Xanthis, clad in his black Sith robes, bore a strong contrast against the sterile whites of the Research Lab. Xanthis paused in front of one of the contamination containers. Inside of it sat a strange snake-headed staff. But it wasn't just a piece of wood or durasteel...it was alive!

Living, biological weapons...not just a biological plague, but a weapon that could think and act on it's own! Such a thing could change warfare. That was assuming his technicians could duplicate the weapons.

Xanthis's head snapped up as he caught a tremor in the Force. An uplift in someone's emotions...Sidrona, he sourly admitted. Sidrona is the only other person besides his Master that he could sense so clearly. And an uplift in Sidrona's emotions meant that he was escaping.

Xanthis snatched his comlink and keyed it in to the Prison Complex. "Lieutenant Jeevers, come in." No answer. "Lieutenant Jeevers, answer me!"

"No one shall be answering you, Jeedai, except for death!" The voice came out of nowhere and surprised Xanthis, as did the fist that crashed into his face. Xanthis fell backwards and had to grab a hold of a table to keep himself upright.

How come he hadn't sensed the attack coming? Or even sensed the attacker for that matter? He should have...

Oh no...

The prisoner...the one he couldn't sense through the Force...he was here! And Xanthis was completely blind against him! He couldn't see him and he couldn't sense him! The best thing he could hope for would be to hear him coming, which considering how Xanthis had just been ambushed he wasn't putting to much faith in that...Xanthis desperately tried to sense something in the room...anything...but he couldn't. The room was dark to him...as if there was no one in it. But someone else was definitely here.

Xanthis's head shot up as he heard the sound of breaking glass and the hiss of a snake. The prisoner had his weapon back. Xanthis reached down to snatch his lightsaber from his belt, but as he did his fingers brushed by Jace Sidrona's weapon.

Smiling, Xanthis grabbed both lightsabers and ignited them, his own purple blade and Jace's which he knew to be a dark blue. Not being able to see or sense anything, he just started to swing wildly. He could hear the sound of sparks flying as his lightsabers cut through the delicate machinery inside the lab...but from his enemy he heard nothing! Was he even still here!?

BAM!

Xanthis felt something crash into the back of his skull, sending him stumbling forward. Catching his balance Xanthis turned sharply and swung his two sabers parallel what should be the man's midsection. The only thing he hit, though, was the air behind him. How the hell was he supposed to fight something he couldn't see OR sense!?

A quick strike to the back of Xanthis's knees brought him flat on his back, and a sharp jab into his chest forced him to relinquish his grip on the pair of lightsabers.

"You are not worthy, Jeedai. But take comfort in knowing that you will die much sooner and much less painful than the rest of your galaxy."

Unable to move because of the paralyzing blow to his chest, Xanthis prepared for the worst...only to have his dim hopes of survival brighten as he felt the presence of his Master enter the Research lab.

"I was about to say the very same thing to you," Darth Zarin said, striding confidently into the room.

"Another Jeedai...this place is infested with your kind. You shall have the honor of dying before your puppet!"

Still lying on the ground, Xanthis reached into his Master's mind and pulled the images of what Zarin was seeing into his own mind. For the first time Xanthis saw the appearance of the unnamed warrior. Tall, muscular...exactly as Xanthis had pictured him.

The warrior tightened his grip on the snake-staff and charged at Zarin. The Sith Master stood his ground, not moving a muscle despite the warrior's advance. Finally at the last second Zarin threw out his hand and sent the table in front of him flying towards the warrior. Caught off guard, the table hit hard, knocking the warrior backwards and off his feet for a second.

Zarin chuckled. "Keep in mind, my friend, perhaps you do not exist in the eyes of the Force, but everything else in here does...from the air molecules to the chairs that I'm about to throw at you. Oh, that reminds me..."

Xanthis laughed as his Master hurled objects at the warrior. Maybe this wasn't going to turn out so bad after all...

Jace Sidrona stopped outside the door to the Research lab and rested his hands on the door. There was definitely a struggle of some sort going on, but he didn't need the Force to know that. The sound of chairs crashing and tables breaking told him all he needed to know.

What to do now? Just barge in and take out Two Siths all by himself...and one of that number was a fully trained Sith Lord? It sounded like a really crappy plan, but okay. He really didn't have too many options open to him. And he still didn't know how Jeminn Carr would react to Jace's help...it could very well end up being three on one in there. Well....better get cracking!

Absently Jace reached down to grab his lightsaber, only with a sudden sense of horror did he realized that Xanthis still had it! Stang! How was he supposed to fight two Siths without a weapon? A blaster would be useless, he knew. Jace had seen Reno deflect blaster bolts with his hand...he bet this one could do the same.

