((This starts eight hours after the end of Pieces and just after The Measure of a bad guy))

 

<Coronet City, Correllia>

 

It was very quiet in the Imperial intelligence safehouse. The female Twi’lek shook her head as she left the room. The rest of the somewhat eclectic team was sitting, working and waiting for her. They all looked up as she entered the common room and the team leader looked a question at her.

 

Mi’Ta, agent of Imperial Intelligence, shook her head. “I have done all I can… Boss, I am a combat medic. He needs more.”

 

"Dang it..." Musano Vorren, imperial Cipher agent, sighed. “Mi’Ta, he is the only person we know of on planet who has even seen our quarry. We were so close. We need to talk to him.”

 

Mi’Ta sighed as she sat, and then she smiled as the team technician Olandas brought her a steaming cup of caf. “Thank you, Olandas.” She said as she accepted the cup. It had been a long and tiring day. The girl winked at her and Mi’Ta felt a flutter in her gut, but suppressed the feelings with the skill of long practice. She focused on her boss. “Vorren, the blade entered his lower back. It tore the hell out of one of his kidneys, part of his liver and spleen. It also cut his spinal cord. Boss, I don’t know if he is going to wake up. If he does, he will be in incredible pain and likely not very lucid.”

 

"We need to talk to him." Vorren pursed his lips in thought. “Can you wake him?” He asked finally. “We can keep him doped.”

 

"No." Mi’Ta shook her head. “If I do, it will kill him. Likely before he can answer any questions. Boss, he needs a hospital, not a makeshift safehouse medical ward.”

 

"Crap." Vorren shook his head. “Mi’Ta, we need what that man knows.”

 

"I know, but..." Mi’Ta shook her head. “Boss, I am telling you, I can’t. Maybe a hospital can have him wake, a place with a real dialysis unit as opposed to the contraption I have hooked up. Maybe a full on ICU would have the gear to keep him alive long enough to talk to. Vorren, we don’t. If we wake him, he will die. Quickly.”

 

Vorren bit his lip, but then shook his head slowly. Mi’Ta was the medical specialist of the team. He could do battlefield medicine. But she was the specialist, the team medic, for a good reason, she had far more training in it than he had. And when one did not listen to professionals, bad things happened. While he had little use for Jedi, the man as not technically an enemy. He was a potential source of information. The agent of Imperial Intelligence was not in the habit of killing people simply because he could. It caused all kinds of problems, not the least of which was questions from all kinds of sources, police, Republic Intelligence, the Jedi… He sighed.

 

“Mi’Ta… you know we can’t send him to a hospital.” Vorren said sadly as he turned to another member of his team. “Olut, can you do anything?”

 

"I don't think so." The Sith apprentice shook his head slowly. “If he were awake, there are things I could attempt. But if, as Miss Mi’Ta says, he will die on waking…” There was something odd in his voice.

 

The team leader looked at the Sith who he had been saddled with. “Olut, problem?”

 

"Not really." The black robed being smiled slightly. “I truly wish I could have tested myself against the man though. He was good.”

 

"Crazy Sith." Another voice laughed sourly. “You may wish that all you want. I for one am glad he was unconscious when I arrived. I knew a couple of those guys. They were not lightweights.” The bounty hunter Kunda Gev was decidedly the odd man out in this group. He had been captured and brainwashed to serve the tam and now, he knew it. But the bomb and tracker in his head made running a pointless gesture. “Mi’Ta, what about drugs? I can think of a couple that might work to dull pain enough to talk to him.”

 

"No." Mi’Ta shook her head. “It’s not the pain, Gev. It’s the fact that his kidney was totaled, his liver is at about half capacity and his spinal cord was cut. Jedi or no, that was a massive systemic shock. I am surprised he didn’t just die. Most beings would have on being hit that hard.”

 

"Indeed." Olut smiled. “Much as I dislike the Jedi, they are tough. Worthy opponents. But my view is simple, he was a worthy foe. Now he is weak.” And Sith only had one thought for weakness. Purge it.

 

Vorren thought about that. “Mi’Ta… What are the odds that he is conscious? Aware of what is going on?”

 

"Are you insane?" The Twi’lek stared at her boss. “Vorren, if he was awake, he would be screaming in pain, Jedi or no. As for aware… I don’t know enough about the Force.”

 

All eyes turned to Olut, who shrugged. “With the Force, anything is possible. But I do not sense him as being awake. No… I sense disturbances. I sensed the girl near the spaceport yesterday, but then she was gone by the time we arrived.” He sighed. “That girl is seriously sneaky. But… Something else…” His voice broke off and his tone was perplexed now. “Sadness?”

 

Vorren shared a glance with the rest of the team before speaking. “Olut?”

 

"Not... near..." The Sith apprentice didn’t look at Vorren, his gaze was far away. “I feel… Oh my …” The other four looked at him but he remained silent.

 

Finally Vorren spoke. “Olut? What do you sense?”

 

The Sith met the Imperial agent’s eyes and his were worried. “I don’t know. Something has happened. Something… massive. There is a powerful disturbance in the Force, it feels…sad and angry. So very angry…” Now his voice was dreamy. “So powerful…”

 

Vorren looked at the other members of his team and his hand was on his blaster. The others were likeise prepared. Sith lived betrayal. And if Olut found a source of power that might speed his advancement up the Sith ranks, he might very well abandon the mission and them. Or worse.

 

Vorren’s voice was quiet. “Olut.”

 

The Sith looked at the others and small smile played across his face. “It isn’t here on Correllia, or, I should say, most of it isn’t. It isn’t clear. And right now, it isn’t germane to our mission, is it, agent?” Vorren nodded, his hand still on his blaster. Olut shrugged. “I am committed to the mission, agent. My master’s orders were clear.” But Vorren didn’t move, and no one else did.

 

Everyone jumped when the secure terminal in the corner beeped. Tech Olandas jumped to her feet and ran to it. She keyed it on and scanned the message that came through, and then she hissed. Her voice was stunned.

 

“Boss, you need to see this…” The tech said slowly.

 

"Olandas? What?" Vorren looked at Olut for a moment, then rose and strode to the console. He stared at it and froze. “You have got to be kidding…”

 

Olandas shook her head. “It’s verified.” She indicated a series of code markers that showed it was indeed an ultra secure Imperial intelligence communication.

 

Mi’Ta, Gev and Olut all stared at the Imperial agent as his face went white. But then he controlled his features with skill any Jedi or Sith might have envied. Vorren’s voice was professional now.

 

“Request more information as available, and request clarification." He snapped. Olandas nodded and started typing. "If this is what I think it is, we have an even more massive problem than our Jedi guest.”

 

"Boss?" Mi’Ta looked at her team leader. “Vorren, what is it?”

 

Vorren shook his head slowly. “We are ordered to detain any Bladeborn we see, and remand them to Imperial review.” Everyone in the room froze in shock. Basically, catch any Bladeborn they could and send them back to Drumond Kaas for torture and interrogation eventually followed by a painful death. Vorren’s face was ashen now. “That means we have to go after Leeto…”

 

All eyes were on him now. Hunting a master assassin was never an easy thing. Hunting one who knew they were after him, which he likely did by now…

 

Olandas made a small noise. “The other teams… they know he is on planet?”

 

"Yes." Vorren nodded, his face slack. “I kept up my reports.”

 

"I see..." Olut of all people swallowed audibly. But then of course, he would know more about the Bladeborn than normal people, likely. “They won’t have a chance. But… We have to find the girl, that was an Imperial decree…”

 

Vorren nodded. “So is this.”

 

Gev stared at the leader of the team and spoke of all of them. “Flarg me…”

Edited August 7, 2012 by kalenath

<In a dark room, not so very nearby>

 

“I am sorry, Leeto…” The female voice was kind but the small, green skinned Rodian didn’t look up. “Leeto…”

 

The deadly master assassin of the Bladeborn didn’t move at all. When the Rodian spoke it was in accentless Basic, quiet and uninflected.

 

“He made me what I am. He taught me how to fight, how to kil, and more importantly, when to kill and when not to. He gave me a purpose beyond stealing, beyond living hand to mouth. He was our center. No offense to Istara, but it won’t be the same. Nothing will be the same.”

 

"I know." The female voice was quiet. “It won’t. But that does not change the facts. They know you are on planet. They will come after you.”

 

"Yeah." Leeto nodded. “I know. Part of me wishes I could just tell them what Istara and Idjit told me. But they wouldn’t believe. I heard it straight from the two of them, and I don’t believe it. Except for the gaping hole in my soul where he was…” The Rodian sighed and changed the subject. “The Jedi, the one who helped Setsuna… what are his chances? From the wounds I saw from the distance…not good.”

 

The female voice was cautious now. “Leeto…”

 

Leeto looked up at the shadows, not seeing anything, but knowing he looked his companion in the eye. “He helped one of our protected ones. I would have gone into that building after him, if you hadn’t stopped me. If you hadn’t explained... I would have grabbed Setsuna and fled, and done who knows what more damage to her mental state? Or been killed. Imperial decree or not, Setsuna is family to one of our kin. That makes her kin.” The Rodian bowed his head. “Kin that we have failed. We have to make this right.”

 

"We can't." The female voice was sad now. “If either of us get anywhere near her, she will detect us, and her mental shields will go right back up. She is fiendishly good at detecting people like us.”

 

"Indeed." Leeto snorted agreement. “If she actually were an assassin, no one in the galaxy would be safe, from Emperor on down. And I say that professionally.” A snort came from the shadows. Leeto was an assassin, a very good one. He was the Bladeborn’s problem solver. And he usually solved problems on the tips of his specially made daggers although he had numerous other options. “The fact of the matter is, he helped her, when no one else could. We owe him.”

 

“Be that as it may…” Now the female voice was sharp. “Sneaking into an Imperial Intelligence safehouse does not strike me as a good idea for someone wanted for treason by the Empire. It does not even strike me as sane.”

 

"True." Leeto smiled as only a Rodian could and his voice was bright and cheery now. “Which is why they won’t expect it.”

 

"Leeto..." A bark of sharp laughter came from the shadows. “You are crazy. I like you, but…” The concealed being sighed. “Leeto, what about Setsuna?”

 

"We can do nothing but hope." Leeto blew out a deep breath. “Neither of us is inconspicuous. We will stand out, especially where I think she is going to wind up. If that boy ever manages to get her to make up her mind.”

 

A sour laugh came from the corner. “Where were you hiding when she hurt herself? I was under that roof overhang, I know you saw me when you walked by the alley entrance. It was all I could do not to drop on those scum and , like you said, ‘scoop her up and run’. I don’t think either the girl or the boy noticed you. So where were you? I assume close.” Now her voice held professional curiosity. It was a good question. Assassins, especially Force sensitive assassins went to a great deal of trouble to hide their intentions. Force stealth, Force camouflage, disguises, all of these would be for naught if a simple mind scan that an apprentice could do would show their intent. So they trained hard to hide their true selves behind walls.

 

Leeto snickered. “Professional secret.”

 

"Oh." The female voice laughed. “You were in that sewer weren’t you?” But then her voice turned serious. “What were you going to do if those Sith had found her?”

 

The Rodian assassin sighed. “You know what I would have done.” He said quietly. He would have killed everything in the alley to save Setsuna. Swiftly, quietly, efficiently and mercilessly. The Rodian was a killer, it was what he did. She knew for a fact that he had assassinated Jedi and Sith before.

 

His companion sighed. “Yes I do. Well then, Masterblade, how do you recommend we do this?”

 

"Well..." Leeto shook his head slowly. “They are sure to have the information by now. What if… I asked for a meet, to ‘talk’? How would they react?”

 

"Before or after they soil their drawers?" The female snorted. “Scared out of their minds probably. Hmmm… They only have five, right? The medic, the tech, the Sith, the leader and the hunter they did something to.”

 

"FIve that we have seen, two more who stayed with their ship when it left." Leeto nodded. “How many would they leave at the safehouse? If I asked for a meet?”

 

For a few minutes, the shadows were silent. When the female spoke again it was quiet. “If you are going to the meet, then who is going to grab the Jedi and run?” The Rodain looked at the shadows and some of them seemed to move as if the being concealed in them had recoiled. “Oh no… No, no, no, no, no… Forget it. There is no way I am leaving Setsuna -and you- on planet alone with all these scumbags.”

 

"Not a problem." Leeto’s voice was very quiet now. “Soon there are going to be a lot less scumbags on this planet.”

 

The female voice was horrified now. “Leeto…”

 

Leeto sighed. “I am not looking for death, Ecien. But this is the only way to save that man. He deserves better than to die and be shoved into a recycler by some Imperial goon.” The masterblade’s voice was harsh now. “This is my duty. To help those we can. Setsuna we cannot aid for now. Perhaps soon, perhaps not.”

 

The silver skinned insect came a little out of the shadows. “Mercy, Masterblade?” Her voice was quiet, non-judgemental. But with the way the Sith felt about mercy, Leeto might have just painted big red bullseye on himself as far as mainstream Sith were concerned. Of course, he already had one of those on him, as a Bladeborn assassin, even before this latest mess.

 

The cold blooded assassin snorted in laughter. “Hardly. This is pragmatism. I don’t want either Istara or Setsuna mad at me.” He looked the large insect in the eyes. “Tell me true, Ecien, can you do it? Can you get him offworld and to medical care?”

 

Ecien looked away for a moment before responding. “Even if I do... Leeto, you saw the wound. There may not be anything anyone can do.”

 

"We have to try." Leeto’s words were cold and hard now. “We owe him, our Order pays its debts. He was hurt protecting one of our protected ones from an attack by our enemies. We owe him.” He repeated quietly.

 

Ecien sighed, a remarkably human sound from a large arthropod. “Fine, let’s get it done. Where do you want to meet them?”

 

Leeto nodded. “Someplace public, lots of witnesses, lots of cover.”

 

Ecien seemed to ponder that. “That mall again?”

 

"Works for me." Leeto thought about that. “Now to see if they will bite…”

The Twi’lek who sat in the ice cream parlor was seemingly engrossed in her sundae. But it was an illusion. She was good at faking what she was feeling, the agent always had been. She was not enjoying the banana split, even though it was good. Mi’Ta was angry, scared and worried. But she knew her duty. Even if this made no sense at all, she knew her duty. The signal they had received had been bounced through so many relays, false tracks and hidden com twists that even Olandas despaired of tracing it to its source. But it could only have come from Leeto, he was the only one who had ever subverted their security so thoroughly. Although WHY the masterblade wanted to meet was a very good question.

 

“Nothing yet.” A voice spoke in her ear. Vorren’s voice was quiet and professional. It soothed her to know that he was watching. “Teams, report.”

 

“Team two, in position, nothing.” Came the quick and quiet reply from the other intelligence team leader. When Vorren had discovered the message, he had convened a hasty conference with the other two Intelligence teams on planet. The result of that conference was that one team remained covering the space port in case Setsuna Andal tried to flee –unlikely as that was- and the other two teams were now set up around the proposed meeting place.

 

Mi’ta sighed as she heard Gev’s unhurried voice. “Team one, in position, nothi-… Wait one…” Mi’Ta tensed and Gev’s voice was sharp now. “Team lead, eyes on target. Exiting refresher.”

 

Vorren’s voice was sharp as well. “All teams, weapons tight. Hold until we have a clear shot.”

 

Mi’Ta carefully did not look up. She finished her bite before languidly leaning back and looking around. The parlor was filled with patrons. Lots of witnesses, lots of potential problems and her skin crawled as she saw three children laughing as they ate their own sundaes. For the Bladeborn to pick this place of all places… He knew, she wasn’t sure how she knew, but she knew that he knew he was being watched.

 

The Rodian sat down across from her and smiled thinly. “Mi’Ta.”

 

Mi’Ta sighed. “Leeto. Do you surrender?” That had been one possibility actually that they had discussed on the way here. Bladeborn were honorable, in their own way. Ina way, she was glad of the children in the lace. Bladeborn did not endanger children when they would help it. It was a slim advantage, facing such a foe, and she snatched all the advantages she could get. Her heart thumped as Leeto shook his head.

 

"No." The master assassin sighed. “Before you or any of the others do anything precipitous. I have one thing to say, to you and the team leaders watching. The Bladehome did not destroy the Invictus. We did not destroy the Invictus.”

 

Mi’Ta blinked at him. “What?” Whatever she had expected him to say, that wasn’t it.

 

"We were set up." The small, unassuming Rodian shrugged. “Tell your masters what I just said. I don’t expect it to help us. But our enemy will likely move on the Empire as well. Our loyalty was to Trugoy, who served the Empire. Many of us feel that we still serve the Empire, so we give you that. And we will find and destroy the enemy that threatens us. Then and only then will we face Imperial review.”

 

"That is insane." Mi’Ta shook her head slowly and forced herself to take another bite. Only two or three left in the bowl. “It doesn’t matter. You are not leaving this room, Leeto.”

 

Leeto’s eyes never left hers but his antennae moved to the side and Mi’Ta felt her blood freeze as the three children were ushered out of the parlor by a human that was obviously their mother, their treat done. When she looked back at him, his eyes were as cold as space itself.

 

Leeto’s voice was soft, but almost gentle. “You can’t stop me.” Mi’Ta tensed as someone groaned nearby. But then her peripheral vision saw someone collapse nearby. Her scrutiny wa son the assassin though.

 

Vorren’s voice was scared in her ears. “Mi’Ta, people are collapsing all over the parlor. What the hell is going on?”

 

Leeto looked at her and she nodded slightly. When she spoke, her voice was admiring. “You leveled the field. No civilians. No witnesses…” She stiffened as something found punched a hole in her right boot. A sting and her leg went numb. She bit back a gasp as her other leg followed suit.

 

Leeto nodded and his voice was kind. “None of them are dead. Neither are you.”

 

Vorren’s voice was cold now. “Mi’Ta, I don’t have a shot. What did he do? Anyone have a shot?” A chorus of negatives came from the watchers. “Move in. Mi’Ta hold on, help is on the way. All personnel, move in. But keep the net tight. This being defines slippery.”

 

Mi”ta opened her mouth and was amazed at how calm her voice was. “What did you use?” The numbness was spreading now, up to her abdomen.

 

Leeto’s voice was quiet as he took her limp arms in a gentle grasp and laid her on the floor gently. “A derivative of siplus narcuniom, paralytic, non lethal. Rest now, hunter, slayer.”

 

Mi’Ta’s voice was slurred as she fought unconsciousness. “You won’t get away.”

 

"No?" Leeto’s voice came from far, far away now. “Watch me.”

 

A timeless moment later, Mi’ta came back to herself on the floor of a moving airspeeder. Her shoulder stung and something burned in her veins, probably a general spectrum antidote.

 

Vorren’s voice was quiet. “Mi’Ta?”

 

She forced her tongue to move. “He didn’t want me dead.” She stared at her boot, which had a clean hole punched in it, and then at her foot which had an angry red mark of an injection site. She looked up into Vorren’s eyes. “You didn’t catch him.” It wasn’t a question.

 

Vorren sighed. “The other team is still looking, but they have lost two people already, just… vanished.”

 

Mi’Ta shook her head and then regretted it as the minor throbbing in her head turned to an all out orbital bombardment. “Dead… Won’t be found. Makes no sense, boss. Why would he take such a risk? Just to say what he did?”

 

"Mi'ta." Vorren bit his lip. “Olandas missed her last check in.”

 

Mi’ta shook her head. “How long was I out?” She asked carefully, cataloging her body. It was recovering, slowly.

 

Vorren nodded. “Seven and a half minutes.” The airspeeder jostled as it flew, indicating speed beyond normal traffic laws. But Mi’Ta knew this airspeeder was a ‘borrowed’ ambulance, so no cop was going to pull it over. But then what he had said about Olandas percolated through her still muzzy head.

 

Mi’ta froze, her guts turning to water. “That is impossible. No matter how good that being is, he can’t be in two places at the same time.”

 

Vorren sighed. “Something tells me we haven’t seen ‘impossible’ yet…”

 

Te flight back to the safehouse was only about ten minutes, but to Mi’Ta the time seemed interminable. They pulled into the hidden garage and the team left the vehicle in tactical formation. Mi’Ta was not 100% so she was in the middle. Gev led, his armor would take most blaster fire or even lightsabers to a degree. Speaking of lightsabers, Olut was next in the tactical line, his saber out, but not ignited. He was looking around, obviously scanning with senses none of the others had.

 

The Sith spoke softly. “I sense Olandas and nothing else. She is odd. She is not in pain, but in great distress.”

 

Mi’Ta thought about that as she checked her blaster. Her hand wobbled however and she snarled as she stared at it. Then she sighed. “I am too shaky, you need to do this without me, I would hinder.” She stepped out of the lineup and moved to cover the door.

 

Vorren pated her on the shoulder and assumed his ‘tail end Charlie’ position, covering the team’s back. Without a word, the team moved into the safehouse, carefully clearing each room before moving on. After five nerve wracking minutes, Vorren’s voice called over Mi’ta’s earbud.

 

The agent’s voice was cold, hard and very, very angry now. “Clear. Come on in. Olandas needs your help.”

 

Mi’ta nodded and stared into the house. As she did, she saw things that seemed out of place. A door slightly ajar, a scuff on a wall that hadn’t been there when they had left… She stiffened. A hole in the wall? She stared at it, but her need to help Olandas trumped her curiosity. She came into the main room and found the team clustered around the slumped form of the tech. Olandas sat, her head down on her tech table as if sleeping, but a quick check showed the woman’s eyes open and horrified.

 

Mi’Ta nodded. “Paralytic agent. Let me see…” She pulled out her scanner and started checking the readings against her files of known toxins. While she did that, she gently moved Olandas to the couch and did a full examination. The only thing wrong with the woman was something that looked like an oversized bug bite on her neck. Mi’Ta’s scanner beeped and she nodded. She had the antidote for that. She administered it quickly and Olandas shuddered and went limp. The tech was crying and Mi’Ta blotted the woman’s tears gently.

 

Vorren’s voice was cold and professional. “Olandas what happened?”

