"How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Six?"
"Three actually, but that's good enough for the moment. Lets get you back to the landing zone. Duli do you mind calling it in?"
"Sure"
I punch in the comm freq we were given for end of mission report. Almost instantly a mini version of Satele Shan springs into life.
"Master Me... Dulius. What is your progress?"
It started out so well but then that was when she thought she was dealing with Adil.
Me and Satele Shan have never gotten on; she objects to the Corellian way of doing things, ironic considering her own family. I just don't like her, it's a personal dislike rather than a philosophical one.
"Target has been killed.
We took a few cuts and bruises, by a few I mean quite a lot. One broken arm and Adil got hit pretty hard by a flying pyramid... Thing; he has concussion.
Next time you send us against a psychotic Rakata Demi-god please let us know about his giant killing machine, pet... I don't know what and Eight Pureblood Sith; that kind of information is very very useful to know.
"You said Soa was killed."
"Yes... Shot, stabbed and had a couple of pyramids dropped on him. I can cut his head off and bring it to Tython if you really want."
I don't help things, but I really can't stop myself when it comes to the illustrious grand master.
***
"Kir, we've got a problem."
"Calm down Lass, I'm sure it's nothing."
My sister looks agitated, she wouldn't normally come straight here. Something big is wrong but it's not to do with her.
"I just got back from the Tion Hegemony, I dropped some cargo and a passenger there... It's gone dark. I was talking to contact there and he cut off mid flow."
"Are you sure it wasn't a bad connection?"
"Positive; every single person I know in the hegemony has gone to ground."
"What aren't you telling me Lass?"
"Who can you get together?"
"A few people. why?"
"Because it wasn't just a normal passenger. It was.."
".. Vel."
I'm out the room and headed to my ship. Lasseya's is faster, but my gear is still on board mine. Besides it took a battering on Hutta, even more so than a few months ago at the Eternity Vault; I'll need a few days to hammer the dings out, never mind the aesthetic work that'll need doing to it.
On the way I send a short text message to some friends who will be of some help; they are Spectres as well and ones I've worked closely in with the past.
***
"I'm sorry, but Kaon airspace is closed at the moment."
"Are you sure?"
"We wouldn't be telling you if we weren't sure. The planet is under quarantine."
I reach out with the force and what I encounter makes me shudder. I remember the recordings we found on Taris and the hordes of Rackghouls we encountered. The constant and preying hunger was like a weight pressing down on me. Here it's even more pronounced, and there is intelligence to that hunger.
I override the incomming comm channel, I need to get down onto the surface and fast.
"This is Jedi Master Dulius, captain of the Surprise Package , let us down onto the planet. We know about the Rackghouls and we're here to help."
The voice comes back, confusion in his voice.
"Are you sure? You won't be allowed to leave until the quarantine is lifted."
Vel'eemma is down there somewhere. She's not a fighter and yet she's surrounded by an enemy that adds to its own strength at the same rate it takes from your own.
"I've dealt with Rakghouls on Taris, I'll be fine."
I slam the throttle forwards. The only thing I have to go on is the name of the spaceport that Lasseya delivered her cargo, it's something but not much.