Unexpected Part I: Oddly Flattered

Takes place during The Shadow of Revan storyline in Star Wars: The Old Republic.  PC is the Imperial Agent.  Minor spoilers.

I frantically type at the keypad in front of me, trying to get the pod down to save you. And you just…stare at me through the holo.

“You’re…with the Republic, aren’t you?”

“That’s right. I’m also saving your lives. You got a problem with that?” I’m ready for this fight. I know who you are, Cipher Nine. I’ve read all your files, and trust me, they were huge. You have fought the Republic at every turn. I know you are going to have a problem with this. Except…

“Just get us out of here.” That’s it. No fight or argument.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m trying to do.” A few more keystrokes and the pod is there. I watch on the holo as the building shakes and you catch your balance. “Okay, all set. Climb in and enjoy the ride.” You scramble away, no time for thanks. I didn’t really expect it anyway.

I never really expected to be here, either. To my left is a Sith Lord, meditating on the whereabouts of her traitor. I was just following the trail of Colonel Darok, my traitor. In whatever bizarre twist of the Force, it led to this Sith and her Imperial flunky. Just great.

Lana comes out of her meditation and stands. I always thought Sith would be taller, more imposing, but Lana is a head shorter than me. It’s a little hard, and scary, to imagine how this petite blonde got through the Sith Academy, especially if only half of the rumors coming out of SIS are true.

“Find anything?” I ask, trying to make small talk.

“I’m not sure,” she replies hesitantly, her Imperial accent light and almost soothing. If a Sith can be soothing, which I highly doubt. There isn’t more time for small talk when you round the corner and stop in front of Lana. You’re…taller than I thought. Holos can be deceptive like that.

“Welcome back,” Lana practically coos, “Once again, you’ve displayed a skill and determination that few possess.”

I wouldn’t go that far. “I’ve seen worst,” I comment nonchalantly. And it’s true. I’m probably one of the few people who isn’t a Jedi to walk away from a fight with a member of the Dark Council.

“Perhaps I should make proper introductions…”Lana states, sounding slightly uncomfortable. Although who can ever really know with the Sith. It’s so hard to figure out their tone with that accent.

“No need to tell me who I’m addressing.” I step forward. I can feel the smirk creeping across my face and do nothing to hide it. “I’m Theron Shan-Republic SIS, and your new ally.” And I wait for the cringe or the disgust to wash over your face. You have to know who I am. I imagine that the ledger you have on me is just as large as the one I have on you. Instead, you smile and your eyes light up. They’re deep blue.

“You could always join the Empire. I think you’d make a welcome asset.”

Not the first time I’ve been asked to defect to the Empire, but I know what you are capable of and the offer coming from you… “I’m oddly flattered. Not even going to consider it, of course, but flattered.”

While we catch you up on what we’ve learned and why I’m teamed up with you in the first place, I watch you. You are the picture of calm. Even as we tell you about the Colonel and the Darth and the Order of Revan, you remain poised. I’m a little surprised that you’ve dealt with the Order of Revan before, more surprised that it was on Dromund Kaas. The Imperials had the Order of Revan right in their backyard and we barely even knew about it. But Lana is right about one thing: they have grown very bold.

“That means I can’t trust my people,” I add, “and Lana can’t trust hers-present company excluded.” Did I just see you smirk? It must have been my imagination because there is definitely not a smirk on your lips as you introduce your new Wookie friend.

“This is Jakarro,” you say, still calm. Yeah, I must have imagined the smirk. The droid is saying something, but I’m a little distracted by the fact that you are looking at me. Not really the looking by itself, but more the fact that I can’t read that look. I get Lana: she’s a Sith and will probably stab me in the back the second this whole thing is over. But you… I thought I had a handle on you from the records we have. I also thought that you would be more resistant to the idea of working with SIS. But it doesn’t seem to really bother you at all. Actually, if that tiny flash in your eyes is anything to go by, I’d say you are enjoying it a little.

“Hey, Jakarro,” I say, turning from you to address the Wookie. I can’t keep staring at you. I’m just going to over analyze what I see. “How would you feel about helping me track those two down?”

I knew I would like Jakarro. Smugglers make the best allies; they always have the greatest contacts who are willing to talk for the right amount of credits. I’m not so sure I want to let him drive, though.

“We’ll talk about it. Lana, will you be joining us?”

The blonde shakes her head in the negative. “We don’t know how deep the Revantes’ influence runs. I must learn what I can from within the Empire.”

I nod at her and look at you. You incline you head once before turning your back on me, making the conversation between you and Lana more private. It’s also an interesting show of…trust? Too early to tell. As I walk towards the hanger, I feel like I can be sure of one thing: this is going to be very interesting.

Bitter Sweet

Takes place at the end chapter IX of SWTOR: Knights of the Fallen Empire. This is from the smuggler’s POV.

She turned a full circle, taking in the sight, the smell, the feel of being back in her ship.  Her ship.  She owned the clothes on her back, the blasters at her side, and her ship.  It was all she ever needed: a good blaster and a fast ride.

She still couldn’t believe that five years had passed.  It all felt so much more recent than that.  She could still smell the ozone from the blaster bolt to the emperor’s chest that started all this mess.  In hindsight, maybe she should have just knelt before him and accepted the inevitable.  She could almost hear Akaavi’s snort of disapproval.  Could almost hear Risha telling her how stupid an idea that was.  Could almost see the disappointment on Corso’s face.

She choked up at just the thought.  For some reason, the fact that Corso was gone hadn’t really hit her yet.  But here she was, on her ship, and her husband was not the one piloting it.

She suddenly felt very alone in her ship.  They were all gone.  She sank to her knees, her hands covering her face.  Risha was like her sister and she would never see her again.  She didn’t always get along with Akaavi, but she still admired the other woman.  Even Guss was part of the family: maybe the really annoying younger brother but part of the family none the less.  Bowdaar was her loyal bodyguard and would never let her down.  Turned out she let him down by never returning.

And Corso.  He’d sent her a holo when she disappeared five years ago saying he was still looking her her.  Five years ago.  Was he still looking for her?  Could he still have a hope that she was still alive?  It had been so long.

But Theron found her ship.  Where was Corso?  Would he really abandon everything they had?

She felt the tears tickle at the palms of her hands as the ghosts of her former life flooded over her.  She gulped in for air once before taking a few steadying breathes.  She would find him again.  She would find all of them again.  She took another breathe and stood, her fingers trailing a line up the haul of her ship.

She had her ship again.  She was alive.  For the moment the Eternal Empire couldn’t find her.  Theron and Lana would keep looking for Corso and the others.  While they were going through their channels, she would go through hers.

She slowly walked the halls to the cockpit, letting the joy mingle with the sadness until it was all bitter sweet.