Power and Betrayal: Chapter 17

Kari and Galadina had only made a brief stop at Taris to refuel, and were back in hyperspace as quickly as possible. While in flight, Kari changed her ship's transponder codes so that it would identify as a completely different ship--in this case, an Imperial ship.

This was actually a common practice for captains who engaged in the trafficking of less-than-legal cargo, and was a risky proposition. Most counterfeit transponder codes were easily spotted, and once spotted, they would get blacklisted by the appropriate authorities and couldn't be re-used. The GOOD ones (meaning: expensive ones that included slicing the relevant ship registry databases so that a cursory verification of the codes would come back positive), . . . those just took longer to be spotted.

But the transponder codes for the Terminus were something of a completely different species: they were genuine.

A few months ago, Kari had been tasked to travel covertly to Dromund Kaas by Dianiss' brother Zedemm. To make the trip possible, Lord Zarvell--Zedemm and Dianiss' father--had provided a set of custom-made transponder codes for Scoundrel's Vacation that re-christened her as the Terminus, a ship with full diplomatic clearance and legitimately attached to the Sphere of Mysteries fleet for use in covert operations within the Republic. As far as the Empire was concerned, Scoundrel's Vacation was the fake identification code.

Now within Imperial space, Kari chose a route that avoided major space lanes to minimize the contact they'd have with other Imperial ships, just as a precaution. The longer route also allowed the two of them a bit of extra time to prepare for what to do when they land.

"So, Dina," Kari said, "...since we don't have Zed along with us to do the talking, how is this gonna work?"

"I'm an apprentice to a highly-placed Sith Lord." Dina answered. "Lord Zarvell filed proper purchase receipts so that we were both added to the system as legal residents of Kaas City--as slaves, of course, but still legal."

"I know THAT. What I meant was: since officially you're a Sith and I'm a dancer, you'll probably need to do most of the talking. How good is your Imperial accent?"

Dina paused a bit, then affected a formal facial expression and recited, "I realise that the colour of my sabre is not a favourite of those most cruellest of bogeymen."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Kari said, wide-eyed, hands up in protest. "WAY. TOO. MUCH. You sound like one of those campy super-villains from the Mister Diddlez holos. You wanna get thrown in gaol?"

"Sorry." Dina said with a grimace. "I swear, it didn't sound like that in my head."

"Just . . . imagine Zedemm's voice, or that cute blonde guy, Zarvell's assistant. How would HE say it?"

"You watch The Misadventures of Mister Diddlez?"

"Focus, Padawan." Kari scolded in her best fake Jedi instructor voice. "Remain in the moment. Keep your mind and thoughts clear."

"Sorry, you're right." Dina answered, shaking her head, then re-assumed her formal expression. "I bought this cosy set of aluminium-grey coloured pyjamas for me mum."

Kari didn't say anything, but shook her head and tried--but failed--to keep her lekku from twisting in on each other.

"Rumour has it that your neighbour caused a furore over a humourous comment regarding his honour. It would behove him to alter his behaviour."

"No."

"The best defence is a good offence."

"Really?"

"Aye, ah ken that the lass has two wee bairns back hoom."

"WHAT THE FRIZZ WAS THAT?!?"

"In my judgement, this manoeuvre will paralyse the enemy forces."


Kari reached up to the top of her head with both hands, rubbing slowly down the back of each lekku until her hands were down far enough that she could grasp them and yank downward. It was a mildly-painful Twi'lek mannerism common enough that every other race knew it as the Twi'leki version of burying your face in the palm of your hand in frustration and/or disbelief.

"How much language training have you had?" Kari asked.

"Well . . . none, actually." Dina answered, a little embarrassed. "I speak Basic, but that's it other than bits and pieces of Huttese."

"None?!? But . . . you're a Jedi! A real-live Jedi with a lightsaber and everything!"

"Well yeah, but I'm not a Sage." Dina responded defensively. "I trained for combat, not diplomacy."

"Really?!? So . . . not even Miralukese?"

"Well, . . . I understand a few words."

Kari just stared at Dina, dumbfounded. "Dina, I can speak Miralukese." She almost added the Miralukese word for idiot at the end, but thought better of it.

