Star was the lost saga Chapter 4

Jerac had just barely made it out of the terbolift in time, as its doors sealed shut to contain the vented fuel behind them. Standing, he turned to look at the door “that was close” he muted, observing the steam emanating from it. Looking around he found himself in the maintenance bay, a hallway with two large rooms on either side.

To his left he sore another body, he wore a mining uniform like Jerac, cakey brown overalls with navy blue sleeves, some pouches and heavy duty boots. The main difference being the goggles on the dead man’s head, the man himself was a ginger herd, man in his late thirties, there were some tools lying around his bisected corps.

Moving over to the body, Jerac knelt down and began to search the upper torso for anything of value, the man’s ID tag read, maintenance officer Haran. As Jerac fondled through the corpses pockets he heard the sound of metal clanging on metal. At first he thought it was a mining droid, but this was not the sound of six legs working in tandem, no, unlike the crab like droid he’d faced so far this one moved on two legs and those still heavy had much lighter footsteps.

On guard, Jerac turned to face the new comer “GREETING: It is a pleaser to see you alive, “Master”, provided my receptors are not off-focus. How may I be of assistance?” A protocol droid said jubilantly as It orange optic sensors flashed. Moving closer to him, Jerac stood, taking an unconscious step back there was something filmier about this droid something he didn’t trust.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not your master” Jerac shook his head “and how do you know who I am?” “ANSWER: I am a survivor of the Harbinger, just as you were, Master. With the unexpected termination of my previous Master, you are the only organic which I may now serve”.

“Fair enough” but Jerac was skeptic to the droids calms of his ownership. “Now tell me how we got hare”, “IRRITATED ANSWER: Oh Master t is such a long and dull story. And not terribly reverent to our current situation”, Now Jerac was suspicious, deciding to press the issue, he leaned in to the droid, “hummer me” he said.

“HESITANT EXPLANATION:” the protocol droid began as it recounted the series of coincidences and events that led to their current situation, the arrival of mysterious the Ebon Hawk, the sudden failure of all the Harbingers systems, an attack by an unknown third party and a rather strange explanation on how Jerac had missed it all. Apparently he, to sum it up, “fainted” and somehow got “sealed” in the cargo bay, until he was removed and placed on the Smugglers vessel, with he and the droid narrowly escaping being fired upon by the mysterious third party.

 Moving on recant events the droid now known as HK, explained how after they arrived at Peragus, that the miners had learned that he was a Jedi. And when Jerac inquired how, HK answered that It had told them, before wondering if this was the result of a miscommunications and if it was then the fault lay with the coreward databases as HK pout it.

This only raised Jerac’s suspicions; Him being a Jedi should not be public knowledge, that kind of information should only be available in the “Jedi archives”. HK reasoned that as a protocol droid knowing that information was simply part of its function. This didn’t answer Jerac’s question.

Next HK detailed how, when the miners discovered who he was, they became at odds on what to do with him. One group saying they should sell him, with the other opposing them. Three hours after the division became apparent, accidents began to occur. These “accidents” coincided with the degradation of the mining droids memory cores. Along with a “flawlessly” as HK pout it, timed series of explosions in isolated gas pockets.

 All of this cumulating in the miners taking shelter in the crew dormitories. Cut off from communication they apparently asphyxiated on toxic fumes, via a damaged ventilation system.  Now Jerac was a lot of thing but he was not stupid, oh no, not stupid at all. After hiring all of HK’s story two things became apparent, one this droid was by far the most egotistical thing Jerac had ever talked to. Most protocol droid he had met had one defining trait. They were well; he always found them to be kinder prissy, But HK, no this one was all ego. And the second thing was that HK had all but confessed to being responsible for this mess, the way It explained things the pride in Its voice almost boasting, it was all too obvious.

He wondered if he should just destroy it right now, but decided that as long he kept his distance and HK remand ignorant to his plan, so he could just bide his time until the right moment. “I see, so that’s what happened. Thank you for the information” Jerac said hoping to end the conversation there. “Of course Master, I was happy to be of assistance”. Nodding Jerac turned to leave.

