On The Trail Of The Survivor

The console chirped at Muz. Raising an eyebrow, he moved from his desk to the terminal, tapping a few buttons to retrieve the data transmission. Black eyes regarded the information cooly, his fingers drumming out a steady rhythm on the sides of the console.

After a few minutes, his eyes closed. The words came from him in a staccato beat as he told the on-board computer to plot a course toward Aeotheran.

---------

"Should I get them all together?" Ashia spoke, the tears drying on her cheeks after a few moments of stunned silence.

"No." Muz spoke gravely through the holo. "This is my failing, and they do not have to bleed for it."

She sat quietly, her mind running through the possibilities, of both failure and success, and of what she should tell their cousin, the Consul. "It's been years since we were out that way."

"The Spear is about due for maintenance anyway. And Darrow would let us use the mansion on Beshart for a few days." Muz blinked. "Tell Mac it's a vacation."

Ashia nodded slowly. She barely remembered what the High Lord of Autocthon looked like, but if that was where they had to go...

----------

Aries sat in the cantina, having an intense battle of the wills with the bottle of Corellian Brandy on the other side of the bar from him. The demons of alcoholism, of addiction danced with him again, the man having turned to the bottle as oft as the world dealt him a sour hand since he was young and vicious.

The Brotherhood was equally aggravating. When he was initiated, everything he had on his person was taken from him, his mind summarily violated by the man on that wicked throne. Stripped bare and barely able to recall his old life, Aries cursed his life, his luck. The flare of hope, of destiny that he believed so strongly in, that Dathomiri prophecy kept him from madness. Aries swore that he would not falter, would not shy away from what was for him, but this humbling was enough to make him curse the name of Antei. They told him that the Iron Throne required great sacrifice to join their Brotherhood, but he had not imagined that it would be so complete of a loss.

The Hunter sneered at the thought that seven months ago, he was one of the richest men on the Rim, thanks to an extensive collection of smugglers and spice dealers. And now, here he was, mentally rationing out what few sparse credits he had left from his monthly stipend from the Clan so he could keep himself suitably soaked in brandy.

Aries Swore as he motioned to the barkeeper, spending next week's breakfast money on another snifter.

Anubis slipped into the room behind him, a young Guardian in the Valheru's shadow. Anubis slunk up to the bar, his hands slapping the bar as he ordered a pint of Fred's Ale. Davin's eyes watched the Valheru sip at the amber liquid, watching the Hunter quietly, as if some nugget of wisdom could fall from his mouth at any second.

Anubis narrowed his eyes, then glanced at the Guardian. "You don't believe what she says for a second, do you?"

Davin shook his head. The Quaestor was good at masking her emotions, but there was more boiling beneath the surface than what she had said. This soon after chasing Severina's forces from the field, Ashia wouldn't run off on vacation...it just didn't make sense.

"And I don't think any of the Keibatsu are going with them, either...so it must be pretty serious."

Aries coughed his way into their conversation. "You said 'them'?"

"Muz is supposed to be picking her up in a few hours. They're supposed to be heading out past Kyataru, to where they worked in the unknown space." Davin spilled a few credits on the bar, waiting for the barkeep to pour a pint of fermented juice.

"Well, I plan on sneaking aboard, to go with." Anubis grew braver as the liquid level of his glass grew closer to the bar. "If we manage to prove useful, Muz can Knight us."

Aries stared accusingly at his snifter, wondering if the brandy had been evaporating or if he had actually been drinking it throughout their story. Ideas formed half-heartedly in his mind as they rattled on. Meeting with his Master might solve a few of the Hunter's problems.

Anubis put down an empty glass and looked at his chronometer, hurriedly pushing himself away from the bar. "Well, I'm going to go find out which dock he'll be landing at. Let's go, Davin."

Davin stood up, glowering at his half finished glass of booze longingly for a moment, then turning to catch up with Ashia's fellow student.

Anubis put down an empty snifter as the pair left, suppressing a belch. Yes, there was opportunity, rearing it's head. And wasn't Muz always trying to tell him that taking advantage of opportunity was something that must be done?

The bartender reached for the Guardian's glass, and Aries' fast hands slapped the glass away, draining the contents in a moment. As the cool liquid slipped through his throat to reward him for his action, his mind was made up.

--------------

The ship's airlock hissed as the stairs folded from the 'mouth' of the Fallen Spear. Ashia stepped up the short series, and waited for a second, as the dark figure of the Lion of Tarthos arrived on the deck, embracing her for a moment before both turned to head for the bridge.

Davin elbowed Anubis out from behind the crates where they crouched. "Now, before they raise the airlock for departure!"

The two jogged while keeping their heads low, watching the steps fold back into the steel carapace of the Autochthonian ship with annoyance. They would have to leap into the bay.

Muz paused, turning on his heel slowly, to see the pair of journeymen climbing aboard the ship.

"What do you think you're doing?" Muz rested his hands on his saber hilts, almost casually. Davin's eyes went wide. He recalled the holovids about the Keibatsu's mastery.

"We know that you aren't just going on vacation." Anubis panted.

"...And?" Ashia glowered at her students.

"And we figured we could be your bodyguards." Davin interjected, trying to catch his breath.

Muz chuckled. "Ashia doesn't need her body guarded. And if she did, I'm here."

"We just wanted to..." Davin stuttered, thinking of what to say.

"Stop now, before you insult me with lies." Muz interrupted the thought with his words.

"I'm broke, and I could use a drink."

Davin and Anubis looked behind them to see the source of the voice, their eyes falling on Aries as he slowly walked up to the ship.

Ashia suppressed a laugh as Muz tapped a key on his synthetic arm, the stairs unfolding just as Aries got close enough to walk up.

"Fair enough." Muz turned from the three, moving toward the turbolift. "You're going to work for it, though." Motioning to one of the Nihilgenia soldiers, he sent him a telepathic message to set the journeymen up in guest rooms. "We're on a long haul to get where we're going."

Muz turned and looked at them briefly. "You have an hour to settle in. Then you'll meet us in the Dojo." Turning, he and Ashia stepped onto the turbolift and let the door close as the journeymen exchanged confused looks.

“You heard the man,” spoke Aries, “we only have an hour to get settled in.”

The Hunter walked off, the other two men not knowing where he was off to. Anubis sighed, and walked into one of the turbolifts himself, Davin following.

“So what deck are you staying on, Anubis?”

“Second. At least there I'll get a little bit of time to myself.” The turbolift arrived at the command deck, and the door slid open. Davin got off, and walked into one of the guest quarters.

Anubis nodded to the Guardian, before closing the door once more, and was on his way towards the second deck. The door slid open, and the Hunter stepped off the lift.

The Journeyman made his way down the corridor, and into one of the rooms on the left side of the way. The room was huge, well exceeding the size of any room he had stayed in before. Wrath set down his formal robes on the bed, as well as his sheathed sword, and shock whip.

He had spent a lot of his credits on the shock whip. His income was enough. Since he had great endurance, he didn't always have to spend money on food and liquids to be fully healthy.

He felt a lot lighter now, with all of the items he had on him on the bed. He walked over to the console on the far side of the room, and started looking through information stored in the ship's network

He had never been on Autochthonian vessel before. The only information that he had access to was the layout of the vessel, so that he could find his way around. Time flew by as Anubis learned the layout. The Hunter was supposed to meet Aries, Davin, Muz, and Ashia in the dojo. Luckily the dojo was just next door.

Your late, came the voice of his master. Anubis gazed at the clock on his arm. He was late. Anubis grabbed his shock whip and made a run for the dojo.

As the Journeyman ran into the room, all eyes fell upon him. Ashia, Muz, Aries, and Davin stared at the Hunter, sending a shock wave of guilt into his spine.

Ashia eyed her apprentice disapprovingly and shook her head. Anubis had a habit of being late but that wasn’t the only problem. His master cleared her throat; the look she gave him was far from friendly and a large lump grew in his throat.

“Forgetting something?” She gestured towards his shoes. Wrath’s eyes went wide as he quickly scurried back out of the room and removed his foot wear.

The Queastor sighed deeply, blowing at a strand of hair that hung in her azure eyes. A moment later, Anubis re-entered the dojo and quickly bowed to both Ashia and Muz.

“Sorry, Master.” Was all he said.

“Alright then...” Muz gestured towards the far wall; several practice weapons flew across the room and hung in mid air at various places, some higher then others. He stepped to the side, “…begin.”

