Corellia

[Wookiee Jedi]

There were moments when Kirlocca could be silent and others when he would hold passing conversations, and even the rarest of times when he would speak abundantly. Now was not a time to speak much. Clearly the situation was as bad as he thought. Fett was quick to let him in and lead him to Mirdala, whom was in a state that looked like a Force induced hibernation, although she did not feel like one in a hibernation trance. Quickly, he moved next to her and acknowledged the others in the room with a look before he took a knee next to her. He extended his paw over her face and closed his eyes for only three seconds before opening them again.

 

<< She is alive... and fighting. I can't really tell what is going on. Her conscious mind is still active... but it feels like there is another in there with her... or something... She is blocked to me. I am going to need to break through some barrier that is stopping me from touching her mind. Watch her vitals and let me know the millisecond something changes. >>

 

Kirlocca changed his position to a crosslegged position near her head and extended both his arms over her head. The Wookiee began to dive deep into the Force and reach into Mirdala's mind. There was indeed a barrier of some kind blocking him for getting in so easily. The Jedi Master decided to use a technique known as Malacia to help aid him in getting in. It would be difficult, but he felt like he may be able to stir Mirdala enough to help him get in if she could feel him attempting to make the entry....

[Dashel Illioni]

I was meditating in my chambers after the last of the preparations for our journey to rescue Apollo’s people were completed, when a presence made itself known in the Force. The presence fairly blazed with the lightside of the Force, but in a way different from the many Jedi I had come across in my career. In fact, the Force signature was unique, a once and a lifetime individual more relegated to whispered legends and fairytales than current news. Somehow this individual always managed to end up in the news despite his own best efforts.

 

He was a Wookie, an intelligent and gentle soul residing in the body of warrior, clad in coarse fur and the ever present Force. Wookies almost never became Jedi even when Force sensitive. In fact, it seemed the Galaxy had a rule that only one Wookie Jedi existed at one time and this one proved himself exceptional again and again.

 

Letting myself flow far deeper into the Force, I reached through the ether to gently touch the mind of the great Jedi circling somewhere in the Corellian system but failed to make contact, whether from a lack of practice or that great mind being closed to me. Coundn’t decide which one.

 

Part of me wanted to change course immediately, fly blind through the system till I found the great Jedi and see if there were more Jedi out there, if somehow the order might revive from the ashes of old like the great firebird of the Rebellion. I looked hesitantly at the controls for the comm system only to reject the idea out of hand. An open broadcast with the current bounty on Force Users seemed an unnecessary risk.

 

I pondered the dilemma for a moment before contacting Delaney and having her come to the GrassTiger II’s communications suite.

She arrived moments later with a puzzled look on her face.

 

“Dash, I thought we were going to have some free time to prepare before we made the jump to where Apollo’s people’s ship is currently residing?” asked Delaney.

 

“We were, but I thought I would give you a couple of missions for you to complete. I need the first finished now and one for you and the other after we finish with BlackFist.”

 

She looked at me with narrowed eyes and I could sense the turmoil roiling through her. My mission for Padawans and friends alike had always proved interesting over the years. There never seemed to be a dull moment despite the oft repeated warning to Jedi to never seek out adventure.

 

We really didn’t need to, the adventure found us with its entire spectrum of emotions to experience while trying to balance them against the way of the Jedi. A small smile crossed my face as I briefly contemplated that thought.

 

“So what are they?” said Delany, breaking me from musings.

 

I replied with all seriousness. First, I need you to slice into the holonet and send a message to Jedi Master Kirlocca in the most round about way possible. Make it short, basically a greeting Jedi to Jedi and little else. Just enough to let him know he is not alone out there.”

 

“Oh, that should be easy enough if you give an additional fifteen minute window before we leave.”

 

“Done. Your second mission will involve you and your Sister.” I held up a datapad in my hand. “On this pad items needed for your ritual.”

 

Her eyes widened perceptibly and her aura in the Force blazed for a moment in a way that left me stunned. Delaney had the Force and didn’t know it. And I had somehow missed it.

 

At the same time, I understood exactly what she would become to me when the ritual was complete. A ‘hand’, but instead of the kind created by a Sith, one created between Jedi with the ability to hear their partners voice halfway across the galaxy. The limitation being that both parties needed to agree to communicate and that both parties retained their freedom of choice to keep the link or let it dissolve.

 

“You’re serious?” she asked.

 

I smiled at her and handed her the pad in way of my answer. She nearly bolted out the door to begin her preparations.

 

Sighing for my meditations end, I left my quarters and walked the very short distance to the bridge and took the co-pilot’s seat.

Kala turned to me and said, “We ready?”

 

“No, signal Aira we need 15 minutes to complete our preparations. Set a timer and when it reaches zero engage the hyperdrive to the provided coordinates.

She looked over at me, her face a mask of confusion.

 

“We are giving Delaney time to send a message to Kirlocca. I couldn’t reach his mind via the Force and I won’t risk a direct contact.”

 

“Roger that,” she said before turning back to her console to send a message to Aira. When she was finished talking to Aira, she turned back towards me.

 

“Hey Dash, why the skeleton crew? I know the four of us are a pretty solid team, but you might have been able to recruit some help from the Wookies, the system or something?”

 

I smiled over at her, leaned back, and said, “We going to have a ship full of re-inforcements. They’re going to get pretty motivated by both the cure and the mercs breathing down our necks.”

 

“So long as get to keep ours.”

 

We laughed at that one, fighting against the tension beginning to build in the Tiger’s cockpit.

 

15 minutes later Delaney’s face appeared on a side monitor.

 

“Hey Dash, about trying to send a message to Master Kirlocca, it’s not possible without a great deal more time. A lot of red flags in the holonet for anyone trying to contact any Jedi or Sith. Someone’s set a hell of an entrapment net.”

 

“I expected that. Bounty Hunter’s, Hutt’s, everyone in the galaxy looking to cash in on the Jedi bounty. They were bound to figure out that we would try to communicate with each other in any way possible.”

 

I turned to Kala. “Let Aira knew we proceed to her coordinates on her mark.”

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

The vital readings began to fluctuate slightly as the Wookiee Jedi went about his work performing an initial scan of the young woman. "My data confirms all of that. There was another set of electrical signatures in the EEG that indicated as much. I'm just not sure where it came from or how to isolate it," Nek adjusted some of the scanners.

 

Vy'ika flinched slightly as he felt was the Wookiee Master reach out and begin his manipulations through the Force, seeking to off-set Mirdala's equilibrium just enough to be able to wriggle past her mental barriers to aid her. The woman's over-taxed body began to twitch and contort as it rebelled against the outward intrusion.

 

"Stop!" Nek cried as her heart rate shot up and Vy'ika and Rhys both gripped her arms so she didn't fall off of the sled. "Whatever you're doing, she's seeing it as another attack."

 

"Kandor..." Rhys said through gritted teeth, fighting his own wave of nausea. "Talk to her...tell her what's going on...get her to let him in. You said she knows him, right? She's fought beside him? Remind her."

[Moon Knight]

Kandor had been hovering nearby, bringing things to Nekkir and the others as they needed them, but now he sat next to Mirdala, taking her hand in one of his and placing the other on her shoulder. He spoke to her in Mando'a with a sense of urgency, but not anxiously, keeping his voice level. He had no idea if the words would actually get through -- he didn't understand enough the nature of her affliction and why she was unconscious.

 

"Mirdala. Cyar'ika," he said. "Remember the Augury. Our allies there, the jetiise. There was Darkfire, and Fitt, and Warren, and Kirlocca, the wookiee. Beyond the Augury, you fought with Kirlocca to bring down Geki within the halls of CoreSec headquarters. He was among one of my staunchest allies at the end of the war and since. Now he is here to help you. Together you can win this. Mirdala, you need to let him in."

 

He squeezed her hand, still not sure how much of this was getting through. "It's okay to let him in to help you, Mird'ika. He can watch your back like he watched mine. Meh gar kyrayc, shuk bah ni, cyar'ika."

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

She was tired. Mentally, emotionally, and physically tired.

 

The helmeted Sith had granted her a slight reprieve in his onslaught just long enough to bask in her slowly crumbling defenses as he paced back and forth in front of her, his satisfied laughter echoing oddly in their surroundings. He was doing his damnedest to break her, she knew, and as much as she stubbornly clung to resisting him she knew it was only a matter of time before her own body gave out against her.

 

Suddenly he renewed the attack, or she thought he did, as her whole balance seemed to shift under some new form of Force attack. From the way he swayed slightly, and from the renewed Force-Surge she felt emanating from his dark being, she could only guess it was someone attempting to reach her from the outside. The only thing was, none of the rest of her team could use the Force, so she resisted not trusting this new source of Force energy. Mirdala wondered idly for a moment if attempting to fight the battle within and the battle without was worth it. Her bes'kad was beginning to feel very heavy indeed in her hands as she brought the weapon to bear once more in a defensive stance.

 

Mirdala. Cyar'ika... A voice cut in. His voice. Kandor...

