SWTOR: The Davire Legacy

[2018] Crisis on Umbara: Part 3

It had been relatively easy to dispose of the droid Theron left behind, and the flight back to Odessan had felt much shorter than usual. Being back on the planet now, however, was proving to be much more difficult than anticipated. Alliance members who had been around since the beginning had immediately noticed Theron was missing, and then the rumors had begun.

Seyje and Lana were now hovering over the small console Theron had been standing over less than twenty four hours prior.

"How bad?" Seyje asked quietly.

"It's too soon to tell for sure, but from what I've gathered so far, it's not looking good," Lana replied grimly.

Seyje exhaled loudly, turning and leaning her back against the edge of the console. Her head turned towards the hallway at the sound of footsteps, and to no surprise, Saiyah entered the small cavern. Her eyes were red and puffy. She hadn't slept a wink on the flight back to Odessan, but then again, neither did anyone else.

As soon as they had landed on home territory, Lana had stayed up all night running reconnaissance on Iokath. Despite the disruption on Umbara, the Alliance still had a secondary mission to focus on.

"We recovered most of the Adegan crystals. Once we tap into their power, Iokath is as good as ours," Lana reported.

"And Theron?" Saiyah asked wearily.

Lana's expression fell. "Word of his betrayal is spreading quickly. My agents are running damage control, but...it will be weeks before we know how much harm he inflicted."

Saiyah's already white face seemed to pale even more, and Seyje began to wonder if she should take up the helm of Commander once more. There was no way her sister was going to be able to focus after a betrayal like this. It had taken her weeks to recover after Quinn had done the same thing to her.

Lana shook her head, her voice shaking slightly. "Even with the truth out in the open, I can hardly believe Theron was the traitor," she said in shock.

Neither can I.

Saiyah took a few steps back to sit down on a crate. "I loved him..." she murmured, her voice a mix of despair and confusion. "I'm still trying to figure out where the lies stopped and the truth began."

"We'll be piecing that mystery together for months," Lana remarked. She crossed her arms across her chest as her voice shifted to a slightly more aggressive tone. "We should brace ourselves for Theron's next move."

"He would be foolish to move against us like that again," Seyje snarled angrily.

Seyje's chest tightened as Saiyah's disheartened gaze found hers, but she didn't take back the threat. Seyje was upset for a number of reasons that her sister wouldn't understand right now. Not only had she been right about Theron's betrayal, but something about the whole scenario just felt off to her. His behavior and overall choice of words were lies meant to lead them away from whatever he was trying to hide from the Alliance.

Seyje's gaze shifted back to Lana. "Find out what Jace Malcolm knows – and try to locate Satele Shan," she suggested, trying to keep her voice as even as possible.

"I already have feelers digging into Satele's whereabouts," Lana confirmed. "I'll being the hunt at once."

Lana turned back to the console and began typing away at the screen. Saiyah pushed herself off of the crate to stand, catching the attention of both Sith.

"Before you start, I want to send a message to Theron," Saiyah said as she moved in front of the console. Her gait was slightly uneven.

Seyje raised a brow. "Saiyah, are you sure? You don't look fully recovered yet."

Saiyah nodded. "I know you're worried Seyje, but this is something I have to do."

Seyje bowed her head to her sister, silently respecting the choice. It was one she had never been given with Quinn. At least this way, Saiyah would be able to have at least a little peace of mind about the betrayal.

Saiyah looked over to Lana. "Open a holochannel and prepare to broadcast it across the galaxy."

"Clearing channels now," Lana said. "What message will you send the traitor?"

Seyje's brow furrowed at Lana's choice of word. She hated the word traitor. It made Theron sound evil, and they all knew he was the exact opposite.

There must be a reason he did this. I have to find out what it is.

Saiyah took a deep breath to strengthen her resolve before speaking. She sounded much more confident in her words than Seyje initially accredited her for.

"This is the Commander of the Eternal Alliance. I have a message for my old friend... Theron Shan."

She paused, and Seyje could feel her sister struggling to keep her composure. Simply saying his name caused her physical pain. Yet Saiyah continued on, retaining the image of a strong Alliance Commander.

"We've been through a lot together, Theron," she said softly. "In your honor, I am dedicating a hundred Eternal fleet ships to the fight for peace."

Across the galaxy, the blue holographic image of Saiyah hovered above the dashboard of a stolen starship. A gloved hand reached out and to turn the volume a little louder.

"Return to the Alliance, and these ships will be yours to command. We can end the cycle of war, but we have to work together," the image of Saiyah said.

She paused for a moment, and Theron's eyes were glued to her. He hadn't meant a word of what he had said on the train, and yet her speech was a direct response to it. Saiyah's hand extended forward, as if she was reaching out to him as her soft voice once again filled the space in the tiny cockpit.

"I love you Theron. Come home."

Theron's resolve cracked right then and there. What right did he have to lie to her like this? What had Saiyah done to deserve such a bitter knife in the back? Absolutely nothing. She was kind, courageous, and far more dedicated to him than any normal Jedi should be.

"I love you too...but I can't," Theron whispered hoarsely.

Maybe one day she would understand and forgive him. Or maybe she wouldn't. It was a risk he had to take, or the entire Alliance would crumble under their feet. Everything he had helped her and Seyje build would be for nothing if this threat wasn't eliminated. That was why he was enduring the lie. Making sure that his captors would believe him and give him access to their secrets.

With a sharp exhale, Theron reached out and flipped a switch, replacing the image of Saiyah with a hooded figure. He wore a mask and spoke with a robotic voice.

"So...You did as we asked. We had our doubts, but now we see your dedication to the cause."

Theron sat patiently, silently praying he would get the answer he had been waiting for.

"We've reached a decision," the figure proclaimed. "Theron Shan, welcome...to the Order."

A set of coordinates immediately appeared on his navicomputer. Theron inputted them, and an unfamiliar location appeared on the screen. He set a course and readied the ship for hyperspace.

I've got them now. Just...please wait up for me, Saiyah. I promised to do whatever I needed to protect you. Hopefully, one day you'll understand. If not, then I...just, please try to.

The stars around him warped into long, thin white lines as the ship began its jump.

I'm doing this for you.