FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

"** There's always a war going on somewhere; always has been, always will be. It's why Mandalorians have never gone out of business."**

~Boba Fett

"I thought you said nobody came in or out of the mine shaft, Miles!" Syrra snapped.

"I said I didn't see anybody go in or out!" he responded defensively as he expertly rappelled down the side of the inn. "I'm keeping the booster up on the roof and coming to you guys!" He hit the ground solidly and tore off the cord, swearing as he sprinted across the outpost. Only moments earlier Kajex's voice had burst into their headsets, informing them that they had both a Sith and bounty hunter contact. The Sith infiltration wasn't what confused Miles, as they'd discerned that the infiltrator had breached the ruins before they even entered- but the bounty hunter was completely new. In the entire time he had kept his sight on the entrance to the ruins, he hadn't seen a single person go in or out. The closest anyone came was when Syrra and Keris patrolled near the area- not even the distraction of contacting the starport had caused his focus to waver.

He slid to a stop, spotting a nearby outpost guard in nondescript gray armor. "Sir, are you able to contact your head of security?"

The startled officer stood up. "I... er, yeah, why?"

"Get them on the horn, tell them Wiyuk's ruins has unauthorized persons inside- a Sith infiltrator and a Selonian bounty hunter!" he barked to the guard, a surge of nostalgia passing through him as if he were once again commanding a squad of stormtroopers. "Wiyuk should have access to my signal booster's frequency, have security key into that and keep their eyes open on the mine shaft- the rest of use are heading in!"

"Yes sir!" the guard responded as Miles sprinted towards the mine shaft again, just as Syrra and Keris reached it with him.

"How did you not see anyone enter the ruins?!" Syrra shouted, glaring at the Miraluka.

"Syrra, I swear to you I have no idea how anybody got by me!" The ex-soldier moved past her, grabbing the descent cord. "I had my sight on the shaft the entire time, there's no way anybody could've gotten by me unless they were hiding themselves through the Force," he explained. "Maybe this bounty hunter is Force-sensitive, I don't know- but Kaj needs our help, so let's shelf the harsh words and get the hell down there!"

The Trianii looked ready to start again, but restrained herself and nodded. "We'll see you down there- got a better way to get down." With her lightsaber in paw she ignited the blade and leapt into the shaft, stabbing into the floor of the smooth tunnel and gouging into the rock, slowing her descent and allowing her to maintain a quick but safe speed down the chute- Keris followed a moment later, her blade leaving glowing scorch marks into the stone.

The Miraluka grunted and slid down after them, keeping one hand on the descent cord and the other on a heavy blaster pistol- and hoping the darkness below wouldn't blind his view.

Kajex stared the dying wolf, his throat tight as the wounded canine whined and whimpered, stirring feebly as his blood pooled on the cold stone floor. The logic of his mind told him that if his hunter hadn't attacked, he'd be dead; but this did nothing to soothe his unease at being unable to save the younger-looking wolf. A gentle jolt brought him back into reality, and he found himself looking into Locke's face- the same pain was in his eyes, mixed with conviction.

"We can't save them like this, Kajex," he muttered. "We have to fight."

The Sentinel trembled for a moment, the idea of fighting in this situation hard to stomach- but he got back to his feet, wiping the blood from his face and staring at the young bounty hunter coldly. "You're here for me, then?"

The Selonian smirked as she planted base of her weapon into the floor, a paw on one hip. "Obviously. Didn't see me coming, didja? Mind, if I were any less than I am now, I'd let these buggers have their way with you and take your head after- but a Mandalorian has better integrity than that."

Kajex stepped back, glancing around him- the other wolves had backed off, wary at this new intruder, and even Knight Thresher hadn't moved since she appeared. The Sentinel thought he knew why this was- he couldn't sense her, couldn't feel her presence in the Force, which must have confused the shark as much as it did him. "Yeah, I don't think any of us 'saw' you coming, except this Sith asshole."

"Stand aside, child," Thresher warned threateningly. "Hunter or not, I'll tolerate no interference from you. You may claim this whelp's miserable hide once I've finished my task here."

"Who're you callin' a child, cockbite!?" she snapped, raising her weapon and brandishing it expertly with a spin. "To Malachor with your damned mission, I got my own- and I ain't gonna let some stupid Sith motherfucker get in the way of that!"

The Sith Knight said nothing, instead raising his hand and glaring at the bounty hunter. A glint passed through his black eyes moments before his long, clawed fingers erupted in a shower of electrical sparks. Kajex felt himself being thrown to the side against a closed sarcophagus, as Locke pushed him out of the way- they watched as the torrent of Force-powered electricity lanced through the air and towards the Selonian... and gaped as she did nothing but smirk, the lightning stopping short and lancing around what appeared to be an invisible barrier. The energy assault ended as Thresher lowered his hand, looking completely bewildered.

"What impossibility is this!?" he snapped, raising his lightsaber.

The otter said nothing, drawing a pistol from her hip and firing at the Sith Knight. The shark stepped back, his bladework clumsy as he attempted to shield himself from flurry of blaster bolts. A movement to Kajex's right drew his attention and the shark turned, just in time to deflect a blast bolt from Talrik's rifle. Kajex watched as Thresher retreated behind a pillar, swearing loudly as he disappeared into the shadows. Yet there was no time to reflect on what had just happened as the rest of the wolves started to close in on the trio.

"W-wait, Talrik!" The Sentinel reached out and lowered the fox's rifle. "Set to stun!" The fox gave him an incredulous look and the wolf's ears flattened. "Please, don't hurt them!"

Talrik cursed through his grit teeth, complying reluctantly and raising his rifle just as the reawakened pack lunged at them. It took less than a moment for Kajex to set his energy blade to low-intensity and get into a ready position, just in time to block the first strike from a female wolf. The sight caused pause in Kajex, enough so he barely dodged her next slash, forced to roll over the nearby casket to the other side. With a burst of creativity he booted the heavy lid off of the sarcophagus with a Force-assisted kick, the cover knocking the bitch away with a yelp and pinning her beneath the heavy obsidian.

He looked to his right, just in time to see the Selonian engage in battle, expertly wielding her war-glaive against two other wolves. The weapon appeared to also be laced with lightsaber-resistant metal, the energy blades stopping easily against the polearm's surface. She swung the base of the weapon around and impaled the small hook at the end into one of the wolves' knee before cutting into his chest with the blade; a sidestep to dodge the other wolf's attack and she bashed the length of the shaft against his face, knocking him away with a yelp.

