Kal kept his hand pressed against the wound in his thigh, tendrils of the Force moving through his palm. The Force couldn't put the wound back together in the amount of time he needed but it could speed up the process significantly and also remove any infections he might have been unlucky enough to receive. He couldn't believe his own failure, defeated by a young boy. It angered him, made him feel smaller and he wished he could have been there with Rishi to watch the demented boy die.

How could he have been so careless? How could he have let his guard down? He'd been stupid, and he had no one to blame but himself. His own fingers clutched the fabric around his wound in suppressed anger, and it only felt worse that Rishi was now out there alone and he couldn't contact him. The comlink frequency they'd used couldn't be patched into by the systems in the helmets the soldiers wore.

But they were a level of comfort however. Since he was out of action, he supposed a group of four Republic commandos would even things out. He just had to find some way of getting them linked with Rishi.

The Dragon's Tooth had moved to a small out of the way storage they'd been using as a home ever since they'd freed themselves from their prison. They'd gathered a lot of gear and intelligence, and the site was sufficiently mined and secure, secure enough that the soldiers had removed their stolen armor and were feeding themselves with what they called the best kind of military rations they'd ever had.

"Boy, am I glad to see you guys."

"Most people aren't," Salvor said with a smug smile, "but then they rarely see us before its too late. We make our presence felt."

Kal pushed himself into a sitting position. "You came in from the Masamune?"

Salvor shook his head. "Don't know that ship, sir. Came in on the Passive. We were the first insertion attempt. I imagine the Republic must think we're dead."

Kal felt safe enough to jest. "You know; if you guys had bothered to call home, I wouldn't be in this mess."

Salvor didn't look amused. "We've stayed low, intending to contact the fleet once it arrived. But for some reason communications out of the station is impossible. We've been gathering intelligence for the past few weeks."

Kal suddenly realized the goldmine standing before him. "So you know what happened here? All of it?"

Salvor nodded. "I believe so, sir."

Kal listened to their experiences and discoveries since their jailbreak, slowly gathering a more cohesive image of their opposition. The stories they'd heard from Jedi Master Raine matched with the intel the soldiers had. There had never been a Kayupa leading the army, it had been a ruse, a mistake caused by the fact that Koll Riokon had once been nicknamed Kayupa by his former Master. He was also glad to realize that there was no second Jentarana involved, having suspected the man they believed to be Kayupa to have built more of the war-machines.

The soldiers explained that the terrorists had constructed a live clone from the secret cloning facility underneath the repair yard, but were dissapointed to admit they had no idea where the clone was now, or where Koll Riokon and his wife had gone into hiding.

They also told him about Derrick Melar and the traitor Junn, about the mercenary Jovis and his ragtag team of murderers, about their rebellion, about the supply of ysalamiri and the death of the same.

About the dark man they'd learned was called Sonnet who had captured them underground, who'd since then never been seen. About the one calling himself Loyalty fighting the Kjoil clone outside in the snow.

About creatures called vhroniks, a threat that caused Kal's blood to pump. He'd never heard of such a creature before, and the idea of animals hunting him using the very same Force as himself made his skin crawl. The commandos admitted they'd only seen some but hadn't fought any of them.

The youngest of the soldiers, a quiet reserved man named Kast, listened to his comrades share their stories and intel about the station with a hard-to-read expression on his face. He looked saddened but also angry. Kal found it hard to focus on their debriefing with the young man's intense burden weighing upon his own shoulders.

While the other soldiers continued to share their intel, Kal turned his focus away from his own wound and directed it towards the young Kast instead -

"Don't," Kast said out of the blue, silencing all of them. His eyes moved away from the floor and glared directly at Kal. "I know what it feels like by now. Don't try to read me."

Kal was shocked by Kast's words and instantly pulled back his probe. "Something's bothering you."

Salvor seemed to agree. "Yeah. You've been silent ever since we broke free, Kast."

"Share," Stix, the big dumb brute, demanded.

Kast stayed composed. "It doesn't matter."

Kal leaned forward, suppressing a pained groan. "Obviously it does."

Kast looked to the floor again. "The Jedi who led us here, who kept us alive...I accept that he lied to us and that he was lied to, and that he was a clone of some big bad guy long ago. And as you said, that his death was somehow vital to whatever cosmic balance you Jedi tender."

Kal nodded. "Alright."

Kast inhaled. "But he told us things he didn't have to. He shared a lot with me. I was sad to know he died. He helped me question the way I lived, the way I thought. And I think we're all ignoring a very important fact he showed us; this battle, our battle, it isn't for the Republic."

Salvor nodded grimly. "That's right." He looked over at Kal. "We've come to believe that there are dirty elements within the Republic. Our mission here was comprimised and easily discarded. We never stood a real chance against the forces the Republic knew was here. We were set up and meant to fail."

Stix collected his fingers across his chest armor. "Yeah, you can keep your objectives if you want, but we may be going another path."

Kast's saddened look was the best armor-piercing weapon they had. "We've decided to go our own way. After this, we won't be returning to the Republic."

Kal could tell by their eyes and their determined voices that they'd thought about it thoroughly, and he couldn't really gainsay them. He believed also that the Republic had many corrupt branches. A part of him wanted to object but he couldn't find a countermeasure.

"I...won't try and stop you, and I agree with you to some to degree. But the Republic needs you now. We're here, the Sons of Destiny are going to kill billions of people if we don't do something. I understand that you feel betrayed, but inflicting revenge by being idle is not honorable in any way." He hoped to appeal to their soldier spirits, soldiers were honorable creatures at heart. "I can't tell you which side is the greater evil, the Republic or the Sons of Destiny, but - "

"Interesting you should bring that up," Salvor said carefully. "We've been arguing back and forth about that too."

"How?"

Kast sat up straight. "Well...being as we are, at a crossroad in our lives, we've sort of wiped the slate clean as far as ideals and faith goes. We used to believe the Republic was a power that was working for a sense of good in this world. Now we know it's not. The Republic should have bombed this place long ago, just like you said, but they haven't. They want their cloning facility, just like the Old Republic kept Kamino as a card up their sleeves. With this technology they could at any time build another clone army, perhaps to one day fight off potential threats. Or even this new Jedi Order, just as it happened back then."

Salvor started taking his rifle apart, spying combat in his future. "We've eavesdropped on many of the conversations between the highest ranking in the Sons of Destiny. Some of their ideas are out there, and they're not afraid to admit that it might not work. But they have an ideal, an honorable ideal, one not too far removed from our hearts..."

Kal felt his muscles tighten. "You're not thinking of joining them?"

Kast snorted. "W'e're not even sure about if we should take a side or just walk away and let things sort themselves out. Big things are happening here. Stay or leave; we leave our impact on history no matter what we do, right or wrong."

Kal realized that although the commandos were young, some of them barely past their twentith birthday, they'd found a wisdom through their careers as soldiers. They wouldn't be swayed by his words and assurances about right or wrong, black or white. He couldn't even hope to influence them because it would be tempting the Dark Side. These soldiers weren't evil, and to force them into seeing his perspective was wrong.

He knew from a life as a Jedi that the Sons of Destiny had to be stopped. He believed the Republic could be saved, but how he didn't know. It could take decades or it could take a war against someone as the Sons of Destiny. Their ideology might seem good-hearted, but he wasn't about to let them destroy Coruscant. The willingness to sacrifice innocent lives because of faith, separated good and evil in his book.

Kal bit down on his pain and tried to straighten up. "I'm not going to lose Coruscant. I don't know how they're planning to destroy Coruscant but right now they've got three of our Star Destroyers in their control, and I don't think the armies we've seen here is all they've got waiting. I'm going to stop them."

Stix shrugged indifferently. "Do whatever, man. I'm retired."

The others said nothing.

"The man who helped you survive, Jarod, the one whose council helped you reach this decision; he gave his life so the rest of us would fight on, he gave us strength so we could defeat this enemy. He believed so firmly that they had to be stopped that he gave his own life," he looked at each soldier, "by doing nothing you might as well have shot him yourself. These people are about to kill everything you've ever known, all you've ever loved. The Republic may be heading for a fall, but if you do nothing now you're the ones giving it the push."

Kast stood up from his crate and started getting into his fibersuit.

Stix was still chewing on a protein bar. "Where do you think you're going?"

Kast zipped up his suit. "I'm not entirely convinced, but...look, I've got a life ahead of me that doesn't include fighting. Years from now I don't want to look at this moment and know my last time as a soldier was spent sitting around and doing nothing. He's right. We owe Jarod." Kast pulled the armor over his shoulders and fastened it. "I've got a few rounds left in me. Stay here if you want."

Stix held up his hands. "Now, hold on just a - "

"Guess we've been holding long enough," Salvor said and finished reasembling his rifle. "I'm not going to break your wrist on this, Stix, but we could use you."

Stix shook his head and activated the holographic projector in his gauntlet. "I wasn't going to say anything when we were on hiatus, but I've got an idea to take this place down." The projector created a detailed representation of the repair yard as it was. "Its really simple; all of the structures are linked by passageways, making their stability reliant upon each other. If we blow out the base of one building, like the first one that Jarod took down, it will start to tilt, the passageways will lean into the adjacent buildings, pushing them. If we plan this right we can take out more than half of the buildings here by just blowing one or two."

Everyone looked at each other surprised.

Salvor padded Stix on the shoulder. "I'm impressed. Never knew you had it in you."

Kast was more skeptical. "Blow up as much as you want, but that main building is built several levels down into the surface. It won't budge, and that's the place we need taken down." He pointed beneath the structure. "And the cloning facility under it."

Kal nodded, agreeing that destroying the cloning facility was a nessicity, and it might force those wanting to preserve it out into the light.

Stix shook off their comment. "Guys, its like blowing up a table. You take out one of the legs and the whole thing collapses."

Salvor rolled his eyes. "Why do you always have to compare it to blowing up tables? Do you blow up a lot of tables in your sparetime?"

Call's brows lifted. "You get sparetime!"

"Stay out of my personal life."

Salvor shook his head. "It won't work."

Stix held out his hand. "I promise you it will work."

Their commander didn't budge. "Sorry, but I'm not going to risk our lives on this."

Stix's hand lowered and instead he crossed his arms over his chest. "Alright...how about we bet it will work?"

Kast finished suiting up and looked very interested. "How much you got?"

Salvor held up his hands. "Guys..."

Kast shrugged. "Win-win, Commander. If he's right, I survive. If he's wrong, I don't have to pay him."

"Two months pay," Stix wagered.

Kast whistled. "That's going to be a lot of dry night, Stix."

"Yeah, but if we don't do this," he pointed at the hologram, "I won't live to see a lot of nights."

Salvor gave up. "Status on ordnance?"

Stix grinned and started rumaging through the gear they'd assembled. "I was planning on stealing this away for my retirement, but I suppose they'd be better suited for this op." He came away, cradling enough ordnance in his arms to blow Regana itself in half. "If we split it up between us I can give you details on how to prime the charges."

Salvor looked uncertain. "Split it up?"

