((OK This one is a little different. Comments and/or suggestions always appreciated))

 

 

Jedi Padawan Ulaha woke. She thought back to what she remembered. She had gone to Correllia, with the permission of the Council, to see where her brother had fallen. She had been kneeling by the gravestone that marked where her brother’s remains had been interred, and then… she couldn’t remember.

 

She listened, nothing. She focused her thoughts and felt… strange things … around her. She opened her eyes and froze. Her eyes darted here and here, her lekku remained where they were. She was lying on a bed, in a room that looked like a small stateroom of a ship. Table, chair, refresher, these were easily recognizable. But the colors around her were black, grey and red. She had never been on a ship with those colors, but she had heard a lot about them. She knew whose colors those were. Judicious movement showed that her limbs were unbound. But she didn’t move, she had to be under observation. A quick glance at herself showed… she froze. Her brown robes were gone. She was wearing neutral tones. And she saw bandages. She touched them and felt deep pain, as if wounds had healed partway. She shook her head slightly. Someone was trying to confuse her.

 

She sat on the bed and assumed a meditative position. The door hissed open, she didn’t look up. A presence, a strange one, came in and then without a word, left. The door hissed closed. When she looked up, she saw a tray sitting on the table. It held food and a cup. She ignored it. Her stomach growled, but she didn’t move.

 

 

Two forms stood close to one another in the cramped confines of the small ship’s galley. In form one appeared human, female and young. The other was alien, even to his companion. He dwarfed his companion, but… something in his posture said he was the junior. The male spoke.

 

“She hasn’t eaten or drunk anything, Mistress.”

 

“Would you, Kra’tuc?” Her voice combined sour amusement, weariness, pain, loss, and fear.

 

“We don’t mean her harm…” The female scoffed.

 

“What do you think she believes?” Kra’tuc froze.

 

“That she is a prisoner. Mistress…If she doesn’t eat or drink, the poisons…”

 

“I know, Kra’tuc, I’ll talk to her.” Kra’tuc froze.

 

“Mistress…” he shook his head. “This is a bad idea.” She sighed.

 

“I know. But… I don’t think we have any other choice. At least she doesn’t have her lightsaber.” Kra’tuc stood silent as the woman left the galley, and then he made a human sounding sigh. He looked at the wall and spoke.

 

“Keep a close eye. If we lose her, we lose everything.” Nothing seemed to happen, and he left the compartment without looking back.

 

Ulaha started, something had changed. She looked up as the door hissed open. Framed in it was a figure garbed in black. The human female’s red hair glinted in the harsh light. She walked in and nodded as she saw Ulaha’s eyes on her. The strange woman sat in the chair and studied Ulaha.

 

“Jedi, you need to eat and drink.” The woman’s voice was soft, compassionate even, but Ulaha wasn’t fooled. She knew Sith. She had been taught about their trickery and deviousness. She wasn’t about to let them poison her. The Sith sighed.

 

“Jedi, you have been poisoned. We have diluted most of them, but, you need to flush the residue out or there will be problems.” Ulaha looked at the woman, then turned her head away. The woman sighed. “Let’s start at the beginning, please?” Ulaha’s head shot up as the Sith asked her politely! “My name is Oreana, what is yours?”

 

“Like you don’t know…” Ulaha’s voice was quiet, but her eyes shot open as the woman laughed ironically.

 

“No I don’t. We had no idea you were there when we hit the ship and well, we couldn’t just leave you there. We didn’t have time for data searches.” Ulaha looked at her with disbelief written all over her features.

 

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” She looked away, trying to find her focus.

 

“We raided a supply ship bound for Korriban. We intended to get supplies we needed. We didn’t expect to find you.” Ulaha’s eyebrows went up again; she could feel the woman’s sincerity easily. But it was said the Sith could fake emotions in the force. “They didn’t have you in stasis or carbon freeze, you wouldn’t have survived to reach Korriban. Which may have been the idea…” The woman broke off, lost in thought.

 

“What?” Ulaha asked, then shut her mouth tight. Oreana sniffed loudly, her sense in the Force spoke of resignation.

 

“To the Dark Sith, a Jedi would be a heck of a prize. Something that might give advantage, so…” She broke off as comprehension dawned on Ulaha’s face.

 

“Others might want to keep that advantage out of their hands. Where do you fit in that then?”

 

“I don’t.” Oreana smiled at Ulaha’s dubious expression. “I don’t serve the dark side, I WON’T serve the dark side.” Ulaha could taste the woman’s determination.

