"Feels good to be up and walking again." He said with a smile as he approached the two of them. "What's the status of the ship?"

Corsail looked up from the console he was repairing as Zarev walked in, "It's still kinda strange seeing you back on the ship again, most people don't get back up after throwing themselves of a cliff you know?"

"Just about done. Just need to fix this up and we're done."

Corsail nodded, "Yeah, the Shan was busted up pretty badly so it took longer then we should have spent here, but you and Per'dra needed the rest, so I guess it worked out for the best."

He let a brief sigh as he stood up from the one knee he had been standing on, "I know you haven't had much time to think about it while you were sleeping but, what are we going to do about our new sith friend? Will he coming with us to Voss or will he be taking his leave?"

Light had finished up his repairs and was reviewing some of the others when he noticed a loose bolt. When he went to turn it, it clicked, and a sharp piece of metal struck the area where his head had been. Was that a trap or an accident? He wondered as he sliced of the sharp piece of metal jutting from the wall using a light saber. Then, using the force to hold it in place, he welded it over the crack in the plating where it had come from.

Shortly after, he walked back aboard the ship, noticing the conversation going on. However, he was still lost in thought and continued plodding towards the cockpit to check the systems there.

Per'dra, after coming out of her healing trance, thought that she heard something strange - a click, a clunk, and then a few gasps. She saw Light heading toward the cockpit.

"Erm...is everything all right? How are the ship repairs coming? I'm sorry I couldn't help."

Somehow, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, even after all they had tried to do to fix the vessel.

"Huh, oh yeah. Well, you know how it is. We had to make a lot of repairs, so we made some creative use of the materials we had. Plus, sometimes, I feel like some of these guys just connected things because they felt like it. We are in pretty good shape though, considering. How was your "nap" if you don't mind me asking?"

Light still needed to run a short diagnostic on the computer systems to make sure that it was all calibrated correctly, so he made a little gesture inviting Per'Dra to walk with him to the cockpit.

Varik had finished his repairs some time ago and had since been lounging about lazily in the main hold. He thought he had heard a clank outside, and shortly thereafter saw Light and Per'dra.

"Sometimes, I feel like some of these guys just connected things because they felt like it."

Varik was aware that many of his repairs were... less than satisfactory. Indeed, his true calling was the way of the blade, not of the fusion cutter. Still, he couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

"Now you listen here mister.", Varik said with a smirk, pointing his finger, "I'll have you know that it generally works. Most of the time." He let out a short pause between his last two statements.

Light smiled sheepishly and shrugged at Varik. "Right, so that repair you made on the hull right outside your room will 'generally' work in space. I mean, if not, then it could only rip the air out of your lungs so we won't even hear you scream, right?"

Light winked at Varik, to make it more obvious that he was kidding. "And this is why we recheck all of the repairs, like the one that almost cut me down outside. Anyways, I've got a diagnostic to run in the cockpit. We can all walk and talk if you'd like."

"Right, so that repair you made on the hull right outside your room will 'generally' work in space. I mean, if not, then it could only rip the air out of your lungs so we won't even hear you scream, right?"

Varik widened his eyes in horror as he remembered the half-attempted repair job he made near his room. He would have protested until he realized that Light was only kidding.

"You have a very morbid sense of humor.", Varik quipped. "I'm going to get nightmares thanks to you."

"And this is why we recheck all of the repairs, like the one that almost cut me down outside. Anyways, I've got a diagnostic to run in the cockpit. We can all walk and talk if you'd like."

Varik paused. "Actually, I'd like to talk to you two about something that has been bothering me for a while." He directed this to both of them, but more specifically to Per'dra. "In private, assuming there's someone in the cockpit."

He silently wondered to himself if that faulty repair he did outside was the one Light was talking about. If need be, he could probably pin the blame on Corsail. It would, after all, be quite entertaining to see the results.

"Of course, Varik." Per'dra certainly wondered what he was talking about, but she also had an eerily uncanny sense that whatever he wished to discuss had to do with her specifically. "I don't think there'll be anyone else in the cockpit besides us. By the way, I think you've done a commendable job on ship repairs, seeing as I wasn't there to help." Not that such things are my general area of expertise, but I could have at least measured a few metal pipes and the like.

