<An undisclosed location>

 

Kona Lislaw was a very patient person. She had been a Jedi master for goodness sake. She had trained addle pated younglings and padawans. So why was she running away from a group of teenagers? She leaned against the wall and tried not to sigh. She had promised to help and she would, but… this was getting under her skin. As a Jedi she had far more control over her body than a normal person did, so while her remembered experiences with puberty had been interesting, she had never had such… drama. The kids were good. And they were trying to be good. But this was something far outside their experience. And… Kona bit back a sob.

 

They had been forced to take all the implants out. They hadn’t had any alternatives now, not with the children’s bodies changing so drastically, and almost overnight. They should have done it long before now. But the look of utter desolation on Marta’s face when she had woken alone in her head for the first time in her life had brought tears to Kona’s face. And Marta was one of the better ones. Two of the kids had simply stopped responding to stimuli. Nolikas had them in hand and was confident that she could ease them to recovery, but… Kona couldn’t take it. The sheer emotion in the area was overwhelming her control. Actually, Marta had seen it first. The little girl had come up to Kona and said quietly.

 

“You need a break. We will be okay. Take care of yourself.” Kona had found herself gently, but firmly shoved aside and told to leave. Nolikas had taken her out of the sealed area. The healer had been kind.

 

She could still hear the healer's kind voice. “I am sorry. I can shield myself, I have had to.” Kona had protested, but Nolikas had been firm and eventually Kona had accepted the inevitable. She had fully intended to be back the next day, but her code hadn’t worked on the door and when she had asked, she had been told that she was barred ‘for an indefinite time’.

 

So now, she was stuck. Her classes were handled, her kids were taken care of and she was at loose ends. She sat in a chair, tried to read and sighed. Her hair was starting to change back to its original color. Whatever Cranna had done to change her appearance apparently didn’t last forever. Her face of course was changed physically, and her eyes, well… She shook herself. This was unbecoming of her. She wasn’t wanted by the Order anymore. She could go back, be a Jedi again. But she felt… disconnected. She smiled as she saw the form of her ‘mentor’ coming towards her. She liked Leia Rendish, and the administrator reciprocated.

 

“Kona?" Leia asked softly. "You look… down…” Kona nodded and indicated the seat beside her. Leia sat with a groan.

 

“Long day?” Kona smiled.

 

"Oh yeah." Leia laughed. “Between our regular residents plus Sara and her kids… it’s a wonder I get any sleep at all.” Kona laughed. Leia was the go to person around the Enclave. A sort of jill of all trades, she was part secretary, part administrator, part mechanic, part librarian, and all heart. Kona smiled at the younger woman, but Leia stared at her.

 

“What’s wrong Kona?” Leia's voice was worried.

 

"Overwhelmed." Kona sighed. “I was helping with the kids… I… It’s overwhelming. So much emotion in such a small place…”

 

"Kona..." Leia nodded. “Why do you think we moved so many of our medical bots down there? We didn’t know how bad it was going to be… but many of us have had teenage daughters or sisters…” Leia stopped short and a bleak look came over her face. Kona had never asked, and she wouldn’t now. She just held out her arms and after a moment, Leia accepted the hug. Leia shook herself. “That isn’t all that is wrong is it?”

 

“Which one of us has the Force?” Kona asked softly. She was always amazed that Leia had such clear insights. The young woman, Leia was in her twenties, was just amazing. But then her face became serious. “I ran into a Jedi during that mess on Raaltiir. She said… I could go back.”

 

Leia’s eyes went wide and then she was embracing Kona. “Oh, Kona, that is wonderful news.” Kona shrugged and Leia shook her head. “Kona, you are not a teacher although you are good at it. And you just don’t have the temperament to be a nurse.” Kona grimaced and Leia laughed at her scowl. But then Leia pursed her lips. “You want your old face back?”

 

"Um..." Kona blinked at her. “I would have to go to Tattooine wouldn’t I?”

 

"Nope." Leia smiled. “Cranna sent a tank recently, with full instructions. I have no idea why, although it is welcome. She sends us a bunch of stuff. I think it’s either a tax write off or testing. Either way, we get some of the best medical gear in the galaxy essentially for free.”

 

Kona blinked again, stunned. “Let me think on that. The hair is going…” Leia nodded. But then Kona blinked, and her face was sad. “Can… Can I get something delivered here, from a safe deposit box?”

 

"Maybe." Leia sat back at that. “Depends on what is in it. If it is weapons, munitions or something else easy to track then no.”

 

"To tell the truth..." Kona frowned. “I have no idea what is in it. My brother left me the key… He said it was all that was left of our family.” Kona felt grief coming, but she acknowledged it and let it fall away.

 

"If you want..." Leia looked at her and nodded. “We can send the key to Cranna, have her check it out. Then she can have the contents sent if it’s clean.”

 

"Hmm..." Kona thought about that for a minute and then nodded. “We can do that. Do you have anything I can do…? I’m bored.” Her voice was plaintive.

 

"Well..." Leia grinned at her. “We have a new resident. And she is shy.” Kona nodded. Many of the people who came to this enclave were scared, shy or just anti-social. Which the community didn’t need in such a tight packed environment. “You could talk to her, try and ease her transition. I would appreciate it. I’m… anything but bored.”

 

"I bet." Kona laughed at that. “I can only imagine. Anything I should know?”

 

"Yeah..." Leia nodded. “She is expecting and she was hurt. No complications, just, be careful with her. Will brought her in.” Kona blinked at that. She hadn’t seen him and she hadn’t sensed his presence. Leia looked… disconcerted. “He didn’t tell us anything except that she needed a place to hide. He had full medical records for her, so we did the basic scans only. He gave her name as Mirshana.” Kona nodded. A new mother, likely scared out of her mind. And if Will had brought her in, likely in a horrendous amount of trouble.

 

"Pregnant and alone?" Kona smiled. “I will be gentle.”

 

Leia laughed. “Are you ever any other way? I’ll check on your box. And on the tank.” Kona nodded and handed the other woman a small key. Leia nodded, put it in a pocket and stood. “See you around Kona.” Kona nodded as Leia walked off.

<In a private room>

 

The blond haired woman sat quietly. Mirshana was thinking. She didn’t like what she was thinking. Finally, she pulled something out of her pocket and spoke quietly.

 

“We need to talk.” In moments a transparent blue form appeared nearby and the woman in gray robes sighed.

 

“This is a bad idea. There are Jedi here. If they sense me…” Mirshana just shook her head and the spirit sighed. “You have the crystal, what do you want?” The older woman’s voice held pain, worry, loss, and fear, mixed with some exasperation.

 

"Huh?" Mirshana stared at her. “I thought Force ghosts were not bound to reply. That they could ignore or just not reply.”

 

"Silly." The spirit shook her head. “I am not a Force ghost. I am a Force shade and I am trapped in that crystal, now anyway. Force ghosts are created when a Jedi dies and becomes one with the Force, which not all choose to do. Shades… well… generally they are Sith who don’t want to stop being able to cause trouble.”

 

Mirshana smiled at that, but then her face creased in a frown. “Generally?”

 

"Look..." The spirit sighed and looked angry. “I have no idea at all. I was in my body, and then I wasn’t. And it hurt like hell. I don’t know if my body is alive or dead and I have no way to find it.”

 

"What the,,,?" Mirshana stared at the transparent form and then flinched. “Am I causing you pain?”

 

"I am dead, girl." The ghost, spirit, shade, whatever it was, snorted. “What do you think?” But Mirshana wasn’t mollified.

 

The live woman insisted. “Am I hurting you by calling you this way?” The force spirit looked away and then nodded jerkily. Mirshana flinched. “How do I stop?”

 

“I don’t know.” The admission seemed to drain the spirit of any enthusiasm. “I have never heard of anything like this. This… captivity of a spirit. Oh, I know of spirits choosing to stay in an object for whatever reason, but holding one there? Against their will? I have no idea.” The ghost’s voice was sad now, infinitely sad.

 

"I know you are hurting." Mirshana shook her head. “I want to help you. I know he loved you. And you helped me, and him.”

 

“I have my own reasons.” The ghost sighed.

