Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Luth Khalan]

Luth waited on the shuttle for her Master's nod to begin, eyes out on the trackless wastes of Hoth they flew over. While her awareness made her ready to go at a moment's notice, other things left her lost in thought. Mostly, her emotions had cooled into thoughtfulness over the course of the day. Aside from one thing.

Jealousy pricked at the back of her mind, riled at Layne's confession about Baras. But why? It was ridiculous. Insane. She turned it over in her mind out of frustration, staring at the emotion from every angle she could think of.

[Darth Baras]

Darth Baras was pleased with the privacy and nodded as Lord Draahg did the piloting.

[Luth Khalan]

She took a deep breath, mentally collecting information before going into her report.

"I've gathered further information on the vision we discussed before, the three stars over a single throne. The old Emperor - being called the Dragon now - had a pair of twins, dark and light, sent to destroy the Empire and the Republic. The third star in the vision leads me to believe that there is a third child. Their light is in flux. It could be that they're insane or chaotic, or it could mean that there is a nigh-infinite set of possibilities of what they could end up at the moment. Perhaps some combination."

She paused before continuing. "A multitude of possibilities has been... Something of a theme in my own visions. All I could get from my first one was the voice of a man with a deep voice saying that time is not a river. Which... matches with my experience, but isn't terribly helpful. In another, all I saw was the many potentials of my family." She was cautious about alluding to their Legacy with Draahg not far away. "Even just that was an ocean rather than something with a real path."

"... My normal vision is being blocked. I got a sense of intelligence behind it."

After a moment, she added. "Sylvain Torsin and Layne Hoshin found a place... I don't know where it is yet... soaked in the Dark Side. I don't know what Layne saw, but Sylvain had a vision of me possessed by the Emperor. It seemed to be more something to trouble him or convince him to bow to it than a literal possibility, though. He saw a far off world with an Empire not our own. Something more powerful."

Finally she added, "Layne Hoshin is dragging herself down into a spiral. Though from what she was saying, I'm sure you're already aware of that."

She went over what she had in her head... Those seemed to be all the important points.

[Darth Baras]

“Interesting, my Apprentice. This matter with this Dragon and alien Empire are of concern to me, any rival to our Empress, potential or otherwise demands our scrutiny.”

He listened about the vergence but had no comment for now. On the matter of Layne he replied, “Does the fact that Layne is throwing herself at my feet, bother you Apprentice.”

[Luth Khalan]

"If his children are involved in it, then this alien empire seems to be just another project of his," she observed with a frown.

He was toying with her, of course, spotting that weakness and honing in on it. She didn't want to let it get to her. Layne blinding herself was her own problem, and Baras snapping her up again didn't matter. It didn't. She and Layne were both tools that he would eventually discard anyway. If Layne wanted to subject herself to that, it wasn't her problem.

Even if this one was of the few places she had felt like she had some value, it was a lie.

It always was.

"... It does, a little. It's also rather weak, though."

[Darth Baras]

He chuckled as he stood and grabbed the handles overhead. He slid the door with the Force and said, “These aurora are… beautiful Apprentice.”

He continued to gaze at them and said, “Layne… her turn is at best opportunistic, at worst it is some fanatic ploy to fight some unending war only she can win. Layne has struggled for relevance all her life. Her greatest fear is to die in anonymity, to be forgotten.”

“She must be the One, and that my Apprentice is why you have nothing to fear from her. You know your place, do not take that as a slight. It means you recognize that the task you are given has value.”

“She is and always will be a weapon seeking relevance in a world that cares nothing for her. She will destroy everything she has built; she will isolate herself, and for what… to play the martyr. I have no use for such a creature, but I will use such a creature as it begs to be used.”

“No, Lord Khalan, you have nothing to fear from such a creature. When the time comes it will be your honor to put that rabid tu’kata down and I pray you enjoy it as much as I do. My gift to you,” he said watching the aurora.

[Luth Khalan]

She closed her eyes and laughed softly. "And to think, I was feeling a little bit jealous." It was strangely freeing to admit it out loud. She opened her eyes and looked out into the night, observing the changing colors. "It's an interesting difference, the need to be relevant versus the need to have value." He was telling her what he knew she wanted to hear, she knew that, but... it didn't change the fact that she wanted to hear it. Being told that she was eventually going to have to murder someone she knew, though... It was sad, but it seemed like the road Layne was choosing would lead there, whether it was at Luth's hand or by sacrificing herself somehow.

I truly am a monster. The thought should have bothered her more than it did. She really was far away from the girl on Bankor.

"I don't take it as a slight... As you say, I know where I fit. I don't throw around the word Master lightly. I am, as always, prepared whenever you give the order."

Opening them again, she looked out into the dark night. "They are beautiful."

[Darth Baras]

"Indeed they are, one must take some time to enjoy the simpler pleasures in life, even when plotting the doom of their enemies," he said wistfully.

[Luth Khalan]

"I can think of a couple of people that would enjoy the sight," she noted. Her sons would probably think Hoth was amazing under more... controlled circumstances. "All the more reason to crush those enemies."

She was silent for a long time, simply enjoying the sight outside, considering her place in the galaxy. It had taken her ten years to embrace the life she had chosen when she left Bankor. A mindset overturned and changed quite suddenly. It was time to move forward.

"I'm going to work on expanding my connection to the Force while we're here. I was thinking of seeking out the place where they had those visions."

[Darth Baras]

"Are you certain," he asked turning to face her.

[Luth Khalan]

She turned to look directly at him. Her eyes were hard and determined. "I've been too detached, Master. I can see how it limits me. If I'm going to fulfill the potential you said I have the other day, I can't stay the same. I need to know the darkness. Of the Force and myself. That might be the best place here to do it."

[Darth Baras]

"You have leave to do so," he commanded.

[Luth Khalan]

She bowed her head toward him. "Thank you, Master."

[Darth Baras]

He sat in silence for some time resting a hand on her shoulder and watching the lights before he took his seat and ordered Lord Draahg to return back to the base.