Kinslayer(Je'gan)

[Zatania Duvall]

The Kinslayer

For whom the gun tolls
For whom the prey weeps
Bow before a war
Call it religion

Some wounds never heal
Some tears never will
Dry for the unkind
Cry for mankind

Even the dead cry
- Their only comfort
Kill your friend, I don't care
Orchid kids, blinded stare

Need to understand
No need to forgive
No truth no sense left to be followed

Facing this unbearable fear like meeting an old friend
Time to die, poor mates, You made me what I am!

In this world of a million religions everyone prays the same way
Your praying is in vain It'll all be over soon
Father help me, save me a place by your side!
There is no god Our creed is but for ourselves

Not a hero unless you die Our species eat the wounded ones

Drunk with the blood of your victims
I do feel your pity-wanting pain,
Lust for fame, a deadly game

Run away with your impeccable kin!

- Good wombs hath borne bad sons...
Cursing, God, why
Falling for every lie
Survivors' guilt
In us forevermore

15 candles
Redeemers of this world
Dwell in hypocrisy:
How were we supposed to know

4 pink ones
9 blue ones
2 black ones


Anger coursed through her veins, filling her with murderous intent. One she had trusted and revealed weakness to had been skipping about with the enemy, frollicing as though there were no such thing as the Order.

At least this was the way things appeared to Zatania, who did not know of the plans TSO had for Je'gan's padawan victim. These plans had formed only when Zatania had just thought of setting foot back home from her long journey after defeat. And now, without knowing any better, she planned ways of avenging her pride, feeling as though she had been betrayed personally by Je'gan. He knew of her plans for Ceres and there he was getting friendly with the little dirty blood.

So she sent him a message via comm, asking for his presence in a small resturaunt, urging that she had something important to tell him. Her message was normal appearing, not letting on her plans in which she kept safely locked away in the deepest parts of her mind. These days she kept many things locked away in secret to slowly drive her insane.

At the designated time, she stood outside of the resturaunt waiting for Je'gan with a placid look on her face, neither angry or happy as was the usual trend for her. Within the resturant awaited the ready table within a back room for them, drinks set up for them already, set in certain places according to her plot.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

The message had taken a while to find him, considering his current status. His knowledge of this fact had made his response a good bit faster; no procrastination, no sir. The first opportunity he could find he'd made his way to the restaurant, and to Zatania's situation, whatever it was.

A speeder pulled up, and with a generous tip to the driver, Je'gan Olra'en stepped out onto the metallic 'ground' of Coruscant. His cloak blew out to the side in the rush of air from the departing taxi, as he raised a hand in greeting to the other Sith.

[Zatania Duvall]

Zatania acted as though nothing was on her mind, smiling faintly as she waved back to Je'gan. She approached him slowly, the wind tossing her hair violently into her face.

"Lot of wind tonight, huh?" Zatania said, her voice straining to call out above the sound of the whipping winds. "Come on inside before we get blown away."

She led him inside of the resturant, which was emptier than it would normally have been if it weren't for such a late hour. A couple sat in a booth to the far left wall while a few lonely souls scattered the length of the bar to the right.

When the door shut behind Je'gan, Zatania smoothed down her hair and motioned towards one of the cutained off areas against the back wall.

"I hope you don't mind but I ordered the drinks a bit early. I didn't know what kind of food you like so I didn't bother with that." She said, continuing to walk so he'd have to catch up.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"I don't mind in the slightest," he responded cheerily. "I'm sure you've got impeccable taste."

He briefly considered tossing formal etiquette out the window when dealing with another Sith apprentice, but with an inward shrug he gripped Zatania's chair back and pulled it out for her to sit down. Then, and only then, did he take his own seat across from her.

"So." He leaned forward, locking gazes with her. "You called me here...anything I can do to help a fellow Sith?"

[Zatania Duvall]

When Je'gan pulled the chair our for her, she took her seat and adjusted her skirts as he pushed it in. She watched him as he sat across from her, keeping her demeanor cheerful.

"So. You called me here... anything I can do to help a fellow Sith?"

Zatania had already played this situation out in her mind over and over the previous night. She knew exactly what lie to tell him, something that wasn't entirely a lie at all, but was not the reason she called for him.

She skimmed her finger along the rim of her glass and smiled. "Well you've helped me enough as it is, coming with me to find Sasha and all. I just wanted to thank you."

She picked up her glass and held it up at shoulder length, her elbow resting on the table. "Because my memories are distracting me far less now, and without your help, I don't think I would have made it to Tatooine at all."

She raised her glass a little more and straightened up in her seat, motioning for him to pick up his own drink. "I thought buying you dinner would make up for how much of a pain I was. So here's a toast to you."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan raised an eyebrow briefly at the unexpected gratitude. It wasn't something he'd really come to expect from another Sith, especially the one that sat across from him. He'd long since noted that to avoid the emotions that plagued her, Zatania seemed to have buried pretty much everything except anger.

There was no reason for him to be suspicious, of course. He had helped her in one way or another, and although this was slightly uncharacteriestic of the reincarnated Sith, it would be rude to just blurt out one of his pet theories; that she did, in fact, want something.

It was either that, or she really was grateful. At the moment it didn't matter a whole lot.

"To me, then," he finally responded, drinking. "And to you." His glass lifted again. Something pinged in the back of his mind, his acute danger-sense...but he was too busy, he was trying to discern anything in Duvall's face or voice or body that would reveal her true intent.

[Zatania Duvall]

When Je'gan took a sip from his drink she smiled and downed her own rather quickly. When she emptied the glass, the set it on the tabletop and chuckled.

"Oh, and another think.." She said, still sounding rather cheerful. "I've seen you with Ceres."

Her voice turned slightly dark as she knew that Je'gan must be feeling the effects of the sedative that she had slipped into his drink. It was a strong one, she had made sure he wouldn't be awake for too long after he made his mistake.

"And I don't take to betrayal very well, Je'gan. You've been skipping around with her an awful lot, getting far too cozy with the disgusting little worm."

She stood up, circling the table to Je'gan and leaned down close.

"I have plans for the both of you. You're my bait.." She paused then laughed. "Now now, don't fight it. Sleep... sleep..."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Oh, and another think.." She said, still sounding rather cheerful. "I've seen you with Ceres."

Immediately Je'gan straightened, righteous indignation flaring in him. His motives, he wanted to explain, were anything but noble.

For some reason, though, he couldn't speak. His tongue was numb...and his mouth...and his throat.

And he knew.

"And I don't take to betrayal very well, Je'gan. You've been skipping around with her an awful lot, getting far too cozy with the disgusting little worm."

To continue to explain would be fruitless, and for some reason the possibility of talking to Zatania mind-to-mind didn't occur to him. Instead, he turned inside himself, examining the toxin's progress. He instantly knew that it was too strong and working too fast for him to do anything about it.

"I have plans for the both of you. You're my bait.." She paused then laughed. "Now now, don't fight it. Sleep... sleep..."

And he didn't, at least not on the outside. His mind, however, was working overtime. He couldn't contact Ceres through the Force, he wasn't that strong. He couldn't counteract the sedative.

There was exactly one thing that he could do, and that was strike back. Even as his head lolled and he began to lose control of his body, he directed his powers in the Force towards Zatania's mind, holding nothing back. This was the only chance he was going to get.

For once, too, he opened himself fully to the Dark Side, and his mental attack became a good deal more powerful, and more destructive. On a non-Forcer this attack would have destroyed their sanity, if not killed them outright.

On Zatania...it would have to be enough.

Or both he and Ceres were as good as dead.

[Zatania Duvall]

His attack had been unexpected, and left her out of action for about an hour. Whatever he did, it caused whatever memories she had been slowly controlling to come back at her full force again. Once she had them under control again, she stood up from the floor and took a moment to regather her senses.

At first she didn't remember where or what she was doing. But upon seeing Je'gan's sleeping body she smiled and laughed.

No one dared stop her as she carried him with aid from the force to the shuttle waiting outside of the bar for her. There she tied him up within a room filled with creatures that somehow made it impossible to use the force, which upon entering this room herself, she had to carry Je'gan physically.

Hours passed, and by then the sedative was beginning to wear off. Little did he know that when his eyes would open that he would spot Zatania tossing Ceres in with him, bruised and filthy from a brutal beating. But worse was that the two prisoners were trapped in the middle of space, on Zatania's terms. Escape seemed impossible.

OOC Im not sure if the rule I'm thinking of is for this board or not. I visit a lot of them... But anyways, if it's illegal to use those animal things that block force user's powers, tell me and I'll edit my post ASAP.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan was mentally awakening by the time Zatania began to move him. His eyes had flopped closed, and his head lolled peacefully, but inwardly his half-awake soul raged.

Alternatives, alternatives...

But there were none. He was still tired, and couldn't risk another attack. The Force had never been terribly strong with him. What he'd done had exhausted the limits of his power. Regenerating mentally would take a long while. His body was a write-off, even his senses shut down. For the moment, patience was necessary.

During the time that Zatania was busy transporting him, he waited silently, showing no signs of life. He though that within another couple of hours-at best-he'd be able to fight her on his own terms. Being sure of it would be difficult; even when he'd fought various Masters, both Dark and Light, he'd never come close to this level of exhaustion. His brain felt as if it would come apart at the seams. Still, he fought past the fatigue as best he could, setting up many-layered defences and offences that, at full power, could burn a soul's humanity to a crisp, or stop head-on a mental effort from one a good deal more powerful than he was. As he returned to full strength, so would these constructs.

