Taryn Zel was starting to think they'd be marching in the dark forever, but in the end they found their way to an airlock sphincter that granted them access to deeper layers of the worldship where warm atmosphere still remaining.

That was good news in theory, but as soon as she took off her helmet Taryn found herself assaulted by the rank smell of decay. Her only consolation was the comically disgusted expressions that flashed on everyone else's faces too.

"Are we sure this air is safe?" asked Harkum.

"It's safe," the little blonde Jedi, Tahiri, said. "This is how the inside of the worldship is supposed to smell."

"Like a bantha's butt?"

"Exactly. It's part of the composting process that helps the worldships feed their plant life and generate more atmosphere."

"I thought this thing was supposed to be dead," said Muro.

"Not dead, dying. And it's been dying since before it reached this galaxy."

"How long do these worldships last for?"

Tahiri considered, and for some reason she looked at Praelyx. When he didn't respond she ventured, "I'd say at least four, five hundred standard years. These really are worldships. It takes a long, long time to cross the void between galaxies."

"Enough chat," Taryn said as she hooked her bulbous helmet to the back of her belt and checked the charge on her blaster rifle. "Can you Jedi feel what's ahead?"

Tahiri's scarred forehead furrowed in thought, while Zekk just looked far-away. But then, he'd been looking that ever since their little chat in the ruined laboratory. It was almost like he was afraid of her. If non-Hapan men couldn't handle directness from their women it was no wonder they wasted years fumbling around without getting the mates they wanted.

But then Zekk surprised her and said, "I do sense some presence. I can't tell how many people but I bet they're ahead not far ahead."

Tahiri nodded. "He's right. They can't be far."

Muro checked her heavy T-21 rifle. "We'd better get going, then."

"I'm first." Taryn shouldered her way to the front of the line. "Zekk, you're with me. Use that Jedi radar to pick them up."

"I'll do my best."

"Veila, you're right behind me. If we run into any Vonglife still down here-"

"I'll handle it," she nodded and gripped her light-saber.

"And the rest of us?" asked Harkum, apparently a little surly at being left out.

"Just be ready to fight," Taryn said, and led them forward.

The low passage branched off several times, but at each junction Zekk and Tahiri paused, reached out with the Force, and directed them down the right course. Given her family, Taryn had never had the knee-jerk suspicions of Jedi that most Hapans nurtured, but she'd never really realized how damned useful they could be. It was all the more reason to try and drag Zekk back to Hapes once all this was over. Even as a male, he could provide valuable services to the queen.

When they reached the fourth junction, somewhat was different. She could see it on both Jedi's faces. Zekk took his lightsaber in his hand for the first time and pointed down the corridor to the left. Tahiri nodded and tapped her forefinger against her lips, signaling silence.

The two Jedi crept forward; Taryn and Harkum fell in right behind them, with Praelyx and Muro taking the rear. There was another sphincter-like portal dead ahead, and the two Jedi took places on either side. Those behind them readied their weapons. Then Zekk slapped the center of the portal.

It opened like an iris. They suddenly had a view of a round chamber with a long nutrient stalk running like a pillar through the center. Taryn saw a trio of white-armored stormtroopers spin around toward the entrance, weapon raised. The Jedi immediately stepped through, lightsaber blazing, but before any battle could commence a voice called, "Halt!"

Taryn and Harkum shouldered past each other into the chamber. Taryn took in the complete scene with a sweep of the head: there were four stormtroopers in total, plus one Imperial officer still wearing his black vac suit.

Finally, wearing a different model, gray-colored suit, was a short, thin human male. He was past middle age by now, with only a little gray hair left on his balding head. His small eyes scanned the new arrivals and he said, surprisingly calm, "Who the devil are you people?"

"Are you Sinsor Khal?" asked Taryn. She resisted the urge to shift her rifle and point it at his chest; two stormtroopers already had their guns on her.

The old man nodded, as though it should have been obvious. "Like I asked, who are you?"

"We're operatives for Queen Mother Tenel Ka Djo of the Hapes Consortium."

"I know who Tenel Ka is."

"We're here to halt the construction of your bio-weapon," said Zekk.

Khal blinked. "You know about that?"

"We know everything," Praelyx spoke up. "Given the proper methods, Kosimo Westermal was very inform-ative."

That brought a wince from the Imperial captain. He asked, "What have you done with Moff Westermal?"

"He's resting comfortably in my brig," Praelyx said. "You're welcome to join him. I'm not looking to kill today."

"We will not surrender," the Imp said, though for a second he'd looked hesitant. Taryn decided to take that for a good sign.

"There's nothing you can do here," she told them. "We've captured your shuttle. You have no escape."

The Imp captain looked hesitant again; Khal, though, wore the same look of dull curiosity he'd had since they arrived.

"What's the status of the bioweapon?" asked Praelyx. He began scouring the Vong biotech scattered around the room like he knew what he was looking for.

"Very near completion, actually," the Imperial said darkly. "Your timing was impeccable."

"Where's the weapon?" asked Tahiri. "And where's the qahsa you recorded the information on?"

Khal frowned. "How did you know I used a qahsa?"