She started walking toward the Shan's cockpit, slightly uneasy. There is no emotion; there is peace...

"Yeah, the Shan was busted up pretty badly so it took longer then we should have spent here, but you and Per'dra needed the rest, so I guess it worked out for the best."

He let a brief sigh as he stood up from the one knee he had been standing on, "I know you haven't had much time to think about it while you were sleeping but, what are we going to do about our new sith friend? Will he coming with us to Voss or will he be taking his leave?"

Zarev paused for a moment. He had honestly forgotten all about the sith that had come after Avriela. "I don't know. Whatever Avriela said to him seems to have kept him from killing her and the rest of us. His ship was destroyed back on Taris so I think we'll let him come as far as Voss. Once there, he can either go to the imperial forces stationed there there or he can continue to travel with us."

He shrugged. "Everyone deserves a chance at redemption Corsail. If he chooses to take it than that is his choice."

He looked around at the Shan and turned to look back at Corsail again. "How long do you think before we can take off?"

"You should see some of his repairs first. Haha." Light was in a good mood. It had been far too long since he last worked on a ship seriously.

However, Light was curious about what it could be that Varik wished to speak about and set off for the cockpit. There was a technician there, trying to start the diagnostic Light had been on his way to run. "I've got this. Why don't you take a little break?" The tech just nodded and left as Per'Dra and Varik walked into the cockpit. Light quickly started the diagnostic, and, remembering what he had been curious about, turned to his two companions.

"So, what is it we are talking about here? And why do I get the feeling that both of you know more about it than me?"

"I don't know. Whatever Avriela said to him seems to have kept him from killing her and the rest of us. His ship was destroyed back on Taris so I think we'll let him come as far as Voss. Once there, he can either go to the imperial forces stationed there there or he can continue to travel with us."

Hearing the answer he expected, Corsail nodded. "Of course he could just be biding his time, waiting for the opportune moment to betray us."

"Everyone deserves a chance at redemption Corsail. If he chooses to take it than that is his choice."

Corsail didn't feel comfortable at all with Velox aboard and wanted to object further, but he made himself slowly nod again. "Just be cautious. I imagine where we're going will be dangerous enough with out having to watch our backs from one of our own."

"How long do you think before we can take off?"

Corsail glanced at the console he had been working on earlier. "Me and Vlalkor were basically just finishing up, we can leave whenever you're ready." He paused, then smiled, "Unless of course you think the Shan needs a new paint job?"

"So, what is it we are talking about here? And why do I get the feeling that both of you know more about it than me?"

"I suppose I never really apologized for the whole incident on Tatooine.", Varik began. "You both need to know the whole story. I don't feel I trust anyone else with this, especially given the demeanor of some people here."

He paused, and decided to answer Light's question.

"Per'dra.", he said, looking over to her. "Have you ever been to Korriban before?"

Per'dra shuddered inwardly. She felt as if her insides had suddenly turned to liquid. "Indeed I have. I was on a quest there with a Trandoshan ally named Qyzen Fess, in order to try and defeat a pureblooded Sith named Pfon Urazhai. He sought the knowledge of the late Sith Lord Marka Ragnos, and Qyzen and I could not allow him to obtain it. Unfortunately, after our duel, Urazhai was literally consumed by the Dark Lords' spirits. His body was...vaporized..."

She took a hard swallow. "I am glad to be off of that sinister world. However, something tells me that I have unfinished business with Korriban."

"Pfon?", Varik blinked. "I heard passing mentions of him when I was on Korriban. He must have been long dead by the time I got there."

"I am glad to be off of that sinister world. However, something tells me that I have unfinished business with Korriban."

Varik felt the same way. "Indeed. Once I see this mission through, I plan on returning to Korriban to vanquish Hord's spirit for good."

He paused, and sat down.

"Anyways, I ended up on Korriban; not by choice, mind you. During the Battle of Haeedon I... made a grave tactical error, that resulted in most of the fleet getting destroyed and my own ship getting boarded. I dueled some guy named Darth Atrion. It was the only duel I ever lost."