And he would either persuade Zatania Duvall that she was wrong, or flat-out kill her, TSO apprentice or not. Only if necessary, of course, though his darker half cried out for her blood.

The Force was cut from him abruptly. Still not in control of his body, Je'gan was left to ponder this new and rather frightening development in the darkness of his own mind. Either Zatania had this ability-not something he considered very likely, given her relative experience-or he was in the grip of ysalamiri.

The third alternative, that he was in the power of another Forcer, a Knight or Master, wasn't terribly heartening either. He'd faced people of that skill a number of times and had barely survived. Weakened as he was, he would go beyond being fodder for the slaughter. Je'gan glowered inwardly and sank into the fatigue. After all, he had nothing better to do.

A great deal of time passed in an exceedingly boring fashion. Something tweaked at his consciousness, a flash of sensory datum. Perhaps, just possibly, his hearing was coming back.

Straining to hear, almost delerious with joy, the Sithling would have considered a sandpanther's roar as wonderful to the ear as a symphony. What he instead caught was possibly the only sound in the universe he wouldn't welcome.

Ceres crying.

The Sith's heart shattered into a thousand pieces. He'd hoped that Zatania wouldn't succeed, that the Jedi would have escaped. With a phenomenal effort of will he moved his lips and voicebox.

"'Rrre yooo...'kaaaay?"

[Ceres Duvall]

The young masterless padawan didn't stand a chance when Zatania found her and attacked her again. Her attempts at keeping Davnon away had finally sunk in and this was one of those moments she wish it didn't. Zatania was much stronger now and Ceres knew nothing of defending herself. All these years in GJO she didn't learn much of anything since she was under Zatania's constant shadow. And now, her old master was far too busy to take her on.

With each blow given by the Sith, Ceres could feel the reborn strength of hatred within the woman. Sure her memories had left her defenseless enough for her to escape last time, but this time they seemed to fuel everything.

The pain was great in her body, not enough to kill her, but enough to break her spirit. This was the first time in years that she cried, not since her parents' deaths and her uncle's kidnapping on the same night.

When Zatania tossed her inside of a dark room that resembled her old room on her Uncle's shuttle, Ceres' body twitched. Seeing these familiar surroundings made her panic. Nothing good ever came of a place like this. Was it the same shuttle?

Zatania laughed at the look on Ceres' face. "Look familiar, Ceres? Yes, its your Uncle's ship. I managed to find it exactly where I left it, although it needed some fixing."

With a cruel smile, Zatania turned and locked the door behind her, laughing outside in the hallway to herself. Upon hearing the lock click into place, Ceres' eyes filled with fresh tears. She clenched her hands against her knees, leaning her head forward to rest her pounding head against them.

Just as she began to lose all hope, she immediatly lost it all when she heard a familiar voice. She looked up from her corner and spotted Je'gan laying limp on the floor, his speech slurred as if his jaw was swollen, but he appeared to be perfectly alright.

"Rrre yooo...'kaaaay?" He said.

If it was one thing she didn't want, it was for others to be involved. When she had spoke to Je'gan about Zatania in the cantina, she figured that there would be no harm in it. But now all she felt was guilt because she blamed herself for telling him. Zatania wanted his blood too now, she wanted everyone close to her to die.

"Je'gan? What are you doing here?" Ceres said.

She got onto her knees and tried to push herself up, put her wrist hurt too much to. So she leaned her back against the wall to push herself up and managed to limp to his side where she knelt down.

"I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. Are you alright?" She asked, totally forgetting to answer his question on her condition.

[Zatania Duvall]

Tossing Ceres around had been completely satisfying. Zatania felt as though she had spent a long vacation relaxing on a beach after venting her frustrations on the one she saw as tainted. It was moments like these that she was grateful for her experiences in the past, they only fueled her anger and her power in the darkside.

But she was still a foolish apprentice, and too high and mighty to think about it like that. There were things she could not protect herself against, such as Je'gan's mind attack. She had even told Je'gan exactly what she could do force-wise, so she didn't have any surprises for him at all and he knew what was coming. So if he did manage to escape, she might have a little trouble.

Of course, though, she didn't think about this. Her mind was too clouded with hatred. She was angry at her past husband, angry at Ceres, angry at Je'gan, and angry at herself. But most of all, she was angry with Je'gan. She had started to trust in him when he helped her find Sasha in her weakened state. But now he had turned around and started to befriend the very person that Zatania hated the most. It was sick.

As she walked down the familiar hallways, she began to hum an old tune she knew from her youth. It was something she grew fond of whenever she roamed around by herself, something she did a lot whenever father was away and she was left with mother.

She stopped upon entering the cockpit, where she sat down and began to pour herself a glass of water.

Things were going to change. Once she destroyed Ceres, she could begin to find a way to possibly find another suitable body. After all, the blood that ran within her veins right at this moment was the tainted blood she detested so much. She would have to eventually destroy it as well to fulfill her promise. Plus she knew of something else, something that even Ceres did not know.

"Can you hear me, Aster?" Zatania said, although no one else was in the room.

"Of course I can..." A peaceful deep voice said, sounding slightly irritated.

Zatania smirked and closed her eyes. "Then you've also seen whats become of our descendant."

With a sigh, the voice spoke again. "I don't see why you hate me so much, Zatania. We grew up together and fell in love, yet you cling to your darkside so desperately. Why? You loved our son and yet you want to destroy what little legacy he has left."

Zatania growled, leaning forward in her seat, her eyes flashing. "Shut up! You old fool, you dare try to change my mind? You dare tell me how I feel about the tainted little brat? You even had the audacity to cling to life inside of this body as well."

The voice said nothing in return, but Zatania did not keep the silence.

"What is your lightside if all of my hatred and anger keeps you locked away and unable to do anything to save the girl?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Ashked yoo firssshht." Talking this way was unbearably slow, but it was his only contact with anything outside of his own mind, and Je'gan Olra'en was not about to give it up.

And as he continued, he found that speech was becoming easier.

"Sh-hatanya. Whatshe dootyu?"

[Ceres Duvall]

She began to check Je'gan's body over to make sure that he wasn't hurt as she spoke to him, her voice shakey. "It's nothing."

She quickly wiped her tears away with her trembling hands and corrected herself before Je'gan tried to talk again. He obviously wasnt in the shape to try yet. "I'll be okay, nothing fatal."

"But she'll kill me later. She's too strong for me and there's no where to run this time." Ceres thought, terrifyed deep inside.

"Don't try to say anything yet. Not until you can see me."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He dampened his frustration, reminding himself that she didn't understand what it was like to be completely trapped inside one's own skull, and out of regard for her he stayed silent.

His patience was rewarded; soon enough, the drug's effects faded further, and with effort he was able to open his eyes.

"Nothing fatal...I'll give Zatania Duvall nothing fatal..."

[Ceres Duvall]

Ceres was thankful for how dim the light was in the room at this moment. If it was one thing she didn't want it was for Je'gan to see how badly beaten she was. She just didn't want to worry him when all she was worried about was him because this was her fault.

"Are you alright, Je'gan?" Ceres asked him as she saw his eyes open and retinas react to the half darkness.

She helped him sit up against the wall with her one good hand, still trembling from head to toe.

"What did she do to you? How did she manage to get you here?"

[Davnon Starr]

When Davnon woke up he could taste the blood that trickled from his forehead and down his face. When he opened his eyes, it stung at him, blinding him for a moment. But even without sight, he could tell that Ceres was missing.

When he regained his wits, he noticed that the blood that Ceres left behind from being tossed face first against the wall was still fresh. So he hadn't been out for too long and there was still a chance that he could find her. He didn't have much hope to beat Zatania hand to hand, but maybe he could at least outsmart her somehow.

By time Zatania was done torturing Ceres and tossing her in with Je'gan, Davnon had gathered enough information from witnesses that Zatania had taken off from the planet and was heading towards the Hoth region.

With his trusty old clunker Filgaia , he followed pursuit, hoping that he'd catch up in time.

"Please don't let her be dead..."Davnon thought.

[Zatania Duvall]

After relaxing for a moment in her temporary glory, a soft beeping brought her back from her daydreams to reality. She looked towards her navigations computer and saw that she was being pursued. Growling, she knew who it was automatically.

It was that annoying weakling that was always trying to save and protect Ceres. The man that managed once before to foul up her plans when she was in her weakened state. But not this time. He wouldnt lay his hands on Ceres while she was still alive. The next time she'd see that little brat would be at her funeral, if there were any pieces left.

"He's gaining on you, Zatania." The voice inside said, slightly amused.

"Not if I can help it." Zatania said, snarling as she reset the autopilot speed.

After doing so, she stood and walked down the hallway towards the would be prison. "If he knows whats good for her, he'll back off. Or else she'll suffer more."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Knocked me out," he mumbled, half sitting up before tumbling back down with a wince. Not only did he not yet have full control of his body, but several of his joints felt as if they were encased in shattered glass. "A sedative, in a drink she bought me for having helped her out earlier.

"I know you must be feeling a little betrayed right now...keep in mind, though, when I first met Zatania all I saw was a confused Dark Apprentice who actually did need help. I didn't see the other side of the story until afterwards, when I met you."

[Ceres Duvall]

"It's alright. You had no way of knowing what she was capable of. Besides, if I did see a chance to help her do some good in her life, I would take it. Everyone deserves a second chance to rediscover the good in their hearts.." Ceres said, trying to keep Je'gan steady.

Before she could continue, the sound of the lock turning could be heard. Ceres' heart fell as well as her shoulder against the wall.

