Taken

"There is nothing quite as powerful…or damaging…as a mother's love."

12 BBY – Fury

"Mama," Katara smiled from her capsule as it floated beside Trilla's workbench, and her mother smiled back as she continued to toy with the circuitry of her helmet's vocabulator.

"Yes, mama," she giggled, praising her daughter for correct speech, and then returning her focus to her work. It had been almost a year she'd been at this, through that time she was either too busy to find the time, or just gave up. This recent fervor came from her desire to carry Katara around in a more incognito sense, but she didn't want to scare her with her rather menacing voice that it projected.

Katara tried to climb atop the table, but Trilla groaned, blocking her path. "Katara, no. Mommy needs you to stay there."

She pouted as she remained, and by then Trilla couldn't pull her eyes away. "Oh, come here," she cooed, picking her up and holding her in her grip. "Mommy just doesn't want you to get hurt."

The toddler snuggled into her, and while Trilla could feel slight annoyance at the prospect of not getting any work done, she couldn't resist holding her close. "Mama," Katara said again, and Trilla felt her heart melt.

"Mommy loves you," she kissed her forehead. "She would do anything for you…anything to keep you safe."

Anything.

"Anything," her own voice repeated…but not from her mouth…not projected via her lungs. It was elsewhere, almost infinite…eternal.

Sinister.

Trilla looked up, and just behind the capsule stood the spectre of the Second Sister, her smirk wide and eyes malevolent. Instinctually, she held Katara tightly, pulling her away…and bared her teeth. "You're dead."

"I was," the Second Sister confirmed, stepping forward. "Not anymore…not with her. With that little girl…I will always be with you," her sadistic giggles emerged, slowly becoming full blown laughs. "Deny me all you want…I will always be a part of you."

She wanted to lash out…kill her again just as she had on Katarr, but she knew better. With deep breaths of calm, she clung to Katara and closed her eyes. "You're not real…you're just a figment of my imagination."

Trilla felt her anger dissipate, giving way to her more calming thoughts…and when she opened her eyes again, the Second Sister was gone. Hushing her daughter, she smiled.

Katara was suddenly ripped from her arms by an unseen Force, and Trilla felt herself blown over and pinned to the wall of the Fury. Stuck, she felt her own terror set in, and straight ahead she saw the Second Sister hold her screaming daughter in her arms. Trying to fight, nothing budged. She was trapped…helpless.

"Oh, don't cry baby girl," the Second Sister cooed. "I'm your mommy too," she sneered, and soon Katara's crying did stop, but when she opened her eyes…the beautiful green had become yellow.

Trilla screamed in vain, the Force rippling around her as the Fury collapsed, crumpling from her own attack, and enveloping both the Second Sister and Katara in her destruction…


Her hellish scream as she awoke from her nightmare shook her bed as she panted and heaved in terror, tears flowing from her eyes as the trauma set itself in, and only in that moment did she realize it was merely a falsehood. No one was beside her to be awoken, only the cold, empty and vacant sheets that were becoming a more prominent reality than she wished…but it was a reality. She knew the purpose…she knew what her husband was doing, and its importance, but Trilla was selfish in a sense. Part of her didn't care…she expected her husband to be at her side when she wished, or at least speak to her, keep her updated on how he was. Xur was good about it, however, and didn't give her much reason to be cross with him.

Besides, Trilla fancied her alone time as well.

Pushing the sheets aside, Trilla clothed herself in her black robing, similar to what she once wore as a Jedi, but she felt it was more her current personality. She still had her suit, and the upgrades and adjustments she had made were nice, but it was hefty, and not exactly casual wear. Katara liked to cling to her robing…sometimes leave behind bodily fluids in her wake…but Trilla had quickly learned the reality of having a child, and always kept it cleaned and pressed.

With a wave of her hand, her door opened, and she was immediately greeted to the android body of Rava tending to parts of the ship, its sleek design almost appearing human, as only the grays and blacks gave it away. She even wore armor and clothing, making her seem as alive as ever.

"Good morning, Rava," Trilla greeted as she passed by, heading to the bar to fetch herself some caf.

Rava turned back for a moment, but then refocused on her datapad. "What was that scream about?"