 

"I..." Olandas shook her head, groaning and covering her eyes. “I didn’t see. I had just checked our ‘guest’. Something stung me and I fell. I must have blacked out, because the next thing I knew I was in the chair. And you were bending over me.”

 

Vorren cursed and moved quickly to the other room, the one Mi’Ta had set up as an impromptu ICU. At the door, he slumped. Mi’Ta came up and looked past him. All the medical gear was shut down, and the critically injured Jedi was nowhere to be seen.

 

Mi’Ta shook her head slowly. “Leeto planned that, didn’t he? Pull us all out of the safehouse and keep us occupied. So his compatriots, whoever they were could snatch the Jedi? Why?”

 

"I don't know." Vorren snarled. “When I catch him, I will ask him. Before I shoot him.”

<Somewhere>

 

He was dreaming, he knew he was. Which was strange, his masters had always told him that Jedi did not dream. It was such an odd dream. He was lying in a bed, and then a shadow fell over him. He couldn’t see what cast the shadow, but he felt fear. A gentle voice soothed his fear and he watched, disinterested as something detached him from… things that were attached to him. He watched without emotion as a form out of some horror holo-vid reached for him and then… he was flying? Or floating? He wasn’t sure. It was very dark, but he wasn’t afraid, that same gentle voice was there with him. Then it was bright and he was lying on something. He hurt. Parts of him. Other parts were numb. He eyes opened and he looked around disinterested. A surgical suite maybe? Harsh lights, sterile trays and medical equipment all around. Gowned and masked forms moved around him, and one moved towards him but he couldn’t summon the energy to be afraid or to speak. Then it all went away. After a timeless moment, it could have been minutes or centuries, he came back to himself. Soft voices could be heard nearby and he focused, trying to make out words.

 

“He is waking.” Another voice, masculine, one he didn’t know, spoke.

 

" It’s about time. " A soft female voice spoke. “Michael Jonal, can you hear me?” That was his name, wasn’t it? He wasn’t sure. So much was fuzzy. He was drugged? He had to be. He focused on the voice. “Come on Michael Jonal, talk to me.”

 

He opened his mouth and a croak came out. He focused on speech and finally managed, after a time, to make an intelligible question. "Who…?”

 

A soft, maybe furred, hand caressed his brow. “My name is Ona, Michael Jonal. You are out of danger now. And I will see to it that you make a full recovery. Open your eyes.”

 

Michale Jonal opened his eyes and nodded as he saw a black furred Bothan in a medical tunic standing beside his bed. He smiled at her and she smiled back. Something was wrong though. Something was off. He tried to focus, what had happened? The last thing he remembered was… He stiffened. The last thing he remembered was fighting a group of bounty hunters who had been after…

 

He jerked. “No! Nomi! I…” He tried to get up, but his body wouldn’t obey him.

 

“Easy…” The Bothan exclaimed as she held him gently down on the bed. “I just spent eight hours putting you back together. Don’t you dare tear yourself up now.”

 

The Jedi knight shook his head. “You don’t understand. There is a girl, in danger, I have to…”

 

Ona’s voice was stern now. “You have to stay in that bed until you can move without tearing the repairs that I have made. Setsuna is alive and as safe as she can be.”

 

The Jedi in the bed froze. “Who are you?” He asked carefully.

 

"We are Bladeborn, Michael Jonal." A voice he remembered answered him. Istara Andal spoke softly as she rose from her chair near the door. She had been slumped so far that he hadn’t been able to see her. “Welcome aboard the Bladehome.” He blinked as one of the scariest women he had ever encountered took his cold left hand in both of her warm ones and kissed it. “Thank you for helping my sister, Jedi.”

 

"Istara..." Michael felt faint. “I… I didn’t. I… I tried, but she was so hurt, so… So…” Words failed him in his muzzy state.

 

"I know." Istara grimaced as she laid his hand back on the bed gently. “She has been shattered. Her entire being is torn apart, and she feels she cannot trust anyone now. You gave her peace and quiet, care and compassion. You showed her that she was not manipulating you into doing what you did. You gave her time to rest, recover and heal a bit. Well done, Jedi. Well done.” There was honest compassion and gratitude in the woman’s voice and Force sense.

 

Michael stared at her. “How do you know that?” His voice was off, he put it down to drugs, stress and shock.

 

"You are good at hiding. But..." Istara smiled a bit sadly. “A very sneaky being had you under observation. However, he knew that he could not approach, Setsuna would not have understood. The fragile trust that you worked so hard to nurture would have been destroyed and the good woman who is my sister might never have had a chance to recover. So instead of interfering with your attempts to help, he went to throw the hunters off the track. He succeeded mostly.”

 

"She needs help. I can..." Michael stared at Istara, was she crying? “I… Istara… I can help Setsuna. I need to get back. I need to…” He tried to rise again and Istara and the Bothan gently held him down.

 

"Michael." Istara shook her head, her eyes glistening, but tears were falling. “Michael. Look at yourself with the Force. Your head is fuzzy due to the medications we have you on. Ona had to clone and transplant in a kidney and half a liver. We don’t know if the transplants will take. Her skill is amazing, but there are some things even her talent cannot fix.”

 

"What?" The Jedi stared at her, and then winced. His body’s complaints were finally seeping through the haze of painkillers. His back felt like it was on fire, his head likewise. But something was wrong. Something was off. His eyes met Istara’s. When he spoke his voice was matter of fact, but underneath lay fear. “I can’t feel my legs.”

 

"I know." Istara nodded. “I am sorry Michael. The blade that hurt you passed through your spinal column. It was completely severed. And it was some time before we could get you to proper medical care. Maybe there is a therapy that will work. We are looking into various possibilities. And know this, we will find a way. We owe you.”

 

"No." Michael shook his head, dazed. “You owe me nothing. It is what Jedi do, help others. No matter the cost.” His voice was quiet and unemotional, but Istara could hear the shock and grief buried in his tone, buried until the all consuming control of a Jedi. For now.

 

"I know." Istara smiled sadly. “It is what we do too when we can. And now, things have changed significantly. So… Rest now, Jedi Knight Michael Jonal. We will find a way to help you. I don’t know if you will be able to walk or fight again. But we will find a way if it exists. I swear it.”

 

Michael stared at Istara and then at the black furred Bothan. “Healer? Prognosis?” His voice was steady now.

 

Ona nodded. “The prognosis is good of survival. The damage that was done to all but your spine has been repaired. It needs time to heal, to set, to grow strong again. I am looking into nerve regeneration techniques. We will find a way. If I can walk with no legs…” She tapped one of hers and the ring of metal sounded. “…we will find a way to get your legs to work. You have my word.”

 

"Uh..." Michael shook his head slowly. “Won’t the Empire be less than happy with you taking a crippled Jedi aboard?”

 

Ona and Istara shared a glance and then Istara sat down beside Michael’s bed. The Bothan fiddled with the machinery and then quietly left the room. Istara looked… worried. “The Empire… We… We have had some problems. But our honor stands. You were hurt in the service of one of our kin. We will pay our debts.”

 

Michael was floating now, buoyed up by painkillers and surprise. “What will your grandmaster say?”

 

"Trugoy is dead." Istara shook her head. “For now, I lead the Bladeborn.”

 

Michael’s eyes went wide and then he swallowed. But when he spoke, it was calm. “You are right. Things have changed.” Significantly.

 

Istara nodded. “And not for the better. Rest Michael. Your battles are done for now. No one on this ship will harm you.” Her kind voice was a balm to his soul as he drifted off into sleep again. He knew he felt fear, that he felt grief, shock, worry all of these. But the soft singing that lulled him to sleep was pervasive and gentle.

Enough was enough. Michael Jonal had always been an active man and this enforced idleness did not sit well with him. The kindness of the people who he dealt with, Ona and Istara in particular, was welcome after such emotional shocks, but he needed to do something. Anything. He finished the really good breakfast that Ona had brought and shook his head at the healer who cleared the tray away.

 

"Healer Ona." The Jedi’s voice was quiet, reflective. “I know I shouldn’t move. And I know I should rest more. But… Is there anything I can do? From a bed? I hate to say it, but I am bored.” His voice held a bit of sour humor and Ona smiled at him.

 

“Well, we don’t want that, Michael Jonal.” The kindly Bothan healer smiled at him. He was utterly amazed that such a pure and uncomplicated soul could exist among darksiders. Not that the Bladeborn he had sensed were totally dark side, they were odd. Ona pursed her lips in thought for a moment, her equine brow furrowing. “There may be something you can do, but… I hesitate to ask.”

 

"Healer, you saved my life." Michael smiled at the healer who had saved his life, and was striving with all her skill to get his legs to work again. His voice was calm. “You know you can call me Michael. What is the problem?”

 

"Fair is fair. I am Ona, not Healer Ona then." Ona smiled at him, but then sighed and sat beside his bed. “We are in trouble Michael. I don’t think Istara told you…”

 

Michael shook his head. “She told me that your grandmaster died. Nothing else.” He broke off as a look of profound pain crossed Ona’s face. The female Bothan shivered for a moment, but then focused with a discipline that any Jedi could only envy. Michael sighed and held out a hand. “I am sorry.”

 

"Thanks." Ona took his hand in a gentle grip and gave a squeeze. “It was just so pointless. A sniper of all things. He was focusing on helping our trainees, and was thus distracted.” Her lip quivered. “He was dead before he hit the ground. At least he didn’t suffer.”

 

Michael squeezed the Bothan’s hand back. “What happened?”

 

"We got complacent is what happened." Ona sighed. “A team of Republic Special Forces infiltrators made it aboard and gassed the ship. Most of us went down in minutes. Non-lethal gas, they wanted prisoners.” Ona’s face was sick now.

 

"Huh?" Michael shook his head, baffled. “Why would the Republic attack you? Isn’t that kind of… Against the Treaty?”

 

Ona shook her head. “We don’t know. The prisoners we captured only told us that they were following orders. The one and only prisoner that we captured who knew what was going on… died before we could interrogate him. Some kind of anti-capture protocol I think. They won’t tell me what happened.”

 

"Well..." Michael sighed. “They likely have a good reason. So what happened? Obviously the Special Forces didn’t win…” He was ambivalent about that. Yes the Republic was what he was sworn to protect, but these people were nice. To him anyway. He could sense danger all around him however, lurking, held at bay, but present.

 

"No they didn't win." Ona frowned. “Not for lack of trying. But we had a little warning, and allies came to our assistance.” She snorted. “Actually, one of those allies was Istara. And she brought friends. They arrived just before the Republic reinforcements did. They tried to hold the ship, mostly taking prisoners instead of killing. But then everything went to hell, I am told.” Now her face was sad.

 

Michael stroked her hand gently. “Ona, what happened?”

 

"I was unconscious." Ona’s gaze was far away. “Trugoy got shot. He had been trying to keep one of our… less than stable allies under control. When he went down, that ally went berserk. He killed every opponent he could see. They say it was like watching water flow, water with a blaster rifle. Deadly poetry in motion. But then, when the armed enemies were all down, he didn’t stop. He killed everyone with a weapon, or who had even possessed a weapon. He shot unconscious beings, defenseless ones. He killed…” She was crying now and Michael grimaced a little as his back muscles protested, but he reached out and patted her head. Ona shook her head. “No, don’t move…”

 

Michael sighed as he lay back in the bed. “It’s not your fault Ona.”

 

"That doesn't lessen the pain or guilt." Ona nodded as she checked her scanners. “But... I know, and it isn’t his either. The evil scum who planned this whole thing set him up, set us up.” She shook her head. “I am too empathic for my own good sometimes. Just being around Will makes me… touchy, on edge.”

 

Michael blinked. “Will?” His eyes went wide. “Will Kalenath?” His voice was hushed now.

 

Ona nodded sourly. “Yes.” She looked at him. “You know him?”

 

"Uh..." Michael shook his head. “No, but I was on Tython when he arrived looking for his daughter. And I evacuated a group of younglings from the Enclave because of what he did.”

 

"Oh." Ona blinked, and her voice was odd as she rose to check something. “Did he really threaten the Jedi Council with a baradium fission bomb?”

 

Michael nodded. “Yep. Crazy man. At least it worked out in the end. Vandar managed to talk everyone down.” He shivered, just a bit, and then he gasped as pain overwhelmed his control. Ona was back at his side in an instant. She moved a gentle hand under his back and warmth spread from her fingers. It felt…familiar. Very similar to Jedi healing techniques. Michael relaxed as the pain ebbed. His control as good, but things like that were very hard to counter, especially when they came with no warning. “Thank you.”

 

Ona smiled as she withdrew her hand. “Don’t mention it.” She sighed. “I don’t want to immobilize your lower back. But I may have to.”

 

Michael grimaced, but then nodded slightly. “Do what you have to do, healer. I… I dislike being a burden.”

 

Ona shook her head, fondly exasperated. “Who says you are a burden? I… What the…?” The sound of a crash came from outside and the door flew open. A female human in a patient gown ran in, her head and much of her chest covered by bandages. In her hand she held an ignited blue bladed lightsaber. Ona was on her feet in an instant, blade in hand, between her patient and the Jedi. “Stop!” Ona commanded.

 

Michael stared at the newcomer. Did he know her? He wasn’t sure. Even if he did, half of her face was covered by bandages. The newcomer snarled at Ona, apparently she did not see Michael.

 

“Get away from me…" The girl snapped. "Let me go!”

 

Michael stiffened. He did know that voice. “Min…?” He asked quietly. The young woman had been a padawan at the Enclave the last time he had been there, a young but powerful and focused learner.

 

The hurt girl froze. “Michael…? Michael Jonal…?” She stared from the black furred being to the bed and her visible eye went wide. “What have they done to you?”

 

"Min..." Michael looked from the back of the Bothan who stood in his defense to the padawan he had met once and sighed. “They saved my life. Min, be calm. There is no need for violence.”

 

"I..." The female Jedi was shaking slightly. “They… they killed everyone. All… Ki Lom, Juir, Olad, Melan…”

 

"Easy..." Michael shook his head slowly. “Min, calm. Be at peace. Focus. There is no emotion,…”

 

"There..." Min relaxed slightly. “There is peace…” She slumped. “I…”

 

Ona spoke softly, her blade vanishing back into its sheath. “Young lady, you are hurt, you have powerful painkillers in your system. You are not thinking clearly.”

 

"You..." Min turned her attention back to the healer. “You… You did this to me!” A slow hand moved from the saber hilt, reached up and touched her bandaged head. "What... What have you done to me?" She demanded.

 

Micheal shook his head. “Ona, please… let me handle this?” The healer didn’t look at him, all her attention was on the girl with the lightsaber. But she stepped a bit out of the way, consciously removing herself from the situation. Michael spoke again, soft, soothing. “Min, its okay. Its okay.”

 

"No..." The Jedi was shaking her head. “No it’s not. They knew, they sent us here… knowing. They told us it was needed, to defend the Republic. But it was to recover a madman. To…” She swallowed audibly.

 

"It's okay, Min." Michael’s voice was still that same soft, kind tone. “Min, put away the saber. This is a medical ward, not a battlefield. You are in no danger unless you bring it on yourself.”

 

"I..." The Padawan was quaking now, obviously scared and exhausted. “They… they killed everyone.” She lowered the saber, but did not deactivate it.

 

" Min, put your saber away." Michael’s voice held command now. “Search your feelings. What do you feel?” He smiled just a little, he had done a similar thing with Setsuna.

 

"Feel?" Min’s good eye stared at the man in the bed and then went introspective. She stiffened. “I…”

 

"Come here, Min." Michael nodded. “Sit, let us talk.” He looked at Ona who looked unhappy. “What do you feel?” He asked again, quietly.

 

"I feel..." Min was crying. “Anger, fear, hate… I am falling Michael…Help me…” The saber deactivated and hung loose in her hand.

 

Michael shook his head. “You can help yourself Min. Calm, peace… Will you trust me with the saber?” Min stared at the hilt in her hand and then slumped. She released the hilt, and it flew to land in Michael’s outstretched hand. “Come here, girl…” Ona looked at him and with a small smile, moved away.

 

Min walked up to Michael’s bed slowly, as if in a daze. “Jedi, help me…” She begged as she held out a quavering hand.

 

Michael nodded as he took her hand in his. “Come Min, let us seek answers together. There is no emotion, there is peace…”

 

The female Jedi sat beside his bed, apparently oblivious to Ona watching her like a hawk. She spoke softly. “There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.”

 

Michael nodded as he focused on the girl. She was hurt very badly, the fact that she could move at all was a testament to her ability with the Force. And sheer desperation. “Be at peace Min, you are not falling. Unless you choose to. You have been badly injured and undergone a traumatic experience. What is worse, you have no idea why.”

 

"They..." Min was shaking now, as adrenaline left her system. “They told us it was ‘For the Republic’. They…”

 

"Oh Min..." Michael sighed as he sat back in his bed. “Min, we can work this out. It will not be easy, or quick, but we can work this out.”

 

Min stared at him and then she smiled sadly. “I… I hope so. I…” Her gaze went far away and he started as she fell. But Ona was there, catching her gently and easing her back into the chair.

 

“Tough girl.” Ona said quietly as she checked Min’s vitals.

 

"Yeah." Michael nodded with a sigh. “I think I can help her. What happened to her?”

 

"Will happened." Ona shook her head as she made the girl as comfortable as she could. “She was shot, and when she fell she hit her head hard enough to cause a skull fracture and internal bleeding. Hence the head bandages. She had a concussion as well. Small wonder she is confused.”

 

Michael nodded. “Not to mention hurting and scared out of her mind. I think I can help her Ona.”

 

Ona looked at him and then at the saber that lay beside his hand. She nodded. “I hope you can.”

 

The door hissed open and Istara stood there, several armored forms were behind her. Istara smiled as she took in the scene. “I should have known better than to worry.”

 

"Istara?" Ona looked at her. “Anyone hurt?”

 

"No." Istara shook her head. “The guards didn’t want to hurt her, so they let her run. But in her confusion, she ran here instead of out.”

 

"Istara." Michael looked at Istara. “It isn’t her fault.”

 

“I know.” Istara said quietly. “Do you think you can help her?”

 

Michael looked at the sad form that sat in the chair beside his bed. “I will certainly do my best.” He held up the saber. “Do you want this?”

 

"Why?" Istara snorted in sour amusement as she dismissed the guards. “It’s yours.”

 

Michael stared at it, and then at Istara. “You recovered my saber?” Istara nodded. “Thank you.”

 

Istara smiled again. “Least we could do, just um… try and keep her from breaking anything else please? The medical equipment is so expensive to replace.” Then she turned to go, muttering. “I can’t believe I just said that, I am turning into a bureaucrat…”

 

"You? Never." Ona snickered at Istara’s tone, but then focused on Michael. "Do you want me to move you to a double room? That way you can be close to her.”

 

"Good." Michael stroked the slumbering girl’s cheek gently. “Probably for the best. Thank you Ona. I know you could have killed her.”

 

Ona shrugged. “It’s not her fault. And technically she isn’t a prisoner. She was duped into attacking us, and didn’t HURT anyone. So she is a guest, if an unwilling one. Unless she gives us reason, we won’t chain her up or hurt her further.” The Bothan picked the slumbering form up in gentle arms. “I will move her and be back with a gurney.”

 

Michael nodded. His mind was whirling. Min had been such a good padawan, what had happened to her? Besides her injuries, there was something else, something more. He had to find out, he knew it was important. He wasn’t sure how he knew, but he knew.

Michael was sitting reading a rather fascinating text on philosophy quietly when Min woke. He could tell immediately when she did. Her breathing changed in an instant from sleep patterns to a hushed, almost silent pattern. And her sense in the Force was confused. First and foremost she was medicated, but not so much as to be in a stupor this time. Second, she was not restrained. Third, she was lying on a bed in a comfortable room. Not what might be expected as a prisoner of Sith. Not at all.

 

Michael put the datapad he had been perusing down and spoke softly. “Min?”

 

The girl’s force sense was shocked, but her voice was calm when she spoke. “Michael Jonal? I… I was not sure if I dreamed talking to you. My dreams have been…strange.” She gasped as she tried to move and he felt pain in her Force sense.

 

Michael sighed. “Min, don’t move too much. You were badly hurt and the healers around here get steamed when their patient hurt themselves.” He smiled at his understatement. Both Ona and the other healer, Jon, had been less than thrilled with what Min had done to herself in the course of her attempted flight.

 

Min’s voice shook. “Michael, what? These are… Sith…”

 

"No they are not." Michael shook his head, and then he sighed again. “Min, do me a favor. Hit the controls for your bed to incline it up. I don’t like talking to the rails.” A small sound, almost a squeak of surprise came from the other bed in the room. The last thing she likely had expected was to find a standard hospital set up. The rails were to keep her from rolling out of the bed while she slept and the controls were for her comfort. The head of that bed inclined up and he could make out Min’s bandaged face. He smiled. “Good to see you, awake that is.”

 

She smiled back, hesitant. Then she stared around the room. Whatever she had expected, this was not it. Instead of a normal hospital room, antiseptic and sterile, this one was almost homey. It had a painting on one wall of a series of waterfalls, so artfully done she could almost see the water flowing. Another wall had a collage, or mural maybe? It was hard to tell, but the colors were soothing. The décor was more Jedi-like than Sith like, and that was simply odd. A vase with live flowers in it sat on a small table between their beds. A small table sat to one side of the door she could see, two comfortable looking chairs beside it. Another comfortable looking chair sat beside her bed and a similar one sat beside Michael’s. There were medical gear and monitors of course, she could see and feel monitors attached to her. But her confusion grew as she looked around. Michael let her think, remained silent until she was ready to speak.

 

"I..." Min’s voice was low and uncertain when she spoke. “What is going on? Where are we?”

 

"Min." Michael nodded and when he spoke his voice was gentle. “We are aboard the ship you tried to capture. The Bladehome. We are guests of the Bladeborn.”

 

"What?" Min’s face went slack. “But… But they are Sith. Why would they treat my injuries…? Unless…” She stiffened and her Force sense strengthened as she tried to control herself. “I don’t understand.”

