-Chapter 27: Unlikely Allies-

Location: Unknown

"Circumstances tend to force the impossible to happen."

Darkness. Impenetrable, all-consuming. The inky blackness of unconsciousness seemed to last forever. Whatever brought this on was clearly strong enough to put someone in a completely subdued state.

And it was in this state that Ahsoka found herself.

She had a hard time remembering how she ended up like this, but she felt like she'd been out for ages. Her body felt sluggish and weak, it would probably take her a while to get back to full strength once she woke up.

The question was, where would she be when she woke up? And who was responsible for knocking her out like this?

Finding the strength to open her eyes, Ahsoka groaned and blinked a few times as she regained her vision, as bleary as it was. Giving her head a little shake, she soon regained feeling in her arms and discovered they had been tied above her head.

So she was imprisoned. Again. Great...

Wait, wasn't her master with her? And Obi-Wan? Had they been separated? She couldn't remember, everything was still a bit fuzzy and blurry.

As the darkened room slowly came into focus, Ahsoka decided to see if she was alone.

"M... Mas-ter...?" She groggily wondered. Her voice was weak and still returning to her. Clearing her throat, she tried again, stronger this time. "Master?" She heard a groaning to her right.

"Umph... Right here Snips..." Anakin slowly mumbled in reply. "Ugh... What... What happened?"

"I... I don't know..." Ahsoka told him, still waking up. "Where's... Where's Master Obi-Wan?"

"I'm... right here." A voice to her left answered. Turning to look, there was Obi-Wan, his hair a little disheveled but he was fine, tied up in the exact same way they were.

All three of them were tied up and left alone in this... oddly designed room.

"Well, it seems whoever captured us was smart enough to take our lightsabers." Obi-Wan noted, seeing no silver hilt on his belt or on his friends'.

"You wanna bet it's the Separatists?" Anakin theorized. "Won't surprise me if this was Wraith's doing." He grumbled.

"Regardless of who, we should figure out where we are and maybe figure out a way to escape, if that's possible." Obi-Wan told him, sounding doubtful of his last statement.

"I prefer the glass-half-full option." Ahsoka mused. Now more fully-awake, the young girl looked about the room they were imprisoned in. There was no source of lighting within the room, save for a glow that emanated from what appeared to be a pair of doors; one in the wall before them and one in the wall to their right. Thanks to those glows, she could see pretty clearly what the room they were in looked like. The floor, ceiling and walls were covered in a very odd design that reminded her a lot of forest undergrowth or structures made of vines, very organic and very much alive. This design was carved into a dark material

Was this room alive? Was it made completely from organic material?

Her curiosity piqued, Ahsoka looked up at her bonds and felt the black cords that were sturdily wrapped around her wrists. They felt like leaves or vines, maybe even some kind of thatch material, very much alive in terms of feeling. In addition, the ropes seemed to be coming out of the wall, not hooked to or tied to anything else.

Just what kind of room was this?

"Anyone else finding this room to be a little wierd?" She asked aloud.

"Indeed. The composition is most peculiar." Obi-Wan agreed. "I can't say as I've ever seen a design like this."

"Any idea where we might be?" Anakin asked, struggling against his bonds.

"I can't be certain. We could be anywhere." Obi-Wan replied.

"Well, maybe not just anywhere." Ahsoka objected, her memory coming back to her. "We were cleaning up on Virujansi when we got knocked out, right?"

"Yeah. The natives called me a hero... something about me having 'no fear'?" Anakin agreed, a slight smile on his face.

"Of course you'd remember that." Obi-Wan joked. "Good thinking, Padawan Tano. We must be relatively close to Virujansi then." He added, praising Ahsoka.

"Maybe we're just hidden underground somewhere. Maybe there's a pocket of resistance that we missed that got the upper hand." She suggested.

"Wait, hang on, if there were a pocket of resistance, wouldn't we have sensed them through the Force?" Anakin wondered, bringing to light a fact that made them all pause and think. "I mean, how did they get the drop on us like that?"

"And, more importantly, what did they use to knock us out cold?" Ahsoka wondered, now following her master's train of thought. "I mean, there was no stun net, stun blast, nothing typical that the Seppies would use." The Jedi fell quiet, now analyzing the sudden bizarre circumstances surrounding their capture.

"Wasn't it a gas?" Obi-Wan wondered. "I think it was... or, at least, it was some kind of fumes."

"Which means it might have been plant-based, or straight up engineered." Anakin added. "Must've been powerful stuff to knock us out."

"So, if I can just theorize for a moment," Obi-Wan started, "say it wasn't the Separatists that caught us and say it is an enemy we've not yet encountered."

"What are you getting at, Master?"

"I'm just wondering if we're the only ones captured. Are these people kidnapping us specifically because we're Jedi? Is it becuase they know we're members of the Republic? Or are they kidnapping randomly and we just happened to fall into their crosshairs?" The older master stated. "And if the latter is the case, are we alone?" Anakin glanced around the room.

"Well, we certainly look to be alone." He mused.

Then, all of a sudden, the door to the right started to bend and buckle, as if it were being attacked from the other side.

The three Jedi turned and watched as the door, made from the same strange material as the walls of their cell, cracked and broke as significant force was applied to it from the other side. A crack formed in the door before a pair of hands were thrust through and, with enormous strength, tore open the whole before they launched through, shattering the material it was made of. The Jedi looked away from the ensuing cloud of debris, but when they turned back, the identity of the individual startled them.

It was Wraith. Only he looked a little... different.

He was not wearing his jacket, which revealed a dark gray shirt covering his broad chest and thick body, with sleeves that ran down to his elbows, revealing the pale, scarred skin of his forearms before ending with his gloved hands.

His gauntlets were missing.

His legs were still encased in armored boots and his helmet was still on his head, but he was also missing his gun belt. The super-solider looked about the room as if he was figuring out where he was. When his gaze landed on the imprisoned Jedi, he sighed.

"You've got to be kidding me." He grumbled. "Of all people to be stuck here with..."

"Nice to see you too." Anakin sarcastically replied, none too thrilled by the fact Wraith was here with them... and freed.

"I'm actually a little surprised you were captured by these people, Wraith." Obi-Wan noted aloud. "I thought you had a penchant for being 'unstoppable'."

"They're using equipment and materials I've never seen before." Wraith informed him. "Ergo, I wasn't fully prepared to deal with the threat they posed." As he spoke, Wraith carefully evaluated his situation and determined it would be good if he had some help while he was working to fight back against whoever these creatures were.

And out of these three Jedi, there was only one he truly trusted.

"Likewise. I remember they used some kind of noxious gas for us." Obi-Wan explained.

"They tried that with me. Then I fought back and they used other, more strange methods."

"Then you got a good look at who they were?" Ahsoka wondered as Wraith walked over to her.

"A look, yes. But not a good one." He stated as he set about undoing her bonds, hands fiddling with the ties of the cord.

"They took our lightsabers." Ahsoka continued.

"And my hardware." Wraith added. "They tried removing my helmet too, but that didn't work out so well for them."

"Why's that?" Anakin asked, very curious.

"I have failsafes installed." Wraith cryptically responded, refusing to give Anakin any indicators about how he worked. Returning to his task, he summoned his brute strength to tear the cords off of her and off the wall. "There we go."

"Thanks." Ahsoka whispered as she flexed her hands and examined her wrists.

"How did you break through that stuff? I've been working at it forever." Anakin wondered, also concerned by how Wraith chose to save Ahsoka first.

"I can bend durasteel with my bare hands, Skywalker. This organic material is paltry by comparison."

"And yet it appears to be what this room is made of." Obi-Wan noted, glancing around at the similarly crafted walls and ceiling. "It also appears to be immune to the Force, or is Force-inhibiting at the least. If it really is organic, I can't seem to connect with anything in here."

"Fascinating. I may want to study this more." Wraith mused, eyeing the cords that had been wrapped around Ahsoka. "But I'll save that for later." Turning to the young Togruta, he gestured to the door. "Let's get out of here."

