(L,F&E Interlude) Progress through Pain

[kalenath]

((A warning. Imperial Intelligence is not composed of nice people. What they do may serve the Empire, and is often very subtle, but it is NOT nice, clean or pretty. You are warned.))

 

Kunda Gev woke suddenly, conscious of pain. The female Twi’lek was hurting him again. He had passed out after she had started on his hands with that little knife of hers. His eyes flew open again and again he tried to curse through the wad of whatever was in his mouth, but all that came out was an inarticulate grunt. He tried to struggle, but the bonds that held him were too strong and designed to hold desperate prisoners. He recognized the design; he had used the exact same one on occasion. He knew that the only way out of these was a key, a key that the female likely didn’t have. If these were who he thought they were, they would not make such a stupid mistake. He had no idea where he was, the room was featureless, the walls and floors utterly devoid of any markings that might tell him anything. And the gravity was the same, but that meant little, shipboard systems could mimic even Correllia’s occasional odd gravity fluctuations. But most of his attention as on the form that was leaning toward shim again, a glint of bloody metal in her hand.

 

The brown skinned Twi’Lek smiled as she met his eyes. Despite years of hunting sentient quarry, of killing some and capturing others, of causing fear in multitudes of beings, bounty hunter Kunda Gev felt fear. Her smile was… empty. Like whatever she was feeling was simply a mask over nothing at all. Like she really wasn’t there, or something…

 

"Ah..." When the female spoke it was almost kind. Almost. “You woke up. Good…”

 

He noted that her shoulder was moving normally now. When he had first woken, it had been moving stiffly, and he had congratulated himself on hurting her after that ignoble ambush. All he had been trying to do was find out if these people were his contacts and they had attacked him. He had subdued the three he had initially found and been trying to ascertain who and where the leader was when he had been blindsided by the Twi’Lek and the man with black skin. He hissed in pain as the Twi’lek pulled his cut and bleeding right hand out of the restraint, but he was too weak to fight as she held it up. The female cradled his mangled hand in gentle fingers and then without warning, snapped his fingers back. The dull snaps and the searing pain told him that at least two of them were broken. He couldn’t help it, he screamed into the gag in his mouth.

 

"Well now." The Twi’lek smiled more naturally now, but he was shaking as she laid his hand back in the restraint and it snapped closed. Her voice was still that horrifying kindly, almost motherly sound. “You have been a bad boy. You hurt my boy toy. I was tempted to make you a eunuch, but in the end, I decided not to. For now anyway…” Her leer told that prisoner that if she did decide to do that, he would feel every moment of it. “Instead…” His eyes went wide as her hands dipped down to the side and came up with a hypospray. “I think you need some humility. You need some discipline, some training. So… Naptime, Idiot boy, let Mama Mi’Ta take care of you….” A hiss and he was falling slowly.

 

Second rank agent Mi’Ta watched clinically as the bound form of the bounty hunter lost consciousness. Then she sighed and started bandaging the wounds she had caused. She wouldn’t use painkillers or a medical droid. Not for this man. The door behind her hissed open but she didn’t turn, she knew who it was.

 

"He is beginning to break." Vorren’s voice was clinical. “Well done, Mi’Ta.”

 

"Why are we bothering with him?" Mi’Ta asked with a snort. “This man is pathetic. He was whimpering after the third cut. Are you absolutely sure you want to keep this moron?”

 

"Yes." Vorren nodded slowly. “He is stupid, yes, but skilled. He did manage to take Olut, Olandas and Rillian. And I don’t think he intended to shoot Rillian, it was a reflex.”

 

"And?" Mi’Ta snarled. “Do you think I care?”

 

"Mi'ta..." Vorren shook his head. “Of course not. Just like I know what your real feelings for Rillian were. I was goign to tell you not to lead him on too far, Mi’Ta.” The higher ranked agent cautioned.

 

"I..." Mi’Ta paused in her bandaging and looked her compatriot in the eye. “I don’t know.” She said candidly. “He made me feel… Different.”

 

"Oh?" Vorren raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

 

Mi’Ta finished her treatment, slapped the unconscious man hard across the face once and turned back to face her superior. She nodded to the door and the two agents started out. Her voice was soft, reflective, as she walked. “I don’t know. You trained me to examine my feelings, but this isn’t one I recognize.”

 

"Ok, we work this through." Vorren cast a sidelong look at her as he walked. That wasn’t a tone he had heard from her before. “Define it.” His tone was a teacher to student.

 

"It isn't love as I knew it." Mi’Ta sighed. “It isn’t lust, although I do feel that of course…” She grinned a bit as they exited the room and she slapped the hatch closed behind them. “It isn’t fear, it isn’t hate, it isn’t pain, it isn’t joy. It seems to have bits of all of these, and none of them…” Her tone was confused as the pair walked through the safehouse.

 

They were not in the safehouse that Gev had ambushed them in. That one was compromised and would not be used again. They had managed, with some difficulty, to get the two unconscious men and all of their equipment across Coronet to another safehouse without attracting attention. This one was fully equipped as well, with the hidden soundproofed interrogation room that Gev was slumbering in at the moment as well as the fully stocked medical clinic that they were entering now.

 

Vorren watched in silence as Mi’Ta checked Rillian’s vitals before sighing and shaking her head slowly. Her face… Vorren slumped and then waved her into another room, one he knew as empty. Rillian was the worst off, but Olut had apparently fought hard as well. He was resting and recovering as Sith did, cantankerously. So obnoxious had he been in fact that Mi’Ta had programmed a droid to keep him sedated until she decreed otherwise. Vorren waved Mi’Ta to a chair and after a moment, she sat. The elder agent sat as well, his face impassive as he looked his protégé over.

 

"Boss?" Mi’Ta broke the silence. “Is this love?” Her voice was hesitant.

 

“Yes.” Vorren nodded. “I am sorry, Mi’Ta. I… I had hoped you would find someone you could care for. But… not like this…” Rillian was fading. Unless they took him to a full fledged medical facility, he was unlikely to survive the day. And doing that while undercover… Even if the Republic didn’t kill him, Imperial Intelligence or his own superiors likely would to keep the team’s cover. Vorren would likely get a call in that case, the kind of call he hated. The call to terminate a teammate. He had done it before, more than once, the needs of the mission and all that, but he never liked doing it.

 

"I..." Mi’Ta shook her head slowly. “I haven;t felt like this in a long, long time.… I never realized. I always joked about it, I always made light of it. Oh, boss, what do I do?” For once her voice was not dead or full of fake emotion. Instead the small, scared voice of the Twi’Lek he had found in a collapsed mine shaft spoke to him and he nodded slowly.

 

"Oh girl..." Vorren patted her shoulder gently. “Mi’Ta, this will be harder than anything you have ever had to do. But we cannot break cover.”

 

"I... No..." Mi’Ta shook her head slowly. “There has to be a way, make him a John Doe or something…” But her voice held no hope.

 

“Mi’Ta… You know better.” Vorren shook his head. "I am sorry." Even the best of subterfuges would fail, given enough time and scrutiny. And since the team was on planet clandestinely, they could not allow such a thing to happen. The mission as too important.

 

"I..." The Twi’Lek looked like she wanted to cry, but she couldn’t. She wouldn’t. “I…”

 

"Mi'ta..." Vorren just sat, impassive and silent as his student worked her way through her emotions. Finally he spoke softly. “What would he want you to do?”

 

"Rillian?" She asked and Vorren nodded. Mi’Ta sighed and spoke calmly. “Continue the mission.” Her voice went hard now. “And the hunter?”

 

"We have a use for him." Vorren smiled, an expression that might have given a large aquatic predator goosebumps. “Leave him to me…”

 

"Boss?" Mi’Ta looked at him, her expression wary. “What are you going to do?”

 

"We are short now." Vorren sighed. “We need a gunner, and his skills are impressive.”

 

"You cannot be serious." Mi’Ta shook her head slowly. “We cannot trust him.”

 

"I know." Vorren nodded. “I have no intention of trusting him at all. You have Alpha-9 in your kit, right?”

 

Mi’Ta froze, but then she nodded slowly. “Yes. I do.” Her voice now held feral hunger. “Can I do it?”

 

"Of course." Vorren smirked. “Wouldn’t dream of trying to get in your way. But… It can wait a few hours… Gev is not going anywhere.”

 

"Boss?" Mi’Ta looked at Vorren, her face perplexed. “I… I don’t understand.” She froze as Vorren stood up and walked towards her. He lifted her into his arms and embraced her.

 

“I love you as a daughter Mi’Ta, I always have. So I say this as a father. Stay with your love. He may not see you, but he will know you are there. It will comfort him to have you talk to him. Until the end.” He felt wetness on his shoulder as his own eyes burned and his best student cried into his shoulder. “You are off duty until then.”

 

"But..." Mi’Ta stiffened. “You need me…”

 

"It's okay, Mi'ta." Vorren smiled sadly as he stroked her lekku in ways that had soothed her since she was tiny. “I can manage.” It always amazed him how tall and strong the small woman he had found in the collapsed mine shaft had grown. But then again, she had tried to please him. At least she no longer worshiped the ground he walked on. Lorna had, um… dissuaded the Twi’lek of any notions quite stringently, but at the same time, Lorna loved the girl too. Mi’Ta was a treasure, a dangerous, spiky treasure, but a treasure. They had taken the half starved, fearful and almost broken little one in and given her purpose and direction, as well as training to become one of the Empire’s secret weapons. She might actually make a decent Cipher agent, Vorren mused, with a bit more training and experience. She had the touch. But right now, she had to face the hardest test. Save the one she loved, or finish the mission?

 

"Okay... But..." MI’Ta nodded. “I… Thank you. I will… Should I…? I know he is in pain, I ….”

 

"Oh girl..." Vorren sighed. “I cannot advise you on this, Mi’Ta. Do what you think is right.” Mi’Ta nodded and then both stepped back from their mutual embrace. The female Twi’Lek slumped for a moment and then straightened and without another word, walked out into the medical area. Vorren followed silently and watched as she worked the controls of the machinery connected to Rillian’s body. In moments a massive dose of muscle relaxants flew through the unconscious soldier’s body. Her head bowed as the medical monitors went off, signifying cardiac arrest, and she sat down heavily with the soldier’s hand in hers as he breathed his last. For a long time, she just sat there, head bowed.

 

"It's done." When she finally met Vorren’s eyes, her face was hard. “I will handle our newest recruit.”

 

"Right." Vorren nodded. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

[kalenath]

Kunda Gev woke to the sounds of medical equipment around him. For just a moment, he hoped he had been rescued somehow, that he had been taken to a hospital, but then an acid etched voice sounded near his ear.

 

“Ah, we are awake…” His eyes shot open and he screamed as the form of the Twi’Lek who had hurt him appeared in his vision, close enough to kiss. Well, he tried to scream but something was in his mouth. It didn’t feel like the gag that had been in it before. If he looked down, he could just make out something that looked like a tube coming out of his mouth. But when he tried to move his head, he couldn’t. The Twi’Lek shook her head. “No, no… Don’t try to move too soon, idiot boy. You just got out of surgery. We wanted to make sure you were tracking.”

 

The bounty hunter’s eyes went wide. Surgery? He tried to speak, but the tube in his mouth garbled his words.

 

"Oh yes." The Twi’Lek nodded as if she understood what he had said. “It was decided that we not kill you, over my objections, I want you to know. And for my sins, they put me in charge of you. So I will take care of you while you recover from the implantation, but if you step out of line, I will hurt you. Do I make myself clear?”

 

The hunter had been following her words and froze on the word ‘implantation’. His eyes turned fearful and the Twi’lek smiled. Her breath was hot as she leaned close. It tasted… salty?

 

"I see I do make myself clear." Her voice was kind and gentle as she spoke, in stark contrast to her words. “You mess up and I will make you pray for death, a death that will not come for weeks or months. Ah, I see you are curious as to what we did?”

 

She laughed a bit maliciously and reached for something nearby. The hunter tensed, but then relaxed as her hand came up with a mirror. But then, when she held it up so he could see his head, he screamed again into the tube in his mouth. His short hair was gone. A white bandage was wrapped around his head, and he could see thicker bandages under it in two places. The Twi’Lek angled the mirror again and he could see his lower body stretched out on the table. He was shaking as he saw bandages over his ribcage and stomach as well.

 

Horrifyingly, the Twi’lek’s voice was still kind. “We wanted to be sure you wouldn’t get into too much trouble so we placed several devices inside you. One is a tracker, one is a bomb, and one is for punishment and the last, well, the last is the one you will be most concerned with. It was decided that we not kill you, and since we are shorthanded now, thanks to you, you will take the place of the man you killed. But of course we can’t trust you, so we found a means to keep you under control. One we like and you will not.”

 

The hunter was trying to shake his head and his eyes held fury, but the Twi’Lek just smiled wider. “You have been poisoned, Kunda Gev. You have exactly…” She looked at her chrono. “…eight hours and three minutes to live. We are the only beings in the galaxy with the antidote to that poison. So think well on whether you want to work for us or not. You will sleep for a time to recover. I will be back in seven hours.”

 

With that, she left the room, leaving the man to stare after her and scream impotently into the tube in his mouth. Eventually a droid hovered close and an appendage touched his arm. Waves of lassitude pulled him under but he was still screaming as he fell unconscious.

 

Outside the room that had been set aside as a recovery ward, Mi’Ta leaned against the wall for a moment. It was hard to act as she was. To act as if she cared, to act as if she wanted anything other than to cut this lousy excuse for a human into small quivering chunks with her knife. She heard steps coming and identified them easily; the being did not bother with subterfuge normally.

 

"Mi'ta?" Olandas’ voice was quiet. “Can we talk?”

 

"Olandas.." Mi’Ta smiled a bit at the tech’s uncertain tone. “Aren’t we?” Olandas was not the best when it came to social things, she was sharp as a razor when it came to tech and tech related things, but emotions? Normal social interactions? Not hardly. Mi’ta had been making some progress while they had been in transit, but now… Mi’Ta had been busy.

 

"Oh Mi'ta." Olandas laughed just a little. “You know what I mean.”

 

Mi’ta nodded and waved the young human into another room, an empty one. This safehouse was larger than the last one, better equipped. But it hadn’t been enough to save Rillian. This was a bedroom and Mi’ta shook her head as she sat. Her voice was kind when she spoke, but a bit distracted. “What can I do for you, Olandas?”

 

"I..." The tech stood, her posture hesitant, her voice when she spoke was unsure. “I… I am not sure. You helped me, on the ship, I was… I know I was detaching, but it was all I knew. You made me see you, and the others as people, not as numbers. I…” Her eyes were glistening now. “I want to help you.”

 

"You can’t, Olandas." Mi’Ta shook her head slowly. “Thank you, but... I have to get through this on my own. I did not realize I was falling for Rillian.”

 

Olandas smiled a little sadly. “I did.”

 

"Oh?" Mi’Ta shook her head. “It was that obvious?” She asked quietly.

 

Olandas shook her head. “Not at all. You… You opened up to me a bit more than to the others. I don’t think you intended to. But, I didn’t trust you when I came aboard. I had heard stories about you.”

 

"Yeah." Mi’Ta shook her head slowly. “Many of those stories are true, Olandas. You were closed quite tight when I met you.”

 

"Can you blame me?" Olandas nodded. “I was scared out of my mind. Bad enough that Musano Vorrn himself had recruited me for this mission, but then here you were, the ice Twi’lek. You scared the flarg out of me when you asked me to talk to you.”

 

"I know." Mi’ta nodded. That had been obvious. It had taken an hour to get Olandas to open up at all. It had also taken some ‘special’ persuasion on Mi’ta’s part. “You haven’t been so tense recently, I… I hope I helped.”

 

"You did." Olandas sid with a smile and a nod. Then she did something that had Mi’Ta freezing in place. She opened her jumpsuit and stepped out of it. “You need this.”

 

Mi’ta shook her head. “Olandas, this is not a good…” She broke off as Olandas did something odd. She knelt a bit awkwardly and then produced a pair of ankle scuffs from the pocket of her jumpsuit and latched them in place. “Olandas… No…”

 

"Mi'ta..." Olandas shook her head slowly. “You need this, and you won’t kill me.”

 

"Who...?" Mi’ta stared at the human woman. “Who… Who told you about my… My…”

 

"It's okay, Mi'ta." Olandas smiled as she produced something else from her jumpsuit where it lay on the floor. Handcuffs. “No one. It just so happens I share the same fantasies, albeit from the other side. It took me a while to realize some of what you had said the last time we talked.” Olandas held out her hands slowly, the cuffs in them. “I won’t push you, but… I think you need this, especially now.”

 

"No... I can't." Mi’Ta shook her head, but she couldn’t stare away from the vision in front of her. She felt her body responding to the sight and smells, but she forced it back. “Olandas…This is bad idea…”

 

"I like it." Olandas smiled widely. “I have been bad, Mistress, please punish me…”

 

"Olandas..." Mi’Ta stared at the human for a long moment before rising slowly. Her voice was quiet, almost scared. For her, that was more than any number of screams of horror. “Do you have any idea what you are asking me to do…?”

 

"I am 25. Well over the age of consent Mi'ta. Yes I know what I am asking and why." Olandas smiled. “I asked the boss if I could ‘discuss’ things with you. We have a couple of hours. You need this. To relax. There are no strings attached, unless you want to that is…” She leered at the Twi’Lek. And then her eyes took on a feigned fearful cast. “I have been bad…”

 

"Oh... girl..." Mi’Ta sighed and then she smiled, evilly. “Yes you have, and you must be punished.” She took the cuffs from Olandas, noting that they were not normal cuffs, these had been designed to be easy for the person in them to get out of. She shook her head slowly, It seemed that Olandas had been hiding things, successfully, from Imperial Intelligence. With a practiced flip, she slapped the cuffs onto the human’s wrists and snarled. “You have indeed been very bad, girl, it is time to punish you…”

 

<Some time later>

 

Mi’Ta just sat and watched as Olandas slept. The Twi’Lek shook her head. It had been… She sighed, it had been amazing, but now she had to go back to work. She moved to the bed and patted Olandas’ head. The girl stirred and her eyes focused on Mi’Ta.

 

"Good morning Olandas." Mi’Ta’s voice was quiet. “May be we can do that again sometime, but not any time soon.”

 

"As I said,..." Olandas nodded. “No strings Mi’Ta. But you needed it.”

 

“I did, thank you…” The team medic checked the wounds she had inflicted on the girl quickly and professionally. All were painful, but none were dangerous. She bandaged a couple of them, just in case. The black eyes, she couldn’t do much for, besides a painkiller that she injected deftly, but at least she hadn’t broken any of Olandas’ bones.

 

“I should be thanking you, that was incredible.” Olandas didn’t move as Mi’Ta worked. Of course the way she was tied to the bed precluded her moving much at all. But when Mi’Ta moved to untie her, Olandas frowned. “Do you have to? I feel… safer like this.”

 

"Olandas..." Mi’Ta shook her head as she looked at the chrono. “You are weird, girl. But no, you don’t go on shift for another four hours.”

 

"Thank you." Olandas smiled as Mi’Ta stood back from the bed. “If… If you want to… Could we do this again…?”

 

"Not soon." Mi’Ta shook her head in resignation. “Maybe, but you need time to heal, no matter what. I won’t endanger you.”

 

Olandas smiled widely as she lay back in the bed. “I know.”

[kalenath]

Mi’Ta was actually smiling as she left the room Olandas was dozing off again in. She knew this was a fluke, likely a once off, but something… She shook her head, this was not important. What was important was the patient she was going to check on now. Her good mood lasted until she reached the door of the room that their newest acquisition was in. She keyed up the video camera that showed the inside of the room and snarled quietly.

 

“Idiot boy…” The Twi’Lek’s voice held equal parts bemusement, resignation and anger as she saw the hunter out of the bed and trying to open the door. She smiled thinly as she hit a command on her remote and the man convulsed. Even through the soundproofing of the room, she could hear the muted screams as current flew from the implant in the pain centers of his brain. She opened the door and sighed. “You just don’t learn do you?”

 

The human stared at her but his eyes were unfocused as he writhed on the floor. Now she switched her voice to what she called her ‘Mom mode’. Most subjects found it incredibly disturbing to have someone talk to them in such a kindly tone while doing such horrible things to their bodies. It made an effective wedge to break people’s psyches with. Mi’Ta lifted the brawny form off the floor easily and carried him back to the bed as he whimpered. “If you have started any of your wounds bleeding again, I will beat you for an hour.”

 

Gev was utterly incapable of speech as she strapped him down to the bed again; this time however, she used padded restraints. This was not out of any sense of kindness, but to keep him from injuring himself when she did what she was going to do. She was under orders not to permanently injure the man, no matter her wishes. Her voice was still kind, but now held sadness as she checked his injuries.

 

“Well, it looks like you did no permanent harm to yourself with that stunt. Well now…” She looked the man over. Pity. If he hadn’t been such a creep and an idiot… He wasn’t half bad looking. She checked the readouts of the other implants and then checked the medical sensors. By then Gev managed to croak out words.

 

His voice was low and the pain in it was music to her ears. “What have you done to me?” He froze as she met his eyes. She smiled kindly, and he shuddered as she shook her head slowly.

 

“I told you, you are our newest recruit. You know who we are.” It wasn’t a question, and Gev couldn’t nod as strapped down as he was.

 

"Yeah." Gev’s voice was small. “Imperial Intelligence…”

 

"Yep." Mi’ta nodded. Her voice was still that kindly tone and Gev shuddered as her hand caressed his brow. “Yes, you very nearly blew our mission, idiot child. You mortally wounded one of our group. So, our leader has said you will take his place.” Her voice was still kindly as she started rummaging through a cabinet nearby. This would get messy if she didn’t act quickly.

