"9"^^ . . "23"^^ . "20"^^ . "Force Exile IV: Guardian/Part 2"@en . "18"^^ . . "7"^^ . "5"^^ . "3"^^ . . "1"^^ . . "Spectre stepped into the ring slowly. It was illuminated barely from above and he was barely more than a silhouette to his opponent, who stood on the other end of the ring. He wore only a pair of light pants, and his hard, muscular torso was evident even in the dim lighting. As he moved, muscles rippled, highlighting the scars etched across his sturdy frame. Every step was purposeful, every motion determined. He stared resolutely across the ring at his opponent, boring his coal-black eyes into them. However, whether deliberately or not, his opponent refused to face him, refused to acknowledge his presence or the threat he posed. At an unspoken signal, he darted forward, metal slapping into flesh as Spectre\u2019s hands wrapped around the silvery hilt of a lightsaber. The golden blade sprang into existence, the sizzling energy blade scything through the air as he ran up to cleave his opponent from shoulder to spine. At the last instant, though, she turned to present a thinner profile to him, her dark auburn hair billowing out behind her. Instead of slicing through her, his blade narrowly grazed her back as she struck at the nerve cluster in his arm. He absorbed the hit and slid past her, whirling for a quick horizontal slash at her midsection. She folded in on her own spine, collapsing so again the humming lightsaber missed her by centimeters. She was not prepared for combat, he saw, wearing a long, flowing dress of some light blue, silky material that clung loosely to her body, and she bore no weapon. Spectre landed lightly on the balls of his feet, recovering from his second stroke, and saw that she had backed off a few meters, set in a combat stance despite the cumbersome clothing she wore, but still unarmed. Her face, beautiful of appearance, was set resolutely, and he realized that his surprise assault had failed. Instead, he opened his mind to arcane powers, drawing on what most people might consider unnatural. Tendrils of power wove from his mind around her, seeking to lift her, hurl her across the room, but they met with a steely defense from her own mind as she channeled her own abilities into deflecting his attempts to use telekinesis. However, he poured Force energy into the attack, slowly breaking down her resistance. He could sense her trembling vaguely with the exertion and her left foot, planted behind her, started slipping. Suddenly, he broke through her will, strong though it was, and she flew back to tumble head-over-heels and skid roughly along the ground. The Force was with him once more, and he continued the attack, only to find she had somehow slipped out of the telekinetic grasp he had on her. Changing tactics, he once again rushed her, blade at the ready, only to find something blocking the way: a silver-white lightsaber blade. Somehow, she had produced a lightsaber of her own, this one glowing at both ends with a pair of radiant pearlescent beams to form a deadly saberstaff, and blocked his blow again and again. The counter-attack came quickly, viciously at him, but he planted his feet and batted it away. For all her speed, he had more power, and he rained blows down on the whirling saberstaff, always driving her back, always on the attack. The Force guided his movements and he saw where she was going before she actually made the movement, and he welcomed its insights, its aid to his already formidable combat prowess. He pushed her back into a solid stone wall, his blade seeking her flesh, but always denied as the two lightsabers clashed, gold on silver, with the characteristic humming, crackling, and crashing sounds of lightsaber combat. She was infinitely cool, infinitely calm of expression, appearing almost distant, and that control was what he sought to break. He had to see into her mind, to understand how she thought, to defeat that unflappable defense, and suddenly, he knew how to do it. Even as their blades locked again, he released his left hand and gestured off into the distance. Out of nowhere, a small pottery fixture hurtled out of the darkness towards her, aimed at her head, but Spectre had left him open. She disengaged and worked her blade through a complicated Form III defensive velocity that would whip across his right wrist, except for one thing: Spectre had anticipated her move. Even as she went into the velocity, Spectre had already dropped his telekinetic focus on the pot, and it fell to the ground with a clatter as it rolled across the ring. At the same time, he transferred his lightsaber to his left hand, held in a back-hand grip, and slashed it ever so lightly across her midsection. She gasped with pain and surprise as the heat of the blade hit her flesh, even the simple exhalation laden with disappointment and shock. Spectre backed off and thumbed his blade switch, causing his blade to disappear back into the hilt. \u201CYou lose,\u201D he said simply, sweat pouring down his glistening body. \u201CThat I do,\u201D the woman said, clutching at the wound. \u201CBut a good match nonetheless, for both of you,\u201D said a third voice out of the shadows. A slight mental exertion later and glowpanels recessed into the stone ceiling flickered on, revealing the full training area and the equipment it held, as well as the previously hidden speaker, Selusda Kraen, as well as Sarth and Cassi, who had watched the duel silently. \u201CAre you hurt, Milya?\u201D Selu asked. \u201CNo, not at all,\u201D she said. \u201CJust a slight burn from the training saber, and not even that bad of one anyway.\u201D \u201CI\u2019ll be the judge of that,\u201D Selu said, reaching through the rent in his dress to lay his palm on the burn. The Force flowed through his fingertips, exploring and sensing the injury, but though it ran from hip to navel, it was less severe than he burns from the training sabers sometimes were-barely second-degree, he figured. It would heal quickly. \u201CNo, nothing serious,\u201D he said. \u201CIt\u2019ll just sting for a little bit.