After Darkness (Firemane)

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Karrigan'Xalda"]

“Why not submit, you cannot win. I am the true heir to Vader, and no Jedi or weak Light adept can harm me.”
“You think you are the only one who knows the Dark? You know nothing, Sith,” Tempest said, rising to her feet, fighting to stand her ground. Xalda struck, and the entity was distracted, recoiled for just a second.
Tempest looked and her eyes fell upon Elpsis’ lightsabre. She knew it was a special weapon, a weapon to pierce unholy and ghostly flesh. It flew to her hand as she leapt, the blade piercing down like a thunderbolt. Clean through its arm the blade pierced and into its chest.
“I am no Jedi, I am your future,” she hissed as the lightsabre drove in deeper.

At that opportune moment Saito would appear to combine with Xalda to give the killing blow….

XXX

Freya growled slightly. ‘Blondie’ was not something she liked being called. However, now was not the time to make her displeasure known. That would come later.
“Well then let’s go kick these gloating ass Sith right in the…” fortunately her commlink buzzed.
“Could really use some help here!” It was Tegaea’s voice, stressed and cracked from exertion.
“We’re on our way,” Freya said. She primed her Reaper shotgun. “Let’s go save the boss. The rewards are well worth it.” What rewards? Why, money of course, whatever else would she mean?

Cue montage of Freya and Mezha dealing with their enemies. They found an ion rifle along the way, and that helped, as did using the shotgun as a club against the possessed and a flaming shard cannon against the shadows.

XXX

The melee on the bridge had become general, but those who had survived possession were winning the day.

For Tegaea though the situation was desperate. She had her hold-out bolter in one hand and a blade in the other, trying to keep the enemies back. Crew she had known for years were swarming forward to grab her and she was loathe to kill, but she had to keep them back.

Leaping onto a conference table in the room she had retreated to she was able to keep her opponents back, knocking them down as they climbed on, but she was now truly surrounded.

Surrounded that is until there was a loud explosion outside the door.
“Cover your ears, boss,” a harsh voice called.
Tegaea had only a second to look away and clasp her hands over her ears before the room filled with noise and blinding light. In would stride Mezha and Freya, ready to deal with any of the few which survived the initial attack.

XXX

A shooting star fell from the sky.
The Sith were deep below ground, maybe thirty metres of mountain rock, permacrete and durasteel protected them. Even the mightiest impacts above did little to damage this mountain redoubt.
It was not enough now. A single shot could not do much where the others had failed one might think. That was where this shot differed.
As the apocalypse round descended the Sith in the circle wavered in their concentration. All of them were feeding their power either into their Master or into controlling the shadows and possessed above. One by one they started to break concentration.
One of the Sith Lords noticed. Her malevolent yellow eyes glared at the lesser Sith. “Continue the work, their leader is almost ours.”
“Master, the enemy….” His words were cut off by a spear of lightning through the chest, powerful enough to tear the flesh from his ribs.
“Continue the ritual or I will destroy you maggots myself! The enemy cannot harm us here!”

She was wrong. Every one of them was seconds from death. However, some might perish even before then….

 

[Karrigan'Xalda]

[member="Tempest"]

Elpsis' lightsabre was in function like most glowsticks. However, it possessed a very special feature, for it was Force imbued. If the user channelled her power through the blade, it could burn the unclean the way a Force Imbued Blade. The lightsabre just so happened to have been enchanted with the essence of a Master.

The result was pain and anguish for the demon when the tip of the blade pierced his chest. An enraged roar escaped him, loud enough for it to be akin to white noise. For Xalda with her sensitive Xioquo ears, it was torture. She sank to her knees, clutching her ears. It felt like her eardrums were about to burst and her skull was being hammered.

It added to the pain caused by her injury. Enraged the abomination tried to batter Tempest with its manifold tendrils. Forcing herself to stand, Xalda struck the demon with her enchanted sword, again and again, as if lost in a violent, rage-filled frenzy. If she had had the presence of mind to focus, she would have sensed Saito appearing from outside and closed in on the demon.

Regardless, the Panathan wasted no time. Her Force aura flared up as she stretched out with her power. Several decades of specialisation in Force suppression and dampening were brought to bear. The avatar was a construct of the Force. Threads of power bound it to its summoner. Those were now being cut...

xxx

And what of Varkasa Jai Nasal?

