Lonely In Your Nightmare

[Connor Harrison]

Commenor
Rachuk Sector

How long had it been since standing outside the capital building of Commenor? A long time.

It seemed the sovereign state had been through the mill, and then some. While the planet itself and it's capital seemed to be thriving, Connor Harrison knew something rotten was festering on the inside. Ever watching, ever waiting. Now seemed the time to make his move.

There was a shadow hanging over the building. A shadow of the Force that he could feel as soon as she stepped out into the city and walked through the sprawling nexus. He was here to see one [member="Lady Kay"] of Commenor and it wouldn't be easy to gain an audience, that was for sure. There was no ulterior motive or motivation this time. During the dark times, he had been looking to start conflict between the Silver Jedi and the CSA for his own gain, but tables soon turned with the First Order having influence far wider than he could have imagined with the planet and its Queen.

No longer a Ren or an agent of the Sith, Connor was on the journey to standing beyond a rank or a title. To become one all-seeing with the Force, to have survived both Light and Dark and emerged with more knoweldge, more strength and more focus than ever. It felt only right to start the journey he should return to the beginning.

Across the courtyard where the royal residence was located, Connor sat on the edge of a large fountain and simply looked at the building. He looked beyond the bricks and iron, mortar and steel and grand sculptures to find the natural energy within. The signature of the Queen surrounded by suffering and regret.

If the rumours were true, she would need the support of one who had survived the darkness.

She would hear him, and she would be the one to grant him an audience before the day was out.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Commenor was doing well, the Systems Alliance was doing well. It was untouched by war, the economies of the worlds under their care were flourishing with all of the trade contracts moving throughout their regions of space. It was something to be proud of and by rights Kay should be.

But she wasn't.

At least not about her own situation. With Veiere undergoing his trial soon, she was cut off from their bond in the Force due to the specialized cell that she had him secured in. The seperation was something that she didn't like. But what was worse was the crimes that he had commited to get him there. Jedi aside, they were people that hadn't attacked him and weren't a threat to him. Yet he had gone after them anyways. The level at which he had fallen was breaking her heart, yet she was still determined to save him. Veiere was still a good person.

Kay sipped her tea as she walked down one of the hallways. She started to pass by one of the tall windows when she felt [member="Connor Harrison"] call out to her. His presence was one that she hadn't felt for some time; when he had tried to make her assert herself with an iron grip in the region. Yet she didn't follow his advice and instead went her own route to achieve her goal.

So what was he doing here now? She spotted him through the window, standing at the far end of the courtyard, sitting at the fountain, almost looking as though he was staring right at her. Was he?

Kay opened up her mind to him and reached out to him. ~Connor...What brings you here?~ For the moment she maintained her distance, unsure of whether to step outside or stay in. The guards would be watching her, regardless.

 

[Connor Harrison]

With the sound of the water bubbling away behind him, there was little distraction between his mindful aura and that of the Queen. People crossed the courtyard, a few small ships passed over - nothing out of the ordinary. Yet his focus went beyond all that and straight to the Queen.

A tiny smirk tugged on his lip.

"Well it's not your tea, that's for sure."

His distaste for tea hadn't changed, even thought his physical and mental state had since last time he had graced Commenor.

"Call it...a courtesy call. Something tells me not all is well within the palace walls."

He rose his head slowly.

"The shadow of the Dark Side has fallen, hasn't it."

And with a stronghold between two major powers of the Dark Side itself, potentially holding the Core worlds in the balance, the Queen of Commenor was in a position Connor had to know more about.

"I can help you. I can help you all."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay smirked a little as [member="Connor Harrison"] made a comment about her tea. The man had always drank water whenever he was near her. Whether that was a trust issue or not, she wasn't sure. Regardless, it only left more tea for herself. And that wasn't a bad thing.

As he commented on the shadow of the Darkside, Kay frowned slightly. No doubt he had seen some of the mentions of Veiere's attack on Deneba through the holonet. But it made her wonder why it would draw him here. Was he for her actions? Or against them? Did he come to gloat? Or to make matters worse?

She sipped her tea, letting the hot liquid sooth her throat and give her a small comfort. She'd probably need it.

Whether it was in her best judgement or not, Kay moved from the window and started to head towards the front foyer. ~Come inside. You're standing out there like some kind of a stalker and that'll put everyone on edge.~ Of course she was always on edge when she was near him, ever since they had met all those years ago on Nar Shaada and she had bungled an attempt at rescuing some slaves.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Perhaps he did look a little out of sorts in his near-wizardy attire; cloak, tunic and three brown belts, a crimson amulet, black cybernetic arm and bladed gauntlet under his wrist - not to mention the lightsaber at his side - made him a rather obvious Force warrior. Yet he was here, alone, and not brandishing weapons or negative attitude.