\u201D \u201CI told you,\u201D Milya said, brushing a sweat-soaked strand of hair out of her face. \u201CIt\u2019s just a slight burn. Just be a little gentler until it heals, okay?\u201D \u201CI think I can handle that,\u201D Selu said. Straightening back up, he turned back to the others. \u201CGood match overall,\u201D he said. \u201CAll things considered, I think you both did well.\u201D \u201CWell?\u201D Milya asked incredulously. \u201CHe beat me into a wall and then sucker-sliced me.\u201D \u201CTrue,\u201D Spectre said. \u201CBut don\u2019t forget that you started unarmed, your back turned to me, and in a ridiculous piece of clothing.\u201D \u201CHow could I forget?\u201D Milya said with mock indignation, holding up the shred of dress that had used to cover her belly before Spectre\u2019s slice. \u201CYou utterly ruined my dress.\u201D \u201CGood thing it\u2019s scrap then,\u201D Cassi put in wryly. \u201CHe\u2019s got a good point,\u201D Selu said. \u201CYou were put at a dramatic disadvantage from the start, and you did okay. There is one thing that puzzles me, though. Spectre, this entire training session, you\u2019ve been able to use the Force, but you told me otherwise during the battle.\u201D Spectre sighed and wiped his hand across his brow, looking around for an answer. However, the weights, gymnastics apparatus, and shelves of training equipment that lined the practice room did not offer up an answer to the perplexed ex-ARC. Given a problem, he would normally study it, break it down, and find its weak spots before attacking its source. However, this problem was intermittent, elusive, and seeming incorporeal, as he lacked a basis from which to commence his study of it. It was an enigma to him, and no amount of thought had afforded him any insight into it. \u201CI can\u2019t explain it,\u201D he said. \u201COn that Star Destroyer, I felt like there was a blanket, a buzzing in my head, preventing me from touching the Force-but here, here I can use it without a problem.\u201D \u201CMaybe it was the disturbances in the Force caused by the deaths that occur in battle,\u201D Cassi suggested. \u201CThat could be it.\u201D \u201CPossibly,\u201D Sarth remarked. \u201CBut it could also be because of the generally stronger ambient Force aura on Yanibar.\u201D \u201CI know,\u201D Spectre said. \u201CThere just aren\u2019t any clear answers to the problem. But this is what I know-if I can\u2019t use the Force in combat, it\u2019s not going to do me much good.\u201D \u201CNonsense,\u201D Selu countered. \u201CThe Force is more than just a tool-,\u201D \u201CYes, yes,\u201D Spectre said wearily. \u201CWhat I meant is that combat is when I rely on it the most, for better or for worse. That\u2019s when it comes down to life or death, to me catching the blaster bolt on my lightsaber or in the chest. I just don\u2019t know.\u201D \u201CIt is a mystery,\u201D Sarth admitted. \u201CBut we\u2019ll figure it out.\u201D \u201CI hope so,\u201D Spectre said. \u201CI\u2019m not sure what else to think. I\u2019ve placed myself through grueling Matukai training since we got back in hopes of reinforcing my connection to the Force, and if anything, I feel stronger in it than ever. I can lift objects with my mind as easily as I ever could.\u201D \u201CThat\u2019s for sure. You owe me a flower pot,\u201D Milya interrupted jokingly. \u201CI think you cracked it.\u201D \u201CPut it on my tab,\u201D Spectre said with a wry smile, but then his expression and voice returned to their earlier grave natures. \u201CBut on that Star Destroyer, on certain other times when we\u2019ve discreetly fought the Empire, I\u2019ve felt almost blind to it, or at least smothered.\u201D \u201CCassi and Sarth could be right,\u201D Selu said. \u201COr there could be some other explanation. There\u2019s still Revan\u2019s tower. You haven\u2019t been back yet.\u201D \u201CI know,\u201D Spectre said. \u201CI haven\u2019t had time for that.\u201D \u201CIs that all?\u201D Selu asked. \u201CI sense some unease in your response.\u201D \u201CLeave it to you to not let the issue rest,\u201D Spectre said with a sour look. \u201CI just don\u2019t want to go all the way out to Wild Space to hear \u2018Sorry, your gift is leaving you slowly.\u2019\u201D \u201CThat might not be the answer,\u201D Cassi countered. \u201CShe\u2019s right,\u201D Selu said. Milya walked up to Spectre and laid her hand on his arm. \u201CPlease,\u201D she said. \u201CMake the time. Talk to Revan and the others. Find out what\u2019s wrong. For all of our sakes.\u201D He looked at her for a minute, and then relented. \u201CAll right. I\u2019ll go-but only after you get back from the trip,\u201D he said to Milya. \u201CDon\u2019t want most of the Guard\u2019s hierarchy to be gone and have Selu mess everything up.\u201D \u201CFunny,\u201D Selu replied, smirking at Spectre\u2019s joke, but then he joined the others in laughing good-naturedly at the teasing. \u201CHow long will you be gone?\u201D Sarth asked. \u201CI haven\u2019t been keeping up with all the planning.\u201D \u201CWe\u2019ll be gone for two weeks,\u201D Milya said. \u201CI know Rhiannon can\u2019t wait to go.\u201D \u201CIt\u2019ll be good for both of you,\u201D Cassi said. \u201CMother and daughter, spending some alone together.\u201D \u201CYeah,\u201D Milya replied. \u201CForce knows I never have time for that around here, especially with Selu running me into the ground with all this training for the trip. You know, Selu, we\u2019re not going on the trip to practice being assaulted.\u201D \u201CHey,\u201D Selu answered. \u201CI\u2019m just trying to make sure you\u2019re prepared in case anything does happen, Force forbid.\u201D \u201CNothing wrong with precautions,\u201D Spectre remarked. \u201CIndeed,\u201D Selu said. \u201CLet\u2019s go ahead and stretch down.