((This is the next fanfic in my story arc Love, the Force and Everything. It follows Unplanned Parenthood. Things are going to start making sense soon, I promise. Is that a good thing though?))

 

It was dark and quiet in the small chamber at long last. The screams had tapered off to whimpers, and finally, to sobs. It had taken the man in black over a day to achieve his goal, but he had, at long last, done it. He did not look up from his work as the door opened and the human in charge of this phase of the operation walked in. If the black robes had not been a dead giveaway, the lightsaber at his belt would have been a more immediate one. Not to mention, the utter lack of emotion as he turned away from his subject with a very small smile.

 

“Report.” The cloaked human said in a tone of ice. The man in black was not impressed.

 

“It is, as you predicted, a different tactic than is customarily used.” The voice of the man in black might have made a Wampa freeze in terror. “But not beyond my own ability.” His eyes measured the newcomer and he sniffed derisively.

 

“So, you have results.” If the man who had walked in was disconcerted, or even impressed at all, it was unapparent. “The Emperor will be pleased. What do you have?”

 

“The methods of control are different from what we normally use in the Empire.” The Sith said slowly. “But not incomprehensible.”

 

“And?” The newcomer’s voice turned slightly colder. An invitation to not waste time. The man in black stood up straight and faced the newcomer, standing defiantly erect to his full height. “Do not make the mistake your predecessor did, Rantas. My patience is not infinite.”

 

“Do not assume that just because you managed to survive the Imperial Review that your stock with the Empire is any greater, Bladeborn.” The Sith actually smiled now, an evil look. “You do not intimidate me.”

 

“Good.” The man swept the hood of his cloak off and bandaged eyes met the Sith’s. “That way there are fewer chances for…improper responses, now aren’t there?” Idjit of the Bladeborn said with no inflection on his words.

 

“You are not my master.” Rantas said slowly, his face impassive. “I do not answer to you.”

 

“I know.” Idjit said offhandedly. “But you -and your master- do answer to the Emperor, do you not?” He asked, a faint trace of menace finally peeking through the control. “Last I checked, HE was still the ultimate authority and he has given my mission clearance. Argue it with him if you wish.” The Sith in front of the seer slowly forced himself to relax.

 

“It’s just so…inefficient. I prefer faster methods, sure methods. I did this under protest.” The Sith said sourly, but was careful not to make any sudden moves, as the Force was screaming ‘danger’ in the room now. “It would have been much more efficient to use the normal methods of breaking them.”

 

“Rantas, Rantas…” Idjit chided him gently. “Torture does not work in all cases. You know this.” Rantas nodded slowly, against his will. “We have to be able to reprogram the tools that Firdlump and his slaves have placed in the Empire. Preferably without breaking them into bits. That is why you were brought here. Your record and your boasts said that you could. Have you?”

 

“Yes and no.” Rantas said slowly, finally easing his posture and one. He sighed and spoke evenly. “I do not trust you, Bladeborn. But you are correct, the Emperor’s will is law. I did as instructed, using the softer means than we are used to. You were correct, if we had used shock treatment, both subjects would have suicided. We did manage to get them free of that ‘collective’…” He grimaced in distaste. “…of theirs. But for how long? These methods are unpredictable. I will lodge a protest for inefficient use of resources upon my return.”

 

“Feel free to do so.” Idjjit said softly. “That is your right. My question then is this: ‘Can I proceed?’.”

 

“Yes.” Rantas said sourly. “You can. How long it lasts or even if you can get through to them, they are broken from the over control for now.”

 

“Oh, I can get through to them.” Idjit said softly. The room seemed to darken for a moment and Rantas nodded soberly. The seer turned his blind gaze to the figure strapped to the table and his face was even more remote than usual. Rantas waited a moment and then spoke cautiously.

 

“I have no statistical data on using these methods. These ‘gentler methods’ as you call them.” Rantas’s voice held clinical curiosity now. “Would there be any chance of getting the data? It would be much more efficient if…” He paused as Idjit turned to face him.

 

“There are many things, Rantas, that you do not want to know.” The seer’s voice was soft, almost sad. “Do not pursue this.” Rantas looked at him and Idjit shrugged. “Your choice of course. Wouldn’t dream of trying to keep a Sith from his undoubtedly unpleasant destiny.” Rantas was about to speak sharply and then paused. Idjit was a seer, he saw probabilities clearer even than Master Sith and Jedi. But that was rarely a comfort, Rantas knew, having had a few less than fun experiences with visions himself. Idjit’s mouth curled into a small smile and he nodded. “I will take it from here. Both are stable?”

 

“Both are stable.” Rantas agreed. What had Idjit meant by what he had said? All Sith knew that their lives were likely to be unpleasant. It was a fact of life. “With your permission, then Masterblade Idjit?” He stated formally. Idjit nodded to him, his gaze focused on the figure on the table and Rantas left. A moment after the Sith had left a female human form in Imperial uniform entered the room. Michelle’s expression might have scared a thundercloud. She was shaking her head savagely enough that her brunette locks were flying. Idjit couldn’t actually see the color, but he didn’t need to see to know she was seriously angry.

 

“I understand the need for camouflage Idjit…” Michelle, the Sixth of the Seven said softly. “And I do like most of the crew. But if that man leers at me one…more…time…” Her voice trailed off in menace any Sith would have envied. Odd, she wasn’t even Force sensitive and she could scare the pants off almost anyone. Maybe because she hung out with Will so much? Idjit mused silently. She growled. “Gah! I hate being reactive! I want to kill stuff!”

 

“Lieutenant Karvin is still making eyes at you?” Idjit asked, somewhat distracted. “I thought he was cured of that by the full contact bout you two had. You broke his arm.” Michelle grinned in memory, and then she sobered.

 

“No.” Michelle said sourly. “Now he is making ‘comments’ in my hearing. And they hit the grapevine and then they are everywhere. Luckily the pilots have no time for that garbage.” Idjit snorted, the only thing faster than a hyperdrive engine was the unofficial gossip channels on any starship, even an Imperial one. People had joked, semi-seriously, that if they could harness the power of the grapevine, they could travel from one side of the galaxy to the other in moments.

 

“Want me to…’talk’ to him?” Idjit said softly. Michelle looked at him and he shrugged. “Having a scary reputation is useful on occasion.” Michelle seemed awfully tempted for a moment and then sighed.

 

“Nah, just venting.” She smiled at him. “But then again, you knew that.” She shook her head and changed the subject. “What do you think of the report that Will gave us on Katherine?”

 

“It has to be a trap of some kind.” Idjit said slowly, picking his words with care. “I mean, she disappears –kidnapped by Firdlump- and reappears several months later, pregnant and with no memory of what happened to her? Even without the Force, something stinks.”

 

“Yeah.” Michelle agreed softly. “They did pick the most secure place they could find to hold her until they did figure it out.” Both nodded to each other. Neither was going to expose the Stormhawk or any of it’s hangers on to Imperial attention, that would be -in a word- bad. Considering that the Stormhawk had fought the Sith successfully on it’s own for more than ten years, oh no, it wouldn’t go over well. She shook her head again. “Nothing we can do about that. They are good at figuring out traps. These?” She asked, waving a hand at the table.

 

“I will take the one in here.” Idjit said softly. “You take the other. Remember, gently. They will be very confused.”

 

“And we are not?” Michelle said with a chuckle as she nodded. Then she paused. “Idjit, are you okay?” Idjit shook his head. “Is there anything I can do?” She asked. He shook his head again. “If there is, let me know." She laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and he covered it with his own for a moment before pulling it to his mouth and giving it a kiss. Michelle jerked her hand back with a snort. “Naughty boy! I am going to tell Istara on you!” He bowed to her and she left the room, still chuckling.

 

“I hope you get the chance.” Idjit said softly. “That at least is unclear, maybe because of who you were before we met. Ah well…” He sighed and moved to the table where a human male lay silent in his bonds.

 

“Who is there?” The man cried out. “I don’t know what you want from me! Why won’t you let me sleep?”

 

“If you sleep, you will die, Brakon Darshiel.” Idjit said soberly. “And we still have need of you.”

“You.” Brakon’s voice was hollow. His injuries had been treated of course. Wouldn’t do for him to die while they were trying to figure out how to undo the brainwashing that had been done to him, now would it? He turned his blindfolded head at the blind man and snarled, his voice heavy with fatigue. “Come to gloat?”

 

“No.” Idjit said sadly. “I have come to ask your help.” He sat down beside the table the man was restrained on and waited. He did not have to wait long.

 

“My help?” Brakon asked in disbelief. “What a wonderful idea. What a magnificent way you have of ASKING for my help. Knock me unconscious, strap me to a table and hurt me.” The sarcasm in his voice could have cut steel.

 

“Now, now, Brakon Darshiel.” Idjit said with a grimace. “We haven’t hurt you. We haven’t tortured you. We have been working to undo the programming that Firdlump and Vandar did to you. It hasn’t been pleasant, but it could have been much, much worse. Tell me I lie.”

 

“Of course you lie.” Brakon shot back. “Everyone lies. What do you want?”

 

“What do I want?” Idjit said softly his hand dropping into his belt pouch. “I want you to listen.”

 

“Do I have a choice?” Brakon asked sourly, then he gasped as Idjit’s hand came out with a small brown crystal. “What…?” He shuddered, the tremors passing the length of his body. “What are you-? No!” He cried out.

 

“Choice? Who does have a choice?” The cold of space rang in Idjit’s tone as he scrutinized the crystal carefully. As he had been promised, the essence that made up Brakon Darshiel’s mind was encased with it. What lay before him on the table was shell, one that had served it’s purpose. “Welcome back, Brakon.”

 

“You…” Brakon grated words out as Idjit laid the crystal down on the table beside him. “Bastard…What have you done to me?” He demanded.

 

“I just returned your mind to you.” Idjit said serenely. “But you knew that. Now, tell me what you found out.”

 

“I…” Brakon was shuddering now, his restrained form fighting the straps that held him down. “You… I…” He couldn’t seem to find the words.

 

“Don’t make me discipline you again.” Idjit said with menace. Brakon shivered and the blind seer shook his head. “I don’t like the idea of taking slaves. It is totally against what the Bladeborn stand for. But… Needs must when the Rancor drives and I was willing to pay the price for what had to be done. So, Brakon, what did you discover about the collective?”

 

“Not much, Master.” Brakon said grudgingly. “It is obviously a control mechanism, one intended to keep the subjects content and as happy as possible inside it. Fear and pain are the usual goads for enslavement, but love is much harder to resist. It is harder to keep stable, but much more efficient in the long term. If Firdlump can keep it stable, he will have a whole host of people who will gladly throw themselves away for him. And not mindless fanatics either, but thinking, reasoning, planning people who will do whatever it takes to protect the massed minds.”

 

“As we feared.” Idjit said slowly. “And Vandar?”

 

“He is trapped within it now as well.” Brakon said slowly, as if against his will. “Firdlump will not allow Vandar to leave his sight again. Vandar’s machinations were discovered, Firdlump did not take them kindly.”

 

“Does Firdlump know that you were rebelling as well?” Idjit asked softly. Brakon stiffened and Idjit shrugged, knowing the man could not see him. “Do you believe he knew you were rebelling?”

 

“If he did, I would be dead or imprisoned within the collective myself.” Brakon said slowly. “As it is, the old agents of Special Branch have been slowly assimilated into the collective. Some of us have been implanted, others adjusted. A few have wound up in the droids.” He shivered again, this time in fear.

 

“Easy, my friend.” Idjit said gently, patting the bound man’s shoulder. “We will not let him have you.”

 

“You are not my friend, Idjit of the Bladeborn.” Brakon said without heat, but without give in his voice either. “While you hold my reins, I have no choice but to obey you. Sooner or later, I will be free again however and then…” He cried out as Idjit touched the crystal and power flared.

 

“I thought we were beyond that.” Idjit said mildly as he withdrew his hand. The blind man shook his head. “Don’t backslide now. We have a lot of work to do.”

 

“Won’t help you.” Brakon declared, somewhat shakily. But it wasn’t pain that colored his voice. “You cannot make me!”

 

“You really do enjoy that, don’t you?” Idjit said with a sad smile. “No, I won’t punish you again. Brakon, come on, we have to find a way in.”

 

“The way in is easy.” Brakon said slowly, his breath coming in gasps as he recovered from the stab of pleasure that Idjit had sent through the crystal into his mind. “Getting out will be hard. If possible at all. Please…More…” He begged.

 

“Brakon…” Idjit sighed deeply. He had expected this, but it was still rough. “I can’t. There is a limit to how much of that a human can take.”

 

“I don’t care!” Brakon threw himself against the straps, trying to reach the crystal that was just out of reach. “I need it! Give it to me!”

 

“No.” Idjit said as he picked up the crystal and put it back in the pouch. The human on the table started to cry but Idjit was unmoved. “We have to find way to get into the collective. If he has found a way to access the hivemind, we have untold problems coming. We need a backdoor of our own.”

 

“Just a little…” Brakon begged. “I need it. I need to feel the goodness again, the light… I need…” His breath was coming in gasps as he sank back onto the table. “Please let me see the light again? So long in the dark, need to see it, feel it. Please?” Idjit sighed and laid a hand on the bound man's arm. A wave of cleansing blue energy passed over him and he smiled and relaxed in his bonds. "I... No..." He begged as the energy faded. "More... I need more..."

 

“Later.” Idjit promised. He kept his expression, voice and Force sense serene, but inside, he was seething. To use a man’s addiction like this was evil, but needed. “So, how do you access the collective? What does it feel like? When you touch them, do they feel you?”

 

He had done some incredibly awful things as a Bladeborn. But when the Dark Jedi started to weep in streams, Idjit wondered if this was the worst. To use the man’s craving for the serenity of the light against him... That was evil. Truly evil. Idjit sighed and shook his head. He was committed. This was his fate. The Fate of the Fifth.

He was not used to this feeling. He was supposed to cause fear in others, not be afraid himself. But as Idjit of the Bladeborn sat and stilled his mind to attempt what he planned, he could not help but sense trickle of fear. Some Bladeborn, and some Sith, were renowned for not showing emotion at all. Istara in particular was very good at being an Ice Queen on occasion. But he knew it was an act, that she hid her emotions behind a wall at times. That the woman he loved was a deeply emotional being who laughed, cried, loved and hurt in equal measure. But it was a hard galaxy and he knew better than most about hiding who and what he was. He loved Istara, and he was afraid, both for himself and for her. But this needed to be done.

 

He took a deep breath. Waiting would solve nothing. He had set this room up to be as private as possible. Oh, there were surveillance devices scattered about, and the com was live, but no one was around. Indeed, the next few corridors were cleared around him as well. No one wanted to be anywhere near him if this went badly. Well, no one except…

 

You okay, Idjit? Michelle’s worried mental voice came into his mind, gentle as always, but with the rock hard determination that characterized her. Admittedly, she was far, far older than almost anyone else he had met. It was hard to remember that the stunning brunette that had been working with him aboard the Sith battleship Deciever was actually a cloned body with the mind of a woman who had died over nine centuries before and had her mind crammed into a starship to serve a jellyfish like alien race as a slave. Even now, Idjit couldn’t quite comprehend the horror that Michelle had suffered. She generally refused to talk about it. He didn’t blame her. The Sith Empire did not know who she had been, just that she was now the Sixth of the Seven and an ace pilot. And Idjit had no intention at all of telling them.

 

Yeah. Idjit replied slowly. Just… Well… He shrugged, even though she was nowhere around.

 

It’s okay to be scared, squirt. Michelle said with a familiar lilt in her voice. Idjit had to laugh at that. She sounded exactly like a mother would. Then her voice hardened. You know what we have to do. And why.

 

And you know what you have to do. Idjit replied softly. I AM afraid. It was incredibly hard to admit that, even in the deepest recesses of mind communication that the Seven shared. Not of what will happen to me, but… He paused as Michelle snarled at him.

 

Istara, can you talk sense into your paramour. Again? The pilot asked sourly and a snort came through the link.

 

Sense has nothing to do with it, Michelle. Istara Sharlina Andal replied with an unseen smile. Of course she was on the other side of the galaxy. Idjit is Idjit, trying to get him to be sensible? Her laugh echoed through the link. Not going to happen.

 

He has reason to be afraid, you two. We all do. Will Kalenath’s calm voice came through the link and everyone calmed a bit. Odd that he could calm them, but he could. We are with you, Idjit. Now and always. Will’s voice promised. You are not alone no matter what the scum throw at you.

 

Okay. Idjit sank back into the chair that he had set up and the restraints locked into place. Thank you all. Now kindly butt out. I don’t want Firdlump getting access to all of you if he can access me.

 

'Butt out'? You are going to pay for that comment, masterblade. Istara’s cool voice promised. A mental caress had him smiling and then she was gone.

 

Good luck, Idjit. Will’s voice commented and then he was gone.

 

Michelle? Idjit asked softly as he tried to get comfortable in the hard chair. I am ready.

 

This is going to hurt no matter what we do, Idjit. Michelle’s mental voice was calm, but held a tinge of worry. Last chance to back out.

 

My path, Michelle. Idjit replied with a serenity in his tone that he didn’t really feel. My choice. This may be our only chance. Lohas cannot keep Firdlump’s collective at bay for too much longer. We need to figure out what we are facing and how to combat it. He laid his head back and the restraints around it snapped into place. Was this what Jina had felt right before she had been hurt? It was nerve wracking. He had always been in control of himself, he had always had to be. His power, never completely under control, surged again and he slammed it back down with the skill of long practice. Ready. He said and braced himself.

