(L,F&E Interlude) Hunting Illusions?

[kalenath]

((This is a co-authored fanfic with Trisskar. It is a sequel to Wild Things which I will be reposting soon. t follows after Progress Through Pain, and nothing is as it seems.))

 

<On a small ship, in hyperspace>

 

Istara shook her head. She had known this was going to be rough, but sheesh! Finally, she had heard enough. “Look, according to the Bladeborn, yes, we do have a number of people tailing us. And while they don’t have trackers on the ship, they don’t really need them, do they?” With enough people reporting their movements, there was nowhere they could go that they would remain unnoticed. Nana her Sitolon partner and Gute her pilot looked at her and she shook her head. “Come on, if we lead Darmuk’s people straight to Setsuna, what good does that do?”

 

"And..." Nana made a human sounding sigh. It always sounded very odd coming from a six foot tall insect. “...this information came from…?”

 

"Nana." Istara fixed her friend with a glare. “Don’t tell me you were not monitoring me. It was her.”

 

Gute looked from one to the other and scratched one of his horns. “Wanna clue in the non-Ashla user here?”

 

"Sure." Nana snorted. “Istara dreamed that her mother told her not to look for her sister.”

 

Gute stiffened. “Isn’t your mother… uh… dead?” He broke off as Istara nodded. He shook his head. “Just checking.” He sighed. “I so don’t want to know…” The Iridonian shook his head again, stood up and walked towards the cockpit, muttering about crazy women.

 

Istara barely noticed him going, her focus was on the large bug, who gazed at Istara. Then Istara did something odd. She laid down on the floor and relaxed. Her eyes remained on Nana’s as the bug leaned over her. The insect’s antennae brushed the human Bladeborn’s skull and Istara’s eyes rolled back into her head. For several minutes, neither of them moved, but finally, Nana sank back on her hind legs.

 

"I am sorry, sister." When the insect spoke, her voice was sad. “I am sorry I didn’t believe you.”

 

"I know." Istara rolled into a sitting posture and smiled a bit wistfully. “I didn’t believe it myself. I never expected to see her again. And then there she was…” Her voice was tender now. “I… Oh Nana…”

 

Nana extended her fine manipulator arms, the ones without the large claws on the ends. “Come here, sister. You didn’t tell her about us?”

 

"No." Istara embraced her battle kin gratefully. “I got the feeling she knew. But… She is a seer, she isn’t going to ask. She isn’t going to pry. Things must be insanely bad if she is asking me not to keep hunting Setsuna. At least for a while. It felt… very temporary. What she was asking.”

 

"This will be hard for you." Nana sighed as she hugged Istara gently. “I understand. Ecien is on her way, but she is running silent.”

 

"Right." Istara nodded as she returned the alien embrace. “I think it is for the best if Ecien goes. She is a lot sneakier than me.”

 

"Oh?" Nana snorted in laughter. “A Rancor with a toothache is sneakier than you, Istara…”

 

"Ah, true that…" Istara snickered. “Ah well. It is confirmed. Mira vanished from the Jedi Enclave last night. Mom must have seen it or something just as it happened. Chari put the mark on, and she picked up traces of fear and pain, even as far away as she is. If I get close, I can lock onto the mark.”

 

"Istara..." Nana stiffened. “Be careful. That power is not Ashla. It may have… unpredictable results with you now.”

 

"I know." Istara nodded. “It’s not Dark Side either, but… Good to know that now. I know how you feel about Jedi. I am not taking you into the Enclave and you are not to follow me.”

 

Nana stiffened further and her arms fell down. “Istara…”

 

"Look." Istara did not release her embrace. “Nana… Listen. The man who destroyed your cousins is long dead. His descendants are long dead. These Jedi have nothing to do with what happened. They would be just as horrified as I was, probably more. Since Jolaban was a Jedi, they likely will feel guilt.”

 

"Good." Nana’s voice was flat. “They should.”

 

Istara’s voice, in contrast, was gentle. “I agree, but your ancestral desire for vengeance will undo you if you let it.”

 

"I know, but..." Nana nodded. “I don’t agree. You always get in trouble when I am not there.”

 

"Nana..." Istara laughed. “And I don’t get in trouble when you are?” The sheer humor in her voice was too much and Nana laughed a bit sourly.

 

“Good point.” Nana said a bit caustically. But then her voice became sorrowful. “Istara…”

 

"Sister..." Istara shook her head and squeezed a little tighter. “Nana, it’s okay. What you feel is an echo of the rage you ancestors felt. Of course you are going to be uncomfortable around Jedi. I was amazed that Ecien and the others didn’t rage around Jina. From what I understand, she was bit of a handful.”

 

"You could say that." Nana nodded. “But… she was different. She is one of the Seven and she was hurt, we could help her and we got to know her. I don’t know how I will react around strange Jedi.”

 

"Probably the same way I will." Istara nodded. “Cautiously.”

 

"Right." Nana nodded. “Probably.” Both of them froze as the com chirped.

 

Gute’s voice came from the com. “We are two minutes out. Ladies and gentlemen, please extinguish all smoking materials and make sure your tray tables are in the upright and locked position…”

 

Istara smiled, but her voice was harsh when she spoke. “Gute… Just fly the ship.”

 

Gute’s voice was hurt when he spoke. “What do you think I am doing?”

 

“Goofing off." She quipped. "What else would you do?” A sputtering came from the com, but Istara as smiling as she strapped herself in. One never knew after all how rough a departure from hyperspace could be. But the deceleration as smooth and problem free.

 

Gute’s voice was proud now when he spoke. “Ladies and Bladeborn, welcome to Dantooine space. We are currently on approach to the Jedi Enclave. Local time is oh, very dark, and temperature there is a balmy ten degrees. If I may say so, this is not one of your better ideas, Istara. This IS a Sith transport, you know…?”

 

"Right." Istara smiled, it was not a nice smile. “I am coming forward.”

 

Gute’s voice was resigned. “Do you gotta?”

 

"Gute..." Istara shook her head as she unstrapped herself. “You want to get blown out of the sky?”

 

Gute sputtered something, but Istara was in motion. She carefully moved herself hand over hand along the handholds put in place for just such times. Atmospheric entry was never an easy thing, no matter how easy Gute made it look. And the last thing she wanted to do was acquaint her skull with the bulkhead. Just as she reached the cockpit, the com lit up.

 

Gute stared at her, and then at the com. “I think it’s for you.” Istara flashed him a rude gesture that had him chortling and strapped herself into a chair before keying the com live.

 

A modulated voice came over the com. “Unidentified transport, you are violating restricted space. Identify yourself immediately.”

 

Istara blew out a breath and hit the transmit key. “This is the independent transport Unobtanium Monkey. My name is Istara Sharlina Andal. It is very important that I speak with someone in charge as soon as possible.”

 

It took a few minutes before the come lit up again, and when it did the voice was the same, but held some emotion she couldn’t quite place. Fear? Anticipation? Worry? She wasn’t sure. “You are clear to bay three. You will be met.”

 

Istara nodded, silly that, the person on the other end couldn’t possibly see her. “Understood, Bay three, Enclave control, Unobtanium Monkey, out.”

 

"Istara..." Gute spun his chair to face her. “What the flarg possessed you to call this ship that?”

 

"That was the name it came with." Istara shook her head. “I know it’ silly, but isn’t it bad luck to rename a ship?”

 

Gute snarled as he started the landing cycle. “Don’t talk to me about luck…” As he flew, he patted a series of icons and other things that cluttered what free space there was on the control panel. Lucky rocks, a nerf’s foot, all kinds of talismans and charms. He patted the control panel and spoke as if to the ship. “She didn’t mean it, she didn’t mean it…”

 

Istara shook her head, he was a good pilot, but… eccentric.

 

<A few minutes later>

 

Istara had almost expected to be greeted by a dozen Jedi with lightsabers ignited. It hadn’t been so long before that she had been hunted by Jedi, but apparently that had been squelched by the Council, or so she hoped. She hated killing people who didn’t deserve it, and while Jedi could be morons they did usually have their hearts in the right places. She hadn’t always thought so, but her horizons had expanded exponentially since she had cast herself out of Trugoy’s Order of Bladeborn. She had put her silver armor on specifically to cow people so she wouldn’t have to fight. But as always, when she exited the ship and nothing happened, part of her was vastly disappointed. She sighed and started for the exit only to stop short as it opened and two forms came through, one tall and one small. Her face lit up as she recognized them.

 

"Istara Sharlina Andal..." Anya Hadas, Jedi Knight, strode towards her with a big grin on her face. “You do know how to make ruckus, don’t you Istara?”

 

Istara nodded, but her gaze was on the small form walking beside Anya. Ina-Ta-Mal was a Cerean, and she was perhaps five. But she was quite powerful and wise for her age.

 

“Hello, Anya." Istara said fondly. "Yes, yes they have on occasion. Ina, you have grown girl…” Istara knelt down and after a moment, Ina came for a hug. The Cerean hugged once and retreated, her face cautious. Istara sighed. “I am not here as an aggressor. I am here to find out what happened to Mira. We thought you would prefer me showing up than the whole Order.”

 

"Mira ?" Anya froze. “She is a protected one?” Istara nodded. “Oh dear…”

 

"Yep." Istara grimaced. “You said it.”

Edited July 6, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

<A long ways away>

 

Mira lay back on the bed and tried not to sigh as Tirka worked. His hands were gentle and professional, but the equipment around her gave her the creeps. She controlled her feelings with skill that any Jedi would have envied though and nodded when he looked at her.

 

"I am fine." Her voice was even, almost unemotional. “Let’s do this.”

 

Tirka shook his head slowly. “When Master Nira wakes she will be incredibly annoyed. What were you thinking?” His voice held shock, fear, sadness and other emotions.

 

"You have to ask?" Mira snarled. “I want this crap out of my head.”

 

The Twi’lek sighed. “Mira, listen… The information is bound into your neurons. It is twined around ad through the rest of your memories. Yes, the machine likely can access them, but what the hell do you think you were doing trying to activate it by yourself?” Now his voice was savage, he had come into find her out cold strapped to the machine. “You very nearly gave me a heart attack. Don’t do that.”

 

"Well..." Mira slumped in her bed. “Seemed like a good idea at the time. Looking back…” She hissed as his fingers fund a sore spot on her scalp and then she relaxed as he spread soothing ointment over the burn. Her inexpert handling of the device had caused the needles that penetrated her skull to burn her skin in several places. At least there were no nerve endings inside her skull.

 

"Girl..." Tirka shook his head. “It was dumb. Do you have any idea at all how to run it?”

 

Mira blinked and then her voice changed timbre. “Level seven activation protocol followed by seventeen digit passcode, followed by start-up procedures three through twelve.” She blinked and stared at the healer, who stared back at her. Her voice was scared now. “Was that what I think it was?”

 

"I..." Tirka stared at her and then he sighed and patted her hand where it lay. “I think so. Somehow you are accessing the data. That shouldn’t be possible if you destroyed the access protocols.” He shook his head. “Mira, listen to me. The only reason you are not dead, or brain dead right now is that I stopped the device from reaching full penetration. Thank the Maker I came in when I did, you idiot child…” He had initially thought her dead when he had entered. And he had freaked. He was still angry and Mira nodded, as far as she could. Her muscles were not responding as they should.

 

Mira’s voice was soft. “I know… I am sorry. I just…” Her eyes were glistening but no tears fell.

 

Tirka sighed. “I understand. This cannot be easy for you. But we will not kill you. We will not maim you. We are going to do our damndest not to even hurt you. And not because of what the Bladeborn will do to us either…” he froze as the door behind him hissed open and a startled voice sounded. He spun to see Nira in the door, her mouth agape in shock.

 

“What the…” Her eyes took in Mira’s condition and her face went hard. She stalked into the room and her hands came up crackling with energy. “What did you do?” She asked in a silky sweet and at the same time utterly frightening tone.

 

Tirka stepped away from Mira, obviously waiting for a blow. But Mira spoke up softly. “He didn’t. I did.”

 

"Mira...?" The woman in black froze and the energy she had been summoning vanished. “You… You what…?”

 

"I want..." Mira was flagging now, her meager stores of energy all but spent, but she choked out words. “This crap… Out of… My head!” To her horror, she felt wetness on her cheeks, and she couldn’t move her hands to dash the tears away.

 

Nira shook her head slowly, and the energy that had been crackling at her fingertips vanished. Her face was sad as she came to the bedside. She produced a white cloth from somewhere and dabbed at Mira’s face. “It’s okay. You have gone through a wringer. What my master did to you was…” She shook her head. “I am what I am, Natasha Regina. I am a Sith, I live by the Code. The strong take from the weak, but… You are not weak. What you have endured is worthy of anyone’s respect. Go ahead and cry, child. You have earned it, many times over.”

 

Mira was shuddering now, trying to hold her pain and horror in, but then the woman in black did something odd. She scooped the child up into her arms and held her gently. Mira stared at the woman, unable to muster the energy to form words. Nira smiled gently and started rocking Mira in her arms and a soft song came from her lips. The girl nodded off trying to figure out how the woman knew a Nabooese lullaby.

 

Nira held the girl until she was sure the girl was completely asleep, and then laid her gently back on the bed. She arranged Mira’s form gently and covered her with a sheet. She bent down and kissed Mira on the forehead and then jerked her head to Tirka. They both left the room. Tirka was obviously scared, but followed obediently when she waved him to the small common area of the ship. Nira waved him to a seat and then sat herself.

 

Her voice was flat when she spoke. “Report.”

 

"Yes master." Tirka shook his head. “I went to check on her, she was not in her bed. I was on the verge of calling you when I found her in the machine room. Somehow, she activated it, clambered up on the platform, closed the head restraints and lay there as the needles penetrated her skull.” Nira’s eyes went wide. “She wasn’t sedated. She was awake and lucid when I came in and shut it down. Thank the Maker you taught me how to do that…”

 

"She wasn't... By the Force...>" " Nira shook her head, awed. “That girl is amazing. If she had the Force, no Sith would be able to stand against her. How deep…?” Her voice cracked little as emotion slipped past her tight control.

 

"I was in time." Tirka shook his head. “They did not get to half extension. If they had, they would have impacted several of the implants.”

 

“And that would have killed her." Nira stated with a sigh. "We have problems now. The few agents I have left in the Empire are being systematically rolled up. The Bladeborn are definitely on the trail now. I wish I knew how they track their protected ones, but of course that is a closely guarded secret. What is her condition?”

 

"Well..." Tirka shook his head slowly. “Physically, she has second degree burns in the places where the needles went through the skull. They self cauterized as designed, and the actual insertion needs are designed to do as little damage as possible, but…” He shook himself. “I don’t know. There is so much we don’t know about what Vxeis did to her.”

 

"I know." Nira said with as cowl. “I know. If only the access protocols had not been trashed…”

 

"One thing..." Tirka nodded, but his expression was thoughtful. “Mistress. She knew how to activate the machine. I did not tell her, you certainly did not and there is no manual… so… She must be accessing the stored information somehow.”

 

"Ah? I will need to think on this." Nira blinked, and then her gaze turned thoughtful as well. “What will you need?”

 

"Time." Tirka sighed. “She is going in Kolto again, to heal the burns. I hate this feeling. I can’t heal what is really wrong with her.”

 

Nira sighed. “I know.” She rose and patted him on the shoulder before striding out of the room. She looked in on the girl once before walking to her own quarters. She shut the door behind her and sat on the floor as always. Then she pulled a flimsy out of her pocket and her face was sad as she looked at it. It was a picture of a small human girl, one that resembled Nira. Tears started falling unmarked as she sat and tried to think of how to get out of this mess.

[kalenath]

<Jedi Enclave, Dantooine>

 

Pushing on the door's Ahrissa stepped into the small chambers of the council's meeting room. Her Master was there, sleeping in one of the large chairs. The image made Ahrissa smile some, for the healer was very old.

 

“Masters? You summoned me?” she inquired

 

"Yes." Thokal Melan, a Bothan Jedi council member sat in his chair and sighed. "Yes, we did Jedi Ahrissa. There have been... complications. The girl you left in our care has disappeared."

 

Ahrissa stared at the old Bothan for several long moments "W...What?" she stuttered, a bit shocked at the news "What do you mean...disappeared?"

 

"We don't know." Melan shook his head. "She was hurt in a training accident and the sedatives the healers gave her should have kept her out all night. But when I went to check on her, she was gone. Her door was closed, and the Jedi on guard had seen nothing. There was simply no way she could have climbed out the window with a broken arm. We have been searching, but there is no sign of her at all."

 

Ahrissa's eyes widened "You gave her a sedative?!" She barked, Causing the old sleeping healer stir in her sleep, forcing ahrissa to lower her voice "First Olivia and now mira? What the frell is wrong with security here?"

 

"I would like to know that too." The low, but clear voice that spoke from behind Ahrissa was tinged with something. Not menace, not threat, not... danger. But something odd. A woman wearing silver armor stepped into the room, followed by a human woman in Jedi robes and a young Cerean Padawan. "Master Melan, Masters..." She nodded to the Jedi masters but her focus was on Ahrissa.

 

"Ah..." Melan sighed deeper. "That girl has an amazing tolerance for pain, but others were feeling it. We didn't do it against her will, and we were careful about it. We know she is allergic to certain drugs." He stiffened as the newcomer stepped forward. "Istara Sharlina Andal, be known to Ahrissa. Ahrissa, this is Istara Sharlina Andal, warrior of the sect Born of Blades."

 

Ahrissa blinked at the introduction "Sect of..." she muttered before her eyes widened in understanding "Ah, Bladeborns." With that she offered as best, and respectful of a bow that she could manage...considering the present situation, before turning on Melan once more "You promised me she would be safe while I was away"

 

"Yes we did." Melan nodded. "We failed her. But now we have to find her and I bet that is why Istara is here. Right?"

