(L,F&E 35) Family is not to be trifled with

[kalenath]

<Aboard the Dia's Gift, in Naboo Orbit>

 

Sara wasn't sure about this. Not at all. She had been trained as a Mando, not as a mother. And to have twenty(!) hyperalert, highly trained child-sized commandos to shepherd, well... There were times when it really got to her. Luckily she wasn't alone.

 

“Sara, relax.” As always, Roan was there. The Republic soldier was a steadying influence on Sara. She knew it and she leaned on him a great deal. It didn't hurt that she understood soldiers better than... She winced as the shuttle came in for a graceful landing. The Royal Naboo Militia soldiers who had flown up first came to attention. All twenty of the children, er, commandos, er, droid pilots, er, whatever the flarg they were, came to attention as well. Sara and Roan did at the same time. The hatch of the shuttle opened and a squad of troops filed out, following them... Sara did her best not to flinch as Firalia Vil Regina. Queen of Naboo, strode out. The queen was dressed in fatigues, not a gown this time, and Sara had to smile slightly. The older woman still looked majestic in them. Sara took a step forward and the queen's eyes turned to the youthful commander of the starship.

 

“Welcome aboard the Dia's Gift, your majesty. I wish it were under better circumstances.” The queen nodded to Sara. “Will you accompany me?” the queen nodded again and Sara led off towards the hatch.

 

Firalia didn't speak until the reached the elevator. Half of her guards and half of Sara's piled in first and Firalia snorted in amusement that Sara shared. Then she looked at Sara.

 

“How is she?” the quiet words were not from a queen but from a mother. Sara shook her head.

 

“No change. We... We have done everything we can.” Firalia looked at Sara, then in a quick movement, embraced the young girl. Sara froze for a moment, that was a MAJOR breach in protocol, but this was not the queen right at this very moment. This was the mother of a friend of Sara's who lay so near death it was almost impossible to believe she was still alive. A queen who right this moment didn't give a good gosh darn about protocol.

 

“It's not your fault, Sara.” The soft words were kind. But Sara shook her head as she returned the hug. "Any word on Nia?"

 

"No, your majesty." Sara replied. WIll's daughter Nia had been snatched by a bounty hunter during a fracas to take a space station from the forces of the mad Sith Zelkin Infinium. "Will is hunting." At her words the temperature in the hall seemed to drop a bit. Then she shook herself anfd sighed. "What happened with Helen was not my fault, but it is my responsibility.” The queen nodded. She stepped back and spoke quietly, sarcastically as the lift opened and they entered.

 

“Rank hath its privileges huh?” The queen snorted sourly. Sara startled herself with an amused sarcastic snort of her own. But when Sara spoke it was calm.

 

“And its pains.” They exited the lift and walked towards Medical.

 

“Yeah. You did the right thing, coming back. And Helen did the right thing ordering the fleet to stay and support the Stormhawk. And that moron Conn is no longer a captain.” Sara couldn't restrain a savage grin that lit her features for a moment. Captain Conn had been the senior surviving officer of the Naboo fleet after the battle for Centurion had claimed the Royal Ark. His attempt to flee had pulled Helen out of her bed to bring him up short and find her own place in the Naboo military. Of course that had also led to... this. Sara stopped short on seeing the bay. Nolikas was waiting.

 

The Rakata was sorrowful. She had tried everything she knew, even some things she had only heard of, but nothing worked. Helen was slipping further and further from consciousness. Once she passed a critical level, she wouldn't wake up ever again. She hung her head, but Queen Firlia walked forward quickly and stood in front of the Jedi.

 

“Thank you for everything you have done. All of the medical personnel I have consulted have said the same thing. That Helen wouldn't survive to reach home.” Nolikas raised her eyestalks to the Queen and shook herself.

 

“I...” Nolikas broke off. But the Queen was talking again.

 

“Any... Any change?” For just a moment, the anguished mother peered out from behind the armor of the queen. Nolikas shook her head.

 

“She hasn't deteriorated any further. But...” Nolikas slumped.

 

“She hasn't improved either.” Queen Firalia shook her head as she spoke. “How long?”

 

“I don't know. She... she woke while you were in transit, but... she wasn't coherant.” Sara looked up at that. Nolikas looked at Sara. “What she said didn't make any sense.”

 

“What did she say?” Sara asked with mild annoyance in her voice. Nolikas hadn't spoken of this to her.

 

“She spoke of a sister of the sword, whatever that means." Nolikas shrugged. "Your majesty, we can put her in stasis.” The queen sighed, but when she spoke there was steel in her voice.

 

“And how long will she last in stasis?” The queen asked softly. Nolikas shook her head.

 

“Six months, maybe. Maybe less.” The healer replied sadly. Queen Firalia looked at the Rakata, then nodded.

 

“Do it.”

 

<Later>

 

Sara sat at her desk and tried not to cry. Helen was a good friend.

 

“I'm sorry, Sara.” Dia's voice came from the speaker on Sara's desk and Sara didn't flinch. The first time it had happened, Sara had quite nearly hit the ceiling.

 

“There has to be something... Did you hear what she said?” Dia's voice sighed.

 

“It didn't make any sense.” Sara snarled and Dia's voice sighed again. “Fine, watch it for yourself.”

 

Sara watched as the screen of her terminal changed without her ordering it to. She saw Helen lying on the bed that had been her home for the long trip to Naboo, then Nolikas came into the view. Sara heard Nolikas speak. The Rakata's voice combined shock, fear and sorrow.

 

“Helen?”

 

“No time? Tell Sister...” Sara watched, facilnated as Nolikas shook herself and tried to make sense f her readouts.

 

“Helen. Don't move. You will strain the...” But Helen raised her head, almost as if she was looking at the security camera pickup.

 

“Sword... Sister... find her... She can help...” Nolikas raised the head of the bed, but Helen collapsed back onto the surface, unconscious again. Sara watched for a few moments more as Nolikas frantically tried to revive Helen again, but the girl was gone again. Sara turned the monitor off with a click. It was a long moment before she spoke.

 

“Does Helen have any siblings?” Dia's voice was distant as she responded.

 

“None living. One brother, killed by pirates when her stepfather was. One sister... hmmm...”

 

“What?”

 

“Sister Natasha Regina listed as 'Missing, Presumed Dead' after a convoy attack by Sith raiders. Most of the other personnel were accounted for, she was not. No body found.”

 

“The Sith...? Why would they take a... How old was she?” Dia's voice was puzzled when she spoke.

 

“She was four. Oh my... you don't think...” Sara's voice was quiet as she considered possibilities.

 

“I don't know.”

Edited June 23, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

<Somewhere>

 

He sat alone. Even on a starship filled with people, there were places he could go, just to be alone. He preferred it that way. It wasn't something he did, it was just what he was. With people around him, all the myriad possibilities of the futures that surrounded them sometimes overwhelmed his control. Small wonder his kin believed him mad at times. Sometimes he wondered if he truly was. A voice came to him.

 

“Master?” He turned and smiled at the young girl who came into view. He sighed.

 

“Hello Mira. I see you have been studying your books as ordered.” At his tart tone, the girl sighed. She shook herself, showing the bruises that accompanied a hard training bout. She was all of maybe nine years old, sharp as a blade and just as deadly.

