Private The Sorceress' Inheritance [Solo]

[Syreeta Ming]

Sorceress System, Deep Core
One week after the 'death' of Secciah Khal...

Jumping out of hyperspace, Syreeta Ming observed the surface of Kytrand from the cockpit of her starfighter. Already she could sense the strong Light Side nexus which pervaded the planet, a balm against the Darkness in the Core.

Starlin Rand, the man responsible for saving her from the Cult, had asked her to meet him here. She landed her ship at the coordinates he had sent her, which turned out to be in the middle of the Sacred Desert. Upon exiting her starship, she was hit by a blast of hot, dry desert wind that rippled the white satin of her hooded gown. As soon as her feet touched the sandy ground, she received an instant recharge by the energies of Cinndurr's Nexus. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled in a long breath, relishing in the feeling.

A moment later, a familiar figure emerged from behind some nearby stone ruins. Starlin Rand was in his forties now, though his dark curls and beard remained untouched by gray. His baby blue eyes were framed by laughter lines that crinkled as he smiled and spread his arms wide.

"Master!" she exclaimed, running to embrace him. Far from the enemies they had started out as, they hugged like old friends.

"It's good to see you again," Starlin said, pulling back to look at her. "You look well."

"It's the nexus," she said modestly. "I feel strong here. No wonder Nathan and his family chose this world for their home."

The mirth in his gaze faded. "Yes," he agreed. "It is a very special planet." He wrapped an arm around her. "Let's go for a walk, Syreeta. We have much to discuss..."

 

[Syreeta Ming]

As they strolled around the ruins, Starlin explained his current situation. "I've searched the galaxy. There's no sign of Nathan anywhere. His sisters, wife, and most of their children are also missing. Only his adopted son, Thel, is still around."

"How could such a thing have happened?" Syreeta murmured. "Could the Cult have had something to do with it?"

"That's the other thing." Starlin stopped walking and turned to face her. "As far as I know, the Cult is also gone. I couldn't find the Amalgam, Arianna Belasko, the Assembly, or any of the other Cult Witches I know of. Their activities, even on worlds where they had strongholds, have diminished. Even Laertia Io seems to have disappeared, taking what remained of House Io with her."

Syreeta stared at him, the growing shock of it all dawning on her. "That's... good news, actually," she finally said. "But it comes at such a cost..." Her brow furrowed, her emotions confused. "What will you do now?"

"Well, I started by doing what I could to save Kytrand," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know when or if Nathan will ever return, but securing his assets is the least I can do. I've claimed stewardship over this world and performed a ritual to obscure it from the Sith Covenant. Took a lot out of me, but I think it was well worth it. I gave the civilians the choice of leaving peacefully, or continuing to live in hiding. Most agreed to stay. They have it good here, and I've made it clear that I have no intention of ruling over them. They'll continue to govern themselves."

"What about Thel Bloodscrawl?"

"I offered him my support. He's almost eighteen, so he doesn't need another guardian, and I didn't want to push things." He chanced a small smile. "I've got a family of my own to worry about now. The hardest thing has been dealing with Syd being gone. Force, I miss her so much..."

He started to get choked up. Syreeta laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I missed your wedding," she said. Being Secciah Khal had forced her to remain in the Hapes Cluster, unable to attend the ceremony on Naboo. She had sent them her well wishes, but it didn't feel like enough.

"Aw, that's okay." Starlin patted her hand, wiping away his tears with the other. "I'd like you to meet Isolda, if you're up to it. She's aboard the Bright Knight with the girls."

"I'd like that," Syreeta agreed, heading in the direction of the mobile base parked on the dunes.

"There is one more thing," he began, only to hesitate. "I'll show you later. Don't worry about it for now."

She raised an eyebrow. "Should I be worried?"

He pursed his lips. "To tell you the truth, I don't know yet. But c'mon. It's lunchtime and I'm starving."

 

[Syreeta Ming]

Inside Starlin's mobile base, Kyla and Lara Nimdok were grilling burgers - a process which was almost entirely automated, thanks to the kitchen gadgets the sisters had insisted upon getting. The aroma of cooked meat had Starlin practically floating up the boarding ramp, Syreeta following gracefully behind.

Isolda Rand was setting the table. Before her marriage to Starlin, he and the girls tended to eat in the living room or in their own separate quarters. This wasn't a sign of distance or dysfunction so much as it was simply a bad habit they had fallen into. Isolda insisted that they eat at the table, together as a family; she had brought her own silverware, crystal glasses, and porcelain plates from Ession, and she intended to use them.

