A/N: Sorry for how long this update took. I had a lot happen lately, including the loss of a close family member. Good news is the story is finished, and I'm working on the next story in the series. Hope you enjoy it.

"Really? An entire menu out of what you can do with a spleen," Brooke demanded, exasperated. Lana could hear her voice echo down the hallway. "You don't think that was a bit overkill?"

"Haha, overkill, I see what you did there!"

"You're enjoying this too much."

"You're not enjoying it enough," Maj. Horner snickered as they rounded the corner.

"Hope you don't mind the subterfuge," Lana interrupted, both women stopping suddenly when the saw her. "We needed a way to bring you here without drawing attention of the Revanites. The pirate cannibals was his idea," she explained, pointing to Theron

"Seems like it was a hit with some of you," Theron observed dryly.

"A bit too much with the Major," Brooke sighed, before stepping back. "Yes I hear you, T7, hold on. Excuse me a moment," the Jedi apologized before stepping away from them.

"So which one of you missed me more," Rory asked the both of them with a smirk.

"Uh…" Lana stammered, looking at Theron.

"I'm going to go check on Brooke," he replied stiffly.

"I… I have readings I need to check," Lana said as she quickly turned her back and walked away.

"Theron has a Jedi fetish, raise your hand if you didn't see that coming," Lana heard Maj. Horner joke.

"Must you flirt with everyone," Jorgan huffed.

"Yup, especially if I plan on shooting them," she replied cheerily. "By the way, you, sir, owe me credits. Lana is totally into me."

"No way, you saw how fast she shot you down."

"Are you kidding? She stammered and deflected. In Sith world that's tantamount to undying affection." Lana was glad she was out of sight, she could feel heat starting to bloom on her face.

"Not sure if that's 'Sith World' or your own imaginary place. Either way, you need help."

Lana was unsure why the force showed her the memory of their reunion on Rishi during her mediation. That particular moment was one of the few moments of levity in an otherwise stressful period. Standing, she discovered Rory was finally stirring.

"I'm really getting sick of this fucking ceiling," she muttered.

"I'll be sure to pass your sentiments on," Lana replied, relief evident in her voice. If Aneira had been startled by her presence she didn't show it. In fact, she refused to look at Lana as she raised up on her elbows and took stock of her injuries.

"Master Kor and Cipher 9 did the best they could to try and save your leg," Lana offered quietly. "There was too much tissue damage."

Aneira didn't react to her words, her mind elsewhere. She pushed herself up the rest of the way, waving Lana off despite her obvious pain. Aneira was silent as she stared at the wall in front of her.

"What's wrong?"

She took a minute to answer, and when she did Lana had to strain to hear. "Vaylin will never stop hunting me. And now she's after you because of me. I am so sick of those close to me being targets."

"Judging by our mission to remove her family from power I'm sure I would have gotten her attention eventually."

"That's not the same," she snapped angrily before attempting to stand.

"What are you doing?"

"I need to get out of here," she answered as she reached for the crutches leaning against the wall Cipher had placed earlier. The wounded major managed to stand, barely keeping her balance as she nearly doubled over in pain. "When Vaylin hears I'm gone it'll distract her, give you an advantage as she chases me."

"Rory, listen to yourself," Lana said, trying to catch her attention. Lana stopped what little progress she was making by blocking her path. "You're letting her get in your head and you're panicking. You're in not in any shape to be running anywhere, let alone from the Eternal Fleet. All leaving will do is make it easier for her to catch you. How do you think I'll be able to function knowing she has you again?"

"You'd make it work," the soldier dismissed coldly. "You lasted 5 years without me and was able to pull off the rescue on the Spire even though I wasn't there."

"And if Senya hadn't contacted me weeks earlier I would have left Koth's ship as soon as Brooke and the others were onboard to find you," Lana shot back, her emotions getting the better of her.

"So, you admit you owe me two ships," Koth said casually as he strolled in, ignoring the tension in the room.

"Not now," Lana threatened.

"Outlander sent me, we've landed on Odessen."

"Give me three minutes," Lana snapped.

"Never gonna live that down," Koth sighed as he walked out. "I'll stall them for you, but don't take too long."

An awkward silence replaced Koth's presence as both women tried to think of what to say.

"Just tell me why," Lana asked, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice, "the real reason."

The soldier sighed and sat on the bed behind her. "Because I can't be the woman you need me to be," she confessed quietly, looking defeated.

"What are you talking about?"

"If you hope to challenge Arcann, you'll need an alliance between Imperial and Republic forces since no one side is strong enough to take him alone. You mentioned earlier that neither is willing to give up their war to take on the Eternal Throne, so that means you're going to have defectors who are disillusioned with their respective governments and only coming to you because there is no better option."

"All true," Lana admitted.

"The last time something like that happened was when we stood together against Revan. Mar and Shan openly working together was the only reason we were able to band together long enough for that to happen. To take down Arcann, you're going to need more than good leaders, you're going to need legends from both sides showing open cooperation, and I can't be the 'Hero of Havoc' or 'Sith Slayer' or whatever other ridiculous name they've come up with since I've been gone. Most days, I can barely get out of bed. But lead an army? Don a uniform? Put on a smirk and carry on like the past 5 years never happened? I can't do that. I can't be the Spec Force Major, and she's who you need to lead those troops. I'm so busy cowering from my own shadow I can't even be the woman you were interested in on Rishi," she spat, voice laced with self-loathing.

Lana took a seat next to Aneira and thought carefully what to say. Deciding on honesty, she said, "You're right, we do need legends if this is going to work. That's how I convinced Koth and Senya to help me rescue everyone. I was able to prove how they would all be essential in convincing both sides work together against a common enemy." She paused to gather her thoughts before continuing, "But that was just how I justified it, to them and myself, to break into the Spire so I could rescue you."

