(L,F&E 68) The Measure of a Bad Guy

[kalenath]

((The Bladeborn known as Ravishaw has been captured by his enemies, Trugoy's sect of Bladeborn. This is NOT going to end well...))

 

The being known as Ravishaw had faced horrors out of a madman’s nightmares. He had faced down Sith Lords, Jedi knights, pirates, bounty hunters and even a vengeance crazed soldier armed with a nuclear weapon once. But all of that paled beside the face that stared at him now. The black furred Bothan was shaking her head.

 

Ona’s face was sad as she held out another spoonful. “Open.” Ravishaw snarled and shut his mouth tight. Ona’s face was sad as she waited. “Morey, this is only going to end one way. But we can make your end a bit more pleasant. Stop fighting us. All I want to do is give you some nourishment. I could do it with an IV and I will if I have to.”

 

The man in the bed snarled at her again, but truth be told, he couldn’t do anything else. The Bladeborn had not been content to cut him off from the Force, no. They had put him in a straightjacket. Then they had strapped the jacket to the bed. He couldn’t move as much as a muscle anywhere except his face, which was clear so the Bothan could feed him.

 

"Flarg you!" The man who refused to call himself Morey snarled at the healer again. “You are just going to anyway. Why drag it out? Bring on the pain already.” His voice was defiant.

 

"No." Ona shook her head slowly. “We are not going to hurt you. When we kill you it will be by injection, not a blade or saber. You will feel no pain, simply go to sleep and expire.”

 

The blonde hared man in the straitjacket stiffened at that. “What?” Whatever he might have expected her to say, that wasn’t it.

 

"We are not going to hurt you." Ona smiled. It was not a nice smile. “You like pain, so we are not going to give it to you. You will not be able to fight what we are going to do without the Force, but you will need nourishment. And cleaning.”

 

"You..." Ravishaw stared at her. “You wouldn’t…” Ona just held out the spoon again and Ravishaw spat at her. “You black furred dog! Get out of here!”

 

Ona wiped the spittle off her face and sighed. Then she took his forearm in a gentle grip that was totally unbreakable even if he hadn’t been restrained. She undid a cunningly designed flap deftly and with careful fingers wiped the spot carefully with a cleanser. Then she smiled slightly as Ravishaw blinked at her. “Numbs it as well as cleans it. You won’t feel a thing.” Ravishaw stared at her, and then he growled, a sound more suited to a mad Wookiee than a human. Ona inserted an IV and nodded slightly as she connected tubes to it.

 

"Do what you will, witch..." Ravishaw shook what little of his body he could move and snarled again. “I won’t tell you anything.”

 

"Ah, Morey..." Ona patted him gently on the head. “Yes you will. Oh yes you will.” She fiddled with a control and Ravishaw felt his body lighten. Ona patted his head again, and then strapped a gag over his mouth. “Don’t worry. I have set the machinery to keep you calm. It is okay, Morey…” She patted his head again and then rose and left the room. The man in the bed was floating now, no matter how he tried to fight the feeling, it felt good. He was dozing a bit when another voice came to his ears.

 

“This is a fine mess you have gotten yourself into, Morey.” Grandmaster Trugoy, leader and father figure of the Bladeborn Order, sat down in a chair beside the bed and sighed. “I should not have sent you on that last mission, I knew there was something wrong, but I had no idea. Why didn’t you say something?” The sadness in the small brown form’s tone was almost tangible even to people without the Force.

 

"You..." Ravishaw’s voice was slurred. “My name… is… Ravishaw… Morey was… a weak… willed fool…”

 

"No." Trugoy shook his head. “Your name is Morey. You were one of our brightest and best. Until you went off on your own and vanished. We thought you were dead. And then… We find out that you were not, that you were serving an enemy. What happened Morey?”

 

"Go..." Ravishaw’s voice tightened, just a bit. “Go to hell. Shutta… Just kill me…”

 

"Not yet." Trugoy shook his head. “What happened? You were out with Idjit and Shar…” He stopped talking as the man in the bed seemed to convulse.

 

“You shut up! You know nothing about me!” The man in the bed yelled as he struggled against the restraints. Then he slumped as the machinery connected to him did something and his body slumped, unable to move. Force users had various mans of combating drugs, but the man the Bladeborn called Morey did not have access to the Force anymore. “I won’t tell you anything!”

 

"Yes you will." Trugoy smiled slightly. “Oh yes you will. Where is your master’s base?”

 

"I won't tell you anything!" The restrained man snarled. “Flarg you, midget!”

 

"Ah..." Trugoy looked at him, that same sad smile on his face. “An uncharted system… Coordinates…?” Ravishaw closed his eyes and started counting. It was an ancient technique, but was moderately effective at keeping other people out of one’s head. Far from dismayed, Trugoy smiled. “We have as long as we need, boy. Go ahead, fight us.”

 

"What...?" Ravishaw focused on the small brown form with difficulty, he was very light headed. “What are you doing? This is no interrogation…”

 

"Yes it is, actually." Trugoy shook his head. “In your head, pain and pleasure are all mixed together. If we hurt you, you will enjoy it. So we won’t. You will not feel a thing. At all. This is simply the preliminary.”

 

"What?" Ravishaw’s eyes went wide and his voice was angry now. “You won’t hold me forever. This won't hold me forever.”

 

"I know." Trugoy nodded. “We are not going to. We have a week, at most, to pump you for information. Then, you will be executed as a traitor to the Bladeborn and the Empire. But due to your…unique physiological conditions, the Emperor has granted us dispensation to forgo the painful methods of execution and kill you painlessly. Oh and by the way… We removed all your implants and the miniature machines in your body are dormant due to ion blasts.”

Ravishaw stared at him and then started to laugh. “You think you have won? You know nothing…”

 

"Ah boy, you are wrong." Trugoy shook his head. “No, I think I lost a promising student and acolyte. And I think it is my fault. Sleep now Morey. When you wake, we will start the real interrogation.”

 

"No..." Ravishaw was snickering as waves of lassitude pulled him under. “You have no idea at all, short stuff… No idea… At all…”

[kalenath]

Trugoy watched in silence as the being he called Morey was placed in a specially designed tank. The fluid in the tank was a mix of kolto, oil and other liquids, some drugs, some others, that would allow the insane man to float suspended inside. Ona and Jon were handling the insertion, and both had themselves under tight control. He wasn’t worried so much about Ona, the woman had known Morey before he had, well, whatever had happened to him, and liked him. But Jon… Jon was problematic at the best of times, which these were not. The medic had seen, on numerous occasions, what Ravishaw had left behind of acolytes, trainees and even one masterblade.

 

Trugoy winced slightly in memory. That had been nasty indeed. They had found Harris lying in a pool of his own blood, cut to pieces but still alive. The man had survived for a week before finally succumbing to the inevitable. Jon had taken the death even harder than Ona had, which was saying something. Harris had been an arrogant jerk, absolutely certain of his ability and skill. And truth be told, he had reason to be arrogant. His skill had been impressive. Not since Sharlina had any one of the lower ranked Bladeborn fought more than four lightsaber wielders at once and survived. Of course, she hadn’t expected to survive fighting ten at once, but she had. Harris had fought six Sith, four acolytes and two full fledged Sith to win an artifact for the Order, and won. But it hadn’t helped the man. Ravishaw had trounced him completely and then left the wreck of a man where the Bladeborn would find it.

 

There was so much the Order needed to find out from the man, and they didn’t have a lot of time. Normal interrogation methods simply wouldn’t work on the man. He enjoyed pain. And even when cut off from the Force, he was a tough son of a murglak. So, they had to keep him off balance, pump him for information and only then could they do what Trugoy and all of his kin burned to. End this rotten traitor’s existence.

 

"Mama?" The small brown alien was scowling at the two way mirror when he felt another presence behind him. He spoke without turning as the door behind him opened. “How are you doing?”

 

"I am in control." Mama Lizard’s voice was cold, and tightly controlled. Then she shook her head. “Barely.”

 

Trugoy nodded as the huge form strode to stand beside him. Barabels were generally blunt spoken, harsh beings. Mama however was nice most of the time. She was the matriarch of this strange group to Trugoy being the patriarch. She had taken this whole strange group as her family clan and treated them accordingly. And her response when people hurt her family was predictable and violent. Ravishaw had not just hurt her family, he had taunted her while doing it, and to make it all worse, he had been one of them at one time, so…

 

Trugoy had barred Mama from assisting in any way and the Barabel had reluctantly agreed. She had spent most of the last several days trying to keep calm and trying to keep the rest of their kin calm. The presence of a traitor and such a traitor, in their midst was wrenching to say the least. All of them felt very strongly, most did not show it however. Ever the newest trainees could feel bad things in the air and went about their lessons with caution. The old saying ‘When Mama is unhappy, everybody is unhappy’ held true even for the Bladeborn. Especially for Bladeborn...

 

"Trugoy." The Barabel nodded towards when Ona and Jon were finishing up. “Do you really think we are going to get anything ussseful out of him?”

 

"Useful?" Trugoy sighed. “Probably not. We have the coordinates for the base, but a full on attack is just not going to happen. The Empire does not have a fleet handy, even if it would be simpler to just bombard the world. The base is apparently buried deep in a mountain, so it’s unlikely a bombardment would even work. IF of course the coordinates are real and not some misinformation the man managed to slip me.” Mama looked at him and Trugoy shrugged. “I am not omniscient. I think they are genuine, but anyone we send will likely get caught or killed. And you and I can’t go.”

 

"So..." Mama blinked slowly. “Why keep him alive?” She waved a claw at the window.

 

"Ah..." Trugoy frowned. “So we can find out what methods that thing used to turn him. So we can either duplicate or block them.” Mama looked at him sidelong and Trugoy winced. “No, I am not planning to try and turn him back to us, well, not seriously. The Emperor has decreed his death.”

 

"Yesss..." Mama Lizard nodded slowly. When she spoke it was thoughtful. “The kin are very unhappy, az am I. The longer thisss goez on, the more unhappy we will be. So you had better get whatever you want fassst.”

 

"Right." Trugoy nodded soberly. One problem with making people honor bound bloodthirsty warriors was that they tended to be, well, bloodthirsty. Luckily, they were bound by their Code as well. However… His voice was neutral when he spoke. “Have you talked to Idjit today?”

 

"No." Mama looked at him, her gaze worried. “No, he isss avoiding me.”

 

"I see." Trugoy sighed. Why was he not surprised? “Talk to him, soon. Or I will have to.” The small form stiffened slightly as the two gowned and masked forms in the room turned to the window and bowed slightly. Trugoy spoke softly, a little hesitant now. “We are ready.” He looked at Mama and the Barabel sighed, bowed, and left the room.

 

Trugoy stepped towards a control console and hopped up onto the chair that was there. Everything was set up for someone his height. He hit the intercom. “Jon, Ona, I can take it from here. Get something to eat and get some rest, both of you.” Both medics bowed to the mirror again and took their leave. Trugoy sighed deeply before speaking softly into a microphone in front of him. “Good morning, Morey. How are you feeling today?”

 

"What...?" The voice of the man in the tank was slow, slurred and weak. “What have you done to me, pipsqueak?”

 

"We have sedated you." Trugoy ignored the insult. “It is to keep you calm and safe while we talk. How do you feel?”

 

"I... feel.." Ravishaw’s voice was slurred heavily now. “Go to…” He broke off and spoke again. “I feel fine…” This was a monotone. Then his voice turned angry again. “No! I will tell you nothing!”

 

"You want to relax, Morey." Trugoy manipulated a set of controls, adjusting the drugs that were flowing into the fluid. Then he nudged the man in the tank's mind gently with the Force. “It’s okay. Morey, it’s okay. I just want to talk. What happened on the last mission Morey? You were sent after a group of mercenaries. Shar was going to join you. What happened?”

 

"I... No..." Ravishaw’s voice was fading in and out as the man fought. “Go to hell, midget… I… Uh…” The drugs in the tank were too strong however and eventually, he quieted. His voice was monotone now as the drugs held him in their chemical grip. “We had been sent to find the scum who had shot Chari. The sniper, the merc. Sharlina was late, ignorant witch was…” His voice changed back to angry. “You stay out of my head!”

 

"No." Trugoy sighed as he manipulated the controls again. This was not an exact science, more an art. Luckily it was an art that Trugoy had mastered long ago. “Ok, let’s talk about you. How did you feel at that point?”

 

"I..." The man in the tank’s voice was soft, scared almost. “No… No… I… No…”

 

"Be calm, Morey..." Trugoy sighed, this was not going to be anywhere close to easy. “It’s okay. What were you feeling at that moment, when you were walking with Idjit towards where the mercenaries had their camp?”

 

"I..." The voice of the man in the tank was almost inaudible now. “Betrayal…”

 

"Betrayal?" Trugoy blinked. This was new. His voice was gentle and kind as he scrutinized his readouts. “Whose betrayal, Morey? What happened?”

 

"He..." Ravishaw’s voice was low and angry, but not out of control. “He betrayed me. He left me. For her!”

 

"Idjit and..." Trugoy froze. “Oh dear…”

[kalenath]

It was very quiet in the small room. It was an impressive view out the viewport, but it was wasted on the man who sat on the floor. After all, what use was a view to a man with no eyes? Idjit, masterblade of the Bladeborn sat and pondered. Being a seer was not all it was cracked up to be. It wasn’t even close. He did not ‘see’ the future. He saw myriads of possible futures, most of which would never come to pass. It was confusing, frustrating, maddening, saddening…all of these and more. Nothing was worse than seeing something bad coming and being unable to stop it. Seers had been trying to stop bad things from happening since before the Force had been discovered. The problem was that many people utterly discounted what seers told them, thereby going on to do whatever the seer had seen happen.

 

And then, the worse part. When a seer was close to someone emotionally, the visions that the seer received would sometimes be erratic and at other times just plain wrong. Idjit had tried, he had tried so hard to help Shar. He had told her everything he had seen, and she… His guts clenched even now from the look on her face. She had been so sure of herself, so proud of being what she was. She had not laughed at him, as so, many others had. But she hadn’t believed him either. He hadn’t really had a clue WHY his visions had all shown her going mad. No one had suspected. Not until Ona had examined her carefully and found out that she had miscarried…

 

He bit back a sob, and controlled himself. This was not the time for self recrimination. He needed to be clearheaded. The hatch behind him chimed and he sighed as he felt the presence beyond it through the Force. “Come in, Mama.”

 

He heard the hatch open and then close and the worried presence approached slowly. He heard the Barabel sit down nearby, probably just out of sword reach, which was smart of her, and safer for him. He had no chance one on one physically against her. She was too big, too fast and too good at what she did for him to harbor any illusions of being able to take her in a straight fight. Of course, he would cheat, and so would she.

 

"Good morning." The lizard woman’s voice was quiet, careful. From her sense in the Force, she had just talked to Trugoy. She was shocked, and Mama Lizard was hard to shock. “Isss there zomething you wisssh to tell me, boy?”

 

"No." Idjit didn’t look at her. His empty eye sockets lingered on the starry expanse. His voice was just as quiet as hers. “Not really.”

 

"Ah, boy..." The Barabel who served as the mother for this strange clan sighed and her voice took on a harder aspect. “Idjit, it iz talk to me, informally, or talk to the grandmassster, in public.” Now her voice changed. “Talk to me, boy… Pleaze…?” The pain in the Barabel’s voice had Idjit turning.

 

"I..." Idjit didn’t respond for a long moment. When he did, it was melancholy. “It’s not your fault, Mama. It’s mine. I… I had no idea what was happening. I was so blind... So stupid... I should have. I should have seen it coming… Even without the Force…” He stiffened as a clawed hand found his shoulder and gave a squeeze, but then relaxed. He wouldn’t fight his mama, not here, not now.

 

The Barabel’s voice was sad. “Ah, boy… Come here…” The hand on his shoulder pulled him and he left himself be drawn into an embrace. He shuddered as he leaned into her warm scales. He couldn’t physically cry, his tear ducts had been burned out by the same acid as his eyes. But his emotions were the same, and Mama was nothing if not empathic. She stroked his short hair gently as he shuddered. “There, there, boy… You are hardly the firssst to have thiz kind of thing happen to you. But I need to know. What happened?”

 

"Morey and I were..." For several minutes, Idjit just sat there and let himself calm under Mama Lizard’s gentle soothing. When he finally spoke it was quiet and devoid of emotion. “We were inseparable. You remember that. You never asked why.”

 

"No." Mama sighed. “No, I never did. I was happy you had found a friend, sssomeone who could pull you out of the deprezzion you had fallen into. Oh Idjit…” She gave him another hug. “How did it ssstart?”

 

"It started with me getting my butt kicked." Idjit nodded, his face buried in his clan mother’s scales. “I was… I was a mess when Trugoy found me and brought me in. I lashed out at anyone who tried to get close.”

 

"Yez." Mama made a comforting noise. “I remember.”

 

"He just kept at me. Beat me a couple of times." Idjit sighed. “Morey didn’t give up. He just kept trying to get through to me. He was always there for me, when I had problems, questions, whatever, he was always there. He helped me, prodded me, beat sense into me on a couple of occasions. He was older, and he had passed the Trial. I looked up to him, but I didn’t… I couldn’t trust…”

 

Mama sighed and stroked his head again. “It isss okay, Idjit. Relationshipz are forbidden among initiatesss for a very good reazon. Initiatesss are too open, too unready to handle such strezzesss in addition to their training. He zhould have known better.” Mama said sternly.

