Chapter 6: Taris Part 6

It took a while for the group to find their way back to the Undercity. There, they saw Willow and Carth waiting by the gates. "Hey!" Dawn called out. "You guys okay?"

Carth nodded. "It looks like the serum worked and I got patched up."

"Good," Dawn said. "Come on, there's something I've got to show Rukil." She led the way to the small tent where the old man sat. He stood slowly; the cracking of bones clear as he faced them. "You have returned," he croaked. "Welcome back, up-worlder. How goes your quest? Have you found the journals of my father and grandfather?"

"I believe we have," Dawn said as she handed the journals over. "I think you'll find the information very interesting."

The old man's eyes lit up, "Can it be true? Is it possible that at long last the dream of my father and grandfather before him will be fulfilled? I... I can hardly bear to look." He took the journals in his trembling hands and began to read through them, "Hmmm... yes. Yes! Of course! Now I understand - it all makes sense! Now I see why the Promised Land has been so hard to find! It is so obvious!" Rukil finally raised his gaze from the journals, eyes shining.

"You have done a great thing, up-worlder - a selfless act that will bring great joy to all the people of this village! I must take this to Gendar right away!" He quickly went to find him, the others quietly following.

As he saw the old man approach, Gendar sighed. "Rukil? What do you want now?" Have you more fables of a hidden paradise just waiting for us to find it?"

"You may not think these are fables after you see what I have brought you, Gendar! Look at these journals!" Rukil said, handing Gendar the journals, almost sounding smug.

Gendar's eyes widened when he read the information. "What... no. It can't be! Are these real, Rukil? Is this information accurate?" he asked, stunned.

"I swear to you everything in these journals is true, Gendar. The Promised Land - I told you I would find it!" Rukil said.

"The entrance is far from here, Rukil." Gendar noted, "It will take us weeks to get there... perhaps even months. And we will have to cross many rakghoul infested areas."

"I do not deny the journey will be hard, Gendar. But surely it is better than the miserable life we have here!" Rukil retorted.

"Wise words, Rukil." Gendar agreed, "Our supplies are high right now - we could leave by nightfall! I will tell the others to prepare for the journey."

"These might help," Willow said as she held up several vials. "Courtesy of Forn, the antidote to rakghoul venom."

Gendar's shock grew. "You….is this for certain?"

"We tested it on some of the infected you had locked up," Carth told him. "They were fine almost instantly. It will definitely help you on your journey."

"Thank you once again, up-worlder." Rukil said, beaming, "But we must part ways now. The Promised Land will be sealed behind us when we enter. I sense your destiny is yet to be decided, somewhere we cannot follow. The destiny of my people is at the end of the long journey ahead of us.''

"Good luck with it, Rukil," Dawn stated.

The old man gazed at her and made a small, sad smile. "And good luck to you as well." With that, he turned and walked off.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Dawn took a long breath as they exited the elevator to the Lower City. "God, I didn't think I'd enjoy this smell."

"Yeah, it's refreshing, huh?" Mission said as the group made their way back to the Bek base. She bit her lip. "Ummm… hey, Carth? Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Are you ready to have a civil chat? Or is this going to be just another childish tantrum?" he asked. Both Dawn and Mission's eyes narrowed in a dangerous manner.

"Tantrum! I´m trying to apologize here, you nerf-herder!" Mission stopped, realizing she was making a scene, "Uh… I mean… I´m sorry. I didn't mean to get mad at you. It's just that I´m sick of everyone treating me like I´m a helpless kid."

"Yeah, I know" Carth said in a softer tone. "And I´m sorry about what I said, too. I´m just a little on edge lately. Not surprising considering all we've been through. But I shouldn't take it out on you. Mission, you have to know that we don't think you're helpless," he explained slowly. "Look where we are, look at what we're doing. You're not just along for the ride. We need you."

Mission smiled faintly. "You really mean it, don't you? Thanks, Carth."

Carth waved that off. "Ah, it's no big deal. I know how it is. Sometimes you just need to hear a few words of encouragement. Kids are like that." He added, not so quietly.

"Kids are like that?" Dawn gaped, coming instantly to Mission's defense. Then she grinned as she realized that Carth was joking. "Very funny, Carth."

"For an old guy," Mission added, smirking at his glare. "Come on, you geezer – let´s get back to what we were doing."