As she feared, Zatania sauntered in, seemingly furious and pointed at Ceres. "You! Out here now or I'll make sure he suffers just as you have... or worse."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan coughed heavily, wiping his face with the back of his hand. He propped himself up and glared viciously at Zatania. Already his blood was boiling, and if he had not been in the company of ysalamiri there was a very good chance he would have been stronger in the Dark Side at this moment than he had ever been.

"Be proud of yourself, you backstabbing, ignorant scum. Taking your 'revenge' on a helpless girl who's done nothing to you, and roping me into it to boot...all I ever tried to do was fulfill my obligations. I suggest you get out, Zatania...before I'm forced to hurt you rather severely for what you've done to Ceres.

"Suffer as she has...or worse.." He spat angrily, soiling his fellow Sith's otherwise rather clean clothes. "You know I can do it."

[Zatania Duvall]

Zatania was silent for a moment as his saliva soaked into her once clean clothing. Her face was quite impassive for a moment, until a grin rose upon her cheeks. Laughter climbed up her throat and filled the air with it's cruelty.

Without warning she harshly placed her foot against his chest, grinding her high heel into it as she leaned down to look him in the face.

"You don't know me as well as you should. I told you, she was borne from tainted blood that I unwittingly created. There is no way I will allow my bloodline to be filthy with Jedi blood."

She smirked, enjoying how weak he was at this moment. It was like throwing a kitten into a raging river. "And why do you care so much about her? You would betray TSO for a little action under the sheets? Men are so pathetic sometimes."

She retracted her foot from his chest and turned to Ceres, snatching her by the back of her shirt. She too was far too weak to put on much of a struggle at this time.

"Don't worry your little head off, Je'gan. She's not going to die yet. I just need her to get rid of a fly that needs shooing."

She pulled Ceres to her feet, who staggered and winced from the pain her injuries gave her upon this jerking movement.

Paying no mind to Ceres' muffled gasps of agony, she dragged the young girl towards the door.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

The Sith hissed, levering himself up again as she removed her boot.

"You will come to know, Zatania, just how wrong your assumptions are...

"About a great many things..."

With immense effort he brought his half-paralyzed muscles into play: arms, legs, abdomen and neck one after another. Partway through he almost failed, halting.

Ceres...Ceres...Ceres...

He stood bolt upright, facing Zatania proudly.

"And it will be I that teaches you."

[Zatania Duvall]

Zatania stopped in the doorway then looked over her shoulder. Ceres didn't bother struggling at this point, she had passed out from the pain that Zatania's dragging caused her injuries.

She smirked and let Ceres' body fall from her fingers and faced Je'gan head on. "What do you expect to do without all of your strength? Besides, you would want me to..." She paused, raising her foot and placing her heel against Ceres' temple. "...do anything rash. Now would you?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Futile as it was, he willed Zatania to understand the hidden meanings of his words. It was useless to speak of his initial plans for Ceres. Certainly it would get him out of this predicament, but it would necessitate that he start over, with another Jedi. She would hear and...

And he didn't want her to be hurt.

The Dark Side flared in his heart, minus the almost trivial sense of the Force. He was a Sith! He shouldn't be feeling like this, especially for a Jedi. He had never really experienced emotions like this...but he knew what they were, and he knew that they could not be good.

Or bad.

Or...whatever. Suitable.

"In her own way, Ceres is important, just like I was to you. Just like. If you harm her..." Again he struggled with himself. He'd meant both meanings of his statement, he knew it, and it was tearing him apart.

"Faugh! Get out of my sight, Zatania! In three hours I'll be strong enough to defeat you, ysalamiri or sans ysalamiri. Then, you will know all the things you've done wrong." More double meanings; he couldn't take this anymore, and collapsed to the deck.

A secret lived in his heart. Three hours was an accurate guess...

But not nearly so accurate as he felt two would be.

[Zatania Duvall]

Zatania laughed and picked up Ceres again, her other hand reaching into her pocket for some smelling salts she had handy for such an occassion.

"Are you saying that I was in love with you? Because thats how important Ceres seems to be to you." Zatania said, waving the chemical under Ceres' nose.

The young padawan jerked awake, unsure of where she was at first, but realized quickly as Zatania forced her to her feet. The sith grabbed her wrist and yanked her towards the door, shutting it behind them without saying another word.

"What do you want from me?! Why does it matter that I was born from your blood as well as Jedi blood? Don't you think destroying your own blood is wrong?!" Ceres said, her voice shakey as she was forced to limp in the direction of the cockpit.

"You will not ask me such questions. You will suffer whether you like it or not."

When they entered the cockpit, Zatania waited until Ceres passed by her a little bit then shoved her hands against her back. Ceres was sent sprawled out onto the floor, where she curled up and yelped, gripping her wrist painfully. Ceres' eyes then turned to look at Zatania, her breathing slightly.. angry.

Zatania smiled, never seeing this side to the girl. But it didn't matter, nothing would save her. "Don't try anything stupid. You may feel the force with you again but you don't know enough to defeat me."

She then pressed a button to send a hail out to Davnon's ship, tapping her foot and ignoring her former husband's attempts at trying to speak to her.

[Davnon Starr]

Davnon had noticed that the distance between his own ship and Zatanias was getting greater rather quickly, meaning only one thing. She had noticed him and was trying to get away. But he wasn't going to just let that happen without being a nuisance. So he sped up his clunker of a ship, praying that the old walls would hold together.

Ten minutes into the chase, he recieved a hail from the ship in which he was pursuing. His heart sank, knowing that it probably wasn't good. Knowing Zatania, she was going to threaten him somehow and whatever threat she would use was going to involve Ceres.

With a trembling hand he pressed a button to accept the call and was greeted face to face on his communications screen with Zatania's face.

"So, you just won't give up will you? Well, let me give you a little advice. Go away or else." Zatania said through gritted teeth.

With that she leaned down and grabbed Ceres by the arm. It appeared for a few seconds that Zatania was just simply going to hold onto her and stare at Davnon, but then he heard a sickening crack and Ceres' scream echoing back at him.

"CERES!" Davnon bellowed, nearly jumping out of his seat.

"Either stop chasing me or the rest of her bones will come to follow and it will be your fault that her death was more painful than it had to be." Zatania said.

She then closed communications with his ship and her speed inclined.

Davnon did not dare speed up, he had to think of another way to keep after her without being seen..

He sat there for a moment, staring at the screen, clenching his jaws tightly with his anger swelling inside of him. His fists tightened then slammed down on each arm of his chair, a frustrated scream erupting from deep within his throat, like a threatened alpha male of a tribe of lions.

Once he had let out enough anger, his head drooped so that his chin touched his chest and his body slumped back into his chair.

"Ceres..."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan rolled over and with curious if partially paralyzed eyes, began to examine his prison. There was nothing he could do in this state to help Ceres, so to his mind he'd better be doing something else useful.

The room was utterly unremarkable and rather small. The bulkheads were solid. The door, he discovered after shuffling over, was locked tight. The ysalamiri were not visible. There was one porthole through which not a lot was shown, and which was very inconveniently placed with respect to his prone view.

And that was that. For anything else to happen, he would just have to wait...

[Zatania Duvall]

Zatania yanked on Ceres' arm to pull her towrds the hallway again, causing the young Jedi to sob uncontrollably. Zatania had shattered it in several places with aid from the force, a little trick she learned with Sasha by breaking rocks.

"Oh shut up." Zatania muttered.

They neared the doorway where Zatania put the key into the lock and turned it. She let go of Ceres' hand and took out a blaster, pointing it at her head as she opened the door.

When it was open, she shoved the girl inside, who fell and landed painfully full force on her fresh wound. The pain was so overwhelming that she couldn't scream. She could only curl up and cradle her arm, letting her tears flow.

"Well, Je'gan. I hope you're happy. She only suffers more because foolish idiots try to screw up my plans."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

The Sith shuffled over to Ceres, but kept his distance. If he touched her it would hurt...a lot. From the way she was holding that arm, it was extremely broken. Belatedly he remembered that Zatania had the ability to shatter things with the Force; she'd told him back on Tatooine.

"There's nothing stupid about taking care of one's friends. It's one of the greatest qualities one can have. Pity you haven't learned."

[Zatania Duvall]

Zatania simply stuck her nose up at him. "All my friends have betrayed me. My ex-husband, Sasha, you."

Without another word she turned around and left the two prisoners to themselves, locking the door once again behind her.

It wouldnt be too much longer. Soon Zatania would finally cleanse her bloodline of the filth that she had been tricked into creating.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

This was baaaad...

She may not have said anything, but he knew Zatania rather well, and that glint in her eye had been anything but comforting.

They had to get out of this room as soon as possible.

"Ceres," he said softly. "What can you tell me about this shuttle?"

[Ceres Duvall]

A few tears dropped onto the floor just before Ceres rolled over onto her back, holding her arm over her abdomen in hopes of making it feel better. But it wasn't helping much.

"There..." She grimaced, pausing. "There's a compartment hidden under the bed that Zatania doesn't remember. When she attacked me last time and extracted her memories from me I had a chance to see what she could remember. In that compartment.. should... should be a lock pick."

She winced again and looked at Je'gan head on. "I used it whenever my uncle was asleep so that I could walk freely around the shuttle... Your mind doesn't keep that well occupied in.. in one room."

"It should be inside of the leg in the very corner. Lets hope.. that its the same bed though."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He snatched the bedstead and levered himself up, before his strength faield him again and he was dumped unceremoniously to crack his head on the corner. Wincing, he reached down and began feeling around the leg she'd indicated.

And found nothing. He tried again, running his fingers up and down the surface, all around, trying to find any protrusion, any ridge that might reveal the catch.