 

It didn’t hurt. He had expected it to hurt But the needles that slid into his head didn’t hurt. At first anyway. Then…

 

Idjit? No! A familiar voice screamed into his head.

 

Mira? Idjit blinked. Wait a moment. He blinked? He hadn’t had eyelids for almost three decades. Let alone eyes… He was already in.

 

Idjit… The sad, scared voice of the girl he had found chained to the wall in a Sith’s dungeon, scared, sick, dying from evil experiments faltered a bit. Her voice was strong but held massive amounts of fear. You shouldn’t be here, Idjit.

 

I need to find out about the collective, Mira. Idjit replied. Can you tell me?

 

I… Mira sighed deeply. I don’t… We haven't been able to access it at all. Idjit, get out. Get out now! Her voice changed from worried to horrified. Get out! Before he gets here! He is coming!

 

I can’t Mira. Idjit said softly. Bring it, scumball. He materialized on the plain, the odd place that seers could reach. It was an endless gray plain, endless stretches of nothingness. He had heard it described as a sleeping mind but whose? He had no idea. It didn’t really matter. He knew what to do. His cloud form solidified as always when he wore his Seven armor. It surrounded him like a second skin, not impregnable, but protective. “Show yourself.” He said in a soft, commanding voice.

 

“Well, well, well…” The voice of the master of the collective sounded form nearby and Idjit could not keep from quailing slightly as Firdlump appeared nearby. The mass of nano machines could appear as anyone, or anything. Right at the moment, he appeared to be a human of middling years, black hair turning gray, with piercing brown eyes. “This was unexpected. Idjit of the Bladeborn, well met.”

 

“Not so well met.” Idjit replied, keeping his senses in a 360 degree arc. Yes, as he had suspected, other shadowy forms were circling him now, just beyond the reach of his main senses. They were more sensed than seen, and even then, they were ephemeral. “You have made some critical errors.”

 

“So have you.” Firdlump said evenly. “Your allies have failed you.”

 

“Oh, come on!” Idjit actually laughed at that and he sighed as Firdlump stared at him. “Is that the best you can do? I have met the Emperor, monster. Do your worst.”

 

“Oh, no…” Firdlump replied as he stood quietly. “I am not going to do a thing.” A soft voice had Idjit freezing in place and the distinctive snap hiss of a lightsaber igniting silenced everything.

 

“Hello Idjit.” Jina Darkstorm’s silver blades hung in seemingly negligent grips as she strode form the shadows beside him. Idjit shook his head and then paused as other shadows also started forming into solid shapes. Istara and Mira also appeared. Istara had her sabers in hand, but not ignited, her face was covered in tears that fell silently as she watched him. Mira just watched, impassive, as Jina walked towards him. Then everything stopped as Idjit’s blade simply appeared in his hand. “You are not going to win, Idjit.” Jina said sadly.

 

“I know.” And then silence became absolute as his sword clanged to the ground.

“You can dispense with the illusions.” Idjit said calmly as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. “They won’t work on me.” The mass of intelligent nano machines in front of him actually seemed non-plussed.

 

“What is this?” Firdlump asked softly, not moving. The fact that Idjit had dropped his sword made him more dangerous, not less. His blade was the least of his weapons.

 

“I am going to give you a chance. More of a chance than you give any of your slaves.” Idjit said softly, not turning his blind eyes from the avatar of Jina Darkstorm who still had her sabers ready. “Convince me to join you. Convince me that what you are doing is right. Turn me to your way of thinking.” He paused. “If you can.”

 

“Now why would I do that?” Firdlump said with a grin as the shade of Jina started to attack. Then he paused as Idjit raised his hand and the form of the female former Jedi imploded with a shriek. No gore though, simply a puff of smoke appeared and then was gone. All of the other shadowy forms froze in place as Idjit dusted his hands and smiled thinly.

 

“Don’t forget who I am, Firdlump.” The seer of the Bladeborn said with a small smile. “You are not the only monster here.”

 

“You are not really crazy Idjit.” Firdlump said with a sigh. “Despite everything you do, I know it is an act. Why ask me to convince you?”

 

“Because if you can’t…” Idjit said quietly, but firmly. “One of us is not leaving this mindscape. Not alive that is.” Menace rang in his quiet tone now. “Even machines can die. You know this.”

 

“You can’t win.” Firdlump said slowly, his face serene.

 

“Neither can you.” Idjit said with a familiar ironic grin starting to cross his features. The old heat and anger that had served him for so long pulled at it’s bounds and he forced it back again. He had to remain clear headed. The rush of power that came from losing himself to the Dark Side always clouded his thoughts as well and right now he couldn’t afford that. “What is it going to be, scumbag? Do we fight or do we talk? I really don’t have all night, you know.”

 

“Well, then…” Firdlump said with a sigh, “Let us talk. What do you want to know first?”

 

“Jina’s exact condition for starters.” Idjit said as he sat cross legged, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. “Several people want to know.”

 

“Ah, Jina…” Firdlump shook his head. “We have not been able to figure out exactly what happened. It doesn’t help that she fights hard every time we try and examine her.”

 

“Can you blame her?” Idjit asked sourly. “After all, she willingly and knowingly put herself in your hands to try and stop the vision and what did you do? Hurried it right along.” Scorn sang in Idjit’s tone now. “And you call us short sighted and stupid.” He shook his head. “We all assumed you would see her as a danger, not a toy to be played with.”

 

“She is not a toy.” Firdlump protested. “We needed to see what the bugs had done to her.”

 

“Lie to yourself all you want, machine.” Idjit shrugged. “Don’t lie to me and expect me to remain silent. You knew the Sitolon hadn’t done anything to her except teach her how to kill things like you. You want to know how so you can protect yourself from us. Sorry.” Idjit didn’t sound particularly sorry. Indeed, he sounded amused. “We don’t care what you want.”

 

“You should.” Firdlump said easily. “We could do so much good for the galaxy.”

 

“Good?” Idjit asked, his expression probably incredulous. Hard to tell without eyes. Then he laughed, good naturedly. Or at least it seemed that way, except for the fact that his blind gaze never left the mass of nano machines and his hands did not move. At all. “You are a barrel of Kowakian monkey lizards, Firdlump, do you know that? Good…” He chortled softly, darkly amused.

 

“What is so funny?” Firdlump asked mildly. “I am trying to make the galaxy a better place. You of all people should understand that.”

 

“No.” Idjit replied just as easily. “You are trying to make it an ordered place. With you of course as it’s controller. There is a difference. Problem is that you are falling into the same trap the Sith generally do. Of course…” He mused. “The Republic isn’t much better sometimes. Idiots all at times.”

 

“You could help us.” Firdlump insisted. “Help us greatly. Think about the mighty things we can accomplish with one of your insight to guide us.”

 

“Be guided by you, you mean.” Idjit replied steadily. “Of course, all it would cost me is my free will. Small price to pay for your victory, now is it?”

 

“My victory is inevitable.” Firdlump said softly, with absolute certainty. “The Republic is corrupt, the Empire is rotten to the core. Sharp blows will bring them both down. Both the Sith and the Jedi are divided, distracted, ripe for the plucking.” He paused as Idjit sighed deeply. “What?”

 

“You are such an idiot.” The seer said softly. “No matter what happens here and now, no matter what you do, you are doomed, Firdlump.” The seer’s voice rang with sorrow now. “Even if you win, you will not manage to hold whatever you win. You cannot control the entire galaxy no matter how large you make that horrific mass mind of yours. It will not mean anything in the long term. All these lives destroyed, innocents hurt and killed, children tormented, trained to be monsters, for what? In the end, nothing.”

 

“You are wrong.” Firdlump said, but his voice was not as sure now.

 

“Am I?” Idjit said slowly. “No seers work for you. All that you have taken -captured, whatever- have suicided before you could ‘adjust’ them. Even Special Branch was never able to recruit any seers. Why is that, do you think?”

 

“We are not perfect.” Firdlump said slowly. “We have had to be careful until recently. Now we can move more openly, get more recruits.”

 

“No.” Idjit replied, almost gently. “You see, we –the seers- talk to each other. Even Jedi and Sith seers do on occasion. We know what you do not. Nothing you do will change anything. You have caused untold horror and pain to so many people. For. Nothing.” The seer said relentlessly as Firdlump recoiled slightly. “Everything you have done will fail. Everything will fall. All you have done is hurt people and in the end, it will change Nothing. You will fail. You have failed.”

 

“Have I?” Fidlump said, recovering his poise. “And the prophecy?”

 

“Prophecies are vague for a reason.” Idjit said gently, almost as if he were talking to a child. “Taking them at face value is dumb, Firdlump.”

 

“And trying to evade the question is also not very smart, Idjit of the Baldeborn.” Idjit stiffened as a new voice sounded and a small green form appeared nearby. Jedi Master Tokare Vandar sighed and nodded to Firdlump and Idjit. “You do not have all the information. Neither do we. We should work together.”

 

“Then convince me.” Idjit said slowly. “Or fight. Either way, this is likely only going to end with a fight.”

 

“No.” Vandar said gently. “I have a better idea.” Then Idjit stiffened as the gray plain fell away. “A much better idea…”

A hand grabbed Idjit’s and while he tried to pull away, it was relentless. Then he heard it. A voice. Young, concerned and female.

 

“Wake up, Daddy.” The small voice had him stiffening and then his eyes shot open. Wait a sec… HIS EYES? “Please wake up.” He blinked and then nodded slowly.

 

“Wha…? Who…?” Idjit paused, unsure as he took in his surroundings. He was lying on a large bed, garbed for sleep and the hand and voice belonged to a small brown haired girl, maybe six or seven years old. Her face was intent and her eyes were worried as she looked at him. He shook his head. “Oh Vandar, this is low, even for you.”

 

“Daddy?” The girl asked, confused. “What do you mean? I am Istara, your daughter.”Her voice was the perfect shade of exasperated and worried. Idjit shook his head and sat up. What greeted his eyes was absurd, and at the same time, completely plausible.

 

The bed he was lying in was in a comfortable looking room. From the air and gravity, he was on a planet. He knew he was not on a planet, but the level of detail was unreal. Incredibly precise. The girl saw his eyes wandering and made a noise of disapproval.

 

“Daddy, we are going to be late!” She said softly, but firmly. “Momma is gonna be mad.”

 

“Well, we don’t want that, do we?” Idjit said after a moment, deciding to play along. He rolled out of the bed and got another shock. The body that he knew was gone. The one he was in was flabby and soft. He stared at the round midsection in wonder and then sighed. Whatever plan Vandar and Firdlump had for him, this…projection was likely to be a trap or a test, or something. He could not sense anything different anywhere. Matter of fact, he couldn’t feel the Force at all. The girl watched as he walked to the refresher and looked in the mirror. The face that greeted him was his, with eyes, older, flabbier and… He shook his head. “You have got to be kidding.” Idjit said sourly as he took in the clothing lying folded neatly nearby. He picked up the shirt and winced. He would look like a court jester in that. Or a pimp. “What are we doing today?” He called to the girl, determined to play his part until he could figure out what was going on.

 

“Daddy!” The girl declared sourly. “It’s my party today!” She made a face that he could see even through the wall. “I was selected and all. I thought you would be happy.”

 

“I am still asleep.” Idjit said slowly. “Hang on.” He cleaned himself quickly and dressed, wincing at the colors. It was incredible. He knew he had to be in a mind simulation of some kind, but the textures were perfect, everything was perfect. At least the cloak that was there was a neutral color. He shook his head as he put it on and walked out to find the girl sitting waiting for him. She smiled as he came out, her face turning radiant.

 

“You look perfect, Dad.” The girl who called herself Istara said with a grin. “Let’s go, we are going to be late.”

 

“Wouldn’t want that.” Idjit said softly as he let the girl take his hand and lead him from the room. But as he did, he felt what he expected. He kept his face and Force sense neutral as the probe swept through him, basically ignoring it, allowing it to pass through him. But… He didn’t. He controlled a smirk at what the scanning being was going to find and followed the girl.

 

***

 

“What do you mean, he isn’t there?” Firdlump said with a snarl as they watched the image of the girl lead Idjit from the room towards the next phase of the test.

 

“I mean…” Vandar said slowly. “Part of his mind is there, accessible, and open to us. The rest… The important parts…” The small green form sighed. “Dang it, he knows. Somehow he knows. He knows we are trying to pump him for information and is likely feeding us dis-information.” He shook his head, his long ears waving. “I must respectfully protest this course of action. What we are trying is incredibly dangerous. This is no novice, no Jedi or Sith, we are talking about here, Master.”

 

“We need to know how the Seven keep anticipating us. How they are always one step ahead of us.” Firdlump said with a wave of his hand. “We need to know who is feeding them information. All of our people are accounted for, except Ravishaw and there is literally no way at all he will work with Idjit. Not after the work we put in on him.” Vandar looked at him and Firdlump sighed. “I know, I know. We were refining the mind control processes of the nanites. We were…less than gentle with him and the damage was done. I highly doubt that Ravishaw is the leak, but we need to know.”

 

“And if Idjit manages to break loose?” Vandar asked neutrally. “You know what he is capable of. He fought Brakon and Jarrel to a standstill while fighting a team of troops and Gev as well.” The small Jedi sighed. “So many losses,…” He tilted his head quizzically. “Might the Seven have their own form of the collective?”

 

“Now that…” Firdlump actually paused and looked worried for a moment. That never occurred to me. He shook his head. “No, no… There would have been some kind of sign. Something we could detect in his mind. We need to break through those blocks, access his memories.”

 

“Carefully.” Vandar said slowly as they both turned to watch the girl lead Idjit from the house in the mental projection that they had ensconced him in. The sheer power that it took to create a convincing mental illusion as staggering. The power it took to make an illusion that would fool a Force user of Idjit’s power and sensitivity was mind numbing. “I still think that having her call herself Istara was too blatant.”

 

“You will see.” Firdlump smirked. “It’s all planned out. He will join us.”

 

“I hope so.” Vandar said slowly. “We are fumbling in the dark without access to visions. With all the Force users in the collective essentially blinded by it, well...” He shrugged. “It is marvelous, but I do miss the visions.”

 

“All of them?” Firdlump asked softly.

 

“Well… When you put it like that…No.” Vandar shook his head. “Okay, ready for the next phase.”

“Oh come on…” Idjit said sourly under his breath as the little girl pulled him from the house and onto the street. A street where each and every house looked exactly the same. He kept his voice down however as the girl almost started skipping forward, her hand clenching his. She looked at him and he forced a smile onto his face. “Where to?”

 

“We are going to Mira’s house.” The girl who called herself Istara said grandly. “The party is there. Then I go for the operation.”

 

Operation? Idjit blinked, still novelling slightly at the sensation. He knew this was make believe, a construct. But he had to admire the effort and skill that had gone into it. It actually felt like he was walking on a solid surface. The little girl’s hand was… He paused. The little girl was real. He was sure about that. But was she who she said she was? Did SHE believe she was his daughter or was it another trick? He shrugged slightly and took the Rancor by the throat.

 

“You seem very happy.” Idjit kept his voice neutral. “Are you?”

 

“Well, duh.” Idjit had to smile at the sheer disbelief in the little girl’s tone now. “I know it is going to hurt. I know that I will change a lot. But it will be worth it.”

 

“Are you sure it will be worth it?” Idjit pressed slightly. The girl stopped and looked at him and Idjit smiled to defuse any tension. “I am not questioning your choice. I just want to be sure myself.”

 

“I talked with a lot of people about this.” The little girl said soberly. “Yes. I want to do this. I want to help others. I want to make the galaxy a better place. I want to do what my mom…” She broke off and her face started working as if she were about to cry. Idjit pulled her close. “I wish mom were here to see me. I wish she hadn’t died.”

 

“It’s okay.” Idjit said gently as he held the now softly crying girl. “Just remember, in all things, there are choices.” He smiled as he ruffled her hair and then froze as an impossible voice sounded nearby.

 

“Well, well, well.” An older human male came around the corner of the closest house. His face was covered by the hood of the black cloak he wore. “Been a long time, Leonel.”

 

“Istara.” Idjit said slowly, his entire form going stiff. “Go on ahead. I will be there in a moment.”

 

“Dad…” Istara’s voice was unsure as she turned to look at the man. “Do you know this man?”

 

“I did.” Idjit said slowly. Then he gave the girl another hug and then a gentle shove. She took off running. AS soon as she was out of easy earshot, Idjit shook his head slowly. “This is dumb. Hasn’t anyone ever told you idiots that my older brother is dead?”

 

“What?” The hooded man asked, nonplussed.

 

“Come on, Vandar.” Idjit said with a scowl. “Enough is enough. Nice illusion, but come off it. If you want to convince me, this is not the way.”

 

“I am not going to convince you of anything.” The hooded man said softly, with menace as his hand came up from his belt with a small vial. Idjit simply looked at him and the man chuckled ominously. “How would you like to lose your eyes?”

 

“Old.” Idjit said with a deep, heartfelt sigh. The hooded man stiffened and Idjit shrugged. “What better way to try and break the will of a blind man? Give him eyes and then threaten to take them away. Come on, Firdlump. It’s been tried.” Something grabbed Idjit and held him in place as the hooded man started forward. The hood came off and Will Kalenath’s face shone on it. The vial came up and the man’s free hand opened it.

 

“Enough.” Idjit said quietly and everything stopped. “There are limits to what I will allow you and your scum to do, Firdlump. That is beyond them.” He reached deep, deep into himself and the Force answered his call.

 

“No!” The man cried out, a new voice, as the reality around them vanished. Then he shrieked as Idjit raised hand, the vial of acid falling, then slowing and stopping.

