Chapter 14: I Am Invincible, That's Right!

-I-

While the three women repaired the speeder, Jason's mind wandered. Since arriving in the SWTOR universe he had shot his way through three locations. Ord Mantell, Esseles/Brentaal Star, and now Coruscant. It seemed that shooting up places was all he was doing. Then again, the SWTOR game essentially boiled down to going to one place after another shooting/lightsabering bad guys and saving the galaxy in the process. At the moment he was still new to the universe, still trying to find his way and figure out just what the heck his story-mission was going to be. He knew it had something to do with datacrons. The Aim datacron's energy he had absorbed made that abundantly clear. But at the same time, that energy had been very temperamental as of late. He wasn't sure what to make of that. So, he went to the only person he felt had any idea about the topic.

"Some of these guys were really rich," Leora said brightly as Jason approached her corner of the garage. Laid out in front of her were dozens of wallets and credit-chits from the Black Sun members who had been unfortunate enough to encounter her. "What's up?"

"I have a question about the datacron I most definitely didn't absorb," Jason said in a low voice.

"Just call it 'The D'. There's no telling what surveillance devices are installed in this base." Leora stopped counting her gains to pay full attention to Jason. "And I'm not sure how much help I can be. It was my brother who had 'The D', not me."

"Did he ever have any problems with...'The D'?" Jason asked, inwardly wincing. He mentally glared at Leora for coming up with ridiculous names—and then at himself for going along with it.

"What do you mean?"

"On Ord Mantell I had no problems with it. But the past few times I've tried to use it, it hasn't exactly worked the way I wanted it to," Jason said. "The last time it gave me a bloody nose."

"Oh, so you're having performance issues," Leora nodded sagely.

"You don't have to put it like that," Jason said dryly, already regretting coming to the dark-side aligned Jedi Knight. Leora had said 'performance issues' loud enough that the nearby male members of Havoc 'Squash,' as well as Ellaera and Jesslyn, all heard it. Both Ellaera and Jedi Knight Jesslyn even looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Don't worry, Jason. It's probably stress related," Leora continued at the same volume. "After all, if you're lacking in experience, you're bound to have more issues."

Jason was already regretting coming to Leora. "Issues with the Force. You're right. I don't have much experience with the Force."

"That's obvious. Why are you emphasizing that word and talking so loudly? What else would I be referring to?"

The mischievous glint in Leora's eyes had Jason give up. "So it's Force related? Should I got to Tython and get trained?"

"It might not entirely be Force-related," Leora said after a moment of thought. "Samovan Bann isn't a Jedi or Sith and he's able to wield his power."

"Did your brother have…performance issues?"

"He kept his performances far away from me," Leora quipped back. "Remember, it was he and my best friend. I wanted no business with their business."

"Leora," Jason said patiently.

"I don't know. Like I said, I'm not sure how much help I can be. After he took in the energy from 'The D of Strength,' he was away from Tython more times than he was actually there. That mission that got most of the people killed was the only joint mission we undertook together."

"Is there someone who would know?"

"Master Cyre might know. He also has 'The D,' and teamed up with my brother on several missions. They were close friends. He's on Tython. More or less permanently."

"Why? What happened?" Jason said with genuine worry. Cyre was the 'main' toon that Jennson was the 'alt' for, and therefore a representation of one of his closest friends. And Jason didn't want anything to happen before he even had a chance to meet the man.

"'The D' he absorbed is more suited for philosophical debates and lore than in the field. It also matches his personality. The missions where he teamed up with my brother were all archaeological digs. He's actually the reason why I was initially interested in healing and the Je'daii Order."

"It looks like I have to head to Tython anyway then," Jason sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Are your performance issues that serious?" Leora frowned.

"Let's just say 'The D' lets me down when I need it the most," Jason answered deadpan, the spacious hangar carrying his voice. He saw Ellaera and Jesslyn give him raised eyebrows once more and he smiled weakly at them. It wasn't like he could clarify the point by saying 'datacron' this time. In the end, he decided to just blame Leora. "When it didn't work, it almost got me killed."

"Maybe you shouldn't use it until you get a better handle on it then," Leora said with a seriously straight face, though her eyes were gleaming in amusement. "You don't want to cause any permanent damage to your body by overusing it or using it wrong. If you're having a problem by the time we leave this planet, maybe you should go to Tython and see if Cyre can give you a hand."

Rumblebee had chosen that moment to pass by en route to Ellaera and Jesslyn. She paused and glanced at Jason. "Damage to your body? If you're having a medical problem, maybe I can help."

Jason heard Leora snigger out loud, and was pretty sure the rose-red-haired Jedi was even sniggering in the Force if that was possible. Realizing that Rumblebee was still waiting for an answer, he smiled sheepishly. "No, it's nothing like that. Leora was just joking around."

Rumblebee blinked. "Oookay. If you're sure. But if you have any problems, don't hesitate to come to me. I take doctor-patient confidentiality seriously."

"I will," Jason said awkwardly. He again shot a glare at Leora, but the Jedi just smirked and went back to counting out her gains. On reflection, he didn't see why he could just share the information about the datacrons with the others. They were his friends and he trusted them.

"You'll put their lives at risk if you do," Leora said solemnly as Rumblebee left. From the fact that Rumblebee hadn't even reacted to the comment, Jason was sure that Leora had 'beamed' those words directly to him. "I mean it. My brother had a group of friends like me and Xalai once. The Sith learned he had absorbed the power of 'The D' and they went after his friends in an attempt to eliminate him. Those friends were fully trained Jedi and they were still taken out. Your friends are mercs who'd sell out to the highest bidder if it helps them survive."

"Not all of them are like that," Jason frowned, thinking about Rumblebee and Ellaera. "And Havoc Squad, no matter which branch, are Republic elite. They can take care of themselves."

"Republic elite didn't stop an entire branch of Havoc Squad from defecting. Plus General Garza is a cold battleship of a woman who'd use that knowledge in ways you'd have no control over," Leora pointed out. "If you have the powers of 'The D', you can't trust anyone.

Jason went silent at that. Having this unique condition was starting to not be all that great after all. What was the point of super-accuracy if it overloaded his brain? It wasn't like in the game where he could whip out a personal-trainer hologram and then train the necessary skills with the click of a mouse. If he had to wait until Tython to reliably use his skills, he would be the most useless out of the entire group. He wasn't a soldier, hadn't trained for the lifestyle SWTOR obviously required. They'd end up carrying him. After all, he had a bow and arrow, and if he couldn't consistently and accurately use it in a blaster fight, he'd drag everyone down. He had only just arrived on Coruscant and he was already looking forward to leaving it.

Leora seemed to sense his mood and once again stopped counting her loot. "Okay, enough with the mope-y face. Come with me."

Jason cocked his head to the side, but nodded and followed her out of the hangar and deeper into the base.

"Where are we going?"

