FSE

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"Kolto for your cuts."

~ Common field medic phrase during the Jedi Civil War

"Tell me that what I'm looking at is just a figment of my imagination, Kajex."

The wolf grimaced. "I'm uncomfortable with lying to you, Syrra- less so when it'd be obvious."

Two days had passed since they had started combing the hyperspace coordinates they had picked up from their attackers less than half a week prior, with the wolf and Trianii partners passing the time in various ways- Kajex taught Syrra how to control the Rushin' Roulette with better precision and the basics of ship repair; Syrra had requested he be her sparring partner in hand-to-hand and lightsaber combat (though she wisely suggested using inactive vibroswords rather than use her own energy blade as a precaution), which Kajex was happy to do; and when it came time to get much-needed rest, they retired to the wolf's quarters and shared in each other's physical presence before resting.

Kajex was glad for the change, reminding him of a time when he had not been totally alone on his own ship- though he still kept his mind to the job, he found the experience far more enjoyable with Syrra around. At times he felt a pang when he remembered that this partnership would only last as long as it took to complete the job and transport Syrra and Captain Lynch back to Yavin 4, such that despite his personal reservations he was increasingly (though secretly) beginning to seriously consider taking up the Trianii padawan's offer. In fact, had Syrra not expressed consistent concern for her uncle's employee's, he would have wondered if she had suggested taking breaks between scans so that she could delay that moment, and if he had unconsciously agreed because he wasn't keen on separating either.

But it was day 3 of their combing. And now they had stumbled on something big.

"Asteroids... don't typically organize that way, do they?" Syrra asked in dismay, as they both looked over the neatly organized rows of space obstructions that had brought them out of hyperspace early. She had brought the ship to a full stop the moment they brought it up visually, shivering slightly as they remained deathly still.

"No," Kajex answered, looking grim. "I think we've found what we're looking for." He hesitated. "Do you sense anything?"

She calmed herself, immersing herself in a light trance as she felt out the asteroids, trying to detect any sign of life. "... Nothing."

The wolf stared at the formation, a sense of unease running through him. He glanced at his companion and was able to tell immediately she was just as apprehensive. "Well... no sense in being here and not investigating- this is what we were hired to do. I'm bringing her in." He angled them in slowly, feeling his nerves tingle as they approached.

Syrra checked their scanners. "They're showing up, but not clearly," she noted, the blips on the screen showing distortions. "Would them being magnetized prevent them from being picked up properly?"

Kajex shook his head. "If they were magnetized we'd see them showing up_more_ clearly. Whatever these things really are, someone doesn't want us to know what's in them." The had reached the first row of asteroids and he slowed down, looking at the structures as they passed below them. "These are definitely manufactured- the shape looks random and natural, but it's the same shape for all of them, see?" That they were organized in rows all pointing at the same made it easier for them to see as they passed each one.

He glanced at Syrra again when she didn't respond- she was cringing, shivering. "This doesn't feel right."

Kajex frowned. "Feeling something in the Force?"

She nodded. "Cold." She closed her eyes, focusing. The wolf waited for her to speak, but before long, her eyes shot open and she looked up, anxiety in her features. "We can't be here. I don't know why, but we can't be here."

As far as he was concerned, he didn't need her to explain- the look in her eyes was enough. He started logging their coordinates. "I'm getting us out. We'll contact your Jedi Order and Aarn, come back later an--"

A warning lit up the console. Syrra froze, staring at the readout. "Energy signature detected."

It was all she said when a loud, echoing rush reverberated through the ship, the _Roulette_shuddering violently and tossing both of them around out of their seats. The lighting in the cockpit seemed to become blindingly bright for half a moment before they were plunged into total darkness. Kajex groaned, having been thrown to the floor and sent sprawling toward the back of the cockpit. A warmth flowed from the back of his head and down his neck, but that was the least of his worries.

"Syrra, are you alright?!" he shouted, nearly panicking.

She hissed sharply. "Calm down, I'm here," she said from the front of the cockpit- she seemed to have slid beneath the console next to her flight yoke. He listened for her as she seemed to crawl near towards him. He reached out where he thought she was, breathing out a sigh of relief when she felt her paw slide into his. "What happened?" she asked nervously.

"Ion pulse. We're dead in the water." He got up to his feet- the lack of lighting didn't bother him, he knew the ship like the back of his paw. "Fuck... now I'm starting to see what's happening here."

"Figured out what's happening to the missing ships?" Syrra asked.

"Later, we need to grab our gear now," he said. "Hold onto me, we'll take it slow and grab the glow torches first." He guided her to the lounge carefully, keeping in mind she was less familiar with the ship and getting her to the table where they had left their equipment. "Stay here, I'll grab the torches from the cargo hold." He counted his steps, up to 5, felt for the corridor archway- as soon as he figured out where it was, he began sprinting through the darkness- his eyes were having trouble adjusting to the pitch black environment, but he knew exactly where everything was, stopping precisely before the cargo hold, reaching past the open hatch and grabbing 3 torches hanging from the wall before sprinting back to the lounge.

He blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted to a new light source, Syrra having illuminated the environment slightly with her lightsaber, the blue blade barely making her visage visible. She had already pulled on the utility belt Kajex had loaned her, now loaded with the equipment they had set aside, and was just slipping her rifle over her shoulder when the wolf flicked all three torches up, reaching up and hanging them onto installed fixtures in the lounge. The area now sufficiently lit, she deactivated her weapon and slid it back onto her belt, grabbing the bomber jacket she had been loaned and putting it on.

"I'm assuming we're going to have company," she suggested wryly.

Kajex gave her a lopsided, halfhearted smile as he collected his gear- there was the slightly abrasive Syrra he was starting to miss a little. "If I had to guess, whatever you were feeling in the Force is going to be getting here shortly." He pointed to the end of the table. "Don't forget to bring a data pad, just in case the one I'm using gets destroyed again. It's all updated, we're ready to go."

Syrra chuffed nervously. "Go where?"

"Wherever the ship that's coming in a few moments is going to take us, I imagine." He grabbed one of the torches. "Follow me, we're going to hide out in one of my ship's hidey-holes."

"Cargo bay?"

"Right- there's a shielded smuggler's compartment we can use, leads to an escape hatch in the ship's underbelly." He led the way swiftly, his heavy footfalls followed by the Trianii's lighter footfalls, moving back into the cargo bay and scanning the floor. He frowned, noticing that a cargo container had shifted over the hatch he was planning to use. "Syrra, can..."

But she had already spotted it, lifting the cargo container easily with the Force and shifting it aside. "Just keeping on the ball," she said with a small smile.

"Good kitten," he said affectionately, dropping to his knees and pulling up the flooring, which had at first seemed to be a fixed part of the ship. A moment later, the ship jolted and both of them looked up.

"... Tractor beam," Kajex stated grimly. "They're pulling us in." He grabbed Syrra's sleeve. "Get in, this compartment is shielded, if they're scanning for life signs--"

"It's too late," she whispered, eyes wide.

"What do you mean?" he questioned tensely.

"Someone is up there. And they can sense me."

Kajex stared, his blood feeling cold. Something in her expression unsettled him- a sense of hopelessness. "Get in," he said, as calmly as possible as he tugged her jacket sleeve.

She shook her head. "I can't. They'll find me- find you."

"We can get out of this, trust me- just get in," he said forcefully. It wasn't the truth, he couldn't see how, but he pulled at her again- he would think of something, he had to. She wouldn't budge. Now she was looking at him sadly, and a icy patch of despair started to form in his chest.

"They already know I'm here. That's all that interests them." She reached and touched his face, staring into his eyes. Her sapphire-blues glinted and Kajex lost his composure.

"Syrra, I don't give a damn what interests them! I need you to get in here with me!" he shouted, panic starting to overtake him. He pulled again, but it was as if the strength in his arms had lessened, incapable of pulling his partner, his lover, into the only safe place he knew of- the patch of despair grew as he realized how hopeless the situation was. She was smiling sadly, and it was this, more than anything which horrified him. "Get in the compartment, now!"

"Kajex--"

"SYRRA GET IN THE FUCKING COMPARTMENT!!!" he snarled in anguish. He already knew what she was going to do, had already figured out how she was going to stop him, so he couldn't stop her. His eyes burned as she calmly leaned forward and kissed him gently, embracing him closely as he pressed back. He could do nothing- the barrel of her blaster pistol had been pointed at him probably from the start. All he wanted to do was make sure the moment, probably the last between them, would persist as long as possible.

She squeezed the trigger.

He had not been expecting her to fire a lethal bolt into his chest, but then it only made sense that she hadn't. Whether she might have actually loved him or was just trying to ensure someone she cared about could survive longer than she likely would, he never expected her to actually hurt him more than she needed to. She didn't need to risk taking his life- that, of course, was why she had set her blaster to a moderate stun level, he realized. She was, he thought bitterly as he fell backwards into the compartment, exactly the good wolf he had taken her for- willing to put herself in harm's way to protect someone she had bonded to.

She knelt by the smuggling compartment, tears rolling down her face. "Kajex... do you trust me to protect you, like you said you did?"

His body was numb, save for his muzzle. He stared up at her, struggling to move, gritting his teeth as his own hot tears leaked from his eyes. "Yes... but I want to... have_to protect _you," he choked.

"Just stay here... it'll be alright," she said softly. "Whatever happens, may the Force be with you, love..." She wiped her eyes and grabbed the false flooring, setting it back in place and Kajex tried to will his body back into working, snarling and howling in anguish as she close the flooring over him. The last thing he saw of her before being left alone in the dark, cramped hole was her wet, sapphire eyes.

She drew away from the compartment, still able to hear him hollering, begging her to come back, to not leave him alone. It wrenched at her like a physical wound trying to cut her heart out, but she did not stagger from the pain of it, excruciating as it was. Drawing on the Force she slid the heavy container back over the false flooring- it muffled his voice only very slightly. She stepped back, taking in a breath and grabbing one of the lit torches, striding into the lounge and hanging the torch on the ceiling fixture as she tossed her rifle and pistol aside, leaving her with only her lightsaber to defend herself.

