* * *


Darth Maul unlocked the hangar doors, revealing his ship, the Sith Infiltrator II.

"It's nice," Lou stood at his side, taking in the sight. "A little gloomy, but nice."

He turned his head to meet her gaze. "Thank you," he activated the controls that lowered the ramp with the Force, not taking his eyes from hers.

Vedul put his arms around Lou's and Maul's shoulders, leaning in between them. "Don't worry, you two crazy kids, I'll drive."

"S'Ritak, I will leave you behind," Maul stated.

The Twi'Lek backed off. "Now now, let's not get grouchy, Master."

Maul grinned at his apprentice. "Who says I'm grouchy?"

Vedul headed up the ramp, and into the Infiltrator.

"He has your cockiness, Maul. You have taught him well," Lou arched her eyebrow at him.

"That I did not teach him."

Lou laughed, following him into the ship.


A yellow light illuminated on Emperor Palpatine's desk, indicating that he had a call coming in. He knew before he even pressed the button that the man on the line was going to ask whether or not to let Darth Maul leave the surface.

"Don't let them leave," the old man ordered.

"But he has threatened my life."

"I will do more than threaten, Ogden. And your fate will be worse than death if that ship lifts off."

"As you wish it, Your Highness," Ogden cut the transmission.

The Emperor expected this sort of rash action from his former apprentice, which is why he had enlisted the aid of S'Ritak Vedul. Maul's own apprentice was loyal to the Emperor, more loyal than to his Master.

A thin smile curled Palpatine's lips, as his eyes fell on the Statue of Ongrel. A little-known fact about the grey pyramid was the power contained within, for inside the three walls was the heart of the first Sith warrior, perfectly preserved. Palpatine intended to have his own heart removed, and switched with this fabled one. It was said that this action would render the new user invincible, as well as increasing their power in the Force to threefold his original capabilities.

There was only one problem: the only beings capable of opening the Statue were the Kyterians, a race of blue-skinned aliens on the brink of extinction.

Jareena was the first Kyterian Palpatine had encountered in almost twenty years.

And she was about to get away.


"What do we do, Master? They won't let us leave," Vedul crossed his arms across his chest.

Maul considered his options. He had hoped for an easy departure, but clearly Palpatine was aware of their actions and intended to intervene. "Let me talk to him."

Vedul shrugged, then opened a channel to Ogden in the office.

"Mister Maul, my orders come directly from Emperor Palpatine. I cannot allow your departure," Ogden stated the same line he had given Vedul.

Maul used a mind trick on the man, so that he would let them leave without a mess. "You will open the doors, and clear us for departure."

There was a pause before Ogden came back, "You are cleared for departure, Sith Infiltrator II. Please wait while I open the hangar doors."

"Thank you, Ogden," Maul switched off the comm. "You see, S'Ritak? You could have done that."

Vedul scowled at the viewport, waiting for the doors to open.


Palpatine sensed it as the Sith Infiltrator II left Coruscant, and took to Hyperspace. He let out an angry cry, slamming his fist down on his desk. He ordered his Imperial guards to bring Ogden to the palace.


* * *


The blue spherical shape of Coruscant hung in space ahead. Taggart patted Jenkens on the shoulder. "Good work."

"Hey, that was the easy part."

Park flopped down beside Taggart groggily. "Are we there yet?"

"See for yourself," Jenkens replied.

Park leaned forward to see out into space around the pilot's chair. "Wa-hoo!"

"I suppose you have a plan for finding Lou?"

"Umm...well, not exactly."

"What?" he barked. "We've come all this way, and you don't even know how to find her?"

Taggart searched the surface for any sign of her.

"You do realize that this planet is completely inhabited by Imperials, right?"

"Whoa, chill, dude. We'll figure something out," Park shrugged.

"We'll figure something out?! I don't believe this," Jenkens shook his head in frustration.

"She's not here, Park," Taggart spoke up.

"What do you mean she's not here?" both Park and Jenkens demanded at the same time.

"I mean she's gone."

"How do you know?" Jenkens asked.

"Because he just does," Park stated. "Where did she go?"

Taggart shrugged.

"Great, just great," Jenkens shook his head. "I can't believe I got myself into this."

A synthetic voice broke in over the radio, "Unidentified shuttle, state your business."

Jenkens raised his eyebrows at Park, expecting a response from him. "Uhh..."

