Chapter XXXI - Destination Hoth

Ashara and I were training the following morning when Lord Vashcar messaged me that he would like to spend time with the artifacts. I told him that we needed to finish our training first and he offered to join us. He found us in my office and stood against the wall observing our activity, which felt awkward. I got the impression that he was assessing us, especially me, for his superiors. He had changed out of his battle armor, wearing casual clothes and his black cloak with the hood down. I did not like the look in his orange eyes while he was watching us, especially now that I understood the male gaze better from the ghosts in my head. I had on loose-fitting exercise clothes but Ashara was in her skin-tight yoga pants and a tank top.

"Is there a reason you wanted to join us?" I asked in frustration.

He looked at me appraisingly. "I came to Nar Shaddaa to be of assistance and do not have much time."

"What assistance are you providing at the moment?" I replied in a doubtful tone.

"You were the one who asked for help," he countered in his deep voice.

I did, to my own irritation. The need was in accessing the Cymetikron, which he had proved to be incapable of, so his presence felt unnecessary. "I needed help with the artifacts, not physical training."

"Is that what you call this behavior?" he grumbled as he waved a hand toward us.

Anger flashed in me and I glanced at Ashara, who seemed to be ignoring him. It was her Jedi routine he was criticizing, and his words would have sparked embarrassment and irritation in me. I could not ignore him, "are you condescending us?" I answered in frustration.

"Not at all," he answered smoothly, "though I do question the efficacy of contorting yourself in such ways and wearing electronic contraptions."

Ashara stopped then, noticing that I was becoming angry. "The contortions are for stretching out the muscles, making us more nimble in combat. These," she ran her hand over the E-stim sleeve on her arm, "are muscle stimulators to help build strength."

"Silence, apprentice," I hissed harshly. Ashara was not used to the structure of Sith protocol on her second day as my apprentice. She gave me a surprised look tinted with resentment.

"I know what they are, apprentice," Lord Vashcar said confidently as he looked between us.

"Then what is your problem?" I muttered, looking down at the E-stim sleeves on my thighs. Ashara only had one set of four, so we split them between us during our routine.

"There is no problem," he countered, "though I'm not sure why you just don't do the real physical effort to build muscle."

I could not continue exercising in front of him anymore and walked over to my desk to take off the muscle sleeves. Ashara watched me, unsure of what to do. "By all means, Lord Vashcar," I complained, "explain to us the proper way of training."

His eyes narrowed and he stepped away from the wall towards us. "I sense sarcasm in your voice, Lord Kallig," he replied slowly, "have I irritated you?"

"As a matter of fact, you have."

Ashara gave me a surprised look and glanced at Lord Vashcar to see his reaction.

He took a step closer. "My direct attitude does that sometimes, I apologize."

I sensed he was not wholly sincere. "My question was serious," I answered, "do you see improvements that can be made in our training?"

He appraised me a moment, seeming to judge the level of my sincerity in return. "I am a fundamentalist, so I'm suspicious of electronic gadgetry and fad exercises. Running, climbing, and lifting seem the most basic and effective ways to improve fitness. You are thin and unhealthy, and your apprentice does not display a muscular appearance. Based on that assessment, it seems as if your training lacks effectiveness."

Ashara stepped over to me. "Lord Kallig . . ." she began to say before stopping when she realized she was about to speak out of turn.

Luckily, she spoke my name first, so I could use that as her request to speak. "Yes, apprentice."

"Lord Kallig has only been exercising for a few days and was injured before that," she defended me, "and I have the E-stim settings on tone instead of bulk."

Lord Vashcar nodded at Ashara. "Your statements are true, though I still hold my opinion."

"This is a temporary arrangement," I added. "We weren't intending to stay on Nar Shaddaa for very long and there aren't very many opportunities to run and climb in a city environment. We have no weights for lifting, either."

"I was simply stating my opinion," he replied.

"Thin and unhealthy," I said his words back to him, "is that your assessment of me?"

"It is my observation," he answered.

"Part of the report back to your superiors?" I groused.

His gaze shifted to a more serious look. "I have not been tasked with making any report on you."

"I find that hard to believe. It has to be one of the reasons they sent you."

"They?" he asked. "You requested my help, and I agreed to come. I think your suspicious nature is getting the better of you, Lord Kallig."

"Watcher One explained the dynamics of your 'network', I would assume they have plans for me."

"My contacts in the 'network', as you call it, did not prompt me to meet with you, that was a personal request from Elios and Watcher One. I have not heard from the 'network' regarding plans that include you. So, again, your distrustful attitude is imagining troubles that don't exist."

I was not sure that he was fully honest, but his words did ease my concerns about the nebulous 'network'. "My distrustful attitude has been well fed by my masters, so it is not an irrational reaction."

"Regardless," he shrugged, "it is clouding your judgment."

"It is keeping me alive," I countered, moving away from him toward my desk. I could sense Ashara's eyes on me and perceived she was anxious about my combative nature. In truth, I did not know what was agitating me, but I felt contrary. Lord Vashcar's attitude irritated me, and I was still mad at Ashara for being so squeamish about Sith teachings. Deeper down, I did not like being the weak, needy one. Impulsively, I decided to stir things up and get a chance to evaluate Lord Vashcar and Ashara instead of the other way around. I took Ashara's lightsaber off the desk and held it out to her. "Take your lightsaber," I urged. She opened her mouth to speak and stopped when she saw my eyes widen. "Since Lord Vashcar is interested in critiquing our training. I want you to test your skills against him."

"No," she answered in nervous surprise.

"Apprentice," I hissed.

"Master?" Ashara questioned sharply.

"Enough!" I snapped at her. "It will be an important learning exercise. Do your best and see what happens. There is no shame in trying."

