So, let's start with the thing that'll immediately stick out to anyone who reads Fur and Fire. Pretty similar openings, eh? Ruby's a former slave with a preference for lightning attacks and starts the story separated from Crescent Rose and her family? Looks like I'm running outta ideas, eh?

Not quite, the original idea for Chains came before I started Walking the Planes. I still got the almost four thousand words I had done for it before I shelved it sitting around (MONUMENTALLY different in nature). So I cannibalized it when I started Fur, which is awkward for now.

Not sure on pairing at the moment (other than Renora). I want to say Ladybug, but part of me is quietly chanting 'Purruby, Purruby'

-X Line Break X-

Kory sat in the shuttle leading down to Korriban, feeling it shudder has it hit some turbulence. The entirety of her 'class' was sitting around, a small group of men and women.

By the end of the year, all but one of them would be dead.

The chilling thought ran through her, causing her to grip the underside of the metal bench. All but one of them would be dead. How would it happen? Would they kill each other, or would the Sith do it?

Wasn't that the same thing in the end, though? Whoever survived would be Sith.

That made Kory slightly sick. Whoever survived would become one the ones who enslaved them in the first place?

"So," one on the giant twins leaned forward. He had two gouges, one on each side of his lips, dark bruising around his eyes, and a strip of hair on his chin, "Whatcha do?"

"What do you mean?" The man across from her asked. He was bald except for two long strips of hair.

"I mean, we're all here because they found out we could use the Force, right? So, what did you do so they found you? Me and Balek," he pointed his thumb at his twin, "stopped the mine shaft from caving long enough for the other slaves to get out."

"Sent another slave into the ground during fight," the other man said, "I'm Niloc, by the way."

"Wyrd. What about you?" Wyrd asked Kory.

"Routine check," Kory said, "They do them once a year on Kalsunor."

"Same," Gerr said, "I'm Gerr."

"Wish we had that on Ilum," Wyrd said, "What about you?"

Kory's turned to the young woman currently curled up in the corner, the vibroblade they had all been given leaning next to her as she drank in the datapad in front of her, typing something out. After a couple of seconds, her silver eyes jumped up, "Sorry, what was that?"

"How'd you get found? I'm Wyrd, by the way, and these three are Balak, Niloc and Kory."

"Oh," She stored away her datapad, "I'm Ruby. I smashed an apprentice through the wall."

"Really?"

"Yep!" Ruby grinned just a bit too widely, and Kory got the brief feeling the other woman wasn't entirely sane.

"Anyone got any plans for if you win this?" Niloc asked.

"Not really," Wyrd said, and Balak shook his head.

"No?" Kory said. She didn't want to be Sith.

"Haven't thought about it," Gerr said, "That we're still actually here's still a big shock."

"Well, I do," Niloc said, "I'm gonna be big in the Sith world, I mean, have you seen them? Beautiful robes, manors, servants-"

"-'servants'," Ruby cut in, moving two fingers on each hand. Kory got the feeling she was subtly insulting Niloc, but he was too into it to tell.

"Yeah! It's gonna be great. What about you, Ruby know what would you do?"

"Get my weapon back, first. Then find my family," Ruby said simply.

"Bah! That boring-" the shuttles shook as it landed, the back opening, "Well, looks like we're here, eh? Let's go get started."

Niloc cheerfully grabbed his vibrosword, walking out of the shuttle.

Kory grabbed her own smaller one, a vibroblade, sliding the sheath into the clasp on her back as everyone caught up with Niloc.

Waiting for them was a red haired man, a small beard hung from his chin and he had a tattoo on his face. It started at his right temple, went below his eye and then up, expanding into a red triangle on his forehead that was mirrored immediately next to it, minus the eye part.

"Good," He said, his tone carrying barely restrained contempt, "You're here. I am Overseer Harkun, and I have been assigned to guide you rabble through your trials. As such, I will instruct you on the most basic part of our order. The Code of the Sith," Harkun started pacing, "Peace is a lie, there is only Passion. Through Passion, I gain Strength. Through Strength, I gain Power. Through Power, I gain Victory. Through Victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall set me free."