“QUERIE: Master is there some where you are going? I hope you are not planning on trying to leave this station? That would be, ill-advised” HK metallic voice echoed. Jerac stopped, did It know what he was doing. “No, no, of course not” he lied, “but my I ask, why?” he probed hoping the droid would reveal something. “WARNING: Master, continued exploration of this facility may place you in unnecessary harm! I encourage you to return to the medical-bay and wait for retrieval from a vessel that is no doubt on the way even as we continue this pointless conversation”.

This droid had a plan of escape, and if it succeeded it would end badly for Jerac, but for the sake of his own plan he decided to play along. “Ok, you’re right HK. It would be safer there” Jerac placated the droid. “But if someone was trying to reach the hanger bay from hear, how might, they go about it?” Now he was baiting HK “PITYING ANSWER: Oh master that would be most unfortunate, for them. The hanger bay is sealed behind a containment filed. It would be impossible to open it”.

“What about the override codes?” He asked. “ANSWER: Only the Peragus administration officer would have the codes, Master. If he hasn’t already been murdered in an unfortunate accident, than he is trapped in the dormitory section, which has been cut off from the facility by explosions”. HK explained “I see, but hypothetically if you wanted to reach them, how would you go about doing it?”

HK paused for a moment analyzing the question posed to it, before giving It’s answer “THEORY: One could walk across the surface of the asteroid surface to the dormitory airlock, but such a rout would be extremely hazardous” ‘What in this places isn’t hazardous?’ “Also I’m afraid it would be impossible to reach the surface of the asteroid. You see the console governing the droid maintenance area… and the airlock… is voice-printed”.

Jerac’s heart sank with those words, he had hoped that it would be a simple matter to accesses the airlock. Now without the proper voice codes, that goal was now substantially more difficult to achieve. There was a strong chance that the HK droid already had the codes, he would have to find a way to force or trick the unit in to surrendering them.

“I see, well that would defiantly pose a problem. Thank you HK, I’ll return to the med-bay then”. HK gave something akin to a nod, satisfied that it had convinced It’s “master” to return to his proper place. “Oh just one more question, which way to the med-bay from here?” Jerac asked figing compliance to HK’s “suggestion”. “ANSWER: Master, simply exit the maintenance bay, turn right go to the end of the hall go thought the door than tern right again. You will then find yourself at the terbolift to the administration level”.

“Thank you, I’ll be going then” before he left the maintenance bay, Jerac went to the room adjacent to the one HK was in; there he came across a workbench with an Ion blaster and several Ion grenades. Hanging next to the bench was a maintenance satchel, perfect for holding said grenades. Taking the satchel, grenades and Ion blaster in hand Jerac was now ready for any droid that may be out there.

He also, fond extra power sells for both the Ion blaster and his stealth field generator, the mining lasers power sell was a temporary fix at best, and if he was being honest, was lucky it worked when it did. Not far from the workbench was a plasteel cylinder, Jerac figured it there was anything of worth left in the room it was in there. Opening the cylinder he found the answer to all his problems, the key to his salvation if you will. It wasn’t a weapon or a shield or anything so simple. In the cylinder was a data pad and next to that was a sonic imprint sensor, a device specifically made for recording and playing back voices and messages.

The data pad belonged to the maintenance officer and it out lined how he and HK had installed more of these in the mining droids, ‘so that’s how he was able to tack control of them’ it all made sense now, HK would cause the initial accident, there after the droids would be sent to maintenance for an over hall, and to be fitted with the sensors, and with a bit of slight reprogramming, and before you know it, instant army. All HK had to do was impersonate the maintenance officer voice, to trigger the commands It had set or access systems vie the maintenance console.

And as to why HK had done all this, Jerac had concocted a theory. Going by what Atton had told him about the Jedi and the Exchange and during one point in the conversation with HK where in It referred to Jerac as Its bounty, this coupled with what he had already figured out led to only one logical conclusion, that HK was a bounty hunter droid. He had heard of theses droids before, but the impression he got was one of fire power over tacit, but this droid was different somehow some way, and an till he could figure out how, it would be best to leave It be.