The bridge was in chaos, but the tide was turning in favour of those who had survived possession. The bodies were stacking up though. However, Tegaea and Varkasa had been cornered. "Move, Lady!" the Cataphract shouted. The demons tried to claw into her mind. They sought to beguile her with promises of power and frighten her with threats. The demon's visage was vile and terrible to behold. Its mere presence filled her with dread. She forced herself to stand her ground.

There was only one supreme goddess in heaven. Who had sent her daughter to lead her children to the stars and victory. Some people tried to shake off mental assaults by playing cards in their head. Others perfected insults. Varkasa recited hymns battle songs that glorified the accomplishments of her ancestors. Her mother Almira had been a knight, as had her mother and so on and so forth. They had ridden with Shahs and defied demons. A Jai Nasal had speared a red dragon with her lance. Varkasa had brought glory and honour to the family name. She would not go down as a coward.

"Kashara, cast your light upon us!" she shouted. She fired until the abomination had dissipated, dodging the shadowy tendrils it threw at her. Her leg itched from a nasty wound its claws had torn into it. More possessed came at her. Some she punched, others she shot and others again she stabbed. Her wounds piled up. Blood dripped from a torn uniform. A sonic wave shot forth and her mind exploded in sound. She reeled backwards against the wall with a thud.

Immediately the possessed swarmed her. Hands grabbed her. She bit, kicked, punched and managed to shoot one with a holdout bolter. An assailant bashed her skull against the floor. Then the room was filled with loud noise and blinding light when a flashbang was lobbed in.

Varkasa did not hear the call to cover her ears or close her eyes, but she was buried beneath enough bodies that she did not really need to. She threw her assailant off. Her vision was hazy from the beatings, but she saw an ugly, spiky creature unload an arc caster upon the shadows. The lightning arced from target to target. Cries of pain were heard when possessed were electrocuted. Then the clawed, spiky creature was upon them with gun, claws and fists, accompanied by a golden-haired human. Whatever it was, it could fight.

xxx

The Sith had their ways of punishing those whose lack of faith, they found disturbing. However, not all had been so steadfast in their faith. Some had managed to slip out. And so it came to pass that a transport bearing Darth Eisen and his closest associates was far away from Castle Maysaf when the apocalypse round hit home. Upon seeing the shooting star descend from the sky, he bid his driver to halt.

An expression of shock crossed his features and he pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his pale flabby face. His fingernails were elegantly manicured. He wore a lavish, white uniform with gold braids on the collar and gold insignia on the shoulder pads. It was bedecked with medals. "Good gracious. Such terrible desolation. If we had such power, the stars would tremble before our might," he spoke, half in fear, half in awe, as he beheld the massive explosion. Then the ground shook as if feeling the effect of an earthquake.

"My Lord, we must make haste," his chauffeur said nervously.
"What of the Dark Lord?" an officer in his entourage asked.
This seemed to shake Eisen out of his daze. The expression on his fat face shifted to something more calculating. "Yes, yes, hit the road. We must think of the fatherland. My person is far too important for its future. I see it now. It is fortunate that He guided me out of the castle at the crucial moment. To Sophiahall. Our troops are to be put on high alert. Dispatch a force to the ruins to look for survivors...and ascertain who has perished," a knowing look passed between him and one of his minions.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Karrigan'Xalda"]
As Saito contained and Xalda struck, Tempest continued to drive and rend the unholy apparition with the lightsabre. She endured its attacks, but despite the pain she did not relent. She would be victorious.
With a final twist and tear the blade cut it in half, and after a final howl it finally dissolved. Tempest had the presence of mind to deactivate the lightsabre before she fell to the ground, bleeding from several oozing, nasty wounds. Getting to her hands and knees she looked to make sure the tank was safe and her allies were alive before she slumped to the ground unconscious.

XXX

With a roar of pain Darth Furcht stumbled back from circle. A small trickle of blood ran from his nose.
“Master,” an acolyte said, running forward.
“It is nothing, stop fussing. The filth and sub-humans surprised us, but we will get them yet. All we need is…”
He paused. “Master, they are bombing us again, we must go.”
The Force screamed at the Dark Lord, giving him precognition and sight beyond sight. However, his gaze had been lured into his demon and had not seen his peril until too late
“It is too late. I curse them. I curse all of them and their Jedi allies.” He looked around the chamber at the slowly reviving Sith. “Where is Eisen?”

