Sirian Vaat

Consul Haan's wicked smile melted away as Per-Ja pressed the hilt of the lightsaber under his jaw. His brow creased with concern and he lifted his one hand, and the stump that had once been his other hand, unthreateningly at his sides. "Now, now ... " he gulped, looking into the bright eyes of the young Jedi. He could sense the nature of this one easily enough to know Per-ja would have no qualms with activating the weapon with a flick of his thumb. The consul eyed him for a moment. The wicked smile hinted in his yellow eyes. "You have defeated my apprentice. I commend you. I have wished him dead for some time now. You have done what I never could." He sighed with contentment.

Wick, holding his side with one hand, came to join them. With his blaster in his other hand, he jabbed the consul in the side and waved his weapon towards the computer terminal. The quarren obliged, keeping his three-fingered hands out to his sides as he moved to the terminal.

"Identification," Wick growled, jabbing the consul in the back with his weapon once again. He winced, scowling over his shoulder at the zabrak. He then chuckled as he looked down at the monitor where the system awaited his identification password.

"You think my confession to the quarren people will stop anything, Jedi?" he said openly. "You don't think they've already learned of my betrayal? My people are fools, yes; but even they and the mon calamari must have learned of this grand deception by now." He paused then, looking down at the terminal that awaited his identification confirmation. His eyes were rimmed with fluid, as if his mind had drifted away then.

"... I wanted my people to be strong," he continued, his voice faltering with emotion and anger. "The empire promised they'd support a quarren king, but ... I realized too late their real intent. By then, there was nothing I could do to stop the imperial machine. I thought that ... if I joined the sith that I could at least lead my people myself and ensure their survival, but ... "

Wick looked to the others with a curious expression, unsure what to think of the consul's change in demeanor. His instincts told him to stay alert. Another jab in the consul's back and Wick reiterated his previous demand. "ID, Consul. No more stalling." He looked over his shoulder to Eliian and shrugged. "You may still be able to save your people, if you cooperate. You can live through this."

The consul chuckled as tears ran down the tentacles of his mouth. He wiped them away, and then keyed in his identification. "I should never have dealt with the empire. What happens to me ... doesn't matter anymore."

An automated voice played as the terminal confirmed the consul's identification ...

Identification Confirmed ... Consul Haan

Security Redundancy Activated by User Entry

Self-Destruct Sequence Initiated ...

30 Seconds Until Complete Facility Meltdown...

29 ... 28 ...

Wick shoved the consul out of the way, his hands a flurry of movement over the terminal controls. "I can't stop it! He activated the self-destruct just by logging in!"

The consul recovered, holding onto the catwalk railing with one hand as he moved off to the side. He looked out over the factory floor, thinking of his people and of the events that have and would unfold. "You still have time," he said absently. He gestured to one side, where rows of speeder-craft were being carried aloft by automated conveyor belts. He called on the Force and brought one of the small vessels near to them, holding it aloft next to the catwalk. "Go."

The craft's canopy opened, revealin the multi-personnel compartment within. Wick did not hesitate to hop over the railing and into the ship, immediately powering up the controls and eyeing the distant hangar exit at the far end of the factory. "Let's go!'

"I'll be staying here," Consul Haan said quietly, not looking to them but still out over the factory works. His tone was absolute. Computer panels throughout the complex began to spark, and electrical arcs jumped from machine to machine. Cranes powered down, dropping their productions to the factory floor and causing small explosions that sent mechanical debris into the air. The massive geothermal generators began to overheat, their reinforced plating glowing hot orange as the meltdown began. Metal rained down from above and blew all around like fireflies, hot with the rising heat of the machines. Consul Haan's robes swept out from him in the explosions' breeze.

As the Remnants boarded the craft, Consul Haan reached down and retrieved his lightsaber from the catwalk. He eyed the red glow of the crystal emanating from within its hilt. He felt shame, guilt. He then turned and called to Per-ja. "Here," he said quietly, tossing the weapon to the young Jedi. "Please ... destroy it, and ... when they ask, tell them the truth of me and what I did here. The truth." He waited for no reply, simply turning back to look out over the rising destruction of the imperial factory works, waiting for his much deserved death.

One of the geothermal generators suddenly cracked, sending a river of molten fire pouring out into the factory and showering the nearby area with furious electrical surges. The floor of the factory itself began to crack as a quake beneath them began to erupt.

"Time to go! Now!" Wick urged them, slamming a fist on the console of the speeder repeatedly as he waited for the others to board.

(ALL)

"Ahhh, we have a problem down here!" Boomer shouted into his helm comlink as he sent a flurry of repeater fire into the ranks of Octi, now swarming down upon them near the crystal monument. He glanced over his shoulder to Padawan Brega, the young chiss doing his best to Force-Push the ominous creatures away from them while simultaneously concentrating on the crystal to disrupt the mind-controlling efforts of Lord Bast, far away at the top of the city's highest tower. "We can't hold them! Do something, quick!" Boomer shouted again, cursing under his breath. The Octi were falling by a dozen per second with his cannon's rate of fire, but there was an endless wave of them surging in on them. The two Remnants moved about the city's center place, completely surrounding as the octi poured in from above and every side. Boomer grunted as he supported the weight of his heavy repeater with his strongest arm, and with his free hand began lobbing grenades into the throng of octi.

Brega's breathing was eradict as he fought to thwart the distant Bast's efforts, distracting him with his own mental attacks and whatever disruptive projections he could impose upon him; but it was a battle he was losing, as the relentless octi before him demanded more immediate attention. Waving a hand this way and that, the young Jedi sent waves of Force energy at the enemy, sending droves of them crashing into building walls that crumbled from the impact, while others went spinning end over end into the dark waters around them.

He felt Bast's frustrations, but took no joy in that - the sith lord's anger and outrage fueled him. And Brega's attacks only fueled him further. But then ... then he felt the sith lord's mind in a different way. No more was he purely focused on maintaining control of the crystal monument. Brega had got his attention, more than he wished perhaps. His distraction tactics had lessened Bast's attention toward the crystal. He now was focused on Brega himself.

Brega shrieked as Bast's mind attacks channeled through the crystal and coursed into the padawan's body. He dropped to one knee, holding his hand. Another attack, and another, again and again. Blood trickled from his nose within his helmet.

"Brega?!" Boomer asked, turning about with concern, worried that the octi had finally reached him. Brega held a hand up to him, assuring the trooper he was alright. Boomer said nothing, turning back to the enemy and continuing his furious assault upon the octi horde. He batted away their bodies as they floated within range or into his line of fire; and the octi used the obstacles to their advantage, coming in from behind them to get in range of the trooper. He cursed aloud as they did just that, reaching out for him amidst the hail of blaster fire he sent into their shadowy forms. A hand grabbed his shoulder, and then another his ankle, his arm, his wrist. He shouted for Brega to run, but an octi arm wrapped around his neck, followed by many others, and he was then carried away into the blackness of the octi swarm. His curses and shouts of anger could be heard through the team's helm comlinks, until eventually ... silence.The Octi then turned their attention to the young Jedi.

Bast's thoughts were almost entirely on Brega now. The padawan could feel the sith lord's outrage. He could sense that it was not just he whom had enraged him so, but that Master Aramis had also done his part. And it was then, as he summoned the strength to stand once more, with racking pains surging through his body from Bast's mind attacks, that Brega realized how flimsy Bast's mental hold on the octi now was. His control of the crystal was minimal. This was his chance ...

Summoning a sphere of energy to protect him, with what little power he could summon from the Force, Brega ceased his attack on Lord Bast and focused entirely upon the crystal. With the giant monument mere meters away from him, and Bast's attention solely on him now, Brega quickly gained control of the crystal and instantly felt it amplify his mind like a conduit, capable of looking into the minds of others nearby. He found them - the Octi, their minds filled with anger and hate, but nothing else - and wrenched them free from Bast's control.

STOP!

Dozens of Octi hands, reaching out for him, froze in place. Their forms moved no further. All was still around Brega, as the throng of shadowy forms hovered silently in the darkness, the ambient pink glow glinting within their deep, yellow eyes. Within the highest chamber of the tower, his fellow Remnants watched as the Octi ceased their attack upon them and withdrew to float silently before them.

Brega had control of them now, and it was time to release them.

"Noooooooooo!" Lord Bast cried out suddenly. Standing astride Master Aralias, his lightsaber held overhead for what could've been a death-dealing blow to the prone Aralias, whom he had forced onto one knee, Lord Bast had lost control of the crystal - and of his octi forces. He stared ahead into nothingness, feeling the loss of communal consciousness he had experienced for so many weeks as part of the octi collective mind. But they were gone now, their minds lost to him. Even then, he looked through the transparisteel column around him to the observing octi to see them looking to each other with apparent confusion. Slaves no longer, their minds began to reconnect into one communal consciousness, as it had been for millenia.

Bast was alone, all his efforts defeated, and he had lost all sight of the moment ... and of the Remnants Jedi Master before him.

Tank preyed to whatever higher power there might be at work that he lived as the torpedo in which he was encased shot out of the submarine's firing tube and through the waters. Smaller explosions, and the sound of blaster fire, could be heard beyond the thin permasteel walls of the torpedo as he passed through various skirmishes. He waited for the inevitable explosion outside that would rupture his little transport and abruptly end his life, but it never came. The suspense itself was killin him. Just let it be over with. But then, finally, the torpedo struck something hard. Tank clenched his eyes for the subsequent explosion, but there was none; just the violent crashing of the torpedo through the rubble of whatever it has just struck. A moment later, it jossled and rolled until finally coming to a stop. Tank breathed a sigh of relief, dropped the visor of his helmet down, and prepared to exit the torpedo. A few great rams of his shoulder and the panel hatch opened. A piece of structural rubble was pushed aside as he climbed out of his ride. He took a moment to regard the debris around him - the remains of a small tower, he assumed. He was standing at what was once the top of the structure, looking down upon the city. All above and everywhere, the battle raged. It was then that he saw the massive imperial submarine from which he had been launched, passing over the city and beginning to ascend for another circuit; but then it happened ...