She could hear all manner of noises now that the ship had been dragged into what she was certain was a hangar bay on board some vessel, but she made no attempt to charge to the ramp to meet whatever awaited her outside. She knew full well the hatch controls would not work if the ship were disabled- and whoever it was outside was intent on coming to her. It was an invasive feeling, akin some malicious parasite trailing its body along her curves as if to copulate- a disgusting sensation not unlike a hunter that had found its prey and was slowly toying with it, clawing and gutting it before consuming it. It seemed to enjoy that she was in pain, that she was alone and vulnerable.

She didn't shy away from it. She instead stood in defiance of it.

She would meet it- for her lover's sake, the wolf she'd bonded with and had developed feelings for. She would never see how far it went if she couldn't be strong enough to defend him- or protect herself. She breathed in slowly, letting it out and calming herself. Not long ago, she would have been panicking at the thought of a fight where the odds were stacked against her- now, a fear like that seemed trivial compared to the fear of losing someone like Kajex.

A jolt shook the ship, and Syrra heard 4 separate clanging noises against the hull before the vessel was still again. The figure, whoever it was, was outside the ship's ramp. At least 6 others stood alongside them. A sharp beeping sound rang near the ramp section. Syrra knew it was being sliced into, that power was being filtered into that section of the ship from outside- minutes passed, and the ramp finally squealed open. Her heart skipped as the sound of many armored boots strode through the vessel.

Six lightly-armored figures marched into the lounge, spotting Syrra and taking up firing positions. But she was already aware that they had no intention to fire- it made sense that the figure that trailed behind them, who now strode in from of them, had given them orders to hold their fire. Syrra could see nothing of the figure beyond loose black robes and a glint of silver at their hip, but she did not need to wait long.

The figure drew her hood back, revealing a slim, feminine face of fox-like appearance, with blood-red hair tied in an elegant top-knot and rust-colored fur- an Amaran female of equal height, the Trianii noted, regarding her with silent trepidation. The vulpine stared back at her, her expression stony for a few moments, before breaking into a warm smile- one that Syrra had noticed did not match the coldness in her forest-green eyes. When she spoke, it was with a silky, seductive tone, a hint of venom laced within its comfort.

"Well... I was hardly able to believe it when I was told that someone stumbled onto our little operation. Yet here you stand. A mere smuggler would have no chance of discovering our doings, but you..." she trailed off, the smile turning into a grin as she spotted the lightsaber on Syrra's hip, "... well, I suppose the Force _does_work in mysterious ways, to bring one such as you to me." She walked slowly to the Trianii, stopping about 5 feet away and regarding her with interest.

"So... what is your name?" Syrra did not answer, merely watching at the vixen as she circled around like a predator, and the vixen laughed. "I beg your pardon, I'm being rude, aren't I? I'm intruding on your vessel, it would only be appropriate to identify myself. I am known to these men as 'Mistress', but between two Force sensitives, you may call me Keris. Now come, why don't you be a dear and tell me your name."

The Trianii's face was impassive, giving the vixen a considering look before answering. "Syrra." A pause. "Captain Syrra, of the_Rushin' Roulette_."

The vixen raised an eyebrow. "Just 'Syrra'?" she purred. "Not 'Master', or 'Knight', or even 'Padawan'? Surely you wouldn't be carrying a lightsaber if you were some mere whelp that hasn't earned the right to carry it, would you?" When Syrra said nothing in response, Keris shrugged. "Very well. You needn't tell me anything, we can search this vessel later- but you may find it easier to just answer," she added, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "I'll know if you're lying to me, as will my master."

Syrra regarded the vixen coldly. "What do you want?" she asked evenly.

"To know if you're alone, my dear. Don't get me wrong, you _look_the part of a Jedi Ace, so I'm certain you handled this vessel in some capacity." She sneered. "Yet despite my superior sense of smell compared to the likes of your kind, I'm sure even _you_must have noticed the scent of a _male_on this ship."

Syrra's insides jolted, the fur on her neck and back bristling aggressively, ears flattened against her head as she glared.

"Oh? I seem to have struck a nerve. A co-pilot, perhaps? A lover, or husband? Silly me, Jedi don't take lovers or spouses," she teased playfully. "Someone you likely care for, I've no doubt- I could feel the pain of loss while you were being dragged in. Where is he? I'm sure he has nothing to fear from us."

The Trianii calmed herself. "He was a friend of mine who was injured several days ago. I bandaged his wounds." She steeled herself. "I don't deny being intimate with him- but he's long gone."

The vixen tsked, shaking her head. "Such a shame, hearing you devoted sexual attention to a common male. A girl like you..." she stopped in front of Syrra, licking her lips and eyeing the feline. "But you don't seem to be lying- or you're very adept at hiding the truth. How naughty, a Jedi having an attachment, and a _physical_one at that!"

Syrra raised an eyebrow. "I took you as being powerful from afar," she intoned evenly.

The vixen beamed. "Oh, you flatter me. Yet I must confess that the ability to sense on a deeper level eludes my grasp. My master tells me it is because I focus too much on myself." She backed up. "It's why I've taken to regarding potential threats... or allies... with some modicum of consideration and respect."