"Tell him we are not staying," Taggart suggested. "And do it quickly."

"All this way for nothing," Jenkens grumbled, turning around in his chair. "Patrol, we are just verifying coordinates for our Hyperspace jump, and will be out of your hair in mere minutes."

"You are requested to accompany me to the surface."

"Uh, negative, there, Patrol. We have no business on Coruscant."

"You will accompany me to the surface, or be destroyed, Alliance shuttle."

"Brilliant idea this was, Park," Jenkens spat. "Alright Patrol, lead the way."

Taggart leaned back, closing his eyes. "This is not good."

"Can't you do something?" Park pleaded.

"We're in a tractor beam," Jenkens and Taggart replied in unison.

Park slumped in the chair. "I have a bad feeling about this."


* * *


"So, Maul, where are we going?" Lou inquired, sitting in the co-pilot's seat.

"Where would you like to go?"

She shrugged. "I don't know the galaxy as well as you do, Maul. You're a better judge than me."

Silence followed. Lou watched the streaking stars pass.

Maul asked, "Why are you not sleeping?"

"I had a strange dream. Couldn't get back to sleep."

"Tell me about it."

Lou shook her head. "No, I want to sort it out for myself first."

"I could easily read it from your mind."

"I know. But you won't."

He met her eyes. "No, I won't."

"Thank you."


S'Ritak Vedul completed his transmission back to Raef Caylon. He sat back, a slight grin on his face at how easy it was to keep his Master in the dark. Palpatine had more power than the young Twi'Lek could ever imagine to control himself. But how long before Maul begins to suspect something?

Palpatine's overall plan ran deeper than Vedul knew, but that did not matter to the apprentice. He was proud to be in direct service to the Emperor.

The new information passed onto Vedul by Caylon was simply to take Jareena to Aria to rendezvous with another operative, a certain Trepur Espen and Corrina Simpson, both humans. Vedul intended to change their course after Maul had gone to sleep, which he hoped would be soon. The girl would not know the difference.

S'Ritak, Maul's voice interrupted his thoughts. It is your turn to take control of my ship. Be careful with it.

Of course, my Master. Vedul rose from the chair, and pressed the door release. He walked the five feet to the cockpit, and switched seats with Maul.

"Jareena, are you going to come to bed?" Maul asked her. She laughed, and he rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean with me." Vedul laughed at this as well. "S'Ritak," Maul's tone was threatening.

"Sorry, Master."

Lou looked out the window at the stars, then back at Maul. "Yeah, alright, sleep sounds good."

The pair left the apprentice in charge of their voyage. He waited until he sensed that they were whispering, before he altered the course to take the Sith Infiltrator II to the planet Aria.


Lou lay on the cot with her eyes closed. Maul was snoring softly in the cot beside hers. She felt the ship change direction, a sixth sense she had honed as a pilot. She decided not to worry about it, though. If Maul trusted his apprentice, then so would she.

She sighed and rolled onto her side, facing him. "My dream was about Morty. He was in trouble. Him, and Jenkens and Taggart. I don't know where they were, it was too dark to see anything. But Caylon was there. I could feel him. I could hear him laughing. Morty - " she choked on the words, stopped, then started again, "Morty was dying. He was in such pain. I felt that, too, Maul. It was so real, like it was happening now. How can that be?"

Maul propped himself on one elbow. "It was just a dream. It does not mean anything."

"Was it? Was it just a dream, Maul? I'm not so sure."

Maul pondered for a moment, an idea toying in his mind. Perhaps she is a Force-user. "Jareena, would you permit me to take a Medichlorian count?"

"A what?"

"Medichlorians are the symbiotic creatures that give me my special abilities."

"You think I might have these special abilities, too?"

"Well, you must train to perfect your skills; you don't wake up at your full potential one morning. It takes years, decades," he paused, watching her expression. "But I think you may have the capability to train. As I have."

"It always comes back to you, Maul," she smiled.

He narrowed his eyes at her, then got up off the cot. He opened an overhead compartment, and took out a medikit. He set it on the cot beside Lou, then flipped open the lid. Maul took out a blood testing device, and pressed it into Lou's palm. She flinched at the slight prick.

Maul put the drops of blood into the scanner. They waited for the results.

He noticed that she was worried, he could sense the knot in her stomach. She feared that, if she was like him, her vision would come true.

"How long will this take?" Lou asked him.

