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"Feeding on rage like this brings fighters closer to the dark side- but when they step away, they can be much more receptive to the light. Not all such warriors are beyond redemption. No one is."

~Luke Skywalker

In the time that the second assailant's body hit the ground, after being tossed into the air by Keris' Force throw, the 8 remaining Trianii had spread out in a half-circle and had their lightsabers held at the ready, glaring out from behind their white cloth headwraps. No longer disoriented from the abrupt ambush, Syrra glared back at the armored, white-garbed assassins. Each seemed to be dressed warmly enough in pale, uncolored cotton to hide their appearance in the snow, keeping themselves shrouded until they suspected the Trianii Padawan was occupied enough to strike.

Now that they were revealed, they might as well have had giant neon signs above their heads- as the wind howled around them and blasted a flurry of snow into view, the assailants ducked away and deactivated their weapons; yet Syrra could still sense their presence.

She shared a glance with the vixen at her side, who nodded back. It was a trick they'd seen before on Katarr, when Kajex and Locke dueled on the coastal cliffs; back then, Kajex had used the Force to kick up millenia of dust into the air before using the Force to hide his presence from Locke. Yet these assailants were unskilled, unable to hide from their Jedi senses- when the first two lunged, they were both ready.

Syrra blocked the first overhead blow easily, twisting around and elbowing the larger female in the face hard enough to floor her. From her prone position the assassin slashed at Syrra's legs, but by then they were in the air as the Ataru-trained Trianii flipped through the air and stabbed downward into her mainhand shoulder, rendering it useless as she roared in pain, before she was silenced with a kick across her face. A glance up and she saw Keris having dispatched the other by literally disarming her and pushing her off the landing pad as she wailed.

The second attack came only moments later, this time as four of them closed in; one approaching them from the front, two lunging in from behind, and a fourth having climbed the Gold Rush and leaping from above. Once again the attacks were in vain, as both Padawans rolled under the first attackers head-level slash, Syrra burning her calf with a glancing blow as they tumble through the snow past her. The fourth landed between the next two, leaping into the fray with them.

A chorus of sharp cracks filled the air as sapphire and emerald blades met with shafts of amber light, the sound of growling Trianii barely audible through the wind that buffeted around them. Between Syrra's twists and spins to disorient their assassins, and Keris' powerful counter-hits and wide slashes to pressure them, they could find no ground to combat them; though neither could the Padawan's find an opening to exploit as they were pushed back towards the manor. Almost as one, they roared and committed to a single three-person attack, an overhead chop that made both Padawan's buckle from the blow- yet they still defended expertly, their blades crossed in an x-formation and locking the orange blades between them.

"Stand down!" a voice bellowed from behind them.

Before any of them could turn around to see the voice, all three Trianii were thrown into the air and into the middle of the landing pad, rolling more divots into the snow as they tumbled away. Both Syrra and Keris turned, watching as Master Moarn stepped forward, regarding the attackers with disdain.

"Are you alright, Padawans?" he asked.

"Yeah, thanks for the backup, Master Moarn," Keris sighed as the assassins got to their feet, including the one whose leg Syrra had injured- another assassin leapt down from the ship, this one taller than the rest. "There's still 7 of them, though- they're trying to get into the ship."

Moarn nodded as he stepped forward, unhooking his lightsaber from his belt. "What business do you have with my friends tonight?" Moarn asked coldly, not yet igniting his weapon.

"Do not answer him!" the tallest female among them hissed- normal Trianii ears would not be able to hear the words lost in the howling wind, but all three Jedi could hear it as clearly as if the words were shouted in an empty room. "How much longer?"

"It-it's too difficult to breach!" another hissed back, working on a slicer's datapad frantically. "This scum has his ship locked down with high-grade security!"

Syrra shook her head with a sigh as she and Keris followed Moarn. "We can hear you, if you're not aware. Do you mean to attempt murdering Kajex, then? I'm going to offer you the chance to leave before he and his brother steps out of the ship." She raised her lightsaber and pointed at who she assumed was the team's leader. "After that... well, I expect you think you'll have an easy time with him. But you won't. Fair warning."

The leader stood straight, looking down at the smaller Trianii with green eyes- a shadow crept behind them, a cold rage glinting within. "Stay out of this, runt- for your own good."

"Why is the Matriarch sending you goons now?" Syrra pressed, growling. "It's bad enough staging this attack on her own sister's property!" No answer. "Don't pretend you can't hear me! I know it was Bast that sent you here tonight!"

The leader stepped forward, her saber held at the ready as Syrra approached. "I'm told you've been trained in the ways of the Force. If you're so intent on saving the life of the scum that hides within, why don't you show me?" the leader challenged, glaring from behind her face cover.

Syrra would have responded had the ship not sprang to life. All 5 visible attackers stepped away from the ship as the landing ramp lowered and scraped into the powder beneath the ship. 5 pairs of boots thumped down the ramp as Kajex, Locke, Talrik, Miles and Rook exited the ship- not a single one of them looked pleased at the guests, least of all Kajex, who glared at the assassins as he folded his arms.

"Alright... somebody cut into my intimate time with my brothers, and even though Jedi aren't supposed to be angry I have to confess that the interruption has mildly pissed me off," the gray wolf growled. "So why don't you tell me who the hell all of you are, and why you're attacking my Padawan?"

The leader spared Syrra one last look before turning to Kajex. "Captain Surnahm, I take it? Have you decided to spare the lives of your loved ones by submitting to your assigned death?" she asked mockingly.

"Quite a threat," Locke muttered sarcastically. "You seem to be laboring under the delusion that all 16 people aboard this ship are no threat to you."

"Remain silent!" the leader spat. "I do not address you!"

"I don't give a damn," Locke growled back. "You've attacked the _Gold Rush_pack and threatened my brother- that makes it my fight as well. Each of us are more than a match for this 'Matriarch's' hand-picked assassins- you won't cow any of us into submission, no matter how tall you stand." He gestured to the unconscious Trianii that Syrra had dispatched. "6 of you couldn't best our own students, and you're two down. The remaining two are perched on top of the ship, trying to wire explosives." There was a pause as the sound of mechanical gears being worked on top of the vessel. "... And now they've stopped, because one of our allies has manned the dorsal cannon and has it aimed at one of your saboteurs."

