The Bottom Of The Ladder

[Connor Harrison]

Aurora Industries
Erilnar, Outer Rim​

One lightsaber. One tunic, grey, and crimson cowl. One sack of basic provisions. One ship.

That's all Connor Harrison had from over a decade with the Silver Jedi before it ended in a heated exchange of words and fists - fist, from the Grandmaster of all people.

He had nowhere to go and nobody to turn to. Allies would soon become enemies, his name tarnished in the corridors across Voss. The names he had were just names, and no locations. He had been a Jedi Master, and now he was stripped of that and left as a wandering warrior serving the Force, be it tinged with the tendrils of the Dark.

One place he knew he would be welcome was at the door of Aurora Industries and Taeli Raaf. She may have doubted his intentions over the years, but now he would lay it on the line. He was at the bottom of the ladder with nothing to call his own, but he was ready to start climbing.

Walking across the courtyard with the bag over his shoulder and a quiet confidence, unusual for that of a man who hours ago had lost everything he held dear, Connor knew where to go and which floor to ride to and which office to knock on.

If she was here, that was a gamble he was taking as much as if she'd want to see him at all. But he was depserate. The most he'd ever been in his life.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

As Connor reached Taeli's office, her Umbaran secretary would intercept him. A delicate and deliberate stride would place her in front of him, preventing him from entering. She held a placid look on her face, not being overt in blocking him because that was not her intention.

"My apologies, Mister Harrison, but Lady Raaf is not here currently," Uleema would explain. "She is currently at our Horizon Research Station, overseeing a project. She did leave instructions that if you were to arrive before she returned, that a shuttle be waiting to take you to the system. Your ship will be impounded until your return as Lady Raaf wishes for the site to remain secret. If you will follow me..."

She would glide past him, gesturing for him to follow her to the shuttle pad on top of the building. A non-descript ship would be idling on the pad, its boarding ramp lowered and waiting.

"I must also ask that you give me any sort of recording technology, even comlinks, now," Uleema would say. "They will also be returned to you upon your return from the station."

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor wasn't surprised Taeli wasn't here, it was a gamble after all she would be, but she was busy; far busier than a wanderer. But he was surprised to find out he had been invited out to the station - Horizon. Whatever that was. Not putting up a fuss, for there was no need, Connor simply agreed and followed the Umbaran.

He stood before the shuttle minutes later and turned at her request.

"I have no equipment. No coms, nothing. All I have is my personal saber, clothing on my back and some basic food and bacta."

While he spoke, he opened the bag for her, and even handed it over.

"Take it if you wish. I have nothing to hide."

Whatever was out there, it must be something big to warrant tight security. It was a wonder she had granted him right to visit at all with his state of mind. With nothing left to hand over unless required, Connor was eager to get on board and sit down and vetnture out to this sation, wherever and whatever is was.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"Lady Raaf will be expecting you," Uleema stated, taking the offered bag and walking away with it. Once Connor took a seat in the shuttle's passenger section, the shuttle would take off and head for orbit. The pilot would activate the ship's cloaking device before making the jump to lightspeed, something that Taeli had insisted upon for ships traveling to the Horizon Station. The trip wouldn't last too long before the vessel came out of hyperspace in an uncharted system. Off in the distance, beyond an asteroid belt and orbiting the only planet in the system, was the Horizon Station and its protective fleet.

​

"This is AIS-674. requesting permission to dock on Horizon to deliver a VIP," the pilot would transmit, sending the clearance code.

Silence would stretch for a few moments, likely because of the flight control examining the clearance code and the protective fleet deciding to blow them out of the sky.

"Shuttle AIS-674, you are cleared to dock at bay three."

 

[Connor Harrison]

Taking his seat, Connor made himself comfortable and noted a couple of others on the ship. None he recognized, and none he could say stuck out as familiar sorts. Research teams? Security?

He eyed them but paid no attention as he settled in a window seat to the back and watched the journey play out. When hyperspace hit in the swirling blue vortex, Connor allowed himself to nod off. He was tired, and exhausted, physically and mentally.

