[b]"Look at the [/b][b]size [/b][b]of that thing!"[/b]
[i]~Red 3, Wedge Antilles[/i]


Kajex had expected the massive Sith Knight to do one of three things- to ignite his lightsaber and charge; to use the Force and try to knock them all down in a single sweep; or to say something profound and threatening to the group of six that stood next to the viewport. What he was not prepared for was Knight Ulfric letting out a bestial roar, stooping to the side and easily tearing a well-secured, bolted-down steel table from the floor and lifting it over his head- the act unnerved the gray wolf badly, have a very bad feeling that what he had just seen was an act of purely natural physical strength, with no aid from the Force. Yet as stunned and tense as he was, he had the presence of mind to shout to everyone in the way.

"[i]Duck[/i]!"

Locke and Kajex hit the floor; Keris and Miles lunged to either side while Talrik rolled behind an upturned table. Only Syrra stood as the Sith Knight hurled the heavy piece of pub furniture at the group- with a look of intense focus, she lifted her paw and stopped the item in midair. A subtle shift in her features and the table flew back at the Knight, the flat tabletop slamming directly against his chest, buckling and bending slightly from the impact.

He didn't budge. No hint of pain, no flicker of annoyance- the man hadn't even staggered back as the table fell to the floor.

"[i]Are you fucking kidding me?[/i]" Kajex whined.

Ulfric abruptly raised his hand and a startled yelp rang out as Talrik was yanked forward, pulled from behind his cover as his satchel was wrenched into the air. Miles sprang forward with a curse, grabbing the fox around the waist and digging his heels into the carpeted floor. Talrik's foot touched on a bolted sitting booth and he pushed back against it with a strained growl, twisting the strap around his wrist as their combined strength kept the satchel in place, hovering in mid-air.

3 separate snap-hiss sounds pierced the air of the pub, as Locke and Keris got to their feet, standing by Syrra with weapons ignited- Keris holding a blade of crimson, Locke with a shaft of deep blue and Syrra with a pillar of bright sapphire, all 3 of them with defiant expressions. Every eye in the pub was drawn to the 3 Force-users standing with their blades at the ready, mutters of relief as they undoubtedly viewed them as Jedi saviors. The relief turned into renewed fear as Ulfric drew his own weapon, thick blood-red shafts of light emerging from each end. Everyone watched as the giant pointed at the hovering satchel, a deep, guttural yet clear voice escaping from his lips as he uttered a single word.

"[i]Mine[/i]."

Keris grimaced. "Great. It's learned to talk, Master."

Locke glared at the larger Knight. "That is not for you, beast! Return to Tesque!"

Ulfric said nothing in response, but it was clear to all that he regarded Locke's demand offensive. With a skillful flourish, the Knight brought his weapon into a ready stance.

Locke glanced briefly to the women on on either side of him. "Can I trust the two of you to put your quarrel behind long enough to fight this lout efficiently?"

Syrra stared at the massive Sith Knight. "Anything to make this easier."

Keris growled at Ulfric rather than the Trianii this time. "As you wish, Master."

They charged as one, circling the Knight as he approached and engaging swiftly, their blades crashing against the giant's weapon as they dodged and struck from multiple sides. Kajex decided against watching the fight unfold, instead turning his attention to Talrik and Miles as they scooted away out of sight- the battle had shifted Ulfric's focus and released his Force grip on the satchel. He scrambled to them quickly, drawing his blaster. Central Rock started to shake as starfighters starting zipping around outside, causing loud, dull thuds to echo through the station.

"You guys alright?" he shouted over the din of the battle and the fearful cries of the pub's patrons as they rushed for the exits.

"We're fine, Captain!" Miles assured him. "We have bigger problems than Ulfric right now." He pointed out the viewport, and Kajex saw immediately what he was referring to- several Imperial vessels carrying large drop pods were circling Central Rock. "AT-RDP ships- they'll try to fire those pods into the hanger to get into the station, fill this place up with as many stormtroopers and shadowtroopers as possible." He grabbed the wolf's arm. "We're not talking about the standard shadowtrooper class- Locke was referring to the remnants of Empire Reborn faction."

Kajex grimaced- the thought of more Force-users on a populated civilian station did not sit well with him. "We need to get back to the [i]Gold Rush.[/i]" A shriek pierced the din and all three turned their attention to the fight in time to see Keris fall to her knees, her calf burned open from a deep, glowing gash. Locke snarled and stabbed at the Knight, only to be backhanded by the giant and sent flying several meters away, landing hard on his stomach near Kajex, stirring feebly. The Knight turned his attention to Syrra, striking at the Trianii repeatedly and crashing against her defense- to no avail, as Syrra demonstrated her growing aptitude in [i]Soresu[/i], deflecting Ulfric's assault and holding her own, backing away slowly.

She failed to noticed her back to the wall, the back of the boot contacting against it and forcing her to stop as she blocked an overhead blow- she quickly shifted her grip, grabbing Ulfric's lightsaber to prevent the upswing, only to find herself lifted off the floor and tossed across the pub towards Kajex. She landed in a combat roll a bit too fast, stopping as Kajex caught her, the Trianii unscathed but her weapon deactivated. With her out of the way, Ulfric blocked a desperate blow from the kneeling Keris before slamming his armored boot into her chest with rib-cracking force, flooring her completely. He raised his weapon overhead, aiming for the Amaran's heart.

