Chapter 6: Escape

Winter and Jason's Apartment, 20:30 pm…

Jason stepped into his and Winter's apartment to find Winter waiting for him in the lounge.

"So; how did the conversation with the general go?" Winter asked, taking a few steps towards Jason.

"Let's just say that Nathan's more motivated than I ever remember him being up until now." Jason replied, closing the distance and pulling Winter close. "We did it, Winter."

"That we did." Winter replied softly, a warm smile crossing her face. "But now comes the real test."

Jason nodded, frowning.

"What is it?" Winter asked.

"I… Part of me is concerned that Ironwood doesn't fully intend on following through with his promises to Nathan." Jason responded.

"Why wouldn't he?" Winter inquired.

"Because up until now; Ironwood's been adamant that Nathan isn't ready and has refused to back down despite everything we've said to him on the matter." Jason answered. "For him to make this sudden about face and say all this… My thoughts are that this is him setting Nathan up for something else entirely."

Winter frowned herself. "The frightening thing is I can see him doing that. What is more frightening is the thought of what that could do to Nathan."

"That final push." Jason mused sadly, remembering the darkness boiling inside Nathan and the promise Nathan had extracted from him should that darkness take over him.

Winter's hand found his cheek, and Jason met his girlfriend's beautiful gaze.

"But let's not downplay this victory. For it is a victory. And victories must be celebrated." Winter said, a soft smile crossing her face.

Jason smiled back. "You're right. And how do you propose celebrating this victory?" He asked, moving a hand down so that it covered Winter's ample backside.

"I think you already know the answer to that question." Winter replied, a seductive smirk on her face.

"I think I do, too." Jason responded, pulling Winter into a passionate kiss.

Winter and Jason's bedroom…

The door crashed open as Jason carried Winter inside, their lips glued together as Jason used the Force to close and lock their bedroom door before spinning around and pinning Winter against said door, finally breaking the kiss to catch his breath before slamming his lips against Winter again. He felt her hands deftly and easily removing his upper clothing, but paid it little mind, breaking his kiss with Winter before turning and laying her down onto the bed.

Stepping back, Jason removed his trousers, tossing them to the side before climbing on top of Winter, undoing her trousers and using the opening to slip his hand down the front, to an area burning hotter than volcanic rock.

Winter's first moans of the evening escaped her lips not moments later, refusing to cease especially as Jason reached up with his other hand, fondling her still covered breasts. "Jason…" She mewled, gasping as Jason removed both hands so that he could pull her pants down her legs, putting them aside before diving between her legs, planting a firm kiss on Winter's pussy before giving it a long, hard lick. "Yes…" She whimpered.

The noises escaping Winter were music to Jason's ears as he delved into Winter's wet inviting folds, his tongue like a key unlocking a chest of treasure. Winter was so wet right now, it was insane. Reaching up with his hands, he hooked his fingers around the pale blue lace panties Winter was wearing, pulling them down Winter's slim, toned legs whilst planting kisses on the insides of both until he discarded the item of clothing immediately, climbing on top of Winter and undoing her blouse so that it lay open, revealing her bra underneath. Leaning in to kiss Winter, Jason soon reached beneath her, unhooking Winter's bra and removing both that and her blouse, rendering the Atlesian Specialist's body completely bare to him.

Jason's eyes moved up and down Winter's body hungrily; a predator thinking how best to devour their prey. Leaning down, Jason's mouth closed around one of Winter's breasts, while a hand fondled her other breast.

The other returned to its former spot between Winter's legs, this time slipping a finger inside and beginning to move in and out of her increasingly hot pussy.

"Keep going Jason…" Winter begged between moans, her pleasure immeasurable by this point.

Ever the attentive lover, Jason licked, kissed, and nibbled on his lover's breasts, pinching and nibbling on her dark pink nipples whenever he felt compelled to, all the while increasing the pace of his fingering, suddenly slipping a second finger inside her.