 

"It wasn't..." Idjit shook his head. “We didn’t do anything. We were just friends. He was careful not to hurt me, not to lead me on, he even said repeatedly not to trust him, that he could not trust himself.” Idjit stilled. “And then I had my Trial…” Just the memory of him cutting himself down in that illusionary place still gave him goosebumps.

 

"You passsed." Mama gave her son a squeeze. “And then?”

 

"After?" Idjit smiled slightly. “Well, then it was okay to see more of each other, right? We were just friends. He was making his sword at that point so I decided to tag along, learn as much as I could, and I found I could do it as well.”

 

"Indeed." Mama had a smile in her voice when she spoke. “The only true limitz are the onesss we zet ourssselvez, Idjit. You may not have eyesss, but you don’t really need them.”

 

"I know." Idjit nodded. “Our swords are identical. The grandmaster was impressed with the craftsmanship. It was… To this day, I have no words. It was that night that I asked Morey what he wanted. He didn’t know. It was so far outside his own rather horrible experiences that he didn’t know what he wanted. I… I started it, Mama… I was the one who began our relationship. He was… he was unsure. I wasn’t much more sure.”

 

"I zee." Mama shook her head slowly and patted the man on the head. “What happened then?”

 

"We were a duo. Thick as thieves as the old saying goes. " Idjit sighed. “We were even more inseparable after that. And then, it all fell apart.”

 

"Yesss." Mama’s voice was quiet. “Sharlina.”

 

"She...We fit." Idjit sighed. “She was so good. She was… everything. She was rage, and fear, hope, and love and everything, all wrapped up in one angry, mouthy package. No one expected her to take her trial a week after arriving. Except you and Trugoy. When she woke from the trial, I felt her Force sense appear, so calm, so controlled and I fell, hard.”

 

"Oh." Mama sighed. “And Morey?”

 

"I... I don't know. I could never see anything that close to me." Idjit slumped. “Shar and I… Well, anyone with eyes could see that we were good for one another. But I didn’t want to hurt Morey. He could see that I was having problems, and he knew why. I stayed away from Shar, she thought it was because she had reacted so badly on seeing my uncovered face for the first time. It wasn’t that at all. When she came to me, she apologized and we…” He broke off and his face flushed.

 

"Okay." Mama gave him a shake and snorted. “I get the picture, boy. I have raized more than few younglingsss before you two nutcazesss.” Then she sighed. “I take it Morey did not approve?”

 

"I thought he wanted to meet her. He said he did." Idjit shook his head. “I don’t know. He wanted me happy, and I was. But something was wrong. I knew something was wrong. He wouldn’t talk to Shar, actually avoided her like the plague. I don’t think she ever even met him while he was here. And then… Well…” He slumped.

 

"Yez." We know the ressst." Mama sighed deeply. “Then the mercenariez… Morey vanissshed, you and Zhar took them apart.”

 

"I thought they had killed him, that he had gone ahead and gotten himself killed to keep from facing me and Shar." Idjit nodded, his face remote now. “I thought he was dead. I grieved for him. And then… Then I saw him killing one of us, Jiliuo. He didn’t have a chance against Morey. Even if Morey hadn’t taken him by surprise, the poor kid wouldn’t have had a chance anyway. He was laughing, Morey was laughing as he slaughtered that kid and vanished. He knew I was there, he knew I was watching, he was making a point. And he did.”

 

"Idjit..." Mama shook her head. “It wasssn’t your fault, Idjit.”

 

"No?" Idjit shook his head savagely, bumping it on the long snout, and causing him to curse slightly. “If not mine, then whose? If only I had…”

 

"No." Mama Lizard held her son’s head in gentle hands and turned it to face her. “Idjit, you of all people know that you cannot predict what other people are going to do. And you did not have vizionsss becauze you were too clossse to it. Or if you did, you dizcounted them.” She shook her head. “Have you had any other… odd visssionz recently?”

 

"Ah..." Idjit flushed again. “None that make any sense.”

 

"Can you tell me?" Idjit just looked at her and Mama sighed. "I know, but you probably should if it can impact our family." Mama stared at the boy she had essentially raised. “What did you sssee?”

 

"Mama..." Idjit shook his head and groaned. “You don’t want to know.”

 

Mama was in no mood for games. “Idjit…” Her voice held warning now.

 

"Okay..." Idjit sighed. “I saw Will Kalenath's daughter in bed with a Sith.”

 

"Ah." Mama’s eyes went very, very wide at that. “You are right, I do not want to know…”

[kalenath]

“Morey?” The hated voice was calm, gentle even as it woke him from his half doze. He had been floating in this tank for so long, it was hard to tell how long. He wasn’t restrained, well, except for his head and shoulders to keep the oxygen mask from slipping, he was just too weak to move any of his muscles. Probably, it was due to whatever drug were floating in the tank with him, but he was too tired to think clearly. Which was probably the point. He slept quite a bit. But Idjit’s voice pulled him out of his doze easily.

 

"You..." Ravishaw, he refused to call himself Morey, snarled into the mask he wore. “Go away lickspittle. I have nothing to say to you.”

 

"No." Idjit’s voice sighed. “Morey, what happened? We argued, you left. What happened after that?”

 

"Guess." Ravishaw’s voice was cold even slurred as it was. “Flarg you. You have no idea at all what you are doing or why.”

 

"Come on..." Idjit’s voice was worried now, but…odd. Ravishaw wondered why Idjit felt worry for him. “Morey, listen. I know.”

 

"Oh?" The being called Ravishaw stiffened in the tank. And then he laughed, an echo of his madness shone through the haze of drugs and comfort that surrounded him. ”And what do you know, lickspittle.”

 

"I know you didn’t inject Diseree with those microscopic machines." Idjit spoke softly. “Who did?”

 

"How the hell should I know?" Ravishaw laughed sourly. “I have been… out of touch, as it were.” He smiled under his mask. But his voice was angry. “Just kill me already, I won’t tell you idiots squat.”

 

"You already have, Morey." Idjit sighed again. “A lot. I just want some more answers. Like why you avoided Sharlina.”

 

"What?" At that name, the man that the Bladeborn called Morey stiffened, but then he laughed again. “Ah, I see. You want my help.” He laughed harder. “Say please.”

 

Idjit’s voice was tired now. “Morey…”

 

“Say it, lapdog.” Ravishaw was grinning wide now.

 

“Very well, Morey. Please.” It was obvious even without being able to see him that Idjit was not happy.

 

"Well..." Ravisahw smirked. “Since you ask so nicely. No.” He laughed hard now swinging his arms and legs in the limited mobility that he could achieve.

 

"Come on..." Idjit’s voice was sick now. “Morey…”

 

"Oh this is rich." Ravishaw smiled under his mask. “You needing my help. You see so much and…” He broke off as something gripped him with the Force. “Ah…” He choked out. “So now you are mad, going to…” He grunted as whatever had him gripped him tight, not enough to hurt, but more than enough to restrain. “Go on… Do it!” he grunted out.

 

"No." Idjit’s voice was still quiet and sad. “I am not going to hurt you Morey. I want to help.”

 

"Do it!" Ravishaw snarled. “I don’t…” He flinched. Something had changed in the tank. He was nodding off again. “I don’t need your help, you son of a Murglak! You shutta, di’kut, moron, bantha breath…”

 

“Yes you do.” Idjit said quietly as the man lost consciousness, still spouting insults. The seer looked to where Trugoy was working his control and waited.

 

"Ah..." Trugoy shook his head slowly as he scrutinized the readouts. “I don’t think we are going to get more from him this way. We only have three more days.”

 

"Yes." Idjit sighed. “We need to know.”

 

"There is only one way then..." Trugoy looked at him, fear apparent on the ancient tanned face before he controlled himself. “Idjit…”

 

"Trugoy." Idjit bit his lip. “I need to know.”

 

"Boy..." Trugoy stared at him. “Idjit, the only way to do that is to go into his mind.”

 

"I know." Idjit stared at the man in the tank and shuddered. “I know.”

 

<A bit later>

 

“This is wrong.” Ona’s harsh voice had Idjit smiling slightly. “I will not be party to this.”

 

Idjit would have shaken his head, but the restraints that held him to the chair wouldn’t allow it. “It’s okay, Ona.” He said quietly as gentle hands finished strapping him down. “You don’t want to see what I will anyway…”

 

“Idjit…” The Bothan’s voice was scared now. “I… I have lost so many kin, I don’t want to lose you to…”

 

"It's okay, Ona. It will be okay." He couldn’t look at her of course, but his empty eye sockets moved to where she was standing. He could feel her distress, her fear easily. “Ona. This is the only way we will know. We need to know. Ona… Please go. Jon, Mama and the master can handle this. Please…” He could feel Ona’s sheer stubbornness demanding that she remain. It was at war with her fear, her rage and her… “Come here, Ona…” He felt her presence come close and he smiled as he leaned forward as far as the straps would allow and kissed her cheek. “Go…” He whispered. “You are not like me, Ona. And thank the Force for that. You need to stay calm, Ona. You need to meditate on what you feel, see if you can pass beyond it.”

 

"I..." Ona was crying. “Always the teacher, Idjit… Aw to hell with it.” He felt a hand at the back of his head and then he was stunned when Ona kissed him full on the lips. It went on for a few minutes before she withdrew. “Shar is going to flay me, but it was worth it.” Emotional pain warred with humor in her voice.

 

"Nah." For his part Idjit just smiled. “You just won me fifty credits.”

 

"Huh?" Ona’s voice was shocked now. “What?”

 

"Shar bet me that you would never take the leap, never take the chance." Idjit was smiling widely now. “I bet her that sooner or later you would. I won.”

 

"idjit...?" Now both Ona’s sense in the Force and her voice held confusion. “What?” She repeated, dumbfounded.

 

"Ona..." Idjit’s voice was kind now. “Do you really think Shar of all people is going to be jealous of you? The caregiver. The healer who gives everything she is, everything she has to help others? The one who among all of us darksiders is a shining beacon of hope, of what we can be. The one we all love? I can tell you flat out that she wouldn’t mind if you and I shared a bed. Jon on the other hand…”

 

“...Would mind quite a bit.” Came the harsh voice from nearby as the last straps tightened painfully. The annoying healer of the two was still as abrasive as ever, but now Idjit knew it was an act. He knew that Jon was just as kind, in his own way, as Ona. And the two were well matched. Ona was more submissive, Jon was more outgoing, more dominant. But both lived to serve, and both found comfort in each other’s arms.

 

"Well." Idjit laughed. “I don’t want to get a healer mad at me. So we will leave it at that. Or… both of you would be welcome. We could do a foursome…” A light slap hit him on the top of the skull.

 

"You really are an idjit sometimes." Ona’s voice was tart now. “I am not sharing him with anyone.” She sighed. “I don’t agree with this, Idjit. I don’t like this. If… If he alters you… how can we tell?”

 

"You may not be able to, but..." Idjit sighed. “Mama and Trugoy can. Go on, Ona. Please…” He felt her presence acquiesce and leave the room sad. He spoke to Jon. “Almost done?”

 

"Yes." Jon’s voice was sharp. “I am so tempted to hurt you for kissing my mate.”

 

"Hey!" Idjit protested. “I acted proper. I kissed her cheek.” But then his voice became serious. “Jon, this will hurt her, no matter what. Take care of her. We all… We all do love her.”

 

"I know." Jon’s voice now was soft, gentle, a far cry from his normal abrasive self. “I know. Idjit… I also have reservations with this. Yes he doesn’t have the Force, but… he is insane. Going into a madman’s mind… Idjit... I…” The man broke off.

 

"I know." For once, Idjit’s voice held no humor at all. “I am ready.”

 

Jon’s voice was quiet. “Open wide.” Idjit did and instructed and something soft, but firm entered his mouth. “Bite down.” Idjit bit down at Jon’s command and waited while the healer strapped the mouthguard into place. To keep him from biting himself, if worst came to worst. “Okay… here we go…”

 

Idjit felt a slight sting in he left elbow and forced himself to relax as he felt something enter his body. According to the plan, the drug would help keep him calm. Something he would need.

 

"And...Ready." Jon’s voice was worried still. “I will be monitoring at all times. Grunt twice for yes, once for no. Clear?” Idjit grunted twice. “Good luck battle brother.” A hand touched him on the shoulder and then was gone.

 

Idjit took along moment to calm himself before questing out with is mind to the next room. To the tank that held the man who was an enemy and once had been a friend and more. He took a deep breath to steady himself and then, forming his thoughts into a spear, dove for where he could feel the tortured mind writhing even in the drugs that held it.

[kalenath]

For a moment, Idjit was unsure of his surroundings. He had no eyes, so he had never seen the images that now flashed across this mindscape. But he knew what they were. A bedroom, filled with stuffed animals. Everywhere he turned, he saw stuffed animals. Stuffed rontos, nexu, retu, a rancor, humbabas, banthas, dewbacks… All kinds of creatures of the galaxy were represented in the small stuffed forms that crowded the room. He shook his head slightly, he knew where he was, even if he had never seen this room. Morey had spoken a lot about this place, this horrible place.

 

"I know you are here." The seer’s voice was quiet. “Morey, show yourself.”

 

"Why?" Laughter came from somewhere. “Ah, lickspittle, you expect me to make it easy for you?”

 

"All I want is answers, Morey." Idjit sighed and when he spoke, his voice was quiet. “You can’t hold me out, Morey. Come on, all I want is information. This does not have to be bad.”

 

“Bad?” Came the incredulous sound from somewhere nearby and a small form crawled out from under the room’s bed. “Bad?” The little blonde haired boy or the image of a little boy repeated incredulously. Now he was angry. “You don’t know what bad is!”

 

"Morey..." Something slammed into Idjit with terrible force, but he wasn’t fazed in the slightest. “Come on Morey, you can’t hurt me that way. You know that.” As a matter of fact, he didn’t move from his spot.

 

"Fine." The image of a little boy laughed sourly, a sound far more suited to an older, harder person that the waif that stood in front of Idjit. “The information is here.” The image waved towards its lower body. “Take it.”

 

"Morey, don’t do this." Idjit let out a deep breath. “For the sake of what we once had, don’t do this. All I want to know is why you avoided Sharlina.”

 

"Well..." The small form laughed again. “All I want is for you and yours to suffer. So do it. Hurt a child to get your way.”

 

"This isn't real." Idjit shook his head. “You are not a child, Morey, no matter what form you take here.” He looked around and sighed. “Morey, your mother is dead. Why hold on to this horror?” The things that had happened in this room, just the memories of what Morey had told him bothered the seer. Which was probably the point. The captive wanted to hurt his captors any way he could.

 

“Why not?” The young form of Morey replied in a snide tone. “Why should I not remember the pain, the humiliation, the horror. Life is pain. Life is humiliation. Life is horror.”

 

"It doesn’t have to be." Idjit shook his head. “There can be joy. There can be happiness. You knew happiness once, Morey. We would have accepted you. Shar accepted you.”

 

"What?" Morey’s image froze in shock. “You lie.”

 

"No I don't." Idjit shook his head. “She wanted me happy, and I wanted you happy." He was shuddering as long buried emotions came surging back to the fore. "She would have stayed in the background. Or not. We could have been a threesome. You know I loved you, Morey. You know I didn’t want to hurt you. When I talked with Shar that first night, the main stipulation was that she not get in our way. She agreed.”

 

"No..." Morey, if anything was more shocked. “You… You lie. You have to be lying.”

 

Idjit shook his head and an image appeared near him. A still image that suddenly came to life. A woman’s face, tender and caring. Sharlina spoke softly. “I love you, Idjit of the Bladeborn, but my love is not like a filled cup. I thought for a time, that it was, that I only had so much. But you and Mama have shown me my mistake. If you care for Ravishaw how can I not? If your heart has room for me as well as him, how can mine not?” The image vanished.

 

"I..." Morey stared at the seer and where the image had been. “You lie. That was a lie.”

 

"I have lied on occasion Morey." Idjit shook his head. “That was not a lie and you know it. I told you. Shar wanted to meet you. She wanted to love you. Or at least give you a chance. Why did you avoid her?”

 

"Had..." Morey’s voice was strained now. “I… I had no choice.”

 

"Of course you did." Idjit shook his head. “Morey, you always have a choice.”

 

“No I didn't!” The young form screamed at the seer. “You don’t understand.”

 

"Then make me understand, Morey." Idjit sighed. “What happened?”

 

Morey’s voice was quiet. “I don’t know. We… We argued… I didn’t want to share. I… I stomped off in a huff. And then…” He shivered, wracked by memory. “Then…”

 

"I need to know." Idjit’s voice was gentle now. “What happened Morey?”

 

"That day?" Morey’s voice was a monotone now. “I woke up on a table. I don’t remember being shot, but I must have been. I hurt, a lot. He was there. He… he touched me… on the head… I… It was him, from before.” He shook his head slowly.

 

"Who?" Idjit bit his non-physical lip. “Before…? Who Morey? Was it the being called Bob?”

 

"No!" Morey stared at the seer, his small face working. “No… No…! Don’t make me remember… Please, Idjit…”

 

"Morey..." Idjit stiffened. That was the first time in decades the man had called him by his chosen name. But he had to press, no matter how much it hurt him. “Morey… Please… Who did this to you?”

