Private Bittersweet Symphony

[Inanna Harth]

“Of course,” Inanna murmured, her focus primarily on Pygar. “You have your mission, I have mine.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see Erictho captured and brought to justice, she was simply more concerned with her brother’s wellbeing.

But there was more to it. Despite her history of violence and the extent of her training, Inanna Yomin still thought of herself as a civilian who kept getting dragged into matters of war by her friends and acquaintances, or because of extenuating circumstances, or because she just happened to be born Force Sensitive. Of course, when your homeworld is conquered and your species exterminated as part of a military campaign between two major factions, you can’t help but get involved. But Inanna preferred to stay on the sidelines or behind the scenes, helping people without bloodshed.

She’d already done enough killing to last a lifetime.

“If I may make a suggestion,” Ayreon began. “Pygar likely has information that would be useful to you. It may be wise to wait to search for Erictho until he is capable of answering questions.”

Qhorin Solas​

 

[Qhorin Solas]

The Sentinel eyed the droid, dipping his head in a nod of acknowledgment. He and considered that already, but it was a valid suggestion.

“Just so. Doubtlessly he will have some sort of information about the Sith, but until he can talk, I waste nothing by searching these tunnels in the interim. He could be out for minutes, hours, or days. What was done to him… that he can recover at all is a blessing.”

Qhorin adjusted his cloak and kneeled as if to scoop Pygar up in his arms, the hem pooling at his feet, and turned his attention to Inanna.

“I will give you my com code to alert me when he awakes, if that is amenable to the two of you.” He paused, and then: “So… to the surface?”

Inanna Harth

 

[Inanna Harth]

“Please, allow me.” Ayreon stooped to pick up Pygar.

He led the way back, retracing their steps back to the surface. Inanna stuck close to the HRD in order to be near Pygar. He appeared to be stable, but she couldn’t stop herself from worrying and hovering.

So many members of her family had died. Her father, other brothers, nieces and nephews were all gone. Pygar was one of the few survivors, the last of the Hooles. Her mother would certainly be glad to see him alive, once they got him to her.

For now, they would have to keep him on Coruscant while he recovered, and Qhorin could continue his hunt for Erictho.

LATER

It was several hours before Pygar awoke again. They had carried him to one of Ayreon’s safehouses, an apartment in a more upscale part of Coruscant. He asked for food and water and devoured the meal they gave him with a ravenous appetite. Inanna’s healing crystal had evidently done its job, speeding up the healing process considerably, though he had trouble walking and was covered in scabs and bruises.

“Well, Qhorin, I suppose it’s time for you to interrogate him…” Inanna muttered, using her datapad to summon the Jedi to the safehouse.

Qhorin Solas​

 

[Qhorin Solas]

Once Ayreon, Inanna, and Pygar were safely above ground, Qhorin carefully picked his way through the warrens.

He found little and less in the dank, dark warrens; there were traces of dark energies that seemed denser in some places than others, but he knew nothing of the Darkside to wade deeply into such bleak currents, and he found remnants of strange tools and equipment abandoned and scattered deeper in the tunnels, where they widened into chambers, but he could not discern her purpose.

But still, the scope of his enemy began to take shape, as if a vague silhouette slowly coming into focus. Pygar, when he awoke, would hopefully sharpen the picture.

As he was climbing back up the shaft, he received a message. It was Inanna. The timing couldn’t have been better.

He finished the climb and returned to his speeder before following the coordinates he’d received to a safehouse in a much more lavish sector of Coruscant, to a towering apartment building. There he found the trio waiting.

“You look much better, Pygar.” He took a seat and settled his senses with a deep breath. “My name is Qhorin Solas. I am a Jedi. I have some questions for you, if you feel up to answering them.” He placed his arms on the the armrest and steepled his fingers beneath his chin. “What can you tell me about Erictho?”

Inanna Harth

 

[Inanna Harth]

Pygar was sitting up in bed, his hands resting on his knees. Inanna’s gem still hung around his neck, humming with energy as it worked to stitch his body back together. He gazed up at Qhorin from beneath a furrowed brow.

“There’s not a whole lot to say,” he replied. “She’s a Sith. She was a Shi’ido at one point, although I’m not so sure if that’s still the case.

“She found me on Lao-mon. I was wounded in battle and close to death. She saved my life, but seized control of my mind. Made me believe my name was Petyr, and that she was my only friend in all the galaxy. We had to stick together. I had to take care of her…”

He trailed off, becoming lost in thought for a few seconds. When next he spoke, it was sudden and jarring. “We came to Coruscant and lived in a community of Sithspawn who had rebelled against their masters. They called it the Reef. Erictho pretended to be like them, but in reality she was working to undermine their leaders and take control. She wanted them as her servants and soldiers. I think she was trying to build up a powerbase.

“Anyway, there was an incident involving the leader of the Reef, a woman named Damsy. People were hurt. Some might’ve been killed. Damsy went into exile, and that was when Erictho really dug her claws in. But there was something else that happened after that, and that's when I 'woke up'…”

He shook his head. “I don’t remember much, sorry.”

Qhorin Solas​

 

[Qhorin Solas]

Was a Shi'ido?

That was disconcerting. Some sects of the Sith were known for their genetic experiments- perhaps Erictho had worked some manner of alchemy on herself to alter her biology. It had certainly been done before.

As Pygar went on, Qhorin listened in silence. The man's tragic story was more informative than he knew. It gave shape to the Sith's motives, helping the Jedi etch an ever clearer picture of who she was.

"There's no need to apologize. You've been through a horrific ordeal." He leaned back in his chair, chin lifted in thought. "Do you perhaps know where I might find Damsy?"

If the Sith had strung Pygar up as a warning to any Sithspawn who might return to the Reef, it was very possible that she had lost control of more than Pygar. Perhaps they would seek out Damsy for shelter...or Erictho might seek her out for revenge.

The Sith did not abide a living enemy. They would always seek to kill those that opposed them.

Inanna Harth

 

[Inanna Harth]

Pygar shook his head. “ Damsy Callat . I have no idea where she went. I figure she doesn’t want to be found.”

Inanna, who had been listening from her corner of the room, crossed her arms over her chest. She wanted to get this Jedi out of their hair, and the best way to do that seemed to be to give him something to work with and send him on his merry way. “You really have no idea where Erictho might have gone?” she asked.

“No,” Pygar snapped. “I was her mind-controlled lackey, not her confidant.”

“What about other Sithspawn?”

He shrugged. “There was one who managed to become a Jedi Padawan. His name was Kai. He should still be with the New Jedi Order. Damsy and him were close.”

Qhorin Solas​

 

[Qhorin Solas]

Pygar did not know where to find Damsy Callat, but he knew of someone who might- a Padawan named Kai.

Qhorin would have to make do with the intel. For all that it would be a slog through numerous reports and manifests to track the Padawan down, this was his only lead to discovering Erictho's whereabouts. He would have to reach out to the various Jedi temples scattered across the stars at the earliest opportunity, but if the Padawan could be found, he would do everything in his power to do it.

And if that too proved to be a dead end, then he would have to trust the Force to guide him. After all, had it not led him to Inanna in the first place?

"Thank you for your help, Pygar," said Qhorin as he stood from his chair and prepared to leave. "And forgive my intrusion. I wish you a swift and full recovery. Inanna, Ayreon, I appreciate your assistance. May the Force be with you."

Inanna Harth