Disclaimer: It ain't mine.

Okay, I'm sorry I haven't updated in, like, forever. There was that whole weird virus thing and I didn't have the know-how to get around it. But please review-reviews are highly motivational. Also, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with Dustil. Should he join up with the Ebon Hawk crew or just go to Dantooine or something? Please offer your opinions in the reveiws. I need it.

I looked wearily at the Jedi. I ignored the urge to tear off my mask, to bore into him with my golden eyes. I ignored the urge to call Jaq in. This Jedi was important enough to deserve my personal attention.

"Surely this is not worth the fight. All I want is a tiny bit of information." I said very pleasantly. My voice was deep and strange. The dark side had a price. The Jedi stayed silent.

I was getting annoyed. And headachy.

I zapped him with a bolt of Force lightning. "Trust me when I say I'm being nice about this." I growled.

"Sith? Nice?" The Jedi scoffed.

I nodded, as sincere as a mask-wearing Sith could be. "By now, Jaq would have broken at least one limb. Malak would have likely torn one—or two—off." I shook my head despairingly. "He's an idiot, but he's a useful idiot."

"What?" The Jedi asked incredulously. Under my mask, my lips curved into a smile. He was curious now. And I could work with that.

Ash sat up in her bed, sheets sticking to her sweaty skin. Apparently, the academy had been used to torture and convert Jedi. Teethree beeped out a question.

"I'm fine." Ash said. "Just nightmares. What time is it?"

Teethree made more assorted noises. Ash groaned. "I'll be back in a bit, Tee. Just set yourself up and don't get stolen."

Ash grabbed a hair tie and pins, taming the black mass that threatened to stand stiff. She wiped the sweat away as best she could. And she walked to the Ebon Hawk, wondering if Bastila had a similar dream. Ash rather hoped she hadn't.

An exuberant Mission greeted her. "I cracked it!"

Ash smiled, giving the teen a one-armed hug. "Never doubted you, kiddo." Ash said. "You're one of the best hackers I've ever met."

"You've told me before." Mission said smugly.

She chuckled. "And modesty is a virtue, my dear. Do remember that."

"I can't help that I'm awesome!"

"Force, it is good to hear some self-praise. I want to murder everyone in that stinkin' academy."

Mission's brows rose. "And particular reason?"

"They're like a bunch of bratty little children throwing tantrums all frackin' day. And throwing things. And shooting lightning. And sneering." Ash sighed. "And this place is affecting me."

"Whaddya mean?"

Ash threw her hands up in the air, sitting down. "There's two of me. Cold, calculating, feral, bordering on cruel me and me-me. It's really weird, because feral-me feels really familiar. And the dreams—agh!" She crossed her arms over her chest. "I hate them. I'm dreaming about Jedi and Star Maps and Revan and I don't get it!"

"Did you have a dream?" Mission asked.

Ash sighed, looking around. "Let's go to the cantina." She grabbed Mission's arm, hauling her off the ship.

"I'm guessing you don't really want Bastila to know about whatever it is that's bothering you?" Mission half-asked upon the pair sitting down.

"No, absolutely not. She'd tell me I needed to meditate more. I hate meditating. Hate, hate, hate it. I'm glad the Sith teachers don't make me do it. And she'd question me endlessly."

"So what's bothering you?"

"Did you know Korriban was used to convert Jedi to the dark side?" Ash asked abruptly.

"No, but from what I've heard about here, I'm not surprised."

"That's what I was dreaming about. I was some Sith, who was torturing some Jedi or another. I think I was Revan. Force, I always dream about her. Always in her skull, too. I don't get it. And she called Malak an idiot." Mission giggled. "And she was thinking about her headache." Ash glared at the girl. "It's not funny, either! It's freaking me out!"

Mission composed her face into a blank stare. "Well, I'm no Jedi. Maybe Revan left a… a trace, or something, and you're picking it up."

"Psychometery?" Ash frowned. "Huh. I never considered that. But why would Revan leave traces on Taris? And what about the first dreams, with all the explosions?"

"Will of the Force?" Mission offered. "Sheer luck? Sheer unluck?"

"So, go figure?" Ash asked dryly.

"Pretty much."

Ash chuckled. "When we get to Manaan, my dear, you and I will dedicate a day to shopping. We will get some fancy clothes and have a girls day out. Maybe even drain our credit accounts."

Mission clapped her hands. "That'll be fun!" She shrieked. "Bastila coming?"

"If you want her to. Not that I think she'd say yes. This girly stuff… eh, not so much her thing. She's been living in seclusion too long."

"Only most of her life." Mission added, with a grimace. "I'd say 'poor thing', but she's so… so…"

"Snooty?"

Mission's lekku twitched. "Putting it nicely."

Ash snickered. "Yeah, I know. Not entirely her fault, but she could stand to loosen up. Maybe we should try alcohol."

Mission raised a brow. "You really think that'd work? Miss Priss wouldn't touch it. You'd drink yourself silly, but she'd go off at the first smell."