He stood, nodded and walked across the courtyard to the sentry gates where the Royal Guard stood. Thankfully her request was true, and they now noted his name and her request to allow him through. One of the guards left her post and escorted Connor into the grounds.

It reminded him of Voss in parts, the old Silver Jedi temple he once called home. It was bright, it was clean and bristling with energy and atmosphere. It was also huge. Flags flapped on the outer walls and noble people, guards and aides of Commenor and the Queen went about their daily work and duty. Connor took it all in and it brought back memories.

Entering the palace, Connor followed in silence until he was led up to her quarters. He spared a thought and hoped the extensive little library was still there. The guard knocked, and entered.

It WAS still there. And there was the Queen, tea in hand, looking out of the window in the same room their previous mutual understanding had withered and turned ugly.

"I never know whether to bow or kneel," he said aloud to the guard, but for Kay to hear.

He gave a small nod of the head.

"Thank you for the audience."

Connor stayed still and looked at her in silence while she sipped her tea. It seemed to be quiet for a long time. The guard remained. Connor half-turned to her, and then turned back. Was he now going to be arrested or summoned back to First Order space?

"I'm sorry, and a little dissapointed, to hear about Veiere. Yet I sadly feel it was only a matter of time before one of you fell."

Straight to it, blunt as a stampeding ronto.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Her office and quarters were always one of the safest and most private places for Kay to have a conversation that she didn't want to be overheard. And given the sudden appearance of [member="Connor Harrison"] , well, the conversations that they had rarely ended without an argument. He always had a problem with her methods, and vice versa, so they were always at odds with eachother. Yet she couldn't understand why, just as she couldn't understand why he kept popping back into her life. It was as though he was a harbinger of something. Veiere didn't like him. She knew that much. But curiosity always won out, just as it did today.

She sipped her tea as the guard let him inside, a smirk showing itself at Connor's first words. "And I never know whether to slap you or shake your hand." A small hint of amusement there as she turned from the window to face him.

And then there was silence. Connor just stared at her. What was he waiting for? Some kind of a trap to be sprung?

He spoke up again and the subject was something that she had wanted to avoid for a day. Yet there was no escape from it. She just had to face it.

Kay nodded to the guard. "Leave us, please." As ordered, the guard left her office, but stood at his post by the door. Given current events, she was under near constant watch. It was bothersome at times, but it was all part of the path laid at her feet. "I feel as though it was my fault. I work too hard...But I'll fix it. Somehow." And it wasn't just saving Veiere that she needed to do. She needed to restore her people's confidence in her Government. As her husband had said; she could never seperate her private and public life. Maybe that was her problem.

 

[Connor Harrison]

The guard left. It was soon just the soft tinkling of her tea china, a ticking clock, and the outside hubub noise for company.

Her explanations were expected and typical; blaming yourself for the failure of a loved one. He had been there before. He sighed, cocked his head and walked to a window, one he always enjoyed looking out at over the city.

"It's very easy to say that it was not your fault, but it's the truth. Sadly it is only that of the one who did the deed who is at blame. The surrounding factors are, sadly, a convenient excuse."

During his downtime, Connor had seen that all of his failings were that of his own mark. His choices were his own, and his destiny lay within his own grasp. Others had been instrumental in letting him see truths about certain aspects of the Force and the galaxy, but they were not an exccuse - they were truths he had discovered himself.

"Influences of others, the promise of power, the delusional quest for peace and stability?" He shook his head. "All a nice bedtime story. Nothing real about it."

He turned to the Queen.

"If you grant me an audience with him, I can try to understand why he did what he did and lay some reality about his situation?"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

In some way she did believe [member="Connor Harrison"] when he had said that it wasn't her fault. In some way. Yet the underlaying guilt was difficult to remove. She didn't see the signs, didn't feel his downward spiral through their connection, so she couldn't stop it before it was too late.

Kay walked over to her desk and sat down, but not before refilling her cup. As she was about to take another sip, Connor had said it; that some of what she had believed in was delusional. "Peace and stability are not a delusion. We have that here...for the most part..."

She sipped her tea when he looked to her and made his request, but she couldn't let him. Veiere's location was a secret. "I've already spoken with him about it, quite a few times. I know why he did it and he holds no regrets for it either. He felt...betrayed by them in some way; had wanted to end that chapter in his life by destroying it. And he gave back his crown before that in hopes that no longer being King would not link us to his future actions. But it still does and he failed to see that." They were still husband and wife afterall. And she wasn't about to walk away from that.

