<Coruscant undercity>

 

Istara Sharlina Andal, warrior of the Bladeborn stood in the rain alone with her head bowed. She had missed Setsuna yet again, probably by no more than an hour. By the time she had reached this area, the excitement had settled down a bit. The swath of destruction left by a rampaging droid was easy to follow. The comments of several of the onlookers had also been easy to parse. They had been sure that a girl who had a scarf across her face most of the time had been an integral part of what had happened. Istara had listened to some of the talk about how the girl had saved lives in the middle of a fight.

 

Ah Setie… always the brave one… I have to find you before it is too late…

 

She walked along the path of destruction and stiffened as she saw something. A building in the distance. A shattered building. She shook her head slowly as she recognized it. The Jedi temple, fallen down and left to rot. Before she knew what she was doing she was walking towards it. Then she stiffened further as she saw something else, something half hidden by a building.

 

A monument. It was covered in names, all with the same date. She knew that date, it was burned into her brain. She stared at it for a long moment. And then, in a graceful move, she knelt before it, her head bowed. Some of the names on it doubtless were her doing. It had been… a bad day… For a moment, she was lost in memory.

 

 

<The past, Coruscant, during the Sacking>

 

 

Sharlina walked. She was sickened by this. It was just… She didn’t mind the fighting, the screaming, the utter carnage… but… Something about this just was not her. When the Sith High Command had declared Coruscant the next target, she had rejoiced. Finally a chance to attack; to hurt the Republic. But… She had landed in the third wave of troops and had immediately been drawn into fights. The residents of the planet’s overwhelming cities fought hard, and in some cases well, but… They were overwhelmed. The few troops that were stationed on the planet put up a heck of a fight, but she was nowhere near any of those. And now, she could hear the screaming, the laughter, the… She shook her head. The conscripts had taken the sector, now they were…indulging themselves. This was no place for her.

 

She could see their faces, the dead that haunted her. She could see their eyes, all staring at her. Judging her. She could...

 

 

<The present>

 

 

Istara came back to herself and sighed deeply. Regret was a powerful thing. A very powerful thing. She couldn’t undo what she had done so long ago, but she could learn from it, and hopefully… A warning rang out through Ashla and she dove to the side. The shot that would have taken her head off, instead plowed a hole in the ground near the memorial. She dodged into cover and snarled silently as a set of shadows detached from a building nearby. None carried ranged weapons, so the sniper was still hiding out there somewhere. The group carried a motley assortment of clubs, swords and shocksticks. Probably an undercity gang from the looks of them, several humans, a Rodian, an Aqualish…. She shook her head and spoke loudly enough to be heard.

 

"Idiots..." Istara’s voice boomed though the area that had suddenly become devoid of other sentient life with the shot. “This is a mistake.”

 

A voice answered her from far away. “You are worth a lot, Sharlina, drop the sword.”

 

Istara shook her head, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice. The group of gangers had stopped when she had spoken, but now they were converging on where she was concealed. She grinned and threw her voice. The Force was great for such things.

 

“You idiots really think you can take me? Go home before you get hurt fools.” She snapped. Sure enough, the gang started moving towards where the new sounds had come from. Maybe…

 

"No!" Another voice spoke sharply from closer than the first but still hidden. “She is using a mind trick, she hasn’t moved! Get her!” It sounded male and young.

 

"Okay. The hard way." Istara sighed and then stood up out of her cover as the gang converged on her again. They all froze in place as she appeared. When she spoke it was sour. “I see gangs haven’t changed. The peons get slaughtered and the leaders get the riches. Oh well…” She danced to the side again as another shot came in, and then the gang was on her.

 

It was a very unfair fight. There were twelve gang members, seven humans, the Rodian, a Bothan with sad eyes, a scrawny Trandoshan and the Aqualish. Istara didn’t bother to draw her sword. She didn’t want to kill any of these. The Aqualish went down first to a fist strike that only looked gentle and she appropriated his shockstick. One of them connected to her side with a club and then she was dancing though their midst. Ashla flowed in her and she was moving at full speed while they all seemed to move with glacial slowness. She reached out with great precision to tap each form in the middle of their chests with the shock stick, and then danced away as they fell. It could have been an hour later, but was probably less than a minute, she caught the last unconscious form and tears were falling as she laid the Bothan gently onto the pavement. She threw the shockstick away as if disgusted by it and turned to go.

 

She stopped as she saw another being standing nearby. The boy held an old blaster carbine, but the aim point didn’t waver from Istara’s head. He couldn’t have been more than fifteen. Istara sighed from what she sensed in the boy, a rage as deep as hers had been, once.

 

“Revenge is a poison, child." She said slowly. "Do not let it cloud your mind completely.” The boy snarled at her and opened fire. Istara deflected some of the shots, careful to keep the deflected fire from harming any of the unconscious forms that littered the ground. Then she was on him. He cried out as his weapon was torn from his grasp, but her hands were gentle as she held him at arm’s reach. He struck out wildly, but couldn’t reach her; his arms were not long enough. Istara sighed. “Who did you lose boy?”

 

"You!" He snarled at her. “I didn’t lose them, you killed them!”

 

"Did I?" Istara shook her head. “When?”

 

"You...!" The boy spit at her and missed. “You know when! You killed them! You were here! A Sith!”

 

"Maybe I did and maybe I didn't." Istara slumped. She had thought as much. A survivor… “No, I don't think I did. A Sith killed them? How did you survive?” Istara’s voice was gentle and the boy stared at her.

 

"You did it!" He snarled at her again and a small crowd was gathering. “You killed them, you knocked me out. She was one of them! She is a Sith.” He called to the crowd. A mutter went through the crowd. But it remained silent. A bad sign. Istara kept one eye on it.

 

Istara shook her head slowly. “Your family was here?” He snarled but nodded. Istara sighed. “I was here, but… not here.” She let go with her left hand and pointed at the ground. “The closest I got to the Temple was fifty kilometers from here. I was tasked to hit a Republic base on the other side of the planet. Someone told you I was here? Who?”

 

Another voice came from the shadows nearby. “That would be me.”

 

Istara stiffened as a form exited the shadows and approached slowly, an armored form. Bounty hunter by the look of him and good, she hadn’t had any idea the guy was there. She sighed as the boy tried to strike her again. She hit him with a careful nerve strike that would keep him out of the way for a while. He went down in a boneless heap, but Istara’s focus was on the hunter.

 

"Bounty hunter." Her voice turned cold. “You use children as bait. That is despicable.”

 

"So?" The hunter chuckled evilly. “What better way to catch a Bladeborn? You people are so predictable.”

 

"Maybe." Istara sighed. “Being predictable does not equate to being easy to take down. I did not kill this boy’s family. Were you going to tell him that?” She asked quietly as she moved slowly, both to shift away from where the boy lay moaning and to see how the hunter reacted.

 

The hunter turned smoothly in place, his blaster rifle tracking her. “Why would I? He served his purpose, flushing you out.”

 

"I see." Istara nodded slowly again. She had reached a clear spot, her hand was on her sword hilt now. “Now you try and kill me I assume.”

 

The hunter snorted. “Try…?” He was in motion and so was Istara. Her sword was out now and his rifle spat death at her as she charged.

 

This fight was far more even than the last. While the bounty hunter was likely no match for her in close combat, he obviously knew it. Every time Istara managed to get close, he would use his jetpack to gain distance. It was annoying. So she focused on deflecting what he threw, shot and hurled at her. Eventually, he would have to run out of projectiles or get…

 

She missed something and convulsed as the dart hit her, temporarily scrambling her nervous system. She ducked away from a blast that would have taken her in the head. This guy liked head shots. Then she was flying as something grabbed her around the upper arm and pulled her into the air. She called upon Ashla, but before she could use any powers, something else slammed into her and darkness claimed her.

 

<An indeterminate time later>

 

Istara hurt when she woke, and couldn’t move. She cracked her eyes open and sighed quietly as she found herself trussed up in some kind of sticky cocoon. Her blade was in it with her, but she had no leverage to move it at all. An angry voice came to her ears.

 

“You said I could kill her!” The boy’s voice pulled Istara’s eyes to where he stood. He looked a bit shaky still from her punch, so she couldn’t have been out long.

 

“I lied.” Came the cold voice of the bounty hunter. “Take you money and go, brat. You were good bait, no more than that.” Istara tried to talk, but something was in her mouth. She tried to summon Ashla, but it wouldn’t answer her. She could only watch in horror as the boy’s face turned red.

 

“You…!” The boy raised his blaster, but then stopped. The sound of a blaster rang out across the area and the boy looked first at the hunter and then down at the smoking hole in his chest. Istara could only watch as the boy fell, a dumbfounded expression on his face. An expression that faded in a way Istara knew only too well. Death.

 

"Well..." The hunter chuckled sourly and bent down to the corpse. “Guess I didn’t need to pay you after all.”

 

A shout came from beyond Istara’s range of vision. “He shot Kuil, get him!”

 

The hunter snarled, but then ducked as fire came seeking him. Blaster fire, slugthrower fire, lots of fire. The hunter ducked behind cover and started firing back. Istara struggled with her bonds, but whatever was holding her was too strong. Then something grabbed her ankles and started pulling. She shrieked into whatever was in her mouth, and could do nothing as whatever was pulling her dragged her into a broken storm drain and darkness.

<In a sewer>

 

At least she wasn’t in the muck. But being carried with her face bare inches from it was not pleasant either. Istara was trying to struggle out of whatever was holding her when a light, feathery touch brushed her face and she relaxed.

 

The mind voice was gentle. Easy, sister. I need to get you somewhere open so I can get you out of that. The mind voice conveyed disgust now. Yuck… I thought the sewers on the homeship smelled bad…

 

Istara grinned around whatever as in her mouth and focused her mind. Fewer people for one thing. Join the Bladeborn, see the universe. From the underside. Thanks for the rescue Nana. She projected gratitude.

 

A sense of resignation came though the link from the being Istara called Nana but also a sense of relief. When words came again they were sour, but tinged with worry. Do you have any idea what Ecien or Majistrona would do to me if I let you get shot by a bounty hunter?

 

Istara chuckled deep in her throat. The mind boggles. I can take care of myself. A sense of disbelief came across the link. Most of the time… She corrected herself sheepishly.

 

The other voice sighed in Istara’s head. Should be a chamber coming up soon. What did he use, do you know?

 

Istara would have shaken her head, but to wouldn’t move. No idea. It’s sticky, but doesn’t seem to be sticking to you.

 

Thank goodness Nana’s mind voice was tart again. I just got myself cleaned off before I heard you in trouble. You have a loud voice sister. Thank Ashla. Even if I DO have to clean myself again, thanks to you. The relief in the one far outweighed the outrage.

 

Thank Ashla you were close enough. He was prepared for me. Not Sharlina of the Bladeborn. Me. I don’t fight like she did, and he laid the trap for me. Istara’s voice was thoughtful. As if he knew me, or knew more about me than he should have.

 

Nana sighed. Later, let’s get you out of that mess…

 

Istara remained still as she was rotated a bit. She could see some more now, she was in a large circular chamber, it looked to be about ten meters in diameter and perhaps twenty meters high. Istara could turn her head finally and looked up into a vision of horror, but she smiled at the insect face that was bare centimeters from her own. She remained very still as the insect sliced carefully with razor sharp claws. In moments, her limbs fell free and her sword likewise. A claw moved by her head and she felt pressure, then whatever was holding her mouth open fell out as well. She worked her jaw and smiled widely at the insect as Nana set her gently on her feet.

 

“Thank you.” Istara said quietly as she shook her self a bit, feeling a number of small aches and pains, but nothing major. “We better move, he is sure to have a tracker on me.”

 

"Let me look..." Nana nodded her small head and then looked Istara over slowly. “Dart, left upper arm.”

 

"Right." Istara nodded and plucked the small device out of her body. She looked at it for a moment. It was recognizable, a tracking device, similar to ones Istara herself had used before. “This looks like Imperial tech…”

 

"Indeed?" Nana looked at it. “Can you deactivate it?”

 

"No." Istara shook her head. “If its anything like Imperial tech, it can’t be deactivated once activated, besides by destroying it. It’s designed that way to keep prey from hiding. But…” She looked around and grinned slightly. A quick flip of the wrist and a small thing that had popped out of the muck vanished back into the nasty water. An appendage with a muck covered eyeball that now had a small blinking object stuck on one side of the appendage. “Let him follow a dianoga for a while.”

 

"I like it." Nana laughed as she led the way towards a panel that had been moved just enough for her bulk to pass through. “You are evil Istara…”

 

Istara sighed as she replaced the cover and started replacing the fasteners that held it in place as Nana held it in place. “Sometimes…” Her voice was sad.

 

"Sister..." Nana’s was quiet. “What happened to the boy wasn’t your fault, Istara.”

 

Istara finished replacing the fasteners and started off, her head down as she watched for creatures that liked small dark, smelly places. “I am the reason he is dead. I didn’t kill his family, Nana, at least, I don’t remember killing any civilians. But I don’t remember everything. It was a bad day.”

 

"Sister..." Nana sighed, a remarkably human sound from such a hideous form. “You need to face this Istara.”

 

"Yeah..." Istara sighed just as deeply. “I know.” Behind them came the sound of an explosion. The two unlikely sisters looked at each other and moved faster.

 

<An hour later>

 

They didn’t have any encounters along the rest of their way. Istara had seen more of sewers in her time with the Bladeborn than she ever wanted to remember, but this time, she was glad for it. No people, no possibility of collateral damage. Time to think, to reflect, to parse through her memories. Nana let her think, sometimes leading the way, sometimes following, but always there, a steadying influence. A rock of stability in Istara’s often shaky world. When Majistrona had assigned Nana to be Istara’s companion, Istara had expressed some reservations at having an insect along. Nana kind of stuck out.

 

Istara smiled a bit as she looked her sister over in the dim light that came from the grates and downspouts above, along with the detritus of millions of people. Nana was small for her race. But she had all the strength, both physical and mental, of any of her people. Holianahyatoujikaimnana was an enigma to Istara at times. Sometimes the bug was incredibly wise, other times she seemed so dense as to be almost a complete innocent. But her heart was in the right place and no one who talked to her could ever think she was stupid. The insect WAS given to overimpulsiveness at times, but hey, Istara had that problem too. Nana’s carapace was darker than Ecien’s, more a bronzeish than a silverish. Istara wasn’t sure if that meant Nana was younger or older than Ecien, and it didn’t really matter. Nana was a friend, a confidant, a very good listener or a swift kick in the tail, whatever the situation called for. Istara tensed as Nana stopped under a grate that had been moved the same way as the one back in the circular chamber several klicks back.

 

“Up there is the spaceport. I caught Setsuna’s scent and traces in Ashla there, but too many people for me to be unobtrusive. I think she was catching a ship.” Nana’s voice was regretful.

 

"Yeah." Istara sighed. “That is the gist I get as well, she isn’t on planet anymore.” Istara shook here had and tears fell. “I…”

 

"Oh sister..." Nana sighed and held out both of her lower arms, the ones intended for fine manipulation. “Hey, come here…” The two unlikely siblings embraced and Nana spoke gain, softly, but with conviction. “We will find her. We were not that far behind her here. And if Gute has had any luck whatsoever…”

 

"Oh that fills me with such joy..." Istara shook her head. “Yeah, I get to pin my hopes on a crazy Iridonian?”

 

"Istara, that is not nice." Nana snorted and gave Istara’s shoulder a gentle thump with one of her heavy manipulators. “Hey, Gute isn’t crazy, he is just… well… um…”

 

"Crazy." Istara shook her head and sighed. “Gute is crazy…”

 

"he is not crazy." Nana replied with dignity. “Eccentric. He is eccentric.”

 

"Yeah..." Istara sighed, but there was an undercurrent of laughter to it. “Right…”

<A bit later>

 

Istara had finally finished cleaning the muck off of herself and was dressing when Nana came into the common room of the transport they had been given by the Sitolon and the insect’s manner was agitated.

 

“Istara…” The insect’s voice was… off.

 

Istara looked at her friend and stiffened. “Nana? What is wrong?”

 

Nana shook herself. “Gute has found some things and we have a guest at the ramp.”

 

"Nana?" Istara blinked, and then she groaned. “Vorren?”

 

"Yeah." Nana nodded. Her tone was sour. “Vorren.”

 

"Gah... Oh well..." Istara sighed. “Took him long enough. Well, At least I can ask a few things, let him in.”

 

Nana hit a set of controls on a wall panel with her more dexterous manipulator digits, they were too big to be called fingers, and a few moments later a nondescript human male entered the common room. He nodded to Istara and Nana.

 

Vorren, as always, didn’t waste time with pleasantries. “We missed her again.” Istara just looked at him and he sighed. “Look, Istara, we are not at cross purposes here.”

 

"Oh?" Istara just glared at him. “Could have fooled me. You want to take my blood sister and give her to that piece of garbage Darmuk. I want to find my blood sister and keep her safe. I would say that we are at cross purposes.”

 

Vorren sighed. “Istara… Are you going to disobey an express order from the Emperor… again?” His voice was somewhere between wonder, resigned, amused and worried.

 

"For the right reason? Certainly." Istara sighed as well. “Have you ever met Lord Darmuk, Vorren?”

 

At the question, Vorren actually looked nonplussed for a moment. Istara smiled slightly at having shaken the imperturbable agent, but then he stilled back into his habitual mask of indifference. “Only in passing. Does it matter?”

 

"It does." Istara looked at Nana, whose posture was resigned and the insect nodded. Istara’s voice was careful and controlled. “I haven’t met him except in passing as well, and he has always given me the absolute creeps. More than almost any other Sith. We don’t know what is coming, the strange plague that we have been getting reports on is only the beginning however. We don’t know what it is, why it is, but we do know he is up to his squinty eyeballs in it. And you ask me to turn a girl with incredible power over to him? Even if she wasn’t my sister, Vorren… Would that be wise?”

 

"Istara..." Vorren shook his head. “Wise or not… The Emperor commanded it. I don’t have a choice.”

 

“I don’t want to fight you Vorren." Istara said slowly. "I don’t. We are not enemies, but if you try and hand her over to that schutta, we will fight.”

 

"I know." Vorren nodded slowly. He looked away for a moment and then sighed. “Your concerns are noted. I have… issues as well. So many things just don’t add up. He acts like a loyal servant, but there are so many discrepancies. Small ones, tiny even. No proof. But in the end, Istara…” The agent held up his empty hands in a gesture of helplessness.

 

"No." Istara slumped again. “I know. The Emperor commanded it. You cannot disobey, even if it is for the good of the Empire. If it comes down to it… I am not a subject of the Emperor anymore, I am an ally. If I act in cross purposes to his decree, I can be censured and disciplined, but not killed out of hand.” Nana nodded at that.

 

"Istara..." Vorren stared at them both. “You went through that once, Istara, would you do it again?” She had undergone six months of torture, violations both physical and mental, Imperial justice was not pretty.

 

"Agent..." Istara’s face was sad. “What would you do if she were your sister, Vorren?”

 

For a moment, the facade that the agent showed the universe cracked and pain showed from his eyes. Then he stiffened and grimaced. His face became cold and remote. “I would obey my orders.” He set a datapad on the table and walked out.

 

Istara and Nana exchanged a glance and Istara pointed to the wall near where Vorren had been standing. Nana nodded and walked to it. She sat next to the wall. Something tiny went crack under her weight. Nana snorted. “He must be getting desperate, trying to monitor us.”

 

"No." Istara shook her head. “That won’t be the only one. I wish I had asked him about the tracker the bounty hunter had.”

 

Nana sighed. “Gute wanted to…”

 

Whatever she was going to say was cut off by an apparition appearing through one of the other entries to the common room. The form was bent over, scrutinizing the floor and then cackled a bit as it picked something up from the floor. “Gotcha!” The being stood up and it was a male Iridonian, in a filthy shipsuit. His face was covered by the oddest assortment of magnifiers and other visual enhancers that Istara had ever seen. He had several of them down to look at what was in his hand.

 

Nana shook her head. “Gute?”

 

The Iridonian looked at the insect and then at Istara before returning his gaze to what was in his hand. “Hiya Nana, Istara. I just found something cool!” The excitement in his voice was intense, as was his gaze.

 

"I should have known he wouldn't lay just one." Istara shook her head slowly. “A camera?” Her face was a mix of bafflement and resignation. Gute had that effect on her.

 

"Nah!" Gute shook his head. “Not just a camera. A microphone, camera, seismic senor, atmo-sensor… oh man this thing will do everything except laundry!” He chortled as he looked it over.

 

"Oh?" Nana’s voice was soft. “And when was the last time you did laundry, Gute?”

 

"Laundry?" Gute looked at the insect, baffled. “Uh…” he looked at his shipsuit and shrugged. “Yesterday… I think…”

 

"Gah..." Istara just shook her head. Her voice was resigned. “Try last week and you might be closer. I would put that down, they usually have a self destruct.”

 

"Huh?" Gute looked at her as if she were mad. “Oh I disabled that before I picked it up. Sheesh, silly Bladeborn…” Istara blinked but Gute was off and running. “I disabled the transmitter too, and the recorder, and the distress beacon and…”

 

"Gute?" Nana spoke slowly, but strongly. “Gute… what did you find earlier?”

 

Gute tore his gaze from the object in his hand for a moment. “Oh…” He said distractedly. “I found out who put the bounty on Istara.” His gaze went back to the camera in his hand.

 

Istara was in no mood now. “Who?” Her cold, clear voice had the tech specialist flinching.

 

"Ah..." Gute looked up and it was as if he saw her for the first time. He sobered for a moment. “Someone named Anold Vimas. An Imperial…” He broke off as Istara groaned.

 

The woman’s voice was low and angry. “He is a Moff. Anold Vimas. I might have known.” Gute looked at Istara and then his attention as drawn back to the object in his hand. He walked out of the bay muttering to himself. Istara shook her head, he was a a good pilot, but...

 

"Does this change things?" Nana looked at Istara. “I take it you know this Moff?”

 

"Yeah." Istara sighed. “You might say that. I have killed two of his protégés and I very nearly killed him once. Here actually.”

 

"Oh?" Nana looked at her. “He was here, with you?”

 

"Yeah." Istara sighed. “I was posted under his overall command. He… did not appreciate me being here… We met for the first time on an assault ship bound for here and immediately detested each other.”

 

"Istara?" Nana’s voice was gentle now. “What happened?”

 

"I have tried to forget." Istara sighed. “Like I have said, it was a bad day…”

 

 

<Coruscant, the past>

 

 

“…And I don’t care if you were the Emperor’s mistress, you will obey my commands!” The man in gray shouted at the woman in black and she just looked at him.