But still, Jerac felt the anger stir in side him, all those miners and crew of the Harbinger. All just to get to him, why him and why now, looking at the Ion blaster and grenades he ounce more thought about destroying the droid. To avenge all its victims, a Jedi dose not seek, vengeances but then again he was no Jedi, he had made shore of that long ago. ‘It would be easy’ he thought ‘just sneak up behind It, throw a grenade or two and keep firing until there’s nothing left’.

He restrained himself barley, he still needed HK to voice the codes and two he could not risk wasting what little supply’s he had, in the name of vengeance, no he would let it go for now, he now in his hart that he would get another chance, soon. Straitening up, he pout on his best fake smile he returned to HK. “Hay, HK. You mentioned that that the console looked by a voices print, who was it who put it there?” it was a false question but one he hoped the murder droid would answer.

HK turned to face him, seeing his “masters” new armaments, concerned the droid for but a moment, upon seeing that he was in no harm HK responded, “ANSWER: That would have the maintenance officer Master” HK looked at the body of one of Its many victims of Its peragus campaign “MUSING: In the last days of his life, he was quite careful about voices protocols, bordering on paranoid obsession”. Jerac listed as HK continued along with Its train of thought, “CONJECTURE: I suspect once he realized something was wrong in the facility, he voice-locked the droid bay functions. A prudent measure, but in the end he met the same fate as the rest of the organics.” HK faced Jerac “I heard his dying screams as the droids he tended turned on him, mining him like a piece of asteroid rock”, HK finished with a notably sadistic edge to Its tone.

“Screams?” “RECITATION: Oh yes, Master. The record of his last moments were:” HK took on the voice of Haran as the terrified man resisted his last desperate words, “…five droid…burning though the outer door… their forcing their way in to the bay… please, somebody, they…oh no, they’re through!” what came next was one of the most blood curdling screams Jerac had ever heard “AIGHHH! My leg! There burning though my leg! I… stop! Stop! Ple-”. “ADDENDUM: His remaining attempts at communication are variations in decibel, Master, ranging from frenzied screams to gibbering inarticulate attempts to beg for his life.

Jerac could have gone the rest of the year without hearing that poor basted’s last moments in detail, but he still needed that code “A pity, if he were still alive, he would have been able to deactivate the voice-lock. But it seems the code has dyed with him” He shook his head dejectedly “if only someone like you possessed the codes”. Ok he was laying it on a bit thick, but… “CORRECTION:” it worked “Oh I already possess the codes, Master, but I’m afraid they will do no good due to the voice lock”.

“But shorly you can imitate the maintenance officer’s voices shooed you choose to” “OBJECTION: Master! To commit such an act would be in violation of the ethics programming most droids are believed to possess. I am afraid there is nothing that can be done”. HK voice was dripping with false shock and indignation. Despite Its word Jerac, still had an ace up his sleeve, “the faced that you can mimic voices is very impressive. What would it sound like is you did speak the code?”

The HK’s ego was not one to pass up an opportunity to show off Its skills “PROUD ANSWER: Master, I believe my vocabulator is working adequately enough to accommodate your request”.   ‘Got you’ Jerac thought as he reached in to his pocket, and activated the device “RECITATION: Maintenance control: voiceprint ID: R1-B5”. HK resisted in the maintenance officer’s gruff voice, “There was that sufficient, Master?” HK queried seeking recognition if its work. Satisfied that he had what he wanted Jerac remover his finger from the device, “yes, I think that’s all I’ll need”.

The droid was bewildered “CONFUSED QUERY: I am sorry, Master. Are you talking to yourself?” Jerac paid little attention to question, just turning on his heels and living without so much as a word. The HK droid watched its bounty leave ‘that was odd’ It thought.

Jerac made his way out, following the directions he was given, he’d left the maintenance bay, and was now in a hallway with one side overlooking the fuel deport. His eye’s wondered to the other side of the deport, the only thing separating him was the from the hanger bay were the containment fields. So close yet so far, nearing the end of the hall, he stopped, staring at the closed door. He’d felt it the small oscillations of energy, behind it.

