Several days passed between the incident on Trexxa and the group’s slow journey home. The family was scheduled to speak before the senate, though much of the outcome had already been decided in committees.
Holovideos had surfaced of the resident ‘vigilante hothead’ blowing a hole in the side of the destroyer they were meant to have a meeting in, with claims of aides and guards being hurled into space.
A guns-blazing approach as they then opted to fight their way into the ship while the hothead went missing.
Worse yet, the group had a large number of aliens among them which upset the Human League whom saw it as a blatant slap in the face on their flagship.
Testimony, which had come rather fast actually, painted an even darker light on the occurrences. The pilot crew also attempted to fight back, with blaster fire coming from the shuttle and taking down several Dominion’s Wrath technicians. Troopers came within minutes and a firefight ensued before the decision to destroy the shuttle was given to protect lives.
Then, the hothead attempting to blow the reactor and engines. Luckily failing, a rarity for him, but still an attempt.
It was evening time and the administration council had just departed from Taldryan Tower after a fourteen-hour long ‘conference’. Cassandra had done the same, much to the surprise of the others, for some needed self-reflection time in the Jagd Wastes to the west.
She was kind enough to leave the coordinates where she would be at…deep within its heart, near the southern entrances to the Forceless Forest.
To <@432543120635461643>, whom had felt Cassandra’s extreme frustration and anger, suddenly felt it cut off and disappear, unaware it was due to the effects of the forest. But then a short time later, it returned in a way she had never felt before…a level of extreme anger and malice seen only a few times.
For <@837236610684813342> and <@188018248241905664>, if they so choose, feel similar coming from the direction of the forest. Unknowing if its her or something else.
The option of how to conclude the events is now on the individual, with a sub-narrative included if so chose.
Governess Alaisy Tir'eivra carried two scrolls with her that she had received at the start of her tenure over Kasiya. How unfortunate it was that she had to go searching for the Supreme Chancellor now. Cassandra had usually been easy to find, riddled with a unique aura that made her difficult to figure out.
As was often the case, Aphotis sought her out for matters regarding refugees and foreign threats. The last time the tall Sith had felt her presence, it pointed towards the Jagd Wastes, until it didn’t. It simply dissapeared.
How odd.
The tall Sith had been warned about the swamps before, about some failed experiment and horrible monsters and madness. Aphotis could not care less. It was the nothingness, the oblivion from the Forceless Forest that she feared. She had not put herself together without cost.
Staying alive meant letting go of everything she was, remaking herself from scratch. Memories were precious and difficult to hold onto.
What made the decision to look for Cassandra easier was that the Vice-Chancellor was with her. Aequitas still looked marred from the last time she had seen him. Bruises, a split lip and a black eye. Apparently the whack against his brow really did a number one him.
Exactly what his reason was, wasn’t entirely clear. Yet, it had always been fruitful to remain on his good side.
There were things she needed to learn about him, perhaps this sickening place was just the right location for it.
The area they had landed was indeed, sickening. Aside from the metal platform they were on, the entire area was surrounded by mangrove trees, green colored water with an ichor like hue, and noises of creatures from any which direction. Mostly repetitive, like smaller insects and non-hostile creatures. The air, if they breathed it at all, had a slightly metallic taste to it but caused no ill effects. Adjacent to their left was another platform, and upon that sat Cassandra’s personal shuttle with two members of the Summit Guard standing watch at the ramp.
From the coordinates they had, it was clear she was about half a mile to the south. Which, from the view they had, already began to encroach upon the massive rocky hills and cliffsides that separated the Jagd Wastes from the Forceless Forest. At this point, they were able to sense their connection was wavering and their overall force strength was down roughly twenty percent where they stood. The last to come out from the shuttle was the Arconan Consul, <@432543120635461643>.
“Well, kist.”
It wasn’t as if Zuza wasn’t used to jungles. She’d lived on Selen itself the last two years but no matter how much time she spent planet-side, it was often a nuisnace at just soggy everything could be. Humidity, rain, snow, being truly outside in an atmosphere was a karking nuisance.
But all of that was easily put aside as quickly as the thought arose. Half a mile wasn’t that long. She looked to Anders, to Alaisy, offering a small smile to each though worry strained it on seeing the state of Anders.
“Are we ready?” <@188018248241905664> <@837236610684813342>
He looked worse for wear.
That much was obvious the moment you laid eyes on him. Anders was beat up physically. What perhaps was not so obvious was the mental strain recent events had put on him.
In short; he’d made mistakes.