Trilla suppressed a snort, activating the caf machine and letting it warm up. "Another bad dream."

"Ah, so nothing new," Rava noted, moving to the next section of the ship.

For the most part.

The Second Sister had come back into her dreams before, but Trilla had become so used to her face by now that she had begun to dismiss it. This one…this one was different. It felt more real, almost like when she was suffering from mild schizophrenia when she was the Emperor's Wrath.

Still, it was merely a piece of her imagination. The best way to silence it, was to ignore it.

Once her caf was dispensed, Trilla took a sip and paced to her tinkering and work bench area, her helmet already sprawled out in pieces as she continued to adjust and toy with it. Taking her position and getting straight to work, she knew any time in which her daughter was asleep was precious for her productivity. So far, she'd managed to adjust the hues from purple to gold to match her blade, and most of her suit had been made entirely black by now. It was not great for heat, but it was perfect for almost every other climate or biome she had to deal with.

Despite what her suit used to represent, she felt no shame from it.

She found herself fixing her hair while she worked much more than usual, and she merely reminded herself it had been some time since she had last cut it. She'd always done it herself or had a droid assist her, and now that Rava had a full body, she could help her if she wanted…but Trilla had become less and less worried about it as it grew, and it had almost reached the point where she would leave it until it passed her shoulders. It was how she had it when she was a Jedi, and the adjustment felt proper with her new identity.

Short hair was never her preference anyway.

Predictably, after about twenty minutes, Katara began to cry from her room.

"Fuck me," she grumbled…which was a phrase that was truer about her current desires than at face value…and set down her tools, heading over to her daughter's room.

Opening the capsule, Trilla forced a motherly smile as she lifted Katara out and into her arms, carrying her away. "Mommy's here…oh don't cry baby."

Katara's fit ended quickly, and once she laid eyes on her mother, she smiled. "Mama."

Trilla giggled as she walked out. "Yes…mama…good girl."

Then she sneezed, and Trilla stopped in her tracks as disgust befell her…but she held back her reaction.

"Oops," Katara apologized, and Trilla couldn't help but smile, pulling the wipes from her belt that she already had prepared. "Sorry mama."

"It's alright sweetheart," she eased, wiping off her face. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Yes…just as always.

Yet another one of those days.


12 BBY – Zeffo

Peace could be found in the eye of the storm, the central heart in which the chaos that raged remained inert. Within that heart was a place in which those seeking refuge could take shelter, perhaps even begin a new life in peace. It was the simpler path…but it was also the most obvious…the easiest to find.

Within the storm, within the chaos…was where the survivors hid.

Xur's TIE Interceptor hardly flinched against the hurricane winds, built to combat the likes of solar winds and hyperspace travel in the testy vacuum of space, and even he was unfazed by it. His eyes remained forward, occasionally flickering towards the incoming tracking signal before coming forward again, his gloved hands held tight around the yoke. Compensating for the wind, he pulled to starboard just to adjust to a straight line, and finally the tracking signal zeroed in.

"Alright Reyna…let's hope you didn't drop me out here for nothing," Xur mumbled to himself through his helmet. Beginning the landing cycle, it was a rough and unsettling set-down, but a successful one, nonetheless. Activating the mag-clamps, his ship anchored itself to the ground, and just then he could make out a building just in front, not far from where he landed.

Securing the inside of his ship, he popped the hatch, and was immediately blown back by the hurricane winds. Grunting with effort, he conjured and maintained a protective bubble around himself via the Force, and it allowed him to leap out of the fighter and onto land. Keeping his protection with outstretched hands, Xur followed the ping on his wrist to the building, and once he reached the door, he relinquished the bubble. Nearly blown off his feet, he yelped as he latched onto the door's sturdy handle but dug in as he forced it open and shut it closed with his enhanced strength.

With the wind quelled to a mere rumbling of the building and a constant whistle, Xur took calming breaths as he observed his surroundings. This was a home, no doubt, perhaps one that was more functional before the hurricane hit, as its power was shoddy at best. Various appliances seemed unused and broken, while tables and chairs were dusted and worn, and immediately he began to think this was all for nothing.

No…there was something here…he could feel it.

His mistake was wrapping one hand around his hilt.

