A Good Woman's Epilogue - 9.111

[ADAR]

The new duties of his station - which in itself seemed tenuous at best - were as equally filled with secretarial work as they were with procedure and indoctrination. For so long he had been left to languish on a dead world, and now that he'd been brought back, the MMU unit known as ADAR knew he had purpose once more. At least, a small purpose. But still, it was better than the perpetually powered-down state that he had been in.

Commodore Vansen Tyree had spent long hours drilling the the new addition to his crew, giving the droid datapads of history and the current climate of the galaxy to download.

It was not a glorious existence, but it was still an existence to be sure.

Of course, with the news that Commodore s'Ilancy's replacement had finally arrived, ADAR had been instantly set to the task of meeting the man in what used to be the Commodore's office. Now it belonged to the new liaison.

ADAR did not knock; it was time-consuming and counterproductive to do so. Instead he keyed the door's override code, stepping through once it'd opened.

[Zem Vymes]

In a way, it was like being back in time and back aboard the Arbitrator, during the height of the Clone Wars. Zem knew where every corridor turned this way and that. He could almost get about blindfolded. The only differences were the few cosmetic alterations the Alliance had made to the ship, and about 30 years worth of accumulated dinginess that wouldn't quite scrub away.

It was a strange homecoming for the old Jedi. He sat in the office - the very same sort of office he used to sit in, and thought about battles past, long ago. His attention was diverted to the door a scant two seconds before it parted, and he suddenly had a visitor.

Zem sat up as he regarded the droid. Definitely not a protocol droid, with its barge first and ask questions second approach. No sense in responding to the intrusion with anger or disdain. He'd cut to the chase in a way a droid could appreciate, provided it had the circuits to feel that way.

"Yes?"

[ADAR]

"You are Zem'El Vymes."

It was more a statement than a question, and ADAR waited for the door to close behind him. He knew at least that those of flesh and blood liked their privacy in many matters.

"You take the place of Commodore s'Ilancy as liaison."

The MMU stopped in front of the desk, his optics scanning the office. Nothing was too terribly out of place.

"This office has been kept largely as it was when she left. I hope that it is to your satisfaction."

[Zem Vymes]

"Zem-El..."

Vymes leaned back in his seat, contemplating that. Nobody called him Zem-El. No one had, since..."

The mention of Commodore made him see the droid in a new light. The contours, the form of the build. He remembered something like this back on Schwartzweld. It definitely had his former pupil's aesthetic.

The droid's question almost went unnoticed. The Jedi at last nodded.

"Yes. It's, uh, serviceable. Fine."

This wasn't just a checkup. Too many coincidences to be.

[ADAR]

There was a small silence as the droid seemed to study the man who now sat before him. From the information that Loklorien s'Ilancy had given, Zem-El Vymes was a man who at least knew some of the old ways. She had mentioned that he knew Bast'yr, even. It was an interesting point of knowledge, but one that did not take any small amount of time to dwell on.

"Very good."

Slender, metallic fingers clicked together as the old droid drew himself up to stand just a little straighter, and his sloping neck sent his head a bit to the side as he continued to look down at the Jedi.

"I am in the official capacity of Commodore Tyree's aide, but there are also other tasks that I have been given to carry out. These tasks take precedence for the time being.

"I am to inquire upon your health, but my own sensors indicate your vital functions to be in working order, therefor I will forgo the formality if you so desire. It would save the both of us an unnecessary process at the very least, do you not agree."

[Zem Vymes]

The query about his health more or less sealed his suspicions. Lok's hand was evident here. But was it Lok, or Acera? If the latter, the fleet could be in jeopardy.

But for the moment, he didn't act with aggression. His feelings detected no subterfuge at play, and if that were the case, the droid could have signalled the enemy long ago.

"If she wants to know, then I'm fine."

Zem crossed his arms.

"Can you communicate with her?"

[ADAR]

"I cannot."

She had said that this question would likely be asked.

"She did however ask for me to deliver two messages; one to you, and one to the Council."

[Zem Vymes]

Intriguing.

Zem drummed his fingers on his desk as he thought about what the droid had to say.

"When did she give you these instructions?"

[ADAR]

"Approximately one week before she disembarked to resume her permanent posting aboard Dauntless."

It was not an unusual request to make, considering the nature of the messages that he carried and his knowledge of what they contained. ADAR accessed his databanks, answering the next question that the information he contained on Zem Vymes dictated would be asked before it was presented.

"She was outwardly calm. Voice inflections and slight variations in tone and timbre belied worry and sadness however."

[Zem Vymes]

At what point did Lok s'Ilancy end and Darth Acera begin? He wished he knew. Zem couldn't shake his belief that somewhere within the woman he once knew, the friend remained.

