"You wish me to accompany them both Master Skywalker?" Jun-la asked regarding Kalla and Tonatius. She knew rightly that Tonatius would follow Kalla. There was still some doubts about the nature of their relationship so she felt it necessary to have an understanding party member go. "It is quite ajump from here to Genosis and the time could be spent training."

**********

Haruka smiled, "I'll say one thing for you Shinigami, she isn't stupid. So you are here to play errand boy. Well I can't say that I'll join you. Got a job to do so farewell." He turned to head back to his ship.

Tavaryn stood there saying nothing, allowing the rain to drip of the edge of his hat. He could sense that Alriana had a question and softly said, "Ask your question."

Lenatha had light sleep, she could be woken by the tiniest sound. This was something that she developed when she was a slave girl and it came really in handy whenever she had an emergency in the hospital. And also that helped her escape the visions of her past which seemed to pull her into a heavy state of unconsciousness just to torment her with the images of 'that day'. She could hear sound a very faint sound and she figured it would be Andorra but she was debating with herself whether or not she should check up on her. But she finally decided to just take a look and see if she was alright, she was her doctor anyway.

As she put a small robe on, she walked over to the door and found Andorra sitting before a terminal.

"Had a bad dream?", Lenatha asked her giving her a smile.

"Then let's get moving." Komad replied, leading the twenty survivors out of the cargo hold. "We can still outrun these monsters, and if we can make it to the armoury on the way to the hangar, this should get a lot easier. Kurt, Atora, I'll need you to cover them from behind, while I protect them from the front."

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

"Very well, I trust them to keep their mind on the mission and not each other, but your assistance would still be greatly appreciated." Kol replied once Kalla had left. "Does the name Vector S'borr mean anything to you?"

((If you'd prefer not being attacked right now Alkonium, then tell me, and I'll edit accordingly. :) ))

"Does the name Vector S'borr mean anything to you?"

'Meaning? Name....Vect,' were the only thoughts that came to Vector's mind as he listened in on the conversation occurring between Kol Skywalker, and Lady Jun-la.

"Hng!" He restrained his cry of shock and pain as the neural nodes suddenly activated along the vertical length of his skull, causing untold waves of mental torment to blast into his mind; his grunt going quietly unheard from his high perch inside a ventilation shaft, looking out from a well concealing grate. The 'Nex Venators' kept tight leashes on their pets, and Vector was no exception. One straying thought from his reintegration mindset and he was forced right back into it.

'No meaning, I am a bishop,' his thoughts almost pieced themselves together with robotic autonomy as the nodes subsided their burst of subjecting pain.

Vector quickly studied the situation and realized a very important thing, Kalla was gone, and Jun-la was here. They were separate, and although Vector knew Tonatious would be with Kalla, somehow, he also knew his own skill in assassination, and combat in general, would give him a sharp edge. Now was his chance.

Vector moved with cat-like grace through the ventilation shafts avoiding any security measures with patience, skill, and experience, as he moved to catch up with the now alone Kalla.

He found her, not too far from the room Kol and Jun-la were talking in, a minor problem, but only that, minor.

Vector pulled out his modified DC19 "Stealth" carbine, and although with the weapon's capabilities he could easily kill her in one shot, he knew it wouldn't be that easy, and decided to use it in a different manner. Using the small scope on the carbine, he aimed at the door control panel that lead to the room where Kol and Jun-la were talking, and with careful differentiation, he sent a small flicker through the Force, locking the door from the outside, and with steady aim he shot the control panel, thus jamming the door. His carbine was sound suppressed, but the bursting control panel wasn't, it was sure to alert Kalla, although the ones inside would probably be unaware of what was going on outside, at least, until they felt Kalla's life ebb away.

With the threat beyond the doors safely tucked away Vector acted swiftly, putting his carbine away he pulled out his lightsaber, activating it and quickly cutting an opening in the grate he had shot the control panel from, erupting from the small opening in the wall in a flash of dull crimson and Jedi robes, he charged Kalla's back, closing the distance between them with amazingly light footed speed.

He brought his lightsaber forward in a simple, but powerful thrust forward towards her back.

"I can't say that I have heard of the name Master Skywalker," Jun-la replied, "Though new and unfamiliar species seem to have been the norm these past few years, haven't they?"

When the door closed, Jun-la snapped her head at the sound and strode to the door. She didn't need the control panel to tell her that the door had been shot. She then said, "I believe our intruder has revealed himself and he used one of our own to get here."

While they were speaking, Tonatius had been running around the temple near the hidden ceiling crevices. Having spent his youth climbing trees with his brother, he was a natural at it though they were both better at swimming, a gift from their mother's people. He kept Kalla in sight, part of a plan they had developed when they suspected enemies were near.

He was patient even when the door was shot to a close. He could sense that Lady Jun-la and Master Skywalker were on the other side, perplexed yet determined to get through. He waited until he saw movement and he made his move. His flash step had improved in recent months and he was there to counter the strike at Kalla, gripping his blade in an iron grip as it allowed the force of the blow to ripple down his arms. He shoved off his attacker and said, "For an assassin you have no manners."