Next thing he knew, the ship was docking. Blinking to come to, Connor looked out of the window and noted the arm of an asteroid belt in the distance before the ship dropped down to land softly. He glanced around and followed the crowd out in an orderly manner, feeling lost without his bag. Walking out into the station, Connor stretched and took a few steps into the open and took in the station itself, minding his own business and hoping there was some guide to show the way.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

As Connor moved out of the shuttle with the rest of the researchers, two heavily armored soldiers would come up to him. The crowd moved around them, talking about various research projects and test results of this or that.

"Master Harrison, Lady Raaf is expecting you in the lowest level of the station," one of the soldiers said, handing him an access card. "We will escort you to the proper turbolift, follow us."

The two soldiers would flank Connor, moving towards the end of the hanger bay and out into what looked like a large tram system. One train was already leaving, the researchers and scientists he had traveled with on board that one. The soldiers would lead him onto the next tram, and it would take off once on board. A few minutes would pass, simply due to the size of the station before they arrived at the central terminus. Multiple trams would be shooting out, going to various parts of the station. Clear transparisteel would show turbolifts loaded with scientists, security guards, supplies being moved would be going up and down all around them.

The soldier would gesture for Connor to come over to one of the turbolifts and place his access card to the sensor, which would activate the necessary steps for the turbolift to go down to the lowest levels of the station.

"Lady Raaf will be waiting for you."

 

[Connor Harrison]

Flanked by guards, he started to think was this some big set-up.

Was Taeli working with the highest of the Silver Jedi? Connor Harrison was a danger to the Order and must be detained or brought down at all costs. Where would he go? Taeli Raaf, his only friend with an empire at her finger-tips. Connor showed up, Taeli brought him down. Job done.

The heavy boots of the unit that escorted him drowned out Connor's footsteps as they wove their way to the turbolift through the bustling station. It seemed smaller on the outside if that was possible. Looking to the guard who ushered him into the lift with his card, Connor didn't have chance to ask questions before the doors hissed closed and the lift went down.

Licking his lip gently, he watched the read out as he slowly started to play with his fingers, rolling them around and rubbing each one together thinking of the "what ifs". Then, the descent slowed and the chime signalled it was time to exit.

The lift doors opened into near darkness and a cool rush of air hit him. Connor stepped out, seeing no evident welcome party. He walked forward slowly.

"Hello?" Connor called.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

As he stepped out of the lift, the lights above Connor would turn on, throwing a soft light around everything. He had emerged onto a circular room with branching hallways, the floor beneath in sections would show either the background of space or machinery of some sort. One hallway in particular was lined with transparisteel glass and ray shielding. Almost like a calling, it would be inviting him to walk along it to see what was behind that shielding and heavy glass.

Behind each pane of glass would be a different creature, and one that Connor would be quite familiar with. A single Slythghoul was huddled in the corner of a pen, gnawing on something he probably wouldn't want to think about. In the pen next to it was a snake-like creature that was covered in chitin armor and had long spikes and quills growing from its back. It would be obvious that something was going on to Connor, that his host was not simply collecting specimens as some areas had no creatures within them. Hovering medical droids would occasionally float pass, carrying various instruments or going to enclosures to take another reading or sample.

"Do you like it?" a voice would ask from behind him. Taeli would emerge from one of the other hallways, garbed in long flowing dark purple robes that had a hood pulled down. Behind her was a more built medical droid, holding a datapad.

 

[Connor Harrison]

A small whistle escaped his lips. Connor walked forward, pulled by nothing but interest at the cells that seemed to form the eerily lit passageway ahead.

He eyed each one curiously as he took small steps through. Beasts and creatures that looked genetically modified; harvested for...something. This wasn't just a collection of animals. This was something else.

Wincing in disgust at a few gory beasts feasting on innards, he stopped and scoffed at a familiar beast. A rakghoul. He was glad to be on the other side of the glass, and he continued on wandering.