 

"Never!" Gev snarled defiantly. “I won’t work for you.” His defiance however, was hollow. He was strapped to a bed, naked, at the mercy of a being who obviously had none. Mi’Ta shook her head slowly and smiled as she found what she was looking for. Gev stared at her as she pulled a package from the cabinet and then his eyes went wide as she unwrapped it. He couldn’t make out what it was, but knowing her, it was nothing good. He tensed as she reached underneath him, lifted him up slightly and laid the plain white thing under his rear end. He stared at her as she spread a white powder of some kind on the white thing and then… He blanched as he realized what she was doing. She was putting a diaper on him! He snarled. “Stop!”

 

"Nope." Mi’Ta shook her head. “In about three minutes you are going to lose control of your bowels and bladder. Better this way. Less messy for me anyway.” She ignored his protests and struggles as she finished what she was doing. Once she was done, she sat back in a chair beside the bed and just looked at him. “I never introduced myself. My name is Mi’Ta. You may call me ‘Mistress’. Actually you will call me ‘Mistress’, whether you want to or not.” Gev snarled at her and she smiled. “That’s right, boy, fight it, struggle for all you are worth. This is only going to end one way, but if you fight, it makes it go so much quicker.”

 

"Witch..." Gev was obviously trying to get his mind around her tone and words when he froze. “Uh… I…” Recognizable smells and sounds came the bed and Mi’Ta smiled widely.

 

“Good boy.” Mi’Ta patted the bound man’s head as she checked her readouts. “Right on time.” She sat back and smiled wider, things were proceeding as planned. “Now, as to what we did to you… You already found out about the punishment node. We placed the implant within the pain centers of your brain. Attached to it is our ‘special’ insurance policy. If you get captured or manage somehow to get away, the bomb nestled between the hemispheres of your brain will go off. If either of them are tampered with, the bomb goes off.” Gev stared at her. “Oh don’t worry…” Mi’Ta reassured him. "The detonation signal is discrete and specific. Nothing other than the command signal can trigger it, but if it does... Well… You will have a massive cerebral hemorrhage. Republic Intelligence would be able to determine that the damage was done by a bomb, no one else probably. And you won’t care.”

 

"You are enjoying this..." Gev stared at her. “You evil witch…”

 

"Now, now..." Mi’Ta shook her head and spoke sadly. “Is that any way to talk to the being who is the only reason you still breathe and have brain function? The other two implants are fairly straightforward. We put a tracker node in and then we put in my favorite toy of them all.” Gev stared at her and Mi’Ta laid agent hand on his abdomen over a bandage there. “The last implant is a time release reservoir. It contains a substance that has no name, only a designation. One you are not cleared for. But what it does is much more important, to you anyway. It is both a drug and a poison. It will enhance the pain receptors I your body, meaning that if I hit you….” She slapped him gently on the side and he screamed in pain. Her voice was still kindly however. “…it hurts worse. The part you need to be concerned about is this: It is addictive, more so than even glitterstim. The cravings have already started. That is why you lost bowel control. Once that happens, you have an hour, max.”

 

"What?" Gev was breathing hard, trying to focus. “An hour until what?”

 

"An hour until your body expires." Mi’Ta smiled widely. “Until the substance builds up enough in your bloodstream to kill you. The antidote causes intense pain. Nothing you have felt so far even comes close, and under the effects of the poison, well… You will not enjoy this I am afraid.” Her hand was soft as it caressed his brow gently. “But I will…”

 

"You...!" Gev stared at her and then snarled. “You don’t own me!”

 

"Bluster all you want, idiot." Mi’Ta smiled sadly, and her voice was still that awful kindness as she fiddled with controls. “Yes we do. Today, you get a free dose, but from now on, you will have to earn them. Doses last twenty four hours, and I am the only one with the antidote. So, from this day forth, you will have to make me want to give you the antidote. Every. Single. Day.” Her face was still smiling as she pulled a hypospray from her pocket, checked it swiftly and injected him with the contents. Her voice was now malicious as he started to convulse in the straps, a gurgling scream coming from his mouth. “Enjoy it, I know I will…”

[kalenath]

The Twi’lek watched with barely concealed arousal as the man fought what was happening to him. Mi’Ta’s only true complaint with Alpha-9 was that it never lasted long enough. But that wasn’t really the fault of the drug, it was more the endurance factor of the beings who were exposed to it. And it did take nine and half minutes by her chrono until Kunda Gev succumbed to exhaustion and fell unconscious. That was nowhere near a record, she had read of a captured Jedi resisting for half an hour once, but for a non-Force user? She grudgingly admitted the man was strong. She shook her head as she cleaned him and put a fresh diaper on. The humiliation factors would work to help break the man and breaking people was what she did. Pain, sense of dislocation, fear, humiliation all of these were wedges she could use to gain purchase to the man’s psyche. And right now, she needed to do just that. She needed to get a handle on him, quickly. They did not have an unlimited amount of time on planet. Zindra and Loc were due back any day with the ship, and they were still no closer to finding and capturing their quarry, thanks to this idiot’s interruption. So they needed him complaint and focused on helping them. She blinked. Maybe…

 

A few minutes later, she was talking quietly as she untied Olandas from the bed. The girl was pouting a bit as Mi’Ta undid the restraints, but her gaze was intent as Mi’Ta explained. Olandas shook her head.

 

“You want me to play a prisoner?” The tech shook her head slowly as she sat up, but she wavered a bit and Mi’Ta caught her as she nearly fell over. “Whoa…” Olandas smiled a bit.

 

"Easy, Olandas..." Mi’Ta shook her head. “Take it easy, you haven’t rested enough.”

 

"I dunno Mi'ta." Olandas shook her head. “I am no actor Mi’Ta. Yes, I hid my… well, my cravings from Imperial Intelligence, but… This…?” Her voice held worry.

 

"Not a problem." Mi’Ta’s face was sad now. “You wouldn’t have to. It wouldn’t be an act.”

 

"Not a..." Olandas stared at her, and then nodded slowly. “You… This is dumb, of course you wouldn’t kill me…” She paused as Mi’Ta grimaced.

 

“No intentionally, Olandas, but…" Mi'ta said sadly. "It has happened. Either he may get violent, or I might get overzealous, or…” Mi’Ta broke off as Olandas embraced her.

 

“What do I do?” The tech asked quietly, but with fierceness in her voice.

 

Mi’Ta returned her embrace. “Lie down and relax.” Olandas did as ordered and Mi’Ta laid a hypo again the woman’s neck. “Sleep, I will take care of you…” Olandas’ eyes were heavy, she closed them and Mi’Ta shook her head slowly as she arranged the girl on the bed carefully. The door hissed behind her and she didn’t have to turn to know who was there.

 

"Mi'ta." Vorren’s voice was quiet. “Do you want me to do it?” Mi’Ta shook her head. “Mi’Ta…” His voice held resignation as well as worry now.

 

“I am the medical person, I will do it.” Mi’Ta stared at the supine form and then began. Her fists cracked into the body in front of her and her face was hard as she beat the woman she liked.

[kalenath]

Kunda Gev woke to an utterly unprecedented feeling. Someone was gently washing his face. For a time, he simply lay there. Careful checking showed his wrists and ankles were still bound but the hands that touched him were gentle. He opened his eyes and froze. He knew this woman! It was the woman he had knocked unconscious when he had first arrived in the house that he believed held the contact for his bounty. She and the others had taken offense to his arrival unannounced, and he had been forced to use gas on them. But… Something was different. Her face was a mass of bruises, both eyes were blackened and he tensed as he saw her arm in a cast. He hadn’t done that.

 

He opened his mouth. “Who…?” He froze as the woman placed a finger over his mouth and shook her head. Then he saw that her own mouth was covered by something, she couldn’t talk. He stared at her as she continued to wipe his body down with a soft wet cloth. Her hands were soft and kind as she cleaned him. It had been a while, he realized as she scrubbed parts of his body. He had no idea how long he had been a prisoner, but it had been a while. He didn’t resist as she undid the horrible thing around his waist and with a shudder, wadded it up and discarded it. Then she continued her washing. He shivered a bit as her ministrations reached tender areas, but the washing continued to be gentle and utterly professional. Without any funny business, she started on his legs. It was not long at all before she was done. He shivered a bit in the cool air, but then she was drying his skin with a soft towel.

 

It felt… heavenly. The simple fact of being clean was a powerful feeling. And the fact that the strange woman’s hands were gentle and kind as she did what she was doing had the bounty hunter relaxing. Even when she put a new diaper on him, he was still relaxed. He hadn’t realized that his bandages had been removed until she started putting new ones on him, but that made sense. Even supposedly waterproof bandages were not always proof from soap and warm water. His cuts stung, his burns itched, and the magnified pain was great, but the feelings of gentle hands on his body soothed him. He was utterly relaxed, on the verge of sleep, when the door hissed open and his nightmare stalked in.

 

The Twi’Lek known as Mi’Ta was obviously angry. She sighed at the woman and her voice was sad. It was horrifying that her voice was still the kind, motherly one that the Twi’Lek had used when torturing him. “Of all the… I told you to change him, not clean him…” Gev could only watch as the Twi’Lek hit the human woman, sending her flying across the room. The woman hit the wall and slid down, obviously stunned as the Twi’Lek stalked over to her. Gev stared as the Twi’Lek hoisted the human up, and sitting down in a chair nearby, laid the human over her knee and started slapping the human’s rear end. “I have told you… And told you… And told you… Obey your orders… But no… You just have to be nice, don’t you…? You just cost me a week’s worth of work.” As she spoke, she spanked the woman, punctuating each sentence with a slap.

 

Gev stared at the two. A week? He had been here a week?

 

The human woman was crying now, but the Twi’Lek kept hitting her. The horrifying thing was that Mi’Ta still had the same tender expression on her face as she used with Gev when she tortured him.

 

Gev stared at the Twi’Lek and then at the human. She was being punished for being nice to him. But he didn’t really care. He wanted to get out of here, maybe he could use her kindness to get away? As if she read his mind, the Twi’Lek met his gaze and smiled, again it was a tender smile, but he shivered.

 

She dropped the human woman in a heap on the floor as she stood and started towards where he lay. Her voice was sad when she spoke. “Discipline must be maintained. Don’t you agree, boy?” Her hand stroked his jaw and he shivered a bit from the caress, but he looked away. A slap had his eyes watering and a shudder wracked his body as the pain enhancing drug did its job. “Pay attention, boy. Your old life is over. Now you belong to us. Mess up and you get punished. Do as we wish and be rewarded. Your choice.” Gev mustered the spirit he had left and spit at her. The glob of mucus hit her on the face and he rejoiced for a moment. She just shook her head. “Fine… I like the hard way…”

 

In the long and incredibly painful time that followed, he was dimly aware of two things when he was aware of anything except the pain. One, the Twi’Lek was working very hard not to kill him. And two, the other occupant of the room was lying on another bed. When had that come in here? He had been sure there had only been one bed in here. A dim figure was working on her and he heard screams from that side of the room. But they barely made it through the haze of pain and fear that surrounded him now as the Twi’Lek worked.

 

Finally, she patted gently him on the head. Her voice was that same horrifying mom voice that so unnerved him. “Good session today boy. You are coming along nicely. So… Your reward… Another day of life.” He felt something, and then he realized his bowels had loosened. From the poison… He stared as she fiddled with a hypo and then his eyes went wide as he took her meaning.

 

“No…” His voice was hoarse, soft and horrified as she reached for him.

 

"Idiot boy. I am saving your life." Her smile was warm and she spoke. “Oh relax. It won’t kill you.” She touched the hypo to his neck and he convulsed in the straps as the antidote to the poison shot through his system. The antagonism between the two substances had a nasty side effect, causing intense pain that was then amplified by the secondary effects of the poison. His screams were loud and long, and he prayed for the mercy of unconsciousness, but it was denied to him. All he could do was writhe in his restraints as he suffered. He heard soft words.

 

"Ah boy..." Mi’Ta’s voice was soft and full of promise as she leaned close to his face. “I will see you in the morning.”

 

After an eternity of pain, Kunda Gev slumped in his restraints as the effects wore off. He could only cry as he lay there. Then he froze. A gentle hand had touched his cheek. Something warm lay down beside him and gentle hands held his head as he sobbed. The same gentle hands caressed his brow and he heard noises. He stared into the face of the woman he had seen when he woke. She was even more of a mess now, her jaw obviously dislocated. She was murmuring something, something he couldn’t quite make out. It sounded like… ‘Sleep’? Whatever it was, he was too tired to argue.

 

<Nearby>

 

Mi’Ta had herself under rigid control as she watched the scene through the two way mirror. This safe house had been set up with all of the things Imperial Intelligence agents might need. They would have to be very careful not to compromise it, the items and equipment in here were irreplaceable anywhere in Republic space. She watched as Olandas held the shivering wreck in gentle hands and soothed him into sleep. The door behind her hissed and she nodded to her boss as he stepped to the window.

 

“Almost there.” She said quietly. "We are on schedule."

 

"So I see." Vorren nodded. “We will put him in the tank in eight hours. You have softened him up nicely.”

 

"You and II trained me well." Mi’Ta nodded. “It is what I do. Um… About Olandas…”

 

"I know." Vorren smiled. “I am putting her in for a commendation. I didn’t; think a wound medal would go over well with Command. Not with how she got injured, so I put it as ‘performance above and beyond’. I think that will work.”

 

"Yes." Mi’Ta smiled. “She is good, even though I know it is not an act, one has to wonder… You knew, didn’t you? About her… um… urges?” Vorren didn’t respond and Mi’ta sighed. “I thought so. Quit trying to match make me.”

 

"Mi'ta..." Vorren sighed. “It is what adoptive fathers do, Mi’Ta. How are you doing?”

 

"Me?" Mi’Ta sighed. “Coping. It hurts, but I am dealing with it. Hurting him helps a bit. This won’t ever go away, will it?” Her voice was resigned.

 

"I wish." Vorren shook his head. “No. It will lessen, as time dulls the memories, but it won’t ever go away.”

 

"I almost wish I was addicted to Han lotus blooms now, I hear that if you take enough, pain goes away completely." Mi’Ta shook herself. “The others?”

 

"Yeah." Vorren nodded. “The ship is back, they brought some news. Setsuna Andal is definitely here, but hiding. That girl is fiendishly clever at hiding. Stands to reason, she has been doing it for long enough. But now the Jedi are definitely involved. And…” He sighed. “I have received notice that Istara Andal may be on her way here.”

 

"Ick." Mi’Ta grimaced. If the older sister of the girl they were hunting found them, well, mess would be the least of the words used to describe what would happen. “Then we had better get moving. I can push up the tanking...” Her voice was dubious however.

 

"No." Vorren shook his head. “No, you have already done marvels. If I didn’t know better, I would think he had been in there for weeks. Not two days. We want him compliant, not shattered.”

 

"Hmmm..." Mi’Ta nodded, her brain obviously working in overdrive. “We can do that. He is right on the verge now. With Olandas being kind and me being the ice queen, he is not sure which way is up.”

 

"Right." Vorren nodded as he turned to look at a piece of strange apparatus nearby. In size and shape, it resembled a Kolto tank, but instead of Kolto, it held something else. He checked the readouts and nodded. “It will be ready tomorrow morning. He is losing touch. Another session?”

 

Mi’ta nodded. She left the room and Vorren watched as she entered the torture room, berating Olandas yet again for disturbing her guest’s sleep. He watched with a wince as she hit Olandas again and the girl fell without a word. It was a good thing the girl liked pain, he mused. He watched as the bounty hunter, dazed and confused from lack of sleep, drugs and torture, tried to resist, but it was insidious. Time was definitely not on the bounty hunter’s side now. Of course, Vorren sighed, it wasn’t on their either. If Istara Andal did find them hunting her sister, well, bad didn’t begin to cover it. Not even close…

[kalenath]

Kunda Gev was floating. He was not awake, per say, but he was not asleep either. When he could concentrate on what was happening, which was not very often, he marveled at the lack of pain. He felt almost free for the first time since he had woken in the care of the evil Twi’Lek. So what if twinges flew through his body on occasion? So what if someone was talking just below his ability to hear? He felt good. And he felt…whole.

 

Commander Vorren, Imperial Cipher agent, smiled as he watched the readouts of the side of the tank. Things were proceeding well. Brainwashing was not an exact science. People had been trying for millennia to find ways to bend others to their will. Users of the Force had an easier time manipulating minds, but even then, the techniques were limited in both scope and effectiveness. So Imperial Intelligence had worked hard to come up with techniques that would work to change a person’s basic mindset without destroying their psyche or what made them unique in the first place. It was difficult, time consuming and entirely too prone to failure to suit Vorren’s peace of mind, but when it worked it was incredibly effective. The subject literally had no idea at all that they were puppets. They retained free will, or at least the illusion of it, while at the same time becoming the perfect sleeper agents. They had no idea at all that they were unknowing, unwitting agents of Imperial Intelligence. Kunda Gev had joined a select group, slaves who did not know they were slaves, who believed with all their hearts that they were free. As far as Vorren knew, there were less than twenty beings in the entire galaxy who had been ‘turned’ this way. And he had no intention at all of finding out who they were.

 

Musnao Vorren smiled again and then turned to where Mi’Ta was working and frowned slightly. Something was wrong, he was sure of it. Mi’Ta was not a stable individual at the best of times, and now, she was grieving and hiding it well, but… something else was wrong. What was he missing? He shook his head and stepped closer to the bed where Mi’Ta was working.

 

His voice was quiet enough not to distract while at the same time being clearly audible. “Prognosis Mi’Ta?”

 

"Boss..." Mi’Ta shook her head slowly. “Tech Olandas is… Commander I made a mistake.”

 

"Oh?" Vorren stiffened. “How so?”

 

"I am not totally sure." Mi’Ta met his eyes and her face was worried. “I think she is mildly allergic to the quick heal I gave her. She is showing signs of anaphylaxis. I never…” She shook her head savagely. “I need to keep on top of this. If it gets worse…”

 

"Right." Vorren bit his lip, but then nodded slowly. Anaphylaxis, or allergic shock, could kill easily. With the tech in the condition she was in, her body was in no condition to fight for it's own survival. His voice was quiet. “I can handle our recruit. What do you need?”

 

"Ah..." Mi’Ta sighed, but turned back to where the girl was sleeping, her face and body a mass of bandages. “She is going to need the Kolto tank.”

 

"Okay." Vorren relaxed and smiled. “Well, by the readouts, he won’t be in there for too much longer. Drain and refill takes thirty minutes, this time we won’t need to set the temperature specifically to her body temperature, or add the drugs, so…”

 

"Right." Mi’Ta nodded. “I will have her ready when the tank is.”

 

"Hey." Vorren stepped close to the being he called foster daughter and spoke softly. “You did good, Mi’Ta.”

 

Mi’Ta sighed as she looked over the form in front of her. “Did I? I feel so…” She broke off, as if unable to define how she felt. She caressed the arm of the slumbering girl and Olandas whimpered a bit in her sleep.

 

Vorren sighed just as deeply. Then he placed a gentle hand on Mi’Ta’s shoulder. “You did. Rillian would be proud of you.” Mi’Ta nodded but remained silent. “Hey…” Vorren took the Twi’Lek in an embrace. “It’s okay. ‘The needs of the many…’, Mi’Ta.”

 

"I know." Mi’ta nodded as she returned his embrace. “But she is not an enemy.” She waved a lekku at where Olandas was lying. “I… I didn’t want to do it to her. I didn’t want to hurt her…”

 

"Of course not." Vorren nodded slowly. “She is a team mate, you didn’t want to hurt your teammate.”

 

"Boss..." Mi’Ta shook her head. “Something is wrong… Something is off… I… I need to be adjusted.”

 

Crap... Not now... Vorren stared at her and then he nodded slowly. “Once Gev is out and recuperating, once Olandas is out of danger, I will do it.”

 

"Good." Mi’ta nodded slowly. “Thank you. I do not wish to endanger the… I…” She blinked and her gaze went far away. When it refocused on Vorren, her eyes were confused. “I… what…? You… Wait… You were the one who…” She stiffened and collapsed as Vorren hit her with a hypospray.

 

"Idiot girl." Vorren sighed as he caught her. “Flarg me… Of all the rotten times…” He laid the unconscious form on the floor and sighed as he checked something. “Of all the…” He shook his head and pulled a container out of a pocket. He connected a port on her stomach to a tube that came from the container and opened a valve. “Yes, you do need adjustment girl, but not here, not now. This will hold you until we can get back…” He felt a presence and spun, blaster in hand, but Apprentice Olut just looked at him.

 

"Agent..." Olut’s eyes were haunted. “And I thought Sith could be evil. She has no idea, does she?” Vorren just looked at him, and Olut shrugged. “Things didn’t add up. If she was a child when you found her, how long did she stay with you? If you found her in a mineshaft, as a slave, then why does she not hate slavers more? Why does she not fear closed in spaces? Why does she enjoy giving out pain? If she had been hurt so badly, the opposite should be true. Who was she?”

 

"You are never going to find out." Vorren shook his head. ‘You are not cleared for that information.”

 

"Understood." Olut shrugged again. “Will she be a problem?”

 

"No." Vorren shook his head. “Not once the drug reservoir is filled again, she will be the same ice cold sadistic Twi’Lek we know.”

 

"Fair enough." Olut pursed his lips. “You need my hands now. What do you wish me to do?”

 

Vorren looked from him to where Olandas lay, to the tank and to where Mi’Ta was slumbering, the machine humming as it disgorged it’s payload into her body. He met Olut’s gaze calmly. “Olandas is not weak.” Sith generally only had one way of dealing with people they believed were weak.

 

"I know that." Olut laughed sourly. “Weak? Her? Hardly. I have seen Sith who would have been reduced to shivering wrecks taking that much damage in such a short amount of time. You wish me to tend her?”

