To Every Captive Soul: Ghosts and Shadows

[Taylor Millard]

“Commander Stark report,” The brown-haired man stood on the bridge of the Imperial Star Destroyer, viewing the a drift station on the view screen.

“Reconnaisence says there are life signs abroad the station but cannot determine how many. The station’s massive, sir, appears to hold over 500 people. It has multiple turrents and several hangers and cargo bays.”

Millard grimaced. Normally visitors to his sector announced their presence. Although he normally did not require to know everything that happened, a station of this size, normally announced themselves. Instead, the Imperial Grand Admiral was faced with what appeared to be a massive station, a drift in space, with no sign anyone lived there.

Leaning back in his chair, Taylor let out a small sigh. It was a dilemma he hadn’t seen in a long time. Just as he was getting ready to call for a team of stormtroopers to investigate, the Dark Jedi felt it…the presence of another Force User on board. And this one was one of the more powerful he’d felt.

But there was something strange about the signature. It was muted, as if in rest. Millard’s cold, blue eyes narrowed as he pondered his next move. Rising slowly from his chair, the tall man began the trek to the hangar bay.

“Commander Stark, Thomas and I will be heading to the adrift station. If we needs any assistance we will inform you.”

The Superior’s Flight Commander replied, “Very well sir, I will await your orders.”

Ten minutes later, two black missile boats streaked over to the fortress. Millard piloted his fighter into the hangar bay. It was a large and massive bay, made of grey durasteel, with several cargo lifts next to it.

Millard landed, then exited the fighter.

Life support systems work, he thought as he pulled out his lightsaber then slung an Imperial Repeater Rifle over his shoulder, I wonder what happened…

[DarthHERA]

As the men exited their ships which had docked in the secondary and less used hangar of the Base and stood surveying the area, an eerie quiet enveloped them.

There was the low continual hum of the station itself - a constant vibration that was omnipresent throughout the entire fortress - an audial and sensory indicator that the station was still alive and functioning to some capacity.

Blue running lights blinked in a neverending wave upon wave along the walls, both foot and chest height, giving some outline for the men to navigate forward.

Finding the control panel after some searching, Millard rested his palm lightly against the grid and the doors leading from the bay into the turbolift "swooshed" open ready to carry the new arrivals upward.

On arrival to the main level - or what was actually known as the Base Entrance, the Imperial investigation team was greeted with the same blue blinking lights.

"It feels like a tomb"

Millard nodded his agreement as he and Thomas paused before exiting the lift to allow their eyes to adjust to the new, darker interior (being no lights from their own transports like there was in the hangar).

Peering ahead into the gloom - weapons held ready, the men advanced very cautiously.

[Taylor Millard]

"I agree," Millard nodded as he waited the lift to end. It did look like a tomb. But with no bodies. Or, atleast, none yet. The duo exitted the turbolift, staring around the Base Entrance as they did.

The Force Presence Millard felt was not too far away, he guessed about 20 meters away. Motioning his bodyguard to follow, The Sith Knight began walking towards the direction he sensed the presence.

It was then Thomas found the first body. A Cizerack. Crouching his tall body down, Millard began studying the newest find. It was still alive, but appeared to either be sleeping or uncounscious. A trail of blood coming from its head suggested the latter.

Millard pulled out a comlink, "Get a medical team over here. We have a few wounded."

What would the Cizerack want with this station?

The presence he sensed was not Cizerack, but humanoid and female. Nodding to Thomas, the two continued their study of the Shadowfaene Fortress.

[DarthHERA]

Shades of blue blanketed the floor along the Base's corridors.

Everywhere it was the same. Silent. No movement whatever. As the men proceded, they noted some damage - blaster burns and ragged holes shot through some walls, signs that denoted a skirmish, but there were few bodies strewn around as one would expect of such a scene. It was like they had walked into Act 1 of an assault only to have it stopped short, with no clear reason for it to end... It was a mystery.

About 10 meters from the advancing searchers a body lay facedown on the gleaming surface of the corridor. The blonde mane of hair which fanned hapazardly on the floor changed from a golden to blue sheen in time with the blinking lights.

