A New Player in the Force

“The compound is secure, Master,” I stated as Dooku led Vos down the ramp from the Ne’tra Sartr towards where Aayla and I stood waiting to greet them.

“Where is Miss Kryze?” Vos asked, looking around.

“Watching over the survivors,” I answered. “The remaining slavers are restrained in an empty block, and she’s guarding them to prevent any of the freed slaves from seeking retribution.” I refrained from mentioning the black mass at my side or the four Wookies standing a few metres behind me.

Apparently, they felt they owed us a life debt for freeing them, and after Bo and Aayla had explained how we’d take the base – read they’d given me all the credit to avoid having the four acting as shadows – the group had decided to act as a quasi-bodyguard unit. Much to my annoyance and Bo and Aayla’s amusement.

“Logical,” Dooku commented as his feet touched the dirt of the planet. “Though I suspect there’s more to tell.” He added as his eyes locked onto the pup at my side.

“Is that what I think it is?” Vos asked as he spotted the pup as well. The man’s hand drifted towards his lightsaber, which made the pup growl. I lowered my hand towards its head, making it turn so I could scratch it under its chin.

“If you think it’s a tuk’ata, then yes, it is,” I replied as the pup leaned into my hand. “However just because someone or thing has a lineage with the Dark Side doesn’t mean they should be condemned because of it.” I added, making it clear I was referring to my known family history of being Revan’s descendent. While that likely would work in my favour, any reveal about my father would result in me likely being thrown in a place like the Citadel.

Dooku stroked his beard even as Vos spoke. “While you speak the truth, I highly doubt the High Council will be,” his lips twitched upwards, “impressed that a Padawan has taken an animal companion. Particularly one with a history soaked in the Dark Side.”

“Very true,” Dooku murmured. He stepped closer and looked down at the pup, which narrowed its eyes but made no move to withdraw from my touch. “Still, it is clear that, even after such a short amount of time, the beast has formed a connection with you,” Aayla shifted her stance and the pup shifted to watch her warily, sliding its ears back and growling, though that sounded more like a whine given its young age. “And only you, it seems.”

“Eh, he’s not the only one that has issues with my Padawan,” Vos remarked with a smile. “I still remember that Dug on Denon.”

“Master,” Aayla whined, making me smirk as Vos’ smile grew.

“Yet, while I am uncomfortable with that beast being allowed to live,” the pup growled/whined again, “any decision regarding the beast’s fate is something for your master to decide. Besides, we have more pressing matters.” He finished as he shifted his gaze beyond me towards the four Wookies.

“Indeed.” Dooku agreed as he looked to his right at a group of Twi’leks that were huddling together near some crates. While most were female and adult, I knew that some were children with three not even having reached double figures. Aayla had been furious when we’d discovered the children – not just the Twi’leks but Humans and Togrutas as well – and there’d been a faint ripple in the Force as her anger bled into it. She hadn’t acted on it, but even now I could sense her discomfort with the situation. “Given your new friends, can we assume that the compound was far more active than Gardulla led us to believe?”

“It was indeed, Master,” I began to reply as I moved back to show the compound with the tuk’ata moving to stay near my hand. “Most of the slavers died in the assault. However, those that didn’t, including one that I believe is in charge,” well I knew he was the leader due to Observe which had also revealed his links to Jabba, “are secured. Some of the freed slaves were… understandably angry about their capture and sought retribution; hence why Bo is guarding the prisoners.”

Not that I personally was against the idea of a freed slave getting retribution. It was just that the slavers had yet to be interrogated. Once that was done… well, I suspected Bo wouldn’t be as stringent in her security measures, but I doubted I would care. Nor would Dooku I suspect. Not least that whatever punishment the slavers would face from Republic justice would, in my opinion, be pathetically weak.

“Impressive,” Vos commented as he moved past Dooku towards Aayla; though he took a wide arc to avoid the pup. “I’m curious though, as to how you were able to assault the compound without support.” He paused and looked towards the walls where four stacks of smoke were still rising from the destroyed turrets. “Or how you managed to take out those turrets when they’re on opposite sides of the compound.”

As Vos reached Aayla, he placed a hand on her arm. Nothing was said but Aayla nodded in silent confirmation, I assumed, that she was uninjured.

“Cam used the Force to teleport to the far ones to create a distraction,” Aayla explained as Vos stepped back from her. “From there we broke through the wall then Bo-Katan caused a distraction while Cam and I assaulted their command centre.” The pup growled/whined once more as Dooku moved closer to me, though my master showed no signs of being concerned by its behaviour.

“And it was in this command centre that you found your new companion I presume?” Dooku asked as he came to a stop in front of me, though on the opposite side to the pup.

“Yes, master. We found it caged in what I believe was the leader’s private quarters - along with two Twi’lek females that were…involuntary bedmates.” A flash of anger from Aayla rippled through the Force, “There were also several crates-worth of credits and illegal substances.”

I paused and gestured towards a large building near the south wall of the compound. “In there, we found dozens more captive creatures, many of which are quite…exotic,” I added. They were, in fact, so exotic that I’d had to use Observe on those beasts. There were animals from razor cats to shriek hawks, from a nexu to a young pair of bull rancors. Kriff, there was even a trio of blood owls which had drawn a laugh from Bo since those were what she’d killed during her verd’goten. The only common thread between the animals was that all were illegal to trade within the Republic without some very specialised, and thus expensive, permits.

“Hmm. I suspect then that we will have issues with transportation,” Dooku commented.

“After your signal saying the compound had fallen, the ships in-system fled,” Vos explained, having likely seen the confusion on my face at Dooku’s statement. “We were able to disable one transport during our fight and convince another to stay but the rest fled.”

“How’d the Sartr hold up in combat?” I asked, curious as to the condition of my ship. From the outside, it looked fine with no scorch marks to indicate the shields failed, but I didn’t know for certain.

“Like a dream,” the Kiffu Jedi replied, a small smile coming to his face. “She might be shorter than a diplomatic cruiser, but she’s got them beat in every other way.” He glanced at the Sartr as he continued. “Got to hand it to the Mandalorians. When they build a ship, they don’t mess around.”

“Yes. Though of the two ships we managed to persuade to remain, both were carrying further slaves within.” Dooku remarked, bringing the conversation back towards a more pertinent topic. “Four dozen slaves to go along with a dozen slavers all told need to be added to the numbers.”

I frowned as I did the mental math. “Based on the rations we’ve discovered and distributed, we’ve only got enough food for a week, two if we stretch things.” I paused then glanced towards the turret we’d taken out when we’d assaulted the walls. “However, the forest nearby is teeming with life. We, uh, were attacked by some of the local predators not long after deploying and chasing off a family of wild pigs before we assaulted this base. I know it’s not exactly the Jedi way, but if we arranged hunting parties, I think we could supplement our supplies with what we could find in the forest.”

“While hunting is not the most efficient method of feeding everyone, it appears it will have to do,” Dooku remarked before looking at Vos. “Once we’ve… spoken with the remaining slavers, in particular their leadership, I suggest you take Aayla and our ship to a nearby system, deposit the slavers with the relevant authorities and arrange freighters to ferry the newly freed slaves back to their homeworlds.”

“We could use some of the slaver's credits to pay for that,” Aayla suggested. “We’d need to take the spice and other illegal goods with us anyway for processing.”

“That is a logical suggestion, Padawan,” Dooku commented, giving out some unexpected praise to Aayla. The girl seemed to stand up straighter at this, which made sense as, as far as I knew, that was the first time he’d complimented her since she and Vos had come onboard. “I think we should split our focus,” he continued as he looked back at Vos. “I will take Cameron and his companion, and speak with the slavers and freed slaves while you and your Padawan work to catalogue the ill-gotten gains within this compound.”

Vos shrugged. “Eh, fine by me. Doubt I’d have the patience to deal with those scum.” He started to walk away. “Come Aayla,” he added as she quickly fell into step beside him.

Once they were a few metres away, Dooku looked at me. “Cameron, as we walk to where Miss Kryze has secured the slavers, I wish for you to fully detail everything that happened after you landed.” He glanced down at the pup. “I am most curious to learn how exactly you not only adapted your rare Force abilities to assault this compound but what drove you to form a Force Bond with a tuk’ata - yes, I can sense the bond you share,” he added before I could try and deny it, “ - and why four Wookies are now following us intently.”

I bowed to hide a smirk that had come to my face. “Of course, Master. This way.” I indicated the rough direction towards where Bo was.

As we walked the pup fell into step beside me instinctively – something that caused a faint ripple of curiosity and amusement from Dooku – while the four Wookies took up positions behind. No doubt they were scanning the base for any potential threat, though if there was anything here that could sneak up on two Jedi I doubted four Wookies would be much more than a nuisance to it.

Then again, the idea of having four Wookies with a life-debt to me was intriguing. I didn’t need the support – most of the time – but the image of having them standing with me would be a powerful one. Sadly, I knew the idea wouldn’t fly with Dooku, never mind that the Sartr didn’t have the room to accommodate four adult Wookies on top of its current passenger load.

… …

… …

I watched a familiar figure lead the delegation down the main ramp of the CR-90 that had just landed outside the compound, I silently prayed to the Force that she wouldn’t make a scene in front of people I’d asked her to collect.

The purple-skinned Togruta bowed once she was close enough, as did most of those behind her. “Mtael, we have come as you requested.” I suppressed a groan of irritation at hearing her use that Force-be-damned title.

“Mtael?” I caught Aayla whisper from behind me and to the left, which only further inflamed my irritation.

“I’ll tell you about it later.” Bo answered in a whisper of her own as I took a steadying breath to help me not let my irritation show. The last thing I needed was Aayla learning about this and bringing it up among our friends in the Order. Oh, Rachi Sitra had likely heard the term several times while on the Lokella station, but she didn’t have the same circle of friends as Aayla and I, so I doubted the term had spread among our fellow Padawans.

“Miss Iradel, thank you for coming.” Dooku began, saving me from having to deal with another round of hero worship from Baalta and her crew. Or at least, allowing me to put off the issue until we weren’t standing in front of the compound with most of the freed slaves watching. “As you can no doubt see, we recently liberated a slaver operation and have a large number of sentients who do not wish to return to their old lives or wish to strike back at other slavers in the Outer Rim.”