"A few minutes."

"Good."

"Do not worry, Jareena. If what you had was indeed a vision, we can prevent its occurrence."

"I hope so," she laid back down, waiting, and watching him.

Maul looked like he was meditating, sitting cross-legged on the floor, as the scanner did its work.

Park and his companions are in more trouble than she realizes.

Lou sat up quickly. "Wh-what did you say?"

Maul's head snapped around, the sound of her voice pulling him out of his Force-induced trance. "I said nothing."

"Yes, you did! I heard you! You said Morty was in trouble. What do you know, Maul?" she demanded, anger mixed with fear for her friend's well-being taking over her emotions.

"I did not say anything, Jareena," he remembered thinking that Park was on his way into grave danger. Emperor Palpatine had sensed him, Taggart and Jenkens as soon as their ship had entered Coruscant's orbit, and ordered them captured.

"We have to help them. Maul, we have to go back! He-he thought I was in trouble, and he came out to get me," she was pacing. "If anything happens to Morty, I - it would be my fault."

Maul took hold of her by her arms. "Nothing is going to happen to them, I promise."

She could tell by his eyes that he meant it. Something had changed in him, she felt it now. Maul cared for her. He was not on a path to use her, then leave her, as she had thought back in his apartment.

Lou kissed him softly, sweetly. Maul seemed uncertain at first, but he soon felt her intentions through the Force. He moved his hands up her arms, along her shoulders and neck, then held her face. Slow and easy was a new experience for him; he had never cared about the females he was with before, or how they felt after making love.

"Maul, we shouldn't do this. If Palpatine found out - "

"Shh. I don't care," he shook his head. "Besides, chances are he already knows."

Lou smiled at him, and he kissed her again.


* * *


Park, Jenkens, and Taggart walked single file, hands bound behind their backs, flanked by Stormtroopers. They had been waiting on the surface when the shuttle and the patrol ship had landed. Taggart had instructed the other two not to speak to anyone they met on the planet until they knew what it was they were being held for. The obvious answer was, of course, simply that the three were Alliance members, but Taggart felt that there was something else in the air.

An Imperial officer - an admiral, Taggart guessed - approached them and their entourage. He indicated for Park and Jenkens to be taken to separate holding cells, then, as they were dragged away, the admiral turned to Taggart. "Emperor Palpatine would like to see you, Kenobi," he grinned, betraying how much he knew about the other and his fate.

Park heard the name dropped, and he tore away from the Stormtroopers. "Kenobi? Obi-Wan Kenobi? The Jedi?"

The troopers got a hold of him again. He struggled against them, wanting his answer before he was locked up. One of the troopers smacked Park in the back of his head with the end of his blaster. He slumped to the deck.

"Your companions don't know who you are? How interesting," the admiral dismissed them. "Be careful, lads, this one's a special case. He'll knock you dead before you know what's happening."


Emperor Palpatine gazed out his office window, his eyes taking in the endless city before him. He was happy. An emotion he rarely allowed himself, but in this case it was different. He had Obi-Wan Kenobi in custody. The very man who had eluded the old Sith for three years.

The doors hissed open.

"Stay outside the door in case I have need of you," the Emperor told the crimson-clad guards. He had not even turned around yet.

The Imperials bowed in synchronization, then left their Master and his prisoner alone.

"It's been a long time, Senator," the captive was the first to speak. "You haven't aged well."

Palpatine turned to face Kenobi. "Yes, well, these times we live in are difficult ones."

"Only because you make them so."

"Only because you make them so. I do not lead a rebellion, Obi-Wan. I lead the revolution, the new future is under my control."

"You're a tyrant, Palpatine. You always have been. Had I more training and trust in my instincts I would have killed you years ago. Before you were ever elected Supreme Chancellor."

"No use dwelling on the past, is there?" the old man smiled his thin smile. "Although, I am curious to hear what you have been up to these past years. You disappeared. Thrown out by the Jedi Council?"

"I quit. I wanted no part in the battles that tore the galaxy apart. I left."

Palpatine probed the man before him. "You had a wife?"

"Killed by one of your spies."

"Recently."

"She will be avenged."

"That's not a very Jedi-like thing to say."

"I'm not a Jedi anymore."

"It must have been hard, turning your back on the Council when they needed you most? How cowardly of you."

Kenobi remained silent. He had harbored the guilt of his betrayal for years. Hearing it stated so bluntly added salt to the wound.

