Chapter 12

Malak hit the ground in front of Drake as he watched the young Jedi try to stand as a large group of mandalorians surrounded him. Malak's violet lightsaber glowed as the blue-armoured crusaders surrounded him. He growled angrily, his brown eyes almost glowing with a hint of gold. As the crusaders moved to attack, a loud explosion caused them to turn around.

As the twelve mandalorians turned, a black blur shot straight at them. Three crusaders flipped over as the darkness ripped through them. Malak suddenly reached forward, heaving one of their feet and snapped his neck with one hand. Hurling the limp body into another, he swung his saber and cleaved a second in half before plunging his saber into another's skull. With six down, the mandalorians split into two sets of three. A terrible mistake. Malak quickly beheaded the first, before causing the other two's swords to meet each other's; he then slashed the second across the chest before engulfing the last with force lightning.

His companion killed two with one attack, before lifting the other off his feet. As the man struggled futilely in mid-air, he closed his fist and the man's body seemed to implode as the Jedi force crushed his body until his bones were dust. As the mandalorian dropped, the Jedi turned to look at Drake. He had slightly tanned skinned with black hair like Drake. But his eyes were the most distinctive feature he could pick out. The pigments were a distinctive sickly yellow colour, while the irises remained black, with red lines around the pigments. The man continued to gaze at Drake as a bright light blurred his vision.

Drake jerked awake, and quickly looked down to check Sasha was still asleep. As she snuggled a bit closer to his chest, he blinked the tiredness from his eyesand rubbed his forehead with his hand, as the vivid image of that mans eyes continued to play in his mind.

I really wish I could a decent nights sleep at least once before we find the star forge Drake complained to himself, as he slowly and gently stood, keeping Sasha in his arms until he lay her down in her makeshift den, and quietly left the cargo hold heading to the cockpit.

He slid into the pilots seat, and gazed out into the blue tube of hyperspace lost in his thoughts. Drake reached out feeling Bastila's tranquil aura on the other side of the bond. He smiled softly realising she must still be asleep, though he felt her acknowledge his presence in the bond as a warm feeling of peace travelled from her side of it to his.

Drake leaned back in the chair closing his eyes for a second until the sound of footsteps behind him. He looked up to see Sasha who looked slightly timid and still very tired. She groaned slightly as she approached him. Drake smiled at her and she looked down shyly. She reached forward and pulled on his sleeve obviously wanting his company while she slept, she must have had a nightmare. Drake chuckled at little and stood. She took his hand and pulled him back to the cargo hold.

After she a settled back down to sleep about a half-hour later, Drake left the cargo hold, had a quick shower and made his way to the male quarters. Quickly redressing into a fresh set of clothes: Black muscle shirt, leather trousers, with dark boots and his normal black knuckles gloves, he slipped a back jacket on and made his way to the main hold.

For a while he sat reading the datapads of Jedi Histories and combat techniques. Drake was sitting silently for the longest period of time, until he heard the small alert from the cockpit. He moved to cockpit just as he heard Falcan wake up. After going through the usual routine of dropping the ship out of hyperspace, he sensed Falcan move into the cockpit. Turning he noticed Falcan slipping on his black scaled leather shirt, wearing the usual dark red trousers and black boots.

"Sleep well?" he asked as Falcan slid into the co-pilots sit.

"No thanks to the ships autopilot but yes" Falcan answered cracking his neck before resting his legs on the control panel. "Why have we come to Dantooine?"

"Sasha…our little stowaway has family here I want to return her to her family before we get into too much trouble and I wish to discuss something with the council…" Drake replied.

"Right…what the Kashyyyk Star Map?" Falcan pressed on.

"We'll return to Kashyyyk after we're done here if we don't have more important issues…" Drake stated Falcan nodded as the ship flew into the Dantooine atmosphere heading towards the Jedi enclave. Soon enough the ship had landed within the sheltered port of the enclave.

