A Fate Unseen: Swarm War

by An Origami Fish

Seven years after the end of the Yuuzhan Vong War, the galaxy has found itself in a downward spiral; the happy end of the war a thing of the past. Fractured and scarred, can the Jedi Order unite and overcome an enemy that cares not for its own fate and wants only chaos? Or will the galaxy finally crumble under the horror that is the Swarm War? Sequel to A Destiny Altered.

4. Zekk

Zekk

{-[I]-} {-[I]-}

Mid-day on Denon was about as busy as midnight on the new capital of the Galactic Alliance. The ecumenopolis was forever occupied, the air cluttered with rows upon rows of speeder, spaceships, and automated delivery freighters; and the ground constantly a bustle, full of people with things to do. It was every-bit the planet-wide city that Coruscant was, making the politicians, refugees, and visiting soldiers feel right at home.

The planet was also every bit the opposite of Mon Calamari, heavily populated with air full of oils and exhaust. It was an urbanized, mechanical-driven world, unlike the flowing oceans and abundance of wildlife that could be found on the previous capital planet. Discordance, manufactured chaos, the planet had its appeal, but it lacked the calming affect provided by the sea breeze and symbiosis of an eco-system in balance.

Like Coruscant, there were the haves, have-nots, and never-will-haves, spread across the planet like geological strata. The never-will-haves were crammed in the lowest reaches of the planet, barely existing and hardly living. Above them, in the lower-level slums and in the darkened alleyways were the have-nots; refugees, the every-day war veteran, the poor, everyone the galaxy could easily forget about. And above them all, in the glittering skytowers, floating penthouses, and luxury suites were the haves. All those who managed to come out of the war ahead in one way or another. Politicians, businessmen, crime-lords, and many others who probably weren't the most deserving of what they had. It was unfair, but it was the way the galaxy worked.

And then there were the people who did their best to make sure that the galaxy gave everyone a fair chance.

Jedi Knight Zekk could only grin ruefully as he listened to both Taryn and Trista fill him in on the latest news from Hapes over their meal at a restaurant very popular with the military crowd. It was hard to imagine that it had been nine-years, almost to the day, since he had first met them. Much had changed since that time and their reunion two years ago.

A reunion that would not have occurred had Jacen not sent him a HoloNet message requesting his presence on Hapes.

After their adventure on Tatooine, he and the Zel twins had lost touch as the galactic events took precedent. Even after the war was over, Zekk had fully devoted himself to his Jedi duties, without even giving a second thought to the red-haired twins. There had just been so much wrong in the galaxy, so many people suffering, that he had been kept completely occupied by the needs of the others.

Added to the list of excuses was that, in that time, he had found a kindred soul in Mallie Marek; the daughter of Galen and Juno. He and Mallie had become an item shortly after the end of the war, and stayed together for several years, both dedicating themselves to pulling the galaxy back to its feet with their own brand of compassion and care. He and Mallie had been alike in many ways, capable of being that guardian protector and fierce warrior at the same time, but also showing a tenderness and empathy that most Jedi were known for. But in the end, the constant suffering they faced, as well as the distance put between them caused their duties as Jedi, eventually forced them to part ways. It had been an amicable split, with the two of them remaining close friends and pen-pals.

When Jacen's message had come in, originally, Zekk had intended to put it off. He had still been feeling slightly down after the breakup, and the last thing he wanted was to leave the numbing work he had buried himself in. But then, out of the blue, he received a HoloNet message from the High Council giving him mandatory leave time.

Strange that Jacen was also a member of the High Council.

And that the two messages had been suspiciously back-to-back.

But there was little Zekk could do against a direct order from the High Council.

Jacen's message had been specific. He was to wait for Jacen in the Queen Mother's quarters for a matter of serious importance, and he was to arrive in his Jedi robes with his hood over his head.

Of course, Jacen neglected to mention the invitation to the palace security. And naturally, any uninvited intruders in the Queen Mother's room were more than likely to be assassins.

Zekk had only been in the Queen Mother's room for all of a minute when the Force told him he was about to be attacked. He had reacted quickly, blocking the first attack only to receive a stun baton to his back, and a boot to his face.

Knocked to the ground, two vibroblades were promptly placed at either side of his neck, his arms held down by two identical sets of leather boots. It was then that his hood fell away.

"Zekk?" A wide-eyed Taryn gasped.

"What are you doing here?" An equally startled Trista blurted, as the both of them quickly holstered their vibroblades.

Zekk, for his part, was more than a little dazed. Apart from the whole getting-knocked-on-his-butt in the Queen Mother's chamber, he was having a hard time placing the voices of the Zel twins with the two very much grown women still standing on his arms. Their sharp, angular faces, matured from since when that had last met all those years ago, reminded him more of Tenel Ka's regal features than that of the pair of just-turned-twelve year old little girls from memory. But that wasn't what had given him the most pause. Given that they were standing on his arms, he couldn't help but notice their long, toned and slender legs, accented by form-fitting leather, black pants. His eyes wandered back upwards to their bared, flat midriffs, exposed by their green, Rancor-skin tank-tops.The black leather jackets they wore over their leather tops only enhanced the curves of their very feminine forms and gave them both a seductive air of confidence and danger.

They definitely weren't anything like the feisty, red-headed little girls that he could recall.

"Maybe you kicked him too hard," Trista said worriedly.

"I thought he was an assassin!" Taryn, quickly got off Zekk's arm and knelt by his side. "Zekk, are you okay? Just great, on top of everything else that's happened, I have to go and give a Jedi brain damage. I really do have the worst luck."

"I'm okay," Zekk finally managed to say, shaking himself from his thoughts.

"Oh," Taryn quickly blushed and pulled back. "Well…good."

"What are you two doing here?" Zekk said weakly.

"We're part of the Queen Mother's Royal Guard," Trista said with a raised eyebrow that proved just how closely related she was to Tenel Ka. Helping him to his feet, she cocked her head to the side. "What are you doing here?"

"Jacen invited me. Said to meet him here and that it was a matter of utmost importance."

"The Jedi Solo? He's with the Queen Mother out in the gardens. She said that they were not to be disturbed for at least another three hours."

"Oh," Zekk said dimly.

As he regained his senses, he detected an unusual amount of anguish coming from the normally bubbly Taryn. Outwardly though, the teen had withdrawn almost completely and didn't seem to be her usual chatty self. He briefly glanced over at Trista and saw that the more solemn of the duo was also a lot more guarded than when he had last seen her. A small undercurrent of animosity and resentment mixed with confusion and regret, creating an almost invisible barrier between the two sisters. Despite the years that had passed, their non-verbal distress somehow still tugged at the same heartstrings that had existed all those years ago.

"Well, I'm sorry to intrude. I must of have gotten the dates wrong or something."

"That's okay, it happens," Trista shrugged. "You're lucky that the Queen Mother was the one who had us guarding her room. Anyone else might not have pulled back in time."

"Yeah," Zekk rubbed at his face. He was pretty sure that a boot impression was still highly visible. "Good kick."

"Thanks," Taryn's smile was so fleeting it might not have existed at all.

"You're kind of quiet, Taryn," he said softly.

Taryn just folded her arms in front of her chest and nodded. "Not much to say. It's nice to see you again though. Been a while."

"Well," Zekk's eyes darted back and forth to both twins. He wasn't sure what to say. They had been twelve when he had last seen them. Now they were seventeen, and clearly succeeding in their goal to be Tenel Ka's protectors. Yet neither of them seemed as happy or outgoing as he remembered them to be. In fact, if he was reading things right, he could tell that there was some amount of hostility between the two.

It was then that both Jacen and Tenel Ka's intentions finally clicked. He sent them a mental eye-roll, and received two cheerful 'good lucks' in response.

"If you'd like, we can escort you to your ship so you can verify the meeting time," Trista said professionally. Her expression was closed off, but her gray eyes seem to bore into him, as if she was trying to silently communicate her thoughts.

With his early epiphany, Zekk caught on to what Trista was trying to do."The both of you? Who's going to guard the Queen Mother's room?"

Trista blinked, as if she hadn't considered that issue. "You make a good point, Jedi Zekk. Taryn, can you take him to his ship? I'll stand guard over the room."

Taryn's jaw moved several times as she glared at her sister, her gray eyes looking almost fearful. She swallowed bravely though, nodding after a couple of seconds. "Sure. I've been meaning to get some exercise anyways. Come on, Jedi Zekk. The sooner you get off this planet, the better."

The trip back to his ship had been full of all sorts of awkward silence. Despite catching on to the broader plan at work, Zekk still wasn't sure what had caused such a drastic change. Fortunately, the High Council had given him four whole weeks of leave as thanks for his four years of anti-crime work. That had been more than enough time to learn about everything that had happened.

Since then, he and the twins had met up on occasion, just to chat and share their latest adventures with one and other. They'd also had more than their share of adventures together, which, strangely enough, tended to occur whenever they met up. He was not completely unaware of Tenel Ka and Jacen's behind-the-scenes machinations, but it wasn't like he was unappreciative of them either. Taryn and Trista kept things fun, lighthearted, a welcomed change of pace from all the traumatized refugees he was used to dealing with.

And the brightness also caused him to realize just why he and Mallie had parted. They had been too alike, both needing someone to lighten their day after working with all the suffering refugees and war-survivors. He silently hoped Mallie had found her 'Taryn and Trista,' someone to cheer her up after the burdens caused by the duty of a Jedi.