"If that's the case," Syrra responded, "perhaps you would do me a kindness and explain what you have planned here, or what you have planned for me, at least."

"Don't be modest, I'm sure you know exactly_why we are here- or else I doubt you would have taken the trouble to come find us. But as for what _I_have planned for _you, well..." The vixen smiled sweetly, beckoning the Trianii with a finger. "Perhaps if you followed, we might be able to speak more openly."

The exertion it took for Kajex just to begin lifting his paws up had left the wolf winded. By this point he knew it was pointless to keep howling for Syrra to return to him. It took all of his willpower just to keep focused on his task, trying to push up against the flooring, trying desperately to overthrow the cargo container he knew Syrra had shifted over him.

Do you trust me to protect you?

He knew the answer- with all his heart, yes. He trusted her with his ship, his equipment, his life; all but the deepest of secrets he had never told anyone else, which he was now regretting he hadn't told. He did not hate her for what she had done- he hated that she had been forced to do it. Her serious tone suggested she had sensed a powerful presence through the Force, one that was only interested in what they could get from her, and one that didn't care if he were killed trying to get to her. But he'd be damned if he let her face that kind of threat alone.

I want to see where this goes.

So do I...

He didn't know where it was going, what was there between them- only that it was something he wasn't going to let go of without a fight. He knew Syrra would be fighting to stay alive, if only to come back to him- she had promised. But he had heard that kind of promise before in his life, before he lost his first love, before violence had torn his family apart- it was the kind of thing he had to fight to prevent, to keep protecting. And through the chaotic din of words he and Syrra had shared, the things tormenting him, things he feared to lose which gave him the drive to keep fighting; he heard his father's voice, clear as if he were speaking into his ear.

"You have to be willing to let it go, pup- to trust it will come back. If it causes you to fight as if you've nothing to left to lose... you will lose it."

"... Dad..."

It was as if all the tension and anger and fear of loss had been eased all at once. He stopped struggling at once, a hollow feeling in his chest. This was bigger than either of them, held more than just their lives. She had just potentially sacrificed her life to give him a fighting chance to complete the job- she had trusted that he would take care of himself, make that sacrifice worth it, and all he was doing was wasting energy trying to turn back time. Kajex felt sickened with himself- he would not be honoring that sacrifice by raging and throwing it away. If she did somehow make it back, he would lose her anyway based on how he comported himself, how he had writhed and howled childishly. She had the strength to do what he couldn't- to be prepared to lose, and be prepared for loss. He closed his eyes, immersing himself in that truth- he did not deserve her if he could not show that same strength.

He had to focus. Getting out of the compartment was not beyond his abilities. The wolf closed breathed in deep, opened his eyes, and pushed with all his might.

"You are no doubt aware of the missing ships from the Trian system, or else you wouldn't be here- perhaps you're wondering how, or why. The simple answer is... revitalization."

Keris glanced at the Trianii, a smirk on her features as she walked ahead of Syrra. The feline had expected to be looking out into a ship's hangar, perhaps littered with the wreckage of her people's ships. She did indeed see the missing vessels- fully intact and in good condition, their cargo and equipment scattered throughout what was indeed a hangar bay- but not within a ship. She looked out into the coldness of space, easily seeing the jagged formation of rocks outside of the magnetic shielding preventing the vacuum and concluding that they were in the hangar of a giant, mobile space station, in the guise of an asteroid.

"Impressive, isn't it," purred the Amaran. "A simple idea, really, but brilliance often likes to hide in simplicity- fitting manufactured asteroids with hyperdrives and ion pulse generators to intercept the vessels we need. Naturally there was some risk to our operations being discovered as some point... but with the progress we've been making, the reward was well worth the risk."

Syrra frowned. "Kolto. Why?"

The vixen raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Goodness, you have_been busy, haven't you- you even figured out what we were after somehow!" She tsked. "And the Circle was so certain hiring thugs back on Fibuli was a wise decision. I suppose one of _those_moronic degenerates decided to talk. No matter- as long as you don't know the_why, it's fine if you know the what_and_how." She turned in place, the armed troops at her side standing behind her. Another 10 appeared from nearby, encircling the Jedi and standing alert, though not with their weapons raised. The Trianii could see now they were adorned in sets of gray and black armor, each wearing visors she was sure gave them detailed readouts of their surroundings- they looked far too organized to be hired guns.

Syrra glared at the Amaran. "And the crew?"

"Oh, them? Safe- as long as they behave themselves. A handful of them thought they would be better served to fight rather than remain good prisoners, and sadly had to be put down, but most of them are alive and well- and will remain so until the Remnant or Circle deems otherwise," she added.

"But like I said- I'm more interested in talking about you._You see... _you interest me." She smiled seductively, sauntering to the Trianii slowly. "I have a keen eye for those sensitive in the Force... and their bodies. Your admission that you enjoy the companionship of the opposite sex despite being a Jedi suggests you're not above physical intimacy as a whole. And to be frank, I love it when another girl is willing to get dirty, willing to submit to her desires."