A look of dismay crossed their countenance briefly as Ashia lept into the air and grabbed one the Bo's (wooden staff). She somersaulted beautifully in the air, landing lightly on her feet with the staff wielded. She thrust it at Anubis, who had been the closest to where she had landed.

The apprentice’s reflexes took over as he lept backwards trying to avoid the Arch Priestess as she thrust the staff towards him. The other two looked at each other for a moment, but then took to opposite corners of the dojo, both snatching weapons from the air as they did.

Aries grabbed a waster (wooden broadsword) and flipped it around, eyeing Davin, he lowered his center of gravity. At the same time, Davin grabbed a boktuo (bokken) and lept after his opponent.

Anubis went to grab the staff as Ashia thrust it at him again, only to have her lift him up and flip him with it. The Jedi Hunter landed with a thud on the tatami mat. An exhale of air accompanied by an‘Oof!’ expired from the Vallheru’s lips.

He kicked out from under the next thrust and sprang into the air to grab at a Bo (wooden staff).

The Zabrak quickly planted the end of the staff onto the mat and swung her legs up; kicking Anubis as he reached out for the Bo that hung in the air only inches from his fingers.

He managed to knock the weapon from where it hung. The wooden staff fell to the floor; a muffled sound resounded as it hit the mat, followed by a louder thud as Anubis landed.

The Queastor was on him in an instant. Her staff flew through her fingers like water as she moved to attack her apprentice once more.

The Jedi Hunter reached out to grab the weapon, but Ashia had other ideas. As he reached for his staff, she reached out for him. Wrapping the Force around him, she flipped him over and dragged him across the mat toward her on his back; her staff poised to strike as he grew nearer.

The apprentice’s eyes flew open wider as he realized his predicament. Quickly, he called the staff to his hands and blocked his Master’s staff from the ugly blow that was inevitable.

A slight smile grew on the Arch Priestess’ lips. “Good.” She said, nodding her approval.

Davin stood there, a bit dazed and confused. Aries looked as though he was holding back as Davin constantly attacked Aries.

Aries then moved on the attack, but Davin was faster on the defense. Every move was countered as Davin moved fluently.

The Guardian then tripped Aries and pointed the weapon at his face, "You should try a little better Aries." Then the Jedi Hunter kicked Davin's weapon out of his hand and threw it across the dojo.

Aries then attacking Davin's legs, occasionally getting the blows dead on. Davin had to use hand to hand combat but he has to move fast.

Davin then ran to the wall, Aries following him. Davin ran up the wall and jumped back, and began applying blows to Aries' back. Then, Davin removed the weapon out of the Jedi Hunter's hands and pointed it at his neck.

"I suggest we both work harder", Davin smirked but really was more serious than ever.

Davin was thinking of ever move in his mind, using battle meditation so he will counter all of Aries' moves and then beat him. Davin stood there, waiting for Aries to get up. Davin then closed his eyes and paid no attention to the fact that Aries was charging him. The Guardian dodged to the left, then the right, performed a backflip and the applied a forceful punch to Aries chest, forcing the Jedi Hunter to fall back.

Davin opened his eyes and was amazed to see what has just happend. Then, Davin spoke in amazement, "Wow."

Anubis rolled to the side and got to his feet. This was far from over.

The Assistant Envoy clenched his teeth, charging the Quaestor.He swung the staff around himself, finally bringing it in towards Ashia's body, the weapon held horizontally.

The Equite was able to block the incoming attack, but was slightly taken aback by the Journeyman's brute force.

She stumbled back a bit and brought herself down low. The Zabrak thrust her staff into the Hunter's chin, sending him to the ground once more.

Anubis coughed and slowly got to his feet, a slight trickle of blood leaving his lips. He did not know how Davin was holding up against the Hunter Aries, nor did he care at the moment.

"Ok master, time to take it up a notch," said the Assistant Envoy, chucking his staff toward the Quaestor with great force. The weapon spun on a vertical angle, continuing its path towards the Archpriest.

At the last second possible, Ashia turned her body to the left, the staff barely missing her chin.

She sighed, This one has a lot of strength.

She picked up the staff, and brought it over to her apprentice, who was still catching his breath. Valheru had great endurance, but lost their breath easily. Anubis stopped panting, and lightly took the weapon from his master's hands.

She took a few more steps back, and got into her attack stance.

Begin once more apprentice, came the voice of the Arch Priestess.


The Hunter smiled, his slitted red eyes falling upon the Zabrak. He casually began to approach her, the staff always kept at the ready. This wasn't going to be easy, nor was it going to be to hard.

Anubis thrust his staff at the side of the Arch Priestess, but was quickly taken aback as she had turned her body, and grabbed ahold of the staff.


Ashia wrenched on the staff, bringing the Hunter towards her. As the Journeyman stumbled, she got down low and tripped him in a single swift movement.

It wasn't long before Anubis was coughing again, losing his breath faster and faster. The Valheru lifted himself to his feet using his telekinetic powers.


The Hunter was getting tired of this, and thrust a ball of force energy at his opponent, sending her backwards, tripping on Anubis' staff. She hit the floor with a thud, exhaling.

She was not so easily worn down in this atmosphere, unlike her apprentice, so the Quaestor had the advantage.

The Jedi Hunter fell back. Anger grew in his eye or perhaps it was the whiskey boiling in his blood.

As Davin got ready to throw another punch the Jedi Hunter was apparently annoyed by now as he allowed his mind to stretch out and sense the movement Davin was making.

Just before the blow reached him he slid into a slide manuver catching the Guardian off guard and applying his own body weight catching Davins arm and almost snapping it enough forcing him to drop to the ground screaming in pain.

He turned briefly then as he took his foot and kicked him in the chin knocking him to the mat.

"Humph pathetic!", his words he exclaimed as Davin rested there collecting himself together Aries had no care for such things like this instead he turned and made his way out of the training room.

There he left to seek seclusion away from the mess going on he had to center him. He remembered the rumors the clans hearing about the supposed prophecy that gossip spreaded about Darkness following him he didn't care at all.

His lifetime had been met with betrayal too many times and it was why he resigned from Sapphire Squadron the politics that followed. Sometimes because of the superiors all stuck with too much power in position.

As he walked the corridors he made his way to a secluded spot on the vessel. The nearest place was a cargo hold. Spartan, rugged, nothing but the bare metal floor this was true training grounds.

For him he never peffered the mats and training centers since childhood he was trained like any person trained by a Mandalorian by the rugged of all conditions. He sat down as he began to meditate thinking inward of all the dark times in his life. From the Plagueian Civil War between House Satal Keto, and House Exar Kun. To the the Rites of Supremancy where he tested his tactics many of which Clan Plagueis had admired him for. Named the Champion of Plagueis.

Those days now passed he was a redeemer if not one on a long long road. he overheard a noise from someone.

"Shouldn't you be training with the others Apprentice?", remarking his master.

Aries snorted before continuing his dark meditation answering his question, "A real Sith only thinks of breaking the bonds that shackle him and one day I will find a way."

He heard Muz lean against the bulkhead as he looked to him, "Only you can decide when to break those bonds that bind you down. Your brethern never created them for you."

Aries broke his meditation then and looked to his master, "Was it them that asked me to be head over one of the elite to command? I sensed the political turmoil and desperation at the time for House Ludo Kreesh like all of any I experience power never to the true path of the Final Way only for their own. As it was with Plagueis so I saw it here. And it was why I left."

He saw his master shake his head for a moment, "Your problem apprentice is you think more like an Obelisk or a Mandalorian never like a real Sith. Even among the Mandalorians it is the team as a whole that survive in the harshest times!"

The Jedi Hunter snorted then looked away from his master, "I wish to meditate and not be disturbed master and if Davin dares to try to cross me so help me I will snap that arm again once more he will be in the med bay for a week."

In his mind he knew he had issues but he would deal with them himself seeing his master leave in disgust though knowing the potential he carried was one reason Muz put up with him. Their relationship as Master and Apprentice was rather odd. Respectable yet at odds with perspective. Aries abandoned the Orian Invasion at the time to deal with other issues then his own Syndicate and indeed he sensed something ahead from his past would face him in the great void that layed ahead to where he knew not of.

Davin began to get up, wincing in pain from what he had just endured. He had grabbed the weapons and walked off, knowuing he must heal his arm. The Guardian began walking to his room, the only secluded place at the time.