"So, what do you think, Zekk?" Taryn asked, bringing him out of his thoughts. "Do you think the Queen Mother will finally allow Trista and I to clean house if one of them tries to assassinate her daughter again?"

Zekk almost shuddered at the idea. "You two are bodyguards, not assassins. But, I would image a fair portion of Hapes' nobility will have a drastic change of heart if something like that happens."

"I don't even see why the Queen Mother keeps many of those nobles around," Trista said, pausing for a moment to give an icy glare to a waiter who had been leering at her. Both she and her sister were in formal wear per the restaurant's dress code; curve-hugging, skin-showing, black leather dresses that accented their beauty and lethal attractiveness. The waiter promptly paled and hastily retreated into the kitchen.

"Did you know that within the past week alone, five of them have tried to kill her, ten of them have tried to bribe her or her friends to get their own agendas advanced, and three of them were seen consorting with Hapes' enemies?" Taryn said with a disgusted shake of her head.

"Unfortunately, no matter how powerful they are, a government can't be run by one person," Zekk shrugged. "If Tenel Ka got rid of all of the nobles that annoyed her, it would increase the workloads of the nobles that support her, and things wouldn't be as efficient."

"You would be right, of course," Trista sighed, looking out a bay window. The restaurant was on the top level of one of Denon skyscrapers, with a three-hundred and sixty degree view of the cityscape around them; as well as the traffic below. "Neither Taryn nor I like the political aspect of our job. Though it is necessary, it is a bit too tedious for our tastes."

"I know what you mean," Zekk nodded. "I've lost track of the number of times my taskforce captured a criminal only to have politicians from different planets argue about who had jurisdiction over said criminal. Especially if it's an election year and they want to portray themselves as 'tough on crime' and 'upholders of the peace.' Not like I can give one politician the criminal's arm, another his leg, and another his toe or something."

"It all depends on the type of 'piece' the politicians want to uphold," Taryn said with a mischievous smirk, impishly biting into a bread roll from the center basket.

"That was horrible, Taryn," Trista sighed, shaking her head. "I need to tell the Queen Mother to stop assigning you as guard whenever Jacen Solo visits."

As the first course of their meal was brought over, Zekk felt a great disturbance in the Force. Those were never good. He glanced briefly at the course that the waiter had brought to the table—soup. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with it apart from not having any crackers. But he doubted the Force would care about that. Frowning, he immediately began to scan the restaurant, not exactly sure what he was feeling.

Taryn and Trista, trained warriors that they were, saw the tightening of his face and likewise fell silent; scrutinizing their surroundings with feigned casualness.

One table over, former Supreme Commander Sien Sovv was eating a meal with several other high-ranking officers. A group of social-elites had a larger table on the opposite side of the room, the boisterous sounds of their conversation audible from every corner of the room. A few senators were mingling with several of their constituents at another table, and other tables still were full of soldiers enjoying their leave. There were several hundred people in the room, but nothing appeared to be amiss. Laughter, light-hearted talk, and people going about their noon-time meal were all that the trio could see.

Then Zekk spotted what he was looking for through the paneled windows that surrounded the dining hall. Two sky-cars, followed by a larger transport, were barreling towards the skyscraper at high speeds.

"Get down!" Zekk bellowed, using the Force to command everyone who heard him. He quickly tackled a nearby Taryn to the ground, pulling Trista with them as sky-cars continued their ballistic course.

A deafening crash followed only seconds later, with glass and metal shards flying every which way as the two sky-cars rammed their way through the windows. Tables and people were flung about as the heavy vehicles continued to slide forwards, taking out supporting columns and tearing up the floor beneath them. They finally came to a smoking stop after traversing the entirety of the room, leaving a trail of blood, bodies, and debris in their wake. Most of those who had been at Sien Sovv's table, the former Supreme Commander and veteran of the Yuuzhan Vong War included, had been killed instantly.

As shell-shocked diners weakly pulled themselves off the ground, the transport that had been following the sky-cars pulled up alongside the gaping hole made by the speeders. A hatch opened, and an assortment of armed individuals began pouring into the room. The nearest diners were immediately cut down by blasterfire, while several more were blown apart as the assailants lobbed thermal detonators across the room. Dazed soldiers and senators were slain as they just gaped at the improbability of the attack being launched.

"Taryn, Trista, you two okay?" Zekk shouted over the sound of blaster fire. He had used the Force to shield the three of them from debris, but had to ask to be sure.

"We're fine," Trista nodded. She had overturned their table to use as a shield and was crouching behind it with her blaster drawn. "Though you can get off my sister now. Force knows she won't ask you to."

Zekk blinked again, realizing that Taryn was still pinned beneath him. Flushing crimson, he quickly rolled off of her. "Sorry."

"I'm not," Taryn grinned, drawing her own blaster from a thigh-holster. "It's been a while since we fought together. This should be fun."

Zekk couldn't help but smile as he loosened his lightsaber from his utility belt. "It's only been a few months since the last time we got into a firefight, Taryn."

"A few months too long. I'm a girl of action, you know."

Zekk chuckled ruefully. "Believe me, I know. You two shoot, I'll block, like usual."

"Everyone should have their own personal Jedi shield," Taryn quipped, before her serious 'warrior-girl' face fell into place. She and her sister exchanged nods and rose as one. Immediately, several of the attackers turned towards them. They didn't turn quick enough. A hail of rapid-fire shots stitched every single attacker with pin-point precision, not a single shot wasted.

Return fire flew towards the red-headed warriors, but Zekk's lightsaber snapped to life and began deflecting every bolt that came their way. In the meantime, the Zel twins continued their relentless barrage of accurate laser shots. As the return fire lessened, they advanced out from behind the table with Zekk still covering them.

The transport docked in front of the window began to pull away.

Seeing this, Taryn abandoned all caution and launched herself into an all-out sprint towards the window. Several blaster bolts whizzed by her, but she was undeterred as she kicked off the shattered edge of the building and hurled herself through the air. Just before the transport could get too far away, her hands gripped the edge of the still open door, and she pulled herself into the vehicle and closed the door behind her. Seconds later—as if something heavy was being tossed about within—the transport began rocking back and forth, struggling to stay afloat.

"Taryn," Zekk whispered in shock when the transport dipped out of sight.

"Don't worry," Trista said, her back to Zekk as they covered each other. "She does that all the time."

"Oh," Zekk said dumbly, reflecting a bolt back at its attacker. "I'm clear on my side, you?"

Trista waited for the final thug to peek out over a table, and promptly dispatched him with another headshot. "Done on my side as well."

Zekk slowly lowered his lightsaber. It was then that he realized that every single person Trista or Taryn had shot had merely been stunned. He raised a questioning eyebrow in Trista's direction.

"What? Just because we don't appreciate politics and schemes doesn't mean we aren't good at it. How else are we to find out who is behind the attack if we killed them all?" Trista said, kneeling by one of the people she had dispatched. She noticed Zekk's expression had yet to change. "Besides, it's more of a challenge, and effective, to get a head-shot with a stun bolt."

"Ah," Zekk nodded, accepting the more Hapan of responses.

The transport that Taryn had leaped into veered its way back towards the restaurant, and then idled as it once again docked itself alongside the hole. The door opened, and eight very bruised and battered looking thugs all emerged with their hands over their heads and a defeated expression on their faces. Following them out with her blaster at the ready was a smiling Taryn. "Hey guys. Eight more to add to our collection."

Zekk let out a very long breath. Despite the deaths and chaos, he had to just shake his head. It was definitely just like old times.

{-[II]-} {-[II]-}

Even though the fighting was over, the drama wasn't. Denon security authorities had been on scene for all of ten minutes when a second group of individuals arrived, flashed a badge, and shooed the local officials away.

"Interesting," Trista noted, sitting with Zekk and Taryn in front of one of the dining tables.

Though they had decided to stick around as witnesses, they were quite the sight themselves. With the way they were positioned, it was almost as if they were part of a fashion shoot for some holomagazine.

Seated at the table, Zekk was covered from head to toe in dust and debris, his dark hair a mess. He was shirtless, having used his Jedi robes as makeshift bandages for several of the injured victims of the attack, so the dust only seemed to emphasis every muscle of his lean torso.

He was flanked by the lethally toned and beautiful Zel twins, standing on either side of him like bodyguards; their form-emphasizing leather dresses and black, knee-high krayt dragon leather boots, equally debris-covered.

None of the three had a scratch on them, however, which couldn't be said for their charges kneeling before them.

"Galactic Alliance Intelligence?" Taryn guessed, eyeing the newcomers in the same analytical way her sister was doing.

"They got here rather quick," Zekk commented, absently accepting a new shirt handed to him by one of the relief workers with a nod of thanks.

"Aaaand they're heading straight for us," Taryn murmured.

A dark-skinned woman, her hair tied back in a professional bun, approached with a small entourage of formal-wear wearing individuals behind her. "Jedi Knight Zekk, Ladies Taryn and Trista Zel, I am Director Belindi Kalenda, head of Galactic Alliance Intelligence."

"What can we do for you, Director?" Zekk asked, standing.

"I merely wish to ensure your cooperation in investigating this tragic speeder accident that touched off a gas explosion," Belindi said directly, as if she herself was a Jedi impressing upon them the version of events.

"Speeder accident," Taryn repeated slowly.

"Yes," Belindi raised an eyebrow.

