#seth rand

“Oh! My most humble apologies,” Sattura tossed back at him, a slight chuckle in her voice. “I was referring to silly SIS agents who feel the need to add an air of mystery to everything.”

“Is that right? Well, that’s not me, clearly,” Theron said, his voice holding the sound of his smile. “I don’t need to add mystery. I’m the epitome of it.”

Seth snorted a laugh, “You’re so full of shit.”

“Guilty as charged.”

Sattura laughed as she glanced at her datapad, the screen dimmed so as not to burn out her eyes in this pitch dark. “We’re nearly there.”

“Remind me why we’re looking for a Jawa….at night?” Seth asked as they crested another sand dune.

“Because he’s not actually a Jawa,” Theron answered, stepping up to Sattura’s other side.

“That still doesn’t explain the night bit.”

The angry red hiss of Lana Beniko’s lightsaber flashed about from Theron’s other side. He and Lana fell into an easy routine just as the Rand Twins did. Thus, the battle raged on the newest additions of scavengers and pirates joined the fray, raising the ante and the stakes. While the four Alliance members were able to cut down the majority of them, there was a point when Theron felt a need, a sense of urgency to get the hells out of dodge.

The twisted ground beneath his feet trembled suddenly, violently as the sounds of an explosion not too far away could be heard. He had a bad feeling about this…

“Argh!” Lana’s voice cried out, a stray blaster bolt knicking her shoulder and spinning her around. Theron was on the target instantly, sending the scavenger to the ground without so much as a thought.

“You good?” He called out, his eyes flicking over her as she stood, an expression of annoyance and anger on her face. She was fine.

“Stupid question,” She muttered before launching herself back into the fray.

His amber gaze scanned the battlefield falling on the white haired mirialan woman he’d been looking for. Her twin lightsabers blazed and twirled in a dance of destruction even as she was back to back with her brother.

The roaring sound of ancient metal creeked, groaned and tore from above them. It was an alarming sound, and not exactly part of the normal battlefield soundtrack. It screeched, the ground trembled again. He looked around…His cybernetics locking onto a large structure of duracrete and durasteel. Whatever explosion was causing the ground to tremble had affected the already waning integrity of the ancient piece of building.

“Sattura, Seth, we gotta go, now!” Theron shouted into his comm, his voice also carrying over the battlefield.

“Bit busy here!” Seth called back. Neither Mirialan had noticed the trembling structure.

“That really big, really wide piece of ancient building is about to come crashin-“

Sattura’s sharp cry of pain through the comm cut him off, his eyes on her immediately as she fell back. Seth caught her easily, still firing his blaster. Theron ran, dodging, weaving and knocking down whoever got in his way.

“Lets go!” He said, though he could barely be heard as the structure started it’s descent. Chunks of it already falling. Theron’s arm was instantly around Sattura’s waist, holding her against him. She had a wound in her side and one down her back. Her breath was unsteady but she was still conscious, and looking up with wide eyes.

The falling boulders were alarming enough but when the structure shifted, teetering over and rushing towards them, Theron realized with a sense of cold dread. It was much too large for them all to cover the distance required to get out from under it. On instinct, he pulled Sattura closer, angling his body and wrapping his arms around her as if to protect her from it even though such an impact would no doubt kill them both.

Then silence descended on them abruptly.

His first thought where that it had been painless then his brain caught up as he saw Sattura’s eyes, wide and very much alive. Reflected in those violet depths was the chunks of the debris…

When he looked up, he saw it. The large ancient structure that had been certain to kill all of them was hovering above them, in large broken chunks of twisted metal and duracrete. He glanced back at Sattura, the shock in her expression told him it wasn’t her use of the force.

“Either start running or…” Seth’s strained voice sounded. “Or this was a waste…of effort.”

Theron’s amber gaze widened, seeing the smuggler standing, his arms up and outstretched towards the debris. Muscles quaked and shook, his breathing was short and haggard. The Force flowing through him but he was struggling.