They came up to the Bek base and were let in immediately. Behind his desk, Gandon smiled as they came up. "Ah, Saber! I was wondering what took you so long. Do you have the prototype?"

"We have the accelerator right here," Dawn said as Zaalbar stepped forward to show him the engine.

"Excellent." Gadon called to someone in the back. "Eddy! Get your ass over here, your toy is recovered."

A gruff looking human came hurrying towards them. His eyes sparked up once he saw the engine. "Look at that there baby, all intact an' everything." He grabbed the engine from the Wookiee and caressed it like it was a little baby. "Those filthy Vulkars didn't hurt ye, did they?"

Gadon rolled his eyes. "Can you get it working before the race?"

Eddy snorted. "Please, I'm the god damn mechanic magician. Totally no trust in my capabilities, have they?" He was addressing the prototype like it was a sentient being. As he walked away, he kept mumbling to it, as if he were having a nice conversation.

"We heard you sent some of your people outside the Vulkar base," Dawn stated.

"We were afraid you had met a little too much resistance inside, so we called a few friendly gangs and orchestrated a nice battle right on their doorstep." Gandon made it sound like it was glorious. "Even the Sith decided to join us, it was epic. I can imagine you found the base rather empty."

"It was, except for some guy named Kandon Ark." Sarryn said as he stroked the grip of his saber. "Was the last time he bothered someone though."

Gadon looked impressed. "He must've been a tough opponent, he used to be one of my best generals."

"He was a breeze compared to some of the stuff we had to go through." Sarryn couldn't keep some accusation out of his voice.

Gadon merely shrugged. "I never said it was going to be easy. But I'm extremely impressed that you made it."

"Now, how about getting Bastila back?" Dawn questioned.

Gandon smiled. "Don't worry, I´m a man of my word. I promised this race would get your friend back and it will do that. And I´m even going to go one better – I´m going to let one of you ride the swoop bike with the prototype accelerator installed on it. Without it, you won't stand a chance."

"Gadon! You can't be serious!" Zaerdra gasped. "We need one of our best riders on that bike! We can't let some rookie take the prototype engine into the race!"

"Hold on!" Carth burst. "You want one of us racing? I've handled starfighters of almost every type but nothing like this!"

"Me either," Dawn stated, looking at Willow.

"While I do have my driver's license," Willow told her friend. "I have no idea how different it would be to drive their vehicles."

Dawn glanced at Zaalbar and doubted would be interested in competing against the Wookiee. She then looked at Mission. And with how much she felt protective of the young Twi'lek she refused to allow her to race. She finally looked at Sarryn. "Can you do it, Sarryn?"

"I can do it," Sarryn answered. "I did some racing a few years back. I know how it works." He narrowed his eyes at Gandon. "But your second has a point. Why let me ride it?"

Gadon seemed a bit embarrassed when he explained. "I have to be honest with you – there's a reason I´m letting you take the prototype engine. The accelerator isn't stable; there's a good chance it could explode during the race."

"Explode?" Carth repeated, shocked. "Are you kidding?"

"I can't ask one of my own riders to do it – they'll be riding unmodified swoops. If you can complete the track before the accelerator overheats, then you'll win for the Beks. If you die, then one of my other riders could still come through for me." Gadon added as if Carth hadn't said anything.

"Sounds like you've got all your bases covered," Dawn coolly noted.

"You don't get to be leader of a swoop gang if you don't know how to work all the angles," Gandon replied with a small smile.

Dawn looked to Sarryn, after learning the swoop could explode, she wasn't as sure she wanted Sarryn riding now. "There has to be another way."

"None I can see," Sarryn said. "Listen, it'll be okay. Like I said, I've done it before, I know how to race."

"Very well, then," Gandon stated. "You can stay here tonight. The mechanics need time to install the accelerator on the engine, so you won't be able to practice your riding. Just try to relax and tomorrow we'll take you to the swoop track." He turned and walked toward the mechanic working on the accelerator.

"I don't like this," Carth stated. "There's way too many risks here."

"I agree," Willow said. "But we're not exactly bursting with options at the moment."

"Sadly as much as I agree with you, Carth," Dawn stated. "I have to agree with Willow. We're out of options. You guys better get back to the apartment and hold the fort. I'll stick with Sarryn."