 

“Why not the Jedi?” Ulaha asked, then froze as the woman’s face became stern, not cold, just…stern.

 

“That is my business. And…” She sighed, her face losing some of its rigidity. “I tell you this, if you do not eat, drink and excrete, the poisons that were introduced into your system will kill you, slowly and painfully. And soon.” Ulaha shook her head, but then…

 

Without sense of transition, she was lying on the bed and the woman was holding a cup to her lips.

 

“Drink now. NOW!” Oreana spoke sharply and Ulaha tried to force her head away, but the woman held her in place, not that it took much effort. Ulaha could barely keep her eyes open as it was. She swallowed, the bitter drink burning her throat. She felt hot and cold and… she shuddered once and collapsed unconscious.

 

Oreana poured the rest of the brew down the Jedi’s throat. She avoided the natural reaction of the body to irritation of the stomach without problems. She prayed enough stayed down to make a difference. She sat back as the Twilek convulsed and watched, clinically as foul smelling sweat dripped from the Jedi’s pores. A few moments later, she noted the other reactions to the antidote and smiled slightly.

 

It’s working She relaxed for the first time since she had entered the room. Then she started cleaning up the mess.

 

Ulaha woke. She hurt. Her muscles all protested, her throat felt like she had been screaming, and her… She froze as she felt things around and in her. She smelled things... She opened her eyes. She was still in the stateroom. But things had changed. She was connected to medical gear of various kinds. And slumped over the table was Oreana. The black garbed woman slept, her head pillowed in her hands. Ulaha shook her head, something was wrong with this situation. A Sith trying, indeed fighting, to save her? She had never heard anything like that. She felt…odd, but good. A noise came to her and she stared as the door hissed open. An alien came in, one she didn’t know the race of. It looked at her, then, in a strikingly familiar gesture, put a finger to its…er… where its lips might be if it had been a Twilek. She watched bemused as the alien gently gathered Oreana up in long arms and carried her from the room. A few minutes later, the alien returned and sat on the floor, barring the door, Ulaha realized.

 

“You will not harm her.” Ulaha froze for a moment, trying to decipher the words. It was Basic, but…odd… Then the alien looked at her closely and she felt it… er…his scrutiny. She couldn't say how she knew it was male, she just did.

 

“I do not know what you mean.” Ulaha finally said.

 

“You will not harm her.” The alien repeated, then crossed his arms and sat. For all the universe, he looked like a statue. She sighed. Then she began a healing meditation

Edited August 27, 2012 by kalenath

 

Oreana woke and stretched… she froze. She had put her head down for just a minute on the table. She had been so worried about the Jedi, and then the mess had been considerable. Now she was lying on the bed in her stateroom, the eerie glow of the holocrons around her. A red light suffused the area and a voice came to her.

 

“Are you insane Oreana?” She flinched at the venom that emanated from the Sith holocron. She shrugged, and then smiled as another holocron lit up, this one green.

 

“What else could she have done?” The kind voice of a long dead Jedi came out of the cube and she smiled a bit, but then shook her head. When she spoke it was clear and cool. The holocrons were her most treasured possessions, ones that the Lords of the Sith knew nothing about, she hoped anyway.

 

“What I did was to inconvenience the Lords. To do that I helped her. And yes, Lord Apathos, I liked helping her. But… Jedi Master Jorrak I have pragmatic reasons for doing this.” Both holocrons muted their colors. She cleaned herself quickly, and then pulled on clean robes. She looked at her robes and tried not to sigh.

 

Black, like all of her attire. She detested black, but…it was effective camouflage. No non-Force using Sith in his or her right mind would dare to cross anyone wearing black and carrying a lightsaber. And the higher ranks, well, Oreana had enough practice in hiding, misdirection, trickery and when all else failed sheer hatred, to give even the highest ranks pause. Even if it did make her feel foul afterward.

 

She checked her dual phase lightsaber and sighed again. She didn’t like the weapon either. Yes it was a potent weapon, and an even more potent symbol, but to her the blood red blade spoke of cruelty and wanton waste. But… She shook her head. The Jedi’s sabers, their bright greens and blues spoke of life and living things. Inappropriate to her mind in something that took life. She had heard of other colors and she had seen an orange blade in the hands of a very high ranked Sith Lord, but other than that she had never seen any. She shook her head.