 

Vorren looked at him and the Sith shrugged. “Master Nira has some odd notions at times, she made me study healing and anatomy. Part of that is to be able to hurt people better, but part… I am not sure what she wanted from it. I am not sure she knew why she had me study it. She is odd at times. I have also worked in hospitals, both as a Sith and undercover. I am no doctor or nurse, but I do know what to do.”

 

"Yes." Vorren sighed. “Mi’Ta will be out for about four hours. Olandas needs the tank before then, she is showing signs of anaphylaxis.”

 

"Understood." Olut nodded soberly. “That I can do. I assume you will handle the draining and cleaning of whatever is in there now?” Vorren noted the man did not ask what it was, smart Sith. “I don’t know what drugs you have used however. The droid?”

 

"Will stay with Olandas. She is potentially in danger, the others are not." Vorren nodded. “R6, stay with Olandas. ” The squat form of an Imperial astromech droid rolled closer and beeped at them. The astromech was not standard issue, it had all kind of special attachments, tools and programs. Olut moved to sit in a chair beside Olandas’ bed as Vorren scooped the limp Twi’Lek off the floor carefully and carried her from the room.

 

"Imperial Intelligence..." The Sith looked at the droid and winced. “I do not want to know, do I?” The droid beeped, obviously a negative and the Sith nodded slowly. He scrutinized the readout s and then sat, thinking hard. He was not afraid, per say. More… ready… He had been starting to like Mi’Ta and Vorren. Now he knew that was a mistake, a serious one. He would watch his words and his back from now on.

[kalenath]

When he woke, he felt… good. It was odd. He knew something was wrong, but for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what it might be. He didn’t hurt. He had memories of pain, of fear, or various things, but none of them seemed to matter now. He felt whole for the first time in a long, long time. He catalogued what he could feel. He felt odd, as if he were not totally there. But he did feel good. He stretched languidly as he opened his eyes. The sight that greeted him was expected. His boss sat in a chair nearby. The room was unfamiliar, but felt right, as if he knew where he was, odd as that sounded.

 

"Agent Vorren." Kunda Gev nodded slowly. “How long was I out?”

 

"Fourteen hours." Vorren nodded slowly. “The treatments are done, you will make a full recovery.”

 

"I..." Gev nodded slowly but was frowning as he searched his memories. “What happened? It gets fuzzy after I met you…”

 

"We messed up." Vorren sighed. “You were out searching and apparently either you got sloppy or we did. I am not sure yet what happened, but I assure you I am looking into it. You were captured by Republic Intelligence. They interrogated you.”

 

"Then why am I not dead?" Gev stiffened. “I would assume the anti interrogation protocols you put in would handle that. I haven’t worked with intelligence before, I might have goofed somehow…”

 

"Maybe." Vorren sighed. “We are all mortal Gev, we all make mistake. But rest assured, if it was you, I will have it out of your hide.” The smile the agent wore reassured the bounty hunter however. He was sure that if it was his fault he would be punished, but probably not killed. They needed him. But Vorren was talking again. “They did something new. Something we haven’t been able to identify just yet.”

 

"One thing..." Kunda Gev frowned in thought. “If they interrogated me, why am I here? They wouldn’t have just let me go… Would they?”

 

"Hardly." Vorren snorted. “They wrung you out, which was dumb of them, you didn’t know anything about us. And then they put you in police custody for extradition back to Coruscant. You made quite a mess there.” Gev shook his head. That had not been one of his best days. Getting trounced by a Bladeborn might have hurt, until he bled out that is. But getting trapped by the police? He had managed, with some difficulty, to get away and try for the bounty again, only to run afoul of an angry street gang. He still had phantom pain from the beating he had taken.

 

"Right." Gev sighed. “It seems messing up has become a habit. Maybe you should… I don’t know… Find someone else? Another hunter?” It obviously hurt the man to say that.

 

"No." Vorren shook his head. “It takes a lot of guts to say something like that. You are a professional, like me. We are not perfect, although we try hard to be. But you managed to fight Istara Sharlina Andal to a standstill. That takes skill.”

 

"Fight her? Sort of. I took her by surprise, used very trick I had." Gev snorted. “She wasn’t fighting back as hard as she could. When she did, I had no chance at all. Of course I didn’t have my gear that time.”

 

"It's okay, Gev." Vorren smiled. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. She is exceptional, even in a galaxy full of exceptional people. She has survived things that either of us would have just laid down and died if we had encountered them. And you did manage to disable her, and…” he sighed. “That may come in very handy soon.”

 

"Wait a sec..." Gev froze. “Andal… That is not a common name. Are you saying that the girl we are hunting…?”

 

"Yeah." Vorren nodded. “Setsuna Andal is the younger half sister of Istara Sharlina Andal.”

 

"Ah..." Gev’s eyes went wide. “Holy flarg… We had better be very careful how we do this then.” The Bladeborn would not take kindly to her sister being hurt, especially given how she had reacted to the hunter shooting an idiot boy on Coruscant.

 

Indeed." Vorren nodded. “Right now, however, you need to eat. Olandas will be in with your breakfast in a few minutes, Just…” Vorren looked uncomfortable.

 

“What is wrong?” Gev asked when the silence stretched uncomfortably.

 

"Whoever took you..." Vorren heaved a deep breath. “They took her too, they must have thought she was a witness or something, they didn’t interrogate her very much, thank goodness. If they had we would be out a tech as well as a soldier.”

 

"What?" Gev froze. “What happened to Rillian?”

 

"I don't know." Vorren shook his head. “He didn’t come back from his sweep. I… I found his body, in an alley, stripped. I think he was robbed and murdered.”

 

"No..." Gev slumped. “Aw crap. That kid was a pain in the rear, but he was good.”

 

"Yeah." Vorren nodded. “We have a replacement coming. But until he gets here, we are short, and Olandas is definitely not fully capable, no matter what she might say. Mi’Ta has her in hand, but I finally managed to get that stubborn Twi’Lek to sleep. So don’t wake her.”

 

Gev shivered. The medic gave him the creeps. There was something about her that set off his mental ‘RUN!’ alarms.

 

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Gev said quietly.

 

"Look..." Vorren fixed the bounty hunter with a glare. “I know you don’t like her, but you need to work with her. This mission is too important for personal problems to get in the way. Clear?” There was a distinct aura of threat to the final word.

 

“Clear, boss.” Gev said as he sat up. Well, he tried to. His body protested as he struggled. Finally, after some effort, he managed to roll to a sitting position. Then he froze, he felt something very odd. He stared at himself and his voice was incredulous when he finally managed to speak. “Why am I wearing a diaper?”

 

"Uh..." Vorren shook his head. “We don’t know what they did to you, but one of the drugs apparently causes incontinence.”

 

Gev had a disgusted look on his face. “You mean you have… eeewww….”

 

"Yep." Vorren smiled. “Not even close to the most disgusting job I have done in my life. Good news is that you seem to be getting over whatever they gave you. Good thing, we were running out of diapers.”

 

"Go ahead, laugh..." Gev snarled. “This is embarrassing!”

 

"Yes." Vorren nodded. “Which is probably the point, humiliation is a wedge into the psyche. I am glad we got you out.”

 

"Me too." Gev frowned. “How did you get me out? If I was in police custody…? It’s… blurry. Nothing makes any sense…”

 

"I am not surprised." Vorren smiled. “You were so hopped up on whatever they gave you, you likely wouldn’t remember if the Supreme Chancellor waltzed by in front of you in a tutu. But to answer your question, you didn’t get away, you were remanded into custody of two officers from the Coruscant Militia.”

 

"Oh?" Gev stared at the agent and then a sly smile crept across his face. “Those two officers wouldn’t have been a human male and a Twi’lek female, would they?” He wouldn’t put anything past these two Imperial agents.

 

"You know better than that." Vorren smiled. “I will neither confirm nor deny. Get better, we need you.” With that, he stood up and walked out, leaving Gev to ponder things.

 

Vorren walked into the next room and nodded as Olandas finished preparing the meal. “He is going to be too stunned by your appearance to comment on the taste of the food.” The tech nodded stiffly.

 

She couldn’t do much else. Much of her body was either bandaged or wrapped in casts, but she was mobile, after a fashion, cheerful and she had insisted on helping. Mi’Ta stood nearby, her face worried.

 

"Careful." The Twi’Lek’s voice was concerned. “Do not push yourself Olandas, we need you.” The female human nodded stiffly, picked up her tray and carried it carefully to the door. Vorren opened it for her and followed her to open the other door for her. He was back in moments.

 

“What did you think?” Vorren asked as they watched through eth two way mirror as Gev stared at the horrifically battered form that carried his breakfast in. The bounty hunter was dismayed but hid it well.

 

"It should hold." Mi’Ta sighed. “No obvious holes in the cover story. We will find some, we always do. The Alpha-9 has been purged from his system, now it s just residue. He will be sensitive to pain for the next few days, but we can brush that off as Republic drugs. I… I apologize.”

 

"That was dumb." Vorren shook his head. “If we were not so short staffed, I would have you out of here right now. Really, Mi’Ta, letting your reservoir fall to that level was a rookie mistake. You know better.”

 

"I know..." Mi’ta sighed. “I know. I… I was so distracted by him, by Olandas… It won’t happen again.”

 

"Girl..." Vorren sighed. “Mi’Ta, the cover story I gave Imperial Intelligence is sound, the mental overlays in your mind are solid, but if they pry… Which they will if we give them reason… And letting your medication run out… that was dumb, Mi’Ta.” Without her focusing medication, the Twi’lek was at times a hyperactive five year old and at times a moody seventy year old, and at other times, simply very confused.

 

"Agreed." Mi’ta nodded. “I know, but… If that does happen, you back off. Do what you have to. Hang me out to dry if you need to. You and your wife saved me, took me in, gave me a reason to exist when all mine were gone. You didn’t need to. Hell, all common sense says you should have killed me or turned me over to your bosses. You didn’t. I will not endanger your wife and kids.” The Twi’lek loved his kids and now that Lorna was expecting again, Mi’Ta was ecstatic.

 

"No..." Vorren stiffened. “Mi’Ta…”

 

"No." The Twi'lek said flatly. Mi’ta shook her head. “You took me from that flooding mine shaft, hell, you dove in and cut the chains holding me down. I expected to be interrogated and then killed. You spared me prison and death. I owe you.”

 

"Sop you have said for years." Vorren sighed. “Just because your masters threw you away doesn’t mean we couldn’t use you. But if Imperial Intelligence finds out you were not just an agent of the Republic… But my counterpart in Republic Intelligence… Even if you have been thrown way or ‘turned’ as it were… We are both dead.” His voice was solemn now.

 

"Yes sir." Mi’Ta nodded slowly. “I now and I am sorry. It won’t happen again.”

 

"Also..." Vorren nodded. “As of now, you are out of the field.” Mi’Ta would have protested, but Vorren was implacable. “I need you to go over a bunch of stuff I have found, maybe you can see something I missed. You are a darn good analyst when your head is not filled with lotus blooms.”

 

Mi’Ta snorted. The cover story they had concocted about her being addicted to Han Lotus blooms, while disgusting and evil, was perfect. No one would expect much from a high level intelligence agent who allowed herself to be addicted to such a thing as an aphrodisiac. Add to that the fact that she detested Republic Intelligence, specifically, the Special Branch that she had worked for. She was one hell of an asset to Vorren in particular and Imperial Intelligence in general. But neither agent could deny that what they were doing was dangerous. If the Republic found out she was alive, or the Empire found out who she really was… Well… Bad things would happen.

 

"Okay. What about now?" The Twi’Lek pursed her lips. “Do you need me to continue being the ‘Ice Twi’Lek’?”

 

"Ah...?" Vorren thought for a moment and then shook his head. “No, that part is done. Be yourself. But be careful, Olut is suspicious. And um…” His voice turned wry. “No jumping Olandas.”

 

Mi’Ta made an obscene gesture at him. “In that condition? You have to be kidding! She is much more likely to jump me! That girl is scary!”Both of the agents shared a laugh as they sat down and started sifting through the piles of reports on the desk.

[kalenath]

<The next morning>

 

Kunda was angry, but not with Mi’Ta. Mi’Ta was being nice for a change.

 

The Twi’Lek’s voice was kind as she caught him and held him gently while he regained his balance. “Look, you have been the in bed for three days, or course you are going to have trouble adjusting.”

 

"I… I don’t understand." Gev sighed. “What did they do to me? I feel… weird. Like parts of me are not really there.”

 

Mi’Ta sighed as she assisted him to a chair. He had insisted on walking to breakfast, and he had not been strong enough. By the fourth step he had been teetering, but through sheer stubbornness, he had made it to the room they had set aside for him, but then he had stumbled and nearly fallen. Something Mi’Ta was not about to let happen. His sensitivity to pain would have had him hollering, and he might have torn her repairs.

 

"Gev..." Mi’Ta sat in a chair nearby. “Look, we don’t know for sure. If I didn’t know better, I would say they were trying to brainwash you.” Gev stiffened, but Mi’Ta waved a hand. “If so… It didn’t take.”

 

"Are you sure?" Gev’s voice was worried when he spoke. “Can you be sure?”

 

"100% sure?" Mi’Ta’s face was a mask. “No. But almost that. It’s very similar to what Special Branch did to some of their subjects, but not… quite.”

 

"RI Special Branch?" Gev snarled. “The people who experimented on those kids?”

 

"Yeah." Mi’Ta nodded. “We know they were trying to create weapons to use against the Empire, but the methods…”

 

Mi’Ta actually looked sick for a moment. Which was a first for her, but Gev could relate. He had not been following the stories at all, being more interested in hunting, but when the holo-vid had carried the Senate hearing where Maria and Sara Kalenath had spoken of their experiences with Republic Intelligence, well… He had toyed occasionally with the idea of going after Will Kalenath. But then he had always said ‘No fracking way.’ The man was not perfect, but he was insanely good at what he did, which was sneak and kill. By all accounts, his kin were even worse news in some ways. Sara’s testimony had almost made the bounty hunter soil himself, the sheer cold blooded, machine like way in which a fourteen year old had described in exquisite detail exactly what had been done to her. He was very glad he hadn’t been in that courtroom, he would have tried to kill those Special Branch prisoners himself.

 

Gev had been curious, so he had watched the documentary, and… He had been sickened by it. He had seen, and done, horrible things, but the cold blooded, systematic means that Republic Intelligence had used in their attempt to make living weapons was horrifying to say the least. To kidnap people was nothing new, but to operate on them to make them in essence living droids? Yuck. He had actually hunted several of the lesser scum involved -doctors, scientists and such- always bringing them in alive if not always hale. He figured death was too easy, to fast, for scum who would do that kind of thing, and truth be told that was what he lived for, not the ‘bounties’ that were thinly veiled assassinations, no, but the removal of dangerous persons from society by any means necessary. He had become a bounty hunter to make a difference. He had been so young, so stupid back then, he mused. He had lost his illusions a long time ago, but there were some things he still clung to stubbornly. He shook his head and sighed sadly.

 

"Gev?" Mi’Ta looked at him. “What?”

 

"I don't know." Gev sighed. “Life seemed to much easier when all I knew was bounty hunting.”

 

"I know the feeling." Mi’Ta nodded. “Our lives, our jobs just don’t ever get uncomplicated.” She laughed sourly. “Look, you are going to feel strange. If you feel bad, let me know immediately.”

 

"Ok, to business..." Gev nodded. “I assume my gear is gone?”

 

"Yeah, sorry." Mi’Ta nodded. “You were not wearing anything when we picked you up. I am sorry. We couldn’t ask for that kind of thing.”

 

"Well..." Gev snorted. “Given that from what Vorren says, you waltzed into a base to grab me, all I can be is grateful.”

 

"Hmmm. " Mi’Ta had to smile at his tone. “Well.. Um… Now might be a good time.” She stood up and walked to a closet. “We were going to surprise you when you got back. But then it all went to hell.” She opened the closet and Gev stared at what was inside.

 

“Whoa… is that a set of Mandalmoters series seven?” His voice was quiet, awed. Mandalmotors manufactured the best gear for bounty hunters, which stood to reason many Mandalorians did bounty hunting and would not settle for garbage. But it was way outside his price range. It was very different from his old gear, but oh my god…

 

"No." Mi’Ta grinned. “Actually it is series nine.”

 

"You are kidding...?" Mi'ta smirked and Gev felt faint. "You are not?" Gev’s mouth fell open. And then he smiled. “Do I want to know how you got that? Seeing as how series eight hasn’t even hit the open markets yet?”

 

"What can I say?" Mi’ta had a sly smile on her face now . “We are Imperial Intelligence, we have eyes everywhere.” But then her face fell. “Olandas was working on it… I don’t know if she is going to be able to for a while.”

 

At the mention of the hurt tech, Gev went still. “Do we know what happened to her?”

 

"Some." Mi’Ta nodded. “She hasn’t hidden anything. Not that she could from me, but…” The Twi’Lek sighed. “The same people who had you hurt her. We don’t know why they didn’t try and interrogate her. Maybe they were compromised? I don’t know. I do know they didn’t just beat her.”

 

"Oh..." Gev froze. A lifetime of dealing with the worst the galaxy had to offer left nothing to the imagination when it came to bad things happening to good people. His voice was quiet. “Is she pregnant?”

 

"No." Mi’Ta shook her head. “And thank goodness for that. The problem is, we are way behind schedule now. And shorthanded.”

 

"Right." Gev nodded slowly. “So you need me in the field as soon as possible.”

 

"Not yet." Mi’Ta held up a cautionary hand. “Not before you are capable. If you get dizzy while flying…” She grimaced and Gev shared it.

 

“…and I am a greasy splatter. And that does none of us any good.” Gev agreed. He frowned in thought. “The dizziness seems to be passing. But this blasted…” He waved toward where he was still wearing a diaper. Then he nodded slowly. “Can you rig plumbing inside the suit?”

 

"Um..." Mi’Ta stiffened. “You do know how uncomfortable that will be, right?”

 

"I can guess." Gev nodded. “Whatever they used seems to be wearing off. I get twinges… Does that mean it is flushing out of my system? In that case, the neurotransmitters will likely…”

 

"Gev." Mi’ta frowned. “Leave medical stuff to me. To answer your question, yes I can. But I don’t know if I should. There can be all kinds of long term health complications, leaving aside the fact that you will likely be doing things no sane person would in that suit.”

 

"I..." Gev made an obscene gesture at her and slowly stood up. “I am not a leech. You hired me to do a job.”

 

"Yes." Mi’Ta rose with him, ready to catch him if it came to that. “And you were hurt in the process. We take care of our own.” She shook her head as he walked almost normally to the closet. “Stubborn human…”

 

"Yep." Gev picked up the helmet and then turned to smile at Mi’Ta. “Guilty as charged, go on, doc. I can handle this, but… um…”

 

"Indeed." Mi’Ta nodded. “We found two trackers on it, you will likely find others. If you find anything that looks like a bomb, call us, do not try and disarm yourself. The systems in there are way beyond normal.”

 

"Okay." Gev nodded slowly as he scrutinized the helmet. “I know my limits, doc. Fuel for the jetpack? Ordnance?”

 

"We can handle it." Mi’Ta nodded. “Within limits we can get anything you need. It may not be exactly what the system is supposed to take mind you…. Oh, and… When we are done, that set is yours.”

 

"What?" Gev froze. “Mi’Ta… The retail on a new set of mark seven Mandalmotors bounty hunter armor is sixty thousand… For a prototype mark nine…? There is literally no way I could pay you for this…”

 

"I know." Mi’Ta smiled. “What can I say? We like people owing us. And who knows, maybe we might need a favor someday. Something up your alley.”

 

Gev had to laugh at that, but then he focused on the armor again. He barely noticed when Mi’Ta left the room.

 

<Nearby>

 

Vorren was working on Olandas’ shivering form when Mi’Ta came in. Mi’ta stood and watched, but Vorren’s hands were gentle and professional as he bandaged her wounds. The Kolto dip had saved her life, but she was still very, very weak.

 

"Boss... Mi'ta?" The girl’s voice was quiet when she spoke. “What do I need to know for the cover story?”

 

"You were hurt." Mi’Ta spoke softly as well. “You were captured, possibly by the ones who had him. You were abused and violated and won’t talk to anyone but me about it.”

 

Olandas would have nodded, except Vorren caught her head in gentle hands and spoke in a soft but chiding voice. “Stop moving… If you tear anything, you will have to dip again, and we need you out now.”

 

"Right." Olandas looked at him. “I am good to go, sir.”

 

Vorren smiled at her, but it was melancholy. “Baloney. You can do desk work, and we need you to handle some signals intelligence one of the teams monitored. I need you to run traces on anything that might be connected to a Jedi named Michael Jonal. We may have caught a break, he seems to have sent a transmission that another team got a partial track on. If so, we know what hemisphere he is in now.”

 

"Boss..." Olandas nodded slowly and carefully. She looked Mi’Ta in the eye. “I…”

 

Mi’Ta sighed. “I am sorry Olandas, I was… That was too much.”

 

"It's okay." Olandas smiled wanly. “Not your fault. I knew you were dangerous. But it was marvelous.”

 

"Olandas..." Mi’Ta shook her head, exasperated. “You are crazy, girl.”

 

Vorren prepared a hypo and Olandas winced. “Do you have to? It feels so good…”

 

"Yes I do." Vorren shook his head. “You will feel good until the endorphins wear off, at which time you will hurt like nobody’s business. In all things there are limits Olandas. I need you clearheaded, not floating on a haze of endorphins.”

 

"So instead..." Olandas sighed and held out her arm. Her voice was sour. “I ride a haze of painkillers?”

 

Vorren smiled. “Trust me.”

