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_ "Eternal life..." _

_ "The ultimate goal of the Sith, yet they can never achieve it. It comes only through the release of self, not the exaltation of self. It comes through compassion, not greed. Love is the answer to the darkness." _

~Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn

The shot was still echoing in Talrik's ears, grief filling his chest as he watched Chaq lower his rifle. Thunder rumbled overhead as the rain seemed to stop, yet tears that had nothing to do with the pain radiating from the fox's mutilated arm roll down his face, adding a cruel sting to the violent claw marks Chaq had left only a few minutes earlier. Toxic hatred mixed with that grief as he saw Chaq smirk triumphantly, watching from the edge of the platform in satisfied silence. He lingered there for minutes, before slinging the weapon over his back and turning his gaze to the injured Amaran.

"Dead."

"I'LL FUCKING END YOU, CHAQ!!!" Talrik roared in anguish, feeling a surge of renewed energy as he struggled to get to his feet- yet the Trianii on top of him managed to keep him pinned with ease.

Chaq ignored him initially. "<You may call them in,>" he addressed the second Trianii Ranger, who nodded and pulled a comlink from his pocket, turning and muttering inaudibly into the communications device. Once again, he pulled the low-powered blaster from his holster and aimed it at the prone soldier. "You'll do no such thing," he addressed Talrik, crouching beside him. "But as you have suffered the agony of the Burning for a righteous purpose, you should at least take solace in knowing that you will meet your 'brother' in Hell very soon."

"You said you'd spare us, aruetyc hut'uun'kriffr!" Rook growled, struggling in her restraints- Talrik could see the tears on her face as well, the news of their alpha's death bringing her to grief.

"And so I shall- mine will not be the hand that ends your lives today," Chaq hissed with a smirk as he stood again. "I'll leave that to some acquaintances for mine. As for me, I have earned my prize- the achievement of killing a Jedi."

"And for what!?" Talrik spat. "You think the Jedi are just going to forget about this!?"

"If they and the Republic actually value the independence of the Trianii people? Yes. And who is to say they will exact any punishment on me, when by the end of it all you and most of the rest of your pack and Trianii Rangers are already dead?" Chaq challenged with a victorious smile.

"Yer underestimatin' all of us, ya fuckin' scumbag!" Rook snarled. But even as she said it, her eyes went wide and she started gasping "F-fuck... not now!" she moaned in pain, as Talrik watched on helplessly. Even with his arm maimed and in the midst of torturous pain, Talrik found the strength to focus his concern on her.

"R-Rook?! What's wrong?! What did you bastards do to her?!"

Chaq did not reply to him, peering at her. "<This one looks sick,>" he muttered to the other Trianii in their tongue. "<You took her belongings, cadet- did she possess any form of medicine?>"

The nearest Trianii Ranger held up her satchel and a clear vial with white substance within, a look of disdain on his features. "<Difficult to say, sir. I don't recognize the substance in these vials, but I would suspect some form of narcotic.>"

The Trianii traitor took the vial, popping the top off and sticking a finger into the substance, pressing the tip of his claw onto his tongue. A moment passed and his eyes narrowed as he turned and glared at the otter. "Refined Andris spice. This miserable little cunt is suffering from withdrawal, it would seem."

Talrik stared at Rook, the revelation stunning him into silence- but as he watched her gasp and squeak in pain, he could not find it in him to be angry with her. Her eyes turned to him and despite the pain within, he could clearly see guilt and shame in them. "I-I... I'm s-sorry, Talrik..." she gasped.

"... Give her a hit," he said suddenly, looking up at Chaq. "Please, j-just give her one hit! If what you say is true and we're going to die today because you called in scumbags like you to finish us off, at least let her die a warrior's death!"

"Ha! A final request to let a child of the heathen god Mandalore fight to her last?" Chaq chuffed in amusement as he threw the vial off the side of the temple. "No, she will die as all invaders should- suffering to her last."

Despite the rage and fear numbing his pain and re-energizing him, Talrik knew he could do nothing, even as the Trianii atop him stood and relieved him of the pressure keeping him pinned down. It was on shaky legs that he was brought up to, before being shoved forward towards the closest wall on the platform.

"<Sit. Remain were you are, or your life ends,>" the Trainii warned him, as the second Trianii Ranger dragged Rook's writhing, gasping body next to him. With his right arm still mutilated and currently useless, he complied and slid down the stone wall, pulling Rook into him with his left arm, groaning from the strain.

"Meh gar kyrayc, shuk bah ni," he muttered softly into her ear, guilt and grief building up in him, squeezing around her midsection and nuzzling her.

Despite her pain, the otter opened her eyes and gave him a scared, trembling smile. "Cuun aliit... cuyir kyra'al... there won't be anybody left... for me to be of use to..."

"T-there's... still Locke... and Keris... and Syrra," he told her softly, trembling with her.

"Alor'ad..." she whispered.

He shut his eyes to stem the flow of tears- they came anyway. "Ner... ori'vod..." he managed to choke out, the thought of his best friend, lover and surrogate older brother too much to bear.

"No... cuun ori'vod," she whimpered. "P-poor Kajex... and I'll... never see my dad again, either..."

He would have grieved, if given the time. He would have set aside a brief moment to know for sure, to try to be there with Kajex through the Force, for however long he had left. He would have tried to understand what had happened, why he could suddenly feel his twin's life diminish, why he could feel Talrik and Rook suffering.

But he couldn't. As far as he could tell, he, Keris and Miles were the only ones left of their pack to remain standing, in addition to their Trianii allies- something that was subject to change at any moment.

"<Stand fast!>" he barked as the three war droids entered the control room with them. The fourth had resisted every lightsaber strike against its phrikite frame, and not even the glowing green crystal fragment embedded in its chest had suffered any damage when Locke attempted to pierce it. But as well-defended as it had managed to keep its visible and vulnerable power cables, a well-placed blaster bolt from one of their Trianii companions had crippled its shield arm and left a suitable opening for Keris' to jam her blade up beneath the droid's faceplate, piercing its processor and reducing it to scrap.

This had not worked with the remaining 3, however, which all began to attack and defend as one unit, covering each other's openings and counter-attacking with enough tenacity that Locke was forced to pull his team back through the now-active assembly lines, ducking beneath and darting over moving conveyor belts as their pursuers followed with remarkable, nearly humanoid agility. But with no more room to run, they would be forced to fight again; and even as the droids sealed their only route of escape, Locke knew that there were more lurking within the temple.

The three Trianii Rangers took up firing positions behind an overturned table. Their lone female Ranger held a blaster pistol out with a shaky, injured paw- she had suffered a major wound across her arm. "<These horrible things are built sturdy, I'll give their creators that much,>" she hissed. "<Have you a plan, Guardian?>"

The white wolf winced. "<If... if it were my brother... he'd know what to do,>" he said, shame washing over him. Kajex had been exceptional at mechu-deru, could see droid systems and disable them.

"Focus, Locke!" Keris snapped- she had seen the look of grief on his face. "We need you for this!"

The Guardian steeled himself, nodding as he renewed his focus against the droids. Lightsabers had proven ineffective against their frames, but they were still made of phrik. At once, his eyes darted around the room, looking for any sort of power conduit, overhead cables, anything to generate electricity.

He spotted one such conduit to the right of the hatch, moments before the trio of droids rushed them, blades held high as they engaged. Shots rang out as the Trianii pair backpedaled away with blasters thumping, while Keris and Locke met the trio in melee with lightsabers humming dangerously- the whines and screeches of energy clashing against reinforced phrik filled the room with a din near deafening. Yet as Locke spun his pike around, stabbing and slashing at their enemies, his concentration never wavered. Slowly, he pushed a pair of the droids to the right of the room, using a combination of bladework and kinetic Force pulses to knock them off their limited balance.

Once close enough he made his move, darting between the droids and battering the both of them with strikes too swift for them to defend. As one they countered, stabbing at where the wolf had been only a split-second prior. A well-timed leap had saved him, his feet kicking against the nearby wall and propelling him into an agile flip, twisting in mid-air with a snarl as he launched his weapon like a javelin.

The weapon missed the both of them, instead piercing the power conduit between the droids and exploding in a shower of sparks. White-blue arcs of electricity coursed along the metal shaft of his weapon, lancing out and catching both dark troopers in a torrent of volatile energy as he landed cleanly on his feet. Their phrik frames, resistant against lightsabers but dispersing electricity easily, carried the current through their bodies and melted the vulnerable and cheap cast-plast tubing protecting their own power conduits from the elements. Within moments, both droids were on the floor, jittering and hissing as their internal systems shut down.

Knowing it was dangerous to retrieve his weapon for the moment the Guardian turned to face their remaining attacker, dismay filling him as he saw Keris struggling to defend herself. She yelped as the war droids managed to score a shallow cut across her right paw, disarming her- with reflexes and strength only a Jedi could possess, she managed to catch the construct's weapon arm with her bare paws as it attempted to cleave her in two.

Locke's first impulse was to rush to her aid, taking a step and a half towards them before remembering he lacked his lightsaber, stuck only with the pistol Kajex insisted he take. Yet the Trianii Rangers had ceased firing, lacking any clear shot with the vixen struggling with the dark trooper, and with his own atrocious aim it was too much to risk.

Despite her impressive use of the Force to bolster her physical prowess, the vixen groaned as the trooper's arm continued to descend. "Rrr... everyone... close your eyes now!"

He felt the swelling of Force energy in her paws moments before it coalesced into a bright glow, turning his eyes away from the vixen at the last moment as the glow burst with the force and sound of a thermal detonator, filling the control room with pure light. The blindingly brilliant flash seemed to linger for several moments, during which time three blaster shots rang out followed by the sound of a mass of metal collapsing to the floor. Once the light receded, Locke looked from over his arm- Keris stood over the smoking remains of the last dark trooper, her blaster pistol in her paw as she staggered back and fell into a dusty controller chair, panting.