Kajex growled, leaping over the sarcophagus and kicking another wardog in the gut, sprinting to the otter just in time to grab her raised arm- she had the weapon overhead, ready to deliver a killing blow to the stunned Sith wolf. "Don't!" he snarled. "Do as you'd like with me after all of this is done, but don't kill these other wolves!"

The otter glared back at him, stabbing her weapon into the floor and kicking into his chest, knocking him back a few feet. "Fine- I got no problem granting a dead man's last request," she growled, aiming her pistol directly at him. Before she could fire, a glint of silver flashed through the air, the Selonian crying out in pain as a knife sank into her forearm and knocked the weapon out of her hand- Talrik had shifted his attention long enough to throw a knife at the otter.

With the Selonian unbalanced, Kajex took her moment of vulnerability to summon the Force, a rush of energy blowing forward and knocking away everything in front of him- except her. Whatever had protected her from Thresher's lightning assault had prevented her from being thrown back from his telekinetic push. Taking no time to dwell on what was protecting her, he changed tack and rushed her, tackling her into the ground and rolling away as she groaned. She failed to re-engaged the Sentinel, struggling to get back to her feet- the rucksack she carried seemed to be heavy, and was making it difficult for her to move in her vulnerable state.

He glanced up just in time to see Talrik duck beneath a lightsaber slash and butt his rifle into his attacker's stomach, then face, before firing a stun bolt into the wolf's chest. The fox gave him a brief nod. "I gotcha covered, take care of that Sith bastard," he assured him, drawing another throwing-knife from his hip and catching another wolf in the leg with it.

Kajex would have responded had he not been forced to defend himself a moment later, jumping up to his feet and knocking away a swift slash towards his chest as Thresher reappeared before him. The shark glared at him as his assault began, nearly overwhelming the Sentinel with a series of calculated blows. Kajex staggered backwards, trying to maintain his footing- it had been decades since he'd seen a well-trained practitioner of Makashi at work. The shark's footwork and fencing was remarkable, maintaining graceful advancing steps as he poked and thrust at his defenses. Nevertheless he made the mistake of sweeping at the gray wolf's feet, prompting him to leap and twist in the air, bringing a boot across the shark's face and knocking him away.

Thresher rolled into a fallen tapestry and back to his feet, glaring and bleeding from a cut below his left eye. "You think your paltry swordplay will keep you safe, dog?!"

The Sentinel smirked back. "No- that's what my creativity is for."

With a twist of his paw he flung the tapestry up telekinetically and tossed Thresher into the air, lunging in as he stumbled back to his feet and scoring a hit on the shark's right shoulder. The low-intensity blade dug into the shark's bare skin, burning deep as the Sentinel thrust it in hard. Howling with pain and rage the shark batted the weapon away and slashed again. Kajex easily blocked the blow, his free paw darting beneath his saber-arm and thrusting twice; the first blow slammed into Thresher's side, an audible crack popping as his knuckles dug into his rib; the follow-up was an open palm that blew the shark back with another Force wave. The assault was powerful enough that it sent Thresher rolling past Locke.

The white wolf has become entangled in battle with another two temple wolves, having incapacitated at least two of them himself. Locke had told them he was skilled enough to wield a polearm-based weaponry, but it was only now that Kajex was able to see how truly skilled he was. His attacks were only barely non-lethal as he slammed either end of the pole into his opponents' joints and softer areas, countering their blows with the Force-infused shaft when it wasn't striking at the muzzles of each temple guardian.

Another guardian lunged at Kajex, but it took little more than side-stepping the brainwashed wolf and bringing his fist around to knock him out cold. The ease at which the fight was going was enough to make him frown- even Talrik, who at this point had lost his rifle to a clumsy lightsaber slash, was able to handle them moderately well using just his security sticks and his Echani training.

A moment later, the Sentinel remembered about Thresher, his eyes darting around to see where the Karkardon had landed. He swore as he saw the gray-skinned Sith Knight rummage through the sarcophagus he had opened and fishing out a cloth bag. "Locke, he's makin' off with something!" The Knight's eyes widened and he ducked just in time to avoid the white wolf's staff, rolling to his feet and sprinting away. Locke attempted to give chase, only to be waylaid by another pair of tomb guardians.

Growling angrily Kajex pursued the infiltrator across the room- once Thresher saw the wolf giving chase he flung his uninjured arm out, shattering a pillar with the Force and tossing one of the larger pieces of debris at his head. With little loss of speed the Sentinel slid to his knees and leaned back, the stonework flying inches above his chin and crashing behind him as he returned to his feet- only to spring back as the rest of the column collapsed and forced him to move around the debris.

Static filled his ears as his headset sprung to life, Syrra's voice chirping through the speaker. "Kajex, can you hear me? We're in the ruins and on our way!"

"Stay where you are!" he barked in a panic. "The infiltrator's making a break for it, I need you to cover the exit and make sure he doesn't escape!"

The Trianii swore and stopped in her tracks. "Alright, we're gonna backtrack to the burial prep-room!" She motioned to Keris and Miles to go the other way, following behind them. "Give me a description!"

"The Sith is a gray-skinned male Karkarodon, an aquatic shark-morph standing at about six foot even- he's a skilled Makashi duelist, don't attack him alone!"

"Copy that, we'll be ready for him!" Syrra assured him. She cursed inwardly as the trio made their way back to towards the mine shaft's entrance, her blade ignited and illuminating the ruins where Keris' crimson lightsaber did not. "Coarser Security, did you catch that?"

"Yes ma'am, we have ten rifles at the shaft entrance waiting to open fire- the rest are securing the nearby citizens and escorting them indoors."

"Have you informed Guild Head Wiyuk?" Keris asked.

"Yes ma'am, he has been informed and we are currently keeping him indoors and out of the way- for his own safety, of course," he added with a knowing tone.

Syrra grinned despite the tension. "Good to know- over and out." She sped up her pace and caught up with Miles and Keris just as they returned to the burial prep-room. "Well at least that asshole is out of the way," she remarked. "I was worried he was going to be a detrimental factor."

