Dead Man Walking

[Kyyrk]

Voph stood in the palace of Commenor, looking out the window at the busy street below. Much of the planet had remained the same since his last visit. Palace was new. The last time he had visited, the capital had been in a different city. But now it was here, and under the guidance of a young queen. [member="Lady Kay"] was her name, and...while not young, she was still far younger than Voph. He mused quietly that he may even be old enough to be her father. Perhaps even her grandfather. How old was he now? Voph frowned slightly at the notion. He'd forgotten entirely. Changing bodies would do that to you. He shook his head slightly, as if dismissing the thought. Lady Kay was due to call for him at any moment, and he needed to be focused.

His new dress tunic practically shone in the light, the soft red of his leather torso and decorative skirt accenting the black leggings and cape nicely. Not that he was able to see such a thing, his species was unable to perceive color. His simple cloth blindfold had been replaced by a decorative bone mantle, not unlike the one he used to wear before. On his right hip, unobscured by the cape, he wore a Lightsaber. A rather detailed and intricate affair, which he now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt to be his own design. In fact, it was a simple variant of this blade he had left with the Commenori all those years ago to mark his pact with them. He wondered if they still had it.

He did not sense its presence in the palace, and that was a suitable answer for him. If they had kept it, it was not important enough to keep in the seat of power. He could not say he blamed them. After all his history with the planet was...troubled to say the least. He looked up, towards the horizon as he heard footsteps behind him. He turned, offering the approaching figure a smile, but did not say anything, instead waiting to be addressed. He was, after all, on business with the Queen of Commenor...

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay happened to be the person approaching [member="Voph"] . Her assistant Olivia had given her word about this meeting that had been arranged. Given the current rebuild after the liberation of the planet, not to mention countless other projects in the works, her days have been stock full of meetings. Of course none of those were ever rushed. Olivia had done well to be sure that there was ample time for each. Thankfully.

She bowed her head to the man, raising a brow ever so slightly as his eyes were covered. It was much the same of [member="Dorin Arkx"] . How strange a coincidence.... It made Kay wonder if both Dorin's appearance and Voph's were somehow connected. Yet it could be that there was no connection at all.

"Welcome to Commenor.
I'm Lady Kay. Can I get you anything before we start? Some tea or brandy? Have you eaten?" She always had her tea for meetings. She always had her tea for nearly every occasion and at every meal. It was her addiction. On top of that she was a good host that took care of her guests, no matter their station or alignment.

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph bowed to Kay as she approached. "My Lady. Tea sounds lovely. It has been entirely too long since I have last had a decent brew." His left arm disappeared underneath his silk shoulder cape, and his right arm folded across the small of his back. He stood tall and proud, his posture suggesting he might have been nobility somewhere in the galaxy. Particularly when combined with his crisp imperial accent. His hair was cropped short, however, an unusual style for anyone claiming to be nobility. Though it looked as though it was growing back out. Voph's head tilted to the side as he studied Kay, a small smile playing over his face in response to her arched brow. "My visage is surprising to you. I apologize, Miraluka are rare in the galaxy. Particularly pure-bloods such as myself."

His right hand appeared from behind his back to wave Kay off in a dismissive manner. He shook his head as he did so, stating, "Food, however, will not be necessary. Your hospitality is gracious, but I have already eaten my fill." His head listed to the other side, and [member="Lady Kay"] might have gotten the feeling that, even though he was facing her, he was not looking at her. "It pleases me to see your planet in such good condition, considering her recent occupation. The recovery it has undergone is to be commended. The sign of a worthy and caring monarch."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded and moved off to the side table while [member="Voph"] spoke to prepare their tea. She had made it so many times that it was almost subconscious how she put it together; all the way from the crumpling of the Sapir leaves into the cups, as well as setting the water to heat up to the right temperature in the kettle.

"No need to apologize for what you are. A rare kind indeed, yet I have encountered another quite recently. Whether or not he's a pure-blood, I don't know." The water had come to a quick boil. She poured some into each cup and gave them a stir before carrying them over to him. One cup was held out to him. "Once the leaves are dissolved, it'll be properly steeped.
It should take but a minute." The aroma of the tea was already wafting into the air. It was both light and sweet.

Kay could tell that the man was a noble at some point in his life. Or at least he sure acted like one. That was something she appreciated, although it is never expected.

"Thank you. We're doing what we can. Some regions were hit harder than others. Mubto City was destroyed completely in just a few seconds...Right now it is just a memory....But that might not always be so." Through terraforming and other efforts, she hoped that given time, life will be able to flourish there again.