"Give me the messages."

[ADAR]

The optical constricted as ADAR looked at Vymes, and the droid was silent.

"The second is for the Council as a whole; I am unable to access it at this time."

There was another moment of silence, and ADAR took a step back. The normal soft glow of his green recepticle blinked out for a split second before returning in a shade of pale blue, and the droid's holoprojector units came to life as the blue-tinted form of Loklorien s'Ilancy was conjured from thin air to stand before the desk. She wore her uniform, with hands clasped in front of her. She was the picture of order and calm, though the look in her eye - even despite the hologram - was unmistakeable.

ADAR held the image from playing, keeping it paused.

"The condition is that if I play this message, you must take me to the Council. Are we in agreement?"

[Zem Vymes]

Zem nodded.

"Play the message."

What was she getting at? Was this a confession? A taunt? So many questions, it took fortitude to still his mind and wait for the droid to deliver its master's words.

[ADAR]

ADAR wasted no time, and the message began to play.

"There are no hopeful reassurances that I can give you, Love. What words that needed to be spoken have already been. All that I can say now is to remember me as I once was, and not as the creature that I am becoming. I have faith in you that you will save me - even if that means my death."

The image gave pause, and her head bowed low.

"He put fear in your soul all those years ago because you scare him. You are the only one that can blur the lines of his determination and cast his senses into a murky world of greys. He cannot see clearly when you are around."

It was a revelation that she had come to realize over time, and one that she now finally shared with Zem Vymes.

Her head came up once more.

"Use this knowledge how best you see fit."

the image was quiet as she continued to stare ahead, and her shoulders sagged as though a weight was settling upon them.

"I will miss you greatly, Love."

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"I'm so, so sorry... "

Seconds later the hologram blinked off, disappearing into the aether to leave only one man and one MMU alone.

[Zem Vymes]

When the hologram appeared, it was just that. Something artificial. Then she spoke. Seeing her and hearing her words transmuted the hologram into a real thing. He could swear she was here, in this room. As if it had all been a dream. Perhaps he'd never left her all those years ago.

Zem didn't realize until the hologram disappeared that he was unconsciously reaching to lay a hand on her shoulder. To tell her it would be alright.

He felt lonely. Tired. And yet...

The old Jedi closed his eyes, reaching out to the boundaries of his senses, yearning to feel for her across the stars. No. It wasn't to be. But the message had lent credence to something his feelings had told him long ago. There was a war being fought within Loklorien s'Ilancy.

And it was a war he had to win.

[ADAR]

The optical faded from blue to its' normal green, and ADAR looked to the Jedi. It had been a curious thing to see - the man unconsciously placing a hand to the shoulder of the hologram.

"Were I of flesh and blood, I would inform you of my sympathies."

[Zem Vymes]

Being reminded of your frailties by a droid wasn't the most reassuring thing. Zem straightened his posture, gave the MMU a glance, and turned away.

"Save your sympathies for your master. At best, she'll need all of them."

He wished he could sense her out there. Just to know that a good heart beat in her chest. How long did she have, if this was a losing fight?

[ADAR]

"She has the rest of you to provide such things for her. I am simply here to assist."

ADAR gave a half-turn, his neck craning to cast the glow of his optical to the closed door of the office.

"We go to the Council now, yes?"

[Zem Vymes]

Zem nodded.

"We will, yes."

Of course, the Council wasn't likely to be as forgiving or understanding as Zem was, if that was what he actually was. The betrayal still stung fresh, and trust was a rapidly vanishing commodity.

The old Jedi tapped at a control at his desk.

"This is Vymes. All Council members, please report to the chambers in half an hour. That is all."

The message cut, he looked at the MMU, gesturing to the door.

"We've got a shuttle to catch."

[ADAR]

ADAR gave only an approximated nod, much like he had seen in others during his relatively short period of reactivation.

"I have taken the liberty of informing the deck chief to have one ready," he intoned as he moved to the door. It opened, and he stepped through.

"All serviceable data that I have been able to download on your behavioral traits - while not extensive - was informative enough. You would wish to see the message, and in turn the Council will see theirs."

The droid let those words hang in the air for only a few moments before barreling onward.

"You exhibit much hope. In the old days, when a sire or mistress began to show the first signs of a corrupted and broken mind, they were delivered to Weit-Fällt. In my years of deactivation, it seems that logical action has been abandoned."

[Zem Vymes]

"It's beyond hope, and it's beyond logic."

They walked toward the hangar, and Zem had a sudden conundrum on his hands. How exactly do you talk about the force with a droid.

"But I have to admit, going on those alone, it's what we'd call a wing and a prayer."