"I would worry less about him and more about this infiltrator," Keris cautioned. "The guy Kaj just described sounds like one of the Circle's boys Locke and I knew before we defected- not the kind of guy you take lightly, so stay alert." The vixen took up a position closest to the hall leading towards the Black Tomb; Syrra stood with her, their lightsabers held at the ready, while Miles used one of the preparation tables to set up Talrik's C-rifle, aimed directly at the hallway's arch.

All three of them waited as the seconds ticked by, tension thick in the air as the darkness around them seemed to become more prominent. Syrra found she could not easily sense anything beyond a few meters, forced to rely on her low-light vision as they stood fast. The din of a distant battle echoed somewhere deeper in the ruins, masking any footsteps she might otherwise have been able to hear, and here senses were dulled by the dark aura surrounding them- but she was certain she'd be able to feel it if her fiancee were hurt or killed.

It happened in a matter of moments- a series of high-pitched beeps followed by the sound of a metal case clattering against the stone preceded a brilliant flash and deafening blast that caused the Trianii to stagger back with a surprised yelp. Panicking with her vision temporarily gone, she reached out around her with the Force, trying to sense the assailant before he could close in. With reflexes and speed only a Jedi could possess, she threw herself to the side just in time, crying out as a white-hot burn glanced through her shoulder, just as she slammed blindly into what felt like one of the preparation tables. Adrenaline and fear running through her body, she swung her still-active lightsaber to the side, managing to counter-strike the incoming Sith Knight's attack. Her vision returned just as she saw a black boot slam into her solar plexus, knocking the wind out of the Trianii and bringing her to her knees while her weapon clattered away.

She looked up at the infiltrator, his black eyes somehow burning with hatred as he raised his weapon for a lethal strike. Still stunned from the flash-bang explosive, she barely possessed the presence of mind to defend herself in her vulnerable position. But before he could pierce her Miles had let out a war cry and slammed into the Sith Knight, knocking the weapon out of his hands as he threw him to the ground. Syrra backed away under the table, groping around for her lightsaber, glancing back just in time to see Miles (who easily stood a head taller than the shark) body-slam the Knight into the stone floor, narrowly missing a follow-up elbow-drop as he rolled out of the way. Before Miles could pursue him, the Sith Knight propelled the soldier back into the far part of the room, sending him crashing into a pile of urns that shattered beneath him.

By this point Keris, who had been leaning against a wall for support, had gotten back to her feet and engaged the disarmed shark as he backpedaled away. Sweeping at his feet to keep him moving, the vixen advanced on him with quick, two-handed strikes that failed to make contact. A snap-hiss sounded and she angled her blade across her chest, just in time to block the Knight's lightsaber as it ignited in mid-air and landed in his claws. Yet despite now possessing his weapon, he continued to retreat- Keris drove him farther away from the corridor leading to the mineshaft, back towards Syrra just as she got back to her feet. For all his skill in Makashi, his defenses could not weather the vixen's powerful slashes and aggressive approach.

Just as Syrra started to move in to engage, an urn flew between the vixen and Knight, forcing the new Padawan to backstep as shards flew through the air. A glint of gold and silver clattered to the floor, drawing the Sith Knight's attention for a brief moment, before that gold and silver hilt flew into his free claw- a second blade, this one orange in color, erupted from the hilt just as Keris brought her weapon down. Grinning evilly, the shark struck, stabbing the new weapon into the right side of Keris' exposed midsection and running her through, the vixen's eyes widening with a gasp as the orange energy blade penetrated through her and out her back.

For a few horrible seconds, Syrra could only stare as the Knight drew the weapon away and kicked Keris directly into the chest- she did not get back up, despite gasping desperately. A howl rang out deep in the ruins, an echo of the pain Syrra felt coursing through her- she knew Locke had felt Keris sustain the mortal injury, and was likely on his way to repay the Knight in kind. But Keris was a part of the pack, and Syrra's pain almost matched Locke's as she snarled in anguish, sprinting at the Knight. She leapt into the air, her free paw outstretched as Keris' lightsaber flew into her palm- with strength fueled from the darker impulses of the Force, she brought both bright blades crashing overhead, knocking the shark off balance as she wove a tapestry energy around her, advancing on the shark rapidly. He met her head on, matching her assault in precision and ferocity, but not in strength- every power blow caused him to buckle back, sparks flying as she poured her rage into ending the scum that had mortally wounded her packmate, friend and lover.

But it took only a minute of this assault for Syrra to feel the strength she applied ebb away, her muscles aching as she struggled to maintain the flow of battle. Sensing an opportunity to gain the upper hand he feinted and slashed across her arm, burning the back of her paw briefly and causing her to drop her lightsaber, now left with Keris' weapon. She hissed and crossed sabers with the Knight, having enough foresight to twist and sidestep as he attempted to stab her the same way he had Keris. She kicked his outstretched hand and knocked the ancient lightsaber out of his grip, slashing wildly and cutting him across the face.

The Sith infiltrator howled with rage, lifting the feline up by her neck with the Force- Syrra kicked uselessly in the air as she felt herself choked as if by an invisible steel gauntlet. Through the tears in her eyes and the red haze that was appearing in the edge of her vision, she could make out the disfiguring wound she had left- a diagonal gash that gouged a bleeding crevice across his otherwise smooth snout. Before he could land a killing blow, she reached out and sent one of the loose urns hurtling through the air, smashing against the back of his head. The shark was staggered forward, releasing the Trianii from his Force choke; a brief moment passed where Syrra was sure he was going to attack her while he was still prone, but apparently thinking better of it, he turned tail and sprinted past her into the corridor leading to the mine shaft.

Part of her wanted to give chase, the embers of rage that wished nothing but grievous harm on the shark that had hurt her friend and lover- but the pain for her packmate was more pressing, and despite knowing full well that her choice would allow him to escape, she crawled back to the barely-stirring vixen. A curse to her right diverted her attention as Miles crawled out of the pottery he'd been throw into- the Miraluka had been knocked out for a few moments, but was now approaching the two women. She waved him off.

"Go, follow him and try to catch up- let the guards up there know he's coming!" Miles stopped short and nodded, sprinting down the corridor after the Sith Knight and leaving the two alone. She reached out, hot tears re-emerging as Keris whined, her eyes tired and dull.