The Guardian managed a smile. "Excellent work, love."

Keris managed to return the smile. "Thanks, hon... been working on that for a while with Master Moarn. Figured that just because it's a war-droid doesn't mean I couldn't briefly overload its optics."

"That was very clever," one of their uninjured Ranger partners complimented in heavily-accented Basic. "You Jedi are talented warriors."

"We try our best," Locke said quietly. He spent several moments trying to reach out to his twin.

He wasn't there.

"... Keris... I think he's gone," he managed to say, shaking. "I can't feel him anymore."

The vixen's smile faded, replaced with a pained expression. "I can't either... but... remember what happened back on the Omega-Orr, with Miles- Kajex might just be... knocked out."

"I sensed a bullet," Locke growled. "I sensed the injury as it happened."

"None of us carried slugthrowers, except for the ones waiting topside with Chaq," the other male Ranger confirmed.

"And I know you felt Talrik being tortured!" Locke continued, anger building up in him. "Talrik and Rook, they were- he--"

But Keris had already gotten up and grabbed the front of his robes, shaking him hard. "I know!" she snarled, her eyes filled with tears. "B-but we can't do anything for them right now! You know what we have to do, Locke- we need to retreat, grab Miles and Pakka, and get back to Syrra!"

"She could be--"

"Don't you dare say it!" Keris snapped, the tears now falling. "I refuse to believe any one of us is dead until I see their bodies! Please, Locke... I know you want to kill Chaq, and so do I... but we need to look after us and ours first before we deal with that bastard... please..."

It was her anguish, the compassion and mourning in her voice that extinguished his rage and despair, cooling him down as he struggled to breathe steadily. He could not argue against the vixen- if there was even a sliver of hope that his brother was not truly dead, Locke would not be serving him well with brash action.

With a calmed sigh, he nodded. "You're right..." He cleared his throat, turning to address the Rangers. "<We should connect with the others, get back to the control room and check on Syrra. I have a hunch her absence is part of Chaq's doing as well, but we should at least make sure she's safe before trying to get back to Talrik and Rook.>"

"<And the Sentinel, your brother,>" the injured female Trianii said stoutly. "<Do not give up hope yet.">

Locke nodded, breathing in deep and letting it out quickly as he led them out of the control room, summoning his Jedi weapon. "Alright- let's hurry out of here- hopefully the turbolifts won't be locked down."

A crash overhead drew their attention, all eyes raised as the overhead lighting was obstructed for but a moment. A massive, humanoid-shaped object sailed across the air, landing on a catwalk at the far side of the factory sector. Locke's eyes widened as a heavily-armored droid in ebony armor patrolled the catwalk, its heavy footfalls generating a tremendous noise so loud he barely heard Keris' words.

"What the fuck is that thing?" she whispered.

Whether it was simply unfortunate timing or because it had heard the query, the droid's armored head snapped in their direction, a bright red flash flicking in its optics as it seemed to scan them. It turned completely in their direction, holding up a double-barreled, shoulder-mounted assault cannon and aiming it in their direction.

"HOSTILE LIFE-FORMS DETECTED. PHASE II DARK TROOPER ENGAGING PURGE PROTOCOL."

"RUN!" Locke bellowed. At the same moment the droid opened fire, unleashing a barrage of blue-white plasma shots that exploded around them as they scurried to find cover. For what little good it did them, the droid was not blocking their path to the turbolifts, a moot point as it leaped into the air with the aid of a back-mounted jump pack and continued to rain death from above, narrowly missing them as they sprinted beneath catwalks and conveyor belts.

A cry rang out and Locke whipped around, watching as one of their male Rangers fell forward and clawed at the ground with a pained yowl, the remains of his left leg several meters behind him. Snarling a curse he hurried back, pulling the coal-pelted, black-haired Ranger up and silently hoping the Force would favor them both as plasma kept bursting around them. The two rounded a corner, tripping and falling behind a mechanical press that provided them reasonable cover- the wolf's heart sang as he spotted the turbolifts ahead, feeling the urge to laugh maniacally at the sight of them opening while Keris and the other two Rangers filed in.

"C'mon, Locke!" Keris shouted, but Locke waved her to continue, reaching out with the Force and triggering another call in a separate lift.

"Don't wait for us!" he called back as the lift started to take fire, forcing his fiancee and the Rangers to press against the narrow interior. "Get to Syrra, I'll grab the next one up!"

The hatch slid close, sealing them away from danger and leaving Locke and the maimed Ranger alone with the dark trooper, which seemed to have lost track of them. Grateful for the brief reprieve, he crawled silently back to the injured soldier, holding a finger up to signal silence as he checked the wound. "<What is your name, friend?>" he purred soothingly.

The Trianii hissed slightly, but managed to whisper back quietly. "<Roc'nir.>"

The wolf's eyes narrowed at the wound- yet as grievous as the injury was, the plasma shot had the questionably merciful benefit of completely cauterizing the wound. "<Good, Roc'nir... now I know that this injury will prevent you from moving effectively, but it on the upside you won't bleed to death. As painful as it may be, I need you to focus and follow my lead.>"

Though it was apparent he was still in pain, Roc'nir nodded resolutely. "<Anything.>"

The wolf peered out from behind the press machine, spotting the war droid as it stomped down a series of catwalk stairs. "<We haven't long before that war machine finds us, but between us both I pose a larger threat. I'm going to engage it, draw its attention from you- when that happens, you need to get to the turbolift, understood?>"

Roc'nir frowned. "<I... but your mate-->"

Locke cut him off, shaking his head. "<When you do, call the other lift to come pick me up. In the event that I don't reach you in time, it'll give me a chance to escape later.>"

The Trianii stared at him, before speaking in Basic. "... Why?"

Locke paused, before looking away. "If my brother is really dead... then he met his end trying to help others, as a Jedi should. I would gladly live my life the same way to honor him." He smiled nervously. "Or we could both come out of this alive. But at least this way, one of us makes it out of here for sure."

Roc'nir said nothing for a few moments, before giving him a grim, pained smile. "I have a cub on the way- a son. Whether or not you make it out of this, rest assured that he will share your name for your courage today."

Locke found himself chuckling despite the dire situation. "I'll consider it something to look forward to and fight harder for." The two froze as the cacophony of noise drew nearer. Taking a brief moment to steel his nerves with a steady deep breath, the wolf nodded and held up his lightsaber, detaching it from the pike shaft and pre-adjusting the blade length. "Keep down!" he growled quietly, darting out from behind the press with inhuman speed and rolling out into the open- in half a moment, he spotted the droid on the catwalk above.

The dark trooper noticed him at the same moment, twisting and leaping in the air as it opened fire. The Guardian sprinted past the barrage, activating his Jedi weapon. Had they been blaster bolts, the wolf would have stood in place and intercepted them with simple angled blade deflections- but in the face of high-speed, concussive plasma shots, he was forced to batter the energy assaults away with power swings from both his Jedi weapon and it's Force-imbued metal shaft. While the droid's aim proved consistent, Locke's deflection at least kept the droid at a distance, forcing it to dodge away from its own repelled firepower as it exploded against the temple walls.

With intense focus, the wolf sent a stray plasma burst back to its sender as it strafed through the air- but while he missed hitting the droid properly, the deflection scored a direct hit on the droid's jump back, causing it to fall to the stone floor rapidly. The resulting crash was deafening, the war droid leaving a literal half-foot depression in the stone floor, it's damaged jump pack sparking- but the drop had not caused significant damage, the droid struggling to get back up.

A low tone marked the arrival of the lift, drawing Locke's eyes away from the droid for a moment. "Now's your chance, Roc'nir- get in!"

"What about you!?" he hollered back, as he crawled across the floor, opposite Locke.

"Just get in!" Locke snarled in reply, charging the massive dark trooper directly as it leveled its weapons against the maimed Trianii Ranger. The wolf leapt into the air, flipping over the droid and slashing downward across its assault cannon- while the droid itself had been designed with a phrik frame, its impressive and deadly weapons system possessed no such quality, rendered completely useless as Locke's blade cut into the weapon and divided it.

The droid was not defenseless, however- a mighty arm swung out and caught the wolf in the midsection just as he landed in front of it, sending him flying across the room and into a stone pillar. Only the presence of Miles' old shadowtrooper chestpiece had prevented him from being winded, though he was nevertheless rattled by the blow, his Jedi weapon clattering meters away.

He growled at the war droid defiantly. "I still remember some old Sith tricks, you fucking scrap-heap!" he snarled, cupping his paws together and thrusting them forward. It took little more than channeling his grief for Kajex, and his rage at Chaq, to send a torrent of lightning at the dark trooper, thick arcs of raw electricity dancing along its frame. For a moment, Locke felt the grim, dark satisfaction of a hard-earned victory, expecting the tubing beneath to wear away as the Phase I construct's had.

In the next moment, that satisfaction was shattered.

The Sith lightning appeared to have frozen, jagged and curling around the droid's frame for a full second, before sliding across the frame and into the green crystal embedded in its chest, absorbing the assault effortlessly. Locke gaped at the droid, unable to believe his eyes as the crystal pulse with a teal light.

He had no time to react as the droid stomped forward once and thrust its chest out. All the energy it had siphoned from the Jedi Guardian's assault shot out of the crystal and slammed into his chest, sending him flying again with a surprised yelp. Stars exploded in his vision as he landed on and tumbled over an active conveyor belt, rolling into another pillar.

The wolf winced, looking down- although he had gone to great lengths to reinforce the armor piece by infusing it with his own Force energy, the chestplate had only just safeguarded his life, leaving a smoking black hole in the middle. He looked back up at the war droid, which had now lifted its right fist up menacingly, a long cylinder object in its grip. Without warning, a massive scarlet energy blade ignited from the hilt, with two smaller crossguard blades jutting from separate miniature emitters.

