-Chapter 49: Clash With the Titans Part 2-

Location: Takodana

"He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious."

'Hater' tromped through the woods of Takodana in search of his elusive quarry. He was following a trail his photoreceptors had picked up, glowing through his image transceivers and plain as day. But while he was able to tail the subject in question, he couldn't quite catch them, leaving him only able to hound and force them to travel where he wanted them to go.

In this case, that particular destination was the next sector. Where the next team was waiting.

His target, a bloody and heavily injured Wraith, half-jogged and half-stumbled through the woods. With blood still trickling from his many, many wounds, Wraith was desperate to find a way out, too drained and too weak to fight. But with minimal tech at his disposal, Wraith could only hope to survive this.

Hey, why don't you just use Tyth and burn down the woods? Voice wondered.

"And give away... my position?" Wraith rasped as he braced himself against a tree, clutching his side as the pain from his broken ribs forced him to pause.

Yeah, good point. Still, why haven't you tried fighting back?

"If you haven't noticed... I haven't really... had an opportunity." Wraith growled in reply. "They're fast... they're good... they're pushing me to my limits."

Huh. Kinda says something about who they are, right?

"Indeed." Wraith agreed. Hearing the thunderous footsteps of the hulking droid behind him, Wraith started moving again, clueless to the fact that he was being led somewhere...


Back at his mobile hub, Corsair watched the single blip walk across the map with Hater's own signature right behind him.

"Pushin' 'im inta sectah two. Brilliant, that droid is." He remarked, tapping some ashes off his cigarra.

"Where did you even get armor like that for him?" Anakin wondered aloud. "I've never seen a modular type like that."

"Jedi, when you've been around as long as I 'ave, ya know people who can work wondah's with tech." Corsair replied.

"But... 'Wraithbuster'? Seriously?" Anakin asked, finding the droid's armored-up designation a tad childish. Corsair shrugged.

"Last week it was 'mercbuster' and before that 'tankbuster'." He replied.

"So it's a verbal tic. How interesting." Obi-Wan mused, stroking his beard.

"Ya got that right. Like I said, ya know people who can do things. Kinda like the rest of my team." Corsair continued, blowing smoke from his mouth.

"Yes. They do seem to know what they're doing." Obi-Wan agreed, walking over to the holomap. "They're organized in such a fashion that they can handle any situational variable as it arises." He observed, taking note of the various teams set up around the map, all of them ready and waiting for Wraith to enter their zone. "While I might also be one to question the Chancellor's judgement in hiring mercenaries, Anakin, you have to admit, they do seem to know their stuff." He said, turning around to his friend.

"I like this one! He's calm and he sees tha big pictah!" Corsair remarked with a grin, giving Obi-Wan a friendly slap on the back. The blow was enough to make the Jedi stumble, but Corsair didn't seem to care. "Team two, 'e's headin' yor way! Cagah, head to Hater's location!" He ordered into his comms.

"Finally! On our way boss!" Came the reply.


Leaning up against another tree, Wraith coughed into his hand as he struggled to go on. He was really running out of steam now. He needed to stop and catch his breath for a lot longer than a couple of seconds. But that wasn't doable so long as the HK droid was still on his tail.

"Why won't this damn droid stop?" He wondered aloud. As he did, another burst of static caused his HUD to flicker and his left optic winked out. Growling in frustration, Wraith promptly smacked the side of his helmet, restoring his optic and accidentally triggering his thermal sensors in the process. Looking down, Wraith suddenly saw something he hadn't seen before... he was the wrong color.

His thermal imaging systems usually registered his own body in a myriad of colours, based off his own body heat. But at the moment, his entire body was green.

Then it hit him... the mines that had detonated earlier that night, releasing a cloud of dust.

That dust was what was on him... they were using it to track him.

"Sonnuva..." He realized, looking himself over. Turning around, he could see a similar trail of green left on leaves and trees and the ground through his cracked optics where the dust had rubbed off.

This was it. This was how they were tracking him.

Without a second thought, Wraith hurriedly removed his jacket, knowing the armor was fractured and beyond useless now anyways. But before he discarded it entirely, he removed all of his valuable materials from within, namely the dispensers containing Bacta. Tossing his duster on the ground, Wraith made to leave, but not before he had an idea...


Later...

The second team of Titan mercs, this one consisting of a mix of humans and repurposed or reprogrammed battle droids, either clad in black body armour or painted black, moved carefully through the jungle with custom slugthrowers raised. They were nearing the location of Hater's last ping and were anticipating The Wraith to be somewhere close by. Knowing their fellow Titans had already done a number on him, team two was ready for a fight, the history of their target a long and well-known one.

With all the organics bearing special visors and goggles that could track The Wraith, they soon came across a large reading that could only be him. To confirm, their leader called the HK droid that had been in pursuit.

"Hater, you got optics on target?"

"Affirmative. Range: ten feet. Analysis: target is on the ground in a prone state." The droid replied. Cager took the answer with a nod before issuing orders.

"Tee-Dee Four, Tee-Dee Five, move up and watch the perimeter. Tee-Dee Six, Arrow, check it out." The four individuals, three droids and a human, advanced on the glowing mass their scanners picked up. Advancing slowly with weapons at the ready, they were prepare for anything.

But what they found was most disappointing.

Once they were standing right in top of their reading, Hater so much as emerging from the woods to join them, all they found was Wraith's discarded duster.

