Interlude I. 4348.272 to 7922.653 CRC
Interlude I. 4348.272to 7922.653 CRC
“Thank you.”
There was gratitude in Mana’s eyes, on top of the familiar maternal love Arya had already seen.
“You’ve done something I couldn’t hope for here in the Purgatory.” the goddess forged on, “Without you, Tenebrae would have been pushed back, but his influence would have lingered all over the galaxy.” a sigh, and some worry became visible in her eyes, “But it was so much…”
“It was too much for my body, wasn’t it?” the goddess realized, only now noticing they weren’t in the cave anymore but in the realm where she’d first met Mana
“It nearly was.” the other goddess agreed, “I did all I could to help, but while your powers didn’t destroy your mortal body, it left it open to outside attacks.” she paused for a second, before explaining, “Poison.”
Shadow’s mind reviewed the battle they’d just had – winced as she remembered the volley of small knives she nearly hadn’t noticed in the midst of the Force-lightning storm.
One blade had hit her, she remembered, between her shoulder and her left breast – not too far from the heart. She hadn’t been too worried, the blade was short, and with the Force enhancing all her body’s function, the bleeding had quickly stopped as the wounded healed unnaturally fast.
“It’s a rare blend of poison,” Mana explained, “one that resists even Force healing. There is currently no cure.”
“I was never meant to stay in this era.” Shadow suddenly remembered
She had forgotten, somehow.
“I’m sorry.” the other goddess said sincerely
“It’s…” Shadow struggled to finish her sentence
It wasn’t OK, really not – she was leaving her father and sister, and all her friends behind, the Alliance without a leader.
She felt something stab at her heart.
Arkous.
She wasn't ready to leave them all behind – she really, really wasn’t.
A step, and Mana was enfolding the slender, green-skinned goddess in her arms.
Already, Shadow was feeling her hold on her powers recede, and with it her senses dull, and her mind starting to go back toward the wounded body she’d soon be trapped in.
¤.¤.¤
Arya opened her eyes, realizing she was back in the cave, in Arkous’ arms. Her three familiars were arrayed around her, watching her solemnly, knowing just as well as she did that her body was giving up on her.
She only had enough strength to reach toward the red-skinned god, gently stroking his cheek once – before closing her eyes.
¤.¤.¤
The air shuddered around them as Arkous anguish rose, a powerful wave of power curling him as the pureblood Sith let rage replace the pain.
“She’s still alive!”
The voice of reason – was that of Korriban, surprisingly.
Arkous turned his attention toward the entity, “Her body is in a deep healing coma.”
It was true, the man realized – Arya’s life-Force was nearly gone, but not quite.
“Voss.” Kira, who’d somewhat recovered from her earlier ordeal, was the one to suggest
To Voss, they went, easily acquiring the authorization to land when they mentioned that they needed healing for Arya.
Even the Mystics, renowned as they were to be among the best Force healers in the galaxy, couldn’t do much for her – they helped her body fight against the poison enough that she wasn’t fading anymore.
But she was still weak enough that letting her wake up may well prove fatal, as long as they didn’t find a cure for the poison.
Arya’s body was put in a cryostasis pod.
¤.¤.¤
The Alliance didn’t last long without its leader, most people going back to their former allegiance.
Once more, conflicts between the Siths and the Jedi arose – on Ossus, Onderon or Dantooine…
Things weren’t quite as bad as they had been, as neither side was ready to engage in full out war quite yet, the memories of their defeat against the Eternal Empire still too fresh.
It was evident to all that the peace wouldn’t last.
Kira and Scourge had returned to Korriban, to keep an eye on the cryostasis pod that laid forgotten in the depths of the planet.
In time, their children took over that duty.
Marr and Satele had found an old Rakata machine somewhere on Belsavis when looking for a cure to Arya’s poison – the former Sith had won a new body out of it. Neither had returned to the Republic nor the Empire, instead staying together and traveling around the galaxy as neutral Force users.
Both were sufficiently respected by their faction that they were still welcomed among them. But their view on the Force and balance, like most of those that had learned about balance and cooperation between Light and Dark, were met with doubts and wariness.
The Unfettered Mooka’s crew went back to their job as smugglers, freeing slaves along their way and searching for a cure to the poison that was keeping Arya in a coma.
