Private A Final Wish

[Darth Morrow]

In the midst of a quiet evening, a lone sparking and skittering mouse droid made its ways through the hall, carrying an urgent message.

The wheels squeeled with every rotation as it came to a screeching halt before the feet of Kaalia; here, a projection would play with a set of coordinates would display, though oddly they were located in deep space, no nearby planets or astral objects.

The moment the message was seen and registered properly, the droid would collapse, bolts that barely held the poor contraption together giving way to now nothing but a pile of scrap and electrical sparks.

---

Approaching the coordinates, the empty vastness of space was looming with a modified transport vessel drifting through the void. Its engines long since halted, the insides clearly slowly overcome with the various plants that had been grown by its former owner.

Upon closer inspection, it was one of the former Darth Morrow's transport ships, now decrepid, left to rot and wither in the surrounding darkness. When the air locks gave way to the entrance, it was suprising, but the vessel was still powered, oxygen still being cycled.

The inside was clearly unkept for an unpredictable amount of time, possibly months or years as the vegetation crept from the captains quarters located to the left of the inside of the airlock past the docking ring. Pothos vines and ivy began overtaking the cracks and crevices as they sought any form of nutrition or hydration, slowly braking down the remnants of any organic matter or decorations that had once been.

Traveling further it seemed parts of the ship had long since entered lockdown, blocking off the amount of power needed to maintain the central section of the ship. The stores, engineering and galley sealed tight as the path lead only further to a pale glow near the cockpit.

Continuing on, the central area where courses were plotted would be replaced by a strange containment vessel, inside a black mist swirled and fought, hitting the sides of the reinforced glass and recptiors on the side flaring to life, seeming to be absorbing power from its every action. Its actions and motions seemes to be pointing in a specific direction, fervent determination to show the approaching woman to a stasis chamber beside the cockpit.

Upon approaching the chamber, the sound of the ship powering down would begin. Light turned off in the path that was behind her, and the air cycling would begin to struggle. Inside through the small window of the chamber a young redheaded woman would be present, held here until this very moment.

Kaalia Pavanos

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

A past ever-haunting
Darth Morrow

The prospect of a trap had been the first thing to cross Kaalia's mind when the droid, truly on its last legs, collapsed right in front of her. The past would always find a way to collect its due, a lesson she had learned several times over by now. No amount of physical and ideological distance from the Sith would ever truly separate her from Darth Avacyn. Even if that name was long cast down. Even if she was not that same woman anymore.

And yet, as a trick of any kind, it was far too flawed. There were too many reasons to ignore the message. Those who once sought to punish the deserters of that then-crumbling and now-fallen Sith Empire were long gone. The appearance of the droid simply made no sense.


Perhaps that was the reason why Kaalia now took her first step past the airlock of the derelict vessel the coordinates guided her towards. The woman did not come unarmed, however- a lightsaber hilt hung from each hip and those who could feel the Force as she did could sense that her connection to it had not waned over the years. On the contrary, her senses were just that bit sharper than before, as if recent dealings had interrupted the peaceful life she now sought to live. A cursory glance was more than enough to conclude the ship had been left abandoned for a long time, a concerning sight. If anyone had been alive to send out that droid carrying the coordinates, chances were likely slim they were still alive.

Careful, measured steps led the woman through the vessel, though only one path was open to her. She continued into the ship's central area, where the sight before her caused her to come to a halt.

"What are you..."

Kaalia whispered tone did not travel very far as she stood before the containment vessel, carefully watching how the mist moved. It was beyond her understanding, but it was clear to her that its movements were not random. As though it were sentient. After observing it for a little longer and concluding it was likely either wasn't hostile or incapable of posing a threat in its current state, she stepped forward to observe it more closely.

Is it... directing my attention?

Kaalia glanced past the vessel and towards the cockpit when her eyes fell on a stasis chamber right beside it. Then came the realization that it was active. Right as the final puzzle piece clicked into place, the ship's systems started stuttering. "Oh, feth," she said a little more loudly now as she quickly started moving towards the chamber, nearly forgetting about the black mist entirely.