As Starlin appeared, she stopped what she was doing. Her gaze flicked from her husband to his white-garbed companion. "You must be Syreeta Ming," she said.

"I am she," Syreeta said, bowing respectfully. "Pleased to meet you, Dame Isolda Rand."

Isolda was battle-scarred but beautiful. Her gray hair hung in a long, thick braid down the center of her back, and she wore a simple blue jumpsuit. "We were just about to have lunch," she said. "You are welcome to join us."

"Thank you," Syreeta replied, taking a seat at the table.

The meal was preceded by a prayer to Ashla, led by the faithful Isolda. She didn't force Kyla and Lara to participate in worship, but Starlin joined the prayer, clasping her hand in his and reciting the ancient words with her. Syreeta listened, transfixed. She used the spells of the Ashla, the way Starlin had taught her, but she realized there was little she understood about the Ashlan religion.

With the prayer concluded, they all dug in. Syreeta especially enjoyed it. After spending a year posing as Secciah Khal, eating the fancy food of the Hapan elite, something as simple as a home-cooked burger was heavenly. Talk was kept to a minimum while everyone's mouth was full, but Isolda did take the opportunity in between bites to engage their guest in conversation.

"So," she began. "How did you and Starlin meet?"

Syreeta glanced over at him. "I'm surprised Starlin hasn't told you the story."

He gave her an innocent look. "I wanted to hear you tell it from your perspective."

Ah. She glanced at the faces around the table. Some details would have to be edited out for Kyla and Lara's sakes. "Well," she began. "I was the victim of an organization known as the Cult of the Brain Demon..."

The girls giggled at the name, until Isolda shot them a stern look. "I am familiar with this Cult. Were you absorbed into their ranks?"

"Yes. It is - or was, I suppose - their practice to consume the essence of a being, absorbing them into a collective. They did this to become more powerful and increase their knowledge. It is why Cult Witches would take names related to multiplicity. I was called the Flock. Others went by the Assembly, the Battalion, the Congregation... our leader was known as the Amalgam. She sent me on a special mission: to assassinate the apprentice of her hated enemy, Syd Celsius. I was supposed to kill Starlin Rand..."

 

[Syreeta Ming]

After lunch was finished, Kyla and Lara approached her. She had grown fond of the Nimdok twins during the time she spent as Starlin's apprentice. They were glad to see her after over a year apart - and they wanted to know everything about Hapes.

"Do the people really all look like supermodels?" Kyla asked.

"Did you get to wear jewelry made of rainbow gems?" Lara asked.

"Did you meet the Queen Mother?"

"Are Guns of Command a real thing?"

And so forth. Syreeta answered their questions honestly, though she sensed that her answers were disappointing to the girls. They hoped to hear about rainbow gems, handsome pirates, and high adventure, but instead she was full of tales of tense dinner parties, marauding murderers, and gruesome state executions. But it was better for them to know the ugly truth than to believe in pretty lies.

While she chatted with the girls in the living room, Starlin and Isolda lingered in the background, speaking to each other in hushed tones. Syreeta didn't try to eavesdrop, wanting to give them privacy - though she couldn't help but wonder what they were talking about. Especially when she sensed them looking at her.

Finally, Starlin broke away from Isolda and walked up to Syreeta. "There's something I want to show you," he said. Turning to the twins, he smiled. "Mind if I borrow Syreeta for a few minutes?"

Despite their groanings, Kyla and Lara took the hint and headed to their respective rooms. Isolda met Syreeta's gaze, her expression grave.

"Is this that thing you wanted to show me?" Syreeta asked, looking at Starlin.

He nodded soberly. "Let's go down to the brig. I'll explain along the way."

 

[Syreeta Ming]

As the trio headed down into the bowels of the Bright Knight, he talked in low, hushed tones. "I told you that I couldn't find any trace of the Cult left in the galaxy. That wasn't entirely true. I did manage to track down one Cult Witch, though she was in an... interesting state when I found her..."

They entered the brig. Syreeta couldn't help but suppress a shiver. Up ahead was the same chamber where Starlin had imprisoned her assimilated self, the Flock, before ultimately purifying her. She could still sense the vestigial remnants of that purifying Light - but it was relegated to the background. At the forefront was a nauseating Dark Aura that could only come from a Cult Witch.

Starlin pressed his hand to the controls, opening the door to the chamber. The space was occupied by a portable bacta tank, inside of which a figure floated, unconscious but restless. A stunning woman, she had fair skin and a mane of reddish hair. She was clutching an ornate chalice in her right hand, the metal gleaming in the low light.

"Why is she in there?" Syreeta asked.

