11

"Stay calm."

"I am calm."

"You don't seem calm."

"Well, Avner, that might have something to do with us breaking into a Sith compound!"

They were approaching the base; it was large and imposing with massive durasteel gates that stood open but could clearly slide shut in under a few seconds, giant hydraulics turning back and forth to help accommodate for the behemoth weight. The compound stood alone, all impenetrable permacrete with plexiglass windows, anti-aircraft guns mounted along the roof, and heavy artillery lining the walls. Tanks, personal speeders, and assault craft were stationed on regimented landing pads within the spacious parade ground, and soldiers walked amongst the equipment, shifting cargo or beginning their patrol shifts. Avner straightened his back and synced his steps with Carth while Teethree stuck to their heels. No one paid them any mind as they walked through the parade ground and into the base. So far, so good.

Inside was sterile and cool, the walls a deep gray all durasteel with several security monitors hanging overhead playing a continuous feed of the yard, barracks, and hallways surrounding the entrance. At the center of the room was a circular desk inlaid with control consoles, and an elegant Twi'lek woman sat amongst the computers dressed in the sleek dress grays of the Sith. She offered them a pleasant smile as they passed and didn't stop them. To everyone around them, they were just two ordinary troopers returning from patrol. They continued down the hall, Avner keeping his head straight, but his eyes darted back and forth, taking note of rooms both open and closed. They had to find a private terminal for Teethree to connect to; from there, they could find the central database.

The further they traveled into the compound, the tighter Carth squeezed his rifle. He was nervous, no probably more likely tense, like a loaded spring ready to snap at any provocation. Avner felt much more relaxed, and while a line of stress itself wrapped around his spine, it was well controlled. Thrill overrode any fear he might have because when his back was against the wall, that was when he operated best. He thrived off of pressure. They ducked into an empty barracks; bunks lined the walls with footlockers beside each bed, and an unused terminal sat at the far end of the room.

"Right here, buddy," Avner murmured, and the astromech plugged into the system. The droid began to slice through the base security systems, careful to not trip an alarm or leave a trail. It was a tense few minutes with both he and Carth stooped over Teethree watching the droid work.

"Hey! What are you two doing?"

Ice dripped down his back as he turned around, not too quickly as to arouse suspicion, and Carth mimicked him. A girl with shimmering green eyes and light brown hair dressed in the uniform grays of a Sith officer stood at the door. Fuck, Sarna.

Avner cleared his throat and nodded to Teethree, who was still working. "Routine maintenance. We're stripping the outdated logs and returning the manual copies to the central terminal for disposal."

Sarna only stared at them. She didn't look entirely convinced but made no move to stop them. "I wasn't aware we had scheduled maintenance today. Usually, orders come down to barrack officers who abdicate the duty to those under their command."

"Yes, that's right," Avner conceded, not sure where this was going, and from the corner of his eye, he saw Carth raise his rifle a fraction of an inch. He mentally willed Carth to keep calm and for Sarna to leave.

"I'm the barracks officer here, and I received no such orders that this was supposed to be happening." Sarna's eyes darted between him and Carth, narrowing the longer she stared at them. "What's really going on here? What are your operating numbers?" Her hand rested on the blaster strapped to her side.

"Sarna, wait." Her gaze landed on him. She was confused and a bit surprised he had called her by name, so he stepped forward.

Her hand wrapped around her blaster's grip. "How-?"

"You don't want to do that," he soothed the deep timbre of his voice, almost seeming to reverberate throughout the room. He willed her to let go, leave, forget what she had seen, and continue about her day. He didn't want to hurt her; she was just a soldier trying to do her duty, nothing more. "We're supposed to be here. You want us to be here. Nothing's wrong."

Her eyes took on a nearly glazed look, but she still tracked him as he approached and carefully placed his hands on her shoulders. "Nothing's wrong…"

"Nothing's wrong," he reiterated, guiding her out the door. "You should continue on your way."

"I'll… continue," she whispered, walking down the hall, still in a daze, and disappearing around the corner.

Too close.

He turned to find Carth and Teethree behind him, the astromech whistling that it had found the central database. He smiled and patted the droid's dome, motioning for it to lead the way. Teethree guided them through a maze of hallways and corridors, passing security terminals and other soldiers before reaching a compact lift.