 

Enough nerf gathering. Lets see She opened her computer and found nothing new. She checked the surveillance cameras and was unsurprised to see Kra’tuc sitting in the Jedi’s stateroom. She smiled, his over protectiveness was annoying at times, but she understood. She stood up, stretched, and then moved out of her small room towards the galley. When she got there, she was unsurprised to see a small meal laid out for her.

 

“Thank you.” She said aloud, not expecting a response. But…

 

“Your path…dangerous…” came a small voice. She pointedly did not look for it.

 

“I know.” She said quietly between bites of food and sips of water.

 

“Jedi…dangerous…”

 

“I know.” She repeated. The voice didn’t speak again and she finished the meal in silence. Another tray appeared beside her and she smiled as she picked it up. Soft foods, easy to stomach. After what the Jedi had gone through, this was an act of kindness. Unusual for a Sith ship perhaps, but not on her ship she mused silently as she walked, careful to keep the tray balanced.

Ulaha woke screaming. She had been… she shuddered and wept and curled in on herself as horrid memories flooded into her forebrain. She remembered. The Sith had captured her on Correllia, they had taken her to a base and… She retched again, but nothing came up. Strong arms held her tight and comforted her as she wept. Warm hands held hers as she shuddered, cried and tears streamed down her face. A soft voice murmured to her, nonsense words that comforted her. Finally she was worn out and she opened her eyes. She flinched back from the black robes. The woman, Oreana, let her go. The woman’s eyes were haunted.

 

“I’m sorry. These are the only clothes I have.” Ulaha heard sorrow, resignation and horror all mixed up in the woman’s tone. The Twilek shuddered, and then focused herself. She looked the woman over, for the first time her senses were unclouded. She saw… The Padawn shuddered. Oreana reached out a slow hand and this time Ulaha didn’t move away. The woman laid a gentle hand on the Twilek’s shoulder. “You are over the worst of it. The drugs are wearing off. It’s over, you are safe.”

 

“Am I?” Ulaha asked quietly. The woman snarled wordlessly, then she spoke again.

 

“No harm will come to you on this ship.” Ulaha straightened up at the woman’s firm tone. “Once you leave, your life is you own again, but while you are here, NO harm will come to you.”

 

“You would just let me leave? Just like that?” The Twilek was ready for almost any response but when the woman laughed the Twilek girl’s mouth dropped open.

 

“No, not ‘just like that’. But…” She broke off as Ulaha froze then relaxed. “I will find someplace safe to leave you, and then I have to go.” Ulaha sank onto the bed, not sure at all what to make of this strange Sith. Oreana placed a tray in front of her and Ulaha nodded. She ate quickly and efficiently. Finally she was done and Oreana handed the tray to the alien, who vanished out of the room.

 

“What are you, Oreana?” She finally asked, her curiosity piqued.

 

“I’m a Sith.” Ulaha shook her head.

 

“You are not like any Sith I have ever heard of.” Oreana smiled, no it was a grin. Almost urchinlike.

 

“And all Jedi are exactly like you?” Ulaha laughed and the strange woman joined in.

 

“My name is Ulaha, Oreana, and…no… not all Jedi are like me.” She looked at the Sith woman and was amazed to see tears in the woman’s eyes. She dashed them away. “Tears are not weakness…”

 

“In that we disagree Ulaha. But I will see you safe, and then I will continue…”

 

“Continue… Oh…”Ulaha froze as her senses finally showed her the deepest part of Oreana. “You are Grey…” Oreana grinned sadly.

 

“Neither light nor dark, yeah. I serve the Sith Empire, Ulaha of the Jedi. The Emperor knows I will not depose him, so he trusts me. As much as any Sith can trust any other Sith anyway.” Ulaha shook her head.

 

“How can you serve them?” This time Oreana shook her head.

 

“I have served the Sith Empire since I can remember. I was singled out as Force sensitive early on and well… my Master had odd ideas.” Something that sounded like bad plumbing came from where the alien sat on the floor. Ulaha looked at him. What was definitely a grin crossed his features.

 

“You can say that.” The alien spoke, again, Ulaha had difficulty understanding.

 

“Well, I do say that scalebrain.” Ulaha looked from one to the other but the amusement lingered; obviously these two liked each other a great deal.

 

“You say you raided a supply ship? What does the Emperor think of you raiding his ships?”

 

“We didn’t. It was a private supply ship destined for a minor noble. We needed supplies, and as long as we don’t destabilize things too much, the Emperor doesn’t mind. We did not expect to find you, and once we did, I couldn’t leave you there.”