"You could say that," replied Andorra, her hair still looking a bit dishevelled and the undersides of her eyes rather puffy. "I would prefer 'awful nightmare', but to each his own." She smiled ruefully and explained her dream to Lenatha.

"The thing is, a word--a scientific term--came to me in the course of the nightmare, and I decided I'd look it up on the holonet and see if I found any results. I haven't so far, but the word is VIVINECROSIS: 'living death'. Have you ever heard of it, or studied any cases at the medical facility?" Andorra looked doubtful. "I don't suppose you have, but if so, is there any cure or treatment for it?" A sudden, chilling thought occurred to her. "How long might its victims last?"

"We can still outrun these monsters, and if we can make it to the armoury on the way to the hangar, this should get a lot easier. Kurt, Atora, I'll need you to cover them from behind, while I protect them from the front."

Atora simply nodded and then brought his rifle up and began to fire into the dark corridor as they began to move. His HUD was showing that even though he couldn't see the infected, he was hitting them occasionaly.

He grinned under his helmet as he grabbed another thermal detonator and tossed it down the corridor. There was a brief silence and then a large explosion.

"I believe that the area behind us is secure for now. I'm only showing one of the infected on my HUD and it looks like he doesn't know that we're here."




"Ask your question."

Alriana watched calmly as Haruka walked away before turning to Tavaryn. "First of all...why are we letting him leave. And second of all, what is a Shinigami? I have heard people call you that before, but I still don't know what it is."

Kalla activated her lightsaber the moment she heard the hum of Vector's, and she was about to parry the strike when Tonatius beat her to it. "Vector S'borr, I knew it was you who was after me, but I didn't think I you wanted me dead. And for a skilled assassin, your technique is flawed. Now, why I are you after me?" She asked, still maintaining the guise of using Niman.

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

"Let's keep moving." Komad said to the group. "It shouldn't be much further to the armory."

"For an assassin you have no manners," Tonatious said as he appeared and blocked Vector's thrust into Kalla's back, and then pushed him away, a very big mistake.

"Death has no manners, and my whole purpose revolves around bringing death to others," he responded cryptically, and quite autonomously, his voice now different from the old 'Jedi voice' he'd been using. It was similar to how he sounded on Jatalra, but distorted by his facemask, as well as warped and made gravely by the torture he'd endured, as the 'Nex Venators' had damaged his throat in their attempts to break him.

"Vector S'borr, I knew it was you who was after me, but I didn't think you wanted me dead. And for a skilled assassin, your technique is flawed. Now, why I are you after me?" Kalla asked.

"To kill you," he stated bluntly, his stance grounded but passive, showing no form in how he stood. "And....Not flawed, perfect," he told her, as his hooded gaze turned from her back to the closer Tonatious, who'd both foolishly revealed himself, and released Vector from a lock, mistakes he was surprised the Avalonian would make.

"You dead....? Kalla. Maybe, maybe not. But must kill you. Jedi dead? Yes! I want that!" He commented some more on her words, his autonomy fading slightly at the end of the sentence when he spoke of killing the Jedi.

But just as suddenly as he'd sprung from the ventilation shafts, he acted, almost as if by the cracking of a whip his muscled seemed to release unseen tension and energy in a split moment, and he attacked, moving with great force and velocity, he sent a bone crushing blast of Force energy at Tonatious to push him out of the way, and in an instant was in Kalla's face, his blade coming down at her neck from a high arc.

Lenatha rubbed her chin for a moment and her eyes widened as she remembered something.

"When I was in medschool, there was this legend that circled around the students, it was passed down by the senior medical officers from the fleet. They used to say something about a virus that reanimated dead cells and put the victim in some kind of zombie-like state but we all just thought it was some kind of urban legend", Lenatha said and became more serious. "What else did you see during your vision?"

Tonatius backed away to gauge the attack pattern of the invader. When he saw him make a move, he movd just as fast to get out of the way, appearing to be shoved away. He retorted, "Death always has manners. It's those that are afraid to look at it in the face that are mannerless."

His step was flawless as he moved to take defense with Kalla. He had heard the assassin saying that he was goiong to kill Kalla but he'd be damned if that would happen. Yet he was not foolish to attack blindly. Even in training when his brother and peers taunted him, he remained calm and studied the technique. Master Andros always said that Almalexia had been a tactician in her day and it seems her sons learned the same. He was aware that his movements appeared foolish but they were with purpose. He also knew that Kalla would be angry if he rushed to her rescue everytime so with a slight touch, he signaled that he had her back but she was the lead.

**********

Tavaryn didn't look at her but watche Haruka head to his ship, "We can't force him to come with us." Then he looked at her, "Making a choice is the only freedom anyone really has. He knows that we came to bring him but he doesn't wish to go. We can't force him. That would make us kidnappers and I definitely know that the Jedi don't believe in that."

He paused a moment before answering her next question. The rain beat down but his head was dry from his hat even as he lowered it to study the ground. Raising his head, he said, "The Shinigami are as old as the Jedi, possibly older. The name literally means "death god" for long ago we were considered assassins even though we have never done that. Our mission really is to protect the Jedi but mostly the Force Senstitives. We live in the shadows, watching and protecting. Just as the Bushida Handmaidens serve the will of Force, so do we and its will for us is to protect. It is strange I know. The interesting thing is that members are not Jedi. They do not use the Force themselves but rather sentou. My mother lived with them to protect me during the days of darkness but she knew that I had hers and my father's Jedi abilities locked away but she never taught me. Protection."

