Ask [Rattatak] Torn

Zactar Hakka

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"Is this your Empire?"

The words had echoed through Zactar's mind since he'd witnessed the Jedi's broadcast, the accompanying images burned into his memory. He knew his answer to the figurative question but didn't know how to find the voice to speak it. The Sith had taken him in - provided for him - without knowing so much as his name, and after nearly twenty years of learning their ways and spreading their message, the facade was beginning to crack. Zack had seen and deescalated more than one of his murderous Sith companions in the past and knew that they were misguided, but the entire Empire? How could an entity so widespread and powerful not see the scars they were leaving? How could they empower these petulant children to throw fits on a planetary scale? It was madness, and Zactar felt oddly uneasy wearing the imperial insignia on his chestplate.

Without an idea of where to go or who to turn to, the disturbed Zack had brought himself to Rattatak in search of a kindred spirit. No message to break the ice or transmission with some kind of intent; Zack remembered working with @Celeste Stythani to peacefully take Arda for the Empire. Unlike the other darker souls on the mission, Celeste was pleasant to converse with and led the team in diplomacy, also refusing to slaughter the rebels that had been unarmed. If there was another Sith who might know how he felt, it would be Celeste. If nothing else, he hoped just having a pleasant conversation might ease his mind and uncertainties. Still having the channels needed to connect to her comms, he sent brief ping to confirm she was online before pulling his wrist closer to his face to speak.

"Celeste? It's Zactar...Hakka. From Arda. Can...can we meet? I'm in the Rattataki atmosphere."


@LadyRen
 

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It's been a while since Celeste had left the planet and she had kept herself busy with all sorts of work. There was still plenty of work ahead of her, but she was slowly starting to catch up with all of her set tasks. The most challenging issue had been the one with educational system so far because if truth be told, there hadn't been one before qnd if Celeste wanted to continue to shape the planet and its inhabitants, she needed to start at the very source. She was not trying to undermine their culture or values or anything, but she had this vision of establishing some sort of elementary education for the children to ensure that they would prevail even outside the system.

There was a long road ahead of her, but at least she had started to build the foundation by talking to the former tribal chiefs and eldest, bringing them on the same page as they were still honorable members of the society even if Kat and Celeste had declared themselves as leaders. While she was just typing something on her holopad, seated on her desk in her residence in Barterus, she suddenly heard her comlink pinging which then, however, made her raise her head in curiouity.

She had not been expecting any notifications or incoming transmissions, but after she had accepted it, she was utterly suprised to hear Zactar's voice. She was definitely surpised in a pleasant way, as she had gotten along with him well, but as she answered, her voice was indeed filled with a hint of astonishment. "Oh what a pleasant surprise, of course we can meet. I'll inform everyone of your landing approach. I'll immediately clear the landing pad for you and meet you there" she answered excitedly while her curiosity rose. From the way he spoke there was something on his mind and she was curious to find out what it was. She was certain that it was bith, urgent and important, because otherwise he wouldn't have started the long journey towards the planet and so she packed away all her work and immediately made her way over towards the outside.

@Burpee
 

Zactar Hakka

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In all honesty, it was a relief to hear Celeste's friendly voice chime in over the comms. It only confirmed to Zack that he'd made the right choice in coming here, even if it might be considered rude to drop in unannounced. "Thank you, Celeste. I'll be there shortly." he replied into his wrist, more confident now. With a deep breath, Zactar pushed forward on the controls of his ship to bring him down to the planet's surface. Seeing Celeste outside near the landing pads brought a smile to his face as he remembered the pleasantries they'd previously shared. She was a smart, kind woman and he admired what he'd heard of her work on this desert wasteland.

Powering down the engines of his remodeled BNG, Zack unbuckled himself and stood to exit before staring down at the imperial insignia on his armor. With eyes closed and a sneer, he flipped the latches keeping his chestplate in place and allowed it to clatter to the floor of his ship unceremoniously. He wouldn't need armor to see an old friend, and he didn't want to be burdened with carrying such branding any longer. Disembarking from his ship, he made his way toward Celeste's position, waving a greeting while walking. Once close enough he reached both arms out and held the young woman's shoulders in front of him, taking in her familiar face with a kind smile.

"It's so good to see you again. How have you been? How are things here?" he asked with genuine interest. There would be enough time to discuss what was on his mind once they were settled.


