Lightsabers clash, two blue blades on a red, at the base of a tall red cliff. The owner of the blue sabers dares not free one up, lest her opponent discover her move and throw her balance off. In the distance, a soft crumble sounds and the owner of the red lightsaber pushes back with the Force and jumps to the right as a rock comes flying at where her head should have been and lands on the ground inches from her opponent, flecking her dark skin with iron-rich dust. She is back on her feet in an instant just as the woman with the red lightsaber advances on her. "You won't last long, Jedi," she says, tucking a lock of blonde hair behind her ear.

Building a field of energy around her, the Jedi smirks. "Your overconfidence is your weakness. Sith always succumb to hubris, Jori."

The Sith strikes at the field. Its unpredictable patterns divert her blow to the right, and she compensates by rotating her wrist and adjusting the angle of the blade. "A child's trick? I'm insulted, Loneva. And it's not hubris when it's a fact." The weak field soon dissipates in Jori's direction with a blinding flash. The grin on Loneva's face fades when she finds the Sith's blade at her throat.

"Fine…I yield." She shuts off her sabers, hooking them onto her belt, and Jori does the same.

"Getting the field up is one thing, but maintaining it takes more practice. I recommend waiting until you're better before using it in combat again." She smiles. "Though I am surprised you held out as long as you did."

"And there's my suggestion for you," Loneva turns around to face her. "You can't help but look when you're about to strike with your blade. Don't think…feel. Let your body respond on its own to the flow of the battle."

Jori pats Loneva's shoulder. "I'm learning…and so are you. It won't be long until you're as proficient in Force spells as I am."

"Are you absolutely sure you don't want to learn to dual wield?" the Jedi presses.

The Sith shakes her head as the two walk back to their camp side by side. "I don't mean anything personal by this, but there's something about using two lightsabers that just strikes me as…well, tacky."

Loneva rolls her eyes. "Please don't tell me this our trip to Nar Shaddaa all over again."

"Not at all. You've actually been following my fashion advice…to an extent."

"Yeah, I'd probably feel like following it more if you did laundry more often. Do you have any idea what a pain it is to maintain a shimmersilk robe without a garment reclamator?"

Jori lets out a long series of laughs, bending over, then straightens back up. "I've created a monster."

"By the way, it's your turn to cook lunch."

"Why mine?"

"Because you're better at it."

Jori grins. "Then it's your turn to fix the transceiver."

Loneva offers no argument, but swaps her combat robes in the tent for her work tunic. As she disassembles the transceiver, Jori removes a chunk of varactyl meat from the refrigeration unit and fires up the stove, dropping in a bit of oil. She watches Loneva at work on the transceiver as she chops vegetables. The Jedi notices her. "Aren't you worried about losing a finger?"

"I still haven't," Jori smiles, "And I always enjoy seeing you work. You have such passion for machines."

"Don't give me some long-winded explanation of how that makes me strong. The only machines I use in battle are my lightsabers and my cortical implant."

Jori's grin fades. "I wasn't going to. I know how you feel about the Sith Code. Truth be told, I think it's deficient myself. Sith being led around by their passions is the source of nearly all the Empire's problems today. Instead, they need to learn what motivates people."

"You mean they need to be like Republic Senators?"

"No, not like your Senators. They don't do their jobs properly because the Republic's very structure prevents it."

Loneva snorts. "Here we go again." She recites along with Jori as the Sith speaks her old saying. "There cannot be such a thing as good politics, not due to moral weakness, but due to problems of calculation."

"See? You're learning." She leans to the side to dodge the bolt Loneva has thrown in her direction. "I know you cherish democracy, but would it kill you to show a bit of maturity?"

Loneva sticks her tongue out. "There is no death, there is the Force. And you know why I threw that bolt."

Jori snickers. "Well then, tell me: Why is it your Senators should be permitted to run the lives of your people? Are your people simultaneously too stupid to manage their own affairs and smart enough to choose people to run the entire Republic's affairs?" The Jedi remains silent. "If your legislators are chosen from among your people, are they not subject to the same deficiencies that make your people unfit to rule themselves?" She dumps the vegetables into the pan.

"That's why we have voting," Loneva says, "That's the incentive for them to do their jobs right."

Jori begins dicing the varactyl shank. "And yet 90% of your Senators are re-elected, even when the Senate has an abysmally low approval rating. Tell me how well your system works again." She scrapes the meat into the pan as Loneva tries to justify herself.

"I never said the Republic was perfect. But at least our Senators don't pit our people against each other on the battlefield."

"True enough, but when have I extolled the virtues of the Empire?"

Loneva puts the final component in the transceiver. "You never have. You said something about it being unnecessary, or even a hindrance, for those who wish to follow their passions." She continues after a nod from Jori. "Come to think of it, considering how long we've known each other, and especially the nature of our relationship, I really feel I should know more about you. Much more."

Jori scrapes the food off the bottom of the pan. "For the life of me, I can't understand why. I'm hardly what I'd consider an interesting person."