Anders was a smart man. Regardless of what anyone thought of him, there was no-one who could doubt his intelligence. Yet, a political man, he was not. Skilled in diplomacy, he was not.
Did he believe he’d ultimately made the right decision? Yes. The family testifying in front if the Senate reaffirmed those beliefs. However, he understood, now more than ever, that his part to play in the upcoming war was to be vastly different from the position he attained.
That was assuming he even stayed in the Taldryan Republic to begin with. His assignment was complete. His report to the Voice submitted. He could leave for Arx whenever he wanted. Maybe go pester some other Clan for the Voice instead.
He sighed. The forest was having an effect on him more than just severing his connection to the Force. He might as well get this over with. He would stand hid ground. With dignity on his side.
“Yes. Shall we?” He gestured for the two woman at his side to proceed. Ladies first. After all, that was proper etiquette.
<@432543120635461643> <@188018248241905664> <@61385159655559168>
The area ahead was largely the same, with the metal walkways giving way to wooden ones. Some of the wood was decayed and damaged, some sections even eroded with a green-colored glow.
Their connection to the force continued to decrease, and strangely enough, it slowly became more quiet as they moved…and everything seemed to take on a slightly grey and worn down tone, the colors of their surroundings fading if it were.
A significant ways down, nestled in the rocky hills that separated the two areas, the walkway came to an end at the center of a large area with numerous waterfalls, a large lake, and a large cave. If this area had color, it would be almost beautiful. At the center of a platform on the water sat Cassandra who was examining what looked like a sproutling that had lost half of its color from the base upward. She was in basic clothing for once that gripped her frame and body, allowing for quick and easy movements compared to her normal garb. Being without the force, her reliance on physical abilities was of extreme importance. Several white-clothed scientists were with her, and what looked like members of the OSI with blasters as well guarding.
“So the corruption is spreading, albiet slowly.” one of the scientists commented as he compared holopictures on his datapad to ones taken the last time they had been there.
The other scientist nodded, his left arm across his chest with hand cupping his right elbow, his right hand tapping his face. “Unfortunately. But it’s never moved beyond the cave until the last year, the mouth of it on the forest side has always been the hard line, even for the force loss effects.”
Cassandra’s bare hand was on the top of the plant, her finger running along the edges of one of the few remaining green leaves. She looked at it curiously, even more so because she could not feel anything from it. Was it in distress? Visually, it looked so. Was it actually fine, depending on what the effects of this ‘greyification’ were? Visually on the rest, it also looked so. Even in the forest itself, the few dozen feet people have gone inside, everything related to the flora looked normal outside of its insides. This was proven yet again when one of the scientists broke one of the leaves that had fallen from it, its normal clear sap and moisture a crimson colored red. The other one pulled a vial from a pouch of a teal colored liquid.
He poured it onto the break of the leaf, its color quickly mixing with the red as the leaf started to absorb it. It wasn’t long before the red overwhelmed it and returned to its vibrant color, the leaf itself remaining grey the entire time.
“No effect…”
“What do you think, Ood?” Cassandra asked the Neti that stood nearby, luckily unaffected by the effects of this part of the wastes despite being a tree himself. “Any insights on this?” <@575750161243045889>
“Well now,” the Neti hemmed distractedly. “I am still a bit confused about how I got to be here since I originally just requested access to Republic space to investigate the ruins of a small Jedi enclave within its borders.”
Observing the changes in the plant, Ood threw himself into the currents of the Living Force to better observe what was happening. “The question is ‘why doesn’t the cure work?’ and ‘what’s affecting the plantlife?’ It should perhaps be ‘Why is it affecting the Force?’ or ‘What is cause and what is effect?’ Is the plant change affecting the Force or the other way around?”
Turning towards the Epicanthix next to him, the Arconan drew himself up to his full size, “I think I may have to stick around for awhile to figure out what is happening here. If you’ll allow me that is? I can probably make myself useful in some fashion if necessary.” <@61385159655559168>
“I apologise about that, but with your knowledge of plant-like species given your own as a Neti, plus acknoweldgements of your strengths from Arcona, I felt you might be of solid use on this matter.” she responded apologetically, “I do plan to whisk you away to the enclave on Drake’s Perch upon request once you’ve investigated plenty.”
Normally speaking Alaisy would not even consider inclining her head before taking the lead. This time however, there was doubt. Breathing became harder, as if the air turned into molasses, but instead of being sweet, it was intensely bitter. It made her stomach turn. With a whistle she turned opened the pressurized air valve, it alleviated some of the burden of inhaling, her mask doing it for her.