"I saw a gym when we were clearing this building," Leora explained. The gym in question was surprisingly well-equipped for a criminal organization. It was as though the Black Sun members really took staying in physical shape seriously. Not that Leora seemed to care. Several gestures later and all the equipment had been Force-blasted to one side of the room or the other. She had also knocked out the security cameras on the ceiling in the process. "Okay. Explain to me how it works."

"'The D'?" Jason arched a playful eyebrow.

"Yes, that." Leora retorted with a smirk. "Just because I'm a Jedi, I'm not dead. Now do you want my help or not?"

Jason smiled and shook his head. "I basically draw my bow and arrow, concentrate on where I'm shooting at, and it kind of kicks in automatically. If I'm focusing too much, I end up seeing the pathways of any projectiles in my field of vision."

"Whoa, that sounds neat." Leora said, taken aback.

"How did 'The D' affect your brother?"

"The way he described it to me, it was like a river being held back by a dam. When he focused on its energy, it would overflow, augmenting his Force abilities and physical strength. During that mission, my brother made a single Force Wave basically turn several Sith troopers into red mist. It's how I knew that that Sith back on the Esseles didn't fully merge with 'The D's' energy yet. If he had done so, I'd have been pasted before I could even react."

"So why did we come here?"

"I wanted to see your abilities in action," Leora said. "I mean, I've known you've used it the past, but I was always too busy to actually pay attention."

"How should I do this?"

Leora made a gesture and several durasteel weights were levitated into the air. "Target one using your powers."

Jason unslung his bow off his shoulders and nocked one of the arrows. Staring up at the floating target, Jason couldn't help but frown. "I don't need the powers to hit that target."

Leora made a whirling gesture with her finger and the three durasteel weights began to swirl around the room at a moderate pace. "How about now?"

Jason began to track the middle target. But just as he was about to release his arrow, one of the durasteel weights hurled towards him, forcing him to dive clear. "Leora!"

"You looked bored," Leora commented casually. A flick of her wrist sent another durasteel weight slicing towards him. "Go on, aim for that target."

Jason tried to do as requested, but the swooping durasteel weights made the task infinitely more difficult. It was hard to track, dodge, and shoot at the same time.

"Come on! Stop dancing around! You said 'The D' helps you track the projectiles," Leora barked. "So put your 'D' to work!"

Another near miss had Jason exhale sharply. He rose up in a crouch and pulled back the bow-string. As he did, he reflexively fell upon the energy that was within him. All at once, time slowed. Jason could see ghostly images of the two metal weights once again making a beeline for him. He could also see the remaining weight in the air. He could hear his own pounding heart and feel the nocked arrow between his fingers. Another ghostly path formed, then another. Leora was going to send two more weights flying in his direction. Evidently she was one of those 'tough love'-type instructors. Jason drew a lead on his target, and then released the arrow. The second he did, he dove forward to avoid the four projectiles. Time snapped back into place and the four weight clanged loudly as they impacted with the gym floor. Jason's arrow whooshed and embedded itself into the durasteel target as if the target had been a block of cheese.

Jason rose from his crouch, breathing heavily. Unlike before, he didn't feel any negative repercussions of his power's usage. "Was that what you had in mind?"

Leora's eyes gleamed. "We only just scratched the surface. We need to find out just when 'The D' you have will give out on you. That way we can work backwards to solve its performance issues."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Jason said nervously.

Leora made a gesture and eight weights began floating in the air. "I'm saying we still have at least a half-hour left before our ride is ready. Let's see just how much you can take."

Jason blinked owlishly at the surrounding weights. His Adam's Apple bobbed as he swallowed. "Meep."

-II-

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ellaera asked Jason for the fifth time.

Jason was shirtless, swathed with kolto patches and band-aids to the extent that he looked like a mummy. He and Leora had definitely found his limit around the twenty-minute mark of the training. The datacron's power had failed him while he had been in the process of trying to calculate and dodge nearly two-dozen projectiles. The end result being Jason being pummeled by nearly two-dozen projectiles. Fortunately they hadn't been the heavy weights that Leora had initially used. Unfortunately, tiny weights, even bean-bag ankle-weights, still hurt when hurled with the Force. Rumblebee and Neosmugg had rushed to the gym when Leora issued a mind-shaking call for help through the Force. Of course, the others had rushed with them expecting trouble.

What they got was a black-and-blue Jason mostly buried beneath weights ranging from a half-kilogram to three kilograms. Broken ribs, bruising, fractured arm, torn tissue, a black eye, concussion, the list went on. Between the strain the datacron had put on his brain, and the pain from the weighty consequences of Leora's reckless training, Jason had barely been able to stay conscious. Luckily, all of Jason's injuries were easily fixed with kolto, the Force, and time. Leora's explanation of Jason wanting to work out some kinks in 'areas he was deficient in' hadn't exactly gone over well with the crowd.

"Leora," Oseari had said dryly. "Haven't you wondered why the Jedi Council won't let you take on an apprentice?"

"Nope," Leora had replied shamelessly, while Neosmugg and Rumblebee stabilized Jason.

Jason was on his own two feet again, but his head and upper body were wrapped to the point where he could have been a serious-burn victim. When the group emerged out into the hangar, Sallyy, Jesslyn, and Elara Dorne all stared at him in disbelief.

Sallyy glanced to Rumblebee and Ellaera. "Do I even want to know?"

"We're just playing 'blame the Jedi,' for this," Ellaera shook her head. "Any details will kill brain-cells."

"Ah, the good ol' 'blame the Jedi' game," Sallyy nodded sagely. "Alright."

"Do I even want to know what that is?" Jesslyn asked wryly.

"Jedi believe that the Force is responsible for everything. Jedi can use the Force. Therefore Jedi are responsible for everything," Sallyy answered lightly.

"The good things too, right?" Jesslyn said with a snort.

"You Jedi don't like to accept praise, and if everything is going right it's because you're doing your jobs," Ellaera added. "If things go wrong it's because you didn't do your jobs, and it's definitely your fault."

"Is the speeder ready?" Captain Jennson asked, getting everyone back on task.

"About that, sir," Sergeant Elara Dorne responded. "The speeder is fully functional and IFF equipped. However, I would recommend that Havoc Squad use the IFF frequencies I downloaded and apply it to our ship. The speeder cannot accommodate all of us and it would be unwise to send any less of our number into the Black Sun base."

"Jedi Jesslyn. You know the Black Sun the best. What is your opinion?"

"I have to agree with your sergeant, Captain Jennson," Jesslyn said. "But at the same time, a corvette the size of the one you have will be too conspicuous. Especially since it's still painted in Republic colors. We don't have the time to repaint it or acquire another ship. What I would suggest is that Havoc Squad and our heavy hitters launch an attack on the Black Sun base from the roof. The others will take the speeder and land at the lower levels of the base and infiltrate it from there.

"Sallyy?" Jennson polled the other mechanic and 'leader' of the Smuggler faction.

"Your flashy ship would definitely draw away the security, making infiltration a lot easier."

