Chương 46: ENACT PLAN ZERO
She found herself surrounded by darkness. The Sith grew confused. She could feel something, some sort of connection through the Force but she sees nothing more. The feeling was so familiar.
'There is no emotion, there is peace.' Leena turned around to see Tarun. Wearing his Jedi robes and a calm, gentle smile upon her lips. The man who taught her the ways of the Force more so than her own Master.
Leena tried to reach out to him. But no matter how hard she tried, she felt like she wasn't even gaining a single inch. She heard another voice. 'There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.'
She found the image of Cyrus, the Jedi Master who she had formed a bond with through the Force. The man who gave her a sense of security, a home – something she couldn't explain herself.
'There is no passion, there is serenity.' Master Yonlach's voice was hard to forget. The old man stood in front of her with that sad expression in his eyes. As if he was clinging onto the past and at the same time, struggling to move forward to the future. The man who exiled himself from the galaxy. The man who claimed to be the Master of her mother.
'There is no chaos, there is harmony.' Master Nomen Karr spoke softly. She found herself surrounded by Jedi Masters in their own right. She wondered if Master Karr had been well – despite her disgust towards the Jedi, a part of her wished he was doing well – for Jaesa's sake.
She could feel it, the sting of power. A grappling hole through the Force. One Master after another – enemy or friend, these Jedi Masters were responsible for her growth and expansion of knowledge. The power wasn't as welcoming as Cyrus whenever they would speak, it felt more like a toxin – trying to kill her within the void darkness.
The pain grew immensely strong, the numbness took over her body as she found another Jedi who struck a blue lightsaber through her body. The Jedi Cyrus had been arguing with.
He had those grey eyes locked onto hers. There was fear. There was regret. And there was sorrow. 'There is no death, there is the Force.'
She opened her eyes to find herself greeted by the light of the medical bay. She felt weak and her body was somewhat numb. She wore light clothing, she could only assume that her armor was placed inside of her quarters while she was out.
Leena wondered how long she was unconscious. Her head turned to the door when it swung open to find Quinn entering the room.
The Captain bowed in the presence of his Lord. "How are you feeling, my Lord?"
"I feel like a rancor threw me against a stone wall… ten times over." The woman stubbornly sat up, making the Captain rush over to her in assistance. She could feel… the worry inside of him. There was something inside of her that felt different than before – she somewhat felt less restricted. The pain inside of her grew stronger, it was a kind of pain she couldn't find the root cause of.
"So," Leena broke the silence. "Are we out of hyperdrive?"
Quinn nodded. "We're in Dromand Kaas atmosphere. Lord Baras wishes to have a word with you once you are up your feet. Should I prepare your armor?"
Leena shook her head in silence. "Light robes for now. I have a feeling whatever he wants to discuss won't take long. Do we still have enough supplies?" She asked, considering they've only been off-world for a week, almost two.
Quinn quickly briefed her on the status of the ship as well as the supplies. He explained how well the optimizations with the ship has been and gave a suggestion to increase the supply cap, he feared that his Lord's powerbase is growing faster than what he had originally estimated. She is a wholesome, unique woman of her power and she has earned the respect from other Imperials and Sith.
Vette and Jaesa visited her immediately after the Captain informed them of her health.
It was only natural to worry but there was something odd about the Sith Lord. Jaesa could feel the power inside of her, and it was still growing. Faster and even more frightening than she could ever imagine.
Leena went on to the Citadel alone. She didn't want Baras to smell out the light in her apprentice, she didn't want Baras to see how Quinn's loyalties shifted to hers, and she didn't want Baras to see Vette as another form of weakness.
She was moving on. Fight for as long as she can, clean up as much mess as she can – and yet, despite all of the struggles, she convinced herself that she didn't know how long she can keep this up. The mask of a dutiful apprentice in the presence of her Master.
The Sith Lord stood by the door as she can someone from the Dark Council through Baras's holoterminal. "Baras, are you responsible? Was it you who took out General Gonn?"