“I s-suppose we should,” her voice was tinged with insecurity towards Aequitas and Lottson, not something the Sith wished to exude when she was around this type of company.
The shadows whispered to her, each word cutting her like a blade. They danced when they should’ve been still. The glow in her electric-blue eyes dimmed. For a moment she thought she was sweating, but Tir'eivra no longer had pores in her skin. Temperature regulation was done by her tail and second skin’s oils… and those vital oils seeped over her, yet her alchemical had an unusual gloss. Little crimson droplets dripping over black. She was bleeding.
<@432543120635461643>
After a bit of thought on that after having apologized earlier, his question did sort of add up. Given the near complete absence of the force where they were, it wouldn’t make sense for it to be affecting the force. Rather, since it’s being affected itself, whatever is affecting the force is affecting the surroundings.
“I think…the other way around,” she started in her explanation. “The force flows in everything, everyone. And in this case something has removed the force within the, ironically named Forceless Forest, as well as these reaches of the Jagd Wastes. And with the force cut off, something…replaces? Corrupts?”
At that point, it was pure speculation. But it was unnatural for the force to just be…gone, as it was. Even the scientists paused to consider their own theories after that.
The Neti wondered aloud, “Hmm, but did something remove the Force? Truly? It seems unlikely. Maybe something dampened, shoved it aside, suppressed its presence? There are very few things that could fully cause it to be absent? What if instead it’s still here but twisted in a way to be no longer visible?‘
Realising he’d reached to the Living Force without realising, Ood concluded the Force had to be there since he could still connect. But it was silent, as if absent. Not nothingness, a void. But a silence, something was still there but it wasn’t interacting.
“Without an expedition through the caves into the forest, we wont be able to know for certain.” she remarked, still in thought. “But…no one who has entered beyond the sightlines of the cave exit has ever returned. What lies there is completely unknown to us.”
Anders had taken particular note of Aphotis’ reaction. That cold shudder, the loss of one’s senses. He felt it too. Being cut from the Force was like losing apart of oneself. Yet, it seemed to be having a more adverse effect on his fellow Sith.
Was it the alchemical suit? Logically, that would make sense. Anders made a mental note to do extra research later.
Eventually, the trio of himself, Alaisy, and Zuza, the latter in all her bright eyed, smiling glory, found Cassandra along with someone that at least Anders didn’t expect to see.
“Cassandra,” Anders gave a nod. “And Mr. Bnar. I trust you are well? How is the urchin?”
<@575750161243045889> <@188018248241905664> <@432543120635461643>
Tir'eivra made a mental note as Aequitas mentioned their name, barely conscious enough to notice a tree person among trees.
“Mister Bnar, a pleasure. I am Aphotis,” the woman modulated her voice with her mask, to keep anyone from thinking it was strained, “Supreme Chancellor,” Alaisy inclined her head at Cassandra.
Her tail curled around her thigh, squeezing, trying to divert the pain elsewhere. It was to no avail, the suffering came from deep within her, like an itch she could not scratch. The taste on her tongue was no longer bitter, she was just left with a slight metallic flavor. Her mask hissed louder, pushing air into her lungs, cold sterile air. It made her want to cough, or sneeze, but the sensation simply prodded at her.
With the dark side so distant from her, she was assaulted by wave after wave of self-depreciating thoughts. Fear gnawed at her. Alaisy pushed through, gritting her teeth, reminding herself that this was a far cry from the worst that she had been through.
The Arconan Consul seemed all too cheerful with that smile on her face.
<@575750161243045889> <@837236610684813342> <@432543120635461643>
Not that the smile was particularly bright anymore, fading in the reality of what was ongoing here. It was a relief to see Cassandra was ok, if stressed, but there was something really off. She had only a weak connection to the Force but knew it was sapped away. Could feel the gap in her senses that had been present before her memory of being aware of it.
“Heya Ood, Cass.” She greeted, slipping her hands into her pockets, glancing between those gathered with a steadily increasing nervous energy.
“Oh, her….” the neti gathered his thoughts slowly. “She’s attending an academy on Alderaan, getting an education.”
As if sensing the nervous energy, the Neti smiled in an attempt to put his Consul at ease, “No worries milady, Messrs. Drip and Drop are still quite absent.”
She continued to stare at the leaf on the plant, her finger running along it. With a slow steady inhale followed by a light exhale, she looked to the two scientists. “Leave us for a minute. Go check the cave and the forest entrance, see if things have changed any at all.”