"Fuck!" The curse leapt from Winter's lips like a cannonball, her moans and screams increasing in volume as her crescendo drew closer and closer.

Just as she seemed close to the mountaintop, Jason ceased his assault, finding it had left the flesh of his lover's breasts pinkish red, and absolutely soaking wet between her legs. Leaning in, he kissed Winter passionately, gently running his hands over both breasts, lightly squeezing them.

Winter moaned into the kiss, only to then flip so she was on top. "My turn." She declared boldly, grabbing Jason's boxers and all but ripping them off, baring the monster between Jason's legs as it stood at attention; rock hard and ready to be plunged deep inside her.

Just not yet, as she took Jason into her mouth, hearing him gasp and moan himself as her mouth managed to encase his shaft completely.

Jason gripped the sheets as tightly as he could as Winter started moving up and down his shaft, her head bobbing up and down every time.

He felt her tongue swirling round him like a whirlpool with every descent, the pleasure causing him to just lean back and enjoy it.

Until a new feeling encased his cock, prompting him to look down, seeing that Winter had brought her breasts into the equation, bringing them up and down with every bob of her head.

The resulting pleasure had Jason gripping the sheets for dear life, resisting the urge to empty his balls into Winter's mouth, despite every fibre of his being urging him to.

Jason held on regardless., despite feeling like his mountaintop was near.

Until it wasn't, as Winter suddenly removed her mouth and breasts from Jason's shaft.

Jason watched as Winter's beautiful face slowly came into view above his own, a soft, loving smile crossing her face as she leaned in.

Their lips met within moments, conveying all the love they had for each other into that one kiss, knowing they were about to embark on the ultimate show of affection.

Rolling so that he was on top, Jason broke the kiss, looking Winter in the eyes and smiling. "I love you, Winter Schnee."

"I love you too, Jason Stone." Winter replied, spreading her legs. "So make love to me."

With that, Jason leaned in and kissed Winter once again, lining himself up and pushing himself deep inside Winter.

Winter's pleasure was volcanic the moment Jason entered her, leaning back and moaning softly into their kiss, breaking it to mewl: "Yes…" The moment she felt him sheathe his shaft completely inside her.

Their eyes met, and Jason reached up, softly caressing his lover's cheek before beginning to move, thrusting slowly but surely, gently but firmly into Winter.

The result was fresh gasps and moans of pleasure; more music for his ears coming with every thrust he made into Winter. Music he wanted to hear more loudly, as he reached up with his hands so that they each cupped one of Winter's breasts, lightly fondling the fleshy mounds as he made love to Winter.

"Oh, yes…" Winter gasped between moans, pulling Jason into another kiss. Upon breaking it, Winter said: "Speed up, Jason… Don't stop…"

"I never planned to." Jason replied, sharing another kiss as he gradually increased his speed, hearing the fruit of his labours not long afterwards as Winter's moans and gasps increased in volume.

"Yes… just like that, Jason! Keep going!" Winter begged, wrapping her legs around his waist to allow him deeper inside her.

Jason seized the advantage this offered him, slowing down and starting to drive into Winter with deep, powerful thrusts, each one as powerful as the last.

"Fuck yes, Jason! Make me yours, you animal! Fuck me until I can't walk!" Winter demanded. "That's an order!"

"Consider. It. Done!" Jason shouted, matching each word with a deep, powerful thrust before beginning to piston thrust after thrust into Winter, increasing his speed moments later.

"YES!" Winter screamed, her legs tightening around Jason's waist like a vice, clinging to him as tightly as she could whilst he pounded her into the bed with each thrust, moaning and screaming in ecstasy.

Jason refused to let up, his and Winter's hot breath filling the air between them as he pinned her to the bed, their love and desire for each other trumping all rational thought. He wanted so desperately to make Winter cum. Just like he felt the deep need to cum as well.

