Bao-Dur

It sounded like someone had closed a herd of Nerf in a china shop. Atton would have gone to the hatch immediately, but I stopped him.

"Give her time." I said softly.

"How much time?" He asked. I think part of it was he was attracted physically to her. He wanted to go in and hold her, and right now she didn't need comforting. She needed to vent that anger and sorrow. All we would have done is get in the line of fire.

"Hey, the Galaxy has been here for billions of years. We can give her a little of that."

He looked at me as if I had grown another head, or my horns had disappeared as he looked at me. Then he spun around and stormed off to the cockpit. Kreia had already left.

As the Universe measures time it wasn't even a second. As people do, it was a little more than two hours. She was composed, looked tired, and red eyed from crying, but the General I remembered so well was back. She came into the mess hall, taking her seat again.

"T3, was there anything more?" She asked softly. Atton came running back, and I think only the minatory look in her eye stopped him from snatching her up into a hug. Kreia appeared from the shadows near the port side berthing tube.

The droid whistled and clicked. I could understand him pretty well.

"Atris knows where some of the Jedi are." She translated for the others. "Display."

A holographic representation flashed. Under each face was a name, and last known location.

VROOK: DANTOOINE

ZEZ-KAI ELL: NAR SHADDAA

KAVAR: ONDERON

VASH: KORRIBAN

ATRIS: TELOS

She looked at the last picture for a long time. "All of them were the masters that exiled me." She said.

"A strange coincidence." I commented.

"No coincidence." Kreia disagreed. "Something greater than our friend's problems is at work here. Things are a little too convenient for it to be anything but a trap. And we must walk into it before we can judge it."

"We have no choice." She looked at Kreia. "Without them the Sith will win this war. We need them even if we have to snatch them from the jaws of Hell."

"How dare you!" We all turned. There, in all her fury, was one of the handmaidens. She stalked forward. "Those are Master Atris' records. How dare you steal them!"

Marai stood slowly. "Atton, pour our guest some tea."

She looked at Marai as if Marai had just suggested a circle dance in the nude. "Tea?"

"Yes. Echani fire tea to be precise." She turned, facing T3. "T3, except for the files we have seen, delete all information taken from the Academy data bank." The droid bleeped and whistled. "Yes, all."

He hummed then bleeped completion.

"If you would check?" Marai motioned toward the droid, sitting back down.

Warily the girl walked forward, kneeling. She checked the read out screen then sagged. "He has done as you told him."

"All we have seen was my stand before the council, and the location of the masters."

"I know. I was standing back there." Her hand moved toward the corridor back to the cargo holds.

"Yes, I saw you." The girl looked at Marai. "Now, to what do we owe the honor of this meeting?"

"I was told by my Master to slip aboard your ship. And..." She looked embarrassed. "I hoped that you could one day teach me how to touch the Force as you do."

"Yet another stray." Kreia turned. "When you have figured out where to put the bed for your newest pet, let me know."

"I need only a place to lay down." She was starting to get smaller with every sentence.

"Fine, we have deck plates and cargo netting back in the hold. Settle in." Atton snapped

"Atton." Marai looked at me coldly. Then at the girl. "There is room enough in the berthing space on the port side."

"No." She stood tall, and her look promised me pain if I opened my mouth to add anything. "The cargo hold is more than adequate to my needs."

"Then take your tea with you." The girl picked up the cup, and walked away.

"Well, where do we go now?" Atton asked.

"Onderon." She said, returning to her room.

Bao-Dur

We walked soft around her that first day. But I finally had to ask. "General, why don't you carry a lightsaber any more?"

She gave me one of those 'are you really that dense?' looks. "It was taken from me."

"That isn't your lightsaber now, General. That was the weapon of someone that fought alongside Revan. You aren't that person anymore." I hesitated. If it was such a sensitive subject, she might lash out again. "You could build another one."

"I could." She looked at me, and there was warning in her eyes. "You think I'm afraid to." She accused.

"Never thought it for a minute. But whatever reason you have for not building another one, I think it's about time you put it behind you. I knew you through all of the war, General. A lightsaber is part of you the same way my hand is." I lifted the prosthesis. "It might not be the same, but without it, you're not complete."

She sighed. "All right, enough yammering." She said, but she gave me a small smile. "Do we have the parts we need?"

"Well we need a power cell emitter, matrix lens, and focusing crystal as you know. I can construct all of them with the proper materials except for the crystal. Those parts except for the crystal are all pretty much standard equipment and easy to buy. But a Jedi once told me that a lightsaber is built by someone with a specific purpose in mind, and fits the wearer as they were when they built it."