"This the way?" Avner asked softly, and Teethree blipped in confirmation.

"We'll need a security pass to activate this elevator," Carth murmured, observing the control terminal. Teethree rolled forward and connected to the station. The droid took a few seconds before the elevator doors slid open with a soft ping.

"Worth every credit," Avner said, and they slipped inside. The numbers blinked by as they dropped further and further underground, a single light illuminating their lift.

"How did you do that?" Carth asked softly.

"Do what?"

"Make her leave; know her name."

Avner shrugged and focused back on the doors. "I met her once in the Jaded Ackley. Actually, she's the reason why we have these uniforms."

The lift came to a smooth stop, and the doors opened wide. The room housed the central database was large with a domed roof, monitors bordering the walls, and terminals dispersed throughout. In the center of the room, a black man was kneeling; his head was shaved, and his skin was pale, nearly translucent. He didn't rise as they stepped into the room, and Avner motioned for Teethree to connect to a terminal. Maybe if they were quiet enou-.

"Why are you here?" The voice was ragged, like glass scraping against a rock, and it immediately set his teeth on edge.

Neither answered.

"Silence will not save you." The robed man rose and turned, his eyes a clear blue matching the veins running the length of his face, his cheekbones flat. He glanced between them but settled his unsettling gaze on him, mouth twitching and brows furrowing in confusion. "You…" He pointed, and Avner stiffened. "What game are you playing?"

He didn't say anything. It was as if his mouth had been glued shut, a momentous pressure building from the center of the room with the man in black at its epicenter.

"Silence still… could this be…" his blue eyes widened in excitement, and he drew a wickedly sharp blade. "Yes, my final test before my master rewards me."

He dashed forward, too quickly to draw a bead on, and slammed his shoulder into Avner's chest, knocking the air from his lungs. He whipped around, robes fluttering like a swirl of black feathers, and thrust out his hand, sending Carth flying across the room. Avner was back on his feet in a second, ducking and weaving beneath the quick sweeping strikes of the blade.

He backed away.

He tried to throw a few punches, but his assailant slipped between his blows and drove a knee into his stomach. Pain erupted, rushing to his head, threatening to drive him to his knees. He raised his guard, twisting to avoid a strike nearly connecting with his neck.

The wall was very close now.

Avner continued to retreat; the man in black continued to advance.

His heel hit the wall. The Sith surged forward, swinging the heavy blade down, intent on cleaving him in two. Avner threw up his arm, left bracing the right, and took the brunt of the blow on his forearm. The blade cut deep, going through the armored gauntlet and sinking into his flesh. Pain ripped through his arm, blazing across his shoulder and down into his chest. He held firm, and it sunk deeper.

"Incredible, like staring into the very heart of the Force," the dark warrior whispered in awe.

He was delusional and distracted, his blade slipping wet with the Kiffar's blood. He was off-balance now, and Avner took the opening to push back, slamming his head into the other man's nose. There was a sickening crunch followed by a gurgling shout. He pressed forward, throwing two consecutive punches into the man's stomach, hooking his foot behind the other man's knees, and driving him to the ground. Looping his arms around the dark warrior's neck, he squeezed, the other man struggling to escape. He clawed at his arms and dug his fingers into Avner's open wound.

Agony, white-hot like a lick of flame set beneath his skin, flared like an untamed blaze. It rushed across his synapses, threatening to consume him whole, but Avner swallowed the pain. He wrapped it around in his hands, letting it tighten his muscles. He grabbed the robed man's jaw and forehead and twisted hard. It was sudden and sharp, as was the body hitting the floor limply.

He stared down at the deceased man. His head was still buzzing; energy, nearly electric, was arcing across his nerves, lighting every one on fire. It was building, the inferno was growing, raw power enough to make him combust. Just like on the Endar Spire… Trask… it was too hot now. The pain and heat made his head spin, twisting his stomach in on itself and threatening to rip him in two. He couldn't stop it… he was lost…

Breathe.