 

“You wanted to see me Master?” The man sighed at her solemn voice, and then in a sinuous movement, he stood. He moved fluidly, like water parting around rocks midstream. He walked to her and took her hands in a gentle grip.

 

“You know you will never be one of us Mira.” The seer's voice was kind and the girl hung her head. “You are incredible young lady, but I am sorry, you lack the Force. Nothing can change that. And no matter what you are not a Sith.”

 

“But..." Mira was obviously working to keep in control. "None of you use the Force.” The man nodded.

 

“We try not to. Oh I wish you could have met...” He broke off. Mira did not speak, waiting for him to continue. “I told you when we found you that I would see you home.”

 

“But I don't want to leave Master...” Moira broke off. What she wanted wasn't important. What the kin needed, that was important.

 

“I don't want you to go. You are a breath of fresh air in this often gloomy bunch. But... Your family needs you, Mira. Or I guess I should call you by your real name. Natasha.” Impulsively the girl embraced the man who had taken her in after finding her in the dungeon of a particularly nasty Sith Lord. “Hey, we will see each other again.”

 

“Promise?” She asked, for once showing her true age as she tried not to cry.

 

“I promise.” Idjit, Masterblade of the Bladeborn hugged the girl he had almost adopted and shook his head slowly.

[kalenath]

<On a shuttle two hours later>

 

“I don't understand.” The girls words were soft. Her tone was respectful. The female Twilek turned to her and smiled sadly. All of the Bladeborn liked Mira. Even Jon. The girl had no fear. Of course, being a prisoner to a Sith lord from the time she was four may have had something to do with it. That particular Sith lord had planned to sacrifice the girl in a particularly repulsive alchemy experiment. So his treatment of her had... colored her behavior. Then being rescued by the Bladeborn... Mira barely remembered her life before the dungeon. “I don't want to go.”

 

“I know.” Chari reached out to Mira and the girl almost swarmed into the Twilek's arms. She didn't cry. She was well trained. But... Chari sighed. “I won't be with you the whole way.” Mira stared at her, and then the girl shuddered.

 

“You are going to talk to the slug.” Chari nodded and Mira shook her head. “Why not just... Oh yeah...” Mira broke off as she remembered Chari saying she owed Cranna her life. That was one of many things Mira admired about the Bladeborn, even if their lives did seem overly complicated sometimes.

 

“Yeah.” Chari held Mira out at arms reach and examined her slowly. The girl was a far cry from the pitiful wreck that Idjit had brought in one day. Idjit had never said exactly what had happened, but... One particularly nasty piece of Sith had been found dead in his laboratory a few days later. No one had ever commented that his body had been cut with a s word instead of a lightsaber. It had taken almost three weeks of care before they could be sure she wouldn't die. And it had been worried that she might never fully recover. Mira however had filled out and grown up a great deal in her three years with the Bladeborn. She was a terror in the practice ring. “We don't know all of what happened, we need to know.”

 

“But...” Mira broke off, realizing she had just interrupted a Master. She braced herself for punishment. But Chari just smiled and gave her shoulders a squeeze.

 

“It's ok, Natasha. You are not a student any more.” Chari paused as Natasha wilted a little. For all her hardness, she was only nine.

 

“I...” Natasha had no clue what to say. Chari enfolded the young girl in her arms and her lekku also wrapped in a comforting embrace.

 

“Go ahead and cry girl. It helps.” The girl looked at her and Chari smiled sadly. “The Sith believe that crying is a bad thing, and it can be. Strong emotion in a Force user can have... unpredictable results.” Her voice was quiet, but old sorrow underlaid it as she remembered scenes from her own past.

 

“I just want to be me. Mira, the girl I am. I... I am not... I...” Chari hugged the girl tight and tears fell from the girl's eyes. Chari's eyes burned as well, but no tears fell. She was under very tight control. She loved Mira, just as much as she loved any of her battle kin. Who cared if Mira didn't have the Force?

 

“Your name is Natasha Anastasia Regina, but to us, you will always be Mira.” A sound came from behind them and Chari had to grin. He always made an impressive sight. Mira smiled wide as their companion showed himself.

 

“Blondie, you finally woke up.” The huge human smiled at Mira. His face was a pattern of scars. But it didn't look hostile, although he could scowl so menacingly that even Mama said he scared her. The scars continued down the front of his neck. Unfortunately, the injuries he had sustained had also removed his ability to speak. Not that he needed it. He bowed to Chari, then to Natasha. He couldn't speak. And telepathy was also not one of his gifts, but... Feelings of concern washed over them both.

 

“I don't want to go.” Mira nodded to her friend's concern. The feelings changed. Somehow, 'Blondie' as he was called because of his blond hair, could project his own emotions over short ranges. That was the only way the Bladeborn had known the child they had found still lived with such horrific wounds. Now he projected sternness, with a bit of amusement mixed in. Natasha shook her head. “I know... I know... but...”

 

The large man came up and enfolded both of them in his arms. Chari hissed in exaggerated pain.

 

“Easy lummox! I need those ribs...” The huge human smiled and lifted Chari effortlessly off her feet. She snorted and slapped him on the top of his head with her lekku. “Put me down this instant!”

 

He did. Dropping her. She twisted in midair and landed on her feet. She rose to her full height, which was not as impressive as it could have been since she was a full head shorter than him, and started scolding.

 

“You idiot. If I were anyone else... I would have your head for such an uncouth display. I would skewer you on your own axe and then...” Her tirade was cut short by a giggle. She looked at Natasha and the merriment on the girl's face was just too much. Chari started laughing and then Blondie was too. His face was moving in the right ways anyway, even if no sound came. Finally, Chari shook her head. “How many times have I told you not to do that?”

 

Blondie hung his head. Natasha moved beside him and took his huge paw in her tiny hands. Chari sobered.

 

“This is going to be hard, for both of you. I am leaving on the next stop. Blondie...” Her voice changed and he snapped erect. The MasterBlade was speaking now. “Your job is to get her to her family. Keep her safe.” The huge Bladeborn bowed his head. Chari turned to Natasha.

 

“Come here girl.” The girl stepped forward. Chari laid a hand on Natasha's shoulder. A sting made Natasha wince for a moment, but not cry out. Very little in the way of physical pain could make Natasha cry out. Then Chari embraced the girl. “I have marked you as one of our protected ones. Call for help if you need it.”

 

Natasha nodded. Then Chari stepped away. She bowed, to Natasha! Then she walked to the door and left the compartment.

 

“Why... Why would she bow to me?” Natasha couldn't understand. Masterblades bowed to none except the Grandmaster and the Emperor...

 

Blondie went to the small terminal and keyed in a command. A file appeared. It had Natasha's picture on it. She looked at the caption and froze.

 

“I... My mother is a queen?” Natasha shook her head. Her entire world had just been shaken. Blondie held her as she shuddered. “My mother is a queen...” Her voice was very quiet as she read the rest of the file.

Edited February 22, 2013 by kalenath

[kalenath]

<On the Dia's Gift>

 

“You're sure?” The queen asked sharply. Sara nodded, but then shook her head. When she had asked Queen Regina for a conference, she hadn't expected it to be easy. But...