"[i]No[/i]!" Locke cried out, a look of anguish on his face as Ulfric prepared to finish his apprentice off. The Knight struck.

His weapon sank into the bare floor as Keris slid away from Ulfric's attack, tugged to safety by a well-focused Trianii using the Force. Keris swore loudly in pain as Syrra grabbed her under the arms and backed away in Locke's direction, the white wolf looking completely relieved that his apprentice hadn't been killed as he approached the two, kneeling next to Keris as he held his blade out defensively. A look of deep hatred was etched into Ulfric's features as he approached.

"We're outmatched," Locke said gravely.

"[i]He's[/i] out-[i]gunned[/i]." Talrik had his weapon out, using a table as an impromptu sniper platform as the rifle whined mechanically. Ulfric noticed the fox taking aim, holding his palm out as his eyes widened.

A tremendously bright blue and white flash filled the pub as he fired a shot with the noise of a turbolaser cannon, almost masking the high-speed energy bolt as it sailed towards Ulfric and slammed into the Sith Knight's chest. This time, Ulfric did [i]not[/i] simply stand as if nothing had happened- everyone gaped as the blast completely blew him back through the pub's entrance, crashing through the hatch and taking out a part of the door frame as the giant sailed through the air like a rag doll into the corridor. Fresh screams of panic and fear sounded as the remaining pub's patrons and those who had been outside watched the scene unfold.

Kajex was the first to move once the giant ceased moving. He grit his teeth, sprinting towards the damaged hatch and stopping once he caught sight of the body- Ulfric's armor had been completely penetrated, a massive crater of metal and leather giving way to an open wound in his midsection as he lay quite still. The wolf let out a sigh of relief, turning back to the 3 Force-sensitives- Syrra was checking Keris' leg wound, while Locke was whispering to his apprentice, holding her close as tears fell from his eyes, a look of joy on his features. Keris seemed alert, even happy despite her injury, smiling at the man who Kajex suspected was more than just her master.

Despite his reluctance to break up the personal scene, he approached the rest of them, taking a moment to ruffle Talrik's hair affectionately. "Kit, that's [i]twice [/i]you've saved our asses from that big bastard- great shot."

"Thanks Kaj," Talrik responded, looking ready to pass out from the excitement.

The captain approached Locke, Keris and Syrra. Locke wiped his face, addressing Syrra. "You saved her- it'll be a long time before I forget that."

Syrra nodded, looking awkward. "Yeah, well you were right- 'just because we're enemies' and all that, like you said..."

Keris narrowed her eyes. "Do you think this really changes anything, bitch?" she snapped.

Syrra smiled softly. "Yeah I do, cunt."

Keris stared at her for a few moments, before her muzzle split into a sardonic smile. "Fine. I won't kill you today."

"I appreciate it, Keris."

Kajex cleared his throat, getting their attention. "As much as I like the progress you two are making, we shouldn't stick around- not if we should expect more lightsabers to pop up soon. Can you walk, Keris?"

She turned to the Trianii, wincing. "It hurts pretty bad, how is it?"

Syrra gave the wound a more thorough look, opening her satchel and withdrawing her medkit, unrolling bacta patches and a painkiller shot. "Bad, but easily salvageable. 3 hours submerged in bacta, tops. No allergies?" Keris shook her head, whining as Syrra jabbed the shot into her thigh. "Don't be a baby, it'll help with the pain," she admonished the vixen as she wrapped the wound with a patch and gauze. Once she was done, Locke got the Amaran back onto her feet, supporting her injured side.

Miles jogged up to them, rifle in hand with a grim look on his face. "Sir, they've started launching deployment pods- we should go."

Locke shook his head. "Not until Captain Surnahm leaves with the Yoke in his possession," the Knight insisted. "And our vessel is likely to be locked down, anyway- we'll have to accompany your group, Captain, if you trust us to."

"We're at bay 3, it's not far from here." Kajex growled irritably. "I'm going to kick Kyle in the balls when we get back to Yavin 4, I swear... '[i]couldn't be easier[/i]' my ass..."






The chaos of the Imperial attack on the array had done much to alter the environment in just the few minutes since it had started- though the corridors had been crowded since they had arrived, they had also been fairly well-kept, the storefronts open to any and all. Now the corridors had only a fraction of visitors running through the littered and damaged halls, while most of the shops were sealed tight, their inhabitants cowering within and hoping the attack would blow over. The siren continued to sound the entire time, the sound echoing along with the rapid footfalls of 5 pairs of sprinting feet- Keris' leg injury prevented her from adding to the percussion, supported on either side by Locke and Miles.

The siren paused briefly, a static crackle bursting into the overhead sound systems as they sprinted through the corridors. "Squad 7, get to the northern flank and cut off those Imperial reinforcements!" Ray's drawling voice barked through the speakers. "Do not allow them remain in the primary docks! Captain Surnahm, if you're hearing this- get you and your team to your designated hangar immediately! Your cargo is coming, just give me 20 minutes!"