"Is this really necessary?" he grumbled.

"My apprentice is at a point in her training where an independent evaluation would be helpful. A duel with you will assist me in focusing her training. Do you have a problem with dueling my apprentice?"

"Not at all. I just don't know how fruitful it will be."

"We won't know until we find out, will we," I replied. Ashara glowered at me as both of them hesitated for a moment. Then, Lord Vashcar removed his cloak and took out his lightsaber, a heavy-looking black hilt with a large silver pommel and extended emitter shroud. Realizing she was not going to get out of the duel, Ashara stepped away from the desk and I could feel her drawing the Force into focus. She had only fought one duel with me and stood opposite Lord Vashcar in an unsure stance. After they both tested the setting on their sabers, Lord Vashcar closed his eyes and ignited his weapon, holding it up in front of him as he drew the Force in to prepare for the duel. Ashara ignited her lightsaber and tried to focus in the Force as well. The battle within began as Lord Vashcar's oddly calm Force aura moved outward toward Ashara. She surged her aura out to struggle against him, and their Force wills shifted and pushed against each other.

"Begin," Lord Vashcar stated in his deep voice. He opened his eyes and moved forward quickly. Ashara went to block his saber raised above her but was not prepared for a Force push from Lord Vashcar and went flying backward, almost into the wall. She got up quickly and managed to parry several of his attacks, but another Force push made her stumble awkwardly when it breached her ward, and Lord Vashcar's saber sliced across her upper arm. Ashara cried out and backed away, blocking some more attacks, but Lord Vashcar pressed her without mercy. I felt the conflict in the Force with my own aura, sensing Ashara keep her cool and press her Force will strongly against his, but her ward was not prepared for Force skills. After another minute of trying and getting struck several more times, she raised her hand and yielded. Lord Vashcar quickly stepped back and turned off his lightsaber, giving me a somewhat frustrated 'I told you so' glance.

"Come here, apprentice," I commanded. She shut off her lightsaber and approached me with angry eyes. "What is your assessment of her skills, Lord Vashcar?"

"You should not have made her duel me," he stated sourly. "She was outmatched and unprepared."

Ashara had her head down and was rubbing her wounds.

"What are her weaknesses?" I asked.

"Her fighting presence is passive and reactionary. She has a strange Force presence . . . is she a Korriban graduate?"

"No, she is not academy trained."

"Her Force aura is not that of a Sith," he mused.

His eyes searched mine for a moment and I wondered what he was thinking. I gave Ashara a thoughtful look before speaking. "She has little formal training in the Sith ways. It is something we are working on," I replied. "Do you have any other observations?"

"Her Force ward is too weak, she doesn't anticipate Force attacks, and relies too much on her lightsaber. There was a lack of any strategy with her duel, which allowed me to dictate the exchange."

"That's not surprising," I replied. "Ashara has only experienced the Sith duel once."

"Well, then," he stated, "she performed well for such inexperience." He observed me suspiciously. "She's not a useful apprentice to you with only modest acolyte skills. Why haven't you sent her to Korriban to be properly trained?"

"Those resources are not available to me, Lord Vashcar. I would have thought that was obvious. If I sent her to Korriban, Darth Thanaton would intervene against me and I would lose her."

"I suppose that's true," he agreed.

"What were her strengths?" I asked, conscious of the fact that his words were probably upsetting Ashara.

"She is capable with her weapon," he replied quickly, his eyes appraising her. "She has a good Force aura, and she kept a level head when faced with a difficult situation."

"Thank you," I replied. "You see, the Sith duel is a good evaluation of your fighting skills," I said to Ashara. Her eyes told me that she did not agree. "Would you mind giving my apprentice some tips on how to strengthen her Force ward?" I asked.

"It's a fundamental skill," he complained. "Aren't you already teaching her such things?"

I gave Ashara a hard look. See, there are things I can teach you; I told her with my eyes. "I am, but I am curious to know your technique. Fundamental skills have levels of difficulty to them, and improved proficiency tends to require new insights."

"Very well," he agreed, taking a step closer to Ashara. "You're Force presence is adequate," he stated confidently, "and it is the beginning of a good Force ward." Ashara glanced my way, realizing we were in for a lengthy explanation. "Most Force users use their lightsaber as a focal point for their ward since its energy excites the Force around the blade and is harmonized with the user's aura. I sensed that was what you were attempting to do?"

Ashara looked from him to me. "Speak freely, apprentice."

"I was just beginning to learn the warding technique," she admitted.

"Do you know why your ward failed?" he asked her.

"No."

"You attempted to counter my Force skill instead of strengthening the ward directly, a common beginner mistake. With lightsabers, you learn to anticipate and counter your opponent's moves, the same is true with your Force aura, which you push against your opponent's to try and achieve an advantage, but the ward is different. A good Force ward creates a Force shield around you that blocks all Force skills. Your focus should be on the ward and not the attack directed against you." He paused to look appraisingly at me, to see if I agreed or just to gloat, I could not tell. "A Force user's aura is three-dimensional, a volume of space around them, but the ward should be two-dimensional, like a barrier or Force wall. You should practice forming that wall on your lightsaber and then expanding it. The process is very similar to calling the Force to your hand for push, pull, or any other Force skill. That moment when you set your will to draw the Force to your hand and then mold it into the skill you wish to cast, that is the same as bending the Force into a strong ward."

I asked him to demonstrate, and we took some time to practice our wards. Ashara seemed focused despite her anger toward me. It seemed to me that she did not like being vulnerable to Force skills, as our duel the other day and Lord Vashcar's now showed. He made some comments while she meditated and I watched, training her without complaint or resistance. In that moment I felt like she did not respect me and did not want to learn from me, along with all the other frustrations and Lord Vashcar acting so capable, I was compelled to do something rash. Stepping around my desk I reached for my lightsaber. "Unfortunately, your duel with my apprentice was too short for me to do a proper assessment of you." I picked up my lightsaber and reached for the controls of my glove.

