Terrin's blues grew deeper as concern grew in them. "You mean the ones from Kori'san that tested after I was...

...well, brought back?" He paused then, frowning. "And the Yuuzhan Vong approaching with no one having any special powers that we all have come so dependent on..."

He trailed, realizing the deep truth in the words he had just spoken, becoming increasingly worried about the fate of those closest to him with the incoming threats, perhaps more so than he had ever been even dealing with the majority of the Sith.

Excepting perhaps one Sith, of course. "I've got big ships, and lots of resources...

"I need to do this myself," she said simply, hesitating one final moment before proceeding into the room the medic had motioned her towards. Inside was a medcot, recently mostly vacated...

...excepting the lone figure who sat on the end of the bed, looking up after being interrupted from his reverie, the look of surprise growing in his eyes as they fell into hers.

Her greeny blue eyes grew moist. "Oh Erik...

...I'm so sorry. Some sort of Darkness took over me...

...and Jharmeen as well. I can't forgive myself for what I did to you, and I'll understand if you can't forgive me either."

"Panthar has a-- a rather complicated history," I began in apparent non sequiteur. "But suffice it to say he was once an archeologist, who studied the ancient Sith."

Kinda like Dad-- The thought rose without bidding; gulping down the pain his death still brought, I forced myself to go on.

"He said something about an-- an ancient Sith world, something about some things he thought existed on that world. Said they might be useful, maybe not operating on magick or something. Mentioned something about some ancient Sith; look, I don't know the whole story, but I think we should all have a sit-down about this."

I paused a moment.

"Maybe he's got something that might be helpful... as might whatever Shayla can tell us. She spent time on the incoming Vong ship... so did my sister."

Again I paused, chewing my cheek.

"I think we'd better collect all parties, get everyone together. Let bygones be bygones--"

That last I knew was directed primarily at myself.

"--and combine what we've got and what we know. The Vong were defeated before; I'm sure they can be again."

At least I fervently hoped so.

He paused then, a bit of a frown creeping his face. "Maybe we ought to let everyone know they've got about eight standard hours to get some rest...

Pausing then, he waved a drowsy hand for a medic to come over. "Tell the returning party members to come to my office in eight standard hours...

...and have the crew make sure to get them something to eat and some quarters in the meantime."

Trailing then, Terrin found himself slipping off into the slumber he was supposed to be engaging in from the time he arrived back onship, knowing deep down how very much they'd all need rest to deal with the matters they were about to face.

...but things like this had happened before. "Please, tell me what you mean."

Finally stepping up closely enough to her to take her chin in his hand, he forced her to look into his eyes, and actually stretched out with the Force to sense her, knowing that although his abilities were untrained that he should at least be able to sense her feelings and emotions...

Pausing, she gently let her arm drop. "As to That Which Is...you remember from Kor'isan, when Terrin was resurrected? Now That Which Is stated...on Degobah in fact, that we have been taking the easy path to help one person far too many times...

...and I think this is our punishment for not considering the Grander Spectrum of Things. Or perhaps this is a test, for That Which Is is known for such things."

Pursing her lips a bit, she continued then. "The Yuuzhan Vong are incoming, and we're going to have to rely on our own physical abilities and wit...

...something that you long ago decided was more important than becoming a Jedi, I know. You should have a particular advantage over all of us that rely too solidly on our abilities to get things done...

“Yeah,” he agreed. “Let’s get away from here.”

Panthar followed Aaron through the halls, glad to have someone to follow. The ship was huge and would be very easy to get lost in. Eventually, after changing levels, they arrived at the entrance to a lounge. Again, Panthar followed Aaron inside.

There were several off-duty crewman scattered about, and Panthar searched for familiar faces. His thoughts turned again to Shayla, and found himself wondering what was happening in that room, wishing he could be there.

...but the freedom that a bit of alcohol consumption can bring prohibited Jasyn from considering that. "Hey, guys!" he called in their direction, waving them over. With a shake of his head, Aaron headed over and took a seat along with Panthar.

Jasyn raised a finger to alert a waiter, who came over. "Another Whyrene's sir?" he queried, obviously having dealt with Jasyn's orders in the past.

"Yeah," Jasyn responded, quirking an eyebrow Aaron's way. Aaron nodded. "And one for my two friends here too..."

...something else happened. He opened his mouth wordlessly...

...then shut it as a mental reminder. Love without trust...

...remember? There was a time you waited patiently for her to trust you...

...and now she needs you to trust her...

...blindly. Which is nothing short of what you were once asking.

“Something stronger,” he said. His eyes flicked to Jasyn, and in his peripheral vision he noticed most of the other patrons were staring at him in wonder. He suddenly felt like a novelty at a dinner party, and didn’t much care for it.

...at least, not entirely. "Only two...one for each of them," Aaron chimed in then, first pointing to Panthar then to Jasyn. "And I don't want to hear any belly-aching about the hang over."

Quieting then, Aaron let the waiter move on to fill the order, and Jasyn began humming his merry tune for a couple of seconds more before stopping and regarding the bummed-out looking Panthar. It didn't even dawn on him that Panthar stuck out in the bar like a sore thumb.

He let out a long sigh, letting his head fall backwards until he stared at the ceiling.

“I used to think someday I’d get famous, get the adventuring out of my system, and settle down with some nice woman and raise a family. Well, I don’t know what kind of girl would want to settle down with a big red horned dude, certainly not anyone I know… well, 'cept maybe Gray, but she's a little messed up.”

He leanded forward again, letting his elbows fall on the table.

“And with all the big stuff coming down, I doubt I’ll be able to settle down anytime soon anyway.”

The waiter reappeared at that moment, placing a mug in front of Panthar. He stared at the ruby red liquid, watching it slosh a bit, then settle into a smooth plane. As the others picked up their mugs and shook the table, the smooth red surface was broken into a torrent once again

“It’s red,” sighed Panthar. He rolled his eyes up to look at the others, who seemed to be waiting for him. He shrugged and picked up his mug.

He brought it closer to his mouth, then noticed that the others were still waiting.

“Oh, yeah,” he said. “There’s like some kind of toast or something we’re supposed to give first. How’s this? To the Sith! One messed-up bunch of crazy ancient dudes, without them life would be boring.”

With that he brought the mug to his lips and drank. To his surprise, the concoction was actually good. It burned as it made its way down his throat, but it was a pleasant sensation. He felt the liquid meet his stomach, and an immediate warmth sprung from the center of his chest and spread quickly through him. Before he knew it, the mug was empty.

He placed the mug on the table and wiped his mouth with his hand. His massive Sith body seemed to tingle with the warmth, and he found that he liked that feeling. The waiter had turned to return to the bar when he heard Panthar’s mug hit the table. Turning, a look of surprise registered on his face.

He paused, eyeballing Panthar, wondering if the when the WalknFall was really going to hit home. From his experience, the stuff seemed to sort of...

...sneak up on a person all at once. Or at least, it did with Jasyn. And with Jasyn a drinker, when it did hit home...

...it still hit hard. "We've got alot of stuff to face just yet, and you need your wits about you."

...those things are late slammers."

He paused, chewing his lip a bit before taking a sip of his Whyrene's. "If you take up drinking like that, you're going to fit in really well here in certain circles...

..regardless of the color of your skin or the size of your horns." Eyeballing Jasyn with that final little comment, Aaron sat back a bit, took another sip from his mug...

Panthar leaned back on his chair and slouched. He sighed again and looked around the room. The walls seemed to be a bit further away than they were a few minutes before, and the warmth had permeated through his entire body. There seemed to be more people in the room now, and several of the men quickly turned their heads as he tried to lock eyes with someone.

A young female crew member did not look away, and Panthar raised an eyebrow as he locked eyes with her. A smile curled on the side of his mouth, and he turned away to take another swig from his mug.

“Yeah…”

He glanced over at the woman again, then stifled back a giggle.

“Sho,” he continued, looking back at the guys. “Everyone up to shpeed on the deep poodoo we’re in? I’m really glad we got all of you guysh here, shafe and shound.”

"But..." Jasyn started, just having downed his WAlknFall, "Night's young!"

Aaron shook his head, his look speaking volumes. "Now," he reiterated, getting to his feet and motioning the others to follow suit. "You two," he said, pointing to Jasyn then Matt...

...and particularly Jasyn, "Know where to go. As for you..."

Aaron trailed a moment, cocking a head towards Panthar. "I can set you up with some quarters now. And don't worry, you can take the remainders of your drink along with you..."

Panthar walked after Aaron, slower than usual. He smiled at the woman again as he passed, dipping his head slightly. This was a mistake, as he staggered a bit towards her. He grabbed the edge of the bar to stop himself, and found himself face to face with her.

“Sorry,” he smiled. “Firsht time drinker, maybe lasht too. Yer cute, by the way.”

Panthar felt a tug on his arm and he began to be pulled towards Aaron. “Night!” he called out as Aaron dragged him from the lounge.

..and even more relieved when it finally slammed home that Terrin was back, and everyone was safe (at least for the moment)...

...and that he wasn't responsible for this grand Super Star Destroyer alone any longer. Hornett was, after all, not his ship. Business for Eagle Enterprises just happened to be running through her, therefore supplying her and keeping her going. The fact he wasn't in charge any more was liberating.

Beneath his touch, she trembled, once more. "I knew what I was doing to you, even when the Darkness held me," she said softly, closing her eyes then. "I am still responsible, regardless of the Darkness."

Quieting then, she pulled away and turned, unable to look him in the face amy longer. "How can you forgive me when things like this have happened before...

...and closed his own eyes a moment before stepping up to her and placing a hand on her shoulder, his answer coming simply and quite easily. "Because I love you."

She turned to look at him, tears now streaming from her eyes. He drew her in closely for a long moment, feeling her tremble beneath his touch...

...and feeling his mind wander back to thoughts he had previous to her return.

He couldn't help but miss times like these, when it was just the two of them, and nothing else mattered. But now...

...now was not the time. And there were a lot of things that did matter now. One of which he was tired of leaving on the back burner...

...and was quite suddenly very concerned about.

He pulled away slighly to look into her eyes again. "With all of this removal from the Force and the All..."

He trailed, frowning. "What of our son, back on Khar Delba, in that Sith incubator? How much of what was protecting him involved magicks and All? And what of his own Force-connections to you which might have been sustaining him?"

The look in her eyes grew deeper and troubled. "I...I don't know. And with everything that is going to happen..."

He forced her to look him in the eye. "...we have to find out. He's our son."

She closed her eyes to hide the pain which seemed to be welling up in them...

...but Force or not, Erik still knew it was there. "There has to be a place and time for this even while we help everyone decide what to do about the incoming Vong and lend our abilities and resources to contribute to the..."

He paused, trying to recall exactly how she put it. "...Grand Spectrum of Things."

...and the young man opened his mouth to apologize, no doubt having decided to attach Terrin's prosthetic while he slept rather than disturbing him. Terrin waved the apologies off with said new appendage then put a finger to his lips, not deigning to move his other arm which remained wrapped about Galen. The medic nodded appreciatively then backed out of the room entirely to leave Terrin to inspect the wonder of technology which was his right arm. As did its predecessor, the arm looked and felt like the real thing. Terrin couldn't help but marvel a bit at this...

...but then thoughts of something other made him frown. This was just the sort of technology that the Yuuzhan Vong loathed so very much, at least according to the very little he knew of them. He hadn't been very old when they had been driven back out of the galaxy...

...and neither had most of his companions. He didn't know when they were going to return according to the predictions given by the Sith, but he knew one thing for kriffing certain.

This was not going to be easy, especially now that Googly had revoked the abilities which had helped defeat the Vong in the past.

With a slight sigh, Terrin closed his eyes, and remained that way for a long moment, basking in the warmth of being close by Galen, not daring to take it for granted.

After all, if those he loved were going to remain safe...and if the entire galaxy was going to remain safe, for that matter... they were going to have to do... something.

Letting another long moment tick by, Terrin opened his eyes again, reached for his commlink...

...and realized with a start that eight standard hours had already come and gone. He reached a hand over to Galen then and placed it on her shoulder with a gentle shake. "Hey sweetheart," he said then, "We're late..."

Now a beeping screamed a steady pulse at him as he swam back from a dreamless sleep. He opened one eye and looked around, taking in his immediate surroundings. His other eye pried itself open to aid its comrade, and the events of the previous day came filtering back to him.

Panthar swung his feet to the floor and was soon standing. More accurately, he was teetering. A long trip to the refresher helped to revive him, but he tell that his body was still not operating at one-hundred percent. He dressed, partly in the new clothing left for him and partly in the black shirt he had worn to the ship, and started for the door.

He paused, realizing he had no idea where he was going.

He rubbed the horns protruding from his head, wondering if he would ever get used to having them there, and hit the com button on the wall.

This guy had a meeting...with Terrin? As in the Captain...? Wha...?

After a moment, the officer managed to recover. He hit the respond button. "I will let Captain Barnes know that you are requesting information regarding your meeting," he stated, "And will get back with you regarding his response as soon as possible."

Sending the message off at that, the officer then keyed in Aaron's personal frequency.

"Captain Barnes, a man in one of our guest quarters, by the name of Panthar Dantares, is requesting information on a meeting he is to have with yourself, Galen Danner...

...and mentioned something about Captain Danner as well?"

...including the growing curiousity of the officer. He sat up a moment and rubbed his eyes before responding to the comm officer.

"I will respond to Mr. Dantares and escort him to the meeting personally," he responded, pausing a moment then in debate. After all, he really didn't know if and when Terrin wanted everyone to know he was back. "Thank you for letting me know that Mr. Dantares commed," Aaron then ended with, leavng his message at that. "Barnes, out."

Keying in the comm frequeny in for the quarters he knew he'd taken Panthar too, Aaron then sent off another message. "Panthar, this is Aaron. I will be coming to direct you to the meeting location in approximately 20 minutes. Hang tight."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After taking a quick shower and changing his clothes, Aaron followed up on his promise, leaving his own quarters and heading to the nearby ones he'd given to Panthar. Enroute, he sent a brief reminder message to both Jasyn and Matt. Then he sent a quick messge to Terrin.

"Hey, this is Aaron. I'm enroute to direct Panthar to your office. Just a heads up...we've got some very inquisitive officers regarding the possibility of you being aboardship. See you all in a few, Aaron out."

Looks like everyone else was running late as well, he thought to himself before replacing the commlink on his wrist. Perhaps not quite as late as they were going to be, but such times to be running late tended to be few and far between.

But the time was now.

Terrin pushed the reply button. "Hey Aaron, Terrin here. Take your time...

...it'll be a few before either Galen or I will make it there," he said, keenly aware of the approaching medic. "Besides, I'd like to get out of the med facility and get cleaned up first."

Sending the message to Aaron with that, Terrin cocked a brow the medic's way.

"I'm assuming I'm cleared to get out of here?" he asked.

The medic hesitated a moment, as if debating...

...and then nodded. "With caution. You're perhaps not quite 100 percent, but there's no reason for you to remain here either."

Then one of the damned twittering things came in for a landing on my shoulder, and wouldn't leave me alone.

"Shoo!" I admonished it sternly with a wave of one hand, but it merely fluttered momentarily out of reach before regaining its pesky perch on my shoulder once more.

"Mmph... ssshooooo..."

My feebly waving hand connected with something which had a tad bit more substance to it than my little feathered friend, so much so that the contact sent a small but nevertheless sharp jolt into my slowly awakening nervous system. That sent said system into overdrive; with a little yelp I suddenly found myself upright in bed. Or rather, in an upright position in a medical bay bed, a somewhat surprised Terrin leaning away from my waving hand to where it looked for the moment as if he might plop out onto the floor altogether.

I blinked, finding myself and my bearings as the little birdie flitted off into reality.

"Ummm, heh..." I floundered, now shifting the orientation of the outstretched hand to grab Terrin by the shoulder. Sitting as awkwardly as I was I couldn't quite haul him back, but at least I helped him keep his precarious position beside me.

"Ahhh...same to you," he managed with a smile, recovering from his initial surprise. "Hey, we're the last ones up...

...with the exception of Jasyn, most likely. Fortunately, we're on our ship, and everyone's going to meet in my office...

...so they have to wait on us."

He paused, scowling a bit then. "And I really want a shower after floating around in bacta yesterday. Unless, of course," he then added, a bit of humor creeping into his eyes, "We're going to have a pajama party onship again."

"That wouldn't be the best way to announce to your men that you're hale and whole and back aboardship now, would it?" I said lightly as the fading image of the peeping bird finally vanished, only to be replaced by the equally absurd vision of all of us in serious discussion clad in our nightwear. Then I sobered as what I was saying hit me squarely between the eyes. For to tell the truth, what with all the running here, popping into this portal and falling into that crevass and whatnot, I myself really hadn't had the time to truly assimilate that very same fact.

As Terrin regained his balance, my hand lightly cupped his face.

"You are back," I said softly in what to some might seem an apparent non sequiteur. My smile, by then threatening to dissolve into pure sap, broadened.

"I'm ever so glad, Flyboy. Now, you go get your shower, but save some hot water for me.

"Then let's go meet everyone and-- and--"

I floundered suddenly as another enormity swooped down to overwhelm me.

"Try to figure out just what in Hell's Seven Circles is happening, and see what we can do about it...

...but the memories that rose to the surface were of times he'd been here with Galen, of the first time he'd brought her here.

He'd learned so much since then, only because of her influence...

With effort, Terrin shook himself from the warm fuzzies as they approached the Captain's office. Pausing there for a moment, he took a deep breath, as if mentally assimilating something....for perhaps he was...and then keyed in his personal entry code. The door whooshed open obligingly, and Terrin stepped inside along with Galen. Others were already sitting around, caf cups in hand, waiting patiently...

...or at least, most waiting patiently. Jasyn just scowled.

Ahh...nothing like business as usual, Terrin thoght to himself, waiting for Galen to take a seat before he stepped in behind his desk and sat so that the computer would be nearby if needed.

"Allright," Terrin said after noting that everyone was present and feeling safe within the quiet confines of the office. "We've got the Vong incoming again and all powers including Force sensitivity and otherwise seem to be gone."

He paused, holding back the enivitable question that would follow for a moment before finishing with, "What're we going to do?"

And what it took to escape from the jaws of death time after time.

My heart immediately sank. For truth be known, if it was anything other than personally eluding someone, it seemed much had been brought about by either this mysterious power or that. Of which now, thanks to Ol Googly, we were totally bereft.

I shot a glance to the guys who had been visited by those giant, terrifying eyes.

"What exactly did the entity say to you?" I opened, leaning forward a bit in spite of my earlier vow to steer clear of any further danger.

"Was there any clue whatever as to why it did what it has appeared to do? Because quite frankly, I think the only option we otherwise have left to us is to go to Sorben and explain what in Hell's Seven Circles is going on."

I paused fractionally, cutting yet another quick glance at everybody.

...until we got to him and it up and accused us of taking the easiest path and using powers repeatedly to help one person."

He paused then, only scowling further. "I mean, I knew it was all too easy, but I thought for at least once we might be catching a break. Now we're responsible for the end of all these mystical powers, and we don't even have any of them. As for the incoming Vong..."

He trailed, his brown eyes growing a bit distant. "It was my understanding that it took far more than the big ships of the Republic and the Empire to stop them and send them out."

"Someone else is gonna have to come up with the rest of that story," I replied, "'cuz history was never my best subject. But as for the Entity..."

I sighed again, the look I was giving Jasyn now softening a little.

"How did you know? I mean, yeah, sure seems obvious now that you were being tested or something, if getting to Shawn was as easy as you say. But gads, if an easy path to help a comrade had been presented to me, I'd follow it too.

"No one here blames you; well, at least I can say for certain that I don't."

But Khaandon help you if Sissypoops ever finds out...

I wriggled a little uncomfortably as the logical follow-up to that errant thought made itself known.

Or the Sith, I couldn't help but wince inwardly to myself. Wisely -- for once -- I chose to keep my mouth shut about this. No use bringing up more worries, especially those based primarily on speculation, even though truth be known I felt deep in my gut that I'd hit several nails on their collective heads.

They weren't all being punished because Jasyn and Matt took the easy path to get to Shawn...

...no, no. It had to be much more than that.

"In the grand spectrum of things, placing the blame here or there is useless," Shayla observed then. "But I think your act is not the sole reason That Which Is did what it did."

She paused then, her greeny-blue eyes growing distant as memories played out of when they had used their powers for the good of one: to save Graysith from death, to bring Terrin back to life, so on and so forth. "I think it has much more to do with the choices of people with said powers to use those powers to rescue one, when perhaps there were other, far more important things which affected far many more people, to be dealt with."

Quieting a moment then, she forced herself to refocus on the others and away from her wandering thoughts. "But I agree with Jasyn, it took far more than big ships to send the Vong away from here the first time. What we do need to look to, perhaps, is that they can't be sensed in the Force...

...and look down on any forms of computer and technology that are not purely organic. These factors were used in the past to defeat them, and will be necessary to defeat them again...

"That sounds reasonable," I said, letting a finger pop out of my fist to waggle at no one in particular.

“I can just imagine the chaos going on in the Sith worlds,” he said somberly. “If so much of their technology is powered by that magic stuff of theirs. But the fact is, we don’t know if or when Googly will give that back, and we can’t count on it. I’m sure the Sith aren’t going start praying to golden statues to give them their power back. No, they’re going to figure out what to do to adapt.”

Panthar leaned forward, looking at each person in turn.

“But maybe at least we won’t have to worry about some of the other problems that came up. Like our friends from the Darker Realms, Phal’s daddy and that dark tar man thing that took over the clone of Phalomir and disappeared. Or the thing that pretended to be Aelvedaar, remember that? But how do you fight weird stuff like that? You don’t. You focus in on the battles you can win, and hope for the best.

“Now, Li’l Red here says we should talk to Sorben. It’s funny you should say that, because Phal and Gray were on their way to the dungeon on K’eel Doba to free him and explain what happened. She apparently blasted the blockade out of existence when she was possessed by the tar stuff, and threw Sorben in the clink there. They were going to get Thoran, too, Phal said something about him being there. We were all supposed to meet back on Khar Delba, so maybe we should keep that in mind.

He paused, scowling as he remembered their crash. "Lots and lots of snow."

Pausing then, his eyes defocused a bit. "And at the risk of sounding just like those that this Ultimate Entity seems angry with...

...we've got a baby boy back on Khar Delba in a Sith Incubator, powered by Sith technology. I'm concerned,to say the least. And as for Graysith and Phalomir heading off after Tarnus...

...what about Captain Joao and the kids? We got that star pattern from the Octahedron before all the Magick went poof, and it showed them on some planet with a very sith-looking ship. We need to find them...

...and figure out what planet they are on. And now perhaps for more than one reason."

Falling silent for a moment at that, a sneaky little shoulder devil promptly popped out of thin air. Maybe if he had the TIE fighter you promised him he wouldn't be stuck on some random planet...

Terrin ignored the thought, knowing better. Poor guy, every time he gets entangled with any of us something strange happens...

"Regardless of how he got where he is, we need to find out where he is and get to him. We owe him that much..."

"Ok," I said at length. "There seems to be a lot on our plates... but let's try to stop and look at everything before we go off in possibly the wrong direction. Number One--"

I held up one finger, tapped it with another.

"Yaoksi is on some world, we haven't a clue which one. We have a starfield to go by, yes; but would this be along the lines of going after one person? I mean, isn't that what ol' Googly didn't like us doing, apparently, downstairs?"

I pointed toward the deck, reminding everyone that we yet were in orbit around the soggy world of Dagobah. Eyes before me shifted a little nervously; without any further hesitation I lifted another finger to join it's mate.

"Two, there is a child in what was a magickal incubator. From the time period that has passed since all this weirdness has descended on us, I'm afraid that unless other immediate measures were taken, we're just going to have to assume that child has died."

I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the stricken looks passing on the faces of practically everyone there. Not opening them, I went on.

"We have to assume as well that Aeylmaar would have done something; I mean, yeah, Khar Delba is the world of the Sith Sorcerers... but does that automatically mean that's all they depend upon? Sith magick, I mean..."

Now I rounded on Panthar, stared thoughtfully into his face as I slowly raised another finger.

"Three, this Treeblewhoosis person, the non-magickal sorcerer? One would think he'd have other means of... well, of doing whatever it is the sorcerers did. We have to believe that seeds of his ideas bore some kind of fruit, and that your baby is still alive."

I looked straight at Erik, then Shayla, and with the utmost of effort kept the sympathy I felt for them from showing in my face. For now was not the time to be thinking of our own little problems, but of those upcoming ones which were indeed a tad wee larger in scope.