He could feel it coming as well; the strain increasing like a bowstring being pulled back as far as it could before he let it loose, saying: "I love you, Winter! I love you so much! I… I'm gonna…"

"Finish me, Jason…" Winter mewled, her eyes begging Jason to grant her the release he sensed was building up inside her as well.

With that, Jason began to drive himself even harder and faster into Winter, holding back as long as he could until he heard Winter shriek:

"JASON!"

The feeling of Winter's walls clamping down around him was too much for Jason to bear, and with one final deep, powerful thrust, Jason felt himself erupting inside Winter, roaring: "WINTER!" As an explosion of semen entered the woman he loved. Rope after rope of the hot, sticky substance was pumped into Winter with every thrust Jason made, bringing fresh moans from them both as they deftly rode out their orgasms as best they could.

Finally though, having drained pumped his last load inside Winter, Jason collapsed on top of Winter, who herself had screamed her last orgasmic cry.

Catching his breath, Jason's eyes soon met Winter's, and they sealed their union with yet another passionate kiss.

The kiss was soon broken, and Jason gently pulled out of Winter before lying next to her, admiring her body in that post sexual glow.

Jason didn't know how long he and Winter spent just staring at each other, but he didn't care. Winter was the most beautiful woman he had ever shared a bed with, and he had no intentions of being with another.

Finally though, Winter said: "Something has just occurred to me."

"What's that?" Jason asked.

"We are nearing a full year together as a couple." Winter replied. "Our anniversary is the twenty-ninth."

"So it is." Jason said, reaching down and placing a hand on Winter's belly. "So… we gonna go ahead with our plan?"

Winter smiled. "Maybe we just did." Winter replied softly.

"Am I wrong in saying I hope so?" Jason asked, brushing a stray hair out of Winter's face.

Winter giggled. "Not at all. In fact, I was planning on having that discussion closer to the time." Snuggling closer to Jason, Winter added: "But we can easily have that talk now."

"I like the way you think." Jason replied, leaning in and kissing Winter.

Only for Winter to suddenly push him onto his back and straddle him, grinding her pelvis against his to once again harden his shaft before bringing herself down onto it, moaning as she felt him entering her again.

Jason blinked. "Winter; thought we were-"

"The night is far from finished, Jason…" Winter moaned as she began to bring herself up and down on Jason's cock. "And I fully intend on making the most of it."

Jason grinned and gripped Winter's hips as they began making love once again.

Menagerie, Kanan's room, at the same time…

"Hey, handsome."

Relief coursed through Kanan's subconscious in that moment like no other as he heard Yang's voice through his scroll. "Yang; thank the gods. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Me and Ghost are safe. We nearly got captured, but then my mom saved us." Yang replied.

"That's a relief." Kanan remarked. "Wait; your mom? As in the-"

"The one who left me as a baby, yes." Yang replied. "Turns out, her leaving wasn't exactly voluntary."

"How'd that happen?" Kanan inquired.

"It's a messy story." Yang responded. "But it doesn't matter right now. You're probably itching just to hear my voice."

"Yeah…" Kanan declared. "I've been so worried about you, Yang. Knowing what could have happened had you been captured…"

"I'm fine, Kanan; honestly." Yang assured her boyfriend. "It's Ghost you should worry about. Guy took a spear through his shoulder."

"Yikes." Kanan remarked. "But yes… it is so good to hear your voice right now."

"Switch to video call, so you can see me too." Yang suggested. "I could make it worth your while…"

Noting the seductive tone in Yang's voice, Kanan obliged, at which he was greeted by the beautiful visage of his girlfriend, naked save for the pair of panties she was wearing, with her large breasts completely on show for Kanan's eyes only.

"Surprise." Yang said with a coy grin.

Kanan smirked. "Oh, the things I would do if I was with you right now…" He mused.

"Oh? And what would you do?" Yang asked seductively.