"Understood," Jennson put on his helmet and tabbed the comm-system. "Red Star, Red Star, this is Meteor. Requesting exfil at my coordinates. Standby for further orders."

"[Red Star copies,]" a croaking Gand voice crackled back over the comm-system. Jason's head jerked in Jennson's direction. Apparently Jennson had recruited the last 'Trooper' companion to his squad. "[Exfil will commence in five.]"

"Appreciated. Meteor, out," Jennson ended the call. "Okay, how are we dividing up the team?"

"Ose, you and Jesslyn should go with Havoc," Leora said. "You're both better suited for firefights."

"Neosmugg, can you go with them? They're going to need a medic," Sallyy directed to the doctor. "And Ms. Mai and Skadge, can you go with as well? They're going to need your firepower too."

The five all nodded in agreement.

"That leaves Jason, me, Rumblebee, Ellaera, and Leora to go through the front door," Sallyy concluded.

Havoc Squad's corvette coasted through the skies of Coruscant and easily fit into the spacious hangar of the building. At this point in time, Jason didn't even question why the Trooper character that was Jennson had a 'Jedi Order' Defender-class corvette and not the standard Trooper BT-7 Thunderclap assault ship. If his brother was indeed writing out everything that was happening, Jason wouldn't past him getting the ships and classes mixed up in a rush to get out chapters. It wasn't like he could 'go back in time' and fix what had already happened.

Both groups gave each other final salutes and nods.

"Good luck," Jennson inclined his head at the Smuggler.

"You too."

Jason piled into the newly reassembled speeder, grimacing as he stretched his wounded arm out.

"Are you sure you should be coming along?" Ellaera asked worriedly. "Rumblebee?"

"His injuries weren't serious. He'll just be sore for a bit while the kolto patches him back together," Rumblebee said. "As long as he doesn't do anything stupid, he'll be okay."

Sallyy, Ellaera, and Leora looked at Rumblebee skeptically.

Jason felt slightly offended. "Hey."

"Don't worry," Leora said lightly. "It's my fault he's like that so I'll take responsibility if he gets dead."

"Hey!" Jason protested again.

"Jedi Lost, you use others as shields," Ellaera said skeptically. "When he gets dead, he's not going to care about if you take responsibility."

"There's no guarantee I'm getting dead," Jason continued to protest to no avail.

"It was nice knowing you," Sallyy patted Jason's bandaged shoulder sympathetically.

"I'm not dead yet," Jason said in exasperation. "Rumblebee, tell them!"

"He's not dead, yet," Rumblebee said, her choice of where she paused her sentence completely ruining her reassurance.

The group bickered playfully all through the trip, the tension they had been feeling evaporating at Jason's expense. Jason was too busy laughing and shaking his head to be worried, despite the fact that the women in the speeder were all predicting his untimely demise. He trusted all of them, and while he might be a newbie in the SWTOR-verse, he knew they had more than enough experience to watch his back.

In the distance a giant fireball went up in the air as the bright-red corvette used by Havoc Squad fired on the rooftop with its forward laser cannons. Defensive laser cannons all around the building attempted to track the target, but because of the hijacked IFF the targeting systems wouldn't lock on. The Havoc Squad ship had no such problems. The cannons rotating into position drew attention to them and the corvette circled the base, picking off one emplacement after another. Like a kicked over hornet's nest, swarms of Black Sun soldiers, speeder bikes, and vehicles came pouring out of the building.

In the midst of all the chaos, the Smuggler's own hijacked Black Sun speeder slipped through and landed at one of the open berths. The five of them were completely unnoticed by the Black Sun guards rushing to and fro and were able to enter a security door before it closed after a squad of Black Sun thugs left it. If someone did glance their way, the group, much to Jason's amusement, went all out in supporting him as if he had been severely injured in the unfolding battle. The fighting on the rooftop continued to echo through the structure, blaster shrieks, explosions, and rapid barks of auto-cannons shattering the morning calm.

It didn't take long for them to find their way into a small control-room of sorts. They swiftly overpowered the two guards in the room and took over.

"Ellaera do your thing," Sallyy said to her fellow Smuggler.

"Jedi Lost is the better slicer," Ellaera deferred.

Leora then stepped up to the bank of computers, activated her lightsaber, and proceeded to cleave them to pieces. More alarms went off.

"Leora!"

"What? You said I was a better slicer. I sliced the computers. Why are you angry?" The Jedi said with a smile.

"That wasn't…you know what, never mind."

"We're supposed to infiltrate the base, not be the star of the show," Sallyy groaned after Ellaera's comment.

Rapid footsteps sounded in the hallway and a full squad of Black Sun thugs rushed the room with guns raised. Leora gestured with her hand and threw them all against one of the control-room walls. Sallyy, Rumblebee, and Ellaera then proceeded to stun-blast each of the immobilized people.

"That one," Leora gestured to a thug who actually appeared to be wearing a military uniform of some sorts. Sallyy and Ellaera dragged the unfortunate woman to Leora. Leora then proceeded to place a hand on the unconscious thug's head. After a moment, Leora shook her head and deposited the woman back on the ground. "She doesn't know anything. Her boss might, though. He's an underboss."

"Where is he?" Sallyy asked.

Leora grabbed the unconscious thug's comlink. She tabbed it on. "Will the commander of one very unconscious mercenary squad please report to the auxiliary control-room on level one? The inept squad under your command is in need of rescuing. If no one appears, we'll be happy to throw them into the lost-and-found chute for you."

Leora made a hand gesture and a hatch opened.

Rumblebee rolled her eyes and stepped in front of the hatch. "That's the garbage disposal."

"We're supposed to be the stealthy ones," Sallyy reminded again, at the same time.

"And I'm supposed to pretend I didn't see you placing those charges on the structural support columns on the way here?" Leora countered Sallyy.

"It's a big building full of bad guys. Of course I'm going to make it go boom. But that's after we leave."

"Ladies," Jason pointed to one of the few intact monitors that showed a heavily armed Black Sun underboss heading in their direction with a small army of underlings behind him. They were passing through a columned atrium that led to their control-room.

"Oooh, wait," Sallyy reached into her uniform, pulled out a detonator, and pressed the button.

The entire room shook and dust fell from the ceiling as the columns around the large contingent of Black Sun thugs were all blown to bits. Several floors worth of debris rained down on anyone fortunate enough to survive that.

"I thought you were waiting for us to be clear of the place?" Ellaera said wryly.

"A large number of bad guys walking between five explosives? How can someone resist that temptation," Sallyy said, looking guilty.

"You blew up the underboss Leora wanted to brain-scramble," Jason pointed out. Amazingly enough, the camera that had the view of that lobby had survived the destruction.

"Can you call someone else? I promise not to blow them up this time," a bashful Sallyy said to Leora.

"It's not like I have Black Sun underbosses on speed-call," Leora grumbled with a smile. "I'll just switch to the general frequency."