Palpatine pulled him out of his reflections. "Tell me about her, Obi-Wan. Talk to me as old acquaintances should. Was she worth it?"

"I will not speak of my wife with you, Palpatine."

"Well, then let's find something we can speak of."


Jenkens examined the lock on the door. It appeared to be a standard electronic key-code lock, eight digits creating the magic access number. However the keys were on the other side of the room, and neither he not Park could reach them.

Park, on the other hand, was seated cross-legged on the floor. He was sifting through everything he knew about Raine Taggart, trying to figure out how he could possibly be Obi-Wan Kenobi. It definitely explained the extra-sensory perception.

"Did you know that Taggart was a Jedi?" Park asked Jenkens' back.

"If you didn't know, how do you figure I would've?"

"Good point," he nodded. "I wonder if Captain Lindsey knew."

"Don't waste all your wondering on the first hour. Unless you can reach that control panel over there, and you know the eight digit passcode to open the door, we're gonna be here for awhile."

"Sure, I'll just use my five foot long tongue to reach it..." he said sarcastically. "Ah, we'll just be here until they kill us, anyway."

"I think we're bait."

"Are you a Jedi, too, Jenkens? 'Cause if you are, I wanna know right now."

"No, Park, I'm not a Jedi. If I was, I could open this door without any effort."

"Think so? Maybe when they bring Taggart back - "

"They won't bring him back, Park. If you figured out that he can get us out, I'm positive they already know."

"What's that s'posed to mean?" Jenkens ignored him. "Jenkens?" Still nothing. "Jenkens!"

He just shook his head in amusement.


* * *


"Welcome one and all to Aria," Captain Giles announced over the ship's comm. "We will be landing within the hour."

Deanna smiled at Breckin. "Dad always does that."

He shrugged. The two were sitting on the Observations Deck, watching the stars go by.

"He must have flown like a maniac to get you guys here in nine hours." Breckin nodded. "So, what's your relationship with Simpson like?"

"Uh, relationship? Well, it's...it's...just sex, really," he averted his eyes. "I think she's using me, but I haven't figured out what for, yet."

"Oh," Deanna tried not to look happy.

"Yeah, she doesn't really care about me, you know? The only time she pays any attention to me is when she's boinking me. The rest of the time I might as well not exist."

"That sucks," she moved closer to him.

"I would tell her off, but...well..."

"It's better than nothing?" she offered.

"Yeah," he nodded. "Yes, exactly. It's better than nothing. Exactly." He met her gaze, but was confused by the amused grin on her face. "What?"

"Oh, come on, Lance. We've spent eight and three quarters of the last nine hours talking. If you haven't figured it out yet..." she shook her head.

A smile made its way across his lips. "Why?"

"'Cause you're sexy, Babe. And you have a sexy voice. And you're interesting and funny. You know a lot of stuff. You listen to me. You're not a drone, like a lot of other people."

"Are you kidding? I'm a loser! My own Captain never gets my name right! Come to think of it, neither does my girlfriend! Trust me, you can do better."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that, 'kay?"

He arched his eyebrow at her. "Okay, if you really - "

She kissed him before he could finish his sentence.


Wesley watched in horror as his twin sister smooched that Broccoli-guy they had picked up. He rarely spied on Deanna anymore, but sometimes he could not help it. He felt obligated to look out for her, and occasionally to step in when he thought she was making a bad judgment call.

This was definitely a bad judgment call.

Wesley exited his quarters, stepping out into the dimly lit hallway. That's odd, he thought, turning left to go to the Observations Deck.

"Hey, Wesley!" Espen called down the hall to him.

"Oh, great," he muttered, turning around. "What do you want now?"

"To apologize, Boy," Espen jogged up to him. Wesley folded his arms across his chest skeptically. "Yeah, I'm sorry for beating you up and knocking you around and all that."

"Why?" he stayed guarded; Espen was hiding something behind his back.

"Because," Espen grabbed Wesley's arm, and drove a hypo into the exposed flesh. "This is worse."

"HEY!" he tried to pull away, but it was too late. Wesley could already feel whatever it was taking its course. He broke out in a sweat, feeling light-headed, dizzy. "What the hell did you..." his voice trailed off. He was having trouble staying upright.

"You'll see. Now let's go find your dad," Espen flung the young man over his shoulder, and carried him to the Bridge.