Brax was still, silent and watching ... he heard voices from in that strange box, and with that moved forward. His hands raised, his fingertips began to glow with a crimson light, and then he attacked. He became visible as he attacked, his claws ripping into the Doctor's flesh ... tearing into him as if he was little more than butter, and Brax was a very hot knife.

"Sorry, but I need off this ship." He said, he didnt' enjoy killing needlessly, but he had to get off. He reached out even as the Doctor fell, and hit the controls ... his claws dug into them, causing a short in the docking procedures as the two ships sensed this and forcefully disconnected. Each ship rocked, causing thigns to fall down, and people to stumble ... Brax cycled the airlock, and dove in, cyceling it again. The Doctor fell to the ground in front of the TARDIS, unmistakeably dead.

(That work for ya doc?)

The ship rocked as the two joined ships disconnected, dumping Crystal to the floor abruptly. She swore in a strange language and telekinetically readjusted herself within the cockpit. Her eyesight was slightly faded and she gasped. What happened? She couldn't figure it out, but more disturbing to her were the thoughts of this Jasra. During the jolt, Crystal's 'thought bubble' had briefly expanded before suddenly shrinking. In that split second, thoughts were transferred... thoughts that would now change what she said to Jasra.

"By feel, I'd say there's no point to that," she groaned, holding her head. "Feels like the two ships were just torn apart and that can mean one of two things... the stowaway escaped or we've been hit." She checked a few of the screens in the cockpit. "And by the look of our sensor readings, the stowaway's escaping."

"And by the look of our sensor readings, the stowaway's escaping."

Crystal hadn’t even finished her sentence when Jasra noticed what was happening. Somehow, Karda’s ship had been forced free from the Ebon Hawk and now drifted quickly in her direction. Her shields were up, but the Moon Shadow was too close.

Quickly throwing the thrusters into an inverted-Z-axis-reverse, Jasra avoided an immediate collision, and then she circled around for a better angle.

Jasra’s targeting viewer flipped open across her right eye. She took aim on Karda's ship, her grip tightened on the control stick, her thumb hovered over the 'fire' button, the ‘lock’ light flashed on the targeting grid…

…and then she paused.

Something felt…well, wrong.

“Crystal?” Jasra said into her comlink. “Are you all right? Is anyone on board injured?”

"I don't know," Crystal snapped... a little too harshly, she instantly decided. More calmly, she continued, but a slight trace of nervousness. "I'm fine, but I have no idea about anybody else."

"So you checked the the corridors?"
"All clear."
"Dormitories?"
"Nothing's there."
"Med bay?"
"Totally empty."
"Are you sure-"
"Listen, Kira," Atton said, stopping the Exile, "I know you're worried, but we checked, alright? Nothing was there. All you have to do is rela--Sith's blood!"
"Oh my..."
The two had just stumbled on the TARDIS...and what appeared to be the Doctor's body...and their stowaway. In seconds, their weapons were out.

(((Umm... Am I still on my own ship, or am I blocked from it? If I'm not, I'll just edit this post)))

Karda fell to the floor as his ship broke loose from the Ebon Hawk. Rolling to his feet, and drawing his lightsaber, he looked around the ship for a sign of the intruder. He could sense another fighter that he didn't recognize coming in hard toward the ship, but he would wonder about that later. The being who had invaded his ship seemed to be in the cockpit. Karda crept forward, coming almost silently into the cockpit.

Brax floated into space ... launching himself with a kick off of the hawk. His own ship for a moment apeared on everybodies sensors, and he was inside. And again it vanished. And he was flying away as fast as he could.

The sensors on Karda's ship beeped for a moment urgently- then stopped just as suddenly. The alien had vanished into his ship, and the ship had done likewise, just like that. Karda's mind was now filled with questions as to the current events, but he shoved them out of his mind. Maneuvering his ship back toward the Ebon Hawk, he hailed the supposed "Moon Shadow" that had approached the ship.

((Uh, Rob, I think Brax is on your ship and in control of it... therefore, I imagine you're still on the Ebon Hawk.))

