Kavan, Hapes Cluster

Mara had maneuvered her ship down to where the shadow transponder indicated Jacen's StealthX was located. She could see a large hangar built into the side of a hill but deep shadows hid whatever was inside the structure. She opted to set her ship down outside the bay. She wanted to ensure she could make a quick departure once she identified Jacen's contact. The plan was not to confront but confirm. If Jacen was being tricked by Lumiya a skirmish could could result in the Sith taking him hostage or somebody getting hurt or killed.

Upon landing, she powered down the Jade Shadow and lowered the boarding ramp. Checking the power pack to her blaster she moved out of her ship and made her way across the grassy field that led to the mountain facility. As she entered the dimly lit hangar she saw Jacen's StealthX parked in the center of the bay. She cautiously moved up to the fighter, her ears and eyes searching for any indication as to where Jacen had gone.

The docking bay was cavernous and with multiple exits leading into the mountainside. She knelt down and gazed at the hangar surface. The facility was clean, but over time fine particles of dirt and pollen from the outside fields had blown into the hangar leaving a thin layer of dust on the floor. Leading away from Jacen's ship were a set of footprints. She watchfully followed the prints up one tunnel entrance.

She had moved a couple hundred meters down the corridor before the tunnel split. Now that she was further away from the bay there was less dust and debris littering the floor and the dim light from the ceiling glow panels made it difficult to see which way he went. She decided to risk detection and opened herself fully to the Force in an effort to discover his location. Almost immediately she sensed Jacen…and Lumiya. Neither was shielding and her stomach sank upon realization that if she could sense Lumiya then so could Jacen. It wasn't as Luke hoped—that she had been using Force stealth to trick the Jedi. There was a definite residue of darkness clinging to Lumiya's Force presence…Jacen had to know who and what he was dealing with.

There was still a chance that Jacen wasn't Sith and that Lumiya had yet to turn the young man. It was a prospect that almost pushed her forward to confront the Dark Lady of the Sith, but she promised Luke this was only a surveillance mission. She would not go up against Lumiya without backup. Reluctantly and with a heavy heart she had turned to leave when she heard Jacen shouting "No!" followed by a blaster burst and then and almost feral scream, "I won't let you hurt my family!"

Mara heard enough. Jacen was in danger; she couldn't leave now. She unhooked her lightsaber and bolted down the corridor toward the sound of his voice. She heard more blaster shots and then abruptly Jacen's Force presence disappeared. Mara stuttered-stepped as the cold realization that her nephew might now be dead washed over her. She reached out for him in the Force and she realized she couldn't feel Lumiya's presence any longer either. Either they were both dead or they were using Force stealth. Mara could only hope that Jacen was cloaking his presence to evade the Sith.

She sprinted a few hundred meters up the tunnels until she came around a bend and was forced to a stop by a blinding swirl of dust in the air. She activated her lightsaber to help light the way and proceeded cautiously, stepping over stones and rubble before she realized the tunnel had completely caved in. She didn't have time to find another way to the other side. Jacen could be hurt or fighting for his life.

She swung her lightsaber wildly, hacking at the rubble, hoping she could tunnel a way through. After a few minutes she realized digging an opening to the other side would take too long. She had to try another method; she only hoped Jacen wasn't standing on the other side that the moment. She reached out to the Force, pulling it in until she could feel the power of the light swirling and building up within her. Then with palm open, facing out she projected a powerful Force shove at the rocks blocking her path. The Force hit the cave-in with a loud explosion the fallen boulders, gravel and debris were hurled away from her and shot down the corridor. When the air cleared she could see a hole in the debris larger enough for her to pass through. With saber in hand she warily made her way to the other side.

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After Lumiya ran off, Jacen paced on the other side of the cave cursing himself for his own foolhardiness. The situation with his family and the assassination attempts had given him tunnel vision. He was so focused on getting rid of Ta'a Chume he didn't fully think out the consequences of his actions and now he was conflicted as to what to do. He leaned against the corridor wall heavily before he allowed himself to slide to the ground. He could still hear his aunt on the other side of the rockslide forcefully slashing at the debris with her lightsaber. He needed to decide what to do before she made her way to him.