@LadyRen
 

Celeste Stythani

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With the approaching Champion her mind was immediately taken off business. Not just off her daily routine, but also off the memories of what had happened a few weeks ago that sometimes still flooded back in and usually left her with a cold shiver that ran down her spine. No, she was now completely distracted by wondering what had happened, because this clearly didn't feel like a usual friendly visit. The Champion sounded troubled, as though something on his mind weighted him down and she was half curious half worried to find out what it was. She had grown fond of the older man as he was very special and much more kind hearted than the average Champion and so she was happy to see him again on the one hand, while she was worried on the other.

She left her residence in a rather casual, black dress, but even without armor she had taken her lightsaber with her just in case. She was not at all worried about Zactar, but rather of disturbances that might break out in the streets again, but admittedly everything had been rather calm and peaceful within the last few weeks. She approached the landing pad with a warm, welcoming smile on her lips while he landed right in front of her, but she was soon forced to quickly shield her eyes from the flying sand.

As the engines were turned off she stepped closer, her smile widening as he disembarked. Her smile was completely genuine, just like his, and even though she could still perceive a hint of uneasenin his voice, he seemed also pleased to see her. "It's good to see you again! I'm good. Definitely busy but still good. Things are rather stable at the moment, but everything is still in midst of an upheaval... How are you though? What have you been up to?" she replied softly, her voice filled with a friendly warmth.

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"Ahh yes, I'm sure this place will keep you busy as long as you choose to remain here." he said with a small chuckle at the end. He wouldn't express the thoughts, but he felt that Celeste's talents could be better utilized on another system. Not to suggest what she had been working towards was a waste; bringing Rattatak into the modern age was a noble endeavor indeed, one that he sincerely hoped she would be successful in. There were enough savage wastelands in the galaxy; to be rid of one would be beneficial to everyone except for the slavers that tried to maintain their power.

"I've been well! Kicking around on Arda I and considering hiring some prospectors to search for any valuable ore that might be around. I'm hoping they'll find something of use on that rock." he added with a grin. Zactar hadn't officially taken charge of any planets in the Arda system but seeing the layered stone and fault lines on Arda I had him consider the mining possibilities. And hiring prospectors for one planet in the system would surely get him a discount on the rest of the system.

Following Celeste toward one of the buildings to get out of the harsh Rattataki sun, Zack walked respectfully with his hands behind his back, taking in the surroundings on his first trip to this planet. While en route to more privacy, he offered a small clue of what had brought him to speak with Celeste. "I'm sure your attention is already largely divided with your work here, but have you kept an eye on the HoloNet broadcasts of late?"


@LadyRen
 

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She immediately gestured him to follow her as it would be much easier and safer for them to talk in private. She would lead him to her residence where she could not only offering him drinks and snacks but also a safe environment to speak freely. His comment made her chuckle amusedly while she walked next to him. "It sure does. I see huge progress but it's still a long way to go" she then replied honestly while she nodded towards an Officer who was just passing by as they spoke.

"Oh Arda! That's cool. I had no idea that you've stayed" she immediately repeated delighted, throwing him a warm smile while she continued leading him through the rather empty streets. "I do like that idea! Unlike Rattatak, Arda should offer more valuable resources. If you need any help, feel free to contact me! I've got lots of contacts and perhaps even men to spare" she then added with a smile while they took a rather sharp turn to the right.

They had left the main road and were now already headed to her residents, so that they were already out of earshot. Zactar seemed to have realized the exact same thing as he was shifting the focus of their conversation onto a different, recent subject. "I did indeed. I'm always trying to stay informed" she replied more seriously, the smile slightly fading as she seemed to understand at what he was hinting. "I assume you're talking about the current developments and the ongoing war...I've heard of the invasions...Truly horrible things have happened" she went on with a hint of sadness in her voice. It was indeed sad what had become of the Empire in some regards...It still seemed as though the innocent had suffered vehemently and it made her feel sick indeed.

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Zactar Hakka

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Zactar followed Celeste's lead and nodded at the passing officer respectfully. "Yes, Arda indeed! I pretty much live aboard my ship, so where it is docked is a moot point. And I hadn't taken another assignment since we worked together, so I decided to check the system out a bit, out of curiosity more than anything." At the offer of assistance, Zack smiled warmly at her with a small endearing pat on her shoulder. It was a generous offer, but he didn't want to take any resources that could further benefit her here on Rattatak. It seemed like a passion project to her and, if anything, he'd rather offer assistance to her if there was anything he could do.

