Hey guys, here is the next chapter of this story.

Enjoy the read.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Slaves of Kadara

The journey toward the planet was filled with silence, well, as silent as it could be in a gunship whose engines roared with power as they coursed through space. Ellana was standing beside Scott with a light frown upon her features as she sensed the many emotions that were around her. From the Masters, she can feel nothing but the calm and serenity that most Jedi Masters feel like. From Scott, there was a slight nerve but it was buried within a light excitement as well as determination which was the norm for him from when they were at the Temple together.

The Wardens however, felt more of grim determination.

The gunship shook around them as they were entering the atmosphere of the planet, causing her to glance toward the small windows that they were upon their vessel seeing the reddish glow appearing from outside. It was a familiar sight from their travel around space, entering and exiting a planet and Ellana had been around many since she became Master Solana's padawan.

"Approaching LZ," the pilot spoke out.

Ellana feels the ship change direction a bit before coming to land upon the ground, causing a light shake. The door opened and wave of hot air filled the ship as the group walked out, taking in the sight around them.

Kadara looked different than the other planets she had been in the past, Ellana noticed, filled with nothing but mountainous rocks as far as the eye could see. Nearby waters were filled with steam rising from them and even from the smell she can see that it had taken an yellowish red color, and the slight warning in the Force told her all she needs to know about it.

"Stay away from the water," she heard Master Illuzen spoke out, "It's toxic…just alike almost everything on this rock."

Then, Ellana's eyes were drawn toward something not too far away from where she stood. It stood tall, taller than anything around and from how it was built, Ellana could tell that it was much taller than it looks. It must be the old alien structure that the Jedi found centuries ago on the planet. She can feel something in the Force then, as she focused upon it, something…ancient…

"Ellana,"

The girl startled before turning toward her Master who had called out for her.

"Don't wander," Solana called out to her.

"Yes Master," she called out, approaching the older woman feeling chided at being caught daydreaming.

She approached the others who was standing with Captain Cousland who had his helmet under his arm from where he stood. Master Illuzen already has an holo appearing from his Omni-tool from where he stood. Scott had a small teasing grin upon his lips at her being caught but he didn't say anything.

"The plan is a two-prong attack," he spoke out, "Knight Amell and I will be with the troops while Ryder and Lavellan will be sneaking through another path. It will allow you to gain the location of the people taken prisoners. During the planet's scan, we managed to find an area of the Port that was drawing far more power and it needed to."

"We'll get to it Master," Scott answered, sounding curt and professional.

Ellana gave a nod of her own, showing that she understood thought her own nervousness beat beneath her ribs. It would be one of the rare times she wasn't with her Master on a mission. She didn't really like mission like that but she will do her duty as any Jedi should.

"Let's sync up," Solana said, "That way we can synchronize our movement."

Master Illuzen dismissed the holo that was floating in front of them. The Jedi placed their vambraces forward as the communication on top of it flashed the same green color twice.

"May the Force guide you, Padawans," Master Illuzen spoke out with a light bow of his head.

"And you Masters," Ellana answered.

She and Scott then turned toward the speeder bikes waiting for them. She hadn't ridden one of them in a while but she climbed upon the one that was for her, starting it up.

Scott gave her a backward look, and with a light smirk, he zoomed forward leaving a trail of dust behind him. Rolling her eyes lightly at his eagerness, Ellana pressed forward, leaving the group and following after Scott quickly locking upon his signature.

The wind was loud in her ears, causing her hair to dance around her face. While Ellana was glad that she kept her hair short, she lamented not having goggle to keep her eyes from tearing up from the strong winds. But with the Force as her guide, the young Jedi leaned this way and that to avoid obstacles that were in her path between the canyon that they had entered.

At her next turn, she caught up with Scott who seemed to have slowed down enough to wait for her. The young man gave her a look as she came side to side with him the duo continued on their path thought at a much slower pace than before.

Then they turned the next corner coming to a stop seeing that their path was leading up out of the canyon they were in. Ellana reached out toward Scott with the Force, revealing to him that they were almost at the spot Master Illuzen indicated on the map.

Understanding-Acceptance-Determination.

Those were the feelings that Scott reached out with at her probing showing that he was on the same wavelength as she was on. That exchange took less than a second and the two of them were already moving in sync, heading straight for the location that they had chosen.