"Politics," Zekk said softly. "Cal Omas' cabinet is already in hot water for the Tion Hegemony and all the other problems. The capital can't be made to look vulnerable to those problems or he'd lose all credibility."

"Correct, Jedi Zekk," Belindi replied. "So does that mean I have your support in this matter?"

"Our new friends?" Zekk gestured to the apprehended thugs.

"We'll take care of them."

"Do you know who hired them?"

"We'll take care of it."

"That's a no," Taryn said, rising from her chair, her entire body seemingly coiling for a proverbial strike. Growing up in a society where lies and deceit were the norm, she despised cover-ups and purposeful misleading of the public. "What's to stop more of these 'speeder accidents' from happening, Director?"

"She does have a point," Zekk said mildly.

"Jedi involve themselves in investigations of local speeder crashes now?" Belindi challenged. "I would imagine your order is in just as much trouble as Cal Omas is. I don't tell you and your order how to become galactic pariahs and you don't tell me how to do my job."

"Then we're free to go?" Trista said, placing a restraining hand on her more excitable twin.

"So long as you know that if you say that this was anything other than a speeder accident you'll be arrested for treason, yes."

"We'll leave you to it, then," Zekk said. "You know our comm-frequency if you need to get in touch."

The trio turned around and calmly walked to the turbolift of the now ruined restaurant. Once the doors had closed, Taryn glowered at the plastisteel wall, seething. "A speeder crash? A speeder crash! Zekk, don't tell me that the Jedi Order's picked up a habit of lying to the general public now? I get enough lies on Hapes. If we don't tell someone and another attack happens…"

"Taryn," Trista said with patient amusement.

"What!" The red-head rounded on her sister.

"Has it crossed your mind that Zekk is a Jedi."

"I know he's one. What of it?"

"And Jedi can take information from people's heads if the safety of the general public relies on it?"

Taryn blinked. "Oh."

"Surely you wouldn't have let that pathetic excuse for a woman bully you, right?" Trista arched an eyebrow at their male companion; her words were every much a warning as they were a threat.

"You two have been a bad influence on me," Zekk sighed, nodding wearily.

"So," Taryn perked up. "Where are we heading to next?"

"Don't the two of you have a Queen Mother to protect?" Zekk reminded.

Taryn and Trista looked at each other, and then Trista pulled out a comlink. "Your Majesty, this is Trista."

"Go ahead. Is something wrong?"

"Jedi Knight Zekk has conscripted myself and Taryn on a mission of great importance. The safety and wellbeing of the people of Denon rely on it. Requesting permission to temporarily work in concert with the Jedi Order on such a matter."

"You have my permission to assist Jedi Knight Zekk on such a mission. I will be at the Jedi Temple after the Senate meeting, so you can find me there when it is time for us to depart."

"Understood," Trista said professionally.

Zekk simply hung his head, unable to keep himself from smiling in amusement. "Thanks Tenel Ka, I could use the backup."

"Will you be needing further assistance? Trista is not one to exaggerate the importance of a mission."

"Like I am?" Taryn mouthed.

"Possibly, we're heading to the Old City," Zekk said into Trista's comlink. "Think the Jedi Order can spare a guide or two?"

"One moment…Jedi Master Klin-Fa Gi informs me that Jedi Padawan Rali Xici and Siare Amah are experts in the area. Where would you like to meet them?"

"Warehouse district, third ward," Zekk answered. "Thanks again."

"It is no trouble. Taryn, Trista, please see to it that Zekk survives this mission more or less the way you found him. He is a dear friend of mine and I would hate to have anything happen to him."

"You can count on us, Your Majesty," Trista said. "We'll contact you with the results when we're finished. Trista Zel out."

"You were saying?" Taryn said with a mischievous grin.

"Let's just find out where those attackers came from," Zekk replied drolly, the turbolift doors opening once more. He knew he should have known better than to try to win an argument with both of them. "We're fortunate that the Jedi Order doesn't have to take orders from GA Intelligence."

"We're not that fortunate," Taryn said, glaring back at the upper floors of the building. "If GA Intelligence was any good, we wouldn't have to be doing this."

"So you would rather our meeting for the first time in several months end at lunch?" Zekk said innocently, somewhat aware of Taryn's feelings for him. It was something that had developed during his stay on Hapes those two years ago, and it surprised and flattered him to say the least.

But it hadn't always started out like that.

The trip back to his ship was made in complete silence, the floor-to-ceiling windows offering him faint glimpses of the planet outside as a small reprieve. If Zekk didn't know any better, he could swear that he was feeling both shame and anger irradiate out from his guide, both aimed towards different targets. He didn't say anything though, and neither did she. In fact, it appeared as if the last thing she wanted to do was be anywhere near him.

"Five years. In that time, you could have at least left a holo-message, you know," Taryn said unexpectedly.

"Huh?"

"After we parted ways on Tatooine. I checked my message box almost daily hoping to hear from you. At first I blamed the downed HoloNet for the reason why I didn't even get a 'hey, how are you doing after getting your head kicked in' message. But when the HoloNet was restored, and still nothing?" There was a biting accusation in her voice, but her gaze remained locked firmly on some point ahead of them. "I eventually understood. I was being a foolish little girl. I was just a little girl to your eyes, a bother. One of the many forgettable faces you met as you zipped around the stars doing your Jedi business. Not like you had the time to let me know how you were doing. That you had survived the final battle when nearly three-quarters of your Order was killed."

"Taryn, it wasn't like that…"

"Did you know, I had to hear it from the media channels that you had survived the war? I needed to eavesdrop on an intel brief to the Queen Mother to learn that you were dating a fellow Jedi? I don't know what Trista or the Queen Mother are thinking, but don't expect me to just spill my heart out to you because we've finally met again. We're not friends, probably never were."

The surge of bitterness and self-loathing took Zekk completely off-guard, almost as much as her words. As Taryn's rant echoed off the walls of the empty hallway, he could almost see the ball of hurt and anguish at the core of her being.

"Taryn," he tried.

"We're almost to your ship, Jedi Knight Zekk. You should be able to find your way back from here."

Before Zekk could take another step, things went from hostilely awkward to worse. A young Hapan nobleman appeared at the other end of the hallway and made his way towards them, his very aura projecting confidence and strength.

"Taryn," he smiled, blue eyes glittering charmingly.

"Zee," Taryn stammered. She seemed to freeze in her spot, her eyes darting back and forth between Zekk and the new arrival.

"I thought I heard your voice," 'Zee's' smile was every bit as attractive as the rest of him. Dark hair, sparkling eyes, he was physically fit and looked dashing in the deep blue clothing of a Hapan noble. Zekk didn't know much about this man, but ' Zee' already seemed to stand out from the usual Hapans he had met. "The Queen Mother told me I'd find you here. Are you having any trouble?"

"No, no trouble at all," Taryn said quickly, taking a step away from Zekk.

"Okay. It's been three months, have you made up your mind yet? I know your sister doesn't approve, but…"

"I still need more time," Taryn blurted out. "Sorry. Now if you could leave…"

"Taryn?" Zekk blinked.

"Where are my manners?" the Hapan noble held out a hand towards Zekk. "Greetings. The name's Zedal AlGray, fourth in line to the Noble House of AlGray."

"Zekk, Jedi Knight," Zekk said, automatically shaking the outstretched hand.

"Pleasure, you know Lady Taryn Zel?"

"We've…met. You know her?"

"I should hope so, we're betrothed," Zedal said with a laugh. "Isn't that right, Taryn?"

"Of course not," Taryn laughed at Zekk, wrapping her arms around one of his in a playful manner. "We barely get to spend enough time with you as it is."

"We have our duties, Taryn," Trista said dryly.

"Don't give me that, sister," Taryn shot back. "You're just as eager to spend time on a dangerous mission with Zekk as I am."

"Maybe not as eager as you," Trista muttered under her breath. "Some people shouldn't be mixing business and pleasure after all."

"You are such a Dug, Trista," Taryn rolled her eyes with a laugh.

Zekk just smiled. He offered his other arm to Trista, who raised an eyebrow but accepted it nonetheless."Come on, we have a planetary disaster in the making to stop."

"Just one of your usual Jedi missions, nothing special," Trista said glibly, the trio walking to a black, sleek Hapan speeder; with Zekk receiving many envious looks in the process.

"You know, Jedi and 'disaster' aren't supposed to go together so easily," Zekk replied. "We're keepers of the peace, not the galaxy's saviors."

"Tell that to all the idiots who think launching a galaxy-destabilizing plan in the presence of the Jedi is a good thing," Taryn remarked brightly, inclining her head in acknowledgment as Zekk opened the speeder door for her, and then did the same for Trista. "Then again, you do manage to keep our lives interesting."

"I'll hold you to those remarks once we face whoever it is we're supposed to be facing," Zekk said.

"It can't be that bad," Taryn shrugged. "Don't worry, Zekk. You have me and Trista watching your back. Queen Mother's orders."

"Thanks," Zekk exhaled, settling into the driver's seat. "Well, let's see what the Force has in store for us this time."

{-[III]-} {-[III]-}

"There," Taryn said, her sharp eyes spying their guides up ahead. During the trip over, both she and her sister had changed out of the formal wear and back into their green leather shirts, and black jackets and pants; once again looking like the deadly warriors they were.

