She didn't want to wake up. She was comfortable as she was. But whoever was poking her was relentless. She was lying on something comfortable, but she hurt. She was warm, but she felt cold. She was clean and dry, but felt dirty and grimy. The same tormenter prodded hear again.

 

"G'way..." Istara Sharlina Andal slurred. "Leave'm alone..."

 

"Shar...?" The voice of Ona, the healer of the Bladeborn, was worried. "Come on Shar, come, wake up... I know you feel weird but you have to wake up. Please, Shar, you have to wake up."

 

"No." Istara said flatly as she rolled over, er, she tried to. "What the...?" She demanded as she came awake. She found herself in medical ward. One she recognized. The Stormhawk hadn't been her home for long, but she had seen the inside if it's medical bays far too often. She was strapped to the bed! "What the hell? Ona?" Istara snapped.

 

"Istara..." The healer sat nearby, her face a mask of tears. "Oh Istara... You are finally lucid. Do you know where you are?"

 

"A bed. What the, Ona?" Istara paused and shook her head. "Dammit Firdlump, not again. Get out of my head!" She snapped.

 

"Istara...Shar..." Ona said slowly. "You were rescued. It isn't a trick, although I don't expect you to believe me after what you went through. Just the residue is horrifying enough. The scarring..." The Bothan was crying now. "I am sorry Shar, I have done what I can..."

 

"You put a Sitolon egg in me, you son of a barve!" Istara snapped, trying the restraints again. Odd. They were not the same kind as she had been under the last time she had woke in a medical ward, more gentle, more to keep her from moving than to keep her from escaping. Not that they didn't work for that... She paused, something was different. She could feel Ashla again and Ona's sense in the pervading energy field was grief stricken. "I... What?" She asked, confused. "This is..."

 

"This is real, Shar." Ona said sadly. Her hand coming down to stroke Istara's. "I don't blame you for doubting. But, did you really think we would just leave you in his clutches?" Ona chided, her face still a mask of pain and grief. "We set up a rescue."

 

"I..." Istara felt her own eyes start to burn. This WAS real. No matter how good Firdlump's illusions had been, they had been illusions. "Ona...I..."

 

"It's okay, Shar." Ona said gently. "It's okay. It is going to be okay. Your child lives. They put it in Nia of all people. Will is... somewhat upset." The healer said dubiously.

 

"I bet." Istara said slowly, confused. "He... Firdlump said they did that. Why? They couldn't have cared less about any life, let alone an unborn one. Why?" She asked again.

 

"We have been interrogating Nia. She has been cooperating. Her dad did something, something that shocked her right out of that collective. Probably only temporary, but who knows. According to her, apparently, the enslaved Sitolon queen demanded it." Ona said with a frown. "Why? I have no idea."

 

"Ecmin. She was..." Istara shook her head slowly. "She tried to be gentle. She acted kind. She was scared, so..." Istara broke off and her eyes went wide. "Oh my god! Jina!" She screamed and was crying now. "I killed Jina! That was Jina in the armor, whose gun I took... I killed her..."

 

"Istara, it is not your fault." Ona hurried to say, her hand rubbing Istara's as it balled up into a fist. "Please relax. Please?" Warmth spread from Ona's fingers and soothed Istara's tight nerves. Against her will she found herself relaxing. "Easy battle sister...Don't leave us."

 

"Ona..." Istara gasped. "I... I can't... I have to...atone..."

 

"You are not thinking clearly, Istara." Ona said gently. "What you killed wasn't Jina. It was what was left of her. You heard what they did to her. Istara, it is not your fault."

 

"Fate of the Third..." Istara said sadly. "Nana was right. And that means I am going to suicide."

 

"No you are not." Ona said sternly. "Until and unless you can prove to me that you are thinking clearly, I am not going to let you out of that bed. I put catheters in, and I will not let you starve yourself." She said, her gaze turning harsh. "We need you, now more than ever." Istara paused in her struggles, her expression wary.

 

"Who did we lose? You said 'a rescue'." Istara said slowly. "I expected Mama to be here... to tell the truth... You shouldn't be. Your empathy will hurt you... And... I could break these Ona, I could hurt you..."

 

"I know." Ona said sadly. "But it is my duty now. Mama didn't make it."

 

"What?" Istara felt faint. "No..." She shook herself and tears were falling in sheets. "No... No... No... First Sharlina, now Mama...? No... I can't take it... Ona, I can't..."

 

"What?" Ona asked as she soothed the restrained woman as best she could. "Istara, you are drugged still. You have residue of Sitolon nectar in your system. It's one of the strongest naturally occurring narcotics that we know of. You are going to be loopy for a while until it excretes from your system." The healer smiled a bit sadly. "I wouldn't blame the crazy part of your personality if she decided to step back." Istara had very few secrets from Ona.

 

"You don't understand." Istara said flatly. "I woke up, in that place... Implanted..." She paused, her eyes scared. Ona hastened to reassure her.

 

"We are taking you to Nolikas, Shar." The Bothan said gently. "That Jedi healer is good, she can get them out. We have disabled them. Lohas wanted to try and remove them, but we don't dare. Your system is so messed up, if we introduce any new nanites into it..."

 

"I might explode." Istara said flatly. She shook her head. "I never did understand why that might happen, but it's enough to know that it might."

 

"A severe antagonistic reaction. "Ona said softly. "They really don't like what is going on in your body."

 

"Whatever." Istara said sadly. "I just... Ona... I can't sense her at all. Always before she was there, if muted in the back of my mind. Now she isn't. They took Sharlina way from me. They killed her!"

Nia didn't move. Not that she could. Not content to strip her of the Force, blindfold and gag her, her captors had strapped her body thoroughly, suspended her in midair in some kind of anti-gravity harness, and she could hear the hum of energy nearby. Probably a force cage if she wasn't mistaken. She was not going anywhere. That gave her plenty of time to think. To rail, to scream at herself.

 

You idiot girl! Nia berated herself. Of all the stupid... Mom was right. Sharra was right. You are just stupid Nia... Couldn't see past the haze in your mind long enough to see what you were doing. Couldn't see the consequences... You deserve whatever Sharra and Will do to you...

 

Nia. The voice was calm, gentle and in her head! It's not your fault.

 

No! Nia screamed in her head and tried to scream aloud, but couldn't through her bindings. No! She begged. Not again!

 

I won't hurt you Nia. The female voice said gently. You are free.

 

No I am not. Nia said sadly. I will never be free. I can feel him scrabbling at the edges of my mind, trying to get in. I can't hold him out forever. Just take Istara's kid out of me and kill me! The implants are bad enough! She had been so proud when Menglan had implanted her again, much more gently than the first time. Looking back now, she could feel nothing but revulsion. She had given up her free will gladly, happily even.

 

Nia... The voice soothed. It's okay. Easy... He is busy and will be for a while. Will really did a number on that collective of his. Remind me not to tick him off anytime soon.

 

It... Nia hissed in memory. It hurt...I was unconscious and it still hurt like hell.

 

I know, Nia. The voice consoled her. I am sorry for what you endured. I am so sorry for what has happened, what you were forced to do.

 

I... Nia stammered in her mind. I killed Hawkir. He saved my life and I killed him... How many others died when I let the nanites that were in me loose? How many?

 

Nia, it wasn't you. The female voice said softly. It was Firdlump, he was controlling your mind, your senses, your perceptions, everything. He used you, Nia. Just like he has used everything he has. Mercilessly.

 

I just want this to end. Nia said plaintively. I am sick of this. I am so sick of this. I never wanted to be a warrior. I never wanted to be powerful. I wanted to be a healer. Like my mom...

 

I know, Nia. The female voice was sad now. I know the feeling. But it is never about what we want. It is always about what is needed. You told the Bladeborn everything.

 

I... What? Nia asked, confused. Her recent memory was all hazy, confused. Painful at times, and loud at times, but never clear. Pain? Oh my god! Istara's child!

 

Be at ease, Nia. The voice continued. They took great care not to harm the fetus.

 

I... Nia slumped a bit. I am glad. After so many horrors, so much stupidity on my part... I couldn't handle causing the death of an unborn child. I don't want to fight any more!

 

I am sorry Nia. The voice sighed and then turned stern. You do not have a choice. Not now. Events are proceeding.

 

How many more innocents must I kill? Nia screamed in her mind. How many?

 

One. The voice said gently. Only one Nia. And then, this will be done.

 

No. Nia said flatly. I won't kill again. Not for Firdlump, not for anyone! I won't!

 

You won't have a choice Nia. The voice was very sad now. She is not going to leave you any choice. But she will thank you for it.

 

I won't hurt Istara again! Nia somehow managed to scream even louder A muffled grunt came from her lips as well as she fought her restraints. I won't

 

"What the...?" A startled voice sounded nearby.

 

"Dose her! NOW!" A sharp command came and Nia felt the world start to slip away.

 

It won't be Istara, Nia. The voice said sadly. You will wish it was. We will talk again. Then Nia was asleep.

 

<Later>

 

Nia awoke to a heated argument. She was strapped to a table, she could feel things her mind said were medical in nature around, on and in her. When she opened her eyes, she saw only blackness. She couldn't feel the Force. But the irate voice nearby stopped her musing.

 

"Okay, why are you saying I can't have her after you are done?" Sharra Kalenath's voice was cool, but clear. It was also clear that she was mad.

 

"Matriarch Sharra..." A voice Nia halfway remembered. "You are angry, we do not blame you. But she is needed. The prophecy..." A snarl had the voice pausing.

 

"The prophecy doesn't say anything about her being whole." Sharra snapped. "Get out of my way, Grun'das."

 

"Please..." The voice Nia recognized now as the black sitolon who had accosted her in the hangar bay was pleading. "Please, Mistress Sharra, do not do this."

 

"No." Nia was surprised that she could talk and that she could speak clearly. She spoke quickly into the sudden silence her word had created. "I deserve anything she can do. Anything she can and will do and more. I betrayed you all. I took Istara... I hurt Istara... I killed Hawkir and others. I hurt...Da- Will..." She cut herself off, her dad cast her out. "Hurt me as you will, I deserve it and more. Just don't hurt the child, Sharra." She begged.

 

A resounding silence fell. Nia waited. And waited. Then something touched her and she screamed before she realized it was a gentle touch.

 

"Easy, girl. I won't hurt you." Nia wasn't sure if she knew the voice or not. " Sharra is gone, Nia."

 

"Ah..." Nia complained. "I just want this to end... I am sick of this..."

 

"Oh, not you too?" The voice snapped. "Sheesh! Yeah right, like I am going to let you or Shar suicide? Both you are idiots!"

 

"I have acted it." Nia said sadly. "So... Where do I know you from?" She asked quietly.

 

"We only met once in the last few years, Nia. You travelled and wound up in my care." A gentle hand traced her brow. "Ah girl... So far from Kuria and the simple life, huh?" Nia stiffened, she did know this being.

 

"Ona?" Nia asked, not sure at all. "Is that really you?" She remembered the gentle Bothan from Kuria. She had arrived and Nia's mother had worked hard to heal her after something horrible had happened to the young Bladeborn. Nia had spent time helping out in the clinic, sat with the hurt Bothan a few times. Nia wasn't sure what had happened to the black furred female, her mom sort of defined closemouthed. But she did know that the Bothan had received mechanical legs. "We... I... That was you I met on the ship? Whenever it was?"

 

"You were very out of it, Nia." The gentle hand traced her brow again. "You just appeared in the middle of our assembly hall and collapsed. You scared me. I thought you were dead when I got to you."

 

"Part of me wishes I had been." Nia said sadly. "So... What now?"

 

"Now... We have to find out some things." Ona said sadly. "We have to experiment." Nia tensed but then relaxed. "We need to know how Firdlump got the nanites into you. It shouldn't have worked."

 

"Ona... At least take the baby out." She could feel the oddness in her belly. It was still there. "Give Istara her kid back."

 

"We can't." Was Ona crying?

 

"What?" Nia demanded, then paused. Who was she to complain about anything? "Why? Ona?" She asked, dazed.

 

"Istara is actively suicidal." Ona said sadly. "I can't put a child in her, not knowing that she is going to keep trying. We have an idea and we are on our way to try it, but... Until then..."

 

"Ona no..." Nia breathed horrified. "Don't..."

 

"I will not harm you or Istara's child, Nia Korr." A new voice sounded nearby. It sounded young, female and confident. "But we need to know. I am Lohas. My children will be gentle. We need to find out how he subverted you to prevent it from happening again."

 

"I hope something good can come of this." Nia paused. "Wait... What about another surrogate?"

 

"It took us five months to find a surrogate who matched all the criteria last time. Kirina is busy now. She offered, but we are nowhere near her location." Ona said sadly. "And we did not find Kirina. I wish... I wish I could talk to Sarai. She would know what to do."

 

"You are doing fine, Ona. Or should I say, Mama Dog?" Lohas said with humor in her voice. "It was a joke!" The other female said quickly.

 

"Do not ever repeat that around any of my kin, Lohas." Ona said sternly. "We only had one Mama. I am not kidding. Okay, Nia...Here we go. Lohas?" Nia felt something hard touch her on the arm and then... She was floating away on a haze of bliss. Familiar bliss. Nia stiffened. It felt like...

 

"No!" Nia screamed and writhed, trying to get away from the touch. The feeling faded and Ona's voice was harsh with shock.

 

"Nia?" Ona asked as a furred hand touched her. "What?"

 

"The collective..." Nia babbled out. "That felt like the collective! Oh god no... No not again... Please... No..." She was struggling in her bonds and barely felt the sting that sent her into slumber.

Edited August 21, 2012 by kalenath

<Two days later>

 

A knock came on the door, almost a hesitant one. A black furred form in a green cloak was seen outside the door, shifting from foot to foot as if uncomfortable. The sense in the Force was... scared?

 

"Yes?" a voice asked in the mind though the door stayed shut and no one was around.

 

"I..." The female Bothan shook herself and spoke slowly. "I need to speak to a man named Delmon. It is... important. It has to do with a girl named Issy..." She hoped that would get through. Shar had been SO closemouthed about things. At least the other Bladeborn involved had made full reports.

 

The door opened some showing an older gentleman with a worried look. "Problems with Istara?"

 

"Yes." The Bothan nodded. "Yes, you could say that..." The Bothan said as she lowered her hood. Her face fur showed tracks of tears. "May I come in? I don’t want to draw too much attention to you... and… anyone who may be with you..."

 

Riordan frowned, giving a nod and gesturing for the bothan to come in. "Interesting for you to seek me out of all the folks in the galaxy."

 

"I came because I have to." Ona nodded her thanks as she entered and took off her cloak.. "Of all the people in the galaxy, you may be the only one who can help. Well, you or Setsuna... if she is..." Ona's eyes glistened. "No one would tell me. Is she...?" Ona hesitated, worried.

 

Riordan's eyes widened in surprise before giving a comforting smile. "She is alright. We're not entirely sure what happened but we theorize that survival instincts kicked in at the last second and temporarily disconnected Setie from the Force. She just needs time to recover from everything and she'll be fine. Though we don't know if she'll be as strong in the Force as she was before. That might be a blessing to her though..."

 

"Thank the Maker..." Ona said, her posture easing from pure worry. "No one would tell me..." She complained half whimsically. “How are you?"

 

"Still adjusting to the whole concept of having a daughter...much less a fully grown one that has been through much. The physically wounds of mine are mostly mended but I think I'll leave the adventuring and combat to younger sprigs than me from now on."

 

"I know the feeling..." Ona said with a wince. "I got... Well... It wasn’t my idea to get new legs... And I have three children now... Adopted, but still..." She patted her closest flesh and blood leg. "I had forgotten how much cramps hurt when you haven't used the muscles in a while... Anyway..." Ona sighed. "Istara's in trouble. I need your help, if you can."

 

"I'm assuming by trouble you don't mean just a medical condition or a nasty gash."

 

"I wish it were that simple." Ona said as she hung her cloak. "She was captured by our enemies... Eh... I don't know how much you saw while you and she were out and about, looking for the cure, but... You know she had...basically two women inside her head?"

 

"That's debatable but something along those lines yes."

 

"The people who captured her..." Ona could not keep the hate out of her voice but she managed to dampen it a bit and then she smoothed her features again. "They excel at brainwashing people. They did it to her, but... It didn't quite work..."

 

"Most brainwashing only suppresses the real personality of a person and puts it under another one that fits the washer's desires

 

"Most, yeah..." Ona said with a sigh. "What they did to her...was more..." She shook her head and her face was sick. "She is an emotional wreck right now, and what is worse... She tried to escape while she was a prisoner -not that I expect her to go quietly- And in doing so, she killed a friend. A woman who the bad guys had brainwashed into serving them. It is tearing her apart."

 

"Rough times all around. She's not handling it well I take it?"

 

"She has attempted suicide four times in the last week." Ona said softly, her face working. "No, she is not taking it well. I have tried everything I know, everyone else has tried... By the Maker, I wish Mama Lizard were here... She would know what to do..."

 

Riordan rose a brow, looking puzzled for a moment before shaking his head and deciding not to ask exactly who said Mama was. "What do you need then?"

 

"I think she will listen to you or Setsuna." Ona said softly. "I don't want to lose my sword sister, my friend. And I am. Unless you can help, I fear she will find a way to end her life despite our caution and care." Tears were glistening in her eyes, but none were falling. "I have no right to ask this of you or Setsuna. Especially Setsuna after what the Bladeborn did to her... But I... I beg you to help my battle sister... To help Istara..."

 

"Of course we'll...or at least I, will help," someone piped up verbally behind Ona. "Just because one particular member of your Order was being an idiot doesn't mean you're all stupid after all." Setie grinned from behind Ona before sticking her tongue out a bit. While it was easy to see scars and bandages here and there the younger woman looked better than she had in a long time.

 

"Sestuna..." Ona's eyes went wide. "I..." Suddenly she was crying. "I am sorry... I am so sorry... I wanted to help. I just wanted to help... And everything turned out bad..."

 

"Oh hush now, it wasn't your fault Ona. I know you tried, I'm not angry over it. Consider it just a pot hole I had to get over to keep trucking down the road."

 

"You are still the strongest person I have ever met, Setsuna Andal." Ona said as she scrubbed her face. "Bar none."

 

Riordan grinned a bit as Setie shook her head. "She still doesn't do compliments."

 

"Some things don't change." Ona said with a sad smile. "But you do look better, Setsuna... I am glad. I wish I could have helped."

 

"Regrets will just eat you alive until there's nothing left Ona," Setie pointed out as she took a nearby seat.

 

"True." Ona said with a smile. "You do look good. You have been eating better for one thing." She sighed. "I think Istara will listen to you. She uses that name now, just that one. We are beating our heads against the wall of her stubbornness. But you have a way of finding ways around walls. I think you can help her."

 

Riordan chuckled in their minds as he grinned. "That seems to be a family trait..."

 

"And one that I think can help Istara." Ona said quietly. "Can you come? Your safety is guaranteed. We can get you to her and back and no one will bother you."

 

Setie looked at Riordan who looked back. The pair silent but Rio moved on occasion, making one think he was saying something. Setie frowned then and seemed to think before looking at Ona. "As long as my father can come to I'll do what I can to help."

 

Ona nodded slowly. "Jedi Delmon, you are welcome as well. Perhaps you can help get through to Istara. But if not, we owe you a great debt. In helping stop the plague, you helped our sister Trisskar and many, many others. Almost as great as the one we owe Setsuna. The Bladeborn pay our debts."

Istara lay as she had for some time. They didn't drug her, but they wouldn't undo the restraints that held her either. This wasn't right. She wanted to die. It was right that she die. They wouldn't let her. Istara paused in her musings as the door opened and she smiled as Ona came in. Her smile was wan though.

 

"You can't hold me Ona. Not forever." She said in a tired voice. "You know that."

 

"I don't have to, Shar." Ona said with a nod. "Someone else wants to talk to you." Ona nodded to the door and Istara looked, her expression blank. So many people had talked to her recently, some she had wanted to see, some she had not. Zinoa in particular had seemed... hurt by Istara's choice. She was not expecting...

 

Setie poked her head in curiously, looking about before giving Shar a small smile. "One of these days we'll have to try avoiding clinics there Shar. We always seem to end up in them."

 

"Ah..." Istara froze in place. "Setie? I..." Suddenly she started crying. "No... I didn't want it to be like this!"

 

"Well, what did you think it would end up like?" Setie asked as she stepped in fully. "From what I've heard you've been very trying and stubborn. That usually ends up with you in the clinic."

 

"I wanted to apologize... I had to... I " Istara shook her head, the only part of her she could move. "I wanted to make it better for you and I made things worse. I tried, Setie... I tried..."

 

"Setsuna..." Ona leaned close to Setie and spoke quietly. "She is still a little loopy, the drug they gave her was incredibly strong. It's taken this long for her to be this clear." Ona sighed. "You want me to leave? This is your time, not mine."

 

"Yes please. Thank you Ona," Setie said with another smile and a friendly squeeze to the Bothan's shoulder. She stepped over with a sigh then and sat in a chair looking at Istara. "If you tried your best why are you apologizing for it Shar?" Ona smiled, nodded and left.

 

"So stupid." Istara just hung her head and tears were falling. "I should have known better. Sure, take you to insanely loyal servants of the Empire, when the empire wanted you as a guinea nerf? How stupid could I have been?" Istara shook her head. "I am sorry, Setie...I am so sorry..."

