-system currently.  The other four were out on extended patrol, mainly supporting an "Operation Wilberforce" being run jointly by the M'Tzigon military and certain allies.  Rumor had it that the Knights were heavily involved and while De'Ana was all for freeing slaves she sometimes worried about having so many navy ships - several Aurek and Besh type light assault cruisers were also involved - away from the home system.

Still, this crisis was finally coming under control.  Enterprise, now docked to the freighter, would take off the ship's crew and board with crewmen in protective gear to get the ship safely into a repair yard in-system.  She watched as a flight of fighters - elements of VF-1 - slid by on patrol.  For a moment she was lost in thought, distracted by the desire to fly one of the new ETA-2MJ fighters.  What a life...

Something odd caught her eye and she blinked.  The gun turrets on the freighter were moving...  "What the..."

"Attention Mak'Tor!  My Mistress Darth Mendax greets you!  You are informed that by order of my Mistress the so-called "Master of Song" Meanowan Karmack, Meanowan D'Aylanna Vih'Torr and Meanowan Zearic Vih'Torr are sentenced to death.  Those who have aided them - and will do so in the future - will also die.  This is only the beginning..."  With a flash the guns on the YV-929 fired point-blank into the Enterprise, tearing the larger ship apart.  De'Ana had no time to react as the cruiser came apart, internal explosions bursting the cruiser from stem to stern.

The freighter - still firing - leaped forward, her engines suddenly at full thrust and putting out far more acceleration than they should be capable of.  The radiation leak became a flood as the over-powered reactor leaped to critical output levels.

"What are they doing?  They'll all be killed!" her ops officer said.  "Are they suicidal?"

De'Ana's eyes went wide.  "Yes...."  She turned to the comm station.  "Communications!  Get central NOW!  CASE ZULU!"

The comm officer was a professional: despite his shock simply nodded and repeated in a calm, clear voice, "Central, this is the Maker's Melody.  We are declaring Case Zulu.  Repeat: Zulu Zulu Zulu!...."

De'Ana growled and threw her ship into pursuit, thrusters blazing at maximum power.  The guns on the freighter continued to blaze, picking off the Black Aces as they made desperate runs, but they'd been caught flat-footed and without momentum.  She would not.   "Weapons status!"

"Guns are up, but our turret is only equipped with light lasers.  Fine for harassing fighters or freighters, but against that?"

"Do your best." De'Ana replied.  "Helm, plot an intercept course..."

  ******

The freighter blazed in-system, and there was nothing to stop it.  The cruisers that would normally have been in-system were either out on Wilberforce missions or were conducting exercises - and not in position to intercept. 

At the helm, Ruug grunted and shook his head.  His hand rose toward the controls, intent on changing the collision course, only to have it swatted aside by her voice, her control...  He was going to die.  In ... twenty-three seconds. 

...finally ... release ...

  ******

The Maker's Melody intercepted the Lazy Suzan twelve seconds before impact with Orbit Three, one of the five orbital stations ringing M'Tzigon and serving as its space-based commerce and industrial hubs.  Lt. De'Ana'Crin brought her patrol craft in from below, driving the freighter's nose up.  Her drive added a side-bar delta-vee to the freighter's continuing accelleration.  It was just enough to prevent a collision as the two ships missed the outer industrial ring by a mere twenty-seven meters. 

The pair were fourty-three meters away from the inner habitat ring, turning at a rate that would clear both the station and the planet beyond, when the freighter exploded.

Orbit Three took the brunt of the explosion, the habitat ring bursting open in catastrophic decompression.  Debris and bodies flew into space in a raving torrent as the atmosphere of the station escaped into the vacuum of space ... and then the core power plants went critical.  The station simply disintegrated, hurling debris in an expanding, 360-degree cloud.  About 30% of it would find its way into the planetary atmosphere, where all but a few larger pieces would burn up harmlessly. 

One of those exceptions were the station's four primary defense modules.  Equipped with laser turrets and missile launchers, the modules were armored against attack and protected from the power surge that blew out most of the other systems on the station.  These four modules, each with a crew of around twenty men-at-arms, survived re-entry more-or-less intact, slamming into the surface of M'Tzigon in a wide dispersal pattern.  One landed in the ocean, harmlessly.  Two slammed into the M'Skigon range, causing minor damage to some roads and minimal loss of life. 

The fourth landed in down-town Coopersville, a hamlet in the M'Skigon range of approximately 5000 people.  All but a handful were incinerated by the blast of the detonation of the pod's on-board munitions.

Of the 100,000 souls on board Orbit Three, less than 4,000 were able to reach a life pod or shuttle in time to evacuate the station.