"S-Syrra..." she whispered weakly. "Please... help me... I don't wanna die..."

The Trianii swallowed, touching the vixen's face with a trembling paw. For all the skill she'd been developing in healing, she doubted whether she could sustain Keris long enough to make it to a medical facility. When it had been Locke, the Gold Rush had been less than a quarter mile away- but they were two hundred meters underground and two or three miles away from the starport.

A spark of inspiration hit her and she sat back up, reaching around her neck- she'd forgotten that Kajex had given her his amulet as a piece of jewelry to mark their engagement. She took a moment to unclasp the pendant, staring at it for a few moments- the wolf's words when he'd given it to her seemed to echo from her memories.

I know you have the wisdom and skill to make the best possible use of it.

She felt fear leave her, giving the vixen a genuine smile. "You're not going to die today, Keris. I promise you."

"Let me go, Kajex!"

"Locke, you need to listen to me!" the Sentinel snarled.

"LET ME GO!!!" he howled, struggling to pull himself out of grip of both Kajex and Talrik, who were struggling to hold him back.

"Locke, listen to me!" the gray wolf barked. "She's going to be alright, Syrra is with her- whatever injury she's sustained, if you can still feel that she's alive then Syrra can bring her back with the Healing Crystal- I gave it to her as an engagement jewel!"

"I have to-- she--"

"I swear to you, we'll go to her!" he shouted. "But not until we get things settled here!" Locke's struggling seemed to settle down, the white wolf's tears streaming down his face as he finally fell to his knees, wracked with silent sobs. Talrik bent down with him, pulling the older male into a close hug to settle him down. As much pain was he was feeling right now, the Sentinel understood he had to be the one in charge.

Kajex had attempted to give chase to Knight Thresher, but had once again been cut off by another toppled structure, followed by the intervention of one of the remaining tomb wolves. Of the ten that had initially emerged from their hibernation pods, seven remained alive- remarkably, the one the Selonian bounty hunter had impaled from behind was one of the survivors. The situation had been defused with three of the wolves dead and the rest incapacitated or pacified, and Kajex had administered all three of his bacta injectors to the severely wounded canine. His compassionate act had not gone unnoticed by the others- they had stopped struggling violently and were now watching the Sentinel's every move.

He glanced back at the otter, who had watched Kajex restrain his brother, yet had not taken the opportunity to strike while he was distracted. She was regarding him with a confused expression, as if not sure how to gauge him. A cold fury ran through his veins as he approached, striding towards her with a hard glare that caused her to backpedal and raise her weapon in agitation.

"You. Give me your name."

The otter blinked before scowling. "Why the fuck should I bother giving you anything, aruetii?" she spat. "You're my mark- and if you're ready to let me finish my job, I'm ready to fuckin' go!" she challenged, pounding a fist into her breastplate. Despite having suffering a stab wound to her arm and numerous lightsaber burns, she stood strong and focused, and Kajex accepted that she would be a handful to incapacitate- that was ignoring the fact that she seemed able to repel the Force through some unknown means.

But as he stared at the rucksack she wore, he thought he knew how.

He lunged abruptly, activating his lightsaber and bringing it down- the startled otter barely had time to block the overhead blow, and had not expected the wolf to grab the shaft of her weapon and twist it around. He could tell she was strong for her small frame, and in this close proximity he felt himself somehow cut off from the Force, or unable to use it- but he was still larger and stronger than she was, and with a powerful heave he rolled back, flipping the otter over him and tossing her into the air. She yelped and lost her grip on her weapon, rolling across the floor just as the wolf jumped back onto her feet. Before she could stagger back up he was on her, pinning her shoulder down with one knee and striking hard against the back of her head.

She was out in an instant.

The wolf sighed, relaxing and settling to his knees. "Didn't want to do this the hard way," he groaned. "Syrra... Syrra, come in."

There was a long pause before he got an answer- when he did, her voice was distant and strained. "I'm... here, Kajex. Using the Crystal... to save Keris... she'll be alright." Kajex glanced at Locke, who started shivering in relief, Talrik still comforting him.

"See?" the fox said reassuringly. "Syrra'll get her back in shape in no time." He turned to Kajex. "Is she out?"

"Yeah, finally... Miles, what's your status?"

There was another long pause, followed by a frustrated sigh. "Target has escaped. I can see clearly where he went, but he injured a lot of guards here. Orders?"

The question gave Kajex pause. He was no stranger to having failed a job before- it was something he'd come to expect after years of working alone. But the last year of his life had been full of success and positive outcomes that the mere idea that they could have failed seemed impossible, in a sense; moreso now that he had a whole team at his back. Nevertheless, he knew what the priorities were- he would not risk Miles getting injured while giving chase to Thresher. Wiping at his face exhaustedly, he let out a deep breath.

"Talrik, head back to the burial prep room and check on Syrra and Keris. Syrra, when you're done stabilizing Keris, Talrik is going to guide you to the Black Tomb, where we're at- there's something you need to see here, and we have a lot of injured. Miles, check on the guards and help them get the wounded somewhere they can be treated. If you're able to, get in touch with the starport and have them contact the incoming NRI transport; they're going to want to get a look at... well, you'll see when you guys get here," he said, glancing back at the tomb wolves. A few of them were whining and pawing at their dead brethren, quietly mourning their passing.

Talrik squeezed Locke's shoulders. "Will you be alright?"

The white wolf nodded, wiping his face. "Y-yes... I think so." He took a steadying breath and leaned against one of the unshattered pillars. "Go help Syrra, lad- I can't very well propose to Keris if she's not alive," he said with a tremulous chuckle.

"She's a tough girl, she'll be fine- I'm sure of it," Talrik offered encouragingly, squeezing Locke's arm. "Just hang tight while I'm gone, I'll be back soon." They watched as he jogged off, Locke turning his eyes to the Sentinel once the fox had left. There was a brief moment where their eyes met, before Locke looked away with an expression of shame on his features.

Kajex said nothing as he bent back over the incapacitated Selonian. She was completely passed out, but still breathing- even without a connection to the Force for the moment, he could tell he'd not administered any lasting injury. Certain she wouldn't move from where she was, he started to unbuckle the rucksack's shoulder straps, only looking up when Locke approached him and knelt beside him.

"Kajex... I'm sorry," he said baldly.