"It was, Lord Vengean." Baras sounded… humble for once. "The Fringe systems are now ripe for the taking."
"Such an advantage will prod the rest of the Council out of passivity. They will see—war is the only answer. You have delivered to me what I most crave."
"Pardon the interruption, my Lords." 'Know your place, Leena.' She reminded herself. Know your place.
"Who is this, Baras?" The Dark Lord asked his apprentice.
And Baras finally showcased his most prized weapon to his Master. "My mightiest apprentice, my Lord. And the killer of General Gonn."
To kneel in the presence of a member of the Dark Council, this is a man who has been in equal footing with Darth Occlus. A Dark Lord who has been in toe-to-toe with Baras. The Master seemed pleased with the choice Baras has made for an apprentice. "And a dutiful minion who knows the meaning of respect. Rise, young one. You have served your master and your master's master well."
"It is my privilege, Master." She spoke humbly and yet there was a sense of command in her tone. Vengean observed her, she was something rather similar to her mother and yet something even more powerful and frightening.
'Lord Sern.' Lord Vengean thought to himself. "I'm impressed with your choice of apprentice, Baras. It is time. I will send my destroyer to the Fringe systems, and they will be mine before anyone is the wiser. The order is given, Baras. Enact Plan Zero. Vengean out."
"Excellent." Baras seemed to be the happiest man alive. "I have waited a long time for this order." He then turned to his apprentice with a smile behind his mask. "Apprentice, Plan Zero is the systematic elimination of the Republic's top military leaders. A preemptive strike that will leave the enemy headless."
"Who are these walking corpses?"
"They are the Empire's most accomplished adversaries. And not to be taken lightly. I have been tracking the targets, for years in anticipation of Plan Zero. There's no time to waste. Make ready your ship, I will contact you there." When Leena bowed, he saw it – the mirrored reflection of Zylas Sern right in front of him.
It was something he had been caring for the past years she had been under his wing. From the moment she became his acolyte, he broke her – in hopes that she would not recover and discover that sleeping dragon inside of her. And his greatest fear came true – the apprentice found the dragon and possibly, have tamed it.
She was all that was left. A rather empty vessel and an echo of what once was. Her actions have screamed across the galaxy, perhaps some even believed that she could destroy anything that stood in her way. But there was something more in her mind – her connection with the Jedi Master named Cyrus has always been so mysterious towards her.
As if she was tied to him. Though she failed to admit that the echo of Alderaan was inside him as much as it was inside her as well. Their connection was strong on her home planet. Not that she could have completely had the facts to back up her beliefs. She could only assume that his presence could only a threat to her. And from one perspective, maybe she's correct.
As much as she can form connections to others, such connections exist on a galactic scale as well. It is possible to hurt or sever those connections to create places in the Force where it is difficult to center oneself, even she knew that it is the crudest form of manipulation.
She rested in her quarters back on the ship as her Captain took charge while she rests.
'Was it manipulation?' She wondered to herself. She couldn't understand why she saw them – the Jedi that had influenced her life and yet, the last one – she couldn't remember meeting him. All she knew was that Jedi was the one Cyrus argued with. She could remember the feeling of betrayal within Cyrus, so much so, it pains her.
It is possible to affect those connections in other ways, by the slightest action, a seemingly minor choice, small cruelty. She has noticed it not only to her companions, but also the master she formed a bond with unconsciously. Her actions influence theirs. It may appear to be a minor thing, but it's not. She was unaware of the power which empires can be made.
The stronger her connection to life, the Force, the stronger these echoes can be made, and the stronger they are felt. When heard, Force-sensitives instinctively seek out the source. They are drawn to it and try to form some sort of connection. And once its formed, both become stronger and the influence between them grows.
Many can be touched by the Force on different scales and in many ways they can serve out of compulsion, thus resulting in her connection influences them strongly.