As Baalta looked past us at the assembled masses, I considered the last half month or so. About a third of the freed slaves had wished to return to their former lives, while the rest had shown interest in joining the Lokella after Bo brought the group up. Those who didn’t want to join had already left on a transport that Vos had hired and they, along with the slavers and most of the animals, had been taken to a stable Republic world nearby. To help them recover, they along with those that would join the Lokella had the confiscated credits split evenly between them. While it wouldn’t in any way make up for the hardships and horrors they’d suffered, it was better than the credits ending up in the account of some corrupt politician on a random Republic world.

Behind us, Baalta could see the nearly one hundred and fifty former slaves who wished to join her organization. “When Mtael calls, the Lokella will answer,” she replied after looking at the assembled masses. Behind her, two YT-1300 freighters were descending towards the planet. The Freerunner would be taking almost everyone who wished to join the Lokella, while the two freighters would carry the animals to a Republic zoo on Centares. Though as I watched them descend, it was obvious the rancors wouldn’t fit inside either, even if there was only a single deck from top to bottom of the vessels.

I ignored the chuckles coming from Aayla and Bo at the latest display of reverence from Baalta as I commented. “You don’t have to do that.”

Baalta smiled and her montrals seemed to vibrate. “Without the actions of you and Master Dooku, we would still be nothing more than slaves, as would those you have recently freed on this world. We owe you a debt that can never, ever be repaid,” she paused as her smile grew then turned back to the Freerunner and waved her arm. “Nor could we deny our rather insistent passenger the chance to visit you.”

“Cam!" Anakin yelled as he ran down the ramp, a wide smile on his face. He ground to a halt as the pup let out a sound somewhere between a whine and a growl. Anakin's eyes bulged, and excitement burned across his presence in the Force. "What is that?!"

“This is a tuk’ata, though only a pup,” I explained as I continued to casually scratch the pup under its chin, making the pup calm down. “He, like other animals we found and all the people you see behind me, were enslaved in this base until we liberated it.” The pup whined happily as I found a particular spot near its ear, and it leaned into my hand. “He’s become rather attached to me.” As I’d spoken, Anakin had continued to step closer, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Bo scoffed. “More like he’s joined to your hip,” she remarked, drawing Anakin’s eyes to her. “Kriffing thing almost attacked me the first time we sparred after securing this place,” she added with a smile that let Anakin and me know she wasn’t angry about the incident. Anakin’s smile returned upon hearing her little story.

“To be fair, you did come at me with a beskad.” I countered to which Bo shrugged.

“I always come at you like that.” She glanced down at the pup. “Still, I’m glad it’s only a pup and got time to know me. I’d rather not have to fight that once it’s fully grown.” The pup growled out what sounded like a chuckle. “And that haar thing is smarter than it should be.”

“If we might return to more pressing matters,” Dooku remarked, though the faintest of upwards movement at the corners of his lips let me know he wasn’t too upset with things getting side-tracked. “While we have managed to keep everyone here fed by arranging hunting parties and Knight Vos purchasing rations on each trip out of system, our supplies are getting low.” He explained to Baalta.

Baalta smiled and looked up to where the two YT-1300 freighters were beginning their final descent. Above them, the Ne’tra Sartr could just be seen with Vos piloting my ship on the off chance anyone tried to attack. While no ships beyond the ones we’d expected had come into the system, Dooku and I weren’t taking any chances which forced Vos to man the ship with HK acting as a gunner. While he’d never admit it to the droid, he’d come to respect the droid for how it’d performed in the battle; though HK wasn’t returning that respect, much to my amusement.

“The Wayward Son and the Ando Pioneer are both laden with food and other supplies to keep everyone here fed for several weeks.” Baalta explained.

“Whoa! Are those Wookies?” Anakin blurted out. I lowered my gaze to see he was looking past me at the four towering sentients that were still, after nearly two weeks, intent on acting as my honour guard. While Dooku had managed to convince them that they didn’t owe me a life debt – which was something I was both happy and upset about – they still wished to serve as my guard until they arrived in the ShaDo system. I was generally fine with that, though I’d wondered why they hadn’t expanded their protection to Bo and Aayla. They’d explained that as I was the one that led the assault, I was the one worthy of the guard, which made sense.

Still, the idea that a Jedi needed a guard was amusing to me. Even more so when Aayla had wondered how the High Council would react when they heard I had a Wookie honour guard, especially if I walked into the temple with them at my side. The image of Windu’s forehead vein throbbing in annoyance had kept me amused ever since.

“They are. However, do not point,” Dooku answered in a firm tone I knew meant he was being both strict and teaching. “To some species, thankfully not Wookies, pointing at them is a grave insult.”

Anakin’s arm snapped back as if it was on fire. “Sorry, I was just curious.” He replied in a quiet voice, almost as if he was fearful of being struck for stepping out of line. I felt a momentary surge of anger at Watto, but I managed to control and release it almost instantly, mainly as there was shab-all I could do about it currently.

Dooku’s lip twitched, and I sensed annoyance from him, though whether it was directed at Watto or Anakin was hard to tell. “There is nothing wrong with being curious, within reason. However, pointing at others is considered rude in most cultures at a minimum. In others, it is seen as a challenge or even a threat and will be responded to accordingly.” He paused and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Still, it would be wise to be mindful of your actions in the future.”

“Yes sir,” Anakin replied as I put aside my surprise at seeing Dooku be almost comforting to Anakin. A faint intake of breath by Aayla reminded me of something.

“Oh, before I forget; Anakin Skywalker, this is Aayla Secura. She’s a friend of mine and a fellow Jedi Padawan,” I said, introducing the pair.

Anakin smiled as he looked at the Twi’lek. “You’re a Jedi too? Nice to meet you.” He said, parroting the movie line as he extended his hand.

Aayla’s lekku twitched before her eyes glanced my way. I smiled back and indicated Anakin with my eyes. Her brow rose before she shook the boy’s hand. “Likewise. Any friend of Cam’s is a friend of mine.” She commented.

“Di’kute Jetii,” I heard Bo mutter, though that only made my smile grow at seeing Anakin meet another Jedi. My smile faltered as something occurred to me.

“Anakin, where’s your mother? She does know you came here, right?”

Anakin broke the handshake and looked at me sheepishly. “Sorta. She’s on the Freerunner but I may have, um, forgotten to tell her I, uh…”

“Miss Skywalker is aware her son is with me,” Baalta interrupted, which drew my attention to her. “She’s currently assisting our engineers with some minor repairs, though I informed her that her son was with me before we landed. It would be safe to assume she knows he’s here with us.” Baalta was smiling as she looked at me and Anakin, though made no comment on why.

“I am pleased to hear she has found a role within your community,” Dooku commented, which drew a slight nod from Baalta. I hoped that meant he was more accepting of my decision to place the Skywalkers with the Lokella as I think if Shmi hadn’t managed to settle he might’ve been more inclined to take Anakin to the Temple. “However, I believe it would be worthwhile if we focused on more pressing issues. Like explaining to those watching who you are and what you represent.”

“I was under the impression they already knew of our activities?” Baalta asked.

“They do. However, I want them to hear it from you as well,” I explained to counter her confusion. “Hearing from a Jedi that there was a group working to strike back against slavers is all well and good but hearing from one of the group's leadership would carry more weight.” I paused and looked at the large group that was standing about a hundred metres behind us. “They have hope, now you just have to convince them the Lokella are worthy of that hope.”

“They also have credits,” Aayla added, giving me a smile. “Cam had the… funds we discovered split up between all the freed slaves.”

Baalta smiled broadly at me. “Why am I not surprised that Mtael would give all the rewards to those in need.” she commented. I wanted to retort that a Jedi didn’t claim rewards nor gain money but that would be a falsehood since, the last time I checked I had over two hundred million credits from the sales of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Baalta had walked past me and as I turned, I saw her looking out at the assembled former slaves. “Everyone, my name is Baalta Iradel,” she began gaining the attention of most people present, which was a bit of a surprise. Baalta had never come across as a public speaker before, let alone one capable of being confident talking to over a hundred strangers, yet here she was doing just that. “When I was nine, my family and I were captured and enslaved. I never saw them again, and over the next ten years I endured some…horrible things.” She paused, and I felt a brief wave of sadness and pain within the Force. “However, that all changed three years ago when, along with Jedi Master Dooku, this young man,” she pointed at me with a proud, devoted smile, “Cameron Shan, freed me and hundreds of others from the control of a Hutt. He then defended us against reprisal from the same Hutt and helped us form a group we now call the Lokella.”

Murmurs could be heard in the crowd which was unexpected. I hadn’t realised that the Lokella name had spread among other slaves, but if it had, not only was that impressive, but also dangerous. It would only be a matter of time before Decca or another Hutt moved against them directly, and while their forces were decent, I didn’t feel they could hold up against a concerted attack.

“With continued support from Cameron Shan, the Lokella – which means Reborn in Togruti – now strike back against those who enslaved us. We work to do what the Republic and all their might and alliances can’t; to end slavery within the galaxy.” Again she gestured at me. “Cameron Shan is a Jedi, but he understands the flaws within the Republic. He helps us with donations when he can, which have allowed us to purchase the ships you see behind me.” I could hear both YT-1300s finally touch down behind us as she spoke. “But that is not all we have. Over a dozen ships, including sister ships to the Freerunner, defend our home and strike out against those who would dare enslave others! Who would defy the right of all sentients to be free!” The crowd was all but hooked on Baalta’s words, and I doubted any that still remained would not head off with her to further strengthen the Lokella.

“I stand here today, not just a freed slave, or starship captain, but as a member of the ruling council of the Lokella to offer you this choice. If any of you still wish to return home to your former lives, then you are free to do so. However, here and now I extend an offer to all of you to join us, to join the Lokella. To help us strike back against those who would threaten our freedoms! Against those who want to own others, or feel they have some given right to look down on the rest of us! To help us make the Rim a place free of oppression and servitude to those who think money allows them the right to treat others as toys; as cattle.”

She paused and took a breath, and when she continued the fervour in her tone had calmed. “As I said, you do not have to join, but know that the offer will never, ever be withdrawn so long as you yourselves do not enslave others. However, know that we share a common bond. Thanks to the actions of Cameron Shan, our Mtael, my crew and I stand here today, like you, free from the shackles of those who wish to enslave us!”