"I don't get it, how was I almost able to beat Aries, then all of a sudden I'm injured," Davin said to himself as he was meditating. Then Davin walked over to his pack and unload, he never finished unpacking his things.

The Guardian pulled out a blaster pistol, two knives, and his ammo clips. Then Davin walked over to his robe and pulled out an A295 blster. He sat all his things down and removed his tunic. The body glove underneath was warm enough, so he went over to his bed, lied down and began to fall asleep, things of the past, present, and the soon to be.

"Potential only counts for so much." Muz mumbled over the top of a glass of liquor. "Without discipline and training, He's going to end up killed."

Ashia sneered out the transparisteel at the grey-blue murk of hyperspace. Her students showed promise, but Muz's student was a disruptive force already. Turning from the window, she let her azure eyes rest on the Lord's black orbs. "And what did you think would happen?"

"The Autoch systems aren't on any maps. The smugglers he used to work with won't be anywhere near where we are going. That'll keep him focused on the right thing."

"That's not really what I was talking about, but smuggler's aren't really known for staying on the map." Ashia reached for the glass, raising the amber liquid to her lips slowly.

"The Autochs don't suffer pirates or smugglers, you should remember that."

Ashia thought back, remembering how she had ended up on a trader's ship, their captain being taken almost immediately at the spaceport, and the ship impounded. The man wasn't hiding anything that she knew about, and she had a good nose for the corrupt. He was right. No smuggler or petty criminals would last long at all under their authoritarian rule.

"Just keep an eye on him, yeah?"

Muz chuckled, palming a saber. "If he steps wrong, he'll not last long." The Kyataran paused a moment, thinking. "He'll live and learn, or die and forget."

The Dathomiri-trained Zabrak leaned back into a chair, letting the soft leather envelop her. The Hunter was used to being the big dog in the yard, but he would have to come to terms that he was rolling with truly dangerous people now. The moment passed, and she thought back to their true purpose. "And how long ago did that intel come in?"

"Only an hour before I picked you up." Muz ran a soft cloth over his saber, polishing the chrome. "It'll be another day before we get to Darrow's station. We'll catch up."

Ashia nodded, her eyes closing slowly. Whatever still surrounded her boy would have to be dealt with, but there wasn't anything in the universe that could take their child from them again.

-------------

"That arrogant fool." Anubis put the wooden training weapons back on the racks. Aries was on everyone's mind, including the other Jedi Hunter on board. The former smuggler was self-centered, cocky, and more than a little obnoxious. Anubis was initially enamored with the guy's style, his unabashed persuit of what he felt. Now, though... he saw that the guy wasn't capable of dedicating himself to anything.

That's why the guy constantly ran. Ran away from his squadron, ran away from the clan, ran away from his studies. He was always running, hiding behind the things he did understand so that he didn't have to face the realities. The reality was that you are only worth whatever you make yourself to be. And Anubis knew that Aries was too afraid to work to become anything more than what he gave up when he joined the brotherhood.

Anubis sighed and walked for the door, the metal slipping open before stepping through. Weariness slipped through his veins, and he walked toward his quarters, his legs almost on autopilot. The next few days presented a major possibility for the Hunter. Not everyone got the chance to train with the Lion of Tarthos and his wife. And Anubis would be damned if he didn't take full advantage of the situation, especially with how close to Knighthood he was.

The door swished behind him. Anubis was out cold before his head hit the pillow.

--------------

Davin rolled over, his eyes fluttering open to the dim room. The dreams haunted him, even here, light years from Antei. The disembodied voices had started murmuring to him back when he had joined, words in languages he didn't understand and images of carnage he did not recognize.

They could be from the future, they could be from the past. There was no way to tell. They just were. Davin sat up slowly. There was likely a few more hours left before people would be up and moving about. It had been a long day, and even though they would be in hyperspace for at least another 30 hours and there wasn't really a day or night, they would be up and stirring pretty much on schedule.

Laying back down, Davin wondered what would come next. The Keibatsu were being markedly closed-mouthed about their mission, except to say that they were headed into the unknown territories, past the boundaries of the maps they had seen. Into the areas where he and Ashia had spent a few years back. Anubis had wondered aloud if they would have to fight anything, and Muz had smiled and said that they would be adequately armed if need be.

Trying to relax, Davin stared at the ceiling, debating flicking the holoprojector on and watching the last news download from before they made the jump. Coruscant fell about the same time that Antei did, and news had been... interesting to say the least.

Now wasn't the time, though. Tommorrow would probably be more training with his Mistress, and she was a vicious combatant. It would do well to get his sleep when he could... there was no telling what kind of touble they were headed for. Letting the waves of sleep wash over him, Davin closed his eyes.

---------------

Muz leaned on the glass, watching Ashia sleep on the raised mattress in the center of the private quarters. There would be a half dozen of Nihilgenia stompin around at this hour, but in a few more hours, and the ship would be scurrying with activity. Muz blinked slowly, wondering what sort of reception he could expect from Darrow's men when they arrived, what intel they might have about his quarry.

Quarry. The word stuck in his mind. He wasn't terribly sure that the rumour he was chasing would give him his son back, but there was no choice. He had to do anything, follow any lead that could possibly prove fruitful.

He closed the front of the loose sleep-robe as he turned toward the glass again. The days ahead would be intense.

Ashia woke with a start. The nightmares had been horrendous. She hadn’t had dreams like that since…well, since she had lost him the last time.

A lump filled her stomach and threaten to move into her throat. She blinked her eyes open and looked about the room. Muz stood looking out the window. He turned toward her, the black orbs that were his eyes looked concerned, but he said nothing.

She reached out through the Force and assessed where the apprentices where. Anubis and Davin, her two charges were fast asleep in their own rooms on the other level. Aries, however, was not in his room.

She sighed deeply before getting up and wrapping her robe around her lithe frame. She went to him and he wrapped his arms around her.

“Was it this tense the first time you looked for him?” She watched as the stars zipped past.

“Yes.”

------------------------
Aries sat in the lounge staring at a wall. He lifted a glass to his lips and stared through the amber liquid before taking another long draught. His mind swam as he tried to grab on to things and mentally center himself.

The turmoil his life had held, plagued him everywhere he went. He felt restless, uncertain. Not knowing where they were headed or why, unsettled the Hunter.

The silence was broken as the ship came alive with activity. The Nihilgenia started moving about the ship, attending to their duties.

---------------------------
The door buzzed, then buzzed again. Anubis tossed and turned trying to ignore it. Finally, he half sat up, “What?” He rubbed at his eyes and attempted to figured out what time it was.

“We’re supposed to meet Mistress Ashia in the dojo in half an hour. You awake?” Davin’s voice was muffled through the door.

Anubis squinted and stifled a yawn. “I am now. I’ll meet you in there.” He waited for a reply but the Guardian had moved off down the corridor.

He stretched and yawned again then rose to get dressed. Breakfast would have to wait; he didn’t want to train with a Keibatsu on a full stomach.

He entered the dojo to find Davin already going through his kata. He carefully removed his shoes before entering this time and picking up a bokken, joined him.

A moment later, Ashia entered. She wore slim black pants and a black sleeveless top. The clothing clung to her small frame, accentuating her beauty all the more. Used to their Mistress in the robe of her rank and position, the boys stared gape-jawed for a moment before composing themselves.

She moved fluidly to the center of the room, her long hair swirling around her ankles. They bowed to her respectively.

“Will Aries be joining us, Mistress Ashia?” Davin looked towards the door then back to his Mistress.

“No, I want to work with the two of you. Muz will work with Aries in his own time.”

A look of relief fell across the visages of both apprentices. The stubbornness of the other Hunter bothered both of them as they wanted all the time they could get to train with both Keibatsu.

Ashia concentrated on the two before her, guiding them each showing them all they could accomplish if they stuck to her teachings. Her focus on them allowed her to not worry about what lay ahead.

Ashia went through a few different movements with her students, and the apprentices followed the lead of the Arch Priestess. They mimicked her elegant motions, keeping up with the Quaestor with little trouble.Aries walked into the room with his training atire on. The three people in the middle of the room stopped, and looked at the Hunter.

"What are you doing here? This is a private training session. Leave now, before something happens that you will regret," said Ashia. Aries turned around and stood in the doorway. As he left the room, he blurted out,

"You teach a fool of a Hunter."