He gave a slight chuckle. "I always said I was never a particularly good field commander."

"So anyways, I was a prisoner and ended up on Korriban. While there, I gave them the impression that they 'broke' me, and I ended up as a student at the academy.", he paused, clearing his voice. "The best way to defeat your enemy is to know how they fight, and use it against them. I was determined to find Tulak Hord's holocron, since he was a quite renowned lightsaber master, and I had previously learned about him while I was on Tython. His tomb just so happened to be in the Valley of the Dark Lords. Talk about luck, eh?"

"That particular tomb was an absolute nightmare to get through. I knew I was taking a risk, but I didn't know how large that risk was until I found his holocron.", he paused again, trying to recollect himself. "Because before he died, Tulak Hord transferred his spirit into the holocron, and to an extension - his sword. When I tried to use it, it was for naught. I learned little, was mocked, and then my mind was forcefully entered. I had a, what do you call it? A battle of the wills. I won, but just barely. There was enough of him lingering about to still cause a nuisance, and then it reached its peak on Tatooine."

"So long story short, I looked for a way to destroy my enemy and almost got destroyed myself.", he concluded.

Per'dra let out a long, slow, and world-weary sigh. "That means we might be up against a presence we can't defeat, but I won't allow myself to think that way. For what you've endured, I'm sorry in a way that only one who knows can be. I thought I was going to die in my duel with Pfon Urazhai, and the Force alone holds the answer to the mystery of why I didn't. It has a plan for us, and at this point, each one of us has to choose whether to go along with it or jump ship and head back to Nar Shaddaa or some such place to forget everything. I plan to see this through, even at the cost of my own life. That's why I became a Jedi. I knew that sacrifice might be necessary, and the risks tremendous."

Light was a bit out of his depth on this. Of the few times where he had had a battle of wills with someone, they were usual corporeal. However, he had helped with Varik's fight,and the discussion made a couple of things make sense and gave him an idea. "Well, if it comes down to us not being able to defeat it, one of us could try to trap all of it inside. They would need help, but it would allow us to keep it contained with a minimal amount of losses, assuming it works. I hate to think of what it would do to that individual, or what we might have to do to them for the fate of the galaxy, but it's the only worst case scenario plan that I can think of. Any other ideas?"

"Not at this point," Per'dra said softly. "I will assist in any way I can, if..."

If I don't volunteer. The possibility suddenly made her go cold and shiver. Could she really do it? Was she strong enough? She had not been possessed by the Presence as of yet, but what would it do to her if it caught hold?

"Me and Vlalkor were basically just finishing up, we can leave whenever you're ready." He paused, then smiled, "Unless of course you think the Shan needs a new paint job?"

Zarev grinned. "No. I think we're good. The sooner we get to Voss, the sooner we can end this threat once and for all." He said as he headed for the Shan's engine room to give it one last look over.

As he arrived in the Engine room, he looked over the engines and the other equipment and the smile faded from his face for a moment. What would happen to him after this mission?

I was corrupted by whatever this thing is...he thought. I fell in love with Per'dra and I threw myself off a cliff. I have no doubt that there will be consequences for my actions. But as long as I can protect Per'dra and the others I will accept whatever judgment the council places on me.

He quietly continued looking over the engines as he continued to think of what he had done.

Corsail remained silent as Zarev left the room. If we survive this, what will I do when this is over?

Corsail sighed to himself and turned to Vlalkor, "The ship may be ready, but do you think it's crew is? I can't help but feel that we're going to be facing something we won't have the power to stop."

"Well, if it comes down to us not being able to defeat it, one of us could try to trap all of it inside. They would need help, but it would allow us to keep it contained with a minimal amount of losses, assuming it works. I hate to think of what it would do to that individual, or what we might have to do to them for the fate of the galaxy, but it's the only worst case scenario plan that I can think of. Any other ideas?"

Varik gulped for a moment. It did seem like a horrific scenario. Besides, if they were barely able to ward off Tulak Hord, what chance would they have against this entity? Maybe that's what it wants us to think.

"What if we're overthinking it? What if it just wants us to fear it?"