Kast loaded his rifle. "We'll make better time if we split up. We've been able to hide as a foursome so far. On our own we shouldn't have any trouble. Besides, the main structure is the only one really occupied by troops anymore. The outer structures should be safe enough."

"Split four ways?" Salvor asked.

Kast nodded.

"I'll take north structure," Call said.

"West," Stix confirmed.

"You take east, Commander," Kast said to Salvor and then nodded towards the Jedi, "I'll take him with me south, it's the shortest distance and he's on the limp."

Salvor smirked. "Oh, sure. That's why."

Stix distributed the charges and instructed them how to place and set them. Each commando was trained in using their own ordanance beyond grenades, but Stix had studied this enemy ordnance to the smallest detail and knew them best. "Easy thing; put it, prime it, run like hell. Each device runs on a remote frequency, but Tracker can patch into them easily."

Kal raised an eyebrow. "Tracker?"

Kast answered. "An RATM."

Kal raised another eyebrow. "Which is?"

Salvor elaborated. "Remote Assistance Tracking Module."

Kal looked back and forth between them.

"Tiny droid," Stix said slowly, mocking Kal's confusion, "it flys around, it helps us."

Kal managed to laugh along with the others, but the thought of the missing hostages stole his jovial mood. "What about the hostages? Does anyone know where they are? They weren't in the central unit."

Even if he hadn't been a Jedi Kal was sure he would still have felt how the mood changed inside the room. The soldiers all seemed uneager to be the one to answer his question, but in the end Call accepted the task. "There are no hostages...not anymore."

Kal didn't understand. "What do you mean? I can sense them. I'd know if they were dead."

Salvor took a deep breath. "When they first took hostages, a man called Eknath used mind tricks to keep them quiet, to keep them from becoming a problem. When the fleet arrived...they took it a bit further."

Stix's angry frown brought ice to Kal's ice veins. "Can't wait to blow that Eknath guy apart. He's one sick bantha."

Kast elaborated. "He made the hostages compliant..."

Kast didn't finish the sentence, allowing for Kal to collect the pieces himself. And when he did, he could feel the Dark Side present all around him. "He turned them into soldiers."

Salvor nodded grimly. "We tried keeping track of them, but...there were too many. We don't know which ones are hostages anymore. We prefer not to think about it. None of us were able to undo what he did." Salvor met Kal's eyes. "Chances are that even you have killed some of them."

Kal shook his head. "But that Jedi, Raine, he told me they were in the central building. Everything else he told us was truth."

Kast shrugged. "Maybe he didn't know. Maybe they hid it from him."

Stix readied his rifle. "Eknath is at the top of our bad guy list."

Kal began to think so too. This Eknath was deep in the mix of things and it seemed in the absence of Riokon and his wife, he had taken control. "Sounds like a plan." He cursed the fact he couldn't get in touch with Rishi once again. But he could still sense the Kjoil's presence but even with the Force he couldn't break through an invisible barrier that surrounded his Kjoil friend.

Was Eknath influencing himself as well?

"Stay in touch, guys," Call said over the helmet's internal comlink before the three soldiers went on their demolition tasks.

Kast held Kal stand and the Jedi swung his left arm over the soldier's shoulder. Kast handed Kal a rifle and helped him loop the strap over his shoulder. "Your lightsaber won't be much use if we run into trouble, keep your eyes and whatever senses you might have alert, alright?"

Kal nodded and they started towards the door. "Thanks for backing me up back there. If you hadn't stood forward, I doubt I would convinced them."

Kast touched the door's controls with the muzzle of his rifle and the doors sighed as they opened. "Tell me something; you came in here with another squad of commandos. What was their designation?"

Kal had to think to remember it, it seemed so long ago. "The Deathblow, but there were a lot more than you guys. Why?"

Kast sniggered, and it lightened the mood substanstially. "I've heard of them. It makes me feel a little better about our chances."

Kal decided not to ask. What his team had done had been beyond impressive to him, but it was encouraging to him that Kast supposedly believed his own team to be a bit higher of the proficiency ladder.

"But don't thank me yet. I still have a very bad feeling about this."

They made their way south, moving slower than Kast would have preferred but he relied on the Jedi's sense to keep him alert of trouble. Both rifles were trained on the path ahead and apart from the building's natural yawning when the winds outside battered the outer walls, there was no activity.

Nevertheless Kast was so focused he almost dropped the Jedi when his gauntlet lit up with an incoming holo transmission.

Before he could even activate it, the transmission began playing itself. By the message's coding Kast quickly realized it was coming from inside the station, and it was being relayed to every frequency available around it.

The fire flickered, teased by the slight wind that still crawled through from outside, outside of the tilted AT-AT. Rishi sat in an awkward position. The walker had been destroyed in the battle, but like some great beast of an untold past, its skeleton remained. It's front legs had buckled beneath it, and the machine now laid with its front and head buried in the snow, while the rear pointed to the dark clouds above.

Rishi sat on the slanted floor, his feet supported against the neckrest of a chair, looking down into the small fire he'd made at the entrance to the creature's head. When the fire was touched by wind that crept in from the outside it made a sound not unlike the cracking of a whip.

The inside of the AT-AT's belly stank of burnt fabric and death. He's used his own cloak as material for the fire, which accounted for the toxic scent of burning clothes. As for the scent of death...

Human flesh smelled a lot like any other meat when put to the fire, rich, thick, an inviting scent to his senses, if not for the knowledge that it was a human being that was burning. He consciously blocked the scent from his nostrils, finding it an unnessecary part of the ritual. Master Skar's body was all but gone, and what remained was so covered in flames that he no longer could tell ash from bones, or skin from glowing embers.

He couldn't remember when he'd stopped crying but he fell suddenly aware of the fact that his cheeks were dry. It could have been the heat from the fire that had dried his face, or it could have been his tearducts had finally gone empty. He didn't think about it much, only resigned himself to the fact with another aching sigh.

He felt fictional; he felt as if what was happening right before his eyes was a demented dream, an illusion, something he'd seen on the Holonet. He couldn't fully embrace the fact yet that it was real, that it wasn't just a horrible image of what might happen. Because it was too real.

Master Skar had been the image of splendor that had made him want to be a Kjoil Knight, an idol to which he'd obeyed and listened and admired. He had been indestructible, in the same way of children saw their parents as immortal and without fault. God-like figures.

A human body in flames.

Too real.

He sighed again. Moments like this seemed to last forever and yet he knew one day he would look back upon it and only see frozen images. All these thoughts would not feel the way they did now, the ache in his chest would be forgotten and he would be able to shun the memory away with only a thought.

And there he remained a little longer, suffering the intolerable pain of being trapped in a moment that invited past but offered only future. Thoughts of loneliness came as often as every star-shaped snowflake that dropped from the sky, and even though he knew the world was falling about no more than a few kilometers away, he wanted more time.

More time to say goodbye.

But he also knew there would never be enough time. Once the fire died he would still sit there and stare at the ashes, watch the black smoke as it danced like a puppet of the winds.

Saying goodbye his words fell flat against the black walls of the walker, bereft of meaning or connection, he was talking just for the sake of talking, trying to mend himself by pouring every thought or feeling out into the open, letting it all just flow out of him. He beat himself up, he forgave himself, he lost himself, he found himself; all of it came in circles, like a story-teller losing track of where the story began and where it ended. Trying to make up a happier ending, a reedeemable ending, or just an ending that left him with some motive or resolve to return to the fighting -

His lips stopped talking, only to form a smile. "Were you listening the whole time?"

The Force sent waves of the intruder's movements to his open mind, letting him know exactly where the person was. The intruder's mind was locked airtight, and Rishi accepted it. He recognized the sensation this person was radiating in the Force, the one that had spoken to his mind. He debated with himself whether or not to turn around to see who it was, but decided not to.

The voice sat down in the same position as him, leaning his feet against the neckrest that the back of Rishi's head fell against. He could almost see the tip of boots at the top of his vision, but looked no further.

It could wait.

Not the whole time...you moved faster than I could follow.

Rishi smiled at his own success. "Are you going to kill me?" he asked without any fear in his voice.

The intruder shook his head. No...you mistake me. I never intended to appear as an enemy to you. I am quite the opposite.

Rishi was still smiling, though he wasn't sure why. He felt safe, he guessed. "A friend?"

The voice chuckled gently in his head, a softer sound he'd never heard. Well...not exactly a friend. I am the voice of the wilderness. The voice deep down inside you, your conscience calling.

Rishi's smile dampened a bit. "Don't tell me I'm imagining you."

You're not...and yet I am dead.

"Dead?"

He felt the intruder nod his head. Long ago, on this very planet.

Rishi reached out with the Force again, and allowed no preconceptions to disturb his sight. "But you are alive...I feel you as alive as..as...as the snow falling outside."

Yes, you feel it...but you cannot see it.

Rishi shook his head. "No, but I know it's out there. I sense it."

Feeling and sense are not the same.

Rishi bit the side of his mouth. "I know. But there's not much deviding them."

There's not?

"You think so?"

Feelings are your heart's eyes, and sense is your heart's fingers. Feelings are what you know inside to be true and real, and sense is what confirms it. You feel me as you feel the snow, but do you sense me like you sense the snow?

Rishi closed his eyes and rechecked and reevaluated what he was actually getting from the intruder. "No. I feel you're right behind me, I feel your presence. But I don't sense you, I don't know what you are, who you are. You're like a spirit."

You're learning.

Rishi sighed for the thousandth time. "Learning what? How to nit-pick choice of words? This is basic training."

Then you must have missed a lesson or two. You cannot lie to me, Rishi. Only to yourself.

Rishi scoffed. "I'm lying to myself?"

Yes.

"How?"

You've learned to draw from the Force, to pull energy and strength from the Force, and then use it as you need. You use it so carelessly that you forgot what a wonder it truly is. When you move a finger, you do not make a conscious decision to move the finger. It happens faster than sound or thought, impulses running through your nerves and muscles. You don't even think about it. You use the Force in the same manner.

You've grown so accustomed to it's presense, you lean upon it like a crutch, much like the Jedi of old. When you flash your lightsaber, you do it so carelessly and without conscious thought, that you've forgotten the joy you felt the day you made the weapon.

Rishi thought back. It had been a big day for him, and in the days that followed he couldn't take his hands away from it. He spent days and eventually weeks training with the weapon, so much it was always recharging whenever he wasn't sparring with droids.

He felt the weapon on his hip, and although it wasn't his, he could feel Kal through it. He could tap into the memories Kal had of the weapon, and feel his joy as well. He was glad to find that Kal was equally as oblivious to the weapon's initial joy now, also taking it for granted like this intruder said he did.

"So? What's the lesson? You want me to give thanks whenever I use the Force or my lightsaber?" he asked mockingly.

No.

"Then what?"

I want you to stop using the Force the way you always have...and find another way.

Rishi's head came up, away from the neckrest. "Stop using the Force? Are you insane? Without it I'd - "

Die?

"Yes, in combat I would."

So you admit that all of your talents and abilities are purely the Force and no so much yourself?

Rishi shook his head. "No...it's...it's a joint effort."

Is it?

Rishi began to doubt. "Isn't it?"

