This is Bigger Than You

[Keirra]

Kierra was pleased with herself, not only for the bodies and terror she’d left in her wake but for the live ones she’d managed to bring with her. She sat on the deck of the cargo hold, humming happily, stroking Balthazar’s neck. Energy cages lined the walls, filled with slavers sitting in their own squalor. It was a long journey into the Unknown Regions, but she was filled with excitement.

The Elder would be proud of her. She may have left without his permission and borrowed a cargo ship and its crew in the process...she might’ve even killed a couple of them but she had achieved what she set out to do. He would be proud.

Right?

“Oh Balthazar. He will be pleased to see us.” She slid onto the lizards back, wrapping her arms about him in a tight embrace. “I just know it.”

 

[Keirra]

The ship rattled as it descended from orbit, atmosphere heating the hull plates. Kierra imagained what it must be like to feel such warmth after so long in the cold as she pirouetted around the cargo hold, pausing occasionally to smack her new toys with a metal rod she’d found, their cries of pain musical in her ears.

Balthazar thumped his tail in rhythm, watching her dance, their joint excitement at being on familiar soil filling their souls. Crew members were beginning to appear as the rattling slowed, preparing the cargo for landing, and avoiding eye contact with Kierra. They’d developed an understanding in the past months, a simple one. Don’t interact with her, unless she interacts with you.

The ship gave one final shudder as it landed, the engines winding down with a mechanical sigh. Kierra bounced forward, pummeling the actuator with barely contained excitement as the ramp lowered. Balthazar lumbered up behind her as she darted down the ramp and leapt from it before it had even touched the ground.

“I have returned, Master.”

There was no one there to greet her. Not even a guard to tell her she was expected, or to see him at once. “Master?” she whispered sadly. Was he so angry with her that such dismissal was warranted? No. No, he wasn’t, he would be pleased to see her, surely. Perhaps he didn’t know? But he always knew.

“Balthazar?” the krayt dragon nudged her hand and she knelt before him, losing herself momentarily in his yellowed eyes. “Perhaps he is just busy. Yes,” she continued, with a forced smile. “Yes, that’s it, he is busy.”

She stood up. “Unload the cargo, I want them all in the courtyard.”

 

[Keirra]

The ground was warm beneath her toes as she wandered away from the ship, and headed to the temple’s courtyard, crumbling yellow stone and old statues littered the ground. It was an old forgotten place, one that the Elder could restore but chose not to. She was glad he didn’t, for the broken grounds made the perfect place for a girl to play. She climbed atop a fallen pillar and took a deep breath, exhaling it into a high pitched howl.

If the Elder would not come, there were others who would. She reached out into the force calling upon her pets, howling again until they howled in response. The Tuk’ata came running, snapping at each others heels in play gathering at the foot of the pillar. Kierra jumped into the midst and was instantly bundled, friendly tongues licking, teeth nipping playfully at her as she showered them all with love. Balthazar held back. He’d never been comfortable around them.

“Oh my sweet ones, I have missed you. I brought you things to play with. Yes, yes I did.” She gestured to the energy cages that the crew were depositing. The hounds bounded around them, snarling and snapping. Kierra waited till the crew had gone before moving around them herself.

“Eeny, meeny, miney mo.” she stopped before a gamorrean and deactivated the cage. “Run.” she told him. He did not need telling twice, turning tail and running rom the courtyard and into the wastelands beyond. Kierra giggled with glee.

“Fetch!” she shouted. The Tuk’ata did not need telling twice.

 

[Keirra]

Kierra had gone through four of the prisoners before he appeared. Letting them out one by one and making them run before setting the hounds after them. Cackling everytime they caught them and tore them apart. It was a good game, and the Tuk’ata ate well for it.

“Kierra!” the girl froze at the sound of his voice, turning slowly to look at him standing on the stairs above the courtyard. “Speak with you, I must.” she hesitated, a trickle of fear running down her spine. “A request, this is not.”

She dared not anger him further, casting one longing looking at the hounds chasing down a fifth slaver before, bounding up the stairs towards him, Balthazar trailing behind her. She lowered herself to her knees a few steps below him, avoiding eye contact. “Master.” she breathed. His cane whacked her hard across the head and she fell with the impact letting out a cry of pain.

“Disobeyed me, you have.”

“S-s-s-sorry, Master.”

“Meaningless, your apologies are. Get up.”

The little sith Elder turned and began to climb the stairs. Kierra cast a glance back at Balthazar before picking herself up and following with a sulky expression.

 

[Keirra]

The stairs led to a doorway, whose doors had long rotted away, the cavernous room beyond was supported by tall pillars which had, thus far, stood the test of time. Small lizards scurries up them, away from the mighty Balthazar, his low hiss echoing around them.

"I sought all those who were responsible for my-"

"Silence!"

Kierra scowled, but obeyed.

"Too much time among animals, you have spent. Time you worked with people, it is."

"People are the reason I choose to spend my time with animals. People are-"

"Give you permission to speak, I did not."

"I don't need your permission to speak." She regretted the words instantly, even more so when he rounded on her, hands crackling with lightning that lifted her from her feet and sent her tumbling.

Kierra grasped for breath, biting back a sob. Balthazar raced to put himself between her and the Elder, hissing madly and snapping his jaws. The Elder merely smiled at him. Kierra scrambles to her feet whispering in Balthazar's ear to sooth him. If he dared to attack the Elder, he would die.

"Bold, your Prince is. A bad influence, perhaps. Leave him, you must."

Kierra shook her head.

"A request, this is not."

 

[Keirra]

Kierra was on her feet, stamping her foot like a petulant child. "I can't. I WON'T!."

The Elder gave her a long cold stare. "You can and you shall." He turned away, continuing down the corridor. He didn't beckon her to follow for he knew she would. "Watched the Sith Empire for a long time, I have. Forgotten what it is to be sith, they have. Remind them, you will."

Kierra froze. "You want me to go to them?"

The Elder nodded. "Join them, learn from them, and teach them. Loyal to me, you will remain."

That was why he wanted her to leave, to be his eyes and ears within the Empire. It was a great honour, a gift even but...she turned to look at Balthazar. To leave him behind was to leave her heart, her love and her only friend in the universe.

"Patience and time to teach you, I have neither. Valuable, you still are, but much to learn, you have."

"Why can't I take him?"

The Elder sighed heavily. "Your weakness, he is. Keep him safe, I will."

Kierra was not stupid, illiterate maybe, uncivilized? Definitely but not stupid. In keeping Balthazar, the Elder ensured her loyalty remained to him. Any disobedience would result in Balthazar's death.

 

[Keirra]

It took Kierra a very long time to respond, walking with Balthazar's head at her hip hand resting atop it, his cool scales smooth beneath her fingertips.

"Rest." The Elder said, interrupting her thoughts. "Finish your game. At first light, leave, you will."

Kierra stopped following him, recognising the dismissal she watched the old alien wander away, disappearing into another room at the end of the cavernous room.

Once he was out of sight, Kierra turned and fled, tears streaking down her face, she leapt down the steps, scattering the Tuk'ata and kept running. The pack joined her, Balthazar close behind as she sped across the wasteland till she could run no more. She screamed her fury at the sun, the pack howling with her.

Balthazar lay down on the hard sand and waited for her to finish her tantrum, the Tuk'ata jumping clear of kicks she swung at them. When she'd expended her rage, she flopped to her knees before the krayt dragon. "I promise you, my love. I will find a way to change you back to your former glory. I will return and together, we will kill him."