I heard Aayla and Bo chuckle – and felt Dooku’s amusement though it was tinged with concern through our bond – at this as Baalta turned my way and I suddenly found myself the centre of attention. Baalta bowed to me then returned her attention to the crowd. I could sense more eyes were on me now after that, and while I wasn’t comfortable with it, I thought I understood what she was doing. Though I hoped she didn’t take things to the extreme.

“Regardless of your choice today, know this. By the time the sun sets, we will have left this world never to return, and have reduced this place, this symbol of your oppression, to ash so that no one else can ever suffer here as you have!”

She bowed deeply to the crowd, and very quickly, first in a few corners but then spreading across the entire assembled masses, cheering, clapping and hollering reverberated around the compound. People began hugging each other in a mixture of relief and joy and the volume continued to grow. I watched Anakin and Aayla flinch as the four Wookies roared to the heavens and had to fight off a grin as Baalta came towards me, a smile forming on her face.

“That was impressive.” I commented even if I was uncomfortable with her embellishing my actions to help the Lokella.

“Indeed. Rarely have I heard such an honest, forthright, and impassioned speech,” Dooku added from my right. “One that, if shown to the Senate, would embarrass many for being unable to be as dedicated to a worthy cause.”

Baalta’s smile grew massively. “I thank you for your kind words, Master Dooku.” she said before bowing deeply to both of us. While I understood the gesture was nothing more than a mark of respect, I wondered how those watching would react to it. “However, without your critical and continuing support, I fear our ideals would already have been trampled beneath the feet of those who fear the hope we are spreading to all those enslaved throughout the galaxy.”

“Hope…”

“Mtael! Mtael!” What I was going to say about hope being a powerful tool was cut off when someone began shouting that accursed title. I looked over to the Freerunner to see that the shouting was coming from a new group who’d disembarked at some point during Baalta’s speech then had spotted me.

“Oh kriff me…” I muttered as the chant was taken up by more members of Baalta’s crew. Said Togruta simply smiled as she watched my reaction to her crew’s action.

A hand came to rest on my shoulders. “It’s not that bad,” Aayla offered, “I mean it’s only th…”

Aayla’s words were cut off by the Wookies roaring to the skies. They were joined by the other recently freed slaves. While they didn’t chant that title - Thank the Force - many were looking towards me in admiration.

“Um, sorry.” Aayla finished even as I sensed her amusement while catching faint sniggers from Anakin. As the chanting began to spread, I felt Dooku’s concern grow.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen, master.” I said as I turned to him. His face was its usual stoic self, but from the faint ticks I’d learnt to spot it was clear he was less than impressed with what was happening.

“I am aware of that. I was there when this all started, Padawan,” He remarked as a single eyebrow rose as the chanting continued to spread. “However, this form of… respect is dangerous. Not just to you but them as well.” He turned his gaze to me. “While I highly doubt you will become arrogant because of this, the Lokella risk placing you on a pedestal which is beyond anything you can do.”

“My people do not worship the Mtael, Master Dooku. We merely wish to show him the respect he has earned, and will always have from us.” Baalta said as she came to my defence.

“I understand and accept that logic, Miss Iradel. However, there are many in our Order who would not. They would condemn young Cameron for forming a cult, of seeking power over others. To our Order, such behaviour is akin to turning to the Dark Side. Which is why it would be best if this… incident was not mentioned to any other Jedi, even Knight Vos.” Dooku added as he looked at me and Aayla.

“Yes, Master.” “Yes, Master Dooku.” We replied together as I did my best to ignore the chant which had now spread to around half the freed slaves.

The sooner we were off this backwater and could return to finding out what happened to Komari Vosa, the better.

… …

… …

The cargo bay echoed with the thrum of Aayla’s lightsaber as she cautiously stepped around the room. My eyes narrowed as I watched, observing her attempting the initial velocities of Makashi. Had I a mirror, I would have been surprised at how closely my stance mirrored Dooku’s in that moment; hands clasped behind my back and feet slightly spread apart.

“Tighten up your steps,” I barked out as Aayla made a wide turn. “Makashi is precision, not exuberance. This is not Ataru. You’re not putting on a performance.”

Her brow tightened and she repeated the turn, her movements now slow and deliberate. I let out a sigh.

“When I said tighten up your steps, I didn’t mean for you to turn into a Gonk droid.” I let the corner of my lip curve as she blushed involuntarily. “Tighter control does not mean blocky movements. It means that every action you take is calculated and precise. Ataru is the release of energy to overpower and bewilder. Makashi is the conservation of energy through careful timing of your strikes to offset your opponent and capitalise on their openings.”

She nodded, took a breath, and then started the series of movements over again. Though there was noticeable improvement in her footwork, her sole focus downwards resulted in neglect of the blade itself.

“Launch your strikes from your wrist, not your arm,” I directed. “You’re not looking to overpower an opponent, just land a glancing blow. When facing another saber, that is often enough. This also allows you to both strike quicker, and also recover quicker in the event that you need to course-correct mid sequence, since you’re not as committed to the action.”

Aayla nodded and continued to repeat the motions as I continued to give direction and corrections. Slowly, her form firmed up, and as it did so, her speed gradually improved as her confidence in the velocities rose. We continued in this vein for another hour before I called a halt. After a brief respite, I moved into the center of the cargo bay and motioned to her to take a position facing me.

“Let’s see how well you are able to apply the basics,” I murmured, as I ignited my blade and swept it to the side in the traditional Makashi salute. “We’ll begin with a quarter-speed, no-contact spar.”

I signalled her to begin, and watched as she carefully threw out some probing thrusts. At first, I didn’t even parry, simply weaving my body around her blade, wanting to see how Aayla would adapt. Soon, she transitioned from single strikes to chaining movements together, and I brought my blade up for the first time in a minute of this session, taking advantage of an opening. I easily slid my blade down and out, guiding her blade away from both of us and placed the base of my lightsaber against her throat. “Good improvement,” I complimented. “However, don’t overextend. That leaves you vulnerable to a quick end or, in the right hands, a deadly counter.”

“I, um, I can see that,” Aayla mumbled out as her neck and lower jaw was cast into relief by the dark light of my lightsaber’s blade. “I, uh, thought I saw an opening.”

“A good duellist, or any skilled combatant, will make you think there’s an opening,” I remarked as I pulled my blade away from her neck. The energy settings were lowered as was standard for sparring to avoid ‘accidents’ but that didn’t mean a strike wouldn’t hurt; especially if it was against a weak point like the neck. “However, the opening isn’t for you, but for them. They’re looking to draw you into making a mistake because one mistake is all it takes to end your life, never mind a fight.” I moved as I spoke, shifting my position to the far side of the cargo bay.

“H-how will I know when an opening is an opening?” Aayla stumbled out as I reached the far side of the room and turned back to face her. She was still standing in the middle, a hand near her neck making it clear she was still processing just how easily I could’ve killed her.

“Training, patience, and trusting in yourself and the Force,” I replied as I gestured with my hand for her to return to her starting location. “While much of that must come from you over time, I can help with the foremost to the extent that you wish to spar with a focus on Makashi.” I adopted the standard Makashi opening stance and saluted her with my blade.

Aayla looked at me for a moment before copying my stance; or trying to at least. Her form was, to put it politely, pathetic at best and I knew that if Dooku saw it he’d sneer in disgust. Still, Aayla had only been doing these sessions with me for about a month, and she’d been on par with where Serra had been when I’d started her teaching nearly two years ago.

“Begin,” I said, letting her initiate things. She took a moment to consider before stepping towards me. I instantly noted that her footwork was wrong. Those movements were Ataru-based, which, while making sense since that was her dominant form, exposed far too much of the fighter to an opponent. For now, I decided to have a teaching moment, and allowed the misstep.

Her blade was pointed towards me, though with her coming at me face-on, she’d lack power behind any thrust or jab. This was something Dooku had drilled – sometimes painfully – into my head during our early training sessions and was another thing I’d have to mention to Aayla after this round. However, as I’d been taught in this life and the previous one, never correct an opponent when they’re making a mistake. I took a step forward, exaggerating how little of my body was towards her so that when she reviewed the spar, she’d be able to understand my points.

Her first attack was a thrust that, due to her body angle, lacked any distance and was easily batted away, as was the second. The third attack, however, was a wide, aggressive swing and that was where I drew the line.

With a sigh, I caught the blade and slid my own along its surface, absorbing more and more of her leverage before, with a mildly elaborate twist, I spun her blade up into the air and out of her grip before catching it in my off-hand.

“As much as I know you enjoy the style, Makashi doesn’t use large, exaggerated swings,” I explained as I pulled back my blade and tried to keep my disappointment with her attacking in such a way off my face. “Remember: Control, precision, distance and timing define Makashi. You keep slipping back in Ataru velocities and as you’ve just seen, those will only get you killed if you cannot get away from an attacker.”

“Uh, am, o-ok,” Aayla mumbled out as her cheeks darkened. Seeing my point was made, I returned her lightsaber and stepped back, re-establishing a comfortable distance between us while clipping my lightsaber to my belt. “I know you feel most comfortable in Ataru, but in close quarters or tight spaces every weakness of the form is exposed, and the strengths negated. If you want to survive such encounters, shab if you just want to defeat Bo, you’ll have to learn to meld elements of the other forms into your style.”

A growl from Fenrir – a suitable name for a tuk’ata in my opinion – had me turn to look at him. His head was aimed at the door of the room which opened a moment later to allow Bo to enter. The growling grew louder until Bo bopped Fenrir on the nose. I chuckled as Fenrir went cross-eyed at the gesture. On the journey to the ShaDo system – as we were escorting the Freerunner and the YT1300s home – Bo was the only one who seemed unconcerned of touching Fenrir. Oh, I didn’t think Dooku was afraid of Fenrir, but my master and the pup gave each other wide berths; almost as if they understood neither wanted to fight the other. Vos and Fenrir got on worse than the Kiffu got on with HK while Aayla, as was proven by her backing up rapidly at hearing Fenrir growl, was still afraid of the pup.

Funnily enough, the only ones other than Bo who didn’t seem to have issues with Fenrir were Shmi and Anakin. The former as she’d bribed the pup by cooking him a meal every day while Anakin joined me in wrestling and playing with Fenrir in the main cargo hold of the ship whenever possible.

