Hey guys! Sorry for the delay between chapters...This story is done now, tho, so it's just a matter of uploading the rest.

Hope you enjoy!

~FP



Giles turned around at the sound of the doors to the Bridge sliding open. His eyes went wide as Espen dropped his son carelessly on the floor.

Wesley rolled onto his stomach, then moved sluggishly to a nearby console. His head buzzed and spun, and his vision blurred, but he was determined to fight back.

"Espen, what have you done to him?!" Giles exclaimed.

Lindsey rose beside Giles, just as surprised as he was to see the young man in this condition.

"I have infected him with Kasparaitis, a disease you no longer have the cure for in supply, seeing as I emptied out the stores. Save one," Wesley tried pulling himself to his feet, but Espen grabbed his hair, pulled him away from the console, and shoved him to the floor. "And I will administer this one only after you have agreed to my terms."

"Dammit, Espen - "

"Shut up and listen. Two hours can fly by really quickly, as you know, but seeing as we are already cleared to land time is shorter. Besides, another fifteen minutes and poor wesley here will be spitting up blood, and therefore beyond all help.

"All I want is your ship and all the cargo we picked up on Léonna VI. The Alliance traitors are to be locked up in the brig, and you, the lovely Deanna, and possibly Wesley will be left on Aria, where you can fend for yourselves."

"We don't need the ship, Espen." Simpson told him. "We are being met on the surface."

"I see,"

The doors opened, and Deanna and Breckin entered.

In one swift, fluid motion Simpson swung Breckin to the floor, holding him at gunpoint. "I'm breaking up with you." she stated.

"You bitch!" Deanna punched her in the face. As she stumbled aside, holding her nose, Deanna noticed her brother twitching on the floor. "What the hell did you do to Scruffy?!" she ran to his side.

"Don't touch him, I don't know how contagious he is." Espen cautioned, grinning.

She drew back slightly. "Contagious? Oh, Scruffy,"

"Well, what do you say, Giles?" Simpson asked the captain.

"I'm sorry, Kane, but he's the only son I have." Lindsey nodded in understanding, though he was not pleased with this turn of events. "I agree to your demands." Giles told Espen.

"Excellent," the other grinned wider.

"Demands? What demands? Dad, what is going on?" Deanna questioned. "What have they done to my brother?"

"Please, Deanna, I'll explain later." Giles turned to Espen. "Now, cure him."

"I will. As soon as you lock up your new buddies. Time's a-goin'."

Giles looked to Lindsey, and he nodded. "Brecktin, come with us, please." Lindsey requested.

Breckin's eyes locked with Deanna's as he got up from the deck. The three left the bridge to find Nordat on their way to the brig.

Wesley's eyes rolled back in his head. He had no idea what was going on around him. The only thing he was aware of was the burning in his chest and his inability to move voluntarily. He felt something else, this time in his stomach, but it was not internal. He guessed someone had kicked him. "Espen, you bastard."

"You'd better watch it, Boy. I'm the only one who can fix you." Espen's voice sounded lightyears away.

There was a slight prick in Wesley's arm, and freezing moved up to his neck. He clenched his teeth. If this is the cure, I think I liked the disease better.

Espen watched curiously as the vaccine ran its course. Wesley's body was rigid, as if every muscle in his body was contracting at once.

"If this doesn't work, I'll - "

"You'll what, Girlie?"

"I'll think of something." Deanna folded her arms across her chest.

"You do that," Simpson muttered, hopping into the pilot's seat. "I'm taking us down." she announced.


S'Ritak Vedul watched the sky from the inside of the room he had reserved for their arrival on Aria. Darth Maul was pacing, reflected in the glass, while Lou inspected their surroundings. She still did not trust the Twi'Lek.

"Why are we here, S'Ritak?" Maul asked again. They had been on the surface for three hours, and Maul was itching to leave. Aria was not far enough away from Coruscant - or Palpatine - for him to be comfortable.

