Wrath looked to Andirrul and than to Tyrannus. At this point he wasn't sure what to make. He could see they were struggling over control but it looked like two children who just couldn't seem to get along; either way Wrath had enough. However before he could speak Andirrul went off about Kalla Kaltas and someone related to Andirrul. He didn't understand the point of love, it just showed weakness. Rather than express what he really thought of the situation he decided to leave.

"I will give you time to take this in alone my mistress, but if you need me just summon me. Lord Tyrannus if I possibly have a word with you in the cockpit it would be greatly appreciated."

Wrath left Andirrul's chambers and headed for the cockpit. He sat in a chair and watched the stars out in space.

----------

Kurt was glad that Komad wanted him to come. He followed after the jedi but did not take a seat when they reached their destination. It wasn't that he felt unworthy or anything, he just preferred to stand. He listened in on what Garrick had said and what Komad replied with. He thought about the situation for a moment and what he would do if he were attacking.

"Sir if I can say something I strongly consider we get on that ship now. If the sith have taken out of hyperdrive chances are they're going for our sheilds and our weapons so we can't fight back. If we can get off this ship quietly, we can turn the autopilot on for this ship and use it as a decoy for the sith to shoot at while we land safely. If need be I'll stay here and make sure they go for this ship."

"Would I lie?" Tyrannus asked. It was time to show her that she had much more to learn about deceit and pain. "You left her, she was in pain. The closest was the cousin. Logical choice."

*********

"Acknowledged," Jun-la replied. "Komad, I can meet your ship in orbit, we can patrol the area." She was already plugging in coordinates that the navicomputer had brought up.

Andros moved back to the gun turrets to allow Matton to take over piloting. As he had learned when he first met Matton was to let him take over the flying. The man knew more about flying a ship like he knew much about the Force. He said, "I'll ready weapons to be ready."

*********

Tonatius had noted the pessimistic attitude from Kalla. He couldn't blame her really but she had to learn to control her feelings. She would never be Avalonian, but he could at least teach her techniques that would hopefully give her serentity. He said, "Life is a gamble yet it is not. Where there is life, there is the Force, bending it and shaping it to its will. Understanding it takes time." Tonatius then closed his eyes and reached out to feel Jatalra. He suddenly opened his eyes and said, "There is a presence on the surface. Ancient."

"Yes," said Andirrul darkly. "The choice was logical, but when did love ever have anything to do with logic? If I had let my senses rule the day instead of my heart when I first met Kalla, I would have remained only a comrade-in-arms by her side. Instead, I let my emotions control me, and it appears that I have done so again. No more. That is why I practice skorost' from dawn 'til dusk, and yet focusing on combat has not yet driven all feelings from my soul. Tyrannus? You have mastered something I have not. What is your secret? How are you so cold, and I so fiery, like molten beskar? What am I missing from the essential things I need to know to reach your state?" She stepped closer to him, her hand bathed in sharp pain waves.

**************

Pahro sensed the ruin before she sensed the Jedi. Sure, she hated stinky, decrepit outposts, and this one was no different save the scent of being dead for dozens upon dozens of years. Still, she had a sense the Force was here, and wherever it was strong, there the Jedi were or would soon be.

In order to play the part smoothly enough to fool her intended pawns, Pahro had brought along a slick, black archaeologist's collection bag that she had borrowed from one of the researchers aboard the Phantasm. Carefully, wearing black contaminant-resistant gloves, she picked up broken pieces of pottery and other ruined artifacts, slipping them into her bag and pretending to study them. They were of no importance, no worth, save the ones that tingled distantly with the Force. These she would leave for the Jedi--for what was a trap without bait? She snuck into a nearby cornice to conceal herself and attach her holomike to the lapel of her uniform. This was it...

"I wonder, why do you not hesitate in greeting me. I believe that the Jensaarai were viewed as isolationist and dark-side affiliated during the old Jedi Order."

"I do not see why I shouldn't hesitate in greeting you. You have not attempted to strike me down with either your saber or with a barrage of force lightning. And I'm sorry to tell you that I never had the opportunity to learn that much about the Jensaarai except of what I heard in rumors while I was on the run."

"Our own records tell that the first who accepted our existence between light and dark was Master Skywalker of the new Jedi Order. And because you have lived during the time Darth Vader was a known figure in the Galaxy, would you not fear when you saw someone with my kind of armor and a lightsaber?"

Alriana had to think on that for a moment.

"...No I don't believe I would. Because I know that Darth Vader is long since dead...and if you did mean me harm...we would not be sitting here having this conversation. Intead we would be battling it out in the corridors of this ship."

Alriana's head shot up from her pillow as a sudden sensation hit her like a thunderbolt.

There is someone else down on the planet with the Holocrons...Someone must be attempting to get to them before the jedi do.

Alriana had lived on that planet for nearly ten years before she had been frozen, she had established a bond with the Wild- life and a somewhat weaker one with the holocrons and right now she knew that something was disturbing them.

"There is...someone else down there besides the jedi...something is upsetting the wildlife down there."

Alriana struggled out of the bed and brought her hood up around her head. "I apologize but I must be going...something is wrong down there."

(to be fair, Kalla did have feelings for Tonatius before she met Andorra)

"I sense it too. And one not so ancient, yet not of this world." Kalla added. As the ship touched down on the surface, Komad noticed that the landing gear immediately started to sink into the mud. "Not good. We have to get what we're after, and get out of here, as quickly as possible, if we want to get out of here at all." He commented. "The holocrons are here, but probably well hidden." Reyvan suggested. "Then we should start looking." Kalla pointed out. While she and Tonatius searched inside the ruined structed, Komad and Reyvan investigated opposites of the exterior. Reyvan, sensing someone unaccounted for, checked behind a rock an spotted Pahro. "A reporter? What are you doing out here?" He asked.

It had been nearly a year, a year since his defection from the 'Nex Venators', and a year since going Rogue, and leaving the New Galactic Empire to find some form of solace. And almost a year since arriving on this planet, and a year since he'd seen other sentient beings.

Vector felt them, all of them, the Force Users that had arrived. They weren't on the planet yet, but he could feel them, orbiting above his head, getting ready to descend. And he felt another, one who was on the planet, one who was in the ruins, tampering with his home.

Although a year was short in comparison to most stays, the planet offered little training for Vector, the dangerous creatures no longer bothered him, and no one visited the planet, not after he'd scared a group of scavenging pirates away from the crash site of the transport he'd come in on, putting it in their minds with his Umbaran abilities, that the planet was cursed, thus causing others to steer clear. Instead, Vector had learned to spend his days meditating, a thing few Dark Side users did, or at least had the patience to do; neither was he taught to meditate, by either the Sith order, or the 'Nex Venators'. But with time he taught himself patience, and meditation, and had spent at least ten hours out of every day strengthening himself in meditation, the other hours of the day were spent foraging, or hunting (during the first few months of his stay, but after awhile he learned what was edible from the wildlife in the area, and thus now leaves them alone), practicing combat, traveling, or exploring the ruins, and on occasion, sleeping. A whole year of meditation for ten hours a day, every day had caused his Dark Immanence in the Force to dissipate, and it was almost completely replaced with the wild natural essence of the Force that flowed through the planet itself, thus making him almost invisible to those that wielded the Force. Along with his training as a 'Nex Sicarius', he could make himself disappear into the planet itself it would seem, and keep himself hidden from any who would seek to cause him harm.

'They must be here for the Holocrons,' Vector thought to himself, lifting himself from the ground, where he had been sitting in a meditative stance. He focused his attention on the one who was already on the planet though, he could feel something within this one, something hidden, an ulterior motive of some kind, something dark, his Umbaran blood was what helped him sense that, with some help from the Force and maybe some hidden observation of this person he could find out what they wanted.

