House Troubles (Ongoing Story)

Jocelyn stirred after several hours of sleep with a soft moan that was part ache, part contentment for the warmth and comfort of the bed that she had been moved to after her stay in the medical bay. Rift was sitting nearby with a datapad,  going through several reports. When she stirred, he looked over at her with a concerned smile. "You actually slept for a few hours without waking, I think you're on the road to recovery."

She looked over sleepily at the datapad, then up at him, without moving from the comfortable position. "Of course, I am. I'm Sith after all," she quipped with a small smirk. "What about you? Did you sleep?"

"No, I'm trained to resist sleep for days if necessary. I will sleep when I know you are fully out of danger from your injuries." He keyed off the holo. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," she answered with a slight nod. "Physically, at least. My connection with the Force is still...odd."

"Could it have something to do with the personalities at war inside you? Or do you think it's whatever was affecting you?"

"We're not...'at war'. Or at least, that is not how I would describe it," she corrected him. "I think this is what is left of the device's effects...or perhaps, the recovery from them."

"What exactly was the device? What were you after when it started to affect you?"

"I'm not sure what you mean by that - what I was after. I wasn't after anything. Kiabe was the one who activated it. I tried to warn her, but by the time I realized what was happening, it was too late," she frowned. "I...me...those words aren't accurate, but are. It's very confusing."

"I'm trying to understand the circumstances that led us here. Maybe it would be best for me to let you tell them. I've been trying to piece it all together, but your slaves were not very helpful."

Another frown. "Servants."

"Apologies. I was under the impression that House Arren's servants were slaves."

"Some are, but not by my choice, and certainly not by my hand."

He gave her a smile as she described it. He had never really had a strong opinion of the Imperial practice of slavery, but he enjoyed the fact that she did have an opinion that would make her correct him.

She drew herself up into a sitting position. "If you let me have some caf, I will tell you everything I remember," she offered with a coy smile.

A few minutes later, they both held steaming cups of caf, and she began her explanation.

"The device was never supposed to be found. There were five in total - one meant for Mistanis and the others for each of her children. Kiabe didn't mention where she found it."

"What do you mean by 'meant for?' I'm vaguely familiar with the way holocrons work, do you mean they were being crafted to record from those particular Sith?"

"I mean that these were not true holocrons - three of them weren't. They were crafted for the purpose of destroying three particular Sith - or more specifically, their spirits." She took another sip from her mug, letting that sink in for a moment.

"Crafted by who?"

"I'm not sure, but if Mistanis's husband didn't craft them himself, she never sought out their true creator. She had them scattered and hidden so that they could never be used."

"So, there are potentially two more of them still out there?"

"One."

"So you can account for two of them?"

She nodded and took another sip of her caff without looking at him. "Mistanis's husband left each of them a holocron among their inheritances. They all assumed they must contain personal messages or knowledge that he intended them to have as a part of his legacy passed on to them. Mistanis was alerted to the danger when her youngest son activated his."

He seemed to consider this for a moment. "If three of them were corrupted, what was contained on the other two?"

"The other two were, in fact, personal messages admonishing the two eldest sons to continue to build the Arren legacy, and abolish weakness from the lineage as he had taken steps to do; and they contained a lovely complete history up until that point of the Arren house, including its origins."

"So, the youngest son was the only one to fall victim to the holocron, what exactly did it to do him?"

"It infected his spirit with a Force sickness. By the time anyone realized what had happened to him, he was very mad and very physically ill. He didn't recover," she answered in a cool, detached manner. "Mistanis found the source and realized what had happened, and she thought it best to try to have the devices destroyed. Unfortunately, that proved more difficult than one might think, so she asked a trusted servant to take the other two as far away as possible and hide them in places they were unlikely to be found."

"Apparently they didn't take it far enough if Kiabe was able to find one. A pity she's dead and can't tell us where hers came from."

"Yes, though I fail to see how it could possibly have killed her. The magics involved were very specific in their focus," she frowned.

"What if she died because of the Holocron's influence? Something it caused her to do? You said you fought her, and I have met Kiabe Eirndeth. She allowed you to become engaged to her son. I do not believe she would then turn and attack House Arren when her alliance to it strengthens her own house."

"It's very likely. Once she activated the device, she flew into a rage. Temivi did what she could to minimize the carnage, but it was difficult to maintain control. While the focus of the illness that was conferred is very specific, once it's active, it seems to affect anyone with an affinity for wielding the Force who comes in contact with it."

Rift mused with a grin and a laugh. "It made Ragious more polite, almost heroic even."

This took her by surprise, and she looked at him as though he'd just uttered something impossible to comprehend. "That's difficult to believe."

"I have it on first hand authority from one of your servants, and no I will not tell you which, he was ever so protective of Lady Qel'rend after whatever happened in the Arboretum, and he was even polite to the House Servants, they thought he was possessed."

She scowled slightly into her caf. "It's probably some kind of trick. In any case, I believe the device Kiabe found was meant to destroy Mistanis's daughter. That is the only reason I am still alive."

"Perhaps. And that it wasn't the one meant for Mistanis has me very grateful. Though it also means that an even great danger is still out there." He looked over at her, and she could see the slight bit of fear invade his features, something he quickly quashed.

If she shared that fear, it was not evident in her own expression or the bond they shared as she nodded agreement. "And it would be safest to take a team that is not made up of Sith to retrieve it. Or, at least, Sith not from the Arren bloodline. Kiabe only needed a few drops of my blood to activate it."

The fewer people who are aware of the existence of this, the better. I was livid when I found out about these devices, but I see the wisdom in Mistanis's decision to keep them a secret. This would be best handled by a few trusted individuals."

"Agreed. I am curious about something, are you going to tell your brother's about what you know?" He looked over at her, a genuine curiosity on his face. "I would imagine that Kaldaras needs to be told, his penchant for seeking holocrons out could be dangerous if he found this one."

She nodded. "I should at least tell Kaldaras, and since Ragious may be affected already, it's probably better to tell him -" She couldn't help a wicked twist of her lips - "eventually...before it becomes dangerous. Lady Qel'rend should know as well, from what you've told me."

"Before he brings ruin to House Arren by dedicating it to the Republic you mean?" He teased with a poke to her side. "I wish we could question Kiabe on where she acquired the device. It would have given us clues to where the other may be."

"Yes, but by the time Mistanis was aware of what it was, Kiabe was not exactly in the mood to chat over tea." She pursed her lips. "When she first arrived, she said one of her agents had brought her something he claimed was from the Unknown Regions. That is the only thing she said about its origins."

"It is a start. And I assume the Arren archives can give us some information on the time frame. Then it is only a matter of searching a not small number of archives in the region for signs of Mistanis servant's passing."