 

"I know." Michael nodded. “The first step towards wisdom is admitting that one does not know something. You have questions. I may have answers or I can work to find the answers. Ask.”

 

Min’s visible eye lit on him and she inhaled sharply as she saw the brace around his lower body. Ona hadn’t wanted to immobilize his abdomen and legs, but she really hadn’t had a choice, not if they wanted to make sure he didn’t do further damage. The padawan’s voice was sharp now. “What have they done to you?” Her voice held fear, and a hint of anger.

 

Michael shook his head. “They saved my life, Min. I was hurt very badly. I was attacked by a group of bounty hunters who were after a girl I was protecting. I failed her. I fell, cut across the back by a vibroblade.” The shame in his words startled the padawan. “Such a rookie mistake, I let my guard down for an instant and that bounty hunter took advantage. I have been told my friend is alive. I hope she is okay…” The honest worry in Michael’s voice shook the padawan.

 

"I...see..." Min shook her head, baffled. “Michael… What is wrong with you? I can sense you, but… It is not as it should be.”

 

"I am paralyzed." Michael bit his lip before replying. “The vibroblade cut my spine Min. I can’t feel my body from my lower back down.”

 

Min’s eyes went wide, and then she was crying. “No…”

 

Michael cursed his inability to move but then he focused on sending reassurance to the padawan. “Min… Min… Look at me…” The Padawan managed to focus on him and Michael shook his head slowly. “I am alive, Min. I shouldn’t be. What these people did saved my life. And they have promised me that no matter what they will try and find a way for me to walk again. But in the end, Min, it doesn’t matter. I am alive. And where there is life, there is hope.”

 

“Hope?” Min asked sourly. “What hope? Prisoner… I am a prisoner. I have done something terrible, and I…” She was crying again.

 

Michael sighed. “Min… What happened? Why did you and the others attack this ship?”

 

Min shook her head. “I don’t know. They never said why. Just that it was needed. I was so proud to be selected. I know Jedi should not feel pride, but I was. To be selected by Melan and Vandar.”

 

Michael felt his guts, what he could feel of them, freeze. “Vandar selected you for this?” The esteemed Jedi master was a legend among the Jedi and the Republic.

 

Min nodded, but her sense in the Force solidified as she controlled herself, Michael noticed with approval. “Yes. They said it was a secret mission. A necessary one for the Republic. I had no idea we were attacking a Sith ship of all things. And the things on the ship…”

 

"Things?" Michael blinked. “Which ship, Min? This one?”

 

"No." Min slumped. “No. The Invictus, the battleship we were shuttled to, to launch the attack. The…” She shook her head slowly.

 

"Min? Be calm, you are safe ." Michael stared at the girl. Something in her Force sense spoke of horror. Michael’s voice was very gentle now. “What happened on the Invictus, Min?”

 

Min shook her head slowly. “Nothing. It was more a feeling. A sense of fear, hate and horror all around. And then… I walked by a couple of crew people and… And they were screaming inside. I tried to talk to them, and it was like talking to droids. I could feel them, inside, clawing, trying to get out, but they couldn’t… they couldn’t… Then Vandar was there. He took me aside and we had a long talk.” She slumped. “I don’t know what to believe any more, Michael.”

 

"Easy..." Michael shook his head slowly. For such an empathic person to feel such a thing… Just the echoes he felt from her were horrific enough. “Min, trust your feelings. What do you feel?”

 

Min met his eyes with her unbandaged one. “Sick, scared, and foul... I…”

 

Michael sighed and tried to sound reassuring. “It will be okay, Min.” He blinked as a recognizable sound was heard. A general quarters alarm. Apparently the Sith used similar alarms on their ships. He sighed. “I think…”

 

<Bladehome bridge>

 

"Cole?" Istara darted onto the bridge and found a seat as Cole worked feverishly. “Situation?”

 

"Imperial recon ships." Cole snarled. “Two of them. We are masked for the moment, but they will pick us up soon. According to doctrine, one is going to come closer. The other will remain at the edge of the gravity well to jump for reinforcements if the first runs into trouble. Damn it, we are too far in the well to jump.” The Bladehome had found a hiding spot near the planet Bakura to make repairs and catch their collective breaths, but its hiding spot was not perfect. Any ship that got close enough would see the ship nestled in a crater on the small moon’s surface. The two frigates were moving now, one was closing quickly on the planet. The other, as Cole has surmised, was hanging back.

 

The hatch hissed again and Will Kalenath stepped carefully onto the bridge. His steps were unsteady and Istara rose to help him to a seat. He mock snarled at her, but allowed her to help him. He wouldn’t take just anyone’s help, but they shared a bond of sorts. He took in the tactical situation at a glance and nodded. When he spoke it was slow and thoughtful. They had time, if not a lot of it.

 

“Can you power the guns?” Will asked softly. The Bladehome’s guns were more than powerful enough to take out the frigate.

 

"The guns?" Cole stared at him as if the man were nuts, which Will certainly was. “What good will that do? We kill the close one and the far one jumps for backup. There has to be a fleet, probably within an hour’s travel from here.”

 

Will smiled thinly. “Cole, trust me.”

 

The smuggler stared at the soldier before barking a laugh. “Yeah, right.” Allies they might be, but trust only went so far. Not that Cole really trusted anyone but himself.

 

"I can understand, but it does make things more complicated." Will looked at Istara. “Istara… Do you trust me?”

 

Istara looked at the man in battered silver armor. It hadn’t seemed to take any damage during the fight in the hangar bay, but the key word there was seemed. He had been a mess afterward, shot in numerous places. She had been totally amazed when he had shown up in the Assembly hall when she was sworn in as Grandmaster. Then again, he was tough as hell, and did nothing the easy way. he voice was concerned when she spoke. “Will, if it were just me, I would, yes. But I have the responsibility for everyone on this ship now. I can’t.”

 

"Fair enough." Will nodded and looked away from them both. Under his breath he spoke. "And… Now…’

 

Cole jerked as his plot changed. “What the hell?”

 

Istara looked from Will to Cole. “What?” She asked quietly.

 

"I..." Cole stared from the controls to Will and his face lit up with a slow smile. “I am getting a Republic transponder code. From out near the hyper limit. It is weak enough and directed enough that those Imperial ships won’t have a chance to see it, will they?” This was directed at Will who grinned evilly. Cole shook his head. “Istara don’t take this the wrong way, but if you ever fight this man, do it hand to hand. Do not try to outfox him.”

 

Istara stared at from one man to the other and her face went hard. “If someone does not tell what is going on here…” Her voice held menace but Will just smiled.

 

"Your hunters are about to become the hunted." Will shrugged, settling himself in his seat. “You know I made some calls. One of them was for backup.”

 

Istara stared at him. “How did you know where…? Never mind…” She shook her head. His ability to access supposedly secure computer systems was downright terrifying at time.

 

Will shook his head. “I didn’t know where we were going. They have been following for some time. You see, they heard about the Invictus and wanted payback, until I told them what really happened. Now they want justice, not revenge.”

 

"Okay." Cole shook his head. “I think that Imperial recon flight is in trouble then. They will run.”

 

"They will try." Will shook his head. “Watch.”

 

All three sets of eyes went to the plot as it changed again. Suddenly a large vessel was present in system. It was twice the size of the Bladehome. And it was distinct. No other ship in the galaxy had the silhouette of a cruiser melded with a carrier. The Stormhawk turned majestically towards the startled Imperial recon ships, which, wisely, fled for their lives. Silent fire screamed from the Stormhawk’s heavy turbolasers and arced towards the Imperial ships. They dodged, evaded, tried to flee. But the Stormhawk was too close. One of the frigates took a blast full on, her shields vanishing in the sheer destructive power of guns more suited to fighting dreadnaughts. The ship staggered in space, part of her hull blackened by the same hit, and then it vanished as two more salvoes went home. When the glare cleared, nothing was left of the frigate but its nose, still arcing through space on the same course, the rest of the ship atomized by the sheer power of the Stormhawk’s guns. Frigates simply did not have the capability to stand off firepower of that magnitude. The other frigate, putting all power to its engines, arced away from the Stormhawk on a varying course avoiding much of the fire that the huge ship sent its way.

 

"Not bad." Will nodded. “Smart ship handler over there. Trying to get clear of the gravity well to jump. Not that it will help him.”

 

"Will..." Cole shook his head. “You know they will get a com off.” He looked at Will who didn’t react. “You know they will.”

 

"So?" Will just shook his head. “Imperial captains know the Stormhawk never stays where she fights. By the time the fleet gets here, she will be long gone.” He nodded, almost to himself. “And… minimum range… Now…”

 

Cole and Istara watched in awe as the Stormhawk turned to pursue the frigate. And then both had to look away as an incredibly bright flash lit the stars. When it cleared, the frigate was gone, simply gone. Istara’s voice was hushed, almost scared. “What the hell was that?”

 

"What the...?" Cole shook his head, amazed. He scrutinized his sensors and turned an incredulous stare on Will. “How the flarg did you build a plasma cannon that big? And how the hell do you hit a maneuvering target the size of a frigate at that range with it?”

 

Will just grinned and then he sobered as the com lit up with an incoming call. “I think it is for you, Istara.”

Istara wasn’t scared, per say. After all, she had been aboard the Stormhawk once. She knew they were honorable, in their own way, the same as the Bladeborn were. And while their reputation for being utterly merciless as far as agents of the Empire were concerned was well earned, she also knew they likely wouldn’t blast her and her people out of hand. But this was disconcerting. The communication she had received had been one word. ‘Follow’.

 

The immense outlaw ship had waited until the Bladehome had powered up before transmitting a series of coordinates. Then it had jumped. Istara had shrugged and ordered Cole to follow, over his strenuous objections. After all, the Stormhawk had just saved their tails and it wasn’t as if they could fight the battlecruiser or run from it. Actually... Outrun the battlecuiser? Sure. Outrun that nasty huge cannon on its front? Unlikely.

 

The grandmaster of the Bladeborn was trying not to pace around the small bridge as the timer slowly counted down for their hyperspace jump. If only Will was awake. The soldier had collapsed shortly after the communication from the Stormhawk, almost as if his body had known that they were mostly out of danger. Ona and Jon had both been incredibly annoyed with the soldier; the male medic had been swearing to lock the man in the bed this time. She blinked as the intercom lit up.

 

“Istara…?” Ona’s voice was odd. Not sad, not scared, not… Istara couldn’t quite place the tone.

 

Istara walked to the intercom, ignoring Cole’s mutters about back seat fliers. “What is up, Ona?”

 

"Uh..." The hesitation in Ona’s voice had Istara tensing. “I… We need you in medical, Istara.”

 

"Ona?" Istara blinked. “Is something wrong?”

 

"Yes, but..." Ona sighed quietly. Her tone was sad now. “Not that we can fix. If you have time, we need you.”

 

Istara looked at Cole who waved at her. “Git.” The smuggler snarled. “I don’t need you hovering. We have an hour and half according to the data burst we were sent with the coordinates.” He had been less than enthused to jump into hyperspace somewhere he had never been. The Stormhawk was well known for having better charts than almost anyone else. He simply did not trust anyone else’s charts. But they hadn’t had a choice, that recon flight had to have backup nearby, backup that would arrive sooner than later to see what had happened to the recon element. Istara acquiesced, she had been less than polite in pressuring Cole to follow the instructions they had been given. Granted, she didn’t understand all of his worries, she was a sword fighter, not a navigator. But his comment about ‘bouncing too close to a supernova’ had her very worried.

 

The grandmaster left the bridge and moved into a service corridor. It always amazed her how thoroughly this ship was riddled with passageways. No wonder Trugoy had always managed to pop up in odd places and at odd time. As she moved she shook her head. Something was wrong. She stopped in a small, almost claustrophobic room and hit the lights. Except for a desk with terminal, the room was empty. She moved to the terminal and brought up the security footage for medical, her codes as grandmaster allowed her to do that anywhere on the ship. Small wonder Trugoy had seemed omniscient on this ship. But nothing presented itself. On and Jon were working, Min was awake and talking to Michael, Will was unconscious in… Wait a sec… In the ICU? Istara was out the door in a flash, heading at full Force enhanced speed towards Medical.

 

As soon as Istara entered Medical, Ona pulled her aside into the Bothan’s small office and shut the door. Ona looked at her friend and slumped.

 

“We can’t help him.” The healer said sadly.

 

"Ona?" Istara froze. Whatever she had expected, that wasn’t it. “What? What is wrong with him?”

 

"I..." Ona sighed as she sat. “I am not totally sure. There is great deal of neural scarring, as if he has taken brain damage. He wasn’t hit in the head, was he? During the fight in the hangar bay?”

 

Istara shook her head, parsing her memories of that horrific time. She had seen a lot in her life as a Bladeborn, but what that man had done had been bad even by her standards. Killing enemies, sure, but killing unarmed, unconscious ones? And the way he had done it had been utterly terrifying, even to the hard bitten Bladeborn. The only survivor out of the Jedi was Min and she only survived because his blaster had been set for armor piercing. The bolt that should had discharged its energy on impact with her chest, frying her heart and lungs, instead penetrated clean through the girl’s body. Something had been wrong before that with Min, Istara remembered seeing the girl crying. Maybe it had been the fact that all of her friends had been downed so callously. Maybe it had been the fact that Melan had admitted his culpability in what happened to Will’s family? Istara wasn’t sure, and right now, she wouldn’t press.

 

"No." Istara shook her head slowly. “No he wasn’t. He collapsed right afterward, holding his head. He was… not very lucid at that point.”

 

"Yeah." Ona’s voice was sad now. “I am not surprised. What surprises me is that he could move at all, or talk. The pain has to be…”

 

Istara stiffened. “Pain?”

 

"Yes." Ona nodded and hit a set of controls. The room darkened a bit and a holo appeared in the air over her desk. It was an image of a human brain. “This is a normal human brain.” Ona said quietly and then hit another control. A second holo appeared beside the first. Istara gasped as she saw myriad black spots on the grey matter of the most vital organ in the human body. “This is a scan I did of Will’s.” Ona said unnecessarily. “Less than half an hour ago. He is dying, Istara.”

 

"No..." Istara felt her eyes burn. She liked Will. Maybe not trusted him, but she liked him. “My god Ona… Is… is there anything we can do?”

 

"I don't know." Ona bit her lip. “I have asked Ecien and Nana, they are consulting their medics on their homeship, but… Neither is hopeful… I mean, this is brain matter. It doesn’t regenerate.”

 

"Flarg me." Istara shook her head slowly. “Who knows about this?” Her mind was whirling with thoughts, plans and contingencies, what to do and why.

 

"You, me, Nana and Ecien." Ona shook her head. “Jon knows I am upset, but not why.”

 

"Okay." Istara shook her head. “Bring Jon in.” Ona looked at her, but hit a summons on her terminal, leaving the holos going.

 

A few moments later Jon entered the office, snarling. “I have work to do, girls, what the…” He broke off as he took in the holos. His face went slack as he realized what he was looking at. “Oh my god…”

 

"Healers..." Istara nodded. “I need your oaths of silence on this, both of you. I don’t know what is going to happen, but I do know he will be a major part of it.”

 

Ona shook her head slowly. “Istara…” Jon just sat heavily, looking from his mate to the grandmaster.

 

"I..." Istara looked away from them both. “Ona… I had a vision once. I doubt they told you… It was him, dying. I…” Her voice broke as she fought for control. “I like him; I think he is a good man inside, no matter what he believes. He has had to do horrible things, I know a little about that. If we can help him in any way, I want to try.”

 

Both of the healers looked at her in silence. Surprisingly Jon spoke first. “He is a dangerous man. But when we needed help, he came, even though we were allied with the Sith, he came. We owe him.”

 

Istara felt her eyes burn as she reached out to Jon and he took her hand. They both looked at Ona whose fur went wild, but then it relaxed. “We do owe him. If not for him, those Republic scum would have taken some of us. Either they would have died when the battleship blew up or more likely they would be in the hands of whoever destroyed the battleship. And Moreys. You know he survived.”

 

"Yeah." Istara nodded. “I can wish he had died when the battleship blew up, but… We can’t be that lucky. We never have been.” She held out hand to the Bothan and Ona took it.

 

Both healers spoke in unison. “By the Code. Soul in steel, we pledge to hold this secret unless given leave by you or him. May our own blades end us if we transgress.”

 

"Right." Istara took their oaths somberly. “And I swear to you, that if we can find a way to help him, we will.”

 

A few minutes later, Istara sat by Will’s beside, and sighed. She stiffened as a soft voice spoke.

 

“I am not going to die now, Istara.” She looked up and the soldier was watching her intently through cracked eyelids.

 

"You...?" Istara nodded. “You knew… Of course you did. Aw Will, I am sorry. Is there anything I can do…?”

 

"Yes." Will nodded slightly. “Keep an open mind. Boss is hard, but fair. You remember…”

 

Istara nodded. She had met the armored man after her and Setsuna’s escape from the Fate Shatter before it exploded. The Stormhawk had rescued the escape pod she had crammed herself and her sister into. It had not been a very amicable meeting. She had been so worried for Setsuna. And Stormhawk Boss had obviously been stressed. Or injured? She wasn’t sure.

 

“I remember.” She said, her voice a little husky.

 

Will smiled a little. “It will be okay, Istara. Just… Aw crap I m going to sound like a Jedi. Trust your feelings…”

 

"What?" Istara couldn’t help it, she chuckled as she waved a finger at him. “You, soldier, are bad.” She said with a laugh.

 

Will smiled. “Guilty as charged, ma’am. I… I may not be awake when you get where you are going. Whatever you do, do not resist.”

 

Istara stared at him. “Where are we going Will?”

 

Will slumped, and she could feel pain in his sense now, even though none of it showed in his tone. “Somewhere safe.” She waited, but he was asleep again. She shook her head as she rose and walked to the door. This just got better and better.

 

A large bronze chitined form was waiting for her just outside. “Istara…” Nana’s voice was sad.

 

Istara bowed her head. “You can’t help him.” It wasn’t a question.

 

Nana shook her own relatively small head in response. “We can make him comfortable, but no more than that. Our healers are researching. But they do not hold hope.”

 

Istara nodded. “Do what you can for him. I will be on the bridge.”

 

Nana looked at her closley. “When did you sleep last, Istara?”

 

Istara took a step back, arms up in a warding gesture. “No sleep hypos, Nana, they need me…”

 

Nana’s voice was tart. It was always amazing to have such an expressive and human sounding voice from a six foot tall insect. “Like you could stop me? I wasn’t going to. But you do need sleep. At the very least meditate for a while, you need it.”

 

Istara nodded. “I will. If anything changes…?”

 

Nana nodded. “If anything changes I will contact you immediately.” Istara nodded and watched as the large bug entered the room behind her, and then she moved off. She could meditate on the bridge and if Cole had a problem with that, tough.

 

The insect Bladeborn sat beside the critically injured soldier’s bed and sighed quietly. “You are crazy.”

 

Will’s voice was quiet. “They needed me. Both Idjit and Jainine agreed. If I hadn’t been here, Vandar and Melan would have taken the children, and god knows what would have happened to them. Not that I would have taken either of their words for it. But Istara asked for my help.”

 

Nana shook her head. “You should not have merged your mind to the armor. When it took damage… So did you. If we remove it now…You will die.”

 

Will’s voice was still quiet. “I know.”

 

Nana’s voice was very sad now. “Will… I…”

 

"Nana." Will spoke softly. “I have known my death was coming for some time, Nana. Not how or why, or when. But I have known. I just hope to leave the galaxy a better place than I found it.”

 

Nana sighed as she leaned close to the bed, her antennae floating down to touch the soldier on the forehead. “You have. Rest, hero.”

 

Will’s voice was almost in audible now. “I am no hero, Nana, I just do what has to be done.”

 

Nana’s voice held a sad smile as she watched the man sink into a troubled sleep. “And what is a hero, Will Kalenath? One who does what must be done to help others, no matter the cost. Rest, no dreams will trouble you while I ward.”

Istara took several moments to calm herself after leaving Will’s room. The grandmaster of the Bladeborn was not supposed to ever be out of control. But Istara Sharlina Andal was an intensely emotional being. She had been her whole life. It didn’t help that half of her core personality was almost totally composed of rage. It had been a hell of a shock when she had met herself in a mindscape, but the two had worked out a compromise. Istara was better at dealing with people and Sharlina was better at, well, not nice types of things. Sharlina felt odd now. She felt respect for Will of course, who didn’t? But now the man was weak, vulnerable. In Sith society that meant he was fair game, but… Both sides of Istara’s self agreed that the man was needed. For now. But she had one more stop to make and not a lot of time to do it before they were supposed to arrive at their destination. She stopped at the door to the room the Jedi were in, keyed the intercom and spoke softly.

 

“Michael?” Istara asked quietly. She wasn’t sure if Min was awake or not, the girl had been through hell.

 

The Jedi’s voice was calm, but held appreciation. “Istara, we were hoping you would stop by.”

 

Istara smiled as she opened the door. What greeted her was a surprise. Michael was smiling as he looked at her, but the sad smile on Min’s face was a bit of a shock. The young female Jedi was sitting up in her bed, her head and chest heavily bandaged, but her face, what was visible, was serene and her smile genuine.

 

“Michael, Min.” Istara said quietly as she found a seat at the table in the specially set up double room. Most rooms in the medical ward were singles, for better access to patents, but this was a special situation.

 

Min met Istara’s eyes with her unbandaged one and spoke softly. “Grandmaster Istara, I must apologize for my actions.” The youthful Jedi looked away for a moment. “You and yours did nothing to me, and I… I attacked you…”

 

"No." Istara shook her head slowly. “No you didn’t. The only ones who attacked were the Special Forces team, and some of the marines. You restrained Garth without hurting him or letting the young fool hurt himself. You drew your saber in defense when Trugoy and Will appeared. And truth be told, I would have done a lot more than draw if I had been surprised by those two.” Her voice caught, even now, her feelings on Trugoy were strong, if conflicted. And likely they would be for a long, long time.