"Out of curiosity," Ruby said, her voice having taken a strange tone, "Were those last two always in there, or did you just add them to make us slaves feel good about our sel-"

Harkun span, lightning jumping from his fingers into Ruby, sending the woman into convulsions, "You will not disrespect the Code around me, slave."

Ruby, to her credit, staggered back up quickly, apparently shaking off the last of it with ease, "Yes, sir."

"Good," Harkun said, looking angry at her defiance.

"Now, for your first task, each of you will fight through the tomb of Ajunta Pall right outside this dock. Within you will find Lord Spindrall, speak to the doddering old fool, he will judge whether you are worthy of our academy wasting more resources on you. Go, now."

The doors slid open, and they each ran for the tomb.

-x Line Break X-

Ruby landed in the sand dune, allowing her Aura to break her fall. Drawing her vibrosword from its sheath, she felt a stab of longing for Crescent Rose as she activated it. But she knew where her baby was, and would be getting it back as soon as she finished on Korriban.

As the k'lor'slugs charged at her, Ruby span, letting the vibroblade cleave the first in two. Even a cheaply made weapon was enough to break through the child's carapice.

Throwing out her hand, Ruby called on the merger training she had been given to blast another with lightning. Spinning the vibrosword in one hand, Ruby watched the third.

Well then…

Ruby used the Force to yank it closer, cutting the slug in two and going down the steps, turning off the blade and cleaning it with a rag. That was something to be missed about Grimm (one of the few), they cleaned up after themselves. She had learned that the hard way with Crescent Rose.

"Excuse me," Ruby's eyes trailed down to the man standing at the foot of the steps, he was wearing red plastoid armor, "I take it you're part of the acolyte group that just passed by?"

"I am," Ruby said, throwing aside the rag.

"Damn," he said, "Then I suppose you're too busy to hear me out?"

"Hear you out about what-?" Ruby paused

"Sergeant Cormun, Fifth infantry company, Korriban regiment," Cormun saluted briefly.

"Sergeant, you have my attention."

"Have you seen the k'lor'slugs yet, acolyte?"

"A couple of small ones," Ruby said.

"Big ones are even more disgusting, mouths bigger than your head. We're here on what should have been a routine sweep to thin them out."

"Didn't go according to plan, then?" Ruby asked, stepping down to look around the area. There was a hastily made barricade with several more infantry holding blaster rifles.

"We thought it best to eliminate the nest, ma'am. They breed like rats, and that's foiled all attempts to clear them out. They," Cormun looked distraught, "They killed three squads of my men."

Ah, crap… what would an Imperial want to hear…?

"Their sacrifice will be remembered," Ruby placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Ma'am."

"You want me to take out the slugs?"

"After a fashion. Before they died, my men managed to plant the explosives we were going to use. I have the detonator here," Cormun lifted up the cylindrical item, "It's short range one. We hadn't thought we would need more. And now," Cormun stared at Ruby, "Ma'am. A single squad would walk out of here alive after the fight to get it into range. I don't fear for my own life, but my men… they have families."

"I understand," Ruby said, "I'd do the same… have done the same. You want me to go do it, I take it?"

"Yes. I know it's much to ask from a Sith, even one who is just an acolyte, but… it is said that one of you is worth twenty normal men."

"I'll do it," Ruby took the detonator, storing it in her robe as she drew her sword again, walking out the barricade, she looked to the opposite direction, where she saw one of the others stepping over a body, looking shaken.

Ruby focused on the way guarded by several large K'lor'slugs, turning on her sword and spinning it, she lowered herself for a second and activated her Semblance.

-X Line Break X-

Pyrrha closed her eyes, hearing the cheers above her. They were different from the ones she had been once used to. Bloodthirsty.