"Make you scream my name in a way we weren't afforded the chance to the last time we made love." Kanan replied. "And then I'd empty my balls so deep inside you I'd risk getting you pregnant even if you're on birth control."

Yang giggled. "Then best not be jerking off until we reunite, mister. I want you nice and pent up for when that day comes."

Kanan then watched as Yang set down her scroll and stood up, giving him the perfect view of her scantily clad body. Try as he might; he could not tear away his gaze. Yang was the most beautiful woman he had ever met; and he'd be damned if he refused to admire her figure at every opportunity. Mesmerised beyond imagining, Kanan watched as Yang donned her sleepwear. How is she able to look so sexy doing something so simple?!

Having dressed for bed, Yang sat back down and picked her scroll up, smirking. "Enjoy the show?" She asked.

Of course she did that deliberately, Kanan thought as he replied: "I did. Though I'd prefer if you'd done things the other way around."

Yang giggled. "Easy, tiger. You'll get your chance someday soon to remove all this yourself." She then took a deep breath. "How's Blake doing?"

"She's doing great. The letter Nathan wrote her before she left really helped." Kanan replied.

"Good." Yang responded. "I'd… I've been worried about how she's handling being separate from me and just having you."

"She's fine Yang, don't worry." Kanan assured his girlfriend. "If anything; I'm wondering how you're handling all of this. Nathan's your friend, too."

Yang nodded. "Anything in that letter I should know about?" She asked.

"Yeah; Nathan thinks Ironwood's not planning on ever letting him leave Atlas. Something to do with Ironwood's ego being bruised after being proven wrong by Nathan multiple times when he thinks that he should know best as an older man and being head of the military."

"Of course. Nathan did tell me once that one thing he hated was military men who thought they knew better." Yang said with no disguising the disdain in her voice. "Anything else?"

"Nah." Kanan replied. "Just that."

"Sucks, but what can I do?" Yang mused. She sighed and looked Kanan full in the face. "Much as I miss Nathan… I miss you even more, Kanan. I wish you could join me here and… we can be together. It sucks not being with you when I'm learning so much about my past."

"Believe me; feeling's mutual." Kanan responded. "But believe me; the moment we get the chance, I am joining you, and I will shower you with so many kisses your only escape will be to send me flying."

Yang laughed softly. "Looking forward to it, tiger."

A brief moment of silence passed between them before Yang said:

"I should go. Planning to spend some time with my mom tomorrow."

"Go on, Yang." Kanan replied. "Good night, Yang. I love you."

"Love you too, Kanan. Sleep well." Yang responded as her visage faded from the screen, leaving only the standard screen.

Kanan sighed before setting his scroll aside and laying back in bed. He prayed to all the gods that existed that he would be reunited with Yang sooner rather than later.

Menagerie's Beach…

The hour was late; but that was nothing new to the Ninth Brother as he stepped off of the boat, a squad of Imperial Death Troopers at his back. Looking back at his men, the Inquisitor said in thickly accented Basic: "Secure the area. Make sure our approach will not be noticed by any guards."

The commander of the squad responded in that familiar garbled dialect the Death Troopers used before they and their men started forward, blaster rifles at the ready as the Ninth Brother watched silently from the boat.

He allowed himself an indulgent glance at the area around him. It reminded him a great deal of his homeworld of Scarif; pleasant beaches, waves lapping at the shore… it made him momentarily pine for the days he was still a boy; playing on those beaches as his parents lovingly looked on.

The Ninth Brother shelved those thoughts as soon as he thought them. He was no longer a boy; he was a man grown, and an Imperial Inquisitor at that. And he had no intentions of enjoying himself until his work was done.

One of the Death Troopers returned, saying: "Ninth Brother; we've secured the path ahead. No guards or anything."

The Ninth Brother nodded, and followed the Death Trooper to the rest of the squad, which stood at a narrow path leading up to the prison of the island. Preliminary reconnaissance had told them this was the path guards led prisoners down when they were to be executed.

