Finally closing out the preliminary chapters of Part 8, here's the last, leading into the climax coming before the end of this "chapter" of the Bloodlines Anthology. This is just the lull before the storm...
Of Blood and Honor Part 8e: Prepare for the Storm[]
The Lightning’s Ride slowly drifted around one of the last asteroids in the belt surrounding the remote world of Trudaa. Inside, Jev Cray and Ulic Rossini calmly worked the controls to bring the freighter through the rocks unscathed. Both men knew what CJ Morgan would do to them if there was so much as a scratch on the ship.
“Head’s up, bud!” Jev said as he scanned the sensor readout. ‘We’ve got incoming.”
“Whatcha got, hotshot?” Ulic asked as he worked the piloting controls.
“Skipray coming up from the surface.” Jev responded. “Looks like it’s in a hurry too.”
“Alright then.” Ulic said calmly. He deftly flicked a couple switches and reduced power from the engines. “Sensor baffler engaged. We’re hiding.”
The pair watched from the cockpit as the pinpoint of light that was the Skipray Blastboat made it’s way into the asteroids and moved away from them. When it was clearly safe and the Skipray was long gone, both men let out a collective sigh.
“That was running on Imperial codes and registry.” Jev said as Ulic throttled up and moved the freighter clear of the asteroid field.
“Really? Dang.” Ulic answered. ‘Blade’s gonna be pissed about that. So much for using Trudaa for a hideout.”
“Yeah, probably.” Jev added. “But I’m still getting a signature from the planet along with the freighter we left there.”
“What’s the signature?”
“Looks like a small shuttle.” Jev answered.
“Then we better go check it out.”
About an hour later, Ulic set the Ride down on the familiar expanse of green next to the old Jedi temple. The sun was just getting ready to set as the ship landed. Not far away sat the overgrown Freighter that the group had left parked on the planet over a year ago. Next to it was a smaller courier shuttle that neither Jev nor Ulic recognized. To make matters more interesting, there was a group of individuals approaching the Lightning’s Ride.
“Welcoming party?”
“Let’s hope not.” Jev responded.
The pair lowered the ramp and descended, cautiously looking around as they came down. Ulic noticed Jacen Tybalt first, then the two bodyguards that normally accompanied Arthur Bishop, Jahryssa S’tal and Myranda M’ryi. There was a fourth with them, but Ulic couldn’t make out the cloaked stranger’s identity from the distance he was at. Ulic motioned to Jev and they both began to make their way towards the group.
“I was expecting Morgan and Strykia when I saw that ship.” Jacen said as he met up with Ulic and Jev. “Definitely not you two hellraisers.”
“Well, ya see, we kind of stole this Imperial princess and wanted to show her a good time…” Jev began, but was cut short by a smack to the chest from Ulic.
“Blade sent us out here to check this place out again.” Ulic cut in. “I didn’t expect to see you here, though.”
“Then you’re really in for a surprise.” Jacen answered, motioning for everyone to follow him.
The group rounded the temple and entered a small camp where there were four more individuals sitting. The first, Ulic and Jev rcognized right away as Arthur Bishop. The other three, all female, were unknown to either Jev or Ulic. There was an Antrixian, recognizable by her glowing red eyes, younger than Jev and Ulic, sitting with a large canine of some type. There was also a Zeltron sitting next to her with a Warblade slung across her back. The last female was human, or at least she looked human, except her eyes were scarred and milky, essentially making her blind. Yet, when the group entered the camp, she looked right at them, giving Jev the chills.
“I hardly expected to see you two.” Arthur Bishop said as he came over to greet both men with handshakes.
“I told you we should have brought your ship.” Jev said towards Ulic.
“Mr. Bishop, we didn’t expect to see you here either.” Ulic said, ignoring Jev.
“Well, thanks to you and Cleph, we figured this was a safe place to hide since my house was bombed.” Arthur answered. “Apparently it’s quite the popular stop-off.”
“About that… We picked up an Imperial ship leaving the planet.” Ulic said, regaining seriousness.
“You saw an Imperial Inquisitor leaving the world.” The blind woman interrupted.
“An Inquisitor?” Both Jev and Ulic asked in surprise.
