The Wastes of Ambria [completed]

[Daria Nytherciria]

On route from Kamsul to Stenness, I have found myself in an… unfortunate situation. Earlier this morning the ships sensors picked up an Imperial scout ship sweeping the sector. With the ship ahead, my only option was to land on the nearest planet or moon. As fate would have it, I have been forced to dock on Ambria, a barren world to which I am no stranger. It has a dark past, one which I would rather not revisit… Regardless of my wishes, however, the Force has brought me here for a reason. Even in orbit I could sense something… something odd. The Jedi Archives spoke of a Master by the name of Thon who once tamed the darkness here, pushing it deep beneath the waters of Lake Natth. I can only hope that whatever Thon defeated remains as it was then – hidden…

***

The central settlement on Ambria was rarely quiet. Flanked on all sides by BioTech Industries offices, it was in constant motion. Though the world itself was inhospitable, the resources it had to offer were innumerable. At least in the Stenness system, Ambria was the first place to go if you were in need of the latest cyborg technologies or medical supplies. Though intent on keeping a low profile whilst planetside, the Jedi Knight Daria Nytherciria could not deny the opportunity to stock up on such supplies given the chance.

There was not the only opportunity she could not refuse. Although she had felt hesitant to leave her ship, a new calling tugged at her will, one she had known she would feel. Before long, she found her feet carrying her to the place that she had hoped she would never see again. As she walked, the sun lowered in the sky. The wind caught the edges of her robes. Ahead, she could make out of the shadow of a building. Though her eyes could not see it, the light refracted against its glass walls. Through the Force, she could see that there was life within – both plant and human. Against her better judgment, she continued towards the compound.

[Severen Morkonis]

It was like being in a tunnel, slowly but surely you would make it to the end, make it to the light in comfort of its warmth and soft delicate touch. The wind blew calmly through the building, through the holes in which glass formaly stood in their pains. The breeze was chilly though still quite soothing, for a moment the man on the ground smiled, the wind and the sun were normaly at war, fighting for presidence over lands far and wide but today they seemed to be allied, the seemed to work closely together.

At this, the man awoke, his eyes glazed over by a milky film of white and red. Blood it seemed has crept into his eyes and had dried there. He could only open his eyes part way for the dried blood restriced anymore, he mouth felt dry, horrible and dry like water had not passed his mouth for many a moon. How long exsactly had he been out, how long had he been down here?

If his back gave any clue at all the pain suggested that he has been on the durasteel quite sometime. His first glimps into his new world was green leaves swaying gently in the breeze. green everywhere infact. Some with bright flowers, some with dull flowers, some were trees and herbs others were simply pretty flowers in bloom. Though some of the leaves were now tanning from lack of water Severen decided that it was the most beutiful place he had ever seen.

It was the only place he had ever seen.

Blood?

He instantly reached for his head and in return he felt a sharp pain course through his head. A pain unlike he could ever remember feeling. A flash centered in his mind, a purple strip of light clashing against red, sihloettes weilding them masterfully. Sparks, flaims and then darkness. He opened his eyes again this time he wanted to stand, he saw in his hands that he had older hands, instantly recognizing age through skin. he was old but not terribly old, perhaps fourty five, or fifty, with no reflective surface in site he would not see his face in a while.

Now standing a dizzyness came over him, his head was quite damaged, and although all around him were plants to help such a victim in a crisis, he was unable to remeber what any of the plants actually did- a noise...

The man turned his head sharply in the direction of the crack, noting the blood on the floor as he did so, a pool of red liquid where his head was sqeezed a moment of panic from his heart before he turned again in the direction the noise came, he saw an exit to his left, into a small potting room and in less than a moments though he bolted for it, shutting the door behind him and switching of the light.

[Daria Nytherciria]

Now only a matter of yards from the building, Daria stopped. There was nothing sinister or foreboding about what stood before her, yet the shadow of the dilapidated building loomed ominously over her. There was so much history within the four walls, history that seemed to be stopping her from moving any further. For a long time she simply stood and listened, to the Force, to the wind, to the silence. Slowly, concern crept into her mind.

