Tahiri laid still as she felt the Falcon rest on its landing gear. Meewalh had stopped by a few minutes ago and told her that they were going to meet with the Wraiths on the surface of Endor. Tahiri was, however, not invited to the party. Tahiri had just given her a bright smile and thanks her for the information. She could tell, even without the Force, that Meewalh was still unsure about her. Tahiri understood and try to make her visits as pleasant as possible. Meewalh didn't like shooting her, not to say she would hesitate if she had to do it again, and she seemed to be ashamed that she had to do it in the first place.

That, also, didn't mean that Tahiri had been thrilled when she woke up and found herself strapped down to her bunk by her ankles and wrists and an Ysalamiri hanging near-by. No, that would be like saying Rat never caused trouble in her life. However, Han and Leia had, wisely, left her alone for the first day or so and allow her to calm herself down. She was able to think this problem through logically, eventually, and could see why Han and Leia felt they had to take these actions. They just didn't have all the fact available to them; if they had they would have never done this. And, as much as she hated to admit it, it was possible that they actually thought Riina Kwaad was back or that she had fallen to the Dark Side. If that was true then by treating her like this wasn't for their safety, it was for hers. They loved her so much that they were willing to take that big of chance of hunting her down and holding her here without returning Denon first.

No, it made her cry with happiness to know that someone loved her that much to risk his or her lives to protect her. She knew this already but was grateful to be reminded of the fact. Tahiri had already told them that she had understood why they did it and that she didn't hold any resentment towards them. She was not sure if they believed it or not but she knew that once she was free of the Ysalamiri that Leia, at least, would be able to see her honesty.

Tahiri could hear the landing ramp opening and what sounded like someone screaming her head off outside. Good old Rat, Tahiri though with a smile. She had hoped that one day Rat and the Solos could meet, but to be honest she was expecting them to meet under better circumstances then this.

Yes, Tahiri loves the Solos for all that they have done for her, now and in the past, but it didn't mean she was going to stick around one second longer then she had too.

["Bangor, wake up,"] she said softly, looking straight up at the air vent above her head. Mr. Solo and Meewalh had torn apart her cabin looking for her light saber. When they finally asked her about it, she told them that she passed it off to her back up on Tatooine. They clearly didn't believe her but with the Ysalamiri above her and Meewalh armed and ready to shoot her if she misbehaved while on her refresher breaks; they must have decided it wasn't a big deal. She couldn't do anything about it anyways.

Well, normally they would be right but she wasn't a normal Jedi and Bangor was not a normal light saber. Before she went out to the lounge she made sure Bangor was in a hibernation mode and stashed him up there incase she needed him. Lucky, Mr. Solo never thought to look up in the ventilation system. Now she just had to hope that he didn't roll around up there too much. Once she was free, she would use the fake pod to sneak out and circle around and join the Wraiths.

["Hi there sleepyhead,"] Tahiri said with a smile as Bangor poked his head out over the vent cover. He had a comical expression on his face as he twisted his head this way and that way to look at her. ["Bangor, come down here."] He let out a little meowing sound as he sniffed along the edge of the vent cover. ["Come on Bangor, come on."] When she first got Bangor, he would only respond to commands from the Force. While she could have him do more using the Force to tell him what to do, as the battle on Borleias proved, she wanted a back up system in place. As Mr. Solo has said many times, it never hurt to have a skiffer up one's sleeve. So Rat, Little Brother and her had begun training Bangor to respond to verbal commands in Yuuzhan Vong, which was because so few in the galaxy understood Yuuzhan Vong and the chance of anyone using it against her were slim. They even trained him to be held inside Little Brother, which just thrilled Little Brother, and be shot out of him like a normal light saber.

["Come on boy, get down here,"] Tahiri said in a cooing voice. Bangor got enough of his weight on the vent cover, which popped open and swung away on its hinges. He, however, fell down and landed on her face. Bangor made his meowing noise and began to lick her face. ["Ah, yes I am glad to see you too, now I need you cut me lose. Yes, cut me lose … yes, I miss you too. Yes, thanks for the licks but I need you to cut me lose now. Bangor cut me lose … yes, I know you miss me but I need you too … Bangor, stop licking … I need you to cut me lose then you can lick my face later … Bangor …"] There were still some bugs to work out, she thought as she tried to get him to cut her lose.