(No, I'm in my ship. not Karda's. Karda got on his ship awhile ago, and the doc was on the hawk blcoking me from getting to it. Brax's goal was to get to his hsip the whole time, I was ohnly trying to get to Karda's in order to find aneasier way into space)

((Ah... I misread, then... my mistake :) ))

Jasra scowled as she viewed the specs of the ship that had just vanished like a spectre from her sensors a second earlier. The specs were incomplete, but even so, she’d never seen anything like it. Or seen anything move so fast.

Her weapons and shields still powered up, she waited. After a moment, Karda’s ship began to slowly move back towards the Ebon Hawk. Her console bleeped. Karda’s ship was hailing her.

Jasra powered down her weapons, but kept her shields, and her guard, up. She still wasn’t sure what was happening on board either ship, but it was clear to her that the ‘stowaway’ had managed, somehow, to board the peculiar and unidentified ship before it had disappeared. She hoped that the Exile hadn’t disappeared with him.

“This Jasra Lantill on the Republic scout ship Moon Shadow,” she answered the hail from Karda’s ship. “Identify yourself and state your intentions.”

((No, the Doctor is not dead, people.))
Tegan turned as the Doctor opened the TARDIS door, and was ready for him to snap at her when she saw it. Behind him, a strange creature appeared out of thin air, and slashed at the Doctor.
"DOCTOR!!!!!!!" Yelled both Tegan and Nyssa in horror. The Doctor fell to the ground, his body limp, blood leaking from the massive gash in his back. Tegan ran to te Doctor's side, tears running down her cheaks in buckets.
"DOCTOR NO!!!!" she screamed. She grabbed him by the shoulders, burying her face in his chest. Kira walked up behind her, and the Doctor took in a short, sharp breath.
*Kira.....* he said, his voice barely a whisper.
"Shush, Doctor, it's goijng to be alright, I promise." siad Tegan tearfully.
"What's going to happen?" asked Nyssa, her eyes full of tears as well.
*I.... might regenerate.... but I don't know....It feels... different, this time....*
"Kira, can you help him?" asked Tegan desperately. "You have Jedi powers, don't you?"
*Not even... the Force.... can save me now, Tegan......* he said. *I'm afraid... that this is the end.... but..... the moment has been prepared for....*
He let his head fall back against the deck plate. His eyes opened suddenly, and they had turned a deep yellow in colour, and seemd to be glowing with the power of a million suns. He let out another screech/gurgle before his skin began to glow yellow. Soon, it looked as if he was on fire. His face was changing shape, his har was receding and had become blonde, and he seemd to grow slightly shorter. As suddenly as it had started, it stopped, and a completely new man lay where the Doctor had just seconds before. His eyes snapped open - they were now a pleasent blue in colour.
*Hello.* he said. He looked at Kira, then at his scarf, the end of which was laying on the ground beside him. *I don't mean to be rude, but you're standing on my scarf, young lady.* he said to Kira - his voice was higher pitched in tone, and had a more intelligent quality to it.
"Doctor? What's happened?"
*Hm? Oh! Change, my dear. And it seems not a moment too soon, actually.* He started, then began digging in his pockets. *A mirror, I need a mirror.* He found one, and pulled it out with enthusiasm. *Huh. Well, that's the trouble with regeneration. You never quite know what you're going to get.* He just then seemed to notice that Tegan was staring at him, looking scared. *What's wrong with you, Susan? We must get back to the TARDIS.* he began to stand up, but leaned against the TARDIS as an invisible blaster bolt seemd to hit him in the side.
"What is it? Who are you?" asked Nyssa.
*My dear, don't you recognize me? I'm the Doctor - or rather, I will be. If this regeneration works out the way it should.* he wore a grimace of pain, and his breathing was heavy.
"Who's Susan?" asked Tegan confusedly.
*Oh, that's right, I'm so sorry my dear...... now, I must...* he screamed in pain again. *No, I'm alright* he said as Nyssa came forward to help him.
*Karda! I must speak to him.... the tracer on his ship. I know.... how to deactivate it......* the Doctor's eyes began to glow yellow again, and a wisp of yellow smoke escaped his open mouth. *Karda...... I must.... speak to him....*

((Just so everyone knows, I have changed the Doctor from what he was before. Before this regeneration, he was Tom Baker's Doctor. (http://home.earthlink.net/~qstnmark/whopage/t_baker.jpg) He is now Peter Davison's Doctor (http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1435000/images/_1435725_davison150.jpg) (though right now he is still dressed in Tome Basker's costume), the one that was originally introduced into this story. This is the way I meant things to happen with the Doctor.))