Drake had left the ship before everyone else awoke and discussed the mission with the masters. Drake gave them an update on the situation as well the fact Malak may be aware of their mission since he had sent Calo Nord after them, as well as numerous Dark Jedi. The council advised to him to be wary of drawing too much attention as well to leave each planet quickly before things get out of hand.

Drake exited the council chambers and entered to the central plaza of the enclave to find Bastila sitting on one of the benches with a troubled expression on her face. Drake moved to sit next her, she looked up as he approached and he saw an inner turmoil in her eyes.

"Everything all right?" he inquired sitting next to her. She sighed slightly.

"I was approached by a woman who said she knew my mother and asked me if I'd seen her recently" Drake listened intently "She…she said my mother was looking for me…apparently my mother is very ill something I'm not convinced of and needs to see me…the woman informed me she's on Tatooine" Bastila finished Drake nodded and thought for a moment.

"What do you want to do?" he asked.

"Part of me would much rather not see my mother at all but I think we should go and see her before we return to Kashyyyk" Bastila replied.

"Ok then…we'll go to Tatooine first…. are you sure you're all right?" Drake pressed. Bastila looked at him and saw a strange dark blue colour in her eyes.

"Well its complicated at the moment…can I tell you later?" Bastila replied looking down, she was confused and Drake sensed it. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly.

"I'm here if you need me…" he said, she smiled and moved her hand up to cover his.

"I know…" she replied as she brushed her thumb if his hand. "I need to return to the Ebon Hawk…I need some time alone" Drake nodded and she stood realising his hand and left the plaza. Drake sat for a while longer, as he sat a green skinned twi'lik approached him.

(Excuse me sentient but my name is Lur Arka Sulas, I work for the ot Sulem family…and they have asked me to search for their missing daughter I was wandering if you'd seen her) the twi'lik stated as he approached.

"What was the daughters name?" Drake asked as he stood to greet the Twi'lik.

(Sasha…she was kidnapped by mandalorians a long time ago) Lur replied.

"Well you might be in luck…there's girl named Sasha on my ship…she stowed away with us and only speaks a strange version of mandalorian" Drake informed the twi'lik.

(That must be her! Please sentient could you let me see her?) Lur replied ecstatically. Drake led the man on the board the ship and to the cargo hold.

It took a little while to convince Sasha that Lur was a friend. Even after this, she was reluctant to leave the ship as she considered it her home. Drake convinced her to go with the twi'lik after he mentioned seeing her family again. She jumped up and down with glee and threw herself into Drake's arms with a tight hug. She said something about him being like a big brother and then pulled out a small necklace.

It was made out of wood and was very well crafted, forming the shape of a star and was a light gold colour. She handed it to Drake shyly with a blush. Drake took it and smiled to her saying he'd visit her when he could. Sasha took Lur by the hand and said goodbye before leaving the ship waving to Drake as she disappeared into the enclave.

Mission was standing behind him with a smile on her face as he turned around.

"I wish I had a big brother like you Drake, Griff isn't much of brother since he left me on Taris, and then got involved with the exchange…" Mission had heard her brother was alive but had tried and failed to make Tarisian ale, and was now fleeing the exchange.

"Maybe you already do…since you are like a little sister to me" Drake responded truthfully. Mission smiled sheepishly and fidgeted a little bit.

"Does that mean I can call you big brother?" she asked

"If it's what you want…" Drake replied with a smile. Mission grinned and hugged him, mainly as a gesture of thanks for helping her get back Zaalbar on Taris, find Griff and accepted her for who she was.

Mission pulled back, and after grinning at him again went back on board.

"Hey Mission…" she turned back "do me a favour and tell Carth to take us back to Tatooine, something's come up"

"What?" she replied?

"It's a private situation for Bastila and she needs to sort it out" Mission nodded.

"Roger that…." She replied hurrying to the cockpit. Drake smiled and made his way to the cargo hold to meditate.

After a couple of hours training in the cargo hold, meditating and sparring with Juhani and Jolee, Falcan too busy with his own exercises, Drake decided to go and talk to Bastila. He journeyed to the starboard dormitory, and knocked on the door.