It's a simple command echoing from deep within. He inhaled, and a soothing cool rushed in like rain on his blazing fire. It sunk deep into his bones, pulling every last bit of the inferno back into his chest and smothering it whole. The pain settled into a dull throb in his arm, head clearing and allowing him to steady himself.

"Avner! You alright?" Carth was at his side, grabbing his shoulder.

"Yeah… I'm good."

The pilot glanced down at the dead warrior at their feet and whistled. "Looks like a Dark Jedi… can't believe you killed him."

Avner didn't respond, instead focusing on stemming the blood flow from his arm, wrapping it tightly with their last spare bandages. It stung, but the pain was manageable. It helped to keep him grounded and focused on what was in front of him and not what could be boiling up from within.

'The Heart of the Force.'

The Sith, Dark Jedi, whatever he was, was clearly insane. He had no connection to the mythical power; he was only a soldier. Teethree's whistling broke him from his troubled thoughts, and he glanced at the droid.

"You okay, buddy?"

The astromech spun its dome once in confirmation.

"I don't know how we're getting out of this one, Marek. The whole base probably knows we're here now," Carth said, nodding at the security cameras scattered around the room. He was right; someone must have seen their fight. He wouldn't be surprised if an entire squad of troopers came charging from the lift any minute now.

Teethree beeped, and Avner grinned down at the little droid giving it a pat. "Nice one, Teethree."

"What? What happened?" Carth asked.

"Capable astromech left the cameras on a continuous feedback loop five seconds before the fight and got the launch codes. No one knows what happened," the Kiffar replied. "Let's get out of here before that changes."

They hurried through the base, Avner keeping his injured arm close to his body and behind his rifle. Everything was running as it was, and no one seemed the wiser of the dead Sith floors below their feet. He doubted anyone would discover it anytime soon as long as the feedback loop held. Sith tended to like to be isolated, and no one who wanted to live interrupted that. They breezed past the Twi'lek receptionist, who again offered them a pleasant smile as they left.

"Nearly there," Carth breathed as they crossed the yard quickly and walked past the massive gates. Avner led the way into the Upper City's back alleys setting a fast clip. He wanted to put as much distance between himself and the Sith base as possible. Eventually, they would discover what had happened, and the chase would be on. Their apartment came into view, and Avner slowed to a walk. No need to draw unnecessary attention to themselves. They slipped inside unnoticed and took the maintenance steps up to their floor.

"Carth! Avner! You're back!" Mission jumped up and rushed to greet them. "Did you get the codes?"

"Of course. Was there ever any doubt?" Avner asked as he pulled his helmet off and let it fall to the floor. He dropped onto one of the beds, and his body nearly went limp from exhaustion.

"Well, if I was betting on this…" Mission flopped down beside him and smiled.

He chuckled and gave her a friendly nudge.

"Teethree has the launch codes stored in its memory banks; now all that's left is to tell your contact," Carth affirmed as he tugged off his armor.

"I'll comm him right now." Avner reached to activate his comm but winced when the skin around his laceration pulled. Shit, the pain was coming back. The bed dipped to his right, and Bastila was at his side, taking his wounded arm in her hands, pulling the damaged gauntlet free, and dropping it. He braced, expecting to be thrown back amongst the smoke and flame when her fingers touched his skin, but nothing happened. He was still here, in this small apartment on Taris, surrounded by people he barely knew.

"You're hurt," she whispered while removing the hastily placed bandages. Her gray eyes were hard like solid flint, but her hands were soft. The Jedi gently probed the cut, but he was too caught up in watching her work to flinch. Her lips were pursed in concentration as she wiped away the dried blood, a single russet strand falling across her eyes. She blew the stubborn strand away, and Avner nearly laughed. It was almost… cute.

"You're fortunate; any deeper, and you may have lost the arm completely," Bastila said carefully, wrapping his wound with packed bacta and bandages. She smoothed a hand over her work, leaving a warm trail.

"Thanks, Princess, almost good as new," Avner murmured, his voice dipping an octave lower.

Pink leaped across her throat and threatened to spill onto her cheeks. She pulled back suddenly, standing and putting several paces between them, arms crossing tightly over her chest. She was faster on her feet, injuries clearly healing quickly. "O-of course, can't have you slowing us down."