Locke groaned. "Seriously!? Who the even uses that lightsaber design!?" He paused, staring at the droid's lightsaber-resistent frame before sighing. "... Right... phrik."

Still on the floor, he only just managed to dodge out of the way as the droid lunged forward and cut a long gash into the pillar he'd been leaning against, quickly summoning his weapons back into his paws and reattaching his blade to the rest of the shaft just as the dark trooper turned and lunged again.

Before it could get close enough to strike, a rocket flew past Locke's head and exploded against its right arm, destroying the limb and it's weapon as it stopped short and staggered back. Locke yelped and backpedaled away from the unexpected aid, turning to see Miles and Pakka standing at the turbolift behind him, their faces dirty but grim as they each wielded the same assault cannon Locke had just destroyed.

Without a word they opened fire, completely cutting loose and unloading explosive ordinance and plasma shots at the damaged war droid, tearing apart phrik plates and blowing open the inner frame, causing irreparable damage as their weapons ripped the dark trooper to shreds. It took little more than puncturing the inner power cells to end it, the droid blowing apart in all directions as its energy source exploded, leaving hot scrap to rain throughout the assembly room.

It was several seconds before Locke let out the breath he'd been holding in, deactivating his weapon and leaning on it as exhaustion washed over him. "Shit... thank you both," he panted, looking up at both soldiers- now that he was out of danger, he could see the other three Trianii Rangers that had left with Pakka's group tending to Roc'nir.

The Trianii commander turned to them. "<Take Cadet Roc'nir back to the control room and see to his injury. We'll take the next lift up,>" he assured them. All three saluted and helped Roc'nir into the turbolift, sealing themselves in and leaving them alone. "Are you alright, Guardian?"

Locke shook his head. "Far from it... my brother..."

Pakka winced. "Yes... Miles saw it happen, I'm afraid."

"It was that bastard Chaq," the Miraluka said angrily. "He tortured Talrik so he could disorient Kajex long enough to--" He stopped short, taking a deep breath. "I swear, when I get my hands on that son of a bitch--"

"Right now we have other things to worry about," Pakka said soothingly. "We've been trying to reach you for about ten minutes, Locke- we'd deactivated the facility scrambler."

Locke blinked, bringing his paw up to his ear- he was only now just noticing his headset had fallen off at some point. "I didn't... it must have fallen off while I was fighting- I would've called you guys straight away if I'd known."

"It's fine, now that we know you're safe- and we managed to get ahold of Syrra's guard," Pakka added.

Locke tensed. "Is she--"

"She's alright," Pakka informed him. "But she's out cold. My Rangers informed me she had tried to get topside for some reason, moments before the explosion that sealed us in went off- they found her on the first landing, still alive."

The white wolf sighed in relief- at least one of the two people he feared dead was alive. "That's good, then... we'll likely need her help to get out of this mess. These droids... I've never unleashed Sith lightning with that measure of intensity, yet that crystal in its chest seemed to absorb the entire assault. And the fact that they're built with phrik is worrisome."

"It's not standard issue, I can tell you that much," Miles agreed, staring at what remained of the droid. "If what you're saying is true, then it seems more like these droids were built as anti-Jedi constructs. But either way, we can't stay here- we need to find a way to get topside to help Talrik and Rook... and help Kajex, if we can," he added. "We owe him that much."

"Ma'am? I think she's coming around!" a male voice said.

"Really? Clear a space, give her some room to breathe!" a female voice chirped, the higher pitch making Syrra wince as she opened her eyes. For a few moments she could see nothing but dim overhead lights and dark shapes silhouetted against them, but as the seconds passed those shapes became sharper, color returning as she looked up into the face of her Amaran friend.

Keris smiled, a look of relief on her face as she pressed her nose against Syrra's. "Hey, bitch... rise and shine," she purred affectionately.

Despite the sensation of pain in her head, she managed to smile back. "Hey, cunt," she purred back, reaching up to cup her face. "You look like you missed me."

The vixen nodded, grabbing her hand and squeezing it gently. "We're in a bad way- knowing you're safe and awake good news at this point," she told her, helping her upright as the feline tried to move.

"What... what just happened?" she whimpered, as the rest of her body caught up with her, feeling sore across the entirety of her body. "I remember... Kajex telling me Talrik and Rook were in trouble... running up the stairs... then an explosion...?"

"It was Chaq," the vixen growled quietly. "He made his move and ambushed Talrik and Rook, then sealed us in." She paused. "We... we think Kajex is dead."

Syrra stared at her, her brow furrowed. The words seemed incomprehensible. "... No. That's not possible," she responded simply, her heart racing. "He can't be."

"Syrra... Locke can't feel him anymore, and neither can I," Keris whispered, looked ashamed. "Can you?"

Kentoh was right, he decided. It really wasn't so bad.

Dying had hurt like a bitch, but if what he was experiencing was death itself, it was actually quite comfortable. Not cold, nor warm, but a reprieve from the aches and physical strain of the material world he'd spent around 50 years in. Had Kajex any control of his own body, he felt he might have chuckled- it felt in many ways like when he'd been rendered comatose. In some ways, it was not unlike the week of rest he'd taken when he'd been badly wounded on AS-303, when he'd first worked with Syrra.

Syrra. There were still vestiges of emotion left for him to feel as he slipped further into darkness, not least of which was guilt for leaving her behind- but the knowledge that she was safe (if unconscious) gave him a measure of peace nevertheless. There was little he could do now but wait for finality.

That's when he heard it.

"... What are you doing, son?"

The darkness faltered. Where his vision had faded only moments ago- or was it hours? he wondered- a glow of light had reentered. The sound of the voice, or perhaps more accurately the sensation it instilled in the dying wolf, brought clarity to the slowed thought processes he was experiencing.

He knew that voice all too well.

"Open your eyes, pup. If it helps you get through this, then this is where I'm needed most."

The darkness peeled back and revealed his wet, muddy surroundings. The will to live, just to see the speaker, was enough to rouse him such that he breathed in once again. Though blurry, it was the ghostly pale image that was taking shape before him that caused him to finally physically stir, his paw reaching out reflexively. In the back of his head, he became dimly aware that his vision was only blurry because of the presence of tears in his eyes, as they lingered on the face of a man he had not seen living in 30 years.

The ghostly image of Bran Surnahm hurried forward and knelt, and Kajex struggled to lift his paw, whining. The specter's hand closed around his wrist and gently guided it back into the mud- the feeling was warm and comforting. "Shh... easy pup... don't move. You have to remain still right now- your attacker is still on the lookout."

The wolf complied, as sensations of touch and hearing returned to him- the horrible pain in his midsection was nothing short of pure agony, but Kajex barely noticed it in the face of what he was experiencing. "... Are you real?" he whispered hoarsely, looking up into the Corellian's face.

Bran smiled back down. His mouth did not move, and yet Kajex could hear his mentor's words in his head. "Only to you, who knew me well. Your attacker will not see me unless I want him to."

"What... are you doing here?"

The apparition blinked, looking confused. "What are you talking about, pup? I've always been with you." He smiled widely, as if now understanding. "You didn't think a little thing like death was going to prevent your father and I from watching over you, did you?"

"Kane's... here?"

Almost as if on command, a second light appeared before his eyes. In a matter of moments, Kajex found himself looking at a pair of booted feet, his eyes drawn upwards just as the apparition of his second father knelt before him. A confident, adventurous smile painted Kane Surnahm's handsome features, a hint of pride in the Trianii's eyes. "Well, I wasn't going to miss out on watching you grow up either," Kane told him. "It's been a pretty damn good show so far."

There was no pain, although the sensation of weakness lingered. "... I want to come with you guys."

Bran shook his head. "Absolutely not, pup. This is not where your life ends."

The wolf could almost hear his heart breaking from the refusal. "I... I missed you guys so much... I don't want you to leave me again..." he whispered, his chest tightening- years of loneliness, and now he was being told he wouldn't reunite with them.

"We're not leaving you, Kajex," Kane admonished him gently, running a warm paw through his hair and making the wolf feel like he was 12 years old again. "We never left you, and we're not going to, not as long as the Force is in all things. But you can't follow us there- not now, when your family needs you most. Syrra, Talrik, Locke- all of your pack are in danger, and they'll need your help. And you can't forget the Black Tomb pack either, not when they need guidance." The black-furred Trianii grinned. "And if there was ever one quality about out that made me a proud father, it's that you never stopped trying to help someone if you could. Don't give up that quality now, just for us."

Hearing their names seemed to renew his energy, allowing him to raise his head. "You... know about them? All of them?"

"We do," Bran told him, "and we know how much they mean to you. But now is not the time to talk. You don't have much time left- you're dying. Yet you can still save yourself." He turned, gesturing behind him- some few meters away, one of the Sentinel's lightsabers could be seen sticking out of the mud. "Your mate taught you what I couldn't- use my gift to you with her teachings."

So close to death's doorstep, the ability to use to Force seemed surprisingly easy, as the hilt slipped out of the sludge and rolled across the reeds and dirt into his paw. Using as slow movements as he could, he pulled his arm in through the mud, until the weapon was pressed against his mortal wound. A whine passed through him as pain started returning in full. "Never... healed myself from something so bad," he admitted weakly.

"Think of Syrra. Remember all that she taught you, and the feeling of learning from her, and you will succeed," Bran whispered. "When you're done... we will have to veil ourselves from you again, until you require our help the most. Tell your pack to look out for each other; tell your brother we would have been proud to have him as a son; let Syrra know we approve of your relationship; and no matter what, keep fighting. "

The wolf's heart dropped. "You'll still be around... right?" he asked.