Anubis closed his blood red eyes, and telepathicly talked to his master.

I swear, this is getting tiresome. He had better watch his back before something bad happens to him. Ashia looked at her angered apprentice,

Come now, surely you wouldn't take so far as to engage in combat with him?

No reply came from the Hunter, as he opened his eyes once more. The three people resumed their practices.

---

"Very good you two, nice form. We will continue training later tonight. Dismissed."

The two apprentices bowed, and took their leave after placing their training weapons back on the rack. The Valheru walked out of the room, Davin following. The Guardian knew what the Hunter was about to do, and left him to it. Anubis stopped, and concentrated on Aries. He was located in the mess hall down the corridor. Anubis focused once more, his shock whip floated to him from his room.

The Valheru walked down the way, until he met the other Hunter. Anubis flipped Aries' tray, it landed a few feet away. The Hunter stood up, staring the other Hunter right into his ruby red eyes. Anubis clenched a fist, and punched Aries in the stomach.

Aries tried to fight back as Anubis gave him more punches, this time to the face. The Hunter smirked as Vorak spit up blood, and continued on the assault. Aries threw a punch at Anubis' face, but it never made it as the Valheru wrenched on his arm, bringing him to the ground.

"Where is it!" he yelled.

"What are you talking about?" asked Vorak, angered. Anubis kicked him in the face, bringing him to the ground once more.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," he said as he took out his shock whip and wrapped the other Hunter in the metal coil. the Assistant Envoy turned on the whip, shocking Aries with jolts of electricity.

"Musashi will kill you for this, Hunter!"

Anubis said nothing. Vorak was weak enough that he could reach into his mind, and so he did. He invaded the Hunter's mind, searching for the wanted information. Anubis nodded, and returned the shock whip's coil into it's handle, then left the man to recover.

---

The Valheru walked into Aries' room, and walked to the right. On the shelf, lied a holocron. The Hunter waved his hand over it, turning it on. Ajunta Pall appeared on the hologram, His voice radiating throughout the room.

"My name is Ajunta Pall, and my holocron's readings are indicating that you are somehow related to me."The Hunter smirked, he could hide it no longer. It was obvious that Muz was watching him, but he did not care.

"I have programmed my holocron to answer and communicate with fellow family members. Ask away, descendant." Anubis asked all of his questions, which were always answered. The Valheru left the room, grabbing the small holocron and hiding it within his cloak. He returned to his room, aware that Aries would do something rash and foolish. The Hunter was a fool to try and keep the holocron hidden from Anubis, and payed for it dearly.

His secret was no longer safe, and if anyone asked, he had reprogrammed the small holocron. The Assistant Envoy sighed, getting on the turbo lift and taking it down to the second deck, where his room was located. As he stepped off, Aries appeared behind him.

"Give that back."

Anubis ignored the man, and left him to his thoughts. As he walked by the dojo, he saw his master Ashia and Davin training. He placed the small holocron in a safe place in his room, and joined them.

"I sense that you have been up to something, my apprentice."

"I just needed to take care of something, is all," replied the Valheru Hunter.

"Ok. We are about to engage in combat, would you like to join in?" she asked. the Assistant Envoy nodded, and called a staff to his hands before preparing himself.

Davin nodded to Anubis, and the two of them charged their master, trying to deliver blows to her. She moved smoothly, blocking any attack that came her way. Davin had tried to push her back with the Force, but Ashia was not going to repeat history. The Quaestor dissipated the energy, and sent it back at her apprentices ten fold. They shot backwards, landing on their backs.

All three smiled, this was going to be fun. The two apprentices got to their feet, and tried to onslaught the Quaestor. Davin used the wooden sword to chop at her legs, while Anubis used the wooden staff and thrusted it towards her slim frame.

The Zabrak anticipated all of their movements, making sure that her students never landed a blow. The Guardian, Davin, was agile and moved swiftly and smoothly, keeping himself at the max. The Jedi Hunter, Anubis, was not so agile due to his race's raw strength. As the Valheru came to be out of breath, Ashia leaped into the air towards him, preparing her staff for an attack.

As the Hunter's skull came within swinging distance of her own staff, The Quaestor whipped him in the side of the head with hit, sending him to the ground on his side. Anubis rose to his feet, and left. Before he walked through the doors he said,

"I'll be back in a bit."

He returned to his room, and uncovered the ancient holocron. The chances of him proving his relation to the Sith Lord were slim, until he came up with an idea. He had a small sample of the Lord's blood. He opened the keypad and monitor on his arm, and started hitting command buttons.

Within a few minutes, he had designed a blood test that could match the bloods. He inserted the small vial into the scanner, and a moment later it was confirmed. He labeled it Ajunta Pall. He called a dagger to his hands, and slit one of his palms.

He inserted it into a vial as well, and placed it in the scanner. As he waited for the results, he labeled his own sample as Anubis Wrath. The results appeared on the monitor. The word match appeared in bold red letters across his screen.

He covered up the holocron, and left his room, saving the results to his datapad.

--

Aries walked into his room, the blood had stopped throwing from his mouth. He looked around the room, to see that Ajunta Pall's holocron was missing. He instantly knew what Anubis had wanted now. The Hunter didn't know how to access it, but maybe the Valheru did, and it might have been important to him.

He didn't know and he didn't care. He went back to drinking, and thinking about his past as a smuggler.

--

Anubis returned into the dojo, to continue training. Davin had left to take care of some other business. Ashia looked at the Hunter, curious.

"You need to stop running out on me. It is disrespectful and rude."

"I know."

Muz snarled at the ridiculousness of it all. First the journeymen attempt sneaking aboard the ship for whatever weak reasons they could concoct, and then they spend the next dozen arns fighting in little spats.

Aries was the first to crumble under the pressure, and it wasn't surprising to the Sith Lord. He had expected that the prophecy that he was told would come true without any work from his own hand, without spilling a drop of sweat. The fool assumed that greatness was his legacy, and that the kingdom of stars would hand itself to him on a silver platter.

The Keibatsu had called him to the Dojo again, and told him that he wasn't leaving until he could master a single Banlanth exercise. After failing twice, the youngblood tried to leave the dojo, and found himself pulled back by the invisible hand of the Force.

Aries rage was unchecked, as it had been many times in his life. Who dared challenge the 'One who walks in Shadows'? Who dared challenge the one prophesied to rival the Exile in power?

Muz didn't challenge him.

He broke him.

Laying in a medpod aboard the ship's medical bay, the young hunter twitched from time to time, his mind still spinning from the botched attempt on the Sadow's life. It would be some time before he recovered.

Anubis was a changed man. He saw the broken form of the hunter, and his mind revolted at the terrible power of the Dark Side. He had so far, been a tourist down the shadowed path, and to see such an act, remorseless and vicious, shook his faith that his masters were there to help him. He considered his own disrespectful actions, his own minor revolts against his mistress, and wondered if he would find himself in one of those pods himself.

----------

"{Amahara Control, we have you on radar, Fallen Spear.}" The communication rang clarion across the bridge as they pulled out of hyperspace, Blackwind's lean frame tapping responses to the ships navigational systems.

"{We're here for a drop-off and to send off a transport to Shadow three system.}" Darius spoke Kyataran with a soft accent, his Autoch tongue rolling the r's a bit more than they should be.

"{Understood, Captain. We have strip four open for you.}"

Darius leaned back and set the commands to autopilot. VASIC would be able to handle it from here. Muz got up from the main chair and walked from the bridge, his warcoat flaring as he turned down the corridor.

Anubis slunk from his quarters, his eyes narrow slits as he peered through the closing doors of the bridge to see the spires of Amahara castle. Turning quickly, the hunter gathered his liberated holocron and his duffel and slipped down to the turbolifts. With luck, he would be on the transport before Ashia noticed.

-----------

The bustle of the Amahara base was lifting to the spirits, and even as the Nihilgenia loaded fresh munitions, food, and crates of other trade goods onto the 'Spear, Muz glowered at the transport sliding out of the atmosphere. Ashia sidled up next to the Lion, calmness in her tone, soothing his claws back into his hands.

"It's not worth it."

Muz shook his head, turning to look at her as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Anubis went with him, you know."

Ashia shrugged. "If he's not strong enough, then he fails." She lifted her head to look into his black eyes. "You can't blame yourself for the weakness of others."

Muz paused a second, chewing on the thought. "I suppose you're right."