 

I..." Morey’s voice was strained. “I don’t know. They never gave their names. A bunch of people in white and a couple of Jedi.”

 

Doctors and Jedi... Idjit hadn’t thought he could get that stiff. “When did this happen?”

 

"It was..." Morey relaxed, just a little. “Just after we made our swords. I was sent to recon a Republic base. I… I must have been captured. I… They… I thought they would try and turn me, right? That is what Jedi do, right? They didn’t…” Now the small form was sobbing.

 

"No..." Idjit’s voice was horrified now. “What did they do to you, Morey?”

 

"They put those things in me." Morey’s voice was soft now. “Those tiny machines. They told me to… To kill you. To kill Shar. I fought, but…”

 

"What were they trying to do?" Idjit shook his head, horrified beyond belief now. There was literally no way at all that Morey could be lying to him here. “And why?”

 

"I..." Morey shook his head. “I don’t know. They said something about stopping the Seven, whatever that means. I am pretty sure you and Shar are included in that number. Will Kalenath is as well, I… Uh…” The small form convulsed, but then straightened.

 

"Oh my god..." Idjit nodded, things were starting to make horrific sense now. Morey had become a tool to try and stop the Seven from existing. But it hadn’t worked. “You couldn’t disobey their orders. They programmed you. What broke the programming?”

 

"No..." Morey shook his head. “You don’t understand. It’s not broken...” The small form convulsed. “Idjit get out of here!”

 

"Morey..." Idjit shook his head. “Morey, I can help, let me.”

 

Morey convulsed hard enough to collapse to the floor. “No… You don’t under-…” His voice broke off and then came again as the small form vanished. But this was a very different voice. This one was older, harder and very, very merry.

 

“Well, well, well… Lickspittle… Fancy meeting you here.” The form that Idjit knew as Ravishaw the traitor appeared nearby, his black robes immaculate and his bare sword in hand. “Ready to serve me?”

 

“It’s not going to happen, Morey.” Idjit’s blade was in hand as well now. “Come on, don’t let the scum who did this to you win.”

 

"You are so predictable." Ravishaw’s face spilt in a huge grin. “Trying to ‘save’ me, lickspittle? Aw, how cute. There is only one problem with that. I like the way I am.” Ravishaw was in motion and Idjit was as well, they met in a shower of sparks as ancient swords parried and cut. “You will serve me lickspittle.”

 

"No I won't." Back and forth the two black robed forms fought. They were evenly matched. They always had been. But Idjit slowly and surely pushed the insane Sith back. “You can’t win Morey.”

 

"Neither can you." Ravishaw smirked. “Cut me down and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.” But he fought on, his form perfect. But then he paused as Idjit jumped away.

 

"No." The seer’s voice was sad. “I am not going to cut you down, Morey. When we kill you it will be painless. Farewell, Morey. I loved you and I will avenge you.” Then he was gone. Ravishaw stared at the spot where Idjit had been and sighed deeply as he sheathed his blade. He started laughing.

 

“This just too rich…” When he spoke it was rueful. “Ah well… If you had cut me down, we might have avoided what is coming. Always the soft one, lickspittle. And soon it will cost you and yours.” And then he vanished. Behind him a soft crying was heard from under the bed.

[kalenath]

When Idjit woke, for a moment he was not sure where he was. Then the Force answered him and he smiled. He was lying on his bunk in his quarters. He shook himself slightly and then yawned and stretched.

 

A voice came to him. “Good morning Idjit.” Idjit smiled wider as he heard Ona’s voice nearby. He couldn’t see her of course, but her sense in the Force showed she was planted in a chair near the door. And he could smell her. As always she smelled of shampoo and worry.

 

"Ona?" Idjit shook his head. “Were you sitting there all night?”

 

"No." Ona had a smile in her voice when she spoke. “Not all night. Mama and I traded off an hour ago. No, no, just lie there for the moment.” She said as Idjit started to rise. “You pushed yourself beyond your limits, doing what you did. I will have a breakfast sent for you. And um…” The Bothan broke off, her sense was embarrassed now.

 

"Yeah..." Idjit groaned softly. “Mama told you about me and Morey, huh?”

 

"I think everyone knows by now." Ona made a small noise of worry. “Oh Idjit…” The sense of the Bothan came closer and then he felt a gentle furred hand stroke his cheek. “I am sorry.”

 

"I... I tried." Idjit sighed, but smiled at where the Bothan was standing now. “It is not your fault Ona. If anything, it is mine. But mainly it lies on the scum who hurt Morey.” Idjit sensed worry and fear from the Bothan now as he heard her sit in the chair at his desk beside his bunk.

 

“What happened to him, Idjit?” Ona’s voice was quiet. “I see him and I can’t help but remember the boy, the poor abused kid that Mama found. The one whose mother came looking for him.” Her voice was flat now.

 

"Yeah." Idjit snarled softly. “From what people have told me -I wasn’t here at the time and thank the Force for that- I thought Mama was going to tear that horrible excuse for a female apart. But to have Morey of all people stop her, that must have been weird.”

 

"Oh it was. He was magnificent. He turned stopped Mama, slapped that horrid excuse for a human once, turned his back on her and walked away. The look on her face was one I will treasure. After her horrors...To do that. He was so..." Ona snorted. “What she did to that poor boy... Ah…” The Bothan blew out a deep breath. “What happened to him?”

 

"The Republic captured him." Ona hissed and Idjit sighed. “He may have been lying to me, but… I don’t think so…” His voice was thoughtful as he perused his memory of the mental conversation he had instigated with the madman. “He said that he was captured shortly after we… um… Well...” His face flushed.

 

"Oh Idjit." A gentle hand touched his arm and stroked it. Ona’s voice was quiet and kind when she spoke. “Idjit, love is nothing to be ashamed of. And yes, you did love him.”

 

"Yeah." Idjit slumped. “Part of me still does. Part of me still wants to just hold him. To hold him and soothe him until the pain goes away, but… I can’t help him. The people who captured him… It sounds so familiar. Jedi and people in white, experimenting on him, injecting him with those machines.”

 

"The..." Ona’s sense in the Force was shocked and angry now. “What? Oh my god…”

 

"Yeah." Idjit’s voice was softer now. “It gets worse. They programmed him to kill me and Shar.”

 

"What? Why?" Now Ona was very angry but also confused. “A Jedi did that to him? I thought the thing that calls himself Bob did?”

 

"No." Idjit sighed. “Apparently not. Apparently there is another player in this mess. One we haven’t seen yet.”

 

"This is going to mess things up." Ona made a strangled noise and he heard her shake herself. Funny how such soft sounds could be so clear. She sighed. “Breakfast should be here shortly. I hit a request as soon as I knew you were waking.” But there was something in her voice, something off.

 

"Ona, are you okay?" Idjit propped himself up on his elbows and turned his head towards where the Bothan was sitting. "Ona?”

 

"I am okay, Idjit." Ona had a smile in her voice. “I am okay, it is nothing.” But her reassurance rang false.

 

Idjit frowned at the healer. “Ona…” Now his voice was flat. “What is wrong?”

 

"I..." Ona’s voice was quiet, scared almost. “Idjit… what are your visions like? Are they from your point of view or other people’s?”

 

"Um..." Idjit probably would have blinked, if he had possessed eyelids. His voice was careful when he spoke. “Ona, sometimes my visions are from my own point of view, sometimes, they are from others. Why?”

 

"I..." Ona’s voice was very quiet now. “I think I had one while you were… Well, while you were busy.”

 

Idjit stiffened. “What did you see?” Ona obviously didn’t want to speak so Idjt prompted her. “Ona…? What did you see?”

 

Tears were evident in the Bothan’s voice now. “I saw myself. Dying.”

 

Idjit froze. Then, disregarding his body’s complaints, he reached out and drew the shuddering Bothan into an embrace. “Ona, think. It is a possible future. It’s not set in stone. Can you tell me anything more?”

 

"I know, but..." Ona relaxed into the seer’s embrace gratefully. “You were there, Shar was there.” She seemed to think hard now. “Jina was there… That was odd. And all of you were wearing silver, not black. I had been walking with Garth, his leg was still a mess. Fool keeps using it.” Now her voice was exasperated. “Then… Someone grabbed me and before I could fight, I felt a blade in my ribs. Someone screamed, and… Then I woke up.”

 

"Crap." Idjit sighed. “Ona, the Force moves in mysterious ways. But I do know this. Anyone on this ship would die for you. We will not let anything happen to you.”

 

"I know." Ona was shuddering hard now. “I know that Idjit, but I am scared. I… I haven’t felt this way since that scum took my legs.”

 

"Its all right Ona, it will be all right. Shh..." Idjit sighed as he stroked the Bothan’s fur gently. “You say in the vision Garth’s leg wasn’t healed yet?” He felt Ona shake her head. “Then it is future, but not too far future. I need to make a call. And we need to make some plans.”

 

"Idjit..." Ona stiffened. “You don’t think…”

 

"All I know for sure is this..." Idjit shook his head. “Ona, no matter what, no one on this ship will endanger you. But if someone were to grab you or threaten you… Bad doesn’t begin to cover what will happen.” Then he froze, something in the Force was shouting at him now. Something bad.

 

Ona nodded slightly. Then the Bothan stiffened as the door chimed. She sat back in the chair as Idjit released her and sank back on his bunk. “Enter.” The seer called.

 

“Breakfast is served.” Mama Lizard said in a light mood as the door opened. But then she stiffened as the mood in the room became clear. “What is wrong?”

 

"Mama." Idjit said flatly. “We have a problem. How quickly can you evac all the initiates?”

 

"Evacuate?" Mama Lizard’s sense in the Force was shocked, but she fell back on training. “Ten minutes, why?”

 

"I think..." Idjit shook his head. “I think we are about to be attacked…”

[kalenath]

When it happened, it started silently. Less than twenty minutes after Idjit woke, a wave of something passed through the ship’s air ducts. Any starship had air filtration systems designed to keep the air as pure as possible, but this was no odor. And the filters did not recognize it, nor did the sensors that should have reported the anomaly. It was a concentrated form of a specialized knockout gas, one that did not need to be inhaled to work, all it needed as skin contact. It had started its existence as a potent nerve toxin, but time in a lab had diluted it down to something that would render most sentient species unconscious while at the same time, not killing them. The Bladeborn had no chance against it; it was not an enemy that they could fight with swords. And it happened fast. Less than two minutes after the first Bladeborn had collapsed, trying to reach an alarm toggle, the ship was silent.

 

A hum of a stealth field generator powering down was heard. An armored form appeared in the middle of the main commo room and gently moved a slumbering young armored female human out of the way. The male human in Republic armor sighed as he hit a set of switches, activating the com.

 

“Team one to Invictus, mission is go." He said calmly. "I repeat, mission is go. Targets sleeping.” The man slapped restraints onto the slumbering form at his feet and shook his head. The kid could not have been over sixteen. “They sure breed them young.” His voice changed from sorrowful to professional. “Com room secure, team, report.” He hit his status display, showing a green icon to his three teammates.

 

The team’s tech specialist was first to reply. The female Duros was as calm as always. “Engineering clear. Twelve sleepers, one fell off a catwalk, have the medics bring a backboard. She is alive, but I don’t want to move her. I don’t like how she is lying. She may have a spinal fracture. I am restraining the others now.” The team leader nodded, he noted that on his display. They had planned for possible injury to their subjects. It was regrettable, but it was needed.

 

"Lead, this is Eyes." Another team member called in, the team sniper. “I found the lizard. It is out. Aw man, boss, she had a group of youngling with her, seven of them. Looks like they had some warning, they were heading for the hangar bay.”

 

"Right." The leader nodded. “Double trank the lizard just to be sure. We don’t want it waking up. But be gentle with the younglings, any complications?”

 

"Not form the gas. But..." The voice at the other end was sour. “Three of the kids were previously injured in some way. I will be as gentle as I can, but I don’t want any of these people sneaking up behind me, all of them are armed to the teeth. Even the kids.”

 

The team commander nodded as he searched the still form at his feet. The girl had a sword, a dagger, two blasters and… He stiffened as he saw a thermal detonator. “Geez… these people are crazy… Four, report?”

 

"Lead, four here. Medical secure." The final member of his team, the medic, reported in. “I found him boss. But… I don’t know what they were doing to him. I am going to need help to get him out of this contraption.”

 

"Okay." The team leader sighed. “Hold what you have, any sign of the medics?”

 

"Yeah." The team medic sighed. “Both are out and now restrained. Looks like,… Aw fierfek…”

 

"Four?" The team lead froze as the medic cursed. “What?”

 

"Problem!" The medic’s response was curt. “Human female, age about fourteen, she is having a bad reaction to the gas. Get the Invictus here, now.”

 

The team lead shook his head slowly. “The Invictus is on the way. Do what you can for her. But don’t take any chances. Has anyone seen the seer or the leader?” A chorus of negatives came from the com and he bit his lip inside his helmet. The two most dangerous of the targets were still missing.

 

This had been a high risk mission from the get go. Sneaking aboard a Sith vessel was never an easy task. Sneaking onto this one had been nerve wracking to the extreme. Com silence had meant that until the gas had triggered, he hadn’t had a clue if any of his team had made it aboard. He had lost two people during the insertion. But that was why the Republic paid the Special Forces double hazard pay, to take risks. But jumping out of a cloaked transport to sail unpowered through space to a Sith ship over ten kilometers away was not a small risk. Just the thought of missing a ship while floating through space and just floating on forever filled him with dread even now. He shook that feeling aside and sighed, time to get on with the mission. They had the advantage for the moment, surprise and a potent knockout gas had assured that, but it wouldn’t last. And if any of the enemy woke up before he and his team had them secured, this would get very bad, very quickly.

 

The team leader made his way slowly through the ship, pausing every so often to restrain and disarm a slumbering form. Something was wrong, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. He made it to the bridge and nodded under his helmet. It was cramped and the sole occupant was unconscious. The human had been reaching for an alarm button when the gas had overpowered him. He nodded. His briefing said this was Cole Shanas, a smuggler working for the Bladeborn and a very dangerous man. The team leader secured the man swiftly, and, just to be sure, tranked him again.

 

“Bridge secure.” He reported through his come. His gaze was drawn to a sensor display that showed a ship decelerating from hyperspace. He smiled as he recognized the lines of a Republic Battleship. “And here is the Invictus, right on time. Team, status?”

 

“Medical still secure.” The medic responded distracted. “But this girl is bad. going critical. Get a full med team here as soon as possible.” The team lead nodded. They wanted to minimize casualties, and not just because the leader of this mission was adamant that as little blood be spilled as possible. He hated hurting kids, even if they were Sith. He would do it, if ordered, but he hated doing it.

 

The tech came back next, and the voice was incredulous. “Armory secure. Boss… They didn’t even lock it… And you won’t believe some of the hardware they have in here. I thought they went for swords… Not blaster cannon.”

 

"Yeah. bunch of weirdos." The team lead sighed. These people were strange. Even for Sith, their people were strange. But then he tensed. His last person hadn’t checked in. “Eyes, report.” Nothing. ”Eyes, status?” No response came. Not even a mike click. “Three, Four, do you have any sign of Eyes?” Two quick negatives came back. “Ok, bridge is secure, he was heading for the hangar deck, I’ll check it out. Watch yourselves.” His form vanished from sight and the door opened and closed.

 

It was a nerve wracking fifteen minute walk to the hangar deck from the bridge. This was not a large ship, by Imperial standards. Every so often, the team lead would find a slumbering form and restrain it. The effects of the gas were supposed to last for an hour. But like all things tech related, he took that with a huge grain of Manann sea salt. He found the group of younglings where Eyes had said they were. The team lead shook his head as he saw the three hurt ones. One had a cast on a leg, another sported a bandaged head and the third, well, he wasn’t sure WHAT had happened to the girl, but it had obviously been bad. Upper body braces were not handed out for falling off a stool, most of the time anyway. He checked them again, just to be sure and nodded slightly. Eyes had made them as comfortable as he could, ad a large pile of weapons nearby showed that the team sniper had been thorough. He shook his head slowly and started off towards the hangar, worrying.

 

Something was very wrong, but he had no idea what. He entered the hangar bay and froze in shock. A Republic gunship sat in the middle of the landing area. That wasn’t in the plan, was it? He started towards the ship, staying in cover. Then his heart froze. A form was barely visible in the shadows ahead. A form in Republic Special Forces armor. He scanned the area, but no threats showed. He checked his stealth, but the system was functioning. He moved to the still form and spoke softly.

 

“Eyes?”

 

The form didn’t move, but the team sniper’s voice was scared. “Boss?” that rocked the team leader back on his heels. This man was as cold blooded as they came, what the flarg could scare him so badly?

 

"Eyes..." The team leader remained in cover, scanning the area. “Eyes, what happened, whose ship is that?”

 

"Boss..." Eye’s voice was that same scared soft tone. “We are screwed Boss. He is here…”

 

The team leader shook his head. “Who?” he asked carefully. But then he froze as something nudged the back of his helmet. He turned slowly to see a blaster rifle in the hands of a man in silver armor. A man with black hair and green eyes.

 

“That would be me.” Will Kalenath’s voice was cold.