"Wait just a minute!" Anakin snapped. "Where do you think you're taking her?"

"To find out who's responsible for kidnapping us. Duh." Wraith explained. Ahsoka realized his plan, but knew it would be smarter for her to be accompanied by her masters.

She was still too nervous to be left alone with him.

"Wraith, you should really let them join us, you could probably use the additional help." She explained.

"The only help I need is you, Ahsoka." Wraith told her. "Besides, Kenobi and Skywalker would just slow us down. You're far more goal-oriented than either of them."

"Please? They might be discovered if we leave them here, then the element of surprise is out the window." She pleaded. Wraith was forced to admit she had a point. Although he'd rather do things his way, and Skywalker was bound to want the exact opposite, he would also prefer it if their captors, whoever they were, remained oblivious to their escape.

Besides, Ahsoka probably wouldn't cooperate with him if he left Kenobi and Skywalker imprisoned.

"Fine. But Skywalker stays bound. I don't trust him at all." He relented.

"The feeling's mutual." Anakin grumbled.


After freeing the other Jedi, and ensuring Skywalker could not free himself, Wraith broke open the other door to their cell and cautiously stepped outside. He was on edge and very unhappy with whoever it was that had captured him, but he needed to stay focused if he wanted to get out of here... and keep his tag-alongs from screwing up his efforts. His helmet's proximity sensors would also need a moment to recalibrate, leaving him temporarily blind to the presence of anyone besides these Jedi.

It turned out, the rest of this place was made from the same, wierd, dark organic stuff that their cell was made of. However, Wraith did note that the narrowness of the hallway and the general design of the corridor made it look far more like a ship than an actual base. A series of lights, embedded in the walls and made from some gelatinous material lined the walls and ceiling, granting sufficient illumination

He really needed to figure out where this was.

"No guards. Strange." Ahsoka commented from beside him.

"A dumb move, considering who they've imprisoned. Had they truly known, I'm sure the opposite would be the case." Wraith mused. He quickly deduced that these individuals were not from around this galaxy, for most inhabitants knew who Jedi what were and what they were capable of... not to mention who he was. Anakin and Obi-Wan stepped out from behind them and into the hallway.

"Well, this is certainly fascinating." Obi-Wan stated as he stroked his beard. "I can't say as I've been in a place like this before."

"It is wierd how they do not build with durasteel." Wraith replied. His sensors pinged as they finished recalibrating. He was now ready to go. "Alright, Jedi, here's the deal: I'm in charge and I will need your total cooperation if we want to be able to get out of here in one piece. Is that clear?" He announced. Anakin looked indignant.

"Why should we let you lead? I'm a far better leader, just ask my men." He countered.

"You mean the men I've slaughtered in droves while they were under your command?" Wraith retorted. "As much as I'd like to ask them, I can't communicate with the dead." He joked.

Anakin didn't find that too funny.

"Why you little-!" He growled, reaching forward with his bound hands open before Obi-Wan pulled him back.

"Anakin, he is apparently a tactical genius. Maybe it would be wise to fall in line this time." He recommended. Wraith slowly nodded.

Obi-Wan was a far more sensible Jedi.

"Fine." Anakin huffed, reluctantly agreeing to Wraith's command of the situation. The commando nodded and began to walk forward.

"Follow me and keep quiet. Any chatter is to be whisper-only." He commanded. If they were going to play this safe, his audio receptors needed to be able to hear anything and everything.

"I hate having to take orders from this guy." Anakin complained in a whisper.

"We've been imprisoned in an unknown location by unknown assailants. I can think of worse scenarios to be stuck in." Obi-Wan calmed him. "Look on the bright side, Wraith's been captured too. So this can't be that bad."

"Or it could be worse. I mean, who is capable of even capturing him?"

"Quiet you two." Wraith growled from the front. He was hugging the wall, right near an intersection, no doubt checking for any opposition. The Jedi quickly joined him.

"Do you see something?" Ahsoka wondered.

"Possibly." Wraith whispered. "I'm picking up a strange thermal ripple. Could be an entity, could be nothing." He explained. Focusing on the readings his optics were showing him, Wraith adjusted his scanners ever so slightly in an effort to broaden his view of the thermal energy he was detecting. It was so weird in the sense that it registered just like the average person's thermal readout, but there was no person around to detect.

And it was coming in waves.

Testing a theory, Wraith slowly dropped to a crouch and pressed his hand to the ground. The first thing he noted was just how hard the ground was and yet how organic it truly felt. It reminded him of tree bark in a way or like that of bone, a conclusion he would have to reach later as his touch detected what could only be the source of the ripple. He could feel a thrumming pulse, a rather rhythmic flow of what could only be thermal energy coming through the floor. "Strange." He whispered before looking behind him. "Ahsoka, a moment of your time." He asked, motioning for her to crouch with him. She did so.

"What is it?"

"Touch the floor, use your fingers." He instructed, wondering what direct contact would feel like for her. The Togruta did so and made a curious face as she did. "What do you feel?"

"That's so odd. It feels like the engines of a starship. I can feel them practically vibrating in the floors all the time when we're on the Resolute." She answered.

"Indeed." Wraith slowly nodded his head, mulling over her statement. Ahsoka suddenly looked up at him, her blue eyes radiating with wonder and surprise.

"Wraith... are you saying we're on a starship right now?" She asked. Anakin and Obi-Wan were slightly bewildered.

"A starship?!" Anakin exclaimed, prompting Wraith to silence him.

"I'm not saying anything. But the similarities are intriguing." He continued, turning to Ahsoka. "I simply don't know, my dear." He told her.

"But who builds a starship out of this... this stuff?" She wondered. Wraith was about to reply with another 'I don't know' when his sensors detected another thermal reading.

This one was definitely a person.

"Get back and duck down!" He ordered, helping Ahsoka scramble back so they were all pressed against the wall. Moments later, they heard footsteps coming down the hall, growing louder with each step. A shadow appeared on the wall, shrinking in size the closer it got. Wraith tentatively moved his arm so he was shielding Ahsoka, ensuring he came between her and whoever this was should they be spotted.

Anakin noted the move and frowned, as did Obi-Wan.

The four of them waited with baited breath, not quite sure what to expect from who was about to walk down this corridor. They hoped they were out of sight, not wanting to be seen. Obi-Wan tentatively reached out with the Force, hoping to find out who this approaching being was.

But his senses brought up nothing.

Finally, the being entered their line of sight... and his appearance both startled and horrified them.

He was tall and heavyset, possibly around Wraith's own height and build. His yellow beady eyes stood out as a stark contrast from his dull, gray skin. He had a sloping, almost ridge-like forehead, his face bearing more resemblance to a skull than an actual organic head. His nose was short and stub-like, so much so one could assume it was practically missing from his face, and his ears were small, unnaturally so. It were almost as if they'd been slowly cut down to such a diminutive size. He wore black, bone-like armor, that covered every part of his body, save for his head. Protruding decorative spikes along the shoulders, arms, boots and neck plating gave him a far more menacing look in addition to his already creepy face. It reminded Wraith like a kind of crab in its design.

Beings who wore crab-like armor... this day was getting weirder and weirder.

"What is that thing?!" Ahsoka asked, sounding disgusted just from looking at it.

"While I share your sentiments about its horrid appearance, my dear, I honestly have no idea." Wraith replied. They all watched as the creatures turned away from them and continued down the hall, oblivious to their presence.

"How strange..." Obi-Wan muttered. Wraith turned to face him.

"What is it, Kenobi?"

"I was trying to sense him through the Force. But I felt nothing. I can clearly see him now, but he's practically invisible to me." The Jedi told him. Wraith cocked his head.

"You're telling me he's immune to the Force?" Wraith wondered, suddenly considering the scientific and technical advancements he and Scipio could make with this knowledge.

"Not so much immune as much as he is outside the Force." Obi-Wan explained. "Like he simply does not exist within the range the Force can sense." Anakin and Ahsoka tried to do the same and discovered Obi-Wan was right, confirming his statement.