 

No! No! No! her mind fought back as she tried to bury the surge of feelings deeper within herself. The Sith before her, "Ca" as he'd been known whilst operating on Concord Dawn and "Darth Hask" to his loyal servants. He'd already forced himself within her mind once again, she could not let him in a second time. She could not, would not, allow herself to let him bring Kandor into this.

 

His evil laugh from behind the T-visor of his stolen helmet signaled to her that she'd failed even at that. "The love you feel for him. A pathetic and so easily manipulated emotion. Vulnerable. Weak. Like you actually. You could be so much...yet you throw it away...just to pretend at a normal life."

 

She could feel him pressing into her mind, digging at the memories and drawing the emotions out of them as he continued to pick away at the edges of her sanity.

 

Remember the Augury... Kandor's voice echoed. Her heart ached. She was failing him, she knew it. She was running on fumes and had little left, but she had to fight. For him, for all that they wanted together.

 

Our allies there, the jetiise...There was Darkfire, and Fitt, and Warren, and Kirlocca, the Wookiee... Mental images of each of them flashed through her mind.

 

Aryian, the one who'd first given her what she'd needed to begin to learn more about her own Force abilities. No pressure, no strings.

 

Kitt, who'd had her back on Mechis and attempted to help her reconnect to the Force after all of the trauma suffered at the hands of the slavers. She cried out as Ca used the opening to wedge his way to those memories, bringing fresh pain to the forefront of her mind.

 

Kirlocca... she grasped at the name, trying to force herself into other memories.

 

Beyond the Augury, you fought with Kirlocca to bring down Geki within the halls of CoreSec headquarters. Kandor's voice continued, almost as though he'd known she was trying to reconnect with her memories of the Wookiee Jedi. He was among one of my staunchest allies at the end of the war and since. Now he is here to help you. Together you can win this. Mirdala, you need to let him in.

 

Her eyes opened once more in this mental landscape as she glared at the mirrored visor before her. Part of her still feared this was yet another snare of Hask's, a trick preying on her implicit trust with Kandor.

 

Refusing to give in to that small part and take the risk, she opened herself up a little more to the outside world and could feel him there beside her even as his reassuring words cut through yet again. It's okay to let him in to help you, Mird'ika. He can watch your back like he watched mine. Meh gar kyrayc, shuk bah ni, cyar'ika...

 

Tears had formed again at the edge of her vision as she resisted Hask's onslaught and reached out to the presence she'd felt earlier praying it wasn't a trap. She would not fail Kandor if she could help it.

--------

 

In Kandor's grip, he felt her fingers flutter slightly before growing still once more.

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca was only slightly listening to the Mandalorians around him, mainly due to his lack of knowledge of their language, culture, and habits. Everything seemed strange to him, like he was in a surreal world. Fett was called a name he had never heard, he was also acting differently then what he had remembered towards Mirdala. But for now, he would do what he always did in these types of situations... Stay focused on the task at hand. The rest was not relevant to him. He moved his body a bit more slightly to put both paws upon her head. Clearly using Malacia did not work the way he wanted it to, but it worked in some regard... Mirdala resisted, not the other barrier. She was there.

 

Using the Force now differently, the Jedi Master pushed with the Force against her, but rather as a tool to create a weakness in the barrier. He focused upon a point, drawing attention to the pushing, but prepared himself for a second push. It would leave his physical body completely weakened, but he would be able to get in mentally and fight side by side with her against whatever was assailing her from within. Upon feeling the strong push against his initial push, he could feel the barrier around the pushing weaken. It was then that he drove with a full push, allowing for himself to get in, risking his physical body. Almost as soon as he got his mental Force self through the barrier, he could feel a disconnect from his body.

 

The the Mandalorians in the room, Fett included, Kirlocca's body just dropped to the floor suddenly without warning. Although his body was tight, lifeless, he showed no signs that Mirdala was showing outwardly, and if they did hook him up, would see that his body was safe within a hibernation trance of sorts, but his and would be beyond active.

 

Kirlocca landed, or so it felt like a landing. His mental image was shaky to even himself. His vision was blurry and he couldn't see straight. But he could see. He was strong, and he was present. He saw Mirdala, or so he thought. She did not have her helmet on, which he had never seen her face, unlike Fett. There was something or someone with her, but away from her a bit. Kirlocca decided to make his presence known, using a Force Push upon the thing or person that was not Mirdala. It felt strange... dark... sinister... This would be a match Mirdala would lose for sure without him. He leapt closer to her, drawing out his lightsaber and activating it. Upon landing, he took his posture of Wru'torr and awaited his move to be revealed. Although, he wasn't sure what he was doing. He had never entered a mind, or a battle of this sort before. Kitty had, Ara-Lai Kappi had, and so did his own Master Mari. This was new to him.

[Aira Cadan]

The flight food was bad, but the conversation was fascinating. Once we got going, Apollo and I talked for the next twenty minutes straight, getting to know each other better, the time granted to us by Kala’s message. He asked me for my story, and after sharing it, I asked for his. The more I heard, the more I liked him. Given more time, I had the feeling we would be really good friends. Even though he didn’t really trust the Jedi, he was giving me the benefit of the doubt, and that made an impact on me.

 

Finally there was a lull in the conversation, and that was when Dashel’s message came through. “Guess it’s time to go,” I said, rising. Once back in the cockpit, I counted down over the comm. “Three, two, one…mark!” Throwing the lever, we made a microjump to Apollo’s coordinates. It was just the next system over, an unpopulated system with no habitable worlds. There was a flicker of pseudomotion, and the rest of our convoy arrived. My ship took the lead as we approached the system’s star, a blue supergiant.

 

Our scanners were on full, but this close to the star, there was a good deal of interference. I frowned. Where was the ship? I brought the Corvette into a high orbit around the star as we searched along the flight path that Apollo had given us.

 

And suddenly, I saw it. The ship was massive. It reminded me of the old Jedi base, the Eternal Vigilance. It floated in space, clearly on low power, but not dead. Not by a long shot. I would have felt Apollo’s relief even if I hadn’t been a Jedi. There were no other ships here—we had beaten Black Fist. I motioned to the comm. “Call them,” I told Apollo.

 

He swallowed, then stepped forward. “This is Apollo Vine, onboard the Corvette Scratch, calling the Victim’s Haven. Code sign follows: After time adrift among open stars, along tides of light and through shoals of dust, I will return to where I began.”

 

There was a pause, and a woman’s voice came over the line. “Apollo? Is it really you?”

 

“Shiani!” he exclaimed. “How are you? It’s so good to hear your voice again!”

 

“It’s more than good to hear yours,” the woman’s voice replied. “But Apollo, what are you doing here? And who are all these others you’ve brought with you?”

 

“Shiani,” he said, his voice serious, “I found a cure. We’re bringing it onboard. We can cure all of you. You can go home.”

 

There was a shocked silence over the comm. “A cure?” she finally said. “I…this is going to change everything. You’d better come onboard. But…maybe not everyone? We haven’t had new people in…well, ever.”

 

Apollo glanced at me, and I nodded. “Sure,” he replied. “We’ll keep it a small group. Everyone else can stay on their ships.”

 

“Alright,” she replied. “I’m giving you landing permission.”

 

The comm clicked off. “She’s still alive!” Apollo grinned, pulling me into a sudden hug. I was startled, but hugged him back with a smile. His excitement was infectious. I understood. If Ailis or Alara had been infected and stuck on a ship somewhere, I don’t know what I would have done. He let go suddenly, and I sat back down in my seat, suddenly feeling a little awkward. But I shook it off and brought the Scratch in closer. While we came in for a landing, I informed Dashel and the others what had happened, and recommended that the same party we had used in the Black Fist base would go aboard now, with someone new to replace Captain Kenithan.

 

Soon enough, we touched down. I shut everything off, then opened the ramp. Apollo rushed out, and I followed in time to see him throw his arms around a woman that looked just like him. I smiled wistfully. Maybe after this, I’d have time to visit my own family…

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

Just when she felt like she couldn't fight her tormentor any further she felt another presence slip into her already crowded mind, this one radiant with the Light Side of the Force. The pressure on her mind lessened not long after as the Force push easily broke the Sith Master's hold on her exhausted mind. As she looked around, she saw the somewhat familiar shape of the brown and grey-furred Jedi Master.

 

"Kirlocca..." She fell to her knees in relief, the bes'kad coming to rest in the plush moss of the jungle clearing as the Wookiee stepped between her and Darth Hask. The familiar snap-hiss of a lightsaber met her ears, though this time it was a far more welcome sound, as the Jedi Master's silver blade extended forth and he assumed his fighting stance.

 

For his part, Mirdala noticed as she gathered strength from Kirlocca's presence, Darth Hask seemed to be genuinely confused by the new arrival as he was upended and thrown across the clearing, though he hid it through what she'd come to know as his usual tiresome bravado. "The little Mando still calls others to fight her battles for her I see..." he intoned through the vocal filter of the Mandalorian-style helmet as he rose to his feet, leaning on a tree to steady his balance. "Pity. So much strength. So much potential wasted on a waif in the Mandalore sector of all desolate places. Brackish backwater mindset."