"And now, it's time for the main event!" Pyrrha drew Milò at the announcer's call, stepping forward. She didn't like this, but she had to do it.

"In this corner, from parts unknown, the Bloody Warmaiden who climbed through the ranks at a meteoric pace!" Pyrrha still wasn't sure how someone had managed to come up with a worse name than 'The Invincible Girl', but they had managed, "Pyrrha Nikos!"

Pyrrha waved with one hand, a smile instantly plastered on her face. She knew this song and dance by heart.

"In the other corner, the champion of Karagga himself! Barada!"

The Klatooinian stepped from his spot, and the slowly prowled around each other.

"Nice and easy Nikos," Barada said, "Just take the fall. We got a big name Sith family watching."

Pyrrha's green eyes scanned the crowd, locking onto them, a man and woman in black robes, "The payout's three times what you offered me."

"Yeah," Barada gave a nasty smile, "but you'll live long enough to use that third."

Barada moved with speed unusual for his kind, swinging an axe at her.

However, he was painfully slow compared to…

Pyrrha dodged, raking Milò across Barada's back lightly. Enough for him to know she could have won right there. He wanted to give the damn imperials something to watch?

Pyrrha span, driving her leg into his spine and sending him flying back.

"You're making the last mistake of your life today, Nikos."

Pyrrha didn't say anything, but ducked under Barada's swing as she struck him in the chest with Milò's pommel.

She regretted it immediately as he drove his knee into her jaw, followed by an elbow to the skull to send her into the ground.

Barada grabbed her by her hair, pressing Milò to her throat, "Interesting weapon. I think I'll-"

Pyrrha stomped backwards, cracking Barada's leg and spinning into another kick. As he flew away, she grabbed Milo out of the air without looking, eyes locking on the imperials.

To her shock, the man who had caught her eye was nodding.

Pyrrha's instincts screamed at her to dodge, and she span, catching the needle in her arm. As Barada grinned at her, she felt her arm start to lose feeling, "Let's see you fight now, Nikos."

Pyrrha's grip on Milò grew tight. He thought she would die here? That would just make Ruby's sacrifice be in vain.

Pyrrha exploded into a whirling storm of metal, taking off one of Barada's arms on the first swing, followed by several deep lacerations to the chest, before taking his head off.

"The… the winner is Pyrrha Nikos?" the announcer sounded confused, even as Pyrrha walked away and out of the arena. She needed the med pack she kept in her apartment.

She got two blocks before Karagga's goons caught her. Four heavy nonhumans in plastoid armor.

"Move," She said.

"You were supposed to take the fall," one said.

"I never agreed to-"

"I said, you were supposed to-"

"I believe she heard you the first time. I'm quite glad she didn't, or else I wouldn't have met someone truly interesting," Pyrrha span, staring at the imperial man seated on a bench. He hasn't been there a second ago…

Now that she could see him up close, she could make out the bruising around his golden eyes, and the lines maring his face. His brown hair was just visible under the hood he wore.

"Would you boys mind leaving me to talk to Miss Nikos alone?" he asked, waving a hand.

"Yeah, of course," the leader nodded dumbly, walking away with his friends.

"Now, I am Lord Alister Temere, and I have a proposal for you, Miss Nikos."

"I don't care," Pyrrha shot back, turning away.

"They'll come for you eventually," He pointed out, like he was discussing the weather, "I'll give you a way off planet, a place to stay and a large quantity of credits. Larger than you should have made today."

"And what do I have to do?"

The Temere smiled, "Teach my idiot of a daughter to fight."

-X Line Break X-

Ruby cut down another slug. The moment she had detonated the explosives, they'd been attacking her en masse, but she was close enough to see the exit. A flick of her hand sent a wave of Force behind her, sending most of the remaining ones back.

Turning, Ruby followed that up with another blast of lightning, allowing frying another couple of slugs.

"It's the acolyte! She's coming this way but there's a ton of k'lor'slugs chasing her!"