Kajex swore as they rounded a corner, catching sight of armed station guards in teal uniforms taking cover behind concrete pillars. Ahead of them, a squad of Imperial stormtroopers were laying down suppressing fire, filling most of the corridor with blaster bolts. "Dammit, the hangar is [i]right there[/i]!" he shouted, pointing to the right side of the hall and feeling like their luck couldn't get any worse.

Locke shifted Keris into Miles' arms as he lit his weapon, Syrra following suit behind him as Talrik slid into a prone position and returned fire. "I've got the trash covered, Captain- get the door open!" Kajex watched briefly as he and Syrra advanced slowly on the squad, deflecting their blaster bolts and allowing the station guards to move from covering, pressing the attack as they kept behind the two. Keeping out of the guards' line of fire he squeezed off a few shots with his pistol, advancing behind them until he was close to the door, sprinting the remaining distance and slapping the controls.

Nothing happened- the hatch had been locked down remotely.

Swearing once again he pulled out his slicing pad, prepared to hook into the wall terminal and force the door open. Just as he plugged in, his eyes were drawn to the center of the hatch, which was glowing yellow with heat. With incredible reflexes Kajex threw himself out of the way, just as a red shaft of light pierced through the door and slashed upward where he'd been standing. He staggered back with a yelp, drawing his vibrosword and pistol just as the door burst open and two human males with black armor and lightsabers charged through.

The first Dark Jedi was not agile nor skilled enough to block or deflect Kajex's blaster bolt, dropping to the floor with a clean hole burned into his right eye socket. The second one was lucky enough to have time to react before the wolf could fire another shot, slashing through the barrel and powercell swiftly, narrowly missing his trigger-finger. Sparing a grim glance to the now useless weapon, he tossed it away and backed up, raising his blade just in time to counter-blow an overhead swing and knocking the assailant off-balance. Before the Dark Jedi could regain his footing, Kajex stabbed him through the chest, ending him with a strangled cry that died as quickly as he did. After a moment of struggling and failing to withdraw his blade form the corpse he grunted and pushed the body away, leaving the weapon behind.

"Door's open, help me secure the ship," Kajex called back over the deafening din of blaster fire, nerves on end. Deciding he'd rather be armed poorly than not at all, he stooped to grab one of the unused lightsabers while he looked through the ruined hatch. Three Imperial officers were crouched near the ramp of his ship, trying to slice into the [i]Gold Rush's[/i] security. Cursing himself for not bringing a rifle along with his now-inoperable sidearm he sprinted into the hangar, ducking and taking cover behind a stack of recycled metal as two of the officers drew and opened fire on him.

"Don't scratch the ship!" Kajex barked in panic as Talrik sprinted in after him, diving headfirst into a sniper position with his C-rifle. Half a second later Kajex wondered why he even bothered worrying in the first place- Talrik's aim was true even with the explosive weapon, the 4-meter blast radius blowing away all 3 infiltrators without dinging the ramp. Happy though he was that Talrik had prevented them from breaching the ship, trepidation set in as he approached slowly.

Talrik spared a glance at him. "What's wrong, Kaj?"

"They were trying to break in- I don't know how much time they had left before they would have gotten in, but... they might have been here long enough for them to set an explosive, plant a tracking device or some other bullshit," the wolf explained tensely as he keyed in the code, turning in time to see Syrra and Locke approach the ship, Miles and Keris not far behind. He addressed Syrra. "Get inside, but watch yourself- get the ship's sensors online and tell me if you see anything out of place. Kit, get a word with one of the station guards, figure out when and where Ray's passenger is going to show up." He watched as Syrra sprinted up the ramp and disappeared into the ship, while Talrik started jogging towards the hangar entrance.

Locke looked over the ship with an expression of minor concentration. "You ship is clean, captain- or appears to be, at least."

Kajex shook his head as he strode up the ramp. "I don't want to take any chances, Locke. It's clear you're pretty powerful for a Sith, but I'd prefer to have double-confirmation- I've had enough nasty surprises for one day."

"Am I among those nasty surprises?" the white wolf asked lightly as he looked around, spotting Syrra in the cockpit as they move through the lounge.

Kajex grinned. "Shit no, you're about the only good thing that's happened today- not least because you're keeping my ass covered. Hold on a second, I need a rifle- I'd rather not have to rely on a lightsaber."

Locke waited at the hatch to the armory, looking around approvingly as his gray-pelted counterpart searched through the equipment. "She's an impressive ship inside-and-out, particularly for an ancient old bird."

"I agree," Kajex replied as he pulled an old slugthrower from an overhead rack. "That's why I intend to put down any asshole that comes near it without my permission right now." He started rummaging through a nearby locker, extracting several magazines of ammunition.

"A slugthrower, Kajex? Really?" Locke eyed the rifle with slight disdain. "A blaster rifle, fine, but something so primitive?"

"Hey, I swear by slugthrowers in situations like this, buddy," Kajex responded defensively, slapping a mag into the longrifle. "Let's see those Reborn try to deflect an armor-piercing round moving at 15 hundred meters a second. Syrra, are we clean?" he shouted as they left the armory.