Jace opened himself up with the Force, hoping some answers would present itself. And surprisingly enough...it did. There was something alive in there...something not human...but he knew it wasn't Jeminn Carr. It was...a weapon? Living...weapon? Good, he needed a weapon, weapons are good. But what kind of weapon was it? Ack, he didn't have any more time to think! He had about twenty minutes left until Nuprin's shuttle left for wherever it was headed. He needed to act, and he needed to act NOW!

Pushing aside all fear he slammed the button to open the door and charged in recklessly. Just as he suspected the Sith Lord was on him before Jace was two steps through the door. Jace suddenly felt himself being lifted through the air and he crashed down hard through a transparisteel display case. He could feel the shards of transparisteel that had dug into his left shoulder. But right now that was the least of his problems...

Off to his right lay Jeminn Carr, completely motionless. Xanthis was slowly standing to his feet about ten feet behind him, and Xanthis's Master was near the door to his left. The living weapon Jace felt, some kind of snake-headed staff...an amphistaff, had Jeminn Carr called it?...lay only a few feet from Jace.

"Master..." Xanthis called out. "...take care of Sidrona once and for all."

"No...if we kill Sidrona than we lose a hostage...and then all of Ryvo Lorell's work will be for nothing. Bind him, and return him to the Prison Complex."

Jace heard Xanthis sigh. "Yes, Master." Xanthis walked over towards Jace, and the young Sith pilot knew he had precious little time to act. Jace quickly sprung to his feet and called the amphistaff to his hands. He quickly studied it...how does this thing even work...?

Snap-hiss!

The familiar sound of a lightsaber being activated brought Jace's head up in alarm and he wasn't surprised to see Xanthis charging at him, his violet lightsaber raised high in the air. Oh stang! Jace hopelessly raised the amphistaff in defense, knowing full well that the saber would cut right through it. Nevertheless he held the staff high as Xanthis brought down his saber in a long sweeping arc. Jace closed his eyes and prepared for oblivion...

...but it never came.

Jace opened his eyes in astonishment and stared up. Somehow...Somehow the amphistaff had blocked the lightsaber blade! He could feel the surprised radiating from Xanthis. What the hell was this thing made of!? Jace smiled and wasted no more time.

It felt weird to swing a weapon that wasn't his lightsaber, but after several swings he felt adjusted enough to fight competently with the strange amphistaff. Going on the offensive, Jace swung the staff several times at Xanthis's head, each of which be blocked with ease. He hacked downwards at Xanthis, but the Sith dodged to his left and made a quick swipe at Jace's back. Sensing the attack, Jace brought the amphistaff down over his back. Just as the saber made contact with the amphistaff, Jace's weapon went completely limp in his hands. Behind him Xanthis let out a yelp of pain and a lightsaber deactivated.

Turning around quickly Jace saw that the snake-head on his amphistaff had actually bitten Xanthis...it had latched itself onto his neck. After a few seconds of struggling with it Xanthis dropped to the ground and the amphistaff went solid again. What the fu...

And suddenly Jace felt like a Bantha was stepping on his throat. He dropped to his knees and brought his hands to his throat, as if that simple act would make Xanthis's Master stop the Force-choke he had locked on Jace.

"What is the matter, young Sidrona?" the Sith Lord taunted him. "This is a simple Force-choke, I'm surprised Reno has not yet taught you to block it. Strange...it was one of the first things our Master taught us."

Jace heard what the man said, but was too busy dying and thinking of a way to escape to give it any thought. Just as his eyesight started to blur he saw his only chance of escape start to move. Jeminn Carr slowly started to crawl towards Jace and his attacker...but he didn't have a weapon. Using what little strength he had left Jace used the Force to hurl the amphistaff at his feet in Jeminn Carr's direction. The large warrior jumped to his feet and grabbed the staff mid-air. Unable to sense the attack, the Sith Lord turned just in time to see the amphistaff crash into his skull. After a few seconds of stumbling he also joined his apprentice Xanthis in lying motionless on the floor.

The pressure on Jace's neck relaxed instantly as the Sith Lord dropped to the floor, a rush of oxygen flooding into Jace's lungs. As quickly as he could Jace scrambled to his feet, waiting for another attack to come...

...that was when he noticed two puncture marks on the Sith Lord's neck. That snake creature must've bitten him too...damn that thing is fast! Jace hadn't even seen it strike! He glanced over at Jeminn Carr, then at the two Siths lying motionless on the deck.

"Are they dead?" he asked. "I mean, they were poisoned, right? Are they going to die?"

"Yes, they were poisoned," Jeminn Carr answered back. "No, they will not die. This breed of amphistaff does not carry lethal venom. They will, however, be unconscious for another thirty to forty minutes. Now shall be an opportune time to dispose of them..."

"Wait!" Jace suddenly yelled, surprising both Jeminn Carr and himself. The warrior lowered his amphistaff and eyed Jace.