The Sentinel looked up into his brother's wet face- Locke flinched as if expecting to be shouted at, but Kajex only felt a pang of sympathy for his sibling. He reached out and touched the side of the white wolf's face. "It's alright, bro... I figured something like that would happen if Keris ever got hurt. I felt the same way too, when Keris injured Syrra back on AS-303. It's... never easy," he admitted. "We really need to learn how to keep ourselves in control when that happens. But I'm not mad at you. If anything, I'm glad you're calm now."

Locke breathed in and let it out, nodding. "Knowing Keris will be alright... yes, I'm feeling better." He swallowed, frowning at the Selonian. "This one... she claimed to be a bounty hunter, correct?"

Kajex nodded as he managed to undo one of the straps, moving to her other side and working on the other. "I think Miles mentioned something earlier about a registered hunter's ship landing at the starport. That must've been hers."

"Any idea who would have sent one to kill you?" he asked as he leaned over and grabbed the otter's discarded weapon, examining the craftsmanship.

"Yeah, I have an idea who," Kajex growled softly. "And once this little punk wakes up I'm gonna make sure she fesses up so that Syrra knows, too."

"But how was she able to... or rather, how is she able to block the Force? If she were Force-sensitive, then her ability to block that energy would have deactivated the moment she was rendered inert, but..." He paused, leaning in and holding his paw out in confusion. "So close to her, I can't feel the Force at all."

Kajex nodded as he pulled the other strap away. "Yeah, and I think I know why," he responded, pulling the rucksack up and to the side- it was rather large and heavy, and in setting it upright there was a bit of movement within. "Being able to block the Force is not an easy feat, that's true. If this kid was telling the truth about being Mandalorian-raised, then she's probably not a Force-sensitive, or if she is then she's not specifically trained to use it."

"Then how is she doing it?"

"Because she's not," Kajex answered as he unclasped the bag and drew the sack open. "This is."

Within the sack's comfortable and warm confines was a long, thick branch of wood, attached to a metal frame that appeared to have needles punctured deep into the branch, injecting some manner of viscous fluid. Hanging from the branch with sharp, spade-like claws, looking curious and lazy, was a slightly furry, lizard-like creature. The critter chirruped quietly, its four-eyed gaze slowly turning between Kajex and Locke and regarding them with mild, unexcited interest.

Locke's brow furrowed. "What the hell is that thing?"

Kajex smiled, reaching in and running a finger down the lizard's back gently- the critter chirruped again, leaning into the petting with a look of clear enjoyment. "That, my good sibling, is an ysalamir; one of the most curious creatures in the universe."

The white wolf blinked. "... 'Ysalamir?' Wait, you mean this creature is what Makashi is sometimes referred to when Jedi and Sith discuss the 'Way of the Ysalamir?' Why?"

"Because Makashi is all about defending yourself effectively while conserving your energy- and ysalamiri do the same thing, by effortlessly projecting a sphere of influence, or 'bubble', where you and I can't manipulate the Force," Kajex explained as he stroked the critter's back again, making it coo pleasantly. "This little guy can put a nice two-meter range where the Force can't touch it- or anybody next to it."

Comprehension filled Locke's features. "So this is why Miles was unable to sense this girl entering the mine shaft? Because this creature masked her presence from his ability to see through the Force?"

Kajex nodded. "And it's why we couldn't detect her, either- and why my telekinesis and Thresher's Sith lightning failed to hit her. It's a pretty clever trick, I gotta give her that- but very expensive," he added, frowning at the metal frame that held the branch in place and pointing to it. "Ysalamiri feed off Olbio branches like the one this guy is attached to- it's pretty hard to remove these little guys from the trees without killing the poor things. I'd hazard a guess this frame here supplies nutrients to the branch, keeping the wood alive so he can keep feeding from it. Whoever set this kid up with an ysalamir is either rich or influential- or both."

Locke's eyes narrowed. "You're thinking of this Matriarch Bast you once mentioned, I take it. But why would she send a bounty hunter to off you? From what you told me, she had no intention of threatening your life until you'd outlived your usefulness to Syrra."

"Search me," Kajex replied with a shrug. "Maybe she's getting impatient. But I doubt she knows I'm a Jedi Sentinel. If I had to guess, she probably set this kid up with the critter so that Syrra wouldn't interfere- or maybe the kid thought of it herself. No way to know until she wakes up."

Locke nodded, looking ready to say something when Syrra's voice crackled through their headsets. "Locke, I've finished up here. Keris is fine," she said, sounding exhausted but pleased. "I'm not sure I want to leave her alone right now, though--"

"Syrra, it's alright," Keris responded, also sounding tired. "I'm gonna live, I'm just feeling a little sore and nappish," she said, yawning.

Locke closed his eyes, relief in his features. "Keris... you scared me badly, love," he said softly. "Shall I come to you, then?" Kajex nodded, giving him a thumbs up to let him know he'd be fine if left alone for a few minutes.

"Yeah," she murmured sleepily. "I'd like that."

"The Sith Knight, I expected," Syrra said. "Ysalamir? Weird, but fine, I can handle that. Bounty hunter? Well, I expected that Bast wasn't making idle threats, so yeah; not surprising. But this...?" she said uncertainly, gazing at the seven remaining tomb wolves that were sitting and glancing curiously between her, Kajex and Talrik- the last of whom was pacing around them with his rifle ready, looking between the shivering group. "I feel totally lost in the vacuum with these ones, love."

Kajex nodded, his ears flattening. "I know, but... they need help, Syrra. They might have been interred here for centuries, maybe even millennia- but there's no way to know for sure. I've tried to get a feel inside their heads--"

"What?!" Syrra chirped loudly, snapping her head back to the wolf- this was not something she was expecting him to tell her. "But-- Kajex, that could've been dangerous!" she cried out, making a few of the wolves whine submissively. "They could've breached into yours, taken control over you instead!"

"I don't believe that for a moment," he challenged, folding his arms with a look of defiance. "Ten against four of us, and not a single one of them demonstrated any Force ability or showed more than basic lightsaber skill. I was going to say, what little of their thoughts I could make out, it's like they were given explicit orders from their masters, to attack anybody that trespassed into the tombs. Beyond that, they don't know what we're saying, what era it is, where they are, who we are, or what's going to happen to them."

