THE COMMANDER

Vette hugged her companion from the moment she got back from her mission. Leena didn't hesitate to hug her friend back, sometimes there were times when the apprentice believes that, the Twi'lek knew what she exactly needed. Whatever happened out there, the Twi'lek could tell that it broke Sern deep down inside.

The apprentice then turned to the Lieutenant as he approached them. "I must be honest, your success at the satellite control station and Republic crater outpost has surprised me, my Lord. I computed the likelihood of success as nearly negligible. In my assessment, however, I only considered the capabilities of a typical Sith. Clearly, you are not a typical Sith." Leena and Vette's exchanged glances before turning back to Quinn. "I will adjust future calibrations to account for your unprecedented abilities."

"I am not sure if that is praise, Quinn but – thank you, I suppose, but there's no need to worry about it."

He nodded in slight shame. "I'm not too proud to acknowledge when I'm mistaken. I take pride in inaccuracy. Otherwise, I'm no good for you. Lord Baras is pleased. He says it's time to zero in on your prime directive, and he awaits your contact. My barracks are yours in the morning. Activate the holocommunicator in the next room to speak with Lord Baras, when you are ready. The line is fully secure."

"You've been most helpful." The apprentice proceeded

"I'll be right here when needed, my Lord." Quinn excused himself.

When Leena proceeded to the quarters that were prepared for her, she immediately removed the helmet – releasing a deep sigh. She didn't know what to make of this first off-world mission of hers at all. She sat down and looked down on her hands that were shaking uncontrollably as if agony could be sensed all around her body.

She shook her head, trying to forget all that happened and she silently prayed to the stars – why did she have to suffer like this?

She wanted to give room for mercy and love, but she knew that those things died with Arrun that night. The horrid look of the boy's face was still inside of her mind, there was nothing she could do. Nor did she even know what Arrun would say if he saw her right now. She allowed herself to be a pawn in Baras's game, she was giving into the darkness.

The following day, the apprentice proceeded to Quinn's barracks as instructed. "I hope you can see the smile on my face, apprentice. You are turning me into a true believer."

"That pleases me, Master." She bowed in his presence. Carefully sealing her emotions so Baras wouldn't need to be suspected of her loyalty. Though she wondered if he can still smile if she would stab her lightsaber through his eye and at the back of his skull.

"I'm sure you're impatient to complete your time on this little rock. With the satellite tower computer destroyed and Commander Rylon's son neutralized, my spy's tracks are covered. Now the only threat to Rylon ever being exposed is the man himself. It's time to end that threat. Permanently."

"That is my specialty."

"As you were raised, apprentice." He nodded in satisfaction. "I've had him imbedded within enemy ranks for decades. The extent of his contribution to the Empire's interests is unrivaled."

"The man is a hero, pity ha has to die." To think that a man such as himself dedicated his years into Imperial service, and be rewarded with death – she wondered if her father's efforts in the ranks would be the same. She can only imagine that he would die proudly, serving the Empire.

"He has always known the risk." Baras pointed out and the apprentice had to come in terms with that. "The Jedi investigator must have no hard evidence that Rylon was killed to silence him. It must look like anything but a targeted execution – annihilate everyone there."

"There won't be a heart left beating."

"See to that." Baras has become fond of this apprentice of his. Perhaps murdering Lord Zaine was for the best, but the Dark Lord isn't clueless about what emotion can do to people. What vengeance can do to a singular person – and bring the whole galaxy down on its knees? He will keep her tamed for as long as he needed her to be tamed. "I've summoned Lieutenant Quinn. He'll prepare you for your final task."

Ending their communication, the apprentice couldn't help but feel empty when she was left alone with him. And the details of her tasks would remain a secret from Vette and the Lieutenant, she really didn't have anyone to share anything to. The apprentice could feel the shadows of doubt holding her in its arms, and in return, she would embrace it herself.