 

“You wanted my eyes?” Idjit asked as his sight faded. He didn’t need to see to know that his form was his usual whipcord thin and tough as nails body again. “I just wanted to talk. Fine, we do it your way.” The man was shaking his head, trying to speak as the vial came back up, arcing to stay right in front of the man’s face. It angled just right and he pulled his hand back to send it flying into the man’s face. It wasn’t Will Kalenath’s anymore. It was someone else. Someone who Idjit remembered far less than fondly. The voice and face were his older brother. The one who had blinded him. His rage burned though him. Even knowing that it was a trick, one probably designed to make him lose his temper… He still wanted things to die.

 

“Stop.” Vandar’s voice was resigned as the small green Jedi master appeared nearby. “He isn’t the one you want to hurt, Idjit.”

 

“He will do.” Idjit said as he flung the contents of the vial into the man’s face. He watched dispassionately as the man screamed and then collapsed in a heap as the acid ate into his skin. He shook his head as Vandar stared at him. “You might want to get that neutralized. Or it will eat completely through him.” The screaming, writhing form vanished and the two of them were left what Idjit recognized now as a pocket of the gray plain, separate from the main parts, but still part of it.

 

“That was uncalled for.” Vandar said softly, his tone disappointed.

 

“If you want me to lose my temper, simply say so, Vandar.” Idjit said quietly. “I will be happy to show you what depths my anger can reach. As powerful as you are, you should know better.”

 

“It wasn’t my choice.” Vandar said sadly.

 

“What is that little girl’s real name?” Idjit asked softly. “Just curious. Is it Julia? Pilloa or Leeni? Or did you clone someone just for me?”

 

“Her name is Rebeka. We rescued her from an abusive father on Correlia.” Vandar said sadly. “She volunteered. We told her it was dangerous. But she wants to make a difference.”

 

“By becoming a slave.” Idjit shrugged. “Well, no matter.” He sighed. “Convince me. Or have you given up on that?”

 

“You know better than that, Idjit.” Vandar said gently. “This was never intended to be taken at face value, but your request had us stumped. How can we convince you? You have seen what we do and think it is slavery. So what we are going to do is show you what we are.”

 

“Indeed?” The seer asked softly.

 

“Yes.” Vandar said slowly. “We would try and pull you in, but I don’t think that would work. Or go over very well.” Idjit just smiled thinly and Vandar nodded.

 

“One thing, Vandar.” Idjit said slowly, all humor vanishing as If into a black hole. “If you ever bring that part of my past up again, I will burn every single mind I find of your collective to ash. You know I can.” There was no melodrama in his words, just simple fact. Vandar actually gulped a bit at that. “I won’t be able to destroy your collective, but as Will found out, we can hurt it.”

 

“What he did was unconscionable!” Vandar nearly exploded. “He had that poor man down. He had him totally defenseless!” Will had killed an entire team and then taken the last member of it prisoner. Just so he could torture the man to death. And the WAY he had done it… Even Idjit had gotten goosebumps. Which had been the point.

 

“And what you did to Jina was right and proper?” Idjit snarled right back. “What you want to do to every one of us who do not simply submit to you?” He shook his head. “Maybe you cannot see the slave chains that hold you any more, Vandar. But we can. So go ahead, try and convince me.”

 

“Okay.” Vandar said slowly. “We both need to calm down a bit. I know you don’t trust me, and I don’t trust you. We can both hurt each other, but you have the advantage here, seer.” Idjit nodded. Seers routinely went places and did things that other Force users could not. It gave them a great deal of experience in dealing with issues of the mind. Idjit just waited and Vandar sighed. “Follow me.” His form winked out and a moment later, Idjit’s followed.

 

A moment after they both disappeared, two indistinct forms appeared where they had been. One appeared to be a transparent female human, the other a transparent female Twi’lek.

 

“It’s begun.” Emily Darkstorm said sadly. “I will warn Sharra. You warn the others. And be careful Ulaha.” The Twi’lek nodded and both vanished from the place.

Idjit materialized inside what looked like the corridors of a starship and nodded slightly as Vandar appeared next to him. Odd that he could see here. Was he still in the mindscape? No. So something else was happening. Something odd. Ah well, that was his job most of the time, find out what was going on, by any means necessary.

 

“The Courageous?” Idjit asked offhandedly. Firdlump’s flagship was known as a renegade. The Republic was seeking it along with two other battleships and their escorts now that they had -finally- realized that Firdlump was not the genial and kind custodian of the people he had pretended to be.

 

“Yes.” Vandar said with a smile. “Our home away from home.”

 

“Better hope Will doesn’t find it.” Idjit said with a smirk. Vandar glowered at him and the seer just smiled. “Well, it is the truth.” Vandar actually shuddered a little. Yes, if Will Kalenath found the ship, it would likely be blown out of the stars. The crazy soldier was well known for destroying capital class starships, usually all by himself. Sith fleets had learned to run when they heard the loud, fast music start. “So, when do you spring your trap?” He asked curiously.

 

“Idjit…” Vandar groaned. “Can’t we just invite you to talk and not have some kind of ulterior motive?”

 

“You…?” Idjit asked, his expression turning incredulous. “And him…” He waved at the walls, meaning Firdlump who was probably listening. “…without ulterior motives?” The seer actually laughed. “The mind boggles.”

 

“Well…” Vandar actually looked uncomfortable now. “Yes. We usually do have ulterior motives. This time, though we just want to talk.”

 

“Ah.” Idjit smirked. “And you pulled me here… ‘Just to talk’. Right.” The sarcasm in the seer’s voice could have cut durasteel. “Whatever you are going to do, you might as well try.”

 

“We are going to convince you.” Vandar said gently. “Come, someone wants to talk to you.” The small green form led the way through the corridors of the ship, nodding as people saluted him and frankly stared at the blind seer. Not that Idjit cared. He had other things on his mind.

 

“Did you ever manage to clone Morey?” Idjit asked after a few corridors worth of travel. He didn’t bother to keep the hate from his tone.

 

“His name is Ravishaw, Idjit.” Vandar said with a glance at the seer.

 

“Not to us.” Idjit replied coldly. “He broke the Code, broke with the Code. He was punished, and now his name is Morey.” Idjit’s tone might have given an Aklay nightmares.

 

“I am not going to argue Bladeborn politics with you, Masterblade.” Vandar said with a sigh. “But it wasn’t really his fault.”

 

“Fault has nothing to do with it.” Idjit said, his tone still cold. “At your master’s behest, he betrayed us, attacked us, and did his darndest to destroy us.”

 

“You do not have all the information, Idjit.” Vandar said sadly as he stopped before a door marked ‘Medical’. “We have made some mistakes. We are trying to fix them.” The door opened and screams echoed down the corridor. “This is what your friend did to us.” Vandar said sadly as he stepped into the bay. Idjit followed, his face impassive.

 

The medical bay was packed with injured beings of various races. Most of them screaming in pain while doctors, nurses and droids tended them. Idjit turned his head from side to side, and then sneered. Vandar looked at him and Idjit just laughed.

 

“This illusion is even stupider than the last one, Vandar.” Idjit said with an annoyed sigh. “Get on with it.”

 

“What do you mean?” Vandar asked, incredulous. “This is…”

 

“This is a group of people screaming.” Idjit said calmly. “None of them actually are in pain.” Vandar goggled at him and Idjit smirked. “Who are you talking to, slave? Your master controls their pain and pleasure.” The screams in the room cut off. “I have asked you to convince me, and you keep throwing illusions at me. If I didn’t know better, I would think you were just delaying me while Firdlump did something he didn’t want me to notice inside my mind.” Vandar stared at him and then blanched. Idjit shook his head and sighed deeply. “So be it.” The seer raised his hand and the scene around them vanished.

 

“idjit! No!” Vandar cried as he tried to summon the power to resist Idjit’s. “What are you doing?”

 

“I warned you.” Idjit said softly, menace ringing in each syllable. “I was actually open to being convinced, after the stunts Will pulled. He needs control, no question, even imposed. But this….” Idjit shook his head. “Not like this.”

 

“You cannot win, seer.” The voice of the master of the collective sounded from nearby as both Idjit and Vandar reappeared on the gray plain. “Submit.”

 

“No!” Vandar cried as the mass of nano machines took shape nearby. “Master! Idjit! No! Don’t!”

 

“Don’t what?” Idjit asked as he took a deep breath. “Live? Yearn to be free? You may hurt me, you may kill me, but you will never defeat me.” He shook his head. “All this time, all this pain and you still do not understand.” Idjit’s blade appeared in his hand and he assumed a ready position. “You may take Bladeborn, you may brainwash Bladeborn, but you will never…” He broke off as a new form appeared on the plain. A small blonde haired girl. Her armor and sword proclaimed who she was. “Oh Zana…” Now his voice held sorrow.

 

“Hello Idjit.” The youthful Bladeborn said sadly as she interposed herself between the masterblade and the master of the collective. “I can’t let you do this.”

 

“Why did you change your hair? I preferred you as a redhead.” Idjit asked, sad now. “Most of us did.” He did not take his gaze from Firdlump as Zana’s sword left it’s sheathe. “This is low, even for you Firdlump.” He started walking, angling past Zana.

 

“I like being a blonde. I have ever since I met Jina.” Zana said softly, moving slowly to keep herself between Idjit and the mass of nano machines. “I don’t want to fight you, masterblade. But I will if I must. If you hurt him, you hurt Jina. I cannot allow that.”

 

“You can’t stop me, Zana.” Idjit said with dreadful finality. Then he attacked.

No one could even doubt the Zana’s courage. Her good sense, maybe, but never her courage. She tried to fight Idjit. She had no chance at all. As he charged, she moved into the proper blocking stance to keep him from Firdlump, only to be taken off guard when he changed course and attacked HER instead. She got her blade in between her innards and his point, only to have it slapped almost contemptuously aside. The she gave a small cry as his sword came down in a flashing arc, but not the edge. The flat of the blade slapped her rump armor, making a ringing noise. Then, quick as a whip crack, he retreated out of her reach and shook his head.

 

“You still don’t guard your left, Zana.” Idjit said sadly. “I see you haven’t been keeping up your studies.”

 

“I can’t let you hurt Jina, Masterblade.” Zana said, setting herself again. “I will stop you.”

 

“No you won’t, Zana.” Idjit said almost gently. “I don’t want to hurt you, but you are leaving me no choice. Actually…” He snarled at Firdlump. “He is leaving me no choice.”

 

“It is wonderful, masterblade.” Zana said, but without hope. “We are all parts of a greater good, a mighty and wonderful whole.”

 

“Zana… Open your eyes.” Idjit said softly, his guard never wavering as he circled her slowly. “I know they hurt you. I know you cannot make sense of things, I can feel your confusion, your conflict.”

 

“There is no conflict.” Zana said stolidly as she turned in place to keep her sword between him and Firdlump. “You do not understand.”

 

“I do not understand?” Idjit shook his head slowly. "Girl…” His shoulders fell for a moment and then he straightened. “So be it.” With no further ado, he was in motion.

 

Zana tried, but in the end, she was still a learner, a novice Bladeborn. He was a masterblade, honed and trained to be a perfect weapon, his sword and the Force actual extensions of his own will and body. Their swords rang as Idjit pressed his attack, first from one side and then the other. Zana backed away, trying desperately to keep his sword away from her as strikes came from every direction. But it couldn’t last. Eventually, she missed a block and she gave a small cry as Idjit’s sword came slamming in. Her armor was exactly as much protection from that ancient blade as a sheet of paper might have been and her right hand fell from the hilt as the tendons in her right forearm were sliced with surgical precision. Blood dripped from her useless arm, but she shifted her grip and kept fighting, trying to find an opening in Idjit’s guard. But there wasn’t one. Sweat and tears were both falling down her face as she tried. Finally, Idjit found the opening he wanted and his sword made a peculiar twist. Zana blanched as her sword went flying out of her hands. But she did not cry out. Bladeborn did not surrender. She met the masterblade’s empty eye sockets with her eyes and he nodded soberly. Idjit’s blade was perfectly balanced as it came sweeping down to end her life.

 

“Stop!” A green lightsaber interposed itself between Idjit’s blade and Zana’s unprotected throat. Tokare Vandar got between them, but paused as Idjit turned a blank gaze on him. “Idjit…She is protecting Jina.”

 

“She has betrayed us.” Idjit could have been carved from stone for all the emotion he showed as he raised his right hand from the hilt of his sword and Zana rose into the air, now she was screaming as power coruscated through her. “She knows the penalty.”

 

“It’s not her fault!” Vandar said, trying to break the flows of power. He knew better than to get into a swordfight with the masterblade. He was old, canny and sneaky. He was nowhere near Idit’s class with a blade. “Let her go!”

 

“Fault has nothing to do with it.” Idjit said, and then paused. “Ah, sneaky, sneaky.” He actually chuckled. “Get me focused on a swordfight and then probe my mind for weaknesses. Nicely done, Vandar. That was a slick mental probe. Pity it missed it’s mark.”

 

“Idjit…” Vandar actually blanched. “Don’t…”

 

“You people just don’t get it.” Idjit said as he lowered his sword’s point until it pointed at the ground. “What the flarg makes any of you think I care what you want? You hurt people I care about. You have brainwashed and killed people I care about.”

 

“No!” Vandar cried out, terrified. “Don’t do it! You don’t know what you are doing!”

 

“Neither do you.” Idjit said coldly as he focused all of his rage, all of his hate, all of his negative energy into one pulse and let it loose. Not at Vandar, or Zana or even Firdlump. But at the surface of the gray plain. “Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey…” He chortled as Vandar and Zana cried out in terror. But he paused as another voice sounded on the plain.

 

“Masterblade, stop!” A large golden form appeared on the plain. Queen Sarai’s form fairly buzzed with energy as she snarled at Idjit. “Now is not the time.”

 

“They hurt us. They kill us. They take us and twist us, make us parodies of ourselves…” Idjit’s voice was cold as he turned his blind gaze from the mass of nano machines, to the now kneeling and keening younger Bladeborn, to the terrified Jedi, to the queen Sitolon. “I think it is more than time, Queen Sarai.”

 

“Idjit, stand down.” Saria was nearly begging. “Please, don’t make me do this. Stand down. We will stop them.”

 

“How? Oh... you...dumb girl...” Idjit snarled, respect fading as his true nature came to the fore. Then he paused, stared at Sarai and slumped. “I had thought you of all people would have been able to resist, Queen Sarai.”

 

“Idjit…” Sarai shook her huge head. “I can’t. If I do, my people will die. The hivemind is needed. When he accessed it, he took all of my people hostage, as well as everyone on the homeship. Everyone, Idjit.” Saria said with force. Idjit did not respond. “Idjit… Please…” She stiffened as he shook his head. “No… Don’t…”

 

“I said it before.” Idjit’s face broke into a wide, inhuman smile. “And I will say it again. Screams of misery, screams of victory…!” He raised his sword high and then he slammed it deep into the surface of the plain. Shockwaves coruscated from the impact point. “Blood, blood, blood, blood!”

 

 

“NO!” The scream of denial came from many throats as Idjit cut loose with all of his power directly into the surface beneath him. Then the grayness… shuddered. Movement was seen in the distance as the predators that prowled the plain all converged on the site of power. They ate the Force, so such a bouquet as Idjit was unleashing would be irresistible to them. Idjit was cackling in delight as power flowed from him into the surface that was undulating now.

 

“For the Bladeborn! For Morey! For everyone who you scum have hurt and killed! Die!!” He slammed his blade again and again into the surface, each time creating shockwaves that threw everyone around him away from him. “May you agony be endless!”

 

“Idjit! Stop!” Saria begged. “You will kill us all! Stop!”

 

“Go ahead, Queen Sarai!” Idjit snarled. “Serve them. Be a nice little slave. I won’t be one!” He raised his sword again and Sarai acted.

 

Power flowed from all four of her claws, dark terrible power. He screamed once as it engulfed the seer. Then he was gone.

“What happened?” Zana said slowly as she nursed the cup of caf that she had been given with her left hand. She was careful to hold still, the medical gear attached to her right arm was cumbersome. “He was upset, we all could see that, let alone feel it. Why would he attack the plain? Why would Sarai of all people stop him?”

 

“He knew we were trying to read him. It made him angry.” Vandar said from her side, his hand stroking her upper arm as Menglan worked on her lower arm. The actual damage done on the plain had not transferred, but nerve damage had occurred. It was odd, but then again, the plain itself was odd. “Why didn’t you stop him, master?” He asked deferentially. Firdlump sighed form where he stood against one wall.

 

“I am not omniscient, Vandar.” The mass of nano machines said sadly. “I never would have expected him to do something that nuts. He is not crazy, he just acts it well. Or…” Firdlump paused and grimaced. “I didn’t think he was. Maybe…” He shrugged. “What I got from his mind didn’t make any sense.” Vandar looked at him and Firdlump shrugged. “Look, we all know that Idjit is a masterful liar and manipulator. But what I got made no sense at all.”

 

“What did you get from him, Master?” Vandar asked softly, his hand soothing Zana as the girl jumped. Menglan gave her an apologetic smile and nodded.

 

“Sorry about that, Zana.” The doctor said with a sigh. “All done. I assume the plain is closed to us now?”

 

“Yes.” Firdlump said slowly. “For the foreseeable future anyway. The pounding he gave it may not have been enough to wake the mind that slumbers, but then again… It might have. I think that was his intention.” He nodded as both Menglan and Vandar blanched. “Yeah, I know.”