 

"Yes." Istara nodded slowly. "A seer of my acquaintance saw her being taken. But by whom and for what I have no idea. I am here because the rest of the Bladeborn can't come here without violating the Treaty. Not that a silly thing like a treaty will stop them from protecting someone they care about. But I am here to try and keep the mess to a minimum."

 

"Well..." Melan smiled sourly. "Thank you for that."

 

Ahrissa listened with very little patience...which was odd for her, she was usualy one of the more...well rounded..jedi of the school "I should of just taken her with me" she growled mostly to herself

 

"Ahrissa..." Melan sighed again. "No you couldn't. And you know it. We thought she was safe here." He shook his head. "We were complacent, it won't happen again."

 

"Whatever." Istara shrugged. "Lock the door after the nerf has run? My job is to find and help Mira. I need to see her quarters." It wasn't -quite- a demand.

 

"Admittance to failure doesn't solve the problem!" Ahrissa hissed aloud before closing crystal eyes as she forced herself to breathe "Permission to lead the search party...?"

 

"Ahrissa..." Melan shook his head. "Calm yourself. Getting emotional will not help the girl."

 

Istara looked from the serene Jedi master to the fairly irate Jedi and shook her head slowly, but she didn't speak. She just watched what was transpiring, it really wasn't her business. Ahrissa remained silent, waiting as patently as she could for the Masters decision

 

Melan turned to his dozing companion and spoke softly. "Master Emmyth?"

 

The old Master chuckled softly "I heard the whole thing" she smiled as she opened her brown eyes. Ahrissa never could understand how the old healer could sleep and still know what all went on

 

"Of course." Melan smiled. "What are your thoughts?"

 

Emmyth sat straight with a slight grunt from achy bone as she hummed "Let the girl go, we've already learned she can't be stopped from following her heart once before. And she knows little Mira better then any of us"

 

"Right." Melan nodded and turned back to face Ahrissa. "If the Bladeborn are searching for her as well, then it makes sense to pool our efforts. They do not take kindly to people harming beings under their protection."

 

"Master Melan..." Istara snorted. "That may be the largest understatement of this year. Working together sounds good, at the very least it will cut down on the mess."

 

"Then I have the councils permission?" Ahrissa questioned softly

 

"Yes." Melan nodded. "Stay in contact. We have no idea who did this or how, but it bespeaks resources, planning and ruthlessness. And Istara..." The Bladeborn met his gaze evenly. "Please be as diplomatic as you can."

 

"Master Melan..." Istara smiled. "I am always as diplomatic as I can be."

 

"Ah..." Melan grimaced. "That is what I am afraid of."

 

Ahrissa bowed "Thank you Masters, I shall be going then" she turned to face Istara "If you will follow me Master Bladeborn. I shall show you to her quarters"

 

Istara moved to follow, her hand was not on her sword hilt, but not far either. "Just Istara or Bladeborn. I am no Master."

 

Ahrissa nodded as she exited the Council chambers. Istara followed, the two Jedi who had come in with her bid a hasty exit as well.

 

((Posted by Trisskar))

Edited July 6, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

<Somewhere>

 

Mira felt odd. It wasn’t so much the things in her head or the bandages there now. It was the attire that Nira had produced for her. She fiddled with the belt carefully and sighed. She shook her head as she smoothed the black robes over her legs and sat up straight.

 

"I..." Her voice was even, almost toneless. “I know this is good camouflage, but it feels so wrong.” She picked at the food in front of her with her good hand and her host shook her head.

 

“Natasha, Mira… Uh… I don’t… What do you want me to call you?” Sith Lady Nira Auralai looked decidedly uncomfortable. “I am certainly not going to call you by a prisoner designation. You are not my prisoner. You are my ward until I can figure out how to help you.”

 

Mira sighed as she tapped the flexicast that was still on her arm. “Call me Mira.” The skin under it itched, but she dealt with that the same way she dealt with the not inconsiderable pain that was still there. She ignored it. The treatments they were giving her here were speeding the healing, but she had messed it up badly. She met the Sith’s gaze evenly. “There is a very thin line there. You won’t let me leave.”

 

Nira raised her hand in a placating gesture. “You are wrong, you are not my prisoner. I thought it would be a simple matter. Get you, get the data, and set you back there. But then you had that seizure and… Krundas…” Her voice held hate now.

 

"The guy you tricked." Mira shook her head, aware of aches on it, some from the needle burns she had inflicted on herself, and some from surgical scars. “What did he do to me? Tirka is… um…”

 

"Tirka blames himself for what happened to you." Nira shook her head. “He is incensed. Krundas took his trust and repaid it in typical Sith fashion. I told that good for nothing slime not to implant you and he did it anyway. Krundas has better gear than we do. It’s more modern for one thing. It did stop your seizures. But how it did that…” She grimaced.

 

"But why?" Mira shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

 

The older Sith sighed and sat back in her chair. “Go on, eat, you need your strength.” Mira looked at her for a moment, but then picked up her utensil again. After Mira had taken a couple of bites, Lady Nira spoke again. “Krundas is doing what Sith do. He is trying to find a fast route to power. He found out about a Republic experiment, a fairly nasty one, where they were trying to create weapons out of sentients. And now he is trying to duplicate it, using Imperial tech.”

 

Mira froze, a bite halfway to her mouth. Then she mechanically put the bite in her mouth and chewed, but her mind was racing. Once she swallowed, she spoke slowly. “So the implants are for obedience?”

 

“Yes and no." The Sith replied sadly. "From what I and Tirka have been able to determine, most of the implants are designed to interface with whatever systems the insane fools who thought up this idea planned.”

 

Mira’s voice was quiet. “Large red droids.”

 

"What?" Nira stiffened. “How do you…? No…” She shook herself. “That is none of my business.”

 

"I have seen them." Mira shook her head sadly now. “And their pilots. So I will be a droid brain?”

 

"No." Nira’s voice was sharp enough to cut durasteel when she spoke. “No you will not.” Now her voice turned sad. “We disabled the implants we could. The bomb and the tracker of course we took out immediately.”

 

Mira bit her lip, but then at a glance from Nira, sighed and took another bite. She had to admit the meal was good. She hadn’t expected a Sith to feed her, and to cook for her, well… That was surprising. After she swallowed, she spoke slowly. “Why are you being nice to me? I know all Sith are not blood, blood, blood… But you didn’t have to be nice. You could have just pulled the information out, most Sith would have.”

 

"Yes, most Sith would have." Nira smiled a bit sadly. “My daughter is almost your age. I truly hope that the fake identity that I created for her and her father holds up. With so many people hunting me, they would be prime targets, if anyone can find them. So I truly hope no one does.”

 

"You...?" The girl in the chair stared at the woman across the table. “What…?”

 

"What ever happens to young adolescents with time on their hands?" Nira sighed. “I fell in love. I was young, although that is no excuse. He was a healer at the academy I attended. He was a good man and we… well…” Her face was a mix of happy and sad.

 

"I understand." Mira grinned. “But didn’t your superiors object?”

 

"No." The Sith Lady shook her head. “They couldn’t have cared less. I did all of the things I was supposed to do, indeed, I excelled at the training, even when I got big. So they couldn’t have cared less if I was expecting. I think they were hoping the child would be powerful in the Force, even though Li was not. Another puppet for them to mold to their wills.”

 

"Ah." Mira slumped. “She wasn’t, was she?”

 

"No." The older woman shook her head. “She had no amount of trainable ability. I didn’t care, she was beautiful. But then the masters of the school started talking about euthanasia.”

 

"What?" Mira stiffened, her face a study in outrage. “Why?”

 

"Mira..." The Sith sitting across from Mira sighed. “Think about it. A promising student, who suddenly has a massive distraction. How would normal Sith react?”

 

"Aw man..." Mira’s voice was hushed. “Remove the distraction.”

 

"Yes." Nira nodded. “I managed to learn what they were doing and faked Li and Malia’s deaths in a speeder crash. But then… I haven’t seen her in the flesh for seven years. And it’s better if I don’t. Better for them anyway.”

 

"Then..." Mira shook her head slowly. “That is why you are acting this way? I thought it was just to keep me off balance.”

 

"You can't know if I am telling you the truth." The older woman sighed. “I could be. I say I am not, but I could be lying. You have no way of knowing. And nothing I say likely will convince you.” She looked away from Mira, at the wall of the compartment, her face worried.

 

"I don't care." Mira shook her head. “I just want this junk out of my head. And right now I don’t care if it kills me.”

 

"Ah, but..." Nira’s eyes were glistening as she turned back to scrutinize the girl. “I do.”

 

Mira sighed. “I wish…” She broke off, angry with herself.

 

The older nodded; her face sad. “I know. Listen, we are heading for Tattooine. There is a clinic there with the best medical care in the Outer Rim.”

 

Mira made a face. “Cranna’s clinic?” She remembered much of what she had been told of the Hutt who didn’t act like a Hutt. None of it was kind.

 

Nira nodded. “She isn’t in residence at the moment, and the healers there won’t turn you away. I will make arrangements that after you are healed to get you back to Dantooine.”

 

"But..." Mira shook her head slowly. “But then, the data stays in my head and I keep getting weird flashes.”

 

"Flashes?" The Sith woman sat up straight. “Of what?”

 

"I dunno." Mira shrugged. “I really don’t know. They don’t last long enough to examine.”

 

"I..." Nira bit her lip. “May I touch you?”

 

Mira shrugged. “Not like I can…” She broke off as Nira snarled.

 

The Sith spoke clearly and evenly. “All you have to do is say ‘No’. Anytime, for anything we are doing. I… I thought I knew what I was doing. I was wrong.”

 

"Ma'am." Mira stared at the woman. “Everyone makes mistakes.”

 

"You are right. Everyone does. But..." Nira nodded. “My mistake nearly got you killed.” She sighed. “I won’t make the same one again.”

 

Mira shook her head. “Look, if you can’t get it out… is there a way to limit the access feeds? These flashes are driving me nuts.”

 

Nira shook her head. “I don’t think so. But I don’t know for sure. I… I wish I knew what protocol he used on you.”

 

Mira felt her mouth open and her voice speak. “Protocol Seven Alpha with a degree Six declination.” She coughed as she regained control of her mouth. “What the frell…?”

 

Nira looked at her; the woman’s deep brown eyes alight with speculation. “The data is accessible… It shouldn’t be… With the control and access portions destroyed, it should be buried too deep for you to encounter.”

 

"But..." Mira shook her head, worried. “What does that mean?”

 

"I don't know." Nira sighed. “I am not sure, but I will find out.”

[kalenath]

<Back at the Enclave>

 

As they walked swiftly, Ahrissa nodded politely but her focus was entirely on the finding of Mira

 

Istara kept her eyes straight ahead but her awareness was all around her. She felt scrutiny from all around. The Jedi were curious, most of them. Only a couple were hostile and they seemed to be remaining in the background. She followed the Jedi called Ahrissa, her mind awash with questions, but her face and sense in the Force serene.

 

Ahrissa walked past several student and doors leading into each indavidual room. Ahrissa made a quick motion to one door "This is my chambers...hers is here next to mine" She explained as she keyed in a code on a wall panel which allowed the door to slide open

 

Istara nodded, her focus on the room. She took a step in and looked around. Everything was fairly straightforward. She smiled as she stepped to one side of the room and looked under the desk. "Did you know she had an arsenal?” Istara pulled a small but wicked looking blaster pistol out from under the desk.

 

Ahrissa sighed as she took the blaster "I assumed so, she's good at...sneaking...things. I tend to turn a blind eye, she isn't an actual student here after all."

 

Istara took the blaster back, replaced it where she had found it and frowned. "She didn't have time to get to any of her weapons. She was asleep..." Istara went to the bed slowly. "They wouldn't have taken any chances with her, by all accounts, she is dangerous. They wanted her alive... But for what...?"

 

Ahrissa folded her arms "I believe that is what everyone wishes to know." She stated "What makes her so special" her words sounded somewhat prodding, as if hoping the Bladeborn could provide some answers to the mystery of Princess Natasha

 

The Bladeborn scrutinized the small, high set window and sighed. "That is how they got in." She pointed to a small scuff mark on the ledge. "No more than two of them. One to open the window and drop a gas nozzle in, the other to grab her and carry her out. Then the first secures the window again. Clean, and fast. Takes about ten minutes all told." Her voice spoke of experience in such things. "I don't know what is special about her, I have never met her. But the Bladeborn seem to think she... She...Oh..." Istara seemed to flinch. She put a hand to her shoulder and then to her head. "Oh dear..."

 

Ahrissa rose a brow her expression stated her question

 

"I can sense her." Istara sighed. "She is alive. And she is not on planet anymore. I felt... great distance, opening up. And such pain. Poor girl..." Sympathy rang in Istara's voice, as well as understanding.

 

"You mean you can feel that?" Ahrissa questioned with a raised brow "Can you tell if they just left?" she spoke with slight urgency

 

"No, I wish..." Istara shook her head. "It is imprecise. It... It felt like they were still in system, but I can't be sure. If I get closer I can track them, and given a bit of time to meditate, I can try and 'see' her. It's not my best skill, but I can do it. And I think I need to. Poor kid, the pain I felt was... That was a lot. I would have difficulty passing beyond that much."

 

Ahrissa narrowed blue eyes "Do you have a ship available?"

 

"Yes." Istara nodded, but then looked at the Jedi. "I take it you are going to insist."

 

Ahrissa smiled slightly "Pretty much"

 

"Okay." Istara sighed. "Understand this, Jedi. The places I am going to go, the things I am going to do, may not sit well with your Order or your Code. I will do the best I can to save Mira, but if I can't... Our Code is clear. No one gets away with harming one of our protected ones. No one." Her voice is cold, clear and matter of fact.

 

Ahrissa's leaned forward just slightly, a motion to make a point. "Trust me Bladeborn, I will not stand in your way"

 

"Good." Istara smiled. "I think I like you Jedi, which may or may not be safe for you." With that, she turned to go, but then she stopped. "I am willing to bet it was a Sith that took her. Jedi wouldn't have had to snatch her, and no one else would have been able to do it so cleanly. They wanted her alive, for what reason, I can't guess, but from the pain on the link I have with her, it is nothing good. We need speed now, what is the fastest way to the spaceport?"

 

Ahrissa smiled "This way" Ahrissa lead the way out of the chambers and to the spaceport

 

Once at the spaceport, Istara led the way to a battered old freighter whose nameplate said Unobtanium Monkey. She keyed the hatch and beckoned Ahrissa inside.

 

"Istara...?" An irate voice came to them. “Have you lost your mind?” A huge form out of a nightmare came into view sitting on the floor as they entered the common hold area of the ship. The bronze skinned creature had four legs and four arms. Its antennae waved, sampling the air around it and all six of its eyes focused on Ahrissa, who couldn’t help, even with her Jedi training, recoiling just a little.

 

"Ahrissa... This is Holianahyatoujikaimnana." The alien name rolled easily off Istara's tongue and the huge bulk of a six foot tall bronze chitined insect stood to greet them.

 

Ahrissa took a step into the ship, follow Istara...before taking a step back as she raised her sight up to view the alien before her "Greeting...err...." she paused trying to run the name across her tongue...which was not working

 

The insect made a noise suspiciously like a human snicker. "You may call me Nana if you wish, Jedi. We are ready to leave, Istara. Gute has tracked three likely ships that left the planet during the time you specified."

 

The look on Istara's face could only be called hungry now. "Let’s go..." She strode towards the cockpit and then paused. "Guest compartment?"

 

"Istara..." Nana snorted, another remarkably human sound. "Give me break, Sister. Of course I have it ready for her..."

 

Ahrissa smiled "I thank you for your kindness but..please dont worry about me, Im used to alot of travel, and sleeping in rather strange places... let us just focus on Mira"

 

"Right." Nana nodded. The small head moved in a recognizable pattern anyway. "Fair enough... Istara...?" But the older woman was gone. Nana sighed. "I don't know this Mira, but I can sense your disquiet. Be at peace, Jedi. If anyone can find and help her, we can."

 

Ahrissa nodded hands folded in neatly in front of her as she gave a slight bow "I shall trust your talents, do let me know if and when I can help. I wish to see her by my side once more"

 

"indeed." Nana nodded. "We may very well need your talents. Mine lie in healing and care giving and Istara, well, hers lie in breaking things and killing people. She has divination abilities, but no practice in using them."

 

Ahrissa nodded "I shall do what I can"

 

"Well." Nana nodded again. "In the meantime, I suggest we get comfortable...Gute likes to fly this thing like a starfighter." She sat on the floor and her legs went through an odd assortment of straps. On inspection they were an acceleration harness. She indicated a seat with a human sized harness as the engine noise built in speed and power. "Have you eaten?" She asked after a minute. "Knowing Istara, she just took off at a dead run once she had a path to follow."

 

Ahrissa strapped herself in as she stared out the view port "Snacked...it’s been a busy week"

 

"Children." Nana sighed, exasperation in her tone now. "It seems all humans are the same, Jedi, Sith, Bladeborn, every last one of you will try to go forever without fuel. How many times must I tell you nestlings? It doesn't work..." She turned her upper body and started working on something. "I will have a reasonable meal ready for you when we are spaceborne which will be..." The ship lurched into the air and a whine came as the inertial compensators struggled to keep up with the demands the pilot was putting on the ship. She shouted towards the cockpit. "If you kill us, we will never find the girl!"

 

"You try flying this thing!" Came an irate voice from the cockpit. "Especially with Istara growling at me..."

 

"Istara!" Nana's voice took on a hard aspect. "Istara, leave him alone. Get back here as soon as it is safe, you need to eat and we need to talk."

 

A few minutes later the rumble of the drives settled as the ship left atmosphere. Istara came back into the compartment, looking weary. Nana waved her to a seat and the human Bladeborn sat without quarrel. Nana got up from her spot and carried a tray to where Ahrissa was sitting before grabbing another and carrying it to Istara. Then Nana sat back in her spot and looked from one to the other. "Well?"