Aneira looked at her dubiously, so Lana continued. "I have more legends than I know what to do with to bring the Alliance together. Admiral Aygo and Moff Ovech are both commanding our troops, and although having you mediate them would be beneficial, it is not essential. Both men know what's at stake. What I need, more than anything, is just you, as you are."

"Why," she asked, still sounding lost.

"I have no idea," Lana confessed, "but I'm not one to question things that don't necessarily need answers."

"What if I need to leave," the major whispered.

"Then I won't stop you," Lana answered even though it felt as if she'd been kicked in the gut. "Just promise me you'll be careful. I don't think the Spire could handle another jail break."

The Sith quickly stood and exited the med bay, ensuring Aneira didn't see the emotions threatening to overwhelm her. Once the door shut behind her, she leaned against it and took several calming breaths to clear her mind.

"I'll keep an eye on her," promised a voice across from her.

Lana looked to see Dax keeping a silent vigil in the shadows nearby. She nodded at him once, grateful, and then made her way to the hanger to depart for Odessen.

"How long are you going to follow me," Maj. Horner huffed at her Chiss shadow.

"Until you admit you're wrong," he replied, the first he'd spoken. Rory had left the med bay once she heard the shuttle depart for the surface. Almost instantly she noticed the bounty hunter trailing her, not letting her out of his sight.

"Did Lana put you up to this? Seriously there has to be a better use of your time."

"No one put me up to anything," he answered.

"So, what, you follow random women around for the hell of it?"

"Not random."

"Well don't I feel special," she shot back, not seeing a conduit sticking out of the deck. She tripped, still unsteady on her foot, and would have fallen if Dax hadn't caught her.

"I should be out tracking Mako," he replied heatedly, making sure she was balanced before letting her go.

"Why aren't you?"

"Because I refuse to watch someone else implode just because a series of misfortunes befell them."

"I think what I've been through is more than 'a series of misfortunes'," Rory spat angrily.

"When I was in the Chiss Expeditionary Force my sister served with me," he said in response. "While on Hoth, a Sith Lord her team was assisting beat and raped her. Since the Sith were allies, command did nothing. Her commander made noise, but he quickly found himself on a patrol ambushed by White Maw and was killed. Our family also sought justice in response to what happened and in short order my father, baby brother, and mother all died under mysterious circumstances. Our estate and all holdings vanished practically overnight under the claims of ancient debts long forgotten."

"What happened to your sister," Rory asked, dread clenching in her stomach.

"Shot herself," Dax answered, eyes cold. "Left a note saying everything that had happened was all her fault. Within a year everything I had was gone and I had no one. Don't think you're the only one who's ever suffered this extreme."

"I'm sorry…"

"Save it," he snapped. "Words are meaningless. Don't do to Lana what my sister did to me."

Aneira started moving through the ship again, slower this time as she thought what Dax had said.

"What was her name," she finally asked.

"L'icus'r," he answered, voice tight. "Her favorite color was green. She always wore something with that color on it, even under her uniform."

"My mother loved lavender," Rory remembered, stopping to face him. It was one of the few untouched memories she had of her. "Father would go out of his way to have the scent imported so our house always smelled like it."

"I see a lot of my sister in you," Dax confessed. "You have her spirit, but also her emotional investment. I would not see you lost to your own demons."

"Is looking out for me your way of seeking some sort of redemption?" Dax didn't answer, but he didn't need to. Leaning heavy on her crutches she sighed, "I am so tired of running from ghosts…"

"There are people here who would help you with that," the bounty hunter pointed out.

"I have a lot I need to sort through first. Here's a tradeoff: You do what you need to find Mako and help the Alliance, and I promise not to leave Odessen or do anything rash without reaching out to you. Fair?"

"For now," he agreed with a slight nod before smirking. "I'm glad you're my only uncompleted contract."

"Say again?"

"I was contracted to bring in the 'Sith Slayer' alive shortly before taking on the Great Hunt."

"By who," she demanded, bewildered.

"Discretion comes standard, Major," he answered, brow quirked in amusement. "I tracked you down on Corellia and almost had you when you were celebrating your promotion to staff sergeant."

"Son of bitch, how much of that night did you see?" His smirk had her hanging her head in shame. She and her squad mates had gotten extremely drunk and their antics that night had earned her a quick demotion back to sergeant. "Well fuck me. Bet that makes for the great story about the mighty 'Sith Slayer,' vomiting her guts out in the back of a CorSec cruiser."

"I was more impressed you were able to break out despite your clear inebriation."

"Not that I got very far," she recalled. She'd managed to slip out of the cuffs and get the cruiser door opened, but was tackled soon after.

"No, but it was a valiant effort," he agreed with a laugh. "As I said earlier, discretion comes standard in all contracts, for all parties."

"There's something at least," Rory sighed. "That night was such a shit show. Good thing I barely remember it. So why didn't you complete the contract later? You know, after I got off restriction."

"You got picked up for Havoc Squad despite your adventurous night out, making the job that much harder and increased the fee to a level the client didn't want to pay. Also, he was killed in a Sith power play soon after. No money, no job."

"Good to know."

"Although, your name did make it on the Black List the last time I was able to check it. It was for your role taking down General Rakton and the attack on Korriban. I thought about taking it, but figured I'd wait until everything calmed down since you're help was invaluable on Yavin and later Ziost."

"Would you try and take me in now?"

"I don't even know if the Black List is still around," Dax replied.

"That's not a no," she pointed out, eyebrow raised.

"You're right, it's not," was all he said before Aneira smirked and headed back down the corridor.