I had last stood before this now ruined conservatory a matter of years ago. Then it had been my choice to come here, to find the one who called this place his sanctuary. It was my intention to hunt him down and kill him. I speak of course of a Sith Lord. There was no malice in me, no lust for revenge. I sought only to return balance to the Force…

The mantra of the Jedi code circled through Daria’s mind as she began walking once more. There is no emotion, there is peace. With every step, she felt closer to the shroud that surrounded the planet. The conflicting forces she had felt seemed to be emanating from within the walls of the glass house. It radiated confusion and fear.

For a Miraluka, everything is seen in terms of the Force. Daria saw none of the blood that marred the room. Stood in the open doorway, she saw only energy, vitality. The array of flora contained within the green house was vast. Though no botanist, she knew that such things could not flourish alone. Even if the plants had become unruly, overgrown, that had grown. Ambria was a desert world, a caretaker would be needed. Who, she wondered, would want to become keeper of such a place? Unless…

Carefully, she palmed the metallic cylinder that hung beneath her robes, concealing it from view. Her mind reaching out through the Force, she felt for the source of uncertainty – the void in this abundance of life.

[Severen Morkonis]

'Who are you?' Said the man from behind her, this time he was armed, it was little more than a spade but it was something, anything to defend himself with. Cemented blood cascaded down his white shirt from the wound upon his head, his hair was matted from the red liquid he looked like a bum, somone poor and reckless.

Something prickled at the back of his mind, he could feel recognition within her but he could not place a finger on it. He lifted his spade higher, as high as his hand, aching nastily, could take it.

' Who are you and what do you want?'

[Daria Nytherciria]

Daria froze. It took all of her will to remain composed. That voice. The lightsaber in her hand remained hidden, though her thumb now lingered over the activation switch. Slowly, she turned. The man she looked upon, however, was not the man she expected. Certainly, it was Severn Morkonis, yet there was something different about him. He did not feel… whole. Her cloak was a simple disguise, yet even this would have been transparent to one such as Severn – and yet, he did not recognize her.

“I apologize for intruding,” she said, speaking slowly and carefully. She sensed his pain.

“… You’re hurt. I have… some medical supplies.”

[Severen Morkonis]

The man stepped back a few paces, Spade trembling slightly, it was beginning to get heavier and heavier, and harder to keep upright. He noticed that she had froze, he also noticed that she was stumbling over her words suspiciously, it was as if she knew what this was all about.

Spade there, although waivering, he held strong.

' You did not answer my question...'

[Daria Nytherciria]

She could not bring herself to say her real name. “My name is Lillith.”

Her lies were spoken without wavering. “I don’t mean you any harm. I only came to see these.. the flowers.”

Daria motioned her free hand towards the greenery that surrounded them.

“One of the market traders said they were quite a sight to behold.”

She paused only a moment. Any longer would have provoked further suspicion.

“Again, I apologize; I did not know that this was a private property. I shall leave now.”

[Severen Morkonis]

' You have medication?' he asked quickly, even before she took the first step to leave. He lowered the spade, surrendering to her offered help he dropped it to the ground with a clatter. he knew without help he would not make it out of here, let alone to the town at the bottom of the dune.

' I can safely say by the sound in your voice i look a fair sight...dont i?' His eyes sofened, he evaded her hidden gaze, shameful of his position, submissive an weak. ' Nice to meet you, er- he pointed at her, trying to remembr her name that she had said just moments before. ' Lillith?'

[Daria Nytherciria]

Daria’s hand dipped into the folds of her cloak. As it did so, she concealed her lightsaber, convinced that at least for the moment it would not be needed. She retrieved a handful of salves from the pocket she had deposited the hilt in, and offered them (and her assistance) to him.