You are merely the lens through which the sun shines. A conduit.

"Yeah, but...aren't all Jedi?"

You are not a Jedi.

Again those words.

"What do I have to do?"

Change the lens.

"How?"

When you draw upon the Force you target inwards, finding a center inside yourself your Master has taught you to find. It is a seed inside of you, from which the Force flows through. But what if there is another seed, another place from which the Force can flow?

Rishi sat up as much as he could, and again resisted the urge to look over his shoulder, to identify his newfound teacher.

"You mean...start all over?" Rishi knew his training was lacking due to his Master's own failings, but he'd never imagined it would go to such extent.

Yes...and do it right this time. The Kjoil were the sons of destiny, the hands of fate. There were two and now there is one. A great responsiblity dwells upon your shoulders, Rishi. You have the ability to make the future, to design the path ahead for all of the Galaxy.

"But the future is gone?"

No, Rishi. It is waiting for you.

Rishi interlocked his fingers beneath his chin and nestled his elbows on his knees. "Won't this make me just another lens? For a greater power?"

No, Rishi. It will make you a sun, and the world will be your lens.

"Like Vader?" he said before thinking. "He is much of the reason the Galaxy is in the shape it is now."

Imagine Darth Vader's powers in the hands of person who knows the difference between right and wrong. A person who knows the true way to a better Galaxy.

Rishi smiled fiendishly. "I thought you were trying to tell me there is no truth earlier."

Ah, you picked up on that. Good.

"So how will I know what is the best, and true, way?"

The voice grinned. With destiny and fate as your sword and shield, Rishi, you will become truth itself -

"And what's in it for you?" Rishi asked bluntly. "Why are you doing this, telling me these things?"

Because the world is falling, Rishi. It needs you.

Rishi frowned. "This coming from the same person who told me I wasn't needed here, that I would be fighting the Force itself. That I was standing in the way of destiny?"

You defied destiny, Rishi, and won. Now it is yours to command. It is your responsibility to reforge the paths, make new connections. Tie the ends you severed by coming here. If you do not, the world will fall into darkness deeper than Vader ever did.

Rishi looked at the ashes down below and nodded towards them. "What about him? He was stronger than me, stronger than anyone. Why wasn't he given these words?"

Because he was not destined to be the light you will be. His destiny laid in death, releasing you of your leash and giving you stronger power. He was an abormination, Rishi. A shadow on the sun. In a way...he is the one giving the words to you. If not for him, I would not be here.

Rishi shook his head. "I don't have time to start training now. There's a war out there."

A war you will not end. A war in which you never had a place. With your presence here you're making it worse, widening the enemy forces, worsening their plans. You are becoming your Master, Rishi, a shadow.

Break away from it. Do not follow in his footsteps. This war...is insignificant compared to the changes you will make. The right person, at the right place, at the right time, can change all that was ever known.

"You're feeding me grand ideas, inticing me," Rishi nodded to himself, "but I don't trust you. I don't know you."

Turn your head and you will know who I am.

Rishi shook his head. "You're failing your own lesson. I feel you, and even without knowing what or who you are, I know I shouldn't trust you. I feel it in my heart."

You're making a mistake. The greatest of all mistakes. You are not meant to be a servant of the Force! You can bend it to your own will!

You can stop all of this!

"Leave me," Rishi said wearily. "I've grown tired of you. Your words won't affect me anymore." He stood up. "I am going back to Hope's Haven, and I'm going to stop this war. That's all I have. The now. Future is shaped in the now, and now I'm in the wrong place. Maybe you're not my enemy...but if you are a friend, you would understand."

Foolish of you.

Rishi suspected that answer. "Enemy then." He swirled and ignited the lightsaber as he came around, the blue blade instantly illuminating all of the AT-AT's insides. But where the intruder should have sat was nothing, only an impression in the seat that proved someone had been there.

Very well, Rishi Kjoil. If you will not hear it from me...I will bring you someone you will trust.

Rishi moved the lightsaber like a torch, but still saw no one. Until such time this intruding voice would make truth of his words, Rishi had only one thing in which he still had faith. Fighting those who had killed his Master.

"Fine," he powered down the blade, a disgruntled look upon his face. When the sound of the blade died out his ears picked up on another sound. The comlink on his gauntlet was receiving a holo-transmission, a live feed from inside Hope's Haven itself. Rishi flicked on the comlink and the space before him lit up in a bluish glow as the feed came through.

Admiral Gout Saul pleaded for the soldiers clutching his arms to let go, to dig their armored nails out of his sleeves and let him be. The tips of his boots barely touched the polished black floors as they hauled him through the last doors and dropped him onto his stormach inside the main control room of Hope's Haven.

They backed away as he yelped in pain and stood on opposite sides of the room leading into the room. The chamber had windows all around its circular walls, giving an excellent view of the station, although most of it was obscurred by the winds. There was an impressive collection of terminals, consoles and machinery inside the small room.

Saul rolled over on his back, steadying his breathing, his hands reflexivly searching his body for anything to use as a weapon. He decided against using his rank insignia as a cutting device and instead sat up. He realized his only weapon of choice was a hard stare and he doubted that would pierce their armor.

Captains Kerner and Cygan were already present in the chamber, the commanders of the additional star destroyers in his fleet, kept secure by containment droids, their arms locked behind their backs. Cygan looked to have been difficult to capture, bruises covered the left side of his face, a black eye oozing tears. Kerner looked pleased to see his Admiral unscathed.

"Admiral Gout Saul," a slithering voice said behind him.

He looked over his shoulder and saw a bald man with odd scars running across his face. With eyes that shone red like a dying sun, Saul couldn't help thinking he'd met this species before. There was something familiar about him, but the origin of that familiarity eluded him.

He raised himself and faced the man, clinging to the last bits of honor he still kept in check. "That's me." Behind the man was an older gentleman who was wearing the same kind of cloak that Rishi Kjoil and his Jedi companion had worn, uniforms of the Jedi. Also present was a man who'd identified himself as Jovis, wearing black Sons of Destiny armor but no helmet, and a satisfied grin on his face.

The red-eyed one looked to the two soldiers that had brought Saul here and dismissed them with a nod.

"Do you remember?" the man asked in a low secretive voice.

Saul wanted to nod but his mind still struggled to recall where and when he'd met this man before. He shook his head. "No."

The man unfolded his hand from inside the sleeves of his cloak and moved it slowly between them -

- and instantly memories flooded through Saul like an erupting geyser. A part of his mind that had never been there before was unlocked and Saul shook the feeling off, feeling as if he was shedding old skin, a shell he'd worn on the outside while his true nature had now been unleashed.

A sinister smile appeared on his face and everything he'd done up to that point filled him with a sensation of completion. The man before him, Master Eknath, his face was then so familiar that Saul couldn't even understand not recognizing it before. Saul shivered with excitement. "Yes, much better."

He remembered meeting Eknath the first time, striking an agreement. But an agreement that entailed that Saul would undergo a dangerous play on his mind. He remembered accepting the danger in regards to the reward, and now looked back on his last few months as a state of unconsciousness. A veil that had been pulled over his mind to hide others from his real intentions. There had only been a single drive in his mind, the only part of his mission. To -

"I brought the boy, just like you wanted."

Captain Kerner's jaw dropped, but soon his face went from surprise to realization. "You - you traitor!" He fought against his restraints but it got him nowhere. "Admiral, you can't do this!"

Jovis chuckled. "You made him forget he was a traitor. The perfect spy."

The older Jedi in the back frowned. "It is dangerous to tamper with the mind in such a way. It can lead to many - "

"Yes, I did," Eknath interrupted, ignoring Master Raine. Eknath folded his arms around him and focused on the Admiral. "Yes, you've done far better than I expected. Did you feel any discomfort?"

Saul shook his head once more. "Until you released me...I was a ghost. A perfect cover for me to perform as you asked."

Captain Cygan stirred inside the droid's grip but was too weak to protest. Kerner glared upon the Admiral with disgust. "You betrayed the Republic, Saul. You led all those men to their deaths!"

Saul looked over at the captain, silencing him with a stare. "One more won't make any difference, Captain Kerner. Don't test me."

Eknath chuckled, amused by the interaction. "I've never tried this technique before. But with your proximity to the local Jedi of Coruscant it was important that they sensed no danger from you. And how could they, when even you had forgotten what you were trying to achieve?"

Saul felt proud of himself, smiling slyly. "But I haven't forgotten your end of the bargain, Master Eknath."

The telepath chuckled. "No...though I admit I often lamented not thinking of it before. Money has been transferred to your account," he pulled out a small datapad from inside his cloak, "here's the transfer confirmation."

Saul accepted the datapad and read it over. Everything was in order and looked authentic. "Excellent. The entry codes for Coruscant's defensive shield are onboard the Masamune and the other destroyers."

Captain Kerner suppressed his anger. With the entry codes the star destroyers could easily re-enter Coruscant's atmosphere, which had been Riokon's plan all along. Why he so willingly had destroyed his own ships; new ones had already been in route. The Republic retaliation in the form of star destroyers with entry codes to Coruscant had always been part of the plan. Any fleet attacking Coruscant without entry codes would be devastated by their immense orbital defences.

With the codes the Sons of Destiny could sneak right past their defensive array, get in close and personal.

Saul slid the datapad inside his uniform. "Early retirement. With these credits I'll buy myself a small corner of the Galaxy, live out my days care free." He looked back up at Eknath. "What happens now?"

Eknath's head tilted. "For you or me?"

Saul wasn't sure. "Both. You don't need me anymore, and you know I'm not a risk to your endavour. You can easily warp my mind again, if you felt safer that way."

Eknath looked thoughtful. "You were a great hero of the Republic when I crossed your path. And I thought I might have to tamper with your mind to have your cooperation. But you were easily swayed. Why does it come so easy for you to leave it behind?"

Saul smirked. "Old age, I suppose. Time belittles any attachment when death starts gaining on you."

Raine scoffed in the back.

Captain Kerner was furious, eager to break his bond and choke the life out of Admiral Saul. "He's a lying sack of fierfek! He betrayed the Republic, he'll betray you too! He has no honor, no - "

Jovis crossed to the captain and knocked his mouth shut with a quick right. He hefted the man's head by the hair and pulled it back, putting a blaster to his temple. "Say the word, Admiral, and I'll empty this man's skull - "

A lightsaber hummed to life in the back of the room and everyone turned to see Jedi Master Raine in his defense pose, the blade aimed at Jovis. "You will not hurt that man, Jovis. Stand aside."

Saul started to speak -

But Eknath's deep mocking laughter drowned out even the vibrant blade in Raine's hands. His red eyes were blazing with fire, and he faced the Jedi Master. "Ahh, the quiet one takes a stand. What is it, old friend? Has the Force finally spoken to you once more?"

Raine's face was full of defiance. "Those men need not die."

Eknath chuckled even louder. "No, they do not. But do you know why? Has the Force explained that much to you?"

The Jedi Master's blade wavered slightly, a sign of doubt. "Why don't you tell me, old friend?"