"You sure, Dawnie?" Willow asked, concern flooding her voice.

"Yes," Dawn said. "Don't worry, I've got my blaster and vibrosword."

Carth sighed. "Okay then." He moved to shake Sarryn's hand. "Good luck tomorrow. For the sake of the Republic, I hope you win."

"Great way to leave the pressure off, Carth," Willow snarked as she led them away. That left Dawn and Sarryn to ponder the events of the day ahead.

It was then that Gadon returned. "Like before all facilities of my base are open to you. Get a shower, meal and some rest so you'll be ready for the big race."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Dawn had just taken a hot shower and was now sitting in the base's mess, enjoying a hot meal. While the food wasn't the best, she was grateful to have real food instead of the ration packs they had bought. Sarryn she was sure was just getting in a refresher course on how to ride one of those swoop bikes.

Her silence was interrupted by Zaerdra, who had decided to take the seat in front of her. "I didn't think you'd be able to pull it off."

Dawn looked up. "Hello to you, too."

For a moment the Twi'lek looked confused. "Oh, right, hello… But seriously, you and your people must be something else."

Dawn shrugged. "We work good together. Especially Mission. Can I ask what did she even steal from you? Was it so valuable that it was worth ruining her life?"

"I never ruined her life!" the Twi'lek defended, but not very fiercely.

"Oh, come on. You saw the heartbroken face when you sent her away like a little pest. You were like a mentor to her, a big sister, but you let one little slip completely destroy that relationship?"

Zaerdra pondered on that for a moment. "You… reckon she respected me that much?"

"She still does," Dawn said. "Whenever your name comes up her face falls faster than autumn leaves. She misses you."

"Shit…" The Twi'lek's face scrunched up. "I really messed up, did I?"

"It's not too late," Dawn said. "Just allow her to apologize and leave the past behind. We kids learn by making mistakes."

"I take it you made your fair share?" said Zaerdra.

"I did," said Dawn. "I used to piss my sister off to no end. Then I came here. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I am not from your galaxy. I come from a parallel universe, through a dimensional breach. My sister is back home waiting for me to find a way back to her. So, I know how Mission feels being alone. I only have it slightly better than she does, I have Willow. Willow is one of my sister's best friends. She traversed the breach also to help me return home when I am done with what I have to do. Mission sadly is all alone."

After a long silence Zaerdra got to her feet. "Thanks for opening my eyes."

Dawn smiled as she watched Zaerdra walk off.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Later that evening Dawn sat watching as Sarryn worked at the workbench. Mission came up to her and tightly hugged her, arms firmly around Dawn 's waist and face pushed against her chest.

"Hey there, Mission…what are you doing back?" Dawn said as she wrapped her arms around the small thief and returned the hug.

The girl looked up into Dawn's face and was positively beaming. "Zaerdra allowed me to make up to her."

"That's awesome, Mission," Dawn smiled. "So, she finally saw reason, huh?"

"Don't play dumb, Dawn, I know you've been talking to her." Mission happily nuzzled her forehead between Dawn's collarbones. "Thank you, Dawn. Really, really thank you. It feels like a thousand tons have been taken from my chest."

"And that's reward enough for me," Dawn told the girl kindly. "I'm really happy for you."

"And I have come to a decision, Dawn," said Mission. "With Big Z pledging a life debt to you. It means I'll be spending the rest of my life with you, because wherever he goes, I go."

Dawn was a bit shocked. "Why do you want to stay with me forever so badly? You know you could go back to Zaerdra, right?"

"Are you crazy? You saved my life. You saved Zaalbar's life. You immediately treated me like a person where others only saw an annoying brat. I want to stay with you!" She pressed herself even closer to Dawn, like she was afraid of being torn off and sent away.

Dawn glanced at Sarryn as if to ask what he thought.

"It's your call," he said. "That said you will need to eventually explain to her where you are from."

Dawn looked at the Twi'lek girl and nodded. "Once we're off this planet," she said. "You, Zaalbar and I will need to talk about that. It's going to be a long conversation. And you and Zaalbar will have a difficult decision to make."

Mission looked into Dawn's eyes. "You're not going to be sending me away, are you?" It sounded like she was pleading.

"That will be up to you," answered Dawn. "Once you have heard my story, you may want to stay."

"I won't," said Mission.

