Session export: These Aren't the Arconans You're Looking For

“That I will do my best to keep you out of trouble,” Evelyn kept her eyes on the screen. Her droid, Thirteen, behind her beeped once in a monotonous tone. Evelyn said nothing to it, just a nod.

“You did let someone know we are coming, right?” Evelyn asked as they were exiting from hyperspace soon but she cannot let her guard down yet. This pilot knew of surprises that lurks amongst these vast space.

🐠: If you don’t get in trouble, then why do I have to spank you so much, Kitty?

They had arrived. The ship was now in Caperion System. She let the ship be still. Her eyes rapidly scanned to make sure the shield was up in case they get attacked.

It was. But if they face a tractor beam…

Thirteen monotonously beeped once to announce the arrival.

Evelyn slowly turned to look at Bril. Her dark emerald hues was narrowed at him but her expression showed she was calm.

“Covertly,” she paused for a moment.

“Dr. Arga.”

Another pause and then, “Are you aware that this ship does not have any cloaking system? And that many systems, including Caperion, do not like unannounced ships in their space?”

“That is if they only care about that.” Evelyn pointed out as she sighed. Maybe being a mercenary assault pilot for a bit in her life was making her a a bit paranoid.

Her hues glanced down at the radar. Just great.

“Strap in,” snarled Evelyn as she quickly strapped back in her seat.

“We are not going to find out if I can help it,” in a fluid decision and maneuver, the ship turned sharply and she started to imput the hyperspace and started to prep for it.

Bril and her can argue about this later.

“Tractor beam. Seems like they want to talk to us.” Her eyes scanned the imperial ship. Now, that thing was beautiful. She could attempt to attack the beam projector but there was a few others. It would not be wise. They also do not have a full crew. Not to mention it would be a bad first impression if she, a single ship, attacked that.

“Well.” She unbuckled from the seat and got up as she grabbed her separated vibro-arbir blades and twisted them into one piece. She didn’t want to take any risks but considering they had the chance to attack instead of being pulled in, it may bode well for them.

“Or we can just listen to them.” Evelyn pointed out to him as she made her way to the ramp. “You can try to use that shiny golden envoy diplomatic immunity badge of yours.” Then she stopped. She was being snarky.

“I do apologize for my rudeness. I should had not said that. Emotions were getting the best of me. Okay. Let us try to follow their instructions and see where we go from there.” She pulled the level and the ramp started to lower. She had her hands raised but her vibro-arbir blades were strapped to her back and ready for her to grab.

Reiden’s concentration was broken by a knock on his door. He sighed, looking up from his lightsaber and held out his hand, the disassembled pieces floating into the air and coming together with practiced ease. He snatched it and secured it to his belt. “Enter,” he called out.

The door slid open, revealing a figure in the standard uniform of an Imperial officer. The officer had a shaved head and a crooked nose from an old break. It was Major Warner, a soldier Reiden had served with previously on multiple missions. He would have known the man anywhere, but seeing him out of his armor was rare. Warner stood at attention and offered a salute.

“At ease, Warner,” Reiden told the man, waving his hand as if to make the salute go away. He never was one for the formality and ceremony of the military, something he tried to make sure those he served with knew. Sometimes it took some reminding because all of their training drilled it into them, or they just forgot. “What is it?”

“Well, sir, I know you like to keep apprised of events. That you look for interesting things. I think I’ve got something that fits into that nicely.” A smile played across the soldier’s lips.

Reiden nodded, allowing himself a small grin of his own. “You know me well. What’s happening?”

“One of our ships, the Maelstrom, was out on patrol. Its sensors picked up a ship out by the edge of the system and moved in to intercept. The unknown vessel was caught in its tractor beams as it tried to escape.”

“That’s definitely curious,” Reiden commented, raising an eyebrow. “Grab your gear and meet me at the starport. We’re taking my ship and checking this out.”

Warner nodded and gave him a salute again before turning on his heel and departing. Reiden shook his head, chuckling. That man just couldn’t help himself.

Reiden’s mind was churning with ideas as his ship approached the Maelstrom. A quick call to the cruiser had gleaned only the most basic of information. The vessel that had been caught in the tractor beam was already in the hangar and its occupants were being held at gunpoint by a contingent of stormtroopers. He wasn’t sure what kind of situation he’d find himself in, but hoped nobody would get any itchy trigger fingers, on either side.

“Get us landed as soon as you can, Warner,” Reiden advised him, practically sitting on the edge of his seat in anticipation.

The soldier simply nodded and guided the ship into the hangar without another word. Reiden watched through the viewport as some of the stormtroopers looked their way when they caught movement in their periphery. Most, however, kept their weapons trained on two figures. Disciplined as ever.

Reiden waited until the ship had touched down and quickly slapped a hand on a button on the wall. A hatch in the floor hissed open and he slid down the ladder to the main deck, punching another control panel. The doors at the rear of his ship slid open and the ramp extended. He headed out, not waiting for Warner to accompany him, striding over to the others.