"You were testing me," he replied in a low voice.

"Is that not the way of the Sith," I stated rhetorically as I changed the setting on the pain blocker, cutting it in half so that I could use the cybernetic glove. The spike of pain made me wince sharply, but I recovered quickly. The treatments had lowered the overall pain from several days ago, but it was still shocking to my system. The glove came to life with flickering lights and a whirl of electronics.

"What are you doing?" Lord Vashcar asked, seeming to sense my intentions.

"I figured we could finish our assessment of each other with a duel." I struck my blade when finished speaking and stepped out into an open space in the room.

"This is more pointless than fighting your apprentice," he stated harshly.

I bristled. "You think so little of me?"

"You are injured and weak," he countered. "Can you even hold a lightsaber in your hand?"

To demonstrate, I switched my lightsaber to my right hand. It felt awkward to hold it with the glove, but at least it worked now. I took a couple of practice swings before looking into his eyes. "Are you ready?"

"This is not wise and will prove nothing," he argued.

Surprisingly, the spirit of Darth Andru surged forward inside of me, seeming to like my aggressiveness for a change. His appraising thoughts of Lord Vashcar began to drift into my mind. "It will prove the state of my capabilities," I replied, "which is something I need to know. As for the wisdom of it, the Sith duel tells us who we are. Is that not wisdom enough."

He frowned at me. "I don't like your games," he mumbled, "and I didn't come here to pick a fight."

I raised my lightsaber before me as a challenge.

It was something he would not ignore, moving slowly to a position opposite me. We stared across the room at each other and I focused in the Force, feeling the presence of Darth Andru help me. Lord Vashcar ignited his lightsaber and began to meditate as he did before fighting Ashara. His Force aura was dense and uniform as I had noticed earlier, but it was more intense now as he drew the Force to his will. I pushed my aura outward to find my opponent's, and the invisible battle of wills started between us. We were like complete opposites as my Force presence was turbulent and shifting around his stoic one. Lord Vashcar's skills seemed potent, and as that thought passed through my mind, the duel began.

It was a disaster.

My ward was strong enough to block a Force push, the same move he used on Ashara, and an attempted Force crush, but I lost my grip on the second strike of his blade, and my saber skittered across the floor. Lord Vashcar hesitated as I spun away quickly, trying to avoid being struck by his weapon. When I realized he had held up, it made me angry.

"Respect the duel," I criticized.

"This is no duel," he huffed. "You are in pain from your injury and you can barely hold your weapon."

Darth Andru fanned my anger with his own, and I used it to steel myself. Putting out my left hand, I willed my lightsaber to me and ignited the blade before shifting it to my gloved hand. Then, I strode toward him.

"Are you really going to make me beat you into submission?" he snarled.

I answered the question by attacking him, getting into a slightly longer exchange before the glove failed and my weapon tumbled away again. Spinning, I almost escaped his slash but felt a stinging pain across my upper back. This time he surged forward, and I threw out a Force push to slow him down. His ward was strong, easily blocking my push, but Darth Andru surged up and gave me the Force energy for a second, stronger push with my gloved hand. That was enough to halt his advance, but it sent me stumbling backward as well. Before he could close the distance, I once again summoned my weapon with Force pull and ignited it in my left hand just in time to block a cut. My left hand could hold the lightsaber better, but I was less capable with my offhand, and within moments had been struck on my upper arm and thigh. Lord Vashcar pressed his advantage, slashing away at my weak defense before surprising me with a Force choke. Breaking through my ward, the choke caused my throat to compress, making me gag before I could throw the choke off. His physical attacks continued, and I was struck with a glancing blow to the side of my head as I backed all the way to the wall. Darth Andru mocked me for my weakness, and suddenly the darkness deep within welled upward. Lord Vashcar was making a mockery of me, striking me whenever and however, he wanted. Sensing I was trapped with the wall behind me, I quickly switched the lightsaber to my right hand to use my left for a Force skill.

Lord Vashcar cut down at me sharply and I blocked it with my blade, feeling my hilt slip in the glove. The darkness, fueled by Darth Andru's mocking laughter in my head, sprung lightning on my fingertips and I sent it into my opponent's chest. Stunned, he had to back away and align his lightsaber to catch the lightning against the blade. When he did so, I Force leapt across the room to create distance and worked quickly to lower the pain setting some more so the glove would work better. Lord Vashcar cast lightning back at me, his eyes narrowed in irritation, and I caught the lightning on my blade just as I completed the adjustment for the glove. The pain was more intense and made me cry out, but the glove felt stronger. Lord Vashcar Force lept toward me and crashed his blade against mine; the glove held. I cried out again, but this time with pain-filled frustration. Lightning flashed from my hand, almost unbidden, driving him back a step. Slashing wildly at him, I was struck in the shoulder painfully. The darkness continued to swell upward, and my anger was becoming rage. Another wail escaped my lips, feral and disturbing. Darth Andru was not mocking anymore but instead decided to help in the fight. When I entered a block and parry exchange, the ghost used my left hand to direct a Force choke against Lord Vashcar, partially breaking his ward. My opponent stumbled back and I saw the flash of pain on his face.