She was learning the ways of the Sith, as she should – Baras's evaluation of her was high and was expecting remarkable things from her. And failure isn't one of them. The dragon inside of her was slowly waking up.

Leena belonged to the dark side of the Force, her eyes were living proof of that. She only had a short time on Balmorra and even so, after a restless night, she could still hear the Force whispering in her ears. Cold and yet commanding, she slaughtered the Republic troops who stood in her way. Her Master did not care what she did on Balmorra as long as she finishes her given tasks.

The denial was useless until the truth is out – and Commander Rylon might find his death an honorable one for the Empire, without anyone knowing what he did for them. The apprentice found it to be a waste of resource, surely, he could serve the Empire more than in death. Even she knew that her Master's orders were absolute.

Heroes are not often seen under the sunlight but rather, the can found within the shadows.

"Your final target is the Balmorran Arms Factory. The resistance forces recently captured it and made it their headquarters. An incursion into the Arms Factory will be a monumental feat." Quinn proceeded as he gave her the datapad containing all of the necessary details she would need on this mission. But rather than staying in professional terms, even Vette smirked as she noticed the excited tone coming out of his lips. "I'm excited by the prospect of you laying waste to that place."

The apprentice scanned through the datapad but managed to look up at the Lieutenant with a confused look under her helmet. The man didn't even know what she looked like. "We're on the same page Lieutenant but, I… excite you how?" She questioned, rather confused.

"W-well, what I mean was…" Quinn began to shutter. Vette, on the other hand, was holding her laughter on the sidelines. There was this lingering information that Leena's husband just died a few days ago, but it was nice to see that a usual stiff soldier manages to loosen up around the apprentice despite the horrid helmet. The Twi'lek found it amusing. "When I imagine the ways you will shape the galaxy. I get very excited, yes. That will make us an unstoppable force, my Lord."

The apprentice grew even more confused and just shrugged off the idea. Though his cheeks were clearly visible with the slightest shade of pink, it was a rather awkward situation for him. Vette, on the other hand, found something else besides the HoloNets to amuse her. With all those seven years with Leena and Arrun, the Twi'el couldn't help but give out a sad smile for those old memories.

"May I continue to brief you on the Balmorran Arms Factory, my Lord?" Quinn changed the topic, offering his assistance to her. The apprentice nodded and proceeded with the holomap Quinn provided. It was rather reckless of him to actually state that in front of a Sith. Which makes it even more embarrassing. "The Republic commander center is deep inside the Arms Factory, the most heavily protected installation on the planet."

Quinn began to explain as he was providing the data through the system. "In order to reach Commander Rylon, you will have to make your way past all of the factory's defenses—which are considerable."

"Give me a rundown on those defenses." The apprentice said in a strict tone.

"Unknown, my Lord. But the resistance will certainly have state-of-the-art security and attack droids. Stationed inside are an estimated one thousand of the Republic's best-trained soldiers. Specifically, Rylon's elite squadron is responsible for some of the most precise, improbable resistance victories on Balmorra. They're legendary."

"Sounds like you admire then, Lieutenant." The Sith pointed out.

"I've marveled at their tactical exploits, that's all. It will be a bright day on Balmorra when they are eliminated." The Lieutenant answered well. Soldiers would be soldiers. "One final thing: The investigator that the Jedi sent has been concentrating her activity around the Arms Factory." Quinn gave the apprentice a quick note of things. "I have her under minute-by-minute surveillance. If she becomes a problem, I'll contact you on your comlink."

"I will take note of it, Lieutenant." Leena nodded as her sights were still on the map. Vette knew that look on her face, and she felt that she wasn't going to even like this.

"I will be here to salute you when the Balmorran Arms Factory is a smoking husk, my Lord." Vette noticed on how Quinn was slowly beginning to fancy her sister. They won't last long in Balmorra anymore, being stuck here for around a month, almost two – Vette was sure that they wouldn't see him again and she would have no entertainment.