They were coasting through a lesser-used part of the Denon capital that sat just a half-hour speeder ride away from the main streets. It was almost scary how quickly things changed from the haves to the have-nots, like an invisible forcefield set up to prevent people from crossing in either direction. All around them were dilapidated warehouses, boarded up homes and apartment units, and an overall sense of gloom and despair. Street gangs roamed freely, as did the poor and downtrodden. It was a sad testament to the state of the galaxy when places like this still existed, even when there was a Jedi temple on the planet full of Jedi jetting off to help the far corners of the galaxy.

Zekk couldn't help but find it ironic. The people he was seeing now were the very types of people he and Mallie had tried to help during their stint working with the refugees of different planets. Even on the capital of the Galactic Alliance, the same problems he saw in the Outer Rim and elsewhere were just as prevalent.

"I see them," Zekk nodded, angling their speeder towards their destination.

A good-sized crowd was gathered around a small group of people, who looked to be handing out food-goods and blankets.

"That's it, one at a time, please," a teenage Zeltron called out with a winning smile. "There's plenty for everyone, so no rush."

"Hey, I'm blind, not stupid," a sandy-haired teen with a white and gold bandana wrapped over his eyes chided. "If you want seconds you're going to have to wait until everyone else has one."

And then Zekk realized why his musing had taken him back to Mallie. In the center of the crowd, coaching several others, was the daughter of Juno Eclipse and Galen Marek. She was still as beautiful as he remembered, her white-blond hair tied back in a bun atop her head. She seemed to sense him too, because she glanced in their direction and gave him a small wink before returning to her task.

Zekk stopped the speeder, unable to keep a silly smile from appearing. What were the odds of him running into her when they had the entire galaxy to help heal?

"Hey guys, welcome! Master Klin-Fa sent word that you were coming," the Zeltron called out, waving cheerfully. She handed off the next few bundles of supplies to another person, and waded her way through the crowd.

"She tell you why?" Zekk asked.

"Said it was important Jedi business," the Zeltron shrugged. "Oh, and you can call me Raxi. Jedi Apprentice Raxi if you just have to be formal. Anything but my official name."

"Don't worry, Zekk isn't one of those stuffy Jedi," Mallie laughed, joining Raxi. She quickly pulled Zekk into a hug. "Force, it's so good to see you again, Zekk. Have you been well?"

"As well as one can be," Zekk chuckled, patting her back. "You know us Jedi, an adventure around every corner."

"So, what brings you to our little neck of the woods?" Mallie let her hand brush his check affectionately before stepping back, her blue eyes glimmering brightly. "Has to be something big if you want to go to the Old City."

"Former Supreme Commander Sien Sovv was just killed a half hour ago by a seemingly random speeder crash," Zekk said dryly.

"Some speeder crash," Mallie's expression darkened. Her bond with Zekk allowed her to pick up what he wasn't saying aloud. "And I think I know where you guys can begin your search."

"You're not coming with?"

Mallie sighed and gestured helplessly to the crowd behind her. "As fun as it would be to kick arse and wreak havoc in the Old City, I just can't. I'm delivering relief supplies from Corulag to this lot out here, and then I have one of those fun soirees with a bunch of politicians later today. With Rahm and father helping out the Remnant, I'm left trying to make Corulag relevant in this day and age. You know how hard that can be. Don't worry though, Zekk. Both Jedi Apprentice Raxi and Amah know the Old City like the back of their hands."

"We practically grew up down there," Siare Amah, the sandy-haired teen with the blindfold, said, joining the group. "Hi, I'm Siare Amah."

"A pleasure," Trista said, speaking for the first time since she had left the speeder. "Trista, Trista Zel of the Royal House of Hapes."

"Taryn," Taryn added on cue. When Mallie stepped back into the crowd, Zekk was puzzled by the small amount of relief that rolled off of Taryn. As he filed it away for later, out of the corner of his eyes he saw Mallie just shake her head and give him a sympathetic Force-poke in his shoulder.

Zekk's attentions were drawn back to the newest arrival when Siare made a small clicking noise with his tongue, and then tilted his head at the Zels. "Twins?"

"Yes," Taryn blinked. "But how…?"

"Oh, the blindness thing, yeah," Siare said, waving a hand in front of his face. "Sometimes I forget about that. I see through Force-enhanced echolocation so I don't care much about sight. Pretty nifty."

"You aren't a Miraluka?" Trista said.

"Half," Siare nodded. "And half human. Makes me almost completely blind and out of touch with the Force. How could you tell I had seer's blood?"

"Your bandanna, it has a Miralukan clan crest on it," Trista gestured futilely.

"Oh, it does?" Siare involuntarily reached up to feel the golden embroidery of his blindfold. "Seha just said I'd look good with it on, gave it to me for my birthday; nice of her."

"We should get going," Raxi said. "If you're looking for the legally-challenged of Denon, the Old City is the best place to go. Siare and I know a few places that have been more active than usual."

"Any big shots who have the ability to send thirty heavily armed thugs on a suicide attack?" Zekk asked.

Raxi's eyebrows rose. "Thirty? And heavily armed? Only one person in the Old City has the resources to do something like that. His organization is called the 'Colony.' A criminal syndicate with connections that rival the Black Suns, but with empathy and social work that rival the Jedi Order. The Force guide you here?"

"More or less," Zekk nodded. "And I've had to deal with Colony pirates before on several Outer Rim worlds. As far as pirates go though, they're pretty tame. Didn't think they'd have a base on Denon of all places."

"More than a base. The entrance to the nearest Colony enclave is really close by. Mallie set up this aid-camp to counter its influence in the region."

"Has the government tried to do anything about him?"

Raxi placed her hands on her hips as she shook her head. "Compared to all the galactic problems, this guy's just a small fry. But he's a small fry with a nasty bite. Siare and I have tangled with his people before. No matter how many times we ransack his store-houses and get his people arrested though, he always seems to recover in a month or two. It's like he has some backdoor to a military surplus store or something. He has enough firepower and knows the terrain well enough to make the local authorities scared of him."

"We've seen everything from Merr-Sonn E-Webs and rocket launchers, to military grade plasma canons and sniper rifles. Well, Raxi's seen anyways. I've just felt the pressure waves every time they've hurled thermal detonators in our direction."

"And do you know who this boss is?" Trista asked. They began to walk towards one of the warehouses.

"Only his alias. His men have called him the Joiner King," Raxi answered. "His people are die-hard fanatics who've been able to resist Force techniques. Granted, neither Siare nor myself are strong in the Force, but still…"

"He's stayed quiet for the most part, though. And as long as he leaves the refugees alone and doesn't expand his operations to the surface, we leave him alone," Siare said, kicking aside a small pile of debris to reveal a trapdoor just off to the side of the warehouse. "No sense stirring up a gundark's nest if we don't have to. But if he's responsible for the event that needed thirty heavily-armed thugs, then that changes things."

"Have you ever spoken to him?" Zekk questioned.

"By holo only," Siare said. "The last time was to arrange a ceasefire between his people and our aid crews. He had developed a bad habit of shooting at them so Raxi and I had to take down one of his lieutenants…again. He's kind of crazy so he often does things that go against his stated purposes and goals. Unfortunately, his people are just as crazy and are all for others joining their group."

"The more I hear about this, the more I'm looking forward to this trip underground," Taryn said sarcastically. "Scrupulous criminals with stockpiles of military-grade weapons, fanatical thugs, and old buildings."

"Just think of it as Hapes on a bad day," Zekk commented glibly as they began their descent down a rickety metal ladder. "Besides, all we're doing is investigating a speeder crash. Like Siare said, no sense stirring up a gundark's nest."

{-[IV]-} {-[IV]-}

"Betrothed?" Zekk raised a surprised eyebrow at Taryn.

For her part, Taryn just nodded mutely, not meeting his eyes. She looked back to Zedal. "Please, Zee. Can you leave me alone with this Jedi for a bit?"

"Of course," Zedal bowed formally. "I still haven't given up on you, Lady Zel. I'd be stupid to walk away from someone as amazing as you are."

"Thank you," Taryn barely whispered, tilting her head in acknowledgment.

"See you around, Jedi Zekk," Zedal bowed low again. "And since I don't know if I'll get a chance in the future, I'd like to thank you and the Jedi Order for what they have done to Hapes. It certainly is a much better place than it could have been had the Jedi not stepped in."

"You're welcome."

"Lady Zel," Zedal gave Taryn one last bow before continuing his trip down the hallway.

When he was gone, the awkward silence once again grew between Taryn and Zekk.

"A lot has changed, I see," Zekk finally said, his tone soft.

"Maybe, maybe not," Taryn shrugged, a defeated expression flashing across her face as she shrugged. She hugged herself with one arm and turned to look out a nearby window. "Trista despises him."

"She does?"

"Don't you have a ship to be on?" Taryn asked. Unlike before, though, there was no venom in her words. She continued to focus on a flock of birds outside the window, her body language saying what she wasn't.

"It'll still be there in a little bit."

Taryn turned to face him, looking to Zekk like a little girl lost in the vast halls of the Hapan Palace. "I don't need saving, Zekk."

"You're a Hapan warrior, of course not. If you need a friend though…."

"A friend?" Taryn raised a fine eyebrow.

"Yes. Look, I'm sorry for not keeping in touch. I have no excuses that'd matter. But if you're willing to give me a second chance, I promise to be a better friend than before."

"Friends…Hard to have any of those on Hapes," Taryn murmured, looking away again. "Everyone wants something here. Always out for themselves."