"Subject lost." Hater bluntly observed as the battle droid put out a call.

"It's just his jacket, sir." It said, conveying the disappointing news. "I think he figured out we covered him with irradiated dust that made him easy to track." Cager sighed, as did his men.

"Boss' ain't gonna like this." Arrow mused.

"Tell me about it." Cager agreed, the defeat weighing heavily on him. He'd have to be the one to tell Corsair that Wraith had gotten wise to their plan. "Well, bring it back anyways." Arrow stopped down to pick up the duster, grabbing it by the armoured portion surrounding the neck. He lifted it up off the ground and suddenly heard a steady beeping. Turning the duster over, Arrow laid eyes on four explosive disks that had been fixed to the inside of the duster... and all of them were armed.

"Uh oh." The battle droid managed to get out before the disks detonated and and a massive explosion threw them all back. The droid nearest Arrow was destroyed immediately, the human flung back and to the ground, a little charred and burnt, while the other droids were simply knocked back and offline, but not beyond repair. Hater quickly patted out the flames on its arms, massive scorch marks now marring its chest and shoulders. Cager and the rest of his team were on the scene as soon as the explosion died down.

"Man down! Get medical over here!" He ordered before queuing his comms. "Boss, target gave us the slip. He figured out the dust and ditched his jacket." He reported.

"Really now...?" The Titan leader fell silent for a moment as he weighed the situation in his mind. "He couldn't 'ave gotten far, Hater was trackin' 'im nonstop." He continued. "Maintain position team two."


Shutting off his comm, Corsair paused for a moment of silent admiration of Wraith's deception before he took one final drag from his near-finished cigarra before crushing the butt under his heel. "Even in 'is condition... he is good." He had figured that Wraith would eventually catch on to their means of tracking him, but had partially hoped that he wouldn't until it was too late.

But now that he had, this job got a little harder.

Pulling out another cigarra from his vest, Corsair lit it and took a drag. Blowing out a small cloud of smoke, the Titan leader contemplated their next step, glancing at the map which no longer sported a moving red blip. He soon had an idea and acted on it. "Jammah, contact Linah and tell 'er to bring in the drone. Looks like we'll need it after all." The purple Twi'lek nodded and moved to obey as Corsair put out another call. "Hackslash! See if you can find 'im while we get the Anoobas ready." He ordered another Titan.

"For the last kriffing time, Corsair, I hate nicknames! My name is Maro!" Maro responded angrily. Corsair rolled his eyes.

"Whatevah."


Maro was a member of the four-armed Ardennian people, commonly referred to as 'space monkeys' by most organics due to their appearance resembling other similar sapiens. His skills as a combatant were what earned him a spot with the Titans, the nimble being able to chase down targets with quick efficiency. That and his tracking abilities often proved invaluable on mission where the target started running.

Given the information available, Maro understood that Wraith had been weakened by his encounters with the other Titans, meaning that he couldn't be very far, especially if Hater had been tracking him the entire time. But there was one more trail he could follow... Wraith's own blood. Adjusting his visor to a different setting, Maro was able to pick up a trail of liquid drops, glowing through his visor.

"Can't hide from me..." He mused, taking off in pursuit. The Ardennian bounced and swung from tree to tree with remarkable agility and skill, his four arms grasping at limbs and bark before he'd even reached it. Maro had been on dozens of chases like this one before and every time they always ended the same way.

This one would be no different.

Bounding through the forest, Maro eventually caught of with Wraith's stumbling form, currently leaning against a tree and bent over as he coughed for air. Maro opened a quick channel to Corsair.

"Boss, I got eyes on target." He reported, knowing that they were already tracking his position.

"Stall 'im!" Corsair immediately responded. "Sendin' the othahs yor way!" With his path clear, Maro drew four different vibroknives from behind and lunged at Wraith, two blades cutting through his side as the Ardennian suddenly made his presence known. Wraith cried out in pain, clutching his wounded side and feeling warm blood around his fingers as Maro slid to a halt in front of him.

"You're not getting away that easy, big guy." Maro remarked, grinning behind his visor. With barely a minute to size up his new opponent, Wraith quickly formed a plan of action based on Maro's shorter stature and choice of weapons. Wraith calmly drew both of his knives without another word, twirling them about in his hands as he prepared himself for combat. Maro saw his weapons and smirked. "You think you can take me?" He wondered.

"I could ask the same of you." Wraith replied in a tired voice. Maro was quick to go on the offensive, Wraith struggling to parry or block all four of his weapons at once. The Ardennian quickly got a few cuts in, slicing Wraith's unarmored arms and body, causing him even more pain. But the pain was far worse when Maro stabbed a knife deep into the side of his shoulder, earning him a growl of pain from Wraith.

"Death by a thousand cuts, pal." The Ardennian announced as he pulled his blade free, Wraith clutching his shoulder as blood seeped through his fingers. "That's how you're going down."