Leena just turned twenty-five before they left Dromand Kaas, she's young and at the same time, the age of marrying. Her real sister, Azal would only give her messages from time to time and not frequently. The loneliness in her heart, Vette could feel the pain inside of her sister – and she too did not need the Force to know that.

Vette asked, if she could come along this time, instead of being stuck with the Lieutenant who did nothing but nag her about Imperial protocol. With droids out there to kill the apprentice and a thousand republic soldiers she has to go through for one man – the apprentice nodded in agreement.

Two people handling a lot of republic forces, what could go wrong?

Instead of her usual tactic on sneaking inside the compound, for once, she decided to head in with a single lightsaber and a Twi'lek with dual blasters. The droids went on ahead, doing what they were programmed to – kill any enemy that comes in their way.

But she didn't need a lightsaber for this mess, she raised her hand and crushed the droids that came on her way. Crushing them immediately before they could even reach her. Vette didn't even have the chance to draw out her blasters when Leena decided to crush them with a single raise of her hand, she went towards the entrance and forced herself in – placing her lightsaber in the middle, slicing the entrance open.

Following the Sith apprentice, on the other side were several Republic men ready to open fire once the door is forced open.

Some of the men were already shaking with the thought that a Sith would come all this way to kill a single man, for them, Sith is not known for mercy. When Leena finally opened the door, Vette had her two basters out in the open and began to fire and so did the Republic troops – Leena raised her hand once more as she shielded herself with the Force.

As she walked through the path and slaughtered the troops that stood in her way, holding her own guns out in the open to stop her at all cause. It was just a pity that nothing can protect them from her – and she was only a mere apprentice.

She didn't need to take out another lightsaber to even commit her own slaughter towards these defensive men and women, sworn to protect their people and fight for justice. Misguided people, some Imperials would think about them.

For the apprentice, she knew that she had to commit a massacre. But she didn't feel the guilt when she murdered the boy inside the cage, but rather, she was embracing the decision to kill and add more blood on her hands, piling up more bodies that would be killed with her lightsaber.

And it scared her inside.

The apprentice used her own fear to channel the dark side of the Force.

She didn't need the wisdom of a Jedi, or the teachings of the Sith to understand what she had to do. All she had to do was to decide what has to be done – and killing one thousand republic troopers and crumbling droids left and right, was the best way for victory.

'Victory or death.' She thought to herself. Her short adventure on the planet of Balmorra, made her understand that there was both the light side and the dark side of the Force – she understood, that in the end, she had to make a choice. Which side she would embrace for survival.

Which legacy she would have to achieve.

The legacy of the light side or the legacy of the dark side. She was welcomed in the shadow and the shadow calls out for her even more, the sheer emotion of that little girl who had no memory of her mother, no memory of what happened to her dead brothers. Use her pain and emotion to channel the dark side of the Force, it was what she was born for.

And she knew that.

Going through deeper within the compound, the girl did not hesitate on using the Force to push the troopers away and decapitating them in midair. While Vette would shoot the soldiers through the head or the heart, Leena didn't hesitate to stab them with her lightsaber to ensure that they were dead and leave no survivors in the Arms Factory.

The more soldiers would scream to fire towards the apprentice, the more bodies she would pile up. The more blood she would have on her hands. She would block every shot with her lightsaber until the time came, she began to use two instead of one.

Leaving a bloody trail behind, the Sith had her eyes locked on the few remaining men standing in her way. The remaining public troops had their guns pointed at her and her Twi'el companion. Holding out her two lightsabers as she was focused on assassinating Commander Rylon. These were one of the Republics' finest men and women, holding on the line until their commander would come back for back up.

Even when there wasn't really a back up in the first place.

She slaughtered hundreds then she can slaughter a dozen more. Vette proved herself to be a good marksman as she fired her blasters and the Sith managed to block each attack. She was calm, much like a Jedi but was in fear, much like a Sith.

Pulling one of the soldiers towards her with the Force, she stabbed him through the stomach and used his corpse as a human shield. Taking all the firepower until she was close enough to behead and stab the remaining soldiers she needed to eliminate. The dark side summons her wrath.

