The Rebel Faction

Asri visibly stiffened and Trazu noticed how her body was trembling.

"Asri?" He called to her.

"I...I can't...." She said, her voice cracking.

"But why?"

"Even if it's true that my nano's can fight the virus....I can't condem my own daughter to the same fate I face...."

"What?" The doctor said, shocked and perhaps a little impatient.

"My nano's are gradually turning me into an inorganic being...a 'living' droid...with the exception of those that know me, anyone that would see me would think I'm nothing more then someone's property. A fancy droid to do their bidding....I can't condem her to that fate...."

"Asri....that's likely years from now." Trazu said. "And there's always a chance the nano's won't go all the way. Besides, you said yourself that Lavality needs to live, otherwise the Seren's will fall apart. The way things stand now....Lavality will die if we don't do something now as we don't have cryo equipement here to preserve her."

Asri sighed and stared at Lavality's prone form on the table infront of her. I dont' want to condem her to my fate....but I don't want to condem her to die either.... She thought as she finally slowly nodded. "Alright...." She said as she Trazu helped her onto the bed as the doctor asked. "This is the hand I had contacted Lavality's virus with....if there's any active in me...that would be the best place to check...." She said, holding that hand up."

Both Asri and Trazu sighed with relief at the results: not only did it mean that Asri wasn't infected with Lavality's virus, it meant that Lavality could finally be cured of her infestation.

"We should go." Trazu said. "And leave them to their work."

"Go ahead...I'm staying." Asri said softly, gazing at Lavality's unconscious form. "In case...they need more of my blood."

Trazu nodded slowly. It made sense, though Trazu suspected that Asri wanted to be by her 'daughter's' side in case it didn't work. "Alright. I'm going to check on how the interrogation is going. I'll be back later."

He watched Asri nod ever so slightly, noticing the worry in her eyes, but also weariness from recent events. Trazu decided that no matter what the result was, he was going to put her to bed after this was over, goddess knows she needed rest.

So he left the clinic and started to head for the arena. As he walked he searched for the spirit's presence and once he found it he contacted it via force telepathy. ~Any news? Or does it look like I'll have to take over?~

Meanwhile in one of the K'Satikur barracks, Silliss was just getting back from patrol when he noticed one of the empty rooms looked to be occupied now. "Did we get a new K'Satikur?" He asked one of his buddies.

"Not likely." The fellow K'Satikur said. "No ones been in the specialized training for some weeks now."

"Hmmm." Silliss said as he openned the door to the newly occupied room. There wasn't much in the way of belongings left in there, but the scent and look of the bags suggested the newcomer was female. He knew then that this couldn't be a new K'Satikur warrior, as they had very few regular warriors that were female and none in the K'Satikur ranks. It wasn't that a female wasn't allowed to try for it, but it's just that all the female warriors they had showed little interest in going through the specialized training. What puzzled him even more though was that he caught the faint scent of his father in the room as well. "My father is here?" He asked.

"Oh yes, that's right. We saw him come in on the Hunter's Way earlier, along with Lord Trazu, Lady Asri...whom looked like she had better days, a human, a couple of kids, an unknown female and Sha'tor Rissonik."

"Unknown female...." Sillisss echoed, glancing back at the room. "Must be her that took this room then, but why put her here and not the visitor's center?"

"While from what little I saw of her, she stuck close to the Vice Admiral Tiosk, even went with him into the manor."

"What did she look like?" Silliss asked curiously.

"Green scaled and I believe she had red eyes."

A frown formed on his lips. "Though vague...it sounds like my mother...which can't be true: she's been dead for years."

"Maybe he picked her up because she resembles her?" His friend offered.

Silliss snarled at that. "As much as I doubt it, it could be possible. Still, father is going to get an ear ful from me. Think I will do so now...."

"I wouldn't suggest it Silliss. We saw Admiral Lavality arrive shortly after they did and she went into the manor as well. From the looks of things they had some important things to discuss."

"Hey guys!" Another warrior said as he came up to him. "Didn't you hear?"

"Hear what?" Silliss asked.

"Tiskus is in the process of 'interrogating' someone that apparently attempted to take Lord Trazu's life. I think he was a former K'Satikur as well...."

"Ouch....I 'almost' feel sorry for the sob."

"Is Lord Trazu alright?" Silliss asked.

"Apparently so, but it looked like it was Lavality that took the hit. She was wheeled into the clinic not long ago and some of her own medics arrived a short time ago. I saw Lord Trazu and Lady Asri go in there as well."