 

“Thank you.” Ulaha said quietly.

 

“Don’t get me wrong, this is going to cause problems. While we didn’t leave any evidence or witnesses…” Ulaha froze but Oreana kept right on talking. “…It will come out sooner or later. And while Creon was a wanna-be Darth, he had powerful friends.”

 

“What will you do?” Oreans smiled at Ulaha’s concerned tone.

 

“Don’t worry about it. Right now, meditate; cleanse your system if you can. I’ll find someplace neutral to drop you.” Oreana turned and left the room, leaving Ulaha to sit in thought. Finally Ulaha began her meditation.

Oreana brought the ship in for a deft landing. Nar Shaddaa was neutral territory. Much as Manaan had been before the Kolto supplies started dwindling. She looked around and froze as something familiar registered. NO! Not that ship! She dashed out of the cockpit, heading for Ulaha’s stateroom. Ulaha was sitting reading when Oreana burst in. Oreana threw a set of robes at the Jedi and spoke quietly.

 

“Put those on, quickly. We are about to have a guest. Don’t say anything. If he asks you a question, look at me. Do you understand?” Ulaha shook her head, bemused. “Listen to me, Darth Sarianol is here, on Nar Shaddaa, he doesn’t like me. If you are my prisoner, he will take you away, just to hurt me. If you are my apprentice he can’t. He may hurt you, but by the law, he can’t kill you or I can kill him. Please!” The naked fear, not for herself but for Ulaha, swept through the Force and Ulaha nodded, shocked. A chime sounded and she darted out of the room, leaving Ulaha to stare after her, then at the robes. She reached for them.

 

Oreana opened the hatch and was confronted by Sith arrogance at its worst. She hid a wince at the sight of the pockmarked face, the ill fitting robes, and the paunch. She most certainly did not think what was foremost on her mind. She backed up, never taking her eyes off the man and he entered the ship’s airlock chamber.

 

“Darth Oreana, my dear, how have you been?” His voice oozed insincere concern.

 

“Darth Sarianol.” Her head inclined, just a bit shy of respectful. “What do you want?” Her voice was cold and hard, but if he noticed, it was unapparent.

 

“You stole something from Creon, well done. I want it.” His voice changed, the swarminess dropped away and so did the illusion of laziness. His body showed, fit and hard, and the two lightsabers at his belt hung ready. She felt a twinge of fear, suppressed it.

 

“I am afraid I cannot do that.” Her voice held no apology at all however and his face flushed with triumph.

 

“Denying what is mine by right? Oreana, Oreana. Give me the prisoner and we can forget the legal niceties.” He froze as Oreana laughed at him.

 

“Prisoner?” She turned to Kra’tuc who stood just inside the airlock. “Ask my apprentice to join us please.” He loped off into the ship.

 

“Apprentice!?!” He snarled, and then caught himself. Then he smiled, an evil grin. “Hiding behind the law? Oh, Oreana, I expected better of you. If you wanted a bed mate…” He broke off. Her lightsaber poised at his throat. He grinned again. “Is this how you want to do this Oreana?” Her gaze and her point didn’t waver.

 

“Try me, Sarianol.” Her voice held no emotion and for the first time in a while, he suddenly felt fear. He raised an eyebrow, and then stepped back. He nodded to her and she deactivated her saber. It did not escape his eyes that she did not holster it.

 

The Sith lord sighed. “All I want is what is mine by right of higher rank. Give me the girl and there will be no conflict today…” He broke off as another form entered the compartment. A Twilek wearing black. She moved to one step behind Oreana and stopped. Her eyes remained on the floor. He reached out with his senses and felt nothing. He arced an eyebrow at Oreana.

 

“Blocking me dear?” She laughed, it was a cold and villainous laugh.

 

“Why would I?” She asked mocking. “That idiot Creon took this Jedi, tortured her and broke her mind, poor thing. Now she is a blank slate.” The male Sith looked at the Twilek, and shook his head.

 

“Fine. I will take her anyway.” He raised a hand, but paused as she laughed evilly. She grinned at him, a mocking grin.

 

“No you won’t. She has asked, with what little mind I have been able to put back together, to be made strong. Not that you know anything about true strength. I accepted her as my apprentice.” Sarianol’s face grew beet red. Then he smirked.

 

“Fine. Your apprentice has displeased me.” He raised a hand and Force lightning shot from it. Oreana stood by as Ulaha collapsed under the attack. Ulaha screamed loudly. Oreana waited until Sarianol paused in his attack. He raised his other hand then Oreana moved between them.