Making it the perfect path for them to travel up; in order to liberate their target:

Adam Taurus; who Baron Maleficus had ordered them to free from prison, as well as anyone deemed a sufficient asset.

The Ninth Brother hoped that this mission would serve as a springboard to attaining a higher position within the hierarchy of the Inquisitorious; something the Baron had promised to help him achieve if the Ninth Brother agreed to assist him on this campaign. Possibly even the position of Grand Inquisitor awaited him; which would mean a human would finally occupy the role, as one should.

But until then; The Ninth Brother was content to follow his lord's bidding, as he walked past all of the Death Troopers and stood at their head, reaching out with the Force to determine their quarry's location within the prison.

The Death Troopers lingered behind him, awaiting orders to move forward and begin the mission in earnest.

Seconds became minutes before the Ninth Brother said: "Move."

Inside the Prison, near Adam's cell…

The infiltration of the prison had not been easy.

The Ninth Brother found himself complimenting whoever had designed and built this prison, for it provided him and his men with little room to hide should a patrol swing by.

As such; they'd been forced to kill nearly every single guard they had come across, and it would only be a matter of time before the bodies were found; such was the design of the prison.

The Inquisitor's senses determined they were close. Very close.

"Our quarry is nearby." The Ninth Brother told his team. "Fan out until you see a tall man with red hair and a scar across his left eye. He should be in one of these cells."

"I'm right here."

The voice drove the Ninth Brother to spin on his heel, igniting his lightsaber. The crimson blade bathed the area around them in a bloody light, revealing that Adam Taurus was indeed right next to the Ninth Brother.

Over a year of imprisonment had meant Adam now had grown both hair and facial hair that gave him the appearance of a shaggy canine. Besides that, little about Adam was different to what the Ninth Brother had been briefed.

Switching off his lightsaber, the Ninth Brother drew himself up to his full height. "Adam Taurus." The Inquisitor said. "I have been commanded by those superior to me to rescue you from prison so that you may assist us in our plans. Once free; you will accompany me and my allies to our headquarters. We have an offer we believe you will find agreeable."

"Whatever gets me out of here at last." Adam spat. "I have men of mine here too. Men that will make things much easier for me."

The Ninth Brother nodded, using the Force to break the locks on Adam's cell, allowing the would be faunus messiah to step out from his cell for the first time in over a year.

"Come. Let's free my allies." Adam said.

From there, the Ninth Brother freed several prisoners: the brothers Corsac and Fennec Albain, two henchmen named Trifa and Yuma, a towering beast of a faunus referred to only as 'The Lieutenant', and finally, a trio of warriors Adam informed the Inquisitor were named Jaeger Wolf, Katsuro Jigoku and Bear.

Once freed, Adam took the Ninth Brother aside. "There should be an armoury where my men's weapons and equipment are kept within this prison." Adam said. "We retrieve those, our escape will be much easier."

The Armoury…

Adam had not been lying when he said everyone's equipment was being held in the armoury.

All of their clothes, weapons, and equipment had been placed there upon their incarceration, which the Ninth Brother considered reckless. Why risk having your prisoners escape whilst armed with their weapons of choice?

Regardless, all the Ninth Brother could do was watch as Adam and his allies donned clothing, and readied weapons.

But of course, it was just then their string of luck rang out.

As they filed out of the armoury, the Ninth Brother heard one of the Death Troopers shout:

"Contact front!" in that garbled dialect.

Surging out of the armoury, the Ninth Brother momentarily spotted a guard diving for an alarm switch, drawing his lightsaber and hurling it at the guard in the hopes that any attempt at raising the alarm died with the guard.

His blade met its target, impaling the guard mere feet away from the alarm switch.

Using the Force to yank his lightsaber free of the now dead guard, the Ninth Brother switched off his lightsaber and attached it to his belt, looking back at Adam and the latter's men.