He did have to wonder about the rest of the Council, though. Could they feel what he felt? It was barely there, and quite possible that he only felt it due to the closeness they shared.

[ADAR]

"That is a dangerous system to operate within."

As they walked, ADAR made sure to regulate his normal clipped pace to one that matched the Jedi's. It was interesting to note as well, the difference in gaits that Zem-El Vymes and Vansen Tyree was mostly negligible, but it was there all the same. A few adjustment to compensate was all it took for the MMU to perfectly mimic Vymes' steps.

"I am fully aware of the Force, but it is an anomoly that I decided long before my deactivation to largely ignore."

[Zem Vymes]

"Control what you can control, then? That's prudent."

Again, small talk with a machine? Was this banter generated organically, or did Lok have a hand in that, too?

"I don't suppose droids are often subject to becoming hypochondriacs, now that you mention it."

[ADAR]

"I am not truly a droid," came the swift response, the small side panels on either side of his optical spreading a bit as if to indicate indignation.

"One might think of a MMU as a droid, but we are far more extensive than a simple single functioning unit."

Of course, sadly, that was exactly what ADAR had become - it was a fact that sent his internal programming on its' ear more often than not.

"The larger half makes the unit whole. It is more than the simple integration. Nevermind the fact that my own larger half is... a nonfunctioning derelict heap overgrown by whatever organic plantlife has chosen to cover it.

"My presence here now is simply a fortunate coincidence, as I was one of three units to be taken from Schwartzweld."

[Zem Vymes]

"All just fancy talk for a droid to me."

He'd been through the Clone Wars and fought hundreds of thousands of them. They had networks for the damn things. He wasn't put off by droids per se, but he wasn't exactly thrilled with the notions of having a robot butler.

More pressing issues presented themselves as they stepped into the hangar to board the shuttle.

"You said three units?"

[ADAR]

"I did."

ADAR said nothing further on the matter as they started up the boarding ramp, but his internal processors lingered on Vymes' previous statement.

"Before my deactivation, I was much more than what you see now. More than simply a droid."

They passed fully into the shuttle.

"I was grand. An elegant creation."

[Zem Vymes]

"And humble."

It was more of a mutter than anything, but Zem didn't care to get a red herring and hear a droid lament its glory days or whatever it was doing. Back to the topic at hand.

As they sat, and the pre-flight checked off, Zem returned back to his original line of thought.

"Do you know what became of the other two units?"

[ADAR]

ADAR gave a look to Vymes, the optical constricting before returning to its' normal size.

"I do not. That was and still is information that I am not allowed."

It was apparent in the Jedi's minutes movements and body language that it was an answer he'd not wished for.

"I am sorry. All that I am aware of is the number that were brought to Dac, and that one was nothing but a husk."

[Zem Vymes]

Dac. Her closeness to the Alliance Navy stemmed from her service alongside Dan. He'd underestimated this, and it was now clear that she intended to make use of her rank in some fashion.

"I suppose you don't know what she was doing on Dac, either?"

The shuttle exited the hangar, headed for Whaladon, and Vymes had to wonder what Lok was thinking with all of this?

[ADAR]

"From what little data I was given at the time in relation to what I was able to observe, I would say that most in the Navy do not even know what she is doing. It is a classified project that only top level scientists are allowed knowledge of."

The MMU gave a mechanical ticking sound from its' vox unit.

"Classified beyond even her current superior officer; a General Thrule I believe he is called."

[Zem Vymes]

That didn't make sense.

"How could she classify something beyond her superior, and most importantly, why would she?"

These were mainly rhetorical questions, but questions nevertheless of their ability to be answered. As the shuttle docked with Whaladon, he wondered exactly why she'd be keeping anything from Dan at all.

[ADAR]

"It is a personal project that merits a high degree of secrecy. Not unheard of for the General to be excluded, though highly unusual."

ADAR felt the shuttle settle down, and he meticulously undid the crashstraps that had held him in his seat.

"I myself have not been entirely briefed on this situation, but all data collected thus far leads to a very worrisome conclusion."

He turned to the Jedi as he rose to stand.

"Extrapolating all known interactions with her in conjunction to the nature of the messages that I carry, and taking into account your own reactions thus far, I would conclude that more is at work than what the surface shows. I do not have all of the answers that you seek, but I have been instructed to carry information that may lead to some of those answers.

"I will carry out those instructions as I am able."

[Zem Vymes]

Zem gave the robot a strange look.

"Your master has you playing a complicated game. I hope for all of our sakes it's worth it."

They departed the shuttle, heading without delay to the council chambers. With luck, the council would already be convening, and waiting for ADAR's important message.