A great explosion from within the submarine burst through the giant vessel's forward compartment. The torpedo launch bay. Bodakh was there, he then realized ...

With no way to escape the sub, facing so many imperials onboard as they ran about attempting to sabotage, a torpedo was the only way off the sub - and an ingenious one at that. But someone would have to stay behind to launch the torpedo. Bodakh had made that sacrifice so that his crewman could live.

A hard expression came over Tank's face as he nodded in the direction of the great submarine as the first explosion then initiated other explosions, each one more violent then the last, until the great machine finally shattered wholely. The destruction imploded on itself in the deep waters, creating a massive turmoil of air that rose from the depths to the surface hundreds of meters above. The heavy permasteel armoring of the sub fell to the ocean floor, spread over a hundred yards, while the hundred or more bodies of the vessel's crew rose to the surface of Dac many meters overhead.

* * *

(ELIIAN & PER-JA)

"This ... is incredible," was all Wick could say as he and Eliian came through a doorway, a dozen levels beneath the labs, and were now looking out over the factory floor. In each of the factory's four corners, massive geothermal generators hummed as they powered the incredible machine works of the factory. Conveyor belts of all sizes criss-crossed overhead like catwalks, carrying various battle droids and war machines to various phases of production. The factory floor was a bustle of cranes and pincers that moved parts from one area to another, while automated cybertech machines implanted the countless constructs with electronics. It was a lot to take in, and truly awe-inspiring.

"Too bad we gotta blow it up," Wick said playfully. He gave Eliian a nudge in the side as he trotted along the metal catwalk to the large control console high above the factory floor. "Let's see what we've got here ..." he then said, cracking his knuckles. The console was huge, with dozens of panels and controls that did who knows what. Nonetheless, Wick chose a station and began hacking his way in. "Software's simple enough. Firewall's a joke, too." A few moments later, and then, "Here! Generator output - we can overload it with pressure. The PSI will sky-rocket and create a catastrophic meltdown!" He pondered that thought for a moment. "... Not sure if that's quite what we had in mind, but it'll do the job I'm sure."

Wick's earpiece comlink then activated and carried the voice of Per-ja. Wick nodded to no one. "Yes, sir. Nice work. We're a dozen levels below you. We've discovered a giant factory down here that you'll want to ..."

Were it not for the scoundrel's keen reflexes, Wick would surely be dead. Luckily, even with all the clatter and commotion of the factory works, Wick still heard the activation of the assassin's lightsaber behind him, just in time to sidestep and suffer only a glancing slash to his side. He instinctively reached down for the assassin's lead wrist, finding it with one hand and simultaneously jutting an elbow into the collarbone of his opponent. He then dropped to the deck however, holding a hand firmly to his side where the lightsaber had caught him a bit more than he realized.

The assassin materialized. The cloaking device upon his lead wrist sparked and spat, Wick having cleverly disabled the device in an instant. The assassin turned to regard Eliian. He wore the long, dark robes of a sith, with a deep hood cast over its face, and stood with fearless determination. The hood was cast back, and Eliian recognized the assassin immediately - Consul Haan, the Quarren ambassador they had first met in the city's audience hall during the peace talks.

"Lord Bast believed you Remnants could be ignored." He wagged a finger in the air, discounting the notion. "But I know you Remnants. You never know when to keep your nose out of others' business. Dogs of the Republic, you are." Haan's lightsaber hummed as he held it aloft and stalked towards Eliian. "And once I had discerned that you Remnants had found our little outpost, I knew you would discover what was truly at work down here." Haan smiled wickedly as he stalked menacingly forward. "With my apprentice taking care of your friends up above, the Remnants' efforts here on Dac will die with you!"

Haan's lightsaber came down from on high suddenly, looking to cut Eliian from shoulder to midsection ...

Lord Bast winced as Aralias scored the minor hit on his leg, but was quick to ignore it and resume his makashi flurries, poised and perfect with each strike. Aralias was forced on the defensive more often than he could mount his own offense, so relentless were the strikes of the veteran duelist. While his form was flawless, Aralias could sense his focus was not entirely on him at the moment. He appeared to be "looking through him" throughout the melee, as if fighting Aralias blind. On what was he so focused?

Bast's brow furrowed then, as if he felt a sudden distraction. He blinked repeatedly, even looked to one side as if trying to sense something, or someone.

A moment later, Aralias knew exactly why, as Brega's voice came over his earpiece communicator. "Master! I've successfully mind melded with the crystal object and have engaged Lord Bast through it! His effects on the octi are already diminishing. I'll attempt to distract him using the crystal."

"What have you done?!" Bast raged, slashing at Aralias with both lightsabers, abandoning his pure makashi form for a ferocious shii-cho adapation. For a man of his age, his prowess was uncanny. His blades sizzled with lightning as Bast charged them with dark force energy. Each parry made by Aralias sent numbing shocks down into his arms as Bast then continued his assault.

Crisp clasped Tyrlis on the shoulder as her tentacle bonds were finally cut free. She helped Maitrayen to his feet and the two took whatever weapons they could still find on their person and those offered by Tyrlis. "Let's finish this!" she growled, gripping a pair of blades and looking to the sith lord.

Bast looked to see Aralias' companions, now freed. "Now, now," he condescended. "Let's not ruin a perfectly fair fight." With one blade still after Aralias, he gestured to a nearby wall panel and activated the room's water partitions once again. A column of transparisteel rose from the floor around the two duelists, and in turn the floor rose as well. A hole in the ceiling opened and the column platform on which they stood continued to rise. The other Remnants in the room were helpless to do anything as their leader and the sith lord rose up and out of view. Simultaneously, the rest of the room quickly flooded with water once again, and then Bast's mindless octi slaves swarmed into the room.

"And this is a fair fight?!" Crisp exclaimed with annoyance. She charged the nearest octi and began hacking through it, and then another.

Aralias and Lord Bast stood on the roof of the tower. The thin column of transparisteel surrounded them, with the dark waters of the deep beyond. Outside, octi slaves hovered ominously on all sides as they watched the two force users battle.

"You are not strong enough to defeat me, Master Aramis," Bast sneered, launching another shii-cho assault. Aralias could sense Brega's presence, through Bast himself, attempting to distract the sith lord using the crystal. Bast's frustration was clear in his eyes.

(MATIX)

"Major Matix! You must see this!" Swee'la shouted at the Remnant's side shouted. The major was tending to the wounds of a fallen mon calamari, but he was too far gone. Blaster fire streaked between the two armies, now fully entwined with one another. Quarren and mon calamari struck one another with electro-staves or fired into each other's ranks with blasters, while manned waterspeeders flew through the waters overhead in fierce dogfights. Bodies floated everywhere amidst the troops of both factions. A medic team arrived then at Matix's side and relieved him of his efforts, allowing him to give the young mon calamari prince his full attention.

Jester swam over to join them as Swee'la moved to behind a coral outcropping for some cover before continuing with his report. "We've been deceived, major!" he began, his bulbous eyes wide and fearful. He produced a pad for the major's and activated the display. The view feed of a satellite orbitting Dac came into view, drawing a curious expression from the major. "Dac's long-range orbitting scanners are picking up ... " Swee'la began to explain, but there was no need.

An imperial fleet dropped out of hyperspace. One destroyer frigate after another blipped into view, numbering six in total; and then half a dozen carrier vessels, no doubt transporting invasion crafts and seige machines. The last vessel to stretch out of hyperspace and into view dwarfed the other vessels - an imperial capital ship.

"This can't be to reinforce the quarrens in this war!" Swee'la reasoned. Sergeant cepha, the veteran quarren guard at his side, nodded in agreement. "It's an invasion force!" Swee'la continued. "They're going to conquer us all - quarren and mon calamari alike - and take over the planet!"

Jester raised a hand to the side of his helm, activated the comlink. "Incoming message from Wick and the others, Major ..." He put it on their group channel. Each of the Remnants would hear the communication. "Say again, Wick. Say again."

The voice of their comrade fizzled with static until finally it came through clearly. "We've got Eliian!" they heard Wick say. Jester and Matix sighed with relief. "But we got bigger problems! This ridge facility is no command center. There's a bloody factory deep under the rock up here! They're churning out thousands of droids and crafts as we speak! We have to destroy it!"

"That's not the half of it, Wick," Jester replied into his helm. "An imperial invasion fleet just arrived in orbit."

Already on the viewpad of Dac's orbit, the imperial invasion vessels had begun their descent into the atmosphere. Carrying manned speeders, infantry, aqua-droids, and all manner of aquatic crafts, they'd reach the oceans of Dac in mere minutes.

"Mother Dac, help us," Swee'la said dreadfully, looking to Cepha. The old mon cal laid a three-fingered hand on the quarren prince's shoulder to reassure him. The two looked back to the battle, still raging nearby. Quarren and mon calamari continued to kill each other in droves, oblivious to the true purpose of this war.

They had all been deceived.

As they all hovered in the water for a moment to contemplate their next course of action, Jester's solemn voice came over the group channel.

"Remnants ... Bodakh is down."

(ELIIAN)

Wick charged into the laboratory, skidding to a stop with his blaster in hand and looking all about for Eliian. His eyes found the doctor standing near the lab's desk. He was about to question the doctor when he suddenly recognized the man wearing the lab coat.

"Eliian? What the .... How did you?" He shook his head, dismissing his own questions, and ran to his friend's side to urge him along. "We've got to ... what is this you're looking at?" He looked to the computer monitor upon the desk, on which Eliian had discovered the sub-level factory of the facility.

"That's unbelievable," he began, astonished as he moved past Eliian and sat in the chair to get a better view. "Look at the size of those machines, and all those craft and droids ... this is a full-scale invasion force they're building here." He looked back to Eliian. "The imperials aren't here to back up the Quarren, are they ... it's all just a distraction - until their own forces are strong enough to take over the planet themselves!"

"We've got to get word to Major Matix and Per-ja!" he said, jumping back to his feet and gesturing Eliian to follow. "We gotta disable this factory while it's still in producion phase!"