 

Ahrissa chuckled as she watched the crew work, once food was offered she nodded her head in thanks and took part of the food without hesitation, no need to be rude after all

 

"Mira is alive, for now." Istara sighed and ate her portions neatly. "It was a professional snatch. They wanted her alive, and I felt pain through the link..."

 

"I know." Nana sighed. "So did I. That wasn't what I meant. What is your problem? You act as if this is personal. You don't know this girl."

 

Ahrissa's blue eye's glanced up from her food "And I do." she stated calmly but with some firmness "She is a young child being hunted, that alone should make it…personal"

 

Nana nodded. "I meant to Istara, your unease is easy to sense. Control your emotions Jedi, they will not help." Her voice was kind, but a command. "Well, Istara?"

 

"Nana..." Istara pushed her food away and met the insect's gaze. "I know what it is to be restrained and experimented on. She is the same age I was, Nana. I won't let it happen to her. What happened to me..." The human Bladeborn looked away from a moment, obviously lost in memories and from her expression, not fun ones.

 

Ahrissa sighed inwardly and returned to her meal. It seemed her emotions were in constant question these days. But then after seeing her companion get beat up as he did....and then find out she was to be married to him...and now this...it was no wonder she was so off balanced. So instead she opted to remain silent and eat her food.

 

"Jedi." Nana’s voice was tart now as she scrutinized Ahrissa. “If you can’t guard your feelings any better than that, we have problems…”

 

"Nana, don't be rude." Istara sighed. "She has a right to her feelings." Istara smiled sadly. "You love her, don't you?" Istara said to Ahrissa. The human woman's voice was kind. "Mira that is..."

 

Ahrissa glanced over at Istara before looking into her plate of food "She is like an Apprentice to me...even though I am no Master..and she isn't force sensitive...I have grown a rather fondness for her, yes"

 

"Right." Istara nodded, her face sad. "We will get her back." She looked at Nana. "And you... Be nice to our guest. I know you don't like Jedi and why, but she is not Jolaban. He is long, long dead." Nana stiffened, and then without a word, got up and left the compartment.

 

Ahrissa smiled "It's alright, Nana is right. My emotions have been running wild as of late. Lack of proper rest perhaps. I’ll be fine.” Ahrissa trailed off her sentence and watched as Nana left

 

"No... Its a long story..." Istara shook her head. "She is at best ambivalent about your kind. But we can't let it interfere, and she knows it. She will be fine, just... maybe a bit distant. A Jedi experimented on a group of her people and drove most of them mad. The remnants of her people have been fighting the mad ones ever since. That was fifteen thousand years ago. And her people remember it as clearly as if it happened yesterday."

 

Ahrissa frowned "I’m sorry to hear it, truly. Even Jedi have their faults. I will try and be...gentle...around her" Ahrissa promised kindly.

 

"Thanks." Istara smiled. "We have enough problems. The main one is this: I have no idea where this chase is going to take us. I have authority to enter the Empire if needed to pursue my ends, and this is definitely one of those. I have no such authority in the Republic. If the Republic authorities catch me, they will likely be a bit annoyed with me. That may be where you come in; you do have a certain authority from what I understand as a Jedi, correct?"

 

Ahrissa nodded as she finished off her meal and placed the tray to the side "You need not worry" she smiled "As long as you remain by my side I will be able to gain you access"

 

"Well..." Istara shook her head. "I hope not to cause any interplanetary incidents, but Mira is what is important." She flinched and touched her head. "What the..." She blanched.

 

Ahrissa was up and by Istara's side in seconds, a soft, healing hand on her shoulder "Whats wrong?" she questioned gently

 

"I..." Istara shook her head. "I don't know. It was like my head suddenly was two or three sizes too big. Or..." Her eyes widened. "I can feel Mira, even from here, wow... that is..." She shook her head, grimacing. "That girl's tolerance for pain is incredible..."

 

Ahrissa smiled slightly as she leaned back on her heals "You have no idea...."

 

"Drat." Istara shook her head, and then slumped. "They jumped. But I still..." She grinned ferally. "I still have a link. It isn't supposed to work like that, but I do. Let’s go get her back." Ahrissa nodded and helped Istara up onto her feet. Istara smiled as she took Ahrissas hand. "Um... One thing... I um... Well...I know Jedi don't go for unrestricted violence, and I don't usually either, but if it calls for it....Uh..." She grinned sheepishly. "Just don't get in my way if I look mad please?"

 

Ahrissa blinked for a few moments before opening her mouth in a silent, but obvious 'Ah' of understanding "I know someone, actually with a rather unique talent, and through her I have learned to stay out of the way." she smiled

 

"Not a bad idea." Istara nodded. "Good skill to have around darksiders... Although I am not one anymore... mostly... It's complicated..."

 

"Ah?" Ahrissa smile "No need to explain. Come, let us see what we can accomplish this day"

 

Istara shook herself. Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as she thought. Then she winced, Mira's pain increased suddenly and there was a spark of fear and then the trace vanished. "Lost it, but we have a track now." She hit the console. "Gute, follow whatever ship just jumped."

Edited July 6, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

<A few minutes previous>

 

“Master, we have a problem.” Mira tensed as a man wearing a full flightsuit with helmet came into the room. She had been reclining in a comfortable chair while Nira had been fiddling with things, trying to find answers to the questions they had, but then the door had hissed open and this new man had come in. Mira stiffened, but a gentle touch on her arm had her relaxing. She didn’t –quite- trust Nira, the woman had to have her own agenda, but she found she sort of liked the woman, and if Nira could help her with this garbage in her head, well then…

 

“What is the problem Luc? You are frightening our guest.” Nira’s voice was cool and the man stiffened. Then he reached up and undid his helmet.

 

"Ah..." The face that appeared had bright blue eyes, blonde hair and a sheepish look. He nodded to Mira. “I apologize.”

 

"Accepted." Mira nodded back. “But whatever you have to say must be important.”

 

The man called Luc smiled at her and then turned to the older woman in black. Now his face became worried. “We have done as directed. We found a stationary orbit on the outskirts of the Dantooine system. But about three minutes ago, a ship launched from the planet’s surface. It is heading on a course heading directly for us. We are just another hunk of metallic rock as far as sensors are concerned. So…”

 

"What ship?" Nira tensed. “Jedi?”

 

"No." Luc shook his head. “Its registry says it’s the Unobtanium Monkey.”

 

Mira couldn’t help it, she laughed. “What kind of a person names their ship that?” Her laugh cut off as Nira turned a worried face her way. Mira tensed. “Whose ship is that?”

 

“The Bladeborn." Nira said slowly. "Get us out of here, Luc. Set course for Tattooine.” The pilot saluted and left the room.

 

Mira felt conflicted. Hope for a rescue was eclipsed by the stark fear of being stuck with these ‘things’ inside her head. Injudiciously, she tried to get up, and without thought, she tried to use her splinted arm for leverage. The shock of pain that flew through her system convinced her that was bad idea quickly. She didn’t cry out, but Nira was at her side instantly.

 

“Mira…?” The older woman’s voice was quiet, worried.

 

"I..." Mira snarled past her pain. “I am all right.”

 

"No you are not." Lady Nira shook her head and held the girl down gently. “No you are not. Don’t move.” She carefully picked up the splinted arm and sighed as she examined it with the Force. Now her voice held a tinge of exasperation. “If you keep using it, it will never heal.” She laid it back down gently. They both felt it when the ship jumped to hyperspace. Nira sighed. “I shouldn’t have come back to Dantooine, I should have taken you straight to Tattooine. To the clinic there. But I thought maybe I could drop you here, I hadn’t thought it would be so busy so soon. They must have detected your disappearance just after it happened.”

 

"Just..." Mira was gasping slightly as Nira handled her arm, the sheer amount of pain threatening to overwhelm even her tight control. “I… I want to be free of this garbage.”

 

"I know." The Sith woman shook her head in fond exasperation. “Mira, I do understand. You are incredibly tough, young lady. Any normal person, adult or child, would likely be on the floor rolling and screaming in pain from what you just did. Ah girl... You broke your forearm again. Just a minor break, but still…”

 

Mira was shuddering now, trying to hold herself together and Nira sighed. Without any warning, she scooped the girl into her arms carefully and held her tight to her body. Mira tensed for a moment, but then relaxed as what Nira was doing came through her haze of pain. The woman was singing, and stroking Mira’s short hair. It relaxed her, it felt… familiar, like something her mother might have done.

 

"Okay..." After a time, Nira smiled and looked the girl in the eyes. “I am going to give you something for the pain. Then you will sleep while Tirka works on your arm. Okay?” She asked gently. Mira couldn’t summon the energy to speak, so she nodded. The woman set Mira down gently in the chair she had been in and then went to a side cupboard. She came back a moment later, fiddling with a hypo. Mira’s eyes were scared, but the woman knelt down slowly. When she spoke, it was quiet, but earnest. “If you don’t want me to do something, all you have to do is say ‘No’.” Then she waited with her hands and body still.

 

Mira looked at her and then relaxed. Her voice was nearly inaudible. “Yes.”

 

Nira smiled as she applied the hypo. “Good girl. Rest now. I should have some answers when we reach Tattooine space.” She stroked the girl’s short hair until Mira’s breathing relaxed into sleep patterns. Then she carefully picked the girl up to carry her to Medical.

 

Tirka was always ready and after a startled oath, started working as soon as Nira set the poor girl down on the medical table. His mouth was set in a grim line as he cut the flexicast off and started working to gently straighten the bone again.

 

"Poor girl." Nira shook her head. “I wish I could touch heal her.”

 

Tirka shook his head. “You would put me out of work.” He joked, but his tone was…odd.

 

Nira looked away from the slumbering girl’s face. “What is wrong?”

 

"Uh..." Tirka shook his head. “A message just came for you.”

 

"What?" Nira stiffened. “For me? From who?”

 

"I don't know." Tirka shook his head. “It bears the Imperial Seal however, so none of us dared look at it.”

 

Nira nodded and stepped to the small office that served Tirka when he wasn’t working on patients. She was not in it long, and when she came out, her step was unsteady and her face was ashen. Tirka looked up from where he was putting a cast on the girl’s arm again. “Master…?”

 

"Oh Tirka... We are done." Nira sat heavily, her mind obviously racing. When she spoke it was dead of emotion. “Krundas reported us.”

 

"He...?" Tirka went still. “Oh no…”

 

"I..." Nira shook her head. “I knew that slime would, but I had hoped to help this poor girl first. I…”

 

"Master...?" Tirka finished his work and rose from where he had been bent over beside Mira. He went to Nira. “What did the message say?”

 

"I am officially on the most wanted list now." Nira slumped. “The Emperor has declared me a traitor. If we are discovered in Imperial territory… we die. He could just rely on the Bladeborn, but apparently he is…most displeased with me. He wants this public and messy. So he is sending a ‘very special emissary’ to hunt me down.”

 

"Oh no..." Tirka felt his blood freeze. There was really only one being that Nira might call that. “No… Not him…”

 

"Malgus." Nira nodded. “One of my agents sent a copy of the kill order to me. Attached was a missive wishing me luck.” The word luck came out heated. “I won’t hear from that agent again, if she is alive, I would be incredibly surprised. I won’t contact any of them again. I need you to prepare to evacuate the ship, take only what you need to keep this girl safe and healthy. The good news is that you lot are not named, it’s just for me. I will let all of you off and you can go where you will.”

 

"No..." Tirka shook his head. “Master Nira… No. I will not leave you. We will not leave you.”

 

"You have to." Nira shook her head. “Tirka, if you or any of the others are here when he gets here, you will die.”

 

Another voice answered her. A harsh voice. “We did not expect to survive when you bought us, Master Nira.” Nira turned to look at where her pilot and the Houk were standing now. The Houk had spoken.

 

“Luc… Cillig…” Nira shook her head. “Please… I am not strong enough to watch all of you die.”

 

"Easy solution." The Houk smiled. “Then let us all live.”

 

"Ah Cillig..." Nira sighed in exasperation. “If only it were that simple, my large friend. Look, my duty is to get this girl healed. Cranna’s clinic is the only place in the galaxy where I know they can this kind of damage. Maybe the Jedi enclave on Tython, but… I can’t go there.”

 

"Master." The pilot, Luc shook his head. “Cranna’s clinic won’t deal with Sith. And if we show up with a girl who has been… tampered with… How will they react?”

 

"Not well." Nira slumped. “But what choice do we have?”

 

A strange voice answered her. “Always there are choices, always there are alternatives.” Nira spun. The voice was coming from Mira’s mouth. But the girl was obviously unconscious and it wasn’t Mira’s voice. “You seek understanding.”

 

Nira blinked, her mouth agape. She recognized the voice. “No… way…” Her tone was pure shock. “She destroyed the access protocols…”

 

The girl’s mouth moved and the not her voice spoke again. “Damage to primary data retrieval pathways has been circumvented. Secondary access granted.”

 

"What?" Nira shook her head, still in shock. “What are you doing to her, Vxeis?”

 

The strange voice spoke again, utterly ignoring the other three beings in the room. “Apprentice, Nira, Female, class Six. Retrieving record seven Aleph Sigma…”

 

Suddenly the voice changed timbre and all of the beings in the compartment froze as they heard a male voice. It sounded old and tired. “Hello Nira.”

 

Nira’s face went pure white. “Master Vxeis?”

 

The voice of the dead Sith Lord continued. “If you are hearing this, then I am dead. I knew, when I started this that there was only one penalty for what needed to be done. I figured it was only a matter of time until one of the Emperor’s agents found me, but no matter. Nira, if you are hearing this, then I have failed. I placed information vital to the Empire in the mind of this girl. This girl… This treasure is far more than she seems. No matter what happens, Nira, you must protect this girl. I wish I could have explained it to you, and to her. I believe both of you would have made the proper choice, but there was no time. Every vision I had was of the same thing. Myself. Dead. I cast you loose to seek your own apprentices to keep you from sharing my fate. Your loyalty is unquestioned. Mine… is more fluid, and that is why I will die as I will. A traitor who consorted with enemies of the Empire and conducted horrific experiments on blameless beings in an insane attempt to store data in a living mind. My fate is deserved, Nira, but I hope you may be spared it. You need to know. Inside this girl’s mind is the key to Seven… no… no… wait…! AHHHH!”

 

A grisly sound, something sharp striking meat, came from the girl’s mouth and then it shut. Nira stared at the girl and then bowed her head. When she spoke it was quiet. “I… I still hate him…”

 

"Master." Luc stared from her to the slumbering girl. “I don’t understand.”

 

"Vxies did soemthing insane." Nira sighed. “He hid something in her head. Something that has hidden there ever since. Something that has done its best to drive her mad. I am going to meditate, try and gain clarity. How long until Tattooine?”

 

"Ah..." Luc bit his lip and looked at his chrono. “Six and half hours.”

 

"Okay." Nira nodded. “I want all of you to be ready to run or fight when we revert. I have no idea at all what we will find there.”

 

Luc saluted and turned to go back to the cockpit. The Houk Cillig bowed and turned to go do whatever he would to prepare. Tirka stayed for a moment. “Master Nira, are you all right?”

 

"No." Nira shook her head. “No I am not. I have hated him for so long. To hear he was trying to protect me…? I don’t believe it. I can’t believe it. He didn’t have it in him to do that.”

 

"Master?" Tirka sighed. “Do you want me to monitor?”

 

"Hmmm..." Nira bit her lip and then nodded. “Yes. Monitor both of us. I have no idea at all what is going to happen.” She sat down in a chair beside the bed on which Mira was sleeping and laid a gentle hand on the slumbering girl’s head. Tirka came close and placed a biosensor tag on her shirt, it would allow him to monitor her without touching her, which might not be a good idea if she was in deep meditation. She nodded to the medic and then closed her eyes and immersed herself in the Force.

[kalenath]

For a moment, everything around Nira seemed normal. The ways that the Force played around and through the mind of the girl were fairly commonplace. But only for a moment. The girl’s mind, even without the Force, was a spiky, dangerous place just like any mind. Nira was good at what she did however and was careful. When a wall of thorns sprang up in her path, she could have cut through it with her lightsaber. But who knew what that might do to Mira? So she jumped high over it. When an ocean appeared all around her, she hovered on the Force just over the water that was now teeming with fins circling hungrily. Ahead, she saw her goal, a small island of dirt. And on it, a small, almost innocuous looking pyramid. And beside it…

 

Mira was slamming her small fists into the holocron, trying to break it, dent it, damage it is some way. She didn’t look up as Nira landed nearby. The Sith woman didn’t move, instead, she spoke softly but clearly. “Mira… that won’t work.”

 

"I..." Mira kept up her banging. Her voice was weary. “Don’t care… Tired of these stupid flashes of light… Want this piece of fierfek gone!” She hit the thing again, but nothing happened other than one of her hands making a sick cracking noise. One of the girl’s hands hung limp now, but she kept hitting the holocron with the other.

 

"Mira..." Nira shook her head. “Oh Mira… Come here girl…”

 

"Can't..." Mira didn’t look from where she was pounding. “Can’t trust you…”

 

"No." The Sith lady shook her head and when she spoke, her voice was even, if tinged with sadness. “No you can’t. Even if you had some kind of proof I was on the level, you can’t be sure I am not playing some kind of deep game. Anything I say could be a lie. Oh Mira…” Nira felt her eyes start burning, but controlled herself. “We need to find out what is going on here. There was a message in your mind, for me.”

 

"What?" Mira stiffened. “For you?”

 

"Yeah." The Sith woman nodded and spoke slowly, carefully. “I think… I think my former Master was interrupted before he could finish whatever the flarg he was doing. And… I may be able to help you, but it will take both of us.”

 

"No." Mira’s pounding was weary now. “Just… want… an end…”

 

"No you don't child." Nira shook her head. “No you don’t. You want answers. You want healing. You want a normal life.”

 

Mira finally turned to look at the Sith and Nira recoiled slightly. The girl’s eyes were a mass of bloody tears. “Normal?” Mira asked in a quiet but scary tone. “I have no idea what normal might be…” Nira swallowed inaudibly and stepped towards the hurt girl.

