(L,F&E 29) Vengeance is not for Jedi

[kalenath]

((This is the follow-on to Penance and it is not very nice, you have been warned.))

 

<Coronet City, Correllia>

 

The team watched and waited. It had been a slow night. Being Republic Intelligence meant they could never expect glamorous jobs, but this, this was low even for RI. They had no idea, of course, what they were snatching people for. The leader thought it was a sting operation of some kind. The medic thought maybe one of their superiors had an –in- with a slaver ring. The grunts, well, they didn’t care. They did their jobs, professionally. And they didn’t ask questions. But, they were behind schedule, not much, just a bit. So seeing a likely target walk into their area of operation was a bit of good news. The leader marked the female Twi'lek and looked to see if anyone was following her. Lots of people followed others in this cesspit of a city. Some for nefarious reasons; and some for legitimate ones. But… nothing. From her clothing, she was a student. He shook his head momentarily and then got his team rolling. As always they were in the large airspeeder and moving in less than a minute. He snorted quietly. He would have had somebody’s head on a platter if they weren’t. He slid into the passenger seat and the pilot flew near the target, landing in an alley. The medic readied his gear while the capture team readied thier's. And there she was walking by the end of the alley. The leader nodded to his team and they swung into motion. The speeder moved out of the alley at a slow speed. As they passed the blue skinned girl, the door of the van slid open, and low power stunner bolt shot out, catching the girl square in the midsection. She crumbled without a sound. In seconds, both of the grunts were on the ground and heaving her still form up into the van.

 

It was a well polished routine by now. Her clothing was quickly cut off and went into a weighted bag that would be dumped in the closest available sewer along with everything in her pockets. A bag mask went over her head, the robe that they used to cover her… er… assets, went around her and the IV went in. By then, she was groggily struggling, just a bit. Both grunts held her down for a minute before the sedative did its work and she sank into slumber. Just in case, disposable binders went on both wrists and ankles. Elapsed time from the shot, 45 seconds. And just like that, they were on their way to the starport and their rendezvous with the shuttle that would take her, wherever she was going. None of the team ever asked. They knew questions could be… bad. They kept a close watch, but there was no way they could have known they were being observed from far away and from orbit.

 

Dron shook his head as he watched from his high perch on a building. His electrobinoculars had shown him the whole scene. And he had a record of it as well..

 

“Well, they got her. Professionals…” He wasn’t sure how he thought about that. He liked working with professionals and hated fighting them. He snarled to himself.

 

“High watch, they are heading for the starport, I am losing visual.” A reply came in.

 

“We have them. Why can’t we just snatch these scum?” Dron shook his head. Troc was not the brightest of bulbs but he was intensely loyal. And he hated slavers.

 

“Just maintain your watch. All we can do now…is wait.” He started packing up his gear, and for just a moment, thought about a blue skinned Twilek and shook his head.

 

I hope the Force is with you Ma’am, you will need it…

[kalenath]

<Somewhere>

 

Dia woke and immediately retched. A hand grabbed her shoulder and moved her head so that what happened fell into a container. The same hands held her while she shuddered. Once she had finished, the hands lowered her back to the surface she was lying on and released her. She panted for a moment, and then opened her eyes. Then she froze. Kneeling beside her…

 

“Welcome to my ship, Dia Ulahadottor.” Nja Orh squatted on her heels. “We have been expecting you.” Dia shook her head, trying to clear the muzziness out of it so she could use the Force but Naj just smiled.

 

“Don’t bother. Between the dosage we used and the nullifiers, you are not going to be able to use the Force any time soon. And as soon as you recover enough, you are getting some… special implants. Dia tried to swing her legs up to kick the woman, but something stopped them and then held them down. The woman smiled and Dia felt her arms protest as they were strapped down. Dia didn’t speak, didn’t protest, didn’t say anything. Naj seemed a bit taken aback by that. “What no witty repartee?”

 

Dia just looked at her, as one might examine a bug under ones shoe. Then she turned her head away. Naj laughed. Dia repressed a shiver as the woman ran a hand along her body.

 

“Oh we are going to have such good times…” Dia heard a door close and something covered her face. She felt sick and scared, but she knew what she had to do. Now if only she could do it. She focused into herself, deep. But before she could go any farther, something touched her on the arm and she was falling…

 

<Later>

 

When she woke, she was strapped to a table. Medical gear surrounded her and a figure moved nearby. She focused on it. Twilek, female, age about 25. She spoke quietly.

 

“Kina?” The figure paused momentarily, and then continued what it was doing. Dia nodded to herself. It was Kina, at least, she matched the descriptions of the mate of Cranna’s former partner. Suddenly she went limp. She looked at her arm and saw a needle retracting into a droid hovering nearby. Muscle relaxant. The white clad figure came close, but she couldn't move to see what she was doing. She couldn’t move anything. Something forced its way past her lax jaws and down her throat. She tried her fingers and toes, but they were numb. But her lekku tips twitched and she bit back a smile. They couldn’t give her too much or it would kill her. She still had a chance.

 

The other Twilek moved closer and Dia took a chance. They had restrained her hands and feet, but not her lekku. She moved her lekku from where they had fallen limp and brushed one across the girl’s leg. The girl froze for a moment, and then continued what she was doing. When she came back close, Dia swiped her lekku across the other’s path and thought hard at her.

 

KINA!

 

The white garbed twilek froze in her tracks and looked around, then down at Dia. She moved slowly to move the lekku out of her way, and when she touched it, Dia thought hard again.

 

KINA HEAR ME!

 

Kina blinked. She shook her head, but looked at Dia, and didn’t drop the lekku. Dia focused everything she had into her desperate message.

 

We haven’t got a lot of time, you can’t talk, I know they did that to you, but you can hear me. They programmed you. I know it. But… they are not the Republic. Kina hear me they are NOT the Republic.

 

Dia shook from the effort of sending to as nonForce user. And then Kina put her lekku back on the table. The hatch opened and Dia froze as she saw a white garbed form and a surgical droid. Kina strapped Dia’s lekku to the head of the table and a voice came.