 

"Of course you do." Mirshana laughed. “And I won’t ask what they are. But… do they have to be at cross purposes to mine?”

 

"I... I don't know..." The ghost stared at her, and then flinched. “There is a Jedi nearby, I have to go…” Then she was gone.

 

Mirshana tucked the crystal away in a pocket just as the door chime rang. She settled herself on the bed and called. “Enter.”

 

The door hissed open and a pretty woman entered. She had red hair. Her blue eyes held worry, she but smiled as she saw Mirshana.

 

“Good morning.” The woman's voice was kind. And familiar. It teased at Mirshana's memory. She didn't know this woman, did she? Mirshana felt herself smiling back. “My name is Kona Lislaw and I am sort of one of your neighbors. Leia Rendish said you just arrived?”

 

Mirshana smiled widely. “Uh…yeah…” She blinked and tensed. She shouldn’t be so open.

 

But Kona didn’t move, just raised both hands, empty. “It’s okay. Coming here is a heck of a shock. I just wanted to see if you were okay.”

 

"Okay?" Mirshana shook her head rueful. “Okay is such a… flexible word…” She hissed a bit as she turned. “But I will survive. I have been hurt worse, if not… When I was expecting… And the docs say everything is fine and if anything does happen…” She indicated an alert button that was pinned to her blouse. A touch and the medical personnel would be coming.

 

"Good. I know it's scary, being alone. I have never been pregnant, but I hear its scary as well." Kona smiled, a bit sadly. “Is there anything I can get you, to make you more comfortable?”

 

"I'm fine." Mirshana shook her head, but smiled her thanks. “It’s a lot more comfortable here than a prison cell or a ship.” Kona grinned, but Mirshana’s eyes were pulled to something that was half visible through the woman’s clothing. A silver hilt.

 

“Are you a Jedi?” Mirshana asked slowly. She couldn’t keep worry out of her tone and Kona stilled. Mirshana waved towards the hilt.

 

“Sort of." Kona sighed. "I follow the Code, but I don’t belong to the Order any more. I… Well… It’s a long story… I do follow the Light Side.”

 

“That’s okay." Mirshana smiled. "It’s none of my business.” She looked like she was going to ask something, but then changed her mind. Kona didn’t press her.

 

"Okay." The Jedi/former Jedi's words were still kind. “If you ever want to talk, I can be reached any time by com. Just ask the operator for Kona. I hope you feel better Mirshana.” Then the Jedi was gone. Mirshana stared after the woman and shook her head. Then she froze as the blue form appeared in front of her again.

 

"Jedi..." Jainine’s face was a study. “This is going to get complicated…”

<Two days later>

 

Jina woke with a smile. Yes she itched, but this time she knew it would fade. She opened her eyes to darkness and she heard a voice she recognized.

 

The doctor snorted. “Should know better than to try and keep a Jedi unconscious. How do you feel, Ma’am?”

 

Jina thought for a moment and smiled again. “My face hurts and I itch like you wouldn’t believe.” Jina felt a gentle pressure on her face and she hissed slightly.

 

The pressure vanished and the doctor’s voice came again. “The reconstruction didn’t take.” His voice was controlled but she felt something like annoyance under it. “That means we need to put you under again.”

 

Jina smiled even though it hurt now. “That means the itch will be gone when I wake up. Yay.”

 

The doctor laughed and then she felt herself start floating. “Yep. Good night Ma’am. See you in the morning.” And then she was asleep.

 

<A dream? Or a vision?>

 

Jina was not sure what to do. She hadn’t been here before, had she? She wasn’t anywhere she had known, or been. She was standing outside a rude hut. She looked up, but the stars were not familiar. She looked around, but there was nothing moving. Then she tensed. In the near distance, she saw a body. Male, human. Wearing the remnant of a Sith uniform. But it had her brother’s face! She forced herself to look closely.

 

This was a dream, it had to be. But… Something was wrong. She spun to see a black cloaked figure approaching. She immediately went for her lightsaber and her guts froze as the being laughed. “Yes, please fight. Please. We will find her. Then we will have it.” Part of Jina was trying to figure out what the flarg he was talking about as the rest of her was dodging his attack.

 

He was good, she gave him that. But she was better. She dove under his attack and struck. He fell, bisected and faded away. She paused as his laughter came again. Her eyes went wide as the form of the black garbed Sith approached from the distance. The face, the laugh. Everything was the same!

 

And this time, he was better. He got under her guard twice, but then she got a good hit in and he faded again. But then, the laughter started again…

 

She shook her head. “This isn’t real. This… Isn’t… Real…” Something hit her and she was falling. She landed on her hands and knees, retching. “That… hurt…”

 

A voice came to her. “Yep, I can see it did…” She spun to her feet, but stopped as she saw who had spoken. Her eyes went wide. “You will need to learn to protect yourself better Jina.”

 

Jina stared at the Twilek form in front of her. “Ulaha, what just happened?”

 

The transparent form of the Jedi padawan sighed. “You were attacked Jina. You need to learn to protect yourself.”

 

Jina shook her head. “How can I protect myself if he is inside my mind? And who was that?”

 

Ulaha shook her head and started fading. Or was Jina fading? “You know who that was Jina. You just don’t want to admit it. Find her, ask her.”

 

Jina stared at the almost gone form now. “Ask who? Ulaha…?” But something was pulling her away.

 

<The real world>

 

“Good morning.” Jina shook herself as the voice of the doctor came to her. She tried her eyes and smiled as they functioned. The pads that had covered them were gone.

 

“Did it work?” She asked softly. The doctor came close and handed her a mirror. She looked at it and smiled at… herself. Her old self. She sighed. “Welcome back Jina Darkstorm. Time to get to work…”

<Lunchtime, same day>

 

Jina was used to odd looks. And now that everyone knew she had received her old face, well, she got fewer of them. A couple of the younger residents of the Enclave hadn’t known what to do, but since her voice and manner had remained the same, they had adjusted quickly. And she was patient. After all, she was essentially a freeloader here at the moment. But something was bothering her. Something odd that she sensed. She wasn’t sure what. It wasn’t danger, or anything she recognized. A voice came to her as she was perusing a set of tools in preparation to work on her lightsabers. With three of them, she had plenty of parts. She looked up and smiled as Leia approached.

 

“Kona, I mean Jina…” Leia looked embarrassed, but Jina just smiled.

 

“This is weird for me too, Leia." The Jedi said soberly. "What’s up?” She was examining a Ruusaan crystal when Leia produced a box and laid it on the table. Jina went stiff. It was marked with Sith runes

 

"Here." Leia's voice was quiet. “This is what Cranna sent. She says it’s clean. I haven’t opened it. It’s yours…”

 

"Oh..." Jina rose and embraced the woman. “Thank you. I… Thanks.” She finished lamely. “Oh, have you seen Mirshana?”

 

"Yeah." Leia nodded. “She was in the hospital last night. Nothing major, just a checkup.” She hastily added when Jina flinched. "They kept her overnight, just as a precaution."

 

"Good." Jina sighed. “Does she know about… this?” The Jedi waved towards her face.

 

"I doubt it." Leia shook her head. “She has been… awfully distracted recently.”

 

"Is she okay?" Jina blinked. “I mean, I know she was hurt… is she…?”

 

"I don't know." Leia sighed. “I really don’t know. She just says and I quote ‘I am fine, quitcha worrying’.“

 

"You are kidding." Jina laughed sadly. “That reminds me a lot of somebody I us-…” She stilled, cut off in midword.

 

"Jina?" Leia stared at her. “Something wrong Jina?”

 

"Uh..." Jina bit her lip and shook her head. “No, just me being paranoid. Thank you.” She indicated the box.

 

"Well, then..." Leia smiled. “I hope it’s something good Jina.” Jina smiled back, but her focus was on her lightsaber. Leia strode away leaving Jina to her thoughts. Eventually, she finished putting her saber back together and hooked it on her belt. Then, with hands that only shook a little bit, opened the box.