"You are outclassed, young one," Moarn intoned calmly. "You've already stated your intent to murder one of our own. We are giving you the opportunity to collect your injured and leave in peace. We are not interested in taking lives."

"Then that is where we differ, you foolish old man," the leader growled. "Enough words- execute the mercenary, and cut down anyone that attempts to stop you!"

"But... that weapon on his hip," one of them muttered warily, pointing at his lightsaber. "He may be a Jedi as well!"

"Don't be fooled!" the leader snapped. "The runt and her Jedi allies have merely trained him in Jedi swordplay! Kill him!"

Syrra said nothing, shaking her head in disappointment as the closest 3 assassins sprinted towards the ramp with their lightsabers raised. With a look of disinterest, the Jedi Sentinel raised his paw and lifted the 3 Trianii into the air, pushing them away easily. The leader's eyes widened at the sight, stepping back as Kajex approached with an active lightsaber in each paw.

"You're not completely wrong," the Sentinel said clearly. "I _am_trained in Jedi swordplay... because I _am_a Jedi. Bast may have neglected to inform you of this, likely because she doesn't know- but I expect her opinion of me isn't gonna be improved once she find out."

The attacker to his right lunged and he defended easily, blocking the first strike and twisting his second weapon around with impressive precision, sweeping the blade through the assassin's emitter. The blade disappeared instantly, leaving a sparking, severed hilt in the Trianii's paws as she stumbled back in fear, slipping on a patch of ice and landing in the snow as she scurried back.

"Of course, it's not like it matters- I already knew her opinion of me was pretty low when she sent a hunter after my head," he continued. "Fortunately, she hired a Mandalorian, one that I'm glad to know has as much honor as she does skill."

A snarl cut his words short as the attacker to his left stepped in to fight, but as if on cue Rook intercepted her with a snarl of her own, darting forward and tripping up the Trianii with the shaft of her war glaive. Rolling onto her feet from the momentum, she spun around and lunged at the Selonian with a stab towards her head. But what Rook lacked in size and strength, she made up for in agility, as she ducked the attack and turned, reverse-headbutting the taller feline directly into the nose before disarming her with a slash across the arm. The assassin cried out, trying to regain her balance- it took little more than a boot to her chest to knock her onto her back, and the glaive pressed against her neck warningly to keep her there.

"Even without her," the Kanj'Isha Sentinel continued, as if nothing had interrupted him, "I have a top-class sniper with a concussion rifle, a ex-Imperial lieutenant with a repeater, and a twin brother that used to be a Sith Knight before he joined us as a Jedi Guardian." In response Locke planted the pommel of his lightsaber pike into the snow, while Miles and Talrik raised their rifles and aimed them directly at the leader. "Believe me, you're _not_going to win this."

"You think the Force doesn't run through me either?" the leader challenged, entering a combat stance.

"We know it does, we can feel it," Syrra answered coldly. "It's untrained, explosive and dangerous- but limited. I'd tell you to pick on someone your own size, you bitch- but instead, I'll tell you to not throw away your life trying to best someone far beyond your level."

The leader flinched and whirled around at her. "You wish to take his place?"

"You won't kill me," Syrra stated. "Bast wants my fiancee's life- not mine."

The leader's eyes widened. "'Fiancee...'? You... you mean to tell me you... you're engaged_to this beast?!" the leader roared. "You would stain your family's honor by allowing yourself to be bred to this-this _scum?!"

"Why should it matter to you?" Syrra asked, confused. "Who I love is none of your concern."

Without warning the leader dashed at her, her empty paw outstretched- but whatever Syrra had expected, it was not for her to be lifted off the ground and towards the assassin. Had the Padawan been lesser-trained that she was now it would have ended with her impaled on the assassin's weapon, completely run through- but after so much combat and facing fears she never would have dreamed of, Syrra found defending herself as easily as swinging her cybernetic arm out, knocking the energy blade away with her songsteel paw before crashing into the taller female and tumbling with her through the snow.

As she rolled to her feet, Syrra could hear Locke igniting his lightsaber and Kajex issuing a warning. "No, leave Syrra- she can handle this! Get the others off the ship!" Through the Force she could sense that the assassin Rook had subdued had escaped by tossing snow up in the Selonian's face, knocking her glaive away and engaging her in hand-to-hand combat; meanwhile, both Talrik and Miles had followed Kajex into the fray and were firing stun-level bolts of energy at the remaining combatants.

But the Padawan narrowed her focus moments later as the assassin rose and attacked. Even with Syrra's strong connection to the Force, she found it difficult to defend against the taller female's wild, random strikes; untrained in the ways of the Force though she was, the leader was exceptionally powerful, forcing Syrra to abandon her usual acrobatic style and employing all she learned of _Soresu_from Kajex to defend herself properly. Even then, she buckled beneath the colossal blows, her upper arms feeling the shock each time their blades met.

Yet her mechanical limb faced the challenge, the strength behind it immense as her wrist joints held firm against the assault; and while Syrra could feel the taller Trianii channeling the dark side through her body, the strain it put on her endurance was quickly becoming evident. Now Syrra was pressuring her, counter-striking each attack and throwing her off balance, fatigue affecting the precision of her assault and allowing the younger woman to dodge and plant a boot into her stomach. Despite her size, the assassin groaned and staggered back, bent over from the injury.

"You're drawing from your anger," Syrra informed her as she kept her distance. "It's an unnecessary weight. If you were to train as a Jedi you would become more focused, less violent- we could help you."

"Spare me!" the assassin spat.

"I will," Syrra responded seriously. "I'm not going to kill you, and I don't believe for a moment you'd end my life either, regardless of your anger. You need to let go of that animosity before it destroys you. You have no reason to bear that much hatred towards me, regardless of what Bast has told you."

"You soil our bloodline by accepting this whelp as a mate!" the assassin snarled as she slashed again- Syrra sidestepped easily. "Bast may not want you dead, but I'll be damned if you dishonor our mother any longer, staining your womb by acting as a dog's whore!"