The answer did not matter. Nothing mattered. The Dark Lord of the Sith died instantly. No amount of power in the Dark Side or the Light could have saved him, or his confederates as the missile vaporised a 50 metre sphere, shearing through rock and metal cleanly. Indeed, one fleeing Sith was cut nearly in half, his legs comically and grotesquely smoking as his body had vanished.
The shock of this would be felt all across Tephrike. Leonina would feel it, as would those strong in the Force with her, whilst Mahtara would undeniably sense the end of the Sith Council. The bombardment would have been clearly visible from Nexus City, so the cause would be well known.

Firemane had dealt a blow to the Dominion, true, but this beheading of the serpent was perhaps an even more telling strike. Only the Force knew what would happen…and as Mahtara would well know the future was often difficult to see with clarity….

XXX

Aboard the Scarlet Destiny those afflicted by the Sith would suddenly find themselves free of their influence, often with no memory of what had just occurred. To the survivors it was like waking from a nightmare.

Tegaea meanwhile was able to drop down from the table and gave Freya a pat on the shoulder, a rare gesture of uncomposed favour.
“I…must thank you both again. Varkasa!” She ran to the Qadiri and helped her sit up. “Get a medic here.” A quick scan revealed the injuries were not life threatening. “Report…is it over? Did we kill them?”

 

[Karrigan'Xalda]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

And so Castle Maysaf died. For centuries it had been a place of fear, terror and evil. But no amount of blood sacrifices, power in the Dark or the Light could save it, for it was as doomed as Alderaan had been almost a millennia ago. Despite the vast distance, the bombardment was clearly visible from Nexus City.

The deaths of thousands reverberated through the Force. They were enough to jolt Mahtara out of her meditation. The old Jedi Master needed some time to catch her breath. When she regained her composure, she saw that Jedi Kyrric was standing at the threshold to her meditation chamber. His mask hid his features, but she could sense he was unsettled.

"Master, are you alright?" he asked, concerned.
"Yes. Do not concern yourself with me," Mahtara spoke. "You have felt it, too. A great disturbance in the Force."
"Yes, Master, as if thousands of voices cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced," he affirmed. He took a step closer and sat down on the floor. "The outsiders have struck. They rained down fire on the Sith. Castle Maysaf is no more."
"Then it is as I saw in my meditation," the Yodaling looked thoughtful for a moment. "Even at our height, we could never wipe out the Sith for good, and now their den of evil has been extinguished within the blink of an eye."
"Do you think their Dark Lord perished in the attack, Master?" Kyrric asked.
Mahtara thought for a moment. "Furcht is a master of evil, but also arrogant beyond measure. Doubtless he believed he could weather the storm...but there are weapons that go beyond the skill of any Master to survive."
"Then that is good news for us, isn't it, Master? With their Dark Lord and his Council dead, the Sith will fight over the succession. Perhaps there will even be rebellions."
Mahtara frowned. "We do not yet know if his entire council died. In the short-term, it should be to our benefit because it buys us time. In the long-term...impossible to see the future is."
"If I may make a suggestion, Master..."
"Speak your mind, Kyrric," Mahtara made a gesture with her hand.
"We could take measures to encourage disturbances in Sith territory. There are still rebel groups in their territory who are loyal to the Light. Doubtless the Sith will try to suppress the truth of this incident," he spoke.
"Yes, liaise with Cassius on this matter. Our military needs to rest and be reorganised. We cannot follow the counsel of hotheaded fools and attack the Sith with the anarchists at our gates, but we can pursue alternate strategies." Perhaps if the Sith were to learn that their attackers are allies of the Guard, it may divert them, she thought, but did not voice this. The Dominion's citizens would, of course, be told that the Light had punished the Vaderites for their manifold crimes. It is true, from a certain point of view.