"We're clean, they didn't attach anything to the hull, and the ship's been locked since we left," she responded, jogging into the lounge just as Miles and Keris slowly made their way to the lounge chairs, the Trianii helping Keris into one of the seats. "That means Ray's passenger hasn't arrived yet, we're going to need to hold out till they get here. I started warming up her engines so we can leave immediately."

Talrik appeared at the ramp. "Their squad leader says Ray and the passenger are being transported via secured access tunnel. It'll be slow going but it's safe and allows Ray to stay alive while issuing commands- they said to give him about 20 minutes, tops. For the moment the squad is outside the ship and have been told to hold this hangar and follow your orders."

"What about the ISD out there?" Kajex asked.

"Ray sent out a distress signal for Republic support- Ray's pilots are giving the Remnant hell, but they don't have anything to throw at a Star Destroyer. Republic is on its way, it could take another 30 minutes for them to reach us."

Locke stepped forward. "This appears to be your show, Captain. How can we help?"

Kajex chuckled humorlessly. "Never thought I'd live to see the day when two Sith and an Imperial specialist would be helping me survive." He glanced at Miles and Talrik, mind racing to come up with a plan. "Here's what we'll do."






Injured though she was, Keris was still able to aid the group by helping Syrra and Locke construct a crude barricade against the hangar's hatch using the stacks of recycled durasteel lining the walls and the Force to prop the heavy sheets into position. With plenty of scrap left over, Kajex guided their efforts and used at least 5 minutes of time to get sufficient cover set up for the 8 remaining squad members that had accompanied them. Outside, the thundering sound of ship cannons impacting Central Rock shook dust from the ceiling, though a few of the guards noted positively that no alarm had sounded which indicated that the array's gravity wells had been hit- the automated turrets covering each emitter appeared to be doing their job splendidly, warding away or destroying the Imperial fighters.

Kajex had taken the case from Talrik and hidden it in a smuggler's compartment on the ship. Though he trusted Locke not to go back on his word, he decided to play it safe in the event that someone got on his ship to look for it- he couldn't trust that Knight Ulfric hadn't informed his own men what it was they were attempting to find.

Ray's voice sounded through Central Rock's speaker system. "Captain Surnahm, you have incoming- they're sending everything on Central Rock towards your location!"

Kajex turned to the Sith Knight with a grim look on his face. "Could you convince them to back off using the Force?" he asked.

Locke sighed. "Much as I'd like to make things that easy, no. Such mind tricks only work against the undisciplined or foolish. Stormtroopers have generally come a long way- the Remnant has introduced mental conditioning into troopers expected to be a part of special operations like these." He gestured to Miles, who was crouching next to Talrik with his rifle at the ready. "I chose Lieutenant Lohess particularly for that quality. And my ability to dominate minds is even less effective on trained Force-sensitives like the Reborn."

"Get ready, they're massing at the hatch," Syrra warned them, peering through the physical and sensing their presence on the other side.

The defenders settled into position moments before an explosion rocked the hatch-end of the hangar, blowing apart the heavy stacks of durasteel to all sides. Talrik was the first to fire, a blue-hued blast engulfing the first 3 troopers to step into the room and blowing them apart. 6 more stormtroopers sprinted in and laid down suppressing fire, moving to find cover as their comrades followed. Heat and light filled the hangar as both sides traded fire, shots either splashing against the magnetic field, popping against the [i]Gold Rush [/i]or exploding against the hangar walls, adding to the din of the firefight.

Only two lightsabers were lit through it all, both blue in color, as Locke and Syrra deflected incoming fire, occasionally sending a bolt back into the fray and killing the unfortunate troopers from a distance. They were content to remain back and allow Talrik, Miles and the security forces do the heavy fighting, which seemed to be in their favor as the Imperials struggled through the chokepoints, trying to wade past their own dead comrades.

Without warning, 3 black-armored soldiers sprang through the debris and among the bodies of the troops, crouching with their lightsabers drawn- one raised his hand, using the Force to lift a giant sheet of durasteel into the air and propelling it towards the firing line. Screams rent the air as half of the security force was smashed beneath the scrap. Before the Dark Jedi could do it again, Talrik sent him flying through the air with a well-placed shot- Kajex dropped another with a shot from his slugthrower, just as another 2 took their fallen allies' place.

It was then that Locke charged into the fray with a snarl, crossing the gap between both firing positions with a single, Force-aided leap and bringing his lightsaber down, cleaving the nearest Dark Jedi cleanly in half. Kajex watched in awe and slight fear as he watched the Knight tear into the fray, easily matching the 3 remaining Dark Jedi in lightsaber combat with abrupt, unpredictable yet powerful movements that shred through their enemies' defenses and caused them to backpedal away. Kajex had not doubted that Locke was truly a Sith- but the white wolf's rage and violence were so far removed from the man he knew that he almost seemed unrecognizable.