He chuckled, so she wasn't completely made of stone. He nudged Mission again, and she snickered. He snagged his comm and sent a message to Canderous. Now, they would wait. Hopefully, it wouldn't take long; he had a growing feeling of unease, which had been building for the past few days. It was as if something was coming, a dark entity not from Taris but parsecs away.

"You never did tell me how you got that officer to leave." Carth had slipped into more comfortable attire and left the armor stacked in the corner.

Avner stood and began adding to the pile. It felt good to be rid of the restrictive durasteel, almost like shedding a second skin. "I just have a way with people. I can be very persuasive."

"Ha, yeah, right! What you did almost seemed like some kind of… I don't know Jedi mind trick." Carth waved his hands around his head and swayed for dramatic effect. "And then taking out that Sith…"

He could see Bastila listening raptly to their conversation out of the corner of his eye. She tried to appear nonchalant, but her posture gave her away, stiff, her shoulders a tense line. He shrugged and tugged off the final pieces of armor. "That guy was a rookie, Onasi, didn't even have his lightsaber."

The Jedi closed her eyes, her hands wrapped so tightly around her arms that the skin was stretched white over her knuckles. She was clearly becoming unsettled by their talk. Or perhaps she was unsettled by him. He was drawn back to the clinic when their hands had touched and the vision they had shared. Bastila had withdrawn from him afterward. She had acted like nothing had happened, like she hadn't walked amongst the fire with him, held out her hand, pleaded for him. She knew, knew more than she was letting on. Where he fit in… well, soon it wouldn't matter. As soon as he was off of Taris, he would slip away, return to Command, and then disappear into the void. Bastila would become just another hazy memory. They all would.

His comm blipped once with a single word: Javyars.

"Time to go."

Carth came with him, insisting that he at least meet his contact and provide backup if needed. He wasn't sure if the pilot was coming out of genuine concern for him or if he was still a little suspicious about his motives. Probably the latter. Even though they had been getting along better, Avner would still catch the other man scrutinizing him when he thought he wasn't looking, trying to figure him out.

"You could have stayed with the others back at the apartment," Avner began as they took a seat in the corner booth where he had met Canderous earlier.

Carth shrugged. "I just wanted to be an extra blaster in case something goes wrong."

"And maybe keep an eye on me." It was meant to be a joke, but it fell flat.

Carth let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. "Avner, try to see this from my view. You have the skills of an elite commando but the rank of a grunt. You've accomplished things most people couldn't even dream of doing and have saved my butt more than once. Between that and your knack for understanding multiple languages, well, I guess you could say I'm lucky you're here. But it just doesn't add up, your skills, your reason for being on the Spire, everything! I've always kept an eye on everyone; you're not the exception to that rule."

"And what exactly are you watching me for? What do you think I'm going to do?"

"I don't know, but that doesn't mean there isn't something there. It's probably nothing; you're probably just another good soldier of the Republic, but good soldiers… even Republic soldiers can go bad. I've seen it happen, been betrayed by people I thought I could trust, and I… well, it won't happen again." Carth stared down at his hands, his fingers tracing a deep rivet in the table, but his eyes... his eyes were seeing something a million parsecs away.

"Carth," Avner started gently. "I don't know what guarantee I can give you that I won't betray you, but you have to trust me; otherwise, we'll never succeed."

"There is none; it's just something I have to work through. There are no guarantees for anyone… not for you or for me. Please don't take this personally; like I said before, I look at everyone twice." He chuckled humorously and rubbed his eyes. "If you're smart, you won't trust anyone… not me, not Bastila, and especially not yourself."

"That's some pretty pithy advice."

"I don't need to be analyzed, Marek… let's just keep our focus on the mission."

They don't speak after that. Avner kept looking for Canderous while Carth… well, he wasn't sure what Carth was looking for. Again his eyes were seeing something a million parsecs away, like he was reliving something terrible.

"Heh, I wasn't sure you would make it back, at least not in one piece." Canderous has swaggered up to their booth. Carth immediately snapped to attention, his gaze making a quick pass over the large man's frame, eyes zeroing in on the tattoo on Canderous' left shoulder.