"But we have matters closer to home to consider. This development alters my plans for a redoubt. I am still certain that the outsiders will depart, but they may return to rain down destruction. The Temple and Castle Maysaf had the strongest shielding known to us, but could not withstand them. And the past has taught us that we must be on our guard against spies and assassins. The greatest strength of our sanctum will be concealment. Tell me, Kyrric, what do you know of the White Current..."

xxx

The beast was dead. Tempest slumped to the ground, falling into unconsciousness. "Get a medic, now!" Saito shouted at a soldier who had shown up outside. Her eyes fell on Xalda. The Xioquo was leaning against a wall. Her breathing was heavy from the pain in her ribs. Her leg was bleeding.
"You did good, girl," the Panathan told her.
"This one cannot accept your praise. This one is at fault for bringing these demons forth and will accept any punishment," Xalda declared, looking very contrite.
"Xalda, cut the bullchit. Let's get your patched up before you bleed all over the place," Saito said bluntly.
"It is only a fraction of the pain this one deserves," the Xioquo protested.
"So you got possessed, is that it? I imagine no one trained you to resist possession."
"No...this one forced the beast out."
"And you know what that is? Impressive. So what we'll do is teach you how to shield your mind. You stood up to the head demon and helped kill it."

xxx

The sounds of battle had been silenced. Varkasa's head hurt and was covered in blood, but she was alive. The injuries were nasty, but not fatal, though she had lost a lot of blood. "I am alright, Lady," she insisted. Her gaze fell upon the spiked alien creature. She could not imagine what manner of deity would have seen fit to spawn such a being, but it had aided her.

"Varkasa Jai Nasala," she introduced herself. "I would know your name and your race so that I may record your deeds in the annals," she said seriously.
Mezha looked a bit taken aback by the woman's words. The pointy-eared woman had a strange accent, though her Basic was understandable enough to follow. "Mezha Krazhmir. I'm a Yuuzhan Vong." She bent down to help the elf stem the bleeding till a medic arrived.
"I've never met one of your kind until this battle."
"Yeah, well, it's been many firsts for me today," Mezha responded. If any innuendo could be read into her words, she did not notice. She looked around at the bodies, then at Varkasa's injuries. "Must've been a hell of a fight."
"I am a Cataphract," Varkasa answered firmly. "We do not die. We merely regroup in Kashara's realm and sample its delights before battle calls us once more." Hoarse laughter escaped her throat. It hurt to laugh, but she did so nonetheless. After a moment, Mezha joined in.

In the meantime, those of the possessed who had survived having their bodies hijacked were coming to. It was a bit like waking up from a nightmare. "W-where am I? What happened?" a young Acolyte stammered after coming up. She looked shocked when she saw the chaos around her. Including various people having their weapons drawn.

"You let yourself get possessed by a demon and turned on your comrades because you're weak," Nyssa informed her. "But because shooting your own people is wrong even when try to murder you, we just knocked you out."
"What...I..."
"You really.."
"Nyssa, shut up and make sure the wounded are seen to," Leonina cut her off sharply. Her voice brokered no compromise. She bent down to face the confused Acolyte. "You were not in control of yourself. You'll get medical attention and we'll monitor you to make sure there is no residue of the spirit's presence in your mind. Understood?"
"I...yes, ma'am. I'm sorry..."
Leonina got up. "Send for the Vash healers. And I want anyone who was possessed checked by a Truthseeker to make sure they're free for good. Until then, they will be kept under guard." There would be no torture or abuse under her watch, but she would make sure that they were safe to return to duty.

The Cathar walked over to where Tegs and her protectors were. "Director, Sergeant Saito reports that the entity controlling the spirits has been destroyed. Major Tempest is unconscious. Medics are seeing to her. Our casualties and wounded are still undetermined. But the situation's under control again."

xxx

The battle had drawn to a close. Shocked crewers were learning what had happened and what spirits had driven them to do. Medics were arriving to take care of the wounded. Mara emerged from beneath the table she had sought cover behind. She was still holding her stun blaster. "Is it over?" she asked nervously.
"It's done," Natalie informed her. She looked at the possessed they had managed to knock out. "Not bad for a computer nerd," she remarked.
Mara blushed a bit. "I still prefer computers. They don't try to kill me," she remembered certain accidents with Dominion computers, then amended this. "Normally." Looking at all the carnage around her, she winced. "Let's help the wounded."

