((OOC: I'm going to be in Las Vegas for the whole week. So...I don't quite know how active I will be.))

Per'dra laid a hand on Zarev's shoulder and began to project calm through the Force. She was attempting to contact the individual who was screaming inside her ally's mind: Who are you, and why or what can't you stop? She decided to ignore Corsail for the moment, because all of her concentration was being required to reach the other, unseen presence.

Who are you, and why or what can't you stop?

Cant stop...the voice echoed back to Per'dra as it went down slightly in intensity. He...controls all...I can't stop him...Too.strong...Underestimated him...

Avriela reached through the force to try and find where the voice that was tormenting Zarev was coming from but couldn't locate it exactly. Instead she was sensing a location somwhere in space but she couldn't get an exact fix.

"Jedi...Whoever is doing this to him is not on this world. I can sense...something...but it is very far away. I can sense something else as well, whoever is doing this is strong with the force...very strong."

The voice was steadily losing strength as Avriela continued building a mental block between Zarev and the voice of the mysterious force user. "I can sense somethnig else in his mind..." She whispered to herself. "Affection...compassion and something else...I can't tell what though..." A brief mental image of Per'dra appeared in her mind and her eyes widened in surprise

Wow...she thought. Didn't see that one coming. Despite seeing what she had seen she continued working on the mental block. The voice was slowly losing it's strength as she continued until finally it was nothing more than a whisper.

When the Jedi Knight opened her eyes once more, she told Zarev: "Apparently, this being who is attempting to contact you has been possessed by some sort of malevolent presence. Not only is it intensely evil, but also intensely powerful. "'He controls all'? That's not an exaggeration, even due to all the pain that the possessed being is experiencing. The sooner we get to Balmorra, the better, I say!"

He ignored Lights sickening wink and turned to Zarev and the others.

"If you are done with your little chat with the sith, I suggest we head back to the ship." He started to walk towards his speeder then stopped,
"Please don't tell me that we're taking the sith with us, she'll be nothing but trouble, just put her back where you found her and lets be on our way."

((I'm back from Las Vegas! Wait...I still don't have an opening to make a post?! Well, I'll just wait until you guys get back on the ship.))

"Ex-Sith, remember. And while I'm all for speed in our assigned task, we did save her. Whether we take her with us or not, I propose a vote for the group, but being that they aren't all here, we should return to the ship. Plus, I think she just helped our friend here. The least we can do is get her somewhere safe."

Light made his rather lengthy statement from atop his speeder bike where he waited patiently.

"Apparently, this being who is attempting to contact you has been possessed by some sort of malevolent presence. Not only is it intensely evil, but also intensely powerful. "'He controls all'? That's not an exaggeration, even due to all the pain that the possessed being is experiencing. The sooner we get to Balmorra, the better, I say!"

Zarev slowly got to his feet and nodded in agreement. "Whoever this person is needs our help. But I am worried that if this being has the ability to control other people than whos to say that members of the Jedi order have been posessed as well? I'm not going to lie, I'm worried that he may have gotten to members of our order and may be using them to further his own goals. I agree with Per'dra, the sooner we arrive on Balmorra the better."

"Please don't tell me that we're taking the sith with us, she'll be nothing but trouble, just put her back where you
found her and lets be on our way."

"Ex-Sith, remember. And while I'm all for speed in our assigned task, we did save her. Whether we take her with us or not, I propose a vote for the group, but being that they aren't all here, we should return to the ship. Plus, I think she just helped our friend here. The least we can do is get her somewhere safe."

Zarev looked over Avriela, knowing what she had seen an image of Per'dra in his mind and was slightly worried that she would tell her what she had seen. But at the same time he was slightly confused by her actions: She had nearly drained herself of nearly all of her strength to help him create a mental wall between his mind and the voice. She wasn't a typical sith.

"I think we should give her a chance. When I was in trouble she helped me with no hesitation and I could sense her intentions. I don't think she means us any harm but thats just my opinion. I say we take her back to the ship at least for a hot meal and than decide to either let us travel with her or give her some credits and send her on her way."

Avriela looked over the group. "I haven't had a hot meal in days so I would welcome something besides rations. All I ask is that if you decide not to take me with you at least let me have my lightsaber back. I've been hunted by sith forces for quite awhile now and I wouldn't last long without it."

Zarev looked over the group and at the speeder bikes. "We should get back to the ship as soon as possible. I no longer know who we can trust aside from the people in our group."

"Hey Vlalkor,", Varik said, walking up to him. "I think we should fly the ship to their position and pick them up. We could use the speeder bikes." He gestured towards the cockpit.