 

He reignited his own lightsaber and raised it in salute to the Jedi. "Think she'll be so eager to join you Jetii," he spat the Mando'a form of the word out of his mouth as though it left a poor taste. "So willing to throw your life away for hers? Are you so sure that what you're doing right now isn't killing her? Human minds are so fragile. It wouldn't be the first time this one has been shattered. If you look closely..." He pounded his fist against the tree, causing pieces of it to splinter off, though instead of the meat of the tree behind the coarse bark, there was only blackness, "you can see where the adherent has yet to completely dry..."

 

Hask spared a glance in Mirdala's direction before rushing forward to meet the Wookiee in combat. He would have his revenge one way or the other. It mattered little whether the woman before him survived some measure of intact or at all.

[Moon Knight]

It was encouraging when Kandor felt her fingers stir in his hand for a moment, lending credibility to Rhys' claim that he could make a difference by speaking to Mirdala. Still, he let go of her and quickly stood when Kirlocca collapsed, maneuvering around the bed to assist the Wookiee.

 

It wasn't the easiest thing, propping the 135-kilogram alien up against the wall, but he managed to get him in some semblance of a sitting position and checked for a pulse. He was pretty sure this was part of whatever the jetii was doing to help Mirdala, but it was difficult to say for certain. He grabbed a hand scanner to pick up Kirlocca's vitals, and they seemed lower than standard for a Wookiee, but they were stable. Kandor postulated from his own knowledge of the Force that this was some sort of hibernation trance, likely being used so that Kirlocca could focus all of his attention on the metaphysical realm.

 

That theory was reinforced when he saw Mirdala's own vitals take a positive shift, her heart rate steadying as though she'd gained a moment of respite against whatever chaos was taking place in her subconscious.

 

Fett returned to her side, again putting his hand on hers and speaking. "You're almost through, Mird'ika. K'oyacyi!"

 

For his part, Kandor would entertain no doubt that she and Kirlocca would overcome this. She'd proven over and again how tough she was, sometimes down but never out, and he trusted everyone present -- her vode and Kirlocca -- to help see her through. If they couldn't do it, no one in the oyu'baat could, and to him that level of preparation was what won battles.

[Dashel Illioni]

<>posted this part in the thread for Tython, also. Takes place before the jump to lightspeed<>

 

The presence of Dahar Raikanda filled his mind twice, once from the Force itself, and once from a link between the holocron embedded in Kala’s abdomen and the holocron at the Temple of Jedi at Tython. A second presence was temporarily present but merged with something else.

 

"Jedi... friends of the Light... I am Dahar Raikanda, Grandmaster of the Jedi Order... I speak to you as a humble servant of the Light... We keep what we have only with vigilance, and just as freedom for the individual comes from the Force, so freedom for the Order springs from our traditions... As long as the ties that bind us together are stronger than those that would tear us apart, all will be well... The time has come to return home..."

 

Dashel felt his consciousness stripped from where he sat on the GrassTiger II and transported to the Jedi Temple on Tython. Amazement flooded his thoughts when he realized he felt the coolness of the floor, smelled the living atmosphere of Tython, and looked Dahar Raikanda directly in the airs. The Force kept finding ways to expand his horizons as to what was possible. He wondered how he appeared to those seeing him.

 

He paced a slow circle around Dahar, examining him from head to toe, both physically and through the Force. A fascinating process really, as he was projecting himself and managed to use the Force at a location far removed from his physical one simultaneously because of the link through the holocrons.

 

“I can’t wait to explain this to Kala,” he thought while stopping in front of Dahar. A sense of surprise sounded from somewhere nearby, faint but powerful in the Force. He felt he should know the presence but he set that concern aside for a moent.

 

“Hi Dahar,” said Dashel, “Interesting technique you use to allow me to talk to you. I never considered that the holocrons might somehow be linked to each other. I wonder if that’s true of all Holocrons. But that’s not why your calling this little meeting is it?”

 

He looked at the other Jedi present before turning back to Dahar.

 

“And you have a fairly decent following of Jedi present. Impressive,” said Dashel, “You can add me to that number. You’ll need to ask Aira Caidan yourself, though I sense she will soon be aiding the Imperial Remnant soon.”

 

Looking around the room, Dashel realized he found himself missing this temple, this planet so steeped in the light and filled with its history. He felt sure he would be going there, settling there with his wife, his children and the other Jedi guarding her.

 

“We are currently heading out to rescue a sleeper ship of Force Users so we’re not going to be present at your gathering.”

 

He smiled at the young man whose path he’d crossed more than few times despite the news he felt he needed to deliver. A sudden and massive need to return to his body let him know his time here grew short.

 

“I accept you as the leader of the Jedi and Grandmaster to those outside of the order. But understand as you watch us, so must you be watched and there is darkness within you.”

 

The tug became a pull that swept him from his feet and back towards his body, taking his senses from Tython and returning them to his cockpit.

 

He turned to Kala and found her glowing inside out with the waning power of the holocron within her. The warm red glow faded until her body became its normal opaque self.

 

She turned to look at him, stunned. “What was that?”

 

Dash turned back towards the main screen. “Dahar Rakanda just declared himself as the GrandMaster of the Jedi Order.”

 

“Who?” she said even as tightened her grip on the handle for the hyperdrive.

 

“Exactly,” said Dashel with a tight smile on his face that his eyes did not reflect.

 

<>And this part after the jump to lightspeed.<>

 

A moment later, Aira gave the command and the small convoy went to lightspeed. They emerged in a tight formation inside the gravity well of the blue star and immediately their instrumentation was overwhelmed.

 

They followed the Scratch into high orbit before their instruments detected the Haven. Silence filled the cockpit as their instrumentation revealed the size and immensity of the ship.

 

“Wow,” said Delaney from the door of the cockpit. “That’s bigger than some of the old Imperial designs.”

 

“Fairly heavily armed too,” said Dashel while pointing to one of the ship’s screens. “They built her too take on a small fleet, I hope their friendly.”

 

A moment later Aira’s voice sounded over the comm system with her instructions. I turned to my crew and looked over them.

 

“Kala, can you interface with that ship?”

 

“In the same manner as the Tiger? Not hardly.”

 

“That would have been handy. Alright, you and Marta stay with the Tiger. Delaney your with me.”

 

He felt Marta start to object to her younger sister going onboard. He raised his hand to stop her objection before explaining, “She wants me to perform a bonding rite with her after this. I need to know she can handle herself in stressful situations.”

 

He felt a great deal of surprise when none of the women present had any further objection and readied himself for departure as soon as the landing ramp lowered itself to

the hangar’s deck.

 

The two of them walked down the ramp together, Delaney armed and armored with Dashel dressed in his combat robes, carrying his blaster, and his spare lightsabers.

 

Looking around at those gathering near their ships, he felt the hope emanating from all of them. Opening himself to the Force, he felt the strength of the lightside in the area, fed by their hope and their happiness.

 

 

Sadness drifted over his heart as he considered the need to tell these people that the remnants of BlackFist might soon arrive.

 

Walking slowly, he went over to stand next to Aira and spoke quietly in her ear. Something he felt onboard the station had grown while they were separated and it needed addressed before the battle.

 

“Your feelings for Apollo do you credit, but we have a battle ahead. Push them deep inside you lest they betray you or you falter when you are needed the most.”

 

Considering whatI knew of Apollo’s people, I quickly amended that, “We’re among a group of Force Sensitives. If both of your feelings are particularly strong, you may end up answering some embarrassing questions from any family on board.”

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

((Actions posted with permission.))

 

Mirdala watched as the two clashed violently, lightsabers flaring brightly with each strike, parry, and block. Despite being caught off guard, Hask seemed to be holding his own as he unleashed a rapport of Force lightning at the great harry bulk in front of him, letting the pain of the hits he'd taken fuel him further in battle.

 

From her own experience fighting this dar'jetii demagolka, she knew that he continued to come back from even the most solid hits. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she understood that physical injury did little to weaken whatever had brought him to life within her. Kirlocca could easily cross blades with him for hours, but even then the two of them were at a disadvantage when it came to the fact they still had bodies in the physical realm that were requisite to the two of them being able to continue this fight.

 

Leveraging his unique Wru'torr form, Kirlocca used his massive body to continue to occupy the full focus of the Sith that had decided Mirdala's mind was the perfect place to find purchase. Mirdala watched him with a mixture of concern and awe and the sheer force of the Wookiee Jedi Master in total battle-mode.

 

The little Mando still calls others to fight her battles for her I see...

 

Something about Hask's words had stuck with Mirdala as she considered the best way to aid Kirlocca in battle. With the physicality of his style and Hask's penchant for positioning an opponent just so, she realized that it would likely cause more harm than good for her to rejoin the battle. Rising, she gripped the bes'kad in her off-hand and reached out to him with her other hand.

 

"You're grasping Hask," she intoned, feeling the newly familiar whispering of the Seeker ghosts along the edges of her mind. "Nothing he can do in here will kill me. I am not as weak as you think me and you have continued this illusion long enough." Cold, calm resolution came to life within her heart and being. Having the Wookiee come to her aid seemed to stir something awake within her she'd long forgotten was there.