"It's the only way to interface properly with the worldship. You probably had to manually copy over the data from the qahsa to one of your own computers to continue the work, right? It's probably why you've been here for a few days."

Khal's cheek twitched. "That rather covers it."

"What difference does it make?" Grunted Harkum. "Let's just take them out of here, then plant some charges and bring the whole thing down. Room, tunnels, everything."

"We need to identify the weapon to make sure we've destroyed it," said Muro.

"She's right," Tahiri's green eyes locked on Khal. "Where did you put it?"

Khal's face dropped in an uncomfortable frown. At first Taryn was simply confused; then she saw Zekk looking at Tahiri with a look of shock and mild horror. Apparently, the blond woman was doing some Jedi trick to force secrets from Khal's mind.

When his face twisted into a pained wince, Khal finally said, "All right, all right. I'll get you the strain I've developed." He looked at the Imperial captain. "Tell your men to stand down."

The officer waved a hand and the stormtroopers lowered their rifles without letting go. Tahiri and, for some reason, Praelyx followed Khal over to some console-like apparatus. The scientist's gloved fingers played over its surface until some seal popped open, dispelling a small burst of sealed gas.

Khal took out what looked like a fist-sized nut, with a hard smooth case. He held it up lovingly and told Tahiri, "You have no idea how difficult it was to resurrect the dying strains I found here. I wish I'd had to chance to test it."

"You're not going to get one," Praelyx said firmly.

Khal looked at Tahiri, and his eyes seemed to lock on her scars for the first time. "You seem to know a lot of shapers' technology. How did you become so familiar, Jedi?"

"I had a very crash course," she said as she reached out for the capsule.

Then Muro called from the back of the room, "Wait!"

Taryn turned halfway around and froze in shock. Captain Muro stood just two meters away, back to the open door, with her blaster rifle raised and aimed right at Taryn's face.

"Captain!" Tahri yelped. "What are you doing?"

"Retrieving Doctor Khal's data," she said simply. "As per my contract."

"Karking traitor!" Harkum snapped his rifle up, but before he could get off a shot two volleys of laser blasts from two separate stormtrooper rifles dropped him with a smoking hole in his chest.

After a nanosecond's shock, Zekk and Tahri ignited their lightsabers, but by then it was already too late. The Imperials had their weapons up; even the officer had produced a hold-out pistol and was pointing it right at Tahiri.

The Jedi, though, was looking right at Muro with obvious hurt in her eyes. She croaked, "Captain…. What is this?"

"I'm sorry," the older woman said stonily. "But with the money I'm being offered from this I can retire for good."

"They're trying to exterminate the Jedi!" Zekk almost shouted. "Do you really want genocide on your conscience?"

"Not my problem," Muro shook her head and kept her T-21 aimed right for Taryn's head.

"How do you think you can get past my ship?" asked Praelyx.

"I already called for help," Muro said. "Your gun-ship's getting overwhelmed right now."

Taryn did her best haughty scoff. "You think we didn't bring backup too?"

Uncertainty flashed over Muro's face, quickly stifled. She touched her her hip and for the first time Taryn saw the round cylinder of a timed charge clipped to her belt, its activation light blinking yellow.

"You have one minute," Muro said. "I'm not giving you any more. Doctor Khal, bring your sample over here."

"Gladly," the old scientist muttered. He stuffed the bioweapon capsule into his jumpsuit and grabbed his vac suit helmet on the way over to Muro's side. The stormtroopers formed up by the door too, their weapons raised and level the whole time. Part of Taryn wished the Jedi could spring to action and stop them, even if it cost her a faceful of rifle-shot.

Tahiri, still standing at the biotech console with her saber low at her side, croaked, "Was this your plan from the start?"

Muro's eyes darted to the Jedi and Taryn thought she saw a touch of guilt. "Not at first. I was contacted while you were on Euceron. They made me an offer I couldn't refuse."

"Did they know about me? Is that why they contacted you?"

"That's right. I assume they had someone on Junction Station watching you."

"They?" asked Taryn. "Which they? Ducha Markessa?" She thought she was another guilty flicker on Muro's face but couldn't be sure. The woman clearly wasn't going to answer.

Tahiri asked, "What about Vjarna? Does he know?"

Muro looked like she was about to answer that one, but the Imperial captain interjected, "We don't have time for this. We need to go."

"Agreed," Muro said. "Doctor Khal, you first."

"Gladly," the scientist muttered and slipped through the door. Two stormtroopers followed. Muro and the officer backed to the door, but neither lowered their weapons.

"Time's almost up," Praelyx sneered. "Do what you're going to do, Captain."

Muro stopped in the middle of the doorway, reached down, and tapped the charge once. The light went off and Taryn allowed herself a tiny sigh of relief.

Muro spun fast and went up the tunnel. The Imp captain and his last two troopers backed slowly through the threshold, weapons raised at all times. If the Jedi were going to actually do something it was now or never.

But before they could move, the Imperial captain reached into his jumpsuit and pulled something out. A wicked grin flashed on his face right before he threw it in the air, spun, and ran.

"Grenade!" Praelyx shouted. "Down down down!"

Then the room exploded.