Hearing the sadness in Celeste's voice regarding the Empire's conquest brought further comfort to Zactar. She was the caring person he remembered, and likely shared many of the feelings he had upon seeing the carnage wrought on Ansion, Kashyyyk, Glee Anselm, and countless other worlds. It was senseless bloodshed, bringing an endless cycle of vengeance and death in its wake. The mystery of the Empress resigning only further concerned Zactar with the direction of the Empire. He'd hoped for some sort of resurgence of reason into the Sith, but he knew better than to think they would change.

"Yes, it's...nigh unspeakable. To bring such destruction, then refuse incoming aid or outgoing refugees..." he solemnly shook his head, subconsciously trying to wrestle the images out of his mind. "I...This isn't what I signed up for." he choked out through a tightened throat as they continued their walk. In the presence of any other Sith he would likely be reported to the Inquisitorious, but he didn't think that was something Celeste would do. Or, at least, he sincerely hoped not, for his own well-being...


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Celeste Stythani

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Her residence wasn't much farther away, but she couldn't wait to get out of the burning Rattataki sun again. She listened to him attentively as they made their way over to her place, the smile never leaving her lips. "If you plan on staying, perhaps you should try to find a more pleasant place to stay. I've never enjoyed living on a ship for longer than I had to" she replied with slight chuckling, hoping not to sound too spoiled.

Since she had landed on Rattatak, she had learned to sleep everywhere if needed, but she was still, preferring comfortable mattresses and a hot bath if needed. "But it seems like quite an interesting endeavor to turn the Arda system upside down. You'll never know what you can find, so feel free to keep me updated" she then added with a genuine smile. She was indeed curious and willing to help.

While they were back on the rather serious subject they had already reached her residence and she was opening the main door for him. They had collaborated well on Arda, but even if they had shared a few personal stories and entrusted each other with details, their conversations had not touched upon such delicate subjects yet.

She led him inside, heading for her lounge area before she quickly instructed her assistants to bring something to drink and eat before she politely instructed them to leave the room. Once they were fully alone and the trays were placed on the table in front of them, she gestured for her to sit wherever he preferred while she elegantly sat down herself.

She knew that both of them had to be extremely careful with what they would say, but it seemed like their trust was completely mutual and so she felt like she could speak completely freely."I understand what you mean...and sadly I feel the same way. I was born into the Empire and fortunately, I grew up in a wealthy environment, but I couldn't choose my path from the very beginning and I constantly find myself considering whether diplomatically representing the Sith is still the right choice for me. What we did on Arda...we still 'conquered' a planet, even if we didn't harm anyone. We were still claiming their home for ourselves and even if we've been fully diplomatic about it, what happened on Kashyyyk and several other planets leaves me speechless". She let out a sigh while her voice had grown serious. She was being completely direct and honest, hoping that her trust was not misplaced, but it was oddly refreshing to find someone who shared her own opinion. It only midly suprised her that he he saw it similarly since she already knew he was a kind, empathic soul.

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Zactar Hakka

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Zack chuckled as well as Celeste suggested more comfortable lodging. It was true that the accommodations he had in his ship were somewhat threadbare and generally not as comfortable as an actual bedroom, but he’d grown use to it with time. “I’ve considered having a home built somewhere, or perhaps refurbishing an old property. I suppose I have a hard time picking somewhere to settle down. I’ve been moving around since I left Serenno.” he said, pushing his last memories of Serenno back out of his attention, trying not to think of the bloody hydrospanner he still had in a box on his ship. “I definitely will if I stick around there!” he offered in response to her comments on Arda.

Deep down, Zack felt similarly to how he felt when he first came to Korriban; that deep sense of confliction leaving him feeling aimless, no sense of where to go or what to do. He was thankful to have gotten to know Celeste to have some type of anchor to reality this time around, unlike the last time. He was, however, also somewhat nervous about the slight hesitation he could feel in her with talking about such treasonous subjects, but her hospitality helped ease any apprehension he had. She had a beautiful home here – evidence of the work she’d done on this world – and bowed his head respectfully as her assistants brought them refreshments. He was impressed and supposed he should have expected as much from the company of a Senator. He watched her take her seat with a warm smile as he took a seat in a plush chair next to her, sinking into it momentarily with a surprised bounce. “Whoa! You have very comfortable furnishings here, hahaha.” he said amusedly. He wasn’t quite used to such fineries.