Reaching in to the pouch, he retrieved an Ion grenade, and primed it for detonation. The doors opened and two hulking droids exited. Unlike the spider like Mark I mining droid, the Mark II stood at seven feet and were equipped with heavy duty mining lasers. As the two brutes approached, Jerac rolled the grenade to their feet. Before they even had time to register the object, it detonated releasing an Ion charge though there body’s, burning out there systems. No droid, no matter how big could resist an Ion charge.

There body’s crashed to the ground as Jerac casually walked past them. Entering a small complex on rooms he soon found the administration level terbolift, to the left of it in another room was the maintenance console. Activating the console, he accessed the voice-lock on the airlock; he then played the maintenance officers pass word. “Access granted, now opening airlock” the computer chimed.

With that done he made his way to airlock, taking a space suit from a locker, he suited up and prepared to exit. The airlock doors sealing behind him, Jerac felt a brief pull as the air in the room was sucked out living nothing but the void of space. Stepping out, he took note of the surrounding asteroid field. It had been formed by the first mining attempted on the planet’s surface, ending with an explosion that tore a huge chunk of the planet, leaving its core exposed and the asteroid field in its wake.

Since then only the asteroids were mined, since planet surface was to hazards. Looking on to its exposed core, the golden and orange glow, set agents the infant black, asteroids floating by, Jerac thought it was beautiful. He began to walk across the scaffolding attached to the surface of the asteroid, and allowed himself to feel the weightlessness of space. He’d all way’s loved space, the thought of just traveling seeing things that no one had seen before it was still something that he loved. He’d even wondered what it would be like to fly without the use of a starship, the closest had ever come to that was during the war, when he and some of his man had jacked Mandalorian Basilisk’s and rode them through the atmosphere, it was an experience he would never forget.

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Atton was worried, it had been almost half an hour since he last heard from strange man that freed him, and being cooped up in a room filled with mining droids was not helping the mater, He’d never liked droids, to many things could go wrong, turn your back on them for even a moment and bam! Blaster shot in the back.

He was about to try, contacting the Jedi again, when he suddenly appeared on the sensors ‘there he is’ Atton sighed in relief. But there was something off about signals location ‘whay?’ he hailed him. “There you are, lost your signal after you left the mining tunnels. Now you’re coming in clear”. But there was still the matter of the signals location, “except I’m picking you up on the asteroids surface. That can’t be right”.

He was hoping for clarification, proof that the readings were a mistake of some kind. The com crackled to life and he got his answer. “Really? Maybe you should look up” came a hummed response. Rising his eye’s Atton sore last thing he’d expected to see today, the Jedi standing outside the station, casually waving at him. “Huh? What are you doing out there?”

He was surprised than again who wouldn’t be. But surprised soon gave way to annoyance with the Jedi’s next words, “Oh, you now. Just taking a relaxing walk”, He pinched the brig of his nose and let out another sigh. “You’re crazy even for a Jedi”. Still he had to inform the Jedi about the latest development, “Look, you need to get out of there…quick”.

“Believe me I’m trying. Why the sudden rush?” Atton brought a schematic of the ventilation system, to give him a better idea of the problem. “What little is left of the facilities ventilation systems gone active, most likely a result of the explosion in the mining tunnels”. And it only got worse, “they’re venting right fuel through your path”.

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Jerac looked on, as Peragus’s fuel was vented, blocking his path to the dormitories. “Dame!” he cursed, “It must have been that droid!” looking behind him, he sore His way back to maintenance was also blocked, his only hope now, was that Atton could somehow reroute it. “Can you shut them down” he waited for what seemed like hours, when Atton responded it was not with good news.

“No, some one looked me out of that part of the system” this was not good news, he was trapped again it was a beginning to become a bad ruing joke with him. “Why are the vents placed so close to the exterior scaffolding?!” he was aggravated now, every time he got a head in this hell hole, something happened that would kick him down again.