"You might," said Dawn. "Let's put it aside for now, Mission. You don't have to make that decision right now. You know you never told me what happened to your brother."

Mission let out a deep sigh. "The fool fell in love."

"He left you for some girl?" Dawn asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"It's not really his fault," she said defensively. "It's all the fault of that damn Lena. She was a dancer at the cantina. Used to date all sorts of nobles, so she was a spoiled little brat. Griff couldn't afford her princess lifestyle of course; he was just a thug like me. That didn't stop her from making him pay for everything."

"How did he get the money?" Sarryn wondered as he glanced over his shoulder at the girls.

"Well, you can only make so much by stealing. He had some other businesses set up as well, but it was not enough. So, he started borrowing. His debts grew and it soon spiraled out of control."

"That wasn't very smart of him," Dawn commented. "Borrowing credits to spend on a girl… not a good investment."

"Hey, he was trying to do the right thing! He was in love with her and wanted to treat his girl right. That bitch Lena just took advantage of that." Mission seemed mighty defensive of her bigger brother.

"So where is he now?" Sarryn wondered.

"They had to escape Taris, because his debts had gone off the charts. He went together with Lena, but she didn't want his little sister tagging along."

"So, he abandoned you?" Sarryn asked in disbelief.

"No, she made him forget about me," Mission huffed. "He promised to return to me when they had made enough credits to live like nobles. But thanks to that credit-whore he hasn't."

Dawn sighed as she wrapped her arms around Mission.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The small room Dawn and Sarryn were placed in was a bit tighter than Dawn would have liked but she made do. She was seated on her bed, staring at the wall her eyes closed. She knew that Buffy had done this once, put herself into a trance to see whatever was hurting their mother. She hoped that maybe she could do the same but not to see anything but to talk to her sister. She was not having much luck.

"You should get some sleep," Sarryn murmured as he lay on his side.

"You're the one racing tomorrow," Dawn noted. "You need it more."

Sarryn moved onto his back. "I don't need much sleep."

"My sister is like that," Dawn said. "She's always used to being up late at night a lot. Always made me worry too."

"Why?" he wondered.

"In our world, vampires actually exist," Dawn explained as she looked at him. "My sister was chosen to fight them. I guess in a way she's like your Jedi. I was always worried one night she would never come home. That worry was only compounded with our mother's death."

"Because she was all you had left," Sarryn said in understanding.

"Yeah," Dawn said with a sigh. "I'm not a witch, but I do have this thing inside me. I was hoping that maybe I could do something that Buffy did once. She put herself into a trance to see what was hurting mom. I was hoping that if I could do that…"

"That you might be able to talk to her," Sarryn finished. "Let her know that you are alright."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Dawn had seen car races on Earth and could see the similarities to a swoop race. The track was in an abandoned tunnel in the Lower City, long enough for the racers to go. There was a set of bleachers nearby for people to watch the large viewscreens set up by the ceiling. Some showed the track itself while others saw the view from the cameras set up on the bikes.

The various gangs crowded around their bikes. It was clear to Dawn they were divided between the Vulkars and the Beks as well as those gangs sympathetic to each. Both sides were giving the others ugly looks but it appeared they were willing to keep any violence to a minimum.

The bikes themselves basically resembled a large engine attached to a small passenger pod.

Sarryn was with the Beks as they pushed the bike onto the track, talking about the craft and what it could do. Dawn's attention was distracted as she swept along the section near the reviewing stand before finding what she was looking for.

Bastila was standing in a cage, dressed in a rather unbecoming outfit that showed off more skin than Dawn knew she herself would ever have wanted to show. Around her neck was a large metal collar that seemed to glow with electricity.

Turning back to Sarryn, Dawn saw him moving to the bike. "How does it look?" she asked.

"Not too bad," he answered.

Dawn nodded to Eddy. "Okay, let's put our cards on the table. How long with this prototype last?"

"Hmm…I'd say it should last all three laps before it blows," Eddy replied. "Don't get your hopes up though. No first timer ever WINS the season opener. Most of them just die in it."

"I won't," Sarryn said as he slipped his helmet on. He looked at Dawn and grinned. "I don't suppose you'll be willing to give me a good luck kiss?"

Dawn crossed her arms. "You do remember me telling Carth that I'm not only sixteen but gay?"