"She was in bad shape when I found her. Her flesh was literally rotting. I had to put her in a hibernation trance just to keep her stabilized. The bacta is all that's holding her together."

Syreeta peered at the Witch, noting the sallowness of her complexion and the waxiness of her skin. "Were you able to question her? Did she reveal anything?"

"She told me her name was Rebecca. She kept babbling about her son, and someone named Percival..."

"I remember her," Syreeta said softly. "She was a member of House Io, a war hero, before she was forcibly absorbed by the Cult. The Demon saved her life, just to claim her for the collective. She became known as the Deluge. It generated friction between the Cult and House Io. A poor decision on the part of the Amalgam, but then her madness knew no bounds..." Her heart skipped a beat. "Starlin, this poor wretch is all that remains of Thel Bloodscrawl's mother."

Starlin's eyes widened, then shut as pain furrowed his brow. "Well, we certainly can't allow them to reunite," he muttered. "Not as long as she's like this." He began pacing the length of the brig, one hand stroking his beard. "Who is Percival?"

"Her lover." Syreeta couldn't take her eyes off Rebecca. "He was a Chaplain Neutralizer. You fought him once before. He was made to preach the ethos of House Io. Rebecca was a devout follower of his before she was turned. He begged the Cult to let him have her back. The Battalion secretly created a relic which would allow her personality to resurface."

"That must be the chalice she carries," Isolda concluded. "She refuses to part with it. I can sense its disruptive power, though it is Dark in nature."

"Why would the Battalion create such a thing?" Starlin asked. "Was it after Syd took over?"

Syreeta shook her head. "The Battalion cared for Percival, in her own twisted way. She loved him like a son. The relic was her gift to him."

Just then, the Deluge's eyes snapped open, her hibernation trance broken. She thrust out her hand, shattering the glass of the tank. Bacta poured across the floor and shards of glass went flying. Starlin threw up a barrier to protect himself and his wife, who was already instinctively drawing her sword.

Meanwhile Syreeta tried to stun the Deluge with the Force. It worked... briefly. The Deluge snapped out of it after only a few seconds, glaring at Syreeta with an angry snarl.

Behind her, Isolda let go of her hilt and instead focused on pinning the Witch in place with telekinesis, not wanting to risk destroying their only lead. Starlin began uttering the words to a binding spell. Syreeta stood still, frozen and trapped within the Deluge's psychotic gaze. This had been her, not so very long ago. A deranged sadist, her mind crowded with a thousand screaming voices, all forced into submission to serve a common purpose. Worshiping the Dark Side, torturing and killing in its name...

Pain rippled in the Force, primal and urgent. Those crazy blue eyes clouded over as a groan escaped the Deluge's lips. "Help... Help me," she whispered, grabbing Syreeta's arm - only for their limbs to fuse together.

"Syreeta!" Isolda cried, reaching out to pull her away.

Starlin immediately stopped her, holding his wife back. "Don't interfere, or you'll be pulled in with them," he croaked, watching helplessly as his friend was violently combined with the Witch. "There's nothing we can do - except pray that Syreeta comes out on top in the struggle for dominance."

 

[Syreeta Ming]

One of the more fascinating - and horrific - aspects of Force Spawn was their ability to absorb other members of their species. Syreeta still retained that power, though she avoided doing it whenever possible. In this case, however, she had no choice. The Deluge's body was deteriorating; she would not be able to survive for much longer unless she joined with another host. This was an opportunity she couldn't afford to ignore.

For a few horrifying moments, Syreeta and the Deluge were connected but still separate, like conjoined twins. Then, as both women screamed in agony, their forms were violently drawn together, their flesh writhing and crawling disgustingly.

The Deluge became animalistic, fighting viciously for control. She lashed out at Syreeta, trying to drain her life force. Syreeta fought back, determined not just to be the main persona in their grotesque amalgamation, but to survive. She would not let her soul be digested by another Witch of the Cult!

The lights flickered as she siphoned energy from the ship's engines to stay afloat. Failing to dominate Syreeta, the Deluge attempted to devour the life force of other nearby beings. But once again she found resistance; Starlin blocked her from accessing anyone on the ship, and there was no one else around for miles to satisfy her hunger.

With a final distorted shriek, the Deluge was assimilated into Syreeta. She lay on the floor on all fours, gasping for breath.

"By the Ashla, are you all right?" Isolda asked, her face pale. All things considered, she handled that well, Starlin thought. He nearly threw up the first time he saw his master do anything even remotely similar to what Syreeta had just endured.

"I... I'm okay," Syreeta rasped. "That... Was not a pleasant experience."

"Is it ever?" Starlin asked, helping her to her feet.