“What’s going on here, Captain?” he called out to the stormtrooper with the pauldron, recognizing its significance right away.

Evelyn can’t help but to side eye at Bril when he brought up that they were on official business of the Brotherhood. Then her emerald hues focused back on the Captain.

“Mx, he is telling the truth. He made an inexperience mistake by forgetting to inform the Imperials of our arrival and to request permission to venture to our mission’s destination, mx. He is, as you said, young.”

Another approached and Evelyn’s body tensed. Her sharp eyes watched him and the Captain’s body language.

Well. This was going to be the guy that can decide the next course of their actions.

Nodding as he listened, Reiden’s gaze moved to the two captives, studying them. They weren’t putting up a fight, for now at least. They didn’t seem to be hostile, but he had enough experience to know that things could change very quickly. Still, his curiosity was piqued.

The pair was lucky he had shown up. Others may have arrested them and thrown them in jail, or worse. His curiosity often got the best of him, regardless of the outcome. He was willing to hear their story, even wanted to. It was the least he could do before making any kind of judgment about them. There was no sense in causing a diplomatic incident if what they said was indeed true.

“Not transmitting your transponder code was a mistake. You should have known there could be trouble. Why would you risk that? Are you really here on official business?”

Evelyn’s hand flinched at hearing Bril. Her right eyebrow twitched every so slightly, almost unnoticeable.

“I would not think about it. That is Reiden Palpatine Karr. A deadly blade master. I would love to spar with him but not go against him.” Being a bladed user herself, she was interested but first, she would like to make sure they get out alive. Karr approached them, she remained calm and stoic.

“To be fair, mx, I would not risk it. I was not informed by Dr. Arga that he had forgotten to make sure we had permission to be in your system until we had already arrived. Yes mx, we are here on official business, Dr. Arga can explain more.”

Well, they’re answering my question. So that’s a start at least, Reiden thought to himself. His eyes looked them over again. He could tell why the captain found it so hard to believe; they didn’t seem like the usual types to be conducting official business, not least because the apparent doctor seemed so young. The fact that it was just the two of them rather than any kind of team didn’t help matters either.

“You have to understand my position here. I want to make sure this system is safe, but I also don’t want to disrupt legitimate work, despite a lack of procedure. So, official business. What kind of proof do you have that you are who you claim to be?” Reiden asked them, his gaze settling on the young Zabrak.

It was then that Reiden spotted the gold object in the young man’s hand. Studying it more closely, he recognized it as belonging to the Envoy Corps, the more diplomatic arm of the Brotherhood, under the purview of the Exarch. He tried to keep up to date on changes and events when he could, and he was glad for it now. He understood the badge’s significance and wasn’t sure he needed anything beyond its presence. Then again, the same may not be true of the troopers in either regard. There likely wouldn’t be a reason for them to know what it indicated, not unless their superiors had briefed them on it. Still, it wasn’t a risk he wanted to take today.

Well, better to be safe than sorry, he reminded himself. They look like they could use some more convincing.

“I’m sure that won’t be a problem then. I’ve got a datapad right here,” he said. He promptly produced one and held it up to his face so the device could scan his iris before unlocking. His gaze returned to the Zabrak. “Transmit when ready.”

Evelyn remained quiet. She used this chance to look around the design. The exits. One of the stormtroopers in the back looks like they were doing a bit of a pee dance. Why not just… go. There was a lot of stormtroopers here for just the two of them.

Another mistake. No crew. Evelyn’s emerald hues glanced back over to the Zabarak when he turned to her. The pilot would finally have an expression on her face; annoyance.

“Winging it is not always a good idea. I really hope you learned your lesson.”

Reiden blinked at first, taken aback by the Zabrak, Bril Teg Arga’s, words. But then his mouth spread into a grin and he couldn’t help but laugh. He shook his head slightly, still smiling.

“You should listen to your pilot, you know. But I can understand curiosity and enthusiasm getting the better of you. I’d be lying if I said it never happened to me; if my good friend were here, I’m sure he could tell you as much. I bet it drives him crazy, even if he does like seeking out fun, the potential consequences be damned sometimes. But, you know, we’ve always had each other’s back, so I guess that sort of evens things out.” He straightened up a bit, though his posture still relaxed, as he took his datapad back. He glanced at it once more before addressing them both now. “I’m Reiden Karr, it’s nice to meet you. Welcome to the Caperion System. While I can’t say we got off on the right foot, hopefully we can do better from here on out. Just be careful around these guys,” he indicated the stormtroopers. “They’re wary of new faces at times, especially ones that stop by unannounced. So, what brings you here?”

Evelyn gave Bril a side glare but showed nothing else as she looked back over to Reiden with her dark emerald hues.

“Lord Marick Tyris.” She chimed in when Bril said M-Dawg.

“Darth Renatus, or also known as, Darth Thane,” added Evelyn at the mention of T-Man. Her body tensed at the mention of ‘Palpa-ki.’ Slowly, Evelyn’s hand rose as she gently pinched the bridge of her nose as she took in a few deep breaths.