The tone shifted soon thereafter as Celeste explained her own feelings regarding the Empire, though causing a warm sense of relief to wash over Zack as he realized he was not alone in his disgust. “It’s insanity, Celeste…and I don’t know that I can continue not only sitting by while it happens, but assisting the very entity causing the devastation..." he trailed off again in frustration. It was difficult to describe the feelings of betrayal he'd felt; like everything he knew was wrong and he never realized it. Like a victim of a cult. Try as he might, Zack could not put up enough mental barriers to stop the tears from beginning to leak from his eyes.

"I just...I don't know anymore." he sighed heavily, leaning forward to rest his weight on his knees and allow the tears to roll off his face. "I thought we were doing good things...helping people...improving the galaxy..."


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His comment made her a little thoughtful because she understood that struggle quite well. Before she had landed on Rattatak and this whole story had started to enfold, she had struggled with the same nagging question. For now, she had been slighlty glad about the circumstance that the struggle being taken away from her as she hadn't had a chance to leave right away and now her story here was all interwined anyway. However, she wouldn't stay here forever. She'd settle down at a nicer place sooner or later... "I completely understand your struggle. It's a very hard decision. What I can, however, offer you for now is a place to stay here. We have plenty of room and if you ever want to crash here, just say it and the room will be prepared!" she then offered with a warm, genuine smile. It was definitely no long term solution for him, she was well aware of that, but if he ever wanted to escape, she wanted to offer him this possibility.

His remark about the furniture made her chuckle as she was still considering them decent, but nothing too fancy. "Well thank you very much! It's not easy to work with what we have here, but import makes it all possible. The furnishings were even imported from my home planet, Kalist IV, which is quite funny because it came all the way over" she replied amusedly, remembering how she had instructed her uncle to send them over because she was indeed starting to miss a certain level of comfort.

The sudden change of the subject was fast and very drastic and while a smirk was on her face before, she was immediately hit by a wave of understanding sympathy. A cold shiver ran down her spine as he spoke those words because she could fully relate to them. It had been bugging her for a long time and so she had constantly edged further away from the Empire, focusing more and more on Rattatak and her diplomatic career only. She had even met the Supreme Chancellor himself, negotiating the terms of Rattatak possibly joining the New Republic and no one knew about this meeting. She instantaneously slid over to him, laying a comforting arm around his back while she leaned her head against him, her eyes closed. It was a little weird since she didn't know him for such a long period of time, but she had already grown fond of him as he indeed reminded her of her a father. There was a odd familiarity in everything he did that just made her feel comfortable and also understood. "I...know exactly how this feels. The Grandmaster wasn't wrong. Is that our Empire? It isn't mine. That's why I have constantly tried to interfere as an Imperial diplomat...but it's getting out of hand. What I did here on Rattatak was completely independent and it still is. It's a kind of outlet. I can follow my own path here, but everytime I put on my Sith robes again, I'm not sure whether I can still carry that banner. With Anaris taking over, I'm not sure whether the invasions will stop. This war needs to come to and end. The galaxy had seen too much suffering..." she slightly trailed off as all the emotions were stirred up again. There was anger, what even, frustration, sadness and desperation. She had never shared her thoughts with someone of 'her kind' but it felt good to get it off her chest and to speak someone who was just as conflicted.

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Zactar Hakka

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Despite his despair, his heart warmed as Celeste came over to comfort him. Though he hadn't known her very long, they had quickly built rapport from the conversations they'd shared in. He was surprised by their mutual trust but she almost felt like a daughter or niece to him; someone he would care for regardless of the state of the galaxy. He'd never procreated, but he hoped that if he did, his offspring would have been like Celeste. He placed a hand on her arm in a show of appreciation and wiped away the streaks on his face with the other. "No...it's not my Empire either. I don't know what to do..." he trailed off in desperation. "I've..." he sighed deeply, coming to terms with what he was saying as it escaped his mouth. "I've thought about meeting with the Jedi...for a while now...but why wouldn't they just kill me? Even if someone like me could be of use, how could they trust someone who has carried the Imperial banner for so long?"

With his last remark, his face fell forward into a sob, as if he'd lost the energy or will to maintain composure. If this was the true face of the Empire - this destruction broadcast from so many homeworlds - he not only wanted no part in it but wanted to see it gone. The senseless death had to end and having the curtains pulled back from the Sith's evil, he wanted to do what he could to help. He wanted to fight back, add to the other side of the scale, to make up for what he'd done to aid the Empire. Even if he spent the remainder of his life working towards it, at least he would die for a worthy cause. As he began to catch his breath and regain control of his face, he turned a bit to face Celeste more directly and smiled at her through teary eyes.

