[IC] A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

[Zarkun]

Mandalore the Valyrie

I beckon the pair to take a seat across from me while Ava rests and I sigh. "I must ask how you truly feel about what has transpired this day. I understand neither of you knows me as well as the members of Clan Ordo, so I wish to see what those around me feel."

[Lord Greshh]

Mako Cadera

“You’re wondering how we feel? We just watched our daughter get publicly beaten near to death, so we aren’t feeling to great.”

Torian Cadera

“It was a fair fight. She refused to tap out. Her injuries are her own doing.”

Mako Cadera

I shake my head at Torian. “I’ll never get that Mandalorian mindset. Just because it was part of the rules, that doesn’t mean we can’t be upset our only daughter is hurt.” I sigh, looking back at Temari. “I’m not mad at you. I know it’s what you people do, but I’m just an honorary Mando’ade. I still don’t understand it all.”

[Zarkun]

Mandalore the Valkyrie

"And I will not dishonor you by trying to explain it. The best I can say is that what happened this evening was in her best interest. She is still young, still taken with her passions. The role of Mand'alor...it was not meant for the youthful, especially those with such a bright future elsewhere in our culture."

[Lord Greshh]

Torian Cadera

I nod quietly. “It was a great honor to the clan to have her as Mand’alor. Cadera is small, with only us three and a handful of distant cousins. All the rest were either killed when my father betrayed Mandalore the Vindicated or joined other clans out of shame. Mako and I have been so busy since the last war that we haven’t put much thought or effort into regrowing the clan. Ava was an unplanned, but not unwelcome, exception.”

[Zarkun]

Mandalore the Valkyrie

"Then perhaps I will ask that growing Clan Cadera once more be your focus. Your daughter will live, Torian. It is why I set the unarmed and unarmored bout as I did. In fact," I say as I purse my lips thoughtfully, "that is my mission for your clan, Alit'alor Torian. Rebuild your clan and reclaim its glory before Mand'alor the Vindicated wiped them out."

[Lord Greshh]

Torian Cadera

“I thought you weren’t here as my leader. Now you’re giving us orders?” I half smile. “I’ll start the search for foundlings here on Coruscant. I’m sure the battle made a lot of orphans. They’ll need a new home.”

Mako Cadera

I leave over to Torian. “They don’t all have to be Clan Adoptions, do they? I mean, I wouldn’t mind us making a few new clan members ourselves.”

Torian Cadera

Stone faced, I reply. “Aye, that’ll work well too.”

[Zarkun]

Mandalore the Valkyrie

Chuckling heartily, I shake my head. "Aye, making them yourselves works incredibly well, but Foundlings will still be necessary. Makes me wonder though, if Ava ever considered younger siblings a possibility."

[Lord Greshh]

Mako Cadera

“Probably not. She might have thought about it it once or twice when she was little, but now Ava’s almost as old as we were when she was born. She probably figured she’d always be an only child.”

Torian Cadera

“It shaped her personality. Gave her a sense of independence and responsibility. She spent so much time with Corridan Ordo’s brood anyway, they might as well have been her brothers and sisters.”

[Zarkun]

Mandalore the Valkyrie

"Well, she had best be prepared for a real set of her own siblings if you two decide to take that route. I'll see if Clan Ordo and Clan Wren can offer some aid in finding Foundlings. An unfortunate side effect of this siege as it is, your Clan will be able to appreciate the boon."

[Lord Greshh]

Mako Cadera

"We welcome any kids looking for a new home among the Mandalorians."

Torian Cadera

"Elek, ori'jate, Mand'alor. Aliit ori'shya tal'din." I salute Temari.

[Zarkun]

Mandalore the Valkyrie

Nodding to Torian, I stand. "Let me know when she awakens, Alit'alor Torian. I wish to keep track of her well being as well."

[Lord Greshh]

Torian Cadera

"You will be the first to know. Likewise, if there is anything more you need of us, don't hesitate to let us know."

