Mira paced restlessly back and forth across the main hold, boredom etched deeply on her face. They had been travelling for over a month now, and the monotony of travel had played severely with her nerves. She wished that she was back on Nar Shaddaa, where the vibrancy of life and the daily grind of living muted all other aspects of existence, like this, Mira thought apathetically, even the Enclave was better.
Atton sat at a small table, playing pazaak for the twentieth time of the day. She watched as he played with the cards, wondering how he found the game so interesting. She had lost interest in it about two weeks earlier, much to Atton's surprise. The interior of the ship now gleamed with an unnatural glow. In her desperation, she had cleaned the ship from port to starboard, checking on supplies and rations, and now there was nothing further that she could do.
She carried on pacing. This had to be one of the worst flights ever. There was not the convenience or luxury of stopping off world, although there had been plenty of chances too. She had spent a long time isolated in the garage, working her repairs and modifications on her ballistic jacket and weaponry. She had long since discarded her wrist rocket launcher, once you had a light saber; such things were simply not needed.
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Mical sat cross legged, his eyes closed tightly shut as he meditated silently. He felt the swirl of the Force all around him, and with his mind, he reached tentatively outwards. Shapes raced towards him, dark and forbidding in their intent. He shielded his mind and thoughts against these, and he reached out past those feelings of hate. A planet glowed briefly before him, and he tried to touch it…
He opened his eyes slowly, shaking his head. "It is no good, Visas. I cannot go no further. If she is there, then I cannot sense her," he replied sadly.
"This is strange," Visas frowned at him, "If anyone should reach her, then surely it would be you…"
Mical rose to his feet, stifling the slight anger that he felt, "It does not seem fair. After all, Atton has dreamt of her, and sensed her through the Force far more than I. Perhaps it is a failing within me. Maybe I should have pursued the matter when I was a child, and beseeched the council for a master to train me. Perhaps, I have left it too late."
Visas shook her veiled head, "I do not think that is in question. Atton has had training in the past. He has been around Force sensitives for a long time…"
"No. I disagree. It is a failing on my part…or perhaps it is simply that she feels nothing for me, the bond that we once had may be severed."
Visas walked up to him, and lay her gloved hand gently on his arm, "You doubt yourself too much, Mical. The Exile had a lot of faith in you, and she was strong in the Force. She knew and recognised the goodness that lies within your heart, and it was you that she trained first on the path of a Jedi. Does that not tell you anything?" she asked him gently.
He looked at her, and frowned deeply, "I only wish that I had your faith."
"Do not doubt the Exile, or her intents, Mical. Only you know the truth that lies in your heart. Do not allow yourself these doubts, not now that we are so close…"
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The large sleek cruiser glided silently from behind the large planet that it had hidden itself behind. It floated through space, a dark silent hulk, the only sign of life, the occasional burning of its engines as it powered itself up, before briefly shutting down. It hung there, as it had done ten years previously, silently watching the small freighter that sped its way towards it, unknowing of what awaited it.
The dark robed figure stood staring out of the large observation window into the dark expanse of space, his features unreadable behind the dark opaque mask that covered his face. "At last, we are so near. Our small seed has grown and bears fruit."
"My Lord?"
The robed form turned to face the black clad Sith that stood nervously in front of him, "The ship that approaches-it is the Ebon Hawk. The ones that accompanied the Exile are aboard it?"
"Yes, my Lord. It is within our sensors range. We have just confirmed that it is Revan's old ship…" the mans hand flew to his neck as he felt his throat suddenly constrict.
"Fool. That is not what I asked."
"My Lord, I don't understand…" he replied in a choked voice.
"I am aware that it is Revan's old ship. The ones that travelled with her are long gone. No, these are the companions that travelled with the Exile. I can feel their Jedi," the figure bunched its dark gloved hand in a fist. "Soon, we will have them…and we will crush them for the information that they hide within themselves." The figure turned to the Sith Captain, "Go now, bring their small ship down, but do not cause them any harm. We want them alive on the planets surface. All of them."
The Sith Captain saluted, and turned hurriedly on his heel, his hand rubbing at his sore throat.
The robed figure turned back to the window, watching the small freighter weave its way towards them. "Pitiful, really. For what you desperately seek will bring you your deaths."
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Atton made his way to the small cockpit, glancing across at Mira as he walked past her, poor kid, he thought, she has been cooped up here far too long. He stepped up into the cockpit, his jaw dropping as he stared out of the small window.
"Hey guys, there's something you might want to see up here…" he said into the comlink.
Mical's voice came back to him, and Atton thought that he could detect a faint hint of annoyance in his voice, "What is it, Atton?"
"Come and see-bring the others."
Atton sat in the pilot's seat, his fingers running deftly over the controls.
"What is it?" Mira breathed close to his ear, her hands gripping the back of his seat.
Atton pointed a finger, "Out there…"
She dropped into the co pilot's seat, and gasped loudly, "Atton!" she hissed, "Have they seen us?"
"Seen what?" Mical ran into the cockpit, with Visas close behind him.
Atton shook his head slowly, "Seems we are not the only ones out here. Looks like we have got ourselves some company."
They all stared out of the freighters small windows, watching as the immense sleek shape of a battle cruiser came into view.
Visas gripped Mical's arm firmly, "That is the source of the evil that we sense. Although, it feels incomplete. This is confusing…" she shook her head slowly, "It is part, yet it is whole…"
Atton groaned, "Cant you guys stop speaking in riddles? Is this what we have been looking for?"