"If I go out, I'm going out on my own terms." Wraith retorted, gathering himself and ready to go again. Maro was quick on the draw this time, bouncing off nearby trees as he attacked with spinning slashes, Wraith's gauntlets bearing the brunt of his blows. But Maro took the low road and started swiping at Wraith's legs, impaling a knife deep into the super-solder's thigh. Howling in pain, Wraith swung wildly with his own knives, but Maro was already gone. As blood dripped down his thigh, forcing him to one knee, the Ardennian jumped on Wraith's back, digging his blades into his unprotected flesh. Wraith screamed in agony as Maro tore free, blood flying in the wake of his knives. Wraith keeled over, knives still in hand and struggling to hold it together. Maro ran around to his front and Wraith took a few hard swipes in his direction. But the Ardennian dodged them with ridiculous ease, bouncing from ground to tree and back, just in time to strike Wraith with a quick slash.

Wraith could no longer focus. He couldn't keep this up. The pain was just too much, he was losing too much blood. He tried to swipe again and failed, missing Maro entirely and opening himself up in the process. The Ardennian promptly jumped on him, sinking his upper knives deep into Wraith's shoulders as Maro stabbed the super-soldier once, twice, three times, four times in the chest and torso before finally hopping off, blood trialing behind his knives. Wraith doubled over and fell to his hands and knees, his blood hitting the ground in rivers.

Wraith, he's too good! You can't beat him at his own game, not in this state. Voice cautioned him. Outsmart him or outwit him, you're not going to overpower him. Wraith silently agreed.

"Had enough?" Maro wondered, twirling his knives around in his hands. Wraith forced himself to stand, silently defying him. "Fine by me, pal. I like gluttons for punishment." Wraith ignored his retort and stumbled over to a tree as Maro warily followed him, ready to strike.

Then he did.

Launching himself forward, four hands propelled the Ardennian into a dropkick that struck Wraith in the back, causing him to purge forward and crash clean through a low-hanging tree branch. Coughing for air and struggling to push past the burning pain that ripped though him, Wraith scrambled to find a way out of this. He saw the branch lying on the ground beneath him, looking thick and heavy, no doubt a very weighty piece. Grabbing the branch in desperation, Wraith summoned whatever was left of his strength and pushed past the burning pain in his arms to heft the branch up and blindly swing it around with a roar.

Luck was on his side, and the branch connected with Maro's head.

The Ardennian was thrown to the side, his head snapping to the side and his knives falling from his grip as he flew through the air before landing unconscious on the forest floor. Realizing his fortune, Wraith breathed a happy sigh of relief, dropping the branch and falling to his hands and knees, rasping for air. He coughed, a few drops of blood landing on the ground. Wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, Wraith was in need of a very long rest. But he couldn't afford to just yet. He had a sneaking suspicion that the rest of this group wouldn't be far off and so, mustering enough strength to slowly sheath his knives and rise, Wraith stumbled off into the darkened woods.


It didn't take long for the other Titans to find Maro and their communication to Corsair left the Titan leader in a rather thoughtful mood.

"I'll admit, 'e's good." He said aloud, taking a long drag from his cigarra. "Jammah, where tha hell is Linah?" He demanded of his Twi'lek techie. "We gotta hurry up an' find this kriffer!"

"She said she was on her way, boss." The Twi'lek replied in Ryl. "I assume the drone might be giving her issues." Corsair grumbled in response.

"Sounds like you're having some issues." Anakin mused with a slight grin. Corsair glared at him.

"Not now, ya backwatah brat!" He snapped. "Jus' stay outta my way." Anakin rolled his eyes, like he was going to heed the words of a mercenary. With Obi-Wan having returned to tend to the battle for Takodana and Thrawn having also returned to the fleet over the planet, Anakin was alone without any serious supervision. And he decided to take full advantage of it. Turning around, he opened up his own comms and put out a transmission.

"Hey Snips, feel like leading a scouting mission?" Anakin asked his Padawan.

"What am I looking for, Master?" Ahsoka replied.

"Anything that resembles a wounded, bloody Wraith. We've lost contact and need to find him again. We're getting him this time for sure!"

"Oh. Okay, on my way." Her reaction was noticeably less-enthusiastic... as was someone else's.

"Jus' what the hell do ya think yer doin', Jedi?!" Corsair demanded, grabbing Anakin's shoulder and roughly turning him around. "Ya can't jus' interfere in my operation!" He shouted.

"I'm not." Anakin calmly replied, a response already in mind. "I'm technically carrying out an operation of my own." He stated, crossing his arms. "I'm not in your way, I'm just having a team of my own do a sweep of the area." He finished with a smirk. Corsair could see right through his words, his motives as plain as day, and frowned.

"Ya win on account a' technicality, Jedi. But pull anothah stunt like that again, and yor Chancellor will hear about it." He threatened, taking a long drag from his cigarra. The Titan leader returned to his thoughts on the task at hand, plotting out the best course of action to take next. This wasn't the first time he'd lost contact with a target, there were ways of salvaging this. But now that Skywalker had gone and butted in... things might get tricky for him and his men...

And yet... if his Padawan was leading the scouts... there might be something for him there...

Corsair had read through Thrawn's entire dossier on The Wraith and took careful note of all his observations... including the small aside about his apparent infatuation with Ahsoka Tano. Now that the teenage Togruta was out in the field, Wraith might end up gravitating towards her... and right into a trap in the process.

'This could actually work out well...' Corsair thought to himself, grinning a little. He queued his comms and opened a channel to all his units. "All teams, listen up: target's gone dark but lost his armah. Time ta go toxic." He instructed them. A chorus of 'yes sir' greeted him in response.

"Toxic?" Anakin wondered. Corsair simply shot him a grin, not saying a word.