 

[Connor Harrison]

His fingers tapped the window frame, a large golden/brown cool metal that ran around the large window itself.

"I meant one man trying to change a galaxy. It never ends well." Partly speaking on his own experiences there. "It shows his lack of vision in trying to distance himself from you, your relationship and the entire system he is...was...responsible for. His actions have rippled out across every system and sentient being under your rule, and he should have been more aware he would not avoid that just by handing back a crown."

With a small sigh, Connor walked to her desk and sat on a chair across the way facing her. Did he really care about the path the former King took? No. Did he care about the rule Commenor faced? Not really. Yet he had identified situations and moments that he had faced himself, and being a survivor of such situations meant he could help. He was more than just someone watching from the shadows - he was here to make a difference.

"Who was instrumental in his turn? Nobody does it on their own part. Who did you let in who broke your serenity apart? Who betrayed you both?"

There was always a bigger fish in these seas.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Of course her answer would be wrong. As always she could never guess his motivations, nor the direction that his questions were leading her down. For some strange reason Kay could never fully trust [member="Connor Harrison"] , even well before he had attacked her in her Embassy. More than likely it was due to his lack of respect for her personal space. Yet now since he had changed, he didn't try to get as physically close to her now. And that made her slightly more comfortable around him, but only just. Still she was determined to discover why he put her on edge so much. Maybe when she learned of the answer, then she could control it better.

Kay sipped her tea, pondering over Connor's questions on who could Veiere have seen that would have influenced him to step away from the path of the Light. She had been so busy with her work that the two of them didn't spend a lot of time together, mostly just the nights.

"I don't know. I don't think there's been anyone. He hasn't spoken of it at least..." Not to her, anyways. Of course she believed that it was a series if events that led him to his downfall. A slow fall is harder to pick up on than a sudden shift.

 

[Connor Harrison]

He tapped the fingers of his remaining human hand gently on his chin while she spoke slowly.

He had missed this.

The evaluation of people. The analysis of words and phrases. Looking for the clues between the pauses and conscious or sub-conscious emphasis on what was said. In his time before the darkness clouded his wider vision of things, Connor lived for the chase of answers and success. He was making moves across the past to right certain wrongs and establish himself in a much larger way than ever.

Why charge ahead trying to take things by force when you could use the greatest weapon of all to do it for you and do it well – the human mind.

"Ask him again. Push him. Nobody does anything off their own back." He brought up his cybernetic arm and steeped human fingers on mechanical. "There is always a factor pulling the strings. I know. In my case it was feeling betrayed and let down by ones I put my trust in, and then the Sith found my weakness and exploited it. Soon followed by the First Order. They fanned the flame."

He looked up from his fingers.

"Someone or something got into his mind and capitalised an idea that was already there and helped his downfall. Which puts you and your system in jeopardy – maybe not today, tomorrow or in a years’ time, but the seed of corruption has been planted now your husband has allowed dark forces to get inside. You must find out who, and why."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay clenched her jaw a little as she thought over his words. [member="Connor Harrison"] was right. There had to have been someone. Kay was tortured into turning to the Darkside, her good memories stolen for a tjme until Veiere helped to bring them back, helped to bring her back to who she really was.

Another thought came to her then. She tilted her head to the side a bit as she offered up an alternate scenario. "What if he was always this way? What if he hid it so well like Palpatine did? I had seen hints of his Darkness before, once after you had attacked me at the Embassy, and again after he found out about Yutan and my involvement there. It had unnerved me and I was glad to not be at the recieving end of that anger. Yet I considered that they were just...emotional reactions to the dangers that I was in. What if I was wrong in that assumption?" It was far fetched, but certainly not a work of fiction. [member="Veiere Arenais"] did encourage her to expand their influence and gain more territory under their banner. What if she was being played all along and his handing back the Crown was also a ploy to throw off suspicion?

She needed more evidence before jumping fully to that conclusion.

 

[Connor Harrison]

The small, minute whir of mechanics clicked gently in his hand as he moved the fingers together.

"If he was this way, which I do not claim to accept or disagree with, then I am sorry he found you in a vulnerable position to cloud your view, your vision and your heart to get you right where he wants you."

Connor sat back and made small circles with his fore-finger.

"Think of the power you, as Queen, hold. The influence you have over dozens of worlds, their governments and citizens. Think of the power at your fingertips. Commenor holds a strong portion of the Core worlds, almost wedged between powers to the East and West who would do anything to have your support if things came to a head. If Veiere was always fulled to take some bitter stand against the Jedi and their supporters to fuel his own twisted view of what peace and stablitiy means..."