As I handed the med packs to Severen, I found myself wondering what had happened to cause this apparent amnesia. I did not sense that he was lying and thus could only assume that somehow the wounds he had received had caused enough internal damage to result in a loss of memory. Had I been responsible? All of this, all of the damage, had been a product of our feud – the feud that I thought had killed Darth Stratus… and yet, here he stood before him. Worse for wear, but alive.

Questions flooded my mind, as I questioned what I was to do with this new found knowledge. I had no Master or Council to report the find to. I was judge and jury, and for the time being I decided the truth was too sensitive a subject to broach...

“What happened here?”

[Severen Morkonis]

He looked at the stalves for a moment, utterly perplexed by the usage of them. Severen motioned to his head, now glued in blood and some sort of gunge that had the potent smell of rot about it. ' Could you, um?' He tried to smile, but even that seemed painful, be it mentaly rather than physicaly. His eyes turned this way and that, searching the greenhouse.

' I wish i knew what happned, i've only just this moment awoke from my slumber on the ground, there, you can see the blood, that was my resting place.' he scanned his mind quickly, trying to find any clues even within is mind, but it was blank, a void of utter blackness filled his memory, as if it had been forcefully removed, and the hole in his head was the extraction point.

' I dont know Lillith-' he took a glance at the giant plant in the centre of the entire greenhouse, it grew nearly to the top of the domed building, almost looking like a palmtree, but its leaves were red in colour and its trunk was a lush green.'-Beautiful is'nt it? Whomever made this had such a talent.' he gazed up looking at the plant in awe.

[Daria Nytherciria]

“It’s wonderful,” she smiled somewhat, getting to work apply the medical salves. As she had suspected, Severen had suffered memory loss. She wondered, with alarm, if he had been this way since their last confrontation. It had been years since their sabers had clashed and although it was not unheard of for the Force to care for a Jedi, she had never heard of a Dark Sider being sustained as such. It was nothing short of a miracle.

As she pressed a patch to his forehead, careful to be gentle as he winced away, Daria asked, “You don’t remember anything at all, not even your name?”

[Severen Morkonis]

' Ouch, ouch, ouch-' Severen winced as the pads touched his head, but gave a teasing smile all the same and let her continue, it was almost as if he had known her for quite some while, years even, he felt quite comfortible with her, why, he had no idea, but he felt rather accustomed to her presence.

'-No i can't say that i remember anything only, i see when i close my eyes, two shadowed figures, one with a purple blade and the other with a red one, sparks, fire and they are fighting with them, thats about all i remember...'

He let that sink in his own mind, trying to figure out exsactly what these blades could be, he had never seen anything like it. Of course he remembered the fundermentals, knives, daggers and swords, but swords that glowed a colour or two? Never had he seen that.

' Whats a Jedi?' He blurted quickly, the word litrally sprining to his mind as he said it.

[Daria Nytherciria]

“A Jedi is...”

Here hesitation was evident. Truth be told, it was a difficult question to answer. There were so many interpretations of what a Jedi should and should not be, that it had become almost impossible to define exactly what they were. Of course, for each explanation there was one common feature.

“A Jedi is someone who is in tune with the Force. Typically they use it to help them help others, for the greater good.” She smiled somewhat, applying a thin gauzing and bandage to Severens head, to keep the bacta patch in place.

“The most famous Jedi that you may have heard of is Luke Skywalker. He was one of only a handful of his kind left.”

[Severen Morkonis]

'They use the force for good?'

Severen said in a thoughtful tone. He seemed relaxed and quite mellow towards the woman who he had only just met. it was if, strangley these two had ha a very long history, somwhere in the back of Severesn mind was a hint of knowing her.

' Do i know you at all? you seem to have a look of recognition in you're voice when you first spoke...'

[Daria Nytherciria]

Daria shook her head. “I don’t believe we’ve met, no. I’m sure I would have remembered. I have a good memory for faces.”

