Private A Good Reason

[Loske Treicolt]

F R A N K
THE RENEGADE | UNDISCLOSED LOCATION
DON'T JUDGE ME

​

Frank’s purpose had always been companionship. Around maybe a decade or just less ago, a bright-eyed blonde had needed someone to keep her company in space, someone to talk to for long haul flights, someone to fill her in on history and all the happenings that occurred before she entered the realspace above it. His indexing through history was unparalleled, and he’d translated some of that usefulness to when she and her friends sought adventures into unvisited space.

Now though, while she focused on recovering from the aftermath of Shursia, they weren’t exploring very much. Not at all. The Treicolts had floated through the void for a long while before setting course for Concord Dawn and not stirring from the dustball since.

So the little astromech split his time between downloading and scrolling through the stories of Concord Dawn and ingesting key words or information that might have been related to Shursia. Making purposeful choices on what to show, and what to hide –– or rather, save for later. When she was ready. It was still a delicate process, and he wanted to respect it, despite not understanding it.

So when the interview from Firetruth News Network’s Firenight met some of his algorithm’s queries, he downloaded the transcript between Elpsis and Ms. Passik and honed in on the line about a creature and Alliance vessel; expanding his reading beyond the few lines to some of the context that came before and after before he deduced this was not a harmful summary. He could share it.

It might even help answer some of her questions -–– from what he understood, there were many faces she’d harmed that she knew. But there were shadows and screams that belonged to the unknown. Perhaps this would be therapeutic.

So when he presented the information to her, his photoreceptors were calculative. His convolutional neural networks interpreted the subtleties of her reactions while watching a recording of the interview, comparing those patterns to existing datasets he had on her. For a few seconds, he considered he might have miscalculated –– but things seemed to even out near the end of the interview and she just exhaled out a short but heavy “Wow.”

Granted, it’s not the whole interaction. But it could help you reach a more complete picture on some of your unknowns. You didn't even know this was above Ziost.

“You think I should reach out?” Loske asked, making a non committal sound at the back of her throat while considering the strangeness of that. Her and Maynard’s reunion with Aaran had been fine, but Aaran was a friend. He understood what had happened to her, and how far removed Shursia’s intentions were from Loske’s. Conversing with a stranger would be an entirely different situation.

Maybe don’t lead with Shursia.

“Good point.”

-

​

To: Elpsis Kerrigan
SUBJECT: FireNight Interview

---

---

You don’t know me, but I saw your interview on FireNight and had some questions about the Alliance warship you mentioned above Ziost.

You mentioned a monster? I'm on a hunt to track down information related to occurrences similar to this one, through The Alliance's Stygian Campaign and New Order's Braxant Run campaign.

Would prefer conversations not to be over the net. I can meet you at the following coordinates.

- GHOST

//....Send Message? Y/N
...Y
MESSAGE SENT

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

Loske Treicolt

Elpsis' HoloNet account had been an unusually busy place. Normally she did not bother much with it, sticking to the account she had in Firemane's official intranet since most of her correspondence was official business. She got regular messages from Livia and Adril, and dutifully replied to them as quickly as possible, but that was it.

But it had exploded since the interview. First, a group of crypto-human supremacists had informed her that she'd been added to their hate list for bowing to 'archaic alien superstitions'. She had sent them a reply calling them dumb losers who made good target practice. Apparently a right-wing news consortium had accused her of being an elitist rich girl saying no to jobs.

By contrast, a Vashyada elder had sent her a heartfelt thank you. Apparently she was very popular among the wood elves now. The upside was that the South Seas Gas Refinery was stuck in development hell due to the project becoming toxic. Soon thereafter, a group of Saobanas - Qadiri ex-slaves who had taken the Kerrigan name after being freed and were sort of extended family - who apparently represented a Qadiri faction had sent her a message to enquire whether she was being held prisoner by Firemane, and whether evil bigwigs were withholding medical treatment from 'Good Skyqueen Siobhan'. The implication that they would take up arms to aid their 'sky-sister' had been rather strong. Elpsis had replied rather quickly, told them things were okay and promised to meet them, hoping it would calm them down. Elpsis did not want to know what her Spacebook page looked like. She had not accessed it in years.

She was on light duty at the moment. And had been told very clearly to keep her mouth shut and not speak to journalists. Or comment on politics. She was back to drilling recruits, which suited her just fine. "Focus, girls. Draw the power to you, now release," she ordered. "Kolya, you call that a fireball? It's supposed to burn your enemy, not tickle them." Today's curriculum was about endurance. Real soldiers needed toughness, and they had to train regularly to maintain it. Elpsis marched down the row. "You screw up, you die. Your friends die because you couldn't pull your weight."

"Reverence, you're doing well. But conserve your energy. Think marathon, not sprint. Come on, Sano, I could do this twice as hard when I was ten. Ann, that's supposed to be a barrier? That thing is your life. So don't half-arse it." After encouraging the trainees to greater exertions, she had them pair up. Some of the senior acolytes and drill sergeants would supervise them.

It was then that her dapatad beeped. Elpsis picked it up, feeling an air of annoyance, as she expected another idiotic hate mail. Or a fan mail. She was not sure which was worse. Elpsis, being incapable of physical sight, could not read normal text. However, the datapad featured a programme that automatically converted it into braille.

Seeing the subject, she almost deleted the message out of hand, but the last few words of the first sentence caught her attention. She scrowled down, frowning. The mention of Ziost brought back memories. Her robotic fingers twitched slightly. Concord Dawn was a Mandalorian world. It had been under the Sith jackboot, then free, but now the latest Mandalorian regime was falling apart. Maybe there was a new one already. Elpsis had not kept up with the news. But it did not sound like the person contacting her was a Mando.

Before she consciously thought about it, her fingers started moving, typing. "I got a lotta people asking me about that interview. You're probably the first who wants to talk about the monster. You Alliance or a 'we're not jackbooted dictators, promise!' Imp? Whatever, if you're in the business of messing with Sith, we can chat. See you in five days. Spaceport. Better not be a Sithy trap." Truly a most eloquent, diplomatic response. In any event, she clicked on 'send'.