 

Inside were a paper book, and a set of papers. The papers turned out to be estate letters, from somewhere in the Sith Empire. She had no idea what planet Vanaria was, or where. But it seemed she had some land there. The book…

 

For a long minute, she simply stared at it. In a galaxy of high tech, paper books were not common at all. She opened the book and froze solid. A picture was lying loose inside. The man in the picture was the one she had faced in her dream/vision/nightmare… He looked younger in the picture, and not so crazy. There was no name on the picture, but she was sure she knew this… person from somewhere. She shook herself and started reading.

 

Most of the book turned out to be a dairy. Of a man named Harol Darkstorm. Maybe an ancestor? If so, one she had never heard of, but since she hadn’t ever heard of Sith with her name, well… She snorted. Like the Jedi were going to tell her…? She continued reading.

 

It detailed his interest, obsession really, with Sith history. Including the history of a sect of warriors… Jina stopped and reread that part. A sect of Sith warriors who fought with swords instead of lightsabers. But considering that the history that the man was speaking of was at least a thousand years in the past, that could be understood. Lightsabers at the time were clunky, wouldn’t even block blasters. But then a name jumped out at her. Trugoy.

 

“No… bloody… way…” She shook her head again and continued. And then her breath caught. “Oh my god…”

 

She sat back and closed the book with a snap. She put it down and shoved it away from her as far as she could. It took her a long time, maybe ten minutes, to calm herself. When she was calm again, she closed the book up in the box and sealed it. She put it under her bed with her armor and other lightsabers. No one here was going to try and rob her. She needed to talk to somebody, clear her head. And maybe find out if her suspicion about Mirshana was true…

Jina was on her way to Mirshana’s quarters when she saw Leia walking towards her fast. She slowed her steps as she felt the administrator’s apprehension.

 

"Leia?" Jina's voice was worried “What’s wrong?”

 

"It’s Mirshana…"The younger woman bit her lip. “I just heard from the docs... We need to talk, Jina…”

 

<Thirty minutes later>

 

MIrshana put the holo-book down with a sigh. Nothing. She had searched the library, carefully, for anything she could find dealing with ghosts, force ghosts or Jedi. It wasn’t like she could just go to the librarian and ask how to release a force shade from slavery after all… But she hadn’t found squat. Oh she had found stories, old wives tales, fables… But nothing even remotely close to this weird situation. She shook her head slowly and pulled the crystal out. But she remained silent as she examined it. A small, brown crystal. Unremarkable. She shook her head again. She didn’t want to hurt Jainine again. Yes, the woman had been a Sith, but…

 

MIrshana grimaced as her thoughts took her places she didn’t want to go. No one, not even a Sith, deserved to be chained in such a way. She still hated the Sith, no question. After what the Sith had done to the galaxy, her friends, to herself and to Will she couldn’t feel any other way. But she could… almost… feel the shade’s pain. Ona had told her that the fact she was carrying a Force sensitive child would heighten her own senses during pregnancy, but she hadn’t really believed. A chime at the door made her blink and hide the crystal again.

 

“Yes?” She asked quietly.

 

“It’s me.” Came Kona’s voice.

 

Mirshana smiled as she replied. “Enter.” But Mirshana froze as the woman who entered wasn’t Kona. No, this was a woman she recognized! Mirshana bit back a strangled sound as the Jedi came in and shut the door. The Jedi spoke slowly, kindly, but Mirshana could see the hand that rested close, so close to the lightsaber. Mirshana felt the weight of the blaster pistol under her pillow, but it was way too far to reach, and what good would a blaster do her?

 

The woman, Jina, was talking. “I didn’t mean to mislead you. I was in hiding. The Order… well… We had some disagreements. I… I just found out I can go back, but now… Now I wonder if I should.” Jina leaned back against the wall, her face a mask of weariness. She held up a small sign and Mirshana blinked as she realized that Jina was under the camera, out of line of sight. The sign was perfectly legible.

 

It’s okay Sharra, I understand. I know you are not a clone. Play along…

 

Mirshana’s eyes went wide and then they filled. She collapsed, and Jina was at her side in an instant, the sign hidden back in some pocket. She had forgotten about the surveillance cameras… Oh god, what had she done? The enclave security people knew about Jainine…

 

"Hey!" Jina’s face was worried as he helped the other woman into a sitting position. “Are you okay?”

 

"I..." Mirshana nodded, but whispered. “What have I done…?”

 

"It's okay." Jina smiled at her. When she spoke it wasn’t much louder. “They think you are talking to a rock. They don’t know. And they won’t from me.” Mirshana smiled. Jina sat back and shook her head. When she spoke, it was rueful and in normal tones.

 

“You shouldn’t scare me like that Mirshana." JIna complained loudly. "I almost had a heart attack. You okay now?” Mirshana smiled, although her heart wasn’t in it. It was too far up her throat to be anywhere else.

 

Mirshana's words were quiet, and worry colored her tone. “Yeah, yeah, I am okay. You startled me. You look good. If different.” True, all true.

 

“I didn’t want to hide who I was." Jina said sadly. "It seemed like the best course of action at the time. And I was useful here.” Mirshana blinked as she heard subtle undercurrents to the small talk. Jina shook her head. “Would you like to go for a walk?”

 

"I..." Mirshana blinked and then smiled, if a bit timidly. “I think I would…” Jina smiled as she helped the other woman to her feet.

 

<At the surveillance center>

 

Leia watched as Jina helped Mirshana into her overtunic and smiled as the two women left the room. She turned to the man beside her.

 

“Thank god…” She said with heartfelt relief.

 

The doctor nodded. “Yeah, I was worried we would have to resort to medication myself. If the Jedi can get Miss Mirshana to open up, we can help her; get her to face her fears. Instead of talking to that rock, she may talk to us…. And we can help her get past this and into a healthier mindset.” Leia smiled sarcastically and the doctor sighed. “I know, I know. Nothing healthy about being stuck in a hole in the ground, but, we can try…”

 

Leia nodded and smiled as she watched the two figures walk away from Mirshana’s room. She hoped this would end well. She was so sick of things ending badly…

 

Speaking of which... Leia sighed. “What of Ella? Is she…?” The doctor slumped and Leia shook her head. Ella had been… hard to handle. And when the woman had finally snapped and assaulted two of her neighbors, well… They couldn’t have that.

 

The doctor shook his head. “She is in stasis. We can’t let her out. It’s better this way anyway. She sleeps and then wakes up somewhere that isn’t so claustrophobic.” Leia bit her lip and the doctor nodded. “I know.”

 

Leia slumped, but then focused on her duty. It was all she really had now. “Any word on the Stormhawk?”

 

The doctor shook his head. “The ship and crew are in spacedock under heavy security at Coruscant and that is all I know.” Leia nodded. That was all anyone knew right now. But she could hope. She shook her head and focused on the next item. “Okay, we have ten more crates of sundries coming in today, so we need to make some space…”

<Elsewhere>

 

Mirshana grinned unreservedly as Jina led her into another room.

 

“Is this a holo…?” The blonde haired woman asked in awe.

 

"No." Jina smiled. “No it isn’t.”

 

The two women stared around the large room. It had obviously started as a hydroponics garden, but someone with an artistic bent had gone wild. The plants were still there, and if one looked closely, one could see edges that were too regular to be natural. But that wasn’t what drew the eye. No it was the waterfall that brought people here. It came down from what looked like a cave opening but was probably a camouflaged pipe. From there it fell into a series of pools. Pools that always reminded Jina of the fountain pools at the temple on Coruscant. She loved this place, she had ever since she had first come here. She sat down on one of the benches and Mirshana followed suit.

 

“We can talk here.” Jina said slowly.

 

"Jina..." Mirshana’s voice was soft. “We are under observation, even here.”

 

"I know." Jina nodded. “But the ambient noise level is too high for microphones. As long as we don’t act too far out of character we should be fine. You look very good for somebody I saw burned on her funeral pyre. But since you are pregnant, and I know clones are sterile, I am assuming the one Will burned was a clone.”

 

Mirshana nodded. “I don’t know what happened. I was with him on Kuat, then I woke up, hurt, in the care of the Bladeborn. “

 

"The Bladeborn?" Jina tensed, and then forced herself to relax. “Did Ona take care if you?” Mirshana stared at Jina and Jina just smiled. “Yes I have met her. She is… They are… odd.”