"I think there is something on the ground up ahead" Millard cautioned.

They could see in the dim glow, a slender, motionless arm stretched out from behind the base of a command desk or consol.
As they moved closer, the delicate fingers of the hand twitched suddenly and then again went still.

[Taylor Millard]

"This is what you sensed?" the Imperial Guardsman asked as the two Imperials came up to the body of the woman.

Taylor, pointing to the lightsaber next to her body, nodded, "Yes," his gloved hand pressed against the woman's neck.

"She's alive."

Thomas craned his red-helmeted head around the dark cabin, "Think she's all that's here?"

The Sith Knight pointed towards the far wall, which was marred with deep gashes of a duel, "Someone else was here too. There may be more, but none I can sense.

"Wait, she stirs!," Millard stepped back as the body twitched again, "Are you all right, miss? Identify yourself."

[Deacon Karzai]

"Wait, she stirs....Are you all right miss? Identify yourself?"

The tall man watched on the viewscreen as the Imperial and his bodyguard. He ran a thin, white hand through his black hair and sighed.

"Dammit, the Sith Bitch still lives."

"Well of course she does," a deep, melodious voice said, as the short-redhead woman slinked out of the darkness to place a gloved hand on the man's chest, "I am still here..."

She licked his ear.

The man pulled away, a look of disgust on his face, "When we attacked here, I wanted no survivors. Now...we have to deal with the Imperials too."

Deacon Karzai cursed again, hefting his lightsaber in his hand, "C'mon...let's get the damn door working, then we'll go Imperial Hunting. Rachel, Arnott, Balkatta...let's go."

The Sith turned from the security viewscreen, then headed towards the lift. If he could get the blast door 3 levels down, then the quartet of Force-yielding pirates could dispence of these interlopers easily.

[DarthHERA]

She fought the consciousness. She didnt want to wake up. She knew as soon as she did that stabbing pain would be knifing right through her head once more.

A streak of blood, dried and dark against her skin, led a trek from beneath her hair at the top of her scalp and down her temple to eyelevel.

...voices...so far away...

She opened her eyes with effort and with the impact of a head on collision with a freighter, the memory of why she was sprawled on the floor hit her - together with violent searing pain which made her vision swim.

Her arm shot out instinctively, landing a glancing blow to Thomas's jaw as his head loomed over her looking at her.

Millards grip tightened as Hera roused to life, pinning her arms against her as she twisted and writhed to break his grip.

"I'll kill you, you sonso'bitches" she spat out and Thomas collected himself, springing to pin her legs against the ground.

Hera was still physically stunned by what had happened previously and her force reactions were slow. It hadnt yet occured to her to engage her force abilities and throw these scum helter skelter across the room.

Instead she continued to struggle, cursing them with every rasping breath that she sucked into her bruised and wounded body.

[Taylor Millard]

Millard's cold blue eyes bore into Hera's luminescent blue eyes, as he held her down. He glared at her, then sensed her thoughts.

Protect...ShdwFaene....attacked...anomaly

Slowly, he let her up, helping the woman to her feet. As her right hand swung at him, the Imperial Grand Admiral blocked it.

"We are not here to hurt you, madam and I suggest you not attempt to hurt us either."

She glowered at him, but did not more.

You are a Force User correct? What is your name? Taylor spoke almost kindly in the Force. Why were you attacked.

[DarthHERA]

She was angry and wanted to hurt something, but Millards words finally got through the fogged state of her mind. She paused long enough to take note of their uniforms and looked one over, then the other.

It definitely was not Imperials that had set assault against her Base. In fact, they were renegade Sith - ones she had never seen before. Pirates and marauders - of course those were the type people Faene did business with, and that was the reason for the newcomers presence. But as it turned out, they had other ideas than just a business meeting planned.

"There was an organized attack against my Base"

The two men glanced about as if to say.."obviously"


"No" she snapped, annoyed. "More than just a brawl. Organised. Calculated. Big."


"But something...something happened. We were preparing for a huge fight...getting the station battle-ready..." Here her thoughts got hazy again.

