FORSAKEN - Target: Zero

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

"You only felt me because I wanted you to," said the Fourth Sister.

Syrran wasn't expecting this. Raindrops evaporated when they hit his purple plasma blades. "You're good. I'll give you that."

"Hello, Syrran Qer. It's been a long time."

"Virra Fenn. Or should I call you, Pharos?"

"You pieced it together," said Virra with reverence. "Then again, I'm not surprised. Master Windu only recruited the best candidates for the Cloaks."

"How would you know? Our ranks were kept secret." He knew the answer but wanted to hear it from her.

"Because I was the first Cloak. My training with the Kage was going to be the model for the espionage branch of the Jedi Order. Sadly, the Clone Wars curtailed its implementation. Instead, my Master, Mace Windu, asked me to help him recruit agents from the exiting ranks. Your skill as a Jedi Investigator and unconventional training at the temple, made you an obvious choice."

Feeling exposed made Syrran apprehensive. "What do you know about me?"

"Only that you're not whom the High Council presented you as. Not all secrets were revealed to me."

"How did you find me?"

"I have informants everywhere. You found one of them in Jedha—very impressive. I lost track of you for a while, but I picked your trail back in Corellia." Virra regarded him with a certain appreciation. "I knew you were the right choice for the mission."

"So, here I am."

Virra threw her lightsaber half pike at his feet. "I came to talk, Syrran. You'll have plenty of fighting soon enough."

Syrran put away his lightsabers. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

"Do I?"

"You do." Theleema came up from behind her, placing her lightsaber close to her neck.

"Maul did an excellent job too." Virra remained unflapped. "I knew this would work."

"Quit playing around, Virra," Syrran said. "You said you want to talk."

"Choose your words wisely," Theleema said.

"It's kind of hard talking over the hum," Virra said.

"Leema," Syrran said.

Theleema turned off her sword not without reluctance and joined Syrran.

What are you doing here? he said with his mind.

Looking after you, what else? It's time for you to stop this whole lone gunman thing you do. You are part of a team, doing things that affect all of us, not just you. "Talk," Theleema said to Virra.

"Are you sure you want her present?" Virra said.

"You can say whatever you want in front of her as far as I'm concerned," Syrran said.

"Fine. I'm going to finish our original mission, to eliminate target: zero—with your help."

"Why now?"

"I've been in deep cover since the Clone Wars. First, by infiltrating the Jedi Temple Guards that betrayed the Order, and then, by becoming an Inquisitor. Since then, I've been actively undermining the Empire from within, helping as many Jedi as I could to escape and remain hidden, and aiding anyone who oppose Darth Sidious in any way."

"So, that's what happened to you. You became a Temple Guard after you were Knighted."

"What better way to keep an eye on someone you don't trust?"