Erik gazed distantly at the navboard, the seconds to arrival passing in slow motion. His plan, still losely formed, grew more and more absurd to him with each passing moment. Even so, he didn't feel like there was any other choice. He had long since decided against the Empire and its ways regardless of any reform they had made, and he wasn't about to trust anything Sith, not anymore. And quite honestly, that didn't leave him with any where else to turn, really.

Except back to oneself. And after all, wasn't that exactly what an information smuggler should do? Seek out information, place it in the hands of those who might be willing to pay large sums for it...

...not trusting them to use anything you've got for one side or another as long as it pays.

The only trouble with that particular approach was, however, that you still had to make some judgement calls. Which made having an angle of your own particularly helpful.

And that he most certainly did have.

As Erik took the final sip of a mug of caf he had been nursing, his proximity indicators began blaring, announcing imment reversion to realspace. After placing the mug on the copilot's seat, Erik leaned forwared and busied himself with tending to the navboard...

...and wondered if the Kaminoans would be willing to trade off with him for the information he had concerning those who had no doubt forced them into servitude not so long ago.

...at some point, anyway. Taking a final glance at the navboard to make certain everything was on standby, he opened the ship's hatch, departed the ship entirely, and secured the hatch with the new lock code he had programmed during travel as well. Pulling the hood of the robe over his head--as if it were going to do any good in the pouring rain--Erik headed for the nearest dome in his line of sight, which was approximately 300 meters ahead. He moved along with purpose, hoping to the fates that what he was about to begin would prove fruitful...

...and give him something that owuld set him apart from any other information smuggler in the business...

...and give him a valuable bargaining chip for future use. At length, he finally reached the opening of the dome and headed inside. No sooner had he entered and paused briefly ot shake some of the water off his robe when he was approached by the slender, graceful greeter of the city.

"Greetings," she said simply, in a smooth and somehow elegant voice. "WElcome to Kamino. How may we assist you?"

Erik pulled the hood of the robe from his head, ignoring the water which in turn ran down his back as he did so.

"I come seeking truth and justice, for you as well as for many others," Erik stated, surprised by his reply as if he were just realizing it...

...and perhaps he was at that. "You were long ago employed by the Old Republic which later turned into an Empire and supposedly were paid...

...which may be true, although I question that very much. You have been used by others, have gained much knowledge and expertise in your field...

...and not so long ago were forced into servitude to not clone, but advance the ages of children of a race unknown. For that job I doubt you were paid, and I know that you lost at least an entire laboratory at the hands of a powerful, red-skinned being by the name of Ankrist Roan."

Erik paused, and found himself unable to read the look in the Kaminoan's eyes. So he pressed on. "I have seen the remnants of that laboratory, destroyed, on a planet in a system which was once blockaded by the New Empire. I know you are a peace-loving peoples...

...but I would think you have to wonder just what became of those among you who disappeared in that laboratory. I know the coordinates of the planet your people and their lab was taken to and destroyed...

...and I would be willing to give you them in exchange for a single thing. You advanced the age of one child with red skin and horns, and another with horns and bi-colored eyes. As you are scientists and must have been interested in the nature of this species, you musst have extracted some DNA from at least one of those children. If you can give me a sample of the DNA from either of those specimens, I can give you the name of their race and the coordinates of the planets that they came from, the very same one where your laboratory and people were destroyed."

Erik quieted again, pursing his lips as he considered mentioning somethiung further. "I know there are those of you who had some knowlege of this race's coming via one called Tyberius, and in turn tried to help him do everything to stop the return of the race. I know this sect was probably a small amount of your people, but you must consider just how those of your own were treated by Anrkist Roan as he used you and your expertise to meet his own ends. You can stand silently by and guard his secrets...

...or you can use that scientific knowledge of yours to gain some retribution for the many lives--and not just your own--that he destroyed."

"I have no knowledge of this Ankrist Roan of whom you speak," she replied almost flatly. "However, there are many cities with laboratories here. If it is as important as you imply, then I can send a message to the other cities. Perhaps someone will have knowledge of that which you speak."

She paused then, and Erik debated the wisdom in taking her up on her offer. Letting her inquire with other cities regarding Roan might stir up some connections...

...but doing so might also leave a trail to follow. But then again, Erik wasn't even sure how likely it would be that anyone would predict he would come to Kamino in time to trace the message. And Kamino was so far out that anyone stumbling on the message was unlikely.

Erik was about to ask her to please do as she had suggested when she continued with, "I [do know of this Tyberius you mentioned, however, and of his prophecies. If you wish to know more of him, I can direct you to those who believe in...such things."

She quieted a moment then, her look unreadable. "You will have to go there on your own however." Her voice lowered noticeably. "They are not like the rest of us."

Erik arched an eyebrow, but then nodded. "If you could do that, I would appreciate it. I would also like for you to send out a message regarding what I have told you about Ankrist Roan as well."

The greeter nodded, almost seeming disappointed. Her next words confirmed as much. "Is that all we can do for you, Mr..." She trailed, obviously seeking his name.

...and in the forefront of his mind, all he could tell himself was that he was just conducting good business. Or at least, he hoped that was what he was doing. Still, he knew deep down that wasn't even the half of it.

"Mr. Kartan?" the Kaminoan greeter purred, jerking him from his inward thoughts. "Your request will take some time to process...

...properly. However, we do require payment up front."

Erik's brown eyes darkened at her announcement, his thoughts going to an old wound.

It certainly hadn't taken long for some ...

"Very well," he responded instead, a bit tersely. In only a few minutes, he had exchanged the credits for his requested service, somehow knowing that this would mean someone could find him based on this transaction...

...and discovering with some surprise that he really didn't care.

"The others you spoke of?" he then prompted after the transaction was complete.

"Yes," she responded, albeit distastefully. "If you will follow me."

Erik began to follow the Greeter, and never saw the other behind him...

*******************************************

Without the Force, Erik never knew the blow was coming. So when he awoke in a heap on a cold metallic surface, he was totally unprepared for anything that would follow. Disregarding the throubbing in his head, he scrambled to his knees and jerked his head up, his eyes blinded by bright light. He blinked several times, trying to adjust, sensing that his lightsaber had been removed from his belt simply by the change in its weight on his hips. The fact that he was otherwise unbound did give him some reassurance, but not all that much really...

...especially not considering that he was also becoming acutely aware of a circle of tall, alnky beings surrounding him, heavy belts laden with weapons on them despite the fact they appeared to be Kaminoan. And suddenly, the one immediately in front of him stepped forward.

"You have been here before, Jedi," he purred, holding out Erik's lightsaber. "You were here with the Stargazer...

...and now you have returned with her son, as Tyberius predicted."

An upwelling of anger helped Erik get completely on his feet. "What should that matter to him, he tried to kill him too."

The Kaminoan, who was shorter than most, actually arched a brow. "He did?" he queried. "Or did he? The Stargazer and her Teacher could be our salvation...

...or they could very well be the ending of us all."

Erik struggled to stay focused. "How can they matter now, since all power has been removed?"

The Kaminoan blinked. "Power has little to do with it all in the end...

...at least, regarding the power that you speak of. Why did you seek us to begin with?"

Erik pinned the Kaminoan's eyes with his own. "Your kind was forced into servitude by those called the Sith, and you certainly have a sample of their DNA code by now, if not from your servitude then from Tyberius, who believed the Sith should never return. While I don't beleve he had the most honorable intentions, I am beginning to agree with him regarding them...

...and I want that code."

The other cocked his head slightly. "And what will you do with it?"

Erik opened his mouth...

...then slammed it closed, realizing with great disgust that he really didn't know.

"That's what I thought," the Kaminoan responded blandly. "I suggest you take this instead," he then said, removing a small box from his belt and handing it to Erik. "To the Guild World it should go, where one will know what should be done with it."

"What is it?" Erik asked suspiciously.

"Some have called it Magroo, though whether or not it is the original or not doesn't really matter. Take it, and your weapon, and go to the Guild Worlds," the Kaminoan said, handing Erik his lightsaber. "After all, our technicians know that this was your chosen destination already," he said with an almost eerie smile...

Definitely drugged, he thought, blearily keying in just enough commands into the navboard to call up his destination, for he was keenly aware that hyperspace spanned out before him in his viewscreen. And that did little towards appeasing his reeling head, either. As he pulled up his destination, he really was not surprised to find that he was headed to the Guild World, as he had planned and the Kaminoan had observed. Clearly, the Kaminoan wanted to ensure that he didn't change his mind about his destination by drugging him...

...and wanted him to know where he was going by leaving him at navigation before sending him on his way. Erik scowled, his eyes heavy, his heart angered that once again, someone else seemed to be calling the shots. Still, the mystery of the Magroo had him ingtrigued...

...as did the note tacked onto the box. It sat on his navboard tauntingly, further inspiring his curiosity as well as his anger with his current circumstances. Even though his vision was swimming and his head was throbbing, Erik made out the words on the note:

Find either the one called Seus, or Sorben Tarnus. Only they will know how to utilize Magroo to save us all.

Erik had two final thoughts before falling unconcious: Clearly the Kaminoans didn't know what giving the Magroo, if it was as powerful as implied, to Tarnus might do to the universe either. And he had never heard the name Seus in his life...

Erik scowled at the comm unit on his navboard as if the person across the frequency could actually see him. He had reverted to realspace near the Guild Worlds not long ago, and he was starting to get the feeling he might have wasted a trip.

"I'm trying to reach someone by the name of Seus," he reiterated, annoyed. "I'm not sure where he is, but I assume he is here--or someone here knows where he is--since I was sent here to find him."

On second thought, Erik had to admit he wasn't all that surprised anyone on the Guild World was responding to his unannounced entrance near their world in such a manner. The person on the other end said nothing for a long moment. "There is no one by the name of Seus in our records," came the next terse response. "You are not permitted to land on this world and are requested to leave the area immediately."

