Rage watched as the technician who'd left the load lifter that Rehn had used to free herself from her restraints parked in the docking bay, fell to the floor clutching his throat and his eyes popped from their sockets and laid on his cheeks. Two deck officers stepped forward and carried him away. Drakahn looked up from the monitor that displayed Gade resting in the medical facilities. His nose flared as he took in the smell of blood and death.

He looked over to where Rage stood watching them drag off the dead trooper."You know if you didn't terrify them and get their heart rates going, their eyes wouldn't pop out like that."

She shrugged her bare shoulders as she turned back to the communications equipment. "Hmph. I think it looks cool." Actually she loved tearing into their minds and plucking at different parts of their brains. It was like a science project.

His green eyes slid over her; in so many ways still like a child, yet so powerful. She was clothed in commando like gear. Most likely the closest she ever came to casual wear- a muscle shirt with commando pants and a small blaster was strapped to her upper arm but looked unused. A black vibroblade blended into the colour of her black pants, only a chunk of what looked like shiny black tape caught the light revealing that it was even there amongst the many pockets and loose folds of the garment. Her sabre was clipped to her belt within easy reach. Unlike most Jedi the bottom was secured so it would not swing against her leg.

They were in an alcove just off the bridge and Drakahn observed how the crew reacted to her with both deep fear and a kind of smothered loathing. A high ranking Imperial woman who dares to demand respect and walks around in anything other than a gender smoothering Imperial uniform. A woman who could kill with merely a thought or when the mood struck her, and what none of them but Drakahn realized was that she did it all on purpose.

The bridge bustled with activity, alive with a kind of aggressive energy. Unlike Lord Vader's ship, where the crew all stalked around with ulcer causing fear wedge in their weak bellies, Lady Vader ran a charged ship. In the crew pits, the young officers would look up and catch a look at her every once and awhile. They feared her but that fear was over toned with a kind of curiosity, and she was perfectly aware of it. Only the Captain, Corliss, seemed immune to her magnetic charge. He ignored her completely, sitting in his chair still nursing his wounded pride.

Drakahn let out a snort then looked up as Rage left her com station to stand beside him, her arm resting on the high back of his chair. "How's the little princess doing?"

"She'll be fine, she's healing quickly. She will have to be monitored to make sure she doesn't try to starve or dehydrate herself." He leaned back with an almost thoughtful look on his strong hansom face. "You know, she's quite the remarkable one. She has come to impress even me with her fighting spirit. When I have made her my own, I am going to miss those darting eyes." He nickered softly under his breath. It came out like a soft chuckle.

Rage felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. "Don't go falling in love, Drakahn. You're here to make sure she stays alive until Lord Vader has time to collect her...nothing more. There are no guaranties that the Emperor will give her to you after her training is complete. If she will not turn to the dark side, she'll be eliminated. Don't get your hopes up."

He rolled the chair around and looked at her evenly. "I will make her ready for his training. She is young and should be easy to manipulate, but she's not exactly co-operative at the moment, and that must change."

Rage clicked her teeth and regarded him. He appeared completely obedient to Palpatine and Vader, but Rehn just might be too big a prize for him to give up. After just speaking with Vader though, Rage wasn't so sure that Palpatine wouldn't hand Gade over to the stallion anyway. "We're rendezvousing with my fleet and from there we'll go to where ever your strong hold is."

"On Cey'lon of course. My homeworld. Coruscant is lovely, but far to artificial for my liking."

Rage smiled lifting a fine eyebrow. "I didn't know extinct species have home worlds."

He chuckles at her taunt, his voice deep and calm. We all have a home, even the Sith I believe. I have had my fortress prepared for Gade's arrival for some time now. I knew it was only a matter of time before I found her again."

She slid a leather gloved hand over her face nodding. A smile sitting on her dark lips. "And this dark mystical place.. this is where the training will start?"

"No, my Sith princess. On Cey'lon the breaking and conditioning will start. "He laughed and swung his chair back looking at the monitor. He tapped a control and it zoomed in on Gade's face...resting but anything but peaceful. Rage watched him with a cool gaze, her eyes narrow.

********

They set down on Cey'lon in the early morning hours and Rage took a deep breath as she stepped off the transport. The air was clean and surprising fresh with a cold bite to it that irritated her damaged lungs. Still she held the breath until the air was warmed then exhaled. She had grown up on a Star Destroyer, and spent most of her life on one, so she appreciated unrecycled, clean air. Reg walked down the ramp behind her.

"You might get your vacation after all. This is a beautiful planet." He tugged on his gloves looking around.

"Yeah. You, me and a regiment of stormtroopers that haven't been off this rock for the past three years. First I'll have to pick the garrison apart and get it all up to shape....mainly because they expect me to. Then we'll see about a little R&R. Wouldn't mind going mountain climbing."

They heard a scream from the transport and both turned to look as a stormtrooper came flying out, landing on his head in a heap of bruised and broken flesh. Reg sighed. "Seems she's feeling better."

Rehn was pulled out onto the landing pad, blindfolded and wearing binders a muzzle and leg irons. Her massive muscles bulged as the stormtroopers threw themselves on top of her as she struck out with both feet at the closest one. Rage had decided to bring a few troopers from Corliss's ship to handle her, not wanting to waste her own men on such a violent prisoner. Drakahn brought up the rear, watching in silence as Rehn fought a loosing battle. A transport pulled up, the driver saluting Rage.

Reg looked around at the massive walls surrounding what had once been a heavily populated fortress city. "Where are we?"

Rage walked towards the group and Reg followed. "Valhonran on Cey'lon. I'm told it was the Lakeeta clan's home. Well shall we?" She gestured towards Rehn who lashed out with both legs again at one trooper who was a little slow to move.

-Kelly Black-