Hey! I'm back. My apologies once again.

I've know this lesson since I started writing, but never had it hit me so hard before: Don't wait for inspiration. Sit down, do the work, and the words will come.

It should be clear sailing for the rest of the book, and then we get to even bigger and better things. I'll post again in a few days.

Enjoy!

Chapter Eleven

The submersible rose to the surface. Caitken skillfully maneuvered the vessel between two unoccupied construction bays. Aedan, Kyra, and the Mon Calamarian officer stepped out of the transport and noticed that while the nearest two bays were empty, the shipyards were very much alive and bustling. They walked to the edge of one building and observed dozens of workers scurrying about, and dozens more working on a number freighter ships across the yard, their laser welding torches and hyrdospanners hard at work.

"Well, any ideas where to look now?" Caitken asked.

Aedan turned to Kyra, "Care to do the honors?"

"Oh, why not?" she said, closing her eyes, and sinking deep into the force. Within a heartbeat, she could sense all sixty-seven individuals of the shipyards, and particularly the three with hostile intent. They stood out in the force, their malice easily decipherable from the calm, focused thoughts of the workers. Of the three individuals, one was...familiar.

"I found them," she said, "And one is the Mandalorian from Taris and Geonosis."

"Antinor," Aedan said.

"Yeah. Him."

"Where are they?'

Kyra gestured slightly to their left. "That direction, on the other side of those constructions bays," referring to a set of three operation buildings that were a hundred meters away.

Aedan frowned, "And what, they're waiting for us?"

Kyra tilted her head, "That's what the force is telling me, but Master, how is that possible? How could they know we were coming?"

Aedan's hand went to his chin, contemplating the facts. He turned to Caitken. "You can confirm the speeder hit the drive reader two hours ago?"

Caitken tapped his datapad a few times. "Correct. Two hours ago."

Aedan seemed to ponder that a moment. "Thats exactly when we arrived on Hikahi. Could they have known that transponder reader was there?"

"Well, yea. The readers are rather conspicuous, and a lot of criminals know their locations."

"It's a kriffin trap," Kyra said. "But how?"

"Impossible," Caitken answered. "There's no way that that Quarren knew we would look through a reflection in window."

"Or that we would discover all this information on Onderon," Kyra added.

Aedan shook his head, "Sa'kard has been two steps ahead of us since the beginning. Maybe he didn't know we'd survive Onderon, or that we'd be able to trace that Quarren back to a specific speeder, but he always seems to have contingency plans."

"I really don't like that guy," Kyra said.

Caitken shifted from foot to food, skin color turning even paler. "So, we should maybe wait for reinforcements?"

"No, I think we should handle it now, because I don't think we'll get a second shot at this."

"But...but they're Mandalorians."

"And what do you think we are, nerf herders?"

"Well, no, but..."

"Relax Officer Caitken. We got this," Kyra said. "Now what's the plan, master?"

She watched as he sank into the force. She could feel as he convened with the celestial energy field. He opened his eyes.

"They're overlooking the next shipyard over."

Kyra nodded.

"A Mandalorian on each side, and the Quarren directly ahead. All have superior tactical positioning."

"You sure we want to do this?" Caitken asked again.

Aedan nodded, seemingly turning an idea over in his head. "The objective is to apprehend the Quarren before he flees, but we need him alive to question him."

"Right."

"And they're expecting two jedi."

"Right."

Aedan took off his robe, and handed it to the Mon Calamarian. "Congratulations, Caitken. Today you're a Jedi. Put this on."

"Um, okay," he said, donning the brown robe, pulling the hood over his head.

Up close the disguise wasn't too convincing, but from afar, possibly. "That will have to do," Aedan said.

"Okay, we've got our two Jedi. Now what?" Kyra asked, unable to keep the smile from her face. "Wait, let me guess. You want us to spring the trap and cause a distraction."

"Exactly. A big, glowing distraction. I want you to walk out in the middle of the yard and draw their attention."

"And by attention, you mean blasterfire," Caitken said, shaking his head. "I'm really not liking this plan."