"I think maybe we might find something different, something the Vong might not have any idea exists, if we find this planet Red is talking about. I mean, look at it this way: the last time they came, I think somehow some Jedi killed their big leader or something. They're certain to be prepared for that event, and more than likely will have other nasties to use against us.

"Well, they would never have heard of the Sith. It's too bad the magicks are probably down the drain... but this Trelanicus..."

I trailed a moment, settling back in my seat.

"Maybe he's got something new, something non-magickal, that might help. Or, help us to persuade the Imperial forces into believing us.

"Khar Delba?" I asked, somewhat stupidly. "How is that going to help? I mean, who is there; why don't we go to K'eel Doba? That's where Sissy and Phal were heading to free Sorben; since everyone there is probably in some kind of big reactionary mess right about now not only would they still be planetbound but we just might be able to sneak in unnoticed.

"Ya think?"

A light bulb flickered over Panthar’s head, and he sat up straight.

...or it's something else I don't even want to entertain at the moment. But there is a point we might want to consider here regarding whether to go to Khar Delba or K'eel Doba. Kartan has a good point...

"Lord Aelvedaar's absence could be something as simple as-- as, well, the portal just disappearing before he could come through, what with all the magicks going haywire and everything."

I winced again, for it sounded improbable even to me. We had been on Dagobah for quite some time before anything untoward had been noticed; I really didn't think he'd take hours to step through a simple Portal...

"Anyway, so ok. We go to the Sith worlds, ummm-- Khar Delba in particular, and... hope everyone else shows up?"

The enormity of how easily we had been taking the Portals for granted slammed home even as I spoke. I could only hope that upon his release from prison Sorben hadn't killed Sissy with his bare hands, causing the Sith to retaliate in righteous anger to murder him in turn.

Panthar sat back in his seat once again.

“Oh, yeah, I agree with Galen. Googly did his thing long after we got here. My Sith comm-link worked fine for a while here. I’m all for Khar Delba, it was the designated meeting place.”

...and go from there as needed. This way Hornett will be near enough if we need her, and K'eel Doba will be close by as well. In a pinch, we can get there via realspace...or via some really good hyperspace piloting, which at least a couple of us are more than capable of."

"And to be honest, I think I'd much rather go first to Khar Delba, where we're welcomed, than to K'eel Doba, where we might not be. Who knows what's been said to who, and with Sorben being, well... representative of the non-Sith just by the fact that he's human, and him being slapped in the slammer... well..."

I paused a moment, then continued thinking out loud.

... mad enough to go running through Kori'san jungle to then be jumped and killed by a wild tuk'ata. But after only the briefest moment of mental wandering, he managed to escape the images. "Sounds like we have at least the beginnings of a plan," Terrin then stated, keying Captain's personal nav data and scrolling til at length he found the coordinates he wanted. He then keyed in orders to reorient the Hornett to these coordinates via hyperspace, using his own personal command signature.

He keyed the visual frequency in for navigation. "This is Captain Danner requesting reorientation of Hornett to the incoming coordinates," he said, waiting for the incoming reply. Which came in only a few moments. A visual response followed on the monitor in front of him. The female managed to keep cool and crisp. "Command signature received and confirmed. Reiorientation and departure scheduled in 5 standard minutes. ETA to destination upon entry into hyperspace approximately 10 standard hours. Navigation out...

...and welcome back, Captain."

As the monitor went black once more, Terrin turned back to the others. "Is there anything else we've forgotten, or need to discuss?"

"I can't think of anything else," I admitted, even as a wealth of what ifs and didja think about thats popped up in my mind's eye. I squelched them with a snort, albeit a forced one.

"But what we're going to do when we get there, exactly, I'm still curious to know. I think we've got a lot of unfinished business ahead of us, but it's probably best to get everyone together before we go and tackle that."

...if anyone, for that matter. But speculating on something we don't even know yet might be risky."

He paused then, leaning back. "And we still have those star formations we could look at in the meantime...

Besides, he's a Big Boy. He can take care of himself. Khaandon knows he's done pretty well so far.

Then I sighed, for the realization struck me that we had some time before we came into Sith space, and if by studying star charts in the hopes of deciphering where Yaoksi was would keep Shayla's mind off of the straits her baby was in, then who was I to deny her this. Only--

"I really think we should go to Khar Delba once we come into the system," I piped up a final time.

"Panthar is right: that was our rendezvous place... not to mention that K'eel Doba is full of warriors. If for some reason they blame us for their problems, we're not going to have to worry about magick being used against us even if they had it. We're going to be facing spears, and frankly, the only way to outmaneuver that would be with a blaster.

"There's already the good possibility that a war is brewing between them and the Imps; no need for us to go stir up our own muddy waters, right?"

I ground to a halt as those yet remaining turned in their seats and stared at me. All I could do was offer a shaky smile right back at them.

"Just FYI," I finished, then plunked back into my seat.

He trailed, as various and sundry looks of warning shot from the surrounding friends and commrades. "Oh, allright," he then said disgustedly. "But another mug of caf and some food would be nice. Assuming we're all done here..."

He paused a moment, quirking a brow in question Terrin's way. He simply nodded. "I'm headed for Red Level dining, if anyone cares to come along. After all, we've got some free time for the moment, and for once, unless something changes, we don't have to worry about any extraordinary strangeness disturbing said free time."

With nothing further than that, Jasyn turned to head out, knowing that someone or other would follow. After all, just because he said he was only going to get another mug of caf didn't mean everyone in the office was actually going to believe him.

"Hey Jas, wait up," I called as with a wave toward the others I headed after the lanky figure.

"Sure, caf," he repeated, allowing Galen to catch up as they headed out of the office. Back behind, he heard Terrin's call. "Hey, save me a seat!"

That only melted his former scowl further as the most Han-Solo-ish sort of grin crept on his features.

She shook her head no, which quiet honestly didn't surprise Terrin that much.

"Allright, follow me," he said, before gettng up and leading her out of the office and in a direction away from the others. After winding through several corridors and turbolifts, they finally arrived at the main navigational deck. Terrin directed Shayla to a nearby computer, showing her the basics of navigating through the charts, knowing she would quickly catch on due to her proclivity for piloting.

"I'll let Erik know where you are," he said at length, "And you can use the comm unit to get in contact with any of us if you need to in the meantime. I'm assuming you can handle it from here?"

She nodded quietly, getting then to work...

"Hey Jas," I said at last, keeping my voice low. "There's something I need to know, ok? I need you to think back about what you experienced on Dagobah. I want to know everything that happened: what went on around you, what feelings did you have, what feelings did anyone else have, what was around you, everything and anything."

I paused but kept moving, to entice him to do the same. The last thing I wanted was for other ears to hear this; I needed information to think about, and didn't want to unnecessarily worry anyone unless I was certain there was good reason for it.

"Not now, there's no time right now," I added quickly, then went on. "But you think about it, and sometime before we get to the Sith worlds I'd sure like to know."

The ensuing silence was obviously filled with the biggest WHY I have ever not heard in my life; letting my lips relax into a smile I offered what I could.

"I've run into this Google-thing before," I said, hoping he'd take the statement at face value.

"I think I know a teensy bit of how it thinks; maybe with what you can tell me I can figure out what it meant by earning back points.

Their baby might be dead, and Shayla was still trying to save the world, even without Force abilities, and move on. He didn't know if he could handle it quite so well...

"I know this is supposed to be breakfast, and I'm not much of a drinker...

But-- probable, which ok, so it was a tad wee stronger than possible was on the other hand a far cry from certainty. I reached out a sympathetic hand and laid it on his arm.

"I'll join you in that drink," I said to my own surprise.

"But please, try not to worry. The Sith were a very advanced race, they had technologies that even now we couldn't understand--"

An image of Jester rose before me, in all her eerie, greeny-golden splendor. If that ship operated on magicks, then I was a womprat's auntie.

"I'm sure Aeylmaar is taking every possible care of your baby."

I trailed off into uncomfortable silence, one which was thankfully broken by the appearance of our server. Throwing all caution to the wind, I beckoned to him.

"I'll take a Walkn'Fall on the rocks," I said, suddenly feeling a need for the false security of alcohol.

"On second thought, make it a double."

"Nice rounds of ahhh.... caf," he observed lightly, scanning the group, his eyes finally falling on the somewhat distant-looking Kartan. "Shayla's in navigation, and I'd be glad to take you there later," he said briefly, turning once again to everyone in general. "And I somehow knew this was going to turn out to be more than breakfast and caf," he admitted as the server approached to take his own order. "This is all long overdue," he then agreed, ordering some food and a Whyrene's Reserve.

Kriffing hell, but there wasn't any time like the present.

After a moment he looked around at everyone at the table.

“What Galen said back there,” he said, “about a war brewing. She’s right, and if that happens then we are sunk, all of us. When we meet with everyone else, I think that has to be one of the priorities, getting the Impies and Sith to be allies in this.”

Panthar slammed back the remainder of his drink and set it down on the table.

“Somehow,” he added.

He wasn't surprised, however, that Petrolu was the only one not drinking.

"And although we can't rely on the Force at the moment, I'm sure Jedi databases still have some fairly reliable records on how the Vong were dealt with before on all fronts. At any rate, you are welcome to use our computers for any research you want to do...

...and we have parties here who could connect you to all those sorts of resources...

Panthar took the last bite of his food, then rose. He paused, then looked at Terrin.

He trailed a moment, almost cringing at the word choice, "...before she decided to go back to the Praxeum and finish her training as a Jedi. She and I ran it together at the time...

...and we might still be had I not sold the Corporation off to Aaron over there so I could trade the money in to save Shayla from a csertain Moff," he explained, shooting Terrin a somewhat unreadable look. "The money is still laying about, seeing as we've been living off different people here and there...

...but yeah, Shayla and Stargazer Corporation are connected." He paused, chewing his lip a bit. "Would be awfully interesting to see how things are going and what information they might have on the Vong, cause I'm pretty sure there is some there. I'm just not sure how much use that information might be."

He paused another moment. "Unless things have changed, I am very familiar with their systems."

Maybe that will help get other things off your mind, too, buddy

He paused, a somewhat bemused look crossing his face, "I have a nice stash of Whyrene's...amongst other things...back in my quarters. That'll give us some room to work and think."

Pausing then,Aaron looked over to Shawn Petrolu. "And you know, while we're at it, we could take a look at any Jedi info, if you can connect us to it. We may not be able to use any powers on these guys, but still, the Jedi should have some good information on them."

Shawn nodded, taking a final drink of his own before standing, along with Panthar and Erik. Aaron nodded politely to the remaining parties in at the table. "We'll make a datapadd with all the info we pull up so that we can all take a look at it later."

He paused then, chewing his lip a bit. "I don't suppose any Sith ships will be in order after whatever Googly did?"

Trailing one final time, Terrin sighed a bit, concern managing to creep through at what they were facing. "At least our enemies are facing the same lack of abilities that we are."

"I'm not certain," I finally replied slowly. "I mean, I don't think those little fighters use Sith magicks... or at least if they do, it's not their sole means of operation. After all, I sure as there's Treasure on Roon don't know diddly about magick, and once I figured out the controls I didn't have any problems flying Jester or Jester II."

I paused a moment to consider further.

"Unless it's just inherent to the ship itself, and is self-maintaining or something. Or, that whatever it is that seems to pop out in me every so ofter -- or rather, used to -- just unconsciously linked with the ship so it would fly. Maybe that's why I was able to fly it..."

I trailed, shaking my head. Too many questions, not enough answers.

"The only way to find out is to try to fly one, assuming of course that I'll ever be able to get inside one again."

Panthar turned to look at Erik, a wry grin on his face.

Erik cocked a brow at the indicated collector of the data files, not really surprised. "The last entry here was made by Shayla," he observed in apparent non-sequiter. "Expect at least some info on their ship techologies...

He paused, shrugging. "Still, there aren't alot of Sith fighters out there, or at least I'm supposing there aren't. Even if their technologies can protect us, we're going to need alot of ships."

He frowned more deeply. "I wonder if we can figure out what makes them tick and replicate the technology? I mean, if a Sith ship can withstand the blast ofan SSD, fly at unimaginable speeds...

He paused, frowning a bit. "Still, Shayla did say she found a villip while we were on Kori'san, which poses an interesting question...

...how did it get there? And how did it know who Shayla was, because she said it responded specifically to her. I'd like to know more about what that villip said...

..and about the Vong she saw through the villip."

“You know,” he said, “now that you mention it, the whole thing seems really strange. I mean, we’re all going on the ramblings of Phalomir’s dear old dad that the Vong are even coming this way. Well, I guess Phal is pretty dang sure, too, but that’s assuming he isn’t whacked in the head and delusional about coming from the future. But, all right, I’m game and I’ll assume those two sources are solid.”

Panthar choked back a laugh, realizing for the first time just how absurd the whole unlikely story of Phalomir really was. For the first time since his old body was hijacked, a shadow of doubt crept into his mind about who Phalomir really was.

“But anyway,” he continued. “The Vong were defeated soundly when they invaded here. The ones who survived were disarmed and sent away on a living planet of some sort. If the Vong are once again on their way here to invade, then who the heck are they and where did they come from? If it’s the old remnant army, then they sure rebuilt pretty damn fast! And if it’s not the leftovers from the first invasion, then who is it?”

Panthar leaned forward, growing more intense.

“Which leads us back to Erik’s very valid points. If there was a villip on Kori’sian, then it either was there before the planet was placed into the Elseness, or it was put there after. With all the coming and going, I really doubt it was there before. Which means someone – probably with the All – put it there. And how does it all tie with those clones of Phal?”

Blowing out a puff of air, Panthar leaned back once more and crossed his hands together.

“All right, call me cynical about all of this, but if I were to look at this from a historical perspective,” he said, “I’d really look at what stratagem could be in play. The great civilizations all had great leaders, and they all thought several steps ahead of everyone around them. Think about it, what better place to grow a bunch of clones in secret than someplace that was removed from reality? And if you were to keep in touch with your client, you’d certainly need to arrange for a way to easily communicate with them, which could answer why the villip was there AND how the heck it was able to actually work from inside the Elseness.

“But what troubles me is the lead-up to that bit. Moving the planet into the Elseness was very hard, especially on all of the ladies. In fact, I don’t know who else could have done it, and even that was only possible with the help of the ship that only the Dark Lord of the Armorers could know about. But there hadn’t been a Dark Lord for many years. So, let me rattle off a little plan of mine, for taking over the galaxy:

I need clones, and I need them grown in secret so not even the Kaminoans know about it. Not just clones, but clones of the Dark Lord of the Armorers, because the knowledge of the Armorers is passed directly into memory. Only thing is, there isn’t a Dark Lord.

So, let’s make one! Phal has brushes with Roan, and events leading from those scrapes take him to Kori’sian where he becomes Dark Lord and gains all of the knowledge of the Armorers. Wow, that was cool.

Great, now I have a clone source. Now let’s have a fall guy so that I can stay clean, so I’ll have Phal’s daddy do the work for me. He’ll keep Phal locked away in that tower doing who knows what, just long enough to get what he needs. Then I can come in as a bunch of tar and take over daddy for a while.

So, back to this secret place to grow these things. Well, the Darker Realms won’t work, because people keep going in and out of there. Wait, maybe I can use the ghost of Roan to keep people out. And I’ll put someone I can control in charge, like maybe Phal’s daddy!

Heck, this is getting too hard to keep tabs on the other side, I better have someone else in my pocket there, a spy, like maybe Aelvedaar himself. Well, can’t do that, so I’ll make a doppelganger.

Well, my spy reports that Phal, Gray, and company are making progress in figuring some things out. I better move my operations to an even more secret place. Hey! I’ve been eyeing that Armorer planet, it has a certain power and all that cool Sith magic stuff in it. Let’s move it out of reality! But it’s a big job, I better get help. Well, it’s really nice that Phal knows how, and the ladies have the power to do it, but they need a reason to want to do it. Hey, I control Roan, let’s have him dredge up Terrin’s spirit. Then when Terrin gets brought back to life, I’ll tell them that was a big no-no and instead of taking him back, I’ll just make them move the planet out of reality.”

Panthar stopped then, his cynical voice lowering.

“And now that I have my own place set aside from that real galaxy, I’ll take away the connection to magic from everything real… and maybe the only place where all that still works is inside the Elseness….”

His eyes darted around at the strange looks he was getting. “Well, that’d be my plan for taking over. I don’t know why I’d need the Vong, though, unless I was somehow forbidden to use violence. But then that doesn’t seem like the tar-man darkness thing, does it? That almost sounds more like Mr. Googley…”

Panthar paused again, his eyes going wide.

My eyes widened, my jaw loosened.

"Ol' Googly once said something about the Game," I whispered, now playing my fingers along my lower lip. "Well... if all of this--"

My arm dropped to wave about in a somewhat vague yet all-encompassing manner.

"--is just some kind of game to whoever the hell It is... well... ya gotta have an opponent, right? Putting aside for the moment how distasteful this all sounds, the question becomes: who is the opponent, assuming It has one? Another Googly-Eye? If that's what It really is, and not just some goofy manifestation of something or someone else. Or is there only Googly, and It's setting reality up against itself just to get some strange kick out of it? Kinda like some kind of awful cosmic solitaire?"

I paused a moment to rub my hand down my face, unconsciously shaking my head. That idea seemed too far-fetched to me, even in the light of all the odd things we had experienced in one manner or another throughout the years. And besides, the thought of being nothing but some omnipotent being's gamepiece just didn't sit well on my plate. It didn't make sense, we all had our own thoughts, our own ideas, our own little plans and desires; it would be impossible to manipulate every living thing in reality just to win a game...

My eyes widened further.

"Ya know, maybe Ol' Googly isn't what we think it is," I finally said. "I mean, I don't really think it's the Big, Bad, quasi-god we are all probably thinking It is, way in the back of our heads, that it is.

"What if instead it's a means of expression that someone is using to frighten the hell out of us? Someone who is very powerful, someone who knows how to get into our heads and make us scurry around like little ants.

"Now, let's think back: does this remind you of anybody in particular?"

I pinned Terrin's eyes with an intense look, smiling grimly to myself to see the initial surprise which had been planted on his face now begin to segue into thoughtfulness. Hopefully that expression would spark into the reflection of epiphany; in the meantime, since I already was fairly certain of who this unknown might possibly be, I simply kept my mouth shut about it and went on in another vein.

"We need to talk with someone about magick, find out more about it," I said in apparent non sequiteur. "How does it work? I mean, is it a true physical hocus-pocus kind of thing, you know, something truly objective on the part of the one who uses it?"

I fumbled a moment, trying to gather my thoughts on something I really hadn't any clue about.

"What I'm trying to say is, is part of how it works due to someone believing that it works? I know there are some goofy things on certain planets I've visited, where shamans can put a whammy on an enemy using a little doll or something, and I've read where this usually wouldn't work unless the enemy finds out he's being whammied.

"Maybe the loss of any powers we have is because we only think we can't use them?"

I settled back in my seat, nodding to myself as my input melded together into what to me was an undeniable conclusion.

"Someone has some super-duper powers, Terrin; someone is able to get into our heads as well as into our heads when we aren't aware of it. Someone maybe has found a way to take magick to a whole new level...

"But for some reason this someone can't just up and physically whammy everyone like he/she/it seems to want to do so badly. Almost like that someone is weaker than a gleeberfly larva when it comes to physicality..."

I paused again, finally shutting up for good to wait and see if any of this was making sense, giving Terrin the time to assimilate what undoubtedly sounded as improbable as the idea of me winning the Boonta Eve Pod Race on foot.

...I'd assume said someone would have to have significant prowess in magick, to say the very least. There's Roan, who had significant physical ability, but I don't recall him ever using anything particularly magickal...

...for the most part. But now he's dead, in the Darker Realms, and can't technically cross that line unless we do. So he's a possibility, I suppose. We know the Master is a Sorceror, and has that potential. Hell, he got his son in the past from the future...

...and he's insistent that the Vong are coming and he has the answers. So I suppose he's a possibility too. But..."

Terrin trailed, his eyes defocusing, his look darkening. "If we're talking about those who have had penchant for sneaking into minds and manipulating us in the past so that we're terrified, I can only think of two individuals, and neither are here with us. Lord Aelvedaar definitely has the abilities, we've seen him at work. And your sister, well...

...we've seen her work too as far as manipulating minds and making us fearful for our lives. I will never forget what she did to you here, seemingly so long ago, when I'd first met you and we were running from her. She had you so confused you didn't know what year it was, let alone who I was or where you were. But with the Vong enroute to our galaxy, and the whole turmoil with Phalomir in the Darker Realms as well as the Master, I wonder...

...why would they do this, and how? Were they on Degobah, and we just didn't know it? Are they tricking us to keep us close at hand, or to tap our resources? Or are we just being entirely paranoid...

"But why would an incorporeal thing need control of the universe when it controls every power known? Why would it need clones, and a Dark Lord, and all of that?"

He paused, chwing his lip a bit. "If this Thing supposedly has control of everything, or at least of all powers...

...then what could harm it other than another powerful incorporeal Thing that is tampering with, or perhaps trying to gain, control of said powers? Force users believe in a good and dark side, All users believe in two sides of a coin, religions frequently believe in Higher beings, some of whom are good and some who are bad."

Pausing another time, Shawn's eyes defocused a bit. "What if there is a "good" and a "bad" incorporeal Being, and Googly is one. Which leads to the next question: if this is so...

...which of the two is Googly?"

"I don't know," I finally replied. "But what I do know is that this scares me more than I'd like to admit. It's more than that, it's terrifying, like being the unwilling brunt of a sinister joke or something.

"Maybe we should toss this out on the table whenever Panthar and Erik get back. Erik might have some kind of jedi insight, and as for Panthar? Well, he's been around; maybe he might know something, or might have seen something, or uncovered something that might help. Maybe there's something on that planet he was telling us about."

I sighed inwardly, my heart sinking as Terrin's speculations about who could be responsible for what hit home. For in my heart of hearts, I couldn't help but feel that maybe he was right:

Maybe it was the Dark Lord of the Sorcerers and Sissypoops who were puppeteering matters behind a careful facade; what was it he called her anyway? His "Chosen Daughter" or something?

Panthar scratched his head and reached for the datapad that he had been saving information to. He took it in his hand and looked at the screen.

...how kriffin'" wonderful," he growled. "I sure hope Ole' Googly whammied them good...

...after all, it's them that use this power and that to get what they want done."

“Well,” he said. “With help from Erik and Aaron, I was able to get the data we wanted on the Vong. It raises some interesting questions, though, about who these Vong actually are and why they are coming here. I mean, the remaining forces that were driven out of the galaxy were decimated and disarmed, and sent packing. I find it hard to believe that they would be re-armed to the extent that they could mount an invasion of an entire galaxy already.”

Panthar looked at the other two men who had joined him in the curious discussion a few minutes earlier. He sighed and continued.

"Why?" Jasyn suddenly blurted then. "Because we take the easy way all the time and choose to help one person at a time instead of...

...well, something. Because we need to appreciate the His Majesty Mr. Googly for bestowing us with said powers."

Panthar sighed and leaned back in his seat.

“I don’t know,” he puffed. “It’s just all so… I don’t know, convenient? I mean, like I told the guys, there is something very special about Korris’ian that makes this thing stop time… STOP TIME… How can we fight that?”

Panthar sat up, his hand hitting the table and making it jump.

“But you know what? If he is all powerful enough to do that, then why didn’t he do something about the planet himself? It makes we wonder, ya know. Did he really stop time, or just make it seem like it? Did he really remove magic and the Force and the All, or just somehow block our connection to it? I mean, according to Phal, Sith magick is really just about a collective belief and channeling that energy, or something. And the Force is about some bacteria or something, isn’t it? Or did I hear that wrong? And the All... well, Shayla can tell us more about that, but I know she talked about needing some kind of knowledge to use the power. Seems a lot easier to block the conduit than to just take away the whole thing entirely. Are we really dealing with a God here, or just a really crafty pain in the ass? Maybe the rules of this game he is playing forbid him to do something unless it's in response to something we do, so he sets us up to fail? Maybe Aelvedaar could tell us, he was kidnapped by somebody, right? Maybe it was Googly? Or one of his opponents in this cosmic game?”

"That's just what I was telling everyone else here!" I exclaimed, sticking a thumb over my shoulder to indicate Terrin, et. al. "It just doesn't make any kind of sense. Why would a Thing powerful enough to stop time itself have to worry about such measly things as magick and the Force and the power Sissypoops has? Unless..."