 

“Mira, please listen to me." The Sith said softly. "I can’t undo the past. All I can do is try and help you now. Come here, girl…” The Sith repeated. There was command in this tone, but no compulsion. This time, Mira stood on shaky feet and tottered towards her. Nira didn’t move as Mira stumbled, almost fell, but caught herself and managed to get to where Nira was standing. She fell into Nira’s arms trying to keep from sobbing.

 

Nira didn’t do anything, just held the girl, speaking softly. “It’s okay, Mira. You can cry here. No one will see you, or hear you. Besides me, and I…” Tears were falling now as she just held this brave little kid. Mira was shuddering, and then the floodgates opened and tears started falling from the girl’s eyes. The Sith held the girl in a gentle embrace as she sat down and made a pillow for the girl to cushion her head on with her arms. “It’s okay, Mira. It’s okay…” She repeated that mantra softly as she stroked the girl’s hair. Here it was long, fluffy and beautiful. Eventually, Mira calmed a bit. Nira’s voice was still kind and gentle. “That’s it. That’s it. It will be okay, Mira. I think I know what to do now.”

 

"You do?" Mira looked up at her from Nira’s lap and her voice was soft, almost inaudible. “What?”

 

"I need to access the holocron." Nira sighed. “I am almost completely certain my master put information on what he did to you in there.”

 

"So?" Mira blinked, confused. “Then access it.”

 

"I wish." Nira shook her head. “If only it was that simple. I need your help to access it.”

 

"What?" Mira blinked again, even more confused. “My help?”

 

"Mira..." The Sith sighed. “It’s your brain Mira. I will not do anything without your permission.”

 

"i don't understand." Mira looked at her. “You could just take the information. Why are you not? Sith don’t ask. Sith don’t bargain. Sith just… take.”

 

"Yes." Nira nodded. “Many Sith do. I will not. I told you why I won’t hurt you. I owe you for what happened to you. And you remind me of my daughter.” Then she shrugged. “And, just in case I am a pragmatic, evil Sith... I believe the access is code locked. I may be able to access part of it, but not all of it. But you have the codes I believe.”

 

"Me?" Mira shook her head slowly. “How can I? He never… He never talked to me. He just…” She was crying again, and this time Nira held her and let her cry.

 

"Oh Mira..." Nira’s voice was soft and kind. “That’s it, girl. Let it out. Let it out. You have held this in for far too long.”

 

Mira choked out words between sobs. “Why…? Why did he do this to me…? What did I do to him…?” Now she was trying to strike out, but Nira was careful to hold the girl, both gently and securely. The girl couldn’t get leverage to do anything besides cause bruises.

 

The older woman just held the girl as she thrashed. “You did nothing to him. I think… I think he knew all along that he would die and why.” Mira froze in mid-swing.

 

Mira’s voice was stunned. “What?”

 

"Mira." Nira sighed again. “Whatever answers are available; I believe are inside that holocron. But this is very important Mira, out here, all you do is hurt yourself physically. If we go in… We will be in the deepest recesses of your mind. If you hurt yourself there… The best outcome will be to cause irreparable brain damage. But I think the only place to find answers is in there.” She moved her head to the side.

 

Mira stared at the woman who was holding her gently. And then she turned her head to look at the holocron where it sat glistening sinisterly in the dim light that came from wherever. When she spoke, it was low, and tense. “I am scared…” For this girl to say that, all of her mental defenses had to be down or at least withdrawn a bit.

 

Nira nodded. “So am I.” Mira turned startled eyes to her and Nira shrugged. “I have never done anything like this before Mira. But fear or any other form of passion is a step on the road to freedom, or so the Sith Code tells us. We can use it, or let it use us. I choose to use it.”

 

Mira bit her lip and then scrambled to her feet. Nira let her go. The girl stood up straight, obviously focusing her mind. When she spoke, it was quiet, and focused. “What do I do?”

 

Nira stood up and extended a hand to the arm with the injured hand. Mira tensed when Nira took her arm, but then relaxed as power flowed through her hand, cleaning, aligning, healing. She stared at Nira, who grinned. “I can’t do that in the real world, but I can do it here, this is all in the mind.”

 

Mira shook her head. “Has anyone told you that you are crazy, Lady?”

 

"Oh Mira..." Nira grinned wider and nodded. “Every day.” She held out a hand.

 

Mira stared at her healed hand for a long moment and then nodded slowly. She put her small hand in Nira’s larger one and both of them turned to face the red holocron. They both stared at it for a moment before Mira spoke softly. “What do we do?”

 

Nira grimaced. Her voice was thoughtful when she spoke. “Every holocron I have ever seen, Jedi or Sith, has had security systems or safeguards built in. I have heard of Sith holocrons having Force shades bound to them, and that can get… messy. But I…” She broke off, tilting her head as if trying to get memories to fall into the right places.

 

 

After a moment, Mira spoke. “But…?”

 

"I doesn't fell right." Nira shook her head. “I don’t think he would have trapped it. The whole idea of putting it in your head was to hide it in the best hiding place possible. I think he intended me to find it, eventually. So… whatever he did would have been… geared…” She broke off, and her face was a mask of shock. “Wait a minute…” She shook her head. “No… Bloody… way…”

 

"Nira?" Mira tore her eyes off the holocron and looked at Nira. She was startled to see the woman’s face turn pale. Mira gave the older woman’s hand a squeeze. “What? What is wrong?”

 

"Of all the...!" Nira shook her head. “That son of a barve! Don’t let go of my hand Mira…” Nira strode towards the holocron and after a moment’s reflection, touched it. Nothing happened, but she shook her head again. “Put your free hand on mine…” Her voice was somewhere between shock and awe.

 

Mira looked at her, and then did as instructed. A powerful pulse of red light erupted from the holocron and…

[kalenath]

Ahrissa grumbled some "Are you sure about this? I wasn't exactly top of my class in this...."

 

"Jedi..." Istara snorted as she knelt. "You have to be better than I am. Yes, my mom was a seer, but the only visions I have managed to have... have hit me completely unaware."

 

Ahrissa sighed "My Master was a healer...my duty to the republic as Guardian, and my Ambitions are to be a weapons Master... Divination and those similar are more for councilors...still, I have managed it a few times in training...I just..don’t want to make any mistakes. Mira is far too important to me."

 

"True." Istara nodded. "I have never met her, but she is important to me too. The man I ... loved... feels strongly for her. If she is hurt or worse... Well... You don't want to see what will happen. Idjit has all the subtlety of a stampeding herd of Rancors when he gets mad."

 

Ahrissa rose a brow, the name sounding familiar to her...but after being unable to make the connection she merely sighed and folded her legs beneath her "Well, lets get to it then"

 

"Okay." Istara leaned into her meditation. "Yes, let’s do this." She cast out with her mind, seeking Ashla, and finding it. The power flowed around and through her as always, drawing her along in its currents. It was very similar to the Light Side as was taught to the Jedi, but not... quite.

 

Ahrissa closed her eyes and breathed, attempting to clear her mind of doubt and simply...focus. A brief thought flickered across her mind, one she deemed worthy to try if she failed, Trisskar might be young but she was better at this sort of thing... 'no..focus' After a time her breathing became more relaxed and her heart rate slowed as she allowed herself to drift into the folds of the force

 

Istara was lost in a sea of power, but then a sour feeling swept over her and something that felt like claw pulled her back to where she needed to be. She smiled. "Thank you Nana..." She said quietly, maybe only in her mind.

 

An image appeared in front of Ahrissa. A hospital bed with medical gear all around it. A form in black robes sat nearby, her -yes definitely a her- hand on the forehead of the girl in the bed. Mira lay on the bed, her eyes open, but seeing nothing. Her left arm was in a cast, and her skull was shaved and bandaged, but she was breathing. What she was wearing was odd. Sith robes!

 

In Ahrissa's hand the silver hilt of her saber appeared as she made a cautious step forward "Mira?" she questioned gently

 

Mira's eyes closed for a moment and then shot open. "Ahrissa? Ahrissa! No... No... Stay away... Danger!" She couldn't seem to see the Jedi.

 

Ahrissa tensed at Mira's frightened voice but her jaw set firm "I am not leaving you!" she confirmed as she made towards the bed

 

"Ahrissa..." Istara's voice came from somewhere nearby. It was calm. "It is a vision. What do you see, Ahrissa?" Was the voice aloud or only in her head?

 

Ahrissa growled as she forced her feet to halt and closed her eyes, she hated how real these visions could be. After a few moments her voice croaked "There performing experiments on Mira..." she then went about describing the scene as she opened eyes and watched the helpless form laying upon the bed, trying her hardest not to rush by her side, rip the wires and computers away, and swoop the girl up to safety.

 

"Ahrissa." Istara's voice was hard now. "Can you see anything else? I can't."

 

Ahrissa sighed as she took a cautious step forward in an attempt to try and see anything she may have missed in her description. The room was small, obviously a shipboard compartment. But it looked fairly comfortable. There were no obvious implements of torture anywhere and the only other occupant of the room was a female in Sith robes.

 

But then the Sith met the Jedi's eyes and spoke. "You know not what you do, Jedi. Beware." There was honest fear in her voice, but... Not for herself? For Mira? Then the vision vanished.

 

Ahrissa gasped as crystal eyes opened in the physical realm, her torso bending forward as she placed a hand on the floor to steady herself, strawberry blonde hair spilling over her face and shoulders as she gritted her teeth and forced herself to relax, feeling completely drained from the experience.

 

"Whoa." Istara was there, her hands gentle as she assisted the Jedi. "Easy there. What happened? I couldn't get any inkling, just that you were surprised by something."

 

Ahrissa took in a deep breath and sat up straight "Thank you." she said with a re-assuring smile "I didn't get any real sense that any harm or danger is being inflicted on Mira..." she said "In fact the girl tried to warn me away.." Ahrissa then described the whole scene to Istara carefully to be sure she didn't leave anything important out.

 

"She...?" Istara blinked, shocked. "She what? Oh joy... She must be being controlled. Or something. The girl I heard about would never let a Sith do anything to her without fighting."

 

Ahrissa frowned some "I..." she then paused; obviously looking confused about the whole thing "Perhaps she’s just being concerned for me more so then herself...she is known for that..."

 

"Maybe." Istara shook her head slowly. "It... That doesn't feel quite right somehow. You say there was a woman there? Can you describe her? Knowing our opponent will help."

 

Ahrissa shook her head "She was hooded and cloaked from view....typical Sith fashion...but...her eyes..." She shook herself. "...a deep, piercing blue..."

 

"What?" Istara flinched. "Blue...? Oh no... I thought i recognized that feeling..." Ahrissa raised an inquiring brow as Istara spun and moved quickly to a terminal on the wall. After a few minutes of tapping, she brought up a picture. "Is this her?" The woman on the screen had a scowl, and her bright blue eyes seemed to pierce deep into one. The caption under the picture read 'Sith Lady Nira Auralai'.

 

Ahrissa leaned to the side so that she could see over Istara, her own crystal eyes meeting the blue of the Sith "Yes...that’s her"

 

"Oh dear." Istara sank back on her haunches, obviously thinking hard. "Then we have massive problems..."

 

Ahrissa rose a brow "She's Sith… That’s not problem enough?"

 

"Yes." Istara shook her head. "She was an apprentice to a nasty piece of work named Vxeis. That was the Sith lord who experimented on Mira. She is known for mental manipulation. And just in the last day or so..." She keyed another command into her terminal and another caption appeared under Nira's picture. 'Enemy of the Empire'. “She enters Imperial space and they will blow her away. They won't care who else is aboard the ship."

 

Ahrissa's crystal eyes hardened "Where then would she go....not Republic space surely...she may of made it past our securities once...but twice?"

 

"I don't know." Istara nodded. "Maybe one of... wait a moment..." Istara typed some more and then stared at the console in disbelief. "She cannot be serious... There is no way at all... I knew her course took her to Tattooine, but why? It didn't make sense. Cranna hates the Sith. Any Sith entering her domain don't generally leave and the Empire leaves her alone. Oh they could take her, but it would cost more than it would gain and they know it."

 

Ahrissa sighed "It doesn’t matter why...we just need to get to Mira"

 

"Indeed." Istara nodded. "Now more than ever. This ship is faster than it looks. We should arrive at Tattooine shortly after they do. The question is what we do when we get there. If I had my druthers, I would board that piece of junk and slaughter everything until I find Mira, but... if she is being controlled..."

 

Ahrissa frowned for a bit in thought "Killing isn't the answer if we can help it. Perhaps there’s a more diplomatic solution... In any case...the force will provide us with an answer. For now our first priority is getting there."

 

"Maybe." Istara shook her head slowly. "But I am not going to hold my breath. They had to know how the Bladeborn would respond. And... Wait a minute.... Who sent in the report on her activities?" She scrutinized the console and then hissed in disbelief. "Sith Warrior Marek Krundas? You have got to be kidding me... That guy is slime...Why would he suddenly start acting all patriotic?"

 

Ahrissa remained silent, her lore in Sith politics and history was not so great.

 

"Well..." Istara sighed and stepped back from the terminal. "Well, now we wait." She grinned sourly. "I hate waiting..."

 

Ahrissa nodded "patience is a virtue...even if it may seem like torture"

 

((Posted by Trisskar))

[kalenath]

Mira coughed hard and struggled to sit up. Suddenly a hand was underneath her shoulders, helping her sit up to ease her breathing. She managed to grate out words. “Tha… Than… Thank you…” The hand held her as she shuddered.

 

“It’s okay Mira. I had no idea…” Nira Auralai smiled as Mira met her eyes. “How are you feeling?”

 

"I..." Mira slumped. “Like I got run over by two or three landspeeders. Oh… Did you…?” She looked at Nira and stiffened when the woman nodded.

 

“I saw.” The Sith woman confirmed. But then she hit a control on Mira’s bed and the bed inclined to let Mira see easily. It also allowed the older woman to check her vitals without leaning over the girl too far. Mira tried to sit up further and Nira held up a warning hand. “Easy there…”

 

"Nira." Mira blinked and then slumped. “You felt them, didn’t you?” While the two of them had been deep in meditation, Nira pulling the girl deeper into her mind than was normally possible. Mira, though not Force sensitive, had sensed two powerful presences while in the grip of that meditation. The Sith nodded. Mira spoke slowly. “One of them was Ahrissa, a Jedi posted as my guardian, the other… I don’t know… She seemed so familiar, but I don’t think I know her.”

 

"Well." Nira sighed. “Either she is a Jedi or she is a Bladeborn. Either way… Can you still…” She broke off as Mira’s face went cold and remote.

 

Mira’s voice was soft and unemotional. “I have access. Data storage files One Hundred Sixteen Alpha through Two Hundred Three Sigma and Three Thousand One Kilo through Three Thousand Four Delta corrupted, replacing from backups.”

 

The Sith took the girl’s hand in a gentle grip. “Mira, focus… Focus on my voice. You are not a droid, you are not a computer.”

 

The girl’s blank eyes turned to face Nira and her voice faltered. “I am recovering data… I… Ugh… Nira… I…” Her eyes changed to focus on the Sith and her voice became fearful. Nira nodded slowly. “Nira… help…?”

 

"Mira." Nira shook her head, frowning. “This is going to hurt…”

 

Mira grimaced. “Do it!” She groaned out.

 

The Sith grimaced as well and laid two gentle hands against either side of the girl’s skull. Purple tendrils of energy crackled from her fingertips and the girl convulsed. But she did not cry out. The girl slumped back to the bed and the Sith patted her arm gently. “Mira…? Come on girl. Talk to me, please…?” The woman pulled a clean cloth out of a cupboard and started drying the girl’s face with it.

 

"Holy..." Mira kept her eyes pressed tightly shut. “I really don’t want to go through that again if I can help it. We really need to find a better means of access.”

 

"Yes." Nira sank back in relief. “Yes we do. Don’t scare me like that.”

 

"You..." Mira looked at her. “You had no idea he put the access paths in you, did you?”

 

"Me?" The older woman snorted. “He never told me anything. The message I uncovered in your mind, well, you saw it…” Mira nodded slowly, her head felt two or three sizes too small for her skin at the moment. That had been… interesting, to hear another person’s voice coming from her mouth. Nira had shown everything that she had found out and heard. It was literally impossible for either of them to lie to the other now.

 

"So...?" Mira sighed. “Now what? Together we make a full holocron. But we still have next to no idea what is in it.”

 

"We know a little." The older woman sighed as she sat beside Mira’s bed. “He said something about something called the ‘Seven’ whatever that is.”

 

"Yes..." Mira nodded, but then flinched a little. “He thought I was one of them, didn’t he?”

 

"I don't know." The older woman sighed. “It is probable, but… Mira, we can’t go looking again. Not soon.”

 

The girl stared at the older woman. “But…”

 

"You are too weakened by the ordeal." The Sith shook her head. “No ‘buts’. I need to make some calls.”

 

Mira blinked and then she spoke softly. “Will this new information be worth your life?” She didn’t trust Nira, she wasn’t that stupid, but she did like the woman. And thanks to her, Nira was under penalty of death in the Empire at the moment.

 

"I doubt it." Nira shook her head. “But I have to try. What Vxeis did… Sith as a whole do not care about hurting others as long as there is a benefit to them. The Nabooese are going to be royally aggravated. And no, not just your mom.”

 

"You..." Mira shook her head. “You argued but he was your master.” The older woman looked at her and Mira smiled. “That record is here. You were um… verbose.”

 

"What?" Nira shook her head, baffled. “Why would Vxeis give you that record? It makes no sense.”

 

The girl in the bed shook her head. “I don’t know. There are no similar files anywhere I can find.” She winced a bit and slumped further.

 

The Sith lady smiled as she patted the girl’s arm. “Rest, Mira. We have a busy day coming up when we reach Tattooine.”

 

"Nira?" Mira’s eyes were becoming heavy, but she spoke evenly. “What are the chances?”