"Wait a minute," Ellaera held out a hand. "Jason, we should probably set up some fortifications."

"Good idea," Jason hastily moved to help Ellaera move a heavy table over to the door and flip it over.

"Aren't you supposed to be the responsible one?" Rumblebee asked Sallyy in the meantime.

"I didn't set off all my explosives. That's what this detonator is for," Sallyy tossed a second detonator up and down in her hands.

"Can I call the bad guys now?" Leora asked.

"Sure," Jason and Ellaera said in a resigned tone.

"Calling all Black Sun underbosses. I'm terribly sorry for leading that last one into an explosion. I promise that it won't happen again. If one of you can come down to the auxiliary control-room on the first floor, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks."

"That can't possibly work a second time, can it?" Jason asked Ellaera in a low voice.

"It depends on how stupid the underbosses are," Ellaera shrugged. "Most of the ones that aren't fighting Havoc Squad are the smart ones because they know that trying to shoot at a corvette with a blaster rifle is suicide."

"Looks like they're actually sending in their underlings first," Rumblebee, who had been looking at the intact monitors, said.

"That's okay," Leora answered, crouched over one of the stunned Black Sun thugs mid-loot.

"They aren't Imperial," Jason pointed out. "Neither were the ones back in the hangar. Why are you looting them?"

"Force of habit," Leora shrugged, shamelessly letting a handful of credits disappear into a bulging bag attached to her utility belt.

The thudding footsteps of the Black Sun thugs streaming down either end of the hallway leading to the control-room signaled the arrival of the thugs.

"Rumbles, you said no underbosses in this group?" Sallyy asked, palming another detonator.

"Didn't look like it."

"Okay."

The booms of her explosives going off were a bit more than deafening given the proximity of them. For good measure, Sallyy then hurled two spherical objects out of the doorway, where they bounced off the opposite wall at an angle and rolled down either side of the hallway. A crackle of electricity was heard a split second later.

Jason and Ellaera stayed crouched behind their makeshift barricade. "Do you have a feeling they don't actually need us?"

"That's a good feeling to have," Ellaera answered to Jason.

"Ellaera, you have a stealth-field generator, go outside and check things out."

"Here," Ellaera handed the generator to Jason. "You go check them. The generator is simple. Press this button to activate the field. Press it again to deactivate it. You have a couple minutes worth of charge."

"You've been around Leora too much." Despite his words, Jason was smiling. Heck yeah he was going to take the opportunity to actually go invisible. He attached the device to his belt. "I'm gone."

The field hummed to life and Jason didn't really feel any different apart from a slight increase in temperature. He held his hand out in front of him and could only see a faint, ghostly outline. Worried that it wasn't working, he waved the hand in front of Ellaera's face, but she had no reaction.

"Jason? You leave the room yet?" Rumblebee called out. "If you see any Black Sun members out there who are still alive, let me know and I'll do what I can for them."

"I'm all over it," Jason said reassuringly. He was surprised that just speaking caused the field to flicker and fail. The warmth faded and he could see his arms again. "Oh."

"Acoustics beyond a certain level cancel out the field," Ellaera explained. "The vibrations of the air caused by sound affect the electrical field that bends the light around you. It's why I de-stealth every time I fire my weapons. More advanced stealth-generators can handle higher sound-levels, but I'm not nearly rich enough to afford those."

"Got it," Jason said. He readied the stealth-generator again. "Okay, I'll check things out now."

Jason slipped out of the room with a small bit of confidence. The stealth-generator definitely gave him a small feeling of superiority over the non-cloaked people. But the sight outside the hallway caused his stomach to churn and he felt the previous night's dinner rise up. Sallyy had attached anti-personnel explosives to the ceiling, and when they had gone off, they sprayed the hallway with flechette and shrapnel like a fire-suppressor would spray water or chemicals. Needless to say, most of the bodies in the hallway no longer had recognizable heads.

He somewhat successfully suppressed his nausea as he gingerly stepped around the corpses. There were no survivors that he could see. He made it to the end of the hallway and was about to crouch down next to a more intact corpse, when a sound at the opposite end of the hallway had him spin around and then freeze. A large Houk, even bigger than Skadge, had rounded the corner with a fresh set of thugs, and they were all staring down the hallway with varying degrees of apprehension and murderous rage. Jason did his best to imitate the masterful stealth techniques of Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy, moving as slow as possible to avoid being seen. Though his stealth-generator was active, he was still a good thirty to forty paces away from the control-room doors. The last thing he wanted to do was suddenly appear in the middle of the hallway right in front of Black Sun goons looking for revenge.

Then one of the Black Sun thugs set up a protective energy screen at crouched down behind it. The Houk underboss gestured for several others to do the same. They did, one even lobbing a small probe droid out in front of him that immediately began scanning the length of the hallway.

"Jason? You okay out there?" Ellaera called out from the room.

Jason flinched and held in his breath, not wanting any sound-waves to disrupt the field.

The Houk had his men slowly advance down the hallway, leap-frogging those who had portable protective screens. The bright lights of the scanning probe droid continued to sweep the hallway centimeter by centimeter, getting awfully close.

Jason very slowly drew his bow and nocked an arrow, his heart pounding as the Black Sun members got closer and closer.

And then, the stealth-generator he was using used up the last of its energy, just as the probe droid's scans reached him and caused the droid to shriek in alarm.

The half-mummified Jason appeared in the middle of the hallway with his bow drawn. At the moment he wished he was Jason Genji instead of Kenji, so he could fire two snaking energy dragons down the hallway and get a team-kill. Before the Houk or Black Sun members could even comprehend the mummified figured before them, the figure fired off an arrow. The shhhhrup-thunk sound of it crossing the short distance and embedding itself in the target was overly loud in the suddenly very quiet hallway.

The Black Sun thugs all looked in disbelief at the Houk who now had an arrow protruding through his large forehead and out the back. They all abruptly took aim, only to freeze again when a handful of spherical objects hurled out of the control-room, ricocheted off the wall, and landed on their side of the hallway.

"Gre…." The quickest of the group wasn't quick enough in his warning.

The devices all crackled to life, insta-dropping the group of shielded thugs with a storm of electrical energy.

"You still alive?" Leora asked, stepping out into the hallway.

"Yeah," Jason breathed out. The others likewise stepped out into the hallway to survey the damage, with Rumblebee immediately going to Jason to double-check his status.

"Oh, look, another underboss," Leora nudged the Houk with a foot. "Another dead underboss."

"Can you try and call another?" Jason asked with a weak smile.

The comlink each team member had crackled to life. Lieutenant Jorgan's voice came over the line. "What the heck are you civilians doing? The Black Sun members have all pulled back into the building. You're about to get hit hard!"

Hurried footsteps and another large Black Sun gang member rounded the corner with a roar. Ellaera, who had been closest, fired her shotgun at near point blank range. The projectile halted the momentum of the large manand he collapsed into limp heap.