"I want all a' ya ta fan out, start at the edges of tha grid and work in towards command. We'll find 'im." He continued.


Later that night...

While the Titans were busy sweeping the edges of their operating zone, Ahsoka had taken a small group of 501st Clones and started searching the second grid of the map where Wraith had last been seen. She led them in a slow, methodical approach known as 'mowing the lawn', essentially leading the group from one side of the sector to the other as they worked their way down. Time ticked on as the Republic affiliates dutifully searched the nocturnal woods for their Separatist prey, the whole ordeal painfully boring.

But then, as she was leading the group onwards, Ahsoka suddenly sensed a familiar presence through the Force. Like a dying flame that offered little heat, she could sense a weakened person nearby... and could only guess who it was. The Clones were a little ways behind her, so Ahsoka took a moment to peer into the darkness... and could've sworn she saw a pair of crimson optics vanish behind a nearby tree. Knowing Wraith, he was likely doing everything to avoid being seen, which indicated to her that these mercs must've really done a number on him.

How bad a number? That she was determined to find out.

"All clear so far." The lieutenant behind her reported as he walked up. He was quick to notice Ahsoka's distant look. "Commander?" The Togrutan quickly thought up an explanation, and a means to get these Clones out of here.

"I... think we're going about this the wrong way." She told him, turning about. "If The Wraith really is as wounded as they say, then he'll be looking to hide, not run." She explained. The Clone slowly nodded.

"That does make sense, sir." He replied.

"We should split up, we'll cover more ground that way. Just make sure your visual scanners are maxed out, you don't want to get ambushed out here." Ahsoka instructed them. "I'll keep searching around here, you five move along." None of them argued with her and they all immediately moved to obey, much to her relief. As the Clones moved along, Ahsoka acted like she was searching the area. But as soon as they were out of sight, she quit acting. "Wraith?" She softly called to the darkness. "Wraith, it's just me. I know you're there." She reassured him. Squinting slightly, she saw the darkness stir as a familiar form slowly emerged from behind the tree.

"I'm... that easy to find... am I?" He dryly wondered aloud. Ahsoka was about to respond when he stepped into the moonlight, and she instead gasped in horror.

His body was riddled with holes, stab wounds and slash marks, his shirt just about soaked with his blood. Absolute rivers of crimson stained his legs and dripped from his mouth, indicating the sheer number he had sustained tonight.

"Oh my Force! What have they done to you?!" She worriedly asked, rushing over to him.

"Plenty..." He replied with a cough, leaning against the tree for balance. "Are... Are they around?" He worriedly asked. Ahsoka shook her head.

"No. It's just me. I sent the Clones off."

"Clones too huh?" He wondered, his breathing labored and raspy. "Everbody's... here-oof!" He suddenly doubled over, falling to one knee as another coughing fit racked him. A worried Ahsoka immediately knelt by his side. "I... I think they might've... punctured some organs..." He told her, sounding weak. Worry and concern written all over her face, Ahsoka questioned what she could do to help him. But her limited healing training left her with very few options, none of them enough to stabilize Wraith.

Anakin was right. He was really beaten up.

"I have to get out of here... I... won't survive another engagement." He rasped, his sentences coming slowly as pauses for prolonged breaths punctuated his words. "Tell me... where's the... the battle?"

"You're seriously thinking about going back out to fight?" Ahsoka asked incredulously, ready to forbid him from doing such a thing.

"Of course... not." Wraith replied, coughing as he did. "But that's about... where my ship will be..." He added. Ahsoka breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, it's to the southwest of here." She told him. "Here, I'll help you." Taking her extended hand, Wraith slowly stood before Ahsoka put her arm around him helping him on.

"Thank you... my dear." Wraith whispered, grateful for some assistance after a long night of opposition. "Hey... question: Remember... when I accidentally slipped under your skirt... on Wasskah? What kind of... underwear were... you wearing?" He asked. Ahsoka paused, her face flushing as she registered the half-awkward, half-personal question.

"Does it matter?" She slowly replied.

"Well... the waistband did feel pretty narrow... Was it a... a thong?" Wraith inquired. Ahsoka turned beet-red.

"No! Don't be ridiculous!" She exclaimed. "I've never worn a thong... ever!" She added in defence.

"Sorry. I'm... bleeding out and all I've got left is... my sense of humor." Wraith remarked, coughing a little as a fresh surge of pain rocked his body.

"You survive this and I'll teach you all about women's underwear." Ahsoka told him. Wraith chuckled.

"That's a class I'll... happily attend." He mused. Ahsoka couldn't help but sigh... and smile a little.

"Yep, your humor is definitely intact." She noted. But her moment of reprieve was cut short when Wraith started coughing again, persistent this time and almost violently so. Ahsoka helped him to his knees as Wraith's coughing fit died down.

"I'm sorry..." he rasped, "I can't... move very fast..."

"It's okay, take your time." Ahsoka responded, knowing everyone else was pretty far away right now.

But neither of them noticed the small, DRK-1 probe droid hovering in the sky above them.


"Boss, over here!" The brown-haired Corellian woman in a pilot's jumpsuit called to Corsair. Seraj Liner had been busy manning her little probe droid and scanning the forest for Wraith. She'd found nothing until now, finally registering a pair of thermal hits. Corsair quickly strode over to her holodisplay and leaned over as she pointed out the targets. "Grid eight in sector two."