"And by 'we', I mean 'you'. I can't fly.", Varik continued with a chuckle.

Shan

"And by 'we', I mean 'you'. I can't fly.",

"Agreed. Once we arrive I'll let them know that the Grand Master called." Vlalkor said as he sat down in the pilot's chair and powered the ship up. Almost immediatly the ship's communication systems picked up a message coming in.

"Attention Shan, you have not filed a departure plan with Tatooine spaceport. Please power down and prepare for inspection and file your departure plan."

Vlalkor looked over at Varik and rolled his eyes. He thought that Tatooine was the one planet where this kind of thing could never happen. After all, Tatooine was widely known as a lawless planet."

"Tatooine spaceport control, this is Vlalkor of Havoc Squad. We are on an urgent mission authorized by the republic. We're heading out to pick up the rest of our crew who are in the dune sea."

There was a pause on the other end for a moment. "Shan, you are permitted to leave."

Vlalkor grinned and the ship slowly rose into the air and slowly turned and headed for the dune sea. After flying towards the last known location of the group for a few minutes, he saw a small group of people along with a few speeder bikes. He squinted and saw that they were the people he was looking for.

He quickly set his comnlink to the group's frequency and began speaking. "Attention everyone, this is Vlalkor aboard the Shan. We've recieved a message from Grand Master Satele Shan. It looks like we're going to be heading to Balmorra."

Vlalkor gently set the ship down and opened the ramp so that everyone could get aboard. "I think we should also bring the speeder bikes." He said into the comnlink.

Zarev looked up at the ship and grinned. This would save them a long trip to Anchorhead. He looked over at Avriela and motioned forward. "Don't worry, you won't be harmed. If you wish, we can give you a ride to anchorhead and let you off there...or if the crew allows it, perhaps you could come with us."

Avriela smiled. "Honestly, I think I would like to come along with you, I'm tired of being on my own and I'm tired of being hunted by the sith. If your crew allows it...I wouldn't mind traveling with you."

Zarev and Avriela both turned and headed up the ramp. Zarev turned towards the others and motioned for them to get onboard. "If everyone is ready...than it's off to Bamorra!"

Unknown location

"My lord, the group is on the move. If they leave Tatooine within the hour they should arrive on Bamorra within two days. Your agent in the tatooine spaceport has placed the tracker aboard the ship."

"Excellent. Prepare our agent on Balmorra. I want to make sure that these insects do not interfere with our plan."

"Perfect..." Corsail mumbled to himself as he watched the sith walk up the ships ramp. He walked up the ramp, shaking his head in disbelief. Zarev was treating the sith like she was a friend,

"Ok jedi, stop with the whole welcome party garbage, we haven't even decided what we're going to do with the sith yet and you're already acting like shes part of the crew! I say we take a vote right now, I think it's pretty obvious what the outcome should be."

Something about Avriela reminded Per'dra not only of the Sith, but of one particular Sith. Pfon Urazhai had been cruel, cunning, deceptive and brutal. Once, Avriela was just like Pfon, aligned with the goals of the Sith Order. She has certainly repented quickly... "All right," she told Avriela. "I'll be watching you closely, cautiously, and without forgetting your former allegiance. However, I myself have been given a second chance after--" No. Not now. Not now, not ever. Master Lenina Karos' death was no accident, and still... "Never mind. We should head for Balmorra, with Avriela on board. Force help me, if either she or I fall, I'll--" She shook her head, clearing it of sudden anxiety.

((Sorry for the late reply, been busy.))

"Ok jedi, stop with the whole welcome party garbage, we haven't even decided what we're going to do with the sith yet and you're already acting like shes part of the crew! I say we take a vote right now, I think it's pretty obvious what the outcome should be."

Zarev stopped and slowly turned around to face Corsail. "The sith was in my mind. And I was able to see in hers. The things that she has done disturbed me I won't lie, but I could see the truth within her mind. She is no longer a part of the sith empire...in fact at times she has thought of going to the jedi."

Avriela turned and stared at him before nodding. "It's...well it's true. I've been running from them for so long and at times I've honestly thought the jedi might be an option but...I don't think they would take me in."

Avriela turned to look at Corsail. "If you want to vote on keeping me than fine. I won't hold it against any of you if you throw me off. But at least let me take my lightsaber so I'll have a chance."

"I'll be watching you closely, cautiously, and without forgetting your former allegiance. However, I myself have been given a second chance after--"

Avriela turned to look at Per'dra and smiled gratefully. "I thank you for at least giving me a chance."