Erik sighed and ran a disgusted hand across his face, frustrated.
After all of this he was going to come up with nothing. Absolutely nothing.

But then another idea came to mind. "I think this Seus might have known Sorben Tarnus, who was once a member of your Guild," he then said into the comm unit. "I was sent here in reference to a device called the Kym Magroo, which I was told either Seus or Tarnus would know how to use."

Erik paused, debating upon whether or not he should say what he was thinking of before doing so. Then he was reminded of the fact that he was communicating across a secure frequency, although it had not escaped his attention that whoever he was speaking with had been able to tap his encryption code to respond.

What the hell, at this rate if he didn't say something of possible interest he wasn't going to get anywhere with this anyway.

"I have the device with me."

Seus, this is Galen. Long time no speak. I trust you remember me through a particular individual of our mutual acquaintance. I feel this person might be into something a touch wee over even his helmeted head, and am requiring your assistance in the matter.

Please respond to this frequency; I have set up an automatic scrambler to squelch your reply. Point of origin cannot be traced except by someone having that frequency to begin with. This is a two-way electronic street, as you know.

I hope to hear from you, and if I might be so bold to add it, asap.

Life had been progressing for Seus in the manner it had maintained over the last 30 years: at a steadily busy but not overwhelming pace. It seemed there was always somebody out there somewhere who wanted another someone captured or killed; who was Seus to question the morality of it. One man's garbage was another man's credits, and he was in the field he had occupied for most of his life for the same reason as any of the other bounty hunters:

For the credits.

Except maybe Tarnus; now there was a man who marched to a different drum.

Sorben was one who had taken Seus by complete surprise. Not only did the youngster end up actually surpassing himself with his 100% field record, but as Seus soon learned there was far more between Sorben's virtual bookcovers than a simple story of bang-bang-shoot-to-kill. The man was the only hunter Seus had ever known who had been able to give himself to a woman -- that just didn't happen! -- and when said woman up and left him went back to become not just the original Sorben, but something bigger, something better.

It still rankled, though, that he had lost his best bounty hunter to the damned Impys.

He sighed a little, dropped the assignment list he had been perusing, and rubbed his eyes.

I'm getting old, he thought to himself. I like my position, but even it's beginning to get... old. And when that happens...

His momentary weariness was suddenly burst asunder by two almost simultaneously occuring events: a stranger was at his doorstep bringing talk with him about, of all things, the Magroo Device...

...and here was an out-of-the-blue message from, of all people, Galen Jhin'dar. Or was it Tarnus? Seus prided himself on his ability to keep up with who's who in the galaxy... but it was an awfully big galaxy, after all. He never did know if the two had ever actually married after receiving the $20K he had handed them, only that something had happened that sent Sorben out upon a death-cold field hunt with his mouth shut tighter than a rancor trap.

Something told him they never had officially tied the knot. But there was something about a child--?

He shook his head, straightened in his seat.

"Send this... gentleman... to my office," he replied to the image on the screen, who nodded and signed off.

Seus sat back, pondering the surprising message still scrolling across a second screen.

Sorben, in trouble? Impossible. That was like saying the sun had quit shining; but then--

Stars did sometimes go supernovae, didn't they? And if anyone would end a perfect career with a flare of monstrous proportions, it would be Sorben...

He addressed the issue of waiting until his business with the stranger was finished, then decided against it. If something was really wrong, it wouldn't be fair to Sorben to put off so much as a minute. Thus he leaned into the screen, spoke into a 'phone, and watched as his returning words scrolled below Galen's:

"Galen my dear, what a surprise. How... wonderful to find you well; you must come here some time so we can catch up on old times..."

Like the whispered rumors he'd heard of something mysterious occurring out in the Unknown Regions, out somewhere where the fabled Korriban was supposed to be, that and other worlds and a fierce race of unknown beings with powers so marvelous there was nothing in the Galaxy to stand up against them; beings who made the old nemeses Darth Desolist and Darth Wicked seem to be merely naughty little boys. Beings whose name he had heard linked a couple of times to a being called Graysith... who he knew personally to be Galen's sister.

He didn't let one whit of a pause reveal his thoughts over the ether, but taking a natural breath continued.

"What assistance can I render, my dear?"

Except heading back to Stargazer crop empty handed, a shoulder devil snorted, something even blacker following somewhere in the depths of Erik's mind.You might as well tough it out and see if they ever reply or just blow you and your ship into oblivion for being a nuisiance.

Erik was about to send yet another message when his comm board lit up. He flipped the accept button, expecting another refusal...

...or worse. He was well more than a bit surprised to instead receive landing clearance. Force or not, every cell in his body screamed in warning...

...but he'd come this far, and part of the thrill of information smuggling was the thrill of the hunt. And he did have some intresting information to produce in exchange for the information he wanted. So he headed down to atmosphere, not surprised that he was joined by escort ships who then guided him down to a particular landing pad within a large docking area. Erik landed, cooled the engines of his acquired ship...

...and took a deep breath, getting to his feet and heading towards the hatch. He wasn't sure what he was getting himself into, but he sure hoped this would all pay off...

...and he would get some vengance for his son's death, and so much more...

"It is good to find you well too.

"Regarding said individual mentioned earlier; I am currently engaged in -- "

A slight pause.

"--hunting for him. He has been missing for some time now. My companions and I are trying to determine what has happened to him; meanwhile, we have a jedi who has gone rogue on us, one who is most likely planning on doing everything in his power to stop us, or at least use diversion tactics to delay us in our progress.

"As a personal favor, and for old time's sake, would you set a Hunter out after this guy? We don't want him hit, just... detained. His name is Erik Kartan, and his last known location was--"

A string of coordinates flashed across the receiving monitor.

"We're not certain where he has gone off too, exactly, but it shouldn't be too difficult for your men to find him. Here's the ship he was in, the last we knew...."

Now a list of detailed specs regarding Erik's purloined vessel.

"Seus, this would go a long way toward helping us locate our mutual acquaintance. I would seriously owe you one--"

"--and we can pay you--"

A longer pause.

"Anything you want.

"Over."

But what she was saying between the lines...

Now, that's what really peaked his interest.

A little smile lifted one corner of his otherwise grimly set lips.

"My dear, consider it done. And as for payment..."

It was now his turn to pause, the little smile vanishing from his features.

"I will send a bill when you are duly satisfied with our performance in this matter. I trust I can send a return message to this same frequency?"

The question was merely rhetorical; he knew damned well that this frequency was the only one Galen could expect a return from him. If she wanted to know anything--

--such as, oh... the health status of said rogue jedi--

--she'd better be hovering over that frequency like a dianoga ready to strike. She was, after all, the one playing the chase, not he or his men.

"Good," he continued smoothly on, not letting a whisper of his thoughts show in any way, shape or form.

"You can expect to hear from us sometime in the near future."

Damn skippy; his men were good.

"Good-by, my dear. I look forward to our future chat.

"Out."

Sending his reply on its way, Seus paused a moment to decide upon the best chain of action in this little matter. There were several different hunters he was considering for the job, and he was as well toying with the idea of retaining a spy to assist in locating this jedi.

But that would wait, just a moment longer. He had other business to attend to.

Rising from his seat he fetched himself a cup of caf and a Boonta bun. Settling back in his chair he gave himself a small moment to savor his snack while he waited for the arrival of the stranger who claimed to have device of the long-dead Khym Magroo.

Which was odd, considering it had been used, to destroy Ploatius. Now who in all the galaxy would have the knowledge to create another?

He licked a crumb from his lips and took a delicate sip, but the flavors he had seconds ago found quite appetizing were suddenly now strangely flat. His eyes hardening to steel, he set the foodstuffs down upon his desk, folded his hands atop it, and waited.

((OOC: Message goes to Where Will You Go? in the "CSWU" forums, thank you.))

Then with a terse, "Follow me," the man turned as the others formed up around Erik and began to lead Erik into a building where he was--not to his surprise--relieved of his blaster before he was ushered into a large, well-furnished office where a man sat behind a desk, his eyes intense as he regarded him.

Erik took a deep breath. "My name is Captain Erik Kartan, owner of Stargazer Coorporation, and I think I have some information regarding the Sith ...

...as well as an item...

The Guild Boss relaxed in his chair as the jedi entered, and eyed him with a carefully maintained attitude of interested curiosity. But deep down he was shaking his head at the sheer coincidence of the last few moments of his otherwise normal life.

Ask and ye shall receive...

Only he hadn't asked. He hadn't even had much time to consider just who to send out on the latest Hunt, and where; in fact, he'd scarcely had the time to truly assimilate the fact that something was amiss out there in the great, grand Galaxy, and even though he had no clue as to the truth of it he couldn't help but wonder if the miraculously resurrected Kym Magroo device wouldn't end up playing a major role in rectifying matters.

Of course he could be over-reacting, but Seus wasn't a man much inclined to theatrics. One didn't become Da Boss of the entire Bounty Hunter Guild and all its various worlds and subsidiaries by being a knee-jerk reactionary; thus he knew deep in his gut that it was a deeply buried offshoot of logic, the unconscious variety which kept a quiet eye on events, stashed them away in the subconscious... and snagged them back again when just enough incoming data fit together to create Something Unusual. Some would call this a hunch, others not; he only knew of one other individual who ever had this innate ability, and that was that lil spitfire gal of Sorben's...

All this rushed through him in a nanosecond, some of it being conscious analysis, much of it not. But through it all he maintained his careful attitude of interest. Rising halfway from his seat, he nodded to Erik and waved a hand toward a nearby chair.

"Be comfortable, please," he said as he sat down again. He let another moment or two tick past while he scrutinized the man in front of him.

