"Farewell Admiral. I hope you found our hospitality up to your standards." Bark said, handing Sigil a staff so he won't be defenseless. He nodded "It was an honor to stay with your people Elam Bark. But as I have said, my sister's hunt won't stop until I am in her clutches." He said, sorrow evident in his voice as he nudged has mount forward and away from The Astropath, towards Kabal city.
Sigil had his mount gently move forward through the terrain so he could meditate, using the force to guide the animal while he couldn't do it directly. The fur covered beast had six long, muscular legs which ended in wide paws and a jaw lined with stubby teeth meant for crushing anything that entered its strong jaws; The U'katan as the Caratanians called them.
From sunrise to sunset he guided the beast through the lands. Whether it was maneuvering through trees, traversing ice spikes and pointed rocks to avoid minor frozen lakes, the U'katan pressisted, aided by its rider's force energy.
Sigil stopped his meditation session, sensing that the afternoon was drawing to a close and evening was soon to come. Taking out Y'rum's navigational map, he looked for some kind of natural shelter.
The map showed a nearby cave, perfect for the night with the large cave splitting into an intersection of three paths. Perfect to shield him and the large U'katan from the hostile weather, hellbent on killing all life.
Sigil reached out with his hand, not bothering that his sister would know where he was for none of her vessels would endure such weather and terrain.
His vision cleared, able to see the depths of the dark cave without any lightsource. He stepped in, tugging on his mount's leash. The U'katan didn't resist, welcoming the warmth of the cave eagerly as it layed down for the night.
Sigil dug his hands into the bag he was given; Taking out a ration and sleeping bag. The rations were cold, like the outside. Tasteless and flavorless; just like republic rations. 'Must be salvaged from them.' He thought the taste brought him back to Kamino and Kal. "Same waste we were given. Not even altered." He chuckled as he bit down on the last of it. Getting up, he unfolded his sleeping bag and went in for the night.
As the sun rose over the mountains, its warmth did away with the night time storm, offering gentle snowfall in place of piles of snow dropping from the sky.
The army was mobilized and ready to march to get the slippery Admiral. A column of AT-ATs, AT-STs and snow troopers set off once the weather had cleared in the morning.
At the very front, sat Revan or as known by her subordinates, Lady Kharna, hand outstretched, searching for her brother and guiding her small army to him.
She had however, no plans of letting anybody else capture him, the army was to only block his escape. A lifetime spent with him, taught her that chasing after him in attack craft would only result in him having a way by which to escape Kabal. An event that she wouldn't allow to happen under her watch.
He had survived a fall from orbit, there was no way he was in good enough condition to outmaneuver her and carve himself a bloody path across the Kabal garrison before she caught back up with the garrison. He would have to surrender peacefully, damaged, dead or find some miracle solution by which to escape the giant snowball he was on.
"Halt!" She ordered abruptly. "Is something off?" Her driver asked. "He is close." She whispered to herself. "Inform the rest of the army to split evenly and block all trails leading out that boulder." She pointed to a massive rock ahead of them. "Yes mam." He replied, opening his com channel and informing the rest of the army.
But she didn't hear what he relayed for her mind wandered to the possible outcome of their upcoming encounter. She for a fact wasn't sure if he even was armed or had his weapons melted during reentry.
The army split into four columns, each headed for a trail leading away from the baulder. The glory and honor of having contributed to the capture of such a high ranking rebel; second or third in the alliances' chain of command, guaranteed their promotion and hefty bonuses. They were on high alert.
Sigil noticed his sister approaching the second cave he was staying at following his departure from the Astropath two days ago. Him and his mount were resting when he sensed them, many human force signatures along with Revan approaching his cave in the evening. Getting captured was his best way out of this frozen tundra. Imperial medicine, if given to him would be beneficial to heal some of the wounds he still had.
Leaving her personal column outside the entrance aside from a squad of snowtroopers, Revan stepped into the long cave. Her path was illuminated by crimson as her blood red blade showed her the path forwards. Their bond led her and her troops down two intersections but after five minutes, she saw it; light.
The light of a bonfire was ahead. This raised her alertness; Sigil could be planning an ambush but the force told her otherwise. That he was there, a clean slate. No emotions whatsoever.
Distrustful, she treated forward with caution, her troops following her lead. The hair on the back of her neck, standing up right. Climbing over a slight ledge, she saw him, his back leaning on his resting U'katan as he stared at the bonfire.
"Orders." The commander asked quietly. "Arrest him." She replied. The Commander nodded and gestured for his men to spring into action. Drawing and aiming their rifles at him, they jumped out from cover.
"Hands up!" The Commander shouted, blaster pointed. Sigil did not flinch as he continued to stare at the fire. "I said get up!" He repeated, now having his blaster pointed directly at Sigil's head, two of his men rushed forwards in an attempt to force him up but he got up before they reached him.
One of the two approaching troopers, placed a set of cuffs over his hands and the two began escorting him out. "What of the animal mam?" Her Commander gestured to U'katan with his head. "Bring it outside and set it free, Commander." She ordered, heading out behind her troops.
Revan walked in the interrogation room her brother was in, hoping to get a conversation in before she had to take him to Coruscant.
