Breckin got up off the floor of the brig. "That bitch!" he yelled suddenly. "How could she do this to me? I don't believe it!" he wandered to the door, and put his hands on the bars. "Why would she betray the Alliance like - " his voice was growlly, and he shook the door. It clicked open. "That?"

"He told me there were blasters hidden in the wall." Lindsey pushed past Breckin, who was staring in awe at his all-powerful hands.

Nordat followed Lindsey out of the cell. "Do you think Espen gave the son the antidote?"

"I hope so," Lindsey opened the compartment, and handed her a weapon. He carried one over to Breckin. "Giles left it unlocked, Breckman. Now, let's go see if we can help."

They raced to the Bridge.


"Do it, get it over with." Wesley said to Simpson.

"No, Scruffy - "

"Stop it, Bushroot, there's no way out here."

"I'm glad you see that," Simpson was waiting for the charge to reach full power.

"We helped you. You can't just kill us!" Deanna tried to reason with the other.

"Yes, you did. In fact, you very well may have saved my life. But I certainly can just kill you."

Espen checked the time. "I'll meet you outside, Woman. We don't have time to play around, so you'd better be right behind me." he left then, and went to the cargo bay to claim the prize he had taken from Léonna VI.

"Say goodbye to your dear brother, Deanna."

She held him tighter. "No," she sobbed.


From down the hall, Breckin could see into the Bridge. Simpson was holding a gun to Deanna's brother's head. Without thinking twice, Breckin raised his blaster, took careful aim, then shot Simpson neatly in the neck.

She dropped instantly.

The three ran to the twins. Breckin knelt beside Deanna, folding her into his arms. Wesley laid down on the deck in relief. Lindsey and Nordat checked Giles, but he was dead.

"Where did Espen go?" Lindsey asked the twins.

"Who gives a flying - "

"Well, Scruffy, if nothing else, Kasparaitis gave you a dirtier mouth." Deanna patted him on the shoulder.

"I still feel like sh - crap." he mumbled into the floor.

Deanna gave Wesley a short hug, then told Lindsey, "I think he went to the cargo bay. he moved some merchandise down there while Dad locked you guys up."

"What kind of merchandise?"

"Weapons," Wesley speculated. "Some kind of weapons. That's my guess."

"Your guess?" Nordat was skeptical, but Lindsey was already heading away. "Kane!" she called after him.

"Leave him be," Deanna began.

"Or he'll kill you, too." Wesley finished, sitting up slowly.

Lindsey sighed, "Are you suggesting we let him go?"

"No," he shook his head. "I'm saying we get him later. Can't you see there's something bigger going on here? We should follow him, then sabotage his little operation."

"Or we can let him go, and forget about him." Deanna suggested instead. "I don't want to have anything more to do with that man so long as I live."

"Fine," Wesley stood even more slowly than he had sat up. "You can stay here, and," he looked over at Lindsey, "I'll go with you."

"Are you sure - "

"Yes, I'm sure. That bastard tried to kill my sister, tried to kill me on several occasions, and - " he glanced at his slain father. "And he's an asshole."

"I see," Lindsey nodded. "So, how do you propose we follow him?"

Wesley grinned, then went over to a console. "I put a tracer on his crate."

Nordat and Lindsey joined Wesley intently.

Breckin ran his fingers through Deanna's hair. "I'll go wherever you go." he told her.

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Lance. I appreciate that."

He returned the smile. "You make me feel so needed." he kissed her sweetly.


***


Espen stepped into the elevator. The crate, his prized possession, floated on a hoverlift beside him. He pressed the button for the eighth floor, where the meeting was to take place between he and S'Ritak Vedul.

Espen had never met the Twi'Lek who would be a Sith, and frankly he thought it was a joke. Twi'Leks were natural schemers, double-crossers. They never committed to one thing - or anything, for that matter - why was this one endeavoring to be a Sith?