Eknath turned his side to the Jedi Master and nodded to Jovis. The mercenary lowered his weapon and released his grip on Kerner's hair. "We need them to persuade Coruscant's security, along with the onboard entry codes. I will influence their minds, so that the charade will be as authentic as possible. And once we gain access to Coruscant's atmosphere, those destroyers will be plunged straight into the planet's surface. The impact and destruction of the destroyers will be devastating, and the radioactive seepage of the generators onboard the ships will make vast regions of Coruscant uninhabitable for a very long time."

Raine's bravery wilted, his eyes wandering. The lightsaber died and he stood back, a million thoughts running through his head. A million terrifying scenarios. Now he knew the extent of the plans he'd helped further.

Even Jovis showed signs of contemplation, diminishing within , becoming a pale shadow of himself.

Captain Kerner spat blood on the floor. "You...monster."

Eknath's eyes fell upon the Admiral once more. "And you still feel no regret for your betrayal? Now that you know the extent of our design."

Although his former pride had wilted slightly, Saul still kept his chin raised. "I didn't do this for your cause, Eknath. I couldn't care less. To be honest, I doubt you will suceed."

Eknath raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Raine had gathered his wits again and stared into Eknath's back. "When did Koll tell you this? Last time we saw him, none of us knew what he was really aiming for."

Eknath didn't bother to turn and look at the Jedi. "When he scolded me for scarring Joon."

Raine looked confused, but as seconds passed he found comprihention. "It was...just a charade?"

"Correct," Eknath said in a menacing voice, "Riokon cared little for young Joon. What you witnessed was an interaction in the Force between me and the General, a show to fool the rest of you. He told me what he wanted me, us, to acheive while he was gone." He folded his hands inside his sleeves. "It came as a surprise to me as well, but I've come to understand why Koll left things the way he did." His voice lowered slightly. "But we will discuss this matter in private later, Master Raine."

Eknath looked over at Jovis and sent a telepathic wave to the mercenary, taking great care to spying ears and eyes. Take the captains with you to the main hangar down below and make sure they are kept alive. Amass our remaining forces and wait for me.

Jovis looked off at first, not used to voices speaking in his head, but soon regained his composure. He nodded to Eknath and led the restrained captains out of the control room, leaving Eknath alone with Raine and the Admiral.

Eknath's gaze fell upon the Admiral with a level of pity and regret. "I thank you for your service to our cause, Admiral Gout Saul. But I find your lack of faith a bit upsetting."

Saul's lips parted but only air fell through.

"Your mind speaks to me, Admiral," Eknath said in a raised voice, his hands falling out of their sleeves. "I don't know how you've mastered this control of your thoughts, but it is impressive. However, I know minds too well not to see it. Your thoughts speak to me like the mumblings of a sleeping man. And I see your intention. That little story about dissapearing into a corner of the Galaxy revealed the crack in your defense."

The Admiral started to tremble, his eyes darting back and forth between Eknath and the Jedi Master. "I - "

"You're running back to the Republic," Eknath's eyes ignited with fury, "and you are going to betray me."

Saul took a step back in involuntary fear, and quickly realized that proved Eknath was right. A man without reason to fear would have stood firmly and faced the accusations. Eknath seemed to grow before him, his dark cloak and red evil eyes becoming more and more a nightmare even his darkest dreams couldn't match. "I won't - "

"Don't lie to me, Admiral!" Eknath bellowed, his voice full of thunder. "You cannot fool me!"

Saul started as his back went up against a wall. He was trapped. His jaw quivered in fear and his hands started to move up in defense. "Please! You got what you wanted from me! I brought the boy here, just as you commanded. I gave up my life to help you!"

Eknath started to chuckle lowly, his eyes became slits, dulling the red light pouring from them. "Oh, you will die...but not by my hand." His right hand moved up to indicate a small holographic transmitter on a nearby console. "What has transpired here has been transmitted to all local frequencies inside and outside this station."

Saul felt the world dissolve around him, everyone knew now. Even those onboard the star destroyers. With what bravery he could summon he cursed Eknath to hell, and his fingers began looking for an opening in the wall behind him. He knew there was a door somewhere behind him.

Eknath's hand moved over in the Admiral's direction, unlocking the door behind him and Saul fell through and landed on his back, instantly cowering and crawling backwards.

Eknath snorted.

"Yes! Run, Admiral! You may run and you may live. None of my men will touch you." His head bowed slightly, and he spoke with a sinister whisper. "But I have a feeling the very package you delievered to me, is about to come looking for you."

The hologram faded out of existence above Kast's wrist, but him and the Jedi were still staring at the air above it long after.

"They're trying to lure him out," Kast finally said, "your friend."

Kal nodded. "I think you're right."

"Would he fall for it?" Kast asked.

Kal couldn't help making a nervous smile. "He'd know it's a trap, but that doesn't mean he isn't going to take the bait."

Kast cursed and just as he suspected his helmet's comlink was activated.

"Kast, this is Salvor. What was that all about?"

Kast resumed walking, holding Kal upright as best as he could. "Seems we weren't the only ones getting worked over, Lead. Kal and his Jedi friend were set up by a Republic Admiral. Seems his entire mission here was really to hand over the other Kjoil." Though he hadn't eaten in a long time, he still tasted sour in his mouth. "Like we thought, the whole Republic is falling apart. All those soldiers...they didn't care what happened to them."

"Cut the chatter," Call burst into the transmission, "keep in mind it was just one Admiral who betrayed us. The other captains weren't involved. One bad seed."

"Tell that to whoever the dead left behind," Kast sneered. "Kal seems to think it's another set-up, to lure out the other Kjoil. Kal also thinks this guy Rishi might choose to take the bait."

Stix's grunt exploded in Kast's ear. "Can't say I blame him. Wouldn't mind putting my rifle to that Admiral's temple."

Salvor sighed noticeably. "What does Kal suggest?"

Kast looked over at Kal. Kal didn't know what to say. Rishi could take care of himself, but then again if they knew where the Admiral was heading and knew that Rishi was heading there too, it presented an oppertunity to get in touch with Rishi and link up with him again. Kal relayed that idea to Kast.

"Anyone know where the Admiral might be headed?"

"Not many ships left," Call noted, "last birds are about to take off with the last of the army."

"What!" Salvor shouted. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"I was about to call it in when that other transmission came through," Call explained, "I had to cross the hangar to get to my objective. Crawled through the ventilation shafts under the hangar to make time. Didn't feel like reporting it when they were only two feet above me, Lead."

Everyone was silent for a few seconds.

"Doesn't make sense," Salvor finally said, "what about the cloning facility? They're just gonna leave it here?"

"Guess they just needed the one clone," Kast ventured, "maybe its not as important to them as it is to the Republic."

Salvor agreed. "Doesn't mean there might not be stragglers behind. Everyone; stay on your toes."

"I hear ya," Call responded.

"Roger that," Stix added.

Kast only nodded to himself. "Getting back to the point; no one's seen any ships left behind? No idea where the Admiral might be headed?"

"What about those repair boats?" Stix suggested. "The ones they used to fly between the orbital repair yards and the ground station?"

Kal knew what he meant. He'd seen some of those boats in the hangar he'd passed through when he first came to Hope's Haven. "I've seen some of those, in the northern structure," he said to Kast, "they looked flightworthy."

Kast nodded. "Kal reports seeing boats in the north section."

"They can't travel through hyperspace," Salvor pointed out. "I doubt the star destroyers are gonna give him a ride."

Stix grinned the way only Stix could. "Hyperspace or not...if you had a vengeful Jedi coming for you, I don't think you'd care."

Call, being the one going to the northern structure, unleased a series of curses. "Stix, next time I see you, I'm going to stuff every piece of ordanance you got down your throat."

Stix chuckled merrily. "How I always wanted to go."

"Alright then," Salvor cleared his throat, "Call, new objective; try to RV with the Admiral at the repair boats. Detain him, he's a war criminal and a traitor."

"Affirmative," Call confirmed, "but what about my prior objective?"

"Once, and if, you find the Admiral and the Kjoil, Stix will meet up with you and complete your bomb run," Salvor's slight grin was audible, "you hear that, Stix? Double duty."

Call was the one to chuckle that time and even Kast and Kal couldn't help breaking in a smile.

Stix's reply was dry and bereft of humor. "Keep your eyes open, Call. It ain't work if it involves explosives."

Raine followed Eknath's lead as usual as they entered the main hangar of the main building, a vast space filled with the remaining soldiers of their army, as well as the last few shuttles belonging to Hope's Haven. Seats onboard the handful of shuttles was limited which meant a great portion of the thousand soldiers would have to march across the snow to reach the waiting Masamune.

Soldiers were already boarding the few shuttles and as Eknath and Raine reached Jovis, the man guarding the two bound Republic captains, the first of the shuttles took off.

Jovis saluted them both. "We should have everyone onboard the destroyer within the next two hours. Most of them will have to cross the snow to get onboard, but I think getting off this planet will motivate them to make good speed."

Eknath smiled. Jovis had come a long way from the lonely mercenary he'd been upon arrival. Many doubted at first that the man was suited to lead the army, but his loyalty and impeccable duty had won him their trust. He still looked out of place, hints of worry occasionally crossed his face.

"Very good, commander. Make sure our captains are brought safely onboard and ensure their continued survival. They are invaluable to our mission. Move the army out to the Masamune. We will be with you shortly.""

Jovis nodded. "As you wish." Jovis dismissed himself and directed his hostages towards an awaiting shuttle.

Eknath's arms crossed his chest. "I see Jovis becoming the future of our army. Long after we're gone. Long after Riokon has retired, he will lead the men, as our progeny."

Raine frowned lightly. "I imagined that position was reserved for you."

Eknath smiled. "But I shall not live forever."

"There's a safe bet," Krych's voice said behind them. They both turned to see the warrior, still dressed in his magnificent armor, his white mask tainted with dried-up blood, resting a caressing hand on Talon's gigantic head. The vhronik purred beneath his caring touch. "Are we going somewhere?" he asked with a trace of anger in his voice.

Raine made a short bow to the warrior. "Yes. Our purpose here is over. The battle must be moved."

"Really?" Krych's menacing mask looked down at his pet. "Seems to me we're missing a few companions."

Raine's face clouded. "Yes...Tragedy and Gravity have fallen."

Krych nodded slowly, deep thoughts rummaging behind that featureless face. "Not to mention Junn," his voice softened, "I'm not leaving without her."

Eknath's expression changed. "We cannot hold for her - "

"But you can hold for me," Krych stated defiantly, "and I'm not done here. The Kjoil apprentice is also still alive." The mask moved up to look at Eknath. "He must be destroyed. He's a threat to everything we're trying to acheive. The Force will never be at full balance as long as he exists."

Eknath's eyes beamed red. "Yes, you're right. And he will surely seek to reap revenge for his Master's desmise. Leaving him alive now could come back to haunt us later." Eknath reached inside his cloak and retrieved the hilt of a lightsaber. "We found this upon his Master's body. It belonged to him. You should keep it as a trophy."

Krych accepted the lightsaber and looked it over with a frown. "If I wanted a trophy I'd collect the dead body."

Eknath shook his head. "That lightsaber carries the aura of his Master. He will come looking for it."

