ONE LIFE SAVES MORE

The news about the survival of Zylas's oldest child made something snap inside of the Sith Lord.

Her once kind and calm demeanor was replaced with something cold and empty. She was never the same after that painful encounter with Moff Zabro.

Those once sorrowful grey eyes turned back to yellow filled with rage and the craving for vengeance. It was the kind of betrayal she never expected from her blood – the only living family she had left in this galaxy. The voices in her head were not granting we whispers of the past or wisdom being granted by those who she had bonded with, but rather they became the voices of the fallen that curse her for living.

When before she could sleep only a little, now she could no longer sleep. She found the darkness no longer a companion, but rather a nightmare she desperately wants to escape from.

Every time she tried to sleep, she found find herself facing clear images of how they all died either by the hands of Baras or her own hands. Deep down, it was troublesome for her to see those memories – they should have been longed forgotten, and yet it was always there. Haunting her like a ghost.

She proceeded to do her missions alone. It worried her crew, Vette most of all. The Twi'lek who stood by her side since the very beginning was starting to see the cruel side that was hidden deep inside of Leena. Quinn would be receiving rumors from other Imperial officers at the orbital station on how Lord Sern's brutality has come to notice, even to those on the Dark Council. When those rumors reached the rest of the crew, they couldn't help but wonder what had happened back on Taris that made their Lord so brutal.

Republic troops attacked without warning – with incident after incident of Republic soldiers being slaughtered down on Quesh as where she was now. It is said that each died in such a brutal, gruesome way that it was hard to imagine they were killed by human hands.

Leena proceeded to find out the truth long before the revelation that Baras had Admiral Monk in his ranks as a spy, and proceeded to hunt down the Moff under his Master.

The apprentice has rebelled against his Master and soon – as both Master and apprentice themselves, Baras was aware of the sudden change of nature. He could feel the blood of vengeance boiling through her veins like the heated atmosphere of Mustafar. This was different anger he could feel through the Force – her anger was far deeper, far stronger than the first time he saw those yellow corrupted eyes just a year ago.

Triggered by the murder of her husband and now, Baras wondered what had his most promising apprentice have the complete attachment to the dark side. Perhaps having Moff Zabro involved in her most recent mission was a miscalculated mistake. The old man had such a way when it came to his children – considering how Leena was his oldest surviving child and yet, a part of Baras knew that to be false. There was more to the story during the Battle of Alderaan – how Zylas the Conqueror truly fell.

The Master's gaze went to the Holocron resting on the shelf. His eyes narrowed behind the mask, as he wondered what was inside of it. The mere idea he couldn't open it frustrated him, Zylas has always been a careful one and even in death – she managed to irritate him.

He wants something.

He wants something that Zylas's daughter wasn't even aware of what she was fully capable of. Plan Zero was slowly falling into place, everything he instructed she still followed – but not blindly. Baras was aware of how cunning she has become in the process. A once broken apprentice managed to fix herself throughout those painful tortures – and now that she was out of his grasps, he knew he cannot break her.

He could no longer break her.

Perhaps one day, she might break him instead.

"Apprentice, my Master, Darth Vengean is distraught." He informed through the holoterminal. He was choosing his words carefully now. "With his covert attack exposed, the Treaty of Coruscant has been broken. And apparently, Moff Masken did not survive Admiral Monk's ambush. What happened?"

"Admiral Monk must have killed him. I found him dead as I arrived."

"Is that so?" A statement even he couldn't buy. "How interesting. Well, at least you avenged him. What's important is that you accomplished your objective—the elimination of Admiral Monk. It is a major blow to the Republic. Now, the final Plan Zero target has been discovered. The hunt for Jedi Knight Xarender takes you to Hoth. Contact me when you arrive."

Ending the call, his suspicions have been confirmed. There was something inside of his apprentice that he failed to notice, there was more to the dragon sleeping inside of her than what he sensed all those years ago. Baras always made sure he had his contingency plans, being years ahead against those who are around him.

The only individual who was able to keep up with him was Darth Occlus. A woman who continued to play against him and yet was successfully avoiding him at the same time. His most promising contender was Zylas, the late Lord Sern who was now replaced by her daughter.

He greatly underestimated the girl.

It was one of the few miscalculated mistakes. One more miscalculation would eventually cost Baras his life. But he had greater plans than to worry about a minor Sith Lord like his apprentice, he had a bigger and greater goal. But to achieve that he had to eliminate his own Master and ascend to his position on the Dark Council.

He still has pawns. He needs to use them wisely from now on – especially when there was a new formidable rival on the board.