A tall assailant appeared from thin air, and the ignition of a green blade was all Xur had to warn him of his impending death. Orange clashed with green as he defended himself, exchanging multiple parries before he was pushed up against a sink.

"Woah, woah! Not here to fight!" Xur protested, and finally got a solid look on the man. Taller than him by a few inches, his beard concealed much of his features along with his longer hair…but that was about all Xur could make out before he was forced to defend himself again.

Ducking under a slash, the zabrak blew him over with a powerful force push, and his assailant rolled back and tossed a knife his way, slipping through his plates but deflecting off the internal mesh.

Xur came here to talk…now he just wanted to whoop his ass.

With a growl, he ignited both blades and went on the attack, slashing with both in an overwhelming manner as they clashed into the green, throwing out sparks of orange and yellow that left black pock marks on the flooring. His assailant grunted to hold him back, and the ripple in the Force that followed loosened his grip, knocking him off balance as his hilt skidded across the floor. Despite winning the upper hand, Xur was plowed atop a table, throwing up dust and whatever objects that rested atop it, forcing the zabrak to go hand to hand as his hilts fell from his grip.

Bashing his head against the human's nose, Xur kicked him off and ripped off his own helmet, tossing it aside and landing a hard punch that downed his opponent, and with a quick gesture, his orange blade was ignited and pointed downwards.

Wiping his nose of blood, the human grunted. "Not bad."

Xur shrugged, keeping his eyes fixed as his breaths eased. "We done here?"

He looked down at his hand, noting the crimson as he spat aside, and then nodded. "We're done…never thought I'd actually pick a fight with Xur Eon."

"As I said, not what I came for," Xur reiterated, keeping his blade pointed. "I'm looking for a Jedi. Daniel Velken."

The man nodded. "You just punched him."

Xur smirked, lowering his blade. "Thought so. You know who I am?"

Daniel snorted. "You gotta be a braindead hssiss to not know who you are. I heard what you did on Nur…to the Empire. I'm impressed. Your girlfriend almost killed me a few times."

"You're well-informed," Xur remarked, and then offered a hand. "Come on Velken. Let's have a drink and talk business."


12 BBY – Fury

Katara imitated an exploding sound as she pounded her ball into the floor of the Fury, and then proceeded to giggle hysterically as she continued to do so. Trilla didn't find the fiftieth time as amusing as the first but flashed her a smile as she continued to work from her workbench. Finishing the last circuit placement, she rewired the interface and then slipped the internal cover back over the vocabulator, letting the satisfying snap set in.

"Alright…ready to see if mommy did this right?" she asked Katara, pulling her hair back and preparing to slide it over her head.

Katara looked up in glee. "Mama!"

Trilla giggled as she slid it over her head, letting the HUD reboot and interface as it sealed. "Alright…oh…shit," she cursed as her voice only came out at an even lower pitch.

Her daughter suddenly shrieked in terror at the sound of it, and began to cry, only making Trilla groan as she unsealed and relinquished the burden from her face. "Katara…" her frustration leaked out, but quickly she back tracked and shaped up her tone, reaching to pull her into her grasp. "Oh…I'm sorry, baby," she cooed, holding her close, and Katara snuggled into her. "Please don't cry."

As her wails continued, Trilla bounced her up and down and hushed her, only to pause in a sudden jerk as her eyes locked on the spectre of the Second Sister…watching from across the ship. Her smirk grew, and Trilla felt déjà vu set in as her dream was reenacted, and a distinct terror ravaged her psyche as she held Katara tightly.

"You can't protect her from yourself," the Second Sister sneered, stepping forward as Trilla pulled her away, baring her teeth. "She will always be afraid of you."

"What do you know?!" Trilla growled over Katara's cries. "You're just an animal with no sense of will or morality. You don't know what it means to fight."

The Second Sister chuckled. "Yet you do?"

Trilla corralled Katara's head into her grip, her eyes never leaving the image of herself. "You shall see in time."

A confident smirk was all she received. "I'll take those odds."

"Mama?"

Trilla's vision returned, although Katara was now back on the floor, holding her ball as she looked up…Trilla's helmet still in pieces. Clearing her throat, she ran her fingers through her hair and tried to settle back in, shaking off the vision, only to hear Rava's servos approaching.