Krych's head came up with sudden interest, his lipless mouth forming a grin. "I see. Very well."

"But be careful," Raine urged, "there is still a team of Republic commandos hiding within the facility. As well as Fett."

"Not for long," Krych bent down on one knee next to Talon and the creature looked up at him affectionately, it's massive tail starting to wag across the floor. Krych held the animal's face in his hands and closed his eyes. Private thoughts crossed between the two and Talon suddenly sat up on it's four legs. It released a series of growls at Krych and then raced off, barging through the ranks of soldiers, knocking a few down. Talon leapt onto the far wall and dissapeared among the dark corners of the ceiling.

Krych nodded. "Talon will gather his pack and take care of the commandos."

Eknath looked impressed. "Excellent creature. I see you're not a stranger to mind-control anymore, Krych. You've grown immensely since your accident."

Krych crossed to stand before Eknath, his mask barely hiding the anger building beneath his surface. "It is not mind-control; it is loyalty. Him and I are bound to each other, but not through tricks. Do you remember what it was like knowing someone was on your side, for reasons besides manipulation and lies?"

Eknath's eyes squinted, a red vengeful stare escaping the slits. "Be very careful, Krych. I will not tolerate your threats."

Krych was not threatened. "Last time I stood this close to you, you had Joon watching you," Krych looked around, a chuckle escaping his mask, "looks like he isn't around anymore."

Eknath leaned into Krych's mask and hissed. "Go find your woman, and then we will settle this once we're clear of Regana." Eknath's eyes turned distant for a brief second, reading the horizons. "She's north of here. Take a small unit and investigate the northern structures."

Raine watched in silence as he favored. No tremor in the Force revealed the need for any involvement from him. And he admitted to himself that seeing a duel between the young Krych and Master Eknath was not something he would miss.

Krych nodded to them both and went on his way to find the woman he loved.

Eknath spat curses at the man's back. "Such a fool. For all his power, he remains a hot-tempered youth. A shell housing only lunacy."

Raine shrugged. "Sooner or later he'll wear himself out. I don't believe we need to worry about him."

Eknath contemplated. "Maybe. His savagery will only work to our advantage. It will put pressure on the enemy, keeping them vigilant and he'll help us draw out the Kjoil and Boba Fett."

Raine looked uninterested, at peace with himself and the thought of soon leaving Regana only a memory. "There's good underneath his anger." Raine walked off to join the soldiers being loaded onto shuttles. "The brightest of diamonds are not found. They are made."

Resting upon his skills as an intrusion expert Call stayed concealed inside the shadows of the corridor, keeping a keen eye on his surroundings. His new sneaking suit kept him somewhat dry despite the clammy sensation of sweat coursing down his frame that bothered him. It felt like he had taken a shower fully dressed. Even his short hair stuck to his scalp like a wet towel.

The whole thing stank; the enemy already knew they were here and the only thing Call had going for him was that the power for the complex had been shut down, making the corridors dark as night. Call relied on the thermal scope in his helmet but he knew the enemy would be too, which meant being extra careful would be the best course of action. As much as he wanted to move, Call knew he couldn't rush it. To survive in elements like this you'd have to put yourself aside the distractions, you'd have to ignore the clammy sensation of his suit, the darkness, the fear, and that damn cold he felt creeping up the back of his nose.

The narrow corridor was dark and stank of grease, even the walls reeked of oil, tangles of pipes humming incessantly over his head. The whole place felt like the inside of a tin can, the walls moaning from the duress of the powerful winds outside, almost giving him the impression of being swallowed by a living metal beast. The yawning of the metal made it harder for him to listen for dangers but it worked both ways and made it harder for the enemy as well.

Call caught a message on the bottom of his HUD, warning him of activity further down the corridor, enemies, three of them. Resting his rifle against his shoulder he began to hear them too as they came around the bend of the corridor. Call slid as much as he could behind the bulkhead he was crouched by, peeking around the edge of it.

Eyeing the opposition skeptically as always, Call frowned to himself. He counted three enemies; fully-armed soldiers like the ones they'd encountered dozens of times before. So far they weren't getting any closer, they stayed in a guard patrol at the end of the dark hallway.

Call gave himself amble time to study them as they patrolled, monitoring their behavior and patterns. They were careful, but not enough. In their walk he spotted small signs of fatigue, things you wouldn't be able to tell if you hadn't been trained to look for them. They were tired and they weren't expecting trouble.

Besides their lax nature, the only thing good about them was that their heavy equipment and rifles made so much noise when they moved. Call was wearing only the essentials, all of his gear had been tightened down and handled in a way that minimized any sound or clutter when he moved. His entire outfit was based on the principle that less was better, making him as small as he could be. Stealth required a lot of focus on the smallest of things, if you wanted to survive.

But he also realized that all the gear they were carrying would make it harder for him to take them down silently. All that equipment was bound to make a racket if it touched the ground.

Rather than letting the fear of the odds against him overwhelm him, Call shunned them and relied on his instincts. He'd been through worse than this. At least he came prepared for something like this. He switched the firing selection on his rifle to single fire. With the silencer attached he was quarantined as little noise as possible if he had to take them down.

Another message appeared on his HUD and Call was concentrating so strongly on the three soldiers down the corridor that he nearly jolted when it came. Why not just put a bell on my butt? Call thought to himself as he read the message from Stix.

First bomb planted, headed your way.

Call sighed. With three guards no more than two hundred feet away, sneaking out of there would be harder than taming a reek. Call bided his time, these guys were careful enough that he might not be able to slip away unnoticed but he would have to try.

Resolutely he unhitched an empty clip from his equipment harness and tossed it down the hall, away from himself. The clip cluttered several times before coming to a loudly end behind the soldiers.

Each of them jolted and reacted instantly, lining up their weapons. The clip had landed perfectly, right where Call wanted it to; its position forced the guards to turn their backs to him as he slid away.

Call ran backwards down the hall, with his rifle held out in front of him, and made it around the corner without being detected. Ignoring the clammy sensation of his suit, he moved only when the enemy was not looking his way, careful to step as lightly as he could on the ball of his heel to minimize sound. He felt like a dog running an obstacle course; always moving, jumping over barriers, crawling through tight gaps, running up stairs, but unlike a dog he had to freeze completely between each obstacle, becoming as much a part of the environment as he could by utilizing the shadows and colors of the environment.

Call felt claustrophobic as he crept down the hallway, flattening himself to the wall and walking sideways down it to make his frame as small as possible. With the rifle in hand he carried on through the halls, making his way for the closest entryway that would lead him to where the repair boats were.

Pressing himself against the wall he cautiously peeked around the corner to see a soldier guarding the entryway. That was the entryway he wanted, which meant he'd have to confront the guard. Call froze instantly, becoming a statue and blending in with the shadows and the darkness of the environment perfectly.

Call was surprised a guard was even there, but felt lucky the guard hadn't moved away from his post. If he had he might have found Call in the other hallway, wide open for an ambush from behind.

Wasting no time, Call leaped out from nowhere, came up behind the guard, wrapped his arm around the man's neck while he kicked away his feet beneath him. The man fell down and snapped his neck in Call's arm. The body went limb instantly and Call carried the body into the shadows, making sure none of the equipment made any sound as he hid the body.

Slicing through the door's controls, the entryway irised open and Call stepped across the doorstep -

The foreign lightsaber in his hand bounced against his thigh as Krych marched down the darkened corridor, a group of soldiers following him, their rifles at the ready. Krych pursued that sense in the Force, that drain that Junn was drawing from. Using it he would find her quickly before this matter was drawn out even further, before even more of their soldiers and plans were lost.

Krych heard the blip on his wrist gauntlet. A motion sensor had been triggered ahead of him. It wasn't the Kjoil and it wasn't Junn, which left only the Republic commandos. Seemed he might have to make a small detour.

He pulled his comlink to his mouth. "Loyalty here; reroute minimal power supply to the nortern structures."

The reply came back quickly. "At twenty percent efficiency, commander."

Krych smiled beneath his mask. "Close entry 77B."

Call was already through the hatch when he heard the metal on metal screeching. The doors behind him irised shut too fast for him to prevent. Call threw himself at the entry way in a fury, snarling and cursing like a savage. "No!" Not because he wanted to go back that way, but because it meant he was found.

And trapped.

Call broke into his combat mode. With the rifle following wherever his eyes looked he moved on down the hallway, he knew he couldn't stay there. The door couldn't have been a coincidence, someone had triggered it. Call felt like he was back at the Gauntlet. It was exactly the kind of thing the Gauntlet trained you for. Instant changes, forcing his attention to its fullest and making him sharp as a vibroblade.

He continued down the dark corridors of the facility, using his HUD's thermal sighting to keep his orientation, it would be easy for him to get lost in here.

Finding a safe spot to hide, Call activated the comm in his helmet and tried to reach the others, but there was nothing but static on the frequency. Call switched frequencies and got in touch with Tracker, the hovering droid somewhere outside above the station, working on patching through to the enemy's communication. "Tracker, this is Call. I've been cut off. Track my signal."

Tracker answered with a twitter. Multiple targets approaching.

Call nodded bitterly. "Tracker, see if you can get in touch with the others, tell them what's happened - "

Tracker interrupted with a warble. Unable to contact. Frequency scrambled.

Call cursed. His walls were closing in. He couldn't wait here any longer. He had to go on. Into the trap. "Tracker, find some means of communicating with the others. Transmit my location to them. And hurry," Call resolutely snap-cocked his rifle, "I have a feeling I'm gonna need them."

He disconnected himself with the present surroundings to listen for sounds further down the hall. And clear enough he found some. From what he could tell by the sounds of the boots on the metal floor, three soldiers were on to his present location. Call supported the rifle against his shoulder, aiming down the hall at where the threat had to be coming from.

A message appeared on his HUD. It is possible to patch into the enemy's communication system and send a transmission.

Call managed to smile, those boots coming ever closer. "Thank you, Tracker."

He heard the droid's mournful moaning. Be careful.

"Call out."

Call saw three shapes in the darkness down the hall and jumped out, blasting a barrage of shots at the advancing soldiers. As the soldiers retaliated with their own weapons he felt a bitter taste coming up his throat. Feeling the sweat starting to break on his back again, he caught himself seeing his teammates' faces before his eyes. Call, Salvor, Stix and the others long gone. He wished he could have spent more time reminiscing, suddenly he had to fight back precious memories if he wanted a chance to make new ones.

This was not gonna end a good way. But he hoped that the others would still make it out of there alive and that whatever he was about to die for was worth it. That this Rishi Kjoil would be able to stop whatever was happening on this planet.

Motivated by that hope he made sure to put up a fight, challenging the so-called expertise of these soldiers. They managed to fan out on either side of the corridor, one of them staying in the center, while the other two shot from secure corners. Call let them have it, gunning down the center soldier with a rain of red darts, seeing the shots pound the man's armor harmlessly, but the sheer force of the darts pushed the man over on his back, taking him out of the fight for critical moments.