"They're not far from 'ere." He noted, quickly activating his comms. "All teams, head ta sector two by eight now! We've got confirmation of target!" He ordered. Quickly moving to go there himself and link up with Theris and team one, Corsair stooped down and grabbed his custom scatterblaster from the ground, pumping it as he did. "Feel free ta tag along, Jedi," he told Anakin, "jus' don't get in my way."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Anakin sarcastically remarked.


"Are you gonna be okay?" Ahsoka wondered as Wraith injected himself with his final shot of bacta. The super-soldier was sitting up against a tree, needing a moment to recover his strength.

"I should." He replied, slightly uncertain about how long he'd be down for and if these mercs had caused him any serious internal damage.

"You don't look so good." She noted, kneeling next to him.

"That's kinda... stating the obvious... isn't it?" He wondered with a half chuckle. It even hurt to laugh. Ahsoka made a small smile.

"Maybe a little." She agreed. Having recovered enough, Wraith made to stand and Ahsoka helped him the rest of the way. "Come on, I'll help you to the edge of the woods." She told him. But Wraith only made it a few more steps before he faltered, his stabbed leg giving out from under him. He was in incredible pain and it was only his drive to survive that had kept him going this long.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out for.

Ahsoka helped him back to his shaky feet as Wraith steadied himself, now starting to doubt his odds of surviving this night.

"Ahsoka..." he rasped her name, drawing her attention. Wraith looked to her and his crimson gaze met her shining blue. "If I don't survive this... I..." he started to say, trailing off as he worked up the strength, let alone the courage, to say what was on his heart. "I just... want you to know that... I..." Ahsoka waited for him to continue, but he just couldn't get the words out.

He was simply too afraid.

Come on! Tell her! Voice encouraged him, knowing the three little words he wanted to use, that he'd longed to tell her. But Wraith couldn't. They lay lodged in his throat, trapped by a fear of how she would react and what might become of them.

But as he feigned attempting to catch his breath, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as Wraith sensed a great many people closing in on them. Just like on Lola Sayu, he could sense the presence of individuals, even though he didn't know how he was doing this or even where they were. But if he was picking up this many signatures, that could only mean one thing...

"We've got company." He suddenly said, looking to her. Before Ahsoka could get another word out, a shot rang out and Wraith suddenly lurched forward with a cry as a slug ripped clean through his shoulder. Ahsoka barely got her arm up in time to shield herself from the ensuing spray of blood that splattered her, crying out in surprise and dismay as she was suddenly decorated with red droplets. She looked up at him with wide, fearful eyes as Wraith struggled to stay on his feet, blood flowing from the new wound in his shoulder.

"Wraith!" She exclaimed, frozen in place but desperate to help him.

"G-Get... Get down...!" He finally told her and they both dropped to the ground, Wraith positioning himself so that his body would protect her. More shots started to rip through the woods, bouncing off trees and shredding foliage as they tried to find their mark. A few more were embedded in Wraith's back and he growled as fresh pain consumed him. He felt like he was on fire, a striking ache beneath his skin causing him endless agony. Ahsoka looked up from the ground, seeing the stressful expression of his gritted teeth as he attempted to survive. But then a larger, more thunderous shot reverberated throughout the woods and Wraith lunged forward with a cry as multiple projectiles struck him at once, causing him to almost collapse atop Ahsoka. The Togruta cried out as he fell forward, his blood-soaked shirt stained her own clothes from their close contact.

"Wraith?!" She was desperate to know if he was okay. Wraith managed a pain growl in reply as he gathered his senses.

"G... G-Go..." he managed to tell her, "run!" Ahsoka quickly crawled out from beneath him and started running.

But Wraith didn't follow.

He knew that if she was caught with him, the ramifications for her would be far worse. Even more grave was the possibility that she could be struck while with him, an accident that could prove fatal the longer she stuck around. But Wraith was determined to not let either of those come to pass. He would shift their focus and ensure she was left out of this.

Summoning the last of his strength, Wraith jumped up, turned, drew his slugthrowers and opened fire on the woods, trying to hit something... anything. More slugs flew from the dark and struck Wraith's body, causing him to grunt in pain but keep shooting as a burst of adrenaline fueled his actions.

Even if he didn't survive, he had to buy Ahsoka time to escape.

Said Padawan looked over her shoulder and now saw the distant, darkened shapes of people moving among the trees. The mercs had obviously arrived and were now seeking to finish the task the Chancellor had assigned them. She looked on as Wraith blazed away with his pistols, showers of blood erupting from his already bloody and broken body where slugs struck him. Now standing rooted to the ground, Ahsoka had a sudden thought that fired up her determined spirit.

This was wrong. He shouldn't be suffering like this. There were other, more humane ways to immobilize him!

Making up her mind, Ahsoka turned back and helped Wraith up, using the Force to ward off some incoming shots.

"I won't leave you!" She exclaimed in determination, helping him to his feet.

"Ahsoka-" Wraith tried to retort before she cut him off.

"You stayed to help me on Wasskah, now it's my turn!" She told him. But before she could say another word, a slug grazed her shoulder, leaving a red trail in it's wake and she cried out in pain as she stumbled into him.