"And the Force is purportedly everywhere in the galaxy." Wraith mused. "This is truly an unknown species. I've never seen, heard of, or encountered it before... And I would certainly remember one that the Force fails against."

"Great. And why are we following you again?" Anakin sarcastically wondered. Wraith rolled his eyes beneath his helmet.

"I'm assuming you know more about them than I do?" He retorted. Anakin stayed silent. "Figured." Wraith growled, standing up. "We should go this way." He stated, gesturing to the hallway the being had just come from.

"And go where uglier-than-you just came from?" Anakin remarked as he and Obi-Wan stood, Wraith helping Ahsoka to her feet.

"I'll kindly thank you to keep your insults to a minimum, Skywalker." He said with a sigh. "While they do not affect me, they are amateur at best and grow tiresome after a while." Anakin rolled his eyes.

"I thought it was funny." He mumbled.

"You would." Wraith shot back. "If we continue straight, we'll just be following that thing. I'd rather we not find out what it's capable of just yet."

"Wraith's got a point. We should learn more about where we are before we try fighting anyone." Ahsoka said, agreeing with him. "And besides, what else can we do right now?"

"Insult him some more?" Anakin jokingly suggested.

"I am this close to tearing out your vocal cords!" Wraith growled in exasperation.

Only a few minutes into this venture and he was already sick of Anakin's presence!


The group of unlikely allies continued to creep through the corridors of the mysterious place they found themselves in. The Jedi followed Wraith's advice and suggestions, Anakin being a less-than-willing participant, and journeyed deeper into whatever this place was. They walked in silence, Wraith leading the group with Ahsoka right behind him and Anakin and Obi-Wan bringing up the rear. The narrow hallway seemed to stretch on forever, given the symmetrical design of the walls and the identical building material of... well, everything. The group was in a continual state of heightened awareness, Wraith constantly making them stop and wait for his scanners to find anyone else in their path before they continued. With the knowledge of an unknown species here with them in this place, they were always on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary.

They came to another intersection in the hall, leaving them with the option of either going left or going right. Wraith halted and the others followed as he pinged his scanners. An uneasy quiet settled in as the Jedi waited. Feeling just a little too creeped out by their surroundings and preferring a conversation to the unnerving quiet, Ahsoka decided to chat things up... with Wraith.

"So... Wraith," she hesitantly addressed him, "where were you before you ended up here?" She wondered.

"I had just arrived on Virujansi and was going to help coordinate the counterattack against the invading Republic forces." He answered, still looking away from her.

"No way! We were on Virujansi too!" Ahsoka replied, sounding surprised. Wraith ceased to focus on his instruments and turned to her.

"All three of you?" He asked. She nodded in response. Wraith paused as that information registered with him.

His mind quickly recalled patterns and tactical maneuvers he'd studied over the years. The fact that all four of them had been on the same world at the same time when they were captured opened up a new realm of possibility concerning the purpose and identity of their captors.

"This... may help us piece together what happened." He slowly mused, thinking hard. "The fact that all four of us were on Virujansi at the same time confirms that these beings, whoever they are, have potentially only been to this planet. We were not captured in random incidents." He said, speaking his thoughts out loud. He was starting to think these people might've been on some kind of an expedition to this world and had picked the four of them to be nabbed for study. "But this now begs the question as to who else might've been captured." He added. Obi-Wan quickly caught on to his train of thought.

"Are you suggesting there may be Virujansians also held captive in this place?" He asked him.

"Or Clones. Or droids. Just a thought but not one outside the realm of possibility." Wraith replied with a shrug. He turned back to Ahsoka. "Thank you for that information, Ahsoka. You might've helped us learn a bit more about our enemies." Then he glanced over at Skywalker. "See what kind of gains you can make when you're civil and not obsessed with insulting your opponents?" He wondered, partly taunting him. "For a Jedi Knight and mentor, you've gotta lot to learn still." He jabbed before turning about and continuing down the hall.

"This guy is really starting to get on my nerves." Anakin grumbled with an exasperated sigh. "Are you sure we have to follow him? I mean, can't we just head out on our own?" He wondered.

"Anakin, think about our situation. We're alone in an unknown facility with an unknown species who are immune to the Force. If anything, Wraith is our best bet to surviving this. If anyone's strong enough and smart enough to figure out a way to escape this, it's him." Obi-Wan explained. Wraith was half-surprised that Kenobi would go so far as to say such things about him. However, he thought this to be an example of Obi-Wan's superior intelligence; he knew when to differ command to someone stronger or more adept than him.

"You give me too much credit, Kenobi." Wraith mused, turning to the Jedi. "Not all Jedi are Skywalker's level of dumb. In fact, some of them are rather ingenious and very intuitive." He continued, turning to Ahsoka, making it known he was referring to her. Anakin was about to growl something about 'stay away from her' when Obi-Wan continued.

"Besides, we've been through worse. Remember when we were captured alongside Count Dooku on Florrum?"

"Yeah. I wanted to strangle him, too." Anakin stated, remembering the whole affair with little fondness. "Must be a running theme with you Separatists." He commented, looking to Wraith.

"Believe me when I say we all want to kill you too." Wraith growled in response. "But I won't do that... not yet, anyway. You may still have some use." Anakin rolled his eyes.

"I'm flattered. What kind of use?"

"Should we run into some of those creatures and they're hostile, I'm using you as live bait." The super-solider replied. The two traded withering gazes as negative feelings stewed in both of them, Obi-Wan immediately picking up on them.

"Masters, Wraith, I don't mean to interrupt, but can we get going? This place is giving me the creeps and I kinda wanna get out of here." Ahsoka asked, suddenly breaking the tension. Wraith turned to her and nodded.

"Of course." He'd had enough of Skywalker's insufferable nature. But before he could tell the group to go to the left, his scanners picked up an incoming heat signature coming from the right. "Get down and hug the wall!" He ordered. The Jedi followed his lead and waited with bated breath as they looked to see what Wraith had detected. Footsteps began to echo through the hall as a being drew closer and closer to their position. As it entered their line of sight, the group saw it to be yet another one of those horrible-looking beings, only this one wore less armor, exposing scarred and wounded flesh along his shoulders and chest, and had a mean-looking axe strapped across his back. Wraith quickly identified the weapon to be two-handed and heavy, evenly weighed and truly devastating when used correctly.

A weapon that could pose a threat to them.

Although he continued to hope no one had bothered to check on their now-empty cell, should a guard or soldier like this discover them, they would be severely 'outgunned' by a sheer lack of weaponry. With this thought in mind, Wraith's course of action became quite clear.

Motioning for the Jedi to stay put, Wraith crept up behind the being before executing a kick to the back of his knees and following it with a leg sweep. The surprised creatures dropped like a bag of rocks and Wraith quickly pounced upon his fallen form, grabbing the back of his head and slamming his face into the ground five times in quick succession. With the creature knocked out, Wraith slowly stood as the Jedi walked over.

"A tad excessive, much?" Anakin wondered with a raised eyebrow.

"It was him or us." Wraith retorted. As the Jedi looked over the scary-looking being, Wraith knelt and picked up his axe. Holding it and weighing it in both hands, Wraith was pleased with this new acquisition as his bioscanners gave it a once over. They soon confirmed it was made from bone, despite being black in color, much like primitive species wraith was familiar with. "Nice axe. Even if it is made only from sharpened bone." He commented aloud. Obi-Wan looked to him, a curious look on his face.

"Bone? Really?"

"Yes. Just like their armor." Wraith replied, his bioscanners once again confirming the composition of the dark suit the creature wore. "These creatures seem to have an affinity for organic-based material only. There's no metal anywhere, not even on them." He commented, gaze switching between the axe in his hand and the unconscious creature before them.

What kind of a society was this? Even the more primitive ones in the known galaxy used metal to some degree...

"And that means...?" Anakin pried.