The view through the small window confirmed Kaalia's suspicions. A young woman was inside. Without hesitation, she powered down the chamber in order to free her. All she could hope for as the door opened was for the woman to still be alive.

 

[Darth Morrow]

As the woman fell from the tank, spitting fluids and gasping for air as she was awake for the first time in what was likely a very, very long time, the mist in the containment vessel began to calm. Its rage had died down to a slow swirl as began to shrink and wither, its power fading along with the ship it so long had powered and guarded.

Below the vessel on the opposite side, now visible that Kaalia had fully circled around was a pinned rolled scroll in old paper, a smell that may have reminded her of Morrows old library.

Scribbled on a page of long smudged and ruined book was a message.
-------
"Dearest friend,

You have been there for me in times I needed you, you've guarded my children and granted one an escape to a better life when the galaxy was against them; You have even tried to do the same for me. Unfortunately that plan was doomed to fail, so was my life the moment I crossed paths with Darth Carnifex . Long since have I had this failsafe, a hope to give my past self a better life, likely a foolish idea to any of those of our previous paths.

Before you is Valeska Daeranthe, or, a version of her, a version of me, from a past life. Before the empire corrupted her with hatred and cruelty, before her life was taken from her. This is a clone of me, minus the appearance as those traits have long since been lost in my endeavors. Her memories are of a time long gone before she was taken from her clan and lover in Iridonia, though the galaxy is a much different place than it was then.

Please grant her the chance I never had, a chance at a life of her own making. I hate to ask the one last favor of you, but I know you would be the only one to grant my final wish.

Your Friend,
Morrow."
-------

As she finished taking a quick glance over the letter the mist would fully collapse in on itself, vanishing from containment and its force signature fading entirely, a signature similar to one she had grown very familiar with in years past.

The woman upon finally clearing her lungs looked up at Kaalia through dazed and confused eyes. "Where in the hells are we?..."

Kaalia Pavanos

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

Darth Morrow

Completely unbothered by the fluid that had been coughed up onto her jacket, Kaalia caught the woman as she fell out of the tank, keeping her steady. "Careful, careful," she told her, the slight rasp in her voice accompanied by a motherly softness. "Come, sit down for a second," she said as she guided her towards the central containment vessel, slinging one of the woman's arms around her own shoulders to make sure she wouldn't stumble and fall. There wasn't too much time before the oxygen systems would inevitably fail, but a short moment for the young woman to catch her breath was vanishingly unlikely to be of consequence.

"Are you okay?" Kaalia's first question sounded as she sat the woman down against the vessel. Her eyes met with the rolled-up piece of paper as she did, which she carefully picked up. She wouldn't read it right away, however- there would be enough time for that once they were back on her own ship. With the letter in hand, her attention quickly returned to the woman. "I am still putting the pieces together myself, I am afraid. Though-" her head turned towards the fading mist, the strange familiarity of its presence suddenly falling into place. A solemn nod was given before it vanished, a final show of respect. For the first time in what felt like lifetimes, the silence that fell within the Force managed to shake her a little.

Rest now, friend.

"I think I know who brought me to you. I will explain after we get out of here- we should probably get back to my ship first."

 

[Valeska Daeranthe]

Once the world stopped spinning before her Val's eyes focused on Kaalia, taking a second to fully ground herself as she was guided to sit. "About as okay as I can be given... that." She glanced to the pod now fully drained and powering down in its entirety. Shifting her focus to the void of space visible outside the cockpit window, Val froze for a moment as the sudden realization sunk in.

The force signatures began to blend, the similar feeling of this woman to the now fleeting past that was Morrows, it was a comforting thought perhaps, but not quite the same.

"Where are we...." The words came out in a whisper to herself, mesmerized by the distant stars dotting the vast darkness of space. Unlike her predecessor, this version of Morrows past had never left the surface of her home world, let along ventured into the depths of space.

Her problems all vanished for but a moment before snapping back into focus, the air beginning to thin as the oxygen systems reached their end of life. "Alright... back to your ship, them please explain this all to me. Including what happened..." She said while pushing herself up on the side of the vessel with Kaalia's assistance.