"So I imagine for the time being the meeting is adjorned...." Silliss muttered. "I think I'll go see if I can have a 'word' with my father now..."

Asri nodded slowly. "More like they reproduce themselves I think. I don't know how fast they reproduce, but I do know is that they demand I consume only foods that have the 'materials' they need to do so. Things like liver and blood....stuff that have a lot of 'metalic' elements."

***

Trazu frowned, suddenly not quite so sure he wanted to see the results of Tiskus' 'handywork'. Has to be done... He reminded himself. If we are to prevent any more attacks like this...I have to do this...and pray I don't lose my last meal in the process....

He entered the arena and the tortured man's screams lead him to the room where Tiskus was still working. Upon seeing what Tiskus had done to the man, he had to turn away and force the bile that had rose up into his throat back down where it belonged. When he had control over his stomach, he focused on Tiskus. "Any luck."

"Nay." The cyborg said, disappointment evident in his voice. "I kave to admire kis will, kut we won't get anyking from kim at kis rate."

"Then physical torture won't do..." Trazu said, forcing himself to look at the man, fighting another round with his stomach as a result. Again he frowned, hesitant to proceed. What he was about to do was defiantly dark side material and he really didn't want to step on that road again, even if it was for the greater good. But if what he knows can save lives... He told himself, gritting his teeth. Finally he approached the man, his mind made up. "This is your last chance." He told him. "Either you tell us what you know willingly, or I'll rip it out of your skull via the Force: it won't be painless either. Don't confuse me with a Jedi either...for I was a Dark Jedi first and I am willing to use that knowledge to protect my family if I must. I beg you to coorperate, for your sake!"

***

Meanwhile it was quiet in the manor, with Lavality out of commission for the time being there was really no point to continue the meeting. However they didn't want to go their separate ways either, especially considering they may get some insight on the assaultents employer soon.

"I thought this was an honorable Clan...." Natira finally spoke up. "One that wouldn't stoop as low to perform torture."

"I admit it's not something we are proud of." Rissonik said. "But sometimes it's the only way to get the information we need out of an enemy."

"Couldn't you just have Trazu read his mind?" Natira persisted. "He's a damn Jedi after all!"

Naosha and Rissonik glanced at each other, unable to think of a reason why not as they didn't know about the Force like Trazu did.

"Because to do so would be risking to walk the path of the Dark Side." Rane replied for them. "A path Lord Trazu had walked once before and doesn't desire to walk it again. Reading the mind of an unwilling individual is the same as bugging a comm line or other spy techniques: a grey area that can so easily lead to evil intent."

"But it's for the greater good isn't it?"

"It is yes, but those that had once been on the dark side are more vulnerable to fall to it again. Even those whom never used the dark side before can be tempted to use it again if they end up using it even once. It's a path that can quickly become a very slippery slope."

"So you're saying he could fall again, become a Dark Jedi again."

"It's possible yes. Though he has family to help keep him in check, that in on itself can become a catalyst to the dark side."

"I don't understand...."

"Trazu was very emotional, depressed and distract when the Dark side claimed him the first time." Varcanna explained. "The Dark side is heavily based on the power of ones own emotions if I remember correctly and whatever Dark Jedi found him in that state easily used that against him to turn him. Having an evil chaotic spirit in him didn't help matters."

"Evil...what?"

"The K'Satizitus..." Rissonik said. "Surely you've heard of it."

Natira was quiet a moment as she thought. "Yes...I remember hearing something about it. The Founder of this clan slew it didn't he and the spirit of it possessed the bloodline ever since then?"

"Until recently." Rissonik said. "The spirit has finally be purged from our bloodline for good, so it's evil influence affects us no more."

"I see...." After a moment's silence, she said. "May I be excused a moment? I need to visit the fresher...."

"Of course Natira. It's on the second floor, third door to the left." Naosha replied.

When Natira was gone Tiosk sighed. "I can only imagine just how jumbled her thoughts are right now..." He said.

"Her life was just turned upside down and she needs to find her place in it again." Rane said. "Give her time."

"I just hope her 'place' isn't one that ends up being deteramental to our reformation. But only time will tell...."

Just then someone entered the manor, they expected it to be Trazu with word on Lavality's condition, or perhaps news on what they forced out of the prisoner, however it was not to be. Silliss was standing in the doorway, his eyes firmly set on Tiosk, his father.

"Something tells me he found out about her...." Tiosk grumbled with a sigh before meeting his son's gaze. "What's wrong son?" He asked him.