She stopped short in front of the Trianii, looking down, reaching out and caressing the slightly shorter feline's face sensually. Syrra merely glowered as she did this and the vixen laughed. "So sour... perhaps if you spent a few hours with me," she said, tracing her paw down the feline's neck, "I could encourage your to... open up." Her paw slipped under the Trianii's bomber jacket, groping her left breast firmly.

Syrra did nothing, but her tone was unmistakable. "Please be so kind as to get your paws the fuck off of me," she growled softly.

"Quite a temper," the vixen purred, continuing to squeeze gently. "You had best mind yourself, kitten... your mistress can be very cruel."

A blast of nothingness rushed through the hangar as the Amaran was pushed back violently, the vixen yelping as she went flying. With unnatural deftness and grace, she flipped once in the air, twisted and landed cleanly on her feet. She wore no smile, her eyes filled with a nearly blood-red fire that Syrra met with a challenging glare. The troops who had been standing at attention all raised their weapons in unison, and the Trianii responded by drawing her lightsaber and igniting it, prepared to fight to her last.

The vixen snarled. "Weapons down, scum!" She glared at the troops, who obeyed immediately, before turning her glare to Syrra. "So the kitten has spunk, does she. The little bitch thinks just because she can wield a lightsaber that she's somehow in control, that it gives her the right to rudely push others away?" She stood straight, throwing her cloak off and drawing her curve-hilted weapon, her lightsaber generating a gentle hiss as bright red blade flickered to life. She sneered as she held her saber at a high guard position above her head.

Syrra kept her eyes on the troops, which had stepped back and resumed a watching while standing at attention. Certain now that they wouldn't interfere, she took up her stance, holding her weapon vertically to the side, legs tense as she kept her facing at the vixen.

"Before we start," the fox said with a low purr, "I want you to know that I have no intention of killing you, or damaging your delicious-looking body, kitten- well... not too_badly, anyway." She licked her muzzle teasingly. "But there's nothing to prevent me from making feel you _a lot of pain."

She moved in fast, leaping at Syrra with a speed the Trianii was barely prepared for and opening the duel with a fierce overhead slash. The feline anticipated far too much power behind the blow and dodged to the side, twisting and slashing in turn. The vixen blocked easily, angling her weapon around and striking Syrra's blade with incredible force, the blow nearly wrenching the feline's weapon from her paw and knocking her off balance.

She lunged again, grinning as she advanced and battered the feline's defenses, her blows too strong for Syrra to counter effectively and keeping the feline on the back-foot as she struggled to keep herself balanced. Keris sneered. "Shii Cho, kitten? I'm disappointed you would employ such a basic form in a lightsaber duel. You'll never defeat a practitioner of Djem So with such weak blows." The brief lull in combat seemed to invite an attack and Syrra stepped into the vixen's range, bringing her saber around, only to have it blocked once more. The vixen followed up by striking at her back, the momentum of the barely-blocked counter-blow throwing Syrra off her feet and onto the deck. She rolled back up unsteadily, getting back into a defense position.

The vixen snickered. "You've never faced another being in lightsaber combat, have you?" she said, mocking the feline as she strode forward, bringing a two-handed blow aimed at her neck. Syrra managed to barely block the attack, looking grim as she staggered back. "Probably toyed around with pre-programmed 'droids with no sense of killer instinct, trying to end your life!" She slashed at an upwards angle, missing the feline but scoring a minor hit on her jacket, the leather scorched and bearing embers.

Getting frustrated with the momentum of the fight, Syrra dashed in, snarling as she swung at where Keris stood- the snarl ended abruptly into a gasp of shock and pain, as the vixen sidestepped and slammed her knee into the feline's gut, her lightsaber dropping from her paw and clattering on the deck. With a strength Syrra could not fathom, the vixen grabbed her by the throat and chokeslammed her into the deck, the back of her head exploding with pain and flashes of light dancing in her eyes as she stared upward at the overhead lights of the hangar.

She moaned, trying to get back up, until a searing heat pierced her side, making her scream in agony. She gasped, tears of pain running down her face as she say the vixen's lightsaber had stabbed into her lower left chest. Keris glared down at the fallen Jedi padawan, disappointment etched in her features as she drew her blade back and shook her head angrily. With an annoyed glare, she swept her weapon at Syrra's leg, glancing through her left thigh and drawing out another scream.

"Boring," she spat.

Syrra glared up at her despite the pain and reached for her lightsaber, try to bring it to her paw. It slid to her halfway before the vixen brought he boot down on it.

"No no no," she chided mockingly. "Children like you don't get to handle such dangerous weapons." Syrra watched in horror as Keris slashed at the weapon, cutting the weapon clean in half. A feeling of immeasurable loss ran through her as the heirloom separated at the cut, as she realized the damage was beyond repair- the dull glint of its blue-hued crystal caught her eye as it fell from the destroyed hilt. Keris deactivated her weapon, kneeling next to the wounded feline, reaching out and touching her face tenderly.