Not too far away from where they were, Kadara Port was visible, towering in front of them. It was a building that was built into the mountainous lands in front of them. The station seems to be on the older side, thought who built it was long since forgotten and the Red skulls had made their presence known with the amount of guards that they had watching the place.

"This place is well guarded," Scott said pulling out a binocular from his clothing.

"How many do you count?" Ellana asked.

"There are at least thirty guards," he answered, "Various races too. Turians, Batarians and even a few Krogans."

Ellana frowned.

"The group that were on Elvhenan were all Batarians," she said with a light frown.

"They are more Batarians visible than the other races," Scott guessed, "Don't their entire civilizations runs on a slavery system?"

"More or less," Ellana answered him, tilting her head lightly.

She could sense something. A wrongness that was both familiar and not at the same time. She took a breath, sinking into the Force and reaching out toward the Port with her sense. There was an elusive feeling…a cold elusive feeling.

"Is something wrong?" Scott asked her placing a hand upon her shoulder, his tone worried.

Ellana opened her eyes, not realizing she had closed them. Scott was looking at her with a worried look in his blue eyes.

"I'm okay," she answered, "I was just sensing…Don't you sense that?"

"What?" he asked.

"Try to reach out with the Force," Ellana told him.

He seems confused but Scott did as she asked. She could feel him reaching out with the Force, his presence growing lightly. Then, he suddenly opens his eyes, surprise and shock appearing upon his features. He had realized what she had been sensing.

"I sense it too," he said, "it's elusive but it feels like it's there as well."

"I know," she said.

"It doesn't feel like a Force User either," Scott said, murmuring.

Ellana could tell that it wasn't a Force user, but that doesn't mean whoever they were couldn't be dangerous.

The presence she had felt wasn't on the Planet.

Solana Amell frowned lightly to herself. Now that she was on the planet, she could sense the dark presence she had caught from when they were aboard the Griffin's Wing. It lessened her worry about her padawan's mission, knowing that they wouldn't have problem on their part of the mission as they were now approaching their own checkpoint.

"How is training her?" Master Illuzen asked her suddenly.

Solana glanced down at the dwarf.

"What?"

"Her training?" he asked, "Ever since you took her under your wing, you've had the Order's attention upon you. So, how was it?"

Solana stayed fell silent, gathering her thoughts. Training Ellana had been both a blessing and a challenge. She used most of her own master's training to get through with Ellana, thought she had to do many things differently. The elvhen girl wasn't like she was at her age, so teaching her defensive Form 3 technique had been easy.

"She is…gifted," she finally said, "She is far ahead of me when I was at her age. It makes me wonder if the stories about the Silver Eyes are truly just stories. She is humble, and I can see that she is already a great Jedi…one fit for the Trials."

Master Illuzen glanced at her, his gaze searching.

"Why don't you request her then?"

"I have been meditating upon the decision," Solana said, "But I feel that it is not yet time for her to take the Trials. If I place her now, then I feel I will make her a disservice."

Master Illuzen let out a hum.

"Master Jedi," Cousland spoke drawing their gaze, "We are arriving at the checkpoint."

Both Solana and Illuzen stopped their talk and followed the captain through the rocks, reaching the Port. No one had seen them yet, and it was time for them to make their move soon.

"Ellana, Scott are you in position?" she asked, speaking into her com.

"Waiting on you Master," Ellana's voice came through.

"Get ready then," Solana told her.

She turned her gaze toward where Cousland was standing and gave him a sharp nod. It was the signal to begin the attack that would draw the attention of the enemy in front of them.

Captain Cousland slapped his helm in place upon his head and turned his attention toward the Wardens around him.

"Alright, men," he called out, "Let's start this attack. Rocket launchers, let's go."

Some of the Wardens shouldered the heavy weapons, taking aim toward the direction of the entrance of the Port. Then let's them fly at high-rate speed before hitting their marks in fiery and loud explosions. She could hear the sudden yell and screams that echoed from within the Port as the enemy was now starting to scramble to what was going on.

Solana unclipped the hilt at her belt.

"Forward," she yelled.

The kyber crystal within her hilt sung as her lightsaber hummed into existence, running forward with the soldiers at her heels. She heard Master Illuzen's blade hum into existence behind her as well blaster fire started to echo around her both from the men following after her as well as the slavers that were in front of them. With her at the front, and her glowing lightsaber Solana was a bright target for many to shoot at.