"Can't find it," he puffed, sitting back against the bulkhead. "You sure it's in that leg?"

[Ceres Duvall]

Ceres nodded, looking over at him and motioned with another nod of her head.

"Pull the rubber end off of it and find something long enough to pull it out. It's hollow, probably.. stuck by now..." [/i] She winced again and looked around the room. [/i] "As for another hiding place, she's... probably hid a few ysalamir in the cabinents, under the lose pieces of sheet metal. Maybe even in the trunk."

She looked towards the window where she remember the trunk being. "It looks like an old window sill but if you pull hard enough the top should pop off. This shuttle used to be a smuggling shuttle. Thats where they hid a lot of things until the.. the authorites got too smart for them."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Nodding, he shuffled sideways and did as she instructed. Soon enough, he was cradling a tiny electronic lockpick. He hummed thoughtfully to himself as he stood on shaky legs and began rummaging around for the compartments Ceres had mentioned.

"You know," he said almost conversationally as he worked, "Zatania may be pretty much blind to common sense, but how sure are you that she doesn't know just how easy it is to kill ysalamiri? Might she not have stashed them on the other side of the walls, or floor, or roof?"

[Ceres Duvall]

"She doesn't think I remember these places.. because I wasn't concious when she was searching through my mind." Ceres said, feeling extremely tired all of a sudden.

"I... wouldnt be surprised though... if the compartments that are being used are.. locked.."

But each of the compartments proved to have nothing inside, so maybe she was wrong this time. Zatania must have created another hiding place somehow.

"Don't worry about.. the hiding places... t-try the lock pick."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He nodded and stood from where he knelt over the last hiding place.

"Pity. Without ysalamiri the two of us could beat her."

The lockpick whined only briefly; the cabin lock was simple. The door popped open, and immediately he closed it again.

"We're not doing anything until one or both of us is at full strength."

[Ceres Duvall]

Ceres winced and shook her head. "If we don't go now we'll never escape. I'm not going to be at full strength because I have so many injuries that need too much time to heal. All we need to do is avoid her long enough. That or we can wait until we land."

She tried to sit up but failed miserably, being that her one wrist was sprained from earlier and now her other arm was completely shattered. The pain was causing her to breath irratically, and feel very... very cold.

"When she brought me onto the ship she kept talking about going back to where it all began and where it would all end. So I'm guessing she's taking us to the place where she died and made that promise."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Then we wait." His voice was decisive as he maneuvered around to sit behind the injured girl. "You may not be able to regain any energy in the time we've got, but I might, and if I do our chances get much better. Now hold still." He applied pressure on a spot just beside her shoulder blade with the second knuckle of his index finger. He spun it in slow circles, and a feeling of warmth began to spread throughout her shoulder and arm.

He kept going for a few minutes, then switched shoulders. "The healing part of Teras Kasi," he said softly. "You shouldn't feel as much pain, and you might be able to use that sprained wrist if necessary."

[Ceres Duvall]

Ceres relaxed gradually as he massaged her shoulders, somehow making them feel warm and the pain ebb away slightly.

"The healing part of Teras Kasi," he said. "You shouldn't feel as much pain, and you might be able to use that sprained wrist if necessary."

"Thank you, Je'gan." She said, sounding much better now that she wasnt fighting horrible pain anymore.

She turned around and smiled faintly at him, although she still looked solemn with guilt.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He threw up his hands-hand, really, one was still busy on her shoulder-in exhasperation.

"Stop being guilty. Right now. You feel guilty when you get into a fight-and we will have to fight-and it's pretty much the same thing as a death wish. Blame goes to Zatania. Period. Understood?"

[Zatania Duvall]

When Zatania returned to the cockpit she looked on her navigations computer and smirked to herself. That pitiful weakling Davnon had finally given up and ran home to his mother. Pathetic..

She laughed and sat down, looking out of the view screen ahead of her. They were just now starting to land on her old home planet. It looked so much different than she remembered, probably because since then it had changed so much. What was once thriving cities was now wide terrain, destroyed from a war long past. Not that it was completely abandoned, there were scattered cities all over it that survived, but not as much so as her home had.

"Here it all ends and I can take back my life." Zatania said. "No more living for revenge."

The shuttle shook a little as they entered the atmosphere, but stayed steady enough to keep together. From this height she could see trees for about two miles, a city looming somewhere off in the distance, looking slightly decrepit and worn down, shuttles entering and exitting it at a slow rate. But where she planned to land wasn't there. She landed right in the middle of a field next to a really old tree that had died long ago, left hollow from having fed wood eating scavengers from within.

"Look familiar?" She said to herself, or rather, the soul inside of her.

She could feel his sorrow within the pit of her stomach and smirked. "Aww, regretting killing me?"

"It was self defense, Zatania. I did not want to have to but you gave me no choice."

"Too late for that. This is where it ends. Where did you bury my body?" Zatania said.

He remained silent, but Zatania could sense where he was trying not to think about.

"Not very original are you?" She said.

She turned around and walked back out into the hallway to open the hatch door. She'd search the area first, visit her grave, then get down to business. Besides, those two weren't going anywhere.

[Ceres Duvall]

"I can't help it, everyone I've ever known has been dragged into this.." She said, looking away from him. "It's my fight and I can't even fight it."

She closed her eyes and sighed, trying to think hard of a way to escape once they landed. They wouldnt be able to waste a moment if they wanted to be successful.

"I wish I knew a way that we could send her soul back somehow. But I didn't see anything when she was extracting memories from me. I think it has something to do with the way she put my soul into someone else so she could keep my body to herself."

She hadn't thought about that day for a very long time because it wasn't a very pleasant memory. Knowing that the body she was in now wasnt her was bad enough, but knowing it had once belonged to a woman who sold her body on the street made it worse. She didn't want to keep this body forever, she wanted her old one back.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"I read a book on spirit control and transfer once," Je'gan suggested. "I could try..." But even as the words slipped from his mouth he knew that it was useless. He didn't have the slightest chance of channeling power like that, not as he was. Not as an Apprentice. He made a habitual mental note to look into the field once he was more developed in the Dark Side. The note was second nature to him now, but this one was dull and unappealing. The situation was sapping his desire for Mastery.

"No...no, I don't think I could do anything like transfer her spirit. With time and effort, I might be able to make her go dormant, comatose really, trapped deep in the recesses of that body's mind. I've progressed a bit since I was first taught how to infiltrate minds, and with time there's a chance I could do it.

"Our best bet for now, I think, is just to get out of here by whatever means necessary."

Shaking himself vigorously, he picked the lock again and poked his head out the door. Zatania wasn't visible, and the ysalamiri bubble extended slightly past the doorframe; he couldn't sense her and she couldn't sense him.

"Time to rectify a few things," he murmured. "You ready, Ceres?"

[Ceres Duvall]

Ceres nodded faintly, standing up on her own with not as much trouble as before. She still cradled her broken arm, sure that if she let it dangle lifeless by her side the pain would return.

His mention of making Zatania go dormant once again were tempting, but she was a little skeptical about keeping her that way. After all, she had been dorment before and managed to spring to life and take over.

"If I'm right about where she took us there should be a city nearby where we can find someone to pilot us out of here on a shuttle. I just hope I know Zatania as well as I think I do."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

OOC/ Hey Ceres, I think Stand Here And Wait could use a post.

IC/ Je'gan nodded as he took in the important points, all the while looking and listening up and down the corridor. No sign of anything untoward...

He set his mind and stepped out of the ysalamiri bubble, instantly feeling Zatania's presence. She was some distance away, though, that was possibly the clearest thing he sensed.

"Which way's the exit?" he asked.

[Ceres Duvall]

OOC Done

IC

Ceres walked towards the bed and grabbed the pillow, holding it with one hand upsidedown so to allow the pillow to slide out. Once it did, she tied the pillow case over her shoulder, using her teeth and one hand. Once her arm was resting in the home made sling, she turned to Je'gan.

"Its in the cockpit, to the right of this door."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He nodded and headed carefully down the corridor until he'd made his way to the cockpit, making sure that he made as little sound as possible. If Zatania hadn't sensed him by now, he didn't want her to hear him.

If she had sensed him, he most certainly didn't want her to find him.

The transparisteel showed nothing of where she was, a distinct pity. He would have to rely on speed to get himself and Ceres away.

"Any clue where a weapon might be found, Ceres?"

[Ceres Duvall]

Ceres shook her head slowly. "I don't know. I'm pretty sure that any weapons are with Zatania."

She looked around, paranoid that at some random moment Zatania was going to come running in.

"We should get out of here as soon as possible and head for the nearby city. She wont be gone for long."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He nodded sharply and keyed the hatch, thanking the Force that it didn't ask for a code. Gently but firmly, keeping in mind both the urgency of the situation and the Jedi's injuries, he led her down the ramp and out at a fast clip. Zatania was nowhere in sight.

They had made it perhaps a hundred metres towards the town when his danger sense screamed...

[Zatania Duvall]

Zatania hadn't been in plain eyeview of the two, but someone she had been expecting was very close by. He had been waiting for quite a while for Zatania's arrival and was veiled within the cover of the nearby tree. Leaves shuffled noisily in the light winds, obscurring his view of the shuttle for brief moments. But during one second of plain sight, he saw the two exit and his inner duty senses clawed at his heart and mind.

The mysterious man lightly jumped down from his perch, reaching deep within his trench coat for two vibroblades. Once both handles were between his fingers, he pulled back then threw his fist forward, causing both to soar towards the escapees.

