The four Jedi met at the foot of the massive transport ship's cargo elevator. The oblong lozenge shaped vessel was loaded with the Stealth X's that the Jedi would use to infiltrate Windscar's manufacturing space station situated in an asteroid field near Chiss space. As the cargo lift slowly descended to the floor an unexpected pair of gray robes came into view. Even before the golden hair of their old comrade even came into view both Psion and Elydyn discerned the identities of the Jedi Knights. The platform touched down and the Master Jedi onboard smiled broadly for a moment before his face became serious.

"So I guess it is the six of us and a transport crew against whatever Windy has to throw at us then?" the blonde said dryly. "I think we're far overstaffed; maybe we should just take the stealth X's down by ourselves."

"The transport is supposed to drop us in system and leave." Psion stated matter of factly.

"Good to see you again Michael." Taalar said. "You been taking good care of my sister?"

"Of course he has." A feminine voice responded. "We've done so well out on the rim that the council decided you could use our help. I never thought I'd be bailing my big brother out of as jam." Her amusement was lost on Elydyn as pondered the meaning of her words.

"Just try to keep up shorty." He replied after a moment. "I've been out fighting real battles while you've been building sand castles on Tatooine." Despite himself Elydyn found his tongue sticking out at his younger sister.

"You can't build sand castles on Tatooine!" She replied haughtily "The sand has to stick together somehow."

"We can catch up on old times after we have departed." Psion interrupted as he shouldered his way onto the transport along with his Rishii apprentice, Rusti.

"Fair enough," Taalar responded as he motioned for his apprentice to follow him onto the lift. The six of them squeezed onto the lift and it ascended back into the transports receiving deck. Moments later the ship in turn ascended into the deep blackness of space.

The Lord of the Crimson Rock stood near his two apprentices on the bridge of his personal assault shuttle the Vulture. They too were of the Crimson Order and on the Council of Nineteen. Fear and Vengeance were both powerful tools in the Order's cause and his charges exemplified the characteristics for which they were named well. They both were kneeling before his massive frame, their hooded heads bowed in reverence. Fear and Vengeance didn't even reach his shoulders yet he knew the power they both possessed. Fear was an athletically built humanoid creature, clad in a black tunic and pants similar to his master, his long red cloak and hood however were not needed to conceal his identity. His true face had never even been seen by The Crimson Rock; instead a black nothingness was all that was revealed. Vengeance was similarly clad though her belt was broader to support the brace she carried her lightsabers on. Her face was covered in same color cowl as her master though several locks of her dark blue hair fell from the shadows. Crimson Rock had personally selected her as a candidate after she defeated one of his previous apprentices. During the battle she had received a wound that ruined her eyes forever but luckily for he she did not need such trivial things as a member of the Crimson Order.

"Is all ready?" The Lord of the Crimson Rock rumbled.

"Yes master." His apprentices responded in unison. "Windscar has been provided with all he will need to combat the coming Jedi attack."

"So the Crimson Law will deal with them eh?" a deep chuckle passed from hidden lips. "He is far to much for such a mission, Crimson Water should have been sent, though even Pride would have been enough to take care of six medaling Jedi. The Mind is in control though and we have no reason to doubt him so far." An arm slowly slid from the cloak its large pinchers clacked together with a metallic click. "Keep the ship in its current position. I want to see how well the Mind trains his killers."

"Yes my lord." The two replied in sync as they each moved in opposite directions to carry out their master's command.

The holopad flickered off and the scent of burning components filled the air as the circuits of the device self destructed.

"I guess that is all we get." Michael sighed, his toes tapping against the durasteel deck in agitation. "I thought we defeated Windscar a while ago. We did battle with him on, where was it?" The Knight scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Oh yes Mustafar, we had to kick his group out of there that one time." He said turning to his apprentice.

"As did I master." Dineyl replied as she looked up from the data storage unit she was tinkering with. "At least all the data we collected on what was left of the corpse matched his DNA that we had on record perfectly. The cells couldn't have been altered because they showed no documented signs of such a procedure. Cloning is also out of the question because the cells gathered were not artificially matured."

Dineyl had worked under the Jedi's Master Healer for a few years before becoming Michael's student, so her opinion on the chances of cell tampering were the most educated out of the group.

"So that meanz that the Windscar we deal with today iz a clone?" Sarick, Elydyn's Barabel student commented.

"It is a possibility." Psion said. "His personality quirks could be the result of a shortened maturity period and the flash learning process."

Elydyn rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a minute before replying. "Regardless of this situation we need to proceed with caution. Even a clone of someone as powerful in the Force as Windscar can be a serious threat." He let his gaze move across the room. "I am sure he already knows he is coming."

iThere can be no doubt of that./i The Rishii, Rusti added through the Force.

The room fell silent as the Jedi went into meditation to prepare for the coming battle.

The next few days passed without any problems and all the Jedi had returned to the main conference room for their final preparations.

"Time to go everyone." Elydyn said as he rose from his chair as the reversion alarm sounded. The six Knights left the room and sped through the halls to the hanger bay. After doing the pre launch checks they prepared for Phase One of the plan. The launch bay doors opened and dumped the powered down Stealth Xs out of the bay. Then the transport fired its engines and blasted back into hyperspace. Of course it was only a short jump but any enemies trying to track the vessel wouldn't know that.

The Jedi reached out with the Force to ensure that no enemy vessels were moving to engage them, and shockingly no combat units were even mobilized.

"Too easy." Sarick hissed as they headed toward the massive station Windscar called home. "This one doesn't trust such an open invitation."

No agreement was needed for such an obvious statement.

"So they have come." Lord Windscar mumbled from the command chair of his station. Windscar Manufacturing had been a staple of New Republic ship building until the owner had gone rogue. Now it was supplying General Gnave's personal army with all the troops and ships he needed for his conquest. "I hope Gnave is right about letting them come here without some resistance." He spoke softly as he rose from his seat with a feathery rustle. "Ready the units! I will challenge them myself." He walked quickly from the room before gathering up his weapons and walking briskly to the landing area.

"They have arrived my lord." Fear told Crimson Rock.

"I know." Came the growled reply. They had already observed the Lord of the Crimson Law set his trap around the landing platform. "Keep all systems powered down until the actual battle begins. The Mind will be interested in the outcome."

"Yes my lord." His apprentices replied as they tapped a few buttons on the control console. The gunboat remained invisible to all scans as the watchers continued with their work.