“O-ok,” Aayla mumbled, drawing my attention back to her. While she was hiding it as well as she could, I could see the ease with which she had been defeated unsettled her.

“Go, get some rest and think about what I said. We can spar again tomorrow,” I said. While she didn’t take on lessons as well as I did with Dooku, she did seem to learn faster when she was soundly beaten. Almost as if she learnt better when being dominated, but that was probably the twisted part of my mind in action.

“Ok,” she mumbled out again. She gave Fenrir a wide berth as she reached the door, which made Bo chuckle even as the Mandalorian female moved over to the table that was used as a resting place for anything not being used in a spar.

I’d been continuing Bo’s training in how to use a blade ever since we’d left Aesolian. While we didn’t have as much time to spar since picking up Vos and Aayla, Bo always managed to get a couple of spars in every week.

Like during most sparring sessions, Bo went about removing her armour, or at least most of it. She placed her chest piece next to her helmet and smirked at me as the doors closed behind Aayla. “How come our sessions aren’t so… intense?” She asked as she removed her pauldrons then turned and bent to remove her greaves.

Seeing her bend over like that as her beskar underweave was pulled very tight against her frame, distracted me. My eyes wandered down, taking in the sight of her well-toned legs and arse and I wondered…

“Hey!” Bo called out, making me jump. “Eyes up, warrior.” She finished as she stood, the blade of her weapon pointed at me while a massive smirk dominated her face. While I knew I wasn’t her type – or gender – that didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate the very fine woman she was becoming. Especially since I’d always had a thing for redheads.

“I, uh,” I muttered, trying to figure out a way to apologise before she decided to attack. Now, I didn’t think I couldn’t take her, but I’d rather not have her angry at me again, especially not for real this time.

“If you want to look, you’ll have to earn it.” she commented, and I felt my jaw drop.

Where the kriff had that come from?

She chuckled at my reaction and lazily flicked her beskad. A few strands of hair fell between us, and I felt the cloud in my mind shift at seeing my hair hit the ground.

She walked past me, only for me to jump again as she swatted my backside with the flat of her blade. “Unless you think you’re not up to the task.” she added. I turned and I swore she was sauntering towards one of the starting positions.

I shook my head to clear the fog before it could descend again, then unclipped my lightsaber. “Oh, I’m more than up for it, but you’re going to pay for the hair.” I retorted.

Bo turned back and adopted a loose duelling stance that she was beginning to favour. “Prove it.” She sent back, the smile still on her face, before surging forward.

With a smile forming on my face, I set out to do so.

… …

… …

“Once we have secured entry to the base, stay together and be on your guard,” Dooku commented as he led us through a run-down lower level of the capital city of Kidriff V. The city was massive, covering over half a million square kilometres, yet once one headed away from the inner ringed areas where the government and most of the money was concentrated, it was easy to see the place had a lot of problems.

From orbit, the city’s gleaming spires reached towards the stars, yet in the district we were in, said stars were hard to see under the layers of grime that hung in the air. Technically, the city’s police force had a presence in districts like this, but after we’d passed through the outermost ring – the core of the city had six rings that enclosed various areas with the central ring housing the government and the richest members of the city – three hours ago, I hadn’t seen hide nor hair of anything approaching official law enforcement. Which, when added to what I knew of Coruscant and other places, seemed to be a common occurrence on many Republic worlds; and a clear sign of the malaise and corruption that engulfed the galaxy at large.

“The Bando Gora are acolytes of the Dark Side of the Force, and while they lack the proper training a Jedi or Sith would have, they can still use it to disrupt our connections to the Force and are very well versed in fighting and killing Jedi.” Dooku finished.

“We understand, master.” I replied as I glanced down a darkened side alley and instantly wished I hadn’t. Deep in the darkness was a sign that made it clear the building housed a brothel and, given what I’d seen of the undercity on our descent to this level, I doubted that any of the females inside were working there willingly. However, as much as I wanted to determine if that was true, and free any being held against their will, that wasn’t the mission. We were down here to investigate a major Bando Gora manufacturing and distribution centre that had been indicated as the largest that the slaver compound’s computers knew of.

My fists clenched as I saw a dark-skinned human lead a Togruta along via a leash and collar. A yank on the leash had the Togruta grimacing, and I felt a surge of anger at such an open display of slavery on a world so deep within the Republic. I took a single step towards the pair before I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“While I understand your feelings on the matter Cameron, and I agree that such a thing shouldn’t be allowed to exist, remember the larger picture,” Vos said quietly, likely using my name to avoid anyone listening realising we were Jedi; something we’d hidden by altering our clothing. “The desire to help is commendable, but you must determine when and where to help otherwise you’ll never be able to do any good.”

“I know, it’s just…” my fists clenched tighter, allowing me to find some solace in the hilt of my beskad which I’d been allowed to carry for this mission as part of my cover. “We’re so deep in the Republic, and this planet is held up as a beacon of a free and open society, yet this… behaviour still exists.”

“The Republic has been a slowly decaying pool of decadence, discrimination, and disease longer than any of us have been alive,” Dooku offered with an edge to his tone that, when combined with the faint hints of disgust and anger I sensed, made clear the depth of his disappointment with the Republic. “Even if we altered our mission to help that female, and the others around here, it would do nothing to change the overall situation in this district, though it would cost us our opportunity to damage a Bando Gora operation.”

Bo snorted, and a glance her way showed her hands were gripping her pistols much like I was gripping the beskad. “And this is what my sister wants for our people?” She snarked before shaking her head as Vos guided me away from the retreating man and Togruta. “Osi’kovid.”

I bit off a chuckle. While the curse was, perhaps, a touch too severe for her sister – who last I heard had toned down her more extreme opinions – I couldn’t argue with the sentiment. However, any humour I found in her comment was lost as a green-skinned Duros pushed past me and Vos and walked right up to Aayla.

“Ain’t you a pretty little thing…” the Duros leered as his head tilted down to look Aayla over. A faint snarl came from Vos as Aayla stepped back, trying to put some distance between her and the Duros while pulling her arms over her chest. Since we were undercover, she wasn’t in Jedi robes, but a tight underweave and some light armour that did nothing to hide her figure.

The Duros stepped after her and I swore I felt his twisted desire as he continued to approach her. “Hmm, I wonder wha…” the Duros' words were cut off as he slumped to the ground as if the strings holding him up had been cut. Barely controlled rage radiated brightly from Vos as he stepped towards his Padawan, one foot shifting its stride to kick the downed Duros across the face.

“Aayla?” He asked as he came to rest a hand on his Padawan’s shoulder. She flinched at the touch, which drew her attention away from the downed Duros.

“I, um, yes, master.” Aayla mumbled out slowly as she blinked, as if trying to clear her mind. Vos gently squeezed her shoulder as I took a step closer to them.

“Forget him. He’s a worthless bottom-feeder, barely any better than the crap we’ve gotten on our boots while trekking through this kriff-hole,” I said slowly, drawing Aayla’s attention to me. “I know it’s not the Jedi way, but some beings are not worth caring about.” I added, channelling perhaps a touch too much of my master’s tone into my voice as I denied the urge I felt to drive my beskad through the Duros’ heart. Beyond the fact that doing so wasn’t the Jedi way, and would likely further traumatise Aayla, the arsehole wasn’t worthy of dying to my blade.

Vos moved his hand to her chin and lifted it until she met his gaze. “While Cameron’s words are harsh, his sentiment is accurate. No one ever has the right to speak to you in such terms or that tone,” he said slowly, making sure she stayed focused on him. “Ignoring what you’ve learnt over the last decade with us, never forget that you are your own person, not an object for others to fawn over.”

“Y-yes, master. Thank you.” Aayla replied slowly, a weak smile coming to her face before she shifted her gaze to look at me. I smiled and nodded to indicate my agreement with Vos’ words, which made her smile grow a touch.

Vos stepped back and pivoted. We shared a moment where his eyes made it clear he wanted me to keep an eye on his Padawan. Even without the request, I’d have done so, thus agreeing to it with a fractional nod was never in doubt. With that confirmed he stepped past me and returned to his position at Dooku’s side.

While I was sure Vos wanted to stay close to Aayla, our group – and the personas we were projecting – meant he couldn’t. None of us, bar Dooku, were wearing robes though since Dooku’s were of a far higher quality than standard Jedi robes, they could easily pass as something worn by a rich client, which was how he was portraying himself while we were on Kidriff V. His lightsaber was still present, but further back to hide it from the easy view of others.

Vos was wearing his regular clothing, which without Jedi robes made it hard to tell he was a Jedi, though there was an added chest piece made of durasteel to further the idea he was hired bodyguard for Dooku. Like my master, Vos’ lightsaber was out of sight, though this time it was slid inside the chest piece making it a little difficult to reveal if needed. I was dressed as a Mandalorian, with the only differences between Bo and myself was that she was wearing her helmet, her vambraces had lethal ordinance and her armour was made of beskar while mine was durasteel; bar my vambraces. My lightsaber was hidden in the small of my back under a cloak of dragon skin Dooku had allowed me to wear for the mission.

I stepped towards Aayla, and with a gentle push, led her around the down Duros. “I know you won’t want to hear this,” I began as we stepped away from the Duros, “but this won’t stop happening. You’re pretty and a Twi’lek. Sadly, that’s going to draw out the worst in some beings, and it’ll only get worse as we get older. However, that doesn’t give anyone, be it me, your master, or some random shabyr on the street the right to speak to you like that. Nor does being a member of our Order mean you have to stand there and take it.” I added seeing it as a moment where I could add some doubt about the Jedi into her. While I doubted Aayla and Vos would be suitable members of the Coalition that’d formed in the Order, never mind being brought in on my plans for later on, there was no harm in adding some doubt about the current direction of the Order into her mind. “And anyone who says otherwise doesn’t value you as an individual.”

“Deal with him.” The words came from Dooku and a quick glance indicated they were aimed at Bo, who nodded and stepped towards the Duros.