"What about Zedal?"

Taryn exhaled, shaking her head. "Not here."

Zekk followed her through the palace and out into a small, secluded garden in the back. Flowers of all sorts were in full bloom, with brightly winged insects and birds fluttering about. "Nice place."

"The Queen Mother gave it to me and Trista if we needed a place to get away from it all. We're the only ones allowed here, trespassers risk up to three years in prison." Taryn sat on a stone bench and momentarily closed her eyes to soak in the sunlight. "And…I'm sorry too, Zekk. I didn't mean what I said earlier…I'm just…I've had a run of bad luck recently and, well…"

"You had to vent somehow," Zekk supplied. He sat down in front of the bench and rested his back against the seat.

"Yeah," Taryn smiled faintly, bringing her legs up to her chest. "Growing up sucks, you know that? Sure you get to do a bunch more stuff, but you also have a bunch of pressure and responsibilities that society expects you to take up. Why can't growing up ever be fun?"

"Good question. I think my friends and I had to grow up a bit too fast. Galaxy-ending threats and all that."

"Believe me, a galaxy-ending threat would be welcomed compared to the problem's I've had these past few months," Taryn groaned, resting her head on her knees. "At least those have a clear solution: kill the bad guy and destroy the doomsday weapon or everyone you know kicks the bucket."

Zekk remained quiet, letting the rays of the sun beat down on him as Taryn continued to talk.

"You wanted to know about Zedal, right? How I'm to be wed to him?"

"You're definitely not the Taryn Zel I remember."

"Yeah, that little girl grew up much too fast too," Taryn whispered softly. "I met Zedal shortly after I got back to Hapes. He had been injured during Alyssia's coup attempt and was in the same med-ward as me. We talked a bit, became friends, talked some more. He's a couple years older than me, but you know how I was back then. I wasn't about to let that stop me."

Taryn trailed off, and Zekk felt her anxiety rise. He silently reached a hand back up towards her, and after a few seconds, she took it, squeezing it thankfully.

"We got older, became girlfriend-boyfriend in that convoluted Hapan sense of things. We were from rival Houses, often on opposite ends of the political spectrum, so a whole host of people began to see us as a unification of separate branches of the nobility. We went out, had lots of fun together. He's smart, and funny, and skilled in combat. Last year we became…became lovers." Her voice hitched at that, her grip on Zekk's hand becoming almost painful. She continued on, however, guilt and sorrow pouring off of her in waves. "Trista never approved of him, though. One time, I got so fed up with her attitude that I accused her of being jealous, of being no better than all the other Hapan nobles."

Zekk grimaced. He knew how close the two had been when they had been with him all those years ago. From what he had sensed, the wound between the two was deep, but not so deep that it couldn't be healed. Trista's non-verbal plea earlier had confirmed that Taryn's sister still wanted her twin back.

"She's kept her distance from me since then. And then when Zedal proposed to me…well in the three months since, today was probably the most she's ever said to me. Our teamwork has suffered to the point where the Queen Mother was forced to suspend us from active duty and place official reprimands in our files. Trista was even demoted from her officer's position. And the worst part is, I don't have a single clue how to fix this," Taryn whimpered, her gray eyes wet as she squeezed Zekk's hand again. "It's all become so complicated. I care a lot for Zedal, love him even, but I don't want to lose my sister either."

"What about your dad? What does he think?"

Taryn bowed her head, squeezing his hand just a bit tighter. "I wouldn't know. Father was killed in an assassination attempt on the Queen Mother almost two years ago. Trista and I only have each other…had each other. Stars, I hate this!"

"I'm sorry."

"No…no it's…it's okay? This is normal for a Hapan noble family I guess. So it has to be okay. The lies, the manipulation, all normal." Taryn's voice wavered as she shook her head in disbelief.

"What happened between you and your sister? Why doesn't she like him?" Zekk asked gently, trying to change the subject.

"She thinks he's just using me to get to the Queen Mother. House AlGray has always been on the periphery of things, and since Zedal and I have gotten closer, his family has seen an upswing in popularity and influence. But what he feels for me…what I feel for him…is real, I know it. I just…I don't know. I feel like my entire world is crumbling as I'm trying to hold up this one little section of it."

"If you want, I can help you hold up that little section," Zekk offered softly. "You know, so you can concentrate on picking up all those little pieces? My offer to be your friend still stands. I'll try to do better this time around, promise."

"Not like I'll be any worse off," Taryn shrugged, yet he could feel some hope return to her.

Zekk tilted his head back to look up at the red-haired teen. "Thank you for telling me all of this, Taryn. I know it couldn't have been easy."

Taryn wiped at her eyes and emitted a shaky laugh as she swung their joint hands back and forth. "Thanks for listening. It felt good to finally get all that off my chest."

"Bottled up for a long time?"

"You know how Hapes is, you show just a tiny modicum of weakness and everyone jumps on you like a pack of starving wolves," Taryn muttered, sliding off the bench to sit next to Zekk and resting her head on his shoulder. "Can't trust anyone, not even family. Always have to watch my back."

Zekk could feel lethargy sink in as the pressure on her heart was temporarily relieved. "And me?"

Taryn unconsciously gripped his arm."If you were Hapan, I would never have brought you here."

"Good thing I'm not Hapan, then."

"Yeah," Taryn murmured, drifting off. "A very good thing."

Zekk glanced fondly at the more outgoing of the two Zel twins as the memories of their meeting on Hapes continued to play on. That unsteady truce he had built with her would soon be tested in a variety of ways, but those challenges had only brought them closer together.

"Up ahead, right there," Raxi gestured to a decrepit looking building several blocks away that had once been a towering highrise. The upper half appeared to have been blown off, and the rest charred by some type of fire. "That's the headquarters for the Joiner King's lieutenant. Whenever Siare or I have a bone to pick with his men, we go to him."

"He helps you?"

"We helped him get his position by deposing his predecessors," Siare said blandly. "He better."

They approached the building, a wide variety of thuggish looking characters gathered around roaring trashcan campfires all around. Both Taryn and Trista automatically let their hands drift to their weapons, quickly assessing and dismissing possible threats in the way they had been trained to do.

"Don't worry," Raxi said, without looking back. "These guys know us."

"We have a working relationship," Siare added cheerfully. "They stay out of the way, and everything works just fine."

"I see insanity is still a Jedi thing," Trista murmured to Zekk in a low voice.

"What do you expect? They had my generation for teachers."

Raxi brought them to a halt in front of a giant Besalisk. Despite Raxi's nearly two meter height, the mountain of a Besalisk towered over her, giant cleavers held in each of his four hands. The Zeltron, however, wasn't fazed in the slightest.

"Jaggoth! We're here to see your boss."

The Besalisk crossed his arms in front of himself and answered in a deep baritone. "Boss ain't seeing anyone, Raxi. Beat it."

"Do I really have to use a mind trick on you?" Raxi said with a flirtatious wink "We already know that mine work on you."

The Besalisk's heavy eyebrows twitched. "I have orders to chop ya to pieces if you try."

"How will that attempt be any better than the last three times you were ordered to do it?" Raxi asked.

The Besalisk unfolded his arms and gestured to the gathered crowd of thuggery. "Dey have da same orders. We've been recruiting, Raxi. You try anything, you're da one getting pounded dis time. Even if ya have new friends."

Raxi opened her mouth to reply, then closed it, tilting her head with a small frown. "Jaggoth, are you okay?"

"I'm just fine," the Besalisk grunted.

"Your eyes," Raxi said, taking a step back cautiously. "They were never completely black before."

"Like I said, I'm fine. Get lost if ya know what's good for you."

"Raxi, Siare, step back," Zekk said aloud. "Something's not right here. It's not just your Besalisk buddy whose eyes are black."

Raxi spun around to glance at the small army of armed thugs around them. Regardless of the species, all of their eyes appeared to be covered with some sort of black film. They also appeared to be moving in eerie synchronicity, slowly forming a circle without actually seeming to form a circle. "Okay guys, what new drugs have you been hitting this time? Dust? Ketracel? Glitterstim?"

"I think we should probably listen to Jaggoth and get going now," Siare said. "The Force echoes just got all weird. I'm not seeing a thing."

"You're blind, Siare."

"Gee, thanks for noticing, Raxi. But no, I meant my echolocation. Something's jamming it. Never happened before."

Zekk spun around as more thugs emerged from the shadows. Like the others, their eyes were completely glazed with black film. "What do you say we leave any further investigation to Galactic Alliance Intel?"

"Seconded," Taryn voiced tersely, holding blaster pistols in each of her hands. Her sister had pulled out a collapsible vibropike and was guarding Zekk's opposite side.

"Raxi?"

"Agreed," the Zeltron allowed the now truly blind Siare to climb onto her back.

"One moment," Jaggoth grunted out. The young Jedi and their friends froze almost instinctively. "Boss sent new orders. We're to capture you Jedi and have you join with us."

Before any of the group could voice their disagreement or raise their weapons once more, a powerful wave of Force energy washed over them. Taryn and Trista's eyes rolled up into their heads and they collapsed to the ground like stringless puppets. Raxi and Siare didn't last any longer, falling to the dirt and oil smeared ground with wordless gasps.

Zekk, to his credit, managed to last a few seconds longer; long enough to see someone emerge from the highrise behind Jaggoth. He tried to fight whatever it was that was assailing him, but it was as if thousands of minds were battering his one. His vision swam, breathing became impossible. As he fell to the ground, his last sight was of Taryn's unconscious form being dragged away.

