Kam Solusar wandered around the shady tavern, well not really wandered, more likely waited on his contact. And there he was - walking into the bar. Kam started to make his way torward his contact, when he bumped into a humanoid, or at least he looked like human. His head crowned with a crown of horns, clad in flowing dark robes with a V cut that opened his neck. He was... strange. Unfamiliar even to Kam, but there was something about him that reminded him of a predator. And an even colder stirring, something he remembered about someone with similiar features, but he couldnt place his finger on it.

"Get out of my way drunk." the figure murmored and his words wore down heavily onto Kam, he almost turned around and ran in the other direction when he realized what the stranger did.

"Try not to use that on everyone you bump into." Kam hissed, still throwing looks torward his contact who was sitting on a chair by the bar, watching the door. Suddenly he felt a probe reach out from the horned man man, strong but crude. He battered it aside.

"Jedi?" the man muttered as if relived, but still wary.

"Maybe. Who's asking?"

"I need a way off the world before they hand me in to the Yuuzhan Vong. Can you get me out?"

"Maybe. I dont remember seeing you at the Academy though. Care to spark my memory?"

"I wasnt at the Academy. Self-trained."

"We'll talk this out later. I have something to arrange, meet me at docking bay 94 and I'll see what I can do to get you out. Try to keep a low profile." Kam muttered between his teeth and bypassed the stranger without a single word, and headed for his contact. He was late as it is, without complications like this.

* * *

He arrived at the docking bay a couple of hours later, the cargo was probably already loaded, and he was relieved to find the horned man sitting in a bench on the opposite end of the hangar, watching the door. He rose from the bench as Solusar entered, and started walking torward the ship. Suddenly a rush of air hit Solusar, he saw the horned man draw something from his sleeve and start running torward him - that was a clear signal that whatever was behind him, it wasnt friendly. He pivoted on his right foot and brought his lightsaber in a low parry, deflecting the laser bolt just in time. The bolt came from a rather friendly crowd of all good and honorable people sporting stun batons and blasters, more then a few wearing Peace Brigade insignia openly. He began retreating torward the ship, as the horned man spoke for the first time since their encounter in the cantina, this time through the Force:

*Catch*

Kam extended his hand and caught the lightsaber handle in mid air, thumbed it on, and as the silver blade sprang to life he began retreating torward the freighter's boarding ramp, and was welcomed by the sound of engines being fired up. More blasters spitted hot light at him, but with two lightsabers he was pretty shure he could deflect more then what these guys could throw at him. He grasped the nearby crate of equipment with the Force and hurled it at the crowd running torward him, turned and began running in zig-zag, hoping the crate would slow them down for a few precious seconds. The ramp already began closing when he ran into the ship, and a second later they lifted off, heading into open space.

"Nice trick." Kam said as he dropped into the copilot seat, handing over the horned man's lightsaber back to its owner, who barely acknownledged him with a nod.

"You know, it really would help if we properly introduced each other. Im Kam Solusar, Jedi Master of the Jedi Ordre. You?" Kam said while extending a hand.

"Lomeir Sarin." Lomeir said and took the hand.

"So Master Solusar, care to set coordinates or should I do it? Im afraid I only know the coordinates of Imperial worlds." Lomeir poked when it was obvious Kam's only prospect was sitting in the chair.

"Imperial worlds? You hang around with the Remnant?" Kam said as he began typing in coordinates for Eclipse.

"Not really. Lets just say I had some Imperial entanglements in the recent past. So, where are we going Master Solusar?" Lomeir said as he remembered that maybe being sincere about his affiliations wasnt such a good thing around a Jedi.

"Only place where jedi are safe now-a-days kid." Kam said cryptically, rose from his chair as the stars out side turned into a hyperspace tunnel and moved into the main part of the ship.

"Look Lomeir, I think I got a fair idea who you were working with, and if Im right then you arent a Jedi. But you just saved my life, so that counts out you being a Dark Jedi. Tell me straight up, who are you, where do you come from, and why did you want to get off the planet?"

"Hmph. Im Lomeir Sarin, I come from the planet of Iridonia, now under Imperial rule, and I wished to see the other side of the coin so to speak."

"So to speak?"

"The Imperial goverment pictures Jedi like traitors of the worst kind, someone to be killed at sight. I merely wanted to hear your side of the story before I decide on my loyalities."

"That is a mature decision Lomeir. How do you see the Jedi? As traitors to be killed at sight, or somehow different?"

"I see you as limited. No offense ofcourse."

"None taken, would you care to elaborate?"

"Well, from what I understand, both Jedi and Dark Jedi, or Sith if you prefer, pick a side of the Force and stick with it. Why I wonder? Why choose just one, when you can have both?"

"Isnt that being greedy?" Kam teased.

"Not at all. How is greed defined, by degree of how much a man wishes to have? Why limit yourself to experiencing just the Dark Side, when you can experience the Light side as well, and vica versa. Balance is needed. Too much light is bad, too much dark is bad as well."

"I feel like Im listening one of Jacen's philosophical speeches." Kam laughed.

"Who?"

"Jacen Solo, son of Han Solo, never heard of him?"

"Didnt have any means, the Empire rebuilt my world a year or two ago."

"The Empire seems pretty charitable torwards your people. Are you shure its for your well-being?"

"Elaborate."

"Well, the Empire tricked another people into slavery pretty much the same way, later used them as suicide death squads."

"Only thing the Empire has asked of us, is to help them manufacture the ships they require for liberating the galaxy. Nothing more. I serve their cause because I choose to do so."

"Sorry to break any illusions, but the Empire hasnt been existing for decades. Only thing that remains is the Imperial Remnant."

"That has changed. Gravely changed. The Admiral does not share your sense for optimism." Lomeir said while eyeing Kam in a new light.

"Admiral? Anyone can proclaim himself an admiral." Kam baited in hopes of drawing out more information, and added a little Force nudge to his words.

"Grand Admiral Thrawn, supreme commander over all Imperial forces."

"Grand Admiral Thrawn died at Bibirlingi."

"His clone did. From what I read about his clone, he brought your New Republic to its knees. With mediocre forces, a few dozen of Star Destroyers, and nearly two hundred Dreadnoughts. That was five years after he arrived and took control of the Empire. Now, two years after he arrived in a lone shuttle, and the Empire hasnt lost a single battle since then."

"You are pretty trustworthy to someone you just met." Kam remarked.

"Just a feeling."

"Lomeir, you are as likely to cross the bridge as you are likely to jump off it." Kam chuckled. Lomeir merely cocked up an eyebrow.

"Sorry. Anyway, would... Thrawn be interested in giving the New Republic a hand against the Yuuzhan Vong, or simply plans on going after the Republic?"

"Why limit oneself to one, when he can obliterate both?"

"Good point. Well, fancy a sparring session? Lets see what your self-training made of you." Kam said as he rose and drawed his lightsaber.