 

The two of them stood in a cavernous hangar bay, surrounded by bustling troops, all of whom knew better than to pay any attention at all to the scene being played out in their midst. Sharlina of the Bladeborn knew her posture was insolent, but she couldn’t have cared less. This toad was taking up time when she could be fighting. The battle had already begun, and apparently it was glorious. The Dark Side sang in her veins and she smiled, ever so slightly. More than one of the troops around the area shivered at the sheer maliciousness of her smile.

 

“Did you just insult the Emperor in front of one of his loyal subjects, Moff Vimas?” Her voice was cold and dead. She had practiced that tone, trying to get just the right aspect of utter carelessness in it. Nothing scared people more than a being who used the Force who didn’t care whether they lived or died. Not that Sharlina really did. In most ways, she was dead already. Her Code was all she had left now. No cause, no purpose. Her lightsabers were in hand now, but she didn’t ignite them. She wanted to see what this moron would do. At her words, everything around her…stopped. “You do know what the penalty for that is. Don’t you?”

 

“You wouldn’t dare!” The red haired man sneered at her, confident in his rank. But then he choked as she raised a hand in front of her.

 

“You obviously don’t know much about Bladeborn, Moff Vimas. Do you?” She raised her hand and the Dark Side sang though her and her eyes took on a reddish tint, but impossibly, her voice became calm. No, not calm… emotionless. Totally unemotional. A brown stain appeared on the front of the Moff’s black pants.

 

"Moff Vimas..." Sharlina continued in that same, quiet calm voice. “If the Emperor has a mistress, I don’t think it is any business of yours. Insult me as you wish. Insult him in my presence at your peril.” The arrogant Moff was suspended now in midair, his hands scrabbling at his throat fruitlessly trying to grasp the icy insubstantial fingers of the Force that held it tight. Another voice interjected.

 

“Bladeborn.” The calm voice came from an armored soldier. From the rank pips on his armor, he was a sergeant.

 

Sharlina turned her head to look the armored form in the eye holes of his helmet. “Yes, Sergeant?”

 

"Ma'am." The sergeant saluted her. “Shuttles are ready, ma’am.”

 

Sharlina nodded and the red in her eyes vanished. Her face ceased its stillness and joy suffused her features. “A good day, Sergeant! For the Empire!” She shouted.

 

“For the Empire!” Came the resounding cry from around the area. Sharlina made a quick gesture and Moff Vimas went flying to land in a heap near a wall. No one looked at him as the troops started boarding the shuttles in orderly rows. Someone near Sharlina started singing a battle hymn, Sharlina joined in and suddenly everyone was singing it. It would be a good day, a day of vengeance, finally, against the hated Republic.

 

<Coruscant, the present>

 

Nana’s voice was quiet. “It wasn’t a good day though, was it?”

 

"Not for me." Istara’s voice wasn’t much louder, and it held pain, regret and infinite sadness now. “Maybe for some. Not for me.” Nana came over to where Istara was standing and embraced the human lightly.

 

“What happened to Vimas?” Nana asked after a moment.

 

Istara snorted as she returned the insect’s embrace. It was odd, she reflected. One wouldn’t think of chitin as soft, but Sitolon epidermal tissue was not as hard as it looked. Nowhere near as hard as Mama Lizard’s scales. “I filed a report on his insult. It cost him. He swore vengeance against me, and I laughed at him. He supported several attempts against my life, and apparently he was a patron so certain individuals who made my life interesting. Admiral Horn for one.” Istara’s voice held hate now.

 

Nana gave her a gentle shake. “Istara… easy… You need to face this.”

 

"Yeah." Istara sighed. “I know, I will, I just…”

 

"Now." Nana’s voice was soft, but commanding. “You need to face it now. Come, sister…” Istara slumped further, but allowed herself to be led out of the room.

Edited July 4, 2012 by kalenath

<A few minutes later>

 

The room was small to begin with. Having a six foot tall insect sitting in the middle of it made the room almost unbearably claustrophobic. Istara sat where Nana had indicated and then leaned her body against Nana’s as directed. Her back lay against the insect’s thorax and she felt a hum deep inside the massive body.

 

"Relax, sister." Nana’s voice was gentle. “This will not be fun, Istara. Nor pleasant. But you must do it.”

 

"I know." Istara nodded a bit sluggishly. There was something about being here that felt… tiring. Not bad, just lethargic. “What do I do?”

 

"Just relax." Nana laid her arms around Istara, but instead of feeling confining, the human felt nothing but comfort. “I need you to remember Coruscant. The Sacking. See it in your eyes, hear it in your ears, smell it in your nose, feel it in your fingers, taste it…”

 

"No..." Istara shivered. “Nana… No… I… No…”

 

Nana’s voice was gentle, but was it her audible voice or her mind voice? “You have blocked her out far too long, she is part of you. Let her out." Let her out…

 

Suddenly Istara was catapulted somewhere else. She landed painfully on her hands and knees. She shook here had to clear it and froze. She was kneeling on pavement. She looked up and all around her were the megascrapers of Coruscant. But they were burning. She stood up and swallowed. She was standing outside a small Republic military depot that she and her troops had attacked and destroyed. It had been an awful fight, many of her troops had died in a crossfire from multiple heavy weapon emplacements. She had gone bonkers, losing herself in her rage, lashing out at everything that came in reach, droid, soldier, wall, child… She stared at the small, still corpse at her feet. Cut in half by a lightsaber. Her lightsaber?

 

“No…” Istara’s voice held horror. “Not again… please…”

 

A whisper came on the wind that shipped between the buildings, funneled by heat and Coruscant’s weird weather patterns. Face your past, Istara…

 

Istara stood and shook herself. Instead of the customary gray robes she wore, now she wore dark red armor. She remembered she had painted it in honor of the attack. Instead of her sword, two lightsabers hung at her side. She didn’t need to ignite them to know both had red blades. Around her, she heard screams, pleas, whimpers. But all that stopped when the voice came to her ears.

 

“You.” The cold clear voice had Istara flinching. “You coward. Of all the lousy, stupid, good for nothing shuttas…”

 

Istara tensed as a form walked out of the smoke that hovered nearby. This form also wore red armor. And carried two red lightsabers. But hers were ignited. The woman wore a full helmet but Istara didn’t have to see to know that the woman had her face.

 

“Istara Andal… And here I thought you had forgotten about me.” The cold words were unemotional and Istara bit back a shiver.

 

“How can I? You are part of me… Sharlina…” Istara shook herself. “I didn’t… mean to… Have I… I did bind you didn’t I? I didn’t… I wouldn’t… It wouldn’t work…” She broke off, appalled at her inability to make a coherent sentence.

 

The other woman sighed deeply. Sharlina’s voice became less menacing, more sad. “I know. I shouldn’t be angry with you. You are just trying to find your way. This is…”

 

They chorused. “…Weird.” Then they both laughed sadly.

 

Istara sighed and opened her arms. After a moment, the other figure doused her lightsabers and came into them and they embraced. Istara finally spoke. “We are two halves of the same whole, I will try not to keep you chained so much. It’s not good for either of us.”

 

"Come on." Sharlina stepped back and shook her head. “Istara, I am a monster. I know this, I accept it. It is all I am, all I ever will be. Ever since Amirg’s tortures when we were a child. You needed me so I came into being. I am part of you, but not. And it is better for everyone.”

 

"No it isn't." Istara shook her head. “Not for you.”

 

"Doesn’t matter." There was a sad smile in Sharlina’s voice. “I am here to help you.”

 

Istara shook her head savagely and embraced her other half again. “It does matter, you matter.”

 

"No I don't." Sharlina sighed. “Istara, the only reason I exist is because you needed me. You needed to be stronger, to be better, to have a way to beat Amrig. I didn’t mean to take over completely, but you…”

 

"I hid." Istara sighed. “I am always running from things, I am a coward like you said.” Her cheek stung suddenly and she stared as Sharlina pulled her hand back.

 

“Stop that.” Sharlina’s voice was still sad, but hard now. “If you were a coward, we would be dead. Amrig would have killed us in his experiments or his ‘training’. If you hadn’t hidden, Amirg would have succeeded. And then our mother would have died. Look, I need you and you need me. A mutually beneficial cooperative, right?”

 

"Sharlina..." Istara shook her head. “We need to be more than that. If we are to save Setsuna, we need to be whole again. We were once. We can be again.”

 

"Ah sister..." Sharlina shook her head. “You don’t know what you are saying Istara…”

 

Instead of answering Istara looked around.”What happened here? This was… This was where I left the troops, where I went down… Before I… found the lab…”

 

"No." Sharlina shook her head. “You don’t want to know, Istara. Leave off… please…”

 

"I need to know." Istara stared at the small form that lay crumbed near the wall and shuddered. “Did I kill this child?”

 

"Don't ask." Sharlina’s voice was soft and sad now. “Istara…”

 

"This cannot be allowed to fester." Istara shook her head. “I need to know. I need… We need to face this…”

 

Sharlina sighed and then held out a hand to her other self. “Then see… See what I saw…” Istara took the hand of the other her and…

<the past>

 

Sharlina cursed as fire drove her to cover. At least three of the troops, her troops went down in the murderous crossfire before they could reach cover. The sergeant, her sergeant, was lying in the open. She darted out of cover, grabbed him and pulled him to safety just as another torrent of fire scoured the area. The sergeant looked at her.

 

"Why did you do that?" His voice was… awed. “You should have left me… Most Sith would have…”

 

Sharlian snarled as she checked his wounds. Disabling but not life threatening. “I am not a Sith and I don’t leave my people with their shorts hanging in the breeze. Did you get a look?” She hit her com and snarled as her request came back red, denied.

 

The sergeant nodded. “Four heavy repeaters, two heavy droids, set up in a crossfire. At least forty troops, bunkers, left, right and center. Air support?’

 

"I just asked." Sharlina cursed again. “Unavailable. The Rep fighters are making one hell of a mess of our air cover." She tried another frequency and it came back negative as well. "And fire support in on standby for something else. Give me your grenades.”

 

"What?" The sergeant stiffened. “Ma’am…”

 

Sharlina was in no mood to argue. This day had started bad and gotten worse. From the moment they had landed they had been under fire from Rep snipers, armor and artillery. The Reps just would not give up. What had started as a battalion of highly trained Sith assault troops, now was maybe a company of weary, sick and sore survivors. Many of whom were wounded in some way. She grabbed for his equipment belt. “We don’t have time to argue, sergeant. I can take that position, but I need backup.”

 

“You have it , Ma’am.” He handed her his explosives pouch. “Three frag, two concussion and a thermal left. What do you need from us?”

 

"Noise." Sharlina smiled evilly. “A lot of noise.” She moved forward but the sergeant held up a hand. He had been working on his computer and suddenly she felt something from him she hadn’t before in the Force. Resignation.

 

"Ma'am." His helmet face turned to her and his voice was sick when he spoke. “On the com, Ma’am… HQ just ordered us forward.”

 

"What?" Sharlina snarled. “We can’t go forward. I’ll…” She broke off as the sergeant shook his head.

 

"Orders are orders ma'am." The sergeant sighed and pulled himself up to look over the cover before slumping back down as fire came his way. “I flagged it as a dangerous enemy strongpoint on the system and they have ordered us to clear it.”

 

"But..." Sharlina shook her head. “Sergeant… I can do this. Two minutes, I need two minutes…”

 

"Can't." The sergeant shook his head. “No time, ma’am… We go in twenty…”

 

"You can't do it." Sharlina shook her head. “Sergeant, you go out of cover and none of you will make twenty meters! They have heavy weapons, high ground, concealment and cover.”

 

"I know, ma'am." The sergeant sighed. “Bladeborn... Sharlina... It… it was an honor…”

 

"Sergeant!" Sharlina shook her head in horror. “No… I…”

 

The sergeant rolled himself into a prone position and started firing steadily at the Republic positions. “For the Empire!!”

 

He shouted and the call was taken up all around the ring as gray armored forms struggled out of their holes and charged. Sharlina could only watch in horror as the people she had commanded threw themselves into the maw of death. Death came for her people.

 

“No!” Sharlina shouted as she too darted out of cover.

 

Her lightsabers whirred, deflecting fire, some of it went back to where it came from, but there was so much of it. She felt impacts on her armor, one, two, three, and then she was in cover and close enough. She threw the frag grenades one way, the thermal detonator another and the concussion grenades a third. When the thermal went off, she was charging, right on the heels of the concussion blasts. The droids whirred at they tried to target her, but she was below the arcs of their guns. Sporadic fire came for behind her, but she ignored it and opened herself to the Dark Side as never before.

 

A timeless moment later, she stood, surrounded by bodies and wreckage. She panted, pain came and she looked at herself. She was covered in wounds, wounds that were healing quickly as tendrils of dark side energy drank in the pitiful remnants of life energy in the cooling bodies around her. She slumped as she released the energy, shuddering as she tried to ignore the call, the rush to use it again. To feel it again. She fought it back with the skill born of long practice. She shook her head and started into the Republic encampment. It was no depot. She froze as she saw the twisted, blasted remnants of a droid. That kind of droid was only used in one place. A hospital.

 

“What… the…?” She asked the empty air, stunned.

 

She looked around her at the bodies. Only half of them wore Republic armor. Many of them bore bandaged wounds. Some of them wore medical garb. No wonder the Reps had defended this place so strongly. It wasn’t an ammo depot. This was a field hospital, she had destroyed a field hospital. She shuddered as she looked at the blasted tents. It looked as if something had landed in the midst of the tents and exploded. From the small pieces scattered about, probably a fuel tank. Then she saw him. He was lying near the wall, curled up on himself. The human boy couldn’t have been more than four or five. His legs lay a good meter from his body, but the cut was clean. Cauterized, as if by a lightsaber.

 

"No..." Sharlina’s voice was horrified. “No…”

 

She knelt down beside the boy and stiffened as he moved. He lived! She turned him over gently and he stiffened in her hands. His wide, pain filled eyes stared up at her. His voice was scared, and filled with pain.

 

“Please don’t hurt me no more…” He begged.

 

"I..." Sharlina shook her head, horrified at what she had done. “I won’t.” There was nothing she could do, she was no healer. She held him until she felt the life flee his body. Then she laid him out straight and walked to the entrance of the facility.

 

As she passed the entrance, she saw the burnt and blasted bodies of her men. She didn’t need the Force to tell her than none had survived the Republic fire to come to her aid. As she walked she felt a presence and a dark cloaked figure stepped out of an alleyway. The Sith smiled.

 

“It seems you did manage to take that strong point. Well done, Bladeborn.” Sharlina ignored him and walked past. “Bladeborn…?” His voice now held an edge of menace. Sharlina stopped but didn’t turn. Something in his Force sense…

 

“You knew they had a hospital here.” Her words were not a question. “That it wasn’t a depot.”

 

"Yes." The Sith smiled. “We knew. Your assault would have weakened them for my men to take. And the glory would be mine.”

 

“You can take your glory and shove it where the sun doesn't shine." Sharlina said softly. "You kept the air and artillery from helping us.” She turned and walked towards him. he shifted his position, but she didn't attack, waiting for his answer. He relaxed slightly. Bladeborn were strange, but there was nothing aggressive in her posture. More a resignation.

 

The Sith smiled again. “Ah Bladeborn… This is a good thing. It will break their morale. To see their women and children die so ignobly… URK!” His voice cut off as Sharlina grabbed him. She could have used the Force, she could have walked away. But she was too angry to see anything except this man who had cost her people their lives. And all for his self advancement. She dropped him and before he could stand, she drove both blades deep into his body. She met his stunned expression with her angry one. She grabbed him with a solid fist of the Force and hauled his dying form off the ground then slammed it down with enough power to send a nearby wrecked speeder sliding away. The Dark Side sang in her veins and the sheer power she was radiating had the troops that were watching step back.

 

“You made me break my Code. You made me kill children. You watched and waited to see if I would succeed, you let all my people die for nothing so you could make a grand showy Sith entrance, achieving victory. Well… Enjoy it… Enjoy your victory, scum.” She threw her arm up and the still breathing body flew upwards. It impacted a protruding piece of metal that stuck out from a wrecked building and hung there. His eyes, still open, met hers. His mouth worked but Sharlina just smiled grimly and with a wave of her hand, the whole side of the building caved in, taking the Sith and burying him under a huge pile of debris.

 

The troops that had stood behind the Sith a respectful distance, stared at her, fear radiating. “Bladeborn? What do we do now?”

 

"Do I look like I care?" Sharlina snarled at the speaker. “You are not my people, not my problem.” With that, she walked away ignoring the confused stammers behind her. This was no place for her.

 

Istara was crying hard, and she felt gentle arms around her. A gentle voice so like hers came to her ears. She looked up into her own face. Sharlina had undone her face mask and the darker aspect of her personality was crying as well. “It’s okay, Istara." Sharlina said sadly. "It was me, not you.”

 

"No." Istara shook her head. “It was both of us. We did that. Did we kill that boy’s family?”

 

"I don’t know." Sharlina sighed. “Maybe. But if so… What could we do now to fix it?”

 

"Now?" Istara shook her head. “Nothing, but…still…”

 

"Yeah." Sharlina sighed deeply. “Someone said this a long time ago, Istara. ‘War is Hell.’ We know that better than any.”

 

"I was..." Istara shook her head slowly. “We were…”

 

“Foresworn, yeah." Sharlina admitted. "That Sith manipulated us into breaking the Code. He paid for it. But we are still paying for what happened.”

 

“It was not your fault, and not my fault." Istara said stolidly. "I think we all died a bit in that damned battle. I need you, and you need me. Two halves of one whole.”

 

"Yes." Sharlina nodded. “Two sides of one coin.” She took off her helmet and laid her head next to Istara’s. Something passed between then and…

 

<Reality>

 

Istara coughed. Her throat was raw and her eyes were burning as she lay against a yielding bulk. “You saw.” It wasn’t a question.

 

Nana’s voice was sad. “I saw.”

 

“What is the penalty for Bladeborn who do things like that?” Istara asked quietly when she could speak again.

 

“Istara… It was not your fault. You were obeying orders. You were manipulated. Anyone can be.” Nana’s voice was gentle and something brushed Istara’s hair.

 

“How many children did I kill, Nana?" Istara begged. "How many?” Istara had dry eyes now, her tears spent. But she still heaved with sobs.

 

“Istara…" Nana's voice was soothing. "You forgave Trugoy his betrayals. You forgave Idjit his. I think maybe it is time you forgave yourself.” Nana’s arms tightened around Istara as the woman shivered.

 

“I don’t know if I can, Nana. I don’t know if I can…”

Edited July 4, 2012 by kalenath

<A day later>

 

Istara liked this place, it was quiet, cool, and she was making a difference. If only a small one, then at least she WAS making a difference. She smiled as she folded clothes to pack into the boxes. With donations coming in from people all over the galaxy, the charities on Coruscant needed help organizing, documenting and packaging shipments of material for those in need. It wasn’t difficult work and she was making a difference. She couldn’t stay long, she knew that, but since she hadn’t given her real name, and had donned a fairly good disguise for this, she hoped to keep the good people who ran the place out of danger while Gute and Nana ran down leads on Setsuna. Brown hair dye and contact lenses were not difficult to maintain. She just hoped it would keep these folks out of danger.

 

She had arrived this morning ready to do whatever the people asked, and when they realized she was fit and capable, they had her lifting and carrying things for the elderly volunteers. Any Sith would probably be horrified to be caught anywhere near such a place, But Istara was not a Sith and while Nana felt she did not need absolution for her actions during the Sacking, because she wasn’t really the same person anymore, Istara did. It wasn’t difficult work. Her hands literally flew as they packaged boxes for shipment, boxes of food, clothing and medical supplies for people in need around the planet. One of the beings who ran the place, an elderly Bothan with a limp, smiled as she walked by.

 

“You do that very well, Istara. Thank you for your help.” The Bothan had been a bit surprised to find a human woman in gray robes asking to help out, but had not been willing to turn away any assistance.

 

"Thank you Miralia." Istara smiled back. “I won't be able to stay long, but... I… I wanted to make a difference.”

 

"We do what we can." The gray furred Bothan sighed. “We try, Istara. We try. It’s so hard though. There simply isn’t enough money available for such things. So people go hungry and unclothed. I just wish we could do more.”

 

"I as well." Istara nodded. “My past… I have done horrible things.” She looked at her hands. “For a little while at least, I can do simple things. Things that help. We can’t help everybody, but we can help.”

 

"Indeed we can." Miralia smiled. “Ah, child, you have such pain in your eyes. I don’t know your past and I won’t ask. But all we can do is deal with the present.”

 

Istara smiled sadly. “Everyone keeps telling me that. But I…” She slumped. “I have done terrible things, Miralia. I thought I was on the right side, doing the right thing, and I wasn’t. I don’t know what is worse, the fact that I was lied to, or the fact that I did those things without hesitation.”

 

The Bothan looked at her and perched on a countertop for a moment. “The question, Istara, is if you had them to do over again, would you do the same things?” Istara shook her head, mute and Mirialia smiled. “See. You learn from mistakes. It is all you can do. You are not a bad person, Istara.” The kindly Bothan patted Istara on the shoulder and went to check on the fresh food shipment.

 

Istara shook her head and returned to working. If only you knew…

 

<A couple of hours later>

 

Istara had expected to work all day, so when Miralia had called out for a lunch break, she had been a bit bewildered. She hadn’t expected that, and had no idea what to do. So when the group massed and went outside, she followed a bit bewildered. Whatever she might have expected, a picnic lunch provided by Miralia was not it. The food was good, and the company also was good. They didn’t press her, but included her in their conversations. Some things she could talk about and did. And she relaxed for the first time in a long, long time. Alas, it was not to last.

 

When it happened, it happened fast. One moment, Istara was laughing at a joke one of the humans had told when she felt a warning inside her skull. She threw up a hand and the missile that had been heading towards the group spun in midair, flying back the way it had come. Then it exploded. All of the others stared up at the blast, but Istara looked at Miralia.

 

"Miralia." Istara’s voice was quiet. “You all should get back inside.” Her voice and face were pensive as she saw a small form rocketing them in the distance, growing larger.

 

"What the?" Miralia looked at her, but there was no fear in the elderly Bothan. None at all. “What is it Istara?”

 

Istara shook her head slowly. “My past.” Her voice was quiet. “Please Miralia, I… I don’t want to be responsible for more deaths.”

 

The group all stared at her, but Miralia nodded slowly. “As you wish Istara. Should I call the cops?”