\u201D Slowly, he led the five of them through a series of cooldown exercises and stretches designed to transition them from the high-intensity workout and sparring they had been doing for the past two hours, down to the normal heart rate and muscular activity of their day-to-day lives. They didn\u2019t often get to train like this due to their schedules, but they had specially made time to make their way to the large training room underneath Selu\u2019s and Milya\u2019s house, connected to all of their houses by underground passageways. Once they bid farewell to the others, Selu led Milya back up the staircase and through the thick blast doors-another security feature-back into their bedroom. A ten by six meter room, it was dominated by their sizable bed, but also contained wall-mounted storage units, a single dresser and a pair of desks, one for each of them. A small refresher station adjoined the room, as did a decently sized closet that contained a secret escape panel. Milya had decorated it after they had moved in, and Selu had had no objection to that. From his time in the Jedi Order, he had little use for personal possessions, with the few things he did possess resting largely on his stone desk. \u201CStrange,\u201D Selu mused as he closed the door behind Milya. \u201CSpectre had no problem using the Force. Did you sense anything differently about him during your match?\u201D \u201CNo,\u201D Milya said. \u201CThere wasn\u2019t anything unusual at all about him. He\u2019s a little older and out of practice, so that might weaken him some, but he seemed as strong as ever, stronger since he started working with Adept Tashbed on those Matukai drills even.\u201D \u201CI know,\u201D Selu said. \u201CThat\u2019s what\u2019s odd. Yet he seemed so weak on the Star Destroyer . . .\u201D \u201CWe\u2019ll figure it out,\u201D Milya said as they entered the refresher station adjoining their bedroom. \u201CHow\u2019s your stomach?\u201D Selu asked. \u201COh, it\u2019s fine,\u201D she replied flippantly. \u201CAre you sure?\u201D Selu said, layering his voice with innuendo. Coming behind her, he wrapped his arms around her slim body in a lover's embrace and buried his head in the disheveled mass of curly dark auburn locks as he spoke softly into her ear. \u201CIf you like, I could make it feel better.\u201D \u201CIn that case,\u201D Milya said flirtatiously. \u201CI think I\u2019m in considerable anguish and anything you could do to relieve that pain would be greatly appreciated.\u201D \u201CWell, first, I\u2019m going to have to take a look,\u201D Selu said, sliding his hands around her waist. He pulled her close, pushing her hair out of her face as he did so. Their lips met of their own accord, and nothing in the galaxy could tear them apart. Milya\u2019s arms snaked around Selu\u2019s neck as they prolonged the kiss as long as possible. Her eyes closed with sheer pleasure as she savored his taste. Finally, they broke. \u201CHow was that?\u201D Selu asked softly, his lips still barely brushing hers. \u201CPretty good,\u201D Milya said. \u201CI think I might need another dose, though.\u201D And then they kissed again, the expression of the pure and fully reciprocated love between them. Their marriage had endured for years but they still found new ways to express the passion that the other brought to their life. Milya had fully relaxed into the kiss, her eyes still shut, when slowly something started shimmering in her vision. She was vaguely puzzled at first, but refused to be distracted from the sensation of Selu\u2019s lips against hers. However, the image swam more strongly into her mind, no matter how hard she tried to push it from her. Suddenly, involuntarily, she forgot all about Selu, all about their romantic moment, as her conscious mind was swept away to an entirely different setting, one that starkly contrasted with the intimacy she had been experiencing only minutes prior. She was standing alone on a grassy plain that stretched as far as the eye could see. The slender brown stalks of grass were up to her waist and the landscape appeared largely desolate. The sky was a pretty blue color, but she knew it wasn\u2019t Yanibar. It didn\u2019t smell or sound like that world. It didn\u2019t feel like Yanibar. She walked forward uncertainly, unsure of her surroundings, unsure of how her consciousness had been transported here. The wind blew gently across the endless steppe and rippled across the fields, tugging at her hair as she walked. It was strangely quiet otherwise, but Milya had the sense she was not unaccompanied. Acting on instinct, she turned to see a diminutive gray-skinned alien standing before her. \u201CWho are you?\u201D she asked. The creature said nothing, but gestured at her hand, as if wanting to see it. Milya looked uncertainly at it-him?-and again the alien gestured at her hand. The look in his eyes was one of curiosity, but yet she felt vaguely uneasy with him. Finally, as if perplexed by her refusal, the creature hissed, and then turned to look over his shoulder behind him. Milya\u2019s eyes followed his gaze to find that the ominous black-armored figure of Darth Vader, the Dark Lord of the Sith and Palpatine\u2019s main enforcer, had materialized to stand behind the alien, stretching out his gloved fist to offer an ebony-hilted lightsaber to the alien. As Milya watched, the alien bowed before Vader and then accepted the weapon. Vader, silent as a stone except for his artificially filtered stentorian breathing, then pointed in her direction. Horrified, she watched as the alien turned on her, its dark eyes glinting. The lightsaber blazed to life as he lunged, the crimson-red blade stabbing through her-and then everything began spinning into a vortex of darkness. Milya saw stars faintly and then total darkness. When she awoke, there was something dark, warm, and heavy on her head. Fluttering her eyes, she looked up and realized it was Selu\u2019s hand. She was lying on her bed and Selu was standing over her with an alarmed look on his face. \u201CWhat happened?\u201D he asked. \u201CI\u2019m not quite . . . sure,\u201D she said, slowly at first as her mind tried to reorient itself from her dizzying experience. \u201CI think it was a vision.\u201D \u201CWhat did you see?