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Atton was at a loss as to what was happening, despite his best effort, he’d been unable to reroute the fuel away from his ticket off this rock, and what’s more he didn’t understand how this was happening “That’s just it, there not supposed to  be active when the airlock is opened, and not without the safety’s kicking in.” He responded to the Jedi’s question, his fingers raced over the keys on the control panel, finely getting a bead on what had happened.

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“The vents look like they’ve been purposely rerouted to vent gases to the exterior, and only in the last few minutes”, Attons explanation. Jerac knew exactly how was behind all this. “It’s almost as if…” .Jerac could heir an alarm of some sort coming from Attons end, “Ho, what now?!”, Attons voice returned to the com. Just then Jerac felt a cold chill run up his spin.

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 After shutting off the annoying beeping sound of the telemetry and proximity computer, Atton fond what should have been good news for him and the Jedi. “I don’t believe this” his surprise was evident, “there’s a ship coming in, sending a docking code” but something was wrong, his instincts telling him, they would find no salvation on bored that ship. “I have a bad feeling about this”.

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The Harbinger creped silently through the Peragus asteroid field guided by the stations nava computer, it occupants waited docking. On its bridge, amongst the bodies of its former crew, a being sat in meditation. Though he was more akin to corps then man, His body marred with the scars of thousands of battle fort and one, many of them fatal yet he still lived, many times he been struck down only to rise again.

He had killed many in his life he’d coursed pain, suffering and death to more beings then he could cont. And yet his work was still not done, for one yet remained, one last Jedi how had yet to feel his wrath, his Judgment, his vengeance. Though his enemy had eluded him, he has not escaped. Tracking the Jedi’s freighter to this pathetic station had been no grate challenge, and he knew what Peragus was; he’d briefly considered destroying the field wiping out his enemy with a single blow.

But instead he wanted to be the one to do it, to hire him scream, as he slowly cut him to piece’s, to which the light fade from his eye’s and to inshore the Jedi new the vengeance of the Lord of pain, before his death, at his hand. ‘Soon’ he thought ‘soon he will know pain. Soon he will know death’. With this in mind he re-amerced himself in the Dark side.

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Jerac watched as the Harbinger docked with the station, all the while not losing this feeling of dread “…he’s is hear…” kreia’s voice echoed ‘this isn’t good’. “Atton how’s that bypass coming?” His com came to life “no good I’m completely looked out”, “dame!” He wasn’t going anywhere, not without a miracle.

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I another part of the station, another survivor worked feverishly at their consol trying to get past the droid programs, and for the most part they’d been successful. The survivor had been watching and had seen the wood be rescuer get trapped by droids venting of Peragus’s fuel, and so had been hard at work fix it. “All most there and… got it”, and with that the last fire wall was down, moving quickly the survivor shut down the vents, “it’s all up to you now my friend”. Not knowing how long before the droid reactivated the vent’s again, all the survivor could do now was wait and hope that the Jedi got though.

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Jerac was about to give up hope of getting off the scaffolding when the fuel vent’s suddenly stopped, “Atton you did it. The vents stopped” Jerac started to move hoping to get to the dormitory, before they came back on line. “It wasn’t me; someone else is in the system, whoever it is they managed to bypass the lockouts. It could be another survivor”. Jerac was all most at the airlock, he responded “or maybe it’s that droid the helped us earlier?”

He’d just made past the vents when they came back on line, ‘made it’,  he contacted Atton “Atton I’m about to enter the dormitory so will probably louse contact again”, “under stood watch yourself in there”. Once inside, the airlock sealed and the room was filled with air.  After removing the space suite Jerac checked his weapon, seeing it in order he continued on.

The first room held nothing of interest, jest debris and bodies. The second room was also empty, save for two doors on either side of him. Jerac sensed something coming from one of the door’s that he could not identify, moving to investigate, he found it to be looked. Just then the lock disengaged, and the door opened, cautiously Jerac entered. He didn’t know what he was going to find, he know only that it was there.

The room was dark save for the light of a portable computer and a few glow rods; it appeared the room was a store room of some kind, most likely used for equipment. There were many shelves and lookers to support this idea. In the center of the glow rods was a bead roll, recently slept in. It seemed there was another survivor.