"Always," they two answered in unison, both smiling wide. Bran reached down, rubbing behind the wolf's ear. "Kajex, before we go we want you to know... we are so proud of you- of the things you've done, and the man you've become."

"I love you- both of you," Kajex said abruptly, terrified and comforted all at once as he started to focus. "I'm sorry that... I never got to tell you in your final moments..."

"Why tell us what we already knew, pup?" Kane chuckled. "We love you too. Now focus... think of your family, and bring yourself back to them."

With a small, weak nod, Kajex complied, closing his eyes and channeling his mind towards the task. He tried not to think of how Bran and Kane would be gone when it was done; tried not to think about how difficult this would be. Instead, he allowed himself to be bolstered by having been able to see them once again- the joy of knowing they had never truly left his side after all these years, that they were glad he'd found love and family after they'd passed on.

The word lingered in his head as he focused- family. Now he understood how vital it was for him to get back to them. Without him they would survive and keep fighting, of that he had no doubt- but if he had even the slightest chance of returning to them, it would be selfish of him not to take it, to be there if they ever needed him.

It was with this in mind that he flung himself into the depths of the Healing Crystal of Fire, buried beneath the circuitry of his lightsaber. The experience was no different than when he had traversed into it with Syrra, only this time he was the one guiding himself through it instead of piggybacking on the Trianii's consciousness. Through thousands of facets in the golden-yellow gem, he could see himself, could see the mortal wound that was keeping him down. Breath, focus, direction- all of these coalesced into a purpose, a swooping sensation pouring into the wolf's midsection as the facets came together and zeroed in on the wound.

He was not aware of the hollow in his stomach until that hollow refilled with renewed flesh and sinew- whereas Locke's mortal wound months ago had the questionable benefit of cauterization, the bullet wound Kajex had suffered had caused considerable physical trauma, damaging several internal organs that no man should have realistically survived without prompt medical attention. Yet all of that mattered little, as the wound receded rapidly and sealed itself with new flesh, skin and fur. The minutes wore on, and horrible pain receded with it, until there was merely an ache and a significant sensation of nausea that finally sapped what little endurance he had left.

He gasped as he finished, eyes opening wide as he sat up suddenly.

They were gone.

The wolf's breathing slowed, a calm washing over him. No- not gone. Still there, even if he could not see them. For whatever reason, they had chosen to veil themselves, and Kajex found himself willing to trust that they had only the best intentions to do so- as any good fathers would, he thought with a smile.

Yet before long he realized he could not linger. When he'd taken the shot, he'd fallen behind a small outcrop of stones. Knowing that Chaq would notice Kajex missing if he decided to look out in his direction again, the wolf lay back down in the mud, crawling quickly behind the cover and sitting up against the largest of the boulders. Lightsaber still in paw, he lifted the weapon and attempted to activate it.

Nothing.

Kajex frowned, confusion building as he pressed the button several times more with no response, until a thought occurred to him that caused him to pause. It only now occurred to him that in all the time he had possessed the Healing Crystals of Fire, he had never once attempted to activate his weapon after using them to heal. As most battles were already over if he ever needed to use them, and the one he generally used had been the pendant now in Syrra's possession, Kajex could see why he'd never figured this out.

Dismay started to overtake him at the thought- his other lightsaber was still on his hip. He drew the second weapon and attempted to activate it, groaning as this weapon also refused to activate- its proximity to him while he healed, though likely enhancing the process, had also rendered the crystal temporarily inert. Cursing himself for not anticipating the potential downside of using such powerful and unique crystals as his focusing gems, he sighed and leaned back against the rock. At best he still retained his blaster pistol, which would be useless at such a long range. With little to work with, he sat quietly and focused, trying to formulate a strategy.

A thought came to him- one that was not his own, but his lover's.

"Kajex...? Are you..."

His alarm in having no weapons at his disposal was quickly displaced by the tender feel of Syrra's thoughts reaching out to him, causing a smile to form and his tail to wag. "I'm okay!" he told her excitedly. "I mean... I think I was right on the threshold of death, but... but I'm okay," he assured her.

"K-Kajex!?" a second thought exploded, this one filled with grief and joy. "By the Force, I thought-- I-I felt... I thought I'd lost you!!!"

"You almost did... but Syrra taught me better than she thought," he said, deciding to keep his encounter with Force spirits secret- for now. "Look, we can hug, kiss and fuck later- but right now we need to get to Talrik and Rook. Where do we stand?"

"We're still in the Imperial facility," Locke quickly told him, as the white wolf paced back and forth in the control room with a green crystal in his paws. "It's a small factory for building and housing lethal war droids, enhanced with lightsabers, phrik combat frames and vibroswords, and Artusian crystals designed to siphon away offensive Force abilities. So far they haven't tried coming up to the control room here, but that could change any second."

He glanced in Syrra's direction, watching as she continued to work the console she'd returned to moments after they'd discovered Kajex was alive. A readout of the facility was posted on the main screen, with thirteen mobile indicators moving around, detailing the position and diagnostics of each dark trooper. She sighed in frustration, channeling the words she spoke to Kajex. "I can track the droids through this console, but I can't seal them in- every time I lock down a hatch, they use a remote override to get past it. They could easily bust into this room and wipe us out if they were so inclined."

"Then we'd best not stay here," Pakka replied grimly, still armed with the assault cannon he and Miles had found. "These weapons are incredible, but only the two of us are so armed- it will not be enough."

"Talrik's c-rifle could put a hole in them," Miles suggested, "but the poor kid's arm is a mess right now."

"I know, I saw it," Kajex replied. "If I could just get to them..."

A warning sound pinged on the console, Syrra standing up straight. "Multiple contacts incoming- if you're out in the open, find cover, Kajex!" Locke hurried over to her, watching as several yellow-marked dots sped around the temple, tracked by the facility's exterior sensor equipment- even submerged underwater, they were able to do their job well.

"I see them," he replied. "maybe half a dozen watercraft, crewed by Trianii with swords, blasters... and a lot of mange."

Locke frowned, turning to Pakka. "Are we within range of any criminal outposts, 1st Sinth?"

The Trianii nodded, staring at the readout. "Several of them are deeper in the swamp, yes. If Chaq has called them in, made a deal..."

"We don't have long then," Keris said abruptly, looking alarmed. "The three of them can't stand against all of us, he's bringing in guns to wipe us all out. I doubt they can but Talrik and Rook will be the first to go."

"Then we'll need to work fast if we expect to save your packmates," Pakka said, striding towards the stairwell. "We may not have a remote trigger to blow our demo charges, but Miles and I do have explosive ordinance."

Miles grinned and followed, with Keris tailing them both. "Lead the way and we'll blow a hole upstairs."

"Go with them, be ready to give them cover," Locke ordered the few Trianii Rangers that were combat-capable, watching them leave. He peered at the readout. "... Syrra, can you direct those droids in any way? Maybe alter their patrol routes?"

The Trianii shook her head. "I can't alter their patrol programming, I'm sorry." A moment passed and she brightened. "... But... I can trigger alarms! They'd have to alter their routes to check them!"

"And the landing platform- does it have a cargo access tunnel?" Locke asked, heart racing. "Can you open it?"

Kajex was no stranger to the criminal element of the Trianii culture, having aided Trianii Rangers in the past. In most respects they were like any other bandit trash he'd fought and apprehended, both before and after the Clone Wars- unkempt, moderately armed, hardened and bad-tempered. What he saw of these incoming Trianii bandits, however, was a new level of disgusting- most of them were slathered in mud (or what Kajex sincerely hoped to the Force was mud), visibly crawling with parasites, and possessing varying levels of mange.

As they drew near the temple on primitive-looking, gas-powered watercraft, several of the Trianii bandits fired fibercord spike-launchers, using them to secure their boats in place and give them a means to climb up the ten feet needed to reach the landing platform proper. Kajex grit his teeth, watching as most of the scum started the climb, knowing time was running short for their non-Jedi packmembers- once he was certain no eyes were looking in his direction, he made his move towards the nearest occupied boat.

Moving swiftly across the soft marshland silently was not difficult, but his nerves felt jangled as he kept in mind that he had little else but the Force to protect him should he be spotted. His fears were nearly realized as the sole occupant of the watercraft he was sprinting to turned, the black-furred feline's eyes widening as the Sentinel sprang into the air and vaulted the final fifteen feet towards him, swinging his foot around and smashing his head with a skull-cracking kick.

Both he and the Jedi tumbled into the boat, thankfully making less noise than Kajex was worried he'd make. Keeping low, he quickly knelt over the bandit's body and started searching him for weapons (while confirming with a disgusted groan that it was indeed not just mud caking the bandit's lower body). That disgust faded away quickly in lieu of satisfaction, as the Sentinel quickly located no fewer than 3 thermal detonators.

"Hold on, kit... I'm coming," he muttered as he collected the explosives and slid them into his satchel. Peering over the side of the watercraft he spotted the only remaining boat pilot, her back turned to him. With trained silence of a well-trained Sentinel, he crept out of the boat, the ground beneath him soft but firm enough to support his weight as he ducked low and approached. She shifted- with a flash of warning zapping through his senses the wolf held his paw out and channeled the Force through him and ahead of her. A noticeable 'pop' rang out as one of the nuts holding the craft together suddenly broke off and clattered to the deck, spooking the Trianii to her feet as her eyes followed the nut.

It was the distraction he needed, using the moment to sprint the remaining distance and vault into the boat behind her, grabbing her muzzle from behind and kicking behind her knee to bring her down- though she yelped, the sound was considerably muffled, and though she struggled it took little more than him bringing the barrel of his pistol to her head to keep her silent.