Baras knows that Leena Sern is a woman who is afraid of the past. She may deny it but something was frightening lurking within that mind of hers, for better or for worst.

With her mission leading her to Hoth, it was only for a matter of time before she was prepared to play the game of Masters. Leena found herself in the middle of a familiar void, with nothing but darkness and no sense of the light.

"You have given yourself to fear." Arrun stood before her with a concerned expression on his face. It was painful for him to see her in such a state – which drove her deeper into the darkest of nights. Where hope was nothing more than a word of fantasy that could never become a reality. "The deeper you go, the harder it would be to be yourself."

Leena answered. "Being myself is exactly… what got you killed. I'm tired of constantly balancing something that could only cost me more lives than I could save. The dark is generous and it is patient."

"The dark is true that granting us a comforting illusion – but will you be able to rest?"

"I was given a life of power and bloodshed!" Leena argued. Wanting her words to be just in such a point of view that even Arrun could never deny.

"And yet you have denied one of family and peace." He has seen the darkness for himself. He can never truly leave her. "Yes, my beloved. You – we were raised to embrace the hatred around the galaxy, promote anger and discord to fuel our supposed power. But we are human too. When I found you – you were perusing a life as a mere lifeless weapon, but I took you in. I wanted to give you a family – but all I could see was what a disappointment you have become."

Leena closed her eyes for a brief moment. Her life would have been different if Arrun didn't die that day, if she only persisted harder, if only she was stronger – then maybe he would still be alive. If her brother did not abandon her, then things would have been different. She would have at least a family, someone to keep her safe despite the wickedness of the Sith, despite this cruel fate that the Force chose for them.

"I've killed everything that has walked or crawled." Leena gave out the answer, as Arrun's eyes were greeted with hers. Cold and dark, she was far different – she was no longer consumed by the grief that he caused, but rather the sheer feeling of hate and anger. "Men, women, children, beasts – because you and I both know that this is what I was made to do. So tell me, Arrun – which would be worse? To live as a monster or to die as a good person?"

"Look at me, Leena." His voice was still kind and warm. The kind of warmth that used to be hers, and she did. "It's not your fault."

'It's not your fault.' She could hear the voice ringing in her head when she was greeted by a familiar ceiling within the ship. Leena sat up, looking around her quarters until her eyes landed on the Holocron that was resting on her desk.

A Jedi Holocron that was left alone and was never opened again.

Despite those dreams she receives, she never felt relaxed – she never felt the necessary sleep she needed so desperately throughout the years. Those painful whispers of the past – it was somewhat delusional, somewhat controlling. It was like a constant spell going through her mind, going deeper and deeper within the dark side of the Force.

'Continue to learn the dark side of the Force.' She could hear Zylas's voice right in her head. 'And you will be able to protect your loved ones.'

The pain.

The suffering.

Death.

Perhaps the saying was true – the most painful betrayal won't come from your enemies. It was her fault, she allowed all of this to happen, she allowed the ignorance to keep her from seeing the reality. Leena already caused enough problems for people around her and herself. Perhaps it doesn't matter what she did or what she was, the moment she steps out with that mask and lightsaber at hand –she's Sith and nothing else.

For people like her, there was so such thing as safety. The mere illusions of emotions and comfort were nothing but lies.

She even wondered if Darth Occlus also spat lies in front of her face, on how her mother was someone to look up to. Someone who she relied on. Were they lie too?

Perhaps Zabro was right to fear what has become of his daughter, maybe there was too much Zylas in her.

Perhaps the old Moff spoke the truth out of fear of what she had become.

Darth Occlus stood alone in her quarters withing the Academy on the red sands of Korriban. Reading the report, she received from Moff Zabro, and how lucky he was that Lord Sern decided to spare him his life.

"She knows the truth." The Dark Lord mumbled to herself, gently placing down the datapad on her desk, her eyes went to the crate that was quietly resting at the edge of the room.

Power corrupts always and absolute power corrupts absolutely. As Dark Lords of the Sith, she has lost more than what others know. The girl has given herself to the dark side, unable to resist it, unable to see through it. It is what the Sith has embraced for thousands of years, it was the very thing that corrupted Zylas, her friend.

The Force has a plan, a great plan for her, and everything was falling to place. The pieces were moved and the game has truly begun. Not the game against Baras but the game against the Force, destiny. There was no way of outrunning it.

"Arrun you troublesome boy." Occlus sighed, walking towards the crate as she lifted her hand. With the use of the Force, it opened to reveal a couple of contents. Most of them were the artifacts, the holocrons, and the research Arrun worked on for years. He died young.