"I do," Sarryn chuckled. "Doesn't mean that you can't give it, since it would just be for luck."

Dawn thought about it and then nodded as she pulled him into her arms for a tight embrace before kissing him on the cheek. "Good luck and be careful."

"I promise I won't die." Sarryn gave her a thumbs-up as the Beks moved the bike into position, lining it up with the three other racers. He lay back, gripping the handlebars as he got ready. Dawn moved back with the other Beks as she watched, keeping herself calm.

Dawn was amazed by the professionalism of the entire thing. The starting grid was lined by a massive tribune, which was filled with hundreds of people, of all species and gangs. An announcer was sweeping up the crowd, but the scoundrel couldn't hear him over the noise of the bikes. The track had been closed off and marked, although the streets hadn't been cleared from garbage and rubble. It showed that the gangs were the ones making the rules down in the Lower City…

The starting lights started to flash and Sarryn took one last deep breath. The crowd roared, but adrenaline and engine noise dampened the sound. When the lights finally turned green, he opened the throttle…

…and nearly crashed into the wall.

Nothing could've prepared him for the tremendous g-forces he was suddenly subjected to. He was so shocked that he flicked the handlebar a bit, which flung the bike dangerously close to the wall. Had he reacted just a fraction of a second later he surely would've crashed and probably died. Thankfully his reflexes were top-notch and after closing the throttle he was able to regain control of the bike. As a result, he was now placed last in the race.

He silently cursed his own stupidity as he steered the bike back on track. He reopened the throttle, a bit more careful this time, and was once again exposed to tremendous forces. But this time he was prepared for it. With military discipline he let the sensation wash over him and focused entirely on the track ahead. Red lights on the cockpit indicated that he had to shift, so he quickly kicked the thing into second gear and revved the beast again.

This process continued until his neck started to hurt. The speed he was going at was frightening, he had less than the blink of an eye to dodge incoming rubble. The track was downright demanding. There was a combination of extremely tight corners and narrow corridors, coupled with long straights and easy bends where speeds of over 400 miles an hour were easily reached. Brakes were an underdeveloped part of the swoop – there wasn't a demand for them by the crazy racers, so engineers didn't bother with them – meaning slowing down for a corner was pure terror.

Overtaking was another issue. The other racers didn't give him an inch of ground, forcing him to stay close behind and wait for an opportunity. Once the opportunity was there the actual overtaking was extremely easy, thanks to the prototype accelerator. It almost felt like they were standing still while he sped by with the speed of light. After getting first position it was a simple matter of finishing the race without blowing up the engine or crashing into stuff. Sarryn did just that and finished first.

After parking the bike in the pit, he got off and noticed his entire body was shaking. The race had truly exhausted him.

"What'che thinking, nearly crashing my baby into that wall?" Eddy said as he and Dawn approached Sarryn.

"Your bike steers like a rampaging bantha," Sarryn scowled. "So why don't you just shut up and be glad I finished in one piece?"

"Whatever," he growled. "How did the engine hold up?"

Sarryn shrugged. "Didn't have to push it to full capacity, so I wouldn't know. Just make sure it holds out long enough. I need a drink." Without another glance he and Dawn walked away from the mechanic.

Dawn handed him the bottle she had been carrying. "Was it as bad as you told him?" she asked.

"That bike is pure madness," he answered. "I've raced swoops a time or two on my down time. But nothing like that."

The second heat wasn't much easier than the first. Sarryn faced off with much more experienced and determined racers this time. He was nearly pushed into a wall when trying to overtake the guy who was placed second. His relentless attempts to get past him were all in vain; he simply kept blocking Sarryn off or tried to get him killed.

Things were starting to look very bleak for Sarryn. They were approaching the finish quickly and he still was in third place. If he didn't finish at least second, he wouldn't go through to the final. The two bikes steered on the final straight towards the finish line and Sarryn started to panic. Involuntarily he thought back on his lieutenant training.

He opened the throttle and the swoop bike lurched forward. The guy in second place saw Sarryn coming and steered his bike in front of him again. Like a raging bull he sped towards him. Only at the last second did he change trajectory slightly, so that he would brush past him. With only half an inch to spare he overtook the guy, just half a mile before the finish line. Five seconds later he finished second, just enough to get through.

Dawn walked with Eddy toward Sarryn after he parked the bike, once again Eddy wasn't happy.

