The Rebel Faction

"Uhhh...." Trazu looked at the two ships bearing down on them. "Step on the gas and hope we enter hyperspace before we get blown to bits?" He said. "Sorry, piloting is not my thing..."

"I thought I saw a fourth bleep on the radar." Asri said, tapping the screen with a claw. "It's not there now..."

"Kazuk, lets just hope that was just a false read." Trazu said with a frown. "We got enough problems."

***

Meanwhile Vaalm causally strolled through the streets without worry, not knowing nor caring about his former companions fate. Indeed, the moment the firefight broke out he made tracks, seeing the opportunity to remove himself from the Jedi's 'care'. The Tuezo had no desire to be put back in that cell and be forced to feed on bland animal blood and intended to keep it that way.

He was sure he could find another employer here, one with job offers that didn't have anything to do to with Jedi. His recent experience with them was enough to last him the rest of his decades....

Trazu sat down a seat in one of the cabins and yanked the boots off he had been wearing up till this point. Due to the adrenaline from the recent fight he had honestly forgotten he had been wearing them, despite how awkward and uncomfortable they felt. He stretched out his legs and wiggled his toes with relief, vowing to never wear such accursed things ever again. It was then he noticed how quiet Asri was being, as she normally would have made some kind of quip by now. Looking at where she sat across the cabin from him, he saw her staring out the window and knew something wasn't right.

He may not be able to read her mind or detect her feelings via the Force, as she was immune to such things thanks to the nanotech in her system, but he had quickly learned to pick up on the subtle cues in her body language. A brief twich of her bow or in the corner of her mouth, the subtle tensing of her muscles in her lean toned body. The best indicator he found was in her eyes, those dark blue orbs that seemed to scream her inner most thoughts to him. Right now they had a look of confusion, even despair, showing in their depths. With a faint frown he moved to the seat beside her and took one of her hands into his.

"What is wrong?" He asked softly.

It took a moment for her to even realize he had asked her something, not a good sign. When she did she looked at him, uncertainty in those eyes as she evidently was wondering if she should tell him or not. She sighed, her body untensing all at once as she resigned herself to telling him. "That man...the one that hurt Lavality...he...he knew me." She said quietly. "Though I am certain I have never seen him before in my life."

"How did he know you?" Trazu asked, not quite sure what she meant.

"He...not only knew my name, but said I was a...second donor." Came the response, which made Trazu blinked in surprise.

"Second donor...that means...that means they used your DNA for something..."

"Yes...and it means he had a hand in what those scienists did to me." Asri said bitterly. "He even warned that the next time we met it would be 'my' turn. I don't know exactly what he meant by that, beyond what he did to Lavality. I...kind of don't want to know...as I don't know how much he actually knows about what was done to me. If he knows everything...." She visibly shuddered and Trazu rubbed her backcomfortingly.

"I won't let him do anything to you...not while this body still breathes." Trazu said confidently. "Still, this means that Lavality's past and yours are intertwined somewhat. How much so remains left to be seen. Do you remember anything about the lab you were in?"

Another shudder and Trazu felt bad about bringing up such terrible memories for her. "Not much." She replied. "Much of my memory from before the nano's were put in my body is gone. Only scraps of it remain, barely enough to remember who I was and who my family was. Of the lab I only remember the moment my father turned me over to them: even then it wasn't much as I was blindfolded, being stuck in a dark cell for who knows how long, the moment the nanos were put into my body and later on when they thought I was dead and ordered the disposal of my body. It was only by chance I recognized the scientist that came to Corsucant to meet with my employer back then. It was from him I discovered the full extent of what was done to me and I ensured that man never met my employer and to prevent him from reporting back to his superiors that I was alive. That effort seems to be for naught though...as those Bounty Hunters I killed in that hanger had been assigned to a Bounty on me."

Trazu merred at that, accepting the sad likely hood that she’ll be as plagued Bounty Hunters as Lavality is. “Regardless, it looks like we will have to continue to travel with Lavality on her quest for answers as it appears the answers for your situation may be answered along with hers.”

“I’m not sure if I want to know the answers.” Asri said softly.

“But I will be by your side whether you decide to seek the answers or not.” Trazu offered her a smile and Asri smiled faintly back.

Trazu pondered over the information Asri had recently given him as Asri dozed beside him: they would be laying together if the seats didn't have fixed arms. Somewhere out there...a clone of some kind has her DNA. He thought, tapping a claw lightly on the arm of the chair. Why do I get the feeling we may have already 'met' this clone? Trazu sighed and leaned back in his seat. He'd try to use the Force to find the answers, but the Force, even when it was healthy and whole, was rather crypic in what it showed people when it came to the future and the future it showed was only one of many possible ones. He didn't want to risk attempting to foresee anything with the state the Force was in now.