"Kajex..." She knew what he was getting at, and as wise as it would have been to look at the situation rationally, he had made his choice- and if she had to be honest with herself, that he had made the choice with his heart rather than his head might be true wisdom in this case.

"They're afraid," he said baldly, a look of pain on his face. "And they're the only connection Locke and I have to whoever or whatever we are. Syrra... how can I not help them?" he said quietly. He pointed to a pair of them, both females that stared at him quizzically. "There are females among the group- it's a long shot, but... if our race is near-extinct at this point, it might give them the means to repopulate. I'm not banking on it happening, but if I don't even give them the opportunity, give them the chance to help themselves... then what the hell kind of Jedi would I be?"

Syrra smiled at him, wrapping his arms around him and nuzzling. "You'd be a pretty poor one. Gods bless and damn you for your good heart, Kajex... just when I think you couldn't make me love you enough, the real you shines through the charm and kicks my admiration for you up a few more notches."

The Sentinel smiled back and pressed his lips against her nose, drawing a purr from her. A quiet huff next to her drew her attention back to the tomb wolves, who were staring at the two in interest, their tails wagging anxiously. After staring at them a few moments she chuckled, blushing.

"Listen," Kajex said quietly, looking hesitant and uncertain. "I'll be straight with you Syrra- I don't know what I or anybody can do to help them. But I want to do right by them. I don't want to deny them the lives they should have been able to live." He hesitated. "It would be unfair of me to ask you to help me... but if nothing else, I'd like to know that you understand."

The Trianii couldn't help but feel a glowing burn in her chest for her fiancee. "As long as you don't put off us being married, I'll gladly help you with this," she promised him, leaning in and kissing him deeply.

"Aww, look at that cute couple, folks," Talrik said with a grin. A few of the wolves were smiling at them- even unable to speak, they seemed to catch on to the love between the two. "Doesn't it make you wanna cuddle something?"

Kajex chuckled. "Be careful, kit- they might want to cuddle you."

"If it helps, I got your back on this too," the fox replied. "These guys deserve to live free, and helping to educate them might help you learn what their past or even your species was like."

"Thanks, Talrik," Kajex said appreciatively. "I'm glad to know at least the two of you are okay with this- I'm not sure what Locke's gonna think about it."

"Locke thinks that it's a noble decision, brother," the white wolf said as he entered, a proud smile on his face as he supported Keris by his side. "And Locke thinks he'd very much like to help you, as well."

"Ditto," Keris said softly, looking tired but supportive, a paw pressed to where she'd been stabbed. "I understand how much it means to both you and Locke, and I'm not gonna stand in the way of it." She looked around at the lot of them, arching an eyebrow. "They look a lot like you two," she remarked, pointing at the one that had the same markings as Kajex, "especially that one right there- looks almost exactly like you, Sentinel."

He frowned, looking troubled. "Yeah, he does... and I'm starting to wonder about my own origins now, the more that I look at him."

A burst of static filled their ears. "I'd worry less about your origins right now, and more about the loudmouthed prick heading in your direction," Miles said through their headsets. "I just reported to Wiyuk and he's livid right now- apparently the Mining Guild was alerted and they're on their way to assess the damage that's been sustained; which in all honesty, amounts to barely anything. It'll take them a while to reach you if they don't know where to go- you've still got time to prepare."

Kajex groaned and put his face in his paws- feeling it would be better to take control of the discussion, Syrra cut in. "What's the word on the escaped Sith Knight?"

"Coarser starport reports that one starship was stolen and took off before they could lock it down- not the Gold Rush, thankfully," Miles added quickly. "But he did take the bounty hunter's ship, so this Mandalorian of yours is stuck here until the NRI picks her up. Other than that, the starport managed to log its flight trajectory as it hit hyperspace- it definitely jumped towards Imperial-controlled space."

"Well, that'll be a rude awakening for her," Syrra said coldly, as she turned and stared at the stirring otter. "Not like she was going to get it back once the NRI had her in restraints for questioning. How long until the NRI transport arrives?"

"Another hour," Miles answered. "And I've told them about what you found, they'll be sure to look over your wolf buddies downstairs- and the hunter."

"No, I wanna have a little talk with her first," Kajex growled as he made his way to the restrained Selonian. "If the NRI take her, they won't ask her the questions I want answers to- she's not obligated under any law to spill the beans on whoever contracted her. But if we talk to her first, we might get the info we need."

"I agree," Locke said with a nod, as he followed Kajex. "Suspect number one is Matriarch Bast, but if it's not then we need to find out who it really is. And if it is her, there's the issue of how she knew where to find us when only the Jedi Order and NRI knew about our mission. We can't afford to have another mercenary pop up unannounced and potentially screw up another mission."

"Is she really a Mandalorian?" Keris asked, frowning at the otter- the young woman was starting to stir.

"Her weapon is beskar, or Mandalorian Iron," Locke informed her. "Heavy and lightsaber resistant. They're the only ones that know how to forge it, and they control most of it."

"But she's not human," Keris reasoned.

"Not all Mandalorians are," Locke replied. "They aren't really a race- they're a culture."

"Look alive," Syrra warned, standing behind Kajex as he knelt to the floor. "She's coming around."

The albino otter groaned, her head rolling from one shoulder to the other as her eyes fluttered open slowly- the crimson orbs flicked to one side, then the other, unfocused and narrowed as her head swayed. "Wha... th' fuck...?"

Kajex bent forward, glaring at the Selonian. "Rise and shine, you little punk. I've got some questions for you, and seeing as you've interfered with a Republic mission and allowed a dangerous individual with a potentially powerful artifact get away, you've got a lot to fuckin' answer for."

The sound of the wolf's voice seemed to rouse the restrained young woman, her eyes focusing on him, then widening as she recognized her mark. She tried to lunge forward but yelped as fell over, still disoriented with her paws cuffed behind her back. "You-- what th' fuck is th-- get these offa me, you cock-suckin' barve!"

"Hell of a mouth on her," Syrra muttered, looking less than impressed. Several of the tomb guardians nearby started to growl quietly as they noticed she was awake, a look of distinct anger directed towards her- one of the dead guardians had been her handiwork. "You could let her go, you know- not like she's fit to go anywhere with the five of us watching over her," she suggested.