She looked at him, a faint smile curling her lips, and shook her head. "No. It never is. But at least I have her under control..."

She glanced down at the chalice, which had been dropped on the floor at some point during the struggle. Rebecca's persona rose up lat the sight of it, causing her body to shift into the other woman's visage.

Rebecca stood in awe, her gaze fixed on the chalice in her hands. The instant she crossed the threshold of home, it had banished the voices whispering in her skull. She knew they were still there, watching and listening, but for once it was quiet.

"It is a gift from the Battalion," Percival said warily. "I don't know how much we can trust it."

"It is a great gift," Rebecca said. Carefully she set the chalice down on the nightstand, slow to let go of it for fear that the voices would return. But its magic held firm. Silence reigned. She turned to Percival, holding out her arms. "Hold me."

He wrapped her in a warm embrace. She shut her eyes and pressed her face to his neck. Their love was strange, she knew. But he was the only one that had listened to her, who truly cared for her. Ever since Danithel died, she had been alone. Until Percival. Though he was a droid, he loved her as deeply and profoundly as a man. And she loved him.

"Syreeta? Are you sure you're okay?" Starlin asked, interrupting her reverie. "Seems like we lost you there for a minute."

She blinked away tears at the memory. Rebecca had loved Percival. Loved, past tense, because the Chaplain was dead. "Forgive me," she said. "Her memories are... very strong." She gazed down at her hands, then her changed body, before she forcefully exerted her control over the persona. Rebecca's face melted away... only to return, the power of the chalice now exerted over her new host.

"It's the chalice," she gasped. "Please... get it out of here...!"

Starlin wasted no time, grabbing the relic and running out of the room. Isolda stayed behind, ready to act if Syreeta lost control.

Racing into a storage area, Starlin opened a small lead box lined with nullification resin. It had been one of many items he inherited from his master, Syd Celsius, one that seemed to be waiting for such a time as this. He placed the chalice inside and slammed the lid shut.

Syreeta breathed a sigh of relief as she felt the chalice's influence wane. She reverted back to her own form, and this time the transformation stuck.

"That was scary," Starlin said, returning to the chamber. "I'm so sorry, Syreeta. I should've kept the Deluge contained more securely. If I had, this never would've happened."

"Perhaps it is a blessing in disguise," Syreeta murmured. "Now that I have access to her memories and personality, I can infiltrate the Cult."

 

[Syreeta Ming]

"Assuming the Cult even still exists," Isolda said. "You were unable to find any trace of them besides the Deluge, and now even she is no more."

Starlin said nothing. He had a hard time believing that the entire Cult of the Brain Demon, the same Cult which had haunted his steps from the moment he had his first lesson with Syd, was just gone. Then again, Syd was gone too. So were Nathan, Zabka, and all the rest of that peculiar group. They had been his friends - hell, some of them were family to him. But in an instant, without warning or explanation, they had been taken away from him. Why should the Cult be any different?

Syreeta searched the Deluge's memories... and came up empty. "The Deluge didn't know what happened to the others either," she revealed soberly. "Whatever happened to the rest of them, she seems to have survived it out of sheer luck. And even then, her personalities appear... fractured. It's as if she's missing vital pieces of the framework that allows her psyche to function... That's probably why I absorbed her so readily. There's nothing left but a bit of imbued essence still tied to her body."

"This is a lot to take in," Starlin muttered, running a hand through his curls. "If what you say is true, then it's amazing. Probably the best news I've heard in years. But at the same time..." He trailed off, afraid to admit the rest.

Isolda filled in the blanks. "You've fought them for so long, you don't know what to do now that you've won."

Starlin snorted. "Can you really call this victory? For all we know, whatever caused them to disappear could be waiting to strike us next. And if they took down the Cult, you know they're probably a helluva lot worse than the likes of the Amalgam!"

"Master," Syreeta said, resting a hand on his shoulder. He was trembling; she sought to steady him. "Whatever happens, I will fight at your side. You are not alone in this."

"We'll face whatever the galaxy throws at us," Isolda added, wrapping her arm around his waist. "Together."

 

[Syreeta Ming]

A few days later, Syreeta was still aboard the Bright Knight, having decided to extend her stay while she recovered from absorbing the Deluge, making sure that the persona was fully integrated. She spent much of her time hanging out with Kyla and Lara and getting to know Isolda. The twins were lively companions; their teenage whims and woes provided a sense of normalcy that Syreeta appreciated. Isolda exerted a more calming influence in comparison, and she was a good listener.