[kalenath]

The commander of the Republic battleship Invictus was worried and Captain Holis Johakian had reason. This was a lawless stretch of space at the best of times, and these were definitely not the best of times. He had seen, once, the horrors that were going on in the ship’s labs. He had been forced to relieve from duty three medical personnel who had flatly refused to assist the ‘special’ teams that had supplemented his people. He was a patriot, a dedicated officer decorated many times for valor, but what was going on in those labs turned his stomach. He sighed slightly as he focused on the image of the Sith ship on the main display. His compatriot turned to him a question on his face and the captain sighed.

 

"This sucks." Johakian kept his voice low, the crew was already enough on edge. “I just want this business done.”

 

"I know." The being in Jedi robes nodded. “I understand completely captain. There will be no victory here. Just more pain and fear, no matter what happens. But this is needed.” The Jedi’s voice held regret. “The Bladeborn are enemies, but honorable ones. I hesitate myself in turning them over to the labs.”

 

"Sir, the infiltration team reported younglings." The captain looked at him. “Are we really going to…?” Just the thought horrified him. That was clear.

 

"Yes." The Jedi sighed. “Captain, we can’t leave any witnesses. The Empire would be after us in moments if we did. It is regrettable, but perhaps we can help some of the children, teach them a better way.”

 

"Indeed?" Captain Johakain bit his lip on an angry retort and shook his head. “’A better way’, sir?” His voice was neutral but the Jedi slumped.

 

“I know, captain. I know…” The Jedi sighed. “Status?”

 

"Right." The captain nodded, glad to be back on firmer mental ground. “The team reported the ship gassed successfully, several injured prisoners. One critical…” He stared at the screen and winced. “A kid…”

 

"Oh dear." The Jedi came up beside the captain and shook his head. “A bad reaction to the sedative. I was worried about that. Only one?”

 

"So far, that we know of." Johakain shook his head. “The first boarding teams are away and instructed to be gentle but thorough. Hmmm… The team leader said that the seer and the Bladeborn’s leader had not been accounted for…”

 

"Right." The Jedi blinked and then nodded. “We had better get going then. This will be over soon captain, count on it. Then we just have to count the cost.” The Jedi nodded to the captain again and left the bridge.

 

The ship’s XO came up and Commander Mara Olian’s face was worried. “Sir…?” the woman’s voice was soft, scared almost. “Kids? They are going to do that to kids?”

 

"Yes." Captain Johakian nodded. His face was a mask. “I know, XO. I know…” He slumped. “Even enemies do not deserve that.”

 

"Sir..." The commander shook her head. “Sir… I… My son is fourteen, I…”

 

"XO..." The captain sighed. “Do your duty. You always have.”

 

"Sir, I can’t do this." The woman shook her head, and tears fell even through her iron control. “Not to kids. Enemies, sure, Sith sure, but not kids.”

 

"I see." The captain sighed. He jerked his head and a pair of heavily armored forms came up. “Mara, I am sorry.”

 

The troopers grabbed the woman by the arms and led her unresisting form from the bridge. The hatch closed behind the three silently, but it sure sounded to the captain as if a death knell had been tolled. Even if she survived what would happen to her, she wouldn’t be the same. No one came out of that lab the same as they went in. Not the subjects, not the scientists, not the Jedi. The captain shook his head. It was for the Republic, he had to keep reminding himself that. In war sacrifices were needed, hard ones. But they sure hit home at times, like now.

 

Johakian shook his head again and strode to the commo section. The rating there did not look up from his work. “What word?” the captain asked quietly.

 

The rating replied, just as quietly, no, his voice was a monotone, and the captain shivered, just a bit. Loyalty was earned normally, not implanted. But he had to agree that the results were spectacular. “Team has just requested an ETA on advanced medical care. The subject found in the medical ward is not reacting well to the in field treatment.”

 

"Right." The captain shook his head. “Inform the team lead that ETA to boarding teams arrival is two minutes.”

 

"Message sent." The rating shook his head. “The message was not from team lead. Team leader is not responding.”

 

"What?" The captain froze. “Who called it in then?”

 

"Team medic called in the request." The rating looked at his screen dispassionately. “Team lead has not responded to hail for… one minute eighteen seconds.”

 

"Oh?" Captain Johakian shook his head slowly. “Have they missed any check ins?”

 

"No sir." The rating shook his head. “Per the XOs request we attempted to clarify the nature of injuries to prisoners. But only two of the team have responded.”

 

There could be all kinds of reasons for half of an infiltration team not to respond to a query for information. But most of those were bad, the captain reflected. He was about to query the sensor tech when his intercom lit up.

 

A hated, smug female voice came from the com. “Captain? When do we get the new subjects?”

 

The captain snarled, not caring now if his crew heard him, they knew he detested the woman. “Doctor Mengelan, you will get them, when you get them. Now stay off my com unless you have something important to say.” A sputtering came from the com, but he hit the cut off button with a smirk. There were some perks to being a captain. Not many mind you, and there were monumental headaches as well.

 

"Captain." A voice pulled him from his woolgathering. The Lt on sensor duty spoke quietly but clearly. “All boarding parties away, sir.”

 

"Right." Captain Johakian shook his head. Something was wrong. He spoke to the com tech. “Keep trying to raise the team leader, and inform the boarding crews that we may have problems on the target. Weapons, target engines and shield generators, just in case.” Acknowledgements came and he strode back to his main display, aware of two new armored forms standing near the hatch, watching, waiting. He shivered slightly, but then focused on his job. It was all he could do.

 

<The Bladehome>

 

The boarding pods hit the side of the ship and punched through it. The troops had specific objectives already preplanned and there was no confusion at all as they made their way to secure the ship. But the lack of confusion didn’t last. The medical and security team that entered the engineering spaces stared around in bewilderment. There was no one present. No bodies of slumbering Bladeborn, and no infiltration team person.

 

"What the...? The NCO in charge shook his head. He hit his com and it buzzed with static. “We are being jammed?” He stared at his com in disbelief. “How can they be jamming us if they don’t know… If we are coming…?” He shook his head and made a series of hand signals. “Trap. Fall back to rally point six…” the team moved out, hyperalert. But nothing presented itself.

 

His com barked at him, a female voice. “Team seven, status?”

 

"Team Seven here." The NCO shook his head. “Jamming in the engineering spaces, sir. No enemy, no friendlies in evidence. Probable trap.”

 

“Oh, I would say it’s definitely a trap.” The voice on his com laughed. Then the voice continued from just ahead, not on the com. “You all might want to drop your weapons and sit on the floor. Now.”

 

Everything stopped as a woman in silver armor appeared from a doorway. Two lightsabers hung negligently from her hands as she strode towards the dumbfounded team. She was smiling and her long brown hair fell in waves as she closed with them.

 

"What the?" The NCO raised his blaster and his team followed suit. “Who are you?” He asked harshly.

 

"Well..." The woman stopped when he raised his blaster and then she sighed. “I guess your masters don’t tell their peons much these days, do they? My name is Jina Darkstorm and if you all do not drop your weapons immediately, you are dead.”

 

Did he know that name? No matter. The NCO laughed sourly as he switched his blaster to sonic mode, better to fight a lightsaber wielder. “You are going to fight all of us? You really think you can win?”

 

Jina smiled, it was not a nice smile. “I have a better question sergeant. If you and your team don’t drop your weapons, right now, do you think any of you will leave this corridor alive?” She inclined her head and against his will, he turned to see… His mouth fell open as he saw what had come up behind his team while the woman had distracted him. The insect with silver hide had four blades out and they were humming as they flew through the air so fast as it be barely visible. Behind that one, was more of them and those were not all carrying swords. Jina’s voice pulled his attention back. “What is it going to be, sergeant?”

 

"I never surrendered to SIth, pirates, or anyone else Ma'am, so..." The sergeant stared from the human woman to the insect that was advancing now and shook his head. “With all due respect, Ma’am. Flarg you.” He opened fire, but two silver blades appeared from the hilts in the woman’s hands and she batted his fire away effortlessly.

 

"I see." Jina smiled, a death’s head smile. “It’s not very Jedi like, but I am sort of not a Jedi anymore. I was kind of hoping you would say that.” Then she was in motion and the corridor filled with fire and screams.

 

The battle was short and totally one sided. In less than a minute, the NCO was staring up at the face of the not-Jedi as she shook her head slowly. “You should have surrendered, sergeant. For what it is worth, I am sorry. You fought well.” His vision as fading as he heard sick sounds that sounded like blade thudding home into quivering meat. He knew he was dying, that the strange woman had done a lot more than disarm him, and it didn’t bother him now. Nothing bothered him now...

 

Jina closed the staring eyes and looked up from the sergeant into the terrified eyes of the medical team. “I didn’t really want to do that. Your people have hurt some friends of mine. So I will stop you any way I can. Are you going to be stubborn?” Both medics shook their head swiftly. “Smart. You step a foot out of line in any way and you are sushi, clear?” Both of them nodded. “Good.” Jina searched both of the medics thoroughly and then sighed. “We can actually use you. We do have injured to tend. But like I say, step out of line and you will pray for death.”

 

She waved to the insect who, after sheathing her swords, picked up both medics bodily and carried them easily. Jina for her part, nodded and disappeared down a cross corridor. There was a lot to do now.

[kalenath]

The medical team worked feverishly. They didn’t have a lot of time, and lots of patients to tend. They all knew what was awaiting the prisoners back on the Invictus, but none dared to question. None of the prisoners were conscious yet, and all of the medics were glad of that. Bad enough to do such things to Sith, but… to children? Even children training to be Sith? They ignored the hushed conversation happening nearby with the skill of long practice.

 

“Sir, we have lost track of three teams. Probably they ran afoul of ambushes. We don’t know this ship, sir. It is not a standard design.” The boarding team commander, a major of the Republic Marines was stressed. Bad enough board an enemy ship, but to lose almost twenty people with no trace at all? That was worse.

 

"They are nothing if not sneaky." The being in Jedi robes sighed. “Yes, they likely will make us ferret them out. But that is why we are here Major, to...” The Jedi broke off as he saw something that made him sigh. “Major Khan…” he waved to the side.

 

"What?" Major Khan spun and snarled loudly. “If that kick lands, lieutenant Jons, you will be a private in about ten seconds.” The lieutenant in question froze where she was, her boot back from the unconscious form of the Barabel prisoner.

 

“But sir… These scum have killed twenty…” She broke off as the Major stormed up to her, his face flushed with fury.

 

"Lt., Jons."The major’s voice was quiet, and very angry. “Why don’t you go check the ships, see if there are any Sith hiding among them? Since you can’t seem to handle simple guard duty, I guess I should use you for IED clearing detail. Or trap springing, I think you will do well in that regard.” Not that they had found any, but the threat alone was enough to have the LT blanch.

 

"But..." The LT stared at him. “Sir, we have swept them…”

 

"So?" The major smiled. It was not a nice smile. “Do it again. And this time, use your eyes, not just your scanners.” The LT stared at the serried racks of silent fighters and the three transports that now sat quietly on the landing deck and swallowed audibly. The major made a shooing gesture. “Get to it, lieutenant.”

 

The Lt stared at him for a moment before starting off towards the closest ship, a Republic gunship. Khan wondered for a moment how the Bladeborn had gotten their hands on it, and then dismissed his thoughts. He had bigger problems. He strode back to the Jedi shaking his head slowly. “We had better finish this quickly.”

 

"Yes." The Jedi nodded. “How soon can you start transporting the prisoners?”

 

"Well..." The Major blew out a deep breath before replying. “The transports are clean, despite what I told that young fool to do.” He grinned and the Jedi grinned right back. Then the major sighed as he looked over the forms laid out in rows nearby. “We can load the children on stretchers, strap them down right, and they will be secure. We can double up the space that way. The others… we are going to have to send guards with those, so we will be short handed.

 

"Right." The Jedi nodded. “We are at your disposal Major, where do you need us?”

 

"We need to find out who is ambushing our teams, and stop them." The major sighed. “Alive if possible, but stopped. Period.”

 

“Very well, we shall start where you lost contact with team seven. Two of our people will remain here, to help load the transports.” The Jedi waved towards a line of robed forms. “Min, Ki Lom, you are assigned to the Major. Whatever he needs you to do, clear?” A human female and a Bothan male bowed to the major and stepped back from the line. “Everyone else, with me. We separate into pairs and find these Bladeborn. We have only an hour to do so. So, if we can’t, we can’t. We have to be back here within forty five minutes. Clear?” All the robed forms nodded. “Lets go.”

 

The five pairs of Jedi moved out, lightsabers in hand. The major stared after them for a moment before a loud voice brought his attention to where the medics were working. A young human boy was struggling, trying to rise.

 

The major smiled, but then stiffened as the boy managed somehow to throw the medic that was trying to restrain him. The medic fell and shook her head as she sat up, stunned. The boy scrambled to his feet, one leg immobilized in a cast. “Get away from me you bastards!”

 

Geez, tough kid... Major Khan shook his head. “Son, you are not going to get away. You are hurt. Let us help you.” The boy backed up slowly, his head swiveling as he saw the guards approaching. The guards weapons were not drawn, the major saw with a mental smile of approval. None of them wanted to hurt these kids, no matter what was awaiting them on the Invictus. Major Khan shook his head as he approached, and gave the medic a hand up. “Son, what is your name?”

 

"Get away from me!" The boy snarled at him. “I am not your son, you lying piece of filth.” The soldiers were close now, and the boy snarled again. “Don’t tell me you don’t want to hurt me, you piece of Republic slime. I know what you people do.”

 

"Oh?" Khan stayed where he was. He didn’t want to hurt the boy, but they couldn’t let him go either. “And what have we done?”

 

The boy stared at him for a moment, and that moment of hesitation was enough. The guards jumped the boy and the medic cried out. “Don’t hurt him!”

 

"We...!" One of the guards cried out as the boy’s teeth found an unarmored spot. “Tell him not to hurt us! Oh no you don’t, brat!” The guard slugged the boy hard and the boy went down hard. But he rolled somehow and his cast connected to the guard’s unarmored face. The other one was down; clutching a bloody hand and the boy was in motion. He managed four steps before a robed form got between him and the exit.

 

“Enough, child. You will not get away.” The girl Min’s voice was sad as she held up bare hands to block him.

 

"You..." The boy stared at her, and then spat. “You are no Jedi. Not if you are with them.” The vitriol in the boy’s voice actually shook Khan.

 

"Easy, boy." The major shook his head. “Child, we are not your enemies.”

 

"No?" The boy laughed sourly, trying to move around the Jedi, but now the other robed form was coming from the other way, slowly. “You could have fooled me. You? You are a soldier? Do you serve the Republic, your lusts or credits?” Khan stiffened at that but then the boy snorted. “Doesn’t really matter. You are no soldier and these are no Jedi no matter what you scum wear.”

 

"You are hurt, you do not understand." Min shook her head. “You won’t get away, child. Come on, surrender. We will take care of you.” The two robed forms were close now.

 

"Oh?" The boy looked at her and smile, now just a little sadly. “Like you took care of Ravishaw? No, thank you.” Khan could only watch in horror as the boy produced a knife from somewhere and drove it towards his own neck.

 

The Jedi were in motion however and before the boy could do more than mark his skin, he was in strong hands. Min shook her head as she relieved him of his knife.

 

“That is not the way, child." She said softly as she held him despite his desperate struggles. "We will show you a better way.”

 

"Witch!" The boy slumped in her grip, but then he laughed. “I am sure you think that. I am sure your masters want you to think that. Go ahead, scum suckers. Knock me out, tie me up, put those Force be damned things in me. But know this, no matter what you do to me, you are going to lose.” He was fighting now, kicking and scratching, trying to bite.

 

The Jedi brought his struggling form back and held it down while the medic restrained him to a stretcher. The girl shook her head. “It will be all right.” She laid a gentle hand on his forehead and didn’t move as he tried to bite her and couldn’t reach. “You don’t understand.” Everything stopped as another voice spoke.

 

“No, child, I am afraid it is you that does not understand.” Khan felt his blood freeze as a small brown form appeared from behind a pile of crates. Grandmaster Trugoy of the Bladeborn Order looked at the twenty troops and two Jedi in front of him and smiled thinly. “What? You were expecting someone else?” Two small hilts flew into his hands and both Jedi had sabers in hand now. “You are not taking those children anywhere, you monsters.”

 

"Monsters?" Khan snorted as he checked his repeater. “Monsters… That is rich coming from you Bladeborn. How many have you killed?”

 

"Me?" Trugoy looked at him and his gaze was sad. “Personally? More than almost everyone else on this ship put together. But that does not make me better or worse than you. It makes me older. Far older than any of you fools. The thing is, I know what you are doing, and I know why, even if you don’t.”

 

"Well..." Khan pointed his repeater at the slumbering Barabel. “I think I have an advantage.”

 

"Yes." Trugoy smiled. “Yes. You think you do.” His smile went wide.

 

Khan stared at him and then he froze. Having a blaster barrel shoved into one’s unarmored neck from behind would do that to one.

 

"Major." A cold voice from behind him spoke softly. “You want to live, lose the repeater.”

 

"Who...?" Khan didn’t move. “Who are you?”