"Father...." Silliss said cooly. "I heard your brought a female here that seems to resemble mother...I want to know what the story is behind it."

“Because my nanos are slowly converting my whole body into inorganic material.” Asri said, a bit flatly. “Which means they demand the additional resources to do this.” She added quietly. “They even gone as far is ensure my body rejects food that doesn’t meet their ‘requirements’. I’m glad I’m a carnivorous species…it would be hell for one that was a plant eater.”

***

The man started chuckling, even though that had to increase the pain he was in. “You don’t see….do you?” He said, his voice strained due to the pain he was in. “The source of your threat is the reason behind this.”

It took a moment for Trazu to catch on and when he did he scowled. “You’re with those Force Hunters.” He growled.

“We prefer ‘Force Liberators’.” The man said smugly.

“Whatever…you kill Force sensitives for no reason other then your own superstitions.”

“Those with the Force oft use their ‘gifts’ as an advantage over others unfairly.” The man growled. “What chance does a normal T’Doshok have in a hunting competition if one that uses the Force can kill his prey with but a thought? And mind readers like yourself….the temptation to so easily blackmail your way to the top must be great.”

“The ones you think of would be practitioners of the dark side.” Trazu growled. “One trained under the code of the Jedi Order would never think of using such tactics for personal gain.”

“But light can fall to the dark, so why take the chance? We are not going to take any chances.”

“Enough of this.” Trazu growled, tired of debating with this man. “Who is your boss?”

“Even if you ripped it out of me, there are enough of us to keep this going.” The man sneered. “You’ll never find us all.”

“We’ll see about that.” Trazu growled as he seized the man by the head with on hand. Using the Force he forced his way into the man’s mind, aware that the spirit was watching him. Naturally the man resisted, quite well actually, until his mind and body couldn’t take the torment anymore and expired. Trazu snarled with annoyance as he managed to only get one name out of the man: Rosk.

***

Tiosk made a show of scratching his head in apparent confusion, but Silliss wasn’t buying it. “Father I’m in no mood for one of your games.” He warned.

“Alright…alright.” Tiosk said with a sigh. “Yes I did bring a female here and yes she does resemble your mother. But!” He added quickly before Silliss could start going on a tirade. “Not for the reasons you are no doubt thinking.”

Now it was Silliss’ turn to look confused, only genuinely so in this case. “Then….why?”

“This will be a shock to you my son…as it was for me when I found out.” Tiosk said. “Silliss…you have a sister….”

For a long while Trazu simply stared at the lifeless body, his expression gradually changing from one of anger to one of regret. He knew why he felt bad about what he just did: it was against the Jedi Code and likely meant a step backwards on his road to redemption. He was a K’Satikur Warrior. He reminded himself. It wasn’t just his body that was trained to resist pain, but his mind as well….xxtreme measures had to be taken. He sighed. Or am I just trying to make up excuses?

“Dispose of the body.” He told Tiskus before turning and walked out of the room and away from the gruesome scene. “Was there any other way you knew of that could have prevented me from having to resort to this?” He asked the spirit.

***

Asri shook her head. “Once things calm down I’m sure she’ll start getting more rest.” She said as she watched Lavality sleep for a moment. “Speaking of which…I could use a nap myself….” She muttered as she became aware of just how tired she was. The white Trandoshan looked at the bed she was sitting on and went ahead and laid down. She was asleep within moments.

***

Natira had just finished and had stepped out into the stairway when she heard Tiosk tell a much younger Trandoshan, Silliss she presumed by how much she looked like Tiosk, that he had a sister. She hung back as she watched the expression of her brothers face go though a mix of emotions: shock, joy, then finally settling on despair.

“Does this mean you don’t want me anymore father?” Barely caught Silliss asking.

Tiosk looked aghast that he would say such a thing, he even walked up to him and slapped him on the face, to which Silliss stumbled back in shock. “Don’t ever say such a thing again son.” He told him. “Don’t even think it! To do so would tarnish the courage of your mother when she took great risk to her life and your own to bring you to me. Your worth to me hasn’t diminished in the slightest and never will.”

Any other ‘father’ probably would have culled him a long time ago…. Natira thought, starting to wonder if her newly found father was too soft hearted. Still…he’s better then Nakoran… She focused her attention on Silliss again, examining him with a critical eye. Rather lanky, but if he’s constantly sick…I suppose one can’t help that. To live this long with such a condition though must have taken a lot of will, or credits….perhaps both.