Mystery Moon (Aria) ~Fin~

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade sat in the cockpit of the stolid YT-1300 called Simple Fate pushing random buttons that needed to be pushed. They had just entered Hyperspace with coordinates head to the middle of nowhere. Blade had no clue where they would end up all he knew is he was looking for a place that him and Aria could hide out for eternity.

He thought of heading straight for the well hidden planet of Zoist but felt that would bring back to many memories of a former life. A life where there wasn't a rule of two and the sith lived in abundance fighting the good fight. A life where Blade was a warrior of the sith and fought allot of battles in their name beside friends and allies.

"Hmm what I could have been."

He said to himself as he pushed yet another button. Then his thoughts started to wonder off but not into the past this time. He started to wonder where the hell Aria was she was avoiding him ever since she got the ship with him at cloud city. He was wondering what had crawled up her butt. When he had meet up with her at Cloud city she was slightly different but Blade had noticed she wasn't sure if she wanted to kill him or kiss him.

"Women!" he said pushing another button.

[Aria Sihin]

"What was that?" came the crisp voice of Darth Abilus from the doorway. She had want to check on the status of their arrival time, but had kept her interactions with Ice to a minimum, which had put him on the defensive. She was neither upset or elated at their reunion, though a slight perturbance had managed to leak through her shared linked. But the rest, she kept hidden from him and it would remain as such until she could figure out how to tell him about her ... condition.

[Blade Bacquin]

"Um.."

It really didn't matter what he said he knew she had heard him clearly. Even if she hadn't there was that shared link thing and she could just rip it from him anyway. Sometimes he really hated the link mostly because he could barely hide anything from her but she could hide everything from him if she wished. Just do the fact that she had mastered the force and he hadn't yet.

"Oh you know I think this ship might have been owned by a couple of women."

He lied because well it was a natural thing for him to do even if he knew he was already caught. Then he gave Aria a smile of innocence or at least the closet thing he could fake to innocent.

"So what brings you to the command center babe?"

[Aria Sihin]

"I wanted to know how long until we arrive," she replied darkly and gathered her robes about her loosely before sitting down in the co-pilot's chair.

"And don't call me babe," she then added. He knew that term of endearment irked her, and Lucid really didn't want to irritate her right now. She was a bundle of nerves that threatened to explode at any moment. Her training had kept her emotions simmering at the edge of her consciousness.

[Blade Bacquin]

"Very well dear."

He put on a cheesy smile as he tried to hold back his laugh. Sometimes Blade cracked himself up despite the fact there was no other audience to laugh at what he said.

"As for time of...ah crap!"

A light was going off on the console and it wasn't one of the good lights either. Something was jamming one of the cooling ducts for the hyper drive causing a minor over heating problem.

"Time of arrival to the middle of nowhere will be delayed."

He said with a disappointing glare as he stood up from his seat and grabbed the tool kit underneath.

"I have to go see what is causing a malfunction in one of the cooling ducts. We will have to cut are hyperspace speed until it is fixed or we might kill it."

[Aria Sihin]

"Then do it. I'll monitor things from up here as you, hopefully, try and fix the problem," she said dryly. It was just their luck. Since being spotted by the Inquisitors because of Lucid's lack of judgment in confronting the former citizen, Miranda Tarkin, they had to live a life on the run because of the bounty on his head.

[Blade Bacquin]

"What do you think I will bash it beyond repair."

He mumbled as he walked out of the cockpit nearly tripping over the door lip. He rolled his eyes as he walked on he could feel her brooding over the bounty thing again. It wasn't his fault Miranda was a bitch, he tried to be polite to her.

He turned a corner then another and soon found himself in the hyper drive room. He sat the tool kit and opened it, looking for a schematic or something. He frowned as he couldn't find one so he open an internal comm link to Aria in the cockpit.

"Dear I need to know what hatch panel I need to remove to get to the right duct? There is a computer in the upper right corner of the console panel that can pull up the schemes on this ship."

[Aria Sihin]

He was being too nice, coddling her with endearments. It was starting to make her stomach turn, or was that the ...

She growled and brought up the schematics as requested. "You are looking for access panel HY-13. Most everything there is connected to the cooling system for the hyperdrive."

[Blade Bacquin]

He didn't even say thanks he just went to work on removing the hatch. He removed the eight screws on the panel easy enough. He grabbed for a crow bar and began to pry it up. He grunted and groaned but the dam thing wouldn't budge. So he stepped back away from it and focused on the panel with the force.

The Hatch creaked and groaned under the pressure the force was using to pry it up. With a load explosion the panel removed itself and coolant began to fly into the air. In the cockpit several lights lit up on the console. Back in the drive room Blade began to cough as the coolant spray began to subside.

"Son of a..."

[Aria Sihin]

After given Lucid the information requested, Abilus closed her eyes and reached out into the blackness of space through the Force. She had never learned much about ships, save for some general skill in computer use and sensors. But computers could only go as far as what they are programmed to do. They have no instinct and no connection to the Force. They were limited.

Falling into a semi-conscious awareness, the Sith Master felt the familiar pull of the Dark Side, caressing her mind strong for her emotions were running rampant with fear, mainly. It gave her no promises of the future, but it did allow for a strong connection with Lucid. She could see him now, looking for the access panel, irritated about her and uncertain as to why his Master was upset.

Nothing out of the ordinary, except ...

A presence? Her eyes snapped open just as Lucid pried the panel off with the Force. Her console lit up like it was Carnival Week on Coruscant. Lucid's confusion was palpable as she rose from the co-pilot's seat, her black cloak caressing the back of the chair before billowing out along the ground and with lightsabre in hand.

Abilus knew exactly who this was. She recognized his thought patterns from Cloud City. A young man by the name of Jason who wanted to help her and was now a stowaway on their ship ... but not for long.

[Malick Raine]

Malick had cut one of the liquid coolant lines and used to freeze the hatch shut. He knew it wouldn't last but it would buy him sometime before he had to face the two force users. Before the hatch was ripped open Malick had managed to undo a boot lace and tie one end around his wrist and the other around his heavy imperial issue blaster.