He frowned- underneath the muck and grime, she was young- younger than Syrra, perhaps in her mid to late teens. His thumb flicked against the side of his pistol, the weapon clicking as he set the weapon to stun and pressed it hard against her back. "Don't worry, kitten, I'm just a Jedi- I try not to kill people. But this is not going to be a pleasant nap for you." The weapon discharged, the sound muffled by her body and the sound of thunder rolling through the air at the same moment. She immediately went limp and he draped her over his shoulder, before climbing out of the boat and returning the the first one he'd hit.

"Alright... you can sleep next to this guy, kitten," he grunted, setting her next to the unconscious male Trianii before turning his attention to the vessel's controls, running his paws over it. "Not like either of you can go anywhere, not if I have a look-see."

A few moments passed as he lapsed into a minor trance- the world of the living seemed to peel away as he felt the energy of electronic pathways coursing through the vessel. Each part revealed itself to him- it's purposes, the channels between each part on a mechanical and electrical level. Within a matter of seconds, the wolf's mechu-deru had shown him what he needed to do next.

He breathed in, coming out of his trance and focusing again, gripping the wheel tight and letting the breath out as arcs of white electricity sparked through his wrists and palm into the wheel- the smell of ozone and ruined circuitry followed moments later and he stepped back, frowning in concern.

"... Syrra?"

The Trianii Jedi spoke back immediately. "We're almost ready here. Can you cut off their escape?"

"With a few thermal detonators, yeah," Kajex responded, glancing at the pair of knocked-out criminal felines. "We can't wait much longer- whatever you're going to do, do it now."

"Talrik... ner cyare..."

The fox's ears perked up, opening his eyes as Rook drew in ragged breaths of air. "What is it?" he asked gently, squeezing her gloved paw.

"Heard something... they here?" she asked, looking up at him with pain in her eyes.

He looked up, watching as Chaq approached a filthy-looking Trianii the fox had never seen before- just by the look of his pelt and scrap-heap armor, Talrik knew he was a bandit. Soon there were no fewer than twenty Trianii bandits lining the edge of the temple landing pad, all of them looking ready for a fight. "... Yeah," he said dully. "It's almost time."

Rook nodded, her grip on his paw tightening. "You once asked what... cyar'ika meant... I don't think I ever told you," she admitted with a weak chuckle. "You deserve to know- I was callin' you 'sweetheart'."

Despite their dire situation, Talrik managed a smile. "The feeling was mutual- then as now."

"If we gotta die in the next few minutes," she said, tears rolling down her face as she managed a brave smile, "I at least wanted you to know that. I was wrong about you, fox-boy... so fuckin' wrong... you'd do Mandalore proud if you were one of us. Thanks... for bein' a part of my life."

The fox leaned in, kissing her forehead and not caring who saw it. "As long as we're going out together, then staring at death isn't so hard."

As if on cue, Chaq moved away from the lip of the landing platform, leading the newer and filthier Trianii newcomers to the injured and captured non-Jedi. The traitor Trianii treated the fox to a smirk, his arms folded. "<This is them, J'kobe,>" he told the larger unkempt feline. "<Normally I would have killed them by now, but I required their cooperation to put an end to one of their own, and so swore upon the six gods to spare them.>"

The bandit feline chuffed, his voice gravelly and raw. "<Is that so? Very noble of you, though it's unfortunate that I've made no such oath, isn't it.>"

Talrik glared up at them. "<You're not going to leave us alive, I take it.>"

"<Oho! You didn't tell me this one was clever enough to speak our tongue!>" J'kobe replied with a cackle. "<But no, I have no intention of letting off-worlder scum like you live.>" He paused, sparing a long, leering glance at the softly whimpering Selonian. "<... Her, on the other hand... I could see her being an enormously entertaining plaything- perhaps I'll introduce her to raw, bareback Trianii cock.>"

The hackles on Talrik's neck rose aggressively. "<If you're gonna end us, stop wasting time and get it the fuck over with!>"

Chaq laughed. "<Maimed and useless on the battlefield, and yet you're willing to meet Kunik eagerly. Your courage is almost admirable.>" The traitor took a moment to unsling the weapon he'd been carrying- Talrik's concussion rifle. "<The whelp was carrying this. Quite a fine weapon, much too good for the likes of him.>"

"<I believe I could raise a lot of hell with this beauty!>" J'kobe purred as Chaq handed him the Amaran's prized weapon. The bandit held it up to his shoulder, testing the weight and sight before lowering it and leering at the fox. "<Anything else?>"

Chaq waved to one of the Trianii- the one holding Rook's war glaive. "<This was on that little addict cunt over there. A Mandalorian weapon, no less.>"

J'kobe examined the weapon closely, nodding eagerly as he tested the weight and blade. "<This offworld scum at least have some nice toys from wherever they come from. These will easily cover what little you had left to pay us.>"

"<My employer was confident I could pull this off, the credits are of no consequence- all that is left now is for you to eliminate the last few Jedi and the rest of the Trianii Rangers.> Chaq held up a finger, giving J'kobe a look of warning. "<Except for the Trianii Jedi, Syrra. She is to be left alive, as per my employer's orders. If she is killed, I will hear about it.>"

"<Yes, yes, I've already informed all my men that she is not to be harmed,>" J'kobe waved impatiently, setting Rook's glaive aside and returning his attention to Talrik's rifle. "<Now if you don't mind, I'd like to test this big bastard to see what it'll do to a living being first- gotta make sure a weapon like this is in good working order.>"

Chaq smirked. "<Be my guest. Let me set up the first target for you,>" he offered.

Talrik growled as Chaq approached, grabbing him by the scruff and yanking him up, while another Trianii dragged Rook away, the Selonian managing to find strength enough to snarl at them. "Leave 'im alone, you kark-suckin' bastards!"

For his part, Talrik had decided not to take his death without getting at least one punch in, his vigor renewed. Though his right arm was near useless, he balled up his left fist and brought it into the traitor's stomach. Thoroughly unprepared for the smaller male to fight to his last, Chaq gasped and staggered back, allowing Talrik to swing again, catching the Trianii right in the temple.

He felt no fear, but his rational mind remained as the sound of a dozen armed weapons stopped him short. Every Trianii on the platform had their weapon pointed at him. He glared at them all before chuffing irritably. "<Whatever... I got my last shots in. When I die, Chaq, remember that I knocked your ass to the floor,>" he growled, spitting at the enraged-looking Trianii- satisfaction welled up in the fox as he noticed he left a cut across his eyebrow. He stood where he was as J'kobe raised the rifle, holding his head high as the Trianii aimed at it.

Before the bandit could fire, however, a tremendous siren went off, blasting across the platform and ringing out miles away. Metallic screeching noise emanated from near the center of the landing pad. A trio of bandits scurried out of the way as a patch of mud and moss shifted beneath them, revealing a large, speeder-sized hatch- one of the bandits moved too slowly and screeched as she fell in, disappearing into the chasm below. The hatch opened completely, locking in place with a mechanical click as the sirens continued to alarm the area- yet even with the din, the sound of heavy metal footfalls could be heard deep within the unlit pit. An explosive noise from the base of the shaft sounded, like a rocket being released into a tunnel.

Talrik managed to smirk despite the situation. "<I told you not to waste time.>"

He dove to the ground as no fewer than three heavily armed droids shot out of the shaft and arced through the air, landing on the platform with heavy thuds. "ARMED INTRUDERS DETECTED WITHIN PERIMETER. ENGAGING PURGE PROTOCOLS." Within moments they were opening fire on the bandits, rockets sailing in every direction and blowing apart the temple spires as the criminals yowled and scrambled for cover.

A crack overhead diverted Talrik's attention as the spire they were near crumbled apart and fell over. Scrambling to his feet, he dashed out of the way and lunged towards Rook, who was still curled up on the platform. The otter's eyes were wide and fearful as the fox attempted to help her up. "T-that's... what was inside?!" she choked out in disbelief.

Talrik grimaced and pulled her back- the fallen spire that had nearly killed him provided the best cover in the firestorm they were caught in, and it was here he leaned her up against. "Wait here!" he shouted to her. "I'm gonna try and get you a vial and a security spike!" She nodded weakly and remained where she was, as Talrik leaned out of cover.

To call it "chaos" would have missed a few qualities that Talrik regarded about the scene- "chaos" would not describe the dark satisfaction he was feeling as he watched the Trianii bandits trade fire with the war droids. He looked around quickly for anything he could use as a weapon, grinning as he spotted an abandoned pistol one of the Trianii had dropped.

With solider-trained speed and reflexes he dove out of cover, rolling over the pistol and scooping it up with his left paw, then returning to his feet once again in time to bring the weapon up and fire at the nearest Trianii bandit, putting a blaster bolt in his neck. Now armed, he sprinted along the lip of the platform, ducking stray plasma shots and letting out a cry of joy as he spotted their gear.

He had only just knelt to look through their equipment when a metallic stomp drew his attention up. The action saved his life, as the sight of the deadly-looking war droid caused him to back up in fear just as it slashed at his neck, the tip of its vibroblade grazing past his fur harmlessly. Adrenaline pumped through his body as he backed away, barely possessing the sense to grab Rook's satchel as he got back to his feet, firing three accurate shots at it's face.

But despite its size the droid was swift, bringing a simple yet sturdy blast shield up to tank the shots with no ill effect. It lunged forward and slashed again, forcing Talrik to backpedal as he continued to fire wildly. Another lunge and Talrik found himself tumbling over the body of the Trianii he'd killed moments earlier, his pistol clattering away. His eyes went wide as the droid reared back for another stab.

Before it could deliver the final blow, a feral snarl rang out and a brown-robed figure leapt out from under the lip of the platform, landing on the droid's back. Talrik watched as the figure jammed his paws into the droid's neck while arcs of blue electricity coursed along his wrists and into the droid's body. The heavy odor of ion filled the air as the droid shook and sparked, it's internal circuitry destroyed in a matter of moments- after a few seconds of stillness, it collapsed forward with a crash, as the figure stood over it.