I paused for effect.

"Unless it's just a manifestation of someone, a means by which someone who's maybe not all that powerful is trying to convince us that he/she/it is. Someone who obviously wants as many cards as he can hold held back from the table until that table is good and cleared.

"And then the Big Whammy starts. But by who?"

I paused for real now, my earlier enthusiasm waning beneath a fresh bout of concern.

"Sitting here speculating about magick this and Googly that is all very well and good, but when push comes to shove it's really not getting us anyplace. Personally I think this is all coming out from the Darker Realms somehow. With that in mind, does anyone here have an honest-to-Khaandon battle plan? A solid idea of what in Hell's Seven Circles we can do? That is if there's anything at all we can; taking a bigger look at things, there's not really very many of us. Even though it would seem that for some reason, whenever we do something to make Mr. Peepers mad something nasty seems to follow. Which kinda makes all this grandiose stuff a touch wee on the personal side, doesn't it? Which brings me round to my former thought: maybe this thing isn't as big and bad as we think it is. It's not really a big ol universal thing; I can't help but think it's someone or something in the Darker Realms, like I said.

"If we can piss him off and make him retaliatory, maybe there is something we really can do against him, or it, or whatever. Think about it, he gets pissy, but we just don't seem to get overtly attacked or killed or anything, do we?

"Now, in that regard, what are our options to fighting this, or settling things, or hell, even finding out if the Vong thing is really true or not? Where do we go from here, other than just talking about it all?"

I shut up again and motioned for the waiter to bring me another glass of something strong. I had a feeling it was going to be that kind of a day.

First of all, if it is really the manifestation of something, for some reason it wants to hide behind and scare us into doing things without really knowing who is behind the demands. But if it really is incorporeal...

...it probably really needs our physical bodies, for some reason,to do its will. In either case, what if we just flat out refuse to do as it demands? Might that force the creator of the manifestation out of hiding or force the incorporeal thing to act?"

He paused, shruggging. "It sounds risky either way. But as for the likelyhood of the Vong incoming...

"On the surface you'd think that, yeah," I agreed as I set the glass down upon the table. "But think about this, too; just because they were aboard a Vong ship doesn't necessarily mean that ship was incoming. I mean, all we have to go on is the fact that both were sent there with the use of the power Sissy and Lord Aelvedaar have, and both were kept prisoner. Now, stop a minute and think of all we've been saying throughout all of this: doesn't that weird power manipulate Time? Isn't that what Aelvedaar did too, when he reached out and found my sister?

"Couldn't they have been placed aboard a Vong ship back during sometime when the Vong originally attacked? How do we know otherwise?"

I lifted my glass and lifted my brows, waggling them at everyone over the rim. Then I took another drink. Funny, but you'd think the room would be starting to tip by now, but it wasn't. I sighed, longing for that warm fuzzy feeling which was remaining obstinately distant, and continued.

"Whatever Ol' Googly is, it appears to like games. Ok, so perhaps this is some kind of game. Haven't a clue as to what purpose... nor do I have a clue how to refuse it whatever it wants, when you consider that we haven't even ben requested to do anything yet."

I thought a minute then went slowly on.

"Maybe we should worry more about things closer to us, like finding Captain Joao and Lord Aelvedaar and then meeting up with Sissypoops and Phal. I think we need more brainpower applied to this problem...

"If, come to think of it, it truly is a problem at all. Could just be so much hot air."

...then scowled as he brought it back down, totally empty. "Hey, I vote for looking for Captain Joao..."

He trailed, scowling a bit more, "...and even the others, before we try to figure out anything else. Hell, the one thing that Googly does seem to be kriffing demanding about is that we," he paused, making quotation marks with his fingers, "Look at the bigger picture. So what if we first deal with those of us in our circle instead of running like rontos with our heads cut off to address the issue of the supposed incoming Vong?"

As he said this, he waived the waiter over, raised a single finger, and raised his eyebrows. "I'm with Galen, we need more brains in on this. I mean, at the most, what is Googly going to do to us if whatever it is really needs us? Keep our powers blocked...

...for those of us that even have any powers? It would be nice to know if this just has happened to all of us...

“Let’s not get all cocky here,” he continued. “It might be the case that Googly is what Galen says, it has a weird sort of sense to it. But that doesn’t make him any less dangerous. He – it – whatever – has the demonstrated the ability to at least block some of us from our energies. I mean, that’s no small feat.”

He downed half of the glass, then wiped his mouth with the back of his large hand.

“As for the Vong,” he went on. “Well, if you can believe that Phal was remembering correctly when he told us about his past – which would really be the future – then we have a some time before the Vong are strong. I remember this, he was in line to be Dark Lord of the Sorcerers about the time the Vong had engaged the Sith. There was some peace negotiation, but it was trick and the whole Triumvirate was killed. In desperation, since he had blood from all three clans somehow, and I guess the only one capable of taking over, he was made the emergency Dark Lord of all three clans. I guess that wasn’t a popular thing to have happen, but he didn’t go into a lot of detail Anyway, the Sith were losing badly, and the last thing he told me was that he remembered dying, in Jharmeen’s arms. Yeah, that’s a lot to swallow, but he was sure convinced it was true.”

He took another drink, then continued.

“But the point is that he is sure the Vong are coming, as was the Master. The evidence I found in my research suggests that it can’t possibly be the same Vong that were defeated here before, they just could not have rebuilt yet. So, unless the Vong were somehow brought forward in time like the Sith were, then…”

He paused, mug part way to his lips, and peered at Galen.

"Or," I answered slowly. "It's the same bunch returning... and they've found something they think will make them undefeatable."

I looked around at the others a bit worriedly as this new thought struck home.

"We already know there's powerful stuff out there, right? And who's to say we're the only galaxy privy to it? I mean, there's Googly, who's nothing to sneeze at. The Darker Realms had their own brand of--"

I stopped.

"You don't suppose--" I faltered, then trailed off into silence.

He trailed, his look darkening further. "Or perhaps responded to the Darkness in her and connected with some Vong warrior or something that talked to her about her and Graysith."

He shook his head. "I'm not sure what to make of all this...

...but I'm afraid what Galen is proposing between the Vong and the Darker Realms could very much be the case."

...not to mention planetary make-up...

...they had seen via the Octahedron. After printing out said possiblities, she got to her feet, headed out, and requested some general directions on how to get back to Red Level dining. An officer was kind enough to escort her there, where she found the others in a serious discussion. She quietly cleared her throat, waving her printed finding a little for emphasis. "I've found 3 believable possibilities for Captain Joao's location," she opened with, "A planet called Belkadan, which was rebuilt afer the Vong invasion, a planet called Datooine where the Old Rebel Alliance once built a base...

...and some unnamed planet out in wild space...

"Vector Prime!" I exclaimed, tightening my grip on my glass reflexively. Deep in the corners of my memory something niggled, something other than what I knew outright about that part of space, something I knew i should remember, but it was just not quite making itself known...

"How in Hell's Seven Circles would he have gotten clear out there! That's really out in the boonies; I've not been there myself, but I've seen the location on Dad's starcharts. There was some planet out there he said might have Sith artifacts on it, but we never got that far. We were going to go there next..."

I trailed as the impact of Dad's final days on that dreary, dusty ball hit me, an unknown planet on the way toward said Vector Prime, one holding a find to beat all finds, but one which ultimately killed him and changed my life forever.

I blinked back sudden, surprising tears and went on.

"I don't know much about that part of space, but I do know it's pretty empty of civilization as we know it... except..."

My frown deepened and I closed my eyes, letting my eidetic memory flash a particular star chart in front of me. My eyes popped open, wide.

"Umm... guys, I'm not certain, but aren't the Sith worlds out in that direction too?"

Ok, there was still something niggling, something hollering deep down in some shadowy recess of my mind. Something, something, some connection, something about the Sith? And--

"The Vong?"

I didn't realize I said the word out loud until the weight of everyone's eyes brought me out of my momentary fugue. I blinked again; the Vong and the Sith. Panthar said Phal had said the Sith engaged the Vong at some future date; ok, so never mind the tense battle there. People disappear into unknown places when in turn engaging with the weird power Lord Aelvedaar and Sissypoops use... and now there is a chance that said unknown area is in roughly the same spot the Vong first came through into our Galaxy.

Sith. Weird power. Vong, villips...

That there was a connection between all this was obvious. What it all meant, was not.

"And it all has something to do with the Darker Realms, because of the villip Shayla saw," I whispered aloud in apparent non sequiteur before quickly spilling out everything that had been running amok in my head.

Panthar leaned forward, the ideas racing in his head. He tried to keep his mouth working as to not lose pace with the thoughts.

He paused then, trailing. "Hey, remember when we found that logbook on that big ole sith warship? The one that was hidden in some closet or something? Why do I remember that there was something Vong conneced with that thing...

“I remember finding the log book,” he said, “but I don’t remember what was in it. It was all in Sith, and it had a lot of coordinates in it. Was that when we nearly jumped into a sun as it went nova? Back when that thing was pretending to be Aelvedaar… whatever that thing was. We never have solved that little mystery, have we?”

Panthar shook his head.

"Ummm, yeah," he started with, a bit awkwardly. "And although all of our speculations and thoughts might be helpful later on, we really can't do much with them now. I mean, for all we know the same Thing that was posing as the doppleganger Lord Aelvedaar is linked to our pal Googley. And someone else could be making use of an Octahedron of some sort elsewhere. After all, there is a whole planet in Elseness with such devices...

...and we already know that someone used a a villip to make contact with Shayla through the Elseness regardless."

Terrin paused, sighing. "What we need to deal with at the moment is what we can do now, I think. We've got some potential locations for Captain Joao, and we are enroute to connect with others who may know what is going on. So now that we have..."

He paused, checking is chrono, "Five standard hours left until reversion, we really need to finalize our departure to Khar Delba, or K'eel Doba. We need to decide if there is anything really specific we need to bring along with us...

...weapons, supplies, gear...

...and get them on board the one or more smaller ships we are going to take to the surface of whichever planet...

...and my vote is still for Khar Delba. It's our original point of origin before we were all seperated, and we may experience an unwelcoming hostess on K'eel Doba."

He trailed again then, drinking the remaining bits of drink in his mug before finishing with, "So I guess what I'm trying to say is that maybe we need to save further speculation for when we get planetside with everyone there...

He leaned back and stretched his long form under the table.

“As for supplies,” he continued, “if the Sith worlds have experienced the same loss of magic and All usage that we have seen, then things could be an uproar. People will suddenly not have the use of the things they rely on, and there may be accidents and injuries. I actually don’t know what kind of technology the Sith have, but if it is still following the patterns of what I discovered in my research of there ruins, then it might not be as bad as I fear. But things will still be in chaos, I’m sure. We should make sure to assess the situation and offer help.”

"Ummm... guys? Captain Joao?" I prompted, waggling my brows before picking up my glass and draining half of it's remaining contents in one large gulp.

"How is going to Khar Delba going to assist in finding him? Blond- er, that is, Shayla seems to have found three likely candidates as to his whereabouts; we have ships, we have maps, and we have pilots.

"Shouldn't we get our group back in order first, and then worry about Khar Delba?"

...and those whom he truly trusted.

"Yeah," he then said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin a bit. "I mean, we need to get to Khar Delba, but at the risk of sounding wishy-washy, I have to go back to my original inclination, which is that I'd trust Captain Joao with my life...

...and the lives of people I care about. We need as many of those sorts of people that we can get. Especially considering we're talking about potential connections between the Sith and the Vong...

...and we're talking about heading right to the Sith."

He paused then, ignoring any potential looks of disapproval, now going with his gut. "Now at least two of the three locations Shayla found are nearby the Sith worlds, possibly all of them. So it's not that far of a stretch to just head out and get to Captain Joao first. And although I don't really think it's a good idea, if some of us would rather just head on to Khar Delba while the rest of us check out these three planets, that's doable too. But with us now having potential locations for him, and with a kid being in the mix....

...didn't someone say he had a kid with him...?

...I think we have just reasons to alter course. Besides," he said then a bit offhandly, "I owe him a ship. And while we're on a ship where we have the final say on what happens...

...where we might not once we get on the Sith worlds...

...we should take care of our own."

"You're in an awful big hurry to get to Khar Delba," I observed slowly as with hand motions I made my desire for just uno mas clear to the pretty young thing who flirted up to the table, replacing the young man who formerly had been taking care of us.

"Any particular reason why?"

Maybe it was the drink, but suddenly it seemed the rising warmth was shoving aside the sloshy good humor that had been accompanying it. I frowned slightly, stuck a handy toothpick in my mouth, crossed my arms and settled back in my seat to wait for whichever came first: a refill or a reply.

“It’s not that I am desperate to go back there,” he said. “But the last thing that we had all planned before heading off to find you guys was that we would meet up with Aelvedaar, Phal and Gray back on Khar Delba. Our priorities were to see if we could help with Shawn and Erik, then regroup together on Khar Delba to rescue Yaoksi. I forgot who was going where, but I think Gray and Phal went to K’eel Doba to get Thoran and Sorben out of the brig, then try to negotiate a truce.”

Looking around at everyone else around the table, he leaned back and blow out a puff of air that made his lips flap together and make a short huffing sound.

“But with the loss of Sith magic, and the Force, and maybe even the All, I doubt we’ll be meeting them there. Which means Phal and Gray – and I think they took that Rykounagin with them, too, for some reason – anyway, they’re probably on K’eel Doba right now trying to keep things under control. That’s why I think it would be good to go there, too, as well as Khar Delba. Whichever is closer. But since we can’t rely on a portal, I agree that we should get Yaoksi first. But if you didn't need me for that, I could take a ship to Khar Delba, or K'eel Doba, whichever, and see if the others have made it back and tell them what is going on.”

The waitress showed up again, handing a mug to Galen. She made sure to turn her back to Panthar, then turned again to face him and place a glass in front of him. He looked up, lost for the moment in thought, and caught her eyes. He smiled dumbly and stuttered a thank-you. She grinned back and walked away from the table.

“So,” he said, taking his drink in hand. “How long is it to Yaoksi? Can we try to reach him somehow by comm? Assuming he is there… I mean, from what Gray said, those natural portals out of the Elseness can take you through time, too.”

Panther realized the heaviness of the silence that immediately followed his last statement, catching his drink halfway to his lips.

“But that’s just silly,” he said quickly. “Of course he is there, right?” He continued his glass on its hasty trip and took a long, slow, drink.

...that decision is yours alone. I don't advise you going by yourself though, and I don't don't care for us splitting up at all but--"

Terrin's voice was cut off then as the most horrific screeching noise filled everyne's ears. Terrin knew without even seeing that they had fallen out of hyperspace, for whatever reason.

"Kriffing he---!" he started as his commlink began to beep. Quickly he answered.

"Captain," came the voice of a somewhat nervous sounding crew member. "Our hyperdrive has had an... unexpected malfunction. Technicians are assessing the problem now."

Terrin frowned. "When was it serviced last?" he queried.

A brief hesitation. "A couple of months ago, sir."

Terrin shot Aaron another look, this one decidedly irritated. "Update me as soon as the malfunction is determined."

"Yes sir," came the crisp reply. "Engineering out."

"Well," Terrin then said, eyeing everyone at the table. "I don't know what is going on or how long this may take to repair...

...but maybe this is the time we need to make up our minds and just go. No need to waste time, especially considering we may be going in more than one direction, and especially considering the hyperdrive may take a while to repair..."

He paused a moment, now pratically glowering, "...since it hasn't been serviced in two months."

Panthar shook his head and walked to the bar, where he placed his empty glass on the countertop. The waitress sidled beside him, took the empty glass, and replaced it with a full one, smiling. Panthar grinned and took the glass, nodding his thanks.

For a moment, he trailed in to irritated silence, then the voice of reason pointed out to him that things things do happen even to the best...

...once in a while, at least. He sat back and sighed. "But it's no use crying over spilled milk," he commented. "We might as well take the coordinates Stargazer found, pick a ship, get some supplies and go on. The Hornett's engineers are perfectly capable of repairing whatever is going on....

...or at least, they had better be able to," he commented, unable to completely let go of his disgust, "And then meet us at a rendezvous point." He turned and cocked a brow at Panthar. "So which way have you decided to head...

...or would you rather stay here and make sure all the mechanical parts of our ship are working properly?" he finished, an innocent look falling on his features.

"Um," he began, a wry smile forming on his lips as he glanced towards Galen. "That ship we'll be taking... Aaron's not in charge of that one, is he?"

"Nope," I interjected before Terrin could answer Panthar. "Aaron will probably stay back and watch over repairs here; hey, speaking of, don't forget K'kihl."

I turned to the brooding man, who looked all the more pained for the fact that the SSD wasn't up to her normal state of perfection.

"If anyone in the known universe can get this baby back up to par, it's K'kihl. So when we find Captain Joao, we'll just all get our hineys over to Khar Delba, drop Panthar off so he can do his thing, grab my ol' buddy, and high-tail it on back here. Then we can figure out what in Hell's Seven Circles we're gonna do beyond that."

He paused, for the barest of moments. "She's got to be in top working order."

Falling silent for a moment then and exchanging a meaningful look with his business partner, one that could no doubt be read by others as well, Terrin finally shifted to look at everyone else. "But why don't we go ahead and scope out the ships in the main hanger bay? No need deciding on what supplies we need until we have decided what ship we're taking, and as nice as the Eagle II is, she may or may not be the best choice."

"W--wait," Erik suddenly said, causing most in the party to freeze in place. "I can't just keep going not knowing what has happened with my son...

...I just can't."

He paused then, pulling Shayla quietly to the side with a pained look in his eyes. "Can you? At least I'd think you would want to go to Khar Delba and find out what happened to Graysith...

...but I'm decided. Our family has been taking the backseat here far too long."

...and I've got to consider the Larger Picture. It's what I've been taught to do by Graysith for the past few years, and it's what is right, powers or no powers."

She paused then, considering. “Graysith and Phalomir are already working on securing the release of Sorben Tarnus, and we really have no indication that anything untoward has happened to them. Still, your destination may be right even if your reasons are wrong.”

Pausing yet again, Shayla turned to then address everyone present. “We have got to unite as a unified Galaxy, as much as possible, if we are going to face the Yuuzhan Vong and have any chance of succeeding. I was on that ship with their leader and then connected to him via the villip on K'eel Doba, and I know he's powerful and linked with powerful forces. If something has happened to Graysith and Phalomir, the responsibility lies on us to free Tarnus and prepare this galaxy,” she said. “We are the only ones, perhaps, who are really aware of what is looming in the future, be it near or for some time yet.”

Trailing, Shayla pursed her lips, making her own personal decision regarding what to do, knowing that Erik was keenly aware she wasn't making it for the reasons that he would like. “I think we need to have a team go to Khar Delba, like Panthar has suggested. But I think going to get Captain Joao is equally as important. If he is in two of the three locations that I have determined, there may be some reason he was placed there. After all, the two locations I am talking about are somehow linked to the Yuuzhan Vong's first occupancy of our galaxy. So you should all continue on there and explore that possibility.”

She trailed a final time, sighing. “Erik and I will go to Khar Delba ahead of all of you and check on Graysith and Phalomir's progress, letting them know what has happened with Captain Joao and the others as well. That is...

...if we can purchase a ship as Erik has already requested.”

...and I'm going to leave it at that. Either way, we need to get to the hangar bay, and decide on what ship we are going to take...

...and which one you would like to buy," he finished with, nodding towards Shayla and Erik. Saying nothing further, he again motioned everyone to follow him, and with no furhter adieu lead everyone through the maze of corridors and turbolifts until they had reached the main hangar bay. Surrounded by a large number of ships, they had their pick of a multitude of designs, including the three pristine Lambda-class shuttles that were the Falcon II, Raptor II, and Eagle II.

"The ships that are to be on sale are over there," he said, motioning in a particular direction. Trailing for a moment then, he turned to Galen. "I'm leaving the decision on what ship we take in your capable hands," he then said. "We could take Eagle II, like I said earlier...

...but although she's got good weaponry, she's not really equipped for combat or stealth. We might need those things considering where we are headed."

"Well," I opened with, as I chewed my cheek with debate.

"I'm really not too happy with us splitting up, but considering the past I've experienced you guys will probably understand why."

I paused again, now taking a careful sweep of the ships that were spread out for further scrutiny. For some odd reason, all I could envision was my little Jester, and all the scrapes she had pulled me and Sorben through.

Sorben...

I winced inwardly, and shot a somewhat guilty look Terrin's way. Thank Khaandon he didn't notice; letting go a quick sigh of relief, I returned my attention to the subject at hand.

"Well!" I finally began. "It seems we have two major priorities. Numbero Uno..." I bowed extravagantly toward Panthar. "...is to returen to Khar Delba and reunite with the others, and let them know what we have found. Not to mention find out their own findings."

Hiccup.

I couldn't help grimacing at my latter statement, figuring the drinks had done more damage to my mental processes than I thought. Oh well; onward and all that, stalwart soldier...

"But dang it all, guys, we can't forget Yaoksi. I mean, I figure we owe him something, even if..."

I stopped abruptly, and my former look of quasi-guilt segued into a real one as I shot a look toward Terrin.

"We still owe him, and need to get him asap. So why not this:

"Why don't Terrin and I hustle on to the system Shayla has found, and see if we find him there. Meanwhile, you guys all go on to Khar Delba, and start pow-wowing with Lord Aelvedaar.

"Maybe by the time we all get back and join you someone will have come up with a reasonable battle plan."

And Khaandon be willing, that certain someone won't happen to be me...

Panthar looked down at his feet and shuffled a bit.

“And if they haven’t made it back yet,” he added, “then at least maybe I could see if I can help with things on K’eel Doba maybe. I mean, if Gray and Phal aren’t back with Aelvedaar yet, then with Shayla also being gone then the person who holds the most rank there now is… well, ShaRhylla. And if things there run like this communication device thingie I have, then the Sith could be in a state of confusion right now.”

Panthar shifted again.

"So, um, if Phal and Gray have made it back then I'll be involved in peace talks... anybody have anything you want me to tell Sorben Tarnus? Namely, um, one of the things he wanted when Phal and I ran into him before was, um, well, his daughter."

"Pfft!" I garbled, bending over at the waist.

"He thinks he's going to sweet-talk that hellcat, oh yeah, RIGHT!"

For a moment I let myself go in peals of inward laughter, then finally managed to get myself under some semblance of control. With that came a surprising moment of crystalline clarity.

"Hey," I offered, casting a look about. "If all the powers everyone has are kaput, well...

"Wouldn't this mean ShaRhylla's powers are gone too? And hey, what about Sissy-Poops'?"

I blinked, wishing for all the universe I had another cold one in my hand, for suddenly I wasn't much liking where my thoughts were taking me...

He trailed, eyeballing an eager looking Jasyn, "...with supplies!" he ended with, knowing that Jasyn was thinking of something much more...

...liquor-ish.

"Now if you will come with me," he continued, turning to Shayla and Erik," we'll get you a ship while Galen and the boys decide what ship they want, we'll get it loaded, and then get out of here."

---------------------------

Approximately one standard hour later, with two ships fully-loaded with survival supplies, edibles, and drinks...

...of all varieties...

"Harrier, this is Eagle II," I sent, not only as just a test but actually seeking to speak to Stargazer. When a muffled reply came to my ears, I pressed on.

"Shayla, if you haven't already done so, go ahead and upload those coordinates to the central database on Hornett. I can download 'em from here; just gimme the file name.

"And hey guys, don't forget K'kihl. I mean, yeah, I know Hornett's got a top-notch crew, but even the highest mountain can be overtopped... and that crew would be two hundred percent more efficient with the ol' Cricket aboard.

"Trust me!"

With that I released the comm-toggle and settled back in my seat. All comfy cozy again, despite a headache which was trying to make itself known somewhere in the vicinity of my left temple, I returned to the task at hand.

Which was waiting for permission to debark.

Finishing with that and sending the message off to the other ship, Shayla keyed in the coordinates and transferred them to the Hornett's database.

Then she sent another comm message. "Allright, coordinates uploaded," she said, returning to her business of finalizing departure procedures, coordinates for Khar Delba programmed in to the Harrier's navcomputer.

If the Sith worlds were not affected by the loss of powers, then life became much easier. Since life was never easy these days, he decided to assume the worse as to the power situation. Logic pointed to visiting Khar Delba first, for the dual reasons of checking on the progress of Graysith, Phalomir, and Aelvedaar and to provide Shayla and Erik information regarding their son.