 

[Loske Treicolt]

G H O S T
CONCORD DAWN'S THIRD MOON | SPACEPORT
MY MIND WON'T LET ME REST, THE VOICES IN MY HEAD

​

The outreach might have been foolhardy, but Loske had done a little bit of background reading the Order of Fire’s face –– or rather, Frank had –– before she’d sent the correspondence. And her good faith was rewarded.

Elpsis’ reply was as much as Loske would have expected..no that wasn’t true. It was better. There was a large part of her that was surprised Elpsis agreed to the limited bait Loske had offered. It wasn’t much to go off at all, they weren’t friends, they weren’t even acquaintances. Depending on how Elpsis handled the information, or how Loske went about trying to figure things out, they might be enemies.

But every day, a part of Loske was terrified by the dark thing that slept within. All the time, she could feel its soft, feathery turnings. It’s malignity.

So in five day’s time, and many gentle turns of darkness later, Loske and Frank were ready to meet the red-headed warrior at the Third Moon’s spaceport.

Concord Dawn was a dustball, and it’s offshoot Moon was not much better. The spaceport had a weak buzz to it, and an equally portioned infrastructure. The amount of daylight it saw was less than the mother planet, and spent most of its time bathing in the light the system’s stars had to offer.The omnipresent twilight made it all the more easy to see the glow of ships coming and going to the spaceport –– not that there were many. Certainly not by the former naval commander’s standards.

If this goes well, remember to ask about Firemane’s medical units.

“I know, Frank.” Loske responded, her voice tight. She hardly had to be reminded about anything to do with her motives to be absolutely rid of Shursia and get on with her life –– but it wasn’t irritation that brought tautness to her tone.

It was the anticipation.

"First things first. Don't forget..she might still try to fireball my head off."

The Firemane’s vessel was due to touch down anytime now, travel logs were public –– especially if requested and..Loske had..requested. Mostly to mitigate the frustration of having to walk around and try to find which bay Elpsis would be directed to.

When she touched down, the woman would find the Jedi and astromech waiting for her. Loske hadn't responded defining herself as Alliance personnel or not. She might have been once, might have been the absolute poster child..but for now, ever since Ziost..she hadn't been.

And she might never be again.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

Loske Treicolt

Elpsis' ship was a rather nondescript freighter. The type that was ubiquitous on the Outer and Mid Rim. No identification that would visibly or electronically tie it to Firemane. Elpsis was not piloting it though. That had been left to Rhea. Partly to give the Tephriki Rattataki some practice; partly because Elpsis was a poor person to pilot spaceships. Force Sight made that sort of thing difficult.

Regardless, the freighter touched down with barely a ripple. Rhea sat in the pilot's chair, looking rather amazed at the landing. She had been sweating throughout. Elpsis politely did not comment. "I did it!" the pale skinned Acolyte exclaimed excitedly.
"That you did. Good work," Elpsis affirmed.
"Your cogitator helped." That was what Tephriki called computers. "And your tron." As if on cue, an R2 droid beeped loudly.
"Don't be rude," Elpsis admonished it. But then her expression turned serious and her face hardened. "Let's get going and see what this 'contact' has to offer."
"You suspect a trap," Rhea spoke. It was a statement, not a question.
"Be prepared."
"If it is, we strike before they do. If we can take a captive, we make them talk." It was something Elpsis found refreshing about Rhea. She accepted a situation as it was, and then went straight to the solution.
Elpsis nodded grimly. "Exactly. Now let's try not to draw too much attention. Sithlings are gone, but Mandos love shooting at outsiders as much as they love shooting at each for not being true Mandos, whatever the frak that means. Don't forget the duster."

And so they exited the freighter. Loske and her astromech would see two women stride down the landing ramp. Of the two, Elpsis was the slightly taller one. She had foregone Firemane uniform and armour alike for spacer clothing - faded trousers that had lost their colour, a vest, a tank top, dark leather jacket, army boots. Her lightsabre was strapped to her utility belt and she had a revolver holstered on her thigh. Long red hair framed a viciously scarred face marked by battle and with burning cracks etched into it. The young woman's left arm was a skeletal cybernetic that, strangely, manifested a minor Force aura. That arm had been organic until after Ziost.

Besides, her stood a Rattataki with tattoos on her chin, cheeks and forehead. As was typical for her people, she was bald. Her eyes were an intense yellow and she wore dark, covering attire, with weapons easily in reach. Her leather coat, given to her by Elpsis, billowed behind her. She was slender, moving with feline grace. The Rattataki had an imposing looking pistol holstered and an imbued sword sheathed in a scabbard.

Elpsis' milky-white, pupilless eyes fell upon the woman standing near the landing ramp. The presence made her tense slightly. She felt familiar...somehow. "Name's Elpsis. That's Rhea. You contacted me," she said without preamble or pleasantries. While Elpsis spoke, Rhea scrutinised their apparent contact, as well as the area around them, using her senses.

 

[Loske Treicolt]

G H O S T
CONCORD DAWN'S THIRD MOON | SPACEPORT
SIGNALS

​

Right foot, left foot, one person. Right feet, left feet, two people. Loske watched as the pair walked down the ramp, starting at their toes and right up to their faces, respectively. She couldn’t blame Elpsis for not coming alone, it was prudent to do so. And she should have anticipated it, given what she’d seen in the interview; she was not a solo operator.

The Rattataki triggered distant, harrowing memories at the recesses of her mind. Her face had been exposed on the ship Shursia had ravaged. Flashes and glimpses of silhouettes and movements that had been consumed by flames and disappeared into a scene beyond her recollection. In contrast, her red-haired companion had been covered by a helmet. Her face evaded triggering Loske’s memories.

It was only when Elpsis drew nearer, she felt a familiarity to the signature. The same sort of searching, as if to see, that was similar to the woman Shursia had hurled a starfighter at above Ziost.

"Name's Elpsis. That's Rhea. You contacted me,"

An uncomfortable shape formed in Loske’s throat. Something in her trachea slid where it wasn’t meant to be, making it hard to breathe. It was guilt, and it felt oblong and obstructive.

She forced out a cough, her head spinning a little.