It was much like it was for her when she started hearing that voice in her mind. Cyrus's voice when she was younger. But this connection has some sort of consequences, she could feel it inside of her. When the source is wounded, the one on which others draw strength, then they are wounded as well. What one feels, the other feels. And when others die, the scream travels back to the source. If they occur at the same time or at the tight time, these screams will build upon each other until it is the only could she can hear. And the deaths of many will cause the screams to build until their pain becomes hers and she will die as well.
The power surge she felt through Cyrus, is the cause of the pain she feels now. It caused pain in their bond, an emptiness, a wound that has yet to heal. But even a Sith such as her knows that it does not end there. And even if it did, then perhaps the threat she faces would be more manageable.
This pain she felt, the echo of such acts, can happen to planets as well. To lose a life on a planetary scale can also cast echoes, create a scream, a wound in the Force that can travel across the galaxy. It can be felt by Force-sensitives and it can influence them whether they realize it or not.
Anyone can do such things since life is connected by the Force. Sometimes the connections are faint. But in their case, it is very strong. Both parties instinctively know how to manipulate such connections, to influence others.
Leena has seen it mirrored in those who have mentored her, influenced her. She gives others the strength to act as they gave her. But it is also possible to draw upon the strength of others to increase her own. It is similar to drawing upon the Force as Jedi do, but when it is touched by the power of the dark side, it is something else, something deadly.
These Sith the Jedi face, they have learned how to do this. It seems to be a technique that has been lost for some time, not seen in the days since the ancient Sith. They can use it to consume other Force Sensitives and at the highest pinnacle of power, use it to consume anything that lives.
But this moment is all that matters, from the moment she closed her eyes and has entered the void.
"I sense you are in pain, Leena". Cyrus's voice echoed through the darkness in which she stood.
"I feel strangely weak, and yet I also sense some sort of power inside of me. A kind of power that seemed to be sleeping inside of me this whole time." She gave the Jedi an honest answer. The Sith had her gaze on the Jedi. He seemed tired, mentally, and emotionally – as a Jedi Master, it was safe to assume he came from a battle. "But despite all of that you are also in pain. Why?"
The Jedi mustered a smile. "My brother and I argued, that is all."
"You have a brother?"
Cyrus nodded. "Older. We were both brought into the Order but I don't remember life before that. As far back as I can remember, I was surrounded by other younglings, Padawans, and Masters. I don't remember life outside of the Order."
"Why?" Leena asked, making the Jedi confused.
"What do you mean?"
"Why tell me? I'm no one to you. If we meet on the battlefield, we'll be nothing more than enemies trying to slice each other's head."
"I… feel comfortable with you, Sith." He sounded troubled as he said that. "I can't explain it but I feel like… we met somewhere. Somewhere beyond our memories. I know I can trust you and I know you're a good person. Deep down inside you know you are a good person. There's still hope for you, Leena. I know there is."
"A hope for what?"
"A hope for a good life." There it was again. The feeling of warmth, a home towards this stranger in front of her. The Jedi who was supposed to be her sworn enemy across the galaxy. The Sith could never forgive the Jedi for what they have done, deep down even despite centuries and generations of warfare – they could never forget their hatred for one another. "If you're worried that the Sith would come and kill you, they won't. I'll protect you I promise."
And even in her own heart, she could never forgive what the Jedi did. The very order than destroyed their family and allowed the beasts to rip them to shreds. Break them in every chance they get. Her brothers were murdered, she was tortured, her sister was left alone for who knows where.
"No one can protect me." She answered. "No one can protect anyone."
The Sith opened her eyes, no longer hearing the voice in her head. She didn't bother asking the Jedi why he suddenly tried to reach out to her. Leena thought it was probably for the best then for him to worry about her.
She sighed heavily as she sat up. Covering her eye with a single hand. "Why do I even care?" She shouldn't care. Leena knew that. The Jedi was nothing to her. But like him, she couldn't explain this feeling inside. She feels comfortable around him.
Cyrus didn't need to tell her that there was good inside of her. She knew that, but goodness has a limitation as much as destruction.
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