Private Risk and Regret

[Drystan Creed]

HAPES

As his ship slipped silently into orbit, the lush mountain ranges and thick forests of Hapes loomed larger with each passing second. He guided the vessel to a discreet landing zone, just outside the capital's outer ring. Wearing a dark, nondescript hooded cloak, Drystan descended from the hatch and began his subtle approach toward the city.

It wasn't a place he had planned to return to. The last time he was here, there had been a village… and a skirmish—Galactic Alliance forces clashing with Hapan resistance. He'd been forced to take down a Padawan and eaten enough explosives for the both of them.

The mission had succeeded, technically. The boy had survived, unconscious but otherwise fine. And Drystan had escaped without permanent injury. Still, it wasn't a proud memory. The operation was finished, but the outcome could have been better.

That was then. Now, he had work to do. Dark Side activity had crept into Alliance territory again—and all leads pointed back here. Unfortunately.

Still, better to walk through a place with ghosts than wade through some icy hellscape. Hoth came to mind—snowstorms, frostbite, and endless white.

With a practiced leap, he scaled one of the nearby rooftops. The city stretched out before him like a grid of secrets. He scanned the layout, eyes sharp beneath the hood.

It was time to hunt.

Ben Khal

 

[Ben Khal]

It was late afternoon in the Hapan capital. Ben sat in the gardens of the royal palace, listening to the splash of water in a grand fountain that had once been encrusted with rainbow gems. Now the carved stone bore the scars of hammer and chisel from when the insurgents had occupied the palace and stripped it of its riches.

He had come out here to get away from the tightly controlled chaos inside. Preparations for a banquet to celebrate the new Queen Mother’s ascent to the throne of Hapes were underway. The palace was crowded with servants carrying heavy loads, the echo of hammers and nails in large chambers, and stern soldiers jealously guarding the royal person. The whole affair promised to be elaborate, lavish, and extraordinarily expensive. House Khal had offered a generous sum to help with the cost, and both Ben’s mother and aunt were acting as the de facto party planners. The sound of their voices as they argued passionately over everything from decorations to scheduling carried in the vast halls of the palace. Ben almost felt sorry for his aunt; both her husband and daughter had been killed at the hands of the insurgents, the latter having nearly married the heir to the throne. No doubt she saw the banquet as a chance to claw back some of the power and influence she had lost with the would-be princess’ death, even if it meant locking horns with her sister.

Ben sighed, trying to find some sense of serenity in the gentle flow of the fountain. After a month in self-imposed exile, he still felt out of place. Being a Hapan noble had set him apart from his Jedi peers, yet now his home seemed alien after he had spent two years with the Order. Even his clothes don’t feel right—soft silks clung to his skin instead of the coarse robes he had grown used to. He touched the Padawan braid still hanging behind his right ear, running his fingers over it as if to reassure himself it was still there.

A gardener appeared in front of him, tidying up the plants with a laser cutter. The quiet broken, Ben heaved a sigh and stood up, moving away from the man and his noisy tool. As he turned the corner around a hedge, he came to an abrupt halt, eyes widening. A familiar soul drew near, their presence sliding across his perception like a shadow blotting out the sun. His gaze darted upward, catching a faint glimpse of a figure darting across the rooftop of a neighboring building.

Though he could no longer see him, his eyes tracked where he sensed Drystan Creed’s aura. You are not a Jedi, he reminded himself. Whatever he’s doing here, it’s none of your business. But that was insane. Drystan was a Shadow—his whole purpose was to kill Dark Siders. Which meant that the Dark had reached Hapes… or something wasn’t right here. Either way, he couldn’t stand to just ignore it.

Looking around to make sure no one could see him, Ben crouched down, then leaped upwards, enhancing his jump with the Force. It carried him high into the air, soaring over the gardens until he landed on the same roof where he had seen Drystan only seconds ago. From there he darted between towers and spires, trailing behind the Shadow.

Drystan Creed​

 

[Drystan Creed]

HAPES

Drystan overlooked the edge of a rooftop. He had no leads yet, currently just familiarizing himself with the city—the layout, the streets, the buildings, and the constant bustle below as crowds and individuals moved from place to place. As part of his routine, he dedicated a day or two to casing the area, learning its ins and outs, identifying people and places of interest related to his operation. A successful mission depended on good research, and Drystan kept things as detailed as possible.

His focus remained fixed on absorbing his surroundings, until a presence approached. Familiar—but not entirely certain—he instinctively tapped near his hip where his saber was clasped.

At the sight of Ben, he paused, tilting his head slightly in confusion. Odd to see him here again, and alone once more, without his Master. Still, the sight of the Padawan brought memories of the Crisis rushing to the forefront of the Shadow's mind—memories he hadn't yet made peace with. His brow furrowed.

He stared Ben down for a moment, attempting to determine his intent, before finally breaking the silence.

"Oh. It's you. Why are you following me, Padawan? And without your master once again."

The question was simple—blunt—and it was clear Drystan remained unaware of Ben's current status as an exile. The Shadow rarely kept up with the Order's political shifts or internal deliberations; his work left little room for that.

Ben Khal

 

[Ben Khal]

Ben tried to be discreet at first, but he was no match for the Shadow's honed senses. He got as far as the next tower before Drystan acknowledged his presence.

"Oh. It's you. Why are you following me, Padawan? And without your master once again."

He opened his mouth to answer the question, only to falter at the mention of his master. The wound still stung. Still, he mustered up his dignity and put on a brave face. "I took the Barash vow," he said. "So did my master." If Oukranos could still be called his master, and their bond wasn't completely severed...