"Nothing. I don't think..." Wraith quietly responded, growing deep in thought. Recalling the strange composition of the walls, the bone axe and the bone armor, Wraith was struck with a sudden thought. "Wait a moment..." Walking to the nearest wall, he triggered his bioscanners and gave the wall a once-over. The scan was completed soon enough and the results greatly surprised him. "This stuff, the stuff the walls are made of... it's like coral!" He announced. The Jedi were surprised.

"Coral? You mean like... the same stuff that grows underwater?" Ahsoka asked, wanting to clarify.

"It's not nearly as familiar a genus as the types that grow on Mon Cala or Manaan, but yes, this ship is made from a coral-like substance." Wraith replied. He mentally kicked himself for not having thought of using his bioscanners earlier. They could've provided much more clues as to who they were dealing with and where they were.

Why hadn't he thought of this before?

"How bizarre." Obi-Wan mused, stroking his beard. "Still, this could attest to the idea we're dealing with a very advanced civilization, one that knows how to turn simple organic products into weapons and building materials." He added. Wraith nodded as he slung his new axe over his shoulder, a move Anakin quickly noticed.

"Hold on, are we just going to overlook the fact we're letting Wraith have a weapon?" He suddenly blurted out, shifting the topic of discussion.

"It may be wisest to let him use it, Skyguy. If these beings are violent and unpredictable, we do want someone stronger than them to protect us." Ahsoka told him. Anakin stared at her in shock.

"Are you even hearing yourself, Ahsoka? We're Jedi! We don't need someone to protect us!" He exclaimed.

"Then you would rather strike out on your own and face off against innumerable members of an unknown species who are immune to the Force, your so-called 'greatest ally'?" Wraith chimed in, coming to Ahsoka's defence.

"Even if we can't fight back against them, what makes you think you can?" Anakin shot back.

"Because, Skywalker, it has been scientifically and physically proven that I am stronger and more durable than any known species. If we are going to encounter these creatures under any foul circumstances, I am the best suited for handling their machinations no matter their form." Wraith replied. Anakin tilted his head and gave him an odd look.

"And the Basic translation of that sentence would be...?" He wondered. Wraith chuckled a little.

"If my verbiage is too grand for your intellect then perhaps your intelligence quotient could stand to be broadened, if only to aid in your comprehension of the vast possibilities found within the basic galactic lexicon." He replied, flexing his knowledge and command of grammar all while irritating Anakin.

Score one for him.

"Do I need to break that down for y-"

"No. I know what it means." Anakin growled, shoving past Wraith. "Can we move on?" Beneath his helmet, Wraith wore the smuggest of grins.

This game of one-upmanship was tilting in his favor.


The group continued walking through the corridors, Wraith once more taking the lead with his axe at the ready, just in case. As they arrived at yet another intersection, the discovered to their complete amazement a set of large viewports lining the wall before them.

Viewports that looked out on to the black emptiness of space.

"Oh Sithspit! We are on a starship!" Ahsoka exclaimed, dashing over to the nearest one and peering out. Wraith was quick to accompany her, the sight of stars a welcome change from the seemingly endless halls. The other two joined them as the realization sank in that they were in the middle of space on a foreign ship with an unknown species.

Not a favorable situation to say the least.

As Wraith continued to scan across the stars, his gaze quickly landed on a nearby sphere. A planet that he recognized.

"Look, over there. That's Virujansi off in the distance." He said, pointing to a distant planet. The Jedi followed his line and quickly found the planet in question. "We're not far from it."

"But we are far enough." Ahsoka dejectedly realized. Virujansi was quite small, meaning they were a good distance away from it.

"At least we're somewhere recognizable." Wraith replied, knowing the collective worry of being transported somewhere totally unfamiliar had now been lifted. "Now we just have to get back."

"I couldn't agree more." Obi-Wan nodded in affirmation.

"But how?" Anakin wondered. Usually he was the one to think of an outside-the-box plan to save the day. But this time, he was all out of ideas.

Wraith, on the other hand, was not.

"We have two options: either we try to find a way to send a signal back to our forces on Virujansi and tell them to look for an out of place ship, or we find a way to the bridge of this ship and take control." He explained, bringing forth the only two viable options that would be best for them.

"Uh, speaking of taking control, is it just me or does this ship seem really quiet?" Ahsoka wondered.

"It is odd that our absence from our cell has not yet been detected. Surely security would've been increased tenfold by now." Wraith agreed, hopeful that these people were a little on the dumb side.

"Why do I get the feeling out luck is about to run out?" Obi-Wan grimly commented. Too many times had he been in situations where everything seemed to go his way only for them to completely turn on him in the end.

"Let's try to stay positive, Kenobi. At least Skywalker hasn't led us into any life-threatening predicaments." Wraith joked. Anakin, in response, rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Don't you ever get tired of doing that?"

"Are you kidding? I've got a holotext full of insults I've been saving for an occasion like this." Wraith replied, practically beaming.

"Whatever." Anakin sighed, deciding he was appealing to the wrong crowd. "Look, Obi-Wan, Snips, why don't you let me take charge on this one? I know my way around a starship, even if we're captured!" He implored.

"Yes, I'm sure this is a regular Zhellday for you." Wraith snickered.

"But do you know your way around a starship belonging to a species you've never encountered before?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin.

"Sure! Every ship has similar components: crew quarters, engine room, a bridge, you know, all the vital components." Anakin told him, slowly revealing his plan. Wraith cocked his head, deeming this another bout of Skywalker nonsense.

"And? Your point?"

"My point is we can find our way around this ship just by looking for the right areas, Bucket-head. If we figure out where we are, we can make our way to the bridge more easily." Anakin retorted, throwing in the insult Fives had come up with on Makem Te. "Look, we're right near some viewports, so my guess is there's a crew quarters or a mess hall around here somewhere." Suddenly turning around, Anakin took off down the hall.

"Skywalker, you idiot! Wait!" Wraith commanded. "We don't know where the crew might be!" But Anakin was too intent on following his own directive. "Dammit!" Wraith grumbled. He turned to the Jedi. "Come on, we've got to stop him before he gets us in trouble!" The three took off in hot pursuit, Wraith gripping his axe tightly as they pursued Anakin.

Of course he would be the one to get them into trouble. Such was his nature.

"I think there might be something this way!" Anakin called over his shoulder, not stopping.

"Master! Slow down! Wraith is right, we can't rush into anything!"

"Relax Snips! I know what I'm doing." Anakin replied as he turned a corner. The others were quick to catch up with him. "Here, there should be a-" Anakin froze in his tracks and stopped speaking as he came face to face with an open door...

That revealed a multitude of the beings they had seen previously.

As the other three arrived beside him, a plethora of eyes turned to see their arrival.

"Sithspit." Wraith growled, seeing how the crew was now aware of their escape.

"Uh oh." Ahsoka said nervously.

"Remember the part I said about our luck running out?" Obi-Wan mused. The creatures started to get riled up, jumping from their seats and making a general clamor of snarls, grunts and cries as they readied themselves for battle.

With the Jedi rather restricted in their uses, Wraith knew it was up to him to clear the path.

"Here's the deal," he started, turning around to instruct them, "you all stay put while I deal with them. Especially you, Skywalker!" He rumbled, levelling a finger at him. "I've had enough of your antics!" He growled.

"What are you going to do?" Ahsoka wondered.

"What I do best." With that, Wraith turned and started walking towards the hordes of battle-ready creatures. They grew excited to see him step forth, starting to brandish weapons of all kinds. They appeared to be melee-oriented, meaning there were no ranged options to worry about. Having never fought these things before, Wraith had no idea what to expect from them. He glanced down at the axe in his hand. "One man, one axe, alone against an army of unknown warriors..." He mused, glancing at the horde before him. "I like these odds." He rumbled, gripping the handle tightly. One of the warriors charged him, wielding a crude yet wicked-looking blade. As soon as he was close enough, Wraith swung his axe and buried it deep in the being's side before ripping it free and bringing the axe down on his head, nearly splitting it in two. The Jedi cringed at his merciless attack, imagining the horrible pain that came with it.