Her lightsaber was a blur of blue as the red blast aimed at her were repelled away or back toward those who fired them, given the yell of pain she could hear from around her. She can feel the others behind her dying as well and still they moved on, their blasters echoing from around her.

The damage of the rocket launchers damaged the large barricade that was built in front of the Port and the slavers at the top of the gate were firing down at them. Solana fixed her gaze toward them and then with a single bounding leap and a flip forward, she jumped as high as the gate itself coming to land right on top of the level where the slavers were standing at.

Cries of shock and surprise greeted her as she twirled her saber around, repelling the shots that came at her. Solana moved forward cutting down the ones that were in front of her as quickly as possible to relieve the pressure that was shooting down upon the Wardens below her. A quick glance facing the area behind the barricade shows more part of lands there along with a large group of Red Skulls members running around and taking positions.

A powerful wave of the Force drew her attention back toward the barricade once more as the destroyed doors were sent flying off their henges, the metal ripping off the part that was still holding it in place as the two massive doors were thrown back into the ground, crushing some of the group that were still standing in the area they were sent.

A blast missed her head causing Solana to refocus again on her task in the battle that was now taking place. She then jumped down toward the ground with a forward flip, coming to land down upon the ground in a light crouch, her blade already moving to parry and deflects the shots that were aiming at her. She dashed forward, moving quickly through the Force as she took down slavers one after the other without pause.

A familiar presence took place beside her and Solana adjusted herself to the rhythm, the two of them moving like a well-oiled machine. The presence was filled with a strong sense of determination and calm. Like the chaotic middle of the battle was something that he was used to.

The hissing noise of a missile being fired drew Solana's attention toward it as the blast of an explosions shook the ground beneath her feet. She saw Wardens flying away from the location of the blasts, knowing already in the Force that they were dead. She turned her gaze toward where the attack came from finding an large white mech approaching toward them.

A YMIR mech.

The rotating gun that it had on the arm started firing the blast tearing through the few Wardens that were near it, killing them instantly.

"Take cover," Captain Cousland yelled out from beside her, "Wardens, take cover."

The Wardens that have yet to be targeted, heed the orders from their captain. Solana's blade was moving again blocking blasters aiming for them as the group moved backward from where she was.

"If we don't do something," Cousland told her, "That thing will tear us apart."

Before Solana could move however, another did. A small form with a green lightsaber had dashed forward. His cream and gold robes were the only reason that she could recognize who it was given the speed he moved. He might as well have been a blur of movement.

Master Illuzen.

He headed straight for the large mech, his movements too quick to be targeted by the machine. When he reached his destination, the Jedi Master did a spin move so quickly that even Solana had trouble tracking his saber movement which was nothing more than a blur of green and gold.

He landed behind the YMIR mech, which fell apart in three pieces behind him.

"By the Maker…," Cousland said, his shock and awe palpable through the Force.

He really do own the title of the Battle Master, she thought, I doubt anyone other than Master Carlyle could have seen what he just did.

Solana raised her saber forward.

"C'mon, captain," she said, "This battle is not yet over."

When the first explosions came, Scott took it as the cue that they were needed for. As the part of the plan, they had been chosen for was now in effect, he made his way forward instantly toward the side of the Port that the Red Skulls weren't focused on.

He looked at rock in front of him, his eyes searching and assessing the climb that he was about to encounter. Ellana came to stand beside him, her lithe form clothed in white robes and brown leather of their mission outfit. He gave her a glance, noting that her eyes were fixed upon the mountain side of the Port in front of them. The new addition upon her forehead was still something to get used to but Ellana had told him and Sara that she was gaining something to represent her Dalish roots when she had come of age and now, the strange intricate tattoo that now decorated her face and her forehead was now here to stay.

"Ready?" he asked her.

She gave him a sideway glance, a sharp nod.

Then, Scott refocused his attention toward the path in front him, centering himself in the Force before he launched himself upward, his jump far higher than most could do but it was very normal to a Jedi to be able to do it. He landed against the mountain, his grip tightening upon the rocks to hold his weight and he felt Ellana landed somewhere a little further above him.

Scott glanced up at her.

"See anything yet?" he asked her, only able to see her red hair and part of her feet.

"There is a platform not too far ahead," she called back to him.

"Then we head for it," he told her.

"Right."