Major Tierce quietly walks to the landing ramp and listen to the fools outside. He had been right, it was the Solos at Tatooine and they had captured the Abomination and were holding her on their ship. He let out a small smile; this was all worth it then. The hours of excruciating pain that he suffered to reach his boot and get out his lock pick from the false heal. The painfully slow process of using the pick to unlock his cuffs. The stun cuffs would knock him unconscious if he moved too fast or pulled on them too hard. It was the same skill that help him escape from the Imperial prison, it was the training and punishment from the Yuuzhan Vong that allowed him to suffer a few stun blast and it was the rage that fueled his determination to not fail again. He let out a bigger smile as he heard the fools tell the Wraiths that she was being kept in place by an Ysalamiri. Perfect, he would have no trouble taking her to the Warmaster that way.

He looked over the group, the Noghri was the most dangerous and would have to be killed but … no the first to die had to be Ratnena Bora, she was the most unpredictable and there for the most dangerous. Also she was the closes, she was pacing back and forth behind the main group looking furious about something. Probably about her freak friend but it didn't matter, her first then the Noghri. After that it was who ever offered the most resistance, they were all expendable. Even the other three Jedi, the only real prize was the Abomination. Everyone else was just a bonus.

Checking the blaster rifle one last time, he leapt out of the hatch and got a bead on Ratnena. He heard someone yell out to her and she turned with a shocked look on her face. Tierce got her in mid spin, hitting her in the stomach area as the Noghri used its body to knock the Solos to the ground. The other Wraiths hit the deck as he drew a bead on the Noghri. That is when he heard, "Do-ro'ik vong pratte!"

Horrified, he turned towards the voice and saw Tahiri rushing at him from the undergrowth, light saber lit, and her eyes … her eyes made him make a mess in his pants. Letting out an involuntary yelp, he started backpedaling and shooting at her, not caring if he killed her, praying that he did. She blocked each of his shots; when she got close enough, she sliced his gun in two. He expected to lose his head on the follow through swing but instead saw her pull her leg back and kick …

He didn't even remember falling; he just laid there on the forest floor. He couldn't scream, he couldn't think, he couldn't see, he could barely breath, all he could do was lay there and feel pain. Every nerve in his body, even ones he never knew existed, erupted in an endless wave of white-hot pain that radiated from his groin area. The explosion of pain continued until, at last, he mercifully passed out.

"RAT!" Tahiri ran over to her friend, who was on the ground screaming out in pain. Nothing else mattered except Rat, she wouldn't lose another friend. Rat was screaming out for her, damning her for failing again. Just like Anakin! Someone block her path, she tried to push past whoever it was, Rat needed her.

"Tahiri, no!" The voice of Face, as he tried to hold her back, sounded a million miles away. She could see Elassar and Shalla bent over her friend. "Tahiri listen to me, you'll just get in the way! Let Elassar help her!"

"Let me go, I have to save Rat!" Tahiri was having trouble seeing, her eyes were getting blurry and she could feel tears running down her checks. A new voice penetrated the sounds of Rat's angry screams, her shouts of betray at the hands of Tahiri.

"Tahiri honey, listen to Face," Leia voice said.

Tahiri screamed out something, she didn't know, and lashed out with Bangor. She felt someone deflect her swing and then she was tackled on to the ground. "Let me go! I have to help Rat! I can't fail again! Let me help!"

["BANGOR DISENGAGE!"] Face screamed out and she felt Bangor go limp in her hand. He held her down as she tried to convince them that she had to help Rat. "Don't worry Tahiri, Rat will be fine."

"No," she moaned out, "its my fault, I screw up again, I … I got to help her." When she couldn't hear Rat screaming at her, she let out a bigger wail, "no, I can't lose another one!"

"Easy Tahiri, Elassar just gave her something for the pain that is all," Face said in soothing tones and holding her tightly.

Tahiri just shook her head, knowing the truth; she failed and lost another friend … again.

