Private Navigating the Past

[NPC Treasury]

After the death of WolfMortum , there was much for Kay to think about and reflect on. Although she was already in a sort of exile on the backwater planet of Altiria/Anarris for well over a year, it wasn't as though she had avoided everyone that she knew.

Some like her children, Abel Forsworn , and Mythos had discovered her whereabouts, each offering their own advice and support; even forgiveness. There was much that she blamed herself for, and it was in that that she saw all of the imprisonment and brutal tortures that she had gone through to be punishment that the Force directed upon her.

And now with the breaking of her Force Bond and the loss of Veiere, she was forced to try to become her own source of strength. But there was much to fix, much to clear up and much to forgive herself for.

Recently she was with Mythos on Atrisia as he tried to win back his crown over the world that he had once ruled over for years. However what was meant to be easy had turned into a horrible mess that Kay had barely escaped from. She didn't expect a single shot to be fired or a single life to be taken; yet she was so wrong. Not only that but she had felt the presence of an old aquaintance; Kyyrk . Veiere had told her about a meeting that he had attended with other members of the government that Voph had served, most especially when she was brought up in conversation. To think that people could turn on her so easily...well it made her glad that Veiere wasn't one of them. He had saved her from a horrible fate.

But now she no longer had his protection. And if she was to break free from her own shackles, she needed to confront her past. So before she could change her mind, Kay whipped up a holomessage on her datapad and sent it:

Voph,

Much has happened since we had last spoken and I know that you were at Atrisia when I was. I would like to meet with you so that I could perhaps clear my name. Just let me know where and when and I will take the first transport leaving from Altiria to get there.

Regards,
Kay.

With the message sent, Kay busied herself with preparing an order for shipment. It wasn't as though she was expecting an answer. But Voph surely wasn't going to be the only one that she was going to reach out to.

 

[Kyyrk]

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G U I D E​

Darkness surrounded him. Enveloped him. And yet he was not afraid. To the contrary, he embraced it. Voph exhaled deeply, letting his mind clear. Death made one reevaluate many things. And today was no exception. Daejin had conceded the position of High Councilor the moment he had returned, but Voph had declined it. Not yet. Not now. He had done what he needed to do. The rest was up to his people. He would not live forever. He had laid the groundwork for them to flourish and prosper. But if they continued to rely on him, it would be lost. Perhaps it was best--​

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His line of thought was interrupted. A small chirp near him elicited a turned head, and a scowl. A hand waved from Voph's seated position on the floor.​

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Voph, the voice began.​

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She knew he was at Atrisa. She sought an audience with him.​

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Kay.​

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Voph's frown deepened. Frankly, he had forgotten of whatever strife may have soured the relationship between them. But then, he was a busy man. She had caused no great harm as the temporary Empress of Zakuul (Not that his time in the Commenori Court would have indicated otherwise), and thus all other transgressions he was willing to forgive. Well, aside from her involvement with certain troublesome and warlike individuals. But the Clans of Mandalore had been routed by an unlikely super-alliance. Perhaps it was the Sith Empire acting in their own interests that had dealt the killing blow on Mandalore herself, but Voph could not fault them that. The enemy of my enemy.​

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He sighed quietly. He couldn't help but feel like he should be mad at Kay if for no other reason than her involvement in recent events. Likewise, He had sensed her presence on Atrisia. Aboard Mythos's flagship. If Mythos hadn't attempted to claim the planet, Voph would not have been called to render aid to the Jedi. And if he had not been called, he would likely have not been present for the battle that ensued with the Virus not long after.​

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And he probably wouldn't have died. Again.​

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But that was of no matter now. Voph drew the hood of his robes, allowing him sight beyond sight, as easy as looking into a mirror. Kay was on Altiria. He still remembered her scent. Her exact location was easy enough to discern. She was alone, for the time being. Voph drew a deep breath as he began to focus. Quietly, a ship was dispatched to Altiria. He would need it before the day was over.​

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Crystals affixed to the walls around him began to hum and glow as the Meditation capsule augmented his focus, allowing him a greater control over what was already his most stellar ally. The vision of Kay became clearer and clearer, until it was as if he were standing directly behind her. Quiet as a ghost, Voph turned his head to look about, though his physical form had yet to move from its place on Vylmira. A surprisingly simple feat, if one were prepared properly. Voph turned his attention back to the woman before him. "A far cry from the vaulted palaces of Commenor, your highness." Voph's arms folded across his chest. A projection of his true self, but one lifelike enough to speak with Kay across such a distance, and without placing either of them into harm's way. "Dare I ask to what I owe the pleasure of your message?"​

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[NPC Treasury]

Kay was just finished baking a rather large batch of bonbons, cookies and fudge. There were orders that needed to be filled and it was her choice to not hire anyone else to help. She needed the work and the credits it brought. Of course she could just as easily tap into the Arenais fortune, but Kay hadn't touched that money since she had been forced out of Commenor. She let her family use it instead.

Hearing Kyyrk caught her by surprise. She was quick to turn around and face him. "How did you--" Her words were cut off by her own thoughts. It had to be some kind of projection. "I don't carry that title anymore, or any title for that matter. I'm merely a tea merchant now." She took in a deep breath before letting it out slowly while she collected her thoughts. "Veiere is gone. And it seems that I need to clear my name again."