But such was Wraith's nature. No one survived an assault from him.

Pitch-black blood spurted from the open wound, showering Wraith as he shoved the body aside and kept moving, swinging his axe hard at the next nearest being and cleanly chopping its head off. Turning and throwing his axe past two creature and imbedding it in the face of a third, Wraith lunged forward and executed a split kick that connected with the heads of both beings before he tore his axe free and slammed it into the gut of one of them. Doubled over, the creature was powerless to stop Wraith as he pulled his axe free, raised it high and swung down hard, decapitating the creature. Moving quickly, Wraith kicked the opposite creature in the gut before he attacked with an upward swing, burying the axehead in its jaw. Moving behind the creature, Wraith pulled hard on the handle of his axe, tearing off the head of the being along with its spine. Shaking his axe to knock the head off, Wraith pushed past the brutalized body and hacked into another creature, nearly cleaving it in two. The being screamed as he was torn open, only to be silenced as Wraith buried his axe deep in his skull, just like he had to many of his fellows.

"Wraith! Behind you!" Ahsoka shouted in warning. Heeding her cry and turning about, Wraith saw a group of five creatures all getting ready to rush him. They saw how he had torn through their fellow warriors without hesitation and were now getting ready to see if he can handle many of them attacking at once.

Wraith was marginally impressed. These things learned faster than Clones did.

Standing his ground and gripping his blood-stained axe with both hands, Wraith waited for the beings to draw close enough before he swung hard with a mighty roar, successfully decapitating all of them in a single swing. Black blood spurted from their opened necks as their bodies fell, dousing the floor in slick fluids. One final creature lept high into the air, hoping to bring a whip crashing down upon Wraith. But the super-soldier hacked into him with his axe, knocking the warrior to the ground before he pulled his axe free and swung again, cutting him in two. The creature writhed and screamed before Wraith silenced him with a quick blow to the head, splitting open his skull. Pulling his axe free, Wraith surveyed the room full of corpses, rolling his shoulders and letting out a satisfied sigh.

"Damn, I'm good." He muttered happily. The Jedi remained standing where they were, looks of horror and disgust written across their faces.

"That was... excessive. Even for me." Obi-Wan said, cringing at the sight before him.

"Usually nothing fazes me, like, ever... but I think I'm gonna hurl." Anakin groaned.

"Ew. And he's covered in blood. Gross." Ahsoka commented, making a face before she sniffed the air. "Oh, and it smells too! Yuck!" She exclaimed, pinching her nose. Wraith turned back and walked over to them, slinging his blood-stained axe over his shoulder.

"Don't tell me you're all germaphobes." He commented, not fazed by his appearance or his work in the slightest.

"No. But we don't have soft spots for excessive violence either." Obi-Wan replied, taking a step back along with his friends as Wraith left the room.

"This? Bah! This is by no means 'excessive'. This is just one battle with an axe." Wraith informed him, stepping fully into the hall.

"Can we please take a vote on who to follow now?" Anakin wondered, scrunching up his face at the sight of Wraith's bloody form.

"Right. Either you follow the weakling who's about to retch at the sight of blood, or you follow me, the man who can handle himself." Wraith retorted. He stood silent for a moment, waiting for an answer. "No competition?" He wondered. The Jedi stayed silent. "Good. Then let's move on. And I'll be keeping an eye on you Skywalker. Pull another stunt like that and you'll be meeting the business end of my axe... and be needing another prosthetic limb!" He growled.


Reluctantly deciding to pursue Skywalker's advice about the similarities of starships, Wraith led the group back to the viewports in order to determine where they were on the ship. Leaving a trail behind thanks to the blood on his boots, the Jedi were sure to stick to Wraith's sides rather than right behind him.

"Thanks to Skywalker's blunder, anyone who enters that room now knows we aren't in our cells. So we'll have to do this quickly and quietly." Wraith explained as they once more stood before the vastness of space.

"You mean, thanks to your rampage." Anakin corrected him with a glare.

"While I would like to dive into the semantics of how I wouldn't have had to attack them if it weren't for your little stunt, we haven't the time." Wraith retorted.

"So what are we doing back here?" Obi-Wan wondered.

"We're going to see what we can see of the ship through these viewports. Hopefully they'll give us a clue where we are and will help orient us so we can find the bridge." Wraith explained, craning his neck and peering out as far as he could, his helmet pressed against the glass. Ahsoka did the same, looking in the opposite direction.

"Wait a minute. Are you saying you're doing what I suggested?" Anakin queried, a grin growing on his face.

"That's not what I-"

"Ha! Score one for the good guys!" Anakin exclaimed, pumping his bound fists.

"Ugh. Shut up already." Wraith growled, shoulders slouching. It was then that Ahsoka noticed something, not beside them, but below them.

"Wraith, what do you think those are?" She asked, pointing down. The super-soldier shifted to her viewport, one arm going around the Padawan as he peered over her shoulder.

Anakin and Obi-Wan noted his move and shared looks of disapproval.

What Ahsoka saw was a series of low-hanging curved structures that jutted out from the bottom of the ship. They were rigid, made from the same material as the rest of the ship, yet reminded Wraith of an insect in mid-flight.

"My guess is they're some kind of aesthetic feature or some kind of flight strut to help with stability." He suggested.

"By why would this ship have those?" Ahsoka wondered. "None of ours have anything like that. They're all angles and straight lines."

"This may be characteristic of the species themselves, they do have a fondness for organic material. However, their shape comes from a simple aerodynamic principle. The best way to improve flight capabilities and make aesthetic choices actually work? Have all the curves facing away from the front of the ship. Makes for less resistance from... space wind...?" He trailed off, his thoughts sudden disturbed by the fact there was no wind in space.

But there was on planets.

"Wait... this ship is designed for interplanetary travel. Fascinating." He realized.

"So these beings hop from world to world?" Ahsoka added, following his train of thought.

"Maybe. This might give more credence to the theory that these things are new to this corner of the galaxy and they got curious, decided to collect some locals for study." He agreed, continuing. He suddenly realized just how close their heads were and felt a bloom of warmth cross his face. Wraith had never been this close to Ahsoka before. Ahsoka realized the same thing, but she could also feel the heat radiating off his unarmored body.

She blushed a little too, her montrals darkening in color.

"Well, they kidnapped the wrong locals." Wraith surmised, standing up straight and returning to the hall. "Thank you Ahsoka. Now we have a rough idea as to where on this ship we are."

"And that is?"

"Somewhere in the middle, given the symmetrical design of those struts on both sides." Wraith answered. "Which means we need to go back the way we came."

"Aha! See? I was on to something!" Anakin victoriously exclaimed.

"Even the imbecile have their uses." Wraith retorted. "Now shut up and get in line."

"Sheesh, fine... Bucket-head." Anakin grumbled compliantly, muttering that last part under his breath.

"I heard that." Wraith growled. With their course of action decided, the group of unlikely allies moved on, back towards what they hoped to be the front of the ship.

Finding a way up was much harder, though.

They eventually discovered what could only be described as a crude, organic turbolift. They took it as high as they could go before they were dropped off on a level of the ship that looked identical to the last one. With everyone gladly leaving the confined space of the lift, they continued their search for the bridge... but met with little success.

Wraith was primarily relying on his thermal imaging scans, hoping he could locate a cluster of beings that would lead them forward. But with all the organic material of this ship adding their own radiation, he was getting mixed readings that was making this very difficult.

Rounding a corner and coming to a three-way intersection, the group paused as Wraith realized he needed to do something different. This was simply not working.

"Why does this look so familiar?" Obi-Wan wondered, glancing around at the walls.

"Probably because everything's built from the same stuff." Wraith replied as he recalibrated his scanners. His reply was short and it needed to be, he was busy with other matters. "Come on... give me something!" He softly growled as his tech continued to provide befuddling results.

"I'm telling you, he's leading us in circles!" Anakin declared, wishing his hands were unbound.

Why hadn't Obi-Wan or Ahsoka untied him already?

