Kayla was incapacitated for several days; she felt vulnerable unable to respond should another attack occur. If Darth Bilius had gotten Imperial troops to Tython, he had an Imperial cruiser at his beck and call. An Imperial cruiser would be equipped with a fighter wing, ground assault troops, and space-to-surface weaponry.
Grandma Blashe had assured her there were no military ships in orbit and informed her that Manshen had people looking for another copy of the ritual to bind the force. She also informed Kayla that the Council of Elders on Sanctuary were worried about Kayla and were sending her back up.
Kayla accepted that latter news with mixed feelings. She would like the company of her own kind but wondered if it reflected a lack of confidence in her ability to complete the task.
At least, Katzen and the Twi'leks kept her supplied with meals
She practiced moving her wing. While it was healing it felt stiff and the membrane burned when she stretched it, as if it would tear. Several times a day, a med droid would run an ultra-sound scanner over the broken bone. That and her self-healing technique had helped the bone to knit together faster than normal.
She smiled when she saw Vuxoo in the company of a temple guard, headed her way. She was no longer wearing the Force dampening cuffs but she was unarmed.
"Come to pay de 'inbalid' a 'bisit'?" Kayla asked as Vuxoo neared.
"There's nothing to do," Vuxoo groused and dropped onto the ground. "I'm not even allowed to access the archives. What do they think I'm going to do, steal a holocron? Where would I go? You look completely miserable."
"Bored. What I'd do to be able to study a holocron. I'm too big to get inside." Kayla grinned showing her rows of sharp, flesh-rending teeth. "Watch dis dough."
Kayla made a small Force energy ball and rolled it toward Vuxoo. It was almost as big as Vuxoo was tall.
"You're getting good control of the Force. So have you learned what you were looking for when you left for the Jedi?" She threw her weight behind the ball to send it rolling back to Kayla.
"I learned dat no one understands de 'P-horce'." Kayla nudged the ball with her left first digit.
"How so?" Vuxoo asked; she sent the ball back to Kayla.
Kayla explained her view that the Force was innately balanced and thus most powerful only when both positive and negative emotions were accepted and not allowed to rule. "Peace is not the absence of emotion; it is the acceptance of emotion. Strength doesn't come from fear; strength abates fear. Knowledge is power."
"That's downright heretical, for both sides," Vuxoo noted adding swirls of color to the ball. She gave it a heave back to Kayla. "What does your master think of your views."
"My Master agrees wit' me; it's de council dat has issues."
"They're terrified of you," Vuxoo observed, "and don't know what to do about you; not unlike the Sith on Korriban." She pushed the ball back to Kayla. "So, do you have a plan to stop Bilius and Manshen?"
"Been working on it while I lie here helpless," Kayla countered.
Vuxoo snorted a laugh. "If you're helpless, I'm the emperor."
"Dinner!," Kayla's eyes widened and her long jaw contorted into a smile. "Katzen, Wuxoo. Wuxoo, Katzen."
"Vuxoo," she corrected acknowledging the Cathar bringing in three Uxibeast carcasses. "Ugh," she turned around so as not to watch Kayla tear into the dead beasts. "So what is your plan?"
Kayla swallowed. "Stop and kill Manshen."
"Simple," Katzen acknowledged.
"How's Chasnur," Kayla asked before ripping off another bite.
"He is doing just dandy; he's milking his injury for all it's worth. Kat get me this, Kat bring me that, Kat go here…" Katzen growled deep in her throat. "He's twelve minutes younger than me; he acts like he's twelve years older."
Vuxoo was trying unsuccessfully not to laugh.
"He's getting better," Kayla announced. "Tell him to get op his lazy ass and come see me and dat he's to bring me de holocron on de Rakatans."
"You knew the Rakatans, why do you need their holocron?" Katzen asked.
"To get him op his lazy ass."
As a Mandelorian fighter, Vuxoo had seen a lot of gore and horror; but there was something about Kayla's eating fresh meat and the spurting blood that made her stomach churn. Even the sound was making her gag. "What you actually should review is any information on Darth Bilius, the Dark Council, and Lord Manshen." she managed to get the words out without vomiting.
"Done dat." Kayla reached her sinewy neck past Vuxoo and took a long drink from the pool.
"Manshen isn't going to allow himself to be simply squashed under your foot," Vuxoo noted. "He's now seen you in action and knows your capabilities."
"He's going to try and get that entity bound before you recover and attack him," Katzen noted.
"Grandma is keeping an eye on him."