"Since when do you listen to Jedi?" She joked.

"Well you know how it is. People talk around you, and think maybe you aren't listening. You'd be surprised what you learn if you just listen."

She shook her head. "I'll try to find the parts."

"When you do, let me look them over first." I told her. "Wouldn't want to have it fall apart because some crap got used."

"Yes, daddy."

Marai

I finally decided that I need a shower. I went to the port side fresher because the guys were using the starboard side. I was finally clean for once, and was trying to dry my hair as I walked back to my room to change.

A pint size missile hit me around knee level, and I spun in midair, landing on my hands and knees. Something thundered past me, and I stood, storming after.

T3 had backed into a corner, and was squealing a long series of complaints at Bao-Dur who stood a few meters away, his hands out in a placatory manner.

"All I'm saying is it's been a long time since you've had a memory wipe, that's all! Most droids react irrationally when that happens, and I was going to do it before it gets worse!"

T3 replied vehemently.

"I know that. But I'm done fixing all the major stuff around here so I might as well take a look at you too."

Again a droid diatribe.

"What was that? Insults? That's exactly what I was talking about. That is not normal droid behavior."

T3 gave a strangled bleep, and Bao-Dur said, "What do you mean I'm disturbing..." He turned as he was speaking then suddenly covered his eyes.

"What is going on here?" I demanded.

"General, before the conversation goes any further, you dropped your towel."

I gaped at him, and my eyes went down. Yup. The towel was back in the passageway. I looked back up. "Wait right here." I ordered levelly. I retrieved the towel, wrapped it back into position then came back.

Bao-Dur lowered his hand just far enough to see that I was covered, and motioned toward the droid. He was blushing so badly I thought he had a skin condition. Before he could speak, T3 transferred his ire to me.

"I am not pushing you around, T3." Bao-Dur said in that tone parents get talking to recalcitrant children. "I just wanted to see if there was anything I could do to upgrade your functionality."

"That sounds like a good idea, T3."

He gave me that 'Et tu?' look.

"But he doesn't touch your memory core until I say so."

T3 gave another sadder bleep, then rolled forward. Bao-Dur knelt. "Let's get the panels off."

I left to wash again, dress, and gather my dignity. When I returned, Bao-Dur was polishing some contacts. "You wouldn't guess it from the outside but you've been through a lot, my little friend. Without a lot of maintenance."

T3 gave that noise that meant 'don't get me started'.

"There you go." Bao-Dur closed the last access panel. "Until we can find a shop, that's all I can do for you aboard ship. If anything pops loose, let me know and I'll fix it in a jiffy." T3 swiveled his head, and bleeped and clicked. "I'm joking." Bao-Dur said. I smiled, rubbing my hand on T3's head, winked at Bao-Dur, and walked out.

"General?"

"Yes?"

"I didn't know humans had that many variations in skin tone."

I blushed.

The girl was sparring by herself in the cargo hold, and I watched her for a moment. She paused, holding a punch.

"I have never seen that variation before." I said.

"It is the same as the Te-rehal-Vor taught to any Echani child. But my clan developed their own variations."

"Would it not be better to have a sparring partner?"

She shrugged. "I do not know if any aboard are capable."

I stepped in, stripping off my tunic. Then I removed the pantaloons. Standing just in my underwear, I bowed then took the third stance. "Try me."

She stripped off her own robes. I was astonished by how sheer her underwear was. She looked down at the clothing, then up. "The quilted pattern retains body heat in the cold."

"Ah."

She returned my bow and took her own version of the third stance. You stand with one hand even with your waist, hand flat toward your opponent. The other cocked back as if to throw a punch even with your shoulder. Her forward hand was a little farther out to the side, the back lower, even with her breasts.

We moved together, and the bout began. She was ten years younger than I and moved like greased lightning. Her blows were sharp, clean, and surprising. I was snatched up, and as she threw me, I caught her shoulder, flipping myself down to land feet first then threw her. She stood, shaking her head. Then came at me again.

Afterward I was just glad that Atton had been busy forward. The sight of two nubile half nude women in gymnastic vigor would have sent him screaming toward the freshers.

She stepped back, bowing, and I returned it.

"For someone who has never fought with the style I was taught, you catch on well."

"Thank you. Battle is the way to learn and grow."

"Yes." She looked at me. "May I ask you a question?"

"Yes."

"Where did you learn Shar-mashit?"

"Battle knowledge?" I translated aloud. "I have never heard of it before.