Varik paused for a moment, thinking carefully.

"Maybe it's not as powerful as it's made out to be."

((Sorry for the wait in posting, There was a miscommunication on my part. xD))

"The ship may be ready, but do you think it's crew is? I can't help but feel that we're going to be facing something we won't have the power to stop."

Vlalkor looked up from one of the control panels at Corsail. "If you ask me, we don't have a choice in the matter but to stop it. It's not just the people of the Republic counting on us, but the Sith Empire as well. I may not be a friend of the Sith Empire but I wouldn't wish what this thing does to people on anyone."

He shook his head. "This thing will be stopped. I don't care if we have to ram the Shan into whatever this thing is to stop it. It will be stopped."

"What I'm wondering is, what could cause it to stop feeding? It needs to possess other beings' minds in order to grow stronger, but what would either satisfy or cease its hunger? Who or what won't it 'eat'? If I recall correctly, when Darth Nihilus attempted to feed upon the Jedi Exile through the Force, doing so made him much weaker. I'm pretty sure we don't have any walking, talking 'Force wounds' aboard this ship, like the Exile was, but what's almost as strong? Revan?" She gave a slight phfft. "To this day, no one knows where he is."

"This thing will be stopped. I don't care if we have to ram the Shan into whatever this thing is to stop it. It will be stopped."

"I agree, but I wouldn't mind if this thing destroyed the sith empire before we take him out."

Corsail shook his head, "It's too bad we're never that lucky. Anyway, If everyone's ready I think we should take off. I'm already getting anxoius just waiting around, and they can continue their conversation on the way there if they wish."

"There are many variables that we will face. We need to prepare ourselves as well as possible, and hope that we are enough to defeat this foe. After all, it hasn't managed to stop us yet, has it? So, it must have some limitations, right? Consider that as we move forward, and we will all be better off."

Varik crossed his arms and leaned on the bulkhead.

"After all, it hasn't managed to stop us yet, has it? So, it must have some limitations, right? Consider that as we move forward, and we will all be better off."

"I think after we killed Voleran, we also killed off quite a bit of its power.", he said. "Voleran was, after all, his main thrall. Quite a bit of energy would have been spent controlling him."

"Right," said Per'dra, "but who knows how much energy this thing has left? It is a finite being - it has to be, since by definition, it will starve once its food supply runs out. By the way, I'm ready to take off when you are." She steeled herself against a shiver.

"It's too bad we're never that lucky. Anyway, If everyone's ready I think we should take off. I'm already getting anxious just waiting around, and they can continue their conversation on the way there if they wish."

Vlalkor nodded. "Agreed. Time to head to Voss. I just hope whatever this thing is doesn't manage to blast us out of the sky when we approach Voss's atmosphere."

He grinned. "Just a joke."

Vlalkor headed for the bridge and sat down in the pilot's chair and began flipping switches and hitting buttons. The Shan rumbled as the engines came online and the ship slowly began to rise into the air.

"Entering Hyperspace coordinates for Voss." Vlalkor said over the intercom. "It looks like it's going to be about one day's journey. You all should probably take the opportunity to rest before we arrive."




Voss
Unknown Location

Voleran may have fallen but I have others to finish these fools, The being thought as it sent a single command through the force. A command that echoed through the minds of the people of Voss. Whether they were republic, imperial or the native Voss.

Rise

Many of those people who heard the command looked towards the sky for a brief moment. Voleran's death had wounded the being through the force and as such he wasn't as powerful as he had once been. But he could still bring forth those who had already had contact with those he controlled. And his power was still far beyond those of nearly any force user.

To me.

Amongst the confusion that was now erupting across Voss, speeders and other vehicles sped across the surface of Voss as they helplessly obeyed the call of the dark being that now had control of them.

Light shrugged. He knew that thinking about this was only going to go around in circles, and he felt the ship take off. "I think the best plan for now is to wait until we acquire more information. We don't know many definite answers right now. The only person who might is on our ship, and I'm sure he'll share any information with us when he is ready. For now, we should focus more on what we can control. Focus our minds, mend our wounds, and prepare our weapons. That's all I can think of, at any rate."