"There was an immenent attack coming..and then...Im not really sure what happened."

She stopped suddenly, genuine concern crossed her face.

"Where's Remkah?"

[Taylor Millard]

Millard shook his head, "We've only seen you. And the body of an unconcious Cizerack about 10 meters behind out. Outside of that, nothing else."

He gazed around the hallway. Indeed a major battle had taken place, the walls and ceilings attested to it. Yet, where were the attackers? And the rest of the crew?

Taylor walked away from the blond woman, his hand touching the nearest door. It opened, but then the Dark Jedi noticed the blast door behind it. Indeed, the security systems had been engaged.

"We will resupply you if you need it."

"This base is amazing...what is your trade?" Thomas asked as he joined Millard in studying the base around them.

It was then it hit Millard...the presence of four others aboard the ship. They were concious, and even more important...Force Users.

He removed his black lightsaber, activating the blue-red blade in the dimly lit hallway.

"We're not alone...Someone's still on board. Force Users. Did the attackers leave before the accident? And are there anymore Force Users under your command?"

[DarthHERA]

Force users? Ones that she wasnt familiar with here on the base still? How come she didnt pick up on it. She must have been hit harder than she thought. Unthinkingly she touched the tender area on her head where the blood had dried, crusting that part of her hair to her head.

....What the heck happened before?...why cant I remember it...?"

"The attackers - um.. - they left, I think. I know I didnt even get to kill anyone - that I woulda remembered. That and their bodies would probly be lying where you're standing."

She shook her head, more in disblief at her own state than in an effort to clear the fog. And where was her Captain of the base, Remkah. Last image she remembered is him running, for some reason?

She couldnt believe she had to ask this, but she didnt have much choice. To exercise any effort to project her force sense made her feel weak and close to blacking out again. She would not blackout again, she told herself.

"Can you sense where these scum are?"

[Taylor Millard]

Millard paused, reaching out with the Force as he tried to locate the intruders. A brief swipe of the blond woman's mind revealed to Millard she was telling the truth. Although the Imperial Grand Admiral did not discover her name, he did discover she owned the ship itself.

"Three levels up...control room. They're leaving...Four of them. Not as strong in the Force as either of us. More like Apprentices.

"Or so I can sense."

The Sith Knight turned back towards the Master. She still appeared a bit disoriented, as if she were in a struggle with something.

"They're not going to make it in here," Thomas' voice came from the other side of the room, "The entrance is blocked. I doubt even a Jedi could get through here, even with multiple lightsabers.

"They'll have to figure out another way in. Admiral, I suggest..."

Millard nodded, "Millard to Superior. Captain Jyyt, send a team of stormtroopers. There are still pirates over here."

Turning to Hera, "Do not worry, will we not tarry on your station much longer. Once the criminal element is removed, and these...scum dead or captured...we will repart your vessel and allow you to leave.

"Will you be able to carry on?" his face showed general concern, "You do look a little beat up."

[DarthHERA]

Hera ignored Millards questions for her welfare.

Instead she pushed passed them heading off down the corridor.

Those scum were still on her ship - she still had a chance to kill the swine.

She opened the door to the stairwell, prefering the element of surprise on her arrival to the control room rather than announcing herself by the motion of the turbo lift. Entering into the darkness of the stairs, she ignited her lightsaber - its irridecent blue light sharp and threatening.
She was having trouble focusing her force ability, but she still knew how to kill a man 20 different ways or more, force or not.

[Deacon Karzai]

"Dammit!" Karzai yelled as he looked at the rubble blocking the lift shaft to the docking bay.

"Balkatta, can you move it?" the redhead spoke as Karzai fumed.

A massive, tattooed man with a long axe stepped infront of the rest of the Force Users. Concentrating, he worked to remove the obstructing rubbler from the shaft. After several frustrating minutes, he tried pushing the rubble down the shaft. Even with his Force-enhanced strength, the beams stayed firm.

"Sithspit," a blond man snarled, "Dammit Karzai what now?"