 

"I know this place...It is not where you fell by my hand, but where another tried to shatter my mind. I am strong because my buire made me so. I am forged by my trials," she pushed her own mind outward, gripping at his own as she easily followed the well-known feeling of his mind from his earlier attempts. "Battles are fought on many fronts. You've taken enough from me, now it's my turn."

 

The wind moved to stir strands of hair that had fallen from her braid during her hours of battle with the Sith Master before Kirlocca's intervention. Remembering her own training with TeVerd, Hwulf, and Carid, she relied on the whispers and her own instincts to guide her actions as she reveresed the flow of Hask's attempts to dominate her mind.

---

The Orange Twi'lek observed quietly, hands folded inside her voluminous black sleeves. The harsh skirling of metal, counterpointed by the mechanical hum of the red light saber, set her sharp teeth on edge, but she quietly waited.

 

Her comfort was hardly a tantamount matter at this time, she knew.

 

Long moments later, the other living being in the room barked out a command in the ancient Sith tongue, and the noise abated. The droid that had been occupying his attention, a Fencer Maestre with four arms, drew itself up and went into a standby mode.

 

The man eyed it for a moment, critically, his back to the Twi'lek, and then strode over to a small table.

 

"It's moving too slow again," he muttered, laying his sword down after clipping his lightsaber hilt to his belt. He picked up a small towel and mopped at his face before turning to her. "But you're not here to study me for technique, are you?" His mouth quirked in a bitter smile, made twisted by the scars that marred the right side of his face and down his neck. "You're here to try to, once again, question my judgment."

 

Her lekku twitched nervously for a moment. "I don't question the orders, my lord," she said. "But I do wonder about the timing. Or whether I would be more useful handling this for you, and sparing you to handle the more important part of engineering the grand vision."

 

"I've decided sooner is better for me to begin the next phase," He said. "Especially since I am fortunate in having your skillful assistance to handle other parts of the task I chose."

 

He paused for a moment before moving to caress her face tenderly. "You're the most prized of all that I have trained, Ab'ki. You've come farther with me than any other I would allow. Don't fail me in this." He looked her in the eyes, granting her status as at least almost an equal.

 

Her breath caught for a moment, allowing emotions and a carnal need to wash through her, emotions and needs that would give her strength to succeed for him, and herself. "As you've ordered, my Lord Hask." She bowed her head, accepting the command of one who was so many things to her.

 

He finished dressing, belting the ancient metal sword around his waist, and started to leave the training room. He stopped and turned towards her. "Get that debased Mando renegade, Tremme to actually recruit and train the soldiers we'll need, and a successor. And then, let his ex-comrades find him." With one last long look at her, Darth Hask, Sith Heretic, headed for the hangars. A crucial part of his vision was about to begin.

 

---

 

Hask faltered as he felt the tables turning on him as this young whelp of a girl suddenly ripped a memory from his mind for a change. Mirdala didn't lessen her attack, pushing harder leveraging her own empathic energies and those of her brothers to crowd his mind with the "static" their kind produced until he fell to his knees overwhelmed by the mental overload. "What-how...i-impossible..."

 

"I am my fathers' daughter," she growled in response as Kirlocca's lightsaber cleanly removed Hask's head, helmet and all, from his shoulders. As the rest of the body fell, she retrieved the bes'kad and plunged it into his heart."

----------------------------------

 

Several tense minutes ticked by after the Wookiee had entered his hibernation trance. Suddenly, Kandor felt Mirdala's hand clench his own tighter and stronger than she had before as her whole body tensed for a few seconds and the readouts went haywire. Amidst the drone of the alarms, Mirdala's eyes burst open in shock, surprise and she sat up, her breathing rapid as though she'd just broken the surface of a very deep pool of water she'd been drowning in moments before.

 

Instinctively, she pulled Kandor towards her throwing her arms around his neck and clinging to him as her thoughts untangled themselves. "Is this..." she breathed.

 

"Real?" Nekkir offered as he adminstered a round of anti-shock to help her vitals return to normal. "Very much so, I'm afraid," He glanced over to the Wookiee propped up against the wall in a very cramped medical room. "Now, if you'd let go of your boyfriend for a moment and let me check you over, we can put this little event behind us."

 

Her arms tightened around Kandor slightly, almost as though she were afraid that letting him go might mean being pulled back into where ever her mind had taken her. Whether or not he realized it, it had been him, and not one of her brothers, that had ultimately been the one to keep her anchored to the outer world. What that might mean, her mind was still reeling too much to figure out, but, for now, it seemed she was quite unwilling to let him leave her side.

[Moon Knight]

Kandor wrapped Mirdala in his arms as she emerged from her Force coma, taking several deep breaths as he took a moment to appreciate that the trial was past. Time was a double-edged bes'kad -- sometimes terrible things happened and could never be undone or forgotten, but so too did such triumphs as this occur and they were just as indelible. Kandor saw the road behind which had led to this moment, how they had come to know and trust in each of the individuals present in the room who had contributed to this victory, and knew that whatever dark forces were conspiring against them had met their match.

 

"Welcome back," he told her, then glanced to the side as Kirlocca stirred. "I take it he was able to help? What did you see? There was... another person in there?" He kept his voice gentle, so it didn't sound like he was barraging her with questions but rather trying to make sense of things.

 

Best case scenario, what she experienced was enough to explain why the jetii'kad was trapped, maybe how it got there. It would make a big difference in how things went from here, especially if it meant the Abraxos data was no longer trustworthy.

 

Of course, there was no pushing forward right now no matter what she learned. Mirdala needed time to heal.

[Aira Cadan]

"Shiani, this is Aira. She's a Jedi Knight. She and her fellows rescued me."

 

I smiled as Apollo introduced me to his sister. "It's nice to meet you, Shiani. It's our privilege to help. And let me just say, on behalf of my entire Order, how sorry I am that we didn't find out about this sooner. It was our duty to intervene, and we dropped the ball. I'm so sorry."

 

I could feel the anger and pain their situation had caused them. It swelled through the ship, clouding the air. But as I probed deeper, there was an unbreakable sense of wanting to make the most of a bad situation. They didn't seem to be bitter about this Sith disease. Instead, they were determined to still live out their lives as best as they could, and by doing so, to stick it to the Sith who had tried to ruin them. I admired them. It wasn't everyone who could go through something like this and not end up a bitter shell of a person. It also convinced me that we were absolutely doing the right thing. We'd be setting them free, rewarding them for their perseverance and undying optimism in a hopeless situation. These were good people.

 

Apollo was filling his sister in on the rest of the details, including about Black Fist. I was part of the conversation, until suddenly a voice echoed through my mind. It was a message, transmitted through the Force, and as I listened, I was surprised. A new grandmaster had come forward, and was recalling all the Jedi? The Order had been in tatters for the past several years, ever since Grandmaster Trevelian had died. The Jedi had been scattered and divided. But that had worked out pretty well, especially in light of the new harsher feelings towards Force users in general. I wasn't sure having all of us meet in one location was a good idea in light of the current climate, but then, I wasn't the grandmaster. Apparently Master Raikanda had taken that role. And if the Force was speaking through him, who was I to argue?

 

I was about to turn back to the conversation, when my comlink pinged. I frowned a little. Who could be calling me? I stepped off to the side to take the message. Putting my helmet on, I saw with some surprise that my HUD was telling me the call was coming in on an old Jedi emergency channel. That was puzzling. I can't even remembered I still had that number in my contacts. I played it, and was surprised by it's contents. “If anyone can hear me, this is Jaina Jade Colos. I seek asylum with the Jedi. Please, help me. I have to find them.” The woman sounded desperate, and weary to the core. Her name was not familiar to me, and I stretched out with the Force. I got no flicker of danger at all, which made me feel this call was genuine. I was probably the only one around here who still had this channel saved. So I sent a comm message back. "This message is for Jaina Jade Colos. Go to the planet Tython in the Core. The Jedi will be there, and will grant you whatever asylum you're seeking. Don't worry. You're not alone." I didn't know what caused me to add that last bit. I sent the message, then shot a comm off to the Jedi Temple on Tython, informing them that there was a refugee woman coming who was asking to see the Jedi. I also added that I would answer the Grandmaster's summons when I could.

 

Business taken care of, I turned my mind back on the conversation. It was well I did, for Dashel and Delaney arrived just then, and Dashel pulled me aside. I was so startled by what he said that I actually blushed a little, although no one could tell because of my dark coloring. I was going to protest that there was nothing between Apollo and I, but Shiani was approaching us then, and I couldn't say anything without her overhearing.

 

Once she had been introduced to the rest of the group, she took charge of the situation, her natural leadership skills coming out. "Right. We need to get this cure to the med labs so they can make it airborne. Then it needs to go to the air circulation fans to get installed. Apollo, you and Aira follow Jorge here. He'll take you there. In the meantime, Master Illioni, will you, Delaney, and Captain Walker come with me to the bridge? We need to get our defenses ready for Black Fist." She grimaced. "We've always been aware of the chance of discovery by the Sith. I guess now we'll just have to take on a criminal organization instead."

 

I nodded. "We'll join you all on the bridge once we're done, assuming that they haven't attacked by then. Otherwise, we'll stay in comm contact."