“I, I know, but,” she paused and took a deep breath as I removed my hand from her arm, “I know many see Twi’leks as nothing more than property or toys. B-but, I’ve never… not like…” her disintegrating sentence was cut-off fully as a blaster sounded behind us. Aayla tried to turn, but I stopped her by sliding my arm around her shoulders in a half-hug. I knew the blaster shot was from Bo and that she’d killed the Duros, which I was fine with. Yes, it went against the Code, but anyone who treated another like he’d treated Aayla had such a fate coming to them. Plus, with Bo not being bound by the Code, there was little bar a light reprimand that Dooku or Vos could do about it; though given the lack of reaction from either it was clear they either didn’t care or weren’t bothered by Bo’s action.

As much as Dooku might state privately to me that he would prefer if Bo was sent back to her father and people, we both knew it wouldn’t happen. Bo might want to go, but she’d given her word to stay just as I’d given my word to have her travel with me to her father; even if he’d tricked me into how he got her on board the Ne’tra Sartr. Plus, going home now would be an issue.

The civil war had heated up when Clan Awaud had entered the fray and sided with Clan Varaud against House Kryze and House Ordo. Death Watch had been driven back to a few remote holdouts on the edge of the sector, but with Clan Awaud’s intervention, Adonai and Torrhen hadn’t managed to burn those last boltholes.

Clan Awaud wasn’t a massive clan, but given they’d avoided the last several decades of fighting – at least officially – and were renowned warriors, it had complicated the war. Houses Kryze and Ordo still held significant advantages in pretty much every category important to the war, but the addition of another powerful house would draw out the war further. I couldn’t say for sure for how long that’d be, but I’d be shocked if the war was over anytime in the next year.

I slid my arm from Aayla’s shoulders but stayed close as we continued walking behind our masters. The way she was hugging herself as we moved suggested she wanted her robes to hide behind, which made sense. They’d bring a sense of familiarity and comfort to her. However, until this mission was over that couldn’t happen, thus I’d make sure to stay close and offer what moral support I could.

One upside of this little incident was that it had made Vos irritable, which since he was acting as the lead bodyguard for Dooku, meant most scurried out of his way while I hadn’t heard Bo slide her blasters back into their holsters. Those two actions should discourage all but the most idiotic or drunk from trying to approach. At least for the time being.

We were still a few kilometres from the general location of the Bando Gora operation however, since Dooku had been insistent that we limit using the Force to try and discover its exact location, I’d not been actively using Detection beyond the range of my minimap. It meant we were taking a slightly meandering route, but that would help hide our intentions as would, according to Dooku, us actively avoiding using the Force. The downside of that was that, for the first time in years, I was heading into a situation all but blind and with limited intel. Operations like that had a nasty habit of going sideways not long after contact.

Hopefully, having four Jedi and a Mandalorian would help mitigate that risk, though given how the Force seemed to enjoy toying with me, I wasn’t holding out hope that would be the case.

… …

… …

I ducked under the wild, frantic swing of a vibroblade even as I thrust to my left with my lightsaber. The familiar smell of burnt flesh filled my senses as my target grunted. Not wanting to give them a chance, I lifted my blade upwards, slicing them in half from belly to neck.

Before the body had even slumped to the ground, I was sliding back, avoiding another furious attack from the vibroblade. I made sure to keep the blade away from me with my beskad before thrusting my lightsaber-holding fist towards the vibroblade’s wielder.

A grunted oof came from them as a powerful Force blast slammed into them. They flew back, taking a fellow cultist with them into a wall where both hit with loud, sickening crunches. As they slumped to the ground, blood and brain mucus trailing behind them on the duracrete wall, I turned to see how Aayla and Bo were doing.

The pair were working surprisingly well at holding off a group of three cultists with Aayla managing to block their blaster bolts while Bo moved around behind her, returning fire. Four other cultists lay dead near the remaining three, smoke lifting from where Bo’s bolts had struck them, and they were soon joined by one of the remaining three as two crimson bolts found their mark. The first hit a shoulder, forcing the cultist from their cover while the second landed right between the eyes, leaving a small, smoking hole in their skull before they fell face-first to the ground.

With all the cultists I’d engaged now dead, I was able to turn my attention to helping my friends. I felt the Force shift around me as the corruption that this place had infected it with swirled around, yet it was far weaker than when I’d opened myself fully to the Force earlier and I was able to ignore it. A moment later the two remaining cultists were ripped from their cover. Their heads slammed together hard enough that blood was sent flying before both were struck by a volley of blaster bolts. The bodies slumped to the floor as I released the Force energy I was using to hold them.

Aayla slowed her blade, then turned my way only for her face to lose some colour and her to bite off a cough.

“Uh, gross…” she muttered as I stepped over the bloody bisected body of one cultist I’d killed with my beskad. Seeing that we were alone again, she depowered her lightsaber.

“Keep it powered,” I ordered with a glance at her hilt, “we’re trapped somewhere in a Dark Side cult’s operation and have already been ambushed three times. If that doesn’t teach you the benefits of keeping your weapon ready, I’d suggest speaking with Master Nu when we get back to the Temple about a career change.” I snapped, my annoyance at her behaviour mixing with my irritation at how this place was fucking with my Force connection.

“S-sorry,” she muttered before reigniting her blade. Though as she did this, I saw that her hilt-holding hand was shaking. It wasn’t much, but it was there. I sighed as I realised my tone had likely not done anything for how she was feeling about this mission had gone so far.

“Don’t be sorry, be ready,” Bo commented as she stepped up beside me, looking at the built-in scanner in her vambrace. “Whatever shab is in these walls, it’s blocking my armour’s scanners. What about you?” she asked, likely hoping that my ability to use the Force to scan wasn’t being hampered as well since she was well aware of how much I relied on it in combat.

“Nothing. This place is kriffing with the Force badly enough that I can’t sense anyone, bar Master Dooku, more than a few metres away from me,” I replied after letting out an annoyed breath. Beyond the Dark Side disruption to my Force connection going on – which had been apparent when the Interface had stated we’d entered a Dark Side Location the moment we’d entered the base – I could feel my anger and frustration growing far more rapidly than normal.

The moment since I’d gotten the warning about entering a Dark Side location, things had been going from bad to worse. Not only was the penalty to my Light and Neutral powers – which were basically all the powers I used in combat, though the penalty was far more severe for those powers that the Interface labelled as ‘Light’ than those labelled ‘Neutral’ – growing stronger but the faint whispers I felt at the edge of my mind were also doing nothing to keep me centred. I’d tried engaging Player’s Mind just before the last ambush, but the interface had stated the Force was preventing that ability from being activated. That had never happened before and had me heavily concerned about not only getting out of this place but what would happen when I travelled to worlds dominated by the Dark Side like Dromund Kaas in the future.

“Osik!” Bo cursed, her anger clear to hear even through the modulator in her helmet, “guess we have to push on.”

I grunted in agreement even as I stamped down on my imagination as it considered what we’d find further into this place. So far, things hadn’t gone well at all.

After entering and encountering a door that was not only lightsaber resistant – which I’d discovered after imitating Qui-Gon onboard the Trade Federation command ship over Naboo – but without a visible way to open it, I’d attempted to Phase through it. I still shivered at the mistake that had been. The second I’d opened my mind to the Force to use it to slide between the very molecules of the door, my mind had been assaulted by… I honestly didn’t know what to call it beyond the terror of the Dark Side. According to Bo afterward, I’d screamed, gripped the side of my head then fallen to the floor, which was when the Bando Gora had launched their first ambush.

In the ensuing chaos of that attack, Bo, Aayla, and I had been separated from Dooku and Vos. Our comms were jammed and even the Force Bond I shared with Dooku was hard to use for anything beyond general emotions without opening my mind to the Force; which I had fuck all interest in doing since my failed Phase attempt.

About ten minutes after that, the Bando Gora had ambushed us again. While smaller than the first it was more ferocious, and we’d been lucky to not be further separated by the attack. This third ambush, which had involved teams attacking for the front and rear along with a pincer from a door that we’d been unable to open previously, had been the worst yet with the cultists seemingly no longer caring about separating us, but instead overwhelming us. Though as I quickly replayed the battle in my mind, I noticed that the majority had worked to drive a wedge between myself and the two girls. It hadn’t worked, but it was concerning (and a little satisfying) that they were focusing on me.

I looked over at the door the pincer force had come through to see it was once more sealed with no clue as to how it opened. Possibly it used the Force in a similar way to Revan’s vault on planet Ordo, but there was a kriff-all chance I was going to reach out into the Force to find out. The other option was that they were controlled remotely – like the doors in Grievous’ fortress in the Clone Wars – however, I’d yet to see anything resembling a camera or sensor on the walls as we’d travelled deeper and deeper into this hellhole.

“I guess so,” I replied as I stepped forward, heading deeper into the darkness of this place. “I’ll take point, you bring up the rear,” I stated, ignoring the continuing tremor in Aayla’s hand that was making the light from her blade bounce around as her wide eyes darted suddenly to our left. There was nothing there, but she clearly felt something was.

“Copy.”

Each step forward was taken very cautiously as I channelled all my training for black ops. My steps were silent even in the emptiness around us, as were Aayla’s as I felt the Force gently circling around her. That left the only sounds as the gentle, irregular tapping of Bo’s beskar-soled boots as the only hint we were there.

With Detection being next to useless, I activated Enhance Senses for my sight, hearing and smell. With the penalty to my Force powers now running at twenty-two per cent and climbing that meant I was further past my FP regen rate, though that’d been true since we’d entered this hellhole about ten minutes ago. Going by the FP bar in my Interface, I was already down to about sixty per cent capacity, so I’d have to be careful about how often and for what I used even powers like Telekinesis and Force Blast.

The creeping shadows at the end of the light coming from my and Aayla’s lightsabers continued to play tricks on my mind, as the walls seemed to shimmer as the light hit them. The feeling that something was hiding just in the shadows continued to grow as we moved cautiously further into the base. As if something sinister, malevolent, was waiting just outside of our senses to attack, to devour us. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing up as we passed another apparently sealed blast door, and it took far more effort than I’d expect to drive down my concerns about this place.

We finally came upon a door that wasn’t sealed, but inside was nothing but a storage room. Crates lay scattered around the room, some half-opened, others not, and while what was inside was useless to us currently – apparently being spare parts for something – the faint, darkened trails in the corners of the room did nothing for the sensation that this place was cursed. I suspected this room was left like this on purpose, to disturb and unnerve any intruders, and as much as I didn’t want to admit it, it was working.