"Impressive. Your skill with the blade rivals an old enemy of mine; believed killed at Beacon's fall." Adam commented. "Is that true?"

"Yes… Nathan Phoenix was killed by the very man I serve when Beacon fell." The Ninth Brother responded. "You need not worry about him."

"Pity. I would have relished the opportunity to end his life myself had he lived." Adam remarked.

The Inquisitor nodded. "I am sure there are plenty for you to unleash your fury upon once we are gone from this-"

The conversation was cut short by the ugly bugle of an alarm, at which the roar of concentrated blasterfire drew the Ninth Brother's attention, turning to see the same guard he had thought he had killed fall and die, covered in blaster bolt wounds.

Taking his lightsaber from his belt, the Ninth Brother remarked: "So much for a stealth mission."

"Hardly." Adam said, a dark smile crossing the would-be messiah's face. "This is an opportunity for me and my men to shake off some of our combat rustiness. The timing could not be more perfect."

Not long later…

The Ninth Brother was starting to see why the Baron wanted Adam liberated.

The would-be faunus messiah was akin to a demon, cutting through the numerous guards that now stood between them and mission success like cutting through a cake.

The rest of Adam's men were more than holding up their share of the bargain as well. Whoever had trained all these men and women had trained them well.

The Death Troopers refused to be outdone as well; gunning down any guards nearby with the precision drilled into them by training and experience.

All the while, the Ninth Brother was content to wait and watch until the guards were cleared out.

"Push forward!" Adam shouted. "We're close to freedom!"

With that, the rest of his men surged forwards, followed suit by the Death Troopers, as well as the Ninth Brother.

As he passed a corpse, a hand suddenly latched onto the Inquisitor's boot, only for said hand to be freed of the body it was attached to, followed swiftly by the supposedly dead man's head.

Switching off his lightsaber, the Ninth Brother caught up with his men and their quarry, finding them all waiting at the doorway leading down to the boat.

A curt nod between Adam and the Ninth Brother saw them lead their men out of the prison and onto the beach.

Only to find a large group of White Fang soldiers stood before them.

At their head was a tall wolfdog faunus in perhaps his late twenties-early thirties, with short dark brown hair and intelligent blue eyes, with a pair of brown canine ears sprouting from the top of his head, indicating his status as a wolfdog faunus. His muscular build filled out his attire well; that being a a red combat sweater over a black shirt, under a wine red double-breasted military jacket with golden trim and black highlights. Black combat trousers were tucked into combat boots, held up by a belt onto which was belted a sword and pistol.

The sword was currently in the hand of the man as he pointed towards the escapees. "I'm going to give you one last chance to walk back inside, disarm yourselves, and re-enter your cells. We can find more for your Imperial liberators as well."

Adam simply smirked and sheathed his sword, parts of his body beginning to glow.

Before the Ninth Brother could ask. Adam tore his sword from its sheath, bathing the area in a seething blood red.

As the red light cleared, the Ninth Brother was surprised to see half of the soldiers had been killed.

The rest had wisely ducked and avoided the attack, including the leader, who the Inquisitor realised was Carrick Rock; the recently appointed Admiral-General of the White Fang.

Unfortunately, this had come at a cost, as Adam and his men surged forward to engage the remaining White Fang soldiers, including Carrick.

The Death Troopers made to join them, but the Ninth Brother snarled:

"Hold. Pick off White Fang from here."

The Death Troopers all acknowledged this and began firing on the now beleaguered White Fang troops, who were taking more losses by the minute.

The sight made the Inquisitor grin. Soon, none would oppose their approach to escape, freedom, and the success of the miss-

The Ninth Brother found himself interrupted as a bullet tore through his shoulder, striking him from behind and bursting through his front, severing crucial nerve endings.

Shouting with pain, the Ninth Brother staggered forward, clutching his wound, as the Death Troopers spun around to return fire.