"A third underboss," Leora noted, seeing the matching insignia on the man's outfit. "I'm beginning to think all of you just don't want me brain-scrambling them."

But then a bandoleer of explosives was lobbed around the corner. Leora quickly caught the dangerous belt, but the grenades had already been primed. The powerful blast sent the Jedi flying backwards and knocked Jason, Rumblebee, and Ellaera off their feet. Black Sun thugs rounded the corner next, stun-bolts flying like confetti from a confetti cannon.

Sallyy, the only one not affected by the blast, was nailed by several stun-bolts in quick succession and collapsed. Rumblebee and Ellaera had been in the process of standing and were both dropped once more. Leora, despite being badly burned and bloodied by the blast, made a gesture and sent Jason sliding back into the control room. Another gesture sealed the door and shorted out the control.

Jason was still dazed by the blast and quick turn of events, but came back to his senses when something loud thumped on the door. He knew he didn't have much time before the Black Sun gangsters broke through. He searched around the enclosed room and spotted two possible ways to escape, the garbage disposal and ventilation shaft. Given what he knew about the Star Wars universe in general, he knew the garbage disposal was a very bad idea.

Despite his worry for his friends on the other side of the door, he knew he couldn't help them if he ended up captured too. With a determined stride, Jason stepped up onto a nearby chair and pulled the cover of the ventilation shaft free. His main plan now was to meet up with Havoc Squad and the others and go from there.

-III-

Jason dropped down out of the ventilation shaft a half-hour later, exactly where he wanted to be. It had been a laborious half-hour of climbing and twisting through the building's ventilation system. And it was an experience Jason wasn't eager to repeat any time soon. His successful adventure was thanks to the guidance of Caitlin'snow'mai, who had sliced into the Black Sun network, and Jesslyn, who had used the Force to keep tabs on any dangers not in the blueprints. Unlike in the movies, ventilation shafts weren't clean and pristine. When he emerged from the shaft, he was covered in a layer of soot and dust. When coupled with his blood-stained, bandaged state—falling on the ground back on the first floor had gotten him splashed with the blood of the dead Black Sun gangsters—made him look like he had just emerged from the zombie-shooter game Left 4 Dead.

His appearance even surprised the soldiers of Havoc Squad and the experienced bounty-hunter Caitlin'snow'mai.

"You're starting to look corpse-ish," Neosmugg said with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm starting to feel corpse-ish," Jason exhaled, dusting off his once white-now-grey-and-dark-red bandages.

"What went wrong?" Oseari asked with concerned voice.

"Leora," Jason said in one word.

Oseari grimaced. "Apologies."

"Why are you apologizing for her?" Sergeant Elara Dorne asked in confusion.

"It's complicated."

"You're a Jedi. You can tell if she's okay, right?" Jason said, glancing back into the ventilation shaft as his thoughts took him to the friends he had left behind.

"She's alive, and a little pissed," Oseari answered after a moment of concentration. "But she's also being moved out of the building if what I'm sensing is right."

"That's not good," Captain Jennson said evenly. "We can't assume the others are being moved with her since she's a Jedi. If they split up the prisoners…"

"Hold a moment. Let me check something," Neosmugg spoke up, pulling out a datapad. He fiddled with the keyboard on it and then activated the small screen. "Rumblebee is being moved too. Is this the direction you're picking up from Jedi Lost?"

Oseari leaned over to look at the screen. "Yeah."

"You're tracking your ex?" Caitlin'snow'mai asked with an eyebrow raised.

"It's not as creepy as it looks," Neosmugg said defensively. He held out one of his arms. "Both she and I have subdermal medical implants that neutralize most sedatives or stimulates in our blood stream. As a bonus, they also have a tracking capability in case either of us are trapped behind enemy lines. We got it at the same time."

"So we go after them, sir?" Lieutenant Jorgan asked.

"I thought we came here to bust up Samovan," Skadge protested. "No one said anything about no rescue. Why should we go after these stupid weaklings who got themselves captured by these scrubs?"

"We don't even know if Samovan is still here," Lieutenant Jorgan said coolly. "We assaulted his main base with a starship. If he's as cunning his reputation makes him out to be, he'd be foolish to stick around."

"You never know. Sometimes the bigger the ego, the more of a complex they might have," Caitlin'snow'mai remarked. "Some of the bounties I went after knew I was coming after them but didn't even bother to change their routine."

"Technically we still have to raid Samovan's vault even if he isn't here," Neosmugg spoke. "We can have the third team keep tabs on Rumblebee and the others in the meantime."

"Right, the evidence," Jennson's tone was neutral and his expression indecipherable behind his helmet. He activated his helmet comm-system again. "Red Star, Red Star, this is Meteor. Break off for now and follow the bandits heading due west. Signal Command and have them mobilize Contingency Three."

"[Red Star Copies. Will relay message and track down the bandits. Red Star, out]."

"Let's finish clearing this building," Skadge huffed, holding a rocket-boosted sledgehammer that Jason could swear was from the Fallout or Overwatch universe. "I wanna bust some more heads."

"Ms. Mai, do we have the location of Bann's office?" Jennson looked to their group's tech expert.

"In the middle of the building," Caitlin'snow'mai showed off a holo-display of the area. Jason could see they were still a bit of a ways away from the lone executive turbolift that led to Samovan's personal area of the base. "Judging from the building's own heat and motion detectors, we have a small army of Black Sun thugs between us and that turbolift."

"Any chance of activating the building's own security features?" Jennson asked.

"Already tried it. The auto-turrets, gas, and electrified flooring controls can't be accessed remotely. If we can get to the central security room just before the turbolift, we'll have access. Aaand they've just locked down the turbolifts."

"Looks like we'll have to clear this building floor by floor then." Lieutenant Jorgan grimaced.

"Can we use grappling lines and ascension guns instead?" Sergeant Dorne asked. "Instead of clearing the building, we would just have to clear that one level."

Caitlin'snow'mai fiddled with the map. "We'd have to breach the wall. The level with the executive turbolift has no windows. It's also over three-dozen levels above where we are. Hugging the outside of a building like this, in this neighborhood, is probably more dangerous than floor clearing."

"I have an idea," Jason spoke up, eyeing Oseari's lightsaber. The events of the Brentaal Star played in his mind as he spoke.

"Go ahead," Captain Jennson said.

Jason pointed to the lightsaber. "We have Oseari make a Jedi door in the ceiling."

"A Jedi…oh," Captain Jennson caught on. "Ms. Mai, can you recommend a good location for a Jedi door?"

Caitlin'snow'mai scanned the map, and then froze in place. "I do. But you're not going to like it."

The group crowded around the holo-emitter to see what she meant. Eyebrows shot up. But they all nodded in resignation, realizing why she had picked the location. It was relatively close to the executive turbolift and definitely wouldn't have any security on waiting for them when they emerged.

"Jedi Oseari, can you do it?"

"I can," Oseari said with a serious face.