"I don't drink myself silly!" Ash said indignantly.

"Whatever, mom." Mission retorted. "I saw you drink yourself smelly."

"You're way to observant, you know that?" Mission merely smirked. "Should we get lunch here?"

"Definitely. And you really need to do something about the synthesizer. It's nasty."

Ash grimaced. "You're telling me. Maybe I'll be able to get some parts from Czerka. Not that I like Czerka, but they're pretty much the only option. I don't really want to go back to Dantooine."

"Me neither. It might be pretty, but it's boring there."

"I just don't want to talk to the you-know-who again. And they'd ask me to talk about Korriban and crap, and would probably find out my dream perspective. And we could end up stuck there for weeks again." Ash sank back in her chair. "Force, I don't know how much more of this stress I can take."

"You'll be fine. We're only gonna be here a little while longer."

Ash snorted humorlessly. "Unless another sandstorm kicks up and I can't leave the Academy for a week." She stood and walked to the bar. Mission tailed her. They ordered, eating in silence, and walked back to the Ebon Hawk.

Ash went to the girl's dorm, bracing herself to see Bastila and be questioned. "You don't look like you slept well."

"Thanks." Ash said drily. "I know I look awful. I've heard that dark side exposure can do that to a person. Even if they aren't dark side."

"You're avoiding giving an answer." Bastila said primly.

"You didn't ask a question." Ash pointed out, hoping to not have to answer any.

"Did you sleep well?"

Now, Ash really tried not to lie to a point-blank question. So she settled for a half-truth. "Not really. Something is absolutely wrong with that academy—this whole place."

"I know that. What is bothering you?"

"I just want to leave." Ash said. Not a lie; simply avoidance. She patted the datapad Mission had given back to her. "I need to get through to grab my pack." Bastila moved aside, allowing Ash to grab her pack from her bunk in the girl's dorm. She put the datapad in it, as well as the silver-lined sword from Ajunta Pall's tomb. She had a feeling she would need it soon. She then headed to the cockpit, where she could sense Carth's aura.

"Hey, Brass." She said, leaning in the 'doorway'.

"Hey, Beautiful." He turned in his seat. "You look tired."

"Didn't sleep well." Ash said. "But Mission finished decrypting the datapad I stole. There's gotta be something there." She fished it from her pack. "As soon as you're ready, you and I will head back to the academy and talk to Dustil. Then I've got some caves to explore, maybe another tomb."

"Okay." Carth said, already scrolling through the datapad.

Ash plopped down in the co-pilots seat, reclining and putting her feet up on the instrument board. She closed her eyes. She fell into a meditative half-doze until Carth shook her shoulder.

"Ready."

"Oh—" massive yawn, "—kay." Ash stood up, stretching so her spine popped. She adjusted her pack, aware of the mines in it. On the hyperspace trip to Korriban, she had gotten Zaalbar to teach her how to quickly and safely use them. She had been more likely to blow herself up than her target before.

She had a feeling she'd be needing them, too, when she went into the shyrack caves. Maybe not the last tomb, but definitely the caves.

Mission grinned a good-bye as the pair, Carth in armor, Ash in black, went down the ramp, heading back to the academy. Ash was slightly in the lead, her lightsabers bouncing on her hips. Once in the academy, it didn't take long to locate Dustil. And it took less time to show him the datapad.

Father-son relations were on the way to being repaired.

Ash and Carth walked out the back of the academy, the stone passage winding and narrow. A blast of dank air, the entrance to the shyrack caves, greeted them about halfway through.

"Cave today, tomb tomorrow." Ash said. Carth nodded in mute acceptance. They both stepped into the cave.

"You got a light?"

Ash frowned. "I knew I forgot something." She muttered, before holding up a hand. Blue-white lightning crackled on her fingertips, providing the faintest illumination.

"Isn't that lightning?"

"What's your point?"

"Isn't that kind of a Dark Jedi power?"

"Eh, I don't think so. Weapons aren't inherently evil, and this is a weapon. Depends on how I use it. Convenient light. Not especially bright, though."

"I'll agree with that, but it's enough light." He looked at her. "Any reason you were in the cantina, talking to Mission?"

"None of your business." Ash reprimanded. "But I was talking to her. This planet creeps me out. And I'm more aware of you-know-who than ever. She's keeping secrets." They came to a fork. "Left or right?"

"Left. And everybody knows Bastila is keeping secrets, on the orders of the Jedi Council."

"It's starting to bug me more and more. I get the feeling that it's one of those big, ugly secrets that will come out in a big, ugly way." Ash sighed. "And I also get the feeling that when I find out, I'm gonna wish I hadn't."

"Cheerful thoughts."

"I have too much time for thinking, that's what. I prefer to act. Sitting around and thinking doesn't get a person all that far in the real world." Ash's voice echoed now. A huge cavern, and a gorge with a slim 'bridge' of stone was displayed before them. "Whoa."

"No kidding." Carth muttered.

Ash took a few steps forward, testing the bridge. It was solid under her feet. She walked across. "Cummon!" She shouted to Carth.