An officer of the Nihilgenia approached, the violet stripes on his armor polished brightly in stark contrast to the matte black features f the rest of the plates. Clicking his heels, he saluted the pair. "My Lord. The ship is prepared for departure."

Muz nodded slowly, turning from Ashia. "Let's get going, then."

Sai lay sleepless in his rack aboard the RSD Final Way, having just received his new commission as Prefect of Sadow Palace. Truth be told, it was a high honor, but the Rollmaster was far too distracted to enjoy it. In fact, he should’ve been exhausted, having spent nearly his last iota of energy in getting rid of the “True” Brotherhood squatters who dared trod upon their hallowed soil, but his mind was restless in his heart, and blessed peace fled from him as smoke through a clenched fist.

As if on cue, his personal comm chirped, indicating a Familial summons. Strange, thought the priest; the last time this went off, it was on Coruscant. Sai’s mind hearkened back to that simpler time, when he was subject to his Master Shin’s whim, before he found out the truth of his heritage and had stood with his newfound brethren to shoulder the enormous mantle that all of the Keibatsu, in service to the Brotherhood, seemed to have to shoulder.

It also was the precursor to the events that had drastically changed the family, in ways both seen and unseen. One such change happened to his aforementioned Master, what with the vicious damage his face at the hands of Eojin. It seemed to Sai that the Kuroshin Holonet’s alerts were the portents of doom for the family, and he nearly hesitated to answer.

Nearly.

Shrugging on his robe, Sai hit “accept” on the comm device’s display, and the dark-eyed visage of the Deputy Grand Master flared into existence. “M’lord,” Sai said wearily, sloughing off the fatigue that threatened to seize his bones, sensing that he’d be called into service with the Dark Lord’s next words.

“Master of the Rolls, it seems we’ve broken a few more,” Muz said unapologetically, referring to his and Ashia’s respective apprentices. “I am sending you our coordinates to deliver the next batch. Musashi out.” The holographic image lingered for a heartbeat more, the dark orbs of the Keibatsu reaching through the ether to lock onto Sai’s; the priest thought that an air of entreaty belied Muz’s tone of command, as fleeting as it was.

Still, the curtness of the order confirmed everything; as familial patriarch and heir to the Iron Throne, there were no requests, only orders to be followed, cousin or not. And Sai was of the mind that anything worth doing was to be done himself. There’d be no “next batch” of apprentices; Sai sensed only his presence would assist his family and quiet the ghosts that haunted the periphery of his mind’s eye.

Transmitting the coordinates to the Final Way’s quartermaster, he added a requisition for a Lambda-class shuttle. He supposed he’d have to face whatever wrath he had coming by countermanding, albeit indirectly, the Deputy Grand Master’s order.

And if by that wrath Death came, then at least he’d finally sleep.

Shikyo walked through the halls of Amahara Castle discussing weapon shipments with Katsuhide while filing through the other tasks he had as the newly appointed Herald. Spinning the hilt of his saber in hand, Shikyo stopped in mid pace as the presence of his brother and sister were very close by. The Sith turned towards his friend with a puzzled look on his face.

"Katsuhide, weren't Muz and Ashia en route to Autocthon?"

"Yes. That was their agenda."

"Then why have they returned so quickly?"

Something seemed off and it was a feeling that slowly tingled down the Battlemaster's spine. Quickening his pace without entering a full run, Shikyo made his way towards the landing area for the Fallen Spear. As he approached the ship, he saw more than the two that were to be there. One broken physically, one broken mentally, and one who had yet to be truly broken.

A Nihilgenia approached them with a quick word before parting ways with the Krath. As they made their way towards the ship, Shikyo smirked and called out to his family.

"What the frell did you do? I thought a vacation meant relaxation, not picking up strays and shattering them."

Muz turned towards his brother in calm demeanor with no hint of emotion on his face.

"You'll soon learn ototo that breaking someone can be very relaxing."

With a smirk and a slight chuckle, Shikyo nodded. He learned a good deal about combat but still had much to learn. Halting the flow of his thoughts for a moment, the young Keibatsu continued to inquire.

"So, I thought the plan was to go to Autocthon. Just the two of you. However if you're taking on a passenger or two, I wouldn't mind going myself, if the invitation is there."

The Krath Elder looked back at his young brother and proceeded into the ship, extending a silent invitation to the Equite. With everything he figured he would need already on him, Shikyo instructed Katsuhide to await the delivery of the weapons and he would return home as soon as things were finished.

Proceeding onboard the Fallen Spear, the young Keibatsu claimed his quarters and relaxed as the ship proceeded to return on course.

----------

ototo - "little brother" in Kyataran

With a sigh Shikyo took place on the training mattress in his quarters onboard of the Fallen Spear. Though quite some time has passed since the last war, but his appointment to Herald didn't gave him a chance to rest. Though his restless soul was glad about this, hungering for more chances to proof himself. A dark song of battle and blood was constantly humming within this heart - the heart of a forever wandering wolf.

A Nihilgenia carried in his luggage and placed it in his room. It wasn't much - mostly weapons of all different kinds. The Herald's eyes were drawn to a small chest and a few other items wrapped in silk paper he was unfamiliar with. He frowned, but there was no hint of danger sensable with the force. "What is this? It doesn't belong to me...". The Nihilgenia started to stutter: "M-Mylord.. this is.. well.. err.. several... ladies.. " Shikyo didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. He was getting more attention from females than he had asked for. Most of them only sought for power that they saw in a liason with the Herald of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood. He waved the Nihilgenia to leave.

Slowly he opened the gifts - a light grin appeared on his lips as he thought about the women that had sent this to him. "Its not bad to be the Herald... not bad at all...". Suddenly there was a familiar touch through the force. It was distorted, frail... a vortex touched by madness spoke up within his head: The enemies of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood would be pleased to blast up this ship with 3 members of the Dark Council onboard. Our dear grandmaster would have a hard time to replace his apprentice, Herald and the Seneschal.

================
Days ago.

Cold water splashed into her face, washing away the blood. A voice penetrated the haze caused by the drugs: "Lady... wake up... ..arre yu ok?". Dazed she lifted her head, rubbing her wet face with a hand. "Oh by Th'rreshk. I thought yu be dead. Yu know.. drugs can kill yu. I don't want trrrouble in my barrr, Lady... Too many explanations. Trrouble with people.", a pair of hands helped her up.

"Yes, yes. I am alright.", she muttered. a lie, she thought, what a lie. Reality dropped back into her mind, wiping away the comforting darkness of the drugs. Though fragments of the drug induced nightmares dugged into her mind again. Blood, everything is covered with blood. My hands. The room.... ahh the head... the head of my... daughter... Why is her head on the ground? What happened? Blood? Why is everything ... by Avarra,... I killed her. It was me., madness seeped into the barriers that surrounded the last bit of sanity within her. A sob escaped her lips, realising she was unable to escape reality, to escape the truth that she had killed her own daughter in madness. Not even to mention the accident of killing her own son too. "You didnt know he is your son!", a desperate meak voice cried out in her mind. An excuse that didn't carry any comfort.

She staggered back to the Amahara castle. The last war had kept her from drowning in guilt, self-hatred, but now after everything started to settle there was time enough to think, to meditate,... time enough to let the nightmare of the past catch up. Her right hand found the small drug packages within the pocket of her robe. Selfhatred surged up; fingernails digged deep into her palms. Weeks of overexessive use of drugs started to take its toll despite her ability to mend most of the damage with the force on a molecular level. Leaning against a wall she started to cough. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, a warm liquid trickled down from a nostril. She wiped it away with a sleeve, cursing. Her voice whispered: "I just want to forget... "

With closed eyes she sat on the ground of her quarters in the castle. A force needle sewed within the already patched network of her mind. It wasn't the first time she had used the force to cripple herself - her own mind. Though each time the threads of her mind rippled more, a dangerous vortex of madness growing within her mind - about to take over the last pieces of her sanity. It started to create a worrying duality within her mind - yet she was able to control it, to keep those parts united.

Gently she brushed a hand over the cloth of her robe, straightning it. Is this the kind of madness everyone of my family is getting possessed with? Is this duality of the mind common among us? Is this .. a gift? Or is this a curse? , she thought.