Rhea was deaf to most of the commotion going on around her. Her head hurt like hell and her body ached. All her exertions had caught up in her. And yet she felt liberated. Free in a way she had not done for years. Perhaps ever since her parents had been brutally murdered by Sith. She had done it. She had resisted. Tephriki and star people had succumbed. But she had conquered her fear. These outsiders, for all their might, were people like her. She was tired and in pain, but the feeling coursing through her was exhilarating.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Phoebe and Mel. "You should get that looked at. You're dripping all over," Mel stated without preamble, pointing to a nasty gash on Rhea's forehead. The Rattataki had been too distracted to notice it. "We won," she remarked instead.
"That we did. And now our first order of business is to get the hell away from here. For a while at least. I could use some time without having to look over my shoulder. Without...," she made a sweeping gesture with her hand, "all this."
"The Vaderites are broken...for now, anyway. But there are many others like them," Rhea responded. Her score was not over. Not by a long shot.
"And they will get what is coming for them," Phoebe spoke. Her voice was authoritative. "This was a victory, and some day we will not star people for it. But for now, we must get our people settled somewhere safe, away from demons, the grip of Sith and Jedi. You're welcome to come with us. We of Serene Springs got to stick together."
Rhea cast her eyes upon the distant planet one last time. "We must never forget where we came from. What we endured. Who we lost. We can be stronger than the Dominion and the Vaderites if we just push hard enough. I'll come back one day, and make feel the terror they must us feel."

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Karrigan'Xalda"]

“Excellent, good work, Leonina. See to details up here, I’m going to head down to the medical wing.”

It was as Tempest was being examined by a medic that Tegaea came down to the medical room. Nyssa had come along to check on ‘her’ Elpsis, and Tegaea had let her. To be fair she couldn’t have stopped her, but the illusion of ‘letting her’ was there.

Saito explained the scene, and Tegaea knelt down by Tempest. “Will she be alright?”
“She should be fine. Some nasty injuries and we’re treating her for the poison. It’s not as strong as alchemical venom, but it is unpleasant,” the medic confirmed.
“Good, do what you need to.”

She looked down on Xalda as she got to her feet. “Xalda, thank you. You protected my daughter and my friend. Saito, credit to you as well. Thank you both.”
Going to the tank she touched her hand to the glass. “Luckily she seems to have slept through it. I’ll stay here for a while. Xalda, get yourself treated and come back here.”

She contacted the bridge. “Captain, move us into the moon’s orbit for now whilst we assess repairs. Dispatch two squadrons to the surface to destroy any obvious Sith exodus but look out for civilians. If in doubt, hold fire. We delivered our message.”

 

[Karrigan'Xalda]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Saito gave Tegs a curt nod. The message had been sent. If the Gods were good, perhaps this would give the victims of the Sith a chance to rise up. She could not help of her own homeworld. Panatha had been under the yoke of the Sith for decades. Its traditions had been violated and its people brainwashed into thinking the dark lord was a god. Her features hardened. One day, but not today. "Yes, ma'am. Come on, Xalda," she said simply.

However, Xalda seemed to show no sign of leaving. Instead she looked...distraught. "This one was too weak to resist possession and gave the demons entrance to this vessel. This one is unworthy, Consort."
"Xalda," Saito said sharply, trying to cut off her declaration.
"This one will not resist if the Consort gouges out my eyes for this one's weakness."
"Normally you have to beat them into confessions," Nyssa muttered to herself, though her eyes were otherwise glued to the tank.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Karrigan'Xalda"]
Tegaea looked rather surprised, even stunned by the Xio’s masochism. There were many ways to react, some realistic, some not so. Finally, a bit of stress and irritation won out.
“Xalda, snap out of it!” she said in her best Mistress voice. “First, nobody is gouging anyone’s eyes out, period; that is barbaric and foolish. Second, you fought bravely and defended my daughter. Third, I decide who is worthy or unworthy for me.”
She put her hand on Xalda’s shoulder. “And finally, no more of ‘this one’. You will refer to yourself as ‘I’ from now on, do you understand?”

This little piece of theatre done, she took a step back. “Now, you will follow the Sergeant’s orders and go to the medical bay at once! I will stay here for now with Nyssa.”