He held his hands open in surrender. To him, at least, it seemed obvious.

"You're the perfect pawn in his game I fear."

And he felt genuinely sorry for her.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

It was a rotten can of worms that she had opened up. A horrible thought that just led to more horrible thoughts. His love for her was genuine. She FELT it. She knew. Otherwise why would he of sacrificed so much and done so much to ensure her safety?

These were all mysteries that she had yet to solve.

Kay brought up her tea cup and had a sip, remaining silent as she thought of different possibilities and different solutions. "I had already put in place measures to prevent Veiere from ruling since he had stepped down. So he can't really take my place. He doesn't even seem to really want to. But as you said, it doesn't really mean that another won't try."

She frowned slightly. People respected Veiere, even potential enemies. He was known for his strength and bravery. With him out of the picture, where would it lead her? Would others try to take his place? Would others see his leaving as a weakening of her defences and move in to exploit it? Veiere said that he'd protect their system if it came under attack. Hopefully that was both true and possible for him to do.

Kay felt at a loss. She wasn't sure of what to do. All that she knew was that do many of the people that she was closest to were not around. They had all left for their own purposes.

"You said that you could help. So how do you propose to do that?"

 

[Connor Harrison]

The Queen proposed a good question – he HAD said he could help, but how, or why? His return to the galactic stage had been quiet, but it was about securing positions of power and respect that would help far more than being part of a flawed machine. He leant forward in the chair, resting his chin on bent thumbs and looking down at the desk as he played various scenarios in his head.

"Well. Part of me helping you is getting you to help yourself; lay waste to the pride you have that prevents you looking at others for support. You want to be strong and confident enough to know what resources you have to support Commenor and YOU alone, not you and Veiere as a couple"

Any cracks that were shown to the galaxy would quickly be pounced upon.

"As his alignment to the Dark Side and his corruption grows, and from I know of my time serving the First Order, they are the ones you need to watch and prepare for. It could be a diplomatic tie or a show of force, I don’t know, but they are the ones who have been circling Commenor and your seat of power. If Veiere gains the chance to align Commenor and its government to the ways of the First Order, or even shifting your neutral stance to that of one supporting the Dark Side, then he will have placed a big target above your head."

With a frown on his brow, Connor pushed up from the chair and walked back to the window.

"I’m saying this because if the balance slips around the Core, then the stability of the whole galaxy is at risk. You’re a key part in maintaining that balance, probably more than you know. Allies and enemies to the East and West, both of which could switch in a heartbeat depending on the information or resources Veiere has passed to his dark network." Connor shook his head slightly. "Your love for him will cause you so much pain, and you have to be stronger than ever to withstand falling. Take that from one who knows. I will help you maintain balance and do what I can to support you against it tipping."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Was she really being that prideful? Stubborn maybe, but prideful too? Kay didn't think that she was refusing help from others, yet she didn't want to seem helpless either, and did a lot of things on her own, handled a lot of situations on her own. And with this issue, Veiere had told her that she couldn't seperate her public and private lives. Well now she had to, she was forced to.

Kay looked to [member="Connor Harrison"] as he spoke of the First Order circling them. "We have a trade agreement with them already, it was one of the first that I had acquired. But it's no different than those that I hold with other governments. I made sure of that." The First Order weren't the only Imperials that they had agreements with. The Galactic Empire was directly to their south and had given the CSA far more than any other government had, including destroyer skematics and thousands of cloned troopers. Veiere had remarked a few times of his admiration to the order that the Imperial system provide, yet Kay wasn't a fan of the iron fist that came along with it.

She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them after setting down her cup. Connor had already left for the window, his usual spot for contemplation. Kay just stared at her desk. "I plan on keeping our neutrality for as long as possible. The only thing that could make us choose another side besides are own is if we are attacked. So far I have not heard word of such a thing happening. And with the trial going ahead, that could keep the Jedi off our backs as well." What else would she need to do? Her son Caedyn had asked about divorce, yet she refused that option. Why let other people dictate who she shared her life with? It wasn't fair.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Strong arms folded, and itchy fingers came up to circle his small beard as the Queen laid out her situation. His grey cells were fueled with so much intrigue.

"The trade route will be open for more than just trade if they deem it possible." The red carpet had been laid out, and a trade route to forces of evil signified a slow, bubbling alliance even if both parties weren't aware. "Once a foot is in the door for a major power, it will be hard to get them out again. Which makes me think your husband had more ties within the Order than suspected."