 

“All three of you are lucky to be alive.” Menglan said with a shudder. “The predators would have swarmed to such a display, and likely will not disperse for a while.”

 

“I know.” Firdlump said with a frown. “They might have even been able to devour me, let alone one crazy masterblade.”

 

“He wasn’t crazy.” Zana said sadly as she sat back and drank deeply from her cup. “He was angry. Every Bladeborn knows not to anger Idjit. But why? All we were doing was trying to explain, to convince him.” Firdlump did not look at her, but she suddenly drooped, her eyes sliding shut. “So tired…”

 

“Menglan, take Zana to the medical bay and make sure she sleeps.” Menglan nodded and helped Zana stand. The young Bladeborn was weaving on her feet but managed to get out of the room with Menglan’s aid. Only then did Firdlump turn to Vandar. “Well?”

 

“It’s not possible.” Vandar said flatly. “We both have tried to dilute or dismantle Ravishaw’s insanity. What I found in Idjit’s mind had to be a plant of some kind. There is simply no way that Ravishaw would work with or for Idjit, not with all the history between them. No way.”

 

“I can’t access his mind.” Firdlump said soberly. “He could be hiding things from us.”

 

“He could be.” Vandar agreed. “But if so, for what purpose? The Empire hates him, the Republic hates him, the Bladeborn detest him, and the Seven all want him dead. Who would it benefit?”

 

“I don’t know.” Firdlump agreed. “For now, he is busy. Maybe he can find where Cranna stashed Katherine. We can’t access her anymore since the slug had her implants removed. I had hoped that when the Stormhawk found her, they would just treat her like a castaway, but I forgot they would have constant contact with Cranna. They probably knew who she was before she got aboard their ship.”

 

“Dropping her into a nest of slavers with no memory was not a nice thing to do.” Vandar said neutrally. “They hurt her.”

 

“Yeah, they did.” Firdlump agreed. “And now, we cannot ease her pain. Ah well, if she CAN find out where the clone children were taken, then it is all to the good. We know she is alive, and if she manages to get communication with us, then great. We will go get her.”

 

“And if she is in the Enclave?” Vandar said softly. “That place makes any prison I have ever seen look like a fence made of cheese.”

 

“Then we go get her.” Firdlump’s tone was final. Then he nodded. “I wondered when she would call.” A com panel came to life on the wall and then a large holo appeared in the middle of the room. Queen Sarai’s posture was angry. “Well met, Queen Sarai.”

 

“Come off it, monster.” Sarai snarled at him. “I just hurt, maybe killed a good friend, because you could not leave well enough alone. Well done.” She almost hissed in sheer spite.

 

“Now, now, girl. No need to be rude.” Firdlump said mildly. “Or do you really want to start having your people go mad?” Instead of answering, Sarai raised a claw. Firdlump stared at the bracelet on it and blanched. “Sarai, don’t do anything rash…” He said in a much quieter tone as he saw the blinking biometric trigger on her wrist.

 

“Rash?” Sarai asked snidely. “Like taking one of the most powerful force users in existence and probing his mind when all he wanted to do was talk?” She snorted. “Rash like that?”

 

“He wasn’t just going to talk.” Vandar objected.

 

“He wanted to see the other side of the argument.” Sarai’s voice was sad now. “All we have seen from you is horror, death, madness. He said that there had to be a reason for what you were doing. I guess he was wrong.” She shrugged all four shoulders. “Doesn’t matter now, alive or dead, he cannot help us. Rescue us from you. What do you want, monster?”

 

“There is no need to be rude, Sarai.” Firdlump said, this time much softer in tone. “I don’t want to hurt your people. They created me.”

 

“No.” Sarai said slowly. “A mass of nanites created you. We did not.” Vandar stared from Firdlump to the holo and then back.

 

“You know not of what you speak, child.” Firdlump was not prepared for Sarai to yell at him.

 

“Neither do you!” She screamed. “You know nothing outside of your programming. Yes, you learn. Yes, you think, plan and adapt. But you know nothing beyond what you have learned. And this you have not learned. You were created by a mass of nanites to facilitate dialogue. They failed. And I am not a child. I am young, yes. But if you persist in calling me ‘child’, I will end this conversation. You know not of what you speak. Again, what do you want? You have my attention.” She said snidely.

 

“I want access to the nanites on the homeworld.” Firdlump said slowly. “Then I want Sharra Kalenath and her son, Kirina and her daughter delivered to me for safekeeping.”

 

“I am afraid none of those are possible.” Sarai said slowly, her posture stiff.

 

“Then you better make them possible.” Firdlump said with a scowl. “I know that Will Kalenath’s wife and son are aboard the homeship as well as Idjit and Istara’s daughter who was born to Kirina. I need some insurance to keep Will Kalenath and Istara Andal from tearing any more of my plans apart.”

 

“You can’t always get what you want.” Sarai said with a strained laugh. “And before you go all ‘Me master, you slave’ on me, I can't give them to you, because they are no longer aboard.” Firdlump stared at her and Sarai shrugged again. “A few minutes before I felt the disturbance on the plain, both Sharra and Kirina vanished off the ship. WITH their kids. I was about to start a search for them when I felt your stupidity. I bet Sharra had plans laid weeks ago for just such an occurrence. Mom always was a planner.”

 

“We will find her.” Firdlump promised. This was likely true. Sarai could not lie to him now, not when he had a wide open conduit into the Sitolon hivemind. “Then tell Lohas to stop resisting my attempts to control the nanite swarm.”

 

“Lohas is also not aboard. But, from the sense I get of her, she is not conscious, maybe she is comatose.” Sarai could have been discussing the price of ice on Hoth now for all the emotion she was showing. “You know why.”

 

“The plain is the collective unconscious of the nanites.” Firdlump said with an annoyed growl. “When Idjit hurt it…”

 

“He hurt her.” Sarai finished. “Is there anything else?”

 

“We want a sample of pure Sitolon DNA…” He paused as Sarai scoffed.

 

“Not chance in hell, monster.” Saria’s voice could have frozen an explosion in its tracks now. She raised a claw and the glowing bracelet shone on it. “You may be able to drive my people mad. But you cannot stop us from extinguishing ourselves. And if we go, the nanites will go dormant, permanently. Lohas has programmed that in.”

 

“You wouldn’t. Your people…” Vandar shook his head slowly, horrified. “Sarai, think…”

 

“My people are unanimous.” Sarai said, her six eyes never leaving Firdlump. “We will die before we allow you to succeed, Firdlump. There are six one thousand weight baradium core munitions attached to this trigger, scattered throughout the homeship. You won’t even find organic debris. Try me. Please.” Her tone was familiar. Will Kalenath’s madness screamed form every pore. The holo leaned forward. “Please.”

 

“Sarai…” Firdlump sighed deeply and shook his head. “Very well. Then I ask for Melita Ranol.”

 

“Melita?” Sarai sat back on her haunches and looked at him. “Why?”

 

“Because Jina loves her. And right now…” Firdlump shook his head sadly. “Jina needs all the help she can get. We don’t want to hurt her. But we may not have a choice.”

 

“And what you have done already does not qualify as hurting?” Sarai asked sarcastically. “Sheesh…”

 

“I am not going to argue the past with you, Queen Sarai.” Firdlump said with a glower. “We have a chance to build a better future. A much better chance with you and your people working with us rather than against us.”

 

“Understand this, pawn master.” Sarai said with a snarl. “We are under your threat, yes. My entire people are hostage to you. But we do not serve you. We will not serve you. If Melita will go, then we will send her on the way. If not, we will not compel her.”

 

“I am not asking you to serve me…” Firdlump began, but Sarai cut him off again.

 

“No, you are trying to command us. Won’t work, monster.” With that, she cut the connection before Firdlump could reply.

“Arrgh!” The mass of intelligent nano machines that called itself Firdlump actually groaned aloud after the communication had cut off. “Of all the arrogant, opinionated, just downright dumb females…”

 

“You cannot really blame her.” Vandar said sadly. “Not after everything that has happened.”

 

“Of course I can.”Firdlump said with a scowl. “Should I? Probably not. But I could.” He sighed. “No, I guess I can’t. I didn’t want to take her people hostage, but I didn’t have a choice. They keep interfering. I am trying to rebuild their home world, trying to repair the damage that was done so long ago, trying to reconstitute their race. Why will they not just leave me in peace to do so?”

 

“They do not understand.” Vandar said softly. Firdlump glared at him and Vandar shrugged. “Yes, I know your question was rhetorical, but it really doesn’t matter. They see danger, of course they are going to take steps to mitigate the danger, whether it is actually there or not. At least now, you can take steps yourself to keep them out of the way.”

 

“Them, yes.” Firdlump agreed sourly. “The Seven? No.” He shook his head. “Do you think Idjit is dead?” Vandar thought for a moment before replying.

 

“No.” Vandar replied after a moment of thought. “I have no idea what she did. Do you?” Firdlump shook his head with a frown and Vandar pursed his lips. “Do you think she was telling the truth about Sharra Kalenath, Lohas and Kirina?”

 

“There was no evidence of falsehood.” Firdlump said with a shrug. “Could she hide it from us even when we are in the hivemind with her? Maybe. I don’t know. I wouldn’t think so, but every time I think I have a handle on what our enemies will do, they surprise me.” He shook himself and changed the subject. “What word from Olandas?”

 

“The decryption is going, slowly, but going.” Vandar said with a grimace. “It is now simply a matter of the computational power of our nanites versus the computational power of Lohas’ nanites. Not difficult according to Olandas, but time consuming.” He looked expectantly at Firdlump and the mass of nano machines sighed.

“Lohas has more nanites available.” Firdlump actually growled. “I think Olandas is right. She managed to cut the time I would have needed in half, but…” He shook his head. “Between Lohas and the Sitolon, they managed to create algorithms that defy prediction. We need to…” He paused and then sighed. “Darn that woman…” Vandar blinked at the apparent non sequitor and then slumped.

 

“We better go.” The ancient Jedi said sadly. “They may need us.”

 

“I just hope we can keep her from hurting anyone.” Firdlump agreed as he started for the door. “Jina was not stable before. Hoping she wouldn’t feel what happened was a pipe dream at best. But in her mental state…” Vandar winced as a wave of pain came through the collective and then both were running. Towards Ecmin’s chambers.

 

***

 

“Jina…Please…” Ren was trying very hard to get Jina Darkstorm to calm down, but the former Jedi was having none of it. “Calm down. No one is going to…”

 

“Leave alone!” Jina screamed as she backed away from the empty handed security guard who was blocking the only hatchway leading out of the queen’s chambers. Two guards had answered the healer’s frantic cry when Jina had woken screaming and tried to leave the chamber. One now lay still. The female human was still breathing, but shallowly. The other held empty hands in from, trying to calm the hurt Jedi down. “Liars! Murderers!” Jina screamed again, tears falling down her face.

 

“Jina…” Ecmin’s voice was soft, but adamant. “Calm down. What happened was horrible, yes, but…”

 

“Liars.” Jina declared, her entire form pulsing with energy now. “You lie!” Jina declared as she started for the door. The guard there shot an impassioned glance at Ecmin, who did not move from her spot.

 

“I have never lied to you, Jina.” Ecmin’s soft voice cut through the woman’s cries. Now the queen’s tone turned severe. “Calm down, Jina. Please…?” Pain arched through Ecmin’s voice as she struggled to rise.

 

“My queen…” Ren was torn between helping her queen and helping Jina who was completely distraught. “Please do not move.”

 

“I am the only one who can calm Jina down.” Ecmin replied evenly. “Can you help me stand?” Command sounded in her gentle voice and Ren bowed her head.

 

“My queen…” Ren could not keep a hint of disapproval from her voice, but she made it to Ecmin’s side and laid a manipulator on the large silver bug’s hurt flank. “I can dull the pain, but no more, my queen.”

 

“It is enough.” Ecmin said with a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Ren.” She turned to where Jina was glaring at the security guard who looked decidedly scared now, and who could blame him. “You should leave.”

 

“Queen Ecmin, I have my orders.” The guard said slowly, not moving at all, which was wise. “I cannot leave you alone with her in such a state.”

 

“I am not alone.” Ecmin replied. “Ren is… What the?” Ecmin stiffened as the door behind the guard slid open and a large red form appeared in it. “No…” Ecmin said slowly, horror filling her tone. “No!” She cried as the droid started forward. “Don't!”

 

“We have no choice, Queen Ecmin.” The being inside the droid responded evenly. Not that she could talk any other way. “Jina Darkstorm is a threat to the collective.”

 

For her part, Jina was crouched now, her posture one of readiness as the droid entered the chamber. Another droid followed the first, then another, and another. In form, each was the size and shape of a Sitolon, but all were red. Jina growled, a feral sound as the droids moved to surround her.

 

“Jina…” Ecmin’s voice was horrified now. “Stand down, please. Please girl. Don’t…”

 

“Step mom…” Jina’s voice was sad, but none of it showed on her face as she watched the droids approach. “Me love. Stay.”

 

“Jina…” Ecmin’s voice turned sick as Jina lowered in her crouch, ready to fight. “Please…” She tried to move closer but her body was not responding. “No! You bastard! I can help her! I can… No…”

 

“It ok, stepmom. Me no slave.” Jina said slowly, her face contorting with effort as she fought to speak. “Me no be slave.”

 

“Jina…” Ecmin wailed as the droids closed in on her step daughter, but she could not move as they raised their arms. Then Jina was in motion.

 

The woman was hurt. She was jerky, slow and halting in most respects. But both Ecmin and Ren stared in shock as Jina danced in the midst of the warrior droids, a picture of grace, power and lethality. The droids extended batons that crackled, then blue stun bolts and other non lethal ordnance flared. But Jina was never where they flew. Then she danced up to the side of one of the droids, touched it on the torso armor and it crumpled! A shrill scream came from the droid as Jina darted away from it. The other droids all moved back a step as Jina snarled a wordless challenge.

 

“Enough.” Ecmin had never heard Firdlump speak in that tone before. He strode into the room and fear walked with him. “Stand down, Jina Darkstorm.”

 

“Me remember you.” Jina spat on the floor. “Me remember to say Flarg you!” She started for the master of the collective and then she was rising into the air, screaming, flailing, fighting as the mass of nano machines raised a hand.

 

“Sleep, Jina.” Firdlump said sadly. “What happened was a tragedy. But we can make it better. When you wake, it will all be better.”

 

“Flarg...!” Jina snarled, trying to get free of whatever held her. Power pulsed from her fingertips as she fought to get free of whatever held her. “...you!” Firdlump sighed and nodded. One of the droids raised a claw and a net that sparkled flew from it to encompass the struggling Jedi. Jina gave a shrill scream and then jerked once and was still. Firdlump slumped in place, and lowered Jina to the floor gently. She did not move at all as she landed. If not for the slow rise and fall of her chest, she might have been dead.

 

“Ecmin…” Firdlump said sadly. “Like this, she is a threat.”

 

“Master… No… Please…” Ecmin said, her voice horrified. “I can help her. I can!”

 

“Ecmin…” Firdlump looked at her and his eyes were sad. “Tell me the truth. Has she improved? At all?” Ecmin stared at him and then at the crumpled Jedi.

 

“No.” Ecmin said, manifestly against her will. “It’s not her fault!”

 

“No it is not.” Firdlump agreed softly. “Nor yours. If it is anyone’s fault, it is mine. But we cannot have her doing things like this. Ecmin…” He shook his head and Ecmin stared at him.

 

“I…” Ecmin slumped in place and then nodded. “I will do it.” Pain sounded deep, deep inside the queen as she reached for Jina. "I can make the mindwipe gentle."

 

“No, Ecmin.” Firdlump said gently. “We won’t hurt her. We won’t let her hurt.” He shook his head slowly as one of the droids moved close to Jina and picked her up gently. “We will bring her back when we are done.” Another of the droids picked up the still form of the security guard that Jina had hurt and started for the door as well.

 

“Can I call her Jina still?” Ecmin asked, her voice small and lost as the droid started for the door. “Even if she won’t remember?”

 

“You can call your step daughter anything you want, Ecmin.” Firdlump said sadly. “But when we are done with her, she won’t be a threat anymore.” He left the room, leaving Ecmin to stare after him. Ren quickly moved to the queen’s side. The queen was heaving in grief.

 

“She wasn’t a threat.” Ecmin said slowly as she let Ren guide her back to her nesting spot. “She was scared and alone and…” Grief flew through her and Ren embraced her. “She wasn’t a threat…”

“This is odd.” Menglan said slowly as she finished the connections to Jina Darkstorm’s skull and scrutinized her instruments. She had hated shaving the former Jedi’s lustrous hair, but direct contact always helped the mindwipe process.

 

“What is?” Firdlump asked softly as he watched with the single mindedness of a hawk. Or a mass of nano machines.

 

“The damage that Jina took has not healed at all.” Menglan said with a frown. “Some regeneration is to be expected, at the very least of the surrounding tissue, even if not of the brain matter itself. But…” She shook her head. “There is nothing.”

 

“Nothing.” Firdlump echoed, somewhat uneasily. “None at all?” He moved closer to scrutinize the readouts himself. Not that he needed to, but centuries of acting like an organic made him act that way almost naturally. Not that there was anything natural about him. “You are right…” He mused. “That is odd. Run scans?”

 

“Already in process.” Menglan said absent mindedly as she stroked the sleeping woman’s arm gently, possessively. “So pretty…” She purred.

 

“Focus doctor.” Firdlump said with a scowl. “She is not one of your playthings. Leave her alone.” He commanded and the doctor stepped back, head downcast. “Can we do the mindwipe on her?” He asked after a moment.