Revan cursed under his breath for letting that thing escape. He sensed Force energy coming from somewhere in space near the Ebon Hawk. He went to the cockpit and found Crystal hailing a ship. "Who is that you are talking to, Crystal?"

Crystal turned toward Revan. "Republic scout ship... or so she says. Jasra Lantill is her name." She leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "I don't think we should trust her."

Revan cursed under his breath for letting that thing escape. He now sensed a young Padawan in space. He went to the cockpit and found Crystal hailing a ship. "Who is that you are talking to, Crystal?"

((Just so you know, EJ, no one should be able to sense that Jasra is Force Sensitive as she masking herself at the moment. (She learned this technique on her own after her Master was killed to avoid detection by Sion's forces during his purges.) She should just appear to be a scout/mercenary, but given that Revan has tremenous Force ability he still might be able to detect her. Although she might appear weaker in the Force than she really is.))

(How about I edit it so that he senses Force Energy, bit doesn't know where it's coming from.)

((Sorry, EJ, I wasn't asking for you to edit your post per se, but either way works for me. Jasra developed this masking ability on her own during an extreme moment of fear. It worked for her in hiding from Sion's Sith (who killed her Jedi Master) but Revan might not be so easily blinded. You do what you think best.))

"Doctor, you need rest!" said Nyssa.
"How do you know that this is really the Doctor?" asked Tegan, afraid to go near the Doctor.
"I heard about this in school. It's a common ability among his species. It's called regeneration. He was wounded, so he had to regenerate. I don't know why it's going wrrong, though..."
The Doctor looked at her. *This is my.... 14th body.* he said, sounding tired. *A Time Lord is only supposed to get 13. The Council on Gallifrey must have granted me another for some reason... or it might br my human DNA interfering.... Now, enough! I know how the tracer on Karda's ship can be disabled! It must be deactivatARRGG!* he clutched his side, falling to the ground and leaning his back against the TARDIS wall.

(( Sorry for not posting in awhile, I was on vacation, skiing......but I'm back, and ready to rock and roll.))

((Welcome back, Sion! Let's get this party started again!))

The cloaked figure stared out from a concealed darkness, at the saber wielding dervish, seeking to challenge him. He cracked his neck slightly to the right, before pulling a single black curved hilt from his belt. He ignited the blood red blade which hummed to life, and extended before him. He twirled it around masterfully in his right hand several times, before dropping back into a defensive stance and beckoning for his challenger to advance...........

((I think you should go ahead and control my char for the fight bit and take all the points i PMed you, though ill start this bit))

Kreta jumped high over Malagant's head and spun one double saber around and down, it's tip heading for Malagant's chest. The Dark Lord brought his saber up and whacked it away with his own blade. Kreta stepped away a few paces and readied himself again.

*There's no time to wait for him... I don't know how long I can stay conscious....* said the Doctor. *You must..... disable the backup processors..... then.... polarize the secondary plexus and..... reverse the polarity of the neutron flow into the primary plexus..... that will.... disable it as well as send a uhm.... a uhm..... a power surge to the computer monitoring it.....* the Doctor collapsed, his breathing heavy.
"Doctor, how do we do that?"
the Doctor sighed in irritation. *Get Romana to explain it to you!* he yelled.

Jasra waited for an answer from Karda’s ship. But none came. Perhaps the ship had hailed her automatically. Perhaps Karda himself was injured too seriously to respond. What a pity, she thought insincerely.

Suddenly, her long range scanner screen lit up and bleeped. Jasra punched a few buttons on the console to clarify the readings. Then she grinned.