 

“Good girl, Kina, now go take care of your kids.” Dia cringed as she saw the figure of Nja following the surgeons in. She couldn’t move as they restrained her more tightly. The head they secured especially tightly and the two lekku they carefully strapped to the sides. The droid hovered close and she could see the horrific devices that sat in its bins, ready to be inserted into her body. The woman in red ran a hand across Dia’s jaw and she put what power she could into a grimace. Naj just smiled.

 

“By this time tomorrow you will beg for my touch.” The surgical droid came close and with a hiss a hose connected to the tube that ran into her mouth. Dia comforted herself with the knowledge that whatever the evil woman did to her, her days were numbered. She took that knowledge into slumber with her.

[kalenath]

Kina sat in her chair and listened to the lesson, but her mind was racing.

 

Not the Republic, not the Republic… Not the Republic… Against the Republic… Defend the Republic.

 

She keyed her thoughts into the main lesson and watched as the children all looked at her. She nodded. They all disconnected as one. The children all looked at her.

 

She walked to the terminal beside the door. She keyed an inquiry in and found that the woman, she never called her by name in her mind, was busy in the surgical suite. Kina stood in thought for a moment, then opened the door and walked out of the room. While she had only been out of the room once, she had a map built into one of her implants and she walked to the room marked ‘Communications’. The guard inside looked up at her in surprise. She looked at him with no expression at all on her face. His took on a lecherous cast.

 

“Well, well, well. What have we here? It’s one of the dummies. Come to keep me company?” She ignored him, examining the walls and equipment. He got out of his chair and came towards her, his hands behind his back. “You sure are a pretty little thing. Let’s see what you really have under that suit…” He reached for her and she slapped a sedative against his neck. He collapsed to the floor before he could make a sound. She quickly tied his hands and feet with cord she found in a drawer. Not that he would wake up for at least two hours, but… Kina looked over the equipment and quickly entered a series of codes into the terminal before leaving for her next stop.

 

The guards in the armory were bemused by the twenty-four children who marched up to them in unison, then alarmed, but only momentarily before expert blows from small fists drove all four of them into unconsciousness. None even got close to sounding an alarm. Small arms were quickly distributed and the children, er, small soldiers, moved out in fire teams as soon as they were armed. Nothing was said aloud, nothing needed to be said. One of the side effects of their implants was that they could communicate mind to mind, almost like telepathy, almost.

 

On the bridge, both hatches opened as one and the two soldiers detailed to guard the doors went down quickly to accurate blaster shots and the rest of the bridge crew fared no better. It should be noted that the children showed amazing restraint, using the stun setting of their weapons and only tying up their prisoners.

 

The engine room crew fared no better. They lasted long enough for one to sound an alarm before all of them were stunned and trussed up.

 

She heard the alarm and cursed. She was enjoying herself watching the Jedi be cut up, but… she shook her head. She was needed. She stepped out of the surgical suite and met three blaster shots. Naj hit the ground unconscious before she could even blink. Kina walked into the surgical suite and snarled as she saw the surgeon still working on Dia. She keyed an override into the command remote that Naj had carried and the surgeon withdrew. She ordered him to fix what he had done and he and the droid began again. Kina stared at Dia’s still form and shuddered. Her eyes burned and for the first time in months, Kina cried.

[kalenath]

<18 hours later>

 

Cranna sat on her couch and studied the holo of the ship in front of her. It was a standard Republic design. Blockade runner class cruiser. What was not standard was the hangar bay that was slung under the ship. Even from here, she could make out red armored forms. She flinched then looked at the strange pair who had arrived just before they had left. Jina Darkstorm and Olanagychew had come from Kashykk looking for information on a piece of cortosis mesh that they had found on a Dark Side beast of all things. When they had heard what happened, both had demanded to come along. Now they were approaching the coordinates and lo and behold here was the ship. Her com officer hailed it but there was no response. Cranna ordered the weapons hot just in case, and then a shuttle to board the ship. Olana and Jina didn’t bother to ask, they just showed up in the hangar and Cranna snorted. The heavily armed mercs looked at the huge wookiee and the woman and wisely refrained from comments.

 

The flight was short. In minutes they were touching down on the hangar deck of the cruiser, but… there was no one there. They were about to fan out through the ship when a small white garbed form appeared. The mercs aimed at it, but then moved their weapons aside as they realized it was a child. Jina walked up to the little girl slowly. The girl looked at her without fear. Jina went down on one knee and looked the girl in the eyes.

 

“What has happened here?” She asked carefully. The girl looked at her, then slowly reached up to a shirt pocket and withdrew a datapad, which she wrote on quickly. She handed it to Jina. Jina drew a quick breath. “You can’t talk?” The girl nodded. Jina took the pad and read it, then did a doubletake. She laughed. “You didn't…” The girl grinned. Jina turned back to the mercs who were watching wide eyed.

 

“The kids took over the ship.” The mercs stared then scoffed in disbelief. Before Jina could caution them, sounds came from all around them and white garbed forms appeared all around them. All armed, and not all with light weapons either. Jina grinned and Dron actually laughed as he slung his rifle. The tension evaporated as the merc realized that yes the kids had taken the ship. Jina looked at the girl.

 

“Where is Dia?” The girl looked sad now and waved for Jina to follow. After a startled moment she did and Olana followed as well. The girl led them through the ship to what on a normal blockade runner would be the officer’s quarters and she braced to attention before knocking on the door. It hissed open. Jina looked inside. There were two white garbed adult figures inside and on the bed… Jina froze, keyed a quick code into her comlink and then ran to the bed. She knelt down beside it.

 

“Took you long enough.” Dia said in the weak voice that was all she could manage. Her body was swathed in bandages and covered in medical gear, but… Olana stared, and then he cried out, a mournful tone. Dia looked at him. “Olana, come here.” He did, bending down to keep from hitting his head on the ceiling. She reached up a weak hand and he took it in his massive paw.

 

“Do not…grieve for me. I have done… what I had to do… The children are safe, Naj Orh is stopped.” She coughed, and the woman in white looked pleadingly at Jina, but Jina could see, even with the Force, that Dia’s time was short. She shook her head. Dia spoke again, and they strained to hear her.