 

"Slim." Nira sighed. “Of my convincing him not to kill me? I don’t know. Probably nil. But I have to try. There is too much chance of you being caught in the battle. And you are far more important now than I ever was.”

 

"Nira..." Mira shook herself, struggling against sleep. “Don't…”

 

"It's okay, Mira." Nira patted her arm again. “I am not going out looking to die, child. I have plans and contingency plans. Sleep.” Mira took the Sith lady’s kind words with her to slumber. Nira waited beside the bed until the girl was fully unconscious before setting the medical monitors and stepping out of the small compartment.

 

The Sith lady strode into the common area to find two of her people talking quietly. They both braced to attention as she entered. Her voice was calm and professional. “Report.”

 

"Master." Luc spoke first. “We are on course and at full speed. We will reach Tattooine in four hours.” He nodded to his companion.

 

"Master." Tirka spoke evenly. “I have managed to map the locations of two more of the implants. Master… I have done all I can.”

 

"I know." Nira nodded. “Get her ready for transport. I will make a few calls as soon as we revert to realspace.”

 

"Calls?" Tirka stiffened. “Master…?”

 

“Tirka, I am dead." Nira said quietly. "It is only a question of where, when and how much it hurts. But no matter what I have to see this girl safe now. Cranna’s clinic can remove the other implants, and get her back to Dantooine. The question is getting her there intact. And gettign you three somewhere safe as well.”

 

"Master?" Luc stared at her. “What is so important about this girl?’

 

"You don't want to know." Nira shook her head. “You really don’t want to know. Be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice. All of you, with her.” Luc and Tirka stared at her and she nodded slowly. “It has been an honor.” Without another word, both bowed to her and left the room.

[kalenath]

<Tattooine space, a little over four hours later>

 

Nira’s small ship reverted to realspace. But not alone. Luc’s voice was scared when he called over the intercom. “Master…? I think you need to see this…”

 

Nira ran to the cockpit and then froze in midstride as she entered and could see through the viewports. A dozen ships were arrayed around the system. All of them were Sith Imperial Navy vessels. A dreadnought, four cruisers, a carrier and six escorts. Nira blanched as she saw a squadron of fighters moving towards the position of her ship.

 

“It’s him…” Her voice was low, scared. “Can we jump again?”

 

I..." Luc checked his instruments and shook his head. “No. Even if the generators have had enough time to cycle… Which they have not had… They have an interdictor field up. I might be able to skim it, but those fighters won’t just let us go… I… I‘m sorry…”

 

Nira shook her head and patted her pilot’s shoulder. “Not your fault Luc.” She smiled a bit wanly. “I only punish subordinates when they make mistakes. This isn’t a mistake. This is enemy action.”

 

"I don't understand." Luc shook his head. “How could they possibly have known where we were going?”

 

"Krundas." Nira sighed. “That bastard Krundas. He told them what he did to the girl. How many other places are there where doctors can undo such brain damage? I should have guessed, but she is so weak, she wouldn’t survive going anywhere else first. And he likely knew it.” She froze as the com lit up. She shared a glance with her pilot, and then hit the control.

 

An arrogant sounding human voice came over the com. “Nira Auralai, by order of the Sith Empire, you are to surrender immediately. If you attempt to resist or flee, you will be destroyed.”

 

Nira hit the mute and looked at her pilot. “If I confuse them, can you get us to the planet?”

 

"Ma'am?" She smiled evilly and he nodded. “Yes, Ma’am.”

 

Nira smiled grimly and sat, strapping herself in. Then she opened herself to the Force. She could feel the minds of the pilots in the fighters approaching her ship, a minor tweak here and there and…

 

<Aboard the battleship Deciever>

 

A bridge officer was shaking her head slightly as she pored over her readouts, watching the newly come transport. The name was meaningless. Harvest Pride was almost certainly a fake transponder code. She scrutinized the readings. It almost completely matched the description that had been given to them, but she wasn’t totally sure. Then something odd happened. The fighters that had been closing quickly on the nondescript transport suddenly veered off. She stared at her screen in shock, and then hit her com.

 

“Sigma lead, what are you doing?” She had to wait a moment for the transmission to reach the fighters and then for the pilot in question to respond.

 

"Base!" The pilot’s voice was dazed. “This is Sigma lead, that is no transport. It’s a Republic anti-starfighter weapons platform. We very nearly flew into its guns. It’s putting out enough fire now to wipe out half the wing.”

 

The officer stared at her screen, where the ship in question was accelerating smoothly. There was no anti-fighter fire. “Sigma Leader, you are mistaken, that is…” She broke off as she felt a dark presence move to behind her. She looked over her shoulder, her face worried. “My lord…?”

 

The cloaked and cowled figure that strode up behind her nodded. “That is her. That woman is well known for mind tricks. Tell the fighters to maintain their distance, and monitor her approach. And put me on.” The officer hit a control and nodded. The cowled figure spoke, a soft hissing heard now from under the cowl. “Lady Nira Auralai, you will surrender to Imperial justice at once. Or I will remove your ship from the stars no matter your tricks. You have… two minutes.” He cut the communication and turned back to the officer. “We are prepared?”

 

“Yes Mi’lord.” The officer nodded. No one sane questioned this being. She turned back to her console. “Sigma Lead. Maintain observation distance. What the…?” She stared as another ship reverted to realspace not very far at all from the transport the fleet was now chasing. The name on the ship had her doing a double take. Who in their right mind called a ship the Unobtanium Monkey?

 

The cowled figure nodded. “I wondered when they would show up. Send to the Unobtanium Monkey. ‘I would be pleased to have you aboard while we sort this out.’ And instruct the troops to be polite. The Bladeborn can be a bit touchy at times. It can get rather messy and I would prefer not to have the decks knee deep in gore.” The officer gulped audibly and nodded before relaying the commands.

 

<Aboard the first transport>

 

Nira had not expected the fighters to withdraw. She had not expected the Sith commander to invite her aboard. And she had certainly not expected the Bladeborn’s transport to arrive so quickly. She shook herself, trying to focus.

 

"Master?" Luc’s voice was stunned. “What can we do?”

 

"Nothing." Nira’s voice was tired now. “Do as instructed. Land us. Do not resist.”

 

"But..." Luc’s voice was scared now. “Master…?”

 

"Luc..." Nira slumped. “He could have just fired, blown us out of the sky. He didn’t. I don’t know what that means. But if it will save Mira and the rest of you… I will do it.”

 

"No..." Luc sounded as if he was almost in tears. “Master Nira…”

 

The Sith patted her slave’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Luc. We played, and we lost. I just hope they don’t blame you for my actions. I will take full responsibility if he will let me.” Luc looked at her and then focused on his flying. Unseen under his helmet, tears collected.

 

<Aboard the Unobtanium Monkey>

 

“Um… Istara…” Gute’s voice was scared. The woman shook herself where she sat, her face impassive.

 

"He is not hostile, that is good." Istara shrugged. “He has invited us all aboard, it would be rude to say no. Buck up, Gute. You are with us.”

 

"Ah...?" Gute shook his head slowly. “And that is supposed to reassure me… how…?”

 

"Easy." Istara snorted and patted the high strung Iridonian on the shoulder. “Relax Gute. We are not his target.”

 

“Yet…” The Iridonian’s voice was quiet as he followed the path dictated by the battleships flight operations.

[kalenath]

Istara shook her head slowly as she entered the common room of the small starship that served her as a home. "Well, it would seem that things are getting... complicated..."

 

Ahrissa looked up from her data pad..she was currently sending a large apology and explanation to her fiancee Arik Vander for running off and vanishing as she did. "As if things are ever easy for a Jedi..and umm... well...bladeborn too I suppose" she said with a warm smile

 

"No..." Istara smiled ruefully. "We couldn't ever have that, could we?"

 

"I feel your worry, sister." Nana looked up from where she was sitting. "What has happened, Istara?"

 

"Well..." Istara shook her head. "It would seem that the Empire has taken a direct hand in this. Apparently, they sent a fleet to catch this woman. Why? I have no idea. But we have been invited aboard the flagship to speak with the commander."

 

"Ah..." Gute's voice came from the passageway. "Does anyone else think this is a bad idea...?"

 

"They took control..." The Iridonian was almost trembling as he entered the area. "They won't let me fly it in... Creeps want to control everything, typical Sith..."

 

Ahrissa gently placed her data pad down beside her and tilted her head some "The empire? Well...that certainly does bring up some..complications..."

 

"Yes it does and no it doesn't. Things are more complicated and less now." Istara sighed. She turned her head to face Gute. "Relax, Gute. No one is going to make a fuss over you. Not if they have any sense at all. But you heard the voice, right? Do you want to contradict him?" Gute froze and shook his head savagely, silently. Istara put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It will be okay."

 

"What?" Nana blinked. "Who could..." The insect seemed to freeze as something almost audibly went click in her mind. "Oh... Dear..."

 

"All of you relax." Istara sighed. "Come on, relax. He is not all blood, blood, blood all the time. I have never me the man, but I know him by reputation and such a reputation... Even the Bladeborn walk carefully around this man. But it is respect, not fear."

 

Ahrissa sighed "Alright guys...I love the suspense and all but...mind telling me whats going on?"

 

"A very dangerous man." Istara smiled at her. "You are in no danger as long as you play by the rules. Malgus is dangerous, yes, but he will leave you alone while you are with us. So stay close."

 

Ahrissa blinked for a few moments obviously shocked by the news before managing to choke out "Darth...Malgus?As in...the Sith lord?”

 

Istara nodded, but it was Gute who answered. "Is there more than one?" He asked fearfully.

 

"Gute..." Istara sighed. "Relax..."

 

Far from mollified, Gute actually snarled at her. "You relax! You are not wanted for desertion in the Empire."

 

"No." Istara shook her head. "Neither are you."

 

Gute stared at her and then sat heavily, muttering under his breath about idiot Bladeborn.

 

"It's okay." Istara sighed and sat herself. "As long as you are with us, Gute, he can protest or request extradition if he wishes, but if he tries anything else, well... We would have to argue it with him. And such a battle would serve no one. Ahrissa?" Now Istara's voice was gentle.

 

Ahrissa had raised a hand up to her forehead while the others were talking, mentally counting breaths as eyes were clenched closed, why did it suddenly feel like she was in WAY over her head? "I'm fine..." she finally muttered

 

"I made a promise, I will not fail her again. Sith lord or no....." she confirmed even though her cheeks seemed pale

 

"Good." Istara laid a gentle hand on the Jedi's shoulder willing what strength she could to the other woman. "No you are not okay. I know what he did to your order. If you need to remain in the ship, we can handle that."

 

Ahrissa shook her head and lowered her hand as determined crystal eyes opened "No, She is my charge. I will be present for this meeting with the empire"

 

"Okay. Some basic ground rules." Istara met the Jedi's gaze and then nodded. "It is highly unlikely that he will cause problems. We... The Bladeborn and the Sith Lord, have a bit of an understanding. The Order is loyal, and so is he. If he or any of his people insult you, let me handle it, please? I know how to handle myself here, and I doubt you ever studied Sith Ettiquette 101."

 

Ahrissa merely nodded as she forced herself to keep her breath steady "I've had some experience...but I agree...I'll remain silent unless otherwise needed"

 

"You will be needed." Istara sighed. "As the one whose ward was kidnapped, your charges will be central to this. Just... keep your emotions tight, no matter what happens. You lose your temper around him and... bad things happen."

 

Ahrissa nodded in understanding "I'll be fine" she confirmed, she had to be....for Mira

 

Istara nodded and would have spoken, except the ship lurched and shuddered. Gute slumped and spoke softly, scared. "We are here. You don't understand Istara. You don't. I... My ship was posted to his fleet until it was 'commandeered'. I... I deserted from his fleet..."

 

"Gute..." Istara shook her head, exasperated now. "How many times do we have to tell you? You did not desert. You were rescued from certain death. If he has a problem with that, he can take it up with us."

 

Nana shook her head minutely and a claw reached out to touch Gute gently on the shoulder. "Gute..."

 

"I..." Gute looked at her, but then his eyes lidded and he slumped in his chair. "I... I know I am not rational about it, but..."

 

"it's okay." Nana sighed. "No one blames you for that Gute. But you better go get dressed." The Iridonian stared at her for a moment and then, without a word, rose and left the compartment. Nana shrugged all four of her shoulders. "He will be okay, I think. But I will stay close to him, just in case."

 

"Right." Istara nodded and then met the Jedi's gaze. "I am not going to ask something stupid like 'Are you ready?'. No one is ever really ready for something like this. Hold tight to your duty, that is something any Sith can understand. And if anyone insults you, let me handle it."

 

Ahrissa nodded and smiled a bit ruefully, despite her fear of facing the Sith Lord, there was a tinge of curiosity and adventure in those bright blue eyes "Lets gets this done... quick and clean"

 

Istara smiled. "That is the spirit. Lets go face the Sith Lord." She rose and held out a hand to Ahrissa, one Ahrissa took willingly.

[kalenath]

Istara paused at the hatch and looked over her eclectic group. She led the way in her silver armor covered by its gray robe, followed by Nana and Gute walking side by side. Gute wore the full uniform of an Imperial Captain for the first time in a while. Nana was the same as ever except for her sword sheaths, all four of them, which were visible on her back. Istara knew it was the work of less than a moment for the insect Bladeborn to draw her weapons, but hoped that it wouldn’t be necessary. Just to be sure, she checked her own sword hilt where it lay, as close as her hand, but far enough away so as not to be immediately apparent. Then she looked at the Jedi who had insisted on coming. She didn’t speak, but her eyes held the question.

 

Ahrissa held herself up tall and regal, donning the passive appearance of a Jedi, calm...quiet. She knew much laid at stake, not just for herself, but for her order. As long as she stood on Imperial ground, she was a representative of the Jedi Order. She would not fail them.

 

Istara nodded to the Jedi. Nothing really needed to be said. She keyed the hatch open and waited as it lowered. Then her eyes went wide as she saw what awaited just outside. It looked like an entire battalion of ground troops was drawn up in a parade formation in the hangar, half on either side of a path leading from the hangar bay hatch to the hatch of the transport. And in the path stood a small group of beings. Three in black robes, four in uniform. Istara stepped forward confidently, not looking right or left. No, her gaze was on the man in the middle of the group, the one who seemingly without effort dominated everything around him. Even not being able to see the lower part of his face due to the respirator mask he wore, she was sure he was amused. As she placed a foot on the deck of the ship, music started, and Istara bit back a smile. The Imperial March.

 

This was the first time Ahrissa had ever felt...small... Still she bit back any fears and held strong as she followed the crew she accompanied making sure her hand stayed far away from her saber as possible so as to show no threat.

 

Istara strode confidently up to the small group, aware of the many eyes on her, but ignoring them all. She met the yellow eyes of the man in the mask and nodded slightly as the music came to its finale. "Lord Malgus."

 

The man who had destroyed the Jedi temple on Coruscant returned her shallow nod. "Istara Sharlina Andal. Who are your companions?"

 

"Darth Malgus, may I present,..." Istara inclined her head slightly. "Holianahyatoujikaimnana, healer of the Sitolon, Gerit Utral, pilot, and Ahrissa Alinar, Jedi Knight."

 

The man in the mask looked at Ahrissa, his yellow eyes appraising. "Hmmm... You keep interesting company, Jedi. Dangerous company."

 

Ahrissa's crisp blue eyes met that of the Sith lord, she merely nodded her head, hands clasp in front of her, about the most she would offer as a bow. "Friends, Non-the-less" she responded politely.

 

Malgus nodded. And then his gaze lit on Gute who seemed to be wishing to be anywhere but where he was. "Captain Utral. Reports of your demise were exaggerated I see. Good." Gute's eyes went wide, but he froze in place and didn’t move as Malgus turned to one of the uniformed beings at his back. "I believe there is a point of Navy protocol here?”

 

"Yes, Milord." The woman in uniform nodded. "I am afraid your rank is not valid, Captain." Istara stared at her, and the woman smiled thinly. "There can be only one captain on a ship, after all." She snapped her fingers and a young human stepped forward, handed her a small case and stepped back. "Captain Utral, step forward please."

 

Guet stared from Malgus to Istara, who grinned, and then did as ordered, stiffly. He stood stock still as the woman reached up and undid his shoulder insignia. It was the work of a moment for her to replace them. She stepped back and saluted. "Welcome aboard the Deciever, Commodore Utral."

 

It was unclear if Gute could have possibly looked more dumbstruck than he did at that moment, but then he recovered. He returned the other captain’s salute. Then he saluted the Imperial Seal that hung over the door to the bay, and then, finally, he saluted Malgus, who nodded regally.

 

"Welcoem aboard, Commodore." The Sith Lord sighed. "I wish all of our problems could be fixed so easily. but then, why would they need people like us?"

 

Gute looked as if he wanted to cry for a moment, but then he resumed his spot behind Istara. Istara smiled. "Thank you Lord Malgus."

 

"For what?" Malgus shrugged. "I did nothing. Come, we have much to discuss and a hangar bay is not the best place for such talk."

 

The briefing room was nearly bare. Nothing to get in the way. Istara nodded to the others as Malgus sat at the head of the table and the others in his retinue took places either at the table or along the walls. She sat as well. She shook her head slowly. "This is not what I expected."

 

"Indeed." Malgus nodded. "Keeping an opponent off guard is always a good tactic. While we are not enemies, we may or may not be allies. And only an imbecile would call us friends."

 

"Agreed." Istara nodded. "We seek the girl that the Sith lady you captured stole from Dantooine."

 

"Yes." Malgus nodded, his eyes moving from Istara to the Jedi and then back. "The mark is distinctive for those who know what to look for. The girl lives. Apparently... The woman, Nira, went to a great deal of trouble to keep her alive and healthy." His eyes went to Ahrissa now. "Do you have any idea why she would do that?"