“Yes, I did..thank you for meeting me. Especially since I didn’t give you a lot of information to go off…” The dizzying sensation tempered to the peripherals of her psyche, not overtaking her senses entirely. She imagined she might continue to feel off balance if she tried to play her hand by keeping things close to her vest. Despite everything that she’d been through, as recluse as she’d become, she already felt vulnerable and exposed to this woman. Even though she apparently suspected nothing She wanted to explain, but her soul was tied up in knots while the reality of her destruction took another shape in a person. A life.

“My name's Loske. I honestly..didn’t really know what to say. I was a Jedi with the Alliance’s defense force,” she admitted –– the words slipping out. For the first time, she damned her past aloud to someone other than her husband. It loosened her up, and she rolled her shoulders in a shrug and forced a polite smile ”But messing with Sith is definitely something I’m devoted to.”

There it was again. That guilt wedged at the base of her throat that she had to force down with a nervous swallow before speaking once more.

This was probably the part where flames exploded out at her.

“More than ever before, now, honestly. You see, I wanted to talk to you because,” Loske sucked in a breath through her teeth, held it, and let it out.

Frank rocked nervously beside Loske, as if his side-to-side movement might dissuade her next words. There was no point. As interested as Maynard Treicolt was in setting traps and lures rather than investigating, so too was Loske interested in cutting to the verbal chase. Results. Momentum. Moving on. Always moving on.

And too, she deeply suspected Elpsis appreciated brevity and pointed conversations that also focused on the next steps.

So Loske hesitated no further in delivering the hard truth. Her heart like a shield, her tongue like a sword.

“I wanted to apologize for your arm.”

The admission hung in the space between them, heavy with implication. And when the renegade Jedi could no longer respect the burgeoning silence, she spoke again.

“You lost it because of me. I..that monster that attacked you.”

No, that’s not what they’d talked about. It was Shursia.

Then why was she apologizing for Shursia’s actions?

“I didn’t have control. If I had, I never would have ––” she winced, waiting for something really superheated to happen. “I’m so sorry. You don't have to forgive me and I don't expect you to. This was entirely selfish of me but I...

I don't know. I thought somehow there might be some catharsis reached for you, as much for me, by putting some sort of face to what happened. You deserve it.”

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

Loske Treicolt

“You lost it because of me. I..that monster that attacked you.”

Time seemed to stop for a moment. Memories flashed in Elpsis mind. Dead bodies and blood everywhere, a ship full of abominations, the bitter cold of space. And this...woman at the heart of it all. This Loske tried to apologise, though she claimed she had not been in control of her actions. Elpsis was not the instant redemption sort, even when mind control was involved.

She considered herself responsible for everything she had thought and done while brainwashed on Tephrike, after all. Her lightsabre was in her grasp before she could consciously think about it. Inferno blazed to life with a fierce orange light. Loske probably remembered being stabbed by it during the fight.

"You deserve it.”

"People died on that ship. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't finish the job." Somehow those white, pupilless eyes looked even deader than before. Colder, for sure.
Sensing her superior's intent, Rhea had drawn her disruptor pistol in the blink of an eye. "Ma'am?" she asked, her stance conveying readiness. Yet she sensed a measure of uncertainty emanating from Elpsis.
"Not yet." Elpsis did not take her eyes off Loske and her astromech. "Well, let's hear it."

 

[Loske Treicolt]

CRUEL WORLD​

In an instant, warrior instinct took over the woman who’d agreed to meet her. Weaponry and flames manifested, and her partner slowly followed suit.

Instead of flinching, Loske nodded slowly in understanding. This was the reaction she’d expected from Aaran, rather than being welcomed back in an instant. But of course this was the case –– this warrior of fire didn’t know who she’d been before becoming an experiment to The Lady of Secrets.

“I know.” She admitted, gesturing with open palms. Any stoicism in her expression faded to something more pallid, more wan.

“They’re with me every time I close my eyes. Flashes of faces I don’t know, harrowing screams..” she shivered involuntarily. "And that's all I know of them. Their last moments. Not their service, their relationships...their names."

I don’t even know the name of the ship that was destroyed.

Your interview was the first time I could put a location, or a name, to the flashes of memories."

There were countless reasons for her survival, and why Elpsis Kerrigan shouldn’t exact retribution on behalf of the dead. Loske hadn’t realized before this, but every ounce of forgiveness Maynard and Aaran had so readily served up hardened and fortified around her, creating a little fortress in her mind to put more and more and more distance between herself and the former Shursia. Effectively building rationale around her psyche to not just lie down at an executioner’s feet.

“I didn’t contact you to die, or for you to get revenge. I contacted you so we could both get some answers. You have the beginnings of yours...but me..

I’ve got a lot more explaining to do before I’m allowed to die. Retribution wears many forms.”

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

Loske Treicolt

Elpsis, not being someone who had known Loske before her infestation, did not see a person who had been cruelly manipulated and transformed into an abomination against her will. She saw someone who had been a threat and as a result a soldier's instinct took over. The fact that the Sithspawn, not Sithspawn made no move to protect herself threw her off-balance.

The lightsabre remained in hand. She had not forgiven herself for succumbing on Tephrike, she would not forgive a stranger for being part of a massacre. "I'll be the judge of that," Elpsis said caustically. "What do you want to do? Call everyone you hurt - or tried to hurt - and hope they don't stab you before you tell them you're sorry so that you can feel better about yourself? Sorries don't bring the dead back. Or help their families."

Rhea had not taken her eyes off the apparent Jedi, nor removed her finger from her heavy pistol. "I'll fire if you give the order, ma'am." There was no hesitation about this in her yellow eyes. "If she has information...," she let her words hang. "I know Sith beasts, and she's not one now. It would be useful to know." Before they judged one way or another.

Elpsis' expression remainrd as hard as ever. It could've been carved out of granite. But she seemed to consider her minion's words. "Then talk. For starters, why aren't you a monster now?"

 

[Loske Treicolt]

“No,” Again, she shook her head. She’d never imagined reaching out to all of those people who were survivors of their dead loved ones. That wouldn’t do anyone good –– through all the things she’d left behind in the Alliance’s world, writing and reaching out to the next of kin she wouldn’t miss. It was a battle all of its own after the initial engagement.

