Bast in the Glow

[Kyyrk]

Voph stood on the beach, stepping out of the boarding ramp to his ship. His helmeted gaze looked down towards the castle looming in the distance. He swallowed the wave of nausea it caused, and turned back to his ship, closing and locking the boarding ramp. The Resurgence was sitting near the water, but far enough away that it had a stable landing space. The castle seemed to have adequate landing pads, but he did not wish to utilize those. It seemed occupied.

As he strode along the beach, armor leaving deep footprints in the sand, he mused to himself. He had landed nearly a kilometer away, hopefully out of range of any defense lasers, should things not go well. As he drew nearer, the Dark Side began to wash over him, causing the small rune on the collar of his armor to glow a soft blue. Not that the Dark Side triggered this effect, but rather interaction with the Force itself. Voph sighed quietly, flexing his fingers as sparks arced between them. How he missed this feeling.

As he drew nearer, He felt as though he was being watched. Definitely not abandoned. But, he knew what he was here to do. He'd not traveled all the way to Vjun to turn back with cold feet at the last minute. He strode up to the main gate, arms hanging by his side, and Lightsaber clanking against his hip as he walked. He had no idea what he would say. Or what he would do. But...well, he hadn't lived...mostly lived...this long without playing it by ear a time or two. He stopped a few feet from the entrance, looking up at the walls. Surely his approach to this...Castle Bast had not gone unnoticed. All he had to do was wait...

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

An alert was given when an unidentified ship started its approach, but no action was taken to apprehend this potential intruder. Some guards had assembled and waited for orders, but Ra was calm. No thread was coming, but it didn't hurt to be prepared.

Her movement had drawn some attention and perhaps that was why they were being visited. As there had been no aggression shown by whoever was coming, when he approached the gates, they opened for him. His feeling of being watched was accurate though. Various cameras were fixed on him along with not more than a few sniper rifles just in case.

His welcome was not dramatic by any means and old man would be seen approaching from the other side. Since it wasn't raining, Vincent was not wearing a coat and his head was bare. Stooped with age, he was still confident in his job and duty.

"Welcome to Bast Castle. If you would follow me, I will take you to my mistress."

Opening the gate and stepping to the side, it was clear Vincent would do him no harm.

"I am Vincent. Who may I tell her has arrived?"

[member="Voph"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph slowly walked inside the gate. His helmet turned as he looked around, not saying anything immediately. Though Voph felt the same creeping dread that he did on his last interaction. He was fully aware of the rifles being trained on him as he approached. And frankly, he expected no less. He was a man out of time. No friends, no allies...no nation. And though the dark side was strong in this place, he felt it was best to conceal his true nature. And yet...would they know the truth about him?

Did he?

Voph paused for a moment, genuinely unsure of what to say. His mouth opened below his helmet, but he paused, looking at Vincent. His mouth closed as he thought for a second, trying to come across as his usual stoic, inquisitive, and calculating persona. It wasn't working. "Tell her...Sitdrisa'yr seeks an audience with her." Pilgrim. He kept calling himself that. Though...until he found his place in the galaxy, it was not an inappropriate name. He omitted the part about wishing to tap into the Force Nexus present here. That, he would rather speak of with the lady of the castle directly. Until he had a better gauge of who she was...and what allegiances she might have.

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

The old man was just that, an old man. Vincent was her head of the servants, batman and butler. He was everything Ra needed to take care of the castle and he did his job well. When a name was provided, he did not question it and gave a simple nod.

Voph would be let into the castle and he would be able to tell it was something almost living. There were various people that moved around and each had a role to play. Some were servants like Vincent, others were more armed, like guards. None attempted to stop him or Vincent. Those guns that had been trained on him were no longer there, but the eyes of the guards were. He did not have any tending to him personally, but just in general now.

What the word or name meant was lost on Vincent so when he lead Voph to the library, he only gave it as a name.