He foresaw it. He accepted it. And he deemed it right, on how his death was the only way. Regardless of his somewhat, merciful tendencies, he was a player in the game and he knew how to play the cards right. Occlus was already aware of how Leena was killing herself, slowly ignoring her heart until it becomes blind and deaf.

One life saves more.

"Revenge will be hers entirely."

Nothing but the silence was all they were getting from the Sith Lord.

She did not have the temper of other Lords but her silence troubles them, especially those who have been in her service for some time. With their newest addition, Lieutenant Pierce saw nothing worrisome about his post nor his new Lord.

Quinn was quiet for obvious reasons even during supper, while both Vette and Jaesa would speak about things that he couldn't comprehend. According to the information he managed to collect, Leena used to always join them for mealtime and now she dines alone in her quarters, surrounding herself with the reports her Captain would provide for her.

He would only hear Lord Sern speak as she gives orders to Quinn and the droid, gives instructions to Vette, lessons to Jaesa. Perhaps the only real interaction he had with her was the moment he finally walked up the reckless courage to speak to her. The Captain warned him not to waste their Lord's time but he proceeded anyway when he had the chance.

"My Lord." He bluntly greeted. "Dropped my things in the crew bunks. Good ship. Quinn's already briefed me. I'm handling demolitions and heavy firepower support. Didn't know the Captain ran things around here. I'd rather take my orders direct."

Leena raised her brow. It was considered bold of him to act like this towards her. Vette earned her place to speak somewhat casual towards her, they were close after all despite her sudden silence. Quinn and Jaesa on the other hand never dared to speak to her in such a tone. The Captain made sure he was always at the right place and the apprentice made sure she was always respectful towards her Master, her mentor.

"You'll do as Quinn says." With her arms crossed, her voice was somewhat stern and yet calmer than what he expected. There was no hint of frustration, no hint of anger unlike the other Sith Lords he used to serve, but her eyes told a different story. "Is that direct enough?"

He disapproved of her statement but he had no choice and nodded. "Noted. Moff Hurdenn was all about regulations, too. War Trust did a lot more damage than they should have. Hurdenn didn't think a soldier could strategize. Proved him wrong."

"In what capacity did you serve him?"

"Special ops, holdout squads, suicide missions. Whatever no one else could do. Doesn't matter much now. I'm here, and Hudenn's stuck on Taris. Give me the freedom he didn't, and you'll see results." It wasn't every day that she would encounter a soldier who had the boldness to demand.

"Many soldiers are willing to take your place." She reminded him.

"Then they can pry it from my cold, dead hands."

After that conversation, Leena proceeded to her quarters to see if 2V managed to have her gear upgraded to something that could withstand the cold atmosphere of Hoth. She could hear the droid speaking to her, explaining what it took for her gear to be ready for the upcoming storm.

Something worrisome was in her mind, it always took great effort for her to no longer hear Cyrus's voice and to see what her brother would be doing at a time like this. The thought of it still displeases her. The mere fact that he was alive after all these painful years, his death would satisfy her more than she could ever imagine. But she was still playing this game with Baras.

Once the droid was gone, the apprentice entered her quarters and bowed in respect. "Master, forgive me for interrupting but I wish to speak with you about my position."

Leena turned to the cautious apprentice. Jaesa was not used to those yellow corrupted eyes, she was afraid. She nodded. "Yes, Master. You… told me to remain at my current path and now that… y-you have chosen—"

"No." The Master gave a stern answer as she stood up, looking Jaesa right in the eyes. The apprentice couldn't avoid her gaze, it was still there, the unwavering power she sensed back on Hutta. "I took you in as my apprentice and you made me choose – you will remain in the light, regardless of what path I chose to walk."

"You… won't kill me, Master?"

"As your mentor, I have to bring you up as the person you choose to be. If teaching you in the ways of the Sith would eventually bring you to the same dark path I want upon now, I'd rather die as a monster than a person who can cause you further pain."

"Master I…" Jaesa looked down on her feet. She grew confused. Her Master now walks through the dark path, the brutality she heard, she couldn't imagine her Master to commit such things and yet, she stood there. Granting her the advice and the lessons she needed to survive in such a cruel galaxy. "I don't understand."

"The galaxy is a cruel place." Those words alone caught the attention of the young apprentice. Those were the same words Arrun to say. "And it is cruelest to the weak. When my husband was killed, I knew that no one could protect me, and ever since then I have been running all my life, Jaesa. Terrible things happen to the people I care about and I weep." She could never forget how they all died for her, how she killed them in the process. "I sit alone in a darkened room mourning their fates. I need to stop running, Jaesa – only my craving for revenge can save me from the pain."