 

“Is there a problem?” Sara asked respectfully. Sara's upbringing, nasty as it had been -living as a experimental subject would do that to you- and then her time with the Mandos had made her adept at reading what others were thinking. The queen nodded.

 

“Yes. Your brother had been declared an enemy of the Republic. Nelson was dead. His son was dead. The people needed an heir to my estates. I... I made a mistake.” Firalia's voice held old sorrow now. Sara extended a hand, then froze. The queen's guards stiffened. The queen snarled at them. They looked at each other, then shrugged. If Sara was contemplating regicide, it wasn't as if they could stop her. Add to that, the queen had made her wishes known, loudly. Sara laid a gentle hand on the queen's arm and gave a squeeze.

 

“What kind of mistake?” Sara kept her voice low. The queen didn't look up. When she spoke it was quiet.

 

“Natasha's father was a minor nobleman, from a minor house." The queen shook her head in regret. "I was... I was grieving. For Nelson, for your brother. He was kind to me. I liked him, I really did. I was happy when we determined I was with child, but...” Sara froze.

 

“Oh no...” The young woman breathed. The queen nodded.

 

“He made a play for the throne. Naboo is not a monarchy, although we call ourselves one. It wouldn't have done him any good. Not that it did anyway. It probably wouldn't have been so bad if...” Sara didn't interrupt, she just stood there, silent, giving what support she could.

 

“During his attack on the capital, two of his troop formations ran wild. They tore through a lightly defended area, looting, pillaging, and...” Sara nodded in understanding. “There was some question as to whether he was leading them at the time.” Sara sighed. Such things happened in wartime, Mandos knew that better than most. “The people might have even forgiven that, but... one of the buildings that burned was a hospital. They... they couldn't get the patients out. Thirty patients. Ten of the staff and twelve militia soldiers died trying to get the patients out. After a fair trial, he was executed for that. Natasha was born shortly after that. I... I couldn't stand seeing her every day. She was such a good child. But she reminded me of him...”

 

“And then she vanished.” Sara's words were not a question. The queen nodded. “Nolikas thinks that a transfusion from a sibling might be able to reverse the damage Helen did to herself.” the queen thought about that for a long moment before she spoke.

 

“Could I...” The queen's soft question trailed off as Sara shook her head.

 

“No offense, your majesty, but Nolikas says you are too old." Sara shook her head, bemused. "Something about the calcification. I don't understand half of what she told me. And I am not about to say she is wrong. If she is right...” The queen sighed.

 

“Yeah. Okay, I got all of what I was waiting for. Do what you have to do.” The queen handed Sara a think sheaf of papers. Sara looked at the top one and froze. It read 'Letter of Marque'. “You will have to go a number of odd places I bet.” Sara nodded. “This will help.”

 

“Your majesty... I... We...” Sara was dumbfounded. Letters of Marque were given to ships that operated during times of war, for ships of that government to attack ships of an enemy government. But... it meant declaring war...

 

“This will give you some legal cover, in case this episode does make it to the courts. And... if she is alive... then the Sith had better give her back.” The iron the the queen's voice sent chills down Sara's spine. The younger woman nodded. “I ask that you take a team of Militia with you.”

 

Sara cocked her head inquisitively. “Majesty, we have enough firepower...” the queen snorted in laughter.

 

“You have too much firepower. But, when you find her...” The queen said when, not if. “...They can provide an independent confirmation of her identity for my people. And they can provide her a guard until she can return.”

 

Sara though about that for a long moment. When she spoke it was thoughtful. “Who is in command?” the queen snorted again.

 

“While they are on this ship, they fall under yours, and if they have half the brains I think they do, they will listen to you and yours anytime.” Sara nodded at the queen's words, and then she stood and bowed.

 

“I will bring her home, Your Majesty.”

 

"We will await you." The queen nodded. “I will take Helen home.”

 

“Nolikas and Jrick will go with you. We have enough other medical personnel now. And she may need Nolikas.” The queen nodded her thanks. Then Firalia extended her arms and Sara embraced her.

 

“Please bring my daughter home.” Sara nodded.

 

“I will your majesty.”

[kalenath]

<Tattooine>

 

Chari stalked through the streets of Anchorhead. She was in a foul mood. The one, and only, fool that had dared to challenge her, she had left in a slowly cooling bloody mass on the ground. Fools like that, the Sith could do without. She snorted to herself. Just because someone carried a lightsaber and had the Force, that didn't make them dangerous. A fool was a fool, whether they had the Force or not.

 

She saw her destination ahead and slowed her steps. She sighed. She really didn't want to do this. But... she had no choice. She found a bank terminal and with a great deal of reluctance, pulled her sword off her belt and deposited it in the safe deposit box. Her lightsaber followed as well as her backup knife. Totally weaponless, she sealed the box and walked towards the clinic of Cranna the Hutt.

 

As soon as she walked in, she froze. Facing a dozen blaster rifles while unarmed will do that to you. Facing a dozen blaster rifles held by Ubese was enough to make even Chari's flesh crawl. Ubese really hated the Jedi, but their dislike for Force users was also well know. One of them barked at her in Ubese. She didn't understand what he said, but the point was clear. Leave or die. But she couldn't leave.

 

“I need to talk to Cranna.” One of them triggered a shot that plowed into the floor in front of her feet. She didn't move. She looked the one who had fired straight in the... well... the visor of his (?) helmet. She reached into a small bag at her side and pulled a set of neurolizers out. The Ubese looked at her, and she slowly wrapped the strap holding it around her head. It locked behind her head with an audible click and the Force was gone. She removed her hands slowly from behind her head. It hurt. The Force had been such a presence in her life from the time she could remember. The Ubese didn't move, didn't talk. Didn't react at all. So she reached into the bag again and pulled out a slave collar. She was in the process of latching it around her own neck when a voice she remembered called out.

 

“Stop.” Cranna herself slithered into view. A disruptor rifle was held in her pudgy fists. Chari latched the collar in place and knelt in the dirt. The Twilek reached into the bag again and pulled out a set of stun cuffs.

 

“I said stop!” Cranna triggered her rifle and the burst of energy burned a neat little hole through the cuffs in Chari's hands without touching her skin. “What do you think you are doing?”

 

“I owe you." The Twi'lek said solidly. "I pay my debts.” the Hutt stared at her, then scoffed.

 

“I paid a debt to your overgrown lizard clan mother.” Cranna froze as Chari dropped something on the ground beside her.

 

“Keys...” She ground out. The world was spinning now. She had relied on the Force so much and for so long it hurt badly to have it taken away, even if it was by her own hand.

 

“Pick them up, take that flarg off and get out of my clinic.” Cranna snarled as she trained her weapon on the middle of Chari's head.

 

“No.” Chari was falling now. The floor came up to meet her, but darkness claimed her before she could hit it. As it did she heard cursing in Huttese.

 

When Chari woke she heard more snarling in Huttese. The Cranna's face filled her view.

 

“You idiot! You think because you act helpless that I won't kill you?” Chari felt someone move behind her and she was levered up. Chari spoke, slurring her speech. Something was wrong, her brain wasn't working right.