Talrik couldn't believe his eyes- there in front of him, looking very bloody but otherwise healthy, was Kajex Surnahm. "... Kaj...?" he whispered.

The wolf rushed forward, hoisting the fox up and embracing him. "Fucking hell, I'm so sorry, kit," he whined. "I nearly got here too late."

The fox shook with joy, trying to hold back his emotions as he embraced the wolf tight with his one good arm. "But you... Chaq said he'd killed you!" he choked out.

The wolf's answer was cut short as a blaster bolt struck the ground nearby. "He nearly did, let's get to cover before I waste my second chance!" he yelped, pulling Talrik along and getting back into cover with Rook, drawing his blaster. The Sentinel eyed her with concern. "How're you holding up, kid?" he asked the otter.

"I'm... hurtin', boss," she admitted with a groan. She caught Talrik's eye, giving the fox a subtle shake of her head.

With a slight frown, Talrik constructed a quick explanation. "They roughed her up pretty bad, worse than they did me. I... went to grab her medkit," he explained, holding up her satchel, "but she's restrained and I couldn't grab a security spike."

Kajex nodded, fishing into his own satchel and pulling one out. "Got one right here, kit- see to her and keep your head down. Everyone else is about to make their move." He handed the fox his blaster pistol. "If those war droids get too close, put a bolt around their jump packs and collarbones- that's their weakest spots."

"W-wait, where the hell are you going?!" Talrik yelped.

"I'm gonna toss these into their boats," Kajex answered, holding up a thermal detonator. "Not gonna let these bastards get away- I'll be back soon!"

Talrik was on the verge of asking why he wasn't using his lightsabers, but the words died on his lips as the wolf summoned a rifle from one of the many corpses that were beginning to litter the combat zone. A moment later, the wolf darted away across the lip of the platform, dodging blaster bolts and returning fire. Knowing it was pointless to question the wolf's approach, Talrik set the pistol aside and returned his attention to Rook, pulling her over and forcing the security spike into the binders keeping her restrained. The device sparked violently for a few moments before they clicked, releasing the otter's wrists and allowing her to move her arms again.

"I got your satchel," he spoke quietly.

Rook's face was contorted with pain and shame. "Talrik, mate... I was gonna tell you eventu--"

"Nevermind that now," he cut her off gently, handing her a vial. "We need you, and if this gets you on your feet then I'm behind you."

Even through the agony she was likely feeling, she was able to give him a grateful smile as she popped the cap off. Talrik watched as she brought it to her nose and inhaled deeply- almost immediately her shaking ceased, her eyes widening as the effects of the drug coursed through her, causing her to sigh in relief. "Oh fuck, that feels better!" she groaned, shuddering. "Felt like I was suffocating for hours, there."

He would have pressed for answers if an explosion hadn't diverted his attention to the battle. Making sure to keep out of sight he peeked out from cover, his eyes drawn to the fire and rubble spraying out from where the facility entrance had been. Elation overwhelmed him as Locke, Keris and Syrra sprang out from the debris with their Jedi weapons at the ready, cutting down the nearest bandits and deflecting blaster-fire from those that remained- behind them, Miles and Pakka were laying down suppressing fire with assault cannons matching the ones used by the larger war droids, scattering the bandits and smashing through the mechanical behemoths too slow to escape.

Among those attempting to take cover was Chaq, who was backing up quickly as he opened fire on the new Jedi combatants, keen on not being caught between two fronts where he'd be either captured or killed. Already he'd lost his two Ranger traitor companions, their bodies blown apart by the war droids, and it seemed Chaq was ready to make his escape. Talrik ducked quickly just as the traitor turned and vaulted over the fallen pillar, landing in front of both of them. It took a matter of seconds for him to realize his mistake- and by that point Talrik had already lunged at him with a snarl, his fists swinging.

"I SAID I'D FUCKING END YOU, CHAQ!!!" he roared, blinding red hatred for the Trianii numbing the pain in his mutilated right arm and allowing him to rain a barrage of punches across the Trianii's face. He was dimly aware that it was a repeat of the bar fight on Corellia, where he'd thoroughly thrashed a drunk Trandoshan fistfighter. He didn't care. As far as he was concerned, this scum was getting what was coming to him.

Yet for all his swinging, his right-armed blows weren't doing the damage they needed, and it was here Chaq found an opening with a well-timed block, sitting up abruptly and head-butting the fox's muzzle with enough force to knock out a fang and send him rolling away with a yelp. Pain and disorientation clouded his senses, though he still managed to look up just in time to see Rook rush in, leaping onto the feline's back and grabbing his head tight, attempting to choke him into submission. Yet as tenacious as she was he outmatched her in strength, throwing her off his back with a roar. She rolled away several meters back onto her feet, but Chaq was ready, drawing Talrik's blaster pistol and aiming steadily as she lunged again.

The blaster bolt caught her right in the forehead, dropping her in an instant.

Sound and color seemed to disappear in the moment, as he stared at the fallen Selonian. He'd never seen her as anything less than unstoppable, full of life and energy- all of it gone in the space of a second as she lay still on the ground. The rage he'd felt for Kajex's death returned, his heart aching for the Selonian hunter as he got to his feet. "YOU BASTARD!!!"

But he stopped short as Chaq aimed his pistol at him, the Trianii's eyes bearing a burning glare. "I should have killed you when I had the chance," Chaq growled.

"You've been making far too many mistakes," Talrik spat. "You failed to kill my packmembers, my older brother, and me; your largest one was fucking with us and thinking I wouldn't pay you back for it!!!"

Several explosions filled the air, fire and smoke rising from beyond the platform as the bandits' watercrafts were blown apart. A twinge of fear appeared on the traitor's face, his eyes darting in each direction- it was apparent that the Trianii's escape options were starting to grow bare. A glance over his shoulder and Talrik could swear the color beneath his pelt was draining- the blasterfire was becoming more sporadic, bursts of fire in the air signaling the end of the last few airborne war droids. The look of nervousness on his face prompted fox to continue.

"You don't have an out. Your criminal allies are wearing thin, my Jedi family can take care of the war droids easily, and your getaway plan is well and truly fucked," Talrik growled. "All this planning just to kill one Jedi... and you failed. The best you can do now is kill me and give my pack an incentive to end your life."

"I can oblige your challenge, and make good on my escape," Chaq assured him angrily, keeping his aim steady. "You and that little bitch have caused me quite a bit of trouble. It's only fitting that I ended both your lives with your weapon."

Talrik blinked, his heart racing as something clicked in his head.

His weapon.

He rushed at Chaq a second after he'd made the connection, yelping as Chaq opened fire and scored a hit on his shoulder- yet the bolt did little more than superheat the leather of his jacket. Another bolt sank into his wet neckfur, burning badly and evaporating the moisture within, but leaving him otherwise unharmed. A third bolt speared into his knee, but while this did trip the fox up the pain was again almost trivial.

Chaq's eyes widened. "What the f--"

But at that moment a sound of swooping steel turned his final word into a scream, as a razor-sharp blade sliced through his right hand and completely removed it, the low-powered blaster he'd been using the entire time clattering away. Chaq fell to his knees, howling as he clung to the bloody stump Rook had left behind. The otter bore a black burn mark above her right eye, but otherwise looked healthy and murderous as she brought her war glaive around and clobbered the side of his face with the flat of her blade, knocking him out.

The Selonian panted, glaring at the unconscious traitor. "Thank your gods the Jedi've rubbed off on me," she spat. "'You deserve so much worse, you son of a bitch."

It had been an hour since the rain had stopped, yet the clouds rumbled overhead, flashes of light appearing in the distance as they threatened to unleash another torrential downpour on the temple and the surrounding swamp. The smell of the marshlands quickly overtook the stench of blood and sinew, mixed with ozone and burning metal wreckage; and in the process, the heat of battle was replaced with the chill of cold victory, such that there were no smiles to be had among the survivors.

Twelve Trianii Rangers had accompanied the crew of the Gold Rush. Three had turned traitor, and two of them were dead. Of the remaining nine, only six remained, Pakka being among them. Talrik's mutilated arm had been fully restored with Syrra's Healing Crystal, then bandaged; she and Rook wore thin head bandages with bacta salves for their minor injuries; and Kajex, though whole and healthy again, was still covered in his own dried blood. In all, the Sentinel thought, they had been lucky.

The thirteen war droids that had responded to the platform alarm were destroyed or disabled. The twenty-odd bandits that had arrived were now numbered at five- among them, their leader J'kobe remained, looking cowed and shaken by the battle he'd barely managed to survive. Beside him was Chaq, his orange eyes flashing with anger as he looked up at Kajex.

The feeling was mutual- but the wolf was in better control.

"<The laws of the Trianii Rangers are very clear,>" Pakka spoke, in a quiet but clear voice, his gaze cool as he regarded the row of knelt, shivering prisoners with contempt. "<Just for the crime of attacking Rangers, every one of your lives is forfeit. Every single one of you were aware of that risk- every Trianii knows this law, even the ones that grow up to defy it.>"

The lower-ranked bandits shivered with fear at this, and Pakka continued, gesturing to the Gold Rush pack, all of whom stared at the prisoners. "<However... as it so happens, we are accompanied by Jedi. And I have decided to consider any counsel that they offer. I make no promises that their wisdom will safeguard their lives- you allied yourselves with a traitor who attempted to murder their alpha.>" He turned to Syrra. "<I shall start with you, my cousin.>"

Syrra's gaze lingered on the lesser of them, a frown creasing her brow as she regarded them with pity. With a glance at Kajex first, she spoke. "<You all exude a feeling of fear, expecting us to exact retribution for your crimes. You, like the traitor Chaq, base this on a misconception that the Jedi are warriors of justice. While it's true that we see that justice is done... a good Jedi will realize the value of mercy and compassion.>" She paused, kneeling in front of the lone female survivor- the same one the wolf had stunned before the battle broke out. Kajex could tell what she was thinking, as he stared at the girl, who looked malnourished and abused, covered in fleas and turning her eyes away in shame- in another time and place, under better circumstances, this young woman could have been beautiful and healthy.