Light saw the program was still up with good indications, so he closed it.

((Are we on Voss yet, or in transit?))

Varik harrumphed and left the cockpit. He could use some sleep after everything that transpired over the last few days. He entered his dormitory and threw his lightsabers into his footlocker. Closing the door, he walked up to his bed and quickly went off to sleep.

Light watched Varik leave, and figured that to be a good idea for himself as well.

"See you later Per'dra, I'm off to my quarters."

Light turned and left, heading straight to his room, he went in side, laid down, and fell asleep to the sound of the ship entering hyperspeed.

Per'dra nodded and prepared herself for the jump to lightspeed. When it came, she almost retched because the force of the propulsion was so strong. Fortunately, Jedi are trained to resist strong reflexes as much as they're trained to use them, so there was no mess on the ship's floor to clean up. Whew! I've got to get back in shape after being unconscious for so long. Otherwise, I don't see how I can reasonably fight this threat...

Zarev walked from room to room of the Shan as he examined the ship as it entered Hyperspace. It was going to be a day's travel to Voss and he knew that there was a good chance that they might not come back from this mission.

Per'dra...he thought sadly. Jedi were not allowed to love. Jedi shouldn't be allowed to love. Jedi should be allowed to love. He was confused. Very confused. He knew that he loved Per'dra. But he didn't know what to do with his feelings.

It may surprise you Zarev...I loved once. A woman I saved during a mission to Corellia.

"Master Beval?" He asked in a soft voice.

Love doesn't lead to the dark-side. Fear, anger, jealousy, they can lead to the dark-side but love itself does not. Follow your heart Zarev.

Zarev smiled and took a deep breath as he walked towards the other Jedi. "Excuse me Per'dra, may I have a word with you? In private?" He asked carefully.

"Of course," said Per'dra just as carefully. She sensed that Zarev was struggling to hide his emotions, but what those emotions were, she could not tell. She was no Master, and even her superiors could not always pinpoint others' feelings. "Let's head for the cargo hold. No one goes back there unless they urgently need supplies. I would suggest my quarters, but..." She paused. "I don't want to sound unseemly."

"Let's head for the cargo hold. No one goes back there unless they urgently need supplies. I would suggest my quarters, but..." She paused. "I don't want to sound unseemly."

"Of course." Zarev said carefully. He was trying to be careful in hiding his emotions but he had a feeling that eventually, something was going to leak through and she would be able to pick up on his feelings for her.

The two of them began to walk towards the cargo hold as Zarev struggled to get the words out correctly.

"You remember what happened on Balmorra...that thing took control of me...and...I...What you said on Balmorra was able to help me break it's control over me long enough for me to get away."

He turned to look at her. "You said you were beginning to fall in love with me...and I've been thinking about what you said to me that day."

He paused and tried to speak again. "I...I have feelings for you Per'dra. I think I always have." He said quietly as he tried to speak what his heart was telling him to say.

Per'dra swallowed hard. "From birth, I've been trained to silence passion. 'A Jedi is not to know anger, nor hatred, nor love'." She stepped closer to Zarev, not yet daring to take his hand. "I've always understood our Order's prohibition against the first two, but the third..." She trailed off. "No one ever spoke of this, not even the Masters, but an unspoken rule of theirs is that Jedi are not to know doubt, either. They must be completely committed in their resolve to serve the galaxy, which I've always been, and I was told that love was a foolish distraction. However - the feeling is mutual. I continue to love you, Zarev."

There. I've said it. Is that such a crime? Must I always deny my heart?

"I haven't been sleeping well, and it's because I've been brooding. Not only about this threat we face, which consumes minds as easily as it consumes food or water, but about you. I've had to consider whether or not I'm willing to face the negative consequences of positive desire - meaning exile from the Jedi Order. If our superiors found out, or even one of our comrades, that would be the end of me - of us. With that said, that's a price I'll gladly pay."

She sighed and shook her head. "What's the point of protecting the galaxy, and all the sentient beings in it, if we're not allowed to act like fully sentient beings? Those who cannot feel the Force can still love, and I've begun to wonder if that makes love far more powerful. And hope, as well." Per'dra found the nerve to reach out and take Zarev's palm within hers. "Together, and with our brothers-in-arms at our side, we'll be able to conquer any darkness."