“Well, well, well,” she said as three small ships vectored an intercept course for the Ebon Hawk.

But only three? That Hedra the Hutt must be getting cocky indeed if she thought her pirates were good enough to capture a freighter like the Ebon Hawk in three single-seat fighters, thought Jasra. Nevermind. She’d soon learn.

Jasra touched her comlink. “Crystal? If you know how to raise the Ebon Hawk’s shields, I suggest you do so. And if you don’t, now would be a good time to learn. Looks like we’ve got trouble coming.”

Jasra powered up her weapons.

Crystal flipped the switch to bring the shields up and muttered, "I'm not stupid..." Into the comm unit she said, "Shields are up."

The three small fighters came in fast and hard and began their seemingly unprovoked attack on the Ebon Hawk. The freighter’s shields repelled the first round of assault, but the ship rocked and shook from the impacts.

As the fighters bombarded and circled around the Ebon Hawk like angry Daagron sugar-buzzers, Jasra manoeuvred the Moon Shadow around Karda’s ship to flank them.

With a grin of satisfaction, she carefully chose a fighter, targeted it, and then fired.

A hit. The wing of the fighter burned and sparked and it spiralled out of control away from the other ships. Even though it was no longer a threat, Jasra targeted and fired upon it again. It exploded into a thousand pieces of burning debris.

“One down, two to go,” she said.

As the Ebon Hawk shook, the Doctor screamed in pain yet again. *I must get into the TARDIS! I need the zero room....*
"Zero room? What's that?" asked Nyssa.
*It's a uhm... oh, what is it.... it will allow me to... focus my thoughts. It cuts off distractions from the rest of the universe... I won... I won't survive the regeneration without it.....*
Tegan grabbed the Doctor by the arm and tryed to help him up. "Then come on, let's get you there." Tegan bent down and grabbed him by te other arm, and togther, Nyssa and Tegan pulled the Doctor to his feet and walked him into the TARDIS.

------------------------------------------------------------

Draggin the Doctor between the two of them, Tegan and Nyssa walked the Doctor through the console room. He then shook them off, standing on his power. *I can make it now that I'm in the TARDIS. The, uhm... the TARDIS blocks out... blocks out.... well, it helps.* he said. *You twp go out and help Strella... no, Kira.... on the Ebon Hawk. They'll need you.*
They opened their mouths to argue, but he cut them off. *Please just go! I need you to listen to me!" he grabbed his temples. *I need you to do as I ask, please.* he said, much more calmly. *I'll be alright.*
Doubtful of this, Tegan and Nyssa left the Doctor to find his own way to the zero room.

------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor watched them go, then turned around. *Right. Now where was I?* he asked himself. *Oh, bloody hell.* he walked down the hall, stopping when he found a long, flat piece of wood with a handle. He picked it up, and recognized it as a cricket bat. He smiled, remembering how he used to play cricket on Earth years ago. He put it down, and saw a tall coat rack down the hall standing next to a big mirror.. He stopped, looking at the beige hat and trench coat that sat there. He looked at his reflection. *That's the trouble with regeneration.* he said quietly. *You never quite know what you're going to get.* He walked over to the coat rack, taking off his red trench coat and placing it on another hook. He took the coat down and found a white sweater underneath it, one that, for some reason, reminded him of his mother - his human mother. Taking off the sweater and dress shirt he was wearing, he replaced it with the sweater on the rack and put on the coat over it. He looked in the mirror, then shook his head. *No.* he said. *No, that's not right.* He looked down at the black pants he was wearing. They were faded, and he noticed that they were fraying at the bottom - he was now a good three inches shorter, and had already damaged the pants. He grabbed the pair of pants from the rack and replaced the black ones with them, then looked at the mirror. *Yes. Yes that's much better.* he grabbed the hat off the rack, which now held his old outfit, and put it on. *Yes, that's excellent!* the TARDIS shook, and he remembered their current predicament - and the zero room. He spun on ths spot a few times, then ran down the hall. He came to an intersection. He pulled a coin out his pocket, having moved everything into the new coat, and fliiped it, assigning tails to right and heads to left. He flipped it, and it came up heads. He shook his head and flipped it again, and it came up heads again. He flipped it a third time, and it came up tails. He nodded to nobody in particularm then walked off to the left.