"If Samovan isn't in his office when he gets there…" Caitlin'snow'mai muttered murderously.

Like most of the buildings on Coruscant, the structure that made up the Black Sun base was fairly uniform in its blueprint. The stairs and turbolifts on every level were all adjacent to a small plaza. The rooms were more or less aligned with their counterparts on the floors above and below. And the bathrooms were all in the same place on every floor. From slicing into the building's own motion and heat sensors, the group could see that the Black Sun gunmen were all clustered around the stairs and turbolifts leading to the VIP floor. The bathroom, which was right by the executive turbolift, was completely empty.

The next few hours went by slowly. Oseari would cut a hole in the ceiling, people would be floated up through the hole to the next level's bathroom, Oseari would jump up in the end, and the cycle would repeat. Given that the building belonged to a criminal organization that dealt with spice and other illicit chems, the cleanliness of their restroom facilities wasn't that high a priority. Several levels had bathrooms that made Oseari put some urgency into his Jedi door making abilities. Luckily for all of them, Caitlin'snow'mai had chosen the women's bathroom for them to make their ascent. Jason didn't even want to think about how bad the men's side was if the women's restrooms were in such a poor state.

Eventually, however, after braving many levels of bathrooms in desperate need of deep-cleaning, the group managed to reach the executive turbolift-level's bathroom. As the name of the level suggested, even the bathroom was a cut above the others. And it was actually clean!

Jennson held a single finger up to the mouth part of his helmet in the signature 'shhhh' gesture. The group spread out in the bathroom, weapons at the ready. Catilin'snow'mai checked the security systems again and gestured in the direction the Black Sun members were clustered in.

The area in front of the executive turbolift was shaped like several capital H's smooshed together. The single narrow hallway down the middle led to the executive turbolift. The Black Sun thugs were all packed into the individual hallways that branched out from the central path. Jason's team didn't know the exact numbers, but they knew there was a lot.

Jorgan knelt down by the bathroom door and snaked a flexible camera under the doorjamb. The bathroom was at the very end of their particular branch of hallway, and the rest of the hallway was relatively empty. Being the very last 'branch' of the H-shaped hallway before the executive turbolift, the only ones in it were the Black Sun underbosses and Vigos. These dozen or so individuals were all seated around a table playing a card game. All of them looked mildly bored about the whole situation and weren't alert at all. If they were facing a conventional enemy, it made sense. For any danger to reach them, the attackers would have to wade through several hundred Black Sun grunts down a straight passage with nothing to take cover behind.

Captain Jennson made a motion to the Havoc Squad members and they all nodded silently. He then pointed to Caitlin'snow'mai, Skadge, Neosmugg, and Jason and made the 'hold here' gesture. He next addressed Oseari and Jesslyn, indicating that the two Jedi should follow Havoc Squad. Oseari and Jesslyn picked the plan out of Jennson's mind and went along with it without a sound.

The Havoc Squad leader then held up five fingers, counted down to four, to three, to two. At one, Lieutenant Jorgan pulled the bathroom door opened. At zero, Havoc Squad and Oseari rushed out. From his vantage point, Jason could see all three Havoc Squad members use harpoon-like hooks and chains to ensnare a targeted Black Sun leader. Oseari and Jesslyn simply used the Force to grab a handful as well.

The end result was that the dozen-some-odd leaders who had been chilling in the back of the Black Sun formation were all yanked down the hallway and knocked out in quick succession. The lights in the side hallways had been shut off to hide the Black Sun thugs, so no one even noticed the leaders had been kidnapped. Once brought into the bathroom, all of them were then bound by the harpoon chains and gagged for good measure.

Jennson motioned again, and the entire group emerged from the bathroom. The utter silence of their snatch and grab showed just how deadly a team of Special Forces operatives and Jedi could be.

"Boss?" A voice called out unexpectedly. "It's been nearly two hours now. The boys are getting restless. Are we sure that the Jedi and commandos are still in the building?"

An unfortunate Black Sun lieutenant stopped at the hallway juncture and did a double-take at the weapons aimed in his direction. Captain Jennson gestured for the man to surrender. But this particular lieutenant proved that his brains weren't the reason why he had achieved his rank. Despite the weapons aimed at him, he reached for his blaster. An air-propelled hiss was heard as Neosmugg fired a tranq-dart that hit the man. But as the man fell, his poorly-kept blaster clattered noisily out of his hand and discharged.

The Black Sun members closest to the hallway juncture all turned around at that in time to see the lieutenant's body hit the ground.

"Contact rear!" Another lieutenant roared out.

But the nearest Black Sun members didn't have a chance to react before Elara Dorne, Aric Jorgan, and Jennson stepped into the central hallway, each holding a blaster cannon of some kind. Jennson's resembled a minigun, Aric's, a cannon with a massive barrel, and Elara's an intimidating SAW-type gun. All three opened fire before the Black Sun members finished turning.

"Skadge, Ms. Mai, get the turbolift door," Jennson yelled over the din. The three members of Havoc Squad continued to plow the field with a seemingly never-ending stream of super-heated gas and metal. "Jedi Oseari and Jesslyn, give them some cover."

"We've got their backs," Oseari confirmed, stepped into the hallway with his lightsaber activated.

Jesslyn similarly ignited her saber. "Focus on the door."

"On it!" Skadge cracked his knuckles and stormed up to the door. The power to the door was cut off, but it didn't matter to the burly Houk. With a roar he swung his massive sledgehammer into lift door, and the pointed head of the hammer ripped right through it. He drew the sledgehammer back and slammed it into the door again. With the lock of the door sufficiently obliterated, Skadge then used his bare hands to wrench what was left of the door completely open. Caitlin'snow'mai angled her body into the open turbolift shaft and severed the safety cables, before pulling her body back. The turbolift within the shaft came screaming down a split second later, smashing loudly at the bottom of the shaft.

"Go," Jennson called out to Neosmugg and Jason.

Both quickly entered the shaft and grabbed onto the maintenance ladder. Caitlin'snow'mai activated her own jetpack and leap-frogged them to the next level. She pulled a cutting laser from her utility belt and disabled the locking mechanism of the door. She then opened the door a crack, threw in several grenades, and closed the door again. The resulting blast caused a part of the metal door to develop an unhealthy bubble. She then opened the door again and zoomed in.

"Clear!"

Jason and Neosmugg ascended to the level. What had once been a nice office complete with elaborate fish-tank was now a charred mess, complete with fried fish. But it was completely empty and devoid of any corpses other than those who had lived in the fish-tank. What was immediately noticeable, however, was that an area behind the colossal desk in the center of the room definitely didn't match the décor of its surroundings. In fact, if Jason didn't know any better, it looked a lot like an emergency escape tunnel. He could see straight through to the outside of the building because the Coruscanti sunlight was glimmering at the other end.

"I think it's safe to say Samovan isn't here," Captain Jennson remarked, scanning the area.

"I've found the vault, sir," Sergeant Elara Dorne voiced.