"Ra-ra!" Katara pointed, smiling, and Rava bent her legs to be on her level.

"Who's your favorite lady on this ship?" she asked, her feminine alloy face displaying a friendly expression.

Katara looked back and forth as Trilla smiled, turning in her chair. Her red finger eventually fell towards her mother. "Mama!"

"Oh, you little snot," Rava grumbled, rising back to her full height as Katara only giggled at her comment. "I'll teach you one day."

"Not likely," Trilla mused, regarding Rava. "What is it?"

Rava leaned up against the frame, crossing her arms. "Shipment time."

Trilla grumbled. "Does it look to you like Katara is ready to sleep?" she asked, directing Rava's eyes towards the toddler banging the ball on the floor, laughing to herself.

"We'll do the thing," Rava shrugged.

"We are not doing the thing," Trilla pointed in warning.

Rava cocked her head, leaning forward. "Logistics, Suduri."

"Oh, fuck off with that!"

"Uh oh…" Katara gasped, covering her mouth. "Mama say poo-poo word."

Rava nodded. "That's right, Katara, your mother did say a poo-poo word."

Trilla growled in annoyance, even if she did wish the word hadn't slipped her tongue. "Don't. Do that."

The android's gaze fell to the floor for a moment, taking a needless sigh. "Of course…apologies for pointing out your foul mouth in front of your child."

"Rava," Trilla held firm. "We're waiting."

Tension rose for a moment as their stares continued to berate each other, and Katara's slamming ended once she too sensed the rising animosity. Trilla never appreciated Rava's continuous priority perversion, especially when she put their supply runs for the Imperium ahead of the wellbeing of her daughter. Besides the fact that those runs were incredibly wasteful for a woman of her talents, they were risky and cumbersome, not to mention the fact that they never had any backup.

Still…the job gave her time with her daughter, and of all the things she could be doing, it was the best option on that front. Boredom was perhaps her worst enemy, but she made do anyhow, even if it meant being away from her husband more often.

As long as he wasn't working with that blasted togruta.

Rava lost their stare down, just as always, and huffed. "As you wish…Captain."

"Those supplies aren't going anywhere," Trilla eased. "Take a bloody day off. Force knows you need it."

"I'm a virtual intelligence android, Suduri," Rava rolled her eyes. "I don't tire."

"Well I do, and I tire of this circular conversation," Trilla grumbled. "That will be all, Rava."

Rava shook her head in annoyance, but instead turned to pick up Katara with her ball in her grip. "If that's the case, then you're coming with me, little one. I'm sure your mother tires of your constant antics."

"Ra-ra!" Katara smiled with glee in her arms.

Trilla met Rava's look for approval, and she merely sighed. "Whatever."

As Rava stepped away, taking Katara away for entertainment, Trilla rubbed her eyes, trying to wipe the misery from her own expression.

She needed a drink.


12 BBY – Zeffo

"How'd you find me?"

Daniel's question almost deflected off Xur's skull as he took another drink, his mind somewhat outwards as the building continued to rumble from the surrounding storm. He sniffed, noticing his bottle was nearly empty as he lifted it for a look.

"I've got friends in high places," was all he gave him.

"So I've heard," Velken leaned forward. He was a curious individual, to say the least. Unnaturally tall for a human, Xur was rarely intimidated by height disadvantage, but Daniel had an odd aura to him that spoke much with few words. It was truly unlike anything he had ever experienced, and his cloaking ability only added to the intrigue.

"What are you doing here?" Xur asked, somewhat bewildered. "You seem to know that the Empire is in a little bit of a funk. Why hide out?"

Daniel took his drink and then shook his head, his hair ruffling as he did so. "Not hiding. Looking."

"Looking," Xur echoed. "Looking for what? All that's here are dead Zeffo sages and Imperial outposts. Shit, my uh…girlfriend, as you put it, can attest to that, and she tore this damn place to pieces. Aside from that there's nothing out here except for the…" the zabrak trailed off, and then blinked, thinking it over one last time.

Daniel tipped his bottle. "Except for the…go on, finish."

Xur huffed into a slight smile once the idea registered. "You're looking for the star map."

He nodded. "Yes sir."