"The hell ye think you doing, ye stupid?" Eddy said. "Ye nearly crashed into that guy, do ye want to destroy my bike? What are ye, suicidal?"

Sarryn was about to grab the guy by the collar when Dawn beat him to it. She had enough. "Just do your job and let Sarryn do his. If we want to win, he has to take chances. Go to work." She pushed him away, causing him to stumble over and fall to the floor.

Dawn and Sarryn walked away from Eddy. "Thank you," he said. "I was about to let loose on him myself. If I had I don't know if I could have shown the restraint you did."

"You're welcome, Sarryn," said Dawn.

When it was time for the third and final race, Sarryn and Dawn found Eddy completely ignoring them, for which they were eternally grateful.

When the lights turned green Sarryn immediately twisted the throttle. He was now pretty familiar with the bike and its quirks, so he actually managed a decent start. With tremendous speed he left the roaring spectators behind. The crowd seemed to have grown considerably as the day had progressed. There were not only gangsters, but also regular civilians that took an interest in the racing.

Another pilot assaulted him by nearly crashing his swoop into Sarryn's. With a curse he steered away from him, but the guy kept going at him. As he struggled to keep his bike in one piece and on track, he saw the other two racers speeding away from him.

Suddenly his bike was being pelted by blaster fire. He glanced at the other pilot and recognized the Black Vulkar pilot. He was actually steering his swoop with one hand and firing a blaster at Sarryn with the other. He knew he had to get rid of the guy fast. Sarryn tried to outrun him, but he cleverly cut him off.

Sarryn tried to release one hand from the handlebar, but the swoop bike immediately lurched toward the wall. Just in time he managed to steer clear again. He tried again and this time he was more careful and successfully grabbed the blaster without crashing the bike. He turned in the saddle to aim at his assaulter.

"Go ahead punk… make my day." Sarryn pulled the trigger. How he managed it under the circumstances was beyond him, but the energy bolt hit the guy square in the face. He fell from his bike, which crashed into a pillar. He dropped the blaster and looked forward again, but the two others had gone out of sight.

Sarryn pushed himself and the bike beyond the limit. With death-defying speed, he raced across the track, taking corners at much higher velocities than before. Soon the number two came in sight and he overtook him like a beam of light. The number one followed soon after, but as soon as he got onto his tail a red light started flashing on his cockpit. It seemed like he had been pushing the engine to its limit.

Sarryn stayed on his tail the whole time, keeping just enough speed not to fry the accelerator. After about ten miles the blasted red light still flashed. Sarryn grinned, it seemed like he was going to have to make a gamble. As the two of them turned onto the final straight, Sarryn made a quick prayer. It was time to see how far his luck would really go.

He pulled his bike next to the other racer and fully opened the throttle. The bike lurched forward like a solar flare, within a second, he was in first place. As he saw the finish line approaching the red light started flashing faster and faster, he could smell the smoke coming out of the engine. The number two was right on his tail, so he knew he couldn't ease off the throttle.

With a final flick on the throttle he surged toward the finish line. The engine protested audibly under the strain, but Sarryn just didn't care. In a stream of fire, smoke and noise he crossed the line. He didn't celebrate just yet, but instead landed the bike and quickly stumbled off it. Just as he was running away the machine exploded behind him, the shockwave was so intense it made him topple over. He rolled on his back just in time to see a large mushroom cloud.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Congrats, Sarryn," Dawn said. "Now we can take Bastila and get off this planet."

Sarryn headed to the winner's circle where the race manager was prepared to give him the prizes. At the stand was a dark-skinned man in bright armor and a sour expression that Sarryn knew had to be Brejik.

"And so," the Duros announcer was stating. "It is time for the Black Vulkars to give the prize to the Hidden Beks and their champion rider!"

Brejik picked up the microphone and addressed the crowd. "Yes, that was a very nice display of swooping skills… and a banging end. Congratulations Mister Saber, a newcomer making such a flawless victory is unprecedented." He then snarled and raised his arms. "People, hear me!" he called out. "The Beks cheated! The winner used an illegal swoop engine in the race and therefore he should be disqualified."

Sarryn and Dawn glanced at each other as they realized what Brejik was about to do, the man had no intention of letting them have Bastila.