 

“Jus' wanna talk. Nuttin' more.” Cranna's face withdrew, another face, a female Cathar, filled her view.

 

“Get her out of here.” Cranna's voice came and Chari winced.

 

“Wait... Life debt...” The darkness claimed Chari again.

[kalenath]

When Chari woke, she was restrained to something. Opening her eyes didn't help. Blindfolded and without the Force. She sighed. But a voice she recalled very well came to her.

 

“Don't move Ma'am.” Chari froze. “You are strapped to a restraint frame.” She nodded at that. Restraint frames could administer shocks of various degrees and usually were programmed to do so if the subject struggled. Very similar to the Rack that the Bladeborn used for punishment. Chari relaxed. As long as she didn't struggle, she was fine.

 

“Joruk?” Her voice was bemused. The last time she had seen the children had been on Alderaan, they had been bundled off by the fake government types. And then she had been taken by them as well. She had assumed that Cranna would have found homes for them.

 

“Spoon Ma'am.” She tensed, but then smiled as a spoon filled with something savory found her mouth. After it withdrew she spoke.

 

“Hana?” Chari asked slowly.

 

“Busy in the kitchen. Spoon again.” Chari relaxed. She was obviously not going to die. At least not right at this very moment. After two dozen or so spoonfuls, she felt full. A straw was inserted into her mouth and she drank gratefully. She noted the strange taste mixed in with the drink and nodded to herself. Of course they wouldn't leave her with her facilities intact. That didn't make any sense. Of course none of this made any sense at all... She floated off before she could make her brain wrap around why.

 

<Nearby>

 

“She ate it all?” Joruk nodded to the Hutt. He was upset. He hadn't expected his life to get better, although it had. But... He owed this Twi'lek. “I don't want to do this, Joruk.” The small human looked at her, outrage all over his features.

 

“She is not a bad guy/gal...” the boy broke off, unsure. Cranna shook her mighty head.

 

“I know. And that makes this worse. Go on back. The girl you wanted to see should be arriving this afternoon.” Joruk took a last long look into the cell and turned quickly to follow the guard who would lead him out. Cranna sighed and then slithered her way towards the door of the cell.

 

<A few minutes later>

 

Chari woke to the feeling of something that had changed. Where before she had been restrained on a rack, now she was lying on a table. It wasn't uncomfortable, but she couldn't move. And warm air whistled across her bare skin. She sighed.

 

“You know what's coming Sith.” Cranna's voice came from close by.

 

“I assume you are going to torture me to death.” Chari said unemotionally. "I am not Sith, I am Bladeborn. I owe you. If this is how you chose to make me pay, so be it." A humorless chuckle came from the Hutt.

 

“You assume right.” Chari tilted her head until her blindfolded eyes were pointed in the right direction.

 

“Can I ask a couple of questions?” Her body felt... strange. As if it wasn't really there. She put it down to whatever drugs she had been given.

 

“You can ask. I won't guarantee I will answer. Its not like you are leaving here anyway.” Chari nodded. She hadn't really expected to.

 

“There was a Bladeborn you caught, her name was Illiana." Chari choked out the words, aware her life hung by a very slim thread. "Human female. Black hair, brown eyes. What happened? We never got the whole story.” Suddenly strong hands grabbed her and she bit back a scream as something hot touched her upper leg.

 

“You dare ask me that. you?” Cranna's words were shouted and Chari bit back another scream as whatever was on her leg was ground in. Chari bit her words out, trying to keep her screams from coming through as she fought to get the words out.

 

“We... don't... know...” The pain ended and she relaxed for a moment. But then... A stick in her arm and she was falling.

 

<An indeterminate time later>

 

Chari woke. She hadn't really expected to. Judicious movement showed her limbs were unbound. And... she cracked her eyes, and she was not blindfolded. She couldn't feel the force and she felt... odd. But... She was wearing a gown of some kind. She looked at her leg and a clean bandage showed where the pain had been. She looked around. The room was a fairly normal hospital room, well... make that a fairly normal SECURE hospital room. The door had no knob on the inside. Bed, table, two chairs and nothing else. She got up, ignoring her body's protests and looked around further. A small door led to a tiny refresher. She used it gratefully. The sonic shower didn't disturb the bandage and she felt so much better clean. She returned to the bed. There really wasn't anything else she could do. She didn't wait long. A few minutes after she sat back down, the door opened and a female human walked in. Black hair, brown eyes... Chari froze.

 

“Li...?” Chari's voice was soft, disbelieving. The woman who looked at her did so with fear in her eyes. Chari jumped out of the bed. But the girl recoiled back towards the door. Chari froze.

 

“Li. Its me. Chari... You...” the girl looked at Chari and shook her head. Her voice was soft.

 

“I don't know you.” Chari felt tears coming. She stepped forward slowly, so slowly.

 

“Your name is Illiana, you are my sister.” The human looked fearful and Chari froze again. “Li... What did that Hutt scum do to you?”

 

“We found her this way.” Chari spun. The door was open and Cranna stood there, flanked by her guards. “I didn't know until after I took her in what she had been. She was wandering the streets after dark, unarmed and wearing next to nothing. She didn't remember anything. We didn't know what her name was, so we picked one for her. Rina... It's ok.”

 

The girl shook herself and moved to the wall. She hit a control. A panel slid aside and a tray with food on it appeared in the recess. The girl picked up the tray and took it to the table. Chari stood. Her eyes didn't leave Cranna.

 

“Why should I believe you?” Cranna snorted.

 

“Why aren't you dead?” Chari nodded at that. The Hutt had a point. The girl, Illiana/Rina, motioned to the table and Chari sat. Rina looked at Chari with a sad look on her face.

 

“I don't remember you.” Chari reached out slowly and took the other girl's arm in a gentle hand and moved the billowing sleeve out of the way. But when she exposed the place where the Bladeborn's brand would be, the skin was scoured, as if... Cranna spoke.

 

“She was like that when we found her.” Chari bowed her head for a long moment. And when she raised her eyes to Cranna's even the Hutt retreated a bit.

 

“You just lost an enemy, Cranna." Chari of the Bladeborn promised. "And gained the meanest, maddest friend you will ever see.”

[kalenath]

<On the liner Pride of Correllia, halfway between Tattooine and Naboo>

 

She slammed herself awake as the ship lurched. Natasha, she had to keep reminding herself to use that name, jumped out of her bed and grabbed her equipment. While passage on a liner was kind of expensive, it was also fairly safe. The operative word was 'fairly'. They kept their weapons handy, not that either had expected to need them on the short hop between Tattooine and Naboo. Blondie was up as she came running into the common room they shared. He waved towards a screen. On it...

 

“Pirates? You have got to be kidding me...” Blondie shook his head and Natasha stared at him. HE pulled out a pad, empathy was great for some communication. Some things however needed more clarity. He wrote.

 

'Not pirates. Pirates would threaten attack. Then attack if not obeyed.'

 

Natasha looked at the screen. She rewound and the 'pirates' had appeared and opened fire. It was a good sized ship too. An old Interdictor class cruiser. With a gravity well projector going, so the liner couldn't jump to hyperspace to get away.

 

“If not pirates, then who?” Blondie shrugged. Then he shouldered his Massassi lanvarok. Natasha smirked as she checked her vibroblade and blaster. “I guess it doesn't really matter, does it?”