"Ahsoka!" Wraith shouted as he clutched her, quickly using his body like a shield once more to keep her from getting hit. Just then, Anakin burst out from the trees alongside the mercs, just in time to see Ahsoka in Wraith's clutches. At first glance it seemed like he was taking her hostage, putting her at risk of being shot.

"Ahsoka! Hold on!" Anakin shouted, using the Force to pull his apprentice away from Wraith and over to him. Little did he realized that was the last thing she wanted him to do.

"Master! No!" Ahsoka exclaimed, struggling against his invisible grip as she was torn away from Wraith's close hold and over to her master. Wraith reached out for her, almost as if he were trying to bring her back. But a sudden volley of slugs stopped him in his tracks. Corsair now arrived on sight with his scatterblaster in hand.

"Light 'im up!" He ordered his team as he took sight of The Wraith. Dozens of guns suddenly fired in quick succession, slug after slug striking Wraith's body. The super-soldier roared in agony as he was riddled with slugs, Ahsoka, mouth agape and eyes wide, watching helplessly as Wraith got shot to pieces by these mercs, unable to intervene in anyway. Corsair stepped forward and fired his special, custom weapon. While most scatterblasters simply fired a barrage of small pellets, Corsair's fired a single large slug that disintegrated as it traveled through the air, turning into a cloud of superheated shrapnel before striking his target. Wraith quickly learned this the hard way as a shot for Corsair tore into his torso, causing him to double over. Another follow-up blast from Corsair's shotgun promptly struck Wraith right in his ex[posed helmet, a pair of superheated shards tearing through the metal along the left side of his face, leaving two deep scars behind.

Then the shooting stopped, suddenly and without warning. Corsair held up a fist, a motion for his team to hold. Wraith stood staggered, his body close to faltering and giving out completely. Fresh holes had pierced clean through him, his blood everywhere now. He was in danger of not surviving this. The pain was too much, the blood loss too severe. As his pain-addled mind comprehended his predicament, Wraith could determine only one foreseeable way out of this.

He needed to become enraged.

Wraith quickly channeled his anger, feeling the fire come alive in his limbs and surge through his body. All the pain and stress from tonight added to his desire for revenge, fueling his passionate anger as he barreled towards rage. Tending his body, pain receding as anger took its place, Wraith could feel he was on the cusp-

And then he felt a horrific, stabbing pain in his gut that forced him to double over.

Like he was being pierced a thousand times, Wraith off up an absolute fountain of blood as he clutched himself, not knowing what was wrong with him. The sudden pain sapped him of his strength and his determination to fight back vanished completely as the wear of the night overtook him. His slugthrowers falling from his weakened grip, Wraith finally collapsed to his knees before falling flat on the ground, unable to maintain his strength. His optics winked out for one final time as he lay motionless, save for the erratic rise and fall of his back in time with his labored breathing. His head to one side, Wraith could barely make out the distant forest through the shattered duraglass of his optics... a sight that was promptly disturbed first by footsteps and then by a chuckling someone standing before him.

Corsair looked on, pleased by the work of him and his team, taking in the sight of the galaxy-renown super-soldier lying bloody and beaten on the forest floor. "Well well well," He drawled, drawing closer with his scatterblaster over his shoulder, "if it ain't the indestructible Wraith himself." He said aloud, mocking the defeated super-soldier. Crouching down closer to the collapsed Wraith, Corsair took another drag from his cigarra, blowing smoke from his mouth. "Did ya really think that you wer' invincible? That you wer' untouchable?" He wondered in a scoffing tone, snorting as he did. "Well I got news for ya punk; as those holes we just put in ya show, yer not invincible. Nor were you evah the best soldier in the galaxy." He took another drag before continuing. "See, we're real soldiers, unlike those copies of some bounty hunter who got his kriffin' head cut off by a Jedi of all people. And that's one reason why you've just lost; you've had it waaay too easy fer far too long, fightin' only Jedi and Clones. You're just lucky that Chiss only told us to hurt you instead of outright kill ya." The word resonated with Wraith. Chiss... did that mean the Commander Thrawn he encountered was behind this? "Ya know, if it'd been up ta me, I would've just blown yer bloody head off while you were talking to that Jedi girl who, fo' the record, looks like someone ya'd find on a late-night street cornah." Corsair chuckled, not only at his own remark but also at the way Wraith tensed up and clenched his fists, baring his teeth as the words sank in.

He wasn't the only one.

Both Anakin and Ahsoka glared daggers at Corsair upon catching the remark, both of them ready and willing to force an apology out of the merc... later. Corsair took another drag from his cigarra. "Seriously mate, ya should stop thinking with what's between yer damn legs. She's a bloody Jedi mate; there's no way'n hell she's spreadin' her legs for ya. Best ya learn that now." He informed Wraith using far cruder language. The super-soldier determined then and there that the next time he saw Corsair, he would cause him a world of pain for speaking in such a manner.

If there was a next time...

"You've had yer time in the sun, mate. It's ova now. You've lost." The Titan leader remarked in closing. To cap it all off, Corsair removed his cigarra from his mouth and pressed it directly into one of Wraith's many gunshot wounds, the super-soldier wincing and stifling a growl as intense pain shot through his arm.

That one really hurt.

