Author's Note: This chapter was difficult to write in its complexity but I still enjoyed it. Very strange to describe a visional thought process.

Disclaimer: I don't own nothin but Jana.

The initial hours were going to be fairly easy. The crew could only do so much to track The Malevolence, so most of the trip would most likely consist of traveling and waiting, sometimes looking for updates on attacks that may provide a lead. If it is Grievous, though, he knows we're coming. In fact, he'll want us to come. Especially since he finds so much joy in killing us. Jana scoffed at the thought. She thought the being was quite despicable.

"Something wrong, Commander Kinall?" Commander Wolffe asked upon noticing her mood. Jana shook herself from her dull thoughts and nodded. There was no reason to dwell on these things. Grievous would just have to be dealt with.

"As you can imagine, Commander Wolffe, Jedi are not too found of General Grievous." Plo Koon inferred, and Jana nodded in agreement.

"Well, I can picture someone wouldn't take a liking to a mass murderer of their kind." The Clone spat. "Which is why we'll have to take him down, him and his weapon." He's so serious as always... I wonder what programming made him like this. Jana never liked thinking or discussing the programming of clones since it felt dehumanizing, but with Wolffe she genuinely wondered how he got to be so stern and uptight.

"Here are the coordinates of the last known crash, we're headed there now. Due to debris we'll be delayed, though, General. It would hurt the ship too much if we plowed through." The pilot of the ship reported. Plus, Grievous may be waiting. There's a possibility he wouldn't just flee. He may want us there.

"How long will it take, then?" Plo Koon wondered.

"About a day to make it to the outskirt space of Sullustan around the Rimma Trade Route. From there we'll have to manually maneuver to where the wreckage is- that is, unless we an get update of a new attack between here and there." The clone reported. They must have been attacking the trade route since they're obviously in search of resources. Jana looked to Plo Koon for instruction.

"Good, I want all stations to be constantly manned and checked. We have no idea what could happen or when, so we must be prepared." He wisely chose.

"Rotational schedule, please." Jana piped up.

"Of course, ma'am. We'll make sure the men get rest and are released on time. They'll be able to handle it." Commander Wolffe said. He didn't know what to think of the girl and how she treated clones. Sure, she was kind. But it was almost to a weak extent- she was too soft. Meanwhile, Master Plo had formed an idea that could possibly help with speeding up the waiting part of their mission.

"Then that settles it. Jana, please come with me. I'd like for you and I to meditate and discuss this situation of Grievous." Jana nodded. "Commander Wolffe, I trust you with the bridge." He walked out with Jana close behind.

"Padawan, I sense this mission will be as much of a waiting game as anything else. I believe we should use this time for meditation. Perhaps the force will guide us in the correct direction- however, this means we will have to concentrate on pain. It is not a light tax on a Jedi's emotions." Part of Plo Koon had selected this to legitimately help with finding The Malevolence. Another side of him was curious how Jana would react after listening to Master Fisto's interaction in the meditation room. Jana followed Plo Koon into an empty recreational room.

"Sit with me, Young One. Tell me, what do you see when you meditate? Have you ever had visions?" Jana shook her head.

"No- Colors."

"Interesting. Colors I assume associated with emotions or happenings? Theologies, perhaps?"

"Yes, Master."

"How curious." Plo Koon mumbled. "Alright, Young One. Remember, many have died and are actively dying. All the wreckage we have found thus far provides evidence that all witnesses to the actual weapon are forced out of their pods and killed." There's no way it's not Grievous. No one finds as much amusement in killing as him, especially in such a horrible manner. Jana flinched slightly at the information. She'd be lying if she said her heart didn't hurt at the intel. She thought back to the feeling of Rex's worry for his men.

"Because of this feeling, the pain and the death, especially as we grow near, should not be difficult to encounter. However, the challenge is refusing to succumb to the pull of the dark side from those negativities. Do you understand this, Jana?" The Padawan nodded her head and assumed her typical meditation position.

"To begin, clear your mind." Jana shut her eyes and pushed all of distractions out of her mind, struggling to eliminate the sounds of the ship while in hyperspace. Eventually she found the peace, but a presence pushed at her mind. Hesitantly she reached out, only to find the being of her master.

Reach out to our surroundings. Although she hadn't heard Plo Koon's voice she knew this was the next step. Reaching out she felt the spirits of all the clones, the flames of the jets, the machinery working. She sensed stress, confidence, ambition. Reach out farther. Creasing her brow she began to extend to outside of the ship. At first it felt overwhelming- traveling at hyperspace meant she felt many different planets at many different times. Luckily she became accustom to the sensation and adapted to processing the cycles all at once. Wider. If Jana had not been so focused she would have felt the sweat drip down her forehead and the bridge of her nose.