 

Ahrissa shook her head ever so slightly, she knew next to nothing about the bladeborn and there ways "No M'lord"

 

"Ah well." Malgus shrugged. "We will have it out of her eventually. And rest assured, the Empire will not allow such blatant breaches of the Treaty to go unpunished. As soon as our doctors are sure she is in no danger you are free to take her. I do not want the Bladeborn angry with me." There was definitely humor in the dark tone now.

 

"Smart." Istara nodded, her face grave. "What has happened to her?"

 

Malgus sighed. "From what I have been told, and... They know better than to lie to me. The girl was placed in a machine made by a mad Sith named Vxeis. She was his prisoner at one point, or so I understand."

 

"Oh?" Istara tensed, and looked at Nana. When she spoke again, it was quiet, worried. "Is she... lucid?"

 

"We don't know. She has not woken." Malgus shrugged. "We won't know for sure until she wakes again. But according to Nira, she was. But then she had a reaction of some kind... what was it the doctor called it, Captain?" He turned to the woman in uniform.

 

"Milord." The captain pulled out a datapad and read off it quickly. " The doctors called it a psychosomantic stress reaction. In non-medical wording, she had a massive seizure."

 

As Malgus spoke Ahrissa's face seemed to grow pale, and her teeth ground to keep from blurting out and demanding to see the girl. She wanted nothing more then to be by her side at that moment

 

"Yes." Malgus nodded slowly. "You need to know. Bladeborn and Jedi. When Nira could not heal the damage that was done, she went to another outcast Sith, who had better medical equipment. He put implants inside the girl's brain. My medical staff have never seen anything like them, but I bet you have, Istara Sharlina Andal. They are remarkably similar to something I read about in one of your reports once."

 

This last was to Istara, who froze. "Who?" Her voice was low, and polite, but held something. Something starkly terrifying.

 

"Marek Krundas." Malgus nodded to her. "A wanna be Darth, the best he ever managed to do was hold the cloak for his betters."

 

"Right." Istara blinked, slowly. "I think I will need to 'talk' to him."

 

"I thought you might." Malgus nodded and there was an evil smile in his voice. "The Emperor himself decreed that particular line of research not to be pursued. So... All I need is confirmation of termination." Istara and the Sith Lord shared a grim nod.

 

Istara's voice could have frozen liquid helium. "Those experiments were awful, what was worse was they never worked. So... I get Krundas, you get Nira?"

 

Malgus nodded. "The girl returns with you, the machine is destroyed and everyone is satisfied."

 

Istara nodded. "Fair enough. My Jedi Companion and the Sitolon will go to stay with the girl. Capta...I mean Commodore Utral will return to my ship."

 

"Agreed." Malgus nodded. "For what it is worth Commodore, I apologize for what happened to your ship. The problem with subordinates is that if you give them power, sometimes they have no idea at all how to handle it. I certainly did not order you crew slaughtered because of that ignorant fool Jarro. You have my word that the people responsible were dealt with."

 

"I..." Gute bowed his head. "It will not bring my crew back, Mi'lord, but... Thank you."

 

Malgus looked at his chrono and sighed. "One problem with being in charge..."

 

Istara groaned in sympathy. "...Is you never get any time off. Point me to where you have Krundas and I will deal with it. Just... um..."

 

"Feel free." Malgus laughed evilly. "That room is set up specifically for such things. Naulo..." Istara rose sinuously and nodded to him. A black robed form stepped forward and bowed to her, she nodded to the being as well. "Guide the Bladeborn there, and um... find some soldier who has aggravated his sergeant to clean up the mess afterwards."

 

The black robed being bowed from the waist to Lord Malgus. "As you wish, Lord Malgus."

 

Malgus turned to his captain. "Captain Garral, guide the others to medical and then meet me on the bridge please. We have more work to do."

 

The woman bowed and then stepped to where Ahrissa and Nana were. "If you will follow me?" Ahrissa nodded and turned to follow the Captain silently.

 

"A moment Lord Malgus..." Istara waited until the others had gone. Malgus waited a moment before nodding again. “Do you know?”

 

"About the Seven in silver armor like you wear?" Malgus met her gaze calmly. “Yes.”

 

"Good." Istara nodded slowly. “And your position on us?”

 

"Me?" Malgus shook his head. “I don’t have one. For now, the Emperor is letting you run as you will. But you of all people know his patience is not infinite. And you know what will happen when it runs out.”

 

“I know.” Istara agreed quietly as she bowed respectfully. Not subserviently, but as an equal to an equal.

Edited July 6, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

The girl known as Mira woke suddenly and completely. But instead of moving, calling out or opening her eyes, she modulated her breathing to seem unconscious as she listened. Without the Force to augment her senses, she had trained herself to the maximum potential of her body, which was not insubstantial. She could hear the hum of medical gear all around her. She could hear low conversations in three places somewhere nearby. She could feel cool air flowing over her as air circulation worked. She could feel the bed underneath her, it felt harder than Republic style beds. It felt… familiar. For a long minute, she just lay there, cataloging herself. Her body felt sluggish. Probably drugged. For the first time in quite a while, she didn’t hurt anywhere. The skin of her head still felt two or three sizes too small, but even that didn’t hurt now. She felt something touch her on the arm and she didn’t react. But a kind voice spoke nearby.

 

“She is awake.” It wasn’t a voice she knew.

 

Ahrissa's head snapped up, crystal eyes opening instantly as she blinked from the one who spoke, then down at Mira, scooting her chair a little closer to the bed "Mira?" she whispered softly

 

Mira's eyes shot open. "Ahrissa...?" Her tone was equal parts shock, fear, worry and something else. She stared at the woman who had been appointed her guardian and had become much more. A mentor, a teacher, a friend. Mira's voice was hushed as she stared at the Jedi. "Ahrissa... This isn't... This isn't a dream?"

 

The Jedi smiled "You really didn’t think I wouldn’t come looking for you, did ya?"

 

Mira had to smile at that. But then she tensed. The room she was in, it wasn't a Republic medical ward. "Ahrissa, where are we? This isn't a Republic ship." The decor was one hint, the insignia that were displayed everywhere another. The uniforms that the medical staff wore and the two armored guards at the door a VERY pointed hint. Everything spoke one description. Sith.

 

"Shhh" Ahrissa purred "We’re safe for the time being. Just rest so that the doctors here will see that your ok and give you your release" she smiled reassuringly.

 

Mira shook her head, conscious now of a minor throbbing in it. "I... You shouldn't be here... You are in danger..."

 

The first voice she had heard spoke again from nearby. "No she is not." Mira turned and froze. Truth be told, who could blame her? It wasn't every day one came face to face with an insect head the size of a human's. The face was a horror, but the voice that came from it was kind. "You are also in no danger now, child."

 

Ahrissa nodded and smiled "I'm here with allies. A Bladeborn named Istera, Gute their pilot, and...err...Nana here who has been keeping the doctors in line" she introduced "Our...host...is currently too busy to be interested in my affaires. Just focus on yourself, re-gain your strength and we will get you back to dantooine as soon as we are able"

 

Mira had to smile a bit at the Jedi's tone. "Nana? Okay... Im adaptable... When do we...?" She grunted as she tried to sit up and couldn't.

 

Ahrissa placed a hand on miras shoulder "steady...no time soon if you strain yourself" she smiled

 

Nana snorted. "Nestlings... Always pushing yourselves past your limits. Child, you will sleep again. We wanted to be sure you would wake before moving you. And... Oh..." Another form entered the area, a red haired woman in silver armor. Silver armor that was absolutely covered with blood and gore.

 

The woman came to Mira's bedside and bowed to her. "Mira, I am Istara Sharlina Andal. I am pleased to meet you. The man who hurt you has been dealt with."

 

Mira stared at the woman and then nodded slowly. She remembered being told of stories while she was with the Bladeborn of the woman Sharlina. She decided that she didn't really want to know what Istara had done. "So... Now I sleep again?"

 

Ahrissa chuckled softly "No one is going to make you do anything your uncomfortable with. But yes, sleep as much as you can. Rest"

 

Istara nodded to the Jedi words. "The surgeons here are skilled. They have removed the implants they could. We will take you somewhere to get the others removed. And then we need to talk."

 

Mira nodded, for a moment looking far, far older than her almost ten years. Then the illusion was gone. But then she tensed. "What happened to Nira? She... She was kind to me..."

 

Nana spoke evenly. "She kidnapped you. She put you in that... that thing...Do not concern yourself with her."

 

Ahrissa nodded "She is the hands of the Empire"

 

Mira slumped. "She didn't need to be nice to me. Every instinct said she should have been distant, uncaring. But she wasn't. Maybe it was a trick, maybe it wasn't. I think I will remember her no matter what."

 

Istara and Nana shared a glance and then Istara patted Mira's hand. "You do that. Let’s get you out of here..." She turned to where the medical staff was standing and the medics jerked into motion. She didn’t speak, didn't do ANYTHING. But the staff was professional, kind and quick unhooking the girl from the medical gear and preparing her for transport.

 

Nana snorted. "You keep scaring people, Istara..."

 

Istara shrugged. "I don't want to test the patience of the crew any more than we have. The sooner we are gone, the better."

 

In short order, Mira was lying on a gurney, and the head doctor bowed to Istara. "We have detected no additional damage beyond the implants. We do recommend she see a specialist as soon as possible."

 

Istara returned the bow, one professional to another, if in very different fields. "We will. That is our next stop. Thank you doctor."

 

The doctor snorted. "Thank you for not killing my staff. Just take care of her. She is... exceptional."

 

Istara smiled a little. "I know."

 

Ahrissa followed alongside Mira the whole way, she wasn't about to leave the girls side for an instant

 

Nana followed as well, her hands on her harness, near her sword hilts, and coincidentally also near her medical pouch. Istara brought up the rear, her eyes roving as she scanned for threats. A dangerous looking convoy all told.

 

There were no incidents. Probably no one dared to test Malgus’ temper, which was almost certainly smart of them. They made it to the ship without incident and Nana carefully moved the dozing girl into a bed she had set up specifically for injured beings. Then she sat beside the bed and started working. Her claws were gentle and swift as they connected IVs and monitors. "You can sleep now, child, you are safe."

 

Mira blinked. "Ahrissa?" Her voice was low but clear.

 

Ahrissa slipped in beside the bed "I’m here Mira" Nana nodded to the Jedi and stepped back, her work done for the moment.

 

Mira was on the edge of sleep. "I am sorry I made you chase me...Did you say yes?"

 

Ahrissa shook her head and squeezed Mira's hand "Never be sorry for pulling me away to help you, I made a promise, and I intend to keep it...but yes" she smiled "I did"

 

Mira smiled. "I am glad, you two are good for each other. If you don't wind up strangling each other in the first ten days..." Her face became serious now as she fought sleep off for a moment longer. "Ahrissa... Talk to Istara... You... You need to talk... to her..." But then she was asleep.

 

Ahrissa tilted her head and glanced at Nana in slight confusion as the girl drifted to sleep "Did Istara call for me?" she questioned, trying to figure out why she needed to speak to the silver armored Bladeborn

 

Nana shook her head. "No. I have no idea what she meant by that...They haven't spoken when you and I were not there." The bug looked a bit worried, if that was possible. "I guess Istara is the one you need to talk to. She is probably cleaning her armor." Nana's voice turned sour. "I hope she is cleaning her armor..."

 

Ahrissa hesitated, she didn't exactly want to leave Mira's side. But eventually she side and pushed herself up onto her feet, knowing Nana was capable of watching the girl for a few seconds

 

Nana handed the Jedi a small device. It turned out to be a remote with a view of the camera that was pointed towards the bed. "Anything happens, I will call. It is not that large of a ship..." Ahrissa nodded as she took the remote then made her way through the ship in search of Istara.

 

Istara was just coming from the cockpit passageway. She nodded to Ahrissa. "We are clear to leave in about three minutes. I keep forgetting how busy the space around battleships can get. Is Mira settled?" She had obviously swiped a rag over her armor, but it was still a gory mess.

 

Ahrissa nodded "Yes, she is sleeping soundly." she then frowned a bit "odd though...just before she fell asleep she said I needed to talk to you."

 

Istara nodded, but her face was sad. "I am not surprised. That is one bright kid. I can see what Trugoy's people took her so completely into their hearts. Come on, I need to get out of this stuff." She led the way to a small compartment where she started taking her armor off.

 

Ahrissa smiled as she watched Istara work, leaning her shoulder against the wall. Istara was quick and efficient as she took her bits of armor off, placing them in positions where she could get at them easily, before stepping towards the refresher. Even through the door, her voice was clear. "Mira is far more special than even I knew." The sound of rapid cleaning came.

 

The Jedi nodded wisely "Aye, though I think Mira wishes otherwise. She's never really had the opportunity to be a little girl"

 

Istara sighed as she exited the refresher wrapped in a robe. "I know the feeling. But unfortunately, I don't think she will get the chance soon. Tell me, have you by chance ever heard anything about a legend dealing with something called 'The Seven'?"

 

Ahrissa shook her head slowly "Nothing rings any bells" she confirmed.

 

Istara shook her head as she sat and started cleaning her armor. "She is one of them. The 'One who Remembers' I think. Which means her life will be no fun at all." For a moment, Istara's face was sad, so tired, sad and alone.

 

Ahrissa rose a brow "What exactly are 'The Seven?'" she questioned carefully.

 

Istara sighed as she scrubbed her chestplate. "That is a very good question. We are trying to figure that out. So far we have identified four of us that match the legend. Counting Mira... Five."

 

"The legend?" Ahrissa prompted, urging the Bladeborn to continue

 

Istara shrugged as she worked. "The Sitolon, Nana's people, have a legend of a great darkness coming. A darkness in gray, if that makes any sense at all. It comes and devours the galaxy. There are seven beings who are in one version harbingers of the galaxy's destruction and in another its saviors. We know which was we are leaning of course." She grinned a bit sourly.

 

Ahrissa nodded a bit contemplatively "What does this mean for Mira?" she questioned, not at all sure she was going to like the answer

 

Istara stopped her cleaning and bowed her head. "It means that people of all walks, races, creeds and desires will see her as a tool. She is such a good kid, and..." She slumped. "If what I believe is true, she will never be able to forget anything she hears or sees. I... I find myself drawn to guard... It’s what I am intended to do I think. But guard what? I have no idea. We, the Bladeborn, are sworn to protect Mira. As you are. But... She can't go back to Dantooine."

 

Ahrissa sighed as she lowered bowed her head and closed her eyes 'Well...that does present some...problems..."

 

Istara nodded, her face grave. "Yes... I imagine it does. But..." She shook her head. "I can absolutely guarantee you she will be safe. Safer than anywhere else in the galaxy at the moment. I don't want to do this to her..." Istara shook her head. "But seeing Master Melan there... I can't leave her there. He is present every time bad things happen to my friends and family. I can't."

 

Ahrissa sighed "I'm sure she will, however its not just my decision. I am bound by orders as well as my promise.... Unless ordered otherwise I am duty bound to stay by her side and protect her. Fail in that and the Jedi...and Republic...could feel a rather nasty lash from the queen of Naboo...."

 

Istara grimaced. "Oh joy..." She shook her head. "Well, no matter what... I won't do anything immediately. She needs time to recover and she needs to visit the clinic on planet as well. Malgus' people are good, no question, but... They are Sith." And Sith lived betrayal.

 

Ahrissa sighed as she sunk into a chair "I would feel more comfortable if she were in the hands of my old Master… Most sith cannot be trusted. It would be putting her in more danger."

 

Istara nodded. "In that we are agreed." The ship shuddered as it took off and Istara smiled thinly. "First we take her to the clinic on Tattooine, and then... Well... We talk to her. I won't do anything against her will. If she decides to go back to Dantooine, or to Naboo... We will make it work. I hope I can convince her and you otherwise. I think I can get you to where I had planned to take her. But not easily, and not quickly."

 

Ahrissa shook her head once more "It is Mira..and the Jedi Council you will have to convince..As you mentioned, i wont do anything Against Mira's decision...even if...if it excludes me from the picture" Ahrissa's voice choked some near the end, she had grown rather attached to the girl, even when her orders codes warned against such things

 

 

Istara nodded, but her eyes lingered on Ahrissa's. As if she knew what the other woman had not put to words and understood. "The Council will be hard to convince, but... I think it is Mira we need to be more worried about. She has been hurt. This whole mess has hurt her. She will need all the help you can give her. I will help her and you as I can, but my assistance is very much a two edged sword these days." Istara sighed. "I tend to do as much harm as good, even when I try my hardest."

 

Ahrissa nodded "Mira first, just understand that i will not leave her side until orders release me...and...if Mira requests it of me." she then sighed "Speaking of which, I think I have been away from her long enough" she smiled down at Istara as best as she could considering the circumstances "I trust you..." she then turned and left the room to seek out Mira, teeth grinding as she bit back tears

 

Istara bowed her head over the mess of her armor and spoke almost inaudibly when Ahrissa had left. "You shouldn't..."

[kalenath]

Darth Malgus watched as the ship sped away towards the planet’s surface. Around him, the crew of his ship worked to get the ship and fleet ready to jump to hyperspace. There was always another job that needed doing. Speaking of which… He nodded to Captain Garrel and strode from the bridge. She knew better than to ask questions. The elevator was empty of course, who in their right mind wanted to ride with him? He stride from the elevator into the clean and uncluttered detention area of his ship. The officer and troops on duty saluted, but he ignored them. He made a hand gesture and two of the troopers followed as he strode down the detention block. With them came an interrogation droid, not that he would need such crude artifices. He stopped at the proper door and nodded to the troopers. One of them came forward while the other drew his blaster. Malgus nodded, his hands on his belt as the trooper unlocked the door to the cell.

 

It hissed open and Malgus stepped in. There were four Force cages arrayed around the small room, but only one was occupied. Nira Auralai looked tired. Which was to be expected, she had spent most of the hours she had been in this room screaming in pain. Malgus nodded and then jerked his head to the soldiers, who bowed and left without complaint. The droid followed Malgus in, but then stopped as he keyed an override into his belt remote. The same override turned off the cameras that covered every square inch of the cell. The Sith Lord walked closer to the cage.