 

"Odd?" Mirshana laughed. “That is putting it mildly. Did you hear about Korriban?” Jina bit her lip and nodded. “They took me there. I had no idea what was going on until I showed up and he was there and…” She was crying now and Jina held her as the other woman sobbed.

 

After a few moments of comforting the other woman, Jina spoke softly. “Where did Jainine come into this?”

 

Mirshana sighed. “She is trapped in a crystal. She isn’t sure if her body is dead or alive. Will found the crystal before he blew the facility and we ran for it. I don’t know if he intended to leave it with me or not.”

 

Jina nodded. “We will need to think on this. You can come back here anytime. If you want to talk to me, I will be available… until I leave that is…” She didn’t want to go. Not now. She wanted to sit and talk with her friend. But she knew she had to. And soon. Mirshana shivered and Jina sighed. “Let’s get you back to your room. No sense letting you get a chill.’

 

"Jina..." Mirshana shook her head. “No need to hover, I’m pregnant, not sick.”

 

Jina laughed as she led the woman from the room. “And we want to keep it that way, you can come back, you know…” Her voice was teasing as they exited the room.

 

Mirshana smiled. “Thank you.” And there were all sorts of undercurrents to her simple words.

 

<A few days later>

 

Mirshana sat in her chair and tried not to watch as the shade paced. She wasn’t sure why she had decided to come out here into the public areas, but she was glad she had. Everyone was nice to her; she had met several people who seemed very pleasant including a few children who made her smile with their antics. But Jainine was worried. Luckily, Mirshana was the only one who could see the spirit or hear her.

 

The spirit was talking in a low tone. “In a long history of bad ideas, this is probably one of the worst. Fracking Jedi… I should have known better, I should have…” Mirshana shook her head slowly as she pretended to read. Then Mirshana realized something. Jainine had stopped talking. She looked up and all noise in the room stopped as Jina stepped into the room, but this was a very different Jina. Mirshana saw Jainine start to say something and then stop. Jina wore armor, silver colored armor and she had two lightsabers at her waist, not one. A pack rested on her back and Mirshana sighed. She sat as Jina approached.

 

"Hello Mirshana." The Jedi, if she was one now, smiled. “I have to go. And I don’t know when or if I am going to come back.” Mirshana nodded and rose slowly. Then she embraced the armored form.

 

"Jina..." Mirshana's voice was fierce. “I don’t have a lot of friends Jina. You better come back. I will need a babysitter.” Jina cowered dramatically and a laugh went up around them. Others crowded close to the Jedi to say their own goodbyes and Mirshana stepped back to let them. But her gaze was caught by the spectral form of Jainine, who stood a ways away. Her face was… sad? Jainine nodded to Mirshana and vanished.

 

Mirshana waited until Jina was free before she moved closer to the Jedi. She embraced Jina again. “I don’t have a lot, but… I want you to have this…” Jina stared at the small brown crystal and most of the people around the just looked at the pair without comprehension. Leia however stood in a corner and smiled.

 

Jina looked at Mirshana. “Are you sure?” Mirshana nodded. Jina took the crystal and placed it in a pouch. Then she hugged the other woman lightly so as not to hurt her on the armor. She spoke into Mirshana’s ear. “I will be be back, Sharra, count on it…” Mirshana nodded and her eyes were filling as Jina released her and turned quickly. Jina nodded to everyone and then, she was gone.

 

Mirshana sat and tried not to cry. A hand found hers and she looked up into Leia’s worried face. the administrator's voice was kind and gentle. “She will be okay, Mirshana.”

 

The seated woman nodded. “I know. It’s just… I have a really bad feeling about this…”

 

"Bad?" Leia looked at her. “About what?”

 

"That's just it." Mirshana sighed. “I don’t know. I really don’t…”

Edited July 1, 2012 by kalenath

<A day later>

 

Jina sat at the controls of the small transport Cranna had given her and sighed. This was not going to be fun. But this was really the only time she would have. She would arrive on Tython soon, and no matter what, she needed answers. She shook her head and concentrated. Almost immediately Jainine’s form appeared beside her.

 

"What?" The Force shade snarled. “You rang?”

 

"Jainine." Jina sighed. “How can I call you without hurting you?”

 

"What?" Jainine snorted. “How the hell should I now? I was never one for stuffing people’s souls inside of crystals.”

 

"No." Jina drew a deep breath before speaking. “You were for lying to people.”

 

"Oh crap..." Jainine froze, and then she slumped. “Jedi, you of all people know what kind of choices I had at that point. What was I supposed to do? Tell him the truth? It would have gotten him killed. Or mindwiped.”

 

"I wish I could believe you." Jina sighed. “He told me a bit, after he came to Tython the first time after Nia. He told me what he remembered. He wanted to understand. I was a sympathetic and neutral ear.”

 

"You?" Jainine looked at her. “Really?”

 

"I like him, yes." Jina just looked at her. “We never had a relationship. Don’t think it never crossed my mind. But we served together a lot of different places. He was a good man, if a bit to direct in his methods at time. He forgave you…. I… I don’t know if I could have. He went back for you. To try and save you and you…”

 

She broke off as the ghostly woman flinched. Jainine's voice held old pain now.

 

“I know, Jedi…" Jainine said sadly. "I know. How do you think I feel? He was the first outsider I had ever seen and he was so… so good. He was so different…” It was odd to see the spirit bite her lip.

 

"Then why?" Jina just shook her head. “Why did you betray him? I know it’s the way of the Sith, but you were not a Sith were you?” Jainine flinched, but Jina continued. “Why?” Jainine seated herself on the floor of the cabin and shook her head.

 

Her voice took on a cadence as she started reliving memories. “I first saw Will when I was fifteen. He was a mess. We had no idea at all who he was, just that he had been in a fighter and…”

 

<Twenty three years previous>

 

“Watch the head, easy there…” Jainine Korr stood out of the way as her father and mother moved their newest patient into position for treatment.

 

Her father snarled as he started his scanners. “Idiot pilot, why wasn’t he wearing a helmet?” Her mom was checking for broken bones silently as her father ranted. Jainine waited, ready to run to get anything they might need.

 

Then her mom spoke up. “Kel, Is he a pilot? He isn’t wearing a flight suit either. And look at these… What could cause burns like that?”

 

Jainine didn’t try and see but her father hissed. “Interrogation scars…? We will stabilize him, and then give him a dip in the tank. They will be arriving shortly. We probably shouldn’t heal him. You know what they will do Lana.”

 

Jainine tensed as her mother nodded. “Mom, Dad?”

 

The two medical personnel turned to her. Her father spoke slowly. “You should go home Jainine.” The girl stiffened in instant rebellion, but when her mother made a gesture, Jainine nodded. Orders were orders after all. As she left, she heard her father speaking.

 

“How many recruits this time?” She didn’t hear the reply, she was too bust watching her step and then a loud roar caught her attention. The shuttle was landing in the town square. Janine joined the small crowd of beings who waited for the engine exhaust to fade before forming ranks at attention in front of the shuttle. The hatch opened and a group of beings started down. In their lead was a small brown form.

 

He was speaking. “…we will need to find out as much as we can. If one Republic ship found this base, then others can. And we cannot stand off a fleet. Not with just one ship.” The being stopped and Janine froze as Master Trugoy of the Bladeborn smiled at her.

 

“Good morning Jainine. Are your parents in the infirmary?” Jainine nodded, silent and Trugoy smiled. Her heart leaped as he did. “Keep up the good training scores girl, and you will be in our ranks in no time.”

 

Jainine kept her eyes on the ground as the group walked off, and then she made her way to her house. She sighed she saw the vibroblades racked on the wall near the door. Soon, someday soon, one might be hers… She yearned to wield one as a member of the Bladeborn. More than anything else she wanted that…

 

<The present>

 

Jainine stopped talking and looked at Jina. “You don’t look surprised.”

 

Jina just laughed. “I am finding references to Trugoy in the oddest of places these days… This isn’t even close to the weirdest.”