 

“No need.” Istara shrugged. “Please… get inside…”

 

The group hurried in and Istara watched as the door sealed and locked. It wouldn’t keep out a determined hunter, but it would give the group some protection. She watched as the dot in the distance grew larger and wished she had her sword. But it wouldn’t have been in keeping for a penitent to be carrying such a weapon. Of course she wasn’t defenseless, but…

 

The armored form of the bounty hunter swooped in and landed twenty meters from where Istara stood. His voice was smug as always. “You are hard woman to find, Sharlina.”

 

"You are an idiot, using heavy weapons near civilians is a bad idea." Istara sighed. “And... My name is Istara. If you do not want spent a great deal of time in rehab, turn around and fly away. Now.”

 

The hunter snorted. “You are worth a lot of money, and you have cost me a lot of time. No way am I leaving you now.”

 

“Then you have some problems.” Istara said with a shrug. “Three in fact. First and foremost is that the guy who posted the bounty, Moff Anold Vimas, is soon going to be in no position to pay you as he is currently disobeying a direct order from the Emperor to leave me alone. A direct order to him actually, after his last attempt on my life five years ago. There is only one penalty for that and I think you know what it is.” She felt shock emanate from the bounty hunter, but she didn’t move, didn’t react.

 

"I don;t believe you." Finally, he spoke. “You are just another mark. You would say anything to get away.”

 

“Whatever.” Istara smiled sadly. “Second, a cop named Detective Sosan wants to talk to you. Something about ‘excessive damage and bodily harm while attempting an apprehension’. You really shouldn’t have shot that kid… He was a fool, but he was no threat to you.”

 

"Right." The hunter shrugged. “I let people point guns at me and I get shot. No thank you. The third thing? Not that I really care.”

 

“You really should have left.” Istara sighed. “The third thing is that in about twenty seconds, every piece of high tech equipment you have will cease to function.”

 

"Huh?" The hunter stared at her, his posture wary. “What are you going to try now?”

 

“Me?” Istara shook her head. “Not a thing.”

 

The hunter stared at her and raised his rifle. But when he pulled the trigger, nothing happened. He stared at it, and Istara sighed. “Tech is a crutch, sir. If you pull that crutch out from under someone, often they have no idea at all how to react.”

 

He snarled at her and moved, but a shot rang out from nearby and he fell, clutching his arm. A large hole smoked on his armor. Another form, this one wearing the uniform of the Coruscant Security Police, strode out from concealment nearby. The heavy blaster that the cop held was steady on his target, the hunter’s head. When male human spoke it was cold and precise.

 

“Kunda Gev, you are under arrest for murder. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney…”

 

Istara watched impassive as more police appeared nearby. They converged on the hunter who was staring at her in shock. His voice was amazed. “What kind of Sith calls the cops?”

 

“How many times must I say it?” Istara sighed. “I am not a Sith, I am Bladeborn.”

 

The hunters hand blurred and suddenly about four of the cops piled on him. The hunter was shouting. “You won’t get away! I never lose a mark! I will…” His voice broke off as one of the cops wrestled his helmet off. The human face that showed was significantly younger than Istara, but no less hard. He met her gaze and snarled. “You won’t get away. You are a murderer too. You killed hundreds! Women, children…”

 

“Yes I have, yes I am.” Istara slumped. “I kill, in battle or when I have no choice. I don’t kill for credits, and I do not kill children when I have any choice at all. I certainly don’t kill them because it’s expedient.” Her final words were hard, cold and merciless and the hunter stopped struggling as he stared at her. “Get him out of here before I forget that I don’t kill the helpless… Please…?”

 

The cop who had fired holstered his blaster and came up to her. His voice was professional now. “Thanks for the tip, Miss Istara. We have been looking for this one for a while.” Istara just shook her head as Gev was stripped of his equipment before being manacled hand and foot and loaded into a police airspeeder. After the speeder had flown off and another officer was cleaning up the scattered bits of armor, the cop spoke again. The voice was non-committal. “Was what he said true?”

 

“Yeah.” Istara nodded sadly. “I was here. Not ‘here’ mind you…” She pointed at the ground. “The other side of the planet. But I was here during the Sacking. Am I under arrest, Detective Sosan?” She wouldn’t fight, not here, not now. She was too tired and sad now to fight.

 

“Well…” Sosan sighed. “I guess I could arrest you, but what would be the point? There are likely no witnesses.” Istara shook her head. “What happened? You don’t seem the kind for mindless slaughter.”

 

“I…” Istara shook her head. “I was, but… not quite the way you think. I lived for the fight, but only against opponents that pushed me to my limits. Opponents who could fight back. I was a soldier, not a terrorist.” She sighed. “As for what happened? Have you ever dealt with a glory seeker, Detective?”

 

The detective stiffened. “Oh no…” his voice held sympathy now. “You ran afoul of one of them.” It wasn’t a question.

 

Istara shook herself. “Yeah. He manipulated my company into attacking a Republic position head on so he could gain the glory of victory. I… I lost it. Lost my temper, lost my sanity. I killed everything within reach. Then I realized it wasn't a military facility, it was a hospital. He knew, he wanted an easy victory to speed his advancement. So he got my company killed. He paid for it, after, but all my people, the people who had followed me into that firestorm… I…” She bowed her head. She tensed as a hand patted her on the shoulder.

 

“Ms. Istara…” Sosan’s voice was quiet. “None of us came out of there unscathed Ma’am.” She looked him in the eyes and saw something in them that she saw in the mirror every time she looked at herself. She nodded to him. “For what it is worth… I deal with assorted scum every day. It makes me a pretty good judge of character. Either you are the best actress I have ever seen, or the woman who attacked this planet doesn’t exist anymore.”

 

“Uh…” Istara looked away across the swaths of destruction visible still in the area. “I don’t know sometimes, Detective.”

 

“Well…” Detective Sosan nodded. “That… That tells me that you are not a mindless murderer. I need to get back to the station, start processing that scum. Thank you.”

 

Istara smiled wanly. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I hope you never see me again. I am not safe to be around.”

 

“Really?” Sosan asked sarcastically. “Anyone who can stand there under a bounty hunter’s gun while we get an EMP projector in place is not safe to be around, Ma’am. But come to think of it… Neither am I…” He grinned.

 

Istara smiled and extended her hand. The cop took it and they shook. She watched as Sosan turned and walked to another car that had landed. Then she turned towards the entrance and froze solid. The people she had worked with stood there looking at her. The looks on their faces were… odd. Anger, hate, fear, she would have expected. Shock and sadness? Pity?

 

“I…” Istara slumped and turned to go.

 

“Wait…” Miralia pushed her way to the front. “Istara, wait…”

 

“No.” Istara shook her head twice in rapid succession. “I shouldn’t…stay… I…”

 

“Istara… Come here, girl…” The Bothan’s voice was gentle now and against her will, Istara turned back and Miralia opened her arms. “You are not the only survivor here, girl. I was evacuated from Bothawui, against my will.”

 

“I am sorry. It sounds so trite, so silly, but…” Istara didn’t move as Miralia came closer. Then the Bothan embraced her. Istara’s voice was soft. “I am sorry…”

 

“You could have killed that fool." Miralia said softly. "I saw you turn that missile around. You could have let it blow. It would have killed several of us, but you could have escaped. Why didn’t you?” The Bothan held Istara while she cried.

 

“It would have been wrong.” Istara’s voice was soft but fierce. “I don’t kill when I can help it. I am not Sith, I am Bladeborn. We don’t fight those who cannot fight back. And we don’t make war on children.” She tensed as she felt Miralia stiffen.

 

“Bladeborn?” Miralia’s voice was quiet. “What is your real name?”

 

“Istara Sharlina Andal is my full name. I went by…” Istara broke off, stunned as Miralia hugged her tighter.

 

“What?” Miralia was crying hard now. “Sharlina, oh my god, you were the Dark Woman…”

 

"Wha?" Istara blinked, stunned.

 

People!" Miralia turned he head. “People, this is Sharlina, the woman who saved the kids from Special Branch…”

 

“Miralia…?” Istara was dumbfounded now as people crowded around her. But not in anger. They all wore smiles. “But…I…”

 

"You are Bladeborn." Miralia smiled widely, still crying. “My grand nephew was in the facility your people took on Ord Mantel. The scum had snatched him on the way home from school. The things that were done to him…”

 

"Miralia..." Istara shook her head. “I wasn’t there…”

 

"I know." Miralia shook her head. “But we didn’t know anything about it until we saw Maria Kalenath on the holo tell what happened to her and the woman who had saved her. The Dark Woman… The woman from nowhere who came out of nowhere to wreak havoc on the evil scum. The Bladeborn named Sharlina.”

 

"I..." Istara was crying again. “I am not a good woman, Miralia. I am not.”

 

“Neither am I.” Miralia hugged her tight again. “I don’t care. People like you saved my grand nephew; that is all that matters to me. Come on, let’s go back to work, and… if you don’t mind… We can talk a bit.” Istara allowed herself to be led back into the building. Maybe… this day wouldn’t be so bad… maybe…

<The end of that day>

 

Istara bade Miralia and the other workers at the shelter farewell with mixed feelings. It felt… odd, not to be reviled, not to be hated. What Miralia felt was right up with hero worship. Istara had never felt anything like that from anyone. Awe, sure, respect, sure, fear, definitely. Hero worship? Not hardly. Istara for her part was in awe. Miralia had been badly injured during the Republic defense of Bothuwai. So badly injured in fact that many doctors had said she would not survive to reach proper medical care. But she had. And while the blast that had hurt her did a lot of damage and left her with the limp she showed, the Bothan had no hate in her. Not now. The Bothan had taken Istara aside after the work shift had ended and hugged her tight.

 

“I hope you don’t mind. I… I was full of rage, pain and self loathing after Bothuwai. I found a better way, in the arms of a being who cared for me, for who I was. Not what I was, or what had happened to me. I hope you find the same.” Miralia had embraced Istara again then and Istara had embraced her right back.

 

The group had wanted her autoprint of all things. Like some kind of celebrity. Maybe… Maybe to them she was. She didn’t feel very much like a celebrity. She felt… tired. But it was a good tired. She had worked all day, and when she no longer needed to hide her powers, the work had really picked up, she could move far more than the others, but they could pack things better than she could. A fair distribution of labor. She had left a sizable credit chip in the donations box, and hoped it would help. One good thing of working with the Sitolon was that they did not lack for money. The proceeds from raiding slaver and pirate dens were sizable to say the least. But now… Now she had to go back to looking for Setie. She was halfway back to the ship when she felt a disturbance in the Force and stopped. The area around her was a rundown section of the block, it still showed the scars of battle. Wreckage was still piled in some places, and one of the megascrapers that sided the street had been gutted. But the road was clear, and there were no civilians around, so Istara sighed, turned to face an alleyway and stared into the shadows.

 

She sighed as a human figure left an alley and stepped into her path. Kunda Gev looked like hell. He wore a tattered jumpsuit and boots that were too big for him. But the blaster he held was steady. His face wore a smile. “Did you think you were going to get away so easily?”

 

“No.” Istara met his smile with one of her own. His faltered a bit. Her voice was cold and clear. “No innocents for you to threaten this time, bounty hunter. She tensed as several other shadows separated from buildings, but instead of moving towards her, they moved towards Kunda. Istara spoke evenly. “Wait…” The gang stopped, and Istara made a gesture. Despite his desperate grab, the hunter’s blaster flew out of his hand to land in Istara’s. He blanched. Istara looked at the gang who looked at her. “We have a problem?”

 

The Bothan who was leading the group, the same one Istara had knocked out at the memorial, shook her head. Now her eyes were not sad, they held rage.

 

“No. Grandmama Miralia explained. Kuil…” The Bothan sighed. “He was poisoned by his hate. We are not. We got no do with you, Dark Woman.”

 

“Good.” Istara bowed her head slightly. “And him?” She arced her head at where Kunda stood, frozen.

 

“Well, now…” The Bothan smiled. It was not a nice smile. “I think we might make a citizen’s arrest. I hear the cops are looking for him.”

 

"Right." Istara smiled right back. “You might need this then.” She threw the blaster and it arced smoothly into the Bothan’s hands.

 

“Thank you, Istara Sharlina Andal.” The young Bothan smiled at Istara and then turned to Kunda. “You gonna be stupid about this? Please say yes. Kuil was a jerk, but he was our friend.” The Trandoshan cracked his knuckles as the gang started closing in on the hunter again.

 

“You won’t get away!” Kunda snarled. “There is nowhere you can run, Sharlina of the Bladeborn, where I cannot find you!”

 

“Idiot.” Istara sighed. “My name is Istara Sharlina Andal and you are welcome to come after me. The guy who gave you the bounty is dead by now. You want to seek vengeance, you go right ahead. If I catch you endangering children again however, I will blind you, maim you and leave you alive to beg on the streets of Nar Shaddaa.”

 

It was hard to tell what was worse, the threat or the cold matter of fact tone. More than one of the gang members shied away from Istara’s hard voice. The Bothan nodded, Istara bowed to her, turned and left the scene. Behind her, she heard sirens approaching, but didn’t hurry her steps.

 

<A bit later>

 

Istara sat in her quarters and tried to focus herself. It was hard. It had been such an eventful day. Then she tensed. Something was wrong. She opened her eyes but nothing was there. She opened herself fully to Ashla and froze as something appeared in front of her. The apparition of a girl, a girl in pain, one she knew. The girl had black hair and when she looked at Istara, the Bladeborn hissed as she saw the green eyes.

 

"Nia...?" Istara’s voice was soft, scared. “Nia Korr…?”

 

"Who...?" The girl looked around as if blind, but then seemed to focus on Istara. “Sh…Sharlina…? No… No…!”

 

"Nia." Istara shook her head. She tried to move closer, to help, but she couldn’t. A vision then. “Nia, what? What is wrong? Can I help?”

 

"No." The daughter of Will Kalenath convulsed, but seemed to be held by something. Or in something. Istara couldn’t make it out. After a moment, Nia slumped back onto whatever she was on. “Shar…lina… Stay…Away… find Setsuna… save her… Stay away… from… me… You have got to… stay… away…”

 

"Nia!" Istara fought, but couldn’t move. “I need to know. This is a vision. Is it the present or the future? Nia… please… your dad is going nuts! You helped me once, let me help you!”

 

"No." Nia probably would have shaken her head, but it wouldn’t move. “Stay… away…from… me… Sharlina… I don’t want to kill you…” Nia slumped in whatever was holding her and Istara blanched, but then something had a hold of her and was drawing her away.

 

“No!” Istara screamed as she came back to herself.

 

"Sister?" Nana recoiled from where she had been holding Istara close. “Istara, what…?”

 

“Did you see?” Istara asked, almost begging.

 

Nana shook her head, “No, I heard you start screaming, I came in and you were out of your body. I pulled you back. Istara…What…?”

 

Istara focused on what she had felt. “I think I just had a vision. Dang it… Where is Idjit when I need him? It felt… Not present… future... then. She was older, not younger… But not much older.”

 

“What are you talking about?” Nana projected confusion. “Who, Istara?”

 

“Oh Nana…” Istara sighed. “Nia Korr. Will Kalenath and Jainine Korr’s daughter. I need to talk to Jainine and Majistrona. Now or as soon as possible.”

 

"Ah..." Nana shook her head. “Istara, it will take some time to rendezvous. We can probably communicate mind to mind, but over such distance… It might be difficult. What is wrong?”

 

"I don't know, but..." Istara shook her head. “I think she was dying. She told me to stay away, to find Setsuna and stay away from her, stay away from Nia that is.” Nana stared at her. “I know… that makes no sense. I don’t know where she is. If I did, I would pick her up, get her healed and hand her over to her father healthy and whole. Better for everyone if he isn’t running around blowing things up. Republic and Empire.”

 

"So true, Istara." Nana sighed. “More than you know. Okay, I will contact Majistrona, see if we can meet… if not, we may be able to communicate a bit. You need to eat and rest.”

 

Istara stiffened in rebellion, but the set of the insects shoulders told her that no, she wasn’t going to be able to push this. “Yes mother…” She said sourly.

 

Nana didn’t move. “Now Istara.”

 

“Okay, Okay…” Istara sighed, went to her chiller and pulled out a ration pack. She put it in the heaters and shook her head. “I don’t get it, why appear to me, now?”

 

“Well…” Nana shook her head. “From what I understand, she has little to no control over her more powerful abilities and Idjit shut many of them down on Trugoy’s orders.”

 

“Huh?” Istara froze from where she had been reaching for the heated ration. “He what? Why?” She pulled it out and sat down at her small desk to eat.

 

“Dunno.” Nana made a humming noise. “You would have to ask them. I have no idea, not even intelligent guesses.”

 

“Fair enough, I will when I see them again.” Istara sighed. “I will. She is one of us, isn’t she? One of the Seven?” Nana stared at her and made a waving gesture. Istara shrugged and started eating slowly.

 

“Will Kalenath’s daughter?” Nana shrugged. “I don’t know. None of my people have met her. But… Since all of the others we have found are either connected to you or Will Kalenath…”

 

“Hmmm…” Istara ate the bite she had in hand and then nodded. “Technically, she is connected to both of us, since Will is her dad and Jainine is her mom. Yeah. It stands to reason, I know she is powerful. But I have no idea how powerful.” She finished the ration pack quickly and disposed of the container. “There, happy, Mother?”

 

Nan just looked at her and Istara gave along sigh before lying on the bed. Nana touched her arm and Istara tensed as she felt a small sting on her arm. When she looked, Nana was withdrawing a hypo. . “Wha…?’

 

Nana sighed. “You need the sleep Istara. Doctor’s orders. Too many emotional shocks over the last several days. Rest in the arms of Ashla, warrior.” Istara couldn’t summon the energy to be outraged and sleep came for her quickly, buoyed on the refrain that Nana was singing softly.

<The next day>

 

Istara lay one her bed as directed and tried to relax as Nana touched her head with two antennae. As always it felt good when she joined the insect mind to mind. She wasn’t sure if it was something in the bug or something in her. Truth be told, she didn’t care. She felt Nana’s amusement.

 

I am glad you feel that way. Come Istara, come with me… Istara felt the world fall away and then… She was standing on the gray plain that she had seen a bit of, both before leaving Trugoy’s Bladeborn and since. Nana’s voice sounded in her head. We must be cautious.

 

Istara nodded slowly I remember She had been in this place before, with Idjit. There were predators here, as well as beings of great power, beings who would not hesitate to obliterate intruders into what they considered their domain. What do I do?

 

We wait Nana’s voice came and the insect’s form appeared on the plain standing beside Istara.

 

How long? Came Istara’s sardonic thought. But right on the heels of that thought, two other forms appeared nearby. Istara smiled on seeing Ecien and Majistrona appear.

 

Nana’s thought was sarcastic Oh it might be a while…

 

Istara snorted, but then bowed deeply to Majistrona Elder

 

"Istara." Majistrona made a sound suspiciously like a chuckle. “I see Nana has been teaching you our protocol in her spare time.”

 

"Majistrona." Nana shrugged with two of her shoulders. “I have been trying to.” Istara stuck her tongue out at the insect and Nana preened dramatically. Ecien snorted.

 

Majistrona sounded resigned. “Children…” The queen became serious. “Nana said it was important.”

 

Istara bit her lip. “You know my mother was a seer.” All three insects nodded. “I have never honed my divination powers. I never thought they were important.”

 

Ecien spoke up. “Istara…” Her voice was resigned, but Istara just shook her head.

 

Istara’s voice was soft now, scared. “I saw Nia Korr, hurting. In pain, restrained to something. She told me to save Setie. And then Nia said to stay away from her, Nia that is. She seemed more afraid for me than for herself. She said not to come after her, whatever that means. I have no idea where she is.”

 

Majistrona made a humming noise. “And if you did?” Istara just looked at her and Majistrona nodded. “I know, sister, I know.”

 

"I owe her." Istara sighed. “I did something dumb a while back. I didn’t understand something that Setie was involved in. My… mother was involved. I thought she was going to kill Setie, I was desperate.”

 

"Istara..." Majistrona stared at the human Bladeborn she called daughter and battle sister. “What did you do?”

 

"Like I said..." Istara slumped. “It was stupid. I could sense some of what was happening to Setie, even from far away. She had called for help, but I was too far away. So… I tried to go to her.”

 

"You...?" For the first time since Istara had met her, Majistrona seemed stunned speechless.

 

Ecien finally spoke. “What did you do Istara?”

 

"I know it was dumb." Istara sighed, and then spoke slowly and carefully. “I had placed a protection mark on Setsuna. She called for assistance, so I tried to help her. I… forced my mind back along the link we shared. It… It didn’t work.”

 

All three of the insects were staring at her now. Finally, Majistrona spoke. “What happened? From what I understand about your marks, it shouldn’t have worked at all.”

 

"I don’t know what happened." Istara shook her head. “One moment, I was sitting on the Fate Shatter, the next I was somewhere else. It was a planet and not one I know. There were a bunch of people there, they looked and acted like Jedi. But none that I have ever seen. The leader… His power was incredible, Majistrona. Almost as much power in the Light side as the Emperor has in the Dark side I think. He blazed, no other word comes close. Nia was there.”

 

Ecien spoke carefully now. “What happened?”

 

"I didn;t understand what had happened." Istara shook her head. “I wasn’t thinking. I was afraid for Setsuna. I attacked her, and we fought. We were evenly matched, which isn’t… I don’t understand how she could fight so well. She hadn't finished her training, and she knew things… Techniques I haven’t seen anywhere else. But I have heard of them. You probably know them. Crissold, Julioniana, Horned Tiger, Gulkun. She used a Crissold’s pirouette to break a double bladed vibroblade that I was using at the time of our first fight. It took me a week of research to figure out what technique she had used.”

 

"You are kidding...?" Ecien recoiled. “Nia knew those?”

 

"Yeah." Istara nodded. “I have no idea how. I mean, I had heard of them of course, in my training, but to face them? We were evenly matched. Which made no sense at all, the Force sense I got from her was odd. As if…” Istara broke off in thought.

 

After a moment Majistrona prompted her. “As if…?”

 

"As if it wasn’t really her in control." Istara frowned in thought. “Now that I think about it, it was very odd. She was... Well, incredible is probably the only word that does her justice. Her eyes were glowing, but not red as mine did in battle. More a silver.” All three insects stilled into immobility and Istara nodded slowly. “You think she is one of the Seven?”

 

Nana and Ecien looked to Majistrona who nodded slowly. Her voice was thoughtful. “From the description, she must be. Probably the Second. But… if that is the case…” She shook her head slowly. “If that is the case, then we must be very cautious, Istara. Second, mirror to the soul, power temporal. We don’t know what that means for certain, but…”

 

"Mirror?" Istara’s eyes went wide. “Wait a moment… She was copying me…? If she was using such techniques against me… How could she? I don’t know them.”