He had purposefully allowed the one vibroblace to soar a bit off from hitting Je'gan, only enough to possibly distract him away from his true intentions. The other went straight for Ceres and caught her shoulder,, causing the girl to fall forward and roll over the grass.

"Things wont be as easy as you would think! I hope you're trained well enough so that I might have a challenge this time." The man said, narrowing his eyes from beneath a black mask.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Thankfully, his danger sense had pinged in time; he wasn't able to stop the vibroblade from hitting Ceres with his weak grasp of telekinesis, but the Force-grip immobilized it at a crucial point, and the only thing that hit her was the weapon's hilt.

Baring his teeth and calling both vibroblades to his hands, Je'gan stalked forward to just outside lightsaber range.

"And you'd also better hope that you're trained well enough to survive this time..." He fiented with the dagger in his right hand as if to throw, in a manner that looked exactly like the beginnings of a real throw, then attacked. Not with either of the weapons, however-with his mind. A long, barb-headed lance of thought materialized and shot towards the unknown enemy's psyche, even as a thick stream of small triangular 'blades' began sandblasting areas of the mind such as motor control and the focus necessary to wield the Force. This attack, if not quite to the same level as that he had used against Zatania-he had no wish to tire himself out, this soon-would likely have driven a non-Forcer mad, and/or deprived them of the ability to use areas of their body.

[Zatania Duvall]

Being a non-forcer, the man fell to his knees rather easily. But by this time someone had sensed the struggle and turned around to face away from the gravestone that she stood before. Snarling, she broke into a sprint back towards the ship.

"They're a lot more resourceful than you think, Zatania. It was a mistake to plan revenge on two at the same time..."

Zatania narrowed her eyes, ignoring him completely. She would not stand for Je'gan destroying the mind of the man she had entrusted to bring her here and continue to help her find ways of getting what she wanted. He was too useful in helping her in the past and she wasn't going to allow him to go insane from Je'gan's attack.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan blinked as the man fell; apparently he wasn't of the sort who knew something of shielding minds from outside influence.

His loss.

He plunged deeper into the man's psyche, finding consciousness and ripping it to shreds, then pulled out as the psyche collapsed. The man began to crumple, blacked out.

The Force spoke to him, now that he wasn't concentrating, and he whirled towards Zatania. "Run, Ceres," he said sharply, spinning the vibroblades in his hands. "I don't know if I can stop her..."

[Ceres Duvall]

Ceres had rolled onto the ground when the hilt hit her, the shock of being attacked being the reason why she fell in the first place. And lets face it, the hilt wasn't too pleasent either,

When she looked up the man that she remembered from the attack against her before had fallen to his knees then blacked out. Seeing him in this state shocked her because she had not been able to fight back against him the last time when it was just her and Davnon. But now she had Je'gan there to protect her, which she was grateful for.

"Run, Ceres."

Ceres looked up at Je'gan, not knowing why he was telling her to run, but she didn't even bother to question him. She quickly got to her feet, stumbling on her sore ankle as she did so. But even as she stood, a voice cried out from not too far away.

"DAMN YOU!"

[Zatania Duvall]

"DAMN YOU!" Zatania shrieked, her eyes burning with fury.

She had been so close to getting what she had been seeking for so long, but there Je'gan stood, between her and the end of the filthy brat.

She snarled and reached for the lightsaber at her waist, knowing full well that she was still an amatuer with it. But at this moment she didn't care, she just wanted to slice something or someone to pieces.

"Je'gan, step away."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan's eyes narrowed to slits.

"I don't think I shall, Zatania." His words came in a sibilant hiss, fast and angry. "I think a little justice is in order...a little equality...

"You assaulted and kidnapped me on the strength of an imagined offence and the flimsiest evidence imaginable. You acted irrationally, and alienated a proven ally. Now, however, it's my turn.

"You ignored facts. I've already shown my motives. You had no reason to distrust me. Thus, I'm going to choose to disregard certain truths, such as your desire for your descendant's death. Ceres, I said run." His posture, loose and fluid, made it clear that he was ready to take on Zatania despite her lightsaber.

[Ceres Duvall]

"Ceres, I said run." Je'gan said, sounding more demanding now.

Ceres looked as though she was going to break down at any moment. At this point she was utterly terrifyed of Zatania and that just wasn't very Jedi like.

Fear leads to anger...

Grimacing at that thought she turned and began to limp quickly away.

[Zatania Duvall]

You
You hate
You hate me
You
You hate
You hate me
You
You hate
You hate me
You
You hate
You hate me

You
You hate
You hate me
You hate me
You hate asked me
You hate asked me
You hate asked me
And I hate said nothing

Will you until death seperates you
Be true to her for all days

Never
Never

Will you until death seperates you
Be true to her for all days

Never
Never

You
You hate
You hate me
You
You hate
You hate me
You
You hate
You hate me
You hate me
You hate asked me
You hate asked me
You hate asked me
And I hate said nothing

Will you until death seperates you
Be true to her for all days

Never
Never

Will you until death seperates you
Love her in bad days

Never
Never

Will you until death seperates you
Be true to her

Never
Never

Zatania's heart was filled with a hate that was so strong that it outranked the hate that she had felt the first time that she had heard that her husband was not who she thought he was. For the first time in a long time she even hated someone more than she hated Ceres. which was something special since she had spent so long trying to kill Ceres.

"I won't stand for a fellow Sith helping the enemy! You are a traitor, Je'gan! And I will end your life here RIGHT NOW!" Her voice raised viciously on the final two words. "Prepare yourself!"

She ignited her saber and got into a fighting position, her left side facing her target while her hand clenched tightly at her right side. Her knees didn't bend but remained somewhat loose so that she could move quickly at a whim.

Without allowing much time for him to retort back at her, she kicked off of her right leg and began to sprint towards him, raising the saber up from behind until it was zooming from overheard and she was merely inches away from Je'gan, close enough for him to see the crazed glow in her eyes.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

There were two things keeping him rooted to the spot, as he was charged by a furious Sith with a lightsaber. One, Zatania had admitted that she knew little of the weapon. Two...

Two, might be a firm knowledge of his abilities with Teras Kasi. Or it might be overconfidence. He'd just have to find out.

She swung, and he ducked low, losing hair. The blade curved around and came at him again, and stopped dead inches from his wait. Je'gan's hand screamed with exertion as his grip tightened, forcing her hand and weapon to point up from between their faces. His eyes bored into hers. For all intents and purposes, he seemed to be attacking her mind.

Well, he was, merely not with intent to damage. He broached her shields and projected his voice into the deepest recesses of her head, fairly confident that Ceres would not be able to overhear.

I've been sent to endear myself to a Jedi and then betray them. Ceres is that Jedi. The moment for her betrayal is not now. I will let you know when it is.

I will let you know, Zatania, when it comes time for Ceres' life to end. Then, we shall decide which of us will kill her, but I give you my word that she will die.

[Zatania Duvall]

Hearing Je'gan enter her mind angered her at first, but what he said grabbed her interest although it didn't stop her from fighting against his grip.

"How do I know you're not lying to me to try and save her?" Zatania thought, knowing he'd hear her.

"Let it go, Zatania... You've lost." Her husband's voice said within her mind, possibly heard by Je'gan as well.

Zatania snarled, hating hearing that she had lost. So she did only what came to mind first.

Quickly she swiped her right leg around and dug her heel harshly into the back of Je'gan's leg, just behind the knee where it would cause his stance to stammer.

"LIES!"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He took the sweep well, rolling and keeping her hand in his grip. She went down with him, and when the dust settled he was on top of her. The lightsaber still angled up at a harmless angle, but he knew that she had other weapons.

How do you know? It's quite simple, really. I could simply do something like this... He ripped into her motor control centres, and her hand spasmed, dropping the lightsaber. He snatched the deactivated hilt and held it at one arm's length, while the other held her down. Her heart was beating fast against his chest-not a good sign by any means.

...do it to your heart, before you could even begin to counter. You'd be very, very dead, and excruciatingly fast. If my motives were what you think, then I could just as easily knock you out, take Ceres and go. But I don't want to do that. We're allies, Zatania, whether you want to believe it or not.

She was going to need proof, and though he'd never even attempted anything like this before, he began merging the tattered fringes of their minds; hers from his attack's impact, his from the effort of projecting it. He began to feel her emotions on an entirely different level, almost as if they were his...and now, he hoped, she'd see his honesty.

[Zatania Duvall]

Zatania fell with him and felt even angrier that he had not let go, that he was now far too close to her.

"How do you know? It's quite simple, really. I could simply do something like this... " He said within her mind. "...do it to your heart, before you could even begin to counter. You'd be very, very dead, and excruciatingly fast. If my motives were what you think, then I could just as easily knock you out, take Ceres and go. But I don't want to do that. We're allies, Zatania, whether you want to believe it or not."[/i]

[b]"That is no proof. If you really were in with Ceres you'd know that she desperately wants her body back. If you destroy me you destroy her chances to get her life back. And if we truly are allies you still wouldn't do anything about it."

But then he entertwined their minds together and she began to feel everything that he was feeling, sensing everything that he was thinking. She heard the request that Je'gan had heard, or rather, the demand that he was to go out and betray a Jedi for TSO because of something he did that they did not approve of.

But he had also felt something from her, but rather, not from her. Seeing into her mind allowed him to see and hear the man who was possessing her mind making her go mad even further.

When she realized Je'gan saw this she tried to pull her mind away from him.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Two presences in one body...that's not possible...

And she's panicking.