<Jainine’s memories>

 

She wasn’t sure about this. She wasn’t sure about this at all. Her mom had called her and said that she was needed, so she came, but when they had told her she was to tend this… strange man… She wasn’t sure. She was a dutiful child, so she nodded and sat at his bedside. And of course she wasn’t alone. The huge form didn’t speak to her however and Jainine wasn’t about to initiate conversation. Truth be told, she was unaccustomed to aliens of any kind. She wasn’t specist, heck no, growing up in a compound that was overseen by a small brown, and highly dangerous, alien left no chance of that. But she mainly knew humans. All of her friends were humans. She blinked as the form on the bed groaned in his sleep. He was struggling against the restraints that held him and she looked at the other, who sighed and motioned to her. She released them. It wasn’t as if this being was going to be able to escape after all. Not with a badly broken leg, a broken arm and a concussion. She spoke quietly.

 

“Should we sedate him?” She asked, trying to be calm. The other shook her head.

 

“No. Sssedation with a concussssion isss not a good thing. Let him wake. But you will ssspeak.” Jainine bit her lip and nodded. She didn’t have long to wait. A few minutes later, the bandaged form sighed. She shook herself and spoke in what she hoped was a friendly voice.

 

“Do not try to move, soldier.” The hurt form froze, and his head turned towards her voice. The bandages over his face would keep him from seeing her, as well as keeping grit and such out of his wounds. She couldn’t help it; this guy was just so like people she dealt with every day. Her voice hardened as she came closer to the bed. “What part of ‘Don’t try to move’ do you not understand?”

 

She put her hand in his and he tensed, but then relaxed. “There, feel that? You will be okay.” The man did relax and Jainine looked to her companion, who nodded. The man was badly dehydrated and his internal injuries were not life threatening. She put the straw to his lips and watched as he sipped slowly. She smiled. He wasn’t stupid, no matter if he had acted it, and many patients were that way on first waking up. He swallowed a few times and spoke.

 

“Wha… Where…?” Jainine had been prepared for this. Although lying did not come naturally to her, it was safer. For her, and for him.

 

“You are in a bed, in my home. You are badly hurt. We were worried about a concussion, so we let you wake. As soon as we are sure you are tracking properly, you will sleep again.” Her companion nodded and then touched the man on the temple. He slumped swiftly as if all of his muscles suddenly relaxed. When he spoke it was careful, each word slow. Jainine nodded as she prepared.

 

“Wait…I need to get back…I need…” Jainine sighed as she stepped up to the bed . He was tracking well. Time for him to sleep.Her companion nodded as well and Jainine readied her syringe.

 

“You need…to sleep.” Jainine injected the man into the skin over the brachial artery, just as she had been taught. She watched as the drug worked and he sank into slumber. She laid the empty syringe back down and sighed. A large scaled hand grasped her shoulder gently.

 

“Well done, Jainine.” Jainine stared up into the huge soft eyes and suddenly she was crying. The huge form held her as she sobbed.

 

“We are going to kill him, aren’t we?” Jainine asked between sobs. The Barabel shook her head.

 

“I don’t know child. I don’t know.”

 

<The next day>

 

Jainine sat alone. She wasn’t sure about this. Not at all. She did like that people were giving her more responsibility, but… She tensed as her patient groaned. She checked the readouts, what little they had here. It had been decided, he would live a prisoner, or die. He couldn’t be released of course. But there were so many unanswered questions about this man. Like why he had been tortured. And what had happened to the Republic cruiser. It hadn’t been destroyed by the Bladehome’s guns. It had blown apart from the inside out.

 

She laid a gentle hand on his forehead, feeling the bandages that were not really needed over his eyes now, but… they would keep him safe and that was a good thing, wasn’t it? If he found out he was a prisoner… She kept her worry out of her voice when she spoke. “Good morning.”

 

He squirmed a bit and his voice was a bit distracted when he replied. “Morning… I…” Jainine laughed in a kind tone as she moved to help.

 

“It’s okay. Here.” She helped him do what had to be done and then smiled again. “See, soldiers CAN be potty trained.” The soldier laughed with her and then he grimaced and she could feel his pain. He coughed and she looked worriedly at the readouts, but they were stable. She laid her hand back on his brow.

 

“Easy there soldier.” She felt him relax, but then he was obviously trying to hear his surroundings. She smiled. There was nothing for him to hear, besides some basic medical gear. When he spoke, gratitude was evident, as well as a bit of fear. If only he knew…

 

“Thank you. Where am I?” Jainine sighed inaudibly. This would be tricky, but… She was prepared.

 

“You are on Kuria. You are in my home, it’s the closest we have to a medical facility.” Not the truth, but close enough. And it wasn’t like they were going to let him run around now was it?

 

He shook his head sharply and then grimaced. She could feel the pain coming off him in waves now. She spoke sharply, a bit too sharply and she tried to moderate her tone.

 

“Easy there.” She held his head in place. Oh for a spinal immobilization board… But that didn’t fit the cover story. “You have two skull fractures. If you bump around…” He grimaced but subsided. As soon as she was sure he wasn’t going to move again, she removed her hands although she stood ready to hold him again. She spoke slowly.

 

“What is your name?” He sighed and spoke carefully, trying not to move.

 

“My name is Will. How did I get here?” Jainine took his hand in hers and spoke quietly.

 

“You crashed.” He was obviously focusing on her voice. “Mine’s Jainine." He began to shiver and she pulled a blanket over him."Time to sleep again, soldier.” She picked up a filled syringe and injected him again. She was heartened to see he was smiling as he fell asleep.

 

As she left the room, she was crying. Her mother reached for her and they embraced.

 

“This will be hard for you Jainine. Are you sure…?” Jainine nodded. “You know we may very well wind up resorting to euthanasia anyway….” Jainine nodded again. “If so, we will do it in his sleep and I will do it.” Jainine looked at her mother and shook her head.

 

“He is my responsibility. If that is what is decided… I will do it…” Her mother hugged her again.

 

“Oh Jainine… I think… I think you may be ready for the Trial sooner than you think.” Jainine stared at her mom, who just sighed. “For now though, we need to get you rested. And we need some too. Trugoy found a bunch this time….” Jainine nodded and followed her mother towards the common room, sparing only one final glance towards the slumbering form on the bed.

<Six months later>

 

Jainine knelt and tried not to shiver. She was still reacting. She had known of course that the Trial would be horrific. The whole idea was to push one past what one was normally capable of. To see if they had what it took to be Bladeborn. But she hadn’t had any idea. Not at all. To see herself, to fight herself had been bad enough, but what followed had been… And the warm arms holding her gave a squeeze.

 

“You did well, Jainine….” The gentle voice soothed her nerves. Jainine couldn’t stop shivering. It had been… Awful…

 

“Did… Did you see?” Jainine asked, trying to move beyond her pain and fear. The arms holding her squeezed again and then she was being rotated. She faced the huge mouth with no fear. Not of this kind Barabel anyway.. Mama was frowning.

 

“No, child it is different for each. And I do not look.” Mama said soberly. Jainine shook her head, and forced herself past her fear. She slowly relaxed. “What Jainine…?”

 

“I need to talk to the Master…" Jainine said quietly, finally calming. "It’s important…” Mama stared at her.

 

“Jainine…" Mama Lizard said, shaking her head. "Child, you need to ressst. We put you through hell. Tomorrow will be zoon enough.” Jainine shook her head and Mama stared at her. “Jainine…?”

 

"No, please, Mama..." The young Bladeborn, for now she was, even if she hadn’t received her brand or new name, shook herself and calmed. When she spoke it was calm, clear, and a bit sad. “I need to talk to the Master. I… I ‘saw’ what is coming.” There was an odd inflection on the word ‘saw’. The Barabel froze.

 

“You… ‘saw’ it….” The old lizard’s voice was worried. Scared almost. And Jainine nodded.

 

“I am a seer, Mama." Jainine gasped out. "I… I had wondered. My divinations were always clear and sharp… You said that yourself.” Mama nodded but her face held sorrow.

 

“Oh no…” the Barabel breathed slowly. To be a seer was both a great power and an awful curse. To see the future, the past, the present was not always a good thing. Often it led merely to pain beyond imagining. Jainine nodded.

