Myrkr

Jacen was allowed to eat and shower that afternoon. He remained uncuffed, but somebody stayed with him at all times.

True to his word Jacen didn't answer further questions. It was a difficult decision, but he had to do everything he could to conceal his involvement with the Hapan epidemic. He knew if he confessed to ordering the nanovirus his uncle would immediately report that fact to the Galactic Alliance despite the very real possibility of horrific political repercussions.

He would confess to the attempted murder his aunt and uncle and would gladly spend the rest of his life in jail, but he couldn't let the Jedi get involved with virus mess he created. To make matters worse, Jacen was told his parents were on the way to Myrkr. He absolutely didn't want to face them. He couldn't bear to hear his mother's heartbroken sobs or see the disappointed look on his father's face.

He had to escape and disappear, perhaps to the unknown regions or outer core, areas where people went when they didn't want to be found. If he were gone there was a chance that his Uncle Luke would keep quiet about Jacen's possible involvement in the viral crisis...unleast until Jacen could be tracked down by the Jedi and brought to justice. But first he needed to get off this Force-forsaken planet. And the first step was getting away from his family.

Presently he was in the facility's dayroom. It was late at night, but he couldn't sleep and had asked his cousin Jaden if he could watch the HoloNet. Jaden agreed since he had to remain awake to guard Jacen anyway. They had gone to the dayroom and Jaden tossed Jacen the remote control. Unfortunately, Karrde's base only received two channels and it was either the history channel or a Holo-mercial about male enhancing thinskin briefs. Jacen decided to watch a history show about the Kobola Miners of Naboo.

During a HoloNet intermission, Jacen glanced up to his cousin. Jaden wasn't paying attention to the HoloNet. Instead he was totally engrossed by something on his datapad.

"What are you reading, Jaden?"

"What?" His cousin looked up. "Oh, it's a medical report."

"About Hapes," Jacen ventured.

"Yes," Jaden said before he went back to reading.

"I heard you talking about the epidemic. How many are dead now?" Jacen asked with great trepidation.

"Umm…just a second." Jaden pushed some buttons and scrolled the screen down before he answered. "Fourteen dead and fifty-six remain hospitalized."

Jacen's shoulders slumped as a sick and overwhelming feeling of remorse rolled over him. He couldn't live with this guilt; it was tearing him up inside. He needed to get away from the people he loved for their own sake.

He slowly stood as he formulated a plan. "Jaden I need to go to the 'fresher."

"Oh, okay." His cousin stood up and put down his datapad. "Let's go."

Jacen knew Jaden was probably the weakest of the Jedi when it came to combat. He was an intellectual whereas his brother Talon was deadly on the battlefield. Jacen knew if he wanted to escape it would have to be now when his cousins and uncles were asleep and only Jaden was wake.

As the two men entered the 'fresher, he quickly spun and landed a hard right hand blow across Jaden's face. Jacen's cousin staggered, falling to one knee as blood dripped from his mouth and nose. He gazed up at Jacen with a sad look of shock and betrayal.

"I'm sorry Jaden," Jacen said as he moved in to strike him again. He was surprised when Jaden rolled to the side and forcefully kicked out with his leg connecting his boot into Jacen's groin.

Jacen bit down on his bottom lip stifling a scream as he grabbed his crotch and staggered back, falling heavily against the 'fresher wall. He glared at Jaden who was sitting dazed on the floor. "Who taught you that move? Your father?" Jacen sneered.

Jaden spit blood out of his mouth. "No, my mother."

He could see his cousin draw in a deep breath readying to call out the alarm. Jacen lunged at Jaden clasping a hand over his mouth. His cousin struggled bringing a hand up to push Jacen away. Unfortunately for his Jaden, hand-to-hand combat was one of Jacen's strengths. Corran Horn had been Jacen's Master. Master Horn lacked the ability to do telekinesis and therefore endeavored to offset that inability by stressing lightsaber and close-in fighting…skills which he passed on to Jacen.

Jacen spun around his cousin positioning himself behind him. He snaked an arm around Jaden's neck and wrestled him into a rear blood-choke hold. He squeezed Jaden's neck, putting pressure on his carotid arteries and slowly restricting blood to the brain. If done correctly it would render the victim unconscious in seconds, if done incorrectly it could cause death. He brought his mouth down to Jaden's ear and whispered. "Stop fighting! Just relax and sleep."

To Jaden's credit, he fought until the very end, but eventually he went limp. Jacen lowered the man to the floor and checked for a pulse. He gave a sigh of relief when he realized he was alive.

He struggled to his feet, still feeling the effects of the powerful kick to the gonads. He leaned against the wall as he looked down at his hands. They were covered with Jaden's blood. He sadly reflected on the symbolism. He had a feeling that before the end of the week a lot more blood would be on his hands. He just hoped it would be figuratively, and not literally.

.

Jacen ran out of the building and into the warm night air of Myrkr. The night sky was ablaze with stars. It would be a beautiful sight under other circumstances, but now was not the time for stargazing. He quickly moved to the shuttles hoping they were left unsecured. If he could get into space he could disappear. When he was on his search for Force knowledge he managed to remain incognito for years. He could do it again.