"Tag 'im and bag 'im, lads. We're done 'ere." Corsair announced as he stood. But before he left, he picked up both of Wraith's discarded pistols. "Hm... nice custom models." He mused, observing the careful design of his one-of-a-kind fifty caliber pistols. "They'll make a roight nice trophy." He declared with a smirk, tucking them into his belt. The other Titans moved in to take hold of Wraith... but were in for a real surprise. The whole time Corsair had been droning on and on, Wraith had managed to develop something of a plan, when he wasn't reacting to Corsair insulting Ahsoka. Recalling Aphran and Scipio's technique to get him out of there, Wraith put all of his hope in one of his enhancements.

It was likely the only way he'd get out of this.

"Voice... command..." he rasped, "engage... protocol... four!"

"Wha's that? We can't here ya over yer whimperin'." Corsair jeered, having heard Wraith. But then, to the Titans' surprise, his body went taught and shuddered for a moment before Wraith leapt to his feet with a spinning backflip, his foot catching Corsair's jaw and causing him to stumble back into the arms of his team. "What tha hell?!" He exclaimed. Wraith had been down for the count, far to injured to carry on. But now he was standing straight and tall, eyeing Corsair through his blackened optics. Without another word, Wraith turned and sprinted into the woods. His sudden move left the Titans awestruck,, until Corsair shook them form their stupor. "Don't jus' stand there, ya blitherin' idiots! Stop 'im!" He shouted. The Titans gave chase... but it was ultimately a fruitless effort.

The Sunstorm serum allowed Wraith to run a full mile in under a minute at top speed. There was no way the Titans were catching him.


Arriving back at his shuttle just as the distant horizon started to turn pink with the rising sun, Wraith bounded inside the craft and managed to get into his seat before Protocol 4 wore off. As the sudden rush of energy died down, Wraith was left feeling completely sapped of his strength and absolutely consumed by an unbearable pain. His over-exerted body had been pushed to its limits one time too many and now he was really starting to fade. His seat soon became soaked with his blood even as he lifted off and programmed the hyperspace coordinates into the hyperdrive, putting the ship on autopilot. Leaning back in his seat, Wraith was ready to fall asleep when-

I know what you wanted to say, before the Titans interrupted. Voice suddenly informed him. Why didn't you tell her? Wraith knew the answer to that, but deemed it inferior to the other glaring issues at hand.

"Not... now... voice." He managed to reply, spluttering and coughing immediately afterwards. "I'll... explain later..." He promised... although questioned his ability to hold up that promise.


Elsewhere, aboard the Dominance...

Count Dooku walked with Admiral Sereva Shak through one of the Subjugator's many hangars to where his solar sailor was waiting.

"I trust all will go well with you, Admiral, given the enormity of the task at hand?"

"You needn't fret about a thing, my lord. I shall handle the task of the invasion fleet with the utmost care and attention to detail." The Lethan Twi'lek answered. The Sith nodded.

"Very good. Your expertise indicates great potential, Admiral. With luck, you shall be seeing even greater horizons should this invasion prove successful." Dooku replied, hinting at a promise. Sereva smiled and nodded.

"Then I shall strive to never disappoint you." She promised in return. As she was speaking, Doctor Scipio suddenly entered the hangar, walking at a very brisk and determined pace and being followed by a medical droid pushing a hover gurney. They could see a worried look on his face as he approached them.

"Doctor. What brings you down here in such a hurry?" Dooku inquired.

"Pardon my intrusion, my lord, but I have just received a transmission from Wraith requesting medical assistance on arrival. He was unable to supply me with any more details, but I fear Takodana did not go well." Scipio reported, relaying the grave news he had learned.

"It is unlike Wraith to request medical aid like this. The damage must be severe." Sereva agreed, now a little worried herself.

"A sentiment I share, Admiral." Scipio agreed. The thrum of engines drew their attention to the hangar entrance where Wraith's shuttle had appeared. It touched down in a calm and normal fashion, the three witnessed slowly approaching the exit ramp. "Wraith? Are you there, my boy?" Scipio called. While no voice answered him, the sound of metal on metal moving at an irregular pace met him as Wraith shuffled into the light. He staggered down the ramp, revealing himself to them. Scipio's eyes widened in shock and horror, Dooku's expression changing to one of surprise while Sereva audibly gasped and covered her mouth, all of them stunned by Wraith's punctured, slashed and blood-soaked appearance. His helmet was barely clinging to his head, both of his optics cracked and dark. Blood dripped from him in rivers, leaving a crimson trail behind as he stumbled forward, collapsing at their feet with a groan.

"Doc... Uhn..." Wraith's body was soon surrounded by a pool of his own blood, his fluids absolutely leaking out of him from the countless holes and cuts. Scipio gingerly turned him over.

"What happened?!" He urgently asked.

"The... R-Repub-lic's... got some... new... friends..." Wraith managed to tell him. It had taken all of his strength to do so.

"Droid! Come here!" Scipio ordered. The medical droid dropped the gurney to the ground and made to aid Scipio. "We'll have to lift him, carefully." He said, trying to best figure out how to do so. But Dooku intervened and used the Force to lift Wraith on in a most efficient matter. "Many thanks, my lord." Scipio thanked him before rushing Wraith over to the turbolift. Sereva turned to Dooku.

"If you'll excuse me, my lord, I think I need to-"

"Of course, Admiral." Dooku replied, already knowing where she was going. With a quick bow, Sereva ran over to join Scipio in the turbolift.


Rushed to Scipio's medical lab, Wraith was moved to an operating table where Scipio quickly set about stabilizing him.