 

“After the… fight… I saw many things. Most to do with our guest.” Mama’s eyes went wide at that. “I know what happened to him. What I don’t know is why, or what he will do… It was…clouded. Darkness and light all muddled together… I know you think I am too close to him, and I agree. But… This is important.” Mama nodded and sighed.

 

“For this, I will break tradition.” She swept Jainine up in her arms and started out of the cave. “But you must sleep, to recover. Sleep Jainine.” Even if she had wanted to, Jainine couldn’t have fought the gentle compulsion that swept her into dreams. Dreams of a black cloaked form… laughing.

 

<Three hours later>

 

Jainine woke to the sound of an irate voice and the feeling of warm suffusing her system.

 

“This had better be good; we put her in danger stressing her mind this way…” Jainine felt gentle hands on her arm now. “Easy does it Jainine…” She looked up into a furred face and smiled. She liked Ona. The Bothan smiled back, but the melancholy was there. Jainine buried her rage as she sat up and saw the mechanical legs that the healer had been fitted with just this last year. Rage at what had happened to the kind Bothan wouldn’t help her now. She looked around and nodded. Trugoy stood nearby, with Mama standing behind him. Several of the older Bladeborn were standing nearby as well. Jainine smiled at them and several smiled back. Trugoy spoke and she focused on him.

 

“Mama says you ‘saw’ something.” Trugoy said soberly. The ancient being's face was worried. Jainine nodded.

 

“Indeed I did. I fought and defeated myself, I assume that is the way it was meant to be, as I think I am sane.” Trugoy smiled at her somewhat dubious words, but waved for her to continue. “I… Saw… our guest…Will…” All of them stared at her and she sighed.

 

Will had not made himself popular in the colony. He kept trying to escape. He was polite, oh yeah, only an idiot wouldn’t be to people who had weapons when he did not. But he kept pushing and sooner or later… Trugoy sighed.

 

“Child, how do you know this isn’t your feelings for him? Your feelings for him are strong, and that is partly my fault.” Jainine shook her head and regretted it instantly. Trugoy took her hand in gentle fingers.

 

“Master… A woman named Naj Orh was in command of that cruiser." Jainine said slowly, feeling her way through each word. "The one the Bladehome found in our orbit. He destroyed it. From the inside. But she… She was not the reason he was tortured. She had her own reasons, reasons that someone else used.” Trugoy nodded slowly.

 

“So we have found with our investigations. Naj Orh fled her ship’s destruction. But who then?” Jainine’s eyes were frightened as she met his.

 

“Ravishaw.” She said with horror in her voice. Trugoy’s hand clenched on hers but she didn’t cry out. No, the physical pain was minimal compared to the pain in her head, and the fear. She grated words out. “I saw him, I saw… the darkness behind him… Master… Help me… Don’t let me become… a… threat to… the clan…” She was falling now, but something grabbed her and held her. Something bright. Trugoy’s words were soft, and gentle.

 

“You won’t young one.” She felt his hands on either side of her head and something… “Sleep…” And she did.

Edited July 1, 2012 by kalenath

<Later>

 

Jainine’s first thought on waking was ‘Ow’. Her second thought was that Will was going to get himself cut in half.

 

“…I don’t believe you. You people live to hurt others. Why should I believe anything you say?” She heard someone sigh and then the sharp sound of a fist meeting flesh.

 

“There. I have hurt someone. Now can you shut up and let me do my job?” Jainine didn’t want to laugh, but she couldn’t help it. Whoever was talking was just… so serious and at the same time, so hilarious. Her short bark of laughter had silence fall. Will was the first to speak. His voice was tentative.

 

Jainine…?” Then Will was speaking to the unknown. “Back off. I don’t care what you say, I don’t trust you.” Jainine felt rather than saw the unknown bristle. She sighed, conscious now of a massive pain in her head. She opened her eyes and was not surprised to find them covered by something moist, probably a cloth.

 

“Will…. Stop….” She begged. She didn't want him to die, and he was pushing everyone. A hand took hers. His voice was low and worried.

 

“Jainine… What happened? What did these Sith scum do to you?” Another slap and Jainine felt the power of the blow through the hand that was holding her, but Will didn’t release her.

 

“Will… I… Wasn't them...” She slumped, exhausted by the few words that she had managed. The unknown voice came again.

 

“You should sleep, girl." The new voice said gently. "I hope you feel better.” Will’s voice was sharp.

 

“I hope you trip over your robes and fall on your fracking lightsaber.” The soldier snapped. Jainine tensed as something Dark focused nearby, but instead of the hiss of saber or the crackle of Force lightning, another blow was heard and she felt Will’s presence move away quickly. He had probably been slugged. Wouldn’t be the first time. The voice came from very close now, a whisper.

 

“I saw what you saw, sister. I won’t kill him.” But then the voice was louder. “You should learn some respect idiot boy.” She felt the Force boil nearby and she heard a grunt from Will. “Now shut up!” A thud and she felt Will’s pain through the Force. It made her whimper a bit. Her own pain never hurt her as badly as his did for some reason. They were linked, somehow.

 

"Moron." The voice was close again. “Idiot boy just won’t learn to respect his betters. I would be doing us all a favor spitting him a lightsaber.” Jainine couldn’t help it. She whimpered.

 

“No… Don’t… Please…” Jainine begged, her head was pounding now. Will’s voice came again and she tensed. He just didn’t have the sense of a nerf sometimes.

 

“Haven’t you hurt her enough?" Will snapped. "If you have to hurt someone, hurt me!” She felt something and cried out.

 

“Will! No!” The presence nearby shifted to annoyance and amusement and she heard grunts of effort and pain. “Don’t… Don’t hurt him…. Please... Don’t hurt him…” She was crying now. Now the presence loomed close in her awareness, she felt dark amusement and sadness at this needed subterfuge.

 

“You should take lessons from her, boy. Our patience is not without end, and you are nearing the end.” Jainine heard a noise and sighed inaudibly as Will spat at the unknown. Then a loud thud, a cry of pain abruptly silenced and the voice was soft and kind again. “Oh Jainine, come on… let’s get you up…” Gentle hands helped her into a sitting posture and pushed pillows behind her. A gentle hand touched her brow and she winced at the pain that tender touch gave her. The voice sighed. “You are a mess girl.” But Jainine was reaching out.

 

“Will…” Jainine begged. Strong hands took hers.

 

“He is out. And I think I broke his arm again." The voice said sourly. "Idiot boy. No, don’t move. You should have slept before talking to Trugoy, you have done damage to yourself. But… I understand. Our visions are… often compelling.” Jainine’s eyes went wide under the cloth that covered them.

 

“You… You’re Idjit.” She said softly, wonderingly. His hands gave hers a squeeze. The Bladeborn’s seer was young, but incredibly powerful, at least according to rumor. No one had ever said he would be nice. But he sure seemed that way, to her anyway.

 

“Yep, that’s me." The prime seer of the clan said with a laugh. "Here…” A spoon found her mouth and she swallowed dutifully. A few more times this happened before she spoke.

 

“Since when do seers act as nurses?” She asked softly. A short laugh came from nearby.

 

“Since you ‘boyfriend’ has ticked off everybody else. And…” His voice turned serious. “I had to make sure you were you.” Jainine relaxed a bit.

 

“Thank you.” Another few spoonfuls and she spoke again. “If I… If you sense me… going…” Idjit sighed.

 

“That’s why I am here.” Idjit promised. Jainine ate a few a few more spoons, and then she slumped.

 

“He isn’t bad." Jainie said soberly. "Just…” Idjit’s hand found hers.

 

“He is scared and alone." Idjit sighed deeply and continued. "I know the feeling, but… Jainine… sooner or later, he will find out the truth, and find a way to escape. When he does…” Jainine sighed.

 

“I know. I know…”

<Five months later>

 

Jainine stood alone in the darkness, trying not to fret. Of all the things she had expected when she got up this morning, this was not on the list.