"You think it exists?" the zabrak asked, and Daniel only smirked, rising to his feet and flicking his head.

"Come on, I'll show you."

Xur was a little wary of Daniel still, but from what Vorchenko had lead on, there was no need to be distrustful. Velken had just as much reason to hate the Empire as he, mostly surrounding the people that he loved and what they had done to them…a very similar situation to his own. Eon himself had been aware of some of Daniel's antics and actions during the Clone Wars, and while he wasn't the front line general Xur was, his own contributions to recon and intel were incredible, and deserved recognition.

Those were skills he desperately needed at the moment. Losing Mars was a serious blow in that department, and while Trilla was exceptional at anything that involved tracking, she found reconnaissance boring and unfulfilling, and he didn't blame her. That didn't mean she didn't find it useful; she just had no intention of carrying it out herself.

Remembering her hit him harder than he was ready for. Being away from her this long hadn't been easy, and part of him was begging to see her face again, but now that he had found Velken, he had to keep his head straight and in the moment.

She was probably upset with him anyway.

Velken lead him into the building's basement shelter, and with a flick of a switch, a dim light illuminated his workspace. It was an array of tables spread out with either spare parts, datapads, and a large, paper map on the central table. The place was a little run down, but with the hurricane and such, he imagined this was the perfect place to hide out.

"How long have you been here?" Xur asked, probing the area while Daniel fell behind the table, manning the map.

"Few months," he answered. "It's been tough trying to avoid all the imp patrols around here, but they never venture inside the hurricane. Even so, it's made me result to analog for the most part, as the winds have electromagnetic properties that fry advanced equipment. I've made some progress, but I'm missing a few pieces."

The zabrak took a peek, noting the various lines and triangulations he'd made based off data Xur had no knowledge of, and had zeroed in on a few spots. This was usually the part in which Trilla would step in and make a connection in about an eighth of the time it usually took him, saving him a lot of grief with her intellect.

Back in my mind again.

"I'll be honest, I'm not very good with these things," Xur admitted. "But you can give me the rundown."

Velken smirked. "Heh, well this is just another day at the office for me," he pointed at various spots on the map. "I've narrowed down the possible locations of its resting place. The only problem is that I've checked all of them, and nothing on the surface gives me any clues that it's there. I've discovered that most of the star maps are in hard to reach, sub-surface areas, hence why this one has never been found, and I'm thinking this one may be buried underground…that or its in a cavern that caved in at the entrance."

Xur's knowledge of the history of the star maps was shoddy at best, even if he delved into Revan's strategies and writings of warfare for his own strategic insight. He also had no clue if the Rakata or Zeffo came first, but if a star map was here, then it made sense that perhaps the Zeffo discovered it and learned from it, advancing their technology very quickly.

Or this was all just a big coincidence.

"I've been trying to use this," Daniel heaved over a Rakatan relic that seemed inoperable. "I think it's a data cache, but I can't decipher it. The language is unreadable with my instruments."

"I have someone who could help with that," Xur noted, knowing Rava would love a chance to crack it.

"You have someone who understand Rakata?" Velken asked, crossing his arms.

"In a sense," Xur nodded. "She's a virtual intelligence. This kind of thing is her forte."

"Is she with you?"

The zabrak shook his head. "No. She prefers my wife, as it turns out, so she's currently with her."

"Your wife?" he asked incredulously, lacing a chuckle at the back end of it. "You married a former inquisitor?"

Xur shrugged. "We had a history before that."

Velken scoffed. "Hey, I respect that, as a matter of fact. I'm sure most Jedi would find that appalling."

"Oh, I know," Xur noted, recalling Ahsoka's reaction. "I regret nothing."

"Kids?"

"A little girl."

Daniel popped his brow, letting out some air. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. No better way to flip the bird to the Empire, though."

"That played a part in it," Xur chuckled. "She and I, well…we've been through hell together, and I knew after it was all over that I never wanted to let her go again."

Velken's eyes narrowed. "Then what are you doing here without her?"