Kyra put a hand on his arm, "I know we're being nonchalant about this, but I promise we'll be okay."

Caitken seemed to sigh in resignation. "Fine, but I get to keep the robe."

Aedan clapped Caitken on the back. "That's the spirit. Deal."

Kyra smiled, and then turned in the direction of their foes and took a deep breath, "Let's do this."

"We'll keep in touch through the bond. Give me tactical updates, and their positions, since you'll be, you know, all lit up."

"I will, Master."

Aedan turned to Caitken. "Stay close to her and do everything she says and I promise you'll come out of this unscathed."

"I can do more than just be a distraction."

"I knew I liked you," Aedan said smiling. "And don't worry, you will."

Caitken nodded, seemingly satisfied.

"Alright, Officer Caitken," Kyra said. "Let's get to it."

Kyra and Caitken walked across the operational shipyard, drawing stares from the workers. "So what, we just walk across like we own the place?"

"I mean, act confident, but don't look like you're trying to act confident."

"So, walk casually?"

"Exactly."

"In a Jedi robe?"

"Hmm, good point. Just do your best."

They slowed down a little as they passed between massive construction depots and into the open area of another adjacent abandoned build yard. There were several tall buildings surrounding the open patch of duracrete they were about traverse.

Kyra felt immediate sparks of awareness through the Force as they entered the assumed ambush area. She was already deep in the force, but it was time to go even deeper.

She inhaled Force energy, and power rushed in, the world taking on a slightly blue hue. Her sixth sense amplified drastically, letting her see and feel magnitudes far beyond what any other being could.

The Force warned her of danger, and her awareness was so acute she could feel the moment the Mandalorian's targeting reticle centered right on her torso. Her heart rate sped up, and sweat beaded on her forehead and neck. She took a calming breath, and released the fear into the netherworld as she had done hundreds of times before.

The sniper rifle followed her path, and then a second targeting reticle landed on Caitken. She steadied her breathing, and reached out for the third assailant, the Quarren they were after. She felt him high up in an overwatch tower directly in front of her. His resolve did not match that of the Mandalorians, much less their eagerness to face two Jedi.

The Quarren is in the tall tower directly in front of us, and he seems very skittish. The Mandalorians are on either side of the yard in buildings.

Copy that. Put on a show then. I'm making my way around. But be careful.

You got it, Master.

They were nearly to the center of the open space and the Force was screaming at her, alerting her to the danger.

"Get ready, Caitken," she whispered. "It's about to go down."

"Right. Exactly what is it you want me to do?"

"Just stay down," she said. "I'll take it from here."

Caitken made a noise—what must have been the Mon Calamarian equivalent of a scoff. "You sure are...confident."

She was so deep in the Force that she had trouble distinguishing between herself and the infinite energy field. But there was no concern. Only peace.

"Not confident. Just calm," she whispered back.

She felt Antinor squeeze the trigger. Felt the rifle emit the laser flash. While at the same time, the other Mandalorian fired at Caitken. Kyra's body, enhanced to ethereal levels and guided by the Force, moved.

Her lightsaber lashed out to deflect the first shot, while her left hand pulled Caitken to the side a half meter, causing both shot to miss. There was a hesitation now from the shooters, obviously stunned by their ineffective attack.

More shots finally came and Kyra deflected them all, even scored hits on the Mandalorian shooters, but they just bounced off the Beskar steel. Time to put on a show.

She lit up in Force power.

"What the-?" Caitken gasped behind her.

She was so bright that her blue glow could be seen reflecting off the nearby buildings in broad daylight. There was an even longer hesitation, and then Antinor chose a different weapon, as a heavy repeater rifle opened up. This posed more of a problem for Antinor as every blast was sent back to his position, causing him to cease fire and take cover.

How are things looking?

Marvelous. I'm doing exactly what you said.

Not surprised. I'm making my way around and nearing the Quarren.

Take your time. I'm quite at my leisure.

Kyra saw Antinor pop back up, and fire a missile from a launcher strapped to his back. A second fired off from the other side a half second later. Kyra felt the projectiles moving through the air particles. She could feel the heat given off in the boosters. She could see their path. And if that path was uninterrupted, Caitken and her would die.

