Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Star Wars universe other than the ones I make up. I do not own any rights to Lucas productions nor any of its affiliates. I just enjoy writing fics.

A/N: This fic takes place after obsession where Ventress leaves the Republic and Separatist war behind for the outer rim. So I wondered what happened to her then decided maybe I should write a series based on what happens to her afterwards and include groups of a kind of Jedi based in 'clans' who were not a part of the Sith nor Jedi Council and were well out of the reach of both the Republic/Empire and the Separatist. I hope this goes well... eheh

"AARGH!"

The pain of the last blast which grazed her shoulder ripped through her body causing her to collapse on the red soil. The once most feared warrior Queen of

Rattatak, the most feared Sith assassin of the republic who defied death numerous times, now laid helpless on the dry sands. All of her fighters, her battleships, ground warriors had all fallen. There was no escaping now. The curtains of this opera were about to fall and all she could do was laugh at the thought of this tragic end. Digging her hands into the earth, she laughed manically. "So this...is my...end..." Her vision began to blur as she watched the figures in the distance close in. "...at least...I die...free...."

She inhaled the red soil of her home. Her vision darkened and her senses began to numb. The last sounds she could make out she thought were those of her pursuer, but not to claim her life. She swore she could hear the sounds of a light saber slaying the troops. 'A last...futile hope...' were her last thoughts as she descended into darkness. It wouldn't be long now until the dark angel would claim her.

"You have fought well, young one." called a voice through the darkness. "However...it is not your time....not just yet..." Asajj opened her mouth to protest in some defiant manner, but the words would not escape from her throat. She felt herself being shifted to her back, her head being gently caressed.

A touch she long had forgotten existed.

"Sleep, young one. Sleep..."

The darkness swallowed her being up, taking her down into a deeper spiral. Oddly enough, this darkness seemed kind, warming...caring. Exhaling one last time, the Sith warrior, Ventress, finally surrendered to the fate which was beyond her now.

She slipped in and out of consciousness for what felt like weeks. whenever she returned to the plain of the living, she would hear gentle humming and feel a soft touch attending to her wounds. Even though the changing of the dressings were extremely painful, the songs were soothing enough to ease the pain, almost bring a sense of peace to her existence. It was extremely peaceful as she slipped back unto her unconscious state. Periodically, her head was listed and a container placed to her lips. "Eat" the voice would command. As much as she wanted to remain defiant and strong, the need to sustain her life outweighed her pride for now. She would partake of unknown substance. It wasn't half bad, but it wasn't exactly good either. No matter, she still drank from the container while resting. The thought and feeling of being at the mercy of some unknown, un trusted person disgusted her greatly. Still, by some turn of events or good fortune, she was being taken care of. Perhaps this was a fortune turned good or simply another soul wanting her alive for some form of punishment. Not that it mattered at this point, all she wanted to do was rest.

The rain poured endlessly outside on the terrain. The aroma of fresh rain with the slight breeze pouring on thick foliage and rocks soothing to her. So peaceful. So alien? When did Rattatak ever have rain like this? When did the smell of plush greenery ever exist on her dry, Martian like home world.

'This...this is NOT Rattatak!'

Hastily, she sprang from her resting place, only to crash to her left knee in blinding pain. This wasn't where she fell in battle. This wasn't even a familiar place to her at all. Had she been taken back to the place she left behind?

"Take it easy, young one. You have yet to...fully recover."

Asajj held her side, her lung felt as if a thousand fires had lit at once inside her breathing cavities and her muscles ripping with microscopic needles. This was hell. She was still helpless, but not helpless enough to fight. Reaching for her side, she stood ready for battle except...

"I took the liberty of removing these while I was changing your dressings." The cloaked figure held in her hands the infamous twin sabers of the Sith.

"How DARE you!" Ventress hissed, holding her right ribs. In an effort to posses them again, she stretched out her free hand as much as her body would allow. Concentrating, she tried to will her weapons to her possession, but her efforts were futile. The cloaked figure continued.

"You injuries were very severe, so I felt it was necessary to remove them in order to administer proper care."

Ventress retracted her hand and looked at it in bewilderment. What happened to her powers? What did this feminine creature do to her? Enraged, she attempted to make a mad rush towards her keeper, but was stopped short due to the pain of her barely healed wounds.

"My apologies, but your abilities are limited here."

"How did you-"

"Please, lay back down. I do not wish to harm you nor do I wish for you to re-injure yourself. You have had a long recovery period and are not yet healed enough for moderate activities."

She couldn't argue with the facts. from what she could remember, the battle was far more intense than she predicted and prepared for. It was a wonder that she survived. then again, her captor held a strange aura about her. Strangely...familiar.

"Jedi" she whispered furrowing her brow. The other simply chuckled in a child like manner. The cloak's demeanor wasn't like any other she had encountered before. It was a few clicks before the figure's chuckling subsided. "Jedi you say?" She questioned, "Maybe..."

"So then have you come to take me back to the Republic? Give me a fair trial? Execute me?"

"Ah, the Republic...." the cloaked figure sat down near the fire within view of Ventress. Parts of he face were illuminated underneath the cloak, but not enough to make out any a face. "The Republic has nothing to do with me. With us, young one."