They looked down at her, then each other, before they nodded in acknowledgement and began to leave. Once they were out of earshot range, Cassandra slowly rose to her feet and turned to face the group. Her face looked worn down, as if she had not had a wink of sleep in at least 72 hours or more. At this point, it was most likely pure resolve that kept her going, which anyone who knew her knew that was something she clearly had in abundance.
“I expected to talk to you at the tower, not here.” she briefly commented as she pulled her shirt back into place from being crouched. There was an air of frustration in her voice, with clear effort to maintain her vocal composure from shifting to anger.
Before Anders could comment a single response, she instead lashed out. “You will stay quiet, Vice-Chancellor. And you will listen.”
With several steps she approached him, completely disregarding Alaisy and Zuza. “Do you have any idea what you have caused? Any idea? I trust you with one task which you confidently say you can do, after you specifically order me to remain on Kasiya. If their leader won’t be present at the negotiations, no reason I should be. Your exact words.”
She reached forward and forcefully poked his chestbone. “I trusted you, Anders. And the first thing you do is betray that trust. I ask you to take their ideals to mind, do what it takes to be respectful to give the best possible negotiation possible. The first person you invite along? That karking manaical pyromaniac. Then you assemble a team composed almost entirely of aliens, despite my warning.”
Anders once again tried to interject, wanting to tell her what it was he came here for, but she cuts him off directly.
“No. Not until I’m finished.” she said, anger clearly visible but contained. With a moment of pause to make sure he was listening and not speaking, she continued. “Do you even know of the fallout I’ve had to personally handle since this occured?”
In her pocket was a small datapad that she pulled out and shoved onto his chest for him to look at. “Video from the Dominion’s Wrath. Security footage of the pyromaniac blowing a hole in the conference room, causing both officers and security personnel to be sucked into space along with himself. Footage of the shuttle crew opening fire on deck personnel, causing a lethal response in the main hangar bay. The aforementioned pyromaniac trying to blow the ship up by sabotaging an engine and overloading some of the electrical grid. Not to mention kidnapping and exorting a family on Trexxa before taking them away.”
“They’re directing all of this at us, at me as if I coordinated it. The sad part? The senate half believes it. I’ll be lucky if I keep my Chancellorship after this. I’ve already had emergency meetings with the Saijo Royal Family, and the Seitia President. And after meetings with the Administrative Council, I’ve had to relieve two Admirals and a Vice-Admiral due to complete incompetence. It was also decided…”
“…to also relieve you of your Vice-Chancellorship. Which, was a unanimous vote by the way.”
She turned to face away from Anders. “And before you ask, the vote in the senate was unanimous as well. They saw their hands as all but tied on this.”
Her expression as she turned her head back toward him was even more drained, her eyes and brow furrowed some. “The Taldryan Republic is now at war with Dalicron.”
<@837236610684813342>
Aphotis followed the movement of Cassandra’s lips but was having difficulty comprehending the words.
Behind her clear domed visor her black sclera turned reddish, her electric-blue iris greying out.
When she ran her tongue over a tooth she could swear it moved.
Vice-Chancellor, fired?
Memorizing thoughts felt like pressing I’ll fitting puzzle pieces together.
She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to ignore the building strain on her back.
“Do I have your permission to speak now?”
Despite the verbal lashing he’d just received, he maintained his dignity. He stood up straight, arms folded behind his back with his head held up high.
She nodded in affirmation and crossed her arms in front of her. “You may now.”
Zuza glanced slowly between the pair as each spoke.
Oh kark.
Shed never heard Cass mad before.
“I acknowledge my shortcomings in this most recent endeavor. I relayed as much to Chancellor Na'trej of Chyron, should you wish to converse with him on the subject. The team was purposefully picked not just because they are aliens, though that was a particularly large reason as to why, but because they were capable of defending themselves.”
Anders took a deep breath and closed his eyes as in deep in thought.
“I will not lie to you, Cassandra. I fully expected hostilities to occur the moment they caught a glimpse of me. They attacked us first. They tried to asphyxiate us with dioxis gas, which led to the circumstances in the surveillance footage. That family we extorted? They were about to be executed before we intervened and they have agreed to testify in front of the Senate. So yes, whilst I acknowledge my own mistakes, I do not regret the result. War was inevitable. You did not see firsthand what we saw. Action must be taken. Justice must be served.”
A slight pause, one that could cut the tension with a knife.