“Move it!” He growled.

“Seth…” Sattura’s voice cut through his growl with calmness as she reached an unsteady hand over to him. Theron kept hold of her as she placed her hand on her brother’s arm. Her eyes closed and there was a faint glimmer of light that Theron would normally assume was a trick of the shadows and daylight. Only it wasn’t.

At his sister’s touch and no doubt her own added force strength, Seth’s visible struggle eased. His breathing returned to normal, his muscles didn’t strain as hard. Sattura tensed in Theron’s arms but he held her up. He didn’t like the way she trembled but he wasn’t about to stop whatever force work was going on.

With a surge of the Force so strong even Theron could feel it as it created its own wind, ruffling his hair and pulling at his jacket, the Mirialan twins sent the ruined debris tumbling through the air. It wasn’t a long-distance but enough that the danger it originally posed was no longer there.

Once they were safe, Sattura dropped her hand and fell heavily against Theron. Seth let out a long, trembling breath as Lana rushed up to them her eyes wide in shock. For a long moment, they could only stare at Seth.

“What?” He asked gruffly with a shrug of his shoulders, trying to brush it off. Lana blinked at him.

“You’re…” She started but the Sith Lord suddenly seemed to forget how to articulate.

“You’re a wizard, Seth,” Theron threw out there, trying to head off the building tension. There wasn’t exactly time for this and Sattura needed medical attention. Seth snorted but shook his head. Sattura’s grip on Theron only tightened as she tried to maintain her composure.

“Theron-“ Lana said nearly rounding on him.

“Look, I’ll explain later but let'sin get the void out of here,” Seth said, his tone uncharacteristically sharp and brokering no argument.

“No argument here,” Theron said, sweeping Sattura up bridal style in his arms. She opened her mouth to protest but only managed a grimace. “Sorry, Sweetheart,” He said as they quickly made their way back to the makeshift Alliance base.

The silence was heavy during the trek, cut only by Sattura’s soft gasps of pain. Once they were back at the base, however, and Sattura was seen to. Theron heard the heated voices of Lana and Seth. Though they were int the next tent over, they weren’t exactly keeping quiet.

“When you were going to mention you were force-sensitive?” Lana demanded, anger in her voice.

“Uh, never, clearly,” Seth answered, his voice nonchalant.

“What? How is it- Was this something Valkorian-“

“No. I’ve been force-sensitive all my life, Lana. Now let it go-“

“Let it go? Have you completely lost your mind? This is important-“

“Why?” Seth demanded. “Angry that I might go run off to the Jedi?”

“Of course not!”

“Good, cause that will never happen," Seth stated with a finality in his voice. There was a pause, and the conversation seemed to drop off before he heard footsteps. The flap of the tent Theron and Sattura were in opened. Seth strode in, his face a mask of the same Jedi stoicism he’d seen on Sattura more than once.

Theron glanced between the two Mirialans, uncertain what to do or even say. Sure what had happened was a pretty darn big realization but from what he’d overheard, it was clearly a very sore, sensitive subject for the smuggler.

“You alright?” Seth asked his sister. She glanced at him for a moment before nodding.

“Of course, you?” She said, raising an eyebrow at him.

Seth sighed and ran a hand over his face, “Honestly? I don’t know.”

“Well, we might, but hopefully not,” Seth said. He wasn’t about to reveal his force connection to the kid, not yet anyway. He could sense various other beings around them, mostly animals. He just assumed they were all predatory. He expected the Rakghouls would be of a similar feel. Probably feel threatened by anything, not like them, turn hostile. They hadn’t come into direct contact with any Rakghouls yet, but they hadn’t been outside the Republic Base, Olaris, for very long and it was only a matter of time. Until then, he was trying to keep himself and Corso from detection of anything nearby. There was a strange…feeling, however. It seemed to filter through the areas, possibly the planet, in waves. The feeling was like walking through spider-webs, the silky tiny strands wisping across his skin but with a heavy sense of confusion.