"Then what are you waiting for? Give her some help and fire!"

"But, sir if we hit her…"

"You won't, fire!"

Bolts of red and green flew around Ruby as she bobbed and weaved to avoid the storm of plasma while also cutting down several more. The ones that were hit by bolts generally stopped moving, a burning hole in their carapace.

One particularly large one was withstanding the onslaught well, the bolts of plasma bouncing off it.

Ruby cut down two more, jumping off a third's head to rain another bolt of lightning on the large one. Landing on its back, Ruby called out to the guards, "Sergeant! When it opens its mouth, fire into it!"

"Ope-?"

Ruby flipped her vibroblade around and drove it through the K'lor'slug's eye. The creature shreaked, thrashing about in an attempt to remove Ruby, however bolts flew into its mouth, leaving it to collapse dead.

Ruby stood, walking towards the barricade, "I blew it up."

"And we took out the broodmother from the looks of it," Cormun smiled, "We can handle the rest from here, ma'am. I'll make sure to wire some of the credits to your account when I get back. Oh! I'm sorry, I just realized I never got your name."

"Ruby Rose. What so you mean, credits?"

"The Imperial Military keeps a healthy supply of credits to pay for third party assistance. With our alliance with the Chiss Ascendancy and the Mandalorians, it's just a good idea. We are also allowed to use it to pay Sith who have not been assigned to assist our regiment but do so anyways."

"Does that happen often?"

"Not as much as some of us should like," Cormun said, "You made at least one friend among the military today, ma'am. I'll leave you to get back to your trial."

Ruby nodded, giving a small smile as she turned away, reaching for another rag to clean her blade as she went.

It took twenty minutes for her to arrive in front of another long staircase, watching as Kory walked up it. The other acolyte looked to be on the verge of tears.

"Hey," Ruby stopped, "Are you alright?"

Kory shook her head wildly, her grip on her sword tightening. The blade was coated in red, "I don't like it here."

"Neither do I," Ruby said, "but we're stuck here for now. Keep your chin up, ok? I'll see you in Harkun's office."

Kory nodded, continuing on her way.

Ruby walked down the stairs, looking around the room. On either side of the walkway leading to another staircase were men and women. Some were beating at dummies with vibroblades, others blasting them with weak jolts of lightning and others yet still were mediating. Her eyes were drawn to a large bloodstain on the floor, some of it fresh.

The sound of her boots on stone was the only sound as Ruby approached the stairs. Walking up them, Ruby stopped behind the man kneeling in before a dais, "Lord Spindrall?"

"Slave," Spindrall stood, turning towards her. He had dark shadows under his bloodshot orange eyes and a grey beard, "You are the last member of Harkun's newest group, sent to learn from the mad man in a cave?"

"I am," Ruby said evenly, hiding the jolt of anger, "Lord Spindrall, if you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"

"Why does anyone come here? Can't you feel it, the power of the Dark Side that inhabits this tomb?"

Ruby closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the thrum of energy, "I can."

"Stand still a moment, slave," Ruby tensed as Spindrall walked around her, before he grabbed her vibroblade, drawing it, "You haven't bloodie- no, wait. You've been cleaning the gore off?"

"Yes."

"You aren't a normal slave, are you?"

"I'm not a slave," Ruby said through gritted teeth.

"There is a quite easy way of judging that," Spindrall span her blade, handing it to her, "Do you see those four down there?"

Ruby followed his eyes, staring at the four watching them, "Yes."

"They are disgraced former acolytes, training under me in hope of regaining some semblance of honor. They want two things from you."

"What?"

"They want your spot as an acolyte, and they will take your life to get it. If you aren't a slave, if you are worthy of being Sith, cut them down."

Ruby didn't want to be Sith, but if it meant getting back to her family…

Ruby walked down the stairs, the acolytes watching her and parted as she reached them. The moment she past them, the first struck.

Ruby deflected his blade, grabbing his face and sending Force lightning crackling through it. As the next stepped forward, Ruby immediately blasted them, striking out and severing their head.

