[SpringsSong]

"I'm both curious, yet apprehensive, as to what your reply was," Xyshari said.

"I told him that you were a valued ally," Lana said.  "I told him that you were willing to look past the fact that I was a Sith because we both wanted what was good for everyone, not just ourselves."

[SpringsSong]

"He didn't leave it at that, though, I'm guessing," Xyshari ventured.

"Heavens, no," Lana said.  "Before he sent me to Ziost, he told me that if you truly saw me as an ally, then the chances that you would aid us in flushing Vitiate out were nearly assured.  There were many times when I thought to call you to Ziost and aid us, since you had fought off his will before."

[SpringsSong]

"I'd sensed something happening with the Emperor there, but it was Theron who reached out to me, first," Xyshari admitted.  "He was en route to Ziost to try and extract the Sixth Line, but he'd been fired upon and crashed.  It wasn't long after that that we came across each other again."

"I remember that," Lana said.  "You know, I... still don't know what happened to Agent Kovach..."

[SpringsSong]

"Well, then, you can consider yourself and Theron even on secrets that you kept from each other," Xyshari said, a note of bitterness coming into her voice.  "Kovach told me shortly after you left--he was working with Theron, and had been expecting his arrival."

"Oh, that little..." Lana said, her expression beginning to sour.

"Oh, that's not even the worst of it," Xyshari said.  "I caught him on holo with Saresh after her troops started invading, adding to the chaos.  He was her lackey."

[SpringsSong]

"You've got to be joking!" Lana said, leaning forward and putting her head in her hands.  "I knew his background seemed too... convenient.  And yet, he still 'proved' himself as a rising star... how much of our secrets did he get his hands on... did she get?" she asked, turning to Xyshari.  "I do know it's not your way, but... did he pay for that betrayal?"

"I did," Xyshari said, and Lana's eyes widened in shock.  It was clear to Xyshari that the Sith woman could not see her killing someone simply because they had betrayed someone's trust.

[SpringsSong]

"Truly?" Lana asked, as though she was shocked.  Xyshari nodded.

"While the Jedi may serve the Republic, if the ruler orders something that is in direct conflict with the Code, then we would turn to the Grandmaster for guidance.  The Battlemaster, however, can generally act without approval from the Grandmaster.  What Saresh did... Kovach told me that he was there on her orders.  Directly," Xyshari said.  "Damn the consequences for executing him like I did; he deserved it for what he did.  For what he caused."

[SpringsSong]

"I can't believe I never thought of checking into his background a little further," Lana said, her head returning to her hands.  "I knew, deep down inside, that something about him wasn't right for a Sith agent."

"Hey," Xyshari said, leaning over and kissing Lana's head gently.  "Don't beat yourself up about it too much, okay?  That was five years ago, now--and he never had the chance to further infiltrate the Empire for Saresh."

[SpringsSong]

"As Minister of Sith Intelligence--" Lana began, raising her head from her hands.

"Things happen, Lana," Xyshari said, moving to stand up.  "Come on.  Let's take a walk around the rest of the grounds.  Maybe it will remind us of... better times," she said, and Lana offered a small, almost-humorless chuckle.

[SpringsSong]

"How can you do it so easily?" Lana asked.  "How can you just... let something like that go?"

"You think I'm better at this than you are?" Xyshari asked, her hand dropping for a moment.  "Umbara.  Copero.  Theron fucking Shan," Xyshari said, a growl forming behind her words.  "The next time Theron pops up on our radar... I'll move mountains and oceans to make sure that he and whatever he's planning--or is involved in--stops for good."

[SpringsSong]

Lana was surprised at the shift in Xyshari's demeanor, but she lowered her head as she offered a small nod, rising to her feet.

"You were worried about me," she said.

"He tried to kill us, Lana--he knocked you out outright before he sabotaged the train," Xyshari said, tears forming in her eyes.  "And for what?--the suspicion that we were going to replace Arcann and Vaylin?  That the Eternal Alliance would become the new Eternal Throne?"

[SpringsSong]

"And on top of that all--" Xyshari said, but tears soon choked her voice, and she found herself dropping to her knees (which she would later regret--she was still in her battle armor, and the metal knee pads did not offer much comfort against stone).

"...you were scared," Lana said finally, kneeling down and placing a hand on Xyshari's shoulder.

[SpringsSong]

"I was afraid that I'd lost you when I barely remembered being thrown into carbonite--and some other times when I would try to rekindle what we had, and you'd call me 'impossible' or 'insufferable' and have that... otherwise adorable scowl on your face," Xyshari said.  "When Theron made to shoot me... when... when you jumped in front of me and took the shot yourself..."

Lana inclined her head in understanding.

"I wasn't just scared then, Lana.  I was terrified."

[SpringsSong]

Lana remained still for several moments as the scene replayed itself in her memory.  She remembered Xyshari's irritated voice at seeing the empty conductor's seat, stating that the traitor was gone.  Both she and Xyshari had gone into the empty compartment.

"That's impossible," Lana had said.  "According to the signal, they're still on the convoy..."

[SpringsSong]

That was when they both heard Theron prime his weapon to fire.

"No!" Lana had cried, flinging herself between Theron and Xyshari.  Fortunately, the bolt that she had taken had been meant to stun, not to kill--even if it had been meant to be lethal, Lana probably could have found some sort of way to resist it.

[SpringsSong]

Theron had fired his weapon five more times: one shot shattered the window of the train, the other four took out the train's controls.  In her daze, she'd heard Theron explain exactly how she and Xyshari would die, and how he would escape.  She heard Xyshari beg and plead with Theron, ask him to reason with her, to talk it out...

"...but the Alliance outgrew you.  Now it's rotting from the inside, the galaxy's fighting back, and you've become a symbol of oppression.  So much for your dreams of peace," Theron had said to Xyshari.