"It shouldn't be much further to the armory."

"Lets hope your right Jedi. Right now there aren't any infected in range but that could change any moment.

His HUD began to flash again and he sighed as one of the infected crew members ran around a bend in the corridor and Atora instantly dropped him with a shot to the head.





"Making a choice is the only freedom anyone really has. He knows that we came to bring him but he doesn't wish to go. We can't force him. That would make us kidnappers and I definitely know that the Jedi don't believe in that."

Alriana stared after him, she was tempted to run after him and simply grab him and drag him back to the council by force. But she knew that Tavaryn was right: The jedi were not kidnappers.

"So what do we do now? It seems we have failed our mission."


((Let me know if this part of the post fits with the storyline. If not I'll edit it.))
Deep space

Rejira Beroc looked out at the endless night of space as his crew continued to repair his battle worn star destroyer. The ship had been damamged at the battle of Huntaru station and was still being repaired.

He looked out to the left and observed what remained of the imperial fleet. Most of the ships were damaged but only or two were severly damaged. The rest would be repaired by the end of the week.

It's good that Admiral Velerc disappeared. He was unfit, unworthy of commanding the Imperial fleet. I only wish he hadn't gone after Belina at Huntaru, I would have many more ships to work with.

His thoughts were interupted by his chiss first officer walking up behind him.

"You have news?"

"Yes Admiral. It appears that the test was succesful. In additon it looks like we managed to somehow infect one of the Republic's star destroyers."

He turned toward the officer and nodded to him, a rare smile was on his face. "A minor victory...but an important one nontheless. You have done well. I want you to find the location of the Star Destroyer and then take the Death's Head to it's location. You are dismissed."

(Actually, it might work for the New Empire to see the Silver Eagle and the Star Chaser escape.)

"Big mistake." Kalla said as the assassin's lightsaber approached her neck, and she saw it as the right time to break off her ploy, and take advantage of Soresu. Just as the blade was about to hit her, she took a swing at the lightsaber's hilt instead. Even if Vector spotted that, or thought it pertinent, it was too late for him to counter. She ended up destroying his lightsaber in the nick of time. "I gathered that you were trying to kill me, but why?" She then asked, this time more aggressively than her previous inquiry.

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

"Komad, how much longer do you think you'll be?" Iyav asked over the comm.

"Ten minutes at the most. The remaining survivors and I are on our way back to the Eagle now." Komad replied.

"Good. I'm going to start priming the laser cannons now and head back to the ship. Given the limited power supply, they should take about fifteen minutes to overload." Iyav told him, switching off the comm and getting to work on the cannons.

Andorra explained her nightmare to Lenatha in as much detail as she could honestly remember. "I think I might have seen the Cygnus in my dream," she said uncertainly, "although I'm not entirely sure. Was it the only ship abandoned and infected in such a manner? I certainly hope so, although I know it's a horrible thing to say. If it is, perhaps we can...contain the spread...of whatever it is that's causing vivinecrosis among the crew members."

Her eyes were watery. "During the previous war, I learned all about sacrifice--how it can either be made in victory, or merely in vain. Perhaps if we locate the ship and then blow it up..." She trailed off softly. "The explosion would kill the monstrous creatures aboard, and no living cell, vivinecrotic or not, can survive the heat of a blast of that intensity." She hoped Lenatha wouldn't slap her.

Lenatha's expression went to sadness as she heard everything that Andorra told her. When she suggested the explosion her eyes widened. She considered for a moment telling her something around the lines of "Are you crazy? What about the victims?", but the truth was, there didn't seem to be anything that they could do at this point, no real research was done and even probably no cure for it had been found so the logical thing would be to sanitize the problem which always meant blow it up and broom it off.

"I would normally say that that line of thought was too radical, but for what you're telling me, I have to be realistic. That's most certainly what the government would do if report of this gets to their ears. Rather than invest time that would also benefit the spread of the disease, they might just sanitize and forget about it. But if what Reyvan said was true and Komad Kaltas is over there, then samples of the virus can be obtained and maybe we can research it and find a cure. I just cringe at the thought of abandoning all those victims, I mean what if their all just innocent people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Should we just... let them die?", Lenatha asked hugging her legs in thought still with her saddened expression mixed with worry.

The chills that ran down Andorra's spine made her visibly convulse. She now understood a part of the nightmare that she'd never really considered before.

"Do you remember the portion of the dream where the ship--the Cygnus, if indeed that is the ship--started spinning around and around because someone hit the piloting controls and turned them to the "permanent bank" position?" She saw Lenatha give a slight nod. "When that happened...I remember so clearly now...all of the ventilation shafts were opened by mistake. For instance, the ones to release body waste, vent toxic gases from engine exhaust, et cetera. The infection--released on vivinecrotic cells from the creatures--travels out those vents. And it's both vacuum-borne and airborne. Someone, either us or the survivors aboard the ship, has to do something before it starts rotating, and quickly."