"And I'm assuming your omnipotent Force, which is malfunctioning here, can tell you where we are and where we need to go, without the use of full-spectrum scanners and a geographical heads-up display?" Wraith retorted, looking to his least-favorite Jedi.

"Normally, yes. Yes it can." Anakin confidently replied.

"But this isn't normal, is it Skywalker? No. This is completely out of the ordinary. And your typical shenanigans are of no use to us here, so you better just shut the hell up and accept the fact that I am infinitely better suited for this than you are!" The super-soldier demanded, levelling his axe at Anakin.

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka quickly sensed a confrontation was brewing, one that would more than likely end poorly for Anakin.

"You're just jealous 'cause you don't have the Force!" Anakin retorted.

"And why would I be jealous of that? You have the Force and I can still beat you to a pulp whenever I choose to!" Wraith sneered. Anakin growled, glaring daggers at Wraith.

"That's it! I'm going to scramble your thoughts so hard you won't be able to remember your own name!" He stomped forward, hands raised as he got ready to use the Force.

"Bring it, you arrogant, oversized Jawa!" Wraith rumbled, grabbing his axe with both hands. But they were quickly held back as Obi-Wan stepped between them before they could come to blows.

"Anakin! Wraith! That's enough! Fighting won't get us anywhere, in fact, it will make it easier for these beings to find us." He firmly stated, hands on both of their chests in an effort to keep them apart. The two said nothing, still giving each other withering gazes. "Ahsoka, help Wraith cool off while I take Anakin aside." He instructed, slowly guiding Anakin away. Ahsoka was surprised by his request and eyed Wraith warily.

"Uh... Yeah, sure thing Master..." She hesitantly responded. Obi-Wan led Anakin back to the far wall while Ahsoka did her best to usher Wraith over to the opposite wall.

"Are you crazy? Leaving her with him?" Anakin wondered, looking his friend straight in the eye.

"She is far better suited for dealing with him than you or I are." Obi-Wan calmly replied.

"But don't you see it? That's the problem! The more cooperative she is with him, the more she fuels whatever sick fantasies he has for her inside that twisted head of his!" Anakin retorted, not comfortable with Wraith even being near Ahsoka and believing he had things figured out.

But in his hot-headed state, Anakin seldom had things completely figured out.

"Anakin, calm down. Getting riled up will only make things worse." Obi-Wan told him, attempting to abate his fluctuating emotions. "Wraith is not someone to be dealt with, let alone worked with, with raw emotion alone. Remember what Thrawn said? We have to think around him, outsmart him."

"I have been doing that. Haven't you heard my insults?" Anakin replied.

Obi-Wan promptly facepalmed.

"Your insults are wrought from emotion, they are not intelligent or tactical." He explained with a sigh. "Besides, I doubt Wraith would try to do anything to Ahsoka with us here."

"I wouldn't put it past him to try." Anakin growled.

Meanwhile, Ahsoka's efforts were proving much more effective.

"Master Obi-Wan is right, fighting won't get us anywhere." She was saying.

"Tell that to Skywalker." Wraith grumbled.

"Come on, Wraith. Aren't you supposed to be like a tactical genius or something?"

"Yes..." He hesitantly replied.

"Well... is this the 'tactical' thing to do? Is arguing with Anakin going to help us leave?" She continued, trying to appeal to logic. Wraith remained silent as her words settled in his head.

She was right. Of course she was right. Skywalker always brought out the worst in him. He had to avoid succumbing to his level of idiodicy.

"You're right." He agreed with a sigh. "Of course you're right." Ahsoka smiled a little, glad he was willing to accept that he was wrong.

That was something Skyguy could seldom do.

"You are very calming, Ahsoka. Although I know this must be a difficult situation for you, I am happy you are here." Wraith said.

"Thanks... I guess." She whispered, a little unsure of how to respond. Then again, maybe she could use this to her advantage. "I know Skyguy can be a handful, but just... I don't know... try to work with him. Please? For me?" She asked, touching his arm.

"For you... anything." He affirmed in reply. While his words might've made things a little awkward, Ahsoka believed she'd found the key for keeping Wraith on task: her own pleadings. Obi-Wan escorted Anakin back into the hall and Ahsoka, with Wraith right behind her, joined him.

"I trust we've come to a suitable understanding?" The elder Jedi inquired.

"Wraith is... fairly pliant... especially when I'm doing the talking." Ahsoka replied.

"What can I say? She's got a way with words." Wraith shrugged. "Or maybe it's that subtle Togruta accent I find so attractive." He added, smirking beneath his mask.

"Are you quite finished?" Anakin wondered, sounding annoyed. "Because I want off his ship."

"Indeed. As long as you two can get along, we should be just fine from here onwards." Obi-Wan said.

"No promises, Kenobi." Wraith replied. "I can't guarantee that Skywalker won't do something that'll-" Stopping in mid-sentence, Wraith was suddenly aware of a series of incoming electrical signatures coming from behind the wall in front of them.

Electrical readings that were unique and strikingly familiar. But how to get in...?

"Skywalker... can you shift, maybe... two paces to your right?" He suddenly asked, interrupting his own train of thought. Anakin raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" With a quick gesture from Obi-Wan to say 'just do as he says', Anakin begrudgingly walked the two paces that put him in front of the wall.

"Now face me." Wraith instructed. Skywalker was unwittingly playing right into his plan. The bound Jedi turned on heel so his back was to the wall. "Perfect." Suddenly charging forward, Wraith dropkicked the surprised Anakin so hard he sent the Jedi crashing through the wall behind him. Shattered building material rained down around the stunned Jedi as Wraith vaulted over him, further surprising the two creatures in the now-exposed room. Leaping over the downed Anakin, Wraith swung his axe hard and beheaded one of the creatures before he turned and threw it at the other, the axehead sinking deep into the being's face and killing him instantly. As his body sank to the floor, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan poked their heads into the room.

"What was that all about?" The Togruta wondered as she stepped inside.

"Wraith, what did I just say about cooperating?!" Obi-Wan snapped, helping Anakin to his feet.

"What? I just needed a blunt, dumb object to help break the wall." Wraith innocently replied. In his mind, no harm had been done, save to those two creatures.

But Anakin had to disagree.

Climbing to his feet with a growl, the Jedi lunged at Wraith, arms outstretched like he wanted to choke him.

"Anakin, no!" Obi-Wan commanded, grabbing his friend and holding him back while he continued to struggle.

"Just one little throat hug! Just one...!" Anakin growled, hoping Obi-Wan would let him get away with hurting Wraith just a little bit.

"No!" Obi-Wan firmly stated. "Regardless of how you feel, we need him."

"Like hell we do!" Rolling his eyes at Anakin's less-than-threatening demeanor, Wraith turned about and pulled his axe free from the corpse. Taking a moment to size up the body as Ahsoka joined him, also curious and wanting to get a better look at these things, the two of them realized that the being's head possessed a series of circular scars where chunks of flesh had been cut away. Two stood out on his each cheek, right next to a blue eye sack, making them very hard to miss. Wraith dropped to his haunches for a better look. He quickly discovered there was no ragged edge to them, like they were earned during the chaos of battle. Instead, they were smooth and precise, like they were intentionally cut.

This lead him to a single conclusion about their race.

"These wounds appear to be intricate and deliberate, not random. I would hazard a guess and say they were ritualistic." He commented. Ahsoka recoiled at the suggestion.

"Ew. Why would anyone want to scar themselves like that?" She wondered, sounding a little disturbed.

"Don't really know, Ahsoka." Wraith replied, shaking his head. "I sympathize with your revulsion, though. Such a practice is queer at best and downright disturbing at its worst." While the two of them shuddered at the thought of permanent scarring as a means of honor or status, however these beings worked, Obi-Wan calmly interpreted it as a learning opportunity.

"A society that revolves around pain. How peculiar." Obi-Wan mused, stroking his beard.

"And dangerous." Wraith commented. Kenobi caught the aside remark.

"How so?"