Zarev turned to look at Light, Traver and Corsail. "Well? What do you all think? Remember, she may have saved my life after building that mental block between my mind and that voice that was screaming in my head. I'm not asking you all to trust her, I'm asking you to give her a chance."

Traver looked in Zarev's eyes. He leaned his head a bit forward towards Zarev's face. He whispered something to him.

''Are you...''

''Mental?'' He bellowed. He took his blaster from the hip and pointed it at Avriela.

''You may believe this crap, but I certainly don't. Once a Sith, always a Sith, until she joins her friends in hell!''

Light pressed his lightsaber, unignited against the back of Traver's skull.

"Regardless of what is decided here, she should be allowed to live. Besides, the score is 3 to 2 as I see it. We should involve the others, but if you fire you won't live either."

Light had his thumb on the button, ready to press if Traver's finger twitched.

Varik, along with Vlalkor, walked into the hallway, and Varik stopped dead in his tracks.

"What in hell is she doing here?", Varik asked incredulously.

''Are you Mental?!"
Avriela stayed perfectly still as Traver pointed his blaster pistol at her. To be honest, without her lightsaber she knew she couldn't deflect any shots that came her way.

''You may believe this crap, but I certainly don't. Once a Sith, always a Sith, until she joins her friends in hell!''

Zarev put his hand down near his lightsaber but spoke in calming tone. "Listen everyone...we all need to put the weapons away and just think for a moment. She could have killed me when she was in my head but she didn't. She helped save me from that voice in my head. She could have killed me when I was weak but she didn't."

"What in hell is she doing here?",

Zarev turned to look at Varik. "We're deciding to take the sith along with us or not." He then turned to look at the others and his gaze hardened. "My master was killed by sith forces not long ago but I'm willing to give her a chance." He said in the same calming voice. "I'm asking you all...just give her a chance or maybe we can find a way to prove that she's no longer with the sith."

He turned to look at Per'dra with a pleading look in his eyes. "Can you help me out somehow? There has to be someway we can prove that she means what she says."

"I believe her." came Vlalkor's voice from behind them. "In the entire time we've been arguing she could have killed or disabled us all and stolen the ship. I've been trained to identify body language and I agree with the others, I don't see any hostile or threatning movements from her." He turned to look at Traver.

"You on the other hand...you don't even know this person and your willing to kill her just because you believe she's sith."

Varik crossed his arms, but Zarev made an excellent point. Part of him wanted to believe him, but he still remained staunchly apprehensive.

"Let's delve back into recent history. Ever hear of the horrific Battle of Haeedon? It was regarded as one of the worst space battles in the Cold War. I commanded the Republic fleet there. I trusted a Sith, and I refuse to make the same mistake again."

He tossed Avirela's lightsaber to her.

"I am not completely unsympathetic however. I won't deprive you of your tool."

He winced, expecting Avirela to activate the lightsaber.

Corsails eyes lit on fire as Varik threw the siths weapon back to her, "You blasted idiot!" he shouted, "If we trust her we'll all be dead before we reach Balmorra!" He let out a sigh of frustration, "If we take the sith with us, we should at least lock her up during the flight, and search her for any trackers."

"Is anyone in agreement? Or do you all trust the words of this sith enough to let her wander around our ship with her weapon?"

"I, for one, do not," Per'dra replied, using the Force to pull Avriela's lightsaber away from her before the former Sith managed to tighten her grip on it. Clutching it in her right hand, the Jedi Knight continued, "There will be plenty of time for you to prove yourself with your blade once we reach Balmorra. However, I think it would be wise to confiscate it for the time being, because we're aboard ship and in transit. What kind of team would we be if we started losing members before the real battles started?" She snorted in disgust.

Light whispered in Traver's ear:
"Are you seriously siding with the guy who shot at both of us earlier?"

Light kept waiting for Traver to lower his weapon.

Aloud he said:
"I wouldn't say that we'd be a team at all if that was the case. We can all have a nice chat about this out here, catching bits of sand in the wind, or we can go inside where we can comfortably chat... After all, she isn't the one who shot at some of us today. Maybe we should disarm more than just her."

Light gestured towards both Traver and Corsail, indicating that they were the ones he pointed the statement towards.

"I, for one, do not,"


"Finally! It's good to see someone around here besides me has some sense."


After all, she isn't the one who shot at some of us today. Maybe we should disarm more than just her."


"Watch it jedi, remember that you weren't at Coruscant when we started this mission, you're not even officially on this team" He placed his hands on both of his holsters to make sure Light couldn't pull them out using the force.