 

Ecien shivered a bit. That was the only word for it. Her voice was quiet. “Yet.”

 

"What?" Istara stared at the silver carapace bug and then shivered herself as Ecien's meaning became clear. Her voice was hushed. “Kark me…”

 

"Indeed." Majistrona nodded slowly. “Nana, you will instruct Istara in our techniques. Including those ones she has named. Istara, be very careful using those. They were designed for beings with four arms, not two. And they were designed for swords, not lightsabers. With them, you will likely be able to defeat any common sword or saber wielder, but…”

 

"Against blasters and other weapons?" Istara nodded slowly. “There has to be a downside.”

 

"Yes." Ecien responded. “There is. You will be fast, and almost unstoppable up close. But at range, you will be very vulnerable. And you will find it much harder to focus on Ashla. You can either focus on fighting or on Ashla. Not both.”

 

"I see." Istara blinked. “Ouch. I can see that would have… problems. What of abilities that I use before I go into battle?”

 

"It is not really an issue." Ecien sighed. “You will have access to Ashla, even while using those techniques, but your access will be more limited. The problem is that if you face a Jedi or a Sith, you have a distinct disadvantage. You will have more power available to you, but…”

 

"I understand." Istara nodded slowly when Ecien broke off. “They can use the Force without a great deal of hindrance while fighting. Well, better to have the options. I am willing to learn.” She bowed to Majistrona.

 

"Good." Majistrona nodded. But when she spoke, it was quiet. “You need to know this as well. Jina went to warn Will Kalenath that our enemies are starting to move on him. She ran into a powerful Force user. A human male who wore Samuel Kalenath’s face.”

 

"Samuel?" Istara stiffened. “That is…Wait…” She shook her head. “No… No it’s not impossible. I burned a body, but it could have been a clone.”

 

"Indeed." Majistrona sighed. “We don’t know if the one Jina encountered was a clone, or if the one you burned was. We do know he is exceptionally powerful. Chari and Blondie ran him off after disabling his companion, the one who wears Jainine’s body. We don’t know if they managed to kill her or not, the man with Samuel’s face took the woman’s body and fled. Any leads on Setsuna?”

 

"I don't know." Istara snarled in mock outrage at Nana. “She wouldn’t tell me. She even knocked me out.”

 

"Istara..." Ecien snorted. “If she did, you deserved it.” Istara bristled a little.

 

Majistrona sighed. Her tone when she spoke was a well known one. The ‘Mama is trying to be patient’ tone. ’‘Children…”

 

"Yes." Nana spoke up now. “My queen, we have determined that Setsuna has gone to Clak’Dor. We will follow.”

 

Istara nodded to her… what was Nana? Her keeper? Her mentor? Her protector? Nana was all of these things, but… She focused on the insect queen. Majistrona nodded and spoke again.

 

“This goes without saying." The queen said soberly. "Be cautious. They know we are moving as well, but neither of our groups apparently can ‘see’ the other. So we are fumbling around in the dark, and blundering into each other. I don’t want to lose either of you, clear?”

 

Nana bowed, and so did Istara. The human spoke softly. “Understood, Majistrona. I need to talk to Idjit or Jainine, maybe both, at some point. If I am having visions, I will need to know what to do, or more importantly, what not to do.”

 

"Agreed." Majistrona nodded. “I will see about a rendezvous with you at some point, although probably not at Clak’Dor. If you do find Setsuna there, we will contact you and tell you where to meet us.”

 

"What? No..." Istara flinched. “Majistrona, I… We would put your people in danger.”

 

"Istara... Your sister is ours as well." Majistrona shook her head. “Your sister is in grave danger now. That is worth the risk. Until we meet again, Istara, Nana.” The forms of Ecien and Majistrona winked out.

 

Istara stared at where Majistrona had been “I…”

 

Nana shook her head. “Come on Istara, let’s go home.” She touched Istara’s form on the arm and both forms vanished. Behind them on the empty plain all was silent, but only for a moment. Then a human form appeared. He chuckled in a maniacal fashion before vanishing again.

Edited September 26, 2012 by kalenath

<Somewhere>

 

The small room rang with echoes as the man on the table screamed again but Samuel was not placated. If anything, he was more enraged. It was hard to tell from his face as still as it was, and his voice was cold and clear. “What instructions were you given?”

 

The man tried to look away, but there was nothing in the interrogation room to focus on except Samuel’s cold face. He screamed again as Samuel manipulated the controls again. When he spoke it was gasping, quick. “I… I was told… to leave… Sharlina of the Bladeborn… alone.” He gasped out between cries.

 

Samule nodded. “Yes, you were. Your thirst for vengeance nearly undid all the work we have put into keeping her alive and in the dark. You moron! Be glad I am the one ‘talking’ to you. The master wanted to. But I personally think that you will be useful to us still and not just as recycled body parts. You are an idiot. How does someone like you get to such a high rank?” The man on the table opened his mouth but Samuel shook his head. “No, don’t answer that. We have a use for you, just not where you were, especially since there is a kill order out for you now. What were you thinking?” Samuel asked incredulous.

 

The man on the table snarled. “She is mine! I want her dead!”Then he screamed as Samuel, stone faced, hit controls again.

 

Samuel shook his head slowly. When he spoke it was in an almost friendly tone. “Well, then we have a problem. You were given an order, and you disobeyed it. The penalty for doing that in the Empire is death, which is why Imperial Intelligence is after you now.” Samuel sighed. “Oh well, you will be happy to know that in a few days, II will stop hunting you. They will find a badly burned body in a speeder, DNA matching will show it to be you.”

 

The man’s eyes went wide and he smiled. “Thank you.”

 

Samuel shook his head. “Oh don’t thank me. Your usefulness as a Moff is at an end, Vimas. So… We will have to find something else to do with you. We will. A few changes to your face and DNA and you should be totally unrecognizable. But that does leave us with an unusable agent. One who cannot obey orders. We can’t have deadweight.” His voice was sad now.

 

Moff Anold Vimas stared at the man who was now manipulating controls on another console. He blanched as the door to the small room opened and a vision of horror walked in. His voice was stricken as he stared first at the insect and then at the large red crystal that was clenched in the insect’s manipulator digits. “No…”

 

Samuel shook his head. “Vimas… If you had obeyed your orders, you would still be a valued deep cover agent, but your personal vengeance was more important to you. So be it. It won’t hurt. I promise you that. And even if it does, you will not remember it. Grun’das…?”

 

Samuel watched as Grun’das prepared. It was horrifying in its simplicity. Basically, the bug filled a cup with something. Samuel was actually glad he couldn’t see where the thick, syrupy liquid came from. He wasn’t squeamish by a long shot, but this… Vimas tried to fight, tried to struggle, but his bonds held him fast. Grun’das held the large cup to Vimas’ mouth, but the human refused to drink. He clenched his mouth shut to keep from swallowing. Grun’das just shrugged and quick as a whip, an appendage flipped up and a small stinger touched Vimas on the arm. It injected the calming agent -what he called ‘nectar’- directly into Vimas’ bloodstream. The human went limp instantly. Samuel watched with clinical dispassion as the Insect checked Vimas’ vital signs before proceeding.

 

Samuel had always found the bug to be a dichotomy. Grun’das was a consummate professional at what he did. He was kind, gentle, and careful with his patients. But at the same time, he was savage and merciless to anyone he considered enemies. He could be gracious one moment and utterly vicious the next. Samuel could feel the terror that Vimas was going through and sighed. “If only you had listened Vimas…” He looked at Grun’das. “How long?”

 

Grun’das checked Vimas’ pulse and then looked the bound man in the eyes. Then he spoke. “He is ready now. Your wish?”

 

Samuel sighed again, deeper. “Wipe him completely. Remove all of his memory of self. We can find a use for him, as long as he doesn’t keep disobeying orders. The master is very displeased with him at the moment. He was our highest ranking agent.”

 

Grun’das nodded and carefully lowered the red crystal until it touched Vimas on the left side of his head. He seemed to wilt a bit as the crystal glowed bright red. Samuel laid a hand on a back leg and poured energy into the form. It didn’t take long. Maybe two minutes after the crystal had touched Vimas on the head, Grun’das withdrew it. His voice was weary. “Thank you… I…”

 

Samuel looked the still form on the table over before turning to the bug. “You need another treatment my friend.” Grun’das nodded, and Samuel shook his head. “They are not taking, are they?” Grun’das shook his head and Samuel sighed sadly. “I am sorry.”

 

"Ah well." Grun’das had resignation in his voice when he spoke. “We knew it was a slim chance when we asked. Thank you for trying.”

 

"Grun'das..." Samuel shook his head. “Don’t give up. We can still find a host.”

 

Grun’das slumped. “And how likely is that? The Raven girl was probably the closest we have come since your son destroyed our queen. And even she would have lasted only two or three layings. Even if that idiot Ge’Bush hadn’t gotten himself and his whole swarm slaughtered by the Bladeborn.”

 

Samuel gave the insect a small shove. “Come my friend. Let the future worry about the future. Let us worry about the present. You need another treatment.” Grun’das led the way out of the interrogation room and Samuel nodded to a woman in nurse’s attire. “The subject will awake in thirty minutes or so. Jen, is the donor prepped? Grun’das needs another dose.”

 

Jen’s dark hair shone in the bright light and her brown eyes never left Samuel’s. She nodded. “Yes, Master healer. She is ready and willing even. I will tend the newly Cleansed one. Name?”

 

Samuel frowned for a moment. Then he snorted. “He always was a jerk. Call him ‘Jerr’. I will be tending Grun’das and then our newest recruit.”

 

The nurse nodded and went through the door behind them. Samuel led the way now into another room. This one was very different. Cheery colors abounded. Light greens and light blues colored the walls and ceiling in abstract patterns. The room was filled with medical gear, most arrayed around the form that lay in the bed in the middle of the room. The woman looked up from her book and set it aside. Her brown eyes twinkled as she smiled.

 

“Hello, master healer.” The woman might have tried to nod, but her head was secured in place. Instead, she waved. She looked at Grun’das and her eyes took on a sorrowful cast. “Oh, its time for another? Already? I am sorry Grun’das. Maybe this time it will work.”

 

Grun’das settled himself by the bed and Samuel busied himself with working on the equipment hooked up to the woman. He looked at Grun’das and the bug nodded. Samuel took a deep breath before taking a long glistening needle and plunging it into the joint between two pieces of chitin on the insect’s right front leg. If Grun’das noticed it wasn’t apparent. Samuel checked the injection site and then nodded.

 

Samuel laid a gentle hand on the woman’s cheek. “Naptime, Jainine.” The woman sighed as power flowed into her, dragging her quickly to unconsciousness. Then he checked the IV tubing that ran from the girl’s neck into the machinery that sat around her. He nodded. “We are ready to go. Are you okay, Grun’das?”

 

The bug nodded, careful not to move the needle that jutted up from his leg. “I am. I can deactivate it, and unhook it when we are done.”

 

Samuel nodded. “If anything strange happens, let me know immediately.” He indicated the buzzer beside the bed.

 

Grun’das snorted in laughter. “You are trying to give the Force to a being without it. What is not strange about that?” Samuel smiled as he activated the machinery. He checked the flow from Jainine’s arteries into the machine and then he waited until a different flow went into Grun’das’ leg. Two different species, two different types of blood, same microscopic organisms that allowed beings to sense and use the Force.

 

Samuel scrutinized the readouts before nodding. “Counts are good. I will be back in an hour.”

 

Grun’das snorted again. “Take your time, I am not going anywhere.”

 

Samuel was chuckling as he closed the door behind him. He walked into another room and sighed. “Why do I always get the idiot patients?”

 

The female Togruta who sat in the middle of the floor smiled at him, but didn’t move and that was a good thing. Her red skin showed a number of minor injuries and the white stripes on her lekku and montrals didn't cover the bruising that was just now starting to fade. Ashla Ti had flexicasts on her right arm, her left leg and one of her lekku was in a splint as well. Samuel just shook his head. “I know you don’t like the bed, sister, but…”

 

Ashla Ti’s voice was quiet. “I can’t get comfortable. I feel… odd…” She shook her head slowly, and grimaced as her splinted lekku bounced a bit. Samuel was beside her in an instant.

 

“Easy…” He cautioned. “Let me see…” She didn’t move as he gently manipulated the head tail. She hissed at one point, but didn’t move and then he sighed. “You have been moving it.” He secured it gently with his hands. “Ashla Ti, if you keep bumping it into things, it won’t ever heal.”

 

Ashla Ti slumped. “I don’t mean to. It just…”

 

Samuel patted her shoulder gently. “It’s okay. I have been doing some research on your race, I never dealt with any of your kind before. I may have an alternative, but if so, it won’t be for a few days. I need to check the rest of your injuries. I hit you hard, sister. I apologize.”

 

Ashla Ti smiled sadly as he helped her stand. “Not your fault. They told me... I attacked you....” She hissed slightly as she bent to get up and Samuel sighed again. He eased her gently to her feet and helped her to the bed. She was weaving by the time he lifted her into it.

 

He started a set of machinery and then perused the scanners as she lay in the bed, obviously in discomfort. Then he shook his head. “Ashla Ti… The therapy didn’t work. You need more surgery.” He started working his controls. “I am going to put you out and hopefully, we can get you in without delay.”

 

"I..." Ashla Ti sighed and tried to relax. “I am sorry…”

 

Samuel sighed before touching her gently on the shoulder. As he did, he reconnected the IV lines she had disconnected to get out of the bed and and adjusted the flow of medication. “It was not your fault. If it was anyone’s it was mine. I had no idea you had been injured previously. Rest sister, when you wake, hopefully the pain will be gone.” Ashla Ti smiled as she lost consciousness. Samuel brushed her forehead before turning to the middle of the room.

 

“I know you have been moving her, keeping her from healing while she sleeps. You leave her alone.” His cold words rang through the air and then an apparition appeared in midair. A Togruta in Jedi robes who had the same face as the being in the bed.

 

“Why?” The Jedi’s voice was quiet. “She is not a real person.”

 

"You dare ask that?" Samuel’s voice was cold. “She has as much right to exist as you do.”

 

Jedi Master Ashla Ti looked at the being in the bed and then back at Samuel. “Does she? Could have fooled me, whatever you are. You don’t really care about anything do you, except vengeance against the Republic and Jedi.”

 

Samuel shook his head. “Of all the… I explained it to you in exquisite detail, what happened and why. You refuse to listen. Fine, we do it the hard way.” He waved a hand and a crystal flew from his belt pouch into his hand. “You. Leave. Her. Alone.” With each old word, he jerked the crystal and the spirit in front of him winced with each jerk until the last word when he jerked it hard and she fell to her insubstantial knees. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. “You won’t listen to me? That is fine, you will listen to someone else…” She was shaking her head and screaming now, but no sound was head. “You like pain? Fine, Ravishaw likes giving people like you pain. And he just woke up. I bet he is hungry after so long asleep. Let’s go give him a meal, huh?”

 

Ashla Ti’s spirit was crying now, But Samuel as unmoved. “You hurt someone I care about. It is what you Jedi do, for the greater good. Always for the greater good. Well, not today. You will NOT hurt her again. Get in here!” Her form vanished and he snarled as he walked towards the door. He opened it, went through and closed it quietly. Then he walked to another room where a form was lying on a bed. Ravishaw looked up at Samuel and smiled.

 

Samuel sighed. “Hello, brother. I brought you a meal. Don’t drain her dry. We will need her.” He placed the crystal on the bed and left trying to ignore the maniacal chuckling behind him. And the screams that cut off as the door closed behind him. He sighed and went to prepare for surgery. So much for this being a good day…

<A bit later>

 

 

Samuel stepped back from the operating table with a satisfied smile under his surgical mask. They had managed to fix the damage. It had taken most of his skill and several texts on Togruta biology, but the internal injuries that Ashla Ti had sustained from being slammed into multiple bulkheads had finally been repaired. He wished he could touch heal his sister, but his ability with that was strictly limited. A broken bone was pretty much the limit of his ability, and even that drained him a great deal. He sighed and ordered a droid to move the slumbering Togruta to a recovery room. He leaned against the wall, spent. It had been a long day. First Vimas and his stupidity, then Grun’das who was showing signs of improvement, and now Ashla Ti’s surgery had taken a great deal out of him. Sometimes he really hated being the only trained medic for this group. But he was needed. He sighed as he started pulling off his scrubs, starting with his mask. He dropped them in the cleanser and started washing up.

 

Samuel shook his head. “A long way from Averum, huh?” He asked himself quietly.

 

He spun as a voice answered him. “Indeed Samuel, a long way from your beginnings.” Samuel’s eyes went wide as he saw the cloaked form of his master in the door. He knelt instinctively, but his master sighed and waved him to his feet. “Can it, Samuel. Not here… Here we are just two brothers whose sister was sick. How is she?’

 

"Truthfully?" Samuel shook his head. “I don’t know. I fixed all the damage I could find. With care and a bit of help from the Force, she should be able to make a full recovery. But…I just don’t know.”

 

The cloaked form blew out a deep breath. “You are tired Samuel. It has been a long day. Go get some rest.” Samuel shook his head and looked to where Ashla Ti’s gurney had gone now. His master sighed. “Go Samuel, I will have them wake you if anything happens. You trained Jen well. She can handle just about anything until you can get up. Actually… Come, I will see you to bed.”

 

"I..." Samuels stiffened. “There is no need for that, master. I will sleep.”

 

The man, or what appeared as a man, shook his head. “You haven’t been sleeping enough. If you fall ill, who will take care of you?”

 

"I..." Samuel shook his head. “You are right, but then again, you are always right.”

 

"Of course I am." The cloaked form snorted. “I am all knowing, all seeing, all…”

 

Samuel snorted in matching amusement. “...All full of it.” Both of them laughed. Odd that a master and his servant would share a humorous moment, but these two were not your ordinary master and servant.

 

The cloaked form laughed again. “I should have something terrible done to you for such an awful insult. Oh I know, I will make you tend patients for a week.” Samuel snorted, that was his normal job. The cloaked form sighed. “You fear for Maria, don’t you?”

 

Samuel nodded. He knew better than to try and hide anything from this being. “Yes. She has never handled failure well. And she… She is not as young as she used to be. None of us are, but…She is alone, master.”

 

The cloaked form shook his head. “If you try and help her, she will kill you Samuel. She thinks you are working for the Sith.”

 

"I know." Samuel nodded against his will. “If Maria could be convinced…”

 

The man in the cloak sighed deeper. “Maybe you could, but if not, what then? Kill her? Could you put her in one of those crystals Samuel? Knowing what you do?” Samuel bowed his head and then shook it. “I know this is hard, my servant. But it will come out right.” He laid a gentle hand on Samuel’s shoulder. “Now sleep…” Samuel crumbled, a look of fear on his face, but the cloaked form caught him and carried him easily from the room. “It will be okay my brother.” For just a moment, the cloaked figure’s arm was visible. On it was a burn, in the shape of a stylized sword. It matched the one on Samuel's arm.

 

<Somewhere>

 

Samuel came awake suddenly. Something was wrong. He heard… He stood up swiftly. He was standing in a small room, a fire blazing in a fireplace, two chairs facing it and a sofa. He had been here before, with Sara, but Sara had been inches from death. His heart seemed to freeze as he heard a voice he recognized.

 

“Gonna kill me now… Sith scum…?” Maria sat in one of the chairs, her head weaving. He could smell…

 

Samuel’s voice was horrified. “No… Oh no, Maria… No… talk to me, please…?” It always amazed him how powerful a mind could be. He could smell the alcohol on Maria’s breath even before he got close to her. He shook his head, horrified by this turn of events. Maria hadn’t been drunk since ten years before the two of them had been taken by Republic Intelligence. And by the looks of it, she wasn’t just drunk, she was hammered.

 

Maria snarled at him. “Don’t talk to Sith, liars all. Lie as easy as breathing… All of you… You ain’t my Samuel.”

 

Samuel forced himself to relax. If she was here, there was a chance. Not a great one, but a chance. “Maria… I don’t know. I woke up on a ship, surrounded by people in black. They… I don’t if I am a clone or not.” He looked at her and blanched. “Maria, you are dying.”

 

Maria just sighed. “About bloody time… Maybe… Maybe whatever hell I go to will be warm… Tired of being cold. Tired of being evil…”

 

Samuel sat in the other chair and looked at the woman who he remembered as his wife. “I know the feeling. The people I work for now, who own me body and soul now, are not nice. I have had to be that way. To act that way. But that doesn’t change my memories. Or my feelings.”

 

Maria shook her head but she was slumping now and Samuel took a chance. He stood up from his chair and moved to hers. She didn’t move as he embraced her. She met his eyes, and her were dull, listless. “No…”

 

Samuel shook his head and laid it gently on her shoulder. “I won’t hurt you Maria. I can’t.” The woman’s body shuddered and then he was holding her tight as he remembered doing so often before. After her nights out. After she had made a fool of herself. After she had tried to drown her sorrow and pain in synthale. “It’s okay, Maria… It’s okay…” He brushed her hair gently as she sobbed.

 

Maria choked out words between sobs. “So… Tired…”

 

Samuel felt his own eyes fill. “I know, Maria. I do.” Then he jerked and stiffened. “They are pulling me back… Maria… I… I don’t know if I am your Samuel or not. But… I love you. Don’t… Please don’t let yourself go.” Maria stared at the face of the man she had loved and watched as he phased out from wherever the flarg she was. Then she sat in the chair and cried.

 

<Medical bay>

 

“Samuel?” The worried voice was the first thing he heard when he came back to his body. He blinked, he was strapped down on his bed again, and the drugs were flowing through his system. He tried to talk, but the paralytic agent was still in his bloodstream. Which was likely a good thing; because what he wanted to do right then was tear the face off of the being who sat nearby. The cloaked form of his master sat beside his bed and shook his head. “You know better than to journey so far when you are that weak Samuel. We almost lost you.”

 

Samuel felt hate swelling inside him, but there was nothing he could do. His body wouldn’t react and his mind, well, it was fogged by fatigue and drugs. The cloaked form sighed. “Samuel, I know you are angry with me. I know I lied to you, misled you. We needed a medical person, a healer, and I needed someone I could trust implicitly. So…” he sighed again. “You won’t remember this when you wake up.”

 

The cloaked form reached out a hand that seemed to blur as it moved towards Samuel’s head. He was screaming inside as it touched him. As always, it felt cool instead of warm like skin. And then the pain began. The cloaked for stayed where he was for a long moment, until Samuel’s eyes rolled back into his head and his sense in the Force showed he was unconscious. Then he sighed and sat back. “Rest well, my friend. When you wake, we hunt.” 