She wasn’t kidding when she brought up his inexperienced young age earlier.

Next time, she’ll take Minnie’s Xber’s job and the Nautolan pilot can fly her man.

Reiden was surprised at the Zabrak dropping such casual nicknames to very important people within the Brotherhood. He wasn’t sure if those Councilors would feel the same way, but the fact that he knew them at all, rather than merely knowing of them, was impressive. He appreciated the woman’s explanation. His eyebrow had risen ever so slightly as Bril began what he assumed was a nickname for himself, but he chose not to press the matter. It was only a bit of fun, no harm there.

A Force nexus? That could prove interesting, especially for Scholae Palatinae.

He hadn’t heard anything of the sort before and couldn’t help but wonder at the source of the information. That was something he’d have to try to get to that later.

“Thank you for that clarification, miss. I appreciate it. And who might you be?”

“Evelyn Wyvern, mx.” Evelyn added very quickly, to prevent Bril from giving her a nickname of his own.

“Please, Reiden is fine. No need to be formal,” he said, waving her off. He raised an eyebrow at Bril’s words and saw the stormtroopers raise their blasters once more. He lifted a hand to stop them and they lowered their weapons again, slowly and warily. “I’m not sure it would be wise to allow you such free access while in the system, even if you are operating under the protection of the Envoy Corps and Aurora Collegium,” he continued, addressing both of them. “While I may be understanding of your presence and mission, many that call this system home may not be. I’ll have to accompany you. I insist.”

Evelyn looked to Reiden in slight shock before covering it up by returning to her natural expression. She was expecting more for them have to go home and go through proper channels next time. Not a surprise guest. Hopefully, he won’t bring the entire legion of stormtroopers onto the ship.

“That is no problem for me, Mr. Karr.” Her eyes flicked to Bril as if saying, ‘behave’.

<@1056685516441006091>

Reiden raised an eyebrow, a slight smile playing on the corners of his mouth. Their interaction reminded him of his own past, almost another life at this point, when he was on Nar Shaddaa. He had been known to give his acquaintances nicknames.

He stifled a laugh as he made for the ship’s ramp, heading onboard behind the Zabrak. His mind was still going through the possible implications of a Force nexus. Truth be told, he didn’t really know too much about them and was having trouble recalling anything he’d learned previously, but he was intrigued. “So do you have any info on this nexus, or just that it’s in the system?”

Evelyn’s jaw tightened at the nickname but she let out a sigh and relaxed her muscles. The hybrid entered into the cockpit and sat down. She closed the ramp and started to prepare for take off. Evelyn heard Reiden’s question but figured it was best for Bril to answer him while she works with Captian Walhoc to ensure a safe and uninterrupted travel for the three of them.

<@232396983854301187>

Reiden fought back the almost instinctual response to inform Bril that he wasn’t an Imperial himself. For most, it was a distinction without a difference when he was so closely tied to the clan and Empire. That aside, it wasn’t important either. The other man’s words intrigued him.

“Yes, that happens sometimes. Although it’s often as much to protect the people in the system as those outside of it.” He rubbed his chin in thought. “Still, it’s strange that this is the first I’m hearing of it. Usually I have access to that kind of information, or someone that does will pass on a tip.” He offered a small smile, “I like to stay informed, learn about interesting goings-on, especially in my own backyard, so to speak. You never know when having some kind of information might come in handy.”

He leaned against the wall, folding his arms across his chest as he mulled it over more. “Then again, I suppose it’s possible that it simply hasn’t been discovered yet. After all, we are relative newcomers to the system, having come here after fleeing our original home about seven years ago. And there’s been a lot of conflict as we've…carved out a home for ourselves.” He deliberately left out how they would spend the following years wresting control from the other powers that already inhabited the system, culminating in a civil war. “In any case, I’m glad to be able to tag along. At the very least, I’ll have some information to report to the Emperor and his advisors.”

Evelyn listened to the pair of them and refrained from commenting Bril’s genius idea to sneak in. What done was done, there was no need to dwell on it. She could understand Reiden desire and want to know what’s going on in the system, Evelyn was the same way but of much lesser rank. So she mainly focus on her crew, comrades, and their ships.

Evelyn did not like the idea of the Emperor and his advisors knowing about Bril and herself, but they don’t have a choice. Not like she can just shove him out of the hatch and leave the system.

“We are arriving soon. I would suggest you two sit down and get buckled. Asteroid belts are a bit challenging.”

Reiden looked out the viewport as he took a seat and got himself buckled in. To his surprise, they were approaching neither Ragnath nor Seraph. He wondered where they were headed. He wasn’t too familiar with what was out there, but mostly due to not being very interested in places that weren’t of immediate benefit or were incapable of supporting life.

I guess the asteroids could have some metals or other minerals that might be of value, but that’s not nearly as exciting, he thought to himself. Maybe there is something out here after all.