\u201D Selu inquired. \u201CI was on a planet, somewhere I\u2019ve never been before. There was grassland as far as I could see, dull brown grass. And then there was this alien there . . .\u201D \u201CWhat species?\u201D \u201CI don\u2019t know,\u201D Milya said. \u201CIt was small, maybe a meter and a half, with gray skin. Bipedal for sure and probably predatory, but I can\u2019t say beyond that.\u201D \u201CWhat did the alien do?\u201D \u201CHe just stood there at first, gesturing at my hand. I couldn\u2019t tell what he wanted. I don\u2019t know how long he stood there, but then Darth Vader appeared behind him.\u201D \u201CVader?\u201D Selu said sharply. Having been at the Jedi Temple when Vader had begun his reign of terror as a Sith Lord, the name did not conjure up pleasant recollections for him. \u201CYes. The alien looked at Vader, who gave him a lightsaber. He took it and charged me and then-then everything went black.\u201D \u201CWas that all?\u201D Selu asked gently. \u201CYes, that was it. I\u2019m sure,\u201D Milya said. \u201CHow long was I out?\u201D \u201CJust a few seconds,\u201D Selu said. \u201CI figured something was wrong when your eyes rolled back into your head and you went limp. You had me worried for a minute. Are you okay?\u201D \u201CI\u2019m fine,\u201D she replied. \u201CJust a little dizzy. More worried about what that vision means.\u201D \u201CSo am I,\u201D Selu affirmed grimly. \u201CPlease, please tell me this wasn\u2019t Force-related. That it was just something you ate, or that it\u2019s in the distant future.\u201D \u201CI wish I could,\u201D Milya said, shaking her head. \u201CBut we both know that\u2019s not true. Why do you ask? You haven\u2019t had problems with my visions before.\u201D \u201CWell, you usually don\u2019t see impending doom,\u201D Selu replied. \u201CAnd more disturbingly, while the future might not be fixed, you\u2019re pretty good at sensing it. Must be that whole seer thing.\u201D \u201CIs it that bad?\u201D Milya said. \u201CIt could be,\u201D Selu said worriedly. \u201CHow urgent did your vision feel?\u201D \u201CI\u2019m not sure, Selu. It all happened rather fast.\u201D \u201CIt\u2019s important. Could you get a reference time?\u201D he said doggedly. \u201CNo, I . . . no. I wasn\u2019t wearing a chrono or anything and there wasn\u2019t anyway to tell.\u201D Selu sighed, a hint of exasperation creeping into his voice. Exhaling deeply, he tried again. \u201CHow did it feel? Did it feel urgent?\u201D he said. \u201CDon\u2019t focus on the vision itself. Focus on how it made you feel. We know it\u2019s in the future. The question is, how far?\u201D Milya closed her eyes again, trying to tap into the Force for insight. The threads of energy began weaving together in her mind, crisscrossing and interconnecting to form a complex pattern of emotion related to the vision. Her senses stretched out to sample the subtle flavors and currents of the Force, investigating and probing for more information, reaching out to reconnect to the sensations she\u2019d felt during her vision. Then suddenly, she had it-the feelings she had experienced during her premonition-and what she felt sent a chill down her spine. \u201CIt felt urgent,\u201D she said slowly. \u201CVery urgent.\u201D \u201CThat\u2019s what I\u2019m afraid of. That\u2019s what I\u2019m afraid of.\u201D \u201CWhat does it mean?\u201D Milya said, sitting up and sensing the worry in Selu\u2019s voice. \u201CWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201D \u201CIt means we have to find that alien soon-before Vader does,\u201D Selu said staunchly. \u201CI\u2019m sure of it.\u201D \u201CHold on, Selu,\u201D Milya interjected. \u201CThe future isn\u2019t fixed. I could be wrong about this. Maybe Vader won\u2019t ever find this being. Maybe he won\u2019t join Vader.\u201D \u201CMaybe,\u201D Selu replied slowly as he turned to look her directly in the eyes. \u201CBut I doubt it.\u201D \u201CWhy?\u201D The look in his face changed as he considered his answer; to Milya, he seemed to grow ashen, as if preparing to deliver news of an impending catastrophe or had been completely horrified. When he spoke, his voice was but a hoarse whisper. \u201CBecause I saw the same thing not two days ago.\u201D Somewhere in the Outer Rim, near Bespin The war fleet glided through the mottled starry blackness of deep space with quiet menace, seventeen ships in all. The formations lacked the rigid precision of that of the Galactic Empire, but this was no Rebel fleet either. No, idealistic vagabonds fighting against a tyrannical government were not to be found in their hard-bitten crews. The ships themselves were largely smallish affairs, but armed to the teeth and emblazoned with the same insignia. The thousands of tons of metal and machinery of those ships were instead guided by a mind devoted almost fully to selfish ambition, to the subtle twisting of worlds to suit his purposes. That mind was filled with grand schemes and ruthless determination. It was known for undertaking suicidal missions with a cool air, and for an absolutely merciless attitude. Its owner was well familiar with the arts of persuasion, bribery, and fully appreciated the beauty of a subtle knife-stroke into an unsuspecting back. While its owner hadn\u2019t always luxuriated in such a large and overt war machine, that mind had been strengthened, made more resourceful, by the hardships and challenges of lacking brute strength. It was a devious mind, a cunning mind, a mind seeking nothing further than to invisibly extend its threads of influence across the galaxy in a web of durasteel. That mind belonged to Tyber Zann. The leader of the Zann Consortium, Zann had styled himself as the reigning criminal of the galaxy for some time now, backed by his hulking Talortai lieutenant Urai Fen and, more recently, the Nightsister witch Silri, skilled in use of the dark side of the Force. Having secured his release from a miserable Kessel prison some time before, the crime lord was now secure in his power. With the aid of Fen, he built the Zann Consortium into an organization that rivaled