“Yes.” The woman replied. “If you are friends of my son, as Mr. Bishop says you are, then you may know her.”
“Uh, that’s depends on a lot.” Jev responded.
“Mr. Bishop says you are acquainted with Graydon Strykia.”
“That depends on who’s asking.” Jev once again responded.
“His mother.”
Silence permeated the camp at the base of the temple for some time after Marissa Strykia made her statement. The only noise was from the small camp fire burning in the center of the camp. Jev was the first to break the silence.
“Frakin’ frak!” Jev exclaimed.
“Please, just Marissa Strykia, if you would.” Marissa gave the two men a gentle smile.
“Wait! If that was an Inquisitor that Blade knows, then that means… Oh frak! That was Danara!”
“Yes. Otherwise known as Becca Verkaik.” Marissa said, very calmly.
“She’s supposed to be on Antrixies with the clone of Blade. Wait… she was here and you all are wanted by the Empire. She left without capturing you?”
“She was more concerned with hiding her true identity from me once her suspicions of me started. I think she feared who I was or what it might entail if we were to cross sabers. Her pilgrimage here gave her more answers than she intended.”
“But she’s supposed to hunt down enemies of the Empire.”
“How would her son react to her if he were to ever find out that she harmed his grandmother? A poor, old, blind woman at that.” Marissa chuckled softly.
“I think I’m missing some vital details here.” Jev said, sitting down across from Marissa.
“Both of you sit, please.” Marissa said. “We have a lot of ground to cover to get you caught up. Then, I believe I have a job for you two that will assist my son.”
As the group sat around the fire, Marissa began to retell the tale of how Danara had come to Trudaa. She detailed that Danara had been to overcome by emotions, finding that Graydon and Anna had been there also. She was able to deduce that Anna was now with Graydon, safe from the Jedi hunters for the time. In her emotional state, Danara had not been diligent at keeping her mental guards up, allowing Marissa to sense her thoughts and to play off them. Marissa never eluded to her true identity, but warned Danara of the coming storm, even the part that she and her family would play in it.
Marissa impressed the importance of the Desmora Prophecy upon Danara. She even went as far as stating that with Danara’s current course of actions, she would help unite her family together in a way that she had only dreamed of as a young girl at the Jedi Temple. Danara had become very emotional, almost on the verge of lashing out, her hurt and all the pain from over the years barely staying contained. The impending birth of the young child she carried was perhaps the only thing that kept her from confronting Marissa in an outright duel.
Both Danara and her handmaiden had left very quickly after that, the young girl insisting on getting Danara back to Antrixies for the birth of the child. There appeared to be forces at play that were influencing Danara’s course outside of the Force and Marissa’s planning. There had to be others involved that were moving things in a direction that may yet serve Marissa’s plans.
The one vital bit of information that no one would’ve thought to ask Marissa on was how she had come to possess so much information on Danara. The Force? The truth, which Marissa deftly skirted, was that on her first night here, she was visited by the same spirit that Graydon had confronted on Draven. Trudaa possessed Sith ruins that were to tombs for the Vaako’s. Their Holocron, was a link off the planet, which Graydon had hidden. But Marissa’s mere Force presence had disturbed Lady Vaako. Vaako attempted to confront Marissa, but was paid little heed. That was when Vaako confronted Marissa with the truth about Graydon and Danara. Vaako knew enough to make Marissa test her mettle, yet she held steadfast. After that Marissa had meditated for a long time.
“Now then, young master Cray.” Marissa spoke. “You and your friend must retrieve a group of stranded Antrixians and take them to my son.”
“Point us in the right direction, Lady Strykia.” Ulic responded.
On board the cruiser, Damodred, Graydon found his first day among Antrixians, Knydens, and Sangheili to be even more involved and hectic than his day to day dealings back on Phantom Station. First, the official presentation of the High Lord by Lady Alysanna Osgrey had taken some time. Next, meeting the command officers of the ships that had come to meet him had taken up even more time. The next morning proved to be even busier. Sitting in the chair of the briefing room, Graydon tried to focus, but his thoughts were continually drawn to his family and Phantom Station. Alysanna and Renald Stilgar attempted to bring Graydon up to speed on the state of the Commonwealth and the tenuous state of the Resistance.