 

“Stop.” She commanded. Sarianol cocked an eyebrow at her. “You may punish my apprentice. If you attempt to kill my apprentice you will answer to me.” He grinned, disbelieving and then he stiffened as her blade moved faster than thought. She had no expression on her face as the edge of her blade lopped off one of his hands. She knew it was mechanical. He reached for his lightsaber with his remaining hand but froze. Her blade was poised an inch from his eye. Even an idiot knew better than to fight Oreana on her own ship.

 

“Go now.” She commanded. He stepped back and the hatch opened behind him. He stepped into it.

 

“You have not heard the last of this, Darth Oreana.”

 

“Go.” Her cold voice could have frozen a star. The hatch closed behind him and she slid down into a heap beside the quivering pile that was Ulaha. She gathered the girl close and lifted her up to carry her to medical. “I am sorry. I am so sorry…” For the first time in years, Oreana wept.

Ulaha woke. She remembered. She sighed. Then she opened her eyes, and froze. She wasn’t in the stateroom. She was… Oreana came into her field of view and smiled sadly. Ulaha smiled back.

 

“What happened?” Ulaha could barely make her voice heard, but Oreana smiled.

 

“We tricked him. He thinks you are my apprentice, and… now he thinks he has mortally wounded you so… If I show up without you, no one will ask questions that might raise my ire. He did hurt you, I’m sorry.” Ulaha could only watch in amazement as this strange Sith burst into tears. Ulaha tried to raise her hand to comfort the woman, but she saw it was covered with medical gear. She looked around. They were in a full scale medical center. One she didn’t recognize. Oreana saw her look and smiled thinly.

 

“We are in a private clinic on Tattooine. I couldn’t treat you. I thought…” The Sith broke off and sighed. Ulaha smiled at her.

 

“Well, this might be a good place to…er… lose me then.” Oreana grinned sourly.

 

“Not really. There are more Sith and Sith agents here than almost anywhere else at the moment. Ever since Darth Harron, may he rot in pieces, got himself ripped apart, every Sith has been looking for that dratted Korr girl.”

 

“You don’t have far to look.” Came a voice Ulaha recognized and she froze as Nia came into the room. Oreana spun, and then froze as another shape appeared behind Nia. She kept her hands clear of her lightsaber. Will Kalenath was not known for walking into situations unprepared. Nia had hers in hand, but not ignited. Ulaha sat up, ignoring the protests of her body. Nia and Oreana circled slowly, first one way, then the other. Nia seemed, perplexed. Oreana seemed unsure. Will on the other hand stood ready. And Ulaha shook her head and spoke.

 

“Stop.” Her voice was quiet, but it froze all three of the others in the room. Then she coughed and sank back to the bed. “Don’t fight… if you do, the dark side wins…” She managed to gasp out, and then she knew no more.

 

Will ignored the two females and walked to the bed. He scrutinized the readouts and nodded. “She’s unconscious, but alive.” He looked at Oreana. “Where do I know you from?” She looked sideways at him; most of her focus was on Nia for good reason.

 

“I was on Korriban when you arrived there." Oreana did not take her eyes from Nia, but her senses also pegged Will. He was hard to sense for some reason. "I said you couldn’t be trusted.”

 

“You were right.” He agreed without emotion in his voice.

 

“You killed Harron?” Oreana asked cautiously.

 

“Yes and no.” She paused at his response and looked squarely at him. He grinned sourly. “I shot him, an angry Wookiee killed him.” He kept his focus on the bed, but only a fool would have imagined that he didn’t know everything that was happening in the room.

 

“Thank you.” She smiled without mirth. She had been hunting the Sith.

 

“I didn’t do it for you Sith.” She smiled, and he could feel a smile coming on his own lips which he strongly controlled.

 

“I know. I … Aw fierfek!” She broke off as another figure entered the room. Sarianol looked at them all and smiled.

 

“My dear Oreana, what strange company you are keeping these…” he broke off as a blaster sounded. He collapsed to the floor, wearing the most peculiar look of shock probably to ever grace a Sith Lord’s face. Will held his blaster ready. Oreana just shook her head. The idiot hadn't even looked around after entering the room! What kind of a Sith, Darth even, allowed himself to be blindsided like that? Even by someone whose sense in the Force was clouded somehow? She shook her head slowly, careful never to lose sight of Nia and Will.