“Those soldiers were going to die one way or another. I wish it hadn’t been by me, and that I’d been in my usual place to protect them, but I at least want to know the names of the crew so they’re not faceless and nameless.” She folded her arms across her chest, cocking her head slightly with punctuated emphasis “And yeah, it’s to make myself feel better.”

A small, ironic simper curled at her lips as she considered the thought.

She might not have looked like a monster anymore, but she still felt a bit like one. What was a monster? If a child were asked to draw a creature, a monster, it would make something hideous on a holopad. Was it the external appearance that made something monstrous? In Loske’s case, she’d shed her external skin that branded her as hideous. Now, anything that was deemed unsightly was internal; and not Sithborn. Just...residue.

There was an impatient sort of darkness within that hadn’t existed before. A provocative shadow that took her benevolence and soured it, focusing and hardening her on protecting that dream and nothing more. A selfishness that had only been at the peripherals of her mind’s eye was now her entire mindscape.

But as far as Shursia went, that was not her. Djorn had said so, Aaran had said so, Maynard had made her promise that Loske no longer identified that creature’s crimes as her own.

Slowly, she lifted her hand so as not to alarm either of them and gave a gentle tug to the neckline of her bodice, curling it down just enough over her left breast to expose the outline of a scar –– and nothing else –– from the Blade of Ruusan that had pierced through her heart.

“My husband found me on Serenno, and pierced me through with a nexus of light.” She explained, and stopped tugging at the modified armour to let it snap back into place. “Our bond, and that deluge of purity was enough to trigger my consciousness to basically battle the monster in my mind. And as for everything else, that skin and coating and all that power..

Force Light burned away the darkside’s influence...I can’t explain much more of that, I was unconscious for days afterwards. But I go through bio scans every morning and evening, to be sure, and it hasn’t surged since.” She made a small, grateful smile and indication Rhea offered about her no longer being a Sith Beast. Not only because it gave Elpsis Kerrigan pause, but because it was further validation that Shursia was not Loske.

Frank made a small humming noise next to her, suggesting she stop and not get into the discussion about the Firemane medics yet.

Loske seemed to pick up on the cue, and left the statement there, not delving into her fears and plans for motherhood. Nor yet mentioning the sample of the symbiote aboard The Renegade.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

Loske Treicolt

"Least you're honest about it," Elpsis said flatly. Her voice was a bit quiet, and had been that way for the whole conversation thus far. The reason for this quite simple: raising her voice agitated her throat ever since her torturers had poured boiling water down.

Sometimes, when she dreamed, she still saw 'Jedi Roxane'. She saw herself giving in, begging her captors to end her torment - beatings, starvation, mental 'correction' and 'thought transformation' sessions, nights spent shackled in a tiny, squalid cell filled with rats, unable to rest. And then proclaiming her fealty to the Dominion and murdering a comrade.

Her hands had done that. 'Roxane' had not been a separate person, but a product of her weakness. Her weakness had gotten good people killed when Firemane went to war to save her, even though she hadn't deserved it. All of this had been her.

Loske lifted her hand and curled the neckline of her outfit just far enough to expose her scar. Ironically, Elpsis' blindness meant that she was incapable of seeing it, or even really perceiving the Jedi's motion. However, Rhea was not impaired. "The scar does look like it was inflicted by a lightsabre," the Rattataki helpfully informed her, diplomatically not drawing attention to Elpsis' disability.

There was a pause. The moment was brief, though it might have felt as if it lasted for ages. Then Elpsis switched off her lightsabre, though she kept the hilt in hand. She gave Rhea a barely perceptible nod. Her acolyte lowered her gun. "You're a long way from home, Jedi. Right next door to the Sithies, in fact. Afraid to face the music back home at the temple?"

"Wouldn't the Jedi experiment on her? Or parade her around for propaganda about the 'purifying power of the Light'?" Rhea asked with the utmost seriousness...because that was what the Jedi-led government she had served and their inquisition would have done.

 

[Loske Treicolt]

Without having her attention divided between the lightsaber, flame swell, and blaster pointed in her direction, Loske was able to be more observant on the nuances between the two women. The first was Elpsis’ all-white eyes were unseeing. This seemed apparent by the way Rhea had explained Loske no longer looked like a Sith Beast, and describing her wound to the red-haired woman. The second was the obvious seniority discrepancy between the pair.

When the two seemed to relax, Loske’s shoulders loosened too, though she didn’t fully abandon her physical preparedness entirely should they choose to change their minds. Mostly because if she got damaged again because of her own recklessness, Maynard might just kill her.

"You're a long way from home, Jedi. Right next door to the Sithies, in fact. Afraid to face the music back home at the temple?"

It might have been an accusation, but the challenge only brought a roguish grin to the blonde’s face. She’d broken her demons wide open already, they’d been beaten away at the gate by those that knew her well before and chose to continue loving her after it all. They’d embraced the shell that had emerged from the affair and reassured her of all the value she still had, filling her back up to the woman they’d known before.

"There's nothing to apologise for. That wasn’t you."
"I was so damn worried."
"You've got no idea how glad I am to know you're alright."

“I was afraid,” she admitted, softening at the memory of Aaran’s welcome. Despite the permanence of the injury she’d caused to him, he’d cast that aside in an instant in favour of her comfort. No judgement, only care.

“We did go back, briefly, to pay our respects to those who’d fallen through The Alliance's Stygian Campaign.” And that was it. All their service, all the Treicolt’s time had reached its conclusion now. Maynard had been discharged from the Defense Force, and worse, exiled from the New Jedi Order. If he wasn’t welcomed, she’d been by his side for years now and any affliction he suffered at the judgement of others would be hers as well. “The friends I had are still there. They know my intentions, what I’ve been through.

But this is home now. It’s always been the goal..to get out here. I have nothing left to offer The Alliance and its causes.” Fickle as they were: Warless, in a cold war with the Imperials, then allies, then at war with the Sith, then retreating. Their values no longer matched.

Now was their time to do right by their own desires, no-one else’s.

"Wouldn't the Jedi experiment on her? Or parade her around for propaganda about the 'purifying power of the Light'?"

Loske blinked once in shock, stiffening involuntarily at the suggestion of experimentation. That had been perhaps one of her greatest fears about being found again, and brought back to the fold. Going through a life in a laboratory again.