The space he was in was cramped barely enough room to crawl. Just as he heard the hatch start to creak he flipped to his back and pointed the blaster up at the hatch and waited. As the hatch lifted the broken end of the hose Malick had used to freeze the hatch that was now frozen to the hatch itself to cut off the flow busted feel the air with a cold liquid. The spray soon stopped as the automatic cut off system kicked in. Now there was Malick with a Blaster pointed up at an orange eyed demon.

"You going to take the easy way or the hard one?"

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade was about to yank the blaster away from the boy's hands. Then noticed the kid had tied a lace to his wrist and the blaster.

"Smart boy!"

Blade slowly raised his hands into the air as if he was going to surrender. In truth he could sense Aria coming and he doubted the kid could handle two sith at once. Blade just smiled at him with his usual cocky smile.

"I will take the easy route today I think. I give up."

[Aria Sihin]

Step aside, Lucid.

And he complied, taking a step back and towards the left since he knew exactly what she was thinking.

Jason didn't have a chance to react as an invisible force grabbed him and ripped him free of his hiding place. He smashed into the hull, back first, and before he could hit the ground, his blaster arm jerked upwards. The awkward movement was too much for arm socket to take and it popped out with a crunch of cartilage and tendons.

Aria finally emerged from around the corner, her eyes deeply set in focused anger towards the intruder, who was now hanging in the air like a cold slab of Bantha meat inside a cooler.

Her eyes narrowed further. A crack of metal was heard, and the barrel of the pistol broke off, bouncing along the durasteel walkway.

SNAP-HISS

Her lightsabre became alive with murderous intent as Darth Abilus stalked forth to carry out the punishment for being a stowaway on a Sith's ship. Death.

[Malick Raine]

One second he had the orange eyed man surrendering the next he was ripped from his hole. He slammed into hull back first his lips pursed and his eye winced in pain. Before he could yell about the pain in his back he was yanked up by his Blaster arm. He heard a loud pop and snap in shoulder but after that all it felt was the excruciating pain.

"Frakkkkkkkkkk!"

Tears where welling up in his eyes as he dangled there hoping he would be let go soon. It felt like his arm was being ripped off at the shoulder joint.

"God dammit, son of a bitch."

Tears where rolling down his cheeks already he wasn't even aware of the woman stalking in for the kill. The pain was all that was on his mind at the moment.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade watched and just wince as he heard the pop. That really had to hurt he thought to himself, which reminded him he better be a little more careful of what he said to Aria from now on.

"Now Aria that's no way to treat are new guest."

Blade was trying to be a mediator but he really wasn't good at trying to prevent an execution he was normally the one serving it. He was a sith and would love to see the boy ripped apart by Aria's saber but he didn't see the boy as a worthy kill. The was rather pathetic if you asked blade crying instead of fighting the pain and spouting curse words at aria like he should have been doing.

"Killing him will prove nothing Aria. Torturing him and having a little fun with him first might prove a better punishment for his crime."

[Aria Sihin]

"No," she said darkly though clenched teeth, "He dies. This Jason had taken an interest in me at Cloud City and now conveniently hides on our ship. I want him dead and gone. A memory."

[Malick Raine]

"Ma ma my name is Malick."

He cried in his defense, it was all he could muster as could feel more ripping and tearing happen the longer he hung there. All he got out of the whole conversation between Blade and Aria was death or torture and he didn't like the sound of either of them.

"Iiii I'm no trrrouble Hhonest."

He whimper he just wanted to be released before his arm ripped clean off. He would be no good as a pilot without an arm. That and mechanical replacement didn't really appeal to him.

"Frak it hurts please let me go."

[Blade Bacquin]

"He said his name was Malick."

Blade said with a calm tone in his voice. It wasn't that he believed the boy and thought Aria was mistaken. He really wanted to know what the boys intensions where attacking two sith it just wasn't that smart of a move.

"He had an Imperial issued blaster perhaps he is an Imperial. Perhaps he knows a location where we can hide from them for good?"

It wasn't the norm for Blade to be so calm and logical. Even though he seemed calm and logical on the outside his thoughts where a chaotic mess. He was thinking of all the nifty ways he could extract information from the man. Although it seemed he was defending the boy on the outside in his head he just wanted to have some fun before Aria exterminated him.

"Neither of us have had a live subject to work are craft on in awhile. Plus we got a perfectly good brig set up in the cargo bay going to waste."

[Aria Sihin]

"His name is Jason Dreggs." she said with more authority, growing more impatient as Lucid, her Apprentice, argued for his survival. "He fell out of favor with the Imperials and wants nothing more then to return to them as a hero. If left to live, he'll inform them of our presence."

And collect the bounty on your head, or have you forgotten already!

Abilus stalked forward and brought her sabre arm up for the kill.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade called on the force grabbing onto the saber holding it in place as he was holding onto it himself. He was halting Aria's death for just a moment. He was not intending to hold her kill from her if the boy answered the next few questions wrong.

"Is this true is your real name is Jason dreggs? Did you fall out of favor with the imperials and now are trying to reclaim what you once had?"

Blade was now also probing into the young man's mind sifting through the pain that was at the front of his thoughts at the moment. Blade was going to use the good old method for lie detection.

"Answer now or you’re a dead man."

He said with a very angry tone as his eyes flared a bright orange.

[Malick Raine]

He could feel some of his pain being lifted as if it was being taken away. In truth Blade was just channeling it for a minute to give the Malick a fair chance to state his case with a clear head."

"No my name is Jason Mcgraves jr. really. I had it legally changed to dreggs to defy my father dreggs is my mother’s maiden name."

He winced in pain for a moment but he noticed a slight bit of shock on the orange eyed man’s face as he had said the last name Mcgraves. The force user had probably met his father in an integration room before or something. This wasn't looking good he thought to himself.

"Also I never feel out of favor with the imps. I'm currently MIA because my father tried to kill me and my sister. I had to go into hiding hence the name Malick raine. Even if I wanted to return to that life bringing in two force users wouldn’t make me a hero. I would still have a load of explaining to do."

Jason paused for a moment taking in a breath despite the pain being lessoned he could still feel it. He was breathing heavy and he was fearing finishing his explaining cause then there would be the pain again followed by a release from his mortal coil.