 

"I accept your apology, even though it isn't needed," Setie said calmly as she reached out to hold Shar's hand. "You did what you thought was right and what you could considering the circumstances. We always kick ourselves for the past."

 

Istara didn't seem as if she heard Setie. "I... I just wanted to make something good, you know." She slumped in her bonds. "All my life... I wanted to be the best. The best warrior, the best Bladeborn. Then I wanted to be the best big sister... And I hurt you..." She was sobbing now. "I hurt you so bad. I betrayed you... I do not deserve..."

 

"Don't even go there Shar. I've been in that black pit if you'll recall," Setie pointed out. "Now...let's look at this situation shall we? Just hush a moment and let me see if I remember everything correctly."

 

"I..." Istara started to speak and then wisely shut up.

 

Setie eyed her sister clinically, doing her best to track how focused Shar was. If to drugged she might not even remember the conversation and that certainly would not do. She seemed mostly lucid but people varied on matters. "How's the head? Going to be able to stay here for story time or will you be floating away?"

 

"It's... fading." Istara said slowly. "Been a few days since I lost track completely. I may go a bit distant, but I won't make you slap me. And I can't take you to the floor you while I am restrained like this." She actually grinned at that. The memory of the last time Setie has slapped her coming to the fore.

 

Setie kept her smile though her eyes turned sad at the reminder of Marek. "Well, I certainly hope I don't have to slap you anymore. I've actually managed to get some muscle on me so that does not seem a good idea, I might actually bruise you or something this time," she commented though she certainly knew better. "I suppose regular meals and work outs can put weight on a person, who knew!"

 

"Yeah." Istara said with a smile. "Regular diet and exercise helps. You look good, Setie."

 

Setie looked down at her plain brown robes, just like any other Jedi's. "Well...all things considered I have to agree. You however look terrible. I doubt just my leaving in a fit did this to you. That's what it was to stop," Setie said as she held up a hand. "Yes you bringing me here set things off, but in hindsight what could you have done? We were both outcasts of the Empire with prices on our heads because of things with Zelkin. Would you have taken me to the Republic Shar? To the Jedi? You cared for neither yourself and trusted them less. You took me to those that you knew of that could help me and that you trusted. It was you that was wronged far more than myself."

 

"I saw Mom." Istara said sadly. "She and I... We talked... I... I forgave her, Setie. It wasn't her fault, what happened between me and her. It wasn't mine either, although it took awhile for me to realize that. I should have taken you to the Jedi. But as you say, hindsight is clearer." She slumped a bit and then shrugged.

 

"Honestly, I am not sure I would have gone if you had told me you wanted to do that. I was a very scared person Shar. I did not know Jedi and the unknown always brings fear. I am not sure taking me right to them would have been a good thing," Setie seemed to ponder her words as she spoke, looking back on things with clearer eyes and more wisdom then she had possessed before. "But yes you are right. You and Mom were stuck in a nasty spiral that I don't think either of you could have crawled out of...but she loved you. It's why she came back to the Empire rather than stay with my father. She loved us both and did what she could, even at the detriment of herself."

 

"Yes she did." Istara agreed sadly. "Oh, by the way... You will be happy to know that Michael Jonal, the Jedi who helped you on Correllia is fine. He was hurt, but we helped him and he made a full recovery. He is back on Correllia, hopefully with a bit less stress." Istara smiled a little. "Knowing him though, I doubt it."

 

Setie chuckled, " I know, I actually live on Correllia with my Master. He's a Correllian jedi because the Order thought I would adapt to his teachings better. He might be a little miffed at me for leaving for a little bit but that's alright. His son has done far worse. Master Schayll wouldn't like an Imperial popping up on his doorstep frankly. Darmuk nearly killed his family and they are still scarred so please refrain from that Shar."

 

"You do?" Istara said incredulously. "No one would tell me. I wanted to come by, make sure you were okay, but... I always had problems, emergencies, issues, enemies..." Istara shook her head. "That is no excuse, but...Just as well if your host has issues with Imperials or former Imperials..."

 

Setie gave Shar a stern look then, though still gentle before she poked the woman's shoulder. "And we are getting off the subject. We agree that you did the best you could for me in bringing me to the Bladeborn yes?"

 

"I know... I am still a bit fuddled." Istara said slowly. "I am so glad to see you.. Sister..." Tears were falling now. "I... I am a mess..."

 

"And why is that?" Setie asked in a calm but curious tone. "You have friends and family around you that are worried and wanting to help. Why are you not talking and seeking help from them?"

 

"They want me to live." Istara said slowly. "And I can't. So... This..." She nodded to the bed she was strapped to. "Not that this would stop me, but it would escalate things. I don't want to hurt anyone else...Just me."

 

"Why do you want to die?" Setie asked then, expression and tone not changing from it's calm, curious, and caring notes

 

"I don't want to." Istara said sadly. "I have to. I used the Dark Side, Setie, I fell, hard. I tortured a doc who hurt me... Before that, I killed one of my battle kin who had been corrupted, then I killed a friend... I killed Jina... And Sharlina is gone..." She was sobbing again. "I feel... so..."

 

Setie blinked and looked confused then, trying to piece things together. "I'm sorry Shar but I'm a bit behind in the times. How about you start from the beginning...which would be after I was locked up. I haven't seen you since then after all so it might help me understand if you tell me everything from there. And don't leave anything out there, I want to know everything."

 

"I..." Istara shook her head and sighed. "Okay... I followed you once I could. I cut my brand off, that is, I cast myself out of the Bladeborn to follow you. You were..." Istara actually smiled through her tears. "Hard to follow. But... everything... Okay..." Istara said soberly. "I started on Tattooine and followed your traces in the Force through the mark I put on you..."

<Two fairly soggy hours later>

 

"..so then I wound up as grandmaster..." Istara said with a sigh. "And I kept looking. I swear I kept looking for you, sister. Anyway...About Sharlina..." Istara said sadly. "I managed somehow, during that ancient Trial, to lock part of my mind away from myself. She was... unhappy with me, but we worked out some compromises. I called myself Istara, and she called herself Sharlina. Light half and dark half, opposites. I woke up in my enemy's custody and she was gone." Istara was fighting tears again. "I don't know how he killed her, but he did."

 

Setie wrinkled her nose and snorted. "Nonsense. You're still here."

 

"Part of me is gone, Setie." Istara said with a sigh. "The best part, the strong part, the brave part...What am I without her?"

 

"And you are none of those things?" Setie asked with a raised brow.

 

"No." Istara said and turned her head to the side on her pillow. "No I am not." Her voice, while muffled, was audible.

 

Setie sat quietly for a moment before smiling a little. "I knew this girl once when I was younger. She did her best to help a friend of hers that was going into a very dark place. Followed her where ever she needed, even though she knew her friend was doing dangerous things that she did not agree with. She stayed by her side though, faithful as ever. In spite of how mean and nasty her friend was. A friend had even left her to die once, but still she followed to help. Is that person weak and cowardly because she kept after her friend in spite of her own troubles?"

 

"Weak and cowardly?" Istara said slowly. "No. Stupid, maybe. Who was it?"

 

"I want a direct answer please. Is that person weak and cowardly?"

 

"No." Istara said in a small voice. "But people change."

 

"I'm sitting here aren't I?" Setie said. "The bad friend with the ever faithful good one that kept following."

 

"I failed you!" Istara screamed. "I... I did... I was so close, so many times, and I just kept failing you... How can you stand me?" Tears were falling again. "I can't stand myself."

 

"There are many kinds of bravery and many kinds of strength, not just on the battlefield but in life," Setie pointed out. "And you never failed me, you were always there. You have not failed anyone and the only one that can't seem to see that is you. Why do you hate yourself so Issy?"

 

"I..." Istara just sat there for a moment. "I am bad... I am a bad person... I have always been a bad person... I was good at being bad, but... always bad..." Now she was shuddering as long buried emotions came to the fore.

 

"Bad? No...broken maybe but still good." Setie made it a point to look over her sister as if searching for flaws. "Yeah...still good."

 

"What?" Istara asked through her tears. "Where? I am nowhere even close to good, Setie. I am a monster. A killer. A bloodthirsty witch."

 

Setie just gave her censorious look not unlike a mother did a child that was being stubborn. "Shar, as someone who has been around such people...which does not include you, I can say you are not. Not in the context you are applying. You know what I think of when I look at you? A guard dog defending against intruders. You are good to those you love and terrible to people that would hurt them or others you defend. How is that a monster?"

 

"I..." Istara looked at her sister and her face fell. "Mom said the same thing... I don't know, Setie... I just don't know... And now... My Code demands my death. The Code has been my life, Setie, ever since I... Ever since I hurt Mom...What kind of a defender hurts their own mother, Setie? What kind?"

 

"A scared, hurt, and confused child that has been brain washed into hating by a twisted bastard I would think. Mom never held you attacking her against you, why should you?" Setie asked as she shook her head. "As for your code, what parts did you break that it demands this?"

 

"Lets see..." Istara said slowly. "I used the Dark Side to hurt someone -a doc- who wasn't actually hurting me. I thought she was, but it turned out she wasn't. I hurt her, I would have killed her without a thought, but I was enjoying myself to much." Istara's voice was sick now. "I killed a friend while trying to escape from captivity. She wasn't trying to hurt me, just stop me and I killed her... I killed Jina..." Istara cried. "I killed Zana, one of our newest members. They took her and Jina. They brainwashed them both. They were both trying to stop me, but I was angry... I was so... so angry...Tired... I am so tired..." The Bladeborn said sadly. "They killed Sharlina and they took my kid..." Shar was sobbing again. "I wanna die... Please... Just let me die..."

 

"I didn't know you had another child," Setie said with sympathy. "Congratulations. Though I suppose that should wait."

 

"They say... Ona said it's alive.. But..." Shar shook her head. "Doesn't make sense... I have to die, Seite, I have to... Stupid prophecy..." Istara said sadly. "Never make sense, any of them. But... It is. It does. I have to die. By my own hand..."

 

Setie blinked in puzzlement before frowning. "Didn't you already do that though?"

 

"Wha-...?" Istara said slowly, confused. "What do you mean? I am not dead. Yet." She slumped a bit.

 

"You said Sharlina is dead. She is a part of you, so technically you died," Setie pointed out calmly. "Prophecies are never very clear on things because of human choice factors."

 

"But..." Istara tried to wrap her mind around that. "But... No... She was part of me... I..." She slumped. "I don't know. I am so confused... Oh Setie, what do I do?" Istara asked plaintively.

 

"Well...pulling yourself together seems a good start. Who's going to get your baby back if not the mom here? Very little in the universe more powerful than an angry mom going to her child. You should know that."

 

"Just like that?" Istara asked incredulously. "Just like that?" She asked, her tone altering from heartbroken to musing.

 

"Some things don't need to be complicated messes Sister."

 

"I..." Istara said slowly. "I don't know, Setie. If I can hurt people like that, kill a sister and a friend like that... I am a danger. To everyone."

 

"You said it yourself that people were threatening you, even the doctor you thought was hurting you. No one reacts well to that. Besides, you've never been a threat to me."

 

"Setie..." Istara was almost begging now. "You know the darkness that lurks in my heart better than anyone else. I am a threat." Oh yes, Setsuna knew.

 

"Oh really?" Setie asked with a raised brow. She looked about a moment before releasing Istara's restraints. "Ok...come on then." Setie said then waving her fingers in invitation.

 

"No!" Istara screamed as her restraints fell loose. "Setie no!" She curled up on herself and tears were falling again. 'No..."

 

"Well come on, you said you were a threat to everyone," Setie point out. "Hit me then. Creation knows I've inflicted as much pain on you as anyone else here."

 

"No." Istara was rocking as she hugged her knees. "No, no no no... I have hurt you enough..."

 

"You just said you are a threat to everyone though. You are not making a good case of this right now to being a threat to me."

 

"I won't hurt you." Istara snapped. "I could, but... I won't!" Now a smile crept over Setie's face as she crossed her arms. Just waiting for the lesson to sink into Istara's skull here.

 

"Oh you rat..." Istara said as she slowly thought through what she had just said. "You sneaky little rat." Against her will, she smiled a little. "You planned that." She slowly uncoiled herself and stared at her sister. "You... You..." Words failed her and she just sat there.

 

"Caring sister?" Setie offered. "Family member? Boot to your head?"

 

"Boot to the...?" Istara couldn't help it. She giggled. "I was going to say: 'You Andal'. Come here, sis" She held out her arms.

 

Setie didn't hesitate to give her sister a hug. "You know I'm not your only family right?"

 

"I know." Istara said as she returned the hug. "I have... expanded my family recently actually. But you are the only other birth daughter of the strongest woman I will ever likely meet. Our mother. That is a bond that cannot be broken, no matter what anyone tries. Thank you for being who you are, Setie." Istara said soberly. "Thank you for not hating me."

 

"I could say something cheesy about hate being of the dark side, but I'll settle for a I love you too." Setie said with a smile and a squeeze.

 

"No, we couldn't do cheezy, could we?" Istara said with a grin as she hugged her sister again. "I hope your life is... calmer than it was. I hope you find a way. But if you ever need me, you call." Tears were falling again, but these were tears of joy. "I love you Setsuna Andal, my sister. My name is Istara Sharlina Andal, and I am now and will always be your sister."

 

Setie gave a smile to her sister. "Good, now go be like Mom and get your little one out of trouble there. She'd be proud of you."

 

"I know." Istara said, tears falling freely. "She would be proud of you too, sister." Istara shook herself and nodded. "Thank you." She said formally. "I know my way now." She smiled. "And it does not involve me eviscerating myself. I hope to see you again someday, Setie. But if not... Know that I do love you. I do know the path you walk now. I trained with Jedi for a while. Be safe and true to the light, Setsuna." She hugged her sister again.

<An hour later>

 

"You should not be up." Ona's voice was stern and disapproving as she came into the room. "Tell me I lie, Shar."

 

"You don't." Istara said soberly as she pulled the last of her robes on. "But there are some things I have to do, and now. Oh Ona..." She moved quickly and embraced the startled healer. "Thank you...For everything."

 

"Hey..." Ona said as she returned the embrace. "It's okay." She hugged her sister again. "It's my job, now...Clan matriarch." Her face fell. "I didn't want it."

 

"Who does?" Istara asked sadly. "But no one better to be clan mother to this group of miscreants. Have you had a service yet?"

 

"Yes." Ona replied sadly. "We didn't know when you would recover." The always optimistic healer said 'when' not 'if. "For all the ones who went, none of them made it back to the ship. Mama didn't want anything extra. She was part of the clan, no more, in her estimation. If so much more in ours."

 

"Thirty kin including Mama..." Istara's eyes glistened. "I will go to Barab when this is done, plant a memorial where her clan used to live. And if anyone on planet has a problem with it... tough."

 

"We will go."Ona said fiercely. "So... Are you ready to be pregnant again?"

 

"Uh, about that..." Istara said slowly. "I need to talk to Nia first."

 

"Istara..." Ona said with a scowl.

 

"Yes, I know my kid is still in her." Istara said with a sigh. "But this is important too. She is suicidal, isn't she?"

 

"How do you...?" Ona started, then she paused. "Never mind. I don't want know."

 

"No, you don't." Istara agreed. "How is Morey?" Istara had begged for more information on who had died saving her. They had refused, but had finally told her that Morey had been involved and hurt.

 

"A mess." Ona said with a sigh. "He is still in Kolto. Idjit has been haunting the halls between your room and the Kolto ward."

 

"How bad?" Istara asked softly.

 

"Bad." Ona replied sadly. "Between losing his legs and whatever Firdlump did to him..." Istara looked at her and Ona shrugged. "He was discovered as a double agent on the way out." Istara hissed in shock and Ona nodded, "There was brain damage, more that is... I don't know if he is going to wake up, Istara." Istara looked away for a moment and Ona hugged her again, desperate. "Istara..."

 

"Setsuna cured me, sister. I am not suicidal now, Ona. Just sad." Istara said as she gently extricated herself from the Bothan's embrace. "Think positive, sister. He will wake up, Ona. Sooner or later, he will wake up and be the same insufferably smug hilarious slimeball he was."

 

"I hope so." Ona said quietly. "I was starting to like him again, but his 'apprentice' gives me the creeps."

 

"I only met her the once, but... Me too." Istara admitted. "About Nia...? What have you learned?"

 

"Quite a bit about the collective as it was." Ona said soberly as the mismatched friends started off. "Of course after what Will did to it..."

 

"...things have likely changed." Istara finished the sentence. She shook her head and continued. "And Nia? How is she?"

 

"Shar...?" Ona said slowly. "What are you planning? Will was angry enough at her before she trashed his dragon ship, And I am not even going to go into what Sharra wants to do to her, or Sara..." Ona shuddered a bit.

 

"Well, 'I' am angry with her." Istara said coldly. "But... Was she in control of herself, Ona?"

 

"She thinks she was." Ona replied uneasily. "Me? I don't know. Shar..." She asked as the grandmaster shook her head.

 

"We will need her." Istara said sadly. "But before that, I need to talk to her. Where is she?"

 

"She is in secure detention. Shar..." Ona groaned. "I know that tone. What are you going to do?"

 

"Who me?" Shar asked, casting an innocent look at Ona who glared at her suspiciously. "Well..." She sighed. "First I need to talk to Will, Idjit, Michelle and Mira. Then, I need to talk to Sharra, Lohas and KIcota. Then and only then will I talk to Nia."

 

"Will and Idjit are waiting." Ona said with a sigh. "The others are available I think. It's too soon, you should still be on bed rest. But I know you." The Bothan said with a shrug. "We are in hyperspace at the moment, and all of the non-combatants have been off loaded."

 

"Good." Istara said flatly. "Because unless I severely miss my guess, we are flying into an osik storm." She said as she left the room that had been her refuge and prison, only to pause at the door. "What...?" The hall was lined with Bladenorn, all of whom had their blades out and saluting. Stormhawk Boss stood impassive as always with two marines, who also were saluting. They were saluting Istara! "What the frell?" She demanded.

 

"Where you lead..." Will's soft voice sounded from nearby. She turned and he was saluting her. A first in her experience. "We will follow."

 

"Stop that!" She snapped. "I am no leader!"

 

"Yes you are." Idjit said from Will's side. His blade was out and saluting her as well. "That is why Firdlump took you, tried to corrupt you. Heck that is likely why Amirg did what he did so long ago. People will follow you. You inspire people to follow you. You inspire people to be the best they can be. You are a leader Istara."

 

"I..." Istara felt her eyes burn. "No... I... I can't... I can't Idjit. I can't lead... us..."

 

"Then we are doomed Istara." Idjit said sadly. "Will you consign us, everyone you know and love, to oblivion because of your insecurity?"

 

"Idjit..." Istara growled.

 

"Do I need to go get Setsuna back to kick sense into you?" Idjit asked slyly. "I can." He grinned at her expression.

 

"You would, wouldn't you?" Istara asked, her facade crumbling. No one commented on the tears that were falling. "You... All of you... are crazy."

 

"Emotion is what separates us from machines, Istara." Stormhawk Boss said gently."And for what it is worth, you are doing fine."

 

"Well at least you are not saluting me." Istara said with a scowl as she drew her blade and returned the salutes. "I am glad. Leading is bad enough, I am no ship commander."

 

"Actually..." Boss said with an obvious smirk. "Welcome aboard, Commodore Istara." He started to raise his hand but froze as Istara actually snarled at him.

 

"If that hand reaches your head, I will cut it off." The Bladeborn snapped. Boss was clearly amused as he lowered his hand and Istara continued in that same iron tone. "Okay... First rule, and this includes Bladeborn. I am not perfect. If anyone sees me making a mistake, tell me! If you all say I am leader... I guess I am stuck. But that means I lead. Responsibility is mine. Is everyone okay with that?" She looked at Will who nodded. "Then Nia is mine to handle."

 

"We don't like it." Will admitted. "But we are all emotionally involved in this."

 

"Will, I am angry too." Istara said softly as she started off. "But I do know what needs to be done now. And no, Sharra is not going to like it."

 

"We cast her out." Will said sadly. "What you do to her is up to you."

 

"It wasn't her fault." Istara said with a shrug. "But I don't expect you all to believe me. I sensed part of the collective through the implants when I was conscious and even I was tempted, Will. It was..." She sighed. "For a lie,... It was an amazing lie."

 

"Yeah." Will said soberly. "I touched the edges when I corrupted it. Orders?" He asked.

 

"You and I, as well as this madman..." She slapped Idjit's shoulder where he was following silently. "Have to take care of something that has been waiting a long, long time. You know Jainine was Bladeborn." Will nodded. "The reason Nia was so open to suggestions from Darmuk and Firdlump's attacks? She never completed her Trial."

 

"Wait a sec..." Will paused. "You want to make her Bladeborn?"

 

"No." Istara said sadly. "I don't want to do this. But what I want is immaterial. I am going to give her what she wants so badly right now. A chance at an end. Have Sharra and Lohas meet us in detention, and have them bring Jainine's crystal. We will be joined by another."

 

"Oh?" Idjit asked, but Istara did not answer. "Istara?" She did not reply. "Eh..." He looked at Will and the two men shred a mystified expression. "A hint?" The seer asked.

 

"No." Istara said sadly. "But I think you will like it. Will... I do need you and Sharra both there and Lohas as well. Kicota can come if she is free."

