Sianid Ascendant: Chapter 18

Kallig looked at Zarvell as if uncertain of what to say, until a realization came to him.

"You are very well-informed, flesh of my flesh. I did not expect to see you--or anyone--in this place. I am unfamiliar with this 'Order of the Starlight'."

"That is rather ironic, actually, as you had a significant influence in its formation. Nevertheless, I am here now and have come to negotiate for the release of this girl into my custody."

Kallig laughed a hearty laugh that lasted a few minutes? years? centuries?

"This will not come to pass, my son, but I must thank you for giving a very old man a moment's pleasure."

"I am quite serious, and I am afraid that I must insist."

"You may . . . DO . . . what you must, but in this place, you have no power. I, on the other hand, after a thousand years of having been denied a physical form, wield unlimited power. And I will use it to exact my revenge on ALL of my enemies."

"Your enemies . . . you mean the Jedi?"

"The Jedi will pay for their crimes, in good time. But first, my vengeance will be a bit more . . . personal."

"Tulak Hord."

"Again, you are very well-informed."

"So I am presuming that you are already aware that Tulak Hord has been nothing but dust for the last thousand years."

"Ah, but his legacy persists even now. Tulak Hord . . . Marka Ragnos . . . Naga Sadow . . . Freedon Nadd . . . Exar Kun . . . all in an unbroken line to the one who now hides his true name and passively lurks in the shadow of his 'Dark Council'. All of this is the result of the work begun by Tulak Hord and all of it will be brought asunder."

"I see."

Zarvell paused to reflect for a moment as he looked over at Galadina, still motionless, still hanging in the air in the middle of an attack that had not yet connected. He couldn't help but admire the way she was able to fight--practically naked at the moment--and still be just as effective as the largest Sith Juggernaughts he'd ever seen in the thickest, heaviest armor. He also felt a twinge of guilt as he realized that he was also admiring her solely for being 'practically naked' and how he could take in the view of her this way without her really being aware.

Then again, he thought to himself, she is a Miraluka, and probably more aware of what's going on here than most. "Fight on, Master Jedi." he whispered to her. "I will do what must be done."

He needed to choose his next words carefully, for Dianiss and for Galadina.

"There is one thing I'd like to ask. I'm quite fascinated by what you have accomplished here, and I may even be able to help you. But why this girl? In a thousand years, why this one and none before her?"

Kallig considered the question a moment.

"I shall answer your question, because you are flesh of my flesh . . . and because my cause is served by having a witness to my victory. I shall allow you to serve me in this capacity."

He continued.

"The name of Kallig had been erased from history. It no longer struck fear, no longer commanded respect. In death, I was forced to abide in the ancient temple where Tulak Hord's enemies were interred, powerless to act, until this one..." He looked down at Sianid.
"...came and freed me from my shackles. She proved easy enough manipulate. So I helped her to overcome her treacherous master and whispered words of power and glory in her ear . . . and set her on the path to power through the acquisition of the dead."

"But not yourself, evidently."

"OF COURSE NOT. My purpose was to control HER, not allow her to control ME. But her use of the Force Walk prepared her womb to bring forth another that I could inhabit and control. I was actually rather surprised at how . . . cooperative . . . this wicked soul proved to be--to willingly create for me a suitable empty vessel to fill with my own essence."

"But you never truly controlled her until now. Why is that?"

"I was there, within, at the moment of conception. The entirety of my power, increased exponentially by the power of the captured spirits and of the flesh father--another of my descendants--and indelibly linked. But the captured spirits were there as well, and they lay siege to my vessel, my future body, trying to worm their way in for their own escape. Her use of the Dream Walk--the technique that brings you to this place--became necessary, until the time of my rebirth into new flesh of my flesh."

"So ALL of the ghosts were separated from the girl, including you."

"And for years I was trapped...powerless as this little THING commanded MY POWER. The most I could do was encourage her passions, prey on her insecurities, . . . feed her lusts. But as she grew to reject the dark side, my influence waned. Eventually, I learned to escape my 'virtuous' little prison for short periods--leaving my power behind--to instruct this fool on how to free me." He looked down at Sianid again.

"Well, you'll get no argument from me on that point. But I would like to make one final appeal. Wouldn't you rather have a MALE body to inhabit, and one without the baggage of suppressing these two all of the time?" Zarvell pointed down at Sianid and young Dianiss.

"Now you have caught my interest, flesh of my flesh. Surely it is not yourself that you are offering. You are unsuitable."

"Of this, I am already aware. Plus, I would be unable to serve simultaneously as your witness and as your physical vessel. But we could begin the process anew, and in the process multiply your power even further. I could impregnate the girl, and there would be no need for the Dream Walk, as there are no other ghosts within her to protect against--that is, once you've released her mother. If I understand your story correctly, I would be a suitable . . . 'flesh father' I believe you called it."

"You would be willing to do this?"

Zarvell looked over at Galadina once again.

"I would."

The flames around Kallig brightened noticably as his demeanor turned from indifferent to annoyed.

"YOU LIE! The very notion is abhorrent to you. You cannot hide it. You cannot lie to me in this place."

"Well, on that point, you are correct. It was indeed a lie, and indeed there are no lies in this place." Zarvell said, just as calm and unaffected by Kallig's outburst as when he began. "But . . . the lie was also deliberate, a tool by which I could demonstrate something to you."

"Demonstrate what?"

"I want you to look me directly in the eye when I tell you this, so that you can know with complete certainty that what I'm about to tell you is the absolute . . . truth."

"And that is?"

"Lord Kallig, I did not come here wishing to make you my enemy. I had hoped to settle this peacefully and honourably, Sith-to-Sith, Man-to-Man. I offered you the opportunity to put a stop to this, but you refused to even discuss it. And as I suspected, you have every intention of igniting an all-new Great Hyperspace War and beginning a new Darth Nihilus-style campaign of terror as well. This, I cannot allow."

Zarvell, in turn, looked Kallig directly in his masked face.

"So now I am left with no alternative but to DEFEAT you . . . and I can and will defeat you."

Kallig's flames flared up again as his annoyance turned to anger.

Zarvell was not lying.

"You cannot. You are less than nothing, and I am all-powerful now, little mortal."

"You still think POWER is the way to defeat a Sith? You, after a thousand years? Have you forgotten how, in life, you yourself were defeated? Tulak Hord didn't over-power you!"

"How DARE you presume to lecture ME on history???"

"Clearly you have forgotten the lesson, and require someone to teach it to you again."

Now Kallig's flames were flaring out bright enough to obscure the immediate surroundings, including young Dianiss, prone Sianid, and even the image of Galadina. Zarvell reflexively took a step back.

"And so the lesson begins: For the Sith today, going all the way back to the 'Infinite Empire' of the Rakata and the ancient Je'daii of Tython who looked up at the night sky to the moon of Bogan . . . it has always been the same, just as it was in your time with Tulak Hord himself. The Sith pursue power endlessly, yet power only escalates the struggle and has NEVER been the means to truly defeat a Sith."

Zarvell paused, to make sure he had Kallig's full, undivided attention.

"The way a Sith is always defeated, the way YOU were defeated, is through . . ."

". . . BETRAYAL."