The last two attacked together, and Ruby snapped her hand out, grabbing a second vibrosword to deflect both strikes. Jumping back, Ruby threw a blade at one, blasting the other with lightning until he stopped moving.

The last jumped at her, holding both blades. Ruby sped herself up as fast as she could go without creating petals, hitting him in mid air, and hiding her flinch as his organs splattered across the floor.

"Well done, acolyte," Spindrall stepped down from his place, "You were correct, you are no mere slave, unlike the last one. I will give you several pieces of advice, then send you on your way. First, use your lightning to empower your blade. It will assist you when you get your saber. Next, harness your hatred of Harkun. It will allow you to become more powerful."

"I don't hate Harkun," Ruby said.

"But you will," Spindrall nodded, "You should go now. Follow the walkways to reach the academy, acolyte."

It took an hour to exit the tomb, but as Ruby entered Harkun's office, she couldn't help but feel satisfied.

Something quickly wiped by the nasty grin on the overseer's face, "Good, the last you has arrived. Now you can find out what the Hermit has decided about you slime. Acolyte Kory, step forward."

"Yes, Overse-" Harkun's saber ignited, cutting off Kory's words... and head. Ruby couldn't keep the look of surprise off her face. She knew they would be killed for failing, but hadn't expected it to be so… quick.

"She was a weak, pathetic worm. Even that lunatic Spindrall could see that," Harkun stepped behind his desk, hitting a holographic button, "I have sent each of you your room numbers. I would suggest getting some rest, you'll be up early tomorrow."

Ten minutes later, Ruby was in her room, eyes focusing on the other bed. Would that have been Kory's?

Pushing down the thought, Ruby plugged her datapad into the terminal and typed in seven addresses into the holomessage she had been composing before hand and hit send.

-X Line Break X-

Pyrrha stared at the address in front of her, reaching out and tapping it with a shaking hand. A brief letter popped up.

Hey, guys.

I'm not sure if any of you use these addresses anymore. I hope you do, it's only been six months, but…

Anyways, sorry it took so long to contact you, but this is the first time I've gotten to a terminal since Voss. I hope things have been ok for you all.

So, this is the hard part. I might need some help. I'm typing this out in the back of a shuttle heading towards the Sith academy on Korriban.

Yeah. I know. Apparently I'm Force sensitive, who knew?

I'll try and message you guys whenever I can.

Love you all,

Ruby

Pyrrha brought a hand up to her mouth, feeling hot tears start to run down her face. Ruby was alive?

Pyrrha opened a new tab, starting to type.

Ruby,

I'm- Dust, what to say? -so happy you're alive. We feared the worst after Voss. I won't lie, things have been difficult, since we lost you.

I decided to go my separate way from the rest for a bit, though I have stayed in touch with them. I'm currently living with a wealthy family, training their daughter to fight. It's not the best job, but it keeps me fed, which I'm sure makes you happy.

I'm not sure if the rest have seen your message yet, nor how much they told you. Forgive me if I repeat anything that they already told you.

Blake, Yang and Weiss are all still together, though I expect one of them to break off to find you after they see it. Blake and Yang both took your 'death' harder than most of the rest of us, but Weiss kept them together well. You'd be proud. You probably are proud.

Jaune enlisted with the Republic military and should be deploying before too long. I haven't heard much from Ren or Nora in a bit, though they were with Yang and the others last I heard.

I'll try and figure a way to help you out too.

With love,

Pyrrha.

Pyrrha leaned back, rubbing tears from her eyes as a choked, giddy laugh rose up from deep inside her. Ruby was alive, Ruby was alive!

A knock came from the door, drawing her attention, "Yes?"

"Miss Nikos? You're late for your lesson," the young woman in the door said, "Lord Temere sent me to fetch you."

"I'm sorry," Pyrrha said, "I'll be right there. Thank you for reminding me."