"Maybe," Kajex said as he looked over the otter critically. "If she plays nice, I'll consider it." The otter's response was to spit in his face. He sighed, wiping it with the back of his hand and fixing her with an unamused stare. "The last person who spit in my face got backhanded and then threatened with a Burning. Lucky for you, I don't have to act like some thug from a Hutt cartel, because I think it's fairly clear you know who I am- you wouldn't be hunting me otherwise."

"This situation seems familiar, doesn't it?" Syrra said.

"You know what, it kinda does," Kajex agreed. "Although I'm willing to bet it'll take far less to get this kid to talk. Won't even have to lay a hand on her."

She said nothing, looking away with a defiant expression.

"I'll be frank- you've got about an hour to talk before the NRI comes to pick you up and have you shut away for a few months, for interfering in an investigation and letting a Sith Knight get away. So you can make things easier for yourself by telling me who hired you."

"Ba' __s_ lanar at haran, aruetii_," she growled.

"That didn't sound pleasant," Syrra said casually, regarding the younger woman with disdain.

"She told me to go to hell," Kajex explained. "She's not the first person to tell me that in Mando'a." He smirked. "I gotta hand it to you, kid; you're a cut above most of the mercs I've known in my line of work, before I started being a Jedi again. You don't see many individual Selonians taking up bounty hunting. Even fewer end up managing to join the Mandalorians. And I don't think I've ever seen a non-Jedi wield a glaive the way you did, nor stand up to a Sith Knight defiantly. You must be pretty proud," he observed.

The otter did react to this, smirking and scoffing. "Yeah, I figure I'm a cut above the norm, aruetii."

"Oh, don't flatter yourself- you're not that impressive," the wolf responded harshly. "I don't find your self-confidence or skill remarkable. Actually, the most remarkable thing is your complete lack of wits. You've got guts, not sense. It's a wonder your bravado hasn't gotten you killed yet. How the fuck old are you, anyway?"

She glared back at him, shifting slightly as she struggled against her restraints. "Twenty, and I'm already doing shit you never did at my age. I've been hunting men for three years now- better men than you."

He chuckled. "Well, it's obvious you haven't done quite as much research on me as you should have, adiik," he replied, emphasizing one of the few Mando'a words he seemed to know. It had the intended effect, the otter's tail thumping angrily against the stonework she was reclined against. He continued. "I've been piloting my starship and doing mercenary work since I was twelve- and that was after eight years of training to be a Jedi, which I'm guessing is a fact your client neglected to mention."

"Trust me, if she'd told me you were a Jedi I'd've had every base covered and killed yer ass dead the moment I had a chance!" she snarled angrily.

"So it's a 'she', then," Syrra noted.

The Selonian froze.

"But I believe you, kid," Kajex continued. "You might talk like a hard-ass and some would take it as indication that you're all starship fuel and no propulsion; but the way you're looking around right now, thinking of ways to get out of this situation while you attempt to use that shard of rock in your paw to disengage the binders..."

The otter scowled at him, and in the silence the sound of a stone clattering on the floor could be heard.

"Those are qualities of some of the better bounty hunters," Kajex continued. "I'll grant that you're resourceful- but far too brash for your own good, as you've just demonstrated." He paused, getting back to his feet and walking some distance away, grabbing the rucksack she'd been carrying and bringing it back to the group. Syrra shuddered as she felt her ability to summon the Force ebb away in the ysalamir's presence, sighing and focusing on the discussion.

"Where'd you get this, kid?" he asked. No answer, and he pressed her. "It takes a lot of money and the right contacts to get these critters out of a tree and into a nutrient frame. You knew exactly where to look, who to talk to, and how much to pay in order to get this little guy off Myrkr and into your rucksack- why?"

The Selonian stared at him for half a minute before sighing. "Because... my contact didn't want her interfering," she admitted, staring at Syrra. "Said she wanted an example to be made, that she wouldn't be capable of keeping you protected if the situation weren't in her favor." She glared at Talrik, who arched an eyebrow. "And I didn't have to worry about your fox buddy over there, he looked like a total pushover while we were fighting."

"Nice to meet you too," he responded, frowning at her.

"But she didn't tell me you had a Miraluka soldier and two other Jedi at your back, and she sure as shit didn't tell me you were a Jedi. If I'd known the situation was gonna pan out like that, I would've doubled the fee and told the bitch to pay up front," she muttered sourly. "But anyway... she gave me the money to cover an ysalamir extraction and told me it would be enough to send a message- kill you as a means of saying her daughter couldn't protect him with the Force, to discourage her to leave."

Syrra glared, her blood running cold- she'd known just from the situation, had known only one person in the universe would want to have Kajex killed who would have needed a bounty hunter for the job. "Matriarch Bast has always been one for sending 'messages'," she growled.

The Selonian stared at her for a moment before nodding. "Yeah... that's her," she acknowledged, looking away.

"Why now?" Syrra snapped irritably. "She'd threatened to have Kajex hunted once I'd become a Jedi Knight, once she figured his usefulness ran out!"

"Lady, I ain't got a clue why she wanted to wage war against your boyfriend beyond his law-breaking, and I frankly don't give a shit," she responded.

"How did you know where to find us?" Kajex asked. "The Jedi keep their mission details on their own server, there's no way you could have broken in to slice the system and figure out what was going on." There was a pause as a gentle chirrup emanated from the rucksack, the bag rustling gently as the critter within appeared to be settling in for a nap. "... Unless nobody saw you coming and going," he realized with a sigh, looking at the bag as the pieces fell into place.

She smirked. "Like you said- I'm a cut above the norm, di'kut. Bein' the runt of my family has been a blessin' in disguise, nobody would've seen me comin' or goin'- especially with that little bastard strapped to my back. Was as simple as stowin' away on a ship headed for your Temple, waitin' till nightfall and then slicing the briefin' terminal to figure out who was going where, then stowin' away on a departing ship somewhere near the system I'd parked my ship. I knew where you were going three days before you did, I figure- this Master Skywalker had a list of teams set aside so he could assign them to missions based on priority. Your team was on the top of the list, under the header 'Gold Rush', which I knew was your ship. After that, it was just a matter of getting to my ship and then to Dakua."

"You're being awful straightforward right now," Syrra noted. "I'm guessing you're telling us everything because this job frustrated you."