She interrupted the path.

Grasping both missiles and altering their trajectory, she sent the missiles zipping across the shipyard, hitting the opposite tower they were firing from. Antinor reacted quickly, activating his jet pack and boosting away as the missile struck his perch. The other Mandalorian did not respond as swiftly. And the missile exploded at his feet.

A lightning flash of pain and despair coursed through Kyra, causing her legs to buckle. She had been so deep in the Force that she experienced the Mandalorian's death on a far too intimate level. She had felt his distinct spark of life blink out of existence.

And that scared her.

Kyra, are you okay?

Aedan's voice in her head shook her out of her momentary lapse.

I'm good. Are you close?

He could tell she was not fine.

Engaging now.

While Kyra had sprung the Mandalorians' trap, Aedan had taken a Force enhanced sprint around the shipyard, and proceeded to climb the tower that the Quarren was hiding on.

He scaled the outside of the fifty-meter structure, which consisted of five durasteel pillars, one large middle one and four smaller ones, supporting a viewing platform. Hundreds of diagonal poles interlaced up each side of the tower, which was how Aedan was making the ascent so quickly. He was vulnerable to enemy fire, particularly from above, but he figured he could handle whatever the Quarren threw at him. Besides, what choice did he have?

He was more concerned by the flash of agony he felt from Kyra seconds ago. He could still see her through the gaps between the pillars and she seemed off balanced and distracted as she now battled the Mandalorian as he jetted around the shipyard. But she was, as always, holding her own, so they'd have to deal with it later. He also realized that Caitken was no longer next to her. Good, better he's somewhere safe.

He now hung a few meters below the platform. Reaching out with the Force, he sensed the Quarren was waiting to attack, but he didn't seem too alarmed. Aedan leapt up and over the platform railing, landed a few meters from the Quarren who was still facing away from him, and ignited his saber. The Quarren was slow to turn around. But the two automated turrets on either side of the platform were not, there barrels rotating, and locking on to him.

Uh-oh.

Even more unsettling was that it wasn't blaster fire that came from the barrel, but fire. Two vicious, expanding cones of flame came scorching at him instantly. There was no time, and no way to get up a Force shield to block both avenues of attack. He could only leap backwards off the platform, his feet clipping the railing as he did so, and sending him backflipping down over the side of the tower.

He fell several meters before he reoriented himself, reached out with the force, and pulled himself to the tower. He snagged one of the diagonal support struts, causing him to slam into several of the interlocking poles. The wind rushed out of him from the impact, and his left shoulder screamed in agony from the jarring stop.

Real smooth, Aedan. And you think yourself a master.

He called on the Force to blunt the pain, and regain his awareness.

Aedan, Mando is changing tactics. So, look out.

Aedan looked towards Kyra, seeing an oncoming horde of small attack droids that looked somewhat like ID9 seeker droids with their big single red photoreceptor, only without the four small legs. The dozens of droids that were no bigger than porgs descended on the blue-lit, blonde Jedi as she stood her ground defiantly, lightsaber held off to the side, left hand now grasping her Westar blaster pistol.

Where the kriff did they come from?

His ship, I guess.

Wonderful.

Can you handle them? I'm a little...hung up at the moment.

Aedan felt a pause on the other end of their mental conversation.

You just made one of your terrible jokes again didn't you

Maybe

You're unbelievable

He could feel the smile in her words and couldn't help but smile back.

So you're good, Kyra?

Yea, I should be fine. But you need to get it together

Aedan mumbled a few choice words under his breath at that.

I heard that

He was about to respond, but the Force flashed, causing him to look up and see the Quarren peak over the side and aim a portable flame thrower down at him.

He quickly squeezed through the diagonal support struts, and then leapt to the large middle beam, before a cascade of fire torched his previous position. The singed bottom of his boot soles letting him know just how close that was.