A few more days pass, the Captain woke up on his usual time – of course with Pierce as an addition to the group things have been a bit complicated but he needed to get the job done as their Lord's second-in-command. After brewing some caffeine for himself, Quinn held his datapad as he walked towards the bridge.

He was about to take his first sip when he immediately stopped on his tracks by the door frame, with a few drops of his warm drink falling on the floor. There she was, their Lord Sern quietly seated on the Captain's chair with two of her lightsabers levitating in the air.

"My Lord, forgive me – I wasn't aware that you were awake." Quinn immediately apologized as he nodded his head. But she didn't say a word, not even turned her chair to look at him. The Captain tilted his head sideway before he cautiously walked towards her – upon laying his eyes on his Lord, she had her eyes closed. Her leg was up and her hand seemed so still that her lightsabers were still floating.

All he could assume was that his Lord Sern was meditating on a very odd position.

Quinn took one awkward sip from his mug before proceeding to his position. Leena hasn't been interacting with the crew much. He understood why, after that display of anger towards Moff Zabro before they left – towards her father no less.

Whatever their conflict was – he had no right to know. He was nothing more than a soldier, her Captain. For an hour or two, Quinn had been receiving a series of broken Imperial signals on an encrypted channel – no doubt it was a distress call as he tried to see who sent it and from where.

Being a Sith Lord's second-in-command had its perks but of course, he was doing this for the benefit of the Empire. He didn't care about himself nor others as long as it is for the best interest of the army – nothing more. From time to time, his eyes would shift to Leena – wondering if the Sith Lord would have her eyes open at any moment. It was the first time he saw his Lord out of her.

After that, there was nothing more to say. He would have his usual reports towards with Leena every evening once everyone was off the clock and in their beds – he would remain awake and provide Leena with everything inside of her quarters.

She hasn't received water or food for a while, which worried him – until there came a time when he had a tray of food for her every evening when he gave his report. And afterward, he would carry an empty tray from the night before. She was eating. It was all he could ask for at the moment.

From time to time Vette would try and talk her out of going out of her room. Do some rounds with Jaesa on lightsaber combat or even just one drink with the Twi'lek – but her answer remained the same, pure silence.

Whenever Quinn would give his reports, she would often just nod or say nothing. She couldn't even look at him – she would only speak for clarifications on the matter, afterwards, there would be nothing left for her to say other than 'dismissed.'

He would be lying if he would say that it didn't worry him. The Captain worries about his Lord greatly – not just as his General or Lord but rather as a friend, perhaps even something more.

"Ah… Quinn – I didn't know you're already here." He immediately turned his head towards Leena who let out a small yawn. Her tired gaze went to him.

"Forgive me if I disturbed you… rest, my Lord. I will leave immediately—"

"No." She said before he even got a chance to stand up. "Stay. It's been a while since I had company that doesn't concern… work, unless you do have work for me at the moment – I welcome it."

The Captain cleared his throat as he immediately stood up from his chair and went to his Lord. Standing still and having a stoic face, Leena's grey eyes were only focused on him and his voice. "I've been tracking a series of broke Imperial signals on an encrypted channel. Tremendous interference. I've identified the source – Major Ovech, commander of Moff Brosyc's elite infiltrator unit—but that's all."

"Who is this Major Ovech? Have you heard of him?" Leena raised her brow. She heard that name before – Broscy and it never pleases her.

Quinn nodded. "I know him well, my Lord. Served with him under Moff Brosyc for many years. He's an unmatched leader. Moff Brosyc's command ship does not respond when hailed. My gut says there's trouble. Permission to investigate further?"

"I know you wouldn't waste time with anything that wasn't important." That brought a smile to his face.

He nods in delight. "Thank you, my Lord."

He watched her lightsabers land on her hands. Her eyes turned towards outside where the stars remained the same as they flew through space. He could see it again – the loneliness in her eyes. It was as if she was looking for some sort of answer for everything she's been through.

And just like that, his smile disappeared. Having his attention turn to his work and proceeded with the investigation.

For hours the Captain worked in the ship, he never recalled a single time where he had to work with Leena in the same room. From time to time, when he would unconsciously turn his gaze to her – their eyes would meet and she would smile. He would quickly turn his eyes back to his work.