He focused upon her presence, allowing her to guide him forward, just as he had done for her when they were on the bikes. It wasn't long before the platform Ellana mentioned to come into view for him. It wasn't guarded at all meaning that it was quite easy for them to simply climb upon it.

From there, Scott could see a great view of the mountainous lands that made up of Kadara and even in the distance he could see the strange alien structure they had landed on far away in the distance like a pale shadow in the sun.

"Quite the view," he murmured.

"It seems that most of the Skulls are occupied with the battle Master Solana and Illuzen is leading," Ellana told him.

"Then the plan is working," he smiled at her.

Scott turned his attention toward the direction of the door that was waiting for them. It was closed off course and when he used his Omni-tool to try to open the door, nothing happened.

"Well, there is more than one way to open a door," he said.

He unclipped the cross-guard hilt at his belt and activated his lightsaber. Scott feels his crystal sing with the Force as the familiar orange blade hummed into existence. He heard the activation of another lightsaber as Ellana took her place at his side, her silver blade humming into existence as well.

With only a shared look of understanding, the two proceed to cut through the door with their weapons, making quick work of it. When they were done cutting the door, the two Force pushed the door away, creating a passage for their entrance. Scott moved forward first, allowing his saber to light up the hallway that was in front of them.

A rusty smell was what greeted his nose, causing him to wrinkle it in disgust as he held his blade in the air to show as much as he could. Ellana stood beside him, her blade low as she stood beside him.

"Something tells me that they don't come this way often," she told him.

He agreed from the rust and the thick dust that cover almost everything around them. Still, Scott moved forward quickly as he can still feel the deaths from the battle that was taking place not too far away from where they are now. It added a sense of urgency to their mission so that they could locate the people that were taken.

From what he could remember of the plans Master Illuzen had shown them, a large part of the station was drawing a considerate amount of power and if they were keeping people there, then that would be where the taken people were being kept and from where they had entered, it wouldn't be far from where they were kept.

"C'mon, it's this way," he spoke out to his companion.

They continued on their paths unbothered by anyone else as the under of the Port felt strangely deserted, thought the situation wouldn't really be like that normally. Scott frowned to himself as he was reaching out with the Force, feeling the desperation and fear that was palpable from what he could sense.

"I can sense the prisoners," Ellana told him.

"I can as well," he told her, "So much fear…and despair."

"Then let's save them."

He woefully agreed on that idea. As a Jedi, the idea of saving the innocents was something that was engrained upon his very being, and the idea that people were suffering and he could help and made them feel a bit of peace and safety, then Scott was all for it.

With his lightsaber held at the ready, both him and Ellana entered the room where they could feel the fear was coming from. With his Omni-tool, he managed to override the entrance of the door and find himself face to face with a Krogan.

The large alien seems to be as surprised to see him as he was to run into him and before he could move, he was slammed into by a biotic attack. The blue mass of dark energy slammed painfully into his chest causing Scott to gasp as he was sent flying backward from where he had been standing.

The pain radiated against his chest, causing him to wince as he glanced up at the enemy across him, one that was raising his weapon toward him. However, he was saved by Ellana who appeared in front of him, lightsaber drawn and cutting down the Krogan in front of them.

"Thanks," he said pulling himself up, "I hate biotics."

Ellana gave him a look, a light mirth within her gaze.

"At least it didn't headbutt you," she told him.

"FUCK," a gravelly voice yelled out.

Both Ellana and Scott instantly crouched down to hide from behind the many boxes that were within the room. A Batarian was walking through the area not too far from where they were. They were two others with him.

"How the hell did the Jedi even got wind of our operations," he was yelling.

"We don't know sir," another Batarian spoke out, "However, most of our forces are fighting against them as we speak and they brought an army with them."

A snarl passed the lead Batarian's lips. Scott could feel the rage growing within the man. He was angry that his operation was found out, that much he could tell but what truly disgusted him was that the Batarian slaver was angry he wouldn't be able to get paid for the job.

"Go and defend this place as long as you can," the Batarian leader said, "Tell that Krogan Urax, he had free reigns with the battle. He is in command. I need to make a contact call."

"What about our haul sir?"

"Well, they're not going anywhere, are they?" he growled.

He turned away from the two other Batarians and headed to another direction. Scott glanced at Ellana noticing that her gaze was still upon the Batarian that just left the room.