The vault was already open, though much of its contents still remained inside.

"Looks like he left in a hurry," Neosmugg surveyed the spacious vault.

Jason peered inside and was the most stunned out of everyone. It wasn't every day you saw stacks of gold bars and other bars of precious metals piled ceiling high. Shimmering display cases showed off jewelry with sparkling gems embedded in them. A large crate of spice sat in one corner, a weapon rack above it had two of ten weapons missing. There were drawers and cabinets up and down the walk-in-closet-like room. He knew that Leora would probably be kicking herself if she knew that her actions caused her to miss this enormous haul. Not that she'd have been able to carry even a fraction of it away.

"Anyone see any incriminating evidence lying about?" Jason asked, remembering the mission.

"Hopefully Samovan didn't take it with him," Neosmugg carefully opened one of the drawers but found nothing of importance. The others searched the room as well, one by one coming up with nothing.

Eventually, however, it was the Chiss bounty hunter who found their goal.

"Over here," Caitlin'snow'mai gestured to one of the tiles that made up the floor of the vault. "Skadge, do the honors?"

"With pleasure." Skadge approached with his sledgehammer and shattered the tile. Beneath it was a metal safe that didn't last long against the Chiss bounty hunter's skills. Inside the safe were data-crystals and holo-discs of all types.

"Those look incriminating," Aric said, smiling inside his helmet.

"Either that or we found his adult video stash," Skadge remarked crassly.

"It'll be embarrassing to Samovan if it's either of those things and we play it publically so it doesn't really matter," Neosmugg quipped with a faint smile. "But now that we have the data in question. Can I ask the obvious? How do we get out of here?"

"We'll have Red Star pick us up via that escape tunnel," Captain Jennson remarked. "Hopefully Contingency Three has picked up on the trail of the others by now."

A comm-call later and Jason was boarding the Defender-class corvette being used by Havoc Squad. The question of just why Havoc Squad was on a ship used by the Jedi Order was answered then.

"Welcome back." A brownish-red-haired Jedi Apprentice greeted them. She had a sarcastic gleam in her eyes as she grinned at them in the airlock. Noticing Jason and his very disheveled state, she arched an eyebrow at Jennson. "Oh, you picked up another one. He looks like a herd of reeks just trampled him." She held out a hand for Jason. "The name's Kira Carsen, Jedi Apprentice. Sorry for saying this, but looking at you makes me grateful that I'm still recovering from my time on Taris."

"You'll have to forgive her," a dark-haired Jedi Sentinel wearing a black, Ardent Oracle's armor-set stepped out from the central room of the ship to meet them. "She always says what's on her mind. No filter."

"Just calling it like I see it, master," Kira smiled warmly at the newly arrived Jedi.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Jedi Knight Kira'lover," the dark-haired Jedi patted Kira's shoulder warmly as she passed. "And this sassy lady is my apprentice."

"Only following your example, master."

Jason did his best not to burst out laughing internally or externally. In his previous life, it had been a pipe-dream of the aforementioned Kira'lover to romance the companion character Kira Carsen. A pipe-dream because SWTOR initially had no same-sex romances as an option. A pipe-dream until, after nearly eight plus years since the launch of the game, a content-driven update to the game finally gave players that choice. It looked like this version of Kira'lover, pronounced Kī-rah Lō'vär, wouldn't have to wait that long. "Nice to meet the both of you. How'd you end up being the taxi-drivers for Havoc Squad?"

"Long story," Kira'lover rolled her eyes. "And it's also why we weren't able to help out much on this mission. Otherwise Kira and I would have joined you down there."

"Our paths crossed on Taris," Aric Jorgan explained as Jennson went to the cockpit to relay a status update. "We were trying to stop one of those traitors from creating a super-soldiers. Their team was trying to stop the Imps from running away with schematics for a super-weapon. Both our teams were on Taris when the Imps started their invasion."

"It was all very super," Kira'lover chimed in wryly.

"To make a long story short," Kira cut in. "My master and I were in the old transportation tunnels at a covert Imperial installation, and the tunnels collapsed on us. Luckily for the both of us, Havoc Squad was in another part of those tunnels. They dug us out and we barely escaped the tunnels before the Imperials swarmed the place. If they had been any later…"

"You repaid the favor later," Aric shook his head. Then he addressed Jason again. "Our ship was destroyed while we were fleeing from Taris, but Jedi Carsen's vessel looped back around and saved our backsides. We were debating our next course of action when we caught the message about Samovan over the Spec-Ops channels."

"Ah, that explains it," Jason muttered.

"Explains what?"

"Oh…I just didn't expect Havoc Squad to be on a Jedi ship," Jason recovered quickly. He was saved from further explanation when Jennson returned from the cockpit.

"Alright, Contingency Three has tracked the Black Sun members fleeing the base to another location on Coruscant. They have positive ID of Samovan and also believe that a man named Skavak is among the people accompanying Samovan."

"Ellaera is going to be pissed," Jason said faintly.

"Speaking of her and Rumblebee," Neosmugg pulled out his datapad again. "Is this the location Samovan fled to?"

Jennson looked at the datapad and nodded. "Exactly the location."

"So they have the hostages and the VIP in the same location," Lieutenant Jorgan commented. "Good. I'm tired of chasing after these scum."

"Leora still okay?" Jason asked Oseari.

"She's unconscious. That's all I know," Oseari answered seriously.

"Alright," Jennson took control of the conversation. "We're meeting up with Contingency Three and launching a joint attack. Jedi Jesslyn, can you tell us anything about that location?"

"Black Sun spaceport," Jesslyn said promptly. "They have several small fightercraft there, most are not equipped with any hyperdrives. But they also have a few freighters or transports docked at any given time. I personally haven't been in that building, but the Black Sun launch their transports and spice-running ships from there."

"What security can we expect?"

"Standard grunts," Jesslyn shook her head. "I said it's a Black Sun spaceport, but technically it belongs to the civilian authority. It's just most of the staff there are paid off by Samovan's people."

"So we should expect civilians down there?"

"The Black Sun use them as shields," Jesslyn confirmed. "Another reason why I haven't ventured in there. See the large buildings that sit all around it? Those are apartment towers. The Black Sun use them as barracks for their people, and keep a sizable civilian slash refugee contingent inside as well."

"So if we're going to take out Samovan, it's going to have to be quick. Otherwise the Black Sun will pour out of those buildings?" Aric Jorgan clarified.

"This is also where my master and the other fell," Jesslyn said solemnly. "The Black Sun took advantage of the civilian population and forced the surviving members of my master's team into a corner."

"We'll try not to emulate the past," Jennson conveyed his condolences with his gaze. "Okay people. Grab something to eat and drink and get some rest while you can. We're meeting up with Contingency Two in ten."

-IV-

"Do you need me to assist you in putting your eyes back into their sockets?" Akaavi Spar said to Cloake.

"Huh, what?"