Some of the first blasts fired at the Ebon Hawk had knocked Karda to the ground, where he lay for a moment as his ship shook. Getting up to his feet he got back into the seat and at a look outside, powered up the ship's weapons.

It appeared that three other unknown fighters had started attacking Kira's ship. As he disengaged his ship from the Ebon Hawk, he spotted the supposed Moon Shadow blow one of the ships out of space.

Cursing at the slowness of his vessel, he finally manuevred it away from both ships and targeted one of the attacking vessels. With his shields taking a few hard hits also, he finally locked on to one of the ships. He pulled the trigger and let a blast of shots zoom toward the fighter.

Karda's ship had targeted the fighter perfectly: the blasts hit dead-center in the vessel, turning it into a growing ball of fire as parts of the ship was blown out into space. Puny ships...

“And here I thought you were sleeping, but nicely done,” Jasra said into the comlink to Karda’s ship, as she watched the last remnants of debris from the second fighter flame and then disappear. “I’ll split the last one with you,” she offered. “If you’re up for it, that is,” she added challengingly.

As the last fighter rotated and spun evasively, Jasra targeted its left wing.

"Like I wouldn't be? I've been cooped up in a ship for a while now." Karda said, smiling. As the Moon Shadow got ready to fire at the last ship, Karda's Jedi fighter flew out as fast as it could toward the enemy.

Karda switched the active armaments to ion weapons, then spun his ship around, following the spinning starfighter. Using his connection to the Force to aid his firing, a blast hit one of the engines.

Electricity crackled and buzzed around it, and as Karda smiled in satisfaction, it lost all power and caused a small explosion on board. The vessel now partially disabled, the pilot frantically tried to get out of the way of the Moon Shadow's laser cannons. The evasive manuevres the pilot had been using now caused the ship to start spinning off to the side out of control, a perfect target.

“I love it when they panic,” Jasra said into the comlink.

Still targeting its left wing, she fired a single blast at the crippled fighter. The bolt shattered the wing and the force of the blast pushed the enemy ship into a fierce and tight spin.

Like a cat playing with a mouse, the Moon Shadow dove after it, peppering the remaining wing with single shots until it exploded in a shower of sparks.

With the fighter now only a shell of its former self, Jasra moved in for the kill. She guided the Moon Shadow closer, and closer, until she was close enough she could feel the fear of the wounded pilot within. Sometimes it scared her how utterly intoxicating she found sensing someone else’s fear was. But by reaching out with the Force, she was leaving herself open to exposure.

She’d had enough. As she drew back the Moon Shadow, so did Jasra draw back the Force—sucking it deep within herself, allowing it to shrink until it was only just a faint whisper inside, masking her affinity with it once again.

She pushed the trigger.

There was barely anything left of the fighter to even make a good display when it exploded.

“Erm…sorry about that,” she apologised to Karda, fearing he might notice she was having too much fun. “I got a bit…erm…carried away.”

((sorry I haven't been posting alot......but I have a horrible case of writers block, that I am desperately trying to shake.))

((take it slow. this battle is important so it needs to be carefully thought out.))

((OOC: Hey guys, I'm back again. Sorry I haven't been posting, the holidays and aftermath were a little...well...crazy. It doesn't help that I had gotten myself hooked on Prince of Persia either, but hey...))

IC:

As the Ebon Hawk rocked violently, Kira stumbled to the side, only to be caught by Atton.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine." she answered, leaning against him for a moment to regain her balance, "But what was that?"
"I'd say that was a cannon shot. We're being attacked." the Scoundrel said, beginning down the hallway again. "C'mon!"

The pair entered the cockpit just in time to see someone or something blow what appeared to be the assailant up.
"Made a new friend?" Atton asked Crystal as he slid past Revan to the controls.