Asajj sat down across from her 'company' at the fire side, her eyes remained fixed on what features she could make out. Taking in a deep breath, the shadow uncloaked herself. Asajj's eyes widened slightly. She appeared to be a youngling, barely twenty cycles in age. Her eyes were hidden behind a pair of wielding goggles for some unknown reason. Her skin glowed in an auburn hue with 5 braided coils of hair adorning her crown. The hard angles of her cheek bones and slightly raised brow gave her an exotic look. Ventress couldn't help but trace the features of her face. Her gaze fell upon the luscious curves of her lips. Carefully, she studied their form in an almost hypnotic state. Something about her presence was possessive.

"Bal'thaar." She stated, snapping the former Sith from her trance.

"Pardon?"

"Bal'thaar. Call me Bal'thaar."

"Hmph, whatever." Asajj shifted her body to lay on the makeshift bed. "How ironic that I be the captive of a mere youngling."

"You mean rescued, young one." Bal'thaar stirred the fire with a loose cinged branch. "Besides, would a mere youngling have the ability to restrain a warrior of your caliber?"

Ventress simply snorted, rolling her eyes. "Stop calling me that. You're barely even 20 cycles old, kid"

"As you say. And if we're going to be stuck in this dreadful weather, then we may as well be pleasant to one another, yes?" The assassin remained silent as the rain continued outside. The sounds began to lull the former Sith to sleep. Bal'thaar gave the fire one last prod before placing the hood of her cloak over her head. "Rest, young one" she said, making her way to the cave entrance, "I will return with food." As Bal'thaar disappeared into the rain, Ventress closed her eyes. She would still have to be on her guard, however for the moment rest was an importance if she hoped to recover any sooner.

She dreamt of that time. Of the Separatists and Republic. Of droid fighting the clones. Of Jedi and Sith. Of Skywalker, that Padawan and her favorite

Jedi, Kenobi. Deep down inside, though she would never admit it, she always enjoyed dueling with them. She sometimes wondered about them, but the 'peace' she had now far outweighed that lifetime. No more Grievous and his idiotic malfunctions, no more Dooku and the constant scrutiny of her abilities...no more

menial tasks to complete with little to no rewards. 'I'm free of that now' she thought through her slumber.

"You're not yet free yet, young one."

Ventress leapt to her feet, ready to retaliate against whoever had awakened her. She reached for her sabers but quickly realize that they had been previously removed from her possession. Bal'thaar sat by the fire, carefully attending to a few animal caucuses being slowly roasted over the flames. The aroma of the meat at it was slowly coming to being edible made Ventress's stomach growl. She bit down on her lip, fighting against the need for food.

"You think pretty loud, you know."

"Stop READING my--"

"You're only free of that Separatists-Republic Jedi council/Sith bullshit physically. However...mentally, emotionally, spiritually, you are still shackled to them like some demented lapdog. You're still bound by their philosophies and ideologies, their war, their struggle." Bal'thaar rose to her feet. Her expressions reflected the frustration and anger of an older Jedi. Could it be possible that this child was truly older than 20 cycles? Bal'thaar continued on her soapbox.

"You think that you left them behind? HAH! I can see that you still fight and defy whatever is in your wake just by the way we've interacted these few short days. Tell me, how many have you come across that have treated your wounds, protected you and fed you as their own? I bet none in the republic did, just like those damn Separatists treated you as a pet as well." Bal'thaar rose from her resting place and pointed at Ventress, her lips curled in disgust.

"You are still their Slave!"

"I am NO One's SLAVE, CHILD!"

"Then prove it!" She unbuttoned the top of her cloak, letting the material cling to her shoulders. With her left hand, she tossed one of the twin sabers to the assassin. Like clock work with cat-like reflexes, she caught and released the blade from the hilt.

"Prove to me that you're not just another one of their discarded puppets! Show me you want to be free!!"

In her anger, Ventress lashed out at Bal'thaar, however she only managed to slice into her cloak. In bewilderment, she wondered how such a youngling could move so quickly. Even the Jedi Masters she had battled never moved this fast. She was definitely not a normal Jedi, which only infuriated the assassin even more. Bal'thaar stood outside the cave entrance, smiling like a chest shire cat.

"If you really want to be free, then you will find me. I know that's what your heart desires deep down inside." She held up her arm and chuckled, dangling a transmitter, "And since I'm the only one with a transmitter, I'm your only ticket off this swamp rock."

"You INSOLENT Little--"

Bal'thaar had suddenly vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving Ventress behind with 1 of her duel sabers. The rain washed over her gently, almost cooling down her heated temper. She was alone on some unknown planet in who knows where system that she wasn't even sure if it was close to Separatist or Republic space. Everything was not as it should be nor even remotely familiar from where she had come from. Still, she had to get off this planet, and Bal'thaar held the key. With the moons rising over the horizon, she decided it was best to start her hunt in the morning when she had full light. Returning to her resting spot by the cave fire, she wondered what turn of fortune sparked this and why her. What did she mean about being truly 'free'. Too tired to ponder on it any further, she closed her eyes to rest. It would be best to start into this rabbit hole on a full stomach and well rested mind.