"It is the art practiced by the greatest of our generals. To feel where a fight is going not only as it is happening, but long before. To know hours, days, even weeks before the conflict. It is said the most advanced can foresee what will occur in battle even at the start of a war.

"Only Revan has ever shown this skill in true battle in a century or more. Even as she attacked our home world, we respected her."

I was chilled. I hadn't known that Revan had attacked her home world when she was a Sith! "How badly damaged was the planet?"

"It was not. She shattered our fleets, then merely went away. She left only a warning. That she would do it again if we dared to enter the conflict against her."

"There are times I wish I knew how to do that."

Her head cocked. "What do you mean?"

"To go into a fight knowing how it will turn out."

"But you are already doing it."

I looked at her amazed. "Teach me."

"If you do not know how or what you are doing, it can be dangerous."

"I understand that." I bowed. "You are my teacher, guide me."

She bowed back. "Do not strike, only block. However, you may point your finger to tell me where such a riposte would go." Now her blows rained faster, harder. I realized that she had been holding back.

Yet I found the speed to match her. Then suddenly it was as if she had telegraphed a move. My finger pointed, and I blocked as I did. Again, then again.

After a strenuous hour, she stopped. "I would have thought that it was your connection to the Force that guided you. But that cannot be true. I would have felt it."

"It would not be fair to use them in sparring." I replied.

"I think there is little I can teach you beyond that. Now you fight like the Echani do. In the future."

I wiped my face. "Do you have a name?"

"I am merely Last Handmaiden." She replied.

"Last?"

"Atris foresaw when she would die. When I was chosen, she decreed there would be no more."

I looked at her. I felt a chill knowing my friend would die. "But you had a name before."

"But when I was sworn to her service, I gave it up. It is not important. My title speaks of my duty and honor."

"But what of value of yourself?"

"Keeping to our oaths, doing what our master might bid. That is the duty of a handmaiden. It is the backbone of our people that we never break an oath."

"But what does that say about me?"

She considered. "There are times that an oath would bind in such a way that honor cannot be served. That is why we do not give our oaths lightly. If the reason you stepped away from your oath as Jedi, and went to war were for personal gain or honor, it would be forsworn. However if you had not lied to me, it was the duty to the people that overrode that oath."

"Do you think I foreswore myself?"

"It is between you and your conscience." She hesitated. "I did not mean to sound as if I were making a judgment on your actions."

"I asked. Thank you." I took yet another shower then went forward.

The cockpit was quiet. Atton was lounged in the pilot seat, his feet on a nearby panel. I automatically checked to see that he had disconnected the systems on it. After all, accidents do happen. I went to the navi-computer. We were less than an hour out.

"I don't know what it is." Atton said, surprising me. "But you look... different."

"It's called a bath, Atton."

"Not that." He blushed as much as Bao-Dur had. I wondered for a moment what would have happened if he had gotten the full show. "It's hard to explain. Like watching that holo-vid cleaned out something bad. It's good to see."

"I can't explain it either." I admitted. "With the Exchange putting out a bounty, murder and mayhem in our wake, I feel more at peace and alive than I have in years."

"It shows. It's kind of inspiring to be honest. The others have probably already commented on it. I just wanted to put my word in with theirs."

"Thank you." Bao-Dur hadn't commented Kreia wouldn't have bothered. I felt, I don't know, touched by his kindness? "Could you answer a question for me?"

"If I can."

"Where did you get Echani hand to hand combat training?"

"Huh?" I could tell there was something he wasn't telling me.

"When you woke up in the Telos Academy. One of the Handmaidens recognized you stance."

Oh, that. Don't tell anyone but you wouldn't believe the fights you avoid if someone thinks you know that kind of stuff. It isn't as sure as carrying a lightsaber. But then again, I don't see it helping you that much."

He was lying. I didn't know why, but he was.

"All right." I turned to the navi-computer again. "We're almost there. I'll let the others know."

Onderon

Atton

I cursed reflex. You do something long enough, it becomes second nature. You senses say 'defend' and you automatically do what your reflexes tell you to do. But she'd let it slide, and I'd try to make sure she didn't bring it up again. They had just gathered as we dropped out of hyperspace.

The orbit and approaches to a planet are almost always empty. After all, a ten-megaton freighter is three klicks long, but when you remember that a hyperspace entry lane starts at two planetary diameters, 28,000 kilometers, that freighter is a speck of light.

But not today. Onderon looked like Coruscant on the worst possible day with ships backed out so far that we almost rear ended one on arrival. I think there were probably three or four hundred of them in this approach lane alone. On my scope I picked up a large area of blips that were tagged with the orange of Onderoni military. I felt a chill. Not orange, flaming orange. The color of armed ships with active weapons and targeting systems.

