Orgus stumbled down the side of the hill. The mud was thickening in the rain. On one hand, it would help cover his escape after his cover was blown. On the other hand, the rain was transforming the flood plain into a marsh.

Orgus scratched at the collar around his neck as he pressed forward. It was some Sith artifact and was blocking his connection with the Force. He had sent some kind of message to Maldecka across the bond before they cornered him. Without feedback, he had no idea what had gotten through.

Orgus looked over his shoulder as the howls of the tracking beasts came closer. To take stock, he had no lightsaber, no Force, no transport and three Sith on his trail. And worst of all, Maldecka was probably going to try to help him instead of going to Council Member Mattiax.

Orgus ducked his head and continued on as the rain came down harder.

Maldecka followed Malsept on light feet. Three more of her brothers followed behind her. They were all dressed as fierce Mandalorians. She lifted her head and put more effort into letting her signature look wild and free. Untrained. As she followed Malsept into the main hall of the compound she let genuine fear crawl around her gut. What if this didn't work? She had to leave her lightsaber on the ship and without them she felt naked.

She had called Council Member Mattiax and he had a brilliant plan. A risky plan, but brilliant. And it helped to ensure the Jedi Order was well removed from the whole situation.

Malsept and Maldecka stopped in front of a desk that must be ten feet long. The Sith behind the desk was giving them a very disdainful look. Maldecka shivered as she felt him examine her Force Signature.

She pushed back in as unorganized a manner as she could. The Sith immediately turned his physical gaze on her and raised his eyebrow.

Maldecka lifted her chin and mirrored Malsepts wide stance, "You didn't ask permission to look."

The Sith leaned back in his chair, "I don't need permission. You can't be a Mandalorain, child."

Malsept lit a cigarette and casually looked around the hall, "She's my daughter. Got good instincts, but still needs the experience."

The Sith smirked, "Good instincts. Is that how they say Force-sensitive now?"

Malsept tapped some of his ash onto the Sith's desk, "One and the same for all intents and purposes."

The Sith leaned forward and arced lightning in his hand, "Hardly, with some training you could hold the power of the universe in your hand. Interested?"

Maldecka tossed back her head and laughed, "A fistful of credits seems a more satisfying weight in my hand. Do you want your Jedi problem handled or not?"

The Sith rocked backwards in the chair, "Oh the ignorant desires of the young."

Malsept crossed his arms and frowned, "It's a pretty good desire in our line of work. Do you want a contract with us or not?"

The Sith frowned but he pulled up a screen anyway, "We through he was a butler. But we discovered that he was actually a Jedi undercover to steal our secrets. We were able to place an inhibitor collar on him but he escaped into the flood plain a week ago."

Malsept frowned at the screen, "You didn't mention his lightsaber."

"We haven't found it."

Maldecka and the Mandalorians made a show of asking questions about Orgus' abilities and habits. She had to carefully control her glee that the Sith truly didn't know much about Orgus. They didn't even know his name.

The Sith seemed to get tired of their questions and his ignorance through, "I am prepared to offer you fifteen thousand credits to kill this Jedi."

Malsept put out his cigarette, "The target is a Force user; a highly successful Jedi. He may have a lightsaber and thus have his force abilities back from cutting off the collar you are so impressed with. We know vaguely where he is but he has had a week to pepper the flood plain with traps for my team. And you only offer us fifteen thousand for him."

Maldecka followed as Malsept began to walk away from the desk. She tilted her head toward the Sith, "Did we waste our time?"

Malsept scoffed, "Yeah, we wasted our time."

"Forty thousand."

Malsept kept walking.

"One hundred thousand."

Malsept stopped. Then he turned, "What the hell aren't you telling us about the target?"

Maldecka didn't need to fake her confusion. Malsept really meant that.

The Sith frowned, "The Jedi has …. vital information."

Then Malsept crossed his arms, "Vital to whom? If it was the Empire then they have people for this."

The Sith genuinely struggled to compose his words, "Vital to me. I require the information returned to me as soon as possible."

Malsept grinned, "Half now, half upon the return of your blackmail material. Let's draw up the contract."

Maldecka stepped forward with genuine curiosity.

Orgus was looking at the contract for the hit on him. Maldecka couldn't feel much through the bond and that worried her a bit. Orgus had looked pretty bad when they had finally cornered him. And he had been very quiet as they recover his lightsaber and since they brought him onto the ship.

Still she smiled, "You could have gone a bit easier on us when we were tracking you."

Orgus looked up and took the bowl of soup Maldecka offered, "I really didn't know it was you. Did you know your name is on this contract? For my life?"

Maldecka sat beside Orgus with her own bowl, "It's actually for the blackmail information, not you. And yes, I did get a cut of the take."

Orgus frowned, "That explains the second copy Malsept was so eager to make."

Then Orgus reached over and pulled Maldecka into a one-armed hug, "I am proud of you through. I was in a tight spot. What made you think of that plan? Or was it Malsept and crew?"

Maldecka smiled, "It was Council Member Mattiax's plan."

Orgus choked on his soup. Malsept looked up from the other side of the galley to be sure they were okay.

Orgus finally recovered his air, "You called Mattiax? Really?"

Maldecka shrugged, "I wasn't sure what to do. Master Zarro once told me smart Jedi ask for help. And it was a great plan."

Orgus gave a wiry smile to his soup, "I guess I'll thank Mattiax when we get back to the temple."

Maldecka shifted a bit, "Actually, he wants us to stay undercover for a bit longer until the heat on us cools a bit."

Orgus looked at Maldecka. She could feel his emotions flashing across the bond. Then Orgus turned to look at Malsept.

Malsept raised his glass in a toast and called over, "With two Jedi on our crew the next couple months will set us up for life!"