 

“Nira?” His voice was low, quite, almost concerned.

 

"Milord." The woman in the cage met his eyes. “I am… mostly undamaged. Are they away?”

 

"They are." Malgus nodded. “Well done.”

 

"Mira knows about my deceptions." Nira sighed. “I had thought it would be so simple. Gain the girl’s trust, get the information, and then drop her off. But then…” She shook her head.

 

Malgus’ voice was calm. “What went wrong?”

 

"She was so weak from teh machine." Nira shook herself. “She had that seizure. Mi’Lord, even with my orders… I couldn’t let her die…”

 

Malgus nodded. “Mercy?” His voice was flat. Sith generally had no use for that.

 

"No." Nira thought about that, and then she shook her head. “Not entirely. Your orders were clear, find the information and retrieve it. Which I did, and have downloaded to you. But you also told me to maintain security. If she had died… the Jedi and the Bladeborn would have searched, possibly finding traces. Possibly to you. I couldn’t take that chance.”

 

Malgus nodded. That did make sense. “And she did remind you of your daughter.” Nira bowed her head. “You have done well, slave. I am glad I didn’t kill you when I captured you.”

 

"As am I." Nira nodded. “For the Empire, Mi’Lord. Krundas?”

 

"Not a problem anymore." Malgus chuckled darkly. “The Bladeborn are strange but can be trusted to handle such things. I couldn’t have killed that scum more thoroughly myself. That experiment is done and his records are destroyed. Your records?”

 

"As ordered." Nira took a deep breath. “On my ship, in the main cabin. A hidden compartment on the desk, trapped with an ion grenade. File A-65, subsector B. Passcode is your name. All of what I could steal from him. No other copies.”

 

"It is unfortunate." The Sith Lord nodded again. “I would have enjoyed working with you I believe.”

 

Nira snorted. “Or we would have killed each other.” She looked up and met his eyes. “For the Empire, My Lord Malgus.”

 

Malgus nodded and his hand made a gesture. Nira stiffened, but she froze as the force cage around her vanished. Her eyes went wide. And then she smiled, widely, ferally. Her lightsaber arced from Malgus’ belt and ignited in midair. Another red blade met hers and the fight was on!

 

Back and forth, the two Sith fought. Neither gaining an advantage. Malgus was better with the saber, that was quickly clear, but Nira was never where his blade fell. But it could not last forever. Nira dodged to the side, only to meet a black armored boot that thudded into her abdomen. She rolled away, trying to gain her focus, but the Sith Lord was on her in a series of red flashes. Then she froze. She looked down and then up into the Sith Lord’s eyes. The saber that had impaled her through the lung withdrew. Malgus took a step back.

 

Her voice was almost silent. “It was… an honor… To cross blades… with you… Lord… Malgus…”

 

Malgus’ voice was almost kind now. “The honor was mine, Lady Nira. No one else knows where your family resides and I will destroy the record as soon as I leave here. You have served me and the Empire well.” Now he approached slow and careful. Her bade was still in her hand. But then it fell from her fingers and deactivated before it hit the deck. The Sith Lady’s eyes never left his as he drew his blade back and swung. But when his blade connected to her neck, the body in front of him vanished as if it had never been.

 

Malgus sighed. “You are going to have to do better than that…” He made a gesture and a shriek was hard from nowhere. Nira appeared, hovering in midair, her hands scrambling at her throat as icy fingers of the Force held her off the ground. She fought anyway as Malgus approached, saber held in a seemingly negligent fashion. He nodded slowly. She was a worthy slave and a worthy foe. She met his eyes with hate filled orbs of her own and then a sick cracking sound was heard as he gestured a bit. She fell boneless to the ground. He shook his head. “Quit faking!” He commanded.

 

"What?" Nira shook herself a bit and her seemingly broken neck vanished as she stood. “I assume this is not simply about my being executed in dramatic style?”

 

"This was a test." Malgus shook his head. "Oh no… You don’t get off anywhere near that easy. I wanted to see if you had what it took to serve. And not as a slave. Or at least, not permanently as a slave...”

 

Nira’s eyes went wide. “Mi’Lord?”

 

Malgus looked her over up and down. “There are parts of the Empire that have need of promising recruits. People who will do what it takes. People like you.”

 

"I..." Nira shook her head. “But then… Who would I serve?”

 

"With your twists of brain?" Malgus shook his head. “Need you ask? The Empire.” From his raised hand shot blue white lightning and Nira shrieked again as the power coursed through her. After only a few moment, the power knocked her to the floor unconscious and Malgus shook his head again as he keyed the droid back on. “Package her for shipment to Korriban, freight class. Mark the container: Imperial Inquisition. Potential recruit enclosed.” As the droid hovered towards the unconscious form, the Sith lord left the room without a backward glance.

[kalenath]

It was very quiet in the small room that the strange party had been ushered into. Istara sat, her face sad as she watched the screen of the doctors working on Mira. The one, and only non-negotiable point ahd been that the group be within easy reach of Mira at all times. The doctors had managed to keep the group from being IN the operating theatre, but this was as far as any would be willing to move. Nana touched her on the shoulder with a gentle claw. "Istara?"

 

"I..." Istara sighed. "I don't know. I feel... torn. This kid deserves a better chance than I had. A better life than I had."

 

"Sister..." Nana shook her head slowly. "Istara... She will be safe. You know this. Can you say the same anywhere else?"

 

Gute hadn't said a word since they had landed, the Iridonian trying to work his way through his own problems. But now he spoke up. "What does she want?"

 

"We don't know." Istara sighed. "She hasn't been awake long enough to ask. But if she is anything like I was... She wants her life to calm down a bit."

 

Nana nodded. "Then maybe this is for the best. She will need time to recover. Time where she can learn to be herself."

 

Ahrissa stood, stiff as a statue near the door that lead into the room Mira was in, she had demanded the door remain un-locked, and crystal eyes remained fixed firmly on the screen as she watched...every..single...move the doctors made. She only half listened to the conversation between the party she accompanied...she knew what SHE Wanted...but that was selfish of her, and all that mattered was Mira and her wish. Mira and the council.

 

Istara looked at the Jedi and her face was full of compassion. "What do you think, Ahrissa? Can the Jedi Order protect her, from factions within their own ranks as well as scum like Ravishaw? I know why she was on Dantooine originally. He won't stop trying for her. I just wish I knew why. He is insane, but this... Even for him, attacking a child is off balance. His master would not approve."

 

Ahrissa remained silent and steady for a long while before she exhaled a soft, tired, sigh. "Honestly I doubt anywhere is ever truly going to be safe for her. the larger the numbers...the more dangerous, as it is more obvious." Ahrissa closed eyes, first time since the surgery began, her voice even more soft and whispering "If..If I could have things my way I would marry Arik, take Mira unde our wing, run to Corellia and live a new life as farmers...like my father before me. Give her a simple life, with other children her age..." She then sighed again and returned her focus to the screen

 

"I wish you the best, but..." Istara blinked, and then her face was sad again. "Be very careful, Ahrissa. I speak from experience. Strong emotions abound in relationships. And no can hurt you quite like the one you love." For just a moment, her armor slipped, maybe she allowed it to. The sheer pain that hid under her mask was enough to stun momentarily.

 

Ahrissa smiled then "I know"

 

The Bladeborn looked away and her mask slipped back into place. Her smile seemed genuine when she met Ahrissa's eyes again. "I wish you the best. We will ask Mira when she wakes, what she wants to do. No matter what, we won't do anything against her will. And she will need recovery time. Gute... The ship?"

 

The Iridonian nodded. "The Imperials put trackers, bugs and cameras all over it. They are being handled." His face was a mask as well; his whole past had been thrown in his face again. Even if it hadn't turned out bad, his remembering the events that had put him in the care of Nana's people had to hurt.

 

"Good." Istara nodded. "Nana?"

 

The bug sighed, a remarkably human sound. "You know my thoughts on that, Istara. She wouldn’t be safe anywhere else. It would be a cage, yes, but a safe one. And she could learn as much as she wanted. You know how my people feel about nestlings, children. I don't see any of my people not loving her."

 

Istara nodded and then turned back to face the Jedi. "Ahrissa, will you support us in trying to convince Mira to come with us?" She snorted sourly. "I am betting it won't be easy."

 

Ahrissa closed eyes and shook head "I'm sorry my friends...I know you mean well....but.. i will only support her final decision. She is a big girl...far older then her age...I am confident she will make the right choice for her"

 

"Fair enough. I understand." Istara nodded. "As long as you are not actively working to dissuade her, well... It will be a bit easier." She stiffened as the door hissed open and a form in surgical scrubs appeared.

 

The female Cathar undid her mask and smiled. "She came through it fine. We would like to keep her for observation for a day or so. But if you can't stay I understand. There should not be any complications from the surgery. We are getting good at it." Now her grin was sour.

 

Istara nodded. "Thank you doctor." She looked at the Jedi. "Lets... Let’s stay, if that is all right with you all? The fewer upheavals we subject her to now, the better I think." Nana and Gute both looked at her, and then all three looked at Ahrissa.

 

Ahrissa nodded stiffly, she hated being on enemy grounds like this, but she knew it was best not to move an injured patient until absolutely necessary

 

The Cathar nodded. "We will have her moved to the security wing. I will have your people cleared to stay with her. Just... This is a clinic, not a prison."

 

Istara nodded. "Have no fear doctor; we will be out of your way as quickly as possible." A gurney floated out on anti-grav motors, a nurse in scrubs guided it and Mira was out, her face serene in sleep. Istara and the others rose to get out of the way and followed slowly as the gurney led the way. Istara couldn’t help but think that this had been the easy part. Now she had to convince Mira to come with her. A ten year old with perfect recall? What fun…

 

<The next morning>

 

Istara had known that this was not going to be fun, but sheesh... "Mira... please listen..."

 

Mira for her part, should have looked down and out, being confined to a bed with bandages all over her skull, but somehow, she looked fierce. "Istara... Sharlina... Oh, whoever you are... Look... Thank you for your help. But I am either going to Dantooine or back to Naboo. My mother will need me."

 

"Mira." The human Bladeborn shook her head slowly. "You can call me whatever you want. She needs you alive and sane, Mira."

 

"Oh?" Mira snorted. "Can I call you 'arrogant ignorant barvette?"

 

Ahrissa had remained silent through the entire meeting, not once putting in a word or thought, but after Mira's comment she couldn't help but hiss motherly "Mira!"

 

Mira stiffened in her bed, and glanced at Ahrissa, but Istara for her part was smiling. "I have been called far worse. You can call me whatever you want, Mira. You want to call me that, feel free."

 

It was obvious that Mira had not expected that answer. She stared at the Bladeborn for a moment and then her brave facade crumbled. "I just want to go home..." She muttered as she slumped back into her bed.

 

Ahrissa nodded, keeping the smile she felt from her face "Well then, I believe that settles it, Yes?" She looked over at Nana and Istara

 

"Okay." Istara nodded, her face unhappy. "You want to go back to Naboo, Mira? We can get you there and protect you."

 

Mira shook her head slowly. "I... Wait... no... I..." She slumped further into the bed. "If I go back... Ravishaw will send people after me again, won't he?"

 

"Maybe." Nana's voice was soft, but solid. "He will have to get through us."

 

Istara would have spoken, but Mira fixed the older woman with a glare. "And how many of my mother's subjects will die as well?" Istara shut her mouth with a click. What could she say to that?

 

Ahrissa sighed as she bowed her head "Ravishaw will send people after you no matter where you are, Mira. There is one option...but there is no promise it will work, or be safe. And I would have to get approval from the council. However it is your choice in the end. The Jedi will welcome you as they have before."

 

"Ahrissa...?" Mira shook her head. "And how many of them will fall protecting me? A forceless brat whose sole skill is mayhem in a practice ring?"

 

Istara shook her head. "Mira... Be calm. What happened was not your fault. No one was injured besides you."

 

"Yeah." Mira sighed. "This time..."

 

Ahrissa sat in the chair she had origionaly been standing behind "Mira, our life is to protect and serve. Death is simply a part of that, be it for you, or someone else in need of our protection. This is something you will have to one day accept. As hard as it may be"

 

"No, Ahrissa..." Mira's eyes were glistening now. "Not you. I can't... I can't just accept that. Every time I get comfortable, my life changes... But I don't want to be the cause of more death... I don't... that Sith lord... the one who captured me when I was four... I was the reason he attacked the convoy. I was the reason all those people died."

 

"Oh child..." Istara froze and then in a heartbeat was standing beside Mira's bed. "Mira. It was not your fault."

 

The Bladeborn held out a beckoning hand to Ahrissa. Ahrissa slipped onto the edge of the bed, and placed a comforting hand on the girl’s.

 

"I..." Mira met the Bladeborn's eyes, but did not see them. Her face was terrified. "I can see him... I can hear him... He is ordering the droids to kill the prisoners... I...I can't do anything..."

 

"Mira..." Istara took hold of Mira's free hand as Ahrissa took the other. "Mira... Focus on my voice. what you see and hear is a memory. It is not real anymore. Come back to us."

 

Mira was crying softly now. "I.... Help...?" The soft word from this girl was more than any number of screams.

 

Istara looked at the Jedi, her face stricken. Then she nodded. "I will. Focus on my voice, Mira. Not the words, the tone." Istara modulated her tone to promote calm and peace; at least that was what Mama Lizard had taught her. "That's it, that's a girl, easy now... just relax, let your mind empty... Think empty, blank, nothingness..."

 

Ahrissa remained silent as Istara spoke to Mira, she couldn’t help but remember when she had called out in her dreams. Then an idea came to her and she gently let go Istara's hand and very carefully positioned herself next to Mira so that she could hold her, a mother to a child. Crystal eyes closing "Keep talking to her, Bladeborn" she instructed, and then silently... comfortingly she began to hum a child’s song.

 

Istara kept her low monologue up as the Jedi started to sing. Slowly, so slowly, the girl in the bed relaxed, millimeter by millimeter until at long last she was calm. Mira’s head hung low, but her voice was clear. "This will happen again, won't it?"

 

"I don't know." Istara gave the girl's hand a squeeze. "I am sorry, but I don’t know Mira. I do know it is highly unlikely that you will forget anything you see or hear now. I am sorry."

 

"So..." Mira's voice was soft. "I can't go anywhere near anything sensitive or secret." She was crying now. "Oh Ahrissa...You sing so well..."

 

Ahrissa smiled as she continued to hold onto her “My mother used to sing to me like this when i was but a child on a farm."

 

Mira smiled as she opened her eyes again. "You will make a great one. Mom that is. Istara..." Mira turned to face the Bladeborn. "This must be why Ravishaw wants me dead. I must have seen or heard something. Or he thinks I did."

 

"Maybe." Istara gave the girls hand another squeeze. "It is probable. If you want to go to Naboo or Dantooine, we will make it work."

 

"And how many of your family would die for me? No." Mira looked from the human Bladeborn to the insect one. "Will I be the only child there?"

 

Nana snorted. "Hardly. We have most of a colony with us now, and will be having another group arrive soon. You will have children your age, some of whom you will likely know."

 

Mira blinked and then smiled. "The civilians from the Bladehome."

 

Istara nodded. "Safer for them than on an Imperial Navy cruiser. And safer for you."

 

Mira turned sad eyes to Ahrissa. "I..."

 

Ahrissa merely smiled and held a finger to the girls lips "I will speak to the council. Perhaps they will let me visit from time to time"

 

"Child..." Nana snorted. "You will not be a prisoner, Mira. If you wish to leave at any time, we may have to work a bit to do it, but we will manage." Now the bug turned to the Jedi. "And if you want to visit, I think it can be arranged. As a matter of fact... You may wish to come to see where she will be."

 

Ahrissa nodded, a smile crossing her features "I have not yet been released from my duty" She winked, the hint was un-mistakable. Ahrissa was stuck by Mira until such a time

 

Istara looked at her and then grinned. "You know, now that you mention that, I think that might not be bad idea at all. Let’s talk to your Council, and let Mira sleep for a while. Nana..." The bug nodded and sat beside the bed. When Istara looked at Mira, the girl’s face was slack, she was asleep, worn out. She put a finger to her lips and led the way out of the room.

[kalenath]

Istara shook her head as she waited for the holo-comm to warm up. One nice thing about Cranna's clinic, it did not lack for state of the art technology and security. The com room could have been pulled out of any Imperial or Republic warship. Matter of fact, she bet it had been, possibly legally, possibly not. She wouldn't look. It really wasn’t any of her business, and it was to her advantage if the Hutt had the most state of the art systems available. The Bladeborn looked at Ahrissa and bit her lip. "You don't want to leave her do you?"

 

Ahrissa sighed as she met Istara's gaze "No...I don’t but..."Ahrissa closed crystal eyes sorrowfully "I was born into the Jedi, raised on their Ideals...I can’t leave my Order...and they will need me for future mission... A double edged knife it would seem"

 

"Yeah." Istara nodded. "I know the feeling. And she obviously cares for you as well. Hmmm... I will think on this..." She stiffened as the holo lit up. "Here we go..."

 

Ahrissa ran a quick hand across her tearful eyes and re-composed herself quickly for the meeting. It would not do to be emotional now

 

The holo appeared, but it was odd. Instead of a full view of a number of seats, only two faces were visible. The Bothan Jedi Master Melan, and the elderly healer Emmyth who had trained Ahrissa. Istara visibly relaxed slightly, but her sense in the Force was not relaxed at all.

 

Ahrissa bowed in greetings and respect to the Masters visible, and those hidden behind she would assume "Masters" she muttered calmly

 

Melan nodded to both of them. "We have received a report of a Sith fleet operating near Tattooine. Have there been any problems?"