Her frozen expression eventually melted into something more knowing, finding humour in the suggestion from the reassurance drawn by the sheer vitriol offered by her sworn lifelong protector.

“Whoever tries to put their hands on you...I’m killing them. This isn’t any point of negotiation. No one is doing any experiments, interrogation unless they have a f*cking death wish.”

“Maynard would kill them.” Was all she said in response. Auteme might have questions, Sardun might want to wring her through a light rinser to ensure she was as pure as she hoped.

“Propaganda isn’t really our schtick either.” She continued, looking directly toward Elpsis. Though it did little good, given the woman couldn’t return the empathetic look. “We’re not really The Alliance’s version of poster children anymore.”

Making a thoughtful noise at the back of her throat, she glanced down toward the dome of her astromech. “Though, as far as experiments go..I could maybe use your help.

In the symbiosis’ early days, I encountered one of my friends when he tried to hunt me down.” She held up a hand “Didn’t end well. But he managed to get a portion of the symbiote from me. It’s contained, and it’s used to ensure there are no matching traces inside me that match it’s chemistry.

But, I’m worried –– the Sith Lord that did this to me probably won’t stop at me. And the remnants of the contamination are finite. I want to..do something useful for it. Turn it into some sort of counter-measure in case she tries something like this again.

You were pretty pointed that you’re in the business of destroying the Sith’s influence. Is something like this within Firemane’s means?”

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

“Maynard would kill them.”

"I like this Maynard," Rhea remarked darkly. "He seems sensible. I hope they don't imprison him in a gulag." It might have become apparent that the 'Jedi Order' the Rattataki knew was a very 'interesting' one.

Elpsis had been silent while the ex-Sithspawn spoke, processing and weighing her words. If the Jedi wanted to feel better about her sins, Elpsis would not be the one to give her a pat on the back and tell her that she had not been responsible. Because in the Lieutenant's eyes, she had been.

Just as Elpsis had herself to blame for succumbing to the Inquisition's brainwashing. However, a Sith had invested time and effort into turning her into a monstrosity. Doubtless the Sith would not stop with one experiment. This gave Elpsis a responsibility. The fact that the Jedi wanted to do something productive instead of moping about her life or hiding herself away gave her a small measure of respect for her. If she's lying, I'll kill her.

"It is," she said seriously. "I got no clue about that, but we've got people who are in alchemy and sciencey stuff. They've dealt with alchemical viruses before."
"Maybe Shikoba's people can help, too. They don't have all your technology, but they know a lot about sorcery," Rhea suggested.
"We'll see. You'll have to come with us and follow my orders. Clear? By the way, who turned you into a monster in the first place?"

Loske Treicolt

 

[Loske Treicolt]

"I like this Maynard,"
"He seems sensible. I hope they don't imprison him in a gulag."

“Heh, me too.” Loske chuckled with a shrug, agreeing to both statements, but made a bit of a face at the strangeness of the other woman’s mention of imprisonment.

"It is,"

A flood of relief pooled in her chest, and she gave a tight nod. Firemane had the means to facilitate some sort of medicinal intervention. She and Frank had some some brief research on the company, only enough to merit this initial meeting and prod into potential.

"Thank you."

She’d considered other alternatives –– Amea likely had contracts that were unaffiliated, but her informant friend seemed more on the technically inclined. She didn’t even know what a Sith was in this lifetime.

And the Alliance...they were in bed with the Imperial Order now. Who knew what sort of opportunities they’d see with the symbiote. Would they weaponize it? Compnor couldn’t be trusted, that was for certain. And after Kyber Dark…..

Her trust in the two political power's relationship and intentions was tenuous at best.

"We'll see. You'll have to come with us and follow my orders. Clear?”

At first, Loske was about to protest going along with the pair. Why couldn’t she just hand over a fraction of the sample for their scientists to test? She could deliver testimonies remotely through encryptions.

Lips drew into a thin line, heels digging into the ground as if to make herself steadfast and immovable from her position in the spaceport. There would be no steps forward solo –– especially not for something as intimate as this.

But she needed to be present to ensure parts of it weren’t still within her, in any sort of unevolved state. Again.

Reluctantly, she exhaled through her teeth, folding her arms across her chest to hold herself in the reality that was her responsibility.

“I’m not participating in experiments.” Loske stated her boundaries, “That threat to kill wasn’t just for The Alliance. And I’m not coming with you alone. Not again.

I’ll get the sample and Maynard.”

“By the way, who turned you into a monster in the first place?"

Taeli’s name was stuck at the back of her throat, wedged there. When she went to articulate it, the sound became hard and hoarse. Flashes and images of intangible thoughts forming into a blockage that made it hard to breathe. Memories of Raaf’s empathetic tethers to the fallen Jedi flourished in her mindscape, the studious brunette turned murderer in an instant. She’d felt familiarity in that shame and fury, and worse...she’d felt a resonating likeness to the sheer, vitriolic power that came with untapped emotion.

All the rage she’d felt at almost being abused flourished in Loske’s punctuated enunciation: “Taeli Raaf.”

She clicked her teeth together, so that her next promise seethed through them: "And I'm going to kill her."

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

Loske Treicolt

“I’m not participating in experiments.” Loske stated her boundaries, “That threat to kill wasn’t just for The Alliance. And I’m not coming with you alone. Not again.

I’ll get the sample and Maynard.”

Elpsis' heavily scarred face was cold and hard. Dead, white eyes stared at Loske, unyielding. "Take him, but remember this: You're the one asking for my help because you're too scared to go back to your Alliance. I don't owe you anything. Also the threat goes both ways. If you turn on me, I'll kill both of you. Now you may not remember the details of Ziost, but that's not an idle threat, that's a frakking promise."

Rhea stood alongside her, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "Elpsis is my commanding officer, my friend and my saviour." That last part would probably embarrass Elpsis a lot. "If anyone tries to hurt her, I will fight them and lay down my life if needed. If anyone serves the Sith, I will rip their heart out."

Her yellow eyes seemed to blaze. "But no one will lock you in a lab like a thing to be experimented on. I know a few things about what that's like." She frowned. "Who is this Taeli Raaf?" Rhea had only been in the greater galaxy for a short while. She knew that there was a much diminished Sith Empire, and a bunch of other Sith factions. And Elpsis had mentioned a Matsu Xiangu a lot and mockingly referred to the Empire's ruling house.