 

“Yes.” Menglan said slowly as she finished the connections. “But how much good it will do is another story. In a normal human, the memories are deposited chemically in certain regions of the brain. It is a fairly simple matter of finding those memory centers and excising them either physically or chemically. Jina’s memories are so mixed up that we may wind up having to wipe her entirely. In that case, we will need to retrain her completely.” She looked at her master. “Is that what you want?”

 

“No.” Firdlump said sadly. “I want her to be healed and cogent enough to accept us without all of this. Her memory of the Seven’s plans, thoughts, strategies and such would be invaluable. But like this she simply is too much of a threat. Wipe her completely.” Menglan nodded and keyed in commands on her console. The machinery connected to Jina hummed but nothing else happened. “With her… gone… Can you repair the physical damage to her brain before she wakes?”

 

“I believe I can.” Menglan said slowly. “Should we?” She asked, somewhat dubious.

 

“She will be a powerful asset no matter what, if we can use her.” Firdlump said softly as he stroked the unconscious Jedi’s forehead, a gentle caress. “As she was, she was just too unpredictable and dangerous. Now? We can remake her as we wish.”

 

“Ecmin will want her back.” Menglan said slowly, not quite sure. “And that will lead her towards the vision that Zana shared with us.” Menglan actually shuddered. Of course watching Istara Andal, the ‘Dark Woman’, kill someone from their own point of view was horrifying even for such a mad woman scientist as Menglan was. “It will take some serious augmentation to the basic implants, but I can do it. Make her act fairly normal.” Firdlump looked at her and Menglan flushed. “Okay, okay, fairly normal for a drone.”

 

“Ecmin will not be happy.” Firdlump said slowly. “Can you make her a normal human female?” Menglan stared at him and Firdlump nodded to her. “I am serious, doctor. Can you make her act normal?”

 

“I don’t think so.” Menglan said slowly, her voice unsure. “So much was lost when she was attacked. At best, she is still going to be challenged. No.” She shook her head after checking a few instruments. “The best I can do is make her functional and obedient. What the…?” She started as an alarm blared. “No!” She cried as the monitors attached to Jina started to warble. “Frak it!” She started moving fast.

 

“What can I do, doctor?” Firdlump asked, softly as he closed the distance to Jina’s bedside.

 

“Keep her breathing!” Menglan said sharply. “She has gone into cardiac arrest! I have to stop the wipe to resuscitate her.” The doctor slammed a control pad and worked feverishly for a moment. Then she rocked back on her heels as the machinery stopped blaring at her. “What…the…hell…?” She asked, almost scared.

 

“What just happened?” Firdlump asked softly. “Is she going to live?”

 

“Yes.” Menglan said, her tone a bit shocked. “As soon as the wipe was discontinued, her heart restarted. By itself.”

 

“That is not possible.” Firdlump said with a scowl. “There has to be a reason.”

 

“I know.” Menglan agreed, but her face was almost scared. “But it happened. As soon as the wipe started to scan deep into the wreckage of her memory core, her heart stopped. When the wipe stopped her heart restarted. That is not possible, unless someone else is doing it, and not us.”

 

“Doctor…” Firdlump said slowly, worried. “Are you saying what I think you are saying?”

 

“Someone or something does not want Jina Darkstorm mindwiped.” Menglan said slowly, her tone shaken as she perused the readouts. “And is willing and ready to kill her to prevent it.”

 

“And I thought we could be pragmatic…” Fidlump said, almost in awe. “Who the heck would or could do something like that?”

 

“I don’t know, master.” Menglan’s voice held honest to the Force fear now. “I truly don’t know.”

 

“Well, we better find out.” Firdlump said slowly. “Until further notice, we will keep Jina sedated. Intubate and catheterize her if you have to, but keep her unconscious until we can get some answers.”

 

“We could set her up in one of the life support suits, master.” Menglan said slowly. “That would keep her alive, fed, fairly comfortable and monitored at all times.” The suits had been designed for droid pilots of Special Branch’s war droids. They did all that and more.

 

“That is a good idea, doctor.” Firdlump said slowly. “I need to talk to Ecmin. See if you can implant her without causing any more intercranial damage. She has been hurt enough.”

 

“Yes she has, master…” Menglan stroked the sleeping Jedi’s head gently, a caress. “Poor dear. We will make it better.”

 

“No games, Menglan.” Firdlump said in a tone of ice. “Implant her if you can, if not, put her in a suit and send her back to Ecmin. Ecmin and Ren can tend her as easily as any of Ecmin’s larvae. She will be easier to tend and control if she is in a suit.”

 

“As you command, master.” Menglan said with a bow. She turned to another panel and a surgical droid powered up nearby. She did not look up as Firdlump left the room and she did not flinch as another voice sounded from nowhere.

 

Well done, slave.

 

“That was dumb.” Menglan said almost inaudibly with a scowl as she worked the controls, setting the droid to it’s work. “If he realizes I am under your control and not his…”

 

Not my problem. You are mine, Kareena Menglan and do not forget it.

 

“You won’t ever let me, Kicota.” Menglan stiffened, her face contorting but no sound came out. “I… Apologize… mistress…”

 

My patience is very strained now, Kareena. The voice of the queen of the sect of Sitolon who had been Dark Cousins was mild, but held distinct menace. Do not push me. Implant her as ordered.

 

“All of it?” Menglan asked, unsure.

 

All of it. Kicota’s voice was sad but firm now. Everything is proceeding as foreseen. Have no fear, Kareena, you will be free of the horrors you have endured soon enough.

 

“Flarg you!” Menglan snarled softly, and the contorted in pain again, but no sound came. “When he finds out what you did to me, he will kill you!”

 

He is much more likely to kill you, doctor. Kicota’s voice was savage now. And when he does the clone he makes as your replacement will likely do exactly what you did. Come onto the plain all willy nilly and fall into my clutches. You humans are so predictable, and fragile. Do as you are told and I will free you when this is over. ‘I’ don’t break my word, doctor. This last was heavily sarcastic.

 

Menglan’s face contorted further and then she slumped in relief, breathing heavily. Then she focused on the surgical droid and it’s work.

“How…” Ecmin’s voice was hushed, scared, as she tried not to crowd the healer. “How is she, Ren?”

 

The two of them had waited, fairly patiently, for Jina to be returned. They had expected Jina to be asleep. They had NOT expected her to be encased in some kind of odd white suit, or for the former Jedi’s head to be completely covered by mechanical apparatus.

 

“Unconscious, my queen.” Ren said, her tone worried as she ran her dexterous manipulators over the odd white suit and her antennae hovered close to the human’s head and the mechanical devices attached to it. “Beyond that… I can’t say. I don’t know. She feels…odd.” Ren’s voice was perplexed as she sank back on her haunches. She stiffened and turned to her queen as the nearby hatch opened. Ren darted back to her queen’s side as the master of the collective walked in.

 

“What happened?” Ecmin asked Firdlump, her gaze on Jina, but her posture was worried.

 

“We don’t know.” Firdlump said with a deep sigh as he looked at the sleeping woman. The two Sitolon had made up a bed of sorts for Jina on the floor of the compartment. The bedding had appeared just before the large red droid had brought Jina in and laid her down before leaving without a word. “We did not wipe her, we couldn’t.”

 

“What?” Ecmin asked, completely baffled. “What do you mean?”

 

“When we tried to wipe her memory, her heart stopped.” Firdlump shrugged, his expression as confused as Ecmin’s mind. Ecmin went stiff and she felt Ren’s matching fear and confusion from close at hand. “When we stopped, her heart restarted. On its own. Could she have done that?”

 

“I…” Ecmin shook her huge head. “I don’t see how. She was, and is, unconscious. There is little in the way of higher brain function going on. Not that there was much to begin with, poor dear.” She reached out a slow small manipulator and brushed Jina’s cheek gently. “What is all this?” She indicated the metal attached to Jina’s head.

 

“We cannot repair the damage she took.” Firdlump said with a scowl. “But we can give her a semblance of normalcy. The implants will monitor her condition at all times, as well as providing her with a data storage and access module. So anything she learns now, she will remember.”

 

“And the suit?” Ren asked, curiosity and worry warring in her tone. She stiffened and shrank. “My apologies for speaking out of turn, my queen.”

 

“Remind me to beat you later.” Ecmin said dryly. “When I have all four legs regrown and can move without discomfort. I was going to ask the exact same thing. Is it for life support?”

 

“Yes.” Firdlump said with a frown as he stepped closer to where Jina lay. “In many ways, it is a copy of a Sitolon larva’s cocoon. It will handle bodily needs, as well as keeping her clean. So it will be good practice for you I bet.”

 

“What do we need to do?” Ecmin asked, her voice distant. “Do we restrain her?”

 

“No.” Firdlump said sadly. “The implants will keep her from being able to fight, or use the Force. I don’t know what she will remember when she wakes up, but she should be more lucid. If you need her calmed, or maker forbid, stopped from hurting herself or anyone else, tell ME. I will do it. I will be as gentle as I can, but I will do it. She already hates me. I don’t want her hating you.”

 

“Master… I…” Ecmin was shuddering now. “Is she my responsibility?”

 

“Yes.” Firdlump said gently. “Zana will be here in an hour or two. She has been remanded to your care as well. You will need her. You will have two droids coming as soon as we can repair them. The eggs will be gestating shortly and you will be up to your six eyes in smelly, messy larva.”

 

“Thank you for the warning, master.” Ecmin said slowly. “But if she is my responsibility, then…” She shuddered again, took a deep breath that inflated her abdomen and then spoke firmly. “Then I must take full responsibility. If she is my daughter, even a step daughter, then she is my responsibility. If she steps out of line again, or hurts anyone else, then I will do what I must.”

 

“Ecmin.. No…” Firdlump shook his head. “You have enough problems.”

 

“She is my step daughter.” Ecmin said firmly and then paused as Jina groaned. “Jina?” She asked, her tone fluctuating between worry and hope. Firdlump looked at her and stepped back, out of immediate sight.

 

“Ec…min…?” Jina’s voice was low and filled with pain. “I… hurt…”

 

“Jina…” Ecmin leaned down and scooped the still form into all four of her claws, pulling the white garbed woman close. “Oh Jina…”

 

“I feel really weird.” Jina complained, but her voice was much stronger than normal. And she was making coherent sentences, a first in some time. “Step mom? What happened?” She opened her eyes, not flinching to find her face inches from a Sitolon’s. Her face eased from pain to worry. “I didn’t expect to wake up…”

 

“I don’t know what happened, Jina.” Ecmin said sadly and Firdlump vanished. “But it’s okay, daughter. You are okay now.”

 

“Don’t let me hurt you, step mom.” Jina begged, her arms coming up slowly to embrace Ecmin’s thorax. “Please. You have been so good to me, and I have been so bad. I was so angry. I don’t remember why, but I was so angry.” Tears were falling as she hugged Ecmin tight. “Don’t let me hurt you.” She repeated.

 

“You won’t Jina.” Ecmin promised. “You won’t. And I need to introduce you to someone.” She nodded to Ren who spoke.

 

“Jina, do you remember me?” Ren asked quietly from her spot nearby.

 

“You were Karen.” Jina said slowly, her tone puzzled. “But you don’t remember. Just like I don’t remember now. Now you are Ren, healer, friend.” Ren bowed to her. “This is really weird. I can…feel things inside my head, telling me what is going on in my body. Is this normal?” She asked, somewhat scared.

 

“As anything normal about you, Jina?” Ecmin asked with a wicked lilt to her voice. Jina stared at her and then surprised herself with a laugh. “Come, closer, Ren. We have a lot to talk about and a lot of preparation to make.” She sank down, holding Jina close as the woman shifted to make herself more comfortable, not releasing her grip.

 

“Y…Yes…” Jina said, her tone still confused. “Eggs are becoming larvae. Gonna be a mess.”

 

“Sheesh, you have a talent for understatement, girl.” Ecmin said with a snort. “Forty eight eggs? Oh yes, messy. We are going to be very busy. But we have other help coming. Zana and two droids.”

 

“Zana…” Jina blinked and nodded slowly. “Zana is younger human female. Bladeborn, damaged as I…was. But lesser degree.” Her tone became more robotic. “Droids? Yes, warrior model six.” She stiffened. “How do I know that?” She asked, her tone one step removed from terror.

 

“They repaired what they could in your head, Jina.” Ecmin said soothing the woman with voice and caress. “They had to put some serious implants in to do so.” Jina stared at her and then her hand went to her scalp and hesitated on the metal there.

 

“Don’t let me hurt you.” Jina begged again. “Don’t let me hurt you.” She repeated again, tears starting again.

 

“It’s okay, Jina.” Ecmian held the sobbing human close. “We will handle whatever comes, daughter. It’s okay. Shhh…That’s a girl…” She said as Jina slowly relaxed. “We have lot of work to do and not a lot of time.” She paused as the hatch hissed open and Zana was there, her normal armor gone. Instead, she wore work clothes and carried a pair of heavy gloves in hand.

 

“I am here to help.” Zana said, stepping into the chamber. “Command me, Queen.”

 

“First order…” Ecmin said nastily. “No more formality. You are not my kid, Zana. If you see me making a mistake, tell me. We are making this up as we go and if I make a mistake, it may hurt a lot of people. That goes for both you and Jina as well, Ren. Okay?” Ren stared at her queen and then nodded slowly. Jina…

 

“I make mistakes.” Jina said sadly, her face buried in Ecmin’s chitin. “People get hurt.”

 

“We all make mistakes, Jina.” Ecmin said gently as she pulled Jina out to make the human look her in the eyes. “But we are trying to fix mistakes now. Come on, girl, buck up. We have work to do.”

 

“Yes, step mom.” Jina said as she hugged Ecmin again and then eased her legs down to stand wobbly on her own feet. She stood…wrongly for a human. But she did stand on her own. “Ready to work.” Ecmin, Ren and Zana shared a glance. That was not Jina’s voice. But none of them said a thing as Ecmin started to think of what would be needed for a nursery.

“This is…” Zana said after moving the last larvae cocoon into it’s pod. “…rather distressing.” She scraped nastiness off her arms with a grimace. Moving the cocoons hadn’t been so bad. Getting them out of Ka’s belly? That had been seriously disgusting. At least the breeder had slept through it all.

 

“I can think of other adjectives.” Ecmin said with a small laugh as she sealed the pod. She somewhat agreed and somewhat disagreed with the idea of each larva being in its own pod. They offered excellent protection in case of anything like what had happened in the Medical bay recently. But, they also did nto allow her to touch them easily, to soothe the nightmare sthat she knew they would have. Firdlump assured her that even with the coating on the walls of the nursery, she would be able to mentally soothe them, but that was no substitute for actual mothering, as she had found with Jina. And now with Zana who was, in some ways, even more child-like and innocent. At the same time, she was anything but innocent, having been a Bladeborn and what she had endured before. “Come here, Zana.” Ecmin said with a sigh. Zana stiffened for a moment and then obeyed, coming close enough for Ecmin to hug her. “It’s okay. We will make it okay.”

 

“Can you?” Zana said as she leaned into the embrace. She looked to where Jina was watching the readouts for the nursery with single minded determination. “I don’t know, Ecmin. That isn’t Jina. It is her body…”

 

“But it is not her.” Ecmin agreed. “Zana… I don’t know if there was enough of Jina left in her own mind to salvage. They couldn’t mindwipe her, they told you that.”

 

“I don’t know whether to be happy about that, or sad.” Zana said as she slumped into Ecmin’s embrace. “I feel so…So…”

 

“Ambivalent?” Ecmin asked softly.

 

“Unsure.” Zana agreed in an odd tone. “What Idjit did was…” She shook her head. “I don’t have words. I have seen him angry before, but not like that. Or at least…” She paused and thought hard. “I don’t think so. There are glaring gaps in my memory. The bits are more figments, slivers of dreams and fragments of memories as opposed to actual memories. Menglan promises me that the treatments will help merge them into my actual memory. That eventually I will be whole. But so many things, I know, and don’t know at the same time. It is frustrating.”

 

“Zana.” Ecmin’s voice was gentle. “I am here for you. If you need someone to talk to, ever, call on me. I saw the vision that you and Jina shared with us. I heard…” She choked a little. “I heard my own voice. I know what that means.” She shook her head and her small claws stroked Zana’s shoulders gently. “I want to say it will be okay, but… I don’t know myself.”

 

“It doesn’t matter, not really, Ecmin.” Zana said, but did not resist the mothering. “The only way Istara will get to Jina is through me.”

 

“I know.” Ecmin said gently. “It grieves me. I think I would like Istara from what I have seen in your memories, and what I have heard of her. But this… I don’t know if I can forgive this.”

 

“Look, Ecmin, it isn’t her fault.” Zana said hastily, her hands coming up to stroke the soft chitin of Ecmin’s head. “And the prophecy says that when she realizes what she has done…”

 

“She will kill herself in remorse.” Ecmin finished when Zana trailed off. “Oh Zana…” Ecmin’s tone held bottomless sorrow now. “I am sorry. I am so sorry.”

 

“For what?” Zana said gently, keeping up her massage. “You have given, and given and given of yourself. Your life, both before you can remember and after, has been very unpleasant. Yet, through it all, you have kept yourself a mother of sorts for us all. I wish you could meet Mama Lizard. I think you would like her. I know she would like you.”

 

“From what I have heard from you, I think I would like her.” Ecmin said sadly. “But the chances of meeting her in any way other than battle are slim.” Zana shivered in Ecmin’s embrace and then nodded, manifestly against her will. She shook herself and Ecmin loosened her grip.