 

Min met her gaze calmly. “You are not a Jedi, Grandmaster Istara. I knew there was trouble. But I had no idea what or why. I believed what the masters told me. To my shame, I did not question.”

 

"I know." Istara nodded. “It is always harder, to think things through rather than to just obeying. I have made the same mistake myself.” She slumped. “And a lot of people died as a result.”

 

Both of the Jedi looked at her and then at each other. Michael spoke softly. “Can you discuss it?”

 

"Well..." Istara nodded slowly. “You know I served the Empire, willingly, gladly, and without reservation.” It wasn’t a question but the Jedi nodded anyway. “I was at Coruscant.” Both of the Jedi tensed. The Sacking of Coruscant and the destruction of the Jedi Temple there were sore spots with the Jedi Order for good reason. Istara shook her head. “I was nowhere near the Temple; I landed with the third wave. We were tasked to take and hold Republic positions along the left flank of the landing. It was… a mess.”

 

Min was looking at her with shock in her visible eye. It might have been that Istara freely admitted she had been there or that a servant of the Empire might show remorse for the awful things that had happened. But Michael was nodding.

 

“Large scale urban warfare. Not fun.” The Jedi said sadly.

 

"Not fun?" Istara snorted humorlessly. “That may be the largest understatement of the year. We were under fire from the moment we landed. We faced Rep air, artillery, snipers, armor… You name it, and it was thrown at us. I started with a battalion. At the end, I had a company. Maybe.” She sighed, lost in memory.

 

Michael waited for a moment before speaking. “What happened, Istara?”

 

"What happened?" Istara snorted sourly. “What ever happens around Sith? One of them used my people to gain glory for himself. He couldn’t have cared less if my people were killed. All he wanted was the victory. And he got it, but all of my people died.” She snarled in memory. “So did he a few minutes later. But I know about obeying bad orders Min. Which is why I have looked very carefully at whatever orders I have received since then. ”

 

"I see." The young female Jedi looked at Istara and then looked away. Her voice was soft when she spoke. “I am the only survivor, aren’t I? From the Jedi?”

 

"You are." Istara nodded sadly. “We thought the one called Ki Lom was alive, but whatever that device Will used did… When Morey used it… it uh…” She shrugged helplessly. “Ona had never seen anything like it. Poor boy didn’t have a chance.” Istara had gone to check on him, thinking the young Jedi unconscious and had found him not breathing. They had tried to resuscitate him, but unsuccessfully.

 

"None of us did." Min shook her head. “What was that? It felt…” She shivered a bit. “I got caught in the fringe of the effect when the other used it, and it felt like a million angry fingers clawing at my mind. I was… very unsettled by it.”

 

"The device?" Istara shook her head. “I have no idea. Neither does anyone else and Will isn’t talking.” She shrugged. “He likes his secrets.”

 

"Will?" Michael snorted. “Oh yes, he does.” Istara smiled, a wintry expression at him and he shared it.

 

Min nodded and the bandaged Jedi spoke slowly. “What is my own status then? Obviously you are not going to kill me or you would not have treated my injuries or handled me so carefully when I was incoherent. Is your plan to turn me then?” The Jedi asked calmly.

 

"Turn you?" The standing red headed woman shook her head. “No. We are making this up as we go. But, I don’t really know how to define your status at the moment. You are not our prisoner, and yet, not our guest. You are hurt, and still need healing, so we cannot have you running around tearing Ona’s repairs. She gets so mad when people do that.” Istara shuddered a little. For such a kindhearted soul, Ona in a rage was to be avoided at all costs.

 

Min thought about that. “So I am a patient. Confined for my own safety?”

 

The brown eyed Bladeborn nodded. “That works. This ship would not be safe for you. We, the Bladeborn, have suffered some serious emotional hurts recently. And not all of us have the best control in the galaxy.” She smiled a bit sadly. That was true. “But we are not enemies, Min of the Jedi. For now, you need medical care and we will provide it. Please do not abuse what trust I am giving you.”

 

"I understand." Min nodded soberly. “I won’t.”

 

Istara smiled but then looked at her chrono. “Well, I need to go meditate, it has been a stressful day.” She nodded to the others and left the room.

 

As the door closed, she heard Min’s quiet puzzled voice. “She is not what I expected.” Michael’s answer was cut off by the door. Istara shook her head as she headed for the bridge. She had to meditate. Things were likely to get very complicated soon, and she needed to be clearheaded.

Istara came out of her mediation refreshed as always. A quick look around the bridge showed that nothing had changed, they were still in hyperspace. Cole was working on something and looked up as she moved.

 

"Hey." The fiery haired former smuggler’s voice was soft. “Istara.”

 

"Right." Istara smiled. “I am awake, Cole. Anything new?” She stretched, she did feel better. She had really needed that meditation after such stressful times. She felt a lot better, calmer, and clearer of mind. Which was the point.

 

“We are ten minutes out." Cole sighed. "I wish I could learn to do that.” He said wistfully. Seeing people go into meditation shivering, exhausted wrecks and coming out almost aglow with youth and enthusiasm was obviously downright disheartening at times.

 

"Huh?" Istara looked at him. “You don’t need Ashla to learn to do basic meditation, Cole. Anyone can. Hasn’t anyone ever offered to teach you?”

 

"Me? No." Cole looked at the woman who had taken Trugoy’s place when he had been killed and shook his head. “I thought it was some secret. You all guard your secrets well.”

 

"A secret?" Istara thought about that before shaking her head. “Not that I know of. I will ask, but if you want some instruction, I know I or a few others would be happy to instruct you.”

 

Cole stared at her. “Happy?” His voice was patently dubious. He was not the best of students and Bladeborn were generally not the most patient of teachers. Mama Lizard was an exception, but she was also very busy.

 

"Come on." Istara smiled, but there was melancholy behind it. “Cole, you are family. You may not wear a brand, or carry a sword, but you and Juli are family.” He stared at her, his mouth ajar. Istara smiled as she rose and walked the short distance across the cramped bridge to where he sat staring at her. She patted his shoulder. “I would be honored to teach you.”

 

She hadn’t always thought so. When she had woken after… Well, after she had cast herself from the Order and Setsuna had fled, Cole had been the one that the Bladeborn had left in her room to see if she was sane. Cutting one’s brand off was not a rational act after all, and a few times in the Order’s history, the being who had done it had gone completely mad as a result, forcing the Order to take steps. Almost always a quick death had resulted. The Bladeborn were intense, no question. They ate, drank, worked and lived by their Code. And to willingly throw oneself out of the group, to willingly give up everything in the name of honor… It hurt one. It hurt Istara even now. Even after everything that had happpened, she still felt the pain of separation, of loss. She was not technically a member of this Order anymore. And here they had made her grandmaster! She knew this was going to suck in so many ways.

 

She had thought the orange haired man in dirty coveralls a rude unkempt barbarian when she had first met him. And indeed, the man was rude. He also had lax standards of personal hygiene as evidenced by grime on the shipsuit he wore. But she could not have asked for a better pilot, or a more dedicated worker. The man just would not stop working. She wondered sometimes if it was the fact that he couldn’t, that he had to keep busy or the memories of some of what he had endured started to overwhelm him. She wasn’t going to ask, that was his business.

 

"Uh..." Cole stared at her, oblivious to her internal discomfiture. The smuggler’s eyes went down. “I… Istara, I don’t know what to say. Trugoy never… I mean, I was just an asset to him. A resource. He was nice to me, but that was all I was, an employee.” When he looked up Istara was utterly shocked to see the hardbitten man’s eyes glistening. “You treat me like a person. Like I matter.”

 

"What the...?" Istara recoiled in shock. “Of course you matter. Don’t tell me Mama and Ona didn’t treat you right.”

 

"Well..." Cole slumped. “They did, they tried to. But the grandmaster’s word was law. I half expected him to send Juli away. Like he sent Miriam.” The man bit his lip.

 

Istara froze. “Miriam?” Her voice was gentle. “The girl who came to the Sitolon homeship with the kids?” She remembered the girl, willowy dark blonde lass with sad hazel eyes. She had been something of a nanny? Istara hadn’t been sure. Something in Cole’s sense was embarrassed so Istara spoke carefully now. “You have an ’understanding’ with her?”

 

"Yeah." Cole sighed. “We were going to get married, before all this mess.”

 

Istara blinked and then she was lifting the man out of his chair and embracing him. The smuggler froze in shock.

 

“Oh Cole that is wonderful news.” She smiled at him. “Well, then we will have to see about getting your bride to be back to you, or you to her.” She set him back down gently and smiled a bit wistfully.

 

Cole stared at her. Everything he had heard about Sharlina, er Istara now, had said she was grim, utterly without fear, mercy or compassion. “Istara… I…”

 

"Cole, you know better." Istara shook her head. “Sith as a whole may think love is to be avoided, because it leads to mercy. But we are not Sith, we are Bladeborn. We are different.”

 

Cole laughed heartily. “I’ll say.”

 

Istara slapped him gently on the shoulder. “You shut up.” She said humorously, but then she sobered. “I haven’t had a lot of time to meet people that I didn’t know before. But I will say this, you are not working for me, you are working with me. There is a massive difference.”

 

"I..." Cole stared at her, flabbergasted. “Istara… I… I don’t know what to say.”

 

"Well..." Istara smiled as she stepped back to her seat. “I am not the best of leaders Cole, matter of fact I suck at it.” Cole shook his head, but Istara continued relentlessly. “If you see me making a mistake, stop me.”

 

Cole looked at his instruments and then glanced at her. “In public?” He asked slowly.

 

Istara smiled wryly. “Discretely if you can. We have had enough upheavals around here to last awhile.” But she had to smile at the thought of Cole correcting her on a point protocol in front of a hundred Bladeborn. No, that wouldn’t go over so well.

 

"I can do that. And I will try for discrete too." Cole nodded. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

 

"Yeah." Istara grimaced. “Teach me to fly? I… I kind of suck at it…”

 

Cole stared at her. “You… You can’t fly?” As far as he knew that was a first. Every single Sith or Bladeborn he had ever met could fly. Maybe not well, but all could at least get a ship or airspeeder from point A to point B.

 

Istara slumped, it was a sore subject with her. “Yeah. I never really needed to. I had shuttles, or pilots, or whatever. The few times I had to fly myself, well… the first time I stole an interceptor and crashed. The second time I used auto pilot all the way and was landed by a tractor beam. The third time I crashed the shuttle I was in.” She concluded sheepishly. "I... can't fly."

 

"Okay..." Cole was shaking his head slowly. “If I do, we will start with simulators. Less expensive you understand…”

 

"Oh yes." Istara snorted. “Since I am kind of responsible for all this lot, yes, I understand. The less expensive the better. I never realized just how many financial headaches come with operating a ship, even a small cruiser.”

 

Cole would have replied, but a chime sounded and he tensed. “One minute.”

 

Istara nodded and strapped herself in as Cole did. Neither had any idea at all what to expect. The pilot was muttering to himself as he worked. “No idea where, or what… God I hate using other people’s charts… Okay, cutting power to hyperdrive and activating sublight engines…” He flipped a set of switched and the ship shuddered a bit. Istara watched through the viewport as the blue tunnel of hyperspace was replaced by lines. Lines that quickly became points as the ship reverted to real space. But…

 

Cole stared at his instruments in shock. “Uh, Istara… is this where we were supposed to be?” There was nothing in system, no Stormhawk. Seven planets orbited the blue dwarf star, but it was obvious from a glance that none were habitable.

 

"I don't know." Istara shook her head slowly. “Your guess is as good as mine. They could be here and we would never even know it. Wait…” Something rang through Ashla and she stiffened. “They are here. But…”

 

Cole looked at her. “But what?” Then he froze as his sensors beeped. “Aw flarg…” A group of ships came around the planet. Republic forces. A battleship, a carrier, two cruisers and six frigates. Cole shook his head. “They set us up…” His hands started dancing as he worked to get the hyperdrives back online. “Those sons of Murglaks set us up…”

 

"Wait..." Istara shook her head. Something was off. “Cole… Are they targeting us?”

 

Cole stiffened in his seat. “Uh… No…” He shook his head baffled as he took in the plot. The com system lit up and he activated it.

 

A female voice came from the com. “This is the Republic Battleship Courageous to the Sith ship Bladehome. We need to talk.”

 

Istara felt all the blood leave her face. She knew that voice. It had been the woman from her vision, the one where Will had died. When the grandmaster of the Bladeborn spoke, she barely recognized her own voice. “Yes, yes we do…”

Istara was more than a little worried about all of this, but she hid her agitation behind years of control as the Republic shuttle landed in the Bladehome’s hangar bay. It wasn’t like they could actually DO anything, not with ten Republic ships in close proximity. But why had the Stormhawk sent them a system that had a Republic battle group in it? And where WAS the Stormhawk? What the flarg was going on? Istara hoped she would get some answers soon, she itched to do something. Actually, what she wanted to do was hurt someone, but as grandmaster, she was held to a higher standard than the rest of the Bladeborn. So here she was, drawn up, in formal armor in front of a dozen of her kin set up as an honor guard. In fact, these were the dozen of her kin who looked the least intimidating. Mama Lizard and Idjit were elsewhere, specifically because she did not want to escalate things if she could help it. She wanted to fight, she burned to fight. But fighting here and now would solve nothing. Her thoughts broke off as Cole spoke softly to her from his place beside her. She glanced at him and he nodded fractionally.

 

"Istara." The smuggler’s voice was low, but clearly audible. It was also sour. “Shuttle is positive for two life forms. No stealth systems detected. And at this range we would be able to detect them.”

 

The man felt uncomfortable through Ashla, with good reason. The former smuggler turned agent wore Bladeborn armor unwillingly. Cole had protested, vehemently, when Istara had insisted he blend in with the group. Eventually, he had acquiesced to her request. But he was very unhappy, and not just about that. He detested the Republic, for whole lot of reasons and he had a number of bounties on his head from Republic sources.

 

Istara stiffened slightly at his words. Two? Why only two? That made no sense. She cast out with her mind, seeking answers. But then her questing thoughts seemed to hit a brick wall and she stiffened further *** he recognized the feeling. She spoke softly. “Jedi.”

 

All around her, the tension ramped up a few notches. After all, a Jedi strike force had attacked this ship. Admittedly, it had been composed mostly of Padawans, but still.... The ramp of the shuttle lowered and Istara schooled her features, feeling the Bladeborn around her also hide their uncertainty and worry behind harsh discipline and training. Two figures appeared at the top of the ramp, one a female human with black hair in Republic uniform, the other… Istara’s eyes went wide and she smiled as the mismatched pair stepped down the ramp towards her. She knew this being. All around her, the Bladborn sensed her happiness and reacted with surprise that they hid behind their training, but the tension in the bay vanished as Istara nodded to the pair.

 

"Istara Sharlina Andal?" The woman in Republic uniform, it bore the rank insignia of a full captain, saluted Istara. “Captain Brun, Republic Navy. Permission to come aboard, Ma’am?”

 

"Permission granted." Istara nodded slowly. “Welcome aboard the Bladehome, Captain Brun.” Her eyes turned to the other and she smiled, a bit hesitantly. “Hello Nolikas.”

 

The female Rakata Jedi healer bowed formally to Istara. “Hello, Istara. You are looking well. If…different. I apologize…” She corrected herself. “Grandmaster Istara.” The healer smiled wryly.

 

Istara had to smile widely at that. She was wearing her silver armor instead of formal robes. She had met the Rakata healer when she had gone to Tython. The Rakata had not trusted her one little bit, and Istara had understood. But eventually, both had worked out their differences and respected each other. Maybe not trusted, but respected. It was very odd to see a Rakata. In fact, Nolikas was the only one that Istara had ever met; the species was rare in the galaxy as a whole.

 

After the collapse of the Infinite Empire, the Rakata race had retreated to it’s homeworld of Lehon in disarray. Talking with Nolikas had given Istara better insight into what had happened next. Many of the Rakata had hidden in underground enclaves, secluded from the outside world, protected from possible retribution. The Infinite Empire had not been a benevolent government. They had conquered and enslaved much of the known galaxy. Sith records that Istara had seen spoke of the ‘hideous monsters from the stars that gave even Sith Lords pause in cruelty’. But Nolikas was different.

 

She had been born on Lehon, in a secluded compound isolated from the barbarism that most of the planet had fallen into. And her birth had been heralded as a turning point for the Rakata race, she had the Force, when only one other Rakata since the fall of the Infinite Empire had. But, that other, called ‘The One’, had been a megalomaniac. Wanton and cruel, he had personified the Infinite Empire’s many vices with none of its few virtues, so the Elders, the leaders of the community that Nolikas had been born in, had asked the Jedi to take her, to teach her. The Jedi had found the young Rakata to be exceptionally gifted at healing and had given her a place.

 

"It's okay." Istara nodded and her voice held gratitude. “No insult taken, Nolikas. I am glad you are here.”

 

The Rakata nodded and her mouth split in a smile. It was odd, seeing a Rakata smile, but it was clear as well. “It is good to see you again, Istara. But I understand you have injured?”

 

"Yes." Istara sighed. “Yes, we do. Our healers are attending them but any help would be appreciated. You are in no danger aboard this ship, healer.” Istara put emphasis on the word ‘healer’ and she felt the reaction of the Bladeborn around her. They were all ingrained not to hurt healers, mainly because Ona, their healer, could cut most of them into dogmeat and was not shy about expressing her opinions. Usually with the flat of a blade applied to certain parts of tender anatomy.

 

Captain Brun shrugged. “She insisted. I was just going to come myself, but once she heard about Will…” Istara looked at the captain, something in the woman’s voice… Captain Brun me the grandmaster’s eyes calmly. “How is he?”

 

Istara looked at her and nodded. “Alive. For now. We… We have done what we can. I hope you can do more Nolikas.”

 

"Right." Nolikas nodded, her face solemn. “Take me to him and I will do what I can.”

 

Istara nodded. “Follow me.” She started off, aware through Ashla that the Jed and the Republic captain were pacing her. She didn’t need to see that the Bladeborn followed, leaving a quartet of guards near the shuttle. Trust only went so far.

 

Nolikas’ voice was quiet. “What happened?” Her voice was professional, all duty now and Istara fell back on her own training.

 

“We don’t know.” Istara admitted candidly. Lying to healers was never a good thing. Lying to healers when lives were on the line was just plain stupid. “He went berserk, but…not. It is hard to describe. He was moving, firing, killing so fast that it seemed like a blur. He took hits, but they didn’t seem to do anything. And when it was over, he collapsed. But…” She broke off, unsure how to broach this subject.

 

Nolikas pressed. “But…?”

 

"He acted so different." Istara sighed. “He killed unconscious, unarmed, defenseless beings. He shot a girl who was trying to surrender. That is not the man I know.” Her voice was pensive.

 

"No?" Captain Brun sighed. “It is the man I knew.” Istara looked at her and the captain shook her head. “When I first met him, Will was…well… nuts is probably the only word for it. He was dangerous. And of course being young and dumb I was drawn to the danger like a Correllian darkmoth to a flame. ”

 

"Oh?" Istara gave the captain a sidelong look. “I take it your relationship was more than just words?”

 

The captain shrugged. “I wanted it to be. He balked. And then Sharra swooped in and scooped him up. Not that I really mind, now… She was good for him. At the time however….”

 

Istara smiled a bit sadly. She had known more than her own share of pain in relationships. “I understand. Here we are.” She keyed the door and the strange procession entered the medical bay. Both of the Bladehome’s healers were standing nearby as the group entered. “Ona, Jon, this is Nolikas. She is here to help.”

 

Ona stared from Istara to the Rakata and her face lit up. “Thank the Force. This way…” She waved towards a door and Nolikas nodded and followed.

 

"Captain?" Istara smiled as the three healers started conversing in convoluted medical talk as they walked and the grandmaster turned to the captain. “I think we should leave them alone, they get testy when people stand over their shoulders.”

 

Captain Brun smiled wryly. “Yours too, huh?”

 

"Yep, ours too." Istara nodded. “Yeah, we do need to talk. Come on, let’s do it somewhere a little more comfortable….” She led the Republic captain into a briefing room and, with a glare at the Bladeborn who would have followed her in, shut the door.

 

"Right." Captain Brun sat in one of the chairs and nodded. “We have some serious problems.”

 

"Agreed." Istara sat in another. “We did not destroy the Invictus.”

 

"I know." Captain Brun nodded. “My immediate superior received a transmission from a special agent right after the ship was destroyed. Which is why I am here.”

 

Istara nodded slowly. “I had wondered why you didn’t open fire immediately.”

 

"Well..." Captain Brun nodded. “As far as my crew, and all the agents for various parties aboard, are concerned, I am negotiating the surrender of your ship in my own crazy fashion.”

 

Istara snorted. This was fairly crazy for a Republic captain in command of a starship. Something she was sure she had heard called a ‘Kirk maneuver’, whatever that was. But then the grandmaster sobered. “I take it that is not why you are here.”

 

"No." Captain Brun shook her head. “My superiors are aware of the threat posed by these microscopic machines. My orders, from the very top, are to find out what is going on and stop it. We have had some problems however. You took prisoners?” A far question actually, since the Bladeborn’s reputation was such that they rarely, if ever, did.

 

"Yes." Istara nodded. “Most of them seem to be regular soldiers, marines and medical staff for the most part. Four Special Forces operatives, who we have been forced to sequester quite thoroughly.”

 

Captain Brun nodded. “I bet.” The Republic officer sighed. “Ok, I am authorized to say this, by the highest level. Do you want to defect?”

 

"Ah..." Istara froze. Never in her wildest dreams had she expected a Republic officer to say something like that. Not to her. But then she thought hard for several minutes. Finally she met the captain’s eyes and shook her head. “No.”

 

Captain Brun nodded. “I assume you have reason?”

 

"I do, good ones." Istara shrugged. “We served the Empire, loyally. This attack, this whole thing was planned. We were supposed to destroy the Invictus and get caught by an Imperial battle group. A basic violation of the Treaty with witnesses. This was intended to drive us from the Empire or have us killed by the Empire. Why?”