 

[Karrigan'Xalda]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Xalda looked shocked and rather lost for words. "This one...I...th..," she stammered, trying in vain to form a coherent sentence. "I understand. This...I...am Karrigan'Xalda and I serve House Kerrigan-Alcori." Then she suddenly stepped forward and pulled Tegaea into a big hug. "I shall follow you to the ends of the world." She stepped back, looking embarrassed. "I am sorry. I had no right to touch you. I was just so..."

Nyssa rolled her eyes. "Should have brought my recorder," she muttered to herself. "Maybe I should get myself a Xio pet who hangs on my every word and worships the ground I walk on," she added in Sithese.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Karrigan'Xalda"]
Tegaea was also surprised by the hug, but she did not pull away. Instead she put a hand to Xalda’s lips. “Shh, you are forgiven, Xalda – on condition you follow Saito’s orders.”

Tegaea glanced at Nyssa as she spoke in an alien language. She didn’t understand her, but she heard the work ‘Xio’ there. She had a guess the Pureblood was mocking Xalda.
“Do not scorn her, Nyssa. Old habits are hard to break, especially when inducted with pain and fear. Now, pull up a chair if you want to stay.”

They would have another visitor though, as soon after Natalie would appear, allowed in by the guards.
“Ah, Natalie, come in. Everything sorted on the bridge?”

 

[Karrigan'Xalda]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

"Yes, as the Blessed Consort wishes," Xalda spoke shyly, but happily. She shot Nyssa a death glare. She did not like this Flayed One. She was smug, pompous and lacked reverence. Perhaps this was why she looked like a skinned Qadiri.
Regardless, she followed Saito out. "There, we've finally succeeded at making you smile about something," the Panathan remarked. Xalda suspected she was teasing her, but was too happy to get annoyed about it at the moment.
"Yes, ma'am," Nyssa stated a bit grumpily, then fetched a chair. Her gaze wandered to the tank again. Alas, they did not remain undisturbed for long, as the blonde squib suddenly showed up.

"I wouldn't want to be the one who has to clean it up," Natalie responded. In her view, Tegaea's pet Sith should do it - without being allowed to use the Force to cheat. "Some repairs still need to take place, a couple systems are experiencing glitches. Nothing too crippling, but I wouldn't get into a space fight for a couple days," she sat down on a chair.

"Mara intercepted some communications from the surface. In its public broadcast, the Dominion has declared the castle's destruction an, I quote, 'act of the Light'. In its military communications, they know what's up. They're also blaming the Grandmaster's death on a Firemane bombardment. So all in all, you've been very busy assassinating heads of state." She fished out a water bottle, opened it and drank. It had been a long day.

"Nothing concrete from the Vaderites. The transmissions are very confused, but some man called Eisen's declared himself dark lord. Mara says he's extremely fat, loves flashy uniforms and pillages any city he enters for artwork. She thinks he won't be the only claimant before the day's over."

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Karrigan'Xalda"]
“We’ve had a busy couple of months above and on this hellhole. The least we can do is purge a crazed Jedi and a Darth Vader fanboy. Still, I don’t exactly feel great it came to this. It’s a lesson to learn though that the Force is a dangerous thing no matter who wields it if used destructively.”
She frowned. That almost sounded almost Republican Guard. Natalie would probably agree though.

“On the one hand this ‘Eisen’ sounds like a foppish loser. However, one doesn’t get to be a Sith Lord in such a cutthroat environment without some skills. Whether it’s actual power, followers or wealth he possesses, he’s likely got enough to hold on a little while.”

She paused again, staring at the floor. “You known Elpsis for long? I heard a few stories, but only the main highlights. Or lowlights I guess.”

Meanwhile Tempest was taken away and treated. When at last she did wake up she found herself in a private room with no one else present. Grimacing, she forced herself to sit up. Her wounds had been dressed neatly and the pain was not debilitating. Getting to her feet painfully she found herself connected to a drip on wheels. Irritated she was tempted to pull it out, but she could hear a doctor approaching.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

"He has what passes for an air force down there, so he's got something going for him," Natalie commented." I don't like the Force or what it drives people to do. In my experience, the deeper you get into it, the more it acts like a mood-altering substance. Produces a feedback loop. It's why so many struggle with impulse control and holier than thou arrogance, no matter what colour their sabre happens to be."