 

Splitting up, Apollo and I followed Jorge through the ship. For a moment, I was distracted by Dashel's insinuation. Did I feel something for Apollo? But then I shook myself. Now was not the time for that kind of thinking. Besides, after this, I was certain we'd go our separate ways. Jorge lead us directly to the med bay, and filled the med techs and doctors in on what was going on. The atmosphere in the room changed from curiosity to charged excitement. Apollo quickly jotted down the chemical formula he had memorized, and there was a buzz of activity as the medical professionals got to work. For my part, I remained on alert, my senses extended so we'd know when the Black Fist arrived. I also sent out some soothing waves of the Force. These people were sensitive enough to the Force that they'd pick up on it, and my efforts would help them focus on getting the cure exactly right, while still doing it quickly.

 

We didn't have much time.

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca stirred himself up from the hibernation trance and looked around. He felt the room spin for only a second, but he himself felt like he was hazy. He had never done such a thing before, and still wasn't even sure he had done it correctly. His peripheral vision was not as strong, and therefore only saw blurs, but he felt like he recognized Fett and Mirdala. Shaking his head and letting out a very loud grunt sounding growl as he began to stand up slowly.

 

<< Why do I feel like my head was stomped on by a bantha? >>

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

Rhys rested his hand on her right shoulder, sending a dull ache of pain that served as a reminder that she was still on the mend. "Come on Vod'ika, I don't think Kandor has any intention of going anywhere."

 

A sharp hiss escaped her lips as she relaxed her grip on Kandor as the adrenaline overriding her pain receptors began to fade.

 

Taking Kandor's hand in her left, she laid back down, allowing Nek to check her pupil responses and check her over. "Vy'ika, can you get Buir on the line?" she asked in Basic, "I'm hoping he can help me sort through some of this." Her brow was furrowed, and Kandor could tell from the look in her eyes that she was mentally going back through the experience, though in a more detached manner than simply remembering all that had happened.

 

Vy'ika stepped away, attempting to raise TeVerd to let him know that Mirdala appeared to have made it through the worst of whatever had entrapped her.

 

"Is Kirlocca okay?" She asked, sitting back up with a little help from Nek.

 

The doctor nodded as he readied a sharp with a Wookiee-sized dose of anti-shock, and turned to address the Jedi Master. "Mirdala tends to have that effect on those around her occasionally," his tone bespoke first-hand experience on the matter. "Though I'd imagine mind-diving like that isn't something most Jedi are used to doing often. I know you're capable of healing up yourself, but mind if I stave off some of that Force-hangover you're bound to have?" Clearly, the good doctor knew better than to anger a Wookiee.

 

"You called him here, didn't you Kandor? Where are we?"

[Moon Knight]

Nodding, Kandor answered, "Yes. We're back in my Corellia safehouse." He was a little surprised she didn't recognize her surroundings immediately, given that they'd come here directly after the Abraxos mission. He frowned briefly. Mirdala had certainly been through a lot over the last few months that they would need to keep coming back here to get her back on her feet. He was at once glad that he had maintained this retreat over the years and finding himself wishing that he didn't have quite so much use for it as of late. Of course, he'd sustained quite an injury on Hapes himself, they'd just had access to medical facilities there.

 

The Mando'ad looked over at Kirlocca. "Whatever you did in there, it helped bring her out of it," he said appreciatively. "I hope you'll stick around so we can talk a bit after we tie up these loose ends."

 

The priority right now though was checking in with TeVerd and sorting through what Mirdala remembered.

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

The Wookiee nodded and the doctor stepped forward to administer the sharp of anti-shock solution, "There, that will hopefully help put that bantha to rest."

 

Mirdala closed her eyes slightly and nodded as he answered where they were. The feeling of disorientation lingered as she rested her head against his shoulder and let the physical contact with him ground her from the experience even more. Vy'ika returned from one of the outer rooms, bringing with him a data pad with TeVerd's face on it, and set it up on one of the scanners, so they could all see him.

 

Dika, are you okay?

 

"Yes, Buir. Thanks to my team, including Master Kirlocca of the Jedi Order," she answered in Mando'a before nodding her head briefly in the Wookiee's direction.

 

Thank you Master Kirlocca. We owe you a great deal for helping bring her back to us, the grey-furred Ageless answered in Basic, dipping his own head slightly in gratitude before turning back to his daughter. Feel up to sharing what happened?

 

The young woman took a deep breath and looked around the room at the assembled group's faces or visors. "Yes, I just figured it would be more efficient to have everyone together when I did. I was also hoping," she paused, taking another breath, "that you might be able to fill in some of the gaps."

 

TeVerd looked at her curiously, but said nothing.

 

Another breath, and she launched into her recollection of events from finding herself trapped in her own mind with the very Sith Master she'd been able to kill when she was sixteen after touching his lightsaber, to Kirlocca's intervention and being able to rip what memory she could from the fragment of Ca that had seemed to remain after their last encounter. "Darth Hask, Ca, Ab'ki, Otros Tremme - do any of those names mean anything to you Buir?"

 

The man on the other side of the datapad's vidscreen was silent for several moments, his face looking grim. "I'll have to think more on the others, but Tremme is one I recognize." His voice had taken on an edge Mirdala hadn't heard in a long while. He was a Seeker, though he fell long ago. Getting mixed in with two Sith that seem to have a grudge-match against the sector explains why they've been able to hunt us so effectively... He growled as he considered the implications.

 

"Do you think that's where Fieyr learned the things he did? The clearing I was in was the one back home and not on Concord Dawn where I ended Ca's life," Mirdala suggested.

 

It's possible, TeVerd considered. Carid and I caught up with him not long after Fieyr attacked you. The timing of it works a little too well for my taste.

 

"That doesn't explain the fixation on me, though," Mirdala remarked.

 

"Doesn't it though?" Vy'ika's filtered voice interjected. "What else do you recall from that memory?"

 

Mirdala considered for a moment, closing her eyes and replaying the event in her mind once more.

 

"Look for anything that's not explicit. What emotional read do you get from it?" Rhys prodded, knowing where his brother's train of thought was headed.

 

The muscles in her face twitched slightly as she suddenly caught what it was she was looking for and opened her eyes. "Ab'ki and Ca were lovers..."

 

That would certainly explain her fixation on you, ad'ika. TeVerd's voice was quiet as he looked at both her and Kandor's clasped hands. He sighed. Naming your enemy is only part of being able to beat them. I want you both to lay low for a bit, as you are no doubt a target as well Kandor. Experience tells me that Ab'ki will not hesitate to get to Mirdala through you, if necessary. She is sure to know her trap was sprung and was no doubt counting on Mirdala being alone, or at the very least without the aid of her brothers or another strong empath to keep her mind from fracturing. If we thought she was vengeful before, I have a feeling we have yet to see all that she is capable of.

[Dashel Illioni]

Captain Walker whistled softly when she stepped out of the lift and onto the Victim’s Haven. I almost asked her why until I stepped up beside her and took a look at the ship’s bridge.

 

The bridge of the Victim’s Haven turned out to be as incredible as its exterior. It started with layout that showed an appreciation for the logisitics of command and crew morale. The hemispherical layout enabled the commander to see every station from his command station and a view out of the bridge portals. Everyone enjoyed a comfortable amount of space without the bridge taking up valuable real estate better utilized elsewhere.

 

Delaney stepped passed us and quickly occupied an empty station whose viewscreen turned on almost before she was completely seated. Unfortunately for her, the station showed little inclination to allow her to access anything.

 

I smiled as I explained, “Delaney enjoys computer and information systems. I am sure given time she could gain access to your systems but perhaps you can make it easy for her?”

“I thought she would be fighting. Why would she need access, especially as she’s not familiar with the ship?”

 

My smile widened until my slightly elongated canines became visible. Genetic throwbacks, they turned my smile into something predatory.

 

“She’ll fight if the bridge is breached, but have you ever seen what a good slicer can do during a battle?”

 

Shiani smiled back. “I have.” She pointed to a bank of screens over which six technicians hovered. “She should probably go with them instead. If she’s useful they’ll find a place for her.”

 

Delaney nodded and joined the six techs. They started quietly talking and Delaney’s Force signature went from cautious to joyful within a couple of seconds. It seemed she’d found kindred souls.

 

“So,” Shiani continued, “you want the tour?”

 

“We may not have time, where would you like me?”

 

I felt her shock through the Force. Perhaps she was used to Jedi who immediately took command as if they belonged there.

 

She recovered quickly and led Captain Walker and myself to the station recently vacated by Delany. She touched the screen and quickly authorized us a fairly deep level of access. A second command brought up the ship’s defensive assets.

 

Captain Walker immediately pointed to a group of Marines that appeared to leaderless. “If you don’t mind, I’ll go there. You use them to plug any holes in the ship’s interior defenses, correct?”

 

Shiani nodded.

 

“I’ll let Aira know where I’ll be,” said Captain Walker, “Maybe she’ll join me,” She stood and began walking off the bridge. She turned back after a couple of steps just as Shiani handled her a pad.