 

“Kina, it is all right.” The woman shook her head violently. “Kina…” The woman looked at Dia and the bedridden Twilek held out her hand to the other woman. The white clad woman held onto Dia’s hand as if drowning and offered a life preserver. “The children will need you, and the others. They will… need you…” A noise from outside heralded the arrival of Nolikas, who looked at Dia and uttered a cry.

 

“Dia…” Nolikas knelt beside the bed and opened her scanner, but even before it swept the form, the Rakata knew. Dia shook her head.

 

“I don’t think she meant for me to survive long. They took out too much.” It wasn’t a question. Nolikas buried her face in her hands, but Dia spoke again.

 

“Do not grieve for me. I go to join the Force.” Nolikas and Jina both nodded, but Olana huffed and barked.

 

<And Nia?> Dia slumped. When she spoke, it was quiet and sad.

 

“Nia will be busy. She just inherited twenty four siblings.” Everyone stared at her. Dia looked at the small forms that crowded in now. And she smiled.

 

“None of you knew where the initial samples came from. They came from a woman named Maria Kalenath and her son, Will Kalenath.” All of the children stared at her, as did Jina and Olana. “I knew it the moment I saw Marc…” She was weak now, her hands limp in Kina’s and Olana’s. “Olana…” He leaned close to her and she kissed him on the nose.

 

“What happened with Sharra wasn’t your fault, neither is this.” He stared at her. “Tell Nia… I…” She slumped back on the bed and the medical monitors all went off. Nolikas reached for her gear to try and resuscitate, but it was no use. She tried anyway. . Olana gave voice to an eerie howl. After more than ten minutes of trying, Kina held up a hand in front of Nolikas and shook her head. Nolikas shook hers, and Kina held out her arms. Nolikas fell into them and sobbed. Jina knelt beside the bed, with her head bowed. They stayed that way for a long time.

[kalenath]

Cranna came aboard and found the somber group. She slumped. She had liked the Jedi, not Jedi, whatever Dia had been, she had liked her. She didn’t force her way in, just stood at the entrance. Then she looked around. When she spoke, her voice was cold.

 

“Where is she?” The mercs who had accompanied her all froze at her tone. They knew what she was capable of and when she got mad… The children standing guard ignored her. She looked closely at them and blinked. All of the ones she could see had black hair and green eyes. Boys and girls. None could be older than ten standard, but… all handled their weapons with surety. Surety that could only come from long experience. Her eyes narrowed. One of them, a girl, came to her and handed her a datapad. She took it, nodded her thanks, looked at it and smiled evilly. She looked at the girl. The girl nodded. Cranna held out a hand and the girl took her forearm in a warriors embrace. Cranna smiled, it was not a nice smile, but if it bothered the children it was unapparent.

 

“She underestimated you didn’t she?” The girl smiled back, like a cherub. But no, Cranna mused, more like a demon pretending to be a cherub. “I will leave it with you.” The girl smiled a bit more naturally this time and Cranna patted her on the head. The girl took the pad back and scribbled on it, Cranna looked over her shoulder and read.

 

“Yes, we have more medical personnel coming, Nolikas and her team are the best… they can have those nasty things out of you…” She broke off as the girl shook her head emphatically. “What?” Cranna asked perplexed. The girl wrote again and Cranna read, her eyes got wide.

 

“Girl… No… It's wrong, you…” The girl wrote more and Cranna just shook her head ans the girl underlined what she wrote twice. Defend the Republic…

 

“Young one, what they did to you was wrong, we can take you back to your families.” The girl shook her head and waved Cranna into another room. Inside she shut the door and wrote something else. Cranna looked at it and blanched.

 

We don’t have families, we are all we have. The others, the prisoners, they have homes to go back to, most of them, but we don’t. She made us, she made us…

 

The girl broke off writing and slumped. Cranna looked at her for a moment, and then took the girls shoulders in pudgy fists. When she spoke it was kind.

 

“You do have a family. I understand, better than you know, about being alone in the universe.” For just a moment, Cranna’s voice caught, then she continued. “But your family is in trouble, and I need to go help them…” The girl looked at her and her face became hard. Cranna stared at her, and then sighed.

 

I shouldn’t have said that…

[kalenath]

I don’t understand…

 

Were Kina’s first thought on coming out of sedation. Her second thought was to panic, but a warm hand on her brow calmed her and she looked into the eyes of the healer Nolikas. Nolikas smiled at her, and after a moment, Kina smiled back.

 

“We took out what we could here, don’t push yourself.” She held a glass with a straw to Kina’s lips and the Twilek drank gratefully. She was parched. She tried to sit up and Nolikas held her down gently. “Come on, you know better than that.”

 

Kina smiled at the wry tone that overlaid the sadness that pervaded the Jedi healer. She opened her mouth and for the first time in months, spoke.

 

“Not right…” Nolikas looked at her and shook her head.

 

“Don’t push it. Having the speech center of your brain desensitized was not intended to be reversible. Luckily we know a few tricks.” Kina smiled at Nolikas’ modesty. She was only med tech trained, sure, but she knew artistry when she saw it. If she had been sooner, she probably could have saved Dia. Kina stared at the Rakata and smiled. She opened her mouth again, carefully.

 

“Thank… you….” Nolikas nodded, and then smiled.

 

“Someone has been waiting very impatiently for you to wake up. He has been a model of restraint, but…” Kina stared at the healer, who waved towards the door. Which opened, Standing in it... Her eyes blurred. She stared at the form of the male Twilek who stood looking at her.

 

“Dra…ga…?” Kina's voice was hesitant, scared almost. He came to the side of her bed and took her hand.

 

“It’s me, Kina. It’s me, my heart…” Her mate held her as she sobbed and Nolikas bid a quiet retreat, after keying the equipment to keep her notified of Kina’s condition.

 

Whatever else that witch was, at least she spared no expense on medical equipment.