Leia walked into the makeshift medical ward that the Wraiths had set up on the ship they called Sweet Sunset, the corvette they 'borrowed' from the GA Military. Leia was amazed when she first came aboard she was amazed by how small of a crew they had running this ship. Even with the droids running around all day and night there was just more work then the Wraiths had time to do. No wonder Tahiri looked so exhausted and like she lost weight when I saw her, Leia had thought earlier, they all look like they are ready to fall over. She asked Face about it and he just shrugged his shoulders.

"We just have to do what we have to Princess."

When she looked around the outer room she saw the Yuuzhan Vong agent strapped in to a medical bed in one corner. There was murder in his eyes but he didn't move or make a sound. For one thing, what Tahiri had done to him was … extreme. He was still feeling the effects of one well-placed Force assisted kick and would be for years to come. The second reason he never moved was sitting in front of him sharpening a knife. While he had murder in his eyes, Meewalh had gleeful anticipation in hers and he knew it. When Face was passing out assignments, Meewalh announced in no uncertain terms that she would be standing guard over the prisoner. She wouldn't give a reason why but Leia knew the reason. Meewalh felt honor bound to protect Tahiri and Ratnena, since she also felt shame for Ratnena's injuries. Leia suspected Face knew why she was volunteering, and would have accepted her help even if he had a full crew.

As it stood he was willing to accept any help he could get. Han, 3PO and their droid, Squeaky, went out to gather needed medical supplies. They needed more bacta and Han knew where he could get some cheep. They would met up with them back at the Wraiths base where Kell and Tyria were racing ahead with a droid named Clunk and Little Brother to prepare their main medical bay for Ratnena. Getting Little Brother on board the Sweet Sunrise had been almost as difficult as calming down Tahiri had been. Both Tahiri and Little Brother, who was according 3PO was a most illogical droid, had a fierce loyalty to their ex-con friend. That alone told Leia everything that she needed to know about the woman.

Leia walked into the next room, where Elassar had set up a bacta tank and was monitoring her life signs. When Elassar saw her walk into the room he flashed her a friendly smile.

"Princess, good evening," he said turning back to his work.

"Hello Elassar, how is she doing?"

"I think she out of danger, but she will need more time in the tank when we get home."

Leia nodded her head not sure what she could say. She stood there watching Elassar working when the door opened up behind them and Tahiri walked through the door. She stopped just inside the door looking uncertain; Leia too had a feeling of awkwardness. Elassar looked at each women in turn and cleared his throat.

"Well since Peacekeeper is in here I know it is safe to go to the galley," Elassar said flashing them a smile, "Princess, a word of advice. Don't get in her way when it come to meal time, she won't slow down from eating to know what she is biting into."

Tahiri just rolled her eyes and glared at him in a mock anger as he walked out of the room. Leia wasn't sure if she should leave but Tahiri took care of that problem for her.

"I'm … I'm sorry I lost it out there," the young woman said walking over to stand next to her and look at Ratnena floating in the bacta tank. "I wasn't thinking, I was just …"

"I understand Tahiri," Leia said giving her a smile, "we all sometimes have a unthinkable reaction to those around us. Especially after seeing someone you care for being hurt like she was." Tahiri reached out and squeezed Leia's hand. Leia had thought that this meant Tahiri had forgiven her and more importantly herself but then she went on.

"Mrs. Solo, I need your help."

"Sure Tahiri," Leia said taking her hand in both of hers.

"I need you to help me convince Face and the others that it would be best for me to quit the Wraiths and head back to Zonama Sekot."

"What!" Leia looked down at the younger woman who was watching her friend closely, "Why would you want to head back to Zonama Sekot? I thought you were happy here?"

"I am," she said in an even but sad voice, "but my happiness is not a reason to put everyone around me at risk. I lost it out there, I attacked you and would hurt anyone who tried to stop me from helping Rat."

"Tahiri …"

"Its true you know Mrs. Solo, I failed."

"You haven't failed Tahiri, you were being human …"

"I'm a Jedi Warrior, I need to be in control at all times or I could hurt people." Leia could see her swallow hard and continued, "like I hurt Ratnena."

"How are Ratnena's injuries your fault?" Leia asked with concern.