“Thank you,” Evelyn showed her gratitude towards Bril for the compliment. He seemed rather excited as her eyebrow rose. Was he always like this? Hm. Unbuckled from her seat, she got up and smiled softly at Reiden as she gestured for him to go through the door first to follow Bril.

They made their way to the back and she opened a locker. Though, Evelyn was already suited up, she just needed her helmet. She has her hair up into a bun and placed the helmet over her head. Once done, she made her way to the ramp and started to make sure to have her comms working along with theirs and tracking too. With a field like this… things can get wonky and she doesn’t like it. She kept her displeasure to herself.

Reiden waited until the ship had fully settled before undoing the straps and standing. He heard Bril mention suits and glanced to the back. He looked to Evelyn and nodded, returning the smile before heading to the back to don his suit. He opted to keep his lightsabers clipped to the belt of the suit, more out of habit than any kind of necessity. He was just too used to always having something on him and within reach given his usual missions. It didn’t seem like he would need them for this if they were just looking around, but it never hurt to be prepared.

His hand absentmindedly found its way to rest on the hilt of his lightsaber. Another old habit. He played off the gesture by bringing up his other hand to the same height and then clenching and unclenching his hands a couple times, as if testing the movement range of the gloves. It was just as well; he hadn’t suited up like this very often before. But it brought back the memory of helping to…acquire Scholae Palatinae’s flagship, the ISN Palpatine. He smiled at the reminder of another time and turned to face the door.

“I guess it’s time to see what we can find here.”

Evelyn decided to be behind them. She figured Bril would take the lead and it would perhaps, be best for Reiden to follow closely. She was worried about wayward meteors. Even a tiny one, if it moves at such speed, it could harm one of them.

And small flying pebbles wasn’t the only one she was worried about. There was the Exogorths too. Mynocks. Too many creatures that could live on this. Bril stopped in his tracks which caused her eyes to dart around and her hand at her blaster. False alarm. It was just him sensing the possibly artifact as they continued on.

Reiden saw Bril stop short. That’s when he felt it. It came almost as a shock to his system, as if the air itself was vibrating, except there was no air to speak of around them. But that kind of sensation? He was hard pressed to think of a time he had felt anything like it. Normally, he would have had to actively reach out to sense anything, but this was different. It was almost palpable, as if he could reach out and grasp it, although he had a hard time pinpointing exactly where it was coming from or what it was.

That must be the Force nexus.

“Yeah, I’d say we’re on the right track.”

He made sure he had good footing before continuing further. He’d been in a space suit before and done this kind of thing, but not often. It had been quite some time since he’d been in space, so he reminded himself that he would need to pay attention to his surroundings more than usual. One could never be too cautious.

He looked at the Zabrak and shook his head. “No,” he replied plainly, a slight frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I’ve never come across something like this before. My experience has been more limited to people than places. The Ethereal Realm was a strange place, but you’re right. It was nothing like this.”

He took a couple steps forward, his foot slipping on an unseen patch of ice. He leg slipped out from under him, causing him to waver, his arms out at his side for balance. Another step with his other leg, planting firmly on the ground, helped to steady himself. He let out a sharp laugh. “This environment is somewhat new to me. I guess I’ll have to pay closer attention now.”

Evelyn kept watch as Bril and Reiden shared information. It must be Force related. She noticed something black moving in the distance. But she can’t tell if it’s moving or not. It was too far off and they were facing halfway away from Caperion so there wasn’t a lot of visbility.

“I am not certain but I believe I detected movement.” She pointed at the direction where it was coming from.

“We should move carefully.”

<@1056685516441006091> <@232396983854301187>

Reiden followed her gaze, squinting slightly as he tried to spot whatever she had seen. He didn’t see anything, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t there, or that she hadn’t seen it. He had enough experience to know that some things can move quickly and that every now and then you’ll come across something that doesn’t behave in the way you would expect or that won’t be detected by the Force. Then again, with the presence he and Bril had felt, it was possible that could be obscuring something else. She was right; it was best they stay on their toes.

“That’s a good idea, yeah. Especially in a new or unfamiliar environment like this,” he replied.

Reiden looked again, now able to see the mass in the distance. While momentarily surprised, he chalked it up to being more acclimated to his new environment. He took the electrobinoculars and peered through them. The movement came into focus now, and there was definitely something there, although he couldn’t quite make out what it was. Not that it would matter anyway; he’d never seen something like it before.

“I wonder if that’s what we were sensing,” he mused aloud before crouching down as well and handing the electrobinoculars back to Bril. “It would seem too easy if that were what we came to investigate, but not having seen a Force nexus before, or whatever that might be up ahead, I can’t say anything for certain. But it is intriguing nonetheless.”

Evelyn’s eyes widened as Bril crouched and started to creep towards the anomaly. Have he lost his mind? Reiden brought up if the mass abnormality was what they were sensing and they wanted to get closer.

Force users. She’ll never understand them and she never will. She hanged back because she does not think creeping up such thing was a good idea.

