Chapter 12

The thermal detonator sounded with devastating thunder, erupting the accompanying corridor in smoke and embers. Conn switched to thermal view as clones poured into the hallways to confront him. He tossed another thermal detonator down a corridor to his left, the clones tripping over one another to clear the blast. The hallway collapsed on anyone unfortunate enough to survive.

He found himself hoping the tactics were diversion enough for the Jedi to escape, the kids at least.

His thermal view showed a large orange mass directly in front of him, struggling to navigate the smoldering darkness. He unholstered his carbine and picked off seven clones before the group returned fire. Three more fell as three random bolts found him. Two glanced harmlessly from his armor, one barely caught his thigh. He dropped to a knee and claimed two more clones. Another bolt bounced off of his cheek plate and hit his right bicep. He winced but fired two grenades from his wrist, momentarily clearing the corridor.

He fought through the pain in his arm, affixing his carbine with the blast amp. He came to an intersection just short of the staging area at the main entrance while adjusting his weapon, where a trio of clones met him. They raised their blasters to fire. Smoke trails billowed from his knees as the troopers caught rocket darts to their exposed areas, slumping in place.

In the open hangar, a tank and one lone speeder bike sat unoccupied, along with a group of clones scattered across the floor. As he assessed the room, he heard marching, mechanical in its cadence. He raised his rifle and tracked the motion with the viewfinder. A wave of B2 super battle droids marched toward the hangar, arms drawn to fire. Conn fired into the center of the column, disabling legs and knocking a droid down. It fired and hit two of its comrades. The two droids behind it had glowing holes that sparked with exposed circuits. A wall of blaster fire sizzled toward Conn, vaporizing anything in it's path. He barely managed to jet out of the way as he locked onto key points in the group and fired a salvo of missiles into them. As he descended onto the speeder bike, he steadied the rifle again and fired through a column of approaching droids that blocked his path. Again he pointed his rifle, as he flipped switches that brought the bike to life, and fired his remaining missiles. He marked a swath of remaining droids as the missiles impacted, clearing his path the rest of the way. He slung the rifle to his back as a massive explosion rocked the entire plateau and droids slowly poured into the hangar. He jammed the controls forward and rocketed out of the station as he saw cannon fire descending through the clouds, immolating the shrinking platform in a massive fireball.

"86, are you there?", Conn said into his comms, "86, acknowledge if you read."

After a moment, his speakers crackled to life, "affirmative…m receiv…mission."

"Power up the Bolt, 86. I'm coming in hot and need it ready to dust off. We might have some company.", he relayed.

"Scanners show mass….oid presence. There have…been speeder bik…verging on the ship. One cra….no oc…more with clones that attacked. All foreign parties neutralized.", the droid flatly stated.

"Good work 86. Be waiting for any Jedi and get them inside, keep it quiet. I'll explain when I get there. Conn, out."

"Affirmative."

--

Ansii was nearing Conn's ship when the explosion of the listening post lit the ground in front of her an ominous shade of orange. The fireball from the orbital bombardment was terrifyingly awesome, even the heat could be felt from such a great distance. She arrived to find the ship powering up, entrance ramp lowered and two speeder bikes shot to pieces, clones laying face down in the mud. A turret descended from the nose of the ship, just ahead of the ramp. It spun unforgivingly toward her. She held her hands up as she swung her leg over the bike and dismounted. The IG-86 appeared, guns drawn, and spoke in its signature digital growl.

"Halt or be destroyed. State your affiliation and business. This is your only warning."

"It's I, Jedi knight Lira Ansii with my Padawan Ta'ni Geen. We are in mortal danger and need safe passage off planet, your ship being the safest route. Please."

The IG unit processed the information for what made seconds seem like an eternity. It lowered its weapons and spun 180 back up the ramp, "Welcome back mistress Jedi. We will leave momentarily."

"Is he…is Vallai still…?"

"Master Vallai is en route as we exchange information. You will notice the ship is powered. Per his instructions and my data, we may face a challenging escape with a 58% rate for success."

Ansii couldn't help but chuckle slightly at the droids deadpan delivery. It was still dire, but the droid sounded oddly optimistic. Better news yet that Conn had escaped the station. Conversely, this was a reminder of everything that was conspiring. Her spirits sunk slightly at the further losses of Masters Ko, Stral, and Padawan Zim. But there wasn't time to mourn.

Ansii took up a gunner station in the cockpit and cycled the controls for one of the turrets. As she ran through her checks, she saw the glimmer of an approaching craft. Undoubtedly a republic BARC speeder bike. It was Conn. Her relief was cut short when he dismounted and nearly fell. He approached the ship with a limp, and was favoring one arm. She ran down the ramp to receive him, throwing an arm over her shoulder and helping him aboard.