{-[V]-} {-[V]-}

"Wake up! Wake up, damn it!" Zekk stirred, feeling someone slapping his face repeatedly, and rather hard. Some part of his brain recognized the voice, but he also heard others in his mind as well, muddling his thoughts. "Not again!"

This time an icy jolt of Force energy coursed through him, and Zekk gasped, eyes flying open as he jerked up into a seated position. A pair of hands gripped either side of his head in a firm grasp and cobalt irises held his own confused green.

"Welcome back, Zekk. Gave me quite the fright." Leaning over him with white-blond hair in disarray was Mallie Marek; dressed up in rather dirty-looking evening wear.

"Mals?" Zekk said, his mouth dry. He looked around. He was on a makeshift cot in what looked like an aid-station.

"Good, you know who I am at least."

Zekk tried to think about how he got into his predicament, but it felt as if every thought was accomplished by slogging through a mountain of mud. He groaned aloud, holding his head.

"Hang in there," Mallie said, the worry in her voice catching him off guard. In all the years he had known her, he could count on one hand the times he had felt her so concerned. "I've called for a healer from the temple."

"What…?" Zekk trailed off. The voices he had heard earlier were returning, his mind spinning. Dimly, barely aware that he was speaking, he said. "I have to go back. I'm being summoned."

Mallie swore. "Damn it, I'm not losing you to whatever it is that has its claws in you!"

Zekk shuddered as another surge of icy Force energy coursed through his head. For a few more moments, his mind was clear again, "Mallie?"

"Keep fighting it Zekk. You hear me? Keep fighting. You have some type of parasitical Force bond attached to you, and something weird going on with your body's electrical currents," Mallie hissed determinedly.

"The others?" He managed. Somehow it surprised him that he had completely forgotten about Taryn, Trista, Raxi, and Siare.

"I don't know," Mallie shook her head. "I was only able to find you because of our bond. Raxi and Siare are barely strong enough to register in the Force as it is and I wasn't close to the two with you."

Zekk weakly rubbed at his face. "How long was I out?"

"I found you four hours ago, unconscious. You were kept in a tank filled with some sort of weird gas. Made me dizzy breathing the stuff in for just a second, can't imagine what it did to you." Mallie answered grimly. She then allowed a small smile. "Got my fill of beating up armies of bad guys in the process though; a bit hard to do in a dress by the way. You definitely owe me, I rather liked this one too."

Zekk groaned and swung himself out of the cot, breathing heavily as he did.

"Zekk!"

"I have to get to the others. They're not as strong as I am, there's no telling what that gas will do to them." Zekk froze once more, however, hearing the voices return once more. A feeling that he was a part of something much greater than his own self filled him. A sense of peace replacing the urgency he had felt only moments earlier.

"And that's why I can't let you go down there again!" Mallie snapped. She looked to one of the others in the room. "Where's that damned healer?"

"Taryn," Zekk breathed, closing his eyes. He could suddenly hear her thoughts, feel what she was feeling. And it wasn't just her either, but Trista, Raxi, Siare, and countless others. The vastness of it was staggering, a multitude of emotions, memories, decisions, a singular mind. It was calming, fulfilling, a sense of wholeness that he had never known before.

And suddenly that peace was shattered as the icy coolness of Mallie's Force presence barreled through it like a winter blizzard.

"What did you do that for!" Zekk yelped.

"I prefer having my ex-boyfriends sane and in control of their own minds," Mallie retorted heatedly.

Zekk felt a surge of furry and was about to lash out, when Mallie suddenly grabbed him and pressed her lips to his. Shock rushed through him, and as he realized what he had been about to do, horror swiftly followed. The fact that he had been a hairsbreadth away from actively trying to hurt her snapped him back to reality faster than anything else she could have done."Force, Mallie!"

"Like I said," Mallie breathed, brushing a reassuring hand over his cheek. "I prefer it when you're you."

Zekk inhaled deeply, reaching up to grip her hand while struggling to control his breathing and thoughts. "I still have to find the others." He managed.

"Then I'm going with you."

Zekk nodded without a word. He stood, the bed sheet covering him falling to the ground. After a split second, he paused, realizing he was missing something important. "Mallie, what happened to my clothes?"

"The gas was all over your clothes," Mallie said clinically. "I had them sent off for analysis. Not like you have anything I haven't seen before."

"That aside. No matter how messed up my mind is at the moment, I'm not going to go running through the Old City naked," Zekk said. He briefly wondered how he could lose the shirt off his back twice in one day; it had to be a new record for him. He also wondered if he should start investing in the clothing company that made his clothes. He certainly lost enough shirts in his life time, whether due to combat or unforeseen circumstances, to make someone very rich. He supposed he was fortunate that the Bornaryrn trading group helped to subsidize the Jedi Order's clothing bill.

"You could use the sheet."

Or he could always listen to his ex-girlfriend's teasing from time to time. "Mallie."

"Spare's in there," she gestured to a beat up metal container by the cot. "I'll meet you outside."

Zekk opened the container and pulled out a set of clothing that no doubt came from one of the poorer refugees in the region. On the bright side, he mused as he pulled it on, he no longer looked like a Jedi.

Emerging from the tent he had been in, he nodded to Mallie. "Didn't find my lightsaber by any chance?"

"Wasn't with you," Mallie shook her head. "You have any idea how to find the others? Those twins weren't Force-sensitive were they?"

"No," Zekk shook his head. "But whatever happened to me when I was knocked unconscious has had some very…interesting effects."

Mallie's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Zekk."

"I can almost hear both Trista and Taryn," Zekk said, closing his eyes. "Their thoughts, emotions, memories. If I focus, I can see them all. I think they can do the same with me too."

"That's it. We're getting them out of here and getting all of you off planet," Mallie said through clenched teeth.

"Don't worry," Zekk exhaled. "I think if I only focus on them, I can block everything else out."

"You better," Mallie grumbled.

The two swiftly reentered the Old City. Both were on their guard. Whatever had taken Zekk and the others out had done so almost immediately, with not a single shot fired. The parasitical Force bond still attached to her ex also had Mallie feeling queasy. It was like someone or something had built a backdoor directly into his head. Right now both her own mental figure and Zekk's were sitting on top of that figurative door, but they knew they wouldn't be able to keep it closed forever.

As they drew closer to the highrise Zekk had been knocked out in front of earlier, a definite pounding began on that door they were trying to keep shut. His movements began to become halting, his need to call on the Force to keep his head clear becoming much more frequent

"At least we know we're heading in the right direction," Zekk said, trying to smile reassuringly.

"I found you in the basement of that building," Mallie gestured towards a small outbuilding besides the highrise. "You were the only one in it though."

"I think the others are in the taller building," Zekk said, a hand reflexively going up to grip his head. "Scratch that. I know the others are in the taller building. Top floor."

Mallie pursed her lips. "Wait out here then."

"I can manage it," Zekk refused.

"Blast it, Zekk! This is no time to be some heroic fool!"

"Taryn and Trista are in there," Zekk argued determinedly. "I'm only getting vague impressions, but I think that whatever's trying to get control of me already has full control over them. They were exposed to whatever was in that gas for four more hours than I was. And we still have to find Raxi and Siare while we're at it. The sooner the better."

"You…are the most frustrating man I've had the unfortunate pleasure to date!" Mallie growled, jabbing a finger in his chest. "Whoever attacked you left you in a coma for hours and hearing voices, and you want to rush right back to him?"

"I don't think the one who knocked me out is here anymore," Zekk said. "Don't ask me how I know, but I just can't feel him. Now, we're wasting time, can we hurry up and get to the others?"

Mallie shook her head at Zekk in complete disbelief. "Fine! But if you fall unconscious again, so help me I'll…"

Zekk silenced her with a kiss, her eyes widening in shock. "You're the best." He breathed as he pulled back.

"It's so unfair, how you can still do that to me," Mallie managed, slightly dazed. "Just…stay alive, okay? Finding you comatose in a tank full of unknown gas will give me more than my share of nightmares."

"I'll be okay, Mals," Zekk gently squeezed her hand.

"You better," Mallie grumbled again.

The two ventured closer to the highrise.

"I really wish I had my lightsaber,"Zekk sighed. There were all sorts of warning bells in the Force going off at once; a giant 'keep away' sign, accompanied by a neon, flashing 'danger' sign, and massive billboard with a set of skull and crossbones. It was as if the Force was saying 'Hey, I warned you. Don't blame me if things go wrong.'

The two entered the lobby. It was rundown, with water stains and broken everythings as far as the eye could see. Only a pair of crackling trashcan fires provided illumination, causing shadows to dance in every corner.

"By the way, you said I was the most frustrating man you've dated," Zekk said in a low voice as they navigated a set of narrow hallways. "Did you move on from me?"

"Now really isn't the best time, Zekk," Mallie rolled her eyes.

"You rather we creep through the creepily empty and dark building in complete silence?" Even the air smelled wrong, the scent of mold, excrement, and rusted metal very pungent.

"Good point." Mallie swallowed. The Force was not being any help to either of them. It was as if the entire building had been thrown out of sync with the rest of the galaxy. Everything was just one long, dark, never-ending shadow. "And yes. I've moved on. I'm going out with a perfect gentlemen, if you must know; the head of a relief organization that I've been helping out. He's running for Corulag's senate seat once our current senator's term expires next month. You should meet him. I think the two of you will get along just swimmingly."