But then what? What if nobody was back yet?

“That’s a bridge we’ll cross when we come to it,” Panthar said absent-mindedly. He realized he was talking to himself and glanced around to see if anyone was listening. Then an idea hit him.

Might as well get the tough one out of the way first, I reasoned to myself while outside the little ship the unheard blare of warning klaxons sent crewmembers scurrying pellmell for cover. At length, the various and sundry red lights that were blinking both inside Eagle II and without switched to green, and a few unsecured bits of paperwork of one kind or another shot past our viewport, announcing the fact that the great hangar bay hatch had opened. I drew in a deep breath, and gave Terrin a sidelongs glance.

"Well, here we go again!"

With that we were history, fleeing into the unimaginable between-ness that was hyperdriven space, our destination something I had only heard mumbled about from the lips of some of the most terrified spacers I had ever managed to run into.

((OOC: Follow Terrin and Galen as they retreat Into the Blue in the "CSWU" forums, thank you.))

Panthar inhaled deeply and continued, not letting his anxiety through. So he thought.

“I believe that the site I discovered was the place where Trelanicus, the fabled anti-magick, anti-All, and so forth, Sith guy who did everything he could to keep the Sith from relying too much on magick. It was only after I met Phalomir that those pieces fell into place, but if I could locate that planet again then I think we might find some things to help us against the Vong.”

He cleared his throat, then continued.

“Now, I don’t recall the exact coordinates of that planet, since things got a little bit scrambled when Phal occupied my mind. But I do think it might be in the sector you are talking about. Maybe Galen can check something for me when she goes out there. I know my notebook isn’t there anymore, because Aelvedaar showed me where it was in his crystal viewer thingie – which reminds me, we really need to get that back – but if she can check out this planet then it would be really nice. Some of my digging equipment was set up with a locator chip, and she might be able to tune in to the range. It's um... let's see, it was the same as my birthday... oh right, it's 789.231.”

Captain Aaron Barnes, this is Erik Kartan, wishing to speak with you regarding the sell of Stargazer Corporation. I once sold her to you out of the necessity to protect my wife.

I would like to do business with you once more, and buy the Corporation back. The circumstances surrounding my request are of a personal nature, but I know now more than ever that I need the business. If you are willing and still able to discuss a sell, please respond and I would be glad to set up a time to meet with you for official business. You can contact me at comm frequency 111248. Until then, Kartan out.

Mr. Kartan, I am open to discussing a sell back to you. Truthfully the company has been running itself, and I know little of the true business. I did it to you as a favor in the time you really needed one...

...and honestly I'm surprised you haven't made this request sooner. I do of course need to make some money off this sell, and perhaps something of a business agreement as well. The Hornett is currently orbitting Degobah. You can make the trip out here to deal with me in person, or we can do so via the holonet. Just let me know. Barnes out.

Sending the transmission off then, Aaron went back to his work and awaited whatever response would come.

I prefer to do business in person, for more than one reason, he opened with, not explaining further. I will be leaving Corellia in a standard hour and expect the trip to take at least a day and a half. I will open communicatios with you once I revert to realspace near your ship. Until then, Kartan out.

I fled to the little bridge area, arriving just in time to see the realspace conversion signal blinking an insistent green. Swooshing into my seat, I played with the controls until outside Eagle II the stars resumed their normal colors and shapes. Seeking outward with long-range sensors then, I found papa bear and squirted off a docking request.

"Hornett, this is Eagle II, requesting approach vector to dock."

It didn't take long for a return; moments later I had input the coordinates and had our vessel bee-lining in to bed down in the great belly of the SSD. It was as I was rising to inform the others of this that another message came in, one surprisingly from Jasyn.

I frowned when I heard it.

That didn't sound good; what in Hell's Seven Circles was going on now?

I paused a moment, waffling. Then I drew in a breath and took the responsibility for an immediate answer. I'm sure Terrin would agree with me on this one, just as I was sure Jasyn wouldn't want to hang around waiting until I'd cleared it with him before responding.

I reached for the verbal transmitter, but paused again. Call it another one of my hunches, but something said, keep it quiet. Thus I chose a seldom used text option to reply to him.

((OOC: Replying to Jasyn in Another Shade of All in the "Jedi/Sith" forums, thank you.))

"Jasyn, this is Galen. I am answering in lieu of Terrin, but will clear with him and send further information if there is any.

"Unless your life is under immediate threat, sit tight and play it cool, buddy. If the Sith are suddenly going predatory on ya, running might induce them to chase.

"I'll inform Terrin of your situation as stated; meanwhile, I'm sure he'd appreciate a bit more information than Aeylmaar 'turning sour.' If you possibly can, send a little more detail. Use personal comm-links; we're due to debark on Hornett in a few minutes, and won't be aboard Eagle II to receive your reply.

"Watch your back, and wait for further contact.

"Galen on Eagle II, out."

I sent the message winging along the spaceways with a touch of a finger, sighed, made one final check on our actual docking ETA, and rose from my seat. Looks like we had about twenty more minutes before being snagged by docking tractors; plenty of time to change and inform the others of this latest little possible snafu.

I hastened back to where the others were still sitting, and quickly informed them of what had happened.

"I told him to sit tight, and I sent it text mode in case there were big ears nearby," I finished, smoothing my hands on the front of my tunic to remind myself that, much as I relished the silky feel of its material, it was time to get back into warrior mode. Which meant my flightsuit.

I nodded to Link.

"Looks like we'll have you aboard and in surgery within the hour, kiddo," I took it upon myself to say, waggling my brows at Terrin to remind him that he could get on the horn and make the final preparations.

Me? I had a ship to land.

With that I headed back to our quarters, changed quickly, and returned to the bridge area. There I took my seat, ready and waiting to implement the final docking procedures only living flesh could provide in order to actually, and safely, touch down.

It didn't take long before I felt the solid whump of deck beneath our hull.

Fighting against a sudden constriction in my chest in regard to where we'd all eventually be going from here, I flipped open the inter-ship comm.

"Guys, we're here. Let's get this show on the road!"

With that I shut down Eagle II's systems, rising to my feet for a final time to the tune of whistle snd sizzles, as she vented the excess energy she had built up into the great docking bay where we had finally come to rest. My last command to her before she went to sleep for the duration was to ask her to open her hatch; I did this with a polite stab of a particular button.

Then I went to that hatch, watching while it slid upward, and waited there until the others arrived.

After felling the dull thud of the ship as it made contact with the deck of the hanger she moved to the hatch and waited for the others. While she had been on the vessel before she was still unfamiliar with its design and didn't have the benefit of a datapad with the ships schematics to help guide her to the med bay. Beside on a ship like this there are bound to be dozens of med bays.

When Link arrived at the hatch only Galen was standing there so Link again assumed her fake smile just wanting this whole ordeal to be over with. Link held out the datapad that Galen lent her before for the round table discussion that had just concluded.

"Medcenter is prepped and waiting," he announced then, hearing footsteps of gathering people outside the hatch of Eagle II. "I promise you'll be in the best care, and we'll all be sticking close by," he said then, knowing that these weren't just idle words but the honest truth.

Once everyone gathered at the hatchway, Terrin took the initiative to motion everyone to go on down the ramp, heading down after most to meet an awaiting Aaron Barnes and a small team of personnel.

Terrin took a moment to make sure that everyone knew everyone, then shifted to his primary concern for the moment, which was getting Link into surgery. He didn't want to leave her waiting any longer than necessary.

"Let's get you up to the surgery unit," he said then, looking at Link as he spoke to her, knowing that Aaron would take care of giving anyone who stayed behind quarters so they could clean up. Even so, he suspected most of them would be trekking along to the medcenter...

...and he certainly was going to be heading there to make sure Link was well taken care of. Nodding towards the turbolifts waiting just beyond the main hangar bay they were berthed in, Terrin then began guiding Link and anyone who joined them to the medcenter.

After changing the medics had her lay down on a table so they could preform a full body scan, Link knew when it was finished by the sudden gasps coming from some of the medics when they saw the damage that had been done to her throughout her life. If they were going to ask questions about what the scans reveled they were promptly cut off by Link's if you ask I will stab you look. After the exam was complete they led Link out to the operating area where everyone was waiting. Ignoring what instructions the medics where giving her Link approached the group stopping a few feet away.

“Terrin,” Link started. “Thank you for all of this. Galen, Yaoksi would have found out anyway when he saw the scans the medics preformed but try to explain the mark I have and why I can't get rid of it. And Yaoksi.”

Link rushed up to Yaoksi and clung to him.

My arms instinctively tightened around her small, furry body; my eyes closed as memories of Nassy and Thea rose up to dance upon my inner lids.

Thea had been in my care, and I'd grown to love her like a daughter. Nassy too, the really first love in my life; she'd depended on me as well, although in her case she had proven herself to be an extremely tough and independent-minded partner. But partnering with me automatically put her in my care, at least to my way of thinking.

And look what had happened to them both.

My teeth clenched in response to an unspoken vow.

Well, I wasn't going to let anything happen to Link. No way, no way in all the known universe. I was getting rather tired of letting down folks who finally reached out to me; this abysmal pattern had to stop now.

I'd seen the results of the scans. I'd seen the mark. And I hadn't tootled my way around the Galaxy for years only to remain oblivious to the plight of Link's people; my teeth ground together in sudden anger at the thought.

I abhorred slavery. It was supposed to be abolished!

Well, at least I could do my part against it in relationship to one particular and very special Ryn. And to tell the truth it was a bit of a mental stretch to attach that kind stereotype to Link, for somewhere along the way she had risen far above it in my mind.

All this roiled about in my head in a great rush, and I found myself bereft of words. I merely let my grip tighten the tiniest bit more, and whispered softly so none other than Link could hear.

"Don't worry about a thing, Link. Just-- don't worry."

I pulled back and let a warm smile drift down to cover her small body. Then I pulled back even farther to let the med-bots move in and take over, dutifully following their programming as they led her off to repair her arm.

I stared down at the deck between my feet for a moment longer before I followed them. Of course I couldn't go into the actual surgical room; I found a spot in the waiting area outside the firmly closed door and staked it out. Crossing my arms, I settled down for the duration, determined to be the first person Link saw when she woke up.

I'd seen the tinge of fear in her eyes. And nothing I could have said would really have allayed that fear as much as my nearby physical presence when she awoke.

Actions speak louder than words, after all.

“Are you ready miss.” Link heard the droid repeat.

“Huh... uh yeah,” Link replied.

The droid instructed her to lie back on the table and fitted a breath mask over her face, then told her to count backwards from ten.

Medical science was so very, very advanced these days...

...and no one had figured out a way to help with something like this? Or to fit a Ryn with a prosthetic that looked realistic?

Suddenly Terrin had the suspicion that something could be done to better help Link to have her mark removed and get a more realistic arm. It was just that no one had ever really bothered to work hard enough to figure it all out. After all, since Ryns were treated so poorly, there probably wasn't alot of research on medical procedures for them.

But now they had a chance to do precisely that.

Terrin turned to the nearest human medic. "I know you've done the best you can do for her with what medical research and technology exists...

...but I suspect medical research on Ryns may not be as up-to-date as it should be. See what else you can find-- anything you can find-- to trigger some more research...

...and fill us all in on anything you get."

With his final comment, Terrin waved a hand to indicate the entire group of them. The medic nodded respectfully and departed, and Terrin started to take a step...

I knew that look. Khaandon knows I've worn it myself a time or two in my life. There are times a person wants the company of others, and times he simply needs a little "me time," to go over things in his head, to indulge in self-scrutiny, perhaps.

I paused fractionally, slid my hand behind my back and waggled my fingers in Terrin's direction.

"Hey, Captain Joao," I began brightly, coming to a halt before him and smiling warmly as his focus was yanked upward into my face.

"I just want to let you know that Link is in the best of hands; you don't have to worry about her. But I know she's special to you, and that no amount of kaffe or Whyren's Reserve is going to get you to budge.

"Personally, I-- ummm... er, that is, there's stuff I think I need to be doing. So if you don't mind, I'll just skedaddle off for now and do it."

I let my smile broaden, and retraced my steps to the doorway. There I paused once more.

"We'll check in on ya after a bit, and see if there's anything you need, ok?"

Jasyn sighed, and opened a new comm message box to respond to Terrin's personal comm frequency.

A text? Unusual...

As Terrin approached Galen he paused to check the message. As Jasyn's text scrolled through he frowned, not liking the appearances of what was going on. Not knowing that Galen had already spoken with Jasyn, he figured she needed to know what was going on.

"Sounds like there is trouble on Khar Delba," he opened with, showing her the commlink so that she could read Jasyn's message. "Doesn't sound good, but I think if he and Shawn, who I'm assuming is still there, sit tight and try to smooth things over that might be the best thing. We already know we're going in to K'eel Doba in a less-than-friendly situation; having a good link on Khar Delba would be useful."

"That's just what I told him to do, to sit tight and wait until we called back," I exclaimed, letting annoyance edge out over incredulous as I spoke.

"I mean, sheesh Terrin, the comm came in right as I was landing the ship. Then you bustled Link off to the meds before I could grab you and tell you anything. Great hopping womprats, it's only been like--"

I shot my chrono a fast glance.

"Fifteen minutes or so, give or take. Ok then, maybe closer to thirty. But Hell's Seven Circles, he called back already?"

I paused a moment, my brows bunching.

"I dunno; maybe he's jumping to conclusions here. I mean, maybe there's something else happening that he thinks is bad or something; we know he does like to tip more than the occasional bottle, and he's got absolutely no patience whatsoever. I mean, this last comm proved the latter, right?"

I chewed my lip, hoping I wasn't offending Terrin in my assessment. But dammitall anyway, I could tell a rancor from a bantha ya know; Jasyn was easier to read than a book.

Terrin paused, shaking his head a bit. "I wonder how much brandy he's had to drink?" He frowned. "Why do I think he's hoping I'll tell him to get out of there? Unfortunately for him, if Shayla and Erik have both left one or the other of them probably took the ship. But then again, that might be a good thing to keep him pinned in place."

Terring paused, chewing his lip a bit. "I'm going to remind him to do what you said, try and keep the peace there...

It took him little time to find no one on the ship besides himself and proceeded to the entrance hatch to find it already open and the boarding ramp lowered. Stepping out into the hanger he was greeted by the sudden gasps of what he assumed was a mechanic of deckhand of wherever this place was. Turning toward the sound Kyan found he was indeed correct, for lying on the ground staring up at him with his mouth hanging open was a mechanic judging by the hydro spanner he was carrying. It was a human male probably in his twenties and with the expression on his face Kyan wagered that this was the first time he had seen a Mandalorian in full armor before. Before the mechanic had a chance to runaway Kyan carefully bent over and offered the young man a hand.

"Well, I'm not sure where the Captain and Ms. Danner are, but I think I can help you out."

After saying that, the technician raised his wristcomm and keyed in a frequency he knew by heart. He raised the comm to his lips.

"Main deck, this is Technician Raimes in the main hangar bay. I have been working on Eagle II. Seems that a passenger aboard her was left behind. He is requesting to be reunited with Captain Danner and Galen Danner. Please alert the Captain that he and Ms. Danner are being looked for by..."

"They are being looked for by a Mandolorian Jedi named Kyan Jestiisad."

With no further ado, the technician sent the message off and waited for a reply.

--------------------------

On the main deck, the technician's message was received. Although the communications chief was suprised by the words he heard, he dutifully sent the message away to Captain Danner.

"What the...? Don't tell me this is Jasyn again..." he started, pressing a button or two on his wrist comm. The message from the main deck came through.Have the technician walk Jedi Jetiisad to the main turbolift; Galen or I or both of us will meet him there, he responded to the main deck.

Then he sent a quick text to Jasyn:

Just keep doing what Galen said to do. Lay low and try to smooth the waters. Mind what Shawn might be thinking and feeling, he is more of a negotiator than you. We may need friends on Khar Delba; stay civil.

Sending that message off then, Terrin turned to Galen. "Allright, told Jasyn to be good and listen to Shawn. You want to head down to the main turbolift with me to meet Kyan? It's on the way to the transciever room, and I think that it's only fair to find out what he wants to do or where he wants to go from here."

----------------------

On the main deck, the communications chief quickly responded to Terrin's reply by relaying the message that the technician bring Jetiisad to the main turbolift.

Erik Kartan was jarred from a restless and disturbed slumber by the insistent beeping of his TIE fighter's proximity indicator. After rubbing the little bit of sleep he had gotten from his eyes, he surveyed his controls, realizing he had perhaps taken some time to rouse by the nearing of his reversion window.

Ten seconds...

Shaking his head to clear the remaining fog from his mind, Erik sat up and scanned his controls more carefully.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

The TIE fighter reverted with amazingly smooth precision considering its size. The dark sky before him, interspersed with stars, was marred from its beauty by the massive structure of the Eclipse-class SSD the Hornett.

Erik had to shake himself as less-than-found memories of the ship surfaced in his mind's eye from back in the day when he and Shayla were dealing with Terrin and Moff Krenoff.

You've gone from loving her to conspiring with the enemy, a demonic imp that popped out of seemingly nowhere snorted. Erik did his best to ignore it, and opened a general frequency.

Hornett, this is Erik Kartan requesting permission to dock from the Captain of your ship.

Sending the message off, Erik sat back a bit and waited, clearing his mind from all thoughts of Shayla and Zackary and focusing instead on what he was going to do in the here and now...

...and in the near future as well.

"I trust you've rested well, and have recovered," I said, thinking that a "regular" jedi would indeed by now have bounced back to normal. This guy, though... I really was a little uncertain about it. But I sure as Khaandon made lil green worrts didn't want to annoy him by assuming the opposite.

"Is there anything you'd need at the moment; food, drink? Or should we escort you to your quarters?"

Kyan thoughts kept drifting back to the young twi'lek in the holo. How he found her in the slums of Nar Shada and knew the force had led him to her. The down trodden child of the streets that became a Mandalorian then a Jedi. But the image that stuck the most was the first time she called him Buir.

Surely she didn't perish in the attack on the Jedi Academy, like me she never stayed at the Academy longer then necessary, but she would also be the first to volunteer for a rescue mission.

Shaking these thought from his mind knowing further speculation would serve no purpose then to frustrate him.

After all, this was concerning Tarnus, and the Sith. Not to mention the truth behind the sudden widespread loss of any abilities. Something major was coming down the spacelanes, and anyone who was willing to help would be needed if they were trustworthy.

"As for communications, there is a station you can use right on this level," he then stated, nodding his head marginally at a small corridor just a little ways ahead of them. He turned for a brief moment to the somewhat anxious-looking technician. "Thank you for your assistance in rejoining this man with us," he said with a nod before motioning once more for Kyan to follow him. Only a few short steps later they were in a nearby communications port.

"This better not be Jasyn again," he growled pressing the accept button. Erik's request to dock played out, and Terrin's brow shot up in surprise. So far as they had been told, Kartan had left the Sith worlds to bury his son...

...so why in the universe was he here?

"Allow Mr. Kartan to dock in the main hangar bay," he then told the officers on the main deck. As he sent his response off he knew Kartan would be granted immediate clearance.

"I wonder what he's doing here?" he then asked aloud before keying in a familiar frequency into his wristcomm.

"Aaron, just checking in to see if you have quarters on Red Level for Captain Joao set. We also need to have quarters for one other for certain...

...maybe two. Have you heard anything about Erik Kartan coming here, because he is currently docking."

"Kartan contacted me not long ago wanting to rebuy Stargazer Coorporation. I was going to sell it back to him and make us a little bit of profit on the resell; after all, the company has been sitting on the back burner since I bought it from him."

...and they might be able to use someting like Stargazer Coorporation at the moment.

"I forgot about Aaron buying Stargazer Corp, he then said to Galen. "An information smuggling agency would be handy about now..."

He trailed, chewing his lip a bit, "...and I owned stock in the coorporation long before either Aaron or Kartan did since I helped start it up."

He shook his head. "Not sure I'm liking this move on Aaron's part. We might need a good connection with Stargazer Corp. Gods know we've used her knowledge base in the past and it's helped greatly."

She has a child how much have I missed, I should have taken her with me but then I might not have a... and anyways she is a Jedi knight and a Mandalorian warrior she has responsibilities to and the we both decided the Force wanted us to part ways at that time.

Reading on she went on to explain that she convinced a few Mandalorians to come along with her to see if they could find any Jedi survivors on Yavin 4.

Opening the second letter he had hoped to find news of his apprentices success but found the letter to be dated only a few months ago. At the head of the letter was an embedded video upon playing the video Kyan heart sank like a stone. There stood his apprentice shackled to a post in front of a firing squad of imperial stormtroopers. Kyan wanted to yell at the screen for her to use the Force to escape but knew in his heart what had happened. Almost if on cue the stormtroopers open fire on her leaving several smoking holes in her chest. When her body finally ceased to move the closest stormtrooper was about to unshackle her body when it slowly faded away and left only an empty set of robes. Then suddenly the video stopped. Kyan finished reading the letter then shut it off and returned to the others.

“My apprentice is dead,” Kyan coldly stated. “I received a letter from her daughter on a channel that only I and my apprentice used, and it was written in Mando'a then encoded with a Jedi cipher so there is noway it could have been fabricated. She... Pria, led a small twenty man strike team comprised of Mandalorians and a few Jedi she could find they tried to run an imperial blockade but where caught and publicly executed to warn the Mandalorians not to side with the Jedi ever again. Her daughter is now a Mandalorian warrior who is hunting down the man who gave the order to execute her mother... my daughter.”

“As a Mandalorian I should go and find Kani... my granddaughter to help her, but right now I have a responsibility to the Jedi Order and the Force I must take care of first. If it isn't to much to ask from what I've seen you seem to be the people who can help, no one has seen my granddaughter for several months if your organization could keep an eye out for her if she pops up anywhere... Shes a fully trained Mandalorian warrior about 16 years old and carries her mothers lightsaber even though she has no ability for the Force according to her letter.”

Sorben... he wouldn't have, he simply couldn't do such a cold-hearted thing...

No. I couldn't believe it. Not after the little bit Sorben had explained to me, back when, little Darra in hand, I had been foolish enough to run away from Terrin, fleeing with Sorben to Coruscant.

He told me the initial killing had been on Actar's orders. That it was only in the beginning, a coup de force necessary to upset the grinding gears of the galactic republic long enough that he and his governing body could take its place. He told me there had been no other butchery, no other killing, that Actar wanted order only...

Something hardened in the very depths of my being.

Actar lied. Not that this didn't really surprise me...

A shudder ran through me as images of the brief but mind-wrenching horror the man had brought upon my person burst across my inner eye like shrapnel. Memories of being confined, tightly balled, crunched away in a mental box, assured that I was the absolutely and positively only living thing in the entire plethora of universes...

It had to be Actar's doing; surely Sorben wouldn't go that far.

Another heart-shrinking picture: that of a Mandalorian-armored bounty hunter of my too-close acquaintance approaching the house where I had hidden clones of myself and tiny Darra. Clones of which he at the time had no idea were not the real us. Me, watching from the safe haven of my hidden treetop perch, aghast as his blaster was raised once... and then again, both clones then disappearing neatly from my view.

I shook my head briefly, trying to clear it, trying to bring some semblance of sense back into it.

Everything was a lie. The Empire wasn't the benign Big Brother Sorben professed it to be. It's goals were not about order, but rather the complete and utter domination over every planet, every system, every living being. Why else would what few rag-tag jedi still haunting the galaxy be seen as so great a threat as to warrant cold and public execution?

And where did Sorben fit into all of this?

I blinked, opened my mouth, worked it a little in a feeble attempt to say something meaningful. But for once in my life I was tongue-tied; closing my mouth with a swallow, I shot a sideways glance Terrin's way before returning my gaze to Kyan, the look I now set upon him being filled with heartfelt commiseration.

After all, he knew what it was like to find out that someone you loved had been killed on Actar's orders.

"We will do everything we can to help you find her," Terrin finally responded to Kyan, realizing that a connection with Stargazer Coorporation and Erik Kartan might be the best way to do this. "There is an information smuggling agency that I have connections with that should be able to help," he then said aloud. "We can talk more about this, but for now let me get you in contact with Petrolu."

Quieting then, Terrin motioned Kyan to follow him back to the communications room, inputing Shawn's personal frequency into comm device. Then he opened with a message.

"Shawn, this is Terrin. I have a man here named Kyan Jtiis'ad who is a Jedi and was stranded on the same world as Yaoksi when we found him. He is with us now, and would like to speak with you about some matters that are concerning him. I am connecting him with you now to do that."