The firefight continued as Locke kept the 3 Dark Jedi at bay, with acrid smell of burning durasteel and ozone thick in the air as blaster bolts continued to fly. 2 more security went down and did not get up. Though Kajex was by no means low on physical ammunition, the same could not be said for Talrik, as the fox swore and slung the rifle over his back, starting to shuffle quickly back towards the ship. "Kaj, I'm heading to the armo--"

His words were cut off as an aimed blaster bolt caught him dead in his chestplate. Kajex watched in silent horror as his Amaran pack-mate was thrown back, the force of the blast sliding across the floor, a thin plume of smoke trailing behind as he came to a halt, his concussion rifle clattering at his feet. With a cry of anguish the wolf sprinted towards the soldier, sliding to his side and panicking as Talrik continued to lay still- Syrra followed closely, having felt the pain of their lover as he was struck.

"No, nononono [i]FUCK[/i]!" He grabbed Talrik, forcing the fox up and holding him in his arms as his vision started blurring with tears- the bolt had destroyed the armor and pierced into his chest. "C'mon, don't quit on us! Don't do this to me, kit!!!"

A twitch ran through Talrik's body, followed by a deep gasp and violent coughing as he jerked awake, agony etched into his features as he grabbed the wolf's arms reflexively, whining loudly with pain as blood ran down his chin. "H-hurts... so much..." Relief washed over both him and Syrra as he looked up at them with alert eyes.

Syrra turned to the fray. "Miles, get over here!" The wolf watched as Locke's aide squeezed off 2 more bursts from his rifle before crouching and moving to the pair, a look of concern on his face.

"How bad is he?"

"Very bad," Kajex said, wiping his eyes. "Get him onto the ship, hook him up to the life-support unit in the armory, and don't come back out until that bacta starts flowing!" Miles nodded, collecting Talrik's c-rifle and grabbing the fox around the waist, moving him out of the fray up the ship's ramp. Kajex grit his teeth. "What the fuck is taking Ray so long!?" he snarled, feeling the pressure of the situation wearing down on him- both Keris and Talrik were injured, Miles was occupied, Locke was still engaged in combat with 2 Dark Jedi and only 2 more security officers remained, and yet Ray and his passenger were nowhere to be seen.

Seconds later, the last 2 security officers went down, felled by the remaining troopers' firepower. The best that could be said was that they had blackened the assault force's eye, leaving a slew of bodies at the hangar's hatch. Syrra drew her pistol and returned to the fight with renewed vigor, anger evident at her features as she sought to put Talrik's would-be murderer's to an end. That same anger coursed through Kajex as he advanced carelessly towards the remaining troops, his rifle kicking into his shoulder repeatedly as he gunned them down, their armor failing to stand up to his ammunition. One of the last few soldiers remaining knelt to the ground, a rocket launcher set against his shoulder as he aimed at Syrra. A jolt of fear ran through Kajex as he fired, only for that fear to be erased as the Trianii redirected the missile back towards the soldier. The resulting explosion blasted apart the last few troopers.

Locke strode towards them, looking grim and glancing around. "I put down the Reborn scum. Where's Miles and Talrik?"

Kajex breathed in despite the growing tightness in his chest, trying to keep calm. "Kid took a bolt to the chest. He's still alive... for now."

Sympathy registered on Locke's face as he put a comforting paw on the captain's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I gathered that you two were very close. We should see to him before the station commander arrives."

"We can't," Syrra said in a hushed tone, a look of fear in her eyes as she stared back at the hangar's entrance. Both wolves followed her gaze.

Though the entryway had been reduced to rubble and dust, smoke and debris clouding the area, all three of them could see the giant outline of a dark-robed figure. The noise of the space battle outside seemed to be reduced to silence as the gargantuan footfalls of Knight Ulfric echoed through the hangar, a look of seething hatred fixed on his face.

Kajex gaped. "He... how... [i]you can't fucking be serious!!! What does it take to kill this guy!?![/i]"

Locke groaned. "I was worried a shot like that wasn't going to be enough." His eyes narrowed, watching as Ulfric approached. "He's hurting, though."

It seemed true enough- though Ulfric looked ready to kill, he was hunched over, his shoulders slumped and his knees bent as he staggered towards them. The slow approach was threatening enough to Kajex that he raised his rifle and aimed, only to find himself flung forward, the weapon torn from his paws and into the grasp of the giant. The wolf watched as the Sith Knight bent the weapon in half and tossed it aside, igniting his weapon. Syrra lifted her pistol and fired- the attack was no better than Talrik's back on Abaat, the bolts dissipating harmlessly against Ulfric's open palm.

Still prone on the floor and unarmed, Kajex watched as Locke sprinted forward with his lightsaber ignited. Syrra holstered her blaster and knelt next to her lover briefly, squeezing his shoulder. "I'm going to help him." Kajex nodded, knowing he couldn't keep her back and finding himself unable to speak as she ran ahead to fight by Locke's side. He watched the two, noting with dismay that even with his injuries Ulfric was still capable enough of a combatant to keep them at bay.