"Would you care for any food or drink? I will return shortly if you do. If not, please go in and Lady Ra is waiting for you."

Upon entering, she would be sitting at her desk and stood up when he came in. Giving him a nod, a small motion would be done inviting him to take a seat in one of the chairs. There were a few of them. Two by the fire and on the other side of desk. Where he decided to sit was his choice and Ra would move if he picked one next to the fire.

"Welcome to Bast, stranger. I am Ra'a'mah Numare. Please just call me Ra, much easier to remember."

She wore dark pants, but a light colored shirt. Something maybe even a peasant would wear, but of nice quality. Her sleeves were loose, but held hidden lightsaber hilts. While she did not expect him to attack, she wanted to be ready just in case. Her hair was down and no weapons were visible to the naked eye.

[member="Voph"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph stepped into the study, holding up a single hand to gesture a negative to Vincent. He did not plan to consume anything while he was here. Always bothered him to be eating while on business... He looked around the library quietly as he stepped inside, almost...seeming to ignore his host for a moment. He wasn't, not in his own way, anyway. He was, in fact, studying her as intently as the rest of the room itself. Simple attire...Hidden weapons...Nothing out of the ordinary. Not to Voph's mind anyways. After all it was only fair, considering he was openly wearing a blade himself.

"I...thank you for the warm welcome. All things considered." He focused his gaze on Ra, turning his head to match. He offered a stiff bow. "Lady Numare." He repeated the name, as if familiarizing himself with it. "I am Sitdrisa'yr. A man without cause or nation... I have come to seek your help." Voph inclined his head towards the fireplace, as if thinking for a moment. Finally he gestured towards the seats, indicating that Ra should sit. He positioned himself to take one of the seats, but refrained from sitting until Ra was already seated. He reached up, and with the familiar disengaging hiss, removed his helmet, revealing the nearly bald head and metal eyepiece beneath. The mantle, a simple affair, covered Voph's empty sockets, and stood as a symbol of his rare and proud species, the Miraluka.

He set the helmet on the floor next to the chair as he sat down, his pale face illuminated by the fire. "I am sure I am not the only one to have said this...but...I am here because I felt called. The connection your palace has to the Force. It was..." His head turned to stare blankly at Ra. "Alluring..."

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

With a bow Vincent let Voph into the library and left him to be welcomed by Ra.

She watched him look through the room and what it contained. The various volumes of knowledge she had collected over the years and now kept here. There both light and dark items as well as some more esoteric things. If he had noticed as he walked through the castle, he might be able to guess this was her favorite room. Here Ra was comfortable and that also showed in her body language.

Moving when he motioned he had selected one of the chairs by the fire, there was a small crack in her neutral façade. Ra much preferred to talk next to the fire and her mouth smiled just slightly as she walked. Listening to his words, her look grew thoughtful. They had just met and barely even that, shared a few words and that was all. Yet he was here because he felt called, had no home, nation or cause. She could offer him all three.

"You are correct in your statement. People arrive pretty consistently because they called. There are a few reasons for that, pilgrim. Here, there is a nexus that calls people. Yet it is also the home of my movement. What called you here?"

As she spoke she did not look away from him or show any surprise when he took his helmet off. A very old friend of hers was a Miraluka and Ra was familiar with what they were. At certain points, she made subtle motions with her hands to emphasize her words. Her interest in his answers would be clear to him and she was open to talking with him more.

[member="Voph"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph smiled slightly at her mention of others being called. "The convergence. I...wished to utilize it, if I may." His head turned to stare at the flames in the fireplace, and Voph leaned forward his his chair, rather than lean back and get comfortable. He clasped his hands in front of him, elbows resting on his knees. "I...fear something has happened to me. I had hoped to commune with this convergence of the Force...To seek answers. To find my son. Such a task would have been trivial, but..."