I wonder how Master Dolash is doing with his investigation. He thought, remembering when he guilded Dolash and his new apprentice to the caves he found the Force imbued sphere. That experience had been less then pleasent and rather frightening. What would happen if the Force 'died'? He didn't want to know...

A knock on the door thankfully drew him out of his thoughts of doom and gloom and he heard Maskis' voice on the other side: beside him Asri stirred to full alertness. Feeling lazy, he used the Force to open the door. "What is it?" He asked.

"To be honest..." Asri replied. "I think it was his mere presence rather then what he said that got her so mad."

"She did say he was supposed to be dead." Trazu added as he read the contents of the pad. "And I would be upset too if some one I know I killed came back to life."

"As I told you before he called her by a different name at first: Sharia." Asri continued. "He also warned she couldn't come near him without injuring herself. He had some type of pad in his hand as well when she rushed him."

"Did he?" Trazu asked and he handed her the pad. "A remote maybe?

Asri was quiet for a moment as she read the pad's contents for herself. "This sounds like some sort of nano....tech..." The last word came out slowly as the realization hit her. If she wasn't already white she would be now. "Oh goddess..."

"What is it?"

"This must be what he meant." Asri said, her hand shaking. So much so that she dropped the pad, which Trazu caught before it hit he ground. "With his warning that I would be next. If that pad is a remote control for nanotech..."

"But your's are rogue aren't they?" Trazu asked, both of them forgetting Maskis was in the room for a moment. "So any control device would be useless unless they some how got a sample of their rogue programing."

"I don't know...I just don't know." Asri said putting her face into her hands. "They could have done 'anything' to me while I was out cold, before I was pronouced dead. Ziss...it may have been what they intended in the first place! That would explain a lot...like why they didn't incinerate my body instead of just dumping me in a junkyard. They must have known there would have been salvagers and squatters there for me to 'feed' on and why I always got the feeling I was being pursued until I met that Sith: they were following me...watching me."

"Asri...you are letting your imagination go wild." Trazu said, rubbing her arm. "Everything we said beyond the certain is assumptions, guess work. Nothing is certain right now, not even what caused Lavality's knee to shatter. When we get to a medical center and have her looked at we may find out for sure. In the mean time...try not to let the uncertain stress you."

The moment they landed Trazu felt something was wrong, the Force warning him that things are not as they should be here. He tapped into the Force, bringing up the what he called 'mist vision', allowing him to see beyond the shuttle walls without exiting the shuttle. Everything was misty, hense the name he gave it, but though this he could not only see beyond the shuttle, but the intent and general state of mind of the occupents of the hanger bay.

There is a lot of fear... He thought as he swept his mental eye around the hanger. Pushing further out, he found the source: there were humanoids in the base that showed up as dark blobs of mist, meaning they had dark intentions. This base had been taken over by a traitorous faction.

"Asri." He said, dropping the mode and returning to normal vision. "Stay by Lavality's side, let no one get near her besides myself and Maskis."

The White Trandoshan nodded and retreated back to Lavality's cabin, shutting herself within it. If anyone forced their way in they were going to get a nasty surprise.

Just then the medics came on board and Trazu spread his arms, blocking their path. "I am sorry..." He said. "But I cannot let you go any further."

"But we need..." One of the medics protested.

"I know, but this place is infested with those of ill intent." Trazu said, sensing that these medics were honest but simply afraid for their lives.

"You know...but...how?"

In answer, Trazu pulled back his cloak and showed his lightsaber and the light of hope flashed in their eyes. "It would be fool hardy of me to attempt to eliminate all of the traitors here." Trazu told him. "Not with the Admiral's life at stake. Do you have everything you need for basic medical care on you?"

"Yes, pain medication, steriods: basic stablisation stuff." One of the medics replied.

To this Trazu nodded. "She is in a lot of pain right now, so please relieve it." He escorted them to her cabin, but before he let them in he called out. "Asri, two medics coming in: they are clean."

The door opened and the medics jumped back at the sight of Asri, who sneered briefly at them in warning before letting them in. Once the door was shut again and knowing Asri will ensure they don't try to double cross him, though he was certain they wouldn't, he headed for the ramp and called out to Maskis in their native tongue.

~This place is invested with evil.~ He said. ~We need to leave...now!~ He looked at the guard, who looked really nervous now. "If you truly believe in the Seren's purpose..." He said to him, so low that only the guard and Maskis heard. "You would fight and give your life for it. Do not let 'them' keep you in fear, for if you let them use your fear against you then they have already won."