  ******

On the edge of the M'Tzigon system Orfa shut down the recording systems of her assault shuttle.  She cared little for the people of this system, but she'd felt Ruug die...  She would not soon forget ... or forgive.  But for now, she had a report to make.  She turned and leaped into hyperspace, leaving death and chaos behind her.

 - Karmack -

Karmack stepped out of the runabout and steeled himself.  He could feel the shock, anger and grief reverberating through the entire planet echoing within himself.  He'd see the spreading wreckage of Orbit Three on the way in, as well as the black scar where Coopersville had been and felt the sorrow of loss - and the rage at injustice.

You could have stopped this...   

He shook it off, pushing away the voice in the back of his head.  They'd stopped Mendax once; they would do it again.  It wasn't his fault if someone else put her back into action!  Karmack closed his eyes for a moment, a calming motif working through his mind and body.  Justice would have to wait.  He needed to report in with the Kage, then with the Order's healers and relief groups to see what could be done...

A Men-at-Arms Major wearing the shoulder flashes of both the Special Warfare Command and the Sword of Light approached Karmack as he left the landing pad.  The Sword of Light were specially trained and equipped Men-At-Arms trained by the Mak'Tor to fight dark-side force users.  Karmack had spent many hours instructing these elite soldiers, helping them hone their skills and learn ways to deal with and counter the special abilities a force user brought to a fight.  Karmack didn't recognize the Major, but the hostility radiating from him was almost palpable. For a moment Karmack through it was just part of the general anger following the attack, but the two hulking Mark IV battle droids flanking the Major made the point clearly: They were not here simply to welcome him home. 

The Major stepped out ahead of the droids and came to rigid attention.  "Maenowan Mack."

"Yes." Karmack replied, ramping up the relaxing motif so he could maintain his relaxed demeanor and a friendly tone.  "How can I help you Major?"

"Sir, you are ordered to report to General Cliff immediately.  I am to escort you there ... sir."

Karmack smiled without warmth.  "And what does General Cliff want with me?" he probed.

"Sir, you will need to take that up with the General.  If you will follow me?" 

Karmack looked at the droids, both of which were at the ready, their red eyes fixed on him.  "Well, Major, it seems I have an opening in my schedule after all.  I would be happy to see General Cliff.  Please, lead on."

Without another word the Major spun on his heel and strode ahead at a crisp military pace.  Karmack followed, noting that one droid fell in on his left, the other behind.  Like the Major, the droids carried the shoulder flashes of the Special Warfare Command.  "New recruits, Major?"

The Major said nothing, only walking.  When they reached HQ the droids stopped outside, standing at parade rest flanking the main entrance while the Major led Karmack into the building.  When they reached the General's office the Major reached out and knocked firmly on the door three times.  The General's response was immediate: "Come!"

The Major opened the door and waved Karmack through, following him into the room and closing the door behind himself.  As he entered Karmack opened himself to the force, listening to the song resonating within the walls and sampling the emotions radiating from the General.  If anything the hostility in the room was greater than what had greeted him on the tarmac.  Karmack bowed following Mak'Tor rather than military protocol.  "General."

"Karmack." Cliff turned like a turret, eyes level. When he spoke his voice barked like gunfire. "Maenowan, you are notified that as of this moment you are placed under House Arrest. Your actions in regards to Darth Mendax and her associates have been deemed to have imperiled the lives of our Men-At-Arms, the security of our State, and were a direct cause of the death and destruction resulting from the attack on Orbit Three.  You will lay down your arms and remain under House Arrest, under guard, until such time as a Tribunal may be empaneled to determine to what extent your actions  or those of your Clan have made you culpable in this incident - and what charges will be brought."

Karmack met the General's eyes, and death stared back.  He's utterly serious...  Karmack's own emotions were raw...and suddenly he didn't care about maintaining his calm. The calming motif died and a white-hot core of anger and rage broke in his belly and blazed from his own eyes. "General, you have no authority..."

"I have all the authority I need!" Cliff blazed back.  "Martial Law has been declared.  You will STAND DOWN, Meanowan, or so help me Maker I will clap you in irons and throw you UNDER the brig. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR, MEANOWAN?!?"

Cliff's temper was incandescent and unconstrained.  Karmack felt his rage beginning to uncoil, awakening the opening motifs of his battle song. When he spoke his voice was the temperature of liquid helium. "As a courtesy, General, I will submit to your request for restricted movement.  But I will NOT..."

Cliff interrupted Karmack, face darkened.  "Are you resisting arrest, Meanowan? Refusing the order of a superior officer?  How dare you?  What gives you the right, you jumped up ... wizard wannabe!?!?"