Reiden focused on the anomaly. He had to admit, his curiosity was getting the better of him. It was always with him, and normally he could keep it in check. But something about the unknown and it being tied to the Force only made him want to know more. He knew it was potentially dangerous and held any number of mysteries. But still, it was right there. He felt it. Yet, he didn’t rightfully know how to handle such a thing. It wasn’t exactly covered in any of the studies he had done.

He raised an eyebrow at Bril’s words. “Interesting. Well, it was your research trip that started all this. What would you suggest we do next?”

Evelyn glanced over to the pair. This did not seem like a good idea. She took the scanner and datapad when Bril handed them over to her.

“Alright, I am going to move over there.” She pointed to a direction. She wanted to be safe than sorry in case when they reach out with the Force, it would chase them or attack. This way, she would be out of harm’s way and can aid them if they needed. With a curt nod, she made her way over to spot but still was close enough to use the scanner and datapad to gather data.

She was a pilot, dammit. Not a data collector.

<@232396983854301187>

Bril’s response seemed simple enough, but Reiden still felt a bit of unease. It was, however, trumped by wanting to know more. It was almost as if something was pulling at him. Could it be the anomaly, or perhaps the Force itself? He wasn’t sure. And he didn’t know if he would ever actually find out. But here he was, ready and willing to try to learn more.

What Evelyn had said made sense and he couldn’t blame her for wanting to keep her distance. But the reality was that the mission, which he had invited himself on, was to investigate, and that’s what he intended to do, one way or another. And something in the back of his mind was telling him that there was only so much time with which to do so.

“Right. I can do that,” he said simply.

Reiden felt Bril’s mind and opened himself to it, bridging the connection between them. He felt the anomaly but pushed it to the background for the moment, focusing instead on Bril, Evelyn, and himself, securing an anchor in the here and now. He closed his eyes briefly and let out a long breath before opening then once more, steeling himself for whatever may come next.

“All right, I’m ready when you are.”

Feeling the connection in his mind was an odd sensation. It wasn’t something he had done often, and it had been a long time. He kept his focus on their target as best he could. The images that came in were almost overwhelming, a swirl of possibilities. He nearly lost himself in the current. He thought of their location and mission to ground himself. One of his hands found the hilt of his shoto lightsaber. That gesture, well tested over the years, seemed to help. His mind calmed some. But the onslaught continued. He took a deep breath and went with the flow while allowing it to pass him by instead of trying to stand against it.

His own past came to mind, memories he’d have preferred to stay buried. He didn’t know what Bril was seeing but hoped it wasn’t that. He pushed them down, focusing once more. The Force was often his ally and he had to trust in it now. Trust that it would seem him through whatever this was.

Evelyn glanced at the devices and was astonished at seeing the spikes… and the connection. Her eyes shot up to the pair and they were very focused. The readings were going wild. Evelyn was increasingly becoming uncomfortable so she started to run towards Bril and Reiden.

Once she arrived, she grabbed them firmly on their arms and slightly yanked them towards her.

“Snap out of it.”

Reiden felt pressure on his arm and realized that he had gotten lost in what the Force was showing him. His eyes opened and he turned to see Evelyn, the woman quickly withdrawing her hand when she saw him return to the present. He had no idea how long he’d been under, but the effect made him reluctant to experience it again regardless.

Some memories are best left buried in the past where they belong and there’s no sense in seeing a future that may or may not come to pass, he told himself.

He gave Evelyn a nod of thanks before turning to Bril. The Zabrak was still in thrall to the Force. While he was still curious about the nexus, it was becoming clear to him that perhaps it was best studied from a distance, if not simply left alone.

“Bril, can you hear me?” There was no response. “Bril! Come on, we need to pull back!”

Still nothing. He took a few steps back as a precaution and then closed his eyes, finding that connection they had made between each other. If words couldn’t reach him, maybe thoughts would. But he thought better of that path, although he didn’t fully relinquish the bridge between their minds, hoping Bril would be able to sense the urgency of the situation. He didn’t want to get pulled under again, so he had to be careful. Evelyn may have reached him that time, but there was no telling what would happen if he connected to the nexus again. Instead, he relied on his instinct, something that had seen him through nearly everything he’d experienced. He reached out with a hand, invisible tendrils encircling the Zabrak to physically pull him back.

“We have to go, now!” he called out.

He’s back, good, Reiden thought to himself, letting out a sigh.

“We’re still on the asteroid in the Caperion system. You and I connected to the nexus and it grabbed hold of us. It showed me some memories and…visions, I think. Most likely possibilities, but still.”

Just from talking about it, he couldn’t help but think back to what he had seen. It was mostly the past, his time with his parents - how he missed them. His time with his friends. And then the night his parents were taken from him. It was as if he could hear the voices of the thugs questioning his father, smell the smoke anew as they set fire to his home.