Once more, I cursed myself for not engaging Player’s Mind before we’d entered the base, though I somehow suspected that the Dark Side of the Force would have interfered with it even if it’d been running before we’d breached this place. It wasn’t the first time the Force had obstructed the Interface, and likely wouldn’t be the last, which kept giving credence to the idea that, in some ways, the Force was alive beyond how it interacted with those strong enough to manipulate it.

Then again, the blocking of Player’s Mind might well be beneficial in the long run. If I wanted to understand the Force better, and maybe even find a personal balance within it, then I couldn’t just try and block the Dark Side off. I needed to, at the very least, know how it felt to brush up against it, to hear its twisted whispers of promised power. Of course, the place was showing me just how underprepared for entering a location strong in the Dark Side I was, and how badly the Jedi’s teachings let down their younger members when there was a chance they’d have to experience it.

As we moved further into this Dark Side location, the ripples in the Force grew more persistent. Still faint, almost as if they weren’t strong enough to affect me properly, but they were gaining in strength. In the darkness around us, the air seemed to pulse and move under my Force-enhanced sight, which sent more shivers up my spine.

A door emerged from the darkness, almost as if it was revealed from a thick, sickly tar that had hidden it just moments before.

“I-I, d-don’t l-like th-this,” Aayla mumbled out fearfully as the edges of the sealed door became clearer. While it was easy to hear her fear, the sheer terror I was sensing from her through the Force was very concerning. “Th-this pl-place… i-it’s wr-wrong.” She finished and I felt myself forced to agree.

“It is,” I replied slowly, keeping my voice as steady as I could. “Something… depraved happened here to twist the Force and make this place strong in the Dark Side. Whatever the Bando Gora are doing here, we have to stop it. We need to end their corruption of the Force otherwise everyone in this district will be affected and they’ve got no training for dealing with this kind of sickness.” While I didn’t entirely believe everything I’d just said, I hoped it would help steel Aayla’s nerves long enough for us to complete our mission. Once that was done, I planned to fly over this place and vaporise it with the Sartr’s cannons. That might not heal whatever had caused the twisting of the Force here, but it would prevent others from entering and would make me feel a lot, lot better.

“O-ok, bu…” I felt a blast of air slide over my shoulders, making me tense as tendrils caressed my neck. “What was that?” Aayla asked, her initial comment lost as she felt whatever I had as well.

“What was what?” I asked back, fighting to keep my rising fear from seeping into the Force for her to sense. I gripped my lightsaber and beskad tighter, readying myself for an attack as I silently cursed the fact that I didn’t have a helmet as part of my disguise. It could’ve interfered with some of my Force abilities, but the sensor package within would’ve been a great help along with it hiding my face from others. I had quasi-night vision with the Force, but it was restricted by the Dark Side so having a mechanical form of that would also have been very helpful.

“I… I heard someone,” Aayla all but whispered as I caught the sound of Bo’s pistols moving around in her grip. The light from Aayla’s blade jerked around rapidly on the wall. “M-master?” Aayla asked into the darkness. I felt a need to turn and comfort her, but I knew that doing that would be the perfect moment for an ambush to be sprung so resisted.

“There’s no one here but us,” Bo remarked, any emotion in her tone hidden by the vocal modulator in her helmet. “It’s just your mind playing tricks on you in this darkness.”

“Says the person not attuned to the Force,” I muttered under my breath as I mentally cursed Bo’s lack of attunement with the Force from, probably, saving her from the worst of what the Dark Side was doing to Aayla and me. “Aayla,” I began loud enough for her to hear, “it’s in your mind. This place… the Dark Side is twisting the Force in strange ways. Clear your mind, concentrate on and trust in yourself and what you can control. Don’t let this place have the chance to overwhelm or break you.”

While my tone was firm and controlled, internally I was far from it. This place… everything about it felt wrong. I’d had a very limited interaction with a Dark Side nexus years ago under the Jedi Temple, but this place was something else. From the limited contact I was allowing with the Force outside my own body, everything here was wrong, worse. It was as if the Force had been twisted and corrupted by diseased, fouled and deranged acts to such a degree that the Force almost wished for more such acts to occur. This feeling was growing worse with every step further into the base we took – what I wouldn’t give for a quick exit – but I felt as if this was worse than the Nexus not just because worse things had taken place here more recently, but because my understanding of and connection to the Force had grown since entering that nexus nearly five years ago.

“Okay,” Aayla replied weakly, though she sounded slightly more certain of herself than before. Part of me wanted to reassure her through the Force, but I wasn’t prepared or brave enough to open my mind to the Force while we were in this place. Memories of what I’d experienced while trying to phase still rattled around my mind no matter how much I tried to ignore them.

Knowing that was likely the most assured Aayla was going to get while we were in this place, I resumed moving forward at a bantha’s pace. Drawing on my experience of black-ops and high-risk missions I scanned every corner, every shadow on the lookout for anything that even hinted at a potential threat.

A faint sound had my eye-line shift to the right. A swore I saw something there at the very edge of my vision, but when I focused on it, nothing was there.

A quick shake of my head to clear my thoughts before they began to fill with nightmarish scenarios later, and I resumed my slow, methodical march deeper into this hellhole. Another flicker of movement at the corner of my vision occurred, but I ignored it, keeping my eyes focused on the path ahead. The movements, the faint sounds and whispers, it was all the Dark Side trying to tease me, tempt me into making a mistake.

- - CLANG - -

I pivoted fast and ducked low. To my left, in the flickering darkness, a corridor reached into nothingness. There didn’t appear to be any doors down there, but I swore it hadn’t been there a moment before; not before whatever had made that sound had drawn my attention to it.

“Cam?” Bo asked, her vocal modulator still masking her feelings even as I sensed her growing unease with our location.

I stared into the darkness, straining to see what, if anything, had made the sound I’d heard. “Thought I heard something,” I replied slowly, as my eyes failed to find anything in the murky darkness of the corridor. “Nothing there.”

I turned back to our main path, even as a nagging feeling at the back of my mind told me there was something down that corridor. Something important, powerful, desirable.

I shook my head to clear those thoughts. The corridor, as far as I could see, was clear, and led further from where Dooku – and I assumed Vos – was. There was no logic in going that way which had me convinced it was the Dark Side playing tricks on me.

Hoping against hope, I activated Player’s Mind only to be met with the same message I’d gotten earlier.

WARNING!

Player’s Mind is suffering from interference.

Due to the strength and ferocity of the corruption of the Force in your current location, this Player Power will not engage.

...

I sighed in annoyance at that. What was the point of me wanting to use it in a place it would be beneficial only for the damn thing to not work? Just my fucking luck.

Time seemed to slow as we continued our wanderings deeper into the base. At one point, it appeared as if we were moving closer to Dooku but then we ran into another Sith-cursed blast door that couldn’t be opened and were forced to turn away. Twice more during our trek, Aayla swore she heard and saw someone in the shadows, but no matter how hard we looked, we never found anyone. Yet even though I was certain it was only the three of us in this section of the base, I knew we weren’t alone. Something twisted and corrupt was grazing up against my senses, looking for a way into my mind. I wanted to pull back from the Force, restrict what limited access to it I already had, but I needed my abilities to be sure we weren’t about to be jumped again.

After what felt like an hour but had only been ten minutes according to the Interface, we reached a blast door that was not only larger than the others but had a control panel next to it. I used Observe to ensure it wasn’t a trap, though with how limited my ability to sense others through the Force was, I had no idea if a trap wasn’t just inside the other room, waiting for us to open the door.

“My scanners aren’t showing anything wrong with the control,” Bo offered, letting me know she’d scanned it, “do we go through?”

I considered the door for a moment. If we didn’t go through this door, we’d be forced to backtrack as best we could and hope we’d missed another door. However, a… whisper, a feeling at the back of my mind was insistent about something to do with the door. Whether that was to go through or not though, I couldn’t tell. Nor was I willing to reach out into the Force to find out for certain.

“We've not really got a choice,” I replied slowly, my eyes staring at the door, trying to convince myself of what we had to do. As I concentrated on the door, the feeling grew stronger; almost as if something was trying to scratch its way into my mind. I couldn’t be sure, but it felt as if whatever it was held a dark and deranged intent.

“d-do, w-we ha-ve t-to?” Aayla all but whimpered out, which drew my attention from the door. Her cheeks had gone almost white, her eyes were jerking around as if seeing things in every shadow while her lekku were twitching in what appeared to be random patterns that I didn’t recognize. That had me realising that whatever was irritating my mind was having more of an effect on her. That might be due to the Interface offering up some basic protection even if Player’s Mind wasn’t working, or it could be because I was mentally much more mature than her, or even that her upbringing in the Temple made her more susceptible to the worst this galaxy had to offer, but regardless of if she didn’t get herself under control, she’d start to turn into a liability for us.

“We haven’t really got a choice,” I replied to her as I slid back from the door and placed my hand on hers. With the physical contact, it was much easier to feel through the Force just how emotionally unbalanced she was. Apart from the expected fear, there was something else. It was weak, buried under her growing terror, but whatever it was made it easy for the Dark Side to toy with her and place her on edge.

Using the contact as a bridge, I opened myself to the Force slightly. The insanity and chaos that I was sensing grew stronger, louder, but I pushed it away and focused on the weak bond I shared with Aayla. Something whispered to me to take her, make her mine but I ignored that desire and instead focused on sending her as much reassurance and comfort as I could through our bond.

Her eyes locked onto mine as some colour returned to her skin. A glance at our hands brought small patches of purple to her cheeks, but I ignored that and gave her what I hoped was a comforting smile. “We’ll make it through this,” I said softly even if a faint whisper, as if trapped on a breeze, teased me about making promises like that in situations like this. She nodded and I slowly pulled my hands from her, letting it linger to prevent a sudden loss of contact sending her spiralling back into her fears.

“Be ready,” I said to Bo, which was entirely unnecessary as the girl still had both blasters in hand. She chose not to reply verbally, hopefully understanding what I was saying was mainly for Aayla, choosing instead to simply nod.

I turned back to the door, and almost on instinct reached for the controls with the Force. Thankfully I stopped myself just in time. I’d grown so used to using the Force that I’d almost opened myself up to the corruption that enveloped this place. Repressing a shiver at almost making that mistake, I reached forward with my beskad. The familiar, comforting feeling from it wasn’t as strong as what I got from my lightsaber, but it still helped, and I reached forward with the blade. Using it to open a door was degrading, but I wasn’t taking any chances in this place.