So this is the one Galen needs detained, the "rogue jedi..." While in his own estimations Erik appeared to be anything but, in fact seemed to be carrying a breath of urgency about him, he knew better than to judge a book by its cover. The man was reported to be a jedi after all; he knew he would have to tread very carefully in order to fulfill the Hunt requested of him by Galen Jhin'dar.

Breaking the silence so as to put the man more at ease, he went on, "I must say that I find your statement of possessing a device known as Kym Magroo to be intriguing at the very least. These are few and far between, to my knowledge.

"May I ask how it is you managed to procure one, as well as why you have approached me with it?"

One of the Golden Rules of The Hunt: gather intelligence, all the intelligence necessary to make that hunt successful. Although a modicum of delicacy was in order, he knew he basically already had Erik by the tail. In fact his men had by now more than likely managed to hack their way aboard his ship, and were checking things out. While more than likely it wouldn't be too troublesome from this point to detain the purported rogue jedi, now was the time to gather information. One never knew what would prove useful on down the galactic road.

He paused, the look in his brown eyes deepening as he considered what would be a healthy balance of information to tell and to keep safely unspoken. "Your name was given as one of two who knows how to use the device."

Erik paused, again debating on just how much to say. "Information smuggling is my trade, and circumstances I have been in the past few years have lead me to information that the large majority of the galaxy has no knowledge of." He quieted a moment. "There are Sith out there once more, and they are more than the Dark Jedi of old...

That which some have come to think of as Which Was reared its wonderful one-ness back into the omnipotent non-ness of what it was/wasn't; cradled its quite unique non-ness into the accepting arms of the all-encompassing one-ness and let go a little, virtual smile. It took a look about its non-self, taking in the grandeur of ALL there was, the ALL of which some little portions of it were now being allowed to awaken to the fact that their gradually progressing perceptions of it were on the right track.

There was a time Man thought HE was the center of it all. In response to that silliness time was given; Man then thought his little celestial body was. Then his little stellar; oh, such wonderful beings those stellars. Perhaps one day their language would finally be deciphered by the other pieces at play.

He/she/it shook a figurative head, smiled more smugly at the Progression Of Things, which albeit slow was at least on an accurate track.

One day those little motes awoke to the fact that there was more, oh indeed quite more; their tunneled little view expanded its paradigms and took a leap of faith.

Stellars existed, vast quantities of them in wonderful pin-wheeling units. At first only each individual one was recognized by the motes inhabiting it, but slowly, bit by bit, in a manner yet evolving, each little bit grew cognizant of the fact that there were more, there were hundreds, millions, billions of those units, each in turn encompassing billions of stellar brothers.

That the stellars were the true Life of the Universe was not yet understood by the little motes dwelling in the All-ness; it was enough that they now looked out toward a universe with tiny eyes that were gradually opening in recognition of the fact that perhaps the better term was in fact Universes...

"Hey, unfair move! That's partiality!" The cry from him/her/itself came from behind him/her/itself.

That-Which-Was took up some stuff of what is, coalesed it into the brilliant ultraviolet-and-chrome Eyes of which he/she/it had become quite fond, and cast them behind his/her/itself.

A figurative sigh was heaved.

"We hoped we wouldn't have noticed..." it non-said, then muttered in further rejoinder, "But a fair move had been made."

Nothing back but a snort; he/she/it sighed, and then waved a figurative hand.

The fabric of Stuff which wove together existence of both forms, be it living or non, rippled, gathered into an immensely tiny little bunch, and exploded outward in the virtual equivalent of a Big Bang.

Here and there certain motes began waking up, some in surprise, some with regret, but one by one those certain few began to wake up as if from a deep slumber.

The Other still wasn't satisfied. "We're not just giving it away!" it protested, the non-words loud and born in total effrontery.

That-Which-Was merely snorted.

"Of course not. Balance must be maintained; it must always be maintained. We know that, and some of us still know it at different degrees, at different levels than others.

"We'll see now..."

The Other muttered beneath its non-breath. "We still think you're making up the Rules as you go along! But we'll wait.

"Then again, maybe this Magroo isn't what my source claims it is," he finally admitted, still not divulging where he had picked up the device. "But regardless of whether it is or not, the Sith are out there and pose a serious threat to the rest of the galaxy. They have these weird, extraordinary powers and abilities, far greater than the the Jedi's Force...

And so he liked to remain quiet a bit, letting the individual in front of him stew awhile. Eventually something would be blurted out just to alleviate the silence; oftentimes it was much more than the individual had planned on divulging to begin with.

This Erik fellow now, he certainly seemed to be no exception, jedi or no. Already Seus had learned several important things: one, there appeared to be another Kym Magroo device in existence...

A device he knew of very well, although perhaps not how to work it. But well he remembered the fiasco on Ploatius with Sorben and Galen, trying to head off Darth Desolist and his crony, Gravin Dark, following along the trail it turned out they had deliberately laid down in order to trap them on that moon, only to then destroy it with the abovementioned Kym Magroo device...

Luckily Sorben and Galen had managed to escape if only by the skin of their combined teeth; he wasn't aware that the device had somehow managed to escape the conflagration unscathed. Therefore, if what this jedi was claiming, another one had been made.

By the Sith--? He knew Dark had finally been sent to his well-deserved hell, but as for Desolist, who knew where that vile being had hidden himself. And there had been quiet stories of the other darth who had crossed Sorben's path, Darth Wicked, and yet others rising up here and there, shadowy stories that hinted of evil coming down the galactic highway in new form, only to settle back into obscurity once again.

Only now this Erik Kartan was divulging yet more information: the fact that the Sith were indeed out there, and posed a dire threat to the galaxy. As always. Only...

What was that he said, something about the Sith weren't quite what he thought?

That certainly needed clarification, especially if they had managed to get the Kaminoans to make another Magroo device. Fates only knew what else they would have created for them.

"Perhaps you'd elucidate a bit for me?" he asked politely as he reached for a carafe sitting on one corner of his desk. Producing two cups seemingly from nowhere, he poured a heady blue liquid into one, and set it steaming down in front of himself. Pausing just before pouring again, he quirked a brow at Erik.

"Bakurian tea?" he asked politely.

"I would be glad to explain further, if perhaps you could grant me some information in exchange."

He paused, taking a sip of the tea as he did so. "You obviously have heard of this Kym Magroo, and my source seems to think it has some significant power."

So, he is either trying to feel me out, to see how much I know... or he truly knows nothing about the Kym Magroo device.

Which only made Seus wonder further exactly why it was the man had come to him to begin with.

He has something in his possession that he suspects to be a weapon, but one he has no idea how to use. Somehow he has ferreted out my connection to Kym Magroo, as slender a thread as that might be, and has come to me for help. But with what?

Learning how to use it, or from the sounds of it, seeking alliance with us in that through us he can use it against these Sith he speaks of, the Sith who are not the same as they were of old.

Seus's eyes hooded just the slightest bit as he briefly pondered just what to reply. Then they cleared. After all, he had further questions of his own to ask; more flies are captured with sticky honey than are killed with a swatter, after all.

"Fair enough. It is an explosive device of enormous power, power enough to destroy a small world."

He took a genteel sip of his tea.

"How is it that you happen to have one in your possession?" he asked nicely enough. "I find it a bit odd that you know of it, that you claim to have one with you, but yet you do not know what it is, or what it can do."

"May I ask you to further elucidate, please, as well as tell me how you happened to come by the Kym Magroo? And why you came to me?"

Pausing, Erik shrugged. "Not a good idea to give a mysterious device that has destructive power to an Imperial considering their track record. As to why I was the one who was given the Magroo well..."

Erik trailed, his brown eyes darkening a bit. "...they knew I had latent Force abilities, and knew I had knowledge of the Sith."

Albeit, with a weapon of the magnitude that he had in hand he indeed could be as dangerous as Galen was hinting.

Abruptly, he set down his tea, clasped his hands a leaned forward a bit.

"You come to me with this device, feeling me out about what it is. You seem to be hinting that you would like this Guild to ally with you, and apparently have the idea in your mind that we will bargain with you just for the sake of said device."

He paused a minute, letting his words sink in, giving Kartan a few moments to read between the lines before he went on.

"And with such an obvious desire, you still hedge. Mr. Kartan, you hurt me."

He sat back again, letting his eyes widen in faux pain, and once more reached for his tea. Moments crawled by, moments he let balloon into larger and larger ones while he merely sat taking quiet sips from his rapidly cooling cup. Whe the dregs of his tea had become quite tepid, he set it down again, and cleared his throat.

"I would prefer some honest answers, if you wish to gain our assistance," he stated in a tone that brooked no nonsense.

"Who gave you this device, and who exactly are these... these Sith against whom you so obviously wish to wage your personal little war?"

For personal it had to be. Seus' men had been all over this galaxy and back again, and he hadn't heard a whisper concerning anything of which this man was alluding. To Seus' way of thinking, Erik was either insane, deluded, or privy to knowledge the Bounty Hunter's Guild hadn't the slightest idea existed.

...and was slammed with an upwelling of response that he wasn't expecting. His eyes widened despite his efforts to cover his surprise as he once more felt the Force in all its glory. Although he wasn't the best reader of feelings and emotions, Erik certainly could sense the suspicion and distrust radiating from Seus.

And in that moment, Erik Kartan knew it was time to make a choice. He didn't know if the Hunter was going to believe a thing he was about to say, but it was most certainly time for some truth. The Imperials had been hiding it, the Sith were a ticking time bomb likely to explode on the galaxy at any moment...

...and the citizens of said galaxy hadn't a damn clue. And now the Force was suddenly back, after something-or-other had blocked it...

...at least according to what Shayla had told him. But what if that too had something to do with the Sith?

Maybe this was something to examine at a later time, but not now.