Leaving the message at that, Terrin nodded that Kyan proceed, stepping out once again to give him privacy to talk to Shawn.

Only then did he key in Aaron's comm frequency again. "Aaron, before you make any final deals with Kartan, I think we all need to have a talk together. Some things have come up which he might be able to help us with, and I have a feeling he will want to do that."

"Jedi Shawn," Kyan began. "Like Terrin said I am Jedi Master Kyan Jetiis'ad. About 25 years ago I was the Orders Battle Master and head combat expert. About that time the Jedi Order was attacked by a fallen Jedi and in the process of stopping them I was stripped of the Force."

"Unfortunately there are few of us left that I am aware of, although there may be those who remain under cover. At present, I know there once was one man who was going to assist me in recreating a Jedi Temple on Tatooine, which was approved by the Empire, but I have not heard from him in some time and fear the worst. Other than that I know of at least two others who are not full Jedi but force sensitive, those being my brother-in-law Erik Kartan and my sister Shayla Petrolu Kartan. I have encountered an individual here or there who longs to be trained in the Jedi ways but does not remain. Our status, I fear, is grim. And at the moment I, along with all others that I know, have lost our connection with the Force...

"I trust you had a good flight...

...although I see you've had little chance to move and stretch your legs," he said simply, nodding towards the small fighter. Kartan cocked his head a bit and nodded in response, seemingly curious as to the reason for Aaron's banter. Aaron inwardly cringed, wondering if the other man thought he was about to back out on his promised deal.

Maybe that all depended on what Terrin wanted to talk about, he couldn't help but think.

"Terrin and Galen arrived here shortly before you did with some others, and he would like to meet with us about something concerning something you might be able to help him with before we close any deals."

Aaron paused. He wasn't sure, but he thought he denoted the slightest bit of a storm brewing in Erik's eyes. He quickly tried to deflect it.

"Allright," he then replied. "A shower and some food might be nice," he then continued, trying to remain civil. "And you know, there is something Terrin and Galen should probably hear from me as well...

...so I guess it's good he wants to talk."

Nevermind he probably wants to get his hands into Stargazer Coorp while the getting is good, a shoulder devil snorted.

"I hope, however, I don't have to wait long. I have some concerns of my own I'd like to attend to and I need Stargazer Corp to do so."

Falling silent at that, Erik fell in step as Aaron then motioned him to follow, still trying his best to not be disappointed about the wait...

We'd gone from a somewhat good chance of uniting the Sith with the Empire to discovering that all simply might not be as we supposed, and on both fronts to boot. The way things now stood there was a serious possibility of all-out war erupting between the two, whether the threat of in-coming Vong was real or not.

And if that threat was indeed real...

I shuddered, and spoke my concerns to Terrin.

"I hope there aren't any big ears listening in on the other end," I continued, nodding toward the niche where Kyan had been led.

"I mean, an overheard partial conversation can be easily misinterpreted, ya know. Not to mention there is a possibility of a Sith-Vong union; what if someone hears what Shawn and Kyan are talking about? Sheesh Terrin, the Vong about wiped our clocks the last time they were here, and that was with the Force on our side.

"But now...?"

I trailed, hoping that whatever servant that might be hovering about would be one on a bottom rung of Temple hierarchy, and if having overheard anything choice would merely dismiss it as something of no great importance, and therefore not worthy of report.

Then it was something Kyan over heard that made him shudder.

"Sith..." Kyan gasped.

Kyan quickly turned to face her.

"The Sith, but they have been dead for thousands of years, Only the occasional Dark Jedi who finds an obscure writing here or there and claims the mantle of Sith remain."

"That's, ahh-- " I fumbled a moment, considering how much I should spill right now. It wasn't that I didn't think the man deserved the truth; it's just that I didn't think lolly-gagging about in one of Hornett's too-busy corridors was the place to clarify matters. For all I knew, Terrin's people still harbored the same thoughts about the Sith that Kyan did; no need to be discussing this in a committee which might be overheard by the general populace.

The Empire was killing Jedi, the Sith might be in league with incoming Vong, and nobody had any powers. So what the hell were they going to do about all of it, and who the kriffing hell were they going to trust? Were they headed towards another Great Rebellion of sorts...

...or could civil war still somehow be avoided and a truce made before a potential Vong invasion came in and eradicated them all?

And what if that was precisely the plan all along?

As the heavy silence continued, the answer to who to trust actually came to Terrin quite easily. "There are some things you need to know," Terrin then said evenly in Kyan's direction, breaking the silence, knowing that although that was true that this was not the place. The look in Galen's eye confirmed that as he glanced her way. "But this is not the place," he then said aloud. "Please, follow me."

As Terrin began to lead them through winding corridors to the turbolift, he managed to keep ameasured but still casual gait, nodding to workers here or there as he did so, striving to maintain a look that implied they were headed to important business without raising any alarm at the same time. Although it probably only took a few minutes to reach the turbolift and arrive on Red Level, seconds seemed to tick slowly by. Terrin exited, for the moment in the lead, and headed directly to his personal office, motioning both Kyan and Galen to step inside before he did. As he then followed behind them, he hit the controls to the door, the auto hatch whooshed to a close. As they took a seat, Terrin keyed Shawn's frequency into his wrist comm and sent off a brief text.

Shawn, Terrin here. If you have anything further, use text. No need to raise any unwanted alarms if things are as tense there as Jasyn says.

Sending the message off, Terrin returned his attentions to Galen and Kyan. He wondered just where they would begin in explaining the existence of the Sith to the latter and decided to open with the simplest explanation.

"The Sith are more than the Dark Jedi that most of us are familiar with," he then said. "They are a race of beings who were attacked and defeated by the Dark Jedi long ago, and not all of them are necessarily dark."

Or so you have been lead to believe, a shoulder devil popped up and snorted as the office fell into silence.

What they are saying could be true what the Jedi knew of the sith matched what they said, there were some differences. Jedi knowledge came from what little scraps of information that survived the dark Jedi had recorded and suffice to say any information could not be trusted.

"May the Force help us if what you say is true," stated Kyan. "With so many different factions bidding for control of the galaxy it would be so easy for everything to plunge into darkness."

"With so few Jedi and without the aid of the Force all could be lost so easily. As it stands there are no Galactic Powers that I would trust the fate of the Jedi, let alone the galaxy to."

Besides my fellow Mandalorians and what Jedi remain, I would not trust our future to the alternatives.

"But remember, we're supposing that the Vong are incoming... as we are supposing the Sith are in cahoots with them. It just may be that there was some kind of dark faction on the Sith worlds who for whatever purpose initiated some kind of alliance with the Vong, and that this presumed alliance really has nothing to do with the current rulers of the Sith worlds."

I paused a moment, chewing my lip.

"Ya know--" I suddenly burst out. "I can't help but think it's not something that mundane, but rather that something of a more... phenomenal nature is behind it all. I mean, how in all the known galaxy would the Sith ever contact the Vong? They were lost to the galaxy the last time the Vong invaded; to my knowledge there is no way either faction would have any possible knowledge of each other.

"This all smacks of something darker than the Vong... like the Master and his buddies in the Darker Realms--"

I cut myself off at that, shooting a quick glance Terrin's way. Dang, but I bet credits to the treasure on Roon that Kyan hadn't ever heard of the Master, let alone the Darker Realms. I turned to him with a smile and a shrug, as if to say...

Perhaps the vongese are not comming, and they have nothing to do with the sith, but then again there are no such things as coincidences with the Force... That planet was there for a reason, with that much vongese biotech there had to be some plan for it.

Life was so much simpler then.

"I don't know," I said honestly, shaking my head. "I mean, I was really hoping that we could discover something good about the Empire. Sorben-- I mean General Tarnus and I have had, ahh... history together; he told me the only violence enacted by Impies was that necessary to insert Actar and his regime as the controlling factor. That all Actar wanted was order in the Galaxy; if this was the case, we could confront them with our suspicions and at least give warning."

I sighed again, feeling helpless. Dang, but it was an awful big galaxy; what could teeny ol' us actually do? Who could we approach, who would believe us? That is, if our suppositions were indeed anything to truly warrant a red flag.

"Maybe they would listen to us," I finally said. "That is, if we can offer some hard fact to really substantiate what we tell them. After all, the Vong had attacked us, albeit years ago; those amphistaffs should have been long dead, right? But..."

I let an exasperated chuff of air escape me.

"For all we know they're being kept by the Empire, sort of like an experiment or something. And if that's the case, then they'd be the last ones we'd want to contact."

This was getting frustrating as hell. My feeling of helplessness ballooned to overwhelming proportions. But deep in my gut, that little instinct that had served me so well time and time again insisted on yelling at me.

"I don't trust the Empire any further than I could throw it," Terrin admitted aloud. "I've tried bargaining with them in the past, with a reasonable exchange for what I needed...

...only to get hauled off to jail and left to rot."

He paused, chewing his lip again, remembering something. "Still, we do potentially know something that may make the Empire as a whole more inclined to listen to us, and my feelings regarding the Empire don't necessarily extend to every single individual working for it."

The doctor was smiling telling her that the operation went smoothly, he then went into boring detail about each step of the operation which Link promptly ignored and just laid there thinking to herself.

I don’t feel any different, I can’t feel anything at all.

Craning her head Link peered down at her arm and saw the shiny replacement; tentatively she tested it out by curling and uncurling her fingers and was surprised that it worked with no lag, just like her real arm did. The Doctor noticed and continued to smile making the comment that they still had to run a few more tests to make sure she had all the range of motion like before when Link interrupted him by holding up her mechanical hand in his face to silence him. She stared into her lap and cradled her new arm against her body.

“I want to see Yaoksi,” Link whispered. Clenching her hand into a fist she couldn’t feel anything from her new arm, touch… heat… pain… anything. When the doctor failed to respond Link grabbed a transperisteel tube sitting beside her bed on a table and squeezed it until it shattered.

Someone, or rather something was poking me gently in the shoulder. I cracked a bleary eye.

"Wake up, sir," the med-droid was saying as his offending digit assaulted my shoulder yet again.

"The surgery is over, and if I say so myself it was quite successful--"

Surgery.

I bolted upright, suddenly awake, slurping a little as I removed a tiny bit of embarrassing drool from the corner of my mouth.

"Link... she's all right? Everything is okay?"

Without really hearing anything else the droid was saying I scrambled to my feet and headed toward the hatch that led into the surgery. Another med-droid accosted me, holding my by both arms as it turned me in the correct direction and led me to the tiny but thoroughly supplied recovery room. I burst through the doorway, to see Link sitting upright on her bunk, cradling a shiny metallic appendage and sporting an expression somewhere between worry and embarrassment.

A broad smile lit my face.

"Hey kid, I see they didn't manage to kill you!" I cried, mostly as a joke but admittedly not without a touch of relief. After all she had said to me about how successfully Ryns can be operated on, I had been a little worried as to the operation's outcome. But she appeared hale and whole, well, at least as whole as one could expect under the circumstances.

I stopped at her bedside, leaned down, and gave her a big ol' hug.

"Glad to have you back, kiddo," I said into her ear.

"I'm ok..." Link answered. "I'm ok now."

Link used her mechanical arm to gently shove Yaoksi off of her. Then carefully she used the same arm to help push herself off the bed so she could stand, out of the corner of her eye she say the doctors about to protest to her actions so she sent them an icy glare that conveyed the message 'if you say anything I will take my shiny new arm and shove it down your throat', promptly shutting them up. Resuming her normal expression Link focused her attention onto Yaoksi.

"Can we go now?" Link asked.

"I believe that can be arranged!" I replied brightly as I assisted her from the bed. She hit the deck with only one wobble, prompting me to nod.

Good. She's already becoming accustomed to the extra weight of her new arm; I think she's gonna be all right!

With that I put an arm about her shoulders and led her from the medical bay and into the corridor without.

"Let's go find the others," I said, heading forward to where I knew I'd find Captain Danner and his red-headed lil spitfire of a wife. Then it hit me, and I skidded to a somewhat embarrassed halt.

This wasn't Eagle II. I had no idea where in blue blazes we actually were... let alone having so much as a remote a clue as to where everybody was!

I thought about going back and asking one of the med-droids, but logic reminded me of how fussy they could be. Chances were good that they'd just haul Link back to bed; nope, not an option, not now, not when the little gal was moving along like the biggest, most willing trooper in the galazy.

Then an idea hit me, and I cast a fast but searching glance about myself.

Wide, wide corridor, bustling with staff and crew members, the occasional mouse-bot skittering about it's mousely little duties, a computer monitor...

"That's what I'm looking for!" In the space of a few lengthy strides I was at it, punching a button which signified open link.

Ummm... to where, or who?

"Uhh-- this is Captain Yaoksi Joao," I finally just up and spoke into it, keeping my voice lowered so as not to attract any undue attention to us. I mean, yeah, I'm sure I could have asked one of the people who were hastening about their business, but judging by the fact that this ship was a blasted SSD I figured it might take longer for one of them to jump through whatever hoops he or she would have to in order to locate the people I wanted to find.

"Can whoever receives this direct me to the whereabouts of Captain Danner? Ahh- over..?"

With that I simply hit transmit, wondering who would receive it, and hoping that whoever did would be able to reunite us with the others in our party.

Not to mention finding us all pots and pots of caf...

"Yeah," I went on, following his line of thought to what to me was its in-your-face obvious conclusion. "And something tells me that getting him out of Sith imprisonment should be treated as something of a stealth mission. I mean, if we can manage to get into the dungeons and extricate him, Khaandon alone knows when the Sith themselves would finally realize he's gone. They don't exactly keep a five-star establishment there, you know."

And with Sissypoops running the show, their miserable, rotten "stay" would more than likely be made even more miserable and rotten, thanks to her little nasty canasta troupe of Noghri she kept hanging around. Assuming she still kept them... which I assumed with as much fervor as I did the fact that something was entirely too rotten on Dantooine...

I paused a moment, letting the implications of what I was saying we do sink in. Then I turned to the jedi.

"You don't need to place yourself in harm's way for the sake of our hopefully feasible scheme," I said, hoping Terrin would agree with me on this one.

"Umm... the last I knew--"

Going by what Sorben had told me during my truncated flight from Terrin, when I had taken little Darra and had fled the then Sith-less K'eel Doba with Sorben for what I mistakenly thought would be a better life for us...

"--there is a new Praxeum being put together on, ummm... Tatooine. Maybe you'd like to be taken there?"

An exemplary Jedi with unwavering devotion to the Force… unsurpassed in lightsaber combat and small unit tactics… disobedient to the will of the council… relies on his own feelings more then our experience and judgment…

He was trained to be a merciless warrior by his Mandalorian kin, and through his feelings the living Force taught him to use that training to ‘solve’ problems the council refused to address, like the incident with the dark Jedi 25 years ago. No what the Jedi needed was not another Praxeum, they needed a new direction.

“No,” Kyan replied. “No, I can’t help with the Praxeum. It’s a difficult to explain even to those who can use the Force. I am a follower of the Living Force, the mainstream Jedi consider us a radical faction and often refer to us as gray Jedi. We hold devotion to the Living Force above all else and often clash with the Master’s Council because they consider us rash because we believe that the Living Force speaks to every living being so we rely heavily on our emotions doing what is right ‘on the moment’.”

"Hey, Captain Joao, Terrin here," he said, dispensing with the formalities of using his own titles, "What's up, and how is Link doing? Galen, Kyan, and I are discussing some things..."

...ha, ha funny. Some very important things...

"...in my office if you want to join us."

Sending the message off, Terrin was about to open his mouth and say something once more when a knock came at the door. Terrin frowned a bit, at first wondering just who the kriffing hell would be knocking...

While trying to think of what to do Link remembered that she had been here before and the how this SSD had a large shopping center. Before Yaoksi had a chance to respond to Terrin’s message Link maneuvered her way right beside Yaoksi and the terminal.

“Can I interrupt you for a sec?” Link asked. Not waiting for a reply Link took control of the terminal and brought up a schematic of the SSD highlighting their current location and that of Terrin’s office, when the reply message originated from. Link pointed to a turbolift at the end of the same corridor they now occupied on the schematic.

It would be kinda nice, actually, I mused briefly to myself, to go hunt for something for the lil gal. Take my mind off of our troubles, at least for the moment. Not to mention it's really a good sign, that Link wants to make herself presentable...

The latter was really somewhat of a far cry from the earlier attitude she wielded like a shield back when I first came into her acquaintance. Beneath that "tough girl" facade I think had really been only the timiest glimmering of self-worth; for whatever reason, she was improving. I'd sure like to think I had something to do with it, but I'm not one to press my luck, and Fates alone know I hate to wave my banner around.

"Sure, kid!" I said brightly as I turned and stuck a gentlemanly elbow in her direction.

"Don't worry," Link commented. "I'm not doing anything illegal right now, just withdrawing some credits from on of the emergency accounts I set up."

Luckily for Link she decided when she set up these emergency accounts to memorize all the account numbers instead of write them down just in case she lost all her equipment like she had. Link typed in the account number for one of her smaller emergency stashes and found the balance of 10,000 credits was still intact. Deciding that not wanting the account to get traced backed to her Link withdrew the entire sum and had it transferred to a cred card which the machine promptly ejected. Taking the ejected cred card Link turned back to Yaoksi, who Link was unsure if Yaoksi was surprised at her Casually withdrawing such a large sum of credits.

"I may have been angry at the time I snapped at you about credits but I wasn't lying about them."

Again taking hold of Yaoksi's arm Link led them into the market looking for a store that carried what she was looking for. She saw several tailor shops and clothing outlets that could work but that lacked what Link was looking for practicality. Just when Link was about to give up she saw exactly what she was looking for, a small shop housing surplus military gear. Entering the shop with Yaoksi in tow she noted how most of it was leftover from the clone wars, old but much of which was still serviceable.

“I won't take to long,” Link said. “Just wait right here and I'll be right back.”

Link knew more or less what she wanted so she quickly moved through the shop only stopping briefly to quickly look at some item or grab it then move on. After ten minutes or so Link felt confident she had every thing she needed. Grabbing a vibro bayonet Link headed into the shops fresher to change over. Quickly stripping off the hospital gown and tossing it into the closest refuse bin Link took the vibro bayonet and made one quick adjustment to the trousers she had grabbed, making a hole in the seat of them for her tail to fit through. After donning her new garb Link looked into the mirror the fresher had and was satisfied with what she had chosen. A pair of tan suede combat boots, gray fatigues trousers fastened with a riggers belt, a black high collar military sweater, an old republic officers overcoat in the style of a duster which she left the front open, and one leather glove to cover her left hand hiding the rest of her arm. Ready to go she stepped out of the fresher and back up to the front counter where it looked like Yaoksi was making small talk with the shops owner.

“Yaoksi,” called Link. “Well what do you think?”

"We really could use all the help we can get if we are going to spring Tarnus. We can sit here and plan away, but what it's all going to boil down to is going in quietly, undercover, and sneaking in to get him in what will most likely be a very hostile setting. Your expertise as a Jedi and a Mandolorian warrior would be invaluable."

He paused then, turning to Erik. "And I know you came to Aaron wanting to buy back Stargazer Corp, but we could use you too. You know about the Sith, you're a good pilot...

...and an information smuggler. If you buy back the company I'd hope you'd be willing to help us out, at the least. At the most, we could use you on our team." He paused then, pursing his lips a bit. "I know you've been through a lot so I understand if you just can't...Matt and Jasyn have filled me in on what happened, and I'm truly sorry. But if you need something to occupy your time..."

He trailed then, knowing that there really wasn't any good way to say anything comforting in regards to the loss of an infant.

He trailed and shook his head once more. "They don't want us there anymore, and I have pretty good reason to think that they never really did. You don't know how many times Lord Aelvedaar or Roan did one thing or another to Shayla. Or how Aeylmaar told us to leave our child in an incubator and get the hell off his planet because we weren't Sith. And now Zack's dead, and is Shayla is gone to who the hell knows where."

Falling silent, Erik's eyes went dark. "I don't particularly trust the Empire, but I know for certain we can't trust the Sith."

Not to mention the words she'd called out in approaching just now. Not, "ok, let's go," which would have tumbled brusquely from her mouth not too long ago, but "what do you think?"

My smile flickered, trying to turn into a grin. I let it.

"You look great, kiddo. Tougher than nails. In fact, you make me look pretty worn around the edges."

I paused to peruse my own tattered attire. Gads--! Was I still wandering around in this? I'd had a small chance to freshen up on the ship coming in to Hornett, but had simply put on my own worn clothing, albeit after giving them a good pounding to remove the dust. Said pounding hadn't gone far to remove the rips, tears, shreds and bloodstains they carried; I frowned and looked at Link again.

"Umm... maybe I'd better join you," I smiled, spreading my hands and shrugging gamely. "Lemme see now..."

Now it was my turn to access a nearby banking terminal. It didn't take long to find my account on Sullust; it wasn't nearly the size that Link had withdrawn, but there was enough that I wouldn't have to go about dressed like the local ragman. I withdrew what I thought would be enough, then returned to where Link was standing.

"My turn now, kiddo," I said with a wink as I passed her, heading deeper into the military surplus store to see what I could find. It didn't take long; gathering up several items, and one an unusual one to boot, I headed to a dressing room and changed. Emerging newly attired, old scroungy clothing in hand, I stopped before Link and the shop owner, held my hands out, and turned around.

"Well-?" I mirrored Link's question to me as I came to a quirked-eyebrow halt. "What do you think?"

I was in black fatigue pants, the kind old Imperial TIE pilots wore. A ribbed dusty colored sweater likewise followed Link's example, but instead of covering it with a duster I had found a utility vest. This was colored in a blotchy camo pattern of greens and browns, something that would go a long way toward hiding a person in deep forest, say like that found on Endor. My old brown leather boots were still serviceable, not to mention being old friends, so I didn't bother to replace them. To complete my attire I had found brown leather gloves -- which I stuck in one of the myriad pockets of my vest -- and, of all things, a nicely worn, rich brown fedora. What had caught my eye was the hat band which adorned it: it was a ring of unhatched baby krayt dragon claws. Blasted thing was twice the cost of the other clothing combined, but I couldn't help grabbing it, and once on my head I knew it was there to stay.

I thought it lent me a roguish touch.

“Sorry,” Link choked. “I had the weirdest mental image right now, you look good though like only you could make that look work.”

Link moved a few steps over to the counter to pay for her items when she leaned across to the vendor on the other side and hinted she wanted to see the 'less then legal military surplus'. Without hesitation the man seemed to activate something behind the counter which dropped down a display hidden in the ceiling, stocked full of various blasters. If there was one thing Link new as well as or almost as well as slicing, it would be blasters. Looking across the selection she saw many she knew T-6, DL-22, Power 5, ELG-3A, Q2... nothing really caught her eye until she saw an old DC-15s side arm blaster. She had never seen one in person before, but knew it was a standard side arm during the clone wars for the republic arm. Picking it up off the display for a closer look she instantly noticed it was heavier then it was suppose to be, at least according to the specs that she knew about.

Disassembling the blaster she was immediately surprised and overjoyed at what she saw, whoever the previous owner was they managed to swap out the inferior components of the DC-15s side arm blaster with that of the DC-15s blaster carbine, making the thing quite literally the definition of a hand cannon. It was further enhanced by a period specific scope and range finder for a more accurate aiming while fooling the person on the other end in just believing it was a old run of the mill blaster. Smiling at the fortune that came to her Link also took a leather 'cowboy' holster strapping it around her hips and her left thigh. With practiced precision Link twirled the blaster in her left hand forward, back, then down into the holster snapping it into place in one fluid motion.

The man on the other side of the counter started to ring up the total when Link just swiped the cred card through the terminal and transferred the sum of 3500 credits easily three times the worth of the blaster alone. She turned back to Yaoksi and smiled while gently patted the blaster hidden behind her duster.

He paused then, chewing his lip thoughtfully. "But this doesn't mean they all feel this way. But all we can go on right now is what we know...

...and we need to do something about it before it's old news. I know you want to buy Stargazer Corp back...

Turning his attentions back to the question, he pursed his lips. "I'm an information smuggler, and if I buy back the company I need to be there to get things going again. And considering all that has happened and what I know and believe concerning the Sith...

...there are still some things I think I need to do. If you need information, then you can use me as a source. But, for the moment, I'm not ready to step back into Sith territory."

“I understand,” Kyan stated. “I lost both of my children and my wife. My youngest and my wife from the rampage of a dark Jedi, and my oldest when the empire executed her. I know how you want to be on your own to deal with this right now because I did the same thing which is why I can't and will not try to stop you.”