"Because," Tahiri said with her voice getting husky, "I was playing a game. You captured me, I outsmart you and escape, you know harmless fun but I felt something in the Force. I didn't know what but instead of charging out the front I went out the pod. It was still a game, I should been more responsible and went out the front and I could saved her from all this pain."

"Tahiri," Leia said slowly, "did you know that he was still on the Sweet Sunrise?"

"I felt something in the Force I should have …"

"Did you know they still had him on the ship?"

"No, but …"

"Did you know that he was lose?"

"No, but …"

"Then you did everything that you could with what information you had." Leia sighed, "this was a screw up that was a combination of mistakes that just ended in a bad way. There is no one person who is at fault except the man who shot her." Leia gave her a look, "and I don't think he will be able to be a threat to anyone for a long time to come."

"All that does not excuse my attacking you," Tahiri said looking up at her. Leia could see her regret in her eyes.

"Do you remember what you screamed at me when you took a swing?"

"No, I know I said something but not what I said."

"You said "your fault'. I think that in your mind you associated me with your trouble. If we hadn't held you, well we never know how it would have turned out. You just wanted to protect your friend …"

"That is why you need to help me get back to Zonama Sekot."

"No, Tahiri listen to me what you did was human …

"But I'm not fully human and even if I was, I am still a Jedi Warrior and should be in control. I can't imagine Mr. Solo, Skywalkers and you losing control like that …"

Leia let out a laugh and Tahiri looked at her as if she was insane.

"Tahiri you would be surprise just how badly we all have lost control from time to time."

"But you guys are perfect and …"

"We aren't, we are human. We screw up and we don't want to but we do." Leia gave Tahiri a hug, "we have even made mistakes that got many of our friends injured or killed. We all have, even Face and Kell, but we may cry and mourn their lost, we know that they would want us to keep doing our job. Our job is not to be perfect but to fight evil where ever it appears so that others out there won't have to suffer like we have."

"How do you … how can you stand the pain?"

"You remember what is important, you remember what they were fighting for, you remember who they were," Leia said. "You try to deaden the pain by enjoying life, friends and family. But you will always still feel the pain. There are two times you should be worried, when you don't feel the pain and when you feel nothing but the pain. When either one of those happened to you, then come see me, that is when you will be the closes to the dark side."

"Until then?"

"Until then," Leia said, she remembered how impressed Face is with Tahiri, she had planned 5 missions, lead all 5 of them perfectly, and has been a great asset to the Wraiths. He even said even thought Tahiri and Ratnena and Little Brother were a handful, often more then a handful, having her with them has been the best decision he could have made. He had even said to Han and her that he was going to make her number two after Kell retires. But Leia didn't say that, that was Face's privilege, instead she said, "until then know that your family will always be there for you and is proud of you. Until then do your job because without you out here, the dark side would only grow stronger and evil would spread."

"And I can't do my job on Zonama Sekot now can I," Tahiri said in a lighter voice. They both stood there in silence, watching Ratnena heal, when Tahiri said, "Hey, she is waking up."

Leia didn't see what Tahiri did, not at first, but she notice that her eyes were opening up some. She looked around her surroundings for a minute but when she saw Tahiri she, slowly, moved her right hand up to the glass. Tahiri matched her movements with her left hand and gave her friend a smile.

"Hey Rat, Charm Boy says you are going to be fine." Ratnena opened and closed her eyes showing that she understood. "And some good is coming out of all this, Poster Boy is taking you of galley duty for the time being. The whole crew wishes to thank you for allowing them to be able to eat something edible for awhile." Ratnena opened and closed her eyes and then gave her a one-finger salute with her left hand. Tahiri just laugh it off and Leia could hear real amusement in her laugh. "Hey, now I am still a superior officer until we get briefed you know. Show some respect there," Tahiri said laughing. "Here are your new orders, get well quickly. Understand." Again she opened and closed her eyes. "Good, now get some rest and I'll stop by later, ok?" Ratnena blinked and let her hands fall back to her side. Tahiri pulled her hand back and said quietly, "Sleep well my friend." Tahiri's face then changed from happiness to confusion, Leia was worried that Tahiri had seen something that she though was bad news when the girl went purple. "Oh, for the love of the gods … RAT! Stop that, can't you go five minutes without thinking about guys!"