"I haven't been sleeping well, and it's because I've been brooding. Not only about this threat we face, which consumes minds as easily as it consumes food or water, but about you. I've had to consider whether or not I'm willing to face the negative consequences of positive desire - meaning exile from the Jedi Order. If our superiors found out, or even one of our comrades, that would be the end of me - of us. With that said, that's a price I'll gladly pay."

Zarev let a small smile appear on his face. A smile that quickly grew into a larger one. A much larger one. "It's a price that I would also gladly pay." He said gently.

"What's the point of protecting the galaxy, and all the sentient beings in it, if we're not allowed to act like fully sentient beings? Those who cannot feel the Force can still love, and I've begun to wonder if that makes love far more powerful. And hope, as well." Per'dra found the nerve to reach out and take Zarev's palm within hers. "Together, and with our brothers-in-arms at our side, we'll be able to conquer any darkness."

Zarev gently took his other hand and clasped her hand within his own. "Together then." He said gently as he felt the warmth from her hands on his own. "I give you my word Per'dra. You will always hold a place in my heart. And I will always love you with all my heart no matter what."

Corsail sat alone in the main room of the Shan, thinking about everything that had transpired. He looked up several times when Light, then Varik, passed through to get to their rooms. I wonder how everyone else is really holding up. Corsail shook his head when he realized that he was genuinely worried for their safety.

"Blast, I promised myself I wouldn't let this happen again." Sighing to himself, he closed his eyes and let his head rest on the wall behind him, listening to the hum of the ship while he waited for their destination to be reached.

Per'dra inhaled slowly and carefully, afraid that someone might hear, and then leaned in to kiss Zarev. His lips were firm against hers, and yet they trembled. It was as if the ship had silenced itself for a moment to give them privacy.

When their four arms at last disentangled themselves from each other's bodies, Per'dra winked at her new romantic partner and then frowned. "We'd better go and see if anything else needs to be done during transit so no one will get suspicious. It could be that they already sense something's going on between us, but I won't be exiled before we vanquish the mentophage."

When Zarev quirked an eyebrow quizzically, she explained: "Mind-eater." With that, she turned and headed toward the main hold. She found Corsail there.

"Excuse me a moment," she said cautiously, "but may I ask you a question? You're not a Jedi, but that means you don't follow the teachings - or the rules - that we do. I know that you and I haven't always seen eye-to-eye, but I'd like to know: How would you go about killing something that keeps hiding?"

"We'd better go and see if anything else needs to be done during transit so no one will get suspicious. It could be that they already sense something's going on between us, but I won't be exiled before we vanquish the mentophage."

Zarev nodded and smiled gently at her. The kiss they had shared had been the first and best of his life. "I agree. I'll go check with Avriela. She's been unusually quiet for some reason." he commented as he left.

As Per'dra turned and left he turned and took a last look at her before turning and heading over towards the far end of the ship where Avriela had taken up residence. He looked around the Shan as he walked around and marveled that the ship had stayed together as well as it had considering all that it had gone through.

He saw her sitting on the floor with in a meditation pose. Before Zarev could ask her anything, a small smile appeared on her face.

"So. How long has this little romance been going on between you and Per'dra?" She asked with a slight smirk.

"Wha-?" was all Zarev could say as his jaw dropped in shock. Zarev stared at her. "You...You can't tell anyone! And how did you find out?!"

Avriela pointed at a broken pipe that hadn't been repaired yet. It was jutting through the wall "That pipe leads to another pipe that goes through the dormitories. I heard pretty much everything."

Zarev shook his head. "I...Well...I repeat: You can't tell anyone. Ever."

Avriela's eye's remained closed. "Don't worry Zarev. I don't plan on telling anyone. What you and Per'dra choose to do is your business and I have no intention of interfering nor exposing your relationship. You're secret is safe with me."

Zarev shook his head and muttered under his breath as he left the smirking former sith to her meditation as he walked out of the room.

Corsail opened his eyes and looked up as he heard someone coming towards him.