After swallowing hard, she continued, "I'm convinced that the Force sent me that nightmare. Nothing else--and no one else--could have otherwise. I'm sorry for the victims on the ship, both the creatures and those battling them, but if those controls get knocked into position and the vents open..."

She shook her head in revulsion. "Is there any way we can contact them?"

Lenatha thought for a moment.

"Well I could use the emergency channel to try and contact the Jedi Temple. Maybe someone there can patch us through to Komad Kaltas", Lenatha said and started typing on the console quickly. "I do hope this works".

A man dressed in jedi robes answered, his hologram was clearly visible and he was wearing the usual jedi attire.

"How may I assist you at this late hour?", the Jedi asked.

"Is there anyway we can speak to master Reyvan, it is a matter of great urgency. My name is Doctor Lenatha Pradhes", Lenatha said with urgency clearly in her voice.

"I shall attempt to contact Reyvan", the jedi said and his hologram faded.

"Now all we can do is wait, and hope", Lenatha said.

((Sorry for not posting frequently. Alkonium, if you don't like this next part, then I'll edit it accordingly. :))

Kerlos sat in the hangar, his T-21 loaded and at the ready. Despite having barricaded most of the doors, he could hear the infected banging on the other side. Then, one of the doors he didn't barricade started spilling zombies into the hangar. The auto-turrets immediately started blasting the infected, and Kerlos opened fire with his blaster, too. He walked over to the comm system on the ship, still firing, and frantically spoke into it.

"Komad, Iyav, I'm under attack here. Get back to the hangar as soon as you possibly can, I don't know how many there are."

Kerlos then swapped to his Packard Mortar Launcher, and loosed about a half-dozen shots into the crowd of infected, sending several flying like rag-dolls. Come on guys, hurry.

"Komad, Iyav, I'm under attack here. Get back to the hangar as soon as you possibly can, I don't know how many there are."

Atora paused for only a moment as he heard a voice echo through the corridors of the Cygnus.

He pointed directly at Kurt and then began to speak. "Don't let any of the infected sneak up behind the group. I'll go and help your friend out."

He activated his jetpack and slowly began to hover into the air and then took off at high speed through the corridors, using his HUD to navigate the corridors.

After a few minutes of flying at high speed and having a few close calls with bulkheads he arrived at the end of a series of corridors to see a large group of infected crew members breaking through one of the doors into the hanger. Atora instantly grabbed the one of his few remaining thermal detonators and threw it at the back of the horde before lifting up his assault rifle and began firing into the horde from the back.

"Don't let any of the infected sneak up behind the group. I'll go and help your friend out."

Kurt nodded his head and pulled back to the rear of the group. He checked his HUD but saw nothing on the radar. He started sweeping the area as he followed Komad.

"Did anyone else come with you Master Komad?"

Wrath sensed that both Andorra and Lenatha were troubled by something. He had just sensed this recently and was ready to activate his lightsaber but he did not sense anyone else present. He walked over to the door and knocked on it.

"Is everything alright in there?"

Tavaryn replied, "We haven't failed...yet." He then moved forward as if to chase something down. He stopped long enough to say, "Wait here. See if anything comes out." He then gave a giant leap and leapt on top of some loading equipment and onto the docking officer's pylon booth until he was hidden from view.

**********

Tonatius whirled around to provide cover in a more aggressive stance as he watched the assassin for signs of treachery. He then said, "He wouldn't tell us Kalla. More likely he would rather be dead as the cliche goes."

"Just Iyav, and he's on his way back from auxiliary control, but we also met another merc the Republic hired when we arrived. He's guarding the way to the hangar, where our ship is docked." Komad explained, sealing the door behind them once all the survivors got through. "We're clear on this side, we need to help them out."

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

"You don't remember him, do you?" Kalla asked. "What's a hermit from Jatalra doing here trying to kill me?

"Wrath?" asked Andorra. "Have you ever heard of 'vivinecrosis', or 'living death', before? Think of it literally. The dead--come to life--or, even worse, its victims' body cells die while they themselves remain what we call alive."

The second possibility chilled her far more than the first.

"I remember. Can't turn the back but it doesn't mean that there is an inkling of respect," Tonatius replied. It was the long running scorn of assassins his people had. Avalonians were known for facing their enemies full on in battle and preferred to die than be taken prisoner. This attitude got themselves compared to Mandalorians and earned thier indignation.

However they were not complete snobs in the matter. They knew that stealthery was an art practiced in intelligence gathering and was respected in personal philosphies. They couldn't ignore the usefulness of it but they disdained the fact that it was sullied by assassination. Tonatius reflected this in his glare at Vector, never once lowering his blade.

**********

"One would think that the temple doors weren't meant to be sliced open," Jun-la muttered as she tried to get the door open. The panel on their side hadn't worked so she was going in manually. "Master Skywalker, can you sense what is going on in there?" Her voice held a hint of worry.

"Wait here. See if anything comes out."

Alriana nodded once and then watched as he jumped onto the docking officer's pylon booth until he was hidden from view.

She reached out through the force but couldn't sense anything except for herself and Tavaryn.

What is he planning?