"Come in Drake…" he heard from the other side, the door opened with a soft whoosh and he entered slowly seeing Bastila sitting cross-legged on one of the bunks. She'd obviously just been meditating or at least trying too, as she looked rather distracted. Drake sat down on the bunk in the same pose she did, cross-legged in a meditation position and gazed at her.

"Want to talk?" he asked, she sighed.

"About my mother?" he nodded "It's strange hearing from her after so long" her voice carried an air of spite within it something Drake picked up

"Why do you dislike her so?" he inquired, Bastila looked down and then back up at him and he saw a glow of slight anger in her eyes something she'd been carrying a long time.

"I was never on good terms with my mother, she was critical and harsh, I remember sitting up at night hearing her argue with my father…she pushed him into treasure hunting, constantly moving from place…whittling away his entire fortune and I hated her for it" Bastila muttered bitterly "she gave me to the order and my father was heart broken though she seemed relieved to have me gone…I don't know what she wants and I'm not sure I care…" Drake raised an eyebrow at her words.

"Still it can't hurt to see what she wants right?" Drake said.

"I suppose not…" Bastila sighed "but with this on my mind I can't centre myself" Bastila stated and looked at Drake. He smiled and reached forward to take both her hands in his.

"Well let's try it together…ok?" Drake replied Bastila smiled and nodded, closing her eyes. Drake did the same, and soon both had opened up each others minds to the other and they explored each others feelings and thoughts while taking strength from the others presence and Bastila found herself finally able to focus with Drake helping her, but when he went to move away she held him back opening her eyes.

"Stay…" she whispered. Drake nodded and they melded their minds once again both sitting facing the other, the hands entwined a faint blue glow enveloping the two.

Falcan and Juhani smiled softly upon seeing this, they had come to speak to Drake about Tatooine but knew it would have to wait not wanting to disturb the moment between the two. They saw the small ripples of force energy around the two as they sat on the bunk.

Falcan quietly shut the door and went to the cockpit and Juhani to the cargo hold as the ship headed for the desert planet was again.

Malak stood on the bridge of the Leviathan glaring out into space, his arms folded and his troops went about with their assigned duties. As he stood, Admiral Karath approached him from behind. Malak turned round to gaze at the admiral arms still folded, as Saul got down on one knee.

"Calo Nord is dead Lord Malak…he has failed in his mission forgive me" Saul pleaded as Malak turned to him fully unfolding his arms.

"The penalty for failure is death Admiral Karath" Karath prepared for the worst "But the failure was Calo's not yours you may rise" Malak growled. Karath sighed with relief and got to his fate with a bow.

"Should I hire another bounty hunter Lord Malak?" he asked, Malak scoffed.

"No mere Bounty hunter can stand against the Jedi" Malak growled calmly "I will not make the same mistake again" Karath saw the gleam in Malak's yellow eyes "My apprentice…Darth Bandon shall take care of our young Jedi friend" As if he had been waiting for Malak's words, the door to the bridge whooshed open and the figure of a man walked into the bridge.

He was dressed in black sith armour, and was bald with a goatee. He had a strong darkside aura, though not quite as powerful as Malak's it still was terribly impressive. He walked onto the bridge as an armoured sith guard crossed his path, unintentionally earning Bandon's ire. With a flick of his wrist, the sadistic Darth sent the unfortunate soul spiralling into a power conduit. With a small explosion the soldier was vaporised and a security droid was blown in half.

Malak watched with mild amusement as Bandon approached seemingly unfazed by the brutal act he had performed just a few moments ago. Bandon halted in front of Malak and bowed to his master.

"Find Bastila…and bring her to me…alive if possible…kill her companions" Malak commanded. Bandon smirked evilly, feeling his bloodlust leap with a sense of sardonic joy with the prospect of taking human life

"As you command Master…"

Ok again your reviews please!!! I'd like to know what you think so far as well and any improvements I could make. Thanks guys