Vector focused on masking what little presence he created in the Force, and began to move towards the person's location, if they were after him, in any way, he would soon know, and if they posed a great enough threat, to either him, or the Holocrons, then the person would have to be eliminated, much to his own discomfort.

**********
He'd been watching the woman for quite awhile, before he sensed the presence of others in the area, most of them were quite strong in the Force, and stuck out like sore thumbs.

'Jedi,' he mumbled to himself, then redirecting his gaze to the woman who'd been discovered by one of the Jedi. He didn't like what he was feeling within the woman, but from what he could tell, and decipher from her intentions, she was, by all means, harmless, to him at least.

Vector turned his senses to the ruins, he could sense the other Jedi, they were searching the interior, and the opposite end of the outside as well.

'As would be expected of the Jedi, they've come for the Holocrons. But....I fear if they take them, I'll be left here...alone,' Vector thought to himself. He had been without living sentient socialization for quite some time, but the Holocrons had kept him company, although it had taken most of the time he had been on the planet to even get the Holocrons to work for him. But by now a few of the Holocrons trusted him (if artificial projections 'trusted' that was), some of the projections even called him Padawan, but a vast majority still didn't work for him. But he feared losing them, and as was common with all former members of the Sith, fear drove him, and fear could drive someone to do irrational things. Vector breathed in deeply and sighed inaudibly, gathering himself and getting control of his emotions; regardless of how he felt about the situation, he didn't need to do anything stupid. He would have to try and stop them from taking the Holocrons, and hopefully without violence, but knowing the Jedi, a being with the markings and emanations of a Sith would often provoke immediate hostility, as was the lesson he'd learned roughly a year ago.

Vector grimaced and shot off without a trace; no one knew he was there, and no one knew he was watching, he'd have to use that to his advantage.

**********
Vector stared at the two Jedi that were rummaging around the inside of the ruins, evaluating them and seeing how he sized up in terms of skill, in case it really did come down to violence. He could however just use his "Stealth" Blaster to make them 'one with the Force' in a matter of moments, but he didn't want a repeat of past events creeping up on him, no he'd figure something out.

Vector only knew of one thing to do however, and that was speak, "You two, why do you intrude upon my dwelling? I will give you fair warning, go, before I am forced to remove you."

Vector's voice carried outward throughout the entirety of the interior ruins, thus masking where his voice was coming from. He also remained out of sight, and detecting him through the Force would be quite a difficult task, if not impossible.

"We have come for the belongings of one who was here before you, so they may be returned to her. We mean you no harm." Kalla answered. Though trying to be diplomatic, she remained on her guard. It was unwise to trust those you could hear, but not see.

"The Holocrons are mine, they were here when I arrived, and they've kept me company ever since, besides, I don't believe you when you say that you mean me no harm, the Jedi were always good at forging lies after all," Vector hissed in anger, he still had an instilled disposition against the Jedi, even if he no longer considered them his enemy, he had still been literally raised to believe them dangerous, and untrustworthy, not to mention evil, from the Sith point of view, they were - after all. Vector suppressed his subconscious dislike of the Jedi and continued. "What reassurance can you give me that you mean me no harm, what can you do to prove to me that you won't strike the moment you find me?"

Vector slipped on his Phrik Gauntlet, and pulled out his Lightsaber, which was oddly unnatural in length, and it's pummel cap didn't seem to match the rest of the shaft. He sensed the will of the female Jedi, she was ready to strike, he could even see it in her body language, the stance she took while standing. He had to be ready too.

Durrel brought the ship out of hyperspace, directly above their Republic friends.

He looked out the viewport at the Republic vessel.

"That's a coincidence...well maybe not."

He activated a planetary scan and spotted the ruins of the former Mandalorian base.

"That's where we'll go...there should be some logs and equipment there....and we'll figure out the importance of this...Jatalra."

A nearby analyst nodded, "Perhaps we'll stumble upon some ysalamiri..that may help us with the...paranormal problems on the planet."

Durrel nodded, fingering his blaster, "Well, we'll see. We're breaking into the atmosphere now."



Garrick stared at the command channel, wondering what to do.

We could take the bait, and inevitably fall into a trap. Or we can ignore the sighting and forget the matter entirely...but we need this. Sightings are few and far between, if they occur. We have the firepower...and the allies to do it...

He came to a decision, "Barek, sound Battle Stations and send us to the coordinates. If there's a trap, we'll be ready."

"I am no ordinary reporter," Pahro replied. "I'm also an amateur archaeologist, though my level of study would be more akin to a professional's. My name is Pahro Utonula, also known as P to the rest of the galaxy. I came here because I'm sensitive to the Force as well, and the Force has told me that there is someone here just as ancient as these holocrons, at least in our time." She paused. The skeptical expressions on her listeners' faces did not bode well.

"I have not come for any of the holocrons. I'm not a Jedi. You can have them. However, I would like an interview with the one who, I sense, has been frozen in time until very recently." She held up her hands in surrender. "Since I am P, and not some hack behind a holomike, will you grant me this chance, or bring me to the one who might grant it?" She stepped back all of a sudden.

As Alriana struggled off the bed, the Cathar jumped on his feet and slipped his helmet back on over his head. A gentle hiss stabilized the atmospheric pressure inside the suit and began regular air filtration systems, despite it not being all that necessary on board a Star Destroyer such as this. Inside the helmet, a HUD flared up indicating the working of the life support system, suit integrity, proximity sensor readings as well as indicators whether or not the vocoder was on, the radio was being monitored and the status of any translations from one language to the other. The vocoder indicator flickered to the on-position while the large armored humanoid followed the Jedi out of the infirmary.

"With all due respect, Jedi of the Old Order, things have changed since your times. Things are less... sophisticated" the Cathar said and followed her towards the hangar, supporting her if she fumbled.

"I'll pilot you down there" Nandorr continued.

A while later, they reached the hangar and Nandorr led her to a small two-person fighter. It was better to use one of those instead of taking down a large shuttle for no other reason but grandeur. As long as the two of them could squeeze in and out of the fighter with relative ease, it would serve the purpose of going through an atmosphere. Just as the armored Cathar was about to climb up to the cockpit, an officer came up and saluted.

"Jensaarai Nandorr. We have picked up a craft heading directly for the planet with high velocity. It's Mandalorian" the officer said and the Jensaarai glanced back before clambering into his seat.

"Inform Komad if you can contact him. Forward the location of their shuttle to my HUD. And hide the ship once I'm gone. We don't want anyone to know we're here, especially if they discover what we're seeking from here" the Jensaarai commanded before closing the cockpit dome and prepping everything.

"Hold on, Alriana. These things have gotten quite a bit faster since the days of the Clone Wars" he told her, glanced back and flew the fighter out of the hangar and for the planet's surface.

"We'll see." Reyvan replied. "It's not safe out here. We have an ATT nearby. Wait there for us to finish our business here. Then we'll discuss whether or not you can speak with Alriana."

"Will this suffice?" Kalla asked, raising her ligthsaber, and removing the power supply. "I expect a similar guarantee from you."

Pahro had not only stepped back because of the sudden lack of personal space between herself and the others, but also because she thought she saw someone she recognized from the HoloNet--and heard about from her Mistress--in her immediate vicinity. She turned to Reyvan and exclaimed:

"Wait! I know I've seen you somewhere before, or at least heard about you. You're Reyvan, right? You're all over the HoloNet! I hate to sound too much like the giddy schoolgirl I once was, but it's so very nice to meet a fellow celebrity! Perhaps if I can't find the one I'm looking for, I can interview you?"