Syrra reached out and touched the girl's hair- she flinched, but relaxed as Syrra's touch remained gentle. "<Several of you are sick and hungry. I don't know the circumstances that led you to lead a life of banditry, but I would see that damage be undone, for you to lead better lives; to be better people. Maybe you were never given a chance to begin with. But if I have your promise to surrender peacefully and give up this path, I give you my word as both a Jedi and Trianii Ranger that you will be granted a second chance.>" A smile formed on her muzzle as the girl looked up at her hopefully, before she turned to Pakka, who had folded his arms. "<Is this acceptable?>"

The commander sighed, but nodded. "<It's far more than I would normally give them... but your words on justice and mercy feel true to me.>" He turned to the other three Jedi. "<I would hear any wisdom from you all- you've proven trustworthy and courageous, it's only fair we hear what you have to say.>"

Locke nodded. "<I agree with Syrra. At the very least, the four young ones should be given an opportunity to turn their lives around.>" His gaze lingered on the leader, J'kobe, who looked cautiously optimistic. "<As for the leader... I expect he's guilty of many crimes. But I have no interest in seeing him dead.>"

"I know what it's like to be on the bottom rung of society," Keris said sympathetically. "It's hard living, where you do what you can to survive. But Rook tells us you threatened her with rape," she added, giving J'kobe a cold glare. "I'm not okay with that- I'm a victim of that kind of abuse. Still... as a Jedi, we should attempt to find a better alternative. If he does go free... I'd make sure he's completely incapable of sexual assault."

Pakka chuffed and nodded. "As it turns out Jedi Keris, there is an optional punishment if one can establish grounds for leniency- genital removal."

Chaq was muttering to J'kobe, the slightly smaller Trianii's eyes going wide. "<They what?! Just for a threat?!>"

"<The alternative is that we let 1st Sinth Pakka enact the default punishment of execution,>" Kajex reminded him sharply. "<You'd better figure out quick whether or not you can live without your dick for the rest of your life.>" The words brought a look of shame and fear into the Trianii bandit's face, but he jerked his head in a nod. "<I'm with Syrra,>" he added. "<The rest of them did no wrong to us directly.>"

Pakka nodded, pacing between the pack and the prisoners. "<In that case, the 5 of you should consider yourselves fortunate that the Jedi are so merciful- and that I've decided to heed their judgment.>" He paused, his eyes resting on Chaq. "<... Except for you,>" he hissed. "<Your judgment will be determined by the non-Jedi.>"

Chaq spat at the commander's feet, growling at him in Basic. "I will not beg for my life from these mongrels, 1st Sinth. Kunik will judge me rightly."

Of all the people he expected to lash out for his words, Kajex had not expected it to be Talrik- yet he had to struggle to hold the young man back as he tried to rush the kneeling and maimed traitor, the fox snarling at him. "Then let me fuck you up here and now, if you don't expect to suffer in hell!"

"Talrik, no!" Kajex barked.

"He killed you, Kajex!" Talrik shouted as he struggled in Kajex's arms. "He mangled my arm, violated our bond together so he could end your life! He would've had all of us killed, for no other reason than the fact that he hates off-worlders!"

Kajex wrenched him into a tight embrace, just as Locke rushed in and the two of them pulled their hurting younger sibling into a hug- the fox's struggle ceased as he shook with quiet sobs, the dam of emotions that had been building up finally pouring out. It was Locke who spoke, his words gentle and soothing. "I know, Talrik- I felt as you did. I wanted to kill Chaq for what he did to Kajex, but there's no point- he came back to us. And if he hadn't, no amount of bloodshed would have brought him from the dead, nor honored him in any way."

"H-he's the only reason... I'm alive today," Talrik choked out. "If I never did anything for him, paid him back for everything he d-did for me by saving me and my family... if I failed him and didn't end his killer..."

"The only way you could fail any of us is if you stopped being the kit we know and love you for," Kajex cut him off, rubbing behind his ears gently and smiling down at him. "I'd rather you make my death worthwhile by spending your life being happy and doing the right thing, than be miserable just because you couldn't save someone you loved- something I should've realized earlier in my life."

A scoffing noise issued from Chaq. "Hmph... weak. He had the look of it, and this proves it. At least now I see where he got he weakness from- this sick union of mongrel offworlders and invaders, soiling your bloodlines and values, mocking the culture of the Trianii by adopting it- probably raising tails to each other like Surnahm's faggot father!" he finished, spitting at the wolf's feet this time.

"He was probably a better man than you are, Chaq, as every member of the Sentinel's pack clearly is," one of the Trianii said. Kajex raised his eyes to the speaker, Roc'nir- the Trianii Locke had saved, now using a makeshift crutch to stand upright on his remaining leg. "I'd sooner accept a tail-raiser compassionate enough to save an injured Ranger's life through an act of sacrifice; than a murdering traitor who tortures family to assassinate their targets." The rest of the Rangers muttered their agreement and nodded.

"An' as far as him being weak- I saw 'im knock your bitch ass down!" Rook followed up sourly. "Whaddya think that says about a hut'uun bastard like you? I had just enough mercy in me to spare your life, so the Rangers here could deal with you- you deserve far less. Far as I'm concerned, you deserve nothin' but a dagger in your neck."

Locke nodded. "Ours will not be the hand to end your life, even if you did nearly kill my brother- but you should have expected your own people would have felt similarly." He turned to Miles, the Miraluka's face grim. "We already know what Talrik thinks. Rook feels the same. What about you?"

"In the Imperial Military, treason is a capital offense," he said coldly. "The sentence is always death. High treason in the Republic garners the same punishment. But we're not in the jurisdiction of either, so if I have to make a call... then as a friend of the victims I say the fucker should burn. That said, I'm interested in hearing what Trianii Ranger law says he's in for."

"Attempted murder, treason, conspiring with criminals, attempted assassination of an off-world diplomat, administering the Burning- the law says he's earned himself execution thrice over just for the Burning. If Kunik has truly been served today, then she has judged both you and the Sentinel; sending him back after she found you wanting. The only thing keeping you alive right now, Chaq, is that you have yet to tell us who your employer is," Pakka pointed out.

The Trianii traitor's glare was defiant. "And you think having me on my knees and at your mercy will convince me to tell you? I think the Sentinel knows full well who wanted him dead."

"I think we do too," Syrra replied calmly. "But if I know Matriarch Bast at all, she would have had you executed for administering the Burning on my packmate- it disgusts even her. If you must die today, at least demonstrate some modicum of honor- if not Bast, then name your employer."

"Stop wasting my time with your mercy, whore!" Chaq snarled. "I would have _spared _you, and now I see that it was a mistake to think there was anything in you worth saving!"

Though a moment passed where it seemed everyone expected her to retaliate in some way, she said nothing- in lieu of speaking she merely shook her head and sighed sadly, stepping away from the traitor and standing between Kajex and Pakka. With a sidelong glance, the wolf noticed her regarding Chaq with pity, instead of anger. Silence lingered as Pakka turned to his Rangers, all of whom nodded. He looked back to the traitor before finally speaking. "<As is custom, all surviving members of this Ranger unit are present to oversee the judgment of our corrupted brethren. By Kunik's blessings, we are given the right to judge, to be her claws and administer justice. Let our prayer to her be spoken as punishment is passed.>"

The Ranger spoke in unison with the commander, as he stepped forward- but most surprising to them all was Syrra joining with them in their native tongue, reciting the prayer. "<Blessings to Kunik, Goddess of Justice. Righteous are her actions; righteous are her children. Praise to her efforts, her titles, her legacy. She is the God-Ender; The One Who Judges; The Final Shade; She Who Accompanies the Fallen. Her claws kill our foes, and end our own lives in turn.>"

They all paused as Pakka drew a long knife from his belt- yet Kajex noticed that his face held no hint of anger or hatred. Rather, there was a look of pity on his features as he placed the point of the blade against Chaq's throat. The ebon-pelted Trianii glared at Pakka, looking only moments away from speaking- yet he was deprived of that chance, as the commander pierced the traitor's throat and slashed sideways, severing tissue and arteries from one side of his neck to the other. Chaq gurgled violently, shuddering as massive gouts of blood gushed from his wound and fell forward, stirring feebly for only a few seconds.

Then he was still.

"<Blessings to Kunik, who settles all scores.>"

It was decided that the bodies of the criminals be cast into the marshlands, their flesh returned to Kunik as recompense for their sins. For his treason, Chaq was stripped of his armor and uniform before his body was disposed of with a thermite charge. The bodies of the loyal Rangers were recovered soon after, with the newly-restored Kajex lending a hand despite remaining a bloody mess. Though everyone clearly wondered at how the wolf survived, nobody seemed to be in a mood to discuss it; indeed, few words were spoken as the Jedi and Rangers retrieved the fallen and waited Juhty City's medical vessel.

Once it had ferried away the wounded and slain, the survivors triple-checked the facility console to ensure that the temple was devoid of any active dark trooper droids- even then, Talrik and Miles insisted on deactivating the facility's generator and lining the stairwell and cargo lift with motion-triggered mines; while Kajex and Locke had used to Force to collect the largest pieces of rubble they could find to temporarily re-seal the temple's only known entrance. Once finished they returned to the Gold Rush, where Syrra was able to properly tend to Talrik's arm. Though the damage was extensive, she was pleased to see that a combination of bacta and Jedi healing accelerated the fox's recovery, when supplemented with her Healing Crystal of Fire- within an hour Talrik's mutilated arm had been restored nearly to its healthiest state, though it was stiff and painful enough that she provided him a sling to keep it from moving too much more. Fortunately enough, his was the only wound that required tending to; despite her fears that Kajex might have been suffering some form of lingering internal injury, it took only a few moments to see the wolf was almost completely undamaged, leaving her to wonder if he had actually taken any injury at all.