 

“What else do we need to do?” Zana asked as she slid out of Ecmin’s arms. “Take care of the larva, got that.” The young Bladeborn said with a half meant grimace. “And other than that?”

 

“Other than that…” Ecmin said slowly, sorrowfully. “We figure out how to help you and Jina.” The bug said, her sm,all left claw tracing Zana’s cheek. “I am not going to let you die, Zana. I am not. You or Jina.”

 

“Ecmin…” Zana started to speak, but then paused. Her eyes were glistening when she spoke again. “I know you mean well, Ecmin, but don’t take any chances.”

 

“Zana…” Ecmin’s voice was rueful now. “I can’t. My children need me. But…” She reached out to take both of Zana’s hands in her small manipulator claws. “I count both you and Jina as my children. I will not let you go quietly into the darkness. Into oblivion.”

 

“I…” For once, Zana had no quick answers. “I…” Her face fell but she did not try and pull away.

 

“I know what happened to your parents, Zana.” Ecmin said, her voice soft as baby nerf wool. “What happened to you with that nasty cult.” She pulled Zana close and the Bladeborn did not resist. “I don’t know why you came with Jina or what she planned.” Now she was holding Zana as the young woman shuddered. “I don’t know what will come, Zana. But I want to ask you this. Would you mind if I adopted you?”

 

“Wha-?” Whatever Zana might have expected that likely wasn’t it. “But… I…”

 

“I like you, Zana.” Ecmin said gently, her tone still soft and comforting. “And I will need a lot of help now. With Jina as well as with my larva. I want someone I know I can trust to watch out for Jina. And…” The bug pasued.

 

“And to watch her.” Zana said into Ecmin’s auditory apparatus as she hugged Ecmin tight. “What will the master say?” Ecmin has a smile in her voice when she replied.

 

“I asked.” The bug hugged Zana as Zana stared at her. “He said something about ‘families growing a good thing’ and then he said ‘yes’.” Zana’s face turned radiant and she hugged Ecmin who returned it before speaking again. “But we have a lot of work to do now…”

<A long ways away, hyperspace>

 

“Well, what do we do now?” Sharra Kalenath asked sourly as she checked, yet again, the still form of Lohas. “I hope someone had a better idea of what to do than I did.”

 

“Well…” Kirina’s soft voice was musing as she fed her daughter and held Sharra’s son while Sharra worked on the small ship that served as their escape. The voice was odd, but seeing as it came from an artificial voice box it was allowed to be odd. “If not for Lohas’ warning, we would have been stuck. As it is, I don’t know what happened to her. Just that she cried out and went limp.”

 

“Whatever happened to her must have affected the rest of the Sitolon as well.” Sharra replied softly as she checked the tiny ship’s systems. “Or they would have chased us down.”

 

“Would they?” Kirina asked, giving James Kalenath’s nose a small tweak when he protested the lack of attention he was getting. Oli, her daughter was busy. “If there are two people in this galaxy I would NOT want to aggravate, they would be your husband and Istara Sharlina Andal.” Sharra smiled at the sour tone. Sharra had become close to Kirina, the younger woman with the slightly older girl had become quite a fixture in her life. They had few secrets from one another, living in each other’s pockets in a spacegoing insect hive as they had. “I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but Lohas was scared. Terrified, actually. I was just going to go along with her to calm her down until Ulaha showed up.”

 

“Sometimes I wish I could see these ‘spirits’ you can.” Sharra said slowly as she turned to the nearby computer that served the small ship for navigation. “Most times I am glad I can’t. Seeing Jainine and talking to Jainine while carrying James was bad enough.”

 

“It can be a monumental pain.” Kirina agreed and then she smiled. Oli had pulled back from her feeding. “All done dear?” Oli burped noisily and then sighed and relaxed. Kirina shook her head and smiled at Sharra. “Um… Help…?” She begged comically as Oli started to settle for a nap. Sharra grinned and came to her friend’s aid, taking James so that Oli could sleep in peace. Any new mother knew quiet time was their single most prized possession. Sleep? What was sleep? Sharra smiled as she rocked her son gently.

 

“Anytime, Kirina.” Sharra said as she sat gratefully. “Lohas is still unconscious from whatever happened to her. We are in hyperspace for the next three hours. After that?” She shrugged. “I thought about going to the ‘Hawk, but I don’t know where they may be. Cranna likewise.”

 

“So where else can we go?” Kirina asked, her face worried, but her tone gentle so as not to disturb Oli who was sleeping now.

 

“There IS one place we can go…” Sharra said somewhat dubiously. “But they tend to discourage casual visitors. I don’t know how they will react to you.” Kirina raised an expressive eyebrow and Sharra sighed. “They take security paranoid to a whole new level, Kirina. Heck they may shoot me if I show up unannounced, as often as people cloned me.”

 

“Are you talking about what I think you are talking about?” Kirina asked, dubiously. “If so, then having a former Bladeborn show up with you will likely not help your case.”

 

“Oh come on, Kirina!” Sharra said, her tone slightly cross. James protested and Sharra soothed her son with gentle words and caresses before speaking to Kirina again. “You are not who you were. Either before Cranna found you, or…” She paused, her face going distant. Kirina waited a moment, and then spoke softly so as not to disturb the children.

 

“Sharra?” Kirina asked slowly. “Are you okay?”

 

“No.” Sharra said, her voice distant. “We have been set up.” She shook her head slowly. “But by who?”

 

“Set up…?” Kirina asked slowly. “What do you mean?”

 

“Think about it, Kirina.” Sharra said slowly, her face far away. “You were taken, not once, but twice. Both times you lost your memory. The second time, you wound up in one of the safest places in the galaxy. I was taken, twice. Once by the Sith, once by Ravishaw, um… Morey, argh… Whoever the frack he is! I never lost my memory, but my mind was messed up both times. And now, we have apparently escaped being taken by the skin of our teeth. Coincidence?” Kirina stared at her and then shook her head slowly. “Where is the one place in the galaxy that the Republic, Sith, Firdlump and all of them have never been able to find?”

 

“Do you know…No.” Kirina shut her mouth hastily and shook her head violently. “Do not tell me. Don’t…” She cautioned as Sharra opened her mouth. “Anything I don’t know I cannot let slip.”

 

“Kirina…” Sharra said gently. “Just knowing where the Enclave is won’t help. Getting in, or out, is a serious pain the shebs. The security there was designed to be airtight, literally. Not only is it hidden, but there is enough firepower close at hand to stand off an Imperial battle fleet or two. Not even counting the Stormhawk.” Kirina looked dubious and Sharra grinned. “Trust me, Kirina. Getting to the Enclave is nowhere near as hard as getting into it. But… I don’t want to lead them to it, whoever they are.”

 

“You really think we are being tracked?” Kirina asked softly, glancing around.

 

“It makes perfect sense for us to flee, go to ground somewhere secure to hide our children.” Sharra said with a frown. “The Enclave would be the most secure place. But… If we are being… tracked…” She paused. “What the…? No!” She gave a small cry as her arms loosened and her son fell from her nerveless grasp. She fell to her knees, aware of Kirina slumping in her chair and Oli sleeping deeply in her lap.

 

“It’s okay, Sharra.” A male voice she sort of recognized spoke from close at hand. “I caught him. Sleep, my dear. Both of you, all of you need sleep after such a stressful day.”

 

“James…” Sharra choked out, her voice cracking as she fought to stay awake. Something was easing her to the deck, something gentle that felt like claws.

 

“James is fine.” Lohas’ voice was gentle. “Sleep Sharra. You will feel better.” Sharra tried to stay awake, but whatever was pulling her under was too strong and she fell asleep, scared, yet oddly comforted by whoever was crooning to James now.

 

***

 

“I hate deceiving her.” Lohas said with a small sad croon as she laid the slumbering female on the deck. “Tell me again why I had to lie to them? They are my friends.”

 

“Because they are your friends, Lohas.” The mass of intelligent nano machines that called itself Bob said as he tickled the little boy in his hands, eliciting a tired giggle. “That’s it little one, sleep. Your momma is fine, you are fine. Sleep well.” The eyes on the little boy slowly crept shut. He gave a contented sigh and snuggled closer to Sharra as Bob laid him on his mother’s still form. “They would want to help, and that would likely get them killed.”

 

“What will we do?” Lohas asked softly, her entire posture one of dejection. “Sooner or later I will lose my children, your parents.”

 

“Not if I can help it, Lohas.” Bob said consolingly. “Firdlump and his scum have won a round, but the battle is far from over.” He smoothed Sharra’s hair gently. “We will get them to the Stormhawk, they will be safe there. Then you and I can do what must be done.”

 

“Will Kicota be able to help me?” Lohas’ voice was unsure. “Sarai is my queen. I have to obey her. If she orders me to… to…” She broke down and keened softly again. “I can’t. I have to obey, but I can't. I can… I can hear him… No… Help me…”

 

“I will, Lohas.” Bob promised. “But I need to touch you.” Lohas stiffened, but then nodded slowly, lowering herself so her antennae were easily within reach. “Easy, Lohas. I don’t think this will hurt, but I don’t know.” His hand touched her antennae and she went rigid. “Breathe, Lohas. Breathe.”

 

“I…” Lohas sighed and went limp. “I think I need to sleep now. Can you…?” Whatever she was going to ask was lost as consciousness fled.

 

“I can get us where we need to go, Lohas.” Bob said gently. “As long as you are asleep, Saria cannot control you. I just hope Kicota can help you, or I will have to keep you asleep, until…” He sighed. “Until we can resolve this. One way or another. But I will not let your children, my progenitors, to be taken by that monster. I will not.”

“Look, none of them are hurt.” Bob said, careful to keep his hands still. He was quite powerful, yes, but facing Will Kalenath in a rage would daunt anyone sane. The man’s black armor was almost as expressive as his face. “They were all stressed. I put them to sleep. No more than that. They all needed it.” Will did not move from his spot and the aim point of his highly –and probably illegally- modified pistol did not waver either. He wasn’t aiming at Bob, he was aiming at Lohas’ slumbering form. “Will, I had to get them clear. I had to.”

 

“All of them?” The cold voice of Stormhawk Boss asked from nearby. “Missed a few, didn’t you?”

 

“Look, I don’t know what you know. Please don’t do that.” Bob said slowly. “Will, if you shoot Lohas, the nanites will revert to their old primary command string. ‘Consume’ remember? Even Firdlump won't be able to stop them in that case. Do you want everything in the galaxy eaten?”

 

“Sharra, James, Kirina and Oli are fine. Just asleep.” The voice of the Transoshan chief medical officer of the ship was cold as well. No one had been happy when Bob had shown up, surprising the Stormhawk in the middle of one of their irregular sweeps of known space in hunt of pirates and slavers to kill. “What did you do to them?”

 

“I put them all to sleep.” Bob admitted. “Lohas as well. I need to talk to you, Will. I know you don’t trust me, and I know why.” He sighed. “You have cause, but we are just about out of time. You may be the only one who can save Idjit, Will.” Will stiffened and Bob continued. “Right now, he is battering at the cage that Sarai contained him in. Such souls as his do not submit to capture tamely. If she can’t hold him, she will have no choice but to kill him. Will… Please!”

 

“And what am I supposed to do about it?” Will asked snidely. “I can’t get onto the plain at the moment, not after what Idjit did.”

 

“I can take you to him.” Bob said slowly. “But there is an element of risk involved.”

 

“And then, do…what?” Another voice snarled. Everyone stiffened as Kicota stepped onto the hangar bay deck. She walked to where Lohas lay, where the medics had pulled the unconscious bug out of the small transport to get space to work on the occupants. She then crouched down beside the younger silver skinned bug. Kicota sighed and looked at Will. “She is asleep. No more than that. We need to keep her that way.” Will’s pistol did not waver and Kicota snarled at him. “Will!”

 

“What happened to Sarai?” Will asked softly, his muzzle never moving.

 

“Firdlump created a hybrid Sitolon, using a captured human doctor as a test subject.” Bob said slowly. “I don’t know exactly how he did it, but he managed to access the Sitolon massed mind, the hivemind. Now that he has access, he can use that access to damage it.” Bob shook his head. “But you knew that, Will. So why ask?”

 

“Why isn’t Kicota affected?” Boss asked softly. His hand on the remote built into his armor. “Or is she?”

 

“I don’t know, Boss.” Kicota said sadly. “I don’t feel compelled. I can’t hear Sarai’s voice in my head until and unless I let her in. Part of what I was at first, until Samuel saved me and my people anyway.” The Dark Cousins had been separated form the rest of their people for millennia. Small wonder they had been insane. She bowed to Will. “The debt holds true, Will Kalenath. Your father saved us. We are yours. Now and always.”

 

“Kicota…” Will groaned, but put his pistol away. “Bob… We need to all be on the same page here. Is it time?” Bob looked at him and nodded slowly. “Can you save her?” He asked, his eyes pleading as he met the machine intelligence’s gaze. Bob slumped and shook his head. Will slumped for a moment and then met the machine’s gaze again. “Can you save him?”

 

“Will…What…?” Boss asked, confused, only to break off when Kicota made a shushing motion. He growled something under his breath that sounded obscene, but kept his silence.

 

“I don’t know, Will.” Bob said after a moment, “You have my word, I will do my best.” The old soldier took a deep breath and nodded. He took a deep breath and turned to where the commander of the Stormhawk stood, unsure.

 

“Boss, we need to start implementing plan ’G’.” Will’s face turned stone cold now. Boss stiffened. In Republic ground forces lexicon, ‘G’ stood for ‘Gone to Hell’.

 

“Why Will?” Boss asked as he stepped back, hands still ready to use that remote.

 

“Because Bob has had access to seers.” Will said as he finally relaxed a little. “He knows better than to spout what they told him.” He took a deep breath and then let it out. “What do you need me to do?” He asked, his anger, fear, all of that vanishing beyond years of trained professionalism.

 

“There is only one way to get to where Idjit has been…sequestered.” Bob said slowly. “And that is through the link he forged to the plain. Through his body.”

 

“Minor problem…” Boss said slowly. “Isn’t he in the middle of a Sith battleship?” Bob and Will both nodded and Boss sighed. “Just when I though life was getting boring…”

 

“You won’t have to do anything Boss.” Will said softly. “Except get the ship and Enclave ready for evacuation. Because once we have Idjit, we are going have Firdlump’s fleet and probably the Sith and Republic hot on our heels. We will have to run like never before.”

 

“Running is what we do, Will. And we are very good at it.” Boss said nonchalantly. He watched as the medics loaded Sharra and Kirina plus their respective youngsters, up on gurneys and trundled them from the bay. What do we do with Lohas?”

 

“Keep her asleep.” Kicota said sadly. “My people will tend her. If she doesn’t wake, then she will not be alone. If she does, she will likely go mad, cut off from her family the way the poor dear is.”

 

“Can you help her?” Boss asked. Kicota nodded. “Then she is your responsibility. How do you get to Idjit?”

 

“I could do it.” Will said stolidly. “He will either be in Medical or in Detention. Either way, once aboard, I can get to him.”

 

“Will, you know very well there is only one way to get aboard a Sith imperial starship without blowing it to hell in the process. As a prisoner.” Bob said slowly. Will shook his head. Boss looked from the machines to the man with no expression and shuddered. “Will…”

 

“Oh hell no…” Boss said slowly. “No way. Not a chance in hell. I am not going to explain to Sharra…”

 

“Actually, no, I won’t go. We will handle it.” Will said quietly. “The Seven.” Bob stiffened.

 

“Will…” Bob said slowly, his face turning worried.

 

“Look, if I try and sneak aboard Imperial starship again. Well... Bad things will likely happen.” Will shook his head. “Took them awhile to figure out how I did it, but they implemented countermeasures. I can’t board the ship silently. But I don’t have to.”

 

“Will…” Bob’s face was ashen, his tone one step removed from fear. “If you go onto the plain,…” He shook his head. “It’s going to be a mess for a while.”

 

“I don’t have to.” Will smirked at the expression on the face of the human who was composed of nano machines. “We have contingencies.”

 

“What?” Bob stared at Will and then at Kicota. “What have you done?” She shrugged all four shoulders. “What have you done?” He asked, his tone actually scared.

 

“Did you think we trusted you at all?” Will asked snidely. “After what you did to her people? To my dad? To Cina, and so many others?”

 

“Will… You can’t…” Bob started to speak and then paused, his face and posture turning resigned. “What the hell are you planning?”

 

“Something rash.” Kicota said with a sigh. “Something very rash. But luckily, it won’t be just us. Istara is available in a bit, Will.”

 

“Right.” Will sighed just as deeply as Kicota had. “Let’s do this.”

You want me to do what? Michelle’s mental voice was shocked. Istara, you cannot be serious!

 

When the Seven communicated, they did so on a different wavelength. Similar to what the Sitolon did, but not quite the same. Essentially, they had real time communication with each other, mind to mind, from anywhere in the galaxy. It was not without drawbacks however. It was exhausting and while communicating, each of them was very vulnerable. But despite that, it was a heck of an advantage when they were spread out as they were.

 

I know it’s a shock, Michelle. The Fourth of the Seven, Istara Sharlina Andal’s voice was sad, but firm. But you have to do this. No one else can. We will help you as we can., but… You are the one on site. You wondered why he asked you to stay? I bet this is why.

 

Are you telling me, that Idjit of all people…? Michelle’s mind voice was faint now. Saw something… about THIS…? Sure, she was the Sixth of the Seven, supposedly ‘Love eternal’ But… ...planned...?