"I was just following cause I wanted to see what you where up to. If it involved hindering the imperials I would have tried to stop you. You are Jedi after all right enemies of the empire?"

The Blade released him back into his pain. Malick screamed out even louder than before cause it felt like he been yanked up a second time now with the release.

[Aria Sihin]

Lucid would pay dearly for staying her hand. But not in front of the boy. She didn't want to show weakness and a sense of discourse before him. So Abilus played along, pretending to halt her strike until he spoke, and what Jason said actually surprised her. His story was almost as convoluted as her Apprentice's, but at least it was grounded in reality.

She fluttered an exasperated sigh since he was telling the truth and lowered her weapon fully, but it remained ignited. "No, we are not Jedi," she hissed softly. "And we have no designs on your precious Empire. We only wished to be left alone."

[Malick Raine]

Jason was still crying in pain and waiting the inevitable. His thought where dwelling on why the frak he decided to do this. He had loyalty to the empire but it had forsaken him. Heck they probably had his name on casualty report already and he probably died in some friendly fire or something lame like that. He had seen too many soldiers die in battle doing something Heroic just to see on there casualty report that they disobeyed some order.

The reports seldom stated how many other soldiers’ life they saved when they disobeyed a direct order. He waited but the strike didn't happen when he expected it to. Yet couldn't open his eyes to see what was happening the pain was too much for him. He wasn't at least if they killed him they would let him go out trying to save his own life. It would be a lot better than hanging by one arm in pain crying like a dam baby.

"Iiif you'rrre going to kill mmme please grant mmme one request."

[Blade Bacquin]

"Tempting!"

Blade said to Jason begging but there didn't seem to be a care in his voice either way for letting into a request. He decided to at least ask for mercy for the boy out some rare sense of honor or something.

"We are not going to kill this one?"

Blade asked Aria bluntly. Blade wasn't sure why maybe for some under lying respect for the man’s uncle in another life or for something else he didn't want Jason to die. Not like this anyway crying like a baby was no way for a man to go out.

"Maybe we can..."

He was pretty sure she already knew what Blade was thinking. So he didn't finish it that and to Blade death would be more acceptable then what was going to happen to the boy.

[Aria Sihin]

And with a mere shift in thought, Jason went from hanging in the air to a crumpled mess of limbs piled up against the floor. Abilus had come to the conclusion that the sniveling coward did not have to die. He posed no threat to their existence and to merely kill him for the sake of it served little purpose in her vow to serve the Dark Side. His Imperial ties were fleeting, and Jason held no power in its intricate machinations.

"Bind his hands and feet and gag his mouth," she snapped at Lucid and spun on her heel to leave. "I don't want to hear one groan from him until we reach our destination."

Gathering her cloak around her body, she left and headed back to the cockpit.

[Malick Raine]

Malick hit the ground with a thud some of the pain sub sided being let go but it still hurt like a bitch. He sat there on the floor whimpering in pain as Aria walked out of the room. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Blade stalking towards him.

"Is the bitch gone?"

He cried in Orange eyed man’s face. He didn't want to ever see her again if he could help it. He wasn't exactly sure what was in store for him but at the moment he didn't care. He was alive for now and that was what mattered the most.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade stalked towards the man as her asked the question. The moment the word left the boys mouth rage shot thru Blade. He grabbed the boy by the neck and lifted him one handed slamming him into the wall. Blade's grip was tight around the man's neck and he did not let go as he pressed the man into the wall.

"Do not think because I was willing to show you some form of mercy that you have the right to talk. I may have wanted to let you live but if you say one word about her in an ill manner I will snap your pathetic little life out of existence."

Blade was not going to let the man think he was safe just because Aria didn't kill him. Despite the fact that Blade felt somewhat sorry for Jason, he would not let him speak about Aria that way. With hat Blade dropped the boy again.

"Get up worm."

[Malick Raine]

Malick fell to the ground again. He was starting to get sick of the abuse but there wasn't much he could really do about it. Whoever these Jedi like people where, they were much stronger than him.

Malick leaned up against the wall and started to push himself up along it. He would have used his arms but one of them was pretty much useless at the moment. He slipped a few but eventually made it to his feet. He was slightly hunched over now hold his busted arm tightly against himself.

"Lead on then sir!"

Blade just shook his head at Jason and shoved Jason in front of him.

"I guess I will lead then."

He was being sarcastic despite the pain he was in. Sarcasm and insults seemed to be the well Jason dealt with pain the best. Make others feel how he was feeling but these Jedi people didn't seem to care.

"So is this woman you called Aria. Is she your wife or something?"

[Blade Bacquin]

"No she isn't my wife."

Blade stopped at that he didn't want to explain it to Malick. There were two reasons one it was none of Jason's business. Two Blade couldn't explain it if he wanted to. Some days him and Aria where just Master and apprentice. Than on other days they where lovers. He knew Aria loved him and that he loved her. Yet the master and apprentice thing got in the way of their feelings for each other most days.

"I guess you could call us a couple in some screwed up sense of the word."

He didn't know why he felt like saying anything to Jason but he did. Maybe being coupe up with Aria so long he needed a man to man talk with someone. Blade shoved the man around a corner as they made their way for the cargo bay.

[Malick Raine]

"I see I have had a few relationships like that myself. Where you’re not sure exactly where you stand with the person."

In truth Malick couldn't relate at all to what Blade was hinting at he just wanted to make friends with one of his captures. He figured since the orange eyed man was the one willing to give him a chance maybe he could appeal to him. In a way Malick was trying to play some sort of head game with Blade in order to win his freedom without any more harm.

"So she is your girl friend then. No offense sir but she seems wound a bit tight. Maybe you should take her on a date or something to get her loosened up or something."

He didn't want to take it too far he knew the orange eyed man would snap if he said too much about the woman. So he had to be a little more delicate with how he worded things even though he was a hundred percent sure the woman just needed a good lay he didn't say that. He then looked over his shoulder at Blade who seemed to have a dumb founded look on his face.

"You have taken her out on a date right?"

Blade just shook his head. No wonder this chick was well a little overly aggressive. Dumb orange eyed probably never even kissed her and didn't want to admit he was her slave not her boy friend.