the size of a Hutt cartel and even challenges Prince Xizor\u2019s Black Sun organization. Since his release, he embarked on a quest of galactic domination-yet domination is not the right word, for Tyber Zann did not style himself as the next Palpatine. He did, however, wish to make sure that his organization is the biggest akk dog in the underworld. Now, aboard a heavily modified Corellian Engineering Corporation Interceptor-class frigate, Zann plotted his next conquest from his sequestered lair on the cramped ship. The room was small, quiet, and dimly lit, filled with consoles that linked the crime lord to various databanks and operations across the galaxy. A simple rattan leather chair was sufficient to let him pore over his operations in silence, allowing him to concentrate. His holoscreen flickered as he scanned over hundreds of files, looking for the next daring raid for the Zann Consortium to undertake. His dark eyes, surrounded by long locks of silvery hair, darted back and forth across the display. At the moment, his mind was preoccupied with his chief rival: Xizor, the Falleen head of Black Sun. In Zann\u2019s mind, any next step for the Consortium must include a way to somehow discredit or destroy Xizor and weaken Black Sun-preferably without looking obvious. Entranced to the point of being fully engrossed by the display, he didn\u2019t notice the entrance of a sizable alien warrior; not even the opening and closing of the door averted his attention. \u201CWhat is our next move?\u201D the new arrival asked in a low rasp from the shadowy doorway. His name was Urai Fen, a vastly experienced and talented warrior of the Talortai race and for reasons that nobody knew or dared divulge, utterly loyal to Zann. He was Zann\u2019s chief lieutenant and stood by the crime lord\u2019s side when no one else would. Their understanding, and even friendship, was such that they did not bother with honorifics, nor did they need to. Such things might be the way of hierarchical societies like the Empire or the despotism of Black Sun, but Zann had little use for them. Having been rejected by-or rejecting-the Empire years earlier, he had no love for them. Nor did he have much love for anything. That would take room away from the ruthless pragmatism thrumming inside his skull tirelessly. \u201CXizor, in his never-ending cunning, has hired us for a little jaunt to Bespin,\u201D Zann replied smoothly. His voice was roughened with age and a hard life, but there was iron in it, an unquenchable resolution in all his words, coated with a smooth register that was deceptively innocuous. \u201CHe hired us?\u201D Urai inquired quizzically. It was no secret among the elite of the underworld that Zann had no great love for Black Sun, and the feeling was mutual. In fact, Zann and Xizor, the Fallen prince of Black Sun, were constantly scheming against the other. \u201CNo doubt it\u2019s a trap,\u201D Zann replied nonchalantly. \u201COr else, he is far too distracted playing power politics with the Empire to see our true nature.\u201D \u201CThat would be most unlike him. He has proven talented in the past,\u201D Fen observed. \u201CIndeed, but not quite talented enough. Regardless of what his motives are, we\u2019re going to set a trap for him this time. All we need to know is what he expects.\u201D The crime lord sat quietly, concentrating, and Urai gave no reply. The Talortai warrior knew from long experience that Zann would share his thoughts when he was ready to. He shifted his weight from one foot to another, patiently waiting. \u201CI have it,\u201D Zann said, smiling with pleasure. \u201CI know what Xizor\u2019s plan is.\u201D \u201CWhat is it?\u201D Urai asked. \u201CHe wants us to harm the Empire\u2019s operations, so his own company, Xizor Transport Systems, will be asked to transport tibanna gas from Bespin while the Empire tries to recoup its losses. We\u2019ll take the fall and subsequent Imperial retaliation, and he\u2019ll take both the Empire\u2019s business and the tibanna we steal.\u201D \u201CHow do we turn on the tables on him?\u201D Urai asked, his eyes glittering in the dim light. \u201CSimple,\u201D Zann answered after a minute more of thought. \u201CWe do exactly what Xizor once, except that we frame him for it. That way, when the Empire goes after him, we get the tibanna, and our payment. That\u2019ll give us enough credits to acquire some real ships, not this undersized barge. Maybe our Mandalorian friends on Kedalbe can come up with something adequate.\u201D \u201CWhat of Xizor?\u201D \u201CIn return, he gets the wrath of Palpatine.\u201D The Talortai chuckled. \u201CI suspect that he will know all too well what happens to those who cross the Emperor directly.\u201D \u201CIndeed. I would imagine that, if his species experiences dread, he will cross new thresholds when he discovers what has happened.\u201D \u201CIf he finds out at all,\u201D Urai remarked. \u201COf course,\u201D Zann said, smiling thinly. \u201CPrepare a small force to head down to Bespin. We won\u2019t need the fleet. Just a few soldiers, some vehicles. Make sure they can fit inside a few disguised shuttles.\u201D \u201CIt will be done. The Empire will have no idea we\u2019re there until it is too late,\u201D Urai replied, giving his longtime partner the Talortai equivalent of a smile. \u201CBy the time you\u2019ve finished picking the assault force, I\u2019ll have come up with a plan for accomplishing all our objectives. We\u2019ll need to be careful with this, Urai. One slip-up, and both the Empire and Black Sun will know what we\u2019ve done.\u201D \u201CHave I ever failed you before?\u201D \u201CWe both know the answer to that.\u201D \u201CThen success will be ours.