 

“Directions are on the pad along with the ship’s layout. Captain Walker had the grace to look abashed before turning about and walking off the bridge.

“Now,” said Shiani, “I have a place for you Master Dashel, if you’ll take it.”

 

I gazed at her and silently waited for her to continue.

 

“This ship’s defense will hold off a small fleet of ships, but if this BlackFist brings enough ship’s, they will board. I am hoping you, Jed Aira, and some of my best troops will take the front lines against anyone who manages to board.”

 

“You’re hoping the sight of a pair of Jedi fighting alongside your people will completely demoralize the enemy?” I asked.

 

She smiled in a very good proxy of my more predatory grin.

 

“Do you mind if I gather some information before joining your troops?”

 

“There is no ingnorance, there is knowledge?” she asked.

 

“Yes,” I said, “and I seem to be developing this odd ability to remember weird bits of information that seems to be coming in handy.”

 

She smiled at me. “When this is over, you need to talk to one of our Masters. One of our teachings centers around gathering, assimilating and recalling information.”

 

Pointing at the screen she said, “You can access everything you might need from here.”

 

I sat down and began sifting through the information that my queries culled from their databank.

[Moon Knight]

All the pieces fit together to form a pretty good picture. Mirdala's hunch that this was connected to the dar'jetii she'd killed had proven correct, explaining the timeline. And now they could call him Darth Hask. Then her aliit and the Seekers had been systematically hunted, but it went even beyond that. Anyone who could be found that could be connected to Mirdala had been put in danger by the homicidal obsession that characterized this enemy. And they now had a name for her as well -- Ab'ki. This Ab'ki figure was certainly behind the Hoth jetii'kad and was the employer of Judyc Viba and Fieyr, the origin of the mysterious bounty. He still wasn't sure how BakToid figured into all of this, but it was almost certain that Ab'ki had fingers in that pie as well in order for Mirdala to have found Jorbe's beskad'ika there during her raid on one of their locations.

 

It helped them know what to expect going forward, but TeVerd was right that it didn't put anything to rest or enable them to find her. Kandor spoke to the ancient Seeker. "Not a problem, a little down time might do us some good," he answered, glancing at Mirdala's ankle, which was still in a cast from her fall. Truthfully he didn't like being ordered to lay low any more than Mirdala did, not liking the idea of hiding from a threat he thought they could overcome. But she did need time to recover from her injuries and it would do little good to get either of them killed by being reckless; a better strategy would be to wait patiently until an actionable lead emerged, then move decisively and choose the terms of engagement. "I suspect we can't trust the rest of the Abraxos data since this one was a trap, which means it might take time to get another lead. As long as someone keeps us informed, we can stay under the radar until something surfaces."

 

Kandor looked at Mirdala's brothers. "The facility here is more than enough to handle Mirdala's injuries from Hoth," he said. "You're welcome to stay, but as long as Nek is happy, you don't need to."

[Aira Cadan]

"Er--Knight Cadan?"

 

I jumped, then turned to face the med tech who had come up behind me as I was looking out the window. "Yes?"

 

"Sorry, it's just, we need some clean blood, blood that hasn't been infected with this virus. Apollo is donating some, but we really need more. Would you...that is, would you be willing to donate some as well?"

 

The tech looked frightened. "Of course!" I said immediately. I could sense his relief. It disturbed me. What did these people think of the Jedi? I had gotten a sense of it from Apollo, but here it was..different. I sat down on a diagnostic bed, and the tech stuck me with a needle. Blood started flowing into a bag immediately. "If you can just fill two bags, that would be enough," the tech said. I grimaced at the prospect, but what had to be done had to be done. I just hoped I'd have time to fully recover before I had to fight my way through Black Fist mercs.

 

Filling both bags took about 15 minutes, and afterward I felt predictably woozy. One of the techs handed me a juice pack, and I drank it gratefully. "How soon will it be ready?" I asked between sips.

 

"Still needs about 10 minutes in the centrifuge," another tech answered. I nodded in reply and focused on taking deep breaths, centering myself. The Force hummed within me. I was reminded of all those times before big missions or battles when I was still serving with the New Republic. Every soldier dealt with the stress differently. Onderin had always taught me that meditation was the best way for a Jedi to clear her mind, and so that had become my own habit. It was those quiet moments where I realigned myself with the Force. I made sure that I was doing what the Force wanted me to do, and I reminded myself of my duty as a Jedi. I also mentally prepared myself for the pain and anguish of battle. People would die. It was a harsh reality. And through the Force, I would feel every single one of those deaths. In my first battles, it had overwhelmed me. But I had learned--not to ignore them, but to accept that there was a greater purpose behind the loss of life. It was my duty to limit that as much as possible, but it was also my duty to not hesitate to protect the people on this ship. They were innocents and I had a duty to help them.

 

The next few minutes passed quietly. I was calm as I centered myself in the Force, but everyone else was tense and on edge. I didn't blame them. This was their chance--a chance for them to reclaim their lives that had been stolen from them. A lot was riding on this cure, and there wasn't time to test it to make sure it was right.

 

Finally, one of the doctors held up a vial of clear blue liquid. "It's done." He handed it to Apollo. "Get it to the air circulation fans."

 

A warning note trickled through the Force. "Wait a minute," I said, holding out an arm to block Apollo's path. I poured the Force over the vial, and realized something was off. "Something is not right." It was like a cog was out of place. I frowned.

 

Apollo pushed my arm aside. "Aira, we don't have time for this. I'm sure it's fine. We have to go."

 

"No," I said firmly. "I don't know what will happen if we release this, but it won't cure this disease." He made to push by me again, but I grabbed onto his shirt. "Apollo, please. Trust me. Just give me a minute."

 

There was instantly noises of protest from the med staff. But he waved them down. He met my eyes, then slowly nodded. "Alright," he said gruffly. He held out the vial. I reached with the Force again. There. The cogs slid back in place as I made a minute adjustment, similar to the method I had used when making my first lightsaber. The Force used me as a tool to ensure that the serum would work.

 

I nodded. "It's alright now."

 

There was a shout from one of the techs. Another of them had reached for a hidden holdout blaster and aimed it right at me. My Jedi instincts kicked in, and I leapt to the side, causing the bolt to sizzle and scar the decking. That was the only shot that got off. The other techs had jumped the one that had tried to shoot me and brought him to the ground.

 

"Aira! Are you alright?" Apollo asked.

 

"Fine," I said. Everything was clear now. "Looks like the Sith left some spies in the ranks here. That's why the formula was off. He gimmicked it."

 

Two security guards had rushed in by then, and the head doctor filled them in. They efficiently hustled the Sith spy out and towards the brig.

 

"Come on," I said. "We've gotta move."

 

We hurried through the corridors, Jorge acting as our guide again. The air circulation was in a subdeck, and on the far side of the vessel from where we were. As we jogged, I felt our time slipping by. We were two decks from the chamber when the alarms blared out. The Black Fist had arrived.

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

"Hoth was the only damn lead that looked remotely viable," Rhys muttered. "At least now we have some names for the Spooks to chase down."

 

Weariness began to weigh more obviously on the woman as her body's chemistry returned to its normative state. "I only want to be out until I've got a clean bill of health. I say the sooner we can take this fight to her the better."

 

Rest. TeVerd's voice was firm. Battle will come soon enough. Use the time to prepare mentally and physically, if you feel that's the best way to spend it. Or just be for a while. We'll have enough demand for our skills soon enough, I think. That goes for all of you. Burning out does no one any good.

 

"Plan on taking your own advice then Ruus'alor?" Nek offered, noting how tired the Ageless looked.

 

TeVerd fixed him with a look and then disconnected the comm.

 

"I seriously wonder about you sometimes, Doc," Vy'ika remarked as he clapped his brother on the back.

 

"You were thinking it, too, Verdeyuii. You're just mad I beat you to it."

 

"I say pack it in. I'd rather not have a group of us in the Core any longer than is needed," Vy'ika suggested, adding on to Kandor's observation. "We have no idea what sort of fall-out the sector might incur once this Ab'ki finds out the kid isn't in the bottom of that temple laying in a pile of her own drool."

 

"Thanks for that visual, Ori'vod," Mirdala said as she rested her head against the cool metal of Kandor's shoulder armor. The chill helped to dull the ache that was beginning to form just behind her eyes. She really wasn't looking forward to another empathically/Force-induced migraine, but it looked like she had little choice in the matter.

 

"Anytime, Vod'ika," He laughed before resting his helmet briefly (and gently) against her forehead. "You coming, Rhys?"

 

The other Omicron glanced over at the Wookiee and back to Nek, Mirdala, and Kandor, then shrugged. "Might as well. Nek, Kandor, you're officially on mynock minding duty," The senior Seeker gave a short wave and was shoving Vy'ika out the door not long after with the great white sandhound, Cinva padding along behind.

 

After they'd left, Nek turned his attention back to Mirdala, fully trusting the Jedi Master to see to his own state since the Doctor knew what his kind was capable of when it came to healing. "I think it's best to put you back out for a bit, get you into some bacta, and on the mend. I've made arrangements to stay at one of the local hotels. There are some promising lectures being held at one of the Medical Colleges as well, so I have a good excuse to remain in the area for the next few days at least."