"You're right," Erik finally said. "I have not been forthcoming about all of this as I should be, especially since I am reequesting your assistance. I hope you can forgive me of this; it has been quite some time since I have felt I could truly trust anyone around me."

He paused. "I was given the device on Kamino where I was seeking yet another alliance. As for these Sith that I speak of and you have not heard of...

...they exist on planets of their own, planets which the Empire has been blockading and keeping under wraps from the general public. They are an ancient race with bizarre and mystical powers and technologies...

...and I know for a fact that they intend to strengthen themselves and in time take over our galaxy. I know it sounds farfetched, but I've been to these planets and spent quite some time there with these Sith, who pretend to be friends until it no longer serves their purposes. If you want proof of their existence, I do have the coordinates to said planets."

In his book, jedi were very good at snooping, at gaining information without divulging any in turn, at weasling their will upon the weak-minded, and getting off scot-free to boot. So now was the time to consider all that Kartan had let spill.

Either this is a jedi who has come to discover the efficiency of lying, or who has something of even greater importance that he's keeping to himself...

And then there's the little fact that here's a jedi coming to the Hunters for assistance; oh yeah, there is that strange little tidbit now, isn't there.

He took another sip, leaned back casually, and steadied an emotionless look upon Kartan.

...and in that split-second made a decision. "Yes, actually, I would."

He paused then, his brown eyes turning deadly serious as he leaned forward a bit. "It's a system beyond the outer rim, and it's been blockaded by the Imperials, but unless things have changed it is not currently."

Quieting again, Erik's eyes defocused. "I've seen these Sith use powers to move from planet to planet without a ship, to alter the minds and memories of others...

...and that isn't even the tip of the meteor."

He shook his head. "I suppose you want to send someone to go out and verify my claims...

But if what Erik was saying was more than the ravings of a man gone mad, there was more to this particular story he thought he knew so well.

The Sith... have a world... and the Imps were blockading it... but not currently...

What in a wampa's iced den did that mean?

He sat stone still, letting the thrill crawling up and down his spine diminish, bit by bit, until it had finally faded away. Raising his cup to his lips he took another sip, only to grimace distastefully.

His cup was quite empty.

He set it down softly, letting it come to rest without so much as the tiniest of clinks. Then he leaned forward, folded his hands atop his desk, looked Erik smack in his dark brown eyes.

I can take you any time I want, and utterly best you. Know this, that look told him flatly before his lips opened and words flowed out.

"Yes, I believe you're right," he agreed with a terse nod of his head. "I believe it is time indeed to check out your... claims."

He paused but a fraction; damn you, Tarnus! I could use you now! then spoke quickly into a nearby comm unit.

"This is Seus; get my ship and crew ready for imminent departure. We'll have... company; prepare a place for him."

He waited only for the reply, then quickly stood up. Letting a genteel smile broaden his otherwise icy lips, he gestured with one hand.

"Shall we, then?" he asked, even as the door to his office whooshed open to reveal two ready and waiting Hunters, both of them armed to their veritable teeth.

...that he wasn't adept enough in the Force to identify said bother or that something was bothering him at all. He wished suddenly that he had a blaster, or that he had kept his lightsaber on him, but noted that he wouldn't have either per the moment anyway.

Erik stood, nodding to Seus. "Yes," he responded to his query, his brown eyes immediately taking in the weapons on the Hunters.

Do I interpret this as being prepared, as distrust in me...

...or both?

Erik figured he'd find that out fairly soon.

...and then paused as a tendril of soemthing seemingly out of nowhere literally slammed into him via his Force-senses, through a link that he thought had been totally severed.

In his mind's eye, an image, blurry and distorted, pervaded his senses, one of one he had loved dearly...

...and most certainly still loved...

...surrounded by fire, in the light of Hell itself...

...and she seemed to be enjoying every bit of it.

It was with a great bit of effort that Erik merely gasped, one hand flying to his temple as the other reached out to splay out on the ornate surface of the edge of Seus's desk. Although the image faded as quickly as it had come, Erik's eyes were still seeing it, and he was momentarily oblivious to the actions of those around him. Deep within, he cursed the very day Shayla had been taken by Graysith and had learned of the Sith...

...and he cursed the day he had fallen so deeply in love with her.

Finally shaking himself from all of this, in a time span of mere moments that only seeemed to be much longer than they truly were, Erik looked up once more, his brown eyes again meeting those of Seus's. He didn't dare read the look, or lack thereof, in the other man's eye.

"Forgive me, I have been travelling for some time with little food or rest and it seems that it is all finally getting to me," he said, knowing there was actually quite a bit of truth to that statement even though none of it had prompted his suddenly unusual behavior. "I'd really appreciate perhaps having some sort of weapon considering where we are headed...

...although any weapon will probably be of little use where we are headed," he ended with as the blurry images yet lingered in his mind...

"It would seem, Mr. Kartan," he finally replied as, after directing the jedi out of his office with a genteel wave of one hand, he simply continued to usher him along, the hunters taking up a position directly in front and behind them, "that you already do have a weapon at your disposal."

Now he raised a hand, bringing his Hunters to a halt, he himself stopping in his tracks and taking Erik along with him.

"Perhaps there is something you would like to, ahh... retrieve from your ship before we depart Guild World? For if we are heading into so dangerous and unknown a place, there is no better item one can have within one's ordinance than the device of Kym Magroo."

He paused a moment longer, reading Erik like a book.

"Let us drop the final bits of games and pretense, please, Mr. Kartan. I am willing to take you along, to listen to you, even to consider your request. But it is rather transparently apparent that when you came to me you not only did not know how use this device, but did not even know what it was. In fact, you stated this yourself when you asked me of it."

He paused a bit longer, then went on.

"Logic further suggests that since the Kaminoans sent you to me with this device, one whose use and implementation they did not divulge to you, it was with the intention that it be given to me. And so again, I ask you:

"Is there perhaps anything you wish to retrieve from your ship?"

After all, what else is there? he thought to himself.

"Yes, there is," he responded then. As if expecting this response all along, Seus nodded in turn, motioning once more as if to indicate that Erik go and fetch exactly what they had both been referring to. And he most likely was doing just that. Erik needed no further prompting, so he took a few steps towards where his ship was berthed, heedless to whether or not any of the Hunters were following him, for really it didn't matter. But suddenly, without any foreseen reason, Erik paused and turned, his brown eyes falling into Seus's unreadable pair.

"Thank you," he then said simply, and perhaps unexpectedly, although Erik knew before he had said it precisely why he had.

Maybe, if just for the moment, someone was finally going to listen to him regarding the Sith. Maybe he would get the vengeance he so desperately needed for his lost son.

And just maybe he could finally seperate himself from Shayla and all that she was to him.

The final thought caused him to pause for just a moment longer as a brief tinge of pain clouded his eyes before he managed to squelch it. Then he turned once more, headed for his ship and punched the code which in turn opened the hatch, and went inside to the place where he had hid not only the Kym Magroo, but also his training lightsaber. Before retrieving the former, he pulled out the latter, and stared at it for a few moments, his eyes darkening once more with pain and anger. He gripped the lightsaber hilt, closing his eyes as if to shut out the images now playing in his mind's eye...

...and remained that way for a long moment before opening them again and reaching out to retrieve the Kym Magroo with his other hand. He gave the lighsaber a final, hard look...

Both Hunters fidgeted slightly when Seus let the jedi gain his ship, and fidgeted even more to see him exit holding something in his hand. Weapons raised minutely; the female mentally flicked to infrared, to see if any heat was emanating from whatever it was the jedi held. Seus clearly felt their discomfiture, and let out a small chuckle.

"Easy, my friends," he said in a soft voice, then fell silent as Erik came within hearing distance. When the jedi stopped in front of him, Seus merely held out a gloved hand, letting his head cock the tiniest bit to one side as he did so, his eyes pinned upon Erik's brown pair.

And waited, his Hunting dogs a hair's-breadth from exploding into action, as if standing upon the thinnest and sharpest of razor's edges.

...but he couldn't help but expect it, and he was so, so very used to it. And aside from that fact, Erik knew his Force senses were not as in check as they should be. Still, he knew that Seus knew something of this Kym Magroo, and of out it could be used.

Against the Sith.

A flicker of something passed through Erik's eyes.

Let them all rot in hell for what they had done to his child. And to his wife.

With a final but very brief moment of hesitation, Erik then stretched out and placed the Kym Magroo that he held in his hand into Seus's gloved one, hoping like hell that he wasn't giving up the only thing that would make him useful to these slick and no doubt very skilled hunters.

And knowing in his heart that he was not. For he was an information smuggler, and information regarding the Sith he most certainly did have...

Nothing like a Jedi Hunter; if he could convince him to come into their Guild, who knew? The man, being Jedi, had the potential of becoming as great a Hunter as the fabled Sorben Tarnus, his friend and now Third-in-Command of the entire damned Galactic Empire.

He smiled, and carefully pocketed the device.

"Thank you, Mr. Kartan," he said genuinely, dismissing for the time being his bounty-promise to Galen. A Jedi-Hunter would be worth far, far more than anything she or her enterprising husband could ever palm over into his hands.

Nodding again, he suddenly reached out toward the female Hunter's bristling armament, and removed a simple blaster. This he deftly threw at Erik, laughing to see how quickly he caught it.

Quick reflexes, that one...

"Come now, my friends. I believe there is a certain planet we need to inspect...?"

...for he knew damn well that on a Sith world, blasters and weapons were of little use, as were the meager Force skills he had.

But then, they did have something else now, didn't they...?

For a brief moment, a grim smile pulled at one corner of Erik's mouth before it vanished, and he followed Seus towards the awaiting shuttle.

Soon a deeper shadow loomed against the night; Seus stretched lazily a bit before indicating the forward viewport with a wave of one hand.