 

The giant smirked right back. Then he motioned for Natasha to stay behind him. He opened the door to bedlam. Frightened passengers were scurrying this way and that. Natasha looked for and finally spotted a ship's crew woman hurrying by and she plunked herself right in the way. The crew woman might have just bowled Natasha over, except a huge hand blocked the way. The crew woman looked up, and up, and up. Then she looked down.

 

“Sorry, Miss, we have an...” Natasha nodded.

 

“They aren't pirates, who are they?” The crew woman froze.

 

“I don't know. All I know is I have to get to the engine room...” Blondie moved his hand and the woman darted off. Natasha looked at him and he motioned back into the compartment they had come out of. As soon as they were inside, the huge human took his pad out again. Natasha read as he wrote.

 

'Two possibilities. Slavers or some kind of rogue operation. Slavers will take the engine room and bridge then gas the passenger decks. Rogue operation...?

 

Natasha nodded. A moment later, Blondie froze. Then he grabbed Natasha and threw her to the far side of the room. A moment after that, the door behind him exploded in a shower of sparks. A full armored tac team darted in the door... and died. Blondie was huge, no question. He was also fats. His lanvarok hummed through the air throwing disks all over the place. They only seemed to be unguided though. Each disk found its mark, usually cutting right through the thin throat armor of an assailant. None of the opponents he hit with his axe got up either. But then...

 

Natasha's heart froze as she heard the sound of a lightsaber. And a voice came.

 

“Surrender Sith.” Blondie might not have been able to talk, but his disdain for that course of action was quite clear. He made a gesture towards the open hatch that needed no definition. Then a brown robed form appeared in the hatch. His green lightsaber glowed brightly. “You don't understand. I am trying to save her life.”

 

Blondie's face became a rictus of rage and he charged. Natasha could only watch in awe as the big man literally threw himself at the Jedi. The Jedi backpedaled, keeping his saber between the lanvarok and his body. Natasha felt funny, as if...

 

“Gas!” She screamed as she lost consciousness. The last thing she saw was Blondie turning towards her and the Jedi's saber sweeping towards the big man's neck.

[kalenath]

<The Dia's Gift, Hyperspace>

 

Sara tried not to pace as she waited for the counter to count down to reversion to realspace. This was always the hardest part. The waiting. Her crew was excellent, if eclectic. Maybe too good. She smiled a bit as she remembered one of the things Boss had told her.

 

“If you ever get blessed with good subordinates, you will know. You will have a LOT of time to think. And find the minor things that they miss.” She sighed. The new Stormhawk Boss wasn't a bad person, she was actually very good at what she did, but... it wasn't the same. She shook herself. Maybe... Hmm...

 

She looked at her XO and Roan Dijore smiled. Sara sidled up to him. “Good time for a drill?” He grinned evilly. They looked at the chrono together. Thirty minutes to reversion, plenty of time. Roan walked over to his console and started tapping controls. A few moments later the general quarters alarm rang.

 

“All personnel, this is a drill. Scramble, scramble. All personnel man your flight stations. Repeat this is a drill.”

 

Kina cursed as her class... vanished. Every single one of them running out the door, two by two. That was just plain eerie, how they ran in unison. She darted to her assigned station, not even having to think about it. It was programmed into her implants. Most of the programs had been disabled, but she had asked fro some of them to remain, especially since Draga had been... She winced as the ship shuddered and jolted. The XO came back on the intercom.

 

“All personnel, we have been pulled out of hyperspace, man your battle stations, this is not a drill, I say again, this is not a drill.”

 

Kina scrambled into her harness just as the ship jolted again. This time she recognized the feeling. The jolts of shots against the shields.

 

<Bridge>

 

Sara cursed quietly as she took in the tactical situation. One unidentified capital class ship. One disabled star liner. Ordinarily that would be cause for alarm, but the interdictor class ship was already coming about into attack position and had already announced its intentions. With its guns. Interdictors were larger than blockade runners and had a larger crew. However...

 

Sara looked at the commander, who nodded. It was time to show these fools why the Dia's Gift was a lot more than a simple blockade runner. Sara hit the com unit built into her command chair.

 

“Marta. Disable it. I want prisoners.” A brief acknowledgment came and then... a flight of red arrows arced from the Dia's gift. Heading towards the enemy ship. For just a moment, Sara felt a stab of pity. Then she squashed it. These were enemies. Even if they had no clue whatsoever what they were doing.

 

<Red Trooper 23>

 

Marta snarled as fire from the ship started reaching out towards her people. But... She tensed. They were not firing lasers, but Ion cannon? As if they knew what they were facing... She hit her com.

 

“23 to base. These people are trying to disable us.”

 

<Dia's Gift>

 

Sara exchanged a long look with Commander Dijore.

 

“Hail them.” Commander Dijore did. Then he shook his head.

 

“They are not talking.” Sara snarled, then she hit her com.

 

“23, pull their fangs then kill their engines. I want to 'talk' with them.”

 

<Red trooper 23>

 

Marta 's lips pulled back from her teeth as she dove towards the enemy ship. She was under their shields in a matter of moments. Then she was tearing things apart. She felt rather than saw one of her people take a direct him from a turbolaser and vanish. The pain was intense, but she called upon her training. The hated, interminable training. She called up Interdictor schematics and snarled as she found two weak spots within easy striking range. These scum had... She froze as she saw something walking on the hull of the enemy ship towards her. Another large red droid. She dodged to the side, barely avoiding a blast of laser fire.

 

“Fine, if that is the way you want to play it...” She dove her smaller droid towards the hull and pulled out at the last possible second. In a move that if he had seen it, Commander Dijore would have boxed her ears for attempting, she twisted until she was flying sideways along the hull of the ship. Her ion cannon flashed and the other droid became so much inert junk. Then another appeared.

 

“All pilots watch for other droids. We have company.”

 

<An hour later>

 

Sara snarled. Five of her people hurt, one dead. The droids she could and would replace. But her pilots were irreplaceable. She stood beside Marta's bed and shook herself. Marta would live. She had pounded no less than three of the larger droids to inert scrap before one of them hit her with an ion cannon blast. Sara winced at that. She knew from experience how bad feedback from merging was. To take a hit at close range...

 

Sara shook herself again. She gently gave Marta's shoulder a squeeze and then turned and left the room. It was time to deal with the aftermath.

 

“You have no right to detain me...” The voice of the Interdictor's commander came to Sara and she controlled her face with extreme effort. She stalked into the room to see a man in brown Jedi robes standing, trying to browbeat a pair of Sara's guards who couldn't have cared less. With his hands manacled together behind his back and a force neurolizer on his head, he was going nowhere.

 

“Wanna bet, Jedi?” At her cold words, all blood drained from the man's face as he turned to face her.

 

“You...” The guards raised their weapons, but Sara just smiled. An empty smile. When she spoke it was quiet, cold and menacing.

 

“I don't know your name Jedi. You never concerned yourself with the subjects did you?” The man shook himself and composed his features.

 

“I can explain.” Another voice came.