Lying. It wasn’t the way of the Jedi. Honesty was the way… perhaps I’d lost my way? Then again, the code was merely a guideline. There had never been any necessity to follow it to the letter, not since the arrogant days of the Old Republic, and I remembered all too well how the Jedi then had faired. This situation required delicacy.

Looking around for a moment, Daria’s mind was made up. “I was going to head back to my ship for a meal. Why don’t you join me? I don’t often have company… it would be nice to have someone else to cook for.”

[Severen Morkonis]

' I have felt as if i have not eatern in some time, my stomerch souns as-' It made a noise coincidently as if it was somehow answering Severen and his call for food. '-I dont know should i let my stomerch do the talking?' Morkinis smiled then, a smile not seen in countless years, a treat.

Raising from his seated position he gestured towards the door, but on reconcideration he stopped and looked at the potted plants. An idea snapping to attention.

' Are any of this edible?' he asked her, quite intrigued by the small round, melon looking plant to his left.

[Daria Nytherciria]

“I would like to venture a guess,” Daria said, glancing at various plans. None appeared immediately harmful, but nature had a way of playing tricks on you like that. She smiled somewhat at the thought, her mind distracted. Quickly, she shook the thought away.

“If nothing else, you need to see a doctor,” she continued, reasserting her concentration.

“And the local law enforcement. They should be informed about what’s happened.”

Truthfully, Daria doubted such an action would be of any use. If Severen truly had lain in the greenhouse comatose for a number of years, it seemed unlikely that any of the locals cared about his situation, despite their previously friendly appearance.

[Severen Morkonis]

' I'd rather not get those people involved, they are useless as-as far as i can remember' Severen frowned, the first time he actually said something that reminded him of his own past, the local down below saw him as a Imperial, one that was once within the intelligence of the Empire, but not now and certainly severen could not remember it.

'Come, lets eat, im starving' Severen got up and began to leave the building. He dropped the spade onto the floor and smiled at Daria, gesturing towards the door.

[Daria Nytherciria]

As far as I can remember, he had said. Was his memory returning? I was dubious – and truthfully hopeful that it would remain clouded for the time being. If Severen was to remember himself, it needed to be a slow careful process. One that I didn’t want the burden of overseeing, yet felt I was going to be lumbered with regardless, such was the will of the Force.

“I’m afraid I’m not the best cook in the galaxy. I can’t promise you won’t end up with an upset stomach,” Daria said as they headed outside. There was very little light left now, the sun having all but vanished beneath the horizon. The Miraluka, naturally, did not notice this. What she did notice, however, were the silhouettes of a group of people a short distance away. Their auras were dark, and their intentions even more so.

[Severen Morkonis]

'We saw you go in, and now you come out, we would like everything you posess if you do not mind.' Sarcasem raged through his voice as if it was a natual slither of his energy. Well it was, somehow Seeren could feel that this man was little more than a thief, but a thief with great history and connections. he could feel, strangley, that he had other intentions other than just to take their belongings.

' And what if we dont?' Morkinis pressed, his eyes firm on thos within th shadow, he already knew the answer even before it escaped the lips of those present. What was going on, was he just predicting, or assuming correctly?

' We will gut you like we do the creatures of the lake, not far from here, Morkinis. I did not expect to see you ever again, it has been some time since i have dealt with you!'

Severen paused half way through a retort, his eyes searching the sand, not for anything, but mostly for something in his mind, however that someting, that anything refused to come. Blind of thought he looked back up.

' You lie! I would never have dealings with such rabble, such scum!'

The men in the shadow shifted uneasily.

[Daria Nytherciria]

Already spectres of the past had returned to haunt Severen. There was much he was to be held accountable for, and not for a moment did I doubt that these men was justified in their accusations. As much as justice was called for, however, now was not the time for penance to be done.

“There is no need for confrontation,” Daria spoke, with resolve. The Force radiated subtly from her being, influencing the minds of the shadowy figures. Confidence and strength carried in her voice, compelling the men to back down.