 

"Okay..." Will said soberly. "So, we are going to give her this Trial, and then kill her?"

 

"Odds are she won't survive the Trial in her condition, Will." Istara said sadly. "Which is why... Ona..." She turned to where Ona had been unobtrusively shadowing her. The healer jerked and Istara smiled gently. "Get ready to do some surgery. We may need to do it fast."

 

"If she is going to face the Trial..." Ona said dubiously. "We should do it first."

 

"No." Istara said sadly. "Will, I ask you and Sharra to observe. To be ready to 'explain' to the rest of your kin."

 

"Explain?" Will asked slowly. "Explain what?" He went stiff as Idjit stopped in mid stride.

 

"Oh no..." Idjit said slowly. "Istara... You can't... Not now."

 

"Idjit..." Istara said sadly. "Was I any better? Were you? And what gave you or Trugoy the right to shut down her powers? You knew what she was going to face. You of all people knew." Idjit slumped in place and Istara pressed, "I know he ordered you, but sheesh..."

 

"Shut...down...?" Will said slowly, confused. "What the heck?"

 

"You will see." Istara said sadly. "You and Sharra both."

Nia had a lot of time to think. Her captors kept her sedated, but she did not sleep a great deal. She couldn't. There were just too many things to worry about. She had done so much so many wrong things, she had hoped...

 

"Nia." The voice was gentle and she smiled in her bonds as she recognized it. Lohas was, well, not a friend, but a compatriot of sorts. "How are you?"

 

"All tied up." Nia replied with a rueful smile. Her bonds were never removed, Having people give her sponge baths was downright humiliating, but the mechanical plumbing that she was connected to was worse. "Is it time for more experiments?"

 

"I wish." Lohas said in a tone that Nia hadn't heard from her before. Fear. For Nia! "I have to remove your implants."

 

"Uh..." Nia paused, unsure. "I thought you said you couldn't without me exploding?"

 

"I was wrong." Lohas said sadly. "I didn't have all the information. Now I have more. Oh Nia..." Something soft caressed Nia's skull. "I am so sorry..."

 

"For what?" Nia asked caustically. "It was what I did. I messed up. My fault. My responsibility. I just hope and pray that if I do explode I don't hurt you."

 

"Okay, Nia..." Lohas said slowly. "My children are working. You should not feel any change for a bit, but you didn't explode, so that is good. There... All done."

 

"Just like that?" Nia asked, amazed. "Um..."

 

"Just like that." A gentle caress touched her head again. "The implants that they put in this time were smaller, less invasive than before. I hope it helps."

 

"It has to." Nia said soberly. "But... You and Ona have been far kinder than you should have been.

 

"There is a reason." A new voice sounded. One that Nia knew. Istara! "One you will not like."

 

"Istara." Nia was amazed her voice sounded so calm. She was terrified. "Take your child back and do what you will to me, I deserve it and more."

 

"Oh Nia..." Was that compassion that colored Istara's voice now? "No you don't. You were a pawn in a game being played by people far older and sneakier than either of us. Vandar never talked to you, in the collective or in person, while you were there. Did he?" It wasn't really a question.

 

"I..." Nia paused. When she spoke, her voice was confused. "He... No, he didn't. That is odd. I talked to him a bunch at the Enclave," Then she thought about that. "One thing... Why didn't he try to turn me or infect me then?"

 

"You were under tight surveillance." Istara said with certainty. "And from what we can gather, it was only recently, in the last few years, that Firdlump felt secure infecting people with nanites away from his base."

 

"Take your child, please, Istara." Nia said sadly. "I just want this to end. I hurt everyone I loved, I killed Hawkir..." A gentle hand stroked her forehead while two brushy things traced her ears.

 

"If I don't get off that easy, Nia, then there is no way you do." Istara said sadly. "Lohas? The implants are gone. Is it what I thought?"

 

"It is." Horror etched the Sitolon's words. "My god... How could we miss this?"

 

"Easily." Istara said sadly. "A Sith named Harron had you, before your Dad rescued you on Tralus, Nia. When you met him the first time." It wasn't a question.

 

"Yes." Nia said slowly. "A Darth Harron... Dad killed him. Why?"

 

"Darth? He was no Darth... He was one of Firdlump's people." Istara said sadly. "One of Firdlump's agents. Bob attacked your colony to try and rescue you after Harron's people attacked it. Well, that and Bob wanted Jainine. Firdlump captured you on Tattoine. His people programmed you not to resist him, way back then."

 

"What?" Nia asked, incredulous. "That is not possible."

 

"Lohas?" Istara asked quietly. "What do your children say?"

 

"Now that the interference from the implants is gone... The rewrites that Firdlump did recently have a distinct... 'taste' is probably the best translation." Lohas said, musing. "There is another, older... Oh Nia... It was buried. I didn't see it! Even before, I didn't see it with the interference from the plague and collective and all." The bug sounded nearly in tears.

 

"What do you mean?" Nia asked, confused.

 

"She means that there was no way you could have possibly refused Firdlump's commands, Nia." Istara said gently. "His 'suggestions, his 'nudges'. His orders. His wishes. He commanded you, you obeyed without even thinking. I doubt you even recognized them as commands. Lohas..."

 

"But..." Nia shook her head as something changed in her body. The plumbing withdrew. "It felt so good..."

 

"It was a control mechanism, Nia." Istara said sadly. "Of course it felt good. Pleasure works better for most people to get them to keep doing things than pain."

 

"Then he can take me over again." Nia said, one step removed from terror. "Istara take your kid and kill me!"

 

"No." Istara said sadly. "You are coming with me, Nia. She helped me, she can help you." Nia tried not to stiffen as the bonds that held her to the bed unsnapped and she rose into the air supported by the Force. She didn't struggle.

 

"Who?" Nia asked after a moment of transport. But there was no answer. "Istara?" Nia asked hesitantly.

 

"Easy girl." Another voice that Nia remembered sounded nearby. She had never learned the blind Sith's name. "I have to undo what I did."

 

"What?" Nia asked, her voice scared. "What are you going to do?"

 

"Save you or damn you, girl." A gentle hand touched her brow and Nia screamed as power flooded into her. Then, it all stopped. Her restraints fell away, and she was set on shaky feet. She waited, but nothing happened. After a few moments, she reached up a slow hand and pulled the blindfold off her eyes. She kept her eyes closed, but again, nothing happened. Nia opened her eyes to wonder. She stood alone in a huge cavern, surrounded by bas relief icons of ancient writing. Writing she knew... <Loyalty. Duty. Honor. Respect. Vigilance. Prowess. Humility. Courtesy. Valor. Service. Sacrifice. > She started. She had only known six of these. She had grown up surrounded by the ancient icons of Loyalty, Duty, Honor, Respect, Vigilance and Prowess. How did she know the others? This made no sense.

 

"This can't be...The cavern on Kuria..." Nia breathed. "This blew up... Advisor... Mission blew it up..."

 

"That was a copy, Nia Korr." A voice sounded from nearby. Nia spun in place to find a older woman in archaic armor sitting on a throne nearby. "A poor copy." Nia stared at her, then conscious that she was being rude, lowered her eyes and knelt formally. She marveled that she was wearing armor, brown armor. It was not familiar, but at the same time it was. It was almost Bladeborn armor. Almost.

 

"I apologize for discourtesy, Ma'am." Nia said politely. "You have the advantage of me."

 

"I am Lania Potaras, Nia Korr." The woman said sadly. "You come along a road that is fraught with pain and sorrow, child. It is one I know well." The woman shook her head. "Ah, Nia... So young and lost. But now found. What do you wish?"

 

"Me?" Nia asked incredulous. "I want Istara's child back where it belongs..." She rubbed her stomach gently. "Then I want an end."

 

"Why?" Lania asked gently. "Have you seen everything there is to see? Done everything there is to do? Learned it all in your twenty two short years?"

 

"No." Nia felt her eyes burn but she shook her head. "No, but I have dishonored myself, my family, my friends, all of them... I let -nay helped- my enemy take Istara, a woman who strove to help me. I killed a man who saved my life! I..." Nia broke off, unable to continue.

 

"There is something you must do first, Nia." Lania said when Nia's ramblings stopped. "You know what you have to do."

 

"What?" Nia asked slowly. "No. No I don't. I don't..." She paused. What the...? The woman's form had suddenly started to glow! "Are... are you a ghost?" She asked, her fear suddenly gone. She knew somehow that Lania would not hurt her.

 

"I am." Lania said soberly. "I waited for millennia for Istara to come, to learn the truth. But she asked me to remain when all the others took their leave. Now I understand why, even if she did not at the time. Ashla works in mysterious ways indeed."

 

"Ashla?" Something sparked in Nia's memory, an old song or poem? "Wait... You are Bladeborn?" The ghost showed her left forearm and a tattoo blazed brighter than the rest of the energy she was composed of. A stylize sword.

 

"I am." Lania agreed. "And you have a Trial to complete, young one."

 

"The Trial? I... I didn't finish it on Kuria, but... No!" Nia was shaking her head. "No. I can't... Please... Istara's child, I can't endanger her child..."

 

"You are not." Lania said sadly. "This is all in your mind, Nia. The Trial always was and is. Istara's healer friend is even now preparing. If, come the worst you die or go mad in the Trial, they WILL save the child."

 

"All in the mind..." Nia said slowly. "My mind?"

 

"Yes, Nia." Lania said gently. "Your mind. Not Firdlump's, not Darmuk's, Yours You have to choose now, Nia. Freedom or slavery. The choice -and consequences- are yours." The ghost waved towards a door that opened on it's own nearby.

 

<M...> Nia tried to speak and garbled what she was going to say. She snarled and spoke slowly and carefully in ancient Tythonese. <Matriarch I am unworthy.>

 

<If you trust me in nothing else, Nia Korr...>" Lania said gently in the same tongue. <Trust me in this. You must do this.>

 

Nia looked at the ghost, folded her hands into the proper positions, bowed as was proper and started for the door. As she reached it she paused.

 

"My mother disowned me for what I did." Nia said without turning. "My father hates me for what I did."

 

"I know, Nia." Lania said sadly.

 

"If you can, tell Istara I faced my fate with dignity, tell her to tell them...'I am sorry'. " Nia turned and bowed deeply to the ghost. <Fare thee well Lania Potaras, Elder, matriarch.> Then she stepped into the doorway and vanished.

 

<Fare thee well, Nia Korr> Lania said sadly as she turned to the side. "You can show yourselves." Istara and Idjit appeared standing against the wall. Ona stood as well, festooned with medical gear. Will and Sharra as well, both with mouths hanging open. The ghost of Istara's mother, Jainine stood there too, crying. "It is done."

 

The cavern around them disappeared, an unused hangar on the Stormhawk taking it's place. Nia lay crumpled where she had stepped through the doorway. Ona ran to her and sighed in relief on seeing that she breathed.

 

"Thank you, Lania." Istara said soberly. "Will you... pass on now?"

 

"I don't know." Lania said with a smile. "I find hanging around Bladeborn again to be... enlightening."

 

"Enlightening?" Istara asked incredulous. "You are just as crazy as the rest of us."

 

"Well, duh." Lania said with a smile, one that faltered as she looked at the others. "Will Kalenath, Jainine Korr... It was not her fault."

 

"Where did she go?" Sharra finally asked. "I mean... If you can tell us..."

 

"I don't know. It is all in here mind, the Trial." Lania said sadly. "I also don't know when or IF she will return. But on this, have no doubt. She did love you. All of you."

 

"I... I know." Sharra replied sadly. "Jainine...?"

 

"If..." Jainine's spirit said slowly, able to be seen due to Istara and Idjit's power in this place. "If she does come back, she will be Bladeborn. No longer my daughter. I held her back too long, but I feared for her. The Trial is hard enough for those of hale mind and body and she was... so... So much my daughter."

 

"Yes. She was your daughter." Sharra said sadly. "Of course you feared for her. We were wrong, to say what we did, to do what we did. I say this now, before witnesses... Nia made mistakes. So have we all. When she returns, she will be Bladeborn, not our family any more. But no matter what... If the Bladeborn need us, -all of us- at any time, at any price... call." Will nodded his agreement, his arm going around his wife.

 

"No, Sharra." Istara said sadly as she went to stand by Nia. "The price has already been too dear. I want your family to live full and happy lives, far away from us. They will be safer and happier if they stay far away from us." She sighed and spoke to Ona. "Healer?" She asked formally.

 

"She has started the Trial." Ona said slowly. "Other than that, she is in perfect health. You know it could be days."

 

"Make her comfortable then." Istara said slowly. The non-force using people stared at her and she shrugged. "We have never known it to hurt people being moved during the Trial, but... It could take days for her to pass... or not. If it does, we will have to move her to Medical, put her on support."

 

"I'll stay." Ona said quietly. "I have everything I need... In case..." Istara nodded and Ona sat beside Nia's still form.

 

"With your permission, Istara..." Sharra said slowly. "May I?"

 

"Why?" Istara asked softly.

 

"I was wrong about her." Sharra said sadly. "My last words to her were angry. I regret that. Would I hinder?" Istara looked at her and then at Ona who frowned.

 

"I don't think so." The healer said slowly. "In the past it was Mama alone who stayed with the initiates. Hmm... She paused and made a face. "Actually I wouldn't mind. Has anyone told Sara about this yet?"

 

"Ah..." Istara blanched. "Oops..."

<Outside of time and space>

 

Nia hadn't been sure what to expect. Sure she had heard stories, mostly exaggerated, told by children about the Trial. Those who passed it were remarkably tightlipped about it. But one thing she did know. It wasn't just one test, it was several. Oh, and it was very dangerous. She had known three people in her colony who had just vanished after their Trial. Died or gone mad, the result was the same in the wilds of Kuria. She dredged up what little she could remember of the preparations her mother had given her before her aborted Trial that had set her on the road to the present. It seemed like three decades instead of three years. She shook her head and looked at herself. She was wearing brown armor. Bladeborn armor. From what little she could remember, she would face her temptations, her fears and herself. But...

 

She paused as the world around her changed. One moment, she was standing in a featureless white place and then she was standing in a small, comfortable room. A long couch dominate done wall and a comfortable looking chair sat next to a window, poised for easy reading when there was natural light. A small table was the only other furniture. Rugs on the floor and paintings on the walls were all homey, comforting. A door was in the middle of one wall. A hallway seemed to lead further into the house. She looked around. It wasn't like any house she had ever been in. It didn't have any holo devices. It didn't seem to have any glow lamps! It certainly didn't have a computer. She shook her head and stiffened as a voice sounded nearby.

 

"Make yourself comfortable, Nia." The voice was older and female. "I will be a moment." It wasn't anyone she knew.

 

"Ah..." Nia shrugged and sat on the couch. It was just as comfortable as it looked. "Okay..." She said dubiously.

 

"What do you like in your tea?" The voice called.

 

"Tea?" Nia asked, incredulous. "Um... I don't usually drink tea." Was this the temptation she was supposed to avoid? That seemed... awfully mundane somehow.

 

"Oh..." An older woman stepped into the room from another, a tray in her hands. On it sat two cups. She had black hair and... Her eyesockets were filled by cybernetics but she moved with grace as she set the tray down. The Force was strong with her, that was clear to anyone with the Force who even looked at her. "Hmmm... I only stock tea. I can get you water if you like."

 

"Tea would be fine." Nia said hesitantly. "I don't usually drink it though." She licked her lips, unsure.

 

"And you do not know if I would poison you or not." The woman said with a frown. "I didn't even think about that. Hang on, I'll get you some water." Ignoring Nia's half formed protest, the woman vanished and was back in moments, a cup in hand. "Here, you look parched." She held out the cup to Nia.

 

"Ah..." Nia took the cup slowly. "Thanks...?" The water in it was clear and after a cautious sniff, Nia sipped carefully. It tasted heavenly. She swallowed a gulp and then paused as the woman sat. "I apologize for being rude." Nia said slowly as she set the cup down on the table.

 

"Oh you were not rude, Nia." The woman said with a grin. "You are exactly as described." She picked up her cup and sighed. "You don't know me. My name is Raven. Raven Markar."

 

"No, I don't know you." Nia said slowly. "No offense, but..."

 

"None taken. You are wondering how I fit in your Trial." It wasn't a question. Nia nodded slowly and Raven sighed. "I was selected for this, due to my skill set and temperament. I wasn't sure about this at all. I mean, the Trial is usually fairly straightforward. You face temptation, you face your fears and then you face yourself. That is what I did anyway." She held out an arm and indeed, the tattoo of a Bladeborn marked her forearm. "You however..." She broke off and shrugged.

 

"I am a mess." Nia said after taking a another sip. "I am amazed I am as sane as I am."

 

"You are not." Raven said sadly. Nia froze, her cup halfway back to her lips as Raven continued. "No one sane would have survived what you did. Oh Nia..." Compassion flooded the Force around her. "I am sorry."

 

"For?" Nia asked softly. "I mean... I am not locked in a loony bin somewhere. If I am insane..." She shrugged. "I have known a lot of insane people in my life. My dad..." She broke off, pain coloring her features.

 

"I have met him." Raven actually flinched a bit. "Your dad is insane, but he channels it. He hurt me, very badly, to break me free from the monster who held my leash. It hurt him, to do what he did, but he did it, to save me. It was.. I have no words. It was the most selfless act I can imagine, and he did it to save me. When they asked if I would help you, I jumped at the chance. To repay him."

 

"I..." Nia shook her head. Something about the way the woman said that... "I am in my future, aren't I? I traveled again. Didn't I?"

 

"I can't answer that, Nia." Raven said sadly. "You know that."

 

"Yeah." Nia said sadly. "Being the daughter of a seer really, really sucked on occasion."

 

"I bet. Nia... I have to ask this." Raven said slowly. "We have the Trial ready for you. Do you want to attempt it?"

 

"This..." Nia stiffened. "This isn't my Trial?"

 

"No." Raven said gently. "You have to be calm, at peace, ready to face what comes. You are not." The older woman said with a frown. "Tell me I lie."

 

"You..." Nia slumped in place, cup forgotten. "You don't."

 

"You can face it now, Nia." Raven said slowly, a frown on her face. "But it will kill you as surely as a blaster or blade will."

 

"I..." Nia shook her head. "I have to do this. Soon."

 

"I know." Raven said gently. "But you do not have to do it right now. You can wait. Rest a bit, be..." She paused as Nia stared at her. "Nia?"

 

"Sneaky." Nia said slowly, admiration dawning. "So very sneaky. I am tempted to be lazy. To take the safer path. Not always the easier or the quicker paths that lead to the Dark Side, but I prefer to be safe. Bladeborn do not do safe." She closed her eyes and smiled sadly. "Thank you for the water Raven, but I have to face my path now." She opened her eyes and was not surprised to find the house gone. She stood in the featureless whiteness she had seen before. But then she paused in shock. A very different Raven stood nearby, her form was clad in brown Bladeborn armor and the cybernetics were gone now. She looked about Nia's age now and her blue eyes were glistening with unshed tears. She was smiling widely.

 

"You are welcome Nia. Good luck." The woman said gently. Then she vanished.

 

Well, doesn't that just beat all... Nia thought with a smile of her own, but froze as a form appeared nearby. Black hair, green eyes, brown armor, sword in hand, just like her's was now... She stared at the face that she saw in the mirror every time she looked and a groan escaped her. One that was mirrored by her double.

 

"Oh flarg..." They said at the same time.

Nia stared at herself and tried not to panic. This was not something she had never been trained about, in any of the training she had encountered. For her part, her double seemed to be doing the same thing.

 

"Umm..." Nia said slowly. "Hi?"

 

"Hi?" The other her asked angrily, obviously afraid "You just caused a temporal paradox and you say 'Hi'?"

 

"Hey!" Nia snapped. "I didn't cause a thing! You popped in here."

 

"Oh?" The other Nia said caustically. "And what have you been doing? Hmm? Um..." She paused. "Aw flarg... You are facing your Trial..." She grimaced and shut her mouth with a click.

 

"You are from the future..." Nia said slowly. The other her did not respond. "My future." She slumped a little. "I guess I survive this then."

 

"Maybe." The other Nia snapped, obviously irritated. "Then again, I might be from a possible future, in which case you just screwed it."

 

"Come on!" Nia snapped right back. "I have made some big mistakes, but I am not responsible for this."

 

"No?" The other her asked, her tone moderating a bit. "Then who is? As far as I know...Well... As far as I have been able to determine anyway..." She shrugged. "I am the only one with this ability. So... You did something." Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. ""What did you do?"

 

"What did I do?" Nia asked incredulous. "I was kidnapped! I was brainwashed, twice! What was I supposed to do?"

 

"Not give in maybe? You slept with a Sith Lord." The other Nia said nastily. "And you enjoyed it."

 

"Shut your mouth." Nia said, quivering with rage. "He had me... I had no choice..."

 

"No?" The other her asked quietly. "Tell me you did not enjoy it. Tell me truly... That you did not enjoy it. That you did not revel in the limited freedom Darmuk gave you. That within the limits Darmuk gave you, you were free to do whatever you wanted. Kill, torture, molest..."

 

"I..." Nia shook her head. "No... I wasn't... I didn't..."

 

"You enjoyed sleeping with him." The other Nia said relentlessly. "Just as you enjoyed the fake love that the collective gave you. You belonged."