 

"I am the guy with the drop on you." The blaster muzzle shoved hard now. “And I am someone with limited patience. Drop the repeater.” Khan shook his head and the blaster dug in deep. “What is it like working for those Special Branch scum, Major? Do they pay well? I am sure the fringe benefits are nice, all the slaves you can want. Oh, wait, you have to hurt people who have done nothing to you, but oh well, it is ‘for the Republic’, isn’t it? Like my mom and sister…”

 

"I..." Khan felt his bowel turn to water. He knew now who had him at blaster point. “Kalenath… We can work this out. We are after Sith, you hate the Sith…”

 

"You are almost right." Will Kalenath’s voice was almost kind. Almost. “I hate the Sith. But a Bladeborn saved my mom from you scum. So I kind of owe them. Not that I wouldn’t jump at the chance to hurt any of you pitiful excuses for Republic troops. So what is it going to be, ‘Major’. Lose the repeater or lose your miserable life?”

 

“How about neither?” The Jedi Min asked calmly as she strode forward, her lightsaber igniting. “We can talk this out.”

 

Khan felt a stunning blow to the back of his head and he went sprawling. He looked up at a vision in silver armor, one holding a heavy blaster rifle casually. Will Kalenath looked utterly unconcerned and suddenly, Khan felt fear. Lots of fear. Will dropped something beside the major’s head and the major nearly lost control of his bodily functions as he realized it was a class seven plasma mine. Set for motion activation. If he so much as moved a muscle he would fry, even in his armor. A nasty way to die. But anyone beyond a meter away would be perfectly safe, if a bit warmed. He stared at his repeater, then Will kicked it well out of reach.

 

"What is to talk about?" Will Kalenath shrugged at the Jedi and she looked nonplussed at his bored look. “You scum want to make zombies out of people, and I like my mind the way it is.” He jerked his head at Trugoy. “Get the kids and get clear. The lady and her peons want to dance.” A hum sounded and shimmer appeared around him as he activated his armor's built in shield generator. The troopers were moving, slowly, towards what scant cover was available. And the other Jedi was moving towards his flank.

 

"No." Min shook her head. “This is not what you think, Will Kalenath.”

 

"No?" Will shrugged. “Do I care?” He asked negligently.

 

"You should." Min sighed. “Master?” She spoke towards the door and the distinctive snap hisses of a number of lightsabers igniting silenced everything. Khan looked at the door carefully and saw all ten Jedi standing there, sabers ignited. But Will just smiled.

 

"Yes, I wondered when you would show up." He nodded to one of the ones in the middle. “Hello, Jedi Master Thokal Melan. Fancy meeting you here.”

 

"I had worried that this would happen." The Bothan Jedi master sighed as he lowered his hood. “Hello Will.”

[kalenath]

The scene was tense. None of the Jedi moved, none of the armored troops moved. The soldier in silver armor didn’t move, ad his rifle didn’t move from its aim point, between the Jedi Master’s eyes. The small brown grandmaster of the Bladeborn just shook his head slowly.

 

"So…" Trugoy’s voice was soft. “We just stand here until you friends blow the ship out of space, Melan?”

 

"They won't." Melan sighed and his saber deactivated. “The Invictus will not fire on this ship while we are aboard.”

 

"Oh?" Trugoy just shook his head. “Then explain why they are targeting us right this moment.” The tension in the hangar bay went up a few notches.

 

"I don't know." Melan sighed. “Maybe they think you are going to try and escape. They will probably be targeting the shields and engines in that case.”

 

"Or maybe the one pulling your stings is tired of you." Will didn’t take his eyes off the Jedi. “Have you thought of that?”

 

"Maybe." Melan shook his head. “Will, this isn’t what you think.”

 

“No?” Will smiled, but there was no mirth in it. “Funny. Nia was hurt and taken to Tython. You were there. Istara wound up on Tython, was hurt, chased by Jedi under your orders and then was hunted by Jedi other places. You were there. Every time I went to Tython, you were there. Sara found out about Bella Tiner, which nearly got her killed while you were there and an ‘anonymous’ note pointed her that way. Then, Diseree Mak winds up with those microscopic machines in her blood while you were there. And last but certainly not least, that poor girl Mira winds up hurt and captured by a Sith in the middle of a Jedi enclave on Dantooine. While you were there. Coincidence? I think not.” The soldier’s voice was colder than space now. “Once is happenstance, twice coincidence. Three times…?” Everyone flinched. The old saying concluded ‘Three times equals enemy action’. And Will’s enemies usually came to swift and brutal ends.

 

"I..." Melan was shaking his head slowly. “Will, I know what this looks like. But I am not to blame for what happened.”

 

"No, you are not." Will nodded slowly. “Your master is.” Melan stiffened at that. “You really thought I wouldn’t figure it out?” The soldier snickered now and his laughter had a maniacal edge. “I never saw you on Naj Orh’s ship, but you were there, weren’t you? With the other Jedi experimenting on me?”

 

"Will..." Melan was shaking his head. “Will… No… Just… just listen…”

 

“I am a little curious…” Will said sadly. “What did he offer you? Was it power? Was it revenge with your hands so clean, Jedi? Or was it the destruction of the Sith with no damage to the Republic? Besides a few non-essential people here and there. Like my mom, my dad and my baby sister...” The Force was almost boiling around him, but he didn’t notice. Trugoy stared at the soldier and his eyes were wary. Every other eye was on the soldier now, and more than one of the Jedi looked worried.

 

“No…” Melan was shaking his head hard now. “Will, no... This is not what you think…”

 

“Well…” Will snarled at him. “I think you and your scum attacked my family, my friends and my allies. You know I only respond one way to that.”

 

"I can explain." Melan raised his empty hands. “Will, stop, please. Just listen for a moment. Please?” The voice of the Jedi master was odd. Was he begging?

 

Will shook his head. “I have nothing to say to you.” He smiled evilly. “Except this…” One hand dropped from his rifle and came up in a ligthspeed draw with an oddly shaped device. It looked almost organic.

 

“Die!” He shouted as he swept the device across the rank of Jedi. Nothing seemed to happen, except Melan vanished, jumping clear, his face a mask of fear. The line of Jedi collapsed, three of them holding their heads, two of them screaming in pain and the others instantly unconscious. Their lightsabers fell to the deck and deactivated. Then Will was rolling as the Force slammed into him. The device in his hand went flying as the three standing Jedi tried to restrain him. He snarled and rolled into cover, his rifle tracking on the troops that were now aiming at him.

 

But then everything stopped again as maniacal laughter sounded. “This is just too rich.” Ravishaw came out of the shadows, the oddly shaped device in his hands. “Ah, Will, where did you find this cool toy?” He waved it at the Jedi named Ki Lom and that being went down in a heap.

 

The insane Bladeborn aimed the device at Will, but the soldier just chortled. “Do it.” There was an eerie similarity between the two for a moment.

 

"You...?" Ravishaw looked at Will for a moment and then smiled. “You have it set to self destruct if it is fired at you don’t you? It is what I would do. You are as crazy as I am.” Will just grinned wider and sprayed the troops who were cowering in cover now, totally outclassed by what they were facing. “Well then, I guess…” He aimed the device at the silent rows of slumbering Bladeborn. “How does this thing work anyway?” Will shook his head and keyed his remote. The device in Ravishaw’s hands started to beep. The insane man sighed. “Oh you party pooper…” Ravishaw threw the device away and it exploded with enough force to throw him back a step.

 

“You really want to know?” Will smiled. “It temporarily disconnects a being from the Force. Painfully. And no, that is not my only special surprise.” Now his aim point was Ravishaw who shrugged. Then the insane man was in motion, but not towards cover, towards the line of sleeping Bladeborn. He slapped to the ground beside a young girl, touching her in passing, and then moved towards his goal, a slumbering female in a medical tunic. Will cursed, but his fire missed the man and Ravishaw made it into cover.

 

"Now, now, don’t be like that." Ravishaw’s voice was sickly sweet now. “We were just getting to know one another.” He poked his head up and smirked at Will over the body of a Bladeborn. A black furred Bothan. “Go ahead Will, shoot.” Instead of answering, the soldier vanished as his stealth systems cut in. “Okay, be that way…” Ravishaw said as he reached for the sleeping Bladeborn, the glint of steel in his hand.

 

“Ravishaw… Stop!” Came the voice of Melan as he strode from behind a pile of crates. “Stand down.”

 

"You." Ravishaw smiled at the Jedi. It was not a nice smile. “You don’t command me, scum. Your obedience protocols have been thoroughly trashed by what they…” He waved towards the line of Bladeborn, “…did to me. So, reap what ye have sown, Jedi.” His hand came up with a knife and flew down at the slumbering healer, but then it stopped in midair. Suddenly another form appeared between Ravishaw and the slumbering being he was threatening. Trugoy held Ravishaw’s hand in a seemingly loose grip, but no matter how the insane man fought, he couldn’t get his hand loose.

 

“Morey… Enough.” Trugoy’s voice was soft, calming, gentle. Ravishaw shook his head, as if trying to clear it. Then his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed. Trugoy sighed deeply as he looked around the area. “All this and you still don’t have a clue what you are doing, do you, Melan?”

 

"I..." Master Melan shook his head. “Trugoy, stop Will, he is going to… Urk…” His voice broke off as something slammed into him from behind.

 

"Jedi." Will appeared from where he had struck the Jedi with the stock of his rifle. “All I am going to do is end your worthless life…” He took aim, but stopped as Trugoy sighed.

 

“Will, please, stop. He doesn’t know what he is doing. It isn’t really his fault. You know he isn’t in control of his actions. And yet you blame him?” Trugoy didn’t take his eyes from the silver armored soldier. Which was smart, Will was easily the single most dangerous person aboard. “Do you blame a blaster for what its wielder does?”

 

"I... You... Argh!" Will shook for a moment as if fighting inside himself. Then he sighed. “No… No I guess I don’t.” He looked at the Jedi. “You really don’t have a clue Melan. Eventually you will, but by then it will be too late.” He shook his head and then he kicked the Jedi hard. “That is for lying to Sara and nearly getting her killed.”

 

"I..." The Jedi Min was staring at the pair, open mouthed, her lightsaber humming forgotten at her side. She shook her head, trying to make her mouth work. “What…?” She asked carefully.

 

"You really don't know?" Will shook his head slowly as he stepped away from the fallen Jedi master. “Your ‘beloved’ master sent my sister to her death. Oh, she didn’t die. But it was a very near thing. The only reason she didn't die was because of a Sith. The one with my Dad’s face. So you will pardon me if I take anything any of you Jedi say with a huge grain of salt.” He looked around. “I need to work off some steam, anyone else want to fight?” No one moved and he sighed. “Pity…”

 

"I..." Min stared at him, her mouth working but no sound coming out as she stared from the piles of sleeping Bladeborn to the still brown form of the order’s grandmaster, to the unconscious forms of her colleagues, to Will, who stood silent, still, and ready. “What is going on?” She finally asked in a daze.

 

"Ah child. Min is it?" Trugoy sighed as he rose from checking one of the children. “Big tro-…” He broke off and an odd look came over his face. Then Will, Min and the troops who had been eyeing Will warily stared in shock as he fell to his knees. “Sniper…” He said quietly as he fell to the deck, a green stain spreading across the front of his tunic now. A blaster sounded in the near distance.

Edited July 9, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

For a moment when the small brown form fell, Major Khan felt hope, but then he noticed something. Will hadn’t moved. At all. The man could have been carved from ice for all the… Then the man DID move and Khan watched in awe. One moment he was looking around, almost as if he were marking where each target was, the next… It was like someone had hit a button. He seemed to dance. A deadly dance. He spun, turning towards where the shot had come from and fired, seemingly without aiming. The other troops, having regained some of their poise, started firing again and Will spun back towards them before his first shot landed. Khan’s eyes were drawn to an area near one of the transports and he gasped as that whole area went up in flame. And anguished scream, suddenly choked off, told the fate of the sniper. But then more screams started and his eyes were drawn back to the line of his men…

 

“No!” He shouted as Will danced in the middle of the incoming fire and every shot the silver armored soldier fired hit a target. Most of them seemed to be headshots. Hone of the targets he hit got up. He was firing so fast that it almost seemed he was on full auto, but every shot was aimed, that wasn’t possible, was it?

 

A hand appeared in his field of view and deactivated the mine. He stared up into the eyes if a brown haired woman in silver armor. When she spoke it was hushed, almost scared.

 

“Don’t move. Don’t even breathe hard." The woman said, her voice scared. "You draw his attention and you are dead… Trugoy was the only thing keeping him from killing all of you. Morons…” Suddenly, there were no more targets for the silver armored soldier to kill, it hadn’t been a fight. It had been butchery. His men had tried, and they had died.

 

Khan stiffened as another team entered the hangar, troops back from a patrol. They hesitated, taking in the scene. Will didn’t hesitate. The soldier’s fire swept over them and in moments six cooling piles of meat lay where six marines had been staring in shock.

 

The Jedi Min had her hands up, empty. Her saber fell to the floor and and she was crying as Will turned towards her. A single shot and she was catapulted back to sprawl ungainly. Years of fighting told the major that the woman would never rise again. But Will didn’t stop. His aim point shifted to the line of Jedi he had disabled. The Major was crying now as Will showed him exactly what kind of man the soldier had become. Bang, bang, bang… All head shots.

 

"Will!" Another voice came from the hatch. “Will, stop!” Another woman in silver armor, this one with red hair entered the bay, her hands were raised in entreaty and empty but a sword hung on her back.

 

"No!" The woman at his side shouted at the newcomer. “Istara, no! Get back! He is out of control!”

 

Khan stared at the man who had slaughtered so many like nerfs in a pen and his bowels loosened as Will turned to face him. The man’s face was…empty. No emotion, no nothing. He stared up at the muzzle of the blaster rifle and the major shook his head minutely as he finally realized what Special Branch had done to this man. They had taken his humanity from him, and all that was left, was death.

 

Somehow, the major found breath. “I am sorry, Will…”

 

"You..." Will stared at the man, and then his rifle shifted, just a little. When he spoke, his voice was quiet, cold, and dead. “You made me what I am. You Special Branch scum made me this. This is what you seek. You want the ultimate man sized weapon, well, congratulations, you accomplished it. But you do not control me. And you will not control me.”

 

The woman at his side rose slowly. “Will…” Her voice held shock and sadness.

 

"Easy soldier..." The red head, started forward. Her voice was kind and sad. “Will… it’s okay… Will… It will be okay…”

 

"No." Will didn’t take his eyes from Khan. When he spoke, it was still that awful quiet, dead voice. ”No it won’t.” Khan had a moment to see the blaster realign and then his world went red.

 

Jina stared at her friend in shock. He had just murdered a prisoner. More than one. he had shot a woman who had been unarmed, trying to surrender. That wasn’t the man she knew. That was not the Will Kalenath she had served with. She stared around at the carnage around her, dazed at both the sheer scope of it, and the efficiency. None of the slumbering Bladeborn had taken any further hurts at all. And none of the Republic Forces lived, with the exception of an unconscious Jedi master who was just a little out of Will’s line of sight and a couple of med techs who cowered nearby behind a couple of crates. She shook her head, dumbfounded. And then she stiffened as Will screamed. It was an awful sound, a sound of pain, fear, loss, heartbreak and rage all mixed in one. The soldier dropped his rifle and clutched his head, sobbing. Jina moved slowly to his side, her mind whirling. What had just happened?

 

"No..." Another scream tore from another throat nearby. “Oh no… No… Medic!” Jina turned to see Istara kneeling beside the still brown form of Trugoy and the ex-Jedi felt her entire world shiver on it’s axis. She detested the being, but he was focal to the Bladeborn and others.

 

"Ona..." Jina knelt beside a still form she recognized and touched the black furred Bothan on the brow. “We need you Ona…” The Bladeborn started to stir as Jina undid the restraints. “Come on, girl, wake up… We need you…”

 

"Jina?" Ona opened her eyes, confused. “Jina Darkstorm…? What are you doing here?”

 

Jina shook her head. “Long story. Come on… She helped Ona to her feet and felt the shock the healer felt at the scene. Shock that the former Jedi shared.

 

All around the hangar bay, forms in republic armor lay still in death. Near the hatch, a line of forms in Jedi robes also lay still. Ona was not fully awake yet as she staggered with Jina’s help. “What the hell happened?”

 

Jina bit her lip. “Will…” She said quietly. Ona stared at the Jedi and then at the silver armored soldier who knelt sobbing in the middle of the deck.

 

Ona shook her head. “Holy flarg… remind me to stay on his good side… I… No…” the Bothan stiffened as she saw Istara and what Istara was kneeling beside. Then the medic was in motion, kneeling beside the still form of the Order’s grandmaster, her hands moving quickly. “No… No nonononononono, it was supposed to be me…” Power flared from her fingers as she poured healing into the still form. "it was supposed to be me!"

 

“Visions are not perfect Ona. Not even close.” Came another soft voice was Idjit appeared from a shadow. “I got here as soon as I could. I… Aw Will…” His voice was sad as his sightless head turned to take in the carnage.

 

"No..." Ona was crying as she worked, trying everything she knew. “No… Master... Father… Don’t leave me…”

 

Another voice spoke up. “It was hisss time, Ona…” Mama Lizard sat up where she was, her posture one of pain and loss. “He choze hisss path.” She looked around and sighed. Then with a crack, the binders on her wrists and ankles broke off. The Force be damned, Mama Lizard was strong. Her face was very sad as she knelt beside the silver armored form of Will Kalenath. She touched him gently and he didn’t seem to notice. “It will be all right Will. We will make it all right.”

 

"No." Ona was shaking her head, refusing to give up. “Not again… I won’t lose my family again… Not again…” She repeated softly as her power flowed into the small, still form beside her. “Why didn’t he sense it? Damn it all, he was better than that.”