 

That was such a ludicrous idea -to trust an agent of Imperial Intelligence- that Olandas burst out laughing. Vorren took her arm in a gentle grip, infused the drug and laid her arm back on the bed. Olandas’ voice was only slightly slurred when she spoke. “Yeah… right…” Both of the others grinned at her tone.

 

"You..." Vorren turned to Mi’Ta. “No funny business, clear? You have her desk ready for her. You are also set up for analyst work, you get her there and keep her there.” He patted Olandas on the shoulder, of the other few places on the tech’s body that wasn’t bruised or bandaged and then left.

 

Olandas stared after him. “Spoilsport.” When she looked back at Mi’Ta her face was pensive. “You are not the woman I first met, are you?”

 

"No." Mi’Ta shook her head. “That was a mask, I wear a lot of them.” Her voice was sad now.

 

"Pity." Olandas nodded carefully. “I liked you as the ice queen.”

 

“Well, you are crazy.” Mi’Ta grinned. She came to the bed side. “I will help you to the refresher and then we have a lot of work to do.” She reached down but froze as Olandas grabbed her arms and embraced her.

 

“It may not have been real for you, but it was real for me. And that is enough for me.” Olandas’ voice was low, but fierce. “And I do think it helped.”

 

"It did." Mi’Ta nodded. “Thank you.” She returned the embrace, careful not to squeeze any hurt parts.

 

Olandas looked at the Twi’Lek as Mi’Ta assisted the hurt woman to her feet. “Then… Would you mind… maybe… A future engagement?”

 

"Maybe." Mi’Ta shook her head. “But not until you are healed. We do it now, it would kill you.”

 

“But such a way to go…” Olandas leered at Mi’ta and both females smiled.

[kalenath]

Olandas was flagging. The sorely hurt tech had been working a solid five hours at her terminal, trying to make sense of signals intelligence that as a whole made no sense whatsoever. The Republic was incredibly lax on communications security in a number of ways. This made interception of data easy, but then finding the data one needed in the pile of nerf manure that resulted was difficult and time consuming. Data analysis was not physically stressful, but it was draining, sitting at a terminal and staring at records, com transcripts and other sundry things. The human was gamely trying to stay at her desk and keep working but Mi’Ta had been watching the girl out of the corner of her eye for a while. The Twi’Lek sighed.

 

“Olandas, time for a break.” Mi’Ta stood up slowly and walked to where the tech was working.

 

Olandas froze and stared at the medic of the team, her face worried. “I am almost there…” She turned back to the terminal, only to have Mi’Ta reach past her and shut the monitor down. “Hey!” She protested, but Mi’Ta was unmoved.

 

“Olandas, if you drive yourself crazy you do no one any good. Come on.” Mi’Ta took the tech’s arms in gentle but irresistible grips and lifted her easily from the chair she was in. Olandas knew better than to struggle as the Twi’lek set the tech on her feet.

 

“I found some…” Olandas broke off as Mi’Ta frowned at her.

 

“It can wait, come along.” Mi’Ta kept a hand on Olandas’ arm as she steered the tech to the main room of the safehouse.

 

“But I was…” Olandas protested but shut her mouth with a click as Mi’Ta glowered at her. She slumped and followed meekly as the Twi’lek opened the door for her and preceded her into the room. It was empty, both Vorren and Gev were out pursing leads, leaving the two of them. Olandas sat heavily in a chair as Mi’Ta started preparing food for them both. “I was so close. I am sure I found something this time…”

 

"Olandas..." Mi’Ta sighed. “And if you can’t see the screen for squinting? After you eat you sleep.”

 

"Geez, talk about overprotective..." Olandas sighed. “I know, I know, but… Look, if I tell you will you look into it? I know I am spent.”

 

Mi’Ta looked at the tech and then nodded slowly. She carried a tray to the small table that served as the team’s briefing room, mess hall and various other functions as needed. Small faded stains on the sides said that at least once the table had been used as a medical center. Or maybe for an interrogation. Trained eyes could pick out such details, no one else would likely notice them. She set the tray down and pulled her portion closer to her as she sat.

 

She looked at Olandas and then pointedly at the food and Olandas sighed and reached for the utensils. “Yes, Mother.” Olandas’ voice was tart as she started eating.

 

They ate in silence for several minutes, neither wasting any time. Food was fuel to both of them, good food was to be savored, but when on a mission, agents needed to remain focused. Distractions of any kind could prove deadly and food could be used as a distraction, matter of fact, it had been in the past. Meal times were a preferred time for agents to strike, or sneak in, while guards were distracted.

 

Mi’Ta finished her meal first and watched as Olandas finished off hers. The girl was brave, tough and capable, but Mi’Ta had hurt the girl very badly. She thanked her ancestors that she had noted the signs of internal bleeding before it had become critical, but Olandas was a long way from being recovered. Olandas finished her meal and nodded as she pushed the bowl away.

 

"Mi'ta, this is important." The tech’s voice was soft. “The burst transmission that the other team picked up used Jedi codes all right. They are a royal pain, I have looked at them before.”

 

"Yeah." Mi’Ta nodded. That was one reason she had been selected by Vorren. “Say what you will about the Jedi, they are not stupid, most of the time anyway. Have you got anything?”

 

"Maybe." Olandas puffed her cheeks and nodded slowly. “I have deciphered about a quarter of it. It is definitely a report from a Jedi, but he is using code words.”

 

"Gah!" Mi’Ta groaned. “Of all the lousy luck, a Jedi who knows tradecraft…”

 

"Yeah." Olandas nodded, a sour expression on her face. Codes and ciphers were hard to crack as it was. But when the sender of the message used code words, words that meant nothing to anyone except the recipient of the message… things got really messy. “It is really weird. Whoever it is started by saying ‘Honey I am home’, probably a reassurance or something. Maybe an acknowledgement? I don’t know. The other part I managed to decode was something about ‘Dogs and cats living together’. Do you have any idea what that might mean?”

 

"Actually I do..." Mi’Ta blinked, her face thoughtful. “Old holo-movie quote. The actual quote is ‘Dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria’… Hmmm…” She thought hard for a moment. Then she smiled a bit savagely. “How would his superiors likely react if he told them he was hiding a Sith here on planet?”

 

"Not well..." Olandas blinked and then she grinned as well. “Not well at all. He won’t tell them.”

 

"Maybe... but.. No." Mi’Ta shook her head. “We can’t assume that. But if he is hiding her from us, then likely he won’t have been able to contact his superiors in the Jedi Council either. I hope not at least, I do not want to face a dozen Jedi here.”

 

Olandas nodded soberly. “I can get the rest of it…” She broke off as Mi’Ta glowered at her. “Look, I feel better…”

 

"No." Mi’Ta shook her head. “You are going back to your room and going to sleep if I have to sedate you, clear?”

 

Olandas pouted. “Meanie.” But she was grinning. “Will you spank me if I don’t?”

 

"Olandas… enough." Mi’Ta shook her head. “You are in NO shape for it right now. Tomorrow. Tomorrow I will give you something special.”

 

"Ok..." Olandas sighed, but then smiled. “Something to look forward to. Oh, I think narrowed down the transmission site. It was definitely not in Coronet, despite the multiple loops.”

 

"No." Mi’Ta shook her head. “Olandas… Stop.”

 

“But…” Olandas broke off, her face confused. “Oh you rat…” She slumped in her chair as the drug Mi’Ta had put in her food worked its magic. Mi’Ta stepped to her and lifted the girl into her arms carefully.

 

Mi’Ta’s voice was kind as she hefted the girl and started towards the room they had set up for Olandas. “You will rest, even if I have to keep knocking you out. But I do promise you will enjoy what I have planned for tomorrow. Well, part of you will.” Her grin was decidedly evil as she entered Olandas’ room and laid the slumbering girl on the bed. A quick check of the girl’s injuries and then, Mi’Ta pulled the tech’s boots off and covered her with a sheet. The Twi’lek’s expression changed to one of tenderness as she pushed a stray lock of the tech’s short cropped hair out of her face. “Rest well…”

 

Mi’Ta sighed as she walked back into the workroom and nodded to the droid. “R6 Beta… Call up what Olandas was working on please to my terminal. Let me see what I can make of it.” The droid beeped an acknowledgement from where it was hooked into the small but powerful computer system and her terminal lit up. She sat and sighed as she scrutinized the readout. This might be a long day.

[kalenath]

Olandas shook her head. This was not what she had expected, but hey, she was adaptable.

 

"Olandas?" Mi’Ta smiled at the girl as she finished the connections. “You ready?”

 

"I... think... so..." Olandas looked at herself. The sensor leads that Mi’Ta had just finished attaching were everywhere. Head, chest, abdomen, arms and legs, every appendage had wires coming off it. She was restrained to her bed, nothing but her head could move. The restraints were padded, soft almost but she doubted she would need them, she was still very, very weak. “I don’t understand. What are you going to do?”

 

"Hey!" Mi’ta grinned. “It is a surprise.” But then her face fell. “I don’t want to hurt you worse, just cause pain as odd as that sounds.”

 

"Mi'ta..." Olandas sighed. “It wasn’t your fault. I knew when I volunteered that you would hurt me.”

 

"No." Mi’Ta snarled. ‘I didn’t hurt you, girl. I very nearly killed you. Now look… I am very uncomfortable with physically hurting you again. You are simply not strong enough to survive it. So this will work.”

 

"What will?" Olandas snarled right back. “Make sense Mi’Ta!”

 

Instead of answering, Mi’Ta took Olandas’ head in gentle hands and held it down on the pillow. One hand held it in place while the other pulled a strap across her forehead. It too was padded. Olandas watched as Mi’Ta pulled the strap tight and then stepped back.

 

"Olandas." Mi’Ta’s voice was soft now. “Physically, I can’t hurt you. But this won’t be physical. It will all be in your mind. Close your eyes.”

 

Olandas stared at the Twi’lek for a moment before complying. Then something covered them and she couldn’t bit back a whimper as something else entered her right ear. It felt warm and soft however, and all it did was block out all sound. Then she smiled slightly, that was the idea. Sensory deprivation then, she could handle that. She relaxed as the feeling was repeated in her other ear. A gentle touch stroked her jaw and then she felt something in her mouth, it too was soft but she could breathe through it easily. Something padded and gentle but irresistible went around her head as it locked her mouth shut on whatever was in it. She waited in darkness, not hearing anything for a time, it could have been moments or hours. Then she felt something. Her nose was clamped shut on something hard, maybe a tube. For a moment, she panicked, thinking that she was going to suffocate, but the gentle touch was back on her forehead and she relaxed as she realized she could breathe through whatever was in her nose, and now, something was flowing through the tube, something clean and pure. Oxygen probably.

 

It was very peaceful, just lying there, not having to do anything. She was nearly nodding off when the gentle touch came again, this time on her arm. The bandages had come off today, another dip in the Kolto tank had healed most of her surface injuries, and she had actually been hoping that Mi’Ta would… She froze as she felt something wet on her arm, something sticky. It wiped her arm all over the elbow. Alcohol maybe? But why? Modern antiseptics did not need to… She blinked her unseeing eyes and smiled around what was in her mouth. Modern medical gear sterilized automatically as a matter of course, but ancient medical gear did not. Sure enough, she felt a small pain in her arm. A needle, and then pressure as whatever was in the needle worked its way through her skin into her veins. Suddenly, her body relaxed. She could still feel, but her body wouldn’t move at all.

 

By all rights, she should have been terrified, but she wasn’t. She was feeling something far different. Anticipation was building exponentially. Mi’Ta had been so closemouthed and so careful to keep from hurting her again, and this was for the same reason. A muscle relaxant probably, to keep her from hurting herself whenever Mi’Ta did what she was going to do.

 

She was so relaxed, she almost didn’t feel it at first. The small tingling, it felt like… She blinked and then smiled widely as the electric current flowed through her body. She couldn’t have screamed if she had wanted to. And if she had been able to, her screams would not have been pain, but ecstasy.

 

Mi’Ta watched as the droid applied gentle pressure with the electric prod. Imperial Intelligence droids were definitely not standard issue, and R6 Beta was not standard even for Imperial Intelligence droids. Mi’Ta had never been fully comfortable with droids, they were a fact of life, especially in the republic, but they had always creeped her a bit out. And now, she was more than a bit creeped out as R6 worked. She had worked with the droid to create this special protocol, specifically to keep Olandas happy. They needed the tech. And she truly did enjoy causing pain, but this called for a miner, more delicate touch than she had with the shockstick. She watched as R6 pulled back from the sole of Olandas’ foot again and shivered slightly. But one look at the expression on Olandas’ face had Mi’Ta smiling.

 

"Ok R6." The Twi’lek looked at her chrono and spoke to the droid. “Twenty minutes, then a break for ten, then twenty more and I will be back to release her. If anything odd happens, page me immediately. Clear?”

 

The droid beeped an acknowledgement. Mi’Ta, with a last look at Olandas, resolutely turned and left the room. She was getting close to a breakthrough on that transmission cipher, she thought. But then she had to figure out what it meant. What she had so far deciphered made no sense at all. As she sat at her desk, she smiled back the way she had come. Olandas was a treasure, but so fragile as to be nearly untouchable. Then her gaze was pulled to her console and the blinking message there.

 

“What the…?” She stared at the message, trying very hard not to curse aloud for fear of being recorded by the cameras and mikes that covered the house. “How the hell…?”

 

There was a simple message on the screen, a time and place. She checked her sensors, but they showed nothing. The camera logs showed nothing at all. Someone had hacked into her system, so cleanly that they had left no traces at all. She looked at the time and blinked, less than two hours and to an area that was in the search grid she and Vorren had put together from what information they had. He was there now, canvassing, searching, trying with all his might to find a Korriban needle in a Correllian haystack. She keyed her com.

 

“Vorren.” The agent’s voice was calm, but held fatigue as well as frustration under the surface.

 

“Did you set up a meet with me?” Mi’Ta really hoped he had, he had access, he could have done it without anyone seeing or hearing.

 

“What? No…” Vorren’s voice was startled and Mi’Ta’s heart plummeted.

 

"Boss..." Mi’Ta shook her head. “I am looking at a message, on my secure terminal. To meet in an hour and a half, in a mall smack dab in the middle of our search grid.”

 

“From?” Vorren asked carefully.

 

"I don't know." Mi’Ta shook her head. ”Doesn’t say. Vorren, we are compromised again…”

 

"Maybe." Now the agent’s voice was thoughtful. “Maybe not. Can you make the meet?”

 

"In this traffic?" Mi’Ta snorted. “I can be there in twenty minutes. Without breaking the airspeeder laws.”

 

"Huh?" Vorren’s voice was confused now. “Why would they give you so long…?”

 

"Oh my..." Mi’Ta felt a rush of fear. “Olandas… Whoever it was watched me work on Olandas, they gave me time to get her situated. Son of a…”

 

"Mi'ta!" Vorren’s voice was sharp now. “Focus, Mi’Ta. Get Olandas settled and asleep, and then make the meet. Give me the coordinates, I will be somewhere nearby.”

 

"Boss..." Mi’ta froze. “Something about that feels.. I don’t know, feels wrong, Vorren. Like… Oh I don’t know…”

 

"Right." Vorren’s voice was focused now. “Mi’Ta, I am not going to leave you hanging out there for the Nexu. Give me the coordinates.” Now his voice held command and she complied. Vorren sighed. “I am in the area, and Olut is as well.”

 

"Olut?" Mi’Ta blinked. “Can we trust him?”

 

Vorren snorted. “Do we have a choice?”

 

"Right." Mi’Ta heaved a deep sigh. “Understood. I hope I don’t see you there.” If Vorren had to show himself, it meant bad things were happening.

 

Vorren’s voice was quiet. “Me too…”

[kalenath]

<Two hours later>

 

Mi’Ta sat in small parlor and smiled as she ate her ice cream. There were some things that Correllians did extremely well. But while all of her apparent focus was on the ice cream, all of her attention as on the patrons around her, the exits and the windows. But it came as a total shock to her when a small green skinned Rodian stepped from the washrooms, he hadn’t gone in! A hiss came over her earbud.

 

"Don't move." Vorren’s voice was soft, scared almost. “Mi’Ta don’t react, don’t do anything. That is Leeto, the master assassin of the Bladeborn.”

 

Mi’ta felt all of her guts clench at that. If half of what she had heard and read about the small unassuming being who was now sitting down across from her was true, she was dead already if she did anything at all.

 

Leeto met her eyes calmly. “I assume Vorren just informed you of who I am.” Mi’Ta nodded.

 

Her voice, wonder of wonders, was low but steady when she spoke. It took a great deal of effort to keep her voice steady. She was dangerous, true. This being DEFINED dangerous. “You asked to meet.”

 

Leeto nodded. His voice also was quiet. “I came to tell you, and by extension, Vorren, that I am here. And while I disagree with the orders I have been given, I will obey them.”

 

Mi’Ta blinked. “Say what?”

 

Leeto sighed. “The girl you seek, we are ordered to assist you in the search. By the highest authority.” Mi’Ta froze. There was only one being who could command the Order of the Bladeborn. Only the Emperor had that power.

 

Vorren’s voice sounded in her ear. “Ask him about Istara.”

 

"Okay." Mi’ta nodded slowly. “And Istara?”

 

Leeto shook his head. “She is independent now, and… From what I can gather, she is on her way here now.” Mi’Ta felt her guts clench again. “We will try and delay her as best we can, but for the sake of the Force, find that girl fast and whatever the flarg you do, do NOT hurt her.” The Rodian’s voice was still soft but held command now.

 

“We have a lead…” Mi’Ta spoke softly but broke off as Leeto nodded.

 

His voice was focused now, still low enough not to be easily overheard. “She was here, in the chair you are sitting in. She was veiled, but several of the patron and staff thought she was odd, hurt or something. The man with her was… difficult for the observers to describe. They all focused on the veil.”

 

"What?" Mi’Ta jerked a bit. “You are kidding? Here? Why?”

 

"I don't know." Leeto shrugged. “Maybe she likes ice cream?”

 

Mi’Ta laughed aloud at that, but then, she blinked. He was gone. She stood up slowly, paid for her ice cream and strode slowly from the parlor, her heart racing. She saw a form she recognized and relaxed a little tiny bit as Olut walked to join her.

 

“Was that who I think it was?” His voice held a mix of awe, fear and resignation.

 

"I think so." Mi’Ta nodded slowly. “If you think it was big trouble coming, then yes. Very big trouble. We need to find that girl, fast. We need to take her alive and unharmed. Or we have massive problems.”

[kalenath]

Mi’Ta tried not to sigh. Time was not on their side. It was fleeing swiftly, but there were some things that simply could not be rushed. Case in point…

 

"Sir." Olandas’ voice was respectful, sort of. “…Look, I feel fine. It has been two days, I am better… See…?” Olandas waved an arm in a full extension circle, the first time in a week she had been able to do that.

 

Mi’Ta would have spoken, but Vorren beat her to it. “Hold your arm out at shoulder height. And keep it there.” His command was quiet, but imperative nonetheless.

 

Olandas did as instructed. She held it there for a minute, and then two as Vorren just watched her. Her face took on a mask of concentration as she fought to keep her arm up. Mi’Ta watched carefully as the tech struggled. The muscles simply were not capable yet; the arm had been broken in three places. She was sweating as she held the arm and her face flushed as all four of the others watched her. Finally, after three minutes, the arm fell a few centimeters. She snarled and raised it back up, but Vorren had seen enough.

 

"Enough Olandas." The agent in charge’s voice was stern, commanding now. “Sit down before you collapse.”

 

Olandas looked like she wanted to cry. “But sir… I…” She staggered towards her chair and would have fallen, except a hand caught her and helped her into her chair. Mi’Ta watched with carefully hidden amusement as Kunda Gev, notorious and dangerous bounty hunter, solicitously and carefully aided the still not recovered tech to her seat and gave her arm a squeeze before returning to his own seat.

 

"Olandas, we need you here." Vorren shook his head. “With the lead the Bladeborn gave us, we have narrowed the area we have to search. But it’s still large.”

 

"Yeah." Olut nodded from where he sat on the floor, but only a fool would call the man in a submissive posture. “About fifty square kilometers?” He asked after a moment.

 

Vorren nodded. “Yes, and lots of places to hide in that area.”

 

"Indeed." Gev spoke up, a bit hesitant. “I checked the normal fugitive hiding spots. Halfway houses, shelters and such. No girls matching the description or Jedi in any of the transient shelters. Jedi usually stand out in such places.”

 

"Not this one." Mi’Ta shook her head. “This guy has had intelligence training at some point. Probably including surveillance and counter surveillance training.”

 

"That explains our issues finding the girl." Vorren nodded slowly. “What little I have been able to find out about Michael Jonal supports that. He isn’t well known, but that is probably intentional. One thing… Four years ago, he stopped a hostage situation by drawing the bank robbers out into the open for snipers to gun them down. That is cold blooded.”

 

Mi’Ta felt her face go slack. “A Jedi did that?” She looked at Olut who looked just as stunned. “Olut?”

 

"Hmmm..." Olut shook his head slowly. “I didn’t sense the Dark Side when I scanned the ice cream place, and I am good at that. That is why Master Nira sent me.”

 

Vorren nodded. “Well, we have more than we did. The last two days have been somewhat productive. We have leads. But… Olandas…” He turned to where the tech was slumped in her chair. “We need you here.” The tech met his eyes and nodded slowly. Her shame and worry bit deep, but her face smoothed as she focused herself.

 

Kunda spoke slowly. “I know I am the junior person here, and an outsider to boot, but may I say something?” Vorren nodded and Gev spoke slowly. “My history with Istara Andal will likely come up.”

 

All the others were looking at him now and Gev nodded. He was out of his armor at the moment, and his face was somber. “I messed up. I took on a mark too big for me. I am usually better about picking them, but the money was good. I had no idea the guy was disobeying an order. I wouldn’t have been paid anyway.”