Syrra paused, lowering her guard as her eyes widened.

"... 'Our' mother?"

The assassin offered no reply but to charge again. Momentarily stunned by the words she brought up her defenses in time to block the first strike, backpedaling away and trying to get out of range. She had only barely managed to deflect a second blow near her hip when her boot found a patch of ice and caused her to lose balance. Before she could regain her footing, the assassin had darted in with a speed belying her size and grabbed Syrra by the throat, causing the Padawan to drop her weapon as she was lifted into the air. A tremendous shock of disorienting pain lanced up the back of Syrra's body the moment she was slammed against the rock structure of the manor, though she could not do more than let out a choked gasp of agony. Desperate to get out of the predicament, Syrra's left paw flew out and a burst of kinetic energy blasted the assassin's face, tearing the headwraps off and revealing a familiar, feminine tan-furred face, framed against golden braids, her dark green eyes piercing into the Padawan's.

It was a face Syrra only too knew.

"A-Ali...sya!?" she managed to choke out, her eyes wide and nearly bulging as her older sister squeezed around her neck and robbed her of the ability to talk.

The older Trianii glared, the pervasive darkness still in her eyes. "I gave you every opportunity to flee, little sister! You are ruined, worthless to our bloodline- no longer will mother favor you over me!!!"

She raised her lightsaber high and brought it down; at the same moment, Syrra's right paw reached up and caught the blade in her cybernetic fingers. Heavy crackling rang out through the snowstorm while Syrra struggled to keep the blade aloft in her lightsaber-resistant grip, twisting it around slowly and trying to turn it against Alisya; yet Syrra's strength was beginning to wane as the lack of oxygen affected her body, and endurance returned to her sibling.

With a burst of concentrated effort, Syrra poured everything she had towards forcing the blade near Alisya's face, until it could go no further. The popping of her lightsaber was near deafening as Syrra focused her mind on her prosthetic paw, strengthening it through the Force and crushing around the blade. A brief flicker, a premonition, caused Syrra to shield her eyes with her free paw just as a blinding flash filled the space between them; at the same moment, the blade shattered and vanished, with one half dimming out into ash and flying away, while the rest slid back into the weapon.

It was all the distraction Syrra needed.

A thick, puncturing sound emanated from behind Alisya, her eyes widening; Syrra gasped at the same moment her lightsaber impaled her sister from behind, the point digging a shallow hole into her own midsection. She forced her weapon off just as Alisya dropped to her knees, bringing the Padawan down into the snow, the both of them breathing laboriously while they stared at one another.

"Syrra!" She looked over Alisya's shoulder, seeing Kajex on top of the ship, a look of fear on his face. Without checking for any more assassins he leapt off the vessel and sprinted towards them, clearly thinking Syrra had taken a mortal blow. But despite the pain, she knew her injury was not fatal; while one paw held her bleeding midsection, she raised her other paw to indicate that she was alright. The gesture was enough to make him slow down, approaching the two siblings apprehensively.

Alisya's green eyes stared into her own, and Syrra could see the shadow recede from them, until they were bright and clear as Syrra had known them to be. "I... had the wrong measure of you, cub," she whispered. "I didn't think... you'd have it in you to kill me."

Syrra shook her head, focusing past her pain. "I haven't, Ali... I hit you exactly where I needed to in order to stop you, severing the muscles you need to move effectively. If you'd been trained like I had, you'd have bested me."

"This pain," Alisya gasped, "it's cold. Yet you say I'm not dying?"

"It's_snowing_, Ali," Syrra responded with a weak smile, tears in her eyes. "And you're ill-dressed for the season."

"... I would've killed you, cub."

"Maybe. But will you now?"

"... A reasonable person would not spare me. You did. Why?"

The Padawan's tears fell. "... You say that... as if you're still not my sister. Even if you wouldn't do the same for me... I'd still try to save you."

Alisya did not answer with words immediately, exhaustion on her features as she dropped her lightsaber and reached out, touching Syrra's face, a weak but proud smile on her features as tears rolled down their faces. The Padawan's response was to lean in, wrapping her arms around her older sister; Alisya responded in kind, a mournful purr rumbling between them as she finally responded.

"... I think... you may have to tell me... whatever it is that Mother didn't."

"We have a status report, Master Voyde."

The Sith Inquisitor did not immediately respond, gazing intently on the game board in front of him. 15 pieces remained on the field of play; 6 red opponents standing against 9 black units, each one positioned precariously at various points of the board. The number values of each piece were etched into their wooden bases, and in Voyde's mind he calculated the bonuses each piece received throughout the 3-dimensional playing field. Knowing full well the Sith Knight addressing him would wait, he reached out with his mind and plucked a piece from the board, repositioning it farther away from the opponent pieces. The level of threat lessened, the opponent figures no longer in as much danger- but at the same time, Voyde recognized the value in time bought.

Satisfied with his move he glanced to his right, his eyes falling on an ancient clock, the second hand ticking away until he depressed a button and ceased its inner workings. "You may continue, Knight Thresher."

"I have... done as you asked," the shark muttered through grit teeth. "Knights Yuda and Apex have moved the last of our equipment onto the Selonian's vessel. The upgrades to her ship have been completed and her plates replaced- from now on, she will operate under the name Wrath of Ragnos."

Voyde nodded. "An interesting title. I half-expected you all to agree upon some name that revered Lady Syn."

"It would draw attention," Thresher reasoned. "Besides that, it angers Snaire to know her suggestion was cast aside- anything that unsettle her will satisfy me."

"As entertaining as your petty squabbles must be to you and your compatriots," Voyde sighed, "you may find it easier to complete your tasks if you cease your focus on antagonizing each other. Don't think that Snaire _won't_attempt to remove your head just to take control." The elderly Inquisitor rose to his feet. "Is there anything else?"

"News concerning the Omega-Orr. The crew of the _Gold Rush_succeeded in burning away Tooem's infection, along with Tooem himself. Feeds from the hidden bridge holocams show his death at the hands of Locke's whore." The shark's brow creased. "She survived my attack, and is... growing stronger, Master."