 

"My fault..." Will’s voice silenced everything. It was soft, sad and scared. “My fault, Ona. I distracted him long enough for that sniper to shoot him. I….” He curled up on himself on the floor, crying. Mama Lizard shook her head and pulled him up into an embrace.

 

"No..." Her voice was quiet as she tried to comfort him. “No Will Kalenath, it iz not your fault. It isss not your fault.”

 

Jina sighed as she looked at the devastation round her. At least he hadn’t pierced the hull. Idjit stepped up to her and spoke quietly. “Where is Morey?”

 

"Who?" For a moment, Jina didn’t know who Idjit was talking about. Then it clicked, they wouldn’t call Ravishaw by name, not now. “He is…” She stopped in shock. The insane Bladeborn was gone! “Where did he go?”

 

"Ill follow, but..." Idjit shook his head slowly. “We may not want to know…”

Edited July 11, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

Idjit snarled as he watched the sensor readings. The small transport vanished into the Republic battleship with no fanfare. He had chased Morey to as smaller hangar just in time to be too late to stop the insane being from escaping on a small transport. Luckily, the man hadn’t been able to take any hostages with him. So Idjit had run to try and shoot the ship down, since internal coms were down, due in no small part to his and Trugoy’s deliberate sabotage to keep the Reps from using the security systems against the crew.

 

But when he had reached the bridge, he had found Cole staggering and punch drunk from the after effects of the sedative. The Bladehome’s guns were offline and cold, so all he could do was watch and hope that the Republic scum would shoot Morey out of the sky. But they hadn’t. He shook his head as he slumped. The sole other being in the compartment looked up at him.

 

"Idjit, is there anything you can do?" Cole Shanas looked tired, sick and sad. His own reaction to the nerve toxin that the Reps had used had not been pleasant. “I mean, if I power up, they will likely fire…” The Republic battlewagon had its guns trained on the Bladehome’s engines and shield generators. Without maneuverability, there was no way to avoid that fire at this close range. And with the ship’s shields down… Cole shook his head as he scanned the status reports.

 

"We will get out of this. I think." Idjit sighed. “We have a couple of ideas. We are working on them.”

 

"Idjit… " Cole bit his lip. “On the security footage… Melan said that they only had an hour… It’s been close to that.”

 

"Yeah." Idjit nodded. “I know. At least Juli is out of danger.”

 

"I am glad." Cole licked his lips, nervous now. Something about Idjit now… “What about Trugoy…?” He broke off as Idjit shook his head. The hard bitten and deadly smuggler sighed and slumped. “Idjit, I am sorry.”

 

"Yeah." Idjit nodded, his face an expressionless mask. “So am I, Cole, so am I.”

 

"To lose him... So... Se casually... And then what Will did..." Cole shook his head. “What about Will?”

 

"I don’t know Cole." Idjit shook his head again. “I just don’t know…”

 

<Medical>

 

It was very quiet in the medical bay of the Imperial cruiser Bladehome. The only sound was the beep of medical monitors as they did what they were programmed to, and soft sad cursing. But then it stopped.

Ona, healer of the Bladeborn, slumped away from the table she had been working so hard at and shook her head in defeat. Bladeborn were stubborn. But she had to acknowledge the truth. Grandmaster Trugoy had been dead before he hit the ground. The blaster bolt had taken him high in the chest and severed his spinal cord. Ona was holding her tears as she covered the ancient lined face with a sheet. The only good news was that likely he hadn’t suffered. She was trembling as she stood up on unsteady legs and walked to the door. The door opened at her touch and a soft, worried voice came to her ears.

 

“Ona…?” Istara’s voice was scared, sad, worried, angry, all of these and more. Ona shook her head, unable to talk. The Bothan felt warm arms encircle her. Istara’s voice was soft. “No one else could have done more for him. You did everything you could.”

 

"I..." Ona’s voice was trembling as was her lower lip now. “Wasn’t enough… I…” The arms hugged her tight and the floodgates opened. “Oh, Istara, I thought it was my death coming… Why wasn’t it me…?”

 

"I don’t know Ona." Istara’s voice was soft, gentle. “I don’t know. But you have other patients that need you. We need you Ona. We need you…” A kiss planted itself on the Bothan’s wet cheek and Ona shook herself.

 

"Thank you Istara. Thank you for being here, for coming to our aid so swiftly." Ona’s voice was quiet. “And... Will?”

 

"No change." Istara shook her head. “He hasn’t woken since he collapsed on the way here. Juli had that bad reaction, you knew about that, she is recovering. But we have a large number of minor injuries, and a few not so minor. Sefla apparently fell off a catwalk and apparently landed on her head. And then Garth…”

 

“That boy…” Ona said with a grimace. Garth had fought so hard in his straps that he had wrenched his leg out of its socket and never noticed it. Not to mention he had rebroken his leg. But none of that really mattered while the entire ships at under a Republic Battleship’s guns. “We have got to get out of here.”

 

"I know." Istara nodded as she hugged the black furred Bothan again. “We have a few ideas. Take a few minutes, get something to drink. I will help as I can.”

 

"Oh?" Ona looked at her human friend. “Are you a healer now?’

 

"Me?" Istara snorted. “Not hardly. I couldn’t do your job. But I have been studying it. It seemed like a good thing to learn. I know all about hurting, now I want to learn how to help.” There was something in her words though, and in her Force sense, something odd.

 

"Shar...?" Ona looked Istara over closely. “Are you okay?”

 

"No." Istara shook her head. “I hated him, you know. He lied to me. But… Part of me loved him as well… I…” the human warrior broke off, her face a mask of sorrow and loss.

 

"Yes." Ona sighed. “I know.”

 

The intercom chimed. Cole’s voice was worried. “Um, Istara… I think we need you in the briefing room. The Reps are getting restive.”

 

Istara nodded slowly. “I will be right there.” The com chirped off and she hugged Ona again. “Are you going to be okay?”

 

"Ah... I dunno." Ona shrugged. ”Ask me again in a couple of days. Right now, I just need to get to work.”

 

"Ona..." Istara patted her on the shoulder. “Remember to rest and drink.”

 

"Snippy." Ona snarled at her halfheartedly. “Yes, mother…Now get…” She made a shooing gesture as she walked toward the small chiller where she stored juice for just such times. But when she looked up, Istara was gone and tears were falling again as Ona stared at the silent door with the dark room behind it. She didn’t have to imagine the sheet covered table or the body beneath it. She knew she would see it in her dreams. She drank an entire container of fruit juice before shaking herself strongly and moving towards the main areas of medical and her calling.

[kalenath]

Istara came into the command level briefing room to find Cole speaking to a man in the uniform of a Republic captain.

 

The captain was speaking “…look I don’t care who you say you are. Put Major Khan on the line and do it snappy.”

 

Cole looked at Istara and she shook her head before entering the pickups range. “I am afraid Major Khan is unavailable, Captain.” She left the phrase hanging. She wore Jedi robes over her armor so it was doubtful he would recognize her.

 

“Who are you?” The captain asked carefully.

 

Istara looked at him, and then discarded subterfuge. “My name is Istara Sharlina Andal.”

 

He looked at her blankly. “Where is Master Melan?”

 

Istara nodded. “He is unavailable sir, he asked me to speak with you.”

 

The captain blinked. “I don’t remember you. A new transfer?”

 

Istara nodded, her heart racing. Subterfuge was really not her thing. “Yes, sir. Very new.” Cole made a face from outside the pickup’s area of view, but Istara focused. It was technically the truth, she had transferred to the Bladehome shortly after the attack had kicked off. Admittedly, she had transferred with Will, Jina and several Sitolon, to attempt to head off the attack, but she had transferred.

 

The captain sighed. “Look, Jedi Andal, we have only limited time before a regular Imperial patrol gets here so we have to finish this up fast. Tell him to get his rear in gear and…” The captain broke off and half turned away from the pickup. “What do you mean a transport just launched without clearance? Get them back. Wait… What? Oh my god…” The transmission suddenly vanished after that curt shout of dismay.

 

"Um..." Istara turned to Cole who was staring at his instruments in shock. “Istara…” he keyed the screen live again and Istara froze at the sight that greeted her.

 

The Republic battleship Invictus, a proud and storied vessel of the Republic navy was in trouble. Small explosions were tracing the length of the ship. Istara watched, open mouthed as the mighty ship of the line shuddered in space and then blew up.

 

"Oh flarg!" Istara shouted. “Cole!”

 

"Right!" Cole was out the door at a dead run. “Way ahead of you!”

 

Istara followed, her mind whirling. What had just happened? Why had it happened? She had no idea. What she DID know was that a Republic ship had just been destroyed, while in close proximity to an Imperial ship with a fairly grisly reputation. She darted onto the small bridge and found a jump seat where she sat watching Cole power the ship up. Normal start procedures for an Imperial cruiser’s engines took forty five minutes. Cole did it in twenty two. Cole looked at Istara.

 

“Where do we go?” He asked softly, scared.

 

"Anywhere but here." Istara sighed. “The Unknown Regions.” Cole looked at her for a moment and then nodded.

 

“Flarg me…” Cole said quietly a few minutes later. Istara could only agree as an entire Sith battle group dropped out of hyperspace. “They are hailing us, asking for Trugoy… what do I say…?”

 

“What can we say?” Istara shook her head slowly. “Get us out of here.”

 

“Okay…” Cole said quietly. “We are… gone…” the stars turned to lines and d then into the blue tunnel of hyperspace. The smuggler’s face was ashen as he turned to Istara. “What the hell just happened?”

 

"We just committed treason against the Empire. We just broke the treaty." Istara shook her head slowly. “This was all a set up. They knew the Bladeborn would take the ship back. They knew… Maybe the Reps wanted prisoners, maybe they didn’t. But this was all planned. And not by those Rep idiots…” She slumped. “We are in so much trouble…”

 

<Back at the site of the Invictus’ destruction>

 

The small transport hung inert in space while Imperial vessels scoured the area looking for clues to what had happened. A black garbed form smiled as he watched through the viewport. “Nice, very, very nice. The Empire will now go after the Bladeborn for violating the treaty. Trugoy is no more, and we have field tested Will. He is everything we expected him to be.”

 

"This was not a victory. We missed our chance." A man in the shadows shook his head. “Do not gloat Ravishaw. They know we exist now. If not who we are, then they do know that we exist.”

 

"So what?" Ravishaw snorted. “Bring them on. Without that little brown pile of poodoo, they will be directionless, lost, and easy pickings for recruitment. Or… reprogramming.” A scream sounded form the rear of the ship and Ravishaw smiled. “I see the good doctor is entertaining the commander. What now, senator?”

 

"Let her check you out." Ravishaw stiffened, but then nodded slowly, manifestly against his will. The shadowed form shook his head again. “See if she can undo what the Bladeborn did to you. If not, I have allies in the Order who may be able to.” Ravishaw smiled and left without another word. “What do you think?” He asked quietly.

 

"Hard to say." A smaller shadow sighed. “Perhaps we can undo what they did to Ravishaw, perhaps not. He is a dangerous tool at the best of times however, senator.” The form eased part of itself out of the shadow and green skin was visible as well as large ears. "And now... we are in the open..."

 

"I know." The senator sighed. “I know…”

[kalenath]

Istara sat at the desk in what had been her quarters on the Bladehome and tried not to sigh. Eight hours they would be in hyperspace. Cole had picked an out of the way system to jump to, one that had been surveyed, but not colonized yet. She shook her head; she really hoped no awful surprises waited for them in the Bakura system. Eight hours to that desolate system. Eight hours in which time all kinds of other things could go wrong. She shook her head slowly, and she felt wetness falling. Damn it, she would not cry again! Not over him. Not over the small brown pile of garbage that had betrayed her so thoroughly. Shattering her own preconceptions, Istara could have dealt with. But Trugoy hurt Setsuna, one of the few shining lights in Istara’s dark life. That she couldn’t forgive or forget. A chime came at her door and she slumped. Why did everyone look to HER to lead now? Why not Idjit or Mama or…?

 

“Istara…?” The voice was quiet.

 

Istara smiled, but her heart wasn’t in it. “Hello, Nana.”

 

The large bronze skinned bug that she called Nana came in and sat near the door. Istara could pronounce the bug’s real name, but most could not, and it had taken Istara some time to get all the syllables straight. Her agitation was easy to sense. “Are you all right? No… No that is a silly question. Of course you are not all right.” The large bug opened all four of her arms. “Come here, sister…”

 

Istara shook her head slowly, but refusing Nana was a pointless gesture. The bug had the patience and give of a rock. Istara rose slowly and walked to where Nana waited. Then she knelt beside her friend, and entered the embrace. Then in the dubious privacy of her quarters, she sobbed. “Oh Nana… What am I to do…?”

 

For once the large insect didn’t have a humorous or snappy comeback. “Istara… You know what you have to do.”

 

Istara blinked, but then she stiffened. “Nana… I can’t… No… I have duties of my own. I have to help Setsuna…”

 

"I cannot advise you on this Istara." Nana sighed, an incredibly human sound coming from a six foot tall arthropod. “You have to do what you believe is right.”

 

"They will need help." Istara slumped. “They will need guidance. I am not… I am certainly not wise enough to lead them.”

 

"Istara..." Nana snorted. “Trugoy wasn’t wise. He was old, and sneaky. He wasn’t wise. If he had been wise, he would have had some kind of plan in place for just such an eventuality.”

 

Istara stared at the bug, shocked out of her fear and sadness. “Wait a minute…” Suddenly her face lit up. “I bet he did.”

 

<Twenty minutes later>

 

Istara stood in the main assembly hall of the Bladehome, staring at the dais and chair that Trugoy used when he was teaching. Mama Lizard’s voice came to her.

 

“Issstara…?” The Barabel asked gently.

 

Istara smiled at her adopted mother. “How is Selfa?” The Barabel came up and gave her a hug.

 

"That girl has the common sense of a lobotomized gizka..." Mama Lizard sighed. “Ssshe haz ssstrez fracturesss of the third and fourth cervical vertebrae. Ona and your friend Nana both zay that she will recover, in time, but ssshe will be immobile for at least two weekz.”

 

"Oh." Istara sighed. “That will drive her crazy.”

 

"Probably." Mama made a burbling noise. “Garth isss likely to drive them all crazy long before that.”

 

"Right." Istara laughed just a little. But then she sobered. “Have you told them about Trugoy?”

 

"I have." Mama nodded, her face sad now. “You know, I hated that little brown pile of filth for mozt of my life. And now that he isss gone, I…” The lizard woman broke off, her face working. “I do not know how I feel. Except lozt.”

 

"I know." Istara hugged her foster mother tight. “I understand, I feel the same way. But I asked you here for a reason. Trugoy always had plans within plans. Is it possible that he anticipated his… his…?” She broke off unable to speak.

 

"You...?" Mama looked at her daughter in every way except species wise. When she spoke her voice was careful. “You think he planned for hisss own demize? Issstara…”

 

"Wait..." Istara shook her head. “Mama, listen. He knew there was another enemy, besides the thing that calls itself Bob. He knew that enemy was moving against us, or he wouldn’t have called for help the way he did. We both know his love for contingency planning. What are the odds that he didn’t have some kind of backup plan in place?”

 

"When you put it that way..." Mama thought about that for a moment. “Zlim to none.” The Barabel agreed sourly. “He did love hisss plotting.”

 

"So..." Istara nodded and stepped away from Mama Lizard’s warm arms reluctantly. “If he wanted to put something somewhere where it would be found easily…”

 

"Right." Mama shook her head slowly. “He would need to make zure it would be found. He could not hide it. Jussst make it hard to find.”

 

"Or..." Istara mused, nodding. “Or easy to find and hard to access.” She looked at the chair and shook her head. “I keep expecting him to appear, to hit me over the head with his lightsaber pommel and say I have been stupid. But he is not, is he?”

 

"No." The Barabel shook her huge head. “No he iz not. Issstara. I must azk you something hard. Sssomething that will be incredibly difficult for you to do.”

 

"Me?" Istara smiled sadly. “After today? You know you have but to ask.”

 

"Good." The Barabel nodded and to Istara’s amazement went to her knees gracefully before the stunned human woman. “Will you take my oath?”

 

"No..." Istara’s eyes went wide. “Mama… No… I am not a leader… I have never been a leader. Every time I have tried… bad things have happened. Please… Don’t ask this of me…”

 

"Iztara." The Barabel bent her head. “You are the only one we all trussst, Iztara. You know usss, you know who we are, what we are. And now, our loyalty will be our doom. I cannot zimply ssstand by and watch while the Empire zlaughters my children for sssomething that is not their fault. But I cannot lead. I am zworn not to. An oath of blood and sssteel.”

 

"I..." Istara was shaking her head slowly. “Mama… I… No. Idjit can…” She broke off as another voice spoke.

 

“No I can’t.” Idjit’s voice was quiet and Istara’s eyes went wide as she looked beyond Mama to where he stood. A number of the Bladeborn stood behind him. And as she looked at them, they all knelt. Even Idjit knelt and bowed his head. Istara stiffened. That was utterly without precedent. Masterblades knelt only to the Emperor and the… the grandmaster…

 

“No…” Istara breathed “You… You cannot ask me to do this. Setsuna, I have to help Setsuna…”

 

"We need you." Idjit raised his head slowly. “I have spoken with all of the other masterblades, and we agree. None of us have the clarity of mind needed to lead. I have too much rage, Chari likewise. Leeto is too detached, too focused on his missions. Reekia… She doesn’t know if she can get away.”