"You do know what a date is right?"

[Blade Bacquin]

"Of course I know what a date is I'm not stupid."

He saw Jason roll his eyes at that, so Blade shoved the boy into a passing bulk head. He did it just to show the boy who was in charge around here.

"I have had many relationships before. I admit not to many of them where the dating type of relationships. Although I did have one once where we use to go out and beat the crap out of each other. Than we would go back to her place and do the dance. So I have done the dating thing before."

Jason was in too much pain after being shoved into his bulk head to roll his eyes or say anything about Blade’s statement. They soon arrived in the cargo bay where there was a cell waiting for him.

[Malick Raine]

Blade began to tie a rope around Malick's feet. It wasn't like the boy could run anywhere they were on a space ship after all. Malick didn't fight it though mostly because he knew he couldn't.

"What you said is not classified as a date."

Malick didn't like the glare Blade gave him as he made the statement. So Malick stayed quite as Blade finished with the legs. Then Blade moved up to the arms grabbed both of them and put them behind his back. Malick screamed in pain as the busted arm was pulled behind his back.'

"Frak!"

Tears where starting to well up again as the rope around his hands was being bound so tightly that pain was shooting thru out his shoulder. This trip was not going to be the most comfortable one he ever took. Blade then shoved Malick into the sitting position on a cot at the back of the cell. He winced in due to the constant flame throbbing in his shoulder.

"What you had wasn't a date that was foreplay. Maybe you should take a woman on a real....."

With that Blade put a gag in Malicks mouth. He couldn't speak and was left to his own thoughts and whimpering. Blade then slammed the cage shut leaving the cargo bay he also shut off the lights. Leaving Jason in the darkness.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade started to make his way back up to the cockpit where Aria was probably stewing over how she was going to torture Blade this time. So Blade purposely took his time delaying inevitable checking a few systems here and there. He started to mumble to himself as he wondered forward.

"Date, I have been on real date. Who does that guy think he is?"

Soon he knew he would have to face her as he came closer to the cockpit. He could slip in unnoticed she could sense him just about anywhere. So he just manned up and stepped into the cockpit with a bit of a sigh.

"I'm back dear."

He let a smile hang on his face hoping it would calm the situation. He knew it was a false hope but hey a guy need a hope and a prayer sometimes.

[Aria Sihin]

The dren eating grin that aligned his face was covered up by a lightning fast fist to the face. Her knuckles cracked against his jaw, rattling her Apprentice's teeth against one another.

"Out of all of the audacity and arrogance I've let slide, how dare you purposefully question me in front of another!!" She was seething. Utterly lost in a pool of rage of having her own Apprentice show such disrespect in front of an outsider. She was almost at a breaking point that killing him seem delightful, but unfortunately Abilus needed someone to fly the ship.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade fell back slamming the back of his head off of the door frame. He dang near blacked out from the impact on both sides of head. Lucky for him he had an abnormally thick skull that usually got him in trouble. He reached his right hand up and wiped away the blood from his newly busted lip.

He could feel her anger and despite the norm he was sacred out of his mind at this point. He had felt Aria's wrath before but not to point that she was thinking about killing him. There shared link showed loud and clear that she was prepared to kill him if she had too. Blade stepped back a few feet to stay out of her reach if she decided to attack him again.

"I'm sorry Master."

He barely ever called Aria master but at this point Blade wasn't exactly sure where he stood with her. It was better to revert back to the master and apprentice roll until he could find a way to make up for his actions.

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus haughtily tugged at the sides of her cloak before sitting down on the co-pilot's seat, her anger a quiet simmer. Lucid's formality and the fear in his eyes had spoken volumes. Her point was made.

"When we find a place to refuel and make repairs, I'll mind wipe the boy's memories of us and how he got there."

[Blade Bacquin]

"Yes ma..."

Blade didn't get to finish his statement before there was a sharp tug on the ship. Blade's head once again smacked up against the door frame but this time he couldn't stay standing. He fell back thru the door way onto the floor as the turbulence just got worse.

They were either being pulled out of hyperspace or there window was collapsing. In either case this was going to be a bumpy ride for a few minutes. Blade tried to scurry to his feet but was having a hard time keeping his Balance. Without using the master and apprentice roll he screamed up at Aria.

"Aria pull the lever to your left to the down position!"

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus felt danger the moment before the ship veered out of control. Her eyes went wide in fear, not for herself, nor for Lucid... But for the life of the unborn child that was growing inside her these last six months. She had never cared for the wretched thing. It complicated her already confusing relationship with Lucid further and it actually scared her not knowing how he'd react to the news.

"Aria pull the lever to your left to the down position!"

Lucid's orders snapped her out of her thoughts and did as she was told. Not knowing anything about ships, she would have to rely on his judgment until he could make his way to the pilot's chair. The turbulence was too much for her to predict the ship's movement, so an attempt to try and lift him there by the Force was not an option. She would probably hurt him more in the process, a warm thought if their lives weren't in danger.

[Blade Bacquin]

As the lever was pulled the turbulence even out a little more. It was still a bumpy ride but the ship wouldn't feel like it was going to get ripped apart anymore. The lever had cut the energy flow to the hyper drive now all Blade had to do was get to the pilot seat and hope that didn't come of the window to close to a planet or a sun.

Blade pulled himself forward with the lesson turbulence grabbing a hold of anything he could get his hands to pull himself to the chair. He had sensed a very open thought in Aria mind but it was confusing to Blade. It was exactly a thought it was more an emotion. It was in the form of fear for something’s life but it wasn't Blade's and it wasn't her own. Blade soon reached the seat and started pushing all kinds of buttons in a blur of speed.

"The Hyper drive over heated and the window is collapsing."

Blade ignored the nagging question in his mind about the emotions running through Aria's head. He needed to focus as he grabbed a hold of the manual piloting wheel. There was silence for a moment as the window collapsed around the ship. The ship itself was shaking and rattling but Blade managed to ease the ship out of the window without causing any damage to the ship itself.