(PER-JA)

Concussions shook the facility as the two duelists collided in combat, their battle taking them through various corridors and intersections, with imperial troops running this way and that and giving the two Force users a wide birth as they passed. The base was under attack from outside, the mon calamari infantry having pushed back the quarren lines and were now bombarding the facility. Red warning lights activated overhead, putting the facility on high alert and ushering all troops to battle stations. But the Jedi and Sith battled on, oblivious to their surroundings, focused only on one another. As one's offensive forced the other to backpeddle in defense, the other would in turn launch his own offensive and their positions reversed. It went on for an eternity it seemed, each of them scoring grazing hits, but scoring no true blows.

An explosion hit overhead and a piece of the ceiling collapsed, showered them with sparks as tubing, wires and debris crashed around them. Their duel continued. Climbing over the obstacle and ignoring the smoke and spitting electric surges, the two never faltered.

"I sense the darkness in you!" Scathe laughed as he batted aside a strike of Per-ja's lightwhip while simuultaneously blocking a strike of the Jedi's lightsaber. He charged his own lightsaber with dark lightning, sending a surge of dark energy down into Per-ja's hand with each parry. The mandibles of Scathe's mouth opened wide in what Per-ja could only assume was a wicked smile. "The others do not know of it, but I do - and my master does."

Scathe parried and sidestepped Per-ja's relentless attacks, backpeddling down a corridor and into a long, transparisteel bridge tunnel that connected two wings of the facility. Beyond the glass that surrounded them both, above and beneath their feet, the war was well underway. Waterspeeders zipped past in every direction, pelting the facility with fire or engaged in dogfights with one another. As far as either could see, the armies of the mon calamari and quarren were engaged in full combat. Bodies floated lifelessly amidst the cocophony of blaster fire and explosions. A pair of quarren paused as they swam past the bridge tunnel, seeing the two duelists within, before continuing on into battle.

"You think yourself the better here, False Jedi," Scathe taunted, "but now that we are alone, you will see what you truly face ..." With that, Scathe vanished suddenly, with only a wisp of dark energy lingering where he once stood. An instant later he blinked into view once more, at Per-ja's side, but only long enough to slash at the Jedi's leg and then he was gone again. The wound was superficial, but it stung well enough. Another instant past and Scathe's blade singed Per-ja's right arm, and again he blinked away. Scathe reappeared behind him, standing firm with his twin red sabers in hand. His mandible mouth smiled once again as wisps of singed flesh rose from Per-ja's left leg and right arm. Dark energy surged down Scathe's arms and into his blades as he crossed them before him in a mock salute.

He blinked again, moving as if a strobe light stuttered Per-ja's vision, making him appear further ahead in his movements and very difficult to anticipate. Still, Per-ja's keen reflexes and instincts allowed him to avoid any significant hits, but only narrowly. He had the distinct impression that Scathe was now toying with him, or perhaps trying to enrage the young Jedi.

An explosion outside rocked the tube in which they fought. A crack suddenly began overhead, drawing curious glances from each of them for just a moment.

"Come on, Remnant!" Scathe taunted again as he blinked by at Per-ja's side, narrowly missing the Jedi's achilles but successfully stripping him of his lightwhip. He tossed it away far down the tunnel. "Use your anger!"

"Well then," Padawan Brega replied as the octi prince concluded his account of the situation. "It seems we have a Dark Lord to remove from power here." The others said nothing, each of them no doubt unenthused with the idea of challenging a Sith lord. Brega then considered a notion and then turned to the prince. "If we had no choice but to destroy the crystal, would your people survive?"

The prince crined at such a thought. "Well, yes," its word came into their minds. "But it would plunge us into a dark age, socially speaking. Many would feel lost and frightened. The octi would surely respond with violence and avenge the crystal's destruction."

"Maybe I could counter Lord Bast's efforts by focusing my own thoughts on the crystal," Brega thought pensively.

"Whatever we're going to do, we better get to it," Boomer chimmed in. "Look..."

The others followed the trooper's gaze out into the vastness of the ocean before them, and to the distant city where they could see an army of octi had formed and was moving awa from their city. They were heading in their direction, but were far beneath them, heading for the tunnels that would lead them up to the surface of Dac. The same tunnels the Remnants had used to get down to these depths.

"An invasion force?" Boomer asked aloud.

"The beginning of one," the octi prince said, his voice flowing through their minds. "Lord Bast uses the crystal to manipulate the minds of us. These are merely those that he has won complete control over. There will be many more if we do not stop him."

Moments later, the group swam off the ledge, far above the advancing army Octi below, and headed for the city. As they neared the city, the pink, vibrant glow shimmered in the distance amidst the city's center towers. All around it, dozens of octi knelt and linked their thoughts to one another through the power of the crystal. Oddly however, every few moments an octi would stand suddenly, stiff and rigid, and swam off in the direction of the distant army. The octi once knelt in meditation in the presence of the crystal, but it would seem now that Bast was using it to summon them to the crystal and there he would win control of their minds.

"Master," Brega said, turning to Aramis. "You and the others may proceed to search for Lord Bast. I will focus my will on the crystal. I doubt I can break his control of the octi, but perhaps my focus can disrupt it enough to buy us some time."

"I'll go with him," Boomer said, coming to the padawan's side. He brought round the grenade launcher from his back, patting it's barrel. "If you can't stop Bast, I'll do what is necessary to ensure this enslavement is stopped."

The octi prince lamented at that, but nodded in agreement. He then gestured to others and swam on and up to the city's tallest tower where Bast would be. Aramis, Niilah, and Tyrlis followed, with the good Dr. Verne close behind them.

The tower was enormous. The group entered the main corridor without event, which puzzled each of them. No guards ... Something was off. Eerie.

"They are watching us," the octi prince's voice came into their minds. "But this one's presence is confusing them. They recognize this one to be of their kind, but separate. For now, they will let us pass." The others looked all about, but the black walls of the corridor revealed nothing. There was no sign of the octi the prince spoke of; but somehow, the eerieness they all felt told them they were indeed there. "... Bast is up ahead."

The group reached the end of the hallway. A wall of water was before them like a partition, with the room on the other side filled with air. Strange technology, the doctor thought. His data-reader was scanning constantly, collecting information for later study. On the distant wall of the room, the group could see their two missing Remnants - Maitrayen and Crisp, shackled to the wall by strange tentacles.

"Captain!" Tyrlis exclaimed, charging through the water partition and into the room beyond. She immediately felt the weight of her wetsuit and slowed in her advance across the room. Aramis and the others followed, however the octi prince remained behind the water partition. Tyrlis reached Maitrayen and immediately began trying to free him and Crisp, but the tentacles hissed and tightened their coiled grip around them.

"It's a trap," Crisp managed to said as she winced and struggled against the bonds.

Master Aramis had alread sensed the dark lord's presence immediately upon setting foot into the room. At the far side of the room, with segmented windows behind him looking out into the mirky depths of the ocean, sat Lord Bast upon a large, plush pillow. He was an older man, human, with silver hair combed back out of his eyes and upon his angular chin. His posture was straight, with red and black robes covering his regal frame. The Remnants stood in silence for a moment as Lord Bast said nothing, nor regarded their arrival. Finally, his piercing blue eyes opened and looked to each of them, until coming to rest upon their leader, Master Aramis.

"I've been waiting for you all," Bast began, placing a hand on the floor for balance as he rose to his feet. He shook the wrinkles out of his robes and brushed them down with his hands before stepping forward. "I sensed you the moment you entered the caves ... Aramis, is it?" He smiled knowingly. "But I couldn't read your mind until you neared the city. When I couldn't use the octi to destroy you all in the caves, it began obvious to me that I would need to do it myself. Capturing one of you and luring you here has proven much easier."

Lord Bast then brushed aside his robes and retrieved the twin lightsabers from his belt. Ignited them, he lifted their blazing red blades up in a makashi-style salute. A duelist, with twin sabers ...

"Let's not stand around on ceremony," he then said, smiling. "Shall we dance?"

Bast then quick-stepped toward Aramis with lightning speed for a man of his age, whipping one blade at the Jedi sidelong with perfect makashi form while he kept the other blade ready for blocks and counters. This would not be an easy duel, Aramis sensed.

Meanwhile, with Bast distracted, Tyrlis and Niilah continued to try and free their companions, but seemed only to make their bonds worst.

(ARALIAS, TYRLIS, NEMEL)

The octi prince's tentacled mouth gaped and tiny incissors cinched together to form what Aralias assumed to be a smile for their species. It then bowed with appreciated, confirming the Jedi's assumtion. As it then spoke, its voice came into the minds of each of the Remnants telepathically...

"The Dark One calls himself Lord Bast, and he resides in the tallest tower of our city where he meditates and controls my people. He came more than three months ago with one of us, one who now calls itself Darth Scathe, and another - Consul Haan of the Quarren natives that live in the seas above. Scathe convinced this one that it was time to reach out to those above and begin relations. He insisted that great strife was coming to Dac and that, if we did not make preparations now, we Octi would be doomed in time. And so, this one conceded. Lord Bast remained while the others departed. Scathe would represent our people to the others during the coming strife and would ensure our survival."

The prince sighed then, his tentacled mouth quivering as he remembered the events that followed. "Then everything changed. Our people gradually became sullen and weary, and then confused. This one immediately sensed that something was amiss, and that our Great Crystal was somehow involved. Before this one could uncover the mystery however, they attacked and drove this one out of the city. Waiting in the shadows of the sea has this one been for many weeks now."

The prince then nodded to Tyrlis' and responded to the questions she put forth. "The Great Crystal is in the center of our city. It is the focal point of all our communication - our hive mind. The immense energy it provides helps us to channel our thoughts and link with one another. Without it, we would be lost, reduced to individuals. We have not spoken as single minds to one another since the dawn of our species countless millenia ago. The crystal must not be harmed."