Cygnus

Atora was continuing to blast the infected but it seemed that there was no end to them. He was distracting a few of them by getting them to chase after him instead of going after whoever it was inside the hanger but he was only drawing so few of them away.

An idea began to form in his head as his muffled voice rang through the corridor.

"To whoever is in the hanger, you might want to take cover!" He shouted as he threw his last thermal detonator in the direction of the infected and watched in grim satisfaction as the celling caved in, leaving only a few infected left.



Cygnus Exterior

Above the Cygnus, a large, grey ship dropped out of hyperspace above the Cygnus and began to scan it.

The captain of the Death's head looked down over the Cygnus as his first officer approached him and began to recite his report.

"Three additional ships have been detected in the Cygnus's docking bay. Two in the starboard hanger and one in the port hanger."

"Lifesigns?"

"There are many lifesigns aboard the ship but many of them are...off. Not right somehow. There are a few normal lifesigns aboard the ship but there aren't that many."

"Admiral Beroc was very specific. If there were any lifesigns aboard the ship we are to destroy it at all costs. Bring turbolasers online and prepare to fire on the Cygnus at my command."

"Ver ywell sir. But due to recent battle damage it will take us at least five minutes to bring turbolasers online. We were repairing the damage when we left the rest of the fleet."

"Very well. You are dismissed."

The first officer nodded once, bowed and then turned around and headed back to his post as the captain continued looking over the ship below.

As the three remaining infected approached, they were all gunned down from behind by Iyav. "We need to get out of here now. There's only five minutes left until the cannons go off." He told the group as he and Komad led them into the hangar and the two ships.

As the Silver Eagle took off, the New Imperial presence became clear, as Iyav pointed out the Star Destroyer. "We need you to destroy your ship now." Komad told Atora. "We're jumping to hyperspace the moment that's done."

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

"We'll have to lock him up." Kalla suggested. "Interrogating him may be useless, but if we let him go, he'll just try again."

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

"Technically speaking, they're not, and damage to either panel seals the door. Fortunately, I've got the security clearance to override that." Kol explained, putting his eye up to a retinal scanner on the other wall panel. As the door opened, Kol called out, "Surrender now, assassin. You're outnumbered and disarmed."

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

Reyvan's holographic image appeared on Lenatha's console. "This is Jedi Master Reyvan Skyrider. What can I do you for you, Doctor Pradhes?"

"Big mistake," Vector heard Kalla say, diverting her form to Soresu, the defensive stance. His blood-based will perception had told him of her hidden intentions the first time shed held her blade in the fake Niman stance, but his own momentum had been his doom, as he'd ended up being unable to defend from the simplistic attack that the 19 year old girl deployed, his own lightsaber being severed around a third of the way down from the emitter. He stood, literally inches away from her face, as he'd been halted at that point; he stood passively, hands at his sides, looking at the part of his father's former pikesaber lying on the ground, his mind suppressing any emotional uprising so as to avoid having the neural-nodes activating on him to suppress any of his own individuality from surfacing.

"I gathered that you were trying to kill me, but why?" She then asked, this time more aggressively than her previous inquiry.

His head lifted, staring straight into her face, he motioned ever-so-slightly with his hand, his lightsaber's fallen piece lifting swiftly into his fingers.

"Weak form, new to the style, confident practitioners of Soresu wouldn't hide behind a Niman stance. She knew her abilities in her newfound skill wouldn't hold up against the skills of an aged and experienced assassin. Very clever of her. She would make a good...." He paused, his analytical drone of a speech, which had seemed as if he were talking like she wasn't there, when in fact, she was right in front of his face. In many ways he had been complimenting her performance, even if he were speaking as if she wasn't there, but at the last he had stopped before saying any more....Or too much.

"He wouldn't tell us Kalla. More likely he would rather be dead as the cliche goes," Tonatious spouted off, taking an aggressive stance on the 'assumed' defenseless target.

"No, I, would rather live," he actually said to Tonatious with a slight twitch in his face as he did so.

"You don't remember him, do you?" Kalla asked Tonatious. "What's a hermit from Jatalra doing here trying to kill me?" She then asked Vector, who simply stared down at the shorter figure, bravely holding her stance in front of him, as he, like a stone, stood towering over her, impassively, stoically, taking long, deep-slow breaths, he chest expanding out, nearly meeting her own.

"You, him, Jun-la, Iyav, Andorra, Reyvan, and any others deemed affiliated with: ultimately, Komad, your father," Vector called names off the top of his head, indicating that the attempt on Kalla's life was apart of a much larger scope, based around her dad, which included Tonatious, and Lady Jun-la too, meaning at any time he could have turned his attention away from her and ended the lives of any of the other two in the area.

"I remember. Can't turn the back but it doesn't mean that there is an inkling of respect," Tonatius responded to Kalla's question.

"Respect for what? A boy barely a year older than half my age? You don't deserve respect until you've grown a bit, boy...Matured some too," Vector responded, his words implicated by his own thoughts, but as autonomous as all the others he'd spoken before. Vector simply looked at Tonatious as he glared like an upset child at him, for reasons Vector, honestly, could care less about, if he even knew about them.

"We'll have to lock him up," Kalla suggested. "Interrogating him may be useless, but if we let him go, he'll just try again."