"Most of us would think it's completely impossible for a newcomer to dominate the race so convincingly. Even I had my doubts, so I did some background tracking of this man. Turns out my doubts were grounded, because this man certainly isn't a gangster. No, dear spectators, he's an agent working for the Sith as is his companion there."

The crowds gasped in disbelief and Brejik continued talking into them. "Apparently Gadon Thek has made a secret deal with the Sith, sovereignty over the gangs in exchange for this Republic officer." Another disbelieving gasp from the crowd. "They even handed them a military-type engine to win the race." Outrage and anger from the tribune.

"You're a damn liar Brejik!" Sarryn accused.

The Black Vulkar leader turned to Sarryn and Dawn. "So no, I will not be handing over this woman to the Sith. I am withdrawing the Vulkar's share of the prizes."

"You can't do that; all participants must submit a prize!" said the race manager. "Its tradition!"

"You fool!" Brejik snarled. "I don't care about your stupid traditions! The Vulkars are the future and then I'll do away with these rules! This woman will fetch a nice price on the slave market, and with her I'll gain the support of all the swoop gangs."

He drew his vibrosword and the thugs behind drew their various weapons as well. "In fact, I'll get rid of these spies and free the gangs from Sith influence once and for all. Because unlike Thek I do have the best in mind for all the gangs of this planet."

The gangsters approached Sarryn and Dawn and Brejik engaged them in melee combat. As the large group threatened to overwhelm them Bastila stirred and opened her eyes. She quickly assessed the situation, then used the Force to open her cage. When she had stepped out, she used the Force to make a vibrosword float toward her. She graciously grabbed it out of the air and also engaged Brejik.

In the meantime, a total fighting broke out. Thugs from all different gangs were flooding the pit and podium and started fighting each other. Tension and distrust from many years of gang wars finally burst into a cacophony of violence.

The fight with Brejik was a tough one. Bastila was visibly struggling against the neural restraint collar around her neck and seemed to be exhausted. Sarryn was still feeling shaky and weak from racing the swoop bike and had trouble landing powerful blows. Dawn tried to protect them both from blaster fire by engaging the other gangsters.

The Force was what saved them in the end. Bastila used it to push Brejik backwards, causing him to stumble and fall over. Their combined might then ripped through his shields, allowing Sarryn to slice his throat. As he lay dying Sarryn and Dawn noticed the all-out war around them… skirmishes, smoke, fire, shouts, explosions; every sense was exposed to its terror. They also noticed a large quantity of Sith soldiers storming in to intervene. Things were quickly spiraling out of control.

Sarryn and Dawn turned to Bastila, just in time to catch her. The exhausted Jedi had simply fallen over and was now resting in their arms. "Get this thing off me," Bastila grunted.

Sarryn looked at Dawn who nodded. Dawn took Bastila into her arms. Sarryn fumbled with the collar for a moment and quickly managed to get it off. Dawn could feel relief wash over Bastila, but then the Jedi fainted completely. This was extremely bad, Bastila was vulnerable and needed to be brought to a safe location as soon as possible.

"Do you think you can use what we saw when we were dealing with the rancor?" Sarryn asked.

"I don't even know how I did it in the first place, Sarryn," answered Dawn. "Before we go though check Brejik, see if he has her clothes."

Sarryn nodded and hurried over to the dead Vulkar leader. He examined Brejik, pulling out Bastila's double-bladed lightsaber from his belt. After looking in the bag he hefted it and slung it over his shoulder. "Here, keep them off us," he said tossing the lightsaber to Dawn as he shouldered the bag. He then scooped the Jedi up into his arms.

After a moment Dawn figured out how to activate the double-bladed lightsaber. Using it she deflected what blaster fire came their way. Thankfully they weren't dressed in gang colors, meaning they weren't a high priority target for most gangsters. Strays that did bother them were quickly disposed of. It took them a while, but after a couple of fights they finally made it out of the violence. The group made a run for it, eager to get away from the gang war behind them.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

They returned to the abandoned apartment where Mission, Willow, Carth and Zaalbar waited. Sarryn sat Bastila down. The Jedi Knight had woken up and managed to get up to her feet. She was shivering and looked extremely frail, but at least she was alive and safe. Sarryn shot her an uncertain look. "Are you alright, Knight Shan?"

"Are you okay?" Willow asked Dawn who nodded.