 

[Kyyrk]

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G U I D E​

"Might I suggest a good fixer, then?" Voph did not move from his position, standing tall and proud, arms folded across his chest. Much had changed of him since they last met. His hair was once again dark black, and now rough stubble protruded from his chin. He was taller, too. Filling out his black robes in a certainly striking manner. The robes themselves seemed to blend into the armor that was worn around it, the very metal being a smooth and alien composition. "Some things never leave you, Kay. I would know that as well as any. Once you lead a nation, something within you changes."​

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Voph regarded the woman silently for a moment. All she wished was to clear her name. He frowned slightly at this idea, turning to begin to pace as he spoke, his arms moving to fold at the small of his back. "If you seek to clear your name with me, it has been cleared already. You pose no threat to me, or any of my flock. Frankly, I have had more pressing matters to deal with." Voph turned his head to look at Kay. "Unless, of course, you speak of your presence on Atrisia. I have the distinct feeling that you were not among the Jedi Strike team that infiltrated Mythos's flagship. In spite of your presence on that ship all the same. Struggling with darker desires again?"​

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[NPC Treasury]

Kay furrowed her brows at the thought of part of her changing once she had become Queen. In her mind that was all in the past and never to happen again. She didn't trust herself, nor did she believe that others would either. Even though Kay had tried to do what was right, it would all fall apart and leave others angry at her.

She dusted off some of the flour from her apron as Kyyrk began to pace. Kay knew that she wasn't a threat. Such information was drilled into her a while ago. That was why her enemies had left her alone. She had no armies, no ships, no nothing. Only some of her teas were dangerous.

Her jaw clenched a little as he mentioned Atrisia. She knew it wpuld be a topic of conversation and yet she was uncomfortable with it all the same. "Dark desires? No. It's more complicated than that. As was me being on that ship." Kay sighed. "Mythos came here and asked for me to be there with him as he took his crown back. I had hoped that I'd be a good influence on him and could get him to gain Atrisia as he did before...by winning their hearts and minds.But I was wrong. And I couldn't stop it. I just did what I could to minimize the damage."

 

[Kyyrk]

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G U I D E​

Voph laughed audibly as Kay suggested she had worked to minimize the damage. He had no doubt that she had given such a task her all. Nor did he fault her for being unable to calm the beast that had been Mythos. No, he laughed at the thought that Mythos had been considered a force worth tempering. "Somethings may never leave you. And yet, people change all the time. You did what you could." Voph fell silent for a moment, his head bowing in thought. But after a moment, he turned to look at Kay, smiling grimly.​

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"Mythos was young. Misguided. He liked to think himself among the echelons of great Sith. But for all his showmanship, Mythos struck me as little more than a scared pup, lashing out at those who sought to take his bone. A far cry from the great sorcerers of eons past." Voph sighed quietly, resuming his pacing. "Your involvement does not raise question, Kay. I know you well enough to trust your reasons. That, however, does not explain what gave you reason to reach out to me."​

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[NPC Treasury]

Kay pursed her lips as Kyyrk laughed. She was used to that by now; always being looked down upon. Yet she didn't voice her resentment of it. Instead she'd just bury it inside until later when she was alone.

His observations about Mythos were quite true and given what Mythos had shown her with the Ancient Eye, she was sure that she would succeed in helping him. But the future was never set in stone. And now she found herself fumbling through it again.

"I wanted to clear my name, to at least get someone on my side. The Jedi wanted to arrest me on Atrisia, so I ran. No matter what choice I make, it makes others angry. And with Veiere gone...I can't even reach him for advice like I used to." She paused and turned her head away as her grief came to the surface once again as it tended to do. "In our last conversation, he told me that I was letting fear dictate my life and he was right. I need to break free of that and confront what I'm afraid of." Confinement being one of them.

 

[Kyyrk]

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G U I D E​

Voph paused as Kay spoke. No matter what choice she made, it made others angry. He turned slowly to look at her, brow arching in disbelief. "If you are still burdened by the fear of making enemies, then there is nothing I can do to help you. You know what you need to do, even if you lack the strength to do it. The Jedi wished to arrest you because you stood with Mythos. But if you stood with the Jedi, Mythos would have tried to kill you too. You can't please everyone, Kay. Stop trying."​

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Voph turned his head to look around at the small kitchen once again. He wasn't entirely heartless to her loss. He hadn't known Veiere well, but he knew what he meant to Kay. "Veiere is gone. And not all are so lucky as to return from beyond the veil. You'll find someone to help heal the wound. In time. But he is right, Kay. A day will come when you will have to chose a side. And I pray that it will be easier than the choices I have had to bear. You have the potential to do great things, Kay. Commenor was proof enough of that. But if all you seek is to clear your name, and make it understood what your intentions were, then I cannot help you."​

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[NPC Treasury]

"I was trying to steer him in the right direction. I didn't support his way of doing things..." Kay let out a frustrated breath before going about to preparing herself some Sapir tea. It was her crutch whenever she was uncomfortable or at a loss. The tea had a calm and soothing effect that she sorely needed right now.

"So what am I supposed to do, Kyyrk ? Please only myself? A lot of good that'll do me. And I'm not going to go looking for someone to replace Veiere. I have lost two husbands to Sith Lords. Why give them someone else to take?" She crumpled up the dried Sapir leaves a bit aggressively into her cup. "Commenor was a mess. It's prosperity was just a dream. Everyone told me that it wouldn't last but I didn't want to listen or believe it." She poured the hot water into the cup and just stared at the leaves as she watched them steep. "If I'd of listened, things would probably be a lot different."