 

“I would also love to hear the explanation.” The Jedi went white as a sheet as two of Sara's guards led another man in Jedi robes into the room. His hands were also manacled and he also had a force neurolizer on his head. Sara just shook her head. As if her life wasn't complicated enough.

 

“Markus Sigmundson? What the hell are you doing here?” The man who had spent ten years hunting the Stormhawk sighed.

 

"We need to talk."

[kalenath]

<Somewhere>

 

Natasha woke up slowly. That was odd. She tried to figure out why. Her brain was fuzzy. She tried to remember why she felt so odd. She had been... She froze. Slowly she relaxed. She listened. While she couldn't use the Force she also had learned how to do without. A normal human's senses, if applied properly, could do incredible things. She heard... medical gear, a terminal, low voices. She tried to focus on the voices, but they were annoyingly low. She couldn't hear what they were saying. She cracked her eyes, but to no avail. There was something covering them. She moved her wrist a millimeter, but it wouldn't. Restrained then. Anyone else might have cried, but Natasha's tears about some things had stopped a long, long time ago. She continued to catalogue her situation. She felt a tube down her throat and other tubes in other places. The voices increased in volume.

 

“You will serve the Republic. You will protect the Republic.” With the skill won from harsh training, she blocked the voices. She knew now what was happening. Someone, whoever had captured her, was trying to program her to do something. Like pilot a droid. She grinned viciously. Let them try. It couldn't be worse than some of the horrors she had endured...

 

The medic watching the new acquisition froze. She was smiling? That was totally off base. The usual profile was screaming, fighting, and or madness. So why would she be ENJOYING this? He stood up and walked closer to the bed. He shook his head. Something was off here. Maybe a sedative, but no... that would interfere with the programming... He turned to go back to his station and stopped. Someone else had entered the small bay that he used as a sickbay.

 

“Who are you...?” His voice broke off in cough that should have been an anguished scream. He looked up into the eyes of his killer. Then the floor came to meet him.

 

Natasha started as something changed. She calmed herself. Something... Her eyes were uncovered. She looked up and smiled. Her rescuer smiled back. The restraints came off and slowly, so slowly the tube came out of her mouth. The other tubes came out. Lastly the headphones came off. She sighed very softly in relief as her rescuer sat her up.

 

“I thought you were dead.” Her voice was rough and raspy, but she managed to get her hand around Blondie's huge paw. Another voice came.

 

“You knew I was here.” Natasha shook her head and controlled her features as she looked to the shadows of the room. Sure enough.. A Rodian sized shadow detached from the wall.

 

“Thank you, Masterblade.” Leeto Gennesavita, the Bladeborn's master assassin, bowed to her and Natasha snarled at him. “Stop that! I am not royalty.”

 

“No matter what the Nabooese say, to us you are. Remember that.” And just like that, Leeto was gone. Natasha stared after him and then turned her gaze to Blondie. He handed her sword and blaster to her and she smiled. Her smile faltered and she hissed as she saw wounds. Deep wounds on his body.

 

“Come on, lets get you treated. Then lets get out of here.” Blondie nodded.

[kalenath]

<On the Dia's Gift>

 

“What?” Sara shot to her feet. Both Jedi recoiled from her as her face grew cold. She hit her com. “Jolan.” The XO of her droid commandos came on the line and she spoke quietly but no less angrily.

 

“Natasha was on the liner! They took her! Tear that ship apart until you find that girl and bring me the passengers. I want them ALIVE!” She cut the com. Out the viewport she could see four red blurs heading for the hapless interdictor. She turned her gaze back to the two Jedi.

 

“Now...” She leveled her gaze on the first Jedi she had seen, the one she knew from way back. She waved to the guards. “Put him in holding cell 3. if he so much as blinks wrong, have the droids gas him.” The Jedi tried to struggle, but the beefy humans just grabbed him and bodily carried him out. Sara turned her gaze to the other one.

 

Markus Sigmundson was a far cry from the man she had seen in records. His robes were threadbare, his hair was unkempt, but... there was something else about him, a serenity that had either been invisible in holos or lacking. He met her gaze unflinching.

 

“Well?” She prompted when he didn't speak. He sighed.

 

“I screwed up.” Sara's eyes went wide at that. He shook his head. “I was a passenger on the liner.” Sara nodded that was in the records she had 'appropriated'. “I felt a disturbance in the Force. I was looking for it when I saw that tactical team. There were not supposed to be any Republic forces on that ship, so that raised my suspicions. And then one of them spoke of 'acquiring' the subject, and selling the rest... I don't care who they are... I won't stand for that. I hit the back of the team as they hit the door. I figured with the surprise on my side, I could hit them, and maybe get some answers. Whoever that was defended themselves. Incredibly well. The one I faced used the Force, but... strangely. I have never encountered anyone who used it like that.”

 

“Like what?” Sara asked quietly. Markus sighed, thinking hard.

 

“It wasn't the dark side, I can swear to that. But... It wasn't light side either.” Sara's eyes narrowed. “Yeah. I have heard of something like that. Nia did things like that.”

 

“There is a group of people who fight like that.” Markus froze as the pieces started to come together. Then he went white.

 

“Ms. Kalenath, if they are aboard... If they are protecting that girl...” Sara nodded. It would be a bloodbath. And not needed. She keyed her com again.

 

“Jolan, any sign?” A negative came through. She sighed. “Stand down, hold your positions. We will be there shortly.”

 

“We?” Markus asked quietly. In reply Sara hit a control and his cuffs and the neruolizer fell off. He stared at his unbound wrists and then at her.

 

“Step out of line and you are dead, Jedi or no.” He nodded. She started off towards the hangar bay and a shuttle. The Jedi followed, quietly.

[kalenath]

<The slaver ship>

 

Natasha knelt beside her protector and tried not to curse. No matter where they went, they found more of these flarging droids. Large, red, and heavily armed droids. The one time they had seen one in action, the platoon of slavers attacking it had lasted for almost exactly ten seconds before being torn apart by carefully aimed bursts from heavy weapons. Both had looked at one another and nodded, better to avoid them. But every line of travel had at least one blocking the way. They were stuck. The good news was that the slavers and the droids didn't seem to be on the same side. The bad news was that the droids were blocking their egress. Blondie looked at Natasha and shook his head. She froze. The feelings coming from him... She grabbed his wrist.

 

“No. We go together.” He looked at her and shook his head. Both froze as a voice came.

 

“Natasha?” The quiet voice sounded female and young. Natasha stared at Blondie then they both peered carefully around the corner. Standing beside the droid that was blocking the way was a small figure wearing what looked like Mandalorian armor. “We mean you no harm.”

 

Natasha looked at Blondie and he shrugged. The droid could reduce the entire area to molten slag. It had to have sensors trained on them as well. Natasha nodded. Blondie got up and preceded her out into the corridor. Natasha followed, her hands on her weapons, for all the good they would do her. She walked moved to beside Blondie and looked around. The droid... powered down? It opened and a small form wearing a white flightsuit jumped out. The figure in armor jerked her -yes definitely a her- head and the pilot moved back behind the droid, out of the way. Natasha stared after the pilot, then returned her gaze to the figure in armor. Too young to be a bounty hunter... the figure spoke. But not to Natasha, to Blondie.