 

"Hmmm." Captain Brun nodded slowly. “Good point. You have any ideas?”

 

"Uh." Istara looked at her. “Begging your pardon, but why should I trust you?”

 

"You shouldn’t." Captain Brun nodded. “And I agree, coming over to the Republic would be a bad idea.” Istara stared at her before controlling her expression. “First it would be a media circus and I have seen enough of those. Then it would be… Well, feeding frenzy comes to mind. All sorts and kinds of people would want to get hold of you, and I doubt that your control is good enough when people start throwing rocks and piles of dung at you. The Senate, the military, Republic Intelligence, the Jedi… yuck…” She made a face.

 

Istara nodded, that made sense. “As to lack of control… Some of us, yes, some of us no. But the main thing is this. We do things the old fashioned way. Many things. When we give our word, we stick to it. We are not Sith.”

 

"So I have heard." Captain Brun made a sour sound of agreement and her tone was sour. “I wish there were more people like you in the Senate.”

 

"Oh and make them actually be honest for a change? The mind boggles." Istara smiled. “Well, we are kind of stuck. One question. How did you know to find us here?”

 

Captain Brun nodded slowly. “A friend of a friend told us that there might be news of a… ‘hawk’ here. Some of us do still support them. And then Nolikas arrived. She surprised the hell out of us.”

 

Istara stiffened. “She came on her own?”

 

"That she did." Captain Brun nodded. “She said she was looking for a padawan named Diseree.” The woman sighed. “I liked that plucky kid when I met her.”

 

"So did I." Istara nodded. “From what little I know, she is safe, for the moment. And I am very glad to see Noikas. But what are we to do now, Captain?”

 

The raven haired captain smiled evilly. “I have a couple of ideas about that….”

When Will Kalenath woke, he knew immediately that something had changed. He didn’t hurt. He hadn’t expected that. Actually he had drifted off wondering if he would wake up at all. The pain had been so intense that even Nana and Ona’s ministrations could only keep it at bay, not quell it. But now, it was gone. For along moment, he just lay there, enjoying the feeling of not being in pain. It was heavenly. But then he tried to shake his head. It wouldn’t move and he and his answer. There was only one being in the galaxy who understood his unnatural ability well enough to heal something that really wasn’t possible to heal.

 

He kept his eyes shut and sighed. “Hello Nolikas.”

 

"You can even fool my senses into thinking you are asleep when you are not." A soft snort came from nearby and the voice he was expecting answered him. “Hello Will.”

 

Will opened his eyes and she was sitting there, a small smile on her face. The Rakata Jedi, as always, looked as a bit sour. Maybe it was just when she was looking at him? Will put just the right amount of sardonic humor in his voice when he spoke.

 

“Every time I wake up like this, you are there." The soldier said with a scowl. "It is kind of freaky.”

 

Nolikas smiled at him, but her face was sad. “Will, I can’t heal it. All I can do is mitigate the effects. I can’t stop it.” Her face was crestfallen.

 

"I know." Will smiled. “It’s okay Nolikas. It’s okay. I made my peace a long time ago. I would like to see Nia safe, but… Life has a funny way of doing what it wants not you.”

 

Nolikas nodded. “Yeah it does. Ah Will…” Her large fingers stroked his cheek. “I am sorry.”

 

Will sighed. “It is not your fault Nolikas…” He broke off as her expression changed. Her face took on a hard aspect and his eyes went wide. “Nolikas?”

 

"Will." Nolikas’ huge head bowed and her eyes closed on their stalks. “I did not do this to you. We did. The Jedi Order.”

 

Will closed his eyes and counted slowly. When he spoke it was cold. “I know.”

 

Noliaks’ voice was quiet and sad, but not surprised. “How long have you known?”

 

"Known?" The hurt soldier didn’t speak for awhile, and when he did it was quiet, so quiet. “That members of the Jedi Order did this to me? Since Mom returned. Since I met Sara. I remembered bits and pieces that I hadn’t before. Saj, the Mon Cal healer I killed unknowing, she always acted like a Jedi. Not that I knew that then, she was just kind and gentle to me. She tried to help, and I killed her.”

 

"I should have remembered." Nolikas’ voice was quiet as well. “Saj Kilona was a healer I knew when I was in training. She was kind, gentle and compassionate. I should have recognized her from the description you gave me, but it never crossed my mind. She had vanished. We thought she was dead. If she was on that ship…” If Jedi had tortured this man into becoming what he was, the phrase ‘Hell had no fury’ did not just apply to wronged women.

 

"I remembered a lot of bits and pieces." Will made a noise somewhere between a sigh and a groan. “There were others. I caught glimpses of brown robes on occasion. Probably one reason I have always distrusted your Order. And Melan, before he died, he said that he had been there.”

 

"Crap." Nolikas shook her head. “Will, on behalf of the Order, and from Grandmaster Satele in particular, all I can say is I am sorry. We have been investigating, quietly. And what we found…” The healer slumped. “We trusted him. We believed in him. He was a legend. Everyone in the Order believed him. And now…” She looked away. “We will find Vandar and stop him. We have to.”

 

"It's okay." Will sighed again. He really wished he could shake his head, but the restraint frame holding it was too strong and padded. So he held out a slow hand. “I do not blame your order for the actions of a few, Nolikas. But you need to know a few things as well. Ravishaw is working with him.”

 

Noliaks took his hand, but at the name ‘Ravishaw’ she hissed. “This is big, Will. I am not too proud to admit I am scared. Really scared.”

 

Will gave her hand a squeeze. “Join the club. This group, of which Republic Intelligence Special branch was just one part, has funding and support from way up in the Senate. I have suspicions of who might be funding them, but no proof. Not that I would need any.” He finished coldly.

 

Nolikas shivered bit. Even lying a bed with his head strapped down to prevent further harm, this man was terrifying. “Will…” Her tone was sour now.

 

"Hey." The soldier made a noise like a raspberry. “I am not going to nuke the Senate building Nolikas, no matter how much some of them deserve it.” It was not a joke, the healer knew. He had access to nukes and used them far more frequently than anyone would wish. “If I find proof that Firdlump IS involved, that scumsucker is going to wind up with a hole in his head. And no one else.”

 

Nolikas sighed. “Will…”

 

Another voice came from nearby and spoke sarcastically. “And what would murdering a good and pious representative of his people do, Will?” A figure in republic uniform entered the room and Will looked at her.

 

The soldier shrugged as best he could. “Cleaning a bit of osik off the bottom of one’s boot never hurts, Mercedes. And what are you doing here? Last I checked this was an Imperial ship.”

 

Captain Mercedes Brun, Republic Navy, sat by the man’s bedside across from the healer. “Officially, I am here to recover the Special Forces team and marines these people captured. Unofficially, I wanted to see you.” She put her hand on his close one and smiled.

 

Will looked away. “Mercedes…”

 

Captain Brun shook her head. “Will, I understand. It took me a long time to understand. But Sharra is better for you than I would have been. It hurt a lot, when I realized that. Maker help me, it still hurts. But part of me loves you and always will. I wanted to see you happy and she makes you happy.” She leaned close and kissed him on the cheek.

 

As she did he noticed something. Under her short hair was the telltale sign of a recent surgical scar, a small one. Will froze. “Mercedes… When did you have brain surgery?”

 

The woman smiled as she leaned back. “I arrived yesterday, so last night. It has been…hectic.”

 

Will stared at her and then at Nolikas. “What did you do?” He snarled at her.

 

Nolikas looked away and her voice was sad. “It was the only way, Will. Human brain matter does not regenerate.”

 

The soldier stiffened. “No… No… What did you do to Mercedes? You… You…” He was struggling now, reaching for the restraints that held his head.

 

Mercedes took his hands in hers and held them tight. “Will, listen… Normal humans use less than 10% of their brain capacity. Nolikas took less than half a percent of my brain tissue. And I would have gladly given more to heal you.”

 

Will wash shaking, trying to fight as that stunning revelation hit him. But the gentle hands that held his wouldn’t let go. “No… No, Mercedes… No…”

 

The captain held him. “Will, it’s all right. It wasn’t just me who gave.” But Will was fighting to get loose now, fighting hard and suddenly something stung him on the shoulder. He looked up as Nolikas withdrew a hypo.

 

Will stared from his old friend to Nolikas “What… have … you…done…?” He managed to choke out as he lost consciousness.

 

Captain Brun sighed as she put Will’s hand back at his side and brushed his short hair tenderly. “I was afraid he wouldn’t understand. Will you be okay? Staying here?”

 

Nolikas looked at her. “I stay with my patients.”

 

Captain Brun nodded. Between Will and the two hurt Jedi, Nolikas had her hands full. The captain had wanted to transfer all three to the Imperious, but the Bladeborn having debts to pay to both Michael and Will nixed that idea quickly. So they had compromised The Bladehome would remain in discrete contact with the Imperious, and the Rakata Jedi would remain aboard. “You be careful, he is not the man I knew. Not anymore.” Now her voice was sad as she traced his cheek.

 

Nolikas sighed. “I know. And I bear some responsibility for that. I had no idea at all what I was doing. I hurt him, and while I managed to repair most of the damage, I did hurt him. But the Order does bear some responsibility for this obscenity. And we will make it right if we can.”

 

Captain Brun nodded, and then, slowly, bent over the still form of the man she still loved and kissed him on the lips. “Be well flyboy.” Then she rose an, without another word, left the room.

 

Nolikas stared after her and then snorted. “And people wonder why I avoid relationships…”

It had been a long three days. The Republic fleet had jumped away on the first. Nolikas had wondered about that until Istara had explained. The fleet had to maintain its cover, that of a survey expedition. Apparently, Captain Brun had made herself enough of a nuisance that her superiors had sent her off with orders to survey uncharted systems, such as the uninhabited one the Bladehome was concealed in now, which was not the one they had found the Imperious battle group. It made sense for the ship, as wanted as it was by the Empire now to hide. Captain Brun had confirmed that the Empire considered the Bladehome a renegade vessel now, and the Bladeborn traitors. Truth be told, Nolikas hadn’t even known that the Invictus had been lost, she was really geared towards only one thing, healing. But…

 

Nolikas was tired of this. Will was quite probably the single most stubborn person she had ever met. Add to that the Bladeborn. For people who used the dark side, the Bladeborn were actually fairly nice. It was odd, the Rakata healer reflected as she checked the Min’s healing wounds quickly and efficiently. The absolute last thing she had expected to find among such bloodthirsty warriors was a healer who used the lightside. Nolikas smiled slightly as she finished her check and the frowned slightly as she started bandaging. Min was incredibly lucky to be alive, unparalyzed and sane. The bolt that had hit her had done a great deal of damage, true. It had penetrated her chest, passing through the girl’s right lung before exiting the girl’s body and continuing on wherever it went. But the healers had done good work on her injuries; Nolikas grudgingly acknowledged that she likely could not have done a better job of saving the girl. Even the skull fracture and attendant hematoma had been treated swiftly and properly. But Min was a good patient, far better than either of her others.

 

The Bladeborn had put the Jedi healer in charge of their three guests. Truth be told, there wasn’t much that Nolikas could do for Michael. The Bladeborn had done an amazing job in saving his life, transplanting in cloned organs to replace the damaged one, and giving him time to recover. There simply wasn’t anything even the Force could do for a completely severed spinal cord. The Rakata Jedi had nearly fallen to tears when Ona had explained the circumstances and what they had done. A totally severed spinal cord was a massive problem and currently not a fixable one. Perhaps the technology would exist someday to regenerate completely nerves but for now, all they could do was make him comfortable, and try various things that to Nolikas mind were more akin to some kind of witchcraft than medical uses of the Force or science. Really…? Using electric shocks on the end below the cut? Yes, he couldn’t feel it, and no it didn’t seem to do any damage. But it went completely against the grain to cause what in any other person would be pain. Ona had shown case the Jedi case studies in which it had worked, so the Bothan healer was hopeful. Nolikas has to admit, the healer truly did care. Which was something she never would have expected from a Sith healer. She shook her head as she finished bandaging and gave Min’s arm a pat. The Bladeborn were not Sith.

 

Min’s eyes, both of them now that her face was healing, met the healer’s eyestalks. The hurt Jedi’s voice was quiet so as not to disturb Michael who was sleeping in the next bed. “Prognosis?”

 

Nolikas’ voice was just as quiet. “You will recover Min. The lung is healing nicely. Your head is as healthy as any of you bonebrains ever get. Next time, roll instead of landing on your head.” She smiled to take the sting out of her words. “Another day at most and the lung will be healed. After that we can start your therapy to get you back to your feet.”

 

Min nodded. But then her face took on a solemn cast. “And when do I face the Council?”

 

Noliaks stared at the girl. “What?”

 

"I did wrong." Min was obviously trying hard to maintain her control. “I attacked an Imperial ship in time of peace. I helped capture it. I…” She broke off as Nolikas glowered at her.

 

“Now you listen here, young lady.” The healer waved a finger at the hurt Jedi. “Your first and only concern now is to get back to full strength as soon as possible. What may come later is not your concern. The future is always in motion. Did you know that what you were doing was wrong?”

 

The dark haired padawan shook her head slowly. “I suspected. But they were so persuasive. I…” She looked away, shamefaced.

 

Noliaks sighed. “Yes. Yes they could be. Melan always had a smooth tongue and Vandar… that little green being could charm a Hutt’s money out from under the slug. Min… look me in the eyes…” Nolikas waited until the girl did as instructed, the girl’s brown eyes meeting the Rakata’s grey ones on their stalks. “It was not your fault. There was nothing you could have done. It was not your fault.” Nolikas repeated softly. Min slumped, obviously not persuaded. Nolikas patted her hand. “This will be a problem, Jedi. You need to face this, and soon. But for now, young lady, you need to sleep.” She adjusted the drip feed into the girl’s IV and watched as Min smiled sadly and sank into slumber.

 

She checked Michael quickly and sighed as she found his condition unchanged. He was in good condition, considering, and she hoped to see some kind of change soon, preferably a positive one. As she left the room, she found Ona standing outside, a furious expression on the Bothan’s face.

 

“That human is easily the single most infuriating being I have ever met. Even his wife wasn’t that bad…” The Bothan’s fur was all ruffled up and she took a few minutes to smooth it down.

 

"Hello Ona." Nolikas blew out a breath. “Still won’t eat, huh?”

 

Ona snarled. “He is so polite. ‘No, Ma’am’, ‘Yes Ma’am’, and ‘No I won’t eat that Ma’am but thank you anyway’. Gah!” The younger healer shook her head. “What am I missing? I am missing something. I know I am…”

 

"No you are not." Nolikas shook her head and patted the Bothan on the shoulder. “Ona, that man… I wouldn’t be surprised at all if I opened a dictionary and found a picture of him beside the definitions of ‘self reliant’ and ‘stubborn’. He has had to be, you know this. And now…” The Rakata bowed her head. The revelation of what Nolikas had been forced to do to save his life had shattered what trust Will had for her. He refused to even speak to her.

 

Ona was shaking her head. “Nolikas… If he won’t eat… He won’t leave an IV in, and if we try and restrain him…” She broke off as Nolikas blanched.

 

“Don’t." The healer said quickly. "Bad idea. Very bad idea. Even asleep he reacts…badly… to people strapping him down…” The Rakata healer rubbed her arm.

 

"Nolikas?" Ona looked at her oddly. “What happened?”

 

"I did something dumb." Nolikas sighed. “I tried to strap him down, he was having convulsions, or so I thought. He got me good, right here…” She tapped her arm and sighed. “Broke it in two places.”

 

Ona winced. “Ow.” She murmured in sympathetic pain. “I have had people hit me like that before…” She broke off again as Nolikas shook her bulbous head.

 

The Rakata sighed. “He wasn’t going for my arm. He was going for my heart. He hits hard, especially when he is unconscious. Almost as if….” She broke off, lost in thought.

 

Ona waited for a moment. “As if…?” She prompted after a minute.

 

Nolikas’ face was thoughtful. “As if whoever programmed him wanted him to be more dangerous when not in control of his actions.”

 

Ona blinked. “That makes no… Wait…” She blanched as the import of the Rakata’s words hit home. “You mean they succeeded in making him a weapon? A controllable one?”

 

Nolikas shook her head slowly. “I am not sure. After seeing the recording of what happened on the hangar bay…. Someone was trying to control him, that is clear. They didn’t entirely succeed, or everyone and everything on that deck would have died. But why and for what? I have no idea.”

 

Ona scowled. “I get the disturbing feeling we will find out. And we won’t like it.”

 

Nolikas nodded. “Yeah.” It still amazed her at times that she truly liked Ona, but healers were generally healers, no matter their race or affiliation. Most of them shared a calling, the desire, indeed, the need to help others, to heal damaged bodies and souls.

 

Another voice interrupted her thoughts. “Ona, Nolikas…” The mismatched pair turned to see the other medical professional of the Bladeborn approach swiftly. Almost a direct counterpoint to Ona, Jon was not a nice person. Nolikas could not help but admire the man’s skill, but his personality rubbed her the wrong way. And apparently she was not alone, the only being she had sensed who did not dislike Jon was Ona, and even her feelings were ambivalent at times. “Will is gone.”

 

Both of the female healers stared at the newcomer and then at each other. They chorused. “Oh crap….”

Juli Shanas was scared. This was nothing new. Fear had always been as close a friend to her as pain. Only in the last few months has she been free of pain completely, and that was thanks to the Bladeborn and their very special healer. Ona had quietly and patiently demolished every argument that Juli could come up with to leave her face the way it had been since her father had blown a series of mines, killing a pair of slavers and unknowingly nearly killing his daughter. Even now, Juli had to smile. Ona was such a good person. Juli had been set on having her face remain scarred, but finally, Ona’s argument made it through her thick stubborn head. Seeing her like that hurt her father. Nothing benefiting herself could have possibly made Juli change her mind. But the pain she saw in her dad’s eye every time she looked at him cut her to the quick. So the girl had finally acquiesced.

 

Juli had been scared out of her mind when she had woken in the recovery ward. But then her father had been there, and he had smiled! And then he had called her ‘Jewels’. She had barely remembered that name, it had been so long. The time between when she had been taken by the monsters who destroyed her family and their reunion had been fraught with fear, pain, anger and loss. But now, things were better between Juli and her dad. He still got moods. She had to snort at that. So did she. Neither was anywhere close to fully recovered yet, but both were well on their way. But now, Juli was scared again. These people had no clue.

 

The Bladeborn were systematically searching the ship, slowly and carefully, moving in teams, backing each other up, checking areas and then locking them down, all perfectly straightforward. And all perfectly useless again someone like Will if he didn’t want to be found. Juli had managed to meet the eyes of Jina Darkstorm at one point and both women, the younger and the older, had shared a grim nod. They understood. They had both served with Will. Juli didn’t have the Force, but it didn’t matter. She was smart as a whip and careful. She knew, better than many, that she wasn’t immortal. But she also knew that of all the people on board, she was likely the only person Will might listen to. So she made her way slowly towards her first chosen spot, one of seven compartments where the cameras were not working.

 

This ship was amazing, Juli had to admit. Not as amazing as the ship she had served on before, mind you. The Stormhawk and its hidden enclave had been the best environments possible for her. She hadn’t wanted peace, she hadn’t wanted security, or comfort. She had wanted revenge. She had wanted blood for her murdered brother, mother and father. But the Stormhawk crew had balked. Even now, she could see the looks on the faces of the crew when she, at age nine, had demanded a place aboard. They ahd knocked her unconscious and when she woke, she had been in the Enclave. She turned ten while in the care of the Enclave healers. She had no idea at all where the Stormhawk Enclave was, and truth be told, she was glad of it. The people there had been kind, gentle and compassionate, and had done marvels for her, getting her set for an education and setting her up with higher learning when she flew through the lower classes. Also, she had never minded the omnipresent security cameras. Juli snorted silently. Having been taken off guard before, she had no intention of saying that there was ever too much security, anywhere. So, where would someone go if they wanted privacy on a ship that was wired for sound and video? Somewhere where the cameras were not working.

 

The first compartment was empty. Ditto the second. But that just ramped her worry up further. All of the other had viewports. Will had always liked looking at the stars. When asked, he had smiled as said that making him feel small was not a bad thing; that he tended to get a swelled head otherwise. The third compartment and fourth were also empty and Juli was beginning to feel despair when she opened the next and saw a form in a patient gown sitting on the floor near the viewport. His backw as to her, but his head was covered by bandages. She froze in place.

 

When Juli spoke it was quiet. “Will?” Maybe she could jolt him out of whatever mood he was in. The figure didn’t move and Juli felt her guts turn to ice as she saw a heavy blaster pistol in one hand. “Will…?”

 

"Juli..." All the air in the compartment seemed to freeze as Will spoke. “You shouldn’t be here, Juli.”

 

Juli sighed. “Neither should you. The docs are looking for you.” She took a chance, stepped into the compartment and closed the door. She really did not want any more people showing up right now. This was bad, very bad.

 

Will sighed as well. “I bet.”

 

Juli stood by the door and didn’t move, she knew her life was in grave danger. But right that moment, she didn’t care. Will was…special to her. He had helped a very angry young girl face her fear, face her anger and triumph over both. “Will, this is me, One Thirty Seven. Talk to me, please?” She had been so proud when they had accepted her as a member of the Stormhawk crew, despite her age.

 

Will turned to face her and her guts froze as she saw the tracks of tears down his face. He spoke again, and his voice was no longer that cold dead thing. “You shouldn’t be here, Juli.”

 

"No?" Juli shook her head. “My shipmate needs me. Where else would I be?” She took a step towards the seated figure and stopped.

 

Will shook his head. “You can’t save me, Juli. It’s too late.”

 

Juli took another slow, careful step, her hands in plain sight. “Bull. You have never given up without a fight in your life. You will not give up now.”

 

"Juli." Will didn’t move, and now his voice was sad and tired. “I never knew your real dad was alive, Juli. If I had, you know I would have moved heaven and hell to get you two back together.”

 

Juli took another slow, cautious step. “I know that Will… Come on, look at me…” Her breath caught as he lifted the pistol from the floor, but he just looked at it.