A breeze from nowhere whistled through the building, causing the firelight to flicker and all manner of loose objects to tumble and flap about. The heat seemed to leave the room in a rush, yet became almost unbearable at the same time.

Eyes glazed over with black film glinted in the faint lighting as a mass of individuals emerged from siderooms, hallways, and even from the torn up panels of the ceiling.

Mallie reflexively held up her lightsaber, not backing down even as the path before them was completely choked off with bodies. "Ideas, Zekk?"

Zekk didn't respond. He could feel the hammering in his head again, a need to be with the others, to protect them from intruders, outsiders. Those that didn't understand their way of life. He could be at peace with the others, his worries and cares shared by thousands, millions even. All he had to do was join them.

A strong left hook to his head sent him staggering backwards in shock.

"Will you snap out of it already!" Mallie growled. "Remember why we're here. To save Raxi, Siare, and your two lady-friends. Don't make me regret bringing you here, Zekk!"

"Ouch," Zekk worked his jaw.

"You 'you' again?"

"Yeah," Zekk said, shaking the cobwebs loose.

"Good, so what are we going to do about this lot?"

"They're not in control of their minds anymore," Zekk said slowly. "Maybe, if given time, they can recover from whatever's happened to them."

"Non-lethal approach it is," Mallie shut off her lightsaber and thrust out both her hands. The Force screamed down the hallway in a powerful pressure wave, dropping the crowd before them like a Death Star beam through an asteroid. Both she and Zekk continued to advance, using the Force to incapacitate the seemingly endless mass of individuals climbing out from everywhere.

"I wonder what's wrong with them?" Zekk said, using the Force to knock several more individuals into a nearby wall. "This isn't purely Force control, something's wrong with their bodies."

"We can have the science teams look over them later," Mallie delivered an uppercut, and then elbowed another glazed-eyed person who got too close.

Though their pace was slow, and they received more than their fair share of cuts and bruises, the Jedi eventually managed to push their way to the charred top of the building. There, a large transport was fueling, looking as if it was getting ready to take off.

"Taryn! Trista!" Zekk called out, spotting the red-heads in front of a lowered landing ramp.

"Siare, Raxi," Mallie added, addressing the younger Jedi with the red-heads.

But those four were not the only ones present. There was also Jaggoth, and a couple other glazed-eyed individuals stood by with them, all standing stalk-still. As one, the nine people turned towards the two Jedi.

"Don't"

"Interfere"

"Mallie"

"Marek."

"You"

"Have"

"Taken"

"One"

"Of"

"Ours.

Each of the nine said one word, with the final being spoken by all of them in a frightening unison. What's more is that their voices seemed to be blended with countless others, providing an echoing effect that chilled both Mallie and Zekk to the bone.

"Taryn," Zekk tried again, taking a step forward. "It's me, Zekk."

"We know a Zekk," Taryn said, her normal gray eyes completely black. "Zekk should be a part of us. He was to join with us."

"The Jedi Marek is responsible for destroying the harmony," Trista said, her coolness wrapped in a shroud of anger and rage. "She shouldn't have done that."

"We should kill them both then," Jaggoth's four meaty hands gripped the vibroaxes and raised them high.

"No," Taryn argued. "Zekk should be with us. We will spare him."

"We will kill them both," another of the individuals, a gray-skinned Duros, said. "He has rejected our gifts."

"He knows nothing of our Colony's plans," Taryn again objected. "He is Jedi. He will understand."

"Just as we have," Raxi and Siare said in unison. "But he is still linked to the Colony, he blocks us out."

"It is the fault of Mallie Marek," Taryn's black eyes focused on Zekk's partner. "She has taken him away from us. It is she who must die."

"Yes, she must die," Trista agreed.

"We will deal with Jedi Zekk afterwards." Jaggoth assented amiably.

"Great," Mallie said sardonically. "I've just met her and already your new girlfriend and her family wants to kill me."

"She's not my girlfriend," Zekk instantly corrected. "And never mind that, she's under the control of something else. We should worry about that first."

"You're not the one they all want to kill," Mallie retorted. "Aren't your two women supposed to be some sort of Hapan super-commandos in training?"

"Would you quit referring to them as 'mine'?" Zekk said in exasperation . "We're just…"

"Die!" Jaggoth roared, charging towards Mallie like a stampeding reek.

Two others, a Gamorean and a Talz, let out echoing yells; likewise streaming toward the tall blond Jedi. Mallie just sighed, held out her hand, and created a wall of Force energy. The trio crashed right into the unforgiving barrier, and collapsed as one.

Raxi and Siare's lightsabers activated. Taryn and Trista drew their weapons. Mallie made a move to engage them, but Zekk held out a hand. "Wait."

"Zekk?"

"Trust me?"

Mallie nodded slowly.

Zekk approached the remaining six individuals, hands out to the side. "You know who I am, right?"

"You are Zekk, a Jedi," the Duros answered. "The red-haired humans who were once Taryn and Trista trust you greatly."

"You know this, how?"

"We are one mind now," Taryn spoke up. "Everything Taryn knew, we all know. Join with us Zekk. Help us to protect the galaxy, to keep it from falling into darkness."

Zekk felt his stomach churn. "You say everything 'Taryn knew,' are you not Taryn?"

"Taryn was who I was before she became a part of the Colony. Where before I served a single planet, I now serve the galaxy as a whole. Only the Colony can keep the silver-eyed sleeper from awakening. The Colony spread throughout this galaxy for that singular purpose. All others are inconsequential. Join with us Zekk, we need your help."

"What is this Colony? Who is this silver-eyed sleeper?"

"You will know all when you have joined," Raxi spoke. "There is no ignorance, there is knowledge."

"You can tell me now, and I gather my friends and allies. We can prevent the sleeper from awakening together. You don't have to be with the 'Colony' to do this."

"But we are at peace," Trista said. "We have a purpose. Would you be so cruel as to wrench us away from that."

"That is not the Zekk we know," Siare said aloud.

"And if I try to take you from the Colony by Force?" Zekk asked, purely out of curiosity.

"Then we will fight and kill you," the Duros spoke. "No one is allowed to threaten our Colony before we have completed our goals."

"Like attacking the restaurant? What purpose did that serve?"

The sixth member of the group, a human, huffed in annoyance. "We are done talking. You will let us go now Zekk. Join with us and you will have your answers."

Zekk released a long breath, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I'm a Jedi. Now, Mallie!"

Mallie sprung out from behind him, using the Force to both leap and increase her speed at the same time. Before any of the six could respond, she had delivered knock-out blows to both Raxi and Siare, the greatest threats, and then jammed the pommel of her lightsaber into the head of the Duros and brought an open hand strike to the back of the human's neck.

Taryn and Trista lashed out at Mallie, but Zekk used the Force and yanked the both of them over to him with a breakneck Force Pull. The two moved with the momentum of the pull, both swinging vibroblades in the process. Zekk blocked and knocked out Trista. Taryn, however, adjusted her attack to float under his arm, and cut a gash in his cheek. Zekk flinched, a small splash of blood flying out and landing on Taryn.

Taryn's hand flitted once more as the blade slashed towards his neck.

However, just as it began to break skin, the blade stopped. Zekk, gripping Taryn's wrist, looked down at the red-head in surprise. "Taryn?" He said cautiously.

Her hand holding the vibroblade shook violently, but didn't relent or drop the weapon. Creases furrowed her forehead as her movements became mechanical and lost the fluidity of her earlier attacks. Slowly, jerkily, Taryn's head tilted up to look at his face.

Taryn swallowed once, an almost desperate look of terror flickering across her face as she managed to wheeze. "Stop me."

Her eyes were gray for a fraction of a second. Then they were suddenly completely black once more, and she lashed out with her booted foot, catching Zekk off-guard. She lunged at him with the blade again, but this time a stun-bolt race across the top of the roof and hit the young warrior with unerring accuracy.

The sound of the stun shot was deafening, silencing all action and motion. Both Zekk and Mallie, the only two still conscious, glanced in the direction of the shot and saw a Galactic Alliance Assault shuttle hovering at roof-level. Intelligence Director Belindi Kalenda, clad in full-body armor, was lowering a heavy blaster as three more shuttles appeared. Ropes were lowered, and soldiers began to repel down onto the roof, or breach through the broken windows of the highrise.

"Thank you, Jedi Zekk, for clearing this building. We could not have done this as bloodlessly as you have done," Belindi said professionally, leaping out from the shuttle and onto the roof. She was flanked by several muscular soldiers, all armed to the teeth. "Am I correct to think that you would prefer Ms. Zel alive?"

"Yes," Zekk said stonily. "What are you doing here?"

"Investigating a tragic speeder accident by going to the home of one of the drivers," Belindi said off-handedly. "The five I sent in earlier ceased contact, so I thought I'd drop by to see what was wrong."

"Director," Mallie's eyes were narrowed. "Do you mean to tell me that you knew of the threat here and let Zekk and the others go in?"

"It is not my responsibility to keep track of the Jedi and their actions," Belindi said coolly. "Nor am I responsible for any thoughts I may have been vigorously thinking when I was in their presence. Besides, things worked out rather well, don't you think?"

"Director." Mallie growled.

"Oh, by the way, Jedi Zekk, you'll be wanting these." Belindi held out several vials.