"Tell me why I should spare the lives of two Jeedai who not only captured me, but the people who imprisoned you and your Master?"

Jace stared at the unconscious Siths lying at his feet, visions and plans of retribution running through his mind. "Because..." he said absently. "I still need them in this galaxy...they cannot die...not yet."

Jeminn Carr seemed to understand. "Very well, then."

Jace glanced at his chrono...Jedispit! Fifteen minutes left until Nuprin's shuttle left. He had to hurry. He once again turned his attention to Jeminn Carr. "I'm going to rescue my friend now. Will you..."

"Come with you?" he finished for Jace. "I think not. I shall escape on my own. But here, take this Jace Sidrona," Jeminn Carr reached into a pouch at his waist and pulled out a small, round, but definitely organic, ball. He handed it to Jace.

"What...?"

"It is called a villip...a communicator of sorts. A means of which to contact me. You see, Jace Sidrona, you are indeed worthy, I was mistaken before. I have never seen a being other than my own kind handle the amphistaff like you...it is simply unheard of...If ever comes the time when you realize that your galaxy is wrong in it's beliefs, contact me, I shall show you the true way of things."

"But..." he started to say as the large warrior turned and walked away.

"No more answers for you today, Jace Sidrona, you still cling blindly to your beliefs and our "Force" Now farewell, and good luck...Seeth."

And then with those final accepting words he was gone.

Jace glanced down at the villip in his hand. What the hell was this thing? And what did he mean by "your galaxy?" And where did he get that amphistaff? And what the hell was in it that let it block a lightsaber? Ack, too many questions...no time for that...Running to the opposite door Jace thought, I'm ready...As he was leaving, though, his eye caught the glint of a reflection. Glancing to his side he saw his lightsaber still attached to Xanthis's belt. Jace snatched the lightsaber and held it up...Now, I'm ready...

The trip to the docking bay was short and uneventful. The shuttle that was going to ferry Nuprin to another prison was still sitting on the deck, waiting patiently for it's cargo. The only people Jace saw in the hanger were the two guards standing in front of the boarding ramp to the shuttle, and the only other minds in the immediate are Jace sensed were the pilot and co-pilot, a technician working inside the shuttle, and...

...and Nuprin!

About one hundred meters away from the shuttle and getting closer as each second passed was Nuprin Karnes, the Sith Squadron quartermaster. The lack of any minds around him suggested that his guards were battle droids. Good, very easy to trick then, or if need be, destroy.

Not wanting to waste a second Jace charged into the empty hanger bay. The guards raised their blasters, but Jace thrust his hand outward and sent the men flying backwards into the shuttle. Their heads smacked hard against the hull and they dropped to the ground. Jace casually waved his hand and both bodies rolled underneath the ship and out of view.

Knowing he didn't have a lot of time he trotted up the ramp. The mechanic was on the opposite side of the boarding ramp, his body half buried inside an access panel he was working in. Knowing he couldn't let anyone stand in his way Jace quickly ignited his blade and in one quick motion stabbed downwards through the man's back.

"Hey, what was that?" he heard from the cockpit.

"I don't know," the second voice said. "I'll go and check it out. Jace heard the unbuckling of a crash web and headed for the cockpit. He turned off his lightsaber and clipped it back to his belt. He reached the cockpit just as one of the two pilots was getting to his feet.

"Hey, what're you doing in he..." He never finished his sentence. Jace shot out his hand and pressed it gently against the man's forehead. The pilot's eyes rolled over in his head and he fell back into his seat. Before the other pilot could even utter a cry of fear he grabbed his forehead as well, killing him instantly. Jace smiled. Reno may not have taught me how to block a Force-choke, but he did teach me other useful things...

The shuttle is clear, he thought to himself, and just in time, it seems.

Looking out the viewport he saw Nuprin and his guard of battle droids, eight in all. This shouldn't be too hard to take care of...hey, wait a second, he thought, eyeing the dead guard in the pilot's seat. Yes...nice touch.

Nuprin walked slowly, his hands binded behind his back in traditional prisoner style. To say he was worried was a serious misjudgment of the situation he found himself in. He hadn't eaten anything in days, he was seriously dehydrated, and he didn't know where Reno, Vanicus or Gimmer were, or if they were even alive for that matter. And now he was being transferred to Sadow knows where.

Down the ramp of the prisoner shuttle strode the man Nuprin assumed to be the pilot. He was garbed in traditional pilot's suit for the Terror of Space Force: All black except for a red patch on the left arm that read "T.O.S.". And of course, his nameplate which read "Lt. Mykal"...

Nuprin's surprised face must've shown, because Lieutenant Mykal, who Nuprin recognized as Jace Sidrona, met him with a sour look. "What's the matter, beast? Sidrona muttered. "Ain't you ever seen a human before?"