Voyde nodded, moving to the viewport of his chamber and staring out into the distant nebulae, gesturing the Knight to approach. "Great care must be taken if you should encounter them. She is no mere apprentice anymore. The longer she studies under the Jedi, the more dangerous she will become. What else have you learned?"

"The Selonian from whom we stole our new ship has allied herself with the Jedi Sentinel," Knight Thresher continued, obeying the gesture and drawing closer. "Our agents have scanned her information, and we have identified her from independent bounty hunter contractors as one Ryan 'Rook' O'Keefe, a Mandalorian delinquent who was recently hired to kill the Sentinel."

"It is hardly common for clients to call upon bounty hunters to act as assassins," mused Voyde. "Have our agents determined the source of the contract?"

"Yes, Master," the Karkarodon replied with a smirk, the facial expression warping the scar across his face. "The cat bitch, Syrra, is apparently the daughter of a high-ranking matriarch named Bast. It was she who put the price upon the Sentinel's head."

Voyde cackled, his face splitting into a cold sneer. "Did she now. That's interesting, _very_interesting. It would seem this Sentinel has stepped on more toes than just our own- something that _may_work to our advantage. I'll have an agent dispatched to investigate more closely, perhaps feeding this Matriarch leads will compel her to eliminate him for us, or at least keep him busy."

"A wise decision, Master," Thresher agreed. "Do you still intend to set my team and me against them directly?"

Voyde scoffed and shook his head, stepping away from the viewport and treading back to the table. "Unlike the whelp Locke, you actually possess some value to the Circle. I would be a fool to place you directly in danger, to risk a piece with great utility." He paused. "Tell me, Knight- have you ever played dejarik?"

"I have not. Some manner of board game?"

"Quite so, though it has a lot of value to strategists," he explained, gesturing to the antique board on his table. "What you see here is not dejarik, but a terrained tactical variant of ancient strategy games, similar to dejarik- the objective and general philosophy are the same. Each piece possesses a value, increased or decreased depending upon their position, their inherent strengths, and the bonuses they gain from certain terrain factors; like dejarik the game requires patience as well as a firm understanding of both the pieces you control and their limitations."

He gestured to Thresher. "I could_send you directly to Ekibo, tasking you with the elimination of the Sentinel and all who follow him. It's possible that you _might_even succeed. But the best strategists will focus on _probability_over _possibility. Tweaking the field to our circumstances and waiting until all the proper pieces are in position before striking- trust me, Knight, there is very little in life more satisfying that _forcing_things to proceed as planned."

"As you say," Thresher responded, staring at the board.

"For now, I have your first assignment prepared."

"I am ready to serve, my lord," the Sith Knight proclaimed, bowing low. "As are the other Knights."

"And you have selected your team?"

"6 former Coruscant Guards, 12 Novatroopers, and 4 hand-picked specialists from the Hutt regions," Thresher responded, standing at attention. "I opted for the heavy-hitters of the Remnant- we will succeed in whatever mission you send us on."

"Very good," Voyde murmured approvingly. "Then here is what you are to do..."

The_Grand Finale's_aft-side docking bay was buzzing with activity and noise, with heavy leather boots jogging along the hangar's two overhead catwalks. Beneath these platforms were a full squadron of TIE Fighters, lining the underside and connected by docking clamps that kept the vessels suspended. Orders rang out and echoed through the docking bay as the black-helmeted fighter pilots crawled into their assigned, eyeball-like starfighters, followed by the high-pitched whine of their twin-ion engine systems coming to life. A voice on the docking bay loudspeaker nearly drowned out the howl of their engines a moment later.

"All personnel, clear the mag-shield; a training exercise is underway."

Almost every eye in the hangar watched as the docking clamps snapped open one-by-one, releasing each starfighter from the landing rack and into the air; almost immediately, the TIE Fighters pitched to the side and filed out of the hangar in a smooth formation, their skilled pilots exiting the hangar so rapidly that half a minute later it was almost as if they hadn't left at all. The next half-minute was spent with the overhead racks rotating and swinging around another 16 fighters.

"... Fuckin' deathtraps."

Sith Knight Snaire glanced to her side at one of the team's hand-picked specialists- a medium-sized Lepi female with dark blue fur. The rabbit-like mercenary frowned at the TIE Fighters overhead, as more pilots scurried to their assigned ships. Though it was common for outsiders to stare at the Imperial Remnant's outdated and mass-produced starfighters with interest, Snaire had never seen one regard them with a cold glare- which was impressive, given the doe's ruby-red eyes.

"Not a fan of the Empire's Navy?" Snaire asked casually. "Mind you don't let a deck officer hear your opinion, they'll shout your long, pretty ears off."

"Don't give a shit," the doe answered gruffly, her long tail flicking to the side in irritation. "It's a cockpit strapped to a pair of ion engines, with laser cannons glued on. 20 years and two wars later, the Remnant can't even be bothered to develop something to rival Incom X-wings? No wonder these guys get their asses kicked in space."

Snaire grinned at the doe, taking a moment to glance at the black and gold-armored Novatroopers waiting nearby, with a pair of Imperial Guards in red nearby. Though their faces where hidden behind helmets, the Knight could feel the annoyance and animosity radiating from them. "Then be happy you won't have to rely on them. You'll have the best at your back while you're on this assignment."

The Lepi shrugged. "I guess so. Gotta be a cut above the average Imperial buckethead if they're wearing red and black instead of white." When she turned to face them, it was with a smirk. "You guys _can_see through those helmets, right?"

One of the Novatroopers took an aggressive step forward, raising a clenched fist. "Listen, you little--"

"Easy, captain," Snaire cautioned smoothly, holding her hand out and causing small flickers of flame to spark from her fingertips. Almost immediately the captain froze, staring at the Twi'lek's gloved fingers for a few moments before stepping back again. "That's better. Don't allow your pride to be damaged by the words of a mere scout, I'm sure she's only expressing an uninformed opinion about your equipment. Though as it is, she's not wrong about the TIE Fighters."

"Glad someone hired me to a team with at least _one_intelligent person in it," the doe muttered.