By now it hardly felt like they were traveling at light speed. More so it felt like a speeder through space- so many cycles still overran her mind, but they didn't pass quite as fast. Now search for the pain, death, and cries. But do not go too deep.

Jana began to eliminate the life from the cycles, the green, and sorted through the hues of red and blue. In her mind she sought out the feeling of a dark purple. Many planets held blues or reds- anger, sadness, loss. But very few were so loud as there were in one specific area. The moment Jana sensed it she pursued it quickly.

In her mind she pushed her range in front of her- later she would realize this was in the direction of the Abregado system. The pain was unbelievable, but the colors were almost... entrancing. The hues of purple danced across her mind, beautiful and elegant. Jana continued to push out toward the hues, wanting to look at them closer. Perhaps then she would see what images the colors made.

A flash of white speckled the purple. She squeezed her eyes tightly together. She heard a voice, and not the usual ones. In fact, it sounded like... a clone. Jana pushed forward to listen to it. She wanted more, to know more. Cutting through the purple, red hues began to over take the blue. Blacks began to mix in as well, and Jana pulled on the colors to see what they were. The red parasite moved to the right of the white specks- Jana chose to follow the red. Immediately she felt an intense, sinister presence. That's when she heard it from somewhere back on the left side- it was screaming. The clone was screaming. Red covered the specks of white. Jana felt fear spread through her core and up her spine, causing her to retract as a whole from the vision. Her blue eyes opened to lock on to Master Plo Koon. He was watching her intently with crossed arms.

"Master-"

"I know, catch your breath. That was an extensive reach, but you faired well. I felt your fear near the end, Padawan. Once you are ready, tell me of what you saw." Jana bowed her head in gratitude and panted for a bit. She used her green arm sleeves to wipe the sweat from her face.

"How much could you feel?" She croaked out.

"I was with you through the purple. After that, you kept nearing the darkness. I must advise you to be careful- the darkness can seem powerful and knowledgeable through manipulation. Be sure you know where the line is." He advised. Jana barely processed his words but made a mental note of it.

"I saw a speck of white, and I heard a Clone's voice screaming."

"I assume that would be the pod hunters' victims of this last attack." Jana nodded in agreement, though her stomach churned at the thought.

"And then it went red. Dead." She explained. Plo Koon hummed in thought.

"Is there anything else you can tell me, Jana? Did you feel or sense anything else?"

"The direction, Master."

"Of the murder?"

"No. Of the Malevolence." She took a deep breath in. "I didn't just sense the murders. I sensed the source of them. It is evil."

"Grievous." Plo Koon said. "Come, I need you to identify the direction on the map with the pilot. You may have found us a lead."

The gracious master helped his apprentice up and briskly escorted her back to the bridge. Commander Wolffe turned expectantly, surprised to see the Jedi looking so much more tired than when they had departed from the bridge nearly three hours ago.

"General Plo Koon, Commander Kinall. Are you alright?" The pilot inquired with concern laced in his voice.

"Yes, we're fine. Jana here may have found us a lead. Please pull up a map of the Core Worlds." Plo Koon ordered, and the pilot hastily obliged.

"This is our ship and its current trajectory. Where did the Force pull you?" The ship appeared just a few paces away from Coruscant, a dotted line tracing their path toward Sullustan.

"The last attack was here, yes?" She pointed to a space between Bespin and Utupau.

"That... that's correct." The pilot informed, wondering how she knew.

"Don't bother going there. Dead." She pictured the other colors that had appeared in her mind, allowing her finger to move in the direction the evil presence had. She stopped when it felt right.

"Here. He's waiting here in the Abregado system." Jana coughed after confirming the location. Master Plo Koon stared at the space- it made sense, actually. Rai, one of the planets of the system, had many resources that were beneficial to building lightsabers as well as other weapons. The Republic had stationed a few cruiser ships around there.

"Are you sure, Commander? How do you know this is right?" Commander Wolffe seemed doubtful to which Jana glared at him slightly. I did not waste all my energy on this for him to be so unsure of me.

"I'm afraid it's difficult to explain, Commander Wolffe. However, I believe my Padawan will be correct. Her senses seem to be accurate, and I'm nearly positive she sensed the evil Grievous and The Malevolence itself gives off. Set coordinates for there, then run the scanners the moment we get in the system." Jana felt a bit of pride that her Master was willing to gamble on her senses.

"Yes, General. Since it's closer than the original destination we'll be there by early tomorrow."