Whatever it was, it didn't seem to be helping either of them. He ignored it completely, and even began sealing off the third presence from the two of them while strengthening the link between himself and Zatania. This presence was an unknown variable, and as such, dangerous.

There. Privacy, Zatania.

Will you trust me now?

[Zatania Duvall]

"Its not a matter of trust. Besides, he knows everything that goes through my mind. Once you've let him go he'll know and he'll taunt me with that as well to try and make me 'see my errors'."

She glared at him, helpless due to the mind tricks he was using on her now. That was one thing she was powerless against in this stage of her training.

"Just go. But the next time we meet if what you're saying is not true then so help me I'll kill you."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

I don't fear death, Zatania. Now throw in some realistic struggles. This has to look convincing. He began shutting down her consciousness as if he'd won a battle, slowly, giving her the time she needed to complete the trick.

[Zatania Duvall]

She could feel her conciousness slipping away and felt his words. But not knowing how to fight against mind attacks she simply did what she had no other choice than to do. She curled up one fist and put all of her remaining strength and weight into Je'gan's jaw.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

The punch broke his concentration, broke the 'inner eye' focus that was the medium through which he was in contact with Zatania's mind. He felt the edges of their minds melding together more, drawing them further into each other, and almost lost his sense of self. Desperation flickered through him.

The reference point of his true surroundings blinked once, and then was reestablished as he broke himself and his fellow Sith apart, and dealt the final blow to send Zatania into unconsciousness. He picked himself up and headed for the city beside Ceres...

OOC: Man was that crappy...*sigh*

[Zatania Duvall]

OOC Its fine. mostly my fault since I'm having one of those writers block moments. Plus I truly dont have the training to defend against what you're doing :P *too lazy to sign out and back in as Ceres*

IC

As Zatania was knocked unconcious, Je'gan had broke into a run to follow after Ceres. Without any further worry of her or her comrade, Ceres stopped and looked behind her as she heard Je'gan's footsteps behind her.

When she saw him she was quite relieved, winded, but relieved.

"What happened?" She said, hoping somewhere deep down that maybe Zatania would never bother her again.

The thought of this startled her for a moment, but she pushed back her fright and approached Je'gan, limping even more since the run had taken quite a beating on her ankle.

"Are you okay?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He shook his head, taking a deep breath and holding it before replying.

"Fought her mind-to-mind. I'm just fine, Ceres. Just fine."

[Zatania Duvall]

Ceres nodded and smiled, then motioned in the direction she had been heading.

"If we keep going we'll be in the city limits in no time."

She looked behind Je'gan, wondering if Zatania was out of commission or not. But either way...

"Lets get moving, quickly."

Without waiting for him to say anything she began to limp in the same direction once more, cradling her arm and toying with the thought of being in a comfortable bed once again.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Agreed."

*** *** ***

They reached the city quickly, finding a midsized hotel. Neither of them had money, it appeared, and naturally no lodgings were available to those who could not pay. An alternative was a homeless shelter, but Je'gan was not about to take Ceres there. Far too dangerous, far too dirty. Instead, he stood with her in an alley beside the inn, and explained his plan. The harebrained thing involved risk of being thrown out and possibly arrested, but other than that no harm could come to them.

"We'll climb the fire escape to the second floor and commandeer a room," he explained. "Or rather, I'll climb, and you hold on. I'm no great shakes at enhancing my strength with the Force, and in any case as far as the Force goes I'm almost tired out, but in all humility I'm probably strong enough. I'll also be doing everything I can with the Force. Trust me, you won't fall."

[Ceres Duvall]

Ceres looked at Je'gan with a skeptical look then up the fire escape. Her arm was back to throbbing since they arrived into town. She felt so worn out and tired and without the use of that arm she'd never be able to climb up the escape, especially since it was shattered so horribly that she could no longer feel her fingers well enough to grasp the ladder.

"Alright.." She said, her voice showing that she was quite nervous about the climb.

She knew that he was tired, not only because of the ordeal he had just gone through with Zatania out in the field, but also because he had been given a drug that was probably still affecting him slightly.

"If you start to feel tired though climb back down or we'll both fall."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Though he'd never have admitted it, the drug was still affecting him. All doubt, however, was pushed aside as he picked Ceres up - carefully - and bracing her body against his, began to climb the open ladder one-handed. With difficulty he put aside all considerations other than the task at hand, and focused on his limbs.

Grip...pull...release...grip...pull...release...

After what seemed an eternity, he stopped and let her gently down onto the catwalk.

"We made it," he said, a certain grim humour evident. "Let's find some rooms." He pulled one of the vibroblades from his belt and flipped it to point blade-first at his chest.

"Your tool of entry, milady fair. I trust it doesn't conflict with the Jedi ethic?"

[Ceres Duvall]

She squeezed her eyes shut the entire way up the ladder and when she felt him set her down she opened her eyes. She then realized she was holding her breath, which she released slowly and leaned against the wall.

"Your tool of entry, milady fair. I trust it doesn't conflict with the Jedi ethic?" He said.

She shook her head and quietly said. "I truly don't care at this point. I just want to lay down..."

She lolled her head to the side, feeling extremely tired and out of it, the pain in various parts of her body screaming.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Ooh yes, they were in a merry predicament indeed. Neither he nor his companion were in any shape to pull a break and enter, and the crisp bite of evening air announced that to stay on this little catwalk would be suicidal.

He took the other vibroblade out and made a careful cut in the slit between door and frame. A squall of noise and sparks told him that the lock was now in multiple pieces. A slight grin stole over his face as, supporting Ceres, he powered down the tool and eased the door open.

The hall was crooked, turning at an intersection about thirty metres ahead. Several doors lined each side. Nobody was in sight. Trusting to the Force, and picking a door at random, they found before them a most wonderful sight.

A bed.

Je'gan grinned tiredly, laid Ceres down, and handed her one of the knives. "For your protection. I'll be right across the hall in any case."

[Ceres Duvall]

As she was led down the hall a thought occured to her and her heart sank. Even as Je'gan lay her on the bed and handed her the vibroblade she began to laugh in a delussional manner.

"We're not going to be able to leave... We have no credits and no pilot will take us anywhere without any."

She let go of the vibroblade and rolled over onto her uninjured side, which was facing away from Je'gan. At that moment she cracked and started to bawl, feeling completely helpless and lost, feeling that nothing she knew that nothing about the lightside had helped her. Why? Why did these things have to happen to her? What had she ever done to deserve this?

"She'll just find us again.. And next time I don't care what she does to me. Just let her have her petty revenge. There's nothing that I can do and you've done enough. You don't have to stick around and suffer because of me."

She curled up into a ball, shaking tremendously. "I wish I had the power to stop this.... Once and for all."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He just stood there, jaw dropped, as she finished.

"Faugh!"

Moved to rage beyond words, and even beyond his rampant fatigue, Je'gan swivelled and punched the wall, hard enough to cause a visible dent.

"Despair is a poor teacher, Ceres. You may be of the GJO, but I am not. I'm not constrained by thoughts of right or wrong." A lie, that, but only partially. "We'll be off this planet by noon tomorrow, you have my word."

His voice died, as did his strength, and his knees doubled under him, forcing an impromptu squat beside the bed. No trace of anger remained on his face. "You may not care what happens to you now...but when you're yourself, when anybody is themself, no-one would wish to die, or to accept it without a fight. Until you become yourself again, I'm going to have to fulfill that function." Half-formed reasons why hovered on the tip of his tongue, but all his life held him back.

"I will protect you from Zatania, I will get you off this planet, and if necessary I will take you to the gates of the Jedi Temple itself. For the moment you may not have the power to do these things, but once I've slept there's a very good chance that I will.

"And you will too, Ceres, if you want it."

[Ceres Duvall]

She listened to him quietly, reminded of Davnon's words when she had told him too to leave her behind. She hated seeing people get hurt because of her. She was lucky that no one had died yet because of the quarrel between her and Zatania, even though this was not her fault at all.

She wondered if Davnon ever got back on track on following them, hoping desperately that they had. But for now, Je'gan was right, they had to sleep before even thinking about going anywhere. Hopefully though no one would find them...

"We have less chance of being caught if we stay in the same room." She said. "I.. I would feel much safer..."

Ceres didn't know why she said that but it was true. With Je'gan around she felt much safer than she would have around Davnon, who had protected her the last time and failed completely. She had almost died that time.

"If we're in two rooms it's double the chances of one of us getting found out by the owners of this place."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

His eyes widened for a split second, and then he nodded carefully.

"Good logic. It's a soft carpet anyways." Taking care with various bumps and bruises, he levered himself down to the floor. He was turned away from Ceres, towards the door to keep watch, so she couldn't see that even though he seemed to have fallen instantly asleep, his eyes were wide and staring.

[Ceres Duvall]

She had not meant for him to sleep on the floor, she would have rather stayed awake or slept on the floor. But even as she started to protest she got the feeling that he was already asleep. With a sigh she rolled over and stared at the cieling for a very long time.

Thoughts ran through her mind that normally would not have, but with recent events, she was changing. She could feel it deep down inside. All of her life she had struggled to live but there had to be points where she just wanted to give up... wish that she can back home curled up in the lap of her mother...

She began to wonder what her parents would have been like today if they had lived. Her father would be training some padawans for sure, and her mother would probably be cooking something in the kitchen, scolding Ceres for not having a steady boyfriend yet.

With pleasant thoughts of a family that could have been she closed her eyes and finally dozed off, her body still trembling fiercly, her arm growing ever colder and numb.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan woke before sunrise and, feeling at least partially rejuvenated and totally free from the drug's effects, headed out into the city to 'purchase' the needed medical supplies. It didn't take him long; when Ceres awoke, he was doing kata beside her bed.