A large clatter to his left diverted his attention, the captain blinking as part of the durasteel floor started to shift, 3 pairs of gloved hands struggling to move the enormous floor plate. Kajex hurried to the hidden hatch, grunting as he lifted with the men beneath and tossing the thick sheet of steel aside. His eyes fell on the passage beneath- a steep ramp led into a hall large enough for 3 average men to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, dimly lit and with a low ceiling. The wolf immediately understood why it had taken so long for Ray and his 3 armed assistants to reach the hangar. He backed up as they pulled a mobile stasis pod behind them, letting them by as he helped Ray out.

The commander looked only slightly worse for wear, a large bruise on his face- but he looked grim as his eyes fell on the 3 Force-sensitives fighting at the other end of the hangar. "Another Jedi friend of yours?" he asked, eyeing Locke and his blue blade with interest.

Remembering what one mercenary had told Kajex about remaining honest around Ray, he shook his head, swallowing. "A Sith Knight, actually. He's lending us aid."

Ray frowned. "Not a good idea."

"This one saved my life, Ray," Kajex responded firmly. "And against that huge bastard they're fighting, I'll take [i]any[/i] help I can get. What's the situation?"

"Republic warships are another 15 minutes out, but the ISD is keeping its distance. We still have pockets of stormtroopers around Central Rock and in some of the array- it's like these guys were just sent here to have their asses kicked, I don't understand it," Ray said as they pushed the stasis pod into the ship. Taking a glance back at the fight with his nerves on edge, Kajex followed reluctantly.

"I know why- it's meant to be a diversion. That giant Sith Knight wants the Sith artifact to bring back to his master. Locke was sent by a rival master to have the artifact destroyed. This entire attack was supposed to keep us busy while that giant kills us and takes the case." He directed the staff to the lounge, watching as they secured the stasis pod next to the wall. "We need to get out of here, Ray."

The commander shook his head, smiling. "No, [i]you[/i] need to get out of here, you and your allies. [i]I[/i] need to stick around with my people and make sure they're protected. Once Republic support gets here, we'll drive off the rest of the Remnant scum. We'll be fine."

"You'd better be," Kajex said, holding his paw out.

Ray took it, shaking with the captain. He hesitated a moment. "It was good seeing you again, kid. Take care of yourself." He motioned to his staff and headed down the ramp, his men following quickly.

Kajex followed a few moments later, watching the last of them disappear down the hidden passage for a moment before turning his eyes back to the fight, running to the where Syrra and Locke were still dueling. The fight was going poorly for them- even with Ulfric's injuries, he had managed to score glancing blows on both Jedi and Sith fighters, their coats and pelts burned and singed in areas. While exhaustion seemed to be evident in both Kajex's allies, Ulfric seemed to only be getting stronger.

The wolf's heart leapt in his chest as he saw the knight twist and slash upward, catching Syrra along the right arm and causing a deep, burning gash ran from near her elbow to her wrist. The Trianii screamed as she fell, lightsaber clattering to the floor- Ulfric turned his attention to her, intent on finishing her. He would have done so, had Locke not jumped onto the giant's back with a snarl and run the knight through with his lightsaber, the royal-blue energy blade jutting out from the behemoth's shoulder, giving Kajex enough time to sprint to his lover's side.

He helped her up as the Trianii hissed in pain. "Randi is onboard and we're clear to leave- can you fly?"

Syrra nodded, growling slightly as she tried to focus through the pain. "Just get me to the ship."

"Kajex, get Syrra and the rest out of here!" Locke snarled as he struggled to stay atop Ulfric. "This one is mine!"

Kajex grimaced and complied, guiding Syrra back to the ship as quickly as possible. A sharp yelp turned his attention back to the fight, just in time to see Locke fly through the air and slam into the hangar wall with bone-shattering force. The captain hesitated as he saw his Sith friend fall to the floor, now disarmed. The white wolf stirred feebly as Ulfric staggered in place, pain registering on his face and mixing with his rage. Kajex felt fear run through him as the giant Knight started to limp toward Locke.

A voice, calm and kind, echoed in the wolf's memories.

"[i]Injustice only prevails when you let it, pup."[/i]

It was as if he knew exactly what he had to do. Without a moment of hesitation he broke off from Syrra, ignoring the Trianii's shouts as he sprinted towards Ulfric, grabbing Syrra's abandoned Jedi weapon with an agile lunge. He rolled back onto his feet with the Trainii's weapon activated and attacked, slashing at the Sith Knight and forcing him to defend himself as their weapons locked against each other. The Knight glared at the much smaller captain- and Kajex glared right back, damned if he would cower any longer behind friends and allies. Ulfric's strength was tremendous as he ground his crimson energy blade into the bright sapphire blade, but the wolf pushed back, growling defiantly.

It was long enough for Locke to shake away his disorientation, picking up his weapon and charging in again. Ulfric broke the saber-lock, dividing his attention to the white wolf and blocking his first blow. Drawing on all his training in swordplay, Kajex kept up with Locke as the two shifted the tide of the battle, their blue blades striking hard and fast as Ulfric was forced to back away from the assault. Locke advanced as the aggressor, jabbing and slashing at openings and preventing the brute from attacking effectively- Kajex supported defensively, blocking stray blows and parrying Ulfric's thrusts to create openings. Working in tandem with an efficiency neither of them expected, they drove Ulfric further away from the [i]Gold Rush[/i], until he was almost at the ruined hatch.