[Zarkun]

Mandalore the Valkyrie

"I will at that, Torian." I turn and leave, heading back to my room to rest and allow the medical droids their fussing over my leg and nose. The longer I put it off, the more annoying the machines got.

[Lord Greshh]

Darth Trayus

I stare out into space, looking towards a distant star system. I had completely abandoned the trappings of the Republic Chancellor, and was now wearing Sith Robes, fully embracing my role. Though the power of the dark side coursed through me, I was still in tremendous pain. None of my wounds form Coruscant had healed, and by all accounts, my body should be dead. It was only through Kreia that my broken bones supported me as I stood here. She'd told me stories of another of her apprentices who had suffered in a very similar way, surviving death on many occasions through sheer willpower. I would need to tap into that same ability to continue forward.

Ursa Lyn

I walk out onto the observation deck and fall to a knee. "Bright Master, I have news on the prisoner. She continues to resist all forms of torture, though I can sense she is not unbreakable. In time, Gendry believes she will give into us."

Darth Trayus

I do not turn around, but the ghostly specter of Kreia appears behind me to address Ursa.

Kreia

"She will break soon, but not soon enough. Already our enemies move to deliver the final strike against us. We will have to move forward without Hayden Twilight's consent. It will be more difficult, but it can be done. Bring her to me."

Ursa Lyn

"Yes, Bright Master." I spare barely a glance at her meat puppet before rising and walking back the way I came.

Kreia

I creep back into Trayus' body, speaking in his mind. "We are close, my apprentice. Soon, the galaxy will be brought to true balance; no more Sith, no more Jedi. The work of three hundred years, finally completed."

Darth Trayus

I nod, hearing the the vertebra cracking in my neck. "So close... Nothing will stand in my way... Everything I've sacrificed... It will be worth it..." A tear rolls down my sallow cheek.

END OF SCENE

[Lord Greshh]

Salazar Greshh

I sit in the navigation seat of the Shadow Stalker, looking over our current course as he hurtle through hyperspace. We left Coruscant a few hours before, and according to the map, we should be at Belsavis soon. "I'm not sure what to expect once we get there. Could be any manner of thing Trayus has left for us."

Vette

I look over my shoulder from the co-pilot seat. "Or nothing at all. Hopefully this isn't another dead end."

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

"In any case, we're not going to know until we get there. Honestly, all Trayus would have to do is open up whatever vaults the Republic hadn't and walk away. The Rakata had locked up a number of nasties before their decline."

[Lord Greshh]

Salazar Greshh

"I saw some pretty horrible things the first time I came here to kill Darth Ekkage, and even worse things when i came to second time to help fight the Dread Host at Sector X. I can't imagine anything worse still being locked away down there, but... then again, I should know by now never to say never." I rise from my chair. "If we are going to encounter something horrible, I'll need to be at full strength. I should take this time before we arrive to mediate some." I walk back towards the crew area in the back.

Vette

I sit quietly for a minute, making sure all the systems are working properly. Then, breaking the silence, I say, "So, Jerus. You Sith Hunters... You're all related, right? Or most of you are?"

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

"I think at this point, the answer is yes. Didn't start that way though, from what Dad tells me. Jakito was a smuggler, as was Becca. Dad was actually Jakito's master at some point. I..." I pause and then sigh. "The exact details are long blurred, but the answer, as of this moment, is more or less."

[Lord Greshh]

Vette

"Hmm... Teams kinda become like family after a while. I've had a lot of teams, and I guess in a way, I've had a lot of families. But, in the end, the teams always came apart and the family splits up. At least, that's what always seems to happen with me. Sal's the only one that's ever managed to stick around, and even then, he WAS gone for a while..." I smile a little. "Kinda weird, don't ya think? A Sith Lord and a common thief should manage to fall in together."

[Zarkun]

Jerus Je'and

Turning in my seat, I face Vette. "You know, I've always wondered about that. Every other Sith, or at least most of them, that I'd ever met, worked for or fought would sooner execute a thief than work with them. So what was it that had them spare you?"