“Perhaps there is something you can do to help though. My oldest daughter had a child before she was executed and now my granddaughter blames the empire for her mothers death and seeks revenge on them. I want to stop her before she gets killed or worse succeeds and ends up becoming a vessel of hate.”

Kyan removed his hand from Erik's shoulder and returned to his chair.

“I would like to use your information smuggling services to find her and stop her before its to late but I have no credits to my name and little to offer in exchange, but I ask that you help me if you can.

Then I sobered a little, letting my arms fall to my sides.

"I know what you mean, kiddo," I said, the emptiness at my own thigh bringing back vivid memories of that horrific place we'd passed through en route to the Vong planet, the place where I'd lost my poor Devil-May-Care and more than likely my own blaster along the way. I hated being weaponless, particularly since unless it was with some sort of handgun or another I wasn't much good in a fight.

Witness what happened on that empty planet we landed on...

I patted my thigh, underscoring my words.

In fact, during much of that time it had been the admitted hope that she was still alive that had kept me going; how did I know? Darra had disappeared, taken from me in, yes, another dark and drear entanglement with the Sith, for whom I myself had not much in the way of fond thoughts. But I had kept going.

Kyan had practically his entire family eradicated... and here he was, practically a stranger to us, but willing to throw his lot in with us.

But this Erik...

I drew in a deep breath, struggling to put everything into perspective.

He just lost his son, Galen, I told myself firmly. And there's no glimmer of hope that he's alive somewhere. He knows he's dead. But--

I couldn't help following that train of thought right back to the end of the line in Kyan's history, where it sat in quiet and comparative reprimand.

His family is dead, too.

Yeah, death hurts. It stabs into one's soul with an icy-hot blade, bringing with it not only the pain of loss but the subtle reminder of one's own mortality.

Well... that only makes me want to live harder! I thought fiercely. Make the most of what life has to give us -- if indeed it is really doing that -- and do the most that one can to make certain that the same choice is available for other beings in this ratty ol' universe!

My hands gripped my elbows, and I just couldn't help the little snort of derision that trickled from my lips.

I don't know where Terrin found some of these people to set up shop here but any slicer would go insane at some of the tech that these people where selling, this almost put the smugglers run to shame with the sheer amount of selection. Maybe there is something I could get to protect against amphistaffs or at least some anti-venom in case we run into those 'things again.

While Link thought of the amphistaffs her left arm started to burn in pain Like when she was bitten. Staring down at it she saw she clenched the hand of her artificial arm into a fist and her arm was shaking. Reaching across with her other arm Link grabbed her wrist and over the course of a few seconds somehow managed to stop her artificial arm's convulsions and then she pain slowly subsided.

Looking over at Yaoksi she could see how worried he looked at what just happened. Not exactly sure of what had just happened Link tried to explain it to Yaoksi as best as she could.

“I'm ok... I just started to think about those amphistaffs and my fake arm some how felt like I had been bitten by one of those things again. I can't explain it my arm has no feeling yet the pain was so real like I had my actual arm back for a few seconds.”

Finding that she was now cradling her left arm Link let herself drop it to her side. Link smiled at the cruel joke life was playing with her by first taking her arm then reminding her of it.

I grinned, trying to keep up our spirits even though I knew durned good and well what was weighing heavily on her mind. Her Ryn physiology was indeed very different from that of a human; maybe they not only couldn't receive a syn-flesh prosthetic, they couldn't receive any kind at all.

I gulped a little to myself, hoping fervently that the latter wouldn't turn out to be the case.

In no time we were back at the med-bay, where the same med-bot who had handled her case hastened up, the lenses of his eyes pulsing in the droid equivalent of curiosity.

"May I help you?" it asked politely, coming to a halt in front of us. Quickly I explained the situation; just as quickly, it had Link hop up on the nearest bed to proceed with a quick but thorough examination. I wasn't invited to leave, so I remained there, grasping her other hand with both of mine and smiling into her eyes.

"Don't worry kid, it'll be all right," I said, trying to assure her even as my stomach curled up into a knot tighter than a womprat in hibernation. At length the med-bot finished its examination, and straightened from her stiffened form.

"I can detect nothing wrong, Sir," he said, formally replying to me but encompassing us both with his assessment.

"It seems that what she was experiencing is something called 'phantom limb syndrome.' It is the body's way of becoming accustomed to the loss of an appendage; this should fade over time. But there doesn't seem to be any biological evidence of rejection; this arm should function as perfectly well as a biological one."

It paused, turning it's metallic head to scan its own arm before returning its focus to us.

"Better, even."

It paused a moment longer, as if debating with itself over something. But being a droid meant it couldn't exercise the greater part of valor; straightening further it blurted on.

"Unless of course, she does not want the appendage. Then there will be some risk of rejection. We can attach neuron to neuron, muscle strand to muscle strand, bone to bone and flesh to flesh. We can ascertain that all is well within functioning parameters. But we cannot account for the vagaries of the sentient mind.

"If this limb is to function as it ought, then this little one needs to fully accept it."

With that it held out its own silvery arm and assisted Link from the bed. It indicated the door with a wave of the other.

"There is no need for further examination; you may go now," it finished, before heading off to see to the needs of another patient.

My brows, having crawled to the top of my head at all this, waggled furiously before falling back into their usual place. I gave Link a steady look.

"It's up to you, kid," I finally said, taking up both her hands and squeezing them. I knew she probably couldn't feel anything in the robotic one, maybe some sensation of pressure of sorts. But I knew it was the motion that counted most of all.

"Let's go on and find the others now."

With that I led her from the med-bay, hopefully for the last time, and bee-lined to the monitor Link had used. It didn't take long to find the compartment where the others had sequestered themselves, and shortly thereafter we were entering into it. There we found Captain Danner and his wife, the latter looking steamed about something, accompanied by Kyan and another man I hadn't met before.

I stopped, bringing Link to a halt beside me, a smile plastered on my face.

"Hey," I said by way of announcement before falling silent in response to the nearly physical impact of gloom n' doom that permeated the room.

Uh-oh. This can't be good...

"Hey, come on in," he said as they did precisely that. Then he continued with introductions. "Erik, this is Captain Yaoksi Joao and Link, a couple of good friends. Captain Joao and Link, this is Erik Kartan, the owner of Stargazer Corporation and an information smuggler who has offered us his resources."

Terrin paused then, scowling a bit to himself once more. "I was just about to point out to him that, with his knwoledge of the Sith and the resources he now has that we really need his help again," he stated then, looking Erik dead in his stormy brown eyes. "Running from the Sith and Shayla won't do you any good. You know too much, and you know as well as I do that an information smuggler doesn't sit on his ship and manage things. He goes out to find information...

...and to find people who might need said information to sell to. This is an opportunity for you to do both of those and make some connections if you want to do something about the Sith out there that you don't trust."

Pausing then, he let what he had said fall into the heavy silence of the room for a long moment before turning back to Link and Yaoksi. "And to get you guys all the way up to speed, we were just saying that now is the time to get on with our business concerning finding Tarnus...

...and Link, transciever should be ready for you to use," he confirmed. After all, his men should know that when he asked for something of that nature to be done, it should get done right away. "Whenever you are ready, I'll take you there. It's good to see you up and about," he then commented.

My eyes narrowed, and I cocked my head, now letting my own vision grow a little fuzzy to better absorb the subtle nuances which were flying about like mynocks.

Galen -- no guesswork about her in any way shape or form. Nothing but a tough outer shell which more than likely hid an even tougher interior. No wonder she and Link seemed to get along, at least they seemed to during the flight coming here...

Terrin -- now here's a guy trying to make everything all hunky dory for everybody. I had watched his expression flash from one of sympathy to one of something between anger and extreme annoyance. Something about that was making my own eyes narrow even further...

Kyan, the Quiet -- now, him I couldn't read. He just stood there enveloped in a cloud of silence which could reflect emotions which were anything from acceptance to approval to a simple "let's wait and see how things develop" before any sort of judgment was passed. I kinda liked that...

Erik, the Stormcloud -- who this guy was and what history he had was beyond my ken, and I didn't really need to understand it. But there was something about his demeanor that reminded me of a little kid not getting his way; I don't know what in all the known universe triggered that reaction in me, but deep down in my gut my instincts were screaming to me that I probably was right in this assessment...

Not knowing what more to say or do, I just let my grin lessen to one reflective of the atmosphere, and nodded in general greeting to everyone. Beside me Link was just as quiet, her quick mind undoubtedly running through personal assessments of her own.

I then simply leaned against the door frame, wishing to the end of time and back that I had my ship in one piece, so I could at least offer something positive to help alleviate the dangerous gloom. For I could pilot a ship, and I knew how to effectively use a blaster.

Without either I felt about as useful as a second tail on a womprat.

Do I really want this arm? How could anyone want this? Well there where some freaks that would dispose of perfectly good parts to be “mechanically superior”. I don't know if I can ever fully want this thing... but maybe not wanting to be a cripple is enough for me to accept it.

Earlier when the med droid and Yaoksi wasn't looking Link found a data card with the schematics for her arm, probably left over from the surgery, and palmed it for further reading later. Now she felt a small satisfaction that using her new arm with no sensation in its hand she was able to steal a data card without the droid noticing and Yaoksi either, or at least he didn't care.

At least its functional enough that I can still palm small objects without breaking them or being seen.

Pocketing the data card in one of the interior pockets of her duster Link turned her attention toward the room of people.

“Its good to do something other then get shot at, poisoned, or operated on,” Link said. “It won't take long to make my modifications to your transceiver. We should go whenever your ready, after I modify it connect to my data pad then hopefully connect to and com links that are near it one of you guys should be there to talk with the Sith or whoever is on the other end.”

Turning her head away from the others Link saw Erik was oblivious to the conversations going on around them. Looking closer he had the “look”, Link had seen it many times in various cantinas across the galaxy. Smugglers usually had the “look” when they just blew a job, got their ship impounded by the imperials, or when their former boss put a price on their head. Usually accompanying the “look” was a seemingly bottomless mug of some alcoholic beverage, at least until they ran out of credits.

Often times Link would target this group because they tended to take every credit to their name and drink them away, Assuming th cute naive little ryn persona it was easy to distract them and make them cheerful enough for her to pickpocket their credits then leave. Adopting this old persona minus naive, minus pickpocketing motive, Link strolled over to the chair Erik occupied.

“Hi,” Link said cheerfully. “I'm Link freelance slicer, and thief.”

...and was trucking along regardless.

"Ahhh, hello," he then commented, accepting her hand and shaking it. "Slicer?" he then said, quirking a brow in interest. "Always nice to meet a good one of those," he said genuinely.

Pausing then, he turned back to Terrin, who was striving to maintain a neutral expression but still appeared to be somewhat irritated.

"And you're right, maybe I should hang around...

...and tap back into Stargazer's resources while I'm at it to change some passcodes..."

He trailed, wavering for the barest of moments before continuing. "...to ensure tat nobody else taps into our databanks."

Falling silent then, his mind wandered for another brief moment, knowing exactly who he didn't want tapping back into the Stargazer system...

I quickly uncrossed my arms, gave a definitive nod to everyone, and straightened.

"Now that we've finally gotten our little group assembled, don'tcha think it's time to get this show on the road?"

I moved off to one side, to a compartment where I had stored the data-padd Link had kept her notes on during our trip from the Wild Planet to Hornett. I handed this to her, smiling to see her up and about, hale and incredibly whole despite the obvious discomfort she still held on to concerning her arm.

She'll get over this, I know she will. She's tough...

"We had quite a little speculative chat en route here," I opened with.

((OOC: See page 10, Into The Blue in the "CSWU" forums, thank you))

"Link kept good notes; maybe you'd like to bring everybody up on the same page now?"

I fell silent then, putting aside my rising worry about our companions on Khar Delba--

--as well as trying to shove back the concern that during the entirety of our brief exchange with them nothing but the most minimal peep was mentioned about Panthar, Matt, and Shayla. The latter we had been filled in about; well, somewhat that is, considering that in the telling only greater questions had been raised.

But...

But what had become of Matt and Panthar? Did they make it safely to K'eel Doba... and if so, had they managed to--

I cut off that train of thought smack in the bud. No use adding even more worrisome speculation to the mountain of it we had already generated; I'm sure we could discover the answers I was seeking, if and when we ourselves finally hit K'eel Doban soil.

I let a sigh of comingled frustration and trepidation escape me before forcing away this additional worry. All would reveal itself in the end, as the Jedi are so wont to say; I could only hope that revelation would prove to be something good for a change.

“Um... sure,” Link answered. “Hold on a moment.”

Opening the data pad Link brought up the diagram she had made during their last group theory session, with a few commands Link filtered out all the information that was speculation and theory leaving behind the facts of what they knew. Finding a vidscreen on one of the walls of the office Link interfaced the data pad with it transferring the diagram to the vidscreen for everyone to see. Taking a deep breath Link adopted the persona she used for when advising clients on jobs they wanted her to carry out.

“Here is what we know,” Link started.

Link told them what they knew about the current situation mostly focusing on the Jedi and Sith loss of powers, who both she and Yaoksi ended up on the planet with the vong tech, the ship they found, the vong tech on the planet, the history of the vong as they knew it, and the what happened on the planet with the vong tech. She left out most of the theories they came up with so the new people to this conversation would either reinforce what they already believed or if they had anything that would change their minds.

“So far that is what we know about the current situation,” said Link. “After the transceiver id up and running, I'll start with slicing the records of defense contractors to see if the we can dig up more information on whether the vong are getting assistance from them and to find out what technology we used in the previous war against them. And as soon as we locate the Imperial General Galen knows of we can move ahead with planning how to break into the Imperial Intelligence archives for more information as well. That will be 300,000 credits... I mean...”

Link was so caught up with presenting the information to them to them like they where clients she had mentally calculated the cost of all the information and charged them her standard rate without realizing it.

"Are we going to be able to afford her?" I asked, now turning to Terrin with a meaningful look.

"I mean, yeah, she's thrown her lot in with us, but by doing so it looks like she might be putting herself at a disadvantage where it comes to her former line of work."

I turned back to Link.

"Assuming of course, that said line of work was a steady one, which is what we're offerring you here. Right, Terrin?"

A slight cough from the doorway captured my attention, which was then drawn over to Captain Danner. Drat, but I'd suffered a momentary brain burp, and forgot that he and Link seemed to be coming as a pair. Somehow I didn't think he'd fit into Eagle Enterprises as hired staff; more like, ummm... contracted assistance.

Whatever; the two came together, of that I was fairly certain. I turned back to Terrin, deepening my look.

"No really," interrupted Link. "You don't have to worry about paying me, that would have been a starter quote that would have eventually be bargained down, and you already paid me in advance in a way."

Link slowly reached over and grabbed the wrist of her artificial arm to reinforce her point.

Besides they are the first people to treat me more then just a thing.

"Don't take this the wrong way either, but I don't need your money. I charged that amount because I could, and it felt good in a way because they where the same kind of people that use to enslave me. Now they where begging me for my skills, willing to shell out money to a ryn and they didn't even know it. But, the feeling never lasted long."

Link slowly moved back to Yaoksi's side, leaned up against the bulkhead and wrapped her tail around his arm.

...and you and your skills are invaluable. And I might add that we owe Captain Joao something that is a long, long time overdue."

Terrin paused, now turning a meaningful look Yaoksi's way. "We were talking about a fighter at one time...

...but now it seems you are in need of a ship."

He smiled more broadly. "Seems you've found yourself in the right place for that to be arranged." Pausing, Terrin shifted to return his gaze to Link. "And I'm certain there is some sort of equipment you might be in need of, and not just for the tasks at hand."

Standing then, Terrin came around the desk, motioning towards the door. "Speaking of which, why don't we head on to the transcievers...

...and then take a look and see about getting you a ship Captain Joao. I know it'll never be your Devil but..."

He quieted a final time, smiling the smile of someone who loved a slick ship with even slicker modifications, "...I'm sure we can give whatever a tweak here and there to make her work out for you."

Finally! I couldn't help but think to myself as, patting Link's tail where it yet curled about my arm I let a broad smile light up my face. Then I caught myself, remembering our situation, and forced my features into something a little less joyous in appearance.

"That would be just... great," I replied, fumbling a little for words even as my mind began whirling at the specifications I was already thinking of. I cast a look down at Link.

"I'm sure you can help me outfit my new ship...

"...and christen her, too."

I gave her a wink at the latter, for I really thought she deserved the honor, and hoped that by this little gesture she realized I meant every word of it. It was true that whatever the group of us came up with would never be my dear ol' Devil, but something told me it was going to be...

Better.

I could hardly wait to get into her, ready and able to lend all assistance where necessary to our cause. I was really getting rather tired of being nothing more than a "drag-along," after all. But I refrained from acting too much like a kid on Boonta Eve and forced myself into polite silence, waiting for Captain Danner to give the final word.

"Allright then, let's get to it," he said at last, motioning everyone to follow as he headed towards the door of the office, allowing all to exit as he then began walking them through a maze of corridors and turbolifts. In no time, however,they found themselves at the transciever room, where all was reset back to factory modifications as requested. After taking a bit of time to make sure everything was acceptable for Link to get to doing "her thing," knowing she would know how to contact them when she was done, Terrin turned to Yaoksi once more. "You can go pick out something that suits you, then you and Link can discuss any sorts of specifications you'd both like," he indicated, motioning once more for everyone to follow him once more as he began to lead them through another series of mazes, corridors, and turbolifts.

At length they ended up in a ship-filled docking area, but not the main one. This area had seemingly every sort of ship make and model one could think of, from small to large and fast to faster, modest to sleek styles and all sorts of colors and designs.

"Ahhh, maybe now would be a good time for me to go ahead and pay up and link back up with Stargazer Corporation so we can use her resources...

...and I can regain access to some ships other than the TIE fighter I came here in?" he asked, quirking a brow, and remembering with a jolt that just about every ship in the company's ownership, excepting the one he used himself that was long since gone, was painted silver and purple...

"We'll be back shortly," he then stated simply, motioning for Erik to come with him as he did precisely that and they departed the docking area.

Feeling not unlike a kid who has just been given carte blanche in a candy shop, I took a hesitant step out onto the great, shining deck. This was followed by another one, a little faster this time. And another, and yet another until pretty soon I was all but jogging into the midst of the myriad ships which beckoned unto me like... well...

Like said candy whispering into the ears of the above-mentioned kid.

I didn't know where to start. I mean, this was a grand little group of ships, ranging from small one-man fighters to corvettes capable of carrying fighters within them. I was a bit partial to the latter, and was making a beeline toward a pretty little light corvette when something farther down the line caught my attention. I paused a moment, cocking my head and squinting to see it better when I suddenly realized that I wasn't having difficulties making it out because of distance or shadows.

It was the paint which coated it's sleek hull...

A grin began to spread across my face as, now jogging in earnest, I headed toward the mysterious ship. I came to a stop in front of it, craning my head back and putting a hand on her hull in something akin to reverence.

I'd heard of these...

It was something new, an extremely updated version of the old YT series, and I couldn't help but hold my breath in awe before it's bold beauty.

Damn if it isn't one of those new YT-3000s...

I'd heard whispers of their existence, rumors running around the Rim worlds. It was said that the original Corellian designs for the YT-2400 had been purchased, their price so dear peeps could only speculate as to what it was, by the Kuat Shipyards. That in itself didn't surprise me much; fates knew if any ship-building corporation could afford such a thing, it was the yards on Kuat. And in those shipyards all primary resemblance to the YT-2400 was put to rest.

Her primary hull was still saucer-shaped, as was with the 2400 and 1300 series, but now bore a bit of eccentricity to it, making it's overall look one of slender viciousness. It's command pod, rather than being on the starboard, was below and a bit to the aft, and was likewise "slenderized." Twin heavy ion propulsion engines thrust their bulk from the back of the saucer; my eyes about fell from my head when I saw that configuration, for with such engines so close to the command pod I knew her shielding had to be loaded for bear.

The remainder was gravy: two laser cannons, not one, not two, but three escapepods, a rounded bump that looked suspiciously like... a gravity field generator??? No, that couldn't be... could it?

I peered more closely at the bump; dang, but it seemed to be so. I'd have to get K'kihl to take a gander at this; meanwhile, maybe Captain Danner had a clue about it. Logic told me that there was simply no way that a ship of this size could drum up the energy to support a gravity field generator, but then there had been those whispers out on the Rim. Lordy lordy but Kuat could be awful tight-lipped about their design modifications, too...

I ran my fingers along the hull again, relishing the rich, deeply shaded evergreen that was her color, the color of the forest on Endor at twilight, you know, almost black, almost green, both tones just ready to disappear against the encroaching darkness. This color was quite unique; I'd not seen another ship like it, and my heart fell to the deck at my feet in homage to this little baby.

Yup, this was the one.

I practically floated back to Captain Danner, a sappy smile still glued on my puss.

"I'm not asking questions, you don't have to tell me anything about how you got her, but if that pretty little YT-3000 out there is space-legal, and if you'll let me modify her as I wish, I think that would do me pretty good," I gushed, jerking a thumb over my shoulder in what I hoped was a casual manner but which in my heart I knew failed miserably.

Like I said: kid in a candy shop...

...you got 'em."

He paused then, taking a better look at the ship Yaoksi was indicating, noting that the Captain had good taste in ships...

... very good taste. "Ahhh, she's one of the only smaller ships ever made with a gravity well generator," Terrin commented. "Granted the well is a rather small one and it feeds off an extra generator within the ship so as not to pull too much power from the engines but...

...might be a feature that could come in handy."

Terrin paused then, considering the ship for another moment as he pursed his lips. "Let me get the lock code for her so you can take a look inside too," he said then, reaching for his wrist comm and keying something in. After a few moments of that, he looked up once more, motioning for Yaoksi to follow as he headed for the YT-3000, stopping in front of her to key a string of digits into her lock pad.

Hmmm. She can hit lightspeed, but that's it; I'll have to see about a hyperdrive system being installed...

Yup; twin laser cannon... and wahoo, wouldja take a look at that, she's got meson missiles as well, whaddya know, those can punch through durasteel like an old projectile bullet through an eggshell...

Upgraded inertial dampeners, good, that means smooth flights... single pilot operational, better than the old YT-2400 which needed two... shield deflectors that can eat gamma rays, now that meesa be likin' just fine... and wow, the latest in med-droids, although the medbay is a bit on the small side...

Down her specs list I went, checking out her basics before heading out to do a visual on her. Coming about amidships of the command pod I found the connection to the main saucer; breezing up a connecting ladder I poked my head up and took a look around myself.

Everything was slick and gleaming and shining. Immediately I recognized the primary podal design of this ship, but saw likewise that those individual pods had been affixed in a much more efficient manner than previously. This meant there was more room for things like hidden compartments...

And maybe a nice, secreted maintenance shaft or two could be placed somewhere within her, so a person could sneak from here to there without being seen...

Mental note number two.

I got to my feet and wandered quickly about. Within the primary saucer I found the aforementioned med-bay, the galley, at least four private quarters and one larger, communal one; a small but well-equipped gym--

Interesting, that last one!

--and something that could be nothing other than a tiny rec room. It had cushioned chairs and tiny tables bolted to the deck, and to the back of it was a huge transparent titanium window, looking out onto the stars. Ok, so it looked out onto the ship next in line to her, but you get the main idea.

That is just too nice, I smiled to myself as I hastened back to the ladder and descended, to then exit the ship and return to Captain Danner.

"All I can see for the time being that she'd need is a hyperdrive generator, and maybe if some of those connecting cargo pods can be modified into a connecting shaft, ahhh... for maintenence purposes, you understand, in case we have to get from one part of the ship to another in a really big hurry, heh, that would be nice..."

I stopped a moment, chewing on my cheek as I thought some more.

"Maybe a tractor beam generator, ya never know... and then I'm sure Link has some ideas she'd like, we'll have to ask her... oh yeah, can we beef up her cannon a bit; laser cannons are nice, but if one of 'em could be a touch heavier, ya never know when you're gonna run into pirates out there... and, oh yeah, if you could install an auxilliary control station in the main saucer, we'd have to pick out a good place for it, that would be super, I've seen too many good ships go utterly useless when their bridges or cockpits get blasted even though there's still operational ship left..."

I rambled to a halt, running down like a tired watch as I realized I was probably asking for way, way too much. Smiling awkwardly, I changed the subject.

"Could you contact Link and see if she'd like to take a break and come here and see this baby? I'd kind of like to have her input, you know, see what she thinks of her..."

