(Updated) Most of the focus of oBoH has been on Marissa and the twins, with a nice bit being diverted to Anise Damodred and her side of Marissa's plan concerning The Jinsai Prophecy. This excerpt gives us a peak into the lives of some of the other Strykia's, post Imperial Occupation of the Commonwealth. Not only that, but Draygan, the exiled High Lord gets some pretty awesome news!
Of Blood and Honor: Revelations[]
The cool dark hull of the starship would have normally been lost in the vast blackness of space. Skirting on the outside of a vast nebula painted its hull with a warm orange color. Swirls and streaks of orange, red, brown, and yellows drifted through the interstellar cloud with little regard for the ship near it’s borders. The nebula would continue on, as it had for millions of years before, long after the ship and crew had returned to the dust from which they were once made.
That very thought crossed Draygan Strykia’s mind as he stood near the view port on the bridge of the cruiser, Tor’mon, watching the nebula drift by. He had seen this sight many, many times before during his life. He had actually come to call the nebula home after the years he’d spent here, either living on a ship hiding in the gas cloud, staying on one of the hidden stations that were built within the nebula, or on one of the planets that skirted the very edge of the phenomenon. Draygan never despised it though. He viewed the Maridis Nebula as a birthplace of stars and worlds, perhaps even ideas eventually. That was a symbol for him and his people, the Antrixians, the Knyden, the Lutrins, and the Sangheili. If so much could be born from these clouds of dust, gas, and color, perhaps freedom and retribution could also come from the nebula.
Today was no different than the day before or even the day before that though. He was dressed in his comfortable brown boots, dark green pants, and a light brown shirt with the sleeves cuffed up on his arms. His dark hair hung down his back in a loose braid, just has he’d worn it for the past fifteen years. And just like the past fifteen years, Draygan knew that today would be filled with the tedious tasks of daily operations on the ship. That would change soon enough, whether he wanted it to or not.
“Commander Strykia.” Came a voice from one of the crew members behind him. “The shuttle Gan’dril is on approach and requesting docking. All authentications check out.”
“Thank you Lieutenant. Inform the shuttle that I’ll meet Captain Lessal in the hanger.” Draygan responded.
After a moment, the Lieutenant replied back. “Uh, my lord? The shuttle would like to inform you that Admiral Strykia would like it very much that you receive him once they’ve docked.”
“Very nice, Lieutenant. Let my uncle know that he better have brought something good this time.” Draygan said as a broad smile grew across his face. “I’m off to the hanger.”
Striding down the halls, Draygan found that he had quite a bit of spring in his step as he went. The day was looking up, he thought to himself as he went along.
Ξ
The sleek body of the slender Phoenix shuttle gleamed brightly under the docking hanger lights. The ramp was lowered and two men walked down the ramp with casual ease, talking back and forth as they descended. The taller of the two wore the olive green uniform of an Antrixian officer while the other wore brown and tan robes with a silver cylinder inlaid with black hanging from his belt. Meeting Draygan at the bottom of the ramp, both men bowed.
“My Lord Strykia, I am graced by your presence.” Said the Antrixian officer while bowing.
“Knock it off, Uncle Edric.” Draygan said with a smile. ‘You keep that up and the crew will be bowing and never get their work done.
Straightening, Admiral Edric Strykia touched the robed gentleman on the shoulder. “Ah yes. The weight of duty. Our young High Lord has no clue.” Both men chuckled softly at that.
“Greetings, Lord Draygan.” The other added in.
“Master Bronn. As always, I’m glad to see you.” Draygan replied.
“Come Draygan. We need to talk in private.” Edric said as he put an arm around Draygan’s shoulders.
Ξ
“Draygan, sit down.” Edric spoke in a quiet, calm tone as they entered Draygan’s private cabin. “I have news.”
“What is it, Uncle?”
“We’ve received a report from some of the Shadow Wardens.”
“A new report? There’s news on the twins and mother?” The glow in Draygan’s eyes grew bright.
“At this time, it’s nothing more than leads. But hear me out before you jump to rash actions.” Edric took a seat across from Draygan, taking a deep breath to compose himself. “Know that the plan your mother and aunts put in place was secret to almost all. Those that knew took the information to their graves when the razing of the Commonwealth occurred. Where everyone went was a secret known only to the people going there. We now know that your mother saw Therryn off and into the hands of a Jinsai couple that had taken up a residence on Tatooine. They have since moved on, the only word given on their destination was that there were going to be big events on Tatooine in the coming years that they couldn’t interfere with, by Wynd’s orders. So, the chance of your cousin being alive is good. A trail in the Outer Rim coming from a young Antrixian led to Carosi XII, but went cold from there.”
