Author's Notes: The following takes place during Chapter 7 of Knights of the Eternal Throne. Elements of dialogue are copied word-for-word.

"Still no word on where Vaylin's disappeared to." Beniko spoke contemplatively as she regarded the holo-display in the Alliance war room.

"Any chance she decided to give up on galactic conquest and retire to a quiet little colony on the Outer Rim?" Shan offered by way of answer.

Even after just a few days, Arcann had come to understand that Lana Beniko and Theron Shan – the Alliance Commander's senior advisors – shared an unusual dynamic. Both were highly intelligent individuals with backgrounds in espionage and impressive track records as field operatives. But in the context of their interactions, Beniko – the Sith formerly in charge of the Sith Empire's Intelligence agency – took on the role of the often-sobering analytical one while Shan – the rogue Republic SIS agent – offered up his particular witticisms in an effort to break the ice and put others at ease. That both seemed to be excellent at their jobs and fiercely loyal to the Commander could not be denied.

"That is not my sister's style." Arcann's low, gravelly voice rumbled.

The trio of individuals – joined by the astromech droid, Teeseven – had gathered in the war room to discuss their next move, or more accurately to attempt to predict Vaylin's next move. It had been less than a week since the Commander and his companions had attempted to strike at Vaylin directly on Zakuul. That attempt had failed, but had resulted in Arcann, now reformed after his experience on Voss and months of rehabilitation, joining the same Alliance that had originally formed itself to oppose him when he had sat on the Eternal Throne.

Strange developments, indeed.

Just at that moment, Arcann felt the familiar presence in the Force of the Alliance Commander, Corellan Halcyon. The man whom Arcann had imprisoned in carbonite for five years, who had escaped from Zakuul, and, with the aid of Beniko, Shan and others, had forged an Alliance to challenge the Eternal Empire's supremacy, and who had finally defeated Arcann, toppling him from the throne, but who later fought to save him on Voss.

This man who was now the current host body for Arcann's father, Valkorion, the Immortal Emperor.

"I might know where she's gone." The Commander said, by way of greeting. The man was the most affable and caring person that Arcann had ever met. But when a clear goal emerged, he could suddenly become the most driven.

"A planet called Nathema."

Arcann's eyes widened in shock and he felt his stomach clench as he turned away from the group. Memories from years ago when he retrieved Vaylin suddenly surged to the surface.

"I never thought to hear the name of that accursed world again." He said bitterly.

Shan was the first to press the issue.

"You've been there?"

"Once." Arcann explained sullenly, finding the strength to turn back towards the others, addressing them properly. "It's where Valkorion locked my sister away when she was a child. It's in the Chorlian sector."

"Hang on." Shan's eyes had narrowed as he turned to the controls on the display terminal. Soon a holo-map of the named sector was displayed.

"Someone sent an encrypted holocall to Vaylin during her little party. We traced the origin to that sector."

As Shan narrowed his search, the planet was soon identified in the display. Virtually no data appeared, however. What would be the point of gathering information on a dead rock?

"The message was important enough for Vaylin to drop everything and go." The Commander nodded in agreement. "That must be where she's headed."

"Nathema is a tainted world. If I go there, I fall back into my old ways." Arcann turned his back to the others and walked away from the display, not trusting himself to let them see his face. "Everything I have accomplished since being healed on Voss will be undone."

That seemed to silence the others for a moment.

"What else do we know about this world?" Beniko finally pressed. It should have been no surprise that the pragmatic Sith Lord would be the one to break the silence. "Many planets could be called 'tainted' by the dark side…"

"The Force itself is corrupted there." Arcann clarified. "Centuries ago, the world's entire surface was wiped out in a massive explosion of Force energy. Only underground facilities – like the one that served as my sister's prison – remain."

Beniko seemed to be considering that carefully. Clearly, she had been thinking of the worlds of her old Sith Empire – Dromund Kaas and Korriban. This was something else entirely.

"That… sounds strangely familiar." Shan finally weighed in.

"Of course it does."

The Commander's voice cut through the room. His tone was grim, and frankly darker and more pained than Arcann had previously thought him capable of. All three companions turned as one, finding the former Jedi hunched over the holo-display with his hands gripping the console, glaring at the projected representation of Nathema. The expression on his face was…. hard. Not angry exactly but driven by a certain scorn and disgust. As if Nathema itself were his enemy. It felt very out of character from a man who seemed to define himself through acts of kindness and personal self-sacrifice.

But Arcann had seen that expression on the Commander's face before, directed at Arcann himself, back on his flagship during the Battle of Odessen. He would never underestimate Corellan Halcyon again.

The Commander didn't bother to turn away from the display.

"We've seen this before, Theron. Remember?"

At that, the former SIS agent's eyes widened in shock. Arcann knew that the Commander, Beniko and Shan had been allies well before the Zakuulan invasion of six years ago. They had a history together that he could not relate to. (He felt an unexpected tinge of jealousy at that thought.)

"You …. you're talking about Ziost, aren't you?"

Shan's voice sounded haunted.

Arcann half-remembered hearing the reports concerning Ziost. It had once been a major Sith Empire planet that had been destroyed several months before the invasion, well before even Arcann and Thexan had launched their assaults on Korriban and elsewhere. Now it was merely a dead world. Those reports on Ziost didn't seem particularly important at the time, but he knew the destruction had been 'credited' to….

Ah. The Sith Emperor.

Arcann's father.

The Commander didn't bother answering Theron's question, still glaring into the projection.

"Scourge told me about this world years ago. I just never thought to ask him for its name." He continued to speak. "More than a thousand years ago, the Emperor tricked an entire world into submitting to a ritual." He audibly swallowed. "The ritual consumed every living thing on the planet… and made the Emperor immortal."

Corellan Halcyon finally stood up straight.

"This is where it all began."

His eyes narrowed.

"This is Valkorion's homeworld."

The simple statement fell like a rock, with only silence greeting it. Arcann didn't know who this 'Scourge' was, but he had known for many years about Valkorion's 'other life' in the greater galaxy. He had never given it much thought, being too consumed by his own … issues with his father.

He was starting to realize just how far Valkorion's reach had extended. And the kind of enemies he had made over the centuries.

Beniko once again was the one to break the silence.

"If Vaylin has gone there, then we must be especially cautious." There was no fear in her voice; merely pragmatic resolve.

Whatever fugue the Commander had been under was suddenly shrugged off as easily as it had been an old cloak, nodded approvingly to Lana. He then turned towards Arcann with a compassionate look that once again surprised the former Emperor of Zakuul.

"I believe you're strong enough to do this, but I won't force you to go."

Arcann felt a surge of appreciation for the Commander's faith in him. He could not have imagined anyone else showing him such consideration.

"Thank you. I will stay and watch over Senya in case she awakes."

Corellan Halcyon nodded in understanding.

"I'll go prep the shuttle." Shan added.

As Arcann departed from the war room, he felt a familiar tinge of guilt. He knew the Commander and his companions would face untold dangers on Nathema. But he had every confidence that he would succeed.

After all, the Commander had shown faith in Arcann; how could the former Emperor not return it?