She looked at him, bandages covering his limbs, his face that of a man in deep thought. Taking her seat opposite of the table, she opened up. "Hello… brother." She said, the second part coming out after a long pause.
"Hello." He greeted back, voice monotone and void of emotions. "Uh, Sigil I know you don't want anything to do with me but I have something no two things which you must see." She said sheepishly, placing a holo projector on the table.
Sigil tilted his head up, an eyebrow raised and suddenly interested in what she had to say. Seeing she had his interest, Revan pressed the activation.
A projection of Kamino came to life, intriguing Sigil further. The projector zoomed into Tipoca city and inside an office there. A Kaminoan scientist was seated at their desk, having a conversation with a shrouded figure.
"Oh I assure you your highness, the requested unit is ready to be delivered." The voice of the scientist came, masculine. "Great, I shall finally have a worthy heir to my legacy." A feminine voice came out the other end, that of Ta'a Chume. "Of course." The scientist replied and Revan cut the call, seeing he had heard enough.
"Imperial intelligence truly is something." He mused. "So her entire purpose of marrying me was to get suitable DNA for a clone?" He said out loud. "Afraid so." She replied.
Anger was all he could feel at that moment. Being used as nothing more than a gene pool for the Hapan monarchy to strengthen itself to continue its rule. The pressure built up inside him from the past three years was threatening to explode from the inside out.
"Now, this is more important." She said, bringing his attention back to her. Pressing play a hologram popped to life yet again.
"This two zero eight nine zero three three zero nine. I have discovered a plot within the alliance." A muffled voice came but Sigil knew who it was by their codename. Ta'a Chume had switched up the numbers of her birthday in a game of scramble.
"Speak up mole." Revan's projection said. "The human General you are hunting down, has a plot to usurp power from the Admiral of the expedition in our system." She said. "How?" The inquisitor asked, arms folded across her chest.
"By sending him into a trap above a colony in the Rifle worlds of the cluster and martyring him to the alliance, she hopes to gain his vast fortune and potential title." He informed. "Very well." The inquisitor ended the call and so did she also end the projection.
Sigil dropped his head to the table. His forehead resting on his cuffed hands as he cried quietly. Feeling dumb, used and full of overwhelming grief, sorrow and pain; unending pain. Revan's actions were a bid to protect him.
'I'm just a fool. A big fool which that woman played like a fiddle.' He thought, his sadness slowly turning to burning hatred.
Revan used the force and gestured with her hand under the table to disable the cell cameras. She got up and walked over to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder. Sihil didn't react, just let it be; too busy feeling sorry for himself.
"Sigil." She said softly. "What?!" He snapped. "I am very sorry for what I did to your wife and unborn child." She apologized, genuine sadness in her voice and her signature in the force.
Sigil didn't speak a word so she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. Sigil's cuffed hands struggled to wrap around her so using the force, Revan snapped them. "Brother." She called, making finally lift his head up. His eyes were red and puffy from crying, a state she never saw him in ever before.
"I loved her more than anything!" Cried out, finally embracing her back. Wanting closure and comfort from anywhere he could get it at that point in time. She gasped at the suddenness of his embrace but returned it.
His sobs continued on as his clutch got tighter and tighter. She held him close in return. For the first time in three years, they were whole again.
"I missed you dearly." Sigil told his sister after his whimpering had quieted down. "I know." She replied, finally pulling back. Sigil rose from his seat and looked her in the eyes; now hazal as opposed to the sickly yellow.
"So now what?" He said. "I'm not sure. There is only so much we could do to delay going to Coruscant for…" She drifted off, not wanting to end the sentence. "Listen," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to stay here anymore. You could go back with me. Back to the Alliance." He said with optimism but saw her nervousness.
"I can't." She said. "Why is that dear?" He raised an eyebrow. "I don't know how to tell you this but…" "But…" He mimicked, encouraging her to speak. "I've got a husband in the imperial navy." She said, turning her head away to avoid his gaze.
Sigil sighed "Wonderful!". "Was that supposed to b-" "Actually it was both sarcastic and congratulatory." He cut in. "Where is he now?" He questioned. "Above Hoth, awaiting my commands." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm guessing he doesn't outrank you." He guessed. "He doesn't." Revan confirmed.
"Get him to come here. If he is your assigned officer, it is his duty to escort you to your destination. Won't it be?" He asked. She nodded. "Okay get back in your seat while I go to summon him." Seh instructed, heading out. Sigil called the broken cuffs to his hands and put his hands under the table, out of view.
"Sir, inquisitor Kharna is requesting for your presence at your quarters." The communications officer informed Taer. He nodded, turning on his heel and going to his quarters. Once inside, he made sure the door was locked shut before turning on his communicator.
He watched as her hologram came to life. "Hello dear." She opened up informally, meaning there were none nearby. "Hello my angel. I missed you." He greeted back. She shot him a playful smile.
"I need you to come to Kabal. I have the Admiral." Seh informed, getting a bit more serious. "Very well. We will depart for the Kabal system in an hour. We should be there in a week." He informed. "Look forward to seeing you cinnamon bun." She said, using his nickname, making him blush as she ended the call giggling to herself.