Snaire arched an eyebrow, looking over the Lepi's equipment, noticing how different she was compared to the other hired specialists (in addition to them being human); she wore an alloy-plated leather jacket that cut off just above her navel, fingerless utility gloves, steel-reinforced boots that made her thick-thighed legs look all the more dangerous, and cargo pants held tight to her waist by a pouched belt and double holster. On her left side was a customized modular pistol, with various telescoped attachments hanging from her belt; on her right side was a folded flip-up datapad, attached to a double-spool of data wire. Though Snaire's study of the dark side meant she was unfamiliar with civilian contractors, the bunny's equipment and analytical (if brusque) demeanor was more than enough for the Sith Knight to identify her as a skilled slicer.

Snaire had not expected her sizing up of the doe to go unnoticed, and so was unsurpised when she looked back up to see her staring back through narrowed, distrustful eyes. "Look, ma'am, I can recognize you as a dark side user just from the clothing and black bands around your lekku, so I ain't gonna fuck around with you- but I don't swing _that_way, either, so you're in for a hard fight if you plan to dominate my mind."

The doe's warning tone mixed with her relaxed posture caused Snaire to laugh. "Oh, don't worry little bunny, I can tell you're not an easy one to boss around. But do mind your behavior when addressing our assigned leader- he's an impatient sort."

"That him?" she asked, nodding toward the grim-faced Karkarodon approaching them with a seething look on his face. Snaire did not answer, but everyone present suddenly stood at attention, and with a shrug the doe followed suit with her hands behind her back.

The moment Thresher reached them, he looked around brow furrowed. "Where are Apex and Yuda?" he growled.

"Please, Thresher," Snaire sighed ironically, "Yuda has even less respect for you than I do- did you really think he was going to wait out here all day? And Apex is meditating while he has the chance."

"GET OUT HERE!!!" Thresher roared, the Force amplifying his voice and causing those within the immediate vicinity to flinch from the volume. Several seconds of silence followed before a pair of footfalls could be heard descending the ramp, belonging to a well-built reptilian Chistori and a red-haired human with sharp, pointed features and high cheekbones. While the Chistori seemed unperturbed and in fact calm despite the loud order, the human Sith Knight regarded Thresher with a sneer of contempt.

"What is it you want, fish?" Knight Yuda replied shortly. "We've been ready to launch an hour, waiting for your sorry, scaly ass."

The look Thresher returned to him was nothing short of murderous. "As per Inquisitor Voyde's orders, I am not allowed to kill you. Nevertheless, you _are_expected to follow my orders as long as I'm leading this team. If _any_of you fail to do so, I won't kill you- but I will make you wish that I had all the same. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir!" the stormtroopers responded in kind.

Thresher's cold gaze flicked to Snaire and the Twi'lek shrugged. "I may not think much of you, but I'm not going to piss off Voyde either. I can play nice."

"Good enough," Thresher grunted. "And you two?"

"I'm doing this for the Circle, fish- I'll follow your orders only because they're Voyde's orders," Yuda sneered.

"I go where I am told," the Chistori rumbled gently. "And I do what I am commanded to do."

Thresher nodded. "Then listen up. Our first mission is to head to our assigned Outer Rim coordinates and disrupt a New Republic survey station orbiting the planet. The bounty hunter's signal jammer should be enough to prevent an emergency call from being sounded. A skirmish line of warships will fall in and provide ship support while we board the station- we're to eliminate any guards and capture or kill any scientists onboard. Once we're done, we're to investigate the remains of the planet for artifacts of a Sith or Jedi nature. There is one artifact in particular that we should be on the lookout for, which I will debrief you on as soon as the first objective is complete. Are we clear?"

"Yes sir!" the stormtroopers barked again.

The rabbit raised a paw and Thresher glared at her. "What is it, slicer?"

"It's Saph, sir," she replied.

"Get on with it," he growled.

Unperturbed, she glared back. "You ain't exactly told us where we're going."

The shark sized her up briefly. "A place strong in the dark side of the Force, where a wound resides; a place that blinds those sensitive to the Force due to the Republic unleashing a massive weapon on the planet that tore it asunder. Feign your bravery as much as you'd like, child, for I expect it to evaporate once you arrive on the shattered remains of its surface."

Snaire's eyes widened. "You said the Outer Rim. Do you mean...?"

Thresher grin lacked no darkness. "Malachor V."

Alisya's defeat was the catalyst for the rest of the assassins to stand down, an action that was only sensible considering every one of them had suffered some level of injury. Of the 8 other Trianii, 2 had lost their arms; 1 had lost her tail; 2 had suffered moderate concussions from Rook's and Syrra's boots; and the last 3 had been stunned so badly by Talrik's and Mile's stun bolts that they were suffering minor synaptic fatigue, unable to do anything but rest as the discussion unfolded between the two Trianii siblings. A combination of chemical anesthesia and Moarn using the Force to lull them into a deep slumber, ensured that the few who had been fully conscious would have no opportunity to interrupt. Aarn and Iaora had not slept through the attack, waking to the sound of combat- yet despite the assassination attempt, neither of them turned away the assassins, treating their wounds before focusing on Syrra and her older sister.

They were not the only ones present; Kajex had accompanied Syrra to the recovery ward, along with Moarn, Locke and Keris; Rexxis and Kentoh had also joined, interested in hearing what the commotion had been about; while everyone else had returned to the _Gold Rush_to tend to their own wounds. Ideally, this was just to hear what was going on, but Syrra felt it was also pragmatic to have the most experienced Jedi present in case another attempt was made.

The discussion was not easy- Syrra had not expected it to be. Hearing an affirmation that Syrra was indeed engaged to Kajex had reduced Alisya to silence for the duration of her explanation, and Syrra was well-aware that it was not the pain of her healing that kept her quiet. But she listened all the same, allowing Syrra to speak as she informed the older Trianii of her physical relationship with Kajex; the secrets he had kept to himself before revealing himself as a Jedi Sentinel; the sexual nature of their relationship as a pack, which included same-sex intimacy with their close friends; and through it all, the insistence that Kajex had a good heart, and that the love between them both was genuine.