"Wait… you're the guy from the Undercity…" Carth's eyes flashed, and his jaw clenched as he turned to him. "Marek, we can't trust this guy! He's a Mandalorian thug!"

"Carth-."

"He'll stab us in the back the first chance he gets!"

"Please, I have more honor than that," Canderous grunted, staring down at the pilot with a mostly amused expression. "If I wanted you dead, I would sooner shoot you in the face rather than stab you in the back."

"I've seen your kind of honor, Mando; your people aren't above anything," Carth snapped, glaring up at him.

Canderous' eyes narrowed into slits. "Say that again, little soldier."

"Enough!" Avner slammed a closed fist down onto the table, drawing both men's attention. "We don't have time for this. Canderous has a means of getting off the planet, and we have the codes; only together can we make it out of here."

The two men stared at each other, but only Carth nodded. "Alright… fine."

"Where's your ship, Canderous?"

"At Davik's estate, waiting to take its maiden voyage under a new captain," the Mandalorian replied.

"So you haven't even held up your end of the bargain," Carth started looking like he was about to leap from his booth and clock the large man across his jaw.

"I just haven't fulfilled it yet," Canderous spat back, not appearing the least bit intimidated by the pilot. "But don't worry, I have a plan for me and Avner to steal it right out from under Davik's nose."

"Me?"

Canderous nodded. "It'll take two people to remove the gravlocks keeping the Ebon Hawk grounded, and I can't trust anyone within Davik's base to help me. So I bring you into Davik's fold, tell him you're some new talent he can recruit that wants to work for the Exchange, and once we're in, we'll disable the gravlocks and be away."

"I won't leave the others behind," Avner stated firmly. "We all go together, or we don't leave at all."

Canderous rolled his eyes. "Looking out for others will only cause you trouble. Tell them to be at Platform 15 when we comm, and we'll pick them up. You and I should head out now. Davik will want to run background checks on you to verify your story, which will keep him distracted long enough for us to slip the Hawk away. The sooner we go, the better."

Avner nodded and followed Canderous out of Javyars. He left his weapon with Carth at Canderous' suggestion, but much to the other soldier's protest, and climbed into a waiting air speeder. It took them along a glistening roadway lined with flowering trees and sprawling arodium art installations that looped between expansive mansions and lofty skyscrapers. Everything was new here, the sunlight bathing every surface, making it look like the entire neighborhood was coated in gold, a far cry from the shadowy Undercity. They pulled into the garage of a large villa; it was all gleaming white marble and sweeping verandas with soft veridian drapes covering the floor-to-ceiling windows. Art, sculptures, and breathtaking paintings hemmed the walls, and plush carpet quieted their footfalls as they walked through the estate. It looked more like the home of a senator or famous holovid actor rather than the abode of a hardened Exchange boss.

"Canderous! Your back and you brought a friend!" Davik Kang looked like he could be anyone's grandfather. His skin had a ruddy glow, and wrinkles rimmed his eyes and mouth. His hair was pure white like freshly fallen snow, but his eyes, a deep blue, were sharp and cunning. His smile was also a bit too wide to be considered friendly, the corners of his lips hooking up like the curve of a wickedly sharp knife. "You usually travel alone."

"It's not like you to take on a partner, Canderous. You're going soft." Calo Nord stepped out from behind Davik. He didn't smirk or goad; merely state what he said like it was a fact and nothing more.

Canderous didn't take it like that, though, and growled down at the short man. "Watch yourself, Calo. You may be the newest Kath hound in the pack, but you aren't top dog yet!"

"Gentlemen, please." Davik clapped his hands together but smirked as he watched the two hunters stand toe-to-toe, neither backing down. "Let's all remain civil, especially in front of our new guest; it's bad for business when partners quarrel. Please, introduce us."

"This is Avner, I met him at the swoop opener, and he mentioned his interest in making some solid credits."

"The man who braved the flames and emerged the winner! Yes, I know who he is; quite the impressive win you managed to pull off!" Davik praised, but Avner sensed that it was empty. The older man was fishing, probing for holes, things he could exploit, trying to see if he could be swayed by simple compliments.

"I didn't know you were a swoop fan."