"Good. In the meantime, I believe we need to continue to abide by the original plan." Master Plo Koon took his Padawan aside. "You have done well today, Jana. I am aware you trained earlier this morning, and I believe you have had your fair share of meditation for the day. Please, take the rest of the day to yourself. I will be here on the bridge if I am needed." Jana bowed her head in thanks and left abruptly, wanting to escape the taxing work area at once.

Her first thought was sleep, but if they were to arrive at Abregado-Rai by tomorrow she wanted to have a decent sleep schedule. Instead she wondered to the mess where Clones crowded around. A few looked at her and nodded respectfully, which she reciprocated. These men seem to be all Shinies... In good shape nonetheless though. She sized a handful of them up.

Eventually she selected a bowl of Rootleaf Stew from the cafe bar. Of course most of it had been made with substitutes, but still it seemed the best option. Jana sat at the end of a table in the corner, allowing her to have her back to a corner and to monitor all exits and entrances. It was just a habit Master Jeng had taught her.

"Well, Commander. You seem awful tired for having just embarked on a mission." A Clone approached her, his two friends behind him. The one who had just spoken had blonde, tall buzzed hair. Jana smiled welcomingly and shrugged a bit.

"Don't mind him, Commander. We were just informed that you may have found The Malevolence through the Force. We understand alright." The Clones began to sit in front of her. This one had shortly buzzed brown hair. Word sure does travel fast around here.

"You're the quiet one, right?" The other clones shot the inquiring one looks as if to say Dude, shut up. Jana just shook her head and laughed slightly. The third Clone had blonde hair that was shortly buzzed with patterns scattered about it.

"Sorry about him, Commander Kinall." The first one apologized.

Jana shook her head again and smiled still.

"I suppose I am quiet." She coughed to the side at the stinging in her throat. Blazes, when is this going to get easier?

"Aye, they told us you didn't talk for a month. I didn't believe it at first, but hearing your voice now it has to be true." The second one observed. "I'm a trained medic, you see. Your laryngeal muscle is beyond atrophied." The others blinked at him blankly, Jana only knowing vaguely what the laryngeal was. "Your vocal chords aren't as taut, s'why your pitch must be higher as well."

Jana nodded her head in surprise. So that's why this hurts like stars every time.

"If you use it more consistently, it'll eventually strengthen up again. It'll take time, though." He advised.

"Why'd ya go mute, anyways, Commander? Seems rather boring." The third one asked, and Jana nearly choked on her food at his bluntness. The other two Clones once again shot him glares.

"Blast, man! Can't just go asking that stuff." The first one belittled.

"Sorry again, Commander. He doesn't got much of a filter." The second one laughed nervously. Jana shook her head once again.

"Curiosity is good." She said with a comforting smile, but behind her eyes a touch of hurt showed through. "I meditated." The Clones' eyes widened.

"I knew meditation was important to the Jedi, but for a month?! That sounds like a lot, Commander." The third one commended.

"Lots of dedication to do that. Bet it helped, seeing as you've found the Malevolence with meditation." The second one said with a bit of awe. I wish I could teach him about meditation... after all, everyone one of these Clones has a life force.

"Ma'am, you went mute after Geonosis, right?" The first one said, completely unsure of himself. Jana nodded.

"Loss can cloud one's vision." She coughed again. "I needed clarity." She didn't know who she was telling- them or herself. Funny how Clones were the first to confront her about this- none of the others had inquired of her about this yet. Perhaps to protect her.

"Time off the battlefield does help. Even Clones sometimes get sent back." The third one seemed to try to comfort her.

"That's called reprogramming, idiot." The first one laughed. Jana smiled slightly at the joke, not sure if it was appropriate to laugh or not.

"Names?" She asked quietly, and the first one began to open his mouth. "Not numbers. Names." Jana corrected before he got the chance.

"Of course, Commander. I'm Chess." The first one said.

"Blades." The medic reported.

"I'm Blank." The third one said with a wink, making Jana giggle.

The rest of the meal was filled with stories and jokes on the Clones' parts. Jana commented every now and then, but for the most part she just enjoyed listening. It was times like these when Jana was so guilty about the war. These were people. People with personality and spirits and qualities. They were replications of each other, but each was different. That's why they had names, not numbers.

A few times Jana found herself wanting to tell stories of her own, but more often than not she chose not to since her voice hurt so badly. Blades provided her with some advice when he observed her coughing to continue: hot teas, warm foods, hot compressions on the skin, and vocal warm ups in the morning and nights. Jana didn't know how she felt about that last part, but she expressed many thanks to the medic. That day everything was normal. That day the Clones had been alive.