 

“We are not enemies this day, Bladeborn.” Natasha tensed, but she felt Blondie relax a bit. Then she realized.... if this strange woman knew who he was... Natasha grinned.

 

“You know about the Bladeborn?” Natasha relaxed slowly. It was clear that the strange woman didn't want her dead. The woman nodded.

 

“A bit. One of them saved my mother's life. My name is Sara Kalenath.” At that name Blonde tensed again, but then relaxed as Leeto shimmered into being beside him. Leeto stepped to stand on the other side of Natasha and the girl relaxed even more. If LEeto trusted this strange woman enough to show himself. She couldn't be that bad. Sara smiled.

 

“I wondered what those anomalous readings were. You want to continue this someplace a little more comfortable? This scow is going to be free floating bits of space trash in a little while.” Natasha looked at Leeto, who shrugged. Natasha smiled.

 

“We would be honored.”

[kalenath]

<A bit later>

 

Natasha was...bemused. This Sara was obviously not too much older than she was, but here the girl was commanding hard bitten, battlehardened warriors with such grace and skill that Natasha, who rarely admitted to the feeling was impressed. She could tell, even through their silence, that Leeto and Blondie felt the same way. Natasha sipped the drink she had been given and pondered. And listened.

 

“...so we have no idea where they were going after this?” The man wearing Republic battle armor nodded to Sara's words. His eyes rarely left the Bladeborn, Natasha noticed. But he was professional enough to allow them respect. Natasha knew the type well. Sara shook her head, and then dismissed the soldier, who saluted and left. Sara turned to the Bladeborn. She spoke to Leeto. Somehow Sara knew who was the highest rank. That worried Natasha a bit. But Sara was speaking quietly.

 

“I assume that since you are with her that you know who she is. Unlike those idiots...” The young girl waved towards the hull and in the general direction of the cloud of free floating debris that had been a starship. Leeto nodded. He didn't take his eyes off of Sara. Sara nodded. “What are your intentions?”

 

“To get her home.” Leeto's voice was cool. Sara nodded.

 

“That is my job too.” Natasha looked from one to the other. When she spoke it was perplexed.

 

“What is the problem then?” Surprisingly Leeto answered.

 

“The problem is that the Kalenath family and their allies have little regard in any way for Sith of any kind.” Sara shook her head and Leeto regarded her cooly. “You disagree?”

 

"Well..." Sara snorted. “It would be stupid of me to say so, since my family's history is well known among servants of the Emperor. However... One of your kind did us a great service a while back. We pay our debts. Our quarrels are with the Sith Empire, not the Bladeborn.” Leeto looked at her, and then, to Natasha's absolute shock, he relaxed. He nodded to her and Blondie and Blondie relaxed. Natasha shook her head, but, obeying the Masters was ingrained in her, so she stood down from fight or flight mode. He spoke, quietly, thoughtfully.

 

“We haven't seen Shar for a while.” Sara nodded.

 

“She was mixed up somehow in the mess Zelkin Infinium created. I am not sure how. I was sent away.” Sara's resentment was easy to hear in her voice. “Do you want to come with us to Naboo?”

 

Leeto looked at Natasha and Blondie and shook his head. “I need to be elsewhere. But Blondie's charge is to see her safe on Naboo.”

 

Sara nodded. “Then I give you my word, that he will reach Naboo safely and be able to leave unmolested.” Leeto inclined his head to her, but Sara wasn't done. “We captured some ships when we stormed the interdictor. Once we check them for traps and intell, you are welcome to any of them you wish.” Natasha stared at her and Sara shrugged. “We pay our debts. And today we are not enemies.”

 

“When next we meet...” Leeto began and Sara finished the ancient words.

 

“...We meet as enemies.” With that, Sara stepped out of the room , leaving the Bladeborn to look at one another in disbelief.

[kalenath]

Natasha came awake fast as her training had taught her. But then she relaxed. She was still in the medical ward of the Dia's Gift and what kind of a name was THAT for a starship? She hurt, but nowhere near as bad as some of the training she had undergone. Being non-Force sensitive had meant she had to work five times harder than any of the other students. She was sure it hadn't been serious for the Bladeborn. Not at first anyways, but she had taken to bladework like a mynock to a power junction. After her time in captivity.... She shuddered. Even now, the memories hurt. She didn't remember everything her captor had done to her, and something told her she didn't want to remember. She cracked her eyes and saw the Rakata Jedi moving towards her. She tensed for a moment, and then forced herself to relax. Nolikas was strange, but reminded Natasha of Ona, the Bladeborn's healer. Both had almost the exact same mix of kindness and toughness. Nolikas did not touch her. One did not touch a Bladeborn, even a student Bladeborn, without risking injury. Natasha's voice was quiet.

 

"Did it work?" Nolikas nodded and then replied in her strangely accented Basic.

 

"Yes. The transfusion was a success." The healer said with a smile. Natasha looked to the side of the medical bay and sighed as she saw the still form of her sister laid out. Her sister. It still felt odd to say that. She had hoped, prayed even, to get good enough to join the ranks of the Bladeborn, even though she knew in her heart that she couldn't. Part was simple hero worship. She knew the Bladeborn were not good people, the little she had heard about life outside the ship and various bases told her that quiet clearly. Add to that the way Idjit had come for her in the evil man's dungeon, a dark shadow, but kind. Small wonder she had thought he was an angel at first sent to take her to her afterlife. Natasha shook off the past and focused on the present. Her body ached, but as always, she ignored it.

 

"So... What now?" Another figure came into the medical bay and Natasha didn't flinch as she made out Sara's form. That girl was unnerving. Sara had spent the whole time to Naboo orbit talking to Blondie and Natasha, explaining, clarifying. And terrifying Natasha to no end. The girl didn't intend to, it was just... There was something about her... Sara walked to Natasha's bedside and nodded to the younger girl.

 

"With Helen, we can only wait and see. But you will be happy to know, your guardian is safely away." Natasha's face was controlled, but she couldn't avoid a pang of regret. Blondie might not have been able to speak, but he was kind, gentle and a good listener. He also had no qualms whatsoever with keeping her head on straight. With whatever force was required. Sara sat beside the bed. "Your mother wants to meet you.

 

Natasha tensed again. When she spoke it was quiet. And worried. "I don't know how I will react. I don't know how I feel about her."

 

Sara nodded. The trip from Tattoine space had been... interesting. The guards assigned to Natasha by the queen had run afoul of Blondie on two occasions. Especially after they were certain of her identity. Luckily no one had died , or even been seriously hurt. Sara was certain that the huge Bladeborn had been amused by the guards trying to keep him from his charge. That was really the only reason, she mused, that no one had died. But it had taken some fast talking to settle things down. Now however...

 

"Natasha, she is your mother. Your flesh and blood. According to her guards, she almost went mad when you vanished." Natasha nodded. The brief message that had accompanied her sister to the ship had been... strange. Natasha knew about caring for people. She cared for the Bladeborn, because they were her family, not these weird royal types. "She does love you."

 

Natasha licked her lips. Love wasn't something the Bladeborn denied, but at the same time, one had to be careful. She had heard enough horror stories in her training to know that strong emotion and Force users didn't go hand in hand very well.