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph took the cup of tea, inclining his head in thanks. "A loss that will be felt for ages to come. In all my career I have never stooped as low as to glass an entire city. Nor do I plan to." His brow knit together at Kay's mention of another. Odd that another Miralukan had been present on Commenor recently. But he decided not to call attention to it. He turned his gaze towards Lady Kay and said, "But then, I rarely commanded the resources necessary for such a venture." He cleared his throat, then continued, "But alas, where are my manners. I am Voph Sitdrisa'yr. At your service, My Lady." He offered her another bow as he said this, though this one a bit more stiff. If only because he didn't want to spill the tea he'd been offered. Sitdrisa'yr. A word that Kay might be familiar with. Pilgrim, in the Mandalorian language. And a rather odd choice for a family name.

He reached up to rub the bridge of his nose, displacing the mask he wore ever so slightly, though he was careful that it did not reveal the empty eye sockets that lay underneath. He was, after all, quite concious of the social implications among eyed species. "I...suppose I should tell you why I am here." Voph paused, having to think carefully about how he would phrase this. Voph's brow furrowed, staring at [member="Lady Kay"] for a moment, trailing off into thought. He caught himself, shaking his head slightly. "Ah, my apologies. I have just realized why you seem so familiar. You are...mother to the young Captain Loreena." He smiled softly. "Forgive me, but the two of you...how do I describe this...you both are cut of the same cloth, if you will. And the bond you share is...well, one I have only seen between mother and child. Your daughter is a remarkable young woman. I had the honor of meeting her recently."

Voph took a cautious sip of the tea, having let it set for an appropriate amount of time. "I have been to Commenor previously, and forged an alliance with the ruling family at the time. This is why I wished to speak with you today. For, the terms of our pact have not yet been fulfilled. I wished to inquire if you still intended to honor the arrangement we once had, or release me from it." Voph paused for a moment, before adding, "And...if the former, discuss a new deal. Alas, I no longer command the armies I once did. I am little more than a wandering swordsman these days."

 

[Kay-Larr]

"Nor would I." Kay saw the glassing of cities as not so much a punishment of the planet's leaders, but moreso a punishment of the citizens. It was the same with sanctions and blockades. They affected the masses more than the intended targets.

Kay bowed her head as [member="Voph"] introduced himself. His surname sounded almost familiar in nature, yet she wasn't sure as to why. She wasn't very fluent in other languages besides Basic. She was supposed to learn Mandalorian after she was adopted into Clan Raxis, however Kay kept to her duties on Commenor instead of going to Mandalor. "Lovely to meet you, Voph."

She sipped her tea while he rubbed the bridge of his nose. And it was quite fortunate that she had swallowed it down before he spoke of her daughter, for the fact that he knew her came as quite a shock. Kay blinked quickly multiple times as her mind raced on that topic. "You've met my daughter? I hope that she's keeping out of trouble..." And not playing pranks on everyone. One day she'll lay a trap on the wrong person....

Kay brought herself out of those thoughts, bringing her mind to the present. "The ruling family before me were the Elders...Are you saying that you had a pact with them?" There was something very strange about all of this. His story was familiar and yet....No, it couldn't be him. That was a very, very long time ago.

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph smiled softly at [member="Lady Kay"] as she inquired about her daughter. "She seemed to be well enough behaved, yes. Quite the respectable captain. If...inexperienced. She surrounds herself with good people, however. No doubt a trait learned from her mother." Voph took another sip of his tea and cleared his throat. "Ah...Yes..." Voph fell silent for a moment, looking down at the ground. He was silent for a moment, before looking back at Kay. "I think that is what they called themselves. It...has been some time, and I've been...preoccupied." Voph paused, then said, "Your planet had just been liberated from a terrible force, much like you face now, when I reached out to them. A promise that...even though I had not been able to stop the invasion, I would pledge my service to Commenor, among other planets, and aid them in any way I could, should such a thing happen again."

Voph set his tea on the table and began to pace, head bowed as he recalled the events of the past. "In fact, I used my resources at the time to form a league of warriors that acted as...some form of rapid deployment defense force. After...well, I was indisposed for a time, and the league collapsed without my leadership. I've been travelling around the galaxy, offering to renew my pacts with the various worlds I had traveled to before. So far...You are the only one that has even granted me an audience." Voph paused, his curiosity getting the better of him. "In fact...I seem to recall having left a gesture of our pact with the rulers when last I came here. A...Lightsaber. One of my own creation. I do not sense its presence within the palace...You...would not happen to know of what I speak, would you?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

Oh it was Kay's hope that Lori would be surrounded by people that would have a good influence on her. She was still naive to the ways of the Galaxy, despite being out there to travel and learn in the last couple of years. Thankfully she had avoided the real trouble back at home.

She cupped her cup in both of her hands while [member="Voph"] spoke of supporting the planet. The thought of an old promise such as that made her think back on...