A dull scraping sound filled the corridor as the metal door slid back, groaning in protest at being forced to open after who knows how long. As the door took an excruciating amount of time to pull back, I readied myself, sliding into a modified Jar’Kai stance that allowed me to block with my beskad while keeping my saber ready to thrust forward if anything came through the door. Behind me I heard the shuffling of Bo’s armour suggesting she was readying herself as well and I could only hope Aayla was also preparing.

The new area somehow felt darker than our current corridor, even when considering most of the light from our lightsabers wasn’t reaching far into the blackness. Something in there had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up; almost as if there was something malevolent waiting for us. Yet, with no choice but to keep pushing forward, I took a step into the doorframe.

“Once more unto the breach,” I muttered to myself as I crossed the threshold into this new area. My eyes scanned every section of shadow for a threat even as I strained my hearing to pick up anything out of place lurking in the blackness. I kept one foot in the doorframe, not wanting to risk the door closing while I was separated from the others, and after feeling as good as I could about the new area, I waved my beskad to indicate they should enter.

A light shone past me as Bo stepped forward, having decided to forgo the night/low-light option on her helmet for the flashlights mounted on her helmet and vambraces. I was relieved to see she’d finally decided to do that, even if it took away most of our ability to move stealthily through this place. The light her armour was generating drove back the darkness, but it felt as if it was fighting to not surrender ground to the brightness.

I wanted to shake my head to clear the macabre thoughts I was having but doing that would mean dropping my guard for a split second and in a place like that, such a move could – and probably would – be fatal. The corruption of the Force in this place was playing tricks on my mind, trying to get me to lower my defences enough that it could seep into my mind and begin corrupting me. That I would not allow.

Aayla came through a second later, holding her hilt with both hands. Her skin still looked an unhealthy shade of blue, but it was better than it had been before I’d tried to comfort her. A fractional glance let me see her eyes were still wide, reminding me of a frightening gazelle right before the lions attacked.

Once she was through, I removed my leg from the doorframe. Bo took point this time and began to lead us into this new room of obscurity, though we only got a few steps before I heard the door behind us begin to close.

Concerned we were about to be ambushed or trapped, I pivoted and upon failing to spot any controls on this side, reached out on instinct through the Force to disable the door’s mechanism.

“Aargh!” I grunted out as screams, ripples and chaos invaded my mind and I sank to my knees.

Flashes of everyone I knew in danger or dying slammed into my brain. I saw Fay being bisected by a giant armoured figure with what looked like tentacles seeping out of the armour. Serra screamed as twin blades of red descended towards her enlarged stomach. Aayla’s head bounced across the ground, kicking up dirt as strange mushroom-like trees loomed in the background. Naz screamed in terror as a massive, green figure slashed down at her. Bo spun rapidly, firing off her blasters only to fall as over a hundred return bolts slammed into her. Dooku stumbled backwards, blocking rapidly against a red lightsaber while a deranged laugh echoed around them.

And through it all I heard and felt a… desire, from both inside me and without, to take the power and prevent what I was seeing from happening. To do what I must to save those I cared about.

As I heard something clatter on the ground, I pulled back from the Force, closing my mind to whatever had just struck my thoughts.

“Cam!” Aayla’s pained scream snapped my mind into focus as my hand refirmed on my beskad. The sounds of blaster firing drew my attention and I turned my head to see Aayla and Bo were under attack. Over a dozen cultists had emerged from somewhere and were trying to gang-rush them. I stood, ready to help them, only for the Force to faintly whisper a warning.

I leaned back, avoiding a vibroblade by mere millimetres. My lightsaber thrust towards the wielder, slicing clean through the cultists arms before a twist of my wrist removed their head from their body. Another body moved towards me from the other side, and I parried their attack with my beskad before dropping the point and slamming it into their chest. Before they could react, and with the Force swirling around me, I ripped the beskad out, sending their guts splattering onto the floor next to them.

In the brief moment of stillness, as that pair fell to the ground, I noted a faint mist gathering around everyone’s feet. Not wanting to take the chance it was poison, I activated Breath Control. The Force called out another warning and I turned to face two more cultists bearing down on me.

I blocked an extended thrust from one then avoided a wild swing from the other. Before either could recover, I stepped closer, my blades moving naturally. My nostrils were filled with the smell of more burnt flesh and exposed guts as both blades struck home, fatally wounding both cultists. Not wanting to even risk them trying a final, desperate, attack, my blades kept moving. One cultist was bisected by my lightsaber while the other was sliced open from hip to neck by the beskad. Both fell to the floor, joining their dead compatriots even as I turned to face the next attack.

“Agh!”

Aayla’s scream drew my attention to her, to find her down to one knee with a knife embedded in her shoulder. Her lightsaber was still lit but was not in any position to defend her from the cultists bearing down on her. Before I knew what was happening, I surged forward. A cultist’s blade came down, holding a knife similar to the one embedded in Aayla’s shoulder, though before it could land, the accompanying arm was sent flying as blood spurted from the now exposed shoulder. Before the arsehole could even process what was happening, his head joined the arm on the ground.

Another blade, this one larger and broader than any I’d faced so far, came towards me. I blocked it easily, though since I’d used my beskad it didn’t break. The face of my new opponent was hidden behind a skull mask of some animal I didn’t recognise while their skin was black and mottled with strange grey lesions. Putting aside any thoughts about what the shab had happened to this being, I flicked my wrist and my lightsaber removed their hands before my beskad surged forward entering their chest below the ribcage before I dragged it upwards. The blade emerged from his shoulder, blood and what remained of their heart and lungs surging out behind the blade before I sent their body away with a nudge from the Force.

“Can you still fight?” I asked Aayla. I wanted to heal her wound at least partially, but I couldn’t risk opening myself up to the Force again. That last time… it had almost overwhelmed me with the briefest of touches and healing would take longer and far more concentration.

Aayla pulled the blade from her shoulder, making her wince and concerning me that would make the wound worse before she nodded slowly. “I-I think so,” I muttered before she tried to stand, only to stop and groan in pain. The hand from her good arm – her non-lightsaber arm – moved to her wounded shoulder. “O-or not.”

Making sure that, for now, we were safe – which we were as Bo gunned down the last cultist, taking perhaps a touch too much enjoyment in riddling their flesh with bolts of plasma – I sheathed my beskad, depowered my lightsaber and knelt in front of Aayla.

“This is going to sting,” I said as I reached into a belt pouch and pulled out a bacta patch. It wouldn’t handle all the healing, but it would do for now. I applied the patch to the wound. She winced but didn’t react in any other way, before sighing as the bacta was slowly released into the wound.

Her eyes suddenly widened but I was already moving as the Force wailed out a warning. The faint roar of my lightsaber powering up echoed in the stillness of the place only to be replaced by the sound of metal clattering to the ground as I sliced through a vibroblade. The blade’s wielder slumped forward a moment later after he’d all but ran himself into my lightsaber, resulting in it slicing him from right hip to left shoulder. As the body slid to the floor and I unsheathed my beskad, I wondered just what sort of insanity the Bando Gora used to make their minions so willing to throw away their lives even as my thoughts drifted for just a moment to facing similarly deranged opponents in my previous life.

I put aside any curiosity at the fanatical insanity these cultists had as another three came at me. The Force guided my movements as I leaned back to avoid a vibrosword thrust, pivoted to make another miss then pivoted and bisected the third as he tried to tackle me. My lightsaber came around, slicing both vibroblades with easy flicks of my wrist before lightsaber and beskad sunk home, striking the two remaining cultists in the heart.

As I pulled my blades free, I saw Bo was engaged with two more cultists. They’d managed to close on her and a vibroknife clipped her hand, knocking a pistol from her grip. I moved to help only for Bo to shoot that cultist in the stomach – his blade was blocked from doing any further damage by Bo’s gauntlet. As that one stumbled away dead, she turned her free hand towards the remaining cultist as flames erupted from her vambrace. The cultist paused but worryingly didn’t scream out as their flesh burnt, which gave Bo enough time to turn her remaining blaster and gun them down.

“Sooran, shab!” she spat at the dead cultists before reaching down and picking up her pistol. From the slight sparking that came from it I suspected it was broken, which was confirmed by Bo grunting and holstering it. To replace the missing weapon, she unsheathed her beskad before turning to look at me. “Any left?”

“I don’t think so,” I replied slowly as my eyes scanned the darkness around us. A faint groan brought my attention back to Aayla. “She’s wounded. Nothing critical but it is going to slow her down.”

“Shab!” Bo spat out and I had to agree. Trying to fight against beings coming from the shadows with an injured companion was never an easy thing, and it was made a million times worse by whatever the shab had happened to the Force in this place.

“Aye. We need to…”

Master!

My head snapped around at the voice. Anakin’s voice. There was no one there in the darkness even as the mist continued to swirl around our legs. Yet I knew I’d just heard him, or at least his voice once he’d matured into the man that he’d become during the Clone Wars. There was no logical way that I should be hearing that voice now, but I had.

“What?” Bo asked and I felt her come up beside me.

“Noth…” The crackling laughter of Darth Sidious had my head spinning in another direction. Again, nothing was there but I knew I’d heard it. I shook my head and then tried to reply once more.

“It’s this place…” I was cut off again, though this time it was due to hearing the door we’d come through minutes before beginning to reopen. I pivoted and readied myself as Bo did the same. Aayla moved over to the side, her lightsaber hissing back to life as she tried to keep herself out of any immediate fighting and, I hoped, place her in a position to ambush whoever came through the door.

“Aarrgh!” a roar came from several voices as the door opened enough to let people through. My minimap was showing at least a dozen people gathered near the door and I shifted my stance, readying myself to block any blaster bolts that might come. While the Bando Gora preferred to gang-rush, there were always few in each ambush that used ranged weaponry.

The first man through had the same blackened skin as my most recent kills along with a skull mask, though this was larger than the last mask I’d seen. Two horns reached up, almost scraping the roof of the area we were in.

“For the Priestess!” he shouted as he started making a beeline for me. He lifted a large, two-handed vibroaxe – which was a first for me in this galaxy – above his shoulder as he charged. The area suddenly lit up as Bo used her vambrace’s flamethrower. The giant, horned man ignored the flames, rushing through them towards me, even as the flames impacted those behind him.