"If they're not afraid to injure themselves, imagine what they wouldn't mind doing to us." Wraith stated, leaving his sentence up for determination.

Suffice to say, the Jedi could not conjure any pleasant thoughts.

"Right, uh, maybe we should get out of here now." Ahsoka hurriedly suggested, not wanting to stay on this ship any longer.

"Agreed. But first," Rising to his feet, Wraith turned and followed the electrical readings that had brought him here to begin with. Using his axe to hack open what could only be described as a strange footlocker made from a foreign wood, Wraith stooped down retrieved a series of items, "it appears you all owe me one." He said, turning around and revealing the Jedi's lightsabers in his hands.

"Our lightsabers!" Ahsoka exclaimed as Wraith handed over hers. He knew the design of hers by heart and recognized them easily. "Wait, what about your stuff?" She asked.

"I'm going to cross my fingers and hope it is somewhere back on Virujansi. I haven't been able to find it this entire time." The commando replied as he handed back Obi-Wan's. Now they would prove to be a little more useful, at least in combat.

But Anakin's he clipped his own belt, still determined to leave Skywalker bound.

"Hey! That's mine!"

"Not while you're tied up it's not." Wraith retorted. Moving to leave the room, Anakin softly growled as he walked past him.

"Anakin, heel." Obi-Wan grunted as he followed Wraith out.

"Are you serious?!" Anakin exclaimed, incredulous of the fact that his friend was taking his rival's side.

"Act like a mutt, be treated like a mutt. That's what I always say." Wraith added with a chuckle as he stepped into the hall. Now armed and ready to leave, the group moved out once more. Having learned from this little experience, Wraith adjusted to his scanners to electrical. Although this ship seemed to be primarily comprised of organic material, Wraith suspected there could be biochemical readings that produced bio-electricity for him to register.

And sure enough, there was.

Following a fresh reading that grew stronger and stronger with each step they took, Wraith hoped that it was some kind of instrument system that he was reading. Feeling a fight on the horizon, Wraith gripped his axe tightly, finding the lack of beings in the halls odd. Quickly adjusting to his thermal scanners, he observed the presence of numerous beings some distance ahead of them. Deciding it was time for a plan, Wraith motioned for the Jedi to join him in kneeling on the floor next to a wall.

"Looks we might be coming up on the bridge, or maybe a control room. I count, maybe a dozen beings inside it. We need to strategize, plan this out carefully so they don't get the upper hand."

"Okay. So, what do we do?" Ahsoka asked.

"These beings seem to like using primitive weapons, so expect close quarters combat. If anything, you all distract them while I take them out." He explained. "You three will take point, being the first ones to enter and drawing their attention. Then, once they are occupied with you, I will step in and see to it the room is ours." The Jedi nodded in understanding, even Anakin. "We move on my command. I will count down to your entry."

"What makes you so certain the doors will just open for us?" Anakin wondered. "So far you've had to force everything open." This was true. It surprised Wraith that Anakin was suddenly being so helpful, instead of his usual, irritating self.

"We'll cross that path when we get to the bridge." He replied, uncertain as to what their exact course of action would be. He needed to see the facts first, before he made a decision of any kind. Anakin could see the uncertainty in his body language and decided to try Obi-Wan's approach: appealing to logic rather than raw emotion.

"Look, Wraith, you need to untie me." He stated. The commando whipped his head around to face him.

"Why?"

"Because you need a fourth player. I can fight, plus, if you leave me tied up like this, I'll just be a liability to you." Anakin explained. He did have a point. It seemed likely that he might get captured and turned into leverage against them. While Wraith had a feeling he could do battle without the Jedi's assistance, the true extent of these beings were still unknown to him, meaning he had no idea what might await him if he were to become the only one battling them. That and they could very well put Ahsoka in harm's way. Something he refused to allow to happen.

From behind Anakin, Ahsoka mouthed 'please do it', something that forced Wraith to accept Anakin's request... for her sake.

"Fine." He relented. The group stood up and Wraith walked over to Anakin, snapping his bonds with his hands. Retrieving the lightsaber clipped to his belt, Wraith held it up but did not immediately return it. "Do not make me regret this." He growled. And he meant it. Should Skywalker cause this plan irreparable damage, there would be a lot of pain in his immediate future.

"No promises." The Jedi cheekily replied with a smirk, using the Force to take back his weapon.


Twelve of these mysterious beings stood tall on the bridge off their ship, carefully charting a course through the galaxy. The four pilots who sat near the front all hat their heads connected to a spine-like device that was wired to the controls of the ship.

Everything, even the controls, were organic in nature and function.

The dozen creatures wore far more ornate armor than the ones Wraith had butchered in the hall below, indicating they were individuals of a possibly higher rank or caste. They were the ones in control of this ship. They were the ones responsible for the 'collecting' of the four individuals from the planet they had just visited. The rest of the crew were resting comfortably, waiting to be reawakened when it was time for the next phase of their expedition.

They would return to the war world and deduce the threat these beings posed. If it were great, then their corpses would be dumped and the mission written off. If it were minimal, then they would return with greater numbers to claim the rest of this galaxy for their own. For the glory of the empire.

Suddenly, the access door behind them was torn open, the masked being with red eyes leaping ahead and followed by the three other strangers.

They had escaped. The prisoners were loose!

Those present began to shout in their tongue, rallying everyone to fight, to defend the pilots. Brandishing ornate swords and tools of all sorts, they stood ready for a fight. Snarling and growling in a threatening manner.

But Wraith was always ready to fight.

"Show no mercy!" Wraith called, gripping his axe tightly, "For they will show you none!" Lunging towards the nearest creature, Wraith swung his axe with such force the being's raised sword splintered on contact and the axe was driven deep into his chest. The Jedi, lightsabers ignited in a colorful display, engaged the nearest creatures, primitive swords clashing with glowing blades of light. Surprisingly, their weapons did not break, indicating they had been forged from a resistant material. Obi-Wan quickly started dueling the creature nearest to him, his blade crossing the primitive tool in a manner he knew well. So many times before had he fought beings of similar caliber, he had a feeling this one would be no different.

But he was about to receive an unexpected surprise.

The being fought ruthlessly and relentlessly, forcing Obi-Wan to go on the defensive. Needing same space from the snarling, ugly mug of the creature, Obi-Wan stepped back and summoned a Force-push with enough strength to land any other being on their back. But this creature stumbled, a move barely even noticeable, clearly unfazed by the Force.

"They're immune to the Force! We can't even knock them back!" Kenobi exclaimed in surprise.

"Then don't use the Force!" Wraith called over the din. "Your lightsabers aren't just for show!" He said, hacking into another being and getting sprayed with pitch-black blood. He now had three kills under his belt, while the Jedi were struggling with the opponent's they had started with. Obi-Wan begrudgingly accepted his advice and, albeit forcibly, resorted to lightsaber combat.

Wraith lept off a nearby wall and brought his axe crashing down on another being, splitting his head in two with his swing. Leaving his axe imbedded in the creature, Wraith lashed out with a hook kick and a hard jab that sent another two creatures staggering.

Despite his lack of armor, he was still more than capable of delivering bone-crushing blows.

Retrieving his axe from the corpse behind him, Wraith beheaded one of the staggered beings and then the other, becoming a death-machine on the move.

The pilots, alerted to the fight and aware that their commanding officers were losing, did their best to pitch in by suddenly and violently turning the ship hard to starboard. Everyone standing was knocked to the ground by the move, thrown by the turning of the ship.

All that is, save for Wraith.

Jumping towards the pilots, Wraith hacked into one from behind before grabbing another being by the head and throwing him across the room and into a wall. The other two suffered an axe to their throats before Wraith turned on the remaining beings in the room, only to see that the Jedi had disarmed them. Literally.

"Didn't think you had it in you." He mused, walking over.

"We Jedi do what we must when it is necessary." Obi-Wan replied.

"Aaaand you're covered in blood again." Anakin noted, wrinkling up his nose to the gruesome sight of the blood-stained Wraith.