The rage surged outward, as did the presence of Darth Andru, compelling me to move forward. Lord Vashcar looked angry himself and attacked with dominating slashes and cuts. I held my own for a moment, but then the glove failed again and my weapon was gone. Stepping back away from his cut, I felt the ghost call up lightning and cast it against my opponent. Lord Vashcar sensed it too and readied his ward to block it on his blade as he came on. Weaponless and in pain, my mind realized that continuing was futile, but the darkness within me was not listening. Lighting sprung from my right hand as well, and the double torrent started to bleed past Lord Vashcar's ward. He paused and strengthened his Force ward, expecting that I would tire and have to cancel the lightning soon. I shifted aside to see if I could call my weapon to me with my left hand. As I stopped the lightning coming from that hand to summon my hilt, Lord Vashcar came forward to strike me with his blade, keeping it centered to block the lightning still issuing from my right hand.

As he swung, Darth Andru's ghost pulled the lightning back to the palm of my gloved hand, creating a ball of energy that blocked the lightsaber. I had never seen that skill before and wondered how the ghost did it as I cast lightning from my left hand again. Lord Vashcar had to center his blade to block it, backing away before lashing out with his own lightning. The ball of energy in my glove absorbed his lightning, and I suddenly felt like we were on equal footing. Lord Vashcar seemed to recognize the shift as well and gave me a frustrated look with his orange eyes. The ghost urged me to attack, making me step forward, but the intensity of the rage and the uncontrolled darkness within me created a sense of panic. If I continued, I would lose control and do something horrible. Lord Vashcar readied himself, looking confused about the sudden shift. With every ounce of restraint I could muster, I pushed the Force away from me and cut off the lightning.

"I yield," I said quickly as my opponent raised his weapon to strike.

He hesitated, lightsaber poised, before clicking the weapon off and stepping back. There was still anger in his eyes, and I sensed that he felt I had gone too far. The rules for Sith dueling were rather vague, especially for higher-skilled opponents, but Force lightning and other dangerous skills were to be minimized.

"I got a little carried away," I stated with a heavy breath, still trying to calm my inner turmoil. While talking, I turned the analgesic back up to relieve the pain. Sadly, the glove shut down and my hand became worthless again.

"Nothing I couldn't handle," he answered, still eying me harshly. "Your Force aura shifted during the duel - became chaotic and fractured." His eyes searched mine as if looking for answers. "Your surge in focus and power took me off guard. It is an interesting trick," he went on, "one that could prove dangerous in battle. Is that how you defeated Lord Cineratus?"

"I used whatever means I could to stay alive," I replied bitterly.

"Your use of the Force is remarkable. I did not sense you were that strong, but at certain times you called up the Force more powerfully than expected. Like at the end when you used ball lightning as a shield. If you persisted, you might have bested me. Why did you yield?"

How could I explain the unruly ghosts in my head and the black hole in my gut that I could barely control? "There is something inside me that makes the Force hard to manage," I stated. "I did not want to continue and possibly harm you or myself."

"Part of your Force illness, maybe," he wondered.

"Possibly," I answered in a softer voice, not wanting to discuss the issue further.

"Yet another reason why the duel was unwarranted. I hope you got the wisdom you sought from it."

"It told me what I needed to know," I replied, walking over to pick up my lightsaber. My eyes connected with Ashara's and I noticed the look of shock and concern she gave me.

"And what did it tell you?" he asked curiously.

"I turned my lightsaber on just a couple of days ago, barely practiced with it since I lost my arm. It was hard to sense how the Force would respond to me if I needed it, and hard to know how I would react to combat after . . ." I paused and went to set my weapon on the desk. "Anyway, I believe now that I could rise to the challenge again if needed."

"A valid reason to test yourself," he nodded. "And what of your assessment of me?" he asked, rubbing his chest where my lightning struck him.

"You are very capable, even more so than Lord Cineratus."

"I should be," he replied while clipping his lightsaber to his belt and walking closer. "I was years his senior and more advanced in Sith training." His eyes looked to a spot on my arm above the cybernetic glove. "You should have your injuries checked."

I glanced down at my arm and realized the slash burned me pretty good. "We should go to the Intrepid and use the medic probe," I stated, looking over at Ashara before turning back to him. "Will you come with us?"

We made our way through the penthouse toward the landing platform. I glanced back at him while climbing the steps. "Your Force aura is different as well, Lord Vashcar. Is there a reason that it is so well controlled?"

He glanced at me as we stepped out into the Nar Shaddaa night. "It has taken me a long time to hone my Force presence into what I want," he replied proudly. "Thank you for recognizing it."

I glanced behind us at Ashara a couple of steps behind. She still seemed moody about the duel, flashing me an agitated look. "Does it have a purpose other than aesthetics?"

"Of course," he chided, "beyond the development of skills necessary to focus the Force in such a way, it keeps other Force users from sensing my intentions or prying on my thoughts, it insulates me from unnecessary emotional and psychological energy given off by others, and it keeps the Force around me prepared for my use."

Lord Vashcar went on describing his Force aura for some time as we got checked out by the ship's medic droid and applied topical ointment to our scrapes and burns. Afterward, he wanted to see the artifacts again, so we studied them until lunch.

After lunch, Watcher One contacted me, and everyone gathered in the conference room for the holo-call. Andronikos had asked Lord Vashcar a question about his ship, and he was just beginning to answer when the com activated and Watcher One's image appeared over the conference table.

"Lord Kallig," the watcher's accented voice came through the com, "it is nice to see you, and you too Lord Vashcar." Watcher One's gaze scanned the whole room. "I see you've gathered your whole team."

"Yes," I replied, "thank you for returning my call."

"It's no trouble. Elios has been working hard trying to come up with the best options for you, and he is listening on the com, if you don't mind." I nodded my assent. "Also, I was told that someone else wanted to be involved. I hope you understand."

Before I could formulate a response to Watcher One's odd statement, the holo image shifted to reveal another, shrouded figure. My guard instantly went up, and I could sense Ashara and Andronikos were filled with fear and concern as well. Lord Vashcar seemed to know the strange figure and was not as alarmed.