But they were all compelled to believe he'd still been in danger at some level, primarily since he said very little to any of them once they got back on board, beyond stating they should all try to get some rest while he went to go clean up. But when he exited the crew showers, he found them all sitting in the lounge with steaming mugs; tired though they were, nobody wanted to sleep- and Kajex could not blame them. Never had he felt so rattled in his life, that a hot shower and clean robes had done little to soothe his nerves. The nerve of their Force bond was now tender and exposed after Talrik's torture and Kajex's near death. And although the serving of hot chocolate had gone a ways towards soothing them all, there was still healing to be done- and words to be said.

It was Pakka who broke the silence first. "I'm sorry. For everything."

Kajex cocked his head. "I don't understand, Commander. You've nothing to be sorry for."

Pakka shook his head. "All of us were well-aware of Chaq's hatred of you. I never would have imagined he'd stoop so low as to commit murder, but... it should have been me to wait for you topside. I felt that if I let him into the facility, he would only cause trouble. It nearly killed you."

"Don't think like that," one of the Trianii Rangers objected. "Had you waited topside, Chaq would have tried targeting any one of us to get to the Sentinel. By laying his hatred bare, he was able to fool us into assuming his animosity would only go so far- we should have read his intentions more clearly.

"Even Jedi have limitations," Locke agreed. "We are not gods, we cannot read hearts and minds. Chaq took advantage of your loyalty to each other, he's the only one to blame."

Pakka sighed, but nodded. "Maybe you're right... I just hope this hasn't tarnished your perception of the Rangers. I had hoped that we would be working together for a while."

"Who's to say we won't?" Syrra asked with a smile. "Your team was very brave, and before that point they were nothing but polite, willing to work with us."

Kajex nodded. "If you're worried that we'll request another team of Rangers to be assigned to us, you can relax- just find your replacements and well be ready for the next city. Just... be sure to choose well," he added. "Try to make sure they aren't connected to Syrra's mother."

Pakka frowned, looking troubled. "That's the thing I can't figure out. Chaq talked a lot about his family, made it clear he believed the Trianii Rangers should be the ultimate authority of our people." When everyone but Syrra and Kajex looked at him curiously he explained. "Chaq is-- or rather, he was part of a family of Ranger hardliners. There was a time, hundreds of years ago, when the Trianii Rangers were close to defying the yu'nar of our system, feeling they could better lead our people. The sudden appearance of invasion forces brought the Rangers and the yu'nar together, mutually supporting each other. But some Trianii lineages, the older ones in particular, still feel the yu'nar lead poorly- Chaq was one of them."

"What are you getting at?" Keris asked, looking confused. "It's like you're saying that he'd be loyal to the Rangers to a fault, right?"

"Partially, but if he felt we were throwing in with the yu'nar completely I guess I could see him doing it. Yet what I mean to say is that I don't understand how Chaq could be open enough to heed the words of any matriarch," Pakka elaborated. "I think Syrra is right- if Bast hired him, she would not have approved of his methods."

"You think Bast isn't behind this, then?" Syrra asked skeptically.

"I think she is, actually," Pakka admitted. "But I also think some incentive was added for Chaq to accept such a task, something that compelled him agree with a matriarch, to the point of using methods she would have rejected. No way to know now, of course," he added with a sigh.

"So what happens now?" Talrik asked. "With the temple, I mean."

"I already had Rev-- er... our ship AI send Moarn a message," Kajex said, glancing at the currently-inactive holocron as he nearly mentioned Revan. "He told me the Jedi Order got in contact with Master Katarn and he pulled himself off-mission to come here and investigate himself- another knight will pick up his mission."

"Why Katarn?" Locke asked.

"Moarn mentioned yesterday that the Imperial patrols were led by a General Rom Mohc- apparently, Kyle was central to ending one of his projects, probably having to do with these 'dark troopers'," Kajex explained. "Anyway, the Republic will be sending a shuttle of NRI specialists and Jedi with a Ranger escort to collect data and wait for Kyle, while we head back to the Inspired, take a breather, and plot out our next move."

"Another small break after another near-death mission," Talrik muttered.

There was a pause between them- the mention of the attempt seemed to pull the million-credit question into the forefront, yer nobody seemed keen to ask it. Kajex looked between them all, swallowing. He had no intention of hiding what had happened from them, even if it sounded insane- yet the prospect of facing that question made him tremble slightly.

It was, of course, Talrik who asked first. "... How did you survive?"

Another pause, in which the Sentinel didn't answer- but Locke followed it up soon enough. "I want to know too, Kajex. I felt you fade away, perhaps completely. Even if you were at the threshold, you should have... I mean... I can't see how you would have survived."

Syrra leaned into him, slipping her cybernetic paw into his. "You used the Healing Crystals, didn't you?" she asked.

Kajex cleared his throat, looking away. "I did... although... that's not all there was to it. Found out my damn lightsabers won't work if I've used them to heal," he added with a humorless chuckle.

"I was wondering why you opted to use a rifle when you came back," Talrik remarked.

"So... what's the part you're not tellin' us, boss?" Rook asked quietly.

The bittersweet sensation of joy and sadness mixed within him, as he recalled everything that happened.

"... I was ready to die. And the more I think about it, the more I start to feel like maybe I really had died." He traced a finger down his tunic, till it reached his midsection. "Bullet entered here, probably destroyed my stomach, exited the other end. Quick and painful, but only for a few minutes. It got dark and cold... then there nothing. It was like being in a coma again, almost. And I just... waited. For everything in me to end." He paused, his throat tightening. "And... that's when I heard him."

Locke leaned forward, puzzled. "Heard who? Talrik?"

"No." The Sentinel paused, finding it hard to speak. "I heard Bran. My human father."

He waited for the reaction, expecting scoffing, skepticism, or outright dismissal- only to be met with sincerely curious stares. "Go on, hon," Syrra prompted him gently. "You heard him speak to you- what did he say?"

"He... told me to open my eyes. It took a while, but... I did. And I saw him," he added, the words coming easier now. "I saw him as clearly as a static-less hologram, even felt his touch my wrist. He told me to keep still, that Chaq was still looking in my direction. I asked him..." He paused for a moment. "... I asked him what he was doing there with me. He told me he... that he never actually left me. That he had been watching over me- him and Kane."

"Did Kane appear to you too?" Talrik asked, his voice sincere and his ears perked up in interest.

"He did!" Kajex confirmed, finding himself smiling a bit. "They told me death wasn't going to keep them from keeping an eye on me. I thought they were there to maybe... guide me. To become one with the Force, I mean. But when I told them I wanted to come with them, they told me I had to stay. For you guys."

"Your fathers appeared to you as spirits, but rather than ease your transition into the next life, they wanted you to return and safeguard the lives of your pack," Pakka repeated. "Is this what you mean?"

"Yes, and not just for them, either," Kajex confirmed. "They knew about the Black Tomb pack, told me Locke would need my help training them. Told me to use their gift to me and Syrra's education to heal myself. The told me to tell the pack to look out for each other, that they approve of Syrra and that... that they would have been proud to have Locke as a second son."

"... They... would have wanted me?" Locke asked, looking stunned.

There was a long pause now, in which the Sentinel's ears flattened in embarrassment. "I mean... look, I get how batshit crazy that sounds, but... that's what I experienced. I know I can't prove a damn thing about it but--"

"I believe you," Locke said simply.

"So do I," Syrra insisted, squeezing his paw.

"I've already seen some weird crap since I joined this pack," Rook said seriously. "You don't got a reason to lie to us, 'specially about your dads- I think you're bein' straight with all of us."

The Sentinel couldn't quite believe it. "But... I have nothing to prove it."

"You're here," Pakka said simply. "Your pack felt you fading away, you'd taken a slugthrower shot to the stomach, yet you're here. This is not an incident that you would embellish with a flight of fantasy. I know next to nothing of the Force, but I like to think that I know when someone is being honest."

"What happened afterward?" one of the Rangers pressed him.

The Sentinel paused- there was little more to tell. "They just... told me they were proud of me. Then told me to focus. After that, they were... gone." He paused again. "I mean... I don't think they're really gone. Just... beyond perception."

"How are you feeling after that?" Syrra asked.

It took half a minute for him to answer, picking through the slew of emotions he was feeling just in relating this seemingly impossible tale to everyone. "... I regret that I only had a few moments with them," he finally said, "but I was running short on time. Overall... I'm glad they showed up when I needed it- I just wonder why they only showed up now. There were a couple of times when I was close to biting it, and they never did- back on AS-303, when part of the hangar fell on me; on Kurah, after the command tower fell off with me in it; on the Omega-Orr, when Tooem tried cutting my heart out."

Syrra laughed softly, squeezing his paw. "Probably because they knew they didn't need to show up. Probably because they knew there were others around to keep you safe." She gestured to Locke. "Locke and I were there for you on AS-303, even when Locke was technically your enemy, and not your brother; Talrik was watching out for you on Kurah, saving your life at the last moment; and Keris kept you protected on the Omega-Orr, while Rook and Talrik came to save you"

"Syrra's right," Locke agreed with a smile. "Take the right lesson from this, Kajex."

"Which is?"

"That you can trust us to look out for you, the same way we trust you to look out for us," Talrik said abruptly. "And that if it comes to it... your dads will look out for you when we can't."

They had gathered in the lounge feeling somber and exhausted- but now as Kajex picked his mug back up and brought it to his lips, he could feel everyone breathing easier. Nobody had to say a word to know they were all grateful that, at least for one more mission, their family had remained whole.