(BODAKH)

Just thirty more yards! Tank's heavy boots thundered down the catwalk, high above the engineering room floor, as the big trooper charged for the control room at the far end. Blaster fire from below shot past him, some deflecting off his armor, one drawing a curse from him as it clipped his helmet and made his viewshield fizzle with static. A lucky shot caught him in the leg midstride, tripping him up but not injuring him. He somersaulted forward and came to rest on one knee, quickly pulling a pair of frag grenades and hurling them down at the clusters of imperials far below. They shrieked and ran in every direction, some of them avoiding the subsequent blasts but others not so much. Tank retrieved the repeater cannon on his back and began laying down suppressive fire upon the increasing number of imperials far below. He paused to let the launcher on his back fall to the catwalk grid, and considered using it for a moment. He wisely reconsidered however, realizing that any misplaced shot could rupture the hull, flood the entire room, and kill everyone in it - included themselves.

"You about done in there, boss!?" Tank shouted into his helm comm to the corporal. Bodakh had made it to the control room and was preparing to overload the submarine's reactors. Having detected the imperial's security response team, Tank ventured out to buy the corporal some time. "We've got to get out of here!"

The imperials came in wave after wave, numbering several dozen, and each of them peppering the catwalks far overhead with blaster fire. Tank had already disabled the two staircases that linked the catwalk with the floor below, but it would only buy them time before the imperials wouuld ascend to their deck and find their way onto the catwalk as well. Already Tank could see small groups of them below running off out of engineering with just that thought in mind.

Another blast clipped the big trooper on the shoulder, drawing a wince from him. Superficial glancing hit, no damage. This time. He looked down to the reactors. There were several of them. If the corporal could overload them, they'd likely incinerate the ship - and he and Bodakh along with it if they didn't get off in time, and therein lay the trick. How we going to get out of here now?!

It hit him then - the launcher. The engineering room was in the aft section of the sub, lowest deck. There was a meter or two of reinforced durasteel bulkhead armor and then nothing but ocean. A few precise shots with the launcher and it would all come in, and they'd have their way out.

"Hey Bo!" he called out to the corporal once more. "When you're done in there, I think I have a way out!" He chuckled, hardly able to believe his own idea. His mirth quickly vanished however as an imperial blast caught him in the shoulder and spun him about. "Son of a ... !"

(PER-JA)

“I’m not getting anything on his earpiece,†Wick said quietly sidelong to Per-ja. He did a double-take then, as the Jedi’s imperial disguise was so convincing that even he had to remind himself it was his comrade behind the false visage. Wick adjusted the collar on his own imperial uniform, feeling uncomfortable and hoping he pulled it off. Aliens aren’t too common in the imperial infantry, he couldn’t help but recall.

The two walked briskly down the corridor, avoiding imperial passersby as best as they could, but giving curt nods of their heads if eye contact was made. Act as if you belong, Wick whispered to Per-ja. The Jedi needed no lessons however, as it appeared he was more than accustomed to situations such as this. They passed under a sign overhead that read: Research Labs. They were close to Eliian’s position. A smile formed at the crook of Wick’s mouth.

“I gotta hand it to ya,†Wick began as they rounded a corner. The words fell away however as they nearly collided with a pair of imperial guards, dragging what looked like Eliian’s unconscious form roughly along between them.

Wick’s initial reaction of surprise roused curious expressions on the guards’ faces, but he quickly recovered. “Why is that filth not restrained in the lab where we put him?!†He sneered, looking down to the prisoner. He took the moment to inspect Eliian’s condition. Strange, his hair’s a bit different … skinnier as well. The prisoner groaned then, drawing the guards’ attention. One of them kicked him in the stomach with the heel of his boot, not even bothering to regard him. The prisoner grunted, though did not regain consciousness.

“Doc’s experiments on ‘em seem to have gotten the better of ‘em. We’re taking him down to the detention infirmary.â€

The two guards moved past the two disguised Remnants, one of them muttering to the other something about zabraks in the empire.

“That was close,†Wick sighed with relief, giving Per-ja a light jab on the arm. He then looked back to the departing guards and their prisoner. They reached the end of the corridor, where both of them suddenly stood at attention and parted for another.

A dark figure clad in red-trimmed black robes came into view, its face partially obscured within its deep hood. It hissed at the two guards as they saluted, waving a strange, three-fingered hand at them. They quickly gathered up their prisoner and moved on. The robed figure then glanced down the hallway … at the Remnants. It almost looked away and continued on, but it hesitated. It turned their way once again, very slowly, and cocked its head to one side.

Wick nudged his disguised Jedi friend once again. “Per-ja ... um, it’s one of the assassins from the peace summit. I think the jig is up.â€

The figure stalked forward, brushing aside the flap of its robe and retrieving a double-bladed lightsaber hilt from its belt.

There you are, came the voice in Per-ja’s mind. The same voice as before. In his mind, Per-ja learned his name: Darth Scathe.

The red blades of Darth Scathe’s lightsaber ignited and spun in his hand as his step quickened.

Wick sighed as he pulled his blaster from his belt. “Aw, this isn’t going to be fun.â€

(ELIIAN)

The imperial guards glanced at each other with sour expressions. The doc’s as rude as ever, they both thought.

“C’mon,†one of them said. “Let’s take this one down to the detention block infirmary.â€

“You stay here, doc,†the second guard said over his shoulder. “The darth said you’re to finish your work. Better snap to it.â€

Eliian could hear the two men leaving the lab, the unconscious doctor’s feet dragging on the floor as they departed. The coast was clear, for now; but he was still deep in their base with countless imperials throughout, and a darth stalking the corridors no less. Tight situations were no stranger to Eliian, but this was a particularly delicate situation.

His earpiece communications suddenly fizzled with static. Their comms had been down for some time, but it would seem that someone was in range. Pieces of a voice came through, garbled, until finally …

“Eliian … read me? Eliian!†It was Wick. He could barely hear the zabrak, but enough was getting through. “If you … me … back. Over.â€

As Eliian listened intently, he then noticed a series of camera monitors in the far corner. Several dozen cameras depicted the various rooms and corridors of the complex. It was larger than they realized. What they thought was a small base of operations on the top of the ridgeline overlooking the sea floor valley, was in fact a great facility that delved deep into the rock. It had more than a dozen levels, with several levels dedicated to barracks (scientists and techies mostly) and an enormous foundry level with giant fission-powered batteries. And at the bottom level, Eliian could see what those batteries were for …

A massive factory. Waterskiffs and speeders, combat aqua-droids, submarines, and thousands of mining craft, no doubt for their crystal-harvesting plans - the imperials had been busy.

The Dac Virus, a secret factory … This planet was anything but boring.

The dark creature looked past Niilah to the big trooper with clear apprehension and instinctively backed into the shadows. As Niilah diffused the moment, it stepped forward once more, though cautiously.

"We are Octi," it began as it stood with hands out to its sides, assuming an unthreatening pose. "The great deeps of Dac is our home. We have existed here for countless millenia. Until recently, it had been a thousand years or more since we had last encountered those above. We are of one mind. It is our greatest strength and what binds us all together in what was once a peaceful society.

"This one was a ... your word for it may be prince ... but this one was forced to flee our civilization when the Dark One came." The creature visibly tensed at mention of this mysterious being. It then gestured to the distant city of the Octi, and to the massive spire tower that stretched up from the center of it. "He resides there. He came and ... overcame our people. We are connected to one another still, but he has taken control of the minds of all but this one and of the great crystal we worship. It is the source of our ability to stay connected. He is using it to control our people and to spread darkness from the deeps to those above.

"This one can not stop him. Not without help."

* * *

(Eliian)

Eliian quickly navigated through the medical terminal's database, opening files and visuals one after another, learning everything he could while he could. As experienced to seeing horrors and atrocities as Eliian was, what he found even he had trouble believing. This battle was not about the mon calamari and the quarren's squabbling for the throne of Dac. Not at all. It was simply a ruse of the empire. A distraction. Opening dozens of files, Eliian committed all the details he found to memory, allowing him to draw the big picture in his mind ...

Imperial Transmission Record 3425 ... Rare crystal deposits found on Dac ... mining operations commencing

Imperial Transmission Record 3452 ... Unknown Species encountered on Dac in its deep ... crystals sacred to them ... Sith delegation team dispatched

Consul Haan Transmission to Sith Council ... *audio file* "The Quarren rebellion is underway. The peace talks are deteriorating. We're ready for phase two"

Laboratory Research Database > Dac Virus > Log Entries > "Video Log 57, Dr. Luak ... I am near completion of the Dac Virus. Have begun tests on indigenous fauna and flora. Effects are neglible. It is conclusive: planetary ecology will be unaffected by the virus. Beginning sentient test trials."

Consul Haan Transmission to Lord Bast *audio file* "Peace talks have ended. The war begins. Remnants have arrived. May be on their way to you as well. Caution."

Lord Bast Transmission to Darth Scathe ... "Watch the good doctor, my apprentice. Ensure he completes his work with haste. The Remnants have arrived. Show them no mercy. They are no ordinary republic dogs."

Laboratory Research Database > Dac Virus > Log Entries > "Video Log 105, Dr. Luak ... I have completed test trials on the indigenous sentients, the mon calamari and the quarren. Mortality rate is 100%. *he sighs heavily* The Dac Virus is ready *he holds up a small, thin vial of purple liquid in the video. The vial is labelled 66. Eliian sees the vial among dozens of other purple vials in a spinning device upon the lab desk* May my family please forgive me for what I do. I do it for them."

Consul Haan Transmission to Sith Council ... "The war is underway. The death toll for both the mon calamari and the quarren is rising. When the destruction is at its greatest and their numbers are at their fewest, the fleet shall arrive and we will dominate the planet. Either faction will be powerless to defend Dac. The Sith Empire will own Dac and the enslavement of the locals will be assured.

Sith Council Transmission to Consul Haan and Lord Bast ... "The fleet will arrive shortly. For the Empire."

"What happened here?!" an imperial guard exclaimed as he and another ran into the laboratory, looking to Eliian, disguised as the doctor, as they gestured to the naked, incapacited real doctor.

* * *

(Matix)

"For Dac!" young Swee'la shouted to the mon cal troops as they surged over a ridge and engaged the imperial-backed quarren at melee range. The two armies thrust their electro-staves at one another, stunning and killing each other in droves. Speedercrafts zipped among them, firing into either faction's ranks at will. The numbers of both armies were so condensed that there was little need for aiming. Any blaster shot would be sure to hit something regardless.