Voph paused for a moment. He looked back at Ra. "I had a meditation chamber. Something...not unlike this convergence you find yourself in possession of. Under other circumstances I would have used it, but...it was destroyed." He fell silent for a moment. He was being far more forward than he would have liked, but he had no other choice. He had to find Cortrin. To make sure...well, it was his son. He certainly wasn't safe. But alive, at least. He opened his mouth to speak, then paused, the words not coming to him. He tried again. "The last we spoke...he was bound for Iokath...To assist in the war effort. But...for all I know...that may have been years ago..."

Voph paused again. He should ask her. He didn't want to. He didn't know who she was. Who she was loyal to. She could betray him the moment she suspected they were of differing minds. But he had to find out somehow. "I..." His voice cracked, and he coughed, bringing his right fist up to stifle the cough. "I have been...indisposed for some time...My last memory... Occured in the year Twenty Three after the Treaty of Coruscant. If...if I may...how..How long has it been?" Voph's brow furrowed as he asked this question. He began to brace himself for what he might hear. But...nothing could really prepare him for what came next...

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

His request was not out of the ordinary or even fully unexpected. Nodding, Ra would allow him to visit its location, but would accompany him there. Trust was something that could be difficult to come by and they had just met. Perhaps if he decided to stick around, full trust would be given and he could wander the grounds here freely.

She listened as he continued speaking. About is own meditation chamber that was destroyed and about his son. Some things did not add up in her mind though. Leaning forward with him, it wasn't done because she didn't want to be comfortable, but she was quite interested in figuring out exactly what was going on.

Doing some calculations in her mind on the timing of things, his last memory was from over 4000 years ago. For one of the first times in her adult life, Ra was without the words on what to say. Luckily Vincent returned with a drink for her and provided her a few extra moments to think of what to tell her guest. When he left, she took a sip of her drink first and set the cup down.

"It is going to be a bit difficult to find out what happened to somebody from over 4000 years ago."

If there was one thing to know about Ra...she was not one to mince words. If there was something to say, she was going to say it. This man needed to know how much time had passed and better to just get it done right away. And he did ask how long it had been, so there was that. It seemed he was prepared for some sort of answer and she gave it to him.

[member="Voph"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph froze. No. He'd...only been asleep....for a couple years. She was lying to him. Cortrin was still alive, and the Empire didn't want him to find him. There was a small voice in the back of his head as he looked at Ra, his brow knit together in confusion and disbelief. She wasn't lying to him. Voph leaned back in his chair, bringing a hand up to his brow, his left hand gripping the arm of the chair. "Four...thousand...years..." His voice was hardly more than a whisper.

Then he felt it. Rolling down his cheek. He choked back a sob, gritting his teeth. He was silent for a moment, attempting to control himself. "He's...he's dead then." Voph wiped away the tear with his thumb. He cleared his throat and brought his right hand down to rest on the other arm of the chair. "No way he could have survived that long. How...how fares the war? Republic? Empire?"

His sorrow was overtaken by questions. So many questions. Four thousand years? What had changed? Was the Empire still around? Was the Republic? Jedi? Sith? Did these people even know what such things were? Where did he fit in all this? Or did he? It was...overwhelming. And now....save the ship he had procured, and the armor on his back....he had nothing.

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

Even though Ra was not a natural empathic person, it was a skill she had been working on. The shock Voph felt was felt even by her. His words were whispered and then he fell to silence. An attempt was made for him to control his emotions and she was quite thankful he was able to do that. Once he accomplished that, he came to same conclusion she had and that his son was dead.

Some sympathy would be extended to him, but not too much. She didn't feel it was what he wanted. Instead, she felt his desire to learn what had happened since he had gone to sleep. A time would come when he could mourn properly, but now wasn't that time.

He gave voice to his questions and Ra stood up and motioned to him to follow her. Provided he did, she would lead him to a secluded area of the library and opened a door for him. Inside it was filled with a database and holonet computer. While the technology would have improved since he had lived, the basics in how to work it should be the same.