She extended her cocoa-toned hand to shake his. Her nails were perfectly manicured, longer than Andirrul's and twice as sharp. She beamed a smile.

**********************

Everywhere Andirrul turned aboard the Phantasm, she heard the mocking words of Tyrannus inside her mind. I have to learn to control my anger, she thought, and not waste it on idiots. No--not CONTROL it, but rather USE it to my advantage. What am I, a Jedi or a Sith Lord?

Once again, she was in her private chambers, and once again, she was practicing the forms of her most favorite combat art. However, this time she was frustrated, because no matter how hard she tried, she could not truly concentrate. The voice inside of her that was Andorra was trying to give her instructions on stances and strikes, but the voice that was Lord Virul was laughing. You are still weak, said the voice, and always will be.

Tears threatened to surface in her golden eyes, but she fought them back.

Kalla no longer loves you. The sooner you accept that fact, the sooner you truly can become powerful. Let her go. She has betrayed you, as you betrayed her when you slew the host that was once mine instead of standing down, as a Jedi would. Kalla does not view your final act as betrayal--she instead sees it as sacrifice--but you, WE, know better.

You are a traitress, Andorra Evenstar, and she will indeed make you pay.

Unless you listen to me now, all is lost. Do you remember your 'sublustrum?' The reason you have not fully perfected 'skorost' is because you have not yet combined it with that complex state into which you fall so completely. This art is not about logic--about keeping a cool head and a keen eye. That is what the Jedi forms are for, and that is why they're weak. 'Skorost' is all about passion, about fury, about rage, and about making the other yield.

Before you even draw your blades, fall into that first stage. You can do it.

Andirrul couldn't believe what she was hearing in the chambers of her mind.

If you can fight in 'skorost' while in Sublustrum IV, that final level that made you slay the body I once inhabited, you will be unstoppable. Not nearly-unstoppable or possibly unstoppable. You will conquer, then and only then.

Now, get to work. I don't waste time with fools, least of all you, little one!

"Will this suffice?" The Jedi asked, lifting her lightsaber and removing it's power pack. "I expect a similar guarantee from you."

"I agreed to no such thing, but if it brings you comfort, then you have my word, my lightsaber will be disabled, but your friend there must do the same as you ((assuming Tonatious is with Kalla at the moment)), seeing I don't trust either of you at all!"

Vector squinted and glanced at the other Jedi, noticing he hadn't been saying anything, nor did he look like he was going to remove his lightsaber's power supply. This made Vector tighten his grip on his lightsaber, he wasn't going to do anything with his own lightsaber until both Jedi were unarmed, and, for the most part, harmless.

((I don't think I'll be on for most of the day so I'll get this out of the way now.))

Alriana watched as the familiar grey skies of the planet rose up in front of her and her anger slowly began to rise up.

I...lost so much. The imperials took everything from me and I ended up in deep freeze for over a hundred years, and everything I learned in my travels is now obsolete. Should I not have a right to be angry?

She looked over at the big cathar piloting the craft and her anger began to fade again. But perhaps...I can teach this new Jedi order something about the old...the way we used to act.

"Estimated time to landing?"

((Boy you guys are going fast. I can only access at night. Day is if I am lucky. Don't forget I am still here. We might want to slow a bit so Tsys can respond on a timely basis too.))

"Practice if you must," Tyrannus replied, "Though I think your time would be best spent if you learned how to break a Jedi. Your former lover would be ample. After all she betrayed you by having feelings for him." He leaned back on the bulkhead, watching her practice her techniques. He loved toying with her mind since she was stuck between two. He would use deception and mental games just to get a rise out of her.

*********

Tonatius explored with Kalla. Even while she was discussing over power cells he was exploring, his senses drawn. He said again, "Something is here. Ancient. Also deception is here in the flesh."

He looked at the stranger and said, "Water flowing looks peaceful but it hides a terrible face. Darkness exists when it rises above the calm." He was warning Reyvan and Kalla, that something was not right. "Of course there are those who can read the currents." He then raised his arms to show his sword hanging at his belt. "Looking for a stick of light here yet there is none."

**********

Andros guided the ship to a stable orbit. They were above Jaltara, orbiting for any signs of danger. His master had seemed excited at the prospect of the Jedi who survived the infamous Order 66. He kept his thoughts to himself as Jun-la activated the comm, "Master Komad, we have arrived. What is your current status?"

Sam'kil sent the message to his General again. And again. And again.
"Be patient Sam, General Tarsus may be busy, why would he deal with a ship out in the void like us?" Taylor said to him. Sam could care less, he needed to get the message and he needed to get it now, if it didn't work, he'd have to go free lance.
The mercenary coalition. A group he'd been on the verge of making for ages.
No time like the present.
Sam looked around the bridge, then he pulled up the intercom. "Everyone, this is Sam'kil speaking, We are no longer under Empire control, what little they have. We are leaving there group and forming our own. The Mercenary Coalition." Sam let the words sink in before continuing.
"We are now all freelance, and if you wan't to abandon ship now, go ahead, its the only chance you'll get." In the end, no one left.

"Perhaps later. Now's not a good time. If you really want to help, we're looking for some holocrons and a lightsaber around these ruins." Reyvan explained, starting to get a bit annoyed.

"That's still a weapon. The sooner you set it down, the sooner we can sort this all out peacefully." Kalla whispered to Tonatius, trying to remind him they were at a disadvantage.

"Searching the perimeter. A few extra hands would be helpful." Komad sent out to Jun-la's ship. Sensing trouble inside, the ruin, he made his way in, hoping to catch its occupant off guard.

Vector hissed under his breath and then sighed, he would have to trust the male Jedi, as he wielded no lightsaber from what he'd said, and what Vector saw.

"I will keep my bargain then, I am removing the power cell," He spoke aloud, doing what he said, he flung his lightsaber's power cell out into the open from his hidden position, to where the two Jedi could see it, and he quickly moved to a new position to avoid detection.

Then something stirred in the Force, the planet's essence was fluctuating, more people were coming, and one of the Jedi on the outside was making his way to their positions.

"One of your friends is coming. I can tell you that if he desires to cause any 'altercations', then he is sorely mistaken; I can sense you all like big red dots on a white tunic through the Force, after all, you Jedi tend to stick out on wild planets such as this, especially ones so strong in the Force," Vector told the two Jedi, flexing the hand that had the Phrik Gauntlet on it.

He looked at the two, then grimaced, he was tired of these hiding games, besides, one unarmed Jedi, and a strange philosophical fellow wielding a sword wasn't much of a threat to him, especially when he still had his Phrik Gauntlet, and "Stealth" Blaster; and if things did turn violent, and the fight wasn't going in his favor, then he'd easily be able to slip away and disappear again, or so he planned, though he'd learned that plans don't always go perfectly.

Vector snarled to himself, and shook his head, forcing himself to move into the open. "There, I am out where you can see me, hopefully this has garnered some trust from you two, right?" He questioned vehemently, his instilled dislike of the Jedi resurfacing in his voice. Vector kept his hands out, but his Gauntlet on, if they weren't too perceptive, they wouldn't be able to tell what it was, and if he kept his hood up, then they wouldn't see his Sith markings, and they wouldn't move to attack, or so he hoped.

Tonatius knew what Kalla was asking but he refused to be led like a kirath hound on a leash. A warrior never parted with their blade and he was pleased that it wasn't going to be an issue. As a parting shot to the stranger, he said, "You may be able to sense us though why you call me a Jedi is beyond me. Yet can you sense those that have masked themselves within the Force or cut themselves off completely?"