"Looks like someone found the chink in all of that armor.", she joked.

"You should see the other guys.", he responded in kind, "it looks worse than it is."

"We need to get you back to your medical station."

"No time, we've got flying to do.", he finished as he limped to the pilots seat, plopping down into it.

Conn flipped switches as Ansii resumed her post. Ta'ni strapped in next to the navigation console and was doing an admirable job of keeping her cool. The ship lifted off and spun away from the smoldering ruins of the plateau. 86 informed of incoming vulture droids, approximately 8. The Dead Bolt climbed away from the stations ruins and upwards toward the atmosphere as lightning flashed against the walls of the cockpit. Ansii had the lead droid in her sights when the ship lurched sideways, spinning wildly as Conn exposed his port side to the incoming droids. With impossible precision, the side mounted turbolasers let out two pair of bolts that vaporized the formation of droids, who attempted to scatter a moment too late.

86 called out three separatist Tri-fighter droids closing quickly. Conn got his bearings and resumed his climb into the atmosphere as the IG unit adjusted shields. Lightening struck the shields once in the cover of clouds, flickering the instrument panel but otherwise did no harm. The Tri-fighters closed the gap quicker than expected, as Ansii could see them pursuing through the clouds. She squeezed off a barrage and clipped one droid. It veered a bit while it's wingmates returned fire. Ansii tracked the blasts, took aim, and scored a direct hit on the leader. As they departed the clouds Ansii disintegrated another fighter. The tri-fighter that had been grazed now fired a concussion missile. 86 called it out as Ansii watched it close in. She concentrated, timed her aim carefully as Conn began to yell for her. She managed a direct hit at the last second. She didn't have time to let her relief sink in when Conn jammed the inertial dampers, sending the pursuing tri-fighter past them at blazing speed. It tried to slow itself and counter maneuver, but the forward cannons claimed it as a final kill as the Dead Bolt cleared the atmosphere. A moment later, they made an arbitrary jump to light speed.

"All clear. We're all clear.", Conn announced.

"Where do we go now?", Ta'ni asked, beating Ansii to the punch.

"That's a good question. We have a lot to discuss. Like why our clones turned on us, or the razing of that outpost.", Ansii added, "someone didn't want us getting off of that planet. Any of us."

"In the last moments before our escape, we intercepted a transmission from Polis Massa.", 86 informed.

"Polis Massa? What's there and why do we care?", Conn asked.

--

"Articus Trang, my name is Trillem Blad. Through some careless decisions by my associate, he has been captured and I have come into the operation by which you manufacture and process pure Bota. I have no interest in the venture, personally, but I am willing to return it and the caretaker, for a fee. I will give you three standard days to reply before I broaden my offer to The Hutts, The Pykes, or perhaps even back to The Black Sun. You can bring 800,000 Republic Dataries to the asteroid field of Polis Massa where I will leave the ship at your disposal, or I can scuttle it if I sense foul play."

Blad punched in the transponder signal Mi'tha Bendo gave him and sent it. In the meantime, he waited for her reply. It had been pure dumb luck that Blad had escaped the Mandalorian, let alone to trip into a prime opportunity to make such a lucrative deal and then wash his hands of it all.

Q'evarra had been a fool to think train heists would last him long. He'd wondered how much the bounty for the dug had been, or who posted it. He also wondered if Trang would even bother showing up.

Bendo had become deathly afraid of her, but he was a sniveling coward anyway. He was a lot quieter after Blad had made him rework the carbon freeze equipment. Now he was truly a commodity, part of the package deal. It baffled the Besalisk that anyone would want to jettison a whole operation that was so highly sought after. Especially given his fear of his employer. He dismissed it rather than let it drive himself nuts.

--

Ansii worked to patch the wounds on Conn's leg and arm while Ta'ni watched the navigation scopes to monitor for incoming ships that might be trouble. She was frustrated at Conn's co-pilot when he picked up something, beating her calling it out.

"There is a signal emanating from somewhere in this region.", 86 announced.

"Any idea what we're looking for?", Conn asked.

"I spent my time around this stuff as a slab.", Ansii reminded him.

"It appears to be a tracking beacon.", 86 confirmed.

"And he didn't shut it off?", Conn said, perplexed.

"It's possible he isn't aware of it.", 86 calculated.

"So he's just some small-time meat head.", Ansii accused.

"Affirmative.", 86 said.

As the Dead Bolt drifted silently through the asteroids, through the viewport appeared the freighter that Conn had seen on Neimoidia. He nudged the ship into position with his sublight drives barely burning.

"Incoming ship, identify yourself..", Blad said on the display.

"An interested party.", Conn retorted, "prepared to be boarded."