"I know what you're thinking... 'what a bitch', right?" She sighed, shaking her head. "I know, maybe I could've been a little nicer... but you started it, after all," she growled menacingly. "Still, I intend to keep my word. I will not kill you, and if I find out that you've brought a boy with you, I won't kill _him_either- not immediately, anyway," she added with a dangerous glint in her eye. "For now, though... you get to live with a little bit of pain, a taste of things to come if you don't behave while I'm around. But to show I'm not as mean a bitch as you think I am, I'm going to let you share a cell with some of the other Trianii we have caged here- let you have a few hours with your people so the loss is more excruciating when I inevitably take you away from them again."

Syrra said nothing in response, fighting to get back to her feet, the pain nearly unbearable as she tried to roll onto her undamaged side. There was little she could do as she watched the soldiers close in on her, crying out as they grabbed her and forced her to her feet with little regard for her injury. A sharp blow to her back and she limped forward blindly, her arms held tight to either side as she felt the cold barrel of a blaster rifle to the back of her head.

As they lead her away, her side and leg burning in agony, she thought of Kajex- and hoped desperately the wolf would be safe.

He had heard the screams. There was almost nothing but blind rage now.

But it was restrained, held back by the knowledge that he was safe for the moment and as-of-yet undiscovered. He had crept silently up to the cockpit, getting a good look at the interior of the hangar they were in, now having a better idea of what was going on. He had located Syrra's rifle, pistol and gear pack, concluding she had only left with her lightsaber on her person. The ramp had been closed behind her and was active- the _Roulette_had managed to activate it's (exorbitantly expensive) self-repair systems without being detected, and was slowly starting to grow her wings back- in another hour, she'd be ready to fly, and their captors would likely never see it coming. Nobody had re-entered the vessel during the time period he had managed to escape from the smuggler's compartment- he was sure if whatever Force-user had captured Syrra could sense him now, the ship would be crawling with more troops.

And yet for all these advantages, Kajex had only known one other time in his life where he felt completely defeated, devoid of hope, and ready to just start swinging and take every bastard in reach down with him. He had heard the clash of lightsabers outside the vessel, his heart pounding as he dreaded the outcome. When Syrra had screamed, it was not merely audible- he felt an enormous jolt of pain and suffering both times, and he knew in those moments she had reflexively reached out to him through the Force, had needed him there and then. And yet he had sat there like a fucking coward, doing nothing as his partner, friend and lover suffered- he had never known a deeper shame. He had dreaded for a few minutes that her life had been ended, even though he knew otherwise; the dread had lifted only slightly as he watched her being taken away, a wound in her lower chest.

The only thing keeping him in check was the knowledge that he could still salvage this somehow; that he could save Syrra and her people, and get everyone the hell out. Once Syrra had been taken out of sight, he set to work.

Powering up the ramp had offered an advantage he was keen to make use of- the systems on that side of the ship not only controlled the ramp and hatch, but also the ship's only escape pod. He had only ever done this trick once, on another vessel, but as he broke open the hatch controls for the escape pod he felt he could do wrong- not when Syrra and her people were counting on her. He inserted one of the stolen datapads into the pod's systems, taking a moment to glance into the pod itself, then leaning near the ramp to peer through the viewport just outside, in the escape pod's path.

A squad of lightly-armored troops were patrolling the hangar, stopping as their patrol leader started barking orders. Kajex allowed himself a grim smile- he would make sure they would bleed for this.

Syrra felt herself being tossed into a dark, stony room, crying out as she landed on her injuries, writhing as pain lanced through her left side, reducing her to quiet whimpers and shivering as her chest burned with every breath. Her head was swimming from pain, but she was dimly aware that she was not alone, opening her eyes to see the visage of an aged, grey-furred Trianii, his face careworn and etched with concern.

"<Easy cub... you are safe for now,>" he purred soothingly. She felt stronger arms pull her carefully, stopping after a few feet and helping her sit up. Despite her pain she looked around, seeing at least 20 other Trianii in the enormous cell with her.

She felt her jacket being tugged, seeing the grey Trianii trying to get it off her. She tried to lean to make it easier, only to gasp as the motion aggravated her wound. The aged feline shushed her, holding her by the back of her neck as two more pairs of arms help to remove the jacket and her upper robe, leaving her bare-breasted, the wound completely visible- the aged Trianii gently coaxed her to lie back down.

"You are fortunate," he said in Basic, a tired smile playing on his muzzle. "You are among your people, among healers, and your wound, while bad, is within our ability to treat effectively." He stroked her face as he gestured for one of the others to come forward- she turned her head, seeing an ebony black female Trianii with a few medical supplies step forward, regarding Syrra sadly with icy, pale-green eyes.

Syrra knew her, just from the look alone. She had never laid eyes on this Trianii though she looked moderately older than herself, but the Force was telling her she was someone important, and it took only a moment for her insight to invoke her to speak.

"You're Calya," Syrra said simply.

The ebony Trianii froze. "I am," she said, surprised. "How do you know me, cub?"

Syrra smiled warmly, despite her suffering. "Markus. I've met him."

Calya breathed in sharply, kneeling next to her. "He... remembers me?"

"I have a message to you from him," Syrra continued quietly, trying to steady her breathing as the grey feline grabbed a tube of bacta. "He says... he loves you, and he hopes he will see you again."