Xur's answer fleeted from his mouth in sudden fashion, and by now he knew it was useless to continue to ignore the fact that he and his wife weren't having an easy go of it at the moment. Trilla was just…naturally demanding of his attention, not in an overbearing and needless way, but she wanted to see him or at least hear from him on a regular basis. It wasn't much to ask, in reality, but Xur had been chasing leads and fulfilling tasks for Vorchenko for long enough that time slipped by him on occasion, sometimes forgetting to keep to his obligation.

Still, doing this felt like another one of his obligations.

"Let's just focus on this," Xur drew his attention away, and Daniel only gave him one last trying look before accepting his standpoint. "Maybe you just need another set of eyes."

"Is that an offer?" Daniel asked.

Xur tipped his head. "It is. Let's see what you got."


12 BBY – Fury

Trilla hummed to herself as she carefully set her sleeping daughter into her capsule, planting a soft kiss on her forehead before shutting it closed and letting out a heavy sigh. Another day was finally complete, but her work was merely beginning, as the Fury set itself down on their destination for their pickup. Fastening her gauntlet, she met Rava in the central area just as the android slung her blaster carbine over her back.

"An interesting way to protect my daughter, as locking the door may merely be sufficient," Trilla noted.

Rava turned, fastening her belt. "I'm coming with you."

The former inquisitor paused, her eyes staring blankly. "No you're not."

"This package needs my instruments to find it, and I need you to watch my back," Rava revealed, smacking her form-fitting armor in and crossing her arms. "Simple."

"Oh?" Trilla felt her frustration leak into her sarcasm. "Have you considered Katara? Who is to watch over her?"

"Ball me," Rava kicked her old BB platform at her feet, which was now active, regarding Trilla with its red optic.

"But you're—"

"I can be in both simultaneously, Suduri. The index upgrade now allows me to have the task capacity."

Rava was referring to the gift Trilla received from the Benefactor on Onderon many months ago. The index not only upgraded her software and task capacity, but it had been what allowed her to assume control of an android body in the first place. She was now nearly the level of a true AI, a fact that worried Trilla somewhat, even if she did trust Rava with her life. Even so, the utility it had provided was becoming essential to their livelihood, especially with avoiding the Empire.

"How does that work?" Trilla enquired, shrugging. "How can you manage two of you with one brain?"

Rava's eyes panned up. "High priority sub-routines that I run in the background while I perceive my own main reality. A human or organic equivalence would be creating a clone of myself."

"You can do that?"

Rava shrugged. "Can you copy and paste a file on a datapad?"

"It can't be that simple."

"It is that simple."

Trilla huffed. "Show me."

The VI lowered her gaze and kicked at the BB platform, which rolled forward and shocked Trilla in the foot, making her yelp.

"Ow! You…bitch!" she growled. "That doesn't prove anything!"

"Oh, I know," Rava giggled. "Just wanted to do that."

"If you could feel pain…"

"Yes, I'm sure," the VI cut her off as BB-Rava rolled into Katara's room, looking just as she remembered. "Capsule is shut…and she's still asleep. Closing and locking door."

The door shut in the distance, and Trilla admittedly had run out of things to protest even if it was a minimal presentation. The faster they got this done, the less time this would be a problem.

Her helmet clapped into her grip from the table it was set on, and with haste and annoyance, she slid it over her head. "Let's get this over with," she grumbled, projected by the helmet's deep vocabulator tone.

"I do not wish to prolong this any more than you do," Rava made clear as she followed Trilla to the loading ramp and onto the forested surface. "Personally, I hate these missions. They are unrefined and poorly coordinated."

Trilla scoffed, turning to face her as she ended her walk abruptly. "Then what in blazes are we doing out here?! This was your idea, you miserable slab of tin."

Rava rolled her eyes. "Don't insult me. I am made of alloy metal and polymers, not—"

"I don't care if you're made of bloody latex, you fucking cunt!" Trilla roared behind her helmet, and then huffed, turning her cold shoulder. "To be honest, I am not even sure why I persist to listen to you. All you've ever done is berate me constantly and endlessly without mercy."
Rava stepped forward, wearing a challenging expression that almost translated to real emotion…something Trilla didn't think she could project.

"Cry me a fucking river, Suduri. If it wasn't for me, you would've wrapped a noose around your neck and hung yourself before even Katarr, you ungrateful little twat!"