 

When Will had flat out vanished from Kuria, a lot of eyes had landed on her. She had tried to make what amends she could, but in point of fact, she had failed. She had been his keeper, and… she had gotten involved. Heck, more than involved with him. She was pregnant. He had been so scared, so alone, so… So nice to her. Yes, she had her battle kin, but they were distant now that she was a seer. Idjit was nice, very nice actually, but he was often gone with Trugoy or on his own mysterious actions. And he was also smitten with another. Jainine didn’t really mind. Having two seers, er… ‘seeing’ each other might have been just a bit hard to swallow even for the comparatively open minded Bladeborn. And she genuinely liked Sharlina, even though she had only met the girl once. She felt something bad coming, for both Idjit and Sharlina and had tried to see what it was, but as always, her visions were unreliable when dealing with people close to her. Case in point…

 

Will had vanished one day. He had gone to bed in the small house that they had shared for almost a year and then, when she woke, he had been gone. No note, no tracks, no nothing. She couldn’t ‘see’ him now. He was always a bit murky in the Force, his own force ability marred by the torture and experimentation done to him. But now he was just gone, and that worried her, a lot. There were a lot of things out there that even Sith walked carefully around. So the message for her to meet him alone that had shown up on her datapad this morning was worrisome. Very worrisome.

 

“Psst, Jainine…” She almost jumped through the roof of the small cavern when Will’s voice came out of the darkness. She spun, hand automatically going to where her saber would have hung, if she hadn’t been trying to keep her secret still. Instead it hit the handle of her blaster. She froze as Will came out of the darkness. Her first thought was that he looked very, very good in that flight suit. And then she focused on the equipment attached to it and the oddly shaped weapon at his side and she froze solid.

 

Oh no…No... No no...Not them...

 

Will came close to her, hand outstretched. “Jainine, come on, we haven’t got a lot of time.” She shook her head, horrified. Of all the people he could have found… “Jainine, we have a way out. A way to be free.” Jainine shook her head again.

 

“To be a slave to the Islanians, Will?" Jainine took a slowly step back form him, her face scared. "Is that your idea of freedom?” Will shook his head.

 

“You know about them? Of course you do, you are right on the edge of their space.” He came closer. “Look, they don’t want a slave, they want something called a 'battle commander'. They think I can be that. Come on…” He held out his hand again, but she took a fast step back. She had to think… She had too, this was just wrong. Everything was going wrong.

 

“Islanians…" Jainine shook her head. "Will… I… I can’t… They will kill me…” Will froze and she could see the wheels turning in his head.

 

“The only people they kill… are… Sith…” His face went slack and tears came to her eyes. “You…? You are a Sith…?” He backed up now, and she held out a hand to him.

 

“Will…” But she froze as a weapon appeared in his hand, he didn’t seem to draw, it just appeared. An oddly shaped weapon, but she had no doubt it was lethal. His face worked as he tried to get his mind around the idea.

 

“You… You are a Sith. So this was all a lie.” She shook her head in denial, but he snarled now. “This was all a trick, something to get me to… why? I don’t know anything. I am not valuable.” She was crying openly now, but he didn’t move to comfort her.

 

“You are far more valuable than anyone knows, WIll." Jainine said through her tears. "Empire, Republic, Jedi, Sith. Please Will, put down the gun and we can talk. I… I can explain.” But he was backing away.

 

“All this time…" The hurt in his voice was palpable. "I thought you cared.” Her face broke as she heard the dismissal in his words.

 

“I do care Will." She protested. "I am carrying your kid for the Force’s sake. Will, please…” But his face went cold and hard and against her will, she shivered.

 

“Goodbye Jainine.” The voice was the same as always, but now so cold, so, so dark… She was crying hard now as he stepped away from her and then froze. “You lying witch!” She ducked as blaster fire crisscrossed the area. She didn’t look up until it stopped. A hand touched her shoulder.

 

“We have to move.” Idjit’s face was close to hers in the darkness and she shook her head. “We have to be gone before that Islanian ship comes back. Come on Jainine. Come on…” She looked at where Will lay, now surrounded by armored forms and she cried. Idjit’s arm was across her shoulder as he led her away. “We won’t kill him Jainine. We won’t…” She was still crying as he led her away.

 

<The present>

 

"So...?" Jina sat back as Jainine finished her story. “Then what happened?” The ghost/shade/whatever she was shrugged.

 

“They blocked his memory, and took him to a Republic medical facility as a John Doe. The Republic Ided him quickly, and put him back in the military. The rest… I think, you know.” Jina nodded. “I was forbidden to leave Kuria. And… I didn’t really mind. I had hurt myself, and... We had a duty, as well the colony; we had to guard the door. And after Nia was born, well…” Jainine sighed and shook herself.

 

"Ah..." Jina sat back and thought hard. While she wanted to hate this spirit, she found, she really couldn’t. Jainine had been young and a bit foolish, true, but she had tried to do the best she could. Finally she sighed. “I… I want to hate you. I love that man as much as you or Sharra do. It’s forbidden of course, for good reason. But…” Jainine nodded.

 

“You know it’s a trap.” Jainine said soberly. Jina smiled and Jainine shook her head. “Yes, I know ‘traps work two ways’, but if the Jedi so much as suspect you know what you know…. You will never leave the Enclave Jina. You know that… And if you show up in that armor. They won’t suspect, they will know…” Jainine sighed.

 

“I know. I have a set of robes to change into, and I have my saber back with its old crystal. All I have to do is get to the archives, do a search and leave. Should be a piece of cake.” Jainine shook her head, and Jina sighed. “Yeah, I don’t think so either…”

 

<Tython>

 

Jedi Master Ashla Ti sighed as she sat back from her meditation. Her padawan Diseree was looking at her. They shared a long look, and then both spoke in unison.

 

“Fierfek…”

<Later, at the Jedi Enclave on Tython>

 

Jina strode through the halls of the Jedi Enclave with confidence. After all, she was home. A few of her friends, on seeing her, had stopped to offer congratulations or just to say hi, and she was genuinely glad to see many of them. She knew that Nolikas was gone of course and she heard that both Masters Vandar and Melan had also left the planet. She wasn’t surprised. Vandar went where he will, when he willed, and Melan had a lot of business to attend to as well. Then she was hailed by a familiar voice ad she turned to see two faces she had hoped not to see. She controlled herself as she bowed to Master Ashla Ti. She and Diseree exchanged a nod.

 

“Master Ashla Ti, Padawan Diseree.” Both of the other Jedi smiled and nodded. Ashla Ti spoke.

 

“We had heard you returned. Have you eaten?” Jina nodded.

 

“I had breakfast, but it has been some time. I need to visit the Archives. A question has come up that I cannot answer. I can meet you for lunch, after I start a data search. I am willing to be this will not be quick.” Ashla Ti smiled.

 

“I would enjoy that. There are… questions I have for you as well.” Jina nodded, and then turned to Diseree, who smiled widely. Jina returned the smile.

 

“You look much better, Diseree. Much more alive.” The young Kel Dor smiled.

 

“Thank you Master Darkstorm. So do you.” Jina looked at her and Diseree just smiled. “To me you will always be Master Darkstorm. No matter who or what might say otherwise.” Jina felt her stomach clench, but she held herself tightly controlled. A slip of the tongue? Not likely… Ashla Ti smiled again.

 

“We will let you get on with your search. We will see you at lunch.” Jina bowed to the elderly Togruta and the two seers walked off, discussing something esoteric. Jina stared after them. A warning? A hint? She had no idea… She sighed and continued towards the Archives.

 

When Jina arrived at the Archives, she stoped and just stared as she always did. She was as always amazed by the sheer scope of the place. It was the single largest store of knowledge in Jedi hands. Quite probably it was the largest store of Jedi knowledge in the galaxy. It put most major libraries to complete shame. One of the archivists came up and Jina explained her query. If the archivist looked at her a bit oddly, it was no surprise. It was an odd query. The archivist led her to an alcove with a terminal and left her to her search.

 

Two hours later, Jina was still searching.

 

Grah! There has to be something…

 

She shook her head. There was a lot of information of Force shades. While they were rare, they were devastating. Freedon Nadd, Naga Sadow, Adjunta Pall, the list went on and on. It seemed to be the epitome of many a Sith Lord's ambition was to become some kind of undead ‘thing’ that could live on after his or her body died. And cause as much havoc as possible.