The grey Trianii looked up, smiling at Calya. "I had wondered, cub, if your evening out so long ago had been for a purpose. The Besalisk cargo-worker, I take it? A good man, he was very kind to us- I'm happy for you."

Calya smiled sadly, running a paw through Syrra's hair. "Thank you for this news, little one. If we must die here, I'll at least die knowing I'm loved, and that he knew my name."

Syrra hissed slightly as the aged Trianii poured bacta over the chest wound, filling the cavity, a cool feeling overwhelming the pain. The grey one spoke. "I am Jurah, chief healer of the Open Eyes."

"I'm Syrra, a Jedi padawan and Aarn's niece. I came looking for you."

There was a murmur of hope among the prisoners. Jurah growled approvingly. "I'm glad he has not forgotten us. Some of us have been here over half a year- most of the first captured vessel, Salvation, are not among us," he said sadly. "They were killed when these monsters determined that they carried nothing of value as cargo. Of the 75 that should be among us... only 20 remain. The rest of us have been left alive for questioning until we are to be delivered."

Syrra tried to sit up, mewling in pain as pain still racked through her- Jurah administered a painkiller to her side, then helped her up slowly, moving her to a wall so she could rest against it while he tended to her leg. The rest of the crew members circled around, waiting intently as Syrra tried to get her breath back, the pain receding slowly.

"What is it they want?" she asked. "I mean... my lo--" she stopped short. "My... partner and I figured out they may have been targeting kolto, but I have no idea who these people are, or what they and that Dark Jedi Keris, or whatever she is, are doing here trying to get it."

Jurah's eyes widened. "The one they call 'Keris' has arrived?" he asked tensely. "Our time grows short, then." He looked at the fearful faces of the rest of the crew. He sighed. "It was my fault- I'm the reason these beasts are trying to get kolto. It was me and my crewmates, my fellow healers, who were running experiments on kolto as we made our circuits through the Wild Space Region."

"Who are they?"

"They claim to be a branch of the Imperial Remnant, dedicated to the dark side of the Force. They call themselves the Circle of Syn. Beyond that, we know nothing about them."

"What happened?" she asked, frowning as she held her throbbing side. "Why were you all captured?"

"I discovered the potency of kolto," he started simply. "Our manufacturing vessels allowed for top-of-the-line, cutting-edge research into the field of healing. Bacta is a miracle in its own right, able to restore people nearly back to normal even if they've been grievously injured, but in such cases patients can require days, sometimes even weeks in bacta tanks. The process is remarkably effective- and prohibitively expensive. Tanks have to be flushed, and used bacta often needs to be disposed of after use- using it on another patient can have adverse side-effects, including potentially deadly allergic reactions. Not even its synthetic production can offset the tremendous price of such immersions. That's why I offered to Aarn to research kolto, after he gave me ancient records of its considerable healing potency in the past."

He paused. "The true nature of kolto is still a mystery, and because of that it has become impossible to reproduce synthetically. But one of the hypotheses of the past, offered by an unknown Jedi Master, is that kolto is the life-blood of the planet Manaan itself, imbued with the energy of the Force. What truth there is to it is unknown, but it is a belief that parallels with our own, as well as the beliefs of many sentient cultures- we, too, believe our planets to be living entities of which we are a small but significant part of."

Syrra nodded- atheistic though she was about Trianii religion, it was a viewpoint she also took seriously. "How did you make your breakthrough?" she asked. "You said yourself that kolto was a mystery- how did you progress?"

"I surmised that this Master's statement might have been made by his or her experience with the Force. None among us are capable of manipulating this power- barring yourself, of course," he added respectfully. "Yet most accounts concerning the unusual potency of kolto were derived from Jedi experiences with it. The connection was there. How to proceed was another matter." He turned to the ebony Trianii. "Calya was key to the discovery."

She nodded. "Taking what I had learned from my father, I wondered if kolto might react differently in the presence of Force-imbued items. The black market holds a wealth of Jedi and Sith artifacts on dozens of worlds throughout the Republic and the Wild Space Regions." She glanced at Jurah. "I joined the business 2 years ago with my father, having secured a scholarship from the yu'nar recognizing my achievements within our educational institutions. The money was useless to me- I had access to a job from the start, so starting a year ago I turned those credits towards purchasing different artifacts that might potentially have an effect on kolto."

She sighed, sitting next to Syrra. "Most of them were worthless- I expected many of them to be. Only a Force-sensitive would be able to discern between true relics of the past and cheap mockeries made to sell, and there were none among us who could tell the difference. Again, the money was not what mattered, but it seemed with every purchase the idea became more ridiculous. Then, around 8 months ago, we found 3 relics that did invoke a change in kolto- 2 Jedi artifacts, and one Sith relic."

"What kind of change?"

Jurah answered, his voice grave. "The Sith relic, an engraved red amulet, yielded the most dangerous change of the three. Kolto went from being a minor healing solution to a poison for which no non-kolto cure could be produced. We stopped researching that immediately and sent the artifact to the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4, deciding it would be safer in their hands. We did not inform them of our research- such a message could have easily been intercepted."