 

<Somewhere else>

 

Maria woke scared. That was nothing new, fear was a constant companion. She had been talking to Sara and Sarai, hadn’t she? They had been discussing what face Saria wanted, the girl hadn’t liked the picture that Maria had procured. And then… Nothing. She listened and tensed as she heard sounds that filled her with dread. Medical equipment. Once that hadn’t been such a problem, on many occasions she had awoken in a Republic medical facility after missions gone bad. But now after spending more than a decade as an unwilling guinea pig in Republic laboratories, experimented on by doctors and Jedi, she was very leery of allowing herself to be in any medical type’s clutches. She was easing her hands and feet around, checking for restraints, when a soft voice came to her ears.

 

“Maria…?”

 

Maria’s eyes shot open and she looked to the side where a young woman sat whose face was so like her daughters, and yet, so unlike. “Sarai…? What happened?”

 

The girl who had been brainwashed and altered to be a copy of Maria’s daughter before being rescued took Maria’s hand in a gentle grip. “You collapsed. Oh Maria… You scared me…” The girl was crying softly. “And Sara… I thought she was going to go through the ceiling. Why didn’t you tell us you were feeling bad?”

 

Maria stared at Sariai. “I… I wasn’t…” She stared at Sarai and then around. She was lying on a bed, and from the vibrations she could feel, she was on a ship. She relaxed slightly as she recognized the Stormhawk’s medical bay. She had spent a great deal of time in it, and they took pains to keep it as un-laboratory like for her sake as possible. The blanket that covered her was one Nia had made for her when Maria had first come aboard and the pillow by her head was one Sara had made for her. She saw medical monitors attached to her and an IV run into her wrist, but they didn’t bother her nearly as much as they should have. She was so weak… “What… What happened?”

 

"I..." Sarai sighed. “I don’t know. I didn’t understand half of what they told me and Sara. I think Sara did, but we just got her to sleep about thirty minutes ago. They said something about blood alcohol toxicity levels. Whatever that means.”

 

"Oh boy..." Maria sighed. “It means I messed up, girl. I got drunk. Oh…” She groaned as she shifted her place on the bed carefully. “It has been a long time.”

 

"What?" Sarai stared at Maria, and then held the woman while she shifted, giving what leverage she could. “Why? I mean… I know people get drunk. But Sara didn’t say anything. Was it something I did?”

 

"No girl." Maria smiled gently as she settled again. “As with every time I have gotten drunk it was something I did. I… really messed up with a girl I was trying to help. I took advice I shouldn’t have. She thought we were manipulating her and technically, I think we were.” Maria put the hand that wasn’t festooned with IVs and monitors to her head. “Ow… Frell, it has been twenty two years since I was drunk last… At least I am not sick now. Might come later. This is going to be messy.”

 

"I don't care." Sarai smiled as she leaned closer to the bed. “I am not going anywhere, Maria. Sara saved me, you gave me a place and… your love… I… I am not going to leave you alone.”

 

"Sarai..." Maria sighed. “Aw, girl. I’m not dying.” She froze as the door opened and the Stormhawk’s medical personnel came in, L’trask and Hawkir both looked grim.

 

"Not for lack of trying Maria." L’trask snorted. “Silly woman.”

 

Hawkir didn’t speak, just come close to the bed and looked at Maria before sighing. Maria looked at him. “What?” she asked quietly.

 

Hawker shook his head. “Maria if you had collapsed anywhere else, if we had been two minutes slower in getting you into medical, you would never have woken up.” Maria stared at him, and his voice became sad. “Was that what you were trying to do? Maria, you are not twenty anymore, heck you are not forty anymore. You cannot drink like that. Your blood alcohol level was beyond the toxic range. You were…” Hawkir was shaking his head.

 

"I was dead." Maria shook her head. “I owe you my life again?”

 

"No." Hawkir shook his head again. “We have a new medical person aboard. She saved you and she is rather steamed with you walking out in the middle of detox.”

 

"Huh?" Maria shook her head. “I… I what?” She wracked her brain, trying to remember, but nothing came to mind. Just walking and then talking to Sara and Sarai.

 

"You were very out of it." L’trask sighed. “I don’t doubt that you have missing time. But Gaia… well, she is very unhappy with you at the moment.”

 

"Who?" Maria blinked. “What kind of a name is Gaia?”

 

“Mine.” Came an irate voice from the door. Maria went stiff as she saw what came through the door in a hover chair. The mass of jelly body, the tentacles, it could only be one thing. She cowered away on the bed, but the Islanian just sighed. “Relax, woman. I have spent way too much time putting you back together to hurt you now. Much as I might want to.”

 

Maria stared at the inhuman form and then at Hawkir and L’trask. “She is the new doc?”

 

"She is." L’trask smiled. “And you are going to listen to her. Clear?” The Trandoshan’s final word was cold.

 

"Okay..." Maria stared at the Trandoshan and then her face fell. “What have I missed?” Her voice was awestruck.

 

Hawkir snorted in mild laughter. “Not much, just your run of the mill alliance with an anti-slavery force. Run by the last of her race. She is good at what she does, and she is a good being. Listen to her.” Maria stared at the Jedi, who more than any other had shown her that not all Jedi were like the scum who had experimented on her.

 

The hover chair came close to Maria’s bed and Maria watched in awe as Sarai didn’t move while two tentacles came and brushed the girl on the arm. She didn’t even seem to flinch. Gaia’s voice was kind. “Sarai… You need rest now.”

 

Sarai nodded and stood up. She staggered a bit and Hawkir caught her carefully. The girl smiled bit sheepishly. “I… Yeah… Sleep would be good.” The Jedi and the Trandoshan doctor led Sarai out of the room, leaving Maria with the jellyfish like being, whose many eyestalks looked at her.

 

"Oops doesn't really cover it, I think." Maria licked her lips. “I messed up.”

 

"Yes you did." Several of the eyestalks bobbed in what had to be an Islanian nod. “I don’t know what drove you to drink, but you very nearly killed yourself with that stunt. And then to run out in the middle of detox therapy…”

 

"I..." The human woman slumped. “I didn’t mean to. They… They needed me.” She broke off and Gaia sighed.

 

"I know. I have kids of my own, sort of anyway." The Islanain’s voice was sad now. “This will not be fun for you. I understand you have gone through it before.”

 

"Detox?" Maria shivered a bit. “Yes.”

 

Gaia sighed, a remarkably human sound from a huge jellyfish. “Ok, then. I have filtered your blood. Your liver and kidneys seem to have taken no lasting damage. But you are going to go through withdrawal.”

 

Maria shivered harder. “I already am… I remember…” She bit out her words. “Take… care of my kids?”

 

Gaia sighed. “I will, while you are laid up. I am going to put you out and you will wake up in the Enclave Medical facility. I can’t go there. The gravity is too high for my form. But I will be consulting and if you mess up again… I… I will send Sara to hurt you.” The final words were sardonic and Maria was chuckling as the Islanian touched her. It was a gentle touch, but darkness came for her swiftly.

<The Enclave, later>

 

Maria was trying. She really was. But she had always been an active person, and this forced inactivity was draining to say the least. Finally, she had taken as much enforced sitting around as she could. She was over the shivers, and the sweats. Now if the craving would just go away. But Gaia had done something to her system. The one, and only, time Maria had tried to sneak a drink, she had managed one swallow before becoming violently ill. She sat up in bed and was not surprised to see the door of her room open. But the doc was smiling.

 

“We wondered when you would get up.” He unhooked her from the medical monitors carefully. She started at him and he smiled again. “Go on, get some exercise. You need it.” Then he walked out.

 

She stared after him for a moment before pushing her legs off the bed and putting her feet on the floor. Her head spun, but she was able to make it to the refresher. After cleaning herself, she felt better and decided to take the doc’s advice. She hadn’t been here recently, but wanted to check in on Sara’s kids. A quick check and she was on her way towards one of the common rooms. The place was nowhere near capacity. It had been built essentially to serve as an underground bunker complex initially, but after a vicious attack by Sith commandos on families of crewmembers of the Stormhawk, the Enclave had been greatly expanded and refurbished. There were several children who had been born in the Enclave and knew no other life. Maria often wondered how they might deal with life outside. But it really wasn’t safe for them to be out there. Especially now with the Republic officially hunting the Stormhawk as well as the Sith. She had heard a lot about life in the Enclave, but nothing could have prepared her for the sight that greeted her when she arrived at the common area.

 

Several young ladies were sitting near each other and chatting as Maria stepped in, they looked at her and smiled, she smiled back, but her gaze was on the children. A number of kids, many with hair and eyes like her son but others that looked different, sat in orderly rows around a woman in a wheeled chair. The older woman was reading from a children’s book and the kid’s attention as rapt.

 

Naomi looked up and noted the visitor but then kept reading. After all she wasn't the only person here who got visitors.

 

Maria waited until the story was done. One of the kid turned and saw her. Marta squealed, sounding for once like a real little girl, instead of a commando. "Mama Maria!" Suddenly, Maria was inundated by small children. She hugged them all one by one.

 

Naomi grinned like her daughter as she turned her chair. "Well at least now I don't need a formal introduction."

 

Maria smiled a bit sadly. "Nope, seems not." She looked at Marta. "You have an appointment, right?"

 

Marta grinned. "Ten minutes, plenty of time."

 

Maria smiled and she knelt for a group hug. "I need to talk to the lady here. So... scat you all. You don't keep the medical types waiting." Naomi raised a brow as the children dispersed and waited. Maria sighed. "Naomi Shades, I presume? My name, as you heard is Maria, Maria Kalenath. And I think we need to talk, probably in private."

 

"Ah, so you're the one that caught my daughter," Naomi said with a raised brow. "Very well then. Lead on."

 

Maria nodded and led the way to a private room. It was not in use, but she smiled as she found a selection of tea in a cupboard as well as cups an. "Would you like some tea? I see the staff has been busy stocking the place with their usual industry."

 

"Certainly and they seem to. Likely they could take a week off and we'd all be quite well."

 

Maria chortled quietly as she fixed the tea. "But what would they do? I lay even odds of a few of them going nuts with nothing to do." She brought a cup of tea for Naomi. "Here you go."

 

Naomi grinned and nodded as she took the cup. "I suppose so. Still someone must do the lowly jobs for the rest of us to function, I suppose."

 

Maria shook her head. "Nothing lowly, or common, or even easy about their jobs." She pulled a chair over so she could see Naomi easily and sat with her own tea. "I have been meaning to talk to you for some time, but as always things just kept getting in the way."

 

"Busy playing matchmaker and such," Naomi said slyly as she sipped her tea.

 

Maria nodded. "Yes. I... I didn't mean..." Now her face held sorrow. "I love Cyare, he is such a good kid and he was all alone. And... I love Amarath as well and SHE was all alone. They are both good kids. I thought, 'What harm could it do?' She needed a job and a place to hide, we needed a tech. Then Trava came up with her harebrained plan." And I did nothing..." Maria shook her head slowly. "I should have said something, anything. Anything to warn her what was coming. And to tell her it wasn't Cyare's fault."

 

"Unlikely she would have listened. I don't know if you've noticed but she tends to tune people out when she wants to."

 

Maria chuckled sadly. "Yeah, she does, doesn't she? Reminds me of my own kids. I think that may be part of my problem now. I feel I failed her. I don't know what else I could have done, but I really think I failed her. I don't know if you knew this, but I met your husband and son once... A long time ago on Kiffex."

 

Naomi rose a brow at that. "When Derek mentioned talking to soldiers he didn't mention any Mandalorians."

 

Maria smiled in memory. "I wasn't back then. I served the Republic. Before..." She broke off for a moment and then sighed. "Before Sara was born in captivity. Republic captivity. I was adopted into this clan of Mandalorians a few years ago." She laughed in memory. "They almost didn't give me a choice. They can be awfully pushy on occasion."

 

Naomi looked at her with an odd look. "So it would seem. How did they talk you into matters?"

 

Maria sighed. "My son, well, he crash landed here. They liked him, so they adopted him. They see something in certain people, something the call Mando'ka. In basic, it means ‘the right stuff’. Partly because of Will, and partly because they liked me, they offered me a place as well. I really didn’t have anything to live for at that point except vengeance, and they gave me something more. They gave me another family to love."

 

"A lucky and happy happenstance then?" Naomi asked as he sipped her tea.

 

Maria snorted. "Not always. Think the biggest and rowdiest family you have ever heard of, and give them guns. It’s not always happy, it’s not always nice, but we manage. I still miss my Samuel, I think I always will."

 

Naomi was silent but there was a pain in her eyes that mirrored Maria's. "We always miss those who are gone."

 

Maria nodded slowly. "That we do. But while we remember, they are not truly gone. I... I like you. I came here expecting you to be mad at me. I messed up and I hurt your kid. But she is such a good kid. So many hurts taken and she is still a good kid."

 

"Oh do not get me wrong. I am livid at you over hurting my Amie," Naomi said. Murder glinting in her eye and making her look disturbingly like her daughter. "However, it would be hypocritical of me to yell at you, when I've done it myself."

 

Maria nodded. "I know. If our positions were reversed, I wouldn't feel any other way. It might please you to know that the person directly responsible has been punished for it. Sara took care of Elder Trava. I do like you. And... Can I ask a personal question..?"

 

Naomi smiled. "You may always ask. I may not always answer."

 

Maria smiled, looking a bit lost. "I... Amarath told me what happened to you. I had heard that your husband was killed and you were hurt. If I am out of line, say so, and I will shut up. We could give you new legs. I would like to give you new legs, to pay part of what I owe your husband. You see, my last clear memory of mine... Is when we met yours." Maria sighed. "I know, I am out line, but..." She sighed. “I promised Derrick I would look in on you, help out if I could. It has taken me a long time, but I am here now. That was one reason I helped Amarath, in the beginning anyway."

 

Naomi frowned and shook her head. "No."

 

Maria nodded, she really hadn’t expected any other answer. "May I ask why? Not that it is really any of my business. But I would like to know."

 

Naomi sighed. "Because you have already paid that debt. I don't like charity any more then my daughter does."

 

Maria sighed. "It's not charity... We don't pay for the things, they are...Well... 'donated' by various people." Maria snorted. "I do understand. I detest charity myself. I want to earn what I get. What if... Hmm..." She broke off thinking hard.

 

Naomi gave Maria a glare now. "Amarath knows better than to try and force me on this issue so I would not expect any help in that corner."

 

Maria grinned. "I wasn't going to force anything. I know better. I was wondering if I might prevail upon you to take some kind of a salary for the work you are doing here? We DO need help with the kids and they are a hand full. Tell me I lie. And if you don’t want to use the funds for prosthetics, well, no one will pester you about it.""

 

"Raising children is not a job, it is a responsibility. One that their...parents...as they were have badly bungled," Naomi said in a vicious tone.

 

Maria nodded. "I know. But all we can do it go on with what we have been. Those children went through hell, and we have to TRY and see that they have a much of a normal life as we can."

 

Maria sighed. "You have given your assistance, unasked for, unpaid. You have done us..." She wept her hand in an arc to encompass everything around them. "...a great service. If anything we are in your debt for showing the children a way to BE children. We... We didn’t know how..." Shame colored Maria's words.

 

Naomi looked at her, and her gaze was neutral. "I think it is more, you have forgotten. Being a child is easy, an adult....that's the hard part."

 

Maria smiled and sipped her tea again. "You know.... That might be it. Thank you for talking to me. I acknowledge my mistake with your daughter, and I will do everything in my power to fix my mistake. I am likely to be here for a while. Would you mind if we talked again?"

 

Naomi nodded. "Certainly. Us old bats need to stick together or the younglings will over run us."

 

Maria laughed and held out her hand. "Indeed. IF you ever need anything, or just want to talk, I will likely be in medical, or running around if they let me."

 

Naomi raised a brow at that but took Maria’s hand in her own. They shook and Naomi spoke softly. “There a reason you're in medical so much?"

 

Maria sighed. "Stupidity. When I messed up with Amarath, well... I didn’t handle it well... Five bottles of brandy later, I was in Medical. Hadn’t been drunk in twenty years, and bammo, there I was again, just like before... Stupid..."

 

Naomi grimaced slightly. "I can't help but agree. Drinking has a habit of multiplying problems instead of making them go away."

 

Maria groaned now. "I don't know what I was thinking or if I was. I just wanted the pain to go away for a while. Instead I caused all kinds of problems." Maria shrugged. "I know better, but... Ah well, now I get to detox. Fun, fun..." She smiled and sipped her tea. The rest of the day might be nasty, gross and long. But for now, she could sit and chat with someone who understood her. Someone who was just as hurt and lonely. Someone who might just, in the end, be a friend.

 

((A big thank you to Setie for helping me with the dialogue for this and letting me borrow Naomi Shades))

<That night>

 

She was dreaming, she knew she was. But of what, she was not sure. Everything was vague, gray and featureless. Her vision was blurry as was the wont in her dreams. She was not uncomfortable, far from it. She felt… good. But something was wrong. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something was very, very wrong. It had been a very long, and fairly disgusting day, but Maria knew the score. Withdrawal sickness was never a fun thing, and withdrawal from such a feat as she had done, well… She was frankly amazed that she had survived. The healers who had helped her were very good and very annoyed with her still. They checked up on her regularly, almost as often as her kids did. But she understood. It had been a long time. For just a moment, she remembered…

 

<The past>

 

It was dark and she liked it that way, it matched her mood. She sat in the cantina, in a booth in back, trying to ignore the ache in her head and the matching one in her gut. It never went away. She stared at the glass in front of her. How had it become empty? She filled it again with synthale from the bottle that’s at on the table nearby and took another drink. It had been a bad day. Idiot supervisors, lazy subordinates, her husband off with his unit, and her son…

 

Maria bit back a sob. He was alive, she had to keep reminding herself that. He shouldn’t have been, as fast as his ship had been travelling when it hit the ground. No one she had spoken to had been able to tell her how his Aurek strikefighter had managed to get a full hundred kilometers from the battlezone as shot up as it had been. Or how he had managed to semi-control the crash, that was the only explanation or what had occurred. He had to have been in control when it hit the ground, otherwise he would have been a splatter of organic debris mixed in with bits of his fighter. Maria had seen such things before. One did not live a sheltered life in the Republic Military.

 

She was pretty sure Will was in the Special Forces, but he never talked about it. He never talked about a lot. Especially about what had happened when he had been MIA. The scars that he showed were indicative of torture, but according to the records that Maria had ‘acquired’ he didn’t remember receiving them. Given that the few times he had been home, his nightmares had been impressive to say the least, she thanks the stars for that. She just hoped…

 

"Holy..." A low whistle interrupted her musings. “Ma’am, you okay?”

 

Maira looked up, ready to snarl at whoever was bothering her. But… she stopped. The brown haired woman who stood on front of her wore the uniform of the Republic Navy. She didn’t know this woman. Her voice was harsh, edged with worry and drink when she spoke. “What? Can’t you let me drink in peace?”

 

"Ma'am..." The woman sighed. “I think you have had enough…”

 

"Not hardly." Maria shook her head. “No I haven’t. I am still awake. It ain’t enough.” One hand was hovering by her blaster now, just in case. Yes, this was a Republic military base, but lots of assorted scum had proven that they could and would sneak onto Republic bases to cause all kinds of harm. This cantina was one Maria had chosen because it had private booths and an easy to access rear entrance.

 

"This is not going to help, Ma’am." The woman shook her head. “May I sit?”

 

“I don’t know you.” Maria grimaced. Her free hand moved for her glass, but it was uncoordinated and knocked the tumbler over. She stared at it for a moment, before grabbing for the bottle. But it was gone. She looked up to see it in the hand of the other woman, who wore a sick look. Maria snarled but the woman just sighed.

 

"Ma'am." The standing woman’s voice was calm and gentle now. “You have had enough.”

 

"GImme that bottle." Maria was getting angry now. Not that to took much when she had drunk this much. The last time, well, what she remembered had been fun, for awhile, until she woke up in a holding cell with a bill for damages to the establishment. “Gimme that bottle, girl, and I won’t hurt you…”

 

"No." Instead, the woman took a step back, out of reach, before speaking. “Will needs you, Ma’am. He needs you bad. I didn’t introduce myself, my name is Sharra.”

 

"Don't care!" Maria shook her head, it hurt now, but she was still angry. “I dunno you, gimme that damn bottle!”

 

“No, you don’t know me." Sharra shook her head. "But I know of you. Will has spoke of you so often. He loves you, so very much, and what you are doing will hurt him. And I won’t stand for that.”

 

“What?” Maria blinked, her rage vanishing as that odd statement made it through her alcohol fuddled mind. She focused on the woman. Sharra was about five and half feet tall, kind of petite, but had the muscles of a career soldier, she was built for endurance rather than raw power. The woman’s brown eyes met her scrutiny with her own. Something about this woman… “Who are you?”

 

"Me?" Sharra sighed. “The woman who is going to marry your son.”

 

"Huh?" Maria stared at the other woman for a long moment, she felt faint. “You are going to… What?”

 

"We..." Sharra’s eyes were glistening. “We were going to tell you when he got back from his latest mission. Instead… I got the word two hours ago. How… How is he…?’

 

"He..." Maria shook her head again. “Never… said…”

 

"I know." Sharra smiled sadly. “He guards himself close. He has to. Please… they won’t tell me anything other than that he is alive…” She bowed her head and clasped her hands in front of her. Maria felt her guts clench. The only jewelry the woman wore was a small ring on the ring finger of her left hand. An engagement ring.

 

Maria felt her ire fade, replaced by wonder. “They can’t. Patient confidentiality is supposed to be ironclad, and since he is not in the regular military… Are you?” Maria asked carefully. Sharra shook her head but didn’t speak and Maria nodded slowly. “Makes sense…anyone who can keep up with him has to be… exceptional. He is alive, they put him back together enough to put him in Kolto. Would you… Do you want a drink?”

 

Sharra smiled sadly. “I think you have drunk enough for both of us, Ma’am. Come on, a cantina is no place to talk about weddings.” She extended hand and Maria took it. The older woman grunted bit as she stood, but Sharra hauled her effortlessly to her feet.

 

Maria shook her head, aware of the buzz and the spinning, but it was minor compared to the wonder that she felt now. “You want a formal wedding?”

 

"Actually..." Sharra grinned. “ Will does. That son of yours has a well hidden but deep seated romantic streak.”

 

Maria laughed as she staggered, aware that the only thing keeping her standing was the strong arm that held her. But for once, she didn’t mind the help, not from a soon to be daughter in law.