At the sound of her voice, Connor stopped and turned.

"Hello Taeli," he said. "And like is a strong word. Curious I think is better."

He stepped closer to the pen he was near, watching a droid at work.

"Thank you for seeing me. Care to share the details of what this place is? What's with the fantastical beasts here."

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"I think you can guess what this place is," she replied, stepping up to the slythghoul pen. "This is my private laboratory, where I pursue my experiments and research. These... fantastic beasts as you call them are my creations."

She would let that sink in, walking a little down the hallway and facing away from him. There would be a smirk on her face, and whether he reacted with surprise or not would be amusing to her. She had covered her tracks rather well after all.

"You didn't really think that Eldaah was the true creator of the creatures she was unleashing, did you?" she asked.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor slowed his walk a little and looked at Taeli, a mix of confusion and disbelief. His finger indicated the beasts while he eyes remained on hers.

"You..." he forced a small laugh, "...you're behind the rakghoul attack?"

His finger dropped and he gave a shake of the head, the smile on his face. He would LOVE to smack that woman now. He didn't know what to feel.

"I take it you knew I was taking them head on across some backward planet, and that Eldaah woman..."

It made sense now.

"Of course. I should have looked beyond her and known you were pulling the strings. What was it? An unfortunate coincidence I was there, or did you spare my life to keep me fighting and bring the virus back to Silver space?"

It wasn't the Silver space he cared about now. It was the fact he'd been played like a mug. Again. Suddenly he was warm under the collar and he hated it.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"A simple coincidence that you were the Jedi to come along to Kulthis and lead the attack on Galidraan," Taeli said, still smiling as she turned back to look at him. "I merely wanted a Silver to come investigate and take the probe droids carrying the virus back to Silver space. I wasn't too picky. A test is a test after all, and I think they did rather well for a first project. Eldaah was under orders to keep whichever Jedi arrived alive though. Her report about what happened, I will admit, was amusing and definitely classic old you."

Although, as she reflected in hindsight, it was not too surprising that it had been him to come investigate. He always wanted to be at the fore of the action, to bring the fight to that which threatened those he cared for... at the time. His being here now told her all she needed to know about what had happened when he left Erilnar last time. The man before was, if possible without fully embracing it, darker and there was a sense of... freedom about him in a way.

"I will admit some guilty pleasure when you came to me, hoping to find more information on the virus," Taeli laughed. "I wasn't lying though when I gave you that information, I designed it to be rather impossible to cure or stop."

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor hissed through his teeth at the situation, all hindsight now to be fair.

"Well, what's done is done. Thanks for not killing me anyway."

He made a full walk around Taeli as he looked at both sides of the pens they were stood across from.

"I've been banished from the Silver Jedi Order," he said casually. "That fool of a Grandmaster lost his cool, lashed out and reacted just as I hoped. Banished me from the Order, stripped me of my rank and made it clear I'm no longer protected in Silver space."

He turned to her, hands behind his back.

"So now I really need to know - just where do you stand in this, because I'm here to find my calling and won't side with those who stand in the Light anymore. Not now."

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"I see," she said, her face not giving much away as he spoke. Well that was disappointing that he had been banished from Silver space, she had hoped to use him as an agent to corrupt and recruit internally. Ah well, such plans could be adjusted. His ultimatum to know where she stood was rather amusing though, considering their surroundings.

"Connor, you're standing in a hallway lined with Sithspawn and other alchemy experiments in a secret research station in the middle of Wild Space, on a secure level that is my personal lab... I think it should be rather obvious where I stand," she said, giving a small laugh. "But if you need proof... sliuz ra."

The Marks of Darkness around her eyes flared to life, glowing a sinister red as she unlocked the dark side energies contained within them. Her aura would shift to its natural state, that which Connor had felt a long time ago in a Nar Shaddaa nightclub. Her eyes would remain purple for the moment as she was channeling anything, but he would know they could shift at a moments notice.