"Masqueraded as a Sith who'd 'seen the light' and the last two big Jedi orders bought it because her sis was a Jedi Grandmaster and they suck at vetting or basic security," Elpsis informed her helpfully.

"Oh. The galaxy Jedi are strange," Rhea remarked bluntly. "The Dominion isn't like that. The Inquisition takes any Sith defector to a re-education camp. Sometimes, they appear on propaganda shows, broken, contrite and robotic. But the Jedi Lords are already horrible tyrants anyway. Even more reason for you to come along then. Your friend's blade may have reversed your transformation, but she may still have her hooks in your mind, just waiting to be triggered. I know a few things about that, too." So does Elpsis, she thought, but she didn't mention that because it was not her place to talk about it. "A sample will not tell you that."

 

[Loske Treicolt]

WITH MONSTERS MUCH BIGGER THAN I CAN CONTROL NOW​

Her face darkened at Elpsis’ further commentary, but she left her temper to simmer. She didn’t need to explain her distrust for the government she had been a soldier for, nor did she need to delve back into the reflections of Ziost –– hazy as it was –– where they had both emerged survivors. With varying degrees of success.

Instead, all those unsaid comments flickered across her lips in a spiteful simper –– an unamused curved line that unfurled slowly after she pinched the space between her eyes to keep from lashing out. There was no point in trying to challenge the warrior in sharing stares of intimidation, given the woman’s apparent blindness.

“Fine.” She managed, but only after Rhea sought to empathize over their mutual lab-rat syndrome. Albeit unknowingly.

"Even more reason for you to come along then. Your friend's blade may have reversed your transformation, but she may still have her hooks in your mind, just waiting to be triggered. I know a few things about that, too

A sample will not tell you that."

Loske’s hardened expression receded, fading to something more along the lines of muted horror. Any and all biological scans confirmed that the mass it was scanning, her entire person, was herself. With no external intrusion, dormant or otherwise. That was the benefit of having the sample on-hand. It helped mitigate the potential for mutations unforetold.

But Rhea’s suggestion that there might be another way for Raaf to continue to exert influence terrified her and articulated the fears she’d spoken in private to her husband. The growing concern that she might be a hazard to the family she wanted to cultivate.

Every muscle tensed involuntarily and she forced herself to nod with grim acceptance. Trepidation hung heavily around her shoulders, and she forced herself to move –– as if some form of momentum would help her shake from that line of thinking. The present was where her power was.

“Right.” She acknowledged with a tight nod, coming to agreement over the situation. “We’ll meet you back here in an hour with the sample. Thank you for your help.” She paused, lingering a moment longer –– unable to hold her tongue and withhold her defense. If they were going to travel together, she might as well clarify: “It’s not that I’m afraid of The Alliance.” She started. “I don’t trust them and their relationships. I don’t want this being exploited for the wrong.

I don’t think you’d let this get into the wrong hands, and I don’t have the connections or resources outside of The Core to get this fully solved and not weaponized.”

With her piece at least semi out in the open, she motioned with her chin to get Frank to move alongside her and walked from the pair.

She didn’t feel at ease until she was walking back up the ramp of The Renegade, parked on the other side of the station. With a heavy exhale, she flopped into the lounge’s bench.

“Well.” Loske started, “Good news first.

One –– she didn’t kill me.

Two –– Firemane has medical and alchemical resources

Three –– they agreed to help.”

At the final triumphant note, she straightened in her seat to look more prepared.

But it’s on their terms. Frank interjected, quickening the transition in the conversation.

“Which I get..” Loske added slowly, chewing the words over in her mouth and looking toward Maynard Treicolt “But that means their ship, their rules. And they don’t fully trust me. And we bring the sample.

Are you okay with that? Do we do this?”

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

Loske Treicolt

Elpsis watched the Jedi - or ex-Jedi, she was not sure, though she was content to label her as 'Jedi' - leave and glanced at Rhea. "You did good pointing some logic out to her," she remarked. She was being sincere, though her words lacked any effusiveness.
"Thank you. I meant what I said about you."
"I'm no saviour. Or a hero," the Lieutenant admonished her flatly.
"You are to me. I was a slave and you..."

"I killed your abuser, that's it. Because he'd made me his meat-puppet and I wanted to turn him to ash. It was fury and fire. You chose not to cower," Elpsis interjected. She shook her head. "Don't turn any person into an icon. Don't idolise anyone. All you'll do is end up disappointed. Always."

She was no icon. No 'Young Phoenix' - yet another idiotic title Firemane's propaganda machine had seen fit to assign to her. Siobhan being out of commission had thrown them into a curveball. Tegaea was uninspiring. Sure, she had successfully led the Tephrike expedition, but at the end of the day she was the wife, and that was it. Too corrupted by luxury and mammon. And so they latched on to the next best thing, the couple's daughter.

Fire Princess by sole virtue of the fact that she was the only adult member of Siobhan's once plentiful brood left and had shed enough of her own blood or that of enemies of the family to get a couple medals pinned to her uniform. Not the 'heir' the 'queen' wanted, just the only one she had. Someone the court lackeys thought naive and stupid enough to use as a mouthpiece to push their agendas. But because the real her was not 'heroic' and 'perfect', the public needed a sanitised one. She was happy that she could not see what her posters looked like.

"You're no icon to me," Rhea spoke seriously, with a strong note of firmness in her tone. "Not a picture on the wall I slavishly bow. I won't bow to anyone again. You're a person - a fallible one. But you showed me strength. And we pursue the same cause, come what may. We make a good team."
"Yeah, we do. Great at carving up scum."
"The best type of team-ups." Having said her piece, the Acolyte looked towards the distant ship Loske had disappeared in. "Think she'll come along?"
"We'll see," Elpsis shrugged. "If she does, keep an eye on them. The droid can fly."

 

[Maynard Treicolt]

The Renegade was ever a vessel strewn apart with meticulous and ever present issues concerning its operation. Issues and problems which Maynard took a nigh masochistic joy in pursuing, the act of rooting out, solving, improving was a fulfilling cycle, be it in the grander scheme- in Maynard’s case...war or on the simple arena that was The Renegade.