**********

"You know I'm usually the one that goes on missions like this but this will work. I'll keep a minimal distance and if you need me, call me."

Jun-la waved off Matton and turned to Andros. She then looked up at the sky. "Two unfamiliar presences, one Ancient."

Andros listened but didn't know what to make of it. True he had sensed someone other than their companions but the other he wasn't sure if one of their Miako friends had followed or not. He thought it best not to say anything about that so he asked, "Make like the Force?"

Jun-la nodded and Andros began masking his presence with the Force. It was a technique that his master said came from the elder masters of her world and that it went back to the days of the Exile. He finished his task and looked at his master for confirmation. When she nodded they set off following Komad's path to Tonatius and Kalla.

Durrel landed the ship right outside the ruins of the former Mandalorian base on Jatalra.

He opened the landing ramp and went outside with 2 of the analysts, armed to the teeth.

Durrel began to check reports on HUD, reading age old documents on the objects found on Jatalra.

He read these documents while picking his way through the ruins, until they found the door to the Mando'a Bunker.

"Sir. Are you sure this is wise?"

Durrel looked at the analyst, "I we find what something useful, it will be worth it."

He activated his long-range comm.

"Jedi, Captain Durrel here. We have landed on the ruins of our base, here on Jatalra. We will assist your search by going through the ruins. Stand by for further reports."

He opened the Bunker door and went in. They weaved their way through several passages until they found a door with a peculiar symbol on it.

He checked the reports, this symbol was not only insignia of the facility, but could be found on the artifacts recovered and placed in the Bunker.

Durrel opened the door via it's controls and walked inside, seeing a strange, red, triangle object.

It emananated with a dark aura, Durrel was ultimately afraid to even take a step closer, but he did.

His HUD had reached the final document, the last one before the destruction of the base, it read:

We have discovered the meaning of the symbols we've found on the artifacts. But due to recent events, we have reason to believe that these objects should be destroyed. The artifacts date back to about 10 years after the Mandalorian Wars. We believe it to be....

The rest of the document was destroyed, but Durrel remembered this symbol, remembering his days on studying the numerous enemies of the Mandalorians.

This symbol was that of a Great Sith Lord, known only as Nihilus.

Pahro snorted. She did not appreciate being condescended to by anyone, let alone the Jedi Order. Did they not know the power of her fame, her celebrity? No matter. She would find a holocron and bring it to her Mistress, perhaps...

It did not take her long to find a tiny one, so small that it could balance upon the tip of her finger, and yet as inexorably hard as a diamond. It glowed red.

Andirrul, said the holocron. I must see her, and become hers, in order to impart the secrets of the Jedi--and the Sith--to her. After all, she is the Dark Lady. I am millennia old, my precious pawn. Do not trifle with me.

The spy's blood suddenly ran cold. "Who are you?" she said via the Force.

I am a Sith Lord, or I was within my time. Now my spirit has been justly imprisoned within this crystal shell for longer than you and your ancestors have been alive. I suspect it is the Force's unique way of punishing me.

Pahro slipped the holocron into her pocket and snuck out of the ruins. She had not done much spying upon the Jedi, but she believed that her catch, her newfound treasure, was far more important to the cause at hand. Returning to her courier vessel, she sent a holocomm message to Andirrul:

"My Lady, I have found something. A holocron this time, and not a Jedi in full flesh and blood. I believe you'll find it intriguing, to say the least."

Silence. "Is that all? Not even the location or whereabouts of our enemies?"

Pahro quickly relayed her coordinates. "I am nearby, but not too far nearby. I wish to stay concealed from our targets as long as possible, Mistress."

This time, a sigh. "If you want to impress me, you must expend more effort."

Her thrall was furious. As soon as she turned off the holocomm, she thought up a plan. If it was a trophy Andirrul wanted, she'd get it, soaked in blood. Pahro herself always carried a high-powered stun-blaster to ward off rabid fans. It had the power to kill as well, but it also had the best silencer credits could buy. Stealthily, Pahro crept back to the ruins, being careful to cloak herself in the Force lest the Jedi sense her return. She leapt behind a rock.

There. If I hit the debris nearby, that rotten crumble of wall, instead of the target, I can kill two gizka with one stone: slay a Jedi and cause chaos.

Without a repentant second thought, Pahro aimed exactly...and hit her mark.

Alriana watched as the ground of Jaltra crumpled slightly beneath the weight of the fighter as it settled to the ground.

Something is wrong...I sense a presence I have not felt since...Since I grabbed the holocrons the first time...Is it possible that one of the holocrons I grabbed was of sith design?

Alriana turned to the Cathar. "Something is wrong...I can sense a great disturbance within one of the holocrons...It's almost as if a gatekeeper is being activated...but It doesn't feel like a Jedi gatekeeper...it feels much darker."

Alriana nodded to the cathar and moved off on her own to track down the holocron.

After only a few minutes of walking Alriana stopped as she saw a figure blast a fragile wall with a blaster pistol.

That could not have been good.

Alriana extended both of her hands forward in a massive force push that sent the debries caused by the shot to fly off.

"You have a dangerous holocron with you...I can sense it...but I can't sense you yourself...isn't that odd?"

Alriana narrowed her eyes.

"Identify yourself...and tell me what you are doing with the holocron."

Pahro smiled. Her little diversion had done exactly what it was intended to do: locate her real target. Not the holocron, or the ruins, but the woman standing right in front of her.

"I was removing it," replied Pahro. "The Dark Side taints Jedi worse than anyone, or at least it can from such a powerful influence as this holocron is. I was trying to hide my presence so as not to distract anyone unnecessarily," she said. "With the frequent ground tremors on this planet, everyone has to keep on their toes, yes?"

She removed the holomike from her lapel. "My name is Pahro Utonula, also known as P to the rest of the galaxy. I thought I was coming here on an archaeological expedition in order to get material for my next show, but here you are! Would you mind sparing a few moments for an interview?"

When the Jedi fell silent, Pahro said, "I can sense the cold on you. You have just recently awakened from cryostasis. Even archaeologists and reporters can be sensitive to the Force. From what era are you, exactly, Jedi?"

As soon as the ship landed, Kurt was already doing a perimeter sweep of the area. Satisfied that there was no danger, Kurt followed after the others. He didn't say much while the others talked. It was hard for Kurt to engage in small talk. He never got the chance to mingle socially with people. He only listened and gave orders, that was it. So rather than make himself feel out of place he just stood there quietly and watched as the group split up. He stayed with Komad when the group split up. When they found a strange woman, Kurt instantly pointed his rifle at her. Eventually he lowered his aim and watched as Komad headed into the ruins to find his daughter. With Komad being his commanding officer Kurt too decided to head into the ruins. He kept up with the jedi with ease due to all the physical training. If Komad knew something was wrong in the force perhaps it was the work of sith. He could be useful this time.

"Master Komad if I can speak freely. If whatever you're sensing is a force user or ambush, I can help. Being brainwashed multiple times messed with my head and it makes me very difficult to detect with the force. If there is a threat somewhere in here, I can take it down."

Tavaryn emerged from hyperspace in good time. He awoke feeling alert and ready to do battle. He guided his ship into a stable orbit above the planet and looked at the surface. His navicomputer gave him information that might as well be old news. He sat back and looked out the window. Recognizing Garrick's ship, he activated his comm. "It seems the mountain is eager to great the river. How goes it Garrick?"

The Comm activated, and a familiar voice came through.

"It seems the mountain is eager to great the river. How goes it Garrick?"

He smiled underneath his helmet, "So it seems, Tavaryn! Su'cuy Gar!"