He had seen his old master, Kadain. The old man had been the one to set him on the path of being a Force user. He wouldn’t go so far as to say it made him who he was today given the secrets Kadain had held, even withheld from him. After learning the truth about the man and how he had orchestrated the death of his parents, he wanted to be anything but like him. The lessons he’d taught, however, were enough, still useful. His time on Nar Shaddaa was highlighted as well. Meeting the Lasat enforcer Grex and how their somewhat antagonistic relationship turned into a friendly one, almost familial, even. His further training within the Brotherhood and the things he’d seen and been through. The Ethereal Realm was nothing more than a flash. What a strange place that had been.

The future, or at least what he had assumed was the future, was clouded and hard to grasp. He recalled only fragments. He had seen three children, clearly related. The white hair on one and brown on the other made it easy to pick out his nephews, Artorias and Deus. The third must have been their baby brother Sorin, though Reiden hadn’t met him yet. But there was more. A baby’s laughter had filled his ears, but its features were hidden from memory. Could it have been his? He shook his head, focusing on the present instead.

“Evelyn was able to pull me out of it but you needed some extra coaxing. You must have been connected pretty deeply. How do you feel?”

Evelyn shoulders slightly dropped in relief when Bril had finally got out of it. She would never forgave herself if something had happened to him, though the sudden lack of memory was concerning. She can only hope it was temporary and Reiden’s explanation would help the Zabrak. Her eyes shot back to the anomaly, to make sure it wasn’t going to make any advancement towards them.

It didn’t.

Instead it started to expand and contract. Evelyn blinked a few times in confusion while she watched them. She started to hear her blood pulsating in her ears. The pilot showed slight grimace as she took a step back at the similarity of it’s movement. It was matching her pulse?

Was it invading in her thoughts? She couldn’t tell; she was raised for this! Her mother made sure to always know and keep the defenses up-

Had she failed?

Reiden nodded slowly as he listened before noting Evelyn’s attention and turning to follow her gaze. The swirling mass in the distance seemed different. The direction it was moving in had changed. It was a bit unnerving, if he was being honest about it. He could still feel the pull of the nexus.

“That seems like a good idea…”

Evelyn didn’t look at Bril. She didn’t want to turn her back on it. She didn’t know what it was and right now, the way it was acting, it was a threat.

“Yes. I am slightly perturbed. Are you okay to leave without what you came for, Dr. Arga?”

<@232396983854301187>

He watched the anomaly for a moment longer before pulling his gaze away and turning around. He closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath. With it, he tried to push down all the things he had seen, at least for the moment. He’d have time to properly think about and process it later on, hopefully back home and maybe over a nice drink.

Reiden set off after the other two, back to their ship. He still felt the pull from behind him, but it lessened with every step. Eventually, it faded into the ether.

Evelyn nodded while she made her way back to the ship, her gaze flickered back over to it now and then. The quicker they get out of here, the better.

The flight back wasn’t as smooth as she hoped while dodging all the asteroids.

“I am sorry. I am very distracted.” Evelyn admitted as they started to enter inside Maelstrom. She was so ready to go home. They landed and there was a soft hiss as the ramp started to open.

Evelyn glanced over to Reiden, “If you do not mind me asking sir, may we get a refuel while we are here before we go home?”

Reiden’s mind was abuzz with activity, still a whirlwind as he thought about what had happened while they were on the asteroid and connected to the Force nexus. That was, until Evelyn’s words drew his attention. “Oh, I don’t see why that would be a problem. I could even make a call down to Seraph and tell them to expect you so that you can refuel and be on your way quickly.”

Evelyn gave Reiden a small nod.

“Thank you.” She glanced over to Bril and noticed he was rather… distracted. So she got up from her seat, “Let me walk you out, sir.” She gestured to the door and the direction where the ramp had already lowered.

Reiden nodded and stepped toward the exit, about to head out when a group of stormtroopers swarmed in and cut him off, blasters held at the ready and forcing him back. He couldn’t help but notice they were also pointing at him, not just his companions. Anger flared within him briefly. He began to reach for the hilt of his lightsaber but stopped short.

No, that’s not the right course of action. Whatever is going on here, that would just be making it worse.

He slowly moved his hand away, glaring at the troopers. Then Captain Walhac entered.

“Captain, what’s the meaning of this? Stand down.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I can’t do that. These two are enemies of the Empire and I’ll be placing them under arrest.” She motioned to the stormtroopers and two of them broke off from the rest and moved to secure Bril and Evelyn, binders being attached to their wrists. “Please don’t resist or interfere.”

Reiden stared daggers at the captain. “Bril, Evelyn, I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll get to the bottom of this. We’ll get it sorted out,” he turned to face them and offered an apologetic look.

This won’t stand, I promise, he vowed silently.

Evelyn whipped her head to the sudden onset sounds of heavy footsteps of the stormtroopers’s armor. Her expression doesn’t change while she remained neutral as the cold stuncuffs clicked onto her forearms. She stayed quiet, not wanting to take Reiden’s words. The pilot cooperated.

She doesn’t seem that surprised. They did break the law after all. Evelyn made sure to focus on her breathing to keep herself from spiraling.

