Captain John Price liked to think he was a pretty level-headed man. Yes, he had never been against deadly efficiency, and he was most certainly not squeamish. He had tortured information out of people, killed his own General for going after his team, and plenty of other things he would rather not remember. He was well trained, and although he was not fearless, he knew how to use it in his favor. He had never frozen in fear before.

So anyone would understand his surprise when he found himself unable to move, unable to breathe for fear of giving away his position. The woman had only revealed herself when it was most convenient to her, no one had noticed before then, and he doubted anyone had been able to. But when she made herself known, Price wondered how she could have missed such an oppressive presence.

He thought he might have inhaled some sort of drug or gas that made him extremely paranoid, but he knew it was true genuine fear when he saw an Arc trooper being blasted onto a wall and then levitated towards the woman's laser blade with no way to stop his imminent death. When the bald murderer kissed the corpse before smiling placidly, John Price knew.

She was a Dark Side user.

He didn't know how he went unnoticed, but somehow he witnessed her entire interaction with the creepy humanoid metal spider undetected. He did make note of the fact that she was headed to the DNA chamber and that it was more profitable to them to steal the DNA rather than destroy it, which sent a shiver down his spine. He could only imagine what they could do in terms of infiltration if they could create clones of their own. He had to force himself to move after they were all gone, and it took more convincing than he dared admit, to follow after the dark lady.

When he did though and she suddenly stopped in the middle of an empty corridor, he knew he had fucked up.

"I thought a little mouse was scrambling through the dark, but I have to admit, I've never seen you before, little mouse…"

Price's training kicked in before he realized what was happening, and when he caught up to what happened he realized he had rolled away and the lady had seared a hole in the floor where he had been standing. He was breathing a little too fast for his own liking, it had been a very long time since he had been this afraid for his life.

"Oh? A quick little mouse, hey? And a trained one at that…" she said as she turned around slowly, her long skirt flowing with her every step, "Who sent you to die today? And make no mistake, whoever sent you to me, wanted you to die today."

Her voice was soft yet rough, alluring in a terrifying way, and the way she moved made it seem like she was not real, or mortal for that matter.

"You've always had bad manners, Assaj," a familiar voice said from the next corridor, "Did you ever get taught not to play with your food?"

The dark figure that made its way around the corner came into the light and Price saw her.

Kriari had a dark look in her eyes, and the Captain was not quite sure if he had to be glad she was there.

"My dear Padawan, playing with your food is the only way to enjoy a meal," smiled Assaj Ventress as she extended her arm towards John, hand open and fingers outstretched.

Price felt gravity stop pulling at his body mass, his feet left the floor and his mind went into a panic when he realized what was happening. He had seen it once before. One would not have known how afraid he was from how he was behaving. Price was a Captain for a reason, he had been well trained, but he was not immune to fear. Kriari had worked with him long enough to catch the desperate glint in his eyes when his feet left the floor.

Before Assaj could do anything else, Kriari lurched forward. She was stronger, faster, deadlier than the last time she had encountered the assassin. This would not be the same fight. Kriari unsheathed her vibroblade from the small of her back and sliced Ventress's extended forearm, cutting through muscle, all the way to the bone. The assassin dropped her arm in pain and surprise as she brought her hand to her belt. Price fell to the floor but braced himself for impact and crouched before he made contact and got the hell out of dodge as Kriari turned to face Assaj once more with one of her curved lightsabers in hand.

"You little Swamprat!" chuckled the Sith disbelievingly when she realized one of her sabers was missing, "I knew red would suit you best…"

"Not quite you bald cunt!" interrupted Price as he tossed something at Kriari, who caught it without looking and smiled.

Price could only remember what Wolffe had told him before they left the cruiser.

"Only give this to her if you believe in her wholeheartedly. If you don't think she is deserving of your trust then keep it until you do. I am giving you her soul, I am trusting that you have good intentions and that you will be able to protect the love of my life when I'm not there to do so. But for the love of whatever deity you believe in, don't lose it."

Price saw the immediate relief in Kriari's eyes when she caught it. The deep, satisfied breath in she took. The soft, content smile on her face and the peace she felt. As if a part of her had been reattached, as if her body was now complete as if her soul was once again whole.

Something in the air shifted then, Assaj Ventress' oppressive presence was not the only thing he could perceive anymore. He could think more clearly, and he could assess the situation better. The enemy in front of him was just a person, just another mortal being, she was no god.

There was a sound as if the air itself was being ripped apart to make room for something else. As the corridor obtained another source of light, the red collided with the green glow of Kriari's lightsaber to create a dark maroon ambiance that was both less oppressive and more intimidating than the pure red.

Kriari smiled at him.

"Ready for the light show, Captain?"