He was trying not to think about it too much. The faster they found that damn vault of Risha’s, the faster they could get the hells away from this death-trap garbage bin.

(Taris, Sattura)

Taris was…unsettling to say the least. Even from orbit, the young Jedi could feel the way the planet still twisted and writhed in the echos of the destruction that had been brought down on it three centuries prior. She knew her padawan and friend, Kira felt it. They’d exchanged a look when landing the ship. There was a feeling of…wispy spiderwebs that seemed to meander through the planet as if the ghosts of all the lives lost were trying to reach out and touch them.

“Doctor Godera sure picked a great vacation spot,” Kira said as they stepped out of the Olaris Spaceport.

Sattura gave an amused snort, “Pretty sure he was looking to disappear not necessarily a vacation.”

“What's the difference in a place like this?” Kira said, shaking her head. “I’m not knocking the Republic’s effort to restore the planet but…this is…” She trailed off, searching for the words.

“A substantial undertaking?” Sattura provided helpfully as they continued through the base.

“Substantial sounds like an understatement, to be honest,” Kira pointed out. “Still though…Think they can do it? Bring Taris back?”

Sattura considered for a moment, her violet gaze flitting over the ruins of buildings, skyscrapers in the distance. “It won’t happen overnight. And hopefully,its those in charge will keep their patience. I don’t think they’ll bring Taris back to it’s former glory…but I like to think that with patience and perseverance, the Republic can make it a place where people can live and build good lives.”

Kira was silent for a while as they exited the base, the scenery changing to one of ancient desolation. There was a flicker of apprehension.

“What if they don't have patience?” Kira asked.

“I don’t honestly know but…this place may remain a tomb in that regard,” Sattura answered honestly. “But the restoration and rebuilding efforts have only just begun, Kira. There’s no reason, yet, to lose hope.”

“You’re right…Well,” Kira said then took a breath, shaking off whatever had plagued her before. “We’ve got the coordinates for Doctor Godera’s little base. Shall we go knock?”

Sattura’s lips quirked in amusement before she gave a nod, “Stay alert though. I have a feeling this place has much more hiding in the shadows than the ghosts of the past.”

“Yeah like…rakghouls,” Kira said with a slight shudder.

They continued on.

(Taris, Seth and Sattura)

The day had progressed onwards and rather uneventfully for Seth and Corso. They were able to avoid the groupings of Rakghouls easily enough. Seth’s demeanor had shifted slightly, growing more and more tense the further from Olaris they got. He tried to keep it from his companion. The planet was just…unsettling to him both in the physical and in the Force. He could have shut off his focus on the Force. He did it well enough already. He didn’t use his full force potential anymore, it was a remnant of an old life but here, on Taris?

This wasn’t a place, he was willing to be fully blind in.

He heard it before he saw it but even then it was already too late.

A skittering, a sickening grotesque chitter from his left sounded before he picked up on the twisted presence in the Force. The rakghoul sprang from where it was hidden beside a tree growing around an ancient bit of rumble. His violet eyes snapped up, watching as it hurled itself towards Corso, who was reacting a second too late.

His first instinct, one he constantly had to resist, was to reach out with the Force but instead, he lifted his blaster, Anarchy, and pulled the trigger. His aim was perfect, the bolt hitting the beast in the side of the head as it flew through the air towards Corso. The impact of the bolt sent it spinning away. Corso blinked in surprise and slight confusion as Seth lowered his arm.

“Th-thanks, Cap’n,” Corso said with a slight breathlessness to him. The young farm boy was no stranger to fighting yet, even so, Seth couldn’t blame the kid for being even remotely disturbed. He wasn’t too keen on the idea of suddenly being faced with a rakghoul flying at him-

“Captain!” Corso shouted suddenly, his brown eyes fixed on a point somewhere behind the Mirialan. He was readying his own blaster when Seth heard it. The tell-tale skittering, the faint haunting chittering of not just one Rakghoul…but several of them. The blaster shot no doubt had gotten their attention. Without turning around, he could sense them, hostile and moving…fast.