He then hired the sound of a Mark II droid behind him turning to face it Jerac raised his weapon to fire. The droid stood for a moment then in the center of its chest an orange- yellow glow appeared, second’s later in clasped a plasma torch in its back. Jerac had not fired instead taking note of the droids as it fell.

“Well, it’s about time you showed up” came the voice of the one responsible for the droids demise. Jerac pointed his weapon at the stranger, an Ion blaster though not lethal to organics it could still stun them. “Who are you?” a subspecies Jerac asked for all he know he could be another bounty hunter.

The stranger stepped forward, hands held up. “Whoa there, I mean you no harm” Jerac did not lower his weapon, “I’ll be the judge of that. Now your name” the stranger a man in his mid forty’s offered no resistance to the question “Benjamin. Benjamin Avery, I am or was the station’s geologist. I’m so the one who got you past those vents”. Jerac slowly lowed his weapon not letting his guard down for a second.

Jerac took note of the man. A tall broad shouldered man, with dark skin and a strong build and He wore a miner’s uniform. His head was bear and he had a broad nose and a small beard, all of which complemented his strong face. Fully lowering the Ion blaster, but still eyeing him carefully, Jerac spoke “How do I know you’re not one of the miner’s that wonted to sell me?”

Seeing the Jedi his weapon Benjamin also slowly dropped his hands, “I know you’re suspicious, believe me I would be to. But I had nothing to do with coorta and his plan”. Jerac believed him, he was still weary of him but he did believed him, “So you were the one that got me past the vents, you have my thanks. Still it’s convenient that you’re hire, I thought that all the miners were looked in the crew dormitory.

 Benjamin bowed his head, his voice saddened as he spoke “when the emergency alarm went off my friend Banden and I along with several others tried to reach the safety of the dorms. However something went wrong with the fire extinguishers, as we entered the room they fired sealing Banden and the others in carbonite. I heard them scream as they were incased, there was nothing I could do”.

Jerac understood seeing firsthand what carbonite could do to a living being, “I’m sorry” he offered. Nodding in expectance Benjamin continued, “Fortunately for me the extinguishers could not fire beyond the room, so I was safe. Unfortunately however I had no menace to disable them or sneak by, so I was trapped.  After that the droids came, so I retreated in hear and sealed the doors, till you and that smuggler showed up I thought I was all alone”.

“How do you know about Atton?” Benjamin shrugged “The same way I knew you were on that scaffolding, by slicing to the security cameras I was able to see what was happening”. Benjamin’s answer was satisfactory, “alright then, can you override the lockdown”. Benjamin shook his head. “Not from hear and not without the security codes. What about that ship that came in, aren’t they hear to help?”

“No! I mean, that ship I don’t think will find safety on it”. Jerac’s sudden outburst did not go unnoticed ‘he’s cagy, something’s got him unhinged’ “fine then, if you think the ship is a danger, than for now will focus on the lockdown. Will have to reach dorm block, three A, that’s where the administrator’s room is. Now I’ll help you get the codes but you have to help me with something two”. Jerac was not about to turn down any help, still “what do you want?”

“My lab is at the other end of this level, now I can knockout the droids on this level but…” he looked back at the closed door, “I need to get to the terminal beyond that room there, all I need from you is a way in”. The request seemed reasonable enough, “what’s in the lab that’s so important?”  Benjamin frowned, crossing his arm’s “Its personnel, nothing that harm you I promises” Benjamin extended his hand, “So do we have a deal, or not” he’d made it clear it was this, or nothing.

 Though he was not fond of being kept in the dark, Jerac decided to honor Benjamin’s wishes, for now. Extending his own hand to clasped Benjamin’s “deal” with that done, both men made their preparations, Jerac removed his stealth generator and handed it to his new partner “do you have any skill with this?” for his sake he hoped he did, Jerac wonted to save his grenades for more dangers encounters in the future.