He grabbed onto the pillar in an awkward bear hug, his arms and legs wrapped around it, but they weren't long enough to totally encircle the circumference to stop him, so he slowly slid down the beam, the friction making a drawn-out squeaking noise. He reached the bottom, and still holding the beam in his ridiculous hug, let his forehead fall forward and bang against the durasteel.

This is embarrassing.

Aedan glanced over and saw Kyra doing her blast/lightsaber dual wielding technique, destroying dozens of droids in seconds, making everything look so damn easy. He shook his head in awe. Then he saw her holster her pistol, stretch her left hand out, and release a quick pulse of electricity that fried three oncoming droids.

Aedan's jaw dropped.

He watched as a larger flash of Force lightning shot from her hand, and tear through a dozen droids at once. Kyra's movement slowed immediately, and her legs wobbled slightly. Aedan was about to assist her, when two concussion grenades dropped down from above, and clanged against the ground, landing a couple meters away from him. He dashed away, but not soon enough, the concussion blast sending him flying into one of the outer support pillars, once again the air expelling from his lungs, and his chest erupting in pain. He lay gasping on the ground, trying to catch his breath.

What is wrong with me today?

He groaned as he rose to one knee, one hand on the ground supporting him, the other still gripping his saber.

High above him he heard laugher. "We were told you were dangerous, but I think he overestimated you. You're nothing but a mediocre Jedi," the Quarren said.

Aedan gritted his teeth and got to his feet. "Can't blame you for thinking that," he shouted up. "So, allow me to set the record straight."

While maintaining eye contact with the Quarren, he ignited his saber and swept it to the side, cutting through the support beam.

The Quarren's eyes widened, and his hands quickly gripped the railing.

Aedan then sprinted forward, and sliced through the next pillar, and then continued his run and sliced through the remaining outer pillars, then finally turned inward, jammed his blade into the larger middle beam, and ran around it, effectively slicing clean through it.

The tower remained standing as Aedan walked out into view of the Quarren who still had a death grip on the railing.

"What...what did you do?"

"Hey Quarren, I just want to say thanks for the motivation. Sometimes all that's needed is a little," Aedan raised his left hand up and channeled the Force, "Push."

The soft Force push hit the middle pillar halfway up, and then the tower, ever so slowly, began to lean. The metal groaned and rumbled under the shifting weight, and the whole structure began to fall.

Heads up, Kyra

Now that's more like it, Master

All the droids had been destroyed, and Antinor was now resting on top of the large construction building, a few meters away from where the missile had struck his previous perch.

Kyra put her lightsaber away, reached out with both hands and caught the Quarren in a force grip, as the tower crashed to the ground, causing dust and debris to fill the air. When the dust cloud finally settled, the Quarren lay on the ground, covered in a dark gray soot, alive and well. Kyra stood a few paces away from him completely unblemished. Aedan walked over to this beautiful warrior princess that continued to amaze him.

"I'm wondering if a day will come when I'm no longer surprised by you."

Kyra smiled and shrugged, "Just promise me we'll have the chance to find out."

Aedan locked eyes with her, saw the sincerity in them. The hope as well as the fear. "I promise."

The force rippled and both turned their attention toward the Mandalorian up on his perch, who shook his head, and then held up a small rectangular datapad. His helmeted gaze focused on the Quarren, and then he pushed a button on the device.

A beeping noise came from the tower rubble, sounding very close to their downed foe.

"He rigged it to blow," Aedan said quickly.

"Contingency plan," Kyra whispered.

"Which he just armed."

Kyra held up both hands to create a force shield, while Aedan tried to locate the explosive with the force and toss it away, but they had a second at most before he detonated it.

They would survive, but the Quarren was too close to the blast area.

A blaster report echoed from high above, and the warnings from the Force ceased. The detonator switch clattered to the ground as Antinor stood clutching his hand, staring at a brown robed figure holding a smoking blaster pistol. Officer Caitken still behind the cover of storage crates fired again at Antinor. The shot hit him in his unprotected side just above his right hip.

The Mandalorian dropped to a knee, but ever the warrior, got over his initial shock and returned fire with his left hand, causing Caitken to dive out of the way.