Whoever had shot the Ninth Brother was fast though, and he found himself suddenly kicked down the stairs until he found himself on the beach. Forcing himself to his feet, the Ninth Brother looked up to see his attacker:

Staring back at him was a beautiful young woman of about nineteen with long, wavy black hair and amber coloured eyes. Sprouting from her head were a pair of feline ears, denoting her as a cat faunus of some kind. She was wearing a sleeveless black crop top with rectangular and diamond-shaped cutouts around the neckline, outlined in purple. Along with that were tight, form fitting black pants held up by a white belt, alongside thigh-high black heeled boots with gold-colored edging around the top. The left boot had a belt wrapped twice around the thigh. Each boot bore her emblem in white on the outer side of the thigh. A white pouch could be seen on her belt on her back. Over most of this was a long white tailcoat with dark violet inner lining.

The Ninth Brother scowled. He realised that he was in fact dealing with Blake Belladonna, daughter of the chieftain of Menagerie and former lover of the long dead Nathan Phoenix.

Besides all that; she was equally a fearsome warrior, one he'd been warned to be wary of; as the Third Sister, who'd since been replaced, had been defeated by her. Taking his lightsaber, the Ninth Brother soon ignited it, prepared to fight.

Blake gasped at the sight of the crimson blade, and her mind flashed back:

A bloody, mortally wounded Nathan reaching out to her for one last touch before the Baron's blade was driven through his chest…

The memory of that night filled Blake with a rage she had never felt, and with an almost feral shriek, she fell upon the Inquisitor, all composure forgotten as she sought to just cut this dark acolyte to pieces.

Unfortunately for her, her opponent made her pay, parrying one of her reckless strikes with ease and slashing her across the abdomen.

Blake's aura tanked the hit, allowing Blake to renew her attack.

A move that proved foolish, as the Inquisitor blocked her cleave, smacking her in the face with his lightsaber hilt, following that up with a cleave of his own across Blake's back, a move that caused her tailcoat to fall uselessly to the floor in pieces.

Blake's rage only intensified at the realisation she was losing, and against all rational thought, she attacked for one last time.

Only for the Inquisitor to ignite the second blade of his lightsaber whilst blocking her strike, using it to score several decisive hits on Blake until finally, he thrust his lightsaber towards her in a fencing style lunge.

With a cry of pain, Blake flew back, her aura breaking.

"Blake!"

The cry of her brother Kanan caused her rage induced haze to vanish, and as rational thought took over, she watched as Kanan attacked the Ninth Brother, only for he himself to be fended off.

It was then that Blake realised that Adam and his men had fought their way to the boat, and were making ready to leave. "They're getting away!" She shouted, forcing herself to her feet as she dashed forwards.

At which the Inquisitor seized her with the Force, saying: "By your leave, Miss Belladonna." Mockingly saluting her in a manner that reminded her of the Baron's mocking farewell after he had nearly killed Nathan.

With that, Blake felt the Force release her, and she sank to her knees, watching as the Inquisitor joined Adam and his comrades on the boat, sailing away into the darkness of the night.

Despair filled her in that moment as she realised that thanks to her recklessness, Adam Taurus was now free. As were some of his followers.

"Blake!"

Blake looked to see Kanan approaching her, face somnolent with concern.

"A-are you alright?"

Blake nodded as Kanan helped her up. "Just… I don't know what came over me. The moment I saw the lightsaber, I…" She clenched her fists as tears threatened to fall, choking back a sob. "I… I had a flash back to that night… when… when Beacon fell. When…"

The feeling of Kanan's arms around her told Blake she didn't need to continue. Kanan could connect the dots on his own.

"Oh, Blake…" Kanan said, sympathy dripping from his tone as he held her.

Blake fought her tears back, and hugged her older brother back, desperate for any form of comfort in this dark moment in her life.

Breaking the hug, Blake smiled as Kanan wiped her tears away, smiling softly.

"Come on." Kanan said. "Let's get you home. Mom's not gonna be happy, but she'll understand."