 

<The present>

 

The memory made her smile, but her current environment made her worry. Something about this whole thing was familiar. Something someone had told her about? She focused on what she could see, which wasn’t much, everything was fuzzy. She had been talking to… Wait a minute… She focused on her feelings and blanched. She hadn’t been thinking of that, she couldn’t think of that! She focused on the most esoteric technical things she could think of, she knew what was happening now. She was being subtly interrogated by someone with mental powers. If she focused tightly on something tech related, she could keep them out, for awhile anyway. When she spoke, it was cold and hard. “Get out of my mind.”

 

A soft voice came to her ears. Female, kind, gentle even, but old, so very old. “Maria Kalenath, we are not enemies.”

 

“You have an odd way of showing it. Show yourself.” Maria snarled as she tried to figure out how to get out of this mess.

 

The voice sighed. “I am afraid I can’t. For one thing, I am a very long distance away, for another, I am not human. You… You don’t remember me?” It sounded sad now.

 

Maria racked her brain, trying to recall if she had heard this voice, but nothing came to mind. “No.” She said flatly.

 

Now the voice was sorrowful. “I… see… what did they do to you girl? You were such a great girl, so full of life and promise. I… I shouldn’t have pressed, I should have kept my distance. I know that, but I couldn’t. I had to leave for awhile, and when I got back to Averum, you were gone. What happened to you, Mari?”

 

"What did you call me?" Maria froze. Only one being in her life had ever called her that. A childhood imaginary friend, one she had outgrown. “No… way…”

 

The voice was kind and gentle again. “It’s okay, Mari. I understand you are scared. I… I shouldn’t have pressed again.” Shame colored the voice now. “I will leave you alone.”

 

Maria spoke softly, a scared voice now. “Maji?” For a long moment, she thought the voice had gone, but then it spoke again.

 

Maji, the voice she had forgotten from so long ago, spoke softly. “Yeah, Mari, it’s me. I am sorry. I… I should have explained way back then, but… I was scared. Of what you would do. Of what you would say. And you needed to live your life.”

 

Maria shook her head. Maji had been a voice in her head, an imaginary friend who hadn’t been so imaginary. She had helped Maria greatly in dealing with the harsh life she had before leaving her father’s farm. More than once, the kind voice had comforted the girl when she had fallen asleep crying in pain from a beating, her father’s preferred way of ‘disciplining’ her siblings. Maji had said that Maria likely wouldn’t be able to pronounce the being’s full name, so they had settled on calling the voice Maji, and her Mari. They had been inseparable, but then Maji had said she was going away for a time, and then Maria had been beaten almost to death and Samuel had entered her life and… Maria shook her head again. “Why come back now?’

 

Maji sighed. “Because I screwed up. I was so intent on doing what I thought was right, I forgot that other people have thoughts, feelings and ideas too. I… We need to talk Mari, or should I call you Maria now?”

 

Maria blinked. “Um… You can call me Maria. What is your full name?”

 

The voice held humor now. “I am Nuoloinhtihjusghymajistrona. But you may call me Majistrona.”

<Three days later>

 

Maria was bemused. Of all the things she might have expected, a childhood friend to return and to say such things to her… She sat in the common room and tried to relax, but only part of her mind could focus on where the kids were working on something with Naomi. She really liked Naomi. The woman was acerbic, judgmental and prone to leaps in logic at times. But she was also kind, gentle and considerate with the kids and the rest of the denizens of this place. She smiled as one of the kids looked at her, but then he went back to what he was doing. To her inexpert eyes it looked like they were making a mess, in an organized way, as strange as that sounded. But Naomi’s techniques, while seeming a bit as odd, they worked. Maria wished she had known some of them when Will was a child.

 

“Ma’am?” A quiet, tentative voice came to her ears as she sat and Maria looked up to see worried blue/green eyes perusing her. She smiled was motioned the speaker to a seat. Mirshana was a bit on the timid side, but very strong. The girl had to be, she was all alone, in a strange place and expecting her first child. Mirshana sat, carefully, as if expecting an attack, and Maria inwardly cursed whoever had hurt the girl so badly. But Mirshana did look good. Her blonde hair was cut middle length and she wasn’t half the starved wreck she had been when Will brought her in.

 

Maria’s voice was gentle. “You know I won’t hurt you, Mirshana. And you can call me Maria, if you wish.”

 

"I..." Mirshana looked at the older woman and gave a small smile. “Thank you. I… I was hoping to talk to you.’

 

"Anytime, girl." Maria nodded. “What is wrong?”

 

"I..." Mirshana pursed her lips. “Nothing is really wrong, I just… Um…”

 

Maria shook her head. “Don’t give me that.” Her voice was teasing and a smile was on her face. “Is it the little one?”

 

Mirshana had a wide, tender smile on her face now as she looked at her stomach, which showed a definite bulge now. At four months along, it was quite noticable. She rubbed it fondly. “No, or, I don’t think so. The docs are on top of what is going on and they are so nice here. Everyone is so nice, I… I just…”

 

Maria reached out a hand and left it on the table. After a moment, Mirshana took it in hers. Maria gave a squeeze. “Being pregnant is scary. Being pregnant and alone for your first time… Oh Mirshana…” Maria had tears in her eyes. But then she focused on Mirshana’s hand, in which a small piece of paper was concealed from the omnipresent security cameras. She drew Mirshana into a slow hug, and the girl did not resist as Maria squeezed her tight. Maria whispered into Mirshana’s ear. “What?”

 

She knew that if Will had brought the girl in, then the girl was no stranger to clandestine maneuvering. And while normally she applauded the strict, sometime oppressive security on the Enclave, there were times when it grated on her. Mirshana spoke softly as well. “I am scheduled in the pool in twenty minutes. After that I need to talk to you. Can you come by my quarters in an hour?”

 

"Of course." Maria smiled and replied in kind. “Why the secrecy? I always have time for you.” Maria froze as she saw something in the girl’s eyes. Something out of character. Anger.

 

"I need your help." Mirshana spoke slowly. “But now I have to go or they come looking for me.”

 

Maria stared at her. “They what?” Her voice had the girl flinching back, but Maria just held her gently, easing her fear. A minute of gentle caresses and Mirshana had relaxed enough to speak again.

 

Mirshana bit her lip. “They think I am unbalanced. They are talking medication, and… Oh god Maria, I don’t want to be put on ice…The little one…” Maria felt her gust clench. Putting the girl into stasis or carbon freeze would be a very bad thing for her child.

 

Maria shook her head. “No one is going to put you on ice, Mirshana. You have my word on that.” No screamed declaration could have been more final than Maria’s soft words.

 

Mirshana sighed in relief and Maria gave a gentle hug before releasing the girl. Mirshana stood up and walked from the table swiftly, leaving the small paper in Maria’s hand. Maria sighed and patted her hair back into place from where Mirshana had mussed it, covertly dropping the paper down the front of her ship suit. She carefully hid a smile. Once an Special Forces operative, always an Special Forces operative...

 

<A few minutes later>

 

The door hissed open and a voice called out as a young woman strode out into the hall.

 

“Maria…? You wanted to see me?” Leia Rendish’s voice was harried, but that was to be expected. The woman was essentially the head administrator of the Enclave. Maria smiled at the young woman. Leia was one of the good ones. Decent, hardworking and totally dedicated to making life bearable for the people under her care, Leia had a massive job. A massive job that she performed admirably. But being an administrator did not always mean being nice. She was fair, open minded and very kind generally. But Leia had no tolerance for people who threatened the well being of others in the close environs of the Enclave.

 

"Yeah." Maria stood up and sighed. She had only been sitting for a few minutes, she had expected to sit for longer. Something was up. “You saw me talk to Mirshana.” It wasn’t a question and Leia nodded. “Is there a problem with her?” She followed Leia into the administrator’s office.

 

"I don't know." Leia sighed. She waved Maria to a seat as she went back around her desk and sat down. “We don’t… think so…”

 

"Leia." Maria sat and then shook her head. “She thinks you are going to put her on ice.”

 

"She what?" The younger woman’s face went white. “My god, Maria… How could she…” She stared at Maria and tensed. “You… You think we would do that to her…? It would kill her kid for sure…” Honest hurt was in the woman’s voice.

 

"I knew the drill." Maria sighed. “The needs of the many, Leia.”

 

For a long moment, the younger woman stared at her. And then Leia stood up from her chair so swiftly that Maria almost drew her concealed blaster. The Enclave was very down on weapons inside, and had very tight security but… Maria had been getting things through scans and skin searches for decades before the Enclave existed. And her son had started the place, so…

 

"No. There are limits." Leia was shaking her head and her face was working. “Maria… I have had to make some hard choices as administrator here. I never wanted the job… Will insisted, and I think I have done an okay job of it…”

 

"Much more than okay, Leia." Maria sighed. “I couldn’t do your job. There is just no way. You are worried about Mirshana?”

 

Leia nodded. “She… She hasn’t clicked with anyone. Yes we have been worried about her. A first time pregnancy? With no father around?” Leia sighed. “You know what pregnancy is like. The moods, the physical problems, the assorted and sundry things that can go crazy at the drop of a hat. She was… Well… unstable probably isn’t the right word. Maybe a bit too stable, too tightly controlled. Jina got through to her, but the Jina had to leave and… She crawled back into her shell and we can’t get in. We can’t get her to hear us. She is such a good person and in such pain and we can’t help her…” Leia was crying now.

 

"Oh Leia..." Maria sat for a long moment before speaking softly. “Come here, girl…” She stood up and Leia came into her arms, crying. Maria sighed and she held the shuddering form. “No one can be strong all the time. Let it out, girl, let it out.”

 

Leia cried into Maria’s shoulder. “I don’t want to be an ice queen. I don’t want to be a witch. Maria… What am I doing wrong? She just won’t hear me…”

 

"It's not you." Maria brushed the younger woman’s hair gently. “You are not doing anything wrong, Leia. She doesn’t trust easily, she never has.”

 

"Wait..>?" Leia blinked through her tears. “You… You know her?”

 

Maria nodded, smiling a bit sadly. “I do.” It had been one hell of a shock when she had read the paper Mirshana had given her. On it had been two words. ‘Help me’. And it had been signed. Will had demurred form telling anyone where he had stashed Sharra and under what name. But Maria had entertained suspicions. Suspicions that had been proven correct by the note. “But I can’t tell you from where. And I need your help to help her.”

 

"Okay." Leia sighed and she embraced the older woman again. “What can I do?”

 

Maria smiled. "Break a few rules for me..."

 

<Thirty minutes later>

 

Maria smiled as she walked into the pool area and saw the classes finishing up. The kids had taken to swimming like Correllian ducks. She stepped out of the way as the horde of small forms, some of them shrieking in laughter and others eerily silent, went by to their way to the locker rooms. The life guard looked at her and nodded to a corner of the pool. Maria nodded back and walked to where she saw two forms swimming. She sighed, she would have loved to take a dip herself, swimming was one thing even old farts could enjoy. It was a fairly common pool design, a T-shape. Part of it was set up for laps, the piece crossing it grew progressively more shallow on the end away from the junction. The water looked so inviting, but she was on business. She waited until the two forms returned from their laps and listened as one of the women in the water spoke.

 

“Well done, Mirshana.” The other one didn’t speak, just waddled up into the shallow end of the pool. The speaker sighed, but didn’t follow as Mirshana strode out of the pool, the blonde saw Maria and her eyes widened, but then she continued towards the locker room. The red head in the water sighed deeper and Mara went to kneel by the water’s edge. The girl looked at her. “Maria?”

 

Maria nodded. “How many laps did she manage, Kila?”

 

"All the way." Kila smiled. “Twenty four.” Maria’s eyes went wide and she stared after Mirshana. Kila snorted. “I made her take breaks.”

 

"Good for you." Maria snorted. “You going to continue?” Kila nodded. She loved to swim, one reason she made such a great lifeguard. “I will see what I can do with her.”

 

"Right." Kila nodded. “Anything I can do Maria, let me know.” Maria nodded and walked towards the female locker room. Behind her she heard Kila start laps again, much faster than when she was pacing Mirshana. Maria entered the locker room to find Mirshana the sole occupant. She nodded to the younger woman as Mirshana finished toweling herself. “You up for a walk?”

 

"Uh..." Mirshana stared at her. “Sure… just not too far. That was… It felt good.”

 

"Go on, girl." Maria nodded. “Shower and get dressed. I can wait.” Mirshana smiled an exactly ten minutes later, she walked out of the locker room to find Maria sitting on a bench. Maria jerked her had towards the door and the two women walked out in silence.

 

They walked for almost thirty minutes in silence, around and through the labyrinthine depths of the Enclave. Eventually, they came back to Mirshana’s room and Maria spoke. “May I come in?” Mirshana smiled and keyed the door open but then she froze. The security camera over her door was not whirring as it moved. It wasn’t moving! Her face went white, but Maria laid a gentle hand on Mirshana’s shoulder. “In, girl…”

 

"Maria...?" Mirshana was staring at Maria and then at the camera. “Wha…?”

 

Maria sighed. “I didn’t tell anyone who you really are. They are worried about you. They are so worried in fact that they made an exception to the rules, to give us privacy for a time. Hello Sharra.” Maria’s heart was in her mouth as she stared at the woman who looked nothing like her daughter in law.

 

"I..." Mirshana’s eyes were glistened, and the suddenly she was in Marias arms, crying. “Oh, Maria…! I… I am such a wuss…”

 

"You?" Maria sighed as she gave her daughter in law a gentle squeeze. “No, you are not. You are pregnant, for the first time. Nothing you hear from anyone else can possibly prepare you for the feeling of another separate life existing within your body.” She laid a gentle hand on Mirshana’s abdomen. “We have as much time as you need. When I leave, the camera will activate again. What is wrong?”

 

"I don't know." Mirshana calmed herself. “I just don’t know. I… It’s like I hear something in my sleep. A voice. But when I wake, there is no one there.”

 

Maria became intent. “Male, female?”

 

"I don't know." Sharra/Mirshana shook her head. “I don’t know. It isn’t clear. But I hear male laughter.”

 

Maria’s face went white, and then she was embracing the younger woman gently. “It’s okay. I need to know something, Sharra. Will wasn’t very clear on how you got into the condition you are in. He says it’s his.”

 

“I was taken by a Sith named Ravishaw, somehow." Sharra said sadly. "They cloned me, sent the clone with Will. That was who died on Tython. The Bladeborn were hunting Ravishaw, they raided a ship he was supposed to be on and found me. I was… a mess.”

 

Maria stilled. “Bladeborn… Why am I not surprised…?” Her tone was resigned and Sharra stared at her, baffled.

 

The younger woman’s voice was quiet. “Maria?”

 

"Who did you speak to?" Maria’s face was remote now. “What did they say?”

 

"I… not much." Sharra stared at her and shivered. “I slept a lot. I had been hurt quite a bit before they found me… And when I tried to escape…” Maria gasped. There was a recognizable wound on Sharra’s abdomen. Sharra shook her head quickly. “No, no… I did that to myself. I tried to suicide, but they saved me. Then they realized I was pregnant and started handling me very gently. They were kind to me. I don’t know why…”

 

"I do." Maria sighed. “They want to stay on Will’s good side.”

 

Huh?" Hazel eyes bored into Maria. “What do you mean?”

 

Maria sighed deeply and led the blonde haired woman to a chair. “Let me tell you what I know. Apparently, there are at least three sects of Bladeborn. And our family has been central to their conflicts for a long, long time. Get comfortable.” She told the younger woman. “This may be a long explanation… I only found out a bunch of it in the last couple of days...”

<Two hundred years previous, in orbit around the planet Telos>

 

“You have got to be kidding me!” The irate tone of the man in the work stained ship suit seemed to roll off the woman behind the desk. He couldn’t have been past twenty five, but his stance showed confidence, as well as aggravation.

 

“Captain, you do not have the proper authorizations, so we cannot help you.” Her tone was profession, but with an edge of bored impatience.

 

The man sighed. “Then what am I supposed to do with two thousand liters of fuel? Look, All I want to do is offload my cargo. You need it, right? I was told you needed fuel. Citadel Station always needs fuel.”

 

The woman shook her head. “Look, you need authorization for that. And to get that, you have to go through the Republic Military. They handle the fuel for the station now that Czerka is finally gone.”

 

“But… I…” The man seemed to wilt. “Look, I was told to deliver this here. I was told I would get paid. I put all the money I had in this jaunt…”

 

The woman shook her head. “Whoever told you that lied, Captain Kalenath. I am sorry, but I cannot help you. Good day.”

 

Jereck Kalenath, master and captain of the starship Hope's Run, slumped as he turned to go. Of all the crazy things to finally bring him down, this… This was not what he had expected. He had finally managed to score a decent contract, a simple delivery run. Pick up some fuel, and carry it, make a profit. But when he had arrived, the people he had been told to contact didn’t want anything to do with him. It didn’t make any sense. He was grumbling as he walked back to the hangar bay that he had used the absolute last of his available money to rent and sighed as he looked over his ship.

 

The Hope’s Run was a small transport. A Dynamic class freighter, its type had been used across the galaxy for hundreds of years. But the Hope’s Run was a wreck. It had been a wreck when he had found it, and it was a wreck now. At least it looked like one. He smiled a bit sadly as he entered his code on the hatch keypad and the ramp lowered. As he entered he snarled at the sight of the inflatable fuel storage bladders that cluttered the cargo hold. As a matter of fact, they cluttered every single part of the ship except the cockpit and engine room. He had spent a great deal of time, effort and credits figuring out how to get the most fuel lift out of this ship. But all for naught. A voice called to him.

 

“Jereck?” He smiled as he heard Kelly’s voice. But he sighed and started to where she was likely working in the engine compartment.

 

He stopped just inside the hatch and smiled widely. His partner was barely visible in the innards of the hyperdrive. A hyperdrive that had sounds of maintenance coming from inside it. All that showed were a pair of bare feet. He sighed. “Kelly, what have I told you about going barefoot on the ship?”

 

"Not to." Her voice had a smile in it and her legs kicked a bit. “How did it go?”

 

"Aw man..." He sighed again. “It didn’t.”

 

The noises inside the hyperdrive stopped and the feet pushed out, followed by a torso and finally a head. Kelly Parcs was not a pretty woman, but Jereck had never cared. He had met her for the first time in a dingy cantina on Nar Shaddaa, she had been bartending of all things. The girl had a magic touch with tech of any kind, and she had been bartending, trying to live off of tips, and the minimal wages that the Duros who owned the bar had paid her. He had hired her on the spot after seeing her fix a broken music player with nothing more than a pocketknife. Her short black hair glistened with sweat and grease, her face was covered in muck, and he thought she had never looked prettier. But her face was intent. “What do you mean, ‘It didn’t’?”

 

Jereck sighed. “We were played, Kelly. They won’t buy the fuel. We need to go through the Republic Military, and you know how they are.” The Reps were just as likely to turn up their noses at a pair of freelancers as to ‘commandeer’ the fuel for their own use, leaving the ship owners high and dry.

 

"Jereck..." Kelly’s face was study now and her voice held fear. “If we can’t sell the fuel…”

 

Jereck slumped. “I know, Kelly. I know…” She shuddered and he held her as she did, trying to figure out a way out of this mess.

 

"But..." Kelly shook her head. “If they won’t take it, then… Oh crap… Old Man Harrig set us up?”

 

"Probably." Jereck nodded. “Looks that way, doll. I… I will see what I can do… Someone will need fuel. And if we don’t get money, Jutto the Hutt is going to be more than a little steamed.”

 

Kelley smiled. “You and your gift for understatement, Jereck. Ok, go on, I’ll try and get this hunk of kark working.”

 

Jereck sighed. “If your mom found out I was teaching you bad language…”

 

Kelly gave him a hug but her eyes held something deep and warm. “There is a lot we won’t tell my mom. What happens on the ship stays on the ship. Go, find us a buyer.”

 

<A couple of days later>

 

Jereck woke slowly. Something was wrong. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but… He tensed as he remembered. He had gone to meet a potential buyer. None of the legit people would touch him, so he had been forced to go a bit far afield. He had clinched the deal and then left the seedy cantina. But when he had arrived back at the ship, it had been open! He had entered cautiously and heard the whine of a stunner. Then he had woken up here. His eyes shot open. “Kelly!”

 

“Jereck…” Kelly’s voice came from somewhere nearby and he turned his head, scared out of his mind now as he realized her was wearing restraints. He saw Kelly wearing manacles and... He snarled and tried to move, but the slave collar around his neck that matched the one around hers zapped him. He collapsed back down. His lover’s voice was scared. “Jereck… I can’t get it off. No… Don’t move… They have them set to go on movement…”

 

“Who Kelly?” Jereck asked, careful to keep his body still. He looked around; they seemed to be in a small storage compartment. “Where are we?”

 

“I don’t know.” Kelly said with a quaver in her voice. “A couple of guys came to the hatch. They said that you had cut a deal. I told them to wait for you. They said ‘Fine’. I went back to work and… I don’t know what happened. The alarms didn’t go off. I woke up here. Oh Jereck… What are they going to do with us?”

 

The hatch hissed open and both turned to see a human standing there with an evil smile on his face. “You might as well know. The Exchange thanks you for you ‘donation’ of fuel, Captain Kalenath.”

 

"Mokta!" Jereck’s face was savage now. “You son of a barve! We had a deal!” This was the human he had met. “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you.”

 

The man smiled again. “Well, you did get rid of your fuel. I got a ship to sell, and two nice little added bonuses to put on the slave market.” His eyes lingered on Kelly. “Or maybe just one of you…”

 

Jereck snarled. “You leave her alone, you son of a…” He screamed as the collar around his neck shocked him again.

 

Mokta grinned. “Oh come on, it won’t be but so bad. I won’t sell either of you to the Hutt. He is rather steamed with you.” The human stepped into the room and knelt down where Kelly was trying to cower away carefully. “It’s okay darling… It won’t hurt. That I promise you.”

 

Jereck snarled and, ignoring the shocks, tried to sweep the slaver’s legs out from under him, but the slaver just knocked him down with a fist. “Stay down, I don’t want to mark my merchandise. But this one…” His eyes went back to Kelly. “I think we will keep this one… Come here darling…” He reached for Kelly, only to gasp as she swept her legs up into the tender spot between his legs. He fell back cursing, lost his balance and landed heavily. He snarled. “You gonna pay for that girl…”

 

The evil man’s voice broke off as Jereck managed to get his manacled hands over the slaver’s head and pull. The slaver tried to twist free, but Jereck had the leverage. A twist, a snap and the human went limp, the smell of death exuding from every pore. Jereck took a moment to just breath. It had been years since he had last practiced hand to hand.

 

"What the...?" Kelly’s voice was scared. “Jereck…?”

 

"I'm okay, Kelly." His voice wasn’t much better. “How did you…?”