"I can answer some things for you, others you will need to look up."

Giving him what knowledge she could about the current state of the galaxy. There was so much to tell him and there were probably some details left out. Hopefully it would be enough to get his mind set in the present though. She also slid in information about her own movement, but passed it off as just general information. If he paid attention to her words and tone though, there would be a clear change in them when she talked about it.

[member="Voph"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph followed her, clipping his helmet to the back of his belt. His heart still heavy from the revelation, and he could feel that ever present and haunting feeling crawling under his skin. That...cold, gnawing...void. Voph sighed quietly. Turning his gaze towards the Holonet terminal. He listened as Ra spoke of a brief overview of the galaxy. As she did so, he ran a few searches on the holonet terminal. He didn't dig too deep into the findings. Just enough to answer a few preliminary questions.

Ra, of course, would be able to see everything he pulled up. Names. Locations. All of them defunct. Well, most of them.

Sabryna: Deceased, circa 3735 BBY.

A pause. Then he searched for another name.

Cortrin Verros: Deceased, 3430 BBY.

Verros Fortress, Dromund Kaas: Destroyed in Star Destroyer crash, 3631 BBY.

Another pause.

Darth Sovryn: Unknown.

Voph frowned at this. Not the answer he was expecting. Or hoping for.

Project Confessor: Classified, file locked.

Voph clicked the unlock button. A password screen was brought up. He typed something in. Denied. He typed something else in. Also denied.

He tabbed back to another search.

Deep Space Navigation Beacon 45-B: Online.

Voph felt a sigh of relief escape his lips. He smiled, and shook his head, almost in disbelief. He paused for a moment, then looked to Ra.

"This movement you speak of. Dark Hand. It is not a thing of the past. You speak of it in present tense. And quite fondly. A force to combat the Sith. Hmph."

His head hung for a moment. "Then I suppose it is only fair that I tell you."

Project Confessor: Classified. File Locked.

Voph keyed in a password, holding his breath.

Access Granted. Welcome, Darth Voph.

Displayed on the screen, was the truth. "I was once one of them. Dark Lord of the Sith, and the next to rise should the head of my sphere fall." He looked over the information displayed to him for a moment. Plans. Blueprints. A Harrower cruiser. The Confessor. Assigned to Sith Intelligence. Commanding Officer: KIA. Status: Active. He closed the file. "Even still, I was an outcast among them. A tool. And so, I treated them the same. A means to an end." He looked at Ra. "If you wish, I shall depart immediately, and never return to this place. I understand completely if you do not trust me."

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

Allowing him the time he needed and wanted to look through the database, Ra did pay some attention to his searches. Somebody like him was rare and she was interested in knowing more about his time.

"I am an outcast well. The current Sith Empire destroyed my life even when they called me friend. And thus earned my ire and desire to destroy them. To clarify some misunderstanding though. My movement is not anti-Sith so much as against the Empire. What end were you trying to accomplish?"

Her tone was quite calm, but carried some weight. His Empire was nothing but ruins now, but he had a future if he played his cards right. She could certainly offer him some if he couldn't think of any on his own.

"Trust is something that is earned, pilgrim. Right now, I doubt you have a home to return to. If you wish to remain on Vjun, touch the nexus here until you feel confident in moving on. I also offer you a place within my movement if you have any desire to see the end of the current Sith Empire."

[member="Voph"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph sighed quietly. He understood exactly what Ra meant. The Sith had taken everything from him, and left him...well, he'd never publicly admit this, but he was little more than a broken and corrupt shade of the man he'd once been. His head turned towards Ra. "Power. The thing all Sith crave. But not for my own gain. No. I alone saw the storm coming. I alone was the prophet of their demise, and yet they would not listen. When Zakuul arrived, I gave everything I had to save Republic and Empire alike."