Blade looked down at the computer screen as they hit the Blackness of space. He was looking for something anything so he could set the ship down. The screen on console finally came up with Data of the nearby system. It wasn't looking good at first no habitable planets. But on the sensors last sweep it finally picked up something a small moon. With a sigh Blade turned to Aria.

"We got something, it ain't much. Its a moon around the fourth planet in this system no life forms as far as are sensors can pick up. I will set down there and check out the hyper drive with any luck it will only need a few hours to cool down before we can start up again."

[Aria Sihin]

There wasn't much to be said. They had no choice. At least they were alive and Abilus unconsciously hugged her belly. "Then take us down so we can make haste the repairs, Lucid."

And perhaps dump off some loose ends as well, thought the Sith Master.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade nodded in agreement noting Aria hugging her belly.

"You okay?"

He asked trying ask her why she was holding her belly. It could have been nothing, maybe just an upset stomach from the bumpy ride. He did hold back a laugh as he clearly saw her thoughts on dumping their latest cargo on this moon.

Blade guided the ship into the moons atmosphere. As soon as they were in Aria could notice Blade's thoughts almost instantly change. There weren’t words or images like normal. His thoughts where running purely on instinct almost as if he knew this moon and had landed here a thousand times.

He was quite as the ship set down gentle not ruff like would be normal for a foreign landing. On the exterior Blade seemed a bit confused this place looked almost familiar to him. The tree lines and hills seemed so reminiscent of some place he had been before.

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus glanced over at Lucid curiously. His mind was racing with deja vu, most assuredly some recollection from his past life finding this sector of space familiar. Perhaps his past life would actually prove fruitful in having them survive this uncharted moon.

"I'm fine. Just was a tad," she paused, searching for the right lie, "jostled about. I'll feel better when we have ground beneath our feet."

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade looked at the console computer and was well surprised slightly. For once on this trip something had gone right.

"Well the oxygen levels are normal here. Also on another good note our hyper drive requires no maintenance. It just needs a few hours to cool down then we can be on our way."

Thank the gods for redundant systems on this ship, they had cut the hyper drive before it caused any sever permanent damage. Blade looked over at Aria he was going to smile but remembered she was pissed at him.

"Care to get some fresh air master? Maybe have a little hike for some exercise?"

[Aria Sihin]

"Yes," she said a little too quickly and rose to her feet. "Make sure the prisoner is secured."

And with that, Abilus left the cockpit and opened the side ramp. The glare from the sun forced a squint, but eventually her eyes adjusted to the light and cautiously the Sith made her way down the walkway and onto a rather beautiful looking moon. Trees as tall as Kashyyyk redwoods were in the distance and even further then that, a great mountain range of snow covered tops loomed over the valley like a protective sentinel.

A strange species of mammal squirmed along the grassland, hopping up into the air to catch the succulent fruit the blooming flowers offered. It was a cross between some sort of rabbit and otter; with long ears and tail but it's body was sleek and slender, and feet more suitable for swimming then running. The thing was also obnoxiously cute as it twitched it's nose in Abilus' direction.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade had checked on Jason fairly quickly. The prisoner had fallen asleep in his cot or passed out Blade wasn't sure. All that really mattered was that he was out of his and Aria's hair for the moment. Blade also pretty sure the prisoner had pissed himself due to the smell in the cargo bay.

After a few minutes Blade stepped out of the ship seeing Aria entranced by some sort of sickenly cute animal. The name of it was on the tip of his tongue he just couldn't remember what it was. Something did blurt out of his mouth at that moment a memory of his past.

"There not great eatings."

He didn't know why he said it; he didn't ever remember eating one. The fresh air felt good as he breathed it in and out of his lungs. The air on the ship was so stale.

"This place looks familiar."

[Aria Sihin]

"You've been here before," she answered softly. "Your past life. You used to live here I believe."

Which made Abilus wonder if there were sentients nearby, but did not sense any through the Force. Only an abundance of low level creatures and the native foliage.

[Blade Bacquin]

"It's possible I guess?"

Blade began to step backwards towards the tree line. He was looking at the ship and where he had landed. An image popped into his head of an older landing pad that should have been directly under the ship. Though in this place there was just grass. This was the grove where he use to always park his ship.

"Follow me!"

With that Blade took off towards the mountains hoping Aria would follow him. He needed to see something for himself, he knew it wouldn't be there but he wanted to see the spot. This place was creeping Blade out it couldn't be his old home.

[Aria Sihin]

"He would have to run," mumbled Abilus and shot off after him. Thank the Dark Side that she could rely on its strength to alleviate her shortness of breath caused by the extra twenty pounds gained and the awkward center of gravity.

They ran down the hill and crossed past the treeline where a good view of the mountain range could be gained. Abilus didn't see anything habitable as of yet. Only a few outcroppings of caves scattered along the mountain side.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade stopped soon as he reached the right part of the mountains. He just stared at certain portion of the mountains as he waited for Aria to catch up to him. As he stared an image came into his minds of a mansion sitting on the spot where there was nothing. The mansion was beautiful in its own right and it once was called home.

"Home."

He sighed the words as if he had forgotten it all. In a way he did or at least tried to for Aria's sake. He still missed the place and his heart sank a little bit knowing now that this place was gone forever. Blade would never see the place he learned to call home ever again.

Still seeing a mansion that wasn't there in his head he stepped forward and tripped on a fist sized rock. It pulled him out of his haze a bit as he knelt down to pick it up.

[Aria Sihin]

A few heartbeats later, Abilus slowed to walk and stood at her Apprentice's side. Peering over his shoulder, her eyes grew curious as to the significance of the rock.

"What is it?" she asked gently.

[Blade Bacquin]

"It's a rock."

He was slightly amused by his answer but didn't laugh. It was just a plain old rock there was nothing special about it. Blade held it in the palm of his hand as he stood up from his kneeling position. Although it was just a rock Blade stared at it as if where something else.

The rock started to heat up because subconsciously Blade was causing the molecules in the rock to speed up movement. The rock in his hand began to lift from his hand as he pushed it up word with the force. Then with a force push he sent the rock speeding towards a tree. The exploded into shards about a foot away from the tree.

"I always did like that trick."

The only weird thing about it was it wasn't a trick Aria had taught him. It was one of his older abilities from the past. This place was doing strange things to his head. He turned to Aria with a confused look on his face.