"A casual fan at best, but everyone on Taris follows the big season opener, even our planetary representatives. But I believe we have more important issues to discuss." He motioned for everyone to follow him. "With Canderous' recommendation – and a thorough background check – I could see you becoming an invaluable member of my organization. Many would… kill to prove themselves worthy of this honor."

"Color me intrigued," Avner said as he memorized the hallways Kang led them down. His house was nearly as big as the Hidden Bek's base.

Davik gave him a tour of his entire estate. It was expansive and dripping with exorbitant wealth, every inch of the villa made from only the most expensive materials. It was also heavily guarded. Automated sentry droids were stationed in nearly every hallway, and security cameras lined the walls, some clearly visible while others were hidden from plain sight, a shimmering fortress. It was a show of power, his tour, Davik subtlety placing him under his thumb and squeezing. The Exchange boss wanted pliability, someone he could twist to suit whatever he needed, yes-men who would follow any order he gave. And Avner gave him just that. He hemmed and hawed over the gangster's riches, joked accordingly with the older man, and let Davik lead him around like a lost Kath pup. Let him underestimate the soldier; it would make stealing the Hawk that much easier.

"Ah, there she is!" Davik has guided them into the last room on his tour, a massive private hanger housing a beautiful Dynamic-class light freighter held down by several gravlocks anchoring the landing gears to the ground. "My pride and joy; the fastest ship in the Outer Rim – the Ebon Hawk!"

Avner took a few steps forward next to Davik and let out a low whistle. "I see you've modified it with reinforced durasteel plating, and your security… are those dual heavy quad laser turrets?"

"Good eye," Davik lauded, and he clapped him firmly on the shoulder. "I see you're a man who knows his starships. I've had this ship modified with only the best defenses, aft and port turrets, proton torpedoes, and a few other hidden… surprises."

"Looks like it has a 35, maybe 40-ton cargo capacity."

"It does, along with two crew barracks that can comfortably hold eight and a state-of-the-art navigational system that can plot any course throughout the Outer Rim. She's the greatest ship I've ever owned with the capabilities to run any blockade."

"Like the one around Taris," Avner probed.

"Ha, for others maybe, but not me. I have many close associates within the Sith military who can get me proper clearance to leave."

"Why haven't you then?"

Davik's eyes narrowed slightly, and Avner chided himself on being too forward with the other man. He needed to pull back and play the part of the starstruck rookie. "There's been some hold-up on the transfer of documents. Several Republic pods crashed into the lower levels of Taris, and the Sith have been searching for them ever since, but I'm sure you aren't interested in all that. Come, I have more to show you."

They left the Ebon Hawk behind, but Avner was already going over plans on how to slip it away from Davik's grasp. He was in love; the Hawk was everything someone could want in a ship, fast and deadly, and Avner knew she belonged with him, if even for a short time. He found himself led into a spacious room with soft blue walls boasting several luxurious beds and a large entertainment system.

"These will be your accommodations for the time being. This entire wing is open for your leisure: food, entertainment, and my service staff are all at your disposal," Davik swept his arms wide and gestured down the hall to several other doors.

"That's very generous," Avner said, stepping into the room and noting the several hidden and visible security cameras.

"I do what I can for my guests. Now, if everything goes through with your background checks, I will invite you to join my organization." It was posed as a choice, but Avner knew his only options were to join Kang or find himself buried in the deepest pit in the Undercity. He assumed many people didn't refuse Davik Kang's offers. "I have a good feeling about you, Avner; I know you'll make the right decision."

He plastered on the biggest grin possible and stepped forward, offering his hand to Davik. "I look forward to working with you."

Davik took his hand in a firm grip. "We'll do great things, my friend. Ah, one more thing, my security is very stringent, so to avoid any… unfortunate incidents, please refrain from leaving this wing of my home." The sharply hooked smile was back, and the gangster squeezed his hand a little harder than necessary. "Come, Calo, let's leave our guest in peace."

They swept out of the room, the solid door sliding shut with a resounding click. Canderous turned and shook his head, muttering a string of Mando'a curses under his breath. "Alright, we're in. Let's go liberate the Hawk from that schutta."