The black garbed figure known as Malagant, stood, his saber raised in front of his face, awaiting the younger sith who challenged him. He began to circle in around Kreta, who waited patiently for the ancient being to strike at him, with angered taunts and jeers, meant to force malagant towards him. Malagant however had survived the darkness of life for over 500 years, by being a patient and plotting individual. He calmly toyed with Kreta's anger, twirling his crimson bladed weapon back and forth in a nonchalant and casual manner. He could feel anger boiling within his younger adversary. With a yell of pure fury, Kreta lept forward, bringing his weapons down upon Malagant, who with an elegant fury of his own deflected the onslaught. The two Sith danced around one another, in a fine display of lightsaber mastery.

Malagant played defense for several minutes, of furious strikes and acrobatics, via his opposition. He could see that Kreta was using a variant of Form IV Ataru. which was an aggressive form, which relied on the force to fuel the atheltic attacks of its wielder.Kreta spun through the air like a whirling dervish of destruction. His commitment to defeating Malagant was astounding. He twirled and spun his blade with a masterful accuracy, and brought strike after heated strike upon the defenses of Malagant.

Malagant himself was no fool when it came to lightsaber combat. He had spent over 500 years honing his craft, and his expertise of Form II MAkashi was brilliant. Each of Kreta's furious blows, was knocked away with each parry and twirl from the saber of Malagant.

After several more moments of intense action Malagant stepped up his attack in the wake of Kreta's fury. He pushed forward, his blows dancing against Kreta's defenses like wildfire. For a Moment their sabers locked, Malagant stared out of the blackness of his soul at Kreta, whose features were raw with anger, but he felt a great ripple in the matter of the force, as did Kreta. HE ignored it and planted a foot in Kreta's chest sending the Young man sprawling onto his back. The two Terentatek guards lumbered in behind Malagant their master, prepared to feast upon Kreta's soon to be deceased flesh.

Again he felt the ripple through the force. This time he listened. He could sense Kreta listening as well. "JEDI!" Hissed malagant. "I sense it as well." Kreta responded, his anger now focused elsewhere. "Foolish boy, I could kill you in an instant. But it would be such a loss for such promising powers. Besides this ripple in the force, is all that concerns me, fighting over titles and power is foolish, and will lead to your doom. So I ask you now, Join me, we can hunt this threat from the shadows and bring extinction to the republic and the jedi. Or you can choose death, by continuing your foolish fracass against my power? So what will it be, Death or life. CHOOSE NOW.....time is running out." Kreta stared up intently at Malagant before responding............

Worry found its way into Crystal's eyes. "There's a woman in that ship, the Moon Shadow," she said. "Her name's Jasra Lantill... but I..." she glanced out at the other ship and lowered her voice.

"I'm not sure she's trustworthy," she admitted quietly. "I know she just destroyed a fighter that was intent on attacking us... but..." She let her words trail off and shook her head slowly.

"I am with you, Malagant." Kreta said. "But on one condition: we both have equal status in the Sith fleet."

Malagant lowered his weapon. "I told you before child, titles are of no importance to me. All that matters to me are the destruction of the Republic and the jedi. Title mongering has destroyed the Sith in the past. So together the galaxy will fall."
Kreta rises slowly, and stands beside Malagant.

" I understand." Kreta said, extending his hand. "And don't call me 'child' again."

Malagant cackled beneath his cloaked and armor clad black exterior. He extended a black clawed gauntlet, and shook hands with Kreta, forming what would become an unholy alliance, ushering a greater darkness.

"It's alright," Kira said, coming up to her, "At least she didn't turn her cannons on us."
The Exile proceeded to the dash, pressing the comm. button again, and hailed the ship.
"Moon Shadow? This is the Jedi Exile Kira of the Ebon Hawk."
"I don't know if I like this..." Atton said quietly, "There are too many people in too short a time. We're picking up passangers and 'allies' quicker than we did last time..."

"Couldn't agree with you more," Crystal murmured. Then she frowned. "But seeing as I'm a passenger... was one of your first pickups, maybe you couldn't much care about hearing that from me!"