 

She nodded to the guards, smiling a bit at the dichotomy of seeing a huge hard bitten Rodian merc and a small human boy standing side by side. But she KNEW which one was more lethal. And it wasn’t the Rodian… Cranna’s people were very nervous around the kids and who could blame them? Will was scary enough, having twenty some odd small copies of him running around… She shook her head and walked to the room Cranna had set up as a temporary command center. Cranna looked up from what she was doing and smiled as Nolikas did. Both liked happy endings, not that this was ended, but it was on the way there. Nolikas sat and poured herself a cup of caf, after so long in surgery, she needed it. After a few minutes, Cranna finished what she was doing and came over. They shared a moment of silence, and then Nolikas spoke.

 

“Twenty two former prisoners, in various states. “ The cells hadn’t been full, not by along shot, but the ones that had occupants… Jedi didn’t get nightmares normally, and Nolikas was happy for that, but the images would remain with her for a long time. “Twenty eight children, twenty four of them Will’s get.” Cranna nodded. What a mess. Will must have, donated, some of his genetic material when they had him seventeen years previous. And Maria of course had also been a donor, but…

 

“Do we have any idea how she did it?” Nolikas nodded, silent. “Do I want to know?” Nolikas shook her head. She had perused the records, and then utterly horrified, deleted them all. “Can it be done again?” Nolikas slumped and that was all the answer Cranna needed. She cursed, and then laid a hand on Nolikas’ shoulder.

 

“I may not trust many people, but… The Jedi will need that information, won’t they? Tell me you made a copy.” Nolikas shook her head, savagely. Cranna made a strange noise, somewhere between a sigh and a groan. “And what happens when someone does this again? Sooner or later someone will.” Nolikas stared at her in horror. That had never occurred to her. Cranna sighed again.

 

“Nolikas, I know will be hard, but someone has to remember this, and when I am gone, my line dies. But you have to write it down, put it in the Archives, bury it deep, but it has to be recorded. Or when it happens again, no one will know what to do. How to help the victims.” Nolkas stared at Cranna, then slumped. The Hutt was right, as evil as this was, it was her duty as a healer to record it, so that future generations could learn front the horror. And maybe not repeat it. Nolikas sighed and pulled out a datapad to start writing. Cranna gave her shoulders a pat and went back to her work.

Edited August 22, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

<Records room>

 

Jina sat and thought hard as she went through the horrific job of trying to find something, anything to identify some of the unfortunates who had been placed in the droids. Luckily, only five of the droids had been… implanted, but those five beings were bad off. Between the shock of being stuck in something with no control over their own bodies anymore and the horrific tortures that the woman had subjected the prisoners to in order to make them easier subjects,, the beings –a wookiee, a bothan and three humans- were completely insane. They were sedated now, and Nolikas thought she could help them, but it would take time, and not a little of it to restore their sanity. And they might never be as they were.

 

Then she looked at something, a sixth droid had been implanted. She shook her head. There just seemed to be no end to the evils on this ship of horrors. She rose to her feet and stretched. It wasn’t like that droid was going any where… She blinked. Then she looked back at the records, and inhaled sharply. The droid lacked motivators on its appendages, and weapons. Why put someone in a non-functioning droid? Then she looked at the time stamp and froze. She jumped to her feet and ran towards the hangar.

 

Jina stared at the droid. She couldn’t sense the person inside it. The Force dampening effects of the cortosis laced armor made sure of that, but she shook her head. She knew. She turned and walked back towards where Cranna had set up shop.

 

“It’s evil Cranna.” Jina’s voice was soft, but it cut through the hubbub around Cranna like a knife. Everything stopped, but Cranna just looked at Jina and waved her people back to work. She waved for Jina to follow and the Hutt started towards the Medical ward. Cranna didn’t slow and Jina had to hurry to keep up. When Cranna spoke it was conversational, almost hiding the pain and rage that underlay it.

 

“What are you worried about? They didn’t kill her.” Jina flinched from the Hutt’s tone. No matter HOW different Cranna might be, she was still a Hutt, and Hutts did nothing halfway.

 

“Cranna, she has to stand trial, she has to pay for her crimes…” Cranna stopped in the middle of the hallway and looked Jina square in the eyes.

 

“She is going to pay for her crimes, for along, long time. That droid will keep her alive for about a hundred years, give or take. You want to put her on trial, go right ahead, you will not be able to remove her from the droid. There are more than five different charges set inside it to go off if anyone moves her from the chair she is strapped to. Those kids are scarily competent. And they had reason to be vindictive.” Jian shook her head.

 

“Vengeance is not the Jedi way, Cranna.” Cranna snorted.

 

“That isn’t vengeance, that is poetic justice. They did it for Dia and all the others who have died on this ship and because of her.” Jina shuddered at the Hutt’s tone, then shook her head and followed.

 

“At least tell me she is sedated.” Cranna smiled slightly and continued on her way.

 

<Hangar Bay>

 

In the hangar bay, the broken form of the droid sat, alone. Inside, Naj Orh screamed silently. She couldn’t move, she could hear and see, but nothing else. Only scream, and since they had done to her what she had done to all of them no sound was heard, just the hiss and whine of droid innards. It was only a few minutes before she was on the brink of madness, but then an injection to her strapped down arm brought her back to lucidity, until she started screaming again. Trying to anyway.

[kalenath]

<Medical ward 1>

 

Kina sat, holding her mate’s hand as he stroked her head. She couldn’t believe. Her voice was still weak, but it was growing in strength as she used it.

 

“You… they said you were dead. That’s why they made me a nurse…” She shuddered and sobbed as memory came. Draga held her tight as she sobbed and she leaned into his embrace. He murmured soothing things as he held her.

 

“Cranna stunned me and had me put in carbon freeze, it was the best solution. We knew it was only a stopgap, but if I wasn’t in the picture, maybe…” She stared at him in horror then hugged him again.

 

“I’m sorry.” Came a new voice and they both looked up to see Cranna in the doorway. Draga moved so he was facing her and Cranna made a face, it wasn’t a frown, but that was the closest approximation. “We thought if he was dead, they would let you go, we had no idea…” The sorrow in the Hutt’s vice hit the Twilek hard. It wasn’t something she had ever heard in a Hutt’s voice but it called to her.

 

“It… not… your… fault…” She gasped out, her throat afire. Cranna stared at her, and then shook her head.

