While flying back to the ship, Vette and Quinn argued over how to repair armor. Sanguis had a back-up set, but it was bulkier and not quite as well-made. Vette wanted to stay on Nar Shaddaa a few more days and have "a guy I know" take care of it; Quinn wanted to send it to an authorized Imperial armorer on Dromund Kaas. Sanguis kept silent and tried to fight off a headache. The discussion was postponed when they contacted Darth Baras, who, after receiving their report - including the fact of Halidrell's death, for which he seemed genuinely sorry - gave them some news in return.

"Your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Nomen Karr has been busy. It appears your ship is being tracked. A very sophisticated sensor is reporting your every movement." Baras gave a signal to someone off-screen. "I've traced the signal to a spaceport in a sector not far from you. I'm sure Nomen Karr is involved. I've sent the coordinates to your mainframe. Head there immediately, dock with the station and," he emphasized, "make a lasting impression."

"As you command, master." He switched off and Sanguis turned to Quinn with an eager edge in her voice. "Set course as indicated, Captain."

The station was in orbit around a small moon of a lifeless planet on the edge of Hutt space. It was a minimally-defended installation, with no fighters docked and no armament of its own. They met no resistance when they boarded; there were techs and other maintenance personnel in the corridors, but those cleared out as soon as they saw the Sith. One wasn't fast enough. Sanguis caught him round the throat with the Force from twenty feet away. She let Quinn do the interrogating, and though the tech didn't seem to know much, he did finally direct them to the communications center. It turned out to be a huge room filled with various consoles; at one of them another tech was talking to the holographic figure of a man. Vette didn't even have to look at Sanguis - she could feel the Sith's rising hatred and malice as they walked over.

"- seems to be the trouble, Hirosho? Tell me why you're so concerned," said the transparent figure.

"Master Karr, you promised we would be undetected, but the ship we've been tracking for you is here!"

The Jedi didn't bat an eye. "Calm your fear, Hirosho; it will not serve you. I will speak with your visitor when the time comes."

"The time is upon you. I am here. Say your piece." Sanguis' voice wasn't harsh, but it was cold and deadly.

Hirosho turned slowly. "Uh... okay... you never told me we'd be tracking a Sith..."

"You were provided with the details necessary to perform your duties. Now, please remain quiet." Karr was still completely unconcerned. "Sith, I presume you are Darth Baras' new apprentice. I am Jedi Master Nomen Karr. Do you know me?"

"You are my master's sworn enemy, and therefore mine."

"These men were merely monitoring the equipment. Following orders. There's no need for bloodshed here."

"My quarrel is with you, Jedi. These men need not suffer." Vette let out a mental sigh of relief and Quinn looked less uneasy. Neither wanted to witness a massacre.

Karr managed to sound surprised and emotionless at the same time. "Your temperance is remarkable."

"Save your compliments, Jedi filth." She snapped her masked face toward Hirosho. "Go. NOW."

He didn't have to be told twice. All the civilians in the room evacuated immediately.

"Now that they're safe, I'll speak plainly," continued Karr. "I know Baras has spies, and I know you were sent to extract two of them before they could be exposed. But I'll soon have the proof I need. Baras' spies can't hide for long."

"You're deluded."

"Don't waste your breath with lies. Forgive the earlier deception, Sith, but now that Hirosho and his men have escaped harm, I must neutralize you immediately." A squad of troopers came through the door behind them, weapons leveled.

"Naturally. What else from a Jedi?" the Sith muttered as she turned. Her companions didn't have to do anything but stand out of the way. It was a short battle - short and incredibly violent. Vette felt sick afterwards; even Quinn looked away. Sanguis turned back to Karr, still on holo, with her back-up armor covered in blood and an almost visible cloud of hatred surrounding her.

"COWARD! Come and face me!"

"Jedi do not seek out a fight." The man remained infuriatingly calm. "It seems Darth Baras has found himself a singularly vicious weapon in you. This experience has given me valuable insight. I'll be prepared for you next time, Sith."

He was gone. Sanguis' scream of rage shook the station and she cleft the holoterminal in two with a single blow.

They returned to Dromund Kaas. The apprentice had a long conference with her master about the things he'd learned from the Jedi investigator; Quinn set the armorers to work and continued going over the ship with a fine-toothed comb, making improvements and upgrades wherever possible; Vette went to visit her sister.

The Laude estate was indeed small and quiet. It was a bit out of the way, which helped, and almost invisible from the air, since its founders had chosen to work with the jungle rather than fight it. Tivva had only been there a week, but the other servants accepted her freely and she'd found a niche for herself helping keep the paths clear of predators - she carried herself with the grace and elegance of a dancer but was also pretty handy with an assault cannon. She attributed it to lots of upper body strength. Vette attributed it to "awesome."

Neither Twi'lek was able to wheedle much about "The Master" out of the other servants, but they did talk freely about "The Old Master," Darth Ocellus. She'd been something of a hero during the war and they all admired her. Tivva learned that Ocellus had died four years ago on some obscure world in the fringe systems - no one was forthcoming with more details, if they knew them. The sisters made some discreet inquiries about Sanguis' father, but it seemed the only evidence of his existence was his daughter.

Baras' team reassembled on the ship the next day. They had two new leads on Nomen Karr's Padawan: she was from the formerly Republic-held world Alderaan and she'd spent a great deal of time training on an outer rim dustball called Tatooine. Sanguis made it clear that they were going to Tatooine first. A Master Jedi was there.

"You're gonna kill him, huh?" Vette said. It wasn't really a question.

"I will grind his face beneath my boot," the Sith replied, deadly serious.

"Yeah... yeah." Vette shifted away a little. "I just don't get it, I guess." Sanguis looked at her silently from beneath the mask. "I mean, what happened to all that stuff you said once? About not liking death and preferring possibilities?"

"That does not apply to Jedi scum. I will never let one escape me alive."

"Right. Got it. Let's go."