"I...know I haven't know you long, but I'm proud of what you've done here. Especially making sure the Empire is not a part of it." He leaned in closer, and looked her in the eyes intently and patted her arm reassuringly. "You're a good person, Celeste. We are the decisions we make." Zactar had apparently worked up an appetite despite his depression and helped himself to one of the Hors d'Oeuvres Celeste's assistants had brought out, taking a bite and chewing and swallowing it slowly with a sniffle. "I'm sorry to fall apart on you like this...but I can't express to you how much it means that you're here for me now."


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His voice had been oddly comforting since not many followers of the Empire shared that opinion. She knew that he had also been a loyal follower for decades and so she also knew how difficult it must have been for him to confide his thoughts to her. They've both started to descend a dangerous path with their honesty, but at least they both shared the exact same doubts. However as he mentioned the Jedi it took her a little time to process what he had just said as this was even going muvh further than she had expected. "The Jedi?" she first repeated worriedly, uncertain of what to make out if it ,before she breathed through.

"Okay okay. First of all: I get that. I understand why you are considering this step, but I need to caution you my friend. Not because the Jedi would kill you right on the spot, but because I'm more concerned about what would happen if the Imperials would notice any of that. I'm having no doubts that you would find yourself in a meeting with the Inqusitors...and i would never want that to happen. It's a noble thought. I get that you are trying to help to change something but I would be extremely worried about you. I've been collaborating with a few Jedis so far and they've always been very kind, but...if you were to provide them with information...I'd be worried sick. This would be a huge step, but...you would have to be so careful" she explained softly, her voice completely sympathetic.

Was there a different way? She wasn't sure. So far she had fared well with her own path and with the diplomatic missions she had led in the name of the Empire but she was cutting off her last remaining ties one by one. "Whatever you do Zactar, I'll support you. You're a pure, kind soul and I won't let any harm come to you" she assured him almost a little solemn while hot tears started to boil up in her as well. It got even worse when he added those heartwarming, honest words. "Thank you very much....this honestly means a lot to me. You're a good person as well and that's why I wouldn't let anything happen to you. Please don't ever apologize for being honest and allowing those emotions" she then added softly, still not removing her comforting arm. As he helped himself to the snacks in front of them a slight smile crossed her face as her comfort seemed to be effective at least.

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Zactar wasn't surprised to hear the concern at the mention of the Jedi. Just a year ago, he himself would have had the same apprehension and distrust for them, but with what he'd seen of the true Empire, he had a hard time believing their propaganda regarding the Jedi anymore either. And if the Jedi truly wanted to bring about the end of the Empire, they shared a common goal, as far as Zack was concerned. He spoke up to say as much.

"I know it would be dangerous...as it technically was coming here as well. But if I am to leave the Empire, I want to tear it down with me. The Sith have made me what I am now. A warrior...and a diplomat. Why not use these skills against them? They taught me to deceive well enough to lie to myself. If I could convince myself that they were right, then perhaps I can convince them that I am still on their side." he said surprisingly firmly given his current state of mind. She was absolutely right, of course. What he was suggesting was practically a suicide mission, but if he wanted to right his wrongs, he knew of no other option to effectively work against the Empire with his skillsets.

As Celeste offered her kind words in return, Zactar dropped any pretense of formality and lurched forward to hug her tightly, a few tears escaping him as he squeezed and dropped the food he had been holding. No matter what he did from this point on, he couldn't bring her into it. Even if she could help him with his insane idea, it would only bring her closer to the same fate that likely awaited him: death, or worse...the Inquisitorius. He would keep these thoughts to himself as he released the hug with a pat on her back, brushing his shirt free of wrinkles and standing up from the plush seat he'd taken.

"You're something special, Celeste." he said warmly, smiling at the strong woman before him. "I don't know where my path will lead me, but know that I will always make a detour for you." With a deep breath to clear his mind of the turbulence that had been brought out through discussion, he straightened his posture before bowing deeply toward Celeste. "Thank you, Senator. You've helped more than you can know." he said more formally, as if hinting for a conclusion of the more sensitive subjects they'd been speaking of with a wink to follow.


