Senya went her own way while Cipher 9 and SCORPIO reported to Lana to debrief her on the outcome of the trip to Zakuul. No one had expected the 'Lady of Sorrows' to be Cipher's former companion. Imperious left in search of the bounty hunter, who he had thus far made a point of avoiding.

The Chiss interacted little with the rest of the crew unless necessity forced his hand, the exception being Maj. Horner who he seemed to shadow. Normally the former Wrath would have let him be, but a question that had gnawed at him for years had the Dark Lord searching the ship.

Imperious' last overseer before being sent to Korriban enjoyed liberties with the acolytes he trained. There were rumors, but Imperious never believed there was any truth to them. Not until he was taken alone into the wilds to help 'unlock his passions.' When Imperious realized what was happening, he fought back as hard as he could, but was no match for the Overseer. He was too busy reveling in his triumph of subduing the young boy that he never saw the Chiss lining up his shot. Before he could finish taking off his captive's pants a bullet pierced his skull, killing him instantly.

Shocked, Imperious looked in the direction of the shot and made eye contact with the Chiss, rifle still in his hands. He could have easily killed him as well. Instead, he looked the acolyte over, then secured his rifle, nodded once at the young Sith and disappeared into the wilderness.

It took a moment for his mind to piece together everything that happened. Once it did, he quickly straightened his robes and ran to inform the head overseer that his trainer was dead, intentionally leaving out certain details. Imperious was praised for his ability to pull off an assassination of that level without it being traced back. It's what convinced them he was ready for Korriban.

The only one he had ever told was Vette, and that was only because no secret was ever truly safe from her. She had also, unfortunately, seen this happen enough to have guessed it even without his confession. He had been hesitant to admit such a weakness to her, but she had chased away his self-loathing and been there to help him through the worst of his pain.

Pushing down the emotions surrounding his missing wife before they overwhelmed him, he pressed forward in his search until he finally found the bounty hunter. He was with Major Horner in what passed for a temporary armory, cleaning their weapons, his back to the door, her facing it.

"Puxêi," he said loudly, using the correct version of his name.

The major flinched before muttering, "I got the mother of all hangovers right now, brother. I'd appreciate you lowering your voice a bit."

"My only sibling is dead, I have no desire becoming your family," he snapped. "Do not use such an informal tone with me."

Maj. Horner immediately dropped what was in her hands and faced the Dark Lord. She imitated the slight bow high ranking Imperial officers would perform, and spoke in an over-exaggerated Dromund Kaas accent, "Apologies my Lord. If you could forgive your humble servant and show mercy by lowering your voice, I would be ever so grateful."

Realizing how harsh he'd been he sighed, "Better, but next time drop to your knees or I might not be so gracious."

"I'll keep that in mind," she replied with a smirk as she turned back to her work. "What do you need Imperious?"

"I need to speak to Puxêi, alone."

She merely raised an eyebrow in response before quickly reassembling her rifle and exiting the room. A heavy silence descended as the Chiss kept working and the Sith worked up his nerve to speak.

"I needed to ask you something," he started. But when he tried to force out the question that had haunted him for years, nothing would come out. He tried several more times as the hunter quietly continued to work, not looking at him. Imperious wasn't sure if that helped or made it harder.

"You want to know why I didn't take the shot," the bounty hunter guessed, carefully reassembling his pistol. "Why I didn't kill you along with your Master."

"He wasn't my master, but yes."

"It's not a complicated answer."

"I would still hear it."

"He was my target, you weren't," Dax answered with a shrug. He finished putting his weapon together and faced the Sith, leaning against the workbench and crossing his arms.

"That's it," Imperious demanded. All those years he spent thinking of that moment, and this was the answer he got.

"Told you it was simple. Unlike the Sith I prefer to keep my body count low. And don't worry, discretion for all parties is standard with every job."

"You only happened to be there because of a job," Imperious asked, stunned. He was relieved at the bounty hunter's promise, but he still couldn't believe it was simply dumb luck that had saved him from that fate.

"Not a job so much as ensure justice was delivered," he answered, eye suddenly cold. Imperious was curious, but knew better than to ask. Everyone was entitled to their secrets.

He was just about to leave when Maj. Horner re-entered. "Hey Dax, Kor was asking for you. Something about a quick check up to make sure you didn't sustain any injuries on Zakuul."

The bounty hunter sighed in mild frustration before grabbing his pistol and silently heading out leaving Imperious alone with the major.

"So… this is awkward," she finally said after a long moment. "The 'Sith Slayer' teaming up with the 'Wrath of the Emperor'. Who would have seen this coming?"