"No, Nuprin just never see one ugly as you."

Jace's face tightened in mock anger. "You insolent little...give'em to me...I'll take him aboard the shuttle."

"Negative," the lead droid said. "We must speak with the pilot first."

"Hey, circuits-for-brains, you are talking to the pilot!"

"Negative, you are the co-pilot," it said, motioning to the bar underneath Jace's nameplate.

Jace looked down at the plate and shook his head. "Well I'll be a Jawa's uncle.." he trailed off. Suddenly he whipped out his dark blue lightsaber and bisected the lead battle droid at the waist. "Nuprin, get aboard!"

Ever one to follow orders, Nuprin charged forward, shouldering and knocking down two of the droids in front of him. As Nuprin scrambled up the ramp Jace took a defensive position, deflecting the blaster bolts meant for Nuprin. Once Nuprin got close enough, Jace used the tip of his saber to burn the binders off of Nuprin's hands.

"Nup, start the engines!" Jace commanded.

"Uh...Nuprin not know how..."

"What!?" Jace demanded.

"Nuprin not know how fly shuttle. Nuprin find things, not fly thing! Quartermaster, not pilot!"

"Jedispit!" Jace reached over and pressed the hatch button, raising the boarding ramp and stopping the blaster fire raining on them. Jace deactivated his lightsaber and ran towards the cockpit. He jumped into the pilots seat and his fingers played quickly across the controls in front of him.

Nuprin followed him into the cockpit, but his eyes were drawn to the half naked, and dead, man underneath the co-pilot's seat. Another, fully clothed, man was lying on top of him.

"What do to them?" he asked Jace.

"I popped the blood vessels that go to their brains...now power up the shields."

"Which...?"

"That one!" he said impatiently, pointing towards the button closest to Nuprin. Nuprin reached out and slammed it down, which resulted in a low humming sound as the shields came online. Jace smiled. "All right, here we go!"

Still standing when Jace hit the throttle, Nuprin was thrown backwards into the cargo hold, his fall only stopped because he ran into a dead body lying halfway inside of an access panel. Geez...how many of these guys did Jace kill...uh-oh...

Beep...beep...beep...

The warning came only seconds after Jace pushed out of the large warship. Enemy starfighters...twelve of them...all those Trade Federation droid fighters...piece of ryshcate. Jace reached over to the weapon's panel, only to find that the panel had been deactivated. Jace swore violently and put all the power he could spare into engines.

What kind of ship didn't have an active weapons system!? Especially a ship that ferried prisoners? What if the ship came under attack...didn't these guys think ahead?

As red laser blasts started to shoot past the cockpit Nuprin pushed his way forward and back into the co-pilot's seat. There was a deep look of concern on his alien face, and Jace felt a certain amount of dread coming off of him. "Big-big problem, Jace."

"I know," he said back, anger evident in his strained voice. "This bucket doesn't have an operation weapon system. We're just gonna have to run for it and hope we make it to hyperspace before those pieces of Hutt drool vape us."

"No, no, that not problem."

Jace eyed the alien carefully. "What is the problem...?" he asked dreadfully.

"Mechanic you kill work on hyper-drive motivator. It busted. No can fix." Jace swore again and Nuprin looked at him, concern on his face. "Poodoo, are we in?"

"No sh..." The ship lurched violently as a barrage of laser fire crashed against her stern. "We're in trouble."

Jace's mind raced as he dropped the shuttle to avoid more incoming fire. What were their options at this point? Keep running till they ran out of fuel? Return to Xanthis's ship and try to steal a ship WITH a hyperdrive? For a moment he considered dropping planetside and finding his Psi-class shuttle, when he remembered that Xanthis had taken it upon Jace's capture. That left him with only one option left...

He keyed the comm switch. "This is Jace Sidrona to anyone out there....I am being attacked by twelve Trade Federation starfighters and need assistance...Repeat, this is..." Suddenly his comm erupted in a burst of static and Jace slammed his fist against the controls. "Stang! They're jamming us! Sorry, Nup...guess this rescue won't go down in the record books."

"'Sokay...much thanks for effort."

"Hey, any..." The hyperspace proximity warning started blaring and Jace squeezed his eyes shut and sighed. What now...

To say Jace was relieved when he saw the dagger-shaped SSD emerge from hyperspace would be the understatement of the year. The pinpoint accuracy of the SSD's gunners made short work of the pursuing droid starfighters. Behind Jace the large warship Terror of Space vectored away and jumped into hyperspace. Jace closed his eyes and let out a long, exasperated sigh. As the T.O.S. vanished so did his chance of finding Reno and the others...

No, Jace still had one lead to follow.

And Sadow help anyone who stood in his way.

The End