Stomp kick...body block...backfist...augumented block...swing...and...low block, high strike, high block...

He cut himself off as he saw the girl stir. That arm desperately needed attention. Arranged on the floor were a splint, some assorted bandages, and several painkillers and antibiotics.

"Dawn, Ceres," he said softly. "Did you sleep well?"

[Ceres Duvall]

As she opened her eyes her body hurt more than it had the previous day. Probably because letting her wounds sit without attention was causing complications. Her arm specifically hurt the most , and she could tell without even looking at it that it was swollen.

As she rolled over, avoiding touching anything with her arm, she heard Je'gan's movements and peered towards him as he had towards her at the same time. Just at the edge of the bookshelf in front of him on the floor were some medical supplies, all set out and ready to be used.

"Dawn, Ceres," he said softly. "Did you sleep well?" He asked her.

She shook her head faintly, having felt sick most of the night and as though she was on fire. "Not really... but it's better than nothing."

Her cheeks were red and a small amount of persperation gathered on her forehead, her swollen arm hidden beneath the blankets.

"What about you?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Fairly well, actually." He popped his neck once, and set about gathering the first supplies he would need from the floor.

"Let's see to that arm now..."

[Ceres Duvall]

Ceres sat up slowly, wincing as gravity began to pull her arm in a way that did not suite her well. Slowly she removed the blanket from over it to reveal that her arm was puffy and slightly discolored. Her eyes widened at the sight and her breath caught in her throat. Quietly, she looked up at Je'gan, hoping that the strange pigmentation didn't mean that it was as bad as she thought it was.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

It was.

Tsk-ing softly to himself, Je'gan injected all three vials of antibiotics, followed by the painkillers, then set to work with the splint and bandages. Soon enough, with the dose he'd put in, her arm should be completely numb. He'd made sure, too, that nothing unexpected would happen between the two drugs.

"There we go," he said finally, sitting back on his heels and surveying his handiwork. The arm had been splinted and bandaged into a sling, held tight against her chest. It wouldn't bump around and cause any more damage.

"It's been a couple years since I was first-aid certified, but that's one of the simpler things they taught us."

[Ceres Duvall]

When he injected the antibotics at first, Ceres winced when the needle entered her skin each time. Her arm may have felt numb but the sharp needle poking her gave her a weird sensation. Finally, when he started with the painkillers, she felt nothing at all and watched him as he set her arm back into place in every spot it was broken, which was about tree or four places.

"There we go." He said.

When he was finished and her arm was snug in place she felt a lot better, although still tired even though she slept long enough.

"It's been a couple years since I was first-aid certified, but that's one of the simpler things they taught us." He added.

She smiled faintly and nodded, thankful that he had not left when she told him to. "....Thank you..."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"It's no trouble."

Je'gan stood and began gathering a few small objects from the room, little things that they'd disturbed. Whoever owned this hotel would already have to pay for a pair of locks; he didn't want to cause any extra trouble, even if it was just for the cleanup crew.

"We'll head off to the local spaceport in two hours," he said as he worked. "You've got enough time to shower...here." From where he'd put them across a dresser, he picked up some clean clothes and tossed them over his shoulder to land on the bed. The shirt was sleeveless; all Ceres would have to do was slip the sling off from around her neck to put it on.

[Ceres Duvall]

When the clothes landed on the bed beside her she nodded and picked them up with her good hand before standing.

"I just hope the owners don't find us out while I'm in there..." Ceres said, dreading the thought of having to flee undressed.

She looked at Je'gan and blushed slightly at the thought of that then hurried towards the bathroom.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan smirked slightly as he heard the 'fresher door open.

"If they find us, there's a good chance I'll be able to hold them off for as long as you need."

Yawning from the early morning, he returned to his kata.

[Ceres Duvall]

OOC God I forgot that it was called the refresher. o.O *kicks self*

IC
As Ceres entered the refresher she neatly placed the clothes on the counter with one hand. Slowly she looked up into the mirror and sighed. Each time she saw herself in the mirror she still couldn't get over the fact that it wasn't really her. Everything about this body embarrassed her. Sure, it was a very attractive body, but it had once belonged to a prostitute and , most of all, it wasn't hers.

Looking away quickly she began to take off her clothes, slowly since her arm was in a sling and it was difficult to remove clothing by herself. As she lifted her shirt the mirror projected the reflection of a tatoo on her lower back, something that she didn't know about since she dared not look at herself in the mirror too often, especially a rear view.

After managing her shirt she removed her pants with a lot of difficulty, being that the button was meant to be released with two hands.

But once she had succeeded she jumped into the shower, careful with her arm.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

The kata faltered for a moment as he heard the sonics in the shower engage. Smoothly, he slipped back into the patterns, using the careful breathing and the precise movement to focus.

And he seriously did need to focus. He was almost willing to give a spiteful Zatania the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he was starting to feel something for Ceres.

Resolutely, clenching his teeth, he kept going.

[Zatania Duvall]

Once she was finished with her shower she stepped out and avoided looking at herself in the mirror, then crossed the room to grab a towel. With one hand, and great effort, she dried her hair slowly. Eventually when she was finished drying herself she tried to put on the new clothes Je'gan got her and managed to trip and fall.

She nearly crashed onto her bad arm, but was lucky enough not to. And yet, either way, the fall still hurt.

"Ow!"She whispered, wincing and laying there for a moment.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Roundhouse kick...inside-outside block...jab...spin-

"Ow."

The kata blurred into a leap that took him to the door of the 'fresher. A hand waved behind him, and a pillowcase shot to it, ready to be used as a blindfold.

"You all right in there?"

[Zatania Duvall]

OOC Oops forgot I was under Zatania. But no time, Im in a hurry but wanna reply. lol

IC

Ceres nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the door open. She was halfway into her pants when she had fallen, and falling didn't help pull them on. Quickly she yanked them up, cheeks beat red and heart pounding.

At first she thought her joke earlier had become reality, but then she looked up as Je'gan spoke. "You all right in there?"

"I'm fine... I just slipped and fell. But I didn't land on my arm or anything.." She buckled the pants then tried to get back up from the ground on her own.

But her wrist was still somewhat sore from Zatania's beating so she had a hard time getting up. But she was getting frustrated with being helped too much, so she kept trying until she was on her knees, wincing, then back on her feet.

"But anyways.. Im ready to go now."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He nodded, opening the door all the way from the tiny slit he'd spoken through. The pillowcase lofted back to the bed.

"Good, I'm glad you're OK. I was about ready to bandage my eyes and come in there to help." A grin caught his face and stayed as he swivelled on his heel.

"Hungry?"

[Zatania Duvall]

Ceres smiled and laughed at the thought of Je'gan running into the bathroom blind folded.

"Hungry?"

She nodded, still smiling. "Yeah.."

She paused and her smile faded. "You got food? How?"

She knew that neither of them had any money due to Zatania stripping them of everything besides their clothes. And if he did what she thought he did then she wasn't going to be too thirlled...

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He made shushing motions with his hands, sensing her concern.

"I haven't gotten it just yet, and I guarantee you won't object to how we do it. There's a large house about a klick away. It's opulance incarnate. There's more luxury speeders in the garage than in the entire city. It's guarded, but not against people like us. Getting in through the back entrance should be a snap. Mind trick to convince the sentries that we're staff, appropriate attire - what we're wearing, oddly enough - and before you say anything, I didn't steal the clothes. I spent a portion of the morning as a mendicant. A beggar," he amended, realizing that the old term wasn't used much off his homeworld. "Got enough for two changes of simple clothes, but not nearly enough for supplies. And that's why we go raiding. We visit the pantries and stock up. On our way out, we incapacitate a guard or two and get weapons. We'll be entirely ready for the trip to Coruscant.

"Coruscant...is where you want to go, isn't it? Jedi Temple and all, plenty of protection from Zatania..."

Je'gan continued erasing the last signs of their presence. Ceres' dirty clothes brushed past her on their flight to his hand.

"And really," he said in a soft voice, "it's the only place you could go. I'd take you to Corellia and give you sanctuary, but if the Elders didn't approve of helping a wounded and amnesiac angel, they wouldn't approve of me bringing a Jedi into their stronghold. Not to mention that your great-great-grandmother lives and trains there."

He turned to face her. "She tossed you around like a wet dishrag." It wasn't an insult, merely an observation, and a sympathetic one at that. "You've been with the Jedi for some time, and learned nothing.

"Would you like me to show you a few tricks? Nothing near the Dark Side, I promise, just the neutral pantheon. Basic telekinesis, sensing danger and sometimes emotion, enhancing your body's natural attributes...and mental warfare. That's one area that Zatania isn't strong in."

[Zatania Duvall]

Ceres thought for a moment. She didn't know whether or not she wanted to go back to GJO. Being there didn't protect her from Zatania anyways, she had been swept away because everyone was so busy with their own training, plus Ceres had felt too... comfortable and let her guard down.

But then again, Je'gan was right. She had no where else to go.

As for stealing food, she thought for a moment, then hung her head and closed her eyes. "... Let's do it."

Normally she would have protested but lately she was not feeling much like it. She needed to survive and things weren't going to go that way if she didnt get anything to eat.

"But I'd rather not go back to GJO..." She said. "I'll just... disappear. Zatania would know where to find me if I went there."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"That's true," he admitted, opening the room's door and peering down the hall. "But all you'd have to do is stay either in the Temple, or with friends, at all times. Bit of a cramp on the old social life, but it's a small price to pay for staying alive.