"Something isn't right here?"

[Aria Sihin]

"I'll say," Abilus said, stunned at the display of power Lucid had achieved. She had not taught him this, however the Sith Master was quite cognizant of the fact it was her training that allowed a window of his past powers to come into fruition this day.

Coming here was no coincidence. The Dark Side had brought them here so he could remember.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade's thoughts where a mess of chaos at the moment. Something didn't seem right despite the optimize Blade could feel coming from Aria. Blade wasn't so sure it was all good news seldom did the dark side coming calling without a choice to be made. What was the choice he was going to have to make be he had to wonder?

"I have one other place we need to check out. A big green monster dwelled there but more than likely not anymore."

Oh course Blade was talking about Ogre one of the greatest sith masters of his former life. He was talking about the big green sith's cave and if Blade was right about the cave there would be a cash of light saber crystals there. He started to walk this time instead of running so Aria could stay with him. He was actually kind of curious as to why she had lagged behind in the first place.

"We might find the last cash of crystals free from the empire where we are headed next. Are you sure you are okay master?"

[Aria Sihin]

"I'm fine." Abilus lied and looked away towards the mountain to where Lucid's memories had led her, trying to hide that she was out of breath. She who had killed Darth Paladus, her former Master, without so much as breaking a sweat, stood here with heavy breath! Defeating a Sith Master took great cunning, skill and ability to harness the Dark Side in far greater concentration. Oh how it angered her to no end to be so weak with carrying this child!!!

[Blade Bacquin]

She was lying but Blade said nothing about it. It was better not to press the issue especially after the fight on the ship. Today wouldn't exactly be a good a good day to die.

After a few moments in silence they finally reached the mouth of the cave. Peering inside Blade couldn't really see anything. It was pitch black but there was an eerie feeling coming from within the cave. It actually sent a chill up Blade's spine. Yet he held his fear back from Aria as much as he could.

"Shall we see what's inside?"

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus shifted her weight and stared into the cave momentarily. Unlike her Apprentice, she felt nothing.

"No," she said turning away. "This is something you must do alone."

The Master had felt Lucid's fear. He needed to face the fears of his past or continued to be succumbed by it needlessly every moment of his existence.

[Blade Bacquin]

He gave her a look of disappointment as he looked back into the cave. He still felt the same eerie feeling running down his spine. He wasn't afraid to go in there alone but he wanted Aria to come with him. Then he just shrugged and headed into cave.

He kept walking thru tunnels his glowing orange eyes lighting the way. He always knew there had to be a benefit to having glowing eyes. He soon wondered into a cavern in his mind’s eye it was set up like a bar just like the one in ogre's cave. Blade looked confused as he looked around the place; it was dusty and didn't look like it had inhabitants for many years.

Blade slipped behind the bar and to his amazement there sat a full bottle of JD with a pack of death sticks. He laughed to himself as he grabbed them both up and set them on top of the bar. He popped the cork on the bottle of JD and took a swig as he felt the burn slid down the back of his throat.

"I guess it’s my lucky day."

From behind Blade a voice answered back. The voice sounded exactly like his.

Syphrom: "Not really your lucky day Blade. This place is just showing you what you had once. It is showing you what you left behind. By the end of the day you will have to choose."

"What are doing here?"

Syphrom: "Blade my brother I'm not really here. Your mind created me with the help of this place."

"I will kill you again and you are not my brother."

Syphrom:"If I'm not your brother then what am I? You are the one holding onto my memory as if you lost a family member when you killed me."

Blade growled at Syphrom.

"You are not my brother you are some screwed up perversion of me from another reality."

Syphrom:"Or maybe I'm the real you and you are the perversion."

With that blade struck at Syphrom with his fist. Blade's fist slammed hard into an out cropping of rocks as the illusion shattered. All of it broke into pieces as Blade looked around him he noticed he was in the center of a large patty of crystals. Yet across from now stood an image of Syphrom still. Blade looked at it confused?

"Why didn't you shatter?"

Syphrom: "Because I'm not part of the illusion created by this place. You are the one who created the image of me. This is your trial Blade and I will be with you up to the end when you will have to make your choice. Now pick the crystals for your light sabers you are crafting."

"Is that the choice I have to make which crystals I want?"

Syphrom: "No it won't be that easy. This is just a bribe you could say."

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus kept a tight reign on her cloak, gathering it about her body as a strong chilling wind from the mountains swept over the valley. She crouch against the side of the cave and closed her eyes, focusing on blocking the link between she and Lucid. It were his demons that he needed to face and Abilus wanted no part in it as a spectator.

As his Master, Abilus had a right to eavesdrop. As his lover, Aria respected him enough to afford him some privacy. If some harm would come to him, she would rush in and be at his side in seconds...

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade kept glaring at syphrom every once and awhile as he looked over all the crystals growing on the ground and cave walls. He hated having his Jedi look alike looking over his shoulder. Blade reached for a blue crystal that was catching his eye.

Syphrom: "Are you sure you want that one. It isn't a very sith like color but then again sith aren't very original with their reds and um. Oh yeah they only have red you sith real do suck."

Blade looked back at his invisible enemy and growled. Why wouldn't this guy just shut up and mind his own dang business. Blade really hated the color red but maybe Syphrom was right. Maybe he should go with something more traditional. Blade just shook his head and grabbed two icy blue crystals that had been tempting him for a few minutes now.

Syphrom: "Are you sure?"

"Shut up."

Syphrom: "Oh don't get testy with me you don't honestly believe I'm happy to be here stuck with you. Do you?"

"Oh thought you would be giddy to get another chance to try and convert me to your religion."

Syphrom: "Nah I wouldn't waste my time on you."

Blade just laughed at that maybe this syphrom had finally learned that Blade was too thick headed to listen. So Blade with his new crystals started his way back to the cave mouth with syphrom jabber about non sense. Blade really didn't care he was sure that once he reached the cave mouth this prick would disappear.

Soon he reached the mouth and stepped out to see Aria crouched there waiting patiently. Blade smiled as he saw her face but it quickly went away as he saw Syphrom stood next to her. The bastard didn't disappear which meant that Blade was going crazy either that or there was some sort of test going on that he had not yet seen the final challenge for.