Voph shook his head softly. He tapped a couple keys on the control panel to bring the Navigation Beacon back online. "Your offer is kind, but I cannot stay. Not for now. There were promises made that must be kept. And...if this beacon is still online...home is out there. As desolate as it may be."

He tapped a few more keys to download the information to his datapad, before turning to Ra. "But before I go, I very much would like to commune with the convergence. To see what the Force asks of me."

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

"Where is home? Also you are alone in the galaxy, are you not? I do not offer you power, but a place to thrive. Here, you can learn about the times and find a new place for yourself."

She wasn't going to press the issue on him. He could leave any time he wanted, but Ra felt he would return. If nothing else but for the Nexus here. The information he lacked on the times was easily found in many sources. Her system here was one of many. Whatever he looked up would stay recorded in her databank. Not that she was going to track or have him followed.

He was a key to the past and a time she knew very little about. Stepping back to the door, she nodded and motioned for him to follow her again.

"Of course. You are my guest while you are here."

[member="Voph"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph smirked at Ra's question. Home. What a trivial question. Where was home? He opened his mouth to retort. Where...WAS home? Was home even...there? Did...did he ever have a home? Voph deflated somewhat, leaning back against the control panel and sighing quietly. His head dipped, and he folded his arms over his chest. "Home...Home is...out there." He gestured to the map without looking. The deep space navigation beacon was located in a small asteroid cluster near the Ilum system. "Maybe. Only home I've ever known. Rusted and rotted all to hell, I would wager." He looked back at Ra, studying her for a moment. "Assuming it's even still there. Four thousand years has a way of changing things."

Though no matter how hard her first question was, the second was what stung the most. Alone. Alone... Voph wiped another tear from his cheek. "I...I suppose I am, aren't I?" He sighed again, shaking his head as he bit down on his lip, drifting off into thought. "I'm...sorry, I...Do not usually lose my composure so easily...." He turned his gaze back to Ra. "I've...seen things. DONE things. That people could never imagine. And yet...Nothing has shaken me more than just...waking up one day to be told everything I've ever known is...gone." He offered her a half hearted smile, but it was corrupted by the pain and sadness welling within him. He swallowed, looking away from Ra. He pushed off the console and walked towards the door, pulling his helmet back onto his head, if only to obscure his visage from whomever they might pass in the hall. "You are kind, Lady Ra'a'mah. I wish to commune with the nexus. Then, if you would allow it, seek shelter here for the night, and depart to reclaim Desolation at first light." While quite a sinister suggestion by words alone, Voph's tone suggested that there was more to the phrase than one might think. Desolation. It almost sounded like...a name.

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

Her questions might appear to be simple questions on the surface, but they were deeps ones. She meant to bring him to the realization of a couple things. He had no for sure or secure place to call home and he understood that. Even stating it might not be there any longer. Time would tell on that.

"If it is up in the Ilum region, then soon there will be some attention paid there. A young sith government has recently set up not far from there. You can look into them if you wished, but with how the governments work these days...I don't see they will be around for long."

Time did change things, but struggles never did. They would always be there and for her visitor, they were just starting up again. It would be on him how well he was able to adjust to the new time, but help could be offered and this is what Ra did. Even if he did not accept it from her right now, it would be there for him if he needed it. Bast gave him a roof over his head and any other needs he might need. Ra also understood he had personal desires and those would need to be satisfied before he thought of much else.

"You can stay here as long as you need, pilgrim."

Vincent would be waiting outside of the library for the two of them. The old man was ready for whatever Ra would request of him and perform his duties without question. As long as they dealt with running the castle, he was fine and that was within his job parameters.

"I have had a room prepared for you. Would you like to be taken there now or after you have visited the Nexus?"