She glanced at the tank. "Met her a few months before Tephrike, give or take. I was heading a cell on Ession. She came over and wanted to help. We happened to have a Sith problem. Matsu Xiangu. You may have heard of her. Elpsis took her on in a fight when she started...assaulting us," she was silent for a moment. Her features hardened. "We gave her cover. I ran the queen over with a speeder. She made me crash. Elpsis saved my life that day."

There was silence for a moment, before Nyssa decided to break it. "Elpsis and I took on immortal super-beings on Maena," she boasted.
"After you tried to kill her?" Natalie asked caustically.
"That's...that's old history," Nyssa retorted rather defensively. "She proceeded to blow up my hand. It was battle. We were on opposite sides, alright?" Pride compelled her to add, "She likes the fact that I gave her a good fight."

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Elpsis Kerrigan-Alcori"]
“Indeed…” Tegaea said to Nyssa. The Pureblood had been effectively flipped to Firemane’s employ, but it was never to be forgotten that she had once been an enemy, and was mostly only there for promise of rewards and for Elpsis herself.

“It’s like being the only person with sight in a room of the blind, one Force user told me once,” Tegaea said. “I guess that’s what it is, an extra sense those with the right genetic profile get. I can climb my way up from gutter rat to megacorp owner or Prex of the Omega Protectorate, but I can never gain the ability to use the Force. It’s a leveller to counterbalance mere wealth and title. On the other hand, I don’t have to worry about Light and Dark sides, just common morality. I’m never going to be able to wave my hand and bring down star destroyers…and I’m fine with that. I have to be, it’s not changing any time soon!” she said with a laugh, though it ended quickly and she stared at the floor.

Meanwhile Tempest was suddenly facing an older nurse who gave her a stern look.
“And what are you doing out of bed?”
“I’m feeling fine,” Tempest said briskly. She wasn’t, and was leaning on her drip trolley.
“I’ll determine that, if you don’t mind. Back to bed with you.”
“I give the orders here,” Tempest said.
“Not in here you don’t, Major. Now, bed!”
Tempest muttered something very rude in her native language.
“And none of that, young lady! I was on Dahomey with the OP medical corps for six years, so none of your lip or the General will hear of this! Shoo!”
Defeated, Tempest slunk back to bed and pretended to sleep, all the while waiting for a new opportunity to escape.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Time passed. The wounded were treated, repairs were performed and Tempest's escape attempts continued to be foiled by medical staff that was as observant as it was authoritarian. Perhaps eventually someone took pity on her and gave her an Ashira's Angels magazine to give her something to occupy her time with.

Elpsis slept. Sometimes her dreams pulled her back to the camp. To days of woe, humiliation and suffering. Sometimes the spectre of the Firemane pilot she had murdered haunted her. Sometimes she relived her bloody rampage when she broke the shackles holding her down and unleashed the phoenix, burning all who stood in her way. Sometimes she burnt herself out in the process.

Other dreams were more peaceful in nature. Of animals, forests and fair maidens. Or simply of solitude and peace and quiet. Increasingly, she no longer perceived images when she dreamt. All she had was noise and sensation.

Finally, she awoke.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Elpsis Kerrigan-Alcori"]
Tegaea had turned the medical bay into something of a temporary office. People came in to give her reports, and she’d briefly leave to see to matters on the bridge, but by and large she stayed put. Nyssa and Natalie stayed in attendance, and soon Xalda returned as well, as she could not be kept in hospital for long.

It was as Tegaea was returning, having given some orders to Leonina about acquiring supplies when her datapad pinged. It was setup to detect when Elpsis’ vitals changed to indicate she was awake.

Heading over to the tank Tegaea placed her hand on the glass.
“Good morning, Elpsis. How are you feeling?” A silly question, but had to be asked. “The doctors have said they’d like to take you out and give you another check over, and also change the bacta. Do you feel up to that? Tempest is…she’ll be here soon,” she said, to get ahead of a likely question.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