Connor hummed to himself in thought and turned back to the Queen. He walked across the front of her table, running his fingers along the polished edge as he did and took a seat again, nothing her almost infantile, defensive posture on the chair. More of a worried child than a confident Queen.

"If you are neutral, the Jedi, be them that of the Alliance of the Silvers, will not attack. They never would. They will circle and push their mandate to support your fight against the Dark Side and wrap what and who they can under their bubble of peace and stability. The First Order and Sith Empire also won't attack, not without motive, but they will not hesitate if you show a sign of betryal." Connor looked at her. "Betrayal as in you allow the Jedi to side with you in confronting your husband, or allowing them to help you against his dark acts. The Sith and First Order want the control you have over these worlds, and the second you do something they don't like, they will brand you an enemy and help Veiere as the victim. They'll turn the tables. That is when you need to be sure you know how best to handle the situation with confidence and control."

He paused, knowing he was talking a great deal. But, it was good to talk rather than shout or squabble and especially about a situation he knew well.

"Other neutral allies are out there to help you, if you know where to look. I, for one, can be one of them if you wish. It's about time I put my experience and knowledge to use for a change rather than act like a petulant Acolyte or Ren grasping desperatly for power to please others."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay furrowed her brows in thought. Did Veiere have much to do with the First Order? Their representative wasn't around much, their Embassy now filled with low level staff and some troopers. Once she was visited by [member="The Major"] , whom had warned her that something was going to happen. Did she know about what Veiere was going to do? Or was it just a coincidence. Of course he had been with her during one of her visits with leaders in the Galactic Empire as well. However he did not meet their Emporer like she had.

She lowered her legs when he returned to her desk and leaned back in her chair. All that she had wanted right now was a bit of an escape from everything, and from her stresses. But now was not the time. There were far too many responsibilities that she couldn't put on hold.

"We've been building up our defences and adding to our fleet. Not to mention gaining more allies. Some of my best friends now run Empires of their own, so I know that I'll have their help should I need it. But others..." She chewed the inside of her cheek,"they would only help us if we fought in their wars. I can't have my people fight in causes that I don't believe in. Staying out of it is what has kept us safe for so long."

Kay stared at him for a moment as he offered her his help. He had done so nefore, shortly after her return from her abduction, yet he had left shortly thereafter. She was used to people leaving her service. People tended to use it as a stepping stone for greater things in the Galaxy and she wasn't going to fault them for that. Her government, although it was expanding, it was still very, very small in comparisson to others.

"Alright Connor, you can stay and help me for a while. This trial could bring about a lot of bad publicity. It could anger some if it doesn't go their way. As you said, I'll need to be on the lookout for those wanting to pounce on the opportunity."

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor nodded once at the acceptance. Before, when he offered help, he had let her down. Of course he didn't owe her anything, nor she him, but he wasn't in this for anyone or anything else except his own desire to be someone again, not just a shadow.

"Bring me up to speed on your allies and your enemies. Reasons they have to stand by you or stand against you. Veiere should know of my being here, because I do not fear those on either side anymore. I have lived it and survived. Honesty is what will win this day."

He stood and offered his good hand across the desk.

"In that respect, I can tell you the Confederacy of Independent Systems have offered me a place to call a base of operations for now, but that may be temporary. I act here on my own accord, and nothing I do or say needs to be reported back to anyone."

His dark eyes didn't leave hers.

"You have my word. Put me where you want me. My intention is to help maintain balance and keep the Force stable."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay gave her head a little shake. "We have no enemies that I'm aware of. The only people that might have problems with us would more than likely be Crime Lords. But they have no business here. Our allies are most of the major players, though I can only guarantee the support during times of need by three of them; thpse being The Ancient Eye, Galactic Empire and the Mandalorian Empire. And as for telling Veiere...I'll do that later. He has enough to deal with as it is."

[member="Connor Harrison"] got to his feet then, holding out his hand for her to take. Kay got up seconds later and reached out with her own, giving it her usual firm but soft shake. "Our discusions are strictly confidential. Remember that. Given our history, you know things about me that the general public do not. I wouldn't want anyone to use that as leverage against me. If others are like vultures as you say, then they would certainly try."

Kay slowly released his hand, maintaining his gaze and thinking of where to put him. How much trust could she put in him? "Keep your eyes and ears open for any word of ill intent against us. I want to know what's going on, who's moving where, who's fighting who. I'm isolated here with the goings on. I'm out of the loop in that I have no voice outside of our borders. Could you do that for me, please?"