"While I appreciate your concern, Admiral, I would ask that you please stay out of the way until I need you." Scipio asked her, inserting a ready-made IV drip into Wraith's arm.

"Of course, Doctor." Sereva agreed, content with watching from the sidelines until it was necessary to intervene. Scipio worked feverishly to get a proper amount of regenerative chemicals into Wraith's body in order to get him healing again. Such colossal damage was a new one for him and Scipio wanted to make certain Wraith would recover in due time.

Little did he realize that he was running out of time... the blood loss was too great.

Uh... Wraith? I-I don't feel so good... Voice suddenly said, his tone one of worry. Wraith could feel it too. He was losing his grip on consciousness, slipping away...

"Doc... D... D-Doc..." He rasped, trying to communicate with Scipio. When Scipio didn't immediately reply, Wraith shifted to the next thing on his semi-delirious mind. "A... Ah... Ah-sok...a..." But he suddenly lost all strength, his hand collapsing against the table, his body going slack...

as the heartrate monitor flatlined.

Scipio whirled around at the deafening sound and was suddenly frozen with fear, as was Severa.

"Wraith?" He asked, worriedly. But the super-soldier made no response, laying still as stone. "Wraith!" He shouted, realizing the immediate danger he was in. Sereva remained frozen as Scipio scrambled for some life-saving equipment.

"Doctor! Is... Is he-!" She fearfully wondered.

"Admiral, take this!" The Pau'an interrupted, handing a small control pad to her as he tore open Wraith's chest and affixed a device to his skin. "Keep it at seven-hundred volts!" He ordered her. Sereva immediately obeyed, adjusting the device's settings as it hummed to life. Dashing over to a nearby counter, Scipio opened a drawer and retrieved a small vial of green liquid, which he quickly inserted into a pneumatic injector.

"What is that?" Sereva wondered as he returned.

"Project Phoenix." He replied, tilting Wraith's head to the side and pressing the end of the injector against his skin. "Pray it is enough." He whispered looking up at her as he pressed the trigger. With the contents injected, Scipio discarded the tool and ran for a bacta syringe. He returned moments later and pressed it into Wraith's shoulder. As the flurry of activity continued to unfold, the sound of a flatline continued to fill the room. "Come on my boy... come on!" Scipio desperately said, knowing that a few more seconds of no heartrate and Wraith would be gone forever...


Back on Takodana...

Ahsoka had returned to the cruiser in orbit and her quarters. She had yet to clean Wraith's blood off her and her clothes and planned on having a shower as soon as possible. She moved slowly, her thoughts those of contemplation and reflection as she dwelt on the events of the night. Deep down, she felt as though Wraith did not deserve such a cruel and harsh assault like that. The Titans showed him no mercy, demonstrating a level of wanton bloodlust and violence she hadn't seen even in bounty hunters. She wanted to intervene and do something for him, but had a feeling it would've been swimming upstream, given how ruthless they all were... even Anakin had just stood by and let them do the deed.

As much as Ahsoka despised the whole situation, she hadn't felt like she'd failed him. He'd managed to get away, even though her hands were tied. Surely Wraith would live to see another day. He always did...

But as soon as she entered her quarters and closed the door, Ahsoka suddenly fell to her knees and clutched her head, crying out as she was overwhelmed by a dark sensation. Images flashed through her mind like a vision, showing her a bloody medical table... and the motionless body of Wraith on it. She saw a Lethan Twi'lek in an officer's uniform and that Pau'an, Scipio, around him and working feverishly.

She couldn't hear them, but she could hear the long, droning tone of a heartrate monitor with nothing to read. A sound she knew well enough.

"No..." She quietly gasped. "Wraith...!" A single tear slipped down her cheek as she felt the devastating reality shown to her. It was a dark and grim sensation she hadn't felt so sharply before. But there was no denying it, she could feel innately what it was conveying to her... and there was no escaping its truth.

Wraith had died.

"NO!" Ahsoka screamed, her voice reverberating through the Force as she started to sob uncontrollably. She broke down on the floor of her quarters, hot tears flowing from her eyes like a river. She beat the floor with her fist, slow, mournful blows as her grief set in. "I failed him...!" She sobbed, eyes squeezed shut as her tears rolled down her cheeks. "I failed him!" She collapsed on the floor in a heap, crying her eyes out, puddles forming on the floor.

The one person she had wanted to help so badly was gone... And what had she done? Nothing. She'd waited too long to act, to open herself up, now there was nothing she could do.

Finding the strength to get up, Ahsoka crawled into her bed, hot tears still streaming down her face.

She hadn't cried this much since Wasskah.

Through bleary eyes she looked around her quarters, feeling helpless, lost and alone. She sniffled and sobbed, not done crying yet. Ahsoka felt like she could cry herself to sleep... but didn't feel worthy of it. Without knowing that Wraith was out there, a man worth saving, the whole war seemed pointless to her. Her one purpose, her one goal which she believed could pull her out of this pit she'd created, was now gone... all that was left was the deep despair she grappled with every day... now amplified tenfold. Guilt was quickly eating away at her and it started to overtake her thoughts. If she had done something, if she had acted sooner... maybe he'd still be alive.

But 'if' and 'maybe' couldn't bring Wraith back to life... nor could it remove the despair she felt.

Taking her razor from her belt, Ahsoka tore off her gloves without hesitation...