I kept my attention on this group’s leader, moving a few steps away from Bo to give myself room to engage him. While the Force was less than helpful in this place, I knew this man wouldn’t go down as easily as the others.

My left foot slid back, letting his massive axe sail past me harmlessly. As his rush took him beside me, I threw my shoulder into his gut. It didn’t do much more than make the massive, and very muscular man, stumble, that was enough for me to hit him with a Force Blast and send him tumbling down.

I wasn’t able to strike at him as he fell, as two more cultists reached me. I blocked the strike of the first with my beskad while my lightsaber slashed through the second’s weapon, then removed the arm holding the blade. A pivot helped me guide the first’s blade away from my body. My beskad kept the blade at bay while I thrust forward with my lightsaber piercing his chest and destroying his lungs and heart.

A quick rotation of my beskad was followed by a reverse thrust into the one-armed remaining cultist. I pulled it through his body as I pivoted to face him, and he fell to the ground with his stomach and its contents now outside his body.

There was no time to let myself care about how violently I was killing before another cultist was upon me. This one came at me while rapidly thrusting, twirling, and slashing the air with twin vibroblades. I ignored any thoughts about how stupid that was to do against a Jedi as I met his charge with my lightsaber. The black blade danced against the flames covering the area as Bo continued to use her flamethrower and a moment later both knives fell to the floor, the hands wielding them still attached, followed almost instantly by the head of the cultist.

A faint warning from the Force had me turning and bringing my lightsaber up to defend. I felt my eyes widen as, for the first time since entering this base and dealing with these fucking maniacs, my lightsaber failed to slice through a vibroweapon. The massive, muscular horned-mask leader had recovered and attacked while his cohorts distracted me.

“The priestess desires you Jedi,” he snarled as, even with the Force boosting my strength to far beyond what most could hope to achieve, I struggled to keep the massive man from overpowering me. “She longs to meet you.”

“Sorry to disappoint her,” I snapped back as I realised, I couldn’t just overpower this man, and suddenly shifted my stance. He stumbled as he was caught unaware by my movement. “But I’ve got better things to do than meet a crazy lady.” I added as I flicked my wrist, aiming my blade for the shaft of his axe.

I grunted in annoyance as the shaft, like the heft, had resisted my blade. That moment of unexpected resistance gave the man a chance to throw out an elbow at my face. I was able to block it with my other arm, but the strength behind it forced me back a few steps.

As I reset my stance, I saw the man’s face move behind the mask as he faced off with me again. “We’ve captured and killed your kind before,” he commented as behind him Bo ducked under a blade of another cultist before they were pierced by a purple lightsaber blade. “We can do it again.”

“Not today,” I retorted as I sent him flying with another Force Blast. He flew backwards, missing Bo but striking another cultist and sending them both crashing into a far wall. I walked forward, dismissively blocking then killing two more cultists who dared to charge at me. As their lifeless corpses fell to the ground, the large man stood, though not before driving his axe into his fellow cultist. I could feel his anger at falling for the same trick twice as he stood, blood dripping from his axe and my beskad as I moved towards him.

Something tried to touch my mind, something familiar if cold, but I ignored it as my focus was entirely on the masked man. He needed to suffer for being here, for threatening me and my friends and his fellow arseholes hurting Aayla. A screaming cultist ran between us, his entire body aflame, only to crumble to the ground as a blaster bolt struck his back.

Another cultist came at me, attacking stupidly. I didn’t know or care if they realised the futility of their attack before my lightsaber pierced their skull, and frankly, I didn’t give a shab. All that mattered was the shabuir in front of me and making him die a painful fucking death.

Cam!

The narrowing of my focus shifted as I heard a familiar voice call in fear. I turned towards where I’d heard the voice, only to see shadows. “Serra?” I whispered, trying to see where she was.

Help me, Cam! Please!

A door shifted where the voice was coming from, however before I could even think about getting to her, something slammed into me.

I grunted out in shock as I was taken off my feet, and then driven into a wall.

“The priestess awaits,” the masked man commented as he pushed me down to help himself stand. His axe rose, readying to strike.

Cam! I Need you!”

“ARGH!” I roared as the axe started to fall. The man was sent hurtling back as the Force erupted outwards from me, making the very air ripple.

As the man impacted first the roof, then the floor of the room we were in, I pushed myself to my feet. I summoned my weapons to my hands, enjoying hearing the faint roar of my lightsaber; almost as if it sung out for battle. Again, I felt a familiar cold presence in the Force, however all that mattered was Serra. I had to get to her.

I moved towards the newly opened door. I heard a female voice call out, but it didn’t matter. My lightsaber slashed the large, masked man across the back. He grunted, but if he was alive or dead, I didn’t care.

I stepped through the open door and looked around. “Serra?” I said into the darkness as the mist around me grew thicker.

Cam! Help me! Please!

“I’m coming,” I called out as I moved into the darkness. Behind me I thought I heard metal moving but all that mattered was finding my friend. “Where are you?”

Cam, come to me.

I paused mid-step as the voice shifted. “Wh-what?” I mumbled out at the now unfamiliar voice. It was still female, but now there was something darker, sinister in the tone. As if taunting and tempting me at the same time.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I saw red flashing warnings in my Interface. My Force bar was blinking red. “Fu…” The Force roared at me, bringing my mind back to my surroundings.

I jumped back and watched as the spot I’d just been standing was bisected by the tip of a wide and massive vibroblade. From out of the thickening mists a monster of a man emerged. Like the man in the last room, this one wore a skull mask, but he dwarfed that one. I had to strain my neck to meet his eyes as he stood comfortably over two metres and likely could give a Wookie a run for their credits for height.

The monster of a man stepped forward, and I readied myself only for something hard to slam into me from behind. I fell to the ground, tumbling into a wall as my beskad slipped from my grasp.

“The priestess desires you.” I felt my anger spike once more as I saw the man that I’d fought in the other room move next to his massive companion. The pair readied themselves as I pushed myself up using the wall. “She will have what she desires.”

“Fuck you.” I snarled as I felt blood in my mouth. A simple gesture had my beskad back once more in my grip.

“She demands your presence.” the massive man added as he readied his massive vibrosword, or at least that’s what I was calling it as the thing was longer than I was tall but still looked small in the giant’s hands.

“Again, fuck you!” I shot back as I felt the Force swirl around me. Yearnings to strike down these fucking pricks, find Serra, and kill whoever this deranged priestess was flooded my mind, and with a roar, I rushed towards them.

The axe-wielder moved to meet me. He pulled back the axe as he moved, readying it to swing, yet as we closed and it began to move, I pulled the Force to me, demanding it slow everything down. The glinting edge of the axe slowed, and I slid. My beskad extended and I sliced clean through the man’s leg just above the knee. Flesh, cartilage and bone offered no resistance to my blade as I pushed the Force into the weapon, making it an unstoppable instrument of my wrath.

Even with the mask I could see his face twist in shock at what I’d done, which brought a smile to my lips. I planted my feet and pushed, lifting myself into the air. Turning as I flew, my lightsaber moved and a moment later his head was separated from his body.

A rush of delight flooded through me at ending that pathetic worm’s life only to stop suddenly as something powerfully hard slammed into me.

For the second time in less than a minute, I was sent flying across the room, slamming hard into a wall.

“Escape is impossible,” the monstrous man said in an abnormally calm voice as I slumped to the ground. I shook my head, then fell over in a pathetic attempt to right myself. My hands groped around for my weapons, with relief and fury surging through me as they found their targets. “She saw your coming long before you entered her domain.” He continued.

I looked up and saw him approaching slowly, his blade ready but not in a position to attack. “She desires your service.” He added as he continued to approach. I pushed myself to my feet, gripping my weapons tightly as I ignored the ringing in my head. My body ached and protested as I forced myself to stand. I stumbled, only to steady myself as I felt my anger empower my muscles. There was no kriffing way in hell that this giant dumb son of a bitch was going to take me down.

His eyes narrowed as my grips grew tight enough that I knew my knuckles were turning white then he stopped. “I see now why she desires you so,” he commented as he readied himself to attack, “the fire burns within you.”

“I’m going to kill you.” I replied in a cold voice barely above a whisper as I pulled the Force to me. Ordered it to do as I wanted.

The moment I saw his muscles ripple, indicating an attack about to begin, I surged forward. Fury raced through my veins as my blades sought his flesh, seeking to take him down painfully.

His blade came round. Not wanting to waste time blocking, I willed the Force to boost me up. I soared into the air, pushed off the blade even as it came towards me, and leapt. His eyes tracked me as I sailed over him, barely missing hitting the ceiling, and a vicious smile came to my lips. I turned in mid-air so that I was facing him as I descended, and my blades came down, removing both arms at the shoulder.

Blood gushed from one wound while the other smelt delightfully of burnt meat as I brought my arms together. My blades sunk into his sides, adding more red mist and burnt flesh to the mix, only to emerge from his inside calves.

I snarled as the remains of his body fell to the floor in pieces. A tendril of pleasure surged through me as his blade clattered on the ground, splashing blood and guts around before demanding I find a new target to main, kill, destroy.

As I stared at the remains of his body, I blinked.

“Wh-what…” I mumbled out as my arms sagged. I stumbled back, barely able to hold onto my hilts as the strain of the fight flooded my body and my mind processed what I’d just done. “Shit!” I spat out tiredly as I fell to a knee. My beskad was the only reason I didn’t end up on my arse. “Shit!”

A hissing sound drew my attention to one side of the room, and I saw a vent disgorging more mist into the room.

“Fuck,” I mumbled out as I felt my muscles grow weaker as my eyes struggled to stay open. I barely managed to focus on the fact there were now four red warnings in the Interface.

I felt my weapons slip from my grip before my rear smacked against the hard, cold floor of the room. The mist swirled around me, blocking my sight as I felt my connection to the Force grow dimmer.

As my eyes started to lose their battle to stay open, I could only hope that Bo and Aayla were safe and that they, Dooku and Vos managed to get out of this place before it overwhelmed them as well. I’d fucked up royally and all I had now was the faint, and slowly weakening, hope that they’d managed to escape while the Bando Gora had been focused on me.

… …

… …