"For the Quarren!" came a challenging call from one side. The quarren came at the mon calamari army's left flank, meeting Major Matix and the others head on.

"Heads up!" Jester shouted to the others, bringing up his twin blasters and back-pedaling as his fired a flurry of shots into the ambushing quarrens. Half a dozen floated dead in the water from his volley, but more poured in from behind them. The trooper continued firing, waving to the others to take cover as he himself ducked behind a coral outcropping.

Jester looked over his shoulder to the front lines, where the mon calamari were pressing the quarren back into open waters. They cheered with vigor as they pushed forward. The flanking quarren were great in numbers however. If the major didn't hold them, they could overwhelm the main body of mon calamari from behind. It would be a quick end to the melee battle. Estimating them to outnumbered roughly thirty to a hundred, Jester shouted over his shoulder to the Matix. "Major! Got any ideas?!"

Jester ducked as a quarren speeder shot overhead, firing on his position. He quickly countered with blaster fire, catching the vessel's underbelly. An explosion erupted on one wing, sending the craft spinning into the quarren ranks. The subsequent explosion took a dozen or so of their troops with it. Jester shrugged. That worked out well, he thought with a chuckle.

(Bodakh)

Tank's frantic voice came through Bodakh's helm comm as his grapple reeled him in. The big, young trooper spun in the water, narrowly avoiding quarren speedercraft as they shot past the massive sub, firing at their mon calamari foe. Tank thudded into the sub's hull shoulder first with a grunt, then managed to steady himself. The two troopers held onto their lines firmly as the massive sub rolled to one side and inverted.

"Glad these boots came with magnetics," Tank said with relief, looking "up" to the sea floor below them. Hundreds of speeders whisked by in every direction as well as soldiers from both armies swimming into melee range of each other. The sub passed over the city once more, opening it's bombing doors and releasing another foray of explosives that reduced towers and archways to rubble. "We have to get in this thing and stop it!" Tank grimaced. He turned to the hatch and, while still inverted, reached down and grasped the hatch wheel. The big man grunted with all his might, his muscled arms torquing within his suit. The hatch resisted, but suddenly relented and turned. Tank gestured for Bodakh to follow as he took point position, climbing through the hatch and into the submersion room beyond.

The sub inverted once more, to their relief. The two troopers stood upon a grated floor of a tiny room. Tank wasted no time and activated the panel to remove the water from the room. It quickly receded from overhead, passing over their bodies and into the floor.

Tank flipped his helmet back from his head. It bounced slightly on the back hinge that prevented it from falling to the floor. Wiping the sweat from his face and hair, he looked to Bodakh. "Nice to take that off for a moment. Not sure what's worst: the drama down here or your nose full of several hours of helmet funk." He moved to the door panel and activated it, checking their level layout and the scanners. "Looks like we're on the air cirrculation level. Pipes and tanks 'n such. Engineering deck is two levels above us. No elevators, just ladder shafts going from one level to the next it looks like.

"Scanners are showing lots of life signs in engineering. Techies, most likely. Between here and there ... few scattered groups." He turned and smiled to Bodakh. "Nothing we can't handle, but we'll need to keep it quiet."

He retrieved a blaster from his belt and screwed a silencing barrel to its nozzle, and then took a large knife from a leg sheath. He then nodded his readiness.

* * *

(Per-Ja)

"That was close," Wick said as Per-ja and he went silent as the group of guards went by in an adjacent corridor. He shook his head, doubting the sensibility of their task. "We gotta be nuts trying to rescue Eliian just the two of us. Remind me to put in for hazard pay when we get back home." He let himself chuckle at the thought for a moment, then nodded to Per-ja as they continued down the corridor.

After many turns and a maze of corridors, they finally irounded a corner and found an air lock, much to their relief. A small flood room beyond could be seen through the door's transparisteel windows. It would seem the non-aquatic imperials were running the core of the place, while the quarren military minded the external areas.

Wick grabbed hold of the airlock wheel and turned it until the door slowly swung open in the water. "Let's go, m'friend!"

Per-ja paused though, suddenly feeling a pressure in his mind as strange, dark images filled his thoughts ... followed by a voice.

"You should not have come, Per-ja ... there is only further darkness for you here ... your past is already filled with so much of it ... how much more of it can your soul bear?

"Your friends think they can trust you ... but you and I know they shouldn't ... you are no Jedi ... and your doom awaits you here ..."

"Hey! You awake?" came the voice of Wick at Per-ja's side. The young zabrak had a hand on his shoulder, trying to get the Jedi's attention. "Let's get on with it, yeh?"

((ARALIAS, TYRLIS & NEMEL/NIILAH))

"We have to get him them out! C'mon! Dig dammit!" Boomer had dropped his repeater and frantically pulled at the rubble. The cave-in they had initiated happened to quickly, collaspsing before Maitrayen, Crisp and Doctor Verne could reach the rest of the group and burying them beneath thousands of pounds of rock. Boomer swatted the dust away in front of him as he desperately tried to see, and then continued pulling. The big man lifted massive rocks and tossed them aside. Only after several minutes of hopeless exertion did he stop and fall back on his rump, defeated. "We can't ... we can't just ... leave them here."

Padawan Braga came to his side then and helped him up. "We don't know that they were caught in the cave-in, Boomer. They may have avoided it on the other side."

"Yeh, and with those things there!" he retorted. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and his helm in his hands.

"We must press on," Brega said then, placing a hand on the big trooper's shoulder. He then lifted the heavy repeater from the cave floor and handed it to him. "We need you, Boomer."

Boomer stared at the young Jedi for a moment, and then nodded, having regained himself. He gave the cave-in one last look, offered a silent prayer to his lost comrades, and joined the others as they continued downward into yet another cave. He then found at least some peace in realizing that their imperial captive had also been crushed in the cave-in. Silver lining, he mused. It was of little consolation however compared to the loss of his friends.

After many minutes of uneventfulness, the cave reached its end and opened up into vast, unending open water beneath them and ahead. Far overhead, the roof of this subterranean world could be see - the seabed of the ocean above them. A world beneath a world. The Remnants were astonished to see a city before them, many hundreds of meters away but easily seen even from a distance. It was a black as the darkness they had become acustomed to, made entirely of black, volcanic glass or rock, and with luminescent crystals covered its surface. At the top of each of the many massive spires that extended up from the city, a massive crystal.

"I think we found their home," Boomer said absently as he stared out across the void to the distant city.

"The first city of Dac," a voice suddenly said within all their minds. They all started, reaching for their weapons and whirling about to find the source. "Do not be frightened," the voice then said.

Doctor Verne squinted to see amidst the blackness of the shadows, but then went wide-eyed as one of the cloaked creatures slowly came forward into view. It was much smaller than the others, and frailer in appearance. It held up it's three-fingered hands before it in an unoffensive manner.

"It's one of them!" Boomer cried out as he brought up his repeater, fury in his eyes as he wished for nothing more than to unload a full cell upon the things that took away his two fellow Remnants.

((MAITRAYEN and Crisp))

The creatures encircled Maitrayen and Crisp as the dust settled. With their backs against the rubble that now separated them from their comrades, the two had nowhere to go. The cloaked figures floated in silence before them, their hands extended into the opposite sleeves of their robes. Several of them parted then and what they could only assume was their leader came before them. After several moments of ominous silence, the thing's voice echoed in their minds.

"We are Octi. You have entered our domain. You have violated our most sacred grounds and disturbed the tranquility of these depths."

Crisp gawked incredulously. "We don't know what you're talking about. We didn't mean to disturb anything. And you attacked us!"

The leader extended a hand then at Crisp. She held her breath, expecting some kind of attack. Opening one of her eyes though, she looked down to see the flap on her waist satchel unclasp, and from within an item came and was drawn to the guulth leader's awaiting hand.

A crystal from the caves above.

Crisp shook her head with regret. "The crystals are sacred to them," she said sidelong to Maitrayen. "That explains the attacks on the imperials, and us."

"You will come with us," the leader continued. It gestured with both hands for them to rise and they indeed lifted from their seated position to their feet. The guulth surrounded them then and ushered them off into the darkness. They were brought through smaller caves, cracks and crevaces; routes the Remnants would have never seen or found. After some time, the rock gave way and only open water stretched out before them. Sitting on the subterranean seabed before them lay what they could only assume was the octi city.

It was surprisingly small, but no less grand than some of the largest, most grand cities found in the core worlds. Several spires stretched up to the rock ceiling above, with each tower topped by a massive crystal at its peak. The entire city seemed to be built from black, volcanic glass or stone, with millions of inlaid crystals covered its surface, giving the city as ominous an appearance as the guulth themselves. As the guulth party brought them into the high reaches of the city, heading for one of the towers, the two Remnants could see at the city's center a large communal gathering of sorts. The largest pink crystal either of them had ever seen sat in the center of a large clearing, and hundreds of guulth knelt around it in meditation or prayer. Their collective humming vibrated through the water light an unending quake.

The octi led them into the peak of the tower, through an entry way and down a corridor, until they finally reached a large, circular room. Their captors shoved them roughly against the far wall. Crisp winced and then shrieked as large tentacles unfurled from the wall behind them and clasped each of them about the wrists and ankles. Whether the tentacles were biologic or mechanical, they could not tell, but freeing themselves from their grasp proved futile. It was as if trying to wrestle with an octopus. After several attempts to free themselves, the two Remnants gave up and regained their breath. Much like being chained to a wall, they were able to move, but the deathgrip of the tentacles would be impossible to break.

Their octi captors had withdrawn from the room to the corridor and, suddenly, an invisible partition cut the water in the room. The water began to recede towards them until it finally reached the wall at their backs. Looking forward, they were astonished to see that the room had been emptied of all water. The corridor in which the octi looked on from was still flooded, but the same invisible barrier kept the water, and them, from entering the room.

The gauge on Maitrayen and Crisp's wrists indicated the room had been filled with breathable air. "Amazing technology," Crisp had to concede. She grimaced as she tried to loosen the grip on her bonds, but it was hopeless.

