SithLore

Jorvan received the call at 0700 hours, "Unknown vessel approaching, sir. Broadcasting all the correct clearance codes, the pilot asked for you specifically." Jorvan racked his brain for a moment before it clicked, "All right, I'm on my way." he said as he rolled out of his bed. He got dressed--his uniform, naturally--and headed for the main hangar for Utopia.

Jorvan walked into the hangar and stopped in front of an Ensign who glanced at the ship then back to him. "Vessel identified as the Sojourner, sir." he said, "Looks like a VCX." Jorvan said appreciatively, "Yes, uh, pilot identified himself as Darik Carbine--we don't have him on file." Jorvan smiled, "You wouldn't, that is all." he said. The Ensign walked off with another glance at the freighter.

A boarding ramp opened and the robed figure of Darik Carbine emerged. Jorvan blinked, last he'd seen the man in person he'd been wearing simple tattered clothing and looked rather frail. But the man standing before him in no way resembled that mental image. He was, simply, regal. Deep blue robes with golden swirls to match the man's lightsaber. Short, perfectly kept hair and a sharp face with light blue eyes. "You look well." Jorvan commented with raised eyebrows, Darik shrugged, "Simple done right usually works best." he said.

Jorvan took a deep breath, "Rhoden'll find out you're here sooner or later. Until then," he said, smiling weakly, "I've had quarters prepared." Darik nodded, "Yes, best to let him come to us. Show me these quarters, if you will." Jorvan gestured towards the far exit, "Follow me then." he glanced sideways at Darik as they walked, "And 'us'?" he asked, "I was kinda hoping you'd be able to do this without my help." he said, "Coward." Darik chortled.

As it turned out worrying about Rhoden's reaction wasn't an issue. The Hydra had been called away on a Priority 1 alert the next day. They remained in orbit of their destination--Balmorra--for several days. Rhoden had departed and returned alone, the ship returned to Utopia without further mention of the call.


Jorvan's comm pinged and he woke with a start he sat up and checked the time, 2400 hours. He read the text in the message, [Meet me in private chamber 3 on the promenade in ten minutes.] it was from Rhoden. He sat up and left his quarters.


Haly's comm pinged and she jumped, she quickly looked at the time and sighed. 2400 hours. She'd lost track of time and depending on what this was and how long it took she'd be regretting that the next morning. She read the message [Meet me in private chamber 3 on the promenade in ten minutes.] it was from Rhoden. She wanted to smile but something cold settled into her stomach. She took a moment to put on appropriate clothing and left her quarters.


Darik was meditating--he'd felt a change in Rhoden since his return to the station and he sought further insight--when his comm pinged. He opened his eyes and looked at the device for a moment as though contemplating its existence, he picked it up and read the message. [Meet me in private chamber 3 on the promenade in ten minutes.] sometimes the Force provided insight, sometimes the insight presented itself. He stood, straightened his robes, and left his quarters.


Rhoden sat in the extremely soft and comfortable grasp of one of the chambers chairs, a cup of steaming tea in front of him. He felt a slight pressure in his head, no doubt his mental facilities trying to slip further into oblivion. Unfortunately the pressure--while frustrating and embarrassing--had little to do with the constant state of anger he'd been in as of late. He continued to stare out at the twinkling stars of the galaxy at large as the door opened behind him and he heard three sets of footsteps.

"Sit." he said, trying to phrase it as a polite request with no particular success. He turned around after he had heard the three of them sit. "I," he said, "Have been demoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Inferno will be receiving a new CO within the next few weeks, I will remain with the unit." he said. Jorvan's face drooped in a scowl and his eyes narrowed. Darik surveyed Rhoden, acutely aware--Rhoden suspected--of his internal anger at the situation.

"That is not, however, the reason I called you here." he said, leaning forward in his seat. "Firstly I must apologize profoundly to you, Haly." he said, his anger swirling with shame and sadness briefly, "My behaviour as of late is inexcusable." he said, Haly opened her mouth but no words came. Rhoden turned to Jorvan, "And I must thank you, old friend. For not murdering me and, in fact, helping me. I know it must have been difficult." he smiled slightly as Jorvan snorted, "That's a massive understatement." he said. Rhoden turned next to Darik. "I know why you have come." he said. "To deal with the Other One. I would appreciate it greatly if I had my mind in order once more." his face hardened, "Constant fury seems to have burned away the grip of madness on me, just tell me what we need to do."