"Does it look like I'm alright?" the brunette asked hotly. "I've been locked up in a cage with a neural restraint collar around my neck. And when you finally decide it's time to check up on me you create such a mess that I have to use my last energy to get you out."

"It's true that it took us quite a while to track you down, but you have to give us some slack here. It's a massive city, there's no way we could've found you any sooner." Dawn said.

"Besides, without us you would still be locked up in that cage," Sarryn added.

"Don't be ridiculous," Bastila snorted. "As you saw I managed to free myself just fine. And I would've gotten out of there without any trouble, regardless of your interference. Enough of this senseless chatter, we've already wasted enough time. Let's get off this planet, I need to speak with the Jedi Council urgently."

Dawn, Sarryn and Carth gave each other an uncomfortable look. "That might be easier said than done," Carth told the Jedi reluctantly. "We don't have a ship and the entire planet is locked down. And then there's the massive Sith fleet up above."

The Jedi Knight folded her arms and cocked an eyebrow. "Almost three days. You've had almost three days and you're telling me you haven't got a plan to escape?" Dawn, Sarryn and Carth nodded sheepishly. "Oh, that's just marvelous, isn't it? You've had seventy hours to come up with a sound plan and all you've created is a big mess. And now you're depositing your problems on the Jedi Knight, because you don't have the ability to get something done yourself. You two should be ashamed of yourselves."

"Enough!" said Willow. "This is not helping."

"She is right, it's not," Bastila said. "Let us discuss how we intend to get off this planet, later. For now, I think I need to talk to these two and Lieutenant Baill." She waved at Sarryn, Dawn and Willow.

They walked into a secluded part of the apartment. She looked at Dawn. "You I recognize," Bastila said. "Your arrival caused a stir, especially when I made a report to Dantooine." She then looked at Willow.

"I think it would help if you explained," Sarryn suggested as he looked at Dawn and Willow.

"You are probably right," said Dawn. She looked directly at Bastila. "Please, have a seat."

Bastila looked at the two of them and through the Force she could feel the story they were about tell would be a long one. When they finished an hour later, she had been right. She understood now why the Masters had wanted Dawn held till she returned to Dantooine. Dawn, was literally a child of the Force.

"I could sense the two of you were telling the truth," said Bastila.

"Now there are question that need answers," said Dawn.

"Dawn and I have been receiving visions of you and Revan," said Sarryn. "I have even been having visions of Dawn's life before she and Willow crossed over into our galaxy."

"This is ... Strange," Bastila said. "Such visions are often a sign of Force sensitivity."

"Force sensitivity? What do you mean?" Willow asked.

"I ... I'm not sure. It may be that Sarryn and Dawn have some connection to the Force. It would not be unheard of," Bastila said as she looked at Sarryn and Dawn. "The Force is complicated; even I with all my training cannot fully understand it yet. This is a matter best left to the wise Masters of the Jedi Council. Once we escape Taris we can seek the guidance of the Council, if the two of you wish. They will understand the significance of the visions ... if there is any. We should return to finding a way off this planet."

"So, are you fit for the mission?" Sarryn asked. "You've spent days in that cage with that neural disruptor on your head."

"I'm fit, although my attunement with the Force is somewhat off. Nothing a long meditation session won't fix, but we don't have the time for that now. My Force powers might not pack the same punch as they used to, but it's nothing for you to worry about."

"I don't mind to pry," said Dawn. "Before we return to the others to discuss how to leave. You are fine, right. They didn't torture or rape you, did they?"

"Thank you for your concern, but no. They did no such things to me." Bastila turned to the Wookiee and the Twi'lek. "So, what's the story with them?" she asked, with a bit of amusement in her voice.

"They're with me, just like Willow," Dawn said. "Mission the Twi'lek and Zaalbar the Wookiee. Zaalbar swore a life debt to me at Sarryn's insistence as he originally intended to do that to Sarryn when we saved his life, and Mission goes wherever he goes. They're friends… and very skilled."

The Jedi studied the pair for a while. "All right," she said.

Mission ran over to Dawn and grabbed her arm possessively. "I go wherever Dawn goes! Not even a Jedi Knight can separate me from my boss."

Dawn smiled and wrapped an arm around the Twi'lek. "Gee, thanks Blue. That means a lot to me."