"The second artifact was an ancient Force-imbued Jedi war-sword, a weapon from a time before the rise of the lightsaber, and had a far more positive effect. Initially, it simply rendered kolto inert, making it unusable. This was a far more promising effect and we studied it as best we could despite not being Force-sensitive. Over time the kolto became active again, this time far more potent than it had been initially- even to the point of rivaling bacta, with a shorter period of healing and an increase in healthiness in our experiments. If one were to use it in a manner like bacta, I've no doubt the patient would emerge healthier and stronger than they were before sustaining injury." He sighed. "This was promising, but I also understood the potential abuse that could arise, and so I was reticent to tell Aarn. I should have. After research with it was complete, I had the war-sword delivered to the Praxeum as well."

"And the last relic?"

Calya spoke. "I was told by the seller it was called a Healing Crystal of Fire."

"Healing Crystal...?"

Jurah nodded. "The use of such an artifact is well-documented in preserved Jedi accounts. I'm certain even the Jedi Praxeum is aware of it. We made sure to research this artifact in particular, and quickly discovered it was legitimate. The identifying characteristics were all there- the color of the stone, the warmth it naturally produced that could be felt even by those not sensitive to the Force, and even the geological structure of the crystal itself. If ever there were evidence that planets are living beings, the crystal seemed the perfect argument."

"Studying its effects was nothing short of wondrous. Kolto became inert again, but only for a span of a few minutes. The solution itself actually became luminescent in the crystal's presence. Applying the solution to damaged nerves and cells completely restored them to perfect health. Far more miraculous was when the solution was applied to long-dead nerves and cells- they were brought back to life. I thought it impossible, but further testing showed the true extent of its nature; I applied it to a dead organism, a vermin that had been found in the hangar on Fibuli. The creature had been dead at least a day, its body crushed- it's neural patterns should have been completely destroyed." He paused. "It was alive in less than an hour, skittering around as if it had suffered no ill effect."

Syrra stared. "Something like that..."

"... Could be abused," Jurah said sadly. "The dead must be laid to rest, it the natural way of things."

Syrra shook her head. "I don't understand. How could anyone have found out about your research, or the effects?"

Calya sighed. "Our manufacturing vessels share data among each other while docked on Fibuli. The packets are coded, but make use of the starport's network to share that data. I imagine it wouldn't take anything more than a lightly-skilled slicer to break through security and copy the data as it was being transmitted. It's the only thing that makes sense, as our messages to other vessels never detail which ship we are messaging from. It would explain why they merely captured our vessels as they came, rather than target a specific one. As far as the fact that research was being done at all, we did not keep it strictly secret- only the details of our experiments were known to us. We had friends that we talked to, and the chance that an unfriendly ear might have been clued in is substantial. We can only assume that at some point, our efforts had been discovered."

Syrra groaned- Kajex had told her the thugs had not bothered to look at crew manifests. Keris had been right to refer to them as moronic degenerates, if they had overlooked something that crucial, something that would have allowed them to zero in on this research far faster. "What about the alternate hyperspace coordinates?" she asked. "Aarn didn't mention anything about them."

"Our pilots were the first to be killed," Jurah said sadly. "But before they were, each of them assured me they had input the correct coordinates to take us into CorpSec space. The captain of the Open Eyes suggested that our own nav-computer had been sliced into and modified so that our hyperspace coordinates were overwritten with the new ones. Much the easiest way to spring a trap- ensuring your prey is forced to walk into it."

"And it would be easier to snag the vessels coming in if the crew wasn't prepared for it," Syrra said, putting her head in her paws. "Mother_fucker_..." She winced, the pain still present but far less intense that it had been initially. "And this Healing Crystal?"

"It has been destroyed. I saw to it myself personally. When we were captured, none among our captors were Force-sensitive, but I didn't wait for that to change. It was frail enough to shatter with a few strong blows with a loose rock."

"Do they know the details of your research?"

Jurah sighed. "We told them what we hypothesized and where the artifacts were. The one interrogating us, a Sith Knight named Locke, arrived about a week after my vessel and crew were captured. He was not pleased that we had sent the artifacts to the Jedi Order, but he was far less violent than our captors before him had been. He has actually treated us rather well- but has warned us that his own masters will not be as lenient should we attempt to deceive them. His student, Keris, was meant to come around the time we were meant to leave. As far as the effects of our studies, we have kept silent."

The Jedi Padawan sighed in relief- at least that was in their favor.

"But you are here, cub- the Force flows through you, surely you can help us," Jurah said hopefully.

Syrra grimaced. "I want to. But I have nothing _but_the Force at this point- my lightsaber was destroyed and I left my other weapons on my ship. There's little I can do to help while I'm injured." She sighed, laying her head against the wall and focusing. She could sense everyone onboard the station, she realized- some 500 people by quick estimation. 20 Trianii in one cell- but none of their captors were stationed at the locked cell doors, or anywhere near for that matter. She could sense the lingering darkness of Keris some few floors away, and beyond that a deeper shadow. "I can't get us out of here."

A loud explosion seemed to rock the station, moderate vibrations rumbling through the cells and causing the Trianii around her to shift nervously.

Syrra smiled, as she sensed a being in a warm, gold light in the hangar. "But there's someone out there who can."

He's coming.