The doors opened, and Espen stepped out into the spacious room. It was furnished only with twelve armchairs and two tables, one of which was in the center of the circle of chairs. The other was against the wall to his left, laden with food. He helped himself to a banana, the floating crate following him on his trek across the room, as he awaited Vedul's arrival.


"Master, there is someone you must meet." Maul's Twi'Lek apprentice stated. It was time for his meeting with Trepur Espen and Corrina Simpson on the eighth floor of the hotel. Final preparations for Emperor Palpatine were to be made.

"Who?" Maul demanded. "And why here?"

"Their names are Espen and Simpson," Vedul reached out with the Force, and discovered that the man had indeed arrived, but that Simpson had been killed. "Just Espen, apparently. You'll get along. Come," Vedul keyed open the door.

"Jareena, you stay here, and lock this door after we've gone. Don't let anyone in." Maul told Lou.

"I think it would be better if she came along. Just in case something happens in our absence." Vedul stated.

Maul narrowed his eyes at his apprentice suspiciously, trying to read his thoughts again. He could not. "What do you think?" he asked her instead.

She glanced around the room. "I'd rather go with you." she decided, getting up off the chair she had been curled up on.

The three made their way tot he elevator down the hall. Vedul pressed the eighth floor button, and down they went. The doors opened on a spacious meeting room.

Vedul and Maul both sensed Espen standing to the side, hidden behind the small indentation the elevator produced in the wall, a gun ready to shoot the first thing to move into view. The Twi'Lek told his Master telepathically not to attack.

Maul stepped in front of Lou protectively, as Vedul called to the stranger, "Espen, it is I, S'Ritak Vedul, come to meet with you. I have brought with me my Master and teacher, Darth Maul, as well as," he paused, seeking an appropriate word, "An acquaintance."

"Come off the lift real slow," Espen responded coldly.

Maul's hand rested on his lightsabre, as he followed his apprentice off the elevator. Lou stayed close behind him.

"You don't have to be suspicious, I am who I claim to be."

"You're a Jedi - "

"Sith,"

"Force-user, whatever. You're all the same. I don't trust you. I don't trust any of you. Never have,"

"Oh, boo hoo," Maul growled.

"Is this her?" Espen circled Lou and Maul.

"Indeed,"

"She's a strange one. Never seen her kind before."

"She's rare, yes,"

"What importance is that?" Maul hissed at Espen. the human was getting too close.

"None, it's just interesting." Espen reached his hand into his pocket, took out a fistful of its contents, then blew the magenta powder at Maul and Lou.

"Hold your breath!" Maul realized too late what was going on.

"It won't make any difference, I'm afraid, Master. The powder is instantly absorbed by the skin, and it shall take effect shortly."

"What have you done, S'Ritak?" Maul illuminated his lightsabre, and lunged at the Twi'Lek.

Espen fired one shot at Maul's back. He dropped to the floor, his lightsabre skittering across the room.

"Another effect is the loss of your Force abilities." Vedul smiled slyly at his fallen Master.

Lou dropped to her knees, feeling dizzy. "I told him not to trust you. I told him..." her voice trailed off. She focused her eyes on Espen. "What have you done to me?"

Espen knelt on one knee. "I have made you complacent for the trip home."

"And where is home?" she watched as Vedul picked up Maul's lightsabre.

"Coruscant, my Dear, Coruscant."

The Twi'Lek activated the Sith's weapon.

"Oh, no,"

"Oh, yes," Espen grinned.

"Leave him alone, S'Ritak. He trusted you against his better judgment, you owe it to him to let him live." she said.

"I owe him for all he has taught me. Trusting me was his mistake." Vedul responded, standing over Maul. "A mistake he shall now pay for." he swung the glowing blade down towards the Sith's neck.

"NO!" Lou screamed.

The weapon deactivated moments before it made contact. "Let's go," Vedul said, tossing the lightsabre aside.

Espen pulled Lou to her feet, then activated the hoverlift. The crate obediently followed the three out of the room.