Syphrom: "So this is your new master Blade? When are you going to ditch this one and go looking for someone better?"

"Shut up!"

[Aria Sihin]

Startled, Abilus stood up straight and under the cover of her cloak, put a hand to her saber hilt. "What is it?"

If something evil had taken over Lucid, she would have to defend herself quickly.

[Blade Bacquin]

"Uh nothing."

Blade lied he didn't Aria to get suspicious of the invisible man that was taunting him. Blade glared past Aria at the invisible man giving him a sign to shut up.

Syphrom: "Oh please don't give me the evil eye, I'm so scared."

Syphrom stuck his tongue out at Blade in a childish manner. Blade so badly wanted to rip the man a new one but how do you hurt something that is just in your head. Then Blade felt something as he turned his head slowly back towards the trees?

"Do you feel that Aria."

He didn't call her master at this point because what he felt scared the crap out of him. It was very strong force energy he had felt and he was sure Aria could feel it too.

[Aria Sihin]

Even before Lucid spoke, Aria had jumped to her feet with her lightsaber ignited for battle. A powerful dark presence had suddenly appeared, which worried her. It was nigh impossible for someone to get the drop on her, but even Abilus had to admit that this presence was radiating more power then she had ever felt in her entire life. Whatever it was, she refused to be scared into submission. She felt Lucid's fear and could not blame him for his feelings. This unknown quantity of dark matter was exuding a remarkable aura of fear.

"I'm not sure who or what it is," she said evenly and started stalking off towards the source. That presence most assuredly had sensed the two of them and its motivations remained clouded.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade nodded and followed behind Aria as he brought out the saber her master once wielded. He ignited the red blade with a snap hiss. Oh how that sound excited him a bit despite the fear he was feeling. He had felt this presences once before but he couldn't really remember where he had felt it before.

Syphrom: "Nice red light saber Blade, how original."

"Shush!"

Syphrom: "Oh right big bad dark thing, not like it can see me anyway."

Blade just shook his head as him and Aria moved forward towards the dark signature. They soon reached the edge of a clearing a very familiar clearing to Blade.

Syphrom: "To the tree with both of you!" he shouted "Oh my too bad no tree, I so would have loved to see both of you hanging from that thing."

Blade rolled his eyes but syphrom was right this where the tree use to be. That tangled vampric tree that Sorsha so loved more than any living thing. At the end of the grove towards the other tree line Blade spotted what they were looking for. His eyes shot wide as he saw it for what it was the same dark well that had brought him to this universe.

Syphrom: "Oh I was so hoping they would hold out a bit longer just to torture you Blade?"

"What are you going on about?"

Syphrom: "Oh this where you have to make your choice Blade?"

Blade looked at the swirling vortex on the other side of the clearing, and then back at Aria. He was about to say something when a sound came out of the vortex a voice Blade had not heard in a very long time.

Vortex: "I'm not sure how long Sorsha and Dalethria can hold this open hurry up Blade. It's time to come home."

[Aria Sihin]

It had taken a many months, years really, before Abilus would fully come to accept Lucid's far fetched story of coming from another time line. Such talk was for the holovids and fantasy writers.

She eventually accepted that her Apprentice was telling the truth once a link had been forged during their first night together as lovers. His thoughts were her thoughts and everything Abilus had seen were tangible memories. Not delusions of an insane child.

But those names! Sorsha and Dalethria. Those names haunted her and evoked weak feelings of jealously. However, she couldn't discount their combined power. Those women must be powerful Sith Masters in their own right to open such a portal. The man's voice was unfamiliar.

Abilus disengaged her weapon and clipped it to her belt before gathering her cloak around her, watching this event play out. Regardless of what happened, she had no right to interfere with his decision and continued to block Lucid's thoughts from her mind.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade stared at the vortex as his mind flooded with all kinds of thoughts. To say he was torn was an understatement. He kept looking back and forth hoping Aria would say something but she didn't. Like normal she seemed uncaring of what choice Blade would decide to make. So he looked to Syphrom for some sort of answer.

Syphrom: "What do you want me to make the choice for you?"

Blade just shrugged at the invisible man. He really didn't know what he wanted Syphrom to do he was just hoping he had some sort of answer.

Syphrom: "Look it's like this Blade whatever choice you make I will choose the opposite. You destroyed my body on that side and somehow I got attached to you. If you leave her I will inhabit this body. If you stay I will go thru the Vortex and inhabit your body on that lays on the other side."

"You knew this once coming how?"

Syphrom: "I did this once before you remember I wasn't from the same place you are."

Blade just nodded as he stepped out of the tree line and slowly took a few steps in the direction of the Vortex. He still hadn't made his choice but he wanted to get a closer look at this thing. As he approached it he saw three people on the other side. Two of them where on a huge strain holding the portal open will the other stood on the other side.

Vortex: "I see him on the other side. He looks well younger and a little less scruffy. If Blade can look less scruffy that is."

"Nice to see you too."

Vortex: "So hurry up we don't have all day. That and I am getting bored of talking to you Blade."

[Aria Sihin]

Now she recognized the voice from Lucid's memories. It was Vega Van-Derveld, a man with much hate and respect he felt towards.

Abilus continued to watch the event in silence. It was not her place to make the decision for him, and if she were tell him that she were pregnant, then he might make a hasty decision either way. If he wanted to stay with her, then Lucid had to realize that answer himself. The Dark Side wanted her to not interfere and she must heed its call as its Mistress.

Did she want him to stay? Of course she did. She was her legacy as a Sith and the father of the unborn child swelling her belly and ... she loved him. If Lucid opted to leave, she would go on and persevere, it would just be different with a child; and without the Empire breathing down their necks. That would be a beneficial side effect ...

Yet, she would miss the scruffy oaf deeply.

[Blade Bacquin]

"What happens to her if I choose to walk thru?"

Blade said in a more quieted tone so Vega couldn't hear him talking to the invisible man. He tried to hide the fact that he was concerned about Aria if she was even listening in on the things going on his head.