"Which reminds me, if you aren't an imperial spy, then who are you? You just happened to be on tatooine, you just happened to know everything about our mission?"

He leaned against the wall of the ship as he continued, "Our did you think the small detail of who you are was unimportant? Call me paranoid but it sure looks like the signs of a spy placed on tatooine to earn our trust."

"He's a Gray Jedi, genius.", Varik said in an aggravated tone.

"After all, she isn't the one who shot at some of us today. Maybe we should disarm more than just her."

Wait a minute, this lunatic shot at my friends?, Varik thought to himself.

He moved to the side of Corsail, and kicked him in the shin. He then grabbed his ankle and yanked him to the ground. He used the Force to pull the guns from their holsters, and then tossed them to Light.

"Done.", Varik said with a grin. "Now, are we going to close the boarding ramp or what? I'm not too big on sand."

Corsail hadn't been looking in Variks direction so he didn't see the blow coming. He let out a shout of pain as Varik kicked his shin, sending him to the ground. All at once Corsail lost control, he leaped off the floor and tackled Varik into the ships wall, throwing a punch into Variks stomach then wrapping his hands around his throat to strangle him. "That was your last mistake jedi." he said as he tried to squeeze the life out of Varik.

Almost immediately after he spoke, he was slammed into the bulkhead, and saw hands at his throat.

"That was your last mistake Jedi."

Thinking quickly, he punched Corsail in the face with his right hand, and started to repeatedly bash him in the face. Corsail was losing his grip. Varik punched him in the face, fracturing his nose and making it bleed. He then grabbed Corsail and slammed him into the opposite bulkhead.

"Now that is enough, Corsail.", Varik said firmly, keeping Corsail pressed against the bulkhead.

Light shoved Traver and grabbed both blasters out of the air, having let his lightsaber return to his belt. He pointed one of the blasters at their owner's head, maybe a foot away from the couple of steps he had taken while retrieving the blasters, and the other at the recently shoved Traver's chest which was a few feet away.

He spoke to the latter:
"You may want to put your weapon down, unless you want to get shot."

Zarev was about to speak when the situation erupted into complete and utter chaos. He watched in shock as Corsail tried to throttle Varik after Varik kicked him in the shin and then threw his blasters at light who easily caught them.

"Now that is enough, Corsail.",

Zarev walked over to Corsail and knelt down next to him. "Listen Corsail, I like to think that jedi have infinite reserves of patience but your seriously testing my limit. I don't know what your problem is, but it ends now. If you continue with these actions, I will lock you in the cargo hold, is that clear?"

He continued staring at Corsail as he raised his voice. "Everyone, back onboard the ship. We have a mission to complete and each minute we waste puts more space between us and Voleran."

He looked up at Varik. "Get him onboard and don't let him near any weapons. I'm sorry Corsail, but I'm finding it very hard to trust you right now."

"You may want to put your weapon down, unless you want to get shot."

Zarev got back to his feet and looked at him. "Light, Traver, we need to get to Balmorra. Traver, get ahold of yourself and light, please put your weapons down. We all need to remember that we're not enemies."

Zarev turned to look at Avriela. "I would suggest that you simply get onboard and stay near Vlalkor at all times. I'm sorry, but it looks like for the moment you're not going to have your lightsaber and I don't trust Corsail not to try and shoot you."

Avriela nodded and quickly went onboard with Vlalkor right behind her. Zarev turned to Per'dra. "If you could just keep an eye on her I would really appreciate it." He then turned to look at Varik who still had Corsail pinned. "Remember, keep an eye on him."

Zarev shook his head and headed up the ship's ramp. He then turned around and motioned everyone to get onboard.

Light moved quickly up the ramp, as soon as Zarev finished speaking. He held on to the blasters and went to the cargo hold, where he hid them. He then got down on both knees and meditated, waiting for the others to get settled so they could take off.

I don't know what your problem is, but it ends now. If you continue with these actions, I will lock you in the cargo hold, is that clear?"


"My problem? Are you blind? He kicked me in the shin!" he said as he lifted himself of the ground.

"Oh let me guess, the sith spirit made him do that too. Not that it matters, as far as you're concerned Zarev, Varik could cripple one of our crew members for life and get away with it, oh thats right, he already has, I seem to recall a twi'lek in the medbay right now."

He could have continued on longer but he knew the jedi wouldn't listen to anything he said. He quickly brushed the sand off his vest and walked to his quarters.