With his back figuratively to the wall, Ulfric let out a challenging bellow, charging at Kajex with a slash aimed as his neck- the wolf countered, ducking beneath the blade and swinging into the blow, knocking Ulfric off balance- the brute staggered, giving Locke a clear opening. The white wolf spun and dropped to his knees, slashing cleanly and thoroughly through Ulfric's midsection. Both of them watched as Ulfric's look of rage was replaced with that of shock and fear, as his legs seemed to cease functioning. The giant regarded each of them with a look of wonder for a few seconds, before he fell over in two directions- his lower torso falling towards them as his upper torso toppled away.

The scene seemed to freeze as they stared at the dying Sith Knight- the smell of smoke and blood, the rumble of explosions throughout Central Rock and the sound of the station siren; all seemed to be distant and irrelevant to both of them. Neither of them seemed able to speak, even as they glanced at each other, panting from the exertion. It was to Syrra's call that they were both roused.

"Stop staring at the bastard and [i]get in here[/i]!" she snarled.

Kajex was the first to completely snap out of it, his lover's voice bringing him back to the present. He deactivated Syrra's lightsaber and grabbed Locke's shoulder, coaxing his albino counterpart to follow as they both sprinted for the [i]Gold Rush[/i].






Despite her injury, Syrra was able to get the ship out of the hangar and into hyperspace in less time than Kajex had expected. By the time he had reached the cockpit, Syrra had everything set up and prepared, having set coordinates to a blind 3-minute jump into lightspeed by the time he sat down. He only stayed for as long as it took for the nav-computer to finish calculations, pulling the ship into hyperspace once it was done.

Now every one of them, minus Talrik, was seated in the lounge, exhaustion evident in all of them. But for the sound of hyperspace rolling along the hull and Locke softly explaining what had occurred to Miles and Keris as they waited in the ship, there was silence in the ship. They all listened, Syrra working to mend her severe wound while Locke talked.

The account ended with Ulfric's bisection- neither Miles nor Keris seemed to believe it. "So... he's dead?" Keris asked.

Locke looked up from the holotable at Keris, letting out a sigh. "If the fates be so kind, then yes. But I could feel him even as we left the station- he wasn't dead then. I don't think I'll sleep well until I see his cold, dead corpse for sure." He looked to Kajex. "I... I have you to thank, my friend. He had me. The only reason I'm still alive after being tossed into the wall is because of your intervention."

"Locke, don't ment--"

"No, it's important you understand my gratitude," the wolf said, swallowing and looking awkward. "Not even an hour ago, I admitted that if I had to cut you down for standing in our way, that I would. That... hasn't changed, I'm ashamed to confess- I have my reasons for remaining so obedient. But believe me... you've made the prospect of having to do so far more difficult, now that I'm indebted to you so deeply."

Kajex sighed, smiling blandly. "Hell... what are friends for, right?"

"Completely insane," Syrra muttered as she wrapped her arm in bandages, though she smiled.

Keris nodded, rolling her eyes. "I know..."

Miles stretched, his eyeless gaze directed at at the sealed stasis pod. "What happens now?" he asked curiously. "I ask because it would be accurate to say that we three are Imperial Remnant personnel onboard a Republic-affiliated vessel. Do you intend to take us in?"

Kajex scoffed. "Right. 2-to-3 odds, with my co-pilot and student injured and my marksman severely injured? Against an Imperial specialist and 2 Sith? I didn't make a living as a merc being stupid, Lieutenant." He sighed, putting his face in his paws as exhaustion settled into his nerves. "I wasn't expecting this to happen, to be honest. I thought you guys would stick around to see us off, like Locke said. You guys obviously came in on your own ship."

"It would not have been the best course of action for us," Locke replied. "Ulfric knows our vessel, he would have told those under his command to shoot it down. Wasn't exactly a decent vessel, either- we had to travel low-key to get entry to Central Rock."

"Well, then you should probably stick to being low-key," Kajex replied. He took a moment to think. "I figure your best bet would be for me to jump into the Outer Rim, maybe Tatooine or Da Soocha V, where you can book a ship back into Imperial territories. Sound good?"

Locke nodded. "Well, we hardly have many other options- and we have vast resources to draw from either way."

"In the meantime, you guys look like you could use a break. So rather than thinking yourselves prisoners on a Republic ship, consider yourselves guests." He stood, handing Syrra her lightsaber back. "Could you take them to the crew quarters, kitten?"

Syrra smiled tiredly and nodded. "I'll come back after to help you set up a route to the Outer Rim."

"No, you won't," Kajex responded gently, putting a paw on her shoulder. "[i]You're[/i] going to go into my quarters and get some rest, too. I'll be fine, you guys did most of the heavy lifting today."

"You sure?"

The wolf nodded, smiling as he nuzzled her. "You forget- there was a time when I [i]didn't[/i] have you around. I can manage." Reassured that Kajex would be fine, she complied, helping Keris to her feet and guiding Miles and Locke into the crew quarters.






"You told her you'd be fine. I don't think she'd be pleased to see you dozing."