Antinor cursed and then jetted away, right hand still clutching his side.

Aedan couldn't help but smile and then look up to Caitken and nod. The Mon Calamari nodded back, his feeling of triumph palpable through the Force.

The two jedi walked back to where the Quarren lay on the ground, shaking his head. "I'm not talking. You'll never get the answers from me, Jedi scum."

Kyra smiled, "There are many ways to get information, Krenton Bor-Klenny," she said, plucking the name from the Quarren's head. "Especially from the weak minded."

Aedan was somewhat disappointed with what little they got from the Quarren, as he really didn't know all that much. However, they did get some actionable intelligence, which is exactly what they were after.

"The Kathhound's Claw," Meena Tills said, amused. "That's the name of the ship?"

Aedan, Kyra, and Caitken had transported the Quarren down to Coral City and escorted him to the holding cells. Now they were back on Hikahi nearing the spaceport, and Meena Tills was seeing them off.

"Menacing, isn't it?" Kyra said, "But yea, it's an XS Stock freighter, and Caitken here thinks he can find it on their databases or security cams in no time."

Caitken nodded, still proud of his earlier performance.

"If you can pull transponder codes or the drive signature then we will be in excellent shape, and that much closer to catching that monster, and finding your people."

"I'll have that intel before you make it back to Coruscant."

The two Jedi smiled at that. "It's been great working with you," Aedan said, extending his hand, which Caitken shook happily. Kyra though gave him a big hug, and the skin on his forehead darkened ever so slightly-the Mon Calamari equivalent to blushing Aedan presumed.

"It's been an honor," he finally said.

Aedan turned to Senator Tills, "Once we get the transponder codes or drive signature, we'll send out the BOLO and all of Republic forces will be searching for it. We'll find him, and we'll get your people back," he said, bowing.

"Thank you, Master Kahl and Knight Dawnstar. I can't express what this means to me, to us. So, thank you. And be sure to give my regards to Senator Amidala. Tell her to keep in touch."

"We will do that, Senator."

"May the Force be with you," she said.

Both Jedi bowed again, smiling, and walked on to the 'Guile.

While both were running through preflight prep, Kyra broke the silence. "Want to tell me what all that was about?"

"What all what was about?"

Kyra lowered her chin and glared at him. "You being ridiculous at the shipyard, and getting whupped by that amateur."

Aedan shrugged, "What, I just had an off day."

"Jedi don't have off days, particularly Aedan Kahl. So, what was going on?"

Aedan clinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. How could he tell her the truth? That he felt conflicted; divided between his duty as a Jedi and his feelings for Kyra. And that now it was starting to affect him physically.

He couldn't. So he shook his head and stayed quiet.

Kyra frowned, eyes softening. "You can talk to me, Aedan. We're a team remember. I can...help."

"I know. And I will when I figure it out."

"We can figure it out together, you know. Because I'm probably going through the same thing."

Aedan focused on the control panel in front of him and finished up the launch sequence. "How about you tell me what was going on with you, with the stumbling at one point, and then the Force lightning."

Kyra shrunk back and shivered. She stayed quiet for several moments, but finally answered. "I felt him die."

"Don't you normally sense that?"

She shook her head. "Not like this. Normally I can sense when someone dies, but this time as I was...Alight, I felt him leave the Force. Felt his soul blink out of existence. It was...terrible."

Aedan had no idea what to say to that.

"And the Force lightning I thought would be effective in dispatching the droid swarm.

"Seemed like it was."

"Yes, but it's so unnatural that it was extremely taxing and draining, even though my intentions were pure. I think if I had done that to a sentient being the effect would have been much more severe."

"Interesting," Aedan said. "Be sure to be careful if you do choose to use it."

"I will, Master."

Now Aedan did look at her. "Kyra, it's Aedan. Not Master. Okay?"

She smiled, and simply nodded.

"She's all prepped for you. Take us out, Kyra."

"As you wish...Aedan."

The 'Guile exited Dac's atmosphere, and soon made the jump to hyperspace carrying the two Jedi back home.