"Oh let me guess, the sith spirit made him do that too. Not that it matters, as far as you're concerned Zarev, Varik could cripple one of our crew members for life and get away with it, oh thats right, he already has, I seem to recall a twi'lek in the medbay right now."

"I'm just going to ignore that.", Varik said, with a scowl.

"Just so you know, I kicked him in the shin to disarm him. I feared he was going to shoot at Light and Traver, again.", he said to Zarev.

He walked down the corridor and leaned on one of the walls, sighing to himself.

((OOC: I'm going to be moving, and I'm not sure that I will have internet for a while. In the event that I am unreachable for long enough and my character needs to act, LDR can dictate Light's actions.))

Per'dra nodded to Zarev, locked her own lightsaber in the ship's armory, and then headed for the medbay. Within it, there was far less testosterone and far more peace and quiet! After closing the medbay door, she told Avriela, "I'm sorry I disarmed you, but after what just happened, I think we all need to lose our weapons for a while! Seriously, I don't know what's gotten into everyone, except maybe Zarev. If this continues, we'll all be dead before we reach Balmorra, and the Sith won't even be to blame!"

((Okay everyone, off to Balmorra! :)))

"Oh let me guess, the sith spirit made him do that too. Not that it matters, as far as you're concerned Zarev, Varik could cripple one of our crew members for life and get away with it, oh thats right, he already has, I seem to recall a twi'lek in the medbay right now."


Zarev couldn't help but clench his fingers into a fist. Corsail was one of the most irritating people he had ever met. That and the fact that he seemed to have an almost paranoid attitude towards everyone else.

He watched through narrowed eyes as Corsail stormed up the ramp and headed in the direction of his quarters.

"Just so you know, I kicked him in the shin to disarm him. I feared he was going to shoot at Light and Traver, again.",

Zarev nodded as Varik walked up the ramp. "I wouldn't put it past him to be honest. I honestly don't know where his paranoia and anger come from but I for one plan on keeping an eye on him."



Shan

"I'm sorry I disarmed you, but after what just happened, I think we all need to lose our weapons for a while! Seriously, I don't know what's gotten into everyone, except maybe Zarev. If this continues, we'll all be dead before we reach Balmorra, and the Sith won't even be to blame!"

Avriela nodded her head in agreement. "I don't really blame you, If I were in your position I would have taken your weapon as well. And I believe that your correct, At the rate everyone's anger is increasing there may be fire-fights in the corridors soon enough."

Avriela looked over at Per'dra. She couldn't help but think of the image she had seen in Zarev's mind. The one of Per'dra.

"So tell me...how long have you known Zarev? And why do you think he trusts me? I mean, If I was in his position I would trust me.

Zarev turned and watched as Vlalkor and Traver both walked up the loading ramp and it closed behind them. Vlalkor immediatly headed for the cockpit and quickly entered the coordiantes for Balmorra. The Shan gracefully lifted up into the air and immediatly headed for the sky.

Vlalkor activated the intercom "Attention everyone, entering hyperspace in...three...two...one!"

The Shan paused for a moment as it's hyperdrive engaged and shot it into hyperspace.

Traver looked angry at Light but saw that he was in a disposition. He walked away, angry.

''Do whatever you wish. But I don't trust her. And neither should you.'' He got to his room and shut the door, when the ship popped into hyperspace.

''I can always throw her out of the airlock.''

"I can always throw her out of the airlock."

Per'dra, sitting near Avriela in the medbay, shivered when she heard Traver's joke. Had the former Sith heard it? To ease the tension, the Jedi Knight quipped, "He means me. In case you didn't notice, he's not fond of Jedi. Whether he has a good reason to distrust us remains to be seen..."

Avriela wasn't laughing. With her face flushing hot, Per'dra continued, "I have not known Zarev long, but it seems like we've been acquainted with each other forever! I first met him when I returned from a potential suicide mission to...to..." She trailed off. "All right. It's time to tell the truth instead of hiding behind this veil of secrecy. You once served the Sith; maybe you could tell me if you knew any of the people of whom I speak. One of the Jedi Masters, Lenina Karos, went rogue before Voleran did. She was a spy for the Sith. However, what she really wanted to do was take down both Orders, and institute her own galactical rule. You may think this madness, and it is.