 

“And?” Vorren asked quietly when Gev stopped talking.

 

Gev nodded. “People think bounty hunters are all about revenge. Revenge for injustices, revenge for this, that or the other things. That is not true. I can’t speak for the aliens who do it, or even for other hunters, but I got into it to make a difference. Things sort of… Slid a bit…”

 

"Yeah." Mi’Ta nodded, her face sad. “They always do.”

 

Gev nodded to her. “I had a bad feeling about that job. I do not like being an assassin, and Moff Vimas was using me as one. The first time I faced Istara Andal I took her by surprise. The next time she faced me, she could have wiped the floor with me, both times, but chose not to. To protect someone she loves…” He shook his head. “I don’t know about you all, but I am not too proud to say I am scared.”

 

"And now?" Vorren nodded. “Are you okay with facing her? If it comes down to that?”

 

Gev nodded soberly. “I know why I am here, sort of anyway. If she sees me, she is likely to react…badly… right? So I can be a distraction?”

 

"Gev?" Mi’Ta looked at him, her face a mask. “What makes you say that?”

 

Gev sighed and put his empty hands in plain sight. “I am not always a stupid little brat, Mi’Ta. The contacts I spoke to said I went into the safehouse where you all were staying and didn’t come out. What did I do? To make you hurt me? I… remember… bits of it now.” Everything stopped in the room. Olut, Vorren and Mi’Ta were so still as to be scary. Gev shook his head. “I know you did something to my head, but I don’t care about that right now. What. Did. I. Do?” His voice was intent now.

 

Olandas stared from the bounty hunter to Vorren, her face working. Vorren didn’t move and Olandas spoke softly. “You took us by surprise, and you shot Rillian.”

 

"I see." Gev sighed. “So… I was to take his place?”

 

"Gev." Mi’Ta looked at him. “Why are you so calm? What do you have prepared?”

 

Gev shook his head. “Nothing. Shoot me if you are going to. Whatever you did to me is holding. I can't hurt you. I am angry, yes. But mainly with myself. I lost focus, I was so focused on revenge that I lost focus on everything else. It wasn’t until the flight back here that I realized something. Istara Andal is not my enemy, she was just a mark. And an honorable one, she could have killed me, any of the times we faced off, but she didn’t. Because it wouldn’t have been fair. The only time she took advantage was after I killed a boy in front of her, he was a fool, but he pointed a gun at me. And now apparently I killed someone who didn’t deserve it. Not the first time, but… I regret when it happens. Do whatever you are going to do. What now?” He sat up straight and met Vorren’s eyes.

 

"So..>" Vorren shook his head slowly. “That is why you disarmed, isn’t it?”

 

"Well... " Gev snorted. “That and the catheters are VERY uncomfortable.”

 

"I bet." Vorren snickered a bit at that. “Yes I imagine they are. Well, what now?”

 

"Vorren." Gev sighed. “You are in charge, not me. I checked my bank accounts. You were paying me from the moment you caught me. So… you pay and I go, or you do whatever you want. If you want to brainwash me again, I can’t stop you.”

 

"Right." Vorren nodded slowly. “It was a cover, but a good one. How did you guess?”

 

"Little things." Gev sighed. “Some things just didn’t add up. Every time Mi’Ta looks at me, my guts turn to water. I don’t remember most of it. Just bits and pieces and her voice. Don’t ever talk to me like that again, please, Mi’Ta?” His voice was almost begging.

 

"Don't make me." Mi’Ta nodded slowly, her hand didn’t move from her blaster however. “It’s a useful technique. Why didn’t you try to run?”

 

"That's just it." Gev shook his head. “I did. I was at a safehouse of my own when my sensors picked up the implants you put in my head. The bomb in particular. So I came back. What else could I do?”

 

Olandas stared at him. “You walked in here… knowing… and disarmed… knowing…?” Her voice was incredulous.

 

"I want to make up for some of what I have have messed up." Gev sighed. “Dead is dead. If I played along, I had a slim chance, otherwise, I had none. You would have been far stupider than you are not to hedge your bets. You are paying me, so that gives you my loyalty. But that only goes so far. The bomb goes further. I am yours. So… Again, I ask… what now?” His eyes met Vorren’s.

 

"Right." Vorren nodded slowly. “For now, we will continue what we have been. We have to find that girl, and soon. If we have to do a door to door in that area, we will, but I would rather not.” He met Gev’s eyes. “As for you…?” He looked at Mi’Ta who nodded soberly.

 

"Gev." Mi’Ta’s voice was quiet. “I cared for Rillian. It was just blossoming, but then it was cut off. I hurt you because I hate you. But the mission comes first. You have proven that you are capable and smart most of the time. If you obey our orders without question and do as we wish, then when the mission is done, I will turn you loose. You are being paid.”

 

"Okay." Gev nodded. “That was one thing; your pay is too high.” Vorren looked at him and Gev shrugged. “50k per day to find a girl, even a Force Adept?” He shook his head. “The big players are starting to look at it now. Mandalore himself has taken notice.” All eyes in the room went wide at that. If the Mandalorian clans started hunting the girl as well… They had enough problems without a bunch of over-muscled and under-brained warrior types running around too.

 

"Always the small things." Vorren sighed. “Flarg me… Ok, Gev, you and I are going to sit down and do some negotiation. Olut, you and Mi’Ta are the field team, keep doing what you have. And Olandas…” His voice was gentle but the girl stiffened up from her half doze. “Get some sleep.”

 

“Yes, sir.” The three Imperials chorused as they rose and left the room.

 

"Right?" Vorren looked at Gev. “I will need a full report on what you remember and when you remembered it.”

 

"Fair enough." Gev nodded. “I don’t remember a lot, and it is very hazy. But she is fraking scary when she talks like that.”

 

"Yeah." Vorren sighed. “I know…”

[kalenath]

<At just about the same time, a long ways away>

 

She woke, chilled. Something was wrong, something was off. She shook herself, trying to figure out what was wrong. A gentle voice came to her.

 

“Istara?” As always the voice of her keeper had Istara Andal smiling softly, almost tenderly. If anyone a year ago had told her that she would be working with bugs of all things and not just working with one, but learning from one, she would have laughed in their faces. But now this was serious.

 

“Nana…? What happened?” Istara’s voice was perplexed. The last thing she remembered was trying a specialized attack, one designed to feint, strike and recover in the space of a breath. And then she had woken here. She catalogued herself, she was lying on a bed, probably hers. She ached in places, but nothing really hurt. Something cool and damp was across her face.

 

"Istara." The voice of the bronze skinned insect was soft, worried. “You collapsed. Something happened, I don’t know what. I managed to keep you from falling on your sword.”

 

Istara’s voice was just as soft as she tried to make sense of what she was feeling. “Thank you… I… Did I say anything?” She felt a gentle touch on her arm and power flowed into her, soothing what ached.

 

"Not really." Nana’s voice was tart now. “Nothing that made any sense. Not that you ever do.”

 

Istara grimaced, but there was a smile in it. This was their game. Both insulted the other as often as they could, in subtle and not so subtle ways. Nana was ahead of course. She was far, far older and more experienced than Istara for one thing. For another, she had a devious and intricate mind that was only matched by the compassion and understanding that lived there was well. But underneath all that was something that Istara knew only too well, a rage as deep as space itself. A rage very similar to the one that lurked in Istara’s heart. They both understood each other however and worked well as a team.

 

"Nana..." Istara shook her head, careful not to let the wet towel over her face fall off. “Come off it, chitin for brains. What did I say? It might be important.”

 

"Pushy little fleshy bit..." Nana’s voice came from close by and Istara forced herself to relax as something touched her cheek. “Watch your eyes.” Istara kept her eyes tightly shut as the damp thing was removed from her face. Something wiped it dry and then withdrew. “Okay, you are good to go.”

 

"You know..." Istara grinned as she opened her eyes. “I always wondered about that. How the heck can I watch my own eyes if I don’t have a mirror?”

 

A remarkably human sounding laugh came from nearby and Istara turned her head to behold a vision of horror. The insect face was barely twenty centimeters from her and the mandibles moved slightly as the antennae waved as if tasting the air. The large compound eyes, all six of them, were focused on her.

 

"Well then..." Nana’s voice was both relieved and worried when she spoke. “You should get more then. You would look so much better with multiple eyes, proper eyes. I have never understood how you humans can see at all with only two.”

 

"See?" Istara snorted, but there was a grim undertone to her small laugh. “Sometimes we don’t.” She sat up slowly and didn’t flinch as a large arm came her way. Nana slid her large manipulator arm behind Istara gently to help her sit up.

 

“Istara…” For once, Nana’s voice held no humor.

 

"I know..." Istara nodded her thanks. “I know. I shouldn’t hold on to it, but I have to help…” She froze in mid-word. “Oh Nana… I felt her, I felt Setsuna.”

 

Nana stilled into immobility where she was. “What was she doing?” They had been searching for Istara’s half sister for some time.

 

Istara shook her head. “I don’t know. She was in pain. Angry, frightened. Oh my god… She was on the plain… If I sensed her there…” She struggled to get her legs out of the bed, but now Nana’s manipulator came down gently on her abdomen.

 

Nana’s voice was gentle. “Istara, she is not there now. Majistrona felt it as well, and contacted me. I was busy trying to put you to bed and hadn’t sensed it myself. Wherever she is, she is hiding so well even Jainine can’t sense her. Now sit there until you recover your strength.” The pressure increased as Nana put weight o the arm holding Istara down. It was not painful, yet, but it was enough that Istara would have to fight to get up. “What did you feel?”

 

The human looked at the insect and then sighed. Her eyes unfocused as she looked closely at what she remembered. “She was running from something. Something… familiar?” Istara shook her head slowly. “Familiar to her, or familiar to me? I can’t tell. Something dark. There was someone else there, no… Several people…?” Her voice was curious. “It isn’t clear. I never honed these powers; they never seemed to be important.”

 

Nana’s voice was resigned now. “Of all the… Idiot nestling. The powers are part of you Istara. Ignoring them won’t make them go away. They will surface at odd times, such as when you are balanced on the big toe of your right foot like you were.”

 

Istara sighed. “I always focused on the blades, Nana, you know this. I… It always bothered me, what Idjit did.”

 

Nana nodded slowly as she took a step back, and folded her arms across her thorax. “Because he could see the future?”

 

Istara shook her head as she thought about that. “No… Well, not all of it. Yes, his future telling was always a bit on the creepy side, but… I saw what it did to him, so be so powerful and yet, so caged by that power. I guess I was afraid of that.” She mused, and then she nodded slowly. “I guess I still am. I feel fear now.”

 

"Istara..." Nana sighed as she sat, placing her huge body on the same level as Istara’s. “Istara, look at me…”

 

Istara did and was stunned by the waves of compassion and understanding that wafted through Ashla. As precursors to the Jedi Order, the Order known as ‘Born of Blades’ did not practice the Force as it was commonly known. Instead, they practiced Ashla, Light and Darkness together, but leaning heavily towards Light.

 

Nana was speaking again. “…Fear is a normal thing. It is a perfectly normal physiological reaction. You feel it, I feel it, every living thing feels it. It is what you do with it that matters. Sith are taught to harness it, to use it to gain more power.”

 

"I know." Istara nodded. “Jedi are taught to acknowledge it and let it pass. But I…”

 

Nana sighed audibly and extended a fine manipulator claw to Istara. “Istara, you have learned well. Far better and faster than any nestling I have ever known. If you were my offspring I would be proud of you. But now, it is time for your final lesson in Ashla. Take hold of my claw.”

 

Istara stared at the claw for a moment, and then, hesitant, took hold of the offered claw. Sitolon claws were not designed to be easy to grasp, and it took her a moment to find a good grip, but then she had one and she smiled at Nana. “What now…? Oh!” She gasped as something happened. She felt something she could barely recognize. It was alien, but at the same time, it was comforting. She would have recoiled, except the claw closed gently around her hand. “Nana… No…” The bug was moving now, closing on Istara.

 

Nana’s voice was gentle as she drew Istara closer, into what could only be an embrace. “You have been alone far too long, sister.”

 

Istara’s voice was horrified. “Nana, no… No… I will corrupt you. You know what lurks inside me…”

 

"Istara..." Nana’s voice was gentle. “Let her out, Istara. Let her free.”

 

Istara was shaking her head, but then her eyes changed to a reddish orange, and her voice became cold and hard. “What are you doing to her?”

 

Nana’s voice was quiet, and still kind as she held the embrace. “I am helping her and you, Sharlina. Come, sister. Join us.”

 

The voice of Istara’s other half was stunned now. “I… No…” Now it was soft, hesitant, almost childlike. “You can’t… I will hurt you. You have been nice to me, but I will hurt you. I don’t mean to, but I do. It’s all I know how to do. I always hurt the… the ones I love…”

 

Nana’s voice was gentle as her two of her arms held Istara and her other two stroked the now shuddering woman’s back. “We accept you for who and what you are, Istara Sharlina Andal. But you have to accept yourself.”

 

"No..." Sharlina’s voice was soft, scared. “I… I can’t… I am a monster.”

 

Nana gave Istara a gentle shake. “Do you think we care? You are who you are. And you are our sister. That is why we have come with you to find your other kin. Our other kin. She is related to you, and that is all that matters to us.” The human woman was sobbing hard now. “You never really believed us, did you, Istara?”

 

Istara’s voice was harsh with emotion now. “I always thought you were being kind to me, being nice. I never… The only families I knew… My mother I betrayed, nearly killed… And Trugoy…” Even now, the pain, fear and loss cut deep. Even after everything else that had happened, the wound was still raw. “When you called me sister, I… I wanted to believe… But I couldn’t. I couldn’t open myself up that way again.”

 

Nana nodded as she held the human close again. “We will not betray you, Sisters Istara and Sharlina. Indeed, we cannot. You are part of us. We could no more hurt you than cut off our own legs. But it is time. Istara Andal, Sharlina Andal. Will you join our family?” Istara blinked, but then nodded silently. Nana’s voice was tart. “I can’t hear you.”

 

Istara looked at her and then, lifted a hand to where Nana’s antennae were floating. One came down and touched her hand. Istara felt another mind in hers as she focused her thoughts to send them to Nana, and by extension, to the rest of the Sitolon minds that were joined behind hers. It felt amazing, humbling and uplifting at the same time. There was no malice, although darkness was present, and not just from Istara. She felt something she hadn’t felt in a long, long time. Simple unqualified acceptance. They knew who and what she was, and did not care. All that mattered to them was that’s he was alone, and did not need to be. She was crying and she felt matching mental tears from her other half. Both spoke in unison inside their minds.

 

We accept

 

Mental touches came from the mass of energy that surrounded her selves now. But she wasn’t afraid. She felt other minds, ones she recognized. Ecien, Majistrona… She blinked. Jina! The sense from the former Jedi was chiding almost, but comforting as well. Other minds were close at hand, all parts of the same whole, as she and Sharlina were now as well.

 

Welcome

 

The feeling was so soft, so pervasive, that for the first time in a long, long time, Istara Sharlina Andal broke down and wept for joy.

 

It might have been seconds or decades, but when Istara opened her eyes, she was smiling. “Oh, Nana, I have been so dense…”

 

"Well..." Nana’s sense in Ashla was relief, but there was none in her tone. It was mocking. “Yes, yes you have. Come on let’s get you up, get you fed and then focus on what you sensed from your sister.”

 

Istara smiled as Nana lifted the human woman to her feet effortlessly. Istara wobbled a bit, but stood up straight. “I don’t remember a lot, but a few snatches here and there. From later than when she was on the plain. I do need to focus this. I better talk to Idjit then I guess.”

 

"Right." Nana nodded. “We can rendezvous with the Bladehome easily enough. What did you sense?”

 

"I don;t know." Istara sighed. “It was odd, but I could swear I tasted ice cream.”

 

"Ice cream?" Nana seemed to blink. But that was impossible, Sitolon didn’t blink. “What is ice cream?” Her voice was dubious.

 

"Ice cream is... Well..." Istara smiled. “It's a human delicacy, and as a matter of fact, the best ice cream is on…” She froze and then smiled. “The best ice cream I ever had was on Correllia, something they called a sundae. That is what I felt. Setsuna was having one of them.”

 

"So..." Nana looked at her. “Correllia?”

 

Istara nodded. “Correllia.”

[kalenath]

<Seventy eight hours later>

 

“I do not fraking believe this…” Istara’s voice was quiet, but the other two in the small compartment flinched anyway. “What are they doing here?”

 

The Iridonian pilot Gute carefully watched his controls, avoiding her eyes as he guided their small transport to dock with the massive Sith cruiser. He was more than slightly unnerved by all this, his irrepressible eagerness cowed by the sheer malevolence he could almost feel without the Force from the near distance. He froze as Istara touched his shoulder.

 

“Relax Gute.” Her voice was kind. “They won’t hurt you, there is no honor in it. Scare you, yes. Hurt you, no. They wouldn’t dare while you are with me.”

 

The pilot took a deep shuddering breath and then turned to face Istara. “Istara… I…” He shuddered and then relaxed as her hands found his shoulders and started to rub. Something about humanoid physiology was similar across many species. Muscles got tense and could be felt easily though the skin of the shoulders and massages had similar effects on Iridonians as they had on humans. He shook his head slowly, but relaxed as she continued. “You now… Who I was… right…?”

 

"I do." Istara nodded. “Oh Gute, I didn’t before. I am sorry.” She had been mean to him, hurtful. Now that she knew his past, she was deeply ashamed of her previous actions. It wasn’t every day one found a bona fide hero playing pilot to a group of nutcases.

 

"You..." Gute relaxed a little, but his eyes were on the ship that was growing in the distance. “You will have to obey orders. You always do…” His voice was different now, older, harder, sadder.

 

Istara took his jaw in gentle fingers and turned his head so his eyes met her eyes. Then she shook her head. “You are with us now. No one will harm you. I lost a crew once myself Gute. They…” Her eyes burned and she fought back her tears. “They obeyed my orders and were punished for it. They were killed for it, in front of me. You didn’t do anything wrong. That stupid Sith was the cause of your failure, not you.”

 

Gute stared at her and his own eyes were glistening. When Istara had found out that the being she knew as Gute had another name, she had been flabbergasted. Gerit Utral had been a captain in the Imperial navy. During the war with the Republic, he had served honorably and well. He had been decorated for valor a dozen times, fighting in places like Alderaan, Bothawui and Coruscant. He had clawed his way up the ranks from starfighter pilot to command his own ship, a small cruiser, but a proven design and efficient. His crew had been top-notch and his record exemplary. Until a Sith named Jarro had come onto the scene. The Sith had commandeered his ship for a ‘special’ mission. There was nothing new in that. What had happened however…

 

"Istara..." Gute shook his head. “If it comes to that, Ma’am, protect yourself. Don’t worry about me.”

 

"No." Istara shook her head savagely. “I have lost way too many people who have followed me to do it gladly, or casually.” She gave his shoulder a pat. “What happened to the Virulent Vision was not your fault.”

 

At the mention of his old ship, Gute stiffened again. “I…” He opened his mouth and closed it again several times. “They were my responsibility…”

 

Istara nodded. “Yes they were, but what could you have done? A light cruiser commander whose superior orders him to attack a battleship? You did incredibly well. You disabled that Republic piece of garbage. You took it, and brought it back as a prize. And then… You were betrayed.”

 

"No." Gute shook his head. “I… I shouldn’t have run. I owed my crew that. But…”

 

"I know Gute." Istara sighed. “The fact that Jarro was acting against orders, that he took you and your people into harm’s way against orders was nothing against you. It is not fair that the Sith who were hunting him blamed you for him getting his silly rear end killed in the battle. And it certainly wasn’t right that they ordered your crew executed.”

 

"They..." Gute shook his head. “They took my ship. My crew, my honor. They came aboard and started slaughtering everyone. I knew they were coming for me, so… I…”

 

"Of all the..." Istara sighed deeply. “You didn’t run. They found you on the bridge, and when they tried to execute you, you blew them into space.” Her smile was feral. “Then your ship jumped, and was found a week later wrecked. Nothing aboard but bodies. We had no idea what had happened, just that no one had survived. When I found out what had happened and why from Nana… Oh, Gute, I am sorry… I am sorry I was such a witch to you.”

 

"I..." Gute shook his head. “I… I was the captain. I should have gone down with her…” He looked at Nana. “You should have let me die.”

 

"Gute." Nana shook her small head. “The Iridonan known as Gerit Utral died before we could rescue you from the hulk. You are Gute, our pilot.”

 

"Istara." Gute shook his head. “It is going to come up.”

 

“And if it does?” Istara shook her head. He stared at her and she smiled, gently now. “You are one of us, Gute. You may not have a tattoo, but you are one of us. We are allies of the Empire, not subjects. If they request extradition, they can kiss my fanny. If they try to take you, or execute you, well… I will have to argue it with them.”

 

Gute swallowed audibly at the expression on Istara’s face. “I…” he smiled sadly. “Thank you, Istara.”

 

"Hey!" Istara smiled at him. “Someone needs to fly the ship. And I sure can’t…” Both of the others laughed at her tone. It was a sore spot with her that she couldn’t fly worth a darn. There was something about her that simply did not allow her to fly well. Maybe a deeply hidden subconscious compulsion? But none of the Sitolon who had examined her mind had found anything. She just couldn’t fly. “I don’t want to crash this thing.”

 

"Okay..." Gute nodded slowly as he returned his gaze to his controls. “Docking with the Bladehome in two minutes. Looks like an honor guard at the lock.”

 

"Crap." Istara groaned. “Some days I miss simply being Sharlina of the Bladeborn.”

 

"Oh?" Nana stared at her. “There was something simple about that?”

 

"Yeah, if people irritated me too badly, I could go all Sith on them and no one would bother me about it." Istara grinned. “I hate pomp and circumstance.”