"Amazing indeed," came a voice to one side, drawing their attention. An invisible doorway in the wall appeared and an older, human male entered the room. He was tall, with neatly kempt silver hair covered his jaw and chin, and he wore lush, red and black robes about his regal frame. He came to stand before the two Remnants, his expression calm and poised. Crisp noted the lightsaber clipped on the man's waist. "I am Lord Bast. Tell me, what brings The Remnants of Hope to our hidden city beneath the sea."

Jester took point as the Remnants moved towards the battlefield, Tank close behind, followed by the major and Bodakh. As they came over a ridge, they got a full scope of the battle and how widespread it had become.

The entire mon calamari army was pressing forward across the expanse between the city and the quarren and imperial forces, which far outnumbered the mon calamari. Buildings continue to crumble, sending slabs of coral-colored permacrete down to the sea floor. The once beautiful city was being reduced to rubble as the large sub-bomber vessel continued to pass over the area, dropping concussion mines and imperial water droids as it went.

"We have to shut that thing down fast!" Tank said as the group narrowly dodged a large piece of building that fell into the sea floor. "Quarren or mon calamari, there's going to be nothing left for either side to rule over!"

Sergeant Cepha appeared then, approaching on a watercraft with a contingent of mon cal troopers intow. "I have a way into the machine," he reported, holding up a tow-gun in his hand. His troops carried several others. "If you can catch up to the sub, latch onto it with these, you could climb up the extension cable and find your way in through a hatch or something."

Tank's expression paled within his helmet. "Are you nuts!? That thing's moving at more than 60 knots!"

"75 knots, actually." Jester corrected after checking the sub's speed with a scanner. "Should be a fun ride, if anything," Jester he then said cheerfully, clapping his fellow trooper on the shoulder. "C'mon, Tank. It'll be just like that time on Taris."

"Yeah, I'm still trying to forget about Taris..."

((OOC = This is one option for getting aboard the sub-bomber in case you were stumped. You're of course free to find a way aboard by any other means. Once aboard though, you'll need to find the engine room to stop it or destroy it by some other means.))

"Would you stop that infernal noise!" the imperial doctor finally shouted at Eliian. He gestured to his microscope. "Can you not see I am working here!?" He grumbled, and then turned back to his desk, but inadvertently knocked over a collection of vials. He gasped and fumbled at trying to catch them, but they hit the floor and broke, spilling their contents all over the laboratory floor. "Curses! See what you made me do!?"

Seeing Eliian's amused expression, he stomped over to the subdued man's side. Ellian could still see the syringe lying on the side table next to his arm. The needle could surely pick the clasps on his bonds.

"If you must know, and since they'll likely not let you leave this place anyway, my work is profoundly important." He stood beside Eliian with his arms crossed across his chest and glaring down at the man. "That thing you saw earlier, he - it - is Darth Scathe, of the first intelligent species of the planet Dac. They are immensely powerful, Force sensitive beings. You'd do well not to cross that one." The doctor's expression than softened as he regarded Eliian. "I am not your enemy. I mean only to study you and your fellow Remnants. Such extraordinary beings, you Remnants are. Many have wondered how it is you are capable of doing that things that you and your friends do. I am merely trying to discern if there something at a microscopic level that will explain such questions. Your cooperation would be most appreciated." He looked over his shoulder then, to ensure they were alone. "Look, if you help me I'll ... I'll tell you everything that is going on here. Deal?"

"There's nothing to scan," Dr. Verne replied as he attempted to take a bio reading from the corpse of the creature. Within the black cloak, there was only more blackness. A vauge outline of a humanoid was present, but there was no substance to it that his scanner could read. "It's as if it isn't here."

"It's a obfuscation trick," came the voice of Brega behind them. They looked to the young Jedi just as he extended a hand and used the Force to banish the thing's illusion. The others instinctively recoiled as the blackness that was once its face vanished and a monstrous image took its place.

None of them recognized the species. It had pale, grey skin with a fish-like texture. A collection of tentacles surrounding a small beak-like mouth.

"It's almost like a Quarren," Crisp observed, her face contorted in disgust. "Bit more squidy though."

"It would appear to share an ancestry with the quarren, yes," the doc reported, now able to take bio readings with his scanners. "It even show mon calamari dna similarities. Curious. I wonder ..." He rose to his feet then, considering the data he had collected. "So deep into the planet's core here, I wonder if this could be the first native species of Dac? Ancestors of both the mon calamari and the quarren."

Meanwhile, Sarek had gone to the aid of his fellow imperial, checking him for wounds but unable to calm the frantic man as he continued to cry and yell for help. Crisp, shaking her head, suddenly planted a knee hard into the back of the imperial's leg, buckling his legs and forced him onto his back where she kneeled on the man's chest. "Ay! Relax! You're safe, for now; but you better start talking!"

Sarek scowled at the aggressive woman as she moved between them, shaking the imperial to his senses and turning his head so that he might recognize a friendly face. "It's me, it's me! You're ok! You're ok!" The man blinked several times in disbelief. "Are you the only one left?" Sarek asked.

The imperial nodded several times.

"Where ... where are the specimens?" he glanced to Crisp as he asked the question. Crisp furrowed her brow within her helmet. "Tell me you stashed them!"

Crisp tore Sarek from the imperial and forced him to his feet. "What are you talking about?! What specimens?!" Dr. Verne had moved to the zabrak trooper's side, curious about these 'specimens'. "Talk!" Crisp shouted. "Or so help me I'll end your pathetic life right here!" She pressed the nozzle of her blaster into Sarek's chest.

Sarek hesitated, sneered at the woman, but eventually relented. They weren't going to get out of here without the help of the Remnants, he knew. He'd deal with them once they were out of this place. "We were harvesting the crystals. They're priceless as I'm sure you've noticed. We were down here for days, collecting the rarest, most perfect ones we could fine. It didn't take us long to gather far more than we could even carry, so we started heading back to the surface to take up what we had so far, and to contact high command for additional gathering equipment.

"It's why the Empire is here on Dac," Sarek revealed. "We care nothing about the quarren or the mon calamari. Let them destroy each other and leave the planet to us. We'll simply enslave the survivors and put them to work here in the crystal depths."

"We think these things attacked us because we've invaded their home, down here in the deep," the prone imperial surmised put in. "They took nothing from us, demanded nothing from us. They just wanted us dead."

While the two imperials recounted their tale and revealed the purpose of the empire here on Dac, Brega stood off to the side, holding the medallion he had taken from the statue of the strange creature in the center of the area. He turned it over in his hand as he attempted to read it's symology. Strange. Even from this medallion, I sense dark energy. The hairs on the back of his neck rose then and he immediately lifted his eyes to the edge of the clearing. He had sensed them keenly.

"To arms!" he yelled suddenly, igniting one of his green lightsabers and as he turned to the others. "They're here!"

Crisp turned about, dropping her blaster rifle and unsheathing her vibroswords. She stood ready, but saw nothing in the shadows ... at first.

The group went wide eyed as more of the creatures stepped out of the darkness. Not even the ambient light of the crystals throughout the cavern had revealed them. Force cloaking, they realized. The prone imperial shrieked as he suddenly flew out from under Sarek and disappeared into the darkness. He cried out once in pain, but was then silenced abruptly.

"Maker help us," Sarek said under his voice as he stepped behind Crisp and Boomer, who had come to stand beside his fellow trooper with his heavy repeater ready.

One of the things stepped forward ahead of the others, it's face revealed with the hood of its cloak. The tentacles of its mouth swayed in the water as he looked upon the Remnants with black eyes. It looked through them to Brega and lifted a three-fingered hand. The medallion in Brega's hand lifted and shot to the thing's hand. It snatched the small object up in its hand and regarded it for a moment. It then looked up to the Remnants and sneered, it's beak mouth agape and the tentacles around it flailing.

Whether Boomer had read the thing's mind or had lightning quick reflexes, they could not be sure; but the big man was suddenly firing his heavy repeater into the ranks of the creatures within a blink of them surging forward. Their shrieks filled the water around them, penetrating their helmets, as Boomer's cyclic weapon shot twenty blasts per second into their shadowy forms. The leader of the things withdrew into the shadows as a throng of the things poured out of the darkness onto the Remnants.

"C'mon!" Crisp cried out as she ducked the wild swings of two creatures, countering their attacks with several swipes of her vibroswords, decapitating one of them and slashing the arm off the other. She launched into a flurry of attacks, hacking limbs and skewering the creatures as they came at the group from every direction. She was clearly in her element.

Brega extended a hand and launched several of the things into the nearest wall, crushing their forms into the rock and impaling them on stalagmites and crystal formations. "We have to withdraw!" he shouted. "We can not defend like this!"

Maitrayen slammed the butt of his rifle into the face of an enemy, then rolling around the side of the thing and blasting several others point blank. While he had a moment to find his next target, Maitrayen spotted an opportunity. "Break through!" he called out to the others, drawing incredulous looks from the others. Maitrayen gestured ahead with a nod, indicating the massive stalactite jutting down from the ceiling of the cavern just ahead. If they could get ahead, further down the corridor, they could blow the roof and cause a cave-in that would hopefully separate them from their attackers. "Go!" Maitrayen shouted, activating his rifle's ion pulse and sending a crackling surge of energy into the creatures. Several of them shrieked and fell dead to the floor, twitching and convulsing, others backing far away. A path was made. "Someone blow the stalactite!" Matirayen shouted as he let everyone go ahead, staying to cover their retreat. He continued blasting into the creatures, keeping them at bay, and then activated his own thrusters to follow.

The mon cal scout furrowed his brow as he considered the young jedi's words, undeniably wise and accurate. He nodded and gave Sergeant Cepha a quick salute, and then swam off to report back to Captain Eelo.

"Well said," Cepha congratulated, coming to Per-Ja's side. "I'm not sure what I can do to stop this, my friend," he turned to regard Swee'la then. "But maybe together we can try."

Swee'la's young eyes brightened. He nodded to the old mon cal guard. "I will return to my father and my people. I will see what sympathy for our cause I can find among them, but I will not be able to stop my father's army from attacking. Seek me out in the quarren base atop the ridge that your scout mentioned. I'll do my best from there." With that, Swee'la nodded to the group as a whole and swam off.