\u201D The Talortai gave Zann a curt nod and headed out the door. Once he was gone, though, Zann returned his focus to the glowing screens, pulling up details of Bespin\u2019s Cloud City, formulating and fomenting ideas of conquest for hours at a time. By the time he was finished, he knew exactly how to approach the challenge. He smiled. Thoughts of victory always brought that expression to his face. In only a few short days, Black Sun would be utterly discredited and the Zann Consortium\u2019s rise to power would be a few more vital steps along. Tierfon Base Hasla Almani gingerly eased her cramped and aching body out of the confined spaces of the simulator cockpit. An Arkanian in her mid-twenties, Hasla\u2019s average height and slim figure helped pass her off as several years younger, but gave her looks occasionally described to her as attractive. Not that she cared right now. Having just finished a harrowing three hours in the sim, she was looking forward to a nice hot shower to remedy her disheveled appearance and then maybe find something to eat. Her stomach rumbled at her. Make that definitely something to eat. Exiting the simulator, she pulled off her flight helmet to reveal her silver skin and pale gray chin-length hair, which was currently tied in a small ponytail behind her head. She loosed the tie holding the tangled mass together and her hair fell down loosely around her face, damp with perspiration. Hasla headed back to her quarters-reasonably spacious since her usual roommate was in the infirmary with a mild case of the Balmorra flu. She walked purposefully through the pilot\u2019s lounge, a moderately-sized room filled with tables and chairs for off-duty or soon-to-be-on-duty pilots to relax and wait. One end was dominated by a small bar manned by a pair of service droids where starfighter pilots could get various forms of liquid refreshment once they were done with flying for the day. The walls were covered with bright posters to offset the dull gray walls. One of them had a pilot in full flight regalia superimposed on an image of Alderaan with \u201CWe Remember Alderaan!\u201D splashed across it in red letters. Another had a grim-faced picture of the Emperor staring at a hologram of an X-wing, with a caption that read \u201CHe\u2019s not laughing now!\u201D on it. It was a place of camaraderie, of escape from the grueling and death-defying life of a starfighter pilot in the Rebel Alliance, on a base where quite often someone \u201Cdidn\u2019t make it back\u201D and funerals were all too common. As she walked, Hasla heard someone whistle loudly and conspicuously at her as she walked by. It wasn\u2019t the first time someone had done that to her-female pilots were rather rare on Tierfon Base-but for some reason, she decided to play along. Somewhat bemused at how anyone would find a shapeless orange flight suit and utterly mussed hair attractive, she turned to regard the whistler, a Human male with dark blond hair wearing a flight suit and what he imagined was a suave expression on his face, flanked by a pair of his friends, also male Humans and evidently starfighter jockeys as well. \u201CWhat\u2019re you whistling at, flyboy?\u201D she asked casually. \u201CI couldn\u2019t tell quite tell,\u201D the man replied. \u201CAll I know was that it was beautiful and moving fast.\u201D \u201CIs that so?\u201D she answered, cocking an eyebrow at him and planting a gray-skinned arm on her hip. \u201CIt is,\u201D he replied seriously, before continuing in a conspiratorial tone. \u201CHowever, if I could just get a little closer look, I\u2019d probably have a much better idea of what it was.\u201D \u201CI\u2019m sure you would,\u201D Hasla replied smoothly. \u201CBut then I\u2019d be able to tell all the areas in which you\u2019re lacking. Can\u2019t say for sure, but it\u2019s probably a lot of important ones.\u201D The pilot stopped and stared at her in shocked disbelief, as if he wasn\u2019t prepared for or used to the sudden rejection and insult. Then, one of his companions, a fair-skinned man with a handsome, youthful countenance and dark hair grinned and offered his hand to her. \u201CAssuming you won\u2019t bite it, I\u2019m Wes. Lieutenant Wes Janson. This,\u201D he said, indicating in turn to his two companions, a blond-haired man with a somewhat stern countenance and the dark-haired flirt, \u201Cis Tycho Celchu. We call him Tycho. And this ugly brute who\u2019s still coming to grips with being insulted by a woman yet again is Derek Klivian. We call him Hobbie. Or \u2018Hey, ugly!\u2019 Don\u2019t worry about him, he\u2019ll get over it in a minute.\u201D Hasla took his hand in the proffered handshake, giving him a firm handshake. \u201CI\u2019m sure it\u2019s not the first time,\u201D she said, referring to Hobbie. \u201CI\u2019m Seirla Trasani. Nice to meet you.\u201D She shook each of their hands in turn, even Hobbie\u2019s, who grinned good-naturedly at her, taking the jesting in stride as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. \u201CGot a few minutes to waste with some poor X-wing pilots who\u2019ve been wandering out in deep space and simulator missions for too long?\u201D Janson asked. Hasla thought about it for a minute, then smiled and sat down at their table. \u201CSure,\u201D she said. \u201CBut only if you cover the pretty girl\u2019s lomin-ale.\u201D \u201CHobbie\u2019ll get her tab,\u201D Janson replied merrily. \u201CHe\u2019s obliged to, since you\u2019re making up for his homeliness.\u201D \u201CHey,\u201D Hobbie retorted. \u201CSpeak for yourself.\u201D \u201CSo, you\u2019re not going to buy me a drink?\u201D Hasla interjected, her blue eyes sparkling merrily. \u201CThere goes your chances.\u201D Hobbie flushed red and ducked his head. \u201CI\u2019ll cover it,\u201D he muttered, signaling the waitdroid to bring her a lomin-ale. \u201CGood man,\u201D Janson crowed. \u201CAt least some of the time. I take back all the mean things Tycho ever said about you.\u201D Hobbie shot Janson a betrayed look, but had no ready reply for that. \u201CWhat outfit are you with?\u201D Hasla asked, accepting the foam-topped glass of lomin-ale from the service droid. A smirk creased Janson\u2019s face, as if he had been waiting for her to ask that question. \u201CRogue Squadron,\u201D he said, enunciating each syllable as if they had sacred importance. \u201CRogue Squadron?!\u201D Hasla said, choking on her ale and sending foam flying. \u201CNo way.