Seth met Corso’s gaze and spoke one word.

“Run.”

There was little hesitation for either man, they bolted. Booted feet hitting the ground and kicking up dirt and underbrush. They ran, jumping and dodging roots, rubble. So focused on the Rakghouls chasing them, that Seth didn’t pick up on the too familiar presence he and Corso were rapidly descending upon. Not until they broke through a dense patch of foliage only to skid to a stop, blinking at the blades of green and indigo light suddenly in their path.

“Oh whoa…Uh… We’re not bad guys, I swear, Ladies,” Corso rushed out, his hands up in surrender and his brown eyes wide at the red-haired woman in front of him, her green lightsaber inches from him.

Seth’s own gaze was rising above the indigo light, the color so very familiar to him. It was as familiar as the presence he was now registering. When his violet eyes locked with eyes of the very same shade and color, he simply couldn’t believe it.

This couldn’t be real.

“Seth?” The Mirialan Jedi said his name, her voice as familiar as his own. Her violet eyes were wide in surprise, shock shifting around her in the Force.

“Sattura…” Seth said, fairly certain that his face was a mirror of hers.

His twin sister thumbed her lightsaber off, hooking the intricately carved hilt to her belt, still staring at him. Then quite suddenly, she smiled and launched herself at him. He felt affection and amusement bubble around her as he caught her easily, her laughter rich and infectious. His own laughter rumbled around them as he hugged his sister tightly. He was vaguely aware of Corso and the other Jedi were staring at the two of them, eyebrows raised.

“You’re a surprise and a half to see here,” Seth said, setting her down and resting his hands on her arms as their embrace ended. Sattura chuckled and squeezed his arm right back.

“Surprise is an understatement,” She said, tilting her head at him before stepping back from him completely. Her smile hadn’t faded and neither had his when they turned back to their respective companions.

“Kira, this is my twin brother, Seth,” Sattura started off the introduction. “Seth, this my fellow Jedi and padawan, Kira Carsen.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Kira said, amusement glittering in her eyes as she extended her hand.

“Pleasure is all mine,” Seth said, automatically giving her a charming smirk as he took her hand. Mischief was afoot when he placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles before letting go. He didn’t have to see his sister to know she was rolling her eyes.

“Seth,” She said quietly, her voice disapproving.

“Don’t worry, Master, suave and charm don’t work well on me,” Kira laughed.

Seth chuckled then glanced at Corso, “Well, introductions yes? Corso this is my sister, Sattura. Sattura, meet the most chivalrous man this side of the Republic, Corso Riggs.”

“Nice to meet ya, Ma’am, er.. Master Jedi,” Corso said, as gentlemanly as ever, holding his hand out. Sattura gave him a warm smile, accepting his hand with a friendly shake.

“Likewise,” She said. “As you know by now, this is Kira.”

“The charming one, I would say,” Kira chuckled, giving Corso a nod of greeting.

“Oh, Corso can be really charming when he wants to be-“ Seth was saying until the memory of what he and Corso had been running from came back to him in a rush.

“Seth?”

He glanced around, eyes moving to the tree line behind them, “We’ve gotta go. Unless you fancy tangling with a mess of Rakghouls.”

“Why-“ Sattura started and it was the look on her face that told him she sensed the mindless beasts heading their way.

With a hand on her arm, he jerked his head to Corso who immediately fell into action, readying his blaster and falling behind Kira who was leading the way through the rest of the underbrush.

“Always have to make an entrance, don’t you?” Sattura chided lightly as they ran, her voice barely breathless.

“Well, no, not really,” Corso answered, “I mean I did figure you would, he stole your ship and Skavak deserves it, no doubt in my mind, Captain.”