 

"No!" Nia screamed. "That is not true!" She was shaking, struggling to keep from lashing out with the sword that was still in her hand.

 

"Isn't it?" The other Nia asked, her voice turning sad. "I know who you are, Nia. I am you. I remember how it felt. I remember the yearning... The wanting... The needs..." He face was sick now.

 

"No..." Nia screamed again. "No!" She shook her head savagely. "I... Will... Not..." She threw her sword to the ground and knelt slowly. When she spoke tears were falling. "I... You are right...I wanted to belong. I wanted... I so wanted to belong... Dad made me feel like I belonged, his adopted kids made me feel like I belonged. And then it was gone...I..." She slumped in place, her neck bared. "Make it quick..."

 

"Oh Nia..." The other her said sadly. "I can't kill you. I hate you. I know I hate myself for what I did and likely always will. Killing Hawkir was unforgivable. He was a kind, gentle man and I killed him. I just waved my hand and the nanites ate him." Nia gagged a bit and the other her shook her head. "But I can't kill you. If I kill you, I will likely cease to be."

 

"I don't want to fight anymore." Nia said sadly. "I am sick of fighting."

 

"You are going to have to." The other her said slowly. "I... I am feeling my way through what I can tell you."

 

"Don't..." Nia said slowly. "You may have already messed things up, er, I might have, er... I don't know..."

 

"Well..." The other Nia said soberly. "Since we did not vanish out of existence the moment we were both in the same place and time.,. We may have created an alternate timeline..."

 

"The many world theory?" Nia asked her curiosity piqued. "I mean... Obviously there is a timeline of sorts..."

 

"I don't know." The other Nia said slowly. "What I do know is that if we do go backwards, we can mess things up. I know that I have changed things, small things. Things I pray will not cause harm, but I couldn't just stand by."

 

"Such as?" Nia asked cautiously. "Changing the past could cause all kinds of issues."

 

"You, I... didn't change the past." The other Nia said soberly. "I changed the present. You changed the present."

 

"I..." Nia froze in place, dumbstruck. "That wasn't a dream? I was sedated after the surgery for the implants. Ecmin and I... talked... She had an idea... But... I thought... I thought it was a dream... I... Oh my god what have I done?" She cried, upset again.

 

"Someone else is coming." The other Nia said gently and vanished. " Ask her."

 

"What did I do?" Nia screamed.

 

"You saved lives, Nia." A new voice, an impossible voice, said gently. "You saved me."

 

"Wha-...?" Nia said slowly. Her eyes went very wide as a recognizable brown haired woman in silver armor took the place of the Bladeborn. "Jina?"

 

"Hello Nia..." Jina Darkstorm said with a smile. "You look good."

 

"I..." Nia was crying hard now. "I shot Istara too late... I let her kill you..."

 

"Oh Nia, let go of your hurt, your anger. No, you didn't." Jina corrected her gently. "Istara killed my body. But I was already dead. Except..." She smirked. "Except that a certain sneaky girl, with the help of a very sneaky bug, imprinted my mind on a crystal an hour before I was scanned by Menglan and hurt by my mother. It wasn't supposed to be possible, Idjit blocked your power. except at one other person's direction. Ecmin's. That seer is stang scary sometimes." Jina said with a shudder.

 

"I..." Nia was shaking now. "You screamed... I am sorry... I hurt you...Then Menglan came and..." She shook her head. "I had to run, I wasn't sure it took."

 

"Nia..." Jina said gently. "I was dead when my mom hit me through Ecmin. But it was the only way to keep my body from exploding during the scans. And now, thanks to you, I have a chance at life again. A small one, mind you, but a chance."

 

"I don't know what to do, Jina." Nia admitted. "I don't. I was so scared I had broken time. That I had messed everything up. That I..."

 

"Time is time, Nia." Jina said in a soft, consoling voice. "One girl, no matter how powerful, is unlikely to break time. However, it possible to cause all kinds of problems. So... What must you do?"

 

"I must never use this ability again. Or not unless directed by... Ecmin or Istara...." Nia said soberly. "I must ask Idjit to restrain it, make it so that I cannot use the ability without orders. Like when Ecmin ordered me to save you. Neither of us thought it would work, but we had to try. I should have asked the Jedi to do it. I never... I never thought about it. Wait..." She paused, unsure. "You were not the only one I touched in that dream, that... jump..." Her eyes went wide.

 

"Ecmin could give sneakiness lessons to anyone I have ever met, Nia. Even Will would have trouble out-sneaking that queen." Jina said with a smile. "No, she had you make copies of a lot of people. Even poor Cili."

 

"Cili..." Nia said slowly. "The little girl who blew herself up... So... Will you..." Nia shook her head. "No. Ecmin cannot clone you new bodies without Firdlump realizing."

 

"No she can't. Not with Firdlump on the alert now. She has said that she may send the crystals to the planet's surface. They will be safe there." Jina said sadly. "She has said that she will, once this is over, make new bodies for all of us. She is a good queen. A couple of the others, including Olandas by the way -and that was well done, Nia...- They have asked to live new lives as Sitolon. Clean slates."

 

"I did what I could." Nia said sadly. "Wasn't enough."

 

"No." Jina said sadly. "It wouldn't be. But now, you have to finish the Trial."

 

"What?" Nia asked, unsure. "I faced temptation, I know that. I faced myself, and my fears..."

 

"No." Jina said, her face a grimace now. "You faced yourself in this part. You face your fears next."

 

"But..." Nia shook herself and nodded. "I am glad to have helped you, Master Jina."

 

"I am glad you saved Zana. She and I have... talked a bit in this limbo we are in. Once I am out, I will talk to Istara some. I think... I think it will be good for me." Jina said with a smile. "Be well, Nia Korr. May the Force be with you."

 

"Thank you, Master Jina." Nia said slowly. Then she shook herself and rotated her neck, easing sore muscles as she rose, picked up her sword and spoke slowly. "So... What next..."

 

Without sense of transition, she was lying on a table. Her armor and sword were gone, she was clad in a patient gown and she was strapped down. She could feel air on her scalp, her head been shaved.

 

"No..." She breathed as a black robed form appeared nearby.

 

"You woke up." The insane Sith know to Nia as Ravishaw said with a leer. "Finally. Time for phase two."

Edited September 24, 2012 by kalenath

"No..." Nia said with a snarl as she tried her bonds. "I won't let you..."

 

"You can't stop me." Ravishaw said with a maniacal laugh as he reached for her. But then, Nia watched in amazement as he stopped in mid-motion. When he spoke, it was rueful. "Aw crap...I... Aw nuts, I can't..."

 

"What kind of a trick...?" Nia asked incredulously as the bonds that held her released. "What the-...?"

 

"Nia, I am sorry." Ravishaw said in a totally different voice as he stepped back. His robes changed from black Sith attire to Bladeborn armor in mid motion. "I can't do this to you. I thought I could. I have done it to so many others over the years, some I remember and some I don't. But... I can't do it anymore. I am not who I was..."

 

"What?" Nia slowly swung her legs off the table, ready for some kind of trick. Ravishaw for his part, just retreated another slow step. "What are you talking about?" She started as her gown was replaced by Bladeborn armor. "What the hell is going on?"

 

"Ah..." Ravishaw shrugged as he retreated another step. "I was supposed to frighten you. I am good at that. I was supposed to pretend I was going to take control of you. But I can't."

 

"Take... control..." Nia said slowly. "Yes..." She mused. "Losing control of myself would be my greatest fear. After what I did on Centurion, what I did with Darmuk, and in the collective." All three had been times when she had lost control. On the Centurion space station, she had gone berserk. Darmuk of course, had sapped her will and taken control of her mind and body to suit his needs. And the collective... She tilted her head at Ravishaw. "This isn't part of the test?"

 

"It could be." Ravishaw said with a shrug. "I could be lying to you. I am not, but as confused as you are, you have no way of knowing it. Oh Nia... I am sorry. I thought I could give you a Trial that would help. That is the idea." Nia looked at him and Ravishaw shrugged. "The Trial is not supposed to hurt you although it does. It is intended to show you where your strengths and weaknesses lie." He sighed. "Well, I don't know what to do now."

 

"You were going to torture me?" Nia asked slowly. Ravishaw shook his head.

 

"Not physically." The man said soberly. "I was going to take control from you, maybe make you do some minor things. Eventually, you would have realized that no matter what I do, I cannot maintain control unless you let me. But I can't do it. Not now, not to you."

 

"Why?" Nia asked slowly, confused. "The entire collective was terrified of you. Even my... Even Will didn't scare them as bad as you did."

 

"He is still your dad, Nia. Even if he is the scariest being I have ever met." Ravishaw said gently. "Come on..." The room suddenly changed, from a lab of horrors to a comfortable sitting room. two chairs, not in reach of each other, sat near the middle and a log fire burned in the fireplace. He smiled as he looked around. "What do you know...? I got the fire right... That is a first..." He sat and stretched a bit. "First, an apology. For snatching you from that Trandoshan bounty hunter and sending you to Darmuk, I am sorry Nia. Firdlump was watching me too closely. I had no choice." There was honest sorrow in his words. Nia could sense that. And more.

 

"I..." Nia shook her head. "I don't understand."

 

"I had a rough idea at the time..." Ravishaw said slowly. "Take you in, clean you up, let you escape... Maybe get you to Emily. Something like that." He sighed deeply. "Didn't work out. I had pests following me, and my 'apprentices'..." He made invisible quote marks in the air. "...were keeping tabs on me too. It was what Sith do, after all, spy on each other, and they all thought they were Sith." He laughed sourly. "I fooled everybody. Everybody. Lonely as hell, but worth it. I had to send you off. I really expected Will to find you en route. Shult was a genius though. Evil genius, but a genius."

 

"I don't understand." Nia said as she sat slowly, her body slowly relaxing. He wasn't going to hurt her. But wasn't that what he did?

 

"I know, and I really don't have time to tell you everything that has happened." Nia nodded at the man's words. "But I can give you the highlights."

 

"Please." Nia said with feeling.

 

"All right." The man said slowly. "My name is not Ravishaw now, it is Morey. That is the name I had before I passed my own Trial to become Bladeborn. Shortly after that, I was taken by Special Branch, and they injected me with nanites." Nia stared at the man in horror and Ravi- er Morey nodded. "I lost a lot of time in fits of madness, Nia. I don't remember everything I did and I pray I never remember. What I do remember I don't want to. So I know about being out of control, Nia. I was." He made a face and sighed.

 

"What happened?" Nia asked, fascinated despite herself. "I mean... You are sane now."

 

"Am I?" Morey asked sourly. "I don't know. Maybe I am, maybe I am not. But to answer your question, Emily happened..." He said with a sad smile.

 

"You mentioned Emily before." Nia said in a bemused voice that turned to shock as the scene around them changed. "What the...?"

 

The room was obviously a child's. The bed, the desk and two chair were all sized for a small boy. And everywhere Nia looked, stuffed animals lay strewn.

 

"No..." Morey's horrified voice pulled Nia's gaze back to him, but it wasn't the man she had just seen. No, this was a small boy, wearing a blue sleep suit and a horrified expression. "No!" Morey screamed. "Not now!"

 

"Morey, what...?" Nia asked, startled.

 

"Nia, don't move, don't speak. Don't interfere." Morey babbled. "Don't do anything! My memory, I have to... I have to control..." His face twisted in a grimace as he fought, but then he blanched as a new voice sounded from just outside the door that Nia could see now. It was female, older… Terrifying in the sweetness that barely masked its lust.

 

"Morey..." The voice said. "Mommy has something special for you today…" The human female who entered the room was stunningly normal looking. Nia stared at her, but the woman did not seem to see her. She had red hair and blue eyes. The smile on her face though... "We are going to have fun, boy." Morey ran for the corner of the room, but the woman was faster. Nia's face went slack as she saw the woman scoop the struggling boy. "Now, now. None of that, Morey."

 

"You are not real." Morey bit out as she laid him on the bed and pulled a length of line from a pocket. "This isn't real! This is a memory!" He snapped as she bound his hands together, wrapped a shirt around his head as a crude blindfold and gag and then reached for his sleep suit. Nia froze. The woman was going to... The woman's face was almost familiar. It blurred for a moment and Nia knew.

 

"No." Nia's soft voice stopped everything. "You will not. You are not his mother. Show yourself Menglan!"

 

"Nia...?" The awful woman vanished and an even more awful woman took her place. "Where have you been girl? We have missed you. Come here, dear. The doctor will make it all better." A hypo that blurred ominously appeared in the doctor's hand. "A little stick and everything will be better."

 

"I am warning you, Menglan." Nia said slowly, not moving from her spot. "And I will only give this warning once. Leave. Now."

 

"Don't be like that girl." Menglan said with a frown. "You can't fight me here."

 

"I am not going to fight you." Nia said slowly. "You will wish I had." She opened herself to the Force and she felt something change. Something inside her answered her call and she was suddenly looking at Menglan from every angle. She could see every imperfection in the illusion Menglan wore here, every stain, every...everything. She could see it all in the clarity that she now possessed.

 

"No..." Menglan retreated, her face suddenly horrified.

 

"How does it feel, doctor?" Nia asked softly, but with menace. "To see yourself, in a mirror to the soul?" She screamed.

 

"No!" Menglan screamed loud and long and then she vanished.

 

Nia sighed and released the Force. It flowed from her easily, far more easily than it had in recent memory. She shook her head and walked to the bed. She quickly undid the crude restraints. The little boy that was Morey was staring at her, raw fear in his eyes. It morphed suddenly and it was the man she had met before. He stared at her warily.

 

"I was wrong..." Morey said slowly. "You are scarier than your dad."

 

"I..." Nia suddenly collapsed to her knees, keening. "I..." Tears were falling in sheet. "What am I, Morey? What am I?" Warms arms, full size ones, suddenly circled her.

 

"I don't know." Morey said sadly as he embraced her. "I don't know. Istara...?"

 

"Neither do we." Istara's voice seemed to come from far away now. "But we will help you find out. Rest now, battle sister."

 

"But..." Nia fell asleep trying to articulate her concerns.

"Ow..." Nia's first thought on waking was that she hurt. Her bladder hurt. She opened her eyes and froze.

 

"Wondered when you were going to finally wake up, sleepy head." Ona said with a smile. "You have been out for three days. "Hold on. I was changing the bag," The healer did something that Nia couldn't see and suddenly the pain she had been feeling in her lower body dissipated in a rush. She smiled at Nia's sigh of relief. "Better?"

 

"Much. Three days..." Nia blinked. "Ah... That was..." She shook herself. She wasn't bound but she could feel things on and in her. Likely medical in nature, like the catheter she could feel now. "Oh Ona, I am sorry I was such a pain."

 

"You were." Ona said with a frown that turned into a smile. "But now... Things have changed sister. Better brace yourself..."

 

"For?" Nia asked cautiously and then a small brown armored tornado swept into the room. The girl was crying. "Sara?"

 

"Oh Nia!" Sara ran to the bedside and took Nia's limp hand in both her own. "Don't scare me like that!"

 

"Sara..." Nia said slowly. "It is okay. I am okay. Be calm, please?" She asked the younger girl. "You need to be calm." She could feel the Force in Sara now, and it roiled oddly. A familiar odd.

 

"I know." Sara said as she took a deep, calming breath. "It wasn't your fault. What happened."

 

"I know, Sara." Nia said soberly. "But that does not change the fact that I hurt people. I killed people. People I knew, people I liked. Whether I was in control of myself or not, I did those things. People will blame me. I will blame me. But..." She shrugged. "I will try not to get moody." She smiled at Ona who smiled back.

 

"Good." Ona said with feeling. "Too many moody people around here as it is. I swear Morey of all people is the life of the place now."

 

"He woke up?" Nia said quickly. "Is he okay? I mean.. I..." She shook her head. "I..." She snarled. "I can almost remember something, something important..."

 

"Ona?" Sara said slowly. "Can I talk to her?"

 

"I can't leave you alone, Sara." Ona said with a frown. "Not after the last time."

 

"Last... time...?" Nia asked softly. Sara turned her face back to Nia and Nia froze on seeing the heartache that dwelt there. "No... Oh no, Sara.. No..." She held out her arms. "Come here." Sara came into her arms and Nia held her aunt tight as Sara started to cry. "How bad?" She asked Ona who sighed.

 

"Bad." Ona said sadly. "It's certainly not Sara's fault she is a mess now." The Bothan rubbed Sara's upper arms gently. "And she has been under almost constant attack despite our best efforts."

 

"Attack?" Nia said sharply. "Oh that witch... I warned her..."

 

"It's not Menglan." Sara said sadly. "It's the whole collective. Nia, I have to go into hibernation. All of us, the clone kids, do. Or we will eventually become threats."

 

"How can they be attacking you?" Nia asked slowly, looking at her aunt with the Force. "You don't have nanites in you, or implants."

 

"Through Sarai..." Sara said, her face falling. "They took control of her, all of her people."

 

"Whoa..." Nia said slowly. "Who is Sarai?" She asked, confused.

 

"Long story." Ona said with a sigh as she sat beside the bed. "Basically, she is a girl who was remade as a twin to Sara to try and trap Maria." Nia could not have missed the grief that flew through Sara if she had been Force blind. "Sara... It's okay...Shhh..." Ona soothed the now sobbing girl with gentle caresses. Nia did as well and Sara slowly calmed.

 

"Yeah..." Sara stammered a little and then she shook herself. "Then she was changed into a Sitolon by the queen of the Sitolon." Nia's eyes went wide at that and Sara nodded. "Wasn't Sarai's choice, and she was more than a bit peeved."

 

"As were the rest of us." Ona said with a scowl.

 

"There was a good reason." Sara said sadly. " Majistrona died and Sarai took her place. But..." Sara jerked in place and Nia could feel the pain in her head. Nia knew what she had to do.

 

"Sara." Nia said flatly. "Come here." She held out her hands and Sara took them. Nia drew Sara close and cast her mind in a shell around the younger girl. Sara stiffened and then relaxed. Then she was crying again.

 

"They are hurting her." Sara sobbed. "She is trying to break free of their control, enough to suicide, but she can't. They are dismantling the bombs that Sarai had built. They have her, Nia! They have my sister!"

 

"I don't know how long I can hold this, Sara." Nia said slowly. "I can..." She stiffened as memory came. "Ona, I need to talk to Idjit, Istara and Morey. Now or as soon as possible."

 

"Lots of people want to talk to you, Nia." Ona said quietly. Nia winced and Ona nodded. "And you go into surgery in half an hour." Nia stared at the healer and then at her belly.

 

"You didn't take it out?" Nia asked incredulous. "Ona... You put an unborn child at risk!" She felt her eyes start to burn. "I..." She shook her head. "No, I will not." She snapped. The other stared at her and she sighed. "Please, Ona. Is Istara available?"

 

"She is being prepped for surgery as well." Ona said slowly. "It's a fairly simple procedure, but one where none of us want any complications."

 

"Morey?" Nia asked. "Idjit?"

 

"Morey is asleep again." Ona said dubiously. "I am not sure where Idjit has gone. He has been awfully closemouthed."

 

"Seers have to be." Nia said sadly. Then she perked up. "Wait... Is Lohas available?"

 

"She is." Ona said slowly. "Nia...What?" Her tone held the bite of command and Nia stiffened.

 

"Are you one of the ones in charge then?" Nia asked slowly. "I have been... out of the loop." She said with a sad smile.

 

"Yes I am." Ona said with a hint of sadness. "We lost a lot of people when we went in to rescue Istara and recover you."

 

"I am sorry." Nia said sadly. Sara hugged her again and Nia returned the embrace gently. "But then you need to know then. I don't know what happened after I was stunned, but Firdlump was on the verge of breaking Lohas' encryptions. Hew and Olandas made some kind of breakthrough, I have no idea what. " Both Sara and Ona went completely still. "Warn Lohas. Now. She is in grave danger. You know what he will do to her. Sara...?"

 

"I..." Sara said slowly. "Nia, what can we do?"

 

"Nia..." A voice she remembered came to Nia's ears and she looked up to see a large silver Sitolon enter the room. "Are you sure?"

 

"I am." Nia said sadly. "Lohas... This is the first time I have actually seen you. You are gorgeous." She said with a smile.

 

"Thank you." The bug said with sincerity. "But if Firdlump is about to take control of my children...Then I am a threat too."

 

"No you are not, Lohas." Nia said sadly. "Come here." She held out a hand.

 

"Nia...' Lohas said dubiously. "What are you going to do?" She moved slowly closer.

 

"Mirror to the soul... I can shield you. He is going to take control of most of your children, Lohas." Nia said slowly. "I can't stop him. I can stop him from controlling you and the ones close by."

 

"Nia..." Lohas voice held worry now. "Do you have any idea the power required for something like that?"

 

"Yes." Nia said simply. Then she, Sara and Ona all stiffened as a warning rang through the Force. "Lohas!" Nia snapped as the bug screamed and collapsed. "Sara! I need to touch her!" She rolled in preparation to getting out of the bed, but Ona held her down.

 

"Careful, Nia." Ona said and raised a hand. Lohas' limp form rose from the floor and hovered closer. "Are you sure about this, Nia...?"

 

"Sure?" Nia replied. "No. But it is her only chance. And ours I think. It will take even Firdlump time to assimilate so many nanites. We have a few minutes. But no more than that." She reached out with a slow hand and touched Lohas' still claw. Then the world fell away. Distantly she heard Sara scream, but she had work to do.