I ran down again into another awkward silence, and stood there wanting nothing more than to run back into that beautiful, beautiful ship, to stake out a berth in her for the night so as to really, truly make her mine.

Sending the message off, Terrin turned to Yaoksi, nodding in the direction of the ship as he did so. "Time to hand over her lock code to you so you can change it to your own," Terrin commented then, proceeding by doing just that. "Until Link arrives, she's all yours, Captain Joao. And speaking of..."

He paused then, keying something else into his commlink before speaking into it. "This is Captain Danner, in the primary ship storage docking area, pad 1138. I need the head maitainance tech and a team here ASAP to start working on some modifications for the ship's new owner."

At least not yet.

Turning from the comm unit then, Erik stood and rejoined Aaron Barnes where he was waiting. "I will, at some point, need to get back to the Starlight and make the buy-back official," he commented, "But for now they know and business will continue as usual."

He paused then as Barnes arched an eyebrow, as if to ask what he intended to do now. "I suppose now is the time to rejoin Captain Danner and Galen and see just how I can help them find Tarnus...

...if at the very least that means flying a ship or lending a helping hand. All in all, it means I'll be gathering some information that I can sell at a price later on, and use for my own benefit as well."

Going no further with that, Erik trailed a moment, and his deep brown eyes deepened with a tinge of pain. "And maybe in the meantime I can give you some business with painting some of the Corp's main ships, since they are all purple and silver..."

And time was something I didn't feel we had much of at the moment.

So I settled for the laser cannon she came with, taking comfort that at least her missile launchers would be a surprise to somebody out there...

And speaking of surprises...

"You know this baby is a prototype," the chief engineer announced as we looked over her spec list for the umpteenth time.

"I think they were going to make a line of these, but decided that Corellia was making enough of the 2000 series, and since the 3000 was a bit... expensive to produce, thought their resources could go to better use elsewhere.

"I hear they destroyed their design plans; no one really knows just how they managed to put a gravity field generator on such a small ship, but they sure as hell did.."

I nodded enthusiastically; indeed, it was just that unexpected little touch that sold me on this ship. While maybe a corvette was a bit more maneuverable overall, it couldn't stop someone from going to lightspeed like this baby could. And the icing on the cake was the fact that because of the intense engineering involved to place said field generator on this craft, there was power enough to put a really souped-up hyperdrive on her.

She's gonna be faster than "Devil..."

Working as she walked by the time Link reached the hanger bay that Terrin had mentioned with all the modifications the board would need. Walking down the rows she found Yaoksi and one of Terrin's men walking around a ship, she didn't know what exactly the ship was obviously from the famous YT line, but other then that she drew a blank.

"Yaoksi," Link called. "I'm almost done with the hardware modifications to the tranciever all that is left is a little software mods."

Link moved over and looked down at the spec sheet that the tech was holding, most of the systems she had little knowledge of, but the ones she did impressed.

"Yeah, what she said," I tossed out to the nearest tech, waggling my brows at Terrin all the while. But then I caught myself--

Hold on here ya ol' pirate, but didn't she just say something about getting our paws on some super duper military system which could possibly land us in the brig?

I blinked and turned back to her.

"And you can get this how?" I asked, my smile finally fading before the incredulous look I gave her. "But wait--" I held up a hand. "I don't think I wanna know."

I turned to Captain Danner, a feeling gradually rising in my gut that perhaps he wasn't quite the squeaky clean person -- or at least hadn't been his entire life -- that we all presumed him to be.

Hell's bells, who is?

"Ummm... what she said?" I repeated, now reaching out to give Link's shoulder a squeeze, letting my former smile ragain it's place on my face once more. Damn, but this all felt good, and I hoped Link really appreciated how much she was coming to mean to me.

Fancy-schmancy slicing skills and all.

Link held up the circuit board still in her hand to remind them of the job she still had to do. A realization came to her how she could find a way for Terrin to pay her for her services.

"Hey Terrin, if you still feel the need to pay me for the transceiver modifications I think I might have something that will work. The parts for Yaoksi's ship is on Tarris held by a ship parts dealer that goes by the name of Lilath, If you send some of your people there just remind her that she owes Link the parts she will hand them right over. Just bring them here and install them on the ship and we can call it even. By the way she's a Zeltron so you may only want to send female employees. Who knows she may even be willing to sell you some of her other less then legal tech in the future."

Link turned back to Yaoksi who still had his hand on her shoulder.

"I was wondering," Link began. "What to the crew quarters look like on the ship?"

We came to the cabins; I led her past one that housed six double bunks and led her to a small but private one.

...and to make the arrangements to get the parts Link needed via her connection. Keying in a few frequencies on his wristcomm, Terrin set up an all female team to go buy the needed parts for Yaoksi's ship from Lilath on Taris. Once the team and assignment was in place, Terrin started to follow Yaoksi and Link onto the ship...

...then paused. "Would probably be nice to give Yaoksi a few moments to introduce Link to the ship himself," he said thoughtfully. Then, frowning a bit, "I wonder what the kriffing hell is taking Aaron and Kartan so long."

When they came to the cabins they passes the first one which had had room for 12 and came to the private one.

"Uhh... thanks," Link answered. The room was kinda small but she never really had a place to call her own so by comparison it seemed huge. All it had was a bed built into the bulkhead, a wall locker, a small desk, and a chair. Link could already see what needed to be done, she could turn the bed into a work bench and attach a hammock to the ceiling. the setup might be annoying for a human but she could easily jump up high enough to make it work.

"Well-ll..." I started to pontificate, then dropped the demeanor with a grin. Who was I kidding; I could tell in a heartbeat that the kid wanted me kinda close.

"I was going to take the bunk next door," I opened, waving a hand forward. For indeed on the other side of Link's room from the multi-bunked one was another private quarter.

"But I know you'd kinda like to have something in the way of space-- I'm in the one across the companionway."

I gave her a full-fledged grin before allowing it to sober up a touch.

"What say we go find Captain Danner, and see about outfitting your quarters more to your liking. Then we can see about what other, ahh-- alterations this ship could possibly need. Like in the way of weaponry, for instance."

I hoped like crazy the kid could help in this regard. Yeah yeah, I know I've spaced all over creation and back again, but that didn't necessarily mean I was anything like an expert in this regard. Personally, I liked running from trouble far better than attacking it head-on, but I knew that this simple world's view wouldn't stand a ghost's chance in hell for what we were going to be up against. So I really, truly hoped that Link, in all her escapades, could offer something; hell, it sure sounded like it from what she had been going on about earlier.

"Then I say we clean up, get something to eat, and start planning something in the way of what we're going to do. Assuming that everything we've been talking about is on the up and up, that is."

I placed a comradely arm about her shoulder, and was about to usher her out, waiting for an obligatory response from her, when it struck me. I paused, then got on my knees to be on her own level.

"What would you do, if you were in my shoes? Alone, I mean," I added, looking deep into her eyes, hoping that she'd realize that all I'd asked of her, whether by intimation or direction query, wasn't just to be taking advantage of her...

"Repaited to factory specifications?" he queried, arching an eyebrow. "After all, blending in is a nice thing when you are smuggling info. If there are no special markings on the ships you make it more difficult to be tracked and picked out immediately."

Unlike you would be with purple and silver ships, came a mental addendum Aaron didn't dare state aloud. "Just let me know what you want, and the location of the ships when you are ready."

Saying nothing further than that, Aaron headed for the doorway of his office where he had brought Erik so they could complete their business. In a few minutes they were headed back to the docking area where the others were, and in another few minutes they rejoined Terrin and Galen at the hatch of the ship Yaoksi had chosen. As he approached, considering the group, he realized...

...rather belatedly...

...that two people who were usually in that group hadn't arrived on the Hornett.

"Ahhhh...not to change the subject but...

“I think I'm honestly the last person you should ask for advice when it comes to what to do with your life,” Link answered. “I have had horrible things done to me and had to do some things to survive that anyone would feel ashamed of. Before I met you I might have seemed like the successful Ryn to emulate, I mean by most standards I had it all; money I was rolling in the credits, fame there are few slicers that can match my skill. But I hated myself, you know what I mean... when I lashed out on Galen's ship, sure I was angry and scared but every word it it was true and somehow still is.”

Link had found that she was staring at the deck and her eyes where starting to tear up. She wiped the tears away then looked Yaoksi square in the face.

“Then I met you and everything changed.” continued Link. “You helped me see I'm not as worthless as I believed myself to be, and became the first friend that I ever had. And for that...”

Link lifted her mechanical arm and let its hand rest on Yaoksi's shoulder.

“... I would trade my arm again. Just keep doing what you are doing, now on to more important issues.”

Link released her hand from Yaoksi and stepped out into the corridor.

The simple and heartfelt honesty that accompanied Link's unexpected reply about floored me. I mean that, while I felt she and I were gradually becoming closer and closer, I guess I didn't really realize just to what degree of closeness that was.

My jaw dropped a little while my brain scrambled for words with which to reply. Then it closed. Truth be known, there were no words I could say. Not that I couldn't reply to this...

I just didn't need to. Somehow, somewhere, some kind of link had developed between Link and me, ethereal, insubstantial, but very much real. I almost imagined that if I thought or felt something, she'd know it before I did. And I think the reverse was just as true, too.

I smiled.

"I'm with you, kiddo; enough talk. Let's go grab Captain Danner and find the mess; maybe you can pin him down regarding the upgrading you wanna do on--"

I paused a moment.

"Hmm," I went on. "I haven't named her yet, have I? Well, maybe over some food and a little caf we can come up with something good. I have a feeling that this ship is gonna be just as good as my ol' Devil, maybe even better."

With that I clambered stiffly to my feet, stretched, and headed back out into the corridor, from there to exit my new ship, Link my constant and heart-warming shadow. We came back out onto the tarmac and found Captain Danner speaking with someone.

"Howdy," I said as I nodded to the man, then fell into respectful silence, waiting until Terrin was finished speaking with him before bringing up the much more mundane subject of food.

((OOC: I can't remember if Yaoksi knows Erik or not. I'm assuming not. Mara, if I'm wrong, treat this "howdy" as one in recognition, let me know, and I'll delete this OOC. Thanks.)

...no matter how well he trusted their employees.

"They are on a mission," he said simply to Aaron, keeping it at that as he then turned to Erik. "I'm assuming this means you have resumed ownership of the Stargazer Corporation now?" he queried, getting a nod in response. "Assuming you still plan to assist us, I would be willing to cut you a deal on a ship should you decide you need something to fly," he then added as Yaoksi and Link then rejoined them on the tarmac and Yaoksi--who had only be introduced to Erik once and very briefly--extended a friendly greeting his way.

"If there are any further things you'd like done to the ship, let me know," he then said, turning his attentions to Yaoksi. "At any rate, we should let the guys get started on her so we can get enroute ASAP. Considering the level of some of the upgrades we are going to make on her, however, it's probably going to take at least a standard day, computer upgrades not included since we are waiting on the parts."

"All right then!" I beamed, clapping my hands together decisively. "The ship is right spanky as far as I'm concerned, but I think Link here has a few more things she'd like added."

I dropped a hand on her shoulder and geve it a comradely squeeze.

"Then when you guys are finished with this last bit, I think we'd like to find a galley. Some food is in order, and my partner and I have a little business to attend to which would be more productive on a full stomacn."

I squeezed her shoulder again, giving her a wink as I did so, then waited for the last few items she required to be formally requested so we could go off and have a good sit-down. I had my mind set on something hot and protein rich, accompanied by anything liquid that carried a wallop.

Link didn't want to come across as ungrateful or demanding, truth be told the modifications the ship needed she already told Terrin about. The modifications she wanted where more more for her than the ship.

"Don't worry about it," Link continued. "It's just stuff for me, I'll take care of it later."

Taking her prosthetic she grabbed Yaoksi's hand and returned his squeeze, hopefully not to hard though. Remembering her current job Link realized she still had the circuit board in her hand. Waving over one of Terrin's techs she handed off the circuit board to him with instructions to take it up to the holonet transceiver along with instructions on how to reinstall it.

"I think I can get us to the galley... or at least a galley, or dining hall, or something like that," I said as with a frown I put my brain into gear trying to remember where in all the known Universe I'd been the last time I was aboardship.

"Something on Red Level A, or some such," I muttered as we twined our way through the madding crowd, the type of which always seems present on a super destroyer no matter where one was, or what time of ship's day it was, or whatever.

"Hmm..."

I stopped, momentarily defeated. Dang but these things were big; I gave up trying to remember it all and headed toward the nearest computer bulkhead terminal. I was forced to fiddle around a bit before I finally managed to get the contrary thing to understand what I wanted; a gentle voice informed me that the nearest eatery was several decks up, one corridor over, and a few hundred yards down on the right.

"There we are!" I beamed, heading off again with Link in tow. It took a bit longer getting there than I expected -- what was it with all the peeps scurrying hither and yon, anyway? -- but soon we found ourselves seated with a ship's hand coming to see what we wanted.

I ordered nerf steak with gabba-beans, and a Whyren's on the side, and waited while Link ordered for herself. The hand nodded and took off, only to reappear with my glass and a mug of something which he set down in front of the lil gal.

"Whatcha got there, kiddo?" I asked, for I really hadn't paid much attention to what she had ordered. "And..."

I paused to take a gulp of the Whyren's.

"Any good ideas on what to name the ship?"

Link took hold of her mug holding it up as in a mock toast.

"Caf" Link continued. She took a swig of caf and a few bites of roast to ponder Yaoksi's request.

I have named ships before but those where false IDs and not important to the ship, but Yaoksi really loves this ship and I don't want to to suggest a name that he will accept because he feels he needs to because I came up with it. I need a name for a ship that goes well with it's smuggler Captain and Ryn slicer partner... who keep getting into trouble because we both try to defy or fates.

Link set down her food to find Yaoksi still staring at her.

"Hmmm," I said, swallowing. I took a gulp of Whyrene's and set my glass carefully on the table, now placing a hand over my mouth with elbow resting on the table.

Defying... yeah, I like that. I mean, the idea is good... lessee now, defying... defiant... defiance... what happens when you defy someone, you stand up against them, you toss down the gauntlet, you challenge...

"Yeah, that's it," I breathed, mostly to myself. I leaned back against my seat, letting my hand drop.

"How does the name Challenger sound to you, kiddo?" I asked with a grin.

"Short n' sweet n' to the point."

Or anything else, for that matter.

How many times had he and Shayla sat and discussed what name to give this ship or that?

He couldn't get her off his mind. There had to be something, something else he could do not to think of her or of their baby boy that he had just buried on his own. If he sat idle much longer he didn't know when he would ever snap out of this funk.

So as the conversation regarding ship names continued, he turned to Captain Danner and the others present and addressed them quietly so as not to interrupt the conversation already in progress. "So what do you have in mind for breaking Tarnus free?" he asked, considering just how he could be of help in this cause. "Stealth is probably best, but even at that there is more than one way to skin a nerf...

“Challenger is a great name,” replied Link. “I’ll save my suggestion as a possible alias for an IFF mask.”

One of the waiters walked by taking Links empty mug and replacing it with a new one full of caf. Link snatched it up downing half of the mug before taking another bite to eat.

“So after I finish up this job for Terrin and the ship is already, is there anyplace we’re heading to first. Just incase I need to make some fake IdentCards or forge a ships registry or something.”

If it were not for his sitting back and observing Kyan wouldn't have noticed a low beeping sound emanating from his helmet. Recognizing it as a message received notification Kyan placed his holopad on the table transferring his message there due to his broken helmet display. A small figure of a Mandalorian warrior materialized on the holopad that instantly Kyan recognized, one his friends sons who use to spar with Kyan's youngest daughter. The message began to playback which he was thankful was in Mandalorian so any curious onlookers would have little chance to overhear it contents.

"Greetings Uncle, we have received your message about the vongesse and will do what we can to prepare if they indeed return. Allot has changed in the in the twenty-five years since you have been gone, most specifically in the last seven. After the destruction of the Jedi training facility Mandalor felt it necessary to send a rescue mission to help any Jedi survivors as they might become powerful allies. None of us expected the mission to end in failure and the capture of our warriors specifically your daughter. After her execution the Imperials used the rescue mission as a chance to declare war on Mandalore. Little happened for the next 4 years until Mandalore sent a three man strike team to assassinate Admiral Actar using his the most skilled Protectorates, your grand daughter among them.

A month later the bodies of the other two where found chained to the walls of an imperial garrison. We didn't know what became of your grand daughter until a few months ago when a twilek matching her description killed four of our best commando's and Mandalore himself. We believe it was the Imperials where behind it because shortly after the Imperials used the confusion to launch an invasion and have installed a pro Imperial Mandalore. Most of our ways have been forbidden only a few of use hold to the true ways of Mandalore. Officially you, and your family have been outcast by the new Mandalore so I'm taking great risk by contacting you but family is more then bloodline. I've attached video feeds of the assassination so you can confirm whether or not it is your kin. Good bye Uncle."

Kyan immediately opened the second video file the holopad displayed a room with a Mandalorian warrior sitting in a chair watching something off the holo. Out from behind the figure came a blue twilek wearing crimson armor reminiscent of the royal guardsman the emperor use to tote about. The twilek quickly closed on the warrior and dove it through the chair into the back of the warrior and out through his chest. Changing her grip on the lightsaber the twilek pulled out the lightsaber and in one quick fluid movement used the lightsaber to sever the head of the warrior. Picking up the severed head the twilek turned and finally presented a good picture for the camera, pausing it Kyan knew without a doubt it had to be her.

There can be no doubt she is my grand daughter, the saber style that I only taught to my daughter, my daughters guard shoto, and she even looks like my daughter, but her face is so devoid of any emotion... what has happened to her... what have the Imperials done to her.

Enraged Kyan pounded his glass into the table shattering it.

I blinked in surprise to find that Kyan was the source.

"He looks like someone's sand-panther ate his pet squall," I commented with a raise of one brow. Though our mysterious companion was still hidden beneath his Mandalorian helmet, even someone with as poor people skills as me could figure out that all was just not right with his world.

I turned back to where Link sat, her eyes somewhat wide in startlement.

"I wonder if we should leave him alone, or go over and see if there's anything we can do to help with... well, with whatever caused that," I commented, draining my glass in one last big gulp before setting it down as carefully as I could, as if unconsciously trying to give to it the absolute opposite degree of care of what Kyan's poor vessel had received from him.

"If you want to talk to him go for it," commented Link. "Be careful though or we might end up with matching arms."

Yeah, I really didn't know him from Adam. I'd been privileged enough to have his acquaintanceship for scarcely a few days. But in those few days he had certainly proven himself, assisting us back on the unknown world where Link and I had mysteriously landed, aiding us with those nasty canasta Vong killer plant-thingies...

What the hell were they called again? Amperes? Amphitheaters? No wait, amphistaffs; yeah that's it...

...and that was enough for me.

"Oh... fudge it all," I muttered as, rising to my feet, I drained my glass for courage before slamming it down on the table once again. "Be right back, Kid."

I hope!

With that I sauntered over to Kyan's table, trying to look casual but concerned, making every effort to remember in vivid detail how I had managed to survive a similar close encounter with Sorben Tarnus back when I first met Nassy, and stopped just beyond what I hoped was the general reach of his arm.

Kyan was unsure of what exactly had happened of why he was about to attack Yaoksi and what had stopped him. He got his answer soon enough when he saw the ryn in the back corner with the look of utter horror on her face from her friend about to be struck down without warning. Extinguishing his lightsaber Kyan slowly fell back into his chair thinking about what he was about to do. Looking up Kyan saw Yaoksi standing there looking completely dumbfounded at what had just happened.

"Please forgive me?" asked Kyan. "I don't know what just happened, I can't explain..."

Ok, maybe not so inexplicable regarding the latter. I mean, pardner, where I come from a hand offered in friendship and support isn't automatically bitten off at the wrist! What was that old saw, something about a nek biting the hand that feeds it...?

I blinked, letting my jaw resume its normal aspect while I fought to comprehend exactly what had just happened there. Obviously something of major proportions was upsetting the guy--

Sheesh. Not like he's the only one in the entire universe to have had something dark and terrible happen to him!

--and just as obviously wanted to be alone with it. I wavered, thinking of Link's comment about matching arms, when the image of my dear Nassy swam up in front of my eyes, followed by an overwhelming uprush of pain and emptiness and guilt for somehow not being able to save her from the demonic attack which killed her. I didn't know what Kyan's problem was, but something told me that it probably wasn't of the demonic attack variety; nevertheless, from his reaction I had a hunch that it stemmed from deep pain which follows the loss of a loved one.

I'd been there. I knew how easy it was to withdraw from others, to maintain one's distance under the excuse of "gathering one's wits" and all that malarky... which indeed it was. If there ever was a time when anyone needed to know they were not alone in dire circumstances, this was a likely candidate.

Either that, or the guy was stark, raving looney tunes.

Gulping for moral support, I pushed back the now rising image of that glittering lightsaber blade mere centimeters from my own demise, and took a single step toward the departing Jedi.

"Ummm... if you need to talk about it, I'm here," I said simply before heaving a breath and returning to our table. There I plopped myself into my chair like a sack of yesterday's dirty clothes, and gestured the waiter for another drink.

"Well... wasn't that... informative!" I chirped brightly, trying to cover up the pain this little incident had sparked, pain not so much for the confrontation of mere seconds ago but that which I held over Nassy's untimely death. Surprisingly strong and fresh, it yet lingered, and I couldn't help but wonder if it ever would diminish.

“Future rule,” said Link. “When Mandalorians start yelling in a language you don't understand... run.”

after a few moments of awkward silence the datapad started buzzing indicating the completion of the task Link had given it. Opening the results of her programed request Link saw a long text message now written in basic. Establishing a connection from the datapad to the holopad and overlay message Kyan received with the now translated text.

“I think I have something,” said Link. “You may want to see this... it might explain what set the jedi wizard off.”

Memories of other times and places, of Shayla having much the same look on her face as she did this or that in the name of the Sith...

...and of Graysith. Truth be told, he could never understand how she could justify fighting alongside someone who had snatched her from the Jedi Praxeum against her will...

His jaw tightened and he closed his eyes a brief moment to hide the rising pain. Then he opened them, the pain being replaced with concern.

"That has to be his granddaughter," Erik observed somewhat unnecessarily, knowing that everyone else was probably figuring out much the same on their own. As he fell into silence once more, Erik suddenly realized that he had been doing much the same as Kyan was now...

...and just how useless it would be in changing things.

"I'm sure he wants his space, but I don't know...

...I think you were on the right track," he then said, looking at Yaoksi. "Someone should go after him. After all, if that is his granddaughter, the Empire has gotten hold on her one way or another and is using her..."

"Hey Erik--" I called out in a warning manner, but the man had already gone beyond the reach of my voice. That is to say, he'd already entwined himself in the background noises of other people lightly chatting, of utensils clinking, of waiters scurrying about with their trays and polite words to other customers. Perhaps my voice was lost in the ambience of the eatery. Or perhaps not, and he was ignoring me.

"Ahh, he'll find out for himself," I said as I plopped back into my seat, reaching out to down the last of my drink. This was speedily followed by an upraised hand, my intention being that I order another. I paused a moment, considering Link.

Won't do much good to get myself drunk, not now, I thought as I let my hand waft toward the table. It lay there a moment, fingers fidgeting upon the shining surface, then flew upward again.

"A caf-- no, two cafs," I ordered from the waiter who materialized almost instantly at the summons. "Er, better yet, make it three."

I sat back a moment, wondering if Erik would make it back from Kyan so he could even enjoy the caf I ordered for him, then shrugged my shoulders slightly. The next few moments would tell the tale; in the meantime, I turned to Link with open curiosity and interest lacing my voice.

"Hey kiddo, how did you manage to come by this info?"

My estimation of the little gal rose exponentially as I peered at the looping vid. I could only shake my head as I watched it replay, remembering the iron arm of Sorben Tarnus as it nearly choked the life from me that long-ago day in a not-forgotten alley. A queasy feeling waggled in my stomach...

Obviously, more and more pans were announcing their presence in the flames of the reality we were discovering ourselves to be inhabiting.

I could only wonder which pan would be the one to partake of, and which to break. Or at least attempt to break, if such breakage was even possible. Or indeed even called for, no matter how drear and suppressive it might at first appear to be.

The enemy of my enemy is my ally, after all... and there was an awful dark, and terribly big pan taking up a helluva lot of room in that fire...

Not about losing his son, or about losing Shayla even. At least, not exactly. Rather it was all about relating to someone who had lost a loved one to something else, something dark and sinister...