"If you don't want to go there, then is there anywhere you do want me to take you? If not, I could leave you with my brother on Varunda IX - a Darksider and self-taught at that, but trustworthy for his age."

[Ceres Duvall]

"Im not sure..." She said, shaking her head.

She picked up the sling that Je'gan had wrapped around her before she got into the shower and started to attempt putting it on by herself.

"I don't think I'm going anywhere at GJO anyways."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"It takes a lot longer to become a Jedi than it does to become a Darksider," he responded, leading her to the fire escape's door.

"The Masters there have taught many, and successfully. I'm sure if you just give them time, you will become a great Jedi."

[Zatania Duvall]

"I don't have a master. I had one but when I disappeared and came back he was too busy for me. There's too many students."

Ceres sighed, changing the subject. "Why don't we get going?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He nodded at both statements, and taking care with her arm, carried her down the fire escape to the open alley.

Truth be known, TSO had similar problems, or at least it had when he'd left. Perhaps Zereth had been Knighted, or someone had come back, but otherwise he couldn't really see how it could change.

"We've got a bit of a walk ahead of us..."

And he set off.

[Ceres Duvall]

Ceres rested her head on his shoulder, not truly thinking about much of anything other than what to do. She wouldn't survive for much longer if things continued the way that they were heading. And she knew that her parents would have never of wanted her to survive her uncle's attack only to be murdered in the end by Zatania Duvall.

So she remained silent as Je'gan carried her down the fire escape and into the ally.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

The streets were just beginning to bustle with activity. Speeders shot past at crazy velocities, their engines' pitches Dopplering wildly. Pedestrians, uncaring of who they bumped into, filled the walkways. The noise level was incredible.

Everything dropped, thankfully, once they entered the higher-end residency section of town. The house he'd pinpointed loomed huge before them. Guards could be seen patrolling, but thankfully not very many.

"We're servants," Je'gan said, using one of the strongest mind tricks he could manage, and the guards at the back gate let them in. All it took from there on was to project an air of confidence, and a little something through the Force to keep anyone from noticing Ceres' sling and cast. The pantries were easy to find. Within the hour, nodding genially to the guards, he passed by the outer perimeter with Ceres in tow, a large bag of food under his tunic, and Kurai on the edge of coming loose inside his right sleeve. If the guards noticed the bulge, his influence with the Force was enough to pass it off as mere obesity. Enough servants came and went that these two would never be distinguished form the masses.

He waited until they were a block and a turn away from the house before laughing. "We've got enough for at least four days, and probably more if we ration. All we need to do now is get passage on some cargo transport bound for our destination, and we're set."

Serious now, he turned to face his companion. "Where should we go?"

[Ceres Duvall]

The bustling streets rang in her ears, making her feel slightly nervous. These were the same noises she had heard the night that Zatania had thrown her into a stranger's body and left her to fend for herself in the gutter. And these faces were not so different from those that ignored her screams... ignored the angry cries coming from the insane woman before her that night...

But as they approached the higher classed side of town the noise levels died down a bit and she relaxed slightly. That is, until they arrived to the home in which they were going to rob. She still felt quite guilty about what they were about to do but then again, she was starving. They had not had anything to eat since they're kidnappings and things were not going to come any easier than a five finger discount.

The guards had tried to stop them, but Je'gan had used a mind trick Ceres could vaguely remember her own father using once or twice before, and they were able to pass through. On their way through the house, Je'gan was mainly silent, and in turn, so was she. She hesitantly took things and placed them in the bag they had ready, then followed him out.

Finally, after reaching a block's length away from the residence, Je'gan laughed. "We've got enough for at least four days, and probably more if we ration. All we need to do now is get passage on some cargo transport bound for our destination, and we're set."

He turned to her and smiled. "Where should we go?"

But when he turned to her she was not smiling nor laughing. She had only a slight guilt trip about what they had done, which was abnormal for her. Normally she would have felt so guilty that she'd turn right back around and return everything... And yet, before this whole situation, she would have never resorted to such a thing in the first place.

But even with the slight guilt, she looked up at Je'gan and spoke softly. "What happened to Zatania?"

She had not bothered to ask him before, but she needed to know now... If Zatania was still alive then they would have to leave as soon as possible. She was terribly frightened that Zatania would look for them again, and here on this planet, they were completely vulnerable.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He hesitated, but somehow, even to make her feel better, he couldn't lie.

"She probably woke up about midnight. I put her under with as much power as I could spare."

[Ceres Duvall]

"Then we should go now. As far away as possible, anywhere she won't suspect that I'll be."

Ceres looked rather determined, but said nothing more than that. She had grown quite used to running away by now. But this last and most recent incident had somehow changed her view on how she was handling this... situation.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Anywhere...I think I might have a place in mind." He swivelled, gripping her arm tight enough to get her attention.

"Listen. What's the one thing Zatania will expect us to do? Leave, that's what! If we stay here, I think I could figure out a way to block you from the Force so that...no." He smiled, grimly. "As long as you're with me, you're safe. I'm a Darksider, and you're a Lightsider. Despite the differences in our abilities, I think our potential is roughly the same, and from what I've read that's mainly what matters. If I'm with you, we're like a positive and a negative charge to Zatania's sensing abilities.

"We'll cancel out. If she ever tries to find either of us with the Force, it won't work."

[Ceres Duvall]

It startled her when he grabbed her arm all of a sudden, but as she looked at him and heard his logic, she nodded. She didn't know enough to know if what he was saying was true, but she trusted him and didn't question it at all.

"Then it's a question of where to stay."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Indeed."

A bit tough as decisions went, mainly because of the sheer number of possibilities. As long as they stayed away from anywhere Zatania was likely to frequent - to the best of his knowledge, at close range Force potentials didn't cancel - they'd be fine, and that was the only limitation. In point of fact, all they really would have to do would be to stay away from cities.

"Somewhere in the wilder portions of this planet, maybe? Or does it even have such places?"

[Ceres Duvall]

"They exist, we'd just have a little ways to travel if you want something more than a calm forest or field. If we can get on a ship it should only take a little under one hour to get there."

"It all depends on what you want."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan started walking again, headed for the town port, but paused and stared back at Ceres.

"What is 'it', and why does it all depend on what I want? Just curious really..."

[Ceres Duvall]

"Its a little dangerous there from what I can remember from Zatania's memories. No one goes there and no towns are located anywhere near it because of how many predators are there."

She began to catch up with him, shrugging faintly.

"But if we're careful it should be the perfect hiding spot. She'd probably think that someone would have to be crazy to hide there."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

EDIT OOC: Ceres and I planned this as a closer to her stay on the boards, and now it seems as if she's merely left.

Of course, if at any point she comes back, I'll edit this post back to the way it was.

So, by prior permission and without further ado...

IC: "It does indeed sound perfect," he agreed as they headed towards the port. "That, plus that she won't expect us to stay on-planet, and that she can't sense us through the Force....we're pretty much set."

The port loomed ahead, a region of midsized domes set in the ground, each one capable of holding a small transport. Even as they watched, a tramp freighter screamed in from the sky above and settled down inside one of the farther domes.

"That freighter is our transportation," he said, checking on Ceres over his shoulder as had become his habit of late. "I can fly, not well but enough for a ship like that. You just tell me where to go, and I can probably get us there with minimum casualties. I'll drop you off somewhere safe, return the ship, and get back to you as fast as possible." Which would probably entail running through back country at maximum Force-enhanced speed for hours if not days, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

The bug in his plan hadn't yet occurred to him; that to leave Ceres, alone and wounded, in such an environment might not be the safest thing to do.

As they got closer to the dome, a trio of figures emerged from the front door. To avoid them being seen approaching the landing bay, Je'gan created a distraction while ducking behind the corner of an outbuilding. His hand had raised and waved; the three men turned quickly away from them, and through the Force their senses seemed more alert. One even put a hand to his blaster.

"They think they heard something heavy and mechanical move," he whispered to Ceres. "I threw in a bit of a subconscious suggestion that it was an assassin droid." The Sith leaned against the wall behind him and closed his eyes for all the time he would allow himself. Doing that sort of mind trick was close to the limit of his capacity, and to try three at once was something he'd only rarely practised.

Je'gan took a calming breath and levered away from the wall. A quick glance told him that the spacers had moved on.

"Let's go..."

Looking nonchalant, he strolled into the hangar and proceeded to stick Kurai's blade through the lock on the ship's ramp. Obediently, albeit with a little aid from his limited telekinetic abilities, the ramp hissed down.

He plopped down in the pilot's seat and eyed the dash. The startup sequence didn't require a passcode, thank the Force, and the controls were pretty standard.

"Might wanna strap in..." With a few deft flicks of various buttons, the freighter lifted and zipped out under the dome's edge. A button blinked red; the refueling lines were still attached and had ripped off with his abrupt acceleration. Another one started winking at him; a hail. Port control, most likely. He ignored both.

The transport shot over the town and headed for the horizon. Not in the direction of the wilderness, however. Je'gan was headed for deep space.

"I, ah..."

He turned away, absorbing himself in an instrument panel until he had regained composure.

"I know you trust me, Ceres, and I appreciate how hard that is for someone with your past to do. I want you to know that I'd never do anything to - aw, kriff!" In a blur of motion, he spun and activated Kurai, the silvery blade punching through Ceres' chest. He took a moment to take in the look on her face, then snapped his thumb off the switch.

Grief took him as he hammered in Corellia's navcom coordinates. He slammed a shield between himself and the Force, preventing his otherwise inevitable sensing of her death.