[Severen Morkonis]

The crowed laughed in retort to her attempt at using Jedi mind tricks, they were a race that of which can withstand such rape of the mind, they were humanoid but ones which a stron will and dominant mind.

' You're Jedi mind tricks to not work on us SISTER! but you're saber might and so we will leave you this day, you are a lucky man Severen that you have such destinguished companions or we would throw you in the lake to be eatern, i assure you.''

With this, the ring leader waved his hand and he with his bandits vanished behind a sand dune to the east.

' Severen, well i guess we figured out my name now, huh?' His old face looked into the direction that they had walked to and ten back to Daria. ' Severen Morkonis-er me must have angered them in such a way that my death would have been payment enough, i must have been quite an evil bastard!'

[Daria Nytherciria]

“It does seem that you accumulated a few enemies,” Daria observed, watching until the last of the attackers had vanished, until she could no longer see them or feel their presence through the Force.

“At least we know your name now… Severen,” she added, smiling somewhat weakly. Saying the name aloud brought back old memories, memories she suppressed as soon as they came to mind. Shaking away thoughts of the past, she gathered up her cloak.

“We’d better get going then, just incase they decide to come back with some friends.”

[Severen Morkonis]

' Those kinds of people dont have friends, just allies' Severen said his voice seemed as if he already knew about them and their racket. Perhaps he did, he just did not know. He trudged on through the sand ahead of her as if leading the way, his head bowed.

The village ahead of them was dirty, much like tatooine, dome shaped buildings, nothing symetrical, the occassional speeder passing through, the town was nothing special. Your typical desert city.

' I wonder what my former selt thought about this place, its hardly a bloody mecca for life is it?' he said as he made for the town, Darias ship easily viewible within the the one single landing slot there. ' What did they mean, mind tricks?'

[Daria Nytherciria]

“I’m not sure,” Daria lied, as they grew closer to her ship. “Perhaps they recognized that I wasn’t human… there are a lot of false truths spread about my species.”

The excuse sounded plausible. It was true that many people did not understand the Miraluka, and as such tended to fabricate stories about what they were capable of doing.

“Here we are.” She smiled and motioned to the modest, sand-beaten YT model ahead of them. It was unmarked and was as plain as could be, so as to appear entirely unassuming. The interior of the ship was as standard. It was neat and tidy, with no clutter to be seen.

“It’s not much,” Daria smiled, “but it’s home.”

[Darth Stratus]

FLASH

*****************

' Daria, my sweet Daria, how you are so blind to the true nature of the force! How i pitty you and you're former master for even daring to choose the Jedi' Stratus opened his arms wide, saber in hand and ignited, its purple glow peircing into the redness of Darth Stratus' blood red mask.

Stratus was covered in head to tow in a full black robe made of soft silky material though looked as tough as iron, his hood was up and upon his face a red mask which had only a slit cut into the steel for view. He towered over Daria like a bird of prey of its submissive feast.

' You cannot possibly imagine the true potential of the Darkside! Come to me Daria, come and embrace my tutorlidge!'' His voice rasped, it sounded dry and metallic as if a robot was speaking for him.

There surroundings was urban though as a spectator Severen could not understand where it was, it was dark and wooded, deep within the vines of gigantic trees that reached into the sky and out of site. This dream this vision...it was far to fantastic to be true, surely?

Whomever the masked figure was, it began to circle Daria, his arms wide, welcoming a strike, or submittance.

[Daria Nytherciria]

Opposite the masked Sith stood a slim figure in a tattered brown robe. She was somewhat breathless, yet now stood her ground with firm determination. The shadowy undergrowth of Kashyyyk had provided a good hiding place, but it simply wasn’t good enough. No matter how hard and far she ran Daria could not escape the past. Not while Stratus still lived.

The hilt in her hands crackled to life, the red beam extending with a hiss.

“It is you who is blind to the true Force, Stratus. Open your eyes to what you have become. It is never too late to change…

Redeem yourself.”