Next thing he did was arm the grenade launcher beneath his barrel, setting it to detonate the moment it made contact. A line of smoke shot from his rifle, detonating in a sphere of fire in the center of the opposition. The soldier on the floor took the brunt of the explosion, dying instantly, the ones to the sides pushed back against the walls and left lying on the floor.

In the two seconds it would take them to reorient themselves, Call was on them. He ran and jumped on the nearest, unsheathing his knuckle blade and slamming it down to its hilt in the man's neck. Before the man was even dead the second soldier was on his feet, kicking Call away from his wounded teammate.

Call recovered and attacked with his vibroblade, cutting circles in the air with the tiny dagger. He managed to make eye contact with his attacker, seeing the man's face behind his dark helmet. Call wished he hadn't because those eyes haunted him deeply when he grabbed the attacker's wrist as he struck, gutting the man with a swift movement across the belly, and then a second cut across the throat. The soldier coughed blood onto his own visor as he dropped to his knees, leaning against Call's legs. Blood on his hands, Call sheathed his blade and reached for his rifle.

The door that had separated him slid open and a group of soldiers filed through, their rifles already screaming blue bolts as they entered. Call hunched down behind the same shelter that one of the dead soldiers had used earlier and plucked a thermal detonator from his equipment belt.

Tossing it down the hall, he opened fire at the closest soldiers while the detonator touched down in the center of the group. Rolling to a halt among them, the soldiers ignored him and started to distance themselves from the bomb.

Call used the distraction to gun them down, taking three of them out. The detonation that followed rocked through the hallway, shaking the entire structure, killing everyone within a five meter radius.

Then the silence followed and all that remained was the smoke filling the hallway, the ringing in his ears and the foul smell of blood in the thick air. Call sighed, the heavy ringing in his ears deafening as he pushed himself up from behind the shelter -

An armored hand grabbed his throat from above, and as he looked up he saw a white doll-like face bearing down on him. Call unsheathed his knuckle blade again and started stabbing at his attacker, but all he seemed to achieve was to dent a lot of pipes. The hand raised him by his throat and pulled him up into the ceiling of the corridor, in between the thick clutter of pipes.

As the green lightsaber struck him, through him, beyond him, punctuating his intestines, he closed his eyes, finding himself in a complete darkness, trying not to think of the faces on his teammates when they would hear about his death.

Krych clutched himself to the body of the soldier for several seconds, listening to the man's breathing as it intensified, as it peaked and as it slowly faded into nothing. The body loosened inside his grip and his right hand switched off the lightsaber. The green blade slid back inside the handle and Krych untangled himself from the man, dropping the burden to the floor beneath.

The body flattened out instantly, armor cluttering and an arsenal of weapons bested by a single man with a lightsaber. Krych slithered out of the pipes and landed next to the man. He could hear the helmet's internal comlink sputtering with voices and resisted the urge to respond with a threatning invitation to come face him. He'd find them all sooner or later, if the vhroniks didn't.

His own comlink came alive. "Commander, another motion sensor has gone off in the southern facilities. Two targets."

Krych's mask revealed no emotion. "Go take care of it. This section is clear, but I still have to find Eulogy."

"Very well, commander. Good luck."

That last comment was not needed, but it brightened the darkness around his heart to know the soldiers hadn't forgotten about their former squad leader either. He considered dumping the body somewhere else but found no real reason to do so. His death hadn't felt as good as those in the battle outside, they'd been a slaughter. This one had courage and had fought right up till the end. That was honor, and he could only applaud such a thing. It almost made him feel bad about having to kill his teammates.

Something intruded on his thoughts. Spanning his awareness for motion or sound down the corridor, he heard droid-like chirping, small audible servomotors at play, distant and hazy. And the sound was fading.

"Wait!" he called down the corridor, and began to run towards the sound. He came to another intersection, listened for the sound and headed left. He could hear the droid wheeling away, trying to escape him it seemed. He called out again, running to catch up with the droid, for whatever good it might do to his mission.

He rounded another corner, just in time to see an astromech's hind wheels disappear around the next bend in the corridor.

"I said; wait!"

He went after it and sped around the corner where he'd seen the droid turn and found it sitting there. A green colored R2 unit, its dome-shaped head whirling on the axis and crying it's little mechanical brain out.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," he said, holding his hand out to calm it, "calm down."

The head stopped spinning and the droid looked at him, its every sensor reading him. It made an inquiry in subtle baby-like tones.

Krych smiled beneath his mask, even though it pained him. "That's right, I'm one of the good guys." He knelt down on one knee and held out his hand. "Krych."

The droid extended its multifunction arm from inside a compartment in its chest and they shook. The droid made a small speech beeps and whistles.

Krych understood the most of it. "Pleased to meet you, R7."

The droid folded its arm back into place and unleashed another round of high-pitched beeps, ending on a low note the way humans did when asking questions.

Krych shook his head. "No, I don't think I've met your Master. Where is he?"

The droid tootled cheerily.

"How close?"

The droid extended its arm again and before Krych could catch on, a powerful burst of electrical blue lightning shot from the end of it. Krych crashed onto his back, screaming in agony as the surges stole away his ability to defend himself. The powerful electrical shock tore open gashes on his face and he soon tasted blood. His face lit up in bright stabbing pain and he sucked it down, using it to empower his body again.

He kicked out hard with both feet, smashing the droid up against the far wall, breaking its little arm in the process. The surges died out and Krych jumped to a stand, filled with anger he whipped out his lightsaber. The droid's domed head flew off as he swept the blade across it, but before the dome touched floor he realized it was a decoy and that the real threat was still nearby.

He swirled around to guard his vulnurable side, just in time to see Boba Fett knelt down on one knee at the far end of the corridor they were in, with a grenade launcher aimed at him.

"Boba Fett?" Krych laughed, his sick chuckle loud and full of spite. "Do you really think you have what it takes?" The pain and anger was already warping his mind, bringing the Dark Side in him front and center. "You...are a mere mortal, a weakling! I am eternal, you imbecile! My spirit, a warrior's spirit, will live forever!"

Underneath Fett's helmet lips slowly formed a smile. "Never knew there was a dreamer in you, Krych."

The grenade launcher roared and a thick white stripe of smoke shot down dead center upon Krych, exploding against the floor in front of him in a thick mist of smoke and flame. Krych rolled away from the heat and the flames, a giant burning hole in the floor between him and Fett. He could see the armored bounty hunter between the smoke and cracking fire.

Enraged, he used the Dark Side to shoot himself through the fires, sliding across the floor on his heels, green lightsaber held aloft. He reached the surprised Fett in a second, slamming his elbow against the hunter's helmet. Fett fell back onto the floor, sliding a few feet before coming to a rest.

Krych towered over the downed Fett, and moved the lightsaber down beneath the man's chin. The blade managed to fizzle slightly against the edge of the helmet before Krych's world dissolved at the glimpse of something utterly ridiculous and yet so important; when he'd knocked the hunter onto his back, his helmet had come slightly loose.

And underneath the rim of the helmet, several locks of long blondish hair were now hanging out in clear view.

"Call! Call!"

Stix's desperate and hoarse shouting contained all the emotions Kast wanted to release, but he didn't have to. He sucked it down, though he knew it was the worst thing he could do. He allowed it to bottle up, his teammates had died before. These things happened in war and combat, it was a natural part. Everyone making it back alive was rare, even for commandos. It was natural, he told himself again and again.

Call was dead and they had to move on.

"Stix, calm down," Salvor urged over the frequency."

Stix sprouted obscenities. "Salvor, that's our guy down there! He needs us! I'm close by, let me go check - "

"No," Salvor said sternly, "that's an order."

"We never should have split up, we've never split up! We're a unit!" Stix cursed, but seemed to quiet down when he ran out of breath. "So what do we do? I'm done with my bomb."

"Get to the repair boats RV, see if you can intercept the Admiral. We'll just have to hope three bombs is gonna be enough. I'm almost set with my bomb. Kast, how are things on your end?"

Kast stared into the air, fighting back memories of Call, fighting the very same urge that Stix had already surrendered to. "Should be another twenty minutes, commander."

"Alright, get moving. I'll meet up with you at the RV, Stix."

"Affirmative, commander," Stix replied dryly.

The link died.

"You okay?" Kal asked the young soldier.

Kast sighed heavily. "Yeah...I'll grieve when this is over."

"Kast - "

"Kal," Kast said firmly, "I've been in this situation before. I'll be fine," Kast got up and brought his rifle around to his front, "this is what we signed up for. Don't tell me you've never tried this? As a Jedi you must've been on the frontline, seen people die? Taken lives yourself?"

Kal kept his emotions level. "I have. Doesn't mean I liked it."

"Well, no one's saying I like it. But if I start to bunch up now, Call isn't going to be alone for long. All I can do is use it. If someone was good enough to take out Call, they can take us all out. Things are happening. They're drawing us out, taking us one by one."

Krych followed Junn down several levels, his eyes on the jetpack she wore on her back, listening to the armor as it clanged up against itself. There was an odd silence between them, ever since they'd made their way down here. There was a million things he wanted to tell her, to ask her, but somehow the silence was unbreakable, thick as the armor that held her soft skin that also shelled her from his embrace.

Why had she broken away from the army? What had she been doing all this time? Why hadn't she helped her own soldiers? Why was she dressed up like Boba Fett and why had she attacked several of their own men? Granted he knew she entertained ideas of leaving the army but the Junn he knew wouldn't have sat by idle while her own men got killed. The Junn he knew would have been out there on the plains, as they had pledged long ago, to be the frontline of this very army.

He caught sight of a reflective surface as they traveled ever deeper into the structure, saw his white stainless mask staring back at him. He'd grown so used to it that he hardly ever thought of it. It had become his face, the only face he had left now. And he'd changed just as much underneath the charred skin, he'd given in to animal sides he never knew he had.

Before his injury he'd been a dignified person, someone trustworthy, someone with humanity. Someone people looked up to, and now they looked away in repulsion and fear. It shamed the heart he could sometimes still feel inside, the voices inside that told him he would not last long this way. The voices that knew death hadn't given up on him, but had merely lost track of his whereabouts.

But he wouldn't let it happen, not yet. Not before the war was over and the Sons of Destiny were victorious. If he did not live to see it through, all of his pain and his loss would be for nothing. That was his pledge, his promise and until he'd fulfilled it death would just have to wait.

She led him down inside a dark circular tunnel that seemed to go on for miles in both directions and she sat against one side of the wide pipe, detaching pieces of armor and the jetpack so she could sit comfortably. She looked just as beautiful as ever, a few scabs across her perfect face, but somehow they managed to make even more beautiful. She had the face of a strong woman, a warrior princess.

Krych awkwardly sat down opposite her and kept fighting the urge to hide his face, his mask, fearful of seeing her look on him the way others had.

Once she'd cleared away the armor she wore only the bodysuit underneath, giving him a skeptical grin. "You'll find it hard to hide it from me, Krych."

If the skin had still been there, he imagined his cheeks would have blushed. He felt smaller in her presence for some reason. He'd been looking for her and she knew it, but had still remained hidden. She knew all about his thoughts and desires and he knew nothing of hers. His fingers subconciously touched the mask, wondering if he should remove it.