"While committing espionage on behalf of the Sith, she had my own Master, the late Yun Xiaolin, tortured and used as a puppet candidate for the Galactic Senate. When he failed to secure the nomination, however, she had him captured and murdered before I could find out where she'd taken him! She used him as bait in order to get to me, because Master Karos knew what I was capable of. I'd been a prisoner on Korriban, and had slain my chief captor, a pure-blooded Sith named Pfon Urazhai. Karos wanted me either dead, or fully obedient to her will. Her will was to rule the galaxy through a combination of puritanical, draconian laws and iron-fisted rule. The Sith were evil in her eyes; thus, they deserved to be exterminated. As for the Jedi? They were too weak to do whatever was necessary to secure "true galactic peace", and so they also had to be exterminated. How I defeated Karos remains a mystery."

Per'dra gave a start. "Check that! The Force helped me, although for what reason, I do not know. I nearly fell to the dark side in that final battle, because my hatred for Master Karos was on the brink of surpassing anything and everything that was good in me. As for Zarev? He was the one who hung a medal of honor around my neck for bravery, not noticing my dreadful scars.

"I'm not a hero. A hero never would have fallen as far as I did, and that's what I'm hoping you'll understand. I'm just someone who survived a living nightmare, waking up at the last possible moment before it consumed me.

"Why do I think Zarev trusts you? He's always believed in redemption..." With a slow smile, Per'dra told Avriela, "No airlocks will be opened on MY watch!"

"He means me. In case you didn't notice, he's not fond of Jedi. Whether he has a good reason to distrust us remains to be seen..."

Avriela shook her head and smiled slightly. "It's alright, I think that he means me. And if he's not fond of jedi then I can only imagine what he thinks about a former sith on this ship. I honestly think that he might be planning some way of killing me."

"All right. It's time to tell the truth instead of hiding behind this veil of secrecy. You once served the Sith; maybe you could tell me if you knew any of the people of whom I speak. One of the Jedi Masters, Lenina Karos, went rogue before Voleran did. She was a spy for the Sith. However, what she really wanted to do was take down both Orders, and institute her own galactical rule. You may think this madness, and it is.

Lenina Karos...That name sounds familiar. "I think I've heard the name before, but it was when I was running from the sith. I may have heard it in a cantina. Like I said, I've been running for quite awhile."

"Check that! The Force helped me, although for what reason, I do not know. I nearly fell to the dark side in that final battle, because my hatred for Master Karos was on the brink of surpassing anything and everything that was good in me. As for Zarev? He was the one who hung a medal of honor around my neck for bravery, not noticing my dreadful scars.

"I know the feeling of the darkside...or rather I used to before I ran." Avriela said quietly. The feeling of falling...of betraying what you once stood for." She smiled slightly. "I wasn't always a sith you know, In fact, I was taken to the sith academy against my will."

A mental image of the way that Zarev saw Per'dra flashed through her mind. The faint smile remained on her face as she thought back on what she had seen in Zarev's mind as a sudden thought went through her mind. Is it possible Zarev is in love with Per'dra? It would explain some of the things I saw in his mind.

"I'm not a hero. A hero never would have fallen as far as I did, and that's what I'm hoping you'll understand. I'm just someone who survived a living nightmare, waking up at the last possible moment before it consumed me.

The former sith thought for a moment. "I...I'll think on your words." She said quietly.

"Why do I think Zarev trusts you? He's always believed in redemption..."
Avriela smiled brightly for a moment. "I hope that other jedi believe the same way you and Zarev do. I've never told anyone else this, and I hope you and I can keep it between us but at times, I've honestly thought of going to the Jedi."

Avriela laughed nervously. "I'm not lying, I'm scared that eventually I'm going to run out of luck or make a mistake one day and someone will end up killing me." She looked up at Per'dra. "Do you think...the jedi would give me a chance if I surrendered myself? Or would they just kill me?"

"The Jedi Order makes a special point never to kill prisoners who surrender," Per'dra replied. "That is one of the critical differences between us and the Sith: we believe in redemption and making amends, while the Sith slaughter those who fail them, deeming them little more than disposable waste. As I am only a Knight, I would have to consult with my new Master about your joining the Order. The final decision rests not in my hands, but with the Jedi Council on Tython. However, if you prove yourself in this mission to track down and apprehend Master Voleran, that will certainly be a great point in your favor! I, for one, would welcome you into our ranks, and so would Zarev." All of a sudden, she blinked. Hard. "You were taken to the Sith Academy by force? What happened?"

"I'll get back to you later, Zarev.", Varik said, walking away.

He walked towards the direction of the medbay, and saw that the door was locked. He gently tapped at the door.

"Per'dra, it's Varik. May I come in? If you're in the middle of something, I could just come back later.", he asked through the door.

Per'dra rose. "As long as you promise you won't do Avriela any harm, come in." She heard the quick metallichiss of the medbay door as it opened. "Is there something you'd like to talk about with us?"