Once the murder was done, Commander Rylon came out of his command post and walked towards the Sith. He glanced at the bodies and sighed heavily; she could feel that strong sense of regret inside of him – but his loyalties were not conflicted at the least. "It's unfortunate they were on the wrong side. They were excellent soldiers and exceptional men."

"You could have converted them to our cause… and lessen the bloodshed I had to endure." The Sith apprentice was honest. Even though there traces of republic blood on her clothes, she turned off her lightsabers and turned to Ryon. For decades working under the Republic as a spy for their glorious Empire, the spy held his position firmly.

"I followed Baras's orders to the letter." Rylon openly admitted as he made eye contact with the Sith. "Recruitment was never my purpose here. I serve for the glory of the Empire. But the life of a spy is a slippery one. In essence, I had to become a Republic soldier, and I've done things against the Empire that have sickened me."

"At least your pain ends today," Leena stated calmly towards Rylon. He knew what would have happened eventually, both of them knew that there was no escape from Baras's slaughter count. No matter who the executioner is.

"Before I embrace my end, there is one thing I must know." For a soldier meeting his fate, he was concerned about something and the only one who can answer was the Sith. "My son. He has the only thing in the world that was truly mine. And in love or weakness, I told him my secrets. I… I know you had to cover my tracks, but please tell me." The crumbling voice of the old man broke her heart. The guilt was slowly taking over her once more.

The price of war. "Did he face his fate well?" Rylon asked.

So she lied. "His chin was held high, Commander."

"Then I can die with a smile." The commander stood proudly in front of the Sith. Leena nodded in guilt, turning on her lightsaber as she stabbed him through the heart.

As the two girls watched the commander fall down on the floor along with his men, Vette walked towards her sister and held both of her shaking hands. Trying to put up a brave face as she knew she killed another person who was a victim of war, no innocent wanted.

"Hey," Vette called out to her in a soothing voice as Leena closed her eyes. Trying to calm down, "It's alright… It's alright." That was all the Twi'lek could say to her. She didn't know how to handle such trauma from a Sith no less.

She's not the woman she's pretending to be.

Not yet.

Leena nodded as she held onto Vette's hands. Her holocom rang, Quinn was trying to contact her from the base. Taking a deep breath, the Sith let go of her sister's hands and picked up the holocom. "My Lord, I believe we've got trouble. I heard your entire conversation with Commander Rylon."

"You have my full attention, Quinn." The Sith acknowledged.

"I told you that I've had the Jedi investigator surveilled and that she's been snooping around the Arms Factory. Apparently, she bugged Rylon's quarters and as she listened in on your conversation, I heard what she heard. The investigator knows everything, my Lord." Leena couldn't help but sigh. Just as she thought this was all finished.

"Where is this investigator now?"

"She was heading to her ship, but I had my men move in and cut her off from the Republic landing bay. I am systematically blocking her avenues of transmission and escape, herding that Republic scum to her only hope—the spaceport at Sobrik."

"How the hell does she expect to survive an Imperial spaceport?" Leena asked as even Vette was confused.

"My men report that she's wielding a lightsaber, my Lord," Quinn informed her immediately. "This investigator is a Jedi Knight." As Quinn told her the details of the problem, the apprentice wondered if this was the disturbance she has been feeling for the past months on her stay in Balmorra. "Unless you stop her, she's more than capable of fighting her way through the spaceport and commandeering a ship. I will be able to delay the Jedi long enough for you to engage. But I advise caution when facing her."

"Killing Jedi is an old hat for me." Confidence was in her words, she did kill almost a thousand Republic troops after all.

"Then my concern is unfounded. My apologies. I will gather my remaining men and meet you at the spaceport. We will crush this Jedi. Quinn out."

Vette sighs as she crossed her arms and looked at Leena. "I swear he likes you."

"I have no time for that Vette, we have a Jedi to kill."