 

"Juli." His voice was quiet still. “You need to know. I know what Nolikas did. And it is not what she said.”

 

Juli froze in the act of taking another slow step. “What?”

 

Will sighed deeply. “Juli, don’t come any closer. I… I think I am in control, but I don’t know for sure. I…I can’t. I don’t want to hurt you.”

 

Juli stared at the man she loved. Yes she loved her dad, but this man had stepped up, stepped in, and with no hope of reward had, as he said ‘moved heaven and hell’ to make her better. To help her get past the horrors in her past. She shook her head slowly and trotted out the big guns. “What would Sharra say, Will?”

 

Will snorted. He could just imagine his wife’s reaction. “She wouldn’t say a damned thing. She would just kick my shebs.” Juli took another cautious step and Will shook his head. “Juli… No… Don’t…”

 

But now she was close enough. Very slowly and very carefully, Juli reached out and put her arms around the man she admired, looked up to and loved. Even if he did scare her spitless on occasion. “Will… It’s okay. It will be okay…”

 

"Juli..." The man stiffened as the small arms went around him and then he was sobbing, his pistol hitting the deck as she knelt in front of him and just held him, tight. Her head found his shoulder as it had so many times in the past. Will shook his head, but his hands found her body as they always had and started stroking, gently calming. “No it isn’t. It won’t ever be okay again…”

 

The door to the compartment opened and Juli had Will’s pistol in hand and aimed before it had finished opening.

 

“Leave, now.” Her voice was flat.

 

Istara’s startled voice answered her but Juli did not take her head from the shoulder of her foster father. “Juli…? What…?” Something tried to tug the pistol from Juli’s hand, but it was mechanical and far stronger than a normal human hand. It didn't budge.

 

Juli snarled louder. “I said leave!” She hugged Will tighter with her non blaster holding hand. The blaster didn’t waver. “Now!”

 

"Istara..." Jina Darkstorm’s concerned voice spoke now. “Back off… give them time…”

 

A silence followed and then the hatch hissed shut. Juli laid the pistol down in easy reach and hugged the sobbing man in front of her again. She owed him, she would help him and to the hells with anyone who got in her way.

She had finally managed to get him to sleep. It had taken quite some time before Will had cried himself out and even longer before her soothing managed to calm him enough for him to sleep. Juli couldn’t help but smile. This was a bit of a role reversal, Will had been there when she had woken for the first time on the Stormhawk, had actually held her sobbing frame and soothed her into sleep more than once. It had taken her a long time to figure out why the hard bitten, tough as nails, dangerous soldier was so caring and gentle with her. It was because he could be, because it made him feel good about himself. Because he was such a mess himself, he had to help others; in doing that he made his own pain and grief easier to bear.

 

When Sharra had returned, Juli and others had rejoiced to meet the woman, even with the mess of the battle with Zelkin Infinium that had been underway. Juli sighed, remembering. She had been on a damage control crew during that battle, her small size and agility more than making up for her lack of physical strength. So many friends, so many family members lost. Not all of the Stormhawk crew were family, in any but the loosest definition. But she had lost two foster siblings when the Fate Shatter’s gun had impacted the ship. She shook herself, this was not the time to reminisce. This was the time for people to find out just how angry she really was. She made sure Will was comfortable on the deck. Then she picked up his blaster and strode to the hatch.

 

When she opened the hatch, a number of faces were looking at her. Istara, Grandmaster of the Bladeborn looked worried where she sat. Ona and Jon both had censorious looks on their faces that vanished as they saw Juli. Several armored forms stepped back from the hatch as Juli stalked through and shut it behind her. Jina Darkstorm looked at Juli and froze.

 

Juli ignored all of the others and her eyes were on Ona and Jon. “No one else touches him until he wakes up.” Her cold clear words had the entire corridor stilling.

 

"What?" Ona stared at the young girl, something in her Force sense was familiar. An iron hard determination and a rage that would have done any Bladeborn proud. “Juli… what the hell?”

 

Juli shook her head slowly. “No. One. Touches. Him.”

 

Now her gaze was on Istara and the older woman actually flinched back from the rage in the young woman’s eyes. And the incandescent fury that raged through her Force sense now. Istara’s voice was worried. “Juli…?”

 

"I..." Juli shook her head, but the blaster remained where it was. Her other hand was in a pocket. “I like you. I trusted you. I believed in you. And then you did this to him, you… You…” Words failed the girl as she stood with the blaster hanging down loose. It wouldn’t do her any good now and she knew it.

 

"Juli." Ona shook her head slowly. “Juli, Nolikas saved his…” She froze as Juli spun towards her, but the blaster remained where it was.

 

Everything in the corridor seemed to still as Juli’s other hand came from her pocket holding her ‘special’ backup, a thermal detonator. But that wasn’t the problem. Will had apparently scrounged more than a few things from somewhere, because when Juli had done a quick search, she had found the device that now glowed on her wrist as well. A biometric triggering device, rare and costly. They were so rare and costly because they were almost infallible. If Juli decided to detonate the device, it would go off. Period. Juli dropped the detonator and more than one face went white as it hit the floor with a clang and rolled to stop at one wall. Then it started to beep.

 

Juli shook her head. “I am through talking to you.” Juli started walking and everyone moved except for Istara. “Move.” Juli said coldly.

 

"What?" Istara shook her head slowly. “Juli… what happened? What did he say?”

 

"You don't get that information." Juli shook her head. “Where is Nolikas?”

 

Whatever any of the listeners might have expected the irate fourteen year old to say, that wasn’t it. Istara shook her head slowly. “Juli, she is on her way. She was with a team at the other end of the ship.”

 

"I bet she was." Juli smiled, a sight more suited to a shark than a young girl. “I hope you have her escorted.”

 

Istara stared at the girl. “Why?”

 

Juli sighed and calmed, just a little. “Tell me this, Grandmaster Istara Sharlina Andal. I know what happened to you. The others told me what you endured. If someone were to knock you out and do the same thing to you now, how would you react on waking?”

 

Istara froze. Jina Darkstorm did as well, and Ona looked from the irate young woman to Istara and her face was a study of shock. The healer’s voice turned horrified now. “Oh my god… They did this to him?”

 

"Yes." Juli nodded, her face set. “They did. He recognized the feelings.” He had cried a lot, and said more than he probably should have to Juli. But she was not about to violate his trust. Not here, not now.

 

"No." Istara was shaking her head in disbelief. “That is… not possible… We were watching her the whole time, she couldn’t have programmed him.”

 

Juli sighed, and now her face was just sad. “Someone did a long time ago, and now, they are trying to control him again. And Nolikas…” She broke off as the Rakata in question came around the corner of the corridor, only to stop in mid-stride at the sight that she beheld. Juli snarled and advanced on the Jedi. “You lying E-chut-a!” The girl screamed as she advanced on the healer who froze on seeing the beeping thermal detonator and the glowing bracelet on the girl’s wrist. “How long have you been manipulating him? How long?”

 

Nolikas stared at the human girl advancing on her. “Juli Shanas…? I…” The Rakata didn’t move however. Which was smart of her because now all of the Bladeborn in the corridor were looking at her. And none were friendly looks.

 

Jina looked from Juli to Nolikas and slumped. “Juli.” Her quiet word had the girl pause even in her fury.

 

"Right." Juli looked at Jina, but then her face turned back to the Rakata. When the girl spoke, her voice was cold clear and matter of fact. “Were you one of the ones who did this to him originally?”

 

Nolikas shook her head. “Juli, I don’t…”

 

"Liar!" Juli screamed again. “Don’t you dare lie to me!” She pointed the hand that held the glowing bracelet towards the door behind her. “That man saved me, he saved my life, and then he saved my soul. And now you… You have done you damndest to destroy his!” Juli’s eyes were burning now but she continued her remorseless advance. “I love him as much as I love my dad. He took me in, a broken, hurting thing that used to be human and made me a strong young woman. Anyone who hurts him, I will kill or die trying!”

 

Another voice spoke from nearby. “Juli… Let her talk.” The girl stiffened as her father came from an adjoining corridor. “Ah, my girl, I am sorry. I didn’t know.”

 

Juli was crying now, but her gaze was still hard as she continued until she was face to face with Nolikas. The Jedi stared at her and Juli snarled. “I know you can take me apart, probably before I could activate the trigger. But before you do…” She slapped the Rakata upside the head! “That is for lying to Will, and us.” She spun on her heel and walked back towards the door. The entire group was watching her with wide eyes as she returned to block the door and crossed her arms.

 

Cole Shanas nodded slowly and, carefully, walked to stand beside his daughter, also blocking the door. He put his arm around his daughter and she leaned into his embrace gratefully. For a long moment nothing in the corridor moved. Then Istara did something odd. She bowed to Juli.

 

"Juli." When the Grandmaster spoke it was cold and clear. “No one will hurt him again.” She turned to where Nolikas was staring at Juli, mouth agape and a large red mark now growing on her bulbous Rakata head. “Seize her.” Four Bladeborn moved to surround the healer and the Rakata did not move as one of them confiscated her lightsaber.

 

"I..." The Rakata healer finally managed to speak but didn’t resist as another bound her wrists. “I can explain…”

 

"Oh you will." Istara smiled, a death’s head expression. "You will…” When she turned to Juli, her expression was worried. “Is Will okay?”

 

Juli slumped. “As okay as I could make him. He is sleeping now. I… I like you Istara, but…”

 

"I know." Istara nodded and sighed. “Trust, once violated, is far harder to reestablish. Would you trust someone who hasn’t made a complete fool of themselves?” A large bronze colored form appeared nearby and Istara tuned toward it. “Nana?”

 

The large insect looked from the Jedi healer who was being led away now, to Juli. “I may be able to help him, child.”

 

"Nana." Juli looked at the bug and her voice was hard now. “I am not a child. My name is Juliana Shanas Kalenath.” Everything in the corridor froze at her words and Cole looked down at her. She grimaced as she looked at him. “I thought you were dead. He made me welcome, made me feel whole again.”

 

Cole nodded, and then hugged his daughter. “He helped you. We are going to help him.” He laughed a trifle sourly. “But let’s not bandy that name about, shall we?” Juli nodded as she buried her face in her real dad’s chest. It would cause all kind s of problems; it was not a common name.

 

"Right." Istara bowed to the girl again. “No one on this ship will harm him, Juli. You have my word. I was…so glad to see her, to see him healed. I never asked what she did. I should have.”

 

"True." Jina Darkstorm bit her lip. “Things are always clearer in hindsight. But this makes no sense. Why would Nolikas do something like that?”

 

Istara’s smile could have frozen a star. “I think I will ask her that first.”

Istara had taken some time, both to check on Will and to calm herself. Juli was still irate, and she utterly refused to deactivate the detonator. Not that Istara could blame her, now that the grandmaster knew the truth. With Juli watching like a hawk, she and Jina had moved Will with the Force to an actual bed in a stateroom near where he had been found. Ona and Jon were both nearly in tears, but Juli was adamant. No one was to touch him until he woke, and that might not be for a while. The grandmaster snorted sourly. It had Jina, Istara and Nana twenty minutes to convince Juli to let them move the man. And even then she wouldn’t let anyone actually touch him. Will sure knew how to gain loyalty. But now, Istara had to focus. She stepped into the detention bay and nodded to the guards. She ignored the female Rakata hovering in the force cage.

 

Istara’s voice was quiet. “I can take it from here.”

 

The guards looked at her and then saluted. As they left, one of them handed her a remote. She nodded to the female Bladeborn and then focused on the Rakata healer. A large bruise still showed on the female’s face. Juli hit hard, even without her mechanical arms. Nolikas was hovering in mid air, held there by a device specifically made to hold Force users. Add to that she was inside a Force cage. The Bladeborn did not take chances with their prisoners. Many Sith fell prey to arrogance or complacency after they had their enemies prisoner. But Bladeborn were not Sith. The binders on her wrists and ankles, the anti-grav field, and the Force cage were probably overkill, but Istara had no intention of ever letting a Force using prisoner escape. She thanked Ashla that Trugoy had at least been a bit kind to Setsuna, and not done this to her. The girl would not have been able to get away. Istara sighed as she sat in a chair positioned near the cage.

 

"Okay." When the grandmaster spoke, it was calm. “What did you do to him?”

 

"I did what I said I would do." Nolikas’ voice was just as calm. “You saw what I did, you were watching. I took the brain tissue from Captain Brun and transplanted it into his head. It was the only way to save his life.”

 

"No." Istara shook her head slowly. “That wasn’t what I meant. What did you do to him before? Were you part of the group that did this to him originally?”

 

"I..." Nolikas shook her head as far as it would move in the anti-grav field. Which wasn’t far. “I know what this looks like, and I understand his feelings. I didn’t know Juli was so close to him. But to answer your question: No. I was not part of the group that hurt him.” Something in her answer rang false to Istara.

 

"Don't lie to me Jedi." Istara looked the Rakata in the eye. “Did you know about it? What members of your Order did to him?”

 

"I am not lying to you." Nolikas sighed. “I was focused on my work. I had been given an interesting problem, how to heal a mad woman. They never told me who she was or why she was needed. I did. She became lucid, or as lucid as that evil witch ever could be.”

 

Istara stared at the Rakata before nodding in comprehension. “Naj Orh, the one who made the clones of Will.” Just the thought of anyone making clone children in such a horrific fashion, by kidnapping human women and impregnating them, then literally tearing the engineered children from their mother’s wombs –incidentally killing the women in the process-, made Istara feel sick. And what happened to the cloned kids after that made her want to kill something. Yes they were free now, or as free as they could be. None were anything close to what anyone would call ‘sane’.

 

“The kids are in good hands and as healthy as I could make them.” Nolikas sighed. “I know she was in charge of what happened to Will. I found out later, while I was searching for a way to help him, after I hurt him. What I don’t know is why. I am reasonably sure that she was responsible for what happened to Maria and Sara, but again, I don’t know why. None of the prisoners I interviewed had a clue.”

 

"Idiot Jedi. So pacific." Istara shook her head. “Think about it Nolikas. They were trying to make him a weapon. When you make weapons, you build lots of them. Many small ones, fewer medium sized ones, even fewer large ones. And then… You build one or two really, really big ones. Superweapons, doomsday machines, war winners, whatever you want to call them. The funny thing is, the people who build those things rarely intend to use them.”

 

"You...?" Nolikas’ face went pale. “You think Will is a doomsday weapon?”

 

"No. I don't think a thing..." Istara shook his head. “Nolikas, I watched him in the hangar bay. I know Will is a doomsday weapon. And so does he. He has known for some time.” The Rakata stared at her for a moment before closing her eyes on their stalks. “Nolikas… What you did… Will remembered them doing it to him. The exact same thing.”

 

"What?" Nolikas’ voice was hushed, scared even. “By the Force… I knew they used my research for this abomination. But…” She slumped in her bonds. “What have I done?”

 

"Well..." Istara sighed deeply now. “Ona and Nana agreed that he would not have lived out the day. So you did save his life. But now, he won’t trust you. He won’t even hear you. And if you get close enough…”

 

"I know." Nolikas nodded, her face a grimace. When she spoke it was quiet. “He will kill me.”

 

"Yep." Istara nodded. “I think I am going to try and contact the Stormhawk. I can hope that Juli can get through to him, but…. Nolikas, he was going to shoot himself.”

 

"Oh." The Rakata nodded slowly. “To protect others. It has always been that way with him.” Now the female Jedi was intent. “Do whatever you have to with me. Just help him, I… I know we need him.”

 

"What?" Istara froze. “What did you say?”

 

"Istara..." Nolikas sighed. “The Sitolon prophecy is known to the Jedi Order, as is the threat. Those tiny gray machines that eat anything and everything that gets in their way. Melan and Vandar did provide a great deal of information, most of it bad and skewed towards their own points of view. On reflection many of the Order have realized that what they told us was…incomplete. We have done our own research, and what we found was…troubling.”

 

Istara blinked and then leaned forward. “Do tell.”

 

Nolikas frowned in thought. “We now that the Seven exist. We know that you are one, Jina is one and Will is another. We don’t know what you are going to do, all of the visions we have of the Seven are cloudy, unclear. Needless to say, this makes many Jedi uneasy.”

 

Istara snorted. “I bet.”

 

Nolikas sighed. “Certain factions within the Order want to ‘sequester’ any and all of the Seven that we find. Melan was championing this approach, as you discovered when you went to Tython.” Istara nodded. “Others want to work with them, try and guide, maybe advise, keep things from going too far out of whack. You remember Farrah.” Istara snorted, like she could forget the arrogant Jedi Master. Farrah had done everything the human could to make Istara’s life miserable while she was studying on Tython. But then, Farrah had a change of heart and became, well, not a friend, but a teacher, a fellow seeker of knowledge. A colleague, even if an incredibly abrasive one still. “She is your champion within the Order. But the Order is not your only problem.”

 

Istara nodded. “The attack made no sense. They had to know we were going to get loose. They had to know that Trugoy would…” She broke off, stunned.

 

"Right." Nolikas nodded. “He would call for backup. And who would come?”

 

"I would definitely." Istara’s face went pale. “Jina would. Will probably would. So three of us at once. Were we supposed to be the targets?”

 

"Maybe." Nolikas shook her head. “I don’t know. It makes sense, but… I don’t know.” She slumped. “How are Min and Michael doing?”

 

"They are okay." Istara shrugged. “Ona has them in hand. Both are very confused, but willing to wait to get more information. Both are sleeping at the moment. What am I to do with you, healer? If Juli sees you again, she is likely to hurt you. She loves that man as much as her dad.”

 

"I didn't know. No one did." Nolikas slumped in her bonds. “Did she at least turn off the bomb?”

 

"No." Istara shook her head. “I am wondering, from some of what she said… If it is for his protection, or ours? She knows what he is.”

 

"I see." Nolikas’ voice was low now, bemused. “She doesn’t care…” Then her face lit up. “Of course… I am so stupid sometimes…”

 

Istara blinked at the sudden change in the healer. “Nolikas?”

 

The healer looked at Istara and the grandmaster was stunned to see something in the alien eyes that hadn’t been there before. Hope. “I need to talk to one of the Sitolon. As soon as possible.”

 

"What?" Istara stared at the Rakata. “Why?”

 

Noliaks smiled. “I know how to help him. How to stop this from getting any worse.”

When Istara finished speaking, for a moment, there was complete silence in the small stateroom they had placed Will in after Juli had utterly refused to have him put back in medical. The thermal detonator beeped on a table beside the bed and the biometric trigger still glowed brightly on Juli’s wrist.

 

Finally, Juli Shanas shook her head slowly and her voice was flat. “You have to be kidding.”

 

"I am not." Istara sighed. “Look, I know how it sounds. Heck when Nolikas first told me, I pretty much freaked. But I don’t just have her word for it. I have consulted, with several people.”

 

"I..." Juli shook her head slowly and didn’t move from where she sat. She had planted herself in a chair beside Will’s bed and hadn’t moved. Her birth father had gone back to work, but left a comlink. She sighed and stroked the slumbering man’s cheek lightly. He didn’t move at all. Juli slumped. “Istara…I…”

 

Istara blew out a breath. She had entered the room, and not approached, just stood by the door. “You don’t trust me.” It wasn’t a question.

 

"I can't." Juli shook her head slowly. “I don’t mean to be insulting, but I don’t know you. “

 

"I see." Istara nodded, she had expected that. “Is there anyone aboard you would trust not to lie to you? This is…awkward. If I were to order a Bladeborn to lie, they likely would. And then they would kill themselves. Truth is not technically part of our Code. But it touches heavily on our personal Honor. Telling the truth all the time would suck, would it not? There is a difference between being polite and being malicious.” Juli nodded slowly, unsure where this was going. “But any kind of lies have a distressing way of coming back to bite you. Sometimes they are needed.” She slumped. “Especially in this job, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it. So, you can’t trust me. Is there no one aboard who you do trust?”

 

Juli blinked and her eyes were glistening. “With me, sure. With him?” She patted the sleeping man’s hand and he murmured something in his sleep. Both women, the older and the younger watched him for a moment, but he quieted.

 

"Oh crap." Istara nodded. “I understand, Juli. You can’t trust us. Wait a moment… Have Nana or Ecien done anything worthy of your distrust?”

 

"Um..." Juli stiffened. “No, but they are with you.” Of all the things she might have expected, she did not expect Istara to chuckle softly.

 

"With me?" Istara smiled a bit wryly. “Oh, no they are not. If anything, I am with them. Have they violated their word in any way around you?”

 

Juli bit her lip, considering. Finally, she shook her head reluctantly. “No.”

 

"Juli." Istara nodded. “This will not be easy, or safe but I believe we can explain the problems and solution to you, in a way that makes sense. It may not be easy, or painless. I don’t know if they can communicate with you the way they do with me. But I am betting…” She broke off and smirked. “Well, I always wondered if they listened in on my thoughts.” She snickered.

 

Juli stared at her. “What?”

 

Istara was laughing softly. “My Keeper, Nana, just told me to keep my thoughts to myself.”

 

Juli shook her head. “What?” She repeated, in a dazed voice.

 

Istara sobered. “Juli, what I am about to tell you is known to the Sitolon and two other people on this ship besides Will. I am merged to the Sitolon, that is, I can communicate with them, mind to mind. Jina can as well, and Idjit knows. It is… hard to describe. More feelings that actual discernible sensations. Nolikas wanted someone to show him that he was not alone. He has been alone for so long. We are going to take it one step further, if you agree.”

 

"What?" Juli stared at her, dumbfounded. “He isn’t alone.”

 

Istara shook her head and her face was sad. “Juli… You don’t understand. What those scum did to him so long ago, broke some things inside his head. Intentionally, we think. What Nolikas did seems to have reawakened those parts. We can argue whether she was right or wrong to do it until the stars grow cold. He needs help, help we can provide. Will you let us?”

 

Juli shook her head and looked at the pale form that lay on the bed. “Istara… I….”

 

Istara smiled gently. “You are a very brave girl, Juliana Shanas Kalenath, but you do not need to be alone either.”