The Leader had a look of 'Who me?' on his face, "I don't know...we have control of the station. But we're locked out of defenses. Are there any other teams we have communications with?"

The red-head Sith, Rachel, voice sang, "We have communications with Teams 4 and 1. Team Four is near the Sith Bitch. Team One is making its way to the hangar now. Their orders are to 'greet' the Imperials."

"Excellent," Deacon snarled, "Have Team Four attack without hesitation. They are to show no mercy! Kill them all!

"Arnott, Balkatta...Let's fine another way past the debris! We must kill Darth Hera for her crimes!"

With a swirl of his black coat, the angry Sith strode back towards the command base.

* * *
As Millard caught up to Hera in the stairwell, the outer door to Level 2 suddenly shot open, blocking their path. Suddenly the wall next to them exploded as well, revealing 15 people dressed in various clothing, all with heavy blasters in their arms.

All as one, the team fired at the duo of Sith, blaster fire heading towards them. The fight was on.

[DarthHERA]

Hera's reaction was immediate. She lifted her lightsaber to deflect the barage of blaster fire that was now being directed down the stairwell towards her and Millard. With her free hand she grabbed the side rail and pulled/flung herself over its side, disapearing down to the next level below.

Millard, who had been right behind her was left completely exposed - or rather, would have been had he been one to stand still and not have the instinctive reflexes of a battle-wise officer. As the fire erupted, Millard had flung himself back flat against the angle of the wall to gain some cover and an advantageous spot to shoot from.

The 15 attackers spread into and along the stairwell, runing at a crouch or similarly pressed against the walls, some firing at Millard, others trying to angle down the well at Hera.

Millard cursed under his breath as shots seared over and around his head. He returned the fire nailing 3 immediately along the rail that were shooting towards where Hera was two tumbled over the rail, while the 3rd was catapulted backwards to die looking dumbly at his comrades.


The attackers were gaining ground as Millard was forced to move further back down the stairwell to avoid their fire. Taylor wondered where Hera had gotten too...he could use a little help right now...
He just needed a 3-second break and he could pull one for the small explosives attached to his utility belt and blow most those scum sky high. But the battle was too heated and he needed both hands firing both his blasters to hold them at bay. Where the frell was that woman?!

**********

It had only taken minutes...2.3 at most Hera imagined. She hoped vaguely that Millard could hold them off that long. She had darted back out of the stairwell..down the long coridor and over to the opposite stairwell. Entering it and taking the steps two at a time, she reached the level from where the group of attackers had sprung on them from. Running hard, she came up behind the group at the opening of the well where they were. All their attention focused down the stairwell onto Millard and she shot 5 in the back with her blaster before they even knew she was there. Bodies splayed forward and fell down the steps toward Millard and their companions spun around in confusion. It was the 3-second break Millard needed.

Pulling at his belt, Millard "clicked" the detonator and tossed it into the middle of what was left of the group. "Bomb!" someone yelled. Hera stepped back out of the well and pulled shut the door, blocking any escape. Millard charged downward in the stairwell a finger in each of his ears- the echoing boom behind him defening...


All was quite.

[Taylor Millard]

As the deafening silence permeated the room, the Imperial Grand Admiral strode into the room, his senses alert. What was left of the pirate team was strewn over the room, most missing a limb or two...some even their heads.

"Looks like they're all dead," Millard spoke, as he surveyed the damage. A few bits of flame still licked the walls as the duo of Hera and Taylor walked through the room.

Who would do this? This station is enormous, almost the size of a Star Destroyer by my guess. I wonder what happened to the woman, to make her to dizzy.

Millard took a glance at one of the weapons left by the dead pirates.

Heavy repeaters. These guys came prepared. Someone was planning this, for a long time.

Suddenly a groan alerted them of another's presence. In an instant, using the Force for support, Millard's gloved hands were clutching the neck of a pirate- alive, if barely, from the explosion. The pirate flew through the air, then stopped his body hanging as Millard held him up.

An evil smile flashed on Millard's face as he said to the female Sith Master, "Shall I question him or do you want to?"

