Chapter 2

Seven days and several more shouting matches with Bastila later, Carth woke up at three a.m., and not being able to fall back asleep, he got up and changed into his admiral's uniform. He quietly walked out of the apartment complex. He walked up to the roof. Carth got there and stared up at the stars. There were so many of them, and somewhere out there was Revan.

I'm coming, he thought.

He stayed staring at the stars. For how long he was out there, he did not know, nor did he seem to care. When he finally checked his watch he found that it was five forty-five, he should be getting to Docking Bay thirteen. He walked back to the docking bays and turned at Docking Bay thirteen.

He saw Commander Jarh pacing the length of the dock.

"Admiral Onasi! Thank goodness! I thought you had forgotten."

Carth smiled and said, "I could never forget about this, Commander Jarh."

"Right, Carth. Now, you will be taking the Republic ship The Destiny. You will be taking a crew of about thirty men and women. Uhh…I believe that is all."

"Understood, sir."

Commander Jarh looked at Carth and then whispered quietly to him, "Carth, can I talk to you privately?"

Carth looked taken aback for a split second, but then recovered saying cheerfully, "Sure, commander."

Commander Jarh and Carth walked around to the back of The Destiny. "Look, Carth, I know why you volunteered for this mission," said Commander Jarh, "You want to save your long lost girlfriend or something. Now understand I want you to find what you're looking for, but please, Carth, don't make it your first priority, because it is not. Your first priority is to get yourself and your crew back to the Republic safe."

Carth stared and then said, "Yes, sir."

Then Commander Jarh said, "Okay. Let's go back to the front. You'll be leaving in a short while."

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Carth soon found out the Destiny was built much like the Ebon Hawk, only this ship was much, much bigger. He was giving orders from his commander's chair and was friendly with all the crew.

"I think it's romantic," said a voice from somewhere below him.

Carth looked down and saw a little girl. She was short and looked about thirteen. She had brown hair that was short in the back and got longer as it came down to her face. She had honey eyes that seemed to look beyond Carth's body and into his soul

"Excuse me, but what's romantic?" Carth asked the little girl.

"You silly," she said, "I know why you really came on this mission."

"I know you do," said Carth, "I came to help expand the Republic," Carth said business like.

"Oh, don't give me that! I know, and you know, and the whole crew knows that you came on this mission to find Revan. I think that's great!"

Carth looked at her again, "What's your name kid?"

"Lalanna."

"Oh, you mean Lane-ah?"

"No," she said point-blank, "La-lane-ah. Lalanna."

"What are you doing here Lalanna?"

"I'm on the repair crew," she said.

"Are you sure," Carth asked doubtfully, "You didn't come with someone for the ride?"

"Look," she said suddenly harsh, "I know how to use a plasma-torch." Lalanna's comlink gave a tiny buzz. "Somers," she said into the link. She sighed and then said to Carth, "I got to go."

"Why?" asked Carth.

"Gas leak," she said, and then quickly added when she saw Carth's face, "Oh no big deal, it's non-toxic, but it could cost us a few credits." And with that she turned and left.

"Darling isn't she?" asked a voice from somewhere behind Carth.

He saw Lieutenant Somers smiling at him.

"She's yours lieutenant?"

"Yeah."

"So it's true? She is on the repair crew?" Carth asked her.

"Well," said Lieutenant Somers, "it's like she said; she knows how to use a plasma-torch."

"Well, at least I know she thinks I'm doing the right thing."

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"Lord Jansk, one of the Jedi apprentices saw a vision," said Captain Scandles.

"Well, it had better be good for your sake, Scandles," said a cold voice from the room.

Next thing Captain Scandles knew he couldn't breath. Lord Jansk had used her Force choke on him.

"It is good my lord." He said feebly. "He believes it will lure Revan to us."

Lord Jansk released Captain Scandles. "Revan," she said walking into the light.

Lord Jansk had the face of a once beautiful woman, but like many before her, the Dark Side had taken away her beauty. She had flaming orange hair, but it was dull and limp, and tied in a braid down her back. Her eyes were black and made everyone who saw her think of black holes that could suck them in at any moment. They hadn't always been like that; at one time they sparkled with innocence and warmth, but not anymore. From the corner of her right eye and down to the middle of her cheek was a long scar that served as a permanent reminder of what happens when you do what's best for someone else rather than yourself.

"What was it? What did he see?" she asked with and eagerness in her voice.

"He said he saw a close friend of Revan's coming this way. Said we were to capture him and use him as bait."

"Not a bad idea, but why would any friend of Revan's want to come here?"

"Trust me, my lord, he will come."

"If you're wrong, captain…"

"I know."

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"Admiral Onasi, wake up," said a panicking voice.

Carth woke and found Lieutenant Somers shaking him.

"What's the matter?" Carth said sleepily.

"We're being attacked," she said.

Carth was suddenly wide awake and alert. He looked at Somers' face and asked, "Who's attacking us?"

She took in a sharp breath, and let it out. It wasn't a sigh. She then looked at Carth and he saw her eyes were wide and anxious.

"It's a Sith interdictor ship."

Carth got out of bed and didn't change; all he did was put on his admiral's hat to show authority. He ran to the main cockpit and sat down on his admiral's chair.

"What's the situation?" he asked promptly.