 

“I hope that wasn’t a friend of yours.” Will said quietly and Oreana replied by kicking the corpse twice, then spitting on it. “Guess not.” He smiled and she hesitantly smiled back.

 

“Good riddance. He hurt her, I thought I had her protected, I was wrong.” She bowed her head. Then she raised it. “Now what?”

 

“Now… The bounty on me goes up a few hundred credits I assume, and…” He broke off as she shook her head.

 

“I can’t just let you walk out of here.” She smiled grimly and Will shared it.

 

“You can’t stop me.” She blurred into motion, and then collapsed as Nia hit her on the head with the pommel of her lightsaber. Nia quickly checked her over and nodded. She was unconscious. Will looked at his daughter. “You really need to learn how to use that.”

 

“Why? It works fine just like it is.” He laughed as they collected Ulaha and made their way out of Cranna the Hutt’s med clinic.

 

Oreana woke with her head hurting. She looked around, surprised to be alive. She lay in the med bed that had recently been occupied by Ulaha and saw no sign of the late, unlamented Sarianol. She sat up, and as she did, a small piece of paper fell off her to land on the bed. She picked it up and her eyebrows rose as she read:

 

“Thank you for taking care of Ulaha. When next we meet, we meet as enemies.”

 

It was unsigned. She looked at it, then shredded it and sat up to face her future.

 

 

Nia was sitting beside her bunk when Ulaha woke again. She smiled at the human woman and Nia smiled back. Nia held out a hand which Ulaha took.

 

“How are you feeling?” Nia asked quietly.

 

“Sore, very sore. But glad to be alive.” Ulaha replied equally quietly. “Nia…?” She asked hesitant.

 

“What is it Ulaha?”

 

“Are you going to take an apprentice?” Nia sat back at that.

 

“Someday, probably. But I have never thought about it. Why?” Ulaha gathered her thoughts and then spoke.

 

“That woman, Oreana, she was grey. Not light side, not dark side, but with aspects of both.” Nia nodded. “But she was a Sith! I didn’t think Sith were as tolerant of non-dark side users as Jedi are of non-light side users.” Nia shook her head.

 

“Ulaha, people are going to be people, no matter where they are or what they do. You are going to have good, bad and then you will have those like me who fall in the middle. The Twilek girl nodded then winced as sore muscles protested. “This is going to sound strange Ulaha… Did she do…anything to you?” Ulaha’s eyes widened.

 

“No. She was…kind. But distant. She..” Ulaha laughed softly. “…She force fed me an antidote to whatever poisons Creon’s men gave me.” At that name Nia froze. Ulaha looked at her.

 

“Ulaha, Darth Creon died when the transport he was taking to Korriban blew up.” Ulaha stared at her in shock. “That woman, Oreana, is one of the Dark Council’s most feared agents, and assassins. We think she was sent to kill Creon, and found you. She did kill Creon, of that we are sure, but why she took you, we don’t know.”

 

“She helped me.” Ulaha shook her head in bafflement. “She was kind…She cried when I was hurt…” Nia sighed and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

 

“Expect to get a full medical workup, and to spend a lot of time debriefing. And for what it’s worth, I hope we never meet her again.”

 

“I…I don’t know if I want to see her again or not.” Nia nodded, then left the medical compartment. Ulaha noted that the hatch locked after her.

 

 

Oreana stood before the holo of her Master. He was annoyed. She remained silent through his rage. Finally he was finished and looked at her. She quailed inwardly.

 

“Sarianol is lost to us, and you have no apprentice to show for it.” She bowed her head, praying her tears were not visible.

 

“Sarianol killed her, Master. If Will Kalenath had not killed him, I would have. For killing my apprentice, I was owed a duel by the law.” The holo nodded.

 

“By the law indeed.” Is she hadn’t known better she could have swore the Emperor was weary. “However, this makes three Lords of the Sith this man has killed. This cannot be borne, we are displeased. Your next target therefore, is Will Kalenath. If you can capture Nia Korr in the process, so much the better. But Will Kalenath dies.” She bowed her head again and the holo cut out. She slumped against the wall of the compartment and Kra’tuc entered slowly.

 

“You heard.” It wasn’t a question. Kra’tuc shook his head, his bushy brows furrowed at her comment.

 

“This will be most difficult.” She grinned sourly at his dry comment.

 

“You have no idea, red face, none at all…”

((Things are getting... complicated. And we haven't even gotten to the good part yet. Comments, and/or suggestions always welcome. Flame at your own risk, Oreana is not in a good mood now.))