[Darth Stratus]

' You are a fool Daria, a fool that fails to see her own mistakes. You are a clown to the way of the Jedi, people see you as an outcast, a freak! Do you really honestly trust that he allowed you into his training because you were special? Because you were one with the force?' Stratus said, inclining his head to the left quite sarcasticly.

He continues to circle her, his arms wide open in welcome of anything she could possibly attempt, or to surrender his eyes blazing in her direction.

' You are misguided, Child. The Jedi Masters of the order will only think for themselves as did you're master, they will gain from you're racial abilities if ever you meet them, Daria and gain political advantages! Dont you see this Daria? Dont you see that they will use you?'

He gestured to her with a gloved hand, his fingers curled slightly as if lurring her in towards the darkness of the force.

' Heed my words Daria, you will do better to part from the light side, it is a lie, a folly and you have been entangled into it all! You're master was simply a trickster!'

[Daria Nytherciria]

Through the Miraluka’s eyes, the Force seemed to warp and writhe around Stratus, as though it ached to be near him.

“And you would have me believe that I would better serve the Force by submitting to your will? I won’t be your pawn.”

[Darth Stratus]

' Pawn?' Spat Stratus, his body language revealing a genuinly suprised position. His armes lowered slightly now as if his body had lost an amount of hope on the matter, as if dissapointed.

' I am not like the Jedi, old friend, i do not use people to my own gain, this is a choice for you, a choice for you to be who you are meant to be, to do with the powers that you wish rather than what you're master has forcefully taught your young mind!'' His head now bowed towards her like he was concentrating sole on 'helping' her see the right in this matter.

' He poisoned your'e mind Daria, not only poisoned it against me but also towards the force itself. You were brought up to hate us Sith yet how do you truely know, except from the biased opinion of your old man that this is the true way? Hmm?'

[Daria Nytherciria]

“I do not hate you,” Daria corrected, frowning somewhat.

“But I do know your kind. I have witnessed your truth, seeing you slaughter my Master and his apprentices… seeing the Emperor corrupting the Republic, taking away our freedom. My ancestors witnessed your truth, as the Sith wiped out their entire planet.”

Pausing, the Jedi Knight shook her head.

“You say this is a choice – I made my decision long ago and I stand by it.”

[Darth Stratus]

' Then-' Stratus began, taking his saber within two hands and raising it above his head so that the top of the hilt was just above his eyes. '-You leave me little choice ether, Daria.' With that and in such a quick motion, Stratus brought down his saber so that it came crashing down upon her young body in a powerfull downward arc.

[Daria Nytherciria]

As the two warriors blades met, the image in Severen’s mind vanished in a flash of white.

“severen… Severen… Severen can you hear me?”

Daria’s voice broke through the haze, full of concern. She had sat Severen down when he had seemingly passed out of consciousness. Now crouched in front of where he sat, she held his shoulders lightly. She recognized the signs of a vision in the Force and had been powerless to pull him out of it until the scene played to its natural conclusion.

“I think you’d better have a lie down…”

[Severen Morkonis]

Thoughts raced through his mind, images still present in his mind that would never cease to haunt him from this day fourth. His eyes were speckled with dots that made him feel sick and they prickled as if electricity was flowing through them. More than that, he was exsausted.

' Who are you? Really?' He said meeting the eyes of Daria.

[Daria Nytherciria]

Daria met his gaze with conviction. “Who are you?”

[Severen Morkonis]

A quick burst of anger hit him like a bolt of lightning, he flung her arms away from him, pushing her backwards into the durasteel of the hull.

' You lied to me!' He said barely containing the audio volume as it raised with every word. ' Who are you, who is Daria?!' His eyes piearced into hers, even though the cloth that hid them.

' Tell me!'