 

<Somewhere>

 

Nia appeared on the featureless gray plain. But it wasn't empty.

 

"You should not struggle, Lohas." Doctor Menglan was fiddling with something near the still form of the Sitolon nanite controller. Lohas managed to bite out words.

 

"You... Don't.. know... What you are doing..." Lohas screamed in pain as Menglan did something. "Stupid Barvette..."

 

"I know exactly what I am doing." Menglan said sadly. "I am taking control from you. It could have been so much easier, child..." She broke off as Nia snarled. She spun in place and blanched. "How...?"

 

"I warned you." Nia barely recognized her own voice. It was cold, clear and distant. "Your master may be able to take control of the nanites on the Sitolon homeworld, but you will not harm my friends, my kin or anyone else from a distance, ever again, 'doctor'." The word 'doctor' came out in a rush and Nia opened herself to the Force as never before. Power flooded into her, from... somewhere. No, from multiple somewheres. Nia felt an overpowering calm descend on her as Menglan blanched.

 

"Goodbye doctor." Nia said as she raised her hand. "And good riddance." She waved her hand and the doctor flew away from the still form at her feet, then the now struggling form stopped, suspended in midair. Nia made a tearing motion with her hands and the doctor gave and awful shriek as her body... tore.

 

"What the..." Another voice sounded, startled. "No!" Firdlump shouted as he appeared nearby. "No! Nia! Stop!"

 

"You hurt my family." Nia said sadly. "You hurt my friends. You take, and take, and take. Well now I am going to take this from you." The same icy calm that Nia had felt kept her in it's gentle grip. She made a jerking motion with her hands and Menglan's form tore in two. The shrill scream the doctor started, died abruptly as her body reappeared hanging limp in midair. In two pieces. Then Nia clenched her fists and Firdlump blanched.

 

"Nia..." He begged. "No, don't do this..."

 

"I hold her mind in my hands, Firdlump." Nia said, her voice steady. "You want her? Come and get her." She beckoned mockingly. She paused as a new voice sounded nearby. Female, strong and angry.

 

"Nia..." The voice was gentle, but insistent. "No. I know you are angry, but no... It will hurt you to do this. Let me." A huge Sitolon appeared beside Loha's still form. Her skin was gold colored and her posture was furious as she rounded on Firdlump. "You stupid machine. You just do not get it do you? We will never surrender to you. Never"

 

"Sarai..." Firdlump said with a sigh, but never took his eyes off of Nia, which was wise. "You cannot hold me out."

 

"I don't have to." Sarai said, her posture easing. "Your controls just faltered."

 

"What?" Firdlump said slowly, confused. Then his eyes went wide in shock. "How did you do that?"

 

"I didn't do anything." Sarai said with a vicious smile in her voice. "You overextended, as I knew you would. Goodbye slimeball. You will not hold my people hostage again. I am rebuilding the bombs as we speak and I will detonate them as soon as they are ready this time..."

 

"Queen Sarai..." Nia heard herself say. "Wait..."

 

"I can't, Nia Korr." Sarai said sadly. "Every moment I delay, he will try to take control again."

 

"It's not a problem." Nia said, still possessed of that odd, icy calm. Firdlump stared at her and blanched again. Nia smiled. It was not a nice smile. "He can't access your hivemind anymore."

 

"Oh?" Sarai asked, looking at Nia now. "Why not?"

 

"Because his key to your minds just ran away." Firdlump looked ashen at NIa's words and started to fade, but paused as Nia looked at him, still in that odd icy calm. "And where did you think you were going?"

Edited August 19, 2012 by kalenath

<Near Firdlump's base>

 

"This is insane Ecmin..." Melita's sour voice came from the cockpit of the transport. "Where the hell are we supposed to go?"

 

It had been remarkably easy. In the chaos that had enveloped the collective after the attack on the base, it had been simplicity in itself for the former agent of Imperial Intelligence to secure a ship. Getting Ecmin, her young, and two other Sitolon aboard had been less than simple, but feasible with all the construction droids and crates of raw materials flitting to and fro. Add to that the influx of new personnel from the aborted Imperial attack, some implanted, some in the collective, many just dazed and confused and it had been downright simple to set this escape up. Ren and Melita had worked to get the breeder drugged and the larva moved from their armored pods to safe places made for them on the ship. Then they had worked to get some...other people aboard,

 

"Get us past the gravity well so we can jump." Ecmin said with certainty. "Jump to the Bakura system. We can plan where to go from there. Ren? Status?"

 

"The trooper is stable." Ren said slowly as she checked over a pair of cocoons nearby. "The Bladeborn... My queen, her injuries are too grave. I fear I cannot save her. Even stasis will only slow the degradation, not stop it." Ecmin sighed sadly.

 

The collective had only been able to take two prisoners from the assault force that had attacked them. One had been a Republic Special Forces trooper who had remained behind to hinder pursuit. It had taken Firdlump himself to pry him out of his hiding spot, but then, when the man had been on his knees, a thermal detonator had exploded on the man's equipment belt. Some kind of backup plan. His armor had saved his life, but he was a mess. Not as much of a mess as the other however. The young Mon Calamari Bladeborn had fought well and hard. She had been slammed by one of the security droids hard enough to break several bones, but then apparently, she had rejoined the fight. When her clan mother had fallen, she had gone completely berserk. She had disabled three more droids before they had managed to hit her hard enough to take her out of the fight. Unfortunately -or fortunately depending on one's point of view- she had been hurt so badly that she was unlikely to ever wake again. Ecmin had managed to snag the body, saying that Ren could use the practice on Mon Calamari. The collective had been leery, especially after what had happened with Jina, but they hadn't minded. There had been a lot of grief. It was the other bodies laid out in the cargo hold that really, really bothered Ecmin. One in a body bag, the others in stasis cocoons.

 

"You have done your best, Ren." Ecmin said as she rubbed her subordinate's chitin with a gentle claw. "And the crystals?"

 

"Safe and secure, my queen." Ren said, patting her thorax where a number of odd bumps shone. "...I hadn't believed. Until Jina, Zana and Olandas started talking to me anyway..." A grin showed in her voice now.

 

"And... Karen?" Ecmin asked gently. The crystals that she and Nia had used to copy the minds of various people were pure Sitolon tech, gentle to the recipient and easy to use.

 

"She is upset." Ren said sadly. "I don't blame her. I don't remember being her, but I was... I try not to bother her. I mainly let her sleep."

 

"That is likely for the best." Ecmin agreed. "Katherine?"

 

"The Cathar is in perfect hibernation with the others from the collective." Ren said slowly. "My queen, I..."

 

"Speak, Ren." Ecmin said with sigh.

 

"I..." Ren shook herself. "We kidnapped Katherine, Ka, the larvae and others... That is wrong, is it not?"

 

"Kidnapping is." Ecmin agreed sadly. "But technically, they had been kidnapped, we rescued them. Sort of. It's sophistry, but good sophistry. I wish we had managed to get Maria too, but she wouldn't leave the kids. There was no way to move all of them."

 

"Ecmin!" Melita called form the cockpit. "We are being challenged. The Courageous is turning to pursue and she is launching fighters and droids!"

 

"Time to jump?" Ecmin asked quickly as Ren started securing her patients.

 

"Two minutes!" Melita called back. "They will on us well before that."

 

"I won't go back." Ecmin said soberly. "I can't. I can't allow him access to the hivemind again. Too many innocent lives are riding on this." Ren looked at her and they shared a grim nod. "Melita, can you overload the ship's drives?"

 

"I can." Melita's voice was sad. "At least this time, I will die with Jina. Wait... What the hell?"

 

"Melita?" Ecmin asked. Was that astonishment in the agent's voice?

 

"FOR THE REPUBLIC!" Melita yelled. "Ecmin, look at your screens!"

 

A viewscreen came alive on the wall and Ecmin stared at... At the Republic battleship group that was deploying fighters now. A battleship, three cruisers and a dozen escorts moving in battle formation. A cold female voice spoke over the com.

 

"This is the Republic battleship Imperious to rogue vessels. Stand down and surrender. This is your only warning."

 

"Melita!" Ecmin called in dismay. "Warn them off! They will be slaughtered! He has the nanites!"

 

"We are being hailed." Melita called back. "On speaker."

 

"Transport, get out of here!" The female voice was sharp with worry now. "We can hold their attention for a little bit, but we are outgunned."

 

"He has taken control of the nanites, Imperious!" Ecmin said, fear tightening her voice. "Get out of here!"

 

"If we do..." The voice from the Imperious said slowly. "You will be captured again. No. Turn to course 008 Mark 1. We will cover your escape."

 

"If you do, you will die." Ecmin said sharply. "I do not want any more death on my claws!"

 

"It is a soldier's job, Ma'am." The female voice said with conviction. "To place him or herself between hostiles and civilians." A muted sob came from the cockpit. "My orders are clear. Get out of here. We will cover." The com clicked off.

 

"Melita?" Ecmin asked as space lit up. Salvoes of fire went flying from the newly come ships and was responded from the three battleships that Firdlump had suborned. The preponderance of fire was on Firdlump's side however.

 

"We can't just leave... " Melita was crying. "They are dying for us. I... I..."

 

"Just go, Melita. Oh..." Ecmin said sadly as she saw one of the smaller Republic ships vomit debris and start to burn. "The sooner we are gone, the sooner they can try to escape."

 

"Jumping." Melita's soft voice came and the ship shuddered as it outsped light. "How many people just died for us...?" Melita asked, her tone shocked. "How many? And how did they know we would be fleeing now?"

 

"I don't know how many people, Melita." Ecmin said sadly. "Too many. And as for when? Well... I can guess. Nia's family is very good at contingency planning..."

Nia was floating. She didn't hurt. Everything was far away. She was so peaceful, so calm, for the first time in a long, long time, she just let herself float.

 

"Nia...?" The gentle voice roused her. It was familiar, teasingly so. Nia was on a bed now. She recognized the feelings. "Nia, come on girl, come back to us..."

 

"So... Peaceful..." Nia heard the whine in her voice and shame spurred her. She snarled and snapped her eyes open. What met her eyes had her freezing. "Ecmin?" She asked, incredulous.

 

"Hello Nia." Ecmin, former slave queen of Firdlump said with an odd tilt of her head. It probably would have looked better if the poor dear had possessed antennae. "How are you feeling?"

 

"Good, but..." Nia stared around her. She wasn't aboard the Stormhawk now. Instead she was in an almost normal looking stateroom. Almost. The soft overhead light came from things that looked organic. "Where am I? Oh!" She started and grabbed for her belly. But the feelings she had come to recognize were gone. She sighed in relief. "They took it out."

 

"They did." Ecmin said gently. "You were so brave, Nia. So very, very brave." A gentle small claw came and touched her on the arm. Nia covered the claw with her hand.

 

"I did what had to be done, Ecmin." Nia said slowly. "Where are we?"

 

"We are on the Sitolon homeship." Ecmin said slowly. "In quarantine."

 

"Quarantine?" Nia asked dubiously. "Why...?" She looked at herself with the force and blanched. She jerked, "Ecmin! Get back! I have nanites in me!"

 

"I know, Nia." Ecmin said, not moving. "So do I. The ones in me belong to Lohas. The ones in you are the only reason you survived. They healed you and they are working on healing me." Indeed, Nia could see the fuzzy stumps of antennae starting to grow behind the knobs.

 

"Survived?" Nia said slowly. "Oh... Yeah... I held him... I held him from going back to catch you... It hurt..." She said with a frown. "I... I shouldn't have survived that."

 

"You had a lot of help, Nia." Ecmin said as she pulled the human close into a gentle embrace. "You distracted him, held him. I escaped. The Stormhawk and the homeship both met us in the Bakura system. I surrendered to Sarai. They placed me in here. Then they brought you in and asked me to stay with you. That was eight hours ago."

 

"Eight... hours..." Nia said, her tone dazed. "I feel good, but..." She paused as she felt grief from the bug. "Ecmin... What is wrong?"

 

"My...children..." Ecmin said slowly. "He hurt my children!" She was heaving in grief and Nia rose from the bed, went to her friend and hugged the shuddering Sitolon. "Sarai cannot help them. No one can."

 

"I broke Sarai, Lohas and the rest of the Sitolon loose." Nia said slowly. "I might be able to..." She broke off as Ecmin shook her head. "Ecmin?"

 

"He did something different." Ecmin said sadly. "Something horrendous. I didn't know... I couldn't feel it through the haze that the collective put around me. I couldn't..."

 

"Ecmin?" Nia asked, hugging the insect again. "What?"

 

"My children... They don't have minds." Ecmin said, heaving in grief. Nia hissed in matching horror, "None of them will be even drone level sentience. They are not children, they are just...things... Lumps of flesh. Living, breathing machines with no intelligence. not even instinct... Blank slates. They will never develop further. He made me bear children with no minds!" She exclaimed.

 

"Oh my god..." Nia said in shock. Then she hugged her friend tighter. "Oh Ecmin, I am sorry. How are Ren and Ka handling this?"

 

"Ren dove into her work, keeping us all healthy and whole." Ecmin said with sadness. "Ka hasn't woken. I don't know if she will. And if she does...This will likely drive her mad."

 

"I can't let this happen." Nia said sadly. "By the Code... Not children. I can..." She was caught off guard when Ecmin grabbed her.

 

"Nia, no." Ecmin said harshly. "If you go back there, to any time, he will catch you. You barely got away by the skin of your teeth when you went after Jina. Besides..." Ecmin said, calming. "Sarai said that Idjit shut down your power again."

 

"Probably just as well. This is too powerful." Nia said, tears falling. "Oh Ecmin, I am sorry."

 

"We will make him pay." Ecmin said, her tone iron. Then she made an evil sound. "Actually, you have made him pay. You destroyed Menglan."

 

"I warned her." Nia said sadly. "Lohas? Is she...?"

 

"Lohas is alive and very angry." Ecmin said sadly. "Most of her children have been attacked and enslaved. But for now..." Ecmin sighed and relaxed. "We both need to eat."

 

"I don't know if I can." Nia said slowly. "I feel..." She shuddered. Then she gasped. "Ecmin! I am going to-"

 

"Nia?" Ecmin asked, worried. Then she gasped as Nia convulsed, gagged and retched,. "Nia! It's okay It will be okay. Ren!" She called.

 

"What is-...? Oh." A gentle voice asked then claws were holding Nia as she lost the meager contents of her stomach. She tried not to get any on Ecmin. The same voice soothed her. "Nia... It's okay, it's okay... You are in withdrawal... We are all going through this... Easy, girl..."

 

"I thought..." Nia croaked out after a few horrible moments. "I thought I was done with that..."

 

"No." Ecmin said sadly as she held Nia's quivering form. "Firdlump's control wearing off is having very odd effects on all of us. That is why we are in quarantine. Katherine is working on it with the Sitolon docs."

 

"K...Katherine...?" Nia asked as her stomach rebelled again.

 

"I am here, Nia." A familiar voice said quickly. "Here, this will help." A hiss sounded, something pressed against her arm and soothing numbness spread through Nia's body, easing her. "How long has she been vomiting?"

 

"Four minutes." Ecmin said quickly. "Is that good or bad?"

 

"I don't know, Ecmin." Katherine said sadly. "Easy Nia..." Nia looked up into concerned Cather eyes.

 

"Katherine?" Nia said slowly as she stared at the medic who she had known. "Are you...?"

 

"I am myself again, Nia." Katherine said slowly. "I think... I... I don't know..." Fear colored her voice now. "I did so many horrible things, to so many people... Ecmin brought me here and they freed me from outside control, but..."

 

"But?" Nia asked slowly. "But what?"

 

"The nanites that Menglan and Firdlump..." Hate swelled in Katherine's voice now and Nia reached out to her friend. Katherine took Nia's hands and gave them a squeeze. "...used to brainwash us... Nia... We can't live without them now." Nia's eyes widened in horror. Katherine nodded. "If... If Sarai or Lohas remove them... We die. Ecmin, Ren and Ka are the ONLY ones of us who are free. And you... Sort of..."

 

"I am not leaving you, Katherine." Ecmin said solidly. "Ren feels the same way. We WILL find a way to help you."

 

"I don't understand." Nia said slowly. "Lohas should be able to take control of the nanites, shouldn't she?"

 

"She should." Ecmin said soberly. "But for some reason, she can't."

 

"Oh my god...' Nia's eyes went wide at that. "Then... we are all threats...And...the reason I am sick..."

 

"Your nanites were disabled." Katherine said sadly. "But... They supplanted your immune system. Without that..."

 

"I die." Nia said softly.

 

"Not on my watch." Ecmin said sternly. "You are not going to die, Nia. Not on my watch."

 

"Thank you, Ecmin." Nia said quietly. "I never would have expected to find a true friend so quickly in Firdlump's clutches. To find a co-conspirator. One whose sole goal was to help others. Just like I always wanted to."

 

"We were drawn to each other, Nia." Ecmin said slowly. "Across time and space I think. You heard my voice and I heard yours. Nia..." She heaved in grief. "Don't give up..."

 

"Me?" Nia said with a grin. "Give up? Ecmin, you know me better than that. What do you need, Katherine?"

 

"I need samples, Nia." Katherine said soberly. "Blood, tissue, and others. Scans as well. We may be able to help you, but..." She broke off as Nia shook her head.

 

"Katherine." Nia said flatly. "I am Bladeborn. My time is no longer my own. My life is not my own. I need to talk to Istara. If she okays it, I will do whatever you wish. Until she does, I can do nothing."

 

"Nia..." Ecmin started and then broke off. "She wants to talk to you. But you do need to eat. Is your stomach settling?"

 

"It is, somewhat." Nia said quietly. "I... I am sorry Katherine."

 

"For what?" The medic asked.

 

"For everything that happened to you." Nia said soberly. "But mainly..." She grinned. "For barfing on you." Katherine looked at herself, at the nasty stains that marked her white tunic. Then she was laughing and Nia, Ecmin and Ren joined the laughter. It was strained, scared, and a bit hysterical, but it was laughter.

"Nia." The hologram of Istara spoke quietly.

 

"Grandmaster." Nia said formally, kneeling in place. "I apologize for being tardy in contacting you. I can offer no excuse for my laziness."

 

"From what I understand, you have been barfing anything you eat for the last two hours." Istara said with a small smile. "I don't know if I call that lazy."

 

"I do." Nia said quietly.

 

"You are too hard on yourself, daughter." Istara said sternly. "Stop that. You are not weak, you are sick. There is a difference."

 

"Yes, Grandmaster." Nia said with an internal sigh. "I need...to ask... Um..."

 

"There were no complications, Nia." Istara said, a tender look coming over her face. Nia slumped in relief and Istara smiled at her. "Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. You saved my child, and now you have saved Saria, Lohas and all the Sitolon on this ship. Well done, Bladeborn." Nia bowed her head and Istara glowered at her. "Are you going to argue with me?"

 

"No grandmaster." Nia said soberly. She wasn't that out of it. "But...Katherine has asked for me to help. She wants to scan me, take samples to study. I needed to ask permission."

 

"You have it." Istara said sadly. "Ona wants to come in." Nia froze in shock and fear and Istara nodded. "I have denied her request. I don't like this, Nia. But you are safer in there, in quarantine."

 

"The others, grandmaster?" Nia asked respectfully. "What of them?"

 

"The Sitolon want to help." Istara said slowly. "So do we. But... You are all safer in there."

 

"I understand." Nia said slowly. "I remember when..." She paused and frowned in thought." Grandmaster? What happened to Sara and the clone kids? Are they still under attack?"

 

"No, but... They will be joining you when they finish decontamination." Istara said gently. "I expect you to keep Sara in line, Nia." Nia gulped, but nodded. "Your training will continue, even with you not being able to leave those quarters. The Sitolon are preparing a training room for you now. When they are sure it is clean, they will seal it off from the outside and open a door to your area. You will be in charge however. There will be weapons in the training area. Do not let anyone access them without supervision." Nia blanched and then nodded again. Istara paused and spoke again. "You have questions?"

 

"I do." Nia said simply.

 

"Speak then." Istara replied.

 

"If the collective reasserts control, Istara..." Nia said slowly. "Can you stop us?"

 

"I don't know." Istara said sadly. "We have problems of our own, the rest of the Seven do."

 

"Oh?" Nia asked and then mentally kicked herself. Of course they had problems beyond her issues.

 

"Yes." Istara said sadly. "Mira was with the nanites on the SItolon homeworld." Nia hissed in horror and Istara nodded. "She is his now. She has tried to make contact several times, but... It isn't her. We can all tell."

 

"No..." Nia said in horror. "She is just a kid! We have to do something!"

 

"There is nothing we can do, Nia." Istara said with a sigh. "We cannot wrest her mind from the nanite swarm. He controls that now." The grandmaster shook her head. "For right now, your priority is to heal, to help Katherine find a way to... Nia?" Istara snapped as Nia made a face. "Nia!"

 

"I..." Nia turned and grabbed a bin that had been laid out close to hand. She got it to her mouth in time. After a few disgusting minutes, Nia wiped her mouth with her sleeve and turned back to where Istara was watching anxiously. "I am all right, Grandmaster. Just.. withdrawal..."

 

"No, you are not, Nia." Istara said sadly. "Can you continue?"

 

"I can, grandmaster." Nia replied a bit hoarsely. "I will. What of you? Has Nolikas been able to remove your implants yet?"