"Fuck off!" Trilla whirled around and pointed. "If it weren't for me, you'd still be taking piss orders from the fucking Admiral, resigned to remain the shape of a testicle for the rest of your coherence."

"I've never needed you to learn anything, you prissy fucking princess!" Rava retorted, becoming more furious by the second. It was odd to not be able to feel her blistering aura, almost as if Trilla was shouting at a ghost…not like she cared. She was far too angry to stop now.

"Princess?! Say that again, and I'll dismantle you piece by piece!" Trilla growled, clenching her other fist.

"Fuck you! Princess!"

Trilla swung her metal fist at Rava's head, but the VI reacted with such mechanical precision that she merely tanked the hit and plowed her own into Trilla's helmet. The intense force whipped her head to the side in an almost sickening fashion, and the brunette fell to the grass in a disoriented heap, struggling to even tell up from down.

Rava just stared…absolutely horrified. The android looked down at her shaking hands, clenching the fist she had used to punch over and over, unsure what had possibly taken over her in such a blindingly quick moment. She was a…a machine…meant to not feel, to not retaliate…only to serve.

And yet here she was…shaking with emotion…looking down upon the friend she had just clobbered.

"Oh my…" she gasped, falling to her knees and grabbing ahold of Trilla. "Trilla, I'm sorry…I'm sorry!"

Trilla did not stir, move or even mumble a word. She was out cold, knocked into unconsciousness by Rava's harrowing strike.

What happened?

Quickly, she scanned her, and was relieved to find her still alive without any major injuries, even to her skull. The helmet took the brunt of the damage, thankfully, but upon further analysis, Rava feared she had suffered a concussion.

She truly had no idea what happened. These things the index had implanted into her, they made her unsure of herself…question her actions, feel a pang of negativity when someone she spent time with left her, feel insatiable anger when in a pointless argument that before had only resulted in a loser and a victor.

Not one of them knocked unfeeling before the other.

Rava trembled, crushing her head with her hands as she tried to pull these feelings from her mind, but they were there…always there, always speaking to her with every choice she made. Now, they were shouting shame endlessly into the abyss of her synthetic, cold heart, screaming out at what a monster she must be to commit such an atrocious act upon a woman she respected so deeply.

Guilt.

She had no idea what to do. Rava merely shivered in place, praying that she would never feel this way again.

A stun bolt into her neck saved her from that terror.


Trilla awakened with her HUD a static and impenetrable mess, impossible to even glance through as it continued to spasm. Her head throbbed in a constant pain, one that made her groan and almost whimper as she forced herself to rise. Sliding her hands up her helmet, she unsealed and removed it from her head, taking a gasp of fresh air. Blood had dried up and sealed her cut lip shut, but her memory was so fogged she could not recall why she was lying on the grassy ground.

As her foot kicked something metal, she whirled around, finding the shut-down body of Rava plastered against the dirt…with a stun round plugged into her neck.

Terror gripped Trilla's heart.

Ignoring her pain, she vaulted herself to her feet and ran back to the Fury at full speed, her hilt in her gloved grip as she rushed up the loading ramp. Desperation hit her as she mumbled no constantly with each step she took, founding no sign of immediate foul play on her ship…until she found Rava's BB unit slumped over just as Rava had been.

And there was no baby crying.

"Katara…" she rushed into her room…and the capsule was gone.

Trilla screamed with tear-filled eyes, her heart gripped with a pain she hadn't felt since Katarr. "KATARA!"

She searched the entire ship, finding nothing, and all that came next was the despair of a mother whose child had been stolen, her wails and cries echoing endlessly through her ship…and into the Force itself.

On her knees, her tears fell, soaking her carpet with their moisture as her sadness compounded into anger, which thus became hatred. Her metal fingers dug into the carpet, tearing it asunder until she let out a scream of intense rage that only a grieving mother could ever muster.

She was going to get her child back.

And cut down anyone who stood in her way.


I hope that hurt as much as it hurt me to write it. No announcements. 'Nuff said.

Special thanks to my good friend Varyks Ren for the use of his OC Daniel Velken in this chapter, as well as a certain someone for beta reading it for me (you know who you are)! We're just getting started on that front.

Back in business. Settle in, my beautiful readers, for this arc will be a bumpy ride.