[DarthHERA]

So the Imperial was a Force User too.....well this was interesting

Hera snarled and took out her dagger from its sheath, placing its point inside one of the pirates nostrals.

Flicking the knife, she tore a neat slice along the mans nose, and blood immediately sputtered out as the man gasped....he had not much energy to to anything else.

"Who sent you?"

Millard tightened his grip around the mans throat and Hera turned a withering stare to him. "He's gotta be able to speak.."
The Admiral eased a little, but it was clear he really wanted to snap the scums neck.

Hera placed her blade in the other nostral. "A name"

The captive whimpered, and managed to squeak out faintly "Karzai, Deacon Karzai.."
and then the mans eye's rolled back up into his head.

Hera flicked the knife and opened up the other side of his nose.

"Kill him, Admiral Millard. He's no more use now."

[Taylor Millard]

"Wait," Millard spoke, taking another withering stare from the blond woman. He pulled the man towards him, or what was left of the man.

If any kind of thought remained in the man's mind, Taylor would have to be extremely good at pulling it out.

The man hovered before him, still clutching at his throat. Millard's blue eyes flashed as he stared into the whites of the other.

"Are there any more Force Users on board?"

"W-what?" the man barely sputtered.

Millard repeated his question, with much more malice than he normally used when interrogating. But this pirate was scum, an interloper who decided to attack a base for no given reason. That was something Millard held in more detest, than the New Republic.

"Tell me now...I will know if you're lying," Taylor raised the man even higher for emphasis.

"T-three more...and one of them is a w-w-witch."

One of the Imperial Grand Admiral's eyebrows raised, "A witch you say?"

The pirate nodded, blood beginning to gush out of his nose.

"Thank you for your help, pirate. I only hope the afterlife will treat you well."

With a muffled gurgle, the hovering pirate died from strangulation...then fell with a *thump to the metal ground.

"Interesting," Millard stated as he began walking towards the stairwell, "A witch...hmm...I'd heard rumors of such Force Using kind, but never encountered one."

He turned towards Thomas, "Go back to the hangar and meet the Stormtrooper squad there. Be careful, there might be more pirates lurking about."

Thomas nodded, then headed back towards the hangar.

"Have you even encountered Sith witches?" Millard asked Hera as they began their journey up the stairwell again. By now, Millard had removed his own lightsaber, taking point as they walked up the dark shaft.

[DarthHERA]

"I have. One. Shes a friend of mine."

Hera let Millard make what he wanted of that information. Hera didn't care if it was a witch - Sith or otherwise - it was as good as dead in her mind for attacking her base.

They climbed the stairwell in the dark. "Next level exit the stair well. I want to check the Base Entrance Security logs. Something happened to our Base just as the battle was beginning. Something that shut the whole thing down - I think thats whats affected me some how."

She didnt elaborate on how much she had been effected. Each time she tried to engage her force ability, a searing pain shot through her mind - but Millard didnt need to know that.


Millard opened the door and they both exited the dark well.

"Im sure there will be some sort of readout on the datafiles in security about just what we ran in to."

[Taylor Millard]

Millard didn't sense her pain, but he did sense confusion from the blond woman.

There's something more wrong with her than she's letting on.

He moved in front of her as they entered the dark room. A computer screen blinked as the two approached it. Hera slid into the chair in front of the screen, tapping a few keys as she did.

....Security...ShadowFaene Fortress Log...
Please enter security code...

Hera tapped a few more keys...

Code accepted...Welcome Hera DrenKast...
Security Logs...
Attempted Security Breach in Sector Seven at 1730 Hours...
Result...Security Lockout...
At 1404 ShadowFaene Fortress hit by wave of molecular energy resulting in power surge and loss of life support...
Life Support restored from Sector Six at 1459 hours
At 1350 ShadowFaene Fortress boarded by pirates...


The Security log went on and on, but it was the second listing that made both Millard and Hera's eyebrows lift.

Molecular discharge? Interesting...

Hera continued to tap keys, attempting to discover where the rest of the interlopers were.

"My Imperial Forces should be arriving in the shuttle bay soon," The Imperial Grand Admiral said as he watched Hera, "So tell me, Madame Hera, how long have you been studying the Force? And what capabilities does ShadowFaene Fortress have and what do you use it for?"