Pyrrha walked to the place she kept Milò, checking the blade briefly, before flipping open the clasp at the bottom to check the mechanism within.

It had taken a year and a half to get enough money to convert Milò, Gambol Shroud, Stormflower, Myrtenaster and Crocea Mors into vibroweapons. The Job had been intended to start the even more expensive process of getting the guns modified into blasters.

Pyrrha stepped into the hall, walking towards the large room the Temeres kept for training.

The Temeres were… tolerable. Lord and Lady Temere had done their best to make her feel welcome in their Athiss estate, but… they were imperials.

Their daughter, however, was unlikable. Pyrrha hadn't met anyone as repulsive as Aalale before, not even Cardin. Jaylana and Alister were, at the very least, moderates among their peers. They were proud members of the Empire, but they didn't approve of violence for its own sake. Aalale always asked Pyrrha to teach her the most painful places to strike, ones that would cause her opponents to die writhing in agony and always threw a fit when Pyrrha refused.

"You're late," the brown haired woman said, leaning on the vibroblade she trained with, "You kept father and mother waiting."

"I'm sorry," Pyrrha directed at Alistair, who was seated in a armchair to the side of the arena, "Something came up that I had to deal with."

"Do you want to reschedule?" Alistair asked calmly, his golden eyes watching her, "Aalale doesn't depart for a couple of days, if it's important."

"Father!" Aalale gasped like he had implied something horrific about her, "This is supposed to be my final test to you! I've prepared all week!"

"Pyrrha has a life outside this family," Jaylana cut in.

"It's been dealt with as well as I can for the moment. Thank you though," Pyrrha smiled at the duo.

"See!" Aalale swelled, "She understands me proving my skill is more important than whatever minor thing she has in her life!"

Pyrrha glared at the back of Aalale's head. Ruby wasn't minor.

"I do hope you prove yourself," Alistair rebutted, "if you're anywhere close to last month's showing, I'd be better off sending Pyrrha to Korriban over you."

Aalale bristled, "She isn't even Force sensitive!"

"Then how is she able to beat you so handily?" Alistair's eyes were focused on Pyrrha, ignoring Aalale's stomped foot, "Ready, Pyrrha?"

"Yes."

"Then you two may start whenever you wish," Alister said, tenting his fingers as he rested one foot on his knee.

"Good," Aalale smirked, lunging at Pyrrha, "I've been waiting for this!"

Pyrrha sidestepped the telegraphed strike, doing a half spin to keep track of Aalale. As the heiress span, swinging at Pyrrha with something between a roar and a shriek, the champion leaned away from the attack.

Pyrrha smashed Milò into Aalale's skull, watching her stager back as she readied herself for the inevitable attempt at retaliation.

She wasn't disappointed, Aalale charging at her with a mad shriek, giving up all attempts to give a sense of decorum as she attacked Pyrrha again and again.

The champion turned each blow away with ease, stepping back to offset the force of the strikes.

"Pyrrha," Alistair barked, "I've seen enough, end this."

Pyrrha did so, catching the next attack and sweeping Aalale's feet from under her, catching the vibroblade in the air and shutting it off. Dropping it, Pyrrha turned off Milò and stepped back as Alistair walked towards his daughter.

"Father?" Aalale panted as she pushed herself up, staring at her approaching parent, "Why did you stop it?"

"What," in the four months she had worked for the Temeres, Pyrrha had never heard Alistair's voice like this. Barely above a whisper, with an icy rage coursing through it, "was that?"

"I was proving my ski-"

"Your skill? At what, making a fool of yourself? Look at you, you're out of breath after- what was it, Jaylana dear? Ten strikes?"

"Fourteen."

"Now look at Pyrrha. She's hardly broken a sweat. If this was a real battle, you'd be dead."

"If this was a real battle, I would have won!"

"And how did you expect to do that while swinging around your sword like a child playing pretend?"