Padfoot, Blanche and Kagetsu stayed with Arkous – and the pureblood Sith, without surprised, was the one who kept and protected Arya’s body.
There had been numerous tentative – either to simply see her from some determined admirers, or to try to finish her off from some enemies she’d made over the years.
The former were given a small beating – the latter promptly met their maker.
Eventually, Arkous decided he needed a good hiding place for Arya. And it was with Satele, and the newly created Nova Force’s agreement, that the pureblood Sith started to live in the ruins of the Jedi Temple on Tython, where a small group of Jedi were residing too.
¤.¤.¤
It took Arkous some time to realize he wasn’t aging.
Deaknal had died first, and Nyla had left the UnfetteredMooka behind, taking their daughter with her and going to the remaining Kashi Mer.
Then, Xenloth and Lyn’Me had perished during a raid against the Zygerrian slavers. By then, their elder son had already left the family starship, and started to make a name for himself; their younger daughter Aayla’Me was staying with Arkous and the dwindling Jedi community on Tython, training with both the pureblood Sith and an aging Tavasya Oman.
It was when he heard about Aayla’Me’s death – of old age and after having been the Grand Master of the Jedi Order for decades, that he realized he hadn’t aged.
By then, the war between the Empire and Republic was over, the Sith Empire having fallen against the Nova Force. Zakuulan wasn’t an empire anymore, and had been all but forgotten too – just like Iokath and its droids.
Arkous realized he was one of the few survivors of a gone era.
The Jedi on Tython of course, had already known what he was just understanding himself.
It was Aayla’Me’s former padawan, now the latest Jedi Grand Master of the order, who suggested he relocate to Coruscant with Arya’s body. By now, only a couple of ancient Jedi, who’d professed their intention to die on the planet, were left on Tython, while the order had established a new, flourishing temple on the capital planet of the Republic.
The pureblood Sith couldn’t say when things went from youngling somehow finding their way to him after escaping their Jedi minder of the day to him officially becoming a Crèche Master.
He did remember how surprised the latest Jedi Grand Master had looked at the reminder that he wasn’t a Jedi – that had been rather amusing.
Still, Arkous didn’t mind the children – they were a bright light in the bleakness of days, months, and years all merging together.
Padfoot, Blanche and Kagetsu liked them too, the three familiar shifting from their large form to carry the young Force users around, to their smaller one to beg for some pats
Between two classes of younglings – he slept. Sometimes a few days – sometimes years and decades.
Each time he woke up, his first action was to check on Arya’s cryostasis pod, hidden in the deepest layers of the temple, where few people ever stepped foot. He also checked with the Healing Temple, to see if a cure had finally been found – always to be met with a negative answer.
With time, Arkous’ sleeping phases went on longer and longer, the Force humming encouragingly in his ears.
Just a bit more…
¤.¤.¤
Arya knew she was sleeping.
Contrarily to her stasis when imprisoned by Arcann, her spirit hadn’t been able to escape the confines of her body this time – so she could only faintly feel what was going on right around her.
There had been quite some agitation at first – the Voss attempt at healing her, which had helped somewhat.
Then the cryostasis pod.
People coming and going – some peaceful, others wanting to end her life – and Arkous, always there to stop them.
There were less and less visits as time went on, and somehow, Arya knew that it was because too much time had gone by.
Even Arkous’ presence, she felt less and less.
Then, one day, she felt a bright star being born.
The phantom sensation of the pendant around her neck warming – and she immediately knew what it meant.
Lily Potter had taken her first breath in the galaxy.
Time went on.
Whenever she was around, Arya could feel the familiar presence of the woman who’d been her mother, her Light growing dimmer as conflict rose in the galaxy once more.
The conflict ended – and Arya’s mother left the temple behind, though she could feel the woman was still alive.
She couldn’t say how much time went by – before, once more, a new light caught her attention.
War, it seemed, had just been born in the galaxy.