Kreia leaned forward. "Something is wrong here. There is disquiet on the planet, but here in orbit, that disquiet is painted with anger and fear."

"If the planet is under blockade that might explain it." I added. "But those aren't foreign ships. They're Onderoni. So the military is blocking access to their own planet. That means other problems." The com panel bleeped. "Well maybe they'll tell us what's going on." I keyed the panel.

Before I could speak a cold clipped voice came across. "Ebon Hawk, this is Colonel Tobin. Stand down all defenses and prepare to be boarded."

"What? Colonel, if our being here is a problem, we'll just go."

"You will not. I do not know what your business is here, Ebon Hawk, but I have my orders."

"Holy Sunspots!" I shouted. Four fighters had detached from the military front, and were racing toward us. "We can't hyper until the system is set. Hang on!"

I slipped us on our back and dived down and corckscrewed away. I felt the ship jolt as fire smacked into our shields. "Mayday! Mayday! This is the freighter Ebon Hawk! We are facing an unprovoked attack by four Onderoni fighters. I repeat, under unprovoked attack by four Onderoni fighters!" I spun the ship on her axis as two fighters cut closed. "Someone man the turrets-"

"Belay that order." Marai snapped. Again with the 'I will be obeyed' voice. "Someone wants to use us as an excuse. Head for Dxun!"

"Like I know the system that well!" I shouted.

"The moon!" she pointed.

"We'll have to go through the herd." I spun and ahead of us were dozens of ships trying to peel out of our way. "Someone tell them!"

Marai, turned, touching the com panel on her side. "All ships on Onderon approach. We are under attack by Onderoni fighters. We have not, I repeat, have not manned any weapons. All ships along our flight path, please, if you cannot move, let us know!"

I dodged as if we were back at Peragus. We'd reached the center when a ship named Republic Corona signaled that their maneuvering thrusters were acting up. I dived below her, and the bolts that missed us slammed into that ship.

Republic Corona must have either had a very nervous captain, or maybe he hadn't reset the weapons to safety as regs required. A couple of pop gun laser cannon fired back, and the fighters spun up to rip into her.

We flew through the debris from the hits as the fighters again latched onto us, but we were far enough ahead that I was sure we'd make it now.

"Damage report!" Marai snapped.

"We've taken some hits, but nothing lethal. I'm shutting down all auxiliary systems until we can make repairs."

"Bao-Dur, what about the battle?" She asked.

"Not much of one if you think about it. Those fighters took fire from four merchants by my count after two merchies were hit by stray fire. Now there's a light corvette coming out, screaming for everyone to stop shooting or they will open fire." He had the com link in his ear.

"That won't mean much to us." I snarled. "We're about as far out in the Rim as you can get and still be in the Republic, but someone is gunning for this ship by name." I smoothed out our descent. "Let me find a clearing near one of those lakes..."

"Those weren't always lakes." Kreia said from behind me. They are craters."

"From what?"

"Either bombardment or crash sites." Kreia said grimly. "This is Dxun. The place that saw the launching of the invasion of the Republic by the Mandalorians on their central front. Where the Republic began their war to beat them back after the Jedi joined the conflict. Any settlements you see will be old military installations, and some of them might still be alive even today."

I dropped us down near one crater lake. "It doesn't look much like a battleground."

Kreia was looking out the ports. "Much is buried here still. Much that should remain buried."

Marai looked white, but her voice was business like. "How soon can we lift off?"

"Maybe three, four days. Unless you can hitch a ride to Onderon, we'll be sitting here until then."

"Then we have time to explore." Kreia stood up.

"Explore!" I turned around. "This is Dxun, not Coruscant! This place is dangerous without a war going on!"

"And there are regions of Coruscant the wise do not pass through."

"All right, sure. But there are things that would eat a human being whole here, and others that will take you down a thirty gram bite at a time. More than half of the animals here are either predators, poisonous, or just so plain mean they'd kill you just because you exist, and you want to walk and smell the flowers?"

"Of course not." Bao-Dur said. He was pale too, but his sense of humor was still working. "The Kanthis flower' shoot paralyzing poison darts. Not to mention the Harpooner vines." He stood and walked out.

"Nevertheless." Kreia looked at me. "We should investigate our surrounding. I would suggest that outpost ten kilometers to the north."

"Sure, fine. Go for a bloody stroll. But watch out. We probably weren't the only ship forced down by that ruckus upstairs."