 

"That is obvious, from her message and her actions... but I don' t know if I love her." Sara nodded at Natasha's discomfort. One of the things that was so freaky about her was that she was far, far wiser than her fourteen standard years. She also didn't judge. She accepted a person, or didn't. One of the guards the queen had sent had been... incensed... to find a Bladeborn protecting her charge. And had drawn a weapon. But before a fight could start Sara had been there, as if by magic. She had disabled the guard with a move that Natasha had watched with awe. Smooth, fluid, and utterly ruthless. Three moves and the woman had been disarmed, out of reach of Blondie and on the ground with a broken arm. This girl was trained, well trained. By her armor she was a Mandalorian. By her words, she was... different.

 

"How could you? Give her a chance. She thought you were dead. And now, here you are, the Prodigal Daughter, returned." Natasha had to laugh a bit at Sara's wry tone. Natasha suppressed a wince as her body protested. But she was sure Sara caught it. The other girl didn't react though. Natasha looked at Sara and a question was in her eyes. Sara nodded. They thought so alike it was downright frightening at times...

 

"I have been meaning to ask... You are related to Will Kalenath right?" Sara nodded soberly. Her brother had a bit of a reputation amongst the Sith. "Yet, you call Helen and me, sister...?"

 

Sara actually blushed. Natasha froze, wondering what she had said. But then Sara laughed.

 

"Yeah, its a bit of a long story but you need to know. You see, about twenty two years ago, Will, my brother was stationed on Naboo with the Republic Military..."

 

Natasha shook her head as she listened. No matter what, her new family wasn't going to be boring.... at all...

[kalenath]

<At just about the same time, Nar Shaddaa>

 

It was a fairly quiet day in the docks on Nar Shaddaa. Three assaults, a mugging and a murder. Jak's Cantina was busy. The dock section of Nar Shaddaa was known for its violence, and its general lawlessness. It was nothing for out and out firefights between rival gangs or Hutt controlled groups to break out. But Jak's was fairly calm. The usual crowd, mostly hard bitten current and former mercenaries, kept the worst of the scum away. The few that did come to cause trouble, well... No one missed them.

 

The staff, one Devonarian and a human woman that no one in their right mind would call pretty were busy. Pretty ones didn't survive long in the Docks. Either they died, were made unpretty, or left. Sometimes not of their own free wills. So it was safer to be ugly. But no one bothered the woman. The blaster at her hip was well worn. As was the gammorean axe she wore across her back. And Jak's had the reputation of being a fairly safe place, as safe as anywhere on Nar Shaddaa anyway. So the people there felt safe.

 

It was fairly quiet day. Most of the usual crowd was there. A few newcomers, scoping the place out. One of them was a trader named Tanno. He was new. But he was spending money. That made him welcome. He was boasting about a 'big score' he had made and buying rounds for the bar, so that made him popular with the others too. So it was a pretty fair day.

 

All that changed.

 

A stranger walked into the bar. His piercing green eyes swept it and his short black hair shined a bit in the lights of the entryway. A couple of the more experienced mercs looked at him and froze. He nodded to them, but they didn't relax. At all. A few of the less experienced mercs turned to see what their kindred were looking at and also froze. They didn't know who he was, but it was obvious what he was. The scoped long rifle across his back proclaimed him a sniper. And his cold dead eyes... More than one who looked at him shivered a bit. The new comer walked in, as if he hadn't a care in the world. Now the experienced mercs looked worried. One of the less experienced ones put a hand on her blaster, but was frozen when her table mate, a veteran of many campaigns, leaned across and took her arm in a steel grip. He shook his head silently.

 

The stranger walked up to the bar. The bartender looked at him and the stranger smiled, in a friendly manner. When he spoke though, it was cold and quiet.

 

“You and your waitress might want to find something to do. In back.” The Devonarian stared at the newcomer and his eyes went wide. The Devonarian nodded jerkily and walked back towards the kitchen. The waitress was a bit slower, but she realized something was wrong and darted right by the stranger, who took no notice of her. His focus was on Tanno.

 

It took a moment for the silence of the bar to penetrate the drunken haze that Tanno was in. When he looked up, he blanched.

 

“Hello Tanno. Where did you send him?” The man's cold voice silenced everything in the cantina. No one dared breathe, let alone move. Tanno stared at him.

 

“You...” His voice held barely suppressed terror. For just a moment the bar was so quiet a in fallign would have sounded like a grenade. “Touch me and the Red Sky Mercs will...” the man shook his head and Tanno froze.

 

“Before the captain died, she gave me your name. She said she pointed him towards you. Where did you send him?” The repeated question was quiet. Tanno froze. So did many of the occupants of the cantina. The Red Sky mercs were more pirate than merc. They dealt in all kinds of illicit activities, ranging from spice smuggling to slavery. They were no pushovers. Tanno shook his head.

 

“So you got the captain? They will be coming for you.” The stranger shook his head. When he spoke it was coldly mocking.

 

“Nasty thing, HC6 nerve gas.” Now everybody on the bar blanched, or the closest equivalent. It wasn't everyone who had access to such weapons. And even then, to use such a horrific weapon was beyond the pale, even for these hard bitten types. To mention it so offhandedly... That made this guy very dangerous. “I won't ask nice again. Where did you send him?”

 

Tanno took gulps of air. Then he moved. The report of a heavy blaster pistol was loud and it was immediately followed by shrieks. Tanno went down, clutching his knee. His blaster went skidding across the floor as the stranger gave it a kick. The stranger looked up as two mercs stood up. They took one step forward and stopped. Neither made a move. Of course his blaster was still in hand, and... It was impossible for the bar to get any more still, but they managed somehow as he produced a silver sphere. It started blinking ominously. The two mercs looked at him. One spoke.

 

“We got no do with you. But, this is a good place. Good chow.” The stranger looked at them, and nodded. The thermal detonator vanished back to wherever it had come from. Tanno tried to move away. The stranger didn't look at him, just kicked the damaged knee. A squeal-like scream came from Tanno.

 

“What's it going to be Tanno? I don't have all day.” Tanno's hand flashed and then he went down again as a blaster bolt took him in the undamaged knee. The stranger sighed and picked up the hold out blaster that had fallen where Tanno had dropped it.

 

“There is no point in this I guess. I will take him outside.” The two standing mercs nodded and resumed their seats. The stranger took Tanno by the back of his shirt and half dragged, half propelled him across the floor towards the exit. In moments they were gone.

 

A few moments later, muffled screams were heard. But no one moved. The screams continued for a long time, maybe five minutes. Then they stopped abruptly. The stranger walked back to the entrance and nodded to the barkeep.

 

“Sorry for the mess.” He tossed the barkeep a credchip and walked out again. As he did, one of the younger mercs turned to one of the older ones. Her voice was awed.

 

“Who was that?” The man drained half his glass before replying. And she noticed, his hand shook. His voice held fear when he spoke.

 

“You don't want to know. You really don't want to know...”

[kalenath]

((And people keep saying Will is a good guy. My response is HA! That is it for this one, but much trouble coming, yes, very much trouble...Comments or suggestions always appreciated. Flames... well... Will is looking for his daughter Nia who was taken by a bounty hunter. DO NOT irritate him. PLEASE....))