"Lord Kallig," echoed an electronically enhanced voice through the com, "it is good to see you alive."

The surprise had me speechless for a moment as my mind tried desperately to figure out if I was in danger. I felt like someone had gone behind my back, and my eyes flashed toward Lord Vashcar sharply. "Who are you?" I asked the shrouded figure defensively.

"Lord Vashcar," the synthesized voice ignored my question and addressed the Sith lord sitting across from me. "Andronikos Revel and Miss Zavros," the image shifted to look at each of us sitting around the table as our name was called. Finally, the hood-covered face returned to me. "I am the one who rescued you on Quesh, Lord Kallig, in part to repay you for your deliverance of Watcher One from the Republic. I arranged for your escape from Quesh, and provided you the doctors and Lord Vashcar as assistance."

"That doesn't answer my question," I griped.

"It is the only answer you will get, for the moment. Anonymity is an advantage that I will keep for the time being."

"Unfortunately, I cannot say the same."

"No, you can't," the figure agreed. "You've been a bit of a lightning rod as of late."

"Not of my own volition," I retorted, a little frustration seeping into my voice.

"Darth Zash, Darth Skotia, and now Darth Thanaton," the strange figure stated. "You have not had much luck getting along with the Sith hierarchy, have you?"

"I did not start the trouble," I replied.

"If I had not investigated your circumstances, I would have thought your words were an excuse." The shrouded figure stated.

"You know a lot about me and my friends, but I know nothing about you," I complained. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"I've known your exact location for over a week now, if I wanted to harm you, I could have done so at any time. Instead, I have worked behind the scenes to assist you."

"Possibly for your own ends," I countered.

"Undeniably," the shrouded figure responded. "Yet still, in practice, I am an ally and benefactor. I would think that would be some consolation for you?"

"Darth Zash was an ally and benefactor - until she tried to kill me. Darth Thanaton accepted me as his subordinate - until he turned on me and also tried to kill me. My experience has taught me that allies can quickly become enemies when it suits their needs."

"I do not understand the motivations of your former masters," the figure stated coolly, "nor do I waste my time trying to kill junior Sith Lords. Unless you try to challenge me directly, Lord Kallig, I will not become your enemy. I have good reason to assist you at the moment. You have some value to me."

"I'm sure that whoever has been informing you of my situation," I shot Lord Vashcar an angry look as I spoke, "also informed you that I'm basically a cripple at the moment."

"I am aware of your physical condition, and your ailment in the Force."

"Then how can I be of any use to you? Certainly, Lord Vashcar or another capable Sith Lord would be more helpful."

"You have special qualities that you have failed to consider, such as your single-handed ability to disrupt and confuse Darth Thanaton's political ambitions. I find that useful to my ends. Also, I've heard a rumor about relics and artifacts . . ." as he spoke, the shrouded image scanned the room and focused on the shelf of items behind me. "Ah . . . Yes . . . you are in possession of some very interesting items, including a Cymetikron. Fascinating," his electronic voice almost hissed through the com. "Is it true that your apprentices stole the item from Darth Thanaton's residence?"

"It appears to be," I replied. "I was not there to witness the event, but it was among their items on Quesh."

"He should not have kept it for himself," the figure stated coldly, "it is a rare and powerful artifact that has meaning to all Sith. Each of those ancient artifacts has meaning to us all."

I stiffened at his words, which were similar to Lord Vashcar's sentiments. Everyone seemed to want my relics. "I have stated before," I replied, looking at Lord Vashcar, "that I would gladly share the items which Darth Zash and my apprentices lost their lives for and I worked hard to acquire, so long as it did not put my life in jeopardy to do so."

"Relax, Lord Kallig," the shrouded figure answered, "at the moment I agree with you. It seems to me that the safest place for those relics right now is with you."

"The purpose for our call to Watcher One," Lord Vashcar spoke up, "was to gain assistance in understanding and deciphering the relics. We believe that the key to Lord Kallig's Force healing might be in the artifacts."

"That belief is likely correct," the synthetic voice agreed, "and I have taken too much of this holo-call's time. Watcher One, you had some ideas about helping us with this question, so please elaborate."

"Yes, of course," Watcher One answered. "As I stated, Elios has done some digging and come up with a rather creative solution. There are only three people in the Empire sufficiently knowledgeable to help you with the artifacts, and only one of them is not currently on Dromund Kaas. I assumed that Dromund Kaas was too close to Darth Thanaton, so we looked past the two contacts at the capital. The one working abroad is an archaeologist named Talos Drellik who has written the latest scholarly article on Cymetikrons. He specializes in Sith history and artifact recovery and is working with the Imperial Reclamation Service."

"Can we trust him?" I asked.

"Actually, I believe we can," Watcher One replied. "He is mostly an unknown to us, but from his background, I get the impression that he would be motivated to help."

"What makes you think that?" Lord Vashcar inquired.

"He's had a bit of a falling out with his father, Moff Drellik, and has not shown much interest in promotion above the rank of lieutenant in the military, so he does not show any aspirations for power or recognition. His passion appears to be Sith history and archeology, and someone with that motivation would be unlikely to pass up the chance to help research Lord Kallig's artifacts."

"That sounds like a reasonable assumption," the shrouded figure stated. "Where is this man?"

"Well, that turns out to be another advantage." Watcher One's image focused on me, "You mentioned, Lord Kallig, that you thought Nar Shaddaa was too 'accessible', and that you might need to disappear to someplace more remote. Talos Drellik is stationed on Hoth, a very remote planet in the Outer Rim that is outside Republic and Empire space."

"Hoth," Andronikos spat, "no one would want to go to that block of ice."