"I grew up on Ryloth." Dina protested, getting defensive again. "I was never around other Miraluka."

"You grew up on Tython, actually, surrounded by a VERY diverse collection of races and cultures--including a very nice settlement of very nice Twi'leks as your very nice next-door neighbors. So, PLEASE tell me you picked up some Ryl from EITHER place along the way...."

"Um, . . . no, not really." Right after answering, Dina pointed a finger at Kari with something she suddenly remembered. "But I do recognize that little shake-and-curl move you do with your lackwoo--"

"Lekku! It's pronounced 'lekku'...." Kari did the reach-to-the-top-of-her-head move again that ended with yanking downward on her "lackwoo".

"That's what I . . . --that you do when you think I'm being, like, stuffy or uptight or something."

"Suuuuuure you do, Master Dia." Kari responded, breaking into spoken Ryl at the end, then letting out a gigantic sigh of resignation. "Okay, so . . . *I* will do the talking. *You* . . . and your COMPLETE lack of an ear for accents . . . just keep quiet and try to look scary."

"So what's his condition now, Anya?" Satele asked.

"Casei has definitely ruled out any physical, medical problems." Annanya answered. "But he's still in this mental fugue state. There is a bit of the Master/Padawan connection still there, and I'm trying to use it to get through to him, but he just hasn't responded yet."

Satele shook her head, realizing the implications. "Jedi Kendsel was always very gifted at the perception of shatterpoints. If he's seen one that's so disturbing that his mind can't fath--"

Suddenly, Kinnan burst into the room with a look on his face that said he was ready to do battle. "She's escaped." he blurted out.

Satele paused a moment to give Kinnan an annoyed look for barging in and interrupting like he did before she responded. "Who's escaped, Master Kinnan?"

"Dianiss, obviously." he answered, with frustration in his voice.

"As far as I've been informed, Dianiss hadn't been brought into custody yet. So I hope you'll understand why it is not only NOT obvious but also impossible that she could have escaped. And again, she was YOUR responsibility. Didn't she come back to Tython with you?"

"Yes, but she never down came to the planet. Instead, she immediately left with that pilot friend of hers. She knew I would be filing charges, so she ran before anyone could bring her in."

"Well," Satele said, pausing for effect, "you're right that Captain Kari left, but it was on official Jedi business on the orders of Master Galadina. I happen to know this because I have some important business to discuss with Master Galadina and was hoping to see her when she returned, but didn't get the chance."

"And what is this business?"

Satele resumed her annoyed look from before but this time kept it in place as she spoke. "Not that it is any of YOURS, but she has been approved to join the High Council."

Kinnan backed off in his tone, realizing that he was pushing too far. "I'm sorry, Satele, I actually meant Galadina's business. Do you know what it is, or--more to the point--where they went?"

Satele softened as well, grateful that he finally seemed to be calming down. "The flight plan indicated that they were headed for Taris. The reasons were listed as being classified."

"Then I'll contact the Taris authorities."

"No you will not."

Kinnan was actually shocked at the sudden firmness and command in her voice, when her tone was cordial and conversational just a moment before. After a long pause, he simply responded, "Oh?"

"Dianiss is not a fugitive, at least not yet. You've accused her of being a Sith, not of violating any Republic laws, so this is a purely internal Jedi matter--the Republic authorities cannot and should not be involved, not unless she resists arrest or escapes custody, which he hasn't."

"So I'm to just sit here and do nothing?"

"Use this time to prepare your case. The arrest warrant has already gone out to all Jedi outposts--including the Jedi currently on Taris--so if she's found, she'll be brought in. If she never returns to Tython, then you'll have gotten your wish."

Dammit, that's not even CLOSE to true. he thought to himself.

"I'd like to be informed immediately when either Master Galadina or Captain Kari'arra returns." he said instead.

"Then I'd advise you to put someone from First Knowledge on the orbital station--someone who DOES report to you. In the mean time, I have other things to do than continue this discussion. Dismissed."