A massive explosion suddenly sounded far overhead, followed by several others. In the distance, a score of submersible crafts sped towards the city, firing torpedos that struck the city walls and buildings wiht concussive force. Huge slabs of rock and permacrete descended from above, crashing through smaller buildings, crushing civilians and soldiers alike. Amidst the advancing craft, a much larger submersible could be seen. Like a giant hole in the water, the large, oblong shaped submarine was as black as night, gliding through the water in a most foreboding, ominous manner that sent chills up the Remnants' spines.

"That's an imperial sub-bomber!" Tank said incredulously. "She's fast, and give it a few pass overs and it could level the city!"

"Our weapons won't penetrate that outer hell!" Cepha added as the group watched a score of mon cal soldiers on spade-shaped speeders soar overhead, charging against the quarren-manned imperial crafts. Blaster fire erupted on both fronts. Green and red streaks lit up the water all around the cty as the two armies clashed, the quarren crafts peppering the city in blaster fire and throwing handheld grenades while the mon cal speeders did their best to quell their assault. The quarren, with their imperial technology and crafts, were besting them however. Crafts and speeders crashed into the buildings and exploded. Bodies of both quarren and mon cals were everywhere, floating limp in the water where they died.

"We'll have to find a way in and take out that sub," Jester declared, unholstering his twin blaster pistols. "Before it levels the city."

"What about Eliian?" Tank interjected as he unslung his heavy repeater. "He's probably at this ridge base the scout mentioned, along with Consul Haan, no doubt."

"You can't fight a war for us," Cepha agreed. "But you may be able to end it. Consul Haan is the key to this conflict. He's bringing in the imperial supplies. With him out of the picture, we may be able to hold out until we can get reinforcements."

"Master Vaat's fleet eta is still six hours out," Jester reported as if reading their minds. "We can last 'til then."

"What are your orders, Major?" Tank asked, turning to Matix.

*******

Eliian jolted out of unconsciousness as an unbelievably painful shock surged through his body. His muscles felt like they would burst and his limbs contorted. When the surging pain dissipated, he found himself strapped to a metal table in some kind of laboratory. The ceiling was one big, blinding panel of light. Although his head, ankles and wrists were strapped down, they were loose enough to allow him to lift his head and look to either side or to lift his hands several inches off the table.

A human male stood several meters away, wearing a long, white cloak and bald headed. A large lense attachment was affixed over one eye as he studied data on a panel screen. The room have many cabinets and trays, various research instruments. There was no sign of Wick, however.

Seeing that Eliian had awaken, a smile crossed his face and he briskly walked over to address him. "So good to meet you," he began with a hint of excitement. He immediately began inspecting the man, taking his pulse, shining lights into his eyes and taking readings of his vitals with a small scanner. He furrowed his brow then as if disappointed. "You're no Jedi ..."

A figure entered the room then, hooded and in black robes. "Enjoying your prize, Doctor?" the newcomer asked with a familiar voice. Eliian quickly recognized it as the voice of his subduer. The stranger then removed his hood, revealing the face of the strangest creature Eliian had ever seen. With green flesh, small ink-black eyes, and a mouth like the open maw of an octopus or squid, it had an eerie, naturally malicious look to it.

"He's not a Jedi," the doctor replied with frustration. "I said I wanted a Remnant Jedi, not just a Remnant. There's a difference." Even the doctor seemed uncomfortable in the thing's presence as he moved past it, deliberately avoiding eye contact.

The creature's voice was soft, but sharp. It moved to the side of the doctor, placing a tentacled hand on his shoulder. The doctor visibly shuddered. "You're just lucky we need you, doctor, or else I wouldn't have obliged your little request." The doctor shrugged out from under the thing's grasp and moved back to Eliian's side. The creature chuckled. A series of wheezes sucking pop sounds.

"I'll have your serum for you when I've finished my analysis of the native blood samples," the doctor replied with annoyance. He returned to Eliian's side, roughly turned the man's head aside, and withdrew a sample of blood from the man's neck. He removed the vial of blood from the syringe and held it up to the light before him. He activated a scanner on his lense attachment and analyzed the sample, absent-mindedly placing the syringe on the tray stand next to Eliian's bed before moving back to his computer panel for further analysis.

The creature stepped aside to let the doctor pass. "We are growing impatient, doctor." the thing hissed, it's mouth tentacles squirming. "You can tend to your new pet in your own time. For now, focus on our agreement. We are growing impatient." The thing then pulled up it's hood once more, and left the laboratory, but not before shooting a wicked grin Eliian's way.

From his restrained position, Eliian could see the doctor's panel screen. He appeared to be analyzing the blood of both a Quarren and a Mon Calamari and comparing it to some kind of chemical sample. Hitting a key, the doctor brought up what looked like a geographical layout of the planet, with colored regions indicating the territories of the Quarren and Mon Calamari. Another key stroke and suddenly a spot of red appeared in one region, and then quickly spread to the others, and of both species, until only red remained ...

((To ensure everyone is up to speed with the NPCs in this rp, as I can see it may be confusing at this point, here is a list of them for clarification:

Captain Eelo: Leader of the Mon Calamari

Sergeant Cepha: Mon Cal Veteran Guard, former king's aid/advisor

Captain Adad: Leader of the Quarren

Swee'la: son of Captain Adad

Remnants Companions: Jester (Matix), Tank (Bodakh), Liira (Per-ja), Wick (Eliian).

Consul/Darth Haan: Imperial representative/Sith Master))

((Although someone said the fight was over, I count only 2 of the 4 assassins dead, 1 captured, and Consul Haan captured, leaving 1 assassin unaccounted for. Also, WICK is a Zabrak, not a Twi'lek heh; that's Liira))

The last Eliian saw as he hit the sea floor, struck from behind, was his unseen foe sneaking up behind Wick, standing nearby. The zabrak didn't see it coming, much as Eliian hadn't. Eliian could do nothing as the figure plunged a stun-stick into the back of Wick. It was the same device it had used on Eliian, he realized, seeing poor Wick crumble to the sea floor much the same way as he had. To his relief, the figure let the zabrak live.

"He's lucky he still serves a purpose," the figure hissed as he it bent over to grab Eliian's leg. He still couldn't move. "And you, you're lucky for the same reason." Eliian could feel nothing as he was dragged away. "My master may have other uses for you as well."

Consciousness fell from both of them then...

* * * *

"You're wasting your time," Consul Haan began as Padawan Ferra presented the quarren antagonist before the rest of the team. "The die has been cast. The war has begun." He looked above them then, as if imagining the glorious battle all about them. "And there is nothing your precious Remnants can do about it!" The consul reached out with his hands then and, much to the surprise of his captors, a lightsaber hidden within his robes flew to his hands. A red blade ignited and in an instant Haan severed the clasps binding his wrists together.

The Remnants had barely got their weapons in hand when Consul Haan suddenly whirled about with his arms held wide, sending a Force Wave into his captors and sending them all careening backwards in the water. Jester smashed head first into a coral formation, knocking him out cold. Tank's helm had turned on his head. He fumbled with it with one hand, trying to reposition his visor, while also trying to lift his heavy repeater. The others, while shaken from the forceful wave, managed to recover quickly, although they were now at the far sides of the room.

Only Padawan Ferra and Liira had managed to withstand the full assault of the wave from Consul Haan, steadied themselves with the Force enough to significantly reduce the impact on themselves. Liira ignited her green lightsaber and used the Force to rush the consul from one side, hoping Per-ja would attack from the other; but the consul was no ordinary sith.

Before Per-Ja could react, Haan lit the young Jedi twi'lek up with a violent burst of lightning from his outstretched arm. He used his other hand to push a second blast of wave energy at Padawan Ferra, not moving him but holding him in place. He then doubled his efforts on Liira, drawing pain-filled screams from the young woman. He then waved his hand and flung her limp form at Per-ja. Her body collided with his, sending the both of them spinning backwards

"Until our next time, Padawan!" Consul Haan sneered. "I, Darth Haan, shall not spare you again!"

All eyes on the still surging form of Liira and Ferra, the others looked back to the consul to find him gone. Liira's life-signs were waning. Her muscles convulsed from the electrical charge still hopping from one muscle to another in her small body. She managed to open her eyes and regard Per-ja.

"I'm sorry ..." She then faded into unconsciousness.

"Over here!" Tank cried out from one side. He had Wick supported with one shoulder as he carried the limp zabrak over to the others.. "He's alive, but incapacitated. No sign of Eliian. Anyone seen 'em?" The others looked all about, but there was no sign of their specialist. "What do we do now?" Tank despaired. "We just got here and we've already failed in our mission to keep the peace."

"No," Jester returned. "Our mission priority was to ensure the peace. Circumstances were already in place here that prevented that. War was inevitable, despite our efforts. Our secondary mission is now in play: ensure the planet stays friendly to the Republic, and that means helping the Mon Calamari."

"Oh no," came a soft voice from behind them. Turning, they saw the young quarren Swee'la floating in the water with a grief-striken expression upon his squid-like face. "This can't be happening."

A quarren then joined them from an alcove, Cepha, the guard that Bodakh had befriended during the peace talks. "The mon cal armies are forming up already," the former king's aid said gravely. "City perimeter sentries have indicated that the quarren have already amassed an army as well and will be at the city in mere minutes."

"How is that possible so soon?!" Swee'la exclaimed, turning to Cepha. "The peace talks only ended moments ago!"

"They're armed with imperial weapons, our scouts say," Cepha replied, seeming not the least bit surprised. "It would seem your father, Captain Adad, and Consul Haan have been planning for war long before the peace talks even began."

Swee'la hung his head in shame, knowing the truth of the wise, old guard's words. "My father has wanted our quarren people to rule since as long as I can remember..."

Cepha was nodding his squid-like head. "Even when I stood at the king's side, your father was not even your age, but even then he spoke of a dream for quarren rulership." He sighed with trepidation. "The murder of your sister only solidified his resolve."