Syphrom: "If you choose the old road, the worn and beaten path. I will take care of her for as long as I can. Yet she is a powerful darksider there is no doubt she will figure out soon enough that I'm not you. Then I will have to take my leave of her and your child."

"Child what?"

Syphrom: "You sensed it, you just didn't pay attention. I did because I am more in tune with that kind of stuff then you are Blade."

Blade shot a look back at Aria and then back at Vega on the other side. His face went pale now the choice was harder than ever. He could back to his family on one hand and on the other he was starting a new family here.

Vortex: "Come on we can only hold it a bit longer quit being a putts. Don't abandon us again Blade."

Syphrom: "Make your choice Blade which is it going to be them or her?"

"Child!"

Where the words that passed his lips last a few moments later the Vortex closed. The body that Blade Ice had inhabited just stood there in silence as it stared where the vortex was like it was saying its silent goodbyes.

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus hissed and spun on her heels to head back to the ship, her mind a whirlwind of disappointments. She had not wanted Lucid to know about the child and now she doubted his reasons for staying.

[Blade Bacquin]

A smile crept up on the shells face and then the eye's flashed bright orange. His head cocked to the side to see Aria heading for the ship. He heard her thoughts and was smiling more to himself then to her, not that she was paying attention anyway. His head turned back to where the vortex was.

"Good bye syphrom. Hopefully Sorsha and Dalethria don't hurt you to bad."

With that he turned to head off for Aria. In truth he never expected Aria to believe that his choice was made for her not the child. He wouldn't leave her behind pregnant or not. Blade trusted her more than he ever trusted Dalethria, Sorsha, or Vega combined. They all had their own agenda's and would ditch Blade in an instant if his plans sabotaged there own. Aria on the other hand had stuck with him thru thick and thin.

"Hey wait up Aria! I need to tell you something."

[Aria Sihin]

Her eye twitched when she spoke her real name, but Abilus did not ease up her stride, nor spoke, nor opened up the link they shared.

[Blade Bacquin]

She was trying to stay away from him, he noted rolling his eyes. So he called on the force and speed up his movements to catch up to her and then passed her. He stopped a few feet in from of her and just stood there until she reached his position. As soon as she reached him he wrapped his arms around hoping she wouldn't punch him again.

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus struggled against the embrace, but Lucid tightened it. Her thrashing was half-hearted and he knew if she wanted to break the hold, it could easily be done. It was all for show.

She was glad he stayed for selfish reasons, but still doubts lingered. Afraid to open her mind to the truth, she buried her head into his chest and uncharacteristically sobbed, praying that the Dark Side would give Lucid a flash of greed and strike her down dead so she wouldn't have to live through this weakness.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade leaned his head down and kissed her head as she buried her face in his chest. He would not kill her for her tears because they were not tears of fear. That and to cut her down at this point would be weakness on his own part and after destroying her he would have to destroy himself.

"It was an easy choice to make. I trust you more than anyone I have ever known. To abandon you would be to destroy that trust you have given me. I have abandoned and forsaken masters before but I will not do that to you I swear on life."

With that he loosened his grip around her to let her leave his embrace if she wished. He didn't press the issue of the child because he knew she would tell him in her own time. He would let her open up when she felt it was right rather than pry his way in.

"I love you master Abilus."

Blade smiled down at her and laughed not at her but the words he was thinking about speaking next. Blade just shrugged and shook his head with a wide grin on his face knowing full well he would get smacked for it.

"Now let's get home woman so you can make me some grub."

[Aria Sihin]

If there was one way to tell that Lucid was telling the truth, he would always qualify a serious statement with an absurd one. Abilus laughed in spite of herself and fell into his arms once more, the mental blocks she had set in place were slowly dissolving away. She could now feel the truth of his words.

"But ..." she swallowed back another sob and clutched the fabric of his shirt, "... you had said child."

[Blade Bacquin]

"Yeah V...."

He was about to lie but he didn't figure it would hurt to actually tell the truth at this point. So he adjusted himself slight and let out a little cough. He was going to let her wait until she was ready to tell him but nothing ever seemed to go according to plain.

"A little voice in my head told me that you are with child. I don't if he was lying but he was a Jedi once. So I will ask you is there any truth to what he said?"

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus's face scrunched into a scowl, unsure if she had heard that right. Blade had often spoke nonsense due to his odd Force presence and being of a separate time line (which still confounded her that she believed him).

Instead of arguing, she merely let the comment slide. He had been talking strangely to himself since entering the dark cave, and it only intensified when the Dark Well had opened.

She rest her head against his chest and sighed. "Yes. I'm six months with child."

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade started to count back six months in his head trying to date the time of conception. He was sure the child had to be his but there was a very small chance it wasn't. Blade's eyes flared at the thought as he tried to hide what he was think from Aria. If it was his which he was pretty sure of he didn't want her to get wind of the single thought that thought otherwise.

"So I'm going to be a father?"

Blade let a smile hang on his face as he tried to push that single thought to the back of his mind. He didn't want to think about the possibility that Setzer could have drugged and did all kinds of horrible things to her. The thought angered him but still he tried to think on the positive side that kid was indeed his.

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus didn't know if she should be happy or crying now that she knew Lucid was happy with this news. It must be the hormones. Another thing she couldn't control...

But yes! he was shocked and somewhat apprehensive but deep down he welcomed this opportunity of having his own family.

"Yes," she said, lifting her head to look directly into those soft orange eyes that were aglow with concern. "A father to our daughter."

[Blade Bacquin]

"Ha, another one."

He said with a little laugh. His former thought drifted away and his thought's began to linger on Aria and their child. This would be his second child but he barely knew the first, this time it would be different. He made the right choice in staying behind and now he was well aware of it.

"Let's go find home then shall we?"

[Aria Sihin]

Lucid's lifespan went through counters centuries of rebirth. His admission of having a child in a previous life came as no surprise. His sincerity made her smile, however. The news of a daughter made him truly happy, and strangely, her too. Abilus hadn't been part of a family since she was no more then four and never entertained the notion of starting one. It still scared her, being responsible for bringing a new life into this heartless galaxy, but at least she wouldn't be alone.

"Let's," she agreed with the faintest of smiles.