"Actually," Watcher One responded, "there has been some recent interest from both the Republic and Imperial sides regarding the system. Rumors have swirled about pirates and black-market salvagers looting the military wrecks that crashed on the planet from a battle fought twenty-four years ago, and the Republic has sent some recovery assets into the system to locate and try to defend their most valuable wrecks. The Empire has responded with its own initiative, which Talos Drellik is a part of. So far, there are very few military assets on the planet for either side, and the efforts appear to be small-scale affairs. I doubt the high command of either government is aware of what's going on yet."

I heard what Watcher One was saying between the lines. Hoth could be my halfway point to disappearing if I still wanted to. I knew very little about the planet, but Andronikos seemed disappointed in the choice. Having to rely on yet another person was not to my liking, a learned person like Lord Vashcar no less, but it seemed unavoidable.

"It doesn't sound like Hoth is very hospitable," I replied, "and we don't know how this archaeologist will react to my request. Would it make sense to contact him beforehand?"

"I've thought that through," Watcher One answered, "and I believe the best course of action is to just arrive at the Imperial base and acclimate yourself. I can create orders for you and an authorization code so you will have no trouble with the chain of command there."

"What unit is in charge of Imperial operations on Hoth?" Lord Vashcar asked.

"It appears to be ad-hoc at the moment. The Imperial Reclamation Service reports through General Threnoldt to the Sphere of Ancient Sith Knowledge, but the office on Dromund Kaas does not appear to have much interest in the project. It is being overseen by Colonel Vannis of the Korriban Division, the same military branch that General Threnoldt reports through. There are also elements of the Fourth Fleet providing orbital defense and logistical support."

"Sphere of Knowledge," I stated, "isn't that Darth Thanaton's sphere?"

"Darth Thanaton is not involved in the activities on Hoth," the shrouded figure stated with his synthesized voice, "and the Fourth Fleet is not within his base of support. I think the watcher's plan is sound."

I looked around the room and did not see a lot of excitement about the idea of going to the outer rim. "Okay, I will make preparations to travel to Hoth and introduce myself to this archaeologist."

"What about her Force ailment?" Lord Vashcar asked.

"I've brought that up with Doctor Hursa," Watcher One stated, "and he will find someone with Sith pathology to consult with. I believe you have an appointment with Doctor Ragenstaub in two weeks, so hopefully we can have a Sith doctor available to check you out by then."

"You're going to send the doctor out to Hoth?" I asked.

"I'll let Doctor Hursa work those arrangements out. Maybe a midway point would be preferable."

"Okay," I sighed, thinking over everything that had to happen before we could leave Nar Shaddaa. "Thank you for coming up with this plan. It seems a little risky, but it is better than nothing."

"It is rather spur of the moment," the watcher agreed, "but we aren't just cutting you loose. If this archaeologist doesn't work out, we will circle back and come up with another plan. Either way, you know how to reach me."

"Yes, I appreciate that."

"Lord Vashcar," the shrouded figure stated, "you should return to Vondarc as there are rumors that the Republic has called in Jedi to help their cause."

"I will leave as soon as possible," the Sith lord nodded to the holo-com.

"Your orders and landing authorization code will be sent shortly," Watcher One commented. "If that is all, then I believe this meeting can be concluded."

The com went dark and everyone sat still for a moment.

"Hoth," Andronikos grumbled. "If those people didn't claim they were your friends I would think they were trying to get rid of you."

"You have some experience with the planet?" I asked.

"No, just rumors and stories. Watcher One was right about pirate activity, though, I've heard some nasty tales about ships disappearing and turf wars on the surface. Not to mention the planet itself is hazardous. Ships can't land in the open because of the cold and snowstorms. Unsuspecting pilots set down on the surface only to find out that their engines are frozen solid with snow and ice and they can't take off again. The storms wreak havoc on communications as well."

Lord Vashcar rose from his seat. "I have to go prep my ship for departure."

Andronikos looked over at me after the Sith lord left. "I don't trust him, and what's up with the hidden figure in the holo-com?"

"He was part of the conference call on Quesh," Ashara stated, "everyone seemed nervous about him and Commander Trey said he was very powerful."

"Powerful or not, it's suspicious that he knows us, and we know nothing about him," Andronikos continued. "There's politics going on here, and we're the minions being moved around blindly."

I was thinking forward as the others talked. "We're going to need to get Khem back here, and prep our ship for the trip as well."

"You're really going to do as they suggest?" Andronikos asked.

"For now," I replied. "It doesn't seem like we have much choice."

"They've been supportive so far," Ashara stated, "and the figure in the holo-com said he could have sent people to apprehend us at any time, and he hasn't."

Andronikos shook his head. "That's the problem with politics, teams can switch sides at any time. We've got no bargaining position . . . hell, we don't even know who to bargain with."

"You're both right," I commented. "We need to go along for now, but we also need to be wary. They may be acting like it, but this network is not our friends. How quickly can you be ready to depart?" I looked across the table at Andronikos.

"I'd like to close business with some acquaintances and see if anyone knows what's really going on at Hoth. You've got to get the monster back here anyway, and the ship may need supplies. How about twelve hours?"

"That will work," I nodded. "What about the recon ship in your friend's orbital dock? Can they clean it up and have it ready for us by then?"

"You're going to take it?"

"I think it would be nice to have options."

"I'll contact Quuan and see what he can do on short notice. Isn't it going to upset Imperial Intelligence that we're stealing it?"

"Watcher One will get over it, besides, I've still got to meet with doctors every couple of weeks, so I can't completely disappear."

"Okay, then, I'll work with Toovee to get the ship ready to go." Andronikos rose to leave.

"What are you going to do about the penthouse? Can we get our money back for the unused rental?"