"I hope you enjoy visiting my little home away from home, Mr. Kartan," he said, now shaking out his shoulders and flexing his arms. Even tiny moments in near-weightless conditions lessened the efficacy of muscles; as there was no gravity generator aboard his shuttle -- passengers relying solely upon a five-way harness to keep them adhered to their seats -- he usually used the time travelling on and off planet in doing simple seated calisthenics. Just to keep the muscles from wasting, even if said wasting was only minute.

"I find her to be quite comfortable."

Soon features presented themselves: the rust colored durasteel plating, the deceptively clunky-looking outlines, the overall apparent unspaceworthiness of the CEC Action VI transport...,

Erik turned to Seus, a bit wide-eyed, as the pilot began to procedures to dock. "The Wild Karrde?" he repeated, mentally cringing at how stupid he was probably sounding.

The information smuggler in Erik was itching to find out exactly how Seus had gotten his hands on the ship, while the pilot in him ached to go investigate her. Still yet another portion of his psyche raised up in eagerness to point out the fact that, if Seus was anything like the former owner of the ship, he made no specific alliances with any particular political faction, yet still would help anyone...

...yes, for the right price but ultimately also for what he saw as best.

Which was exactly how it should be, especially in times like these, Erik thought a bit darkly to himself, his dark brown eyes defocusing for a moment before they snapped alert once more to regard Seus again.

The Boss of the Hunter's Guild let the single word drop from his lips like a stone, for indeed he was no fool. While events appeared to be transpiring at the moment in a direction where he was beginning to think more and more that this man would indeed end up persuaded into joining his guild, this hadn't happened yet.

So he simply left Erik to his own thoughts, thoughts undoubtedly whirling in response to the single reply Seus had given him. Indeed, there had been modifications, major modifications; Seus had spared no expense in carefully keeping his ship not only brand-spankin' up to date, but just as carefully old and space-worn in appearance.

As to how exactly he had appropriated Wild Karrde, well, that too was a story for another day, unimportant at the moment.

The remainder of their passage was uneventful; the great old lady grew larger and larger in the forward screen until her overall shape no longer could be seen as a whole, letting smaller details on her hull pop out instead. Seus couldn't help but smile a bit to see Erik's expression at the one modification he simply could not hide: there on the lower hull, bulging sinisterly out against the backdrop of stars, was the all-too familiar profile of a gravity well generator.

It had cost him much, much time and effort and money to procure that...

Moments later the pilot of the shuttle was guiding her into the docking bay of Seus's ship. As it settled to the deck amidst hisses and outgassing, Seus extricated himself from his harness, stretched, and slapped open the hatch.

"Welcome to Insidious."

Beckoning with one gloved hand, he let Erik precede him from the shuttle. The leaving the pilot to his docking routines, he moved up alongside the man, making small talk and pointing out various modifications along the way that would make life aboardship much nicer...

And utterly ignoring whatever odd items which protruded here and there, items of course having a function that was more along the lines of security and offense/defense. Even Seus's own crew members didn't know exactly what Insidious's full capabilities entailed.

Only Seus held that knowledge, and being the wise man that he was, he kept it held closely to himself.

Soon they arrived at what on a military ship would be the Captain's ready room, having traveled there along a back corridor so Erik had yet to view the actual command center. Seus gestured Erik to a seat, and remembering Erik's former statement on Guild World contacted a crew member to bring hot food and drink. When all had arrived, he settled back into his chair, watching Erik dig in with gusto. He himeself deigned only to partake of another cup of his favorite tea; at length he finished this, and placed the empty vessel down.

...but all in all, had in the end not ever established any sort of solid certainty in what their intentions were. They went from enemies, to allies, and back again more times than he could count.

That in itself made them a serious danger, at least in Erik's estimation.

Putting down the fork he'd been holding, Erik took a drink of the ale which he'd been given then put it down, his brown eyes meeting Seus's steely, expectant pair.

"My experience with them is a direct one," he began with, trailing for a moment as the pain which haunted him resurfaced in his eyes. "Several years ago my then-partner was taken from the Jedi Praxeum by one of their representatives, a human female by the name of Graysith. I searched for her for quite some time, with the aid of Jedi and others, and at length found her. She was already trained as a Jedi although she'd never become one--like myself--but was then training with this Graysith in something called the All. I know it sounds extremely farfetched, but those who can access this power can do incredible things: move from one planet to another, make items appear and disappear at will...

...and they can mess with people's minds. I've seen them make people forget about things they knew, and then restore those memories. I've seen them erect these bizarre shields that no one can get into or out of and send people places where they cannot be found."

He paused, shaking his head. "As for the Sith, they do not all seem to have these powers, but they are not the Dark Jedi the galaxy as a whole believe they are. They are these red-skinned, horned beings with magickal abilities...

...and until a couple of years ago, only a few of them existed in our day in time. Something was done with this All and with their magickal capabilities to bring the entire race into this time. I know they intend to rule this universe with their abilities and with this All. They pretend to want to stay to themselves on their worlds, but they also seem to think themselves better than everyone else and don't want anyone to know what they are truly capable of....

...and based on things that I've seen while with their leaders, I know they somehow have a link with the Yuuzhan Vong. One minute they'll be your ally then the next they are your enemy when it serves them best. My son was born prematurely on one of their worlds..."

Erik trailed, his eyes darkening. "...and the Sith in charge at the time took him, but refused to allow either my wife or I to stay with him. In time he died despite their wonderous technologies, magicks, and skills...

...and this proved to be a breaking point for my wife, who went off on her own to gods know where and to do gods know what."

Not to mention yourself, a demon snorted in Erik's inner being.

"I think she may be seeking this Graysith."

Erik's voice grew softer, but that was in diametric opposition to the hardening look in his eyes. "She's dangerous."

Erik fell silent then, wondering to himself if Seus would believe a word he had just said...

But on the inside, he was a roiling mass of alarm bells and warning sirens. He had been to too many places, seen too much, to discredit Erik's words out of hand; besides, some of what the man was saying he himself could personally verify.

Graysith. Wasn't that Galen's sister? The one whom Sorben had reported to not only have repeatedly tried to capture and/or kill Galen, for whatever reason she might have for such an act, but had committed patricide as well? Didn't she have some strange power indeed, just as Erik had intimated; hadn't she used this to turn about-face at one point and save Galen from the very imprisonment into which she had been thrust? Or then, wasn't there some Darth mixed up in all that at the time...

He shook himself inwardly; bringing every sense into focus on the man in front of him.

Now, Seus, here indeed is your next Hunter, he allowed a portion of his mind to take in with satisfaction. For no better way to appropriate such than on the rebound from a life and more than likely livelihood that had turned their backs on him.

He took a quiet sip of his tea, swallowed with just as much care. Leaned toward Erik then, and folded his hands atop the table.

"If what you are saying is true, Mr. Kartan, I believe we may be in need of more powerful weaponry," he said simply. "But still, wisdom dictates that further intelligence needs to be gathered.

...so Seus couldn't have been entirely in the dark regarding the Sith.

"I must admit my skills with the Force have not been honed for quite some time," Erik admitted. "I was trained from a young child until a teenager in the Jedi arts in the Corellian fashion, with my father as my instructor. The only reason I never completed trials to become a full Jedi--aside from my disapproval in the Jedi placing the needs of strangers above the needs of those they cared about--was that my brother, who completed his training about the same time as I did, was killed while undergoing his trials."

Erik paused, his brown eyes defocusing once more. After a few moments, though, they cleared. He looked Seus dead in the eye. "With all that has happened I know I can't live the life of a Jedi, but at the same time I know I have skills I need to hone. I've lived the majority of my life as an information smuggler and a pilot, but my Force abilities have always played a part in that."

He paused. "Maybe it's time they did more than just that."

"And exactly how long would it be, do you think, before your Jedi talents are, ahh... honed enough to where they might be something more useful than aiding an information smuggler in plying his trade?"

He took another, quiet, sip of his tea.

...but when push came to shove, he could do so. He was no gifted healer, as Shayla was...

...but he most certainly had been able to wallop the Dark One in the Realms with a Force blast that had come purely from within. He preferred a blaster...

...but his Father had been an excellent teacher, and he had brushed up on his lightsaber skills while he'd gone after Shayla when she had been taken from the Praxeum.

You have always relied on your Force abilities more than you ever realized.

Erik's eyes snapped alert. He didn't know how long he'd been processing his answer to Seus, and really it didn't matter.

"My Father was an excellent teacher," he opened with, a small portion of him wondering just what exactly the Boss Hunter was thinking. "And in dealing with the Sith, I've been in and out of situations where I've used my abilities more than perhaps I even realize," he admitted. "I need to brush up on my techniques...

...but as for using the Force itself, I've never really not used it. I've tracked my wife and other people, used in to fine tune my senses...

...and blasted a person a time or two," he paused, somewhat surprised at himself for admitting that last one. "Getting the techniques back, based on the training my father gave me..."

He trailed, truly considering. "Shouldn't take that long." Quieting a moment, the room fell into an a awkward silence for a few moments. Erik couldn't withhold his curiousity any longer. "Why do you ask?"

"We have departed orbit, Mr. Kartan," he announced with no more fanfare than if he was announcing it was time for tea. Toward which he now in fact reached, taking another small sip from his cup.

At length he decided such pretense was beginning to draw on the ridiculous; setting his cup down, he leaned toward Erik.

"Why Mr. Kartan, I ask because of what you do. Of who you are. Of where we are going, and why, in the light of what you have been telling me."

He smiled like a content crocodile, picked up his empty cup, and toyed with it for a bit.

"If these Sith are as dangerous to us as you proclaim, it is vital we obtain as much information about them that we can. Who they are, how they have come to be, what is their government, their belief systems, how do they consider their young.