 

Jina was careful, she didn’t look at any particular record, or any particular time. She was mainly looking for generalities, not facts. Facts she had aplenty. Facts that would get her in a lot of trouble if anyone found out she knew them. Finally, she sat back and turned off the terminal. It was really no surprise that the Archives held so little information on Sith ghosts. After all, there hadn’t been THAT many of them. And none of them had been made ghosts against their will, so… She sighed. A wild Bantha chase… She stood up and stretched. She nodded to the archivist as she left ad if the woman looked at her a bit funny, well, Jina HAD just sat in that chair without moving for over two hours. Maybe she was…

 

“Jedi Darkstorm.” Jina stopped her walking at the quiet voice that came to her ears. She turned and her guts went tight as she saw three forms in Jedi robes approaching her. A human, a Mon Calamari and a Rodian. None she knew. She smiled at them.

 

“Yes?” Her hand did not move towards her lightsaber. Better to remain peaceful. For the moment… The male human in the lead met her eyes and she sighed inwardly at the wariness she saw there. His voice was polite.

 

“I must ask you to come with us.” Jina looked at him.

 

“I have a lunch appointment. Can this wait?” The human shook his head.

 

“I am afraid not. But Master Ashla Ti awaits us. In the Council Chamber.” Jina nodded.

 

“Well, since she was who I was meeting for lunch… I guess I have no objections…” She snorted and started off, but the man sighed.

 

“I must ask for your lightsaber.” Jina froze at that. For a Jedi to ask another Jedi to surrender her lightsaber….

 

Oh flarg…

 

Jina met his eyes. “Am I under arrest?” The human shook his head.

 

“It’s a precaution. People are nervous. Your… reputation with a blade precedes you.” Jian snorted in sour amusement and she saw the same amusement mirrored in the human’s eyes. She sighed. Then she slowly unhooked her blade from her belt. It jumped out of her hand and found the humans. “I do apologize.” Jina nodded.

 

“May I ask what this is about?” SHe said slowly. The human sighed.

 

“I don’t know.” She felt no trickery from him, just honest worry and confusion. “All I know is that the masters have questions. That is all they told me.” Jina shrugged.

 

“Well, I have more than a few of my own, so… Lead on…” The Mon Cal and Rodian moved to behind her and the human started off and Jina moved to beside him. Jina snorted. “Wow, my reputation seems to have grown…” As she looked around, she noticed there was no one else around. Normally, this level was crowded with Jedi, younglings, padawans, visitors. Now there was no one. Not a good sign. The human sighed.

 

“I don’t know what is going on, just that…” He broke off and Jina froze as Jainine appeared in front of her.

 

“Jina! Run!” Then the Force Shade was gone. The human turned to her a befuddled look on his face, but Jina just stood there.

 

“Who was that?” Jina tensed as she felt his Force sense. It wasn’t surprised. No, it was sad… She slumped.

 

“I don’t want to hurt you.” She said sadly. She heard lightsabers ignite behind her, but her eyes were on the human. “Get out of my way.” He shook his head.

 

“Jina, you don’t have a chance, you don’t even have your…” His eyes went wide as two hilts fell into her hands. He shook his head as two silver blades ignited. Jina stepped away from the three and they followed her. “I should have known… We don’t want to hurt you either, Jina. Just… please surrender…”

 

"Ah..." Jina shook her head. “You know I can’t do that…”

 

<in the Council Chamber>

 

Ashla Ti had been waiting and growing steadily more nervous. The longer it took to get Jina here the more chance of her discovering what the Council intended. Stripping her of the Force was bad enough... She froze as the Force seemed to reverberate inside her skull. She dashed to the door and stared in shock at the three slumped Jedi forms in the hallway. She ran to them and breathed a bit easier as she sensed they all lived. She saw a hole in the ceiling and without a word, summoned the Force, crouched and jumped to it. The path was easy to follow, a hole gaped out onto the roof and she ran out, praying...

 

“Jina!” She called. The robed figure in the distance paused and turned to face her. Aahla Ti saw the silver sabers and slumped. She straightened and raised a hand. Not to summon the Force, but to wish her friend well. After a moment, one of the sabers deactivated and Jina raised a hand as well. Ashla Ti felt other presences closing quickly. She stood and watched silent as Jina vanished into the distance, running along the roofs as if they were flat pavement. Only when Jina was gone did Ashla Ti allow herself to turn away, and cry.

 

“May the Force be with you Jina. You will need it. Now more than ever…”

<Hyperspace>

 

Jina sat back and sighed. Jainine appeared beside her.

 

“I am sorry." Jainine said quietly. "I know I shouldn’t have done that… I felt something wrong and I just….” Jina shook her head.

 

“It’s all right Jainine. I think that whole thing was a trap. There was nothing in the archives. Lots about shades, but nothing about anything like… that…” She indicated the crystal that sat on the console. “They were ready for me, as ready as they could have been. If I hadn’t known there was a problem, if I had just waltzed in there all fat and happy… Well…” The shade sighed.

 

“If I come like this, it doesn’t hurt as much.” Jainine admitted. Jina nodded and the spirit sighed.. “What will you do now?”

 

“I don’t know. Find a hole and crawl into it I guess." Jina said with a scowl. "I don't want to go back to the Enclave, even if i knew where it was, which I don't. They erased the navicomputer when I landed at Cranna's. You know what we face. I won’t expose anyone else to it.” Jainine nodded, and then sighed again.

 

“For what it is worth I am sorry." Jina smiled sadly at the spirit's heartfelt words. "I wish…”

 

“If wishes was fishes, we would all be a’ swimmin’.” Jina quipped. Jainine laughed, but then blinked. Jina hadn’t closed her mouth.

 

“Jina?” The ghost asked, looking closely. The Jedi was sitting as if frozen, or… as if paralyzed! “Jina!” Now the Jedi slumped unconscious and Jainine stared at the Jedi. A sound from the rear of the ship had her looking there and she screamed as a large shadowed form lumbered into the cockpit. The large form reached for the crystal she was trapped in. She screamed again and then she was gone.

 

The form moved to where Jina lay and many arms moved over her body. Then, as if satisfied, it moved to the navicomputer. Many fingers flew over the controls as it set a new course for when the ship reverted to realspace. There was much to do, and not a lot of time…

<Somewhere>

 

Jina woke up slowly. She tried to get her mind around the fuzziness that seemed to suffuse it. What had happened? She had been talking to Jainine. She had felt something odd and then… she had been here. She felt… Well, she didn’t feel much of anything at all. Was she floating? No, she felt pressure on her head, back and hips, so she was lying on something. Something soft and yielding. The Force didn’t answer when she called it, so… she was probably drugged. She tried to move her finger and after a long minute, she felt them respond, but then, something changed. She felt light. She was unconscious again before she could determine why light felt… wrong.

 

<Nearby>

 

The conversation that took place was almost entirely silent. It was not an actual language, and the few spoken words wouldn’t translate well into Basic, but the gist of the conversation might have been as follows…

 

Report.

 

Jedi recovered from the enemy. Injured. Treated. Spirit in crystal recovered as well.

 

Status?

 

Jedi impossible to keep asleep, resistance to sleep agents high

 

Dark Cousins' damage repaired. Oddities detected, but no consensus at the moment on cause. New injury done to Jedi? This in a worried tone

 

Negative. In time. Sleep agents not powerful enough. Stronger agents cause harm.

 

Stasis. Third must be preserved. Or all hope lost. This in a tone of command.

 

As commanded, Majesty. This last in a subservient tone.

 

A large shadowed form carried the slumbering Jedi to an organic looking pod and placed her gently within. A touch and the pod closed. Only the blinking of lights on the side betrayed that the object Jina was in wasn’t a large cocoon. The being watched as the pod seemed to rime with ice and then turned away. Just the hint of a chitin carapace was seen from the shadow as it moved away.

((Oh boy... And just when you thought things were slowing down... Comments and or suggestions always appreciated. Flames might wind up trapped in a weirdly colored crystal...))