 

“Maybe not my fault, but my responsibility. No…” She raised a hand as Kina opened her mouth to protest again. “Do not speak. You will strain your throat more than it has been. Rest Kina, we have a lot of work to do, and you and Draga will be a major part of it.” The Hutt turned and left, leaving Kina to sit, staring after her in shock. Kindly Hutt… She had always thought that was a contradiction in terms. Then she looked at Draga, who shrugged.

 

“Cranna is… Cranna. Trying to quantify her is useless. Oh Kina…” He held her tight again and she leaned into his embrace. He handed her a cup and she drank, tasting the restorative and the sedative mixed in and drinking it with no complaints. She took his quiet sobbing to slumber with her, but there was a smile on her face when she fell asleep.

 

<A few minutes later>

 

Nolikas looked up as the male Twilek came in. She smiled and he did as well. He bowed to her, formally and she scoffed.

 

“It’s my job.” Draga snorted. He came up to where she was sitting and spoke quietly.

 

“Anything I can do healer. You have given me back my life.” Nolikas looked at him and tears fell from her eyestalks.

 

“I didn’t. Dia did.” He looked at her and bowed his head.

 

“I know, but… I can’t help her. I can help you.” She sat up straight at that, and then nodded to him.

 

“This is… horrific. And I deleted all other records of what that woman did, so I am the only one who can do this.” He nodded. “Cranna has said you are skilled at organizing, this place needs some serious organizing.” He looked around at all the records and nodded. “We need to know how many people got shipped through here, how many of those… things, got moved elsewhere. We are not going to be taking this ship anywhere close to Republic space for a while.” Draga sat down and started looking over the records, when he spoke it was quiet.

 

“What about the crew of this ship? What will happen to them?” Nolikas snorted and Draga looked at her.

 

“I understand that is… under discussion.” Draga snorted at her dry tone, then dove into the piles of records.

[kalenath]

Some discussion.

 

Jina sat and watched as Olana tried to talk to the children who simply stood and listened, then shook their heads in unison. Now THAT was creepy. Jina shook her head and the girl who had greeted her when she arrived aboard came over. Jina spoke carefully and quietly.

 

“You can’t just kill them.” The girl, they still hadn’t chosen names for themselves so she called herself 23, sighed. Then she pulled out her pad and wrote on it. When she handed it to Jina it had two words written on it.

 

Why not?

 

Jina blinked, and then she sat on the deck and motioned for the girl to do the same.

 

“I can’t call you 23” She shook her head. “Not all of them are evil. The surgeon… Do you blame him?” The girl looked at her, and then shook her head. He had been implanted as well, and as soon as they removed them, he had gone completely mad. The knowledge that he had done such horrific things had been too much for his mind. They had sedated him, but too late. On examination, his mind was completely gone, he was a gibbering vegetable who had to be supervised in every task. Not even Nolikas thought he could be salvaged. Jina continued. “Some of them yes, were evil and will be tried and punished.” The girl looked doubtful, but Jina continued. “Some of them had no idea at all what was really going on. Would you punish them?” The girl slumped, then took her pad again and wrote on it.

 

How do we tell the difference? They were here, they did nothing. They hurt us and others. Many others.

 

Jina read the girl’s writing and sighed.

 

“It will be hard, but… what if you are wrong? What if you space someone who was just here because he was ordered to be here? How would you feel then?” The girl sat back, thinking hard. Then she took the pad and wrote again.

 

This is not what we were trained for, they never bothered to teach us why.

 

Jina nodded. The girl looked closely at her. Jina sighed.

 

“It is always easier to obey than to think. That doesn’t make it better. You need to learn the whys of the rules. Not just the rules.” Now the girl slumped. When she wrote, her hand was shaking a bit.

 

Can you teach us?

 

Jina froze on reading that. Then she shook her head.

 

“I am not a soldier, but…” She held up a hand as the girl stiffened. “I know someone who is…”

[kalenath]

<Medical ward 2>

 

“Are you crazy?” Jina had to smile. That was exactly what Olana had said when she suggested this, but… Roan Dijore lay in his bed and tried not to move. He had been lucky. The implants that had been put into him were sanitary in nature. While they were uncomfortable, his mind was intact. And as shrewd as ever. Jian looked at him and smiled, he just shook his head, as far as he could. He wasn’t restrained, but with so many needing the two kolto tanks, his injuries were not life threatening. So he waited, and they used older, slower methods. Traction… “Go ahead, smile, Jedi, this is no laughing matter.” Jina sighed.

 

“I know, but…” She snorted in amusement. “Every time I deal with Republic Military someone asks me if I am crazy. I must be, I keep associating with you lunatics.” Dijore had to laugh at her dry humor then winced as something grated inside him. Jina was beside him in an instant, but he shook his head and sighed.

 

“Pain and I are old friends Jedi.” She smiled at his brave words and laid a hand on his. He nodded as her power flowed into him and dulled his pain for just a moment. “But thank you. What you ask… I don’t know if I can give.” She looked at him and he shook his head.

 

“You know I questioned my orders, a lot, which is why I got sent on this assignment.” Jina nodded. And that was why he had been caught so easily too. “I… I am too quick to… go around… the rules. I am NOT the person you want teaching anyone ethics. You want someone like Will doing it.” Jina laughed aloud at that and Roan smiled. “Yeah, I know, it boggles the mind, asking a pirate to teach ethics, but he isn’t really…” She nodded. “Master Darkstorm, I am NOT the person to do this.”

 

Jina looked at him and spoke quietly.

 

“What should we do with the crew?” He stared at her, then nodded.

 

“According to Military Law, we should turn them over to higher authority for trial. But since Republic Intelligence Special Branch IS the highest authority… They would either disappear or die in ‘accidents’ on the way to trial.” Jina nodded, that was her assessment too. He sighed. “My gut reaction, space them all. It will be quicker and cleaner, but my gut reactions are suspect these days.” He waved toward where his stomach was bandaged. The torture he had undergone had been thorough in its coverage of his body. Jina had to laugh when he did. Then he sobered and spoke quietly.

 

“Any we have records showing they assisted in this… abomination, should be executed without delay. The longer we stay here, the greater the chance that Special Branch will send someone to look for us. We should move the ship if we can....” He stopped as Jina smiled slightly and he groaned. “You already did…”

 

“You were asleep. We didn’t want to wake you.” Roan smiled.