"I feel like Starlin's been avoiding me," Syreeta confessed to the Ashlan one morning. She was helping Isolda do laundry, throwing the endless piles of colorful clothes owned and worn by the twins into a hamper. "I figured he needed time and space to process what we learned about the Cult, so I've been leaving him alone. But part of me is afraid that something else is bothering him."

"Perhaps you should try to talk to him," Isolda suggested. "It would at least assuage your worries."

She started to lift the full basket, then abruptly paused. Noticing her hesitation, Syreeta stopped what she was doing. "Are you all right?"

Isolda's brow was furrowed. "I..." she began, slowly sinking down on the edge of Lara's bed. "I sensed something strange just now."

Syreeta abandoned the laundry and sat beside her. "What is it?" she asked.

For several moments Isolda didn't answer, her gaze focused on something unseen. Her hand pressed against her abdomen, as though she had felt a pang in her gut. "Oh," she whispered. "Thank the Ashla. I didn't think it was possible at my age..." She turned to Syreeta, her eyes glassy with joyful tears. "I am with child."

"Isolda, that's wonderful!" Syreeta exclaimed. "Did you find out just now?"

"Yes," Isolda said, almost laughing. "It was weird. One moment I felt nothing, then suddenly I became aware of this presence inside me. It feels like a part of myself, and yet it also has the essence of my husband..." She trailed off, clasping Syreeta's arms tightly. "Say nothing to Starlin about this. I will tell him the news myself."

"I won't say a word," Syreeta agreed. Lowering her voice to a whisper, she asked, "Can you tell if it's a girl or a boy yet?"

Isolda concentrated for a moment, then smiled. "It's a girl."

 

[Syreeta Ming]

Syreeta finished the laundry by herself, giving Isolda a break. As soon as she was done, she went to find Starlin. Their little talk would need to happen now, because once he learned that he was going to be a father, he'd have much more important things to worry about.

She found him in the armory. All of Starlin's gear was stored there, but it had also become something of a museum ever since Syd disappeared. Every lightsaber, sword, gun, and suit of armor she'd ever owned or worn was kept in special cases, preserved for the moment his master returned. If she ever returned...

Starlin stood with his back to the entrance, examining something Syreeta couldn't see. She approached him slowly, waiting until the door slid shut behind her. "Master," she greeted. "Are you busy right now?

"No, not really," he answered, though he didn't turn around yet. "What do you need?"

"I'd like to have a... a talk with you," she said awkwardly, unsure of how to begin. "I know that a lot has happened, and I wanted to make sure you were okay."

A few moments passed. Starlin was slow to face her. He looked tired, but otherwise nothing about his outward appearance indicated anything was amiss. In his hands he cradled a lightsaber hilt, one of many that had belonged to Syd Celsius.

"I've been avoiding you, haven't I?" he murmured. "I didn't intend for it to come across that way, but... Well. Like you said, a lot's been happening lately."

He took a few steps closer to her, still holding the lightsaber. Syreeta could feel the power emanating from the ancient blade. Syd's fiery spirit was imbued into the very atoms of her weapon.

"Ever since I saw you take over the Deluge, I've been thinking," Starlin began. "You can absorb any essence, even just from touching an object strongly associated with the person..."

He took another step forward - and Syreeta, realizing what he was about to suggest, took a big step back. "No," she said, shaking her head. "I can't do that."

"Buy why not?" he asked, still advancing toward her. His tone turned pleading. "If there's even a chance that Syd can live on through you--"

"It wouldn't really be her," Syreeta cut him off. She could sense his immense grief, and she pitied him that he had been reduced to this. But she couldn't let him believe a lie. "The Syd who taught you how to be a Jedi, the Syd you knew and loved - she's gone, Starlin. My version of her would be a pale imitation, based on a mere fragment of the woman she was."

Starlin stood very still, staring at her, Syd's lightsaber in his hands. She could see the painful understanding dawning in his eyes, the acceptance of the truth hard to bear. "I should let Syd rest," he muttered, closing his tired eyes. "She's earned it, after all that she endured."

"I'm sorry," Syreeta said softly. "I believe Syd would want you to live your life outside of her shadow." She clasped her hands over her chest, chancing a small pained smile at him. "And I think that I should go away for a while. I've overstayed my welcome."

"Where will you go?" Starlin asked.

"I hear the High Republic could use all the help it can get," she said. "But I'll go wherever the Force takes me. Wherever there are people who need help."

Starlin let Syd's hilt fall from his hands, clattering on the floor as he threw his arms around her. Syreeta hugged him tightly, afraid to let go. "Master... You have so much to look forward to," she whispered. "Your life will be full of good things in the coming days. The pain you feel now will fade with time, and you'll have so much to be thankful for."