He watched as Bril and Evelyn were escorted off the ship, remaining silent a moment longer. There were times to act and times to handle things carefully and with tact. He knew he should take the latter route but wasn’t sure if he’d be able to.

Fists clenched I’m anger, he walked behind the captain, not wanting it to appear as though she were walking him off the ship given the current situation, even though he wasn’t one of the people in stuncuffs himself.

“Take the two of them to a holding cell while I figure out what to do with them,” Captain Walhoc ordered, gesturing down a corridor.

Reiden fumed silently beside her. He wanted nothing more than to confront her then and there, but he knew that wouldn’t be wise. He needed to arm himself with more information first, proof that they weren’t a threat and everything was above board. He had to get back to his ship and access records.

“Unless you need me, I’ll be on my ship. I expect to be informed the moment you’ve made your decision about the prisoners.” He practically spat the last word, disgusted that his vouching for them had initially seemed to be enough, but then she went and pulled something like this. He had a suspicion that it may have been politically motivated or some other ulterior motive, but that didn’t matter to him in the slightest.

“Very well. That should be all for the moment, sir. I’ll contact you shortly.”

Reiden simply nodded and turned on his heel to return to his ship, ready to dig into things himself.

Reiden passed by Warner as he boarded the Espada, not saying a word to him as the soldier inquired after what was going on. He didn’t like doing it, but he simply didn’t have time to explain the situation. And he was angry and part of him worried he’d take it out on the soldier. Despite being in a better place after years of wallowing in it, he didn’t want to take the chance - Warner deserved better. He made his way straight to the small desk and computer terminal that he had installed onboard and tapped away at it. He paused so that the device could scan his iris to verify his identity and then accessed the Inquisitorius database. He was thankful for an opportunity to finally put his high-level access to good use. Pulling up the necessary files on both Bril and Evelyn, he scanned them, nodding to himself.

Doesn’t seem like there’s anything too worrisome here, that’s good. Walhoc doesn’t need to know the full details, and I’d never give her the satisfaction. She can get the redacted files. After all, this doesn’t come from Imperial Intelligence and she lacks the proper clearance.

With that done, he switched over to the Aurora Collegium’s network and repeated the log-in procedure. Unlike the Inquisitorius, he was not as high ranking and did not work with the Headmistress. But he knew he should be able to access the rolls and find Bril’s profile. But that was all he needed when trying to verify that the Zabrak was, in fact, a member and would have a legitimate reason to investigate something like a Force nexus, or anything, really. Sure enough, the credentials Bril had shared with them at the start were valid. He was still surprised someone so young had accomplished so much, but it was impressive nonetheless.

Reiden took his time as he reviewed everything he had found, making sure that it was all in order and that he hadn’t missed anything in both his initial scanning and earlier search. Once he was satisfied, he transferred the files to his datapad and stood, motioning to Warner. “This whole thing has become such a massive pile of poodoo. But come with me, you might want to see this.” He couldn’t help but crack a grin, looking forward to seeing Captain Walhac’s expression.

Once outside his ship, Reiden found a trooper that could direct him to where the captain was and then wove his way through the frigate to find her. The fact that she had ignored him burned in his mind, adding fuel to the fire of his anger. It would not stand.

He entered the doorway to the small mess hall of the frigate. Naturally, it was smaller than what he typically saw when bding deployed on a clan vessel, but that wasn’t surprising given the differences in various ships. Both troopers and officers were present. He paid them no mind as he walked straight up to her, not caring for appearances.

“Captain,” he said coolly in greeting, giving her the tiniest amount of respect. “Release the prisoners. Immediately.” His voice was calm, for now, and even. But he was firm in his tone.

The captain shook her head. “I can’t do that, sir. Those two are enemies of the Scholae Empire and gave no prior warning of their intentions to enter our space and resisted.” The woman couldn’t help but smile smugly. “They will feel the full force of our legal system.”

Reiden’s suspicion that her motives were purely for her own advancement only grew as she continued. But he had had enough. “And that’s where you’re wrong, Captain. You may be versed in our laws and policies, but you do not know everything. You see, the Brotherhood has its own set of laws. You are not privy to them - there’s no point, really, not typically. Nevertheless, you’re wrong. That badge the Zabrak showed you before?” He paused for a moment, seeing the flash of recognition on the woman’s face. “That was the mark of the Envoy Corps, a diplomatic arm of the Brotherhood. It signifies that the bearer has immunity when acting in the interests of the Brotherhood. As you were also made aware, he is, in fact, a member of the Aurora Collegium and had a valid reason for being in the system.”

“Do not misunderstand,” he continued, leveling his eyes on hers, “procedure and common courtesy was not followed. But aside from that, and, admittedly, their initial resistance, they have done nothing wrong. I have looked into both of these people myself, pored over the information available to me - again, much of it you do not have access to. Their story checks out. They are who they claim to be. Furthermore, I vouched for them after we both reviewed their credentials. You agreed with my assessment. I can only suspect your motivations today. However, you disregarded that upon our return. You know who I am. You know what I’ve done, or at least have heard stories or can infer as much based upon my status and record. You dare to countermand me? I think not. I’m willing to overlook this, but only if you release them at once.”