 

“Thank you, after waking far too many times to that… witch’s gloating face, waking to Kina’s and yours was a vast improvement.” He took a deep breath. “What do you need from me?”

 

“These kids are trained to kill on command.” Dijore’s eyes widened. “That is a lot of power. We need someone to instruct them who is not motivated by power.” Now he looked at her funny.

 

“How do you know I am not?” She smiled and opened a datapad. She stared reading aloud.

 

“Dijore, Roan. Service number 184748-192, service record history, Onderon Judge Advocate General Office. Decorated for discovering slave ring and sustaining injuries in the course of shutting it down. Disciplined 4-1087 Refused to testify against fellow officer, trial later determined to have been rigged. Posted Telos…” Roan shook his head and she stopped.

 

“I am not a saint.” He spoke quietly and she replied equally quietly.

 

“We don’t need saint, we need you.” He slumped, and then nodded.

 

“When?” She raised an eyebrow and he laughed.

 

<Ten minutes later>

 

“My name is Roan Dijore. I serve in Republic Military Intelligence. I have been asked to talk to you today because of what happened to you, and me…” Jina watched as Roan spoke to the small crowd of children who sat beside his bed. Then she turned and left the room, one problem handled, only hundreds more to go.

[kalenath]

<The bridge, two days later>

 

“They are serious Cranna. They want to help.” The Hutt sat, shaken to her core. Of all the things she had expected on finding and rescuing the inhabitants of this ship, this had not been on the list. Dijore sat in the chair that he used to get around and shifted just a bit trying to get comfortable. He was slated to go into the tank today, and Cranna smiled at him. His willingness to assist in any way he could went along way to restoring the Hutt’s faith in the Republic Military. Maybe not the Intelligence Service, but the Military. She sighed.

 

“There is no question, they could help. From what I understand the Stormhawk is outnumbered, even with her allies, three to one. But… Commander Dijore, they are kids…” Cranna shook her head again. Dijore shook his head.

 

“No they are not. I don’t know what they are, besides scary.” Cranna’s eyes narrowed, but Dijore continued. “These ‘kids’ are better trained than most Special Forces teams I have worked with. Add to that these new model droids…” Cranna shook her huge head again. The droids they had found on the ship were two models. The old ones, where the…pilot… was strapped in and never came out, and the new ones, same size, but smaller cockpit, and cockpit it was. The droids had twice the firepower of the old ones with the same armor and Force dampening ability. Add to that the pilots being interchangeable and… She shook her head violently.

 

“It is wrong to use them.” Dijore sighed. He felt the same way.

 

“I agree, Cranna. They don’t.” She looked at him, then at the little girl who accompanied him. She had finally chosen a name. Cranna looked at her and frowned slightly.

 

“Marta, why?” The girl thought hard for a moment, then pulled out her pad. Dijore snatched it from her hand. He had told her, and told her, and told her, but she just kept trying to do things as she had.

 

“Talk Marta, not write.” She snarled at him, but opened her mouth and spoke. She had only been speaking for a day and a half. They all knew how of course, but… it had never been needed. Now with so many who couldn’t talk via implants it was. Marta spoke and her voice was a mixture of little girl and battle weary soldier. Her voice was rough, as yet, she didn’t practice as she should, but Dijore was working with her and the others.

 

“We make difference.” She stared at them, and then frowned and corrected herself. “We can make a difference.” Dijore smiled at her, and she responded with a purely childish smile. But it faded as Cranna spoke.

 

“Marta, please understand. To us, you are children, not soldiers, not warriors, children. Beings t nbe nurtured, protected, allowed to grow, to live.” Marta waited until cranna was done then spoke again, her voice rough with more than just disuse now.

 

“And how long live?” She shook her head savagely and spoke again. “And how long will we live?” Cranna stared at her, then at Dijore.

 

“They told me this morning, “I” didn’t know. Cranna…” Dijore was crying now. Cranna felt her eyes burn as well. Marta took Dijore’s hands in hers and spoke softly.

 

“We built… to fight… to defend Republic…please, let us fight… as we should…” Cranna shook her head.

 

“We will find a way to save you. No matter what they did to you. Nolikas is doing everything she can.” Marta looked at the floor, then up at Cranna.

 

“Healer save if can. Jedi Dia save already, we owe. Let us pay debt to Stormhawk, home of Dia, let us have vengeance.” Both Dijore and Cranna froze at the hard tone that came from the girl. It was Cranna who spoke.

 

“The Jedi do not believe in vengeance.” Marta nodded, Jina and Noliaks had both said the same thing and Marta had an answer ready.

 

“Vengeance not for Jedi, vengeance for Dia. Please, let us honor Dia. It… it all we can do…” Cranna and Dijore both looked at the small figure in front of them and bowed their heads. Marta nodded.

[kalenath]

<Three days later>

 

“We will continue, try to find some way…” Nolikas broke off. She and Jrick stood in the hangar bay next to Cranna’s shuttle. Cranna sat on her float and shook her head. The information they had found was… horrific didn’t begin to describe it.

 

“Nolikas, this is the last chance you and Jrick have to get off this ship. Maybe you can make it to the Stormhawk, maybe not. It will be a battle.” Deep in her bone, Cranna wanted to come, to fight, and probably to die in battle, but she wasn’t a Huttlett anymore, she had duties, responsibilities. Nolikas looked calm and collected, but Cranna knew her internal torment had to be as bad as Jrick’s who was crying. He had been crying for two days, ever since he had found out…

 

“Then it will be a battle, they will need medical support.” Nolikas’s voice was rough, and Cranna nodded. The Hutt looked over her shoulder at a pair of beings who left the shuttle and walked towards them. She took Nolikas’ hands in hers and gave them a squeeze, then nodded to the new pair, and without a word, turned her float and went up into her shuttle. Tears could wait. Nolikas looked at the new pair and the Cathar spoke.

 

“We should move.” Nolikas nodded. Engine exhaust wasn’t healthy. They moved away as Cranna’s shuttle ignited its engines. “As good as you and Jrick are, you will need help.” Katherine set her backpack down and sighed as Cranna’s shuttle took off.