"You were taken to the Sith Academy by force? What happened?"

Avriela stood completley still for a moment as the door to the medbay opened. She turned to look at Varik and than turned back to Per'dra and smiled. No one had ever asked about her past before. She didn't mind sharing stories of her time before the sith, it was her time that she had been with the sith that she prefered to keep quiet about.

"It started many years ago, As you may or may not know, if a force sensative child is found in the sith empire, they are taken from their parents who give them up willingly or are taken by force."

She smiled sadly. "I was one of those who was taken by force. I don't remember much of my parents but one of the sith instructors once told me that they tried to smuggle me out of sith space to the jedi order. The ship carrying my parents and I was caught close to the border. My parents were executed and I was taken to the academy. Or so I was told."

Her eyes took on a slightly haunted look. "My time with the sith was horrible. I tried to escape several times but I was always brought back and tortured for a few days."

She turned to look at Varik. "Eventually, I was taken by a master but I just didn't have the heart of a sith. My master...well she tolerated my actions but my fellow students did not. When my master died...They all turned on me and I was forced to flee."

She turned to look at Per'dra and than back at Varik. "If you would like to hear more than I would be happy to share but I should warn you, the rest of the story isn't pleasant."

"As long as you promise you won't do Avriela any harm, come in."

"You have my word.", Varik replied as he entered the medbay, closing the door behind him.

"Is there something you'd like to talk about with us?"

"Once she's done, yes.", Varik said.

He leaned on the wall, and listened intently to Avirela's story. It struck him that everything he had thought about her before was wrong. Still, he couldn't help but feel at least a little bit wary of her still.

"If you would like to hear more, then I would be happy to share. But I should warn you, the rest of the story isn't pleasant."

"Life is rarely pleasant.", Varik replied. "Continue, please."

"Life is rarely pleasant. Continue, please."

"It was shortly after my latest escape attempt that the instuctors at the academy decided that it time for me to take a life."

Avriela's eyes took on a haunted look. "It was a jedi...they had tortured him for weeks, subjected him to horrors that I can't describe, drugged him and subjected him to hallucinations that caused his mind to snap. They threw me in a locked room with the jedi. They threw him a lightsaber and then they threw me one."

"The jedi may have been driven mad but he was still a very cunning opponet. At times I thought that I was going to die but in the end, I managed to kill him." She turned to look at Per'dra and Varik. "I'm sorry that I had to take the life of one of your fellow jedi, but from what I could tell there wasn't much of him left."

"It was after the fight that I found that the real reason they had thrown me in with the jedi: My master had been killed earlier and the news had reached the academy. I assumed that they were going to keep pitting me against opponets until I died."

Avriela smiled darkly. "My fellow students decided that I was a disease among the sith for my tendancy to show mercy to my enemies. But my actions had made me a friend: A smuggler by the name of Virez. He had once been detained for trying to steal sith artifacts and the sith had decided to leave his fate in my hands."

A single tear appeared in Avriela's eye but she wiped it away. "Virez thought he was going to die that day but I let him live. To be honest, I underestimated him: Virez managed to break out of the cell later that week and he helped me escape from the room. Together, we managed to get to his ship and escaped Korriban."

"I should have known that the sith that would have came after us after we went our seperate ways but I didn't. I later found out that Virez was killed by a bounty hunter on Tatooine shortly after our escape and it was after that that I found that the sith were tracking me and were going to kill me as soon as they caught up with me."

"I was forced to run for nearly two years and I was forced to kill at least seven sith who managed to track me over the years. In fact, thats how I ended up on Tatooine. My ship was shot down and I fled into the desert. My opponet tracked me into the desert and fought me but I managed to kill him. And thats when you found me nearly buried in the sand."

Avriela shrugged. "Thats my story."

Light woke from his slumber, which he'd found he'd fallen into after having little to meditate on and being able to sleep in just about any position. He walked towards the cockpit, enjoying the familiar hum of the hyperdrive. He heard the group talking in the med bay, but figured three was plenty company. He completed his course and found Vlalkor in the pilot's seat.

"Crazy stuff happened back planet-side. Has anyone filled you in?" Light queried at a moderate volume.

"Thats my story."

"Well, that sure is a hell of a story.", Varik said with a grin.

He paused, and then quickly added, "I'm sorry, that was rude. It must have been hard for you to recollect those memories."

His back started to ache as he continued to lean on the bulkhead.