 

It is entirely possible. Will said in the deafening silence that fell. The First of the Seven never backed down. If so, he would not have said a thing.

 

We are being rude. A new voice sounded from somewhere. Natasha Anastasia Regina’s voice was kind and gentle, but seemed a bit distant. Understandable, since her soul was ensconced inside the collective mind of the nanite swarm on the Sitolon homeworld. But the Seventh of the Seven’s voice was clear. Michelle, can you do this?

 

I don’t know, Mira. Michelle sounded dazed. I really don’t know. I mean… I like him, but… She made a noise of distress. Istara… I can’t… he is your mate…

 

Who is going to die burned alive by his own power or blown into space by a scared Imperial captain if we cannot help him. Can you help him, Michelle? Istara’s mind voice was implacable now. Then it turned fearful. Please?

 

I… Michelle’s voice turned sorrowful for a moment. I don’t love him, Istara. I love Will.

 

That is why I trust you, Michelle. Istara said gently. And use protection!

 

Istar! Michelle’s mind voice somehow conveyed serious blushing.

 

The last thing we need is for you to get pregnant, Michelle. Istara continued, her tone turning hard again. If you want, I will stay with you. A sultry laugh came now. Make it a threesome. Strangled sounds came through the mental link from the others. Istara chuckled at Michelle’s sputtering. It was only an idea.

 

I need to get back. Mira’s mental voice was sad now. I hope I will see you all again, if not…

 

Don’t say it! Will’s voice was sharp. We will see each other again, Mira. We will get you back to your mom. We WILL see you grow up free, girl. Hold to that. Voices could not caress, but his did it’s best. Be easy, Mira. We are with you. Now and always.

 

Will… I… For once, the ebullient girl’s voice was humbled by the love that flowed from all the others. Thank you. She said and her mental presence vanished. After a moment, Will’s voice spoke again.

 

Michelle. It’s okay. His tone was gentle and soothing.

 

No it’s not. Michelle protested. I… I want… I… Her tone turned resigned. Will, I need to talk to Istara alone.

 

All right. I love you both. Istara, Michelle. Be careful. Then Will’s voice vanished

 

I was joking about the threesome. Istara said hastily as Michelle made a throat clearing noise. Really, I was.

 

Istara… Michelle was hesitant now, very hesitant. I can’t do this.

 

Michelle! Istara nearly screamed. He is going to die!

 

I didn’t mean… Michelle sighed. I am making a jumble of this. Maker is was so much easier when I was just a starship and a slave. Istara… He loves you. Totally, unreservedly, completely. So what is going to happen if he wakes up after a night with you and someone else is in bed with him? Sudden silence greeted Michelle’s worried words and she made a noise of agreement. Yeah. Can you take over my body?

 

Do not ask me that! Istara shouted, her mental presence retreating. Never ask that!

 

Istara please! Michelle asked, her tone pleading. Hear me out. Istara did not make any noise, but also did not vanish. He loves you. He has for a long, long time. Other women have tried to gain his attention, all have failed. I flirted with him, but it was never serious. You knew it, he knew it, I knew it. He only ever had his focus on one being.

 

Me. Istara’s voice was soft, almost dejected.

 

You. Michelle agreed. What you and Idjit share is beyond anything I had ever thought possible. As intense as what Will and I and Sharra share is, yours is so much deeper. She laughed a bit anxiously. I am not complaining, mind you. It is just… Idjit loves you.

 

You would…? Istara paused and then snarled. No matter what, the Code of the Bladeborn forbids this kind of thing. Taking over another’s mind is strictly forbidden. The penalty is death. Unequivocally.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, Istara. I do not know your Code. Michelle’s voice was very gentle now. But does it say anything about consensual acts of such a nature?

 

Consensu-… Istara broke off, her mind suddenly intent. Intent and worried. No… No it doesn’t. I think we need to amend that portion. After all, Sith and Jedi rarely ask if they can take control of people’s minds.

 

You won’t be taking control. Michelle’s voice was very soft now. I am offering it.

 

Michelle I… Istara sounded dumbfounded. I don’t know what to say…

 

Whatever you do, don’t let Idjit kill me when he wakes up beside me. Michelle said, her tone only half whimsical. This is what I do. The Sixth, Love Eternal…

 

Pain Everlasting… Istara said slowly. Michelle I… I don’t want to hurt you. I have never done this before. Her tone was half apprehensive, half wondering. What do I do?

 

This was the only intercourse Islanian slaves had, Istara. I do know what to do. Come to me, sister. Michelle said gently as she reached out with her mind. Come to me, and let us help our brother…

Red. Black. Dark grey. All shades of color around him. But none of them held his attention for long. The rage that held him off the ground was unending. The pain that held him was also. Power flared from his fingertips and arced into the barrier in front of him, but it did nothing. Indeed, it rebounded onto him, causing further pain, pain that fueled his rage even more. Somewhere deep, deep down, he quailed. He remembered. But mostly it was rage. They dared confine him! They dared hurt him! He would show them! He would show them all!

 

His scream of rage and pain echoed across the emptiness of his prison. He had woken in this odd black place. He wasn’t blind here, he could see. It was roomy. Twelve paces up and twelve paces across the square room. But there was nothing in it. Nothing at all. The walls, floor, ceiling, everything was a darker gray than the plain. But no less featureless. Nothing to focus on, Nothing to distract, nothing to break into a billion pieces to assuage the pain that was building inside his head even now. He struggled to stay in control of the power that was building slowly, but surely. But he knew, in the end, it was futile. With no outlet, there was…

 

“Idjit.” The soft, concerned voice cut through his pain and fear like a knife. He looked up with eyes that still felt wrong on his face and froze as he saw her. Istara Sharlina Andal was not wearing her usual armor. Indeed, she was only wearing a light gown. And she wasn't armed! The only time she wasn’t armed was…

 

“Istara!” He cried, backpedaling away from her. “No! Get back!”

 

“I know what is going on now, Idjit.” Istara said sadly, not moving from her spot. “Why didn’t you say anything? I would have come. From anywhere in the galaxy, I would have come.”

 

“Stay… Back…” Idjit sputtered, trying to keep the lid on his temper. The power that crawled up his spine though, would not be denied. “Istara… No…”

 

“My ice, it is not your fault.” Istara did not move, but held out a hand. It was an old joke between the two of them, she was fire and he was ice. Opposites that attracted. “I can help you. The way you helped me, so long ago. I was so young, so angry, so… so stupid…” Istara was crying softly now. “Please, Idjit, let me help you.”

 

“You can’t Istara.” Idjit said as he battered his anger back into its corner for the moment. “You shouldn’t be here.”

 

“And you should?” Istara said with a glower. “What possessed you to try and wake the nanites? They are already awake!”

 

“I was trying to draw the predators.” Idjit said slowly. “They could destroy Firdlump.”

 

“Maybe. Oh Idjit…” Istara still did not move, her arm still out stretched. “What made you think he couldn’t take control of them? They are the nanites internal defenses. You knew Sarai couldn’t…” She paused and her face went slack. “You son of a barve!” She screamed. “You planned that!” Idjit didn’t meet her eyes and she snarled. “You planned it all along! You would leave me…?” Her rage vanished, replaced by pain. “Again…?”

 

“She would stop me.” Idjit said. Dejected. “I hoped that the predators would kill Firdlump or Vandar before she could do it. I was wrong.”

 

“Were you?” Istara said softly. “Don’t lie to me, Idjit. I know I cannot see what you see. I know I cannot know what you do. You knew this was going to happen. The Fate of the Fifth. Burned alive by his own fire.” Istara was crying again. “No. I won’t let you go this way. I will not let you die.”

 

“Istara…” Idjit’s voice was sad and sick. “You don’t have a choice. It’s already begun, you can’t stop it.”

 

“Watch me.” Istara said as she stepped close to him and reached out slowly, so slowly. “It’s okay, my ice. It’s okay…” She said as she pulled him into an embrace. “It will be okay.”

 

“No…” Idjit tried to fight, but suddenly his body wasn’t obeying his commands. “Istara don’t…”

 

“Idjit, I love you.” Istara said gently. “I am not going to do anything without your consent. If you truly wish to…make an end…” She swallowed heavily. “I will not stop you. Tell me to leave, to just go away, that you never loved me and it was all a trick… And I will go.”

 

“It was all…” Idjit started to speak and then gasped as Istara’s fingers went somewhere that they shouldn’t. “Ah… Istara… No…”

 

“How many probabilities have you seen that lead to your death here, Idjit?” Istara asked as her fingers caressed. “How many times has your own power eaten you alive?”

 

“I…Istara… I…” Idjit could feel his power flaring and he could not resist as it burst to the fore, but then… Something happened. “Istara…?” He asked as she pulled back slightly.

 

“We always were two halves of the same soul, Idjit.”Istara said as she pulled him close again. “Let me help you. I can hold it, but there is only one way to stop it. Your power is out of control.”

 

“I know.” Idjit said sadly. “I… This is not what I wanted. I never wanted this. But then Trugoy found me and taught me about duty and…” He gasped as her fingers found a ticklish spot. “Hey!”

 

“I am going to tell you what you told me, Idjit.” Istara hated remembering those days. After her miscarriage. After her drop into insanity. After realizing that she had nearly killed the man she loved, without even seeing what she was doing. “Your hate makes you powerful, but also vulnerable. Your rage makes you a ripe target for the Dark Side. You will find a better way. With me.”

 

“I don’t want to hurt you, Shar.” Idjit managed to croak out past the pain that lumped in his throat. “Don’t let me hurt you.”

 

“You won’t.” Istara promised. “Come with me. Let’s get you home. And then, we can talk, and… maybe more…” She said, batting her eyelashes like a holo vid star. “Come here, my love…” She pulled him close and they both vanished from the prison.

 

***

 

“Ah… Shar…” Idjit’s voice was unsure now. “I can still feel it.” For the first time in a long, long time, Idjit let fear color his voice. “I thought… After… It would go away.”

 

“I know.” Shar said gently as she lay back on the bed beside her mate. “It never goes away.” She said as she hugged him tight. “Not entirely.”

 

“But…” Idjit shook his head. “I never ‘saw’ this. It was always too close to me. I never ‘saw’ what would happen to me. Just that everyone was sad. I thought I would die.”

 

“Idjit…” Istara pulled his head to her shoulder. “Part of you has to. The power you have been wielding is too much for any mortal to control. I don’t know if even the Emperor could handle what you have been. When you zapped the nanites… The whole galaxy shuddered, Idjit. Most people felt nothing, thank goodness, but…”

 

“The Emperor is not going to be pleased, is he?” Idjit asked slowly. “Is he?” The seer asked when Istara sighed.

 

“No he is not.” Istara said gently as she hugged her beloved again. “He is not happy at all. He wants the situation handled, Idjit. The captain of your ship has his orders. Orders that Michelle would have been forced to help him carry out if I hadn’t been able to get through to you.” She grinned and he jumped as she tickled him.

 

“You bad woman.” Idjit snarled half-heartedly. “So, what will become of me?”

 

“By Imperial Decree, Idjit of the Bladeborn, your powers must be diluted, muted.” Istara said in a formal tone. “We are doing that as we speak here.”

 

“We did a lot more than speak.” Idjit said with a wicked smirk. Then he paused. ‘What do you mean?”

 

“Idjit, your power, at its base, comes from your anger at what happened to you.” Istara said as gently as she could. “You focus like no one else I have ever met except Jina. But when you do… Everything focuses down to a sharp point.” Istara’s voice caught when she said the name of her Jedi friend, who was lost to them. “We are going to dilute your focus. You will still ‘see’ but not as clearly nor as easily.”

 

“Istara…” Idjit’s vocei held horror now. “You can’t. No… I won’t let you…”

 

“The Emperor commands, it will be done. I was allowed to break it to you gently, but no more than that. It will be done, Idjit.” Istara said gently. “You will go for surgery as soon as you wake. Michelle will stay with you until you are healed. Then she will have to do what she must.”

 

“You need me, Istara.” Idjit said, horrified. “If I am laid up… Who will watch your back?”

 

“You know some of what is coming Idjit.” Istara said as she stroked his arm, calming, soothing. “So do I. This has to be, or the Emperor will be… displeased. We don’t want that again.” She paused. “Do we?” She asked challenging.

 

“No.” Idjit agreed softly. “No we don’t. I… I am sorry, Istara.”

 

“I am not.” Istara replied as she kissed her lover. “I can’t wait to look you in the eyes, see myself in them… I have wanted it so badly ever since I met you. It was so unfair that I could see you and you couldn’t see me.”

 

“I never had to have eyes to see you, Istara.” Idjit said as he grabbed her and started to show her exactly what he saw in her. “My fire. I never needed eyes.”

 

“Oh Idjit…” Istara said as she returned the favor. “You say the nicest things…”

Idjit woke up slowly. He hurt in a number of places, but that was to be expected. He had expected to hurt in far more. After all, he had been strapped to a restraint chair when he had gone to the plain, and likely the crew would not have reacted well when he… Something was wrong. He paused and stiffened. He wasn’t alone in the bed he was lying in and it wasn’t Istara!

 

“Michelle?” Idjit managed to get the word out past a choked tongue. Neither of them had clothes on and… He froze.

 

“Idjit.” The Sixth of the Seven’s voice was gentle. “How you feeling?”

 

“Where is Istara?” Idjit asked, his tone one step removed from rage.

 

“She didn’t…” Michelle stiffened in place. “She didn’t explain?” He felt her slump. She did not try and run, or fight. She knew better. “Idjit, she is on the other side of the galaxy.”

 

“What have you done?” Idjit commanded as he slid out of the bed. “What have you done?” He screamed as she stayed where she was.

 

“I did what I had to, Idjit.” Michelle replied softly. “Even if you kill me for it, I had to help you. And no, before you ask, it wasn’t me.”

 

“You are the one sitting unclothed in my bed.” Idjit said sourly as he took stock. No armor, no weapons… Not that he really needed any. “What have you done?”

 

“I lent Istara my body.” Michelle said with aplomb. “You needed help. She could provide it, but I was on scene. Idjit, listen to me. I slept through it all. She put me to sleep. I asked her to.”

 

“She… What…?” Idjit stiffened, his face going as slack as his emotions at that stunning bit of news. “She took over your body?” His voice turned horrified.

 

“No, Idjit!” Michelle thundered. “I gave it to her for the night! You needed her! Would you listen? Or have all of your brains dibbled out?” Idjit stared at the woman who was a clone of a long dead human. Michelle might not have the Force, but she was a force to be reckoned with all by her lonesome. Anyone who survived sane with her mind trapped in a slave starship for nine hundred years had a lot of self control. “I know what men usually think with Idjit, but come on!”

 

“Michelle…” idjit’s sightless eyes turned from her and he scanned the room with the Force. It was bare. Nothing that could be easily picked up and used as a weapon either with hands or the Force. “Am I a prisoner?”

 

“No.” Michelle said sadly. “Barely not. But no. Did she at least tell you what the Emperor commanded? Or did you guys just play Correllian rabbits all night?” Now her tone was knowing and Idjit actually blushed a bit.

 

“She said I am to have eyes again.” Idjit said slowly, feeling the words with care. “I… I don’t know, Michelle. For so long, my sight beyond sight is what has defined me.”

 

“Well, it just so happens that I have someone else who wants to talk to you. Play nice.” Michelle said as she rose from the bed and started pulling her flightsuit on. “I have some logistics work to attend to. Dia and Vorren should be back aboard shortly.”

 

“Sarai let them leave?” Idjit asked , unsure where she was going with this. “Or did Firdlump do something to them?”

 

“Sarai made them leave.” Michelle said with a scowl that he could see even without eyes. “She said that she could not guarantee their safety. But…” She paused. “I don’t know if we can trust her now.”

 

“We can’t. We should keep them sequestered. The Sitolon can be incredibly devious about mental probes. They may not manipulate the minds they encounter, but they can and do delve into them, seeking information.” Idjit agreed. “She is a good being, but in the end, she will protect her people. She is a good queen. What about Melita?”

 

“Firdlump asked for her.” Michelle’s disapproval was patent now. “He wants her to keep Jina in control. We all argued. She insisted on going. Crazy Twi’lek.”

 

“More than a bit of the pot and the kettle in that statement, Michelle.” Idjit replied with automatic levity. “So not what?”

 

“Now, you put on this patient gown and wait for the person we have coming to talk to you.” Michelle threw a bundle at Idjit which he caught. “I will be outside while you talk to him. He is not supposed to be here, but when he heard you were in trouble… Well, no one sane is going to get in his way.”

 

“Who?” Idjit asked, he was still reeling from all of the emotional shocks. And the thought of having eyes again was rippling through him, causing all kinds of issues. Michelle glared at him. He sighed and pulled the gown on.

 

“Good baby.” Michelle said in a cooing voice was she started for the door. “I will be right outside. If you get out of hand, I am gassing the room, clear? It’s a contact anesthetic, so breath control won’t help.”

 

“Michelle…” Idjit snorted sourly as he pulled the gown over his head. It was a one piece deal, designed for efficiency. Imperial docs didn’t really care about patient modesty generally. Patients getting chilled and sick? THAT they cared about, it was inefficient. “How bad…?” He asked and froze as Michelle did.

 

“Nobody died.” Michelle said slowly. “Because they managed to evacuate everyone from the surrounding areas. But four decks worth around the room you had set up are gone, Idjit.”

 

“G…Gone…?” Idjit felt faint. He had known he had power, but that…? No wonder the Emperor was annoyed with him. That kind of power unleashed would have been felt the galaxy over. “Wow…”

 

“Yeah.” Michelle’s voice was sour again. “Wow. It was even more ‘wow’ when I was standing right beside where it was happening and bolts of energy started flying about. What the hell caused that?”