 

“I didn’t know, Nolikas, or I would have been here sooner.” Nolikas nodded. “How can we help?” Nolikas looked at the Cathar medic and the human soldier and shook her head, then waved for them to follow her.

 

“We don’t know exactly what they did. Its not listed in any of the records we have found and deciphered so far…”

 

<School compartment>

 

Kina was crying hard. To learn this… She sat down, HARD and bowed her head.

 

“I didn’t know… I didn’t know… Oh god, what have I done…” She broke down and sobbed, but a small hand touched her on the shoulder and she looked up into Marta’s face.

 

“You saved us all.” Martas voice was kind. But Kina shook her head.

 

"I didn’t know, I didn’t know… why didn’t you say something?” Marta shook her small head gently and sat beside Kina, she laid an arm on the Twilek’s shoulders and suddenly there was a crowd of small forms close around her. It felt… Her eyes widened.

 

We didn’t know, not until Nolikas told us She heard Marta’s voice in her head. You had no choice. You had to do what you did.

 

She shook her head, but the gentle touch didn’t vanish. Marta hugged her tight.

 

We will live, for a time, until the immunity supplements run out. And the Jedi healer is trying to identify what we need. Maybe she can, it is not your fault.

 

Kina shook her head, but the group was too kind, too warm, too accepting for her to refuse the touch, she sank into it gratefully. Draga stood by, excluded, but he didn’t mind. He knew. Nolikas had told them all as soon as she had discovered that the evil woman who had created these children had made sure that they were lacking basic immunities. Without the immunity drugs that she provided, they would die, quickly, to common ailments that most inhabitants of the galaxy wouldn’t even get sick from anymore. Kina had been lucky. She hadn’t received the full treatment, probably because the woman had wanted her lucid and mobile to handle the menial tasks of feeding and cleaning the children.

 

“I…” Kina broke down and cried harder. Draga moved closer to her and hugged her tight, The children made way for him and he extended his other arm to them. He couldn’t hear them mind to mind, but for just an instant, it didn’t matter. For this moment, they were all part of one large, very sad being.

 

<The next day>

 

It had taken quite a while for Draga to calm Kina down enough to get her to sleep, but she had finally dropped off. She still blamed herself, even though the children did not. No, he corrected himself, they were not children. He sat for a moment, thinking hard, and then looked at Marta who looked at him with worry on her face.

 

“What are you going to do?” She asked quietly. She hadn’t touched his mind, just the edges, but she could see he had come to a decision. And it worried her.

 

“I owe you my mate’s life, but I cannot talk the way you do.” Marta started at him without comprehension, and then flinched as she realized what he was talking about. All the blood drained from her face ansd she sat heavily.

 

“No. She would never do it and Kina will never allow it.” Draga nodded. But then he spoke.

 

“Correct me if I am wrong. You need a central command structure, orders from above.” Marta nodded dubious. “You would obey Dijore’s orders, but you can’t hear him, and after what he went through he is too weak to survive further implantation.” She shook her head, worried now.

 

“You do that and you will not come out whole. Kina…” He nodded and she broke off.

 

“Isn’t as she was. She was so strong, so full of life, now… she’s just empty. You gave her a purpose, now…” Marta nodded, still shaking her head.

 

“Draga, mate of Kina, listen, please… Implantation, it hurt, not physical…” her speaking slipped and she spoke broken Basic as she had at first. “It... It abomination, Nolikas say. And she right. Listen!” She took his shoulders in her small hand sand shook him, hard. “Do not think this. We find way. You important. We… me… no want lose you.” Marta’s eyes were red and Draga hugged her tight. He nodded, but his thoughts were far away.

 

<Two hours later>

 

Draga lay back and listened as someone pounded on the hatch, but it was no good. It would take them at least thirty minutes to slice their way in. He flinched as the droid strapped his head down and then he relaxed. This was his path, he knew it. His calling. He lived, to serve. The droid came close and he relaxed further as it connected to the hose he had put in his own mouth to the droid’s instructions. And it had been satisfied. He closed his eyes, and hoped again that he was doing the right thing. Then a hiss and a stick in his arm and he was falling…

[kalenath]

Roan Dijore had seen a lot of things in his life, but now, he could only stand and stare through the window watching, stunned speechless as Nolikas worked.

 

“Why?” He heard Katherine ask quietly as Dron held her. She had been the first through the hatch once they had pried it open, and… It affected her, deeply. Marta stood beside them, watching as well, and she was, subdued, even for her. By the time anyone had managed to get in and shut the droid down it had done what Draga had programmed it to do. But…

 

“I told him… I said not to… why he not listen?” her voice cracked and her Basic slipped as her emotions came to the fore, and Dijore gave her shoulders a squeeze.

 

“I don’t know Marta. I don’t know.” Dijore stood for just a moment longer then wheeled his chair; he wasn’t even close to a full recovery, out of the room and into the corridor. He had to make a stop. The kind of visit he had detested from the moment he had become an officer. Rank had its privileges, sure, but it also had its duties.

 

<Kina’s room>

 

“No…” Kina sat in her bed and just stared through Dijore and Marta as if they didn’t exist. “He wouldn’t do that… He wouldn’t…”

 

“I don’t know why Kina…” Dijore spoke quietly but broke off as Kina slumped. Marta looked at her and made a tiny head shake, Kina sighed.

 

“I… Can I see him?” Dijore shook his head again.

 

“Nolikas and Jrick are working on him… Kina… I’m sorry… I…” He sat in his chair and slumped. She reached out a hesitant hand and touched him on the shoulder.

 

“It's not your fault… I need to think…” Dijore looked at her, worried, but Marta spoke up.

 

“I will stay with her.” Dijore’s eyes narrowed but he snorted and shook his head, then wheeled himself out of the room. Kina lay back, still sobbing quietly. Marta sat beside Kina’s bed and touched her on the arm, then on the implant that still sat on the back of her neck. It was too insinuated in the spinal column for easy removal. Even by such skilled surgeons as Nolikas and Jrick.

 

I’m sorry Kina, It’s my fault.