 

The Ageless-hybrid doctor ushered Kandor and Kirlocca from the medical suite so he could prep Mirdala for bacta immersion in privacy for his patient.

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca remained quiet and tried to piece together exactly what had happened. Outside of the battle that raged on inside Mirdala's mind, and her very clear showing to the Jedi Master her Force abilities, there were still names and holes that were not filled. Fett, or Kandor as he has been called a few time since his arrival walked out with Kirlocca due to both be ushered out, the Wookiee turned towards the Mandalorian and spoke bluntly.

 

<< While I am happy to stay and see things through... There are still plenty of holes in this whole story, at least from my perspective. What exactly happened to her and why. And I don't need a sermon style update. The short version will do. >>

 

Even as they walked, Kirlocca allowed for the Force to heal what it could. He was not a healer, nor did he have the required skills for it, but he did have recovery techniques he would use after battles and duels. That he could do as he listened to the tale his two Mandalorian friends had been on recently.

[Moon Knight]

As he followed Kirlocca out, Kandor gave a bit of a smirk. He trusted the Wookiee and he knew the feeling was requited, but their alliance had sprung from practicality and had solidified in the heat of battle, not through any lengthy exchange of words or philosophical discourse. He rather liked that they'd never tried to fool each other into thinking or behaving otherwise, even while staunchly supporting each other in the final battles of the war.

 

Still, even Fett had to gather his thoughts for a moment to find a concise way to put all that had led them here, especially since many of the pieces had only just fallen into place. "Mirdala joined the Journeyman Protectors on Concord Dawn when she was a teenager after her parents were killed," he explained. "Early on she fought and killed the Sith to whom that lightsaber belonged, then Ab'ki took it upon herself to make Mirdala's life a living hell ever since by targeting anyone connected to her that she could find. We followed a lead to get to the bottom of this to Hoth, but we only found the lightsaber, apparently placed by Ab'ki as some sort of Force trap specifically for Mirdala."

 

He shrugged. "There's a lot more to it, but thanks to you everyone lives to fight another day," he said. Kandor glanced Kirlocca over, noting that the Wookiee was as strong and lean as ever but had a few more gray hairs. "What have you been up to? This bounty can't be good for the Order."

 

Other than Eris, he hadn't run into any jetiise bal dar'jetiise since his encounter Faust and Darkfire a few months ago, and since that demagolka had been brought down by Starlisk and Trevelian -- two jetiise he'd had the chance to meet -- he hadn't heard anything about them either. Were things actually bad enough that they'd been driven underground? Most beroyase would think twice about hunting Force users no matter what sums were involved.

[Dashel Illioni]

A quiet alarm hooted through Victim’s Refuge, heralding the arrival of BlackFist. A quick computer query showed only 10 percent of the crew having received the airborne cure, but that seemed enough. Instead of the pre-battle emotions commonly felt on warships, this one radiated hope, strength and determination through her entirety.

 

I briefly smiled with pleasure as I realized that after this battle these people would own their freedom and the right to go home. The Force took quickly over until the physical world, its cares and worries faded into the background of my mind and I rose to my feet, with the knowledge of where I would be needed first. I quietly left the bridge and went to the hangar bay where the pirates would be landing. There I found a small, sealed observation post to watch for the first Black Fist landers to breach the ship.

 

Before they did so a price needed to be paid in blood, and that price the Victim’s Haven collected with all the will and determination of her crew. From a convenient monitor I watched the initial rounds of the battle, with the first ranging salvos from then enemy ships lancing towards us and either missing or being stopped by our shields.

 

Shiani didn’t return fire. Even as fewer salvos from the enemy ships went astray she waited. The shields flared with the impact of fire from the two heavy cruisers and the eight frigates BlackFist used to screen two medium freighters probably converted to serve as landing craft. Even as their light freighters and fighters formed up to make their runs with missiles and bombs, the turbolasers and cannons of the ship remained silent.

 

I wondered why, but I sensed, through the Force, the crew understood. These people had bonded during their struggles, becoming more than a group of refugees and becoming a family and then some. Had I not been submerged in the Force, had I not had a moment of refuge, than I would have missed it.

 

These people were Force sensitive. Like the Miraluka, they had a subconscious link to the Force, binding them close. Theirs, though, went deeper. In times of stress, these people linked to each other, surrendering their individuality and becoming a single organism reacting as one and with equal knowledge of all its parts. It made me feel sad for Apollo and I made a note to tell Aira. The man, despite not having any connection to the Force, risked his life to save a people that even when among them must have made him feel as the worst kind of outcast.

 

It made them very formidable and explained why the Sith chose to turn them into soldiers. Commands and information might simply have been sensed instead of the delays necessitated by physical communication. A longing went up in my mind to find out how more about this worked, how detailed the information presented might be, and why this link developed. Before I could begin thinking about the problem too much, my Jedi discipline submerged the question deep into my subconscious and I found out why Shiani held her fire.

 

The first wave of fighters and light freighters beginning their attack runs ran into the first layer of defenses created by the Captain. Mines, floating undetected in the darkness of space activated when the small ships passed them. Pinpricks of light flared for a second before their nature revealed itself. Many of the small ships crumbled, smashed by the sudden presence of massive amounts of gravity released by the gravitic mine fields we passed through thanks to Apollo. I the crews of those ships dying, their fear and terror bringing sorrow to my heart despite their crimes.

 

I stood there, watching as the majority of that first wave of BlackFist’s small ships died forcing a path through those minefields. Those that did make it began their attack runs only to be quickly obliterated as an absolutely stunning amount of anti-aircraft fire poured from the defensive batteries of the ship. Still, though, Shiani held the big turbo lasers silent I knew her ship possessed.

Another monitor displayed the ship’s power supply and to my surprise showed that all three of the ship’s reactor systems were operational, proving a massive surplus of power for the weapon systems and shields. A thrum beneath my feet indicated a massive power build up somewhere in the ship.

 

The Victim’s refuge slowly reoriented herself, firing her thruster’s to present her bow to the gaps in the minefields created by BlackFist’s first wave of fighters. Their second wave of fighters formed up next to the cruisers and frigate’s and began advancing towards us, shielding their troop carriers and pouring fire towards us as they closed, trying to bring down our shields which held despite the onslaught of enemy weaponry. Their weapon fire strangely diminished in strength while their drives flared with diverted power, pushing their ships forward at what looked to be a reckless pace.

A quick glance downward at a small infographic on the same monitor told me that twenty percent of the crew now had the cure. Yes, Shiani’s tactics were buying time, but the dispersal of the cure did not necessitate this level of patience.

 

The thrumming beneath my feet turned out to be the prelude of what forced the pirates to try and close and what Shaini waited for. A flair of light from the ship’s bow stabbed into the darkness of, sweeping the enemies formations and leaving the capital ship’s as ruined hulks and leaving no trace of the enemy’s fighter’s behind.

 

My bracer’s commlink beeped urgently and I flipped the cover to see a Kala on the bridge of the GrassTiger.

 

“Dash,” she said quietly in fear filled voice, “that ship has a Dark Saber.”

 

“Yeah,” I said just as quietly, “and the pirates out there just found out the hard way but there’s enough left to cause trouble. Those two transports survived and it looks like some of the frigates did too. I am betting that charging their Darksaber might take longer than it will take those ships to close the distance and begin boarding.”

 

“Their captain just ordered us and their fighter’s to launch Dash. May the Force be with you,” she said and signed off.

 

I watched the monitors as our fighter squadrons began launching and the ship turned to present its broadside toward the remainder of the enemy fleet and began firing the anti-ship batteries formerly held silent. The screen soon filled with lances of light between the two sides from the big weapons and smaller ones as the last fighter’s available to BlackFist met ours. The two big transports, screened by the remaining capital ships flared their drives, reinforced their shields and ran straight towards the docking bay my tiny refuge overlooked. A few landing craft launched late by the capital ships followed in their wake, screened by the larger transports but vulnerable to fighters that began intercepting them.

 

I admired BlackFist’s determination to take this ship and realized that our destruction of their base over Corellia probably contributed to it. Had they had those additional resources, this battle might have ended already with these people captured and forced to work as a very dangerous slave army,

 

Instead, we stood a chance. It felt good to fight to alongside people fighting for their freedom despite the carnage that headed our way. My finger’s found a comm switch moments before the first transport slammed through the door of the docking bay.

 

“Aira, Delaney BlackFist will soon be aboard this ship. If they have any sense, they’ll occupy us here in the docking bay while infiltrating smaller teams that will head for strategic areas of the ship. That makes you and yours a prime target in the air circulation area and bridge. May the Force be with you, Dash out.”

 

Closing the ship circuit, I felt the crash from the first transport as it slammed into the ship’s deck and began dispersing its troopers onto the deck. One last glance told me that that cure had now reached thirty percent of the crew. The thought that the BlackFist soldiers now trying to take the ship faced people who now had hope brought a very sinister smile to my face. Apollo's people now held home field advantage and the a reason for living.

 

Stepping from the small booth, I activated my lightsabers and leapt into the middle of the enemy troops, joining the main battle for the ship.