 

He looked to face her, and while her eyes held fear, her face was smug. As was her voice. “I was pretty sure they were monitoring. I couldn’t get it off. I could turn it off.”

 

“That’s my girl. Let’s get out of here…” But both froze as another form appeared in the open hatch. All black chitin, angles and claws, the form was out of a nightmare.

 

The voice that came was rueful. “Idiot. It is so hard to get good help these days.” Jereck’s eyes went wide. It was coming from the bug! “You cost me a servant human. I think you will do fine as a replacement. You seem a bit brighter anyway, for a human. The female will serve as well. Bring them.” Jereck could only scream as clicking noises came and other forms entered the room. He heard Kelly whimpering as something touched him and darkness claimed him.

 

<Some time later>

 

When Jereck woke, he was in darkness. He shook his head, trying to see, trying to feel. He wasn’t bound, but there was no light. “Hello…?” He called.

 

“Um… hello…” Came a voice he recognized.

 

“Kelly?” He called excited. “Where are you?” She sounded odd.

 

“Um… Jereck…I…” Her voice was dull and listless. “I can’t see.”

 

Jereck focused on where he heard her voice. “Neither can I honey. Hold on, I’m coming…” All around, he heard odd noises, but nothing touched him as he crept on all fours towards where he had heard Kelly’s voice. “Kelly, talk to me, guide me to you.”

 

Kelly’s voice was low, but clearly audible. “I feel weird, Jereck. Really weird. Like parts of me are not here. I… Oh god, Jereck… What did they do to me?”

 

“I don’t know, honey, lets…” his hands encountered something. Something that for a moment had him freezing in fear. A human hand. He touched it. Kelly made a noise. “Kelly…?”

 

“Something just touched my hand…" Kelly was almost in tears. "Jereck, I am scared.”

 

But Jereck relaxed, just a little. He gave the hand a squeeze. “I think it was me. Feel that?”

 

Kelly’s voice was less scared now, but still off. “Yeah. Hi…”

 

Jereck had to smile. “Hi yourself, lets…” His hands were gentle as they traced up her body. “What the…?” He found… something… holding her forearm to the surface she was on. “This isn’t a manacle… It feels… organic…” He kept his touch gentle as he traced her arm to her torso. He could feel Kelly shivering as he touched her. “Kelly, it’s okay, let me figure a way to get you loose.”

 

Her voice was shaky. “Jereck, something is wrong. I feel… bloated. I… Oh god, what did they do to me…?”

 

Jereck found her head and stroked her cheek lightly. “It will be okay, Kelly. Hold on, let me… What the…?” He froze as he heard something he recognized from his old life before the Hope’s Run. A whine, like a… A breaching charge! He threw himself over the body of his beloved as the world went from black to bright. He had a moment of intense pain before darkness claimed him again.

 

<Later>

 

When Jereck woke, he just lay for a moment. He hadn’t really expected to. To hear a breaching charge start, one had to be very close to it. Close enough to be caught in the blast radius. He had set more than his share in his life, until his term had been up and he had left that part of his life behind. He opened his eyes and stiffened. There was no change. He couldn’t see! He slumped. A voice came from nearby.

 

“Jereck…?” Kelly’s voice was soft, but clear. "Are you awake?"

 

"Kelly!" Jereck hadn’t thought his body could get that stiff. “Kelly. Where are you I…”

 

"I know." Kelly’s voice held tears and he felt a hand take his. “You can’t see. You covered me… I…”

 

"Oh Kelly..." Jereck felt a squeeze from the hand. “Kelly, what happened? Are you okay?”

 

Kelly’s voice was stronger, older. “I am fine, Jereck. You are a mess. You covered me… You shielded me from the blast…” Her voice held a mix of awe and fear and tears.

 

"Oh..." Jereck sighed, aware now of pain that edged in past whatever was holding it at bay. “Don’t cry Kelly. I’m alive. That is what matters. Were we rescued?”

 

Kelly’s voice was low now. “Sort of…”

 

Jereck turned his head to where her voice was coming from. “’Sort of’?” He asked carefully.

 

Another voice answered him. “Harm came to you and your companion through our actions, Jereck Kalenath. We have an obligation to the both of you. Kelly Parcs, it is time for your own treatment.”

 

“Kelly…?” Jereck’s voice held fear. But the hand that gripped his was gentle.

 

“It’s okay Jereck, they are trying to undo what the black bugs did to me." Kelly reassured him. "They say they can, but it will take some time.” Another hand brushed his face.

 

“What…? What happened to you…? Kelly?” He broke off as something brushed his lips. A kiss.

 

“I am okay, Jereck, really I am. Our ‘hosts’ are very good at what they do. I have to go now. But I will be back.” Her hand gave his a squeeze again before withdrawing. He heard something odd as he felt a presence move away. A clicking. Like the bugs’ legs on deck plating. A hatch hissed closed and he turned to where the other voice had come from.

 

"Kelly..." His voice was soft then it turned angry. “What did you do to her?”

 

The other voice was sad. “Nothing. We almost didn’t catch it in time. The ones who had you both are… insidious is probably the best word. They changed parts of her body to suit their own twisted purposes. She will make a full recovery, as will you, in time.”

 

Jereck shook his head, aware now of lethargy creeping in. “If I was near the epicenter of the blast… The shock wave pulped my eyes at the very least. It should have… Wait…” He laid a hand on his stomach and tensed. It was covered by something odd. Something that felt hard, like chitin! “What have you done to me?” He demanded.

 

Something hard, but gentle took his hand and placed it back by his side. The voice spoke again, from nearer. “We are treating your wounds, as we are treating hers. It is okay, Jereck Kalenath” He felt something brush his forehead. Then he froze as he heard the voice inside his skull.

 

It will be okay. I am Nuoloinhtihjusghymajistrona. But you may call me Majistrona. Rest now, young one, sleep in the arms of Ashla.

<Some time later>

 

When Jereck woke, he hurt. It wasn’t bad, more of a dull ache across much of his body, something he remembered from his time in service, such as it had been. He opened his eyes, but they wouldn’t, he stiffened and then he remembered. Someone had said they were going to work on him soon, hadn’t they? It got fuzzy. He was pretty sure he was hopped up on painkillers. From what little he had been told of his injuries, he was glad of it. He had been caught a time or two in explosions during his service career, and he had hoped that once he left that he wouldn’t have to ever again.

 

“Silly me…” He said quietly. But he was astonished when a voice answered him.

 

“Good morning, Jereck Kalenath.” He turned his head to where the voice came from. It sounded female and younger than the other one, Majistrona had been her name.

 

“Good morning… I…” He froze as something touched his hand. He touched it and it felt hard, but with an underlying softness.

 

“I am Lanakolatalinecien, but you may call me Ecien if you so wish.” The voice was kind and Jereck found himself relaxing.

 

He snorted. “Wow long name… I think I am going to have to. I don’t think I can pronounce that. Ecien then.”

 

Something suspiciously like a chuckle came from the unseen being. “We add syllables with each molting, so my name will grow as I do. Are you hungry sir? I have a breakfast for you if you feel up to it.” Jereck put a hand to his face and tensed when he felt something covering where his eyes had been. He tapped it. It felt hard and durable, whatever it was. Ecien spoke quietly. “We are regrowing them. It will take time, but in a few weeks you will have a pair of functional eyes.”

 

Jereck sighed. “Thank you. I … I don’t mean to be a pain, but is Kelly…?” He broke off as the whatever-it-was touched him on the arm, gently.

 

Ecien’s voice was kind. “Kelly Parcs is in therapy at the moment. We have undone most of what the lost cousins did to her. But she will also need time to recover.”

 

"Who?" Jereck’s brow furrowed under whatever was on it. “The ‘lost cousins’?” He asked carefully.

 

Ecien sighed. “I will explain while you eat.”

 

Jereck shook his head slightly. “Are you going to feed me? I mean… I can’t see to use utensils.”

 

Now Ecien’s voice was tart. “Please, Mr. Kalenath. You are hardly the first bedridden or blinded being we have tended. Reach out your left hand ten centimeters to your left.” He moved it gently and found what had to be a tray. On it was a covered bowl and a spoon. “You system is not up for solid foods just yet, so we made up some oh, what do you humans call it…? Ah, yes, Kelly Parcs called it porridge…?”

 

Jereck smiled. “I haven’t had porridge in twelve years, Ma’am.” He waited until he felt the cover removed and then dipped the spoon carefully into the yielding substance. He moved the spoon to his mouth by touch and gently cleaned it off. It was good. “This is… good…” He said around another bite.

 

Ecien snorted. “Don’t talk with your mouth full. Food and liquids in one pipe, air in the other.” Jereck snickered, but when Ecien spoke again, it was sad. “The lost cousins are beings of our race who were experimented on centuries ago, by a faction within the Republic. We believe a Jedi was the leader of the team that did so.” Jereck froze with another spoonful halfway to his mouth, but Ecien snorted. “Come on, finish that. We had tried for centuries to help them, heal them, or stop them. All we can do is contain them and try to minimize the damage they do. We found the ship you were on and boarded it as we always did. Unfortunately, the compartment we chose to board through was the one you were in.”

 

"Oh." Jereck’s appetite had failed, but he kept eating. He knew he needed the food. “You blew through the hull.”

 

"Yes." Ecien’s voice was sad again. “We did. Or more accurately I did. I led the assault team. My people placed the charges that hurt you.” Her voice held shame. "I didn't check the scanners first."

 

"And..." Jereck shook his head slowly. “If you hadn’t done what you did… What would they have done to us?”

 

"Well..." Ecien’s voice was thoughtful now. “You, they likely would have brainwashed into serving them and then when you were of no further use, they would have killed and eaten you, not necessarily in that order. Kelly Parcs…” She broke off and Jereck felt the presence withdraw a bit.

 

"What?" Jereck stopped eating again. “What did they do to her?”

 

"A lot." Ecien’s voice was sad now. “They have tried for centuries to find a specific type of host mother for their race. We have found and stopped them countless times. The only true advantage we have is that all of us use Ashla.”

 

"Ashla?" Jereck felt confused. “What is Ashla?”

 

"Um..." Ecien seemed taken aback. “Oh, what you know as the Force. We all have the Force.”

 

Jereck stiffened. “You are Jedi?”

 

Ecien snorted. “Close, but not quite. We do follow what they call the Light Side however. I…” Her voice broke off. Jereck waited, but Ecien didn’t speak again.

 

“Ecien?” He asked when he had finished the bowl.

 

Ecien’s voice held fear when she spoke. “We have a problem.”

 

Jereck smiled. “Well, I don’t know what good I will be…” He stopped talking and stiffened as he felt a touch on his arm.

 

"Your help is required." Ecien’s voice was intent. “Jereck, this is very important. Do you care for Kelly Parcs?”

 

Jereck recoiled a bit. “Um, yes…”

 

"I can see you do." Ecien’s voice was worried. “Can you talk to her, if I take you to her?”

 

“Sure I can, but… why?” He asked, unnerved by his host's sudden change.

 

Ecien touched his arm and then something hard slid under his body. He was lifted into the air, but didn’t feel fear. Something was all around him, something hard and soft. Then he felt motion. As he moved he heard Ecien’s voice. “We found your personal effects on the slaver’s ship, -yours and hers- since we had nothing on hand that would that fit her. We didn’t know that one of the shirts had a blaster hidden in it.”

 

Jereck felt like he had been punched in the gut. “You mean she…?” He couldn’t say it.

 

Ecien gave his torso a gentle squeeze. “No. We are trying to talk to her, trying to get her to calm down. But she… She thinks she is a monster. I will get you there.” Jereck shook, both with fear and regret. He did care for Kelly, but could he help her?

 

<A few minutes later>

 

Jereck felt Ecien slow. Then he heard why.

 

“Stay away from Me!” Kelly’s loud voice was easily audible. Nothing else seemed to be making noise at all.

 

Majistrona’s voice was calm, gentle. “Kelly Parcs, you are sick. You are not thinking clearly. Put the blaster down, and we can talk. Please don’t do anything rash…”

 

"Monster!" Kelly’s voice was angry now. “You hurt me! You killed them… All of them… You took them out of me…”

 

Majistrona’s voice was still calm and gentle and Ecien moved slowly. Jereck could only assume that the bug was bringing him closer to Kelly. The queen bug’s voice was sad now. “Kelly, we had no choice. Do you think I wanted to? They would have killed you in birthing, your body would not have been able to handle the stresses.”

 

"Get back!" Kelly’s voice was hoarse now, as if she had been screaming. “Stay away, all of you… Murderers…”

 

“Talk to her.” Came Ecien’s soft voice in Jereck’s ear and he sighed.

 

When he spoke, it was quiet, but carried. “Kelly, what are you doing?”

 

A squeak of surprise came from where Kelly’s voice had been coming from. “Jereck… No… No… Don’t look at me…”

 

Jereck smiled, just a little, and it was evident in his tone. “Hey, Kelly my girl. I can’t see right now, remember? But I don’t need to see to have lewd designs on your body.”

 

"No...I..." Kelly snorted. It might have been a bit on the hysterical side, but it was clearly laughter. “You… No… Jereck, stay back… I…”

 

"Oh Kelly..." But Jereck was not going to stop now. “You know the only thing that is keeping me from crawling over there and having my way with you?”

 

Kelly’s voice was cautious. “No, what?”

 

“I planned on telling you this after we landed, rich." Jereck said sadly. "But life has a funny way of playing tricks on you… If you found the blaster in a shirt, one of mine I take it… It would be the brown one that smells of lubricant, right?”

 

Kelly’s voice was very confused now. “Yeah, it was… why?”

 

"Do you have it close to hand?" Jereck asked carefully.

 

"I am wearing it." Kelly snorted. "And yes, it smells strongly of lubricant."

 

"Good." Now Jereck’s voice was very quiet. “Look in the right breast pocket. A present for you girl. You know my feelings on that witch you called ‘Mom’…”

 

“Jereck… She was the one who raised me…” Kelly’s voice was low, and filled with remembered pain now.

 

"I know." Jereck sighed. “I had to do as she wished. She wouldn’t let you go otherwise.” He could feel Ecien stiffening underneath him, but he continued. “You will find two papers folded. Open them and read the first one, aloud.”

 

Kelly was very confused now but she did as instructed. “I, Jereck Kalenath do swear to take…" She broke off and her voice was shocked now. "Oh my god, Jereck…”

 

“Read it, Kelly…” Jereck’s voice was low, but carried easily.

 

There were tears in her voice. “I, Jereck Kalenath do swear to take the woman known as Kelly Parcs as my lawful wife, to have and to hold, to cherish and nuture, until death do us part.” She was crying. “Jereck, I… I can’t…”

 

“Look at the other one, Kelly.” Jereck said quietly in the sudden silence around them. He felt ill suddenly, but something washed over him from the arms that held him and the feeling passed.

 

"No..." Kelly’s voice was crying hard now. “Jereck… Oh no, you didn’t… How did you know…”

 

"To buy your freedom?" Jereck sighed. “It was only money Kelly. I wanted to see you happy. You were the best thing that ever happened to me. Meeting you in that cantina changed my life. I was…not a good man, Kelly. You made me one. I wanted to do right by you.”

 

"You always did..." Kelly’s voice was hushed. “You always did, but… to buy me and free me… Jereck… How…?”

 

"I had some money." Jereck sighed. “I never told you what I did in the service. I did hard jobs, Kelly, I got paid decent for it. But then… I couldn’t do the job anymore. Maybe I grew up, maybe I grew old, but suddenly… it just didn’t seem to matter anymore. I had a nice little nest egg saved up. And then I met you.”

 

"No..." Kelly was barely able to get words out past sobs now. “Jereck, she made you pay for me… Five thousand credits… I…”

 

"Less than you are worth girl. Far, far less." Jereck spoke softly to Ecien. “Put me down. How far is she?”

 

Ecien murmured back. “Directly ahead, flat floor, twenty meters.” As sense of motion and then Jereck felt the floor under him and he rolled onto his stomach. Then he started crawling. His arms were just as strong as they had been, and if his body didn’t react quite as it should, he ordered it to behave and it did. He had covered maybe ten meters when a muffled exclamation came from ahead.

 

“Jereck… what…?” Kelly’s voice was scared, sad and worried all in one. He ignored her and kept crawling towards the wound of her voice. “Jereck… stop…”

 

"No." Jereck bit out words. The strain on his muscles was intense now. “If you are going to shoot, shoot. But I am not living without you, girl…”

 

"I..." Kelly’s voice was soft. “Jereck… I am a monster now… If you could see me…”

 

Jereck’s voice was soft now as he fought to keep moving. He was so close. “Doesn’t matter, Kelly… You are my wife. You read the paper. Unless…” He stopped. “Unless you want to say ‘No’.”

 

Kelly choked off something. “I… Jereck… You…” She was very close now and he put out a hand. He felt chitin and didn’t flinch, just explored up her body. He found her arm and hoisted himself up. Then he found her head and pushed his face close to her.

 

“Say what you want, Kelly. I have never forced you to do anything before and I won’t now. If you want… Rip up that paper now, in front of all of these witnesses. You can live your life, as you wish. I am not going to push you. I am going to ask you. Will you marry me, Kelly Parcs?” He felt shudders in her body now. He felt something touch his face, a hand. It was as gentle as always.

 

When she spoke it was almost inaudible. “Yes.” And everything was right in his world. He kissed her.

<Two weeks later>

 

 

“I don’t understand.” Jereck was not clear at all on this. He liked the people who had rescued him, a lot. Even if he had never seen them, he liked them, a great deal. And he had been hoping to look Ecien in the eyes, just this once. But when she had come in, she had delivered some unexpected news. The beings that had taken care of him; healed his wounds and Kelly’s… disfigurement… were asking them to leave?

 

Eciens’ voice was sad. “I like you Jereck, we all do. And you as well, Kelly.” Jereck felt a human hand take his right one and he smiled as he gave a squeeze. Kelly was still given to dark moments and bad moods. But she was getting better. She had not left his side since he had proposed to her and truth be told, he didn’t want her to. Her therapy had not been fun for either of them. But he had given his word, so he kept it to her. They shared a hospital room now. He had hurt himself crawling to her, and she blamed herself for that. But he wouldn’t let her dwell on it. He kept thinking up strange and unusual things to tempt her mind with. He had always known that she had a dirty mind, one thing he liked about her, but now… Now he had a reason to indulge. But not yet. Neither was physically ready yet. But soon.

 

Jereck felt Kelly’s tension through her hand and pulled her close for a kiss before speaking. “But you won’t let us stay?”

 

Ecien’s voice was quiet. “We are at war, Jereck. You and Kelly were caught up in our war and hurt as a result. Anyone around us can become a target. We like you both, but we have hurt you both. I…” The being broke off and Kelly spoke up.

 

The human woman’s voice was a lot stronger and more sure now than it had been. “Ecien… It wasn’t your fault. You saved me, healed Jereck… Neither of us blames you. You did what you had to do. Even when I went nuts…” Shame colored Kelly’s voice and Jereck hugged her close.

 

His voice was tart. “Hey, baby… It’s okay. Everyone gets moods, even me. And you earned yours several times over. I had just… I wanted to see you with my own eyes Ecien.”

 

A smile was in Ecien’s voice when she spoke. “And so you shall… Kelly…?” Jereck tensed as he felt Kelly move to the side a bit. Then something gentle touched him on the cheek. Ecien’s voice was soft. “Keep them closed. This may sting a bit.”

 

Jereck did as ordered while the touch on his cheek moved up to the object that covered his eyes. It had become almost normal to have this hard thing over his face. Almost. But then, the object moved. It did sting, just a bit, and Jereck hissed as whatever it was took a few bits of skin with it, but he didn’t move was it was pulled off. Something warm and wet wiped across his face and he shuddered a bit, Kelly held his hands in tight grips as whatever it was brushed across the formerly covered area. Now Ecien’s voice was satisfied. “There…”

 

"That's it?" Jereck felt a bit faint. He had been worried that he would be permanently blind, no matter their hosts’ promises. “Can… Can I…?”

 

Ecien’s voice was kind. “Go right ahead, Jereck.”

 

For a moment, his eyes did not want to open. He felt a stab of fear, but then they did. The dim light of the room had him worried as well, but then he realized that they had turned the lights down for his sake. But that was not what he wanted to see. He turned his head and she was there. Her green eyes followed his head as he turned, but then she smiled widely as he looked at her. She looked awful, her face was thin and haggard from stress and pain, but he thought she had never looked prettier.

 

“Hiya doll…” Jereck said quietly and Kelly stared at him, and then she was crying. He pulled her close.

 

“Hiya handsome.” She choked out between wracking sobs. After a few moments, she calmed a bit. “Sorry…”

 

Ecien’s voice came from nearby. “You have nothing to be sorry about, Kelly. Both of you have been under a great deal of stress.” Jereck turned his head and there she was. The large insect’s silver hide gleamed in the soft light of the room and Jereck smiled at her.

 

“You are pretty Ecien, but I am afraid my heart is already taken." Jereck said with a grin. "We might be able to do a threesome…” Kelly gave his shoulder a playful swat. “Ow… Meanie…”

 

Ecien shook her small head and sighed melodramatically. “I can see where this is going. Both of you… Take it slow and easy.” She turned towards the door.

 

"What?" Jereck stared at her. “You… You are not going to stop us?”

 

"Why would I?" Now Ecien’s voice was tart. “You are both physically fit now. And you deserve whatever happiness you can get.”

 

Kelly looked up from where her face had been buried in Jereck’s shoulder. “Ecien… Thank you…” Jereck nodded, but his throat was too tight for him to speak.

 

The large bug stopped at the door. “You are welcome. I will be back in… oh… four hours…? I think that is enough time.” Then she was gone.

 

Jereck stared after her for a moment, and then looked at Kelly. The girl’s skin was a patchwork of dark and pale where new skin had grown. “Well… whatever shall we do with the time she has given us?”

 

"Um..." Kelly was staring at him. “Jereck… Your eyes are green now…”

 

"I know." He smiled widely. “I asked for that. Till death do us part, girlie…”

 

Kelly shook her head slowly. “You crazy man…” He pulled her close and proceeded to show her exactly how crazy he was about her.

 

<The next day>

 

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank both of you. You saved us both, healed us both, gave us both something incredible. Thank you Ecien, and you as well Majistrona.” Jereck sat in a chair with his wife on his lap as the two bugs he had come to like nodded to him. “I understand that you do not want civilians around, and I can sympathize.”

 

Majistrona’s voice was sad from where she sat among her eggs. She was too large to fit into the hospital room, so Jereck and Kelly had come to her. “I like you both. We like you both. But… We are not safe to be around. We have found you a suitable place, one that meets all your criteria.”