...and something which they at one point would have never stood for.

Finally catching up to within a few feet of Kyan, Erik called out. "Kyan, wait," he said simply, suddenly realizing that he had seen the look in Kyan's granddaughter's face before.On those spooky looking... assistants? ....of Tarnus's on Coruscant.

"I think I know what may have happened to your granddaughter," he then added as Kyan turned and Erik unconsciously braced himself. "Ever heard of the Reborn?"

Link took one of the cafs that just arrived and started drinking it while staring at the emotionless expression on the twi’lek. Well not quite emotionless, it was a look she had seen before but Link couldn’t quite place it.

“That look is so eerie,” said Link. “I know I’ve seen it before, it’s not like she’s showing no emotion on purpose. It’s almost as if she’s incapable of it just like… just like some of the other slaves. Some of the female slaves my master owned he used to… entertain… some of his guests. They where drugged and beaten and abused so often that they lost almost all hope of living or cut themselves off from reality to cope with it.”

Link set down her glass shut off the video feed.

“Trust me it’s a feeling that I never want to relive again, or would wish on anyone else.”

"Well, considering Actar's treatment of the Jedi, he has to have some way he's controlling her or else she probably wouldn't be alive at all," he observed, frowning with even more concern, both for Kyan and his granddaughter as well as for the state of the Universe in general if this was truly what was going on. "It's not very reassuring considering what someone might have to do to control a Force-user."

Shaking his head, Terrin's eyes wandered in the direction that first Kyan had departed, followed by Erik. "Maybe as a Force-user Erik can relate to Kyan a bit better and help him."

And then again as someone who lost his wife to a darker force, he could just make things worse, came an internal voice that popped into negative existence. Terrin tried his best to ignore it.

"Why don't we give them time to talk and in the meantime send a message using the recalibrated transciever and see what we might get?"

“I know of them,” answered Kyan. “But of what importance is this, Master Kyle Katarn annihilated them years ago and the location to the Valley of the Jedi is only known to the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order and the Battle Master.”

Still fuming with anger Kyan almost missed the point of Erik’s question until he spoke about the reborn.

“But how would that be possible?” Kyan asked. “From my daughters letter my granddaughter has no desire or much talent for the Force, and the valley grants Force powers to those who can’t use the Force… Or in the case of Master Katarn it can boost ones Force powers. Besides she is a Mandalorian warrior, no a Mandalorian Protectorate, they have absolute loyalty to Mandalore and never have betrayed him. And if she had Force powers like the reborn she would have used them, believe me when I saw I can tell when someone is using the Force when they fight.”

During the course of their conversation much of Kyan’s rage died and he realized that talking about it rationally was helping him deal with it and was more productive then his anger.

"And the leader of our New Empire, Admiral Actar, apparently knows the location of the Valley of the Jedi," Erik added. "He has been using Reborn as troops on Coruscant, I've been there and seen them for myself."

He paused, his look darkening. "And this Sorben Tarnus that we are going to release, he must at least know of the Reborn's existence even if he is not aware of the location of the Valley of the Jedi or how it affects a Force user or non-Force user. I have seen the Reborn servicing him as well."

Erik paused then, personally waffling between whether or not Tarnus was really aware of what Actar had been up to...

...and realizing that there really wasn't anywhere else to turn to regarding the Sith and a potential Yuuzhan Vong invasion other than the New Empire.

"Unfortunately there really is no where else to turn to regarding other dark forces we feel are running amock in our galaxy...

...and believe me, I've seen the power said forces have.... firsthand." He trailed, his eyes growing vague and distant.

Dammit, Shayla, how could you have gone back to that life, again?

Then again the same could be said about the rest of us. Smuggler with morals, slave turned slicer… true we all had our own emotional baggage and issues and I’m one to talk, but Kyan made was almost excessive by our definition

“The transceiver should be finished by now,” said Link. “At least hardware wise, I need to write a quick software patch unless you want to be constantly be broadcasting our position to the empire. Just give me 5 minutes to write it up and upload it to you comm. System then it should be good to go.”

Taking the data pad from before Link brought up a terminal for the Eagles comm system and started a new protocol stack on how it would handle the new device connected to its system and how it would handle traffic. The trick was telling it to utilize the device in its testing mode while forcing it to transmit and receive anyways, all other transceivers on the Empire’s military holonet would still send and receive traffic from the modified one that now resides in Terrin’s ship but would be unable to determine its origin or block access from a modified transceiver. Not without taking down the entire network and removing the module from all the transceivers. Once finished Link uploaded the patch then brought the system online.

“Congratulations,” said Link. “Your ship now has untraceable access to the most powerful communications system in the galaxy, you can now make instantaneous transmissions to almost anywhere in the galaxy provided by the Empire. For instance I just gained remote access to my datapad on the sith planet Yaoksi and I had visited and I am using it as a relay to any comm links within range of my datapad can now be contated provided there are any comm links used by the sith. I routed the channel over to Terrin’s comm link so fire away when ready.”

((OOC: Links datapad should reside Tears of the Rancor in the "Jedi/Sith" forums if anyone has forgotten, so it should be able to contact all comm links in that forum.))

He paused, searching for the right words, "... agressive actions. Still, it might be a good idea to leave a little hint of who is calling should someone pick up on the message that would need to know someone is out there looking."

Saying nothing further about exactly what he was about to do--after all, they had already sat and discussed it on the Eagle II in transit to the Hornett --he raised his wristcomm to his lips.

"This is the Eagle requesting information regarding the whereabouts of Lt. General Sorben Tarnus, whose last known destination is your world, where some believe he may have become captive. Is he being held as speculated?"

Leaving the message at nothing more than that, Terrin sent it off...

...and waited, quite truthtfully not expecting to get a reply.

(((OCC: My apologies for taking so long to respond, I had to go back and reread to remember exactly what we were doing with the message we were sending! I hope the post makes sense and is in acceptable form. Let me know and I will make modifications if necessary.)))

"Unknown being or beings who go by the name of Eagle: this is Phrinnchatka in reply. Much to our regret, the human you seek was indeed held in inadvertent captivity, for his own protection against those among us who would do him harm.

"Unfortunately, within the past day or so he was mysteriously removed from his, ahh-- cubicle, by a method and person or persons unknown to us. At this moment we believe that he is not within the walls of our Great Temple, where he was, erm-- protected, and may not even be within the city."

There was a slight pause.

"I don't believe it," he said quite simply. "If the Empire had gone in after Tarnus, the Sith would know well about it I think. And there's only a few individuals I know of who would even have the capability to ahhh...

... remove Tarnus from his cell without any other knowing about it," he then said, recalling how Graysith had rescued he and Jasyn from the Imperial prison. "But the powrs they would need to do that is supposedly inaccessible right now, unless of course, not everyone has lost their abilities."

His look darkened further. "That has disturbing implications within itself. I think we need to continue on course here, unless we can gain some proof that Tarnus really has been taken elsewhere. And after all, the Hornett is nearby our old Khar Delba rendezvous coordinates, which places us between eight to twelve standard hours away from K'eel Doba," he observed. "We could potentially spend that much time trying to validate the Sith's claims, and it could be nothing more than a waste."

A flash of mental non sequiteur hit me, bringing the memory of me spouting off to Lord Phalomir One -- or was it Two? Damned clone silliness anyway! -- about never, ever wanting to get anywhere close to Impies again as long as I lived.

"Not after Sullust," I believe the actual words had been... But now here I was with a brand spankin' new ship, and an even brand spankin' newer partner, and we were gonna help one of the Top Gun Impies the Galaxy owned.

By going back to the Sith worlds too, oh goody.

I sighed, shaking my head. The Universe sure had a way of messing with a guy. But yet, there was a little retribution for us as well, thanks to Link's magical touch with things too high tech for me to deal with.

"Thanks, kiddo!" I nodded to the little gal before clearing my throat and turning back to Danner.

"Ummm... do you need our services, I mean, as in with us in an extra ship helping out with anything in particular?" I asked. "Or should Link and I just stay aboard Hornett??"

Where Challenger would hopefully be a teenty bit safer!

Cella Poliani, that Mahoy fellow and his young padawan, Master Rean, Matt, Jasyn, Yaoksi, Link, and that little Twi'lek lady...

...Nas'railen? And the list could go on and on.

All of whom were either missing in action or had something absolutely horrid happen to them at least one time or another. Terrin really didn't want any of the sort to happen to anyone else, not now, not ever. And aside from that, Kartan had already thrown his lot in with them...

For whatever good that will do you in his current state of mind...! a shoulder devil snorted.

...or at least it appeared so.

"You know," Terrin said after what really was only a brief moment, "I think you should stay on the Hornett," he said simply. "You can get your ship finished, and Link could do some digging around to find out if there is any evidence to support the idea that maybe the Empire snatched Tarnus from the Sith. And with the rate people who visit the Sith worlds have been disappearing lately, it would be good to have a back up crew should something happen."

But dear Gods one could only hope not...

Link leaned foward resting her elbows on the table and interlaced her fingers. Adopting the serious manner she usually kept for times of conducting buisness Link looked carefully at Terrin letting him know that what she was about to say was serious.

"While I am grateful for all you have done for me and Yaoksi," Link started. "Rescueing us and giving me a new arm, you yourself said we where even in that reguards and the modifications to your tranciever I did free of charge, but Yaoksi and I have a buisness to run. With reguards to Tarnus I can check and see if I can find if he actually was taken back by the Empire but I will need 50,000 imperial credits up front to cover expenses non refundable if I don't find anything and an aditional 80,000 if I find something. And by the way this is a bargin I doubt you will find a better deal."

"That's more than fair," he agreed easily, taking a final drink from the mug in front of him. "And Aaron will be here should you need anything specifically."

He paused then, turning and frowning in the general direction where first Kyan then Erik had wandered off. "And whether or not they are coming, it's time to get moving," he then said, getting to his feet and turning to Galen, who he noted had remained rather quiet. "Eagle II should be serviced and ready to go. Kartan and Kyan can follow in a ship behind us; Kartan said he wanted to buy a ship and may have certain..."

Terrin paused, "...issues of his own to deal with anyway. So, shall we?"

So you are going to take off on your own? How stupid is that, pal? You've already acknowledged that the Tarnus and his Empire really are the only hopes left.

Maybe.

Erik frowned, his thoughts spiraling even further inward. Something that had been suggested when they were proposing ways to save Zack suddenly began to spark a thought...

...and Erik began to wonder...

Snapping out of his mental fog, Erik finally became aware of his surroundings once more. Beside him, Kyan remained obnoxiously silent. Somewhere back in the dining hall he had left, sat the others waited on one or both of them to return. Erik realized then, with a jolt, that if he was going to pursue the plan now loosely forming in his head, he couldn't go back there.

So all he could really do was sincerely hope Danner would forgive him for what he was about to do. Someday, at least. He knew most of the freighters for sale would be locked down securely, and that maintenance continually worked keeping EE employee ships up to par. One or more of them had probably seen him leave Eagle II with Danner and the others too. Although he knew it wouldn't take anyone long to figure out what had happened, he also wanted to take advantage of anything he could. So he completely avoided Terrin's ship, noting without surprise that techs were still buzzing about working on her. He even avoided all of the other lamby's of the EE higher-ups, looking for a ship that perhaps wasn't quite as polished...

...and perhaps had just been acquired by EE.

"Can I help you, sir?" a voice said, interrupting Erik's train of thought.

Force or not, Erik managed to smooth any traces of surprise entirely from his face. "Yes, as a matter of fact," he said. "I have been speaking with Captain Danner about purchasing a ship. He will be here shortly--"

You can bet on it, a shoulder being snorted.

"--but in the meantime said I could take a look at some of his ships for sale." Erik paused then, pointing to indicate an unpolished ship near the entrance to the hangar bay. "Is that ship hyperspace capable? And how are her engines?"

The tech hesitated a moment. "A new purchase," he said simply. "Hypercable and runs well, but needs some work." He paused, frowning a bit. Clearly, he was suspicious. "Shall I call the Captain and tell him you are interested? He doesn't allow anyone to look at anything without a senior officer present."

"You go right ahead," Erik said. "In the meantime, I'm going to give her outside a look," he then continued, ignoring the techs protests as he headed towards the ship. He could hear the tech open a comm frequency as he did, and hoped that he was right in his theory that the techs hadn't had time to install the lock codes and such since the ship had just been acquired. He knew from looking at her that she was in descent shape, and she was definitely flyable.

He just hoped the tech was right that the ship was hypercable. As the tech focused on making his call, no doubt to Danner, he knew there was no time like the present. To his mild surprise, the tech hadn't called security yet.

Or at least, it didn't appear that way. Heading around the ship, trying to look for all the universe like he was just analyzing the hull and any damage, Erik finally got to the hatch. He stepped in to test the lock controls, even as he heard the tech yell that he back up. The hatch popped obligingly open, with just a creak as the tech made yet another call.

Security was definitely on their way now, and by the sounds of things, they were close. Erik could hear them enter as he headed aboard ship and slammed the hatch closed. Not having time to warm the ship thoroughly, he did a cold start. He knew if he could open the hatch, so could the security behind them.

"Unidentified person, you will depart the ship at once!" came an incoming message on the ship's comm. Erik ignored it for the moment, quickly acquainted himself with the controls, and began to work them. As the ship began to leave the surface of the hangar bay, Erik paused to squirt off a brief and terse reply to the transmission that was now repeating itself over and over.

"Tell Captain Danner I'll wire him payment when I get to my destination," he said. "Kartan out."

And, further warning messages and the sound of blaster bolts pelting the hull of the ship be damned, Erik blasted out of the hangar bay and into open space, plotting a quick hyperspace vector and punching it in before the Hornett could get a lock on him. The ship exploded into hyperdriven space before anyone in the hangar bay, or anywhere else for that matter, could do a kriffing thing.

...and apparently how to plot a quick hyperspace jump out of range of a Star Destroyer too. The tech saw his visions of glory days as an EE officer explode into smoke as the ship likewise exploded into hyperspace.

"Ship theft, main docking bay. Security on-scene but ineffective. Request navigation to plot possible hyperspace vectors and send out a search party."

He paused then, taking a deep breath and sending a silent prayer to any gods that might listen before continuing further. "Patch me on an emergency frequency to the Captain's comm. I will inform him of the loss myself."

Clearly nobody upstairs wanted to report this instead, so they obliglingly patched the poor tech through.

"Captain Danner, this is Technician Stratus reporting from the main hangar bay. A new acquisition was just stolen and taken to hyperspace. The thief claimed you had been discussing selling him a ship, began inspecting one, then achieved unauthorized access via the hatch. He took off before anyone could do a thing."

The tech paused, trying to brace himself for inevitable termination. "The man did send a brief response to our calls to depart the ship. Communications will patch it through to you now, sir."

What the kriffing hell was Kartan doing?

"Call off search parties," Terrin growled into the comm to whoever was in control of the comm on the main deck. "I don't think anyone here wants to go anywhere that Kartan may be headed," he added irritably.

"Sir...?" the officer asked tentatively, nervously.

"We're headed out, but get me those potential hyperspace vectors and send the data to Eagle II."

"Yes sir," the officer responded, this time more evenly. "Anything else?"

"Prepare for Eagle II to depart. I want clearance ASAP. And I'd like the hyperspace vectors on that ship before we leave."

A brief pause. "Yes sir," the officer replied once again. "Standing by with a departure vector for Eagle II when you are ready."

"Thank you. For the moment, Danner out."

Terrin scowled blackly at midair as they continued on their way to Eagle II. "I don't know what the kriffing hell Kartan is doing, but I know already I don't like it." He scowl deepened. "Let's just hope the hyperdrive fails or engine breaks down if he's headed into something that will only cause trouble."

Which he most certainly is if he didn't even have the nerve to buy the ship he just blasted out of here with, a shouder devil snorted as they entered the main hangar bay. "Let's just get the hell out of here and hope to all the Fates that he isn't headed the same direction as we are to stir something up before we get there, because if so, he has a head start."

"Huh?" I blurted, wincing to myself for how ridiculous that word sounded. But Hell's Seven Circles, what was all this with Kartan? At least I assumed it had to do with him; that's the name that Terrin was grumbling out in a tone of voice used by a rampaging reek. But I hadn't heard what transpired over his comm-link; coming to a skidding halt I gave him another look.

"What do you mean, 'you don't know what the kriffing hell Kartan is up to--?" I asked, although deep within my gut a tiny voice raised itself to be heard.

What you were thinking about him earlier? Comparing him to Kyan and all?

You were right, ol' girl...

"Not sure where he is headed, and even with calculated hyperspace vectors from his last known coordinates it's a good bet that won't tell us anything. Judging by the tech's description of what happened, he's alone too."

Terrin paused, shaking his head. "I have a really bad feeling he's headed somewhere that will only cause us problems, and soon. If he was as angry back on Khar Delba as Jasyn said he was, and decided to blast off from here on his own without even bothering to take the time to let us know or buy the ship he took..."

But what I did know was that Jasyn and Matt were on Khar Delba, the last I knew with an apparently turncoat Aeylmaar. And chances were equally good that if what had put the bee in that young lord's bonnet had indeed been resolved, it probably wouldn't take too much to send it winging there again.

"Oh... hell," I finished aloud, now pursing my lips in disgust. "Nevermind the fact that the guy just stole a ship from us; he's gonna get himself killed if he confronts Aeylmaar, with Jasyn and Matt along with him! I think you'd better warn the guys, while in the meantime..."

While in the meantime, exactly what, rocket scientist?

"While in the meantime you and I take the fastest thing we've got, and go see if we can pick up whatever pieces he might be making on Khar Delba--?"

Sheesh, if that's the case, two more good men are being put at risk! And dammitall, much as I don't like a lick of what mumbo-jumbo there is associated with them, we are gonna be needing the Siths' resources in combination with the Impys -- great galloping ghosts, did I ever really say that?! -- if our suspicions about the Vong turn out to be true...

I sighed, and gave Link's shoulders a squeeze.

"Ummm... my new ship is pretty fast, has a tractor beam and could pick up a decent sized ship. Maybe we can find him and snag him before he actually gets to Khar Dooby, or whatever the place is called..."

A forced grin wrinkled my lips, and I turned quickly to Link, hunkering down to be on her level.

"If this is what we end up doing, I want you to stay here on this ship, where it's safe. You could keep digging up what info you can find regarding General Tarnus; maybe you can hack into some Impy back door and see if they were the ones behind his disappearance from his prison or not."

I turned back to Terrin, drew in a breath, rose upright, and waited.

...again. Still, he likewise knew that Yaoksi's new ship, even without all of its upgrades quite finished, was fast and sleek...

...and had just gotten the best maintanence job anyone could ask for. And whether he wanted to admit it or not, there was safety in numbers. Especially when someone was going ahead of time to blow any chances of subterfuge they had.

Blast it all!

"Allright," Terrin finally said, nodding inwardly as if to assure himself that everything was going to work out. "But only if you allow me to pay you back." Terrin paused. "Like Link has already mentioned, you have to earn a living, and you are offering a lot here."

Ok, that was the understatement of the year, a shoulder being snorted.

Recalling the urgency of the situation, Terrin made a quick request for Kartan's projected hyperspace vectors to be sent straight to his comm unit. Then he raised a thumb over his shoulder, indicating the direction of the hangar bay beyond. "We'd better get moving."

Like having another ship should one suffer significant damages, he reminded himself blackly.

As Galen went off towards Eagle II, Terrin followed Yaoksi, allowing him to take the lead as they headed to Challenger. Enroute he received the potential hyperspace vectors, which could in turn be plugged into a navcomputer for further analysis. Although he didn't recognize any of the coordinates offhand, that didn't necessarily mean anything. But it could also mean that Erik made a random jump before taking off to his real destination. Recalling how Galen had used that very same tactic once or twice herself, Terrin wouldn't really be all that surprised if that were the case.

I swallowed thickly.

"Look, kiddo," I started as I took her by the shoulders. "Where we're going it's maybe gonna be dangerous. Things might happen; Fates know that I don't want anything to happen to you..."

I trailed, wincing inwardly at my own effrontery. For the kid had sure as hell already been through too much, all as a result of being tag-teamed with me. But did that stop her? No. It had actually seemed to improve her; hadn't she said the same thing to us in so many words?

Would taking off without her be seen as yet another abandonment in her life? I bit my bottom lip, waffling between wanting to protect her and...

Wanting to protect her.

I blinked as the realization hit me that she could be hurt either way. And chances were good the greater hurt would come to her if I made her stay behind.

You were the first one she wanted when she woke up after surgery...

"Ahh, hell." I stood up, and ruffled the fur on top of her head.

"What good is having new quarters if you can't use 'em? I guess you can hack into wherever it is you need to hack just as well aboard Challenger as aboard Hornett. Besides--

"I'd be awfully lonely without ya, kid."

Saying no more on the subject, I rose to my feet and keyed the lock-down code.

"Open, sesame," I grinned as the hatch slid obligingly open. In no time we were all aboard, sans Mrs. Danner that is, and I was sitting happily at Challenger's impressive control panels.

"Time to go, peeps," I announced then as, departure vectors being received and analyzed, the YT's engines awoke to thrumming life. Clicks and other small noises announced the fact that all were secured in their seats; moments later a scrambling of the docking bay's personnel announced the imminent disengagement of the forcefield blocking the hanger's great and now opened hatch.

"And we're off!"

The only thing to announce our actual departure was the fact that the docking bay seemed to be moving, Challenger was that sweetly smooth in leaving. Soon we were several hundred klicks away, hovering in space to pick up Galen aboard Eagle II.

"We're ready when you are, Mrs. Danner," I commed, waiting until the the tiny form of the sleek little lambda she was piloting came into the correct vector with us, that I could engage our newly installed tractor beam and hustle her aboard.

Then we could all get the hell out of here and back into...

Unless, of course, you can estimate where he might have jumped from his potential initial jumps from the Hornett.

Terrin stated as much as Yaoksi got to the business of getting Eagle II into Challenger's tractor beam.

“All systems are green,” said Link. “At least for stock parts, can’t wait until that order comes in.”

It was getting a little too hot for Link in such a cramped area like a cockpit so she removed her duster and hung it on the back of her chair then started to roll up her sleeves when she saw both Yaoksi and Terrin staring over at her.

“If you had a layer of fur you would do the same,” said Link. “Besides I think I’ll need to shorten the sleeve on this sweater. It keeps getting caught on my arm or something when I bend it.”

As if to emphasize her point Link pulled a few threads that snagged out of the elbow joint of her mechanical arm.

“I know yours covered with synth-flesh but does it ever do something similar to you too?” asked Link.

My eyes were filled with stars even now as I arrowed away from Hornett, letting Eagle II spread her own wings in flight from the hulking destroyer as we proceeded dead ahead for about, oh, a few hundred thousand klicks or so. For the briefest of moments shadows of my past superimposed themselves against the starfield--

Coming to the rescue of another YT-2500, who was fleeing a super star destroyer of it's own...

Zooming away from imprisonment, a newly-met Terrin Danner turning green at my side as we barrel-rolled our way through this danger and that in our wild career from Ambria...

Fleeing Kamino, my stomach an uncomfortable little peach-pit of a knot as the eyes of my clone bore inquisitively into my back...

Others flickered here and there, beckoning.

Come. Remember that freedom? It's still out here...

I only smiled back at them.

"Not this time, my friends."

Even as the words had left my lips I was turning my little lamby around, now arrowing back practically smack on top of my prior trajectory, this time reaching out with sensors and seeking contact with a ship brand spankin' new to the glories of what awaited it in the Night.

"I'm here, guys," I commed Challenger; then sat back as the thunk of a tractor beam gripping hold of my craft assured me a swift and safe berth aboard her.

It wasn't long before that very event was enacted, and I found Eagle II yawning and stretching, and otherwise settling into the peaceful slumber of systems cooling and generally powering down.

I exited her with alacrity, whistling to myself as in the journey from the docking berth to the main cockpit area I found this wonder and that.

Wow. NICE ship!

A brief, and uncharacteristic stab of jealousy hit me; man I wished I'd gotten to get my hands on this baby! But the feeling soon disappeared; Captain Joao deserved it, considering all he'd been through for us, all he'd endured.

Soon I joined up with the others and found a seat. There I settled comfortably against the cushions and watched as the stars in the main viewport stretched themselves out into the smears that was hyperspace.

We were on our way.

((OOC: Please follow Challenger and all aboard her into the thread Where Will You Go in the "CSWU" forums; this is the general "somewhere out in space" thread we will be using until we finally end up wherever we do, lol. Thank you!))