"Fate can be an amusing puppet master," Imperious agreed. "Answer me this, if we had met before Rishi, would you have gone after me?"

Aneira looked him over while she debated her answer. He had found the time to clean up his appearance a bit, his hair was cropped short and only long enough to make out the dirty blond color and he had shaved all the hair off his face except for where it came to a point on his chin. Like Dax he towered over her and he still wore the intimidating black armor he'd donned as the Emperor's Wrath. Everything about this appearance screamed malice. Yet when she looked in his chocolate brown eyes- not red- she saw confirmed what her gut had told her years ago looking over intelligence reports of him.

"Probably not," she answered honestly with a shrug. His surprise was difficult to hide, and she gave a small laugh as she explained, "When all is said and done you are not the evilest Sith to ever have taken up a lightsaber. Hell, the Jedi master who went after Dax did more harm than you."

"The good I've done cancels out the bad," he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That's between you and your gods, or conscience, or whatever it is you answer to. But the way I see it, both sides have just as much blood on their hands. When push came to shove, you showed mercy. It doesn't matter to me if it was because you genuinely wished to avoid unnecessary bloodshed or it was because your wife was a stronger influence on you than SIS gave her credit."

"What do you know of her," Imperious demanded, suddenly suspicious.

"Relax," she replied, holding up her hands in surrender. "I know enough to know she's untouchable."

"What do you mean by that?"

"That all our intelligence pointed at her being a stabilizing influence for you and therefore we were under strict orders to never go after her or anyone close to her."

"You're serious." He was dumbfounded by the revelation.

Amused, the major asked, "Is it really that surprising."

"Yes."

"Then would you be surprised to know that SIS actually went out of their way a few times to stop your rivals from assassinating her? At least that's what my contact in SIS said. Considering what I know about you, I'd believe it."

"Why would they do that?"

"Because it's all a balancing game. Who would benefit from your anger and who would suffer if anything happened to her? And whatever it's worth, I can see if any of my SIS contacts are still around and willing to help find her."

"Lana has her people looking into it."

"True," the soldier answered diplomatically, "but how much of a priority do you really think it is? Think about everything she has in motion and ask yourself how important it is to her to find any of our former teammates? Sure, she wants to help, but there's a lot she has going on."

"You would help me," he questioned, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Not just you," she shrugged. "She's a skilled thief who can break into just about anything. Something tells me we're gonna need someone like that. Also, I think I already explained, you being happy reduces the risk of random and intense suffering of those around you. I would hate to have to kill you when we could be allies."

The last was said with a smile, but he could see the threat in her eyes. "I would be most grateful for any assistance," he finally said with a small bow. "You are not what I expected based on your reputation."

"I keep getting that," she answered, an amused smirk on her face as she walked out of the room, Imperious right behind her.

While Imperious was talking with Aneira, Senya entered Lana's room. She was on edge from the tone of the summons, the feeling exacerbated at the sight that greeted her. Lana was sitting behind a small desk littered with data pads. She eyed Senya with clinical expression the knight had never had leveled at her by the Sith. She knew this must have been the woman who had run Imperial Intelligence, not the ally she'd been working with for years. It was not a side of her she'd ever seen, and didn't like being of the receiving end of that stare. Behind her stood Cipher 9, her eyes colder than Lana's.

"Sit down, Senya," the Sith ordered, voice authoritative.

"What's this about," she said instead, remaining where she was, her arms crossed.

"The chemicals Vaylin used to alter her prisoner's memories, we need to know what they were," Lana answered.

"Cross referencing the information we have from Imperial Intelligence and taking into account the drug combinations easily available to Zakuul," Cipher picked up, "we can narrow it down to 3 or 4 possible combinations. The problem is, the wrong counter drug could have devastating reactions."

"Ranging from being completely inert to reducing the patient to a vegetative state," Lana finished.

Senya's defenses crumbled at the shame of what her daughter had done.

"Please Senya," Lana begged, her mask slipping a bit to show her desperation.

Sighing heavily, she answered, "I don't know what she used, I had hoped those stories were only rumors. "

"There were more than rumors," Cipher 9 seethed, narrowing her eyes.

"I don't know what was used, but I know who would." Senya saw the hope in Lana's eyes as she continued, "He's one of the top neural researchers for Zakuul, as well as chief scientific advisor for Ministry of Justice. He's constantly under guard, you can imagine the enemies he's made over the years. Your best shot at him would be on one of his supply runs. He's always on the lookout for a reliable supply of his preferred chemicals."

"Where does he go," Cipher demanded.

"He used to restock on a planet just outside Zakuul, but those mines dried up. It is my understanding he found a promising deposit among your worlds. Quent… Quell…"

"Quesh," Cipher offered.