"Do they in fact even have young."

He paused to put the cup down again, then laced his fingers together.

"This is where you come in, Mr. Kartan. By your very admission you are an information smuggler; you obtain information. We need information about a people who might be the most dangerous in the Galaxy; having Jedi strengths would go a long way toward the retrieval of such.

"Should you achieve the goals we seek, your life can indeed become very... comfortable, Mr. Kartan. But should you fail, well..."

He said nothing more but settled back into his seat, smiling like the cat who had eaten the canary.

...and many days that he'd spent without her, left behind.

How foolish he had been, to let that happen over and over again...

On the heels of that thought followed another, one far more difficult to think about. What will you do, Erik Kartan, if and when you cross paths with her again...?

She never trusted you completely, you know. If at all. If she had maybe your son would still be alive...

Shaking himself from these thoughts, Erik turned his attentions to Seus fully once more. "I do know something of the Sith government, and of their leaders."

He paused then, his look darkening once more. "And they are quite capable of having children."

After all, once he had died...

With effort, Erik shook himself from these thoughts and returned his focus to Seus, who by all appearance was just calmly waiting for him to continue.

"The race of the Sith consists of three clans: a Warrior clan, a Sorceror clan, and an Armorer's clan, each ruled by a Dark Lord. The Lords are supposed to rule the Sith together as a whole, I think, and each clan had their own world 4,000 years ago when they were first annihilated by the Dark Jedi who later took their race's name unto themselves. In this time the Armorer's world does not exist in realtime, and the Sith government of the past no longer exists. Currently they are ruled by one Dark Lord and Graysith...

...and her daughter. The two worlds are not united as they were in the past. In fact, they are pretty much at odds with one another."

He paused, shaking his head. "The Warriors are clearly out to command and conquer, and the Sorcerors..."

Erik trailed, frowning, his eyes growing a bit vague once more. "...the skills they may lack in warfare they far more than make up for with their magicks and with this All ability." He shook his head. "They are just as dangerous if not more so than the Warriors."

As he fell silent, visions once more splayed across Erik's mind: memories of Aeylmaar encasing his and Shayla's premature infant in a Sith incubator then refusing to allow he and Shayla to stay with him, of Aelvedaar and all the skills he had used to either assist or hinder them, of Roan's physicality and brute strength, of things Graysith had done...

Memories upon memories upon memories. And they all seemed to be colored differently now. Erik wondered if any of it had been done for anything other than the Sith's own gain, whether it appeared for good or not.

"And as to whether or not I can achieve the goals we seek, I would most certainly like to get started on that whenever you are ready."

He paused, considering the Force abilities and training he had and what skills he had used most and what he might need to touch up on. "My skills with a light standard weaponry are quite good and will not need much touch up. I've had a lightsaber of my own as well as a training lightsaber that I also am quite capable of using but I don't know if the weapon would be very effective against the Sith...

...and I don't really care to use one," he added honestly. "I've got good sensory enhancement capabilities and some levitation skill as well. What I could use, however, is a couple of days to meditate and reattune myself with the Force. But after that..."

Erik trailed, but for only a brief moment. "I would be ready."

The as quick as an attacking dianoga leaned forward and slapped a gloved hand smartly upon the gleaming wood of his desk.

"I grow tired of these games, Mr. Kartan!" While maintaining every effort to retain his formal air of calm, he couldn't hold back the sudden disgust he was now feeling toward the jedi. "You persist in doling out crumbs as if feeding gliders; for all you have told me prior to this moment I can only believe that there is information to be gained of this mysterious race. Hence at more than likely great risk to myself and my ship, we are en route to the coordinates you gave me."

He paused, directing a steely-eyed look Erik's way. But the man only seemed to start a bit.

Either he is genuinely confused, or he's very, very good...

He sat back, allowed a smile to trickle across his features.

"We are heading to this world -- that is, these worlds at your implied suggestion. We carry with us a device lethal to any small world in the known galaxy, one which may indeed prove as lethal to these Sith as it did to Ploatius' moon.

"But now you divulge information which under any other circumstances -- in fact, under any circumstances! -- would be difficult to obtain at the very least, if indeed the people described by said information are as secretive as you claim.

"How is it then, Mr. Kartan, that you already know so much of this people? Of how their government, a product of more than one world, functions? Of their history? How have you come to be privy to this purported fact of which you state, that said worlds are at odds with one another, that they had their own, must I assume disparate? -- world 4,000 years ago, that they were annihilated by Dark Jedi..."

He paused a moment, letting stormclouds gather once again.

"And what exactly do you mean by the statement that their Armorer's world doesn't exist in realtime?

...maybe he hadn't. His eyes defocused a bit as he truthfully sought the best way to answer Seus's query; not because the answer itself wasn't simple enough but instead because there were so very many components to it. As Erik really looked back in time, and thought of where it all began and how it all proceeded on, the very fabric of time laughed at his attempt to simplify his explanation to something clear and concise that encompassed everything.

At length, Erik leveled an intense brown-eyed gaze at Seus. "Forgive me if I have not been clear," he opened with. "I believe I mentioned that my wife has been entangled with these..."

He trailed, truly struggling with just how to refer to them, "...these people, these Sith. And through all that time, though I was not directly involved with them ever, I was there as well. My wife and this Graysith are at the heart of the Sith government...

...and this Graysith is part of it herself, as I've mentioned."

Erik trailed, still trying to validate his knowledge to Seus. "I've lived on these worlds with my wife, I've been around these Sith..."

Erik trailed again, his eyes once more defocusing and actually darkening. He shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment. "Even when I thought I trusted them, I'm not really sure I ever did. It was only for her sake..."

Erik's words dropped off once more. He sighed, returning his gaze fully to Seus once more. He didn't dare try to read whatever look Seus was or perhaps was not giving him. "I've had so much experience with these Sith that I don't know if I can even tell you the tip of the spaceburg before we arrive at these planets. As for them having a planet that no longer exists in realtime, well..."

He paused, shaking his head. "These people who control this All with proclivity can do things I can't explain. They can move things, places, and people to a place where they exist but no one can sense them or find them; after all, one of the Sorcerors and Graysith did it to Shayla, my wife."

Erik quieted a moment, his eyes defocusing. Face it Kartan, she is your ex-wife.

"And to make matters worse, as of a few years ago when my experience with the Sith began via Shayla Stargazer, my estranged wife, there were only two or three true Sith in existence."

For one final time, Erik fell silent, mentally bracing himself. Seus was either going to believe him based on his sincerity--for really there was nothing else--or laugh him right out of his office and off his ship. Worse; maybe he'd just throw him in the brig for taking up far too much of his time. "It would seem the Sith worlds--the two that we are enroute to--are now fully populated with their race where they once were devoid of population and any life for the most part only a matter of a few years ago."

"So, you've been with these people, these... Sith," he began abruptly. "You've lived with them, you've been on their worlds. You state that they pretend to befriend you, then change their minds at the drop of a hat. You once even thought you trusted them.

"Mr. Kartan."

Seus allowed his demeanor to soften just the slightest, allowed himself to relax just the tiniest bit, but all the while kept a durasteel look pinned on the man in front of him.

"I am not a fool, Mr. Kartan," he went on at length. "It doesn't take a great stretch of imagination to see why you came to me. You went first to the Kaminoans, and intelligent beings that they are they rebuffed you, directing you to me. The device you brought is horrific, but if I am to take what you say at face value, even it's great power would serve no useful purpose. Not against people who can travel between worlds without ships, who can make matter disappear, from the sound of it. And so I have to ask you this:

"Are you here solely out of concern for the peoples of this galaxy? Or is this more of a suicidal mission of vengeance and revenge?"

Erik paused as truth slammed home in his psyche. There was no need to seek vengeance for Shayla, truly. She had made her choices to be aligned with the Sith. Zackary never had a chance...

Erik turned his attentions back to Seus, those eyes of his yet pinning Erik with a look of durasteel. "But there is so much more at stake here. I've had all of these experiences and seen these guys flip-flop between allies and enemies."

"And I've seen them use those weird powers," he reiterated. "Hell, they somehow managed to populate their planets by launching themselves forward 4,000 years in time using this power. How they managed to do this exactly, I don't really know. What I do know is that they at some point intended to use this innate power from this daughter Graysith as well as that from her sister's child to pull it off. At any rate, they managed to poplate a planet overnight that was simply an amazing archeological find the day before. I know I am not the only one who would find this very disturbing. Why did they find it so important to bring themselves into our galaxy, right at this point in time?"

He fell silent a moment. "But--and granted, with a lot of planning and effort--I've seen people successfully fight against the Sith. Not all Sith are capable of using this All, for example. And its use can take a toll on an individual's strength."

Erik shook his head, for the first time perhaps finding some purpose in what he was doing that was outside of himself and his own broken world of dreams. "I've heard them talk of how they ruled the Galaxy in their time with my own ears. I firmly believe they intend gain this power once more, and that they would do anything to achieve this goal. AFter all, they pretty much already have."

"Now answer me very carefully, Mr. Kartan," he finally spoke, his voice gentle but utterly at odds with the flat look he kept pinned on Erik.

"How much of what you are telling me do you know from factual information, and how much is sheer speculation?"

He closed his mouth, keeping his look dispassionate while his head whirled with slowly developing dismissal of Erik's words. For as far as the Hunter could see, it would take lifetimes to learn the amount of information Erik was tossing out, information that seemed to compound and grow upon itself, information that just didn't sound as if it would be handily doled out by a race as secretive as the Sith.

We haven't heard anything of these planets, other than the one time Sorben and Galen had doings on what may have been one of them, way past the Outer Rim in the Unknown Territories. That really wasn't too long ago, either.