 

"I..." Istara shook her head, horrified. “Idjit, I have other duties, other obligations.”

 

The Barabel known as Mama Lizard spoke evenly. “Issstara. We need guidance. We cannot guide ourzelvesss. We are too… too focuzed on what we do. You do not need to anssswer now, Iztara, but anssswer you muzt.”

 

Istara shook her head slowly. Then she focused her mind. Nana? What do I do? I am no leader. She asked her friend plaintively.

 

The voice of the insect came from near the door. “You know more than I what is needed here, sister. We will support you, no matter your choice.” Nana’s huge bulk entered the room gracefully, followed by a crowd of armored forms, all of whom bowed to Istara and knelt.

 

"No..." Istara shook her head. “I am no leader…” She said almost inaudibly.

 

"Yes, you are, Issstara." Mama Lizard spoke quietly. “Where you lead, we will follow.”

 

Nana came up beside where Istara was standing, open mouthed in shock and touched her on the arm. “You know what is needed Istara. You know what you have to do.”

 

"No..." Istara shook her head. “I… I am unworthy…”

 

A weak voice answered her as Will staggered into the room, supported by Ona and Jon. “Who is worthy, Istara? But you have my support as well.”Ona and Jon bowed to Istara and knelt, Will remained standing. Fitting, he knelt to no being. Except maybe his wife.

 

Istara bowed her head for a long time. A minute stretched into two, then three. Then she sighed deeply and strode to the dais. She looked at the chair for a moment and then, without a word, sat. Her face was sad as she looked over all the assembled Bladeborn.

 

"The grandmaster is dead" Mama Lizard spoke in formal tones. “Long live the grandmaster.”

 

All of the Bladeborn clasped a hand to their armored breasts in salute at that. Istara shook her head. “We have a lot to do and not a lot of time. I accept this appointment until I am slain or we find someone better.”

 

“Fat chance of that.” Came a voice from the rear ranks and a sad chuckle swept around the room that ahd filled while she was in thought. Istara stared at the serried ranks of armored warriors, and sighed.

 

When the silver armored woman spoke, it was quiet. “Duty is heavier than a mountain, death is lighter than a feather…” Istara Sharlina Andal shook her head and sighed. "We are no strangers to duty, but now... Our duty is to survive, and to protect our family and friends." She nodded to Will and Jina who both nodded back. "We have been attacked and sorely hurt. But in the end, nothing has changed." She looked at each and every assembled Bladeborn and spoek softly. <Loyalty. Duty. Honor. Respect. Vigilance. Prowess. Humility. Courtesy. Valor. Service. Sacrifice. This is our way. We are Bladeborn.> A soft chorus of <We are Bladeborn> answered her, but then something else did. Istara stiffened as another voice was heard. Trugoy's

 

"If you are hearing this, my kin, then I am dead." The voice of the slain grandmaster was sad. "I am sorry to leave you. I know that not all of us have seen eye to eye, but dark and dangerous times are coming, for all of us. You must be strong, you must be brave, and above all else, you must be loyal to the Code and to each other. And to you, Istara Sharlina Andal, my chosen successor..." Istara was shaking her head in shock, but could not speak as the recorded voice continued. "I am sorry. For everything I did, for everything I didn't do. I am so sorry Istara. I thought I was doing the right thing, when all I was doing was hurrying to the wrong things. I wanted to make it right, and I couldn't. I am sorry." Istara felt her eyes start to burn, but she kept her gaze calm as the recording continued. "You are my chosen successor, Istara Sharlina Andal, warrior of the True Bladeborn. You will do the Order proud. I know it, daughter." Istara felt her control crack at that, but held herself tighter. "Of all the horrible things I have done in my life, what I did to you hurts me the most. You trusted me, believed in me, held me up as an example to live up to. And I hurt you and your sister. I do not ask forgiveness. I am not worthy of it. But the Bladeborn need you. Now more than ever. Your voiceprint will access all of my records now. I leave everything in your capable hands. Be true to the Code, Istara... Daughter... I... I love you."

 

The recording clicked off and Istara just sat for a moment, stunned. Then she bowed her head and spoke.

 

"We will endure. We will persevere as we always have. And... We will make our enemies rue the day they cost us so dearly."

 

A feral growl answered her cold words from each and every Bladeborn throat

Edited July 10, 2012 by kalenath

[kalenath]

Istara would have rather faced multiple Sith Lords at once than the meeting she was having right now. They were brave and well controlled; she had to give them that. But the oldest of the group that faced her was thirteen, and all had suffered greatly. All of the kids eyed her warily as she sat in front of them on the floor. Mama Lizard and a large red being she didn’t know stood out of the way as she met with the ten initiates.

 

"Hello." Her voice was quiet as she waved for them to sit. “My name is Istara Sharlina Andal. You may call me Istara or Sharlina. What are yours?”

 

The children looked at her and then at each other. Several of them were sporting injuries; one of them in particular had his left leg completely immobilized. Mama Lizard stepped up to help him sit as the others did. Then the Barabel retreated back to her spot by the door without speaking. The children looked at her and then at the large red skinned being but both of the waved for the children to focus on Istara in silence. For a moment, they simply stared at Istara, and then one spoke.

 

"Ah..." A little girl, she couldn’t have been more than eight spoke first. Her blond hair was tied back in a warrior’s braid and she sported bruises on her face, but her voice was clear. “My name is Zana, Istara…” the girl broke off flushing, but smiled when Istara smiled at her.

 

"Well met, Zana." Istara’s voice was kind. “I have met several of you, but this is formal.” The woman sighed. “I cannot replace Trugoy, no one can. He was an incredible teacher, a friend and a father figure all rolled into one. He was not perfect, on boy was he imperfect, but…” She shook her head. “He would want the clan to continue, to be safe. He would want you all to be safe. Which is why I am here.”

 

"Will...?" One of the boys, a dark haired one who looked to be about ten, looked at her with fear in his eyes. But it didn’t show in his voice. “Will you send us away?”

 

"Oh..." Istara bit her lip before shaking her head. “No.” The children relaxed, but then Istara continued. “I want to. This ship will not be safe. We are in a great deal of trouble now. Having you aboard makes our troubles greater. But…” She smiled to take the sting from her words. “You are the future of this clan, of this family. Everyone aboard will do their darndest to protect you. For my sins I have been appointed as leader to take Trugoy’s place. Not that I can. But I will do the best I can. So again, I am Istara Sharlina Adnal, and you may call me Istara, or Sharlina. May I know your names?” She asked formally.

 

The girl who had spoken first bowed and spoke evenly now. “Grandmaster Istara, I am Zana.”

 

"Well met Zana." Istara smiled. “I am Grandmaster Istara and I am pleased to meet you.”

 

The boy who had spoken swallowed audibly and then nodded. “Grandmaster Istara, I am Lorn.”

 

"Well met, Lorn." Istara smiled again. “I am Grandmaster Istara and I am pleased to meet you.”

 

Eight more times she did this small ritual. Hos, Garth, Zih Lo, Frelia, Trili, Davic, Mont and Re’mii. In all, six humans, a Bothan, a Sullustan, a Devonarian and a Twi’lek. She kept her features schooled in a gentle smile as each introduced themselves and she replied formally. This was more for the children’s sake than hers. She knew their names of course. But they, like all the Bladeborn, had suffered a massive emotional shock. They needed reassurance and care. Especially after what Mama had told her, none of these kids were as much of a mess as she had been, thank Ashla, but none were whole, and none would be for some time.

 

"Okay, now we know each other, formally a s well as informally." Once they were done, she nodded. “Well met all. Normal classes have been altered a bit by this tragedy. We will resume your classes as soon as we can. I will take over some of the lessons you had with Trugoy. I will also find other teachers when as as I can. But you are expected to step up, to do what is needed to help our kin in these perilpous times.” She raised a warning hand. “You will find me a hard teacher. You know you have the right of complaint at any time, correct?” The children nodded dubiously and Istara smiled. “We will not punish you for complaining. Everyone complains. Even I have been known to on occasion.”

 

A snort came from Mama Lizard. “I will sssay.” She said in a quiet tone that somehow found its way all throughout the room.

 

"Right." Istara waved a hand at her adopted mother. “If any of you have problems, Mama is always available to you. I may not be. I wish I could be, but there are many things I must deal with.”

 

The children looked at her and Garth nodded slowly. “Your sister.”

 

"Yes." Istara nodded slowly. “Ny blood sister needs help. I… I made errors in dealing with her, and now she is in great danger because of them. Trugoy also made errors.”

 

"Indeed." Another voice spoke up, a harsh voice. The Massassi warrior who lounged near the back wall spoke softly, but his voice held contempt. “Trugoy screwed up.” More than one of the children gasped at that, but Istara just nodded.

 

“That he did.” Her voice was sad. She rose from her seat, but waved the children to remain seated as she moved into their semi circle. Then she led out her arms. “I cannot replace Trugoy. But I can stand in for him.” More than one of the children had tears on their faces as they looked at her. “Come here…” Istara said quietly, her own voice husky. The children crowded close, two of them helping Garth to his feet. They all embraced and Istara smiled. “We are not going to make you leave; we are going to teach you our ways. It is a hard path and a hard life that we are set on. Any time you have questions, ask me, ask Mama, ask Kra’tuc. That is why we are here. But for today, classes are suspended. However…” She smiled thinly. “…You still have chores.” The children groaned but then nodded as she gave them all a squeeze. “Be well, my children. For you are mine now. And anyone who attempts to harm you will feel the wrath of all of us.” Far from cowed, all of the children nodded to her seemingly reassured.

 

The boy named Garth hugged her tight. “Thank you, Grandmaster Istara.”

 

A few minutes later, Mama chivvied the last of her charges from the room, leaving Istara to look at the Massassi who looked at her. Neither spoke for a long time. Finally Kra’tuc spoke.

 

“Trugoy chose well.” The Massassi said slowly.

 

"Did he?" Istara shook her head. “I don’t know. I have never been a leader. The one time I tried, all of my people died. I…” She broke off, ashamed. But then she stiffened as the proud and warlike being with the face tentacles bowed to her.

 

"Th epast is teh past. Run from it or learn fro it." Kra’Tuc’s voice was kind now. “You will do fine, Istara Sharlina Andal. You will make a good grandmaster. You have my support.”

 

"Thank you." Istara bowed. But then her eyes went hard. “Now… I need to deal with our guests…”

 

"Istara..." Kra’Tuc looked at her and shook his head. “Be wary. Your emotions are strong now. Do not act precipitously or you may undo all the good you have done this day. It might be wiser to let someone else handle it. Just not WIll.”

 

"No... Not Will." Istara stared at him and then sighed. When she spoke it was quiet. “Continue to correct me, in public or not. My ego is not easy to break. But if I do make such a mistake… I must do better. I must… I must be better. For them.” She waved a hand to indicate the whole ship.

 

"I will, but..." Kra’Tuc smiled. “What you just said tells me you are and will be a good leader Istara Sharlina Andal, one I am proud to follow.” He bowed formally to her and left the room, leaving her to stare after him. Then she sighed, she had a lot of work to do. And a lot of paperwork as well.

[kalenath]

Jedi Council member Thokal Melan was extremely uncomfortable. He wasn’t in pain, per say. The fact that he was strapped tightly onto a Sith interrogation table was not the cause of his discomfiture. The fact that he was denied the Force due to an aggravating device wrapped around his head was not the cause of his discomfort. The fact that his robes had been confiscated and his captors had not provided any other attire for him was not the cause of his discomfort. No, the cause of his discomfort was the brown haired woman who sat nearby, her brown eyes on him. Jina Darkstorm had not changed out of her silver armor since the fight in the landing bay and it was still smeared with blood and gore. But the look on her face, was it pity?

 

"Ah..." The Jedi Master finally sighed. “What do you want to know, Jina?”

 

"Melan." Jina looked at him for a long moment and then nodded slowly. “Is what Will said true?”

 

"I..." The old Bothan’s grey striped black fur rose for a moment and then fell. Melan closed his eyes and sighed. “Yes.”

 

"What?" Jina stared at the being she had known for so long and shook her head slowly. “And you call him insane? Is the entire Council collectively out of their minds? First me, and then Istara, then Diseree and now Will.”

 

"No." Melan shook what little of his head would move. “The Council… The Council doesn’t know. And it wasn’t them who were going to do it to you. It was me and… one other.”

 

"What?" Jina stared at the Jedi Master, her face a mask of shock. “That is not possible. You called Istara before the Council. You had the whole thing planned out, didn’t you? Strip her of the Force, maybe put those machines in her and then what? Watch while the galaxy was consumed?”

 

"I..." The Bothan sighed. “We never expected her to come to Tython. It was forbidden for any of the Bladeborn to go to Tython. For several reasons. She forced our hands, all unknowingly. She was so sad, so alone, so… terrified of what was going to happen. But at the same time, so pure… Like you. Like Will. Like Mira.”

 

"Mira..." Jina stared at the being in the restraints for a moment. When she spoke it was hushed. “You knew all along about the Seven, didn’t you?”

 

The Bothan Jedi Master shut his eyes and spoke just as quietly. “Yes. But it was not our intention to harm anyone. Our mandate was to stop the Seven, not hurt them, certainly not do what they did to them. To you… I had no idea. No idea at all.”

 

"Why?" The brown haired former Jedi shook her head, dumbfounded. “Why Master Melan? You are a Jedi, a guardian of the Republic. Why do this? Why torture a teenager? Will had done nothing to you. Why lie to me? If you had given me reason, I might have accepted it. You didn’t. I can hardly image Satele going for this.” She shook her head horrified. The young grand master of the Jedi order was someone she looked up to, greatly. If she was involved…

 

"She..." Melan closed his eyes. “Satele doesn’t know.”

 

"Huh?" Jina’s eyes went wide. “What did you say?”

 

"i..." Melan‘s face was sad now. “The grandmaster and most of the council do not know what we are doing. They would be just as horrified as you are. As I am. I can’t… I can’t overcome the programming Jina. I can’t. I have tried for so long. I…” He broke off, grimacing. “Jina, listen, I don’t have lot of time. Most of the Order knows nothing of this. We convinced Master Ashla Ti to follow our lead. It was difficult. It is not her fault. She does not see things pertaining to herself clearly.”

 

"No..." Jina’s voice was soft, disbelieving. “Seers generally don't, normally.”

 

"Yes." Melan was breathing hard now. “Indeed. We have lied to our peers, we have lied to our students. We have led them all astray. I led mine to their deaths. I…” His voice was harsh with self recrimination now.

 

"Min lives, Will missed his target." Jina’s voice was quiet. “Or he wasn’t aiming to kill, I am not sure which. I don’t think he knows.”

 

"That... That is good." Melan’s voice was shaky now. “She didn’t know, Jina. She is just a Padawan, don’t… Don’t judge her by my actions.” His face held entreaty now.

 

"Melan." Jina bit her lip but then shook her head. “Is she infected with those machines?”

 

"No." Melan likely would have shaken his head, but the restraints wouldn’t allow it. “Most of the Jedi who followed us were just following orders. Orders from two council members.”

 

Jina stared at the Bothan. “Two…?” Her voice was now very quiet, stunned. Then her face took on a hard aspect. “Who?” She asked quietly.

 

"Jina..." The restrained Bothan let out a deep breath. “You know who, Jina.”

 

"What?" Jina stared at him, her face a mask of shock. “No… No it can’t be.”

 

"Search..." Melan was breathing shallowly now as if in pain. “Search your feelings Jina, you know the truth, if… if you seek it.”

 

"Melan?" Jina stared at the Jedi Master, something in his voice... “What is happening to you?”

 

"I am dying." Melan grimaced. “The machines, the master…calls then nanites… If I am out of contact for a period of time, they… they start taking me apart. From the…the inside out. It’s to prevent people gaining information.”

 

"No..." Jina stared at the supine form, shaking her head. “Melan…”

 

Thokal Melan shook his head. “You can’t help me Jina. No one can. I am sorry. It seemed so clear, so simple. And then it all went bad. Will was right, I was always around when he and others of the Seven were. I was trying not to do as they told me. But once those things go in, you… You don’t have free will any more. They put them in me, Jina.” Jina stood up quickly from her seat and moved toward the table. Now Melan’s voice was urgent. “Jina! Stop!”

 

"Melan." The former Jedi in silver armor shook her head. “I can help you.”

 

"No." The elderly Bothan shook his head. “No you can’t. They… They armored the things against Will’s ability. And they feed… On power. If you hit them with an ion pulse they feed and reproduce themselves. Jina, listen. They allowed me some small freedom on occasion. I did what I could. In my robes, you will find a code locked datapad. The code is ‘Ragnarok’. Jina get out of here, please… I don’t want you to see this.”

 

"Melan..." Jina shook her head. “I counted you a friend once. I have got to save you.”

 

"You..." Melan’s voice was quiet now. “You already have, Jina. You already have.” He smiled a little then. “You were such a fine student. You will be fine, Jina.” His voice was low now, almost inaudible. “Stop him, Jina. Stop Vandar.”