"When am I not?" The super-soldier retorted, slinging his equally-bloody axe over his shoulder. He looked around the room. "Well, on a different note, I'd say the bridge is ours."

"Now to get back to Virujansi." Ahsoka said. "Any ideas how to work those controls, Wraith?" She asked.

"What controls?" Wraith replied. "There are none, save for those headpiece-things."

"Perhaps that pilot you left alive can take us back." Obi-Wan suggested. "We can get him to fly this thing, surely he knows how to."

"But how are we going to explain that to them? We can't understand what they're saying and we don't speak their language." Anakin questioned. The Jedi began to think hard on this problem. When the option to learn ther language via a force-probe through one of their minds briefly surfaced as a possibility, they quickly remembered that these things were immune to the Force and that a probe would likely be ineffective.

There had to be a way.

"I have an idea." Wraith said, stepping towards the downed pilot. "Simple communication can be achieved through the easiest of visual aids. A universal language, if you will." The creature in question had shaken off the violent throw and was returning to full cognition when he realized Wraith was towering over him. Stained with the blood of his allies and his optics blazing with power, the being shrank back, positively afraid of whoever this was before him. Moving his axe slowly so the pilot could follow his moves, Wraith pointed his axe at the controls of the ship before pointing to the now-visible Virujansi. Once this was completed, Wraith moved his axe under the creature's chin and applied slight pressure to his neck, hoping he had gotten his point across.

The being slowly nodded, understanding what he wanted, and what would become of him if he didn't obey, quite clearly.


Having secured the bridge and dealt with the crew, the advanced scout ship landed back on Virujansi and dropped off the Jedi and Wraith. Touching down in an empty plateau, the Jedi and Wraith exited through a hole the Jedi had cut in the hull of the ship. While they used the Force to leap down safely, Wraith simply jumped, his agility training paying off as he crashed down next to them.

"Solid ground." Ahsoka breathed. "Thank the Force."

"What? Didn't enjoy that little adventure, Snips?" Anakin quipped as he took a deep breath of fresh, planet-based air.

"Like you did, Master. You were tied up the whole time." Ahsoka shot back. Wraith, still holding his new axe, had to chuckle at her comeback.

However, the moment was brief as his mind switched to far more resting matters that required his immediate attention. There was still a mission for him to accomplish.

"Now that that's over..." He mused, turning and starting to walk away, axe slung over his shoulder.

"Wraith, a moment." Obi-Wan called after him, causing him to pause and turn back. "You helped us escape and for that, we are grateful."

"We are?" Anakin wondered with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. We are." Obi-Wan repeated, as if to say 'shut up, Anakin'. "Which is why I would like to propose we peacefully go our separate ways. I know you've got your orders and we undoubtedly have ours, but after all we've been through, maybe we should simply take a break from fighting each other." He suggested.

"After working with you all, fighting you would be a welcome change." Wraith replied, crossing his arms. Then he stopped to consider the situation they were in and what they had just been through. "However, what you're suggesting would be the amicable choice... and I'm inclined to agree to your terms." He said. "You call your men off and leave me be while I make my way back, and I'll let you return to your forces without hassle." He added, clarifying what 'separating peacefully' ought to look like.

"Deal." Obi-Wan agreed, extending his hand. Although hesitant, Wraith shook it, before turning on heel and quickly leaving. The Jedi too made to leave, having had enough for one day but also believing they had learned quite a few lessons along the way.

Not to mention they could also say they had worked side-by-side with The Wraith... and survived to tell about it.

The strange beings that comprised the crew of the advanced scout ship returned to their home, shaken to the core. When the priests and leaders asked what happened, they explained as best they could. They talked of the corpses of their allies being found rent and torn apart, their blood covering both walls and floors. Those who survived the direct encounter told a much darker tale. They spoke of one who fought like Yun-Yammka incarnate, whose fury and ferocity were unbridled. A true champion of the Slayer if ever they had seen one. The priests believed this to be a bad omen. Their visit to the other worlds had brought the wrath of the war god upon them, their party devastated because they displeased him.

In repentance, many blood sacrifices were offered in the following days. The survivors of the expedition personally sacrificed themselves as atonement for their perceived sins against the god of war, wishing to not bring any divine harm to their tribes or their families.


Later that night...

Returning to Coruscant after securing Virujansi, Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka told their tale to Chancellor Palpatine and Masters Windu and Yoda, with Thrawn standing close by in Palpatine's office. The details intrigued all of their listeners greatly, especially how they worked side-by-side with The Wraith in order to make their escape.

"It seems rather surprising that Wraith would be open to such cooperation." Palpatine mused.

"We all thought the same." Obi-Wan agreed. "However, it may have been simple logic that drove him to cooperating with us in the first place."

"Of course, we had to play by his rules the whole time." Anakin added, still not happy with exactly how their escape unfolded. "Some of which were rather... absurd."

"Like how he left you tied up nearly the whole time, Master?" Ahsoka wondered.

"Let's not bring that up, Snips."

"We're grateful for your survival, regardless. Master Kenobi, we would appreciate it if you could brief the rest of the Council back at the Temple. The possibility of an unknown species with hostile intentions and Force-immunity is something everyone should know about." Mace said, feeling his account to be of great importance.

"Master Skywalker, if you could please remain and deliberate with us further, perhaps Commander Thrawn might be able to offer us more insights should these beings return." Palpatine asked. The two Jedi nodded, Obi-Wan making to leave alongside Yoda and Mace while Anakin and Ahsoka stayed behind for the time being. Once the Jedi were out of earshot, Obi-Wan decided to broach a topic that had been sitting uneasily with him for some time.

"Masters, a word." He said, calling their attention. Once he had it, he continued. "I purposefully stayed silent on this while explaining to the Chancellor, but in the presence of Jedi I simply have to share it." He stated. "While we were on that ship, feeling our way around with the Force, I detected a very faint Force-signature... it was coming from Wraith." The other Jedi froze as the normally stone-faced Mace turned to Obi-Wan with an incredulous look.

"You don't think...?" He slowly wondered, trailing off.

"I don't know what to think. That's why I'm telling you now." Obi-Wan explained. "I don't want to worry anyone about the possibility of Wraith being Force-sensitive, especially if I'm wrong. But if I'm right, we could have a major crisis on our hands." The Jedi fell silent, pondering Obi-Wan's words. He was right. Not only the Jedi but the Republic would also have a crisis on their hands if The Wraith turned out to be strong with the Force.

The outcome of the entire war would be at stake.

"In all living things, the Force is. A living being, The Wraith is." Yoda stated. "Worry about it, you should not." He said, reassuring Obi-Wan that he was probably focusing so hard he was able to detect the living Force in Wraith.

While he chose to accept Master Yoda's words, Obi-Wan had to wonder if that was really the case...

"Go get some rest Snips. You've had a long few days." Anakin instructed his Padawan.

"With pleasure." Ahsoka agreed, politely taking her leave of the Chancellor before she followed the other Jedi out, desperate for some shut-eye.

"General Skywalker," Thrawn began, "the beings you described, while unknown to the Republic, are not to me." He stated, drawing Palpatine's attention.

"You are aware of who they are, Commander?" He asked, wishing for more insight into these strange creatures that, until now, were unheard of.

"I am." Thrawn simply replied. "The Chiss Ascendency has encountered this species several times during our voyages to other regions. It is of some concern that you have discovered them here, so deep in the galaxy-at-large." He continued. Having witnessed this race himself, he knew exactly how dangerous they were and how lucky the Jedi were to be standing before him right now.

Perhaps it was destiny that Wraith was captured too, if only for him to be their savior.

"Well, then, who are they?" Anakin wondered, asking the question that was also on Palpatine's mind.

"In my native tongue of Cheunh, my people call them the 'Far Outsiders'." Thrawn explained. "However, I've heard that they refer to themselves as the 'Yuuzhan Vong'."


Author's Note: Dun dun dun! And now the Republic knows of their existence! But will the Yuuzhan Vong return? Or was Wraith's savagery enough to keep them at bay? We shall see...