Conn positioned the Dead Bolt over the freighter and carefully locked onto it, sealing the ships together. Conn charged 86 with guarding the ship, as usual, then with a slight limp, hung his jetpack and carbine in the weapons room. He holstered his pistol and loaded the last of his bola rounds into his wrist launcher.

"That's all you're taking?", Ansii said sarcastically.

"Explosions wouldn't do you or the kid much good out here.", he replied matter-of-factly.

Once they were at the ship's docking port, he opened the hatch between the two vessels and led Ansii aboard, followed by Ta'ni. They entered the freighter through the starboard cargo hold, near the carbon freeze equipment. It steamed and hissed as it sat dormant, glowing ominously. They saw slabs of frozen Bota, confirmed by Ansii. Not far from the edge of the first row Conn saw Mi'tha Bendo, encased in his own slab.

"This is the caretaker for the growing operation.", Conn said, "He found you and decided to jettison all of this once he found out what had been really happening."

"I've never seen him before. Trang used the Bota to seduce me in my search for the others, then trapped me. Just like this.", Ansii revealed.

"And that's exactly where you'll wind up again.", Blad snarled, "you shouldn't have come."

He grabbed Conn by his bad arm and ribs, tossing him over his head like a child's toy. Lira went for her lightsaber, but a massive hand sent her careening into the carbonite slabs. Ta'ni drew her saber to defend herself. Blad's chromium plated vibroaxe knocked the saber out of harms way as he attempted to boot the togruta. She jumped up, sprung off of his chest and flipped up on top of the stack of slabs. He began pulling the slabs over one at a time to try to reach her when he was distracted by laser blasts, smoldering his vest. He picked up a slab and sent it airborne for Conn, who ducked out of the way as Ansii regained her footing and ignited her saber. At the sound of it, Blad drew a pistol and fired at her while he flung another slab toward her. She cleaved it in two and sent it to opposite sides of her as Blad followed through and swung his axe violently, narrowly missing her forehead. She sprung backward on her hands and deflected more shots as Blad stumbled forward from a drop kick delivered by Conn. The besalisk hit Conn hard enough to remove his helmet.

Ta'ni took advantage of his focus and attempted an attack, which was blocked with the axe. As she flipped over him, Blad caught her by the head and sent her sailing on top of the carbon freeze chamber. His lower arms tightened against his torso as Conn's bola constricted in its travel. He then buckled when Conn shot is right calf. He fought to free himself as he prepared to charge the Mandalorian. His attack was cut short when the brilliant blue of Ansii's lightsaber pierced his chest. He groaned as he fell lifeless to the floor.

Ansii picked up Conn's helmet, half smirking. For all the wear and tear of the armor, the face underneath didn't quite match its ferocity. Silvering black hair and olive skin, paled by a life under the helmet, complimented large, deep set hazel eyes. He had a strong brow and high cheekbones that slightly exaggerated the oval shape of his face. The goatee on his chin was surrounded by stubble.

"Probably not often you get this handed to you.", she grinned.

"Not many have seen me without it.", Conn reciprocated.

The sound of a carbon slab defrosting interrupted them. As they pursued the origin of the sound, they found a limp body in Jedi robes, sprawled out on the floor. Ansii gave a quick examination and noted he was brain dead.

She stood in confusion as a lightsaber ignited centimeters from her throat. Before she could say a word, her eyes rolled and she tensed. Her cheeks drew in as her features became gaunt. Conn dropped his helmet and raised his gauntlet to fire, but couldn't get a clean shot.

Ta'ni sailed through the air, saber gripped to separate the two as she landed. Ansii's body collided with Conn as Ta'ni caught a boot to the midsection, knocking the wind from her. She blocked the next strike from the other saber. She and Conn looked in disbelief as a crazed Articus Trang stood before them, tendrils uncoiled from her face, eyes wild, with a partial left arm protruding from her singed tunic.

Ta'ni flew through the air as Trang attacked Conn. He blocked two strikes with his gauntlets, but a quick flourish sliced into his thigh. He bellowed as he fell to his knee. As she came down to finish him off, he caught her hand, redirecting the saber and punched her square in the chin. Her legs wobbled before Conn was tossed several meters away.

Ta'ni went on the offensive in a series of strikes, parries, and flourishes. Sparks flashed and blades arced in an impressive display of determination, but the anzati had too much experience. Trang found an opening and knicked the togruta's leg. As she winced, she too went to one knee. The crazed anzati spun Ta'ni's saber out of sight, gripping her head, they locked eyes. Ta'ni saw death was upon her.

Then the anzati howled in pain as several blaster bolts tore into her, peppering her stump, claiming a tendril along with her own lightsaber. She released Ta'ni and fled. Conn came to check on the young togruta.

"You need to leave, kid. You need to get back to the ship and take an escape pod. There should be a pirate outpost not far from here, 86 will escort you. Just go there and mention me. Someone will help you until I can find you again."