Andronikos shook his head, "I doubt it. Quuan's friend has probably spent it already. The place is rented for six months, so we'll just lock it up and use it later if we have to."

Andronikos left and Ashara and I looked at each other.

"Dweep-click-click-beep," Pez sounded out as he drifted closer to me.

"Yes, it looks like we're off on another adventure."

"Dee-zwip," he added as his frame spun to look at Ashara.

"I'm going with you," Ashara said to the droid, then she looked past him at me with apprehensive eyes.

It began to sink in that we were leaving when I contacted Khem and told him he needed to return to the penthouse, and then noticed Toovee waddling around checking inventory. Lord Vashcar messaged me to say goodbye and I told him we would see him off. Ashara and I walked to his sleek-looking ship and I called up to him from the bottom of the ramp. It took a moment for him to step out and down the ramp.

"Thank you for coming," I stated.

"I wish it was more productive," he replied, "and I can't say I appreciated your company. Your experiences have jaded you and made you bitter, and I'm trying to resist taking your actions personally."

"The feeling is mutual," I answered sharply, "but I've got enough enemies at the moment and did not intend to make you one as well."

He nodded to me. "I do not know what I would become if I suffered your fate these past months, so I will keep an open mind. There is a likelihood of the war starting up again soon, so I do not know where I will be sent or how much time I will have to help you, but I would like to know what comes of the artifact study."

"I will share with you what is discovered," I agreed.

"Farewell then, Lord Kallig, and you too, apprentice," he said looking at Ashara. "Good luck with your training."

"Goodbye, Lord Vashcar," I said as he turned to enter his ship.

We stepped back as the ramp slid upward before the hatch closed. I watched him take off with Ashara by my side, and then we went back to the penthouse. Andronikos had been gone for hours, apparently settling books with his pirate friends and saying goodbye. Ashara wanted to go for her walk, and I went with her. We left the penthouse and started our normal walk toward the sky-bridge and the promenade. She seemed to still be stewing about earlier, so I decided to talk about it and see if we could reach an understanding.

"You may speak freely, Ashara. What do you think about your duel with Lord Vashcar?"

"Biz-click-duooh," Pez chirped nervously as he puffed his little frame between us.

"I thought it was ridiculous," she huffed. "I told you that I didn't feel right about fighting like that."

"He is a Sith. If there was anyone whom the Jedi would want you to fight, it would be a Sith Lord."

"Jedi don't want to fight anyone," she countered, "we are supposed to use peaceful solutions and only fight as a last resort."

I bit back several replies to that nonsense, not wanting to make Ashara more frustrated than she already was. "But you should be prepared in case a fight is necessary, and the duel showed you areas where you need to improve."

She glanced over at me in irritation and walked in silence for a bit, musing over thoughts she did not want to share. "It wasn't right that you forced me," she answered. "You shouldn't have fought him either. It was reckless and you could have reinjured yourself for no reason."

"Zwip-click-beep-duooh," Pez seemed to argue on her side.

"It helped us both know our weaknesses," I answered her. "That is reason enough."

She kept silent for a bit as we walked. "I sensed your anger," she whispered. "You were barely able to control it." Our eyes met and I could see recognition in her gaze. "The ghosts helped you too. Was it my ancestor?"

I shook my head. "No, he was absent this time." She looked over at me again as we reached the sky-bridge over the deep avenue between the towering buildings. "You have to admit that the duel was useful," I stated, interested in getting her to concede that point.

"Why?" she resisted.

"You aren't as good as you thought you were."

"Neither are you."

I let that comment go. "You found out that you need to work on your warding." She hesitated, and I knew she could not argue that point.

"The Jedi don't focus padawan training on warding," she admitted. "I was just beginning to learn the skill before you arrived."

"That makes no sense," I muttered. "You're defenseless without it."

"Against other Force users," she added. "Jedi are trained as peacekeepers for the Republic. Most of a Jedi's conflict resolution would be against non-Force users, where a Force ward is not necessary."

I had never thought of that. In the Empire, the greatest threat to a Sith was another Sith. "The Republic's greatest threat right now is the Empire. Clearly, learning to ward yourself should be a high priority."

"I agree," she conceded. Then, she turned and walked onto the sky-bridge, seeming to want to drop the subject.

We made it to the promenade and it was bustling with people. She wanted to walk around one last time and seemed to browse a little more than usual like she was saying goodbye to her daily walks. I watched her picking up trinkets and looking at colorful decorations and remembered her comment about wanting some sign of being my apprentice. I sensed there was still a lot of tension inside her about me, and I wanted to try to reassure her.

"I would like to go to a store," I stated while she was examining a wooden Bothan storage box.

"Okay," she replied in surprise.

"Dweep," Pez chirped beside her.

They followed me as I worked us through the crowded mall to the shops on the far side where the jewelry store was.

Ashara gave me a look when I led us inside and started looking around. "I thought you didn't like jewelry?" she asked.

"It's not my favorite," I replied. Walking back to the Togruta section, I looked over the intricate headpieces that Ashara was observing before.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her green eyes growing suspicious.

"Looking for your apprenticeship token."

"Really?" she answered, happiness mixing with confusion. "You said there wasn't such a thing?"

"There isn't," I replied, "but you're mad at me, and I'm struggling to be a good master, so . . ."

"I'm not mad at you," she cut in.

"It seems like it," I replied. "Lord Vashcar stated that I was bitter and jaded, and I feel like you agree with him."

"You can be a little overbearing," she agreed, "but you are under a lot of stress and not feeling well."

"I'm not trying to upset you intentionally, and I believe that you will become stronger and more capable through my training."

"Okay," she said meekly, her face tense. "It's just that I don't know how we can make it work."