So how could this man know so much all of a sudden? Unless, of course, he was indeed story-telling, in the hopes of gaining the Guild's backing and assistance in blowing up a planet for the sake of the loss of a son and a marriage gone sour...

...or if it was all speculation. Most of it was anything but. Erik had lived it and seen it for the past few years, on the Sith worlds, both at Shayla's side and without her.

"I understand it all seems unbelievable," Erik admitted. "But most of this...from the return of the Sith to the knowledge of their wierd powers, is totally factual. You can confirm the 2 planets are populated for yourself when you arrive there."

Erik paused. "As for the rest of it: I've lived on these planets, in the inner circle of the leaders of this Sith race, while my wife trained as an Adept of this Graysith to use these All powers." He quieted a moment, chewing his lip thoughtfully as something occurred to him. "Their claims regarding the return of the Yuuzhan Vong could be questionable. I mean, I haven't seen any direct evidence other than through these magickal devices they have, devices which are questionable themselves."

The Sith ships. He knows about the ships...

Well he knew about these secretive, mysterious vessels, for he had appropriated one of them himself from Galen and Sorben. According to those two, no one had any knowledge of these; they were in fact something kept as an ongoing mystery to the Impys.

At least as far as he knew.

But now this jedi was letting him know otherwise, which in turn made him wonder if anyone else in this galaxy had knowledge of them. Possibly the Impys would know there was something weird going on, but to what degree of knowledge they held...

He drew in a breath.

"Thank you, Mr. Kartan," he said, now letting an air approaching that of joviality ooze from his demeanor.

"I believe you. And I also believe you are quite a valuable commodity, to a wider range of people and in more ways than you possibly realize."

He paused a moment to move to a nearby sideboard. Palming open a door, he withdrew a tall bottle of something vibrantly violet, with rich emerald undertones lurking its depths. Setting two chromium colored goblets down, he opened the bottle and filled them both with the heady liquid.

"Let us toast what undoubtedly will be a long and mutually beneficial relationship, Mr. Kartan. And over this wine, perhaps you would be so kind as to go over in extreme detail exactly what you know.

"What are the strengths of these peoples? Where are their governmental heads located? What kind of armies do they have, weaponry?

"I have already gleaned from what you told me that is would appear they wish to run the Galaxy as they see fit. Perhaps you will be able to relate enough information from your past experience that we might act upon to prevent this from happening.

"If not, why then...?"

He smiled, and held up his goblet.

"Then you must travel to each of their planets, and find out more useful information, Mr. Kartan."

He waited until Erik raised his own glass before taking a sip.

...or standing in Shayla's shadow. Too many times she had not listened to a word he had said, too many times she had rationalized things that the Sith did.

No more. Erik had seen far too much to believe they only meant for the good of all.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Erik's eyes snapped alert and he finally took a sip of the drink, considering Seus's queries, and considering what he knew that might be of immediate use regarding the Sith warriors and weapons.

"Although the Sith have some magickal weapons that I admittedly know only sporadic information about, the Warriors fight primarily with swords and spears. The Sorcerors are the ones who use devices...."

He trailed, thinking. "I know they had this thing called the Nar Khelba, and Graysith had some weapon on her hand that a ship salesman and former info smuggler named Terrin Danner cut off...

...oh, and like I said, they have these amazing ships. They move faster, can accelerate at amazing rates, and all kinds of stuff; I know, I've seen my wife Shayla Stargazer as well as Danner's wife fly the fighters...

...and I've flown one of the warships myself."

He didn't let the degree of surprise he felt show, however. That was simply not the Way of the Hunter.

"That is good to know, Mr. Kartan," he stated simply as, reaching for his glass he took a sip of its intoxicating contents. He paused a moment as if to savor the drink, then set the glass down.

"Tell me again, Mr. Kartan," he went on. "How many of these Sith worlds are there in the system we are heading toward? And, living among them as you did, which world was it from which you left in such anger?

Truth be told, he wouldn't be well received in [b]either[/i of the Sith worlds...

"There are two worlds in the system we are headed to," he answered directly. "One is a Sorcerer world, and one a Warrior world. Although I am pretty sure neither world would receive me very well, I am certain reception on the Sorcerer's world, Khar Delba, would be very poor."

He paused, shaking his head slightly and frowning. "That is the world I recently departed from with my deceased son; I was told then--and once previously--that humans do not belong there and that I shoud not return ever again. Unfortunately one of Terrin Danner's men, along with my brother-in-law, a Jedi Master by the name Shawn Petrolu, remained there after my departure."

Erik paused again, now considering the Warrior world and just how he may be received there. "On the other hand, the warriors are not found of others either, however I did spend much more time overall on this world and am more familiar with its layout. This world, K'eel Doba, is where this Graysith holds the title of Dark Lady."

And it very well may be where Shayla feld to after she left Khar Delba, right Kartan?

"Excellent," he purred, somewhat like the sandcat who had caught the womprat. "Then it is to this Sorcerer World you speak of that we shall go."

Returning to Khar Delba right now would not be good, he knew it deep down in his gut. And based on what he'd just told Seus, Erik would have thought the Head Hunter would have arrived at the same decision. Still, he had earlier stated that the Sorcerers were the ones who posed more of a threat...

...and that was a fact. So maybe the reasoning was that Seus wanted to collect more info on them since he had stated he had more knowledge about the Warrior's planet?

Or was there something else?

These thoughts passed in but a split second, and Erik did a good job of keeping any initial reaction to Sues's decision from his face. Still, there was something he needed to make clear, up front.

"Before we go to that world, I must restate my status with the Sith on this world is very, very poor. I was told explicitly not to return, and my final parting words implied I would abide by that."

Like hell you actually meant it though, Kartan.

"I do not want my past experiences with these people to pose any additional risk to anyone who might accompany me."

He paused, truly considering the possible added danger anyone in his company might be in on either Sith world, but especially on Khar Delba. But then he considered something else: as far as he knew, Shawn and Jasyn were both still on these worlds. Stranded.

"By the same token, unless something has changed, Danner's man and Shawn Petrolu are both still on that world. They might provide some assistance."

And then again, they might not considering how you stormed off Khar Delba. That is, if they are still there at all.

Or, by the way things looked when you left, even alive...

"Then I will leave you to hone your skills, Mr. Kartan, in the hours that lay before us. You shall be contacted when we approach our destination, and drop from hyperspace."

With that he drained his goblet, rose to his feet, and with a single gesture waved Erik toward the door. It whooshed open, revealing a weapon-bristling Hunter, who waited to lead the man to a place where he could gather himself and his skills into a single, useful entity.

This isn't just about you and whatever happened in the past anymore, Kartan. It simply can't be.

"Thank you, Sir," he then responded to Seus. Then without any further word he turned and headed out the now open door to where the heavily armed man, who was without a doubt a Hunter, waited. Erik stepped out of Seus's office and halted just beside him, momentarily wondering where he would be taken and if the Head Hunter was expecting him to eventually become a mirror of the Hunters he had seen thusfar: heavily weaponed, body well-honed, and altogether a decidely dangerous force to be reckoned with.

A good blaster and steady hand could achieve a great deal. And he had other advantages at his beck and call as well: Father had trained him well. He just needed to get back in touch with it, and in touch with himself outside of being defined by Shayla, who had long ago chosen her own path. Now was the time for him to chose his.

Erik looked then to the awaiting Hunter, nodding once in acknowledgement. Then, letting the Hunter take the lead, he began following as they began to move through the corridors of Seus's ship, perhaps to a training location of some variety or another. But regardless of where he was going, Erik was ready. This was something he very much needed to do. And it was so very long overdue.

Erik was becoming increasingly aware, with every passing second, that if he had ever moved out of the center circle in his training, he needed to return to it. And that was what he intended to do now. Resting one hand on each knee and taking a deep breath, Erik closed his eyes and stretched out, seeking the one thing that he hadn't in quite some time, not really. Touching the Force, he let it ebb and flow through his inner being as he cleared his mind of all that he had allowed to cloud his thoughts: the loss of the baby, the loss of Shayla, his anger with his Father...

...and the death of his brother. Knowing he had never forgiven the Corellian Jedi Council or his Father for it, Erik suddenly realized that now he simply had to do just that. Likewise he knew he had to, despite his anger, forgive for his son's death as well.

And that he had to let Shayla go.

With a deep breath, Erik sighed, for the first time really admitting to himself how much he missed her. And how much he had loved her. And how much he had allowed that love to cloud his better judgement.

And not necessarily of just the Sith. But of her.

Stretching out even further into the Force, Erik focused in on what he knew at least should have been her Force-signature, one he knew very well despite the fact he hadn't really kept his Force abilities up as he should have, not expecting to sense her at all and not really knowing why he was. As expected, he came up with nothing, figuring she had long since blocked him. Not reacting to this, however, he kept his mind free of any emotional reaction, and stretched out further into the Force, losing himself in it.

And suddenly, in his mind's eye, a vision began to play itself out in startlingly vivid detail.

Both within the vision and without, Erik frowned, wondering just what he was doing in this time and place. And why he was dressed in his familial green jedi robe. The answer came soon enough.

From seemingly nowhere, the image of a person—a shade—coalesced, his back at first turned to Erik. The figure too wore a green jedi robe, and his hair, like Erik's, was a very dark brown. By contrast to Erik's, however, his hair was cropped close. As the wind blew once more, the figure at last turned. Erik knew before he did exactly who he was.

“Seek not vengeance, but the Truth,” Joshua said as he turned to Erik.

For a long moment, Erik couldn't say a word. His brother looked just as he had that fateful day when he was killed at the hand of an underworld Corellian criminal, one Corsec had been chasing for many years. For this reason, although his brother would have actually been ten years older than him, he appeared much the same age as Erik was now.

Joshua quirked a brow at Erik. With effort, Erik forced himself away from his initial shock at seeing his brother, be it vision or not.