Marai nodded, and left, Kreia leaned forward, her voice dropping to a cold whisper. "I have a feeling the repairs will be completed after our business here is done. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yeah." I turned back to the panel, then spun around again. "But what's so damned important about this place?"

"As I said, when the Jedi counter attack began, this is where the first blow fell. Marai led some of the ground troops that fought here, and there are memories that must be exorcised."

"She did?" I thought of that face. She had been pale, but she had moved out as if it was just a walk in the park. "Why didn't she say anything?"

She gave me that ice cold look again. "Is every battle you've fought subject to public review?"

I shut up.

Dxun

Handmaiden

I changed into the light clothing my teacher suggested. As a weapon I bore my extending staff. I expected conflict, to face off against nature at it's worst.

What I did not expect was to step from the metal of the ship into a blinding array of lights. It was a bewildering tempest of swirling color that slammed into my perceptions. It moved as evenly as a tree swayed in a gentle breeze, as slowly as a slug sliding on a leaf, as swiftly as the thoughts of a pack of animals not far from us. It screamed in pain in death and joy in living. Growled in hunger or soaked in the sun like a mass of sunbathers on a beach. It was too much and at the same time, not enough.

Something touched my shoulder, and a voice said, "Breathe." even as I spun around. Somehow I had fallen to my knees, and before me was yet another vision of wonder. I knew it was Marai, yet at the same time it was less than and more than her. Rivers of sliver flowed along her muscles as if she were drenched in mercury. Light danced on her skin, some from her own body, but a lot of it sunlight soaking into every single cell of her being. I drew a ragged breath, and at the same time felt the glow soak into me as free-floating Midichlorians entered my lungs.

"Oh Echana. Oh lady of steel you see this all the time?" I asked her.

"Yes." She knelt beside me, and I could even see the color of her amusement. "You get used to it. Would you like to go back in the ship-"

"No!" I pulled back. "Please, just a little time."

She moved away wordlessly. I looked at Bao-Dur standing there. He was mainly light as she was but at the same time there was darkness, sadness there. Both had been here. I knew from her records, but the soul deep pain he felt was from seeing a nightmare, and revisiting it.

I found that by concentrating on not seeing all of the wonder, my vision faded back to normal. It was all there and just thinking about it would bring it back to crystal clarity.

When I signaled my readiness we moved out. I found myself relegated to the center position. Both of them had fought here before, they knew the dangers, whereas I needed to learn them. Marai led, moving as softly and silently as a wraith. Behind me was the gentle rustle of Bao-Dur who had learned without Jedi senses to move quietly in a world where noise could mean death. In comparison, I felt as if I were wearing lead boots and strings of bells.

Marai stopped us, and pointed. "Kanthis flowers." She said. Ahead of us was a field of beautiful flowers standing knee high, moving gently in the wind. Wait. They were moving against the wind. Turning to face us with the open bell of the deep flowers. Marai lifted a stone, and flipped it at shoulder height into the field.

There was a popping hiss, and spines ricocheted from the tumbling stone. Marai reached forward carefully and slowly, and lifted one of the needle like thorns in her gloved hand.

"The sap is a neurotoxin. It paralyzes you, then the roots dig up into your flesh." She motioned, and I saw root points questing where the rock had landed. "You die, but not quickly or cleanly."

We moved around the field.

There was life everywhere, and a lot of it bit clawed, stung or choked. We avoided the wildlife because Marai was in a hurry, and I didn't know if I could bring myself to strike one of these beautiful beings with death.

We followed a path upward. Ahead was the scattered bones of a body, only armor, a rusted weapon, and a data pad remained. Marai picked up the pad, looking at it.

"Chaim Desrotai, 3rd Coruscanti Marines." She said. Then she knelt, laying a hand on the back plate of his armor. "Rest you now in peace." She took the pad, slipping it into a pouch. She saw my look, and smiled sadly. "Dxun is graveyard to over 200,000 Mandalorian and Republic troops, all returned to the Force in a six week period. I found myself here." She looked around. "I started to lose myself here as well."

We moved on, and after a while, she waved for us to stop. Bao-Dur dropped into a crouch automatically when she signaled, and I had started to copy the reaction. Marai knelt near a thicket of vines, looking into them. Then she stood, pulling out a grenade. She flipped it into the overhang, dropping as the plasma grenade exploded, the flames searing the vines into dry sticks. It finally died, and she broke through the cordon, and returned with a helmet.

"Mandalorians." She handed the helmet to Bao-Dur.

"So?"

"Dead less than three days."