He could tell the full truth and confess to his family he conspired with Lumiya to kill Ta'a Chume. Unfortunately, conspiracy to commit murder was a serious crime in the Galactic Alliance and he doubted his uncle, as leader of the Jedi Order would engage in a cover up. No, he would be arrested and face the full legal ramifications.

He ran a hand over his face, frustrated. If he was convicted of the plot to kill a Hapan Royal he could forget about ever living with Tenel Ka openly as her consort. Even if he served his time for the conspiracy plot, Tenel Ka may cut all ties to him just to maintain her throne. She would also deny all access to his daughter. His family would be lost to him.

His best bet was to admit that he met with Lumiya and tell the Jedi Order an abbreviated version of the truth. Lumiya approached him saying a great evil threatened the galaxy and she wanted him to train to defeat it.

"Yes," Jacen whispered to himself. "That might work." His family would reprimand him for his stupidity, but he would be forgiven and eventually he would work his way back into their trust. He would forget about Lumiya and the training. He believed Lumiya was telling him the truth about a great evil coming, possibly another Sith, but he wasn't certain he was the Jedi fated to conquer that dark foe. Maybe the Jedi Order would believe her warning and start looking for the threat.

He made a decision. Once his Aunt Mara had sliced her way to his side of the tunnel, he would surrender to her and confess to training with Lumiya in order to combat the darksider predicted by the Prophets of the Dark Side on Dromund Kaas.

Then a sudden realization occurred to him. If Lumiya was right…that the person who paid her to kill his family intended for her identity to be revealed…then if Jacen was linked to Lumiya he could be linked to Ta'a Chume's murder. He could admit meeting with Lumiya as long as the Dark Lady wasn't linked to the murder of Ta'a Chume.

He had to stop her!

"Shavit!" Jacen pulled out his comlink and tried to contact Lumiya but the tunnel system was blocking his transmissions.

He needed to get outside of the tunnels and contact Lumiya. The assassination must be called off. He pulled out his datapad and looked for another avenue to his ship. He analyzed the map and saw there was a side tunnel ten meters behind him that was a quicker route to his ship. He turned to depart when rock and rubble suddenly exploded down the tunnel showering him with debris and knocking him hard against the sidewall.

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Mark had landed his Headhunter in the open field next to the Jade Shadow. He didn't see Jacen's StealthX, but it was probably located in the large opening on the side of the hill. He powered his ship down and he and Ben unclipped their crash webbing and moved to the rear of the spacecraft. Mark went to the back storage area and put on his leather shoulder harness. He then picked up his pet ysalamiri and set the creature on the shoulder carrier. The animal dug his long claws into the leather securing her firmly to the shoulder harness.

Mark looked at Ben. "You ready?"

The younger man nodded. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

"Good." Mark went over to the ship exit and pushed a button lowering the ramp and then exited into the warm Kavan air.

They walked over to the Jade Shadow to inspect the spacecraft. The ramp was up and there was no sign of Mara Jade Skywalker.

"It's locked up tight." Mark looked to Ben. "Do you know the code to get in?"

"I do, but it appears the exterior supplementary locks are engaged, meaning she was outside when it was secured." He motioned his head over hangar. "I think I see Jacen's ship."

They walked across the ankle high grass and into the massive bay where they located Jacen's ship. Mark went up to Jacen's StealthX and hovered his hand just above the engine. He could feel heat coming off the metal. "He hasn't been here long. The engines are still hot."

Ben looked down at the ground. "Look, footprints. Two sets. It looks like Jacen and Mom's." He motioned for his uncle to follow as he ran in the direction the prints went.

Mark followed behind trying not to jostle his pet ysalamiri too much. Up ahead Ben had slowed and then stopped as he came to a split in the tunnel system.

"The tracks are gone," Ben said, frustrated. He looked at his uncle. "I think we should split up. We'll cover more ground."

Mark nodded as he pointed to one entrance. "You go that way and I'll go this way." Ben nodded, then the two men jogged off in different directions in search of Mara Jade Skywalker.

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When the dust settled Jacen was knocked half unconscious and partially buried with rubble. He looked up and through blurred eyes he saw is aunt come through the hole she made, the purple blade of her lightsaber blazing in the dim light. In a daze he watched her approach and the green-eyed glare he saw on her face made his stomach clench. Briefly, and for the first time in his life, he wondered if she would kill him. Part of him thought it was impossible. Here was the woman who saved his life more than once and watched him grow from a toddler to manhood. This was the woman he had family meals with and was once Jedi Master to his sister, Jaina. This was also the woman who hated Sith and probably thought he had turned. He tried to move but only a groan escaped his lips.