Kajex jumped in his seat, roused from his brief nap as Locke stood at the entrance to the cockpit, smiling gently. The captain sighed, straightening up- he'd closed his eyes after putting the ship into hyperspace, the soothing sight having sedated him slightly. "H-hey Locke," he yawned, a tired whine squeaking from his muzzle. "It's, ah... it's been a busy day for everybody."

Locked nodded. "That it has- and as much as you insist that everyone else did the heavy lifting, I feel this entire debacle has taken a larger toll on you."

The gray wolf smiled. "I appreciate you thinking so, but really- I'm fine. What brings you up here?"

"Well, Syrra checked up on your vulpine friend- he's stable and out of danger, and she expects him to make a quick recovery once you get back to the Praxeum. I offered to convey the news to you, and she allowed me to." He hesitated, gesturing to the copilot's seat. "May I?" Kajex nodded and he seated himself next to the captain. "I was wondering if we might chat a bit- provided you're not too exhausted."

"Anything to keep me awake," Kajex responded, perking up a bit at the good news. He found himself smiling as he guessed at what Locke wanted to talk about. "So... you're probably wondering where I picked up skill with a lightsaber, or maybe why I referred to Syrra as my copilot and student."

"Are you a Jedi Knight?" Locke asked directly, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Kajex smiled. "I am not a Jedi Knight, Locke."

The white wolf stared at Kajex for a while, before sighing. "No... you're not lying. I can see it in you- you're being honest." He chuckled humorlessly. "I had almost hoped you were, to be honest. I think it would make the similarities between us a bit more ironic."

"How so?"

Locke cocked his head. "Do you not think we look alike, you and I? We stand at almost exactly the same height, we're both unknown wolf-like non-humans, we have the same build- were it not for our different pelt and eye colors, I might think we were related."

Kajex hesitated, frowning a little- he had not thought about it before, and as he had no other examples to compare to he knew he might never be sure, but now that Locke mentioned it it almost did seem like they were remarkably similar. "I'm sure we have key differences," the gray wolf assured him, though he wondered.

"Like what?"

Kajex grinned, thinking of the funniest difference they might have. "10 inches, exactly- black."

Locke blinked, confused for a moment- the moment passed and a look of comprehension and appeared along with a slight flush. "A-ah, right..." He cleared his throat. "10 inches, exactly. … Red."

Kajex laughed. "I think I see what you're trying to get at, but you have to remember- I was born long before you were, probably near or on Corellia, while you were born, what, 17, 16 BBY? And you were on Coruscant. I don't think the 'long-lost brother' angle applies to us," the wolf stated, unable to help feeling a little disappointed.

"You're probably right," Locke conceded, sighing wistfully. "I suppose it'll have to be enough knowing that you and I exist. I just think it would have been a little funny if we [i]were[/i] related, picking up on opposite ends of Force-philosophy. But then... I suppose such an affiliation would have gotten you killed long before I could meet you."

"Good point," Kajex agreed.

"All that said... you proved an excellent sword-handler- one I'm glad to have fought alongside of. I still have to ask where you picked up on it, to keep up so well."

Kajex leaned back. "I used to have a bunch of holovids that my parents gave to me after they adopted me. They were old instructional videos about 6 of the 7 lightsaber combat forms. I mean, most mercs even back then used to replicate Jedi fighting styles and implement them with vibroswords- and a good vibrosword can be invaluable in my line of work when you don't have a blaster on hand."

"So you trained out of necessity?"

"And boredom, as I told Syrra. She did a lot to help me get back into the swing of it, too. And I'm not regretting a moment of it, not after all this bullshit with the Sith- no offense," he added politely.

"None taken," Locke replied pleasantly. "But as for you referring to Syrra as a 'student'...?"

"Oh, that?" Kajex chuckled. "Skywalker wanted me to teach her the things I know- slicing, piloting, stealth and technical crap. The idea is to mix her ability with the Force with pragmatic civilian skills. She's a pretty sharp learner, too."

"That seems inefficient, if you don't mind my saying so," Locke said skeptically.

The captain shrugged. "She's picked up on the Force pretty well on her own- you saw her chuck that table back at the pub. But there's no harm in learning skills more grounded in civilian settings. I mean, you could use the Force to trick a guard into letting you into a secure server room- but the Force doesn't exactly offer you shortcuts to slicing, demolitions or knowing exactly how to repair machinery, you know? So Skywalker figured I'd be an ideal mentor for her, since she and I were... well..."

"Fucking each other?" Locke supplied with an amused smile.

Kajex grinned sheepishly. "That obvious, I guess?"

"Captain Surnahm, I think you've spent far too long on this ship, that it's caused you to miss the subtle scents throughout your vessel. It's not just Syrra- you've been having at it with Talrik, haven't you."

Kajex chuckled nervously. "What can I say? I told you earlier, I somehow become attracted to people who save my life."

"Does that include me?" Locke asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kajex shuffled. "I, er... well, at the risk of Keris overhearing and having my head removed... sure, you strike me as a handsome guy," he admitted. "But, uh... let's not dwell on that until a time when neither of us might have to kill the other, you know?"

Locke chuckled. "Fair enough."