“I do” Benjamin said as he exempted the belt, fashioning it around his waist he looked once more to the Jedi “this may take a while”, “Just get it done ok” and with those last words shared, Benjamin cloaked. After a moments the door to the dorms opened, a minute or two later and the fire extinguishers hadn’t gone off, ‘he made it’ Jerac waited, and waited, and waited. After about fifteen minutes he was starting to get impatient ‘where the hell is he!’ Jerac wondered if this Benjamin had just taken the belt and made a run for it.

“Dame it! I should have never hav…” two Mark II droids came in to view, just as he was about to open fire, they suddenly and the extinguishers exploded. It took a moment for Jerac to register what had happened, ‘he didn’t run after all’, he felt ashamed of his lack of faith, ‘it seems I owe him an apology’ with the way cleared of hostiles, he moved to link up with Avery.

Jerac fond him by a terminal opposite a sealed door, he was still typing way when he finely acknowledged Jerac’s presence. “Good you’re here, just give me a minute to get the door and reengage the air filters”.  And after a minute the door opened, “it should be safe for us now” he turned to see the Jedi looking at him oddly “look, I owe you an apology” he started, “for what?” “There was a moment where I thought you had run off, Benjamin I was wrong to doubt you”.

Benjamin was disturbed by the lack of trust on the Jedi’s part, but he could not fault him ether, there was an awkward silence before he spoke “I accepted you’re apology, and please call me Ben”, Jerac smiled “alright Ben, lead the way”. They found the administrators body next to a holo projector, Ben knelt down next to him, “he was a good” that was all he could say, what else could he say, there were good people they didn’t have to die.

“Did you know him” asked Jerac, “no, not that well” Ben didn’t know many of the miners personally, Banden was the only one he’d conceded a friend and now he was gone. But back to the matter at hand, speaking of hand, clenched in the fist of the administrator was a data log most likely it contained what they sort.

Removing the data log from the dead man’s hand, Benjamin placed it in the projector. As expected the log had the code, but the administrator was interrupted by the stations doctor asking if the Jedi could be of help. “This is a problem, without the rest of that code were going nowhere”, “let me see” moving aside he let the Jedi take charge “Hmm, it’s a military flash code. Now let’s see, three, seventeen, thirteen, it looks like the dot equals one, the dash equals ten, and X is five. Ok I’ve got the code now let’s get to your lab”. Benjamin was impressed, not many could figure that out so quickly. “Jedi, when this is over I’m buying you a drink”.

The thought of a drink was the last thing Jerac needed “let’s worry about who buy’s the drinks after we get out of here” Ben had no arguments there, “let’s go”, “oh and one more thing” Jerac said on their way out “don’t call me Jedi”.

Neither man spoke as they moved though the dormitory level, neither shore off what to ask the other. Benjamin was the first to speak up “So you’re a Jedi, I was under the impression that they were all gone”, it was more a statement than a question, but one laced with curiosity. Jerac bristled “look, I told you not to call me a Jedi; I haven’t been a Jedi for almost a decade now”, Ben knew what the ex-Jedi was referring to, “you mean after the war right?”

Jerac liked ahead trying not to meet his companions gaze, “yeah, I won’t to talk about it”. Ben examined the ex-Jedi he noted the eyes, they looked distant. This was the look of a man who had seen too much, it was a look he knew all too well, “Believe me I know what you’re feeling”. Jerac finely looked to Ben, “you do?” he asked disbelievingly. Ben merely nodded “I fort in the Jedi civil war, sore a lot of friends and colleges die or defect”.

Jerac thought back to his own experiences “it’s never easy is it?” he asked. “No it isn’t, maybe when we get out of hare, will talk about it more, I think you and I could both use it”, Benjamin offered. “Maybe”, silence once more befell the pare, soon they came to the end of the hall. A door before them, another to their left “this is it, my labs just through their”.

Benjamin taped the door, key pad, The lab was small; it was filed with survey equipment, core samples and some other miscellanies items, “so are you going to tell me what it is you’re looking for?” “This” Benjamin motioned to a safe imbedded in the wall, “what is it? Some kind of core sample?”

