ISD Interrogator
Deep space, somewhere on the Corellian Trade Spine
Anoat Sector
Inquisitor Tremayne walks through the corridors of the ISD Interrogator with the appearance of confidence, but there was apprehension. Her sudden recall, the meeting with all inquisitors that had somehow excluded her, and the way the crew of the ship was feeling as she walks by them, led her to believe that this was not praise for her actions in Horuz. She was not sure what had gone wrong - she had killed Commander Daelin, after all. The weak apprentices had escaped, but they would be easy to trace. General Kota was, perhaps, a dangerous foe, but he was blind and could no longer use the Force. Surely, it would not be that. As for the "rebels" - they were all mundanes. Tracking them down would not be hard either. No, she felt she was in the clear. Yet the apprehension remained.
At last she reached the chamber of the Grand Inquisitor. The guards stood by impassively as she opened the panel and entered.
Darth Banen was seated in his chair, looking out the viewport, his back to the door. She smiled and was about to speak when Banen barked out, "Guards. Leave us."
Immediately the half-dozed Shadowtroopers in the room turned and made a quick exit. She stood there and watched, not entirely sure what was about to happen.
Then, her breath left her as she felt the fingers of the Force close her throat. Gasping for air, she quickly collapsed to her knees on the deck. Her head swam as Banen walked slowly over to her.
"Give me one reason why I should not kill you where you grovel!"
Her mind whirled as she struggled to draw breath. She tried to fight him, but he was too strong. She barely managed a squeak of air to help her stay conscious.
She gasped and managed to squeak out, "Daelin ... *gasp* ...dead!"
The pressure released, only slightly. She drew a ragged breath into her burning lungs.
Banen responded coldly, "That is the only reason I have not killed you already. What you fail to grasp is that, while you stopped Daelin, you allowed General Kota, Maris Brood, and two others to escape."
"The two were Daelin's weak apprentices! He can no longer help them! We found Brood before, we know how to find her again. And Kota can no longer use the Force! He is just an old blind man!"
The grip on her throat tightened, cutting off her air. "The apprentices... one was the former apprentice of Master Dhoresh. The other..." A long, terrible pause. "... was my son."
That news shattered what was left of her composure. Fear gripped her, and she knew at that moment that she was going to die. Unless...
*Gasp* "...have..." *gasp* "...ways..."
That bought her a brief reprieve, and the grip relaxed slightly.
"Explain," he demanded.
Tremayne took a forced breath. "Have options..." *gasp* "... bring both in..."
She hovered there several long moments, on the verge of passing out. Then, without warning, the iron grip on her throat was released.
She collapsed to the deck, sucking in air while her vision cleared. By the time she could kneel, Banen had retaken his seat. He sat there, glowering at her in silence.
"My lord..." she said, in a shaky voice. "We can release Project Zerek. That will take care of Dhoresh's apprentice. He will be dead, but that is no matter. And as for the other..."
She smiled, her confidence growing as the thought became fully formed. "The Crypt. If your son is sensitive to the Force, we can use your assets there. If we do well, your son will come to you."
Darth Banen considered for several long moments. The plans were not without merit, nor were they without risk.
"Go. See it done."
Relieved, Tremayne turned to leave.
"...and Tremayne?"
She paused, fear gripping her heart. "Yes, my lord?"
"Fail me again, and my last act before the Emperor kills me, will be to end your miserable life."