The map of Tavaryn's position just came up.

"I'm doing quite well, just waiting for our Imperial friends to show up..."

He looked at Tavaryn's position closer.

"So, I see you are on top of things, if you'll forgive the pun..." He said, referring to the fact that Tavaryn had come up directly above the Capital-Ship.




Admiral Velerc stared out from the Nebula.

One of his Lieutenants stepped next to him.

"Sir, they seem to be unaware to our presence. At least, that's what the analysts are saying, are sensors are down, due to the Nebula."

Velerc sighed, "They know more then they show....be ready, we move in 10 minutes. Only observe for right now."

Reyvan carefully leapt out of the way of the falling debris, and had heard enough to know that a laser blast had caused it, but not enough to determine where it came from.

"Good, try to sneak up on him." Komad suggested to Kurt, maintaining his distance from the mysterious hermit.

"There is something else we are looking for: a lightsaber. If you will not give us the holocrons, will you at least let us have that?" Kalla asked, still trying to be diplomatic about the situation.

Kurt nodded his head and moved ahead of Komad. His HUD blinked for a second and three yellow dots appeared on his screen. He knew the two dots in front were Kalla and Tonatius. The third dot was Komad. As he moved a little closer a green dot appeared on his HUD. He must have never met this figure before and therefore was considered neither enemy nor friend. He crouched down and began to walk slowly. For some moving in armor would cause noise but not for Kurt. His armor was like a second skin to him, he learned to be quite sneaky with it. He began searching the place pointing his gun in various directions. The green dot moved closer to the center of his HUD. He stayed put for a few seconds, looking down at the two below. He shifted his gaze back to the mysterious figure. All he could see was the back of the figure. He aimed his rifle at the figure but did nothing more. He would wait for either a signal or for the figure to make a move. His breathing began to slow, and his heart rate dropped. He was now as silent as the very floor he stood upon.

Taylor talked to Sam'kil, she and everyone else on the ship had stayed.
" Sam, we've got a problem. The Republic ship you blew up, it sent a distress signal to its allies. It specifically mentioned us." She said.
Sam'kil cursed under his breath.
"Righty then, Arm the cannons, ready the escape pods, make sure everything is good. Then, lets see if we can change our transponder code, we need to be a different ship fast." Sam issued the orders smoothly.

Tavaryn gave a hearty laugh. "Yes on top is right." He maneuvered his ship to land on top of the ship and snapped into place with the landing claw. "Literally on top. So what's the deal with this planet? I heard about a Jedi of some years but that's about it. What have you?"

**********

Master Komad, he can sense you through the Force. Tonatius ahd sent the warning through the Force, hoping that Master Komad heard it. He stood right by Kalla, giving a comforting presence to her.

Ahead was the strange hermit. He looked straight ahead, no emotion on his face. He said, "If we cannot have one, than may we have another. Good faith is has been shown."

"You may be able to sense us though why you call me a Jedi is beyond me. Yet can you sense those that have masked themselves within the Force or cut themselves off completely?" The strange sword wielding fellow asked.

"I can't sense everyone through the Force, those that are skilled in masking their presence and those that are weak beacons in the Force I have some difficulty with, but then again, detection through the Force is only one way of finding people, I have my natural senses, as well as the ability to sense the intentions and wills of others," Vector told him bluntly.

"There is something else we are looking for: a lightsaber. If you will not give us the holocrons, will you at least let us have that?" The female Jedi inquired.

Vector mused to himself for awhile, and then spoke in a more neutral tone than he had been, "Ah, a lightsaber you say, I found that with the holocrons, I had no use for it, and I felt the taint of a Jedi on it, so I simply left it alone, only activated it, oooh, maybe three times at most during my stay here."

"I will take you to the lightsaber, if you so desire," Vector told them, motioning them to go down a small path into the ruin's interior.

"If we cannot have one, than may we have another. Good faith is has been shown." The strange fellow said again.

Vector simply looked at him with a somewhat confused look. "I don't know if you want something, or you're on deathsticks, but if you're trying to say something about the lightsaber as well, I'd appreciate basic, not philosophical bi-speech," Vector said rather angrily.

"Now, if you want the lightsaber I suggest you follow me, and tell your friends they can come too," Vector said, pointing to his surroundings suggesting he knew that others were around; he turned making his way into the ruins, whether they followed or not was up to them.

"I was removing it, the Dark Side taints Jedi worse than anyone, or at least it can from such a powerful influence as this holocron is. I was trying to hide my presence so as not to distract anyone unnecessarily with the frequent ground tremors on this planet, everyone has to keep on their toes, yes?"

Alriana narrowed her eyes at the force user. Something here was off...The woman was obviously good at conceling herself in the force but something about her was slightly..wrong.

"My name is Pahro Utonula, also known as P to the rest of the galaxy. I thought I was coming here on an archaeological expedition in order to get material for my next show, but here you are! Would you mind sparing a few moments for an interview?"

"Not at this time...no. I need you to carefully hand over the Holocron. These things are not only dangerous to Jedi but to all Force-users. They can twist you...shape you into something you are not."

"I can sense the cold on you. You have just recently awakened from cryostasis. Even archaeologists and reporters can be sensitive to the Force. From what era are you, exactly, Jedi?"

"I will answer your questions in due time...But first we must gathere all of the Holocrons I left behind here...and my lightsaber."

"Very well," replied Pahro. "I will help you search." In the meantime, she decided to pretend that she was distracted enough to absentmindedly "forget" she was still holding the holocron of the Sith Lord. As she stepped over piles of rubble, both of the intentionally- and unintentionally-formed varieties, the "reporter" put on a very good show for the mysterious, previously-frozen Jedi woman. After all, it was not completely a charade. Pahro was smart enough to know that the best lies were half-truths. Any fool could spot a bald-faced falsehood, but it took skill (and luck) to call out a half-truth on its face. This one? She wouldn't catch it.

********************

Meanwhile, Andirrul decided not to change coordinates for Jatalra. She would let Pahro deal with the more menial aspects of collecting intelligence on the Jedi. As for herself and her crew, they would refine their skills on Nar Shaddaa. It was a planet formed for secrecy, as the wet Jatalra had been.

Once they had landed, the first place the Dark Lady went was to the musty, dusty warehouse-court of Doja the Hutt. He was a distant descendant of the infamous Jabba, and he had his great-great-great-great-grandfather's shrewd instinct for bounty hunting. Did he have any slaves or prey in stock?

"This Jedi scum costs ten thousand credits," Doja drawled. "Total weakling."

He'll do, mused Andirrul. He's barely even a Padawan, but he'll do.

"Thank you." Kalla replied, following the hermit into the ruin. "He's got a point, you know. I don't know of anyone else, even among Avalonians, who talks like you do. Not that I mind that much." She told Tonatius as they were walking through the ruins.

"Stand down. It looks like Kalla doesn't need our help after all." Komad told Kurt. "We should join them anyway." He added, entering the ruin. "I am Jedi Master Komad Kaltas. We understand your attachment to the holocrons, and we make no further attempt to take them from you." He explained to Vector. "I'm glad my daughter was able to a find a diplomatic solution to this."

"Yes sir" Kurt said as he stood up.

He lowered his aim and the rifle now rested in his arms. He followed after Komad and entered into the ruin. He had never been in this place before, he felt slightly unwanted. This was a place that belonged to force users after all. After Komad spoke Kurt decided to introduce himself as well.

"Master Sergeant Kurt Krovak, Republic Super Soldier. I too am glad there was no bloodshed."