Evelyn closed her eyelids. The silence had never bothered her. For years, her home had been empty and voided of life. Some days she does listen to music but it was rare.

The soft hum of the ship internal song was soothing. Evelyn was not bothered by this. They did broke the law- but there was her promise to Minnie. Evelyn took in a deep sigh and looked over to the cell next over where Bril was. Minnie never told her that Bril was impulsive or was there more at play? Whatever happened to them on that rock had shook Bril slightly as well. The Zabrak was exhibiting the same symptoms as her comrades when they started developing PTSD.

Her luminous dark green hues flickered back to the troopers that were standing guard.

“I never did thank you. You helped Minnie find love and happiness.” She looked over to Bril. Evelyn would need to text Minnie that she was noticing the symptoms.

“Let me make one thing clear. Your decision lead us to this. And it is not okay.”

The captain made no response, but Reiden could feel that his words had left her shaken. Good, he thought. “Now, here is what’s going to happen. I’m heading to the holding cells and letting those two go free. They will be allowed to return to their ship, head to Seraph for fuel, and will go on their way home. If you utter a word of protest or get in my way. I will make you stand down. Am I clear?” More silence, but he saw that she had resigned herself to the situation, her shoulders slumping ever so slightly, doing her best to hide how she was really feeling from those around her.

He let out a sigh and shook his head, lowering his voice a bit. “I have half a mind to vent you out the airlock, but that’s something the old me may have done. You were just doing what you thought was right, and I can respect that, to an extent. But you overstepped today. Don’t worry,” he continued in a reassuring voice, his tone evening, even offering her a small but genuine smile despite his anger and the situation at hand. “Your superiors, and mine, won’t hear a word of this. At least not from me.”

He turned on his heel and walked away, quickly heading to the holding cells. He nodded in greeting to the troopers standing guard before stating simply, “Stand down. That’s an order.”

He waved a hand at the cells and the locking mechanisms clicked and whirred before the doors slid open. “Sorry for the delay,” he said, offering the two of them a smile. “Things seem to have been straightened out and you’re free to be on your way. I cleared you to refuel on Seraph, if that’s still something you’d like to do. Although I’d understand it if you’d rather head out and do that elsewhere.”

Evelyn clenched her jaw at Bril’s words. She glanced up to look at Reiden when he entered as the cell doors softly whirled when they opened to let Bril and herself out.

‘….it could have been worse…’ Everything she was saying wasn’t exactly getting through Bril. She needed to calm down before she said anything else. Her movements were inaudible, graceful, and yet powerful, like a snake that had found it’s prey and patiently waiting to strike with venom. She quietly walked towards Reiden and stood in front of him. Her facial expression remained neutral. Strong green eyes met with his blues as she rose her arms for him to get her out of the stuncuffs.

It was obvious from her body language and the silent aura that was pouring out of her, she was infuriated.

Reiden quickly produced the key to the cuffs and removed them from Evelyn and then Bril. He shook his head ruefully. “It never should have gotten to this point. Normally when I say something, these soldiers will at least listen if not trust what I say.” A heavy sigh escaped his lips. “There are times when some have higher aspirations and they allow it to get the better of them. I fear this may have been one of them. I know that maybe it might not mean much, but I truly am sorry for how this went down.”

He took their stuncuffs and threw them to the side, his anger briefly getting the best of him in that moment. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out, forcing the flames back down, as he had often done in the past. What was done was done, and there would be no changing that. All he could do was try to move forward and ensure that things went better from then on.

“It hopefully shouldn’t be a problem, but if you intend to refuel, and if you’d like, I can have my ship escort yours to the spaceport.”

“No.” Evelyn’s answer was curt. She was making her way back to the shop while rubbing her wrists. They had enough fuel to the next area that they can use. She didn’t want to risk it and push it, even with Reiden as an escort. She cannot take the chance if someone higher than him apprehend them. Logically, she knew and understood this wasn’t his fault and she doesn’t blame him. But she was too angry to be thinking rationality. Still, he got them out.

“Thank you, Mr. Karr. For getting us out. We should leave.” She was not slowing down in her steps, but she made sure Bril wasn’t too far behind.

Reiden simply nodded. He didn’t blame her for the response. Hell, he may have even thought similarly were the situation reversed. “I understand. Have a safe trip back home.”

Bril’s comment gave him pause at first. Then he recalled their earlier meeting and realized that must have been what he almost said at the time. He shrugged, more to himself than them, not that they could see it since they were in front of him, and followed them as they made their way to the hangar. Accompanying them was the least he could do. Besides, he should probably get going himself, so it couldn’t be helped.

With a soft hiss of the ramp closing, she glared over to Bril.

“I would like to be alone in the cockpit.” With that, she left Bril in the ship’s lobby as she made her way to the cockpit and closed the door. She made sure it was locked as well.

She was not in a good mood. The ships engines whined to life as they pulled out and left the system.