No...it couldn't be...

He mentioned the lightsaber then. Her eyes were drawn right away to the one hanging from his hip, with a hilt that was designed in a similar fashion to the one that [member="Dorin Arkx"] had brought her a short time ago.

"I know the blade that you speak of. And...it is yours?
A man came here in search of someone from Commenor's past. He was drawn to that blade, and requested to keep it for further research. His name is Dorin and he came from some kind of Order that has long since gone.
Perhaps you could shed more light on this...strange tale." Especially how he could be still alive after so many centuries. Essence transfer, maybe?

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph paused. Someone was looking for him. Who? Why? Voph sighed quietly, and took another sip of the tea he'd been offered. He set it back on the table and cleared his throat. "Strange does not begin to describe the state we find ourselves in, I feel." Voph turned his head to look at Kay. "It was 18 years after the Treaty of Coruscant." He paused, letting Kay digest that information. "Almost five thousand years ago, now. The Force had granted me a vision. A looming threat, to both the Empire, and the Republic."

His head bowed at the mention of the Empire. "I was...a Dark Lord of the Sith. Darth Voph. And yet...the days before the invasion destroyed my faith in that broken empire. It would not heed my warnings. So I left. To gather allies. No one believed me. No one trusted me. And they were well within their rights to do so."

Voph looked back at Kay. "When the time came, and the Zakuul launched their invasion, I alone came to the defense of Commenor. The mightiest trade nation in all the galaxy. When the dust settled, I returned to Commenor, among other worlds. The Zakuul war had been a costly one. And one that many did not wish to see again. And so I reformed my old council, took what remaining allies I had, and formed the Octarchy Covenant."

Voph folded his hands at the small of his back. "How I came to be in this time is..Unclear to me. I was dead, that much I know. Something...or someone has brought me back." Dorin. He'd been looking for him. Could he have something to do with this? "The Jedi think that death is a natural part of life. And I am inclined to agree with them. I dread to think what Sith might have saw fit to bring me back. Or what price was paid to do so."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay's brows furrowed as she studied [member="Voph"] while he spoke. What sort of Sith magic made him age like that? Or perhaps there was some rip in the fabric of time. Were others caught in that too? Or was it just him?

"Octarchy....that was the word he used. He said that he was the last of them..."

Voph continued speaking. Kay knew what it was like to not be heard and to have warnings fall on deaf ears. She had that happen a lot when it came to the powerful governments in the Galaxy. She had no voice because she didn't fight in their wars.

She sipped her tea once again. Do you think that Dorin finding your blade was enough to bring you back from a promise not kept?"

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph arched a brow at Kay. Octarchy. This...Dorin knew of them. Perhaps not all record had been lost. The last of them...he highly doubted. If the Octarchy did still exist...Well... "I think you misunderstood him. Or he was lying. The Covenant no longer exists. You, of all people, would know if the Covenant was still active. Being one of their founding members."

He took another sip of tea as she posed her second question. He shook his head. "No. The blade had nothing to do with it. It was a symbol of the promise, it held no supernatural properties beyond that." He studied her for a moment, before saying, "Sith Sorcery is a dark and vile art. One demanding...balance. As the sages of old would say, an eye for an eye. I fear someone used these methods to bring me back. And the gods only know what the death toll must have been to enact it..."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay raised a brow. She wasn't one of the founding members. [member="Voph"] was. Perhaps he was a little confused. But he really should talk to [member="Dorin Arkx"] himself. "I think that you two should organize a meeting.
It could be here or elsewhere..."

She frowned a little as Voph mentioned Sith sorcery and death. Kay sipped her tea, furrowing her brows in thought. There couldn't be any connection between what happened to Munto City and to Voph returning. So that would mean that it had to be something else that brought him back. "I haven't heard of any strange deaths occuring here since the siege. So whatever it was probably happened somewhere else."

Oh how she hated Sith sorcery! Kay sipped her tea. "I hope to be able to combat Sith sorcery some day. There's one in particular I know that uses it a lot." Both herself and her husband hope to kill that Sith Lord one day.

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph smirked at Kay's flash of irritation at the mention of sorcery. "Sorcery is no different than any other aspect of the Force. And one would argue more difficult to fight with. What with all the incantations and materials one needs."

He folded his arms over his chest as he surveyed Kay. "But...The Force is still the Force. What works for one will work for all." He sighed quietly, turning to glance out the nearby window. He was silent for a long moment. Dorin. Looking for him. Not just Octarchy. Him. Why? Voph kept his left arm crossed over his chest, his right elbow resting on the back of his other hand, and his right hand thoughtfully stroking his chin. "But...that all aside..." He turned on his heels back towards [member="Lady Kay"] and folded his arms behind his back. "There is still the matter of the Covenant, and our service to the Crown of Commenor. Do you, Queen of Commenor, see fit to honor the Covenant we once held established?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

"He uses some sort of amulet or something to help with some of it. Or at least that's where I see some of those dark tendrils coming from." Twice now she had tried to stop them and twice she had failed. And with each failure she was subjected to horrors.