[Daria Nytherciria]

“Calm yourself,” Daria, getting back to her feet. She sighed. Already she could feel his awareness to the Force was returning. “I won’t lie to you. I am a Jedi… and we have met before…”

[Severen Morkonis]

' Who are i?' he said immediatly his eyes digging into her like daggers, who knew what this gaze did when he was what he was before. 'And what really happned Daria?'

His mind was racing, full of possibilities, full of situations, a Jedi wanting him dead? there was only a handful of possibilities. Only a few would make a Jedi want his former self dead.

[Daria Nytherciria]

“I don’t want to harm you, Severen. I’m only here to help you,” she assured, feeling his temper rising. “I can tell you what happened to me, but you must calm your mind… your indignation is fruitless.”

[Severen Morkonis]

His face was ridgid, his anger getting the better of him but his thirst for knowledge overcoming his hunger for anger, he sat upon the table that Daria had been pushed back against in Severens attack.

' I am sorry-'' He said bowing his head apologeticly ' You must understand i'm-i'm at a loss to know what to do or say, what is going on Daria?' He asked in a wistful sigh.

[Daria Nytherciria]

“Today… today wasn’t the first time that we had met, Severen. I have met you many times before. You and I traveled together.”

The weight of the situation bore down on Daria’s shoulders, as she struggled with the decision of whether or not to tell the man before he that he had once hunted her like an animal.

She could not, and so the web of lies grew greater.

“I am a Jedi Knight, one of the last remaining few. You were part of the team I once worked with… a chemist. You provided both medical and demolitions equipment. What you saw there, that vision… you were there. You watched as I fought that Sith, and tended to my wounds once I had defeated him.”

[Severen Morkonis]

' I thought as much...' He said refering to her profession.

' And what am i, som- some sort of doctor?' He said not looking at her down, his head looking torward the wall of the ship he was in. For some reason he could not bare to look at her.

[Daria Nytherciria]

“An alchemist. That greenhouse was yours… you used the plants to create organic remedies far more potent than the likes of bacta.”

She paused then nodded. “You were a doctor of sorts, an invaluable team member.”

[Severen Morkonis]

' A team member to what?' Morkonis asked quickly, his inquisitive mind racing with so many possibilities. Did he, had he aided the Jedi in their secet quest? Grasping her wrists gently he implored her with his facial expressions to tell him.

' Who was i?' He asked despretly.

[Daria Nytherciria]

“You were as you are now,” she replied, not struggling against his grasp. It was imperative that he believe her. It was too early for him to learn the full truth of their past together, far too early. She only hoped that she could curb his curiosity long enough.

“Your compassion and appreciation for life of all kinds brought you to our side. You worked with us in secret, even in our time of exile from the Empire.”

[Severen Morkonis]

Severens' eyes narrowed. With this new infomation it was quite hard to fathom why exsactly the young Jedi had lied to him in the first place. His past had seemed perfectly innocent, and his profession reasonible, then why did she lie to begin with?

His eyes now shifted from her face to the wall next to her, he could not bare to look her in the face, it was if she had a grasp over him, a whole advantage over him, as if he was on a reign waiting to be let loose on his past life. He had no reason not to trust her, but neither did he have one to take in everything she told him.

He let her arms drop.

' Let us have something to eat...' Morkonis said turning away from her, the air thick with mingled paranoia and unsaid words.

[Daria Nytherciria]

It was with these words that the two of us settled into a comfortable silence. I felt no remorse for the lies I had told- they were necessary- yet some small feeling of guilt, borne from the knowledge that Severen would one day uncover his true nature, lurked in the back of my mind. With an old technique my Master had taught my, I cleared my mind of my troubles and set about the tasks at hand. We would eat, talk, sleep and then at day-break… travel. Our destination? Unknown. For years I had relied upon the will of the Force to guide me, following its ebbs and flows from star to star. This would be no different.

As I lay my head down that night, my once arch-nemesis and bane of my existence already sleeping peacefully opposite, I pondered the mysteries of the Force, and soon too succumbed to a deep sleep…