“Seek not vengeance, but Truth,” Joshua repeated. “Your reasons for choosing to do something are just as important as what you do, Erik,” he then clarified.

Erik sighed but then nodded once, looking down for a moment. “I suppose you're going to tell me to not let my emotions influence my decisions and actions now,” he said, looking up and meeting his brother's green eyes with his dark browns.

Joshua shook his head. “Yes and no,” he responded. “Your emotions are your initial reaction to what you see. They give you clues as to what is truly going on. For example, when that Sith demon brought Terrin Danner's arm in to Graysith, how did you feel, really?”

Erik's eyes grew wide. “How...how do you know about that?”

Joshua's green eyes showed the barest hints of what could have very well been amusement. “I'm a shade, Erik. A piece of your mind that is here to guide you and has always been, had you ever let me.”

Erik pursed his lips a bit, then nodded. “I understand,” he then replied. “And the answer was I was horrified. In the end, with Shayla's guidance, I was able to mentally justify it, reasoning that Terrin had done something he shouldn't have.”

“But that really didn't make it right now, did it?” Joshua countered.

Erik's eyes defocused as he thought about this, truthfully already knowing his answer. “No, no it didn't. Terrin had something he knew nothing of, that probably needed to stay in the hands of someone who truly understood its use. But that didn't make the reaction any less extreme...”

Erik trailed a moment. “And wrong.”

And evil, no? came an errant thought.

“There is black and white in this Universe, good and evil, despite what you have been lead to believe as of late. Yes, some of the truths we cling to do depend greatly on our own point of view...

...but there is also the matter of what is natural, reasonable, and what is not. Just because some things are done with the intention of it being for the good of all doesn't mean they really are good.”

Joshua stepped in, his green eyes growing intense. “You are on the right track Erik, and you know what to do and what to seek. Let your emotions guide you, but do not let them color your actions. So now prepare and arm yourself. And I will be with you always, just as I always have.”

Stating this, Joshua's figure wavered, and faded, and Erik was left once more to his own thoughts...and to the energy and guidance of the Force.

..but his eyes were open, both literally and perhaps metaphorically. His brother wasn't saying there weren't shades of grey in things that happen in the Universe...

The truths we cling to do depend greatly on our own point of view...

...but instead he was saying that there are some things out there which truly are, for lack of any other way to describe them, black and white, good and evil. Erik knew, as an information smuggler as well as with what he was attempting to do now, he would be operating largely within those shades of grey.

And that was perfectly fine with him, given he was able to identify those great extemes and find the Truth.

At last getting to his feet, Erik finally stepped up to one of the many cabinets along the outer walls of the room, pausing there for a moment and pursing his lips before he then reached out to open it. Seeing the contents within, his eyes widened a bit...

...but he realized with a start that he really shouldn't be surprised. Reaching into the cabinet, he took the lightsaber hilt--his training lightsaber that had been appropriated from his ship--and stepped back into the center of the room, leaving the green jedi robe in its place in the cabinet as he did. Igniting the blade, he stared into its blue shimmer for a long moment before moving it about. As he did, Erik realized his father had made a few modifications to make the weapon easier to wield.

Not surprising, really. And at the moment, highly useful too.

After going through a few brief practice routines with the weapon, Erik deactivated the saber, and clipped it to his weapons belt, right next to the blaster he much preferred over the older, more antiquated weapon. Still, the lightsaber was part and parcel of who he was, and Erik saw no reason to deny that any longer.

He had, after all, been denying parts of his past for far too long.

Still, Erik didn't pull the blaster from his weapons belt--at least, not yet. Instead he returned to the cabinets along the walls, finding various tools and weapons...

...and reaizing as he went through them that he had one weapon that he wouldn't find in any of the cabinets. Closing the door to the last cabinet, Erik returned to the center of the room, pursing his lips thoughtfully for a moment and rubbing his chin in thought. Then he relaxed his stance, closing his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts and focus. Opening his eyes then, he stretched out his right arm, his hand palm outward and fingers extended. As he did, his eyes focused on a training bench across the room from him, on the outer wall of the room. As though the motion of his hand and the look connected he and the bench...

...for perhaps it did...

...the bench raised up in the air, smoothly. Erik let his hand drop, but his eyes didn't leave the bench. It remained hovering where it was for a moment, then floated slowly and evenly across the room til it was directly in front of him before Erik lowered it back to the ground. He looked down, regarding the bench a moment, pursing his lips once more.

He had no true healing capabilities, like Shayla. He never had been one to have many visions of the future, although at times he had. He could sense things in the immediate future, which made him the good pilot that he was. Telekentics hadn't initially been his forte, but with his Father's teaching he had become quite skilled at it over time. What he had always excelled at from the very beginning, however, was using the Force to amplify his own abiities and in turn interact with his environment. He was a good tracker and always had exteme physical acuity when he had been in shape.

And he still had it in him, just as he always had.

Setting himself to the task of getting physically back in shape so that his body would be even more prepared to respond to the guidance of the Force, Erik quite simply began engaging in the excercises his Father had taught him to get is body, as well as his mind, back in the shape he needed them to be in for what lay ahead.

What he was seeing, however, was buried deep within his soul.

Taking a deep breath, Erik let his hands drop back to the floor behind him, and he settled himself on the floor once more. He took another deep breath, then bit his lower lip. His eyes remained intense, his thoughts elsewhere, in other times and places.

Times and places that he had, until this point, been avoiding.

Erik sighed, closing his eyes, and lifting a hand to push the hair which had fallen into his eyes back. The visions of the past continued to play in his mind's eye, but this time he was viewing them from an entirely new angle. But then again...maybe the angle wasn't all that different; maybe he was finally admitting to himself what he had known all along.

He could remember like it was yesterday, every moment; from going after Shayla after she was taken from the Praxeum, tracking her and at length finding her on Khar Delba, to all which followed. How keenly he remembered trying to get her to trust him, and to let him inside her world. He'd been left out of things time and time again, either being allowed to only partake in part of it--as with the strange ceremony with Roan and with some of the missions where he had served as a pilot--to not at all, when Shayla had gone off with them and left him behind in this Temple or that. How well he remembered Graysith telling Shayla, on at least one occassion, to kill him and others, and for no obvious reason that he could see other than to protect the Sith and whatever hidden agenda they had. While Shayla may not have gone through with it...

...in time, she had left him on Degobah, trapped, to die. And what bothered him more than anything was the way in which he had been left. After all, she could have simply killed him then and there, and put him out of his misery. But instead she trapped him, left him defenseless, there to remain in agony and pass over a great length of time...

...and to know with each passing moment that she had left him there to linger.

Unconsciously, Erik shook his head, but he didn't stray from the darkening path of his thoughts, knowing he had to face this all now.

She never, ever trusted him. Never. Even if she might have thought she had. Maybe if she had, their son would not be dead. And maybe if she had, even if their son was dead, they would have dealt with the loss together, instead of apart.

But love without trust, on both sides, was void.

Erik bit his lower lip, opening his eyes, and suddenly realizing how foolish he had been to allow her back into his Universe over and over again. And likewise, realizing how foolish it had been for him to stick so closely to her side that he now really had no other allies, no other comrades.

You've done all this to yourself, as much as you'd like to blame her, some little voice in his head pointed out as Erik closed his eyes once more in resignation...and utter agreement. So fix it, the voiice persisted. It may take time, but you know you aren't going to be the only one who sees a major problem with a people group finding themselves so important that they have altered time to be here and now. And what of the supposedly incoming Yuuzhan Vong? After all, Roan...

...who shouldn't have even been in this place and time...

...was supposedly in cahoots with them. And even if he wasnn't, someone in their midst had to be. After all, Lord Aelvedaar had been able to find both Graysith and Shayla aboard that Vong ship that wasn't even in this Universe. Sorta odd how he could find such a needle in such a large haystack, regardless of how many powrs he had? It was really rather unreal, all things considered.

So what did the Sith really know? And what if, in bringing themselves into this place in time, the Sith had brought upon events which could be the end of the entire Universe?

Erik's eyes snapped open, the implications of his thought path altogether too logical for his liking. Getting back to his feet, Erik got back to work, the urgency to be ready and prepared for what laid ahead growing in him with each passing moment.

After all, maybe there was one thing he had learned in the past few years that he could take at some face value: His troubles were, in the grand scheme of things, very meaningless. Especially considering he had knowledge of things which could very well effect the fate of the Universe.

But the Jedi remained absent, ostensibly continuing in his self-training per Seus's instruction. All reports provided by staff who subtly watched the man's progress by carefully hidden remote devices proved alleged actions to be factual; Seus smiled when he considered just how much to heart Mr. Kartan was taking this strange alliance he had proposed.

I do believe he is going to prove very useful to us after all, he mused as he clicked off his desk monitor, efficiently snipping off yet another report about the man by yet another crew member.

He doesn't appear to have left off his "work-out" since he began.

No sooner had the one image faded than another one appeared, this one coming in from the Bridge.

"Sir, we are approaching the Unknown Sector, and are due to drop from hyperdrive in approximately ten standard minutes," came the crisply delivered information.

Seus nodded, his thoughts segueing smoothly from one issue to another.

"Very well; please contact Mr. Kartan and inform him of this," he ordered benignly enough. Sitting back in his seat, he let the nerfhide leather creak a moment or two as he let the chair rotate slightly from one side to another, thinking, his legs crossed while he pondered the best course of action to take. Well did he remember what Sorben had reported to him of these worlds, before the man had gone off to work with the Empire.

A momentary frown creased his face. Then he allowed the tiny muscles to smooth out again.

"Drop us in along the Z-axial, mister," he ordered lightly. "And see if you can find a moon or something to hide behind. Keep me informed."