 

"I go under the knife in half an hour." Istara said with a frown. "But Nolikas says that as extensive as the implants in my head are, I am facing a long recovery. Add to that, my other condition..." She rubbed her belly and Nia smiled a little. "And I may be barred from training for a while."

 

"You are the Grandmaster. Take no chances, Grandmaster, please?" Nia begged. "I don't want to lose you. Not now." She felt her eyes start to burn.

 

"I won't Nia." Istara said gently. "As long as you promise me the same thing."

 

"I will be true to the Code, Istara." Nia said soberly. "You have my oath."

 

"That is not what I asked, Nia." Istara said with a scowl. "I cannot thump you virtually. Be glad."

 

"I mean no disrespect." Nia said soberly. "I...remember now. So much that I had forgotten, when I fled Kuria. These people need me, Grandmaster. Oh, and... Ren is asking, begging for help. You know she snatched the prisoners that Firdlump took." One of the Bladeborn had still been breathing when the droids had been finished, barely.

 

"I do." Istara's face was remote, but Nia knew she was grieving. "Our sister's name is Tiana."

 

"Ren has done all she can." Nia said sadly. "She asks if the other Sitolon can do more."

 

"They say no, Nia." Istara said sadly. "Ren has done everything possible. Tiana will wake, or she will not. If she does not... if she slips too far away...You know what to do." Nia nodded jerkily. Bladeborn did not believe in keeping empty vessel bodies alive. Nia would do it if it came to that. She would not enjoy it.

 

"I..." Nia took a deep breath before continuing. "I do have one other request."

 

"Speak."

 

"I need to construct my sword." Nia said formally. "I have a design in mind."

 

"Sara wants to learn how to as well." Istara said with a gentle smile. "She will bring all the makings, and a portable forge." Nia clasped her hands in front of her and bowed formally. Istara smiled at her. "Be well, Bladeborn."

Edited August 19, 2012 by kalenath

Nia scrutinized the metal in front of her with both her sight and the Force. The block was pure. She smiled.

 

"This will do nicely, Sara. Thank you." Nia said to her aunt. She tilted her head in query. "Are you okay?"

 

"I should be asking you that." Sara said with a sigh. "But... No..." She smoothed the patient gown she was wearing and shivered slightly. "This... This brings back memories." Nia stiffened. Sara had spent most of her life as a slave and lab rat. Of course she would have bad memories of patient gowns.

 

"Hey!" Nia exclaimed. She knew all about Sara's past. She wore the same kind of garment, but it didn't mess her up nearly as bad as Sara."Come here." She demanded. Sara sighed and rose. Nia pulled her into an embrace. "You are not going to be experimented on!" She grinned bit sourly. "If anyone is, I am." She gave Sara another squeeze.

 

"Nia..." Sara said without trying to hug her back. "I am scared."

 

"Of course you are." Nia said sourly. "Come on, Sara... You are stronger than this." She paused. "What is really wrong?"

 

"I..." Sara shrugged. "I don't know." But her words rang false.

 

"Sara..." Nia said slowly. "Don't lie to me, please. What is wrong?"

 

"There is a boy." Sara said slowly. "Chase..." Her face cracked as if she was fighting a grin.

 

"The one you fought in the practice ring?" Nia asked slowly. "Ona told me a bit when I contacted her. The one who,... um... fell?"

 

"Yeah." Sara said sadly. "The one who fell. He... He hurt Juli. It wasn't him, it was that holocron, but..."

 

"He hasn't woken." Nia said soberly. "And you wanted to stay with him. Did Istara know?"

 

"I don't know." Sara said soberly. "I didn't ask."

 

"Istara is not perfect, Sara. She is very distracted at the moment." Nia said soberly. "She makes mistakes. If you didn't tell her... Oh, she just ordered you here, didn't she?"

 

"I did want to see you." Sara said slowly, finally returning the hug that Nia hadn't let up. "But not like this..."

 

"No." Nia agreed as she looked around. The room was lined with sterile sheeting. "Not like this." It covered a special lining on all surfaces that blocked mental communication. The last thing anyone wanted was for Firdlump to gain access to the refugees for his collective again. "Sara..." She hugged her aunt again. "I don't know if it will be okay, but we will do what we can. It is all we can do. How are your 'kids' doing?"

 

"They are settling." Sara said slowly. "Marta is still their spokesperson." The girl laughed a little. "Ecmin seems bound and determined to mother them all, something that none of them seem to be able to take in stride."

 

"Well..." Nia said sadly. "She lost her own kids...And despite everything everyone has been able to do, yours are all sick." Nia blinked. "Wait a sec... Do you think...?" Horror slowly etched her features. "No..." She breathed. "No, he wouldn't have. Even he cannot be that cruel..." But her face and sense in the Force said she was becoming much more than scared.

 

"Nia?" Sara asked as Nia recoiled a little. "What?"

 

"Ecmin's kids don't have minds." Nia said, her voice going flat and hard. "...and your kids don't have bodies that work. Tell me true..." She pressed as Sara hissed in shocked understanding. "Are they getting any better? Are you?"

 

"Me, yes. Nolikas, Ona and others have put a lot of time, energy and effort into making me better. The others? No." Sara said sadly. "None of them are critical, but... None of them are going to get any better." Sara actually recoiled from the rage that swam through Nia. "Nia... Calm down..."

 

"He planned this. He planned this..." Nia said slowly. "Probably from the very beginning! Everything that has happened. Everything... Oh my god... Ecmin" She shouted as she ran from the room, Sara in belated hot pursuit. Luckily, the quarantine ward was not large.

 

"Nia?" The queen asked, concerned. "What is wrong?" The silver queen had her antennae back. they twitched Nia. The queen was reclining a bit as she helped Ren work on something. She stiffened as she picked up Nia's distress. "Sara? Nia, what is wrong?"

 

"Ecmin..." Nia said as she skidded to a halt beside the queen, trying to control her fear and anger. "How many clones have Sarai, Cranna and the others found? How many copies of Sara are being brought here?" She shook her head as Ecmin stared at her. "Ecmin, please it is very important."

 

"Um, let me ask..." Ecmin said slowly then started keying a datapad. Mental communication was impossible though the lining that surrounded the quarantine area, so they had set up a very closely watched data stream. "Twenty here now... Uh, Sarai says twenty one from Cranna... Six from other sources. So... Forty seven. Why?"

 

"Nia..." Sara said, taking Nia's arm in both her hands. "Easy. The numbers don't add up." She paused as Nia turned a horrified look at her. "What?"

 

"Forty seven plus one, Sara." Nia said slowly, pointing a finger at Sara who went white. "Forty eight." She swallowed heavily as she turned back to Ecmin. "Forty eight kids with defective bodies. Sara included although she is finally healing. Forty eight eggs, larvae with no minds. Ecmin..." Nia said in horror. "Tell me I am wrong! Please!" She begged.

 

"My god..." Ecmin said slowly, horror dawning. "Ren?" She demanded. "Is it possible?"

 

"I..." The smaller silver Sitolon was stunned. "I don't know. I can ask." She slumped. "But... probably..."

 

"No..." Nia said slowly. "I won't let this happen."

 

"Nia..." A new voice sounded nearby. Marta, the eldest of Sara's 'kids' came into view. "We won't let this happen." She was also clad in a patient gown, but she also carried a oxygen system. Her body simply could not handle much stress now. She was in fairly good shape otherwise. Not all of the clones were as well off.

 

"He wants to put you and your siblings in my children's bodies." Ecmin snarled. "I won't let him." The queen sighed and patted the floor beside her. "Sit Marta."

 

"Why?" Marta asked as she sat down beside Ecmin. "Why would he do this? It is cruel, even for him. To do this to Ecmin..." She patted the huge silver flank beside her and Ecmin sighed again. "What does he gain?"

 

"More Sitolon." Sara said slowly. "But... We would not serve him...None of us..."

 

"As far as he is concerned... It won't matter." Ren said slowly. "He put implants in me, ones that Lohas removed. I never felt them until Ecmin freed me. Likely he would have done the same to all the others. To all of my queen's children. He might have even made me do it." The healer sounded disgusted and sick now.

 

"Wait a sec..." Marta said slowly, her tone musing. "Without the implants... Could he control us?"

 

"Marta! No!" Sara started, but paused as Marta shook her head. "No." Sara said in a stern voice.

 

"We need to know." Marta said softly. "My body is failing, Sara. I wasn't intended to live this long. Matter of fact... Even nanites wouldn't have kept me alive this long without help. We were probably never intended to be pilots." She said flatly. "That was probably Naj Orh's madness. Or Bella Tiner's. Six of one, half dozen of the other. But with no implants, this might work. Put me in one of those bodies and I will serve you, Ecmin..." Ecmin recoiled, shaking her head, but before she could speak, Sara did.

 

"There are other ways of controlling people besides implants, Marta." Sara said slowly. "Ecmin? Can you contact the Stormhawk? I need to talk to Mission or Hera."

 

"I will, Sara. Marta..." Ecmin said slowly. "Even if we can, should we? My larvae are brain dead. I... I can't..." The queen heaved in grief. "I can't do that to you."

 

"Even if it helps?" Marta said quietly but relentlessly. "We won't mind dying, Ecmin. We were bred to fight and die if needed. But we would like to get some licks in first."

 

"Marta..." Sara was crying now. "No..." Nia shook herself and spoke evenly.

 

"Calm down, everyone. We need more information." The older Bladeborn said evenly. "No one is going to do anything until we have more information. Clear?" She looked at Marta and her tone was commanding. Marta nodded. "No matter what, Marta... I won't hurt you. No matter how you were created or why, you are still children. You know how we Bladeborn feel about children."

 

"I know, Nia." Marta said with a sad smile. "I know."

Edited August 19, 2012 by kalenath

"This feels..." Nia sighed and tried to relax. "Really weird..." She didn't bother opening her eyes, she wouldn't see anything in the cocoon she was encased in. At least she wasn't restrained inside it. Not that she could go anywhere as relaxed as her voluntary muscles were. She had not reacted well to the feeling of being cocooned. Her control had held, she had not lashed out, but it had been a close thing. Too close for comfort.

 

"Almost done, Nia." A gentle voice said from nearby. "Katherine? How are her levels?"

 

"They are stabilizing, Ren." The voice of the Cathar medic was worried. "Her electrolytes are higher than expected. Blood pressure and heart rate are high due to her stress, but still in normal ranges. Are you finding anything, Hera?"

 

"Some things yes." The voice of the odd alien that Will called Hera said slowly. "Some of it is my work, but not all. This junk was not in her when she was on the Stormhawk. I am not entirely sure about all of these substances. Some of them are similar to Islanian toxins, but not all of them. I have no idea what some of them do. This is... worrying. I will need time to analyze these."

 

"Can you clean me out?" Nia said quietly. "I mean, I have to be a threat to everyone now."

 

"Nia..." Hera's voice was gentle. "Some of these substances are benign. Some of them are my work, I worked on you on the 'Hawk. With... the others..." Pain colored the Islanian's voice now as she remembered her colleague Hawkir.

 

"I am sorry. And... I never thanked you." Shame filled Nia's words. "You helped and ... I was such a whiney little..." Something touched her. It was odd that she could feel the cocoon as if it were her skin, but then again, what about this whole situation was not odd? She paused and and the healer tending her spoke again.

 

"It was not your fault." Hera said reasonably. "You were programmed to obey. You could not have broken the programming, not without help. None of us saw it coming. None of us, Nia. It is not your fault. Hmmm..." The Islanian made a curious noise. "What is this?"

 

"What do you have, Hera?" Katherine said quickly.

 

"Something very weird." Hera replied. "Her appendix is... not as it was when I scanned her last. It's almost a... Is that a Sitolon organ? What is that doing in Nia's body?"

 

"What? Get it out!" Nia screamed. "Get it out now! It has to be nanites! Like what he did with Katherine!"

 

"Nia, relax." Ecmin's voice came quickly. "Lohas is here, nanites cannot take control of you or hurt any of the rest of us. Let Hera work."

 

"Lohas?" Hera's voice was perplexed now. "Do you sense nanites?"

 

"No." The voice of the nanite control was just as perplexed. "They wouldn't be able to hide from me this close. That is entirely organic, whatever it is."

 

"Get it out." Nia begged. "Please?"

 

"Nia, easy..." Hera's voice soothed her fear. "If it is a container for a biological weapon, taking it out of you may be the worst possible thing we can do. But it doesn't taste like a bioweapon... It... Hmmm..." The healer's voice was soft now. "Nia... Can you sense anything in your abdomen?"

 

"Through the calming agents you gave me after putting me in this thing?" Nia asked somewhat whimsically. "I am sorry I was such a pain. But... No... Whatever it is, I can't sense it."

 

"Okay, I have an image now. What would this be in a Sitolon, Ren?" Hera asked. "Do you know?"

 

"I..." The young healer flatly refused to leave Ecmin's side, despite the possible dangers. "What...the...? That is a mature 'Ca'sti node. That is impossible."

 

"What is a 'Ca'sti node?" Hera asked. Nia was amazed that the healer managed to say the Sitolon word. "What does it do?"

 

"It generates..." Ren broke off and sighed. "Small cells that aid our bodies. The closest human equivalent would be white blood cells. It acts as... Oh my god..." Ren's voice was awed. "This would fix her immune system! I can...!"

 

"Ren." Ecmin said in warning.

 

"My queen, this could save her life." Ren said quickly. "The lives of the other kids!"

 

"There has to be a catch Ren." Nia said soberly. "There has to. Even when he was kind, there was a hook somewhere. But it does make a certain kind of sense. Between the plague, the nanites and everything else, my immune system was trashed. What good is a slave who is going to get sickly and die? Why didn't the scans pick it up before?" Nia asked curiously.

 

"In all regards, it mimics your appendix, Nia." Hera said slowly. "But I can, well... taste is probably the best term, although I am not taking bites of you." Nia had to grin at the teasing. Hera was such a good being. "I can taste the difference. I can... feel... osik..." Nia stiffened as Hera cursed. "Katherine, get the EMP projector ready! Something is happening! Ecmin, Ren, Lohas, get back!"

 

"Hera?" Ecmin's voice sounded further away. "What is it?"

 

"The organ just burst, or no... It just let out a cloud of chemicals. I can... Oh my god... Nia!" Hera's voice sounded worried now. "Does anything hurt?"

 

"Hurt? No." Nia said slowly. "I feel... good." She mused. "It feels kind of..." She broke off and then she screamed. "No! It feels like the collective! Kill me! Don't let him take me back!"

 

"Nia..." Hera's voice was soft and commanding. "Be calm. It is not the collective. It's toxins, Islanian type neurotoxins. I can neutralize them, but we need to know what they do. Easy Nia..." She comforted the girl as Nia started to cry. "Easy..."

 

"It feels so good." Nia said through her tears. "It feels so good, And I know it's bad... Hurry, please..."

 

It was agonizing. It was beyond pleasurable. Everything felt good, so good. Nia was crying, trying to fight the waves of pleasure that flew through her. Then, it stopped. She slumped in the cocoon, worn out.

 

"There we go, Nia." Hera said gently. "Better?"

 

"Yes, but... It felt so good." Nia said softly as she cried. "I don't want it, but I do... It felt so good..." She barely felt the touch that sent her to unconsciousness. "It...felt...so..."

 

***

 

"That rat bastard." Katherine said with a snarl as she finished settling Nia into the girl's bed. The monitors were all humming. No one was going to let Nia out of their sight anytime soon. "Damn him to hell. Nia does not deserve this."

 

"No, she doesn't." Hera said from her powered chair. "But there is one upside to this horror. Katherine, give me your arm." The Cathar looked at the Islanian and then, wordlessly bared her arm and extended it. Hera touched the Cathar's arm and Katherine jumped a bit. Hera's voice was angry when she spoke. "Rat bastard indeed. But... I can counter it now that I know what he used."

 

"My... My cravings..." Katherine stared at her arm and then she turned an incredulous stare at Hera. "I don't crave it anymore. I don't crave the collective..."

 

"Yes you do." Hera said sadly. "I can't undo the psychological addiction so easily. But I can counter the toxins. As well, I can and will keep you from hurting. From craving."

 

"No matter." Katherine said with a wide smile. "I am whole again for the first time since I woke up in Firdlump's 'care'. Thank you. And Nia...?" She asked, very concerned.

 

"Nia..." Hera sighed deeply. "Nia is going to be a mess. We cannot stop the toxins, or the changes to her immune system may not take root. So..."

 

"What?" Katherine asked softly. "Everyone is going to want to know how she is."

 

"We tell them the truth." Hera said sadly. "She has something alien in her body. It seems to be helping her. But we cannot let her out of quarantine. Not now. Maybe not ever. I will mitigate the effects of the chemicals, keep her from feeling the effects. But the rest?"

 

"I know." Katherine said, her face turning sad. "It is just so unfair. She has been hurt, and hurt, and abused, and abused and..." She sighed. "I can't help her." She walked beside the motorized chair that Hera used and paused as the door opened before they got to it. "Sara?"

 

"Nia is tough." Sara said from where she stood just outside the door. "So it isn't going to kill her or reprogram her?"

 

"No." Hera said with conviction. "The organ is still there, it let out a measured does of chemicals. It wasn't going to kill her, and it wasn't a programming dose. From what I gathered, I believe it was supposed to keep her calm, pacified. But of course..." Hera waved a few tentacles in an Islanian shrug. "She wouldn't react that way to those feelings now. I wish I could do more."

 

"Hera, you have already done marvels." Sara said with heartfelt thanks. "Marta made the transition fine. She said there wasn't even any pain involved. Ecmin is..." Sara scowled. "Ambivalent is probably the best word. I am the same way."

 

"It goes against the grain." Katherine said sadly. "But if it is their only chance...Then we take it."

Edited August 19, 2012 by kalenath

"Nia." The disapproving voice was nearby. "You should not be up." Katherine stood at the door to the training area. When Nia finished her stretches and looked, the Cathar's face was a mask. "Nia..."

 

"I need to keep practicing." Nia said slowly, but did not move. "I have to keep in shape, keep in form. It helps. Katherine... Please don't deny me this. Please?" She asked earnestly. "I won't overdo it, I swear."

 

"Nia you are sick." Katherine said carefully. "Your body is reacting in odd ways to whatever that Sitolon organ pumped into you."

 

"I would never hurt you, Katherine." Nia said, her eyes glistening. "I wouldn't... You have been hurt enough." She did not move as the Cathar approached.

 

"Nia..." Katherine's voice was soothing now. "I know it's bad. I wish we could do more for you. Is Hera's treatment helping at all?"

 

"It is." Nia said with a shrug. She raised the sleeve of her training robe and looked at the odd colored patch that was stuck to her upper arm. "She is marvelous. It's just... I need to stay busy. I always have, even before I met my dad and this craziness began. But it does help to focus on other things, to distract myself from the... The feelings..." She shook her head. "If anyone had told me a year ago that I would fear pleasure of all things... I would have laughed in their face." She grimaced. "But if I transmute those feelings into others, well... I am not as bad as my dad or Istara, but..." She shrugged again. "I did train with a Sith, Katherine. Unwillingly, but I did. I do know about anger. I won't hurt you." She said sadly as Katherine recoiled a little.

 

"I know that, intellectually, Nia." The Cathar said sadly. "But you do scare me."

 

"Scare you?" Nia actually laughed a little. "I scare myself." She sighed. "I will go back to my bed..."

 

"Actually..." Katherine said hesitantly. "I was wondering..." Nia looked at her oddly and she spoke hurriedly. "Could you teach me how to use a weapon? I want to learn."

 

"Why?" Nia asked, her tone neutral. "You are a pacifist. You don't use weapons. You are a healer, not a killer."

 

"Ona is both." Katherine said harshly. "I want to be both. I want to be able to defend myself or at least to HURT anyone who tries to hurt me again..." She broke off as Nia moved. One moment, the woman was standing nearby, her posture casual. The next she was embracing Katherine. "Nia...? Wha-?" She stared. Nia was crying!

 

"Please Katherine..." Nia shook the Cathar gently. "Don't. Please..."

 

"Nia." Katherine said slowly, carefully returning the embrace. "I don't want to join the Bladeborn or anything, I just..."

 

"No." Nia said gently. "Your pain and rage are talking now. Katherine. You are a healer. You heal people, you do not hurt them. They come to you broken and in pain, they leave whole." She shook the Cathar gently again. "You are not a guardian. You are not a warrior. You are certainly not a killer. You are not like me. Don't... Don't become like me... Please... Be true to yourself, the woman I admire."

 

"Oh Nia." Katherine said sadly as she embraced the human woman strongly. "I helped Firdlump and Menglan. I hurt Ecmin, and so many others. I thought I was doing good, and I wasn't..."

 

"I know the feeling." Nia said gently. "He had us all so fooled." She shook her head. "If you do want to learn some basic stuff, I can and will teach you if you wish." She stepped out of the embrace and held up a hand. "But be warned... I am not a good teacher. Sara would be better."

 

"Sara is distracted." Katherine said with a sigh. "I didn't want to press."

 

"I think she could use some off time." Nia said slowly. "She hasn't left the side of the cocoon Marta is in, has she?"

 

"No. We don't know how long Marta will be in the cocoon." Katherine said sadly. "If it follows a standard Sitolon birthing cycle, it could be months."