Kurt wasn't sure what to think of this hermit. He carried a lightsaber and lived here but he didn't seem like a threat to the group. Still Kurt was slightly uneasy about this man. He didn't like that fact that he didn't know where to go but this hermit did. He also wasn't a fan of him being right in front of Kalla and Tonatius. Kurt walked slightly faster to catch up with the young Kaltas.

"Good to see you're alright ma'am but to play it safe, I'd like to be right behind your new friend here in case he gets any ideas."

Without another word Kurt moved in front of the two and placed himself behind the hermit. If he attacked the hermit would have to go through Kurt to get to the jedi and he would prove himself to be hard to get past.

Sam'kil was in the sparring room, testing his skills against an automated drid, not the best of opponents. They were nearing Nar Shadaa, if the Republic Ship (Hint: Alkoniums) wished to catch them, it would have to use Warp Speed, which the ship probably would, at which point, more than likely, they would already have changed their ship to a more... Neutral look. The ship would be renamed the Trafalger, and be painted to look closer to the Clone Wars ships of the same class and similar shape. Hopefully, all before the Republic got here, but that was up to the Force.

"I will help you search."

"Before we go...I need you to hand over that holocron. I will detain you if necessary if you refuse to hand it over."

Alriana narrowed her eyes.

"Hand it over. That thing belongs with an experienced Jedi Master who can acess the gate keeper."

(OOC: I'm going on vacation to Wisconsin with my family starting tomorrow, and I will need someone to take over Pahro Utonula and Andirrul until the 11th. Thanks for your help, and I'll try and post as much as I can today! :))

Force! I knew this one, my intended bait, would not give up so easily! Either I shall have to give up the prize that my Mistress is after, and which she needs in order to conquer the Jedi completely, or...I have something else stowed away in my pack... She carefully removed a diamond-encased device that appeared remarkably similar to the holocron, so much so that it could serve as a decoy, but Pahro knew that decoys would not fool this Jedi, no matter how cleverly-crafted they were. That was why this device was a different sort...one that would start ticking off time in a matter of seconds.

"Here," said Pahro, handing over the holocron-decoy. "This should be what you're looking for." Little did the Jedi know that Pahro had activated the device by trying to crush it, and in so doing, activated its defenses. It was a grenade, the tiniest grenade ever known to the galaxy, and it contained a radioactive core. Once it exploded, the one who cradled it would die, and all others in the immediate vicinity would suffer acute radiation sickness for weeks, if not months. After the decoy was safely in the Jedi's palm, Pahro fled, aided by the Force. She ran as if a herd of malraas lionesses were pursuing her, and as if ten Jedi Masters had taken up the chase as well.

Fleeing was the coward's way. Nevertheless, it brought Pahro the time she needed to scramble back into her courier's vessel and engage the ignition.

Through the Force she aimed to rule, she heard an explosion. Hurrah!

The real holocron was hers, and soon it would become Andirrul's. This would surely put her, the Dark Lady of the Sith, forever in the spy's debt...!

And she'd pay. Just as the Jedi had, she would pay for dismissing Pahro.

*****************

"Relax. There is no poison in this drink, and you are not in Force restraints."

Andirrul herself, acting the part of a sluzhanka, a serving maid, brought a glass of Nar Shaddaa's finest sparkling darkberry wine to her prisoner.

The Jedi Padawan scowled at her. "I'll never join you evil Sith. Never!"

"Did you hear that?" She turned to Tyrannus. "That's what they all say, isn't it?" She watched as the young man, thirsty as he was, took a sip. "There is no shame in drinking when you need a drink. We do not intend to kill you."

"Then how is it you intend to break me? Torture? Mind control? Combat?"

"Such techniques are crude," replied Andirrul, "and they behoove none of us. What good is a soldier primed for immediate betrayal of their superiors in this fashion? We seek those who are strong, but we also seek those who still retain their sense of logic. How did the Jedi treat you, young Padawan?"

"Very, very well. Unlike you hatemongers." Andirrul knew that he was lying.

She also knew an ancient commoner's saying: In vino veritas...

Suddenly, she heard the metal door to the main hold of the ship hiss open. "Mistress Andirrul," Pahro cried, prostrating herself. "I have a gift for you."

"Here, This should be what you're looking for."

Alriana looked down at the holocron and then looked up only to see the reporter fleeing as if a Zakkeg was after her. Alriana slowly looked down at the Holocron in sudden understanding.

It's a trap!

She quickly launched the thing away with the force, she only managed to throw it around seven feet away from her before it exploded.

Alriana was unprepared for the wave of radiation that accompanied the explosion and dropped down to her knees and promply began to get sick.

That...woman will pay.

"A gift?" asked Andirrul. "Show me, spy." Pahro stood up, opened her rugged and tear-proof archaeologist's backpack, and produced the glowing holocron.

For a moment, the Dark Lady of the Sith was startled beyond belief. "Where did you get this?" When Pahro revealed that she had acquired it within some ruins on Jatalra, her Mistress replied, "Very...very good. You have pleased me this time, and I can only hope that you continue to please me further." She slipped a note for a half-million credits into the other woman's meaty, greedy palm. "Take your money, beskar digger," she said, "and leave me. I shall have you know that this holocron is millennia old--perhaps dating back to the days of the Old Republic--Revan's time, and afterward! I must spend some time alone."

"Excuse me?" Pahro was incredibly angry, feeling slighted and ashamed in front of the Jedi Padawan and Tyrannus as well as Andirrul. "I also killed a Jedi, or at least sickened her and her weakling friends with radiation! It took a grenade that looked exactly like that holocron to distract them and allow me to make my getaway. I want more than credits, Dark Lady. I want a promotion as well--to be made second-in-command to you, your lieutenant!"

Andirrul winked. "We'll see what Wrath thinks of your little proposal."

Pahro's bowels turned to water. Would she be able to defeat him in combat?

She thought not. "I...withdraw it, Mistress. I shall duly accept my pay."

The spy exited, and Andirrul returned her attentions to the Padawan. She sat with him, drinking the darkberry spirits herself, and learned that he had only just progressed beyond the rank of Youngling, despite his age! What had made him so slow to adapt to the Jedi ways? Combat was his weakness.

"I can remedy that," Andirrul sneered. "What is your name, young Jedi?"

"Lukas Wraight," he replied, his last name sounding like rate. "I am strong in the Force, and yet so weak...Why haven't you killed me already?"

"We do weed out the weak and feeble," Andirrul said, "but you are not weak. You are only untrained, and in time, you will become as powerful as any."

"Will you help me prove to my Masters that I'm fit to become a Knight?"

Andirrul laughed. "They'll never take you back if they find out you're with me."

Lukas sighed. "I know. Then--will you help me get my revenge upon them?"

"That I can do," said Andirrul, "for I have been yearning for it myself..."

"I am Jedi Master Komad Kaltas. We understand your attachment to the holocrons, and we make no further attempt to take them from you." He explained to Vector. "I'm glad my daughter was able to a find a diplomatic solution to this."

"I too am somewhat relieved that nothing pointless came of our encounter, but do not think that because I am aiding you that I view you as friends, nay, I hardly trust you even now," Vector told the Jedi, his eyes roving back and forth in the dark passages of the ruin interior.

"Master Sergeant Kurt Krovak, Republic Super Soldier. I too am glad there was no bloodshed." A man slightly less prevalent in the Force spoke up. Vector didn't respond, he simply grunted and kept moving, sensing the man move up behind Vector, perhaps in an act of mistrust.

