The ground was littered with dead Ewoks and Gungans. Such a picture would make many people in the galaxy extremely happy, but Lord Baron Reno was too angry to feel any joy.

Sure the Ewok snipers had been taken out by Artoo and Sidrona, and sure he had killed all of the Gungan ground forces, but their main targets, their only reason for being there, had escaped. Somewhere during the melee the Rogues had escaped. One again they had spilt into two parties. Plourr, and Xarcce had jumped in a bongo and gone underwater into New Otoh Gunga, while Antilles, Celchu and Fel had followed a bunch of Ewoks into the forest.

In response Reno had sent Artoo to take care of the cowards in the underwater city, while he and his apprentice dispatched Antilles.

The forest was full of creatures running in fear, whether they be Ewoks, Gungans, or just some scared rebel pilots trying desperately to escape their fate. It wasn't hard for Reno and Sidrona to track down the Rogues. Just as they came over a hill they spotted one of the rebel pilots jumping on a primitive Ewok lift. The pilot shot upwards as the lift ascended. Reno was going to follow him when he turned his head to the right and saw two more of the Rogues ascending on the lifts. That pair he recognized as Antilles and Celchu, which meant the other was Soontir Fel. Once again they were trying to split the Siths up.

"Sidrona."

"Yes, Master."

"Follow Fel and kill him. I'll take Antilles and Celchu. And Sidrona...don't fail." Then they went their separate ways.

Reno didn't need a primitive rope lift to reach the Ewok village. Using the Force Reno jumped in the air and elevated himself the rest of the way. He landed softly on his feet and quickly checked his surroundings. He couldn't see Antilles or Celchu anywhere. That was okay, he had the Force. Stretching out he sensed two humans about ten yards from where he was standing, most likely inside the hut but he couldn't tell that for sure.

Reno careful advanced, his double-bladed saber still in his hand. He once again ignited the twin sabers as stopped at the door of the hut. Just as he was about to enter a hail of blaster bolts erupted from inside. He quickly brought up his saber and deflected the shots. Using the Force to guide his actions he positioned his saber so when the bolts deflected they fired straight back at whoever had shot them in the first place. After deflecting several shots the shooting ended.

Hmph, figures. Somehow he had expect more of a challenge from Antill-

Reno stopped dead in his tracks as he entered the hut. He had expected to see Antilles and Celchu's blaster bolt ridden bodies lying on the ground, instead he saw two E-web repeating rifles with melted barrels from where their own bolts hit them.

"Sithspawn!" he yelled. Damn that Antilles!

"I know what you are, but what am I?" a mocking voiced yelled from somewhere outside. Reno stepped out of the hut, his anger rising.

"Very funny, Antilles," he yelled out. "I didn't know you had a side job as a stand up comic. Had I known that I probably would've killed you sooner."

"There's just no appreciation for comedy these days." Reno tried desperately to pinpoint the voice, but because of the echo the forest presented it seemed to be coming from all around him.

"No, I think it's just your jokes, Commander," he heard Celchu say. "You have to adjust your jokes for you audience. However, I don't think our Sith friend here is really the laughing type."

"Thats where you're wrong, Celchu," Reno growled. "After I kill you two I promise I'll have a good laugh. Now come out and show yourselves." Reno circled the small wooden platform he was on, his eyes ever careful. They could be anywhere. Reno closed his eyes and concentrated on the living Force. He could sense life forms everywhere. Too many, in fact, it was making it difficult to pinpoint Antilles location. Humans left distinctive markings in the Force, you just had to know what to look for....

Got them.

As he thought, Antilles was once again using speakers to talk from a distance. Even as the man spoke he was running further and further from Reno. Lord Baron Reno gritted his teeth. He had a job to do. Reno deactivated his lightsaber staff, unclipped them and hooked them to his belt.

Focusing in on their presence Reno sprinted forward. He wasn't going to let them escape. Reno jumped across a gap in the platform and continued his chase. The Rogues must've planned this escape route, that was how they had speakers already set in the trees. Damn those Rogues.

Reno dodged twigs and tree branches as he ran full speed through the Ewok village. He wasn't going to let those two rebels get the best of him, Sadow damn him if he does. He was sure that Captain Thunders mission had been a success, it would be an embarrassment if his wasn't.