Confined to the patient bed, connected to 2 machines that fed her bacta and monitored her vital signs, Alisya's eyes would flick between them at times, her face impassive as Syrra spoke. When Syrra finished, there was a long silence as the older Trianii finally regarded the younger with a look of sad confusion. But it was not Alisya who spoke first.

"It is not necessary that you approve of this union, Ali," Iaora told her gently. "This is Syrra's choice. If that is enough to estrange the both of you, I see no reason why you should not just leave it at that."

The green-eyed Trianii stared at her aunt for a few moments before sighing, finally speaking in a subdued tone. "I suppose I should expect that, coming from you- you've rejected repeated requests to join the yu'nar, after all. Syrra was... she was meant to take Mother's place. We all thought Syrra understood that, and that she'd betrayed Ekibo by turning her back to the station."

"Is that all your mother has told you?" Iaora chided her gently. "Did she not give you a reason for Syrra's decision? Or mine, for that matter?" Alisya shook her head. "It's because she does not understand the choice we've made. She serves the Trianii of Ekibo through politics. It is... effective, and she is able to help many at once. Yet it's also impersonal, ideal for the isolation she prefers. You must be aware of how distant she has been with us- all of us, you included."

The older sister did not answer, but the look in her eyes was enough for Syrra to know she was considering this detail, and it was in this pause that Syrra continued. "I accepted Iaora as my true mother because I feel as she does, Ali- that there's value in providing direct help to people through action; to let what we do change the perceptions of those who rely on us. That's why Iaora chose to heal others- it allows her to be closer to others, for her compassion to be warmer. That's why _I_chose to be with Kajex, too- because he fights for others and allows_his_actions to protect others on an individual, personal level."

Alisya gave him a hard stare. "Be that as it may... you insulted my mother."

Kajex sighed. "She took a shot at my adoptive fathers. It wasn't something I was about to take lying down."

"It is an abomination for a male to raise his tail for another," she stated simply.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Kentoh growled, and even Rexxis rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Lady, I dunno if--"

"Kentoh," Rexxis cut him off warningly.

"No, fuck it, Rex- she's gonna hear this!" Kentoh barked. "I ain't gonna pretend that there's no shortage of cultures that think the same way, but you'd think after 4-fuckin'-thousand years,_something_would've changed! Maybe our people were primitive savages living in a tribal society without the benefit of modern technology, before the Sith beat our asses and enslaved us- but at least we had our fuckin' hearts in the right place!"

"Kentoh..." Kajex started to say, ears flattening in embarrassment.

"What matters most in your religion, lady?" Kentoh continued, folding his arms. "What part of the Trianii is most valuable, the focus of all your doctrine?"

Alisya blinked, perhaps bewildered that a far shorter Kanj'Isha male was shouting her down in such a fashion. "I... our souls," she answered slowly.

"Strip away the flesh and bones, the tails, titties, twats and tallywhackers; that's all you have! Even the Kanj'Isha believe in spirits! But if the main focus of your dogma is on the love between two souls, why are is it you're so hung up on their sexes instead?"

"Easy, Kentoh," Moarn advised him, squeezing his shoulder. The Kanj'Isha Padawan sighed, looking away. "His argument is not without merit, but there is no sense in attacking your beliefs, either. All we can hope for is that you open your mind and heart to the perception that there is no evil in the love between two men, or two women."

Ali looked dumbstruck. "But... you're a Jedi Master! Surely this is beneath _your_standards of celibacy!"

"Oh for fuck's sake," Kajex, Locke and Kentoh groaned at the same moment.

"S_omebody_must have been playing a practical joke on everybody at the Jedi Order's expense," Keris remarked with a chuckle.

"Jedi celibacy is a myth," Syrra informed her, barely able to suppress her own exasperation. "And even if it had been true back then, what wisdom is there in suppressing one's natural urges? If the Force speaks through us and compels us to _indulge_from time to time, how can that even be considered shameful?"

"And homosexuality?" Alisya asked skeptically.

"Not even the Jedi Order felt that this was an abomination," Moarn replied. "Kajex's fathers were not the first to engage in it, and as long as the Order survives they will not have been the last. I make no statement saying that the Force takes precedence over the will of your gods, but I _will_say that our perception comes from a platform of compassion and understanding. It is an uncommon form of love- but it is still love. It is down to you as to what you would prefer to base your perception on."

Alisya said nothing, looking away. Syrra could see the distant gaze in her eyes as she was lost in thought, but did nothing to press her, hoping that there was a positive reason for this silence. Eventually, she sighed and looked back at Syrra. Her muzzle opened, but she couldn't form words at first, a conflicted expression marking her features as she finally spoke.

"What... what would father have said?"

Iaora bowed her head. "Your father... was a man of great compassion. He was a skilled warrior and an honorable fighter, but his strength and skill were matched by his integrity and acceptance for others. He did not lay with other males- but he knew full well your youngest brother was attracted to them."

Alisya's eyes widened. "He... no, that's not possible. Ra'Tasum wasn't discovered to be a tail-raiser until he was 15- long after he... after he gave up his life."

"He knew," Syrra confirmed, the ghostly traces of a long-forgotten memory flickering through her mind. "Ra'Ta... he told me when I was a cub that he and another male had... experimented; and that his young heart had found love for him. I told Iaora about it a long time ago, and... I never put the pieces together, but father must have heard it when I told her."

"He did," Iaora confirmed.

"He did?"

Everyone turned at the sound of a soft male voice behind them, their eyes falling on a short and slim, brown-furred Trianii male. Ra'Tasum was staring directly at Iaora, a look of pain on his face.

The elder Trianii swallowed, nodding. "Yes, Ra'Ta... your father knew. He implored that I do what I could to ensure Bast would never find out, and... I failed."

His eyes glistened with tears. "He... wanted me to hide what I am?" he whispered.

Iaora's eyes widened and she stepped forward. "No, cub! Not for a moment!" she assured him, pulling him into a hug as he embraced her. "He wanted you to be safe and happy, more than anything. He wanted you to be loved by him and me, for you and Syrra and all your siblings to understand and cherish each other. But to do that, it needed to be done in stages. And... between my grief of losing your father and the distance that separated us both, I couldn't shield you nor advise you like I should have."