“However, I understand when I am unwanted. You will be delighted to know, Supreme Chancellor, that my assignment to Taldryan has been completed. I have no reason to remain. Since I am not needed, I will clear up the last of my personal business and leave the Republic imminently.”
“I read your report, I’m aware of why you formed your team. And I’m aware of the actual story of what went down. However, a team of force sensitives from the OSI, or even pull from the Summit Guard, and you could have accomplished the exact same outcome of defense while balancing. And you and I both knew what that pyromaniac would do given even an ounce of opportunity. Which, probably did save you from a tractor beam attachment.”
There was one more pause, as she had not yet dismissed him. “Yet, as much as I pains me, I acknowledge your…tactics. Because of that, you can return to your post as OSI Director. You are no diplomat, we both know this clearly at this stage, but…you have your ways. And those ways are useful.”
She was starting to calm some and extended her hand.
“Do you agree?”
Anders was honestly surprised. Most of his time working with Cassandra had involved them disagreeing on one matter or another. To hear her understand his motives and offer him a return to the OSI?
Now that was something. He was halfway confident she would have kicked him out of the Caelus System the first chance she got. The Supreme Chancellor had thought this through.
Perhaps, in some small way, he had influenced her thinking?
A small smile appeared on his lips. “These parameters are acceptable. I shall remain until a time that I am summoned elsewhere.”
He placed a hand over his heart and gave a slight bow.
Zuza sighed slightly in relief, a slight amused look in her eyes at the summoned comment.
She had a feeling as to what could summon him.
She nodded in affirmation. “Very good. Besides, if you can track me here despite the force issues present, you’re skills are extremely worthwhile.”
After glancing toward the cave ahead, she turned to move toward it. “I need to speak with the researchers, afterwards we will return to the tower.”
And with that, she was progressing away. Her right hand shaking and tightly in a fist.
Cassandra’s hand did not go unnoticed, even through Alaisy’s reddened vision. She let out a dry cough, coupled with the hissing of her mask. Trying to hold it back made it worse.
Good, let us hope this will be quick.
Zuza side glanced Alaisy. It was becomign clear something was wrong with the woman, though what was hard to determine through the mask and suit. She looked.. slicker than usual.
eurhg- what a weird thought- She focussed forward, on Cassandra, following after her and noting the shaking hand. This was.. really bad.
Anders decided to ignore the shaking of Cassandra’s fists. His keen eyes noticed her body language. Such a firm grip implied she was attempting to keep control of something she had little power over.
“Very well. If we are done here, I have an… appointment to keep on Elysia.”
The newly reinstated director of the OSI spun on his heels and left before any further shenanigans could commence.
“Cass.” Zuza spoke as they got further down the path, coming up beside the the taller woman, a slight frown on her face. “Is.. there anything you need? Even if just to talk, for a bit..”
<@61385159655559168>
“I’m frustrated, Zuz. It feels like everything is falling apart and as much as I want to banish him, the administration council refuses to let me,” she starts as she continues towards a large mouthed cave. At this point, the force was completely 100% cut off from them. There were torches inside, lighting the path through. “That bastard Gungan wants to keep him close. I honestly don’t know if I’m capable of conducting an entire war. I’m a diplomat, not a tactician.”
The other end of the cave was…strange. everything was covered in a grey mist, the trees and ground all grey colored. Limbs and branches were down, flora was grey colored as well, and the sky above was obscured by a white colored ‘blanket’ that covered it all.
It was almost like a haunted forest.
Zuza grasped at the hem of her jacket, the Force being entirely cut off summoning a more than unpleasant memory of the last time she was on Kaisya. The sickness that had followed, how quiet the world was. And it truly was quiet here. It was thick on the air, suffocating.
She had to resist the urge to whisper as if her throat itself was being constricted, “Arcona will provide what aid we can. Whatever aid that’ll be accepted. Even if its only mine.” Zuza hesistated before releasing her hand from her jacket and placing onto Cassandra’s shoulder.
“You aren’t alone.”
Cassandra turned and with a smile gave Zuza a tight hug. “Thank you. And I know I can’t directly call upon you fully, at least not at this point. But…”
She paused for a moment before looking at her with a grin.
“…can I have the tree?”
Zuza returned the hug, letting Cass let go when she was ready and returning the smile with one of relief.
She blinked, looking back in the direction of said tree and considering for a moment.
“I don’t think I could stop him from bein’ here if its what he wants. If it is, just make sure to prune him every now and then so he doesn’t redecorate the place.” Her smile brightened with mirth, giving Cass a gentle nudge with her elbow.