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca nodded his head at Fett. He had suspected that Mirdala had fallen into some sort of Force Trap, as Kitt and Lei-Kim Ness spent some time researching them on Manaan. They were simple enough, yet a strong will could make them nearly impossible to break. Had there been more Jedi around like Kitt, Ara and Lei, the attempts would almost always fall short. Although those breeds of Jedi have died out recently through lack of training and sharing the knowledge. A weakness the Consular type Jedi shared. He was brought back to reality due to Fett's question on what he had been up to and the bounty on Force Users. It was a difficult question, yet to him, the answer seemed very straight forward.

 

<< I have been in exile. I could not put away my habits as I grew up with combat a normal part of my life. I held no place in an Order that was living in peace. Although I could have helped Darex fight off Faust... >>

 

Kirlocca's own mind trailed for a moment as he thought of the fact that he had never actually encountered Faust in his entire life. But most of that seemed irrelevant now. Times were changing, and speaking of the changes...

 

<< The bounty had an impact as I just left the Order in the hands of Dahar. They are scattered and their now leader will need support from the outside as well as within. There has been something stirring in the Force... It's calling and awakening so many Force users. It brought me out of exile, as well as many Dark Side users. I can feel the Dark Side growing, as well as the Light. They will be at war again, the galaxy will be at war soon. >>

 

Kirlocca stopped himself and turned to look directly at Fett, making his stance the most openly firm and serious as he could.

 

<< Mandalorians might have to make a choice...>>

 

Kirlocca let his words hang a bit. He could feel the Force staring towards chaos. The galaxy would soon be at war. Anyone who was not ready would be at the bottom of the barrel if they were not prepared.

[Moon Knight]

What Kirlocca described surrounding his exile was both what Fett didn't particularly like about the jetiise and perhaps one of the things he did like about the Wookiee. He considered it the responsibility of those with the ability to do so to fight, and too many of them shied from that course of action to instead sit and philosophize. He hadn't realized it had gotten bad enough that they would exile warriors from their ranks -- the Augury had been full of Jedi who had embraced their calling to fight in the war, to make a real difference in the galaxy using the talents that chance had granted them and hard work had tempered.

 

"If war is coming, then the Mandalorians will fight as we always have," he said, crossing his arms. Then he clarified. "As individual mercenaries, for whatever side is paying, so we can look to the welfare of the clans. Only a large-scale direct threat to our home sector could get us to unite under one banner, and no Jedi - Sith war has come close in a long time." As far as he knew, Kirlocca didn't know he was Mand'alor and thus was the one who could do that uniting. But it was strange that Kirlocca had brought the topic up as he had unless he was trying to warn Fett personally about whatever days were ahead.

 

"As for me, you know where I stand. Call for help against the Sith and I will come if I can," he said. It was his oath as Moon Knight, even if at this time he was preoccupied with a particular evil that hit a little closer to home.

 

The door to the medical center swished open and Nekkir emerged, explaining that he was satisfied with Mirdala's mental condition and the rest of her recovery would be a few hours in a bacta tank for her ankle and shoulder injuries. The doctor promised to be nearby on Corellia for a few days in case something happened, but made his exit for now after Kandor thanked him.

 

The Mando'ad then turned back to Kirlocca. "How are you holding up?" he asked. "I'm sure you have places to be, so I won't ask you to stay, but you're welcome to do so as long as you wish."

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca slowly nodded his head in acknowledgement of what Fett had spoken. He had come to know the man as one who will come to those that are his allies to defend, and he also knew that the man was not weak either. He would defend if needed. The Wookiee allowed for his head to lower in thought of Kirlocca being in a fight again against the Sith-- It was something that he didn't see happening. He could feel the sand coming to a slow in the hourglass of his life. He was still young by Wookiee standards, but something was coming that would tip everything over; and he was certain that he would end up being the piece that started the full downward spiral. But he didn't want to get all philosophical over his life and the Force with Fett, which is why he was grateful that the subject was changed.

 

<< I am doing okay. I would much rather stay until I can bid Mirdala a proper farewell. It's not too often in our lives that we can do such a thing, especially with our friends. >>

[Mirdala Ad'Goran]

Several hours later Nek signaled his return to check on Mirdala's status. Not long after, he released Mirdala from bacta and put her through a few quick tests to see how her healing was progressing before clearing her to catch a quick shower.

 

The heat from the water stream finally chased away the last of Hoth's penetrating cold from her bones. Not wanting to put undue stress on her mostly healed ankle, Mirdala relaxed against the side of the unit and let the water wash over her as she began working her way through their next steps.

 

TeVerd had wanted her and Kandor to remain low-profile and Corellia seemed the perfect place to get lost. There were large cities, but also some remote areas and nature preserves depending on their mood and needs. Having a safe haven here was a good thing, she decided, grateful for Kandor's foresight not for the first time.

 

Kandor... Her mind began to wander and she felt herself reaching out to him, almost unconsciously. He'd been the other part of her being able to defeat Ca and it had been her full trust in him as her partner that enabled Kirlocca to penetrate her mind's defenses and aid her. She didn't need the Force to tell her that it wouldn't have been possible without Kandor. Her brothers had little reason to trust Jedi, for the most part, but she was glad that they'd yielded to Kandor's judgment.

 

His words from the other night came flooding back to her, along with the weight of utter sincerity with which he'd said them. I want to marry you, Mirdala, and then find time to be a better buir than mine was...

 

She'd promised herself she wouldn't go down that road with anyone without total and utter trust. Even before her and Kandor had reunited, he'd done more for her than Tracyn ever had. He'd known secrets she'd never shared with her first husband and still stood by her in spite of them. Total trust didn't mean that he discounted her opinion when she voiced it, whether it was regarding something mission critical or something far more personal, even when it had been both. Like the subject of her delaying her Force training.

 

Was she really ready? She still wasn't sure, but she wasn't going to loose anything by trying.

 

Vi'ika began to scratch at the door, drawing her attention back to the present and the likely possibility that the others were waiting on her. "I'm coming. I'm coming," she called as she used her good hand to work herself back into a standing position. The muscles and joints still ached, but it was manageable. She was just glad she more or less had functionality from them again.

 

Wrapping herself in a towel, she popped open the door to see that someone or Vi'ika had dropped her duffel within easy reach. As she retrieved it, the wetness of the handles told her Vi'ika had been the one to fetch it. Laughing to herself, she stepped back in the refresher to dress.

 

A few minutes later and she'd joined the others just as Nek was heading back out the door.

 

"Bacta packs and rest for the ankle about 80% of the time," Nek admonished with a wave of his finger. "Seriously, no 'testing' it or your shoulder for a least two more days. Master Kirlocca, it was nice to meet you. Thank you again for your expert help." With that the good doctor ducked out the door leaving the trio of former Augury members to catch up.

 

The Mandalorian woman walked over and embraced Kirlocca in the best hug she could muster, "Thank you for being here to help. I couldn't have beaten him if it wasn't for you."

 

Then she turned to look again at Kandor, an odd expression crossing her face stepped away from the Wookiee and settled her eyes on her partner. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she hobbled over to Kandor and embraced him tightly. Part of her wanted to tell him how close things had come, but once again he'd been able to help pull her from the brink of darkness once more. The words wouldn't form, but she knew in her heart the ones to use instead.

 

"Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde, Kandor," she whispered just loud enough for him to hear.

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca returned Mirdala's embrace and gave her a sympathy look.

 

<< You did well enough for someone of your status. I've never seen such a strong mind trap before on something that could have been stumbled on upon chance... You're being hunted with a passion Mirdala... >>

 

Kirlocca gave a quick look over to Fett to make sure it was understood what level Mirdala was in.

[Moon Knight]

Kandor was glad to see Mirdala back on her feet, if a bit hobbled. It meant she was psychologically herself again, and the bacta would take care of the rest as only bacta could. He nodded gravely at Kirlocca when the jetii spoke even as he wrapped Mirdala up in his arms again supportively, for the moment content that she was on the mend, no matter what dangers still awaited them.

 

But when he recognized the words she whispered to him, his heart skipped a beat and felt the kind of rush that even life-or-death combat didn't give him. He gave her a moment to finish the vow, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath, for a few seconds forgetting about Kirlocca and focusing entirely on the woman he was holding.

 

"Mirdala, cyar'ika," he said. "Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde."

 

Embracing her tightly but trying not to hurt her injured shoulder, Kandor turned her so his back was to Kirlocca and kissed her fiercely. He was no more certain now than he had been a moment ago that everything was going to work out fine, that they would both live to see the end of Ab'ki and the threat she posed to her -- their -- aliit. He could not know the future, and knew that many hard battles were to come, victories and defeats both.

 

But the oath they had just made to each other, even in the most unceremonious of circumstances, dedicated themselves to facing whatever future was in store together. We are one whether we are together or apart, we will share everything and we will raise our children as warriors -- it was the Mandalorian marriage contract.

 

Kandor pulled back from the kiss and smiled down at his riduur, then looked back at Kirlocca, trying to find words to make sense of what had just happened to an aruetii. He grinned. "I guess that makes you the best man."