 

“Bolts of energy?” Idjit asked, curious despite himself. “No idea. Shar said that when she and Nia fought, the Force ‘boiled’. You can’t sense it though.”

 

“No.” Michelle shrugged. “But then again, I didn’t have to. When a silver bolt the size of my arm flew by me and vaporized a life support system, well…I ran away.” She admitted sheepishly.

 

“Smartest thing you could have done.” Idjit said sadly as he got the gown straight finally. It did VERY little for covering his body. And it wasn’t all that warm. “I have no idea what caused it, -causes it-but we will figure it out.”

 

“We better.” Michelle said with a grunt. “The emperor was… unhappy, from what I understand. He didn’t talk to me, just the captain. But the captain looked VERY green afterwards. Don’t even think about dodging this. The captain has specific orders in that case. They involve venting the ship.” Idjit nodded. Killing off the whole crew to get one somewhat sane Force user might seem like overkill. But in some cases, overkill was completely justified. This was one.

 

“I won’t do anything.” Idjit said softly. “I obey the Emperor’s commands.”

 

“Yep, you always do.” An impossible voice had Idjit freezing in place. Michelle nodded to the man and stepped out as he stepped in. The door closed and locked behind him. He stood, looked Idjit over and sighed. “You really did a number on yourself, Idjit.” Idjit tried to speak and couldn’t. “Istara called me, explained. I am sorry I wasn’t here, Idjit. I have failed you so many times.” Idjit shook himself and managed to speak after several attempts.

 

“Hello Morey.”

For a moment, neither man spoke. Both just looked at each other. Well, the man known to the Seven as Morey and to the rest of the galaxy as Ravishaw looked. Idjit scanned his counterpart with the Force. Not that he needed the Force to tell him what Morey was feeling. He was feeling almost the exact same things. The old pain of betrayal, of loss, of fear and anger came back to the fore. But he fought it back with the skill of long practice. The silence dragged on and finally Morey spoke.

 

“This is another fine mess, Idjit.” The man who acted insane most of the time said with a sigh. “No chairs, so I will sit here.” He put words into actions sitting on the floor beside the door.

 

“Yes it is, Morey.” Idjit shook his head as he sat as well. Both men were powerful in the Force, very evenly matched as a matter of fact. Both knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses as well. “I fraked up.”

 

“I’ll say.” Morey said with a snort. “It’s not every day that the plain rings like a bell. Subtle Idjit, really, really subtle…” His sarcastic laugh was a far cry from his usual maniacal chuckles. More the old Morey, the Bladeborn.

 

“Kiss my butt, Morey.” Idjit snarled at the man who had once upon a time, been his friend, and more than that. “I never saw any of this.” His voice was half resigned, half plaintive.

 

“Because you are intimately involved.” Morey said reasonably. “You never could ‘see’ anything that close to you.” He paused and sorrow etched his voice now. “You tried with Istara. I… I wanted to help. I couldn’t do a darned thing. Then they pulled me in and I lost a lot of time. Until Emily woke me up, I truly was insane.”

 

“I tried to see you too.” Idjit said softly. “I really did. I had no idea Morey. None at all.”

 

“I tried to stay away from you, from everyone, after they got to me. After they broke me.” Morey said softly in the silence that fell. “They wouldn’t let me, so I tried to get everyone angry with me. They planned me to be an agent inside the Order. I think Trugoy had figured it out. I am not sure. That old fart was sneakiness made mortal.”

 

“Yeah that sounds like him.” Idjit agreed. “If so, he was probably giving you just enough line to hang yourself with.”

 

“Probably.” Morey agreed. “So, what now, Idjit? The Emperor has decreed your powers be lessened or you be eliminated. I think most Sith would prefer you eliminated, hence he said the other to spite them.”

 

“Maybe.” Idjit said, thinking that over. “We know that he has a truly depraved sense of humor at times.” He shuddered and he felt Morey do the same. The Bladeborn had been the Emperor’s hatchetmen for centuries, so they knew a lot more about the being who occupied the throne than was comfortable. But they would never speak of it. Even now, after everything, their Code ran deep. “How did you get here?”

 

“Rantas asked for assistance.” Morey said after a moment. “I think you scared him, Idjit.” The former Bladeborn laughed delightedly. “You have that effect on some people.”

 

“Sue me.” Idjit snarled half heartedly. “So how did you show up when he must have asked the Imperial Inquisition or something?”

 

“Dargon’s apprentice is a sneaky little barvette.” Morey said with a snort. “And I say that with the utmost respect. Nira Auralai is sneakiness made human. She also worked with Emily, learned a lot, and was one of my primary access points to Emily and Dargon. She was ordered to help Rantas, and she called me. At this moment, she is distracting Rantas while Michelle fuzzes the cameras.”

 

“Why?” Idjit asked, his voice faltering. “Why take such a risk? For me?”

 

“I would have done it just for you.” Morey said sadly. “Even after everything, I still love you. They warped it and twisted it in my mind, but Emily managed to put it back together. By the Force, I miss her.” Morey said, his tone so abject that Idjit was moved to speak again.

 

“She is not gone.” Idjit said slowly. He had seen the Force ghost of Emily Darkstorm a few times. “You know she is not gone.”

 

“No.” Morey sighed and shook himself. “But it is not the same. And she is always busy with whatever she and Ulaha are up to. You know she is the one who hurt Jina. To keep Firdlump from killing her daughter, Emily lobotomized her. That nearly destroyed Emily, to hurt her eldest child that way.”

 

“I figured that.” Idjit said slowly as he nodded. Things were proceeding as he had feared. “Will told you.” It wasn’t a question but Morey nodded anyway.

 

“I am not clear on that, actually.” Morey admitted. “Jina is still the Third, but… she isn’t?” He asked, concerned.

 

“No one is really sure.” Idjit said with a frown. “We all get these odd feelings on occasion. Not through the Force or through our link to each other –which we really should not trust now that Sarai has been turned by the way.- but just somehow we know. We get that feeling around you.”

 

“Thanks.” Morey said with a mock glower that was wasted since Idjit could not see him. The feelings were clear however. “Jina’s ‘job’, as it were, was to ‘focus’. How can I do that?”

 

“How did you pretend to serve Firdlump and Bob while serving Emily and the Seven?” Idjit asked with a smile. “You made yourself a person and focused on it. By the Force, Morey. That in and of itself was amazing.”

 

“I don’t know.” Morey said, uncomfortable. “It needed to be done, so I did it. So does this. I am sorry Idjit.”

 

“For what?” Idjit asked, unsure.

 

“For being a jerk. For wanting to have you all to myself, not wanting to share you with Shar. For running off and getting caught by Vandar and Firdlump. For lying to you for so long. For hurting you, and the Order so many times.” Morey was almost literally pouring out his pain and anger at what had happened to him and those around him now. “I hurt you. More than anything or anyone else, I hurt you. For that, I am truly sorry.”

 

“What could you have done, Morey?” Idjit asked reasonably. “Once they had their hooks in you, how could you have fought them?”

 

“I tried.” Morey said slowly. “For so long, I tried. Then it all got fuzzy.” He snorted a sour laugh. “Then I woke up in Emily’s care. She could have given Ona or Mama a run for their money in sheer quiet stubbornness.”

 

“I met her, Morey.” Idjit said slowly. “I know.”

 

“No you don’t.” Morey said slowly. “I am going to come close. It is not an attack.” Idjit stared as Morey rose and stepped close, then knelt again within reach. Morey leaned close and spoke softly. “There is more going on than anyone knows. Firdlump and Vandar have a lot more going on than anyone knows. But…” his grin was apparent even to Idjit’s blind eyes. “So do we.”

“He is alive.” The woman in black said to the man in black as they both watched through an observation port while medical droids started working on a still form secured to an operating table. “This could have been much, much worse.”

 

“The Sith are going to be lining up to take potshots at him while he is laid up and healing.” The man in black said softly. “He really is an idiot at time. So much power expended… And for what? What did it accomplish?”

 

“More than you know Morey.” Another voice sounded as a transparent for appeared nearby. “Hello Nira.” In form, it was a young female Twi’lek wearing Jedi robes. But she was composed of blue energy.

 

“Ulaha.” If the woman in black was disconcerted by the ghostly Twi’lek appearing beside of her and her companion, it was not apparent. “What word?”

 

“It wasn’t who we thought.” Ulaha said softly. “It wasn’t Nia.”

 

“It has to be her.” Morey protested. “She is the only one who… could... have…” He paused and then slumped. “Oh no… Don’t tell me…”

 

“No.” Ulaha hastened to reassure both worried beings. “It was Nia. But… Not the Nia we expected.” She made a face. “That girl has the brains of an eggplant. No one can doubt her loyalty or her love. But she does the dumbest things.”

 

“So Idjit got the idea from Nia.” Nira Auralia said slowly. “No… No, don’t tell me any more. The whole idea of an incredibly powerful young Force user travelling in time gives me goosebumps.”

 

“Why do you think we spent so much time trying to get hold of her when Will dropped his bombshell?” Ulaha asked sourly. “The last thing we need is for this mess to get any more complicated. I miss simple.” She said plaintively. “Republic and Empire, even Jedi and Sith were hard at times, but relatively simple. This…?” She groaned.

 

“What happens now?” Morey asked softly.

 

“Can you hide him?” Nira asked quietly. “He is going to need a great deal of recovery time. Between the burns, from the explosions he casued, the vacuum exposure from the hull breach, the neural damage from the feedback and his new eyes…” She sighed. “We all know how tough Idjit is, but everyone has limits and he just sped right past his.”

 

“Yes.” Morey said softly. “I can. But getting him off the ship…” He shrugged. “I am good, but he is under a great deal of scrutiny. And what the heck is going on with ‘bolts of energy flying around’? He asked sourly. “What is that all about?”

 

“It’s complicated, Morey.” Ulaha said with a sigh. Morey glared at her and she shrugged. “It is. It is incredibly complicated. Right now, the only thing you really need to know is that it involved high energy physics and supercooling temporal particles.” Morey stared at her and winced.

 

“So…” Morey shook his head. “Anytime one of the Seven faces another of the Seven…?”

 

“If they use the Force, that is going to happen.” Ulaha said sourly. “Michelle does not have the Force, but her innate powers responded to the attacks that Idjit threw out. The response? Boom.”

 

“’Boom?’” Nira asked, incredulous. “This ship is heading for airdock. The captain estimates the damage in the hundreds of thousands of credits to fix. Yeah…” She chuckled sarcastically. “I guess ‘boom’ might be a good descriptor at that.”

 

“So, if any of us fight Jina…” Morey said, musing.

 

“I don’t know, Morey.” Ulaha said sadly. “She is such a mess now.” The Force ghost shook her head. “I just don’t know. None of us do.”

 

“I will make preparations to get Idjit off the ship when his surgery is done.” Morey said slowly in the silence that fell. “The less you know, Nira…” He broke off as she nodded.

 

“…The less I can spill, on purpose or by accident.” Nira said sadly. She patted Morey on the shoulder and left the observation bay without another word.

 

“That is one smart woman.” Morey said quietly as he turned to stare at the door and then turned back to stare at where two human surgeons were working now. “What else do I need to do?”

 

“You need to let them know who and what you are before you get away with Idjit.” Ulaha said soberly. “When they realize it, they will try and shoot you down. They still think you are Ravishaw. They don’t want him in your hands.”

 

“And how am I supposed to do that?” Morey asked sourly. “Am I just supposed to fly ‘causal’ until just before I reach hyperspace. Oh and with two or three squadrons worth of fighters chasing me the instant they realize he is gone?”

 

“You will think of something.” Ulaha said with a smile. “You always do, Morey.”

 

“How is Emily?” Morey asked, his tone alternating between worry and fear. “She sounded… bad when I talked to her.”

 

“She s not good.” Ulaha’s voice was melancholy now. “We didn’t have a choice. I offered to do it. I didn’t want Emily to do it to her own daughter. She insisted.”

 

“Take care of her, Ulaha.” Morey said as he slumped. “She is… She is such a good being. She was such a good being. Don’t let her fade.”

 

“She is tired, Morey.” Ulaha said sadly. “So very tired. But she will stick it through. For Jina’s sake if for nothing else.” With that, the ghost vanished, leaving the man in black to stand in silence.

“Well…” Michelle of the Seven walked into the room and scowled at the two beings sitting there. “What are we supposed to do with you?”

 

Dia Ulahadotter and Musano Vorren just looked at her. The female in Sith attire sighed and looked at the man in Imperial Intelligence fatigues.

 

“Sarai gave us the bare bones as she kicked us out.” Dia said sadly. “She could have kept us, used us. She didn’t. I think she did not want to cause us to have divided loyalties.”

 

“But you have no way to know that.” Commander Vorren said slowly. “And the Empire does not take kindly to possible security leaks.” He should know, he had caused –and plugged- more than few in his career. Michelle scowled and nodded.

 

“You will be remanded to…” She broke off as an alarm sounded. “What the hell?” She hit the intercom. “Report.” Her voice was crisp and clear. The voice of one of the ship’s marines came from the box.

 

“We have a security breach in Medical, Ma’am.” The marine gulped, and who could blame him? Even Sith discipline went but so far, and after the mauling that Idjit had given the ship, no one was going to take him lightly, ever again. Not that anyone sane had ion the past, but...

 

“The Bladeborn?” Michelle asked, incredulously. “He would just barely be out of surgery. What the hell is going on?”

 

“Dunno, Ma’am.” The marine replied. “We just got a priority alert. And… What the frell?” The Marine's discipline rocked, but it held. “Ma’am, we just had another security breach! Hangar bay three!”

 

“There is no way even Idjit would be able to fly so soon.” Michelle snarled as she turned for the door. “Who took him?”

 

“Lietenant Stele.” Another voice broke into the com and Michelle stiffened as the voice of Captain Mark Solo came on. He still called her that. Imperial bureaucracy at its best, and well, it wasn’t as if she could tell them the truth now, could she? “We have reports that an unknown Sith was aboard. He knocked the on duty medical team out, and snatched Idjit of the Bladeborn. Orders?” Odd that a full captain in the Imperial Navy was asking for orders from someone who had fought the Imperial navy for centuries, but hey, what about their situation was not odd?

 

“Do not let them get away, captain. I prefer to get them alive to talk to, but if you cannot…” Michelle snarled as she started for the door. “Lethal force authorized. Blow them away if you have to.” Hisses of shock came from both Vorren and Dia and a strangled sound came from the intercom as Michelle slapped the door control. It opened and she darted out, nodding to Dia and Vorren. “Stay here, both of you. I will be back as fast as I can.”

 

As Michelle ran through the ship, she saw scenes of damage. She had not been joking. Idjit’s loss of control had done a great deal of injury to the structure of the ship. The crew knew her though and all made way for her as she darted for the hangar bays. She was a pilot. Even on an Imperial battleship, she knew what she had to do. The fighter crews knew her. They had her StarRage class interceptor prepped and ready for her as she bolted into the hangar bay. There were no questions, stupid or otherwise. This ground crew was composed of professionals and she had been working with them for some time while she and Idjit had been aboard. They respected her. They might not trust her, but they respected her. She slid into her seat as if greased and started her preflight as the armored crew chief fastened her straps. Her helmet clicked shut and she was part of the ship again.

 

“Tau Lead, ready for launch.” She called as her hands flew through the finishing of her preflight. She nodded to the crew chief as he saluted and jumped away from her bird. She always thought they should jump first and then salute, but hey, the Imperial Navy did things their way. Her head darted form side to side, looking for dangers, crew in the wrong places, anything. But Captain Solo ran a tight ship. Nothing was out of place.

 

“Try to bring the bird back intact this time, Ma’am.” The crew chief said sourly over their short range com.

 

“It was one dent, chief. One.” She complained as the launch mechanism moved her into position. “You didn’t mind painting the kill marks.” That had been one heck of a dogfight. Two pirate cruisers with fighters had found the Deceiver, and thought her easy prey in her damaged condition. Michelle and the other fighters had discouraged them. Permanently. She had been scorched a bit flying through a fireball and something had slammed into the side of her ship hard enough to dent the durasteel. The crew chief had not said a word, just glared at her with menace. She had worked with the crew to get the ship fixed up. It was something that she knew they felt was odd. Pilots did not get their hands dirty unless ordered. But she was no ordinary pilot. She felt her mind become part of the ship and waited for the command to launch. It didn’t come. After a minute, she lost patience and keyed her com. “Flight control, Tau lead. Status?” She queried.

 

“Tau lead, flight control.” the clipped voice of the space traffic controller came over her com. “Stand down.” Michelle stiffened and the voice sounded again. “The escaping vessel just jumped.”

 

“Roger Flight control.” Michelle hit the com switch and screamed into her helmet. “No!” She was fuming as she started deactivating the ship’s systems as the cranes came down and picked up the ship to move it back to the ready racks. She was snarling and cursing under her breath as the crew chief unstrapped her. He stepped back as she clambered out of the bird, his face worried as she strode off, obviously furious. “I am going to break someone to ensign for this, Let alone what the Captain is going to do…” She snarled as she exited the bay. A soft exclamation of relief followed her. She was scary when she got angry. She never showed any emotion except her voice.

 

But, where no one could hear her, inside the deepest recesses of her own mind, she was jumping for joy.

 

Well done, Morey.

((The Fifth's fate has been met. Now we have others to see to. Comments or suggestions always appreciated. Flames might have to explain what they are doing to an irate Imperial starship captain.))