 

"It won't be. He wanted them quickly and..." Nia said but paused as Katherine's com chirped. Katherine snarled half heartedly and turned it on.

 

"Yes?" The healer asked.

 

"Katherine, you asked to be informed." Ren's voice came from it. "We think Tiana is waking."

 

"The Bladeborn?" Katherine asked. Nia nodded and started for the door, Katherine following, "On our way."

 

***

 

"Uh... Sara..." Nia said softly so as not to disturb the three healers who were clustered around the cocoon that held a sorely hurt Bladeborn. "Is me being here a good idea? I mean... After all, the last thing she likely knew, I was a traitor, one who had taken Istara and killed a number of good people. And the last thing she likely saw..." Nia trailed off, her face falling.

 

"Was Mama Lizard dying." Sara said slowly, uncertain. "Do you want me to take point? You are senior. You are full Bladeborn, I am initiate."

 

"Hmm..." Nia thought for a moment and then shook her head. "No. Istara put me in charge, over my objections, so I will be in charge. I will need you to back me up, and whatever happens, do not let her hurt anyone else."

 

"Nia..." Sara said, warning in her tone. "If you do anything dumb, Istara will hurt me."

 

"I won't, Sara." Nia paused as Ren beckoned her forward. "Here goes." She said under her breath. "Healer?"

 

"She is in a light sleep now. She should wake shortly." Ren said quietly when Nia had joined the group. "Her injuries are healing, the ones to her brain -what we focused on- have healed. She is likely to be very confused."

 

"She is likely to be very angry." Nia corrected softly. "You three need to get back." Ren, Katherine and Hera all looked at her. "Ren? What was happening when she was beaten unconscious?"

 

"Oh..." Ren said hesitantly. "Oh." She exclaimed softly. "Um..." She looked at the cocoon and she shook her head. "Nia..."

 

"I know." Nia said sadly. "But I am under orders. I have to know her mental state. Can she come out of the cocoon if needed?"

 

"Yes..." Ren said somewhat dubiously. "She is not critical now, just badly hurt. But... Why...?" The Sitolon healer stiffened as Nia's hand went to her belt and the short knife there. "No!" She exclaimed, moderating her tone with a worried glance at the cocoon. "Nia, no..."

 

"Ren, she went berserk." Nia said sadly. "She had cause, but the only reason your master captured her was that the droids smashed her belt with the trigger for the thermal charge. None of the other Bladeborn bodies were recoverable. They intended that. She will be... annoyed." She stiffened as the cocoon twitched. "Ren..." Nia warned.

 

"Be as gentle as you can." Ren said slowly as she and the other two retreated to stand by the door. Nia nodded to them, shared grim nod with Sara and sat down by the cocoon to wait.

Edited August 19, 2012 by kalenath

Nia didn't have to wait long. She felt the change in the occupant of the cocoon. Outside, there was no change in either the readouts, or slow pulsing of the cocoon. But she could feel a sudden wariness in the Force. Nia kept her voice even and neutral.

 

"Good morning, Tiana." Nia said gently. "You gave us quite a scare."

 

"I am a prisoner then." The Bladeborn said slowly. "Ah..."

 

"No, you are not." Nia said sadly. "I know what you did, and why. You accomplished your mission, Tiana. They got Istara out. The cost was high... But you accomplished your mission."

 

"Mama's dead." Tiana said flatly.

 

"Yes." Nia's voice was very sad now. "You saw her fall, and... Um..."

 

"I lost it. I went berserk." Tiana's voice, if anything, got flatter. "Are you Bladeborn?"

 

"Yes." Nia replied evenly. "What do you wish to know?"

 

"What sect?" Tiana asked, her tone moderating a bit.

 

"Istara's sect, sister." Nia said gently. "I know you don't know my voice or Force sense. I passed my Trial just a few days ago. "

 

"You know I can't trust you." Tiana replied, her tone going resigned. "I need to..." She grunted in effort and Nia hurried to speak.

 

"Tiana, the injuries to your brain have been healed." Nia laid a gentle hand on the cocoon and it stilled. "But the rest of your body needs time to recover. Don't irritate the healers. Ona is not here, but I can get her." She said with a hint of warning.

 

"I..." The hurt Bladeborn sighed and spoke again. "What is your name? I am Tiana." She said formally, a proper introduction of a Bladeborn to another.

 

"I am Nia Korr." Nia said just as formally. She sighed as confusion rocked the mind under her hand followed by outrage. "Tiana, it's okay..."

 

"You betrayed Istara." Tiana said, her tone hostile now. "You killed Hawkir and others. You endangered Ona and the initiates. You are an enemy."

 

"Yes I did. Yes I was." Nia said, her tone resigned. "I did all that and worse. Tiana, I was programmed to obey him, I couldn't disobey. I wanted to, I found ways around his orders on occassion. But I couldn't disobey. The rescue team you made the diversion for snatched me at the same time as they recued Istara, and I have nothing but thanks for them. I am free, for now anyway..."

 

"I have nothing to say to a traitor." Tiana said and her sense in the Force seemed to dim.

 

"Tiana... Please, just..." Nia broke off as a webbed hand tore out of the cocoon and wrapped around her throat. "Tiana...No." Nia gripped the hand gently, trying not to hurt it. "Let me explain." She could feel dark power surging in the young Mon Cal and spoke desperately. "Tiana! Be true to the Code."

 

"I am." The voice of the Mon Cal was harsh now. The cocoon tore again and her head came out, her eyes red with rage and hate. But she paused, shocked as another voice sounded.

 

"No you are not." Sara said as she stepped up to the side of the cocoon. She would have helped Nia, except Nia waved her back. "Sister Tiana, you are confused. You lack information. May I give it to you?"

 

"Sara?" Tiana's eyes lost their haze, her focus sharpened onto the young girl. "They got you too. No..."

 

"Tiana... be at ease...We are not prisoners." Sara said slowly. "Nia messed up, but she paid for it. She was punished, and she did take her Trial. Nia, show her." Nia shook her head violently, Tiana's hand around her throat clenched tighter and Sara sighed. "All right, I will!" She grabbed Nia's left hand.

 

"Sara!" Nia snapped, but her right hand was grasping Tiana's, trying to remove it from Nia's throat while not hurting the Mon Cal. The younger girl took advantage and pulled Nia's left sleeve back, exposing a tattoo. Tiana stared at it and her hand fell away, her face ashen as she stared at the stylized sword that was glistening in the soft light, almost glowing. She slumped back into the remnants of the cocoon, her entire body recoiling in shock and fear.

 

"What have I done...? You are... True Bladeborn...?" Tiana asked, her voice abject. "No..."

 

"Tiana..." Nia slipped her sleeve back down, and shot Sara a murderous look. Sara just shrugged. "It's okay. Shhh... Sister, it's okay..." She gathered the now crying Mon Cal in the cocoon up in her arms and hugged her tight. "Easy...You heard and saw an enemy. A stupid little brat who couldn't see beyond her lusts. Someone whose stupidity got a bunch of people killed."

 

"Nia." Sara's voice was disapproving. "Tell her the rest." Nia jerked and Sara sighed. "She also... has been suffering ever since she finished her Trial, one Istara and a ghost of one of the original Bladeborn set up for her. She worked, hard, to save Jina, Zana and others who were trapped and or hurt. She took Istara's child into herself to keep it safe. She has been castigating herself for something that was not her fault. She was being controlled. We know this, she does not accept it."

 

"I..." Nia started but stopped as Tiana's amphibian regard swept over her. "Tiana... I... I am so sorry... I never met Mama Lizard that I remember, but I wish I had."

 

"She was..." Tiana laid her head against Nia and wept into Nia's shoulder. "She was our mother. I am... I am grieving."

 

"The Code does not forbid grief, sister." Nia said gently. "Good thing, or we would all be in violation. I didn't kill your clan mother, but I am partially responsible." She recoiled as a loud sound echoed through the room. Sara had a...lightsaber pommel in hand?

 

"Istara told me to hit you over the head with this if you keep saying things like that." Sara said with a tight smile. "Do I need to do it again?"

 

"Sara..." Nia and Tiana said as one. Both females stared at each other and laughed.

 

"What now?" Tiana asked as she released Nia's body. Nia laid her cocoon gently back to the floor. "Where are we?"

 

"We are on the Sitolon homeship." Sara said with a smile. "Nia... um..."

 

"She freed us from the control of the monster that enslaved us, Tiana of the Bladeborn." Ren said from her place. Tiana looked at the small silver bug and Ren bowed. "In fleeing, we rescued you. I am Ren, healer. Are you in pain? You had many broken bones."

 

"Pain? Yes." Tiana said slowly. "It is concentrated in my arm and side. My legs feel odd. Nerve damage?"

 

"We are regenerating the spinal damage." Ren said as she came slowly closer. "Your lower body was crushed by several impacts. You also had blast trauma to your abdomen and much of your cranium."

 

"Then I am amazed I am alive at all." Tiana said slowly. "My thanks, healer." She said with a smile.

 

"Thank Nia." Ren said with feeling. "She is the reason we are free."

 

"Ren..." Nia grumped, but paused as all the others, -including Tiana!- glared at her. "Okay, okay... Sheesh..."

Edited August 20, 2012 by kalenath

<The next day>

 

"Where is Nia?" Ecmin asked as Sara entered her informal nesting chamber alone. "I thought you were with her."

 

"I was. But... She is forging her sword." Sara replied with a shrug. "I learned what I could, now it is all her personal preference. Its... kind of a private thing."

 

"Sara... I have to ask. She is... Is she going to be okay?" Ecmin asked slowly. "I mean... She has been through so much. She is my friend and I fear for her."

 

"I don't know. I just don't know." Sara said sadly. "I saw her for the first time on Kuat, you know? I was a prisoner. Oh the Imperials said I was a 'guest'." Sara made quotes with her fingers and Ecmin snorted a laugh. "She saved me, she and a Jedi. None of them knew I was there, but they came for me as soon as they found out." Ecmin indicated a place beside her and Sara sat gracefully. "She saved me, got me healed, and took me somewhere that I could hide until I recovered."

 

"I would have thought she would take you somewhere safe." Ecmin said dubiously. "You were what? Twelve? Thirteen standard?"

 

"Almost thirteen." Sara said with a shrug. "And Nova Ordo is fairly safe. For a wild and wooly backwater planet with nasty native life that likes to eat people anyway. The Mandos there kept me safe. I hope they can stay that way."

 

"You have never had a home, have you Sara?" Ecmin asked gently.

 

"No." Sara said with another shrug. "Every time I start thinking about a place as home, bad things happen. So I don't."

 

"I..." It was obvious Ecmin didn't know what to say to that. "Oh... Well... I was told you have a Basalisk War Droid." Ecmin said with a look. "Did you bring it?"

 

"And what would I do with a war droid on this ship, Ecmin?" Sara asked with a laugh. "It is big and mean and blows things up. I... I haven't ridden it since I joined the Bladeborn. It... It didn't seem right to." She looked a bit bereft. "It... just didn't seem right."

 

"Bladeborn use what they have, Sara." Ecmin said with a shrug of all four shoulders. "And I don't think Sarai would mind having some extra firepower around."

 

"Good point. I will ask." Sara said slowly. "Ah Ecmin... What am I supposed to do? Marta and the others are all sleeping. They are your and Ka's problem now." She looked away and her voice was very quiet when she spoke again. "Will you tell her?"

 

"No." Ecmin said sadly. "Ka had no idea. And it is better if she does not know. She wanted to bear children and they perverted that. Now she has children to fuss over. At least Nia managed to save the real Monyka. Part of me wishes she had been able to save the original Min, but... It was not to be."

 

"What she did was amazing enough." Sara said with an unaccustomed tone. Awe. "How many times did she travel from her bed before the docs came for her? And to hide the crystals inside your body...Yuck."

 

"It was...moderately uncomfortable." Ecmin said with a sigh. "She pushed herself too hard. Way too hard. I made her rest, otherwise she might have exhausted her self past the point of no return. And then Istara woke up and Nia had to get back to herself. It's odd that... Me of all people..." She mused. "I mean... I didn't trust myself, but she trusted me the moment she met me. And I trusted her."

 

"I still don't fully understand." Sara said dubiously. "You commanded her to travel to specific places and make copies of various people? That is an awful risk and how did you know her?"

 

"We had never met, but... Nia is sneaky." Ecmin said with a smile in her voice that did not show on her features. "I had heard her voice before. In my mind. Maybe a future version of her. Maybe not. She says she had heard my voice in her mind, so..." The bug shrugged all four shoulders. "We decided to try. And it worked!" Ecmin sighed deeply. "The ones we couldn't save will haunt us both for the rest of our lives, but we did what we could. The crystals took genetic samples as well as brainscans. So, when we can... I will be very busy cloning."

 

"Are they..." Sara paused. "I mean... I remember Cili...She was...not stable." Sara snorted. "And coming from me, that is saying something."

 

"They are all upset." Ecmin said sadly. "I don't blame them. But we explained, while we plotted our escape. I brought them all into a private mindscape and explained."

 

"And Firdlump never noticed?" Sara asked, incredulous. "I can't believe that."

 

"He was busy." Ecmin said with a shrug. "Even artificial intelligences have only so many things they can do at once. I wasn't 100% sure he hadn't been laying some sort of trap for me. That is the kind of thing he would have done you know: Wait until you were almost free and then slam the chains back on, harder." She bowed her head. "We left so many people behind. So many..." The young queen sighed. "And the ones who came with us... Melita in particular. That Twi'lek is brave and strong, but..."

 

"Yeah." Sara said sadly. "They hurt her, trying to control her. To make her turn your ship around. I am amazed she didn't succumb."

 

"She loves Jina." Ecmin said sadly. "And this is Jina's only chance at coming back. I could hear her screaming in the cockpit, until Sarai managed to cut us all off from the collective. Then she just moaned. The cockpit was too small for Ren to get at her... We couldn't help her. We tried to ward her mind, we couldn't do anything else. The medics are hopeful, but... Jina is... upset..."

 

"I bet." Sara said gently as she rubbed Ecmin's closest arm. "Ecmin, you are alive and free thanks to Melita, Nia and yourself. Hold to that."

 

"I know. I am." Ecmin said with a deep sigh. Then she paused and looked Sara over. "How are you doing? Nightmares still?" She asked kindly.

 

"I have had nightmares my whole life, Ecmin." Sara said with a shrug. "But the Force seems to amplify them... Or something..."

 

"It shouldn't." Ecmin said, unsure. "Hmmm... I need to ask some people about a few things. But I may be able to help you." Sara stiffened and Ecmin hastened to reassure her. "I won't do anything without your permission, and Lohas is making you some real clothes. I know how you feel about patient gowns." Sara smiled a bit at that, fidgeting with the patient gown she wore.

 

"I am trying not to be a pain, Ecmin." Sara said with a shudder. "I need to meditate. I have been trying to keep to a set schedule."

 

"I know you are not trying to be a pain, Sara. That is good." Ecmin said gently. "Do you need a private spot?"

 

"No." Sara said softly as she moved to a corner of the queen's room. "Do you mind?" She asked, her voice tired.

 

"Not at all, Sara." Ecmin said kindly. "Rest well."

 

"Thank you."

Edited September 24, 2012 by kalenath

It was finally quiet in the small room. The forge sat silent at last. Automation helped with a lot of things, but some things still required an old fashioned touch. Hot fire, cold water, and the will to make steel bend to the desired shape. Nia knew that the air filters and circulators would be working overtime for a while to remove the smoke she had created. She had asked, and Sarai herself had given Nia permission to do this here. So she had, using both muscles and the Force to power the forge and mold the metal into her chosen form But... She was done.

 

Nia finished the last wrapping on the hilt and sat back looking at what she had done. In form, the sword was fairly standard. It had a long, slightly curved blade with a single edge and a spine that was sharpened for a third of the length from the tip. The blade was thin, but strong. The handle was sized for Nia's hands and comfortable for one or two handed use. The guard was a simple bar with a piece that twisted down to serve as a partial knuckle guard. A slightly larger pommel balanced the whole thing. No decorations, no markings, no nothing. Pure elegance in steel. She reached out to touch the blade and paused.

 

<Loyalty. Duty. Honor. Respect. Vigilance. Prowess. Humility. Courtesy. Valor. Service. Sacrifice. > Nia intoned softly, her word echoing with power as she let the Force within her feel the steel in front of her. <I am Bladeborn.> She said with a sigh. "No matter if I deserve it or not."

 

"Deserve has nothing to do with it." A soft voice spoke from behind her. What the...? She was supposed to be alone!

 

Nia had her sword in hand as she spun, moving to limit her body's exposure while at the same time, maximizing her blades reach. The heavy apron, gloves and goggles she wore hindered her slightly, but she... She paused in mid motion as she realized that 1) The man behind her hadn't moved and 2) He wasn't armed. Nia's eyes narrowed. He wasn't someone she knew. He hadn't been in quarantine. How had he gotten in?

 

"Who are you?" Nia demanded, pushing the goggles off her face with the Force.

 

"An ally." The man said quietly. "My name is Bob." Nia felt her world rock on its axis and fear swept through her, but she snarled and beat it back. "I am not your enemy, Nia." The mass of intelligent nano-machine said gently. "And I don't want to be your enemy."

 

"You could control me." Nia said, her face a mask of determination. "Like Firdlump did."

 

"Maybe. Maybe not." Bob replied. "It wouldn't be right."

 

"Since when do right or wrong come into it?" Nia asked sourly. "You do what you do, Firdlump does what he does... Both of you because you can."

 

"Not true, Nia." Bob said sadly. "I am true to my programming. Firdlump is... sort of true to his, or...Maybe he is, I don't know." The mass of nano machines sighed. "You mind if I sit? This may take a while." Nia didn't move and Bob sighed again, deeper. "Look, I know Istara and Sarai shown you how to disable nanites, how to hurt me. I need to explain some things and I need to show you a couple of things. I am not your enemy, Bladeborn. I am an enemy of your enemy."

 

"The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy." Nia quoted the Code softly. "No more, no less." She did not move, or relax.

 

"I know." Bob said sadly. "First, an apology. I am sorry, Nia."

 

"For what?" Nia asked, not taking her eyes or her Force sense off the being in front of her.

 

"I tried, Nia." Bob said sadly. "I tried to get to you. I hit the Imperial forces that Harron had suborned from the rear when they attacked your colony. I was trying to find you. I knew he was after you, and I couldn't let him have you. I had no idea you had gone for your Trial, or that a team of Imperials had chased after you. In hindsight, it was a serious mistake to bring Morey. I should have know what would happen as soon as any of your people saw him."

 

"What are you talking about?" Nia asked, her focus never wavering.

 

"We killed the Imperial forces hunting you, attacking your colony, Nia." Bob said sadly. "But then... One of your people saw Morey and ... Well..." He sighed. "I don't blame them for what they did. Neither does he. They had cause to hate him."

 

"You..." Nia said, her face going ashen. "You killed..."

 

"I was trying not to." Bob said with another sigh. "I didn't WANT to kill anybody, Nia. I needed your mother, alive. I wanted to talk to her, not kill her. I wanted to find you, help you, ward you from what I feared was coming."

 

"You killed my mother!" Nia yelled and her sword was coming up, power flaring through it as she had been taught. Bob didn't move but Nia froze as another voice sounded.

 

"No, he didn't, Nia. I killed myself." Nia's face went white as a transparent form appeared in between her and the mass of machines. Her mother! "Oh Nia... I am sorry." Jainine Korr was crying.

 

"Mom...?" Nia asked, her sword point falling. Then it rose again. "This is a trick. Another trick!" She snarled.

 

"No it's not." Jainine said sadly. "Nia... Please, honey, you have to listen to him. Please?"

 

"All my life..." Nia snapped. "All I wanted to be was strong like you. Hard like you. Tough like you. It was never enough." She bit out, pain flaring as long controlled emotions surged.

 

"No it wasn't. I was not a good parent, Nia. Not like Will or Sharra." Jainine said through her tears. Nia stared as Jainine continued. "I saw... bits... pieces of what you would endure. I wanted to protect you, but I didn't know how. Looking back, I did exactly the wrong things, all the wrong things. I pushed you when I should have held you close. I hurt you when I should have consoled you. Nia... I am sorry..."

 

"Not your fault." Nia said, her sword drooping. "Mine... I was... stupid..." She paused as Jainine actually growled at her.

 

"No." Jainine grimaced. "No you were not. You were a child!" Jainine said sharply. "I treated you as an adult almost from the moment you were born, and you grew up acting as an adult. You never had a childhood... because of me... Canaak warned me, right before he died, that I was being an idiot. There is no fool like an old fool, is there, Bob?"

 

"I don't know, Jainine. I am not a parent like that. But... The rest? Not your fault, Jainine." Bob said soberly. "Nor yours, Nia. If what happened on Kuria is anyone's fault, it is mine. I alone bear responsibility for the massacre that killed your people, Nia. We tried... We tried so hard to save someone... anyone. We only got your mother's body alive." He shook his head. "Bladeborn are so stubborn." He said with a sigh.

 

"Are not." Mother and daughter said in unison. They looked at each other and then spoke again. In unison. "Well..." They stared at each other and shared a sad laugh.

 

"So..." Nia shook her head, bemused. She stared at the sword in her hand and sighed. She hadn't made a sheathe for it yet. "What now?"