"Father-"

"No. This has gone on long enough, Aalale. You're almost a full grown woman but you act like a child. We've afforded you every chance to become a powerful Sith, and you've squandered it with nothing but excuses. We asked you why you had been avoiding your combat training and you said you weren't content with the training droids we bought you. So we hired a trainer, and you've wasted her time as much as anyone's. What now, do you intend to blame it on Pyrrha?

Aalale staggered up, clutching her vibroblade, "I- She didn't-"

"She didn't what? Throw this fight? Lavish you with unearned praise? Pyrrha is a saint compared to what the trainers of Korriban would do to you."

The hairs on Pyrrha's neck stood on end. Something was about to go wrong.

"Father, I-"

"No," Alistair cut her off again, "I'm done with your excuses. Go to your room, I need to call Tremel."

"Why?" Aalena asked, looking on the verge of tears.

"Why? Because you're clearly not ready, anyone can see that. Maybe in another year, if we're both lucky, but presenting you to Darth Baras as you are now would make our entire family look like we think he's a fool."

"I- I-" a dark look came across Aalale's face, and she span, turning on her vibroblade and leaping at Pyrrha with a scream.

Pyrrha dodged, but Aalale was immediately upon her, swinging repeatedly, "This is your fault! You made me look like a fool!"

"I did everything I could!" Pyrrha shot back, "Half the time I had to drag you into here!"

"Shut up!"

Pyrrha turned aside her student's blade, keeping herself calm as Aalale fell into a renewed rage.

Finally, Aalale opened herself too wide, and years of combat experience kicked in as Pyrrha stepped into her guard, angling Milò's blade up and impaling Aalale.

As Aalale fell back, Pyrrha was suddenly painfully aware she was in the room with the parents of the woman she just run through.

Alistair was merely watching her however, seemingly examining her, "Pyrrha, I have an offer for you."

"What?"

"I seem to be out an heiress," Alistair said, "And you seem to be Force sensitive. A friend of mine opened up a position for Aalale at the Korriban Sith Academy. It's the most prestigious academy in the Empire. Would you like to go?"

Pyrrha opened her mouth to refute, before her mind pulled something up.

I might need some help. I'm typing this out in the back of a shuttle heading towards the Sith academy on Korriban.

Sith academy on Korriban.

I might need some help.

"I'll go," Pyrrha nodded. She had no love for the Sith, but if it meant Ruby had a friendly face, Pyrrha would gladly go.

"Then you should start packing," Jaylana said, standing up and dusting off her skirt as she walked to Alistair, "The shuttle will be here within the next couple of days."

"I'm- I'm sorry."

"She made her choice," Alistair said softly, "I can't have very well expected you to just lie down and let her kill you, could I? Just- leave us alone for a few hours, would you Pyrrha?"

"I- Yes, of course."

As Pyrrha stepped out off the room, she heard Alistair speak, "Damnit Laney, why couldn't you have understood I was trying to keep you alive?"

-X Line Break X-

Blake staggered out of her room on the Golden Dragon, nodding to Ren, who was already walking around the kitchen. The martial artist held out her mug, allowing Blake to snag it as she went with a mumbled thanks.

Looking out one of the windows, Blake stared at the waves crashing upon the sands as she settled into one of the chairs wondering if she should go out and eat on the beach.

The Dragon felt too empty now, without Pyrrha, Jaune and, especially, Ruby.

Blake's grip on her mug tightened. She didn't think any of them had realized just much losing their leader would hurt. Still hurt.

Yang had, unsurprisingly, taken it the hardest. She had them on the first non-empire base they had come across, Nar Shaddaa, and launched herself into a multiday long bender. Blake had been half a mind to join her, with how bad the heart ache was.

Pyrrha had requested to be left on Nar Shaddaa, taking a small portion of their money and disappearing into the Smuggler's Moon. Feeling guilty, Blake had suspected (and later outright confirmed through messages) about being the last one on the ship. Survivor's guilt.

There had been a lot of that over the first couple of months.