 

Jina watched, her eyes full of tears as the form on the table breathed its last. Then she stared. His body was dissolving. Her hand shot to her mouth as her stomach churned. His body was literally vanishing, but not as a Jedi who was becoming one with the Force, no it was falling to pieces as something ate it from the inside out. Then it vanished as if it had never been. Jina blinked and then smiled. He had done it; he had escaped those who had enslaved him. He had become one with the Force.

 

Jina shook her head and left the room quickly. Behind her, she heard the airlock hiss and then the telltale sounds of air leaving a compartment. They couldn’t be too careful with those nasty machines. But by all accounts, the machines needed constant power to survive and a few minutes of trying to live in absolute zero of hyperspace should give them a very cold fate. Of course if any managed to attach to the hull, bad things would result, but they had to do something.

 

<A few minutes later>

 

Jina sat and nursed a hot cup of caf as she listened to Istara and Will give status reports. It was just the three of them in the small office, but it felt cramped. Which made sense, considering that it was probably one of Trugoy’s and the being had not needed a lot of space.

 

Istara was speaking. “…and as far as we can tell, the ship is clean. But we are planning an evacuation anyway. The question is where? And to what? I mean we cannot trust the Empire, the Republic likely wants our heads on force pikes, and the Jedi…” Istara sighed.

 

"Yeah, my fault." The hard bitten former Republic soldier grimaced. “Ow!” He recoiled as Jina slapped him hard on an unarmored spot.

 

"It wasn't you. They were trying to control you." The brown haired woman shook her head. “Stop that Will. Yes, we played into their hands, but we have larger problems. You saw the recording.”

 

"Yeah." Will grimaced as he massaged his arm. “But... I… I can’t believe it. Maybe I just don’t want to. You really think he was telling the truth?” The dubious tone had Jina sighing.

 

"Melan?" The former Jedi shook her head. “I don’t know. I mean, I have known Vandar for as long as you have. The thought of this all being some kind of long laid plot, kept secret from the Jedi and the Sith… I can barely process that idea.”

 

"Well..." Istara sighed as she looked up from her terminal. “Imperial records say he died on Katarr, we never figured out how he survived.”

 

"Yes..." Jina pursed her lips. “It wasn’t something we were proud of. He stole a ship. And left the owners to die to the planet with all the others.”

 

"Oh." Istara blinked. “And no one saw a problem with him before this? I mean… that is fairly evil.”

 

"Yeah, a bit.. But..." Jina shook her head. “The story he told made sense, from his point of view. The order needed to be warned, but then the ship had engine trouble and he entered a stasis pod….” She broke off as Will grimaced.

 

The soldier’s voice was thoughtful. “…and came out forty years ago, to the delight of the Jedi Order. And the Republic.” Will shook his head. “Are we sure it’s him and not a clone or something?”

 

"100%? No." Jina shrugged. “I don’t know. None of the healers found anything odd about him, and believe me, they looked. He asked to meditate for a time and then to teach, I don’t know if he can fight.”

 

"Fight?" Will snorted. “Oh he can.” His thoughts were on a certain trip to a planet called Tralus he had undertaken over twenty years before. “Do you think Garrel knew?”

 

"No. My old Master did not." Jina shook her head as she held up a datapad. “According to this, they didn’t want to attract attention, so they only … um… subverted a few of the Order. And a few of the Sith.”

 

"Sith..." The red headed Bladeborn went still. “Amirg?”

 

"The on who programmed you?" Jina sighed. “I don’t know. It is possible. I mean, come on… How stupid could a guy be to think that getting a daughter to kill her own mother is the solution?”

 

"Hey." Istara snorted sourly. “If it is stupid and it works, it isn’t stupid. Luckily this one didn’t work.”

 

“Don’t quote Murphy’s law of combat at me…” Will shook his head. “Istara, it wasn’t your fault. And Amirg paid for his crimes by all accounts. Wait a minute… Didn’t you say the Bladeborn took his records?”

 

"Welll..." Istara stared at Will for a moment and then blinked slowly. “They must have. He was killed with a sword. But… Hmmm…” She turned back to the console and started tapping keys. “This might take a while.”

 

"We have soem time, if not an infinite amount." Jina sighed. “Ona and Jon have scanned the other prisoners. No sign of the ‘nanites’ as Melan called them. What are your intentions, Istara?” She asked carefully.

 

Istara didn’t turn, but her voice was quiet. “What can I do, Jina? I will have them put off somewhere habitable.” Jina relaxed a bit and Istara turned back to face her with a sour look on her face. “No, I wouldn’t just space them. It might be easier, but I find I like being a good person, as hard as it is sometimes.”

 

Will shook his head. “Istara… I…” He slumped, unable to speak.

 

"Hey..." The red headed Bladeborn sighed. “Will, come here…” She drew the unresisting form into an embrace. “It is not your fault. You saw the transmissions they beamed at the ship. They knew you were here. They were trying to control you. They didn’t. You didn’t kill Min, or the medics.”

 

"No?" Will’s voice was soft, scared now. “Not for lack of trying. Istara, don’t let me hurt you. Or your family.”

 

"Oh Will..." Istara looked at Jina over his shoulder and both women shared a nod. “We won’t.”

[kalenath]

It was very quiet in the small clearing that the Bladeborn had assembled in. All of the Bladeborn were present. Even Selfa the woman with severe neck injuries had been carried carefully immobilized on a stretcher, and Garth, who had been helped down the ramp of the transport he had been flown on. Ona and Jon stood beside both of them, ready to assist if needed, but they had to be here. All of the Bladeborn were present, and no one else. Will, Jina, Cole and Juli had remained aboard the ship to do what repairs they could, the ship was still trashed, both from the Republic’s attack and Idjit, Kra’Tuc and Trugoy’s rather desperate efforts to keep its secrets out of Republic hands. And to keep an eye on the prisoners. Five medics, twelve soldiers and a Jedi padawan, many of them wounded in some way. That was all that was left of the nearly seventy troops who had hit the ship. Istara wasn’t sure if she counted them lucky or unlucky to have survived. But now she had to face another challenge as grandmaster. Grandmistress? She wasn’t sure which was right. For so long, so incredibly long, only one being had been grandmaster. And now, he was gone…

 

Funerals were different for different groups. Some beings buried their dead, some left them to sit out in the sun until they decomposed. Others actually ate their fallen. The Bladeborn however, had rituals for almost everything, and this ritual was ancient, timeless. The whole group, barring Garth and Selfa who were too injured, had spent the time since landing gathering wood. This wood, in many different sizes and shapes, had been carefully arranged in a pile. No, not a pile, a pyre. The pyre stood at head height on Istara, and Istara watched with her eyes burning as Mama Lizard placed the small, sad, shrouded from on top of the pyre, and stepped back. The Bladeborn did things the old way.

 

Istara stood in front of the group and nodded slowly as she looked around. Istara was still not sure of this at all, she was no leader, and she knew it. But these people needed her. They needed her badly. The new grandmaster’s voice was quiet, but carried easily.

 

“This situation has never happened before. But once again, Trugoy planned for everything. He wanted us to treat him as any of our kin would be treated. So we shall.” Funerals were not always possible, especially for the Bladeborn. Often the bodies of the fallen were not recoverable, or destroyed completely. But when they were possible, Trugoy had always insisted on having them. He had always said that having closure was important and Istara knew he was correct.

 

The red haired woman turned to the pile of wood and the small still form wrapped in a white sheet that lay atop it. She spoke slowly, and carefully, in an ancient tongue that few in the modern galaxy remembered. <Loyalty. Duty. Honor. Respect. Vigilance. Prowess. Humility. Courtesy. Valor. Service. Sacrifice. This is our way. We are Bladeborn.>

 

All around her, voices murmured. <We are Bladeborn.>

 

When Istara spoke again, it was in Basic. “We know about losing kin. Over the years, we have lost many. The life we lead is not an easy or safe one. We will continue, we must. But for today, here, now, we grieve.” She bowed her head and tears were falling as she let her control fall away.

 

When newly minted Grandmaster spoke again, her voice was husky. “I first met Trugoy on Korriban. I had done something terrible. I had lashed out at my mother. She had not been to blame, I had been programmed to kill her. Every attempt she made to calm me, to help me, only made me angrier. But I did not understand. I thought it was my fault, my failing. Trugoy found me crying an alley, he came up to me and asked ‘Why so sad, child?’” Istara smiled in exasperated memory. “I told him to 'flarg off'.” A sad chuckle went around the group. “But he wouldn’t take ‘No’ for an answer. He took me in, gave me purpose. He chided, cajoled and kicked me into being better that I was. I did not understand at that point why. Not until recently did I understand completely. But now I know he was trying to help me and my mother. For his own ends, yes, but he helped us. I… I loved him. Even when he betrayed me, I loved him.” Istara shook her head, overcome with her grief and stepped back from the pyre.

 

For a long moment, no one moved, but then everyone made way as a black furred Bothan stepped forward. Ona’s equine face was a sodden mass. She had not stopped crying the entire time they had been building the pyre. But now, her voice was clear and strong as she spoke. “I loved Trugoy. And I hated him. When my birth family abandoned me for being strange, he found me…” A gasp went around the group. Few had heard this. Istara moved to stand beside her friend and held the Bothan while she sobbed anew. Ona spoke again. ”He took me in, gave me purpose. When I lost my legs, he refused to let me die. He sat with me, holding my hand, telling me incredible stories of perseverance, until I had to break out of the funk I was in. He forced me to get better. He made me exercise. He taught me the ways of the light side as opposed to the dark. Perhaps it was to keep him from going completely dark himself, but I for one believe that he was simply trying to help me the only way he could. He taught me healing. He started me on this road. He was more my father than my birth father ever was.” The Bothan slumped and Istara hugged her, both females crying. “I will miss him.” The Bothan said in closing and stepped back to her place.

 

Others stepped forward to speak of Trugoy, some praising, some chiding, but all sad. Even Selfa was carried forward to speak. The human woman’s face was grim. “Part of me is glad he is not here. He would be very angry with me for being so clumsy. I dread what his punishment might have been.” A small laugh went around the group at that. Selfa slumped and then she waved to her bearers and they carried her back to her place.

 

Finally only three had not spoken. Nana stood on the outskirts, not part of the proceedings, but not excluded either. Mama Lizard and Idjit looked to each other and then Mama Lizard sighed. When she spoke it was quiet. She was not crying and her voice was hard.

 

“Trugoy waz an evil bassstard. He uzed usss all for his purpozesss. He abuzed usss, in the name of hiz politicsss. He hurt many of the beingz I call my children. He was a mighty opponent, but I have no love in me for the being who held my unwilling ssservice for zo long.” A gasp went around the group as they realized she was talking about being enslaved. Mama Lizard spoke slowly and carefully now, keeping her hissing to a minimum. “I love you all. I am glad and proud to know you all. But part of me is overjoyed that the little brown pile of poodoo is dead. He hurt you all, he used you all, he lied to you all for his own ends. I…” She broke off, unable to continue.

 

"Mama..." Istara moved close to her adoptive mother and threw her arms around the Barabel. “Mama… It’s okay.”

 

Mama Lizard was crying now, her control undone by her daughter’s love. “No it’z not. It will never be okay…”

 

"Yes it will." Istara hugged the shuddering Barabel tight. “Bra-Thana, it is okay.”

 

Mama Lizard stared at the human woman she had essentially raised. Istara had never called her anything other than Mama Lizard or Mama. The Barabel’s face was a study of shock and sorrow. “Issstara… I…”

 

"It's okay." Istara shook her head slowly, and tears were falling. “Bra-Thana of clan Nor, your obligation died with Trugoy. You are free to do as you wish now. If you choose to leave, to return to Barab, no one will gainsay you. If you choose to… To make an end… No one will gainsay you. We have all suffered, but you the worst of all I think. But this is not Trugoy’s manipulation. This is me. You did not bear me into this world, but you are my mother now in every way that matters. I will not try and stop you from doing what you believe is right. If you go, I will miss and remember you. But I have no right to stop you.” She stepped back now, her arms falling to her side. “It is your choice. No one here will gainsay you.” Istara repeated softly.

 

The Barabel known as Mama Lizard to the Bladeborn stared at Istara and then at the assembled group. All of them met her eyes and all nodded almost in unison. She shook her head, stunned by the devotion she could feel emanating from the group as a whole. All felt the same way, and none would challenge her right to do as she wished. “I… I do not know what to sssay…”

 

Istara nodded slowly. “We are not Trugoy’s Bladeborn. If anything, we are yours. You made us what we are, not him. What say you, Bra-Thana?” Istara’s mouth works as she fought back sobs. “What say you, <mother>?” This last was in the tongue of the Barabels. It was mangled, but understandable and Mama Lizard stared at Istara before falling to her knees and keening.

 

"I..." Mama spoke haltingly now, forcing the words out. “I failed my clan, before and now. You… You do not know what you sssay, Issstara…”

 

Istara shook her head slowly. “In my travels, I met other Barabels. I asked questions, carefully.” She smiled thinly. “I know better than to insult one of your people.” A chuckle went around the group and even Mama smiled a little. “I must tell you this, I… I asked several beings when I could and all said the same thing. They remember clan Nor and what happened to it. They remember what happened. And they do not blame you. You were how old? Twelve standard? You could not have stopped what happened. You are not to blame for what happened.”

 

"No..." Mama Lizard froze. “I… That is imposssible… I did sssuch a terrible thing.” Istara knelt beside her adopted mother and hugged her tight. “I killed hundredsss of beingsss. Innocent, guilty, I killed them all, Issstara…My own clan… I killed them all.” The Barabel was weeping now.

 

"I know." Istara nodded as she held the huge shuddering form. “Bra-Thana, I know…” She looked up at Idjit, who sighed.

 

The blind seer stepped forward and sighed again. “I never saw Trugoy’s face. And now, I never will. Part of me is sad about that, part of me is glad. Being a seer allows me to do wondrous things on occasion, but most of the time, it is horrific and lonely. Most of the visions I see never come to pass. Part of me wishes I had seen this. But most of me is glad I did not. When he found me, I think Trugoy was looking for me specifically. A pet seer is a powerful tool. But he learned that any pet can be dangerous, if allowed to be. At his orders I did terrible things. I lied, I cheated, I stole. I killed. I… I don’t think I will ever be able to forgive him for ordering me to lie to you Istara, to use your affection for me to distract you from your duty. I know I will never forget the sense in you when you found out. When you found out what I had done. I still love you, Istara Sharlina Andal, but I know you cannot love me.” He turned and started off.

 

Istara shook her head and was on her feet in an instant. “You don’t know me very well then, Idjit of the Bladeborn.” She grabbed him by the shoulder, spun him around and kissed him full on the lips. When she came up for air, her voice was fierce. “We all make mistakes, Idjit. But this is not one.”

 

Idjit’s face and posture were of pure shock as Istara kissed him again. After a moment, a sour voice interjected. “Children…” Istara’s face was flaming and Idjit’s was not much better was they turned to face Nana. Nana’s voice was patient, but chiding now. “We have a ceremony to finish. Then you can reacquaint yourselves.”

 

Istara looked at the man she loved and then at the assembled Bladeborna d her face was flaming, but then she nodded. “Would you like to say anything, Holianahyatoujikaimnana?”

 

Nana made a human sounding sigh. “Only this. His path was not ours, your path is not his. Walk where you will, kin of my sister. But be warned, if your path takes you too far from the light of Ashla, we will be watching.” This last was hard and cold. The insect bowed, all four of her hands coming together in a recognizable salute.

 

"Good." Istara nodded. That was no more than she had expected to tell the truth. And part of her was comforted by that, to know she had someone watching her would help keep her from screwing up. “Then let us finish this. The measure of a being is his or her deeds. Trugoy did great evil in his life, as well as great good. Only the Maker can know for sure which way his balance was at the end, but we will remember.”

 

“We will remember.” The murmur went around the group.

 

Istara sighed and then spoke evenly. “May you know the peace that eluded you in life, Trugoy, champion, brother, father, friend, enslaver, murderer, liar, cheater, hero, villain. We know the weight of your decisions. We know your measure. And we do not think you will be found wanting. Fare ye well,… Master…” She reached down and picked up a torch from a pile at her feet. She held it out to Idjit who ignited it with a hand lighter. Then she stood by the pyre, one hand outstretched to her kin. “Come, let us pay our final respects.”

 

One by one, the Bladeborn came close, picked up a torch, and had it ignited by Istara’s. Selfa and Garth could not carry their own torches, so others carried theirs while they watched.

 

Istara waited until all the torches were ignited. And then she spoke again. <Loyalty. Duty. Honor. Respect. Vigilance. Prowess. Humility. Courtesy. Valor. Service. Sacrifice. This is our way. We are Bladeborn.>

 

<We are Bladeborn.> came the response and as the last sound faded away, Istara threw her torch onto the pyre. Over a hundred other torches followed as her kin followed suit. And then they all watched in silence as the pyre burned slowly and evenly to the ground. Night had turned to day by the time the last embers of the pyre had gone out, and only then did Istara shake herself and nod.

 

The Bladeborn quickly and efficiently started back towards the silent shuttles that had ferried them down. Istara stood alone for a moment. <We are Bladeborn> rang in her thoughts and then she turned her back on the remnants of the pyre resolutely to face her future. She only hoped when it came time fer her own measure, she would not be found wanting. Or measured as a bad guy.

[kalenath]

((The Bladeborn will be around and they are very angry now. Comments or suggestions always appreciated. Flames might wind up having to explain to a new grandmaster WHY they acted that way.))