[DarthHERA]

Hera swivelled in her chair.

"You ask alot of questions. I got time to answer one..."

She pulled her lightsaber from its clip and did a quick weapons check on her person.

"....which one will it be?"

[Taylor Millard]

"The former," Millard stated quickly, "How long have you studied the Force?"

[DarthHERA]

"Years."

She got up from the chair and strode to the doorway.

"We got movement in D sector...the Members living quarters.."
she smiled wickedly..."They're in for a surprise."

[Taylor Millard]

"Excellent," Millard followed Hera out of the room.

They worked their way through the darkened halls, their saber exstinguished. If it came to anything, Millard would shoot first and ask questions later.

Hera DrenKast interested him. Not on a relationship but her speed at grace. She was a formidable fighter and strong in the Force. Yet there was a mystery around her which intrigued him.

He could tell in the Force there was something surrounding her. As if she was destined for something, even she did not know. Something about her past...

When they arrived in between 'C' and 'D' Sector, the two stopped.

"You know this station better than I. What's the plan?"

[DarthHERA]

"Shoot to kill"

She motioned for Millard to take the left while she took the right and they began to systematically check the suites. Many of the SFF contractors were off-base, either doing jobs or fullfilling their own agendas. Most only stayed a night or two before moving on again to other things.

Stealithly, they swept over the rooms, so far not encountering anyone.

Hera hoped the intruders were in her own rooms..that would be an ironic justice. They invade her and she in turn invades them.

[Deacon Karzai]

"Balkatta with Arnott! Rachel with me! We're gonna take the fight to them!" Karzai was screaming as he lost sight of Hera and Millard.

"FIND THEM AND KILL THEM!"

They raced out of the control room, igniting their sabers not caring who they alerted. The foursome was quick and careless.

Balkatta tripped, sending his axe sliding along the floor. The other three leaped over the large Sith, continuing their path.

They turned around the corner, just in time to see Hera and Millard enter.

"Dren Kast, you BITCH, you're dead!" Karzai yelled, "Rachel! Do it!"

THe red head waved her arms, chanting a bit. A green mist flew towards Millard and Hera, threatening to choke them as they breathed.

With a yell, Karzia and Arnott ignited their sabers and charged.

[Taylor Millard]

With a quick movement, Millard's saber was up and ignited. The blue-red blade dimly lit the hall as the green mist began flying towards he and the Sith Master.

The Dark Jedi's hand shot out, sending some of the mist back towards the two charging Sith. Arnott and Karzai ducked, then swung their sabers.

Taylor blocked Arnott's red blade, then knocked him back.

Karzai, on the other hand, went straight for Hera.

[DarthHERA]

Even without use of the force, Hera's reactions were quick.

Karzai charged her - he was strong, very much so, but not fast. His move was easy to read.

Hera twisted aside from his saber blade to spin around towards his back. Whipping the dagger from its sheath, she plunged it deep into his exposed side and pushed hard with all her leverage into what she hoped would be his lung.

"welcome to ShadowFaene, scumsucker."

[Deacon Karzai]

Karzai yelped as he felt the dagger pierce his side. It hurt like hell and he realized it probably missed a vein by 'that much'.

"ShadowFaene is ours now...bitch."

He swung his booted foot up, catching her in the leg. Then he kicked her again for good measure.

Karzai's red blade swung down again at the fallen Sith.

[DarthHERA]

As she felt herself falling down, Hera reached for a lamp set on one of the side tables within the suite.

She swung it up at Karzai as he pressed his attack with a sweeping slice of his lightsaber, just as she landed on the floor. The energy blade obliterated the lamp, the action of which gave Hera precious seconds to ignite her own weapon.

Thrusting her blade forward, catching Karzai on the backswing, her saber arm held out forward defensively and the blue on red sabers sparking angrily.

She kicked up one leg, landing a glancing blow with her heavily booted foot right onto the dagger still sticking out from Karzai's side, where she had jammed it a brief moment before.