"Ah much better," she said, giving a shake as if she was shaking off the last vestiges of her disguise.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Part of him knew her answer, but part of him didn't believe it. When she issued her own command and the transformation started before his eyes, Connor was taken by surprise. He'd forgotten how empowering Lady Arcanix was, and when her marks appeared and her aura changed, he instinctively took a step back.

From clashing over a case of mistaken identity in the gutters of Nar Shaddaa, Connor and Arcanix had a less than typical relationship. Fuelled more was her transition to the Light and as Taeli Raaf where he worked with her across numerous obstacles of the head and heart.

Now, however, she was how he remembered and, at times, feared. This was a Dark Lady of the Sith and a true master.

He wanted to speak, but somehow, being so close to someone as powerful as she, and himself seeing how deceptive she had really been, proved hard to take in. He swallowed, trying to find the words as he felt rather insignificant before her. She could bat him out of existence if she wanted.

"So what do I call you now...?"

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"You can still call me Taeli," she laughed, enjoying the surprise her reveal had caused. She guessed part of him had doubted it was actually real, that everything around him was an elaborate ruse for some reason or another. While she did enjoy the occasional deception, her disguise not withstanding, she wasn't about to trick him here in one of her secret labs. "I'm not going to make you call me Arcanix, just like how my employees still call me Master Raaf or Lady Raaf. That would certainly put a damper on any disguise if my people were calling me by my Sith title now wouldn't it? I think I've worked rather hard to get into the position I'm at."

That was an understatement, but it had been worth it in the end.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Nodding, Connor looked like he understood, but to be fair...this hit him hard.

Walking forward, away from the Sith Lady, Connor looked at nothing, eyes darting around trying to make sense of it. Remove all the ego, the attitude, the laughter and chat, Taeli Raaf had duped Connor and millions more, including the Jedi, into thinking she was nothing but a mournful Jedi Master. She was so much more.

Connor felt there had been something buried inside her, but nothing like seeing Arcanix again. This was a Sith who unlocked a few of the dark secrets inside his soul and witnessed him at his worst, but still fought to keep him in the Light for reasons he didn't understand.

"What do you want from all this?" She would be able to tell he was vulnerable. In shock. Disbelief. "Is this all part of some....wider plan for the Sith?"

He turned to her.

"What are you going to do with me?"

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"All of this?" she asked, looking around at the creations she had thus far made. There were so many more experiments to run, so many more strains to create and adapt... to this part of her plan anyways. There were many aspects to what she was doing after all, each facet of her organization working on one or another in some way or form. "I suppose you could say it is part of a wider Sith plan, mainly my own. There were one or two Sith that knew what I was doing, but I was left to my own devices and research."

She took a few steps, looking at the vulnerable man before her.

"And how do you mean what am I going to do with you?" she asked, more amused than anything else. "What do you expect I will do?"

 

[Connor Harrison]

He didn't really know. He hadn't expected this from her at all.

"I don't know, I...I don't know."

He didn't.

Looking at the pens, but more interested in the Sith before him, he had so many questions. So much to ask and understand.

"Was she...were you ever really gone, Arcanix, or simply choosing what happened with Corvus to make it a phenomenal deception. You never moved to the Light. Did you. You fooled us all."

No denying he was in awe of it all. The deception used, the power she displayed and places she had been without anyone batting an eyelid.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

There was a smirk there as he stuttered his way through his question, watching him struggle with the concept in his head.

"From the moment I met my sisters," she responded. "I never meant to kill my adopted parents, that part is true, but from the moment I learned my real heritage... it was all a carefully crafted deception. I brought the subject up to the Eye and the Wrath and they agreed that I was ideally placed to infiltrate the Jedi, using my sister, and then attempt to turn her. While that part of the plan never bore out, and the One Sith collapsed, I took advantage of the situation to learn more, to travel further, and entrench my power base firmly in the galaxy."

She knew what one question he had was going to be... it was inevitable really.