He tried to unlock the boarding ramps of the various ships but was unsuccessful. "Frack!" Jacen swore in frustration. He turned and gazed at the forest surrounding Karrde's hidden base. He remembered the stories his parents told him about Mara and Luke's adventures on Myrkr. He knew Hyllyard City was a two-day walk north from the base. If he could make it there he might be able to arrange passage off planet. Hell, he had access to some of Tenel Ka's secret bank accounts; he could buy his own ship if need be.

He walked to the edge of the old growth forest and stood in thought. He knew about the wildlife of Myrkr. All the Jedi knew of the ysalamiri, but few have ever seen a Vornskr, the vicious canine species that hunted in these forests. Jacen had seen one of the terrifying animals as a boy when his family visited Talon Karrde. Karrde once had two of the animals as pets, but one died on Wayland as it attacked the Dark Jedi Joruus C'baoth. Karrde's surviving Vornskr was tamed, but Jacen remembered vividly the rows of sharp teeth that lined the animal's strong muscular jaws. They were ruthless, nocturnal predators.

He looked back to Karrde's compound and stared at the exterior lights. He could go back, be quiet and hope that Lumiya's connection to the Hapan plague wasn't discovered and therefore his complicity established. Or he could take his chances in the forest. Of course, the possibility of making it out of the Forest at night while unarmed was slim. As he stared into the blackness he realized he really didn't care if he made it to Hyllyard City or not. One way or another this situation would be over.

He took a deep breath and made a decision as he slowly entered the dark forest.

.

Mark woke with a start, gasping for air. He sat up and listened. He didn't hear anything, but he knew something was not right. He stood and pulled on his trousers and holster and rushed down to Jacen's room. He found the chamber empty, but he heard the HoloNet on down the hall. He ran down to the dayroom only to find Jaden's abandoned datapad. He sprinted down the galley and when he found nothing he went to the 'fresher. There he found his son sprawled out on the floor. "Jaden!" Mark screamed and he went to check on his son's condition. The young man was alive, but unconscious. Mark stood and ran out into the hallway. "We have an escape!"

.

Jacen moved as quickly as he could through the forest…, which wasn't fast at all. Without the Force he had to rely on the meager amount of light provided from the stars above to help him navigate through the heavy brush. He held his hands out in an effort to avoid running into low hanging branches. He should have taken the time to search for a lightstick from the base before he dashed off, but that was just another bad decision stacked upon dozens of other horrible decisions he had made lately.

He stopped when he heard the snapping of branches and twigs up ahead in the underbrush. Something large was moving up ahead. Jacen's eyes jerked upwards when he heard a snarl in the trees above followed by the thud of an animal leaping from one branch to another.

There was movement in the thicket in front of him. Out of the darkness the outline of a large beast materialized. It growled and snarled as it cautiously approached. Another Vornskr came out of the bushes from the side and the first beast immediately attacked the interloper, obviously not wanting to share his meal. After a short, but brutal struggle the second animal retreated. The larger Vornskr turned his attention back to Jacen. The animal recoiled a step when the deafening sound of a sizeable creature rushing though the underbrush could be heard behind Jacen.

Jacen cautiously turned and peered into the dense, dark forest trying to catch sight of the animal that could startle a vornskr. After a few seconds he could see the movement of trees parting, as they were snapped and shoved aside by something large. Jacen tried to remember if there were predators larger than Vornskrs in the Myrkr timberlands, but he couldn't remember. He turned back to the animal in front of him that was edging its way closer despite the sound of the larger predator approaching. The animal's eyes glowed as it hunkered down to pounce on Jacen.

Jacen gave a caustic laugh as he realized the irony. The great Jedi that was to be the Master of the Unifying Force and save the galaxy was now dinner for a Vornskr.

The beast let out a feral scream as he bounded toward Jacen. He knew Tenel Ka wouldn't be able to sense his death or his dying message but he closed his eyes and tried to send it anyway, 'I'm so sorry for what I have done. Forgive me. Goodbye.'

He expected to feel the harsh impact of the animal against his chest and its hot breath on his face as it's powerful jaws closed around his throat, but instead he heard the shot of a blaster echoing in the night. The vornskr shrieked and Jacen heard a thud in front of him. He opened his eyes to see a Vornskr lying at his feet, its eyes closed and breathing labored. Jacen turned in the direction of the blaster shot and saw his Uncle Mark standing there, weapon in hand and a trail of broken trees behind him. He must have Force-burst his way though the woods as he ran.

"I wish you didn't do that."

Mark gave Jacen a steady gaze. "Don't worry, its only stunned. I have a soft spot for Vornskrs." He turned the blaster at Jacen. "What I don't have is sympathy for the man who attacked my son. Jaden's a healer…he's the closest thing to a Jedi pacifist that you can get." He moved closer and activated a lightstick. "Is that his blood all over you?"

Jacen's cheeks suffused with shame. "Yes. I left him alive."

"Of course he's alive, or else you'd be dead."

"Then I guess I should have killed him," Jacen said emotionlessly.

His uncle glared at him coldly. "You don't mean that Jacen. He's your family."

Jacen didn't flinch from Mark's gaze. "You're not my family. I have no family. And I'm not going to let you take me in." Jacen turned and was able to run a few steps before he felt the familiar pain of a stunbolt running through him.