"But..."

"He loved you, Ra'Ta. No matter how others felt about your love for other males, and no matter how Bast reacted when she found out... you were still his son," she told him, as he shook in her embrace.

It was heart-rending to see her brother in so much pain, such that Syrra pulled her gaze away from them reluctantly to address Alisya again- the older Trianii looked at a loss for words, ears folded back guiltily. "Imagine how long Ra'Ta has been carrying around this fear and self-loathing- the idea that most of his own family won't love him because of it was 'evil' of him to love another male. He was only strong enough to keep a straight face in front of the family, leaving him to grieve alone." She paused, a tightness in her throat as she kept her emotions in check, though her next words were tremulous. "Had our father been alive to help him grow up... Ra'Ta would not have felt so isolated. If you had known what our father, Ka'un, had known back then- that he was ready to accept Ra'Ta- would you have felt the same?"

Alisya looked down. "I... loved father."

"We all did," Syrra agreed.

"I... I shouldn't base my perception on whether he was right just because I loved him," Alisya continued, swallowing and glancing back up to stare at their brother. "But... if what you're telling me is true, and if he was really the man everyone loved and respected... then maybe he possessed a wisdom that we just... never learned."

The words brought a smile to Syrra's face. "I suppose that's a start."

A look of hesitation passed Alisya's face. "Could I... may I please have a word in private with three of you? Syrra, her... fiancee, and the Jedi Master?"

Aarn glanced around at the group. "You are among many Force-sensitives, child. I expect we'll know if anything happens in this room if we leave you to it."

Locke nodded. "We'll not eavesdrop- but we will remain alert as you talk."

Iaora led them out, guiding Ra'Ta beside her as they exited the infirmary; Locke, Keris and Kentoh paused at the door with worried expressions, but as soon as Kajex gestured for them to shut the door they continued.

Certain they were alone, Syrra scooted her chair closer to Alisya's bedside. "Go on."

The older Trianii took in a breath. "You deserve an explanation for my actions."

"You were ordered to take Kajex's life by Bast- I think we've already established that," Syrra assured her.

"There are pressing matters hidden within the actions, Padawan," Master Moarn advised, "questions that you have not yet considered. Let us hear her out."

The assassin clenched her paw, a look of trepidation in her face. "It's true that Bast... wanted me to eliminate the Sentinel. And it's true that she does not know that he is a Jedi. Word reached her recently that the contract she posted had been terminated due to 'a lack of transparency', in their words; we were assigned with the task instead."

"Rook mentioned the Guild remnants don't like it when clients lie about a target's crimes," Kajex muttered. "Her message to them must have gotten through."

"While you may not have committed any crimes that we detected, Bast insisted you had nothing but ill intentions, and that Syrra had been deluded through a combination of lust and poor Jedi training- perhaps even that the Jedi Order had captivated her mind for their own ends. I believed her, as did the rest of her security force. She had us monitor Denhaven Starport for the captain in case he ever returned, but it wasn't until 3 days ago that she gave us the order to strike."

"You're being remarkably receptive to words now, considering you outright stated you would have murdered your own little sister," the Sentinel remarked, folding his arms and peering at her distrustfully. "What changed between then and now?"

Alisya swallowed, casting her gaze down. "I... do not know. I feel more clear-headed now than I did then. When she told me that she meant to enter union with you... knowing that so much effort was being poured into bringing her back into mother's influence, when I was so devoted to her and yearned for the same thing..."

"You were jealous," Syrra stated.

"... Mother loves you above us all, Syrra. She may not show it to all of us, but you turning away from her has been painful. I feel... that I have a better understanding of why you did, now- but I don't think she will see it the same way." She paused, looking to Kajex through narrowed eyes. "Your union with this off-worlder doesn't help matters. I'll not hide that despite Syrra's words, I'm finding it... difficult to trust you."

"Don't worry, I have trust issues, too," Kajex replied with a wry smile. "Usually takes someone pulling my ass out of the fire before they earn my trust."

"That said... if it is true that you have saved my sister multiple times, then I will at least give you the benefit of the doubt- and watch you as closely as I am able," she added warningly, before returning her gaze to Syrra. "In any event, knowing all of this and still knowing Bast had every intention of grooming you to fit her station... I was angry. I felt a desire to kill you far apart from any rationale to do so. I don't know that I can properly explain it, other than a... grip- a desire that seemed to appear out of my jealousy."

"You possess a connection to the Force," Moarn stated. "I could sense the dark side guiding your actions as you fought and as you spoke. It manifests itself in ugly ways, compels us to consider paths we normally would not follow. It is the mark of one who has learned the basics of controlling the Force, yet has not been thoroughly trained- or if they have, then poorly." He cocked his head. "You are not lying about this- unskilled as you are in the Force, it's apparent that you are confused and scared about losing control in such a fashion. I am not convinced you would have wanted to murder Syrra if you had possessed any better control of your emotions."

Alisya shuddered. "It did not release me until I felt the shock of pain. Until that point, I let myself be guided by it. I... I'm sorry, Syrra."

"I forgive you, Alisya," the Padawan said through a sincere smile, sighing. "It's a hell of a way for us to see each other again... but I'm glad to see you now. I hope you can be open with us about what happened tonight."

Alisya nodded, lying back and staring at the ceiling. "I've given you my motivations- I went along with it because I thought the Matriarch was right, and that father would have endorsed her. Hearing everything now... I don't know. All I can offer is an explanation for why I did what I did, and why I think Mother is doing this."

"You can offer more," Syrra pressed. "Has she sent anyone else after Kajex?"

"Not that I am aware of," the older sister answered. "She told us of the bounty hunter, but since then there has been no others that I've seen personally- just contacts through the holonet."

"Why this course of action, though?" Kajex asked abruptly. "Surely Bast trying to get me killed is only going to drive Syrra away. Why can't she see that?"

"As I said, she does not think your love is sincere in any regard, and that you are manipulating Syrra for your own ends," Alisya answered. "She certainly seems to say it a lot. The idea is that if you were removed from the equation, Syrra would come to her senses. Whether she actually believes all of this, though, is a question you'll have to ask her yourself."