\u201D From their laughing, she suspected it was a common reaction and that Janson had timed his response to perfectly coincide with her drinking in order to elicit precisely that reaction. \u201CThe one and only,\u201D Janson said gleefully. \u201CJust got back from a classified mission to Koth-,\u201D Tycho shot Janson a warning look and the merry-faced lieutenant quickly altered his story. \u201C-somewhere else.\u201D \u201CSounds fascinating,\u201D she replied, aware that he had been within microns of saying Kothlis. She filed the factoid away for future reference; it might be useful. \u201COh, it was,\u201D Hobbie answered. \u201CWe only came within micrometers of death a hundred times.\u201D \u201CIs that all?\u201D Hasla replied casually, belying how impressed she was. To say that Rogue Squadron was a famous starfighter unit was only a mild understatement. The group had been formed by Rebel heroes Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles out of the survivors of the pilots who took down the Death Star, and had gained acclaim at numerous engagements across the galaxy with tales of their derring-do and accomplishment in the fight against the Empire. They were emblems of courage for the entire Alliance, and, Hasla admired them. Envied them sometimes, even. \u201CIt was nothing,\u201D Janson said. \u201CHow about you? Who do you fly with?\u201D \u201CIce Squadron,\u201D she said. \u201CB-wings.\u201D \u201CAh, that was you in the sim we were trying to kill,\u201D Hobbie said merrily. \u201CThe proper word being trying,\u201D Hasla shot back automatically. \u201CWait. Were you flying the TIEs?\u201D \u201CHe and Tycho were,\u201D Janson said. \u201CSometimes the planners like us to play the opposition and give us inferior craft. Helps keep us sharp even without all of our usual advantages. See the mission from the other perspective.\u201D \u201CSo, then all of you\u2019re going on the mission tomorrow?\u201D Hasla asked. \u201CThat\u2019s what it\u2019s looking like,\u201D Janson said. \u201CWe\u2019re supposed to be flying cover assuming we don\u2019t get sent off on some other mission.\u201D \u201COh good. Then you can get shot at while we do all the real work,\u201D she answered impishly. \u201CIf you only knew,\u201D Hobbie said dourly. \u201CIs it true that you\u2019ve flown with Commander Skywalker?\u201D Hasla said, excitement glimmering in her eyes. Tycho and Janson exchanged looks. \u201CYeah, we\u2019ve both flown with him.\u201D Janson answered. \u201CIs he at Tierfon Base now?\u201D she asked. Another exchange of looks. \u201CNo, he\u2019s not,\u201D Tycho said. \u201CHe does a lot of special assignments and things.\u201D Hasla knew she wouldn\u2019t be able to keep her obvious relief at that answer from being evident on her face, but managed to pass it off as disappointment. \u201CToo bad,\u201D she said. \u201CI would\u2019ve liked to meet him.\u201D \u201CHuh. Yet another Rebel heart falling for Luke Skywalker, Hero of the Galaxy,\u201D Hobbie said, rolling his eyes. \u201CNo,\u201D she corrected him tritely. \u201CI need to ask him how he puts up with you.\u201D Hobbie shot her a surprised and hurt look, but he had no ready reply. Tycho chuckled softly and Janson gave a low whistle, a gesture of admiration. \u201CHer, I like,\u201D Janson said. \u201CWe should go ask Wedge if he can con her into our ranks.\u201D \u201CI dunno,\u201D she said. \u201CI\u2019m rather attached to Ice Squad. And the B-wing.\u201D Tycho snorted. \u201CWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201D she asked. \u201CDon\u2019t you have them in the Rogues?\u201D \u201CSometimes,\u201D he said. \u201CThey\u2019re not that great, though. It might look fancy, but it\u2019s slower than a cargo barge. You were Ice Eight, right?\u201D \u201CThat\u2019s me,\u201D she admitted. \u201CI saw you fly,\u201D Tycho said, leaning in to fully join the conversation. \u201CYou have the reflexes for something much faster. You should try an A-wing or X-wing. You\u2019ll fly circles around TIE fighters in an A-wing.\u201D \u201CThat\u2019s our Tycho,\u201D Janson chuckled. \u201CA speed maniac to the end. But seriously, we could talk to Wedge-uh, that\u2019s Commander Antilles, I guess-for you. He\u2019s an understanding guy every once in awhile.\u201D It was, she understood, an invitation into their ranks, a welcoming into their elite circle, and she almost regretted having to decline it. Even her kidding with Hobbie was only in jest and she inwardly wished she had the freedom to take them up on their offer. However, she had other obligations, to her squad and elsewhere. \u201CI\u2019d love to take you up on that,\u201D she said. \u201CBut my squadron needs me. They\u2019d be broken-hearted if I abandoned them for some dashing X-wing jockeys.\u201D \u201COooh, so we\u2019re dashing now?\u201D Hobbie said, perking up somewhat. \u201CWell, Tycho and Janson are. They make up for you,\u201D she fired back good-naturedly. They all had a good laugh over that one, except Hobbie, who ducked his head and grinned at the ribbing directed his way. Hasla glanced at her wrist chrono, and was startled to see that nearly twenty minutes had passed. \u201CLook at the time,\u201D she said, draining her ale. \u201CI\u2019ve gotta run.\u201D \u201CAww,\u201D Janson grumbled facetiously. \u201CBut you were doing so well with Hobbie here.\u201D \u201CMaybe some other time,\u201D Hasla replied smoothly, but with a tinge of genuine regret. \u201CSee you around,\u201D Tycho put in. \u201CMay the Force be with you.\u201D \u201CIt has been so far,\u201D she said with a light shrug. \u201CSame to you.