Ash heard heavy steps behind her. She whirled, to see a terentatek stomping to her. Reflex had her grab the sword from her pack. The sword wasn't much of a weapon, but it would fare better than a lightsaber against the terentatek hide. Huge, yellowed claws swiped at her. She leaped back, on the edge of the gorge, not quite close to the bridge.

The lightning she had been using for illumination was gone. She could only track the beast by the gleaming claws and teeth. With a cry, she darted to one side. A wall was encroaching on the gorge—Ash thought that if she got far enough back, she might kill the terentatek using her mines as make-shift grenades, since they could be set on a timer. She kept backing away, hyper-aware of the chasm to her right, the wall closing in on her left.

Her heel collided with something, nearly sending her tumbling. Only her Force-enhanced reflexes allowed herself to right her body. A few mines came to her hands, held in the air by the Force. Ash knew it wasn't exactly the smartest move, but she was short on space.

She set the first mine on a timer, dabbing an adhesive from her belt onto it before throwing it. She guided it to land on the terentatek. Taking another step or two back, she heard a small explosion. And a roar. Ash felt a little hot blood splatter on her, a clumsy claw deliver a chance blow to her arm. She threw her adhesive-covered and primed mines, aided by the Force.

Scooting back along the ledge, Ash curled her arm into her chest, waiting for the mines to go off. They did go off—with a spectacular bang. Ash groaned as it settled down. Hot blood was spattered all over her. Scowling, she skirted what was left of the corpse and held up a hand. Lightning danced around her fingertips, and she found the narrow stone bridge.

"What the hell happened?" Carth grabbed her shoulders.

Ash's head tilted up. "A terentatek… I kinda used some mine and the Force to blow it up."

"I saw—and heard—the explosions. Lucky you brought the mines, I guess. You okay?"

"Ah, fine. Only a little scratch. I got off lightly." She scowled down at her clothing. "These will need to be burned."

"A scratch?" Carth asked skeptically. "Let me see." Ash presented her arm, which was beginning to throb now that her adrenaline was going down. Carth squinted in the light. "I can't see it properly."

Ash grinned lopsidedly. "I'll take care of it when we get back to the Hawk, alright? Don't worry about me."

"I'll worry anyways. You're too careless."

"I said I'm fine. It'll be taken care of within an hour. No need to worry." Ash looked at the stone corridors that split in front of her. "Uh… which one did we take?"

"Uh…"

Ash screeched a moving body propelled her backwards. She managed to dig her heel into the ground, sending both of them tumbling. Somebody had vastly overestimated her strength and size. Twisting, Ash managed to get her back to the ground, trying to stop.

The ground suddenly dropped away, and her clothes were drenched. Fear rose up in her throat and her attacker flew back, propelled by the Force. Ash crawled out of the pool of water, taking calming breaths. A fire lit the room. Carth was watching three others warily, ready to fire. Her attacker must've though he was gonna hit Carth, not Ash.

"What the hell was that for?" Ash hissed. She was annoyed. Wet cat kind of annoyed. Only she was a lot more dangerous than a wet cat. "What the hell are you people even doing in here?"

"You… You're not going to kill us?" A female voice from behind her said.

Ash scowled. "I'm just trying to get out of these stinkin' caves. I'm covered in terentatek blood and now I'm wet. I really hate getting attacked for no apparent reason. I have had a long week. You idiots are lucky I didn't pull my sabers."

"You're a Sith?"

"Did I say that?" Ash scowled deeper. "I'm a Force-user with lightsabers. Not a Jedi, not a Sith. And if you people are in here, you're hiding. Get out or something."

"We would…" the woman began, "but there's a beast of some sort blocking the way out."

"I think it's dead now." Ash said drily. "You're free to leave. Good luck to ya, hope I don't ever meet ya again. Nothing personal, but I've got a tomb to get into. Got any Sith artifacts?"

"Well, this… I don't know what it is, though." Ash went over to the small fire, examining the amulet in her hand.

"Thanks. Which way is out?"

"Just keep going straight that way." The woman pointed. "You eventually get to the entrance."

Ash nodded, raising a hand in farewell. "You comin', Carth?"

He caught up with her in an instant. "You alright?"

"Wet, cold, bloody, injured… yeah, fine. Let's get back to that stupid academy. Maybe I'll actually get into that tomb this century."

"Yep, you're fine. Snarky as ever."

Ash put a hand over her heart in mock horror. "You wound me!" She proclaimed dramatically.

"Sure I do." Carth grunted, with a tiny grin.

Ash handed Uthar the amulet. "Found it in the shyrack caves." She said smoothly. He looked at her, noting her rather… unkempt appearance.

"Anything else?"

"Well, I killed a terentatek. Messy business. I was fairly sure you wouldn't want me dragging any pieces back, however."

"Impressive. And I judge you have impressed me enough. We go to the tomb of Naga Sadow at dawn."

Ash dipped her head. "Of course, Master Uthar."