 

Tears fell from Marta’s eyes as her mind voice touched Kina’s mind. Kina extended her arms and gathered the girl up and hugged her tight, because girl she was -no matter her training or aptitude. And Kina’s training was to help, to heal, to nurture. She replied in kind, although it still felt odd to her.

 

No, it’s not your fault. When Draga gets an idea in his head, he refuses to let go, no matter what. No matter the cost or consequences, when he wakes up I am going to…

 

Her brave front collapsed and she collapsed on the bed, sobbing. Marta held her tight.

 

When he wakes up we will explain why it was a bad idea. Kina nodded. Marta held a glass out to her, Kina shook her head, but Marta just stared at her.

 

Too many emotional shocks, teacher. You know what happens when emotions overload the body. Kina slumped again, then took the glass and, mindful of Marta’s watchful eyes, drained it entirely. In moments she was floating, blissful… but…

 

Wait… Marta turned from where she had been going to take the glass to the wall cleaner.

 

Naj knows what she did… has anyone asked her? Marta looked at Kina and sighed. Kina was really blurring now. If you do… be careful…

[kalenath]

Be careful…

 

Marta sighed as she looked around the hangar bay. Then she nodded to her companion. Olanagychew was huge, furry and… nice. He couldn’t speak Basic, but that wasn’t his fault and neither could she at first. It his case it was his anatomy in hers the modifications that had been done to her body. She only knew a few words of Shirwook, but she could tell he was unhappy. Well, so was she. She hated this woman, more than anything else in existence. She looked at the broken form of the droid in front of her and sighed, and then she turned to Olana and spoke.

 

“I don’t think she can just take me over, but she is sure to have override codes in my implants. Don’t let me hurt you or anyone else and DON’T let me let her out.” Olana nodded and swung the stun rifle he was carrying into ready position. The three other children also swung their weapons up, but they were not stunners. If it came to it, they would burn the droid to cinders. At this range, disruptor rifles would punch right through it, especially the modified ones Naj had stocked. Marta took a deep breath, then touched the side of the droid.

 

At first, there was nothing, just the hum of the droid’s reactor and the servo motors trying to find motivators that had been removed then…

 

OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODHELPMEHELPMESOMEONEHELPME!!!! Marta recoiled as the mental shout washed over her, but she kept her hand in contact with the droid by sheer force of will. She focused her thoughts.

 

Naj Orh The mental screaming cut off, like a switch had been thrown. And tendrils of thought touched Marta’s mind. She shuddered.

 

Let me out… 23… oh my dear, come to gloat? The voice of the woman went instantly from terrified to cold and hard, and Marta shrank back against her will for just a moment, then she refocused.

 

My name is Marta now, Witch. What drug did you give us? The voice had recoiled a bit as she had responded with anger instead of submission, now it laughed.

 

Oh, the irony, I created you and now I am destroying you. Why should I help you? You locked me in HERE! The scream of the last word reverberated in Marta’s mind, but she shook her head and blocked it out.

 

And how many people, innocents have you locked in those things, while they screamed for mercy or death? How many innocent women died bringing us into the world? Ripped open by you so that you could make us… Marta felt the woman’s shock and she continued. Yes we found the records of our parents. We know what you did. Do not speak to ME of pain. We can give you eternal pain, pain beyond your wildest nightmares. What did you do to us?

 

The woman’s voice was small when she spoke again. It was for the Republic.

 

Now Marta struck, send a lance of pure mental energy where she felt the woman. Who screamed again, louder.

 

No! NO please…! Naj Orh begged. Marta’s mental voice was hard and merciless.

 

It wasn’t for the Republic, it was for you and your vengeance against the Republic. What did you do? Marta demanded. Naj Orh’s voice was smaller now, timid almost.

 

I… I… Marta hit her again and Naj screamed in the depths of her mind. Then she gibbered a bit, Marta felt the droid sedate her again, not much, just enough to dull the madness a bit.

 

We will talk again, tomorrow. Marta began to withdraw her mind, but Naj threw her mind and tried to hold the girl’s in place.

 

I will tell you anything, ANYTHING... but you have to promise…kill me when you are done.

 

Marta looked from her minds eye at the sniveling mental form of the woman who had hurt so many and said one word.

 

No

 

Then she broke the contact. She removed her hand from the droid and shook herself. She looked up at Olana and smiled. He relaxed, just a bit. Then she spoke a prearranged code word, and he relaxed completely. She slumped, exhausted by her struggle with the madwoman, and Olana picked her up and a carried her easily. Sleep was coming fer her, but she managed to get a word out.

 

“Tomorrow…” Olana nodded as she fell into slumber.

 

<Two days later>

 

“We are as ready as we can be.” Roan Dijore was not sure about this, not at all. But… the Stormhawk needed help. And even with what they had gleaned from Naj Orh, the kids only had a certain amount of time. With access to the madwoman’s secret encrypted files, they had discovered what she had done.

 

It defied belief. Naj Orh had systematically destroyed the children’s immune systems to make them dependant on her and her supply of the drug that Republic Intelligence supplied her. But… even in her notes she said it was a palliative, not a cure. It would keep them alive, no more. Even now, two of the kids were in medical with ailments they must have caught from members of the crew Cranna had sent. They were being treated and expected to make a full recovery, but Dijore dreaded what would happen when the children ran into something bad.

 

“Ship reports ready sir.” Dijore winced as Draga gave his report. The Twilek had woken, and immediately asked to assume the duties of XO. There wasn’t anything anyone could do for him either. And truth be told, he was happy. He had a job he could do, and his mate was alive and the kids adored him as much as they did Kina, but… Dijore knew…

 

“Take us out. It’s time.” And the newly renamed starship Dia’s Gift, jumped to hyperspace.

[kalenath]

((And that is the end of this thread. For the record I do not, have not and will not EVER condone experimenting on children. Anyone who I catch doing so I will kill or die trying. It happens. Even in the United States it has happened. I know that horrible things happen on a daily basis around the World in real life. But do we have to condone it? Ignore it? Encourage it for the perceived benefits? I won't. Like my characters I have lines which I will not cross.))

 

((Comments or suggestions always appreciated. Flames might get locked in a droid for a few hundred years.))