Kaalia Pavanos

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

Valeska Daeranthe

It was that innocent question the woman had whispered to herself that gave Kaalia pause. Not because of any kind of ignorance she displayed, but the realization that she likely had no place to call home or return to. A promise made many years ago had found new life, it seemed, even if the circumstances had changed.

"Of course, I will tell you everything I know." Even if it was a story with many painful and tragic chapters. Kaalia had learned her lesson with a daughter now lost, hiding the truth would only make things uglier down the line. Perhaps by learning about Darth Morrow, the woman would not end up the same way.

"Easy, easy," she told the woman as she helped her back on her feet. Keeping a slower pace, Kaalia guided her through the derelict ship and towards the airlock where her own was docked. The lights continuously flickered on the way and the air was much thinner than before- her arrival really could not have been much later. The airlock controls were still functional, thankfully, and after the doors slid open the much cleaner interior of her own ship revealed itself, a small but well-kept ship built for passenger transport.

"Feel free to take a seat, I will get us going," Kaalia told the woman as she closed the door behind them after boarding the vessel. After a short interaction with the docking controls, the autopilot kicked in to create a bit of distance between the two ships. before letting the ship come to a halt again.

"Now that the more pressing matters are out of the way," Kaalia said as she went to take a seat next to wherever the woman had decided to sit down, the letter still in hand. Her face turned towards the young woman, giving her a hint of a smile. "My name is Kaalia. I received a distress call from who I believe to be an old friend, someone you are probably related to." She eyed the letter for just a moment. The answers were likely found within.

"I presume you do not have a place to return to, am I correct? I could set a course for Balmorra, where I live, and explain everything along the way. If that is what you want, of course."

 

[Valeska Daeranthe]

The woman wobbled into the next transport with the assistance of Kaalia, her footing unstable much like a baby calf. Eyes remained glued to every port as they past it by, upon reaching the cockpit of her transport Val's eyes watched the vastness of space as she sat on the bench behind the pilot chair.

"In all honesty I... my heads kind of swimming right now." Taking a moment it was visible she was examining her hands in slight confusion now that she was coming to her senses, recognition gleaming in her eyes ever so slightly.

"I guess to start Im Valeska, Val if you prefer." Raising a hand to the light she examined her skin half expecting the illumination to go through it.

"If Balmorra is where youre heading I guess thats alright, I um- Is- Is this all real? Im... not me..." The former in memory zabrak woman said, looking much more akin to a human than anything.

As the engines powered up to begin heading to their destination Val would visibly flinch at the noise, not having any knowledge of spaceflight, it was a bit alarming to her before she realized it was them moving.

Kaalia Pavanos

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

Valeska Daeranthe

Even if Valeska had just woken up after such a long time there clearly was more at play than just that, with her questioning reality itself. Hopefully the letter would at least provide a sense of clarity for her.

"This is all very real, Valeska," Kaalia confirmed as she got out of the pilot's seat now that the ship was on autopilot. With the letter in hand she went to sit down next to her passenger. "I think we should read this together," she said as she carefully rolled the scroll open and held it between themselves. "Dearest friend," she read out loud before reading the rest of the letter in silence.

Even after the woman finished, her silence remained for a little while. The look on her face betrayed the way it had affected her- one of solemnity, but a smoldering layer of anger underneath. Deep down she had always known Carnifex to be an utterly cruel man, yet it had always been difficult for Kaalia to truly recognize that. There had always been a mutual sense of respect between herself and the man for as long as they had known each other, even after she had abandoned her Sith identity. Never had she witnessed that cruelty first-hand and it allowed her to justify her allegiance for all of the years they had stood side by side.

Now, that dissonance she had been struggling with unraveled. Between Vaylin and Darth Morrow, no, Valeska, she could never look at Carnifex the same again. Yet she had no choice but to maintain their friendly relations. Her own granddaughter studied in one of the Sith Order's academies and to put her at risk of putting her in harm's way over any hostility was out of the question.

Powerlessness. Kaalia hated it.

"I... need a moment," she spoke in a calm voice despite her inner turmoil. She offered the younger redhead the letter in case she hadn't finished reading it yet, then stood up. Sitting back down into the pilot's seat, she let out a deep breath.

You have my word, friend.

A silent promise.