And suddenly he was on them, or at least he felt the Rogues presences next to him. In the hut, this time he was sure of it. Reno grabbed one of his sabers, ignited it, and cut a new door inside the hut. There inside stood Antilles and Celchu, blasters trained on him. Reno instinctively took a step back but kept his crimson saber up to deflect any blaster bolts.

"Don't move, Lord Baron," Antilles said. "You've got two blasters aimed at you. Don't make us kill you. Just give up."

"I told you before, Sith Lords don't give up. And if you think having a pair of blasters pointed at me makes me nervous you are sorely mistaken. I've had dozens of weapons pointed at me, and I'm still here. I'm actually hoping you guys shoot, if only to show you just how fast I am. In fact, let's try something else."

Wasting no time Reno waved his hand and Tycho Celchu was knocked back into the wall of the hut, knocking him unconscious. Antilles fired automatically, but Reno deflected the bolt back at him. The bolt shot straight back and hit Antilles blaster, leaving him defenseless.

"Ah, quite the predicament you're in, Antilles. But don't worry, I can't attack an unarmed man." Reno unclipped the other lightsaber on his waist and tossed it at Antilles. Then he backed out of the hut and walked onto the open platform outside. "Here, use this. And now that you're armed I have no problem attacking you."

"But I don't know how to use this."

"That's not my problem," Reno said. "Just push the little button there and try your best not to let me kill you. That's all there really is to it. En guard."

Antilles pushed the activation switch and the red blade hummed to life. He clumsily wielded the blade, slowly sidestepping Reno. This was going to be fun and easy.

Reno slowly swung his blade, giving Antilles enough time to block. Then came the funny part. Antilles actually tried to attack. His swings were awkward and slow, clumsy and weak. Even for a first time swordsman he should've been better than this. Even the most rookie Sith pilot was better than this. ThunderingSilence would have a field day with him.

"Oh come on, Antilles, is that the best you've got?" he bellowed.

"I'm not exactly a master swordsman, as you probably know. If you really want to go head-to-head I suggest we do it in snubfighters, where we're both equals."

Reno thought it over for a moment. It would be a little more fair, he admitted, but there weren't too many Sith Lords that were fair.

"Umm.........no, I think not," he finally said. "While I do appreciate honor and fairness and all that, I appreciate money even more, and I'm being paid way too much to let you escape."

Reno swung a little quicker this time, but still gave Antilles enough time to block.

"Speaking of which," Antilles said. "Would you mind telling me who it was that put this bounty on my head? I've just been dying to know."

"I'm sure you would like to know that, and perhaps I'll tell you right before I kill you. But for now lets just say it's someone who doesn't like you."

"Well that much is obvious," Antilles said back.

Reno let out a series of attacks, letting the ferocity increase with each one. Eventually Antilles would tire out or make a mistake. Frankly the man should be dead already, he was lucky that Reno was feeling so generous. But this was getting boring. He should probably stop wasting time and just be done with it.

"All right, it's time to end this." Using the Force, Reno deactivated the lightsaber he had given Antilles and pulled it back towards him. He clipped it back to his waist. "On a normal day I'd gladly take you up on that fighter duel, I'd love to see what your pointer could do against my trip. I'm sure I know who would come out on top, though."

Antilles backed up slowly, realizing with a sudden horror that he was running out of space. Reno swung his saber in the air threateningly and was about to make the kill swing when his comlink beeped. He grumbled in annoyance. He used the Force to push the comlink switch, keeping his hands on his lightsaber.

"Lead," he said. "This had better be good."

"This is Three!" yelled back a very panicked voice. "It was an ambush! They had hundreds of more Gungans waiting in the underwater city, I had to retreat!"

"Get a hold of yourself, Three!" he admonished. "You're a Sith!"

"And I'll be dead if I stick around here any longer!" Artoo yelled back. "I'm retreating back to the ships! We need to get out of here!"

"Your mission is not accomplished, Artoo! You stay until those Rogues are dead!"

"No can do, Lead! Maybe you can take on an army by yourself, but I'm a pilot and hacker. Fighting two hundred to one odds isn't my thing. I'm burning for space, I suggest you do the same."

"Three, if I see your fighter up in the air I swear to Sadow I'll bring it down myself!"