"You have not been able to keep your eyes off that Jedi," the Zabrak hunter said in an 'I am not amused' voice. "I do not see why you would find such a woman attractive."

"You've got the wrong idea," Cloake drawled. He gestured to Jesslyn. "Sure she has a great figure. I mean look at that a…But like the other Jedi, she's obviously got a few hydrospanners short of a tool-box. I was just inspecting the troops. See, I'm checking out that Havoc Squad brunette too."

Jason overheard this exchange and didn't know what expression to make. He thought he'd reached his limit in terms of being weirded out by SWTOR universe coincidences. But to hear 'Cloake's' main toon checking out 'Cloake's' alt made him feel awkward and amused at the same time. He also felt a little bad for Akaavi. Cloake practically had the 'space-cowboy, hound-dog' Smuggler personality, which meant that he was bound to lose chock-tons of 'Akaavi points' whenever an attractive woman was around. "Cloake. I don't know why you'd be checking out the others. Akaavi could probably drop them all without breaking a sweat."

"Thank you," Akaavi said, inclining her head in respect to Jason.

Cloake blinked at Jason. "Hey, I have no claim on Akaavi. If you and she want to…"

"Captain. If you finish that thought, it will be you who will no longer be able to…" Akaavi matched Cloake's insinuating tone at the end.

"You're not worried about Ellaera at all?" Jason asked, trying to change the subject as they walked through the warehouse and industrial district of the Black Sun's territory.

"Ella can take care of herself," Cloake shook his head. "She's been in far worse scrapes than being prisoner to a Black Sun Sector Vice-Chief."

"About that," Corso Riggs spoke up. "I'm a bit confused on all the terminology. If Samovan is only a Vice-Chief, then isn't his boss more powerful than he is?"

"We're not sure." Jesslyn answered without turning around. "The Black Sun Sector Chief isn't stationed on Coruscant. In fact, no one has even seen him or her. We only know the Sector Chief exists because Samovan is actually taking orders from someone. Whoever the Sector Chief is, he or she is extremely connected. Whenever the Coruscant Security Forces start gaining the upper hand on the Black Sun, something always happens to upset that and restores the balance of power. Everything then returns to the status quo."

"[You think it's one of the senators?]" Treek asked. She was actually on a small hover-platform mount so she could keep up with the long legs of everyone else.

"If someone's playing both sides, that wouldn't surprise me," Jesslyn shrugged helplessly. "But there's never any evidence, and Samovan is strong and competent enough that investigations don't get anywhere."

"If it is a senator and they're betraying the Republic…"

"Yes, yes," Cloake cut Havoc Squad lieutenant off. "We all know how you feel about betrayals, Jorgan. Can you stop making us Cathar look like ill-humored, straight-laced, jerkwads?"

"I will, when you stop making us Cathar look like irresponsible, reckless, playboys," Aric fired back.

"Nothing wrong with being a playboy," Cloake drawled.

"Neosmugg, would you accept payment for a medical procedure," Akaavi spoke up again.

"I generally tend to charge nothing for my services. What's wrong?"

"My captain requires a castration," Akaavi said in deadpan.

"He has to consent to the procedure," Neosmugg said as if he was seriously considering the operation.

"He is suffering a mental ailment and is in no condition to do so. As his second, I consent on his behalf."

Cloake's smile evaporated and he took an instinctive step away from Akaavi. "Jason…help me out here."

"Don't worry, Cloake. I'm not medically qualified to perform a castration, so it won't be me doing it," Jason remarked dryly. He was perfectly fine with letting Cloake flounder around in the hole he had dug himself in. The last thing Jason wanted was to be targeted by Cloake's vengeful Mandalorian partner and have his own junk in jeopardy.

Cloake looked betrayed and tried to apppeal to the others in the group. He abandoned that effort when he saw all of them were fighting very hard not to break out into laughter. "Fine, then I want a second opinion. You were training with Rumblebee and Neosmugg, so you know some medical stuff, what do you say?"

"About what? Your mental stability or your need to be castrated?" Jason asked.

"Both!"

"I think anyone who looks elsewhere when they have Akaavi at their side is definitely missing a few brain-cells. To prevent that genetic defect from spreading far and wide, castration might be necessary," Jason said, trying to sound doctor-y.

Privately, he was all for pushing Cloake and Akaavi together. In his previous life, during his teenage and young-adult years, he had had a very active social-media life. On the many sites he had participated in, he had ended up offering relationship advice to females from all over, very much amusing his older brother. Whether it was encouraging girls to give their boyfriend a chance, or to dump them for being jerks, or listening to their family troubles, he had developed many special connections over the years. He definitely didn't mind playing match-maker for his new group of friends.

But he forgot that Mandalorians were a lot different than the girls he knew back in his home universe.

As soon as Jason's medical opinion lined up with Neosmugg's, Akaavi pulled out a curved-looking knife of Mandalorian origin.

"Then I want a third opinion," Cloake protested quickly, a hand reflexively going to protect that which was threatened. "When we rescue Rumblebee, she'll definitely be on my side. I'm still a part of her crew after all."

"He has a point," Neosmugg said to Jason. "Rumblebee will protect him as long as he hasn't actually hurt anyone. Feelings don't count."

"Yeah, sorry Akaavi. It looks like we can't castrate him after all," Jason said solemnly.

Akaavi took the bad news in stride. "Thank you for trying."

Cloake's furry face twitched as Akaavi gripped one of his arms and pulled him to the front of their formation. As they left, those in the back could hear his protest. "All I was doing was looking!"

The light mood vanished as quickly as the wind as they passed a landmark that let them know they were approaching the spaceport. When they rounded the corner, they all stopped where they were. The Black Sun forces were all lined up on the stairs leading to the spaceport and behind cover of various sorts. There were mounted turrets and blaster cannons aimed down the street, and there was even a second-hand walker standing in front of all that. Black Sun atmospheric fighters hovered in the air above the spaceport, and one of their freighters hovered in the air above them.

Standing on top of that freighter was the recognizable, bulky, figure of Samovan Bann. He wore a ragged, black, hooded trenchcoat over durasteel armor plating, and looked like a wraith-incarnate standing with his arms held out to either side of him.

"This is the end of the road for you," Samovan called down smugly, his voice enhanced by the freighter's external speakers. He stretched his muscular arms out in a sweeping gesture. "Did you really think you had a chance against the might of the Black Sun? I have an entire army at my command. I have your own politicians groveling at my feet. You'll never be able to find a judge willing to judge me, or a jury willing to do anything but exonerate me. This planet's is my turf, and you have absolutely no chance of beating me. I have powers you couldn't possibly begin comprehend. Let me put it in another way. I am invincible, that's right!"

-Chapter End-

A\N: Really having mixed feelings as I write these chapters now. On one hand, it makes me miss my brother, on the other, I want him to continue living on in this story. And yes…I really did mess up and give Jennson's squad the corvette last chapter. Fortunately I wanted to introduce Kira'lover's character so it worked out in the end =D.