[member="Voph"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph paused, a low growl emanating from under his helmet, modulated by the filter, at Ra's mention of another Sith faction near Ilum. "I have no desire to meet with anyone who calls themselves a Sith. Should I see fit to visit their kind, it shall be heralding death and fire." He turned his attention to Ra, his sorrow replaced by...rage. Subtle, not as obvious and overbearing as many who fueled their passions with such emotions. But rather a small, burning pit suppressed and contained, ready to be unleashed at a moment's notice. "And if they are not long for this galaxy, then to the depths of hell with them and their kind."

He turned back to the door, considering for a moment. "Take me to the Nexus. I...may be some time communing with it."

As they walked, Voph fell silent for a long while, then finally began to speak. "I always enjoyed Ilum. Calm. Quiet. And out of the way enough that one could move undetected. It was there that I waited and watched. When business permitted me time away from Dromund. And...that infernal woman who called herself my wife allowed me reprieve from her insanity..."

His helmet turned to Ra. "The beacon was where I saw fit to leave the one place I found home. It served me well over many years, and many campaigns. I would assume her to be a modest ship by today's standards, but...The Desolation was home. Crewed by some of the finest men and women I've ever served with." His helmet turned away as he drifted off into thought, absently remarking, "Probably should arrange for a retrofit before I retrieve it..."

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

"There are different types of Sith these days."

That would be something Voph would have to learn on his own. Maybe it had been the same in his day, but she didn't ask. He expressed his feelings on them and it was enough for her. Hoping they would have more opportunity to work together, when he told her to lead him to the nexus, she nodded.

Vincent stepped up and indicated they should both follow him. Even though Ra knew the way, she still allowed the old man to guide her. A day would come where he would no longer be around and Ra dreaded that day.

"I assure you, sir, there will be food and drink ready for you when you are ready."

He lightly spoke as he lead them through the castle. Ra listened to what Voph said about his ship and thought of something. Lifting a hand when he finished, she held up one finger to catch his attention.

"If you wish, I can help you get into contact with some people that can help retrofit your ship."

[member="Voph"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph sighed quietly. "Sith came in all types in the old Empire. It did not make them...It did not make US any less evil."

Voph turned his head towards Ra as she gestured to him. "That would be...helpful."

He studied Ra for a second. Smaller individual. Simple garb. He did not usually judge others from their appearance alone. After all, his kind held such things with little to no regard. But...there was something strange about this girl. He had come to her, out of the blue. Unannounced. Told her that he was once the mortal enemy of any reasonable being in the galaxy. And not once had he felt that she was...threatened by him. She wasn't on guard. She wasn't waiting for him to turn on her.

Voph was quiet for a long time as he contemplated this. Then finally his curiosity got the better of him. "The Empire cast you out. You were once Sith yourself. And yet...here you sit, lord of your own castle. Waiting for all the galaxy to come knocking on your door. Why? Why do the Sith not hunt you? Why do they not work tirelessly to end you?"

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

If Voph could read her emotions, she did not go to any effort to hide them. Externally she did, but Ra still felt them and did not try to squash them down. At first they were a bit thoughtful when he mentioned there had been different types of sith in his time as well. Nodding when he said her offer would helpful, she made a mental note to get him into contact with John Locke before he left Vjun.

Ra was far from a mentalist, but even she could tell he was studying her. What exactly he was searching for, she didn't know. He made one wrong statement and she would correct it after he finished speaking. Along with addressing his other questions, she waited until he was done. Shaking her head slightly as she spoke at first, she ended with a more serious tone, but had a slight smile in it.

"They didn't cast me out...they destroyed my life. After they did that, I left them and vowed to destroy them. Made one small mark, but we are more of a shadow movement. Stay in hiding until the time is right and then make a move. Eventually, they will be forced to take notice of us. Until that day comes though, they appear to either ignore us or they watch us very closely. I think it is the first though.

"As for the waiting part? I am not one to stick my neck out very often. Only time I do is when I am sure of an outcome. Good or bad as it might be. Soon I think they will notice us for we are growing and this...movement is gaining traction. Until that day comes though, they don't notice us."

[member="Voph"]