 

"Get used to it, sister Istara." Nana had a smile in her voice when she spoke. “Or should I say ambassador Istara? Because that is what you are, our ambassador to the Empire.”

 

"Aw darn." Istara stared through the viewport at the ranks of Bladeborn drawn up to welcome her and sighed. “Shoot me?”

 

"Right." Nana shook her head and held out a claw to Istara. “Come sister, let’s get this over with…”

 

<An hour later>

 

“Concentrate, Istara…” Idjit’s voice was gentle but commanding. “See, don’t think, don’t feel, see… Let the power flow, don’t hinder it, don’t control it, ride it. You know how this works, better than me.”

 

Istara would have snarled at him, if she had any breath for it. But the fact that he was sitting on her chest while she lay on the deck sort of precluded snappy responses. She had been surprised, and unsurprised, at how quickly the Bladeborn had accommodated her. Of course Ecien was here, and the elder bug had likely explained the situation. But there was another explanation for the accommodation as well. They were delaying her. Again. But she had to do this. These visions were getting out of hand. If it happened in a fight… She shuddered a bit, but then relaxed as Idjit’s bare foot kicked her shin. She was lying on the floor of the quarters she had been given, they were clear enough that she could spar inside, there was more than enough space for this kind of training.

 

"Istara, relax." His voice was still the quiet, gentle tone he had used since he had appeared to instruct her. “Focus Istara. You can do this. Let it flow through you, let it take you where it wills.”

 

Istara sighed and then relaxed. Her breathing evened as she…

 

She froze. Something had happened. She was no longer lying on the floor of her quarters, she was standing against the bulkhead of a ship. Others were nearby, but her entire focus was on what lay before her. A holo-screen showed a single ship moving into what her stunned brain interpreted as an intercept vector with an entire fleet! Her brain flatly refused to recognize the ship for a moment and then her breath left her body in one solid whoosh. It was the Stormhawk! Someone as crying nearby. And when she turned, she stared at…! She could only watch, stunned as the scene unfolded.

 

Nia Korr was crying as she hit her com. “Dad… Talk to me… Please…?”

 

Another human, this one wearing the armor of Stormhawk Boss without the helmet, took Nia in a gentle embrace. “Nia… This is what he wants…”

 

Nia was shaking her head and Istara stiffened further as a younger version of Will and Maria stepped forward. This had to be Sara. “Nia…” Sara’s voice was gentle. “It’s okay Nia…”

 

“No it’s not… This is my fault. All my fault.” Istara wanted to comfort the girl, but something held her in place. When she looked down she was stunned to find binders on her wrists and ankles. She looked around to see all the others were wearing them as well. A strong hand grabbed her arm and she looked into the faceplate of a Republic Special Forces trooper. She relaxed and he nodded slowly. Everything stopped as the com lit up.

 

“Istara.” Will’s voice was flat, unemotional and despite herself Istara shivered a bit.

 

“I am here Will.” She heard her voice say quietly.

 

“Take care of them.” Hs voice didn’t change inflection. On the screen, she saw the Stormhawk enter weapons range of the other fleet and firing start. But the ship they were on didn’t fire, didn’t move actually.

 

“I will.” The voice that was and was not her own cracked slightly. “Die well, my friend.”

 

“The Dragons are waiting for me, Istara. Sharra is too. Just… Take care of Nia, and the others…” There was a faint hint of emotion in the words now.

 

Istara felt tears start to fall, but none were in her tone. “You know I will. Do what you must.” The com clicked off, but only for a moment. She felt the ship’s drives com online.

 

Another voice came over the com, harsh commanding. “Imperious, what are you doing? Get back in formation, we need your firepower.”

 

Another voice answered him, and Istara turned to see a human female in the uniform of a senior captain of the Republic Navy standing nearby. The captain spoke softly, but her tone held sorrow. “I should have told you this so many times, Senator. Flarg you! All Republic ships, if you don’t want to DIE get out of his way.” She made a gesture and the com clicked off. Every eye on the bridge watched in awe as the Stormhawk charged alone into the teeth of four battleships. Then she heard it, somehow. Music. Harsh loud and fast, it grew in volume as the Stormhawk charged her enemies.

 

Istara was shaking her head in horror as the Stormhawk took hit after hit, but she was firing back steadily. Her fire was taking a toll on the ships that were now trying to get out of her way. And her shots never missed, never went astray and the precision as uncanny. One time, she was certain she saw a bolt enter the tube of a heavy turbolaser on an enemy battleship. The fleet facing the Stormhawk was scattering. One ship in particular, Istara noted was evading hard, but the Stormhawk matched it’s every move. On a ramming course! The com lit up with the same harsh voice. “All ships, destroy the Stormhawk, destroy it now!”

 

Istara watched, her heart in her mouth as the Stormhawk closed with her enemy. The Republic battle ship was four times the size of the battlecruiser, and her shields and armor were damaged but whole. The Stormhawk on the other hand… Istara blanched as she realized the ship had no life signs aboard. If Will was still alive, he wouldn’t be for long. She flinched as the ship the Empire had hated took a full broadside and then…

 

She was screaming, fighting, trying to get loose from the hands that held her. She was screaming, crying and shivering as the hands, there had to be more than one set, held her in gentle but irresistible grips. Finally, after a time, she made out words.

 

Idjit’s voice was quick, quiet and gentle. “Istara… Istara… It’s all right… You saw something. What did you see?” Hands massaged her shoulders, a strong and gentle touch she remembered fondly and not so fondly.

 

She recoiled away from Idjit. “Stay away from me!” She demanded. The hands that held her released her and she sat up, too fast, her head spun. But then another pair of hands took her shoulders in gentle grips. Clawed hands.

 

Mama Lizard’s voice was gentle. “Issstara… It isss okay. You sssaw sssomething. Sssomething bad.”

 

Istara bowed her head. Subterfuge was never a strong point with her, and well, what was the point? Mama would know instantly if she lied or evaded the truth. Mamas knew those kinds of things. Likely they knew this already. “I saw Will die. He… he charged a fleet…. Alone… I couldn’t do a Force damned thing…”

 

"Istara..." Idjit’s voice was horrorstruck now. “Istara… Push it away. It is a possible future, not a certainty. Push it away…”

 

"So?" Istara snarled at him, her eyes snapping open and meeting his bandaged ones. “What do you care? You are delaying me again.”

 

Instead of Idjit answering, Mama Lizard spoke. “Yesss we are. And no we are not. We are ordered to turn Sssetsssuna over to that ssshutta Darmuk when we find her. And two daysss ago, we were ordered to asssissst the teamsss sssearching for her.” Istara blinked. If the Emperor had ordered them to do that, she was so screwed… But Mama smiled. “Ssso… Leeto is sssearching busssily on planet. There isss a datapad I ssseem to have… um… misssplaced… with all of the current information on it. If you find it, pleassse return it to me without looking at it…”

 

Istara couldn’t help it, she snickered. Trust Mama to find a loophole somewhere. The Barabel defined sneaky at times “If I find it, I will return it to you.”

 

"Okay..." Mama grinned. “I will leave you two to talk. No hitting. If either of you wind up in medical, I will be very annoyed.” With a final hug to Istara, she stood and left the room. Istara looked at where Idjit was perched now and sighed. She had no idea what to say. Story of her life…

[kalenath]

Istara Sharlina Andal looked at Idjit and her face worked as she tried to think of what to say. She had loved this man. And she had done it like she had done everything else in her life, with no limits. But now, things were different. She wasn’t sure if he was the same person she had fallen in love with, she knew she wasn’t the same. But when his empty eye sockets met her eyes, she still felt a little flutter as she had so long ago. As always his hair was cut short so as to seem almost invisible. His robes were dirty as well.

 

"idjit..." Istara shook her head. “When was the last time you did laundry?”

 

"Ah..." He sniffed himself and winced. But then Idjit smiled. “I have a load in now. I was not expecting you. I am still on punishment, I was changing diapers when they told me you were here. They didn’t give me time, or I would have changed.”

 

Istara blinked. “Diapers?” She asked carefully.

 

"Yeah. Punishment for scaring you and Trugoy." " Idjit smiled a bit sadly. “We have guests aboard. You never saw them did you?”

 

"Guests?" Istara stared at him. “Idjit, this is a warship of the Imperial Navy. What are children doing aboard it?”

 

"Hiding." Idjit sighed. “Come with me…” He rose gracefully and Istara followed him, somewhere between shock, outrage and bemusement.

 

They strode easily through the ship. In design it was a cruiser. A specialized cruiser, it was not really designed for open battle, although it could. Instead, the Bladehome was designed for speed, and maneuverability. It could outrun almost anything in space, and what it could not outrun, it could out-fight. The Bladeborn they passed in the corridors bowed formally to her and she retuned their politeness with aplomb that she truly did not feel. This was just so alien to her. Bladeborn bowed to no one except their grandmaster and the Emperor. So what if she was part of the original order now? So what if she could do things they couldn’t.? It wasn’t as if…

 

Her thoughts came to an abrupt, screeching halt as Idjit keyed a hatch open and she saw what was within. Several dozen young forms, ranging in age from about three or four to teens, sat quietly in a semi-circle as an older human spoke evenly. From the tone, the gray haired woman was instructing and when Istara looked around, she saw a blackboard full of diagrams. Physics equations. These kids were studying physics! Istara’s mouth fell open. But then the instructor saw her. The woman stopped speaking and nodded to Istara.

 

“Students, we have a guest.” The woman’s voice was soft, but commanding. Every eye in the room turned to where Istara was standing, feeling poleaxed. Istara shut her mouth with a click and bowed formally to the teacher. It was ingrained in her; from the moment she had joined the Bladeborn, to be respectful to her elders and teachers. It had not been an easy lesson for her to learn. She stared as all of the students rose as one, turned and bowed to her. None of them had the Force. The teacher spoke. “I am Lija, instructor. These are my students, Istara Sharlina Andal, we are honored to meet you.”

 

"Good day." Istara nodded to the teacher, and then smiled at the students. “Don’t let me distract you from your studies. They are incredibly important.” She half expected a couple of them to speak up, but none did. Instead one little girl who could not have been over seven or eight raised her hand. Istara nodded to her. “May I know your name?”

 

"Masterblade..>" The girl gave a half bow. “I am Lara. May I ask you a question?”

 

Istara controlled herself to keep from laughing, the child likely wouldn’t understand and think Istara was mocking her. She felt matching amusement from Idjit and the teacher. Trugoy loved that joke, when someone asked that question he only had one response. Istara nodded. “You just did, but I will give you another. What do you wish to know?”

 

Lara smiled bit shyly, but then nodded. “Is it true? You are one of the original Bladeborn now? Like Ecien?”

 

Istara looked at Idjit who shrugged. She turned back to face the girl who had spoken and nodded slowly. She reached up a slow hand and undid her arm armor, even here, she went in armor. No one was likely to attack her here, but better to have it and not need it. She was at a bit of a loss as what to do with the vambrace, but Idjit held out a hand and she gave it to him. She pulled the sleeve of her bodystocking back and exposed her forearm. On it was a visible tattoo. She held it out where the children could see it. The children stared at the mark, so like the brands of the Bladeborn and at the same time, so different.

 

"Well..." Istara smiled gently at Lara. “That was three questions. But I will not charge you extra for them.” Her tone was too much and several giggles escaped the class. The teacher looked censorious, but Istara waved a hand. “It is all right. Humor has its place. But study well; learn as much as you can. I myself am still learning and likely will until I die. There is not enough time for me to learn everything I want to. But that doesn’t mean I can’t try. What are you studying?” She asked slowly.

 

"Ah, hard stuff." Lara smiled. “Hyperspacial physics. Its…” She broke off, obviously bothered. But Istara was stunned. For children to be able to study such things… Something was wrong here. She was sure of it.

 

"I know." Istara nodded. “It is incredibly complicated. It gives me headaches. So I could likely use a refresher course as well. Would you mind if I sat in?” Lija blinked but then smiled and nodded. The children all smiled at her as Istara found a seat and sat. Idjit sat nearby, his face inscrutable, and his Force sense… odd. She glanced at him and then focused on the teacher as the children sat again and Lija started speaking.

 

Forty minutes later, Lija stopped speaking and led the children from the room. Istara stayed where she was until all of them had left. She smiled at several of them and they smiled back at her. Once they had left, she spoke softly. “Who did this?” Normal children did not learn like this. These kids were… exceptional. And artificial. Something about them rang false to her senses. Her voice was angry, and Idjit sighed.

 

“We don’t know for sure." The seer admitted. "We found them in many places, hurt, in some cases dying. But they all share the same things. All of them have sophisticated implants inside their brains. We can’t remove them, we can and have disabled them, but… We can’t remove them.” Istara’s blood froze solid at that, and Idjit nodded. “And it’s not Republic tech. It’s Imperial. Someone in the Empire is reproducing the Republic Intelligence experiments.”

 

"Of all the..." Istara felt rage rising. “You need me distracted. Is this how you…” She broke off as Idjit slammed to his feet.

 

“No.” His voice was cold. “We need your help. They need your help. Ecien deferred to your decision.”

 

"Huh?" Istara felt her guts clench tighter at that. “She… what?”

 

"I don't know." Idjit sighed. “You will need to ask her when you can catch her. She is on her way to Correllia I believe. To find your sister. I can’t sense her, so I don’t know for sure.”

 

"Idjit.." Istara shook her head. “Don't…”

 

"Look..." Idjit sighed. “Istara… Think about it. No one is rushing or delaying you. No one is that dumb. You ship is fueled, you can leave whenever you are ready. But… At least talk to Mama.” His voice held pleading now. “I don’t blame you for not trusting us, but these kids need help we can’t give. We…” He broke off.

 

Istara’s face went slack. “Oh no… No, no, no, no, no…” Her voice turned horrified. “How many have you lost?” She had seen, on her old ship, the Rancor’s Bite, the way that people died from what was done to them. Horrific didn’t begin to describe it.

 

"Five." Idjit’s face worked as if he were crying. “We... We couldn't help them...”

 

"Flarg." Istara froze for a moment and then in a swift move was embracing the man she loved. “Oh, Idjit…” She shook her head. “I need to consult, and then meditate on this. Are … Are any of them in danger?”

 

"No." Idjit shook his head sadly. “Not at the moment, no. The only one who was… Died this morning. Ona is…”

 

"Oh no..." Istara could only imagine how the normally gentle Bothan healer was handling that. “I will talk to her and Mama. But this is not a decision I can make on my own.”

 

"I know, Istara." Idjit nodded as his face burrowed into her shoulder. “I know.” His voice was muffled. “Ecien went as soon as she found out Leeto had. I think she went to give you time to see this. To choose.”

 

"Thank you, but..." Istara shook her head. “There is no choice Idjit. They need my help, and soon. Come on, lets go talk to Mama and Ona.” The two battered souls hugged each other again before leaving the silent classroom behind them.

Edited July 6, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

It was a solemn group that met in the medical bay of the Sith cruiser Bladehome. Istara had her face under tight control and she knew Idjit was under intense control as well. Considering how slowly and carefully the Barabel she had called Mama for decades was moving, the spiritual and moral guide of the Bladeborn was also having difficulty maintaining her own focus. They had arrived and essentially taken over one of the wardrooms that flanked the main Medical area. Normally used for briefings and such, they made excellent meeting spots as well. Istara looked up and frowned as the hatch opened and Ona did not come in, instead Jon, the other doctor aboard came in. His face was haggard, but he moved well.

 

“I just got her to sleep.” Jon said without preamble. “I don’t want to wake her if I don’t have to.”

 

Istara stared at him and then smiled a bit sadly. She could feel the depth of his emotions. She had never liked the man, and she doubted she ever would. But he had changed a great deal from the self absorbed snot who had been a pain in her rear before Trugoy had sent her away more than a decade ago. She indicated a seat and shook her head. “Did you drug her?”

 

Jon collapsed into the seat and shook his head slowly. “No. She was completely worn out. She tried everything. I… We tried everything. It wasn’t enough.” The failure obviously hurt him, and not just because it had hurt the female he loved.

 

"I remember." Istara nodded sadly. “It is a particularly awful way to die. And to see another child die like that…” She shook her head sadly. When she looked up, she was stunned to see Jon staring at her, shock and understanding in his eyes.

 

“I… I had forgotten…” The healer said quietly. Istara had commanded a ship hunting the Republic Intelligence scum who had started this whole awful mess. It hadn’t turned out well in the end, but she had accomplished her mission, or so everyone had thought. “How… How many…?”

 

"I must remember them. No one else will." Istara met his gaze calmly. Calm she didn’t really feel. “Of the hundred and twelve experimental subjects I rescued over the years, seventy seven of them died. Twenty six of those were children.” She bit her lip remembering. Suddenly a warm arm wrapped around her shoulder and a kind voice spoke in her ear.

 

“Issstara. It iz not your fault.” Mama Lizard’s voice was kind and gentle as she comforted the being she called daughter.

 

"I know." Istara nodded. “But it is my responsibility. And if I do not remember, who will? We need to get these kids to Cranna.” The other Bladeborn looked at each other and Istara froze. “What?” She asked carefully.

 

"We have some problemsss..." Mama Lizard spoke. “Our… recent activitiez… have raisssed zome concern in certain sssectorz. We are under a great deal of ssscrutiny at the moment. We have otherz aboard, mossstly refugeez from a colony we ressscued. They wish to remain and Imperial Intelligence…” She broke off as the hatch opened again. She snarled at the form that entered. “Thiz is a private meeting. Get losst.”

 

The human male wearing the uniform shook his head. Either he didn’t know how close he was or didn’t care that Mama was enraged by his lack of civility. His voice was crisp and conveyed disdain when he spoke. “My orders are clear. I should have been informed immediately when this one came aboard.” He waved at Istara who stilled. Jon and Idjit looked at her and then away. That told her everything she needed to know.

 

"Well..." Istara stood slowly and took two steps away from where the Barabel stood now, shivering in rage. Istara’s voice was cool and unemotional. “’This one’ has a name, whoever the flarg you are. That one…” she waved a hand in the agent’s direction. “…is rude and going to wind up cut into small pieces in the very near future if 'that one' is not careful.”

 

The agent stared at her, and then seemed to shrink, just a bit as he realized that, while her hand was not on her sword, it was very close. It was obviously also on his mind that she had diplomatic immunity. If she decided to -as she said- ‘cut him into small pieces’ she could and get away with it. He nodded slowly and took a step back, not a retreat, but a calculated attempt to defuse what could become a very ugly situation. He nodded slowly. “For the insult, I apologize, Istara Sharlina Andal. I am Olin, Captain, Imperial Intelligence.”

 

"Right." Istara nodded slowly and resumed her seat. “I assume you heard everything we said.” It wasn’t really a question. The entire ship was wired for sound and video. Security was airtight aboard the ship. The Bladeborn were called ‘the Emperor’s Hatchetmen’ for very good reasons, but that did not mean they were trusted. Heck no, they were weird.

 

"Yes." Olin nodded as he leaned against the wall. “I would like to speak with the other healer.”

 

Mama spoke flatly. “When ssshe wakez.” There was no room for evasion or misunderstanding in her tone. She easily conveyed that if he woke Ona, the Barabel would take great joy in dismembering him slowly.

 

"Fair enough." Olin nodded. “These children are a resource, we need to find out what was done to them and who.”

 

"Won't help." Idjit shook his head. “They don’t remember. They were drugged.”

 

Olin shook his head. “They will remember something. With proper interrogation they will likely have a great deal of…” He broke off. Having the edge of a sword come hissing at one’s throat and stop bare centimeters from it would do that to any reasonably sane being. He stared into the reddish orange eyes of Istara Andal and swallowed audibly.

 

Her voice was calm, no not calm, utterly devoid of emotion. “If you touch them, I will feed you feet first into a recycler.” It was hard to see what was scarier, the threat or the cold, matter of fact way that she said it.

 

"I have my orders." Olin to his credit did not flinch. “We are not enemies, Istara Sharlina Andal.”

 

"Oh?" Her gaze was still on him, and her blade didn’t move. “Could have fooled me. I spent six months in an Imperial prison to keep this from happening in the Empire. It was bad enough when it only in the Republic’s space. It was aimed at the Empire. But here? You really want these… these abominations running around here of all places?”

 

The thought was obviously in his mind as well. The idea of perfectly obedient living weapons, powerful weapons, was a lure to any Sith with delusions of grandeur. Which was most of them matter of fact. His voice was quiet. “Imperial Intelligence has ordered that the children be remanded into our care.”

 

"You...?" Istara froze. “You have got to be kidding. you want to reproduce this… this obscenity?”

 

Olin shook his head. “I don’t…” He broke off again as the edge of the blade caressed his throat.

 

Istara’s face was close to his now. “Don’t ever try and lie to me again.” She snarled now. “Of all the idiotic, stupid, pigbrained ideas… We find an abomination and need to stop it and what does II want to do? Play with it!” She had his arm in her gasp and he hissed as she twisted it hard.

 

"I..." Olin was backed all the way against the wall now. He choked out words. “We…Need… To know…”

 

Istara released him and stepped away. Her blade was still out however. When she spoke, all warmth seemed to flee from the room. “All you need to know is that I will kill anyone I find doing this again. I don’t care who they are. I don’t care what they say. This is evil, monstrous and… Will. Be . Stopped.” She stepped back and her sword vanished back into its sheath. When she spoke her tone was more normal, but the hints of violence underlay it. “Do I make myself clear?”

 

"Yes." Olin nodded. “You do.”

 

"Good." Istara nodded as she resumed her seat. “Okay, take a seat. I prefer to stay in the good graces of the Empire when possible. So…” She deliberately looked away from him, dismissing him as a threat and turned to Idjit. “Where and when have these children been found?”

 

Idjit nodded to her. “We have found them in a number of places. It is odd however, it is almost as if they were left there for us to find. We are always an hour or two too late.”