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She remained speechless for a moment, considering his words carefully for another while until she finally raised her concerned voice again. "I...get that. I get that you are angry and that you even seek for redemption for all the terrible atrocities they have committed, yet I hold it with the notion that fire shouldn't be answered with fire. Whatever you're trying...it can be more fuel for the fire. I know that all you are trying to do is being noble and you want to help end those cruelties the Empire has started...yet there are also parts of the Jedi that are not fully...pure. Not all of them are actually trying to be better. Some, but admittedly few I suppose, are just as power hungry as some of 'our own kind' so you would have to be extremely careful with whom you would trust...". The look she gave him was still quite concerned and she was frowning and speaking about her 'own kind' made her shudder. She didn't consider herself a part of that anymore, yet there were still a few ties left...

She wanted to avoid further meaningless conflicts and bloodshed above all and additionally, she was extremely worried for her friend. She didn't want to lose him or let him die for those noble, utterly selfless cause and that was why it was extremely difficult for her to speak about this, but what she knew for sure is that she would help him because whatever he was trying to do, she just knew that it would be the right thing. She closed her tearfilled eyes for a moment and tried to swallow, but her throat still felt rather tight as she hugged him back tightly. "Please be careful...and keep me updated. I will be always available when you try to reach me and I'll do whatever I can to help you" she repeated softly as she let go of her, his heartwarming, genuine words still echoing in her head while she forced herself to smile again. "Don't thank me, that's what friends are for" she then added in a much lighter tone again, shortly wiping her own eyes after this extremely emotional conversation, chuckling slightly at his formal way of addressing her and the wink at the end.

She just wanted to open her mouth again, wanting to change the subject of the conversation when she suddenly heard a soft knock on the door. "Come in!" she shouted over to the door as one of her servants' head popped inside. "Senator...We've just received a message from the scouts. They are back" the thin Rattataki men dressed in dark robes quickly informed her, his voice slightly shaking. "What..." the word had left her mouth uncontrollably, immediately making her feel nauseous. How could that be? Why now? They had vanished...or at least it seemed like it and now they were supposed to be back... "Where?" she asked the man, staring rather straight forward, a thousand emotions boiling up while she tried to swallow them all and avoid eye contact. "At their lair Mylady". The answer immediately sent a chill down her spine while she now stared at him in horror. All those terrible, painful memories came flooding back in at once. She had thought this traumatizing chapter was closed, but apparently it wasn't.

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Zactar Hakka

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More than anything else, Zack appreciated the concern Celeste showed for his well-being. It was nice to feel cared for by another, something he hadn’t felt since…possibly ever. His mother wanted nothing to do with him and his father only cared about what he could get out of him. Even all that the Sith had given him was coldly done for a purpose. For once, it felt like he didn’t have to pretend to understand what the feelings of love and friendship meant. Zack respectfully listened to her concerns and offered no rebuttal, taking her words to heart. He would have to be careful who to trust, who to be seen with…

As Celeste wiped her tears away, Zack offered her a reassuring smile. “Of course I will keep in touch…even if I have to hire someone to deal with one of those damned computers for me!” he laughed heartily with his last comment. There weren’t many things that could send Zack into a rage, but having to work with computers was one of the few ways to get him there. It was practically the only reason he kept an astromech aboard his ship, aside from being a navigator. “And I don’t intend to be a stranger around here.” he added, gesturing at the wider planet outside. “I can’t wait to watch you succeed, and hopefully help you along the way if I can.

Just as they were going to continue their conversation on hopefully less treasonous subjects, they were interrupted by one of Celeste’s assistants. His curiosity piqued, he kept an eye on their body language as they went over some information with Celeste, trying to gauge the situation while respecting her privacy. There were few words exchanged before Zack could see the expression immediately change on the blonde woman’s face, which worried him deeply. He could feel the fear in her voice…or anger? Anxiety? He couldn’t tell, but he was sure it was discontent. The universe appeared to have other intentions for their friendly meeting.

Moving closer to Celeste and putting a hand on her shoulder, he looked into her eyes with a stern yet sympathetic face. “I’m not sure what’s happening, but I am here to help.” he offered, trying not to pry in the presence of her underlings. This looked deeper than some minor governing issue; like something had struck his friend to the core. With all of the comfort she had given him, he wanted to do whatever he could to help her through whatever this might be.