"Attempts to capture me will spur me to defend myself, despite my own desires. Interrogation is impossible as I am tortured as we speak. Letting me go may buy you some time, but ultimately, someone will die, by my hands. I can't flee, unless I intend to continue the task of killing you all after doing so. I can't give up, lest I be forced to strike. I can't kill myself, and I cannot stand by and allow another to do so, even if I intend to let them. My only acceptable committable action is to stand, and to speak," he listed like a robot in response to Kalla's words, even if she'd been speaking to Tonatious.

"Surrender now, assassin. You're outnumbered and disarmed," came the voice of someone else from behind, as the doors that he'd jammed had finally come open, releasing the ones within.

Vector continued to speak to Kalla, ignoring their words, "Make your next move a wise one, if you seek to preserve my life as well as the lives of your comrades. If you simply don't care about my life, then strike at me, but be warned, I am never us defenseless as I seem." With these words he reached up, lowering the hood of the robes he'd been wearing, finally revealing his face, cryptic and distorted by a toothed mask, his eyes completely covered by grey metallic flaps, flaked-golden cords hanging from his eyes/flaps in a manner that would be disturbing for the unprepared. The coup-de-grace were the old faded ruby colored Sith tattoos marked along his forehead, and upper cranium, a strange cord-line running the vertical length of his head from the mask; small ovular discs connected, and spaced out along the length of the cord-line, as it met, and connected into a cerebral implant outlet/port at the back of his head.

((The ovular discs are the neural-nodes that suppress his intentions and will.))

Tonatius raised his brow in amusement. The assassin misunderstood what he had said. He replied, "A pity knowledge can be elusive even to instinct."

At that moment, when Master Skywalker sprung the door, Jun-la strode in purposely, no weapon in hand. She stood firm and resolute and repeated the master's words, "Surrender now. You value your life and you take any means to stay alive. Take a chance offered."

Her lightsaber hung limply on her belt and her blade was firmly held in her sash. She made no move to retrieve them but stood there wide open to attack. Tonatius thought it foolish but he knew better than to doubt Lady Jun-la. She was setting up for something and he conveyed his thoughts by a slight nod to Kalla.

Kurt followed Komad and felt a bit of relief when they reached the ship. Rather than sit down he stood up like he usually did. He wasn't sure exactly why he did that, but it made him feel better.

Wrath was thrown off by Andorra's question. He thought about it for a minute before nodding his head.

"Yes I've heard of such a thing, but what has brought this question up?"

"You say you're being tortured as we speak? Then let me make you an offer. Surrender, and we'll help put an end to it. Masters who torture you, or targets who want to help you, which will it be?" Kalla asked, taking an alternative approach to dealing with Vector.

"We need you to destroy your ship now."

Atora interfaced with his ship through his helmet's computer and quickly initiated the self-destruct on his ship.

Self destruct initiated. Ten second countdown engaged. Ten...nine...eight...seven...six.

Atora turned to Komad as the countdown started and looked around the ship before looking at Komad again.

"I need to speak with Admiral Belina now. It is of vital importance that she learn of what happened on the Cygnus. And too be fair, I was on the ship a bit longer then you were."

Four...three...two...one.




Death's head

"Sir! A small ship has just left the Cygnus's starboard hanger!"

"Tractor beam! Now!"

The officer in charge of the tractor beam nodded once and then shook his head in disappointment. "We can't get a lock on it sir. Something is disrupting the loc- Wait...Sir! One of the ships in the port hanger has engaged it's self-destruct! We need to get out of here immediatly."

The Death's head turned and began to move away from the Cygnus at it's fastest sub-light speed as the Nav officer began to plot a hyperspace route back to the fleet.

"Very well." Komad replied, patching the Silver Eagle's FTL comm into the Republic fleet. "This is Jedi Master Komad Kaltas. We have managed to rescue the surviving crew of the Cygnus and determine the cause of its disappearance. Operative Dourden is forwarding the ship's logs and his report to you as we speak. Also, one of the mercs you hired to investigate was forced to destroy his ship, and he wishes to speak with you immediately." Komad told Admiral Belina.

Tavaryn had followed the boy following a hunch. In the end, it proved right for teh boy Haruka had been amubushed at his ship and taken hostage. Tavaryn knew he had to act quickly and jumped own to ground level. He stumbled across the boy's droid which had been disabled. Feeling pity for it, he quickly did some rapid repairs to get it operational and beckoned it to follow him.

Haruka was annoyed mostly with himself. He had allowed himself to be captured by an enemy. That they had ambushed him figured little into his reasoning. He was also pissed that they had damaged Two-y by hitting with a shot and kicking it out of sight. He glared at his captors as they tried getting a signal to their employer. He then felt a slight burning and wriggled his fingers. They touched metal and he realized that it was Two-y cutting through the ropes.

The enemy never saw it coming as Tavaryn jumped down on the pair and began beating them up with his fists. One was dispatched easily enough and, once Haruka was free, was tied up. The leader apparent was a huge fellow and came at Tavaryn weilding a vibroaxe. Even in the dark rain, Tavaryn could see that it was a Togorian. The only Togorians he had heard of were the ones his mother had fought when she was just a girl and accompanying a Jedi Master to Bandomeer along with his father. This guy was looking for blood but they needed to find out information from him.