The Belladonna Manor, shortly thereafter…

Kanan hadn't expected to be wrong. Yet he couldn't have been more wrong.

"You lost control?!" Sienna snarled as she glared daggers at Blake, who looked like a deer caught in headlights. If a deer could be openly crying. "How can one of the best fighters in the White Fang simply… lose control?!"

"I… when I saw the Inquisitor's lightsaber… I… I just…" Blake made to say, trying her hardest to fight back sobs.

"She suffered a flashback to Beacon, when the Baron nearly killed Nathan." Kanan elaborated, stepping up next to Blake. "It's understandable when you take a moment."

"Not when one of the biggest threats to the White Fang escaped because she lost control!" Sienna snapped. "No doubt Adam will gather his old followers, form an army, and seek to destroy us! Blake's 'loss ofcontrol' could prove more catastrophic to the White Fang than the First Battle of Beacon!"

"Sienna, please calm down." Ghira declared; the first time he had spoken this entire time. "Blake is clearly still suffering from the trauma of that night. And trauma can have some unpleasant effects on the mind."

"Ghira is right, Sienna." Kali said, stepping next to Blake. "You need to lighten your tone against Blake. She's suffered enough these past few months; she doesn't need you lambasting her needlessly for something she has no control of."

Sienna Khan scoffed. "I am High Leader, Kali. I do what needs be done. And what needs be done is to tell Blake that were it not for her recklessness this evening, Adam would still be in prison. One has to wonder if Nathan would be in the predicament he's in if not for Blake's recklessness as well."

A gasp reverberated throughout the entire room at Sienna's words.

You did not just say that, Mom… Kanan thought to himself, glancing back at Blake, whose eyes had widened, brimming with tears.

"But I guess it doesn't matter now." Sienna snarled. "Thanks to you; Adam Taurus is once again at large. So get out. And be lucky your recklessness hasn't earned you more punishment!"

Blake soon burst into tears and sprinted out of the room, her sobs echoing through the hallways.

CRACK!

The slap immediately caught Kanan's attention, and the first thing he saw was his mother toppling to the floor, clutching her left cheek.

The next was the sight of Kali shaking her hand, as if it were hurt, but staring at Sienna as if the High Leader of the White Fang had just been caught committing some heinous act. Which she might as well have had.

"How… fucking dare YOU!" Kali snarled, stepping dangerously close to Sienna. "My daughter has just suffered a traumatic flashback to the worst night of her life, and you insinuate it was her fault! Shame on you! Shame on you for even thinking that was an acceptable way of speaking to Blake! Shame on you for possibly undoing months of thankless work from your son to help Blake recover! And shame on you for failing to understand the effects trauma can have on someone!" At this, Kali spat a massive gob at Sienna Khan before turning on her heel and storming off.

Kanan stepped a few feet back the moment he saw Ghira stepping closer.

Sienna Khan may have been a tall woman, but compared to Ghira Belladonna, she was nothing.

"My wife has said all I intended to say in less words than I could." Ghira growled in a steely calm voice; the way he spoke when angered beyond reconciliation. "You're better than this, Sienna. Or rather… you are supposed to be better." With that, Ghira finally left as well.

Kanan realised he was all who remained in the room with his mother as she got to her feet, meeting his gaze.

"Kanan…" Sienna made to say.

"Stop." Kanan snarled. "Just because you're my mom doesn't mean I have to agree with whatever you say. And I definitely don't support what you just said to my little sister. I never thought I'd say this… but I'm disappointed in you, Mom." Turning, Kanan made to leave, but said: "You may think we're being harsh… but imagine how much worse Nathan will be when he finds out what you've said." At that, Kanan left. He had a sister he needed to comfort.

And just like that, shit goes sideways. Again.

Either way; thank you all for reading, and I shall see you next week with chapters 7-8, which see Nathan begin his preparation for Ironwood's test.

T-Rock14