"But just the fact that she's sent you to hurt Kajex for no real reason... couldn't we use that against her?" Syrra asked, her pulse quickening at the possibility. "Appeal directly to the_yu'nar_ with this information? I mean, with both you _and_Rook having been ordered to kill, shouldn't that be enough to have her stop?" She glanced at Kajex, expecting a similar look of hope, only for her heart to drop at his expression of apprehension- the feeling only got worse as she turned to Moarn, who shook his head sadly.

"I see what you intend to do, but it's not a proper course for us," Moarn said gently, squeezing her shoulder.

"Why not?"

"We're Jedi," Kajex told her heavily. "And that makes us representatives of the New Republic, not the yu'nar of the Trian system. If we try to make a claim against Bast, it'll be viewed as an aggressive political move because of our affiliations- especially now that she's withdrawn her own financial support from the Jedi Order. And with Bast being as influential as she is, I expect she'd be able to turn any claim against her, against us."

Syrra frowned. "How?"

"We have your sister here, surrounded by 3 trained Jedi, 2 Padawans and several initiates," Moarn pointed out. "With Bast having pulled her support for the Order, she can make negative claims to our integrity if it suits her- it would be as easy as saying that we have enslaved your sister's mind and forced her to say anything we want her to."

"Wh- but that's not what Jedi do!"

"No, but you'd be surprised how often that argument is used, and why many people think it makes so much sense," Kajex replied.

Syrra started to speak, only to stop short as a memory from long ago flashing before her eyes, as she saw Kajex reclining in a red and black chair, speaking to her uncle. "Wouldn't prevent a Grand Master from sending in a Jedi to influence policies in CSA or Trianii space." Back then, he'd been hiding who he was, but now it occurred to the Padawan that he was drawing from a broad view of the Order's abilities from his time before and during the Clone Wars. She had heard that the Empire had found it easy to turn public perception against the Jedi through some of their practices, yet she found herself surprised that she had not once considered that controlling others through the Force might well be one of those accusations. Even Aarn seemed to have acknowledged that view- "I'm well-aware that there are many within and without the Republic that don't trust Jedi. Not without good reason."

"If_we're_ the ones to stir up trouble," Kajex continued, drawing her out of her memory, "Bast would have a reason to use that against us and make it that much harder to conduct our operations here. Remember, the Circle has shown an interest in the region, and we need to be able to move against them freely. Don't get me wrong, I would love to throw all of this back in her face- but the last thing we need is to give her a reason to go all out on us. We already have enough on our plate with Inquisitor Voyde and his allies; nevermind training the Black Tomb pack."

Much as she would have like to argue the point, Syrra could not offer a viable counterargument in the face of Kajex's rationale. Feeling defeated, she nodded, bowing her head wearily. Yet the feeling of moderate despair was displaced when she felt a warm paw on her songsteel wrist, prompting her to look up into the green eyes of her older sister.

Alisya squeezed her wrist gently. "For what it's worth, cub, you have gained my attention. I... don't know what to think, really. You could all just be lying to me in order to turn my perceptions against Mother... but to what end? You could have just killed me. I may not trust your... your fiancee," she said, glancing at the Kanj'Isha, "but at the very least, it's clear that I need to start looking more closely and consider that things are perhaps a little more... complicated, than I initially thought."

"It's a wise position to take," Master Moarn agreed. "It would be foolish to take us at our word."

"As for Ra'Tasum... what he does and how he feels still goes against our religious doctrine. Nevertheless," she added quickly, seeing Kajex about to speak, "I admit my own ignorance as to his pain. I... never knew that he felt so strongly, or feared so much. And your... younger brother, was it?"

Kajex blinked. "Kentoh? He's... yeah, pretty much," the Sentinel said awkwardly, scratching his head.

"Even if he came off as emotionally charged... it was curious hearing someone speaking with just as much conviction as my mother, while supporting the opposite position. Even if he's ultimately wrong, he at least seems to deeply believe that what your people do, and what Ra'Tasum does, is... okay." She paused. "I can't know for sure if our father felt the same way. You... could be lying about that too," she said uncertainly.

Syrra cocked her head. "Do you believe that we're lying?"

Alisya stared at her with a torn expression. "... I want to trust you, Syrra. You're my blood, and even if I don't see things as you do, I would like it best to know you only have pure intentions. But I need time- and perspective."

"You needn't have an answer," Moarn offered quietly. "Tonight has been a trying time for you both, that much is clear. I agree that you have much to think on without us pressuring you to respond. Let us at least find solace in the fact that you have no intention to harm anyone else- unless I am wrong in sensing that you no longer possess a desire to end Sentinel Surnahm's life."

Alisya pulled her eyes away from Syrra and stared at the wolf, a half-smile on her face. "It's my mother's command that I end your life- but I'm not even sure I want to, now. Either way, it's pointless to try. You are far stronger than we anticipated, and regardless of my desire to see the task through, my team and I are at your mercy. Of the 9 of us, only I have been trained to utilize the Force- and it seems even that boon is to no avail, as I'm unable to best even the least-trained of you."

"Don't sell yourself short, Ali," Syrra responded with a smile. "I like to think I'm very well-trained, compliments of my future husband."

Alisya sighed. "Well... I suppose I can trust him to do that, at least," she admitted.

"On that note," Kajex said, frowning, "who trained you? You handled a lightsaber with moderate skill, and using Force telekinesis on living beings is not a simple trick- definitely not the thing you would've learn by yourself. I'm positive you must have had a teacher."

"I didn't even know you we're Force sensitive," Syrra added, the question now causing her brow to furrow as well. "If you'd known you were capable of using the Force, then why did you not seek tutelage?"

Alisya's ears folded back in agitation. "I didn't need to. I... had a mentor from the start, one who is strong enough in the Force to train others. She would have been yours, too, had you not possessed other aspirations."

Syrra leaned forward, a feeling of dread falling over her. "... Who?"

The older Trianii swallowed, looking directly into her eyes.

"... The same one who sent me in the first place- Matriarch Bast."