"I can still see your eyes," she said softly and leaned back against the wall, "precious Krych."

He removed his fingers from the mask and interlocked them between his knees. "Where'd you get that armor?"

She looked at the outdated battlesuit lying by her feet. "General Riokon's quarters, he always liked to collect souvenirs. It's kept me safe."

He felt his fingers tighten. "I could have kept you safe. Why did you hide from me?"

She groaned and began massaging her own thigh. "You had a battle to fight. I didn't."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"More than you know. Krych, the battle out there had to be won. I was in no condition to fight. I knew you could handle things on your own."

"But what about now? Why haven't you joined the rest of us? Why did you attack me?"

She looked vulnurable. "I was...hoping to knock you out, so I could get you somewhere safe."

He felt ashamed by himself that he didn't really believe her. "What about Master Eknath?"

"Like you, I suspect he has plans that doesn't involve the goals set by the Sons of Destiny. I managed to save a ysalamiri before the vhroniks ate them all. That's why he couldn't recognize me, and why Joon couldn't affect me proper with the Force. I know Eknath can't be trusted anymore."

"I feel that too. But I can't prove anything."

"But you feel it. And just feeling it means the Force knows it too."

He smirked. "What do you know about the Force?"

She showed no sign of levity. "A lot."

He scoffed. "You're not sensitive to it."

"I wasn't. But I am now," she claimed confidently.

He began to ponder if her injuries had shaken her mind. "That's impossible. You haven't been trained. You wouldn't know how - "

"When are you going to ask me about the prisoner?" she asked out of the blue. "And how he brought me back to life? That is what happened. I was dead, Krych."

"Even more impossible."

Junn rolled her eyes. "I understand now why he worried Koll and Sasa so much. He was very powerful, too powerful. I think that's why I understand the Force now...some of his power must have surged into me when he revived me - "

"Junn, there's no such thing," he begged for her to understand. "The Force can't bring back the dead. You were not dead."

She looked at him sadly, looking at him like he was a lost cause. "I have a memory of seeing you cradling my body, whispering to me. I saw you cry, Krych, I saw you there." She looked away again. "And now, I understand so much. It's like I've never seen the world before," her eyes stared at nothing. "Every color is different, every life so vibrant and free." Her eyes closed. "Except when I look at you, Krych. When I look at you I see only death, destruction, and pain." She smiled sadly. "It seems irony still draws breath. I brought you here to save you. But there's no point, is there? You're already dead."

His eyes couldn't stand looking at her, and his ears couldn't take hearing her say those words. And he realized then that he'd deluded himself. He'd imagined they'd find each other when they were ready and there was time. He'd made himself believe that all of the past didn't matter and they'd just be two people in love again. He'd somehow forgotten all about their fight when he'd first arrived and the fact that he'd actually ended the relationship. But now it all came flooding back.

Except this Junn was not the Junn that was begging him to go away with her. He could feel it. She was defensive and she spoke of him like some creature, or a lost love. He felt like crying. He still loved her, but it seemed she was already gone. Like she'd already died back in the fire. "I've changed a lot...the fire, it - "

"The fire didn't burn anything away," she said softly though her words were hard, "it just unveiled what was hiding. When I found out you survived, I mourned you. I've watched you ever since. A ghost, a shell of the man I loved. The man I thought loved me."

His jaw ground against itself. "I did love you - "

"Just not enough to be with me, to listen to me." She was looking at him, but it sounded like some decade old memory she was talking about. "War, battle, death; that's all you really know, isn't it? That's all you're loyal to."

He shook his head. "That's not true."

Her eyes were full of pity. "First thing you did after your injury...you walked right to battle. Glorious dumb battle. Screaming my name. You may have thought of it as an honor, I just felt sick."

His hands started to make fists. "I went to battle, because as soon as that was over, I could come looking for you! Then I'd know you'd be safe! That no one could hurt us!" His face burned. "And I did it because I loved you! I fought my way through a thousand enemies to get to you!"

She sat there, looking at him, her face still ruined by that look of resentment, that mournful gaze. "It's too late, Krych."

He stuttered. "The - the army, it needs you."

"I'm not part of that army anymore, Krych," she sighed, "I don't belong there, and I don't belong with you, Krych. I only brought you here to say goodbye."

He searched for words, for reasons, for truth, and could have spent a million years doing so. He knew she wasn't coming back to the army, or to him. "But...you can't just walk away from - "

"You did," she said, daggers in her eyes. "I asked you to come with me. But you signed me off so easily. You let go of me, Krych. Not the other way around."

He started to cry, the tears stinging his burnt face. "But...I love you. I love you, Junn. I don't want to lose you. We've both come so far. We had plans...we even named our unborn children."

She shook her head lightly. "None of us is gonna survive this. You're already dying, and I'm set for a different path."

He was sobbing now; in all of his grandiose armor and frightning mask, he was finally defeated. For all his powers, his strength, his loyalty, he couldn't make a single difference. It was gone, no more, just a memory that would never be relived. The taste of a kiss he'd taken for granted. "How can we just let go of all we had...like it was just some dream? Tell me that!" he cried hard. "How do you let go of everything you've ever wanted?"

She leaned forward. "If it came true, then it wasn't a dream. If you already had it, it will always be yours. It will always live in memory. That way it never dies." She leaned back and started refitting her Mandalorian armor. "Dreams may fade but only if we allow them. Dreams are just like memories, it doesn't matter if they're fictive or real; it's whats inside them that count. The warmth that comes from a nice memory is still there whether the memory is completely accurate or not."

She stood, all dressed up except for the helmet. Her hand reached out and touched the side of his mask. "For what it's worth; at my highest you were the light on my sky, and in my lowest, you were the voice that led me back home. This didn't come easily, Krych. But it's the best for both of us." She turned and started to walk away.

He rose quickly. "Where are you going?"

She stopped walking, but didn't turn around. "Like I said, I've got a different path."

"Tell me about it. Maybe I can help you."

She shook her head. "You can't. You would get in the way. My path lies with someone else."

Krych didn't understand. "Someone else? Who?"

She turned halfway around and looked at him, a fierceness to her eyes. "I know you don't believe me, and that's your problem; but when the Kjoil brought me back to life some of his energy passed to me. Since then I've been able to use the Force, and I've seen glimpses of the future. I understand now that every second, every minute and every hour of my life, I am standing on the doorstep of the future. I know now that I'm not just a part of this world, but I'm also responsible for its future. I know things I've never even heard about, or thought about. And there's a reason for that."

He felt so useless standing there, in some ways she'd jumped ahead of him by lightyears. "You think you were...destined for this? To shoulder things to come?"

She smiled sweetly. "No more than anyone else. But I have a window, an oppertunity to do great things and I'm going to use it."

He walked towards her. "What exactly are you planning to do?"

She held up her helmet and slid it on. That black visor stared at him, and Junn was gone. "I'm going to stop someone from making a big mistake," the electronic voice said flatly. "And then I'm going to Eknath. I owe him." She started to turn away -

But Krych grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Owe Eknath what, exactly?"

"Tracker, give me Call's last coordinates!"

He'd never disobeyed an order in his entire life, he'd frowned at them and cursed them, but never outright disobeyed. But considering the events occurring lately and the death of a brother in arms, he figured the others would understand. And besides, there was no one back on Coruscant that was gonna scold him for his actions. He'd already decided to leave the army behind him. The only person that could get close enough to even so much as yell at him was his actions was Salvor.

Stix believed he could beat Salvor.

He ran through Hope's Haven like a gundark on fire, completely cold to the danger he put himself in. Call was a tough guy, one that would fight to the end when it came, and Stix had a feeling his brother wasn't done yet.

Call's coordinates appeared on his HUD and Stix followed them through a straight line from his location to Call's, killing anything that would stand in his path. Not many did, except a few walls, but Stix was carrying enough grenades and explosives to put Regana out of it's own orbit if he wanted to.

At some point he began to scream ferociously as he stampeded through Hope's Haven, crying like a madman, hoping for a dual effect; that it would scare people away from him or that it would quite simply draw them to him.

He came to a junction and decided to spare his last grenade and take the longer route to Call's location, a connecting bridge between two buildings. It meant going outside, but Stix didn't care the slightest bit. He blasted open the doors to the bridge and ran for the outside. The winds outside hadn't slowed down and he had to slow down his pace or the powerful winds would pluck him off the bridge like a toy doll.

He trudged across the bridge, keeping his rifle against his shoulder.

"Stix!" Salvor suddenly shouted inside his helmet. "What do you think you're doing!"

"I'm getting my teammate!" Stix yelled back angrily. "Go to hell, Salvor, I am not leaving him here!"

"You maniac. Stay where you are, I'm done with my bomb. We'll look for him together."

Stix stopped at the center of the bridge. "Hurry up then. Did Tracker rat me out?"

"No," Salvor said with a light chuckle, "it was a lucky guess."

Stix frowned underneath his helmet. "Very funny. Get a move on."

"You just sit tight, I'm almost - " Salvor stopped talking. "Stix! Tracker says there are multiple objects headed your way."

Stix wasn't daunted in the slightest and started padding his rifle, chuckling merrily to himself. "Well, that should keep me warm." Stix admitted bluntly that he wasn't the smartest guy in the group, but even he had his moments. "Wait, you said 'objects'?"

He could hear Salvor's armored feet running on floor. "Tracker says non-human. I'm on my way to you now!"

Stix thought about what other options there were inside Hope's Haven. Thinking wasn't exactly his vice, but he soon fell upon the only apparent answer there could be. "Oh," he muttered to himself, "indeed."

The doors ahead of him didn't so much open as they were knocked down. A gray and black swarm of animals crawled out from the breach, moving across the bridge and up the sides of the building they'd just left, becoming a huge living spiderweb of life that swallowed the way he'd hoped to go.

Vhroniks.

Stix's finger fell upon the trigger by a survival instinct of its own and his rifle spat a steady stream of red bolts at the creatures.

"Hold them off!" Salvor shouted on the other end.

Stix could barely keep count of the soldiers rushing through the doorway. "There's too many!"

Salvor chuckled lightly at the other end. "Try to remember you're getting paid to do this!"

Snarling Stix started to back away. "I ain't getting paid enough!"

"Stop whining, keep shooting!"

Stix, remembering Salvor had said something similar to him when they'd been in the underground tunnel, couldn't resist a brief smile. "You sound just like my mother!"

"Smart woman." Salvor signed off.

When the rifle in his trembling hands stopped firing, much to his annoyance, Stix dropped down on one knee and with one hand he supported the rifle against the floor on its butt, while the other hand retrieved a different set of clips. Changing the clips went smoothly, and he fell into a reflexed series of movements as he changed the configuration of the rifle, calibrating it into a sniper rifle setting instead.

Still on one knee he primed the weapon and sighted down its length at the oncoming horde of vhroniks.

"Steady..." he told himself to remind him that he couldn't just depress the trigger like before. The sniper configuration required reloading time, which it made up for in more powerful bursts. Once such shot cleared the head off a stampeeding vhronik, and ripped the tail of the one behind it.