 

Jereck nodded slowly. He had asked them to find a place for them to live. “I just wish we didn’t have the specter of that Hutt hanging over us. I be he wasn’t happy with us up and vanishing on him.”

 

“Funny you should mention that…” Ecien said in an odd tone. A tone that had alarm bells ringing in Jereck’s head. From her stiffness, Kelly’s as well.

 

Jereck and Kelly stared at her. Jereck found his voice first. “Do I want to know?”

 

Ecien’s voice was smug. “Well, we have little use for much of the stuff that we find when we take ships back from the dark cousins. So… we sell it, through intermediaries. One of the less reputable ones we use occasionally has some dealings with this Jutto. We told you what happened to the Hope’s Run…” Her voice broke off as Jereck felt face scrunch up.

 

That ship had been a pain in the shebs. But it had been his. To find out that the slaver scum who had taken them had stripped it for parts and left it to be scavenged hurt, a lot. Jereck’s voice held sorrow. “Yeah, yeah you did… It makes no sense. The ship was a clunker, a piece of garbage. Why do I feel so bad about it?”

 

Kelly gave him a squeeze from where she was sitting. “It was home, Jereck. Yours and mine. Now we have to make a new home. But you were saying Ecien?”

 

"Yes." The silver insect nodded. “We did some business with our fence. He sent a message and a payment to Jutto, ostensibly from you. Jutto demanded fifty percent extra, we gave him thirty five for the inconvenience an he said it was well enough. You won’t have to worry about him.”

 

Jereck went stiff. “You… You paid…”

 

Ecien stood up to her full height, but her voice was tart when she spoke. “We needed the fuel. And apparently, someone named Harrig was trying to play both sides. According to the fence… he has been ‘dealt with’.”

 

Jereck and Kelly exchanged a glance, and then they embraced. They were free. Kelly was the first to speak. “Thank you. What did you find? I know Jereck asked for somewhere back of beyond, someplace quiet and relatively peaceful.”

 

Ecien snorted. “Quiet and peace will be good for you Kelly. You will need it. Not that it will last.” Something in her tone…

 

Kelly stared at the silver insect. “What?” Her voice was confused.

 

Majistrona spoke up and there was an undercurrent of amusement to her tone. “Um… Kelly… You do know what happens when male humans and female humans get together, right?”

 

Kelly had a blank look. “Yeah…?”

 

Majistrona’s voice had a smile in it now. “You are going to be very busy, Kelly. And I can tell you this as a parent myself, kiss sleep goodbye for the first six months.”

 

Kelly’s face went slack as she digested what the queen bug had said. Then she stiffened. Jereck just held her. The girl’s voice was soft. “I… I can’t be… We…”

 

Ecien’s voice was sour. “Kelly… Given the sheer… enthusiasm, you have shown, and your determination, I would have been amazed if you were not.” Kelly turned bright red, but Jereck just hugged her tight, but around the shoulders, not over the stomach.

 

Jereck smiled as he stroked his wife’s hair. She buried her face in his shoulder. “I wanted kids, but… I never expected it to be so soon. I… Yeah if we are… expecting… then we don’t want loud things in the neighborhood. Where did you find?”

 

Ecien touched some controls. “A small planet in the Outer Rim, mostly farming communities. I think you will like it, even if the work is nowhere near as exciting as flying.”

 

Jereck smiled. “I think I have had enough running around. Farming… I don’t know anything about farming, but I bet I can learn. What is the planet called?”

 

Majistrona answered. “Averum.”

 

<The next day>

 

It was very quiet on the observation booth and Ecien savored the feeling. There were not many places, even on a ship this size, where one could go to be alone. And she wanted to be alone right now. She stared out the viewport and shook her head as a flash showed in the distance. Ecien felt sorrow as she watched the ship that held her two dear friends jumped to hyperspace. She felt Majistrona come up behind her. Ecien’s voice was sad. “We won’t see them again.” It wasn’t a question.

 

“It is safer for them, Ecien.” Majistrona’s voice was just as sad as Ecien’s feelings.

 

“We could have told them.” Ecien’s voice held just a hint of annoyance. “What harm could it have done?”

 

"Harm?" Majistrona’s voice was soft. “Probably none, but think Ecien. What would they do?”

 

"Worry." Ecien nodded. “Yes, they have enough to worry about. Did you tell her?”

 

"No." Majistrona sighed. “She deserves to find out on her own.”

 

"Twins." Ecien snorted. “I was sure they were going to conceive. But not twins. Mother... Did you... tamper?”

 

"Who me?" Majistrona snorted. “Actually, I had nothing to do with it. Bets on how long until they go at it again?”

 

"If they are not already at it again, I will eat a Ronto, tusks and all." Ecien snorted in matching amusement. “Crazy rutting humans…”

 

Majistrona looked at her daughter. “They do love each other, and that is important. And now, we know… It is coming…”

 

Ecien nodded. “We will have to keep an eye on them and their family. A discrete eye.” Majistrona nodded and the two insects, mother and daughter, stared out at the starscape in silence.

<The present, Stormhawk Enclave>

 

 

The blonde haired woman was speechless when Maria finished talking. Mirshana finally found her tongue. “You mean they have been watching your family for two centuries?” Her voice held awe.

 

Maria sighed. “Yep. This Jereck… I didn’t know the name, but then again, I barely knew most my cousins, and I never knew my grandparents, he seems to have been what caught their eye. According to my contact, they help out when they can, clandestinely, covertly. When my dad…” She broke off, unable to continue. Mirshana put an arm around her.

 

“Maria…?” Her voice was worried, and Maria smiled at her, a bit sadly.

 

“We told you once, about our pasts, Samuel and I.” Maria’s voice caught at the mention of her husband.

 

“Yes. Yes you did.” Mirshana hugged her mother in law tight. That discussion had been exceptionally painful, for both Will and Sharra to hear, but both had understood and supported Maria through the hard times that had followed. Mirshana’s eyes went wide. Something in Maria’s tone rang a bell, a bad one.

 

“Oh no… Maria… Have you been drinking again?” Maria bit her lip and nodded slowly then she forced herself to relax. Sure enough, her head was rocked back from a solid punch. “You… idiot!” Mirshana’s voice was furious now. “Don’t you dare…! Don’t you dare kill yourself, not after all of this…”

 

"I..." Maria worked her jaw. The girl could still hit. She slumped. “I am so tired, Sharra… So tired… So often I wake up and I wonder why I have survived so much when everyone I love dies. When you… When I thought you were dead… I…”

 

The blonde haired woman stared at the older black haired one and sighed. Then she was cradling the woman as Maria sobbed. “Shhh… Shh… Maria, it will be okay. I am not dead and now you have a grandchild on the way. Hold that thought.”

 

Maria sighed into Mirshana/Sharra’s shoulder. “I didn’t mean to. I messed up, bigtime, I… I didn’t mean to…” She repeated lamely.

 

“Oh Maria…” The blonde haired woman sighed and then gave Maria hug. “Look, no one is perfect. I sure am not. We all make mistakes. Can you fix yours?”

 

Maria shook her head. “Not immediately. The girl in question is off on a job with Will. I can’t… undo what I did. But maybe I can help you.” She shook herself and focused. “What do you remember from the dreams?”

 

Sharra/Mirshana sighed. Maria always did this, focused on others to keep from helping herself. Only her husband ever had been able to get through her skull. And he was… “Wait a minute… Oh my god…”

 

Maria froze as Sharra’s face went pale. “Sharra? What?” Maria asked.

 

Sharra’s voice was so low as to be almost inaudible. “It was Samuel’s voice and… the laughter was there too… I am going mad. I must be…” She was shivering in fear now.

 

“No you are not.” Maria said quietly.

 

"Maria?" Sharra stared at her. “What?”

 

Maria took a long breath, held it and then let it out. “Sharra… I know what is going on. But…” She shook her head. “It goes against the grain.”

 

Sharra stared at her. “What does?”

 

"Running." Maria shook her head. “We need to get you out of here. If she can find me, he can find you.”

 

"Maria..." Sharra shook her head. “You are not making any sense.”

 

Maria shook her head. “We need to leave the Enclave and we need to do it now. Its secure against most threats, but not against this one. I really hope she was telling me the truth. I really do…” Suddenly the woman looked lot less despondent and a lot more aggressive.

 

"Um..." Sharra shook her head slowly. “Maria… You are starting to scare me.”

 

Maria gave the girl who was her daughter in law a hug. “I know and I am sorry. But we have to leave as soon as possible. Man, Gaia is going to be mad at me…”

 

“Who?” Sharra asked carefully.

 

Maria grinned. “You will like her.”

 

<Two days later>

 

To her amazement, Sharra did. Maria had finally explained, once they were on the ship and airborne. It had taken several hours of getting through red tape and hassles of all kinds. Everything from Leia crying and hugging Mirshana until the blonde was sure she was going to pass out, to an angry Mando medic in green swearing he was going to weld Maria to a tank to keep her in one place, to Sara staring at Maria and then at Mirshana before smiling and nodding. But Maria was Maria. Those who got in her way got out of it, or got hurt. Sharra had been almost giddy with relief when Sara had pulled her away to eat. By the time the girls had returned, Maria had the situations under control. But then Sara and another girl who looked like her had insisted on coming. It had been seriously anticlimactic when she had finally been ushered gently into the Stormhawk’s medical bay to meet the newest medical person aboard. A being who looked horrific but was gentle and kind.

 

“How is that? Too tight?” The voice from the jellyfish like creature was concerned, but Sharra just smiled.

 

“That is fine. I hadn’t thought about acceleration harnesses. Thank you.” A normal acceleration harness had five straps, one of which went between the legs and up to meet the others mid chest. Bad idea for a pregnant lady. So Gaia had been working on a substitute ever since she had heard that Sharra was coming. The straps held her shoulders and torso, and also went around both thighs. It was going to be a bit less comfortable than a normal five point restraint harness, but much safer for an unborn child, and it would strap right in to any normal acceleration harness. Gaia wasn’t happy with the fit on one shoulder and several tentacles began fiddling with it. Sharra had expected to feel creeped out, but in truth she didn’t mind. “You do good work.”

 

"I try. " A set of eyestalks met Sharra’s eyes and Gaia’s voice was somber. “You be careful. I don’t know what muck has crawled into Maria’s shorts this time, but…”

 

"Yeah." Sharra nodded. “I know. She doesn’t totally trust these people. Which is why it was supposed to be just me and her going. With a bit of backup on standby. Sara insisted and then Sarai did, and then, well… Boss did…”

 

"Yeah." Gaia snorted. “You could say that.” When Boss had heard what Maria planned, his screamed ‘No’ had been loud enough to deafen. So the Stormhawk would be nearby, just in case, ready to intervene if necessary. “Do you know anything about them?”

 

"Nope." Sharra shook her head. “Maria says it’s to keep me safe, and I do trust her. It is nervous making however.”

 

"Here." Gaia finished her fitting and rolled back a bit. “Check that…”

 

Sharra stared at the harness and nodded slowly. “Looks good.” She tried the straps and they were just snug enough to restrain without hurting her. She moved enough to check her freedom of movement and nodded. “They look and feel good. Thanks.”

 

"I am glad. I don't like this." Gaia sighed. “Both you and your little one are in good health and good to go. I wish… I wish Maria would listen to reason.”

 

"That's Maria." Sharra snorted. “She never has when she has an idea in her head. And I think… She is scared for me. This time haste is important. She hasn’t wanted to tell me everything, probably to keep from scaring me, but I get the idea that…. Speed is important. And I agree, knowing what little I do.”

 

Gaia looked full at Sharra, her many eyestalks conveying intent. “Sharra, listen to me carefully. I have been worried ever since Maria told us about this other race. I have never heard of them, and I have been around a lot longer than any of you. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are being dishonest, it means they are very, very good at what they do. All we have is Maria’s conviction that they will help, and Maria, well…”

 

Sharra nodded. “...isn’t the stablest of individuals.”

 

“Exactly." Gaia said with a sigh. "She will do her best, she always does, but be careful. If these people have been watching and manipulating her family for so long…”

 

Sharra slumped. “I know.” People like that did not hesitate normally to ‘remove’ potential problems from their plans, with usually unpleasantness happening to the removed party.

 

“Take care of yourself Sharra, I hope we meet again.” Gaia said with a sigh. Sharra surprised herself by kneeling down carefully and opening her arms. The blob like creature rolled into them and tentacles draped over her. It should have felt creepy or icky, it didn’t. It felt… good. Sharra returned what had to be an alien hug.

 

“Thank you Gaia.” She sighed as she saw Maria approaching through the medical bay. “Time to go…”

 

<Twelve hours later>

 

Stormhawk Boss stood on his bridge, trying not to pace. This was freaky. The time Maria had said was appointed for the rendezvous was fast approaching and there was nothing here. Nothing at all. Boss turned to his officers. “Sensors?”

 

“Nothing Boss.” Brianna had come a long way from the beaten down wreck she had been when rescued. She was usually working on engines, but had been cross training. Part of that was the man who stood near her. Jaing Makarian didn’t leave his daughter alone for very long these days. She was recovering, slowly, and she had found a niche, but… Boss stiffened as an alarm wailed.

 

“What the…?” He asked in shock as the transport that held Sara, Maria and two others vanished form his plot. “How the flarg…? Did they jump?”

 

Brianna shook her head, concentrating on her instruments. “No sir… they… They are gone…”

 

Boss shook his head slowly. “Kark me…” His voice was worried. “Full stealth evade, Z minus two hundred thousand, get us away from our last position, just in case…” He shook his head. The Stormhawk had the best stealth in the galaxy at the moment, especially after being upgraded with Islanian tech, but this… whatever had snatched that transport had not been there at all. “Anything at all?” He almost begged.

 

"Nothing." Brianna shook her head. “No sir, they are just…gone…”

 

Boss slumped. “I guess all we can do now… is hope…”

 

<Somewhere>

 

Sharra woke up sure what something was wrong. She tried to sit up straight but something twinged and she froze in place with a groan. A voice sounded from nearby. “It’s okay, Sharra…” Sharra’s eye shot open and she stared at the form that sat beside her bed. Jina was mess,, she had a cast on her arm and was wearing a brace around her chest, but she smiled on seeing Sharra looking at her. Jina grinned. “Morning sleepy head.”

 

Sharra tried to get the sleep out of her eyes, ears and mind. “Jina…What…? What happened to you?”

 

Jina sighed and sat back with a grimace. “Ran into some new enemies. Bad news ones, the same ones who hurt you. It’s good to see you again, Sharra, even if you are not in your old skin.”

 

Sharra stared around the room she was in. It looked like fairly standard ship compartment. But there were some things that were just glaringly different. For one thing, the soft light was not coming from glowlamps, it seemed to be coming from the ceiling itself, more a phosphorescence than an artificial light. For another, the medical monitors that beeped nearby were not connected to her. She stared at herself. She was wearing an outfit she didn’t recognize, a comfortable one.

 

“Where are we?” She finally asked.

 

Jina patted her hand gently. “We are aboard the home starship of an old, old race. They call themselves the Sitolon.”

 

"Oh?" Sharra stared around but only Jina was present. “Why are none of them here?”

 

"Yeah..." Jina sighed. “I know how you feel about spiders. How are you with insects?”

 

Sharra’s eyes went wide. “Um… Not so good…” She felt a clamminess come over her and Jina was sitting close now.

 

"Figured." The Jedi smiled. “That’s okay. That’s why I am here. To act as a go between until you can adapt somehow. You did well with the J’ron on Jodaka by all accounts.”

 

"Well?" Sharra laughed sourly. “Jina, they were spiders. I couldn’t even look at them without screaming. Verpine give me the chills, but I don’t collapse on seeing them. This race is also insectoid?” Jina nodded. “Oh dear… I… I might…”

 

Jina sighed. “For now, you need more rest. Your little one is fine. You need to sleep again.” Sharra nodded and didn’t resist as Jina moved her a bit on the bed to make her more comfortable. Sharra felt waves of lassitude flow through her and she smiled as she heard Jina singing something. Was it a lullaby? If so, it worked like a charm.

Jina smiled as she covered the slumbering woman with a light sheet. She liked Sharra. She moved the padded sensor studded skull cap a bit so it wouldn’t chafe and sighed as she stood up. The bed had already conformed to Sharra’s dimensions, so the woman wouldn’t be uncomfortable. Aside from a slight hesitation, the former Jedi showed no sign of pain as she strode towards the door. She stepped to the door and was through it quickly. It hissed shut behind her and she looked up to face three stares. Maria, Sara and Sarai all sat in comfortable chairs in the large room they had been given.

 

"Well?" Maria was the first to speak. “How is she?”

 

“You were right." Jina said with a sigh. "He did something to her mind. I have no idea how to fix it. Maybe our hosts do. If not, they can protect her, but… Not If she leaves.”

 

Maria nodded and slumped in her chair. Sara looked from her to Jina. “Master Darkstorm…”

 

Jina made a face. Her voice held disapproval. “Sara… Don’t start…” Sara grinned, Sarai stared at her and then at Jina.

 

"Jina then..." Sara snorted. “What of us?”

 

“What of you?" The Jedi asked with a shrug. "You can go or stay as you wish.” Sara looked at her and Jina shook herself. “Look, these beings take security very seriously, with good reason. But I have it on the best of authority, you are not prisoners. None of you. The Islanian did a good job putting you back together Sara. But both you and Maria need time to heal, time you have not been giving yourselves. Sarai…” Saria gulped, but Jina just smiled sadly. “The black bugs wiped your mind. They did the same to mine, once upon a time. You will recover.” Sarai looked at her and the girl’s eyes glistened. “All of us could use some recovery time…” She sat heavily in a chair and winced a bit.

 

"Okay." Maria nodded. “When do we meet our hosts?”

 

"Whenever you want." Jina smiled. “None of you are going to freak like I did on seeing them probably.”

 

"Uh..." Maria, for once, seemed hesitant. “I would like to meet Maji, er, Majistrona…”

 

"Okay." Jina nodded and looked at the girls, who looked at each other and shrugged. Jina’s look went far away for a moment and then she smiled. “She is coming.”

 

The other three humans looked at each other, but remained silent. A few minutes later, a large door on the far wall hissed open. Maria had commented that it was large enough to drive an airspeeder van through and now they could see why. The brown colored insect that walked into the room was huge. It stood at least four meters tall and was at least twice that long. It had multiple legs carrying its bulk low to the floor, and it had four arms folded neatly against its thorax. Its small head held six large compound eyes, and four antennae graced it. When it spoke, the voice was lyrical, but a bit sad. “Hello Maria…”

 

Maria stared at the form for a long time, several minutes. Then she bowed her head and started crying. Sarai stared at her, aghast, but Sara was on her feet in an instant, holding her mother.

 

“Mom… Mom, what’s wrong?” Sara’s voice was urgent, but Maria couldn’t make herself speak.

 

The insect spoke again. “I am sorry, Mari. I… I should not have come…”

 

Maria shook her head quickly. “No… I thought… I thought I had driven you away. I thought my anger had… I don’t know… hurt you, that last time. I was so mad at you for being so calm. I was in pain and you were always so calm.”

 

"I know." Majistrona’s voice was soft, gentle. “You had a right to your anger. I didn’t help you. I couldn’t help you, no matter what I wanted. All I could do over such distance was talk to you. And then… You were gone. I thought you were dead Mari… I did…” The insect looked from Sara to Sarai and tensed as teh girl stiffened. “Who is this?”

 

Jina stood slowly. “Majistrona, meet Sarai, she has been…” Jina broke off as Sarai seemed to wilt.

 

"No." Sarai was shaking her head. “No… Please…”

 

Jina froze. “Sarai…?”

 

Sara snarled. “She was taken, mindwiped and DNA altered by people that looked like her…” Sara waved towards the insect. “How did you react…? How did you react?”

 

Jina nodded and moved to stand beside the cowering girl, close enough to offer comfort and support, not close enough to crowd.. “Sarai… I have been where you are. No memory of who I was, or what.” She wrapped an arm gently around the girl’s shoulders. “Sarai… It’s okay, she won’t hurt you.”

 

Majistrona hadn’t moved. When she spoke it was sad. “The lost cousins hurt you. They made you a copy of Sara Kalenath. Oh child, I do not know if we can undo what they did. But you have my word we will try. If you want us to. If not, say so, and we will leave you be.”

 

Sarai stared at the large insect, her face awash with wonder now. “You… You are not like them. They just did things to me. They were nice, sometimes, but they never asked. They just... did…” Maria forced herself to her feet and with Sara’s assistance walked to where Sarai was crying. She knelt down beside the girl’s chair and laid a gentle hand on Sarai’s hands.

 

"Oh child..." Maria’s voice was quiet. “I know all about that kind of thing, Sarai. I think we can all help each other, girl… That is what family does.”

 

"Am I?" Sarai met Maria’s eyes. “Am I really family…? I am just a copy…”

 

Sara answered her and the girl’s tone could have cut steel. “You are my sister. And anyone who says otherwise is going to get hurt.”

 

Sarai laughed, just a little hysterically. “Well, I don’t want you hurting me…so…” They all hugged one another.

 

"Smart girl." Majistrona laughed gently. “I must ask this, do you know why they did this to you?”

 

"Long story." Sarai sighed. “Basically because the man who looks like Maria’s husband, Sara’s dad, told them to.”

 

"He...?" Majistrona recoiled. “Oh no… They are working with the dark cousins, openly… Oh dear…” The insect seemed agitated.

 

"What?" Jina looked at her. “Majistrona? What is wrong?”

 

Instead of answering, Majistrona turned to Maria. “Did you warn your son about him? The man with your husband’s face?” Maria nodded. But Majistrona, far from mollified, shook her head. “Oh no…”

 

Maria stared at the bug. “What?”

 

Majistrona shook herself, obviously trying to calm herself. “If they go after him, if they hold him in place, if they show someone who looks like his father, but acts like a Sith, how will your son react?”

 

Maria blanched. “Oh dear…”

 

"Osik..." Sara stared at from one to the other and then her face went white. “No… we have to do something…”

 

Sarai shook the two she could reach. “What? Someone tell me why everyone is looking like…” Maria turned to her and Sarai froze at the sheer pain on Maria’s face.

 

Maria’s voice was dead of tone. “Will is… a bit nuts about the Sith. He has fought them for so long. He has been a prisoner of the Sith on two occasions that I know of. He has repeatedly stated that he would rather die than let it happen again. If they trap him…”

 

Sara’s voice was soft. “Boom.”

((I think things are about to get REALLY loud. For everyone. Comments or suggestions always appreciated. Flames might run afoul of a street gang))