As she tightens the last bolt on the transceiver, Loneva returns Jori's smile. "You know I disagree with that. Every story you tell me, every idea you explain…whether I agree or not, I always find myself enthralled."

"Are you sure that's not because of my accent?"

Loneva turns on the transceiver, having it run a self-diagnostic. "Well, I'd be lying if I said your accent wasn't sexy. But that's far from the only thing. You're the smartest person I've ever known, you're strong with the Force, you're a great cook, and you're thoughtful and considerate. In fact, if I'd met you in a more social setting, I'd never have guessed you were a Sith." The diagnostic reports no problems, so she begins a covert scan. "That birthday party you threw for me last year was really something special, even though it was just you, me, and Seetwo." Jori opens her mouth to protest, but Loneva interrupts her. "And don't you dare say it was nothing. It may not have seemed like a lot of work to you, but it meant a lot to me. Just accept that you did a good job, alright?"

Now it's the Sith's turn to be at a loss for words. "I…well…I…thank you, Loneva." She dishes the food onto two small plates, handing one to the Jedi.

As they eat, they discuss plans for the future. "At some point," Loneva says, "We'll need to stop preparing and start acting."

"Agreed. We should join your friends' fleet and give them the Eternal Fleet schematics we uncovered."

"For all the good that will do. The data's as clean as I can possibly make it, but it's still pretty corrupted."

"Still, we must take every advantage we can get. Only the Empire's isotope 5 ships stand even a remote chance against the Eternal Fleet."

Loneva nods. "Sorry, I just wish we had something better to offer. I'm unhappy that this is all I have to show for four years of work." Jori's reassurance is cut off by the alarm sounding on the transceiver. Loneva runs over to read it.

"There are ten ships coming out of hyperspace, right by the second moon!"

Finishing her food in a hurry, Jori jumps to her feet. "Zakuulan?"

"It looks like it."

"How did they find us here?!"

"We'll work that out later. Let's break camp and get out of the system before they catch us!" Unable to present any further argument, Jori levitates the cooking supplies and portable sleeping quarters into the ship as Loneva fires up the long-dormant engines. A roar in the sky makes both of their stomachs drop as a Zakuulan transport hovers above them and drops a squadron of Skytrooper droids.

Jori ignites her lightsaber. "I'll hold them off! Get the ship ready!"

Too busy not to go against this advice, Loneva purges the fuel lines in the direction of the invading ship, which backs off, leaving a trail of smoke. The Skytroopers, loyal to Valkorion to the end, ignore this and close in on the Sith. Loyalty to their Emperor doesn't shield them from a Force blast that sends two of them flying into the face of the nearby cliff. One of them explodes. A third, obviously the squad leader, charges at Jori, who hits it with a lightning bolt, but not quite fast enough as it slams the butt of its rifle into her shoulder, fracturing it. She cries out, and the droid is beheaded by one of Loneva's thrown lightsabers. The Jedi Force-jumps to her. "Leave me. Save yourself and the schematics!"

Another Skytrooper ship roars above them as Loneva scoops Jori up and slings her across her shoulder. "Do I ever?"

The Sith sighs. "Why do I even bother?"

The ship's turrets, fitted with a defensive subroutine, fire on the dropship. It explodes behind Loneva just as she reaches the ramp and scrambles inside. "Danica!" she shouts to the ship's AI, "Get us out of here!"

"Gladly!" it responds and the ramp closes as the ship rises into the air.

Loneva begins setting a cast for Jori's shoulder. "Set a hyperspace course for CZ-198!"

"Calculating now."

The ship's comlink opens. "Republic vessel, you are charged with the destruction of Zakuulan property. Power down your engines and surrender to the Eternal Empire, and you will be given a fair trial."

With a flick of her wrist, Loneva shuts off the comlink, putting a kolto patch directly on Jori's wound, then setting the bone.

"Course calculated," Danica announces.

"PUNCH IT!" Loneva screams. The ship lurches forward and the stars streak across the window as they enter hyperspace.

"We made it, boss," the AI says.

"Why?" Jori asks, a single tear escaping her eye as she looks away. "Why do you keep risking your life for me, you damned fool?"

"Because that's what I do."

Jori looks back at her. "Well, stop. Saving the galaxy should be your priority."

The Sith blinks, clearly confused as Loneva clutches her good hand with both of hers. "I can't do it without you. If you hadn't come along, I very well might have given up and thrown myself on Zakuul's mercy. You remind me of what I keep fighting for, so please, promise me you'll be more careful with your own life. This insane death wish of yours needs to stop. Live…for me, and for the galaxy."

Jori shuts her eyes tightly. "Stop it. You're turning me into a sentimental fool."

"I'll only stop if you let me kiss you."

She sighs deeply, opening her eyes. "If you must." She clutches Loneva's hands as they lock lips. When at last they part, she looks up at her. "I love you too, my Jedi."

Loneva smirks. "Now you get yourself some rest. And don't you dare get up, or I swear to the Force I'll sedate you."

Jori's eyes almost disappear into her head. "Yes, Mistress."