"Yeah, well if you're still on the ground I don't see how you can do that. Three out."

Reno muttered some ancient Sith obscenities.

"What's the matter, Lord Baron, your plan falling apart? Wait, you hear that? That sounds like an army advancing on us. Can you see them? Looks like about two hundred more Gungans. You can't fight them all, can you?"

Reno glanced at the advancing army then back at Antilles. This wasn't going to be easy. Two hundred warriors, even Gungan warriors, was nothing to laugh about. Then he heard it, the sound of a snubfighter passing over head. He looked up and saw Artoo's blue striped X-wing pass overhead. He let out an evil smile.

"I can't fight them all?" he repeated. "Just watch me." Reno detached his second lightsaber and activated it. He looked at the X-wing above him, then with all of his might he hurled it upwards. He would've never made it had he just been a normal person, but Reno wasn't a normal person. He was a Sith Lord. Reno closed his eyes and the saber levitated high in the air, higher than it normally could. It shot upwards with the speed of a blaster bolt, spinning a full 360 degrees as it did. When it finally reached Artoo's X-wing the spinning saber cut it's two starboard wings, which were still closed in cruising position.

The X-wing wobbled for a second, then turned and headed towards where Reno and Antilles were. Well, not exactly where they were. It was pointed just above them, at the advancing army. Exactly where Reno wanted it to go. The wounded snubfighter crashed towards the ground like the Executor did at Endor. It roared past his and Antilles heads and crashed right into the beginning of the Gungan army. The snubfighter skidded through the ground, killing Gungan after Gungan until it wiped out the entire army. But there was one problem.

Artoo was climbing out of his snubfighter, banged and bruised but alive. Reno turned to Antilles and smiled. "Watch this." Once again gripping his lightsaber in the Force, he hurled it out towards Artoo. As Artoo looked on in horror the lightsaber burrowed straight through his chest, leaving a smoking hole. The former Sith apprentice dropped to the ground and fell forwards. "That was fun, but now back to you Antilles..."

But Wedge Antilles wasn't there, neither was Celchu.

"Master," he heard his comlink say. "We've got a problem. Fel is running, all of the Rogues are. They're probably heading for their snubfighters. We've got to get to ours first. They may have a head start, but our TIE's are faster than their pointers. We can catch them."

"You really want to fight Rogue Squadron five on two?" he asked his apprentice.

"Master, I wouldn't have it any other way."

Reno smiled. The arrogance...the gallantry...the bravery....the power....Sidrona was the picture perfect image of a Sith. It was such a shame that Reno was going to have to kill him. But not now. Hopefully not for a while.

"Lets get to our fighters, then."

Running full speed they reached their fighters in little under fifteen minutes, which was actually quicker than Reno would've thought. In another five minutes they were in space, right on the tails of Rogue Squadron.

"Running, Antilles? What about that whole fair fight thing you were talking about? I've decided I'd like to give that a shot."

"Not today, Lord Baron. Perhaps some other time."

Reno swore then hit the squadron comm channel. "Four, can we catch them?"

"No, we can't. They've got too much a head start. Their fighters must've been even closer than I thought." There wa a sigh over the comm. "Like he said, Master, another time."

Then as if on cue the five X-wings of Rogue Squadron jumped out. Damn! Damn, damn, damn! Reno had come here with five pilots, the same as Rogue Squadron. In the span of one day he had lost three pilots, while the Rogues had lost none. He had......failed. He had actually failed.

"Master?"

He wasn't used to failure. He had never actually failed at something in his entire life. And not only had he failed, but he had failed miserably. Three pilots dead, one by his own hand. He hadn't killed one of his own since.........Reno shuddered at the memory.

"Master? Are you okay?"

How was he supposed to explain this to ThunderingSilence and JeniViolet? Could he explain it? No, not even he understood it. Three Siths had died fighting Gungans and Ewoks. The thought was mind boggling.

"Master!"

"Huh?" Reno asked.

"I said, are you all right Master?"

"Yes, fine." Reno took a deep breath and composed himself.

"What do we do now?"

"We'll just meet up at the rendezvous point and hope that Thunders mission went better than ours."

Reno sighed as he thought, It couldn't have gone much worse.

Continued...