Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. I was having trouble with this chapter. That and I have a hard time writing fight scenes. I pretty much suck at it, I think. Here's to hoping you don't think so, but accept my apologies if my suspicions turn out to be true.

" You called us to the bridge?" Atton called to Mira as they all piled in the corridor behind him.

" We've found it." she stated simply nodding towards the large asteroid off the starboard side.

" An asteroid?" Atton asked.

" That's no asteroid... that's a space station." Mical murmured behind him. Atton glanced at the kid and shook his head, then turned back to the matter at hand.

" Swing around and see if you can find an entrance anywhere."

Mira guided the ship carefully and soon they found what looked like a small landing pad and docking facility. " Should I just dock us?" she asked.

Atton shrugged. " I'm sure he knows we're coming anyway."

" If he doesn't you can be sure that she does." Mandalore added.

(~)

They fanned out and checked several corridors. There was no sign of anything. The scanners had only picked up two life forms, but that didn't account for any droids that might be lurking. They found none. Atton was a little surprised, but even more so scared. Atton knew Ariane's power. Knew it was beyond any of them. Her Master had to have equal or more power in order to have turned her so easily. What had seemed like a good plan now seemed foolish, but if they couldn't stop them here... Atton shuddered to think what might happen to the Republic if they should fall. Mical had been left onboard the Ebon Hawk with instructions to leave and return to Republic space if anything should happen to the rest of them. He could also help by healing a lot better if he wasn't distracted by fighting and his power had grown as such that he could heal them as long as he was in close proximity.

Walking down the main hallway they found what looked like a door made of dark purple water.

" What the hell is this?" Mandalore asked putting up a hand to touch it. His finger slid into it easily, but he suddenly pulled his hand back, his metal glove fingertip missing and singed.

" Plasma, perhaps?" Bao-Dur guessed. He had never seen anything like this before.

" Can you bypass it?" Atton asked.

" No." came a hiss from behind them and they all turned. " You can only pass through if you're of the Dark side. Anything of light is burned by it. You're getting soft in your old age, Mandalore." Senka was moving toward them slowly and the light seemed to fade as she walked through it. " It was foolish of you to come here, but expected."

Mira fixed her rocket launcher and shot one in front of where Senka stood. Through the fire and smoke she stepped lithely as if nothing at all had happened.

" Ariane..." Atton began and then felt a pain like that of a knife in his head. Quickly he threw up his mental defenses and the pain subsided. His companions were not so lucky.

" I knew you were the one, Jaq. The others don't even have a fraction of your power. Come with me and give yourself over. This doesn't have to be painful, unless you want it to be." Senka purred.

" Ariane. You can come back with us. Leave this. You can always come back to the light."

" Really? You're going to try that on me? I thought you were smarter than that, Jaq."

" Atton, strike her down..." Mandalore yelled as he sank to the floor. Mira was curled in a fetal position next to him and Bao-Dur was still standing, but sweat poured from his brow at the effort of keeping her out of his head.

" You should really listen to him, Jaq."

" Stop calling me that." Atton said through clenched teeth and ignited his lightsaber.

" Ooooh. Playtime." Senka laughed then ignited her own saber and sprang lightly into the air before Atton had a chance to move. He brought up his saber and sparks flew as the two connected inches from his face. Suddenly he saw another saber out of the corner of his eye swinging towards him. He rolled to the side narrowly missing having his ear taken off. He could smell the scent of burned hair and the smoke curled around his face.

He had no time to pause however because she was already behind him. He jumped to avoid the swing at his legs and kicked off the wall to avoid another swing at his torso. This was enough of a distraction that Mira was able to fire off another rocket and Bao-Dur moved in with his own yellow saber ignited and swinging in a wide arch towards Senka's shoulder. She sidestepped both and Bao-Dur was blown back by the force of the rocket. His body hit the wall and fell with a dull thud to the floor. Mandalore set off a series of shots having to move rapidly to keep up with Senka zigging across the hallway. Atton moved in and dove for her feet, managing to grasp one as he sailed past. She crashed to the ground and he kicked off the wall and doubled back to come down on her, but she sent out a force push that slammed him to the ceiling. Recovering quickly he landed on his feet to find her fifty feet down the hall. Mira had run to Bao-Dur's side and was trying to heal him, but Senka was having none of that. She threw the other woman and Atton caught her as she flew past the force of her body sending him sprawling and out of control. Then a familiar pain shot through Atton and he rolled Mira off of him in time to see Senka absorbing the life force from Bao-Dur. The Iridonian shuddered then went deathly still. Senka stood and rolled her head about her shoulders.

" Mmmmm, tasty." she murmured and Atton watched in horror as Bao-Dur's body vanished like a pile of flaking ashes.

" Mandalore, get Mira back to the Ebon Hawk now." Atton sent to the older man and sensing their dire straights he complied while Atton rushed towards Senka once more. Just as Mandalore closed the main hall door behind him Atton found himself suspended in mid air unable to move.

" You let them get away." Senka pouted. " No matter. We only wanted you anyways. Thank you for making it so easy."

She released him and he landed, but his ankle twisted beneath him and he heard a sickening crack. Pain shot through him and the urge to throw up was strong enough that his mind momentarily dropped it's guard. Then everything went dark.