“You face a divided Landsraad, my Lord.” Alysanna said as she briefed Graydon.
“How do you mean ‘divided’, Lady Osgrey?” Graydon asked.
“You have the loyalists: Atraydes, Mortia, Lexander, Ossian, and Fenring supporting you and the movement to remove the Imperials and restore our sovereignty. Then you have the opposition: Harkonna, Corrino, Xingus, Kemic, and Vico who demand a change in power from the Stykia alliance to the Harkonna alliance. Lastly, you have the pacifists: Korta and a large number of the Lesser and minor Houses that are ready to roll over and give in to Imperial rule. Of course, the major Houses oppose this because they’ll lose the most.”
“Let us not forget that House Harkonna may be preparing to aid Reaper.” Stilgar added. “If they do, we’ll have a Commonwealth torn apart by civil war.”
“So we are still facing the same issues that my father faced twenty-some years ago?” Graydon asked. “House Harkonna still holds a grudge against my bloodline for our ascension to the High Seat. Now they’re willing to back a traitor in order to gain a foothold of a claim?”
“Yes, my Lord.” Alysanna answered. “Although I expect that the Baron has more nefarious plans in store for his backing of Reaper.”
“Still, the overall might of your backers is greater than theirs, although not enough to face the Imperials alone. Corrino and Kemic may be swayed to our side, which would pitch the larger picture more in your favor.”
“Your appearance could rally the lesser Houses also.” Alysanna chimed in. “They would be easily swayed to our side with a symbol such as yourself.”
Graydon sat in silence for a moment, gazing at the table, thinking on what Alysanna and Captain Stilgar had just said. This was not the destiny he would have chosen for himself. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Graydon had a spark of wanting to gather up Rena and Anna, flying light years away from everything and everyone. “Damn Draygan.” Graydon thought for a moment. This was the destiny in which his mother had believed in so deeply. Because of that, he had to honor his family and see it through until the end.
“We’re on the road to taking some big steps.” Graydon began as he looked up to meet the eyes of his companions. “However, we still have a lot of ground to cover before we make any big moves. Look around. We have five combat worthy ships to face a very large, superior Imperial force.”
“Yes, my Lord, but we have more forces that will support you.” Alysanna began, before Graydon cut her off.
“More importantly, we’re not ready.” Graydon continued. “Katana and I are not ready. We can be, but not yet. We need to face down some of the darkest foes our people have ever faced. There are forces at work that we haven’t even exposed yet. We could be facing darker days then we faced during the purge.”
“We will succeed or we will die for the honor of our people.” Alysanna said proudly. “We will grow our numbers and then throw out anyone who dares oppose us!”
“Careful, Lady Osgrey.” Graydon responded warily. “Speaking like that sounds too much like a dictator, rather than a freedom-fighter. I merely want to restore freedom to my people. If they choose to return to the way things were before the Imperials came, so be it. At least they will be free again.”
A day later, Graydon had the small group of ships set out for Phantom Station. His thoughts about home and family had started to turn into concern. There was a disturbance in the Force that centered on his thoughts. That much he knew. Perhaps it would be best if he returned to Phantom Station with haste.
At the same time, CJ was thanking everyone who had come to Corellia to pay their respects to Marcus Morgan. CJ was very happy to know that her father had influenced and touched so many lives across the galaxy. She was determined not to let his death be in vain either. Just as Marcus had blindly helped Graydon, she would also follow her friend through the fires to see that the work of others had not been in vain. Boarding Rena’s ship with her friends, CJ looked out across Corellia, letting the roots of Corellian rebellion and stubborn-ness take hold even more than before.
Still, across the galaxy, Jev and Ulic landed on a remote world in the Outer Rim, finding a small group of Antrixians living in seclusion. It was precisely as Marissa had said. Among the group were three young Antrixians that had been trained by their elders as Jinsai. One in particular, seemed to have an importance to him, just as Graydon’s mother had said. Jev thought back to the words that Marissa had given them before they departed Trudaa.
“Master Cray, my son and daughter will need all of their friends and allies in the coming days.” Marissa had said. “You will all have a part to play. Please let my children know that I think of them every day. I will come to them when I have finished tying up some loose ends. Until then, may the Force be with us all.”