"Yes, that's it. I'm sorry, that's all I know."

"That's more than enough," Lana assured. "Thank you."

"If I had known what she was doing, investigated the rumors, I could have done something sooner."

"Then you would have ended up right next to us," Cipher pointed out.

"It would have been better than willful ignorance," Senya shot back.

"Then you would not have been in position to help me," Lana countered. "Fate has a funny way of putting us where we need to be."

Senya seemed to think it over, but her anger was still clearly present. "If there's nothing else…"

"That was all," Lana confirmed, watching Senya turn and walk out. She knew Senya needed to be alone with her thoughts, there was a lot she had to accept about what her children had done.

"How should we proceed," Cipher asked as Lana stood.

"I'll reach out to my contacts on Quesh," she answered as they started walking towards the bridge. "The planet is run by the Hutt Cartel, Zakuul would have had to go through them to either mine what they need or buy through one of their representatives. Someone will know something, I'm confident I'll hear something soon."

Cipher nodded in acknowledgement as Brooke approached them, coming from the bridge with a huff.

"Everything all right," Lana asked looking over at the Jedi's shoulder in the direction she'd just come.

"Fine," she dismissed with a wave, "just too many personalities in a small space."

"Considering you last companions I'd have thought you'd be used to that," the Sith joked as Brooke's holo communicator went off.

Lana stood off to the side as she took a holocall from Heskal demanding her presence.

"Charmer that one," Lana said sarcastically once she had disconnected.

"Better than some of my relatives," the Jedi replied with a smirk. "Remind me to tell you about cousin Nikoli and his unhealthy Nerf fetish."

"I'll hold you to that," Lana promised, equal parts horrified and intrigued.

"I should get moving. Probably best not to keep his scion-ness waiting."

"One hour, if I don't hear from you in one hour I'm leading a team to storm the place," Lana warned.

"You know just how to make a girl feel special," she replied with a coy smile.

"You're impossible," Lana huffed.

"Aw, you're blushing! You're cute when you blush," the young noble laughed.

"Honestly, I'm starting to wonder why I put so much effort into rescuing you," Lana sighed, smile creeping out despite her best efforts.

She was still laughing as Maj. Horner and Imperious approached.

"I want you and Darth Imperious to trail her," Lana ordered Cipher 9. "I don't share Senya's trust of the Scions and I don't like Heskal's demand she goes alone." Imperious and Cipher both agreed, while Aneira waved Brooke over.

"What is it, Major," the Jedi asked cautiously. Clearly, she was still leery after the soldier's earlier outburst.

"I need a quick word."

"What's on your mind?" Lana had turned her back to give them privacy. After Aneira had woken from sleeping off the bulk of her hangover, she promised Lana she would do a better job controlling her temper and would apologize to everyone who had been caught in her earlier outburst. Judging by the serious look on her face, Lana presumed the soldier was getting right to it.

"If you ever flirt with Lana again I will rain a retribution on you the likes of which you have never seen," she threatened. The Jedi's jaw dropped in response, and after a beat of an intense glare, Rory broke out in an impish grin.

Caught off guard, Brooke started laughing and Lana felt her face heat at the Major's words. The smirk she was getting from Cipher, and even Imperious, didn't help.

"Or what, you'll kick my ass," the Jedi asked once she'd calmed down a bit.

"One-on-one with a Jedi? Hell no, you guys cheat. I'll let your family on Alderaan know you're alive and tell them how to contact you," she answered, quirking her brow. At Master Alde's horrified look, her smile got bigger and she said, "I was aristocracy too, I know how to make it painful."

"That's low," Brooke muttered.

"Then we understand each other," Rory replied with a nod before turning to Lana and ignoring the glare she was receiving from the Sith.

The group took off and Rory took Cipher's place next to Lana but said nothing. Lana wasn't sure exactly where things stood between them, the threat to Brooke notwithstanding, and she wasn't sure how to start the conversation. Lana was in the middle of berating herself for acting like an adolescent teenager when Rory finally spoke.

"She's right, you know." Lana looked at her, confused by her statement. Her face was serious, but there was a light in her eyes Lana hadn't seen in a long time. "You are cute when you blush."

"Don't start," the Sith threatened without any heat.

"As you command, my Lord," she teased with a small bow before walking towards the bridge.

"Where are you going?"

"Koth and I need to come to an understanding," Aneira answered. "Too much is riding on our ability to work together."

"True enough," Lana agreed. "I'll be sure to remain nearby in case Koth isn't amenable to the truce."

"Not a bad idea," she sighed as she crossed the threshold onto the bridge.