"You will see, Master."

"Why do you cloud your thoughts from me?"

"I have nothing of interest in my head, Master." Vedul flashed a look in Lou's direction. "She has brought out in you a distrust for me?"

"You have earned my distrust yourself, Apprentice. That was one of my favorite vases."

"I'll fix it when we return home, if it will gain your trust back."

"You'll fix it anyway." Maul narrowed his eyes at the Twi'Lek.

Vedul smiled, "Of course,"

Maul growled, then went over to where Lou was examining the door lock. He rested his hands on her shoulders, mentally making her aware of his presence beforehand so she would not startle. "Everything in working order, then?"

"I think so," Lou sighed, replacing the panel. She straightened, then turned.

Maul put his hand on her cheek. "I won't let anything happen to you."

She closed her eyes. The warmth on her cheek became a burning. her head spun.

Maul sensed that something was wrong immediately. "Jareena, what is it?" he tried to bring her back to reality.

Lou opened her eyes, and looked up at the high ceiling. She was no longer in the hotel room. She was back on Coruscant, in the Imperial Palace.

She heard laughter, and turned toward its source. Emperor Palpatine was carrying the Statue of Ongrel on a small platform to her. Lou's hand glowed red, and she held it up to the Statue. It in turn glowed red, until the three sides opened downwards.

Palpatine's laugh grew, echoing off the walls.

The doors swung open, and Darth Maul entered running, lightsabre ablaze. "Jareena, come away from there!" he ordered.

"It's too late, Maul," Palpatine stated, setting the platform and Statue on the table in the center of the room. He then turned on his former apprentice, eyes full of contentment. "You, Sir, have caused me more trouble in the past few days then the effort worth putting forth to kill you."

Maul's lightsabre was thrown from his hand, as blue Force lightning racked his body relentlessly.

"NO!" Lou screamed, falling into Maul's arms, the vision having passed.

"Shh," he tried to sound soothing. "That won't happen."

She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "You saw it, too?" he nodded, running his fingers through her dark green hair. "Every other vision I have ever seen has come true, no matter what I've tried to do to stop it. Morty's going to die." she met his yellow eyes. "And so will you." she pulled away from him. "I don't want to lose you again, Maul. I can't,"

Maul held her close. "How long have you been having them?"

"Four years, Maul. They started shortly after I left Coruscant."

He thought about this, before replying, "They must be linked with the Statue of Ongrel. That is the only explanation."

"They are. I know they are. I feel that heart beating when I'm alone and everything else has stopped." she shook her head, pulling back. "It won't stop."

"Heart beating? What heart beating?"

"The Heart inside the Statue. The thing Palpatine's after. It will give him all the power once held by the first Sith warrior."

"How do you know all this?" Vedul broke into their conversation.

"I - I - " she could not find an answer that would satisfy any of them. "I just do."


The Watcher's Light set down on the platform, making a perfect landing.

Espen clamped his hand on Giles' shoulder. "Good work," he turned to leave. As he passed Deanna and Wesley he asked, "How ya doin', Sport?"

Wesley raised his head weakly. "F - "

Deanna covered her brother's mouth with her hand. "Fine," she said in place of what he would have.

Espen ruffled the boy's hair, then left the Bridge. Simpson rose from her spot beside the twins, as Giles turned his chair around. She whipped out her blaster, and shot the captain in the head. Deanna screamed, and Wesley stared in disbelief, unable to muster the energy to do anything else.

Espen turned back, recognizing the sound of blaster fire, and then hearing the scream. "Come on, Simpson. We don't have all day. We are on a schedule here."

"Two more," she replied wickedly.

"Make it quick,"

Wesley moved in front of his sister protectively, trying to find the strength to fight back. Deanna sobbed into his back.

"A lot of good you'll do her, dying first and all." Simpson smiled cruelly, taking aim at his forehead.

"Don't," Deanna pleaded. "Please don't."