"My point is is that this isn't normal. There's something going on, and we're being drawn to the center of it, along with everyone else." Atton said, leaning against the headrest of the familiar captain's chair.
Kira leaned back against the dash while waiting for the Moon Shadow to respond, a small grin on her face. "That was a very Jedi-ish prediction there, Atton."
"Yeah, well, you pick up a few things, you know?"

Crystal frowned, staring out at the Moon Shadow and made a quick decision. She had to know more. Calling on a small portion of the minds of the others nearby, she again stretched her 'thought bubble' out past the walls of the Ebon Hawk and again found Jasra's mind. This time, she pushed a little harder, fully entering the other woman's mind.

((Jasra, give me a few thoughts Crystal may be picking up on. FFWM, Crystal has just taken and is using a small portion of your mind. You may want to look into that :) ))

((OOC: Don't worry, I was waiting for that :D ))

IC:

Kira looked up slightly as she felt...something press against her mind. It wasn't a Force contact, so it wasn't a Jedi...her glance shifted slightly to Crystal, who appeared to be concentrating. She couldn't...
She looked down at the comm. controls quickly, her glance shifting to the cooridinate grid, as if checking their position, her thoughts blank.

One...two...three...four...one...two...three......The engine coupler isn't functioning...damn droid...one...two...three...four... Atton quickly began counting clicks in his head as he felt an alien force press against his mind. This wasn't as if it were Kreia's or Kira's touch...this was...different, somehow...

"Moon Shadow? This is the Jedi Exile Kira of the Ebon Hawk."

Jasra’s lips drew into a satisfied grin. So, the Exile was on board. Good. Now all that remained was to get her to the rendezvous point on the war-torn surface of Taris and collect the credits for the job. But how to do that with the minimum amount of hassle?

Jasra’s mind whirled. She could lie about why she was here--try to convince the Exile with some made-up sob story or an imaginary but plausible plea by the Republic. But, lies could get messy. And, there was the fact that the Exile was once a Jedi. And that Karda, who was probably monitoring her communications, was definitely one. Even if they couldn’t sense her Force affinity, Jasra’s masking ability didn’t extend to covering deceit. If either of them determined Jasra was lying, and she had a strange feeling that someone would, that could be a problem.

Then again, she could tell the truth. Well, maybe not *all* the truth. Just mostly the truth. Jasra really didn’t know who hired her, not that she cared anyway, but what she did know was that her employer didn’t want the Exile dead. At least not yet. But if the Exile refused his offer, well… Even so, Jasra speculated, that wouldn’t be her problem. It would be the Exile’s.

“This is Jasra Lantill on the Republic scout ship Moon Shadow,” Jasra answered after a moment. “Jedi Exile, eh? What a coincidence! You’re just the person who I was looking for. And,” she added, “it looks like I wasn’t the only one--a Jedi, a stowaway who nearly made your two ships collide then disappears in a strange ship, Hedra the Hutt’s pirates…. You seem to be quite the popular target in this section of space. Of course, I’m the only one who hasn’t tried to board or fire upon you, but then again, my employer only wishes to speak with you, not kill you.

“I was instructed to bring you to a meeting point on Taris. Taris isn’t much to look at these days, but it’s still habitable in certain places. If you would just meet with my employer, I promise I’ll watch your back until your business with him is complete.”

There was a pause.

“When Hedra’s pirates don’t return,” Jasra added, “you can bet she’ll send more of them next time. And, aren’t you just a bit curious to know the reason why?”

Exile didn't answer immediatly. This sounded too much like a trap. Only this one, unlike the last one on Nar Shaadaa, she held most of the cards. She looked to Atton, who looked just as hesitant as she was.
She pressed the comm. again. "Meeting? What kind of meeting?"

"She contemplated lying to you," Crystal said in a low voice. "Be vary cautious in agreeing to a meeting such as this." She frowned thoughtfully. "She's in this for credits... though her thoughts have yet to turn to what her employer might want with you. Can you ask about it?"

Kira nodded slightly, punching the button again, "What is this meeting? What does your employer want with me?"
"This is getting worse by the minute." Atton said. "First that Jedi shows up, looking for you, then those pirates, and now her. I think we should get out of the Nar Shadaa sector and fast."