 

Juli stiffened. “I don’t have the Force.”

 

Istara’s smile was very gentle now and her face was tender. “It doesn’t matter. I may not be able to reach your mind through Ashla, but Ecien can.” The female grandmaster of the Bladeborn Order held out a slow hand. For along moment, Juli just stared at it. Then, with a sigh, she rose from her seat and walked to where Istara stood, hand outstretched. She froze as the door hissed open, but the large silver bulk of Ecien strode through and the door hissed shut again.

 

Juli stopped, just a little ways from Istara, her face uncertain for once. “What do I do?”

 

Istara smiled. “Come here girl…” She held out her arms, inviting an embrace. Juli approached slowly, more like a badly beaten canine than human girl, not quite trusting. Istara let the girl come, remaining where she was, motionless. Finally Juli stepped up and Istara closed her arms gently around the girl. Juli stiffened, but then relaxed slowly. Istara brushed Juli’s hair gently. “It’s okay, Juli. This is going to feel…strange.”

 

"Strange?" Juli snorted. “This whole situation is strange.” She didn’t move to return the embrace, her body was stiff as a plank. She flinched a little as Ecien came closer, and who could blame her? Nice as Ecien normally was, the insectiod being defined the term horrifying.

 

"Be easy young one." Ecien’s voice was soothing. “Juliana Shanas Kalenath. No harm will befall you or your foster father. You have our word.” There was an odd inflection on the word ‘our’. Juli flinched as an antenna came down, but it only lightly brushed her head and then….

 

Juli gasped as she felt alien thoughts inside her head. I…I don’t She broke off. Had she spoken aloud?

 

It’s okay, Juliana Shanas Kalenath. We hear and no others. That was Istara’s voice? It sounded like the grandmaster and at the same time, not. But the warm arms that enveloped her gave her a squeeze.

 

Another voice spoke up. Age and wisdom flowed through that gentle tone. Welcome Juli.

 

Juli shook her head slowly. I… She felt wetness on her cheeks, but couldn’t muster the effort to wipe them. Then something else did something hard, but gentle.

 

That old voice spoke again. You are not alone, Juli. Come, let us help your foster father.

Will Kalenath was running scared. Contrary to popular belief in certain circles, he did feel fear. He was no god, or magician from an old tale or even a Jedi. One of the first things he had learned, early on in his military career, was that there were times to stand and fight and times to run like hell. This was definitely the latter. He couldn’t see what was chasing him, but something was. Something dark and terrible. And familiar? He was sure he knew what was after him, but it wasn’t any of his common foes. Not Sith, not slavers, not bounty hunters, not… His thoughts broke off as he ducked into cover again. Maybe he could ambush whoever it was, he was good at that. He looked around. He was on a planet; that was obvious. The sky was dark and two moons shone. He did not recognize them, but that was nothing new, he had been so many places they all blurred together after a while. He checked himself and blinked. He wasn’t carrying any weapons, matter of fact, he wasn’t wearing any clothes? He snarled as he recognized the feelings around him. This wasn’t real.

 

The soldier sighed. “Ah great, a dream. Wonderful…”

 

He shook his head. Sometimes just recognizing that he was caught in a dream was enough to get him to wake up. Not this time it seemed. He briefly wondered what was happening in reality. The last thing he remembered was nodding off, his foster daughter in his arms as she had been so many times since the Stormhawk had found her. She had been so hurt, lost, alone and confused when he had found her on that hellhole of a slave ship. He blinked as the dreamscape changed.

 

“Aw crap…” His voice was sour as the planetscape he had been running on was replaced by ship bulkheads and… His heart plummeted as he took in the scene. “No… Not again…”

 

He knew where he was. He didn’t need to see to know he wore armor and carried weapons now. He had infiltrated the H’ran ship to gain intel before the Stormhawk hit them. But instead of finding slaves in pens and slavers doing what the usually did. He had found this. The scene in front of him was right out of a mad scientist holo novel. The medical equipment, the horrific sights and smells all around. The female in the spattered lab coat bending over the table. The poor kid on the table… He snarled and silent fire spat from his hand. He always liked slugthrowers more than blasters. They were not as powerful and had very limited ammunition, but they could be silenced. The monster who had been pretending to be a doctor fell soundlessly, a hole through her skull. He strode to the table and his heart stuttered. The girl in restraints could not have been more than ten, and she stared at him with dull eyes. She was obviously drugged and from the looks of things, the slaver had been…well… He kicked the corpse and then started untying the girl.

 

He kept his voice gentle when he spoke. “What is your name?”

 

The girl shook her head slowly. “Not telling you anything…” She murmured blearily. She was weaving, but her mouth was trying to form a grimace.

 

He spoke softly. “No one on this ship will hurt you again.” He finished untying the girl and helped her into a more comfortable position. Not an easy thing when she bore open wounds on her stomach. She tried to sit up and hissed as pain drove her back down. “Easy there, we have about twenty minutes before hell breaks loose and we need to hide here until then. Can you do that?”

 

The girl was obviously not 100% but her gaze went around the room until it lit on the body at his feet. Her eyes went wide and she looked at him. “Who… Who are you?” She asked carefully.

 

He smiled gently. “My name is Will Kalenath, what is yours?”

 

The girl stared at him for a moment before replying. “Juli… Juli Shanas…”

 

The scene changed and he was standing in the medical ward of the Stormhawk. All around him quiet activity stilled as he strode forward. He stared at a holoscreen and his guts clenched as what he saw.

 

Will’s eyes went wide. “No… No… not again…” But no sound was heard and his body didn’t listen as it strode forward. A voice came to his ears. He turned to see L’Trask standing nearby, looking worried.

 

The healer was agitated. “Will, we have her stable. She is alive. We can help her. Are you going to tell her?”

 

Will barely recognized his own voice in this dream memory. “Yes, she needs to know. When will she wake?”

 

L’Trask sighed. “Any minute.” The Trandoshan nodded towards a door and he started that way. “Will… Be gentle. She has been through hell.”

 

Will slumped. “Not yet, she hasn’t. You need to know… The scum who blew the mines, killed the slavers and the other hostages…? It was her birth father.”

 

L’Trask’s skin could not change pigment like a human’s could, but his eyes went so wide that for a moment Will thought they would fall out. The doctor hissed in disbelief, fear and shock. “By the Scorekeeper… Oh, Juli…” The kind healer’s voice was sad and sick now.

 

Will walked slowly to a private room and entered quietly. The droid beside the bed beeped at him and he nodded, but all of his focus was on the bandaged form in the bed. He sat beside the bed quietly and waited. He didn’t have to wait long, they would not sedate her again without strong cause. They had been forced to use very strong painkillers to keep the girl out while they worked on amputating the shattered remnants of her arms, and the wreck that had been a pretty face. Juli was tough, but then again, she had been forced to be to survive what the slavers who had killed her mother and brother had done to her. Everyone had thought that her father was dead too, but now… His thoughts broke off as a soft, hurting voice spoke.

 

“Will…?” Juli’s voice was confused. One eye was covered by the bandages that protected the burns on half her face but the other was focused on him. He felt his guts clench, but he shook his head.

 

“Hello Juli. You are a mess girl.” His voice was quiet as he stroked her forehead. They had been forced to shave her head to get at some of the injuries and he snarled inwardly at the injustice. She was such a pretty girl. But being so close to the blast zone of a land mine was never good for a being.

 

Juli stared at him. “What happened? I… Hari grabbed me, and then it all went black.”

 

Will nodded. “We were on the way as soon as we heard what had happened. But someone else got there first.”

 

Juli blinked slowly. “Yes, they were saying that someone was picking them off. Kind of like you do… Wait…” Her eye went wide. “They said his name…”

 

Will nodded. “I know. It was your dad. Your real dad. He is alive.”

 

Juli stiffened. “Will, I…”

 

Will sighed. “You need to hear the rest.” Juli sat back in her bed and nodded slightly. “The slavers set explosives. He blew them remotely.”

 

Juli froze. “Hari?” The doctor had been a mentor, a friend, a confidante, and a teacher all rolled into one. She had so wanted to be a doctor when she had been small. Now, she wanted to be a soldier. Everyone had been trying to get her to change her mind.

 

Will shook his head. “He covered you with his body, Juli.”

 

Juli shook her head slowly. She could just see the brave but pacifist doc doing that. “We remember our friends, we remember our fallen…”

 

Will finished up the chant with her. “We remember our kin.” He stroked the girl’s forehead and stiffened as she did.

 

“Will…” Her voice was scared. “I can’t feel my arms.”

 

Will sighed. “The docs want to shield you from what happened, give you time. They don’t understand you like I do. If you have time, you get bored or go crazy.” Juli smiled a little at that. “So I am just going to tell you. The blasts mangled both of your arms so badly they had to be amputated.” Juli froze and Will continued to stroke her head as he spoke again. “There are various prosthesis the docs can do, and they are fitting you for them now. You suffered some second and third degree burns as well. And they are treating those.”

 

Juli shuddered and her visible eye was glistening. “My… My dad did this to me…?”

 

Will was fighting back tears of his won. “I am sorry Juli.” Then she was crying and he was holding her and…

 

The scene changed again. Now he was lying on something. And he couldn’t move. A black clad form appeared nearby and behind it a brown robed one stood. The black clad one spoke. “The treasure is ours, boy. Surrender to the inevitable.” The form reached for him and he snarled as energy crackled at the ends of the fingers. “Your memories have shielded you from our control, but now we have identified and neutralized them all. You are ours.”

 

But then everything stopped at a cold voice. Will’s head turned and his eyes went wide as he say Juli standing there. “Oh no he is not.”

For a long moment, nothing happened. Juli stood, impassive, near the head of whatever Will was lying on. The two strange forms stood nearby, obviously shocked to see a non-Force sensitive girl in Will’s mindscape. But then the brown clad form spoke.

 

"Child." The male voice was kind. “You should not be here.”

 

Juli’s voice was incredibly polite and controlled, as always when she dealt with people she detested. “Neither should you. I suggest you both leave. Now. Or this is going to get very messy.”

 

The black clad form sighed. “Always earning loyalty, the consummate soldier. How many must die for you Will?”

 

"Juli..." Will shook his head, but couldn’t move otherwise. “Juli get out of here.” She had suffered enough for two lifetimes.

 

"No." Juli shook her head slowly, and her voice was sad now. “I am not leaving you, Father.”

 

At the word ‘Father’ both the black robed form and the brown one froze. The one that looked like a Jedi turned his covered head from the bound soldier to the girl and recoiled slightly. When he spoke, it was quiet, horrified. “What have you done…?”

 

The black clad from shook its head as well. “Enough of this.” The distinctive snap-hiss of a lightsbaer drew all the eyes in the area to him as a red blade appeared in his hand. “Begone, brat. You are interfering in things beyond your meager understanding.” He advanced on the girl who stayed where she was.

 

"Wait." The brown clad form shook his head. “Something…Something is not right…”

 

"Enough." The black clad form snarled as it raised its saber. “He is ours, girl. Begone or be dead!” The girl didn’t move.

 

Will stared as Juli just stood there, unflinching as the Sith apparition advanced and swung at her. She made no move to defend herself. There was no way she could. Not against a Sith. Something went snap within him and suddenly he was free, and not just free. He was beside Juli. But instead of armor and his usual blaster, he was wearing cloth that rustled, like robes and in his hand… He shook his head and moved. A silver blade appeared in his hands and stopped the red blade cold, inches from Juli’s impassive face. Sparks hissed as the two blade wielders fought for leverage. But then Will kicked out, knocking the black clad form away from Juli. He advanced, but paused as a blue blade ignited and the brown clad form interposed itself between the rising black clad one and Will.

 

"No." When Will spoke, he barely recognized his own voice. It was so calm and controlled. ”Threaten me as you wish. Threaten innocents in my presence at your peril.”

 

"Do not be a fool." The brown clad form sighed. “It doesn’t have to be like this. Deactivate your weapon and you will feel no pain. We can help you. We don’t want to hurt you.”

 

Juli stood silent behind him as Will moved to block both of the other saber wielders. “You truly don’t know anything at all about me, do you?” He shook his head. “Sad, that part of my own psyche knows as little about me as my enemies.”

 

The brown clad form froze, but the black clad one snarled and charged. Will met the charge halfway. A distant part of his mind told him that this was wrong, that this was crazy, that he was no Jedi or whatever , to be using a lightsaber and fighting a Sith one on one like this. But most of it felt right. The two were equally matched. Where the black clad form was savagery incarnate, Will was cold as ice and utterly precise. Again and again, he countered, deflected or just plain avoided attacks that would have slain him outright. But the black clad from never seemed to tire. But then his heart froze and he nearly missed a block as a young voice cried out behind him.

 

He spun to see Juli in the hands of the brown robed form. The figure did not have a weapon out, but Juli’s face was a mask of pain as she tried to struggle in the being’s grip. “Surrender and this one lives.” Will sighed and deactivated his saber. The black clad form stepped back.

 

Will shook his head slowly. “You are no Jedi. Cowards take hostages. Sith take hostages. But you are not Sith and Jedi, no matter what form you take. What are you?” This was directed at the black clad form who snarled.

 

The black clad form spoke low and angry now. “You are ours. Leave the brat and come along. We have much to do.”

 

"Indeed?" Will smiled, a small, sad smile as he shook his head. “You want me huh? Then there is only one way for me to win. Deny you your prize.” He shoved the emitter of the lightsaber under his jaw at just the right angle and stroked the activation switch.

 

Juli screamed, the other two froze and then everything stopped. And then an irate female voice spoke up. “Of all the… Idiot boy…”

 

The black clad form and brown clad one vanished. In their place another form appeared beside Juli who was cringing on the floor now, crying. This one was a female Mon Calamari, her orange mottle skin and sad eyes were known to him. She wore the dirty coverall and her face was a mask of bruises, old and new, just as she had been the last time he saw her. When he had woken to find her broken and dead at his feet. Will froze, his hand cramping on… He blinked. The saber was gone!

 

"Yeah." The Mon Calamari sighed as she patted Juli’s flesh and blood shoulder. “Like I am going to let you do that after all the work I did on you. Sheesh…” Her voice held sour humor.

 

"No." Will shook his head. “This… This can’t be real… Saj… You are dead. I killed you.”

 

"Yes you did." The female Mon Calamari nodded. “But Will… It was not your fault. You had no idea what they were doing. I only had the barest idea of what they were doing to you and why. I thought I could help you, I failed.” The shame in the Mon Cal’s voice cut Will to the quick.

 

“Not your fault, Saj. Mine. I… I knew they were making me do things against my will. But I had no idea. I never thought…” He slumped. “I never thought I would kill you.”

 

Saj nodded. “Come here, boy.” Will approached slowly, hesitantly. The healer didn’t move, her face gentle as she stood away from Juli. Not threatening, welcoming.

 

Will stopped just out of reach. “I… I can’t…I will hurt you. Again.” His voice was young, scared and alone now.

 

Saj just smiled. “No you won’t.” Will stared at her. “She won’t let you.” Another form appeared nearby and Will’s eyes went wide as he saw Sharra standing there, tapping her foot. She was heavily pregnant, but her face lit up as she saw Will. Then it fell.

 

"Will." Sharra’s voice was sad. “You are crazy soldier boy. Why is it that every time I find you, you are involved with another woman?” But instead of anger or condemnation, her voice held rueful humor.

 

Will blinked. “I…” He slumped. “I don’t deserve you Sharra, I never did.” He turned and moved away, but then a strong hand caught his shoulder and spun him around.

 

Sharra’s voice was angry now. “You idiot! Do you really think I care?” Then she kissed him. Will would have recoiled, but like always, Sharra would not be denied. That woman could give the entire Republic Senate stubbornness lessons. She held him and kissed him until they both had to come up for air. When Sharra spoke again, it was adamant. “You are not slipping through my fingers. Not after all of this. You are mine. The Republic, the Sith the Sitolon, all of them can take a backseat. You are mine!” She said again as she kissed him again.

 

Will was shaking, crying as his wife held him. He had lost her for so long, almost six years. And much of his sanity had gone with her. Then, against all laws of probability or chance, he had found her again only to lose her, or not… It was complicated he thought with a grimace. But he returned her kiss. “I love you Sharra.” He finally managed to bite out after she let up to gasp for air.

 

"I love you too." Sharra sighed as she held her beloved at arm’s length. “Will… You are a mess.”

 

"Duh." Will snorted. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

 

Sharra sighed. “Those two- three,..” She corrected herself as she nodded to the image of a dead healer who nodded back. “…beings are parts of your mind. The noble and heroic part.” The brown clad form appeared nearby, standing silent, watching. “The savage and merciless part.” The black clad form appeared beside the brown one. “And the nurturing and loving part.” The image of Saj nodded as she strode to stand beside the other two. “All of them are part of you, Will.” Sharra hugged her husband again. “You need to face this.”

 

Will stared at his wife. “Are you real?” Instead of answering, she slapped him. “Ow! Yeah, it’s you…” He grinned sourly.

 

Sharra smiled at his expression. “A friend of mine told me what was happening. I wanted to help. But you have to do this yourself, Will. I can offer encouragement, but in the end, you have to fix yourself, no one else can.” She hugged him again and moved to stand near where Juli was still crying. She scooped the girl up into her arms, crooning as she comforted the girl. But her eyes were on her husband.

 

Will turned back to where the three mismatched forms stood watching him. When he spoke, his voice was quiet. “I am more than the sum of my parts. There are times when I have had to act mercilessly. Or when I have been goaded into it. Or when I was controlled by outside forces into acting brutally.” The black clad form nodded. Will continued. “But I never did it for myself.” The black robed form met the soldier’s eyes, raised hands to its cowl and lowered it. The face that was exposed was Will’s. Harder, more savage, and painted with the telltale marks of Dark Side corruption, the yellow eyes standing out. Will spoke again, soft, kind. “You are me, but not all of me. I will never be a slave again.” The black clad version bowed to Will and vanished.

 

Will turned to the brown clad one. “Many is the time I have done evil, for expediency, for the shock value. For the sheer fun of it. I act noble and heroic when I can. But not for others, for myself. I enjoy being nice, I enjoy helping others. I could care less about the galaxy as a whole. What have they ever done for me? They have hurt me, lied to me, used me, killed my friends, and my family. I hate them, all of them. The weak willed fools that do not see where their stupidity is leading them. Or they don’t care. I will continue to do whatever to takes to save my family.” The figure in Jedi robes reached up and lowered his hood. The face that shone was Will, sad but aloof. When the soldier spoke again, it was hard cold and merciless. “You are me, but not all of me. I will not stop. I will not falter. And if needed the galaxy will burn!” The brown robed form bowed to Will and vanished.

 

Will smiled sadly as he turned to Saj, who smiled back sadly. The soldier’s voice was quiet. “I have killed so many that the faces blur. I have hurt people in ways my own mother finds repugnant. I have done things in my life that even now I can hardly imagine. I have used every weapon in existence to further my ends, and will do so again. To save my family. Most of the beings I have killed, I do not regret. Most I feel no remorse about. When the blasters are going off and explosions are sounding, it is kill or be killed. But there are some that I do regret.” He smiled again. “It was your voice at Tython, wasn’t it?”

 

"Ah." Saj smiled gently. “That would be telling, Will.”

 

"Wait." Will blinked and then he grinned. “You are not part of me, are you?”

 

"Yes I am." Saj smiled. “Part of me will always be with you, Will. I loved you from the moment you were tossed into my cell the first time, battered and bleeding. I am part of you. The kind part, the nurturing part, the part that sees pain and wants to help, even knowing that in the end it is futile.”

 

Will sighed. “They will try and control me again, won’t they?” Saj nodded. “How do I stop them?”

 

Saj smiled gently and held out her arms. “You know the answer Will. All you have to do is look.”

 

Will embraced the Mon Cal and then stepped back. “You are me, but not all of me. I will hurt anyone who tries to harm my family and I will enjoy it.” The Mon cal bowed to him and vanished.

 

Will sighed as he looked to where Sharra and Juli were sitting now, watching him. “Well… I really wish the Jedi would stop their riddles.”

 

Another voice sounded. “This is not a Jedi riddle, Wil Kalenath.” Will stiffend as several forms appeared nearby. Istara, Jina, Maria, Sara, two of the Sitolon and a huge form that dwarfed all of them. “I am Majistrona, Will Kalenath. Let us talk.”

 

Will sighed. “Yeah. Lets talk…”

This time when Will Kalenath woke up, things were different. He was surrounded by warm bodies for one thing. For another he didn’t hurt. For a third, his mind was no skittering out of control as it had been every other time in recent memory. Without moving his body he looked around and smiled a bit sourly.

 

Sharra is going to flay me…

 

Juli lay on one side, her small form curled up on herself. As always when they shared a bed, his adopted daughter slept with her arms over him as if afraid to let him go. Her voice murmured and he listened for a moment, but nothing intelligible was heard. She always did talk in her sleep, but the murmurs made no sense. Istara lay on his other side and when he looked at her, her eyes cracked open and then winked at him. But nature called and he grimaced. The grandmaster of the Bladeborn smiled and nodded towards a door nearby. At least both of them were clothed, but he still winced when he thought of Sharra’s probable reaction. Juli protested in her sleep as he moved out from her embrace carefully but she subsided with a pat on the head and then sighed back into slumber. Will made it to the refresher and cleaned himself thoroughly. It had been a while, he mused as he shaved. When he was done, surprise, surprise, he found a cleaned and pressed jumpsuit on the chair beside the door. He smiled as he pulled it on and then frowned at his reflection in the mirror. The bandages were gone now and he could see faint lines of surgical scars but no other wounds. Well, Istara and Majistrona had both promised him as much healing as they could provide. But… He wouldn’t, couldn’t, trust Nolikas now, no matter what the other said.

 

When he exited the refresher, Juli was still asleep and Istara was sitting up on a chair beside the bed. He jerked his head at the door and Istara shook her head. When she spoke it was quiet.

 

Istara’s voice held rueful humor. “She hasn’t disarmed it.” Will’s eyes flew to the bedside table and the small silver sphere that lay ticking there. And then they flew to Juli’s visible wrist and the biometric trigger that still glowed there.