"Can I stay out?" Elpsis asked. Her voice was still quiet, close to a whisper. But it sounded firmer and a lot less timid. "Don't wanna stay in the tank. Dark. Confining." Her eyes darted around. "Nyssa? Natalie?"
"I'm here, Red," Nyssa spoke firmly. "Natalie's here, too," she added as a bit of an afterthought.
"And not hovering like the needy Pureblood."
"Hey. No fighting. It's not the war room." Nobody laughed at Elpsis' attempt at a joke.
Nyssa stepped forward towards the tank. "Yeah, whatever. About time you woke up, you stubborn queen. You should be glad I was there to pull your arse out of the fire."
Elpsis' eyes narrowed. "I did that myself without you," she retorted tartly.
The Pureblood huffed. "You're just going to have to have to keep me close to prevent this from happening again."
"You have the oddest proposition flirts," Natalie remarked. Xalda meanwhile stood a bit in the background. The Xioquo had mostly recovered from her injuries and wore a flawless Firemane uniform that would pass muster at any parade. Her eyes conveyed not just vigilance, but also awe.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Elpsis Kerrigan-Alcori"]
Tegaea came over and took her daughter’s hand.
“You won’t need to be in there much longer after today, if at all. They say you’re making good progress.”
An efficient medical droid and nurse carefully cleaned Elpsis as she lay on the bed and replaced the bandages.

Whilst this was happening she frowned slightly at the banter between them. “Language, Nyssa,” she said sternly. It wasn’t the words so much as the lack of decorum. It lacked…refinement. And also, anyone referring to her daughter as a queen even in jest, got her hackles up a little bit.

Casting around for a distraction she found one. “Ah, Xalda, come closer, no need to hide in the shadows,” she said warmly. She had not let go of Elpsis’ hand. Contact was important for her daughter since using the Force would be tiring for her to see.

“Xalda here, among many others, did us a great service recently, Elpsis. She wanted to say hello.”
She’d not said that, but it might help the Xio get to know people a little better.

 

[Karrigan'Xalda]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Like with any blind person, other senses assumed greater importance for Elpsis. Touch and hearing were chief among them. It was why she liked it when 'her' girls held her hand. It was not because she was needy, but it made her feel connected. And at the moment she needed to make an actual effort to use the Force for sight. So she held on to her mother's hand.

Looking rather nervous, Xalda stepped forward. "I greet you, Offspring of the Karishzar, Princess of Fire, Bane of Yedi," she said fervently.
"Uh, hi," Elpsis responded...looking very awkward. Her expression could be summed up with the words 'what the frak?'. "Nice to meet you."
"It is an honour. Tales have been told of your valour."
"Um, that's good. You were at Tephrike?"
"Aye. I battled the treasonous Light. The vile Yedi have been repaid ten-fold for their sins. They are wicked murderers and slavers."
"Yes, they are," Elpsis said darkly. "I thank you for your bravery. If my mother's word is anything to go by, you fought bravely."
If Xalda could visibly blush, she would have. "This...I did my duty. But I accept your kindness."

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Karrigan'Xalda"]
Tegaea coughed slightly and nodded to Xalda. “Thank you, dear. Yes, she performed heroically on Tephrike. More recently we were attacked by Sith manifestations when we bombed their fortress. Xalda was instrumental in keeping them from getting to you in the tank.”
She locked eyes with Xalda. This was not the time for the Xio to express any misgivings.

The door suddenly opened and Tempest limped in. Moving as quickly as propriety would allow she crossed to Elpsis and knelt down beside her, taking her other hand.
“You’re awake! I’ve missed you.” She coughed, a little embarrassed at showing so ‘much’ emotion. “So…what’s the situation here?”

 

[Karrigan'Xalda]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Xalda was about to open her mouth, then thought better of it. Fortunately, it was hard to see her blush. "The Sith demons were vile, but they have been put down," she said piously.
"So we bombed the bastards? Good on us," Elpsis smiled slightly. Burning Sith, regardless of their factional affiliation, made her happy. The only one she liked was Nyssa. Her vacant eyes darted towards Xalda. "So...thanks for saving me. If there's anything I can do for you..."
"The Offspring of the Karishzar is too kind..."

They were interrupted by Tempest's sudden arrival. Hopefully a medic would not suddenly show up and order her to get back to her hospital room. "I missed you, too," Elpsis said feelingly.
"Yes, nice to see you, too," Nyssa grumbled.
"Nyssa." There was a note of warning in Elpsis' tone.
"What? I said it's nice that she's walking again," Nyssa stated indignantly. Stepping forward, she stroked Elpsis' bald head. "It is good to have you back," she said a bit awkwardly. Natalie rolled her eyes and wished she'd brought her recorder.