"Here it is," Vector said, stopping in the middle of a dark passage, he lifted his hand and began reaching out through the Force. He would not go further, for going any further would take the Jedi into a place that Vector did not want them in, so he simply retrieved the lightsaber from the position they were in now. Only moments later a rather old, but well maintained lightsaber came hurling out of the darkness, landing firmly in Vector's hand. "Tell whoever you give this to, that they're welcome, seeing as I've kept it clean since I got here," Vector told them, handing the lightsaber over to the female Jedi, seeing as she was the most peaceable one out of the bunch.

Just then Vector's head perked up, his senses detecting some distant thing. "Somethings wrong," he stated urgently. "Someone has damaged the ruins, and.....Someone has left, their dark intentions are quite prevalent now," he said, closing his eyes as if seeing something they couldn't. "They tell me someone has been hurt, or worse! And....Something evil has been taken!!" Vector nearly shouted, his anger surfacing, anger that he had not felt since his Sith days.

Vector hastily made his way back up the dark passages, leaving the others behind, but shouting back to them, "I suggest you follow so as not to get lost!"

**********
Vector came racing out of the ruins, replacing his lightsaber's power cell, which he had retrieved on his way out; making his way to the disturbance, but what he found when he got there was only the remains of something that belonged to the ruins, and an incapacitated woman, he didn't feel the darker presence anymore, from what he could tell it had left. This caused Vector to grow furious, throwing his Phrik Gauntlet off of his hand and onto the ground in a fit of frustration at the prospect of such a dark thing leaving Jatalra to fall into the hands of who-knows-who. What angered him further was the fact that whoever got the dark thing, would end up coming back, and that would bring a wave of others too, his newfound home would no longer be his own anymore.

Vector sighed, concentrating on his thoughts, and making his anger subside. He would need to save his anger for another day, the day he found the one who tampered with his home.

He paused, looking at the ill woman on the ground, she had the taint of Jedi stink on her, but it was different, and old, as well as familiar. She reminded him of, the lightsaber, but there was something else, something comforting to him that he normally didn't feel from Jedi, it was the feeling of....The holocrons? Yes, she had the same feeling through the Force as the holocrons, and more distantly, Jatalra itself. Vector felt somewhat differently towards this Jedi, she did not bring up his instilled disposition towards Jedi, she had, after all, been in touch with Jatalra like himself after all.

Vector made his way over to the woman, putting his lightsaber away, he crouched down, lifting her into a sitting-type position, he put his hand to her forehead. "Sickness....From something foreign, and vile," Vector said aloud to no one in particular. "She was sick before as well, that isn't good, she was already weak," He said, moving his hand over her mouth, and then making a cone-like shape with it.

"This should expel some of the deadlier sickness," He said, using an old Sith technique that drained out life force from other living beings into himself, he instead directed the drain into one portion of her body, thus only draining the sickness, into himself. When the deed was done he shook his head and grunted.

"She won't die now, but she still needs medical attention," he said, looking around to see if any of the others were around, so that he could hand her off to them to take her back to their ship for treatment.

"Certain words can reveal intention as much as they distract," Tonatius replied, "But there are others who are far worse at the double talk and play on words. Lengends speak of the ancient monks who sought out areas with high concentrations of Force energy and swore to guard them. The stories say that they could see thousands of years ahead to those who were to visit those places. Some were places like Hoth, Dagobah, Nar Shadaa, all sorts of places. They keep them safe until the one that is supposed to be there comes."

"But that could take years!" Andros replied as he came out of the brush followed by his master.

"Indeed but our people are long lived. Literally. True we can die of disease and warfare and even a broken heart but I suspect it is something unique among our people," Jun-la explained. "Now I suggest we keep up with our host."

Tonatius followed shoulder to shoulder with Kalla. He whispered, "I don't know about you, but I can't sense anything from Jun-la. No hint of the Force, nothing."

*********

Tyrannus watched as Andirrul messed with the Jedi Padawan. He wore a semi bored expression as he watched. He had already passed the word onto the Rashikians and hordesmen to make their way to the planet with the specific goal of capturing one of the Kaltas children. Karaka will certainly have a good time with that.

Tired of lounging he stretched and said, "So you've converted a Jedi whelp. Broken him, no. As he is, even under your guidance, he won't be fit to stand up against Kaltas and Kath hounds."

Two force users, a Jedi and a Sith, battled in a deserted alley on Nar Shadda. Red and blue sabers clashed as each exhausted a number of techniques and tricks to try and gain the upper hand, though it was abundantly clear that each was still just a learner. As opposed to normality, the Jedi showed too much aggression in his technique and the Sith showed too much caution in hers. The Jedi was the one who actually started the fight and the Sith had simply been defending herself in reality, which all might’ve struck Urzvox Mech as a bit odd if the large, ancient Krogan actually gave a damn. He had simply allowed the battle to rage on to this point, satisfied to sit back at a distance and watch. However both of the combatants were showing signs of tiring and waiting any longer might mean watching one of them die. That would not fly well, considering that his bounty required them both alive.

Mech nodded to Ulim and the ten foot tall Sanheili fired off a round from his sniper rifle. The round missed them but the noise it created could’ve easily been mistaken for a cannon going off and was enough to catch the two duelers off guard. The Jedi looked in their direction and before the Sith could move to cut him down, Terror pounced from above and had her pinned to the ground in seconds. A precision strike from Terror’s tail took her lightsaber out of the picture and the Jedi actually let down his guard for a moment. He must’ve assumed that they were there to help him, though all pretense of that faded when the next sniper round took out his lightsaber hand and left on the ground screaming in pain. The Sith only struggled for a moment before Terror smashed his head against hers and knocked her out cold. When Mech and Ulim walked up to the Jedi, he gave them a look of hatred.

“You will let me go.” The Jedi said with a waved of his other hand. In response Mech handed that hand and literally bit it off, now leaving the Jedi screaming with two bloody stumps.

Mech spit out the hand in disgust. “Humans always do taste aweful.”

“We will need to bandage those stumps if we do not want the Jedi to bleed out.” Ulim stated, though like Mech he really didn’t care for the Jedi or Sith.

The man looked at them incredulously and shouted “What?! I’m not a Jedi, I’m a Sith you moron! The girl’s a Jedi! Take her!”

The response to this was a rifle butt to the face that knocked him out and gave the three freelancers a moment of peace. Well, two of them. Terror just looked at the two force users with a hungry, drooling look as Ulim and Mech bandaged the stumps of the now confirmed Sith and tied both targets up. Once that was done, Ulim slung both on them over his shoulders and they left the alley. They were going to their employer now: Doja the Hutt.

Kurt watched and turned as the hermit took off in the other direction. He gave Komad a nod and followed after him. The hermit was very fast and agile for that matter as they moved out of the ruins. Kurt looked to see the frozen jedi out cold on the ground. The hermit did something to her to prevent whatever had happened to her.

"She won't die now, but she still needs medical attention,"

Kurt placed his rifle on his back and gently picked up the jedi up. He waited to see if the jedi were coming as well.

"You don't strike me as the helpful type, why did you help her?" he asked giving the jedi a chance to catch up.

"We should get out of here. There's nothing more for us retrieve, and they're probably waiting for us back at the ship." Komad pointed out, motioning for everyone to make their way back to the ATT.

"You're right, but what about my brother? Anything from him?" Kalla asked. She could probably sense Andros herself, but Tonatius' senses were probably better attuned to the Force. Spotting Alriana, she said to Tonatius, "Here, help me carry her to the ATT."

Holocrons...Holocrons...Holocrons....

Alriana felt like she was going to be sick for a lifetime when she finally regained some sense in her body.

"Where...are my holocrons? I need them...back"

And then she promptly got sick again.

"You may be certain Master Komad," Jun-la said, "Yet the ancient one that lives here will remain until his charge comes." She began to survey the land as she watched Tonatius and Kalla help the Jedi.