Maybe she should seek her brother for advice on this. His duality had been the most strongest within the Dark Jedi Brotherhood. "Maybe I won't be able to escape this," she whispered to herself, ", but if I do.. I will use it to destroy everyone that steps against me, my family or the Dark Jedi Brotherhood."

=================

Onboard of the Fallen Spear
The white eyes stared blankly at Shikyo, her voice sounded absent, transcendent: "I don't know what your brother is up to." The Seneschal hesitated, but then continued: "I only got an invitation to join - a most welcome distraction.", each of her words was carefully pondered - Shikyo frowned briefly, wondering if Muz had done this on purpose. Even though he was no Krath, he sensed the fragmented mind of the Seneschal and surely the Deputy Grand Master had realised this too. Maybe to watch her? Or to help her getting distracted from whatever torments her? - he didn't know.

"I guess we will find out", he replied as they headed towards the ops.

The Krath Arch Priestess paced back and forth on the bridge of the Spear. The soothing sounds of the familiar ship, helped keep her from going crazy. All she could think about was their destination. Fear and loathing gripped her like an angry serpent, threatening to tear her apart and any second.

The sudden presence of the Seneschal shook her out of her reverie. A darkness flitted about the Blind Dragon like a black hole had swallowed her up.

'What's Sil doing on board?' Ashia reached out to her husband. She hadn't expected the Seneschal to be coming along.

Xia had been broken since the last battle with Eojin on Kyataru. She had accidentally killed her own son, unknowingly, then in a fit of rage and aggression, killed her daughter too.

She floated the halls of Amahara Castle like a ghost. The only peace that seemed to claim her was the recent invasion of the Vong. The Seneschal had torn through them like butter. Her rage and fury pushing her forward; driving her to fight harder with little care what happened. Afterwards, she came back here and fell into a stupor.

'She needs to get out of the castle.' Was Muz's reply.

Ashia nodded to herself. She left the bridge in search of her old friend. Her duties as Quaestor had kept her busy...distracted from her own sorrow.

Noise could be heard from the dojo as she neared it. Davin was going through his kata with a bokken. She stood silently in the doorway watching him for a minute.

He moved fluidly through the motions, his eyes closed. A moment later, he came to stop and breathed out slowly.

"I know you are there, Mistress. Are my moves correct?"

"You're training is coming along nicely." She called from the doorway. "I'll leave you to it."

She turned and left.

Davin breathed out and centered himself again for a moment before continuing. He had been witness to Aries being broken and Anubis as well. Neither had been strong enough to withstand the Keibatsu training. He wouldn't be one of them. He had spent every minute available in the dojo perfecting his training.

The Guardian was determined to learn as much as he could from his mistress and her family. This was a chance to become stronger in the Force and that was something he wasn't passing up.

Muz knelt in the centre of the room, his eyes still beneath heavy lids. The last few hours slipping past his notice, his mind folded into himself, trying to soothe the raw wounds left by the events of the past year. Let the youngbloods wander the halls and scurry aimlessly for the last leg of the journey, they'd still be as confused as they were when they started. The seething of blood rushing in his ears pounded out a vicious rhythm, the pulsing growing to crescendos of aggression.

They thought they would chain him.

They thought they had broken him.

They took his dignity, his pain.

Then they took his son. And that would not do. Muz slammed aside any grudge he had previously, funneling his rage into an undying and virulent hatred for the beasts. Visions of their dead filled his mind, the acrid scent of their blood choking his breath. Sable eyes opened slowly as he stood, clearing his thought, refining the cruelty into a single purpose.

They will die.

Every last one of them until he got his boy back.

Muz stepped off the raised meditation area in his quarters, sliding his sabers back onto his belt next to a blaster holster. He had thought about donning the armour on the stand, his own highly customized Nihilgenia powered armour, but decided against it. He wanted them to recognize him. To fear him as they did aboard the No Peace. To recognize the murderous potential, to see him for what he was. The Monster that Eojin Quon-shen sought to kill. The Slayer that Nagto knew would kill him. The frightening beast that he saw reflected in the eyes of his brother as Nagahide was destroyed.

---------

The ship slowed down as the dark grey of hyperspace faded to the bright hues of the Autoch Nebulae. Darius stood slowly from the captain's chair, feeling the light of his native suns wash over his face.

"Vasic, open a Channel to the MilCom 17."

The Machine's voice soothed him as it responded in Autoch. The man had no need for the translitarator for Common that the others did, and found his native tongue pleasing, especially when he was going home, and wouldn't make him long for the endless streets of his native Lathecron.

"||Autoch Command, this is Dragon Class Serial 003, holding at standard vector. Commodore Darius Blackwind, requesting clearance to dock at Kilchrennan Naval Station for ruitine maintenance and supplies purchase.||" The sounds rolled off of his tongue slowly, as though the years away from home made the language foreign to speak.

The sound of pneumatic doors whooshed behind him, and he didn't bother to turn to see who it was. He could tell it wasn't Muz, and that was the only person he would be concerned with at this point. The man had always been rather evasive and moody, but he had returned from the War of Antei a darker person than before. The younger wizards...what was their word...Knights... had said he was now a lord of their order, but it didn't seem to do anything for his foul disposition.

"Is that it?" Shikyo spoke, staring at the growing orb of deep blue and green, tiny bits of metal swinging past the reddish rings that swooped around the planet. Darius held up a hand to signal quiet, but nodded his head to answer the question.

"||Commodore Blackwind, This is Commander Farstone. We have you on Flight Command. Enable the VAS-uplink, and we'll bring you in.||" The voice was clean and clear, the syllables flowing perfectly. Darius considered the words and turned to sit in the captain's chair.

"||Verify firewall status, Commander. Your database should have specs on the alterations of this vessel's VAS system.||"

"||One moment, while we verify, Sir.||"

Shikyo moved to the front of the bridge, staring at the planets in this system, letting the images of this far corner of the universe seep into his brain. Not on any of the maps from the core, Autoch Space was accessible only by accident, it seemed, complicated calculations and dozens of hyperspace jumps seemed to lead nowhere until you popped out here, and there was a dozen Autoch gunships staring at you like a pack of wild gurrcats eying a wounded child.

They were subtle. They knew the 'Spear, but they were still out there. He could feel their anxiety in the Force, their thoughts of confusion as to how an outlander would have this, of hope that they'd not have to engage this ship. Wondering if their onboard systems would even allow them to fire on this prototype, or if they'd be run down like grass. They glided quietly, at the corners of his vision, but they would escort them until they were sealed in at the station, no doubt.

Darius watched the Herald tense up for a moment, then relax, turning from the viewscreen, heading for the main corridor. "Sir?"

Shikyo dismissed the captain with a wave of his hand. "I'll let everyone know we've arrived."

"||Commodore, we have confirmed protection protocol. Please enable VAS-uplink.||"

"||Enabling now. Thank you.||"

"Kaghda'na do." Farstone's voice responded, the sound having a warmth to it. "||And welcome home, Commodore.||"

---------

The airlock fizzled out as Muz tapped a key on his arm, watching the dark grey and black armoured port control marines stepped aboard, eying the assembled group aboard. Muz stood with his thumbs tucked behind his belt, his normal robes replaced by the more relaxed clothing he oft wore around Kuroshin. Ashia shifted her weight, the silk brocade of her Kyataran dress flaring out dramatically at the hemline compared to the high and form-fitting collar. Violet and black swam across the pair, with red swirling around the Herald behind him. Shikyo watched the marines with steely eyes, stepping forward next to his brother with a subtle clack of the dark hued Nihilgenia armour plates as his boot hit the floor.

"||Ambassador Ashen...||" The man in a ridged dark suit spoke, his face looking like it was chiseled from rough stone. The atmosphere in the bay grew stifling for a second at the name, foul memory tainting the Lord's old surname before it dispelled. Even the marines noticed the change, suddenly growing more anxious.

"||Ambassador Ashen,||" The man spoke again. "||it will take three arns to refuel ships systems and run scheduled maintenance checks.||"

Muz nodded, stepping forward and producing a small leather pouch from within his voluminous warcoat and handing it to the dock officer. "||I trust pay for the services will do.||" Muz's grasp of the language was not the best, but it was enough to get the point across.

"I do apologize, sir." The officer backpedaled verbally. "I meant no offense."

Muz nodded understanding, waiting for the man to take the pouch from his hand.

"Ah, Navum. Yes, this will cover the expenses plenty. I will send the remainder of the credit to your account. Do you recall where the Trade Center is?"