"What are they?" Zekk said suspiciously, realizing that he had drastically underestimated her.

"A counter to the chemical agent you and your friends were given," Belindi answered. "This isn't the first flophouse my men have found on Denon. More like the tenth. I only know when one exists when my investigators go missing. Now, as much as I appreciate the assist this time, can you refrain from investigating any further speeder crashes in the future? The last thing we need is for a Jedi to be swayed by the drug."

Zekk cautiously injected one of the vials into himself, feeling an odd floating sensation only seconds later. The hammering in his head ceased, and he gradually felt the urge to join Jaggoth's group subside.

"You're lucky, Jedi Zekk," Belindi continued. "Those exposed to concentrated doses of whatever this drug is begin to see changes in the structure of their brain. As kind as you were in stunning everyone downstairs, they're now destined for labs to determine just how and what this drug is."

"Mals?" Zekk looked up to Mallie.

She scanned him with the Force, and nodded once. "It's safe."

Zekk injected the remaining two vials into Taryn and Trista, while Mallie bent over Raxi and Siare.

"I'm feeling in a giving mood today, Jedi Zekk," Belindi said. "So would you accept a ride back to the Jedi Temple? I think you've done enough today, haven't you?"

Zekk nodded, supporting both Taryn and Trista's unconscious forms against his. What was supposed to be a simple investigation had evidently turned out to be much bigger than even he had expected. One thing was for certain though, he had had enough of Denon's Old City for a very long while.

{-[VI]-} {-[VI]-}

Zekk sat between Taryn and Trista's medical beds, lost in thought. Jedi Temple healer Gruu Dunwik and visiting healer Bardan Jusik had done their best for the twins, as well as Raxi and Siare, but only time would tell if they would be okay. He wasn't much of a healer or scientist himself, but from what he could understand of their diagnosis, the four had been subjected to an intense, prolonged chemical bath of some sort, with electro-stimulation to help mold their brains. One of the Yuuzhan Vong shapers within the temple likened it to Shaping, where the brain was made malleable by the chemicals, and then re-wired to serve some purpose. What that purpose was, however, was anyone's guess.

Zekk had been thoroughly debriefed by Galactic Alliance Intelligence on the ride over to the temple, and then again by several worried members of the Jedi High Council. Taryn's haunting words about the Colony being spread throughout the galaxy, about her trying to stop a silver-eyed sleeper from awakening, were more than a little disturbing. Zekk knew that this was far from over. But at the moment, he just wanted to get Taryn and Trista far away from any mind-controlling drugs and disruptive Force users.

Taryn stirred, her hands closing around the handles of her vibroknives that Zekk had planted. The doctors had objected, but Zekk argued that they would help calm her down as she came to. An armed and dangerous Taryn was a lot better than a scared and defenseless Taryn.

It seemed to work, because the moment she recognized the familiar handles, the tension in her body eased.

"Zekk?" Taryn whispered.

"Hey." Zekk angled his chair towards her bed.

She released one of the vibroblades and reached a hand out towards the direction of his voice. "Hi."

"How do you feel?"

"Head feels weird," Taryn answered, her eyes still closed. "Like it's stuffed with cotton."

"Do you remember anything?"

"I don't know," Taryn breathed. "I remember going down to the Old City. Getting knocked out, and then waking up in some sort of tank. A sweet smelling aroma…and then…nothing. But I guess things worked out for the better if you're here. Are you okay. Is Trista?"

"Trista's still sleeping," Zekk rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand. "And I'm fine. Focus on getting better first."

"How was I knocked out?" Taryn said, her tone changing from worried to disgruntled. "No one's been able to knock me out that easily, even in the full-contact sparring matches back on Hapes."

"The Force," Zekk answered, chuckling softly. Now that everyone she cared for was fine, the only thing left was her wounded pride.

"Of course," Taryn grumbled. She lifted an eyelid to look at him with a clear gray eye. "When we get back to Hapes, you're going to teach Trista and I how to fight off Force techniques. We can't go fainting like fragile flowers if some Force sensitive assassin tries to get at the Queen Mother. And we'll certainly not be so easy targets again for whoever knocked us out this time around."

"Tenel Ka checked in on you two earlier. Said you weren't supposed to take your orders to keep me safe so literally," Zekk smiled, squeezing Taryn's hand affectionately. "She's also debating whether she should reschedule her flight back to Hapes."

"No," this time Trista spoke. "No, we can go with her today. We're not going to let the chume'da wait any longer to enter this galaxy."

Zekk turned and made a sound of exasperation when he realized that she had swung her legs out of the bed and was trying to stand. "Trista!"

"I'll…be fine," Trista wobbled.

Zekk stood by, but didn't intervene. He knew that both Zel twins prided themselves for their independence and willpower. It didn't mean they didn't need catching if they fell, that was what he was for, but he had no desire to take away any of that independence and inner strength from them.

Trista swayed, her hand reaching out to grip his shoulder as she steadied herself. She let go, giving Zekk a singular nod of thanks. He could tell that she was just as shaken as her sister, but was able to hide it much better. After all, Taryn was the heart of the duo, and Trista the logical, dutiful half.

The doors to the room opened, and an emotionless mask slid over her face.

"Master Jusik," Zekk inclined his head. He briefly saw Taryn swing her legs over the side of her own bed.

The former Republic Jedi-turned Mandalorian-turned New Jedi Order Jedi Healer-turned Mandalorian-turned part-time Jedi, having been alerted by the awakening of his patients, raised an eyebrow. "Jedi Zekk."

"These two plan to be on a shuttle later tonight. Will they be okay?"

Bardan eyed the two clinically. "Keep hydrated, plenty of rest, and no more exposure to tanks full of pheromones, and they'll be fine."

"Pheromones?" Trista said in alarm. "What sort?"

"Finished the analysis on the traces embedded in your clothing; definitely organic compounds, naturally occurring too. You two have mandokar to be up and about this early after almost having your brains re-wired."

"We're Hapan," Taryn gritted out, gripping Zekk's opposite arm as she too steadied herself. "Takes more than mind-altering substances to keep us down."

"He's lucky to have you two," Bardan snorted, gesturing to Zekk.

"We're not together!" The trio objected in unison, their cheeks turning pink. They all blinked, looked at each other, then looked away quickly.

"Clean bill of health then?" Zekk asked hastily.

"Not quite," Bardan's expression became serious. "You three, and Siare and Raxi, have some residuals that might or might not fade in time. In all honesty, this is my first time seeing something like this. Not only were you linked through the Force, but also chemically, electrically, and quite literally, magnetically. The serum you were given handles the chemical part of the equation, Dunwik and I took care of the Force part and helped stop any changes being made to your heads. But there's still an odd electro-magnetic field that's surrounding you."

"What does that mean?"

"Don't know," Bardan answered gruffly. "Like I said, this is my first time seeing something like this. I'll have to check the archives at Ossus for more answers. That's my next stop. But a guess? You'll find yourselves better coordinated with each other, might even be able to sense each other's emotions. Whatever happens though, will definitely be noticeable. Oh, and if you have any biometric locks, you might want to have them reset. The electrical currents in your bodies were completely changed as a result of whatever you were put through."

"Thanks for your help, Master Jedi," Trista bowed politely. For once, Taryn followed suit, bowing solemnly without a hint of spunkiness that she usually showed.

Bardan made a sound of annoyance. "Just doing my job. Now don't you people have a ship to catch?"

The Mandalorian Jedi Master left the room, and both Taryn and Trista abruptly sagged against Zekk, nearly pulling him down with them.

"Are you sure you'll be up for the trip?" Zekk said dryly, wrapping an arm around either of them to keep them supported.

"We'll be fine," Trista nodded, resting her forehead against his chest. "Just need to recover our strength."

"Can you do that Jedi thing to give us a little boost?" Taryn said, tilting her head back up.

Zekk gently placed a kiss on each forehead and infused their bodies with rejuvenating Force energy. "Not a problem."

"Think this will be the last we'll see of the crazy mind-controlling pheromone people?" Taryn asked, taking an experimental step back from Zekk, and then another when her strength held up.

Trista did the same. "Whatever it is, Galactic Alliance Intel barely has control over the situation. There's no doubt things will only get worse before a solution will present itself."

"That's a 'no' then," Taryn replied sarcastically. "Oh goody. That means I get a chance to give the guy who knocked us out a good boot in his…"

"Like Bardan said, we have a shuttle to catch," Zekk interrupted. "But Trista's right. This is probably only the beginning. The Force is telling me that we haven't seen the last of this, not by a long shot."

"You're worried?" Taryn blinked in surprise, realizing that she could actually feel just how deep his concern went.

"Yeah," Zekk breathed. "The one that attacked us was strong in the Force, much stronger than I've ever seen or felt before. I think…think the longer we go without meeting him again the better. At least not until we're ready."

"Then we'll train on Hapes," Trista said firmly. "We train, get better, and be ready when disaster finally strikes. That's all we can do until the villains show themselves."

"And we will be ready," Taryn said with a determined nod. "We'll be ready and face it together and make them regret trying to mess up the galaxy on our watch."

{-[Chapter End]-}

A\N: Yay, plenty of Zekk/Taryn. These two are just so much fun to write, so contrasting yet somehow able to fit together. Trista's fun also because she compliments them well. This story will also see Trista paired off with someone, to whom you'll be introduced next Zekk chapter. Next Chapter, the Corellians =).