"Grandma?" Vuxoo turned in surprise just as Kayla ripped the head of the last beast. She spun away and vomited.
"Por a Mando, you got a weak stomach. Grandma Blashe is a 'P-horce' ghost." Kayla explained.
"So she's the reason all the Force ghosts and Korriban were in such an uproar," Vuxoo realized after she recovered from her bout of sickness. She suddenly stiffened. "You aren't injured anymore," she nearly whispered.
"Don't tell anyone dat," Kayla warned and wolfed down the last of the Uxibeasts. "You too, Katzen."
Katzen was giggling. "This is great. He thinks you're incapacitated; if he attacks, you take him down."
"You threw up that shield, but he doesn't know that," Vuxoo added. "His prejudice will be his undoing. He believes that all you are capable of is what he saw during your aerial fight."
"Darth Bilius on de 'udderhand' knew ob me on Korriban; he knows better," Kayla pointed out. "He has tried to educate Manshen, wit'out success."
"How do you know that?" Vuxoo asked.
"She spied on them," Katzen whispered. "Are you really a Mandelorian?"
"You better get back to your studies," Kayla warned. "Master Din won't be too happy ip he learns you were wasting baluable time chit-chatting wit' a Sit'."
Praven sat on the wall of the reflection pool staring off toward the Flesh Raider camp. "So what have you learned?" He flexed and unflexed his prosthetic arm and hand.
"Manshen was highly upset to learn de computer containing de ritual was destroyed as well as de 'Pount ob Rajibari'. He got Bilius to send all his toadies to scour de galaxy por anudder copy. What will happen to 'Wuxoo'?"
"Master Shan is working with her hoping to convert her to the light. She's quite strong and would be an asset."
"You don't sound hope'ul dat Master Shan will succeed."
Praven shrugged. "Vuxoo is a Mando; they are almost rabid when it comes to loyalty to the Empire." He glanced at Kayla. "But they are also rabidly loyal to those they respect. She respects you; you defeated her in honorable combat."
"I didn't depeat her. I was out ob de pight bepore she surrendered."
"Be that as it may, she is loyal to you. Why don't you shapeshift?" It was more a statement than a question.
"My coracoid won't heal properly as a humerus."
He narrowed his eyes. "Your coracoid has been fine for days now." He jerked his chin in the direction of the Flesh Raider camp. "Besides, they don't know that. We can put it in a splint and sling to keep up appearances. I want you ready to travel when Bilius' people have found another copy of the ritual. Our ships can't transport you in that form. Besides, you shape-changed twice after you were injured."
"And it hurt like Hell!" Kayla snarled.
"Oh, Wa-a-aw. Suck it up."
"You can be a heartless bastard. You know dat?" She shook her head and shifted into human form. She let out a wail of pain and grabbed her arm. She waved off a med droid that rushed to her aid.
"Secure her upper arm and sling it," Praven ordered.
The med droid immediately stabilized Kayla's right arm and put it in a sling. "I do not understand the continued pain…"
"She's not human," Praven cut the droid off. "She heals differently."
When Kayla was ready, Praven escorted her to his office in the temple. "So how will we know if they are onto the existence of another copy?"
"Grandma," Kayla smiled. "Bilius and Manshen can sense the presence of a Force ghost but not commune with her. She on the other hand knows everything they say or do."
"There are two of them and one of her."
Kayla laughed. "She's a Force ghost. You'd be surprised what she's capable of."
"Can she fight for us?"
Kayla shrugged. "She can to a degree but the question is, 'would she'?" She leaned forward. "I want to tell you something but will do so only if you swear that you will not tell anyone else, especially the Jedi Council."
Praven thought about his answer as he studied her. "I swear on the Force and my honor that I shall tell no one."
"Grandma said the Elders are sending two others to assist me in my task."
Praven struggled to hide his reaction. More dragons here? More creatures capable of turning Tython into another Tatooine? That was beyond terrifying. "Help with your task. Why?" he finally asked.
"My task was to learn the nature of the other species inhabiting this galaxy. She has informed them of what we are facing, a resurgence of the Rakatan technology that suppressed the entire galaxy until 20,000 years ago and was used to oppress and deform our kind. We will not allow that to happen again." She smiled sympathetically. "We won't destroy a planet again, unless we have to."
"You are not being reassuring," Praven grumbled.
Kayla acknowledged the arrival of her grandmother. Praven sensed the presence of the immensely powerful Force ghost. He saw Kayla nod and felt the ghost retreat.
"They have found another copy of the ritual. Manshen is headed for Belsavis." Kayla announced.