“I’m not killing him over my ship,” Seth said, taking a sip of his whiskey. “Well, not just my ship.”

Corso frowned, “The cargo? Leaving us stranded on Ord Mantell and getting you slapped with a bounty by Rogun the Butcher?”

“No,” Seth said, downing the rest of his whiskey and standing up from his seat at the table. “My daughter is on that ship…”

Corso froze, staring at the white-haired Mirialan as the Captain made his way to the bar and paid for their dinner. The Captain had a daughter? That threw the Mantellian for a loop. That was completely unexpected, then again, it wasn’t his business either. But this bit of information made some things about the Captain make a lot more sense, such as the Captain’s treatment of the kids they’d come across during their chase of Skavak here on Coruscant. The Captain changed tracks and their priorities on the credit chit for the children they’d encountered in the Hydrosupply…and the young girl in Justicar Territory.

Corso had noticed the almost fatherly-like tone in Seth’s voice and later the way he’d put himself in harm's way automatically to protect the girl’s brother… Yeah, many things made more sense. Skavak was more than just a dead man.

“Let’s go, Corso,” Seth called, pulling the Mantellian from his thoughts. The sideways smirk was back as the Captain waved him to follow.

(Coruscant 2)

The ship was just beyond the hangar door and Fabizan was a blubbering mess on the floor. Seth kept his blaster, Mischief, pointed at the Bith as he glared the ship salesman down. “You open this hanger door or I’ll space you here and now.” Nothing was going to stop him from getting into that hangar…but it would be easier if the Bith would open it. The Bith muttered something incoherent and Seth lowered his head as he pressed the barrel of his blaster against Fabizan’s head.

“Last chance,” Seth growled in a low tone, from deep in his throat.

To the Bith’s credit, he nodded and fumbled in his tunic pockets for something. “Yes, yes…” he muttered as he sent a remote signal to the door. The Hangar opened with the slightest of groans, revealing his ship, Lucky Strike, sitting there.

“Good,” Seth said, keeping his blaster where it was. “Any surprises I should be aware of?”

Fabizan shook his head, stuttering out his answer, “N-no, Promise.”

“Good,” Seth nodded, “One more thing, if I see you again, with Skavak… I’m not going to be talking when I take off your head.”

If the Bith’s eyes could get any wider, they’d swallow his head. He nodded vehemently.

Seth stepped back, holstering his blaster. “Get out of here….” He said and without a second look, he took off into the hangar bay, running towards his ship. He’d check the ship over later, there was one thing he needed to see, needed to make sure was safe above all others. He had the hatch open in a matter of seconds and stepped through, his blaster in hand. There was no telling if Skavak had any other idiotic goons on the ship… He carefully made his way through the main corridor towards the second cargo bay. He hoped against hope that K’Teena had hidden herself in the secret compartment he’d installed just for her. It had been days, weeks since Skavak had stolen the ship…

Entering the cargo bay, he approached the back. He could sense another person, unfamiliar on the ship and he’d deal with them soon. But first… At the back bulkhead, he paused, crouching down, he knocked on a panel in a specific rhythm. There was a moment of silence that seemed to last forever, his heart pounded in his chest. He could sense her presence nearby, like the morning dew as the sun first rose in the morning.

He rapped his knuckles on the panel one more time. Come on, sweetheart, he thought.

Then the panel opened and a small blue Twi’lek head popped out.

“Papa!” K’Teena cried out, launching herself out of the secret compartment and straight at Seth. He caught her with ease, nearly crushing her to him as he wrapped his arms around her. Relief flooded through him. She was safe.

“Papa, I’m so glad you’re back,” she said into his shoulder, a trembling in her voice. He could sense her relief at his return and that alone was enough to have emotion clog his throat for a moment. He held her, refusing to let her go just yet. K’Teena clung to him and he felt the small fear beneath her relief that if she let go, he would disappear again.