"Jacen," Mara gasped as she cautiously moved toward him.

Jacen could feel the Lecapanine dart in his hand. He needed to get out of here and call off the assassination. Then he would admit to meeting with Lumiya and he let fate take its course…but first he needed to get out of here.

He could tell his Aunt the truth, that she needed to help him get outside so he could call off an assassination, but she might not believe him. He didn't have time for questions; he needed to get ahold of Lumiya before she went into hyperspace and out of communication range. Once she was on Hapes she would most likely maintain radio silence. He needed to get out of here now.

Mara moved towards him, her saber still active and held out cautiously. As she knelt down next to him to check his wounds, he moved quickly, plunging the dart into her leg before Force shoving her away to prevent her from killing him before the tranquilizer took its effect. Mara's lightsaber dropped from her hand and the tip of it nicked Jacen's leg before the safety kicked in and deactivated it. He gasped in pain as he reached down to try to stop the bleeding from the wound.

Mara stumbled back and fell hard on the ground. She reached down to the injector site and then looked up to Jacen her face a mask of shock and betrayal. He struggled out of the debris and crawled over to his aunt who was twitching wildly. She opened her mouth to talk, but no words came out. He bent down so he could look her in the eyes. "I'm sorry I had to do this, but I need to get out of here quick and I don't have time for questions. Don't worry, soon it will be like none of this has happened." With that said he stood with a groan and limped away. As he moved down the tunnel he cringed at the sound of his aunt gasping. He hoped she wasn't in pain and the tranquilizer didn't have any permanent effects other than memory loss.

He moved as quickly as he could down the tunnels. He needed to stop Lumiya.

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Ben had wandered through the tunnels for a few minutes before heard something in the distance. It took him a second before he identified the sound as coming from a lightsaber. He sprinted down the tunnel in the direction of the sound but after a minute or two, he could no longer hear the familiar hum of the lightsaber. He stopped and listened and was startled by a loud booming sound. When he recovered from the shock, he resumed running up the tunnel until he had to stop due to blinding dust. He coughed as he moved his way over the debris-strewn floor. He could feel his mother's Force signature up ahead and he moved toward her presence while calling her name.

"Mom?"

Ben squinted trying to keep the dust out of his eyes. Most of the ceiling glow panels in the area were damaged plunging the area into darkness. He could hear his mother in the dim recesses of the tunnel. He reached into his side pocket and activated a glow stick and gasped at the nightmarish sight before him. There lying on the ground was his mother, alive but twitching uncontrollably.

"Mom!" he screamed as he scrambled over the rubble to her. He sat on the ground and brought her head up to his lap. "Mom, what happened?"

Mara's eyes were open, gazing upward at her son, as she struggled for air. Tears fell from her eyes as she brought a trembling hand up and gentle caressed Ben's face. "Mom you need to put yourself into a healing trance," Ben said frantically as he reached down and placed his hand on her forehead willing the Force into her. "Who did this to you Mom?" Ben cried. "Mom?" he repeated. She didn't answer, but grew silent. Ben could feel the muscles relax within his mother as the life slowly drained out of her. Her panting gasps for air became slower and slower, until they finally stopped.

A spasm of utter despair surged though Ben's soul. "No, no, this can't be happening. Uncle Mark!" He called out. "Where the kriff are you?"

Ben put his mother flat on the floor in an attempt to resuscitate her. "Mom, don't give up." He did chest compressions followed by rescue breathing. "Come on Mom, don't leave me." Ben looked up sharply as he heard footsteps approaching in the distance. He hoped it was Mark because he didn't want to have to abandon his resuscitation efforts to fight whoever did this to his mother.

He gave her two more breaths and then stopped to feel for a pulse. There was none. He was about to restart rescue efforts when he felt a swirling of the Force around him and a soft whisper in his mind…a message of love and the sensation of ghostly fingers ruffling his hair. Ben's stomach sank. It was his mother's spirit touching him and that could only mean one thing... she was gone. "No, no!" Ben moaned as he pulled her limp body into his arms and hugged her tightly before letting out a heart-wrenching, guttural scream of anguish.