 

His eyes went wide. “Oh…Yeah… let’s not surprise her, shall we?” Istara shook her head vehemently and Will smiled as he moved to sit by the bedside as well. It wasn’t long, maybe ten minutes, before Juli stirred. Will kept his voice soft. “Good morning Juli.”

 

Juli smiled as she opened her eyes. “Good morning Will.” She smiled at Istara as well. “Good morning Grandmaster Istara.”

 

Istara shook her head. “Juli, after the crazy heroics you just pulled, you can call me whatever you want.” The Bladeborn laughed. “I would ask that you only insult me in private though, the rest of the order, well… They might overreact.”

 

"Might?" Will snickered. “They might?”

 

Istara laughed and waved a censorious finger at him. “You shut up.” He bowed extravagantly to her and Juli giggled at the sight. But then Istara sobered. “Juli, do you trust me now?” She asked seriously.

 

Juli nodded and then looked at Will. “It was never… I…” She broke off, unable to put her thoughts to words.

 

Will reached out and took his foster daughter in an embrace. “I wish you hadn’t had to do that. But thank you. If I had gone completely berserk and gotten loose to wreak havoc… Well, bad doesn’t begin to describe it. Thank you. For being ready to stop me as we all agreed might be needed.” His whole family knew his wishes in such a case. Kill him as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. It would be a lot less messy. He hugged her again and she returned the embrace. “But now I think it is time for you to turn that thing off.”

 

Juli looked embarrassed. “I…uh… I don’t know how.”

 

Istara stared at the young girl and when she spoke her voice was dumbfounded. “You activated a dead-man’s –woman’s- switch and don’t know how to deactivate it?”

 

"No." Juli cringed. “I didn’t have a lot of time, I wasn’t exactly thinking straight.”

 

Will nodded. “Istara, you need to know this to. There was only one being I ever saw who could deactivate one remotely, so I figured out how he did it.” He quirked a finger to the grandmaster and she came close as he took Juli’s mechanical arm in a gentle grip. “The key is the triggering sequence. If it reaches the transmitter array, here…” He pointed to a small bump on the glowing bracelet. “…it triggers whatever it is connected to.”

 

Istara’s brow furrowed in thought. “But how do you…? Oh…” Her eyes went wide. “Oh that’s sneaky.”

 

Will nodded as he manipulated something too small to see. “If you are quick you can mimic the placeholder code with a burst of energy. But you only get one chance, or boom.” Something on the bracelet clicked and the thermal detonator on the table went dark. Will sighed as the device turned off and he removed it carefully from his adopted daughter’s wrist. “Just… Juli…”

 

The girl looked at him quizzically. “Yes?”

 

Will sighed. “Don’t do that again. Don’t use any of my stuff unless you are absolutely sure of what it is and what it does.” She stared at him and then at the inert triggering device. Will set it on the table next to the detonator. “The thermal detonator you connected it to would have taken out this room. The Baradium bomb it was also connected to would have taken out this ship.” Both Juli and Istara went white at that and Will shook his head. “No harm done, just… check with me, if possible, please, Juli? It is so hard to pull constituent atoms back together.” He smiled sadly.

 

Juli stared at him, her face working and then she was crying. “I am sorry…” For once, she looked and sounded her age. For all her toughness and skill, she was only fourteen.

 

Will hugged her tight. “Not your fault Juli. How the heck could you have known?”

 

"A nuke...?" Istara was staring at Will, the thought of nuclear annihilation overshadowing everything. “What else do you have on that ‘not-really-a-Republic-Gunship’ of yours?” Will shook his head and she sighed sourly. “Never mind, I don’t want to know.”

 

"No you don't." Will grinned a bit sadly as he held Juli. “Thank you both. I…” he snorted sadly. “Just… Thanks.”

 

Juli grinned and wiped her face. “I will send you a bill.”

 

"Eek." Will cringed dramatically. “Aw, great. One woman who is likely to indenture me for life and another who is going to flay me for sleeping in a bed with a minor and another woman. What are you going to do to me Istara?”

 

Istara snickered at that. “Probably pick your brain. We have problems, the Bladeborn do. And you have a well earned reputation for sneakiness. The Order needs to lay low for awhile, figure things out. But with the Empire hunting us…We don’t have the stealth or firepower of the Stormhawk.”

 

"Hmm... I might know a couple of places." Will shook his head slowly. “Do you still serve the Empire?”

 

Istara growled under her breath. “Technically no. Psychologically, spiritually, emotionally? I don’t know. I personally gave up my affiliation with the Empire when I passed my Trial with the original Bladeborn. But this clan needs help, needs guidance. And of all the people they could have picked to lead them, they picked me.”

 

Juli squirmed a bit and Will let her go. She smiled and made her way towards the refresher. The soldier shook his head. “So… What are your intentions? If you act against the citizens of the Republic, we will find ourselves at cross purposes.”

 

Istara nodded. “I understand. We are wanted by the Republic and the Empire. So… We may be renegades, but we are not without honor.” She blew out a deep breath. Then she blinked and a slow smile crossed her features. “The enemy of my enemy is usually my enemy’s enemy, no more, no less. But…”

 

Will stared at her and his voice was cautious. “Istara…”

 

Istara nodded slowly. “We need a place to hide, a new way. We need a cause, a reason to continue, or all of this is for naught. Trugoy gave us a cause, service to the Empire. But he is gone. We are wanted by the Empire and the Republic as well as our unknown enemy.”

 

Will was shaking his head in disbelief now. “You cannot be serious.”

 

"We are not agents of the Empire now." Istara smiled. “We are not Sith, Will Kalenath. We are not their enemies.”

 

"Ah..." Will made a face. “Could have fooled me. You do remember what happened the last time you were aboard the ship, right?”

 

"I do." Istara nodded sadly. “But I think I have grown up a bit since then. So… How do you think Boss will react?”

 

Will shook his head, utterly bemused. “By what? A group of not-Sith asking for asylum? Or by me trying to press your case?”

 

Istara nodded slowly. “I think this may be our best choice. And look at it this way. You get a powerful boarding or assault force if needed. And we get a place to hide. The absolute last place anyone would expect to find us.”

 

Will shook his head slowly. “Istara. You didn’t see all of the ship. Most of the crew could give any Sith, or maybe even you and me, a run for their money in sheer hate. Of the Sith.”

 

Istara looked him in the eye and spoke formally. “Will you help us, Will Kalenath? If not… What are our chances?”

 

Will slumped. “Of hiding from the Empire? Not very good. Of remaining quiet for long enough to find and defeat your enemy? I don’t know. You do know the Stormhawk has enemies of its own.”

 

“Can you get in touch with them?” Istara asked quietly.

 

Will sighed. “I have a really bad feeling about this…

Will sighed as he sat back in his command chair. This was definitely NOT a standard Republic gunship. The seats on a regular Republic ship were rock hard, designed that way, both as lower back support and to keep pilots from relaxing at times when they really should not. The seats on this one were downright comfy. He didn’t look up from his instruments as a voice came from behind him.

 

Istara’s voice was odd. Not scared, not worried, just odd. “Uh, Will…? What is with the strange sculpture in the hold?”

 

Will smiled, just a little savagely. “A guest.”

 

"Will?" Istara sat down in the copilot’s seat and stared at him. “You have someone frozen in carbonite and you call him a guest?”

 

She had been amazed at the sheer amount of stuff he had managed to cram into this small ship. Weapons, ammunition, armor, disguises, medical gear and other necessary supplies, the cargo holds were bursting. Except for one, which was completely bare. Sitting in the middle of that one, Istara had found a slab of carbonite with a face sticking out of it. She had thought she had been prepared for whatever she would find. But this…

 

"Well." Will snarled quietly. “He is someone who hunted the Stormhawk, and me, for years. Then he ‘changed his mind’. Typical Jedi.”

 

Istara froze. “Will… Why do you have a Jedi frozen in carbonite?” Will focused on his instruments and didn’t respond so Istara tried another way. Will…

 

The soldier stiffened as he heard her voice in his mind. “Geez that is creepy.” He sat back from his controls and turned to face Istara. “We don’t have a lot of time if we are to make the rendezvous. You want the short version?”

 

Istara blinked. His sudden mood swings took a bit of getting used to. She nodded. “Yeah.”

 

Will smiled, just a bit evilly. “His name is Markus Sigmundson.” Istara stiffened further. She knew that name from Imperial reports. “He fled the battle of Coruscant with the last intact Republic fleet, covering the escape of a bunch of well to do scum who should have been forced to stay behind and try to use their money to hold off assault droids. He tried to order the Stormhawk to follow him, to leave all of us to die. Boss refused. And for that, the ‘Jedi’…” the word Jedi came out heated. “…had us outlawed. He hunted my friends, he killed my friends, and now he thinks he wants some kind of absolution for what he did. I wanted to shove a blaster down his throat, but he wanted to get to the Stormhawk and ask for the crew’s forgiveness. Not that they have any. The last Jedi we caught, well… He took a day to die. This one will be lucky if we let him go that quick.”

 

"What?" Istara shuddered at the sheer malevolence in the man’s tone. “Will… no… This is wrong…”

 

Will turned back to his controls. “Istara… You of all people should understand. He killed my kin, people who were simply trying to survive, not fight. We fled from Jedi, from Republic forces. And he hunted us down. Not just crew either.” Now his gaze was far away, on something that only he could see. “He wanted us so bad; he didn’t care what he did to our families. He sold information on our families to the Empire to get lines on us. He was the main reason we started hidden enclaves for our kin.”

 

"Oh no." Istara stared at the man in horror. “Will, I am sorry.”

 

"Thank you." Will shook his head slowly. “But he will get everything that is coming to him, and then some.” He looked up as others came into the cockpit.

 

"Will?" Cole Shanas was shaking his head in wonder. “Who built this thing? It is… Different.” The smuggler managed to say at last.

 

"Uh." Will grimaced. “Don’t ask, Cole. Let’s just say I have some very odd friends. I still think you coming is a very bad idea, but I know better than to argue with your daughter.”

 

Cole snickered. “Yeah, she does kind of Rancor right over you, doesn’t she? Seriously man, thank you.” The soldier and the smuggler had worked out a tentative truce, mainly with Juli standing over them scowling, neither would push the other too far. They both loved the girl.

 

"You are welcome." Will nodded. “She is a treasure. If a *****ly one at times.”

 

An irate young voice answered him. “See what I have to put up with, Dad? Sheesh. And you wonder why I get stubborn.” Juli came onto the bridge, her face set, but a twinkle shone in her eyes.

 

"Juli..." Cole was snickering as he sat down and strapped himself in. He waved Juli to the seat beside him and she came over and did her own harness with the skill of long practice.

 

"Taking a Jedi to the Stormhawk..." Istara was shaking her head. “Will…”

 

"Yeah." Will finished his preflight checks and sighed. “Look, I know it is a bad idea. I know what they are going to do to him as soon as he thaws. I have no idea why the crazy Jedi insisted on this. He wanted this.”

 

"What?" Juli froze. “He wanted this? I remember what Trava and her people did to the one who hurt Nia…”

 

"Yuck." Will sighed. “Yeah.”

 

Cole stared from his daughter to Will. “Do I want to know?” He asked quietly.

 

"No." Juli looked sick, which was a new expression for her. “No, Dad. You don’t.” Cole looked at his daughter and then reached over and patted her flesh and blood shoulder. One of her arms was mechanical from the upper arm down; the other had a prosthetic shoulder.

 

Istara looked thoughtful. “Could this be a trap Will? Could he be infected with those machines? Doing this against his will?”

 

"No." Will shook his head. “He has been scanned, multiple times, at close range. No way to hide those things from such close in scans. Besides, I would feel them.”

 

"Oh." Istara blinked and then nodded, her expression sheepish. She kept forgetting about his ability to ‘merge’, as he put it, with machinery. She changed the subject. “How long to get there?”

 

Will snickered. “Not long.” Juli smiled as well.

 

"What?" Cole stared at him, the smuggler’s expression incredulous. “You mean… They have been following us? Sheesh… I never picked up anything…”

 

"Well..." Will just grinned. “We have been spoofing Imperial sensors for a while, Cole. Are your people going to be okay, Istara?”

 

"Okay? Probably." Istara sighed. “The ship is powered down, inert. As far as any sensors are concerned, it is just a hunk of metal attached to that lone asteroid. And they will be busy packing.”

 

Will shook his head. “Istara, I don’t know what Boss is going to say. His message was terse. I can guarantee that neither you nor Cole will be in danger as long as you do nothing hostile. Juli…” He turned to face the girl who nodded.

 

"Yeah." Juli slumped in her seat. “I know.”

 

Cole stared from Will to his daughter. “What?”

 

"Cole." Will sighed sadly. “She told Boss to flarg off. In public no less. On a regular Republic or Sith ship, insubordination is punished severely. On the Stormhawk, well…” He shook his head as Juli held out her hands as if for binders. “I told you before and I will tell you again. Anyone trying to bind you is going to get shot.” Now his voice was cold.

 

"Will..." Juli’s voice was small. “I… You will have enough problems. I will abide by the rules.” She didn’t drop her hands.

 

"Juli." Will shook his head and met the eyes of the girl he had adopted. “No.” The cold word ended the discussion and he turned back to his controls. The engines hummed as he powered the small ship from the Bladehome’s port side hangar bay.

 

"Ah..." Cole stared from Juli who was putting her hands in her lap, to Istara who was looking nervous now, to Will whose face could have frozen a star in its tracks. He shook his head and spoke ruefully. “This is going to be so much fun, isn’t it?”

 

"Fun?" Will relaxed a little and sighed. “Oh yes. Fun…”

The flight was actually short. The Stormhawks insanely good stealth systems allowed it to loiter unnoticed by Sith design sensors. Less than half an hour after launching, Will followed the directions of a deck officer and guided the small ship into a docking cradle that was apparently designed for it. The ship set down and Will started powering it down.

 

The soldier spoke without turning from his controls. “Don’t do anything.”

 

Both Istara and Cole froze as boots sounded nearby. Juli just stared at the floor. A loud voice spoke, a female voice. “Have you lost your mind, vod?”

 

Three pairs of eyes turned towards the hatch and the large woman in full Mandaloran armor who stood there, weapon ready. Behind her were three more figures in Mandalorian armor.

 

Will smiled slightly as he turned. “Hello Trava, fancy meeting you here.”

 

The Mandalorian woman shook her head slowly. ”Of all the… I would call you a di’kut, but that would be insulting di’kut everywhere.” She looked at each of the others in turn and shook her head as the other three moved past her, careful to stay out of her line of fire. They moved to the seated individuals and started searching them professionally.

 

"Uh." Istara spoke slowly. “Will…”

 

Will shook his head. “Don’t touch her sword.” The quiet words held command and all three Mandos nodded, but continued their business. Cole didn’t move as the mando searching him started pulling gear off his belt; guns, grenades, slicing gear, the works. The one searching Juli snapped his fingers and the girl sighed. She reached up slowly to her arm and a hidden compartment popped open. She handed him a thermal detonator, but he just waited. She sighed again, deeper and did the same for the other arm, this time removing a wicked looking hold out blaster.

 

Juli snarled as she handed the gun to the Mando. “Satisfied?”

 

The Mando sighed just as deeply. “Juli…” He reached for his belt and came up with a set of binders but everything stopped as Will’s hands blurred. All four of the Mandos looked at Will. The aim point of his modified heavy blaster pistol didn’t shift from the Mando with the binders. At this range it likely wouldn’t just penetrate the guy’s armor, it would likely punch a hole clean through and continue out the back. And since he was aiming at the T-slit on the visor…

 

"You know my rules." The soldier’s voice was conversational. “You put those on her and you will be dead before you hit the floor.” The tension in the cockpit went up several notches. “I told you Trava.” Now his voice was cold.

 

The Mando woman at the hatch sighed. “Will… We can’t make exceptions. Not for her, not for anyone.”

 

Will didn’t blink, which was downright creepy. “And I make no exceptions. Anyone tried to bind one of my kids, I kill them.” Istara and Cole stared at each other, shocked. None of the Mandos moved, this was not an idle threat.

 

"Of all the..." Juli was shaking her head. “Will…” She looked at the Mando nearest her. “Give them to me.” She held out a slow hand.

 

Will snarled. “Juli, no! Boss can go take a run out an airlock for all I care. I will not see you shackled again! I will not!” Now he was shouting. But his aim point didn’t waver.

 

Juli sighed and unbuckled herself from the seat. She reached out and took the binders from the frozen Mando’s grasp and with a deft twist, locked them in place. “Will, calm down!” She snarled right back. “They are not going to abuse me, they are not going to hurt me. They are not… What…?” She stared at the man who had adopted her and he was crying. She moved to stand beside his chair. “Will…?”

 

Will’s blaster fell to his side. “Juli…I…” He slumped and shook his head, the blaster vanishing. “Trust you to find a loophole in the rules, you crazy girl.” He embraced the girl.

 

The other Mandos finished their searches, and, disregarding Istara’s sword, had disarmed the two thoroughly. Trava nodded as the three other Mandos moved out of the compartment. “You do know how to make life interesting, vod.” She turned to Istara. “Grandmaster Istara Sharlina Andal, I am Trava Kalan. Welcome aboard the Stormhawk. Your safety and Cole Shanas safety are vouched for as long as neither of you do anything dumb.”

 

"Ah." Istara chuckled sourly. “You know, I expected to be the center of attention, being Bladeborn and all.”

 

"Hey. Wait a sec." Cole was scowling. “What is wrong with Juli?”

 

"Dad..." Juli sighed. “I…Um…Well…”

 

"Juli?" Cole stared at his daughter and his face went white. “You…didn’t just tell Stormhawk Boss to flarg off, did you?”

 

"No she didn't." Trava shrugged. “Insubordination, AWOL, someone said something about 'inciting to mutiny'…All in a day’s work for Mandalorians, but for these wackoes…?”

 

"I was not going to sit on my butt." Juli snarled. “He ordered me confined to quarters. Like those could hold me. And I stowed away on the Dragon. What can he do to me? They probably won’t shoot me or space me. Spank me? Ground me? I have had worse done to me. I had to see you again.” Cole rose slowly and moved to stand by his daughter. Will let her go, but she held onto him, pulling her birth father into the hug. Both men stiffened, but relaxed. Juli was a law unto herself. The two men stared at each other over her head and shared a grimace.

 

"Oh dear." Istara shook her head and then dropped it heavily into her hands and groaned. “Aw crap. So much for making a good impression.”

 

"Huh?" Trava laughed. “Oh, you had that covered the last time you were here. You didn’t kill anyone. Heck, you even didn’t kill that fool Jaken, although if anyone on this ship deserves it, he does.”

 

"True." Juli snickered. “Most of the crew wants to kill that arrogant jerk. I so wish I had seen Jikirt making him soil himself. The video alone was hilarious, even if we did have to clean up the mess he made of that astromech.” The infamous Kushiban mechanic had beaten an astromech droid to pieces, small pieces, with a wrench after nearly being fried by an energy discharge in a power room. Yes, he had reason, and yes, it had been hilarious to watch the two foot high furry being wield a three foot long wrench like a two handed sword. But by god it had made a mess.

 

"Yeah." Trava sighed. “Juli, orders are orders. You know the rules.”

 

"I know." Juli nodded. “Will…?” She looked at Will who shook his head.

 

The soldier’s voice was soft, but no less harsh now. “Not going to happen, Juli. Yes the letter of the rules say you have to be unconscious for the transfer to medical and then to detention. But these…” He tapped the binders. “…are as far as you push me, young lady. Clear? Anyone shoots at you, I am shooting at them.” And no one doubted what would happen if he did.

 

"Will." Juli made a face. “You are so stubborn. Sheesh…”

 

"Okay, lets think this through." Cole blew out a breath as he stepped back. “What does the letter of the law state, Juli?”

 

Juli shook herself and pulled back from Will. “It goes… ‘Any crewperson leaving the ship without permission will, on return, be carried to medical for complete scans and cleaning. Once that is done, said individual will be remanded to detention block for judgment by crew court’. Umm… Hmmm…” She pursed her lips in thought.

 

"Wait." Cole blinked and then a slow smile crossed his face. “It says ‘Carried’, hmmm? Does it say you have to be stunned?”

 

Juli blinked. “Um… No… but…” A slow smile crossed her face as well. “Oh that is sneaky. Let’s see, if anyone shoots at me, Will is going to shoot them. So… Trava, you have a sedative in that pack of yours?”

 

"We do, but..." Trava shook her head. “Nothing you are not allergic to.” Istara and Cole looked at her and Trava shrugged “We thought we might have to hunt for her, better to know everything you can about your quarry. We didn’t want to kill her after all, simply bring her back.”

 

"I can handle this." Istara shook her head. “Juli, do you trust me now?”

 

The girl snorted. “Istara, we have been over that. Yes, I trust you now.”

 

"Okay." Istara stood up slowly and moved to stand beside the girl. “I can put you to sleep, Juli. Dreamless and restful.”

 

Juli looked at Will who growled, but then nodded. Cole looked from Juli to Will and then to Istara and nodded as well. “I will carry her.” He took Juli in his arms and she smiled as he lifted her effortlessly.

 

Istara smiled gently as she touched the girl on the forehead. “Sleep Juli.” The girl’s eyes closed and her frown faded as she lost consciousness.

 

"Okay." Trava sighed. “Why do I get the feeling that things are going to be seriously shaken up? And Will, who is your paperweight?”

 

Will grinned evilly. “Sigmundson.”

 

"Oh Will..." Trava snickered. “You do know how to please a girl, don’t you?” She had ‘entertained’ the last Jedi guest the Stormhawk had dealt with.

 

"Yeah." Will nodded. “Trial first, then you get him. If the crew leaves anything.”

 

Cole and Istara stared at one another. This was going to get rough, even by Bladeborn standards.

((Uh oh... Things just got VERY complicated. Comments or suggestions always appreciated. Flames might make Juli mad. We REALLY don't want that.))