"Excuse me a moment," she said cautiously, "but may I ask you a question? You're not a Jedi, but that means you don't follow the teachings - or the rules - that we do. I know that you and I haven't always seen eye-to-eye, but I'd like to know: How would you go about killing something that keeps hiding?"

He raised an eyebrow, surprised that Per'dra was asking him for advice. "Honestly, I really don't know... It'd be different if I knew what we were facing, but the only thing we know about him is that he has incredible power." Corsail looked away, wishing he had a better answer he could give. "I apologize for not being much help.."

"I also have a question, about something I've heard said several times recently...the last time I heard it was today, while I was speaking to Zarev. He told me that 'everyone' deserves a chance at redemption. So I want to know, even after everything that thing has done, murdering and twisting the minds of anyone it pleases...Would you still offer it a second chance?"

Per'dra thought for a long moment and then took a deep breath.

"The way I see it," she began, "if this thing really is an 'it', a force of the Dark Side that doesn't truly have a consciousness of its own, then of course not. I might as well be destroying a table or a chair, which possesses no feelings. I'd be getting rid of a harmful object, even though this is like no other object I've encountered before. Perhaps it's emanating from a planet that is incredibly strong in dark energy - Voss - or a buried archive of Sith teachings. If so, then getting rid of such a source is what we need to do, and will cause me no guilt. Ever scrapped a malfunctioning droid? It would nearly be the same thing.

"However, if 'it' DOES have a consciousness, then as a Jedi, it's my duty to try and probe its motivations. 'Know your enemy' has always been one of our axioms. The more we understand about those who seek to hurt us, the better chance we have of defeating it. What do we know so far about the attacking mentophage? It feeds upon minds, and it also manipulates, as it did Master Voleran. It turns sentient beings into puppets, who kill if the strings of their consciousness are pulled. If Voleran couldn't resist it, or even examine it, then that means he wasn't strong enough to do either. I'm just a Knight, and..."

She stepped closer to Corsail. "Does 'it' deserve a second chance, if it has a mind and will of its own? I'd say no. How will I be able to find out if it is truly repentant or not, if it wants to be redeemed? Jedi are trained to tell if someone is deceiving them, but I am not a master in this art. I'm weak, although we are trained to be strong. I could well turn into its puppet."

Per'dra blinked, and set her jaws tight. "That's why I'm counting on you to help me keep a clear head. Because you do not feel the Force, you may not be as susceptible to its attacks. If I can't kill it, even if I do my best to plumb its depths, then perhaps you can."

She gazed around the hold. "May the Order forgive me, but I want it dead."

Light's dream was vivid and intense. He was floating through space, nearly completely unable to control his own direction. It was as if he were little more than an object. Then he saw it....

A large spider, whose webs stretched across the galaxy. And he was on a direct course for the center, where the spider was constantly spewing more web. He watched as it continued spraying, drawing closer and closer. Then, ever so suddenly, it turned towards him and shot it's web. He awoke to the image of a mass of web in his face, with a cold sweat down his back.

That cannot be our fate. I won't let it.

He found the need to be clean to be pressing, so he locked his door, and washed himself with a rag and some water from one of the containers in his room. He dressed himself once more, including his weapons, before walking out of his room and towards the sound of the nearest conversation.

...but I want it dead.

"That may well be the only option. Were that it could be turned to the light, with the amount of power it has... It could inspire the next golden age for the Republic, the Sith, or both. But alas, the threat must be ended as quickly as it can be, else we will be to blame for any more lives lost, and be more likely to succumb to its power."

Per'dra blinked, and set her jaws tight. "That's why I'm counting on you to help me keep a clear head. Because you do not feel the Force, you may not be as susceptible to its attacks. If I can't kill it, even if I do my best to plumb its depths, then perhaps you can." "May the Order forgive me, but I want it dead."

"But I can feel the Force, Per'dra. Although my connection is slightly weaker then yours, I have the ability to use the force just like any other jedi, I've just never been trained..."

Corsail stood up and let out a brief sigh of frustration. "Unfortunately that makes me just as vulnerable to this thing's control as the rest of you...But whether it gets in my mind or not, one thing I can promise you is that I'll do everything within my power to make sure it ends up dead." Seeing Light approaching them he stopped and greeted him.