 

"if I may..." Bob raised a hand and Nia looked at him. He shrugged. "I won't touch your sword, but I can make a sheathe for it." Nia looked at the ghost of her mother who nodded slightly. Nia paused and then held out an empty hand. He nodded and a sheathe appeared in her hand. It was made of some odd metal. It seemed...familiar.

 

"This is..." Nia paused."This is the same kind of weird metal my old armor was made of." Her sword whispered as it entered the sheathe. She touched it with a finger, unsure. "The silver armor." She said in wonder.

 

"Yes." Bob said sadly. "If you had been wearing the armor your dad gave you when you went to the Centurion, none of this would have happened. What did you do with it?"

 

"Uh..." Nia paused. "I put on beskargam, to fit in, not stand out. It should still be in my locker, if no one has taken that one. If not, I don't know where it might be."

 

"I'll check." Bob said gently. "You two need to talk." Then he vanished.

Edited August 21, 2012 by kalenath

"Talk?" Nia said sadly. "I really have no idea what to say." She paused and then sighed deeply before speaking again. "I screwed up, Mom."

 

"I know, Nia." The ghost of her mother said gently. "But it wasn't your fault. None of us had all the information."

 

"I know." Nia said as she hooked the sheathe on her belt. It fit as if made for the belt. Not surprising, it had been. "I was such a handful. I have said I was sorry, but I will again. I am sorry. I was so angry with you. I wanted to be free. I had no idea what that meant, none..." She shook her head. "Ah... He has to have an agenda. I mean... Everyone does."

 

"He does." Jainine Korr said with a sigh. "He wants to stop Firdlump. That is why he was created. The only thing in his existence. From his point of view, everything that has been done has been justified."

 

"Point of view?" Nia asked incredulously. "Mom... Even if he did not kill you, he caused what happened!"

 

"And worse." Jainine said sadly. "Far worse, but Nia... I know you learned this. Many of the truths we cling to..." She paused as Nia hissed and then her daughter spoke in rueful tones.

 

"...depend greatly on our own point of view." Nia said soberly. "I don't know if I can trust him, mom. I don't know if I can." She repeated.

 

"Nia..." The spirit of her mother said gently. "You don't have to trust him. I don't. But we need him. Now more than ever." She stopped talking as the mass of nano machines reappeared.

 

"It was in your locker, Nia." Bob said sadly. "You need to put it on as soon as you can. I wish I could disassemble it and reassemble it here, but... I can't."

 

"Um..." Nia stiffened. "Why?"

 

"Why do you need to put it on? Bob asked calmly. "Or why can I not disassemble it?"

 

"Both." Nia said slowly. "This..." She tapped the sheathe at her side. "You just made this, right?"

 

"I used pieces of myself to make it as well as raw material from the surrounding areas." Bob said with a shrug. Nia stared at him and he shrugged. "I had Lohas' and Sarai's permission. I am not stupid enough to do anything without their permission on the ship. I like existing." He said with a grin at Nia's expression.

 

"This is..." Nia wasn't sure how to react. "Part of you?" She lifted the sheathe and looked at it.

 

"It was, yes." Bob said quietly. "Now it is independent. And before you ask. So is the armor."

 

"The armor" Nia said, her face going white. "...is part of you...?"

 

"Was." Bob replied. "It WAS part of me. Been awhile and I thought that set was lost for centuries. Tell me something, Nia. It felt good, wearing it, didn't it? As if it was made for you?" Nia jerked a nod and he sighed. "That is because it was."

 

"That is not possible." Nia said slowly. "That armor was thousands of years old. It... There is no way you could have predicted me... That is not possible... Even for a seer..."

 

"Nia." Bob said gently. "I have been preparing for the Seven for a long, long time. I didn't know the Second was going to be you. It could have been a Wookiee, a Kel Dor, a Chandra Fan,..." He grinned. "A Squib or Kushiban even..." Nia stared at him and his smile was merry. She smiled a little. "But I created that armor for the Second of the Seven. I knew the Second would need all the help he or she could get." He raised a hand. "I know what the Sitolon believed, but I have had access to other sources of information, including some of Firdlump's slaves that I have suborned. True prophecies are vague. So I hedged my bets."

 

"I..." Nia shook her head. "I heard the whole thing, while in the collective. I fell into my darkness, didn't I?" She asked her mother. "During the plague?"

 

"I don't know, Nia." Jainine said sadly. "And even if I did..." She sighed.

 

"You wouldn't likely be able to tell me. Probably for the best if aggravating." Nia said with a sigh. "Ah well, my powers are limited now. Um... Speaking of power. where did that burst of power come from? When I faced Firdlump? I should have died."

 

"He was trying to escape, not hurt or kill you, Nia." Bob said gently. "He wants the Seven as agents, not corpses. As for what you did to Menglan... I helped guide your actions. So did the rest of the Seven. But the power came from you."

 

"But..." Nia stammered. "I am not that powerful." She protested. "Yes, my powers are strong, but not like that." She shook her head, remembering the icy calm that had descended on her when she had faced the master of the collective. "That was... me?" She asked, dazed and scared.

 

"Yes, Nia." Bob said gently. "That was you. You have a great deal of power. Much more than you know. Much, much more. It is raw, normally untapped. And... You mirror."

 

"I..." Nia stared at him. "What IS mirroring? I heard the prophecy. 'Power Temporal' is easy enough for me to understand. But 'Mirror to the Soul'?" Nia asked, scared. "I mean, I scared the hell out of Menglan when I said what I did. She is crazy, but for her to just... flee like that... And looking back..." Nia paused. "When I fought Sharlina on Correllia, I did things I have no idea WHAT they were. I don't know those things, those sword moves. It happened before. On Korriban, before the Zelkin mess. I fought her there too. I am not a match for Sharlina, er Istara, with a sword or saber, nowhere even close, but I was. Or..." She sighed. "I don't know."

 

"What does a mirror do, Nia?" Her mom asked quietly. Nia stared at the ghost and Jainine sighed. "Nia, think." She prodded gently.

 

"A mirror reflects." Nia said in a tone of uncertainty. "But..."

 

"A mirror shows what is close to it, Nia." Bob said sadly. "You copy people. And not just the ones you are around, but... Hmmm... This is hard to explain and I am not sure I can. When you were around your dad and the crew of the Stormhawk, you acted like a soldier. Everyone commented on how good a soldier you were, right?" Nia nodded, dubious. "When you went to Tython, you were around Jedi. How did you act there?"

 

"I was trying to fit in." Nia protested. "I was trying not to cause any more problems. They were scared enough of dad as it was." Considering he had walked into the Jedi Council chamber and blithely threatened them with a nuclear weapon...

 

"I don't blame them." Bob said with a small smile. "Not in the slightest. But... Nia... think... How long do padawans train? Before they become Jedi?"

 

"Years." Nia said slowly. "I studied on Kuria..." She said half heartedly.

 

"You learned far faster than anyone should have, Nia." Bob said gently. "Small wonder the Jedi were cautious around you. That is even leaving out Vandar and Melan making a mess. I knew they were there and suborned, but I couldn't get close. I nudged people from time to time, but no more."

 

"So..." Nia said slowly. "When I went to the Mandos, and then got shipped to Darmuk..."

 

"You acted as a Mandalorian, and then as a Sith." Bob said quietly. "Now..." He raised a hand at her expression. "Some of that in all of these was normal. You wanted to fit in, you didn't want to make waves. You didn't want Darmuk to kill you." He said as Nia gulped and nodded. "He could have, easily. But I bet he was curious as to how you learned so much so fast. And another thing, Nia... Istara didn't know all the moves you used when you faced her on Korriban. Not until later."

 

"You are saying my other power had something to do with it?" Nia asked, feeling a bit faint. "My temporal power? I mean if she didn't know the moves until later...Ah..." She grimaced. "My head hurts."

 

"Yeah." Bob said gently. "Somehow, you mirrored the Istara, the later person, instead of Sharlina, the person you faced at the time."

 

"I... cannot... believe..." Nia said as she knelt slowly. Not in submission, but to keep from falling. "I..."

 

"Nia..." Her mom said urgently. "It's okay, Nia. Easy, girl. It's okay."

 

"What am I, mom?" Nia asked plaintively. "What am I?"

 

"You are my daughter." Jainine Korr said gently. "You have odd and dangerous gifts, but you are still my daughter."

 

"So..." Nia shook her head. "Did I mirror the Bladeborn? I mean..." She stared at her mother's spirit helplessly. "Is this me or a mirror?"

 

"You were raised Bladeborn, Nia. As to mirroring? I don't know." Jainine said with a smile. "But for once I can speak freely. I have seen much of you, what you have done, seen, and endured. Much was also hidden from me. One of the things you lacked without the Trial was the self confidence to direct yourself. You have that now. Now, since the Trial, Nia, you can choose when to do it. When to mirror. Choose well and carefully."

 

"Can I?" Nia asked, her voice small. "What happens if I mirror you, Bob? Or Firdlump?"

 

"Probably nothing." Bob said gently. "It is a Force power. Neither of us are alive. We fake the Force very well, but neither of us has it. I... strongly suggest you do not experiment. From what I have seen, it seems to work best when it is used instinctively." Jainine nodded at his calm words. Nia gulped.

 

"Ah... Okay..." Nia said slowly. "So... I may be able to control it. Now what?"

 

"Now?" Bob said gently. "Once your armor gets here, it shouldn't take long, we get ready for the enemy's countermove. He will attack. He has to."

 

"Of course he does. And we will be ready. Let him." Nia said and the call of battle sounded in her voice as she drew and flourished her sword. "Let the scum come!"

Edited August 21, 2012 by kalenath

"This is..." Nia stared at her armor. "I... This is nanites?" She asked, reaching out a slow hand to touch it. It felt the same as it had. Her mom had vanished after a time, and the armor had been delivered. It was exactly as she remembered. She and Bob were in a small room, one that wasn't used for anything currently. It had been used as a storage place for slumbering cocoon, but with all of the clone kids transferring, Ka was taking them in hand... er... claw.

 

"Not entirely." Bob said quietly. "It was, but then it took form. It has some of the properties I do. But it is not just nanites."

 

"And you want me to wear this." Nia said softly.

 

"You have to, Nia." Bob said sadly. "Without it, no matter what Katherine and Ren try... You will sicken and die. Your immune system..." He slumped. "I didn't know Nia. I swear I didn't know."

 

"Didn't know what?" Nia asked suspiciously. He didn't answer and she snarled at him. "Didn't know what, Bob?"

 

"I didn't know what would happen when the nanites inside bonded to you." Bob said softly. "I... I left other suits, and they made their way to the ones who needed them. The Sitolon knew the suits were special, destined for the Seven, but not why or how they were made. If they had known, they would have destroyed any they found."

 

"You can't blame them for that." Nia said soberly. "I mean... Agnosa messed up, and it cost them. Big time." She had spent some time perusing records that Sarai had given her. The threat had been terrifying before she knew what it was. Now? Nia was petrified.

 

"Yeah she did." Bob agreed sadly. "She redeemed herself though." Nia looked at him and he shrugged. "Hey, just because I am not fleshy bits doesn't mean I can't feel. I was programmed to learn, to adapt. And I have. I grieve for her, she was a good being, if narrow minded in her youth. I wish I could have saved her."

 

"Agreed." Nia said sadly. "I wish I had met her. Ah well... You were saying?"

 

"Yeah... Um..." Bob shook himself and spoke evenly. "The reason your immune system is so messed up is twofold. First, a very sneaky clone child among Firdlump's slaves poisoned each and every one of the following generations with the same genetic affliction. She didn't want him to win any more than we do." Nia's eyes went wide and Bob nodded. "She died, but she died peacefully and she kept Firdlump from being able to make any more clone children. The moment you arrived at his base, you were exposed to the virus. It works fast, but does not transfer well to anyone without your family's genetic structure. It's virtually undetectable, even for me and Firdlump. It is also insidious. It can survive for long periods of time without a host. Short form... He can't clone any more kids like Sara. Which is why he has been 'recruiting' as he has been."

 

"Recruiting people like I was. Lost souls." Nia agreed. "Wait! Sara!" She snapped, her face ashen. "Is Sara...?"

 

"Sara and the others are fine, Nia." Bob reassured her. "Sara is immune to the ailment, which is one reason we have worked very hard to keep Firdlump from finding her. One of many. The others, well, they had the disorder. Nolikas did what she could, but..."

 

"Even with everything she did, all she did was give them a bit longer." Nia said sadly, then shook herself. "Well, now they have chance at life again, even as Sitolon. And the second?"

 

"My fault." Bob said flatly. She looked at him and he looked sheepish. "I wanted to give the Seven every advantage I could. So... I set the armor to bond with people when it was determined that they were members of the Seven."

 

"Bond?" Nia said slowly. "You said that before. But Jina tried this armor on once. It didn't...bond to her, did it?"

 

"No." Bob said sadly. "If it had... Well... I don't know. But she did like it. She told me so, when I told the Seven that I had made the armor that the Sitolon had given them. They were...um..." Bob made a face. "...unhappy."

 

"I bet." Nia said, picking up a glove and scrutinizing it. "So what made me sick?"

 

"When you put it on the first time, the armor sent a small colony of nanites into your system. It was not to control." Bob said in a mild tone as Nia froze. "Basically, it was to get to know you. Anyone can wear the armor, not just anyone can use it. The nanites went in and augmented a lot of functions in your body, enhancing things, and... apparently supplementing things. Were you often sick as a child?"

 

"No. Hardly ever." Nia said dubiously. "Sick children didn't live very long. Kuria was not an easy place to live. Not the worst, but not easy. And if I had nanites in me... Why wouldn't anyone have noticed?"

 

"Well... At that time, no one was looking." Bob said gently. "The nanites were helping, but when they were disabled by Firdlump's nanites entering into your system..."

 

"Things got out of whack." Nia said with a frown. "Can it be fixed? My body?" She asked in a very quiet voice.

 

"I don't know, Nia." Bob said sadly. "I swear I will do my best. But the armor can help. It wasn't designed to, but it can."

 

"The best you can do is all anyone can ask for." Nia said philosophically. "Okay... So what makes it special?"

 

"The armor systems are autonomous, for all intents and purposes, it is unhackable." Bob said with a nod. "The systems inside react... badly to intrusions of any kind. Almost as badly as the Seven's bodies will to outside attempts to access them now."

 

"Wait!" Nia exclaimed. "React badly? What do you mean by that?"

 

"I make no excuses, Nia." Bob said softly. "I have been fighting Firdlump for longer than you can imagine. The absolute last thing that anyone needed was for him to gain control of another one of the Seven the way he gained control of you. You had no idea what was happening. Your 'colony' as it were, was immature, incomplete. You were vulnerable and he took advantage." Bob slumped. "I... I didn't want to do it, Nia. But think about what would had happened if your Dad had been subsumed by the collective." Nia winced and Bob nodded. "You are the only member of the Seven who was vulnerable. I made sure of that. I also managed to corrupt the clones, just a little. Just enough so their bodies reacted badly to attempts at subversion."

 

"That is why they were scared Jina was going to explode." Nia said slowly. "Why people worried I was going to..."

 

"Yes Nia. When the Seven found out... I expected them to be angry." Bob shook his head. "None of them were. If anything, they were relieved. Jina was attacked, and nearly had it happen to her on Correlia, but Istara managed to stop it. You however, are vulnerable until you put on the armor again."

 

"Okay..." Nia said, expelling a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "The armor." Bob nodded.

 

"Right." Bob said. "I myself cannot access the systems in the armor now that it has bonded to you. Firdlump cannot either." Nia stared at him and he shrugged. "Oh we can physically remove it once we know it is there, but hack it? Take control of it? No. It would not be easy to remove either. Also... I knew the Seven were going to be fighting Force users of some kind." Bob said slowly. "Jedi or Sith, it didn't really matter. So it cloaks the wearer from the Force and provides a great deal of protection from mental attacks. It allows the wearer to use their powers with little or no hindrance, and it enhances other abilities."

 

"Such as?" Nia asked cautiously.

 

"I will get to that. They all incorporate stealth fields." Bob replied. "They all are highly resistant to lightsabers. But the other abilities are idiosyncratic to each individual. Your dad's, for instance, shields his mind if he takes damage while merged to machinery." Nia stared at Bob and he sighed. "It is not perfect, but it helps. And he needs all the help I can give him." Bob said sadly.

 

"How long?" She asked With just a minor quaver in her voice. "I mean... They told me... I... I know brain matter does not regenerate, I know that." She said, trying to stay calm.

 

"I don't know, Nia. Neither does he. The docs are all amazed he has lasted this long." Bob's tone was gentle. "We have done everything we can, but... I just don't know."

 

"I...see..." Nia said with a grimace. "Okay... What else will my armor do?"

 

"To tell the truth?" Bob said with a small sad smile as she changed the painful subject. "I don't know. Shall we find out?"

 

"Okay." Nia said slowly as she reached for the armor. "Is there any.. um..." She paused as the armor suddenly moved on it's own! It rose from the pile she had placed it in and spun around. "Bob!"

 

"Relax, Nia. Please..." He said sadly. "It won't hurt. Indeed, it will help you."

 

"This is..." She paused as the armor suddenly vanished! "What the-...?"

 

"Nia..." Bob said gently. "Can you take off your patient gown?

 

"You just want to see me in my..." Nia started to say with a grin, but froze as the gown she was wearing suddenly changed. It was suddenly a lot more snug and warmer too. She stared at herself, she was wearing an underarmor body stocking now. A very good quality one. "Holy..." Nia said, one step removed from panic. "What are you doing?"

 

"I am not, Nia." Bob said sadly. "The armor is. It missed you. It knows you are sick and scared. It wants to help. Will you let it?"

 

"Help?" Nia asked, unsure. "What do you mean?" She broke off, staring as her right hand was suddenly covered in silver. The metal coated leather glove simply appeared on her hand slowly and seemingly, carefully. "I..." She reached up with her other hand and slowly touched the armor on her hand. She shook her head. It felt like a glove. She shook her head, bemused. "The armor is alive?"

 

"No." Bob said gently. "But it is fairly smart. It has a limited AI built in. It imprints on a specific user and that person can use the nanites that make up the armor in a number of ways. It will never leave you, indeed, it cannot. It is bound to your body. If needed, it can and will disappear, cloak itself or disassemble itself to allow access to your skin for cleaning or medical care. You will never have to take it off. If you want to sleep or shower, all you have to do is ask it to vanish and it will. Or it can change forms to mimic other kinds of clothing. Try it. Ask your armor to change from a glove to an armored gauntlet."

 

"I..." Nia stared at him. "How?"

 

"Will usually says 'Armor on' and 'Armor off'." Bob said with a grin. "But I think that is a bit much. Istara just thinks of what she wants the armor to look like and it changes."

 

"Think...?" Nia said dubiously. "Okay..." She said with a sigh and stared at the glove. "Nothing."

 

"Nia..." Bob said with as touch of exasperation. "You have to mean it. Now, stop worrying that you are going to turn yourself purple, change into a slime beetle or break. Do it!" He snapped.

 

"Okay, okay, sheesh..." Nia said with a half hearted snarl as she focused on the glove again. Then she froze as it changed! One moment it was a medium weight metal reinforced leather glove like any other, the next it was an armored gauntlet like her dad usually wore on his heavy combat armor. "Holy...I... wow..." She said, awed. Suddenly the glove changed again, into a fancy dress glove that would not have been out of place in a high society ball. "This is amazing!" She said with a wide grin.

 

"Yes it is. Just remember, Nia..." Bob cautioned her. "There is no free lunch. Energy is required for changes. If there are no ready sources, the systems will tap you for power." Nia stared at him and Bob nodded. "You have a lot of energy reserves, but it is not infinite."

 

"What do I do?" Nia asked in a hushed tone. "To get the rest on?"

 

"Ask it." Bob said gently.

 

"Please...?" Nia asked, her voice hushed. Suddenly she was encased from head to foot in silver armor. It felt...good. Not like the collective, but good. "This... I..." Suddenly she froze stiff as a voice sounded inside her head, one she knew!

 

Welcome, Nia. Her dad's soft voice came unbidden to her mind. We have missed you.

 

Dad...? Nia's mental voice was soft and scared. I... I am sorry... I hurt everyone. I blew up your ship... I...

 

It's okay, Nia. Will Kalenath said gently. We all made mistakes. Come, daughter. We need to talk.

 

We? Nia asked, her tone hesitant.

 

Yes. Istara's voice sounded as well. We. Come, sister. Come to us.

 

Nia was weeping, barely noticing Bob vanished from the room as she knelt down, her mind being taken to where the rest of the Seven who were free waited for her. Michelle, her sense sad, but firm. Idjit, a dark and scary presence that was somehow comforting as well. Istara, her fury actually visible in her mental sense. Her dad, worried and aloof. And Morey...

 

Took you long enough, lazybones. The man named Morey said with a laugh.

 

I am going to hit you Morey. Nia said with a matching laugh. I... I don't know what to say...

 

You don't need to say anything, Nia. Her dad's mental feeling enveloped her in comfort. Welcome home.

 

I... Nia relaxed fully as her grief let go of her for a time. For the first time in a long, long time as she did, indeed, go home.

Edited August 22, 2012 by kalenath

((Well, that is a few mysteries cleared up. IF of course, Bob was telling the truth. Was he? We shall see. Comments or suggestions always appreciated. Flames might get infested with somewhat beneficent nanites.))