"Yer damn right it did!" the otter snapped. "I had everything set up perfect! Even this sorry sunuvabitch probably thinks I did a good job, and I still got fucked because that Matriarch bitch didn't tell me everything!"

"She didn't know," Kajex informed her. "Everyone currently present was completely unaware of the fact that I've been trained as a Jedi Sentinel my entire life, up until a month ago. The only time I've met Bast was at a time I was still hiding it from my own fiancee."

A pause. "... 'Fiancee'?"

"Since a little bit more than a month ago, yeah."

"... So he's not controlling you to get ahold of your assets?"

Kajex glanced at the Trianii. "I didn't have to control her to get access to her 'assets,'" he said with a lopsided grin.

Syrra looked away with a hard blush. "Kajex, c'mon... not the time and place. But no, my mother made it very clear she intended to have Kajex hunted down once his usefulness as an instructor ran out."

"I see." She glanced at Syrra, looking sobered by the revelation. "I... didn't know that. Maybe she did, though. That probably explains why she wants this job done- might've found out somehow that you're both set to be hitched and so she's jumping ahead of schedule," she suggested.

Syrra peered at the younger woman through narrowed eyes. "How much was my mother paying you to take out my fiancee?"

The Selonian frowned, looking uncertain as to whether she'd answer. "Why?"

"Just tell me."

"... 5,000 dataries."

Kajex looked indignant. "What?! That's it?!" He chuffed irritably. "C'mon, I'm worth at least a solid ten-kay in raw credit chits..."

"I agree," the otter intoned, "especially after all this trouble. It's gonna take me fuckin' weeks to get my ship back from impound after I'm released, and I'll need the extra credits to pay the penalty fee."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," Syrra responded coldly. "That Sith Knight you let escape went ahead and borrowed it to escape. And by 'borrowed it', I mean he stole it and made a jump into Imperial-controlled territories."

"WHAT?!" she cried out, a look of horror on her face. "That toothy fish-fuck motherfucker- I WANT HIS NAME!" she demanded loudly.

Kajex frowned. "Calm the fuck down, kid- single-seater snubfighters these days don't cost all that much. If you're a smart merc, you'd have saved up the creds to cover for a new one, just in case."

She glared at him. "That ship... was my father's ship. He'll crucify me if I don't come home with it!" she snarled.

Syrra brightened, a smile forming on her muzzle. "Is that a fact?" she said, kneeling next to Kajex. "You want his name? We can tell you... for a price." Kajex glanced at her, a questioning look on his face that she ignored for the moment.

The otter glared at her. "... I expect you're not givin' me much a choice," she growled. "What's your price?"

"First, tell us your name," Syrra insisted. "I'd prefer not to make a deal with nameless mercs who use excessive bad language."

The otter's expression softened slightly as she sighed- she looked less hard and more... cute, Kajex realized, as the Selonian stopped frowning. "... Rriyan A'kiif," she answered. "I also go by Ryan O'Keefe to make it easier for non_-Mando'a-_ 'Rook', for short."

"Rook... I'm Syrra. And I'd like to hire your services. I want you to join the crew of the Gold Rush temporarily as a hired gun and bodyguard for my fiancee; in exchange, I'll pay double the amount my mother offered you, giving you the thief's name and helping us take down 'that toothy fish-fuck motherfucker'."

Kajex's eyes widened. "Uhh... Syrra? What are you doing?"

Rook stared at her in confusion. "Wait... what? I tried taking your boyfriend's life and now you want to hire me?"

"Is that a refusal?" Syrra asked.

"Well no, I'll do it. But why?"

The Trianii smirked. "To send my mother a message, which is that I'm not above turning her own efforts against her to protect my family." She turned to Locke, Keris and Talrik, smiling warmly. "They're worth it, to me- and someone with your skillset might actually prove to be useful unless I'm wrong in assuming that my mother can't offer you a larger sum of money to offset all that I'm offering."

Kajex frowned. "Syrra, I don't think we even have the space for another crew member. And can we even trust her?"

Rook glanced at him, glaring. "I am Mandalorian. I may sneak around to gather information or to tail a target until they're alone... but I don't stab my targets in the back, and I don't turn on my clients- unless they turn on me first." She returned her gaze to Syrra. "Your mother didn't give me all the info I needed, and the price she set was lame- I woulda passed her up if I didn't need the credits. She didn't want to pay up front, and now that contract is pretty fuckin' moot. It's as good as cancelled. And if I gotta be honest, putting a price on a man's head because you don't want him to get hitched to your kin has gotta be the pettiest fuckin' reason I've ever heard of, or been hired for. More than that, though..." she trailed off, managed a smile at Syrra. "You're okay with helping me get back what belongs to my family. I don't take that shit lightly."

Kajex sighed. "And what about you guys?" he said, glancing at Locke, Keris and Miles. "Tell me you don't think this is a good idea."

Locke smiled. "Sorry, brother, but I have to side with your fiancee on this one- the lass is a capable combatant with a beskar polearm. If she's had Mandalorian training, she's had anti-Jedi training- which doubles as anti-Sith training. Besides, if Bast decides to hire a followup bounty hunter, this kid might at least inform us on what to expect."

The Sentinel sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Fine..." The sound of bickering voices echoed nearby, and Syrra realized their time to talk was nearly up- Wiyuk was close. He glanced back at the entrance into the Black Tomb and the fixed Rook with a hard stare, grabbing under her arm and helping her up. "I'll allow this deal to go through- you'll accompany us until you get your shit done and we get your ship back, but until then you're gonna follow my orders, savvy?"

"Savvy," she said seriously, nodding. "Can you unbind be and give me my weapons back?"

The wolf nodded, reaching behind the otter and keying in the code for the binders swiftly. He gestured to Talrik, who left the group of wolves momentarily and grabbed the Selonian's weapons, handing them to her with a distrustful look- it was a look Kajex also possessed. "Fair warning, though- backstab me or hurt any member of my family, I'll make sure to repay you in kind. We'll go over ship orientation later, after we've dealt with this obnoxious asshole."

She nodded, securing her glaive to a mag-plate on the back of her armor. "And the ysalamir?" she asked, glancing at the rucksack by his feet.

Kajex smirked as he slung it over his shoulder. "I'm gonna keep it. I've always wanted a pet."