"That may well be the only option. Were that it could be turned to the light, with the amount of power it has... It could inspire the next golden age for the Republic, the Sith, or both. But alas, the threat must be ended as quickly as it can be, else we will be to blame for any more lives lost, and be more likely to succumb to its power."

Corsail nodded. "You won't get any argument from me, there honestly is no alternative option in my opinion. But what about Zarev? He is technically the leader of this mission, what do you think he'll do when the time comes?"

"Zarev almost gave his life for - our sake," Per'dra replied, the slight hesitation being that she had to bite her tongue to keep from saying my sake. "He would do the same again, in order to vanquish the mentophage for good. What I don't know is if he would try and turn it, whatever its essence, to the Light."

Where was the doubt? Where was the uncertainty in her mind? The young Jedi was a bit startled to realize that at this point, there was none. She was absolutely convinced of her new partner's loyalty and dedication, and that was a first. Even as a Youngling, she'd had doubts about the Order and its Code, with all that followed. Could it be that love erased such emotions, leading to folly? Maybe that was what her Masters had truly meant when they warned against it.

"Even if he does try and reason with the entity, Zarev won't let it harm us."

((One day time skip incoming after everyone posts.))

"He would do the same again, in order to vanquish the mentophage for good. What I don't know is if he would try and turn it, whatever its essence, to the Light."

Zarev listened as he walked into the room and shook his head. "I don't know. I don't know if this thing will even give me a chance to try and turn it. But if it does I will try."

"Even if he does try and reason with the entity, Zarev won't let it harm us."

Zarev looked at both Corsail and Per'dra. "I will do my best to make sure that everyone comes back from this mission alive. But One way or another, this entity will be stopped. When I nearly died on Balmorra I was able to communicate with my deceased master. He told me that this entity is waging a war both here and through the force itself. I plan on reading up on encounters that Jedi have had with Dark-side entities. There has to be something in there that can help us."

"It seems that it would be wisest to prepare, but I'll leave the books to you. I'll start making repairs on our weapons, and someone should prepare supply packs for everyone. Let me know if you to have something fixed."

Light began gathering weapons in preparation for this task, going around the ship, and asking the others.

Everything we do right from this point on, is a step away from our defeat. Everything we do wrong, a step closer. Hopefully, we are not too close to the edge when the time for conflict comes.

"Wasn't there something about...?" Silence. Darkness. Betrayal. A wound in the Force. "There was once a planet called Malachor V, and its essence was preying upon Force users. It was a breach in the fabric of the Force itself, a hole in the continuity of the living energy that surrounds all of us. A Sith Lord by the name of Darth Traya was using this planet to fuel her own powers - namely, a vampiric tendency. She formed a powerful bond with the Jedi Exile, whom she trained, but at the moment of Traya's death and defeat, this bond was broken."

Per'dra raised an eyebrow. "Could the mentophage be operating upon the same basic principle -and improving it with every mind that it 'eats'?"

((Finally got my home computer hooked up to the internet! :D))

((EDIT: Never mind. about to lose my connection again :())

"Could the mentophage be operating upon the same basic principle -and improving it with every mind that it 'eats'?"

Zarev shook his head. "I don't think so. Whatever this thing is it seems to infect others by contact. Someone must have ran into it at some point and it took control and began spreading it's influence across the galaxy. If it can dominate minds like that it must have already been extremely powerful."

He looked over at Per'dra for a moment. "Is it possible that this thing is somehow feeding off the force itself and growing stronger and stronger the more it feeds? It could have discovered some sort of way to drain the force itself and feed off it. Whatever the case, we need to rest. We have a day until we arrive at Voss and I suggest we rest and get ready for the battle to come."

"All right." Per'dra headed off to her quarters, but not without casting a glance back at Zarev. Jedi or no, her gaze said, this could be our very last time. You nearly died once, and I'm not about to let it happen again, but...

Did anyone else see or hear? Could they read her thoughts? If so, she was lost, but then again, wouldn't she be if she perished in battle?