 

Ahrissa straightened from her bow and shook her head slightly "With luck the force has been with us, and the retrieval of Mira has gone both smoothly and successfully." she reported “The Sith fleet over Tatooine is here for the same reasons we were. They have aided in Mira's safe return. They will be leaving orbit soon enough I’m sure"

 

"I see." Melan said soberly as Istara nodded, her face impassive. Melan looked from one woman to the other. "Then you will be returning as soon as possible?" At that, Istara shook her head, but didn't speak. Melan stared at her. "What?" he prompted.

 

Ahrissa sighed "While things have been smooth in her retrieval her...safety...has been addressed and discussed at length... " she began slowly "It would seem that there is a potential option that will aid in the girls safety and...Mira has agreed to it"

 

Melan shook his head. "Look, she would be safe here..."

 

Istara's voice was flat. "Would she? I wonder..."

 

"Istara..." Melan sighed. "I know you don't trust us. But see it from our point of view."

 

"I do." Istara said calmly. "I see many points of view. Here is a young woman, a child. Maybe one of the ones foretold by Sitolon legend, maybe not. But hurt, lost and alone. How did you think I would react? And don't think I don't know that the beings who were working for Nira could not have possibly circumvented Jedi security so thoroughly, if someone inside wasn't clearing their way. The interrogations that the Imperials did were quick and thorough. They wondered, Master Melan... It was too easy..." Now her tone conveyed disgust. "If you want to manipulate me, manipulate me, leave children out of it."

 

"Its not like that." Melan shook his head. "You are mistaken, Istara."

 

"Am I?" Istara shook her own head. "Every time I turn around, I run into you. And people get hurt."

 

Emmyth chuckled softly at the banter and turned graying eyes onto her student "'Rissa, do you feel that the girl you are assigned to will be safe in this new location?" Emmyth questioned, diverting the topic back to the main purpose.

 

Ahrissa sighed and bowed her head "Master, I do not feel any threat, and I am confident that they would take care of her. I...She would be safe there. And it IS her decision"

 

Emmyth nodded "Then it would seem that the issue is resolved. Although it will take some convincing of the queen mother of Naboo, I would think."

 

Istara nodded to the elderly Jedi. "Yes, in the end, it is Mira's decision, not ours. Our next call will be to the queen. And I expect that one to be... difficult."

 

Melan looked as if he were going to explode. "Istara... now look here, that girl needs our help, if Ravishaw finds her, she will die"

 

"He won't." Istara said grimly. "And neither will you."

 

Emmyth shook her head and turned to Melan "Come, there is nothing that can be done about it. And we have work to do." She then turned to Ahrissa "I'll expect your return as soon as the girl is in safe hands"

 

Ahrissa bowed her head, crystal eyes closed "Yes Master"

 

Melan slumped and nodded. "You don’t have all the information, Istara. But... from your point of view... I can see your perspective. I did not put your warded one in danger."

 

"Know this, Master Melan, I am watching you." Istara shook her head slightly. "We are watching you. Maybe you didn't, but she was in your care when she came to harm. For now, we will remain civil. Master Emmyth... Good day." She reached out to cut the power.

 

Ahrissa was silent for a moment before turning raised brow onto Istara "Do I want to know what that was all about?" She questioned carefully.

 

Istara shook her head. "I don't know." She said frankly. "Every time I turn around though, he is there. And either I get hurt or people around me do. The last time he sent over a dozen of your people after me. I have advantages... So I didn't kill anyone. But then the injured ran into my enemies, and... As far as I know all died... I have enough death on my conscience Ahrissa. I don't need his machinations adding more."

 

Ahrissa merely nodded "Perhaps it is merely coincidence...perhaps something more. When I return to the enclaves I will be...cautious."

 

"Please do." Istara nodded. "I... I don't have many people I call friend, but I like to think you are one of them. He is unlikely to act against members of his own order, but... Then again..." She scowled. "I wouldn’t have thought he would do anything to Mira either. If he did... By Ashla, my head hurts... so many wheels..."

 

Ahrissa nodded "Perhaps sometime to eat and meditate is in order. We will want to be focused when speaking to the queen"

 

"Yeah. Calling her mom." Istara nodded. "I am not too proud to say I am dreading that call..."

 

Ahrissa chuckled "The queen is like any other mother to her child but... in the end I think she will understand"

 

"Eventually." Istara nodded, but looked sad. "I know, just... I wish it wasn't necessary. She is just a kid. A great kid." Now her face held a tender smile. The Jedi nodded in agreement. Istara nodded. "Come on, let’s go get something to eat."

[kalenath]

"Are you sure you can't come?" Istara's face was sad as she waited for the comm system to warm up again. "I now Mira would like to have you. I don’t think it would take too long..."

 

Ahrissa sighed as she bowed her head "I want nothing more then to be with her...but..." She sighed "Orders are meant to be followed and....its...it is probably better this way. If those hunting her get a hold of me...I won’t be able betray her location"

 

"Right, but..." Istara shook her head. "You wouldn't. And she knows it. I am going to set up a conduit for communication with your Order. I am willing to bet she will use it."

 

Ahrissa smiled "I would appreciate that."

 

Istara smiled and would have spoken, except the com system chose that moment to come alive. The holo appeared, fuzzed for a moment and then stabilized into a woman in a fine gown sitting at what was probably an identical com system. Queen Firalia Regina's face was pinched as if from lack of sleep, but her eyes were sharp as she looked at the two beings in front of her.

 

"Jedi Ahrissa, and... Is the proper title Bladeborn Istara?" The queen asked in a slightly concerned tone. Protocol was very important after all.

 

Istara smiled as she nodded. "Either Bladeborn or Istara will work, but if this is to be totally formal, my rank is Masterblade and my name is Istara Sharlina Andal."

 

The Queen nodded slightly. "Masterblade Istara Sharlina Andal then. The message I received requesting this conversation was succinct, and to the point as such messages must be. So I ask you this: What the hell is going on?" Her voice was sharp now.

 

Ahrissa bowed in the usual respectful Jedi manner "M'lady we have new of your daughter....she is safe and well but..there were complications.."

 

"Complications..." The Queen sighed. "Why am I not surprised? We have caught three assassins in the last month. All aimed at Natasha. Despite our best attempts, none have been taken alive."

 

Ahrissa nodded solemnly "Unfortunately I had been assigned by the council on a mission to Coruscant...Mira remained behind under the protection of the enclave..." she explained "She....was taken during such time, and has since been found and returned to my side with the help of the Masterblade here"

 

"Oh?" The queen looked from one to the other. "And her condition now?"

 

"Safe..."Ahrissa assured "however during her absence her captors had attempted to...well...Masterblade Istara here can explain better then I..." Ahrissa stumbled, feeling slightly embarrassed by it, this wasn't exactly her area of expertise after all

 

"Yes." Istara nodded; her face grave. "They attempted to reproduce what was done to her before, with a machine built by Sith alchemy. I don’t know exactly what they did, but... She will need care and security beyond what the Jedi can provide."

 

"My god..." The queen's face went white. "Is she...? How is she..?" This wasn't the queen talking. No this was the girl's mother.

 

"Queen Regina..." Istara bit her lip. "She is sleeping at the moment. But we don't know exactly what the scum who had her were trying to do. We need to take her somewhere she can be safe, can have time to heal and come to terms with what happened."

 

Ahrissa nodded to Istara's words then spoke up "We...have discussed this in great lengths with your daughter...and she has choosen to go with Masterblade Istara and her company to location of protection...I...will not be able to go with her...."

 

The Queen blinked, and then her eyes softened, just a bit. "Are you okay with that?" The easily deciphered subtext was 'Do you trust these people with my daughter?'

 

Ahrissa hesitated but only for a split second before she nodded, catching her emotions in her throat as she nodded "Yes M'lady, I sense no deception, they have shown great care for your daughter"

 

"Your Majesty..." Istara nodded slowly. "I won't pretend that this is what I want for her. She doesn't like this much either. But... Your Majesty... She will not be safe anywhere else. I can guarantee you , she will be safe there. And she will have other children her age to socialize with." Ahrissa nodded backing Istara's words

 

The Queen looked... heartbroken. "Will... Will I be able to see her?'

 

"Is that a joke?" Istara snorted. "Like anyone would be able to stop that girl from doing what she wishes? We will make it possible for you to visit or her to visit."

 

Ahrissa remained silent keeping her head bowed, and her composure a true example of a Jedi Guardian accepting her duties

 

The queen nodded, her face slightly less heartsick. "We don't have a choice. This is not a safe place for her at the moment. I expect to hear from you and her regularly." Again, this was the mother speaking.

 

"Of course." Istara nodded. "We will make it work, your Majesty."

 

The queen nodded. "I need a word with Jedi Ahrissa, Masterblade Istara Sharlina Andal."

 

Istara nodded soberly, smiled a bit sadly at Ahrissa and then turned and left the room. Ahrissa remained tall and silent even as the door shut closed behind her.

 

The Queen met Ahrissa's eyes. "They put her in that evil machine again? Is she... Is she sane?" The sheer pain in the woman's voice reverberated across the stars.

 

Ahrissa sighed, her entire posture seemed to shrink "M'lady...she is the same yet...at times un-expected she...she starts to talk about things, things in her past, what she saw...experianced...she remembers everything..."

 

The queen froze. "Oh my god... Then I need to know. Do you trust the Bladeborn? They... They are Sith, are they not?"

 

Ahrissa remained silent for a while before nodding. "M'lady I trust that they will take care of Natasha...though a part of me feels that, like any faction...they hold their own agenda."

 

The queen snorted. "Doesn’t everyone? No, don't answer that... I feel so.... helpless... She is my daughter and... I feel so...."

 

Ahrissa nodded "I will be honest M'lady, since my serves to her I have grown ...attached...to your daughter...this..is...not easy for me either, but...your daughter loves you, and wants to be sure of your safety...that is the only reason why she has chosen to go with the Bladeborn and won’t be swayed from her decision"

 

Firalia blinked. "My...?" Then she shook her head slowly. "My goodness... Her thoughts are not of herself are they?" Her voice was hushed, almost awed.

 

For the first time Ahrissa smiled only slightly "Oh..I believe that in this, her thoughts are very clear. Your her mother, and while you hold an entire force of protection, you you will always be needing protection....as it is for you...to her. It is the way of family"

 

"I would expect no less from a daughter of Regina." Queen Firalia Regina, monarch of Naboo, smiled a bit. "You will keep me posted? If anything changes?"

 

Ahrissa nodded "yes M'lady"

 

"She will make one heck of a queen someday." The queen said quietly. "I will let you go. Just... Take care of yourself, Jedi Ahrissa. There are not enough beings like you in this galaxy."

 

Ahrissa smiled some and bowed "Thank you M'lady, And May the Force be with you" The queen nodded, touched a control and the holo vanished.

[kalenath]

Mira was not 100% but she hid it well. She had come aboard the ship in a hoverchair and spent most of the last two days sleeping. When she was not sleeping, she was exercising, under Istara and Nana’s careful eyes. She sighed as she finished a slow cartwheel.

 

“Why are you being so… so…?” Mira grimaced as she focused on her form.

 

“Overbearing? Hawkeyed? Obsessive?” Istara supplied helpfully from her kneeling position near the wall. The small cargo hold had been completely revamped. Now it was a practice room that had been set up specifically by Istara for such things. There was nothing to get in the way, plenty of light and Nana’s medical ward was a grand total of three steps away.

 

“Yeah.” Mira said acerbically as she finished her cartwheel and started a kata. Unarmed, she couldn’t do all of the moves, and the bandages that still wrapped her head made her a bit more cautious than normal. Even enhanced use of Ashla to heal would not let such damage as had been done to Mira be healed overnight.

 

“Part of it is the job." Istara said calmly. "My duty, at the moment, is to keep you safe. Your mother and Ahrissa both have charged me with keeping you safe. Even from yourself.” She grinned sourly. “You are not stupid Mira, you know how badly you were hurt. You know you are not going to be able to just jump back from that.”

 

"Yeah." Mira sighed as she finished the kata. Her form was very nearly perfect. “I know… But… This goes against everything I was taught. What I taught myself.”

 

"I know." Istara nodded. “Bladeborn have to be self sufficient. We have to be.”

 

Mira bit her lip as she stood in a ready stance, pondering that. She hadn’t known, when she had met Istara, exactly what had changed. She had heard about the woman’s problems of course, but she really hadn’t been prepared to find out that Istara was now a member of the original Order of Bladeborn. That what Mira had studied for three years religiously, had been a pale copy.

 

"Mira." Istara shook her head. “Don’t bite your lip.”

 

“Yes Mother!” Mira bit out as she started another sequence of moves. These were more complicated, and took more of her focus. Strike, block, kick, dodge, spin,… She tried to put her mass on her left leg and it didn’t hold her weight. She went down in a heap and lay there, unmoving.

 

“Mira…?” Istara’s voice was concerned as footsteps approached where she lay.

 

Mira spun back to her feet, only slightly out of balance. “Damn it! What is wrong with me?” She screamed as she shook her head as if trying to get something out of it. “These katas are simple! Why can’t I do this?” Her eyes had tears falling now, tears that she dashed away angrily.

 

Istara sighed as she knelt in a formal pose in front of the angry girl. She didn’t move, she didn’t speak, she simply waited. After a moment, Mira knelt, also in formal pose, facing the Bladeborn. The silence dragged on for several minutes.

 

Finally Istara spoke. When she did, it was quiet and kind. “Mira… You were hurt, far worse than the outside injuries would show. Physical injuries can be ignored or they can be worked around. But what happened to you was not just physical.” Mira was shuddering now, and Istara reached out with a slow hand to touch the girl gently on the shoulder. The touch seemed to relax the girl. “Mira… where did you learn that kata?”

 

"Um..." The girl stared at the older woman. “The Bladeborn taught me…”

 

"Mira..." Istara shook her head. “No they didn’t. That wasn’t a Sith kata, or a Bladeborn kata.”

 

"What?" Mira blinked. “What do you mean?”

 

Istara smiled a little. “Stay where you are.” Mira watched in awe as Istara rose, took several steps back and… danced. No other word worked for what she was doing. She held no weapon, drew no weapon, but the moves were obviously the same as Mira had been trying. But fast, fluid, beautiful, and very, very dangerous looking.

 

Mira knew her mouth was hanging open as she watched, but it was beautiful. “I…” She broke off as Istara did a horizontal circle jump kick only to land in the exact spot where she had started from. She knelt again, sinuous, graceful. She met Mira's gaze and her smile was wide. Mira shook her head, dazed. “That wasn’t a… How do I…? What was that?”

 

"An advanced form of Soresu." Istara sighed. “I studied on Tython for a while. It’s called ‘Floating Petal meets the Wind’. It is a Jedi kata, Mira.”

 

Mira was sure her eyes were as large as a Mon Calamari’s. “A… Jedi…. Kata…?” She asked in utter disbelief. “That is impossible.”

 

"Yeah." Istara shrugged. “Could you have learned it from Ahrissa?”

 

"No." Mira shook her head. “We never did katas, we stretched and then sparred. She is good.”

 

"Yeah." Istara snorted. “I could see that just from her stance the moment I laid eyes on her. I hope we never have to fight.” Mira nodded. When master fighters fought, the battle was either over very quickly, or it took a long, long time. Istara sighed. “This is not fun for you. I know how I feel about running and hiding. But what that woman did to you…” She broke off as Mira looked away. “Mira…?”

 

"My fault." Mira’s voice was quiet. “I did most of the worst of it to myself. I scared her. She… I don’t know why she acted so nice to me. I have no idea at all.”

 

"Ah." Istara sighed again. “Mira, she is a Sith, she was setting you up for something.”

 

Mira’s voice was quiet. “Maybe at first. But later… You and Ahrissa searched for me in the Force, didn’t you? I heard Ahrissa’s voice. I shouldn’t have been able to, but I did. Through her I think.”

 

"Okay..." Istara nodded a little dubious. “That makes sense. But why do you say she wasn’t setting you up?”

 

Mira blinked and her voice went monotone. “Her mission was to find the information her former master, the Sith Lord Vxeis, hid in my skull. Sith Lord Darth Malgus captured her on a world called Mygeeto and gave her a choice. Serve him or die. She chose to serve him. Her mission was to find me and recover the data on the Seven. She did so, and would have sent the information to Malgus, but then…” Mira shivered. “I had a bad reaction to the machine and she took me to another outcast Sith who had better medical gear available. Her orders had been to avoid contact with Imperial forces. That Sith, Marek Krundas, implanted my skull with devices similar to the ones Republic Intelligence used to attempt to make droid pilots. She fought and took me from Krundas. She intended to return me to Dantooine, but could not. You arrived on planet at that time, and started hunting her.” Mira shuddered, and then collapsed. Istara caught her. Mira’s voce was normal now, if very scared. “What the flarg…?”

 

Istara shook her head. “I don’t know. But we will find out.” The ship shuddered and Istara smiled. “We are here.”

 

Mira flinched, but then nodded and rose as Istara let her go and stood. The bowed to each other and then walked towards the entry ramp. It opened to an empty hangar bay, and Mira looked around. The bay looked exactly like any other hangar bay she had ever seen.

 

The girl’s voice was sour. “No greeting party?’

 

Istara would have answered, but another voice cut her off. “Hey! We were not expecting you for another hour. Gute must have shaved the hyperspace routes until they bled.” Istara blinked as a young woman came into the bay through the personnel door. The girl couldn’t have been over fifteen and Istara’s breath caught as she saw the black hair and the eyes…

 

"What the...?" Mira went completely stiff. “Sara…?”

 

"What?" Sara Kalenath smiled and her green eyes were mischievous. “You were expecting the Sith Emperor?” But then she was embracing Mira as the girl cried. Sara looked at Istara over Mira’s head and nodded slightly. Istara smiled, maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as she had thought.

[kalenath]

((And BOOM, Mira is in a safe place. Safer than just about anywhere else in the galaxy at the moment. Comments or suggestions always appreciated. Flames might have to 'explain' themselves to Darth Malgus.))