No one seemed to know that Leena was outside of her room for the first time in days. The two of them would constantly hear Vette talking to Jaesa about her early years with Leena – how they met on Korriban, how they managed to survive the Cantina on Dromand Kaas whenever they would drink. Leena paid no mind to it – they were nothing but memories in her mind now.

The Captain turned to her again, in hopes that she would join them for a meal much like before. But he wasn't surprised to find his Lord sound asleep on the chair. He didn't wish to disturb her.

He gently touched her hand before he left to join the others for a meal. Leaving Leena alone with the stars.

Leena found herself in the darkness, within the void of nothing. Whenever she's in her slumber she would find herself in such predicament. She could hear voices – different kinds of voices. Voices filled with kindness, mercy, and love. But then there are those voices filled with anger, hate, and suffering. She could hear screams of agony and pleas for mercy – she could see those vivid images of men she had slaughtered, children she had murdered – it was all there. On her hands, filled with their blood.

"Tyrral survived." She turned around to find her father standing before her, with eyes filled with guilt. "I did what any father would do."

"You saved your son from suffering," she then turned to find herself. With eyes filled with tears – anger, having to feel the rapid beating of her heart that was filled with nothing but betrayal from the man she loved, the man he called her father. "And you sacrificed the safety of your daughters for him! A son who abandoned you!"

"It was the only way." He didn't even give justification to his actions. She could have executed him there and then – no one would question her, she was Sith. Leena understood that she and her sister needed him, their father – but it was clear to her that he cared about Tyrral more than them. He had a safer life – filled with love, care, and friendship.

People who he can count on.

A place he can call home.

Tyrral never even bothered on reaching out to them. For decades where she believed he was dead along with Varan, she lived in a lie. Protecting a legacy that was never hers, to begin with.

"Your father betrayed you." Leena's eyes widen as she turned around to find her mother. Her eyes were the color of corruption with the dark side of the Force. Her appearance seemed to be menacing, hostile even. "Why did you let him live? You wanted to kill him – I could feel it in you, my dear."

"You're not supposed to be in my mind." She placed her hands against her hears. Refusing to hear anything Zylas had to say. "Baras has your Holocron."

"I sense great fear in you, Leena." She continued with a smirk on her lips as she circled her daughter. "You have hate and anger. You want to kill them, your father and your brother – they're nothing more but traitors to our name. They destroyed our trust, our love. They don't deserve to breathe."

"Stop… please." The young Sith Lord pleads. This was the fear of the dragon inside of her. Her eyes were shut, she could feel her tears going through her cheeks. The pain inside of her, the conflict only grew stronger inside of her. Two dragons wrestling, between the light and the dark – the good and the bad.

"When will you understand, my daughter?" Zylas's voice continued to haunt her. "There is no light and dark – there is only you. Only Leena Sern. Everything you did was all you, and only you. The only person you are is Sith."

"I am nothing like you!" Leena screamed her defiance. But Zylas's smile only grew in amusement.

"Oh, my sweet daughter. This is the final cruelty of the Sith, yourself is all you will ever have – you are so far less now than what you want to be. You can remember where the power was but the power can touch is nothing more than a memory. I am all you have left."

"Stop…"

"I am the only one who understands you, I will never betray you."

"ENOUGH!" Then she opened her eyes, she took deep breaths as Quinn was in front of her with a concerned gaze. Her hand was on his wrist as he was about to touch her shoulder. Her hand was shaking, her eyes were filled with fear. She was struggling – holding back.

She remembered this feeling from years ago when Vette calmed her down, held her close. Quinn gently placed his free hand onto hers. Rubbing his thumb against her knuckles, in hopes that she would calm down. It was the first time he would find her in such a state. A Sith Lord with eyes filled with fear.

The dark can be cruel. The Captain found himself within the embrace of his Lord, crying in painful agony. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her – it was her most vulnerable moment. She was struggling through a conflict inside of her, something that he could never understand. She had her own story, her struggle.

The light and dark are constantly at odds with one another and there was never a clear winner. She hasn't understood both sides, thus the painful conflict that was slowly destroying her. Hate has indeed made her powerful – but showing mercy and compassion towards those who deserve it, Quinn knew who she was deep down inside but it was all up to her.

There was always an answer to this struggle of hers – it was never easy but, all she had to do was decide what she wanted.

Leena Sern isn't just another Sith Lord, she's also human.

A hero to the Empire, a villain to her enemies. But heroes like her burn in pain for the sake of others – she hasn't fully healed and yet she recklessly plays with the flames that surround her.

'Even stars burn out.' Quinn looked around as he heard a voice from somewhere. But it was only the two of them as well as the stars.