Kinnan couldn't help but be a bit stung by the way Satele had just talked down to him, but there on the spot, no legitimate objection sprung to mind and he could find no fault in her reasoning. Not wanting to escalate things, he simply nodded and left the room.

After the door had closed again and a few seconds had passed, Annanya spoke up. "Well, THAT didn't take long."

Satele stared thoughtfully in the direction of the closed door. "He's got some other agenda going, all right. I'm guessing Galadina must be onto him somehow and thinks that a trial will reveal something."

"Well, as you can see, I passed along your suggestion to have her take Dianiss out-of-reach before she could be officially arrested. It was a good idea for buying them--and us--some time."

"I just hope she knows what she's doing."

"Well, . . . I hope so too. But I'm also kind of worried that she doesn't."

"What makes you say that?"

"Here, let me show you." Anya answered while touching the computer controls near her seat. After a few seconds of searching, she pulled up and displayed the pertinent series of messages. "She sent back a reply message."



Access Granted

Subject: RE: RE: Seeking advice
Anya,

Thank you. On another matter, I'm having trouble getting in touch with Kendsel. Considering what's happening, I'd bet my lightsaber that he's already had a vision about it and I could really use his insight. If you talk to him before I do, please ask him to contact me, even if you have to use the Angel Protocols to do it.

--Dina
========================================
Subject: RE: Seeking advice
Dina,

I don't think we can delay him here, but you could force a delay in the proceedings from your end. When you arrive at Tython, don't come down to the planet. Drop him off and leave immediately with Dianiss. Without her, there is nothing TO do until you bring her back unless some other Jedi finds her and brings her in first. And if there's a way you can do it without Di having a say in the matter, all the better.

--Anya
========================================
Subject: Seeking advice
Anya,

Regarding our conversation about 'trust': there's been an incident with Dianiss (big surprise, huh?), and Master Kinnan sounds serious about charging her with being a Sith when we return to Tython--and, let's face it, she technically IS. For reasons I can't explain right now, the trial needs to go forward, but I need to visit the Guardian Angel first. Is there a way to delay this until after I get back?

--Dina


After reading down over the exchange of messages, Satele remarked, "So she doesn't know about Kendsel yet."

"Right. And she says she 'could really use his insight.' That says to me that she's NOT sure, and probably improvising."

"So what are you going to tell her?"

"I . . . I'm really not sure yet. Right now I'm just hoping that I can delay telling her long enough that I'll have better news to give when the time comes."

The flight to Dromund Kaas went without incident, and on arrival they got the same two-fighter escort for their final approach to the spaceport that they'd gotten when they were here before--and Kari still couldn't get a straight answer from the spaceport Traffic Control on whether they were there as an escort to defend the Terminus due to it's diplomatic status or as a precaution to defend the spaceport in case the Terminus was actually an attacker. Whichever it was, their weapons status scanned as active for the entire approach.

Now, docked in a different bay from before but in the same high-security section of the spaceport, they prepared to disembark, unsure of what would be waiting for them.

Kari had changed into the skimpy slave outfit that she kept on hand for these sorts of 'going undercover' occasions. She knew that she'd have to make an in-person appearance for the Security & Customs officials, but after that she'd have to stay with the ship to keep watch over her unusual 'cargo' in the hold: a heavily-sedated, comatose Dianiss floating in a Bacta chamber. She was glad that the diplomatic clearance meant that the spaceport officials would be prohibited from searching the ship unless they had explicit permission from the Pyramid of Mysteries.

Galadina, on the other hand, had donned the cloak of Darth Traya, having made a few alterations to it so it would fit her shorter, smaller frame. She also, at Kari's suggestion, completely wrapped up her head so that her face was totally covered, and draped the hood of the cloak (already a little too large) down over her face low enough to double-cover everything above the bridge of her nose.

"We're going for SCARY here," Kari had said, "and the unknown is WAY scarier than the face of a cute little red-headed girl. Plus it'll mask that you're a 'luka."