Lana found something to busy herself with on one of the terminals while she watched Koth and Aneira out of the corner of her eye. There was still tension there, but it seemed they were both willing to look past their different opinions of Valkorion and focus on taking down Arcann. She was just about to walk out when the ships comm. chirped with an incoming transmission from Brooke.

Lana depressed the button allowing her to answer the transmission over the intercom and said, "That was fast…"

"Lana, Arcann's here! Prep the ship!"

She immediately ended transmission but not before the telltale sound of a lightsaber activating was heard as well as Arcann's voice clearly say, "That was a mistake."

Almost instantly the Eternal Fleet appeared overhead, launching an attack on the Gravestone

Lana quickly contacted Cipher 9 and Imperious while Koth started frantically working on getting the ship ready for take-off. Maj. Horner ran off the bridge and rounded up the crew to mount a defense against the sky troopers that had appeared out of nowhere.

Cipher gave a short update, ensuring they were just outside the scion's hideout and heading in to assist Brooke. By the time she was done coordinating with them, SCORPIO had shot down a fighter, crashing in the general location of where Brooke and the others were.

She sent a message out using her personal comm. to Brooke. Lana didn't even give her a chance to speak once it was answered, saying, "Tell me you're alive."

"Alive? Yes. For long? That remains to be seen."

"Just get here, we're not leaving without you."

"Understood, see you soon."

"Damn it," Koth shouted from his position at the main console. "They've locked down the mooring hooks. Only way to get them to release is from the main controls on the other side of Asylum."

"Take HK and try to make your way there," Lana ordered. "The rest of us will hold the ship."

"What about my crew?"

"Focus Koth," she commanded. "If we don't get this ship released we're all dead."

"Right, come on HK."

"Enthusiasm: With pleasure master!"

Lana helped them out one of the escape hatches to so they could bypass the fighting at the front of the ship. She ran to the battle out front where Horner's group was fighting off at least a squad of sky troopers. They had neutralized all enemies when Brooke, Cipher, and Imperious arrived.

"We've got a problem," Lana said as soon as they got close. "Arcann has locked the docking clamps and we're not going anywhere until we release the ship from the main controls. Koth and HK have already started to make their way there but need our help."

"Sounds like fun," Brooke quipped. "Imperious, Cipher, stay and guard the ship. Arcann brought the might of the Eternal Fleet with him, we're going to need every hand available to keep the Gravestone safe."

"I'm coming with you," Maj. Horner said, appearing at the Jedi's side.

"No-"

"I wasn't asking," she interrupted. "There are enough people here to guard the Gravestone, but it'll be for nothing if no one gets to the controls alive."

"We don't have time to argue," Lana pointed out. Reluctantly Brooke agreed.

"Yeah! Blondie! Go get our captain back," shouted Len from behind the barricade. Lana froze for a moment before slowly turning to glare at the Zakuulan.

"I… mean Ms. Beniko," he stammered.

She turned back around when suddenly Aneira went pale and almost keeled over. "No," she whimpered.

"What is it," Lana asked, concerned.

A drop ship flew overhead and landed next to the Gravestone. Vaylin disembarked with her personal guard as more knights and sky troopers approached from the ground behind her. She strode towards the group about to head out, completely unaffected by the shots being taken at her. A knight used his shield to block the incoming fire, and without a thought she flicked out her hand sending the shooter flying and almost off the bridge entirely.

"You were mean to my brother," she sighed once she approached Brooke. "Now I have to kill your friends."

"Arcann was just a warm up," Brooke threatened as she activated her lightsaber.

"You've got a crush on me," she replied. Turning to the major, she smiled and said, "Don't be jealous Aneira, you'll always have a special place with me."

"I'm sorry, have we met," she asked, keeping her face neutral. Lana could feel the fear coming off of her, although she was able to shield most of it and keep her face blank. "You must not have been that good."

Vaylin laughed darkly, "I've missed you sweet thing. I can't wait to show you how much."

Brooke raised her lightsaber to attack, just for her and the major to be thrown to away. Senya jumped between Vaylin and Lana. "This is a family affair," was all she said as she faced her daughter.

"Hello Mother," Vaylin greeted bitterly.

Lana left Senya to battle her daughter and ran off. The Jedi was already on her feet, and she helped Aneira as they ran after Koth and HK. Before the large doors shut behind them, Vaylin shouted out one last taunt, "I'll be seeing you soon sweetness. And don't you worry, your little blond friend can join us this time." Her threat rattled the major enough for her to stumble slightly, but Lana was close enough to grab her arm and steady her. She gave it a squeeze and they were off again.