"Let's keep it together and take them apart, Stix," Salvor said in his earpiece, only seconds before the soldier came up beside him on the bridge, rifle spitting red darts and a mean-looking grenade launcher attached to the barrel.

Together they created a wall of blaster-bolts to stop the onslaught of vhroniks from reaching them. The animals seemed to care nothing for their dead breathen, their claws merely tearing their dead to shreds as they crawled over. Bolts seemed to dissapear among the mess of gray fur and drooling jaws. A growing mess of fur and jaws no less.

"This isn't working, they just keep coming!" Stix yelled.

Salvor switched to his grenade launcher. "Heads up."

Stix dropped to his belly and Salvor fired at the bridge between them and the approaching vhroniks. The bridge exploded in bright yellow and red flames, groaning like a stumbling giant before the entire section gave in and broke off, cutting them off from the creatures. The vhroniks flooded over the bridge and dropped to the ground below. A few managed to stay ahead from the edge of the bridge and snarled at their unreachable targets.

Stix cleared away his weapon. "Good shot."

Salvor patted the weapon proudly. "Hard to miss with this beauty."

The wind was howling in his ears even through the helmet, which was supposed to reduce noise. The heavy rifle in his hands was starting to make his arms ache, he'd been carrying it day and night for several days, using stims to keep himself awake and alert. He was starting to feel the side-affects, his vision wasn't what it used to be and every time he sat down, his eyelids tended to shut down on their own.

But despite all of that Jovis was smiling cheerfully. He stood at the edge of the Masamune's loading ramp, and the vast remnants of the Sons of Destiny army was slowly but surely pouring into its main hold. They passed him on both sides, brushing up against him, armor clattering, but he didn't notice any of it. He was too fulfilled to even notice any of it. He just wanted to stand there for a few moments, and stare up at the massive Destroyer, knowing it now belonged to him.

He ignored the conscious fact that the Destroyer would be sacrificed on the surface of Coruscant, commanding a Star Destroyer was an experience reserved for very few in this world. He'd been through a lot of jobs and many missions, but none held the glory of securing a star destroyer for himself.

He turned on his heels and saw a sea of black armored soldiers marching towards him, loyal and competent killers under his charge. A single tear passed down his cheek inside the helmet and he laughed at his own foolishness.

His helmet's comlink clicked on. "Commander Jovis," Eknath's voice was almost purring, "have the Masamune moved to Hope's Haven for our pick-up. Send a single shuttle to the landing pad on the control tower. We're taking care of one final matter and then we'll be with you."

Jovis could feel his own back straighten out, pride soaring through his tired body. He brought his rifle up, and allowed his pride to raise itself all the way up his spine. "As you wish."

The doors to the small hangar finally opened and the former Admiral of the Republic fleet, Gout Saul, came running through. His face was red with exhaustion and fear. He crossed the small ramp to it's railing and stared fulfilled at the small repair vessel docked just down a small flight of stairs. He almost dropped to his knees in happiness, but knew that would be pushing it. If Eknath's plan had worked, the Kjoil apprentice would be looking for him, looking for revenge. He knew it was sheer luck that he'd escaped Rishi so far

He gathered his breath and started to walk towards the stairs leading down to his liberation, his freedom, his peaceful life in retirement.

Unable to take his eyes away from the small aged, but apparently still functionable, repair boat, he took his first step down the stairs.

Something grabbed him by the collar and spun him around. His face impacted with a tattooed fist that knocked him to the floor. His vision exploded in a flutter of stars and panic grabbed tight around his heart.

As the stars slowly faded he saw his attacker, and wasn't the slightest bit surprised. "No! Please don't!" Saul held out his hands, as if he thought he could hold Rishi off that way. "You don''t have to do this! I made a - "

Rishi wore his hood up, a dark menacing shadow with hate-filled eyes. "You set me up," Rishi growled, "led all our soldiers to death and betrayed the Republic."

Saul shook his head franticly. "You don't understand! He used me!"

"I saw your little conversation, Admiral. You were ready for it, you wanted it. And now you get to pay for it." Rishi's right hand became a fist and when he raised it, Saul rose from the floor and hung suspended before him, clutching his throat. The man fought to breathe but his face soon turned blue and his eyes started to roll back.

Rishi's fist tightened. "You...are the very thing wrong with this world. Selfish, egotistical. That's why you were so easily manipulated."

He couldn't help but feel an echo. Raine had said the very same thing to him. Using the memory as a mantra, he managed to quell his anger. He wasn't about to let his rage kill this man. He was better than that. He released his grip and Saul fell to the floor, sucking in all the air he could.

His face slowly regained color and his fearful eyes finally found Rishi.

"Go," Rishi lowered his hand. "There's nothing more for you to destroy here."

Saul wasted no time getting back on his feet, staring confused at Rishi for a few heartbeats. Turning on his heels and scuttling down the few stairs, Saul soon dissapeared beneath the shadows of the shuttle.

Rishi watched in silence as the ship fired up its repulsorlifts, shifting the weight of the air inside the hangar, hovering gently above the floor. He could hear the hull yawn as the ship lowered it's stabilizer fins, and hear the pitch change as the repulsorlifts faded out and the main engines came to life, washing a heatwave over Rishi's clothes and skin.

The hangar doors retreated slowly aside, probably much too slowly for the frightened Saul inside the cockpit, Rishi imagined. He could still feel the man's fear inside of him, like a screaming in his head. The man was still not convinced he was safe.

But as the last sections of the hangar doors vanished inside the walls, Saul's presence became a sigh of relief, a burden lifted from his heart, and inevitably came the thing Rishi had been waiting for. The thing he'd dreaded hearing, but still knew was coming. He dreaded it because he knew it would trigger him.

I made it, he heard Saul's thoughts as the shuttle started to clear the hangar, I made it. I'm safe.

I'm out of here.

To hell with Eknath.

To hell with Rishi and his -

Rishi's hand retrived the lightsaber from inside his cloak in a second, lit the blue blade and sent it flying towards the engine cluster of the shuttle in front of him. The swirling blade caught up with the shuttle just as it was free of the hangar, slicing through the engine cluster, through the generator inside, which caused the first explosion and sent fireballs coursing through the ship.

But the lightsaber was faster than any flooding fire, and was through several internal walls, several sealed doors, before finding Saul and flew right through him and out the viewport. The shuttle exploded in a blindingly pure wall of light, waves of heat filling the hangar and pushing Rishi's slightly back. He didn't bother to cover his eyes, he knew he was safe.

He watched, still in silence but now with a painfilled expression. A wounded regretful gaze as the wreckage of the shuttle crashed into the snow, larger portions rolling like giant balls before finally laying to rest, smoke drifting upon the winds.

His heart was still racing with anger, he was too easily provoked. It came to him slowly that he had zero control of his emotions. He knew his actions were wrong, and that there was no reason that nessicitated the death of Admiral Saul. Being able to use both dark and light powers was not much a comfort, since neither of them possessed an ability to squash guilt.

It was his youth that acted, not his intellect. It was the unchanneled anger of a young man that had many questions that no one could answer, and a world around him that didn't make sense. Being able to take a life at his own discretion gave him a sense of control.

He shook it off.

There were no answers to be found staring at a crash site, no peace found among burning debris. He had to find Kal and they had to stop the terrorists before they had a chance to escape Regana. He called the lightsaber back to his hand and a feeling inside told him that as soon as the terrorists were off the planet it would be too late to stop them from getting to Coruscant.

He turned towards the exit, only to find it blocked. Rishi stood calm, refusing to let his surprise show. But how this man had come up behind him without the Force alerting him was even more of a surprise. A tall thin humanoid with ashy skin and strange markings across his face, dressed in a black cloak with the hood up, obstructed his only way out of the hangar.

Rishi reached out to him and found no attempt to block his probe. However the man revealed only darkness within the Force, great darkness even. Rishi felt cold and death, and strangely enough no anger. Not even sorrow or hatred. The man was exhibiting respect and awe, even a hint of jealousy.

The man's hands collected at his belly and his eyes seemed to glow red. "Questions...they are the enemy of inner peace. And our only weapon against them is our ability to adapt, our ability to change along with time."

Rishi spread his feet slightly apart, finding the man's voice familiar. "I know you."

The man smiled warmly. "Yes, we've spoken briefly before."

The tone of the voice was different this time around, kind even, but it couldn't disguise his first encounter with its owner. "The boy...Tragedy...you were his Master. You're the one who warped Admiral Saul. You're the one who told me where to find Master Skar's body."

The man nodded shortly. "Correct."

"Why?"

"Merely helping a fellow seeker, someone who thinks as I once did, someone searching for the truth. Someone who still hasn't learned to disregard questions, someone who needs to learn how to adapt."

"The truth?"

The man took a slow step forward. "The truth...the truth behind everything that has transpired here. I was hoping I could bring you answers."

Rishi's hand lingered around the hilt underneath his cloak. "I don't even know the questions," he remembered a name from the hologram he'd seen, "Eknath."

Those black lips formed a smile. "Yes, that is my name. And yes, I am currently the one in command of the Sons of Destiny, which makes me your enemy."

Rishi's fingers tightened around the lightsaber. "You don't say."

Eknath's head tilted, a curious look in his eyes. "But in coming here I not only sought to bring you answers, I was also seeking answers for myself."

Rishi snorted. "What about 'adapting'?"

"Adapting can only accur when one has explored every angle, every facet and fact of the whole," Eknath explained. "When all the pieces are collected we can begin to assemble the puzzle. Your Master is dead, yet there is still a disturbance in the Force. He caused many tremors in the Force which have been radified, but there remains an...an unsettlement. The Force has still not reached full balance, there is still no visible future. Something is still effecting it, and now that I stand before you, I know you are not the cause."

Rishi's finger rubbed back and forth on the lightsaber's ignition switch. "Sorry to dissapoint you."

Surprisingly, Eknath started to chuckle, a sound truly menacing that seemed to feed off the hangar's own acoustic. "Oh, my dear Rishi, your coming here is anything but a dissapointment."

A warning in the back of Rishi's mind told him to act and he flung out his lightsaber and managed to get the blade activated, casting a blue sheen upon the space around them. But before he could even advance on Eknath, the lightsaber wrestled itself from his fingers and flew into Eknath's grasp.

Eknath released no grin or even a smile of satisfaction at disarming him. Instead he moved the lightsaber around in his hands, studying it intricately. "This isn't yours." His brows lifted. "Indeed, you traded with the other Jedi."

Rishi felt vulnurable, but knew he was at a loss.

"Do you...care for him, Rishi?"

Exhaling, Rishi managed a nod. "He's a friend."

Eknath's hand released sparks of electricity and the lightsaber shattered in his hands, the pieces dropping onto the floor from his palm. "Now we are equals. I have no weapon, you have no weapon. As long as I am here, being your enemy, the Sons of Destiny cannot complete their mission."

Rishi wasn't sure what Eknath meant by stating the obvious. "Yeah, so?"

"So instead of doing the predictable, which would be fighting, let's do something very different."

Rishi didn't like where this was heading.

Eknath raised his hand and the doors behind him swooshed open. "Let's talk."