Dina agreed, and since she WAS a Miraluka, covering her entire face didn't impair her at all the way it would have for other races that depend on eyesight. The other change to her appearance she made was to use a very weak and partial form of stealth that did not attempt to visibly hide her presence at all, but instead gave her appearance a kind of shimmering, blurry quality in the eyes of anyone who tried to look directly at her. She hoped it would serve as another way to look scary and distract from her short, thin--and otherwise very NON-intimidating--stature. "Since I can't do that dark side thing that makes everybody's skin crawl, this is the next best thing." she had said. On the other hand, she also was using that same stealth technique to mask her presence in the Force, so that any Sith nearby would not sense her.

As for a lightsaber, Dina had been unsuccessful at repairing Truthseeker herself. In its place, she had reconstructed another functioning saberstaff from the components she salvaged from Malachor, and fitted it with a synthetic crystal that Kari confirmed created a RED blade when activated. Dina didn't expect to actually have to USE it, but best to be prepared.  It would look more out of place for a Sith Apprentice NOT to have some sort of lightsaber on her person.

As the two of them walked down the ramp, Kari led the way. Galadina followed behind using quick bursts of Force-enhanced speed rather than walking at a steady pace--which further made it hard to look directly at her.

Awaiting them was a contingent of about a dozen armed soldiers with weapons drawn. "Well, it's a lot fewer soldiers than last time. That's a good sign." Kari whispered.

Galadina nodded but said nothing.

As the commander of the security detail strode forward, Kari's heart raced with delight at the realization that she recognized him.

As he pulled up a datapad, he was looking at the ramp past the two of them, practically ignoring them, as if he were waiting for someone else to step off the ship. "Good morning, this is a routine securi--"

"Lieutenant Arthur Graves! I thought I'd never see your handsome face again." Kari blurted out, moving gracefully toward him using her most seductive dance moves. "Maybe I could see even MORE of you when your shift is over." she added, putting her hands on his chest at the buttons of his uniform shirt, touching each one in sequence.

"Miss, please! This behaviour is inappropriate." he protested. "We have already informed Lord Zarvell of Apprentice Zedemm's arrival, according to protocol. He relayed explicit instructions for you all to remain here until his associate arrives with a vehicle to make contact."

"Apprentice Zedemm is not with us, Arthur." Kari said with a note of sadness in her voice that sounded genuine. "There's been an incident, and Apprentice . . . uh . . . Mordreada . . . needs to speak to the Master right away--personally."

"I see." he said. "Well then, when the driver arrives, I will inform him that he is to expect two passen--"

"Just one." Kari said, interrupting again. "I need to stay here with the ship. The nature of our mission requires that it cannot be left unguarded. Intelligence work, after all." After he nodded in understanding, she added, "It also has a nice soft bed on board. I'd love to show it to you if you'd like."

"That . . . won't be necessary." he said, the discomfort clear in his voice. "I will just need to see your identicards."

Kari produced both cards and deliberately caressed his hands as she handed them over. "Here you go, Love. You should probably frisk me, too, just to be thorough."

Galadina found herself grateful for the mask she was wearing, since she was finding herself barely able to stifle a laugh, let alone keep a straight face.

Zarvell was understandably wary of his unexpected visitor, at least until she stopped using her partial stealth and allowed her natural Force aura shine through again. He immediately recognized her after that, and visibly relaxed.

"Master Ga--I'm sorry, Dina--this is a most unexpected occasion . . . and I pride myself on predicting the unexpected. I see that your skill at masking your presence in the Force has improved considerably since last we met."

"Thank you, Lord Zarvell."

"AND you are looking as beautiful as ever." he added as she removed the wrappings that covered her head. "But since you ARE here, I surmise that the situation that led you to make the journey is quite serious indeed."

"Yes, that's . . . putting it mildly." she responded. "Something has happened, and something is about to happen, and I have some questions that I think you might uniquely be able to answer. Plus, I need to talk to SOMEONE, and I think in this case I can only really trust an outsider."

"Something is about to happen, you say? So you've had a vision?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it that, but yes, I've definitely had a brief glimpse of the future."

"So where shall we begin, my dear?"

"Well . . ." Dina began, trying to organize her thoughts, "...I suppose I should start by asking: what can you tell me about how the Phase Walk actually works?"

Continue to Chapter 18 . . . .