Muz nodded as he moved forward. The rest of the crew moved with him as they stepped from the Spear's mouth to the smooth durasteel utility dock. "{Ladies and gentlemen, we have three hours to kill. Stay relatively close, I'm going to try to get an update from my intel sources.}" Muz spoke quietly in Kyataran, waiting for everyone to mutter acknowledgment. Ashia slowed her pace and whispered the commands in her student's ear.

"{Otherwise, enjoy this tourist trap.}"

The Zabrak sauntered down the promenade next to her husband as they moved towards the Trade Center. The long Kyataran dress floated around her ankles as she moved. Ashia's eyes darted around, always aware, always moving. Her eyes drank in the Naval Station hungrily; so much had changed, yet so much had remained the same.

Darius whispered something to Muz then took his leave after a nod from him. He moved swiftly through the crowds heading, she supposed towards familiar ground to visit with family and friends. The Nihilgenia remained with the ship so there would be no need for Darius to.

She watched Davin out of the corner of her eye. The Guardian looked about warily in the unfamiliar setting. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword

as if expecting something to happen. It was apparent that her training was paying off as she watched her apprentice, he remained ready for anything.

The Trade Center was a flurry of activity. The Autochthonians moved to and fro at a great pace with the hustle and bustle of shops and bars and various vendors that populated the area. The group moved together as the two Keibatsu moved towards one of the officer cantina's.

The bar stood in the middle of the room with seating all the way around. Tables sat staggered throughout the rest of the large room with pillars that divided it into little areas.

Muz made his way to the back and sat down at a table in a dark corner. The waitress was busy with other tables, but suddenly ventured over to his table as if summoned, took his order and moved off towards the bar; a confused look upon her face.

Ashia looked around at the group. Shikyo looked at her and nodded once before taking his leave to explore the Trade Center a bit. He left in a flurry of black and red. Sai followed suit as well.

Sildrin looked about quietly. Her absent eyes not really taking things in. She moved off towards the bar and sat down ordering something and proceeding to down it as quickly as possible. Ashia sighed; she was worried about her and not sure what to do to help her. At least, she thought, she was out of the castle.

Davin looked at his mistress.

"Just keep you comlink close and don't get into any trouble. Don't go too far, remember, they aren't used to outsiders so be respectful."

He nodded and took his leave.

Ashia moved back to join her husband. Several eyes followed her lithe form as she moved through the bar only to be averted once they saw Muz.

Rolling the bag around in his hand, Shikyo scanned the area for a way to redeem the contents for credits. Foreign symbols tampered with the Sith's mind as he began to notice familiar objects within - a Kyataran letter here, a Chiss symbol there. After finding nothing that spoke to him, the emblem of a crystal spoke out loud and clear. Grinning, he approached the building with collective anticipation.

As the doors to the building slowly opened, a pair of Autoch women sauntered out of the place with grins on their faces. While their style was awkward by Galactic trends, their cleavage was simple enough to understand as the Herald smirked and nodded slightly to them. The women giggling to themselves followed Shikyo into the gem store, as flashes of light quickly caught his eye.

The young Keibatsu continued to feel around the area until something tugged at him through the Force. It was an energy that felt warm and familiar yet seemed a bit chaotic. Whatever it was, its call was enticing. Moving through the cases of crystals and gems, the Herald stopped at a case and stared at an orange gem that was no longer or wider than his thumb.

A jeweler caught the form of the foreigner and quickly made his way towards him, a big grin upon his face. His accent was short and firm, yet the language he spoke was familiar, though broken.

[Interested in a particular gem, sir?]

Refreshing his own knowledge of Kyataran, Shikyo attempted to progress the conversation.

[What gem form be this?]

The jeweler chuckled.

[This is an Autoch Sungem, found on specific asteroids where the sun itself heats and creates the stone.]

Sasuke continued to roll the bag around in his hands, pulling out one of the Novae and moving it around between his fingertips. The jeweler's eyes glazed over at the sight of the item, bringing a smirk to the Sith's face.

[Exchange?]

--------------------

With the Autoch crystal in his hand and his bag weight more than doubling due to the exchange, the Keibatsu noticed another sight that spoke all the sweet words that sight could provide: beautiful women holding beautiful guns.

Muz stared at the liquid in the glass as Ashia swallowed another gulp. The others would be bouncing around the station, like a bunch of students on a field trip, but he could not forget, would not forget the real reason, their purpose for being here. Ashia set the glass down on the table and stared accusingly at it's emptiness.

"I don't like the feel of this."

Muz nodded, summoning a waitress with a tendril of his mind. So far, the mission had been less than smooth. And considering how his luck had been running, he had been hoping for a change of pace, for luck to side with him again. The waitress smiled politely at Muz's closed eyes, filling Ashia's glass. He waited for her to leave before sliding the heavy lids open again. He had learned many years ago that his dark eyes would strike dissonance into most people's minds.

Ashia reached for the glass, and Muz's hand rested upon hers, to stop it. Ashia's eyes raised to his, questions unspoken behind the Quaestor's azure orbs.

His arm chirped a moment later, the acknowledgment sound of an incoming communique.

----------------

Sildrin stumbled away from the bar, her head swirling as if on a spring. The Autochs knew how to brew an interesting concoction, and the Blind Dragon of the Longs had much to forget. Even through the haze, she still saw their eyes, her eyes, their father's eyes. It gnawed at her spirit, a traveling numbness that nothing could put down, not even the flaming liquors of these outsiders.

She staggered toward their booth in the corner, trying to maintain her footing without purging the drunkenness from her body with the Force. She wasn't quite sure why she decided to come with them. Some sort of penance, trying to atone for what had happened? Or was it just boredom? Or was it, as she was sure many thought, just a way for her to escape the familiar and seek refuge in the new, try to forget and start over? She hiccuped slightly, tasting the overly sweet brew in the back of her throat.

She slid into the booth, scooting on the soft leather next to the Quaestor. "What did we hear?"

----------------

The ship shuddered as the baylock retreated back into it's protective housing, leaving her to float there, tiny repulsors firing to keep her steady as the AI directed her back away from the station. Muz narrowed his eyes, staring out the viewport as the ship wheeled around, affording them a nice view of the stars of the system.

"Darius, we're headed for Bescht III." Muz turned quickly from the viewscreen. The planet was outside of the Dominion of the Autochs, but was close enough to benefit from their military presence. The reports said that the far-outsider ship was trailing a poisonous gas as it went down over the backwater world. Muz slid his gaze across the darksiders assembled there. "Get ready, and assemble the Nihilgenia. We make groundfall in ten minutes."

Davin walked the crowded streets of the city, swords at hand. His created sword, Blade of Olar, was held tightly while his katana was safely strapped to his right hip. The Jedi Hunter carried his pack which carried some essential gear. He stopped for a moment to look through his PAC20 visual comlink for data on the Autoch language. He wasn't fluent, but knew most words. Davin passed by an alleyway where a man was calling towards him.

[Hey, you! Give me all your stuff or I'll slit your throat!]

Davin chuckled. He walked over towards the man and began to speak to him. [You think you're so scary? Well I'm not given you my money or my things and I'll fight you just for the hell of it.]

The mugger came at the Jedi Hunter with not much of a constructive battle stance and began to slash at him. The Journeyman continuously blocked these moves and didn't even break a sweat. Davin then grasped the man's arm, snapped it and threw him towards the wall.

The man lied there, his face bleeding and having the look of neverending anguish wash over him. He began to cry out to the Hunter. [Please don't hurt me anymore, I don't want to die.]

Davin looked at the sad excuse for a combatant. [Well, maybe you shouldn't have tried to mug me and I wouldn't have to kill you.] Without question, the hunter unsheathed his katana and slashed at the man's neck. His head rolling along the alley.

The comlink chirped, "Davin, is everything alright? I heard some wierd interference.''

Davin pressed a button and replied, "Don't worry Mistress, everything is alright." He then turned the comlink off, went to the mugger's body, and removed his clothes. These'll help me through my time here, no one would suspect someone who looks like a civilian.

The Jedi Hunter then folded the clothes and placed them in his pack. He then took the body and head and moved them to a dark crevice in the alley. He then walked out of the alley and camoflauged into the large crowd of people.

The console beeped at the arrival of a communication to the Fallen Spear. The eldest walked over and punched a series of buttons with his metallic limb, clearly in a hurry as landfall was to be made shortly. That sequence brought a semi translucent screen up with one they have not long seen.