Darik took a breath in, "We should see Dr. Mayers about medical treatment, Jorvan has spoken of recent traumas both physical and mental. During the process I will do what I can through the Force." he said, "That easy?" Rhoden asked, "I wouldn't call it easy, Rhoden." Darik cautioned, holding his hand out. "Death is a not unlikely possibility." Rhoden smiled, "Hasn't stopped me before." he said. "Arrange the operation first thing in the morning." he said.

He stood up and began to leave the chamber but stopped at Haly's voice, "Does this mean Silence is no longer an issue?" she asked innocently, the implication obvious, "She will be dealt with later. I may still have... use... for her. But yes, she is no longer an issue." he said.

Rhoden woke the next morning and headed immediately for the medical bay. He walked in and found it quiet and emptier than usual. Jorvan, Haly, Darik, and the Doctor were in there--the only other occupants were medical droids. "I trust Jorvan has made it clear that this is to be kept quiet?" he asked the Doctor softly, "Doctor-Patient Confidentiality, Com--Lieutenant." the man said. Rhoden nodded, "In here, please." Mayers said, gesturing to a circular operating room. Rhoden entered, changed into appropriate attire--if it could be called that--and lay on the table. IV's were inserted into his arm and darkness took him.


Darik stepped into the room and watched the Doctor work for about thirty minutes, "Have you identified the problem, Doctor?" he asked, "Oh, yes, yes." the man responded as a small device made a precise incision, "We've just got to do some cleaning and restoration." Darik stepped up to the table and looked down at his brother, "What does that mean?" he asked, "Oh, Rhoden's still got some nanodroids in there and they were screwing with his brain for sure, but he's also had some traumas both in the past and the present that we need to repair." the Doctor said, "In addition to whatever it is you need to do." the Doctor looked up skeptically at Darik and resumed his work.

"Yes, that. I don't think it will take long, and my job is far harder." he said with a sigh, "I have to talk to Rhoden about his feelings and his state of mind." Doctor Mayers smiled grimly, "Good luck with that one." Darik smiled and sat down. He closed his eyes and reached out to Rhoden's dormant mind.


Rhoden returned to consciousness quickly, he didn't know if he'd been given a stimulant or if his body simply refused to be kept asleep by foreign chemicals. He sat up and looked down. He was dressed in a white tunic, he lifted his covers to examine his legs, those too had been covered in white clothing. "Who the hell dressed me?" he asked. Jorvan, sitting in a chair against the wall looked up, "Haly, of course." Rhoden scowled and Jorvan smiled, "The medical droids." Rhoden tried to swing his legs out and stand up.

"Lay down!" Doctor Mayers snapped, looking up from a datapad as he walked in. Rhoden growled but lay back as Haly walked in. "How are you feeling?" she asked, "I've just been demoted, had my brain opened up again, and been ordered to rest. How do you think I'm feeling?" he asked bitterly, "Stop moping, you got exactly what you asked for--except the demotion. Sort of." Rhoden scowled, "You agree with the decision?" he asked, "Not really but you can't deny you've always been a bit... extreme... for the new Empire." she said. Rhoden snarled, "The soft Empire, you mean, the dying Empire?"

Haly's face hardened, "This is the Empire I know, Rhoden. And you give it far too little credit." she said, Rhoden snorted. "If the Empire isn't willing to do what has to be done then its already lost the war." he said, Haly opened her mouth but Jorvan interrupted, "Oh stop bickering!" he said exasperated, "You're both right. The Empire has reformed--for better or worse--but that doesn't mean all is lose, we just have to fight harder, devise new tactics." Rhoden tilted his head to the side, "I suppose that's true enough, I guess I'd not given up on the Empire's glory days." Jorvan rolled his eyes, "Blowing up planets? You never agreed with that one." Rhoden sighed, "No, but that was more a symptom of Palpatine than the Empire itself." the door slid open again, "Tell that to the third Death Star." Darik said.