She watched [member="Voph"] as he seemed to ponder while looking out of the window in silence. Just what he was thinking about, Kay wasn't entirely sure. But she had a feeling that she could guess on some of it. Her own mind drifted to the thoughts of just how this ancient and should-be-long-dead man was here speaking with her right now. He was no ghost. That was for sure and certain.

Voph interupted her thoughts by turning to her once more and speaking. She bowed her head in agreement to his query. "Yes I do. We are in great need after what we have suffered in the hands of our enemy."

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph leaned forward in a bow of acceptance as Kay agreed to honor the millennia old agreement. He smiled, and oddly enough it was genuine. Not the fake, practiced smile he had grown used to donning in meetings such as this. A place to call home, a nation to fight for once again... Voph realized how much that had become a part of his personality. No, his very reason for existence... "As you command, your highness. I am but one man, but I am sure you will find satisfactory use for me."

He straightened back up. "For now, I think I will seek a solution to your....problem. I'll need access to a workshop. Preferably something...secluded. I work best when undisturbed. Otherwise I will seek lodging within the city until you call upon me."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay nodded. Of course she'd have uses for [member="Voph"] . There were plenty of opportunities available to him. She was in the process of restructuring her government in a way that would free up more of her time so that she wasn't shouldering most of the responsibilities. Hopefully it'd work.

When Voph asked for a secluded workshop, her mind went straight to the one that Veiere has at their Estate. But that was their private residence and so few knew of it's existence. To take him there when she hardly knew him wouldn't be wise.

"We'll find a place for you to work. There could be something in the Warehouse District of Chasin City. Otherwuse we could have one built for you somewhere to suit your needs. Which would you prefer?"

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Building one will not be necessary. I will find one within the city." He smiled at Kay. "You are among the more generous leaders I have spoken with. Your people should be glad to have you."

He folded his arms over his chest. "And yet I do not envy you. I recall the responsibility of running a nation...And I do not do so fondly. But then, I have always held that the best leaders were those of circumstance, not of choice." He smiled wryly. "Given history has forgotten my name, I would wager there are exceptions to those rules..."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay bowed her head at the compliment that [member="Voph"] had given her. Yet she wasn't so sure if everyone thought that her people were lucky. She did surrender them all to occupation by the Sith afterall. And millions lost their lives because she didn't do so sooner. No, Kay didn't quite agree with them all being lucky.

She took in a deep breath and released it slowly as he spoke of leaders and history. No doubt she'll be forgotten too. "I didn't gain this position by choice.
I'm not a part of any Royal bloodline but the one now created. Yet it's too late to change anything. And I must keep hold of this position for as long as I can. My children are not ready to lead. And I'm not even so sure that they want to." The Monarchy could start and end with her. And she wondered if that was really a bad thing. Did Lori and Cae even love this planet and it's people as much as she did? Or were they too content with exploring the Galaxy?

One day she'd learn the answers.

 

[Kyyrk]

Voph turned towards the window, the smile slowly fading from his face. "I've been alive for nearly eight decades. I've seen much, and learned more. I was born among my people....yet was raised by a cold...uncaring galaxy." His tone grew solemn as he reflected back on his experiences. "I was treated as a lesser being for what I was. For things I had no control over. I am no noble, nor royalty of any kind. What I have...what I had...was earned. Or taken."

He sighed quietly, glancing to [member="Lady Kay"] as he continued. "One cannot dream of yesterday...or worry of tomorrow. All that matters is what you have been given, and what you decide to do with it. Are your children ready to lead a planet? Perhaps not. Will they ever be? Almost assuredly not. But they will follow the example set for them by those they look up to. But in the end, whether the throne is passed to your children, or to someone else, that is a concern for tomorrow. Worry today about how best to serve your people. Let your legacy worry about itself."

 

[Kay-Larr]

"Veiere and I figured that we could retire from public life at some point and just live in peace and quiet. But I don't expect that to happen now. Our lives are far too busy and the moments that we are together are far and inbetween." And even then, it was usually to discuss the government and what little they knew of what their children were up to. Perhaps too much had happened to allow them time to be a married couple. Would that ever change? Probably not. She just had to push her feelings aside. Now was not the time to be selfish.

Kay shifted her weight on her feet. "Shall I leave you to get things started?" She didn't want to hold up [member="Voph"] and prevent him from carrying on with his day.