Tavaryn assumed an attack position holding his fists up. The Togorian thought it was amusing that a puny human was going to try and fight him without a weapon. It was going to be an easy fight as he lunged at his opponent. Tavaryn was ready though and with a spring in his muscles, he sidestepped the Togorian and landed a quick and hard three punch combination.

The Togorian was clearly affected but he was also the more angry. He tried again and Tavaryn repeated his move. At the end, he said, "You place too much stock in your power. You are slow."

The Togorian roared and gave a running charged. Tavaryn stepped back and did an arm motion to gather power. When the Togorian collided with him, Tavaryn blocked the striked and forced his power into three strikes that ended in a punch that sent the Togorian flying back, scattering a pile of crates and sliding him in front of Alriana's view. Tavaryn was walking forward. He knew that Alriana would defend herself if the Togorian tried an attack on her. He also knew that she would disable him so they could get the information they needed.

The Togorian had that in mind when he saw Alriana. He noticed that she was wearing the robes of a Jedi but that didn't stop him. In fact, she looked more like a scared padawan than anything. Staggering to his feet he readied his vibroaxe and took a swing at the Jedi.

Ackbar

"Admiral. Incoming message on all frequencies. Rerouting transmission to your location."

"This is Jedi Master Komad Kaltas. We have managed to rescue the surviving crew of the Cygnus and determine the cause of its disappearance. Operative Dourden is forwarding the ship's logs and his report to you as we speak. Also, one of the mercs you hired to investigate was forced to destroy his ship, and he wishes to speak with you immediately."

Admiral Belina looked up from the console she was working on and motioned Garja to stand up from the console that he was repairing.

The console sparked once and then went dark. The admiral sighed and then motioned for Garja to move over so she could access all the logs and the communication from Komad.

"Reroute transmission to Communications console 368-B." She ordered and then she smiled as the logs and other information appeared on her screen. The smile quickly vanished as she read through them.

"This...This can't be right. Garja. Come take a look at this. Look at the reports consisting of what happened to the crew."

Garja looked over it and his face began to turn pale. "This disease...it looks like something out of a horror holo. Are you sure this is accuarate?"

"I am forced to believe that this is the truth. I want the Ackbar up and running by the end of the week. Everyone is going to work double shifts so we can get this ship up and running."

Oh right. The merc. He's probably still waiting on the channel.

"This is Admiral Belina. May I ask your name?"

"Atora Zen. I intercepted a distress call from the Cygnus about a day before the Jedi and his friends found the Cygnus". Atora replied over the comn channel.

Atora Zen...that name sounds so familiar...

"Aren't you one of the mercs who we have a contract with? Your supposed to investigate all distress calls and assist any republic ships in combat, correct?"

"Yes Admiral. I need to speak with you once we return to the Republic fleet. And it needs to be away from the Jedi and his friends. I have information that you need to made aware of, and I don't want to risk anyone intercepting the comn channel."

"Agreeded. Komad, Iyav. I'll debrief you after I'm done with Atora. Good work you two, rest assured you've both earned my gratitude and the gratitude of the entire republic fleet for finding the Cygnus.





Nar Shadda

Alriana qucikly moved out of the way of the vibro-axe and then re-ignited her lightsaber and then force-pushed her new opponet back away from her.

"We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way. You can either surrender or I can make this very painful and then you'll have no chance but to surrender. your choice."

"Not a chance Jeedai," the Togorian deliberately extended the word showing his contempt.

Tavaryn at the time had gotten to a reasonable distance and said, "She is right. It's your choice." He had his left hand on the sheath of his blade. He was ready to striek if necessary.

The Togorian roared and charged at Alriana, determined to get her.

"This is Jedi Master Reyvan Skyrider. What can I do you for you, Doctor Pradhes?"

Lenatha didn't expect to see Wrath all of a sudden but then turned when she heard the voice of Reyvan.

"Thank the force, Master Reyvan, I called you so late because of Andorra. She had a vision and we need to contact Master Komad Kaltas and Iyav as quickly as possible. Is there anyway we can patch through to them?", Lenatha asked and then motioned Andorra to move closer to the holoprojector. "Andorra, tell Reyvan everything".

Blurting out her story about the nightmare, Andorra talked faster than a Toydarian at a used (read: stolen) parts sale on Tatooine. "Whatever you do, don't let anyone or anything get near the piloting controls," she stammered. "Just trust me. Escape with whomever you can and then get out of there."

Kerlos got into his ship as Komad, Iyav, and the others did, too. He called out to Atora.

"Hey, I owe you one. Maybe I'll help you out next time I get the chance."

Kerlos activated the Star Chaser's engines, and then blasted forward into space. He saw Komad and Iyav's ships slow down, so Kerlos slowed down his ship, too. He opened the comm channel and was about to speak until he heard the both of them were being spoken to by a Republic admiral.

"So, guys," Kerlos said over the comm. "Do we go on that ship now, or what?"