"It's a Sith ship, sir. They are trying to pull us in with their tractor beam," said Lalanna.

She was all business now with a look so serious, that Carth was surprised she could pull it off.

"What's the plan?" asked Lieutenant Somers.

Carth looked at his crew. The faces were scared and worried. They needed someone, someone brave and strong. They needed a hero.

Hadn't Revan once gotten us out of a similar situation? Yes, she had. But, similar though the two situations may be, that time anybody on board would have given their lives for that cause. Carth wasn't sure if that was the case this time.

The Destiny had only one starship and no pilots on board. The weapons were small and would do little, if any, damage. He knew there was only one solution.

"Lower the shields," he heard himself say.

He was surprised his voice didn't sound shaky, for that's how he was feeling.

Lieutenant Somers stared at him in horror, "But, sir," she started.

"No, Lieutenant. It's best for the crew; if we fight many more will die than necessary."

"Understood, admiral. Lower the shields. Be prepared to be boarded and possibly," she paused to give a significant look at Carth, "held prisoner."

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"They are lowering the shields, my lord," said Captain Scandles with a menacing grin on his face.

"I can see that for myself, captain," said Jansk coldly.

"Y-yes, Lord Jansk. Shall I tell Marcos to pull them in?"

Jansk looked up at Captain Scandles and said ever so quietly, "Yes, please do. And see to it our little apprentice gets a reward; I believe his vision has just come true."

"Yes, my lord," Scandles said as he bowed out of the room.

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"We're being pulled in, sir."

"Brace yourselves," Carth said to his crew. The Destiny was pulled into one of the Iron Fist's docks.

"Line up the crew," Carth heard one of the people saw form somewhere outside the ship.

A Sith captain got on board with about a dozen Sith troops.

"Get out," he said maliciously.

Carth and his crew willingly followed orders not wanting trouble. Once they were out, another Sith trooper searched all of them. Then they were lined up next to the ship. Carth stood next to Lieutenant Somers who was standing tall and proud. Carth had never seen her green eyes so intense. Just next to Somers, on her left side, was her daughter, Lalanna. Lalanna was also standing like her mother, and Carth had never noticed how much they looked alike.

Then a door slid open, and the most semi-beautiful person Carth had ever seen walked in. But as she got closer Carth realized that she was not at all pretty, though she wasn't hideous.

"All bow before the Dark Lord of the Sith, Lord Jansk!" shouted the captain that raided the Destiny.

Then in a chorus of one, all the Sith on the platform chanted, "All hail Lord Jansk! All hail Lord Jansk!"

They all bowed, but the Republic crew didn't as much as flinch.

"This is the crew of the Destiny, my lord," said the captain.

Up close Carth thought that he looked rather stupid, his brown eyes were shining with glee like a madman, and his hair was combed a little too perfectly, as if he tried too hard to impress someone.

"Very excellent, Captain Scandles. Have you found out anything about our guests?" Jansk asked. Carth wasn't surprised that her voice was cold as ice.

"No, my lord, we have not." Carth noticed the slight pride and panic mixed in his voice.

"No matter. I was planning on doing it myself anyway," she said and walked over to Carth.

Carth braced himself. "Who is your captain?" she asked in a deadly quiet voice to the crew in general.

Carth looked straight into black holes that were Jansk's eyes.

"I am the admiral," he said boldly.

Jansk looked at him and studied his figure from top to bottom and back again. "What is your name?"

"Carth Onasi," he said.

"Carth Onasi," Jansk repeated that deadly gleam back in her eyes. "The Carth Onasi?" she asked.

She reached out a hand to touch his face when they heard a little girl's voice ask, "What do you want from us?"

Carth turned his head ever so slightly to see to his horror that Lalanna had asked the question.

"Silence girl!" Jansk shouted at her.

"But…" Lalanna started.

"I said SILENCE!!" Jansk roared. Then Lalanna reached a hand to her throat and she was taking in raspy breaths; Jansk had used Force choke on her.

Then Lalanna fell to the ground and stopped moving.

"You-you killed her," Carth said quietly, "How-how could you do that?"

Lieutenant Somers was sobbing on the floor next to her daughter.

"Lalanna!" she sobbed.

"Take her away," Jansk said to her captain.

"Wait!" Carth said, "You want me right?"

"That," Jansk said, "is precisely what I want."

Carth looked at the bawling Lieutenant Somers, and then he said, "Then take me, and let the crew leave, untouched and unharmed."

"Why should I agree to that?" Jansk asked.

"Because if you don't," Carth said, "I'll kill myself."

"How do you expect to do that?"

Carth glared at her then said, "Oh I'll find a way, trust me."

Jansk gave him a deadly look, she knew he was not bluffing, "Fine," she said, "Let them go," she told her captain.

Carth picked up Lieutenant Somers from the floor and told her, "You are in charge now. Take Lalanna's body. Don't send anybody after me, just get the crew back to the Republic safely. Got it?"

"Y-yes, sir," she said and turned to the crew.

"All on board! Private Corosi, you are the new lieutenant, get my daughter's body, please, and then get on the ship."

"Yes ma'am," he said and rushed forward to collect Lalanna's body.

Lieutenant, now Commander, Somers, turned to Carth and with a serious face, gave him one final salute.

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So ends chapter two. Please let me know what you think! Thanks!