Other times, it was just aggravating. He’d taken a rest from fumbling over the same mechanical switches and power settings over and over with Buddy providing ever insightful input on the process.

“Oh I’m well aware. Just-“ He let off a dejected and annoyed sigh.

“We’ll just- we’ll leave it or- if you think you’re such a luminary at this you try your hand or- whatever, at it.” He all but taunted the BB unit who offered up a sequence of determined binary beeps before rolling back toward the engine room again.

Loske’s meeting had already stretched on longer than he’d anticipated and with Buddy now commandeering their engine troubles, he supposed it was best to get comfortable in this indescript port. As most of the rundown infrastructure on Concord Dawn seemed to be.

He’d ventured into the ship’s kitchen, with the aim to prepare bre- lun- didn’t matter. For himself. He had just lifted a spoon toward his open mouth when Loske entered the lounge and faced toward him. Just as he was content to be sedentary- they were on the move.

“Ah-“

“Well I think one kinda explained itself.” He remarked offhandedly as she continued. Though he certainly would’ve sensed the slightest wisp of danger on her, if it occurred. His eyes narrowed when she came to the final condition. Her terms. There was little room or leverage Maynard could swing to argue otherwise.

“Depends...do you trust her? To do what we need her to do, for us? Or was there...some lingering tension? I don’t know, what’s your gut tell you about this?” Maynard inquired

“I’ll back up whatever you decide. If you trust her to do what needs to be done then- let’s not waste any time.” Maynard said, standing up, resolute in his sentiment. He was clearly confident in the two of them navigating out of any situation- if things got too out of control. He didn’t trust Kerrigan, or her coven. But with his recent exile from the government that anointed him as a hero, trust was a fickle beast.

Loske Treicolt | Elpsis Kerrigan s

 

[Loske Treicolt]

EDGE OF THE DARK​

“Depends...do you trust her? To do what we need her to do, for us? Or was there...some lingering tension? ”

“Oh,” her palms flattened on the table. “There is so much tension. This entire escapade is going to be Elpsis looking for reasons not to kill me. Which I’m taking as a good sign, given she’d only known Shursia..and she’s dedicated to eradicating the Sith.”

“I don't know, what’s your gut tell you about this?”

“My gut..” She released a low, unamused chuckle that sounded like she was chiding herself before explaining “My gut” was punctuated “Is reminding me what happened last time I trusted it..” Loske reasoned with a wan grin and an ambivalent gesture. She was quiet for a moment before hunching on the opposite side of the table that looked like she was either protecting something, or she’d been punched in the stomach. It was just her thoughts. Her fingers ran through her hair on either side of her head and she straightened again, after wrestling with her considerations.

“Yeah, I think I do.

I feel like I have to. Like this is kind of a one-shot sort of deal.”

She paused, chewing the acceptance over between her cheeks to see how it tasted the longer she left it. This was that second look they needed. Maynard had done everything in his power, she’d done everything in her power, to reassure that she was safe but neither of them were medically inclined –– neither really understood the nuances of creation, or that which inhibited it. And the prospect of a family seemed to live just beyond that shroud of aloof misunderstanding.

"And I don't want us to go through this anymore. All this unknowing. Some sort of catharsis...would be.."

Then, as she’d told Kerrigan, she rehashed her train of thought with Maynard.

“I’ll back up whatever you decide. If you trust her to do what needs to be done then- let’s not waste any time.”

“I trust her more than I do the Alliance, especially with the Triumvirate establishment. Who knows how much they share..and that Kyber Dark business still only feels like the beginning. What's more, I don’t know where else to go. And I can’t just..leave it so unknown. It scares me. I still scare myself.

She’ll help us get done what needs to be done, and –– “ she drew in a small breath, savoured it, then let it out “And it sounds like they have experience with this sort of stuff. One of them, Rhea, already suggested that there might still be mental connections, even if our bio scans showed Shursia’s gone.

I didn’t even say I was afraid of that, she just knew. And as horrible as that is...that’s kind of..reassuring in a way? That those considerations are covered?” She shrugged and melted into her hands that braced her jawline, staring off just over Maynard’s shoulder at some distant promise of absolution. It was there. Just beyond reach...but they could take the steps, together, to get to it.

With a single, curt nod, she agreed with him to not waste any more time and scooched closer to him on the L-shaped lounge, interrupting more of his meal by shoving her body next to his.

"This'll work. I won't put us through this more than once."

The hour passed with Loske motioning at Maynard’s prepared meal with a that-looks-good-i-should-probably-make-one-who-knows-what-kind-of-food-we’ll-have sentiment and then, finally, moved on to preparing the sample. Frank helped her carefully place it in the container Ryv had used to deliver it to them. It was robust, fortified, but small enough to travel without obstructing it’s carrier. And without making Loske too nervous being in its proximity, though she was admittedly apprehensive to even touch the vile it lived in.

“You think Buddy’s okay alone on The Renegade?” Loske asked, mostly knowing the answer, but using the question to break the silence as they walked back toward the freighter she’d promised their travel on. Frank came along with them for the prospect of updating any of his programming to be more medically inclined should the opportunity arise. Of course the other Astromech was fine –– it wasn’t the first time in his little robotic history being the sole guardian of the heavily personalized vessel. “Maybe he’ll have a new engine by the time we’re back.” She offered, a little lighter with a nudge and grin.

Still, as they approached the lot where Elpsis Kerrigan was parked, Loske couldn’t fully swallow the apprehension that prickled around her psyche and body. She might have said she wouldn’t be part of experiments, but that was a..overconfident boundary. Whatever was forthcoming would involve both Treicolts pretty wholly, in one way or another.

To their captor-slash-host, Loske stepped forward first with the symbiote in tow. "Alright, we're here which..means we obviously agree to your terms." She stopped just before saying a tepid for now –– "This is my husband, Maynard. Like you, he faced Shursia."

At the drop of the sith's name, Loske gestured with the case in her grip.

"I don't know what kind of security you have for containment, this should do it, but if you have more..be my guest."