"Now I took a little peek in your mind, Rhoden." Darik said before Rhoden could respond, "Most of your problems were with nanodroids--don't tell me, I don't want to know." he said, holding up a hand before Rhoden could explain. "But there's also some emotional troubles up there. First, the Force. I believe I've told you enough to avoid the Dark side." he said sternly, "I've no intention of becoming a Sith." Rhoden said, "The Dark side does not make one a Sith as you well know." Darik said, "I'll be sticking around but I don't think you'll have much trouble controlling yourself in that regard." Darik leaned forward. "But we do need to talk about our family." Rhoden's face darkened, "What about them?" he asked.

"You killed our father. You captured our sister. The direct result of these actions led to the deaths of our mother, sister, and Garrus." Darik said, Rhoden's lip twitched. Darik leaned even closer, "You're not feeling guilt over this, are you? Remorse? Pain?" Rhoden met Darik's gaze with a cold stare, "That was decades ago." he said, "Exactly. And you did everything you could to help them, you did everything right, but sometimes things just go wrong." Darik said softly. "So our family is slaughters--oh, by the rebels, of course." Darik said, "Then, a few years later, the Death Star pops up and a planet dies. Within another day the Death Star itself explodes." Darik stood, "That's all well and fine, Palpatine and Tarkin were the evil masterminds behind the Death Star and they certainly won't live forever. The war continues." Darik began pacing, "Then, a few years later, another Death Star crops up. But that blows up and splits the Empire."

Darik swirled around to face Rhoden again, "You go off and vanish off the map soon after, returning to the Empire a young man again." Darik gave Rhoden a knowing look and he wet his lips, "And soon after you come and find me and Irene." he said, "You'd thought that all the family issues were left behind years ago, and then you meet me again and your dead sister's clone." he spread his arms out his eyes wide.

"You lost your family." he said, "You've lost friends, how many?" Darik stepped forward, "You've watched the Empire fall apart around you." Darik sat down once more and leaned forward, "You've been fighting a war in one way or another for well over thirty years. I do think that's long enough to make anyone crack--even without the other things on your mind."

Rhoden swallowed, "Nothing," he said slowly and deliberately, "Will ever change those facts." Darik sat back and looked at him, "No," he agreed, "But you need to leave those things in the past, Rhoden." Rhoden blinked and looked down at his sheets, glancing at Haly, "Yes. I suppose I do." he said, meeting Darik's gaze once more. Darik nodded. "You've got people to talk to: Me, Jorvan--he's been through the same you have, but he's held together out of pure spite." Jorvan made a rude gesture and Rhoden smiled as he took a deep breath.

"Is that all?" he asked, Darik smiled, "Yes, I believe it is." Rhoden smiled, "Thank you, for... that." he said to Darik, he turned to Jorvan who looked at him expectantly, "Thank the nice man, they were your problems too." Jorvan scowled but turned to Darik, "Thank you." he said in a falsely sweet voice. "And thank you, Doctor for all this help. And... well... keeping things quiet." the Doctor smiled, "I owe it t'you. People like you have devoted your lives to making the Empire a better place." Rhoden turned to Haly, "I think I'll find a more substantial way to thank you--and apologize again." he said with a slight wink, she smiled. "Oh, I think I owe you thanks too, Haly..." Jorvan said, she kicked him in the shin. "Gah! Damn!" Jorvan said, hopping on one foot as he made his escape. Darik followed him out, chuckling.

Haly sat down, "What's next?" she asked, Rhoden's face hardened, "We're going to wait until this new Commander gets here, and then we're going to hunt down Bareil." he said, "We'll go from there." he smiled, "Of course somewhere in there I get promoted again, of course." she smiled, "Of course." Rhoden closed his eyes for a moment, "And then... we'll see." he said, "When the time is right, I must put the Carbine family back together. That will be... most challenging." he said. "Well whatever happens," Haly said, "Inferno's behind you."