 

"Sounds familiar." Istara nodded. “I remember that feeling. You don’t ‘see’ anything?”

 

"No." Idjit shook his head. “I am too close, too emotional. Too angry.” He corrected himself with a frown.

 

"Idjit..." Istara shook her head. “You know better. Calm yourself. I need information. When did this start?”

 

"Sssome time ago, in fitz and ssstartz." Mama answered sadly. “We found the firssst a little over four yearz ago. Ssshe waz ssso zmall, and ssso hurt…” Her voice held tears but none shone. “Zo brave and so ssstrong, you would have liked her Zhar, we all did. Ssshe was exceptional. The zcum who had her did not put implantsss in her, they did zomething elssse to her, but we found the same kind of thingz done to the latessst onez. Thessse... Yez... Thessse are all like what you deztroyed.”

 

"So the first you found wasn't like the others?" Istara shook her head slowly. That was the same tone Mama used when talking about her. It seemed this new kid had wrapped the Barabel and the others right nicely around her finger. For a moment, she felt a pang of jealousy, but then dismissed it. It wasn’t important. She spoke evenly. “What happened to her?”

 

"She didn't have the Force, but it never even slowed her down." Idjit smiled. “We found her home and sent her there. By all accounts she is doing quite well. She was from Naboo.”

 

"Naboo?" Istara blinked. “Hmm… I may need to talk to her.”

 

"Well…" Mama grimaced. “We can ask… I don’t know how the queen isss going to react though.”

 

"Um..." Istara stared at her surrogate mother. “Why would the queen of Noboo be concerned with a girl? I know it is one of her subjects, but…”

 

"More than that." Idjit smiled in fond memory. “We called her Mira, but her name was Natasha Anastasia Regina. She is the queen’s daughter.”

 

"You..." Istara’s eyes had to be the size of dinner plates. “You had a princess aboard?” Her voice was dumbstruck.

 

"What can I say? Idjit shrugged. “She didn’t look like a princess.”

 

"Ah..." Istara laughed a bit foolishly. “Oh… dear…”

[kalenath]

<Somewhere>

 

Mira had not expected to enjoy herself. She had seen this as an exile, a punishment for her not being skilled enough to stop the assassin that had nearly claimed her life. And even after encountering Ahrissa, she had never expected Jedi of all people to be fun to learn with. But they were. She truly enjoyed learning, she always had, ever since she could remember. Of course there were Jedi, masters even, who disliked having her here. She was an outsider, non-Force sensitive. The fact that she could hold her own in a practice ring even with seasoned Jedi who had been fighting for years seemed to dismay some of them. They were learning not to hold back, for she certainly didn’t. Even if it bothered her guards to no end.

 

The two guardians who had been assigned to her had been discreet, kind and utterly disinterested in anything like talking to her as if she were a normal person. Aie and Solus were totally devoted to their jobs, and very good at what they did. But they were not Ahrissa. She knew she shouldn’t form attachments. In a princess; they could be just as dangerous as in a Jedi. But Ahrissa was special. There was something about the older female human, something that called to Mira. A need maybe? A wish to be something other than what she was? Mira could certainly understand that. She finished her warm up katas and the training master, a hawk eyed Cerean named Kerin, gave the girl a rare smile as she bowed. Given who she had trained with before, it was no mystery that she knew how to fight better than almost any other nine year old in existence. Mira felt a pang that she hid beneath her mental shields with the skill of long practice.

 

Even now, after months of living apart, she missed the Bladeborn. The rules had been strict and punishments had been ruthless. But none of the rules had been arbitrary. None of the others she had trained with had looked down on her for not having the Force like some of the Padawans here did on occasion. Strangely enough, she seemed to be paired with the ones who disliked her in training quite often. Speaking of which…

 

She bowed to Master Kerin again and the training master nodded to a ring that held a Padawan with an ignited blue saber. Mira hid a sigh as she drew her own. She much preferred steel to energy blades, but she had to admit there was a great deal of skill involved in using them. Especially when one did not have the Force. She looked her opponent in the eye and hid another sigh. Padawan Balis was not bad, he just didn’t see very clearly. He raised a saber in a salute and she nodded to him, but let him come, her saber in hand but not ignited. He stopped out of reach and waited. She kept her amusement out of her mind and off her face as she activated her own training saber. The other students, and a couple of the Jedi, had learned that just because she looked unready didn’t mean that she was. It still felt… wrong. To hold a weapon whose blade had no weight just felt wrong. She had to admit the humming green blade was fascinating. But it wasn’t…

 

Her thoughts cleared as Balis attacked. She approved. His body did not telegraph his blow, and since she did not have the Force, she could not sense warnings that way. Not that she really needed to. His body might have been under intense control, but there were signs that no swordsbeing, no matter how skilled, could hide. A slight shift in the muscles of a leg, a minute hand movement, small, almost imperceptible signs that showed he had gone from defensive posture to attack. His saber came swooping in a vicious arc that, had it connected, would have cleaved her in half. Of course, it didn’t.

 

There were several counters she could have done for a horizontal sweep attack, most of them instant and, if not lethal, then painful to the recipient. But he was here to learn as much as she was. And the healers had gotten annoyed with her after four students in four days wound up in medical. So instead of countering with any of her normal moved, Mira dodged. Her form was perfect as she swept inside Balis’ guard to deliver a pommel strike. Then she was flying across the room. She had an instant to realize that Balis had struck her with a Force punch, she impacted, rolled and then her feet were underneath her. She struck the wall behind her with her feet and rolled up again into a run. She was charging back to where Balis was standing, saber ready to…

 

“Hold!” Came a commanding tone and despite the red-hot fury that burned in her veins and the pain that she dimly felt, Mira froze in place and lowered her saber. One did not disobey commands when a Bladeborn instructor spoke after all. But then she was flying again, and she was dimly aware that she was not going to land well. Probably on her head. Then everything stopped. She had a moment of disorientation before she realized she was hanging in mid air. She looked to where Master Kerin stood and the training master shook her head as she lowered her hand and Mira felt her feet touch the ground. The two guardians assigned to her came up, but Mira was not looking at them, she was looking at Balis, whose face was a study of shock, fear and more than a little disbelief. She felt pain, but it was secondary. Kerin sighed as she strode up.

 

"Mira..." The Cerean’s voice was kind as she touched Mira’s arm gently. “I apologize. I was distracted. I knew he had no chance against you, but I had no idea…” Mira did not cry out, did not react at all as the Cerean’s gentle fingers found something that would have had any normal nine year old screaming on the floor in pain. The Cerean hissed in worry.

 

"I know." Mira did not take her eyes off of Balis but spoke to Kerin. “Broken in two places. I rolled badly, I will work on that.” All of the quiet murmurs around her stopped at her words. But now she spoke to Balis. “We are here to learn. Not kill one another. If I had been a moment lax, your Force punch would have killed me. Lack of control will kill you as surely as a blade or blaster. Or worse, it won’t. You will just pray for it.”

 

"Mira." Kerin looked at her and nodded. “You should go to Medical.”

 

"No." Mira shook her head. “The bout is not done.” More than one watching Jedi drew in a breath at that. Her arm was hanging limp and obviously broken, and she wanted to continue? “With your permission training master? After all, his power did not injure me, the collision with the wall did, and that was my fault.” A hiss of disbelief went around the room. The Training Master seemed almost to smile at that.

 

“Our rules say that injury ends the bout, but… If you insist…” Kerin looked at her for a long moment and then nodded, stepped back and bowed to her. The gaze that the Cerean leveled on the ashen faced Padawan was stern. “You know the rules. No Force powers in training duels. You will finish this bout. And if you use the Force again, I will have more than a few more things to say to your master.”

 

"I..." Balis stared at her. “I can’t… I will…”

 

"What?" Mira met his gaze and he quailed from her cold visage. “You will what? Fail?” She raised her saber in a perfect salute with her off hand and charged back into the ring. Even with her saber held only in her right hand, she was more than a match for Balis. After a few seconds of testing his defenses, she locked his saber, twisted in a peculiar way and his saber flew away. It deactivated as it flew into the hand of the training master, who smiled again. Balis stared at her as she deactivated her saber and bowed to him. “Good fight…” She said as she strode from the ring.

 

"But..." Balis spoke softly, disbelieving. “What…I…?”

 

Mira slumped and turned back, her face was sad now. “I have known and trained with Force users for a long time Balis, dark and light. Be very careful with your feelings. You have power that few do, so you must…” Her voice almost cracked and then she concentrated. “You must remain in control at all times. Or bad things happen. Here, the worst that can normally happen is injury. Out there..?” Her voice was soft now. “You are better than this. You are a Jedi. Perhaps a Padawan, but does that allow you to cheat? To cut corners? I do know where that path leads. It is a very dark road and it is so easy to start down it. I have seen it happen to too many… too many friends…” She was weaving now, but managed to stagger out of the room before collapsing in a heap just outside. She never felt the gentle hands that lifted her and carried her to Medical.

 

Mira woke to a soft discussion going on nearby. Her arm throbbed, but it didn’t hurt. She looked at it. It was immobilized in a flexicast and the cast was firm, so she had to have been unconscious for at least an hour. She shook herself and sat up. Immediately, gentle hands held her down and a soft voice spoke.

 

“You should not be up and about just yet, Mira.” She looked up into soft brown eyes. For a moment, she saw black fur and a wave of tenderness swept through her, but then she realized this one had grey streaks. The old male Bothan in the robes of a Jedi Master nodded to her.

 

"Ah." Mira slumped. “Master Melan. I am sorry.”

 

"For what?" Thokal Melan snorted. There was honest confusion in his voice. “For trouncing a fool? For showing everyone in the Enclave that you know more about the fighting than most of us combined? Or for showing that idiot Balis that you know more about the Force than he is ever likely to?”

 

"I..." Mira didn’t react to the humor in his voice. “I cause dissension here. I should leave.”

 

"Mira, I know this is hard for you." Melan shook his head as he sat back down by her bedside. “I know where you trained. And now several of the others have guessed.” Mira gulped, but Melan just smiled. “They want to spar with you. I would like to as well, if you don’t mind.”

 

"I..." Mira shook her head. “I am not a Bladeborn, Master Melan. I learned from them, yes, but…” She broke off as Melan patted her good hand, carefully to avoid the IVs that ran into her wrist.

 

"I know." Melan smiled gently. “We all know, we just like to learn more sword work. And here is someone who can teach us. Can you blame us for being curious?”

 

"No." Mira sighed, her head was fuzzy, probably the painkillers. “But I feel like I am betraying them.”

 

Melan sighed and nodded. “I see your point of view. You have a following now though. Several of the Padawans are in awe of you. So am I, albeit for a different reason.”

 

"What?" Mira stared at him. “Why?”

 

"Child..." Melan smiled, no this was a grin. “Mira, your arm was broken in three places. You were well within your rights to call the bout and you know it. Why did you continue it?”

 

"It was..." Mira blinked, and when she spoke it was calm, careful. “Balis was on the edge. He had never done that before had he?”

 

"No." Melan nodded. “That was the first time he had used the Force that way. It reacted to his emotions, Just as you said. He feels remorse for what he did. He was a hairsbreadth from asking to be sent away. I think I have talked him out of it, but I am not certain, he is stubborn, that human. Kind of like another I might name.” He smiled again.

 

"I..." Mira sighed. “I don’t mean to be a burden, Master Melan.”

 

"Has anyone said you are? Besides idiot s like Balis?" Melan snorted. “You are not. And if you shake things up a bit? That is a good thing! We need it every so often or we stagnate. You finished that bout to educate Balis and for that, I salute you. Next time, however, get to medical immediately and leave the educating to people who are not bleeding internally.”

 

"Um...?" Mira’s eyes went wide. “What…?” Her voice was hushed.

 

Melan touched her on the shoulder. “Your arm broke in two places when you landed, when you rolled, it broke again, and the collarbone as well. The jagged edge of your collarbone tore a small hole in your brachial artery, here…” Mira stared at her shoulder and indeed, she had a bandage on it. Melan’s voice took a serious cast now. “You are very lucky it missed the nerve cluster. Don’t assume that just because you don’t hurt that you are not hurt. Clear?”

 

Mira nodded. “Clear sir.”

 

Melan nodded. “Okay, you are going to sleep again. Rest well, Mira.” Mira took his smiling face into slumber with her.

[kalenath]

<Some time later>

 

When Mira woke, she knew immediately that something was wrong. She was not on planet, she heard ship drives in the distance. When she tried to move she couldn’t. Restraints clinked at her wrists and ankles. When she opened her eyes, she froze. She was not on a Jedi ship. No the décor and the equipment around her all said ‘Sith’ loudly. She was wearing the patient gown she had been in the Jedi medical center, but it looked stained, soiled, as if she had been wearing it for a while. She shook her head and sighed loudly.

 

“I might have known…” Her voice was rueful. She stiffed as she heard a soft voice from nearby.

 

“How do you feel?” The voice turned out to belong to a female human in Sith robes who came from out into Mira’s field of view carrying a tray.

 

"You are an idiot, lady." Mira sighed. “Do you have any idea at all how much trouble you are going to be in? If the Bladeborn don’t get you, the Jedi will be looking for me as well.”

 

The woman sighed as she set the tray down. “I know you have no reason to trust anyone who wears black and carries one of these…” She lifted her lightsaber a bit off her belt and let it fall again. “But please understand, the absolute last thing I want to do is hurt you again. I didn’t realize you had been injured when I sent my people to grab you from the Enclave. They snatched you and ran.” Mira stared at her and then at herself. The cast on her arm was still there, and the bandage on her shoulder was new.

 

"Like I should care?" Mira snarled. “You know what the Baldeborn will do to you.”

 

"Yes I do, but it is needed." The woman shook her head. “For what it is worth, I am sorry child… If there was any other way, I would take it.”

 

Mira growled at her. “Way to do what…?” Her voice broke off as something changed in the room. The bed she was in tilted until she was lying on her back. She stared up at the metal tube that was now lowering over her head. “No…” Her voice was horrified. Her body was so stiff that it was unlikely she could have moved at all as the horrid apparatus she remembered so vividly latched about her head. “No!” Mira was begging now, her voice cracking as she tried to fight the restraints.

 

"I am sorry." The woman sighed and came closer, a hypo in hand. “I am sorry, Natasha, but this is the only way. You will not be killed or permanently harmed, you have my word…”

 

"Right?" Mira snarled. “The word of a Sith?”

 

The woman sighed as she applied the hypo to the retrained girl’s neck. “Yes, my name is Nira Auralai. Unlike what my master did to you, you will sleep through this.”

 

Mira was shaking her head in horror as the drug flew through her system, robbing her of the will to fight and dragging her back into darkness. But as she fell asleep, she heard the woman singing something. A lullaby? What kind of Sith sang a lullaby?

[kalenath]

<Later>

 

When Mira woke, she wished she hadn’t. Her arm and shoulder were throbbing, but there were minuscule compared to the pain in her head. She put her hands up to hold her head and then froze. They had moved. She wasn’t restrained. She opened her eyes, finding herself in a darkened room. The lights were set for minimal illumination. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the dark and then she saw she was lying on a bunk. The room, what she could see of it, was a standard shipboard stateroom. She had been in several. She felt her head and shivered a bit as she realized that someone had cut her hair. It wasn’t all gone, just far shorter than it had been. She could feel bumps under her skin as well. She felt… odd, as if she was not totally there. Parts of her were not reacting as they should and she snarled as she sat up and her head spun. She shook herself as she put her feet on the floor and while her head spun and she nearly fell, she managed to stay on her feet. She moved to the door and was amazed when it hissed open. But the sight that greeted her…

 

The Houk who stood outside her door would have towered over almost anyone she had ever met. Perhaps Blondie of the Bladeborn would be able to match the being for sheer muscle mass, perhaps not. She gave herself very slim odds in a fight with the being. They looked at each other for a moment and then Mira went stiff as he bowed to her.

 

“Good morning, mistress Natasha. Did you sleep well?” His voice, while heavily accented, was easy to understand. But it still took her a moment to comprehend what he had said.

 

Automatic courtesy came to her lips, ingrained from years of living among incredibly dangerous beings. “Yes. Thank you. Am I a prisoner?”

 

"No." The Houk shook his head. “You are a guest of Master Nira. Do you require anything?”

 

Mira blinked. Nira? That had been the Sith who had been there when she had woken. The one who had… Mira shuddered and would have collapsed, except the Houk caught her. She barely heard his voice as he carried her through corridors she barely saw. She barely felt it when he laid her down gently on a yielding surface, the pain in her head was simply too intense for her to choke out words. A gentle touch on her scalp had her hissing a bit, but then something tingled on her arm and she relaxed as the pain vanished.

 

“Not too much.” Came the voice of the woman she remembered. “We want her free of the pain, not comatose.”

 

Another voice came, respectful, but worried. It sounded male and young. “Mistress, if she cannot think for pain, how can she answer the questions? Her tolerance is amazing, but in all things there are limits.”

 

Nira’s voice came again, she sounded resigned. “Fair enough, healer.” Now her voice gentled. “Natasha, can you hear me? Come on girl, talk to me; let me know you are okay.”

 

Mira didn’t want to look at the woman. She knew without a doubt what awaited her, so she was utterly amazed when the woman known as Nira spoke again, this time sad. “She won’t trust me, and I don’t blame her a bit. See if you can disable those… those things… and for the sake of the Force, don’t let her hurt herself or you.” Then Natasha was amazed when the woman’s voice seemed to move away. “Keep me informed.” A hatch hissed shut.

 

"Easy..." Gentle hands touched her skull and despite her training and discipline, she couldn’t restrain a whimper as pain erupted. The male voice was low, gentle and quiet. “It’s all right, girl. No one here will see. If you want to cry, feel free. No one on this ship would dream of calling you weak after what you went through.” Mira turned her head away from the voice, shutting her eyes tightly. Now the voice was sad. “Come on, girl. If you have to blame anyone blame me, not Master Nira. I had no idea… None of us did, but I should have… I should have known. I am so sorry…”

 

"What...?" Mira grimaced, but managed to croak out words. “What have you done to me?”

 

The voice held shame now. “I trusted someone I shouldn’t have. I… I took you to another healer when you didn’t react to the treatments I was doing. They… they did something to you I don’t know how to fix.”

 

"What have you done to me?" Mira’s voice was quiet, scared now. “What?”

 

Now the healer’s voice was savage. “I…” A hand clamped over her mouth. “If you value your life and sanity, keep your mouth shut!” Mira would have bit the hand, but then she heard a hatch hiss open and angry voices.

 

A male voice was speaking. “…I don’t care what you say, Nira, she is my experiment now and I am taking her.”

 

Nira’s voice was quiet, but held a deep undercurrent of menace. “Over my dead body Krundas. And hers as well. What possessed you? You saw the mark, have you taken leave of your senses? You know what the Bladeborn will do to you.”

 

"Nira, Nira..." The male, Krundas laughed evilly. “You actually fear those idiot dogs? They have no teeth, Nira. They bark about their Code like Jedi and do nothing when people insult them.”

 

"Oh no?" Nira actually laughed at that. “Then what happened to Nofil, Zon, Juris, Kuilo, Olena, Sariol, and last but not least what the hell happened to my own Master Vxeis? Killed by swords all of them.”

 

Krundas’ voice was mocking. “Vxeis was an idiot, playing with things he couldn’t control. The whole idea was ludicrous, storing information in a living brain? Come on Nira…”

 

"I did not authorize what you did." Nira’s voice was silky now, edged with malice and hate. “You had no right to implant her. She is mine.”

 

Krundas laughed again. “Not anymore, now she is…” His words broke off in the sound of two lightsabers igniting. Mira opened her eyes to wonder. Nira stood between her and a Sith lord in armor. The Sith Lord’s face was a mask of indifference. “You really think you have a chance against me, Nira?”

 

Nira shook her head. “I don’t have to beat you. I just have to deny you your prize.” With that, she swept her lightsaber through a medical table nearby and Mira’s eyes went wide as she saw a form on it. A slumbering form that had her face! The form’s head fell off and the medical monitors on the table went off, denoting cardiac arrest. Hard not to have it with a brain off the spinal column. The head rolled off the bed and Mira would have screamed except a hand clamped over her jaw.

 

“Quiet…” The healer’s voice hissed in her ear. “If you break her illusion, we are all dead…”

 

For a long moment, Krundas stared at Nira, and then he laughed loudly. “Well played Nira, well played indeed. You almost had me thinking you cared for the brat.” His saber deactivated. “Fine, I have other subjects. And now the Bladeborn will be hunting you, not me.”

 

Nira’s voice was still silky. “Just so you know, when I die, Trugoy’s people will get an anonymous transmission telling them everything I know about what you are doing. I may not live to see it, but you will not live long after. So yes, cut me down. Please…”

 

"You are bluffing." Krundas smiled at her but there was no humor in it. “I know you are bluffing.”

 

"Go ahead." Even with her back to Mira, the girl could tell the woman was smiling evilly. “Try it and find out.”

 

“You serve me, Nira.” Krundas stated.

 

“In your dreams, boot licker.” Nira replied quietly. “We were allies of convenience. That convenience was strained before you hurt a ward under my protection. Now that you have, we are enemies. If I see you again, you die. Get off my ship.”

 

Krundas shook his head. “You owe me, Nira…”

 

“For what? For taking me as a slave when Master Vxeis was killed? For torturing and killing my servants. For making me betray the Empire I was raised to serve? Get off my ship, now!” The last word rang with command and now fell energies crackled in her hands as she called the Force to her.

 

Krundas shook his head. “This isn’t over, Nira.”

 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Nira replied quietly, but with such menace in her voice that Mira shuddered. The two Sith left the room and the hatch hissed shut behind them. She looked up at the being who had covered her mouth. The green skinned male Twi’lek nodded to her.