"Seven Sith?" Per'dra was more than impressed. Frankly, she was amazed. "If you managed to slay them all and survive this long, then the Sith have sorely underestimated you! It's a good thing you're with us now, however, because if our enemies are smart, they're going to send a veritable army after you soon. if there's one thing they can't stand, it's being defeated, and 'overkill' is probably their most often-used strategy. Which will mean bad news when it comes, but..." She almost stood up, but didn't. "There's something I haven't told you about my final battle with Lenina Karos, and it's already coming to haunt me."

"I'm sorry, that was rude. It must have been hard for you to recollect those memories."

Avriela shrugged. "It wasn't that difficult to be honest. You rescued me from the dunes of tatooine and I feel I can trust you...well, You and Per'dra here. The others would probably shoot me on sight."

"If you managed to slay them all and survive this long, then the Sith have sorely underestimated you! It's a good thing you're with us now, however, because if our enemies are smart, they're going to send a veritable army after you soon. if there's one thing they can't stand, it's being defeated, and 'overkill' is probably their most often-used strategy. Which will mean bad news when it comes, but..."

The former sith smiled. "One of the main reasons I have survived so long is because although I didn't have a teacher for long I did manage to learn a few tricks. The shadows are my ally in battle, I have the ability to cloak myself with the force and make myself hard to detect. Of course it doesn't always work, especally when I'm alone and there a large group of people looking for me."

"There's something I haven't told you about my final battle with Lenina Karos, and it's already coming to haunt me."

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to." Avriela said quietly.


Bridge of the Shan

"Crazy stuff happened back planet-side. Has anyone filled you in?"

Vlalkor grinned. "I was there for some of it. But I am a bit confused as to how we managed to pick up a former sith in the middle of the dune sea. I wouldn't mind someone explaining that. As for what happened with Varik...I'm not going to lie I was a bit concerned but he seems fine now."

"It wasn't that difficult to be honest. You rescued me from the dunes of tatooine and I feel I can trust you...well, You and Per'dra here. The others would probably shoot me on sight."

"Funny, not too long ago, I had wanted you off the ship.", he said with a slight grin. "I apologize for that as well."

"There's something I haven't told you about my final battle with Lenina Karos, and it's already coming to haunt me."

"Karos? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the name.", Varik said, raising an eyebrow.

The uncomfortableness of his back became a nuisance, and promptly moved to sat in a chair in the corner of the room.

Light waited a moment, collecting himself before beginning.

"The short version is usually better so, let's see...
We all battled Varik. We incapacitated him, found out he was possessed by Tulak Hord, and exorcised Hord's spirit. We stood around for a bit, when Varik heard a plea for help through the Force. He, Traver, and I took off to track it down. We found the sith-woman, Avriela. She was covered in sand, so I helped her out with the Force. Varik took her weapon and left, just before everyone else showed up, minus you and Kif obviously. Corsail started acting all crazy, shot at me, Traver, and Avriela. We weren't wounded, but it was completely unnecessary."

Light paused for a minute, not sure how the Havoc squad soldier was taking all of this. He decided to continue up to where everyone split ways on the boarding ramp.

"Everyone started to board, Corsail was all kinds of upset about Avriela coming on the ship. Varik tried to return her lightsaber, Per'dra took it. Everyone minus Corsail and Traver were okay with at least hearing her story, but Corsail flipped again. Traver was freaked out to. I held my lightsaber to the back of Traver's head untill Varik disarmed Corsail and threw his blasters to me. I plucked them from the air and trained them on Corsail and Traver untill Zarev resolved the situation. Then, everyone went up the ramp and to where they wanted to go. I think that's it."

(I'm not going have internet connection for a while, not sure when I'll be able to post again)

Corsail sat on the edge of the small bed inside his quarters, starring at the wall. Are the credits really worth it? He thought to himself, The jedi on this ship are unbearable.

He clenched his fists as he felt a sting of pain coming from his arm from where Varik had thrown his grapple hook. Everyone on this ship despises me, I should have just avoided the republic like i've been doing, it's only a matter of time before the empire destroys the republic anyway.

He closed his eyes as he remembered hearing the news that the empire had taken control of his homeworld, his entire family was killed. "What good is the republic if they can't defend their core worlds!" he shouted. Focussing his anger on a wall light he shattered it, blowing it into a thousand pieces across the small room.

He stood up, amazed by what he just did. "I have to learn how to use this power" he said outloud to the empty room.

Per'dra immediately rose from her meditating position in the medbay. "What just shattered?" she asked herself as well as the group. "I intend to find out." The sound seemed to have emanated from Corsail's quarters, so she rapped on his door. "Corsail? Are you all right? What broke?"