"And the murder of Captain Eelo's son did the same for him. He wants this war as well," Swee'la added. The young quarren and the old mon cal looked to each other with worry.

"You ... should probably go," Cepha then said to Swee'la. "You're quarren. You will not be safe here. If your father knows you are here ..."

"My father is with the imperials! The quarren do not know what they are doing, siding with them!" Swee'la began, frustrated and torn. "We are not part of the Republic either! We just want to be on our own, and for Dac to be a peaceful, neutral planet!"

A scout then entered the room, addressing Cepha. "Cepha! Captain Eelo demands your presence! He seeks your guidance! We have discovered a quarren secret base just over the ridge above the city where they're amassing their troops!" The scout looked to Swee'la with alarm then. "You! What ... you're under arrest!"

The quarren people were tending to their speaker, Captain Adad, as if he had been shot, but the Remnants had intervened just in time. Those not at Adad’s side, were shouting and pointing to the mon cals present, accusing them of the attempted assassination with the mon cal sniper now in custody.

“I was hired by one of my people, is all you need to know, and all that I can tell you. As for why? That should be obvious.

“Vote Mon Cal! Vote Mon Cal!†the sniper cried out. The Quarren rose to a fury beyond frenzy in response to the sniper’s audacity. Many of the mon cals present looked to one another with trepidation – an assassination attempt on the quarren captain? This was never something they wanted. There were those that joined in the sniper’s rally, but few dared in the face of the outraged quarren.

The sniper’s eyes suddenly widened and she winced, trying to clutch at her bulbous head but unable do to her hands being clasped behind her back. “Ahhh, my head! No! My family! You promised!â€

A barely audible blip sounded within the sniper’s head then. One of her eyes suddenly went bloodshot and void of life while the other eye began to bleed. Her body went limp and she floated between her captors.

“Time release charge in her head,†Jester concluded, checking her for vitals although she was quite dead. “Someone didn’t want her talking.â€

“These proceedings are over!†Consul Haan of the imperials was at the podium once more, he gestured to the still shaken Captain Adad. “This assassination attempt on Adad’s life is a clear indication of the lengths to which the mon cal will go to ensure they remain in power after!†He motioned to all the quarren present. “My people, let us prepare for war!â€

“This isn’t good,†Tank gulped, watching as the quarren began pumping their three-fingered fists into the air, some of them raising their electro-staves.

Captain Adad pointed to Captain Eelo of the Mon Cals with hate in his eyes. “You’ll pay for this treachery!†he spat. “You and your family are going to pay for this!â€

With that, Captain Adad and his quarren audience swam from the great hall, cheering for Captain Adad as they went.

Consul Haan remained in the hall. He floated over to the Remnants, whom still stood with the dead sniper floating between them. Regarding Padawan Ferra, Consul Haan tentacley face opened in a sinister smile.

“You have much to learn of diplomacy, young Jedi.†He then activated a wrist comm and spoke into the transmitter. “Prepare our troops. I think our proposed deal with the quarren was just accepted.†He then bowed to the Remnants. “I’d wish you luck in the coming foray,†he began with a suppressed chuckle. Four armed imperials in black dive suits then appeared next to him, their cloaking devices deactivating. They each carried lightsabers on their belts. Sith Assassins. Consul Haan regarded the Remnants with amusement. “But of course, I cannot allow you to interfere with the outcome.†His own cloaking device then activated and he disappeared before them. His sinister voice remained. “Finish them.â€

The black divers each activated their weapons, two of them brandishing twin sabers while the others activated their double-sabers. Three of them began to rush the Remnants, while the fourth reached forth with one hand and sent a charge of chain lightning into the Remnants group.

Brega took up an imperial air canister and checked the gauge on the back. Few minutes left. He hooked the canister up to his own and loaded the contents into the back-up. By the time he and Aramis were finished salvaging the imperials’ canisters, they had filled their own two tanks and combined the rest into another tank that they’d use as a spare. Only half filled, it would still be useful. With there task complete, they turned to leave.

“Wait, we should check …†Brega remembered, swimming to the not so distant door they had first passed through. He reached for the handle, then realizing there wasn’t a handle. Odd. Instead he grabbed onto what edges he could, and, using the Force to aid him, he attempted to push the door outwards. It didn’t budge.

Although young and inexperienced, Brega’s Force aptitude was considerable. He tried again, with all his concentration. Still, nothing. He considered using the deep charge he carried, and that all of them carried, but ruled it unwise. The explosion could not only cause a cave-in, but it may alert those mysterious beings that lived down here.

Heaving a sigh, Brega returned to Aramis and Sarek, reporting glumly, “Looks like we’re stuck down here, Master.â€

With nowhere to go but onward, the trio set out once more. Swimming down the dark cavern to regroup with the others, whom had gone ahead deeper down the spiralling cave…

“Scrap up all the O2?†Boomer said as the trio returned. “None for our friend here, I hope.†He chuckled.

Crisp chuckled as well, and then swam on ahead. “I have point!â€

The spiralling cave went on for many kilometres, according to Crisp’s wrist gauge. “Passing 6,000 meters …†she reported, shaking her head in disbelief. A glimmer of light ahead caught her attention then. “Something ahead!â€

Crisp put a fist up in the air, with her backhand facing the others, signalling for them to stop. There’s something standing below in a clearing. Boomer brought up his repeater and urged the others to take cover behind an outcropping of rock and coral. Crisp, keeping her body low to the cave floor and deactivating her helm light, crept along silently. She reached the edge of what seemed to be the bottom of the cave and looked down into the clearing where she had seen the glimmer of light.

It was dark, but the ambient light of the crystal clusters revealed the thing she had sworn she had seen standing in the middle of the clearing. It was tall, somewhat resembling a Quarren, but had strange distinctions upon its face. It did not move. A medallion glimmered at the base of its neck.

“It’s a statue!†Crisp then realized at closer inspection. She waved the others on as she hopped over the edge and floated the few meters down to the clearing.

Crisp cocked her head to one side curiously as she reached the statue. It wasn’t a quarren that it resembled, but it wasn’t far off. What is that? She had never seen the species before. The statue was made from rock and coral and was quite magnificent. It wore a cloak and hood that obscured its squid-like face. In its three-fingered, cupped hands it held a crystal with reverence.

Around the statue, there were no walls to be seen, just endless blackness in all directions, speckled with the sporadic light of crystal clusters. The vastness of the place was overwhelming.

“Help me!!!†came a scream from the dark, but from where? It came through each of their helm comms.

“That’s the channel we imperials were using!†Sarek shouted. “My men!â€

Movement caught Maitrayen’s eye near a crystal cluster in the far distance. A man in an imperial dive suit was scrambling over them, looking over his shoulder frequently as he fled. And then ... a few meters behind him, a cloaked figure in pursuit appeared. The ominous first sighting of the mysterious beings put a lump in the throats of several of the Remnants.

“No,†the mon cal guard near Bodakh replied dryly. “This is one of his better days.†He chuckled then, his large eyes squinting with amusement. He reached out with his three-fingered hand and shook Bodakh’s. “Thank you for coming. I am Sergeant Cepha.â€

He stepped a bit closer to Bodakh as the two listened to the talks continue. “Back in my day, these type of talks took far less time. I was the king’s secretary then. Guard life is so much simpler.†Cepha then quieted and gestured as Padawan Ferra took the podium to address the assembly hall.

As the young Jedi reached the end of his introductory address, Cepha found himself nodding, impressed. “Fine words from one so young,†he offered to Bodakh. “He offers much of what I once was tasked with teaching our former kings.†Although older in his years, Cepha was one of a long line of quarren that were king’s aides throughout history. He was perhaps the first to discard the role and take up a simpler life, but it still warmed his heart to hear such familiar words spoken by their Jedi guest. Bodakh could see the nostalgia in his almond-shaped eyes.

While the majority of the mon cals present were nodding in agreement, few of the quarren were as convinced; too influenced by the long-imprinted influence of Consul Haan. Many of them were shaking their heads, with arms crossed across their chests. The same lies they had been hearing from the late king. Without an heir, Captain Eelo of the mon cal had been thrust into the seat of spokesman for his people, and his efforts were unquestionably ineffective. Captain Adad of the quarren however was far more skilled in diplomacy, having long been an advocate for a quarren king. It was widely supported that it be he whom took the throne, in fact.

Captain Adad was now making his way to the second podium atop the stage, looking to Padawan Ferra with clear resentment as he lifted his hands and gestured to all those assembled. “My dear Quarren people! What the Jedi says is true – we must find the root causes of all our problems! And they begin and end with the discrimination our quarren citizens have suffered for centuries in an unbalanced society! Many of you have spoken, and as your future king I would pledge to end the corruption and segregation of our people!†Cheers erupted from the quarren audience. “No more will the face of Dac be a mon calamari’s to those off-worlders with whom we deal, but both of our faces! We will live together in harmony, sharing in the benefits that our technological aptitudes create!â€

Cheers of “Vote Eelo!†filled the hall from the quarren side of the assembly hall. Even some of the mon cal were nodding in agreement, although none cheered for fear of reprisal from their non-supportive kin around them.

DANGER! The hair’s on the back of Per-Ja’s neck stood up like an electric charge went up his spine.

“I sense it, too!†Liira at his side said with alarm, looking this way and that for the unknown threat. She gestured to Matix. “Major! On your guard!â€

Jester’s twin blasters were in hand instantly. He quickly moved to the center of the room and began scouring the crowd. Tank was behind him, the heavy-set trooper pulling the repeater carbine from his back and moving towards the podium.

“What is the meaning of this?!†Captain Eelo said, outraged the Remnants had interrupted the applause of his supporters.

A glint of light caught Jester’s eye then. Looking up to the ceiling of the domed assembly hall, he searched for the source.

“There!†he shouted, pointing; but it was too late.

The sniper’s target was the quarren captain’s chest, and his aim would be true.

The shot fired, and the sniper’s back jets fired a millisecond afterwards, speeding him off into the waters above.

"Father!" Swee'la's voice cried out from somewhere in the hall.

**You may determine the outcome of the sniper’s shot**