A gust of wind tousled his black hair, whipping his Padawan braid. "I want to know what you're doing here," he said. "I looked you up at the Temple. You're a Shadow. Wherever you go, there's trouble."

Drystan Creed​

 

[Drystan Creed]

HAPES

Drystan paused, studying Ben with a discerning gaze.

The Barash vow? Interesting. That was news to him; truth be told, he had never kept tabs on the boy after that incident. It had been just another mission to the Shadow, and he moved on to another operation soon after. Not much could be said about Oukranos on his end. He hadn't met him on Hapes and was unsure where the master's allegiances lay that day. For all he knew, Oukranos might have spurred Ben to go against the Alliance and the Jedi Order.

As Ben explained his intent, Drystan hesitated, unsure whether to show his full hand. After a moment, he decided how to answer.

"You answered your own question. I am currently on a mission following some leads. Nothing you should be concerned with."

A pause.

"Why did you take the Vow? Did it have to do with…"

He trailed off; it was obvious he was alluding to the crisis they had both experienced.

Ben Khal

 

[Ben Khal]

Drystan appeared utterly clueless as to why he had taken the Barash. Ben's brow furrowed, then relaxed. Of course. Why would he care? Ben had spent every day since the Battle of Hapes utterly consumed by the consequences of his actions on that day. In such a state it was easy for him to forget that his personal problems weren't everyone else's business. Likewise the conflict of Hapes, though all-consuming for a Hapan, was just another skirmish in the mind of a non-native.

"The Jedi Order sought to maintain neutrality in the civil war," Ben said. "My master and I ended up on opposite sides of the conflict. I fought for the Consortium and the Queen Mother, while he joined forces with the Crimson Veil." He tried to keep the revulsion out of his voice, but wasn't entirely successful. "We both chose the Barash for the sake of... our honor."

It was strange to think that he had dueled this man not too long ago, trading barbs on the battlefield as their lightsabers clashed. Yet now they were just talking. He couldn't quite bring himself to apologize to Drystan for trying to kill him, but he was more introspective. Just not enough to say he was sorry.

"I know you're a Shadow. If you're here on a mission, that must mean the Dark Side is in our midst." He met Drystan's gaze, his countenance firm and serious beyond his years. "This is my homeworld. If I can, I would like to be of assistance to you. Or at least, I want to know who the enemy is."

Drystan Creed​

 

[Drystan Creed]

HAPES

So his assumptions had been correct. Both Ben and his Master had gone against the Alliance and the Order. But the Crimson Veil—the opposition to the Hapan matriarchy... that was interesting.

Drystan didn't want to admit it, but Ben was right in his assumption. He hated the reputation that Shadows brought with them, but it was part of the job. Routing out the worst the dark side had to offer tended to spread word, and for those who knew what Shadows were, their presence usually meant something terrible was happening—or about to.

At Ben's offer of assistance, Drystan had to catch his reflexive "No." In his mind, there were several reasons to deny him. Ben was too inexperienced for this kind of work—far beyond what was expected of a Padawan. He could be a liability if he wasn't careful. But worst of all, Drystan didn't want to see him hurt, afflicted, or worse.

But something stirred in the back of his mind. Maybe leaving Ben on the sidelines, without any way to help, would be worse. If he rejected him here, the boy might try to prove himself in some reckless way. Drystan knew that mindset well—it was one he'd had himself during his own Padawan days.

Maybe… maybe this was the better option.

"Very well," he said at last. "But you do as I say—exactly as I say. No heroics. If I order you to do something, you do it, alright? You're still a Padawan, and the missions of a Jedi Knight can be dangerous. That pales in comparison to what we Shadows get into."

A pause.

"I will not take your help or share more about my mission unless you accept those terms."

Ben Khal

 

[Ben Khal]

Ben expected resistance from Drystan, though in his mind it had less to do with his inexperience and more to do with his having taken the Barash. He had an argument prepared against that, ready to say that he would involve himself as a concerned citizen. It might not have gone over well.

Which was why it was for the best that the Shadow actually agreed - albeit with certain conditions. Ben listened and didn't hesitate to nod in agreement. "I accept your terms," he said.

A Hapan woman might have objected to being ordered around by a man, but Ben did not. He had seen for himself Drystan's skill and self-discipline. One might even say he had a begrudging respect for the Shadow, having known what it was like to duel against him. Moreover, the Shadows were, in his opinion, among the bravest members of the Jedi Order.

"I assume you already have some leads in your investigation." Glancing down toward the lights of the Royal Palace, Ben's grew contemplative. "I wouldn't be surprised if someone was trying to take advantage of the change in regime. The civil war was bloody. We are still licking our wounds, and many people came out of it worse off than they were before."

Drystan Creed​

 

[Drystan Creed]

HAPES

Drystan nodded, confirming Ben's assumption and his acceptance of Ben's aid. He wouldn't be controlling but he would maintain having the final say for any possible decisions.

"That's right. It's a place ripe for corruption—darkness spreading."

He looked over the ledge, eyes scanning the city.

"My investigations have led me to believe there's a dark side influence taking hold here. I've been hunting this group of Sith for a month now, and all signs point to their main operations being in this city."

His eyes narrowed.

"More than likely preying on the fears and uncertainty of the citizens, offering them false promises of being uplifted from the crisis."

He gave the city one last look before turning back to Ben.

"Your knowledge of the city, its culture, the general goings-on—that would help this investigation. So, first question: have you noticed any groups or organizations springing up lately? Gatherings where there normally wouldn't be... anything unusual for this place?"

Ben Khal