Several weeks later.
Lian sat awaiting his friends for the briefing with the Supreme Chancellor. He had sensed them land on the Crypt and felt their presences approach. The first person to arrive was Nriwe. He stood, feeling eager. It had been a couple of months since he had last seen her and too many days since he had spoken to her and his apprehension rose.
‘Nriwe,’ he managed.
‘Hey, handsome!’ Nriwe smiled and winked at him. ‘Miss me?’
Lian sighed from relief and nodded. ‘I was beginning to worry you had changed your mind about seeing me after our night together.’
Nriwe shook her head. ‘I want to be with you.’ She took a few steps forward. ‘Listen, the thing with me is,’ she took his hands, ‘I’m used to being a free spirit. I’m a Mandalorian. I fight for Mandalore; I stand by my friends. I’m so used to running around the galaxy, staying put in one place will be such a major change for me.’
‘You don’t have to tie yourself down for me if you feel you can’t,’ said Lian. ‘I’ll understand. It was one night, the best night of my life, and I had hoped we could share others, but if your heart lies with Mandalore, then I cannot stop you living the life you deserve to have.’
Nriwe shook her head. ‘You see, yes all that matters to me, it’s part of who I am, but the thing that’s most important to me, is my clan, my family. And they come first.’
Lian closed his eyes. ‘I understand.’
‘Obviously, you don’t!’ Lian looked up at her, she smiled. ‘Use the force, you barve! We’re here to stay.’
‘We?’
Lian extended his senses. He didn’t have to extend far; he felt a little life force, yet strong like a bright star, right there, within Nriwe. Elation swelled within him and tears formed in his eyes.
‘I didn’t know this was possible! I’m…not dead, but not alive in the same way I used to be.’
‘Still alive enough to create life!’ Nriwe put a hand on her hip, leaning on one leg. ‘Look, you’re my family now. If you’ll have us,’ she added motioning at her stomach.
Lian smiled. ‘Of course, I will. Nriwe, I love you, and I’ve always known it.’ Lian took Nriwe in his arms and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him. Then pulled away a bit and turned her head towards the door.
‘It’s all good, guys, you can bring in my things; I’m moving in.’
Lian chuckled as Talyc and Knarf carried cases in, while Shadie and Fane were giggling behind them; everyone brought in a few things. Then everyone took a seat near the holomonitor and they called the Supreme Chancellor. After briefing each other, Emain asked:
‘Have you tried reaching out to Relsor to find him?’ he had directed his question at Fane.
‘Yes, but he has shrouded himself in the Force,’ said Fane. ‘Lian and I have done our best already.’
‘Is it possible he may be using ysalamiri?’ asked Knarf. ‘It had shrouded me well enough.’
‘Perhaps,’ said Shadie, ‘he does know how to use the Force through their bubble. But he also knows how to hide his Force presence very well. If he doesn’t want to be found, he’ll ensure that he isn’t.’
‘Well, he is one True Sith on one ship,’ said Emain, ‘I have a hard time believing all his True Sith and his entire armada would be shrouded as well. We’ve tried following sources, leads, but there is simply no trace of him.’ He shook his head.
‘Have you spoken to Grand Master Herl’unik?’ asked Lian.
‘I have, yes.’
‘Then you know that there are many who are falling ill in the galaxy, many who have already died. Some have found ways to heal, and I am doing all I can, but Relsor is creating illness by his mere existence.’
‘The Grand Master has reported to me that he has attempted to find Relsor by finding a pattern of where more people were ill, but it was to no avail. Not only is it random, but it’s not as though more people fall ill when they are near him. It is the same throughout the entire galaxy. The areas where there are fewer ill people are closer to the Crypt. I am confident the more your powers grow and the more your healing spreads, the more it will help, but people are dying, which is what I told Relsor when he last reached out to the Republic.’
‘Wait, what?’ said Shadie. ‘When did this happen?’
‘A few weeks ago, not long after your encounter on Ziost,’ replied Emain. He contacted me privately, requesting a truce with the Republic.’ Everyone looked at each other. ‘He suggested we leave him be and in return, he promised to vanish and never bother us again.’