@LadyRen
 

Celeste Stythani

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Celeste had smiled warmly as Zactar gad reassured her that he would keep her updated until his remark about the computers made her chuckle amusedly. She knew that he was versed in certain technical areas as he had also been the one to set up the broadcast system, but she could somehow imagine him struggling with computers quite well which made her join his laughter. Once she had caught her breath a warm smile crossed her lips again while she softly laid her hand on his arm again."You're always welcome here! And I thank you kindly for your optimism. I hope that every time you come around, you'll be able to spot significant changes". She definitely shared his optimism and she was always eager to make more progress but the motto here seemed to be 'constant dripping wears away the stone' as persistence was the key for wearing all the stones away.

As the topic of their conversation had been changed so abruptly she had instantaneously found herself caught in a state which she rarely ever found herself in. Out of a sudden, the blonde senator had lost all of her composure and it took her several moments until she finally regained control. She shifted her gaze back to Zactar, the look on her face still a little absent while on the inside she was overwhelmed by this sudden cocktail of emotions. There was wrath, desperation, helplessness and a decent amount terror as she reciprociated the eye contact he was trying to give her.

She swallowed hard again, her throat tight as though someone was choking her and as dry as it had been when they hadn't offered her water for days. Her mind was back in this terrible, traumatizing situation while the comforting hand on her shoulder was the only thing that anchored her in the reality. Trying to keep her body from shaking she still tried to swallow the memories, not allowing them to work their way into her consciousness but it was already too late for that. Even though she was close to losing control, she knew one thing for sure. This had to end. Once and for all. "I-" she began quietly, involuntarily sinking her fingernails into the cushion below before she forced herself to breathe through. "Perhaps you could help...I need to complete a mission that had been stalled for too long..." she then began rather vaguely, struggling for words. She hadn't shared details with anyone so far, never being able to express what had happened back then. The only witness was Null but he was not in the position to talk yet anyway. However, another shiver was sent down her spine as she had to process that they had been apparently able to regroup and she knew that she had to strike now before they would organize themselves further...Nevertheless, she was not sure whether she would have the strength to visit that terrible place again...

@Burpee
 

Zactar Hakka

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He knew Celeste was sincere when she said he was welcome any time; more so than the pleasantries that are normally exchanged between acquaintances. And she was so driven to bring change to this once-savage world that he was equally sincere in his intent to return regularly, see her work, and help where he could.

The discontent in Celeste became more and more obvious as Zack could see the emotions roiling behind her eyes. It was something he was quite familiar with and his slightly stern face dropped fully into a sympathetic, concerned frown, ignorant of where these memories were being kicked up from. Sensing her mentally teetering on the edge, Zack leaned in closer and moved his arm to wrap around her shoulders for comfort. Her shakiness made him uneasy, but he remained firmly at her side, trying to be her rock through whatever storm she was enduring.

I would love to help you complete your mission. There’s no time like the present.” he said with a small, reassuring squeeze on her shoulder, before continuing more quietly so only she could hear. “My ears and heart are open if you’re ready to talk about it…but I understand if you can’t find the words right now.” He wouldn’t pressure her to speak of what was bothering her. He knew all too well that sometimes you needed time to process things before you could reflect upon them with any clarity. She would tell him when she was ready.

Having gathered enough context to understand which of his strengths would be useful for this mission, however, Zack quickly stood and made his way out the doors without a word, doing his best to keep his own anger in check. Who or what had laid these mental scars on his friend? Breathe. He would have to be patient. He would learn and take care of the problem soon enough. It seemed as though he would have to wear his imperial armor at least once more. Climbing the ladder to his ship, he gathered the chest plate from the floor and reattached it to his torso before jumping from his ship and gently gliding back down to the landing pad, lightsaber hilt now in hand. It was time for healing, perhaps even forcefully.


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Celeste Stythani

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Celeste tried to regain composure and to not let any of her emotions boil up. Not because she was afraid of showing them to Zactar, but because she knew that once the dams would broke, she would have a hard time in controlling herself again and so she tried to keep up her fassade. She breathed through again while his arm around her really helped soothing her. "Thank you, Zactar...this is actually too much I'm asking for since this mission will be perilous but I know that I wouldn't be able to convince you to stay here now anyway...". A warm, yet still weak but definitely genuine smile crossed her lips while her heartbeat didn't accelerate anymore, which was definitely some progress.