 

“What the hell is going on?” She asked quietly, aware now that the form on the other medical bed was fading as the Force that powered the illusion dissipated.

 

The Twi’lek sighed as he sat by her bedside. “Big trouble. My name is Tirka. I am Master Nira’s personal healer. And now, yours…”

 

Mira shook her head. “I don’t understand.” She hissed a bit as her head pounded harder.

 

The Twi’lek shook his head. “Krundas had his medical staff do something to you. I didn’t even think, you… You were dying. We had to save you. And no, not just because of what the Bladeborn will do to us.”

 

Mira shook her head again, aware now of a buzzing in it, a buzzing she ignored. “What? You are not making any sense.”

 

Another voice answered her. Mira looked up to see Nira in the door, a sad look on the Sith’s face. “My master did this to you, Natasha Anastasia Regina. I will see it made right. I will have that holocron and those implants out of your skull, and you will have a normal life again.”

 

Mira snarled at her, but her strength as fading. “Normal…? You…”

 

She coughed hard and then started. How had she gotten in the Sith lady’s lap, and why was the woman rocking her as she sang? As she nodded off, she saw the Twi’lek approaching with gleaming instruments in his hands. She felt fear, but whatever was pulling her under was too strong, and eventually she slept.

 

After the poor girl had finally nodded off and her whimpers dulled into the uneasy breathing of sleep, Nira took Natasha in gentle hands and laid her out on the medical bed again. The Sith shook her head slowly as she looked to her medic. Tirka met her eyes and shook his head.

 

"Master." The Twi’lek bowed. “I can’t remove them. If I try… I will kill her or worse. And while they are there…”

 

Nira nodded. “We can’t access the information. Son of a barve, so close…”

 

The Twi’lek nodded and then spoke, hesitant. “Master, she will not survive… if we do not get help for her…”

 

"I know." Nira nodded. “But we have to get that information. If only he hadn’t buried it so deeply. If only she hadn’t smashed the controls… But I don’t blame her.” Nira sighed as she moved a lock of the slumbering girl’s hair out of her face. “She was such a beautiful child… I didn’t want him to hurt her. So he sent me away and did it anyway…”

 

"I... I tried." Tirka shook his head. “Master… The only way to get at the information is what Vxeis’ machine, and if we use it on her…”

 

"I know." Nira nodded. “If we use it again, the implants that Krundas put in will kill her. Bastard! So close to redemption, so close…” Nira shook her head. “But this poor girl has paid enough for three or four lifetimes. Any non brain dead Sith could recognize that. I wonder…”

 

Tirka froze. “Master?”

 

Nira was shaking her head. “If we took it in stages, can you deactivate one or two of the implants for a time?”

 

Tirka shook his head slowly, but in thought, not negation. “Possibly, but not for long. And if so, it will be incredibly painful. Master… I… I don’t want to do that to her…”

 

"Neither do I. Check, see if it is even possible. If it is... We have more options than we do at the moment." Nira sighed. “But one thing is certain. I won’t do it against her will. I will have to explain, try to anyway. If only he had trusted me… None of this would have happened.”

[kalenath]

When Mira woke again, she was lying on a comfortable bed and she was clean and dry. She tensed, but she didn’t hurt. Matter of fact, she felt good; better than she had for some time. But when she opened her eyes, her half baked hope that all of she had endured had been a nasty dream fell completely apart. She was lying on a medical bed, covered in medical gear. Beside her bed, the form of the Twi’lek healer lay slumped, his mouth partly open and soft snores coming from him. She glanced at herself and blanched. She was hooked up to all kinds of medical monitors, likely if she tried to move too quickly, or escape, alarms would go off. She slumped and then took stock of herself. All of her appendages moved when she ordered them to, so she was functional. But her head felt odd; as if her skin were too tight around her skull. She reached up a slow hand and touched her scalp. She tensed as she felt bandages. She looked at the healer and she snarled as she saw him awake and watching her carefully.

 

“What have you done to me?” She asked slowly and carefully.

 

"Not enough." Tirka, that was his name, shook his head slowly. "We managed to get the bomb and tracker implants out without causing more damage. I think we have disabled the punishment implant and the mute implant was not placed properly. So your speech has been unimpeded.”

 

Mira shook her head slowly. “Why did you put things in my head? What did I do to you?”

 

Tirka slumped, shame coloring his features. “We didn’t. I… I asked for help from another healer I know. I had no idea they were going to do that to you. I should have. Natasha… wait….” The Twi’lek held up empty hands in a warding gesture as Mira struggled to sit up. “I don’t want to hurt you. I already have, and I don’t want to do it again. What happened to you is my responsibility. I want to fix my mistake. If you keep struggling, you will pull the tubes out. Please, just listen… Please…?” He was almost begging now.

 

Mira had never heard that tine from a Sith or someone working for a Sith. She had heard that tone from another healer once. Ona had been in tears almost when Mira had woken in her care the first time, scared out of her mind and dying from drugs and poisons. She sank back into the bed, aware that it was far softer than a normal Sith medical bed. Someone had padded it a lot more than normal. Mira’s words were cold now. “Do I have a choice?”

 

The healer recoiled and another voice spoke. “Not really, no.” Mira jerked upright and looked up to see the woman in black robes from before standing near the door, her face sad.

 

"So..." Mira sighed and slumped back on the bed. When she spoke, her voice was resigned. “Now you hurt me again. What is it to be today? Force lightning? Or the machine?”

 

"Neither." The woman, Nira, shook her head. “I just want to talk.”

 

Mira almost exploded. “Why?” She shouted. “Why are you hurting me? Why have you put these things in me? What did I do to you?”

 

Nira shook her head. “Child, you have done nothing to me. My master did something to you. Something horrific. I… I wanted him to do it to me instead, but he sent me away.”

 

Mira froze. “Your… master…?” Her voice was low, scared almost.

 

The woman who called herself Nira Auralai shook her head and sat in a chair on the other side of the small compartment. She was as far from the girl in the bed as she could manage and when she sat, her head was on level with Mira’s, consciously placing herself on the same level.

 

The woman in black nodded, and her face took on an angry aspect. “Yes, his name was Vxeis. He was the Sith Lord who attacked the convoy you were on. To my shame, I was there.” Mira had never heard that from a Sith.

 

“Why?” Mira asked quietly. She had heard a lot about what had happened to that convoy. There had not been a single survivor, except for her.

 

"I don't know. The information is buried somewhere in your mind." The woman put hung her head. “He never would tell me. All the prisoners her took… vanished into his dungeons. Including you. I saw you, lying on the deck, stunned… I wanted to leave you, I said you were too young, and he replied ‘She is perfect’. I didn’t know what he intended until later. I should have.”

 

"What?" Mira stiffened. “He had…others…?”

 

"Yes." The woman in black nodded. “Many, troops, crew, others. I had no idea. I found out later that what he did nearly breached the treaty. The Empire very nearly declared him a traitor for what he did. Maker help me, I wish they had… Then none of this would have happened. He was my master, my teacher, and how I hate him still…”

 

“Why?” Mira repeated her quiet question, but her face held entreaty. This question had burned in her veins ever since she could remember. “Why do this to me?”

 

The woman called Nira shook her head. “I don’t know. I am sorry.” She said as Mira slumped again. “I do know he placed information vital to the Empire on the holocron that he forged from your neurons. And that information maybe the only thing that can save my companions’ lives.”

 

Mira blinked. “What?” Her tone was hardly polite, but who could blame her? Why should a Sith care about her companions? They were tools to be used, broken and discarded, right?

 

As if the woman followed Mira’s thought, she spoke softly. “No. My companions are not tools, they are my friends. Strange I know, for a Sith to have friends, but there you have it. It just sort of happened.”

 

Tirka smiled a bit sadly. “Kindness makes a better leash than a slave collar, we all agree.”

 

"Well..." Nira snorted at that. Her voice was tart. “You are all crazy.”

 

Mira couldn’t help herself, she snickered. For a moment the woman sounded so much like… She shook herself. She couldn’t be weak, not here, not now. “Why are you acting like this? You are a Sith, Sith don’t act like this.”

 

"Agreed." The Sith lady nodded. “Most Sith do not act like this unless they are trying to confuse people. But then again, most Sith are not already dead.”

 

Mira stared at her. “What?” Her tone was incredulous.

 

The woman Nira sighed and nodded to where the girl lay stunned. “What is the penalty for betraying the Empire? I know the Bladeborn taught you. If they taught you nothing else, they likely taught you that.”

 

“Death.” Mira’s voice was flat.

 

The seated woman nodded. “I don’t know what Vxeis did. I was sent away. I had… I was a bit too vocal in my protests about what he was doing to you. If I had possessed half the courage you do, I would have gone to the authorities. But I do not, and I did not. I was fighting in the Unknown Regions when I received a message. My master was dead, a traitor. I was ordered to surrender myself to Imperial judgment, along with all my slaves. I… I couldn’t.”

 

Mira’s voice, if anything, got flatter. “You were there when he did that to me…”

 

The strange Sith seated across from her nodded. “I made myself watch. He never let me get close, said it would ‘contaminate his experiment’. I didn’t want to. I kept thinking to myself that it was bad idea, that you were just another subject. But you weren’t…” Now Mira as stunned to see tears falling from the woman’s eyes. “I don’t expect you to remember, but… When I could, I snuck into your cell to give you what comfort I could. He put me in the machine on occasion, but I wasn’t what he needed. I can’t even imagine what it felt like for you. I had the Force to buffer me, you did not.”

 

Mira’s voice was now openly hostile. “So… You put me in it yourself. Some sympathy.”

 

Nira recoiled from her words, but then nodded slowly. “I deserve your rage. I deserve your hate. I messed up, and it is my fault, my responsibility. I will see you healed from what I did to you, and from what that bastard Krundas did to you.” The Sith Lord’s name came out with a great deal of heat.

 

Mira blinked. This woman seemed genuine. But Sith lied as they breathed, everyone knew that. “I don’t understand. Why not just grab the information if it is so important?”

 

"I wish it were that simple." The seated woman made a face. “We can’t. It is not like he put a physical holocron inside your skull. That would be fairly easy to understand, even if it would have left you nothing but a vegetable. No, what he did is almost impossible to find, almost impossible to access. He stored the information in your brain chemically, the same way that your brain stores its normal memories. The only person who can access the information at will… is you.”

 

Mira shook her head. “No, I can’t.”

 

Nira stared at her. “What?” Her voice was stunned.

 

Mira sighed. “I… It was driving me insane. I had to… I…” She broke off as Nira gave a moan of fear and desperation.

 

"I had hoped, but... Ah well." But then the Sith lady just seemed to collapse. “We are screwed then.” Then she shook herself and straightened. “Tirka, how soon can she be moved safely?”

 

The Twi’lek stiffened. “Master…”

 

Nira shook her head. ‘Look, I am dead, I know this. I will not have it spill on you and Natasha here has done nothing except be a victim. That information was your only chance. You all need to get as far from me as you can. Now that they know I am in the area, you know they will all be hunting me. Even if Krundas hasn’t told everyone I am here yet.”

 

Tirka shook his head. “I am not leaving you, master.”

 

Mira blinked, such loyalty as unheard of among Sith. But not among other people she had known. She heard her voice speak. “Wait…”

 

Nira turned to her. “Natasha, I will not hurt you again. Using the machine may be the only way to get the information out, but I won’t. It will hurt or kill you. And just because I am dead doesn’t mean I should condemn you to death as well.”

 

Mira shook her head. “You say this information is vital to the Empire? What is it?”

 

The Sith woman shrugged. “I don’t know. My master said it was incredibly vital, that it had to be safeguarded. But if we can’t get it out without hurting or killing you…”

 

Mira shook her head. “If this is mental manipulation, it is subtle and effective. I was trained by the Bladeborn to serve the Empire. Will this serve the Empire?”

 

"Oh child..." Nira stared at her, shock oozing from every pore. “No!” the woman spoke softly. “I will not do that to you!” Mira could only watch in shock as the black robed woman stood up quickly and strode from the room.

 

Tirka stared at Mira and then at the hatch as it closed. His voice held awe now. “Who are you, girl?”

 

“My name is Mira.”

[kalenath]

<A dream>

 

Istara was dreaming, her mind wandering free of its shackles of daily life, moving her focus here and there as it willed. On one level she knew she was dreaming, on another, she didn’t really care. She felt good. Even here, she could feel the acceptance of her new kin and it felt good. She worried dimly that her other half would taint the feelings that she shared back and forth at lightspeed with the hivemind, or whatever it was. But Sharlina was behaving herself, so Istara just lay where she was and in Gute’s parlance, vegged. As in acted like a vegetable, just sat in the sun. Now that she understood where the Iridonian came from, she understood and cut him a lot more slack, even if he DID still drive her crazy at times. Usually her dreams were darker, more violent and this one was actually fairly nice. She wondered about that. But then her mind wandered a bit. It wasn’t so very often that she could do that, just sit and think. Even if it was just in a dream.

 

This dream was nice. The sun was warm, but not hot. The air around her was mild. She wasn’t exactly sure where she was, but it didn’t really matter. This was a dream, not real. She felt amusement from her other half as Sharlina relaxed as well. It felt odd, having half of herself separate, but for some strange reason, it felt right.

 

But then everything stopped as a voice came from nowhere. "My little Issy..." Came a voice out of nowhere right before Kaosis Andal seemed to fade into existence.

 

Istara Sharlina Andal, feared warrior of the Bladeborn Order, froze in shock. Her face was contorting somewhere between fear, sadness and hope. "M.... Mom...?" She jumped to her feet, and then froze again, as if unsure what to do. "Mom...? Please... Is... Is this really you...?" Tears were falling now, unheeded. Istara had never really expected to see or hear the spirit of her mother ever again.

 

The woman sometimes known as Kelna gave a small smile before stepping over and wrapping arms around Istara. "Oh my little girl..."

 

Istara stood in stunned surprise for a moment and then threw her arms around her mother and cried like a baby. Her head was higher than Kaosis' shoulder, but somehow it managed to pillow there. "Mom... Oh my god... Mom. This is a dream, I know it's a dream, but I don't want to wake up now... I don't..."

 

Kelna didn't say anything, just hugged her daughter. "My tough little fighter. I miss you so."

 

Istara hugged her mother tight. Then she held the older woman at arm’s length and bowed her head. "Mom, I need you to meet someone... This is going to be weird, but please..." Istara turned her head to the side and spoke to the empty air. "You knew, didn't you?"

 

Another figure appeared nearby. This one also has Istara's face, but it was darker, harder, more savage. When this form spoke it had Istara's voice, but it too was darker.

 

"I suspected. Greetings, Kaosis Andal, I am Sharlina." The newcomer knelt on the surface they were standing on, and bowed her head.

 

Kelna didn't move for a moment before inclining her head. "That seems a bit much for your mother there...Sharlina."

 

"I hated you." Sharlina shook her head and tears were falling. "I hurt you. It wasn't Istara, it was me... I was in control. Punish me as you will, but do not hurt her... It is not her fault."

 

Kelna shook her head. “You are the same person.”

 

"Actually..." Sharlina shook her head. "Better if I am not... I wanted your forgiveness. I hurt you and the universe would be a better place without beings like me..." She broke off, unable to keep speaking. Istara stared from the kneeling form to her mother, her mouth agape. Sharlina was talking about self extinction! If that was even possible for half a personality.

 

"No..." Somehow, Istara managed to find her tongue. "Sharlina... No... I need you, Setie needs you..."

 

Kelna stepped over and knelt in front of Sharlina quietly for a moment before wrapping her arms around his darker part of her daughter. "You are an Andal to your core, my girl."

 

"No." Sharlina froze as she felt the embrace. "No... I... I am bad... I am evil..."

 

The elder Andal’s voice was soft. "We're a strongly passionate lot, in love and hate. Monsters in one and angels in the other. I was like that, you're like that, and Setie is like that. It breeds true every time. Just like our love lives always wind up rather bad. I lost your father and Setie's, Setie lost her Marik, and you..." She let that sentence hang, not about to incite ire in her daughter by talking about Idjit.

 

"Oh Sharlina..." Istara stared from the darker aspect of herself to her mother and then moved to kneel beside them and her arms went around them both. "Listen to our mother, Sharlina... She knows, better than any other how we feel."

 

"You... I..." Sharlina shook her head, tears still falling. "I have hurt everyone I have loved. Eventually, I will hurt you Istara, I know it. How can you stand me?"

 

"Simple. I'm your mother," Kelna pointed out with a grin. "Us parents are an insane lot like that."

 

Sharlina was crying, but suddenly her sobs turned to bubbling laughs. "You... You..." She raised her arms as if unsure what to do with them. Kelna simply caught the arms and pulled them around herself in a hug. Sharlina froze, but then embraced her mother and Istara embraced them both.

 

It may have been seconds or hours, in a dream, who knew? But eventually, Sharlina stopped crying, and met Kelna's eyes. "Thank you." She said simply. "But I take it this isn't a social call."

 

Kelna sighed deeply. "Unfortunately no, and you are not going to like what I have to ask of you."

 

"Oh?" Istara blinked. "Is it a seer thing? If so, You probably shouldn't tell me, us... whatever..." She grimaced.

 

Kelna nodded. "Not really. It's about your sister."

 

"Setie." Istara blinked and then smiled. "Yeah, we have a good lead for once, she is on Correllia. We are lrss than two days travel from there now..."

 

"I need you to stay away from her." Kelna’s voice was soft, sad. "Only for now."

 

"What?"" Istara's voice rose about three octaves as she scrambled back a step

 

"Istara..." Sharlian on the other hand, stayed where she was, her eyes boring into the elder Andal. "Listen to her, Istara. I bet she has a good reason. She wouldn't be here otherwise, would you, Mom? Even to see us?"

 

“No, this takes a lot out of me. I'll be having to leave matters in other hands while I rest after this and the idea doesn't sit well with me I can assure you," Kelna stated looking annoyed. "Let us attend to reality for a moment though. You have left quite the trail behind you for people who know how to find such things."

 

“I don’t care, she is my… Wait…” Istara blinked and then blanched as her mother's words sank in. “Oh no…”

 

"We will lead them right to her, won't we?" Sharlina asked, worried. "Darmuk's people? We are good, but we can't take all of his agents."

 

Kelna nodded. "You catch on quickly child."

 

"Aw crap." Sharlina slammed open palms into her forehead. "I am so stupid... I should have known..."

 

"We should have known..." Istara nodded. "...It was too bloody easy..."

 

Kelna petted the hair on both the girl's heads. "Don't worry, she's alright. She's amusingly enough with an acquaintance of yours and he seems fine with getting her back on her feet some. Provided he watches his step."

 

"Say what..?" Istara asked and then paused with a grimace. "No..." She shook her head. "No, don't tell us. The less we know now the better. The safer Setie is if we..." She gulped. "Stay away..."

 

"Wait." Sharlina tensed. "An acquaintance of ours is on her way there now, but she is very good at sneaking. Almost as good as Setie is, I think. Should we try and call her back?"

 

"Well..." Istara snorted. "I don’t know if Ecien would listen. She takes family very seriously."

 

Kelna seemed to think a minute. "Which one is that? Those friends of yours are...hard to remember who's who of them."

 

Istara and Sharlina chuckled in unison. "Tell me about it." They chorused.

 

"Ecien is our battlesister." Istara spoke evenly. "She is probably the best of them all. She is old, wise and kind. But she is not slow with the blunt side of a claw to the head if we mess up either. Her carapace is silver in color, much like my armor as a matter of fact." She doubted that was a coincidence actually. "And in hand fighting she is probably the best I have ever seen, far better than I am for certain."

 

"Well..." Sharlina snorted. "When we get to four hundred and fifty, we might be that good."

 

Kelna nodded just a bit dubiously. "Hmm...well I suppose it couldn't hurt for Setie's defender to have some back up. I'm sure the lot of them can manage."

 

"I don't like this, but... I do trust you Mom." Istara said with a frown. "Every time I haven't... It hasn't turned out well." She smiled sadly.

 

"I... I just have to say this." Sharlina said soberly. "I am sorry, Mother. I am so sorry. I didn't know what was happening. I didn't understand. I was a mess..." She grinned a bit self consciously. "So I hurt you. Forgive me?"

 

Kelna smiled a bit and hugged the pair of them. "I did the moment after you did it...mostly. It hurt like hell after all. That's what parents do though."

 

Sharlina smiled and then broke down crying again. "Aw Mom.... "

 

Istara however looked worried. "Are you going to be okay from coming here? I mean... You said it drains you..."

 

"I'll be fine dear," she chuckled then, "It's not like I can die again here. One beheading from Darmuk was enough on that."

 

Both of the younger versions or Istara looked sad at that. Istara spoke. "I am sorry Mom, if I had been there, maybe..."

 

Kelna shook her head. "Maybe what? You would have tried killing a councilmember? Sweetie if you had been there Setie would not have been."

 

Istara shook her head slowly. "Point. Definitely a good point. Well, now I need to figure something else to do. Something that might draw some of those hunters away from Setie..."

 

"Well...your friend Mira seems to be missing."

 

"What?" Both of the younger versions of Istara froze. "Mira is missing? When?" Istara asked finally. "Trugoy's people are going to go nuts..."

 

"Right." Sharlina nodded. "They can’t can go to Dantooine without starting the war all over again, but we can. We are not agents of the Empire now."

 

Istara and Sharlina shared a look and then embraced their mother again. Istara spoke first. "Take care of yourself, Mom..."

 

Sharlina finished the thought. "...and if you need help, call."

[kalenath]

((Oh dear. A strange SIth has snatched and hurt one of the protected ones of the Bladeborn. Trouble is coming. BIG trouble. Comments or suggestions always appreciated. Flames might get snatched and hurt by Imperial Intelligence.))