4316.165.9 CRC – birth of Arya Lunika on Benduday (5th day of the week) of the 6th week of the 1st month of the year 4316 while in Hyperspace (3661 BBY / -7 ATC)
4320.412.0 CRC – Fluffy Mooka boarded, death of Sayah and Leelai Lunika, Arya Lunika registered to the Korriban Academy as “Jen’Nwit” (Little Shadow) by Darth Arkous (3657 BBY / -3 ATC)
4322.742 CRC –Arya saves Lyn’Me, they become sisters (3655 BBY / -1 ATC)
4323.273 CRC – Arya Lunika escape the Korriban Academy and is recruited by Cipher Eleven (3654 BBY / 0 ATC)
4325.323.0 CRC – Deaknal (Born from the Wind) Raheth (Sandwalker) adopts Arya Lunika (3652 BBY / 2 ATC)
4328.444 CRC – Return to the Empire, Deaknal promoted (3649 BBY / 5 ATC)
4330.974 CRC – Lyn’Me escapes Korriban (3647 BBY / 7 ATC)
4331.165.0 CRC – re-birth of Padfoot, Arya leaves Dromund Kaas on her first solo mission (3646 BBY / 8 ATC)
4331.721 CRC – finding of the vergeance and re-birth of Blanche on Lothal (3646 BBY / 8 ATC)
4332.211 CRC– finding the vergeance of Ossus (3645 BBY / 9 ATC)
4332.231 CRC– return on Dromund Kaas (3645 BBY / 9 ATC)
4332.315 CRC– mission on Nal Hutta starts (3645 BBY / 9 ATC)
4333.164 CRC– arrival of Ketan Seva on Nal Hutta (3644 BBY / 10 ATC)
4333.333 CRC– Arya becomes Cipher Seven (3644 BBY / 10 ATC)
4333.923 CRC– Darth Arkous becomes a member of the Dark Council, Deaknal is promoted from Keeper to Minister (3644 BBY / 10 ATC)
4334.233 CRC– Dash.a Ellan becomes a Privateer for the Republic (3643 BBY / 11 ATC)
4334.762 CRC– War starts again (3643 BBY / 11 ATC)
4334.943 CRC– re-birth of Kagetsu (3643 BBY / 11 ATC)
4334.954 CRC– death of Sel-Makor (3643 BBY / 11 ATC)
4335.625 CRC– birth of Jela’Me, son of Lyn’Me and Xenloth Nor (3642 BBY / 12 ATC)
4337.172 CRC– death of Vitiate’s Voice in the Empire (3640 BBY / 14 ATC)
4340.835 CRC– battle against Revan (3637 BBY / 17 ATC)
4340.064 CRC– destruction of Ziost (3637 BBY / 17 ATC)
4341.174 CRC– Eternal Empire offensive (3636 BBY / 18 ATC)
4341.342 CRC– Arya wakes up (3636 BBY / 18 ATC)
4341.461 CRC– visit on Tython (3636 BBY / 18 ATC)
4341.512 CRC– defeat against the Eternal Empire, death of Darth Marr, Arya in cryostasis (3636 BBY / 18 ATC)
4346.364 CRC– Arya rescued and waked up (3631 BBY / 23 ATC)
4346.415 CRC– battle of Asylum (3631 BBY / 23 ATC)
4346.061 CRC– journey to Odessen’s core (3631 BBY / 23 ATC)
4346.074 CRC– Firebrand’s assault on Zakuul’s infrastructures (3631 BBY / 23 ATC)
4347.122 CRC– Arcann’s retaliation (3630 BBY / 24 ATC)
4347.413 CRC– assault on Zakuul (3630 BBY / 24 ATC)
4348.272 CRC– battle against Tenebrae (3659 BBY / 25 ATC)
4351.xxx CRC– Arkous starts living on Tython (3656 BBY / 28 ATC)
4383.xxx CRC– death of Deaknal (3624 BBY / 60 ATC)
4408.xxx CRC– death of Xenloth and Lyn’Me (3599 BBY / 85 ATC)
4439.xxx CRC– Aayla’Me becomes Grand Master (3568 BBY / 116 ATC)
4517.xxx CRC– death of Aayla’Me (3590 BBY / 194 ATC)
4568.xxx CRC– Arkous takes Arya’s pod to Coruscant (3539 BBY / 245 ATC)
6945.354 CRC– birth of Fay (1031 BBY / 2621 ATC)
6976.xxx CRC– Ruusan Reformation, Fay gives up her lightsaber (1000 BBY / 2652 ATC)
7080.075 CRC– birth of Yoda (896 BBY / 2756 ATC)
7922.653 CRC– birth of Obi Wan Kenobi (54 BBY / 3598 ATC)