Nora had been unnaturally quiet and Blake had occasionally found the explosives expert just sitting on one of the couches bolted to the ship, staring blankly at a wall. Sometimes, when Ren had been busy, Blake would join her. Pulling up stories and jokes her parents told her back on Menagerie.

Ren had been as impressive as ever, but there were slip ups that gave away that he was feeling Ruby's death just as much. An extra plate of food at dinner, always almost placed at Ruby's seat before he caught himself and put it in the center. A pause in his speech when he'd turn to where Ruby usually was.

Jaune had gone quiet immediately after, speaking only a handful of sentences over the next week. The first time they hit a republic world, he had, quite calmly, informed them that he was enlisting in the army and marched off to do so, headless of their calls.

Weiss had held it in the best, busying herself with taking on all Ruby's responsibilities except leadership, which had passed onto Jaune. Once he had left, though, Weiss had taken on that duty too. Finding jobs, haggling the payment, Weiss had taken to the life of a smuggler with bizzare ease.

Blake was used to hiding scars, though she had admitted to Pyrrha that she had been hiding it until she could get away from everyone else. Ruby's death had been painful.

The younger woman had always seemed so alive, whether she was complaining about whatever trouble Yang and Nora had gotten into at port or playing dejarik with Ren, Jaune or Pyrrha. Less than a day before her death she had been arguing with Weiss about an apparent error Weiss thought she had found in Ruby's ledger of their credits. Weiss had stalked out of the room, smiling smugly at actually getting one over on Ruby in math.

Turns out Ruby had known of the error before Weiss pointed it out, purposefully omitting the credits she had spent on a blaster so Weiss would have a longer ranged option in a fight.

"Heeey!" Blake snapped from her thoughts as Nora sat down across from her, a stack of pancakes on her plate, "How's everything goin'?"

"Fine," Blake said, smiling across the table, "How are you?"

"Fine," Nora said, starting in on her first pancake, "One sec, got some mai-"

"Is something wrong?" Blake asked as Nora froze, eyes wide as she stared at her datapad, pancake hanging from her mouth, "Nora?"

"Check- check your mail," Nora breathed out, not breaking her stare.

Blake did, turning on her datapad to check her mail… and froze, "No…"

"Yes!" Nora leapt up, grinning triumphantly as she turned the corner, "Ren! Food can wait! Help me wake everyone else up, it's suuuper important!"

As Nora ran down the hall, banging on every door as she went, Blake opened the mail. As she read it, shock gave way to worry, then determination.

Ruby was alive. Ruby was alive.

Ruby was alive and in Empire territory, being forced to go to one of their academies and become a Sith.

Under the table, Blake clenched her fist, feeling her ears nearly flatten.

Which meant, no matter what it took, Blake was getting into Empire territory and protecting Ruby.

-X Line Break X-

Jaune reread the mail for the twentieth time, feeling his something coil in his gut.

He wasn't sure which was worse, Ruby being dead, or being forced to become part of their 'noble' class.

Jaune sent off a short message, pleading with Ruby to stay strong, but that he couldn't help at the moment.

And he really, really wanted to be able to, but he was getting his first deployment soon.

Jaune had put his training with Pyrrha to good use. Beyond the roof of their dorm in Beacon, they had gone out of their way to train on each planet, experiencing how more and less gravity would affect you when fighting on desert sand, or ice, or in the heart of a jungle. And look where it had gotten him, Carida, one of the Big Three, and legitimately this time. Top of the class in close range combat, forward assault and search and destroy.

Jaune's datapad beeped again, carrying official Republic mail. He was being assigned to a small force in the Outer Rim, looking for signs of imperial movement. To be deployed within the week.

Good. Ruby might be (relatively) safe, but there were other people who could be in danger because of the imps. And if an opportunity to save Ruby came up? All the better.

Now he just needed to get through the remaining time he had to sit around and wait.

Jaune pulled up his friends addresses hoping to get in a holocall about the news.

-X Line Break X-

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