"I'm going to make it work, Ashara. It has to work." My voice was urgent because I spoke the truth. I made a decision and did not want to go back on it.

Her green eyes studied me for a moment. "We'll make it work," she nodded, her voice not as resolute as mine.

Together, we looked around and she tried some pieces on. Eventually, we settled on a band that went around her left Lekk beside her cheek. It was black with gold bordering and looked very elegant. I asked her if she wanted a second one for the other lekk to be symmetrical, but she liked the single look. It needed to be fit, and while the sales droid was taking measurements Ashara browsed for matching bangles but did not find anything she liked. It was surprising how pleased she was when the fitting was completed and she slipped the band onto her lekk. I wanted her to have an appropriate apprentice outfit to wear, so we made our way to a tailor's shop and picked out an outfit for her. She chose several pairs of straight-cut pants, one black and one gray, and several shirts, an imperial red and dark gray color. She also picked out a pair of high, black leather boots with a matching belt and gloves. Finally, I had her try on some cloaks, which she did not like, apparently, black cloaks looked too 'evil'. We settled on a dark gray coat that had a hood and kind of looked like a cloak. By the end, I was exhausted, but Ashara seemed giddy, and we started to make our way back carrying her boxes.

"I'm not sure that Hoth is going to be good for me," Ashara sighed as we walked over the skyway bridge and onto the street leading to the penthouse. "It's remote, doesn't seem very populated, and the cold air is going to be murder on my skin."

"I doubt you'll find promenades like this on Hoth," I agreed. "Do you have enough of your lotion?"

"Two containers of it. I hope that's enough. I've never been to the Outer Rim. It's kind of exciting and scary at the same time."

"Yeah," I agreed, "Andronikos didn't have very nice things to say about our destination."

"I get the sense you are frustrated with the plan," she stated.

"A little . . . I mean, it's risky and will take more time - time I wonder if we have to spare. I'm not happy about involving more people in my problems either." I looked over at her and noticed her circumspect expression. "I've got a whole group of strangers around me now, and I don't sense that any of them like me."

"Don't use Lord Vashcar as an example, he's somewhat of a self-absorbed bore. Doctor Ragenstaub was nice. How are you feeling, has her treatment helped at all?"

"A little, I guess. I was hoping for something more immediate."

"I can do the healing meditation on your arm when we get back if you want," she offered.

"That would be nice." I glanced over at her, wondering if that meant we were all good. Somehow, it seemed like her resistance to my teachings would not go away that easily.

"You know," she added thoughtfully, "the Jedi have some very good Force healers. My friend, the one who taught me how to do the healing meditation, is practicing the skill."

"The Twi'lek? You said she was a horticulturist," I mumbled.

"That's what she is studying, but she can heal people too."

"Why are you saying this," I griped. "It's not like I can ring up a Jedi healer and make an appointment."

"Never mind," she answered, a flash of irritation lighting her eyes.

When we made it back to the penthouse, I noticed Andronikos was still gone. Toovee was finishing his procurement order for supplies and Ashara asked if she could stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables. It seemed like she was going to miss the penthouse kitchen and being able to make fresh food. I then helped her move her things into my bedroom. Ashara would have to sleep in my room because the ship was lacking accommodations. There were bunk beds in the crew quarters where Andronikos stayed, but I did not expect her to want to sleep in there with him. Khem Vaal liked the warmth of the engine room and had made it his sleeping quarters. The only other area open enough for a quarters was the storage room, but it had no bed. Once we had her things moved, we got ready for bed and Ashara spent time meditating on my arm. I turned the pain blocker down to test the glove while she did her healing therapy, and was surprised that I could almost tolerate the setting where the glove would function.

In the morning, as the time approached to leave, things got busier. Khem returned, seemingly in a better mood than when he left. He wanted to know what was happening and did not like the idea of going to a frozen planet. The recon ship would be ready for us to pick up as we left the planet-moon, and Andronikos started the Intrepid's pre-flight checks. Ashara and I walked through the penthouse one last time and then locked it up before boarding the ship, raising the ramp, and going to the bridge. Andronikos was working on the nav computer when we entered.

"The computer says we've got an eighteen-hour trip to Hoth," Andronikos stated while looking over the console. "The ship wants us to take six trade routes with seven hyperspace jumps. It's flying us into Republic space along the Gamor and Corellian Runs, and then outward on the Hydian Way and Nothoiin Corridor. Is that okay with you?"

"It shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"No, the Intrepid is a fast transition ship and the Imperial routes are designed to keep away from Republic activity. Someone would have to know we're coming in order to catch us."

"Let the nav computer do its thing," I said with a wave of my hand toward the console.

"All right then, are we ready?"

"We can't get any readier," I grumbled.

Andronikos checked the exterior cameras as the engines began to wind up.

"Dee-zwip," Pez cheered as the ship lifted off the landing platform.

I sat in the co-pilot's seat and watched the landscape fall away as the ship accelerated into Nar Shaddaa's hazy orange sky. The aft camera showed our landing platform receding as we flew away. It had been eleven days since Ashara and I had arrived on Nar Shaddaa, but it suddenly felt like much longer. So much had happened during the stay, and yet nothing was resolved. Nothing except for Ashara, I thought as I glanced back at my apprentice. It still seemed like an impetuous decision, and there were unsolved issues between us, but we were a team. My hand, the ghosts, difficulties in the Force, and what the future held were all still up in the air. Melancholy seeped in as the ship slipped out of the moon's atmosphere and began angling toward low orbit and Quaan's dock. It took some time to coordinate with Andronikos' friends and get the recon ship docked with the Intrepid, but finally, we accelerated out of orbit and the hyperspace engines began to ramp up. I waited to see us make the jump and enter our first leg of the trip, then, I got up and went back to my room to ponder.