"No," Mical replied glancing down at the console over Atton's shoulder. He pointed at the screen, "There is a planet," he glanced back up at the window, his blonde hair falling across his cheek, "If…if she is there, then I feel that she will be on the planet," he looked across at Visas for confirmation.
"Yes, Mical is right… I do not sense her on the ship. There is something else there though," she smiled unhappily, "I do not like this."
"Can we get away from them, Atton?" Mira asked worriedly, "It's just that…"
The ship was hit by a powerful blast, which rocked it brutally.
"Hell…looks like we've been spotted!" Atton shouted, glancing around, "Go buckle up-its going to be a bumpy ride!"
"When is it never?" Mira replied, pulling the straps of the co pilot's seat around her, and buckling herself in.
Atton looked across at her, and raised a dark eyebrow, "Not fair!" he grimaced.
He cursed loudly, as he struggled to get the ship back under his control. The ship bucked and writhed, "That was close!" he said grimacing.
Mira glanced at him, "what are we going to do?"
Atton grinned at her determinedly, "Mical is right. There's a planet down there. Looks like we are going down….lets just hope that my landing skills have improved since the last time!"
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The dark cruiser fired upon the small freighter again, its blasts rocking the smaller ship uncontrollably. It sped towards the brown planet beneath, its engines glowing hotly.
The dark Lord watched with satisfaction as it entered the planets atmosphere, its outer hull burning a hot vivid red as it spiralled downwards.
"And so it starts…and so it ends," the dark figure intoned deeply. He nodded at an aide, and the man scurried across him to him warily.
"Prepare my shuttle. I wish to meet with these Jedi…soon. But first, I have other needs to attend to. Send one of the men in."
"Y…yes, my Lord," the aide bowed, and raced quickly away from the forbidding figure.
The dark Lord turned away from the observation window, and settled himself into the large curved seat that faced the bridge. He watched as a soldier was brought and shoved to his knees before him.
He smiled benignly from behind his opaque mask, and leaning across he rested his gloved hand upon the soldiers head.
The aide that had brought the young soldier in scurried away from the bridge and the dreadful screams that followed after him. He thanked himself lucky that the Lord was in a good mood.
It could have been far, far worse.
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Several blasts rocked the small freighter as it dived towards the planets atmosphere; the ship weaved doggedly, out manoeuvring the heavy laser canons that fired indiscriminately at it. It sped through the planets atmosphere, its outer shell glowing brightly in the heavens. It buckled beneath the onslaught, and dived, hurtling down towards the planets surface, its engines whining crazily.
It crashed heavily, ploughing through the earth, sending great sods of earth flying up, where they spattered loosely against the ships body. The Ebon Hawk rested slowly, smoke rising lazily from its engines, and from scores of blast holes over the frame of its hull.
Atton gazed about him, stunned, "Well, at least we're in one piece," he replied doubtfully.
Mira coughed, "You certainly don't improve in your technique, Atton!"
"Yeah, well, at least I got us down, "he replied angrily, "Think you can do better?"
Mira unbuckled herself from the seat, "Who, Atton!" she replied haughtily, "don't take it personally, I didn't mean any offence…"
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, Mira."
Mira rose from her seat, "Where are we?"
"I don't know." Atton replied truthfully, "all I'm glad of is that we are not being used as target practise for that Sith cruiser…."
He glanced around as he saw a white faced Mical step shakily into the cockpit. Well at least that shook him up, Atton thought gleefully, looks like he's had a scare or two. "If you're going to complain about the landing…"
"No, Atton. I was not going to pass comment on your perfect understanding of basic flight training, if indeed you have had any, or your unparallel skill at landing. No. I was merely going to ask if we are to set out now, and for us to gather some understanding of where exactly we are," Mical replied half smiling.
Atton frowned at him deeply, "Yeah, very funny, Mical," Not, he thought glancing around at the amused look on Mira's face. He climbed out of the seat, "Better get our equipment ready, and move on out."
He pressed the button that activated the ramp, "One word though, we should be careful. We don't know what is out there. Could be a lot of predators with nasty big teeth and large appetites."
Mira stood up, and patted the light saber at her waist, "I'm ready for anything, especially after this flight. Need something to practise on; although Atton," she said looking at him, "it could be your butt if you don't move…"
Atton sighed, "Ah, great, that's all I need. A woman with attitude. Cant wait until we find Jennra, then I get double the trouble."
Mira grinned at him, "You should know, I like my targets, Atton." She blushed slightly as she walked out of the small room.
Atton followed after her, "Are you trying to tell me something?"
"Don't listen to the huntress. She will only get in the way of your destiny with the Exile. She will cause you problems. Be aware…"
Atton rubbed at his head, trying to clear Aliana's persistent voice from his head, "Go away," he hissed.
He bumped into Mical who was slowly walking down the ramp, his saber gripped in his hand, "Are you alright, Atton?"
He glanced at him confusedly, "Yeah…yeah, I'm okay."
"Well, if you do not mind my saying, you look like you have just seen a ghost."
If only you knew, he thought bitterly, "Hey, come on, get out of my way, Mical," he pushed past the young Jedi angrily and stepped out onto the planets surface. "Well," he drawled slowly, "this looks like a nice inhospitable place."
Visas stood to the side of the ship, her veil blowing slightly in the chill wind. "We must proceed with caution. This is a dark place…" she stopped, leaning her head to one side as if listening to something unheard. Her head rose, and she smiled, "Mical…" she whispered, "Can you not feel it?"
Mical strode across to the blind Miraluka woman, "What is it?"
She smiled deeply, "It is the Exile. I sense her clearly…she is here on this planet."