‘What did you tell him?’ asked Trylia with concern in her voice.
‘That people were dying in the galaxy and that unless the numbers dropped completely, we could not let him live.’ Supreme Chancellor Emain sighed. ‘Alas, he has vanished. The Republic will stay on its guard. I’ll keep you informed if anything comes up.’
‘Very well,’ said Lian. He closed the holocall and looked at the others.
Fane was looking down at the ground, leaning on the monitor display computer.
‘Maybe the numbers will drop,’ suggested Trylia.
Shadie shook her head. ‘We all saw those holorecordings from Kromus and Gourd.’ She looked at her friend. ‘I know it feels unfair, and it certainly explains his recent behaviour, but we’d be fools to think he’s had a complete change of heart. His true nature is to destroy, he is a True Sith.’
‘Kromus was turned to the light,’ Trylia bit back.
‘At the hour of his death!’ said Shadie. ‘He would not turn to the light, and could not. Only after his death, could he truly embrace the light, but he still remains a Sith Lord, even his summoned Force ghost was Sith, he had only understood and accepted, for me.’
‘Maybe Relsor can too, for me.’
Brenum gently rubbed Trylia’s shoulder, shaking his head. ‘He is seeking to survive; he’s not looking for redemption. Otherwise, he would have come with us after Ziost.’
There was a brief silence. Fane looked up from his ponderous gaze.
‘I have a destiny, a calling, and it’s not there for nothing,’ he said. ‘My fate is to fight Relsor.’ He looked at Trylia. ‘I must find him and fight him; I have to try to destroy him. It’s the only way, Trylia. I’m sorry, but as much as I’d love to, I can’t walk away from my destiny, and neither can Relsor. He knew it on Ziost as much as I know it now. One day, we will find him, and our destinies will collide and come to a head.’
‘Fane’s right,’ said Lian. ‘Until then, let us hope I can heal enough of the galaxy so we don’t lose too many innocent lives.’
Trylia looked down at her datapad. Lian could see the message from where he stood, a message, according to the date, Relsor had sent her soon after their encounter on Ziost. It read: “Goodbye.”
* * *
Relsor sat in his command chair in his command room. He leaned forward, his chin on his hand. He looked over at the empty seat next to him. Perce had been reckless and had died for it, but he longed to hear the complaining voice of his friend. Perce had been the one person he had truly trusted in all this, from the beginning. He wondered, had he not taken Trylia hostage, had all that transpired after him releasing her and her capture still have occurred? The Force worked in strange ways sometimes. Perce’s pride had gotten in the way and he had chosen to confront Knarf, who yet again had bested him. Relsor felt truly alone.
He looked down at his datapad, an old message Trylia had sent him after Ziost was still open. He kept reading it over and over again, though there was nothing to read beyond these two simple words. “Thank you.”
No, Relsor would not let the fate of death come upon him. He would find a way, and if the entire galaxy had to die, then so be it. He would find a way to survive and best his enemies, all of them. He would rule, and he would find passion again, and he would find a way for his source of passion to live. He had always found a way; he had always been resourceful. That was one thing he was grateful his uncle had taught him. This was not the end for him. He went into deep thought, pondering all possibilities, all the ways he could achieve this, and stared into the empty space before him, feeling a new purpose, feeling his power rise.
‘Through power, I gain victory!’ he said to himself. He closed his hand in a fist. ‘I will increase my power, and victory will be mine.’
To be continued…
“Secrets from the Past” is written by Celinka Serre (2022).
Disclaimer: The Characters in this Fan-Fiction are new and have original names. The story is an original written work. The story is derivative and consistent of Fan-Fiction since it borrows the franchise world of Star Wars. Certain jargon and places, or concepts mentioned, along with the SW Old Republic universe belong to Lucasfilm Ltd. and Disney. No characters or story lines from the films are used. No story lines or characters from the games or books are used. A handful of characters from the games may be referenced, but are not the main focus in this fanfic story. This fan-fiction story falls under Fair Use.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
You might also enjoy other SWTOR fanfics, Dragon Age Fan-Fiction short stories, Mass Effect Fan-Fiction, or Stardust Destinies the High Fantasy Fiction series.
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