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

Loske Treicolt Maynard Treicolt

The dynamic duo was still passing the time. "How's your people's asteroid base coming along?"
"Fine. We put your...donation to good use."
"Just make sure it stays anonymous."
"We shall," there was a pause before Rhea spoke again. "We lost a convoy to a pirate raid."
"How bad was it?"
"Bad. We thought they were slavers...but they were just...monsters. They tortured our people. Harvested their organs."
"Frak. You got any leads?"
Rhea looked a bit sheepish. "Yes, we managed to hit back. We couldn't save our comrades, but we could avenge them. And let their murderers suffocate in the void." She smiled grimly. "The cowards begged for mercy."

Something clicked inside Elpsis' head. "You were there. Why didn't you tell me?"
"It was my leave. It didn't interfere with Firemane business. And you were preoccupied with..."
Elpsis cut her off irritably. "PR bullchit. Which you know I hate. I could've helped with something yourself."

"We managed. The Unchained don't need the space people to hold their hand."
"Not what I meant. As you know." It came out more sharply than intended. The encounter with the Jedi had not left Elpsis in a good mood.
The Rattataki sighed slightly, nodding. "Yes, I was out of line."
"I prefer someone to being 'out of line' - in private - to someone who nods along and kisses my arse. Your people aren't kids. You can fight your battles. I get that. You're still new to the galaxy and the bad chit in it."

"Yes. Some of our Qadiri friends happened to be in the area. They helped." Rhea conceded after a moment. "When I first saw space, I dared to hope that Tephrike was one of a kind. That no world could be this bad. But after everything, I see I was wrong."
"Cruelty and greed are everywhere. It's inherent to people. Even more reason to fight." Better than a pointless life of luxury and laziness, she thought grimly. "You will tell me you go back to Tephrike, right?" she asked half-seriously.

"Of course, we want the 'Young Phoenix' on our side." The nickname made Elpsis groan, as Rhea knew it would.
The 'Young Phoenix' in question grimaced. "Call me that again and I'm putting you on latrine duty."
"By the way, Mel asked me to tell you she liked your responses in the interview."
"Has she mustered up the courage to ask Mara out yet?"
"She asks you to 'stop pestering' her about that," Rhea smiled thinly. "You were right to stand up to them. I don't like this Vivian. She would fit in well with Dominion agitprop."
Elpsis frowned, recalling something. "Ain't that where Mel used to work?"
"Yes. One day they would praise a Jedi or a worker as a great paragon. The next the 'Hero of the Light' would vanish. Sometimes make a pathetic 'confession'."

"Things aren't like that here," Elpsis said quickly, just in case Rhea had gotten the wrong idea. "We don't do purging and chit. Just full-on bureaucratic despotism. 'Auntie Viv' has friends in the General Staff and she's pals with Royal. But our 'lady regent' Director Danton doesn't like Royal, so she's probably not that unhappy 'bout the duo of lackeys lookin' bad. I've only been told to keep my mouth shut and not give interviews...which I didn't want to do anyway. And I guess I won't make Captain for a long, long time."

xxx

At this moment the conversation was brought to a close by the sudden arrival of Loske and the man Rhea assumed was the Maynard the Jedi had mentioned earlier. Elpsis gave him a curt nod. Her previously more relaxed posture had been replaced by something a lot more rigid and alert. Her features were dour and serious. She eyed container Loske seemed to be holding. Her jaw tightened slightly. "Got a Graphite container in the cargo bay. Can put it in there. It's plenty tough." Echani Graphite was no beskar, but it was durable and could handle limited contact with a glowstick.

"We're going to the Arx. That's Firemane's main hub." A 40km vanity project, to be precise. It was essentially a city in space. For some reason, Siobhan had decided she also needed an 80km one. In all fairness, worldcrafts were cool, but this one digresses. "The station's got all the big medical facilities. Time's a wasting. Let's go." And the sooner I get this behind me, the better, she thought. "I'll message High Command."

 

[Maynard Treicolt]

He had to expect there'd still be lingering tension, never the less, Kerrigan was the key and whatever awkward, precarious or dangerous circumstances they had to brave to reach their goal- it'd be worth it. So long as neither of them ended up anywhere close to as horrid as circumstances were when Loske was buried in the shroud of internal darkness that was Shursia.

Even if it was only a 'gut feeling' from one of Kerrigan's cousin that any trace of Shursia remained at all. Seemingly, biometric double and triple checks determined there wasn't any trace of that 'parasite' still lingering it in, the properties of Shursia were still with a great lack of understanding and could manifest itself again if it still had a mental tether to Loske.

"Yeah- I don't trust the Alliance or- any of its allies for that matter to tamper with whatever is left of it...or really- to mess with you at all. Not that Kerrigan is...better but- I think you have the same feeling I do. Regardless, even though we're stepping into their turf, playing by their rules if at any point you feel you've reconsidered things- we're leaving." Maynard states, rather resolute on this. He didn't want either of them bound to this should anything get out of hand.

He shifted his gaze away when she began to tamper with the sample, almost wincing as it was secured in the vial for transportation.

"Should be fine, he's only ever left in a worse state...a couple times." Maynard remarked with a teasing grin in regards to the droid who was well out of ear shot and eyesight, no doubt seeing to one of the Renegade's many maintenance needs.

"But if you're all set...let's get this over with." Maynard said, offering a brief kiss with their closeness, the last moment of comfort between them before boarding Kerrigan's vessel where no doubt, that tension would return again and until was all over, there'd be that fog settled over them, that 'ill at ease'. Oh well, none of it would be as horrid was the journey it took to get her back. This would be that necessary, painful 'rip of the bandage' so to speak. To finally seal the wound away.

Before the two stepped aboard the foreign vessel, Maynard spoke in a hushed tone between them.

"I have a tracker node on me, if anything hits the fan, once Buddy can get the Renegade off the ground, he'll get us." Maynard said. A contingency. He didn't like going into circumstances outside of his control without one.

Once aboard Elpsis's vessel, he was quiet, placid, seemingly respectful, only here out of Loske's interests and his own to keep her safe and comfortable.

"Where is it? The 'Arx'? Or is that on a need-to-know?" He inquired outright, curious more than anything.

Loske Treicolt | Elpsis Kerrigan