"Let's split up," he told her drawing her attention, "I'll go and secure the prisoners…"

"No," Ellana told him, "Our job is the prisoners…we can deal with the leader later. I doubt he'll get far in this situation."

Scott gives her a nod however; he still feels that the Batarian leader would be able to slip away. With the Batarians gone, the duo was on the move again, making their way toward the direction of the where the feeling of despair was leading them, finding a large area filled with many large cages and inside those cages were people within them.

Scott activated his lightsaber as well as Ellana as attention was instantly upon them. The battle begins quickly as the members of the Skulls that were presents starting to open fire upon them and Ellana was already moving, her movement as fluid as a dancer, the defensive technique of Form 3 already in motion. While he wasn't very good at it, Scott did his best to support her.

He moved forward enhancing his movements with the Force as he was taking down the members that were in his way, his orange blade moving in tandem with the familiar footwork. It was quite easy to fall into the rhythm as he was doing his duty as a Jedi.

When the battle was over, he extinguished his blade glancing around as he noticed Ellana not too far away from where he was. He made his way toward her, as she was extinguishing her blade too.

"Master Illuzen," Scott spoke out, "We found the prisoners and secured where they are being held."

"Then our plan has worked," Master Illuzen spoke out, "We are finishing the battle out here…just a few stragglers. I'm sending Captain Cousland to meet up with you and help."

"Thank you, Master," Scott said.

He glanced at Ellana.

"You can go after the Batarian leader," he said, "I can handle things from here and out."

Ellana gave a nod and left.

It didn't take Ellana long to find the Batarian leader. She remembers how he felt in the Force. Filled with greed and anger. She kept her saber in her hand, thought she hadn't lit it yet. The young woman could feel the righteous anger that was coursing through her at the thought that her people have suffered because of a Batarian's lust for money and power.

Well, he wasn't going to get anyone anymore.

She turned into another corner seeing the Red Skull leader in question not too far away from where she was however, he had many others with him as well. Ellana walked forward, tightening her grip upon the hilt in her hand as she made herself visible.

"You will be wise to surrender," she spoke out, her voice loud yet calm.

The group all turned toward her, taking notice of her. Their eyes widened and narrowed at her as Ellana felt their surprise and even their rage at the sight of her standing here.

"Kill her," the Leader spoke out.

Ellana feels her crystal sing as the silvery blade hummed into existence. They opened fire upon her and Ellana moved left and right avoiding the first shorts before bringing up her lightsaber and started parring and blocking the shots coming at her, her blade becoming a blur of light as she allowed the Force to strengthen arms allowing her to move quicker and parrying many shots.

Some of the shots rebounded back to the ones who fired them, causing them to yell out in pain as they died. Ellana dashed forward, her blade moving as she did so, taking down the few that remained. Glancing around, she noticed that the Skull leader wasn't there meaning he had run away while they were fighting against her.

Gritting her teeth, Ellana dashed forward once more, rushing after her target. She reached a doorway which opened for her and then Ellana finds herself upon a platform where a ship was already starting to take off.

"No," she yelled out.

She reached with the Force and her hand, and in her mind saw a silver rope tying itself around the ship's body, holding it in place. In the air in front of her, it tugged and danced and yet the vessel wouldn't move from the spot she was holding it. The exhaustion of what she was doing was quickly catching up to her as the ship started to power up even more and she can feel it starting to slip from her grasp.

"No," she yelled, "You…won't…escape…"

Ellana started to pull it down slowly, but her strength left her causing her to let go of the vessel. Gasping with her limbs trembling at the taxing effort she went through, the young woman landed down on the ground upon her knees as the Skull leader ship, disappeared among the clouds above her, jumping into hyperspace from the planet's atmosphere.

The mission on Kadara ended with the defeat of the Red Skulls, and the escape of their leader. The few that survived the battle of Kadara Port were taken into custody by the Jedi and the authorities. The civilians who were abducted by the slavers numbered in the thousands, however with aid of the Wardens and the Jedi, they were able to return home and resume their lives and mourn those who had been lost in the initial attacks.

With the knowledge that such a thing had happened underneath their notice, the Jedi Order took a stronger approach into the Frontier to be more vigilant.

However, despite their best efforts, the leader of the Red Skulls remains at large…

So ends the Kadara mission and the slaves small arc.

Hope you have enjoyed that.

Next Time: A new mission

Jacques0 out.

R&R