\u201D With that, she sauntered off back towards her quarters. Inwardly, though, she was chuckling at the irony of her last statement. If they only knew. Once she had made her way through the dizzying maze of corridors back to her quarters-conveniently near the starfighter hangars and placed underground to minimize damage from bombardment-she quickly ditched her pleasant-but-tired Rebel starfighter pilot demeanor and ran a quick but thorough sweep of her room for listening devices, cameras, or other surveillance techniques. Satisfied that there weren\u2019t any, she turned on the shower just in case, in order to confound any audio scramblers. As it turned out, Hasla Almani, alias Seirla Trasani, was not in the sole employ of the Rebellion. In fact, she was a member of the Elite Guardian, a small body of highly versatile, highly trained Force-sensitive individuals that operated outside of the generic Yanibar Guard structure. Trained in the ways of the Matukai since she was a child, her Force powers were not as strong as the Jedi had once been reputed to have been, but granted her a significant edge in combat and a natural acting ability had made her a natural for undercover missions. She had been attached to Intelligence for some time, owing to her friendship with the director and had volunteered for this mission, and although some sense of camaraderie had developed between her and the Rebels, she was still first and foremost an Elite Guardian. The mission came first. Pulling up her datapad, she entered several random combinations of characters onto the screen, which pulled up a menu flashing \u201CInsert key.\u201D Carefully, she focused her mind on the Force, concentrating as hard as she could on a particularly incongruous patch on the inside of the datapad, a patch that could only be opened from the inside. It popped open, revealing a small wafer that she slid into a slot on the datapad. The device beeped, allowing her to access previously concealed information. Her eyes browsed over various categories of information: schematics, general intelligence, journal . . . She highlighted the journal entry and pulled it up, entering in her activities and findings for the day. Once she was away from Tierfon Base, the analysts would go through it to see if there was anything interesting to be gleaned from her findings. Once she was satisfied with the entry, checking it over to make sure it was somewhat coherent, she decided to indulge in the shower and meal she had promised herself, but doubts about the next day\u2019s mission plagued her. Oh, sure, she\u2019d been to the briefings. She knew how flawless it was supposed to be-a quick shoot \u2018em up raid on the Imperial ships guarding the Abridon shipyards. Their distraction would be enough to allow the Rebels to land additional reinforcements in support of local partisans fighting against the Empire on the ground, and would hopefully cause some damage. Two squadrons of X-wings were supposed to fly cover for Ice and Giant squadrons, B-wing and Y-wing units respectively, while three or four larger Rebel ships launched assaults of their own in hopes of paving the way for capture of the shipyards. They wouldn\u2019t be doing that tomorrow, though-just softening things up. They\u2019d hit the Imps, distract them so the transports could land, and get out of there. There was one catch, though. Hasla wasn\u2019t supposed to be at that battle. Her mission had been to successfully retrieve the full schematics and technical readouts of the B-wing fighter, as well as get a pilot\u2019s opinion of it, and she had done a good job of that over the last six months. Only a few days ago, she had managed to find a copy of the manufacturing model used to produce the starfighters, which was bonus, and get a full set of prints. The fact that she was now flying in one meant that she was supposed to disappear en route to a mission, allegedly due to a navicomputer error, and return to a rendezvous point to meet up with Yanibar Guard units for debriefing. It was a simple plan, and entirely negated her risking her life in battle. However, the more and more she thought about it, the less she liked the idea of abandoning the Rebels and her unit. Sure, they weren\u2019t on the same side entirely-at least not openly, and she had no love for Luke Skywalker after hearing about what his father had done and become-but they were people fighting for a cause they dearly believed in. Their determination was infectious, and moreover, these were people she had laughed with, cried with, and fought alongside. She\u2019d been decorated twice for valor by the Alliance, but at the cost of several people she\u2019d come to regard as friends. Leaving all that, admitting that it was all a lie, would be . . . difficult. Hasla recalled that one of the first instructions for an intelligence agent in deep cover was not to get emotionally involved and she ruefully realized she had broken that rule some time ago. How would her squadron react? They\u2019d be surprised, confused even. Without her there, some of them might lose their nerve in combat. The mission might fail as a result-but it was not her mission. The fate of the Rebellion, of these people, was not supposed to be her concern. Hasla continued to wrestle with the question through the shower, through her belated dinner and all through the night. She was thankful she had solo quarters-Tierfon Base was light on pilots right now-so she could argue with herself in peace. She finally decided that she should probably get some sleep for the next day\u2019s flight, she managed to slip under covers and, after some time, drifted off to a sleep plagued with dreams of fallen Rebel pilots and comrades looking accusingly at her, all whispering the same word: \u201CFaithless.\u201D"@en . "15"^^ . "12"^^ . "Spectre stepped into the ring slowly. It was illuminated barely from above and he was barely more than a silhouette to his opponent, who stood on the other end of the ring. He wore only a pair of light pants, and his hard, muscular torso was evident even in the dim lighting. As he moved, muscles rippled, highlighting the scars etched across his sturdy frame. Every step was purposeful, every motion determined. He stared resolutely across the ring at his opponent, boring his coal-black eyes into them. However, whether deliberately or not, his opponent refused to face him, refused to acknowledge his presence or the threat he posed."@en .