She looked worn, defeated. Tears streaked her face as the weight of the last few days finally caught up with her.

"Everything is going to be alright. But you need to get out of here. Let me do my thing.", he said with a crooked grin, "we'll get you back on your feet."

Conn picked her up and carefully escorted her to the hatch that led to the Dead Bolt. He saw no sign of Trang. He waited a few moments after the door closed just to be sure. Then he heard something fall. He limped through the hold of the freighter, waiting to be ambushed. He limped for what seemed like hours with no sign of her.

"I'll bet you wish you had this.", Trang said from behind him, beskar helmet clutched against her ribs with a newly formed left arm, "it would be near impossible to steal your luck if you had it on. With my one good arm, and one tendril, you could have fought me off easily enough."

"What makes you think I can't anyway?"

She peered into his eyes and cocked her head. He felt his throat constrict as he was lifted off of his feet. He gritted his teeth as he hissed to draw breath. His helmet hit the floor as she drew nearer.

"I'll consume the soup from you, and the rest of the Jedi I've frozen in those slabs. Then I'll find the girl from what's left of the droid on your ship. You can rest easy knowing your insignificance will feed my greatness!"

She reached for his head as her face disfigured tk reveal her grotesque tendrils...and stopped short. Looking down at her abdomen, pressed against it, the muzzle of a pistol. Her eyes widened at the whine of its power coil, meeting Conn's condescending smirk, he squeezed the trigger, collapsing to the floor as embers floated down around him.

--

Conn lay for a long time, right where he'd fallen. His leg burnt, his throat felt like it was bleeding, one leg and an arm shot, another leg cut and burnt from a lightsaber, and perhaps he had broken ribs. He watched Ansii's body disappear, staring at the pile of clothes that lay there. He smiled in veneration for the young woman and all she'd sacrificed for what she believed. She was a tough girl, and would've made a fine Mandalorian. His thoughts then drifted to the kid, his ship, and his droid. What had become of them?

He listened to the steady venting of the carbon freezing equipment. Wondering why Bendo had bothered to rework it all. Maybe Blad planned on a demonstration for Trang? Maybe he wasn't such a meathead (of a businessman) afterall. Then Conn heard other noises. The carbon freeze chamber was going through a pre-run cycle. But who-?

Two men appeared from nowhere looking down at the beaten and battered Mandalorian, taking his pistol from him. They scooped him up without so much as a word. These guys looked like Black Sun thugs. Another of the men was finalizing adjustments on the carbon freeze chamber as a Falleen man watched his men work diligently. Two thugs carried Conn by his arms up the stairs as he began to regain consciousness. He looked around, confused. The Falleen held a device in his slender, clawed fingers, examining it as if fascinated.

"Careful, now. Careful. The Mandalorian has had a long journey here.", the green skinned man cautioned, "I suppose you have questions. Though I should at least look familiar to the likes of you."

Conn furrowed his brow at the theatrics. He winced as the thugs set him on his feet, backing away. He struggled to stand.

"I am Prince Xizor, of House Sizhran. I run a very powerful arm of the black sun. There are a great many liabilities in my line of work. When a lucrative asset brings about the curiosity of the Jedi council and the republic, it doesn't become so lucrative, does it?

"So why not just take care of things directly?"

"Because it's bad business. Because it looks like I have something to hide. So when I learned that Doctor Bendo had been stealing from me, I knew it was a matter of time before he could contain it no longer. The dug was a petty thief anyway, and I do appreciate his removal. But with the mystery of the missing Jedi under my banner confirmed for me, and the problem now rectified, you are owed..at least a little something."

"Oh this should be good."

"Careful Mister Vallai. It's rare that i make personal appearances. While I am going to scuttle this ship and clean my hands of the mess this operation has become, as recompense for your skills and accomplishments, I offer you the chance to live."

"I was doing fine before this. I was even going to be on my way."

"Well", Xizor chuckled, "I'm afraid I cannot have any loose ends in this affair. Men?"

Conn was barely able to stand on his legs, shot and cut. Steam plumed from seemingly everywhere, but he could only think about how callous this Falleen bottomfeeder was. He wondered if Xizor knew about the girl, or of her escape. He himself didn't even know if she'd escaped, or necessarily what would become of her once she got away from here. He was certain she was better off than he was about to be. He hoped she was alright. He felt like she was owed something after seeing what her own people would do to her. Despite it all, he did finally fell the anzati monster, so that many more would be safe from such a grim and dishonorable end. As Xizor locked eyes with Conn, he had one final thought. Prince Xizor; you'll get whats coming to you. Steam blasted him, his binders snapped from the extreme temperature, and then cold unforgiving darkness embraced him.