After swallowing hard again, she managed to reciprociate his soft but worried gaze. "It is a longer story...and a horrible one. I can...give you some details, perhaps in the speeder. I'll get it ready. To summarize it one could say that this foreign warlord has committed terrible atrocities and I was in his clutches for a while until I managed to kill him...however I couldn't kill each and every one of them back there, so this is truly an unfinished task..." she explained slowly, carefully choosing her words so that they wouldn't do any direct damage to her again. Those men had brought her to the edge and had manage to break a Jedi irreversibly...or at least that was her current knowledge on it as she had not fully lost hope yet. But still, every last one of them had to die. It was about time that their rule of terror would be brought to an end.

As Zactar left she stayed seated for another moment, inhaling and exhaling deeply again before she got up herself. She had to grab her own necessities and get the speeder ready for them before he would return so that they wouldn't have to waste any more time but what she also knew was that she would have to do this without a platoon. Since she had already stayed half of them, there couldn't be much more resistance waiting and she was eager to end this now once and for all. She was unbelievably glad that Zac would help her as he would not only support her in terms of force but also mentally. "If someone tries to find me, tell them I'll be back soon..." she quickly informed her servants, not wanting to spread too many rumors by mentioning details of the reasons behind her disappearance. They had to move quickly and silently and catch them off guard, so their best chance was to leave right away.

@Burpee
 

Zactar Hakka

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Slavers. The thought disgusted him, and he tried to push the image of Celeste as a slave out of his mind. He'd have to save his anger until it was time for action. He'd always seen his anger as a tool; something he tried to impart on other Sith he'd worked with since so many are always brooding. As he marched his way back toward Celeste's residence, he could see the looks of concern across the faces of her staff. Whoever these slavers were, they were apparently quite fearsome to have gotten the best of Celeste and continue to be a thorn in her side. Any worries he might have had about this unknown enemy disappeared when he spotted Celeste readying a speeder outside.

Marching up next to her, Zactar looked over the speeder briefly with a keen eye before shifting his attention to his friend. "Shall I?" he asked, gesturing at the driver's seat. If she was going to elaborate on her mental scars, it would likely be safer and easier if she didn't have to keep her attention on the road ahead. Zack clipped the saber hilt from his hand to his belt and began to help loading the few remaining things into the speeder. He almost questioned if they would have sufficient hydration before he lifted a large duraplast crate of water into the back of the speeder. He immediately bent his head down to the valve and opened it, taking a drink for a few seconds and inadvertently soaking the front of his armor. He stood back up and smiled at Celeste with water dripping out of his beard like a dog that just drank, hoping a bit of humor might help ease her mind.

"Alright, dear. Which way are we headed?" he asked, looking out across the Rattataki desert with a curious grin on his face. He was interested in enduring the wastelands himself - getting a feel for how it would be to live in this environment for an extended period of time. Speculating on the local lifestyles was one of his favorite activities while traveling, especially since he hadn't settled down on any particular planet. He often felt like a tourist, but who knows? Maybe he would settle down one of these days, and why not do so near a friend?


@LadyRen
 

Celeste Stythani

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It still felt as though the blood in her veins was frozen while a constant shiver ran down her spine. Get it back together. This will end here and now and this chapter will be finally closed . She tried to remind herself of it again and again, but it had taken her a while until she had managed to keep her heart from racing and to make the spiraling stop. The trauma still ran deep, but it would end today. She was at least certain of and confident about killing every last one of them. They were like an infestation and they needed to be exterminated...it was about damn time. She had seen Zack fight before and so she knew very well what he was capable of and that was why she didn't doubt that their surprising ambush would be successful at all. The new found determination had replaced the pain because she was literally trying to turn the latter into anger which she could then convert into power that was just waiting to be unleashed once they would reach their lair.

Once she met Zack outside, she welcomed him back with a smile. "That'd be great, thank you" she immediately replied with a hint of relief in her voice as she tossed him the keys, knowing well that it was for the best if she could concentrate on telling the story instead of paying attention to the dry, bumpy landscape. Together they loaded the necessities into the trunk and entered the vehicle afterwards before Celeste briefly massaged her temples. "It's not very far. A four hours drive perhaps and I would suggest we wait for the night to come as the darkness will surely help with a stealthy approach" she then explained, activating her holopad for an approximate sense of direction. She didn't need to type in the exact coordinates as she had remember ever last part of her journey, so she only pointed in the approximate direction for now. Sooner or later she'd rely on the canyon formations, but for now they were just headed in one direction.

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