 Benjamin chuckled “no, nothing quite so mundane. Trust me this is more valuable than all the core sample in this place, well to the right person that is”. Now Jerac was interested, Benjamin opened the safe, and Jerac’s eyes instantly went to the only thing it contained. A single ruby crystal, Benjamin plucked it from the safe. “I found this in one of the asteroids, about a year ago. I believe it was created when the planet suffered the explosion that made this place”. Jerac examined it closely.

“To date, it’s the only one ever found here, I call it the Peragus”, he offered the stone to Jerac, he excepted it “it feel worm, like a small fire is burning in side” He looked to Benjamin “why did you think this was valuable?” Benjamin gave him an odd look, “well if the Jedi were still around, they’d probably won’t it”. Jerac retuned the stone to him “but there no, so again why keep it?”

Benjamin shrugged “I’m a geologist finds like this are what I live for. Now let’s get out of here, we can reach the turbolift though the mess hall”. Leaving the lab, they made their way through the sealed door to the left of the lab’s entrance. Making their way through the mess hall and to another door and beyond that was the turbolift and its command consol. By the consol were three body’s, Benjamin knelt by one, “Coorta” he said examining the remains. “Look like whoever he was working with, decided he was no longer of use”.

Jerac wasn’t practically sympathetic to the dead man, after all he was he was partly responsible for what had happened, ironically though in the end he was just a another victim of HK’s plan, though a victim Jerac had no intention of avenging. Jerac went to enter the code “turbolift code incorrect” the console chimed “what” he said. “What’s wrong?” asked Ben.

“Console seas the pass code is incorrect”, “impossible let me see” Ben checked the consol’s data stream, “are, I see someone reversed the codes. Who ever tried to input them wouldn’t be able to get of the level”. Looking back at the bodies “probably what happened to coota and his crew”. Entering the reversed code, they were met with successes as the turbolift doors opened, Ben gestured at it “after you”. Rolling his eye’s Jerac entered the lift Ben followed.

 As Jerac and Ben exited the lift, they were met by Kreia. She did not even acknowledge Benjamin as she spoke. “Our enemy is here. We must leave at once”, remembering his feeling of dread from earlier he sour no point in arguing, “Then let’s go”. With that the three of them took off to the docking bay, “hay, who’s she?” Ben asked “I’ll explain later” left in the dark all Ben could do was follow, not even knowing the Jerac didn’t even know who she was.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Watching the Jedi and his companions run, two hunters decloaked. “Should we kill him now?” came a soft feminine voice. “No” the taller of the two said “the Master said to follow and that is what we shall do” the seductive voice of the taller Hunter reminded her companion.

The smaller hunter giggled in a way that would both entice and unnerve “but we can play with the other’s right?” her smile becoming sadistic. “It’s been so long since I’ve had someone to play with”, her companion also smiled with a sadistic lust. “Yes Mai, you can play with them as long as you like”

Her smile ever growing Mai and her fellow hunter recloaked, and continued to follow their pray.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Atton turned to see the Jedi followed by two others, one a miner and the other an old woman, “what in space is going on?” he demanded “who’s this?” pointing to old woman “Another Jedi? What, did you guys suddenly start breeding when I wasn’t looking?” Jerac had no time for Atton’s interrogation “Atton shut up and follow me”.

Upon hiring this Atton fell in to line “Uh… all right” he looked to the miner “and you are?”, “Benjamin, Benjamin Avery, just call me Ben”, “right” Atton wasn’t too keen on Ben’s presents. He looked back to Jerac “so, I’m guessing that Republic ship that just docked isn’t carrying friends of yours”.

“I hope your talent for understatement is not offset by your skill with a blaster. If not, then I fear that our time together will be short indeed”, Kreia said drily. Atton scaled at the old hag “Yeah and I’m also good at running and drinking your majesty” a snide and sarcastic Atton replied, then Benjamin spoke “look even if you three aren’t friends of the Republic, that warship’s our only way off this station”. “Enough talk, let’s go” Jerac commanded as he began to move to the airlocks, the others following suite. Atton court up him and said “good thing we have a clear run to the shi..” “Master” came an all too familiar voice to Jerac ‘ho hell’.