“Brothers! Sisters! I have returned…”

The thudding of knocks came from the door shortly before interested cries. “Sir! Is everything alright?”

Shimura called forth his saber and held it loosely. He waved a pale hand to shut off the device.

Ashia and Muz looked at each other curiously thinking exactly the same thing. “Well where in Sadow’s name is he?”

A loud metallic crash came from behind them, causing both Dark Jedi to draw the sabers and ignite them cautiously. A cloaked figure rolled out of the sub compartment and stood up. The two Keibatsu watched the being throw an oxygen mask to the floor and stretch his arms and legs. He turned around slowly and flinched backwards.

“Is that how we treat family around here now? I have half a mind…” Shimura dropped to one knee, put his right arm behind his back and helping himself stabilize with his left fist. “Cousin…your unholyness has grown exponentially since I have left.”

“Rise to your feet fool, we have business to attend to.”

“As you command. But first I need to use the refresher…”

Out of all of his family members there, Tsainetomo was perhaps closest, if only in decendancy, to the irreverent Battlemaster who shuffled through the cabin hatchway to use the aforementioned facilities; Meishu was their grandfather, whereas the rest were issued from Shinmen's loin. He spared a glance at his cousin as the hatch whisked closed behind him, but he did not make a move to stir from his casual repose against the bulkhead.

The fact that they were, to a member, so diverse in personality yet so much alike in their warrior mien was an interesting one; it seemed as though the stars themselves were aligned against them so fling them all so far afield at some point or another in their lives, yet they all railed against Fate's cruel touch to prosper. Woe be the omniverse should they all come together for any protracted period of time with proper focus.

He supposed that's what brought them all together now for this particular purpose. The Heir had been lost, and it became Muz's singular goal to retrieve him.

The ship began to shudder as it followed the trail into Becht III's atmosphere. A silent alarm spurred the Niligenia into preparation, and Muz order the ambient light on the bridge to be dimmed.

The Keibatsu had always been about the Business of Death...and if information gleaned from this rock of a world hinted that anything untoward had happened to his Heir, Tarthos' Lion would make sure that business would boom for a very, very long time.

Muz stared at the hologram of the Justicar. After the questions, Muz rose from his chair. Naturally, they'd wonder where he was off to. Neither he nor the Dark Lord had lost actual blood to the Vong. Muz hid the sneer well, thinking of how Kir managed to escape Antei with only a few scrapes, while He was ordered to sacrifice himself to buy the infighting hordes of the brotherhood a few more moments to escape.

"...Muz?"

"Am I supposed to let this go now?" Muz sharply responded, his voice cold as slate.

"I know what you must be feeling, but the Brotherhood..." Katarn tried to use reason again, words his only weapon from such a distance.

"Let darkness come, take me away."

"Muz, old friend, you're not thinking clearly. Put emotion aside, and listen to duty. Your feelings..."

"When I have nothing left to feel, when I have nothing left to say, I'll just let this slip away." Muz switched off the commlink and shut down the connection on his arm.

---------

The ship rolled somewhat on re-entry, the burn of atmosphere casting brilliance across the viewscreen, casting them all in eerie light. The bridge of the Fallen Spear was silent as the grave a Muz came through the doorway, all eyes scanning the verdant undergrowth for the muddy colours of a downed vong ship. The quiet whir of the ships engines soothed them all somewhat, a taste of familiarity in this mission.

Tsainemoto craned his neck, his eyes skating across the screen to the others facing the dawn. The roiling anmosity that seethed beneath the ashen exterior of the Krath Lord reflected in the burning eyes of his wife and the consul of their home clan. Sai himself felt the tension, the raw and unbridled emotion of having lost kin, and he understood without fail. Shikyo shifted in his stance, his thumbs tucked behind the heavy belt of his armoured garb, gazing at the world as it spun beneath them. Shimura leaned against the bulkhead behind them, his attempt to seem nonchalant thin to their eyes, even Sildrin's chalk orbs. Everyone here knew what they were here for.

Like soldiers marching to their dooms, it didn't matter anyway.

The doom was tangible, their anxiety permeating every breath. Since the loss on Kyataru, their will had faltered. But still they heeded the call. None left behind.

And there it was, glistening darkly in a circle of ruined green. Blackwind slowed the ship down, lowering closer to the wreckage of the analog. Without a word, Muz turned from the screen and left the bridge, Ashia turning to join him as the rest of the bloodline followed suit.

--------

"Lock and load, men." Commander Rex barked as he pulled on his sable helmet, the fierce facemask designed in line with the ancient Kyataran traditions. The other Nihilgenia slapped magazines into rifles and pistols, hiding their faces behind helmets as the Keibatsu stepped out of the turbolift. The heavy boots and distictive clothes of their dark masters always left an impression with the recruits, but the Neverborn were used to their odd ways. They were born for one purpose, much the same as they were crafted on Camino for this.

Rex switched to internal comm, checking the linkup. No knowing what they'd be up against down here. Last time this many of the Bloodline showed up, they lost an awful lot of men. Hell, even one of the generals got messed up by the enemy, and the recruits were beginning to wonder if they were even mortal.

"Allright, men. Stay frosty, standard fan out and secure the drop." Rex gave the hand signals for the orders along with the words hidden on their private system. "Zeb, you and Haratari are on ordnance. Kit to heavy support."

Two of the soldiers moved to the back of the bay, grabbing larger packs from the lockers and changing out their rifles. Rex grimaced, trying to consider all possibilities. The thought was that they'd be up against the Vong, and despite the protracted fighting in the mists around Antei, they hadn't had to encounter them more than ten at a time, and That made the commander anxious.

Rex noted Muz standing precariously close to the maw of the bay, his eyes cast downward as the wreckage sped forward. Rex stamped his boot and jogged to behind the darksiders, the rest of the legion quickly falling in behind him. "Ready to drop, boys."

---------

The ground caved beneath Muz's boots as he landed with a resonant thud, his eyes looking up through strands of windswept hair, fingers twitching as he looked for the outsiders. Nothing crossed his dark eyes, except the gliding forms of the Keibatsu, descending to the ground like some vicious host.

Silently, they moved out, Shikyo's saber slicing through the stinking carapace of the wrecked analog, exposing the wretch-inducing smell of rotting death to their noses. Shikyo turned to his brother, recieving a single blink in return. Shikyo deactivated his saber and turned toward the alien forest. Muz was right. Nothing here was alive.

Several of the dark-armoured soldiers swept through the breach, searching the ship before returning with a report of a few dead vong and some disgusting scenes of an embrace of pain still feeding ont he corpse of a Twi'lek apprentice. Nothing seemed to illicit a response from them. This was a somber and mirthless affair, and there was little time for words.

Sai's eyes caught the trail first, the footprints in the mud almost glowing in his tripartite eyes. The thought carried to the others, and they all stared at the narrow trail, mud and rubble leading off into the harsh undergrowth. Sai's eye felt something change, vines as thick as a man's wrist starting to atrophy before him, cracking to grey before starting to crumble to dust. Eyes widened, Sai sidestepped, getting out from between the Krath Lord and the edge of the clearing.

Muz cracked his neck, the sound of snapping trees in front of them an audible echo as the air thickened with the death rattle of a thousand forms of plantlife. With a final push of the Sadow's mind, the path was cleared, as if swept aside by a giant's hand.

Without hesitation, Muz stepped forward, his own eyes marking the footprints in the dried mud as he tracked his own. Ashia looked calmly at Sai and nodded before following her husband. However many survived, they had a long lead on them, and there wasn't time to spare.

He could feel the violence as it rushed from him, spilling out around the edges of what seemed to be a calm exterior. Sai flinched silently, his mind taking in the raw strength of will needed to accomplish the vulgar. He recalled that Sarin had named him 'Darth Ashen', and none had seen the demon inside the eldest since the Vong War. Sai had wondered if he had finally slew the monster, or if it slew him, much as Trevarus was defeated by his own monster... or if Muz had merely chained the creature to his own will.

"Shitsuree shimasu..." Shikyo broke the silence, looking to his brother and speaking in quick Kyataran.

Muz paused for a moment, eyes still locked on the trail. "{Can you bear the thought of knowing truth?}" Shikyo paused for a second, mouthing the words back into his own mind, contemplating as Muz started moving forward again.