"According to our reports, they've already escaped, and destroyed the Cygnus with a makeshift auto-destruct. Anyone or anything still on board would have been incinerated." Reyvan explained. "Also, based on their report, we believe Doctor Pradhes would be able to help us with investigating the last known planet the Cygnus touched down on: Geonosis."

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

"Yes, we're to rendezvous with the Republic fleet. The Silver Eagle just doesn't have the facilities to help these people, not with the trauma they've been through." Komad explained as Iyav punched the coordinates into the navicomputer and made the jump into hyperspace.

Lenatha made a sigh of relief as Reyvan said they destroyed the Cygnus.

"Did Master Kaltas procure any samples of the infected victims? An expedition to Geonosis sounds good. I'll have my medical equipment moved to wherever you need me to be", Lenatha said and looked back at Andorra. "We now have a chance to look at all of this up close".

"Yes, we're to rendezvous with the Republic fleet. The Silver Eagle just doesn't have the facilities to help these people, not with the trauma they've been through."

Atora looked up from one of the computers he was checking and then looked up at Komad. "You know Jedi, I can't help but question this disease. I checked your computer and there haven't been any outbreaks on Geonosis so far. That either makes it a very specific disease or possibly some sort of new Bio-weapon."




"Not a chance Jeedai,"

Alriana sighed heavily. She really didn't want to cut off one of his arms but the Togorian wasn't leaving her much choice. And she was guessing he couldn't use the vibro-axe if he was missing a hand.

She force jumped over his head and then brought her lightsaber around and held it directly next to his hand. All it would take to sever the hand was a twitch.

"Last chance." She said quietly. "Surrender, and you won't be harmed."

"Unfortunately no, and any examination of a dead victim by the crew proved fruitless. Our only hope is that you can find a sample on Geonosis. If you did, would you be able to come up with a counter-measure?" Reyvan inquired.

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

"Either way, we should find some answers there. All evidence seems to suggest that the crew got infected there." Komad explained.

"Are you sure your daughter can handle whatever's out there?" Iyav asked.

"She won't be alone, and she can talk her way out of any situation she can't fight her way out of." Komad replied.

"So soon?" Andorra thought for a moment, and then she giggled. "Just kidding! After being stuck in a coma for who knows how long, and then under the ever-watchful eye of the Kenobi Medical Facility psychiatrists, I'm ready for a new adventure. Of course, unless it's one that involves me becoming Sith again."

She shuddered. "Never will I walk that dangerous path, Virul or no Virul."

"If you're certain you're in good enough condition, we could use your help as well, Andorra." Reyvan added. "We will contact you when we are ready."

Wrath couldn't help but let out a laugh. Geonosis wasn't exactly his favorite planet in his opinion. In fact it was probably one of his most hated planets. He shook his head slightly at how excited Andorra was to go somewhere but he couldn't blame her.

"Great Geonosis, my favorite planet," he said sarcastically to Andorra. "Well both have my protection as well as anything else I can assist you with Doctor," he added in to the two of them.

"Unfortunately no, and any examination of a dead victim by the crew proved fruitless. Our only hope is that you can find a sample on Geonosis. If you did, would you be able to come up with a counter-measure?"

"Just get me a team of scientists and you'll get the counter-measure for sure", Lenatha said and smiled at Andorra as she seemed so eager to get back into action, after all she had been in coma for a long time.

"We will contact you when we are ready."

"We will await your call", Lenatha said.

Tavaryn beat the Togorian to the punch by whipping his hat off his head and throwing it with deadly precision. It wasn't enough to chop off a limb but the force of the blow hit the knees and sent the Togorian stumbling forward but he had enough balance to continue a strike at Alriana. He was laughing at Tavaryn's pathetic attempt.

Tavaryn reached out for his hat as it returned to him. It was up to Alriana. He was too far away to strike out with his sword but with a deft movement, he grabbed his other weapon, and tossed it at Alriana, relying on her use of the Force to get it. He shouted, "Alriana here."

"Alriana here."

Alriana moved out of the way of her charging advasary and then used to the force to guide the lightsaber to her hand.

"I gave you one last chance to surrender. You ignored that opportunity and now must pay the price."

She ran directly at the Togorian and then focused in on the Togorian's left hand.

All I need to do is sever the hand.

She jumped up into the air and then came down directly behind the Togorian and then turned around and brought her lightsaber down in a slashing motion.

((Chev, the weapon he tossed was a lightsaber. ;) ))

Tavaryn continued to sprint with his hand on the hilt of his blade. He was ready to bring it out at a moment's notice. After his hat returned to him, he had slapped it back on and began to sprint to Alriana's aide. His boots made a pattering sound that sounded like reeds beating the ground. He leaned forward as if to make himself run faster.

The Togorian anticipated the move and countered with a block with his axe while at the same time moved to strike with a fist. He said, "Jeedai, I have face before. Mostly those from a long time ago and far away."

((Woops sorry. I thought it was some sort of blade.))

Alriana force jumped back as the Togorian tried to hit her with his fist. Her anger was begining to get the better of her.

"I'm getting sick of you." She growled "I offer you multiple chances to surrender and you refuse. I should have never even offered you the chance to surrender."

She ignited the lightsaber that Tavaryn had thrown her and ran at the Togorian, this time she wasn't going for his hand. This time she was going for his torso.