Karmack stepped forward, into Cliff's rage.  "Right?  I have every right!  You have NO cause, no evidence to demand this!"

Cliff's face darkened further as his fury built to dangerous levels.  He rose and slammed his hands down on the desk, his voice deadly despite its suddenly lower volume.  "You arrogant bastard.  How dare you disrespect this office and it's authority? You really don't care about anything but your own jumped-up sense of importance and moral superiority do you?"

Karmack stepped forward and matched Cliff's pose, going nose-to-nose with the General.  His battle song rang in his ears and his own eyes were focused and deadly, the blue icy with distilled fury.  "General, I don't know what lies you have been fed, or why you seem to hate me so much, but know this: I do respect this office and its authority. If I did not, we wouldn't be having this ... conversation.  But even under Martial Law you have no right to arrest or disarm me until after you have filed formal charges.  And if you do file those charges, understand that I am virtually certain that any Tribunal or Military Court you empanel will be biased against me, and as a Knight I have the right to demand Trail by Combat." 

"Do it!" Cliff hissed.  "I swear to you, I will find the most psychotic brute the galaxy has to offer to slap that arrogance right out of you.  Major, disarm this man and place him under close arrest!"

"Meanowan Ka'A'Mack, you are unde..." the Major stepped forward, reaching for Karmack's shoulder, intending to turn him for a quick search before confiscating his saber and binding his hands ... and froze in place.  Karmack never moved, never broke eye contact with Cliff, never even twitched as he locked down every joint in the Major's body, careful to allow just enough freedom of movement for the man to be able to breathe and balance ... but nothing else.

Karmack leaned in further, his nose now only an inch or two away from the apoplectic Cliff.  "If you press this, I will demand that trial, and your champion ... will ... die.  Now, I am going home.  If you wish to discuss this ... incident ... further, you know where to find me."

Karmack straightened and turned, meeting the eyes of the frozen Major.  With an explosive exhalation of breath the Major stumbled as Karmack released him and his body suddenly unfroze.  He lurched forward, caught himself, and then his eyes were captured by Karmack's.  Nothing was said, but the Major immediately took two quick steps back, his hand dropping to his side-arm ... but he refusing to draw it.

Karmack turned back to Cliff, who was still red with rage but equally speechless.  Karmack took a deep breath and let his battle song spin back down, returning to the calming motif.  Karmack's rage ebbed slowly, his body still physically taunt as he turned and walked out of the office, the Major scrambling to catch up to him as he went.

Cliff sat at his desk, fuming, unaware of how close to death he'd been.  He was only aware of his own fury, his own certainty that somehow, someway, Karmack and his Clan were ultimately to blame.  He watched through the window as Karmack emerged from the HQ building, the Major still trailing behind, and fell in with his droid escort.  He turned toward the foot path, leading the droids and the hapless Major to the motor pool where they would commandeer transport to the Temple area and Karmack's quarters.  As he watched them go Cliff keyed his intercom.  "Du'An, how many of the Mark IVs have the new software upgrade installed?"

"The 'Kage Killer' protocol? Seventeen, sir, including the two currently on special assignment."

"Good.  Deploy two more as perimeter guards around Meanowan Karmack's quarters.  No one goes in or out without my express permission. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

*end of Chapter 18*

[Taegin Roan]

You touched on something I have refused to get into so far. Time Travel ("or as I like to call it, a Temporal Voyage" quote from a different book my sister and I are writing, sorry). I am too into manipulation of Time and Space (and Reality) and I know what happens when you time travel. So in SW I have refused to do any of it. That being said that was awesome to see. With the Aethan's being able to see Karmack as well. it worked perfectly, and was confusing enough to actually be real (not that I was confused. That kind of thing never confuses me). I love how short lived Gaetana's Mendax's victory was, she didn't even really have time to celebrate the victory before finding out that it was false. Plus, now we are seeing that Karmack's vision is also going to come true (just as Zearic's did). Will it happen like it is supposed too, or will they find a way to change the future. In SW, "Always in motion, the future is" is the saying, but then comes the question: is it really? Is it really in motion, or is it set in stone like many scholars believe it is? Very good chapter, I look forward to what is to come.

[Karmack]

Thanks Teagan!  The time-travel aspect is something LSG has touched on before, but his references were more subtle.  We wanted to give a sense of just how expanded Karmack's awareness and control have become - and his inexperience with his new abilities.  And, yeah ... time travel.

Its interesting that the Aethans are very cautious with it, the armored figure fully aware that even if the deal were taken, he wouldn't be able to actually change anything that had already happened from Karmack's POV.  Karmack?  He's just slightly terrified...

Karm won't have to much trouble restricting his movements for Cliff.  He has a LOT to think / meditate on...