Andros looked at his father and asked "Father, we have found the trail of the Triumvirate. Should we not follow it?"

**********

"He masks himself," Tonatius replied as he went to help Kalla with Alriana. "No doubt his master taught him. It is an old technique perfected four thousand plus years ago." He lifted Alriana with ease and began muttering soothing tones in Avalonian.

Slightly along the water's banks the willow sleeps
In secret though she presently weeps
For that which has gone away
Yet her hope will last for many days

Tonatius sang this gently tune and it was picked up by Jun-la who began singing the reply, My hope soars from the seas
Until my soul is set free
I wait as the day passes in burn
Waiting for the return

(OOC: I'm back, everybody! I had a wonderful time on vacation!) :)

Andirrul glared at Tyrannus. She did not utter a word, feeling that doing so and answering him would be far beneath her. If she would have spoken, she would have cried, Fool! I always have a plan...always, always. You don't see it yet, but you will, and when you do, it will be far too late. It was at times like these that the Dark Lady of the Sith yearned for the ancient Rule of Two. Wrath would understand. She would talk of this with him later. For now, however, she had a former "Jedi whelp" to send on his first mission as a Sith. It would not only be his first mission, but his first...

"Fallen Jedi are one thing," she told Lukas Wraight, "but Sith are another. The former go into exile and commonly join new careers if they don't become Grey Jedi. What is one tenet of our code--our ancient code, which not even that slime-ridden Tyrannus cares about anymore? Through passion, I gain...?"

Lukas hazarded a guess. "Power?"

"Not yet. Passion gives you strength, and strength gives you power. Power gives you victory, and through victory, your chains are broken. The Force shall free you." She gazed at him. "You'll understand in time. For now, where are we, Wraight?"

"Nar Shaddaa."

"Specifically the Refugee Sector--both of us can tell by the smell. Even after all these thousands of years, this is still Nar Shaddaa--the galaxy's cesspit, second only to Nal Hutta. Listen. What do you hear?" Some distant shouting had caught their attention, as had the burgeoning crowd ahead.

Andirrul leaned close to Lukas' ear. "I want you to kill the most dangerous person here. Sense him, or her, through the Force. Do not return until you've come back to me with the body. In a crowd like this, stealth will be key. If you cause any chaos or send the crowd into a panic, then you will fail."

Lukas saluted. "Yes, Dark Lady." He crept forward into the mass of bodies.

"The end is nigh!" cried the grizzled old man haranguing the crowd. "Turn away from your vices, your crimes, and your selfish desires! A dire reckoning is coming--not from the Jedi, or the Sith, but the galaxy itself!"

Lukas waited, sensed his mark, ignited his lightsaber, and deftly stabbed him in the back. With one quick move, he pretended that the man had merely fallen and he himself was only offering assistance. The crowd let him part, more intent on the old man's words than on one "Jedi whelp", and he carried the body back to Andirrul. "It is he," Lukas announced, "who was lethal."

Andirrul smiled darkly. "Indeed. Do you know why?"

"He was the only one in the whole crowd intent on bringing that reckoning."

Her breath caught in her throat in a hard rasp. The Force is strong with this one...stronger than I thought. "Yes. Did the Force tell you that?"

"It did."

The Dark Lady took a sharp dagger out of her belt, which she kept for killing fools, pawns, and sudden attackers, and slit the corpse's left arm open. "See that?" she asked. "Wired with explosives. Vomit if you must." Lukas did so. Next to the muscle and bone were, indeed, explosive devices. This man was a "suicide demolitionist," as they were all called in the holovids these days.

"Now. The reason I had you kill him was not to prevent the threat he posed, but to see if you could sense it and then turn it to our advantage. What's our next move?"

"We tell the old man to watch his mouth, and then show him the devices?"

"Hardly, naive one! We take the body back to the ship and examine it. We set our droids to making bombs out of a few of our more willing pawns. Living ones, that is. No one expects an explosive to lie within flesh of an official-looking officer these days. It's always the dishevelled ones that get pegged."

Lukas bowed to her, and the two returned to the docked Phantasm.

*****************

Pahro Utonula was thin now. Thin and muscular, and tall, with a perfectly oval-domed, bald head. She had spent her half-million credits to go "under the laser", with the results absolutely astonishing. No one would be able to recognize her as the portly P from years past. She had done and learned all she could from being the "Voice of the People". Now she could wear any wig, don any disguise, even that of a male foot soldier. Spies needed to do such things, and she was sure Andirrul would be pleased.

Of all the species in the galaxy he had encountered in his near millennia and a half of living, Hutts were at the top of Mech’s hated list. He viewed them as obese slugs that were always looking for ways to screw their associates over while they profit, and while all of them were not in fact ruthless crime lords and not all crime lords were Hutts, they were the most common he had dealt with and it didn’t make it any less annoying when Doja tried to cheat him… again.

“I ask for the whole and well Jedi and Sith brought to me and you bring me one missing both hands and the other with amnesia. You also destroyed both of their lightsabers.” Doja spout while he ate from a jar of wiggling creatures.

A wicked grin spread across Mech’s face as he crossed his arms and chuckled. “You should choose your next words carefully slug.”

He was alone with Doja in the warehouse courtroom, save for ten guards armed to the teeth and a slave girl. He was unarmed, his weapons taken at the door, and every one of those guards had their weapons trained on Mech. The two force users were tied up and unconscious on the ground in front of Doja. In every way it seemed like an empty threat, yet coming from the Krogan it forced them all to take a step back. It was only Doja who was unfazed.

“You dare come into my court with two broken packages and then call me a slug?!” Doja roared angrily. “Here are my words: I will only pay a quarter of the bounty.”

As soon as those words left his mouth hell broke loose. Terror burst through the ceiling above two guards and caught them completely by surprise, disemboweling one with its tail and severely mauling the other within seconds. Ulim activated both of his energy swords as he decloaked among three guards and decapitated two of them before impaling the third. Mech grabbed a blade hidden in his forearm threw it at a guard. The man hadn’t hit the guard yet before Mech had taken another guards rifle and beat him to death with it. The remaining three guards were dealt with by Ulim and Terror while Mech walked up to Doja and his slave girl.

“You should have chosen your words more carefully.” Mech said as he lifted the weapon and pulled the trigger, only to realize he had broken it beating a guard to death. “Terror, it’s feeding time.”

Terror leapt at the Hutt excitedly and began to tear it to shreds in a very gruesome manner as Doja screamed for mercy. The slave girl screamed for a few moments before Mech grabbed her head and held it up to his face. “Shut up.”

The girl stopped immediately and Mech set her back down as Ulim walked up to them. Ulim looked on as Terror gorged itself on the Hutt and said “Though I don’t object to killing the slug, we probably should have gotten some credits from him first.”

“He never intended to pay us in the first place. Doja was going to have his guards shoot me in the back as soon as I accepted the reduced amount. He should’ve tried sooner, but he likes to play with his food.” Mech stated. Ulim then cut the chains that bound the slave girl to her master. “Still the abolitionist?”

“The Empire tried to break my people like they did the Wookiees, but you cannot break the spirit of a true warrior people.” Ulim replied as he watched the slave girl run away and out of the warehouse. “Doja has family. How do you propose we deal with them if they want revenge?”

“They won’t. They may be family, but they also won’t mind that his business will probably fall on them.” Mech responded turning to Terror, who was almost done consuming the Hutt. “They also won’t want to go after anything that has the stomach to eat a Hutt. The most we can expect is an assassin or two before they decide that vendetta’s are just not good for business.”