“Uncle, you have to be anxious! If Therryn is alive, his place is by your side. Don’t you want to track him down?” Draygan asked, his eyes glowing with inner fire brought on by a flood of emotions.
“Yes, I do. But I promised your mother that I would let events run their course. She made me vow that whatever happened, I’d look after you and let her arrange for Therryn to be taken care of. That was years ago. I’m glad I stuck to my word.” Edric took a few deep breaths again before continuing. “Next, a trader near the Tarameanian Sector says he had a woman stop through to browse his wears. She was blind, but carried a Warblade. The Warblade had a red blade like your father’s. He swears that even though she was blind, she saw better than any person that still had their eyes. The trader said that he thought the scar on her face was reminiscent of a wound from an energy weapon. Quite possibly, a lightsaber. There’s a degree of certainty that your mother is loose in the galaxy, more than likely tracking Reaper.”
“After all this time? She’s alive? What about the scar and the eyes?” Draygan went to stand, almost jumping from his seat. Only a calm, gentle hand from Bronn on his shoulder eased him back down. “This means that she could help lead the resistance!”
“Yes, she could.” Bronn added in. “Your mother, however, stated that her hunt was going to be one of prevention, not open warfare.” Bronn looked down at Draygan and then to Edric. “Marissa is going after Reaper, pure and simple. If she were to come back here, she would attract the Empire, especially more Inquisitors, which would doom all of us. She’s still alive, out there hunting him, otherwise I would have sensed her passing.”
“There are a lot of things at work here.” Edric spoke. “When you were just starting to shadow me, before the war came to our doorstep, a lot of people sided with your mother and put plans and precautions into the works. Even back then, your mother knew that she had to make sure her children were protected. That’s why the twins went with Moraine, Therryn elsewhere, and you here with me.”
“Your mother began to suspect Reaper even before he betrayed us and murdered your father.” Bronn added in. “Marissa might have disappeared, but we have continued to do her work, as best we could.”
“Reaper has made it known since he fled that he’s holding a grudge. He wants to take down specific targets when he makes his grand appearance. Reaper said he’d save you for last, Draygan.” Edric’s eye-glow was faint, but brightened as he spoke. “A tactical error on his part. Reaper plans on finding the twins and turning them, as we’ve said before. If he can’t turn them, he’ll kill them to reduce the threat they may pose to him. Then he’ll attack us and then the Empire. He’s still brooding over the betrayal he received from Admiral Harkness. But he’s counting on Allyson and Graydon being with your mother so he can tie up loose ends before he comes for us. But the twins aren’t going to be with your mother.”
“We know this?” Draygan asked.
“We do now. This is all Moraine’s doing. My dear sister should have been a Gai’din, as sneaky as she is. Her cleverness and tricks rank right up there with Jedi resourcefulness. The Force is with her.” Edric said with a chuckle.
“You know where Moraine and the twins are, don’t you?”
“Not exactly, no. But both your brother and sister are alive.” Edric reached into his jacket and pulled free a datapad. Activating it, he slid it across the table to Draygan. Draygan could only stare down at the pad at first, before he slowly moved to pick it up. Once in hand, he held it, gazing at the two pictures displayed on it’s screen.
“Graydon is apparently a sworn Jinsai, given that he carries a Warblade like it’s part of him. Moraine must have trained him as a True Blood. He’s hired on as a crew member for a light freighter out in the Mid Rim. That picture came via a bar security cam on Argosi Station where he beat two gentlemen for attempting to accost a young lady outside. Neither will be using their arms any time soon.”
Bronn jumped in with more. “The lady on the screen is only known as ‘Katana.’ Deadly with the Knyden quickblades she’s carrying, seen in the picture. Apparently she has found some camaraderie with the Rebel Alliance and has taken to making sure that the Emperor looses a few clone troopers now and again. If that is Allyson Strykia, she's traveling with a Coynite friend also, bent on damaging the Imperials. Those pictures are the only copies left. Stark and Lannister made sure that the bounty hunters that had them also lost the originals… Along with their ships.”
Draygan sat back, visibly relaxing as he stared silently at the images in his hand. While his mouth didn’t show it, his eyes said he was smiling on the inside.
“There is one problem, however. The information came through the other members of the Shadow Wardens and I’m afraid it’s been leaked.” Edric said in a hushed tone.
“The Imperials? That wench, Syanne?” Draygan immediately began to scowl.
“No. The Lord Regent Atraydes may know just as much as we do. His intelligence cells are buried deep and aren’t coordinated with us yet. Plus, there’s a chance that Shasharra Atraydes has survived and has been found. If she finds out that Graydon is alive, she may try to make good on the betrothal agreement that Leeto and your father made.”
“May the Force have mercy on the boy if that is true.” Bronn finished.